The ceremony held to officially welcome the new Pack members wasn't small or too big.

I was sure both parties preferred it this way. Sure, there was still an awkwardness with the new additions to the Pack but the tension that used to exist between the old and new Pack members had diminished.

After Jude and Aella officiated the last Blue Cave member into the Shadow Hunters, the wind had picked up, collecting dry leaves, and casting it in the air like confetti.

No one didn't know how to react when Jace was converted to a Shadow Hunter.

It was surreal.

He was stoic when it came to his turn to recite his rites.

But his words held weight.

The ceremony was a little different compared to the one Kian, Aella and I had to do when we entered the Pack. We had been initiated as Enforcers into the Pack, so the rite had been more solemn and formal.

This ceremony was less intense. I could see that the Pack members were trying with the new members. I guess they were taking longer than usual to warm up because they knew they had been part of Aella's previous Pack, who in turn, treated her like trash.

However, change was happening, and things were shifting.

When it was Mila's turn to be officiated, I made sure I was watching.

She didn't smile or frown when Aella finished her words. She just accepted it and moved along when it was someone else's turn.

She was still slightly apart from the rest of former Blue Cave Pack members who decided to join on their own accord. Maybe it was tactful on her end, like there was an unspoken rule she put in place for herself to not get attached to anyone.

There was something about her that tugged at me though. It frustrated me that I couldn't fasten a name on it.

Now that I could feel, sense, and connect with my wolf, I couldn't help but wonder why I kept trying to seek her out in the crowd.

Kian hadn't attended the ceremony. I knew he needed solitude to digest the fact that Jace was now part of the Pack, because he hadn't been victorious in their duel. I knew that he was putting himself through the ringer. No one was upset that he lost. No one even made a comment about it. We could manage Jace. He had severed all ties with his family once he decided to enter the Pack.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that Alexei just ended his conversation with Ty. He returned to me, smiling. "Apologies for making you wait."

"You didn't make me wait. I was enjoying the music that kid keeps repeating on his speakers." I pointed to a boy who was sitting not too far, perched on top of a rock with his red and black stereo sitting across his lap.

Alexei laughed, moving behind me so he could wrap me up in his arms. "Want to dance?"

"Uh, that's a random request." I gave him an odd look.

"Come." He took my hand, leading us away from the Pack.

Instead of asking question after question, I shifted my focus on how nice tonight felt.

We finally had the nightshade in our possession. I was sure Jude, and the others would soon pull Jace aside to question him on it, considering he was probably the only one in the Pack that knew why it was growing in his old house like any other backyard plant.

Alexei led us to an open field, where the sky was so vast, it was endless. He tugged me along the grass, closer and closer to the full moon above us. It was a starless night but beautiful, nonetheless.

Even the insects had gone silent.

Alexei slowed to a stop, spinning around. "Let's dance here." He held his arms out.

"There's no music." I pointedly raised a brow.

"Yeah there is." He took my hand, planting my palm down on his chest where his heart pounded away in a one-two, one-two, one-two rhythm.

I laughed, trying to pry my hand away. "That's cringe, even for you Alexei."

"I think it's sweet." He whispered, drawing me close until we were chest to chest, with my hands separating the space between us. "I think you're sweeter."

I scrunched my nose, "Eww."

This made Alexei throw his head back and laugh. It was the type of laugh that vibrated his whole chest and echoed way beyond where we stood. I was sure the wind would catch it and send it further.

"I can't believe you just said eww, to me." He guided my forehead to his shoulder since they were at the same height. One hand fisted the back of my hair, and the other was stroking the length of my spine, generating warmth. I clung to the hem of his shirt, following his feet that had started to move in a languid sway from side to side. A slow dance.

I peered up at him beneath my lashes. "I think you're adorable wanting to dance with me like this."

There was no music and I felt like I was floating in his arms.

One dark brow arched, "Adorable? No one has called me adorable before."

"Then that's a first of yours I'm going to steal."

This seemed to amuse him as he suddenly dipped me. I had no choice but to follow through before my brain could catch up. I had expected him to pick me up shortly after, but he didn't. He kept me laying across his arm. His head blocked the moon from sight, but it didn't matter, not when I was distracted by how close his lips were.

"My sisters liked to ballroom dance back in Russia. When their partners for class weren't present, they dragged me along. I picked up a thing or two. However, I'm still traumatised. If I see another hideous wig, I'm running for the hills."

"I'm not sure how I should take this tidbit. I could use it to my advantage. I may have heard they had classes somewhere close-"

"Don't threaten me Solnishko, you won't like it." He nipped my ear before pulling me back up.

As soon as we were upright, I spotted something beyond his shoulder. Alexei noted my tightening grip of his shirt, peeking over his shoulder so he could scope out our surroundings. I felt his body tense as a couple crept from the shadows, prowling towards us quietly.

