Lyn awoke the next morning to the smell of food. Gaius was awake before her. He was in the kitchen making breakfast when she came downstairs.

"How did you sleep?" Gaius asked warmly. Lyndis observed him. He seemed less stressed. He seemed happier then he had been in weeks.

"Fine," Lyndis replied. She didn't know why his good mood was irking her. It shouldn't... she was probably reading into it too much. They were getting along and she was begrudgingly doing what he wanted.

That was probably why... but the mystery of his absence was still bothering her, especially now with his change in mood.

They made their way to Aldous' after the girls ate. The pups didn't have lessons today, but their visits were mandatory regardless. She couldn't help that it bothered her.

They were stripping all her decisions.

Luana's pups tried to get them to play with them all morning, but the girls were still uncertain. It was obvious they weren't comfortable. Gaius did everything he could to try to get them to go out and play like pups. Lyndis didn't have the heart to tell him even if they were comfortable; they'd never really had the chance to play like Luana's pups wanted them to.

Not that they never did play... their life just hadn't been conducive to allowing the kind of carefreeness that pack pups had. They were always cautious.

They went home early, much to Lyn's relief. They had lunch at home, and she and Gaius took the pups out for a long run afterward. By the time they got back, it was nearly dinner time.

Lyndis made dinner as Gaius watched cartoons with the girls. Lyn didn't like that they were watching so much TV, but Kiana told her it should help them pick up the language. It was another thing that inwardly annoyed her; Lyn didn't want them to pick up the language...

She lay down that night in her mate's arms, desperately going over everything she'd thought of in the previous weeks, everything she'd considered... and came up with nothing new. Especially with the two littlest to think of. They couldn't run, they couldn't keep up, and she couldn't carry them both.

The next day rolled around with the same routine. She went to work at the pack house and attended class with Gita. She learned all the wolves in her particular class were from other packs, sent there to be mated or were a recent transfer with their families.

They were all from Colombia, so they spoke Spanish, not Portuguese. There was a little overlap, so they had an advantage.

When Lyndis walked in and saw Yara back in her usual spot after her long absence, something immediately bothered her about both Gaius and her reappearing at the same time.

Her wolf became agitated, at least until it was clear the female was still unmated. That soothed her wolf's suspicions, but Lyn still felt uncertain.

Yara was sickeningly sweet to her all class, and though Lyn burned to ask where she'd been the past week, she refrained. She didn't know if she really wanted to know the answer. She returned home afterward to the girls and Gaius.

Lyn awoke the next morning to what she realized was quickly becoming a regular routine for them.

The days were becoming monotonous. The nights she fretted and tried to think of something, but being constantly watched by enforcers with small vulnerable pups left her at a severe disadvantage.

She fed the pups, took them to Aldous, stayed on the days she wasn't expected at the pack house, went to act as caretaker on the days she was, brought the pups back home or met them there after her work and class was done, made dinner, let them talk to family before bed, put them to bed at the same time each night, spoke to their family for a while herself, then went to sleep beside her mate.

They were becoming regularly intimate again. It wasn't something she intended... but that brief distraction from the fretting was a welcome reprieve.

Over a month had passed before she even knew it. Gaius had begun to only speak Portuguese to them. He insisted they no longer speak French in the house. It annoyed Lyn; it especially annoyed her that the girls had all begun to pick it up quite easily, especially the toddlers.

She was getting better herself, Gaius was a much better teacher than Gita ever would be. Lyn didn't struggle as much anymore. Gita no longer gave her such a hard time.

Currently, Lyndis stood at the kitchen island watching the girls giggle and climb all over Adriano who was seated on the floor. He started visiting them often. Lyndis started to wonder if he was lonely, not that he showed it. She wondered why he didn't mate someone... he was twenty-eight according to Gaius.

Lyn couldn't help but feel a small amount of guilt.

She knew both Vitor and Carina had wanted her for him. Lyn watched Adriano for a time and for the first time wondered if he was bothered that she chose his younger brother over him. Not that she'd ever ask him that, but she couldn't help but wonder.

As she watched Sophie crawl up his back and nearly fall, he caught her with an almost absent-minded motion and set her down. Lyn tilted her head. She truly did not understand the dynamic he had with the pups. He never gave them verbal encouragement, nor even talked to them that she noticed, so why did they like him so much?

She knew pups had an innate ability to judge character; it was something adults lost. Lyn wondered if they could feel he liked pups, maybe he wanted one of his own.. and it drew them to him. She toyed with those speculations in her head as she finished the dishes.

"Adriano will watch them tonight... we have to go to the pack house," Gaius said in French. Lyn's attention shifted to him in question, especially at his choice of language. He ran a hand back through his hair all the way back to rub along his neck in a nervous gesture. She could clearly feel his unease.

"My father requested your presence..." Gaius said. Lyn firmly pursed her lips. Gaius watched her expression closely. She had not seen him since that night...

She figured with everything going on with the territory dispute... she had been forgotten,

"Please, Lyn... behave. If you feel the need to talk back... just say nothing. Defying him will do nothing but make everything worse." Gaius said. Lyn studied his expression. She could see the worry in his face, the worry for her. Lyn ground her teeth for a moment before she glanced back to the pups.

"Promise me you-" Gaius began.

"I won't." Lyn snapped. The rage that had begun to dull was starting to trickle back inside her.

They walked the entire way in silence. As they entered the pack house, Gaius' hand pressed against her lower back and stayed there as they made their way to the Alpha's chambers.

