"Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family. Having both is a blessing."
~Unknown

Dom

When my parents called me for a meeting, I naturally panicked. I wondered if they'd found out about my rendezvous with Anna,.

Entering the office, mom, dad, and the Lawmans sat at the conference table. I took a seat away from the Controllers, ignoring the fear coursing through my veins. "You wanted to see me?"

Mom nodded. "As you know, all Alphas must have a mate before they lead the pack. Therefore, we'll be marrying you and Callie. There are other issues we must attend before we plan the wedding, but I implore you to spend time with her beforehand," Mom said.

"Callie will make a great alpha," I agreed, meeting my parents' gaze. I could tell they hated this plan. In fact, it probably wasn't their idea at all, but they needed me to agree to this. Whatever leverage the Lawmans had, it was big. Besides, they could kill us quickly and easily. Until we knew how to fight back, we couldn't risk their wrath. "Does Callie know?"

"No, we talk to her after you."

"I'm surprised you're not fighting this," Josiah remarked.

"I'm not Spencer. I put my pack above everything else."

"Do continue following that belief. It will save you and the rest of your pack from a lot of heartbreak," Gillian said. I met her gaze, and nodded, despite my seething rage. I didn't take kindly to threats. However, I'd bide my time, wait for the right moment to strike. Now wasn't that time.

"Have the traitors tried contacting you?" Mom asked, keeping her voice level.

"No. If they do, you'll be the first to know."

"We will be the first. You may be your parents' son, but your loyalty is to us, not them," Gillian warned, eyes glinting dangerously.

"Of course," I said, bowing my head slightly. "May I be dismissed? I have work I need to finish."

"You're dismissed." I hid my scowl until I left the office. If I hated the Lawmans before, I wanted them dead now. You don't threaten my family. That's a good way to get yourself killed.

As I walked past Lily's room, someone yanked me inside and slammed the door. Bewildered, I found Lily standing in front of me with her arms crossed. She demanded, "Are they seriously going to marry you to Callie?"

"You were eavesdropping?"

"Yes!" Lily snapped. "I just saw a packmate murdered before my eyes. You think I'm going to trust anyone around the Lawmans?"

"Keep your voice down!" I hissed. "We don't know if these walls have ears. If you want to talk about this, then we talk as wolves."

"Fine. Let's go."

"Not now. That'll look too suspicious. I'm sure they want to make a big announcement about it. We'll talk later. Besides, I have work to finish."

"I'll go on patrol with you tonight instead of Brian. I'll use the excuse that as a new alpha, I'd like to learn from my example-setting, dutiful brother about alpha duties."

"I can't talk you out of this, can I?"

"Not a chance in hell."

I sighed. "Fine, but keep this quiet. Act like you don't know anything. I don't want to lose another sibling."

"Me neither. Speaking of which, have you really not heard from Spencer?"

"I really haven't. You'd know I'd tell you if I did."

"And Anna hasn't heard from Elsa?"

My heart skipped a beat. "I beg your pardon?"

"I figured you two had seen each other since everything happened. Judging by your heartbeat, I'd say I'm right." Lily raised her eyebrows at me, challenging me to refute her accusation.

"I haven't... exactly kept my word about not interacting with the Laroches," I whispered.

"No shit, Sherlock. How's she doing?"

"You care?"

"I'll kill you if you repeat this, but the twins aren't half bad. They have guts, and they're stupid, but I have respect for them. I daresay I even like them."

"Anna's not great, but she's hanging in there," I said. "She's searching for them."

"Are you helping her?"

"As much as I can. But even if we did find them, it'd be us and them against our pack and the Laroches and the Controllers. We wouldn't stand a chance."

"Maybe if we started planting seeds against the Lawmans amongst the kids, we might. We outnumber the adults, after all. And after what happened with Miles, the Lawmans aren't exactly popular with us."

"You think that'd work?"

"Won't know unless we try."

"Then let's start doing that. I'll keep you updated on what we find. Maybe one day, you can join one of our meetings."

Lily rolled her eyes. "And be the awkward third wheel?"

"She can invite your former physics partner," I said with a grin, heading towards the door.

"Don't you dare tell her that!" Lily hollered out as I laughed myself all the way to my room.

Elsa

It'd been close to three weeks since we'd left. I stared up at the newly repaired ceiling. For having been here such a short time, we'd made a lot of headway in improving it. Windows had been fitted; the roof repaired; the ceilings patched up; tiles, wood flooring, and carpets replaced. The next item on our to-do list was buying better furniture. But in the time it'd taken us to get everything done, Spencer and I slowly began drifting apart. It started with him choosing others to work with. At first, I figured he wanted to get to know those from my pack better.

