Everything was packed. Their clothes, their feelings, luggage everything. It was time to go home, the only place he called home. He wasn't coming back happy and in love. He was coming back torn and desperate for forgiveness.

He loved his mate and to see her so broken from his decisions made him sick with self loathing. She had gone back to wearing her novice like clothing. Not wanting to wear the colorful dresses he got her that were still modest but showed a bit of skin.

Pomelia was in the car, in the back seat. She hadn't spoken to him since he spilled everything to her. Her silence was loud and her tears were even louder. Every time he looked at her she would be looking away from him. She couldn't even look him in the eyes anymore.

"Well, it's been real. I wish you luck with your mate situation. I have some more money I'll be sending your way. I know Khan will probably drain you dry for payback."

Alpha Reese was here to see them off. His mate was nowhere in sight. He wanted to ask about her but he didn't care much. "Thanks...You said one of your pack members has Nick. Where is he? We have to go."

He packed up all of Nicks things too and was expecting him to be here by now. Reese explained that he ran out of the house crying when he heard Pom and War fighting. "Ah, should be here any moment."

Just as he mentioned it, a truck was pulling up. He immediately recognized the passenger in the car. It was the kid. War watched the big green truck screech to a halt and glared at who was in the truck.

"Why the fuck is he with him?!" For some reason Wars dampening mood completely soured upon seeing Mac, Mach whatever the fuck his name was. The passengers side door swung open and Nick hopped out.

War glowered at Nick before making his way over to Mach. The annoying ass man was in his uniform and was glaring at War with a look that could kill. "What the hell is going on?"

The man scoffed, hopping out of the car and sizing War up like they would be coming to blows. "What do you mean? I find him crying in the fucking woods yesterday. Nobody came for him. Aren't you guys his family?!"

War didn't care what the creep had to say, he didn't trust him and knew Nick didn't like the annoying man. "You should've walked him back to the house," War snapped, glancing at Nick who was typing on his phone furiously.

He noticed the kid had on clothes...that actually fit. Not the baggy clothing that hung off his bean pole body. "He didn't want to go!"

"Nick get in the car," War snapped as his phone buzzed. "We're leaving."

Don't be mad at him. He was cool.

"Nah I want to talk about him. How come he can't talk? What happened to him?" Mach asked as War ignored his questions and turned around. Mach grabbed him. "Hey I helped your brother. Least you can do is give me some answers!"

War was like a ticking time bomb. He swiveled out of Mach's hold with a snarl. Who the fuck did this guy think he was?! "Mind your fucking business."

The man threw his head back in a laugh. Like he thought something was funny. War's foot up the cops ass was about to be hilarious. "Listen you asshole I'm not some creep okay? I'm Nicks ma-"

"-No!"

Both of them jumped at hearing a yell. It was Nick. He had spoken...again? War stared at him a few moments longer than usual, surprised that the kid spoke in front of more than two people. He seemed petrified at whatever Officer Mach was about to say... Nick quickly walked over to War and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him in the direction of the car.

War didn't enjoy being pushed or prodded but for some reason he felt the need to listen to the kid. "Stay away from him," he added for extra measure before turning towards the way of the truck. He could see Pomelia in the back seat, she looked to be wiping her face. She was crying again... "Get in the car," War instructed him before ignoring the cop and heading back over to Alpha Reese who was staring at him oddly.

"You went all mama bear, War. It was cute," the man laughed as he rolled his eyes and glanced back at the car. Nick was getting his skinny ass in there like he told him to. It wasn't that War was protective over him it was just that...well he wasn't sure but Nick needed to stay safe. The kid had a lot of problems.

"We have to go. Send me the money through...stash app or cash if you can." He and Reese shook hands before they departed.

Once War made it into the car, the stench of Pomelia's and even Nicks emotions were almost too much for him to bear. He had to roll down his window and glance to the back seat. Pom was twiddling with her fingers in her lap, her bottom lip tucked in and eyes glassy. His chest began to pain...

