A month had passed since they had all set to planning on how to take Sakdah down. Alex enjoyed working with all of them. Shiro, Geo, and the rest of the soon-to-be council were great at communicating. They were also the best when it came to planning, although he still had a headache from all the questions they gave. They all had this thing about them where they would ask questions about their plans and shape it out with as many safeguards as possible. It took days and days of going through every possibility. And, while Alex could completely understand why they did it that way, it left him more than tired.

Jett and Shiro made a great team though. That was cute to see. They both bounced ideas off from each other so well that sometimes it didn't seem like the rest of them were needed at all. Watching them train together was the coolest thing, though. A lot of their warriors actually trained with the Reverence guests during the month. It helped all of them stay in shape, and learn some new fighting skills. The way the Reverence warriors fought was so different from their own way. But Jett and Shiro fighting against each other was something that you just had to see to believe.

But his personal favorite part about all of this, the part that had him smiling every day, was the adorable puppy that he always got to curl up with at night. As much as Geo was a calm and relaxed person, there were times where Alex would suddenly feel a spike of emotions coming from him. He told him a lot about his parents and the memories that he had gotten from them. Neither of them really seemed like they were the best. His mom seemed like she was verbally abusive.

And his dad?

Alex still wanted to personally chop him up in little pieces and feed him to a dog. Slimey asshole had been hitting Geo and hurting him whenever he was away from Shiro. Alex stopped going into the city that much simply because if he saw Kenji, he knew that he wouldn't be able to refrain from kicking his ass to Hell and back.

Alex's sisters absolutely fell in love with Geo, much to his shock. His parents were merely happy that Alex was finally going to settle down. They all heard what Kenji was about to do to him before he got out of that pack and tried to comfort him the best that they could. His dad thought the same way as him and started talking to him about volunteering for the ass kicking contest for his father. Alex got a good laugh out of that.

He recollected his thoughts on the past month so easily as he winded down the streets of the city. He came early in the morning today to scope out the area. It was the first time in a while since he had been there, but it hadn't changed that much. It was just like walking right into home.

Except for the fact that it could have some enemies.

Right when they told the other packs that Sakdah could be trying to overthrow them, Dynamic and Noble both put up their guard and prepared for war. All of them were willing to fight right then and there. And, boy, was it a headache trying to convince them to hold back. It helped that they had more information on that poison though. Alex used that as a means to get them to try and be less confrontational about the issue. If Sakdah has a poison that could kill off an entire pack then that was no laughing matter.

The longer this went on, though, the more tension rose. Now Valor was starting to feel the pressure as Roger and Nir pressed both him and Jett for answers. They knew that they were hiding something. The Valor pack was known for their impulsive nature. The fact that it was them who wanted to hold back and gather more information rather than someone else was suspicious all on it's own. But they trusted Jett. He had to really use their trust to get them to calm down. Thankfully it worked for the most part.

"Hey, Alex!" he turned to see a familiar face running and waving at him from down the street. Luke looked like he had been up all night, probably up to his elbows in work for Nir. The poor soul wasn't even in his council, yet he worked his ass off for that Alpha. Well, Alex couldn't say too much about that. At least he was getting paid a decent amount for working these crazy hours.

"Hey," he nodded at him, sipping at his iced coffee. It was way too humid for hot coffee in the city. The fog was thick today, but it was said to clear up by noon at least. They were still in the full swing of summer, sadly enough. The heat had finally gotten even into the forest a bit, although it was still much cooler than the town.

"Where have you been, man?" Luke asked, finally catching up to him. "You just about disappeared from here! No one's seen high or low of you."

"That's kind of what happens when you raise your guard up," Alex told him. "The Beta typically stays with their Alpha when there's danger, just in case they need back up." He already knew that there wasn't anyone on the street that they were on right then. It was a bunch of businesses that hadn't opened yet.

"I know that," Luke rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with you? Did something happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't seem like yourself," he shrugged. "You aren't as talkative as you usually are."

Alex groaned. He knew exactly where this was going. He was going to have the same conversation that he's had a thousand times over.

"You mean I'm not flirting with you?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, no."

"Come on, Luke," Alex rolled his eyes. "You fight me tooth and nail when you find your mate to leave you the fuck alone and stop flirting with you, and now that I found my mate and - low and behold - stopped flirting with you, you think it's weird?"

"You found your mate?"

"That was what started this whole investigation," he moved his hand in a circle. "Come on, Luke. Get with the program here." He really didn't want to talk to Luke for too long. A part of it was because he had other shit to do, and the other part was because he could still hear Geo yelling about him flirting with him the first and only fight they had. Geo told him that he wasn't normally the jealous type, but he wasn't going to take his chances.

Not after seeing the seething dog from Hell that he became when he was pissed off. He'd much rather have the cute puppy that he could tease and have fun with.

"Was he one of the runaways?" Luke asked.

"Yeah," he told him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I kinda have some shit to do."

"Hold on," Luke grabbed his arm. Those blue eyes of his looked professional now, like this had turned from friendly to business in a matter of seconds. "Why are you in a rush to leave so quickly?"

Because he didn't want to get eaten alive by a puppy?

