---Kyle's POV---

Keeping one's hope and dreams alive was a lot harder than it may seem. Especially when one became disillusioned with life itself.

Drake let out a sigh on his own desk while I tiredly rummaged through paperwork the Betas had already scanned and presented to us.

"Why are people so stupid?" I murmured tiredly after reading a report of an Alpha who rejected his mate in a fit of rage, only to instantly regret the rejection and wished to undo it. "What is so hard to understand about rejection being a permanent, unaltered state?"

At that, Drake snorted in agreement before replying "You'd be surprised at how many people think they know better. Until the very moment they'd experience it themselves and suddenly wish that someone else knows better."

Both of us released a tired sigh, wishing we could just ignore all this paperwork and head to bed. Instead, we still had quite the amount of work waiting for us, despite our best efforts of doing as much as we could.

Luckily the Council's people proved to be invaluable. Not only did they work without complaint, they actually helped improve pack dynamics where needed.

And in turn, it seemed that we were accidentally giving the Council more and more work. At least, unintentionally.

With each added report that portrayed sheer stupidity and ignorance, there was another pack that the Council needed to visit. A mass re-education was in order, almost desperately needed in some cases.

Of course, rejections weren't a common thing. But when you were a pack that dealt only with rejections, the amount was disgustingly high.

And the price paid by the rejected immeasurable.

"How's Basil?" Drake questioned, dropping the forms in his hands as concern filled his expression.

I grimaced in response. The reminder of the poor Omega in our care proved a painful point to my earlier thoughts.

"Depressed. Absolutely gutted, given the news." I whispered, shivering at the memory of Basil's mournful howl a mere week ago.

Omegas were blessed with the ability to produce pups. It was rare that it happened in the first place and extremely harsh on their bodies to grow a litter to maturity in beneficial circumstances.

We had instantly alerted the Council when we learned Basil was in fact pregnant with his first litter. Asked for assistance and information, as we didn't know how to properly deal with this delicate situation.

After all, rejection took a toll on the rejected person and had dire repercussions if the rejected mate was pregnant at the time.

With the young Omega carrying the future Alpha-to-be new litter, the future of the pack, the stakes had become that much higher.

If news spread that Basil was pregnant, not only would his ex-mate wish to see the Omega, the blood-vendetta between packs would target Basil even harsher than before.

Then again, the presence of Basil's ex-mate might stave off the worst of the attacks and ire of the pack.

As we communicated with the Council and had their doctors come over to take care of Basil, we were contemplating the necessary steps we'd need to take.

Inform Basil's former mate of the truth of the Omega's rejection and have them reconcile, prove that Basil's pups were in fact the young Alpha-to-be 's heirs or... keep the news to ourselves.

"I'm happy we asked Basil what he wanted to do but..." Drake's sigh was heavy with sorrow and compassion for the young Omega in their care. "I wish it hadn't come to this."

The news of Basil's miscarriage came to nobody's surprise. He had already been twelve weeks pregnant, ten weeks at the point of rejection, and had held hope that he would be able to carry his pups to full term.

Instead the last bit of light, that final hope, had been snuffed without remorse.

A gruesome price paid for his rejection, a dire cost of one single Alpha's stupidity.

All paid by a single innocent Omega, who suffered greatly for two packs' rash decisions. A disgusted growl rumbled through my chest before placing one of the current reports in front of my mate.

"Basil has been under suicide watch until further notice." I murmured softly, honestly feeling as if I had failed the Omega. For the first few weeks that he had been here, he had seemed to collect his thoughts and managed pretty well.

To have the rug yanked out from underneath him like that was devastating.

"I've been on the phone with the Council for the past few hours and they've decided to not inform Basil's old pack. Pointing out that it is possible they knew Basil was pregnant and still went through with the rejection."

Just imagining that was already a hard fact to swallow. That they potentially knew or even suspected Basil might've been pregnant and still cast him out, worse, rejected him.

Knowing that rejecting a pregnant mate often resulted in higher risks for that pregnancy... Studies clearly proving that even if they managed to bear with the pregnancy, the rejected would still suffer greatly.

"If they knew... considering everything that happened, perhaps Basil's mate was starting to doubt the pups were his." I murmured before quickly waving my hands, "I'm not condoning it at all-"

"I know darling." Drake smiled, pulling me against his chest. "We need to look at this from all possible angles, even if we don't agree with the actions of those packs."

