A/N: I know that this is late. I do apologize for that. I am working on 51 books while working an actual job, so ya. I am slowly but surely getting stories done.

Hopefully, I can get some books done this year, maybe even this one.

Thank you all for your patience with me.

~Rissa

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I flicked my tail and sat down while I waited for my mother to appear on the path like she had promised us. Anger and annoyance filled my body, and I couldn't help but wonder what was taking her so long to get here. I kept glancing at my dad to see how he was holding up, only to find him in his human form, looking down the path with his arms folded across his chest.

His face was a mask, but I had a feeling that he was just as anxious and mad as me. He didn't say a word to anyone while he waited, and I could tell that he was worried about the unborn baby that my mother carried in her womb and not just her.

I turned to look towards the path again and frowned when I still didn't see her. I wanted to follow this path and go find her, but my mother's words of warning filled my brain and kept me seated.

Don't follow, for it could cost us our lives...

I huffed and flicked my tail again while I waited, annoyed. I pricked my ears towards the path while I waited, and it didn't take long for a sound of a canary singing through the trees while my patience slowly ran thin.

If this wasn't her, then I was going after them. No matter what she said.

My dad relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Goddess," he muttered under his breath. He cleared his throat and shook his head before he answered back with a coo of a dove.

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow in question, amused that my father had decided to do that instead of something else.

My father looked at me and noticed that I was staring at him, and shrugged. "Your mother came up with it," he said. "Don't ask because I have no idea why."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes but didn't say a word while I turned my attention back to the path. My heart pounded hard in my chest, and I prayed that my mate wasn't hurt because of my mother's stupidity.

'Alphas, there are a lot of people coming your way,' a scout said, interrupting the silence that fell on us. 'Both of the Lunas are safe, but Jess is in the arms of one of them.'

I glanced at my father to see how he would react and noticed that his face was blank, but there was a bit of anger in his eyes. 'Has she said anything to you?' I asked when my father didn't say a word.

'Yes, she said that they were safe. It seems to me that the one that is holding Jess had the same concern when he sensed me.'

I flicked my tail and didn't say a word while I waited for them to appear. 'How many people are there?' I asked.

'I don't know,' he replied. 'It could be about fifty, but I am not sure about the exact number. You might be able to get that out from her when she is close.' He paused. 'Or you can try to link her, and she can tell you.'

I set my jaw and didn't say a word. I knew that I could link her and see, but I didn't want to do that. I did not want to hear any of her excuses as to why she put my mate's life in danger as well as her own child.

My father nudged my side, and I looked at him and not the path that they were following. "It seems to me that your mate is the same as her," he said. "That's why her father wanted her alive because she could make weapons or be made into one."

I held back an eye roll and looked towards the road where the first set of people were visible. I was stunned to see that they were all skinny except for one little girl that looked like my mother.

My father sighed with relief when he saw the male holding my mother, and he started to walk towards them to meet them. His whole body was relaxed, and I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous because I didn't see Katie amongst them.

My mom looked at my father and smiled before she looked at me. Her eyes were filled with knowledge while she looked me up and down to make sure that I was safe before she gestured to the left of the group, signalling that she was over there.

I looked that way and saw that Katie was near the corner of the group, her eyes wide and bulging out of her head, shocked and surprised, and I had a feeling that it was because she was looking at some of us in wolf form for the first time.

Her hair was in a mess, and she had some dirt on her clothing and skin, but other than that, she looked like she was fine and safe.

I stood but didn't move towards them while my father finished walking towards my mother. I flicked my tail again, nervous, anxious even, not knowing if I should meet her like this or in my human form.

"Katie," my mom said, looking in the direction that I was looking in. She looked at me before she looked at her again, still being carried by the other male. "How are you holding up?"

Katie didn't respond and looked around, and I had a feeling that she was looking for me. Her heart pounded hard in her chest, and I could tell that she was nervous about this and wanted to have the comfort I could give her.

