Claws slice and teeth rip fur from muscle as the two slam into one another hard and fast, pushing at the other and trying to pin them down. Neither holds back as blood splatters the ground, dripping wounds completely ignored as they tumble over one another, full focus goes into their onslaught. The crowd that has gathered around holds their breathes, even the enemies as they push in closer to watch. Some even gasping when Rufus gains ground on Charles as if they have all their bets solely on him and praying Rufus fails.

Those prayers may be answered.

Rufus digs in his teeth to the side of Charles shoulder and Charles pushes himself into that bite, not relenting when his muscle starts to show through the tear in his fur and skin as Rufus tugs hard but Charles let's it tear more and more before he snaps over his jaw hard and throws his body at Rufus, knocking him down, forcing him to release his hold as Rufus wolf tries to kick him off. Charles' wolf puts his entire body weight down on him as they bite at one another, getting sluggish in their movements as their bodies grow too tired for the fight. Charles puts his paw on Rufus face, pressing down that weight more and more and Rufus pants, pushing up as best he can and failing leaving his neck fully exposed and Charles's tears his teeth through it, pulling it and ripping away fur and flesh. Blood starts to pour out of him and onto the ground as the whimper of Rufus wolf dies down with his movements. Charles wolf stands and his legs wobble but he stays up right as he looks out over all of us with a loud and harsh snarl that no one answers or challenges.

A scream goes out further down the way and I realize its the clinic. Scott is already moving out of the crowd and down towards it and I follow him out but not before I hear Charles as he pants hard looking over the wolves he will now be calling 'pack'. "You will help clean up the mess and damage you have caused, if I catch any of you getting up to something, you won't have a heart left beating." He growls before he walks out of the crowd that parts for him. Cursing under my breath I am out of energy too much to shift, having to force my body to move. Chey's wolf prowls around as her and Chantel search before she shifts and trembles. "Th-they got in, Dustin and Greyson." She lets out and Scott starts to scan hastily around the area as he calls for them, sniffing at air but the mix of smells of wolves and copper has us all lost. "Sophia's friend ran with them when we couldn't fend them off, but I can't find them at all." She covers her face as the tears streak down her cheeks and her knees hit the ground.

'Sophia where are you? Where is Wayne?' Trying to reach out to her I only feel a small tug further down in the woods. Straining my ears to listen, I hear the slight echo of fighting down past the trees and when I get there Sophia's wolf is tearing into a body that's already dying like she has to rip every inch into pieces. Coming to her and touching her fur she snaps those teeth on my hand before she realizes it's me and I pull my hand back with a hiss as she presses her ears to her body and her tail lowers slightly as she whimpers an apology. "It's alright, relax; it's over. He's dead." Telling her softly as I put my hand slowly to her cheek and the side of her neck, scratching gently to coax her closer, lowering to my knee in front of her, starting to check her for wounds. She whines loudly before springing forward to rub her head under my chin and into my neck as I embrace her. "We're safe. You did really well, I'm proud of you."I say softly as my fingers run through her fur and my arms wrap tightly around her. Scott runs down over the hill and Chey is right behind him as they both take in deep breaths, forcing their lungs to work harder as they are both out of energy. Glancing and Scanning around Scott's hackles raise and he snarls trying to look for the pups. Chey's hand touches his arm as she looks up at the giant tree in front of us and a small sob comes from her before Scott looks up and his knees hit the ground while his shoulders slump in relief as his entire body holds a slight shake. When I peer up for myself Wayne sits clinging to the two pups in his arms on a large branch as he trembles in fear, crying into them. It takes three of us to get them all down and Wayne tremors more and more. "Easy Wayne, easy. I'll explain everything to you but please try and take a deep breath. I know you're afraid but I'm still the same guy you have been hanging out with at work and texting at night." I try and tell him but he doesn't say a word only nodding in response. It will be a very long conversation later when he has settled more. Back at the clinic Nate is inside with Conner as the two chat back and forth; that must be how Wayne ended up here. Their voices start to rise and the hall starts to fill with rage as Nate raises a finger, pressing it into Conner's chest while Conner swipes back. "He shouldn't fucking be here and you know it! I will not be made to stay with him or protect him, I don't fucking want him! I'll never want him."

"Watch yer tone wit me, boy, " Nate has a calm steel to his voice that puts me on edge, by the way Scott stiffens next to me, he must be feeling it too.

