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{12}

The footsteps got closer and closer...

Glancing at my pyjama top to ensure there is no sign of the photo, I hopped onto the closest leather chair.

I brought my legs up and curled up on the chair to warm up my freezing feet. A shiver ran through my body from the cold, making a mental note to bring a jumper or a hoodie next time I go exploring during the night.

A familiar scent reached my nose, making me widen my eyes in shock. Out of the three people sleeping upstairs, why did it have to him to come down?

Just my luck, I thought sarcastically. He's going to interrogte me.

His tall figure suddenly filled the doorway, with his arms crossed over each other. The room was dark so I couldn't get a glimpse of his expression. The only source of light was the moonlight peaking through the blinds.

We stared at each other for a while, neither of us moving or speaking. The air was filled with tension; the mate bond was humming inbetween us, wanting to get stronger. I tried to ignore it and wondered if he was fighting it off as much as I was.

He finally broke the silence.

"What are you doing here?"

Of course, I didn't expect him to ask any other question yet I couldn't help but feel defensive. My wolf didn't like to be questioned in general, but I was surprised that she felt the same from our mate.

Fighting back the urge to snap at him, I held up my water bottle.

"I couldn't sleep and was thirsty so I came down for a drink."

Theo didn't say anything, instead he walked further into the room. The moonlight caught his features, making me momentarily stop breathing.

I guess you could say he took my breath away.

I hadn't realised I chuckled to myself, until Theo raised an eyebrow at me. I continued to sit in silence, not wanting to explain my sudden laughter.

"Okay, so why are you in here?" He questioned, gesturing to the room.

Looking around the room, I shrugged.
"I like libraries." I replied. Obviously that wasn't the reason I was in here, but I wasn't lying when I said I liked libraries.

Theo nodded, and put his hands in his pockets. I quickly checked out his outift, curious to know what he sleeps in. He wore a grey hoodie and black joggers.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, not thinking.

I almost facepalmed myself right then and there. The last time I asked that, he replied with a snarky comment like 'You're asking me what I'm doing on my territory?'.

To my surprised he replied with, "I came down to think."

I pursed my lips in thought while nodding. Nice to see him actually answering my questions.

"I also couldn't sleep." He continued, running his hand through his hair. I noticed how messy his dark hair was; I've never seen it messy since I've met him. So that's how his bed hair looks like...I kind of wanted to ruffle it to mess it up even more.

I watched him curiously as he strolled around the room, looking at books. Had he grown up knowing his father was infactuated with a women who wasn't his mother?

I looked down at my fingers, deep in thought. I wondered how Theo's childhood was like? How was his relationship with his parents. Was it normal to want to know this much about someone?

It sure is if they're your mate, a small voice in my mind replied.

I had been so engrossed by my thoughts, that I hadn't noticed Theo walk towards me. It was his voice that snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Why do you look like that?"

I opened my mouth and closed it again. I frowned, took a deep breath in and then...said nothing. I just stared at Theo, obviously not knowing what to say.

He just stood there, looking down at me with genuine curiosity. Is he really that thick, to not have realised he just offended me? I mean, I know I'm not the most prettiest person in the world, but there's no need to question my face.

"I was born with this face so I'd appreciate it if you didn't comment on it and insult me." I mumbled, not believing I had to say this. Not everyone can look as pretty as Irene...

Theo expression changed from curious to confused.

"I didn't insult you."

I gaped at him in disbelief, either he's denying it in purpose or he really has no idea how he insulted me.

"You literally asked me why I look the way I do." I explained, uncurling myself on the chair.

"No, I said..." He started to say before trailing off. He had slight crease in his brow, showing that he was thinking hard.

"Oh shit." He then said looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite work out. The expression left as quickly as it had appeared, making me take a double take.

"I didn't mean it like that." He said, looking sheepish. "I wanted to ask why you wore that expression on your face. You misunderstood from my poor choice of words."

"I didn't mean to insult you..." He muttered under his breath, frowning at the floor.

"What expression?" I asked, suddenly aware of my facial expressions.

Theo paused as he thought. "Like you were trying to figure something out. Like something important was on your mind."

"Oh." I simply replied, wondering when I'd become such an open book.

I was thinking about Theo, his past and family. Such a interesting mystery to solve.

Theo suddenly shifted next to me, making me look up. He wore a hesitant expression as he cracked his fingers. The sound of his cracking filling the silence made me cringe. I wasn't fond of that sound, not at all.

Theo coincidently stopped cracking his fingers after I visibly cringed at their sound.

"You know I'm very powerful." He stated, not hesitant anymore.

Of course.

Who the hell doesn't know he's powerful? He leads the most powerful pack in the country, thus giving him the strength to be the most powerful Alpha.
Instead I replied with, "Yeah, and?"

"Well, there are some things that even the most powerful cannot do." He carried on.

I scrunched my nose in confusion. "I don't see where you're going with this." I confessed, putting my hands up

Theo's stormy eyes flickered to mine and held my gaze. His gaze was so intense, I looked away first. My traitorous heart was pounding against my chest more quicker than I'd like it to.

