Terry POV

I lie in bed with Pearl curled beside me with her head on my lap. She still has a fever, but all the medicines Alyssa gave her, and Fiona's presence seemed to finally give her so-needed peace and rest.

Fiona also left to get some sleep; Ivory is with Danny and Trist in the next room, also resting and sleeping. Unfortunately, I fucked up so badly today I didn't manage to keep them safe.

Sitting in a chair in front of my bed, Alexa doesn't stop watching me. I almost feel like she is preparing herself to hunt me down.

"You are not angry?" I ask." After the milk was spilled, Julius refused to have any interactions with me. If Danny weren't in the picture, he wouldn't say a single word to me." I say, and she smirks.

"To tell the truth, when you kicked out Brandon and his friends from your bar years ago, I got the feeling that something was wrong. You handled the situation too well. It couldn't be just luck. Since then, I was sure your past wasn't peaceful, but I would never imagine you were Terry Nightingale."

"I miss you; I miss talking with you," I say; that's honestly how I feel.

She once again stares at me in silence before asking:

"How does it feel to hate so much that you want to risk your own and your children's lives so that you could kill us?"

"Are you asking about the purpose? Hunters kill because of hate, money, and vengeance. Just like packs, when one pack attacks another, it's also because of hate, money, or vengeance. Violence is present in many packs, but when high-ranking wolves abuse the low-ranking, and Alpha allows it, there is no problem. When Anthony was abusing Mae, according to your law was no problem. I killed many who were innocent but also many who should've suffered more before dying." I say, "Why do you want to be Alpha, Alexa?"

"Because I love this place, and I want to keep it safe, and I can do it. But not because of the birthright but because I would be chosen. I would gain trust, not have it for granted." She says, and her eyes shift for a moment.

"And do you have a birthright?" I wonder why she's said that.

"You are not a pack member so I can tell you. I have a birthright because my biological father was Anthony Howl. Don't give me that look; my mother had been very in love with him before discovering what he had been doing to Mae. But when Mae made sure that she would have no babies, he found himself in need of an heir. And he went to my mother and used his Alpha Command, and she couldn't say no to him. So, of course, he planned to take the baby away from her. So you understand why she helped your father to kill him. Later my mother, still pregnant, married my father, and he loved her despite knowing I wasn't his. But when Thomas and Natasha mated, knowing they would have no children, Thomas claimed me officially into his bloodline and didn't say a thing to anybody but my mother and Natasha. My sperm donor figures as such only in the Werewolf Council archives."

"So your claim is much stronger than Brandon's or Gamma's. Why didn't you use it? What was all that trial period for?" I ask, and her sight gets cold.

"I don't want anything from Anthony Howl, I want this pack, but I refuse to accept it from him. I will be an Alpha because I earned it, not because as an inheritance after him."

I smirk, and she does the same; Pearl whimpers in her sleep, and I pull her closer to me.

"That is just her first heat," Alexa says. "I know you care about both of them deeply, but you must understand, Terry, that if you want them safe, you must find them the pack. That's the only way for them to be safe."

Her words stab me sharp in my chest because I know she is right. The Jewels need security, and staying with me will never be as safe as living in the pack, no matter how hard I try.

Those thoughts make it difficult for me to sleep, and I have a terrible headache in the morning. When Jason and Aunty Mae came to take all of us back home two days later, I feel something heavy in my chest. I actually made my decision, but it's a painful one.

Coming home makes me sad. Ivory and I are still sore, and Pearl is extremely tired; Danny seems to have some inner struggle, so none of us talk too much when we are back in our flat.

In the evening, I work at the bar, talking and laughing with Nick, but deep down inside me, I feel only emptiness because of what I will have to do soon. So in the evening, I read to Jewels, enjoying this moment as much as I could.

And the next day brings extremely unexpected news.

"The final hearing is finished," Aunty Mae says after receiving a quick call from Natasha. "Alexa was chosen as the next Alpha."

"That's good," Jason says." Now, finally, we can take care of Brandon."

"Brandon withdrew his candidature when his father started protesting and wanted to postpone the hearing. He said he was not worthy of the title because he had been cheating and abusing Danny."

That, for sure, I didn't see coming, no matter what. Brandon was always making me believe he would not back away no matter what. I glance at Danny as he looks as much surprised as the rest of us.

