Traveling to the pack for the funeral was rough for everyone. The three babies were cranky the entire time, not enjoying the ride at all and the two pregnant Betas were just as bad.

When they finally arrived, Primrose waited for them with two vehicles to transport everyone into the pack territory. As soon as Mingi caught sight of his mother, he ran over to her and enveloped her in his arms. Her eyes watered as she hugged her son, sniffling softly while burying her nose in his chest. Mingi couldn't help the sob that broke through his chest, the air was tense with mourning.

When they pull apart, they seen Kennedy and Jongho embracing not too far from them, Jongho didn't say anything or have any emotion while he hugged his mother who sobbed into his chest. It was silent among the group as the two brothers hugged their mothers, mourning and trying to be strong.

"Come," Primrose pulls away from her son, wiping his tears and her own, "Let's go back to the pack house. The healers are waiting for us to be there so you boys can say one last thing to your father. They're burning him tomorrow."

Everyone piled into the vehicles and were instantly driven back to the pack border. Jongho was tense the entire time before they crossed over into the border. People stared as they drove by, not helping with the atmosphere. Many were somber, sadness was thick through the pack.

Once they reached the pack house, everyone files out of the car with their bags, they were only staying for the night but all babies needed diapers and wipes and other clothes just in case. When Jongho stepped out of the vehicle though, he is immediately hit with something in the head and he nearly drops his and Yunho's bags.

Mingi turns at the sound of shouting, seeing one of the old hunters storm towards them, "What is that traitor doing here!? He's supposed to be banished! Valentine would be rolling in his grave right now if he knew you were back here!"

Mingi snarls, handing Ana back to Seonghwa and immediately steps in front of his brother. The hunter stops, his eyes wide with fear as Mingi over towers him, "What did you just say?"

"Rolo!" Kennedy snarls, storming after the hunter, "What is the meaning of this!?"

Almost instantly, his fear turned into anger as he turns to Kennedy, "You know this mutt isn't supposed to be here!" He points to Jongho, "Valentine wouldn't stand for this!"

San snarls, moving to stand in front of Jongho while Yunho's eyes flash bright blue. He was holding his stomach protectively as he stood next to San.

"Valentine is dead Rolo!" Kennedy growls, "My son, HIS son is here to mourn his father's death! How dare you throw something at him and do this on the day of your Alpha's death!!"

The man was about to say something before Mingi snarls, "He is my brother, your Alpha's son. Show him as much respect as you would show me or I'll rip your fucking head off of your shoulders."

He looks around, seeing all of the pack members that were standing by just watching and narrows his eyes, "And as for the rest of you, if I hear one ill word breathed about my brother I won't hesitate to banish you!"

Those that were standing around immediately move around, and getting out of Mingi's line of fire. The man before them narrows his eyes before looking back at Mingi, "Your father-"

"Breathe another word about my father and I won't hesitate to slaughter you," Mingi growls in warning, his red eyes flash to the older Beta. The Beta's eyes widen as he backs off slightly, "Now get out of my sight. I don't want to see you the rest of the time I'm here. Clear?"

The Beta glares at Mingi, nodding his head once before giving a nasty look to Kennedy and Jongho, then leaves them. Jongho sighs, "I knew this would happen."

"It shouldn't have happened baby," Kennedy assures her son, cupping his face, "Everyone's been on edge since your father died this morning."

"It won't happen again," Mingi promises, turning to Jongho, "And if it does, I will follow through on my threat. I will not tolerate those that put down their Alpha's son."

"You can't stop the whispers Mingi," Jongho snaps, "They're still going to talk shit about me. I'm the mutt remember?"

"You are not a mutt," Wooyoung snaps back at Jongho, adjusting Finn in his arms before turning Jongho to face him, "You are the head Alpha's son, you are an Alpha. Walk around here with your head held high and don't let their pathetic comments bring you down, do you hear me?"