"I..." He started to say, scratching the back of his neck.

He looked very conflicted as though he couldn't decide whether to say something or not.

"I...?" I repeated, encouraging him to finish his sentence.

"I can't find a lot of information on you."

I raised my eyebrows at him, wondering if he was being serious. He met my probing gaze with so much seriousness, I almost choked on nothing.

Wow. Who would've thought that was on his mind? Not me, that's for sure.

I coughed awkwardly and said, "Alright then."

When he didn't stop watching me with an unreadable expression, I said, "What do you want to know?"

Assuming that's what he wanted me to say. I couldn't decide if this was his way to get to know me or if he really couldn't find a lot of information on me.

"Who are your parents?" He asked immediately.

Wow.

He didn't waste time with that one. Damn, why is he so direct? He didn't even pause or hesitate to think, like he knew what questions to ask.

"Erm, kind of a long story." I chuckled awkwardly, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

It really wasn't a long story, I just wasn't comfortable talking about it. It isn't something I talk about casually, so my awkwardness should give him that message.

However, Theo already proved to be oblivious when he couldn't hear his accidental insult earlier.

"I don't mind hearing it." He countered, walking to the nearest chair. I watched him sit down, surprised at his sudden curiosity.

"I know Jayden's parents, the Alpha and Luna of your pack, are not your parents." He continued, leaning his whole body into the chair and proceeding to open his long legs wide. He sits almost identically to Jay, making me hold back laughter.

"No, they're not my parents." I confirmed, crossing my legs over each other. "But I love them like they are."

"Where are your biological parents?" He proceeded to ask.

I shrugged, staring at the marble tiled floor. "They must be dead."

His dark blue eyes met my grey ones, searching for any pain. He seemed to be mildly surprised to find no pain and mourning, but just awkwardness and discomfort.

"You never knew them." He stated, knowing he was right.

I scoffed at what he said. "I don't know who they are, forget if I knew them or not."

"Did the Alpha and Luna adopt you because they knew your parents?"

I sighed, not even sure why I'm answering his questions. I could easily refuse to reply, but something kept making me answer.

"They never knew my parents; no one knows who my parents are. I was abandoned on Magnus and Kaitlyn's territory." I retorted, leaning against the arm rest of the chair. "I didn't originally belong to The Imperial Pride Pack; they kindly took me in."

Theo looked visibly surprised; the most expressive he'd been since he found me.

"How's that possible? How didn't they find out what pack you're from?" He exclaimed, frowning at me. "All they needed to do is smell what pack you were from and take you back there. After that, you just need to pair the parent's and the child's scent."

I laughed humorlessly, if only it was as easy as that. "Exactly right and I would've been reunited with them unless...?"

Theo frown softened a liitle as he understood what I was trying to tell him.

"Unless both your mother and father died thus cutting off any connection you had with them, including your scent." He finished for me, looking hard for any sign of me breaking down.

"That still doesn't explain why you weren't returned to your pack." He said, crossing his fingers over each other.

Wow, nothing gets passed him.

"Apparently, I carried no scent of a pack." I explained, leaning my cheek against the palm of my hand. "I was essentially a rogue when they found me because was bound to no pack."

Theo shifted in his seat, and let out a loud sigh.

"That would mean either of two things; you were banished from the pack or the leaders of your pack died, leaving you packless." He explained, laying out the options.

"Did you get kicked out?" He asked with a slight smirk.

Rolling my eyes at his absurd question, I replied with, "I was a newborn when I was found. Can't think of a reason why a baby would be banished."

"But that still doesn't make sense." Theo commented, running a hand through his hair. "For you to have been packless, that would mean the Alpha, Luna, Beta and Gamma must've died."

I nodded at this slowly, my stomach started to churn a little. I never thought too hard about the details of my abandonment. I honestly didn't care because I was happy with the life I was given. Magnus and Kaitlyn respected that and hardly ever brung up subject.

But now that Theo was delving deep into the specifcs, a lot of things that don't make sense was being brought to light.

And that scared me.

"You would've still had a pack even if your Alpha died, because their child would've taken the Alpha role." He explained, almost to himself.

"Obviously that didn't happen, so they must've not had a child. So that would mean the Luna would take over and if she died too, then the Beta would take over. If the Beta died then the Gamma would."

He paused to look at me, seeing my bored face. "Are you following?"

"I was taught all this when I was five, of course I'm following." I shot back, hiding the fact that was freaked out by his reasoning.

"What I'm trying to say is, all those leaders must've died for you to have been packless." He concluded, clapping his hands together. "That doesn't seem plausible to me."

"Are you telling me that I was lied to?" I questioned, narrowing my eyes at him.

He shrugged and leaned back into the chair, obviously showing he thought that.

"Either that or all those people really died." He elaborated, making it clear. "If they did die, then not only you but the whole pack would've been packless. Where did they all go?"

His retorical question sent waves of panic down my body.

He was right.

If I was packless because all the leaders of my pack died, then all the members of the pack should've been packless.

"Maybe that's what really happened..." I said unconvincingly, feeling distressed.

