The next morning is busy.

Avery has induction ceremonies to organise, transfers to sort out, and the problem of the Council to try and untangle.

And Scott Petty was supposed to come and stay for a few days.

She had forgotten about that fact with all of the excitement around York and the others.

She was woken up at 7 am by an excited Toby who was curious about where he was.

Hayden appeared not long after his son, looking disgruntled and confused.

He walks into Avery's room to see his son passed out on the bed beside Avery, her arm around his shoulders and his hands around her arm holding onto her.

He smiles at the sight, and then he clears his throat, looking at the time.

Both of them open their eyes and stare at him in worry.

"It's time to get ready to go," Hayden rolls his eyes, holding his arms out for Toby to clamber into.

The boy is a little slower in movement than he should be, but Avery knows that some physiotherapy will help with that over time.

"Are you excited to see the doctor?" Hayden asks, swinging Toby around carefully.

Avery sits up reluctantly against her pillows, scraping her hair into a messy ponytail as she tries to wake up properly.

A glance at her clock tells her that she and Toby fell back asleep for around an hour.

Alphas have a natural nurturing side, it's essential to keep their bloodlines going - but they are also generally softer when it comes to children as a whole.

Toby immediately knew he could trust Avery simply because his wolf was at complete ease with her.

"Why do I have to go to the doctor?" Toby huffs, looking a little sulky.

"You had a really long nap, and they need to check on you," Avery manages to get out in between stretching like a cat.

Hayden chuckles to himself, resting his son on his hip.

"We're going to get dressed and leave you in peace. We'll get breakfast started, won't we, little man?" He grins, gently tickling his son, who lets out a shriek of laughter.

"Yeah," he cheers once the tickling subsides, and he and Hayden leave the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Avery lays back on her pillows, rubbing her eyes.

That scene felt almost domestic to her, and it made her chest feel a little hollow at the fact she was unlikely to ever have that for herself.

She pushes these thoughts aside quickly.

She's having breakfast cooked for her; she needs to get ready.

Springing from bed after another minute of contemplation, Avery strolls into her bathroom and brushes her teeth while using the toilet, organising her daily list in her head.

Multitasking at its finest, Sonya remarks in slight disgust.

You pee in the forest, shut up, Avery scowls, gargling some mouthwash and turning on the shower.

She spits the mouthwash out and puts her hair into a shower cap, not wanting to get it wet or do anything at all with it.

She hops into the shower, quickly scrubbing herself and letting the scalding hot water wake her up.

Yeah, you're going to look like a tomato if you don't get out, Sonya comments cheekily.

Avery shuts off the link abruptly, finishing her shower and then moisturising her body.

She wanders into her room in her towel and shower cap, and a knock is heard from her door.

She walks over and opens it with a raised eyebrow.

Hayden flushes red at the sight of her in a towel, and Avery rolls her eyes slightly.

"What's up?" She asks, and he rubs the back of his neck while looking everywhere but her.

She finds it adorable how bashful he is sometimes.

"I'm just looking for clothes for Toby," he awkwardly gets out, and Avery wonders what would happen to him if she dropped the towel.

He'd probably have a heart attack, Sonya forces her comment into Avery's head, and it takes a lot for her not to laugh out loud.

He was so confident a month ago when he made me give him his t-shirt, where did that man go?, Avery laughs, appreciating the respect he has for her.

The difference is that now he knows you, Sonya retorts.

Avery agrees with the simple remark and raises a brow again at Hayden.

"I think the mums said that they would leave a bag outside of the door for Toby," she says after a moment of wracking her brain.

"Oh, okay," he responds unsurely, and she sighs.

"I'll check, don't worry," she mutters, and he blocks her way.

"No, there are guards out there," he immediately says, shaking his head.

"It's fine, they've probably seen me in less during shifts," she shrugs, and he looks slightly concerned for her.

"You stay up here and get dressed, I can open a door," he states with surety, nodding firmly to try to bolster his point.

Avery rolls her eyes, shaking her head at him.