Jongho sighs, burying his face in Wooyoung's neck to scent his Omega, pulling away to see Finnley playing with his mother's necklace in his vice grip. Mingi places a hand on Jongho's shoulder, "I promise you Jongho, as long as I am breathing these people will treat you with respect. And if they don't, they can leave. They have that option to do so."

••••••••

The brothers watch from the shore as the healers and elders of the pack place flowers and smoking herbs around Valentine's body. Primrose and Kennedy stand by them, Primrose was holding little Parker in her arms as he slept peacefully. Luckily for them, Finnley was asleep too in Wooyoung's arms as he stood respectfully by his mate's side.

Seonghwa held Ana in his arms, swaying her side to side as she slept as well while they prepared the body to be pushed into the river. In Valentine's pack, whenever someone passes on they load them onto a raft built out of spare lumber and decorate the body with flowers and bless them with herbs. It's to present the body to the Moon Goddess before they light the body on fire, so that way the spirit of the individual is actually passed to the Moon Goddess.

It was all a blur to Mingi, he hardly remembered the words spoken by the elders. He hardly remembered the blessings they casted upon Valentine before they pushed the raft into the water. One of Valentine's daughters, a beta named Jasmine, was the best archer in the pack.

She pulled back her bow with a flaming arrow, and after aiming carefully she launches it in the air. The arrow lands right on the boat, and it immediately ignites. Everyone in the pack, including all of Valentine's children that moved away, was there to watch as their Alpha's burning casket floats past them down the river.

Their Alpha was in a better place now.

••••••••

The day they were supposed to leave, Primrose pulls Mingi into his father's office and asks to speak with him. Once he sits in the chair in front of his father's desk, his mother sighs and sits in his father's chair, "Mingi, I need to talk to you about this pack."

"What about it?" Mingi arches his eyebrow.

"Well... with your father gone now and I won't be too far behind... we need someone to watch over this pack. To take it over. Since you are our only son, and an Alpha..."

Mingi frowns, "You want me to take over."

"You and Seonghwa, yes."

Mingi was in shock as he looks at his mother, "But... I have my own pack. I have Seonghwa, Yeosang, Hongjoong, my kids. Jongho has his and we all share the same land... mom I don't know if I want to-"

"You all can move here," Primrose assures Mingi, "You can move back home. Here your children will have a better opportunity to make more friends, have a better education, and will find more potential mates here than being back at your place. Plus, they all need a leader. They need someone who was meant for the position, and you are the only one capable of it."

Mingi was silent. Biting his lip, he makes a drastic decision and stands, turning away from his mother. The sound of his father's chair being pushed back filled the room before his mother's panicked voice, "Where are you going?"

"Home," Mingi responds, opening the door and walking down the hall to the living room where his family were waiting for him.

"This is your home Mingi!" Primrose snaps, grabbing her son's arm and turning him to face her.

"This isn't my home," Mingi gestures around him. He then points to his family, including Jongho's as they all watch the scene before them, "They are my home. And we have a pack already to look after. If you want someone to take over father's place then pick another one of his Alpha offspring."

"But-"

"I'm not doing it," Mingi snaps, "I will not lead this pack! I have my own!"

Primrose was taken aback by the response, and didn't stop Mingi as he turned back to his family and leads them out of the house. They pile into the van safely, Kennedy drives them to their home instead of making the two heavily pregnant Betas walk all of that way.

When they stop, everyone piled out of the car, but before Mingi could leave, Kennedy stops him, "Mingi, are you sure you don't want to take over your father's pack? I know it's not your own but everyone can come back..."

"Including Jongho?"

Kennedy hesitates before answering, "I'm sure he can come back home after you talk to everyone and tell them he can-"

"Forget it. If I can't bring my brother then I don't want to run that pack at all. I guess it'll have to have someone else run it." Mingi exits the car and shuts the door loudly, walking towards Seonghwa and Ana. He wraps his arm around them, kissing his mate softly before sighing, "This is our home, not dad's home. This right here."

••••••••

Written by @JinJin0309