Liam

After Azalea was all taken care of, I went downstairs to find the kids. I linked Felix and he told me they were still playing soccer. I went outside and found Felix and Damien standing on the sideline of their game watching. I joined them. The kids didn’t pay any attention to us on the sideline. I noticed that Missy and Vlad were playing. Missy was smiling and laughing as two smaller kids tried to take the ball from her. As I watched, I realized that Vlad never took his eyes off Missy.

“I don’t like him,” Gavin said in my head.

“I don’t either. I don’t like the way he watches her,” I said.

“He wants our pup,” Gavin said.

“He wants something, but I don’t know exactly what,” I said. “I can’t figure out what his motive could be. Missy won’t be the next Alpha so why target her?” I had been suspicious of Vlad for a while now. I hoped at first that the infatuation Missy had would sizzle out, but I had been wrong. Azalea was concerned but more for Missy than for any foul play happening.

“He better not be her mate,” Gavin complained.

“What’s the score?” I asked Damien and Felix.

“They are tied,” Damien said. “Wanted to let them find a winner before we called them in for dinner. But no side can get two goals ahead.”

That made me smile. Our pups were all fiercely competitive, especially Delilah. “Should we go help them?” I asked. Felix stood there stoically as always. This guy was a damn good guard. He was always observant and attentive. He carried out orders efficiently and never let me down. He never even took a day off. Azalea had only managed to run him off once during her first pregnancy. If he didn’t have eyes on Azalea, she was with me or a select few other people I trusted to keep her safe. He had even stopped a hunter trying to get to her at the Inn a couple years ago.

“Might not be fair if we get involved,” observed Damien next to me.

“Maybe you’re just afraid to lose,” I taunted him. He rolled his eyes but looked at me with a half-smile.

“You’re on, Alpha,” he said. We both walked out towards the kids’ game. When they noticed us, they all stopped and smiles spread across their faces. Vlad’s face was impassive, but Missy gave me a small smile.

“Got room for two more?” I asked.

–

Lily finally broke up the game and it was declared a tie. Damien and I led the kids back and forth, goal to goal, for over an hour when she finally stomped onto the field and took the ball from us. She gave us a prompt lecture about responsibility and keeping the kids out so long past dinner. Damien managed to calm her down slightly, but I knew he would get another earful later. Some of the kids left, racing back to their houses to meet their parents for dinner and tell them about playing soccer with the Alpha and Beta.

The rest of us headed into the dining room where Lily had already made sure there was dinner left for us despite her irritation at our tardiness. I realized that I hadn’t heard from Azalea during the game. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I didn’t have any messages from her.

“She is in her office,” Lily said looking at me. “She told me not to tell you. She wanted to take care of a few things since you pulled her away earlier.” Felix looked at me before leaving the dining room, not even bothering to eat his dinner. He was probably going to her office now. I sighed at my headstrong mate and took a seat with Leo. Junior was sitting with Austin and his eldest pup, Carly. Damien, Lily and Delilah sat with Leo. Dinner was pleasant and soon enough Azalea entered the dining room bringing Felix along behind her.

“You can’t just guilt me into not working by effectively starving my bodyguard,” she said as she sat down next to me.

“I did nothing of the sort. But I did leave you to relax only to come back and find out you went to work,” I said reaching over and kissing her cheek. She looked at Felix then looked at me with an expectant expression. She knew he would only leave her for the night if I told him to. I laughed and nodded to him. He turned around, disappearing to the kitchen to get some food, I was sure.

“How did the appointment go?” Lily asked her. After that the girls gushed about the baby.

Gwen

I sat on the stupid little bed to the side of my cell. My mom had been here earlier today. It was becoming exhausting trying to pretend I was repentant about attacking Azalea 6 years ago. I just wanted out of this damn place. Over time, they had given me an upgrade in treatment of sorts. I had a small table that had books, paper, and pens. I could read and such which passed the time sometimes. The dumb therapist they assigned me gave me this idiotic little journal to write in. When I realized he was going to periodically take it and read it, I got smart and started writing about being sorry and being a better pack member. Whatever I had to do to get out of here.

