Sasha lifted her gaze to meet the kind eyes of her male and expressed her gratitude with a subtle nod of her head. She could feel the weight of his warm hand on her shoulder, which gave her a sense of comfort and reassurance. She closed her eyes and inhaled a lungful of Kwan's intoxicating scent, hoping to quell the raging storm inside her. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open and shifted her gaze to Liam.

"What does your father have to do with the death of my parents, Alpha Jacobs?" Sasha asked, her voice losing its dangerous edge.

"Where should I start?" Liam asked, his finger tapping against his chin.

"The beginning," Kwan answered.

"Ah, good point," Liam said as he placed a hand on Grace's thigh. "It all started the day your dad's pack became the number one most feared pack, Alpha Hemming," he continued, his expression serious. "My dad's insatiable greed for more power started to spiral out of control from there," he said, his words punctuated by a deep sigh.

"But as soon as he caught wind that your father and mother were invited to join the Supernatural Association instead of him, he went ballistic," Liam continued, his voice laced with tension. "My dad's biggest ambition, ever since your father became the top alpha, was to become a council member. And then take over the Crescent Moon Pack," Liam explained.

Sasha's eyes bore into Liam's with a burning intensity, her body tense with a palpable anger. The air around her felt thick and suffocating, as if the atmosphere itself was trying to stifle the fury that was building inside her. Every fiber of her being screamed with a primal urge. A feeling that made her want to bring Elder Jacobs back to life just so she could make him suffer her wrath. That bastard!

"During a conversation with Elder Storm, who, by the way, is my mom's best friend. My dad discovered that your mom's sister, Ivy, was also in love with your dad. So, Storm and my old man conspired to use Ivy's heartbreak to their advantage," Liam continued.

Sasha's eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed, "Wait, what? Ivy was in love with my dad?" Her mind raced as she took in a deep breath, trying to process this newfound information. "How did you even find out about all this?" she asked, the corners of her mouth twitching in disbelief. "I doubt your dad sat you down and told you," she added, her tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.

Liam emitted a raspy chuckle as he absentmindedly rubbed Grace's thigh. He shook his head, his lips tugging into a wry smile. "They decided to have that conversation in the living room over a steaming pot of tea. I happened to stumble on said conversation and stayed in hiding to hear what they were up to." He leaned forward in his seat, his head cocked to the side and eyebrows knitted together in thought. "Your mother didn't tell you the story about how she met your father?" he asked.

Sasha let out a low grunt as she narrowed her eyes. "She did," she said defensively.

Liam nodded in understanding and said, "Ah, so she just didn't tell you that your dad had met Ivy first. It was love at first sight for your aunt. Can you imagine how upset she was when she found out he locked eyes with her older sister a few days later and said the words 'mate'? Quite heart-shattering, if you ask me." Liam's face twisted in a grimace. "My lovely father and Elder Storm decided to use Ivy's jealousy to kill your mother. They knew that the best way to get rid of two powerful foes was to take out the most powerful — your mother. Using someone she trusted wholeheartedly, and it worked. But they didn't anticipate Ivy turning against them. Ivy was forced to kill the man she was head over heels for, with the help of the other witches in her coven."

Sasha clenched her jaw tightly, feeling her teeth grind against each other. The sound of the grinding filled her ears, drowning out the other sounds of the room. All those unnecessary deaths because that man craved stupid power. I should have cut every flesh from his fucking body while he whimpered in pain.

"Breath, buttercup," Kwan whispered softly in her ear, his voice a soothing melody amidst her chaotic emotions.

Sasha felt his warm breath caress her skin, causing a tingling sensation to travel down her spine. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and focused on the steady rhythm of Kwan's heartbeat. When she opened her eyes, she saw Liam looking at her with a quizzical expression. She motioned for him to continue speaking. "Go on, I'm listening," she said.

Liam gave a slow nod. "You see," he began, "Ivy had intended to reveal to the other elders of the heinous acts my father and Storm had committed. But Storm intervened by murdering Ivy and then resurrecting her using forbidden magic." He paused, as if lost in thought. "The aunt you fought — she wasn't the same person you knew. Storm had wiped her memories of what she and my father had done. Leaving only a deep-seated resentment towards your parents."

"Why bring Ivy back?" Jia chimed in.

Liam's lips curled up into a small smirk, his eyes glinting with a sense of satisfaction. "Because someone from this pack had wiped out Storm's coven. And Ivy would be the perfect candidate to kill that person, along with Alpha Hemming. A win-win situation for Storm and my old man. No one would know they were the true mastermind if Ivy succeeded," he replied. He paused, staring deeply into Sasha's eyes. "My dad was livid when the other elders handed the alpha title over to you, Alpha Hemming. He was against a witch being an alpha, especially when he wanted your land and pack."

"Why did you sit around with all this information and did nothing to stop him or warn the other elders?" Kwan asked, his voice held a hint of malice.

Liam let out a small sigh and lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "Who would believe me?" he mused. "It would only lead to my death. My dad didn't care who he had to kill to get what he wanted."

"Alpha Hemming, Alpha Jung and Alpha Jacobs, excuse my language. But Alpha Jacobs, your dad a first-class bitch," Jia said with a growl.

Liam let out a deep, throaty chuckle that reverberated through the room. "I agree," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Honestly, I didn't think my dad could get any crazier until I found out he had rogues kill my sister's mate a few days ago." A low growl that rumbled in his chest punctuated his words.

