We landed safely at 1 in the morning, then we had to take a 5-hour car drive towards my old pack. We got there early in the morning. The birds were chirping and the small rays of lights peeked through the trees, making the little drops of dew on the grass light sparkle. It was a lot warmer here than it was in England.

We walk right into my old pack grounds and notice a few people walking around. Most of them were older pack members that I remember from growing up. As Caine and I walked by, some of them looked away in fear, or some stared at us. These were the last pack members that refused to come to live at Caine's pack after the raid.

As we are making our way to what used to be my home, we are stopped by a young blond she-Wolf. Her eyes were dark, and they held a hint of sadness in them. She looked like she was around her young teens, maybe fourteen years old. She looks at me before she comes running towards us.

"Are you Aurora?" She asked curiously, I could tell that she was shy since she had a hard time keeping eye contact.

"Yes, that's me"

The girl's eyes lit up as she lunged herself at me, and embracing me in a hug. "Thank you!" we were told by Miss Cara that you and a few others helped on getting us back here. I figured it was you by the way that she described you, and him." She said as she pointed to Caine.

"Oh, I don't want to know what my sister used to describe me." Caine nervously laughed at this.

"No, she just said to look out for a girl with pink high-lights and a tall guy with doodles on his neck.'

Yeap, that was Cara alright. I held my laughter but I had to admit that was funny.

"Is everyone from the pack here?" I asked her and she looked around the area as if she was counting people. She shook her head.

"Some of them packed their belongings and moved to the city to live amongst the humans, and some of us stayed. We couldn't afford to move even if we wanted to, all because of the things that your father did." The girl said softly. She didn't sound angry, or upset. Her voice was just sad.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Gabriella"

"Gabriella, do you mind taking me to your family?"

Gabriella nodded and motioned us to follow her.

Caine gave me a confused look and I shook my head for him to follow. "I have to do this, it will help us gather any information that we need."

We followed Gabriella into a small cottage house. The light green paint was chipping off the bottom side of the house, and the green mold was taking over the side of the wall along with some vines that went all the way up to the roof of the cottage.

Our pack territory looked like it had gone through a war.

She opened the door and let us into the warm home. The house looked well kept on the inside. There were a few family photos on the wall and a few diplomas next to the pictures. "My father is out back fixing one of the chairs. But let me get my mom" Gabriella said as she disappears into one of the rooms.

After a few seconds, she comes out with her mom. "Ma, this is Aurora, Alpha Victor's daughter-"

"Why is she in this house!?" Her mom yells with tears in her eyes.

"Ma'am please I would-"

"Get out!"

"Mom! stop!" Gabriella yells and her mom takes a step back and looks at her with wide eyes. "Please listen, she knows miss Cara, the lady that helped us get back here after the raid. He is Miss Cara's brother."

Her mom calmed down when we told her who were were, but you could tell that she was still nervous, and I didn't blame her for being like that.

Then we hear the back door open and her father comes in. He was holding a chair in one hand, and a toolbox in the other. His forehead was sweaty and he smelled a bit. He was a lot taller than Caine and bulky.

"Mara let's hear what the girl has to say," The father said as he put the chair down before placing the toolbox on top of it.

"But Hank-"

"We still have questions and she can provide answers so that we can get closure on this whole nightmare," Hank said and his mate Mara looked away before she motioned us to sit.

Caine and I sat down on the soft couch and Mara and Hank sat in front of us on the other couch, Gabriella sat next to them.

"A lot has happened and I will answer any questions that you guys have, as I too have questions. But I can not start until I ask for your forgiveness. What Alpha Victor did to this family and other families of his own pack was unforgivable." I say as I bow my head to them.

Hank shifted in his spot and Mara wrapped her hands around his large muscular arms. "Now, I want to know, where is your father?"

"Alpha Victor is dead," Caine said as he stood his ground next to me.

They all gasped when Caine said that. " He was caught in England as he was trying to smuggle she-wolves and human women over there, he is also responsible for spreading the Lycan virus."

Hank spoke up, "I am glad that he was brought to justice for his crimes. But now, what is going to happen with us, with this pack. It's only a matter of time until another pack comes in and either kills us or makes us join their pack. We only have at least twenty members in the territory. We are an easy target.

"This is why I wanted to come here," I say as I lean forward a bit. "During this whole craziness of events, I found out that Alpha Victor was not my father. When I found out about all of that, everything made sense because, he really did treat me like I was dirt, and he drove my mom into a mental state that, I don't even know if the most knowledgeable professionals will be able to bring her back." I tried to speak as clearly as I could as images of my mother and the hell that we lived in that house came flashing back, I was holding back tears, but I had to be strong. I couldn't let them see me cry, not when I was trying to look like I could be their Alpha.

Hank and Mara looked at each other and Gabriella offered a sincere smile.

"We are very sorry that things were rough for you and your mom. Believe me, many of us wanted to gang up and overthrow Alpha Victor, but we were scared. As a pack, we felt like we were not strong enough, he kept us weak because he was scared of what we could have done. And he was always surrounded by his chosen warriors who would do anything for him." Hank sounded defeated.

