Clarke flopped tiredly on the family couch, her muscles aching. She had gone hard during the pack's training session today, trying to distract herself. Clarke knew it was no one's fault but her own, but she couldn't help it. She hadn't been able to talk to Ten in four days, and Clarke hated it. It had been six days since Ten had started her Rut, and it was the longest the girls had ever been separated. Clarke hadn't realized how much time they spent together until now.

There had been a steady ache in her chest since the morning after Ten's Rut began. Growing more as each day progressed. The only time it eased was when she could hear Ten's voice and catch her scent. It had gotten bad enough yesterday that she had snuck into Ten's room.

The moment Clarke had stepped into Ten's room, she had been overwhelmed by the older girl's scent. She had felt it fill her lungs and seep into her pores. That constant ache had vanished, and she felt like she could finally breathe again. Clarke had felt peace descend. At the same time, it broke her heart a little because Ten wasn't physically there. So, to feel closer to Ten, Clarke had crawled underneath Ten's covers and let the girl's scent wash over her.

A part of Clarke's mind, though, wondered if what she had done was healthy. They weren't mates, nor had they claimed one another. She pondered if she was experiencing something akin to mate sickness or abandonment. Then again, it could be some weird dependency thing. They had been pretty much inseparable since before Clarke had started school. She wanted to figure out what was going on so that she could cope better than exhausting herself physically.

The door chime brought her out of her miserable ruminations, making her groan at the prospect of having to get up off the couch. Octavia's mind call reached her, and she sighed, appreciating that she didn't have to get up. She called back the code to enter and leaned her head back to watch as Octavia came in.

"You went pretty hard at training today, C," Octavia said in greeting as she joined Clarke on the couch. "Everything okay?"

Clarke was too tired physically and mentally to come up with a lie, so she spoke truthfully, "No. I miss Ten so damn much, Tay. It's like an ache in my chest, and the only time I felt settled was when I was in her room. It doesn't make any damn sense."

Octavia frowned in thought and then sighed, "Well, we know it's scientifically impossible for the two of you to have claimed one another."

Clarke nodded absently, "Logically, I know that, but O, we're different. Not just me and Ten, but the pack. We're the largest group of black bloods to be born in a single generation. Our IQs are off the charts. We're all drawn to different specialties. Fuck, the fact that Bell, Rae, and Ten all presented at the same time is unprecedented. And at fifteen. Who's to say that we didn't claim one another without realizing it?"

Octavia looked at her sternly, "Look, I admit that the three of them presenting at the same time is strange. And that's it's the earliest anyone on the Ark has ever presented. But, I don't think what you're feeling has anything to do with it."

"You don't," Clarke asked, looking unsure.

Shaking her head, Octavia gave her a small smile, "What you're describing is something a lot of the kids in the Ward have talked about. The forced separation from their parents. Or loved ones."

"What are you talking about," she asked, still not following.

Sitting up a little straighter, Octavia explained, "The kids have talked about their first time coming to the Ward. How they felt anxious and scared and how they missed their parents and whatnot. They described it getting worse when their parents scents faded from their clothes. Hell, even I felt it, and I could see Mom whenever I wanted. It's called separation anxiety. Most people experience something like it when they move out of their parents' home. But if it's forced, like losing your parents or I guess, like this unexpected Rut, the feelings are worse. Something about trauma."

"Separation anxiety, huh," Clarke looked at her thoughtfully. "So, it's mental?"

Octavia nodded, "Yeah. The closer and tighter the bond, the worse it is. And let's face it, you and Ten have a strong bond. She's probably feeling it too."

"Does anything help ease it," Clarke asked, sitting up straighter and paying closer attention to her friend.

"Besides being with the person, their scent," Octavia replied as she thought about what she had learned. "It helped me when I asked for one of Mom's shirts. That and time. Getting used to the separation."

"That explains why I felt more settled when I spent time in Ten's room yesterday," Clarke said and then let out a heavy sigh.

"What else is going on, Clarkey," Octavia asked, concerned.

Clarke sighed again and rolled her eyes, "Mom. She's been hinting that I need to break up with Ten."

Octavia shot straight up, staggered by the blonde's pronouncement, "What?!"

Clarke nodded, frowning, "Yeah. She's so sure that when I present that I'll be an Alpha. You know, since I'm the leader of our pack. And since Alpha-Alpha pairings are illegal…"

"How does that woman even know you're our leader," Octavia frustratedly asked. "We've been careful. Haven't we?"

Clarke tiredly rubbed her head, "Not when we were younger. The classrooms for younger children have observation rooms. Supposedly for parents who have children with behavioral problems. So that they can quickly interfere if the child shows signs of becoming difficult. With Mom being fascinated by the number of black blooded children, she was a frequent visitor. Anyway, before we started hiding our hierarchy, it was very apparent as to which of us was in charge. If an issue came up, they'd approach Ten. Then Ten would come to me to make a decision."

