Nate lightly grabbed Sean's wrist, trying to stop him from answering the door. Sean pulled easily from his grip though, walking up to the door to unlock it. Opening it, Mark asked him with a worried expression. "Are you ok? I heard what happened and-" Mark drifted off as his attention was drawn to Nate. Sean glanced over his shoulder to see Nate spreading himself out on the couch as he watched them with a guarded look. Sean shifted to stand in Mark's line of sight as Mark growled out under his breath. "What is HE doing here?" Sean cleared his throat, answering flatly. "He's checking on me. Just like you." Mark looked him in the eyes with his softer ones, whispering to him. "Does he lock you in rooms often?" Sean rolled his eyes, putting a hand on Mark's arm to calm him. Mark relaxed to his touch, allowing Sean to slip in calmly. "He was just trying to protect me. Why are you here, Mark?" Mark huffed, lowering his eyes to the floor when he told him openly in a softer voice. "I'm the lead Alpha. I'm here to piece together what happened. My dad is... coaching me on how to handle it." Sean bit his lip, mumbling out uneasily. "Mark... You know I didn't start this. Ethan has had it out for me since-" Mark put his hands on Sean's arms, quickly informing him. "I know... but I have to PROVE he started it. Otherwise, they'll think that I..."

Mark drifted off, but Sean finished for him grimly. "They'll think you're playing favorites because you love me." Mark put his back to the doorframe, admitting under his breath. "Yes..." Sean gestured out to the rest of the bowling alley, stating out firmly. "There should be plenty of witnesses to it. He attacked me at the festival. How much more proof do you need?" Mark shrugged out anxiously. "I don't know. It's complicated when Omegas fight each other. Omegas are exempt from the normal punishments we give to Alphas and Betas." Sean crossed his arms, asking Mark a bit bitterly. "So, what do you need from me?" Mark inhaled slowly, before relying in a docile tone. "Right now, my father is just collecting everyone's statement. He'd like to hear your version of the events." Sean stepped up closer to Mark, telling him bluntly with a low growling voice. "You are MY lead Alpha. Not him. You know me better than he does. You know Ethan." Mark lifted his head to look him in the eyes. Refusing to back down, Sean told him a bit bitterly. "Ethan is in good with your parents. You know that. If you push me before your father and the Elders, they are going to take the word of Ethan and his friends over mine!"

Mark shook his head, starting to say. "The other witnesses will have seen-" Sean let out a sharp small whine, before rushing in. "Saw what? Ethan attack me in self-defense? You don't know what those Zetas saw or heard. What they'll say." Mark inhaled deeply, prompting Sean to ask him seriously. "Mark... Are you on my side or not? I kneeled to you. You want my statement in front of the Elders. Fine. But this incident is YOURS to decide. So, promise me that you will not let your father walk over you on this." Mark nodded, telling him confidently. "I promise." Sean put a hand on Mark's chest, then started walking in the direction that Mark pointed to as he told him. "My dad is in the dining area with the Elders." As Sean moved out of earshot, Nathan casually told Mark from across the room a bit smugly. "I'm curious. What excuse did you tell the Elders as to why 'Bill' isn't present for such an important pack meeting? Is that why Daddy is 'helping' you." Mark shot a glare in Nathan's direction, growling out. "I don't know what you're talking about." Nathan slowly got to his feet, locking challenging eyes with him as he growled out in return. "Don't play dumb. You can change your scent, but not your blood. You cheated."

Mark stepped into the room and shut the door behind him, his dark eyes never leaving Nathan's. Nathan smirked wickedly, cooing out playfully. "All the Elders are here? Maybe this would be the perfect time to tell them about your little charade. How I'd LOVE to see the look on your daddy's face when he realizes that you broke more than just one pack law last night. And by default, the pack is mine." Mark growled, then collected himself enough to sneer out. "I beat you. And if it hurt you so much... Why didn't you address it during the festival?" Nathan flashed him a wolfish grin, telling him honestly. "I had my reasons for throwing the fight. Just as you had your reasons for rematching me with... lower stakes should you have failed." Mark glanced at the door nervously, holding the door shut as he asked darkly. "What did you tell Sean?" Nathan sauntered forward, teasing out truthfully. "Nothing... yet. But he told me quite a bit about what you were up to last night." Mark puffed up his chest, tensing up for a fight as Nathan moved closer. Stopping only an arms distance away, Nathan whispered to him. "I can't decide what would be worse. Telling him who Bill really is. Or not telling him and watching what your pack does to him."