"I don't blame you" I state as I tuck a stray hair behind my ear. "Many times I wanted to run away but security would be tight and I was scared to leave my mother behind. I wanted to ask if a young blonde she-wolf named Ally appeared around here?"

Mara and Hank looked at one another and they nodded. "Um, There was a report of someone seeing a young lady go into the Alphas house for a bit yesterday, but we were told by Miss Cara to not go in there...Is Ally someone from the FBI?"

Caine looked at me with a knowing look. She could still be there.

"Did anyone see her leave?" I asked and they looked at each other.

"Yes, she went into the house, was there for a few minutes, and then she left, we don't know anything else-" Gabriella said quickly.

I felt anger bubbling inside of me, but I kept my cool. So she had come by here. Perfect.

"Miss Aurora- what- what is going to happen with us?" Hank asks and I took a deep breath.

What could I say right now? I could see their worried looks and it made my stomach turn because I knew how they felt. Not knowing what your future is, or if your family would be okay.

"I spoke with my mate and figured that I should let the remaining pack members chose what kind of future you all want. If you guys want a new leader...a new Alpha, I would like to be that for you all, but if the pack doesn't want that, and they want to have a new fresh start elsewhere, then that could be possible too."

Mara looked uncomfortable as she heard me speak. "But this pack is all we know, I can't see myself leaving these grounds, this territory. My father and my mother both fought so hard to win these lands. There is too much history here for us to just leave it...we tried to stop the people that left..right Gabriella?" Mara looked at her daughter for support and Gabriella nodded as she scratched her arm nervously. "But they didn't listen to me or Hank, and they left. They were scared of the trafficking, scared for their daughters getting sold, and scared that the boys would be fighting for an Alpha that did not care about them...What if we tell them that Alpha Victor is dead?" Mara exclaims excitedly and she holds her mate's hands.

There was a tug in my heart as I continued to hear what Mara was saying. I could tell by her voice that she was hopeful and she wanted the pack to go back to what it was. She had hope for us, for the pack. But her wishes were going to be hard to achieve since Victor had already done so much damage, for years to this pack. This was not going to be easy.

Caine grabbed my hand and nodded. "We will be here for a few days, we got some time to go over things and see what we can do. In the meantime, spread the word of what we have told you today. Let the other pack members know that Victor is dead and that new changes are coming." Caine spoke with such valor and confidence that I felt myself melting right on the spot. I know that he noticed the sudden change in my mood since he turned to me and gave me a quick glance. It was as if he knew, of course, he knew, he could read my mind. "Give us three days to investigate before we address the pack."

Hank looked at Mara and then at us, before giving us a nod. "We will do that right away, Thank you".

We left their home shortly after. Truth be told, I was tired and I wanted to sleep but we had to go to my old house to investigate and see what we could find there. What could have Ally been looking for?

I felt Caine's hands grab onto my hands and I turn to him. "You okay?" he asks as he pulls me to him. "We don't have to go in there today if you don't want to Princess" he reassures but I shake my head.

"The house is just up this hill". We get there and at the sight of the house, I began to feel anxious and almost like I had to throw up. I swallow hard before taking a deep breath. I can see Caine looking at me worriedly but I chined up before entering the house. The door was unlocked and I made sure to open it fully before going in.

The strong odor of dust and like something had died in there, the putrid smell was enough to make me puke. I stepped back and Caine stepped forward. He scrunched his nose before walking into the house.

"You can shut it down" he comments as I follow him in. "The senses, you can shut it down."

"I prefer to smell everything, that way I will follow through with what I want to do when we leave this house."

"What is that?" he asks as he stops to look at the photos on the wall.

"You will see," I said as I walk into the kitchen. Everything inside the house was a complete mess. There were broken plates and cups on the kitchen floor. Dirt and dried-out plants on the counter of the kitchen and a dead rat laid inside the kitchen sink, with all kinds of bugs and maggots all around it. "Well, we found where the smell was coming from."

"I have seen way worst things but that is disgusting" he comments as he takes a peek at the dead animal in the sink.

I decided that I had enough of the kitchen and the dead rat, so I start to make my way up to the second floor. As I walk up the stairs, I noticed how the boards creak more than I used to remember as I put my weight on them. It wasn't surprising to see how fast the house was deteriorating. It was as if the house finally started to give out from all the negative and hateful energy she was absorbing all of these years. Now even with more reason did I wanted to get out and do what I want to do to the house after we got out of there.

Making my way into the room, I noticed that it had been trashed beyond recognition. My bed was flipped upside down and the drawers were thrown everywhere, with my items all over the floor. Caine was right behind me as I walk into my small room. He waited by the door as he observed the space quietly.

I pick up one of my old notebooks from the floor and turn to him. "I promise, I am not always this messy" laughed and he smiled. My guess is that people from my pack had broken in and gone through my stuff and stole whatever items they could. I wasn't upset since I didn't own a lot of things all thanks to Victor.

"I was about to say, we need to give you your own room if this is how you are" he joked back.

