The tarmac is full of people when the plane lands, and York is immediately taken off the aircraft and carted into an ambulance, which speeds off quickly.

He mumbled some other words while they were on the plane, but nothing of note, and nothing useful that would indicate any idea of what happened to him.

As soon as Avery gets off the plane, she curses, her face paling immediately.

One of the guards turns to her in fear, nodding his head to ask what was wrong.

"We forgot my dad," she groans, and the guard also pales.

She pulls her phone out, ringing her mum nervously.

Before Marie can speak once she answers, Avery blurts out what she has to say.

"Mum, we left dad, he wanted to run, and I forgot to tell him we were leaving early because we needed to get York home," she hurries, and Marie is silent.

She's now concerned about her mate as well as her child, but she is ultimately more worried about her son.

"Ring him and let him know so that he isn't just sitting around waiting for you guys," her mum finally responds, and Avery rubs her face, climbing into a car with three of her guards.

"Okay, I'm so sorry," Avery mumbles, and her mother sighs.

"It was more important to get your brother home than to worry about your father. He's a grown man, he can figure it out himself," Marie reprimands, and Avery stays silent.

"Okay, I love you, and I'll see you when I get home," Avery nods finally, and the two end the call at the same time.

The guards fill the vehicle with luggage, and one of the chattier ones sits in the back with her.

"How's your brother?" He asks, and Avery shrugs.

"Not sure, we'll find out soon. Keep it to yourself, you guys. My mum will no doubt brief you, but with York incapacitated, I'm the acting Alpha. I won't command you, because I trust you all," Avery states, and the three guards exchange nervous looks.

"Should we bring an extra guard with us, Alpha?" One of them asks, and Avery doesn't respond for a second because she forgot the title of Alpha would be what they called her.

She feels power briefly spark in her body at the title, and she straightens up.

"No. We need to get back to the back as soon as possible; I have to alert the other Alphas to be on the watch for whatever this is. We don't know if York was a target or a victim of opportunity," she grimaces, and the guards all nod.

The car takes off down the road, and Avery sighs, closing her eyes before she mindlinks her father.

We really screwed this one up, Sonya mutters, and Avery is inclined to agree.

Dad?, She asks furtively, and she gets a flood of happy emotions from him.

Hello, dear, is everything okay?, he sends back, and she can hear the delight in his voice at hearing hers.

She cringes, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news.

York is really ill. We're back home already, we totally forgot about you in our rush to get to the airport quickly, I'm so sorry, Avery groans, and Richard doesn't respond for a moment.

Okay, I'll figure out a way home. I think some of your friends are still here. I'll catch a lift with them, he reassures his daughter, his tone calm.

Avery calls him on her cell because she can't mindlink and communicate with Sonya, which she needs to do right now.

He answers, and Avery sighs in relief.

"Who's still there?" She asks, and her father pauses - she can picture him perfectly right now, squinting around with his nose scrunched up, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

"The tall native boy you used to date," her father announces loudly, and Avery covers her eyes with her free hand.

If he heard that, I will cry, Sonya mumbles, shaking her head.

"Scott, yeah. I can call him or his mate, they'll take you to their territory hopefully," Avery murmurs, typing a text to him immediately.

"Have you done it yet?" Richard asks eagerly, and she can hear him walking, probably towards Scott and Kali.

"He's replying," Avery sighs, shaking her head.

"What did he say?" Richard immediately asks.

"Dad, you have to give the guy time to type," Avery snaps, and her dad goes quiet.

Avery sighs, rolling her eyes a little.

"I'm sorry that I snapped at you, I didn't mean to," Avery groans, and her dad huffs.

"You're all so mean to me," he complains playfully, and Avery rolls her eyes.

Scott responds, and Avery reads his text: 'That's fine, but I'm not doing it for you. I don't owe you anything, but I appreciate what you did for Kali this weekend. She said you were lovely to her this morning, and this is my thank you.'

Avery rolls her eyes; of course, he has to be a little hostile.

She takes the win, though, and sends him a 'thank you' in capital letters.

"He said yes, go, quickly," Avery announces, and her dad lets out a little squeal of excitement.

Since he retired, Avery has never seen him so carefree and happy.

"Oh, you're acting Alpha now," her father suddenly realises, and his tone is hesitant.

"Wait until later to announce that," he adds, and Avery clenches her jaw at his words.

