"Where are you two going?"

Jia's mother sat in the living room near the door, with her sewing items out. She had a multitude of clothing draped all over the couch she was sitting at. Mostly Jia's clothes that would rip easily due to her accidental shiftings every now and then...Probably more than usual.

"Just...out for some air," Jia told her mother as she gave her and Hala a suspicious look. She averted her gaze, not wanting her mother to see the lie in her eyes.

A scoff came from her mother's lips. "What did Gavin have to say to you?" Jia bit back the urge to roll her eyes at her mother. It was her life. Could she not be so invested in it? Jia felt like a cushion. Always being pressed down, sat on. Never being able to breathe.

Hala stepped up to the plate. "Nothing really. Just saying how much of a terrible Beta he is and how he wanted to apologize to Jia for being so awful."

Her mother smirked. "Well yes he is a terrible Beta, I am glad that he acknowledges such a thing." Jia was annoyed with her mother yet she agreed. She accepted Gavin's apology...but it still did not make her like him.

"Right...well I'll see you for dinner eomma, okay?"

"Neomu neuj-ji mala!"
"Don't be out too late!

Taking Hala's hand she drew her friend away from her mothers unwavering and judging gaze, and outside. Her mother liked Hala only because she was the next Oracle. She was of importance. Hala was the only close friend that Jia was allowed to have really. Other people around her age in the pack were acquaintances and her mother made sure to keep it that way.

As they began to make their way towards the northern border of the pack, Jia soon realized they weren't the only ones with the same idea.

Most pack members were devastated to hear about their Alpha dying and this trespasser might have answers. Gavin and the pack warriors could always torture the trespasser and then get answers. They needed answers...

"Hey what are you two doing?"

Turning her head to the left, Jia noticed at least twelve-pack warriors rushing past them. One, in particular, paused to glare at Hala and her.

Hala scoffed at her brother. "We want to see the trespasser like everyone else, Adio. Now move," Hala complained as her brother completely blocked her way. Jia was surprised she smiled. Her heart ached entirely too much over a simple action. It felt good to smile...

"The future Luna and oracle going to a place where they might be in danger? Don't think that's a good idea, turn around pups," he said while tugging on one of Hala's dreads.

Adio enjoyed bothering his sister any way he could and calling Hala a 'pup' was surely a way to get under her skin and her brother knew that. Before she knew it, the two siblings were fighting...then her friend was in a headlock, yelling for Adio to let her go.

As Jia tried to stop the giggles from leaving her mouth, she noticed that even more warriors were heading to the border. They needed to get there! "Adio can you please let her go so we can see who's at the border? Please?" Jia pleaded as Hala bit her brother's arm.

"Little sis, I train half the pack. Your bite does absolutely nothing to me," he reminded her as she let loose a frustrated growl. "This is for not coming home for dinner the other night. You know I cooked?!"

Hala gave up her struggling and sighed loudly. "Because our annoying other sibling was home. You know we don't get along!"

Suddenly her friend was let go. "Yes but she's still our sister. So get it together, Hala," Adio growled out before glancing to Jia and smiling. "Now I'll allow you guys to go, just stay in the back and don't draw attention to yourselves."

"Thank you," Jia mock smiled as Hala flipped her brother the bird.

Jia wished she had a sibling, but according to her father, he couldn't possibly take her mother being pregnant again. And her mother claimed bearing children wrecked a woman's body and all a woman had was 'her body.' Jia could care less and couldn't wait for her body to be wrecked with at least two or three pups...now she didn't feel like having any if he wasn't going to be the father.

Adio began to jog away from them and they followed in his footsteps. They bobbed and weaved throughout the crowd, following directly behind him so that they wouldn't be stampeded by the curious oncoming pack members.

All that could be heard was the crunching of leaves and sticks underneath the eager crowds feet. If a human hunter was out she was sure they sounded like a stampede of deer...if that was a thing.

By the time they reached the border, a crowd of about 100 wolves were gathered around the border of their pack. The border was essentially a clearing full of grass and wildlife.

Most pups were trained in the clearing near the border where bunnies and skunks ran a plenty. It was good for them to learn how to catch prey. It was also hilarious to see the poor pups try and go after skunks and get sprayed. Jia had her fair share of baking soda/peroxide baths.

"Excuse me!"

Both Jia and Hala lost Adio in the crowd, but Jia gripped her friend's hand tightly, shoving and pushing through the curious crowd. Normally people would move out of the way, but she supposed everyone was so on edge about Alpha...

"Oh my..."

"This is too weird."

"What the hell."

As they neared the front of, they could hear odd statements coming from the pack members and warriors. Then Hala halted in her footsteps...and seemed to have froze.

"What is it?" Jia questioned as she stumbled to the front of the crowd. She gasped. What...was going on?

Jia's heart began to think wildly in her chest. Her mind...and her wolf couldn't possibly comprehend what they were seeing.

It was him...but it wasn't.

It looked like a variation of him. It wasn't her future mate. It wasn't the man who she wanted to spend the rest of her life on earth herewith...

Yet he was looking at her. Staring at her with some type of recognition. It was odd, confusing. Overwhelming...

it wasn't him.

The imposter stood strong and tall. His eyes resembling the dark liquor her appa enjoyed occasionally. It was like she was staring in two pools of cognac liquor... His hair was not like Alphas either. Wild and messy dark tendrils sticking up at odd angles atop of his head. Same chiseled features.

He wore a black hoodie and a pair of black sweatpants. Obviously highly suspicious. This wasn't their Alpha...her Alpha.