"Are you okay, Pomelia?"

She gave him a jerky nod, her eyes not meeting his own. War glanced to Nick and noticed he gave him a half assed thumbs up. Well everyone in the car was lying to him, so he took their false yesses and began to drive the car. The silence was starting to become unbearable and he winded up putting on the radio.

———————————————————

War ignored the lingering stares as he parked in front of the Alpha house. His skin felt tight and his stomach was turning like he ate tainted meat. He had to face Khan and his constant digs and his shit eating grins and just him. The Alpha had to be furious with War and probably was plotting his revenge...

He thought he would feel some relief being back here and with Pomelia, but he felt high strung. As if he was walking on egg shells and they hadn't even gotten into the house yet.

Glancing back, he noticed that Pom and Nick were both up. Both of their eyes seemed glassy and both were giving off upset auras.

He left the car silently and opened Pomelia's car door. She whispered a thank you before hopping out and taking a shaky breath. It was labored, he could tell it was and it sounded like it hurt her to do so.

Nick scrambled out the car and grabbed his one bag, sniffing it a few times before looking at War. Whatever the kid was nervous for him to find or see he shouldn't be worried. War was on autopilot when packing...

As he gathered their bags he noticed a small blue car with unfamiliar scents wafting to his nose. Whose car was this? And why was it parked at the Alpha house?

While War tried to think of who was a guest in the house for a few days, he cocked his head towards the door, watching Nick quickly balance with the weight of his bags and rush up to the door opening it for Pomelia.

She whispered another thank you before walking in. War had managed to grab most of their bags in his hands and headed into the house. The scent that wafted to his nose was stale. It reeked of dominance, sweat, alcohol and weed. It reeked of self loathing, hatred and fury. It was all the scents of Alpha Khan and Trent. He was...home.

"Fuck. I like both of you. I'll show you to your rooms soon. I got some pressing issues to take care of."

He could hear Khan down the hall in his office. He wondered who the new members were and what the hell they did to be accepted into the pack.

"I'm going to put our bags up," War told Pomelia as she just stared off into space. She was clasping her hands together tightly and looking around the house as if it was her first time being inside.

He rushed up to their room and sighed. Loudly. Everything had been stripped. Everything. All that remained from his old room was the small love seat he had. The king size bed he purchased, the flat screen he got. All of his Winter clothes. Once War told Khan he was leaving, he probably blew his shit. Most likely burned all of things or let the pack members take them.

He set the bags down on the wooden floor and pressed his hand into his face. His eyes became watery and growled loudly. What was the use of becoming emotional? He couldn't change time or
alter it. This was all punishment. Punishment for all of his sins. It had to be. The goddess hated him and she was finally getting her revenge.

"Yo. I took your tv." War turned slightly to see Trent. He still looked like hell but instead of weed he had a cigarette in between his lips. "Can have it back if you want. It's a shit tv."

War laughed. It was nothing else he could do. "I'll take it."

Trent snorted. "Good. My priestess said I have to replace bad habits with good. So you need to borrow some money?" War rolled his eyes. He spoke like he owned the priestess. The woman was probably annoyed more  than anything over Trent's obvious obsession with her.

"Yeah."

"Gotta get a bed right? I'm sure your fine ass mate won't be sleeping on the couch. That's reserved for you right?" Trent had a shit eating grin on his face which turned War's emotions on even more. He wanted to bash in Trent's face.

Before he had the chance for rebuttal or even to threaten him, he heard Pomelia speaking. He immediately forgot about Trent and trying to get under his skin and focused on who was making Pomelia talk in her regular tone.

He jogged down the steps quickly, and down the hall, following Pomelia's scent. He was met with people he didn't know in the hall. A man and a woman.

The male was tall. Almost topping War's height. Broad shoulders and a black sweat jacket that fit snugly over his wide frame. He was bald, seeming as if he shaved his head. He looked to way too young to be losing his hair.

