The wind's bitter bite stung, even through his thick fur, as he pushed forward in the deep, packed snow.

So much had fallen in just the past few hours, it already came up to his chest. Chunks of it were clumping on his stomach and legs, weighing him down even more.

Where are you?

Almost home... Hongjoong huffed. He stopped to try and shake out his reddish fur. I. Hate. Snow.

Yeosang's voice chuckled softly in his head.  I know. But you are the one who insisted on going yourself.

I'm not going to let one of the others freeze to death. What kind of Head Alpha do you take me for? Silence answered him, making Hongjoong pause. Sangie?

Help is on the way. His mate's amused voice echoed in his mind.

What are you talking about? Hongjoong snarled, then shook his head when he didn't get an answer.

Leave it to his beta to tease and abandon him in the middle of a blizzard.

Yeosang was right though, as he always was. Hongjoong had volunteered to do a perimeter run so that no one else had to go out. In his defense, it wasn't snowing nearly this hard when he had started.

The alpha continued to push his body through the heavy snow for several more minutes, wearing out his tired body even more.

Then the wind's direction changed and he understood what Yeosang meant by help.

Like a shadow materializing out of nothing, Mingi came trotting forward from the direction of their home.

The younger alpha was tall enough the snow only came halfway up his legs, so he was able to push through it much easier than Hongjoong.

Did someone call for a rescue? Mingi asked, tilting his head playfully to the side.

No. Hongjoong huffed, sending a billowing cloud of mist swirling into the night.

A deep rumble came from the black wolf. Stop being so stubborn. Mingi stepped forward and grabbed Hongjoong by the scruff on the back of his neck.

Mingi! Put m- Put me down! Hongjoong flailed his legs and yapped in discomfort. I'm not a pup!

You sure are acting like one. Calm down, Joong. Mingi twisted and carefully set his alpha down on top of the snow.

At first, Hongjoong was worried he would sink down again, but the snow was cold and hard enough that it stayed firm below him.

His entire body trembled in the cold, especially when a sharp gust of wind blasted into his side.

Mingi immediately moved to work as a shield.

Even though he didn't say it, Hongjoong sent how grateful he was through their link as the two of them pushed forward to make it home.

As soon as the beautiful log house came into view, Hongjoong sped up with his desire to be in front of a warm fire.

Yeosang was waiting for him right inside the back door with a giant, fluffy blanket. As soon as he shifted, Hongjoong ran straight into his mate's embrace.

"Joongie, you're freezing!" Yeosang gasped. "I can feel you through the blanket, come on, get in front of the fire." The beta ushered him forward while rubbing his arms to generate heat.

Seonghwa was right behind them doing the same thing with Mingi, fussing over him even more so with the concern natural coming from an omega.

Both alphas sat down and leaned as close to the fire as they dared. It's warm crackles and pops were almost soothing to Hongjoong, welcoming him home and reminding him that he was safe indoors.

"No more patrols until the storm passes." Yeosang said with a harsh tone. "It's not worth the risk."

"I-Is ev-v-veryon-n-ne h-h-home?" Hongjoong's eyes fluttered when he spoke, reflecting the tremors running through him.

Seonghwa hummed from where he was holding Mingi against his chest. "Yes. Ava, Theo, and the girls are in their old room, and Gunner and Trenton are in his. The other kids are in their rooms and asleep. The only one still in a tizzy is Wooyoung, but San is handling that. I think."

Hongjoong's jaw trembled, causing his teeth to chatter when he continued to speak. "N-N-No sign of-f the t-t-twins th-th-then?"

"Alright, take a deep breath. Your heart is racing." Yeosang scolded, making the alpha flinch. "And no, but we weren't expecting to hear from them anyway."

The alpha felt his wolf churning with worry for its pack. The storm was so much worse than they had anticipated...

But the twins would be safe. Their alphas would make sure of it. Stephan was strong and Serena cunning.

Like Avayla and Theo, they had elected to build a house inside Hongjoong's territory so they could have their own space. But they took to the independence much faster and formed their own pack of four, separating from the main pack link, much to Wooyoung's displeasure.

