"Where the fuck do you think you going?" A boy aged probably around fourteen asked.

"Mom and dad are no more here, Easton. What would I-" the other boy of the same age replied.

"Shut up!"

"Eas-"

"I said shut up! You were born here, raised here with me and you are meant to be my beta when the time comes. And you thought of leaving me and be beta-less alpha forever? What about the promises we made about working for the pack together, huh?" he pushes his friend by the chest. "I'm never letting you go. You are my best friend, Duncan. And you will be my beta"

"Easton...."

"I'm not listening to any of your stupid excuses. It's decided" he pulls the little man into a hug. "You will be here with me. F-forever"

"A-always" the boy hugged his alpha's back and sobbed in his chest, for the last time as he promised.

-----------------------

"Easton," Blake called putting a hand on his mate's shoulder. It was sometime past midnight and Easton had not blinked his eyes once. He sat on the chair near the gallery gazing at the moon, round and shiny. All he could see was the boy he grew up with which made him impossible to even think of anything but to rescue him. Safe and sound.

"Hm?" he mindlessly raised his head not even aware of who he was talking to until he saw Blake.

"Are you okay?" Blake stroked his mate's hair gently. Blake knew the feeling of losing someone. But, he was sure he would do anything in his course to protect Duncan. He was a great person, as long as Blake knew. But, the fact that he was Easton's best friend made the urge to protect him more.

"I don't know anymore, Blake" he admits honestly, leaning into the touch. "Do you want to listen to a story?" Easton asked hesitantly.

"A story?"

"Hmm..."

"I am all ears" Blake replied with a smile. He knew very well, that his mate's heart was not stable. He might act like a tough alpha with no emotions on the outside but on the inner part, he was just a man who loved his family. And Duncan was indeed his family.

Easton took Blake's waist in his arms and made him settle in his lap. As of now, Blake was straddling the alpha, while the other put his head on the younger one's chest. The touch was needed to feel the solace at the moment and none of them denied it.

"Once there was a small pack of werewolves in deep down the forest" he started.

"Oh, a fantasy one"

"Uh-huh," Blake rubbed his mate's back asking him to continue. "The pack barely had any members, the toughest one became the alpha, his best friend was announced the beta followed by few warriors. Slowly, the pack began to extend. The alpha found his mate at some time and so did the beta. They even had their first child with a mere gap of days. The firstborn of the alpha was named Easton, and the firstborn of the beta was named Duncan" his voice hitched taking out the name.

"Hmm...."

"The alpha's kid was rude, arrogant, and disciplined. But, the beta one was soft, idiotic and stupid" which made Blake laugh. "Everything the beta kid used to do would make more work for the alpha kid to cover up for. But, they were perfect for each other, as the best duo completed each other. But, one day......"

*A deep breath*

"One day, the pack was attacked by then enemies, the vampires. The adults were given the duty to guard while the children do be sitting in the basement" he frantically shivers to recall the moment. "Duncan and I also were not allowed to exit out of the cellar. Duncan did obey and stayed back but my young alpha self wanted to do something, something to prove I was an alpha kid and I can stand up for myself. So I sneaked out of the cellar holding Duncan's hand. When we reached the grounds that were shed with blood, the actual terror was then understood. My father and mother were fighting to the end of the ground and so were Duncan's. And then a vampire with his fangs dripped in blood, walked towards us. His eyes were red with bloodthirst as he proceeded onto us like a hunter and its prey. Duncan pushed me to his back and stood there to save me, as he promised to whenever we played the "pack" game. A fourteen-year boy with such a brave heart, huh?" the alpha's eyes glistened with tears.

"Another bloodsucker marched from behind us, trapping us little kids just for the young blood they desired. I remember we did shout in agony then. The beta couple, Duncan's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alpine took the lead and fought the vampires off. They pushed us towards the basement entrance where we came from and closed the above lid. Just before the door got completely closed, I saw them falling on the ground with their neck slit and the vampires sucking them dry" a tear slid his cheek making the younger alpha's shirt wet. "W-We were pulled inside by a warrior and the door was safety locked until we made out of the place after a week" he completes.

