DYLAN ||

Last night was fucking amazing, but this morning was sent straight from the pits of hell.

Sitting in the conference room at the head of the table and Raiden on my right, we were surrounded by my family, his family and my friends.

Apparently there was a breech at the gate last night and nobody could actually reach myself or Raiden for obvious reasons. I wouldn't tell them what we were doing, although I had a sneaky suspicion that majority of them already knew by the way Raiden was walking and the fact that he hissed everytime he adjusted himself in his chair right now, not to mention, even after our showers, we still smelled heavily of each other.

"Son, I asked for you and Raiden to join us all because you are now the Alphas and the issue that arose at the pack gates last night involves both of you in a way that you won't like." Dad explains.

"What way does it involve us other than us being the Alphas?" Raiden asks.

"Five wolves showed up around 10pm last night seeking sanctuary, but we couldn't grant them that, not only because we hadn't spoken to you both yet, but also because of who they were." Preston says.

"Who were they?" I ask.

"Garrett, Theo, his mother Sophie, Kaylie and her mate, Ruby." Taj growled.

"H-how did they find us?" I ask nervously.

"I'm sure Garrett just followed our familial bond and was able to locate us that way." Bennett shakes his head.

"Well if you ask me, they don't deserve refuge, not after their parents confessed to everything, I say fuck them.. throw them in the cells and let them rot." Zahara rolls her eyes.

"Wait a minute little one, we can't just do that.. we're felines, we don't exactly know what King Kano would do to the wolves in our family if we hurt the randoms." Preston tells his mate.

"Ugh whatever, they hurt our family, so I say hurt them back." She snarls.

"That's not a clear way of thinking, but we will fix that later." Preston growled at his mate, Zahara just rolled her eyes again then stayed quiet.

I was surprised to see her actually be quiet after Preston's little stunt just now. They seem to be getting along or somewhat cordial, I guess, so maybe this is a good thing.

"What do we do about this Raiden?" Adonis asks, probably wondering why I was so quiet on the matter.

"I'm not sure, I don't really know how to do the whole Alpha of a pack thing, Pups what do you think?" He asks turning to face me.

I look at him then around the table, taking in every single person's face before sighing.

"I don't know." I shrug. "Maybe we should ask them what they want first and why they want refuge." I suggest, looking at my dad for guidance.

"That's a good idea son, but they've already given us the answer to that. King Kano went to the Wolf's Claw pack about a week ago and let all the wolves there know that they would be dispersed throughout the other packs and anyone who chooses not to pledge to a new Alpha would be executed... after he told them that, he left that day and returned yesterday to start the process of clearing the lands." Dad explains.

"Garrett, Theo, Sophie, Kaylie and Ruby were asked to leave as well." Emilio says. "King Kano gave them the option to either claim unmarked territory and build their own pack or seek refuge in another pack, so they came here."

I shake my head at this whole situation. Just when I think life is going one way, a curveball is thrown my way and I have to dodge it, completely throwing everything off course. Looking at my mate again, he also shook his head.

"Can they stay here?" Adonis asks carefully.

"Hell no!" Avery yells. "Not after what their parents did, what if Garrett knew about the whole thing.. what if Dean or Jake or Jade told him their plan to keep Bennett and Dylan as placeholders for him? What if he knew about Dean and Jake trying to kill Bennett?"

I frown after listening to Avery's concerns. He had a good fucking point. Brother or not, if Garrett knew about Dean, Jake and Jade's plans, than he wouldn't be staying here to bring chaos to the pack that my dad worked so hard to build.

"So what do we do then?" Gabe asks, looking at me. "Alpha, we need a decision."

I look around the room again before my eyes land on my mate. He offered a soft smile, that brought on my own.

"Maybe we can go talk to the guests, bring Eva, Quiweeme and Weheil just in case they try anything or refuse to be honest." I announce and dad nods quickly.

