ALPHA KADE

Trigger Warning

This book contains numerous controversial subjects that may trigger or upset some readers including detailed scenes of death, violence, sexual content, kidnapping, sexual abuse, war, mentions of abortion, possible miscarriage, cheating, and LGBTQ+ relationships.

Viewer discretion advised!

***

Frey

I've heard of she-wolves that were left to fend for themselves after discovering that they were pregnant.

I tied my jet black hair and pulled a leather jacket on my shoulder. Tonight was the day I'd spill the good news. Would it be good news for him? I mean, he's taking over as pack alpha and I'm certain that I wouldn't be his mate. He would probably toss me aside after professing his undying love.

I marched out of my house, took a long walk, and appeared on the sidewalk where I'd parked my black cabriolet this morning. I got in, ignited the engine and was driving away to the club where wolf bloods gathered every Saturday night for a drink. It was just a few kilometers away from the pack dwellings and in no time; I had arrived.

Squeezing the vehicle into the tiny space in the parking lot, I slammed the door after I alighted and marched toward the entrance. The premises were booming with music and several wolf bloods stalked by the sidewalk, their scent rough and of alcohol entwining with pure air.

I exhaled deeply as my hands extended to the handle. I stepped into the club and met the harmonious glow of purple, blue and red lights and the booming of music from the speaker on the stage. Scattered across the apartment were men and women moving their bodies in rhythm with the music. I moved past the servers and round tables that were scattered across the pub, aiming for the group of men that sat at the edge of the bar.

Was I brave enough to do this? Would he exile me from the pack once he discovers the truth? These two questions went back and forth in my head until I arrived at his table.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. He sat with the inner circle of the Night Shade Pack. The Beta, Gamma, and Delta blood. When he saw me, he put down his bottle and stood from the chair. The others didn't see me. I breathed a sigh of relief as I dragged him out of the club. Not that I was pulling him by the hand, he just followed me.

As we stepped on the sidewalk, he breathed out my name. "Frey? Are you okay?" His voice was soothing. This was what I expected. He could see right through the distressed expression on my face, which I'd tried to conceal, but failed miserably.

"I need to talk to you."

"Sure." Logan said and tried to entwine his hands with me, but I pulled away. We were out in the open and some wolf bloods were lingering by the curb. The look of surprise on his face didn't cease as we strode to the other side of the building.

Our relationship had been a secret for a while and only his Beta, my family, and some of my friends knew about us. It needed to be a secret because I didn't want any of the wolf bloods gossiping about having a relationship with the Alpha, even when I knew I didn't stand a chance at being his mate, even when I'm wolf-less.

The quarter moonlight sprayed through the skies, illuminating the Night Shade Pack territory. I strode down the pathway with him, side by side, and as we came to a halt, I leaned on the brick wall while he stood opposite me. Sadness encroached on me and I bowed my head. He stepped closer, lifting my face so I could view him fully. Tears slipped from my eyes and his face softened with concern. "Frey, talk to me." He requested gently, and I released a trembling sigh.

"I'm pregnant." I said and looked at him. There. Those were the words that I'd held to myself for the past two weeks.

His face darkened and my heart dropped; this was the part of my story where I'd be the punching bag, where he'd send me away, not because he didn't love me, but because I'm wolf-less. Like my mother used to say, "without your wolf, you're nothing but a complete disgrace to the werewolf community." Her words were a reminder that Logan Kade wouldn't love me enough.

He smiled and pulled me into an abrupt embrace, erasing every trace of gloom on my face. "Hey, hey. It's ok. I wouldn't let anything happen to our pup. We are going to have our baby together and you'll rule by my side as queen." His voice was reassuring. It was everything I needed.

Logan Kade, a brown skinned man with wolf tattoos skillfully pictured on his skin, his jaw shaved and his hair cut. He wrapped his enormous arms around me and I smiled.

"We both know that it's not possible. The Wolf Moon is in three days and you'll become pack Alpha. You'll find your fated mate from the royal bloodline. I'm not of royal bloodline and I don't even have a wolf yet!" I couldn't hide from the truth. I had to let the cat out of the bag.

