“Honey,” I whispered as we got close to our door with the boys hot on our heels, “I’m naked.”“You’d rip all your clothes shifting anyways,” Wyatt answered as he continued on and when I looked behind us, Xander was coming with Alaric who was carrying some clothing, and we made our way to the middle of the field where they usually train.“This is going to hurt,” Alaric started.“I know, but it’s long overdue, I owe her this,” I was sure about my choice, I just didn’t know how.“I’ll shift for you first Precious, then you, then Wyatt and Alaric will join us,” Xander was calm and I nodded, but you could tell that he was apprehensive about how this was going to go.

Over the next week, we fell into a good pattern. As much as I hated mornings it was good to get up and get some schoolwork and studying done. The boys took turns, two would go to training and the other would hang back with me and get some of their paperwork done while I was doing my things.  In the afternoons we’d go for runs in our wolf forms together, spend some time together or tend to pack related things and then we’d have time just for us, which usually consisted of not leaving our bed, and trying to go to bed early enough for them not to have to drag me out of it in the morning. When Dez was back, I got him to shift and meet us so I could finally see his wolf, Flint. Flint was fairly large, but not as large as me or the boys, and was grey in colour with dark brown eyes. It made sense after being around a few shifted wolves this week that Alaric was

“Of course not,” my reply was instant, and a sick feeling rose up in my throat, “I never really loved him to begin with, I love you more than I could imagine ever being able to love anyone, I am yours.”Wyatt claimed my lips aggressively before he walked back over to Ryan and delivered a solid blow to the side of his face. The punch itself sounded on contact, a solid thud that sounded like it cracked multiple things, smashing Ryan’s face against the brick wall as it flew into it and blood spewed from his mouth. Alaric was studying my face for any reaction, but he wouldn’t get one. Ryan deserved a few solid punches and I hoped that they would stop there, but if I reacted, they most certainly wouldn’t. Alaric dragged Ryan a bit down the alley, more out of sight, and Xander left my side to join him and Wyatt. Xander

UNKNOWN POV CON’T “Come in,” my brother’s voice boomed through his office door when I knocked, “sit Emma, we don’t have much time to discuss this.” He seemed more stressed out than normal when I sat in a chair across from his desk, but his Beta and my father were standing off to the side discussing something else in hushed whispers, stopping only when my brother began to explain things to me. “We had a visitor late last night, he informed us of some troubling information about the pack you are betrothed to,” he paused and glanced towards our father who was still hovering over my brother’s decision’s since he took over as Alpha, “it seems as though they have found and marked their mate, regardless of their promise to you, to us.”  I sat with a face bereft of emotion, but truly inside I was happier than I ever

“We’ll fix this,” Xander broke the silence. “I hope Octavia can help,” my voice was timid, “I don’t want to put the pack or any of us in danger.” “We knew this was coming Brianna,” Alaric lifted my chin to look at him, “we just thought we’d have more time.” “The pack is ready Sugar,” Wyatt snugged up behind me, “they wouldn’t think twice about protecting you with their life, and neither would we. If they force our hand, their Alpha will fall and their pack will become ours.” “We have to go soon, the guards will all be gathering and waiting on us,” Alaric kissed me gently. “Ok, let’s just go,” I sighed, “I don’t want to just sit around here,” the boys looked at me like they were holding something back, “tell me.”