Mark let out a low challenging growl and Nathan leaned closer to him, growling back with the same challenging tone. Releasing the door, Mark lunged for Nathan, grabbing his leather jacket and slamming him up against the closest wall. Mark's eyes expanded out into large wolf eyes, while Nathan's did the same. Growling closer to his face, Mark told him sternly. "You stay the fuck away from Sean!" Nathan grinned, flashing him his canine teeth as he growled out to him with a chuckle. "You're the one pushing him to ME." Nathan's eyes dropped down to look between them, causing Mark to look down and take notice of the knife pressed to his gut. Leaning closer, Nathan growled menacingly into his ear. "Don't threaten me again. I'm trying to save your pathetic little Valley pack... but you had to go and fuck all that up. Now, my only concern is HIM." Mark stepped back from Nathan, releasing his jacket when he asked him anxiously. "What do mean?" Nathan shook his head, flicking his pocketknife closed as he told him dryly. "You better get yourself a real Beta to be your second in command. Cause you're going to need one."

Mark's eyes turned back to his human ones, asking curiously now. "Why? Are you planning to challenge me for the Valley?" Nathan rolled his eyes, starting to snap back. "I came here to try and unite the packs! Since you couldn't even let me become your Beta, what has to happen now is on YOUR shoulders! I promised-!" Nathan was cut off by the door opening, causing them both to jump in surprise. Mark's dad glanced between them, before tensing and asking Mark in a protective tone. "Mark? What's the hold up?" Mark turned to look at Nathan, asking with a deep concern. "I'm not sure... Nathan, what did you-?" Nathan moved away from Mark, shoving passed Mark's dad as he left the room in a hurry. Mark's dad growled after Nathan. When Nathan was far enough away, his dad asked him with light curiosity. "What did that mangy wolf want?" Mark just shrugged, starting to make his way out without making eye contact with his father. His dad then grabbed his arm, whispering to him cautiously. "The sooner Sean rejects that City Mutt, the sooner we can be rid of him. He's becoming a bad influence. Judging by Sean's recent behavior."

Mark straightened up, boldly retorting. "That's not true. Sean has always been... a little wild. But he's never hurt anyone. You saw what Ethan did to him at the festival. You know the Omegas are jealous of him. They are lashing out at him, and he is only defending himself." His dad pulled him closer, saying with a bit more authority. "You KNOW why they are lashing out at him. They are interested in you, and he is not. You broke a centuries old pack law by not pursuing him to get an answer!" Mark glared at his dad, trying not to raise his voice as he stated out. "It was a lot of pressure. I don't want to push him. I want him decide when he is-" His dad let out a low growl that silenced Mark. Staring deep into his eyes, his father told him in an unyielding fatherly tone. "Son, if he doesn't present himself to you by the next full moon. Then he NEVER will. I'm putting my foot down. If he wants to throw in his lot with an Outsider, so be it. But I'm putting an end to this fighting among the Omegas. The Festival was a mating disaster because of YOU. And you will fix this. Pick a Luna... Or I will pick one for you." Mark lowered his eyes to the floor, feeling like a cowering puppy as he whined out in a pitiful commanding tone. "I already picked my Luna. He's just scared-"

His dad pushed him against the doorframe, growling out with the influence of his Alpha voice. "Mark, stop. Half the Omegas won't mate because they are waiting on YOU to pick a Luna. They are saving themselves for YOU. May I remind you, that if the Omegas don't mate... The Alphas and Betas will rip each other apart! The Omegas fighting is just the start of what is to come. You need to end this as quickly as you can before it gets out of hand." Mark closed his eyes, mumbling out docilly. "Dad... I can't." His dad released him, leaning back as he told him sternly. "You will. And you are going to start by restricting Sean from working. Call it... giving him time off to think until the next full moon." Mark gawked at his dad, saying boldly. "But that's not fair. It's not his fault, it's mine!" His dad shrugged, snapping out bitterly. "The Elders and I agree. But it doesn't change the fact that Sean is a target, and he won't stop being a target, until he makes up his mind." Mark shook his head, snapping out. "I won't tell him that. You're letting Ethan and his friends get away with what he did and punishing Sean!" His dad rolled his eyes, huffing out grimly. "You still have so much to learn about running a pack. Ethan and his friends will be punished. They've already been sent to community service to help clean up the festival. A little time cleaning will put their energy to go use."