Lyn expected Carina would be there as well, so when they walked through the doors into the large open room that was sparsely furnished, used only for pack business matters, she was surprised only to see Vitor waiting for them. He had his back to them as they approached.

He stood in front of a desk. Gaius' hand left her back, and he grabbed her hand briefly. Lyndis glanced back at him as he squeezed it, the look on his face was pleading. She thought of his words as he released her hand and moved back. She didn't like the look on his face. He had a deep worry in his eyes.

Lyndis realized in a moment of panic he wouldn't be standing with her when he kept backing up toward the door, but she relaxed slightly when he paused mid-way and stood there. He looked hesitate.

"Gaius, leave." Vitor snarled his command without turning around. The brief relief was ripped from her and Lyn felt inwardly panicked. She didn't want to be left alone with this vile wolf. There weren't even any enforcers in the room. Gaius' looked pained for a moment as he held her gaze.

He gave her an awkward smile, as if in an attempt to be reassuring before he turned and exited the door. The sound of it closing clanged and echoed loudly in the large room. Silence followed.

As minutes passed by, Lyn felt her heart rate increase. He hadn't even turned around. He said nothing as he continued to shuffle through what looked like a pack report from what she could see of it. She was staring at his back.

What felt like almost an hour went by. How long it truly was, Lyn had no idea.

"I have only been defied once before," Vitor spoke in Portuguese, but he still had not turned around. Lyn couldn't help that her fear started to be replaced by anger the moment she heard his voice. She realized he was purposely disrespecting her now. Finally, he turned to her. His dark eyes were full of menace.

"That wolf is no longer living. Not that he died quickly." Vitor spoke harshly. Lyn tried hard not to look him in the eye, despite the Alpha inside her desperately wanting to.

Her wolf was proud she defied him.

"I never expected the next wolf to do so, would be a female. From a broken pack no less." He spoke with contempt. Lyn bit her tongue. There were so many things she wanted to say to that.

"I know you think I'm heartless, that I don't understand your suffering, but I do," Vitor spoke calmer. Lyndis did not look at him; those words just made her angrier.

"We have different customs here that you are not used to. You think I'm cruel, but my wolves know to stay in line. Every pup knows to stay in line. A pack that does not defy their Alpha is a safe one. To keep that safety, I've had to sacrifice pack members who thought wrongly they are above our rules. I ensure they are made examples of." Vitor spoke with less rage, but his tone was harsher. Lyn still did not look at him.

"So you see what position you've put me in..." Vitor finished. Silence settled over them for a time. Lyn said nothing.

She honestly didn't care...

"I should have known you weren't as broken and docile as you looked. Part of the issue with this situation is on me. I should not have allowed Gaius to have you, but I admit your demeanor fooled me. My fourth eldest has always had a problem exerting dominance. I should have known he'd be unable to keep his female in line. It was foolish of me to give him an Alpha. I did not raise him to be soft, but he's a disappointment regardless." Vitor snarled, his anger had returned.

Lyn grit her teeth hard. The insult to her mate was hard to not react to. Every muscle in her body went taught.

"I understand you, and yours will need time to adjust... but what you did was inexcusable." Vitor snarled, his anger was rising. Lyndis grit her teeth so hard she thought they might shatter. Her jaw started to ache. Vitor suddenly moved toward her, but Lyn did not flinch away. She held her ground. It only seemed to infuriate him more.

"Kneel." He snarled. Lyndis bit her tongue hard again to keep from saying everything she truly wanted to.

But she did not kneel.

"Don't test me young one. Just because you are my son's mate, does not make you special. I have been soft on you until now because of the situation and because my pathetic son is unable to do as he should. You have no idea how easy you've had it, but you will feel how harsh I can truly be." Vitor snarled.

Still, Lyndis did nothing.

Even if she wanted to, she would not have been able to force the Alpha wolf inside her to kneel to this pathetic wolf. It never became more clear to her at that moment, that she would truly never be able to give him her loyalty again. He had lost that privilege forever.

The Alpha inside her was practically snarling at him.

"Kneel!" He snarled his command as he harshly grabbed her hair. Lyn's gaze snapped up to meet his the moment he touched her. She had done so involuntarily.

Her eyes glazed with her wolf's anger.

"You may be able to physically force me to kneel, but I will never do so willingly." Lyndis snarled harshly. Vitor studied her face. Lyn's rage far exceeded her fear. She expected his anger to swell. She expected him to hit her. She expected everything except what happened.

Vitor smirked. He almost looked amused. He released her hair and shoved her back. Lyn stumbled a few paces before she caught herself.

"It's a pity you weren't older and didn't come to us sooner. I would have liked you for my eldest. It's clear you would have made a fine Alpha as long as you had the right male to tame your blood. It's a true waste." Vitor said. Lyn glared. The hate for this man was growing.

"You will learn quickly I treat my females extremely well, as long as they obey. As long as they know their place." Vitor said. His tone had lost the anger.

"Life here can be very pleasant for you and your sisters, or it can be a living hell. That choice is yours. I won't tolerate your lack of loyalty much longer. You will come to the pack house every day from here on out, with no exceptions. I will speak to you again in a month. I will speak to you every month, and every month you chose to defy me, I will strip more freedoms from you, your life will steadily become worse." Vitor spoke harshly now. Lyndis watched him with hatred in her eyes.

"Now leave." He snarled.