"Are you sure it was her?" Lucas asked.

"It was her." I responded.

Not knowing what else to do after my strange encounter with Keira, I had Aspen take me to my parent's house. Neither of us said a word on the ride there and when we finally did reach my parent's house all she could offer was a single apology before leaving. My family had luckily not gone on patrol tonight, so I was able to tell them everything that happened. We were currently in one of the family rooms on the second floor, my father was sitting opposite of me and my mother with Lucas was standing nearby.

"Maybe she didn't recognize you because of what that witch did. Even sitting here next you I can't smell you and it's a little confusing." My mother stated.

"No, she knew, I could feel her, and she could feel me." I responded somberly.

"What worries me, are the other wolves that left with her." My father thought out loud, his mind distracted by what this could mean for Crestwood."

"Mattias!" My mother shouted in a scolding tone.

My father is startled from his thoughts, immediately realizes his callous remark.

"Of course, I'm worried about you as well and I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for alpha Keira's actions." My father quickly amended.

"It's okay dad, I'm fine. Look I'm exhausted, and I don't want to go back to that empty house, can I spend the night here?" I asked, feeling a little strange since this was a place, I called home just last week.

"Of course, you don't even have to ask." My mother stated.

"Thanks, I'm gonna pop in the shower real quick and wash off this stuff Aspen put on me."

"Ok, since your old room or rather the girls' room is still a bit smashed up, I'll get Shawn to ready one of the guest rooms for you."

"Thanks mom."

I get up and walk out into the hall and begin walking towards one of the bathrooms, as I get closer Linda walks out and hands me a folded up fresh towel."

"Thanks." I tell her.

"Of course." She replies with a soft smile. "There should still have some clothes here, I'll put some right outside the door for you."

"I appreciate it." I say with a soft smile in return.

Entering the bathroom, I quickly take off my clothes and jump in the shower. I was both physically and mentally tired from the stress of tonight's events, and the hot water running down my face and body helped to alleviate some of it if only for a moment. But a moment was all I got, no sooner did I start to feel better, than all the doubts and questions came pouring into my mind. I quickly finish up and get out, drying myself off with the towel Linda gave me, I open the bathroom door and check outside and just like she promised a small pile of folded clothes were waiting for me.

I quickly change and right as I finish there's a small knock on the bathroom door, it was Shawn telling me the guest room was ready. He leads me to a guest room on the same floor near the end of the hall, after making sure I didn't need anything else he dismisses himself by wishing me a goodnight which I return. I turn to go into the room when I hear the front door slam open and two sets of feet clamoring up the stairs.

Oh boy, here we go.

I turn and see both Alice and Cora dashing toward me, their nudity letting me know they were supposed to be on patrol. As they got closer, they showed no signs of slowing down.

"Woah, woah, woah!"

I put my arms out to try and stop Cora who was slightly ahead of Alice, but she completely ignores them and slams me into a hug. The only reason we both didn't fall to the floor was because Alice caught us in a hug of her own leaving me no choice but to hug them back. Before I couldn't utter a sound, Cora was already blubbering away.

"Caden, we are so sorry it's all our fault, we should have never left you behind. We didn't do our jobs and you got hurt, it's all our fault and we are so sorry."

While Cora kept blubbering away, Alice just kept saying sorry over and over again, neither one realizing that the group hug they have me in was beginning to cut off my air supply. I quickly start tapping their backs to make them realize I was suffocating, it takes them a moment, but they quickly realize and let me go.

"Its not you fault, it would have happened if if you had been there. Nobody suspected Hannah, so believe me when I say its alright." I quickly tell them.

"We heard about what happened tonight, are you ok?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, take a look." I respond.

I lift my shirt up and show them the spot were the stab wound would've been.

"We're glad your all healed up, but that not what I was talking about, I'm asking if you okay?" Alice asked again.

I look at both Alice and Cora and I can see the worry in their eyes, but unlike with my parents I couldn't lie and just say I'm fine.

"Honestly, I...I...I don't know. I'm angry, sad, scared, and confused all at the same time. I just don't know." I say truthfully.

"Whatever you need we're here for you." Cora says.

"Thanks, I'm going to try and get some sleep I'll catch you guys in the morning."

I walk inside the guest and go to close the door only to find Alice and Cora come in after me.

"What are you guys doing?" I ask.

"Staying with you obviously." Cora responded.

"Guys I- "

"Caden don't even start, if you really think we're going to let you out of our sights after what happened with Hannah, then you are the stupidest man alive. So again, don't even start." Alice snapped.

"And what is my dad, your alpha going to say when he learns you guys left your patrol?" I counter.

"He already gave us the okay, not that it would have mattered." Alice responded.

"Really?" I said incredulously.

