Akela and Kira were walking through the deep snowdrifts, their muscles burning from the long trek and shivering in the cold wind. In front of them was their father, behind was their mum.
A small family pack.
Rogues.
Peaceful rogues.
Ahead in the snow was a low timber cabin.
Link James stopped and sniffed the air before he shifted, shuddering in the cold wind and pulled the door open.

"It's dry," he smiled and the four of them hurried into the shelter.

Not long after, a fire was blazing in the stove and Link had a decent size rabbit skinned, ready to cook for supper.

"Right. I think we can stay here this winter," he smiled.

Akela remembered that smile years later. The proud smile of a man able to provide for his family. The warm love in his eyes as he gazed on his mate and their twin daughters. The love Akela wished to find for herself. One day.

"And then look for a pack once spring comes," Lexi replied before hiding a cough in the blanket draped around her.

"Yeah. I think we have to," Link nodded seriously.

Kira and Akela were well aware that their mother was unwell. All autumn she had lost weight and she was coughing constantly.

"Shadow mountain," she whispered once her breath was back.

"Shadow mountain," Link nodded.

"What's at Shadow mountain?" Kira asked, always the more curious of the two girls.

"The two Connor packs. One is run by the fearless Cizinec heir. A mighty warrior. He is said to live openly among humans," Link grinned with a dramatic story telling voice.

"Nobody does that!" Kira laughed.

"This guy does whatever he wants. He defeated the feared Erberus Cizinec, the rogue king because Erberus stole his Luna," Link said.

"Why would anyone steal someone's Luna?" Akela questioned with suspicion.
Her own parents were so tightly bonded, she couldn't understand that anyone would want to break a mated bond like that.

"They say his Luna is a blind human with psychic powers," Link nodded.

"Noooo!" Kira laughed in disbelief.

"And his pack is mostly half-breed warriors, trained to defend and protect," their father nodded.

"Seriously?" Akela frowned.

"So if you're ever in trouble. Seek out the Cizinec heir at the Shadow mountain. Pledge your loyalty to the most powerful Alpha," Link said seriously.

"And you think he will be able to help mum?" Kira asked.

Link shook his head.

"I don't know. But we're not seeking him. We'll go to the neighbouring pack," Lexi smiled at her two girls.

"Why?" Akela asked again and noticed how her parents exchanged a look.

"Aki... you're 17. You'll be adults soon. And we want to settle in a pack where it's a greater possibility to find your mates," Lexi replied but Akela saw the truth in the subtle tightness of her smile.
Tears threatened to fill her eyes. Her mother was dying. And she didn't want her family to grieve alone.

"We are seeking the Shadow Mountain pack. They will take us in," Lexi smiled

"So... why aren't we going there now?" Akela asked.

"We'll head south once winter is over," Link said with a warm smile hiding his seriousness.

Her parents looked at each other. The love between them was obvious. They wanted to spend their last winter together, just them, as a family.

"I'm not trudging through snow in case there's a cute guy on the south side of the mountain ridge!" Kira laughed.

Akela nodded to show agreement with her twin. Unless she found a mate who worshipped her like her father did her mother, she wasn't interested. She had rejected offers in the arctic packs they had visited. Kira had snuck away a couple of times with young males, and returned with a secret smile and some fresh hormonal surges. Akela hadn't been that bold. But as northern packs went, a mated bond wasn't necessary for a claim. And Kira's latest young man had promised her a home, should she ever return. Link didn't want to stay rooted in the  north, and Lexi was longing for her childhood home in the south. That's why their journey had begun before Kira got more than one chance to break the poor guy's heart.

Later that night, as Akela watched her father in wolf shape gently lick around her mother's jaw to show her his devotion, she secretly longed for that one special someone who would love her the way her dad loved her mum. The way his human face would light up in a smile when he looked at her. And the way he in this rickety cabin curled his big, malamute looking wolf around her smaller dark brown wolf to keep her warm. Akela curled herself up with Kira, the two of them in matching thick fur, shaded to look like their dad but both built like their lithe mother. She fell asleep. And in her dreams, she imagined a tall, broad shouldered mate with a kind smile.

A couple of weeks wore on and as the first snow melted, so it seemed Lexi did too.
Akela returned from a morning hunt to hear her parents in an unusually heated discussion.

"We need a doctor, Lex. Please?" Her dad was pleading.

"No. Wait until I'm gone. Here. And take the girls south in spring. Away from the north," Her mother replied.
Akela could hear the fear and tears in her voice.

"I can't let you die!" Link wept with her.

A few meters away, Akela knew Kira was stood with the same emotional battle as Akela. Only mixed with anger. The door slammed as Kira burst past Akela and into the cabin.

"Don't you dare!" Kira screamed.

Both parents looked at her.

"We know you're ill, mum. And if there's a cure... we need to find it!" Kira sobbed.

"There isn't," Lexi replied sadly.

"How do you know? We haven't been close to a pack in a year. You haven't been near a doctor!" Kira asked.

"I've been ill for many years, Kira," Lexi smiled gently.

"Kira is right... we should go south. As soon as we can," Link nodded seriously.

"It's too late, honey," Lexi replied sadly.
Akela felt Kira's despair as the truth descended.

Link looked between his daughters.

"We're going after breakfast. We'll be at the Shadow mountain by mid winter," he announced and took the fresh prey from his daughters hands.

