After sharing the memory, Galen had finally ushered Caleb over to the couch where he currently sat with his head in his hands. It had been ten minutes since either of them had said a word.

“Caleb,” Galen began, “they don’t know who she is. They can’t understand your reasoning.”

Caleb raised his eyes to look at his friend.

“Do you also think I am being dishonorable?” Caleb asked quietly.

“Well, I—”

“No, wait” Caleb corrected himself, “you think I am ‘some kind of tour guide’.”

Galen looked away uncomfortably.

“I did say that. Yes,” he laughed nervously, “but, what I meant was—”

“You all knew the agreement that was made,” Caleb defended. “This was the agreement!”

“I know, but—” Galen attempted to reply.

“It is my job to train her while she is here!” Caleb interrupted angrily.

“Yes, but—”

“I am doing my damn job!” Caleb shouted.

“But that doesn’t mean giving her unrestricted access!” Galen shouted back.

They stared at each other, both shocked by Galen’s outburst.

Recovering quickly Galen jumped to his feet, formally saluting Caleb and bowing deeply._.

“I am sorry, my Alpha,” Galen said, “I lost control.”

“So,” Caleb replied softly, “you do think I screwed up.”

Galen lifted his head, seeing Caleb’s dejected look, he felt the weight of his friend’s sorrow.

“I think,” Galen began, pausing to be sure he was not going to be interrupted once more, “that you have been distracted.”

“You’re right.” Caleb sighed after a moment. “I didn’t let her in, not the first time.”

Caleb stood up and moved over to the bar beside the couch, he pulled two glasses and poured them each a finger of whiskey. Giving Galen his glass he sat back down and continued.

“I went to observe the simulation with the treant. I was surprised to see her. I had planned to get her out of there as soon as I saw her,” he paused, sighing, and taking a sip from his glass. “But the way she watched the battle…”

Caleb smiled, he thought back to the expressions he had seen on Ashleigh’s face, the way she had reacted to every aspect of the fight. Her eyes darted between the wolves and the treant.

She followed their movements and tried to predict what they would do next.

Though she didn’t spot the problem, she had watched closely when he stated there was one. She was eager to learn.

When only one wolf was left on the field, her emotions had been raw. He had seen the empathy in her, seen the pain she shared with the soldier below.

Caleb had never witnessed anything more beautiful in his life.

Galen saw the look on Caleb’s face, the adoration. He exhaled softly.

“But Caleb, you’re not the only one who is paying so much attention to her.”

Caleb turned to his friend with concern.

“What do you mean?”

“Alice,” Galen answered. “She kept asking about Ashleigh. She phrased it like she was curious about me or you, she hinted at a secret relationship too. But I don’t know, I get the feeling it was Ashleigh that she was really interested in.”

“You’ve been watching her, has she done anything to indicate what her goal might be?” Caleb asked.

“I haven’t seen anything, but then again, I have been a bit busy…” Galen replied, giving Caleb a pointed stare.

“Right.”

Galen waited, but Caleb did not seem interested in commenting on the increased workload or the reason he was clearly avoiding Ashleigh. Galen was about to push the subject a little more when a notification sounded from his phone.

Galen looked through the three notices he received.

“Looks like the security team found a device in one of the janitorial closets. It was removed and is being taken to the systems team for analysis.” Galen stated.

“Any word on the bug inside the system?”

“They have found two different viruses and cleaned them out, but they suspect they are distractions from a deeper root.”

“I want to know how that device made it into the facility at all,” Caleb growled, standing up and walking over to his laptop. Moving it back to his desk, he sat down and immediately started sending messages.

“Caleb, there is a full investigation already running. There’s nothing else you can do right now.” Galen said as he stood up and walked to Caleb’s desk.

“I can’t do nothing,” Caleb answered without looking up.

“Well, maybe you should focus on doing something else then.” Galen offered.

“Like what?” Caleb asked.

“Settling the rumors,” Galen said, closing the laptop.

Caleb looked up at him, his eyes showing his irritation and frustration.

“Caleb, you need to settle this stuff. If you just tell them who she is, we can clear it all up.”

“I can’t do that.” Caleb shook his head.

“But if you don’t get ahead of it now, she’ll have a hard time when she joins the pack.”

“Galen.” Caleb sighed.

“Caleb,” Galen stated. “She is your mate. She is our Luna. She belongs here.”

“Galen… she’s not our Luna, she never will be.” Caleb looked away, but the pain in his voice couldn’t be masked.

‘Nothing has changed…..I am not your Luna.’ Galen heard Ashleigh’s voice echoing in his mind.

He let out an irritated laugh.

“Just like that?” he asked.

“What does that mean?” Caleb sat up in his chair.

“You are two of the most stubborn people in the world, but you’re both giving up so easily,” Galen answered quietly, shaking his head as he spoke.

“Giving up easily? Like I have a choice in this?” Caleb growled as he stood up.

Galen scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“My people hate her; her people hate me. Even if we could work through that, did you forget?” Caleb asked angrily, “She already has a mate that she actually gives a shit about.”

Galen felt his father’s hand on his shoulder, squeezing it softly. Soft sobs, whispers of condolences.

The memory that normally filled him with sadness, now only fueled a wave of anger that he wasn’t aware he had. His jaw clenched.

“It’s complicated, I know, but—” Galen tried to counter.

“It’s impossible, there is no choice here!” Caleb shouted.

“It is a choice!” Galen growled back.

Caleb growled in warning; Galen responded in kind.

“You are overstepping! Drop. It.” Caleb snarled through gritted teeth, leaning on the desk toward Galen.

Galen watched as Caleb huffed, his anger pouring out of him. But in his eyes, Caleb hid something else. Pain. The same pain Galen had seen in Ashleigh’s eyes the morning after the full moon.

“Drop it?” Galen repeated. “Overstepping?”

Galen laughed coldly. He leaned forward placing his fists on the desk to hold him up.

“So, it’s fine that I, your Beta, locked you, my Alpha, in solitary? That I put you in silver iron chains to try and avoid the insane pull of your bond?” Galen gritted his teeth, his words coming out in dramatic snarls.

“Gale—”

“It’s fine that I am taking on three times my actual workload,” Galen interrupted, loudly, “to be able to take care of the representatives and act as your, what? Body double? Emotional shield?”

“Galen!” Caleb shouted.

“What? Am I overstepping!” Galen shouted back, angrily. “Let me know because I don’t know anymore!”

He felt something inside of him, something he didn’t recognize. It hurt, more than anything had ever hurt before. The pain felt heavy like it would drown him. The only way to keep his head above the rising sea of grief was to lash out.

“You’re an idiot.” Galen sighed.

The sound of whimpering, crying, sad whispers, all floated into the back of Galen’s mind.

“You both say the same thing when you mean the exact opposite! Be honest!” he shouted.

Galen felt a surge of rage rush through him, before he realized what he was doing he had already thrown his arm back across the desk, scattering papers, and sending the laptop flying against the wall.

“What is wrong with you?” Caleb growled, hitting the desk.

Galen closed his eyes. He didn’t understand what was happening to him, but the rage in him wasn’t subsiding.

“Will you make her our Luna or not?” Galen demanded.

“You already know we can’t—”

“Then reject her,” Galen stated coldly.

Caleb froze, his eyes went wide. He felt his heart drop.

“I…I can’t,” he whispered.

Galen nodded angrily, he pushed himself off the desk and walked to where the broken laptop lay on the ground. He picked it up and walked to the door. He turned back to face Caleb.

“That is a choice too,” he replied bitterly, before leaving the office.