I swear who ever is honking that horn better stop. I shove my head under the pillow to try block it out, then someone knocks at my door. I haven't had any coffee yet.

The knocking starts again, I groan as I get up cursing whoever is peep peep peeping outside. I open the door to Pearl standing there looking just as annoyed with the noise as I am. 

"I believe someone is trying to get your attention, dear. Could you do us all a favour and go down so he shuts up?" I look at her like she's grown horns, until the horn is replaced with a very familiar voice.

"Yo, Fallon. Wake up. I need your ass down here quick. FALLON!" Then the horn starts again.

"I'll be down as quick as I can Pearl. Just let me make myself half way decent. He can honk that horn all he wants but I am not going out there in my pj's." We both look down at the same time and start giggling. I am currently wearing my pair of Bluey pajamas the kids down at the orphanage gave me as a gift. She walks away a I close the door. The honking continues as dart about getting ready. 

I catch a quick glimpse of the clock as I'm digging around my suitcase for clean socks. It's 7:30 in the morning! He's waited this long for the stupid car he couldn't at least have waited to a more reasonable hour to start with all the noise. The rest of the girls are going to hate me for this. I finally find the socks and pull them on with my shoes. Ready to go and despite the noise and knowing it's annoying everyone I want to stall a little while longer. I know he's going to be more interested in the car than me. I'll be lucky if I get a hello never mind asking how I am after being away so long. The fact that he's not just annoying me with the noise but everyone else too is what gets my feet moving out the door. 

A couple of the girls have popped their head out their doors to see what is going on.

"Everything ok?" Poor Larkin looks even more dazed and confussed than I was when Pearl knocked on my door.

"Yeah everything is fine. Just T.J. being too excited to wait until a decent hour for his shiny new toy. The noise will stop when I go down, so you can pop back into bed for a little while guys."

"No that's ok I'm going to get dressed and head down to get some of Mrs Andersons amazing coffee and hopefully she's baked more of those muffins from yesterday."

As the others start asking about the goodies I head down stairs. I wave to Pearl who's getting ready to serve breakfast and head out the front door. I'm greeted with the most amazing views of the Commons. I can see the Academy in the distance along with the Council buildings and I'm dreading having to there and look for a mate. My heart belongs to T.J. and has for years. .I don't think I'm going to handle it if he finds a mate and I get left behind and forgotten. I take a deep breath and look towards there the noise is coming from. 

There's T.J. sitting in the front seat with his beta Axel sitting next to him. T.J. is still sitting pressing on the horn while looking at his phone. Axel notices me at least. He'll get T.J. to quit making a noise so I head towards the garage door. No point in hanging around T.J. will just badger me that I'm not opening it fast enough anyway. I'm just finishing up fiddling with the locks when I hear them approach.

"I'm guessing that it got back to the Gate ok? No problems?" Not even a hello.

"Yes T.J. everything went smoothly. You know I would have called if it hadn't." I have to swallow back tears as he bounces about behind me going on and on about how excited he is that his new car is finally here. 

"Holy shit! Axel, would you look at that? Ain't she a beaut?"

As T.J. starts droning on about all the things the car does and has, I make my way in to join the girls for breakfast. Larkin, Grace and Tempy are sitting at the kitchen table with Pearl and the boys. The later 3 all go to stand but I wave them to stay where they are. I know my way around the B&B's kitchen. I hate having them serve me, they already work so hard. I take my coffee over to the table and sit down with a sigh. 

"Well at least the noise has stopped, right?" Larkin points out just as the rumble of an engine starts up. 

"Yeah, it might be a loud car but it's still better than the horn peeping constant, I suppose." I can only look down at my coffee as I respond to her. He couldn't even say hi and ask how I was? Surely he must have missed me, even just as friends, a little? 

"Are you ok dear? You don't look to happy to be home?"

"Aww Peral I'm fine, just T.J. being his usual oblivious self that's all. I'm going to head up and get my stuff ready to head back. I will see about getting a lift with Axel."

"There are cars coming in an hour for everyone if Axel is busy dear. So don't worry yourself about getting back." I hate the look of pity in Pearl's eyes as she answers me back. She's seen me upset about T.J. more times than I can care to count. 

