The fighting started faster than any of them had anticipated.

At first, the diversion had worked splendidly. They had been able to make their way deeper into the pack with hardly any attention on them. The few wolves that had noticed them were quick to look away.

But once the screaming grew louder, Nova's alphas had dispersed to see to the problem.

Eunkwang was the first to be attacked when a gray wolf came barreling down a small alley and latched onto his throat. She used the collision to force him to the ground and pin him.

San reacted the quickest, darting forward to grab the female's tail in his jaws before pulling as hard as he could.

Her howl of pain pierced the screams happening around them. Once she'd released Eunkwang, she spun around to snap at San.

But she didn't even come close.

Not with Wooyoung leaping onto her back and sinking his teeth into her skin in order to protect his mate.

The female stumbled to the side, then was quickly taken care of by both San and Chan, rushing to aid the omega before he was hurt.

By then, Jongho was engaged with two alphas, Yunho and Yeosang were facing one each with Rhodey behind them, and Seonghwa and Gunner were taking on two with the help of Hongjoong.

And plenty more were on the way.

It was extra challenging, too, because they were doing their best to not harm anyone running by them that could be innocent.

A few of the females had figured this out and used it to their advantage, slipping past the pack by running with the fleeing wolves so they could attack from behind.

Joong, we are wasting time! Seonghwa growled, looking around for an opening.

I know, everyone try to create a hole. Two alphas make sure you go with him. Hongjoong said before diving away from an oncoming attack.

Several voices confirmed the command at the same time, all while they continued to fight.

By now, Eunkwang had regained his footing, now squaring off against a new foe. She danced around him, almost as if she didn't want to fight him.

He lowered his head and growled in warning, preparing to defend himself if needed, but she took a step back.

Gunner took advantage of the opening to charge forward, Jongho, Yunho, and Seonghwa directly behind him. They formed a tight triangle, with Yunho extending the right side, to slice through anyone in their way.

We've got your back! Hongjoong called, chasing down an alpha trying to go after Rhodey.

The young beta was light on his feet, easily twisting away from his attacker's snapping jaws. He ended up jumping over another alpha at the last second, causing both alphas to smash into each other.

Hongjoong swooped in to take out both of them with quick snaps of their necks.

He hurried over to his son, draping his head over Rhodey's neck to pull him close.

Next to them, Chan darted by to ram a female trying to sneak up behind Wooyoung. She stumbled into one of the cabins and wobbled in place, looking a little dazed, before he gathered herself and turned to attack the young alpha.

But she was too late, for San and Wooyoung were already there to help defend him.

There was so much going on, so much confusion, it was hard to keep track of where everyone was, especially after the group of four had broken off.

But they tried to check in with each other, staying close so they could protect each other as much as possible.

The other thing that challenged them was all the innocents still in the area. A few looked like they wanted to help the alphas, while many just stopped and stared.

Eunkwang being there seemed to cause a lot of confusion, too. It was easy to see that he had earned a lot of respect from his pack.

Especially when a couple of betas ran up to him with an urgent look in their eyes. He bolted a few seconds later, following them to a different part of the pack and completely out of sight.

Hongjoong and San both watched him leave, but couldn't do anything more before they were forced to resume fighting.

But they were somehow managing to push forward, getting closer and closer to the courtyard.

Hopefully they would get there before it was too late.

.

.

.

.

"Hurry, this way." Annabelle said, pulling Mingi behind her as carefully as she could.

The alpha strained to hear what was happening around him, but the sheer volume of all the fighting made his head ache. Plus the sound was constantly moving, almost like he was stuck in the middle of a lake on a windy day and the waves kept slamming into him on different sides.

He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it would ease the pressure elsewhere in his head.

But it didn't.

Mingi groaned, worried he was going to be sick.

"There's a cabin up ahead I can hide you in. You'll be sa-" Annabelle started to say, but Mingi was quick to cut her off.

"No. I'm staying. It's me Nova wants."

"But Mingi-"

"Please. I need to protect my family, and if it means giving myself up, I will." He hears Annabelle sigh, but she doesn't try to argue with him anymore.

Instead, they slow to a stop and she starts speaking to Theo. "The courtyard is just ahead. I don't know how we are going to get in, though."

More screaming started, making Mingi flinch and shrink into himself.

He opened his mouth to ask Annabelle if there was a hidden alley they could take, when something made him pause.

The alpha's nostrils flared and he turned his head to the left. Toward the fighting.

It couldn't be... He had to be imagining it. Maybe he had fallen into a stage of hallucination now, like some other delayed side effect from his time locked away.

Because there was no way the lemon scene he missed so much was here.

A pitiful whine came from the alpha and he took a step in the direction the scent was strongest.

"What's wrong?" Annabelle asked, tugging back on his hand to stop him.

