The silence that fell over the courtyard was deafening, yet it almost seemed to hum at the same time.

That's what it felt like to Avayla, at least, as she watched Nova's head fall to the ground with a horrible, wet thump. Blood splashed up around it, splattering Theo's already dirty fur.

It took her a few seconds to come to her senses, and as much as she wanted to run to her mate, she spun around to face the alpha still holding her children first.

She was starring at Nova with horror-filled eyes and her grip loosened on Maria.

The young beta realized the change and slipped out of her grasp, then turned to grab her unusually quiet sister.

There wasn't even a struggle. The alpha just let it happen, her arms falling limp at her sides. Her eyes remained locked on Nova's body, just like a lot of wolves still surrounding them.

Avayla ran the short distance to her daughters and pulled them to her chest with a sob that seemed much too loud for the current situation.

"Are you alright?" She whispered to Maria, brushing her beautiful brown hair behind her ears. All she got was a nod for an answer, but it was enough. She could clearly see Maria was trying not to cry.

Murmurs began to fill the air, alongside a few cries of pain and a ripple of movement from one section of the crowd.

Before anything else happened, Eunkwang stepped into the center of the courtyard wearing only a loose pair of shorts and holding his hands up high.

"It's time for this awful fighting to end!" He said, slowly turning in a circle. "Please! There has been enough death for one day and too many families torn apart! Nova lied to many of you, and now she has paid with her life. It's time for us to move on and rebuild."

A few more ripples started to happen, and soon Minhyuk and the rest of their group of six joined their alpha in the center.

"Please." Eunkwang begged. "Come with me to the main clearing and we can start assessing your wounds and try to get a grasp on how much damage Nova's foolishness has caused us."

People started moving almost immediately, once again proving the trust the pack had for Eunkwang.

Avayla took that chance to hurry over to where Theo was still standing in the same spot. T!!

He turned just in time to see her before she barreled into his side. Maria was close behind, though she only leaned not her father's side so she could still protect Kendra.

Theo whimpered and nuzzled both of them, but he favored Avayla and she could feel how much he needed her through their link.

I'm here. She said, hugging him around his neck. I'm here. Are you hurt?

No. I don't think so at least... Theo answered softly. Are you?

Avayla shook her head. Where's Dad?

I left him with Annabelle. I'm sorry, I know you wanted me to protect him, but I couldn't leave you to fight her alone. Theo pressed his head into his alpha's stomach and chest, almost like a small head-but.

Before Avayla could answer him and tell him not to worry about it, the wind shifted.

And she smelled lemon. Bright and powerful and oh so glorious.

The alpha raised her head and turned in the exact direction she needed to.

All to see Seonghwa running for her with tears already running down his cheeks.

"Mama!!" She yelled, standing to throw herself at him.

"Oh my baby!" Seonghwa sobbed as they slid to the ground. His long fingers worked through her hair and his arms pulled her back home.

"I n-never thought I'd see y-you again. How did you get here? When-"

"Shhhh," Seonghwa said softly. "We don't have to do that now." He turned to where Avayla had been with her family and opened one arm for Maria to rush into. "You're safe now." He kissed the young beta's head, then Kendra's, and finally Avayla's.

And she felt it. Even as Seonghwa whispered it over and over and over.

"You're safe now."

.

.

.

.

Yunho shifted as soon as things started to pick up again after Eunkwang's speech.

He was almost there, he could feel it.

He just needed to push through the crowd in front of him, which was easy as he continued to snap, "Move! Move!"

And Jongho did the same thing, step by step next to him. "Get out of the fucking way!"

When the people finally got out of their way, Yunho bolted for the familiar brown coated wolf sitting on his own. He looked so out of it, so distant...

Tears blurred his vision as a strangled, "Theo!!" Tore from his throat.

He knew calling to his son was pointless, but Yunho couldn't help it. Just saying his name made things more real somehow.

Especially when Theo's nostrils flared and his eyes moved just a little bit in their direction.

Disbelief flashed in them at first, but then his lower jaw dropped down a touch and he blinked a few times.

Yunho and Jongho closed the distance in a few, short bounds. Then finally, finally they were hugging their son.

Theo whimpered repeatedly and wiggled in their arms, switching between trying to lick his parents and trying to nuzzle them. His size and strength as a wolf jostled them quite a bit, but that just made Yunho cling to him to him harder.

"My baby." The beta sobbed, pushing his fingers through his son's matted fur.

But he paused when they came away with blood on them.

"He's hurt!" Jongho immediately started examining him.

"We should find a place more private than this." Hongjoong's voice came from behind them, making Yunho and Jongho jump in surprise.

Avayla pulled away from Seonghwa's arms and wiped the tears from her eyes. "We can go back to our place. It's not far."

"Your place?" Seonghwa asked with a slight frown.

Before Avayla could respond, Maria darted over to Yunho and jumped into his arms, a happy sob coming from her as he cradled her to his chest.

