Ten Years Later

Frank had yet to return to his pack, rendering himself officially a rogue wolf, a loner who was content with being by himself. He had taken what little money his father had left him before he ran off and had managed to find a small apartment for himself in The Village in New York. He worked as a barista in a small coffee shop and spent his days making and serving coffee to people who merely addressed him as "Excuse me" and "Hello?"

It sucked, considering Frank was already in his late twenties and despite the tips and safely regular salary, he still felt stuck in his day to day rut of a dead-end job. Not that he was ungrateful in any way, shape, or form. Frank had just finished his shift at work, walking into his apartment with a sigh as he threw his bag on the floor at the door and flicked on the lights. He grabbed his mail off of the floor from where the mailman had haphazardly thrown it in the slot. He flipped through the mail, noting bill after bill and a couple take out menus.

Nothing specific as usual.

Frank wandered into the kitchen, shucking off his layers of jackets that included a massive black flak jacket, a grey hoodie beneath it, a black cardigan beneath that before ending it off with a navy plaid flannel and his black work polo shirt. He lay the layers as is on the back of the barstool, in his baggy jeans and black uniform shirt, looking around aimlessly when he went to the fridge, opening it and grabbing a beer. He popped it open on the counter with a simple bump of his fist and took a long swig of the amber fizz that tasted like carbonated piss. He noted the flickering red light on his answering machine and lazed over, pressing the "play" button, walking around the sofa again as he listened.

"You have two new voice messages," the automated woman's voice drawled out as Frank scratched absentmindedly at his shaggy beard, hearing a beep.

"Hey this is Frank, I'm either out or screening this call, leave your shit at the beep and I'll try and reach ya." Frank recognized his own voice message for the thousandth time before he heard the tape click over.

"Hey Frank," a familiar voice sighed out, making Frank freeze in his tracks, the bottle at his lips, "It's Gerard. Uh- call me please."

Frank frowned and turned to look at the answering machine as the other message began after another simple beep.

"Frank. It's Gerard..." there was a pause, "I hope I have the right number, it was hard to track you down and all. I wouldn't unless I needed to and I guess you're busy or something, but we need to talk. Please call me back when you can." Frank walked over to the answering machine and stared at it, raising an eyebrow.

"Frank- this is your landlord, your rent is still due for this month, you're a week late again."

Frank sighed, rolling his eyes as he picked up the phone and looked at it before punching in the number Gerard had repeated, lifting the landline to his ear as he heard it ringing.

"Hello?" A timid voice answered, a voice that Frank hadn't heard in a decade, a voice that had his stomach reeling in both annoyance and longing.

"Hi," Frank replied flatly.

"Frank?"

"Well, yeah." Frank scoffed as he took another sip of beer, breathing out sharply as he swallowed, "What is it?"

"Frank, I'm so sorry..." Gerard trailed off, "Your dad died."

Frank's entire world came to a reeling stop as he froze, Gerard words playing over and over, each time seeming further and further away as he let out a harsh bark of a laugh, a laugh that completely astounded him, "No really."

"Frank I'm serious. He passed away in his sleep last night."

"I..." Frank managed, "Wh-..."

"The funeral is tomorrow, can you make it?"

Frank shook his head rapidly at the sudden news, completely taken aback by the sudden flurry of information, "I'll be there tonight." Frank nodded as he took one last sip of beer, the phone pressed between his ear and his shoulder before he hung up and turned, running into his bedroom and grabbing a bag, stuffing clothing and whatever he could find into the bag as hastily as he could manage.

He grabbed his phone and checked the time, noting it just past ten at night and he frowned, he knew it wasn't that far to Columbia from Greenwich, a couple miles maybe- Frank didn't know anymore, he could most likely take a cab there if he had enough cash. Frank grabbed his wallet, opening it and cringing at the minimal notes that lay in it. He went over to his nightstand and opened it, grabbing the last of his money, being an old and raggedy looking hundred note and a couple twenties before heading out with his bag, not before shrugging on his usual layers.

