Bone returned to the pack's territory late and Alister was with him. However, Alister had the look of astonishment when he parked the car and saw the chaos on the field. Bouncy castles were everywhere and the entire pack was busy eating and playing. Bone understood the man, he had the same look when he came across the Centauri pack and their strange ways.

"You get used to it," Bone said to him.

Hours passed since then.

But Bone was a bit apprehensive since the night he spent at Alister's house. They didn't mark each other and he didn't understand the reason. Perhaps, he pushed the mating too hard on Alister. Bone tried hard to focus on the pack and the family rather than his worries. But it was trickier said than done.

They had dinner already, and then, the news that Gabriel and Sabrina were having a baby girl started another round of drinks. Bone congratulated the couple and they were smothered in hugs by literally everyone. Hailey knew it was late, but she put her apron on and was ready to bake a cake for the celebration. Bone entered the house to help her out, when his hand was seized and Alister dragged him down the hallway to the dining-room which was empty. He pinned Bone against the wall and caged him within his arms.

"Is something wrong?" Bone asked.

"Says the one with the frown on his face," Alister remarked.

Bone touched between his brows and the strained line eased a little. "I didn't realize," he muttered.

"I can feel what you're feeling," Alister whispered gently. "What's wrong?"

"Last night-" he hesitated when he saw Alister's dark blue eyes staring at him intently- "you left when I told you to mark me." A heavy silence fell between them and he wondered if he made Alister angry or upset. He knew he should've kept his mouth shut.

Alister leaned his lips next to Bone's ear- "I left because I wanted to have sex with you."

His heart skipped a beat. "Oh," he said breathlessly.

"Listen to me, Bone, I won't mark you in haste or on a whim," Alister answered.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I want you to fall madly, preferably deeply, in love with me first," he whispered.

Bone stared at him. "I didn't know love was a part of this," he said.

Alister inched closer, their legs brushed together. "Probably not for others," he said. "But for you and me, it is. I can't mark you until I have your heart."

"How do I give it?"

"You don't," Alister answered. "I'll take it when you're not guarding it."

"I don't guard it on purpose," Bone said hesitantly.

"I know," Alister said.

"I'm sorry," he responded helplessly.

Alister grinned. "Don't be," he kissed Bone's throat, the pulse that was calm and steady started to hammer loudly. "I'm having fun seducing my innocent mate."

Alister left to join King and Bone went into the kitchen on his own. Klaus and Hailey were hard at work. Feeling better himself, he lent a hand with the cake.

They finished a huge chocolate cake with pink frosting in an hour or two, it was simple but it'd have to do.

Bone peered out the kitchen window and tracked to see if Alister was okay. He was standing with King on the porch.

"Are you already worried about your mate, Bone?" Hailey jested as she used icing to pipe the cake's border.

Bone's cheeks heated quickly. "Er-" he muttered as he wiped his sugar-coated hands on a towel.

"Of course, he'd be worried," Klaus said. "Our pack is insane."

Hailey chuckled. "Alister seems nice," she said. "I didn't think he'd be the type to take on our pack, but he fits right in."

"He does," Bone mumbled as he watched Alister again through the window.

"He's really hot too," Hailey added. "Isn't he, Bone?"

"He is," Bone replied before he realized what he said. He gaped at the other two for tricking him like that.

"Tell me, the cake's almost done," Azura said as she rushed inside.

"It's not done yet," Klaus said.

Azura didn't look to happy hearing that. She grabbed her wound and cried out. "Oh, the pain," she said. "It's too much."

Klaus showed immediate concern. "I told you to stay off the bouncy-castle," he said. "Do you need ice or did your stitches tear?"

"Some cake would help," Azura said making them laugh and Klaus was fooled yet again.

Hailey chuckled. "Here, Azura," she said as she held a plate with a gigantic slab of chocolate cake. "I made you a separate one to enjoy."

Azura's eyes widened like a child on Christmas morning receiving their gift. "I love you," she said as she hugged Hailey's small form. "You are fabulous and you even smell like the chocolate cake itself." Hailey giggled in her arms. Azura walked right out the door to enjoy her cake in peace and probably alone somewhere.

A while later, Klaus stepped outside and Bone finished off the piping for Hailey when she needed to help Gideon stop crying over his toy that broke. He wrote Sabrina and Gabriel's name on the cake and added the sprinkles that Hailey left on the counter.

Bone wasn't sure if they needed to add candles or not. So, he went in search of Klaus on the porch. But he froze when he saw Alister talking to him alone.

"This pack doesn't make any sense to me," Alister said. "How are you all like this?"

"We weren't always this way," Klaus said as he stared at Gabriel across the field. "We were broken and lost once too. He put us back together."

Bone wondered what Alister would say to that, but he stayed quiet. "The cake's ready, Klaus," he said making both of them look towards him.

"Let's take a look," Klaus strolled inside.

"Are you okay?" Bone asked quietly.

Alister gave curt nod.

Klaus came outside with the cake and everyone gathered around to let Gabriel and Sabrina cut it. Everyone was eager to get a slice once Gabriel and Sabrina cut the cake and the confetti cannons went off.