Pieces of her crumbling heart that had momentarily frozen were now crumbling...falling yet again.

"What the fuck is everyone staring at? Can I talk to Garvin or are you all just going keep to staring at my pretty face?!"

The man snapped, his stance becoming defensive as a few warriors began to surge forward, closing in on him.

Garvin? Did he mean Gavin? Who was this man? Jia slipped her hand into Hala's, the feeling too overwhelming. They looked so similar but this man definitely was not her Alpha. He would never curse so brazenly in front of the pack...

"I told everyone to stand down!"

Suddenly Gavin appeared, breaking out of the crowd and rushing over to the pack warriors. He seemed disgruntled as the pack warriors quickly gave the intruder some space.

The man scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. "Well finally. Where is my dumb ass brother, Garvin."

Brother?! Gasps broke out over the stunned crowd. Alpha had a brother? Jia thought he had no surviving family members. It made sense the man looked just like him...but still. Jia felt a sudden tug at her heart. So he had a brother and she never knew. It wasn't like Jia had the right to know...it would have just been nice if she would have known.

Beta Gavin visibly bristled. He put his hands up in his usual mock surrender gesture. "Listen we can talk about this in private, not in front of everyone."

The man began to laugh. A hearty laugh that didn't sit well with Jia. The crowd watched in curiosity as the man grabbed Beta Gavin by the shoulder. The comical look on his face vanished, replaced with a not so kind look.

A growl seemed to shake the forest floor as he pulled Gavin closer to him. His claws were out now and piercing Gavin's shirt. "Garvin you know I don't like you. Tell me what the hell is going on?"

"It's Gavin!" Gavin snarled, pushing at their late Alpha's...brother. "And I don't want to fight, Pierson."

Pierson? She definitely hadn't heard of this man before. The man chuckled before, showing his bright sharpening teeth. The man seemed to be fighting his wolf... before he shoved Gavin hard to the ground. "Then tell me what the fuck I want to know! My brother has patience...unfortunately I don't share that family trait."

Gavin was definitely not comprehending that this man wanted to kill him because he wasn't telling him where his brother was. He also seemed infuriated for other reasons. He was going to have his butt kicked...if someone didn't step in.

As Jia contemplated getting involved...she noticed that a few people started to stare at her and couldn't figure out why. Even Hala was staring at her...

"What is it?" Jia whispered nervously before glancing back at who they all should have been keeping their eyes on. The alphas brother...who was now intensely staring at her.

She gulped and took a nervous step back. "You...you have my brothers necklace on. What happened to him," he questioned Jia as he began to stalk over to her.

Jia wanted to shriek and run. This man was nothing like his brother. Sure Alpha rose his voice speaking to her every now and then but nothing like this man. The closer he got to Jia, the more pack warriors slowly began their descent to move closer to her. They were trying to protect her from this maniac of a man.

She knew he caught on to the warriors moving in on her and he immediately paused in his steps. He sighed loudly, raking his hands through his hair roughly. "You're his mate right? Lia or something? What happened?" His tone was much softer now. The fury that was there just a split second ago vanishing.

Jia felt like the spotlight was on her and began to sweat immediately. How did she get involved with this? She should have stayed in her room, listening to BTS and mourning the love of her life. Instead, she was surrounded by grieving pack members, an angry and confused brother, and Gavin.

"I'm sorry," Jia blurted as the man's eyes narrowed while looking at her. She glanced to Gavin, wondering if he was going to help her out. "You should speak to Gavin in private. It's not my place," She told the man shakily as Gavin has the audacity to glare at her.

'Pierson' did not seem satisfied with that response. Not in the slightest. He opened his mouth to speak...before someone began to shout his name. An old shaky voice. The man immediately rolled his eyes, and brought his hands up to his face, rubbing his temples slowly.

The crowd began to split again...and Lucine appeared. She was walking slowly, her hands trembling, and two people helping her walk through the crowd. Lucine looked sick. She looked how the pack felt...

"Beta Pierson of the Dark Claw pack!" Lucine spoke, her shaking body momentarily pausing to stare at this man.

Jia gasped, the Dark Claw pack coming back to her memory. The last day her and Alpha spoke...he mentioned the Dark Claw pack. He must've been on the phone with his brother...it all made sense now.

"Oh, Lucine....how are you?" Pierson questioned, dryly as he crossed his arms over his chest. He was stressing a smile. A smile that you could tell was not genuine. Jia's heart began to constrict. She knew that smile. The false smile that Alpha would give her...when he didn't necessarily want to be bothered with her. Their smiles were so alike...her chest began to physically ache.

Before Lucine could answer she began to cough heavily...so much that she looked ready to faint. Jia was concerned for, essentially the pillar of the pack. Their Alpha was the first to go...Lucine couldn't go also... The pack could not be dealt another blow, plus Hala was not ready to be oracle. She was still in training.

Lucine finally managed to gather herself and began to speak. "Do you tire from running, Pierson?"

The man smirked, his chuckle surprisingly lightening the heavy dark mood. "Not at all. Keeps me fit, Lucine. The real question is why can't I get in contact with my brother? And why is Garvin such a bit- I mean so difficult?"

Lucine shook her head slowly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Lucine...?"

The elderly oracle broke down into a fit of sobs. Not only was she being crippled by her own grief, but the grief of the pack. They were all connected, all woven together tightly...

"He's dead. Cohen is dead."
***********
Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for the long wait. Any predictions??

How's everyone doing? Mentally/physically?

I just turned 22 yesterday so woohoo. It's weird because I feel SO OLD, but I'll be okay lol

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