---Nathan's POV---

I didn't like the way the brothers were looking at each other, as if trying to see who was going to start the story. But I didn't have to wait long, since Alec huffed and rolled his eyes at his siblings.

"Well, I don't know what Marcus is thinking but I believe he means the first pack we had a run in with, right?" My skin was crawling as Marcus sighed deeply and leaned forwards.

"Not quite; the pack was curious as to what we were, seeing that we didn't know what Mates were back then. " He sighed, eyebrows furrowing seriously while Liam stretched himself in front of the fireplace, eyes closing to enjoy the comforting heat.

"We were younger, our animals harder to control back then. The pack saw us shifting but they reacted positive; they were astonished that there were other shifters beside themselves off course, but they meant no harm." Marcus continued while Alec snorted, throwing his legs on the sofa as he sidled closer against me and closed his eyes.

My eyes flew over Alec's features, lingering a moment longer on his lips before he smiled. "I can feel you staring at me." He murmured teasingly, opening his eyes momentarily just to give me a wink before he sighed and picked up where his brother stopped.

"We stayed with the pack for a while but we didn't feel like settling down. After a few months, we parted as friends and promised that whenever we were in the area, we'd pop in to check on our friends." He grinned softly before shaking his head.

"I think it was about two months later that we stumbled on that other pack? Where was it? Someplace in Europe?" He asked, rolling his head to the side so he could glance at his siblings.

"Prague actually." He confirmed with a wry smile I didn't quite understand. Even Alec was giving him a confused look before Marcus simply avoided the looks by saying, "That's where we met a pack that was different from the others. Much more sophisticated and in tune to their human sides. They blended in perfectly with the non-suspecting humans."

I blinked at that, a bit shocked. "The humans there are not informed of out kin?" It was odd to think in times like these, there were still packs that liked to lay low and hide what they were for the human population.

"Some." Marcus stood and slowly walked to the window, staring in the distance as if his memories were taking over. "Only those that are in close contact with the packs or who are mated. But those who don't now will never find out by themselves either. The pack was very good at hiding their true nature." He chuckled, "They had quite a mind for strategy."

I frowned slightly, "So how did you guys find out there was a pack?" Liam snorted, drawing my attention to the leopard before Alec laughed softly. "Oh shush you. Still can't get over it after five years?"

When he captured my stare, he rolled his eyes slightly. "It was going to storm, badly, and we decided to take refuge in the city. Apparently the wolves had eyes for anything non-human treading in their city, because we were only halfway the bridges over the Vltava River before we were closed in on both sides."

Jabbing a finger towards Liam, he clarified, "He was off course ticked off that a pack of wolves could sneak up on us, especially since they seemed to know what we were before we opened our mouths. Oh no, they didn't harm us." Alec quickly soothed my anger as I tensed.

After a few calming breaths, I nodded at him to proceed and he grinned, pecking a quick kiss on my lips before he took a deep breath. "Well, we didn't want run with an angry pack on our heels and like hell were we going to jump in the river, I mean seriously? It was in the middle of the winter! But anyways, "He said after a cleared throat from Marcus.

"We followed them into the city, where they introduced themselves to the pack and the Lycans that lead them. I think it was the most of them I've seen on one spot, but then again, if you see how their economy flourishes comparing to the rest of Europe, the Lycans must be geniuses."

Another amused cough from Marcus followed that statement before he looked over his shoulder. "Their influence to the city is strong but barely noticeable to the humans. But then again, Prague holds two of the oldest Lycans on Earth. I believe one of them even served under Charles the IV. And back then, he was considered an old and wise Lycan."

My brain synapses stopped firing for a moment, stopping my brain function all together. Lycans were only considered old when they had lived over two millennia. Becoming a Lycan was rare but having lived that long and through the witch-hunts? Unheard off.

Alec chuckled in my lap and swung his leg so that he was straddling my legs, a grin on his face. "That was my reaction as well, the guy didn't look an day older that 29, maybe 30 but then he blew us away by telling he was born half a millennia before Alexander the Great."

"So, by the time that Charles was born," I started slowly, trying to wrap my mind on how old that Lycan must be. Marcus smiled as he turned around and leaned against the glass. "He was about 2172 years old. Give or take."

Okay, I needed a drink, badly. Standing up, I walked to the kitchen and filled myself a glass. If he was that old back then he must be nearing his third millennia by now. I swallowed, barely winching at the burn in my throat before I turned around and met two amused glances, and a pair of worried ones as Alec stalked closer and hugged me.

"You okay?"

I smiled and nuzzled against his cheek, groaning under my breath as he cheekily rubbed his delectable body against me. "Yeah, its not every day you hear of a lycan that old. Do you even know how rare that is?" Alec's lips curled into a bemused smile before he muttered, "Well, he did say that his uncle was born during the Trojan wars, so technically, he wasn't the oldest surviving Lycan."