He walked out of the apartment and down into the street, standing at the curb as he held his arm out for a cab, watching them drive passed like assholes. Frank scowled at the yellow taxis that drove passed him, sighing as he stepped further out into the street, extending his arm up higher with his lips pursed. He let out a sigh of relief as the cab stopped in front of him, pulling up as Frank grabbed the door handle, stuffing his bag in before he climbed in and closed the door, rubbing his hands together in the cold.

"Where to?" The elderly gentleman asked as he looked at Frank in the rearview mirror and Frank grimaced.

"Don't hate me, but I gotta go into Jersey. Old Mine Road in Columbia, near Worthington State Forest."

"Sir, that's over an hour away." The cabby turned and raised both eyebrows and Frank's lips turned down slightly.

"I know but it's a family emergency and I don't have any other way of getting there," Frank argued and the cabby bit his lip before shrugging and driving off into the traffic. Frank sunk back into the seat, feeling the tears brimming up in his eyes and before he could even bear to push them back, the tears fell down his cheeks, warm and shameful. Frank sniffed quietly, wiping the betrayed tears from his cheeks before looking out of the window at the Village that went passed him at a not too rapid rate.

"Sorry," Frank uttered out not too far down Varick Street, biting on his lip consistently, feeling it red and raw under the constant gnashing.

"For?"

"Making you drive all that way."

"It's my job." The driver replied with a small smile that vanished a lot quicker than it had appeared, making Frank blanch and slide further down into his chair. He pulled out his phone, staring at the bland geometric pattern of his wallpaper before he began scrolling through Reddit, casually looking through the subs that he had subscribed to, including his favorite one about fan theories.

Frank had finally made it onto the I-80 when he looked up almost an hour or so later, fully aware of the stupid partial toll up ahead. He pulled out the change, handing it to the cab driver before leaning back in his seat for another good cry, the headache that was now forming in the back of his mind was starting to irk him and the burning in his eyes managed to somehow make him angry. He sniffed, pushing his bag away from him as he curled up in the seat, "How far is it?"

"Another mile or so, we're off of the I-80 West, just exit onto Broad Street."

"Don't worry about Broad Street." Frank sniffed, "That goes around the pike, my stop is before that, it's that small River Road that turns into Old Mine."

"Well, that's right up here." The driver replied and Frank straightened up in surprise, looking at the darkened stretch of off-ramp with a grimace, a familiar sense of foreboding in his stomach.

"Right." Frank looked at the meter on the cab's dash and cringed.

"That'll be $185.77." The cabby turned and Frank handed him whatever cash he had on him with a small smile, opening the door as he grabbed his bag and climbed out, "Thanks a lot, man."

"My condolences, sir." The elderly man tipped his head slightly as Frank closed the door and turned, looking at the road ahead of him, at the cars parked in the parking lots. Frank hadn't been to Worthington State Park in a decade. He hadn't been home in a decade. He could smell all the familiar scents around him. The pine and the freshwater and the mingling of the humans hiking and camping. Frank began walking up the road, looking at the massive sign beside him that mapped out every trail and spot ahead of them.

"Fuck." Frank ran his hand over the massive wooden signboard, eyeing out the Appalachian trail that he knew so well before he turned dead on and began walking up the path, thankful he had decided on shoes that at least had some sort of traction to them. He slid his bag over both shoulders and looked around, his heightened hearing picking up on the nearby crackling of fires, the sounds of jovial laughter and lighthearted music.

He felt a pain, a hurt akin to the small churn and twist right in the pit of his belly that he so regularly familiarised with the urge to vomit as a child- in his stomach at the thought. It wasn't a reminiscent feeling, Frank had no nostalgic memories of sitting around a campfire with his pack, let alone his father. They just weren't that kind of family, he had a longing for a family once upon a time but after spending so much time by himself, he no longer felt the need to share his time and space with what humans considered to be blood.