"That's a good decision, son.. I can bring them to the cells in about a hour, if that sounds good?" He asks and I nod.

"Yes dad thank you.. Adonis and Emilio would you mind going with dad?"

"Of course son." Adonis smiles.

"I don't mind at all." Emilio smiles as well.

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Walking towards the cells after Dad linked me saying he was ready, Raiden and I led the way as everyone else followed close behind. Dad and the magical creatures were standing outside the door that led down to the cells.

"Would you like to lead the way Alpha?" Dad smiles. I look at Raiden for guidance, he shook his head so I followed his lead, shaking my head as well.

"No, it's ok, you can lead us." I tell him.

Following dad through the first set of doors and down the stairs, we walk through the halls of empty cells until we get to the door to the dungeon room.

Grabbing Raiden's hand after Dad opened it, he stepped inside and we stepped around him to see Garrett, Theo, Sophie, Kaylie and Ruby sitting at a table in the middle of the room, their hands cuffed to the top.

Everyone made their way into the dungeon. I was starting to notice that we all moved as a unit and I loved that. The magical creatures usually stood off to the side in case they needed to act quickly and the felines usually took their places in front of the wolves. Most likely because they were stronger than us and if anyone or anything posed a threat, they would be able to handle it with no problem.

To think that their strength actually bothered me or made me insecure at a point in time was ridiculous. It's truly a fucking honor to be able to have such intimidating creatures holding down the frontlines at all times.

Tightening my grip on Raiden's hand, I take in the wolves at the table.

"Traitors. Kill them all." Maddox growled quietly as he flattened his ears and swished his tail.

Before I could actually agree with him though, I had to think about the wolves who sat in front of me with terrified expressions.

Sophie, I once believed that she was my aunty because she was Jake's mate and her pups, Theo and Kaylie, I once believed were my cousins. I wondered why she was here with them instead of with Jake's beheaded corpse, buried somewhere in the Kingdom.

Kaylie and Ruby, I held no animosity towards unless they were aware of the plan all along to harm Bennett and use me as a placeholder.

Theo still needed his ass whooped for laying his filthy hands on my mate while he was in those fucking cells, somewhere he should have never been in the first place. I told everyone not to harm him, yet Theo and Garrett did anyways and only felt bad for their actions after they found out he was my mate.

Then there was Garrett.

My little brother, Bennett's little brother, all because he fell from Jade's vagina, the same way we did, yet he wasn't Liam's son.

He belonged to Dean, he smelled like him, he looked like him, he definitely acted like him and that pissed me off.

However, he was our little brother by blood and by bond. So on one hand, if he did know about the fuckers plan this whole time, I would kill him myself, but on the other hand, if he didn't know and he was actually seeking refuge, I'm obligated by the familial bond to help him.

I just didn't know if I actually wanted to help him.

"Hi Dylan." Garrett says quietly.

"No." Raiden growls, pulling my attention to him as he glares at Garrett. "You won't greet my mate like you've been waiting to see him again..... We have questions we need answered and until we are satisfied with your answers, you are to only speak when spoken to. Am I clear?"

I look back at the table of bullshitters to see Garrett swallow nervously as Theo hangs his head. My little brother nods once in understanding, so I decide to start the questioning. Getting straight to the point because I just don't have time to beat around the bush anymore.

"Garrett, I'll start with you." I announce and he looks at me. "Did you know about your mom and dad's plan to use Bennett and I as placeholders until you were of age to become Alpha?"

"No." He answers quickly.

I look at the magical creatures standing in the corner of the room, well everyone but Eva, who was standing next to Dad and Emilio.

Looking back at the table of idiots, I tighten my grip on Raiden's hand once again before taking a few steps towards them, pulling my mate with me.

"I advise every single one of you to tell the truth because if you choose to lie to anyone here, our friends over there." I point to the elves and Alaric. "They won't hesitate in forcing the truth out of you in their own very sadistic ways." Then I point to Eva, who smiles. "And she will take great pleasure in torturing you."