"Very subtle." Marcus snorted, as I had to lean against the counter, shaking my head. Alec shot me a sheepish smile as I playfully glared down at him, the shock probably very clear on my face.

"All things aside, what has this to do with you three being in any possible danger?" I asked seriously while pulling Alec subconsciously closer in my arms. He didn't seem to mind, in fact he all but crawled up my chest and settled with a purr.

Marcus eyed us with a soft look in his eyes before sighing deeply, patting Liam on the shoulder as the leopard bumped against his legs. "Well, we lived in Prague for a few years, until Alec was old enough to have his instincts mostly under control. Then we started traveling again. Prague was nice but..."

"It didn't feel like home." I stated, knowing what Marcus was implying and smiling as Alec nuzzled underneath my throat. Obviously he was feeling quite at home, and it was driving my lycan crazy.

"So, during our travels we bumped into a few packs that weren't as...polite. They escorted us in and out of their territory, acting as if we were murderers or terrorists. We didn't think too much of it at the time but we've been followed by a few wolves before. There could still be packs checking on us."

I narrowed my eyes slightly as my lycan growled softly. Something wasn't quite adding up here. I didn't know the siblings well enough to know if they were lying or holding something back but for some reason, my gut was telling me that some pieces of the puzzle were missing.

Drake could possibly make a few calls with his friends but...if they insulted the Prague pack, we'd have some serious explaining to do. I hummed softly but reassured the siblings when they worried about causing too much trouble for their stay.

But I did have to come clean with them before Drake's friends would find something...if they found anything. "Would it bother you guys if I sent some people around, just to make sure you aren't followed? Because I can only hear you guys talking about the pack's safety but its your safety that I'm more worried about."

Liam stared at me for a moment before Alec twisted around in my arms to glare at his older sibling. "Oh, now you like him." He grumbled softly while Marcus pushed Liam to the side. "Behave you two. And to answer your question, we don't mind at all Nathan. We do care about our safety but we'd assume you would place the pack first..."

My temper sizzled slightly, a hint of anger creeping to the surface but I surprised it.  "We are not just a pack. We're family first and foremost, whatever happens to one of us, influences the rest off us. You guys were part of the family even before I found out Alec was my true mate. As soon as you guys decided to settle down in our territory, we were already prepared to accept you guys."

The surprise was clear on their faces before Liam started up a soft purr, giving me a nudge against my knee while Alec and Marcus were glancing up at me in awe and warmth. No doubt they hadn't had a real sense of family and belonging before.

---Alec's POV---

Gods, if I wasn't so worn out and sore from last night, I would totally jump Nathan. He hit the nail right on the head with saying that his pack was more than just ranking and rules, they were family and us three never really had someone to call our family, beside our brothers off course.

I mean, I barely remember my mother. My brothers raised me and explained after a few years how it worked with us. Cats were solitary creatures and it was in our instincts to stay that way...normally. Our human sides would break that tradition mostly but our parents were more familiar with their inner cats.

That showed in how our dads were only there for the uh, fun part of creating a family before mom was left to rear us on her own. She never found her one true mate and must've turned bitter over the years. Marcus has known her for the longest and when she got Liam, she dumbed her toddler into Marcus' hands when he was just a child himself.

And when I came along, our mother had lost all interest in raising any kids. Luckily, my siblings were in the neighborhood and took me with them. Obviously the best fucking decision ever made, because our mother wasn't really mom material at all.

But I'd like to think we turned out pretty good. I smiled slightly, leaning back against Nathan and listened to the soothing thumps of his heart. His scent trickled through my nose and made me purr softly as I slowly dozed off.

It was only later that I woke up again. My brothers had clearly left and as I blinked sleepily with my eyes, I slowly came to realize that it was already somewhere deep in the night.

Nathan was curled all around me, my head supported on his biceps and my legs tangled with his. I smiled and slid closer, burying my face in the crook of his neck with a contented chirp as I let my hands creep up over his back and sighed.

When he closed his arms around me, I felt safe and protected. Loved. Although I loved my brothers dearly and they did their very best to raise me, they couldn't provide me with that love and tenderness that I had craved all along.

But it seemed that now with Nathan, I would be getting everything I wished for and more. I smiled and slightly nipped at his throat, letting out a surprised squeal when his hands in my hips reached down to pinch my bottom. Obviously, he woke up when I did but I was still sleepy and slightly sore from our previous round so it would just have to stay with snuggling.

As if reading my mind, my mate rolled on his back and pulled me nearly on top of him before placing a lingering kiss on my lips. "Sleep love. I have a few things planned for tomorrow and you still need to recover." He added with a grin, giving my bum a sharp pat, forcing an amused smirk on my face.

Too bad that he's right but hey, I'll get him when he'll never expect it.

With that thought in mind, I settled down to sleep in my mate's arms. With grin slowly spreading on my face as I was already plotting my own kind of surprise for Nathan.