He shook his head and powered on down the path, his own impatience growing as he realized how damn far he would have to go before he could turn off of the path and head off towards their packhouse in the middle of the woods off of one of the uncharted trails. He knew the humans would try and find it at some point or the other, but many of them would run off thanks to the bears that roamed in the woods or the Beta's that would run around at night and scare them off.

Frank broke out into a run now, ignoring the thousandth onset of tears as his shoes crunched over the graveled dirt. He heard a low growl and he came to a stop, turning to look in the trees when there was a low roar and Frank stared up in slight terror as a bear stood up in front of him. Frank had forgotten all about the wild, all about the animals, his own animalistic side had been buried for so long especially considering he had been taking monthly shots to suppress his lunar changes, trying his best to completely remove himself from his true self. He stared up into the black beady eyes of the massive creature and took in a hasty breath, squaring his feet in the ground as he pushed down the urge to snarl.

Frank chose to stay still as the bear locked eyes with him, obviously sensing that Frank was no mere human. The bear's paw suddenly swung back, hitting Frank straight in the chest, knocking him back, his bag flying as he himself launched at a hard speed. He let out a grunt as he landed on his haunches, crouching at the hard landing, wincing as the pain shot up to his knees. He straightened up, growling low under his breath as the bear reciprocated with a low snarl and ran at him, the animal's heavy paws thudding on the ground. Frank stood his ground, his heartbeat pulsing in his ears as he glared straight ahead of him.

The bear reared up way too quickly, with Frank not even expecting it, another swipe of its colossal paw hitting Frank straight in the chest. He cried out, his body flying to the side as he landed on the ground, searing pain making itself known as the fiery tendrils of a hot poker in his lungs. He looked down to see four massive gashes in his clothing, wet and bloodied even in the dark. Frank gasped out, looking up as he scrambled up, shaking his hands as he pushed the pain aside, letting out a shaky breath as he stared at the massive bear, he let out a loud growl, the heavy bass tearing at his throat as he ran forward, his legs pushing him at a faster speed than he was prepared for.

Frank jumped up, both feet hitting the bear square up in the gut, pushing it over onto its back as Frank landed clumsily on his feet a foot away from the bear who was roaring angrily as he swung itself back and forth, heaving itself onto its legs again. Frank let out a groan, his hand coming up to his chest, looking down at his palm covered in blood. A split second later Frank threw himself out of the way, grabbing the bear by the scruff and jumping back, sliding his legs on either side of the creature's massive head, digging his heels in the ground as the bear cried out. Frank's hands dug straight down, snapping the bear's neck almost as easily as he would a popsicle stick.

The bear fell to the ground with a thump, Frank's legs giving in instantaneously, landing on his ass with a huff. He sat there for a moment, staring up at the sky, noting how clear it was despite it being so incredibly icy in temperature.

Frank looked down at the creature as he stood up, taking it by the front paws and dragging it off of the trail, grunting at the heavy weight of the animal. Frank was glad for his strength, to say the least, knowing very well that this bear weighed likely near 500 pounds.

Frank dropped the bear and walked back out onto the bear, cringing at the pain in his chest as he gingerly bent down to pick up his bag. He slung it back over his shoulder and continued his walk back down the path, his nose on high alert of the scent marker he knew so well, the marker that told him where to turn off to get to the house. And then it hit him, the intensely strong of his own scent knocking him like a brick to the face. He knew it would be there, mainly because his scent was that of an Alpha, and it was the strongest scent that would probably last the longest. Frank had done this marker trail for himself, pissing on every second tree all the way to their packhouse because more often than not he'd get drunk and then get lost.

Frank snickered to himself as he turned off of the trail and began hiking up the rocky hill. Frank turned the short distance between that trail onto the Dunnfield trail and across it, back into the wilderness, taking into account that he was still bleeding. Frank continued hiking through the massively thick trees towards the Mount Tammany fire road that he knew to follow.

And finally...

Fucking finally...