Mark stormed out toward the dining area, snapping over his shoulder. "I don't agree. As their Alpha, I..." Mark skidded to a stop as he saw that the Elders were gone, and Sean was nowhere to be seen. Whirling around to face his dad as he came around the corner, his dad told him coolly. "You won't have to tell him. As I said. The Elders and I already agreed. The sentence has been carried out." Mark tensed, snapping out. "You made that decision WITHOUT me?! How could you?! That's not-!" His dad growled, forcing Mark to cringe back from him. Calming down, his dad told him rather bluntly. "Pack law says you become lead Alpha when you pick your Luna, and your chosen Luna picks you. Since you let your chosen Luna dodge the question... The Elders decided that 'I' will remain in charge until you resolve this issue. You are lead Alpha in name only until then." Mark stood frozen in place. He felt like he was losing control of everything around him. His dad put a hand on his shoulder, telling him gently. "Look at the brightside. You'll have plenty of time to spend with him now to help him decide." Mark tensed, swatting his dad's hand off his shoulder as he barked out angrily. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! YOU JUST RUINED EVERYTHING!"

Mark whirled around to run from the bowling alley, while behind him, his dad yelled out aggressively. "MARK! Don't raise you voice to me! GET YOUR ASS BACK-!" Mark burst out the door, rushing out to see a few Elders lingering in the parking lot. Jogging up to them, he rushed out in a panic. "Sean? Where is he?!" The Elders shrugged in response. Turning on his heel, Mark started running as fast as he could in the direction of Sean's house. He had to get to him and explain everything. Just as he ran into the neighborhood, Mark yelled out completely distraught. "NO! Damn it! SEAN!" Farther up the street, Sean was tossing his work hat across his lawn to hop onto the back of Nathan's motorcycle. It wouldn't matter how loud he yelled; Nathan's engine would be too loud. Mark tried to run after them, but as Nathan drove off... Mark reluctantly slowed to a stop to pant heavily. He'd never catch them. Running his hands up through his hair, Mark dropped to his knees and let out a frustrated growl. Every time that he thought he was moving closer to Sean, something always kept pulling them apart. Slamming his hands down on the pavement, he tried to calm himself down. He thought about giving in and crying at how everyone had a say in his life except him.

Just as the tears started to brim him eyes, he clenched his jaw as his inner wolf started snarling. His anger burned like lava in his veins at the sudden realization that Nathan was using his mistakes to pull Sean from him and the pack. Closing his eyes to calm the restless wolf within, he tried to recall what Nathan had said to him. What had Nathan promised? Why was getting Sean so much more important to him than just spilling his secret to get the pack from him? Something was wrong, he could sense it... but what it was eluded him. Hefting a heavy sigh, he got to his feet. He wasn't going to find his answers by just sitting around. He needed to go to the source.

After receiving the bullshit verdict from the Elders, Sean stormed off. He couldn't believe this. They were punishing HIM, just like he knew they would. Mark's dad had made the damn decision and despite trying to plead his case and wait for Mark... They shot him down like a puppy speaking out of turn! Their minds had been made up long before he even got out there. He was so sick of these pack rules that NEVER played out in his favor. He couldn't believe Mark had chosen to fight with Nathan over helping him. Going into a run, he tried to burn off some of his anger. He pushed himself hard to reach his house in what he hoped was a record time. Slowing as he got to his front door, he tried the door and cursed. His parents still weren't home, and his keys were in his bag with his parents. Banging his head on the door, he growled and tried to talk himself into seeing if a neighbor was home yet. He hoped that calling them might give him idea of weather it was faster to run to them or wait. Pulling the brim of his hat down, he tried to hide his face from the world. What rotten day this was turning out to be. He just wanted to shower and go to bed before shit got worse.

The loud roar of an engine drew his attention to the curb then. He thought it was Bill and had perked up a little. Only to be surprised that it was Nathan. Leaning back against his door, he asked exhaustedly over the engine. "What do you want now?" Nathan patted the black leather seat behind him, asking curiously. "You wanna go for a ride?" Sean shook his head, retorting a bit bitterly. "I'm not in the mood." Nathan gave him a playful shrug, stating out. "Probably for the best. I don't think you could handle the City." Nathan revved his engine like he was getting ready to leave, prompting Sean to rush out. "Wait! You're going to the City?" Nathan relaxed, nodding warmly as he told him. "Ya. I'm the lead Alpha there, remember? I have to check in. I thought maybe you'd want to come with me. Walk on the wild side a little." Sean bit his lip timidly. He had always wanted to see someplace outside the Valley. This felt like his chance. Jogging across the lawn, Sean only turned to toss his hat to the house. He didn't want it to blow away on the road. His adrenaline pumped through him as he hopped onto the bike and wrapped his arms around Nathan's waist.

Nathan's bike was similar to Bill's, but it was jet-black with purple flames along the tank. Putting his feet up on the pegs, Nathan checked his feet and chuckled out. "You've ridden a bike before?" Sean blushed, hiding his head against Nathan's back. He felt Nathan tense as he looked into one of the mirrors. Before Sean turned to see what he saw, Nathan told him to hold on and surged the bike forward down the road. To Be Continued...