Just as I reach my room I hear the supercar reving differently. As I look out the window I see T.J. driving away in it with Axel following behind. Looks like I'll be getting transport with the girls, since neither of them thought to offer me a lift to the academy. 

An hour later everyone is standing outside the B&B with their bags while Rex and Reilly load them into the cars. I'm so glad they are here. I'm so exhausted with a bone deep weariness just the thought of having to walk to the cars feels like too much. After seeing T.J. for the first time in weeks and he clearly wasn't at all interested in how I was or seemed to have missed me, I'm nursing a bruised heart and ego. I had at least held out hope that he at least cared about me as a friend, since we had been inseparable from when we were toddlers. 

I nearly jumped out of skin when I was wrapped up in a hug that could only be described as motherly. Pearl. I hugged her back something fierce. My own parents weren't what you could call affectionate people. They weren't bad people, just more focused on their jobs within the royal pack. As the betas they worked alongside the King to keep the packs running smoothly. I've always understood the importance of their jobs but is it really that hard to make time to hug your only child? I felt that lump in my throat when it settled on me that everyone in my life who was supposed to love me unconditionally didn't. 

Pearl pulled back and looked at me. "Remember, dear, that there are always people around you who genuinely care about you. I'm one of those many folk. If you need anything even if it's just a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen, you come see me alright?"

"I'll try and thank you for everything. I don't know what I'd do without you. The boys too. Make sure you all look after each other and I'll come visit as soon as I can." I hugged her again and made sure to squeeze her tight. The woman was amazing and I was blessed to call her friend. 

The boys bounded over like over grown pups and I was wrapped up in another hug that made my throat tight.

"You boys better look after yourselves and Pearl. I'll visit as soon as I can ok?"

"You know we will, Fallon. Don't work too hard ok? Try relax for a while before you get back to it. You've seem tired and not yourself, we're worried about you." Rex whispered in my ear.

"Aww guys, you don't have to worry about me. It's just been a long trip and I've missed home. I'll be good as new after a few days to myself. If you need anything you just let me know and I'll be right there ok?"

"Fallon you don't need to worry about us ok? We have Pearl here and our brothers and sisters back home. We'll manage like we always do."

"I know Reilly, but I will always help you guys if you need it."

They squeezed me tight again, and I relaxed into their hug. I tried to take on some of their strength from their embrace too. The boys had been dealt such hardship lately, and yet they still seemed to have the strength to laugh and seem as care free as they always had. Goddess, I hoped they find mates who were worthy of the strong males they would become. With their arms still around my shoulders they led me to the cars. I got separate hugs from them, waved at Pearl and climbed in. 

It was Grace, Larkin, Tempy and myself in this car. The other girls were in the other car. I leaned back into the soft leather seats. I watched the scenery pass by as we descended down the hillside. It then sunk in that I wasn't even going home to the pack. I was headed straight for the Academy, which for the foreseeable future was going to be my home. The sadness borrowed deeper into my soul. The only way we could go back to our real homes was if we found our mate. 

I prayed to the Goddess of the moon that I didn't find my mate. I didn't want to hurt whoever my mate was. Having been in love with T.J. for so long, I didn't want to have that hanging over us. Knowing how things went with T.J. and I, I would end up still being in love with him even if I found my mate. I also wasn't sure how I was going to handle T.J. finding his mate. Goddess, what if he already had? It had never crossed my mind, but he has been at the Academy for 6 weeks now. Is that why he hardly acknowledged me this morning? I couldn't even focus on the girls chatter or the passing scenery. I was spiralling. Thinking of all the ways his mate would be better than me. All the ways I was lacking to be someone like his mate. Larkin giggled at something, and it made another thought cross my racing mind. What if his mate was one of the girls I'd met at the B&B? That would hurt more than her being a millions time better for him than me. They already felt like my friends. 

I was basically hyperventilating by the time we reached the Academy. I wanted to shift and run all the way home to the pack. I don't think I can do this. 

We got out of the cars outside the residential part of the Academy. I was so busy trying to calm down from my panic attack I didn't notice the young shifters waiting for us. I was tackled by 4 teenage male wolves all shouting "Fallon." The girls turned to look as they all gather around. It was Alexis who laughed first.

