Emma's pov

　　"Matthew isn't freedom?" Accalia purrs the question at me as if hitting me right in the heart.

　　I can't answer her, so I decided to go take a shower. Wash away any trace of sleeping with Matthew, but when I see myself in the bathroom mirror, I realize it'll be very hard to forget that I slept with an alpha.

　　There are strong hickeys on my neck, and on my breasts too. The sensation is warm when I recall our entire lovemaking; I run my fingers gently over the marks left by Matthew. It's not as significant as him marking me as Luna, but still holds an important meaning for me, a meaning that cannot exist now.

　　"Focus, Emma, you need to focus," I say to my reflection. I don't spend much time in the shower, just allowing the hot water to wash away all my insecurities, sweat, and anything else that can be washed away with hot water.

　　I decide not to have breakfast with Charlotte or Matthew; I'm not ready to face him after last night and what I heard this morning. I head to the packhouse to eat and then return to my investigations about Ava. The necklace with the pendant is now around my neck; I want to decipher who the woman in the photograph is.

　　The packhouse is bustling and lively when I arrive at the cafeteria. The smell of food dances throughout the room, making my stomach growl with hunger after all my efforts the previous night. Some Night Howlers Pack werewolves look at me with disdain, and I don't blame them. It was because of me that there was a confrontation between them and my Moonshadow Pack yesterday. I'm an outcast.

　　I fix myself a breakfast plate and for a moment, I don't know where to sit to eat. Most tables already have werewolves chatting among themselves, and there's no empty table for me to sit alone.

　　It's like being on the first day of school again.

　　"Emma! Over here!" Gaya waves to me from the back of the cafeteria, and I smile and feel relieved by her initiative to call me.

　　I cut through the other tables until I reach where she's sitting, along with another girl, maybe around my age.

　　"Hi, thanks for calling me. I thought I'd have to eat outside today," I say gratefully as I sit in the vacant spot.

　　"We know what it's like to be the outsider in a new pack," Gaya replies amiably. "This is Thalia. Thalia, this is Emma," Gaya introduces us.

　　Thalia gives a sweet smile, her face is quite delicate, very angelic with light brown eyes, full lips, and reddish skin, her hair is sleek black, cascading down her shoulders like waterfalls. Unlike me, who's very thin and everyone thinks I'm starving, Thalia has a defined body, probably a warrior, her arm boasts a bicep that's enviable.

　　"Hello, Emma. I've been looking forward to meeting you; Gaya wouldn't shut up about the new darling of our alpha," Thalia declares excitedly, and I feel flustered by the statement. "I mean, that's not a bad thing. You've brought joy to Charlotte, and that means our alpha Matthew is happy too, which is a very rare thing!" Thalia rushes to explain herself.

　　"What she means is that you've brought light and fun to the pack," Gaya replies with humor, and I smile.

　　"Well, I guess not everyone sees it that way. At least, I disagree after yesterday's incident," I comment dejectedly.

　　"Don't let it bother you, Emma," Thalia reaches out and affectionately squeezes my arm, "We warriors are here to defend all members of the Night Howlers Pack, even guests."

　　I feel more reassured hearing Thalia's words. We spend breakfast talking and laughing, making me forget more and more about the previous night and focus on my investigation.

　　"I'm going to see if I can regain access to Alpha Matthew's computer; I want to investigate a new lead," I excitedly tell the girls after we leave the packhouse cafeteria.

　　"What new lead, Emma?" Matthew's voice suddenly emerges behind us, causing me to startle and my heart to race. The three of us turn to see Matthew.

　　Matthew's warm, green eyes linger on my neck for a few seconds; I know why he's looking at my neck. I bite my lower lip, controlling the memories that threaten to surface about last night.

　　"Well, it's about my best friend Ava's case. Yesterday, on our way back here, I found this pendant," I take off the necklace from around my neck and open the pendant, revealing the photograph, "The necklace is exactly like the one Ava used to wear, but in hers, there was always a family photograph, not this woman."

　　Matthew takes the pendant in his hand and carefully examines the photograph. "We can upload it to the computer's image database and investigate where it's from," Matthew replies seriously.

　　"I don't want to disturb you," I say sincerely. Being close to Matthew right now would be torture for me.

　　"It won't be a problem at all. I want to help you clear your name, Emma," Matthew responds and hands back the pendant.

　　"I think I know who she is," Gaya says with a trembling voice. I raise an eyebrow at Gaya's statement.

　　"Are you sure, Gaya?" Matthew asks firmly. Gaya extends her hand for me to hand over the necklace, and I place the pendant in her hand. She looks at the image with such a pained expression that I'm sure of it before she says anything else.

　　"Yes, she's from my former wolf pack," Gaya replies, her voice so low that I feel like comforting her by stroking her back.

　　"The Lone Mountain Pack?" Matthew asks seriously, and Gaya confirms.

　　"Why would Ava have a photograph of someone from the Lone Mountain Pack?" I ask with curiosity.