Straight after his conversation with Jamie, Brandon had reluctantly left them to calm down. While his wolf had given him back control and had vowed to never lay a finger on the Community, that didn't mean that Brandon was okay with the news received.

Shivers darted up his spine, remembering the void look in Jamie's eyes as he spoke of their past. Recounting a tale in a monotone, dead voice.

It wasn't that Brandon was disgusted with any of them, not at all! Just the mere implications of Royal's, Sean's and Jamie's pasts had made the Alpha's stomach churn and coil.

Though Brandon could understand why Jamie's voice, his entire expression was so...empty. Still, to spend eight years in the clutches of five Corrupted and survive...

The odds had been stacked against Royal with even a single Corrupted. To have been kidnapped by five and live to tell the tale was a straight up miracle.

Especially at such a young and frail age. Still a pup, not even Presented yet. Without a beast to fall back to and gain some comfort, Royal's imprisonment must've been utter torture.

His wandering paws quickly took him to his father's office, scratching on the door to be let in. When his father's voice rumbled from behind the door, he leaned on his hind legs and nudged the handle down.

Ryker sat behind his desk, eyes flitting up and holding his son's gaze the moment the wolf demurely walked in. The young Alpha couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Royal had been captured by Corrupted until he was thirteen...

Catching his son's thoughts that were silently conveyed to the pack Alpha, Ryker sighed before shaking his head.

"You must've misunderstood."

Brandon looked up with a glimmer of hope that was squashed immediately at the bitter frown and pursed lips on Ryker as he stared at the papers in his hands.

"While I won't explain the rest of their past, you misunderstood a crucial part, son. When Jamie explained what happened, it was Royal's past. And when you asked how long they were in the hands of the Corrupted, that also means-"

... It wasn't Jamie and Sean that were captured for eight years. It was Royal. Tiny, small, fragile little Royal who was all alone for eight years. But then-

He didn't want the realization to happen, to have the knowledge slide into place. But he couldn't deny it from naturally occurring.

DID was only created through severe trauma. If it had been eight years where it was just Royal, that meant that-

Just as quick as the realization presented itself, there was a flash of a memory that whispered through the young Alpha's mind.

"It's not my story to tell." Jamie whispered, making Brandon's muscles tense slightly before the Beta continued, "But Royal hasn't surfaced since the day he Presented-"

Royal...Royal presented after eight years of torment. While most wolves presented between 14-16 years old, Royal was a year early.

Which could only mean one thing.

On Royal's 13th birthday, the day he presented...Jamie and Sean were born. And that meant that the Community was captive longer than eight years.

The very thought was sickening. It made Brandon wonder if perhaps, the Community had only been recently freed from the clutches of the Corrupted.

Alpha Ryker sighed, straightening the bundle of papers with a single tap on the desk.

"No matter how much I wish we could, we cannot change the past." The pack Alpha murmured regretfully, letting his pen fly over the paperwork. "All we can do, is prepare for the future."

Prepare?

Brandon lifted his head before following Ryker's motion to the dresser in order to get changed. Once he emerged fully clothed, the pack Alpha finished what he was signing off before turning his full attention to Brandon.

"You do recall everything you were taught about Corrupted, right?" He inquired, eyes focused intently on the young Alpha seated across the desk, who nodded with slight confusion.

Brandon swallowed, letting his hands fall in his lap as he stated, "Yes. I've done extensive research once I started having suspicions of what may have happened. And I will do more now that it has been confirmed." He reassured, noticing the worried frown on his father's face.

Yet Ryker didn't seem soothed, instead his frown deepened. The man seemed to be struggling to find the correct words, fingers fiddling with the papers on his desk before he sighed.

"Due to the events in Sean, Jamie and Royal's past, it should come as no surprise that they're being observed." Ryker stated slowly, giving Brandon a pointed look when his pup only seemed to be confused.

After all, who would be observing them? Sure, they were new arrivals in the pack, had only been partially introduced to the others but it seemed as if his father meant someone from outside the pack.

