Emma Pov

　　As I look in the mirror, I notice the marks on my neck left by Mattew's fingers. They're not strong bruises, but I don't want to meet Charlotte with these marks visible. She might end up questioning who did it, and I don't want to have to make up an excuse.

　　As the day dawns, I head straight to the infirmary of the pack house. Many warriors get injured, and because of that, every wolf pack has a stock of magical healing potions, among other potions we buy from the sorcerers. The infirmary is at the end of the pack house corridor, and some warriors pass by me with curious glances at the mark on my neck. My pale skin gives more prominence to the red welts. Instinctively, I rub my neck, wishing the mark would disappear.

　　When attended in the infirmary, the doctor evaluates the injury.

　　"How did you get these marks?" he asks in a professional tone. I swallow hard before answering him. I don't know what Mattew will do to me, and because of that, I lie.

　　"I was training in pairs and ended up getting lost," I explain simply.

　　The Night Howlers Pack doctor doesn't seem to care or pay attention to my answer, he nods and goes to the medicine cabinet. He hands me an ointment and a small vial of potion.

　　"Apply the ointment for the next three days, it will relieve and gradually disappear. If that doesn't happen, just take the potion," he explains calmly. Before leaving, I thank him for the treatment.

　　That's what I do. For three days, I applied the ointment to my neck, and as the doctor informed me, the red welts gradually disappeared. Just like Mattew's presence in my routine.

　　At breakfast, which I used to share with him and Charlotte, now consists only of me and her. Every time I arrive, Mattew leaves with an excuse that he needs to deal with something. The provocations, the jokes, and even the conversations between us have completely disappeared.

　　Charlotte doesn't seem to notice this sudden change between her brother and me. I keep my curiosity about her powers to myself; I don't want to scare her with impertinent questions.

　　Even in my training, which I have been alternating during the day and at night, Mattew's presence is not seen. This bothers me. I understand his reaction; Charlotte is a child with superpowers, which always puts her life at risk. But I would never do that to Charlotte.

　　"Emma, want to train now? I have the day off," Gaya suggests cheerfully. The young brown-skinned she-wolf smiles at me, her eyes are lively, and I feel them infecting me.

　　Gaya is already in her workout clothes when I approach her; her light hair is in box braids, reaching halfway down her waist. I need a distraction, and Gaya's company will provide that.

　　"Thanks for inviting me; we haven't trained together in a while," I comment beside her, heading towards the open training area. The day is too beautiful for us to use the training hall.

　　"Yeah, I apologize for that. It's been busy here at the pack," Gaya explains and gives me a slight nudge with her shoulder, "but you could've also invited me to train, hot stuff!"

　　I laugh at Gaya's playful tone. When we arrive in the open area, some warriors are training. They all stare at us with stern faces, with an expression of superiority.

　　I don't allow this to shake my confidence in training with Gaya. The two of us head towards the hand-to-hand combat area.

　　"I've been having busy days too, only managing to train at night," I reply thoughtfully. My search for more evidence about Ava has been leading me further into dead ends, frustrations piling up like trash bags.

　　"Are you getting better adjusted here with us?" Gaya asks as we begin stretching. I bite my lower lip at her question.

　　I'm still linked with the Moonshadow Pack, and as much as the Night Howlers Pack has been a great refuge, the way I haven't seen Mattew anymore, haven't heard his voice, heard his laughter, or seen his eyes, has left me longing.

　　Missing the alphahole that's great, just what I need! Missing his lack of manners is very irritating.

　　"Emma?" Gaya calls my attention away from my thoughts about Mattew, and I widen my eyes in surprise.

　　"Oh, yes. I think so, I like it here..." I respond with a weak smile.

　　"But you still don't feel at home," Gaya comments, and I nod.

　　"After the death of my best friend, Ava, I don't feel like I have anywhere to call home," I confess sincerely. Gaya nods her head.

　　"One thing I've learned from my journey is that our home is people, not exactly a place," Gaya says, pointing to the environment we're in, emphasizing her argument. "Allow yourself to build a new home with new people, Emma."

　　I reflect on her advice throughout our training. How will I build a new home? The only people close to me are Charlotte and Mattew, and now he doesn't even want my presence in the wolf pack.

　　Gaya teaches me new defense combat techniques. During our training, Gaya tells me she's twenty years old and reveals a few more things about her past.

　　"I came from a distant pack, very distant..." Gaya comments as she blocks one of my blows. "You probably never heard of it."

　　"Even so, what pack?" I ask curiously, my legs gaining momentum to jump when Gaya squats and tries to sweep me off my feet.

　　"Lone Mountain Pack, we are... I mean," Gaya clears her throat before continuing, "the pack is small, living in the mountains. Almost isolated."

　　"Yeah, you're right... I've never heard of it," I confess with a laughter that infects Gaya.

　　"Few know about the Lone Mountain Pack," Gaya declares in a lower voice, as if heavy memories were surfacing in her head.

　　I don't inquire further about her past, and we finish the training a few minutes later.

　　When night falls, Charlotte pulls me into her room. It's time to tell her a new bedtime story.

　　"Charlotte, is your brother... is he okay?" I ask with anxiety in my voice. The little girl climbs into bed and tucks herself under the covers before giving me an answer. My anxious heart flutters inside me, wanting to know Mattew's whereabouts.

　　"Yes," Charlotte replies with a gentle voice, but she doesn't give me any other information. She doesn't tell me where he is, or if he'll join us for the story, and I don't question further. "Emma, I want a new story."

　　I sit on the edge of Charlotte's bed; she snuggles closer to me, and I caress her hair tenderly.

　　"Every night are new story, Charlotte," I respond strangely to her request. Charlotte shakes her head negatively.

　　"I want you to make up a story today." Charlotte asks with enthusiasm in her voice; my eyes widen in surprise at that request.

　　I never thought about creating a children's story to tell. But then again, I never thought I would have to keep telling any kind of story to an eight-year-old girl. "Okay, I'll

　　make up a story today."

　　Over the next few minutes, I invent a story about a puppy wolf who got lost in the forest but made many new friends because of it. I realized almost at the end of the story that Charlotte's eyes are heavy, ready to be taken into sleep.

　　"You should go to the western forest; you'll find a little friend there too, Emma," Charlotte mumbles before sleep claims her completely.