Frank stepped into the pack house's scent circle, the wave of familiar smells hit him even more than his own did. He looked up at the house with its blacked-out windows and its nondescript paint. He walked up to the door, opening it and walking in with little to no fucks given about being quiet. Luckily for Frank, the front door opened into the pack's expansive living room and it seemed almost everyone was there. They all turned, dead silence engulfing everything within the walls, and stared at the rogue wolf who was bleeding on their doorstep.

"How goes it?" Frank breathed out, taking in the somewhat familiar faces of those that he had shared these halls with.

Oh, joy.

Frank stood in the doorway with about a dozen eyes on him. The whole pack was still here minus the Alpha. Frank looked at them, staring at Dewees who was the closest, and that the Beta hadn't changed in the slightest, his hair still as coiled, still as mousy, his eyes still as kind. Beside him was Pete, the Beta had since ditched his black hair and eyeliner, his hair now shorter and blonde, his face barely having aged just as most wolves were lucky to receive.

On another sofa was Gerard and Mikey's mother and father, the couple looking a lot older than Frank could remember, and he felt bad for that, of course. The older Beta and his Omega mate sat hand in hand like old lovers do in the movies, grey and white, smile-wrinkles, and all. Beside them on the sofa- not too close although- was their youngest son, Mikey, his glasses gone, his hair now a dark chestnut still stuck down to his pale skin, his eyes dark and piercing into Frank's very soul.

Nearby on the floor sat Jamia, the soft little Beta looking on at Frank with genuine sympathy in her big doe eyes, her hair now long and black instead of its short choppy brunette, sitting across from her brother Evan and his mate Cara, the bespectacled Beta had also grown out his hair and his beard- had his arm protectively around his small Omega mate that Frank had last remembered barely, her own brown eyes on him, her brown hair in a short ponytail at the nape of her neck.

Frank could see all of them separated from his own blood family, the Iero's huddled in a mourning mass in their own section of the living room. Frank looked at his uncle, the balding grey man looking back with disapproval beside his son- Frank's cousin. Frank's mother, her eyes filled with tears as she took in her son's appearance. Frank looked them all over once more, taking in how they had all changed over the decade he had disappeared, when he heard footsteps on the stairs, making his head swivel, his eyes landing on Gerard.

He sucked in a breath, taking in the Omega that stood at the foot of the ascending steps. He looked exactly as Frank had remembered; his face had toned into a mature male, but it still looked delicate, his entirety completely submissive. He had cut his black locks, a choppy length around his ears in an ebony shock around his pale skin and his bright hazel eyes.

"Frank." Gerard broke the silence as Frank stepped in and closed the door, dropping his bag on the floor.

"I need to fix myself up."

"You don't just walk in here and expect to be welcomed back like you did nothing wrong." Gerard took a step forward and Frank paused, a wide smirk on his lips.

"Oh yeah, and what? You're gonna tell me what to do, Omega?"

"He's the Alpha." Pete piped up and Frank turned to look at the latter behind him before his head snapped back to look at Gerard with a loud snort.

"You? You're the Alpha now?" Frank scoffed as Gerard jumped lightly off of the two stairs and came to a stop in front of Frank, looking down at him. Frank looked up at Gerard, taking in a shaky breath as his chest ached with a pain that had now dulled in intensity. Their eyes locked and Frank could almost see Gerard struggling to keep up his dominant exterior, his eyes wavering as he kept his gaze fixed on the short, wounded Alpha.

"I am." Gerard replied sternly, "And you're not."

"No." Frank growled, his inner wolf rearing up, hair on end, "I am."

"Your dad made me Alpha before he died," Gerard stated, folding his arms as Frank continued the low growl from his chest in warning, his fists clenching and unclenching as he tried to control his temper.

"I'm the Alpha by blood." Frank narrowed his eyes and he could feel the tension from the rest of the pack around them, all but forming an adolescent, school-yard circle around the two kids who were about to fight it out.

"The only reason you're welcome back here is that he was your father." Gerard stated, "You're not part of this pack anymore, you left us." Frank was silent, his anger rising up in his chest as he stared Gerard down, noting the millisecond of a flinch in the Omega he knew so well. "Your room is still as it was, no one has touched it." Gerard gestured to the stairs, "Clean yourself up."