"Like I said before, your dad respects our oath to you and after recent events he respects it all the more." Alice answers back.

"Exactly, so go ahead and go to bed, and before you start with all that uppity male bullshit about you taking the floor and us taking the bed, just stop we'll be fine on the floor." Cora adds.

Before I could complain both Alice and Cora shift into there wolf forms, their massive sizes taking up half the room, and promptly lay down on the floor. Seeing there was no use in complaining, I give up and get into bed.

"We better pray Keira doesn't find out about this or she'll kill us." I comment before getting under the covers.

The girls both let out a huff, and I could tell it was them chuckling. By mentioning Keira's name thoughts of her plagued my mind. I close my eyes and try with all my might to somehow call out to her, to please connect us through a dream. But nothing happens my human mind hindering me from calling out to my own mate, and so I sleep a dreamless sleep.

The next morning my parents allow me to forego school given the circumstances. We were all having breakfast in the dining room, Daniella and the girls now permanent members, when my dad brings us news.

"I finally got word from my contact in Demetri's group, he couldn't say much other than Demetri has made contact with the White Moon pack and they plan to make their move tomorrow night." My father said in a calm voice.

"This can't be a coincidence; they finally start moving only after we just lost one of our strongest fighting forces." Charles speculates out loud.

He was talking about Keira; he didn't say her name, but I knew he was referring to her.

"We still don't know if that's really the case so we shouldn't jump to any conclusions." Selene quickly adds while looking at me.

I appreciated Selene's subtle attempt at assuaging my worst fear.

"Unfortunately, that not even the bad news." Claire chimes in. "Me, Alice, and Cora have been poking around and found that all the packs that have left so far including the ones from last night, but not counting Kiera's, all have past ties to Demetri and his pack."

This was bad very bad.

"Even the Council pack that left?" I ask.

I look at the girls and they just nod with grim expressions on their faces.

"Dad if that's the case, he could have told Demetri about your spy and-"

My father raises his hand signaling everyone to stop.

"Calm down, I've only told the council members I trust the most about my spy, and alpha Rodrick wasn't one of them precisely because of his past interactions with Demetri. So, we don't have to worry about that, what we do have to worry about is that Rdorick was around for the initial planning stages of our defensive formations and counter measures against the White Moon pack." My father calmly explained.

"We could still be jumping the gun here; we don't know for sure that these packs are going to help Demetri." Selene reaffirmed adamantly.

"True, unlike Demetri, something would have had to drastically change for those packs to willing offer themselves up to the White Moon pack." Charles reasoned.

"Regardless, I've asked the remaining alphas and council members for an emergency meeting, I'm going to inform them of the news and the loss of manpower. Hopefully with the threat just around the corner they'll stop fighting each other and start working together." My father said in an exasperated tone.

After breakfast I had the girls take me to Keira's place, it didn't feel right calling it home without her there. A part of me had hoped that she had come back and that she was there waiting for me, but as we pulled up, we found it just as empty as last night. I ask the girls to wait downstairs as I go up to mine and Keira's room to grab my phone, I had forgotten to take it with me last night when I left with Aspen. Again, as I reach our room and see my phone on the nightstand a part of me hopes that Keira has left me some sort of message. But again, I'm just left with disappointment, not a single new message, not even from Pete. Thinking about Pete reminded me of my deal with Aspen last night. Wanting to stay true to my word I send Pete a quick message informing him I saw Aspen last night and that she might not be as bad as we think. I'm about to leave when I spot an envelope with my name on it sitting on top of Keira's dresser. I get closer and recognize the handwriting is Keira's. My hands shake as I grab the envelope and take out the letter inside.

Dear Caden, please forgive me but this was the only way I can think of to not make you have to choose between me and your family.

Please believe me when I say I love you and I'm doing this for you.

Yours' Forever, Keira

Not really the comforting answer I was hoping for, basically it's my fault we're not together. If I hadn't made such a big deal about my family and how much they mean to me I would be with Keira right now.

A part of me is stunned by the revelation that I would have given up my family for Keira, I didn't even notice I was crying till the tears started hitting the letter, damn this mating bond. I quickly wipe away my tears and gather myself, this was also a good thing; her leaving me here has got to mean Keira believes we at least have a chance at beating the White Moon pack. I fold the letter back up and put it in my pocket and call out to the girls that I'm ready to leave.