"Fine, if it isn't there, though, tell me, and I'll get something brought over for him," she sighs, closing her bedroom door as he walks away.

Avery drops her towel and rips the shower cap off, letting her hair flow down past her shoulders as she traipses around the room, looking for something to wear.

Go for comfy; we have so much to do, Sonya pleads.

Trousers or skirt?, Avery ponders, and Sonya cringes.

Skirt, she decides after a moment, and Avery nods at the decision.

Avery throws on a short skirt, a white shirt, and a baggy knit jumper, slipping her feet into her trainers and then moving on the fix her hair.

She grimaces and then decides to twist some of it back, adding some pins and then earrings to her piercings.

She quickly fills in her brows, swipes on some mascara, and smooths on some coloured lip balm, bouncing out of her room once she packs her bag.

As soon as she lands on the ground at the bottom of the stairs, Toby squeals, closing the kitchen door as he runs in.

Avery raises an eyebrow and follows him, trying to open the door.

"No, we're not ready," he screams, his high pitched little voice making her laugh.

"Okay, how much time do you need?" She plays along, putting her handbag at the bottom of the stairs and taking out her phone.

"We're ready," Hayden booms from further in the kitchen, and Toby steps back from the door, letting it slowly open.

Avery snaps a picture of a startled looking Toby before she's led to the dining table.

"Pancakes," Toby grins, and he slides into a seat beside Avery.

He hasn't asked many questions about how he got here or anything, and Avery is wondering if he remembers anything.

Hayden glances at her, wondering what the cause for such a stern expression at such an early hour is.

Avery puts a napkin onto her knees, covering her skirt from the copious amounts of icing sugar that decorate her pancakes.

She grins, picking up her knife and fork and slowly cutting the stack into more edible sections.

Both of the boys stare at her eagerly, Hayden wiggling his eyebrows as she begins eating.

"How are they?" He asks, sitting forward a little in his seat.

She takes a moment to contemplate, furrowing her brows and staring at them.

"Are these chocolate chip?" She asks with her mouth full, raising her eyebrows.

Toby bursts into giggles, flinging himself backwards in his seat and continuing to laugh to himself.

"Yes, Toby's request," Hayden cringes, and Avery grins.

"They're good, almost restaurant quality," she finally announces, and Toby beams at her, sitting forward and tucking into his two smaller pancakes that are decorated with berry smiles.

Hayden finally tucks into his meal once he's sure the other two are okay, and he ruffles his son's hair gently before he can relax.

"What's on the agenda for today?" He asks, and Avery sighs.

"I need to organise induction ceremonies, I need to phone Moonstone Mountain and check on baby Emmett, I need to see who wants to go back to their former packs, and I need to figure out what I'll do about the Council," she grimaces, and Hayden raises an eyebrow.

He wipes his mouth before speaking.

"They're only investigating you because you're the only current Tier One female Alpha," he shrugs, scowling slightly.

"Yeah, that's one of the reasons, I'm sure," she mutters.

"What does Tier One mean?" Toby chirps, looking at the two adults.

"It means she's really strong, stronger than our old Alpha," Hayden whispers to him, and Avery winks at the little boy.

"What are the other reasons you can think of? Myself and Mitch will be there, no doubt, because you can't go to this alone," he warns, and she nods.

"No, I know that. I think they'll ask why I wasn't Alpha this entire time. They'll probably drag in the fact I'm an Unfortunate, and I have no trouble throwing anyone else under the bus. They'll also probably drag my 'controversial' past up," she lists, and he rolls his eyes again.

"Yeah, if they bring that up, it's free reign for me to remind them of every female my Alpha slept with while he was mated. They have no ground to bring that up," he retorts, his neck reddening as he continues eating.

He's a calm and relaxed person who rarely gets riled up.

He's extremely protective of those he cares for, though, and his wolf has bonded with Sonya now.

"They'll bring it up anyway," she says around a mouthful of pancakes.

Toby looks confused but stays quiet, nibbling on his berries.

"Who would be getting thrown under the bus if they bring up your Unfortunate status, actually?" Hayden asks after a pause in the conversation, his forehead scrunching up.

