I was ready to come up with a plan to kill Konrad. Who cared if I had to do it with a bunch of dogs? Werewolves. My instructions were clear, make sure Arlis wasn't working for Konrad. Obviously he couldn't have been if he was going to come up with a way to kill him. Now that's some fun I would love to join in on.

But like all violent ideas, A.K.A good ideas, there were Debby Downers. This one was five foot eleven with brilliant blonde hair. His name was apparently Jonah, Arlis's brother.

Jonah looked up at his brother. "We can't do anything! Don't you get it guys!? We lost." For an Alpha's boy he was far too scared. He clutched his mate's hand in fear, showing signs of weakness. I guess I couldn't be too harsh, he was 4 when his parents died. He was raised by Betas.

"Jonah, no we haven't. I'm still standing." Arlis said to Jonah and then looked to me. "Call Kasparov, get him over here, I want that Hunter here now." He cracked his knuckles and faced back to Kate, whispering something to her that I couldn't catch.

I just hated the way he ordered me around to do something. I'm not one of his pack members. But, I did owe him some favors. He brought be back here after all, something I couldn't say for others. I glared at Jonah.

Arlis and Kate continued on their own little conversation, one in which they didn't think to enlighten the rest of us with.

"It's game over, Arlis!" Jonah screamed, finally ending the nervous quiet. "He is here. We have NO plan of attack! No method, no Roman strategies, and no means to kill him. No Constance, no Becker, and no sane thinking Arlis!" Jonah was one to give up apparently, maybe that's why he wasn't Alpha. Because he lost before he even fought. "We have a man with hormonal issues, a girl who knows nothing of this world, and a hurt little girl Hunter!"

I opened my mouth in anger and defiance. "I am no—" but before I could finish, I was interrupted by booming laughter.

Arlis smiled and began laughing, surprising everyone in the room. He pointed at Jonah and clapped his hands together. He wiped the underneath of his eyes. "You're adorable little brother. Absolutely adorable." He continued laughing for another long second before he looked up. "I've been planning since I found out Felix died."

I narrowed my eyes, confused but intrigued. How did he know to start planning that early in time?

Jonah took a step back and looked Arlis up and down, as confused as I was. "What do you mean? You didn't even know Konrad had risen until Leviticus told you!"

Arlis shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. Constance, Becker, me, and maybe Everly. We knew Konrad was rising. He loves his little walking through dreams thing. I've been preparing since Felix died."

Ah. He was right, I had been having nightmares. It just sucked to know that other people were facing the same troubles. I wouldn't wish Konrad's dream terrorizing on anybody.

Jonah gasped dramatically. "And you didn't tell anyone!?" He yelled. "Why did you need Leviticus then if you already knew?"

Leviticus? I clenched my hands. They talked to that low-life bottom feeder? Leviticus was part of a Species not even the humans could imagine. Vampires, werewolves, witches; they were all in media and stories in the human world. What Leviticus was? No.

Leviticus was a Weeper. When he bled, it wasn't just normal blood. It was blue and thick, like goop. And his eyes... when he cried, which was often because Weepers cry way too easy, his tears were silver. Here's the catch, if you drank a Weeper's tears, you would see your enemie's biggest weakness or your biggest fear. You'd go mental if you saw your fear though. That's what happened to Arlis's dad in fact.

But... that's why the Hunters were strict about Weepers. If you forcefully take a Weeper's tears you will be killed. If you go insane and aren't fixed by the time we find you, you will be executed.

Arlis held open his hand, holding something. "Constance and I knew this would come in handy." He held up a vile full of silver liquid.

"No." Jonah muttered. Fur sprouted from his back, his nails began to grow into claws. "You smash that vile RIGHT NOW!" He yelled.

Arlis didn't listen. "We can use this—"

"And you can go insane and kill Kate just like dad killed mom!?" Jonah spat.

I glared at everyone in the room, how did they get those? Those were illegal!? Were those his big plan, because if so Kasparov wouldn't be here to help him. Kasparov would be here to kill him. "Is that... are those Weeper tears?" I asked angrily. "How did you get those. We banned those! It's illegal to steal those tears." I could only imagine him beating and torturing a man to get those. That's why they're illegal ninety percent of the time, because you had to get them harshly unless a Weeper willingly gives you them. And Weepers rarely did... because they were all rich, proud, whiny people.

"Not if a weeper willingly gives it to you." Arlis replied. Well, if he says so. "If I do this..."

"If you take that, I will walk out this Pack and I will never come back." Jonah gulped, eyeing the vile with reasonable hatred and disgust. That stuff got his parents killed.

Arlis hesitated for a moment and then took a deep breath. "You won't. Dalia is here and she won't leave. Neither will Melloni."