I watch as everyone at the table nods and then I look at Garrett again. "So, I'll ask you again Garrett, did you know about your dad and mom's plan to use Bennett and I as placeholders until you were of age to become Alpha?"

"No, I swear I didn't know Dylan." He says again, so I look at Eva. She snaps her fingers and I hear Garrett gasp as he starts thrashing against his handcuffs.

Eva snaps her fingers once again and Garrett sucks in much needed air as tears stream down his face. "I swear, I swear I'm telling the truth Dylan, I didn't know."

"We can enter his mind if you would like Dylan." Quiweeme says, taking a few steps forward with Weheil by his side, so I nod and back up to give them the room that they will need.

"It might be a good idea to enter everyone's mind that answers a question, then to just tell us whether or not they are being truthful about their answer." Dad says and I nod in agreement.

"That's a great idea, if you both don't mind." I tell the elves who both smile.

"As you wish Dylan." Quiweeme nods.

"Of course." Weheil nods.

So I look back at Garrett, who's eyes were now glowing as the elves entered his mind to seek the truth behind his answers.

"He is telling the truth." Quiweeme announces. "He did not know of Dean and Jade's plan for using you or Bennett as placeholders."

"Do they know about the past? What Dean, Jake and Jade have done? Do they know about the executions?" Raiden asks.

"Yes, we know." Theo says.

"And trust me when I say, I couldn't be happier to be rid of all three of them." Sophie states, her words completely take me by surprise.

"What?" I ask, now confused.

"May I speak freely?" She asks, looking around the room.

"Of course Sophie." Dad says, pulling my attention to him. "I think it's time your pups as well as mine know the truth about our connection."

I frown as I whip my head back at Sophie, who smiles softly at my Dad then looks at me.

"Emilio and Jade weren't the only members from Liam's original pack... I was as well." She says, pulling multiple gasps throughout the room. "I was Jade's bestfriend all of those years ago, but when she met Dean and told me about the Alpha challenge that would take place between him and Liam, I told her that was a bad idea.. I fought her dumbass tooth and nail about it and you would think being her bestfriend, she would have listened to me."

"When she told me about the wolfsbane she and Jake planned to use, I told her that I was obligated to report that to the King at the time... that it was illegal for her and Jake to manipulate an Alpha challenge, but she wouldn't listen... she said because I threatened my Luna, that I committed treason and she locked me away in the cells the day of the challenge."

Quiweeme and Weheil both nod, signaling that Sophie was telling the truth, so I gesture for her to continue even though I felt physically sick to my stomach.

"While I was locked away in the cells, I felt the tether to my fated mate snap... I physically felt him take his last breath." Sophie says before hanging her head.

"His name was Adam, he was my everything and someone killed him and I didn't know why. I didn't know what happened to Liam or the rest of our pack until Jake, Dean and Jade brought me out of the cells and I seen the carnage they left behind, all of the slaughtered bodies of our family and friends, everyone we loved gone... the only original members of our pack that were left were myself, Jade and Emilio and I think by now, you all know what happened to him."

Sophie sends him a saddened smile before looking back at me.

"Jake took me as his, claimed me that same day that they released me from the cells, I had no choice in the matter... the bond may have wanted him, but my heart did not.. I never truly belonged to him, I was never his... I've hated him for the past 21 years and I'm so glad that he's gone now and that my pups will never have to see his face again." Sophie snarls.

Once again Quiweeme and Weheil both nod, signaling the truth behind her words.

"I love my mom and my sister and Ruby, so when she told us what happened, everything about the past, I fought Jake because I was so angry." Theo says. "I would never want to call someone like him my father. He's an embarrassment."

"He truly is." Kaylie whispers.

