It was a regular occurrence now for Esmond to come to Sansa's cabin in the morning. She was used to him knocking and coming in. Sometimes they shared breakfast, other times he came with a small offering of food for her.

But not today.

Sansa stared worriedly out the window, wondering where he was.

He was the stand in Alpha after all, but Sansa realized that he had become her friend these past few weeks.

The closest male friend she had ever had was Warren. And Sansa sometimes even questioned if that was what could describe the relationship she and Warren shared.

After waiting another half hour, Sansa finally grew worried enough to step outside and head towards the pack on her own.

Something felt wrong the closer she came to the main pack lands.

Sansa frowned, wondering what it was. An attack? Sudden fear gripped her at the thought that the pack had been challenged without her realizing it.

But when she emerged from the forest, nothing seemed out of place.

Sansa cautiously moved forward. She knew something was wrong, even if the look of the pack deceived her inner thoughts.

A sudden voice was heard on her left, "who are you?"

She turned quickly to see an unfamiliar male emerge from the pack house.

Sansa felt her jaw clench as the reality struck her.

The real Alpha was back.

Esmond's father resembled him in many ways. Like his son, he had hair and eyes that appeared golden. However, the lines of laughter that seemed to curve around Esmond's face were replaced with ones of hatred and anger on this male.

Sansa nodded her head in respect, an old custom that she knew caught the male by surprise.

"I am just a passing she-wolf. I am on my search."

The male stared down at her, his eyes narrowing in thought as they each evaluated the other.

"And is your mate here?"

"No," Sansa whispered, "I did not find him."

"Then I suggest you continue your search."

Sansa bowed again, slowly backing away from the male. But before she could, the door to the pack house opened again. Both Sansa and the male looked up to see Esmond.

"Don't hurt her."

The Alpha grinned at his son. Sansa repressed her fear at the smile that was not a smile. Nothing upon the male's face had moved except his lips.

"Why would I hurt her?"

Esmond remained silent. His eyes never traveled to Sansa as father and son continued to stare at one another.

"Mmmhh..." The Alpha turned back to face Sansa. "So it's you."

Sansa had enough time to look up and see him reaching for her. She quickly moved away avoiding his outstretched hand by falling to the side.

The Alpha seemed unphased as he looked back at his son.

"Did you think I would not know that you brought a healer in without my permission? Do you think the whole pack is loyal to only you?" The male laughed, and Sansa wished that Esmond had told her the name of his father. For some reason, this question was the one that burned her mind as she gazed at him in silent observation.

"How many of my pack members did you heal?"

He looked down at Sansa, something sinister coming to his eyes. He was almost goading her, a silent taunt hidden in his words.

"Only those you did not."

His lips twisted into a scowl at her response.

"You're trespassing."

"I never walked onto your land. I was carried here and invited."

Her words seemed to startle the male as he looked up to gaze at his son.

The scene was starting to grab other pack member's attention. The Alpha soon became aware of this, his gaze going back to Sansa.

"I punish those who trespass. I punish outsiders who decide to come onto my lands and deceive my pack."

Sansa glared up at the male before her. She had encountered punishment before at the hands of Alphas. Her travels had not all been pleasant or nice. Not all Alpha's had carried their power with a purpose. There were those who did not know what to do with such a thing, thinking that power meant pleasure and pleasure meant gaining it for the self.

"Go ahead," Sansa stood, knowing she would hate herself later if she had been cowering on the ground in front of this male. She straightened her spine, rising to let her eyes meet his, "punish me. But you will be on the one who receives damnation in the end."

His hand struck out, hitting her with a suddenness that caught her completely off guard. Sansa swayed upon her feet, feeling her lip split open as blood came out.

Immediately the name of the herb she needed came to her mind. Before she was struck again.

This time she fell, tasting dirt in her mouth and feeling the blood mix in with it.

She turned around, seeing the Alpha's shadow pass over her before another shadow flew above, knocking it down.

Sansa had to blink several times in order to register the wolf that stood above her. The golden fur matched closely to the hair and eyes she already knew as the creature looked down to take her in.

"Esmond," Sansa whispered.

Before she could say another word the wolf was turning back to face his father. The male laughed, watching his actions.

"A challenge so soon?"

The wolf seemed so small in comparison to the male.

Sansa felt fear rising in her at the image and what was about to happen.

"No, stop Esmond, don't do this you-,"

Her words were interrupted by a low growl from the creature. Sansa watched as he gently stepped over her, his eyes never going back to look at her. They were focused entirely on the male before him.

The Alpha seemed to register then the seriousness that was in his son's actions.

A feral grin slipped onto his face, the only real warning anyone had before he launched himself at his son.

Sansa screamed as the two collided. Both wolves tore at each other, snarls and growls erupting from the air. Sansa sat so close to the fight, that small drops of spit from the creatures hit her in their rage of power.

Suddenly hands were upon her, pulling her away.

Sansa looked up and recognized Esmond's friend Randolph- the male who had sat across from her that first day she came to the pack.

She felt her eyes widen as Randolph dropped her arms, having put her a safe enough distance from the fight, before rushing towards the two wolfs. His actions set off a chain event that made Sansa push away from the growing battle. A civil war seemed to have erupted from the pack, something dark and sinister that had been under the surface and festering long before Sansa had arrived.

She saw in the distance, a shadow in the forest and rushed towards it, sidestepping members of the pack who were shifting and yelling.

Sansa was a healer. Not a fighter. But in this second, something in her wished she could be both.

She reached the edge of the woods, collapsing as Epione's arms reached out to grab her.

"I was worried for you," the elder whispered. She pushed Sansa and her quickly behind a nearby tree, watching the chaos with sorrowful eyes.

"Brother fighting brother, father fighting son. The transition to power is one that has always created death."

"What is going on?" Sansa felt winded, the sensation of pulling air into her lungs becoming harder and harder the more she watched the battle progress. It all had taken place so suddenly for her mind to catch up.

"It would have happened eventually. This is not your fault. Alpha Ward has been cruel since the passing of his mate, creating a divide in the pack. Some enjoy his leadership, others wish for the days of peace when his son can take over."

Epione looked out at the battle, a single tear coming to her face. Sansa watched it slip from her eye, falling slowly.

"They are fighting for their own cause but when this ends, there will be nothing but sorrow."

"Esmond-,"

"Has made his choice. And there is no going back from it."

Epione pulled Sansa further into the woods. Sansa protested, but the female only shook her head. "Why would you want those images in your head young healer? It is not the violence you should know, but the process of what comes after."

Sansa felt her own tears come, joining in with Epione.

And as they both cried within the woods, Sansa could only think pleadingly, that she wished Night was there with her.

She wished he was here.

She wished he was here.

She wished he was here.