"It doesn't matter." He tried to convince me otherwise, but I would be crazy if I believed him. Night Shade Pack was strict with his rules. Yes, some rules are flexible and wolf bloods can break them once in a while, but the rule of an Alpha mating a wolf-less Luna was unacceptable in the wolf world.

"It does, Logan. The Council wouldn't allow you to mate with me."

"You're mine, Frey. Mine." He growled with predatory intent.

"Logan?" My voice trembled with dread as I leveled my gaze at him. I wasn't afraid of having a baby. I knew what I wanted. But was I strong enough to go for what I truly desired? "I don't want to lose you." Was all I could muster.

"You won't." He said. The crimson in his eyes flashing sent a shiver through my spine. He put his hands out and I took it, and we walked down the motorbike that was by the curb.

"I came with my car."

"Don't worry, my Beta will drive it home." Logan got on the motorbike; I mounted behind him, pulling the helmet over my head and holding him by his waist. He ignited the engine and drove down the tarred path that led straight to the pack house.

We arrived at the pack settlement and he parked his motorcycle by the fountain. In front of me was the pack's manor, which was surrounded by a wild cluster of polyalthia, rosewood, and beech trees. I pulled off my helmet when I dismounted and he smiled at me and laid a kiss on my cheek. "Logan?" I called.

"Yeah, little mate."

"I want you to promise me that no matter what happens from now on, you'll always stand with me." If I would go for what I wanted, I needed reassurance that he wouldn't leave me high and dry.

"I promise." He nodded, passion behind his eyes as he leaned in for a kiss. I smiled and our lips collided in a frantic exploration of pleasure, and a thrill of emotion coursed through our bodies. He wrapped his hands around me, lifted me from the floor, and I squealed with a sudden outburst of giggle. We marched to the entrance of the manor.

Once we arrived in his room, he set me down on the bed, which was covered with white sheets. I chuckled and pulled him in, locking our lips together. He pulled away and looked into my eyes with desire, then he lay next to me and tugged me closer, running his fingers through my black hair. This wasn't my first time in the manor, but it was my first time in his room. In the past, he'd always opted for us to visit, but I declined with good intentions.

"We are going to raise our pup together," he said, and I nodded. There was a brief silence and at that moment, all I saw was absolute sincerity in his eyes. I had faith in him. My heart desperately desired him. To make him mine.

"We should take a shower."

"Yeah. Definitely. You reek of alcohol." I blurted, and we both chuckled.

He got out of bed and took me into the entrance that led into the bathroom. We stripped and stepped into the bathtub. I sat, and he moved behind me, wrapping his hands around my body. The warm shower trickled down on our skin and we just sat there, consumed by the beautiful moment. After some time, we took turns washing each other and when we finished; we stepped off the shower and dried off with towels. There was no need to argue with Logan. I was staying the night in his home and that was final.

~

I think I'd slept for three hours when I heard the warning bell pounding through the territory.

Hounds!

Logan shot to a sitting position; the sleep in his eyes vanished with a flash of his crimson wolf flecks, and he rustled out of bed.

"I need you to stay here. No matter what happens, stay here." He reiterated and grabbed a crossbow from his closet. The slamming of the door hinges resonated through my soul, and I heard his retreating footsteps as he ran down the stairs.

I can't leave him there alone.

He might lose his life if any of the hounds attacked him.

Turning this over in my head, I got out of bed and slipped into my shoes, exiting the room with a dagger I'd found in his compartment of weapons. I moved down the dimly lit hallway and ran into the Beta of the pack, Tyler. He had a crossbow and an arrow skillfully set and ready to fire. Tyler's dark hair accentuated his green eyes and lean-muscled body type.

"Frey?"

"I had things going on with Logan." I muttered in clarification, and he nodded.

I couldn't explain this wave of fire in me I'd never experienced before. I didn't know if it was the fierce desire to ensure the safety of the father of my unborn child, but I was glad it was there.