Our minds linked, sharing the thoughts I was having earlier. If Basil's former mate truly believed that he had cheated on him, he would doubt the truth behind Basil's pregnancy.

After all, who could vouch that the pups he was bearing, were actually his mate's?

Yet I couldn't understand why all of Basil's former pack members just... acted. Reacted on the news and never verified it, simply sniffed a stranger on Basil's body and clothes, deeming him unfaithful and cast him out.

I knew for a fact that Drake would've reacted very differently.

"Indeed. For starters, I wouldn't have left you alone to get roofied in the first place." Drake growled, nuzzling against my skin, mouthing at his mark before he sighed. "If this happened, I would've questioned the pack members who saw you leave with an unknown male and didn't do anything to prevent it in the first place."

My brows rose at the point he made. If Basil was indeed deemed to be a traitor to pack and family simply because he disappeared with a stranger and came back smelling like them... why had nobody who spotted the couple leaving intervened?

"Someone from Basil's former pack is either mated to the opposing pack or they had a personal vendetta with either Alpha or Omega." I realized, quickly typing a message towards our contact with the Council.

As long as that one person remained in the pack, there was no knowing when they'd strike again. The Council might not wish to intervene quite yet, but we needed to make sure no other victims were made.

For all we knew, that unknown person could be targeting other people now that Basil was out of the picture. If they were working together with whoever had basically kidnapped Basil, they wouldn't shy away of doing something similar, or worse.

"I wish Basil was in a better position to be questioned but-" Drake motioned with his hand, not needing to explain any further. "I find it off-putting that none of Basil's friends or family stood at his side, even if he smelled like a strange Alpha. None of them even thought of assault and kidnapping? Nobody?"

A shiver ran down my spine, eyes flitting away. It was a question I had often asked myself with my own rejection and being instantly cast out of the pack without trial or a chance to speak.

People I've spent years with, people I've defended without second thought, had seen as family...

And Basil had it worse. To lose your mate, your family and then your unborn pups would be too hard to bear for anyone.

Brushing my hands over my arms, I leaned against Drake when his hold tightened on me.

The mood stayed sober as we quickly finished our work before heading out for a run. Nodding our heads to the pack members we encountered, several deciding to join on an impromptu run.

It made the emotions churning inside slowly mellow out, tension relaxing as I let the wolf take over and just run.

To not worry about human thoughts and fears and instead run.

I knew I shouldn't care so much to the point where it made me sick, but I wanted the people under my care to be happy and healthy.

But, as Drake had pointed out before, I couldn't take care of the pack if I refused to take care of myself. If I made others worry about my own wellbeing, I would be doing the pack a disservice.

So I played with the pack for a bit longer, yipping and barking as we darted through the forest. Most of us splitting apart as Drake and I did an impromptu border check, scent marking the occasional tree to reaffirm the borders.

By the time that we returned to the packhouse, night had already shrouded the surroundings in a comforting blanket of silence and darkness.

Drake's wolf huffed as I darted past him, playfully pulling at his fur along the way before heading straight for our room. We had done enough work for today.

Now it was our turn to relax, enjoy ourselves and get the energy to work towards a better tomorrow.

Drake seemed to agree that notion, following hot on my tail and pinning me down just at the door leading to our quarters. I growled playfully, turning in his hold to press my paws against his chest.

He growled back for a moment, fur bristling as we stared at one another. One moment we were wolves, the next I barely managed to reach behind me and open the door before Drake's bare skin pressed against mine.

I could tell from the look in his eyes that this was going to be wild. Only managing to kick the door shut on reflex as Drake lifted me in his arms and virtually threw me on the bed.

It had been a while since we last made love without any interruptions. Sure we had the occasional quickie, but there was a difference between a simple rutting and having the luxury of our bed.

A kiss against my forehead made me blink, smiling up at Drake while his fingers danced over my skin. "No thoughts of the pack or work. Not tonight. I want you to focus on the here and now."

"To feel my skin against yours, feel every sensation I create in your delicious body." He smirked down as I flushed hotly, leaning up as he leaned down to whisper against my skin.

"Tonight, it's just the two of us darling. And nothing will stand in my way of having you until dawn."