Adam argued to use his car to take us there, seeing as my truck wasn't in the best shape and Nate's was only a two-seater. It was a basic newer grey car that was well taken care of. I offered to sit in the back, but Nate pushed me to the front saying he already knew where Adam wanted me. Nate looked hilarious his tall legs crushed into the back seat.

There was playful banter all the way to the town and past the diner, but the mood turned sour and quiet once we cleared the town and began the drive for Milo's territory.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't know if Milo wanted me there as a daughter, or as a traitor of war. Either way he guaranteed my safety but for how long? Did he mean one day? Maybe he meant guaranteed on his territory and once I stepped foot back along the highway, I would be dead. Maybe he'd kill Adam and Nate on sight.

I gulped.

Adam noticed and reached over and held my hand. "You'll be okay."

I took a small bite to my lip. "I will be okay. It's you I'm worried about it."

He squeezed reassuringly. "I can handle whatever Alpha Milo throws at me."

Nate pushed himself forward between the seats. "And if he throws a knife?"

"Don't say that!" I turned back horrified.

Nate shrugged. "The dude is brutal. Might not take kindly to his daughter's wolf side being killed by a bad rejection."

"You're not helping." I sat back against the headrest and folded my arms.

Nate's arms came around the seat and he rubbed my shoulders. "Aww now. Maybe not. Maybe he'll be a big squishy teddy bear when his little princess pup twirls into his arms and he'll make everyone cotton candy."

I laughed a breath out and removed his hands. "I'm not twirling."

He leaned back in his seat chuckling. "Okay, how about leaping? Tip-toeing? Oh, how about crawling? His little toddler pup."

Adam grabbed my hand again. "Don't listen to him. We'll be just fine. He's signed the treaty. This is not a war-time visit."

"I hope not," I spoke softly and then flipped his hand over and traced the lines on his palm.

A few minutes later when both men suddenly sat straighter, their shoulder angles hardening, I knew we must have crossed the line of the pack border. My heartbeat picked up in nervousness and I watched out the window for some scary wolf to leap out of the trees.

We traveled the road, all scanning the way for any movement. None of us ready to say another word.

Adam and Nate were more nervous than they'd let on too.

When the pack house came into view in the distance my heart stopped. A hundred men, women, and children were lined up along the road in front like somber parade goers. Even the children stood at attention, only some in mother's arms. All held eerily still.

I watched as we started passing the line of people and none made a move to wave or greet us. Most faces held curiosity or annoyance, fear, some even anger maybe, none over the age of five held a smile.

I bit my lip and watched them pass as we drove closer to the water feature in front of the house.

The beautiful fountain finally gave a hint of a smile to my lips as I remembered splashing around with Tim all those years back. I gazed at the tall cement pads that let the water drip down like an umbrella, trying to let the water calm me. Maybe when the car stopped, I could put my fingers through the dripping streams. It could be like Adam's river, letting my nervousness flow away. I imagined I could already feel the cool water at my fingertips.

Instantly the door at my side was ripped opened and I was yanked out through the torn seatbelt. The car came to a screeching halt only feet later, and I felt myself being wrapped tight in someone's muscular arms. A choking hold dug into my stomach and my head leaned back against their shoulder as a full hand encircled my neck. Pressing claw points burned at my surface skin as they dug in.

Adam and Nate were out of the car only seconds later and leapt into their wolf forms. The captor's arms tightened further into me, and I grimaced with the pain.

Adam's brown wolf growled menacingly, and the black wolf bared treacherous teeth. Both pawed at the ground in front of us, thick auras ordering the person behind me to let me go. And even though it wasn't me their attention was directed at, and I knew they'd never purposefully hurt me, their size and threat overwhelmed me in this position. They were incredibly frightening. But neither could move forward with the person's steady grasp at me. I would be hurt either by them, or this person ripping my throat out. The wolves could only pace just out of reach, demanding my release.

The person wrenched me around as if showing me to the petrified faces lining the drive. Claws deepened painfully and I screamed out until the person knocked the air from my throat. The wolves howled their disapproval.

He spoke.

His voice was deep and excruciating, loud, and grave at my ear. "Don't you all know who this is?!" he seethed, voice harsh with spat words. "This is that little witch who cost us the war! This is..."

