"That's where my plan comes in." she looks at Beta lovingly, "And he agreed to help me."

An Hour Before.....

Inara is tucking Beta in. "You don't need to do that. I am fine now." He protests.

"I know how much it requires to heal somebody. Your body becomes weak and you need proper rest." She caresses his arm.

"How?" he asks curiously. He thought he was the one who could do that. "Why are there ranks anyways?"

"Almost all Omegas can do that." She replies. "They cannot physically heal their mate but they can fasten the process. But I am a special Omega, just like you." She smiles. "I don't know why they call it 'ranks' but I call it their specialty. Like Omegas her the emotional pillar of the family, the healing side. Alphas are the aggressive pillar, the protective side. Betas are the intelligence pillar, the smart side."

"And I am a Beta?" he questions.

"Your name suggests that." Inara states. "I don't know what makes you different but I feel you have the traits of all the three. You are a Beta but you are protective like an Alpha and can heal like an Omega."

Beta looks a bit confused but Inara assures him, "We will find out about it."

"So, you can heal yourself too?" he asks.

"Depends. I can. Other Omegas can't do the physical trick."

"Then that's why the Elder Omega can't heal herself." Beta says, thinking.

"What does she have anyway?" Inara asks.

"She is old and she has some illness. She coughs up blood now and then but I heal her." he smiles, showing off his teeth.

"That's good." She pats his head. "I am proud of you that you are doing such a noble thing." She gets up to walk to the door but Beta stops her.

"You don't want to know why I followed you here?" This question has been itching his mind for a long time and he finally said it out loud.

Inara walks to him playfully and ruffles his hair, "I am curious. But I didn't ask."

"Why?" Beta asks, his voice growing small.

"Someone said adults don't ask questions." She giggles but Beta looks down.

"I am a nuisance to you, aren't I" his voice sounds guilty.

"Hey," she lifts his head. "Who made you think that?"

"Everyone says so." He points at the door. "Even those uncles outside don't like me. Because I am a part of them."

"It's the 'them' we don't like. It has nothing to do with you." She assures him, "You don't need to think that way when you are with us."

"That's why I followed you." He says with a small smile.

"What do you mean?" Inara asks, confused.

"The Elders, as you call them, are not nice at all. They are bad people. They mix with bad people all the time and I see blood everywhere. They keep me locked in a casket everywhere they go, only giving me freedom when they want my help." She looks at him sympathetically.

"If you even call that freedom." He scoffs. "I couldn't make friends; I couldn't talk to anyone. That's why I ran. I ran from there and bumped into you. And you seemed...nice..." he blushes.

"Just nice?" she teases him.

"I mean...you were nice to me. When you heard me, you didn't take me back to them. Even now, I am in your bed and you are pampering a stranger." He looks thankful. "I was there when that bad man, Victor, was on the stage, doing horrible things. I have seen him multiple times with those Elders so I hid myself in the fear of getting caught. Then I saw you turn into that beautiful being and fight to protect the ones you love."

"Well, thank you for your kind words." Inara smiles and feels a bit proud as to how smart Beta was. Well, perks of being from the Beta rank, "I just felt as if I had to help you. You seem familiar to me."

"Really?" his eyes beam at that.

"Hmm." She nods, "Maybe, I knew your parents or something?"

"That...that would be great..." he fiddles under the blanket but Inara holds him.

"Don't worry, when all of this is over, I will help you find them." She smiles.

Beta hugs Inara tightly, taking her a bit aback. But she hugs him back, feeling like something completed her. "Thank you." He says, almost in tears.

"And now, I will help you." Beta pulls away from the hug. He looks at her ring and asks her for it.

"Can I use that?" Inara nods unsurely, taking it off and giving it to him. Beta holds it in between his palms and closes his eyes. After some odd minutes, the ring begins to glow and he opens his eyes, smiling.

"There you go." he gives it to her.

"What did you do?" she asks, astonished.

"I used to practice this when I was alone. I have so much power that it can be contained in objects. And those objects, in turn, protect the keeper."

Inara wears the ring and she could feel a new energy in her body. "Why...why me?"

"I have a feeling that you want to protect your family. I am small but I am not stupid. I know what you are thinking of. You will risk your life for your family and go to Victor."

Inara is the one who becomes nervous. When she saw Odin's head, she decided it that time. But she needed to be perfectly sure about it.

"Thank you for this Beta. Now I can be at peace, for some time." She gently pats his shoulder.

"This ring has now created a sacred space for you. If anyone enters that space, this ring will amplify whatever powers you have. This can only be stopped by me once I take the powers back from the ring, so nothing can break the space. Even if you don't have any powers of your own, the ring will give its powers to you. It will keep you from getting hurt." He places his hand on her head, "I hope whatever it is, you succeed to do."

"Actually, I think I'll need more of your help." She smiles and Beta nods eagerly.

"I am ready for anything."

Flashback Ends

"This ring will protect you?" Zade asks, astonished. He has that kid to thank for.

"Yes. So, you don't need to worry. Just, follow what I say."

Zade is nervous and Inara leans in to whisper her plan.

x-x-x-x

"We are all gathered here to pay our last respects to Odin Carter, the beloved Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, a father figure to Zade, Damon and Kyros and a leader we aspire to become. His life got ended at the hands of evil but he wouldn't want us to waste our energy on crying over him. He would want us to fight the evil."

"He lived a long life, saw a lot of things, and he believed that he was loved deeply. With this, I call upon heaven to take this pure soul and offer him peace, at last." Abir ends the prayer with everyone uttering 'amen'.

"Amen." Zade places lilacs on his grave. Those were his favorite.

Not everyone was aware of Odin's untimely demise, and that is how Zade and Damon wanted it to be. They want to make everything right, without bringing much attention to themselves.

Words have already spread of some men going against the elders and the authority, Victor, and they have already taken a step back from this drama. Even if Damon declares a war now, everyone knows who is going to lose it. They want to be on the winning side after all.

"Are you sure about this?" Kyros asks Inara one last time. She was leaving for Victor's house, with Brent.

"I already told you. I am fine." She flashes the ring in front of him.

"I just hope it works. The ring, your plan, everything." Abir remarks from the back. He just couldn't see his best friend walking into a suicide mission.

Zade hugs her one last time, "I am just a call away."

"I bet Victor would allow me to do that." She chuckles pulling away from the hug. "Just remember what I told you."