~~~A/N~~~

Hi really quickly I just wanted to thank everyone who's added this story to their reading lists :') it's a real honor and I appreciate you all. But I really want to dedicate this chapter to Arrianna4 for always being the first to vote minutes after I update. It makes me feel special so I wanted to return the feeling ☺️ that is all. Happy FriYAY 🙌🏻~~~

"Now, what have we learned?" I ask much like a teacher asking a student. We reach Ember Territory and I dismiss Warrior Group One to go shower before joining the other pack members in training.

Jocelyn's nostrils flare in obvious anger but she holds it in as she replies "That you are the Alpha and I need to respect that."

"Very good." I nod. "Now go get cleaned up and meet me at the Training Grounds. You need the practice."

"Yes, Alpha." She mutters through gritted teeth before dashing off in the direction of the Pack House. A slow clap behind me forces me to turn around and to see Fallon grinning. Her wavy brown hair cascading over her bare breasts.

"That." She says nodding to where Jocelyn disappeared "Was hilarious. Why did you even give her the title?"

I shrug "She had the potential of being my Jiminy Cricket."

"Your what?" She asked with scrunched eyebrows.

"You know, my conscience." I answer and she snorts.

"Doesn't seem like she did a good job of that."

I shrug "I'm okay with that. If I had conscience we'd have died a long time ago."

She nods in agreement and we head back to the Pack House. Careful not to step on the broken glass, I hop in the shower to wash away the blood sticking to my skin. My breaths are uneven as I attempt to hold back the urge to scream. I can feel the vampiric urges inside of me begging to be set free, to rip into someone's artery, and drink them dry. I hate this. I hate what I've become. To have the enemy's blood flowing through my veins makes me sick. A loud growl erupts from my throat making the glass door shatter. I grit my teeth and with faux calmness turn the water off. As I step out of the shower I mind link someone to come clean up the mess. Dressing in a white shirt and black cargo pants, I grab the mahogany box and place it into one of my pockets before heading towards the Training Grounds. Jocelyn stands a few feet away with crossed arms as she surveys the training wolves.

'Alpha Lume.' Nurse Joy mind-links 'You need to come down here.'

'On my way.' I respond in an instant and break out into a run. Jocelyn notices my urgency and begins to follow.

We burst through the medical center's doors and immediately Nurse Joy rushes me to Nick's room. The rest of the staff pushes Jocelyn to stay in the waiting area.

When I walk into the room I see a whirlwind of movement as the heart monitor flatlines and they attempt to jumpstart his heart. I flash over to his side and grab his hand as the doctors keep charging his heart with electricity.

'Nick' I mind link him, hoping he can hear me 'Nick it's Alora. I'm here. You're stronger than this. You're my Beta. I need you. You have to fight Nick. FIGHT.'

The movement ceases and the doctors and nurses look at each other with grave faces. I look at them and feel anger begin to rise at the defeat in their expressions. "Get. Out. Now."

I order them through gritted teeth and they swiftly vacate the room. I look down at Nick's sickly pale skin and shake my head. There's no way in hell this man is dying. I extend my canines and dig them deep into his wrist as I begin to suck his blood.

That silver is coming out of his body one way or another.

The warm splash of blood enters my mouth as well as the burn of the silver. The feeling is both painful and erotic. Even with the silver, Nick's blood tastes like absolute heaven.

The monitor beeps and I immediately halt. Pulling away, I see the wavy lines present on the screen. Nick groans and I sigh in relief. My heart unclenches and the tightness washes away. Nick is okay. The doctors rush in and begin to check his vitals and the whirlwind starts up again. I look down at him and feel a smile tug at my lips, he's my best friend. My family.

The realization cleared the fog in my mind as my grandfather's words echoed in my head. Nothing is more important than family.

I rush outside to the woods and Jocelyn follows "Keep an eye on Nick will you? I have something I need to do."

"Right now?" She questions in disbelief "What the hell is so important that you're leaving Nick? What if something happens to him? You need to stay here!" She demands as she grabs my arm.

