The rest of the night was pretty much normal. Ziva had set up a pile of blankets on the floor next to her bed. Of course, halfway through the night, I had jumped up on her bed and under the covers. She really thought I was going to stay on the floor? Ha!

By the time morning came around, it was all normal. We went for a run, grabbed a coffee and muffins, and came home. Ziva worked a little on her computer, while I simply laid around. Around 5 pm she jumped into the shower and began getting ready for her date.

I on the other hand was pacing non-stop in the living room. Once Ziva left, I would head to Elston's cabin. I wasn't sure what he wanted me to say or do. In fact, I wasn't even sure what to say. I mean I know what I must do, but I never thought it would be this soon.

"What do you think?" Ziva suddenly appeared in the living room.

Glancing towards her, I was stunned. She looked amazing. She wore a slim, elegant black cocktail dress. With an open back and diamond neckline.

'You look amazing!' I yelped.

"I'll take that as a yes." Glancing at the clock, she squealed. "I need to hurry!" As if on cue, the doorbell rang just as she grabbed her purse.

I pushed to the front, wanting to get a good look at the man. 'Whoa.'

Eyal had his hair neatly combed back and his go-tee neatly trimmed. He wore all black, with a black blazer and a two-button open shirt. In his hand he held a single red rose, holding it out for Ziva. "Wow, you look absolutely stunning."

Ziva giggled, fighting to control the blush creeping up her neck. "Thank you, you don't look bad yourself."

"It took a long time to get the clean cut of myself." Eyal laughed. "Here, this is for you."

Taking the rose, she smiled softly. "Thank you, it's beautiful. Let me just put it in water and we can leave." Walking towards the kitchen she called out to him. "You can come in."

Eyal stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind him gently. That's when he kneeled in front of me and patted me softly on the neck. "Hello, beautiful."

'That charm isn't going to work on me. I need to know wha-oh!' His hand moved just behind my ear, scratching that one spot. 'Oh, wow.' I couldn't help, but lower my head and allow my mouth to open in content. 'Still, don't think I will be won over by-uh right there.'

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her." Eyal spoke just low enough for me to hear. "You don't have to worry about her. And I promise she will be back in one piece and happy."

I was too distracted with the ear scratch to really care what he was saying. 'Yeah, yeah, just keep going.'

"I swear under all that growling and snarling is the biggest puppy ever." Ziva walked back in from the kitchen, shaking her head at the scene.

Eyal shrugged. "Ready."

"Yeah, Luna behave." Ziva called out.

I rolled my eyes, pretending to head towards the room as she shut the door. Rushing to the window, I waited till I saw Eyal's black car drive out. Using my snout, I shoved the screen out and slipped down from the fire escape.

Elston was already waiting for me in wolf form. 'Thought I was going to have to go break you out.'

'Please, I have escaped from tougher places.'

'So I have heard.' Trotting down the steps, he stood just in front of me. 'Come, let's go to the lake.'

We laid at the edge of the bank, watching as a pair of ducks with duckling swim by. I couldn't help, but begin to see myself with a litter of pups trailing behind me. Regardless of what I know I must do, having pups has always been my dream.

'When do you start?' Elston suddenly asked.

I sighed, lowering my head onto my paws. 'Three days.'

'Okay, but before we even begin to talk about it I need to know.' He paused, waiting for me to look up at him. 'You are sure you want it to be me. If we do this, you will get pregnant and you will be mated to me.'

'Mated?!' I was not told about that.

Elston frowned. 'The whole reason a female goes into heat is one to announce when she is most fertile. And two to find a mate for those that haven't or can't.'

'Okay, stop.' Taking a deep breath, I emptied my mind. 'Start from the beginning.'

'The night you go into heat, we will mate. Our bond will never be as strong as that of your true mate, but it will be the second-best thing. I will always be there to protect and love you. Our senses towards each other will heighten.' Elston explained. 'This is your first heat after finding your mate. If you don't mate it will be a very painful three days.'

'Painful?'

'Your body will overheat to the point of a deadly fever. Your hormones will cause you to lose control and shift in and out. The first day is the fever and sweats. The second day is the worst. The third day you simmer down, but still shaken up.'

I was really hating the fact that no one told me this. 'What will happen to my mate after we mate?'

'Nothing. He can't be rejected and he doesn't know what you are to reject you. But as long as he is close, you will be at ease. Or as long as you know he is fine.'

'Had it been a wolf-'

'You both would feel when the other is intimate with another and not in a good way. The pleasure one feels during that moment, is reversed into pain for the other.' He glanced down at me with sad eyes. 'I am not forcing you into anything love. If you don't want to, I am not going to be mad or upset.'

'It's not that, just processing everything and how stupid the whole mate thing is.' It was true, to many a mate was a blessing. Your better half. But only if that one person was a wolf. Humans couldn't and would never feel what we do. It was actually a ripoff.

'Have you talked to Derek?'

Elston shook his head no. 'Why?'

'Well, don't you need my alphas blessing to mate with me?'

Mating between two wolves from different packs was both a good thing and a bad thing. Bad if it was a forced mating, which would bring conflict into the packs and even war. Which has happened a few times. You see when in heat a female can hold herself off, but if not taken care of, by the third day she will fuck anyone. Most of the time it would be a male outside the pack. The good one would be like mine and Elston. He was the alpha of a rather large pack. I was the lead beta of another pack. Mating with each other unites the packs. Not to mention I would no longer hold the beta rank, but that of a female alpha.

Elston leaned down, nudging me out of my thoughts. 'I've had the blessing since our last run. Or did you forget I actually fought off the other wannabe suitors?'

'How could I forget. You broke the man's arm.' I shivered at the image of the wolves dangling arm.

'I was looking to break something else, but the arm would have to do.'

Leaning into him, I was suddenly hit with a thought. 'Elston.'

'Yeah?'

'I can't shift back.'

He hummed. 'We knew that already.'

'Yeah, well I am not going to have sex and mate for the first time as a wolf!' I shuddered at the thought. A lot of wolves were fine with 'breeding' in their wolf form. I on the other hand didn't. I mean I would if for some reason there is no other option. 'How are we going to do this.' I growled at the sudden burst of laughter he gave. 'It's not funny.'

'Sorry love, but should I remind you that you were born under the red moon.' Elston said. 'Durning your heat, you will be able to shift back. The effect will last for as long as you are in heat. A perk of being a red moon pup.'

'But the silver?'

'Can't stop the transformation.'

I was confused. 'Okay, please explain.'

'Females born under the red moon, have been known to be affected differently than other wolves. One being, you feel the heat three times more than other females. Your body will not allow you to turn back until you have been through it. We realized the red moon had a hormonal effect on the females.' He chuckled, nuzzling into my neck. 'Which then means the females have a much higher effect on males.'

'How so?'

'Your scent. Taste and even touch feels amazing to us. Everything is heightened when together.' He moves his head, to lay next to mine.

In a matter of seconds, he had fallen asleep to the sound of me humming for him. I was both scared and excited to finally become a mother. I was scared of the process. Would it hurt? Would he be gentle and loving? Still looking down at him, I knew he would. Yet I couldn't push the thought of betrayal. In a way, I was betraying my mate, and that hurt. But I also knew that at this very moment he was with his woman. I could feel the needle pricking at my heart. Nuzzling closer to Elston, I tried to push his memory away. But God knows that was impossible.