Jonathan stared out the window of the van, watching the trees go by. Behind him Erica and Brianna sniped at each other about their love lives, who was more upset about leaving their love behind and who was or wasn't dealing with it. Tanner speculated about girls at this year's wolf camp, not that they'd be there long. Connor was behind the wheel and Amanda in the seat beside him, just as lost in thought as Jonathan.

Jonathan didn't mind the hum of conversation from the back of the van, even though he didn't particularly share the other's feelings. Maybe it a personal flaw, but he didn't understand why the others even bothered with relationships. He had a pack that loved him, cared about him. That was enough. He didn't need to complicate his life with outside relationships.

The van coasted into the parking lot outside of the camp. Already a few others had arrived and were starting to gather their supplies. A battered red Honda Civic was parked to one side and Jonathan's heart gave a lurch. Let it be Robby. Not one of the others.

Luck wasn't Jonathan's strong suit. He spied his father's lean form, smoking a cigarette as always. Arthur Sage had recovered from the beating that Connor had given him at the end of last summer's camp, but in Jonathan's mind he was smaller somehow, leaner then he'd been.

There had been a strange flush of emotion, emotions that Jonathan couldn't name or identify, when he had watched Connor defeat his father in combat.

Connor had challenged Arthur for many reasons, but at the back of Jonathan's mind as he watched, had been Jonathan's own part. Connor fought to protect him. Jonathan felt a warmth at the thought. He'd felt something like that for his mother, once upon a time, and he'd called it love. But it had become apparent at a young age that Darlene Sage either would not, or could not, protect him from his father's wrath.

Robby, dad's omega wolf, had protect the kids, as much as he could. He took the blame for things that others did, hid their youthful indiscretions when he could. For that Jonathan felt a real warmth towards Uncle Robby.

But only Connor had actually stood up to the man, physically taking blows meant for Jonathan and making it clear that Jonathan no longer belonged to Arthur. For that Jonathan would be forever grateful.

Glancing behind them, he saw another van already coming up the drive. He sighed, hoping they could get through to the camp without having to talk to his father. If not, he reminded himself, he didn't have to have to be afraid anymore. He had a new pack.

As he climbed out he felt Amanda's hand touch his back before she disappeared behind the van to start unloading. That one touch communicated that she, too, had seen his father and she'd be there if he needed.

He held the door for Erica and Brianna. As he shut it and turned to get his pack, he found dad standing almost directly in front of him, still smoking. "Jonathan," dad said.

"Father," he replied. Robby, he noticed was there, too, hanging back but looking at Jonathan, longing to come forward and greet him.

"As I am sure you will recall," Dad began. "Last year I told you if you wanted my praise, you should place in combat, not just running." He paused and dropped his cigarette. "I guess tearing a man limb from limb qualifies. Good work with Erik." He stamped out his butt, turned and walked off.

Jonathan just stared at his father's retreating back. Robby saw his opening and dashed in, hugging Jonathan. "God, we've been so worried about you, especially after we heard what happened."

The others were watching Robby suspiciously. None had forgotten Robby's betrayal last summer. Jonathan hadn't either, but he saw Robby through different eyes. Robby meant well, but in the end, he was Dad's wolf. You just had to accept that.

"It's okay, Unk," Jonathan said, using his childhood name for Robby. "They're a good pack. We watch out for each other."

"I know," Robby said. "But still, can't help but worry. You poor kids are in some deep shit, you know."

"Robby?" Dad's voice came from the edge of the trail.

"Gotta go," Robby said. "Elders need to talk to us. We'll be around though, so we can catch up." He took off after Arthur, leaving Jonathan to wonder just what the elders wanted to talk to Arthur about and why they would be staying around. He had been under the impression that Dad was less than welcome around the elders after losing face last summer.

Another form moved to his side, putting an arm around his. He turned, expecting Amanda or Brianna but found instead his cousin Tricia. Her transformation from the dark angry teen of a year ago was startling. She'd cut her hair short and died it bright blue. She'd pierced her ears and her nose. She still wore her black leather jacket, but underneath were leggings and T-shirt with some band logo on it. But the outer changes paled against the light in her eyes, especially when she shared a look with her alpha mate.

"So the short version is," she said with a look at where Arthur and Robby had left down the trail. "He's still an asshole. Robbie's still his lapdog, as always. But he is, underneath all that asshole, proud of you. When he stopped by to give our parent pack an update, he couldn't wait to tell them how you'd tore Erik apart."

Jonathan snorted. "And to think, all I had to do all this time was to tear someone's arm off. Besides, it wasn't just me, you know."

"How?" Tricia started and stopped, "I mean..."

Jonathan shrugged, guessing the question. "It just was. We were in animal form and it happened so fast. I don't know. It didn't even really hit me until later what we'd done. When I think about who he was, the things he'd done, what he was doing then, I don't feel guilty. Not a bit."

"Yeah," Tricia agreed. "Shouldn't either in my opinion. Marcus's parents, my new parent pack, they used to be the tribe's primary contact with the Nagelman's, way to the south. Told us the story of why Erik was tossed from the Fleischers. What he went to jail for." Tricia shivered but didn't share the story. "Anyway, I was just curious how it felt you know, in case."

"In case it comes to war?"

Connor appeared, holding Jonathan's pack. "We're going to do our best to see that it doesn't come to war," Connor said.

Tricia met his gaze evenly. "If does though, we won't shirk. I promise that. You and Amanda, you guys mean a lot to the youth of this tribe. We got your back, no matter what."

"My alpha has that affect," Amanda joked as she came over. Her and Tricia hugged and moved off, talking.

Jonathan shouldered his pack and they headed towards the camp. Tanner fell into step beside Jonathan. "Is that what everyone thinks?" he asked. "That there's going to be a war?"

"If we don't agree to support Fenrir, yeah. And after what's happened? You want to support him?"

"No," Tanner said. "But still. That's us and them. At worse, it's a blood feud between our packs."

"No," Jonathan contradicted. "If we won't bow, then they'll have to make an example of us. The Sons of Garm, the Fleischers, all of them will come at us. The Skollsen's won't like that. Or the bear clan. They'll fight on our side."

"And who else?" Tanner asked

Jonathan shrugged. "Probably be just us."

"Huh uh," Tanner contradicted. "The Ritters? After what we did for them this spring. The Skinwalkers? We'll have lots on our side."

"Skinwalkers don't even plan on coming to the council," Jonathan reminded him. "And the Ritters are a broken tribe. How much can they do?"

Tanner shrugged. "We'll find other allies. No tribe wants bastards like the Sons of Garm in charge, mark my words."

Jonathan shrugged. He wasn't so sure. Dad always made it sound like the Leidulf's and Skollsens were tame tribes, the others were mostly savage groups that had little to do with human society. If it weren't for the fact that shapeshifter numbers in the few hundreds compared millions of humans, they'd happily enslave the human population and create their own vicious society with themselves on the top.