"Lancaster," she mutters, and Hayden's eyes bulge.

"Excuse me?" He gasps, putting his fork down and staring at her.

Toby sits forward in his seat.

He's not entirely sure what an Unfortunate is, but he knows that when his father reacts so visibly that something is serious or shocking. So he mirrors him.

"You didn't hear it from me, though," she murmurs, shrugging.

"How the hell did you figure that out?" He asks in horror.

"I caught him in a lie and then we had a huge argument. It turns out that he pretended - or, actually, he lied to me - to have a mate for three months," she shrugs, seeming very detached from the situation.

"Goddess, he has issues," Hayden shakes his head, blessing himself in the sign of the Moon Goddess and scowling.

"Daddy, what's an Unfortunate?" Toby butts in, and Hayden looks at Avery hesitantly.

It's an awkward topic, and children struggle to understand it.

"It means people like me don't have a mate," Avery explains briefly, and Toby's eyes widen.

"Neither does my daddy!" He exclaims excitedly, "You could be each other's mates!"

Avery laughs softly, and Hayden goes a bright red shade.

"Toby, it's a little different, honey," he manages to get out, looking down quickly at his pancakes.

"Well, my mommy died, did your mate die too, Avery?" He asks curiously, furrowing his brows and scrunching up his little nose as he looks at her.

Avery hesitates, glancing at Hayden.

Hayden is no help.

"No, I never got one. The Moon Goddess decided I was too cool to have one," she settles on saying, and Toby seems satisfied with that answer.

"You are pretty cool," he comments, returning to the mangled remains of his pancakes.

Avery chuckles to herself, finishing her pancakes and standing up.

She chugs the rest of her juice and then picks up the empty plates and glasses, loading the dishwasher and then washing her hands.

"Are we ready to go?" She asks, and the two guys nod.

"Yes! Let's go see my doctor!" Toby cheers, jumping up.

"He really thinks the doctor is just for him, and not for anybody else," Hayden whispers to Avery with a grin.

He looks happier than she's seen him the entire time she's known him.

He has a twinkle in his eye, and he looks delighted every time he glances at Toby.

They leave the house and arrive at the hospital in no time, greeting the doctors and nurses as they go.

While Hayden goes in with Toby, Avery goes to visit her brother.

"Hello, stranger," he grunts, looking up at her as she enters the cubicle.

"Jesus Christ," she roars, nearly dropping her phone.

"What the fuck is your problem?" He groans, rolling his eyes at her.

"When did you wake up?" She asks, rushing to his side and peering at him.

"A few hours ago. They paralysed me for the day," he grumbles, looking extremely irritated at being immobile.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised," she mutters, "you nearly killed some doctors yesterday."

"Oh, I don't remember that," he remarks, looking as surprised as he possibly could.

"I think they do," she chuckles, sitting in the chair by his bed and holding his hand.

"Can you feel that?" She asks, and he shoots her a glare.

"Yes, I can," he responds.

"If you tickle me, I'll knock you out when I can move again," he warns her, and a devious smirk creeps onto her face.

"Don't you dare, I'll tell mom," he warns her, and Avery sits back into her seat sulkily.

"How has the time I've been gone been?" He asks after a minute, and she shrugs.

"As good as it could be. I've been Alpha. Louisa came back, and she got arrested. Roman Lancaster is an Unfortunate. I'm being investigated by the Council. Zephyr and Lilith had their baby boy, and he isn't doing well," she lists, and she watches as York's eyes get progressively wider as he listens to what she's saying.

"I need a few minutes to process all of that," he mumbles, staring at the ceiling.

"That's fine, I have a call to make," she shrugs, standing up,

She pulls her phone out and walks out of the room, standing in the hallway and typing in Zephyr's number.

It rings for a minute, and then he answers.

"Addison," he greets shortly.

"Hey, Zephy," she sighs, leaning against the wall and folding her arms.

She's in the coma wing, and nobody is around. Nobody is around to listen to her conversation.

