"We can't participate in The Chase, Charlotte. I can't transform. I'd die," Rolus was fretting, pacing about. He was worried about his wellbeing because he was advised to not transform at all. If he did, he would make himself worse.

There were many Black Moon warriors left outside the house, all patrolling. Some were keeping an eye on Rolus and his warriors.

"Calm down! You're not participating. I'm sure Samson will understand that you'd be risking your life transforming into your wolf. Let's go and sit in our car, okay?" she reassured, putting her hand on Rolus' shoulder, then guiding him to the car with Timothy and Theo following.

Rolus let Charlotte guide him, still too bothered about The Chase. To him, it was too dangerous, especially in his condition. That thing was kill or be killed. Some wolves lacked control. They were too power-hungry to play safe and fair.

One of the rules was to not kill, but some did not follow rules. Usually when a wolf decided to start a fight, no one would get involved, all focused on prize; the sacrifice for the Moon Goddess. It was a blessing to offer Her a sacrifice.

What Rolus didn't get was why the Black Moon arranged for The Chase to take place. It was sacred, requiring asking for permission from the Council. Whatever Luke arranged was dangerous. The Chase was sacred and if this ceremony was for the Moon Goddess, then The Chase would be compulsory. The only problem was that the ceremony was not for the Moon Goddess, which meant Black Moon was tempering with sacred things.

Unless... unless they were lying. No one would dare mess with the Moon Goddess and get away unscathed.

"Do you really think Alpha Luke is alright?" Rolus asked his Head Warrior.

Charlotte just shrugged, glancing back at the Warriors patrolling.

"Do you think-"

"Alpha, I don't know. I don't live here, remember?" she said, the exasperation too noticeable.

Rolus kept quiet, then jumped on the hood of their car, with Charlotte following suit.

She leaned her head against Rolus' chest and scrolled through her phone.

"If Zach saw you all snuggled up next to me..." Rolus teased, untying Charlotte's ponytail to mess with her hair.

"He'd flip. Smile for the camera. I want to send him a pic,"

Before Rolus could even look away, Charlotte had already taken the shot. She sent it to her mate who she'd been chatting to.

Theo and Timothy were leaned against the car, both being vigilant.

The sight of Rolus and Charlotte was a suspicious one because they were exes. Zachariah still felt insecure because Rolus was an Alpha.

"You guys should've joined The Chase, you know? I could've locked myself in the car and I'm an Alpha, no one would've bothered me," Rolus started, making Theo glare at him.

"And I'm sure Alpha Luke is looking at us through the window, waiting for us to leave your side. That's not happening," he commented, crossing his arms over his chest.

Charlotte just laughed, the kind that was not even amused. "So you think The Chase is more important than your life?"

"No. I mean, you guys do not have to hold yourselves back because of me," he replied, wrapping his arms around Charlotte to prevent her from distancing herself.

There was a high level of comfort between the two because of their history. So, it was normal to be affectionate. Rolus was very affectionate when he had someone, which at first annoyed the hell out of Charlotte, but she got used to him during the first weeks they dated. Their relationship lasted for about a year before Charlotte found her mate.

"Do you think we'd leave you here all alone and participate? That Beta of yours would have our heads," she said, making Theo glance at them when he heard the mention of his mate.

"She would, wouldn't she?" Rolus laughed. He stopped himself when he felt his chest pain, making him cough.

Charlotte got off him, asking, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. I think. It's too cold out here," he replied, shivering all of a sudden.

Theo quickly helped Rolus off the hood, balancing him because he couldn't walk properly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, making sure that he took almost all of Rolus' weight.

"I don't know. I think... I think I don't feel so well," he replied, feeling so cold, yet his body temperature was too hot.

"We'll get you inside the car and drive back home, okay?"

Rolus nodded. Timothy opened the car door, but before they could get inside, Rolus just went limp.

"Holy shit! Charlotte, help me!" Theo panicked, getting down to lift Rolus up. He just fell down. Theo was balancing him, but did not secure his hold on his waist, hence he fell.

"How did he fall?" she yelled, helping Theo pick him up.

"I don't know, okay? Is he dead?"

"Fuck off, Theo! Timothy, call one of the warriors to help us here!"

They managed to carry Rolus, who was heavy as hell.

Timothy ran to get help, explaining the situation to one of the Black Moon warriors.

The said warrior went inside the Pack House, then after a moment, came out with a woman.

The woman came with Timothy to the car, where Charlotte and Theo were carrying Rolus.

"Good evening. My name is Macey and I'm the Gamma here. What happened?" she asked, not even showing concern.

"He just fainted. Can you help us? He really needs medical attention," Theo explained, the weight also taking a toll on him.

"Is that your way of wanting to infiltrate the Pack House? No one is supposed to enter the House. No exceptions," she was too cold.

"Look, this is our Alpha we're talking about. He's sick, what don't you get?" Charlotte shouted, glaring at the said Gamma.