"I..." Mingi paused, finding it hard to speak with the lump forming in his throat.

He wanted nothing more than to run after that beautiful smell. His wolf churned within him, urging him to just go, to just find a way.

But part of him also wanted to go the exact opposite direction... to cower and wallow and hide in the shame draped over him as a blanket of black.

A gentle hand grazed his arm and he instantly knew Theo was checking on him too.

"I thought... I think..." He paused again, his senses on overdrive. All he could manage to say next was one word.

One word that had Theo grabbing his arm with an iron grip.

One word that tore apart his heart into a million pieces, yet stitched it back together at the same time.

One word that meant absolutely everything to him.

"Seonghwa."

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.

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"Nova! Please don't do this!" Bora cried as Minji was dragged away from her post. "Please!"

Avayla hissed when the ropes binding her bit into her wrists and arms. She was pretty sure she was bleeding, but she wasn't going to let that stop her.

Not when Kendra was crying at he top of her lungs, her little arms flailing back and forth in the air.

Avayla would free herself without the others knowing, even if it meant breaking her own wrists.

"Whey are you doing this?" Siyeon sobbed, pulling against her own bonds. "We've always been loyal to you! Is this what Lizbeth would have wanted??"

A chilling silence fell over the courtyard. Even Kendra quieted down but that was because Nova's sickly scent blasted all of them in a wave of rage.

She spun around, eyes a murky red, and pointed a trembling finger at Siyeon. "How dare you. Never mention her name again."

"Why? Because you know I'm right?" Siyeon sucked in a ragged breath and tried to stand a little taller.

Even Avayla stopped struggling, watching her friend with a mixture of confusion and intrigue. She knew the significance Lizbeth held for Siyeon and her group of seven.

Lizbeth had been their mentor, their tutor, their friend. The closest thing to a mother most of them had ever had.

But now... Nova's face was twisting in an awful combination of rage and agony. "You know NOTHING!"

"I know she's the reason behind your desperate search for pregnancy all these years!" Siyeon said, bringing everyone's attention solely to her. The shocked expression on Yubin's, Gahyeon's, and Handong's faces said they knew nothing of this, and the others looked just as shocked, except for Yoohyeon, who still hadn't lifted her head to look at anyone.

"How DARE YOU!" Nova started walking for her, raising a hand in the air, her fingers hooked and ready to strike.

"I know more than you probably would like. Lizbeth trusted me with many of her secrets." Siyeon kept her voice confident despite the imminent attack. "I know you tried for a long time to get pregnant after she learned about her disease."

Now Nova stopped, so suddenly she nearly fell forward.

"I know she loved you."

"Siyeon, stop..." Yubin hissed in warning.

But Siyeon simply squared her jaw, not looking away from Nova. "I know why she left and that it killed her to do so. It's YOUR FAULT she's dead!"

Avayla's mouth opened slightly, not expecting this at all, but the distraction allowed her to keep working at her bonds.

"YOU drove her away when you got the idea to start bringing in more female alphas." Siyeon's voice grew louder the more she talked, as if trying to drive each work into Nova like an arrow. "She'd seen enough of war, that's why she came here, wanting to get away from it all. But then you wanted to start building up our forces. She told me about the long rants you'd go on, how you want more territory and to take over potential threats. She said you have a sickness of your own. A sickness of the mind. And she couldn't handle it anymore. YOU made her leave us!"

Most of the former Elite was crying now, looking to Nova to explain herself, to deny the accusations.

But all Nova did was stand there, looking weaker and weaker every minute.

"And now all you've done is prove her fears right. Look at this!" Siyeon jerked her head around to motion at the courtyard. "This. Isn't. Our. Way. Do you really think Lizbeth would support what you did to Avayla?? And more importantly, her father?! Do you think the other alphas you impregnated would approve of it??"

For the first time, Yoohyeon stirred. She lifted her head, slowly, and looked at Siyeon with confusion.

A feeling echoed by many still gathered around.

"Avayla didn't bring the sickness here!" Gahyeon said, catching on to what Siyeon was about to do. "Nova did! She imprisoned Avayla's father and tortured him! Then she used his sperm on the alphas here who wanted to become pregnant, all while he was locked away in a cell underground!"

A cry of agony came from Yoohyeon. "Whyyyyyyyy?!" She sagged even more against the pole imprisoning her, the little color she still had leaving her face.

Nova flinched under the increased questions now coming at her from all directions.

But her shoulders started heaving, fists trembling at her sides.

She was growing angry again, her eyes locked onto Siyeon.

With a mighty roar, she shifted in place, her large black wolf with a white star on her forehead stood among her shredded clothes.

She started to run for Siyeon. It would only take her a few long strides to reach the tied up alpha.

But Siyeon's confession had stalled everything just long enough that Nova never reached her target.

All because of a white omega ramming into her side.