"Easton-"

"I k-killed them, didn't I? I killed them, Blake. With my own hands, with my ridiculous thinking that I could beat up a vampire. I killed his parents, Blake. I killed them!" the alpha cried holding in his mate's chest and holding onto him for life. "I-If only I wouldn't have-"

"Shhhh, you didn't. You did not do anything. You were just a kid-" Blake takes Easton's tear-drenched face in between his hands and making him look in the eyes trying to convince him.

"A kid with a fucking enormous brain. I did it! I-I" the older one tried to deny every comfort he received. He killed his beta's parents and it was engraved in his mind. He kept shaking his head in order to avoid eye contact and convenient touch. He did not deserve any of these. He should be punished, not taken pity for.

"It's okay..... Look at me" Blake held still on his mate's face, not letting go of any chance to make him feel like the wonderful person he was. "Duncan doesn't blame you, baby. No one does" Blake tried to coo wiping away the tears that kept coming down his mate's cheeks.

"Exactly! " Easton outbroke the temper he was holding onto. "He doesn't blame me as he should! He takes up any order from me, acts on it like I'm his life owner. I'm not! I'm not his boss, Blake. I'm his friend, h-his best friend. His best friend, who killed his p-parents" the alpha was broke, the dam of water was broke, the tears kept flooding making him stumble on his words.

He slowly gets up from the chair making Blake move from his lap. He takes a deep breath and then looks at Blake again. "You should sleep, Blake. It's almost three in the morning" Blake eyes him for a good minute before walking to his side and throwing his hands around his tall partner.

"Only if you are coming with me," he says still hugging the man. He did not let go of Easton, who finally gives in and hug the alpha back. "Everything's gonna be fine. Just get some rest, that way we could concentrate in the morning, hm?" he explains placing his hand on Easton's cheek. The plan they made would come into action, the next morning. The elite team was ready, consisting of warriors from both the packs. Jaxon did offer help but Easton declined it for some reason. So, as decided the alphas, Zander, Tib, and the team with Derek and Luther in lead would go.

The alpha with red eyes and face agreed and nodded as Blake walked them to the bed. They slid in the bed and Easton did not let go of Blake. He passed out, not even in a minute, with Blake's warmth around him and his hand stroking the brown hair. Blake closed his eyes moving closer to Easton, hugging him.

----------------------------

It was now an hour since the alphas went to sleep, but there was still a person who hasn't. Tiberius. Tib was back on the grounds patrolling the pack all through the night. He managed his chair in the mid-air, like usual, and masked his energy. He was ashamed of himself for letting Duncan go by himself last night and he wanted to do anything in his control to bring the man back. In his patrol of eight hours now, he hasn't seen any unusual activity but that did not give any chance to laze around. He could manage sleep easily. He was also a vampire after all.

He took out the coffee from the thin air and sipped on it, keeping an eye on the "North gate". After two sips or three, he found a shadow crossing the border. Letting go of the cup, he uses his hawk vision. The figure was shaped like a woman with her body covered in a dark black dress and a cap on the head. She looked on both sides for any danger as Tib presumed, and then walked further in. She escalated from one tree to another and another in seconds. The way of passing confirmed Tib who he thought she is. "A vampire".

Her scent was masked with a human one and the way she made her way to the packhouse, she must've known this place very well. Tib got up from the chair but still in the air to watch her move, she closed into the house and started climbing the water pipe attached to the house. Tib did not want to catch her just now. He wanted to find the motive, she was here for. The woman with still her head and face covered climbed the building like a pro until she reached the alpha couple suite.

Tib has nothing to do but inform Easton and Blake to beware of the danger and set her up from both sides. He tried to concentrate and made his voice engulfed in a bubble with the highest volume and sent it to the room before the woman could reach it.

