Galen squatted in the hallway, elbows on his knees resting his chin against his laced fingers. He had been staring at the reinforced black door ever since

Ashleigh had gone inside. It had been over an hour now.

He stood up and paced back and forth.

“What do I do?” he asked himself out loud with a heavy sigh.

Galen waited for another hour before he pushed himself off the wall he had been resting against.

“That’s it,” he stated firmly, “I need to check on Caleb.”

He moved quickly before he could change his mind. Opening the door, he wasn’t sure what he expected to find.

He turned his phone on, using the screen as a flashlight as he pointed it where Caleb was chained to the wall.

Where he should have been chained to the wall.

Galen gasped, he quickly turned to the right, then the left. There he found them. Ashleigh sat on the ground, her back against the wall. Her right hand rested on the top of Caleb’s head.

Caleb was sleeping, his body curled up on the floor, only his head was protected in her lap. Ashleigh stroked his hair gently, while her other hand was held, by him, tightly against his chest.

Galen looked up at her, she stared down at Caleb. Even in the dim light of the phone, Galen could see the streaks of tears on her face.

“Ashleigh?” Galen called out.

“Ssshhh,” she whispered back. “He’s worn out.”

“Are you ok?’ Galen whispered._.

She looked up and gave him a sad smile.

“I’m tired,” she whispered back, her voice cracking.

“I can take care of him,” he replied.

“No,” she smiled, shaking her head, “if I leave, he will know. He exhausted himself fighting the pull, now his body is using all his energy reserves to

heal from the cuffs.”

Galen looked back at the chains, and back at the couple on the floor.

“Did you let him down?” Galen asked with concern.

“I had to; you didn’t follow me in.” she laughed.

“I’m so sorry, my Luna!” Galen shouted apologetically.

“Ssshh!” she whispered loudly.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s fine, you weren’t supposed to,” she smiled at him. Her eyes shifted back to look down at Caleb, stroking his hair once more. “This was something only we could do.”

Galen nodded, he watched them for a moment. Though he was worried about his friend, he felt relief in his chest to see them together like this.

“Galen,” she called his attention once more.

“Yes?” he answered.

“Nothing has changed,” she whispered. Her voice trembled.

“What do you mean?” Galen asked cautiously.

“I am not your Luna,” she answered with a small hitch in her voice.

Galen looked down at Caleb’s sleeping face. He looked content. Galen felt a sorrow blooming in his heart.

“I don’t understand,” he whispered as hot tears welled in his eyes.

Ashleigh let out a miserable laugh.

“Have you ever had your heart broken Galen?” she asked softly after taking a deep breath.

Her words struck Galen hard as he quietened down. The weight of his father’s hand on his shoulder still felt fresh, as if Galen was still living in that moment. He hadn’t understood the weight of it back then, but it had already imprinted on his soul forevermore.

“Hasn’t everyone?” Galen replied, shaking away the memory.

“No,” Ashleigh smiled, “until now, I have never known heartbreak.”

Galen felt tired suddenly. He sat down on the floor in front of her. Looking at Caleb again, checking that he was still sleeping. A painful smile came to his lips; his Alpha had never looked more at peace.

“I met my mate when I was sixteen years old,” she began with a smile in her voice. “I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. I knew wolves that were at the end of their lives and had never met theirs.”

Galen closed his eyes hearing her words as weapons cutting away slowly at his best friend.

Ashleigh looked down at Caleb and her face crumpled in a look of pain. She continued to run her fingers through his hair as she spoke.

“If not for the traditions of my pack, I would have been married for two years now,” she said sniffling.

Ashleigh took a moment to let her mind wander on that thought. She saw herself with Granger, in a home of their own and a pup in his arms. He smiled at her, the sweet smile he only showed her. He kissed their baby and then her.

She squeezed her eyes shut letting out a sob.

“I didn’t know,” she hissed painfully. “I never knew it could hurt so much to feel love.”

“What?” Galen asked, opening his eyes to look at her in his confusion.

Ashleigh took a deep breath, she pulled her hand away from his hair, a soft cry escaped his lips. She wiped her tears away and then returned to gently stroking his hair.

“Nevermind,” she whispered. “You can go. Come back before dawn and let me out.”

“But—” Galen began, wanting to ask her to continue the conversation.

“There are things that need to be said,” she answered, “but I need to say them to him.”

Galen looked at Caleb, he still held her hand tightly to his chest.

At least while Caleb dreamt this night, he could feel their bond without pain.

***

Slowly the world was coming back to him, his body was heavy, his eyelids fought against opening.

He smelled something familiar. It was earthy and bitter. Coffee.

Caleb opened his eyes; the world was on its side. He sat up expecting to feel dizzy, but no dizziness came. He felt the weight of his sleep but nothing else.

He reached for the coffee before realizing he could.

“Where are the chains?” he thought to himself.

He looked around the room, the door was open, he was on the ground two feet away from the chains. Looking at his wrists the burns were almost healed, which meant he had been off the chains for at least four or five hours.

Caleb sipped the coffee; the bitterness was a welcome taste on his tongue. He tried to piece together his memory, but all he could think of was how close

he had come to losing control. He remembered putting the chains on, he remembered the inferno on his skin and the suffocating feeling.

“Hey, you’re awake!” Galen called from the door.

He held two boxes in his hands, from the smell Caleb knew it was breakfast. He took the box that was offered to him. Inside were eggs, bacon, sausage, and sourdough toast. They were stacked high, with enough food to feed two people.

Caleb devoured the entire box; he even stole a piece of toast from Galen.

“Dude!” Galen laughed as Caleb stole his toast.

“Sharing is caring,” Caleb replied.

“Alright, fine.”

They sat in silence as they ate. Caleb focused his attention on his coffee while Galen finished his meal.

“She was here,” Galen stated.

“What?!” Caleb coughed as he choked on the hot liquid.

“I guess you really don’t remember.” Galen laughed.

“What happened?”

“You were both affected by the full moon. I guess Ashleigh was drawn to you. She found the room and she came in. You looked like you were dying

when she entered, but she looked pretty messed up too.”

Caleb listened intently. Why couldn’t he remember any of it?

“I left you alone, it was about two hours before I came in. When I did, she had taken you down from the wall. You were sleeping on the floor, she sat beside you.”

Galen looked away from Caleb as he said the last sentence.

“What then?” Caleb asked.

“Then, I don’t know. When she left, she said that you two needed to talk.”

Caleb’s heart had skipped several beats since the day he had met Ashleigh, now he wondered if it had stopped altogether. So far, they had avoided any conversation about their shared bond. Now, it seemed she wanted to talk about it.

Caleb jumped up from his seat on the ground, he raced out the door and down the hall.

“Caleb! Wait!” Galen called after him.

His mind was racing, why had she come to him? Had she decided to accept him? Did he want to accept her?

Every question fueled his desire to find her.