Because he was supposed to be somewhere?

"Since when did you want to know everywhere I'm going?" Alex asked. "What's going on, Luke? What's your problem?"

"You're my problem," he turned him around to face him. "Ever since last month when we found out that Shiro died, you've been nowhere to be found, Alex. You, along with Alpha Jett, have been doing nothing but cooping yourselves up in that pack house of yours, not allowing visitors, which is extremely not like you guys, and telling us to try and stay low until the time is right!"

"Right," he cocked a smile at him. "Because it's so smart to continue walking around the city that could have people that are wanting to kill the Alpha!"

"Since when have you guys ever been afraid of Sakdah?" Luke asked. Alex almost told him the truth when he asked that. The truth was that they hadn't ever been afraid of the old fart. Not until they all saw what the fuck he did to Shiro, and what he had turned the Reverence pack into. Once he heard that the man just weaseled his way to the top through patience and smarts alone, he really didn't want Jett leaving the damn pack grounds.

And there was no way Geo was going to either.

"Let's just say that we listen to our gut a lot," Alex told him instead. "And our guts told us to stay inside and enjoy the cool, refreshing AC."

"You guys aren't telling us something," Luke slitted his eyes at him. "You know something that we don't, Alex. I can see it in your eyes."

"Aww!" Alex put his hand on his heart. "That's got to be your first compliment to me after so many years!"

Fuck. Was that considered flirting?

"Don't get smart with me," Luke shook his head. "Why aren't you guys telling us? What is it that's so important that we don't know?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yes!" Luke looked so exasperated; it was hilarious. "That's the whole reason I asked you the question!"

Man, was he glad that Luke wasn't mated to him now. The guy was so dramatic and emotional. Well, Geo was a bit emotional, but he wasn't like Luke. He also didn't explode all the time like Luke had when they had been in a relationship. There was a reason why Alex had just wanted to use him for sex at a point.

"Just take a seat by the community center during the Alpha meeting," Alex patted his shoulder. "You'll solve the mystery, like the great little detective you are, just by doing that. Hell, you might as well bring popcorn with you."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see," Alex said, walking away from him. "It's going to start in an hour, though. I'd suggest you get ready!"

Thankfully, Luke didn't start following him. That guy was annoying when it came to working with him on this investigation. He liked working with Detective Jim better. At least he knew why some things were better left alone for the meantime. That was why he made sure to get him the witness confessions asap. He was also great at thinking about things logically, which was Alex's strong suit when it came to business.

Geo was that way too, which made him love the man even more. All his emotions were held back when it came to work so that he could look at things logically and think them out as best as possible. He was also absolutely adorable when he was in work mode. Even when it was just fixing things around the house, he always had this focused look on his face that Alex wished he could get a picture of and frame.

Walking a few streets down, he was getting closer to the community center. He had been scoping out the area within a five-mile perimeter for most of the morning. The idea was to see if there were going to be any of Sakdah's men around trying to spy on them or hide to do a surprise attack with. He had already checked the building twenty times over.

The Alpha meeting was the first in two months. Jett had called for it, but that unfortunately didn't mean that their pack was going to be the ones to guard it. There were always rules and guidelines to these meetings at the community center that they all had to follow. And they said that it was the Reverence Pack's turn to guard the building during the meeting. Jett had the greatest idea of allowing for the Betas of each Alpha to come along as well. That way Nir and Roger would feel a little safe. Alex knew, though, that they would all have their warriors hovering around the area, just waiting for the Reverence warriors to strike.

He didn't think Sakdah would pull any tricks. Not when he was going to have three angry Alphas going against him, with their respective Betas. But at least Alex would be able to see all of their reactions to what they had planned.

"That's a pretty good coffee shop," a man interrupted his thoughts. He hadn't even seen the guy pop up, it was so quiet. He had bleach blond hair and brown eyes. But he was really short. If Alex had to say, he was almost as short as...

"Teddy?!"

"Shhhh!" he put his finger over his own lips. "I can't have everyone knowing my identity yet!"

"You're alive!" Alex ignored what the man had said and immediately hugged him. "How the fuck are you alive?!"

"Well, gee," he patted his back awkwardly. "I kinda thought that they would have already told you about that."

"Well, yeah," he let go of him. "But still."

"Come on, Alex," he waved it off. "Do you remember that haunted teddy bear metaphor I gave you?"

"Yeah."

"In every story you've ever heard," he smiled. "Has the haunted plush ever truly been destroyed after the family throws it away?"

"Well, no," he shook his head. He still was just surprised that the guy was alive. He felt like he already knew him so much just after fighting with him against those hunters. There's just a bond that warriors get when in battle. It didn't matter which pack you were from, as long as you were working together. It was sad to find out that he was dead. He truly missed him and all the teasing he did to Geo. They were fun to watch.

"Exactly," he patted his shoulder. Then he put his hand in his shirt and pulled out a steel necklace. It was gray all around, with a charm on the chain that looked like water being poured out of a clay jug. "Welcome to Mercy Waters. We're going to be helping you guys keep an eye out on the streets."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not if it's done skillfully," Teddy winked at him. "How do you think we were able to get them to think we were all still dead? After all this time of hiding?"

