The snow-capped trees passing by became all too familiar to Jason's liking. They were nearing his birth pack. It would seem he had reached a full circle. The betrayal that had cost him his wolf began here and the battle that made him a hellhound would soon end here as well.

The car drive towards the pack was silent, except for the humming of the engine and the radio, which serenaded the occupants within. Jason didn't want to talk; he could barely keep the bile in the pit of his stomach from decorating the expensive leather seats. He thought that seeing his former pack again wouldn't be so taxing, but he was sorely mistaken. The harsh memories of his childhood flashed before his eyes and no matter how hard he tried to calm his mind, it didn't work. So much for meditating...

A hand, gently placed on Jason's thigh, jolted him out of his freak-out session. He glanced at his mate. Killian started rubbing his leg, trying to soothe Jason's frazzled nerves. His tail, which had been flicking back-and-forth, slowed to a halt. Jason took another deep breath.

"Feeling better?" Killian asked. His eyes were clouded with concern.

Jason pulled a gentle smile from his bag of bullshit, trying to ease his mate's worries. "Yeah, I'm getting there."

Not really...

Killian sighed and said, squeezing his leg. "Don't lie to me. You're practically trying to flee into the mountains with your tail between your legs."

Jason punched Killian on the shoulder, causing Killian to burst out laughing. He couldn't help smiling.

"There's your smile," Killian said. "Thought you lost it for a moment."

Jason wanted to whack his mate over the head, but Killian only wanted to distract him from his thoughts. Jason had to admit it helped.

"I know that returning to the pack must be difficult on you, but don't let it get to you. They can't hurt you anymore."

Jason nodded while staring out of the car's window, watching the snowflakes drift past them. He loved winter, especially when he and Mallory chased each other around in the snow. They used to build snowmen and then demolish them in their wolf forms. A smile crept across his face. It was one of the few happy memories he remembered from his childhood.

"I didn't think coming back here would be this shitty," Jason said. "It's effecting me more than I had hoped it would."

Killian took Jason's hand in his and kissed it. "Don't worry. I'll be right here, every step of the way."

***

The front gates of the pack appeared before them, accompanied by four sour-faced guards. No doubt, his brother had informed them about the situation. Jason smiled at their displeasure. In any other situation, his brother (the new Alpha) could have forbidden any other werewolves from entering his territory, but he couldn't deny the King's request.

Call him petty if you want, but Jason loved the fact that he was going to be his brother's lord and liege. Once they've dealt with the vampire lord first. After all the trouble Quinton and their father had been through to keep Jason away from the Alpha title... he shook his head at the irony.

The convoy soon arrived and came to a halt in front of a large crowd of werewolves who gathered around. Most were folk never got to see the King in real life. Therefore, when Killian arrived at a pack, all the inhabitants scampered out of their houses to get a proper look at him.

Jason glanced over the sea of familiar faces and noticed that the pack house had tripled in size, resembling a massive hotel. A white blanket of snow covered the pack house and front lawn. However, Jason suspected that after the pack had trampled the front lawn to bits that it wouldn't be the case any longer.

Jason swallowed nervously, still averting his eyes from his former pack mates. He couldn't stop his stupid heart from trying to burst out of its ribcage. To make matters worse, his mate wasn't in the SUV any longer to comfort him. No. Killian was busy playing diplomat with the pack's elders and his pathetic brother, who wore a smirk Jason wanted to tear off. Luckily for Jason, the tinted windows of the car kept him hidden from prying eyes. Jason closed his eyes and let his head rest on the headrest.

"Come on, Jason!" Cyron growled out, digging his nails into Jason's metal barriers. "Stop being a pussy and face your shitty family."

Jason huffed out and said, "I'm trying, but it's harder than I realized. Just being here is making my skin crawl."

"You're afraid of a bunch of mangy dogs? They can't hurt us any longer." Cyron egged Jason on. "You're the man in charge now. Their fate lies in your hands. So for Hades' sake, get your sexy ass out of this car and shock the shit out of your family's bowels."