"Does anyone else know," Octavia asked, worrying the inside of her cheek.

Clarke shook her head, "None of the other parents ever observed us after the first two years of school. And I know Mom hasn't spoken to the members of the council or the Chancellor. Kane and Callie know how many of us are black bloods and may know our hierarchy because of Ten, but we'd have to ask Ten to know for sure."

"Even if they do know, they're completely devoted to their pup," Octavia sighed. "They'd never do anything that could harm Ten. But, back to your Mom trying to get you to break up with Ten. Her reasoning is absolute bullshit! There's no way to know what you're going to present as. Well, no legal way, and your mom is too much a stickler for the rules to break that one blatantly. And not only that! If what you're saying is true about us as a whole, you won't present for at least another year and a half. Not until after Murphy's birthday."

"I know," Clarke frustratedly replied. "But it's constant hint dropping. And by god, she is not subtle about it at all. I am trying just to let it roll over, but it's getting harder and harder to ignore her. I am so close to just snapping at her that as soon as she mentions Ten, I'm walking away."

Octavia frowned, "I bet she hasn't liked that."

"She hasn't, but Dad's been able to keep her calm," Clarke sighed and rubbed her temple. "It's been frustrating, O. Every time Mom starts dropping hints; I want nothing more than to go to Ten. She grounds me in such a way that I can think clearly. But I can't. Between the separation and Mom, I don't know what to do."

Octavia reached out and pulled Clarke to her, tightly hugging her until she felt Clarke relax into her, "I know I'm not Ten, but I am here for you, Clarke. Your mom is being a typical Alpha idiot and only worried about power and control, not you. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about that short of castrating her."

Clarke shook her head, "I don't want to castrate my mom, Octavia. I just want her to stop."

Octavia nodded against Clarke's shoulder, "I know, babe. The only way she'll stop is when you and Ten present a united front against her. Tell her in no simple terms that you're going to keep seeing each other. And when you present, if it's as an Alpha, you'll revisit your relationship. In her own way, your mom is trying to protect you from heartbreak."

"What if Ten decides she no longer wants to be with me," Clarke whispered, voicing a fear that she had held close to her chest. "She's an Alpha, O, and I'm just a cute blonde without a presentation. Because let's face it, Omegas and Betas are going to be after her. She's attractive and a powerful Alpha. Who's not going to want her?"

Octavia hugged her tighter, "Clarke, trust me when I tell you this; Tennyson has only eyes for you. She loves you. The way Ten looks at you is disgusting with those damn heart-eyes. And god, that dopey grin she gets on her face whenever someone talks about you. It's vomit-inducing. But if anyone looks at you wrong or speaks about you wrong, she is up in their face defending you. That's not going to change. I think you're stuck with her."

Clarke sighed and leaned further back into Octavia, "Thank you, O. You're not so bad at the comforting thing. I'm feeling better."

"You're welcome, I think," Octavia chuckled. "Are your parents working late again?"

Clarke nodded, "Yeah. They both have overnight shifts tonight."

"Well, how 'bout a girls' night," Octavia suggested. "Just the six of us."

"Six," Clarke turned her head slightly to look at Octavia in confusion.

Octavia rolled her eyes and ticked everyone off on her hand, "You, me, Harper, Monroe, Charlotte, and Raven. That's six unless you want to leave the squirt out since she's ten."

"Raven's out of isolation," Clarke questioned.

Nodding, "Yeah. Didn't I tell you that?"

Shaking her head, "No, you didn't. When did she get out?"

"Earlier this afternoon," Octavia replied. "She stopped by when I was checking on Bell."

"Oh," Clarke replied, hating herself for missing the return of one of her packmates.

"Hey, don't do that," Octavia said, sensing the blonde's mood. "You've had other things on your mind. Raven knows that she matters to you."

Clarke nodded and sighed, "Yeah, okay. A girls' night sounds good. We haven't had one of those in a while. I could use the company."

"Then I'll make it so," Octavia said, extracting herself from Clarke. "We've got you, Clarke."

Clarke gave Octavia a sweet smile and nodded, "I know, and I can't ever thank you guys enough."

Octavia grinned, "We're packmates, Clarke. Family. It's what we do. I'll be back soon."

"Okay," Clarke said, slowly standing to stretch out muscles that were beginning to tense. "I'll get the movie database ready."

"You do that," Octavia said as she walked to the door. "Just nothing sappy. We get that enough with you and Ten."

Clarke laughed, "We are not sappy."

"Keep telling yourself that," Octavia laughed as she left.

Clarke just shook her head at her friend but feeling better than she had in a week. A girls' night sounded like exactly what she needed to distract herself from Ten and her mom.