And even if the storm hadn't exploded like it did, Lorelai had stopped by two days ago to let them know that Lizbeth's heat had started and hers was coming, so they were going to seal themselves off until they were over.

Both girls were hoping to have pups of their own soon, so they had stopped taking their suppressants a few months ago. This was their first heat in a long time, which was why Wooyoung was so concerned.

Speaking of the omega, a few moments later he came hurrying down the hall. "Hongjoong! You're back! Are you ok?" He rushed to the fire and fell to his knees between Yeosang and Seonghwa.

"Yes." The alpha sighed, finally feeling himself relax a little.

Seonghwa offered the younger a soft smile and rubbed the back of his head. "To answer your question, no, Youngie. But I'm sure they'd reach out of they needed us."

Hongjoong couldn't help but let out a joyous laugh at the pout Wooyoung's face immediately fell into. A mix of emotions rolled off him too, mostly consisting of worry for his daughters and embarrassment for Seonghwa discovering his motives.

Soon everyone was laughing along with him while Wooyoung turned a faint shade of pink.

"Don't worry." Hongjoong leaned forward to connect foreheads with the omega. "You raised two strong girls."

"I know..." Wooyoung closed his eyes and whined softly.

"We understand, we'd be worried too." Mingi chuckled.

"I always worry about Riley, but he is a wise alpha." Yeosang leaned into Hongjoong's side. "Come on, I don't know about you guys, but I think this kind of weather calls for blankets, pillows, and snacks!"

"Count me in!" Yunho yelled, suddenly appearing behind the couch, which he bounded over to tackle Wooyoung to the floor.

The younger yelped as they rolled around and tried his best to gain the upper hand, but Yunho's longer limbs always gave him an unfair advantage.

Both their alphas walked in a short time later, shaking their heads in a loving manner. "So much for settling down for bed." Jongho sighed.

Yunho's head flicked up and he flashed a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

That moment of distraction allowed Wooyoung to spring up and pin the beta on his back. "Yes!" He cheered.

Hongjoong watched them fondly as Yeosang nuzzled his mating mark, making his wolf sigh with happiness. He loved his family so much, and he would be forever grateful that he found his forever home, especially for Yeosang.

The couple laughed when San marched up behind his omega and crouched down to wrap his arms around Wooyoung's waist, then stood up, hauling Wooyoung away from Yunho. "Come on troublemaker."

"Hey! No fair!" Wooyoung flailed his arms and legs to try and get away, but that just sparked Yunho into jumping up and grabbing his ankles.

While the three of them grappled for control, Yeosang helped Hongjoong stand so they could retreat to their bedroom and get him a change of clothes.

As soon as the door closed, Yeosang pulled Hongjoong into a hug and nuzzled against his mating mark once more.

"I'm sorry for worrying you." The alpha whispered.

"Just be careful in the future. I almost lost you to one snow storm, I don't need to lose you to one now." Yeosang mumbled. His lips ghosted across Hongjoong's neck and sent a chill down his spine.

Slowly, the alpha stepped back and cupped both of his beta's cheeks. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. It'll take a lot more than some silly snow to force me away from you my love."

Yeosang's eyes grew rounder, if that were even possible, and before either of them knew it, they were exchanging a passionate kiss.

It was something Hongjoong could never grow tired of. The sweet, luxurious honey scent of his beta grew stronger and Hongjoong loved dipping his tongue into Yeosang's mouth to taste even more of him.

Yeosang was his entire world, which only grew bigger and bigger with each new addition to their pack.

After a few minutes, Hongjoong very reluctantly broke the kiss and ran his hands through his mate's soft, brown hair.

The gentle smile that passed between them was all that was needed to convey their love for each other.

The alpha hummed and stepped over to his dresser to pull out a pair of sweatpants and a shirt to pull on. Once situated, he and his mate gathered up their comforter and pillows to bring to the living room.

Everyone else had already grabbed what they needed. The floor was covered with all their blankets, pillows, and even the cushions off the couch.

It was like they had made their own little wolf den and they were huddled around the fire for warmth.