After getting back I spend the rest of the day with James getting the clinic ready and making sure we're prepared for worst. I don't tell anyone about the letter, not even the girls, it would only cause them to worry and they needed to focus on fight to come. By the time we finished it was already nighttime, we headed up to the main house where the rest of the pack was already waiting. Tonight, the pack was having a party, for some it might even be their last party. Usually the party is kept private and only for the pack, but this time my father extended an invitation to Daniella's father and his pack. Thankfully, his pack are relatively good wolves and we end up getting along just fine except for one guy who seems to hang back and away from everyone. I had to order Alice and Cora to give me some space and enjoy the party, but instead they decided to join the first shift of patrols so that some of the others could enjoy the party first. I understood their overprotectiveness considering what happened with Hannah, but they were beginning to suffocate me.

I was sitting out back staring out toward the lake alone thinking about Keira when Daniella's father, Ray, comes and sits next to me.

Like me Ray stares out toward the lake as he begins to talk, "I heard about what happened between you and your mate, I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Ray takes a sip of beer form the glass bottle he was holding in one hand and offers me an unopened one with the other. I don't particularly like beer or any alcohol for that matter but decide 'fuck it' and take the bottle. I twist off the cap and take a sip and I grimace at the taste, it was awful, and I hated it, but somehow it seemed to match how I was feeling at the moment.

"Big day tomorrow." I say, taking another sip and grimacing at the taste.

"Yep." Ray responded, popping the p at the end.

"You think we'll be okay?"

Ray sighs, "Possibly, don't get me wrong your dad is one smart wolf and he's doing his best to keep all the other alphas including your council in line, but its an uphill battle. One he might find himself climbing while trying to deal with the White Moon pack." He said, taking a sip of his own beer.

Not the most reassuring sentiment, but not at all unexpected.

"I'd feel a lot better if we had that mate of yours, I still can't believe she's gone, she just didn't seem the type to turn tail and run. Her father Tom would have stayed and fought; he was a good alpha." Ray repeated somberly.

Hearing Ray call Keira's father a good alpha after hearing what he did to her growing up made me angry.

"Keira's father was not a good alpha or even a good wolf, him and his pack were a bunch of religious zealots who enjoyed torturing Keira and I'm glad he's dead!" I spit out, unable to hold back my anger for Keira's sake.

"What are you talking about?" Ray asks.

"Keira's father." I reply.

"Look, I don't know anything about him abusing is own child, but I'm positive he wasn't a religious zealot." Ray stated, assure of himself.

"How?" I ask.

"Because he was an atheist, it was one of the few things we knew about him." Ray answered.

"What? No, he had to have been lying, trying to hide it." I state, confused by this new information.

"It didn't seem like he was at the time, but if what you said before is true, then he had us all fooled." Ray admitted.

Ray seemed certain that Tom was an atheist, but he couldn't have been, why would Keira make something like that up?

A howl breaks out and both me and Ray go stiff, they're coming, wolves and a lot of them. We head back inside; everyone was on high alert.

"Are the girls okay?" Is the first thing ask my father.

"The patrols are fine, they're headed back this way, but they're saying that we're surrounded." My father informs us.

"Alpha, none of the phones are working." One of Ray's pack members call out.

I take out my phone and check it, full bars but no signal.

"A signal jammer?! What kind of scifi military bullshit is this, and where would werewolves even get this sort of thing?" I ask to no one in particular.

"How many of us?" Ray asks.

"With both yours and mine, thirty-six." My father answers.

"How many of them?"

"Around forty."

"Is it the White Moon pack, I thought your spy said they were making their move tomorrow night?" I ask my father.

"So, they either suddenly changed their plans, or they purposely fed your spy false info." Ray theorized.

Just then the power goes out.

My father and Ray look at each other and nod in silent agreement, and just like that everyone files outside and shift into their wolf forms, readying for what to come.

My father turns to me, "Caden, I want you to stick close to Alice and Cora when they get here, but for now stay close to your brother and Noel."

"Okay, let me go grab my dagger from the room." I respond.

I'm about to go up the stairs when someone grabs my arm and stops me, it was Ray's pack member, the one who kept to himself during the party.

"Sorry about this." He says, before grabbing me from behind and putting his hand on my throat.

My father immediately turns towards Ray, a furious expression etched on his face.

"What the hell are you doing Blackwood, tell him to let go of my on now!" My father snarls.

"Me?! I thought he was one of yours?!" Ray snaps back.

That's when all three of us realize the truth, this wolf purposely snuck in during the party knowing neither pack knew each other yet.

"Who are you?" My father questions, ready to strike the moment an opportunity arises.

"I'm the guy who'll tear out your son throat if you and Blackwood don't do as I say." The man replies.

He orders them to go outside and slowly follows afterward, stepping outside the patrols have we see the patrols just getting back. When Alice and Cora see the man holding me, they fly off into a rage, but my father stops them knowing that one wrong move and I'm dead.

"Tell everyone to shift back into human form." The man orders."