"Dad, I was the original Alpha, I will announce it whenever I see fit," she bites back, and her father releases a heavy breath.

"I know. I'm not underestimating you, trust me. I'm just concerned that the pack could see it as you trying to overthrow him - what's this boy's name again?" Her father notes and asks his question hurriedly, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Scott," Avery responds blankly, and her father sighs again.

"Of course, we know you're not trying to overthrow your brother, but others might not agree - hello, Scott!" Her father cheerfully states at the end, before hanging up on Avery.

She stares at her phone in silence, rolling her eyes.

"Alpha, we're going to be at the pack soon," a guard calls to her, and she nods silently.

As soon as they pull up, she climbs out, instantly greeted by Kathleen, her childhood friend, who works as a pack liaison.

"Hey, Ave, I missed you," she begins, "I won't bullshit you, it's really bad. I'll take you to see him now."

Avery quickly hugs her friend as they walk, running a hand through her extremely messy ponytail.

"Have they figured out what it is?" She asks nervously, biting her lip.

"No, they think it might have been poison," Kathleen sighs, and Avery freezes, stopping in her tracks.

"Get them to check for silver, wolfsbane, and garlic as a compound," Avery commands, and Kathleen quickly mindlinks the doctors.

"I'm sorry for commanding you," Avery mutters, and Kathleen rolls her eyes, pulling her friend along beside her.

"You're an Alpha, it happens," she replies, bursting into the medical wing with Avery hot on her tail.

"Room 36A," Kathleen shouts at a nurse, and the nurse widens her eyes, noticing Avery before anything else before she takes the lead practically running.

The three enter the room, Avery immediately going to her brother's side.

"Avery, get away from him," her mother orders, and she lets out a strangled growl.

"No," she barks back, and her mother turns around, a syringe in her hand and a raised eyebrow on her face.

"What did you just say?" Marie asks calmly, and Avery immediately steps back.

"Nothing," she quickly says.

"You?" Marie asks, glancing at her older child.

"Fine, going to contact the Alphas that were with him last night," she nods.

"Your father?" Her mother asks, some concern leaking into her tone as she injects the syringe into the IV attached to York.

"He's on a plane with Scott," Avery cringes, and Marie groans aloud.

"That won't end well, there was a reason he wasn't told anything about the breakup," her mother mutters, and Kathleen nods in agreement from the seat in the corner of the room.

"Well, we needed to get him home somehow," Avery groans, and her mother shakes her head.

"He could have walked," Marie argues, and Avery flings her hands up.

"You didn't say that when I called you, I didn't know that was an option!" She responds indignantly, "I didn't willingly choose for my ex and my father to be in an aircraft together!"

Another doctor enters the room, and everybody goes silent, waiting to see what he has to say.

"It was a compound of wolfsbane, silver, and garlic, like Avery suspected," he announces, and Avery grimaces.

"Avery, what does that mean?" Her mother pries, and she sighs.

"It means the same person who tried to kill a young boy yesterday and Scott and I six years ago is the one who tried to kill York yesterday," she sinks into a chair, rubbing her temples as Kathleen gasps.

Marie's jaw drops, and she shakes her head in horror.

"How could this happen?" She asks, sitting down on the chair beside her son's bed.

"They probably spiked his drink. That's probably why he didn't die. He always drinks water after every drink he has," Avery whispers, and the doctor clenches his jaw.

"His organs are shutting down," he quietly informs them, and Kathleen immediately grabs Avery's hand and squeezes it gently, watching as her friend shuts her eyes.

Marie lets out a choked gasp, and Avery stands up.

"I'm going to organise Dad's transport home. I'm going to contact Louisa and get her to come home as soon as possible," Avery murmurs, walking in circles after gently removing her hand from Kathleen's.

She appreciated the comfort, but she needed to move right now.

"Avery, you need to sit down," her mother whispers, and Avery turns to her with flashing eyes.

"If I sit down, I will explode," she growls, before taking off out of the door, her claws descending and her canines appearing as she stormed through the halls.

Everyone in her path throws themselves back against the walls to stay out of the way, all looking terrified of their furious Deputy Alpha.

She blows into the office, and slams her hands against the desk, letting out a rage-filled howl.

The force of her hit causes the desk to break in half, and she glares at it, forcing herself to breathe normally.

She snatches up the phone on the desk, beginning to make her calls.