A few hours later, Octavia walked into the Pit to find Tennyson going hard on the dummies. Angry pheromones were filling the vast space as Ten meticulously attacked two of them as if facing two opponents. Loud, angry music filling the space barely masking the metallic clang of Ten connecting with them. Octavia was instantly worried because out of the entire pack, Tennyson was the last person to get angry. And knowing that Ten had made plans to be with Clarke that afternoon made her even more concerned.

So, Octavia walked over to the stereo system and turned it off.

"I was listening to that," Ten growled. "Turn it back on."

"No," Octavia replied, steeling herself to face Ten's rage. "I thought you were going to spend the afternoon with Clarke."

Ten snorted and applied a roundhouse kick to one of the dummies, sending it across the floor, "Obviously not."

Octavia walked closer even as Ten sent the other dummy in the opposite direction, "What happened, Ten?"

"Do I look like I want to talk, Octavia," Ten turned a red-eyed glare on the younger brunette.

Octavia faltered as she felt a shiver of fear go down her spine, seeing Ten's wolf near the surface, but swallowed it down. Still walking towards the older girl, she offered her neck in submission.

Ten blinked, and her wolf receded slightly. Gruffly, she said, "Don't do that, O. Don't ever submit to me."

Straightening her head, Octavia softly said, "Then talk to me, Ten. What happened?"

Ten felt the fight leave her, and she crumpled to the floor in a sweaty mess. Pulling her knees to her chest, Ten rested her head between them. Octavia was immediately beside the girl and running a hand soothingly down Ten's back.

"Talk to me, please," Octavia implored.

"It's over," Ten replied, her voice muffled from where her head was buried. "I fucked up. I broke my promise to Clarke. I haven't been there for her. I tried, O. I tried, but it wasn't enough. So, she went to someone else. I caught them, O. I caught them together."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Octavia stilled and looked at Ten incredulously. "What do you mean, you caught them? Caught who and how?"

"Clarke and Finn," Ten sneered the pup's name. "Clarke didn't tell anyone that they were meeting up. He was sitting on her couch when I went over. And she was feeling guilty, O. I could smell it on her. And then. And then, she got annoyed at me. Because I didn't mindcall her! Because I dared to want to surprise my girlfriend. She told me that I didn't have the right to be hurt. I have every right to be hurt! Because I have tried, O. I have tried and tried to find a balance between everything. But it's not enough. It wasn't enough."

Octavia's heart went out to the Alpha, and she immediately pulled Ten into her arms. Ten began to sob and clutched Octavia tightly. She had never heard something so heartbreaking as Ten's sobs and Octavia felt anger build as she comforted her friend. Anger at Clarke for rendering Ten to such a state. Anger at the laws for forcing Ten into such a situation. But, she also knew that this was only one side of the story. She needed Clarke's side, and maybe this whole thing was a colossal misunderstanding. Octavia really hoped so because otherwise, the pack would be feeling the repercussions for a long time.

When Ten had quieted, Octavia asked, "Did Clarke give a reason for Finn's presence?"

Ten nodded against Octavia's chest, "She said it was a last-minute Biology tutoring thing."

"Well, he is in Year Nine with the rest of the fourteen-year olds," Octavia contemplatively replied. "It is possible that he's struggling in that subject. You guys have been asked to tutor the younger kids on occasion."

"That's possible," Ten agreed. "But why wouldn't she tell anyone? Wouldn't Clarke tell you guys if she wasn't going to make it to the Pit? Especially if something came up unexpectedly. She has before so, why not today?"

"I don't know," Octavia said, running a hand down Ten's back to keep her calm.

"Am I just throwing things out of proportion, Tay," Ten asked in a quiet and tentative voice. "Was I wrong?"

"I don't think you were wrong to feel hurt and disappointed, Ten," Octavia replied, thinking things over. "Apprenticeships demand a lot of your time, and you're splitting it between two jobs. That's nearly double the work. And you did explain why you decided to do it the way you did. And it makes sense. But, I don't think you could have expected the toll it takes on you. The hours you spend learning both jobs. Or the fact that your wolf really hates being in an office."

Ten snorted, "No, I was not expecting that. I should have. I spent so much time during my Rut, getting her to understand the way things were done, and she was not happy."

"I wouldn't be happy either," Octavia pointed out. "Wolves are not meant to be locked up or live on a metal ship. But we're digressing. Anyway, we've seen you dragging ass and trying to be there for Clarke and us. But there are only so many hours in a day and you are exhausted, Ten. That was probably a factor today. When's the last time you got a good night's sleep?"

"The day after my Rut ended," Ten immediately replied. "Clarke spent the night, and I slept like a pup."

"That was months ago, Ten," Octavia admonished her. "God, no wonder you're dragging ass all the time. Maybe you need to drop one of the apprenticeships. That might help."

"Maybe," Ten said, but didn't sound hopeful. "So, I wasn't wrong?"

"I think you might be jumping to conclusions about whatever is going on between Clarke and Finn," Octavia carefully replied. "But you won't know unless you talk to her."

Ten sighed and straightened, wiping the tears from her face, "How do I do that without sounding like a controlling Alpha?"

Octavia shrugged, "How should I know? I'm neither an Alpha or in a relationship."

Ten threw her head back in frustration, "Ugh, you're no help, Tay."

"Hey," Octavia lightly shoved Ten. "I'm plenty of help. Just talk with her. And for god's sake, listen. You know communication is important to a healthy relationship."

Ten sighed again, dropping her head, "The key words being with and listen. Not at and ignore. God, why do we have this stupid law! I seriously doubt I'd be in this mess if we could have waited a fucking year."

"You're probably right," Octavia said, sighing. "Look, let her have this day, Ten. You've probably given her something to think about. And you, Tennyson Cartwig, get some rest. Real rest. Otherwise, you're going to burn yourself out before you're eighteen. We still need you. Even Clarke."

"Alright. Thank you, Tay," Ten said, standing up with a groan. "First my Rut, and now this…I don't know what I'd do without you."

Holding out her hand so Ten could help her stand, she replied, "Probably in Lockup for destroying Ark property."

Ten laughed and shook her head as she pulled Octavia to her feet, "You're probably right, Tay."

"Of course I am," Octavia said with a cheeky grin. "Now, help me right these dummies you tried to demolish. And then get some well-needed rest."

"Yes, dear," Tennyson drawled.

"Ass," Octavia chuckled.

Ten just shook her head and went after the one she'd knocked the furthest away. Her wolf letting Ten lift the metal dummy easily. Soon the dummies were back in place, though looking way more abused than before, and Ten was leaving Octavia to her workout.