"Speak for yourself, Arlis." Jonah's mate, Melloni, snarled, her upper lip curling into disgust. "How dare you stand in the house that your father stood in and make the same mistakes he made. It's disgusting and revolting. That is the cause of your parents death and—"

"Stone. Stone is the cause of their death." Arlis replied, not meeting anyone's eyes.

Jonah took a step toward Arlis. "You're not fit to be Alpha, you're not fit to be King, and you're not fit to be my brother. You and I both know dad died the day he drank the Weeper's tears and I want you to know... that if you make the same decision he did... no matter the outcome... you're dead to me too." Jonah looked like he was on the verge of tears. Jonah turned around and faced Melloni. "I'm sorry." He said to her.

Jonah took a deep breath and looked up at Arlis. "If you take that, consider this my leaving of the Pack, Alpha Barron. And if you go crazy, consider this my application for leadership." He bowed and walked out of the house, grabbing Melloni's hand as he left once again.

I was frozen, my mouth dropped, letting in flies. Arlis was Jonah's brother and yet Jonah was either going to drop from the pack or steal it from him. It was so rare for someone, especially if they have a possible outcome of being Alpha one day, to leave the pack.

Yet, Arlis was stoic, looking off into the distance.

Kate put her hand on his shoulder and brought him into a hug. "I'll be here no matter what you do. But maybe they're right. It's too dangerous and—"

I couldn't help but to roll my eyes. I was never very good at this romance stuff, but then again... I pictured me and Colin in their situation and my heart sank.

"I should explain to you what happened to my parents. Shouldn't I?" He asked, ignoring her. Must've been annoying to have a mate like that. Arlis was strong and badass, someone who you didn't want on your bad side. But Kate... Kate seemed calm and more like a Daisy than the bullet he was was.

I scoffed at myself. I was a bit of a hypocrite wasn't I? I mean... Colin was my Kate in a way and I was his Arlis. He was calm and kind, for the most part, while I was stoic and angry.

Kate buried her head in her hands. "I don't need to know, Arlis. But judging by their reactions, you shouldn't. When your family threatens to walk out on you it's not a good sign... think this through."

In fact, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I thought Arlis should drink the vile, it made sense. It could help the situation, any war strategist knows that. And if he died, we had his sibling's blood. But if Colin were here, he'd be totally against the idea based on everyone else's reactions. Colin and Kate are kind and think things through while Arlis and I were brash and arrogant.

"You don't even know why they're mad." He sounded angry with her. "Why is everyone telling me not to do this? Everly can go face to face with Konrad, but nobody cares. Becker can switch sides and everyone is worried about him and awe poor Becker. Constance can do whatever the hell she wants and people congratulate her. Becker does things that could get him killed, in fact I'm surprised he lived through raising Konrad, and he suffers nothing but praise. But me... I try to help and I get scolded and reprimanded. If only they knew what it was like to have the chance to do something more than wait like sitting ducks and then be screwed over by an idea that'll help." He was out of breath by the time he was done.

Hmm... I am one of the few people to live through a battle with Konrad aren't I?

She rubbed her temples and shook her head at him. "You're not thinking rationally! Everly didn't volunteer for that. And people do care, we care. Do you think people won't be pissed when Becker comes back? Arlis you are helping, you're holding all these people together like glue." She put her hands on his shoulders, she must really like his shoulders, and forced him to look at her. "Nobody is calling you useless. All this worrying and fussing about you means that people care."

I could see now why Jonah called him hormonal. Even if I did stay to help them with Konrad, I doubt we'd get very far.

But Kate made some valid points. It was hard growing up with your family putting you in harm's way. That's why I was so careful of Zach. And looked how that worked out for me.

And I didn't even realize the pain of being alone until I had someone who cared about me.

I cleared my throat and dragged myself into the conversation. Might as well drop some wisdom. "She's right, ya know. Hate to admit it but it sucks when nobody gives a fuck about you." I wiped my eyes and yawned. "I personally think you should do it but that's my opinion. Who cares what happened to your parents? This is your life." I felt my back pocket for my phone, ready to text Colin and say that I was on my way back home. These two didn't need me. However, I didn't feel the device there and started to panic. Did I leave it at the attack scene? WHAT IF KASPAROV OR MY DAD CALLED!? "Where's my phone? Oh my god my family will kill me if I don't answer the phone... or somebody else if I get lucky." I yelled and started flipping couch cushions to find it, hoping that I didn't miss any calls.

Arlis sighed heavily. "I'm taking it. Jonah can get over himself. Everly, it's on the kitchen bar. Are you leaving?"

I hummed and tapped my chin, calming down. I panicked over nothing. "I have people waiting for me back in town. Plus... it doesn't seem like you're working for Konrad any time soon. Call me if you do though, gotta keep my tabs up. Have fun with insanity, dog." I couldn't leave without just one insult. I grabbed my phone and began to walk out but stopped myself and turned. Something told me to warn them again about Alexzandria. "And again, watch out for that... vampire." I narrowed my eyes and left the house, the cold breeze nonexistent.