"Let's go, people are staring and I don't want to risk anyone getting upset with us." Hongjoong urged, pulling Rhodey closer while side-eying a few lingering alphas that were inching closer to Nova's body.

"Where's Wooyoung and-" Jongho started to say, but Hongjoong held up a hand to stop him.

"They are fine and waiting for us at the east end of the courtyard." Their alpha nodded in that direction and leaned over to help Jongho stand.

As the crowd continued to disperse around them, the newly reunited family kept their heads down an made their way through the waves of people, never moving too far away, always within arms length.

Yunho kept one hand on Theo's side the entire time. He was desperate to ask Hongjoong to establish the link with Avayla again so he could hear his son's voice, but finding everyone was more important.

"Serena!" Avayla suddenly yelled and for the first time she left Seonghwa's side to run to the other alpha.

The two girls embraced with sobs of relief and quick words spoken at the same time.

There were so many stories that needed to be shared... and the fact that Avayla and Serena had this kind of reunion made Yunho's heart hurt.

Next to him, Theo whined and leaned more heavily into his side.

"Theo?" Yunho said out of habit, his concerned tone drawing attention from the others.

Avayla spun around and rushed to him after Serena took Kendra. Her eyes were focused as she cupped his head in her hands. After a few seconds, she looked up at Yunho and said, "He feels weak, but he can't tell if he's wounded or not. I think he's still in a bit of shock."

"Let's hurry." Jongho takes a handful of Theo's fur before leaning down to help him stand straight.

"Maria, lead them home, Sweetheart." Avayla nodded in her eldest's direction and stood on Jongho's side to help support her mate.

As they started to walk again, San moved closer to Hongjoong and said, "If Theo is here, where-"

Then Seonghwa stopped, shaking his head rapidly. "Where is he?" His voice was strained. So was the sound that came from him when both alphas turned slowly to look in his direction. "Where is he?!"

Silence was all that answered him, stretching horribly long.

"I'm here..."

.

.

.

.

A cold chill ran down Seonghwa's body, freezing him in place.

He didn't know if he could turn around... even though his wolf begged him to.

That voice... That beautiful, deep, husky, glorious voice...

It tore him apart to hear it because there was something wrong with it.

And the mixed expressions he saw on his pack, the surprise, the concern, the heartbreak... seeing those didn't help to ease his skyrocketing anxiety.

"Seonghwa?"

Hearing his name made the omega weak at the knees. Then the scent of mint nearly forced him to the ground.

"Hwa?"

The air around him felt so thick as Seonghwa forced himself to turn around, like he had to push through it, or it pushed back against him.

But all of that vanished as soon as his eyes voice the source of the voice.

His alpha.

Mingi.

Seonghwa lost all sense of himself. Suddenly his feet were in control and he was running to the person he missed most in the world.

He threw his arms around Mingi's neck and cried in sheer joy when he felt Mingi's arms wind around his waist and back to pull him close.

They buried their faces in each other's necks and started to scent each other so desperately it almost hurt.

"Y-You're h-h-here."

"I'm here."

"I f-f-found you!"

"You found me."

"Y-You're a-alright."

Mingi didn't answer that one, which made Seonghwa pull his head back and moved a hand to cup his alpha's cheek. "Min? What-"

His words died in his throat when he realized Mingi wasn't looking at him.

Mingi's eyes were unfocused and looking just slightly to the left of where Seonghwa was standing.

"Guy." Hongjoong's voice was soft as he came to join them. He placed a hand on Mingi's arm and the younger alpha turned his head n Hongjoong's direction. But... once again he wasn't looking at the right spot. "Come one. We need to go."

"Where's Theo? Is he alright?" Mingi asked.

"He's here, but we need to get inside so we can examine him."

Mingi looked like he wanted to ask what happened, but Hongjoong squeezed his arm and walked back to Yeosang.

The air was thick again... but this time it was because unspoken things swirled endlessly around them.

Seonghwa knew something was wrong. He could sense it. "Mingi? What's going on?"

His alpha tightened his grip and shook his head before running his nose across Seonghwa's mating mark. It nearly made the omega collapse and he had to cling to Mingi to stay upright.

"I never thought I'd see you again..." Mingi spoke soft enough that Seonghwa almost thought he'd imagined it, but the hot breath on his neck was all he needed to tell him he had heard it.

"I will always come for you, Mingi." Seonghwa whispered back. "Just like you've always come for me." It killed him to even say those words.

What had Mingi been through that had made the proud alpha want to give up? To loose hope?

When he leaned over to try and gain Mingi's full attention, his frown deepened when Mingi's eyes still wouldn't look directly at him.

That's when he realized it... and when he focused, he could see the signs of it deep within the beautiful brown iris'.

Whatever had happened here... Whatever had happened to Mingi...

It had destroyed a part of him.

And Seonghwa felt anger boiling deep within his stomach. He wanted to hurt someone. He wanted to kill.

He wanted to destroy whoever had taken his mate's vision away.