"We were at the execution." Garrett states. "Legally King Kano had to invite us being immediate family of the accused.... We watched the entire thing, I was so pissed off about everything, while King Kano announced to everyone present why Jade, Dean and Jake were being executed, but the moment he said something about Bennett being alive, I swear I almost fainted because I didn't want to believe that was true."

Garrett looks around the room, clearly trying to find Bennett, who takes his time walking towards the front with Taj's arm wrapped protectively around his waist.

The moment he was in full view, Garrett, Theo, Sophie and Kaylie all gasp as they look over my older brother. Clearly noticing his injuries and his scars, but most importantly, seeing that he was alive after believing that he was dead.

"Oh my Goddess." Sophie breathes out before her lip began to tremble. "I was there the day that Jade had you, I watched you grow into such a powerful young man.. Dean and Jake tried their hardest to control you, but you wouldn't let that happen. They hated your strength, your tenacity, your power. The fact that you were a true Alpha, they just couldn't push their evil ways into you and it pissed them off so much." Sophie giggled as she stared at Bennett.

"That day when what I know now weren't rogues that attacked, but Liam and his pack here, Dean and Jake came back after the battle, completely bloody and shaken up, they told everyone that you died because rogues cornered you and only you, but I never once believed that.. it just didn't make sense, but I wasn't in the position to question it and I'm so sorry that I didn't fight to find you."

"It wasn't your fault Sophie." Bennett tells her as he looks at Taj. "If the events of that day never happened, my mate would have never found me, so in some weird way, I thank Dean and Jake for their cruelty."

Sophie smiles at Bennett and Taj before looking back at Raiden and I.

"You all have such beautiful bonds."

"Thank you." I nod as Raiden wraps his arm around my waist.

Quiweeme and Weheil's eyes continue to glow as they both look at me, gesturing to ask if anything else was needed from them. So I look back at the table.

"Dad told us that you all were looking for refuge here." I state and Sophie nods.

"Yes we are."

"How did you find this pack?" I ask, curiously.

"Garrett." She says. "I taught him how to connect to his familial bond and he felt for you. The bond brought us to the silver river and then pulled us here."

"Dylan is the Alpha here, so Garrett won't hold that position and Theo won't hold the position as Beta... in all honesty, you all will hold no pack titles." Taj tells them.

"That's completely fine with me, I never wanted to be Alpha.. it's too much work if you ask me." Garrett chuckles.

"And I don't want to be Beta either, being in the spotlight was never my thing, I'm comfortable just doing pack work or training or anything else you need." Theo says.

"Whatever you need from myself, Kaylie and Ruby, we will happily do as well." Sophie says.

"You do realize even with your confessions, we still don't trust any of you, correct?" Raiden growls quietly.

"Yes and that's completely understandable." Sophie smiles softly.

I look around the room, taking in everyone's skepticism before my eyes land on my Dad. He was quietly watching the table of weirdos, without so much as a sharp breath.

Looking back at Garrett and Theo, I was contemplating on locking them down here for their actions towards my mate, but not knowing if that would bring Raiden any happiness, my thoughts paused on that idea.

Hearing their confessions and the truth behind their words didn't exactly bring much peace either. I wasn't sure if I should trust them after everything or even if I should let them stay here in the pack.

I would have to talk to the pack before making any decisions on their future.

I promised Dad that I would be the best Alpha that the Shadow pack deserved and I swore to King Kano that I would lead this pack with a sound mind, gentle hand and understanding heart.

In order to fulfill my promises, I would have to seek advice and discuss things before making decisions.

Getting all the information, opinions and advice necessary to make a sound decision and that's exactly what I plan on doing.

I look around the room again at the many faces of the people I love, the people that love me, that promised they would protect me and help guide me in my future Alpha duties.

"Let's all discuss this in detail before making any further decisions, please follow us back to the conference room." I announce to everyone before grabbing my mate's hand once again and walking towards the door.

I'm determined to be the Alpha that this pack deserves, that my mate deserves, that our boys deserve.

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