"The Replacement Luna..."

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Atlas:

It was awkward. Uncomfortable. Confusing.

The minute she came running to hug her brother my wolf made me realize who she was, and just how important a role she would play in my life. For a minute I actually felt really happy, before I felt all the joy leave my heart when I saw how the light in Glare's eyes dimmed, before he averted his gaze away from me.

"Genevieve, this is Mr. Barrier. Atlas, my sister... Genevieve." He tried to sound collected, but I heard every single word uttered with a slight tremor in his voice.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Rosewater." I whispered, my heart was pounding so loudly.

"Pleasure's all mine. And please call me Gen. So, you guys are here on a date?" She giggled, oblivious to what I whispered awhile ago as she came running towards her brother.

"Actually, no. This was a meeting regarding the progress of the Zephyr renovations. I have somewhere I need to be after this that's why I'm a bit dressed up." Glare made a hasty excuse for us.

"Aww, and here I thought you guys..."

"We weren't. We aren't. We won't be." The words cut me somewhere I've never been hurt before. "Both Atlas and I realized that what we had was a temporary setback in our judgement. It was nothing but a fleeting attraction. We've realized that now, right Atlas?" Still, he would not look at me.

"Yes." I answered, still confused.

"That's too bad, I thought you were happy Glare. He's the first man you've ever..." Genevieve looked worried.

"It's fine. Actually, it's better than fine. Atleast we found out before Atlas and I could get ourselves in too deep." His face was turning red. "I must leave, there's somewhere I need to be. Talk to you tomorrow, Gen. Atlas, thank you for your time. Goodbye." He was in such a rush both his sister and I could not get a word in. Before either Genevieve or I could stop him, a portal magically appeared, and he hastily went through it.

"What did you do?" Genevieve looked accusingly at me.

"He heard me, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt him." I decided to come clean.

"Heard you what?" She had her fists clenched, no doubt ready to give me a piece of her mind.

"I... said Mate."

"So you're his mate? I don't see a problem with that. Go track him down, use your dog talents and sniff him out."

"I'm not a dog, I'm a wolf." I corrected her.

"Same thing. Now go, fetch, I mean find, search, whatever. Stop gawking at me like I'm a piece of bone." She stepped back a foot away.

"Glare isn't my mate." I smiled slightly, enjoying her snobbish air.

"But you said..."

"You are." I looked deeply into her eyes.

She was motionless, for a moment there I thought my words had turned her to stone.

"I can't be. I'm not a Lycan. You must be mistaken." She shook her head, her soft blond curls swaying.

"Glare isn't a Lycan, but you were happy to pair him off with me."

"That's because he was in love with you!"

"If you reject me..."

"I'm not your mate! I can't be. Glare would..."

"He basically gave us his permission. He outright told us what he felt awhile ago."

"He's hurting. He didn't mean what he said. I know my brother. He's... oh no, I must find him." She became frantic.

"Let me help. Together we can talk to him and try to solve this dilemma."

"Do you know where he might go to?"

"Your house? His office? Zephyr mansion?" I volunteered.

"His office first. Let's go." She conjured a portal similar to what Glare made awhile ago.

"Wait, I have my..."

"Leave your darned SUV, this is faster." She took my hand and immediately I felt sparks course through my body. Faster than I could react we were suddenly in a darkened room which I recognized to be Glare's office.

"He's not here. I don't smell him anywhere nearby." I informed her.

"Zephyr." Another portal appeared, and again I was dragged unceremoniously through it.

"No one's here." I was still holding her hand. The place was as black as night, her perfume wafted through my nostrils.

"Then that leaves us with no choice but to try and find him at the house where we're temporarily staying. C'mon." And again we were portalled, this time to a bright and spacious livingroom.

"He was here, his scent lingers. But he left a few seconds ago." I informed her.

We heard several footsteps before seven armed guards appeared with a strikingly regal woman.

"Genevieve, what is the meaning of this? Why have you brough this man into our safe house?" She sounded at the very least annoyed.

"Mother, have you seen Glare?" She hurriedly asked.

"No. Why?"

"This is Atlas Barrier. He's the one in-charge..."

"Yes, yes, the renovations at Zephyr. Why is he here?"

"I can't tell you. That's for Glare to explain. We must find him." Her voice was starting to crack, the pressure was starting to get to her. I held her hand tighter, trying to let her know that she had me, and that I will not leave her alone to solve this problem.

"You may all return to your posts. I will deal with this matter." Their mother ordered, and everyone dispersed. "What have you done this time Gen?"

"Me? I didn't..."

"Your daughter is my mate Miss Rosewater." I interrupted Gen, and her mother's reaction remained to be one of annoyance.

"Then that means my son, Glare, must be hurting right now." It would seem that she was not at all clueless of the situation.

We all fell silent, each lost in our own thoughts. My eyes wandered to the dainty fingers intertwined with my calloused ones and knew that there wasn't going to be an easy way out of this problem. I only hoped Glare could forgive me in time, for any hurt that this would undoubtedly cause him.