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The cougar dived off the bed and lunged at her in a clear attack.

At the dive, Ismena's instincts kicked in and she practically flew out of the door she was still holding open. Thankfully, she had only one leg in the bedroom before she noticed the cougar, so it was very easy for her to disappear in a flash from the bedroom.

With the door slammed shut, she stepped back as fast as she could, staring widely at the door. She kept stepping back, even after it was clear that the cougar was not going to burst out of that bedroom, she still keep drawing away from that door until she got to her bedroom.

It was after she closed herself in and locked her door, did she relax. Or try to.

Her breathing was erratic and her heart was pounding out of her chest. The fear in her has not abated either.

She felt an ache from her arm and raised it to the night lamp by the table to look at it. That was when she noticed the long gash that was bleeding. It wasn't a deep wound, even if it looked like it.

"Oh, God, Ismena... You almost died." She whispered aloud in the empty room, her heart pounding like a drum.

Now, she just has to find a way to make sure Wolfaraine does not see this wound. He will be devastated about it.

As she laid down her head to find sleep again, another thought came through her mind. A very crazy though. But a persistent one.

She slept on it.

The next afternoon, Wolfaraine just returned from the hunting ground. He'd left very early in the morning to meet with the other Alphas so they can hunt.

"How is Ismena?" He asked Mirian as he walked into the third floor of the Tower. He removed his hunting gloves and handed them to the older woman.

"She woke up late this morning, Alpha King. I don't think she slept well the night before but she is awake now. She just finished breakfast. Now I think she is in her bedroom reading a book."

Wolfaraine nodded. Mirian went ahead to ask him what he wanted for breakfast. Just then, he saw Ismena coming out of her bedroom.

Seeing him, a smile spread across her face. As she walked closer, Wolfaraine's arms opened and she walked right into it. He kissed her hair while she mumbled her greeting.

"Did you just get back from hunting?" She asked, pulling back to look at his face.

He gave a nod, "Yes, I did. Mirian said you've had breakfast." The older woman already left to give them some privacy .

"Mmm," she nodded, "How was your night?"

"Restless," Wolfaraine admitted. He had the usual nightmares about the Lab, but then he had another weird nightmare where he attacked Ismena in his cougar form.

"I woke up in my Cougar form, but that is nothing new. How was your own night?" His eyes surveyed her gently, "You were distraught the night before. How are you feeling now?"

"I am so much better now."

All of a sudden, he stilled. His nose flared, "I smell blood."

Ismena's eyes widened, "Blood...?" Unconsciously, she tugged the hem of her left sleeve down to cover her arm.

Wolfaraine saw the impulsive move and his eyes narrowed. "Did you injure your arm?"

"No, no, I'm fine." She answered quickly. Too quickly.

Why would Ismena lie to him?

A frown marred his brows, "Let me see your arm, Ismena."

"I'm really fine, I'm okay—"

"Ismena." He snapped at her in his Alpha voice. He hadn't intended to use that voice on her, but the smell of her blood and her lying about it had affected his reasoning.

Instantly, she offered her arm to him, swallowing tightly. She lowered her head in resignation.

Wolfaraine took hold of her arm and raised her sleeve. Two long gashes marred her pale, flawless skin. His frown deepened as he examined it.

This isn't an ordinary wound. She was attacked by a changeling. A changeling that ended up scratching her.

His throat closed up, but he forced himself to ask, "Was it Nalaila?"

"No, please. It wasn't her. I swear it." Desperately, she tried to take her hand back, "This is really nothing, Wolfe. You can see the wound is not deep and it's already healing. I will be fine. Please, don't make a big deal out of this. I beg you."

It made him angrier. The only indication that he was fuming was the way his eyes darkened as he said, "Someone attacked you and hurt you, Ismena. Why would you want to protect this person by covering up for him or her? Was it Eline? Was it unintentional? Is that why you want to cover for her?"

"It was unintentional, but it was not Eline. Please, Wolfe, just let it go..."

"Tell me the truth." He said in a calm voice that sent a shiver down her spine.

Ismena didn't say anything, but the truth was there for him to see. It was all over her face. In her eyes.

Sandra woke up feeling very wonderful, even though the other side of the bed was empty. Oh, what a great, great day for a great, great mood!

Finally, she has gotten a piece of Alphose. And what a very good piece that is! The memory of what they did together flooded her, and along with it came shivers and a fluttering in her belly .

"God, that man is gooooood." She groaned aloud to the empty room, with a very huge smile on her face.

"I see that someone is in a very good mood this morning," Eline said, entering the bedroom. She stopped by the doorway.

That was when Sandra noticed the woman, "When did you come back? Wait, what time is it?"

"It's early afternoon, dummy. I came back three hours ago. I see someone got worn out the night before, huh?" She smiled mischievously.

Sandra dragged the covers over herself, glaring at her friend. "Don't you have something else to do?"

"I'm making lunch, but that can wait. Tell me, you made love with my Alpha all night, right?

I know you did because his scent is practically everywhere; the living room, the kitchen, and this bedroom which has A LOT of his scent on it, so I know it wasn't just a conversation that went on here. Nope, it's not."

"Jesus, Eline..." Sandra let out a choked laugh, "Changelings and their damned noses."

Eline grinned, "To be fair, even if I wasn't a changeling, I will still know, honey. You look like you were fucked six ways to Sunday."

"You've been spending so much time with Ismena, Eline. She's the only person that'll teach you expressions like that."

"Stop sidestepping the question and give me an answer, you naughty woman. Did you or did you not get your brains fucked out and handed to you?"