The bubble traveled in seconds from the top of the trees to the couple's bedroom. As soon as the bubble reached in, it nudged itself on Easton's face, which made the light sleeper wake up. He opened his eyes and watched the familiar messaging strategy. He sat up immediately waking up Blake, he then popped the bubble to learn the message.

the bubble vanished in the air. Easton got up immediately and got his shirt on as Blake followed the suit waking up. The pair did not exchange any words and just started looking for the possible ways in, starting from their bedroom window. None. The pair walked down, to the study, kitchen, and then the hall. None.

Another bubble arrived which consisted of the message: The bathroom downstairs"

"How does he know our house so well?" Blake evidently questioned.

"He knows everything, he is a pro spy" Easton whispered back striding towards the bathroom. Unusual sounds of opening and closing were heard from the other side making the alphas alert. On the count of three, the bathroom door was opened revealing a woman with red lips and a black cover-up, disguising her whole body and half her face, standing on her heels with legs apart. She had an apparent shock all over her face. She was least expecting the alphas to be up at four am in the morning. As per her research, the packhouse starts its activities at five-thirty.

"No," she shook her head with only her lips visible. "It can't be-" she stepped back in order to run the way she came from. Her moments halt when her back collides with a hard chest. She turns back facing her worst nightmare, Tib Brown aka Tiberius De Bryne.

"It's been a while," Tib grins and takes off her cap showing her face, her red pupils, which shook and trembling at the unexpected encounter, her disheveled curly brown hair, and the pale skin, "Emmeline" he grins at the familiar face. Her body trembles looking at the half-vampire and the alphas.

"Emma?" Easton says looking at his "friend"

"Wasn't she a human?" Blake asks with lovely disgust he held for her.

"Her? a human? Impossible, she is a pureblood vampire, Emmeline Tereshkova, aren't you, sweetie?" he looks at the baby vampire, aged around 150. She lunges to her right to get out of this small space but Tib gets a hold of her wrist, not too tight but tight enough for her to not relieve herself. "Sweetie, now that's rude, you haven't met your stepbrother in forever and you treat me like this" he pouts.

"Step-brother?"

"Uh-huh"

-----------------------------------

"So you are telling me, the woman who was Easton's girlfriend...."

"She wasn't-"

".... is a vampire and he didn't even have a clue about it," Blake asks ignoring any account of Easton's interruption in this matter. He was still mad about her sitting in his mate's lap. Never letting that go.

"I told you already, you guys are mutts with less common sense," Tib says relaxing on his chair, while his step-sister was tied to a chair with the warlock-ropes and struggling against them. "Try harder, you may break your nasty bones early than expected," he says making her stop immediately.

"Sir Tib is great," Blake says with his eyes glowing with admiration.

Sir, my ass. Aziel growls with jealousy.

"Not yours, Aziel. Gross! I wouldn't mind Kai's though" Tib retorts winking at the alpha making Aziel growl louder.

"Enough!" Easton says as he drags a chair right in front of Emma who hasn't spoken a word since she was tied down. "Where is Duncan?" he was straight to the point. He wanted his beta back and he wasn't waiting any longer. She shakes her head furiously making the alpha boil with anger. "I asked," he slams the chair backward making it break into pieces when it touches the wall. Blake just blinks and looks at the broken pieces of the chair while Tib doesn't give a fuck and munches on the cookies he smuggled from the kitchen. "Where. Is. Duncan?"

She shivers uncontrollably, opens her mouth, and closing it back without a word. "We aren't playing dumb charades, madam. Hurry up!" Blake says, his patience still on toll. She glares at Blake who rolls his eyes and waves her off.

"I-I don't-"

"Now don't give me that shit, Emma. I know perfectly well, you know where Duncan is. With your masked scent removed, I can clearly smell Arion on you. So better speak up" the older alpha says. Her eyes go wide as she sniffs herself and Easton was right, her scent was high and which made it almost impossible for the werewolves to breathe. She saw no way of escaping this, either she speaks the truth and dies or she goes back and dies. There was death written for her on either side.