My father and Ray say nothing, but everyone shifts back. As if on cue a group of about forty wolves emerge and surround everyone. I recognize most of them; they're the packs that left Crestwood, but I don't see any of the ones I saw last night with Keira. Damn it, so they really were siding with Demetri.

"Show yourself Rodrick, I know Demetri isn't smart enough to come up with this on his own." My father calls out.

The circle of wolves in front of us opens and allowing a wolf through, but it wasn't alpha Rodrick, it was large white wolf.

"Keira?!" I call out in shock.

My mind started racing, but as the wolf gets closer, I quickly realize it wasn't Keira. It was smaller than Keira and its fur was more grey than white, but the biggest give away was that this wolf was clearly a male. From behind him two more wolves come out, one I quickly recognize as alpha Rodrick, and the other was a smaller wolf recognize but I couldn't remember from where. The smaller wolf tosses something from its mouth to my father's feet, it was Demetri's head, judging by the freshness of the blood on the smaller wolf's mouth it must have just killed him not too long ago. Everyone but my father seemed surprised by Demetri's death, myself included, but now the question becomes what's next.

The smaller wolf walks towards me and that's when I remember where I'd seen it before. During Cole's party, after Keira had killed him, this was the smaller wolf that Keira had kicked away. She stares at me and I just stare back refusing to show any fear, she shifts into her human form.

"Hannah." I practically spit.

Behind her Rodrick and the greyish white wolf also shift into human form.

"Why, kill Demetri?" I ask Hannah, trying to buy time to think of something.

"Because he was an idiot that kept getting in the way." Hannah answers.

"So, you and Rodrick get him to do all the work and then kill him off, not exactly original." I mock.

"Oh, please Demetri didn't do shit this was all me." Hannah protested.

"So, your taking orders from a little girl now Rodrick?" My father, following my idea, mocks Rodrick.

But unlike Hannah, Rodrick doesn't bite, and just snarls at my father.

"Dad, come on, they're the White Moon's bitches now, treat them with a little respect."

Hannah raises her hand to slap me, but stops and just starts laughing, with Rodrick and the other male joining in.

"I don't know what's funnier your fake courage or your stupidity. News flash guys, there is no White Moon pack." Hannah announces.

Everyone is surprised and confused by this sudden revelation.

"Then who is that?" My father asks, pointing at the other male.

"This is alpha Talon of the Talon pack." Rodrick answered with a smile.

"Sorry, I misspoke, there is a White Moon pack, but they were never here in Crestwood. Alpha Talon here and his pack members are thieves. They've been going around pretending to be the White Moon pack and stealing everything the scared packs leave behind." Hannah clarifies.

"But their pack attacked and kidnapped so many that during that first attack." Ray called out.

"Mercenaries, one of the same ones I hired to kill Caden." Hannah answers.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, Pete was right, their actions didn't make any sense until now.

"So, you were the one that stole Demetri's hidden stash." I look toward Hannah. "I'm guessing that beside hiring those mercenaries to kill me, you used what was left to hire these packs into spreading fear and panic within the community hoping to get them to turn tail and run." I infer.

"Unfortunately, you Mattias were doing too good of a job of keeping the packs unified and none of them were leaving." Rodrick inserted.

"So, you and the other packs left hoping y our status as a council member would cause a panic." My father inferred. "But that means you must have known truth for a while now."

"Yes, I have the girl to thank for that." Rodrick replied.

"I went to find the White Moon pack the day after Cole was killed, hoping to get them in helping me with my revenge, but instead I found alpha Talon. I knew Demetri would be useless, so I went to Rodrick after the community meeting." Hannah explained.

"That's when we decided to use Talon and his packs ploy to further our own goal. You see I want what you have Mattias, I want to rule Crestwood." Hammond tells my father.

"I don't rule Crestwood, the council- "

"Oh spare me Mattias, everyone knows that out of all the council members you hold the most sway. Just look at the evidence, even with all the fear and panic you've still managed to keep the council and all the other packs in line. Can you honestly say that without you the council and the other packs wouldn't have imploded by now?" Hammond questions.

"I never wanted or asked for that." My father snaps.

"But you do have it and I want it, and once everyone hears that I saved Crestwood from the White Moon pack I will have it, but sadly I was too late to save you and alpha Blackwood." Rodrick says feigning sadness.

"So why aren't we dead yet?" Ray barks out.

Talon walks up to Ray and smiles, "Alpha Rodrick here says the Silverblood pack is the richest pack in all of Crestwood, and I find that rather interesting, especially since all this took quite a bit of money to pull of in the first place. But don't worry I'm an equal opportunity thief you'll get your fair shakedown yourself Blackwood."

"And you Hannah?" I ask Hannah.

"Simple, I want revenge against Keira." She answers.

"Keira, why Keira?"

"Because she killed Cole, my mate."

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