"What is going on here?" Scott demands through small pants, still holding his stomach as he tries to stand unassisted. Conner glares at him before glancing at Wayne as he and Sophia step inside. "I'll be damned if im stuck with that," he seethes through his teeth as his finger points at Wayne, "thing." Conner all but spits in Waynes direction before heading towards the door and a sudden rush of energy rushes through me as my wolf pushes me forward to follow him out and I shove him hard to fall down the steps of the clinic. He catches himself and stops before hitting the ground but not giving himself the time to catch my fist as it slams into the side of his face before bringing it up and punching him again while shoving him. Grabbing his arms I can hear the faint sound of voices telling us to quit, one more enthusiastic than the other. I lift my foot to link around his leg and start to pull it hard to topple him to the ground neither of us up for this fight after everything we have been through but I can't stop the need to protect that's running through my wolf at the moment as he snarls and Shoves my shoulder hard. Sending my fist hard into the center of his face Conner does little to try and stop me. My wolf goes face to face with his but I don't see any signs of Conner's wolf in him; he's left him to fight alone in his declaration of rejection. "If you ever speak to him or about him like that again, I'll pull your fucking teeth out one by one and shove them so far down your throat piece by piece you'll have to shit them out to have them back. You have no idea how lucky you are." He doesn't respond only digging those icey eyes into mine before I release him. Stumbling back up the world is starting to spin and arms come around me to walk me back inside and onto a bed before we finally give in to the dark trying to take us.

It takes time for my body to rest. We are all beaten and healing, letting each other rest while the other takes on the work load before switching back for rest. Going through those needing medical help and the dead will take all night. Sam and a few others offered to go to each house and check on everyone while those who were healing or able help to start cleaning up while Chantel makes lists and gives wolves a tag before directing them where to go by order of priority.

"Is it really over now?" Sophia whispers, "I-I don't think I can get used to this Cage, I can't." She starts to stammer as she glances out the window and I have to close the curtain to make her look away from what's happening outside. "This don't happen often. I have never in my lifetime experienced an attack on our lands and outside of that we have only ever been in one dispute with another pack that's in another state. Your dad's pack though... They are not like us. They are closer with their wolves and they are large. They have been to war a few times and called into them as well. We've called on them." I tell her and she starts to shake her head as she backs away, sitting against the wall firmly as her arms come up around her knees to hold them tightly, "I know it was scary.." I start as I try to tug her to me but she cuts me off as she shoves me slightly and I let her.

"I felt your pain Cage, the panic and heartbreak I felt, thinking you were going to be dead and my father was fighting for his life. If I wasn't there he would be dead, you would be dead." Tears run down her cheeks and I can't stop my urge to wipe them away even when she smacks my hands. "This is normal for you but it ain't for me, this is all new and it's too much."

She's shaking and I can see real fear when I look into her grey eyes. Taking her hand and pulling her to her feet, leading her to the medical clinics bed she continues to glance back at the curtain to peek out the window. I have to push her down to sit on the bed before I sit down and propping against the wall, pulling her to sit beside me. I lace my fingers with her's and hold her hand tightly while her head slowly starts to lay against my shoulder. "I won't tell you it won't be like this and I can say you'll get use to it but that isn't helpful, not right now. Sophia it's alright to be overwhelmed by everything. None of us could have predicted all of this. It wears on us too. If your father didn't stick around and keep some of his wolves here we would have lost everything. You aren't alone sweetheart, we all feel this... You just feel a lot more differently than us."

"If that was supposed to make me feel better you are a lousy comforter HotShot." She mumbles to me before kissing my shoulder.

"Probably but I'll let you poke fun at me while we talk about it all." I tell her as I look at her and smile and she softly smiles back as a quiet laugh slips out "it's cute you think you let me."

"Oh I let you get away with everything. The hits, the low blows, the nickname," telling her as my hand moves to her side, running my fingers up and down in a slow motion to tickle her skin and she laughs more as she pushes me away while I push her to the bed. "This is a hospital!" She scoffs not pushing too hard on my chest.

"Technically it's a doctors office, we aren't big enough for a real hospital," winking at her she smiles wider, a real smile before her fingers brush over the bandage on my chest. "You really care huh, I felt you clawing to get to me."

She doesn't look at me, instead focusing on the bandage as she traces its edge before kissing above it and I lower myself down more on her as he legs slowly wrap around my thighs. "I couldn't lose you. Even if I didn't have her to pull me," her voice is almost too low to hear. Wrapping her arms around me tightly and I wrap around her as we hold one another and her voice whispers softly in my ear. "I started falling in love with you before I knw about all this." she confesses and my arms tighten as we lean into one another, her nose grazes across my neck and I press mine to hers as we embrace one another, taking each other in. We stay this way until a knock comes and Scott walks in to tell us the room is needed for another wolf in need of rest and healing. "Hey I need to check on people outside." He tells me as he passes me a bundle of clothing. "Charles needs these, he was also looking for a phone to use."

"I don't have my phone on me, it's in my truck." I tell him as I quickly glance over him, he still has a sluggishness about him but he holds himself up enough for wolves not to notice. "Mine's somewhere outside, hoping I find it." He blows out a breath as he looks around the halls at the wolves in them helping and looking for help.

"He can use mine," Sophia offers as she puts it on top of the clothes before reaching up on her toes to kiss my cheek. "I will go check on my dad before seeing where I can help. Find me when your done." She speaks softly as she walks away and Scott walks out with her while I make my way to Charles' room and the doctor passes me along the way, "how is he?" I ask and the doctor stops looking at his chart, "a lot better than most" his answer is curt as he continues on to check on the next patient.