"Yeah, yeah..." Frank muttered to himself as he picked his bag up and shrugged it over his shoulder, cringing at the pain. He shrugged passed Gerard, bumping shoulders roughly as he stalked up the stairs. Frank made his way to the end of the hallway and stopped, looking at the door that led to his old bedroom, his hand poised over the doorknob.

"Frank?"

The latter turned at the sound of a voice near him, his eyes landing on Evan, who was leaning against the wall with his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Oh, hey," Frank muttered, looking back at the bedroom door, dreading what lay inside of it when he sensed Evan moving closer.

"How have you been?" Evan asked curtly, trying his best to reconnect with his once best friend, running a hand through his dark hair awkwardly.

"Fine, I guess. I mean except for..." Frank gestured to his chest and Evan sucked in a low whistle.

"Jeez, you want some help cleaning that up?"

"It's healing on its own obviously but I'd like some help, yeah," Frank admitted as he opened his bedroom door just enough to chuck his bag into the room, closing it again. He walked the short distance into the massive bathroom with Evan before perching himself on the counter gingerly. Frank looked over at Evan, who grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet before he set it down beside the Alpha. Frank tugged at the sleeve of his jacket, hissing at the intense pain of his wounds before dropping his arms again. Evan merely smiled sympathetically as he helped Frank slide his jackets off, shucking them off behind him, sitting in his torn up work t-shirt. Frank looked at Evan, "I don't think I can lift my arms up high enough."

"Fine." Evan replied as he grabbed the fabric scissors and Frank bit his lip, eyeing them before he let out a relented sigh, allowing Evan to gingerly cut him out of the ripped-to-fuck t-shirt. Frank continued to cringe at the pain, the dried blood on his tee having made the material stuck to his skin.

"What in all hell caused this?" Evan asked as he slid the sleeves down Frank's quivering arms, chucking it in the trashcan before he turned, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, inspecting the deep gashes that were slowly healing on their own.

"I got into a fight with a bear." Frank bt his lip and Evan let out a snort, chuckling silently and shaking his head.

"Same old Frank."

"The bear had it coming, she was trying to start some shit and I ended it before it began."

"The big bad bear wanted to snack on your femur, did she?" Evan asked mockingly and Frank scowled immaturely, watching Evan pick up some gauze and a bottle of strong disinfectant.

"That stuff stinks." Frank commented, scrunching up his nose as Evan unscrewed the lid, pouring the bright orange liquid into the gauze, handing the bottle over to Frank, who set it down between his legs and leaned back on his hands, gritting his teeth as he braced himself for the impact of Satan's tears on his skin. The coldness touched Frank's skin and he let out a grunt, gripping the marble counter with his tightened grasping fingers, his toes clenching in his shoes as the intense and indescribable burn shot into his very nerves, itching through his legs somehow.

"Fuck." Frank sighed, watching the gauze turning a dark orange-brown with his dried blood soaking into the woven material. Evan folded the gauze over and continued cleaning Frank up when he frowned.

"Your tattoo is fucked." Evan pursed his lips and Frank looked down to see four massive healing scars over his chest in a diagonal angle, properly destroying his chest piece, leaving deep, missing impressions.

"God damn it. It probably won't take if I get it touched up. I mean yeah scar tissue is tattoo-able but it's gonna hurt a shit ton more and it might not heal as well." Frank looked down as Evan finished cleaning his skin, throwing the soiled gauze in the trash.

"Yeah, probably." Evan held Frank's shoulders, eyeing the wounds, "I'm not gonna cover it up, it's gonna be healed properly in an hour."

"Yeah, don't waste this stuff on me." Frank shrugged, "I'm a waste enough as it is to the pack."

"I doubt that. They're just not over the fact that you just abandoned them."

"It's been ten years."

"Exactly." Evan put the kit back under the sink as Frank carefully hopped off, turning to look himself over in the mirror, running his fingertips over his beard.