The lady just raised her hands in surrender, instructing them to follow her inside.

Theo ended up carrying Rolus on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

All eyes were on them as they entered the house, immediately smelling the remnants of the smoke.

"What did you burn in here?" Charlotte asked, pinching her nose close.

"None of your business. Tamera, we've got guests!" she yelled for someone, taking them down the hallway on the first floor.

The said Tamera followed after them, entering seconds after Rolus was put on the bed.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking at Rolus who had gone pale now.

"He just fainted. Are you the doctor?" Charlotte snapped.

"No. I'm the Delta. The doctor will be here shortly. And please don't be surprised to find some of our warriors outside the door. We don't want any funny business,"

"Do you think we'd try anything with our Alpha unconscious? Just get out, both of you. And call that damned doctor of yours," Charlotte was furious with their insinuations.

They sighed, but nonetheless complied and exited the room, leaving Timothy to go guard the door and Theo to make a call.

"Who are you calling?" Charlotte turned her fury to him.

Theo frowned at her tone. It was accusatory. "I'm call Beta Sierra to let her know."

"Don't. Don't call her yet. Maybe it's nothing serious. Maybe it's fatigue. Stop worrying her for nothing, please," Charlotte was protecting Rolus from Sierra's 'I told you so' attitude.

She didn't need to know because Rolus was going to be okay.

The door opening caught their attention.

"I hope you're the doctor," Charlotte started, glaring at the man.

"Yes, I am," the man was confused at her hostility.

He was accompanied by another man and a woman.

"Good. He just fainted," she gestured to Rolus, who looked too sick.

"Oh my goodness! All of you, out,"

"Why?" Theo was the one to ask.

"Because my colleagues and I need to do our job. He's in a critical condition. Please call your Pack Doctor and let me speak to him," he replied, going to the bed to attach Rolus drips.

His assistants helped, whilst Charlotte, Theo and Timothy left the room.

"We should've called Sierra like I suggested," Theo grumbled out, calling the Pack Doctor like the doctor suggested. When Doctor Michael answered, Theo filled him in on what happened. He went back into the room to give the other doctor the phone.

Rolus was looking worse, his skin as white as paper. He was breathing through a mask, the beeping of the machine a reminder that Rolus was sick.

The Pack Doctor, Doctor Smith, spoke to Doctor Michael.

When they were done, the doctor turned to Theo to give back the phone.

"Thank you. I think we'll keep him overnight to monitor him. His doctor told me that its not the first time suffering like this. Doctor, please go get Doctor Pierce. She's come across this kind of sickness before,"

The female doctor nodded her head, then went out the room, leaving Theo with the two other doctors.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked.

"I think he's suffering the same sickness as our Alpha. Dr Pierce is the one taking care of our Alpha. Maybe she could find something with Alpha Rolus,"

Theo was shocked, taken aback by the information the doctor disclosed.

He schooled his features and nodded, going to his Alpha and sitting down on the chair beside the bed.

"For now, we can arrange rooms for you three, but I have to run that through our Beta. If you'll excuse me, Dr Pierce will be here shortly and will take over from me," Dr Smith said, nodding his head at Theo and exiting with his assistant.

Theo was left alone with the Alpha, but not for long as the moment the doctors left, Charlotte came in, closing the door behind her.

"What did the doctor say?" she enquired.

"They want to keep him overnight for observation. Said Dr Pierce will take over because she's been treating Alpha Luke. Apparently, they have the same sickness and Dr Pierce has been dealing with that."

"So you're telling me that Alpha Luke is not well?"

Theo shrugged, not really caring because the person he cared about was lying on the bed, unconscious.

"This is a mess, a mess. When we return home, we'd have that Beta on our heads," she complained, sitting on the space next to Rolus.

"You do realise that you're gossiping about my mate, right?" Theo raised a brow, not believing the nerve of Charlotte.

"I seriously don't care. You should actually tell her to chill, okay? I also care about Rolus, but you don't see me trying to mind his business or disrespecting him in front of the Pack. Tell her to calm down 'cause all she's been is a nuisance to Rolus. Whether he rejected his mate or his mate died is not anyone's business. We all don't know the truth, and always breathing down his neck will not give us anything. Tell her to calm down and mind her own business," she chastised, so fed up with Sierra's behaviour. The woman was too much now. Rolus needs a support structure and not someone who will question him.

Theo kept quiet, not responding to Charlotte because he knew that she was telling the truth. He tried to talk with his mate about hounding Rolus for the truth, but she would not listen. She was too stubborn and was fishing for the truth. Her path to finding out the truth has blinded her to the point that instead of cherishing the little time the Alpha has, she's just wasting it.

One day she'll wake up with regrets. Regrets of staying mad at her best friend and Alpha. She'll hold herself accountable for the miserable life her Alpha had of constantly having to explain himself to her.