"H-he is i-in the house across the river f-from the N-North gate" she shudders.

"And why is he there?" Tib asks.

"M-my m-master wanted me t-to do t-this," she says making Tib sit upright, he looks at Easton who was already looking at him.

"Who master?" Tib asks as his mind runs for any possible person to be addressed as a "master". He knew only one person who could be termed as a master but he couldn't come down here.

"I-I don't know" she struggles.

"Emma, I promise, I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. Just tell the name" Blake assures. He noticed the struggle the woman felt with her brows twitching, eyes dancing and her legs shaking, he knew that the rest two couldn't possibly go soft on her so, he took the toll.

"I-I he-he" an arrow breaks through the glass window at lightning speed and pierces through her throat.

"Shit!" Tib rushes towards the woman who had her head thrown back with the silver arrow sliting her neck. He checks her breath but she was gone. The blue poison at the tip of the arrow starts spreading through her body which Tib watched with wide eyes. He pulled Blake away from her and bends down. "Easton! Down!" he shouts making the alpha slide down in instant speed. Her body explodes with a massive blast destroying the whole floor. "Fuck!"

Easton runs to his mate as soon as the blast goes down. Blake was shivering in Tib's hold, the sound being similar to the thunders. Easton engulfs his little mate and rubs his back. "It's okay, it's all over" he rubs Blake's back while Tib runs to the window to witness the attacker. None found.

"Damn"

----------------------------------

"So that little piece of shit is back?" a man in his fifties says grazing his white beard. "I should've been careful" he sips on his wine, while his arm engulfs a woman. The beautiful woman scrapes her partner's chest and played with the hair on him.

"Don't worry, honey. He will be gone just like last time" the woman says drinking the wine from the man's glass. "Or better be dead, this time"

"Nah, honey. the stubborn bastard went away because he thought you were dead and Christopher along with Austin closed the case" the man says getting up from the couch. "This time, he wouldn't go until he finds out the reason behind the attacks plus the alphas this time are young and also your son" he continues which makes the woman go stiff.

"He ain't my son," she says with a rumble. "He is just a piece of flesh that came out of me 'cause I was Christopher's mate and nothing else" she comments, her anger rising with the mention of Christopher. "And I'm yours now," she says.

"That you are" the man grins.

----------------------------------

As the sun was still behind the clouds and dark outside, everyone in the plan was ready to take it to the house. The destination was known now. The house at the North Gate, the plan was executed within fifteen minutes of the blast, to be quick before the other party could take a bait. The wolves were arranged at every distance from the house, as Easton walked with Tib and Derek while Blake, Zander, and Luther guided the house. Blake was reluctant of leaving Easton alone but the older alpha was not convinced of taking him right after a panic attack.

Ezra was with Easton and the team while Austin, Aurora, and Christopher stayed with Blake. Ezra had bags under his eyes with his eyes glowing Silver and brown back and forth. None of them was stable, they could tear a person in two even being a recessive alpha. He barely held his anger last night and broke the things in his room. It tired Silver to watch Ezra like that, even he too longed for Arion, now that he was his mate. Maybe he didn't hate Arion as much as he thought he did.

"I still can feel the energy coming off the house, and couldn't trust anything. The arrow earlier was made by a powerful witch. I haven't seen such power in a long time, so you could only imagine the destruction" Tib advice. The warriors were kept at the last as Easton with Tib closed into the abounded house.

Ezra was right at the tail of his brother. Easton was in no position to stop Ezra from coming so he let him. Low whines and growls were heard as they got close to the house.

I can feel him!

Silver says as a jolt of electricity passed him.

"He is here, brother," Ezra says looking at the house longingly.

"Great," just as they were about to cross the river and hit on the land of the house. A huge blast occurred making the ground shiver like an earthquake. The territory broke into halves, as the trees started falling one by one, any living being around was burnt to death including the house was set on fire in blue color. The same color that was carried on the arrow earlier.