Beside him stood a female who was much shorter than the male. Long braids were pent up in a high bun atop of her head. Her hazel eyes were soft with gratitude. He also noticed something extremely important about her. She was heavily pregnant.

"Just the fucker I wanted to see," Khan grinned, War feeling more and more anxious the longer Khan looked at him. "War meet Leo and Lo." Of course those weren't their real names, just abbreviations or made up names of their own. Just like Trent's real name wasn't Trent, or Khans last name wasn't Khan.

The male sized War up with suspicious eyes before glancing at Pomelia and back at him. "Nice to meet you," the man spoke as his mate leaned into him and sighed tiredly.

War stuck his hand out and the man took it firmly. "They are from the Crescent pull pack a few states away. Leo here killed his alpha and is a wanted man."

A soft gasp had been heard from someone. It was Pomelia, she was staring at Leo with fear. "Alpha Khan please don't tell our sins in front of the pack priestess," Lo spoke quickly, bowing at Pomelia. The best she could while being heavily pregnant.

Khan glanced at Pomelia then at the female who just spoke. He started to laugh. "Priestess? She's not a damn priestess, she's Wars mate."

The man Leo narrowed his eyes at War before looking at Pomelia again. "Oh? She's dressed in their ceremonial garb. Sorry um Pomelia," the woman spoke as his mate murmured back a small 'it's okay.'

"So anyway, they'll be staying here because I think Leo will be a good asset to keep close. He's a computer geek, much better than the kid and strong. He can teach the kid some things and hack into some things I need. Not to mention Leo knows a whole lotta shit about other Alphas."

The couple smiled with relief, and War wondered what they had been through to be happy living here? "Trent get your ass down here!" Khan yelled out, looking for the drunk to escort the newbies to their room.

"Thank you Alpha Khan. I appreciate it."

Khan grinned, showing his gleaming canines. "Of course. Trent show our new members up to their rooms. I'm booked for another meeting," he said as he looked over Pomelia and then his eyes landed on War.

They said their goodbyes to Leo and Lo before they all headed towards Khans office. Pomelia was dragging her feet, her fear stinking up the hallway. War was high strung, he knew Khan knew it too as he hummed, filling the disgusting silence.

Once they made it in the office, Khan slammed the door shut so loud that Pomelia burst into tears. "Fuck! What the hell is wrong with her?!" Khan questioned awkwardly as he walked over to his large leather seat behind the desk. "I don't do crying. War fix it."

What was he supposed to do? He was the source of her heartbreak. "Pomelia nothing bad is going to happen. Please...please calm down."

She was saying words as she cried and he couldn't make out everything but he did catch some. Khan and punish and scared. She was scared Khan was going to do something awful to them...

"He's not going to hurt you," War growled out. He would kill Khan himself if he ever thought about hurting Pomelia.

"Shit. She talking about me? Little novice I don't get off by hurting my pack members. Well...just don't piss me off," he chuckled as he revealed his rolling tray from his desk drawer. War was going to kill Khan. "I'm just rolling up. Not smoking. We don't want the little novice to catch contact."

War couldn't even imagine a high Pomelia. She would probably be just a laughing, clingy mess. Which he would thoroughly enjoy. Pomelia always was very touchy anyway...well used to be.

"Pomelia...it's okay."

She was near the door and shaking. He felt like shit. Pomelia was such a beautiful soul. She had her life ahead of her in the temple, she wanted to be someone. A female of worth. She shouldn't be at a shady pack, tied to a man who had so many sins he couldn't possibly be forgiven for them all. She was in a pack full of sinners and her pure light was being smothered by them. By him.

"Little novice sit down and calm yourself. You're not going to be harmed," he said firmly. War was surprised. He never heard Khan use his alpha voice...non threatening like.

Pomelia sniffled a few times and shakily walked over to the seat across from his desk. War followed.