"Damn Fallon, you got a thing for younger guys? You seem to attract them where ever you are. So, we've already met those 2 handsome boys Rex and Reilly from the B&B, Who are these 4 strapping young gents?"

I was still taken by surprise by the boys I hadn't even paid attention to who was hugging me yet. Then her words sunk in and I was blushing too. Que the girls giggling at me, now I really really wanted to run. I finally managed to untangle myself from tangle of limbs hugging me and stepped back to look at who it was.

"Mark? Ross? Gavin? Andrew? Oh my Goddess, what are you boys doing here? Your not old enough yet!"

"Calm down Fallon, all of us from the orphanage who had left but aren't old enough to find mates, were all given job opportunities here at the Academy or the Council. We took the extra shift today when we found out you were coming in today. We thought you had maybe avoided us when everyone else arrived, so we'd missed you."

"Mark, why on earth would you think I would avoid you boys?"

"You know, not wanting to be seen with the pathetic orphans having to do grunt work. We found out your parents are the Royal Betas so figured. Oomph" I gave the silly boy the biggest bear hug I could.

"I don't care if my parents were the Royal Alphas, it has been and always will be an honour to know you boys. I will never avoid you like that, ever."

I had tears in my eyes thinking about how our societies, not just wolves but all of us super naturals, made the vulnerable feel like less than just because of circumstances out with their control. The kids at the orphanage just wanted to be loved, they didn't choose to lose their parents. In fact, Mark's parents had died protecting the Royal family when he was a toddler and, with no immediate family to take him in he ended up at the orphanage. To me they weren't any worse or better than anyone else in The Territories, in fact if anything everyone should have been falling over themselves to take Mark in, especially the Royals. 

I hugged him again trying to pour all my love him and all the kids from the orphanage into the embrace. To let him know he was loved and that there was someone in the world who had loved him unconditionally. It was the one feeling I could understand from the orphans. I may still have my parents, but that didn't mean I received unconditional love like any kid should. Blinking away the tears I leaned back to get a good look at him. 

"Well, you have certainly grown up since I last saw you. I hope you boys have stopped getting into mischief like you used too?"

"Nah where's the fun in that?" Andrew pipes up. I pull him into a bear hug, then the other other two boys.

"Come on you four I'll introduce you to the others coming in late." We walk over to the girls and make all the introductions. 

"So, how do you know these strapping young men." Alexis asks me.

"Well, when I'm not busy running after T.J. I volunteer at a few places. One of them is the orphanage here in the Commons. I've known the boys here for a few years but the aged out last year so I haven't seen them in a while."

"So, you work for the Royal Pack's heir, help the twins and Pearl, and you volunteer at a few places? When do you get time for yourself, Fallon?"

"I enjoy the volunteering and how could anyone not help Pearl and those boys? Honestly, I'm good I don't need much time to myself when I enjoy helping everyone so much."

I smile at Alexis, but I don't think she buys that any more than I do with the knowing look she gives me. In all honesty, I keep myself so busy so that I can't think about or fawn over T.J. as much. I do enjoy it it that wasn't a lie, but I do it as often as I do to get away from my own feelings. I'm saved when Ross finally speaks up.

"Well ladies, if you follow us we'll get you to your rooms." The boys pick up all the luggage except mine and give me a kiss on the cheek as they pass me. Mark is the last in line. He gives me a kiss like the others but stops.

"We were told that you are staying in the Royal suite. We aren't allowed up there so we can't take your bags Fallon, I'm sorry. You know we want to help you, but we were told we would lose our jobs if we go near the restricted areas."

"That's ok Mark, I'm used to taking my own bags anyways. Will I see you boys around?"

"You sure will, can't get rid of us that easy. See you soon Fallon."

I wave as the boys lead everyone of to there new apartments. I grab my bags and head of to the right, where all the heirs of territories are staying. Each floor is divided into two apartments, one to a heir. Each apartment is actually a suite of rooms as well as living accommodations. That way each heir's staff can be as close as possible. I hate having to stay here, I would rather be in the normal accommodations with the girls. I hate feeling like I'm getting special treatment just because I work for T.J..