Then the short answers jumped into the mix.

Then came bursts of anger. I wasn't the source of his problems, but he'd take it out on me, snapping at me and making me feel bad.

However, those feelings on my part didn't last long. Our last fight resulted in me telling him off and explaining that just because he was upset and frustrated didn't mean he could take it out on the one person who could understand everything he was going through.

I'd gone upstairs to bed after that.

Spencer had yet to join me.

I felt hollow inside like something was missing. I didn't enjoy not having Spencer beside me in bed. It was weird not having the same relationship we did before. He'd been my rock now that I no longer even had Anna to talk to. It was a bizarre experience, not being able to communicate with my twin telepathically. I couldn't tell if she was all right.

The two situations I was dealing with were making my anxiety go through the roof, anxiety I never had before. Unable to lay in bed any longer, I headed downstairs. Spencer was nowhere to be seen. Wondering where he could've gone, I grabbed my coat and stepped outside into the brisk winter air.

"I thought you went to bed?" Spencer said. He sat on the swinging chair, bundled up in a coat.

"I couldn't sleep," I admitted. "What about you? I've been waiting for you to come up for hours."

Spencer shrugged. "I don't know. I can't sleep either. I'm tired, but I'm restless. I didn't want to keep you up."

I sat next to him. Despite wanting to hold his hand or rest my head on his shoulder, I refrained. He still acted distant with me. Instead, I said, "I'm always here for you to talk. That's what your mate's for. Maybe I can't help, but I can at least lend an ear to listen."

"You can't help, Elsa. Venting isn't going to help either."

"How do you know? You haven't even told me," I replied, some of my contempt slipping through. "You've barely spoken to me in the last week and a half."

"Elsa, I don't-" he stopped, eyes narrowing at the expanse of the white field and snow-covered trees. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" I asked.

"I thought I heard... never mind." My boyfriend shook his head. He was about to continue our conversation when we heard the unmistakable sound of yelling far in the distance. Spencer jumped up. "That! That's what I heard!"

"Let's go check it out," I said, throwing off my blanket. "It's not like we're going to bed anytime soon."

I shifted into a wolf and took off, Spencer falling into step beside me. The two of us ran side-by-side, the tension dissipating for now.

We headed in the direction the shouting emanated from. As we neared the cause of the ruckus, we slowed down, not wanting to be heard just in case we were approaching potential enemies.

Spencer and I split up. I crept behind a boulder, peering around it to see what was going on. A lanky boy carried a girl with scarlet hair and an ashen face. They were both battered and bruised, having seemingly come from a fight.

"Dylan, set me down," the girl requested. "I can walk."

"Lydia, you literally just got stabbed. Multiple times. You're far-"

A twig snapped, making them both pause. Dylan gingerly set Lydia down on the ground, keeping one arm wrapped protectively around her waist. They stared in the direction the sound came from. I prayed it'd only been Spencer. After all, I couldn't smell anything other than the two of us. But then again, Anna and I ran into something that made us lose our smell for a while. Maybe this was a similar situation.

Dylan shifted into a burly brown wolf, raising his hackles as a figure stepped into the moonlight. Their green eyes glinted maliciously, crossbow aimed at Dylan's chest.

"I have to say, you lasted a lot longer than your packmates. Especially given your injuries," the stranger said. "One of them got away, but it's only a matter of time before I find him. You cannot run from us forever."

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I realized what was going on. I had to do something. I couldn't let these people die, especially ones like me. We were few in numbers already.

Spencer, distract them while I attack the guy. I ordered.

What are you planning on doing? He asked.

Just distract them, will you?! We don't have time to argue!

Spencer's black wolf stepped into view, shifting all attention on him. Lydia's mouth fell open; Dylan kept his hackles raised and teeth bared. Taking advantage of the distraction, I silently came out from behind the boulder and launched myself at the man, sinking my teeth into his neck and crushing his windpipe. Lydia screamed as she watched the man's body fall onto the ground with a thud, my paws braced on his back.

Dylan shifted into a human; Spencer and I did the same.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Dylan demanded, standing protectively in front of Lydia.

"I'm Elsa Laroche. This is Spencer Stark. We're-"

"Wait, did you say Stark?" Dylan interrupted.

"I'm one of the former Alphas," my boyfriend replied.

"We're part of the Aurora Pack in Idaho. We're allied with your family." He turned to me. "What's a Laroche doing here?"

"Long story, but he and I are allies," I said. "We have a place not far from here. Let's get you back there so we can take care of your injuries. You can tell us everything on the way there."