We both laughed at this. I was glad that he was here with me. But my chest began to hurt and I knew where it was coming from. Thaddeus. He was raging and I could feel all of it.

"You okay?' Caine asked as he caressed my hair.

"I am, Thaddeus is not though. He must be flying over now"

"How do you know?"

"Because I have been feeling this crazy feeling in my chest and I know it's him, it been getting stronger every minute."

Caine looked away when I said this. "Yea, we did leave and didn't say a word to him. You know I told you that it was going to bring issues."

"I know, but I had to do it," I replied back as I grab a Marshall's bag and began to put some of my old belongings and memories in the bag. Most of the items I was taking were gifts that my friends and Elle had given me, other than that I really didn't have much. Not even clothes. I saw Caine looking around and I sensed sadness coming from him. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"That you lived here, in all this pain and hurt, and that you had no one to protect you." I could sense the hurt in his voice and anger. He was looking away and I softly placed my fingers under his chin and turned his face to me. His eyes were glowing red, and he had a scowl on his face.

"It was hard, but I grew up into this strong woman-"

"Yea, absolutely. But you shouldn't have gone through this. No one should, if I could go back in time to rescue you, I would-"

"But you can't, and we can't change the past Caine, we are here now, in the future, living, and breathing. What we must do is make sure that no pups in our pack are going through this, that they are not being abused and hurt. We must protect our people and our pups."

Caine kisses me on my forehead softly before pulling away. "We will be the best parents to our pups, I know it"

My heart might have stopped for a second when I heard him say those words. Was he thinking about starting a family with me already?

"You want pups?' I blurted out nervously. I hadn't even thought about pups, especially with everything that is going on in our lives right now. It seems like threats are always coming out and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

Caine gave me a child-like grin and I knew that he was serious. "Not going to lie, I was all against pups when I was younger, but all it took was you walking into my life and you changed my whole perspective of pups. I want to be a father, a father to our pups."

Everything that he just said took me by surprise. My stomach was doing flips when I heard him say those words. I also felt myself getting wet for some reason.

He must have picked up my arousal scent and gave me a look. I brought my hands up in surrounder.

I smiled at him before leaning up and capturing his lips with mines. "Nothing would make me happier than to be a mother to our pups babe, but now let's keep on searching the house for anything about the Revel pack and that casino"

"I don't think he left those papers here, to be honest," Caine said as he walks into my father's study.

"I thought the same but it's worth the try. " I shrugged. The mission right now was to find any paperwork regarding Revel Casino. The Casino that my father owned and that I suspected, belonged to my real father.

"What are the chances that...Ally might have already found what she was looking for?" Caine says as he kneels down on the floor. I walk over to him and see what he is looking at. There was a space on the floor, a hidden secret space.

"How does this bitch always gets to these things first!" I slam my fist down on the desk, immediately breaking it.

Caine looks at me with worry. "What do you think she might have found in there?'

I look at him, my vision was now red. "She must have found the papers for the casino. If she was here yesterday that gives us some time to find her. I think I know where she might have gone. Victor had this human lawyer, he had come up a couple of times when things would get out of hand with my father. I had overheard a few things the one time regarding the casino and the lawyer's name was mentioned, but I can't remember now, shit!" I cursed as I took a seat on the leather chair. Caine stands in front of me with both of his hands on his hips, his face was down. I could tell that he was frustrated too.

"Jim Edwards!! he is downtown," I exclaimed.

"Let's go then," Caine says.

We both leave the house but I stopped right before I set foot on the ground. Caine turns around and looks at me with a confused look. "Ther is something that I must do first," I say as I run back inside the house and stop right in front of the basement door. I took a deep breath and pushed fear to the back of my head. I open the door and take the first step down. I took another deep breath before I gathered my courage and ran down the stairs. I put my nose to work and found the gasoline container that Victor had hidden. I grabbed the container and ran up the stairs. I threw gasoline on the kitchen floor and counters, I ran up the stairs and threw gasoline in my room, their room, my father's study, and the attic. I was careful to make sure I still had some left as I spill the gasoline as I walk down the stairs and onto the porch. I toss the gasoline container inside the house before walking over to Caine.

"I know you have a lighter' I retorted and Caine gave me a look.

'I have it in case of emergencies" he says lowly. "Aurora what are you going to do?" he asks me as he hands over the lighter.

"Something that I should have done a long time ago."

I walk towards the house and squat down where the gasoline spill stopped. I lit the lighter and placed it close to the spill on the porch floor. It didn't take long for the flame to come alive and spread all the way inside the house. I take a few steps back and observe as the flames light up the inside of the house from the windows, the orange glow starting to become more intense as the flames grow steadily. I look back to find Caine watching it all happen, with his hands in his pocket and a soft smile on his face.

"I should have done the same thing," he says as I walk over to him. He opens up his arms and I fall in his embrace.

"Then let's burn this house down for the both of us," I whisper and he looks down at me before capturing my lips with his, in a tender and soft kiss.

(This is the song that is playing at the end of this chapter)