Erupting through the door with Tyler, we made for the ragged gray wolves we saw by the fountain. They were dead wolves lying by the stairs, and Logan didn't show them mercy. He was a ferocious fighter, and protecting his pack was one of his priorities.

Tyler's arrow pierced through one wolf's jugular and my flying dagger drove into the other's belly.

"Stay with me, Frey. Trust me, Logan would have my head if anything happened to you." The deceased wolves shifted into their human forms and lay dead.

I heard the mournful howls of the bitten and injured wolf bloods, echoing off from the source which was the settlement where the rest of the pack members lived.

Tyler was taking down as many wolves as he could, but he was running out of arrows.

I saw Logan ahead of me in wolf form. The enemies' blood coated his jaw and fur, and our eyes met for a second. He snarled at me and I released a guilty sigh, keeping my head in the game. I took another swing to the incoming wolf, and it whimpered as its blood sprayed on the stones that covered the earth.

I saw the children hiding by the forest line. They must be the young wolves whose parents worked late at the pack house, and hounds intercepted them on their way home. I raced to them at human speed. My legs carried me as fast as it could. I was just in time to defend them from the blood-eyed wolf creature that was prepared to maul them to death. There were three of them between ages ten to four and they were in shock.

"Sh. It's going to be ok. I promise." I told them and carried the youngest on my side, taking the other two in my hands. We made for the pack houses' entrance, but we weren't lucky.

Two hounds surrounded us, fangs bared, blood-eyed, and ready to attack and conquer. I clenched the kids closer, and a sweat broke from my scalp. The surrounding sounds faded and for a moment, I could only hear the trembling of my beating heart. I couldn't catch my breath. Why couldn't I catch my breath? No. I wouldn't die like this. I wouldn't let anyone hurt these kids.

The wolves were skulking closer to us with a savage smirk on their lips. Fuck, I swore. I could feel something within me. I thought it was my wolf, but I didn't hear her speak. It was something else. Some kind of power, but I wasn't sure. Maybe it was my wolf. I don't know how it felt to bond with a wolf. Maybe this is it. Maybe I'll have my first shift in three days. I reached for my holster, but I couldn't find a dagger.

The first wolf lunged, swiping its claws at me, but before it could land its deadly hit, a wolf with black fur leapt from behind us. It was Logan. He gnawed at the two wolves and tore them apart.

"Take the kids inside now." He roared at me.

I hauled the kids into the house and slammed the door behind us. I couldn't imagine the terror that these kids had witnessed. How long it would stay burned into their brains. They discovered Night Shade territory was no longer safe for wolf bloods.

"Sh. It's ok. We're safe." I headed into Logan's room. I wasn't sure if that was the word they needed to hear right now, but I had to try.

"Are we going to be fine?" The youngest asked me.

"Where's our mother?"

"That wolf took her." The eldest said with a trembling voice. I saw her shivering. I had to stay strong for these kids because hounds had torn their lives apart.

"Hey. It's going to be ok. The Alpha will send out scouts to look for your mother. I promise they'll find her," I reassured them more than myself. "Now go to bed and try to sleep. I'll be outside and make sure nothing happens to you." I rose to my feet to leave the room, but the youngest's voice called me back.

"Can you stay with us? Please?"

"Yes. Sure." I nodded and moved onto the bed, wrapping my hands around them. They say joy comes in the morning, but tomorrow would be a day of grief and mourning. It was inevitable.

Logan

Hounds never attack in groups.

The sound of the warning bell reverberated through the territory, and I shot into a sitting position. Cautioning Frey about the hound attack, I moved to my weapon compartment and pulled out a crossbow and a quiver of arrows. This was the perfect time to put the skills I learned from pack training to good use.

I emerged through the entrance of the pack house and met three ragged wolves approaching. I shot the first wolf. The second and third plummeted toward me. My fur tore through my body and I leapt toward them, shifting into a large black furred wolf. We stumbled down the stairs, and I landed a heavy blow at the other wolf's jugular. I dragged him away as his blood splashed on my fur and coated the earth. At the sound of my snarl, the other wolf escaped with a broken leg.

Fucking Hounds! Their bites were fatal.

