I am getting so tired of this! Mingi growled while swiping a paw angrily through the snow. Why isn't it melting?

Because it snowed for almost two weeks straight. Seonghwa chuckled from where he was laying on his back in the white powder.

Mingi crinkled his nose and huffed, although he couldn't help but soften up a bit when his mate started rolling around.

To be fair, the sun was shining today, breaking through the grey clouds for the first time since the storm began. It gave everything a majestic, sparkling glow.

Lighten up. Seonghwa added playfully. He was still on his back and had his mouth open with his tongue hanging out the side.

Suddenly a flash of orange flew by, sending snow flying in all directions, and barreled into the white omega.

Loud yelps echoed through the yard and soon Seonghwa and Wooyoung were rolling around together. Neither had been outside the house much, having too many responsibilities, so they were both excited to go on this trip.

Their plan today was to go and check on the surrounding packs, starting with the twins, which was part of why Wooyoung was so excited today.

They hadn't heard a word from them, but in all reality they were lucky they didn't lose power.

After checking up on them, they would make the rounds to Trenton's family, Riley's new pack, and then the others in the surrounding area.

Hongjoong walked over to sit next to Mingi and yawned. How do they have so much energy?

Great question. Although, it is Wooyoung. Does he ever not have energy? Mingi smirked as Seonghwa managed to pin Wooyoung and pressed the younger into the snow.

Good point. Hongjoong voice held an amused tone. There was a hint of pride with it too, something that Mingi never missed when it happened.

It made his own wolf bristle with pride and he yearned to continue making his alpha feel that way.

Alright. Hongjoong called out to the entire pack. Wooyoung and Seonghwa shook out their fur and trotted over while San, Yeosang, Rhodey, and Chan also came forward. Stay close and stay alert. We need to be ready to help anyone who needs us, alright?

Everyone nodded and both San and Mingi picked up large sacks in their jaws. The pack as a whole had decided to portion out their own food supply to bring to the others. They had no idea if they had managed to find food for themselves.

Wooyoung tried to eagerly led the way, having to work almost as hard as the pups to move forward through the deep snow. He sunk down to his chest multiple times and had to paw his way back up once he found harder snow to walk on.

It was amusing to watch for Mingi, who had no problem plowing ahead and making a path for the others to follow. You're going to wear yourself out.

I'm fine. Wooyoung nipped at the alpha's tail. Hurry up!

Youngie. San said, a hint of warning in his tone. A small whimper came from his omega and the two of them fell silent.

Mingi knew they were having a private conversation that most likely involved San trying to tell his mate that everything was fine with their daughters.

The alpha grew distracted when Seonghwa's wonderful lemon scent came from his right. You're enjoying this too much.

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Mingi flicked his tail over to wrap it around Seonghwa's as they continued forward.

Liar.

Mingi chuckled but said now more.

It took them about thirty minutes to reach the home the twins had built. It was a modest log house that they had modeled after the main pack home. They had kept it to one story, but let it spread out so they had four bedrooms to prepare for the future.

And they could barely see the roof, just like their home.

Since they were still in Hongjoong's territory, there was no border or boundary set up to alert the mini pack of their arrival, so Hongjoong moved to the front and gave a low howl.

One answered soon after, which had both Wooyoung and San bounding forward to meet the two graceful, orange tinted wolves scrambling up a dug out path.

The four of them started rubbing up against each other, whimpering rapidly in greeting. Chan joined them too, earning several loving licks from his older sisters.

Two grey and white wolves came up a moment later, carrying blankets, and nodded in greeting to Hongjoong.

When everyone had calmed down, Hongjoong shifted and pulled out a large fur from the pack San had been carrying. Stephan and Serena both shifted as well and wrapped their blankets around themselves.

"How are you holding up?" Hongjoong asked, smiling lovingly at where the reunited family of five were all curled up together. Wooyoung was gently licking Lizbeth's head while San was nuzzling Lorelai.

"Just fine." Stephan had the same look in his eyes. "Both of the girls made it through their heat. It was a little rough to start with, but it's been over for two days now."

"And we had plenty of food built up." Serena added. "How about you?"

"It was a little rough. We had some forest critters raid our food so we ended up having to go hunt, but everyone is doing just fine."

"And Avayla and the baby?"

"Happy and healthy." Hongjoong nodded in thanks.

Mingi kept his eyes focused on his alpha, trying to read the slight mixed emotions coming from him. There was still a lot about the alpha twins that they didn't know about. They had mated with the twins about a year ago and it was shortly after that Hongjoong had offered to give them a piece of land.

If it wasn't for the twins obvious infatuation with them, Mingi knew Hongjoong would be a lot more skeptical about letting them stay.

But the twins were smart and Hongjoong trusted them, so that's what was important.

"Do you need help digging out at all?" Hongjoong scrunched his nose and looked at the buried home.

"Nah." Stephan ruffled his dirty blonde hair. "It'll give us something to focus on while waiting for any results. We've be a little... anxious." He said with a chuckle.

"I can understand that." Hongjoong glanced at Yeosang. "Well we have other places to go, but please let us know if you need anything."

