I sat beside Conner in the conference room. Chase had asked for a meeting to discuss the plans to take out the hunters. There were many alphas here, all from different packs around the world. The number was astounding.

Conner refused to talk to me. That’s right, my mate was giving me the silent treatment. It hurt. A lot. I had to tell him but how? How do you tell your mate that the pack he wanted to help and is staying at is the reason you were broken.

Easy, you don’t, at least for a while.

The alphas were discussing battle tactics for the attack and it wasn’t going so well.

"We should attack from the North! We will have a better chance at catching them off guard!"

"And who have you the right to speak. You’re just a Luna!"

"Disrespect my mate one more time! I dare you!"

"Stop fighting and let’s just work things out..."

"We should storm the place guns blazing. They’ll never have time to regroup!"

"But we will lose more soldiers and I for one are not putting my people in the cross fire."

"Always thinking of the little things, typical Luna."

"Talk all you want but where is your Luna asshole."

"Why you all acting like me on my period?"

"Right. They are dummies. All of them."

"Can we please focus on the task at hand!"

"As I was saying, we send a few wolves at a time so they-"

"So they what? Get themselves killed one by one. Like I said, guns blazing."

"Take your people in like that, what will you tell their families when you go home alone!"

"We should all take deep breaths."

"Deep breaths my ass! We are discussing war!"

"Don’t talk to my mate like that or so help me you will have another problem to deal with besides the hunters."

"Why can’t we just send someone to talk to them-"

"Talk to them?! Are you serious? This is war not some romance action princess."

"Do not call my mate that you asshole!"

"Attack from the West and East. Then they will be forced to retreat to the South of the stronghold where we will have wolves waiting."

"No, first send spies and scouts you check the area."

"And have them all killed? I think not!" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Well what do you suggest?!"

I rubbed my temples as they all complained. Conner, who was still brooding beside me, seemed to be on my same page. They were idiots. All of them. You wonder how they became alphas. I chuckled at my own thought.

"You think this is funny?!" It took me about ten seconds to realize the question was directed to me. All the alphas and lunas were watching me. I chuckled at them all.

"Yes this is funny." I said with a smile. Most of the alphas growled. I think I just turned their egos from Asia to Hawaii.

"Who are you to speak Luna?!" One of the guys growled at me.

Conner growled at him, his growl deeper and more menacing. I shivered at the sound. Again, thank you lycan gene. At least even though he was angry at me he would still protect me. I stood up from my chair and stood in front of all the alphas.

"Look, I don’t know about you but how can thirteen pairs of leaders think that a tracker really found the Hunter base." I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why, after all these years of hiding has one measly little tracker found the base. If it was child, now that I would believe, but a grown ass man? I don’t think so." I said.

"The hunters want us to think we have a chance, that we can win, that’s how they break you. They give you freedom to roam around town but they are watching, waiting for a slip up or a mistake them they will catch you like a snake." I said looking straight at Chase. Yeah.. dude, I’m talking to you.

"The plan we need is simple, first around the base, in the trees and such is obviously littered with hunters. Send in guys to kill them while another group attacks from the East, West and South. The North will be left open and stationed there will be another group of wolves. Some will escape through the North West exit then me, my mate, my betas and deltas will follow them. I’m sure we can take out the few hunters in the secret base." Conner said with a shrug.

I sent him a smile but he didn’t smile back. He wanted to though and that was enough for me. Everyone looked at us in shock. Twenty six people couldn’t come up with a plan as simple as that?

"I suggest you go round up your soldiers. It is best we attack at dawn tomorrow." I’m advised.

And just like that, the meeting ended. Conner was out of the room faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. I huffed. I needed to talk to him then. I pushed some of my blue hair over my shoulder. I should’ve tied it up today. I was about to walk out too but I was pulled back by a warm arm. I knew the scent well. Ocean breeze and lemongrass.

I knew I had to talk to him too but I was hoping to avoid him my whole stay here. Everyone went out and it was just us. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit happy. I didn’t want to be but he had not fully accepted the bond mentally. It was till there and for that, I loathed him.

"Gemma-"

"I do not want to talk to you Chase. Let me go back to my mate." I said harshly tagging my arm from him.

I hadn’t turned around to face him. I couldn’t. There was so much I had to say and so much I wanted to do to him. I wanted him to feel the pain I felt everyday of my life. He watched it all happen, not doing a single fucking thing.

"Look-" I cut him off again.

"Where are your parents?" I asked. The spawns of satan better be dead.

"They left the pack a few weeks after you did. They wouldn’t handle things around here without you." He said. Oh well. Hopefully they are living a horrible life.

"Say what you want to and let me go." I demanded.

Chase spun me around so fast my hair momentarily blinded me. His eyes, the grey and blue I loved for about 30 seconds five years ago, started back at me, blazing in fury.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t care about me. That you don’t love when I’m close to you." He demanded.

I pushed his arms away from me.

"I can’t!" I shouted. He looked happy about that until I continued. "I can’t because you are holding onto hope that our bond will last. Because you don’t want to lose me. The bond is what makes me feel all this and I wouldn’t have to if you just left me alone! You watched me get abused for years! You did nothing. Nothing! I can’t comprehend how you watched that all day ever since you turned sixteen and knew I was your mate. You and I are over. O. V. E. R. Get that through your egotistical shell of a skull. I love Conner! You hear that! I love him, with all my heart and soul and you are ruining that for me!"

My chest heaved as I finished my rant. Chase’s expression had not changed. I wanted to smack him so hard he forgot his name. He pulled me in for a kiss. And for a second I was frozen.

Chase was kissing me.