Hounds weren't only attacking the pack house. I heard the screams of the men, women, and children trying to defend themselves. I howled, signaling the other wolves in the pack. Making toward my enemies, I slayed every one that came at me, leaving their blood as a trail and a warning. There was this tremendous amount of power that enveloped me, and I channeled it into saving my people.

I was heading toward the tree line where the patrol wolves had taken charge when I smelt Frey's scent. She was out here.

I squinted through the field of blood and bones, and I saw her and Tyler warding off the new hounds that were heading for the pack house. A hound took advantage of my distraction and plunged toward me, and we stumbled down the path. I bit into his hind limb and he howled in agony. Swiping my claws at him, I ripped off his fur. I slammed him into the earth, pinning him with my paw and snarling at him. I ripped a chunk out of his jugular and left him to bleed to death.

I turned to Frey and saw her heading to the children by the tree line. They were other hounds that were aiming for her. I sprinted toward them. I wasn't sure if I could make it. Hounds surrounded Frey and the kids. At that moment, I planned the possibilities. What if I lost my chosen mate, the mother of my unborn child? What if hounds kill these scared, innocent kids? I was closer.

I - just - needed - to - push - harder - just - a - little - bit - harder.

The wolves leapt at them, but I was just in time to save them. I tore the hounds apart and tossed their carcass across the field.

"Take the children inside now."

I waited until she made it into the pack house, and I headed off to save Tyler from the hounds circling him.

When the hounds figured out we outmatched and outnumbered them, we'd already killed dozens. Although we lost wolf bloods, we protected and defended our pack. We held our line.

~

Night Shade territory was a safe space until now. Last night hounds breached our home and attacked our loved ones, leaving a stench of death and grief in their wake.

It was morning and the golden yellow rays of the sun had risen through the skies, enlivening the tranquil woods of the territory. I stood in front of the healer's enclave, watching as they wheeled the injured and dead into the hospital. The patrols had checked every inch of the territory, ensuring that there weren't any signs of hounds left.

Hounds were werewolf creatures that craved the blood of their fellow shifters. They were an abomination of Lycanthropy and the pack exiled them centuries ago. I'm surprised because hounds never work together. They never attack in groups. Why now? Because they perceived the pack was weak without an Alpha? After my father had died? I needed to protect my people with everything I had, even if it meant going after every single hound that existed.

Tyler's presence pulled me out of my thoughts when I felt his grip on my shoulder. "How many casualties?" I asked as we moved down the stairs.

"15. Mostly parents. There are about 30 kids that lost their parents and they're too young to live on their own. What are we going to do?"

"Invite them into the pack house. Keep them as safe as possible."

"But they're not of royal blood." Only those deemed as royal bloods could live at the pack house. A rule made by my father.

"I don't care. Those kids need to be protected. To hell with the pack rules," I roared, and he stepped back. There was a glint of crimson in my eyes, and he bowed his head in reverence. "I'm sorry. I was taking out my anger on you."

"It's ok, Logan. I can sense the frustration and anger within you. I promise that the Sentinels and I will continue to do everything within our power to make sure this place is safe for the crowning ceremony."

"Alright. Make sure that the healers feed and care for the injured. I'll go back to the pack house and see if everything is alright."

"Sure. Be careful." He smiled and walked into the hospital.

~

I bursted through the oak doors, moved down the hallway, into the common room where I met Frey sitting with the kids she saved from last night.

"I can explain." She rose to her feet and marched toward me. I pulled her into an abrupt embrace, and she gasped before she clasped her arms around me.

"Don't scare me like that again. Are you ok? Is our baby fine?"

"Yes. Everything's fine." She pulled away from me, then turned to the kids. I moved to the kids and knelt before them.

"Hey," I said calmly. "How are you?"

"My mother? Is she ok?" The dark-skinned girl asked me. She was the oldest.

I tried to smile, but I couldn't. I knew what it was like to lose someone at a very young age. Losing my mother to a hound was one of my worst experiences, and that memory remained engraved in my brain. I hadn't forgotten any of the details.