I turn to look at her and arch a brow and she quickly retracts her hand "Know your place, Jocelyn. You are my Third-in-Command not my equal. You are to follow orders obediently." I say in a low voice as I unleash my full alpha aura on her. She shrinks back as her wolf submits. "And silently. Is that understood?"

"Yes alpha." She whispers roughly.

Giving her one last look I turn and leave. Once deep enough in the forest I let my black wolf burst free while my human mind takes a back seat. I trot over to my tree and place the mahogany box into the satchel I keep with spare clothes. Taking the satchel into my mouth I guide my wolf in the direction we need to go.

The trees blur as we glide past them. Exhilaration and adrenaline fueling my body as I push past the burn. With my newfound abilities, I run halfway across the country in a manner of two hours. The afternoon sun begins to set behind the forest.

When my fur spikes and my wolf bares her teeth with uneasiness, I decide to take back control and get dressed.

We're here.

The grass is tall and unkempt. The fallen trees are dull brown and covered in moss as they lay on the ground. My eyes water at the sight. My home, destroyed. I continue further into the village and see the shattered remains of the houses and swing-sets left behind after the slaughter. Closing my eyes, I try to shake away their terrorized screams.

Feeling my throat close up I force myself to enter what's left of the crumbling packhouse. My wolf whines in my mind as the faint smell of roses lingers in the air. With great effort, I push down the waves of emotion that threaten to burst out and cripple me.

No time for tears. I'm here for a reason.

With a shaky breath, I nudge the door open to my father's office. The slow creek it causes sounds a million times louder in the eerie silence. My hands tremble as I walk in and see his shattered desk and broken window. I walk over to the bookshelf and almost lose my resolve to keep calm when I see the family picture we took the summer before the attack. The time we spent the weekend in our cabin. Just us without the pack. Nora pouting because dad put me on his shoulders instead of her and mom comforting her while dad and I grin at the camera.

I wipe away the dust on the picture frame before placing it face down on the shelf. I know I'm in the right place. The way grandpa went on about never losing sight of my family I knew I had to come back here. There's something here that I'm supposed to do. I just have to find out what.

Sighing I look around for any sort of clue. Something that can be easily missed. My father had an obsession with complicated clues and I was never clever enough to decipher them. Taking a step back I hear the floor creak. Now to anyone else it wouldn't mean anything but to my sensitive ears it sounded slightly off. Looking down I see a tiny indiscernible scratch in the shape of an 'X'. Gasping I immediately begin to search. I practically turn the place upside down but find nothing. Finally, I resort to pushing down all the books on the bookshelf. I search for some sort of button or latch like in the movies. My father's always had a taste for theatrics.

Feeling around I reach a tiny bump beneath one of the shelves and press it to reveal a tiny hole further along down the wall. Sighing I squint inside and see a slight shimmer. Sticking my finger inside I prick my finger on a needle and wince. I stand there with my pricked finger trying to figure out what the hell kind of convoluted clue my father has left. Looking at the wall I sigh in annoyance and take a step back hearing that same board creek. Looking at the tiny carved 'X' an idea comes to mind. Kneeling in front of it, I let the blood drop onto the X in the middle of the third floorboard. The wall groans in protest as the secret doorway reveals itself. I cough and wave away the dust swirling in the air, watching the cobwebs breaking apart.

I let out a huff and fight off a smile. Dad was nothing if not thorough. I remember teasing him about his obsession with detective movies. Turns out his love for Sherlock Holmes kept this place well hidden.

Stepping down the small spiral stairway, I make sure the wall closes behind me. Using my newly enhanced vampiric eyesight to see in the small circular room, I search for anything of value. Sorting through the dust-covered shelves stacked with books, I groan in frustration. My almost nonexistent patience continues to dwindle the more time passes. In my crazed frenzy, a dusty black bottle catches my eye. Pulling it out of its box I see another X and my father's elegant handwriting. After years of trying to decipher what he meant, I now hold the answer in my hands. Brushing away the excess dust I stare at the black ink in wonderment as if it holds all life's answers. All of my life's answers at least. My heart skips a beat as I stare at it.

'Oasis.'