Rogues.

"Get behind me." Alexei tried to nudge me behind his back.

I resisted his hold, standing beside him. "No way."

Alexei didn't try to nudge me behind him again, but I could tell he wasn't fond of the idea that we now had the Rogues as company.

They weren't of the wild, not-in-control variety either.

This couple...I could still sense their human counterparts. Their wolves were completely snuffled. I realised these Rogues had no animal.

They were a mature couple. I briefly wondered how they were able to go through the Enforcers patrolling the borders.

We didn't dare move closer. They approached us first, coming to a stop when there was a metre between us. They studied us with heavy caution. I wondered what their intentions were.

"Why are you here?" Alexei demanded.

"We're not here, posing a risk to this Pack. We would like to speak with the Alpha." The man requested, holding Alexei's stern gaze.

He was tall and still appeared to be more than in good shape. He had a few wrinkles near his eyes and silver hair, but his blue eyes held nothing but intellect and deviousness. It put all my senses on alert. He was dressed in a dark blue corduroy blazer and a grey turtleneck with pressed dress pants. He had a pair of Sketchers on his feet, that look incongruous to his whole get up.

The woman looked nervous as she stood beside the man. She too looked like she took care of herself. She was slim, in an athletic way only shifters could pull off. Her hair was jet black, with the front two strands framing her face in a silver hue. She had delicate features; and a more subdued presence compared to the man. I couldn't make out her eye colour, but it looked to be a shade darker than the man's blue eyes. She wore a long skirt with a floral blouse, paired with what looked like cowboy boots.

I breathed in the air, recognising their mating bond.

"You can speak with me before I personally walk you back to the borderline myself. The Alpha is busy." Alexei informed the couple sternly.

"I'm sure he'll have time for us." The man insisted.

"I want your names."

"We want to see the Alpha first." The man said.

"Your names or we'll be forcefully removing you from here."

"Honey, let's give them our names. There's no harm in that." The woman told the man.

The man maintained eye contact with Alexei before he visibly deflated before our eyes. "My name is Atticus."

"I'm Elleanor." The woman offered, hooking her arm through her mate's elbow. "We would like it if we could see the Alpha now. Please."

My instincts told me that they weren't a danger, but they were powerful in a covert way. Either they were intentionally coming off as non-threatening or they simply really did not carry any desire to harm anyone or the Pack. It forced me to believe that they just wanted to see the Alpha, for whatever reason they possessed.

Alexei exchanged a look with me. His expression told me he wanted to pick up the couple, throw each one over his shoulder and hand deliver them to the outside of the Pack boundary line.

It was on feat that they had come through the border undetected, unless they had taken down the Enforcers guarding the spot of the borer where they had entered.

Alexei's expression evened out. I knew he was linking Jude.

Several minutes of silence descended as Alexei focused on informing Jude.

When Alexei ceased linking, he turned to the couple, "The Alpha is on his way."

Relief painted their faces upon the news, "Thank you." Elleanor dipped her head.

As we waited in awkward quietness, the man- Atticus- narrowed his gaze on Alexei with something akin to recognition. "You look familiar."

Alexei ignored him.

Elleanor heard the caution in her mate's tone, just as I had heard it.

For a few seconds, sweet silence lingered in the air until Atticus spoke, "Ah yes, I remember now. They call you the Rogue Killer."

Alexei did not answer the man.

"There's a lot of rumours and stories about you."

"Cease talking to me old man. I'm not in the mood to tell my life story."

"Don't bother, I'm not interested. I just want to know how you've made it inside this Pack with the Elite Syndicate insignia on your chest. Did these people bring you in, knowing fully well you spent years combing through Rogues, killing them off as you please? You killed one of our friends."

An indecipherable look came over Alexei's face as he kept his voice locked away.

I glared at the man, "Shut up asshole."

The man jerked back in surprise. Elleanor erupted into giggles. She tried to stifle it under her dainty hand but a few kept spilling over. Alexei's lip curled up in amusement as his eyes lit up.

"I was merely speaking the truth." The man muttered.

"Listen to the girl Honey and please shut your mouth. I'm sure this man has gone through a lot. Seeing that he's standing here, I'm confident he has atoned for all his wrongdoings."

"He's the Rogue Killer Elleanor. He probably wants to kill us now because we're Rogues."

"I'm sure he's tempted." Elleanor sarcastically told her mate, rolling her eyes.

"We're basically like spring chicken to him." The man continued.

"Enough Atticus, dead skin cells are coming out of your mouth."

"Is no one here not understanding that this man in our presence spent years chasing Rogues, killing them off?"

"Enough." I cut the man off, "Stop or I'll deal with you myself. My mate is a good man."

