ARTEMIS' POV:-

　　Two days had passed since the incident with Emma. Uncle Grey made sure I would not see Emma around me again. As promised, she was punished as well. Alpha Elijah started to trust me more. I was finally allowed to step out of his apartment. I was allowed to go shopping and make friends. But I didn't make any more friends. I already had four friends. I had Amy, Amira and Ryan. The triplets were the same age as mine. We finished high school together. And we understood each other well. "Tracy, please. You are being ridiculous. Why can't we trust Alpha Elijah?" I asked Tracy in an annoyed tone. Since Tracy taught Emma a good lesson for messing up with us, Tracy and I have been arguing about the same thing.

　　I was on my Scooty, riding back to the apartment. I went out to get something nice to wear for the night. Elijah wanted to take me somewhere and he asked me to buy something nice. Although my closet was filled with clothes. And I hadn't even touched half of those clothes, he still insisted that I buy something brand new. "We are not having that conversation again, Artemis. You just don't understand." Tracy replied to me in an annoyed tone. She tried to shush me again saying that I couldn't understand. I would have understood what she was trying to protect me from if she would have just told me. It started to feel like she didn't even trust me. Her behaviour was telling me that she didn't trust me.

　　I had been asking Tracy why she didn't trust anyone. Well, I also didn't trust everyone. I trusted Elijah and Amy and Amira and Ryan and of course, I trusted Tracy the most. "I would understand if you just tell me what is going on with you. Hiding our true self from the others, it makes sense. But Alpha Elijah. He is our Alpha and you said a mate should never hide anything from their mate. Are you not breaking your own rule?" I asked Tracy in a low tone as I entered the building of Elijah's apartment. I parked my Scooty in its usual spot. My Scooty was always parked right beside Elijah's car. I walked towards the elevator and called the elevator.

　　"You are just too naive. You don't understand how dangerous it can get if Alpha Elijah would be the same as the other alpha's out there. Let's not forget that Alpha who imprisoned us for a month." Tracy replied to me in an angry tone. I sighed as I knew there was no way I could win that argument ever.

　　I had the shipping bags in my hands as I hopped into the elevator. I was at the mall when I received a text message from Daniel that Elijah had called an urgent pack meeting. I quickly finished shopping so I could join in. Since that day, I had been trying to convince Tracy to let me show Elijah what we were. But that stubborn wolf didn't listen to me at all. The elevator carried me to the penthouse. I was humming a song of my favourite band, BTS. The elevator door opened and I stepped out.

　　As soon as I stepped into the penthouse, I was surrounded by all the members of the pack. They all looked panicked. A confused look appeared on my face as I looked around, thinking why they were all standing outside of Elijah's bedroom. "What's wrong? Why are you all standing outside of his bedroom? I thought he called a pack meeting?" I asked them in a low tone while staring at their faces. But of course, instead of answering my questions, they all grabbed me by my arms and dragged me towards Elijah's bedroom.

　　"Hey! Stop that! Can we talk about this? Let's talk about it first. Don't do that." I tried to fight them while trying to talk to them. But of course, it was me against the whole pack. And I couldn't show any of them my real powers. I was practically helpless in front of them all.

　　They opened the door of Elijah's bedroom and pushed me inside. "Open the fucking door, you morons. I told you not to do that again. Seriously, I am not your personal shield to protect you from Eli." I yelled at them as I banged the door with both of my hands. The door was not locked but one of those morons was holding the door so I wouldn't get out.

　　A chuckle from behind made me roll my eyes in annoyance. I heard a pair of heavy footsteps coming closer towards me. I turned around and gasped loudly as I was suddenly pinned with the door. My eyes widened in horror as Elijah was wearing nothing except for the towel that was covering his lower body. He just came out of the shower. He placed both of his hands on the door and caged me between his tall figure and the door of his bedroom. "So they pushed you in so you can talk to me?" He leaned in and whispered in my ear in a teasing tone. Then he tilted his head and pecked my cheek.

　　A soft whimper escaped my lips as I felt his lips on my cheek. It was nothing new for him, but I still couldn't control my whispers whenever I was around him. A moment later, he stepped away from me and walked towards the chair of his study table. He sat down on the chair and busied himself. I sighed in relief as he was no longer there to tease me. A confused frown appeared on my face as I looked at Elijah. I knew well that he was disturbed because of something. For a few minutes, I just stood there, biting my nails and debating with myself what to do next. I sighed in defeat after a few minutes. As I knew I was the only one who could do something to change his mood.

　　The fact was, I was the only one who could make him smile, even laugh. Even if he was angry or furious at someone. I was the only one who could make him feel better. I walked towards him slowly. I placed my hand on his shoulder and turned his chair around. I placed both of my hands on his shoulders to balance myself as I sat up on his lap. "Did something happen? I thought you called an emergency meeting. And here you are, sitting all alone in your bedroom. Is everything alright?" I asked him in a lower tone. Looking into his eyes, I cupped his face with both of my hands and started stroking his jawline with the pads of my thumbs.

　　"Let's not talk about it for now. Let me hold you close to my chest." He whispered softly while looking into my eyes. He then wrapped both of his arms around me and pulled me closer to his chest. I placed my head on his chest. I was not sure why Tracy couldn't trust him. I had finally understood what kind of man he really was.