"And one more thing," she says, "Brandon is in a dungeon because he will be charged with abusing his mate, he asked for the Victim Punishment, and we cannot refuse him that right."

Danny looked at Jason, totally scared, and I frown, not knowing what that means.

"It means that he asked Danny to be his judge and decide the punishment for him," Aunty Mae finishes in a dead tone.

I swear in my mind not only the bastard abused him, but he also wants to make him responsible for cleaning all this mess.

"How do you feel about that?" I ask him late in the night when everybody is sleeping.

"I don't want him to suffer. I don't love him, but I don't want him to suffer," he whispers.

"And what about the second chance? He asked you for that, didn't he?"

But Danny shakes his head almost instantly.

"I will never do that. But what he did proves that he wants to change, I want him to change, but I don't want him anymore. I'm scared that when I ask him for rejection, he will give up and let both himself and Bruce die. And I don't want them to die, but I also can't be near them ever again. I should feel something because he is my mate, but I don't. I feel nothing except sorrow that all this happened."

I reach to squeeze his shoulder, hoping to give him at least a bit of comfort. Abusive relationships are for sure something worst possible that can happen to you. You are tangled so much in your abuser's sorrow and cruelty and your feelings of guilt and shame. Danny's father and Jordan broke him once, my sister and her mate put him back together, and now once again, he was left broken, and I really hope he will be able to put himself back again.

I sigh, wishing him good sleep, and go to the bedroom that Ivory and Pearl share once more to tell them goodnight. Since Danny can walk again, he and Jason share a living room, and I sleep in the kitchen with Doggy. Yet the moment I close my eyes, I hear small steps and whimpering, and I know Kiana, Pearl's wolf, is here to sleep next to me and my dog. The moment I manage to find the comfortable position, I hear other steps, and soon Ivory's wolf is also next to me, putting her muzzle on my chest. My ribs are not happy with that, but I don't have the heart to push her away.

Payback is the bitch, they say. I hated werewolves my whole life, and now all I want is never to be separated from two of them, something I must do to keep them safe.

The following day after breakfast, as I clean the floor in the bar to the best of my abilities, I'm still sore; Nick comes by to say hey. I have to tell him a story about how I crushed my car; because of that, I have my hand in the casket. He, on the other hand, starts complaining about his job, but one thing he says actually makes me listen.

"... they send it to the main office, can you believe it. Why would anybody send human blood to the main office? So I was arguing the whole afternoon with the freight service company, and they all said there was no way about a mistake. So I had to report it because, you know, we are talking about blood."

"And what the police said?" I ask, getting curious.

"That's when it makes hilarious. I didn't get to report it because the guy showed up with all the necessary papers and a big apologetic smile and took it. That idiot who sits in the same office as me didn't find it weird."

But I did find it weird; I still remember the cargo in Dylan's warehouse. Had he got an accomplice who took his business after his death?

"And have you recognized the guy as someone from here?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I'm not from here; have you forgotten? I have never seen the guy, but you must admit that this situation was strange."

I agree with him, Doggy goes downstairs to lie next to me, and Nick smiles at him.

"My uncle was a fan of dogs. Pity he doesn't pay any attention to them any longer."

"Doggy is Pearl's best friend," she says, going downstairs; she is still pale a bit after her heat; she doesn't understand what happened to her, only that it hurt. But still, her next heat will come in a couple of months, so until then, we have to get through flowers and bees, or maybe I should push it on Aunty Mae?

Nick jokes with her as she cuddles with Doggy on the floor, as I think not only about the blood that mysteriously came so close to Howl pack but also about the otter. The twenty days will pass tomorrow. The worst possible moment for me to be weak and wounded, and after the candy situation, I'm sure that whoever that is, he will make everything even messier. Because a mess it will be, and we don't have to wait long for that.

First comes Fiona, begging Danny not to ask for banishment for Brandon. Then, she starts crying, thankfully, Nick has already left the bar at that moment, but she cries so much that Jason has to literally drag her out into the alley, as Pearl is hugging Danny, who is pale as a sheet.

I walk after them, I don't intend to eavesdrop, but they both seem so agitated that I think it's better to keep an eye on them.

"What are you doing, for Goddess's sake! Danny has already had enough!" Jason screams as she starts sobbing harder.

"That's not true. Brandon isn't like that, he.. he..."