Stepping in Charles room he's sitting, tapping fingers on his knees and his shoulders are up and hunched like a tense cat ready to pounce and run. Passing him the clothes and phone I can't feel the change most talk about when a new alpha takes hold but looking in his eyes his wolf holds a tension to him that demands obedience. Part of me wonders if the wolf had already put himself into this mindset before this fight, Charles just happened to come across Rufus instead of one of us and his wolf was ready, waited for it. His hands come around the clothing and he looks at the phone sitting on top with a weird look as his brow raises, "this is-" he starts and my back straightens, "Sophia, it belongs to Sophia."

He's giving me that look again like we were back in my cabin, "Locked. I was going to say it has a lock," he corrects and I feel embarrassed for my outburst. The awkwardness between us rises as he watches me expectantly with a raised brown and I have to make a quick exit out to go ask Sophia to unlock it. She comes with me with a teasing smile, 'you know some women like a male connected to their feminine side. Purple is your colour. I bet my cats will just love spending time cuddled up with you' she coos in my mind and I have to pinch her ass as she walks by. Sophia opens the phone, setting it for him and he thanks her before she grabs my hand and pulls me outside with her to get some fresh air. She stops in the shade of a tree before pressing her body into mine and smelling deeply. "How is he? What about your brother?" My arms wrap around her and my body starts to relax as my eyes close and exhale a deep birth.

"Luca is fine, he hardly has anything other than surface cuts that are already disappearing. It's weird to watch Cage... Are we all like that?" She asks looking up at me and when I look at her their is a worry with how her eyes dart back and forth and her fingers grip my shirt slightly. "Yea, we all heal well. Sometimes wounds are deeper or depending on the kind it'll kill us but for the most part we just heal. Broken bones will take longer than some cuts and scrapes. Your dad will be okay."

"They are going to move him Uncle Nate said, tomorrow. He's still asleep. Chantel said he is going to need to rest and get treatment but that he will live and be alright after a month." Sophia whispers before hugging me tighter. Our moment is short lived as Sam starts to call out for me and I spot him looking around. "I never get even just a moment," I sigh before calling him over and feel Sophia's lips touch the front of my throat as she smiles. "Maybe when we leave we can take a week and get to know each other better." She tells me and I shiver with the way her teeth scrap slightly on my skin. "Why we gotta wait?" I asks her and she laughs as she pushes away my face when I lean down before I give my attention to Sam. His eyes look tired and his face is grave as he waits, "Cage we went through the houses, Grams front door was busted in and we found two dead males in her house," he says and my heart stops in it's tracks as the world has a slight tilt to it and my legs get wobbly. "One was found leading away from the house, bled out." Sam stops for a moment as his eyes finally reach mine, "she was in the shed. I'm sorry Cage," he says with a crack in his voice and my back presses to the tree while Sophia hands hold under my arm.

Grams is dead.

He tries to explain more but Sophia shoos him away leaving the two of us alone as I slump down to the ground. She doesn't say a word as she rubs my arm before hugging me to her as I weep as my heart pours out of my chest. Even long after the suns gone down and a small quiet sets around us I can feel the tears running down over my cheeks. "Let's get back to your cabin, we can take a shower and lay in bed if you want to." She says softly as she wipes at my cheeks and my hands hold hers firmly.

"Can we sleep on the couch in front of the stove?" The memory of Grams letting me lay my head in her lap and I would watch the fire in her old stove bounce around while she combed my hair when I wasn't well plays over and over in my mind. Sophia nods as she helps me up and we walk in silence back to the cabin. I thought it felt lonely before, but now it's quiet, too quiet. Sophia doesn't let me stand sinking deep in my thoughts for too long as she tugs me to the shower, helping me in it. She says nothing as she helps me wash and dress before leading me back out to the living room as she sits, leaning against the arm rest tugging me to lay in front of her. Putting my head in her lap she starts to run her fingers slowly through my hair as the fire burns before a soft humming reaches my ears and Sophia sings a soft melody to me. "What is that?" I ask her and she sighs softly. "Before my parents divorced my father would tuck me in every night and we would talk about our day together. Then he would sing to me, if it was happy he sang more upbeat songs, when it wasn't, his songs were sadder. I was still learning Spanish then but now I can't even remember what the words mean, I just know the song. I can sing something else." She offers as she presses a kiss to my head.

"No, please keep singing... I think you should start learning Spanish again. It be good for the both of us. More than just because of where we will be. It be good for you to reconnect with them." Turning slowly to my stomach Sophia looks slightly uncomfortable as she watches the flames. After a while she looks at me and nods her head softly, "youre right. It's time I let the past be left there. Missing out on so much of their lives and them in mine." Pulling her under me Sophia softly tugs the bear skin blanket off the back of the sofa and pulling it over us both as she looks up at me. "She raised a really great guy Cage," she tells me as her arms wrap around my neck and I wrap mine around her waist before my hand rises up and down her back as I lay down my head, kissing her temple as I close my eyes before we both start to fall asleep.