I, unintentially, stopped paying attention to hide my feelings and emotions as Theo must've felt my distress through the mate bond.

He slid off the leather chair and sat by my feet. Hesitantly, he took the hand I was leaning on and held it close to his chest.

My eyes widened a little from the sudden sparks that were ignited from his touch. The mate bond hummed and sung with content from our physical contact. I felt my face flush from how shy I was feeling.

I was glad it was dark so he couldn't see me flustered and blushing like an idiot.

"I'm sorry I brought it up." He muttered, looking up through his long dark eyelashes. "Curiosity always gets the better of me."

Funny. Thats what I usually say.

"Do you know of any pack that might've had their Alpha, Luna, Beta and Gamma die on the same day?" I asked feebly, knowing how ridiculous the question sounded.

If Theo thought the question was dumb, he didn't show it as he tightened his grip on my hand and thought carefully.

"Not to my knowle-" He started, stopping abruptly in the middle of the sentence. He let out of my hand so fast and stood up to his full height, breathing heavy.

He turned his back on me and put his head in his hands, shaking his head. I watched his warily and with confusion as I also stood up.

"What's wrong?" I asked, the surprise clear in my voice.

After a few moments of him staring at the floor in silence, he finally answered.

"Nothing."

His voice sounded really gruff as though he had trouble with gathering his emotions. With his back turned, I couldn't imagine what had caused this reaction.

Feeling concerned, I took a step forward and put my hand on his broad shoulder.

Clearly something was up.

Did he really know a pack unfortunate enough to lose that many leaders?

For me to have been dropped off on The Imperial Pride Pack's territory, I definately must've come from an American pack. However, I know every single pack in the US and none of them fit that description.

I know every single pack in the US...except...

The MoonKnight Pack.

Lily's pack.

I slowly retracted my hand from Theo's shoulder as things started to click into place.

Suddenly, the picture of Lily and Maxwell hidden in my bra felt heavy.

That pack was attacked on Theo father's orders because he was angry at Lily for leaving him. He attacked two years after Theo was born, the year that I was born.

I shook my head repeatedly, petrified at how well everything clicked into place. Why had I just realised this now?

So I was abandoned for my safety?

When the pack was attacked, all the leaders and many members of the pack must've been killed in battle...including my parents.

Ms Williams was a survivor.

But she's only one; where did the remaining pack members go? Did they join the Rogue Force? Ask other packs to let them join?

She said she couldn't disclose their location, but I'll get it out of her. One way or another.

Why don't people know about this tragady?

Was it covered up?

Do Magnus and Kaitlyn know and didn't tell me?

So many questions were swirling around in my mind, I had to take a seat.
Calm down.

Calm down, I mentally chanted. Tears were starting to form, making me blink hard in effort to get rid of them.

Theo turned around and faced me, gaining my attention. Did he just figure it out too? Or did he know all along?

His father ordered the mass murder of my pack...my parents.

I couldn't believe it.

I also couldn't help but feel worried that he might blame himself for the actions his father did.

Theo watched me warily. A painful and anxious expression appeared on his face so quick that I wasn't sure if I really saw it or not.

He didn't know I knew about The MoonKnight Pack.

He also didn't know I knew about his father's obessesion with Lily.

I closed my eyes, feeling horrible and exhuasted. I winced at the sharp pain throbbing on my temple, I was getting a headache. Not surprised.

Maybe this was all just a dream and I would wake up to Jay jumping on my bed singing about pigeons. 

I shuddered suddenly, feeling a cold breeze penetrate through my thin pink silk pyjamas.

I hear Theo shuffling next to me, not bothering to open my eyes.

"Here."

I opened one eye out of curiosity just to be blessed with a shirtless Theo. I squealed and jumped back in surprise.

Oh, wow.

Damn.

I mean, woah.

As a wolf, it would be unusual if I hadn't seen shirtless guys countless of times. As a warrior, I see them all the time.

But I've never been rendered speechless by any of them...until now.

I looked away, fighting to urge count his abs. Why did he randomly take off his hoodie?

"Are you going to take it?"

Take what?

Looking back at him, I suddenly noticed his outstretched arm holding his hoodie.

"Erm, why?"

"You're cold."

So you just...took your hoodie off. Like it was no big deal. Okay.

"Why did you not wear a shirt underneath?" I asked, suddenly finding his feet interesting.

"I sleep shirtless and wore a hoodie when I came downstairs." He quickly explained. "Now take it already."

I stretched my arm out and took his hoodie. It felt very soft under my fingers. What had caught my attention the most was it's scent.

Chocolate and cinnamon.

Resisting the urge to sniff it like a weirdo, I slipped it on mumbling a thank you.

While the hoodie fitted him perfectly, it looked ridiculously huge on me.

The scent seemed to calm me down more than I expected, making me close my eyes in content.

I was just resting my eyes. I won't fall asleep or anything...

--------------------------------------------------

*cue dramatic music*

What would be a cute ship name for them?

Eliseo
Thelisia

If you have other suggestions, just comment them ;)

Please VOTE and COMMENT!♡ x