I still didn't understand why I could feel the weather earlier, or why I was healing so slow, but I could say that I was glad to be healed again.

It was nice to be able to walk through the snow in jeans and a t-shirt, to be able to experience winter without the daunting threat of frost bite.

What was even nicer, was that I could go home. I could go back to Colin, back to my own world. If I could call it that.

I pulled out my phone and called my dad. He didn't answer. So I called again. I received the same voicemail.

A nervous tick ran through my body as I struggled to find my way to my car, everything looked the same— new and completely unrecognizable.

But I was a Hunter, I could do things on my own. I had to do things on my own.

I continued to trudge forward, hoping i was going in the right direction.

I looked back at my phone and called Kasparov, no matter how much I resented it.

He, unlike my father, did answer. Very very groggily.

"Hello?" He didn't sound like he wanted to be on the phone at all. In fact, it sounded like I woke him up from a nap. Good. I hope he's not sleeping well.

"Why is my dad not answering his phone?" I asked, even though I knew I'd eventually have to talk to Kas.

Kasparov groaned. "Because he's asleep. Like how I was before I was so rudely interrupted."

I smiled, and even though it was small and petty, I felt victorious. "Arlis isn't working for Konrad. I'm going home, off my mission. Alongside this, Kasparov, Arlis wants to talk to you."

"Did I say you could go back? He might be working for him, you have to stay and spy." Kasp sounded angry, like I let him down to the highest degree.

I rolled my eyes at him and caught a snowflake on my hand, watching it melt. "He isn't. He's coming up with ways to kill him as we speak."

"Fine. But I need you to do something else." Kasparov was worse than Arlis with giving me orders.

Do this and do that. I might just run away and not come back for a hundred years. See how he likes that. I'll move to Morocco or some place crazy and foreign like... like Connecticut.

"And what's that?" I was reluctant but... not only was Kasparov my uncle and the head of the family but also the head of all the Hunters, since Felix died. I had to do what he said. Not following orders is like treason against an entire species.

I don't even think Connecticut is foreign enough to escape Kasparov Dawn.

"I think Clay is betraying us. He's disappearing. Search through the Gold's house and if you have to, torture Colin.  I need proof of something, anything. Even if he killed a human ten years ago in Australia,  I need a reason to kill Clay." Kasparov always was an abide by the law kind of guy.

He was never bias, racist, or sexist. He was never judging people other by than what they did or didn't do. And I'll admit, the world could use more people like that. Although, perhaps less cruel and terrifying.

"I don't know, Kas. Clay has just the same amount to lose as we do." I couldn't just aid to the killing of my boyfriend's dad. What kind of a girlfriend would I be?

Kasparov sighed irritatedly. "Did I ask for your opinion?"

Did I ask for Sir. Dick, no but I got that. "No sir."

"Okay, then find me something." He was grouchy. I mean that's nothing new, but now he was overly grouchy.

"I'll find you a tampon to shove up your—" Apparently I wasn't muttering quiet enough because he snapped at me, but he was chuckling and I knew he had a smile on his face.

I laughed too. And I guess today was my lucky day, up ahead I saw my car. It was covered in snow, but it was there.

"And Eve..." he sounded serious again.

"Stop asking me to do things! I'm tired." I jogged to my car and pulled the door open, sitting inside and breathing in the light fragrance of springtime.

I missed springtime. It always was my favorite holiday. That's why I had the little car-fragrance thing in here.

"I was going to say be careful. Despite what you all think... I do worry about my family." He sounded genuine, and for a moment I let myself believe his lies.

I started the car, the engine roaring to life. I wanted to leave now and get back to Colin sooner rather than later.

But... my windshield was covered in snow and I doubt my car would even move from this spot if I wanted it too.

If I was stuck in Sovereign Pack Territory I'd be pissed. I couldn't deal with being here another moment. It was unnatural, weird, for a Hunter to be with the Werewolves. I didn't understand how Constance could do it.

"Ask Constance if she believes that." I said back to Kasparov, remembering I was still on the phone with him.

I hung up and tried to drive forward, only to be stuck in the snow. My car wouldn't even move an inch.

I got out and slammed the door. Why? Why would I get a coupe in Montana. Who's bright idea was this?

Wait... this was my bright idea.

I grunted and walked behind the car and pushed it forward slowly, the snow showing too much resistance for even me.

I must have pushed it for two miles, because by the time I finally hit the road, my arms were sore. I knew humans couldn't do that, but it was still tough work for a Hunter.

Especially over that long distance. And by yourself? Tragic.

I hit the road and called Colin, ready to explain to him just how much I missed him.

It was an odd feeling, calling someone to tell them how much I missed them. It wasn't something I normally did.

But hearing Colin's voice made my day just a little brighter.