"We will, thank you." Stephan bowed his head once more before shifting back into his wolf form. His sister copied him and padded over to where Lorelai was now sitting up and thumping her tail against the ground.

The mates rubbed against each other lovingly before everyone said their final goodbyes to the small pack of four.

When they moved on, Wooyoung was noticeably quieter and stayed close to San's side. He would be ok, but they all knew he always needed a little time after seeing his girls to become the happy omega they all knew and loved.

The next couple of stops ended up being fairly similar.

Seonghwa was thrilled when they came across Trenton's pack out hunting. They had all been just fine and were thankful to hear their son was still in good hands. With the promise of a family dinner soon, Hongjoong happily led the way to visit his son.

Riley was already out front in a large coat with a shovel working on clearing the main yard in front of his pack home. Jade was next to him in her wolf form with a makeshift shovel in her jaws.

Yeosang whined and greeted them with a couple of quick yaps while trotting over to them.

"Mama!" Riley beamed, looking very much like his father, and jabbed his shovel into the snow. "Dad! I had a feeling you would show up today."

Hongjoong shifted once more and when to shake hands with his son. "You know me well. How did things go here?" He shivered a little beneath the fur draped over his shoulders.

"We had a little bit of a bumpy start." Riley admitted. He jerked a hand over his shoulder, directing everyone's attention to a corner of the house that looked like it had caved in.

Yeosang was quick to run over and investigate it. Joongie...

"Don't worry, Mama." Riley said, wrapping an arm around Jade's neck when she came to stand next to him. "We have to boarded up and that room is sealed off now. This home is old so we've been trying to repair it as best we could, but I guess we missed a spot." Riley looked down and twisted his lips to the side.

It was easy to see he blamed himself. His beta licked his cheek to try and comfort him. They leaned into each other and Riley sighed. "We will get it taken care of, though. It'll just take some time."

"We will come help you." Hongjoong said right away. As if anyone expected him to say anything different.

"Me too!" Rhodey chimed in from where he was freshly shifted and wrapped in a large coat. He ran forward to hug his brother around the waist and rubbed his nose back and forth. "I'm small, but I can help with the tight corners!"

"I bet you can, Squirt." Riley ruffled the younger's hair and held him close. "Thanks, Dad." He said, looking back at Hongjoong. "It means a lot."

"That's what family does. Do you have enough food?"

"Um..." Riley looked down once more.

Mingi felt bad for the kid. He could tell that Riley's pride as an alpha had been wounded because of the damage to his home and the overall outcome of the storm. But it was something he would have to learn about being an alpha and leading a pack. Hongjoong would be beating himself up just as much if the roles were reversed.

Which was why Hongjoong didn't say anything. He just walked to the sack Mingi had been carrying and pulled out several bundles of frozen meat. It was enough food to feed the small pack for about ten days if they were careful.

"Dad..." Riley's voice caught in his throat. "I-"

"Don't say anything. We have more than enough. That's why we brought it. Let us finish our rounds and then we will grab some supplies from home and be back."

Riley swallowed and nodded. Tears glistened in his eyes, although he tried to hide them by looking down at his brother.

With a parting hug, Hongjoong and Rhodey shifted back and joined their pack to continue on.

Every other pack they met with were in a decent place. Only two needed food because they hadn't been able to find any of their own and both reported a similar problem of their stored up food being stolen.

Mingi didn't like hearing that. If the creatures of the forest were getting that bold, that meant they were either growing desperate, or there was something else behind the sudden need for food...

But there was no logical explanation to be found other than piled up snow outside the storage huts.

On their way back home, he ran his worries by Hongjoong, wanting to know what he thought about it.

It is strange. His alpha said softly. Especially with those two packs being so far away from us, so there's no way it was the same creatures. Or it would be highly unlikely.

That's what I was thinking. I- Mingi paused and looked to his left. His entire body was frozen except for his ears, which twitched back and forth.

Something was out there.

Stay here. Mingi lowered his head and moved forward. The rest of his pack did as he said, trusting him completely.

The air smelled... off. His nose twitched rapidly, drawing in every single scent in the area.

Rabbit. Tree bark. And... ginger?

There was another wolf in the area. With an unfamiliar scent.

Hwa, take the kids and go home. You too, Wooyoung. Mingi growled.

It was an alpha.

Hongjoong came to his side, hackles raised on the back of his neck. San, Yeosang, go with them. I think it's only one.

Then we can stay to help you. Yeosang said stubbornly. If there are more they may decide to attack us on our way back anyway.

Mingi couldn't argue there. He kept quiet as he continued to pick his way forward. They were too far away to warn the rest of the pack, so they'd have to make due for now.

He turned his head to the side, trying to figure out where the scent was strongest. The wind shifted, blasting him with the new ginger smell.

But it also carried something else.

Joong.

I smell it too. His alpha ran forward.

The new scent had all of them in a panic now. It was never a good sign when it was mingled in with everything else... Something had happened either because of the alpha, or to the alpha.

And it was all marked by one thing.

Blood.