"You're ginger?" Indianna asked, raising her eyebrows at Kimberly, who was drying her wet hair.
"Naturally," Kimberly nodded. "I used to... um... get bullied because of it, so I dyed it."
"To fit in?" Indianna guessed.
Kimberly nodded.
"That's why, isn't it? Why you act so harshly towards others? Because you were bullied?"
Kimberly coughed and sent Indianna a sharp look.
"I don't want to talk about that," she muttered and ran her fingers through her hair.
"You look pretty," Indianna said quietly.
Kimberly did. Now that she had let her natural hair show, its colour suited her much more, and her face wasn't covered in its usual heavy makeup.
Kimberly frowned.
"I do?"
Indianna nodded.
"Kal prefers natural. Inside and out."
"Inside will be a lot harder than outside," Kimberly muttered. "It's been a while since I've been nice to someone."
"You've got all the time in the world," Indianna said.
"I think I'm going to go back to my room," Kimberly said and stood. "Um... thanks."
Indianna nodded.
"You're welcome."
"I apologised to Kirstie," Kimberly said and chewed on her lip. "She wasn't very forgiving."
"Both she and Greyson can be quite... harsh at times," Indianna said.
"No shit," Kimberly muttered.
The bedroom door opened, and Kal walked in.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw Kimberly, and his mouth dropped open.
"Shitting hell," he gasped. "I didn't think you'd actually dye it."
Kal walked up to Kimberly and frowned.
"It doesn't look like shit."
Kimberly narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Thanks."
"That's a compliment coming from Kal," Indianna said with a chuckle.
"You're helping her," Kal said, frowning at Indianna. "Why?"
"We have a mutual interest," Indianna explained. "She hasn't exactly got many people on her side, has she?"
"I am here," Kimberly huffed.
"Yes, you're rather hard to ignore," Kal said and turned back to Kimberly.
He stared at her for a few minutes before slowly raising his hand and tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear. Suddenly, he coughed and quickly lowered his hand.
"Um... let's talk. Come with me."
Kal turned on his heel and walked out of the room. Indianna gestured for Kimberly to follow.
"Just try to be yourself," Indianna called. "Don't put up a front."
Kimberly shrugged and followed Kal.
"You're too nice," Greyson said.
He walked into Indianna's room and kissed her softly.
"You're too assholey," Indianna shrugged.
"Assholey?" Greyson repeated and scoffed. "Sugar, why are you helping her?"
"For Kal," Indianna said. "He deserves to be happy."
"I don't think that's possible anymore," Greyson muttered.
"I guess we're going to find out," Indianna sighed.
Greyson pulled Indianna over to her bed.
"Can we chill?" he asked as he lay down. "From this evening onwards, it's going to be hectic. We need to attack Rogue soon, and for the moment I just want to forget about all this shit and hold my mate."
"I don't know about holding me. You do smell—"
Indianna gasped when Greyson yanked her down onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
"Let's just forget everyone," he grumbled. "For as long as we can."
"When does the plan go ahead?" Indianna asked.
"Forget," Greyson growled.
"Answer the question, and then I won't say anything more until tonight," Indianna compromised.
"Two days," Greyson sighed. "This all ends in two days."
The room was silent as Greyson walked onto the stage and addressed his pack. He looked at Indianna, who was seated next to Brooke, and she smiled back at him.
"Welcome," Greyson called. "Thank you for coming. We have some important matters to discuss. As you are all aware, Rogue has taken Martha, and that needs to change now. We have a plan to take down Rogue once and for all, and we now have the upper hand. We have his mate. A human. She won't be harmed, but Rogue doesn't know this. We are going to use her to our advantage."
"But how?" a pack member called.
Greyson smiled.
"You would do anything for your mate, so when he sees that his mate is in danger, I'm pretty sure he's going to agree to our terms. Mates can see through the eyes of their other halves, and that's exactly what we are hoping Rogue will do. We will trade Martha for Stacy, his mate, and then we will double-cross him and kill him."
Greyson's eyes flickered to Indianna, and he frowned when she shifted awkwardly. She still didn't want to kill Rogue.
"It will happen two days from now. The agreement will be to meet at a chosen location for a swap. Once we have our pack member, we go for the kill."
"What if we're outnumbered?" another pack member called. "We don't know how many people Rogue has, and we aren't an extremely large pack."
"Not to worry," Greyson said confidently. "I have reinforcements from another pack coming. Thanks to our Luna, Alpha Janson owes us a huge favour."
Indianna blushed when people turned to look at her, and she smiled awkwardly.