Bone held the slice of cake for Alister. "Here," he said but then he remembered that Alister didn't like sweet things a lot. "Want to share with me?" he asked.

Alister lips lifted into a sweet smile. "Sure," he said as took the first bite.

Bone forked the soft bread and icing and took a bite himself. Suddenly, the group got louder when the five troublemakers arrived late. Leo, Dante, Levi, his twin brother Jake and John walked in. They were Klaus's students who graduated last year and were training to be pack enforcers but also completing university too. Bone remembered when he first met these fine young men, they were bursting with energy to prove themselves. They were definitely cunning and too smart for their own good. Although, something was off. Bone was sure that these five pups used to reach his shoulder in the past. He hadn't seen them in a while, it seemed like these five outgrew him. They were bulkier and even taller than Bone now. This was probably because the five of them were training with King all the time. The young boys were long gone and they packed on more muscle and were even crowding King with their massive figures.

"How could you start a party without us?" Leo said as he threw down his gym bag and hugged his old teacher. Klaus ruffled the Leo's golden-brown hair.

"Hey guys," Klaus said as he was passed around the five of them to get a hug.

"Get off him," King growled shoving them away.

"Don't be jealous, King," Leo said. "Klaus was mine first."

"Do you want to die?" King grumbled.

"Bring it on, old man," Leo said.

Bone would have been concerned in the past, but with Leo's growth, it seemed he could probably handle himself against King now. However, as usual, Dante (Leo's best friend) stepped between them and guarded Leo against King. Leo stood towering with Dante who had a dark hoodie on and the same stern expression. He raked his silver hair back and was focused on getting a slice of cake like Jake, Levi and John who were unbothered. It was only Leo that bickered with King, the others weren't really that much trouble.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Leo asked as he stood with cake and stared at Alister.

These kids really weren't scared of anyone, thought Bone. It's Gabriel's influence as alpha and hanging out King made them a lot worse than before.

"He's my mate," Bone said.

All five of them gaped. "No way," they astounded as Leo put his arm around Bone's shoulders and faced Alister.

"He looks like a gangster," said Leo.

Alister raised a brow.

"Are you a gangster, mister?" Levi asked.

Alister smirked. "King's been a bad influence on you all."

"Excuse me, I'm a great influence," King pitched in.

"That's not how you treat guests, boys," Bone warned.

Leo and the other four stared at each other. "Of course, accept our apology, mister," they said to Alister. "We usually throw the new guy in the pool as a greeting."

"Boys," Klaus's warning tone stopping all five of them.

"We were just kidding," Jake shouted back at him.

"No, I wasn't," Leo said as he came face to face with Alister. "You hurt our librarian, your dead meat."

"And wolf meat isn't very tasty," John added.

"You boys are gusty," Alister said. "You'll make great pack enforcers one day." A silence fell. The five of them shared another round of looks. Bone could tell that with that one sentence, Alister warmed his way into their hearts.

"Okay, how about you boys go and enjoy some more cake," he ushered them off shaking his own head at the utter chaos that just occurred. "I'm sorry about them." He turned to Alister.

"No need to apologize," he said. "They're strong."

"King trains them so they have to be," Bone told him.

"I figured as much," Alister answered. "They get their smart mouth from him too."

King stood with them when Alister put the blame on him. "They had it before they met me," he confessed. "Honestly, I think they get it from Klaus."

"I heard that," Klaus said facing his mate.

"I have a feeling that Klaus isn't the cause of their flamboyant personalities," Bone muttered making them laugh.

"It's getting late," Alister said as he put his hands in his pockets. "I should head back otherwise my brothers will cause a riot."

"Stay a little longer," King said.

Bone looked at King who was grinning over the rim of his cup.

Alister saw them both. "I would if I could," he told them.

"I'll walk you to your car," Bone offered and put the last bit of cake slice down on the table.

Thankfully, his car was parked behind the house, so no one could see them leave together. The Aston Martin blinked alive as the headlights turned on when Alister neared its proximity.

"Did you have fun?" Bone asked. "I know the pack can be a bit-" he searched for the right word but only crazy came to mind- "much."

"I had a great time," Alister said as he opened the car door and leaned a little on the door. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Wh- when will I see you again?" he asked.

Alister's lips lifted into a boyish smile. "Depends on how you see me off tonight," he remarked.

Bone titled his head. What did that mean? he wondered. But Alister's grin answered his puzzled thoughts. He stared into those sapphire eyes and then at that grinning mouth and wondered how he should do this? How would he kiss someone off for the night? Was it a kiss on the lips or perhaps on the cheek? The more Bone was left to ponder over it, the more confused he got.

A warm hand touched Bone's cheek, it surprised him and he was pulled out of his thoughts. "I didn't mean to make you tense, just forget I asked," Alister said softly.

Bone pushed the boundaries inside him and leaned forward onto his toes and laid his lips on Alister's. Both of them let out a small gasp at the contact, that was electric and hot. Bone sank into the sensation of Alister's warm mouth on his own before he pulled back. His cheeks burned crimson with the aftermath shock of what he just did.

