Jongho did his best to be patient, allowing everyone else to get their time with Hongjoong first.

But oh... how he needed a hug from his head alpha too.

He sat back on his knees and ankles, eyes flicking between his pack ad the fighting happening right outside.

It was getting closer... and that made him nervous.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to stop the reunion happening in front of him.

Yeosang was glued to his mate's side, nuzzling against his mating mark while letting out tiny whimpers, with Rhodey wedged in between them, hugging his father around his stomach and crying softly.

Seonghwa and Yunho were on their knees at Hongjoong's other side, both holding onto his arm and pressing their foreheads against his shoulder.

And their head alpha looked at all four of them with the purest form of love and devotion. He made sure each one received kisses to the tops of their heads, even Gunner when he leaned over Seonghwa's shoulder.

"You came for us." He whispered, the pained smile never leaving his face.

"Of course we came for you!" Yeosang's forehead scrunched with disapproval. "We need you. I need you. I can't-"

Hongjoong silenced him with another soft kiss into his disheveled brown hair. "I know. I just... Part of me was starting to believe I'd never see you again."

Then his eyes fell to Jongho and the younger alpha couldn't help but lean forward, a whine nearly escaping his lips.

"Thank you for protecting them." Hongjoong's voice was filled with so much gratitude and emotion, there was no doubting he meant it with every ounce of his being.

Jongho lost it. He fell forward until his forehead was pressed into Hongjoong's thigh.

Everyone else moved aside so that Hongjoong's hands were free to gently cup the sides of Jongho's head while he leaned forward to press his own forehead to Jongho's upper back, effectively sheltering him from the eyes of their pack.

Hongjoong tilted his head just enough so he could whisper in the direction of Jongho's ear, his voice drifting toward him like a soft summer breeze. "I know. It's alright."

Jongho could feel the others watching him. Especially Yunho. He didn't like appearing weak in front of them. He was an alpha. He needed to be strong...

But the sobs wouldn't stop.

"One more minute." Hongjoong continues to whisper. "Take one more minute. Then I need you to continue to hep me take care of everyone. Can you do that for me?"

The younger alpha sucked in a hard breath. He lifted his hands up to grab Hongjoong's arms, holding onto them to try and ground himself.

Both alphas started breathing at the same time. Deep breath in, long breath out.

He wasn't sure if it was exactly a minute or not, but Jongho already felt so much better. That simple reconnection with his alpha was healing.

When he sat up, Hongjoong sat up with him and immediately held out a hand.

Jongho puffed is chest out a little, then clasped the other's forearm with the force of a head alpha, the role he'd been filling for many months now.

The pack link rushed into them. Each one of them sighed in relief as more pieces of themselves clicked into place.

They felt San and Wooyoung, their emotions and joy were so strong it was almost like a slap in the face. But it also came as a huge relief because that answered their unspoken questions of what had happened to them.

But there was still one piece missing.

One that had both Seonghwa and Gunner glancing at each other with heartbroken eyes.

Then the omega brought his hands to his chest, clasping them together to try and control the trembling, before looking to Hongjoong. "Where is he?"

Devastation crossed their alpha's face and he swallowed twice, almost like he was trying to find the right words to say.

"Hongjoong." Seonghwa's voice started to tremble. "Where is he? Where is my mate?!"

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Avayla groaned at the instant pain that shot through her body. She felt so heavy and sore, especially her head. One spot in particular kept throbbing and throbbing and throbbing.

She tried to open her eyes, but instantly regretted it when blinding light turned her vision white and red.

Theo? The alpha reached out through her link, searching for her mate.

Only silence answered her... Silence and barely a tug on their bond.

Her heart started racing. What had happened to him?

What had happened to her??

Maria? Sweetie, can you hear me?

M-M-Mama... Her daughter's whimpers came even through their link, fear plain as day in the way her soft voice was almost nonexistent.

Are you hurt? Avayla tried opening her eyes again, hissing at the stinging light. She tried lifting her hands up to act as a shield, but... she couldn't.

Her arms were tied behind her back.

And she was lashed to some kind of pole.

N-No... But I'm scared.

Avayla growled, every instinct urging her to stop at nothing to protect her daughter. Where are you? Where's Kendra?

M-Mama...

With another, more vicious growl, Avayla forced her eyes open. She still saw white at first, and water instantly flooded them, so she started blinking rapidly to try and clear her vision.

But she almost wished she hadn't.

Avayla was in some kind of square or courtyard, large enough to host gatherings, much like the one slowly forming around her.

Several members of the pack she'd started to call home, all alphas from what she could tell, kept looking in all directions, almost as if they weren't sure why they were there.