"They will be arriving tomorrow. In the meantime, I want everyone to train and prepare. More details will be revealed tomorrow. Thank you, everyone."
Greyson turned his back and walked off the stage.
"Janson is coming?" Indianna asked as Greyson walked over to her and the pack started to disperse.
Greyson nodded.
"He is, and he's very grateful that you helped him with Olivia," he said. Suddenly, he turned serious. "Indie, I need you to do something for me, and I'm pretty certain you're not going to like it."
Indianna frowned.
"What is it?"
"Well, how good is your acting, sugar?"
"Greyson!" Indianna gasped and grabbed his sleeve as he reached the door to Stacy's cell. "Greyson, don't do this!"
"Back the fuck away, sugar," Greyson growled.
He barged through the door, startling a worn-down-looking Stacy.
"You'd better be ready to help, or I swear to God I'm going to kill you!"
Stacy's eyes widened slightly, but she glanced at Indianna, who was standing by the door, and smiled.
"You won't kill me."
"I will if you don't do exactly as I say," Greyson hissed.
He grabbed Stacy from the floor and shoved her against the wall.
"Bring him here," Greyson demanded. "I want him to see everything."
Stacy coughed slightly and nodded.
"He's watching. And he's pissed. He wants to rip you apart piece by piece."
Indianna narrowed her eyes. Something stirred inside her at the thought of someone hurting Greyson.
"I can't wait," Greyson said slowly. "But first, he's got to watch me rip you apart."
He dropped Stacy to the floor.
"Greyson," Indianna said cautiously and stepped forward, grabbing his hand. "Calm down."
"Don't patronise me, Indie!" Greyson snapped. "I've reached my limit, and I can guarantee someone is going to die soon!"
Stacy swallowed.
Indianna shook her head.
"No! You aren't going to harm her!"
She pulled Greyson around so he was facing her.
"You promised me! Don't hurt her!"
"I'm an Alpha. I need to do what's best for the pack," Greyson said and cupped Indianna's face. "I'm sorry."
"No!" Indianna gasped. "No, look at me, Greyson! You promised me! It's not her fault! You can't hurt her! You can kill—"
"Her psycho mate has my pack member!" Greyson shouted.
Indianna jumped back.
"I know he's watching us, and he's going to have to watch me hurt his precious mate!"
"G-Greyson," Indianna whispered. "It won't achieve anything. It will just make Rogue angrier—"
"Good!" Greyson exclaimed.
He walked back over to Stacy.
"You think you're protected because Indianna wants you alive? That ends now."
"You can't kill me," Stacy said.
She yelped when Greyson grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her to her feet. He slammed her against the wall and held her by the throat.
"Can't I?" Greyson growled. "Let's find out—"
"Greyson!" Indianna yelled. "Let her go! Don't stoop to Rogue's level!"
"Sugar, I'm not in the mood. Do not anger me right now," Greyson hissed.
He glared at Stacy.
"Rogue, I know you're watching, you sick bastard. You're going to listen to me and do as I say, or your mate is going to suffer."
"He won't hurt me!" Stacy blurted. "Indie, you won't let him."
"No," Indianna gulped. "I will not."
"I can change that," Greyson shrugged.
Suddenly, Oscar appeared by the door.
"You called, Alpha?" he said.
"Take Indie away," Greyson said coldly. "She's only going to be in the way."
"Greyson!" Indianna gasped and looked at Stacy with wide eyes. "No, don't! Oscar, stay away from me!"
She jumped back when Oscar stepped towards her.
"Greyson, you promised me!"
"People lie," Greyson shrugged. "Oscar, hurry the fuck up. I'm losing my patience, and I don't want Indie here when I do."
In a flash, Oscar was by Indianna's side. He took her arm firmly, but not hard enough to hurt.
"Let me go!" Indianna yelled and yanked against Oscar's hold. "Oscar! Get the fuck off me!"
"Sorry, Luna," he sighed.
He secured Indianna's arms behind her back and pulled her towards the door.
"Let me go!" Indianna shouted, digging her heels into the floor. "Get off me! Greyson, don't hurt her! Greyson, please!"
"Get some rest, sugar," Greyson called without looking back. "I'll see you later."
"You bastard!" Indianna screamed. "S-Stacy, I'm sorry!"
"You won't hurt me," Stacy said weakly as the door to her cell slammed shut and Indianna was dragged away, kicking and screaming.
Stacy didn't seem so confident now.
"Now, I think we both know that's a lie," Greyson said. "Rogue, you'd better listen up, or I'll take great pleasure in hurting and possibly killing your mate. This is what I need you to do..."