For three weeks Akela picked up a strong worry between her parents and whispers of fresh snow and paw prints. They went long detours to avoid scenting a certain area and both parents were unusually tense. Thy had never been travelling in winter before, but Link preferred travelling in snow to losing his mate. Lexi was weaker by the day and the pace was made slow by her having to either be carried on Link's back or supported. for long stretches, she hung limp in human shape on her mate's back as he carried her without a single word of complaint.

And she looked scared. Both Link and Lexi were on constant alert, always sniffing the air.

"What's wrong?" Akela asked one day.

"We're too close to Alpha Preston's tributary territory," Link shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Kira asked.

"Whatever you do... avoid Alpha Preston!" Link said seriously.

"Why?" Kira contnued.

"Because I was his Delta Fighter... and I left to be with Lexi," Link smiled.

Akela frowned and noticed a similar questioning look on Kira's face.

"He doesn't like it when someone breaks his orders..." Link simply shrugged.

Lexi smiled at her mate before turning to her daughters.

"There's a price on our heads. If Preston finds us, he will probably imprison us... all four of us..." she said seriously.

"But why???" Kira asked.

Link and Lexi exchanged a look.

"Because we mated without his permission or knowledge..." Link said, dismissing Kira before she could ask more questions.

"He doesn't believe in true mates, Kira. He believes in loyalty and submission!" Lexi said seriously.

"So he wants to get you for breaking his rules?" Akela asked.

Both parents nodded. 

"Right. Let's get going... away from this dictator," Kira scoffed.

Link nodded at Lexi.

"But not now. I'm too weak," Lexi smiled faintly before curling up to sleep.

"Two days... and we'll be out of his reach," Link said and kicked dirt over the fire to hide the embers before he shifted and curled up to sleep, with his mate and daughters close.

It was  still dark when snarling was heard through the trees and they woke to see a ring of fierce delta fighters surrounding them.

One of them, a large black wolf stepped forward.

"Got lost on your way did you?" he asked with a look at Link.

"Alpha!" Link gasped standing up between the large wolf and his family.

"I'm assuming your arrival in my territory means you've finally decided to deliver my mate to me?" the big wolf asked, and before any of them knew what was happening, lycans in human form were approaching with big nets that they threw over each of them.

"Link James! You are charged with treason and kidnapping," one of the lycans announced as the nets were tightened and the four rogue lycans were bundled tight and bound.

"Lexi!" Link whimpered.

"I love you. Forever!" Lexi whispered just before she fainted.

"NOOO! Lexi! Not now!" Link screamed and scrambled to get out of his net, but was rewarded with a sharp knock to the head that had him slumped in unconsciousness.

Alpha Preston walked over to where Akela and Kira were strapped up in each their nets.

"Yes... You two will do quite nicely!" he grinned and gave an order to move. 

For hours the two girls were slung over shoulders, hoisted and carried by various strong deltas. They could feel their mother waning and every time Link came to, he would get another knock out punch, each harder than the last. They were transported across a scent barrier and into a building.

Faint with hunger and thirst, they were thrown into separate cages in a dark basement.

Akela untangled herself from her net, standing on shaky and stiff legs to try to get to Kira, but the moment she touched the bars, she was hit with a sharp pain.

"Damn it! These bars are silver!" Kira swore, looking at her own burned hands.

And that was their reality. For a few days, they were left in their cages, with no light, no other company than each other and the worry.

They could feel their father's pain. Something was being done to hurt him.

And they could feel their mother slowly slip away.

Until the moment came when both Kira and Akela felt her leave her mortal existence. At the same time they felt their father's extreme jolt of pain at losing his mate. They couldn't hear him scream, but they felt his grief and sorrow the moment Lexi's soul left her body.

"Mama!" Kira cried out while Akela collapsed on the floor in tears.

Not even an hour passed before the door to the basement opened and a defeated and beaten Link was dragged in followed by Alpha Preston.

"You decide! Which one of them?" Preston ordered.

"Not my dughters! Not my girls!" Link mumbled, semi conscious with grief and covered in bruises.

Akela couldn't remember ever seeing him so broken. his dirty blonde hair was matted with rust and his grey eyes, usually so alive with love and laughter were dull.

Kira stood defiantly by the bars, Akela was sat by the wall, still grieving her mother.

"What did they do to you Dad?" Kira asked.

Link lifted his head and shook it sadly.

"Which one of these two?!" Alpha Preston repeated.

"NEITHER!" Link growled, giving the Alpha his last strength.

"Then I'll just have to have both!" Preston grinned.

Akela looked at him for the first time. He was well dressed in human shape. in a suit with a tie. In other circumstances he could have been a handsome man, but his hateful look at Link made him demonic.

"Have us?" Akela asked.

"So it seems," Preston grinned.

"Please don't! Please," Link begged, tears streaming down his face. He lifted his eyes to look at both his daughters with infinite grief.

"I'm so sorry! I love you so much and I should have protected you better," he sniffed.

Akela stood and walked up to the bars, ignoring the burn as she reached out to take her father's hand.

"I love you too dad," she whispered, somehow sensing the next thing to happen. Her father's blonde hair shook with his sobs as Akela feared this was the last time she would see him.

Kira reached through her bars too, touching Link to give him strength she didn't have.

"I'm so sorry!" Link whispered again.

"Well, then... I guess it's two for the price of one," Alpha Preston smirked with satisfaction before gesturing for his deltas to drag Link away.

"Please, let them go!" Link begged as the door was shut behind the group of people, leaving Kira and Akela in darkness again.

A short wait followed. Akela hardly dared to breathe, while Kira paced restlessly. Another jolt of pain ripped through both of them, leaving them alone, with no parents and no idea of what Alpha Preston had planned.