"What is your name?"

"Jada. These are my siblings, Austin and Annalise. They're twins." She pointed at the dark-skinned kids that were lying on the couch. They were asleep.

"I'm sorry. Your mother is dead. You'll stay with me and I'll take care of you and protect you." I said, trying to keep my voice bold. I couldn't break down. Not here. These kids need me to be strong for them. This exact moment reminded me of how my father promised to take care of me, but broke his vow. I would be there for these kids no matter what life threw at me. That was a promise I was not only making to them, but to my unborn child as well.

Jada nodded, and I smiled at her as I pulled her into an embrace. The tears in her eyes fell on my shoulder and I shared her pain. It was heart wrenching, and it hurt me deeply that a young child had to handle that kind of grief.

"Are they fed?" I asked Frey when I got to my feet.

"Yes," Frey nodded. "I sneaked home and got them breakfast."

"There's a kitchen here. You can do whatever you want whenever you want."

"Beta Pierson doesn't think so." She looked down at her hands and fiddled with her finger.

"Frey, you're carrying our child - the future alpha. This pack belongs to us. You're free to do what you want," I reminded her, and she blushed. "Come on, let's have a bath together. Get this blood off of us!"

We bathed together and cleaned ourselves up, then we pulled into fresh clothes.

Frey was busy in the dressing mirror brushing her hair when I placed a kiss on her shoulder.

"Tyler texted me. There's a meeting at the Elder Woods. I have to go."

"Just be careful." Frey turned and placed her hands around my shoulder. She kissed me and I smiled when our lips parted in an exhale.

"I'm afraid, Logan. I'm scared for these kids and our child," she professed her anxiousness. "What if they attack again? I don't want to lose you."

"Neither do I, but when I saw you last night, fighting by my side, putting those kids' lives before yours. I didn't need more convincing. We've been together for the past two years, and I think we're ready to make it official." I pulled out a box from my pocket and knelt in front of her. I had planned to wait until the night of the wolf moon, but the events of last night convinced me that tomorrow might not come. Any of us would have died because of the attack. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

"Frey Hemming of Night Shade Pack, will you take I, Logan, as your Alpha and husband? Will you be my wife, the mother of my children, and the Luna of Night Shade Pack?" I asked. She tried to contain the happiness within her.

"Yes. I, Frey Hemming, of Night Shade Pack, will marry you, Logan, Alpha of Night Shade Pack!" Frey squealed, and I put the royal ring on her finger. She pulled me closer and we sealed our lips in a kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you too!"

~

When I arrived at the Elder Woods, Tyler was waiting for me. He patted my back as I walked into the courtroom where the Elders had gathered. The Elders were the older generation, and they created the Council that oversaw the wolf pack.

I slipped into the chair next to Tyler and smiled at him. The room was in the haze of the golden yellow light of the candles glowing from the sconces in the wall. The first elder rose from his seat to part the curtains, permitting the daylight into the apartment. He returned to his seat and cleared his throat. "Hounds breached our territory," he stated with a dry and tottering voice. "We need to prevent this from happening again."

"We should contact the witches to strengthen our barrier." I said when the floor was open for suggestions.

"We are not on good terms with the witches. What makes you think that they'd be willing to help us?" The second elder inquired.

"We have to try. Hounds are working together now. They don't work together, ever. There must be a reason, and we can't let them have it." Tyler muttered.

"Easy, they want the throne. They want to tear down the pack, our beliefs, everything we've ever worked for." The first elder asserted. I couldn't unearth his feelings, but I was certain he was conflicted.

"Beta Tyler and I will visit the witches and hope that we're able to convince them to help us. We need that barrier before the crowning ceremony." I asserted. I didn't think hounds were powerful enough for a hostile takeover. They were not that brilliant to make a scheme that would lead them to victory. Plus, I had so much faith in Tyler and my pack.

"What about the kids and the people that died last night?" The third elder inquired.

"We'll hold a vigil for the mourning families tonight and the children will stay at the pack house with us." I explained.

