I woke up and Muru wasn't there. It had been like that for a few months already. I felt lonely. Sometimes. But it was okay, because next to me was the most beautiful man - wolf - in the whole world.

"Good morning sunshine." He smiled at me and I smiled back. It felt so good to be with my mate. The months without him had been torture and I really didn't want to think of the months without him when Muru would take back her body - but we had made a deal.

I kissed him and got up. Muru's clothing style was far from mine, so after I took over I actually had gone shopping with the help of Jane, James' sister. Jane and I got along very well. She was a smart, nice girl and she seemed to like me very much.

Muru liked baggy comfortable clothes, pants with pockets. Things had to be practical and of use. I liked pretty things. I didn't mind showing off my body. I was damn beautiful and I knew that, alright?

Today I combined skin tight Jeans, a belly-free top and a dark leather jacket. I topped my look with a pair of beautiful black heels.

"That's how you want to go out?" James frowned.

"I look good like that." I argued.

"Too good." He mumbled. "I don't like others seeing you like that."

"What does Argus say?" I huffed.

"He says you are beautiful." James sighed defeated and got up himself.

"I will be going in a moment." He said and looked at me with pleading eyes. Today was one of his therapy sessions. I knew what his look meant. He wanted me to tell Muru that he was attending therapy regularly. He wanted her to know that he really was working on himself. I smiled at him and nodded slightly. I also wanted them to work out. I wanted us all to work out and be one happy family, but when I was honest ever since Muru went 'away' she hadn't been back yet. I couldn't feel or communicate with her.

"One more month." I thought. In one month she would wake up and we would go on a vacation - without my mate. This was something I really wasn't looking forward to, but Muru was looking forward to that a lot. I had felt that when she booked the trip.

I had more than half a year every year with my mate, so I guess I could handle a few months without him? At last I hoped.

I subconsciously rubbed the mark at the back of my neck. What would Muru say if she saw it? I hope she was okay with it. There was nothing in the contract that forbade him from marking me.

And he was my mate! He should mark me!

I sighed. Why was I getting so nervous? It wasn't as if I had done something forbidden. This was my body, too!

I left the house together with James. He was going to therapy and I was going to meet his sister at the local coffee shop.

When I arrived Jane wasn't there yet. Ever since I had come back James and I had moved in together. I took our usual seat and already ordered a milk coffee.

My drink had just arrived when someone sat down on my table. I looked up with a smile expecting to greet Jane when the smile froze on my face. This wasn't Jane. This was a man. I frowned.

"This place is taken."

"Chill, Muru." He said and my frown deepened.

"I couldn't believe it when he showed me that photo that this is really you but seeing you finally wearing proper clothes - I guess he was right."

"Who?" I asked.

"James." He grinned.

"What photo?" I flinched. That was Muru's voice. She had felt my agitation and woke up. "Ask him what photo!" Muru demanded.

"What photo?" I asked, confused.

The guy's grin widened and he whipped out his phone, after a few moments of him scrolling he held his phone into my face.

"That's my photo." Muru sounded horrified. "And I only ever shared it with one person."

"Who?" I asked, I had a bad feeling. "Our instagram friend. Randi. How did he get it?"

I looked at the man in front of me helplessly. I was agitated but Muru was even more upset than me. I was afraid what would happen if she got the answer but at the same time I was afraid if she wouldn't get the answer.

"How did you get that photo?" I asked. We needed clarity. She needed clarity.

"James gave it to me. He tried to proof to us that you weren't such a loser we all thought. And now that I see you finally wearing proper clothes I have to admit he was right."

"He had no right." I was shocked. Muru answered in my stead. She was angry. I had never seen her angry.

"It's not that big of a deal." He said.

I felt something I couldn't describe. A piercing pain in my heart.

"I guess it is not." Muru agreed I could feel her fading again, giving control back to me.

"Are you alright?" I asked, I was terrified. Something had happened and I didn't know what, but I had a really bad feeling.

"Yes. It's not that important anyway I guess." She answered. Her voice pained me but I didn't know why. I wanted to say something, anything, but I couldn't. Before I could think of anything she was gone and the pain with her. All she left behind was a dull ache.

What had happened?

When I looked up the man had gone. Had he said something before he left? I couldn't remember. A moment later Jane showed up and distracted me.

"I should talk with James later", I thought, but then Jane invited me to the cinema. It was my first movie ever and I was so excited that I forgot all about that incident.