Mingi had claimed the corner of their 'L' shaped couch. He had his left elbow resting casually on it while his right one was wrapped around Seonghwa's shoulders, holding the omega back against his chest.

Next to them was Jongho, Yunho, and San, all of whom had some part of Wooyoung's body draped across their lap.

San was slowly working his fingers through Wooyoung's blonde hair. His eyes were closed and a content smile pulled forth forth a hint of his dimples.

Before Hongjoong had a chance to sit down, he felt a wave of emotions coming from his beta.

Yeosang had quickly retreated to the kitchen to get food and drinks, but he was also dabbing his eyes with the sleeves of his oversized orange sweater.

All Hongjoong could do was smile as he helped gather everything else. Yeosang always grew a little emotional when he was given a chance to think about their wonderful pack. It was times like this that he had him feeling so proud of the life he had built for Yeosang.

Nothing could destroy the bond his pack had. They'd been through so much together, and they would continue to support each other.

Always.

.

.

.

.

A few days later, there was enough snow outside that they could barely see over the top of it in their human forms. It was easily one of the worst winters they'd seen since moving here.

Seonghwa tapped his fingers on the counter anxiously while staring out the window. Part of him wanted to drown out the conversation happening behind him, but he knew they'd need his opinion too.

"I'm positive, Joong." San said. "There's nothing left and what seemed like thousands of tiny footprints left behind."

"We should have guessed this would happen." Hongjoong sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"There was no way to predict it." San said gently in an attempt to reassure his alpha as he had returned about an hour ago with horrible news.

The shed they had built to dry and store their meat had been ransacked. Even the freezer doors had been pried open.

According to San, it looked like the wind had blown several loose branches down and one of them had smashed a window. The snow had piled up next to it, giving the hungry critters of the forest easy access to the inside.

The main paw prints indicated several raccoons, a fox or two, and maybe even a lynx. The raccoons in the area were smart enough to open the doors, so that explained the freezers. But one thing was certain...

All of the meat they had stored up for winter was gone.

"Things are calm right now," Mingi stepped forward, "I say we go find what we can find, and whoever doesn't go can bring the freezers inside."

"Where would be put them?" Jongho asked.

"We can sleep in the living room." Gunner offered from where he was standing off to the side. Trenton nodded next to him, causing his red hair to fall in his eyes. Gunner smiled down at him and pulled his omega to his chest in response.

"Chan can sleep with us." Wooyoung pipped in. The boy, already nestled into his mother's side, stood up straighter and nodded quickly.

San snorted and shook his head. No one else except Seonghwa seemed to notice, so he reached out through a private link. What's so funny?

He's never going to want to leave now. I swear he's never actually his age. He's either glued to Wooyoung or acting like he's ten years older.

Yes... Seonghwa's eyes drifted to where Chan was nuzzling into Wooyoung's side. But I think that comes with-

I know. San whispered through the link. Even all these years later, the alpha still hated talking about what happened with Wooyoung at Ultima.

But the strangeness of Chan's actions had all of them questioning things.

"Alright," Hongjoong let out a long sigh, bringing Seonghwa from his thoughts. "That sounds like a good plan for now."

I'll go hunting. Theo offered, a glint of excitement in his eyes. I'd love to stretch my legs. His eyes were focused on Yunho, who must have been repeating everyone's words for his son since Avayla wasn't present at the moment.

"Sure. Yunho, San, Mingi, and I will go too."

"Can I go?" Rhodey started to bounce in place where he stood next to Maria and Trinity. "Please, Dad?"

"Me too?" Chan looked up at Wooyoung, then at his dad.

Surprisingly, San shrugged. "I'm ok with it if you are, Joong. It'll be good practice."

Hongjoong agreed and those going hunting broke off to start planning.

"Alright," Seonghwa knocked his knuckles against the counter. "Let's go get things moving!"

He was about to walk away when a small hand tugged on his shirt. "Mama?" Trinity asked in her sweet, soft voice. "How can I help?"

Seonghwa scooped her up in his arms and rested her on his hip. "Let's start with your brother and see what he needs."