Khan glanced between War and Pomelia and whistled. "What the fuck am I going to do with you two?" He questioned as War watched him roll his blunt. "First you, little novice. What's the problem."

"He lied," she sniffled, looking at Alpha Khan with pleading eyes. "He lied. H-he's done terrible things. Y-you've done terrible things. I don't want to be here."

His Alpha sighed, before sealing up the blunt he was working on. "Aren't you supposed to forgive and forget or some shit like that? Anyway can't change the past. Nobody's going to hurt you. War would scoop out his fuckin eyeballs with a plastic spoon rather than hurt you. Which explains why he jumped through fucking hoops to try and keep up his sainthood image."

"He...he still lied."

Khan rolled his eyes. "I know. Trying to run away and appease you and start a new life War tried to fuck me over. So I gutted his room, I cut him off. Sainthood wasn't meant for you two and look where you are. All roads lead back to me," Khan grinned, as he set up yet another blunt. He apparently was going to have a long smoke session after this.

"So what happens now?" War questioned, wondering if Khan was going to be lenient. He seemed not to be in his normal sour mood.

Khan chuckled. "What happens? You keep doing your job. Your role in the pack. Pomelia you get pregnant and lounge about or become head of the kitchen. You got skills, little novice and our cooks aren't as good as you."

After all they went through they were still at square one. "I can't kill people anymore."

"You will. Alphas orders."

War shook his head, the urge to look at Pomelia's face strong. He wanted her to be proud of him...for something. Anything. "I won't kill anyone anymore. It pains my mate...I-I can't do it."

He didn't need to see her get up to know that she was standing. "No. You have to not kill because it's wrong. N-not because of me. It's not right. War you can't...you can't fix this. You broke us, you can't fix it. Y-you ruined us."

His fucking eyes were watering again. Broken things could be fixed...but ruined things? They were destroyed. You couldn't fix ruined things...it just didn't work like that. Her voice sounded so tight, it was laced in pain and hurt.

"You know while we're on the subject of broken hearts, let's talk about my heart," Khan began, glaring at War. Khan didn't have a heart, so War didn't know what the fuck he was talking about. "I had a pick between Amber an Jess and guess what?! Amber is dead and Jess is missing. My heart isn't broken but it's a damn inconvenience."

Pomelia gasped. "Y-you are a terrible man."

Khan began to laugh. Laugh as if Pomelia just told the funniest joke known to man. Like she wasn't 110% serious and correct in her assumption. "I know what I am, little novice," he chuckled as he slipped his lighter out of his pocket and began to flick his lighter. "I need to smoke. War we have a job in the morning. Pomelia you can start at the dining halls."

"Can I be excused?"

"Of course. Go run upstairs and cry now. I need to light this blunt."

Pomelia did just that. War brought his face down to his knees and groaned loudly. "I hate you," he growled out to Khan as the smell of weed wafted to his nose. "And I hate this pack."

"So it's just another Tuesday?"

"Fuck you."

"I'll leave that to Pomelia.Well...no never mind."

War rose to his feet, not be in g able to stand his voice much longer. "Wake up at 8. We have things to do."

"I'm not going."

Khan slammed his hands down on the desk with so much force some of its contents fell off, diving to the floor. "It's either you or Trent. Trent calls himself turning a new leaf," he spat, rising up to his feet and continuing to smoke.

"These fucking novices are getting into you and his fucking heads. You've killed a hundred times, you're shit deep in blood. This one kill isn't going to give you wings or put a nail in your fucking coffin!"

"I'm. Not. Doing. It." War emphasized, his canines elongating with each word he spoke. Fuck that. He wasn't ruining Pomelia more than he already had.

Khan blew the thick white smoke in his face, smirking. "You love to test my fucking patience. I got something for you and Trent you both keep this shit up. Ungrateful mother fuckers."

"Goodnight."

"Have fun sleeping on the floor."

********
Why is Khan such an asshole?
The world may never know.

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