"That's growing out nicely." Evan commented, patting Frank on the shoulder before he walked out, leaving the Alpha alone for the moment. Frank looked away from himself before he walked out of the bathroom and into the hallway. His head immediately turned to see Gerard standing at the top of the bottom set of stairs, arms folded as he surveyed. They locked eyes, Frank's eyes narrowing as he looked Gerard up and down, "What do you want?"

"Nothing." Gerard replied, snapping harshly.

"Then why are you staring at me?" Frank turned to face Gerard, neither of them closing any more distance, the tension between them growing fastidious.

"I want to know why." Gerard suddenly replied and Frank frowned.

"Why what?"

"Why you felt so repulsed by mating with me that you ran off the moment you realized I was all you had." Gerard scowled darkly as Frank noted the twinge of hurt in Gerard's eyes that was quickly covered up by his somewhat dominant exterior.

"Because I was young and I didn't want you or any responsibilities."

"Not five minutes before you found out, you certainly wanted me."

"Yeah, because I thought it meant nothing."

"We were soul mates, Frank." Frank sensed Gerard's sudden anger and it brought up a twinge of annoyance as he took a couple steps closer.

"Is that how you wormed your way into being Alpha?" Frank asked, his voice snide and full of condescension, his head tilted, "Twist my dad's arm somehow?"

"How dare you..." Gerard muttered through his teeth, taking a step up to Frank, looking down at him as Frank let out a low warning growl, the anger itching its way into his very lymphatic system.

"Oh, please." Frank scoffed, rolling his eyes, "You're just a little Omega, a submissive little boy."

"I'm older than you." Gerard countered and Frank took a step, closing their distance as Gerard let out his own growl.

"You're still a pathetic Omega, you're still hiding it with scent blockers so that the pack can forget you're at the lowest of the low."

"Well, now I'm the Alpha, Frank." Gerard spat, "They respect and listen to me, that's more than what they do with you."

"I'm the Alpha and you know it." Frank snarled, clenching his fists as Gerard narrowed his eyes, absolute rage coming off of his skin in waves, hitting Frank's nose one after the other, adding fire to his own fury-addled pain.

"No, you're not." Gerard suddenly shoved Frank back, the latter stumbling over his feet in surprise, the ache of Gerard's fingertips on his chest made him breathless and he looked up, letting out a loud snarl.

"How fucking dare you," Frank whispered, shoving Gerard back, the Omega stumbling back, his nails gripping the railing as he hopped up lightly, his foot connecting with Frank's stomach, kicking him square in the core, sending him backward with a force that surprised Frank completely.

Frank landed with a grunt on his ass and his elbows, gasping as Gerard straightened up, his breath labored with a growl as Frank let out a heavy, throat-tearing snarl, a loud and teeth-baring emergence as he launched off of of the ground at a quick pace, tackling Gerard as the both of them flew down the stairs.

Frank toppled, landing on the stairs as Gerard somehow turned them over, his nails in Frank's skin as they turned again, with Gerard landing on the tiles, Frank over him. Frank landed on his knees, the tiles beneath them cracking loudly, alerting the pack in the room to what was about to happen. Gerard let out a snarl, throwing Frank off of him, the Alpha landing with a small slide of his feet on the tiles. Frank's claws immediately came out as he threw himself at Gerard with an angry yell, his claws slashing at Gerard's skin, the Omega tackling Frank in a mess of sharpened canines gouging flesh.

Frank let out a howl of pain as Gerard's teeth tore into his arm, blood spattering to the surface as he threw the Omega off of him, sending the latter flying back into the sofa, toppling the massive piece of furniture over. Frank wasted no time on running at Gerard, baring his own teeth as he flexed his sharpened claws, readily at the very cliff of tearing Gerard's throat out, his anger bubbling in his chest, the adrenaline in his body making his skin thrum.