"He admitted it, for Goddess's sake! Woman, he doesn't love you; he asked Danny for the next chance!"

She starts sobbing, kneeling and hugging herself, and Jason sighs and hugs her saying that everything will be okay, and then takes her home and decides to stay with her the whole day. He keeps saying that everything is alright, but I know he cares about her, and it breaks his heart every single time he sees her like that.

When the afternoon comes, I know that something bad will happen; I just know it.

Julius POV

What the hell, I think? What the fucking hell is he planning?

The excitement of Alexa being chosen as the heir of our Alpha was quickly gone. The moment Brandon stated that he had resigned, Preston started screaming. I haven't seen him this angry in my whole life. Honestly, I don't understand what happened to him. For so many years, he was a strong Head Warrior of this pack, he helped me when I was at my lowest, and now so suddenly, all he cares about is securing the position for his son, not seeing at all that this son isn't worthy of it.

He and Brandon argued so loud I was astonished that no one was hurt. Brandon found himself in the dungeon the very next day cause he admitted to everything Danny said and was charged with abuse of the mate and pack member.

Brandon is sitting in his cell but stands up to face me. He seems cold and calm, too calm to my liking.

"What are you planning?" I ask.

"I only want to finish it. After that, Danny will make a choice because I know I can't live without him."

"What if he asks for your death?"

"We both know he won't do it. Whipping or banishment are the only two options. I still hope that he at least considers giving me a chance, despite loving you."

I take a step back; I was so sure he didn't know about me and Danny, and he took me by surprise.

"I added two to two, you started getting stronger when I brought Danny here, and now you walk. I may be stupid, but I'm not that stupid. I regret what I did, I wish I could step away and let you be happy with Danny, but that's not possible. I love him, and I will fight for him."

"What about Fiona?" I ask.

"Fiona is a mother of my pup; I will raise that pup. Danny will allow me to raise my child if he gives me a second chance. If he asks to let me leave him, I hope I will survive it and be able to raise my child. I told Fiona I can't be with her even if I survive the rejection."

"You will not have him; I won't allow it," I say, growling, but he just says sadly.

"That's not your decision to make."

I storm out; he apologizes to Danny, gives up his Alpha title, and is ready to get rejected. It feels like he is finally ready to redeem himself. He is prepared to fight for Danny. Drake growls in my mind. He will never accept Danny not being ours; I know that. But I also know that Brandon is right, saying that the decision is not mine to make.

Danny has told me many times that everything between the two of them was over, but I'm not stupid. I know Danny still cares, he still blames himself. He may not love Brandon but he isn't ready to bring him any harm, even if this harm means justice.

I don't know how long I sit in one place, wondering what I should do or what is right. Drake doesn't have this problem. He wants Danny; he will always want Danny.

I clench my fist, but I have no more time for my pity party because Alexa's mind links me that we really need to talk. She and Natasha are waiting for me in the library, a bad sign.

"We have a problem," Natasha says. "As you know, the last attack on the pack by rogues was unexpected and very well prepared. I confirm how they walked into our territory; they managed to avoid patrols until almost the last moment, all but one. According to Alexa, Brandon made the change in patrol almost immediately before sending it to Alexa. This means that someone saw the first schedule of patrols he prepared, not the final version, and notified rogues."

"And what's that mean?"

"Only one person was close enough to Brandon at that time, and it was Preston."

I growl; I would never think that Preston could do something like that. Betraying his pack, it's just impossible.

"Any more evidence we have?" I ask, but Natasha shakes her head.

"Nothing except that he left the pack the same night Brandon willingly accepted his punishment, and I have no idea where he went and..."

The ringing sound of her phone interrupts us, she takes the call, and I see her face sink as she listens. I can smell the fury of other wolves growing. 

"It's Mae. She was driving here with Danny so he could speak with Brandon. Instead, they were attacked and pushed off the road, and Danny was taken. She hasn't recognized the attackers; Jason wasn't with them because he was still here with Fiona and hasn't returned home yet."

The following hours are the worst in my life. Still not in the best shape, Terry comes to the packhouse with Ivory, Pearl, and Jason. This is just ridiculous; our trackers on the spot smelled rogues and Preston's blood; what the hell may Preston want from Danny? What possible use could he get of him?

Why the hell would he do that, betraying the pack and next taking Danny?