"Why are you asking her how she is holding up when you are being carried?" my father asked when he reached her. He took her into his arms, and she laughed and held onto him with one hand.

"Because I am fine, exhausted, but fine," she replied. She wrinkled her nose and looked at the male. "Thank you for helping, Glyn."

Glyn nodded and backed off as soon as she was safe in her mate's arms. "Of course, Luna," he said, and I had to look at him because he had an accent that I wasn't familiar with from being around here.

"We'll help get everyone back to their packs when we get back to our packhouse," she said, and he looked relieved and nodded.

"Thank you, Luna," he said and bowed before he stood and backed away from them.

Mom nodded and looked at her mate.

They talked silently for a second before they looked at the other people that were gathered, waiting for them to say something.

"We'll get you all back to your packs," she said, and they nodded, looking relieved. "We'll make sure that they can't find you there again and have no knowledge of why you were captured in the first place."

"Do you know why?" someone asked, and my mother nodded in confirmation.

"I do," she confirmed and cleared her throat. "However, all of that has been destroyed, and they won't be able to access it." She paused and dipped her head. "Someone will be checking up on you to make sure that you stay safe."

They looked at each other and stayed silent.

"Are there any other questions?" she asked, knowing what they wanted to ask but didn't. She nodded when no one said a word. "Good," she said and looked at my father. "Can we go home?" she asked.

My dad nodded. "We can," he said. "You are all welcome to stay for as long as you need," he said, looking at the others. He looked at the little girl besides Katie before he looked at her.

My mother said something to him, and he nodded before he looked at her again curiously.

I looked at the two of them before I looked at my parents with a set jaw, wondering what was happening and what they were discussing.

My mother caught my look and shook her head before she looked at my dad. "Let's go," she said, and he nodded before starting to walk back towards the pack house with everyone else following them.

I waited by the side while everyone passed, watching Katie. My heart pounded hard in my chest while I looked at her to see that she was looking around for me and looking disappointed when she couldn't find me.

'Go to mate,' my wolf growled. 'She's looking for us.'

I was about to go up to her when Sarah beat me to it, still in her human form. I narrowed my eyes and scowled but didn't say a word while I watched her hug my mate and talk in low voices that I had trouble hearing what they had to say.

Sarah said something else and then gestured to me, and Katie looked at me. She said something else before Katie hesitated but nodded, indicating that she would do what Sarah suggested.

My mate gave Sarah another hug before she started to walk towards me, and my heart pounded hard in my chest while my mouth went dry.

Sarah bowed her head when she saw that I was looking at her and stayed silent. She didn't tell me what they said, and I wasn't sure if I should be nervous or happy that Katie walked over to me.

My mate stopped when she was in front of me and looked at me through narrowed eyes. 'Daniel?' she asked and narrowed her eyes further while she studied me to make sure that whatever Sarah had said was true. 'Is it really you?'

My heart skipped a beat, and I nodded. I wanted to nuzzle her, to take in her scent, but I didn't want to scare her.

Instead, I stood still and waited to see what she would do, hoping that she was ok.

My mate looked at me before she looked away and shifted on her feet. She had a small blush on her face but didn't say another word while she looked at me again.

I whined and laid down, silently asking if she was ok and if she was hurt.

Katie shook her head no. "I'm fine," said, her voice barely above a whisper, and I pricked my ears, happy and excited that she was speaking but wondered why she started talking now and not earlier.

My mate looked down, and her cheeks grew red. "Can I pet you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked at me, and I had a feeling that she hoped that I would let her.

I nodded, letting her know that she could and wagged my tail.

My mate hesitantly reached out to touch me, but she stopped and put her hand back down. Her heart pounded hard in her chest while she took a deep breath and held out her hand again to touch me.

She paused and waited, watching me through half closed eyes, waiting to see what I would do and if I would let her pet me.

I bit back an eye roll and moved my head until I was touching her hand, letting her know that it was safe to touch me and not to be scared because I would not hurt her, no matter what.