The silence was starting to irritate Luke. His patience had long run thin, but it was enough for him to still keep quiet.

Rolus was sitting down on his chair, head held as high as ever as if he wasn't sick. The man was still riding on his high horse even though the horse was too tired to walk.

His eyes were sunken, skin paler than paper and black bags under his eyes. Luke could see that Rolus lost some weight.

He even felt pity for the Alpha, but quickly hardened his heart and cleared his throat, staring at the other Alpha in distaste.

"What do you want, Luke?" Rolus started, rubbing his eyes. He felt the headache coming. His body was too weak. He felt like he could just sleep and dream of nothing. But then that was impossible because he was cursed, even in his dreams.

"Oh, I just came to see how you were doing, you know. I can see that you're not really doing well, judging by your appearance. And I must say, you look absolutely terrible. Tell me your secret. Is your past finally catching up with you?"

Rolus sighed, once again rubbing his eyes. He was still weak from the coma he suffered. "I really don't have time for this, Luke. Just name your price and I'll give it to you. I'm sick of you parading in my Pack like you own it. Name your price."

"Your Pack."

"Excuse me?"

Luke smiled, the kind that would sweep everyone off their feet, but not Rolus. He was immune to his charms. His smile felt sinister somehow now that he was being ridiculous.

"You really can't afford me, Rolus. I'm an expensive man."

Rolus scoffed at that. Of course he was an expensive man, and an asshole at that. "I really can't afford you. I can't afford to give you my Pack," Rolus replied.

Luke pulled out a chair and sat down, glaring at Rolus. His mood was starting to darken with every minute he spent in the presence of Rolus. "Don't make me mad, Rolus. I don't want to kill you, especially with you like this. I want the Pack."

"And I am telling you that you will not set your claws in my Pack. Now, get out," Rolus snarled, his eyes changing from blue to yellow. He was not going to be disrespected in his Pack. He refused that.

"Then I guess you wouldn't mind your precious Pack knowing about you killing your mate, right? I'm sure that little Beta of yours would really appreciate the truth."

"You wouldn't dare."

"You want to try me?" Luke challenged, boiling with anger. His eyes were changing colours, his wolf ready to take over and kill him. There was a very big part of him that craved to end his life for revenge and pain.

"Just give me a little time to think it over. I can't just make such a huge decision now. All I need is time," Rolus said, giving up. He didn't have the strength to argue, or fight.

"A week."

"Excuse me?"

Luke stood up, turned around and headed for the door.

"A month!" Rolus yelled, making Luke stop.

He turned around, glaring at Rolus. "I'm being lenient with you, Rolus. Don't think that I'm your friend. A week. If not, prepare for war and believe me, this Pack is mine." He left out the door, leaving Rolus fuming.

It was such a drag when Sierra barged into his office, eyes wild. "What did he want, Alpha?"

Rolus raised his pointer finger, trying to collect himself. Stressed. It was all he felt.

"Are you okay?" she asked, sitting down and staring at Rolus.

Rolus shook his head. "I don't know, Sierra. He wants the Pack."

Sierra snorted, saying, "That's not new. We all know that he's been eyeing our Pack. He probably just wants our warriors. And it's not like you are going to give it to him."

Rolus looked down on the table, interlocking his fingers.

"Right, Rolus?" Sierra questioned, her voice low.

Rolus couldn't agree, for the love of the Moon Goddess. His secret was on the line, a secret he would rather die bearing. He carried with him shame, guilt, pride and sorrow. That's all he carried. He couldn't get past the shame to admit his secret. Every night, guilt tore him apart. His pride was his Pack. He could not let them know what a twisted and conniving Alpha he was. He was the Pack's pride. He could not let that title diminish to nothingness. The sorrow in his heart was too much to bear, maybe that's why he was sick. He carried too much that his shoulders could not sustain.

"What does that Alpha have on you that you would willingly give your Pack to him? What did you do to him?" Sierra yelled, glaring at Rolus.

"Beta, please know your place. Just because you've been running the Pack when I was in a coma does not mean you're the Alpha, got it?" Rolus snapped, but quickly regretted his words when he saw Sierra's expression. She was shocked, a look of betrayal and hurt passing through her features.

"I... I didn't know that you felt that way about me. Apologies, Alpha," she stuttered, quickly getting off the chair and leaving the office.

Rolus was tongue-tied, already beating himself up over his words. The words were out, there was nothing he could do to extinguish the fire. It was already too alive to die out.

With an ultimatum given to him by Alpha Luke, Rolus felt like death should claim him sooner rather than later. It was best for him to die earlier, than to face the scrutinity of the Pack. Even if he was their Alpha and they respected him, they would never tolerate what he did - killing someone else's daughter. Worst of all, killing his mate. According to Alpha Luke. It was better Luke assumed that than know the truth.

With a defeated sigh, he stood up and left his office, going down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He found Mary, the cook, seated on a stool. Upon detecting the Alpha, she stood up and bowed, then addressed him. "What would you like to eat, Alpha?"

Rolus just waved his hand and sat down, saying, "I'm not hungry, Mary. I just came down here for a peace of mind."

It was awkward for Mary when the Alpha always came to the kitchen and said that he was not hungry. His presence was always unwelcome because it made her uneasy.

"Are you sure? What about water, juice? Anything?" Mary asked, going to open the fridge.