"Your mate? Unbelievable. This man has killed people like us. He probably flaunted it around-"

I took a step forward, feeling my wolf surface but Alexei took my hand, brushing his fingers over my racing pulse. "Ignore him."

"I really want to let my wolf out right now Alexei. He's a grown ass man. He should know when to shut up."

"Not now Solnishko. He's only goading me."

His soft prompting only made me sad on his behalf. I didn't know the full story of Alexei's journey in becoming the Rogue Killer, but I had hoped by now that I would know his story. I wanted to know everything about him, including his worst moments.

"So, tell me how you got into this Pack? How did you manage to deceive your Alpha-"

"My Alpha knows everything I've done."

"Does she know?" He motioned to me with a knowing smirk.

I had the urge to rip off his corduroy blazer and choke him with the arms of it.

"Honey. Quiet." Elleanor hissed.

I appreciated the woman's attempts to zip her mate's lips up, but it was obvious he was on the roll.

He was still speaking but I had zoned out from his endless bout of bullshit.

Alexei on the other hand had gone completely still, to the point I couldn't detect his breath.

"Alexei?" I approached him, wrapping my hand around his wrist.

His pulse was thunderous.

I dropped his hand and cupped his jaw. His gaze shot to me, blazing dark. I watched his throat bob as he kept a firm hold on his emotions.

Choking Atticus with his own blazer would not be enough. I needed something sharp to deal with him.

I stormed towards the man and threw a punch that surprised both of us. Bone shattered beneath my knuckles. He stumbled back, holding his nose. I moved to him, fisting his collar, "Get the hell out of this Pack now or I'll kill you."

"He murdered my friend!" The man shouted, "He murdered him, and you defend this vehemently? The cherry on top is that he's the Rogue Killer."

"Don't you fucking dare lay a finger on her." Alexei stalked towards us. He gently tugged me behind him. I felt his fury like a hot caress.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" The man asked.

"No." Alexei gritted out.

"Then what?"

"Nothing. I'm going to do nothing."

Incredulous, Atticus could only gape.

But Alexei wasn't finished. No, it looked like he was gearing up for something.

No one was prepared for his next words.

Glaring, Atticus dared Alexei to do something.

True to his word, Alexei didn't lift a finger his direction. Instead, he took a deep inhale and faced the man, "You really want to know how I became the Rogue Killer?"

"You don't need to tell me anything. I already know. The name is pretty self-explanatory."

"Maybe, depending on how you look at it."

Atticus's lips pursed, "Explain."

"I don't have to explain a single thing to you."

"Yes you do! You killed my friend!"

Alexei's teeth snapped together, "It wasn't me."

"Then who the fuck was it?"

"My father."

I studied the bitter grin on Alexei's lips. "I'm the exact replica of Lev Vasiliev. This face, this body, everything is a fucking duplicate of the man who helped me come into this world. When my parents lost control of their wolves, my father commanded me to hunt them down and make sure they hurt no one. I failed the first few months. I was in denial. I didn't want to believe that my parents were now these wild animals with no sense of reason. Their human counterparts had disintegrated completely in them both without reason, leaving nothing but their baser forms. You think I enjoyed going through the Territories, hunting them down? My sisters were too young to do anything. This mission was my burden alone. So when the last traces of their humanity vanished, I hunted them like I had vowed."

Atticus froze, completely enraptured by Alexei's confession.

"They gave me my first breath and I took their last. How fucked is that?" He chuckled wryly.

"Enough." Elleanor whispered. Her eyes had tears in them. Empathetic tears.

Atticus was shaking too.

"You're right though. I did kill Rogues...It was impossible not to. When they went away, they naturally blended with the other wild Rogues that had no control of their wolves. They began to infiltrate Packs, innocent Packs and draw blood. They killed so many people. Their human parts didn't exist. It was the only thing I had to repeat over and over in my head to stop them. I had to say 'Alex, they're gone. They're gone. They're not the same. They're not mama or papa. They're wild Rogues with no sense but the thirst of blood.'" He glanced at his trembling hands, "There's rarely a time in which I don't see my hand smothered with blood, even until this day, I see red on my hands."

I grasped Alexei's jaw, forcing his eyes on me. His wolf was at the surface, staring back at me. "You don't tell them anymore baby. You don't owe them an explanation."

"Don't I?" His voice cracked.

"No." I shook my head, "Not a single thing. You did the right thing." I whispered, tucking his head to my shoulder. He didn't resist my coercion. He simply went limp against me as his heart beat a heavy song.

"Pen, take Alexei home. I'll deal with this." Jude's voice came from behind us.

He looked menacing as he approached us, keeping his narrowed gaze on the intruding couple. "Go Pen." He prompted again, more firmly.

I held tightly onto Alexei's hand, leading him away. He followed aimlessly, quiet, and lost in his own thoughts and nightmares.

"Fuck them." I cursed under my breath as I took Alexei home.