Aisha looked out at all the faces, many of them smiling, waiting for her to speak. Harry caught her eye, standing way in the back and never taking his eyes off her. He nodded his head and gave her an encouraging smile.

"Thank you for coming early today. I know it's not often that I gather everyone for large announcements like this, but…" She took another deep breath.

"I know that many of you are expecting good news, but unfortunately, that's not why I called everyone together." The smiles in the audience faded away.

"Tomorrow morning there is going to be a press conference, and there will be some details brought up that will be alarming to you. I believed that it would be best if everyone heard if from me first. As the Alpha of the pack, it is my job to keep everyone here safe. But it's a more difficult job then I have let on. I've been keeping secrets from all of you about some of the dangers of being a werewolf.

"There are people in the world that wish to hurt us; to hunt us down and destroy our lives just because of our condition. The situation used to be manageable, but recently the activity from this group has increased and honestly, it scares me.

"I believe that a solution has been found, which is why there is going to be a press conference tomorrow. There will be no mention of the Glade brought up, and everyone here will remain safe; protected. I know that many of you have questions, and I'll answer them if I can."

There was a lot of noise, everyone suddenly wanting to talk to those around them, and to her.

"Why would you keep this from us?" Someone asked, angrily, "Don't we have the right to know."

"It was a decision that I made from the very beginning. It is my job to protect all of you and I believed it would be easier to do if you weren't looking over your shoulder all the time. I wanted you all to be able to live normal lives."

"Yeah, but we're not normal are we!"

"That doesn't mean that those people have the right to hunt us down like they do!"

"Who do they think they are?"

"Why are they getting away with this?" Aisha raised her hands to get order on the frightened crowd.

"These people have been doing this for many generations. As wrong as their belief is, they believe they can do this because we are not 'human' or as human as they are. They don't feel bad about what they do because they believe they are in the right."

"Is that what happened to Clara?" A soft voice asked. Oh Goddess

"Yes. Clara was a victim of these people. She was never a fan of coming to the compound for the phases, and it put her at greater risk of being found out. But that doesn't excuse the fact that I should have done more to keep her safe. Nor does it excuse the fact that I lied to all of you regarding the details of her death."

"How do you know about these people and we don't?" Aisha hadn't expected a question like this.

"I learned about them when I was very young. My mother was killed by them, and ever since then I knew I had to create a safe place for our kind. I couldn't do anything about stopping them, but I could find ways of staying protected." The crowd was silent as they absorbed everything they were told.

"I understand if any of you wish to part ways. But I simply ask that you stay here for this phase. It will give everyone time to think and discuss with their families if they want. And it will give me peace of mind knowing that at least for this last time, everyone is safe." She gave an awkward nod and left the room. She thought about going back upstairs, but decided against it. She needed to take a step back, to let everyone make decisions on their own. So she apparated herself straight to her cabin, throwing herself down onto the loveseat. She turned burying her face into the cushions. She remembered the looks that flashed across the faces of her pack, people who had trusted her. Harry, of course, knew exactly where she would go and had come to find her. She didn't lift her head as he sit in front of the loveseat.

"You did really well." He said, trying to cheer her up. She rolled her eyes, and turned her head to look at him.

"It was a disaster, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. For now, I still need to see how many chose to to stay after this phase."

"No, you did the right thing and they will realize it. But they do need time."

"I just hope it's worth it, that this whole plan actually works." Harry moved her feet, setting down before placing them across his lap. She wiggled around getting comfortable.

"Then I guess it won't make you feel better if I told you that this was the easy part." She sighed, throwing an arm over her eyes. Easy, sure tell that to my feelings. They feel like they've gone through a shredder Harry pulled her up until she was sitting in his lap.

"I just don't want to lose any of them."

"I hate to say it this way, but there isn't anything else you can do here. You've told them like you wanted to and given them time to think. So stop worrying about them and worry about what comes next. I'll need you there with me tomorrow." Aisha studied his face; the seriousness in his brow.

"Why?"

"I'll explain it all tomorrow." He said with a shake of his head. She tried to protest, but he pulled her into a kiss. His lips pressed against hers lightly, sweetly coaxing her to respond. But he pulled away as soon as she did. He picked her up, setting her down on her own feet before taking her hand and leading her to her room.

"Take a nap with me?" She laughed as she watched him pull off his shirt and climb into her bed.

"Harry, it's the middle of the afternoon." He patted the bed beside him.

"That's the best time for naps." She climbed in next to him, laying her head on his arm. He brushed her bangs from her face, and nuzzled her neck. Her neck tingled where his nose brushed her sensitive skin.

"Harry…" Her voice tense. He balanced himself on an elbow, leaning over her as he placed small kisses along her jaw. She placed a hand on his chest.

"I thought you said you wanted a nap." He gave a husky chuckle, and nibbled on her earlobe.

"We will... eventually." His implications had her sliding her hand up and around his neck.

"Did you lure me in here under false pretences?" Her voice slightly breathy as he ran his tongue down her throat.

"Absolutely." She turned, laying on her back, Harry hovering over her.

"I feel like I should be mad at you." She bit down on her lower lip as Harry's hands slipped under her shirt.

"I bet I can change your mind." Harry took off his glasses and sealed his lips over hers, a kiss that was sweet, but possesive all at the same time. Oh Bloody Bones!

Harry worked slowly, kissing every inch of skin he uncovered. It wasn't like all the other times; rushed and greedy. He took his time, seemingly worshiping every part of her body and she felt everything else just fade away. His tongue left wet trails as he dipped past her navel, pressing kisses along her hip bones. Her fingers curled into his soft hair and she whimpered out his name. He growled low in his chest as he parted her thighs. His tongue pressed into her and she arched off the bed with a cry, her head digging into the pillows. The heat, the pleasure, was so intense that her spine felt as if it had melted. Her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling it hard. Breath hissed through his teeth and a shudder ran down his spine. He removed her fingers from his hair, holding her hands down on either side of her head. Fingers trailed in featherlight touches down her arms, waist, then along her thighs. He whispered an incantation and kissed just below her belly button.

"Still mad?" He teased.

"Noooooooaaah..."Her reply ended in a moan as his erection slipped into her slowly. He captured her lips in a heated kiss, coaxing her tongue to tangle with his. Her arms wound around him, holding him close as he slid into her core again and again. All of her moans and sighs were captured by his kisses. She was so close, her breath short, and the corners of her eyes tearing up as she reached her peak. She shuddered around him, body growing tight as she came.

"Almost..." He gasped, continuing to thrust into her.

"Please…" She begged, a whisper in his ear before biting lightly on his lobe. His fingers bit into her thighs and gave a final thrust, coming deep inside of her. He rolled over, pulling her close to his chest, their sweaty skin pressed together.

"Nap now, everything will turn out for the better. I promise." Aisha gave a content sigh and fell asleep easier than she thought she would.