The Rise of Venus

All Good Things Come to an End

Song: Dark Music by Adrian von Zeigler

Whoever saw Leo and I crouching in the bushes spying on Reign and Beta Ryan...

No they didn't.

You know they can
see us, right?

Of course, I mentally scoffed. Doesn't mean we can't still have a little fun before going to see Hemlock.

Leo hummed, pushing a mass of leaves to the side to make a better view of the two Mates. Beta Ryan towered over Reign, grinning widely at whatever it was he was saying. It was cute, the way they stood five feet apart. Shuffling closer throughout their little conversation. Before I knew it Beta Ryan tipped Reign's chin up and swooped down to give him a sweet kiss.

"See you two later! Take care of my Mate for me, Venus!" Beta Ryan waved goodbye, flashing his deep dimples.

Leo popped out of the bush and waved back. "Bye!"

I laughed at Reign's pinched expression, slowly rising from the bushes myself. Leo dropped a quick kiss to the corner of my mouth and gave my hand a quick squeeze.

"While I did enjoy playing stalker with you," Leo said while smiling. "I gotta go meet Pride. We volunteered for the morning patrol of the borders with Alpha Draco."

I nodded my head, leaning up on my tippy toes to kiss him briefly. "Alright. I'll see you later then."

Be safe.

You too.

Leo pressed a sneaky kiss to my Mark before bolting further into the woods. Reign watched me through narrow eyes as I joined him on the path towards the silver bunker.

"You're aware that we saw you two in the bushes, yes?"

"I am indeed aware." I smiled at Reign. Even though he didn't return it I could tell by his relaxed shoulders that he wasn't as annoyed as he pretended to be. "But what's life without a little fun and messing around?"

Reign raised a brow, clearly unimpressed by my response. "Stalking people through bushes constitutes as fun for you two? Whatever will the Moon Warriors Pack do with an Alpha and Luna like you guys? Learn to mount attacks from the bushes where everyone can see them?"

I punched Reign's shoulder with a snort. His eyes lingered on where I'd hit him, surprised but not as uncomfortable as last night. Surely but slowly, he was making some progress with letting us all in.

The Pack grounds were alive with people from all walks of life. Each of them walked with determination, eager to get to their designated areas. There was no time to dilly dally or stop to rest. It was like we were a military base with the way everyone acted.

Nevertheless, Alpha Draco's Pack members always made time to stop and greet their new Beta. Reign, to my delighted surprise, responded to each of them with a nod or a barely there half smile. I wondered, if Beta Ryan were here, would he have been so nice and cordial?

Probably not to the males that greeted him.

Seeing Sky emerge from the bunker with a half full tray of food was another surprise. The pixie haired she-wolf frowned when she saw us. Her doe grey eyes screamed frustration and I had a theory or two as to why.

"What did Hemlock do?" I asked.

"I convinced him to eat," she sighed. Biting her bottom lip, Sky's eyes flicked between Reign and I with a resigned look shadowing her face. "He ate too quickly and drank too much water. When the White Witches yelled at him to slow down he stopped eating completely. He's not talking again and now he's probably going to throw up."