"How are you?" He greets, his voice sounding oddly formal.

"I'm alright. How are you, Lilith, and the baby?" She asks, and she can hear him clearing his throat.

"She left Emmett and me. She ran out yesterday," he informs her coldly, and Avery's heart drops.

"What?" She whispers, sitting down against the wall and covering her mouth with her hand.

She's genuinely in shock.

Lilith was such a loyal person that she would have been the last person Avery ever expected to run away from responsibility or family - if you can expect someone to do that.

"Are you two okay?" Avery asks when the line goes silent.

She actually checks her phone to see if he hung up.

"I'm okay. I'm assuming this means she wants to file for separation, so I'm going to have those papers organised today. Emmett is doing good. He's gaining weight now, and he can breathe on his own for longer," he murmurs, and his tone sounds remarkably sad.

"Is there anything I can do?" Avery asks, closing her eyes and leaning her head back as her heart slowly breaks for her friend.

"Keep an eye out for her. She might go to you. Or somewhere else. I don't know, I just know that I won't keep her here if she doesn't want to be here," he whispers, and Avery swallows the lump in her throat.

"I have to go, Very. I appreciate you calling, I really do," he murmurs softly.

"Okay, Zeph. Please let me know if I can do anything," she responds quietly.

"I'll see you at the meeting," he hangs up, and she closes her eyes.

Taking a minute to compose herself, she opens her eyes and sees Hayden and Toby walking down the corridor to where she is.

"They said I'm really good!" Toby cheers, rushing up to where Avery is sitting.

She looks up at him and gives him a wide smile.

"That's really good! I knew you were good, anyway, even without a doctor telling us!" She exclaims, using the wall to help herself get up.

Hayden quickly rushes to her aid, furrowing his brows when he notices how much she's struggling.

She gives him a nod of thanks, and he notices the tension on her face, even around the smile she has on for the benefit of Toby.

"What happened?" He whispers to her, and she shakes her head.

"I'll tell you later. I can't wait until we can mindlink," she chuckles ruefully, rubbing between her eyebrows as she straightens her clothes out.

"Will I be able to mindlink you, Avery?" Toby asks excitedly, and Avery shakes her head.

"Not for a few years, honey. You need to be able to shift to be able to mindlink everyone," she nods, and he frowns.

"But you're the Alpha. I'm supposed to be able to always mindlink my family and the Alpha," he stubbornly insists, and she hesitates before ducking down beside him.

"I'm not always the Alpha here," she explains, "so you'll be able to mindlink my little brother, no matter where you are. You'll be able to mindlink me in a couple of years, though."

He still isn't pleased with this explanation, clenching his little jaw and looking away from her sulkily.

Hayden shakes his head, ruffling his son's hair again.

"Toby, don't be rude," he whispers, and Toby pouts.

"But I want to be able to mindlink Avery," he whines, and Hayden sighs, kneeling down beside his son.

Avery watches the moment with observant eyes, following both of their every move.

"You can't just yet, but one day you will be able to, I promise. You can't get everything you demand, and you know that," he reminds him, and Toby breathes out slowly, forcing himself to relax.

"I know. I'm sorry, Avery, I shouldn't have been mean," the little boy mumbles, and Avery raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's no problem, you weren't mean. You just got excited. I would be too, imagine mindlinking me," she gently teases, and Toby grins at her as she jokes around with him.

Hayden hides his grin at their banter, looking instead at the wall where there are some scattered paintings.

"I need to speak to York, I'll be done in a few minutes, though," she nods, and Hayden shrugs.

"We'll go to the cantine. I think I owe Mr Toby a juice box for being such a good boy while the doctors talked to me," Hayden winks, and Toby grins at him, grabbing his hand.

Hayden lifts him up again, putting him onto his back this time.

Hayden gives Avery a firm nod, and Avery nods back, inhaling deeply before she walks back into York's private room.

"Sorry about that, I was talking to Zephyr from Moonstone Mountain, he-" she gets abruptly cut off by her brother, who's staring right at her as she walks in.

"I don't want to be Alpha."