But suddenly a swift movement of blurred silver was beside my eyes, and I flinched away.

"...My daughter," Alpha Milo Thatcher's voice raged, as he landed in an easy crouch near the fountain from some jump high atop the packhouse.

He had a white fur wrap draped across one shoulder and was holding a crossbow. Milo was dark with shoulder length inky black hair trailing into a solid beard, both peppered with grey. His face was tightly angled but aged with lines across his forehead that I didn't remember from prior years. He was tall and built heavier than any other wolf I'd seen. He held the presence of a king, standing up high and powerful. My soft features were assuredly from my mother.

Voices about the crowd startled in quiet chatter.

I turned my head softly to my captor as the grip upon me lightened. A massive knife was sticking out from the man's darkening face. Blood spewed over his nose, dripping from his chin. There was no breath upon his lips. I recoiled from the sight, and he fell slacked to the ground. A horrified noise fluttered through me at the same time women's gasps and children's cries cut through the air.

Adam and Nate's stance darted around protectively, guarding me from Milo's new threat.

Milo's crossbow then took aim back and forth between them lazily.

I was in shock.

It was a trap to get us there after all.

The wolves growled viciously. Only two knives were left loaded ready in the crossbow, but enough for each of the beautiful and terrifying creatures defending me.

Milo's crossbow gained on Adam's dark brown wolf, a hint of a grin straining his aged face. "I granted safe passage to the Alpha, but not the Beta."

I was in shock but had my thoughts enough to understand what was happening. The next knife would go into Adam.

That would not happen.

The alpha aura unknowingly flew from me like a wave across the crowd, the need to protect Adam overpowering my senses. "Stop!"

Glances snapped to me in surprise. Milo's eyes darted to mine.

"Milo Thatcher, you will guarantee the safety of both Alpha Nate and Beta Adam immediately."

The crossbow slackened to his side, and he stood up straight. A fearsome lopsided smirk sprang to his lips as he regarded my order. "I wondered what made you believe in your heritage enough you dared use my name on the treaty. Now we know."

My shoulder's squared. "Adam's safety."

"Of course I wasn't planning on harming any of you. I just killed one of my own to free you."

"Adam's safety. Father," I bit out.

He grinned darkly then turned to the crowd. "Attention Wilde Claw. Remember. My daughter and her guests will be given the utmost security while under our protection. No one will dare harm any unless the guests themselves harm first. Unless any of you wish to also go rogue and end up like Gamma Samuel and his female. Understood?"

"Yes Alpha!" Came a chorus of voices around us and every person's fist hit against their heart then back at their side. The movement was very disconcerting.

I looked to the body at my feet. Was he the Gamma? That must mean he was the wartime leader. The knife had stuck straight between his eyes, blood coloring the pavement below, and violet veining already crept over his dead face. I cringed away, the alpha mantle retreating within me.

"LeeLee!" shouted a familiar boyish voice.

The fear of the situation lightened immensely as I turned upwards to catch his voice. It came from the topmost balcony of the packhouse. When I caught sight of him and smiled, he jumped the bars and landed near the fountain.

"Timothy!"

His arms were full of material, and he dropped the lot before Adam and Nate's wolves then ran between them like they weren't just about to murder an entire pack themselves. Tim's gaze never left me.

He pulled me into a hug, lifting me off the ground and spinning me. "I knew it! I knew it! I always knew you were really my sister!"

I laughed and held him tight. "It was touch and go there for a bit though."

He laughed and set me down. Adam and Nate strode toward me fully clothed and human.

Adam reached me first placing another piece of cloth at my neck. I held the fabric realizing the collar of my dress felt warm and wet. When I looked down, I groaned seeing the blood. I pressed the fabric harder finally recognizing the newest set of claw cuts were burning up my neck a storm.

"Is your side okay?" His fingers slid over my waist.

When I checked over my dress, I noticed five scratches had pierced through the fabric. I touched at my side, but there didn't seem to be anything. "Yeah. I don't think they're cut into me."

He blew out his breath and then twisted to stand just in front of me, muscles flexed protectively.

I stepped to his side, not worried about my brother. "Timothy, this is Beta Adam. Alpha Nate." I turned my glance between them. "Nate, Adam. This is Timothy."

