A quarter past six, Clint returned.

The massive male was dressed in a black T-shirt and dark blue jeans, his large feet bare. Unlike most males that had just lain with a sinful, powerful female, Clint was emotionless. Cold.

"Clint Ackerman." Dillon's voice was stern... powerful. A voice so different from the one he used with his daughter and mate.

The delta stopped, looked up at his alphas, then knelt to his knees, baring his neck in submission.

It was a mandatory gesture that everyone in the pack had to follow; regardless of status. If you wronged the alphas, then you had to kneel down and bare your neck to them, waiting for the alphas' forgiveness, or wait for the punishment.

Dillon hadn't meant too; he had wanted to speak civilly with his delta, he really had, but his wolf had had enough.

His mate let out a snarl as a dark wolf overtook Dillon's weaker skin.

One second, Dillon had been standing on two legs; the next, he was on four legs.

Four legs that propelled him towards the delta.

Clint hadn't seen it coming, or maybe he just didn't care, but when the alpha leaped onto him, he had submitted right away, letting the male throw him to the ground.

Sharp canines sank into the delta's neck, causing blood to rush from the puncture wounds and trail down his neck.

A drop of metallic liquid hit the earth as a snarl rumbled in the alpha's chest.

Another drop. Then another.

Dillon tasted the wolf's blood on his tongue as he fought his wolf, but it was nearly impossible to fight instinct.

And he didn't want to fight it.

The alpha thought that Alexandra would protest; would try to get him to release the pathetic male, but she stayed silent.

Observing.

They were a pack. Dillon and his Luna were the leaders of intelligent, restless predators, and sometimes a reminder of their power had to be stated.

A leader that didn't enforce rules would either become a puppet for someone to use and exploit, or he/she would be overthrown, probably even killed.

Dillon tightened his jaws as he began to drag the male. Clint's chest was vibrating with growls and his claws bit into the alpha's thick neck, but Dillon wasn't going to put up with it.

'Shift!' Dillon snarled through the packlink, shooting the demand right into his delta's mind.

Clint couldn't fight the alpha command.

He didn't even stand a chance.

Coarse white fur took the place of human flesh as Clint shifted, his bones popping and cracking.

The alpha released the delta's neck, letting the male stagger to his paws, but then he lunged again. Sinking his teeth deep into the back of Clint's neck, the alpha let out half-feral growls, demanding Clint's submission.

Dillon had to reel in his wolf. The animal wanted to thrash his head, threatening to dislocate the male's neck. Maybe that would knock some sense into Clint's slow mind.

The alpha cut-off the wolf's thoughts with a snarl. When he had taken over this pack, he had promised its members something that the former alphas had severely abused.

We will not threaten you with your life, the life of your mate, or the lives of your relatives.

And Dillon had no intention of breaking that promise.

The alpha tightened his jaws around Clint's neck. 'Do you submit, Clint Ackerman, delta of the Southern Pack, to your rightful alphas, Alexandra and Dillon Manson?'

The white wolf let out a choked snarl, his ivory teeth gleaming in the light as he bared them.

Wrong move.

Jaws made of iron repositioned themselves, digging into the flesh directly behind the delta's ears. Dillon pressed his large body against the delta's, pressing and pushing at the white wall of fur, muscle, and secrets.

'Submit on your own, or I'll make you submit.' It was a promise.

A tense minute passed, then another before Clint's large body began to gradually loosen; it was as if he were forcing himself to calm down, to loosen his muscles.

Releasing his hold on the male's neck, Dillon watched as the delta crouched low, rolled over and bared his underbelly in submission.

The most animalistic, wild submission there was.

Dillon's wolf stepped back from the fore-front, growling its approval.

Shifting back into his human skin, Dillon folded his arms across his chest, staring down at the male wolf.

"I have told you, time and time again, to stop seeing that female. I have negotiated with you, threatened you, punished you... I am running out of alternatives, and my patience is wearing thin. I understand that your past alpha may have allowed you to see her, but I am not that mutt, nor will I ever be."

Pinning the white wolf down with icy eyes, Dillon snarled. "If you leave to see her again, you will be demoted to omega for thirty-one days. I have given you many, many chances, more chances than the average wolf, but I am at my wits-end. Do you understand the consequences for leaving?"

The white wolf gave Dillon a single, tight nod of understanding.

"You are to train from five a.m. to twelve p.m., starting tomorrow; you will also help the omegas prepare for meals every day until I say so."

A small hand landed on the alpha's shoulder, offering him a silent form of reassurance. Dillon didn't like giving out punishments, especially to his dominant wolves, but he was their leader... not their friend.

