Ezra POV

"Calm down. No one will hurt her, I promise you." Alpha Veiler assures the feral man sitting cross legged on the ground.

Ryk narrows his eyes and growls low in his throat. He grips his mate tighter in his hold and glares, daring anyone to get close enough for him to strike out.

He hadn't let Tressa out of his reach even after everything has calmed down. Everyone is shifted back and dressed now, resting and processing the vicious attack. The members of the pack roam around picking up bodies and mourning the loss of the ones they loved.

Ryk was by Tressa's side while she dressed. He barley agreed to turn his back to allow her some privacy as she put some clothes on. He shifted back as well, even shoving on a pair of loose basketball shorts on himself. The Red Alpha's right hand man remained shirtless and barefoot despite the cold chill.

He won't allow anyone close to Tressa, especially Veiler and I.

As soon as they were clothed, he'd grabbed her and pinned her to him. Ryk now sat on the ground outside in the snow, legs crossed, his new mate in his lap.

He stays far from the groups of people and the mouth of the bunker. Any time someone nears he snarls. He's like a feral animal defending its territory, his territory being his mate.

Tressa, however, is quiet and wide eyed, and almost intrigued by him. Her head is rested on Ryk's chest as his long, pale fingers softly play with her blonde hair.

It's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. He is a vicious, evil killer. He's malicious and holds no mercy. And yet here he is, cuddling his mate and smelling her neck, blowing up when someone even so much as looks at her.

Ryk is gentle with her, despite the fact that she is basically a prisoner in his hold.

My mind is otherwise occupied though, wondering where Ace and Savannah are. They have to be close by. I hope they're safe, but I have no doubt that they are. The rest of lycans stand around aimlessly nearby.

Reid is fuming on the sidelines as he watches Ryk. He is not happy in the least about the situation.

"We should just kill him! He was with the enemy. We can't trust him, Alpha. He's still a threat to this pack." He demands. His muscles are tense as he darts his glance between Veiler and Ryk. He wants justice.

The albino narrows his bright blue eyes on Reid. He doesn't growl or snap at my friend, just observes him. He stares at Reid before sticking his face in Tressa's hair and nuzzling her neck. He lets out a gruff purring sound and Reid stands there with his mouth hanging open.

The male he claims as a monster openly showers his mate in affection.

"You of all people should know that mates change you. They cast light on even the darkest of souls. As you can see, the female keeps him grounded, sane. As long as she is taken care of and safe, he will not harm anyone. I doubt she would be okay with him attacking her pack mates." Veiler explains in his deep voice, gesturing with one arm at the scene.

Tressa snuggles into Ryk, closing her eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

"Well, she's been nothing but a bitch the whole time we've been here! We should kill the both of them." Reid insist, before he can say another word Ryk is growling like a bear. His eyes flicker to black as he snarls at Reid, who smartly takes a safe step backwards.

"I wouldn't recommend that." Says Veiler. I glance at our Alpha to see him relaxed, his serene expression is almost amused. If he's not worried about it, than neither am I.

I shake my head, wearing a sad grin. As much as I used to hate both Ryk and Tressa, anyone can see that they are made for each other. The day I met Klepto showed me just how much one can be saved when they find their other half.

Even if it takes as long as it did for my mate and I.

"You don't know why someone acts the way they do, Reid. I've been around for awhile and have seen a thing or two, believe me. They may look like the villain from the outside, but you can never know someone's mind." Says Veiler, and his little speech is telling of the wisdom he holds after lifetimes of roaming the earth.

Reid sobers at the words and quiets down, he turns and stomps back to the bunker, likely to go and find Stacey.

His sassy mate had been a bit too quiet after the incident. In fact, most of the females remained silent in the title wave of shock that still washes over them. Those who aren't as quiet as a mouse cry out for the dead.

Then there's Klepto. As soon as we were able to communicate again, she told me about her Dad and sister.

She had trembled in my arms as she explained the tragedy. She's lost them in the fight, and she cried as she mourned them in my arms, her tears staining my shirt and my heart black. They hadn't been the kindest to her throughout the years, but they were her family. That counts for something

Not that I can relate, seeing as I have none.

None that I know of apparently. The image of the Red Alpha pops into my head unannounced and I cringe. Now is definitely not the time to be thinking of that. Answers will come in time, but my real worries should be here and now, in the moment.

Somehow I was able to tend to Klepto's wound even as she was crying. The injury to her right leg wasn't fatal, the bleeding had already stopped for the most part. The open wound was healing well, but to be sure I had added antibiotics and some gauze. She has a small limp at the moment, but thankfully it will be gone in a short week.

I'm still worried though because I can't help it.

Right now Klepto is with her family as they cope with their losses. She sits with Penelope and Tabitha, her two sisters, and the three youngest boys. She's trying to comfort them as best she can, her arms wrapped tight around her siblings.