"About the crowning ceremony... We've seen you with Frey Hemming. You know she can't be our Luna. She's not of Royal Blood, worst of all she's wolf-less." The first elder contemplated.

"You will not speak of her like that. It's for me to decide," I rose to my feet, seething in rage. "Personally, I think it's time we weed out archaic rules." I added and the first elder roared, "You can't change our rules. Alphas don't mate with wolf-less she-wolves. Your father wouldn't tolerate this!"

"A word from your lips again and I'll have your tongue," I declared, slamming my fists into the table. "I'm not my father. I'm Logan Kade. I'm the Alpha of this pack." I finished and stalked out of the entrance.

"I'll speak to him." I heard from Tyler as he hurried after me.

Tyler met me plodding down the path that led back to the pack house. Racing toward me, he grabbed my shoulder to slow me down. There was blazing fury in my eyes. Lately, all I'd been exuding was anger. Hounds breaching the territory made my reign, which was yet to begin, weak. I couldn't let the elders make me weaker.

"Logan, I'm not asking you to reject the woman you love because of some stupid rules. Some wolves are late bloomers. She might shift on the next wolf moon." He said.

"What if she's not my fated mate?"

"Then you follow your heart. Many Alphas before you chose their mates. It doesn't matter what the council thinks."

"But those chosen mates were from the royal bloodline and they had wolves," I palmed my face in frustration. "I asked Frey to marry me and she said yes. Tyler, she's pregnant." I chuckled. There was blatant happiness in his eyes, something I'd never seen in a long time.

"She is?" Joy overwhelmed him.

"And I don't want my child to grow up without the love of his father. It's time things changed, and if I don't make a move, no one else can." There was this fierceness in his eyes. I didn't need more convincing that my best friend would be with me through the end.

"You've got me, brother. I promise. Come on, we have to prepare to leave for the witches." He reminded me and we continued our walk down the path.

I had lunch with Tyler. Once we had finished lunch, we both marched to the housing structures where the Sentinels lived. I tapped on the door and their leader, Keaton Roberts, answered our call.

"Alpha. Come in." He said and invited us into their home. We moved into the large living room where they were other wolf bloods that worked as Sentinels. Keaton asked them to leave the space, and they disappeared out of the parlor. Keaton was much older than both of us. He had a mate who died during childbirth and had successfully raised his son while grieving his wife's passing. He was also among the wolves that ensured that hounds did not overrun our pack. Keaton was a warrior.

"How did the meeting go?" He asked. Keaton moved to the wine cabinet and returned with two glasses and a bottle.

"Chaotic." I answered.

"I don't think we should be drinking." Tyler opted, and Keaton set the wine aside. He sat opposite us.

"I think we should invite the witches back to the pack."

"The witches? Do you think they'll help us?" Keaton questioned.

"I'm not using them for their power. I actually want them back in the pack where they belong."

"That would be hard, Logan. Are you sure you're ready for a change?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of every wolf blood in this pack." I asserted. "Fine. I'll meet you at the pack house. Permit me to gather my weapons and some Betas to accompany us to our mission."

"Of course. We'll be ready when you arrive." I said and got to my feet. I shook hands with Keaton and marched out of the house with Tyler.

Frey

Earlier today things didn't go exactly as I planned at the pack house, so I had to return home to make breakfast for the kids. After I ensured I had fed and clothed the children, I grabbed a few of my things and put them in Logan's room before I headed off to the hospital. I had to visit my father at the healer's enclave. He wasn't so lucky during the battle.

I appeared in front of the hospital, which had wonderful lighting, and I marched into the hallway, heading for the nurse's station. "Hello." I waved at the nurse behind the counter. She was dark-skinned with chocolate dreadlocks and had a clipboard clutched to her palm.

"Frey, your father has been expecting you." She set down the clipboard and moved out of the counter with a grin. We took a long walk down the hallway and appeared at the door where the nurse had admitted my father.

"Thank you." I replied with a grateful expression.

"Anytime, Frey." She said and returned to her duty post.

I stepped into my father's ward and he turned to me with a huge smile. "Frey, how are you? I heard what you did last night."