She nodded and the two of them wandered down to the far end of the house.

Gunner and Trenton already had their things gathered, and were in the process of moving their bed against the opposite wall. Well... Gunner was moving it while Trenton watched him from the corner.

Trinity ran over to her brother's mate and took his hand while Seonghwa leaned against the doorframe. "Any word from your parents, Honey?"

"No." Trenton's head shook back and forth a little. "But their phone always has issues in the winter."

"Once the others get back I'll see if someone can go check on them."

Trenton's eyes grew rounder than normal and he smiled. "Thank you."

Seonghwa would have run over to hug the sweet omega if Gunner wasn't grunting in between them while shoving the bed. "Thanks for helping."

"You're welcome!" Trenton said, giggling at the conflicted look on his mate's face.

Whenever it came to the shy omega, Gunner just didn't have it in him to be angry.

Seonghwa smiled and took this moment to slip down the hall to check on his oldest daughter. Her door was already open, so Seonghwa stepped inside.

Avayla was sitting in the rocking chair Mingi had spent hours building for her with her eyes closed and a content look on her face. In her arms was their newest bundle of joy, Kendra.

"Hi Mama," Avayla hummed. "Did the others leave?"

Seonghwa smiled, knowing Theo must have stopped in to say goodbye. "Yes, we are reorganizing the rooms now. How are you feeling?" He walked forward and leaned over to beam down at his newest grandpup.

She cooed in her sleep, pushing her lips out in a pout that very much resembled Mingi. Her platinum blonde locks curled cutely around her ears, making her rosy nose and cheeks stand out even more.

"I'm fine, just sleepy." The alpha hummed, reflecting how true her statement was. "This is one of the times I'm jealous of Theo." She chuckled and finally opened her eyes.

"Why don't you just wake him up?"

"Because he's basically dead." Avayla rolled her brilliant blue eyes but kept the loving smile on her face. "It's alright though, he makes up for it in other ways."

Seonghwa pressed his lips together to fight his own laugh. "Don't let your father hear that."

"Dad just needs to grow up."

"Yes he does." The pair shared a moment laughing quietly over the stubborn alpha.

"Mama! What else are we doing?" Gunner called from down the hall.

"Chan and Rhodey's room for now, we can do more later if needed." Seonghwa yelled back before looking at his daughter once more. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm alright. I'll need to feed her again in a little bit, so I'll be here if you need me."

Seonghwa rubbed her head for a few seconds before leaving to help with the rest of the reorganizing.

Once that was done, Jongho and Gunner worked together to dig a wide path to the shed and bring the heavy freezers inside, while Wooyoung directed them so they didn't run into anything and Maria held the cords.

Despite their attempts to stay positive, Seonghwa could feel the hidden layer of stress coming from those old enough to fully grasp the gravity of their situation.

Maria and Trinity stayed out of the way when there was nothing to help with, observing everything with curious expressions.

"Alright," Jongho stretched his arms over his head with a groan." I think that will do for now. I hate to say it, Hwa, but the kitchen is probably going to turn into a butchery."

Seonghwa pressed his lips together in distaste. He hadn't thought about that...

"Don't worry!" Wooyoung skipped over and threw his arms around the older omega, knocking them both off balance. "We've got plenty of cleaning supplies thanks to you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Seonghwa twisted around to loop an arm around Wooyoung's neck, pulling him into a head lock.

The smaller omega tried to free himself by slamming his fists into Seonghwa's stomach and back, but they were weak attempts.

And as if to rub it in more, Jongho walked by on his way to the kitchen and ruffled Wooyoung's hair.

"Hey!" Wooyoung lifted his head to glare at the alpha. "Aren't you going to help me?"

Seonghwa and Jongho locked eyes, making the younger pause, then quickly say, "Nope."

Wooyoung whined and tried to pull himself free while the alpha retreated quickly. He didn't have to wait long, though, because Seonghwa was took concerned about getting the kitchen prepped.

At least he had time. It would probably take the hunters awhile to find enough food to feed all of them, so Seonghwa employed anyone willing to help him figure out how to protect his precious kitchen.