Frank knew no one would interfere, he knew the pack could do nothing but look on in sheer horror as the two Alpha's fought out, the tension and anger mingling in a mix of emotions. Frank knew he had the upper hand, he knew that Gerard was weaker than he was, that it was literally impossible for Gerard to win this fight. And it made him grin wickedly as he grabbed Gerard by the throat, lifting him up off of the ground, watching Gerard gasp for breath. Gerard brought his leg up and kicked off of Frank's shoulder, knocking the Alpha flying into the wall. Frank cried out in pain, feeling his shoulder crack and pop, dislocating almost instantly. He let out a low snarl as Gerard stood there, panting with blood trickling from the wounds Frank had inflicted.

"You're going down, Omega."

"Not on your life." Gerard threw back as Frank leaned against the wall, shoving a hand into his shoulder from the bottom, screaming quietly as he popped it back into place. It was a mere split second when he ducked, having Gerard heave himself at the latter, Frank grabbing Gerard by the front of the shirt, throwing him across the room, landing on the stairs on his side. Frank listened to Gerard scream out, knowing something must have broken with the force of his landing on the ascending flight of wood.

Gerard scrambled up, lifting his shirt up to see the already purpling bruises of fractured ribs. Gerard rolled his neck on his shoulders, snapping his jaw slightly as he ran at Frank again, throwing Frank to the ground before Frank rolled onto him, throwing a solid punch to Gerard's jaw, the Omega screaming out in pure agony as his jaw cracked sideways. Frank cried out, a loud series of crunches shot through his hand as he lost sensation in his right hand, breaking at least three metacarpals for sure. He shook his hand, his teeth gritted as he shook the pain off.

He knew Gerard's jaw would click back in a moment, and he braced himself, a sudden epiphany coming over him. He realized it immediately, his mistake hitting him with as much force as Gerard's sudden pounce, pushing Frank back against the counters, having the Alpha snarl in pain as he crumpled to the ground.

He had to lose the fight.

Gerard was the Alpha now, whether Frank liked it or not, and Frank was not a part of the pack, he was a rogue merely staying in their house, that he had no right to attack. And that if he wanted to be welcomed back in, even if it weren't with open arms, he would have to forfeit the fight and let their Alpha win over him even if Gerard was astronomically weaker. Frank was panting, looking at the blood drops and smears on the off-white tiles. He looked up to see Gerard standing there as he managed to lift himself up off of the ground, baring his teeth as he ran at Gerard weakly, biting into Gerard's side, his teeth fracturing a rib with a mighty force that had Gerard screaming.

Frank was tossed to the ground and he rolled, hitting ceramic with his face, his arm cracking lightly, not breaking at least, as his head hit the counter again. He lay there, spitting blood spray on the ground, his eyes closed, brows furrowed as he remained still, whimpering. He opened an eye, dramatically overplaying his injuries as he felt his body healing itself slowly, looking at the bloodied drool from Gerard's mouth.

"You're lucky I don't... Snap you in half." Frank panted out as Gerard bared his teeth, glaring daggers at Frank, who merely let out a whine and closed his eyes again.

"I'd like to see you try." Gerard replied, "You've lost your touch, Alpha."

"Fuck you..." Frank breathed out, laying on the ground as he felt his hand healing, his bones fusing back together as he noted Gerard's speech coming back, his jaw obviously back in place.

"I'm going to my room, someone help him up," Gerard replied simply and Frank opened an eye to see Gerard stagger up the stairs by himself, obviously a lot more injured than Frank was.

Frank saw a pair of pink bunny sock-clad feet in front of him and he looked up to see Jamia in front of him, looking down with an unimpressed, but worried, expression on her face. Frank noted her black short pajama shorts and smiled weakly as she and Cara helped him up onto his feet. He leaned on Jamia, taking in a comfortable and familiar scent.

"I know you let him win," she whispered in his ear and Cara nodded simply, "Why?"

"I don't know." Frank lied as they walked towards the stairs again, Frank limping between the two girls as the rest of the pack looked on with mixed emotions from anger to confusion and sadness. Everyone knew they were soul mates, everyone knew they were meant to be together and they all knew it wasn't going to happen anymore.

Including Frank.