"I guess news travels like wildfire," I chuckled, head bowed. Denzel Hemming was my number one support. He'd always told me to go for what my heart desired, regardless of the world's opinions. "Dad, I'm sorry. I wasn't there to protect you."

"Hey. It's just a broken arm. It will heal." He told me. Right, I didn't know because I had no wolf. Werewolves had heightened abilities of sight, sense, healing factor, speed, agility, and stamina, etc. My face paled, and he took my hand and caressed it.

"I see you got the royal ring on your finger. He has proposed."

"Yes, he did, this morning. Um, dad, I'd like to tell you something."

"I'm all ears." He smiled.

"I'm pregnant. The child is Logan's. Please don't tell mom." I announced and pleaded at the same time. The look of over excitement on his face was something I wouldn't forget in a very long time.

"What? That's good news. I can't wait to meet my grandchild." He said to me, and I leaned in for an embrace I hadn't realized I needed.

I left the hospital and trod down the gravel path that led to my home - a brown-walled bungalow surrounded by a thorny bush. I sauntered into the house when I arrived, and saw my raven-haired mother sitting in the living room. My mother raced toward me once she was aware of my presence. "Sleeping over at the Alpha's house, really?" She wasn't my number one pillar, so she didn't disappoint my expectations.

"I'm fine, mom."

"You stayed over at the pack house. How could you be so stupid?" Here we go, raining abuses on me.

"If I hadn't been there, those kids would have died." I retorted. She seized my hand where Logan put the royal ring, and I tried to pull away. There was no need to hide from the truth. She'd recognize the ring anywhere. She knew he proposed to me and I accepted. "What is this?" She hollered as she strived to snatch the ring from my finger, but I didn't let her.

"Let go of me. Was I supposed to turn him down? I'm in love with Logan." I shrugged with a conflicted expression.

"You know this marriage won't come through. Frey, you have no wolf. You really think the Council will let you marry the Alpha? It will make his reign weak. He needs someone from the royal bloodline. Someone like Grainne or Jacinthe."

"Well, things are about to change," I was saying when I turned on my heels. "I felt something last night, and I know I'll shift." I babbled with a confident smile.

"We both know you won't shift. You're just going to remain wolf-less for the rest of your life." She cursed, her voice laced with venom. The smile on my lips faded, and I backpedaled to avoid her devilish touch. She said these things to me like she knew my future. I didn't wrong my mother, yet she was recklessly determined to make every passing second of my life a living nightmare.

"You know, mom, I thought you'd have my back." I muttered and walked out of the house, slamming the door on my way out. I didn't want to be anywhere near my mother. It was Logan and me against the world, but I really hoped that my mother would support me too. I'd been seeking her approval since I was a kid, but all she did was treat me with revulsion and unkindness. Approval sucks!

I stomped my way to my best friend's house, burying the outright rage I felt. I wandered past three columns of houses and saw him sitting on the front porch.

Jax's sister died during the attack. He must have heard the news hence the tears in his eyes. The kids I saved from last night were his cousins, and his sister worked at the pack house just to make ends meet to feed her children. She had lost her mate two years ago when hounds invaded the Sentinels just outside the pack's territory.

I sat next to Jax and placed my hand on his shoulder. He wasn't just a member of the pack, but my best friend.

"I should have been there to protect them. Now the kids will grow up without a father or a mother." He wailed. His skin was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"It's ok. Your cousins are at the pack house. And they have us."

He nodded at my words, and I pulled him into an endearing embrace as he said, "Can I see them?" He inquired and wiped the last of his tears.

"Yes."

"Congratulations." He said when he saw the ring on my finger.

"Thank you," a genuine smile formed on my lips. I was really glad that he had my back. Jax and I have been friends since I was five. We used to steal cookies from his mother's kitchen, escape to the riverside and enjoy them before a swim. When I was fourteen, I almost drowned, but he was there to save me. He was my knight in shining armor. Now I had to be his. "Jax, I know there's a lot going on. I'm so sorry you lost your sister, but I promise to be here for you for however long it takes." I reassured my friend and nudged his shoulder. A confident smile tugged at the corner of his lips and we set off to the pack house.