I picked at the food on the tray next to me as I stared at the photos they let my mother hang on the wall. Of course, they used an adhesive for the frames instead nails or screws. I was still a prisoner after all. I wondered if he was coming tonight. I never knew when he would show up. My mother of course had told me all about the different things happening around the pack, always tell me the lives of my niece and nephew like I cared. Of course, I pretended to so I could keep up the charade and convince them to let me out.

More than anything, I wanted to get out of here and repay Azalea for the six years of my life she has now wasted. I wouldn’t let a single minute of this torture go. When he started showing up about 2 years ago, I was intrigued. He never gave me a name and I never saw his face. Somehow, he managed to get past the guards without detection as well. But he was very interested in everything I could tell him about the little, wolf-less b***h.

He told me if I helped him, he would help me. I had nothing to lose and figured he was as close as an ally as I was going to get if he was trying to make a move against Azalea and Liam. As long as I got my revenge, I didn’t care how all this played out. I tore off a piece of banana and popped it in my mouth. I watched the clock slowly tick by. After 20 more minutes of slowly eating and watching the clock, I gave up. I picked up the food tray and set it on the table for the guards to take away in the morning when they brought breakfast. I laid down on the uncomfortable bed and closed my eyes. I just had to keep this up for a little while longer. I had to be close to getting out of here.

Azalea

I tucked Leo into his bed and kissed him good night. He wrapped his little arms around my neck and gave me a big squeeze. “Good night Mommy,” he said sleepily. He had run himself tired this evening playing soccer for so long. I couldn’t complain. He would sleep well tonight and probably be cheery tomorrow.

I left his room after switching on his little crescent moon nightlight. His eyes were closed before I shut his door. Liam came out of Junior’s room as I came down the hall. “No bedtime stories?” I asked.

“Nope. He is officially too big. Apparently, Delilah and Carly don’t get stories so he doesn’t need them anymore,” Liam said. I sighed. My sweet baby was growing up and it made me a little sad. I looked at Missy who was so close to 17 that it made my heart clench and then at Junior who was finishing his first year of school and I wanted to cry.

“Oh no you don’t,” said Liam wrapping his arms around me. “Yes, they are growing up and getting bigger. Yes, Missy is about to become of age and might find her mate. But they won’t leave us, they will still need us, and they will always love you,” Liam reassured me quickly. I gave him a shallow laugh.

“How do you always know exactly what is going on in my head?” I asked.

“Magic,” he said with a smirk. I reached up and gave him a k**s. Our moment was short lived though. His eyes glazed over momentarily, and his face dropped. I knew that look. Something was wrong. He wasn’t my wonderful mate Liam; he was Alpha Liam now.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Rogues,” he said. “Go to our room. Do not leave, okay?”

“How many?” I asked. He gave me a look and I met it right back.

“Not many,” he admitted.

“Can the patrols not handle it?”

“They called me, didn’t they?” he said. I could detect a slight hint of sarcasm but if there weren’t a lot of rogues, why did they need Liam to come.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I asked.

He studied my face carefully, but I wasn’t backing down. “Fine. They aren’t violent. They are seeking a new pack. They have turned themselves into the patrol willingly,” he said.

“What? Then what is the problem…”

“This is the third group we have come across in the last month like this,” he said. My eyebrows shot up at that.

“Third group? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We sent the first couple away with food and supplies, not trusting the situation,” he admitted.

“Liam!” I exclaimed. “We have to help them!”Belongs to - All rights reserved.

“Azalea, it’s not that simple…”

“No, it very well is. Now, Alpha, you are taking me with you! We need to help these people. We will find them some beds for the night and get to the bottom of this tomorrow. Link Marci and see if she will whip up something quick to feed them. Have Damien bring Lily to help me,” I commanded. He gave me a hard look. I knew he was conflicted. He wanted me nowhere near anything even slightly dangerous. But he also knew I wasn’t going to sit by while he sent peaceful people away from our border.

“Fine. But you will stay with me and Felix is coming! If I think something is fishy for even a split second, we are taking you out of it! And you aren’t walking all that way, I will carry you on my back,” he said. I smiled victoriously.

“Okay, let’s go,” I said. I turned and quickly went to the steps, not giving him a chance to change his mind.