Sandra let out another choked laughter. "I didn't, actually. We didn't go all the way, it was mostly foreplay. But...Jesus. "

"I know that look," Eline laughed, heartily, "Ismena had that exact look the first time she fooled around with our King. Someone was catapulted to cloud nine the night before, to converse with her creator, huh?"

"Alright, that's it. Let out of my rooooooom!" Sandra picked a pillow from the bed and threw it at her.

Eline dodged it, "Look at those cheeks, blushing like crazy! You think I'm teasing you? Wait, until I tell Mena about this."

Sandra threw another pillow at her, "Stopppppp, Eline! And don't you dare tell Ismena, do you hear me!?"

She dodged it again, laughing like crazy. "I'm gonna tell her and I will enjoy doing it too!"

Sandra groaned, lowered her head, and covered her face with her hands.

Eline took more jabs at her before she finally relented. "I know you're probably feeling like you can eat a house at the moment. I'll go and finish up breakfast now."

"Eline, wait."

Eline turned back to her. Sandra was no longer smiling, instead, she looked so hopeful. "Have I taken his scent?"

When Eline just looked at her, she shrugged, "You know, we...uhm...made love the night before. So, I must have taken his scent, even if it's just a little bit of it, right? I know his cougar was there with us the night before, because his eyes went gray and green at the same time, so—"

"Wait, it did?" Eline's eyes widened. That means the cougar was really at the surface during their intimacy.

Sandra nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, it did. I saw it with my very eyes more than once. Anyway, now that we were intimate, it's a certainty that I have his scent, right?" Her eyes were filled with so much hope, "Do I have his scent?"

"You don't have his scent, Sandy." Eline felt so sad delivering that awful news to her friend, but she had to tell her the truth. "You are right. A mate will certainly take even a little bit of his scent after intimacy, but you don't have even an atom of his scent. Just yours."

Sandra's face crumbled and she lowered her head again.

Eline saw the pain she was trying so hard to hide.

"I'm so sorry, Sandra." She whispered.

"It's okay, it's not your fault." Sandra shook her head, miserably. "Can you give me a few minutes...? I just wanna be alone."

"Okay. I will be waiting for you." Eline left the room and closed the door behind her. Her heart was heavy for her friend, knowing how heartbroken Sandra must be feeling at the moment.

When the muffled sobs came from inside the bedroom, Eline's eyes watered, but she blinked hard to stop the waterworks.

The muffled sobs turned to outright crying. Sandra stayed in the bedroom and cried for hours.

"It was me." Letting go of her arm, Wolfaraine stepped back and looked her in the eyes, "I did this, didn't I? "

"It wasn't you, Wolfe, it was the cougar. And it was my fault. You told me that the cougar usually takes control when you're sleeping, I should never have gone into your bedroom last night."

"Heavens, I thought it was a nightmare. I actually did that to you." He looked and sounded pained.

She stepped forward, and took his cheek with her palm, forcing his eyes to meet hers. "Look at me, Wolfe. Do not beat yourself up. You did not hurt me."

"I hurt you. I am the wolf and I am the cougar. I am them and they are me. They are all a part of me. I hurt you." He stated firmly.

"But you did not do it intentionally."

"Ismena—"

Her nostrils flared angrily. "You will never intentionally hurt me, Wolfaraine, so don't even try to carry the blame on this one because I won't let you.

If you want me to believe you hurt me, then I want you to admit that you will intentionally harm me physically.

Go on, admit it?" She raised her chin, challengingly.

Wolfaraine stood stunned, watching her.

In the end, he let out a deep breath, his shoulders relaxed and the self-hatred in his eyes disappeared. "You know that I will never hurt you intentionally, Ismena."

She let out a deep sigh of relief, "I know it. I thought for a moment there, you didn't."

Ismena smiled when he pulled her into his arms, she closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar scent of him into her system .

"I am sorry, and thank you for understanding, Ena." His voice vibrated against her neck.

"It's okay."

Pulling back, he brought her injured arm to his lips and kissed it lingeringly.

She tingles in places, just watching him. Afterward, he allowed her arm to drop.

"So I was thinking..." she began.

"What is it?" He asked.

The nervousness she has been trying to banish all day came back again. She was having a hard time broadening the subject to him because she knows how he would react to it.

"Can we go for a walk?" She said instead.

He studied her carefully. "Okay." He agreed at last.

Thirty minutes later, they were in the middle of the woods, walking through the Forest of Azx.

"Stick beside me, Ena. You know this forest is swimming with Wild Ones."

"I know. I still remember that night I came here with Nalaila. I was very sure we would be devoured by them." She shivered at the reminder.

Wolfaraine remembered that night too. The night she'd gifted him with the greatest miracle of all; His sister's willingness to live.

A small smile crossed his face. "I remember that night too."

"Nalaila is as brave as you are, Wolfe. Even in her condition, she is still as strong as ever." Ismena said.

He was proud of his sister and it showed. "I still can't believe that she lets you take her out so willingly. I am proud of the progress she is making."

Finally, he slowed his step and turned towards her, "What is it you wanted to speak to me about?"

She stopped walking and took his hand into hers, "Wolfe? I..." swallowing tightly, she tried again, "I... I want you to do me a favor."

"Tell me, Ismena. You know you can tell me anything." He encouraged.

"First, I want you to promise you'll listen to everything I have to say. Even if you do not like the idea of it, I want to make effort to actually listen to what I have to say." Her eyes pleaded with him.

Wolfaraine knew then that he wasn't going to like this. Whatever this is, he was not going to like it at all.

He didn't promise, but he gave her a go-ahead nod.

"Please, allow me to meet with your cougar. I want to officially meet the King-Cougar." She blurted out at last.