"Stand." The alpha female ordered, her voice strong and unwavering.

Clint quickly rolled onto his paws, standing before the alpha pair with a bowed head.

"Have you ever thought about the female carrying the other half of your soul? Have you even considered the future you could have with her; how, when you complete the mating-bond, she'll be able to see into your mind, and vice-versa. What do you think she will see? I can assure you, Clint Amole, she won't see a male who had been faithful to her, who had waited for her... she won't see a male with control and discipline."

"My mate wasn't going to say it, so I will: Clint, if you leave to see her again, do not even bother coming back. I will not put up with men who think with their dicks, and not with the flesh within their skulls. I am the Luna of real men and women, not pups." Staring into amber eyes that glowed with emotion, Alexandra lifted a perfectly groomed brow. "Get out of my sight."

Clint turned and disappeared into the forest. His white coat glowing in the light, but his eyes were now dull.

Sad.

Hopeless.

????

"She's staring at me, D." The Oracle whispered in mock-fright, her nails biting into Desmond's muscular forearm.

"Do I have something on my face? Food? A Booger? Sem- OUCH!" Sasha hissed as Desmond pinched her hip.

Alexandra grinned broadly. "I do not know how you put up with her, Desmond. If I had been her mate, I would've been-"

"A lesbo." Sasha cut her off, her golden eyes glittering wickedly. "You would've been lesbian if we had been mates."

Alexandra froze, her dark eyes staring at the oracle in bewilderment. "What the Hell has gotten into you today? You are not usually this talkative... feisty. Annoying."

"And where the Hell have you been today?" Sasha challenged. "I have been looking for you all day today, but I got nowhere because you keep your pack members deprived of Special Oracle Time. Seriously, they would stop me every thirty seconds, touching my hands, asking me to bless them, crying on me."

Alexandra cocked an eyebrow. "Special Oracle Time?"

The Oracle shrugged, slumping back into her chair. "Is that all you got from my little speech?"

Alexandra was about to respond, but stopped when Desmond shook his head. "Just don't engage with her when she is like this. I don't."

"Well, I'm sorry." Sasha groaned, throwing her hands up into the air. "I have been cooped up in this godsdamn mansion for days now, with my mate, a brooding giant, and two clowns 'guarding' me. I just think Travis wanted them to get out a little, to get a life!"

'Sasha. Calm down. You're working yourself up.' Desmond said, but he knew that his words only did so much. The magic flowing in his mate's veins was getting restless, wanting to be put to use again.

'I'm sorry. It's just... my magic is getting antsy. I haven't Seen in almost two weeks. It demands to be used again.' Sasha sat back up in her chair, turning towards the bowl of stew sitting in front of her.

"Desmond, how are you liking it here so far?" The Southern Pack Alpha asked. The man had a large bowl in front of him, but he had hardly touched it.

"It's lovely. I know that my mate likes it here also. Maybe a little too much." Desmond let out a chuckle. "When its time for us to go home, I have a feeling that she will want to stay here."

With her brother.

Now, they just needed to convince the two alphas to allow them to stay a little longer. Desmond knew that the Southern Alpha wouldn't have a problem with them staying, but the real problem was convincing Travis.

"We need to speak with you," Desmond heard the Luna whisper to his mate.

Cocking her head, Sasha shot the Luna a look of confusion, but curiosity laced the edges.

????

Once they had finished the stew and talked a little amongst themselves, the Alpha Pair, Desmond, Sasha, Finnian and the two Western Pack warriors slipped into a quiet, secluded office on the second level of the mansion.

After stationing the warriors outside of the door, Dillon walked over to the large oak desk, bracing his hands against the smooth wood. His mate walked up beside him, her shoulder brushing against his.

Someone cleared their throat.

"I have some males that I would like for you to look into." Dillon started.

Sasha nodded, the magic within her rising to the surface eagerly.

"Who?" Desmond and Finnian asked all at once; both males didn't even turn to look at each other in surprise.

Desmond was standing beside his mate, a muscular arm wrapped protectively around her, as if to shield her from the pain that would come from the Seeing. Finnian was leaning against the wall, his thick shoulder resting gently on the beige wallpaper, but his dark eyes were eery.

Dark.

This time, Alexandra answered. "There are six males in total. Three are Enforcers, one is an Omega, and the last two are dominants."

Brows furrowed throughout the room.

"Who?" Finnian growled, his voice deep and guttural.

He pushed off of the wall, his large body towering over Sasha's and even her own mate's.

Sasha already knew who the two dominants were before Alexandra had even answered.

"Clyde Amole and Clint Ackerman."