I can see it in the fairy's eyes, that she blames herself for what happened and I feel for her. How terrible it must be to see something like that happen and feel helpless to stop it. I remember the helpless feeling well. I used to feel that way all the time before I left Sacrosanct. I was a failure, a coward, and I watched my best friend get attacked while I stood by and did nothing. She watched the love of her life die. My heart is breaking for her.

I watch their shared reactions in their loss and I shift my weight in discomfort. Tobi is smelling her leg and her hand reaches out to hold his. Both are missing someone very much. I feel sad that he's gone but I didn't lose an Alpha or even a friend. Acquaintance at most.

When Tobi speaks, his voice is different, more authority in it and the fairy notices, looking up at him in surprise. I can see the emotions in her features, like she doesn't want to be here. She doesn't feel like she deserves it. That was exactly what I told Aiden myself when he asked if he could trust me. I told him that I didn't deserve it and I have no proof that he can. Yet he still let me stay in the Ark.

Once Tobi walks into Aiden's room, the fairy looks back down at the floor, her expression forlorn, almost lost. When Raven steps up to her, she looks up but I can tell she's hurt by Raven's words. She says something about Frost hurting Raven and I bite my bottom lip, remembering that all too well. I can see the guilt flooding her gaze as she parts her lips to apologize to Raven but Raven leaves, following Tobi before she can spit it out. Again, my heart goes out to the fairy.

The fairy seems flooded in her own grief once they leave so I take it upon myself to approach her and offer my hand to help her up. Everyone needs someone to lean on when they're hurting, right? Tobi and Raven have each other but the fairy has no one and she seems like a nice girl. She looks up and takes my hand, giving me her name in a soft voice. I nod to let her know I heard her. Samantha. What a pretty name.

I go with her into Aiden's room and I can feel her tense slightly when we walk through the door. Of course. She must have been in here a lot if they were dating. She might have even been one of the last people in here with him before it happened. I step closer in case she needs the support.

She moves to the bed, crawling onto it and pulling a pillow into her lap. I see the two Weres wrapped up around each other. Deciding it best to let them have their time, I move to the side of the door and put my back against the wall, sliding down it slowly until I'm sitting on the floor. There, I pull my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them, sighing softly as I lay my head on my knees and wait. For what, I'm not so sure.

I look up when Samantha speaks, apologizing to Tobi and Raven and explaining that Frost had lied her, that thing he likes to do. He tricked her and told her he was Aiden's friend. Of course, he did. She even mentions Nadya trusting him. I wonder how she feels about Frost now or if she even knows about her brother.

I glance at Tobi, wondering what must be going on in that head of his. He never has completely comprehended some things as it is so the death of his Alpha and best friend? Probably not something that's going to come easily. He repeats what Raven has said about Aiden being gone but I can tell it's still hard for him to figure out. He even says "not yet" and my head tilts, almost wondering if sometimes, Tobi seems to know more than he's letting on. Is this just because he doesn't get it that death is permanent or is it something else?

When Frost is mentioned, Tobi shifts, his body giving off a scent of irritation as he growls and flicks his tail. I listen to his words as he stammers them out, catching on that he doesn't blame Samantha at all for Aiden's death, only Frost and that he plans to exact revenge on him. I scowl and look away, not wanting them to see the worry in my expression. If Aiden couldn't beat him, what will happen to Tobi if he tries?

The moment I hear my nickname, Pretty, I look back at Tobi, blinking in surprise. I listen carefully to his instructions and nod. "Yes, I will." I slowly get to my feet, only staying long enough to hear him say something to Samantha about someone being here and she can go. I glance back at her, my expression soft. I almost don't want her to go. Of course I'm sure she wants to get as far from here as possible right now.

As I go to leave the room, I hear someone shouting her name and I stiffen, wondering who that could be. That's when the door opens up and a slender man steps into the doorframe, looking around in curiosity before his gaze falls on Samantha. He says something about being confused and I scowl softly. I hear Tobi hiss at him, only making me stiffen more as the man moves across the room toward Samantha after recoiling at first. He does seem to know her anyway. He asks her who upset him and I take this moment to slide past the man and out the door.

As I go to walk down the hallway to find the others, I can hear Raven's voice assuring Tobi that she doesn't want him near Frost for fear that he could hurt him. I don't blame her at all. It would kill her to lose him. When he hisses at the man, I hear her trying to calm him. She calls the man Dorian and says he's a Beta in Samantha's pack. My eyes widen as I start to shuffle down the hall. She's an Alpha of her own kind? No wonder her and Aiden went for each other. Two leaders in love. How romantic.

I try to brush the thoughts away as I move through the ship. I find Jackal easily enough. He's usually in the kitchen unless there's fighting going on in the ring. I clear my throat and relay Tobi's message to which he nods his head in acknowledgement and makes his way over, but not without giving me a distrusting look as he brushes past me. Sighing and looking down until I can feel his glare no more, I then move off toward the docks where I find most of the other workers. I relay the same message and watch them all shuffle onto the Ark. I find the rest of the workers scattered on the deck, doing different cleaning duties.

Soon enough I make my way back to the room, almost afraid to put my head back in there. It's so depressing right now. Seeing that everyone seems to have gathered, I take a long breath before I rap softly on the door and poke my head in. "Um, Tobi, they're all here."

alexis wilde