Alister put his hand on Bone's nape and brought him closer, their bodies inches apart as their lips sealed again. The kiss was slow and mesmerizing like it would take the whole night before it ended. Bone didn't want it to end. He wished to stay right here, in these arms, safe and warm. He felt as if the demons of his past couldn't reach him here. His hands gripped onto the lapels of Alister's jacket, as he found himself being swayed off his feet. This tender kiss consumed them both and they didn't realize when both of them craved for more.

The pace quickened and Alister's greed showed as he deepened the kiss and growled against his mouth. The sound shot through Bone and his body caught aflame, like the rays of the sun shined from within him. He hesitated before he put his own hands on Alister's neck and into his dark hair, that was soft through his fingers. Both of them moaned out their desperation as the kiss went on. Neither of them was prepared for their desires to take over this way.

Bone pulled back first because he couldn't breathe let alone think straight.

Alister took a deeply controlled breath before he spoke; "You really don't want me to leave, do you?" his tone a wicked tease.

Bone's lips lifted into a smile on their own. "You said to see you off," he remarked.

Alister groaned. "But now, I don't feel like leaving you."

"Don't," Bone's mouth said before he could stop it.

Alister's eyes widened. "You want me to stay?"

"Never mind, you should go," Bone said for his own sanity at this point. He couldn't be more embarrassed than he already was now.

Alister leaned in and kissed Bone's lips again. "I'll call you," he said before he got in his car and shut the door.

He drove off and Bone lingered in that same spot for a while letting himself calm down because he was pretty sure he had a goofy smile on his face. He didn't go back to the party on the field and rather went for a walk through the woods alone.

So much happened in such little time.

Bone felt different now. He once walked through these trees desperate to find solace on this lonesome planet. But now, he felt the cracks inside his soul mending with the warmth that Alister brought into his life.

How was this even possible? he pondered as he reached the boulder near the lake.

He got up on the great, big rock and sat facing the shimmering lake ahead. Many nights and days were spent here wondering when his life would change. He desperately prayed to their goddess asking for her to heal him.

Staring up at the moon now, he realized that his prayers had been answered.

Bone wasn't broken and he wasn't ashamed of his own past because that's just how his life was supposed to be, otherwise he never would have met King and he never would have arrived at his pack or met Alister. He couldn't control that he was born in a cage, but he could control his life now. He wouldn't let anyone take advantage of him and he'd fight for all the people he cherished.

Bone always had the desire to live, but never the strength to face his past. Alister showed him that he was worthy of being happy despite his ugly past.

Enough is enough, Bone told himself. He'd live his life now. He'd travel and see the world because he was allowed. He wasn't trapped in the cage he built around himself. Bone was free... he was finally free.

Klaus stood with his family eating the slice of cake that celebrated the gender of his brother and Sabrina's unborn child. It was a happy occasion, but his heart was a bit quiet with the thoughts running through his head. He looked over at King who was changing the memory card for their son's camera. He smiled at them and sat on the bench watching them. He could do that all night and never want to stop.

Family, he thought. He'd do anything for the people on this field because these people saved him. King and his son were his life, he breathed for these two.

He recalled the way Alister looked at Bone tonight. That alpha's eyes were loving and protective as they watched Bone the entire time.

The click of a button caught Klaus's attention off his thoughts. He blinked and looked ahead, it was King using the camera.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Taking a photo of you," he answered as he put the camera down and handed it to Ender who was glad that it was working again. King joined Klaus on the bench. "I think I should get a camera too," he added. "I'd take photos of you, lots of them."

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Klaus asked.

"Not really," King raked his dark hair back. "I'd even take photos of you when you orgas-"

Klaus slapped his hand over King's mouth. "Are you crazy?" he astonished.

King was smiling under his hand and it was proven right when Klaus took his hand off. "Or when I'm entering your body-"

"I am warning you-" he interrupted sternly but couldn't hide the blush on his cheeks.

"What were you worrying about earlier?" King asked suddenly.

Klaus looked at him. "What?"

"You think I can't tell," King said as he caressed Klaus's cheek and then pushed strands of his hair back. "What's wrong?"

"Alister and Bone, they seem happy together," Klaus said.

"They do," King said.

"That means Bone has to leave us, doesn't it?" he said because it wasn't really a question.

King leaned in, laying his lips on Klaus's frowned lips. "Bone is part of the pack," he answered. "He'll always be family to us."

Klaus graced a smile. "You're right," he sighed. "We'll support him with anything he needs."

Gabriel approached them at the bench. "Be ready tomorrow," he told King.

Klaus looked at King whose expression shifted from humoured to alert. They both heard Gabriel's request, but something was exchanged between his mate and his brother that Klaus managed to not understand. Gabriel walked away after that.

"What was that about?" he asked King.

"You know, I have the camera on my phone which is available," he said.

Klaus gaped. "No, no, no," he astounded.

King ignored him. He grabbed Klaus, hoisting him off his feet and taking him into the house to be alone. Klaus shouted for someone to help, but his pack betrayed him because they knew fully well that they'd never intervene with King, unless they had a death wish. It was fair to say that Klaus forgot about his worries and almost broke his mate's phone since the little game turned into a heated battle by the end of the night.