She's a good sister, and though Klepto's family life is complicated, she powers through. As I watch her silently she turns her head up as if sensing my stare. Our gazes crash together and she gives me a grim nod, pressing her thin lips together. My mate knows I have new duties to fulfill.

Klepto is strong on her own for now, later there will be time to ourselves to work things out.

But now is the time to make sure everything settles. I turn to watch Veiler try to deal with the mess we have on our hands right now.

Calming Ryk.

Our leader takes a step closer to Ryk before another fierce sound of warning is growled by the white haired lycan.

His pale face turns stone cold and his features flash into a smear of aggression. Tressa's hand goes up to brush his face, it only calms him down slightly, but enough to speak to him.

"She's injured. Why don't we tend to her wound? We can get her patched up." Veiler offers in his gruff voice. His large hands are held in the air in surrender.

Ryk looks down at the hood staining his mates shirt from the wound on her shoulder. He snarls at the sight.

"Is that a yes or a no?" I ask. Veiler looks at me carefully with a hint of appreciation.

"Yes." I am shocked when Ryk mutters the word suddenly, his voice a grumble. He looks like he doesn't want to let her out of his arms, but at least he isn't arguing completely against what we have in mind.

I grab one of the first aid kits and walk towards them, but he growls again. He shakes his blonde head once, his jaw clenching.

"A female." He insists, clearly not wanting another male near his mate. I look to Veiler beside me, he nods and crosses his arms over his chest.

"I understand." The Alpha King says, and I can't help but wonder what he means by that. He hasn't found his mate, has he?

I can't dismiss the idea altogether. He is a mystery, after all.

"Tressa, would it be alright if one of your sisters tended to you?" Veiler asks softly, trying not to scare her and face Ryk's wrath. He's a natural leader even through the chaos.

"Klepto?" She asks softly. I'm shocked that she wants my mate to help her. I gulp down the growl that wants to escape me.

I do not want my mate near Ryk.

"How about Tabitha? I'm sure she'd be happy to help." I try to reason, fighting back the gnawing in my chest.

Ryk rumbles his unhappiness. He gives me a dirty look.

"If my Tressandra wants Klepto, than she will have her and no other." He commands and I shake my head before he finishes his sentence.

"I won't allow my mate near you. I'm not taking any chances that you'll maul her."

"It's alright." I feel Klepto's soft hand on my shoulder. I look down at her to see her wearing a shy smile. Her dark, short hair is wild around her round face and I bend down to kiss her quickly.

She takes the kit out of my hand and goes to her sister's side. My beautiful mate fearlessly bends down to the couple and tends to Tressa's wounds.

Ryk watches her carefully. He doesn't make any moves to touch her, and I can hardly hold myself back from pulling Klepto away from him.

I don't like her being so close to another male, especially a lycan male. The only thing that makes it bearable is the fact that he isn't touching her.

My ears tingle at the sound of approaching footfalls from the west. Veiler notices someone approaching as well, and we both watch as Ace stalks into the clearing fully clothed. My eyebrows raise automatically when I notice the child in his arms. He's carrying a little girl as he walks our way.

Where is he up to now?

As he walks I notice those who are walking behind him. The multitude of males of the Green Pack follow him closely. A few are in their skins, others are covered in fur. Some of them limp into the clearing, a lot of them having injuries from fights. They hurry to get to the bunker and be near their families.

Mates reunite, brothers and sisters, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons. Tears are shed and the shouts of grief are heart wrenching to hear all around. It's almost too much for me to bear.

When Ace arrives at our side, I can see that the little girl in his arms is crying. He gently pushes her short hair out of her face and wipes at her tears. He softly shushes her and rubs a circle on her back.

The way he acts makes me suspicious.

"Is she... is she your.."

"Mate?" He finishes and I nod softly, eyeing the werewolf pup in question. She can't be older than 7 years old.

He shakes his head. Ace's jaw is clenched, his golden waves falling in his face.

"No. I saved her. Her parents were killed right in front of her. The whole thing was a slaughter." He whispers, but the girl can clearly hear him since she starts to sob into his shoulder. He holds her tightly to him and gives me a sorrow filled look.

There is sorrow everywhere. Blood, sweat, and tears permeate the air. Sobs and cries echo around me and I feel like my walls are crashing down.

There is very little holding this pack up right now. I pull at my hair, running a hand through it in exasperation as I watch Ace walk away with an orphaned pup in his arms.

How many children lost their parents? How many parents lost children? How many siblings lost siblings, or friends lost friends? It's hard to grasp. Hard to handle. As many battles as I've waged, I've never seen a pack full of families be on the receiving end of such violence and terror.

I let out a shuttery sigh and turn my back on it all, trying desperately to figure out what we are going to do.

How can we fix this? Is there a way?

How can you reverse such a tragedy?

I pause when two arms wrap around my waist from behind. The scent of my mate encompasses me completely and I exhale my panic and let her presence calm me down.

I grasp her hand in mine and pull it towards my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her fingers.

Someway, somehow we will make it through this. Together.

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If you're reading this, I love you:)