We arrived and met some kids playing by the water fountain with Logan and Tyler. I halted in astonishment when I saw how excited the kids were to play with their Alpha. It soothed my soul and at that moment; I knew that my pup would have a wonderful man as a father. Logan met my blissful gaze and set the little kid he held down, then he marched toward me.

"Uncle Jax!" Jada, Annalise, and Austin roared with joyous laughter as they raced toward Jax, who was right behind me.

"Hey." Jax said and pulled the kids into an embrace.

The family reunion preoccupied my thoughts that I wasn't aware of Logan's presence until he wrapped his arms around my body. I tensed up in his arms and relaxed when I knew it was him.

"Can I talk to you? Away from all this?" He sighed.

"Yes. Whatever you need." I was walking away with Logan when I saw Tyler with Jax and his cousins. They looked magnificent together. I stood five steps from the fountain and took Logan's hands.

"I suggested to the Elders that we go to the witches for help." He said.

"The witches? Are you sure they'll assist us?"

"Maybe, but If I want to change things around here, I have to reform the alliances that were broken by my ancestors."

"You're inviting them back to the pack?"

"Yes, but not just because they'll help with the spells. I want them back here, to live with us. It's a cruel world out there, and they need us to survive."

"We need each other."

"I hope we come to a mutual agreement."

"Sure. When are you leaving?"

"Soon. Keaton is rounding up Betas for the journey."

"Great. I need you to return to me in one piece." I said and put my hands around his shoulder.

"Hmm." He moaned.

"I think I might shift during the crowning ceremony." I said out of the blue. The message enlivened him, and he tugged me closer to himself.

"That's great news."

"Do you think it'll be painful? Jax says that you have to break every bone in your body to shift." I inquired. Logan had his first shift when he was sixteen; wolves of the Alpha bloodline had their shift earlier than most wolf bloods, so I thought he'd have more experience since he had been shifting every full moon from the first night. There was also something special about our wolf bloods. They had wolf abilities that manifested in their human forms. For Logan, it was the Alpha aura. He could use it to subdue an entire wolf pack and turn them against each other.

"Yes, but it gets better when you embrace your connection with the moon," he explained it to me. "Do you think it'll harm our pup?" There was a look of concern in his eyes.

"No. I'm three weeks ahead. Wolves can't shift after their third month."

"Alright." He said. Two SUVs came to a halt behind the fountain, and Logan laid a swift kiss on my lips.

"Be safe." I said and patted his broad shoulder as he walked to the SUV where the Gamma heir and Sentinel leader had gathered.

"Tyler, come on!" He said to his friend. They boarded the vehicle and took the road that led out of the pack's territory.

I released a sigh and marched toward Jax. The kids were trying to pull him apart. He wasn't always good with kids, but right now, he was doing a good job. "Frey, are you going to be our Luna?" Annalise, the young wolf blood, asked me, and I turned with a slightly embarrassed look on my face. I didn't know what to say. She looked so happy and hopeful. I knelt before her and took her tiny hands.

"I want to tell you a secret. Promise not to tell anyone?" I inquired, and she nodded with a broad grin. I leaned closer to her ears and whispered, "Yes."

She jumped out of excitement and came closer to me. I waited for her reply.

"I bet Luna Frey will buy me a princess dress, a tiara and a pair of shoes."

"Yes. I will. You know what, would you be my flower girl?" I said, and she nodded and giggled. I rose to my feet and turned to the kids.

"Come on kids, we have to get inside. It's getting late." I said calmly, and the kids moved into the pack house. I stood next to Jax and smiled at him. There was a familiar peace in his eyes, and I was glad that seeing his family survive made him happy.

"Are you taking them home?"

"No. I need to clear out the house before getting them back in."

"Alright. You could have dinner with us before we head for the vigil."

"If you insist." He shrugged, and we strode to the entrance. I was about to walk into the foyer when I looked over my shoulder. I sighed and said a prayer to Diana, the moon goddess. Please keep my mate safe.