"Eww!" Jason shook his head at the mental image as he scooted over to the door.

Just before Jason shoved the door open, he caught a glimpse of his mother standing beside his father. She wore an immaculate green dress wrapped up in a beige leather jacket. Around her neck, she sported two dog tags that made Jason grip the edge of the backrest. The leather groaned under his grip. She wore it. The dog tag he cast aside the day he left the hospital that day. Why would she carry it around after all this time?

"Because she still cares for you, even though she had to choose the pack over you," Cyron reasoned. "A mother's love is infinite."

Jason scoffed and muttered, "I don't care..." He reached for the door and opened it. "I'm here to win a war. Not here to fix burned bridges."

"If you say so." Cyron replied, not believing Jason's lie.

As Jason climbed out of the SUV, his black dress shoes hit the asphalt. He sank an inch as the snow gave way under his weight. Jason readjusted his tailored suit. Yes, you heard right. An elegant black suit with a blood-red tie, which quietly strangled him. Even though Jason hated the idea of wearing one of those damnable things, he made an exception just for this occasion. A demon had only one chance to impress.

Most of the pack's attention wasn't on Jason but on Killian and Mallory, who joined his mate. It seems there was no love lost between Quinton and Mallory. The reason for the strained atmosphere became apparent when Jason couldn't find Mallory's father or mother in the crowd. Jason's tail started flicking from side-to-side. Where were they? His best friend's father was the former Beta, so where was he?

"Where's my father, you idiot?" Mallory's words cracked through the crowd.

Quinton smirked and then glanced over at his father. "He's been detained and imprisoned."

A burning rage boiled through Jason's veins as the words slipped from his father's mouth. Years of dedication and this is how my father treated his Beta? Jason's claws drew blood. How he wanted to end his father's miserable life.

"For what!?" Mallory shouted, trying to throttle the former Alpha's neck.

Jason's father chuckled and said, "None of your business, foolish girl. It's pack business."

"Then I'll make it mine," Jason intervened.

All eyes snapped toward Jason. Their eyes grew wider with each second his face burned into their retinas. A devilish grin spread across Jason's face as his brother's and father's faces drained of blood. His mother, however, sobbed into her hand, which covered her mouth. Most likely, she never expected to see him ever again. Jason diverted his eyes from his mother, not wanting to see her cry. He never liked it when she cried.

Ice crunched under Jason's feet as he strode across the front lawn. His tail whipped around, not because of his anxiety but because of the fear that lingered in the chilly air. Jason soaked it in like a sponge. His brother's three stooges stumbled backward, trying to stay out of arm's reach. Their eyes were fixed on the horns on top of his head. As on cue, the rest of the pack's eyes followed suit.

Jason's father, Richard. Stepped forward and yelled, "Begone, demon! How dare you take the face of my beloved son? State your business or else!"

Jason halted in his tracks, nearly choking on his spit. However, Mallory wasn't fortunate enough. She began coughing while Henry patted her on her back. 'Beloved?' Was the former Alpha on crack? Or did he have a personality transplant? Never in Jason's life had his father shown him any affection. So what was his deal?

"Beloved?" Mallory choked out. "Don't try to play the loving father here. You never gave a shit about Jason."

"Hold your tongue, girl!" Jason's father growled out. "It has nothing to do with the likes of you?"

A hiss escaped Jason's lips. A puff of black smoke emerged from his mouth. "Be careful, father. Address Mallory in such a manner again, and I'll skin you alive."

"You're not my son!"

Jason scoffed and said, "Yeah, yeah. I've heard that many times before." He strolled up to his amused mate, who stood aside and watched the family feud. Jason's tail wrapped around his mate's hand and brought it closer to him.

The pack's eyes followed Jason's hand. The anguish in his brother and father's blue eyes reached a boiling point when Killian laced their fingers together.

"Hem, hem!" Killian cleared his throat. The pack's eyes shifted to the King. "I proudly introduce you to my mate and your future king, Jason Brooks."