**Aife pov**


    Unlike all of my assumptions, the day actually went by really fast. I had thought that without Bane, the hours would drag out and every happy moment would be ruined with his absence.


    However, while I found myself sulking and gazing at the door on more than a few asions throughout the day, Zion was there to take my mind off everything each time.


    By the evening, he set up a y area behind the main building and invited the families of the pack. Men arrived with their chosen mates and children. While men focused on grilling meat, sharing beers and talking about whatever men liked, women mingled around with their kids.


    No matter how many times I tried to scan the faces, I couldn''t find that one thing I was looking for. Bane''s absence hadpletely left my mind because now, I had a new question forming in my head.


    Something was off about this pack. More than I had originally assumed. Very freaking off. So much so that cold shivers kept traveling down my spine, raising goosebumps over my skin.


    As my thoughts once again took me elsewhere, I didn''t notice one of the women cautiously approaching me. She cleared her throat and I jumped at the sound, pping a hand over my heart.


    "Oh, my apologies, Luna, I didn''t mean to startle you," she hurried to exin herself. "I just came here to introduce myself and ask if you would like to join us. I didn''t see Alpha anywhere today, so we thought that perhaps you would feel morefortable surrounded by women and children."


    ncing at the woman, I instantly noticed the slight blush on her cheeks. She couldn''t be any older than thirty years old, a breathtaking beauty with hair as intensively red as fire.


    Offering her my hand, I smiled, "there''s no need to address me as Luna. My name is Aife, it''s nice to meet you. And I would love to join you."


    She grabbed my hand and shook it. "My name is Bree, and trust me, the pleasure is all mine." She grinned, still holding my hand.


    I expected her to let go, but instead, she held my hand as she pulled me closer to the bunch of women, all of their eyes on us. The kids next to them looked like they were close to bursting in excitement for some reason.


    As soon as we got a little closer, they did. The children started screaming and ran towards us, shouting greetings for Luna.


    Although there was a genuine smile across my lips, once again, I realized that my suspicions might have been true. The men of this pack had to have something to do with this odd phenomenon, so I made a mental note to discuss it with Bane when he woulde back.


    And he woulde back. There was no other way. I knew he would return to his pack... To me.


    "Come along, Luna, don''t let them distract you. The kids have had too much sugar so they''re excited to meet the woman who stole their Alpha''s heart. We''re all excited to meet you," Bree announced, sounding genuinely happy.


    I couldn''t believe that I was still in the same pack that had brought so much misery and pain upon me. It was as if I stepped in some odd twilight zone and my reality turned upside down.


    I had to add that women were very weing and instantly offered me a seat at their table, even with all the kids swarming around me like bees on steroids. Each of them tried to be louder than the others just to be acknowledged by me. While I did feel a little out of ce, I still kept the smile on my lips. They were only kids and their mothers did try their best to keep them in line.


    I didn''t get even close to the table as themotion around me became a little too much, but thankfully, Bree was a force to be reckoned with. She whistled, actually whistled, and one of the men instantly ran towards us. "What is it, my love?" He shouted over the voices, clearly panicked.


    Bree pointed at him and snapped in the most usatory tone I had ever heard. "Brian Lee Johnson, get your kid in line! All of you get your asses up and take the crotch goblins so we can have some time with Luna in peace. Damn it, isn''t it enough that you spend your dayszing around while we raise the kids? Get yourzy friends and go y football with the boys or some shit. Women need time on their own!"


    With every word, her voice became louder. I feared the kids would feel attacked, but all of them justughed and encouraged Bree''s anger. I found her son pretty quickly as the boy right next to me shouted, "that''s right, momma! Remind daddy his ce! I want to y football, but I want to touch Luna''s hair first!"


    The encouragements were wee, the hair pulling from the kids that followed right after wasn''t. A hiss of pain left me as one of the kids caught a fistful of my hair and literally hung in the air, holding onto it.


    "Enough!" Roared a deep, angered voice. The kids stepped away as my head snapped in the direction of it. Zion stood a few steps away from us, red in the face, growling and snarling. "Is this how you treat your Luna? Is this how you show her the respect she deserves? Luna is here to nurture our pack, to take care of everyone but you attack her? Wait till Alpha hears about it!" His eyes scanned the faces of the adults, focusing on men, "and he will hear about this, be sure of it. His own men, incapable of teaching their sons manners and allowing them to attack his woman. Do you have any idea what will happen to you?"


    "I''m sorry, Luna, I just wanted to touch your hair," Bree''s son sniffled, slowly running his small hand over mine.


    I kneeled and looked at the distraught boy, offering him the gentlest smile I could. "How about all of you get to touch my hair? But one at the time, so you don''t pull at it? It''s pretty painful. If you can behave, I will talk to the shouting boogeyman and bribe him with candies so Alpha doesn''t get to hear about it."


    In an instant, the kids made a line. They actually lined up and impatiently waited when they could get closer to me. Bree''s son raised his hand but instantly pulled it back and took a step back. "I won''t hurt you if I touch your hair? Promise?" "Promise," I offered him my pinky finger and he happily locked his with mine.


    I focused only on the kid in front of me, ignoring the whispers and gazes of the adults.


    With a sharp nod of his head, the little boy ced his hand on my head and slowly traced it down the length of my hair. "It''s so pretty. No wonder Alpha loves you. I would love a girl with hair as pretty as yours too, Luna." He whispered. "Thank you," I muttered, fighting off the tears that were already burning my eyes. The boy was so innocent, so pure and soft-spoken, I felt like I was missing something in my life.


    And then, he surprised me by pulling his hand away and quickly leaning closer to kiss my cheek. "Don''t tell Alpha, but one day, I will steal you from him," the boy announced and ran away, leaving me with the rest of the kids and theughing adults.