She looked to her left to see she was close to one of the cabins, and she could see over her shoulder that she was tied to some kind a pole that must have been recently installed.

The other thing she noticed now that she was becoming more aware was the cloth gag in her mouth and tied behind her head.

Then she looked right, and her heart fell to the ground.

Seven other posts had been placed in a curved arch around the square. Six of them were already occupied...

By Nova's former Elite.

The first one to keep her attention was Siyeon. The alpha was covered in slashes and bruises and she also had a cloth gag in her mouth. She was tugging at her bonds, looking directly at Avayla with fear all over her face.

Gahyeon tried to all out to her, too. All of them did.

Avayla's heart crumbled when she noticed each of them looked like they had been beaten severely.

Minji was the only one not struggling... She sagged in her bonds and her head was bowed.

But her head snapped up the second an agonizing scream bounced around the square.

Coming from one of the side streets was another alpha, leading Yoohyeon by her bound wrists.

All of her friends, Avayla included, started struggling again. It had been days since they'd seen her, and now she was here... wearing a bloody gown.

She was led to her own post and tied to it with her hands above her head. There was no fight in her, no attempt to get away, no... anything.

Even the small glimpse Avayla had caught of her face showed her that Yoohyeon had been through something very traumatic... and judging by where the blood on her gown was... there was a chance it had something to do with her baby.

Tears of anger and hatred burned in Avayla's eyes.

M-Mama!! Maria suddenly screamed through the ink.

Avayla yelled into her gag and started to throw herself into the ropes binding her, doing everything she could to try and break free.

Then she froze when she heard a baby crying.

They all did.

All eyes fell on the same side street Yoohyeon had been led from, just in time to see another alpha dragging Maria out by her wrists.

"Ow!!" She screamed after a particularly hard yank which made her loose her footing and stumble forward.

To make matters worse, the alpha also held a screaming Kendra in her other arm.

Avayla saw red.

She began struggling again, using all of her strength and willpower to try and free herself. From the corner of her eye, she recognized that most of her friends were doing the same thing, but right now all she could really focus on was the female bitch holding her daughters.

That is... Until Nova walked into the square, too.

She looked haggard. Face a sickly yellow color and incredibly thin. Her purple hair made it look worse.

Even the way she walked made her look weak.

Avayla took the time to hone in on every single weakness she could find, preparing for when she would rip the alpha apart.

Nova's eyes flicked between each one of her captives, settling on Avayla last. Despite how horrible she looked, she somehow managed to still look smug as she stopped in the center of the courtyard.

"I do not tolerate traitors. These eight alphas have disgraced all of us." She announced to the gathering crowd. "They are hereby sentenced to death. Along with one other who should be joining us shortly. He is responsible for the deaths of your loved ones, the deaths of your future children. He is responsible for it all, and he will pay the ultimate price."

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Theo had tensed the second he saw Mingi freeze. He stared straight at his uncle and was able to watch the color slowly drain from his face.

Something was out there.

Something was coming.

Mingi covered his mouth with his hand and started to shake his head.

The beta had to reach up to grab his uncle's hand, then tapped on it several times to get his attention.

'They are outside. They are calling for me.'

Theo had fight the urge to look down the entrance of the tunnel, even though every instinct he had told him he was too exposed with his back to it.

No, he had to keep looking at his uncle's face. He had to pay attention.

He had to protect Mingi at all costs.

'They can see signs of us. Broken branches. Disturbances in the foliage.'

Theo ground his teeth together. He'd spent so much time trying to cover their tracks... hiding everything he could...

But he had no idea how he was going to cover up their fire and the smell of cooking meat.

With that thought, he leaned over to remove the rabbit he'd caught and tossed it aside. He knew the only way to see the fire would be if someone was standing right at the entrance of the cave, yet it sounded like it was only a matter of time before whoever was hunting them did.

They would stay there, Theo decided. They would stay where he only had to defend the small opening and could be slightly at ease knowing that Mingi could stay behind him and not worry about anyone attacking them from their blind spots.

As he started to stand, Mingi's hand whipped around to grab his wrist, squeezing hard enough to make the beta whimper a little.

He looked up at his uncle and his jaw dropped a little when he saw the sheer panic etched into every section of the alpha's body.

He was trembling, face even paler than before. And even though they were closed, Theo could make out flashes of red happening beneath his eyelids.

His mint scent that had been so weak because of everything Nova had done to him was starting to get stronger. Bitter.

Mingi was terrified, but also angry...

Theo squeezed his hand again, trying to beg for information. A word. A clue. Anything.

What he wasn't expecting, though, was to watch Mingi's quivering lips formed the words he never realized he'd fear the most.

And he didn't need anything more than the four words.

Four words that ripped his world apart.

'They have the girls.'