"No. Really, I'm fine. I just needed to get away from my office and just be... I don't know," Rolus was already gone, blabbering to the cook about everything and nothing. He felt as if he was drunk and everything felt hazy. He felt distracted from the world and his body was no longer his to control.

That only lasted until he heard footsteps approach the kitchen, snapping him out of his daydream-like stance. He looked at the entrance, seeing Theo glaring at him.

He saw that coming to be honest. No one upset his mate and got away with it.

"Excuse me, Mary," Rolus said, standing up and smiling at her.

"It's okay. It was a pleasure having you around." Of course Mary did not lie. For the first time in forever since she had those awkward meetings with the Alpha, he was always the quiet one, observing his surroundings and being all moody, but today, he was a sweetheart.

Rolus smiled one more time at Mary and approached Theo, gesturing for him to follow.

"I didn't mean what I said to her, okay?" Rolus started, folding his arms and looking straight ahead.

"Oh really? I really respect you, Alpha, but she is my mate. No amount of respect would make me see you as more respectable when you spewed those words at my mate. Heck, she was doing her job as the Beta, that is to step in when you are not fit to rule. She was not trying to take your place." Theo was angry for sure. Every Pack member stayed out of their way when they passed by.

"I don't know how many times I'll say I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for hurting her. I know she didn't deserve it. I don't deserve you all," he muttered the last part.

"She was just trying to help, Alpha. She even went as far as always sleeping in your room on a chair next to your bed. She has not been eating and sleeping properly when you were in a coma. And for you to say what you said, it's not cool."

"I know, okay? And I'm sorry." Rolus really tried to apologise, but Theo was still angry at him.

"Maybe you should apologise to her and tell her what you really meant. She's in her office," Theo said, patting Rolus on the back and taking a different path. Rolus didn't realise it, but he was already in front of Sierra's office. The door was closed, but he could hear papers shuffling.

It was possible that Sierra had already detected his presence, but he still lingered at the door, hoping that maybe she'd meet him halfway. She didn't.

Brazing himself, he knocked, then opened the door without waiting for a reply.

Sierra was paging through a book, her eyes focused there. Rolus could tell that she did it on purpose - not giving him attention.

He sat down, staring intently at Sierra, hoping that she would talk to him. She did not.

"Sierra, I'm really sorry. I don't know what came over me and I didn't mean what I said. Please forgive me," Rolus said all that in one breath, still staring at Sierra.

"So you think apologizing will fix all that?" she asked, still looking down at the papers.

"Yes - no. I mean, I think so," Rolus replied, stunned that she talked to him. Believe him, Rolus knew that when Sierra was upset at someone, she would take maybe a day or two to get over it. She liked to hold grudges. That's how much he knew how petty she could be.

"Rolus, I don't care about what you said to me. All I want to know is the truth. What does Alpha Luke have on you?" She was asking the impossible. Even if he trusted her with his own life, he would never spill. What he committed was a serious issue in his Pack and in other Packs. The shame was too much and the scrutinity he would face was just too overwhelming even thinking about it.

"He doesn't have anything on me. I'm not going to give him the Pack, Sierra. Don't take my silence as-"

"You're not going to give him the Pack?" she mocked, tone dry as ever.

"Yes!"

"Could have fooled me! I don't know what deal you made with him, but all I know is that this Pack is Creek Pack and will not fall under Alpha Luke's rule. And if you think that you can just sell us to that horrid Alpha, think again," Sierra was not playing. Her hands gripped the book tightly, glaring at Rolus.

In his state, he was too weak to do anything about her disrespect. He did admit that he was in the wrong, but for Sierra, his Beta, to talk down on him was not only disrespectful, but also blatantly shameful.

Rolus kept quiet. He let her talk down at him until she was satisfied. What was he to do? He loved her too much to punish her and she was not lying. Everything she said was her honest opinion.

"And don't think that I don't know that you're hiding something about your mate. Do you think I believe that your mate died? No offense, but I'm not stupid. If you could only be honest with me, Rolus. I'm practically your sister," she was frustrated, that much Rolus could tell.

All he did was look down like the guilty Alpha he was.

"Why can't you just tell me the truth?" Her voice broke at the end. It made Rolus look up. Their eyes met, but Rolus wished that he shouldn't have looked into her eyes. They were watery, tears slowly spilling down her cheeks. At that moment, Rolus felt his heart break. He felt the consequences of his foolish actions right in the heart.

"I'm sorry, Sierra. I'm really sorry, but I can't tell you the truth. You will hate me. I'm so sorry," Rolus stood up, trying to keep his composure.

He turned around, not even bothering to console her.

"I never thought that you could be this heartless. Selling us to that Alpha. I wish you were half the man your father was," Sierra whispered.

Her words tore Rolus to shreds. His heart beat escalated, beating louder than ever. His mind was screaming for him to turn around and strangle her for ever insulting him, but his heart was too broken to do anything.

"I was never like my father and I never wished to be him. I thought you knew me better than that, but I guess you were just pretending. I'm sorry that I had to trust that you would have my back in both good and tough times, but I guess it's true when they say when clouds are dark, friends are few. If you need me, I'll be in my room," he finished, opening the door and bumping into Theo on his way out.

"What happened?" Theo asked, seeing the blank expression on his face.

He just shrugged, saying, "Ask your precious mate who can do no wrong. And tell her thank you for opening my eyes. I never thought she would hate me this much." He passed Theo who was still trying to process what his Alpha meant.