Sasha's lips curled up into a smile as she watched as Grace gently placed her hand on Liam's broad chest. "Why would he do that? Didn't your sister find her mate years ago?" Sasha asked.

Liam's hand ran through his hair as he spoke. "Yes, she did. But dad never liked that his daughter, who had alpha blood running through her veins, was mated to an omega...," he trailed off as he gripped his hair and looked out the window. "My dad told me he found the perfect mate for me and my sister. Apparently, his right-hand man Nathan had smelt a lycan near your territory. And depending on the gender, me or my sister would get a lycan for a mate." He shifted his gaze over to Kwan. "Alpha Jung, you were also a choice for my sister."

Kwan grunted. "I'm aware. Your father told us his brilliant plan."

Sasha clicked her tongue. "One more question. What did they use to kill my mom?"

"A colorless and odorless poison," Liam answered.

***

"Grace," Sasha called out in a firm voice before the young lady could walk out of her office. As Grace turned to face her, she said, "let's discuss some important things before you leave with your mate."

Grace gave a firm nod. "Yes Alpha," she replied before turning to face Liam, who had stopped to wait for her. She lifted a hand to wave at him. "I'll be out shortly," she whispered before closing the door.

Sasha rested her bottom on the smooth surface of her wooden desk. Casually crossing her feet at the ankle and folding her hands across her chest. "You know, once you leave, you won't have the access to come back without permission, right?"

"Yes, Alpha Hemming," Grace replied, her lips curling into a sad smile.

Sasha pushed herself off her desk, the wood creaking under her weight. It was a well-known rule in the pack that members who left to join another pack would have their access key taken away.

From the time Sasha was old enough to understand the rules. She had never seen a pack member ask to leave or be banished from the pack. So, Grace's departure was the first case for her. She wasn't a fan of the process, but it was something that had to be done to keep her secret safe.

The process involved the removal of the memories of her lycan from Grace's memories and the extraction of the lycan blood from Grace's veins. Severed the blood bond either by a wound or by death.

"Should I be witnessing this?" Kwan asked.

Sasha shot a quick glance over her shoulder at him. He had already made himself comfortable in her office chair. "It's fine with me, cutie," she said with a smile before turning her attention back to Grace.

Sasha moved closer to Grace and placed her fingers against her temples, gripping her head firmly. She leaned in and whispered, "this might feel a little uncomfortable."

Grace took a deep breath and nodded before closing her eyes. "I'm ready," she whispered.

Sasha closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Feeling a rush of energy surge through her body all the way to her fingertips. As she exhaled, she focused her mind and entered Grace's memories. It was like stepping into an unknown world. The air was alive with sounds of Grace's laughter and cries, both equally intense.

As she explored deeper, she saw vivid images of Grace's happy moments. She also saw glimpses of Grace's sorrows as she grieved the family she had lost. It was like a movie, but Sasha could feel the authenticity of every emotion Grace had.

Sasha skipped through each memory, searching for what she needed. It took a while, but eventually, she found what she was looking for. With a snap of her fingers, she erased each memory, feeling a brief moment of sadness as she did so. Opening her eyes, she carefully removed her fingers from Grace's head. "Now it's time to sever the pack bond," she said, her voice holding a hint of sadness. She held out her open palm and summoned a knife from the kitchen. The sharp glint of metal caught the light, casting a bright reflection on the wall.

"This is going to hurt a bit," Sasha warned, as she positioned the blade against Grace's wrist. A hiss accompanied Grace's sharp intake of breath as Sasha sliced through the skin on her wrist. Sasha closed her eyes, humming as she worked. "Sever, that which was tied by the joining of blood. Remove that which had bound her to this pack," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

The sound of blood dripping on the hardwood floor echoed through the room. Sasha slowly opened her eyes and snapped her fingers, igniting the blood with a flame. She smiled warmly at Grace. "I made a vow to your brother to protect you," she said, placing a comforting hand on Grace's shoulder. "If you ever decide to return to this pack, know that we will welcome you with open arms. And if trouble arises, don't be afraid to call on this pack, your forever family, for help, Luna Brooks."

Grace's lips curved upward, stretching into a wide smile that lit up her face. A soft, tinkling laugh escaped her lips, filling the room with a pleasant sound. "Thank you Alpha," she replied, her voice filled with sincerity. "I'm truly grateful for all that you and this pack have done for me and Joseph." She bowed respectfully before leaving the room.

Sasha opened up the link between her and Jia. "Jia darling, you mind walking Alpha Jacobs and Grace out?"

"Um, is this Alpha Hemming?" Jia asked skeptically.

Sasha let out a soft laugh. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you've never greeted me like this before. Did I do something wrong? Is this the calm before the storm?" Jia asked in a frantic tone.

"Everything is wonderful, Jia," Sasha assured her.

"Um okay then. I'll be escorting Alpha Jacobs and Grace out now."

"Thanks, bestie."

As soon as her eyes regained focus, she felt the movement of her mate's hand circling her waist. His hold was gentle yet firm as she leaned into his embrace. His presence alone made her feel safe. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and as he did, his warm breath fanned against her cheek.

Sasha closed her eyes and let out a long, contented sigh. This is where I belong and where I will fight to stay for eternity.

"When were you going to tell me you're going to the Supernatural Association?" Kwan asked, his voice low and husky.