Once inside I turn right. As wolves we like being near and having easy access to the forest. The suites on the ground floor have huge sliding glass doors all along the rear wall, so we can shift inside and then run right out into the forest behind the Academy. I reach the entrance to T.J.'s space and I hesitate. For once I don't feel excited to see him, I feel restless and just want to go back home. 

Taking a deep breath I open the door and head in side. I kick my shoes off, hoping if I make as little noise as possible I can slip in unnoticed and get a few hours to myself. I'm supposed to be on holiday from my job for the next two weeks but I doubt it will feel like that. I'm basically living with T.J. now, and even though the suite is big enough to house a small pack, I'm pretty sure he's still going to have me running around after him. 

I'm just about at the door to my rooms when a very familiar voice barks at me, scaring me to the point i drop my suitcase on my foot. 

"Where the hell have you been Fallon! I expected you back ages ago. I've needed you to get stuff done and now we're running behind."

I'm too busy hopping on one foot clutching the other to process what he said before he storms off. Once the throbbing stops I take my suitcase into my room, and that's when it sinks in. Where have I been? We're running behind? Get stuff done? Why that inconsiderate asshole. I turn and march out the room and head straight to his study. He's left the doors open obviously expecting me just to follow. Then I realise that I have and it makes me even angrier.

"Good you're finally here. We have-"

"Finally here? I would have been back the same time as you if you had even thought to offer me a lift back, or getting Axel to give me a lift back. Since you didn't I had to wait for the group transport back. Which is why it took hours." He sits there look dumbstruck, which just adds fuel to the fire. "And what's this running late and getting stuff done nonsense? I told you before I left I was taking some holiday time off when I got back, since I was away for 6 weeks. Then again did you even notice how long it was? Not even a hello, good to see you Fallon, or a how are you Fallon. You were more concerned about that stupid car than how I was after 6 weeks in the Human Realm. So, what ever you're running late for you better get a move on because I'm not going." I turn on my heels and march out of his office. I'm heading down the corridor to my room before he responds. 

"FALLON! Fallon! Get back here right now, that's an order." I huff and keep walking. I get to my room and I slip inside, close the door and lock it. I never thought I would need to be grateful to the magic locks but I am, when a few minutes later, T.J. starts pounding on the door.

"Fallon this isn't funny. Alpha Jones specifically requested that you attended the meeting. He said it was the only way he would come himself." When I don't respond he bangs his fists hard against the door. "Fallon! He won't go through with it if it's just me who turns up. Come on, what is it gonna take for you to go?"

I have to take a breath and steel myself against the pleading tone in his voice. I hate that he makes me feel like this, even though I know I'm in the right. 

"Please Fallon, I can't do this without you." My breath hitches in my throat, my heart skips a beat and the butterflies in my stomach do a loop de loop, all at the same time. 

"Please, I can't do this on my own. I need you, you know that." Damn it, why does he always know the right things to do to make me cave. Although, maybe, I can at least get something in return.

"You'll pay me double?"

"YES! Anything, please" 

"And you'll pay the same again, double my usual wage, to the orphanage?" I hear a small groan from the other side of the door.

"Come on, I'm already paying you double." He sounds petulant.

"If you can't donate the money then I can't go to the meeting. I'll be down there donating my time instead."

"Fine, Fine. Fine, I'll donate the money. Now, please can we get a move on we're going to be late."

"I'll be out in a minute let me freshen up and change clothes. I wasn't exactly expecting a business meeting as soon as I came back."

"Okay, I'll send Axel down to get everyone settled. Thank you Fallon."

I huff quietly to myself. I always cave to him. I don't think I'll ever be able to say no to that male. I shake my head at myself all the way into the en-suite bathroom. I freshen up and then slip on one of my business out fits. I'm still tying my hair up in a messy bun as I walk out the the living area. T.J. is pacing back and forth in front of the door. He looks up at me and frowns. Great, I'm some how already not up to his standard and I've barely walked in the room. It seems as though I never quite measure up to any ones standards. 

I motion towards the door. He shakes his head as if coming out of some deep thought. He opens the door and I walk out, noticing he still has a slight frown on his face. Whatever, he's lucky I'm even going to this stupid meeting.