"Good point," he said. "Just be careful."

"Stealth is in our blood," Teddy nudged him before running off through an alleyway. It was good to see him. But Alex was looking forward to seeing Luke's reaction to him being alive the most. That was going to be absolutely hilarious.

He finally got to the community center to see that it was already guarded. It seemed like they had all left their cloaks at home. This had to be the first time in the history of this city that Sakdah was actually early for once. Nir and Roger hadn't even showed up yet, although he was sure it wouldn't take long.

"Sakdah's here already," he mind linked with Jett. He was close to the building. He had decided to drive. It took him a while to get Shiro's scent fully off him. And, even then, he couldn't get it fully off since he was marked. Alex and him had a fun time shopping for colognes one day to try and mask it a bit.

Geo liked the one that he bought for himself. It definitely wasn't the strong, nasty one that Blake always used.

"That's a first for him," Jett replied. "I wonder if he's anxious about something."

"Probably noticed all of the other pack's guards up for the entire month."

"Or the fact that I allowed for the Betas to come as well to this meeting."

"I'm going to have to refrain from killing Kenji at this thing, aren't I?"

"Just this one time, Alex," Jett promised. "After this is through, I give you full permission to turn him into the sack of shit that he truly is."

This, ladies and gentlemen, was why they were best friends. He still didn't know how he was going to stop himself. Alex figured it would be best to just wait until Jett pulled up and walk with him inside. That usually helped him keep a clear head. He had to stay focused, just in case something went wrong. If there was one thing that Shiro loved embedding into everyone's heads, it was that anything could happen. And, with Sakdah, it most likely would.

He made it sound menacing too when he said it. Sometimes it really seemed like he was stuck in a crazy horror movie. At least he knew that there would be some cool action scenes in it. And he was 95% sure that it was going to have a good ending.

He didn't want to think about the little 5% left over of that, though. That was possibly growing just because of the fact that there were Reverence warriors guarding the community center at that point. And he didn't really like that those odds were changing.

Jett parked just as Roger and Nir pulled in. They all walked out with their respective Betas in tow. None of them looked happy, like they typically did when they all saw each other. They all had serious faces, adding to the tension even more so. Jett nodded to them both before heading over to Alex. Then they all walked in line through the community center doors and down the winding halls.

As soon as they got to where their typical meeting room, they closed the doors and everyone got into their seats and positions. Alex decided to stand right by the window to the room. It was one that looked out to the front of the building. He could even see the entrance. It was the perfect spot for their plan.

"Good morning, everyone," Sakdah stood to greet them all as they entered and settled in. He smiled at them as if nothing in the world was going on. All was peaceful in the blissful life of Sakdah.

"Alpha Sakdah," Jett smiled at him. "I'm glad you came so early today."

"It was a bit short notice," Sakdah told him. "But, considering you wanted to bring out Betas to accompany us on this meeting, I thought that it was something dire."

Kenji stood behind Sakdah's chair, his head held high and proud. Alex had to hold himself back from lunging at that man. Oh, what he would give to wipe that faux innocence off the man's face. What he would give to turn that smugness into fear.

He kept his eyes averted from them. The one thing he wouldn't be able to stop was giving them the evil eye, and that would only raise their suspicions. How Shiro could keep all that anger and hatred inside and hidden by a mask of aloofness was beyond him.

"I was wondering that myself," Nir said. "Did some enemies come to your side of the forest, Jett?"

"Not entirely," Jett shook his head. "There's something going on in the city that I don't particularly like."

Another thing that Alex had no clue of was how Jett could babble on and on about complete and utter nonsense and have it be completely believable to anyone who listened to it. While Jett droned on about some 'suspicious' activity in the city, Alex kept his eyes peeled by the window. It shouldn't take long for him to come now. Sakdah had already relaxed in his demeanor now that he thought that they weren't in the meeting because of him.

Oh, little did he know what was in store for him.

"I hardly think it's that suspicious," Roger said. "Is this why I haven't seen you around the city?"

"I've been dealing with some extra paperwork recently," Jett sighed. "My sister has been taking time off to be with her children more."

Hah! Man, was that a joke! Bree's husband wished that she would, but the Young family had always been completely devoted to their work. It was like pulling teeth trying to get her to have any time off.

Roger and Nir would know that it was some bullshit. They were meant to take it as a hint. Then their Betas would most likely notice just how much Alex was looking out the window. They wouldn't move, though. None of them would move away from their Alpha. Not when there was potential danger around.

"That's always a good thing to do when you have a family to care for," Sakdah told him. "I wish I had done that more."

"Can we just kill him now?" Alex mind linked with Jett. Those words shot through him like a flamethrower. And he was ready to shoot it right back.

More time for family? More like more time to sit on his ass and plot to kill people.

"Keep an eye on the window," Jett ordered. Alex knew that he was pissed too at what he said. If it weren't for this plan, he would have already jumped over the big table and tried to strangle him to death.

Alex was about to say something, maybe to try and lighten the mood, when he finally saw the one thing that they were waiting for.

It was show time.