"Good to finally officially meet you, Junior Alpha Timothy," Nate held a hand out to shake. Adam merely nodded and grabbed my free hand to interlock our fingers.

Tim looked to me with a grin. "I guess I'm not Junior Alpha anymore? Right?"

I shook my head wide. "Nooo. You're still it, baby bro. I'm not taking over."

Milo walked into the group then and eyed Adam's hold around mine. "Hmm... Seems my contact was incorrect. I understood you were paired with the alpha instead. Surprising." He considered the position, looking Adam up and down. "But not intolerable."

"What contact?" Nate questioned.

Milo looked over the wolves on either side of me. "Maybe we should take this conversation in my office?"

Nate nodded. "That would probably be best."

Adam cut in with a scowl. "Maybe we should get medical attention for Elise's injuries first?"

Timothy looked over the red seeping into the cloth at my neck. "Yeah Dad. Samuel cut her up bad." He then noticed the patterns down my arm holding the fabric. "Whoa, is that wolfsbane?!" His worried eyes caught mine.

I shrugged. "You should have seen it two days ago."

His eyes widened further.

Milo scanned over me. "I do agree that medical attention would probably be best, Beta Adam. I will call for a doctor to meet us there." He turned and marched toward the front doors. "Follow me." His voice then grew strong. "Wilde Claw. Dismissed!"

The stances of the people lining the street softened and they began to converse eagerly amongst themselves. I heard my name arise more than once.

Tim started toward the packhouse, so I followed. Adam, not letting go of my hand, was tugged along, but Nate took a moment to turn the key and close the doors of Adam's car. The two had jumped out so fast I'm surprised Adam even hit the brakes at all.

Tim held the front doors open to the large wooden building. It felt like the size of a Vegas Casino. Long and tall, I knew everyone lived here, besides a few of the outlier houses that belonged to the higher ranked wolves. Though most families still kept to themselves, cooking and working in their own apartments. Even though Nate's pack was more spread out it felt like a more tightknit community than the faces watching me.

Tim walked out in front and took us to the right, down a grey corridor with tile flooring and stopped at an elaborate walnut colored door. Alpha Milo was written across it in a handsome calligraphy. I studied the formal font wondering why he never had me in his office when I was sixteen but then Tim knocked once and then let us in.

Alpha Milo was already sitting behind his desk centered in the large room, the crossbow hung on the wall behind him like a chilling decorative piece. The room was nearly ten times the size of Adam's office. And while Adam's office had a homey feeling, tight with his books and knickknacks, Milo's seemed sterile, wide, almost ominous. I looked at the stark white paint of the walls bouncing off all his similar walnut furniture. Ornate wooden chairs were set in front of his desk and his hand swept them. "Please sit. Doctor Hearst is on his way."

Adam pulled me down beside him. Nate sat on my other side and Tim beside him.

"Enter," Milo's voice called to the door though I heard no knock.

An elderly man, maybe eighty with glasses and white hair entered holding a briefcase. He scanned the room and his glance landed on me. "This must be the young Elise."

I followed his movements as he stepped in front of me and set his case on a side table to open. Quickly he snapped on some surgical gloves and twisted back to me. He pulled his glasses up from his eyes and grabbed the fabric bundle from my grasp. He tapped on my chin to widen the area to look, and I clenched my teeth, whimpering at the new pull on the wounds. Adam adjusted himself one arm around my shoulders on the chair back, one holding my hands still. Adam looked like he was waiting for the doctor to hurt me, so he could tear his limbs off.

"Looks like they'll be alright. I'll just patch her up and be on my way," Doctor Hearst spoke quietly.

The doctor turned and bent to his case pulling out wipes, gauze, and medical tape. He made quick work cleaning and dressing my wound, even applying a salve that made the pain lessen. He then turned back to discard the used supplies. Once again, he turned to me and this time with a large syringe. He had grabbed my arm and I tipped back in fright, nearly toppling over.

Adam's quick grasp came around the chair, steadying it and he growled. "The wolfsbane treatment will not be necessary."

"But clearly she needs..." Doctor Hearst began in confusion.

"Dismissed," Milo ordered.

Doctor Hearst's head bowed. "As you wish Alpha." He gathered his briefcase and left the room.

Milo's heated gaze met mine. "Now. We have some things we must discuss."

My stomach clenched and churned. I was not ready for this.