The notion made Brandon's hackles raise, wolf instantly wary. If his dad was implying that someone from Royal's past was intruding into his life, observing him without being seen, that would be a worrisome notion.

But then again, something like that could quite easily be fixed by amping up the border patrols. To send out a few external patrols that searched a bit beyond their border for any unfamiliar scent.

Yet instinctively, Brandon knew this wasn't the case. After all, he hadn't experienced a heightened sense of vigilance, nor seen any extra patrols leave the pack.

Which only lead to one logical conclusion. The reason as to why only a few days ago, Marisha had been given a public punishment, to set an example of.

The Lycan Pack.

Former Alphas that had nearly succumbed to, but successfully fought back the Corruption, leaving them permanently altered.

A phantom group that appeared and disappeared on a moments notice, always found wherever Corrupted had been spotted.

"Royal and the others were saved by the Lycans?" Brandon inquired slowly, brows dipping down in confusion as Alpha Ryker sucked his teeth.

"Yes...and no. Several packs had come to the Lycan's aid to weed out a potential hideout of Corrupted. However, this case has been made extremely unique due to Royal's...condition."

Brandon nodded, could understand the Lycan's curiosity. After all, it wasn't often that you'd encounter a werewolf with DID.

Humans? Yes, but even among them it was rare, only afflicting a rough 2 % of the global population.

With werewolves, there was even less chance of developing the disorder. So to encounter someone who does have such a disorder, was even more telling of the trauma they went through.

"I'm imagining that the other packs who helped the Lycans saw Royal, or rather Sean and Jamie in a different light?" Brandon inquired, gaining a proud smile and a nod in return.

Pushing up from his seat, Alpha Ryker scratched through his hair, subconsciously messing it up even more instead of smoothing it down.

"All of the packs involved are knowledgeable of Sean and Jamie's nature. A few of them saw the interest of the Lycan pack and tried to invite Royal's Community in order to have some...sway over the Lycans."

Brandon snorted at that, shaking his head with a muttered, "Suicidal idiots." Nobody held sway over the Lycans, nobody governed the Lycans unless it was the phantom pack itself.

For there was a Lycan Elder. A tall woman who refused to be called their Leader. The first Alpha to ever break through and survive corruption without letting it take over.

While she certainly wasn't a leader in title, due to her experience and age, the other Lycans presumably respected her enough to accept her guidance.

Of course, Brandon didn't know extremely much about the phantom pack, consisting of Lycans only. His only interaction with a Lycan, had been when a representative had done a random check.

That had been years ago, when Brandon had been first selected to become the potential future Pack Alpha. Several fellow Alpha pups had been lined up before all of them had been shocked when Alpha Ryker had entered the room, with a Lycan hot on his heels.

All of the young Alphas had stiffened, like a deer spotting a predator in an open field. The tall, bulky man had silently walked through the room, pausing at each individual to look them straight in the eye.

Brandon had been one of the few who had refused to let his eyes cross with the Lycan's. Even when his chin was gently caught and lifted, he lowered his eyes away from the man.

"Huh...Good instincts this one. Not at all like some of those pups trying to prove anything by glaring back." The man's voice whipped through the room as he turned his head, catching one of the young Alphas glaring behind the Lycan's back.

"Yours?" He asked, releasing Brandon but not moving onto the next Alpha pup. Alpha Ryker had chuckled but notified the Lycan that, yes, Brandon was indeed his son.

That made the Lycan hum slightly before he crouched down, this time catching Brandon's gaze. Brandon's eyes flitted between the Lycan's eyes, wondering if he did something wrong and letting out a soft whimper when the silence continued.

At that, a massive hand gently patted his hair, the tension in the room depleting as the Lycan chuckled. "I like this one. The pack will be in good hands if you have more Alphas like him."

"And you-" The Lycan's movement was swift, two steps landing him straight in front of the Alpha pup that had snuck another glare at him. "You better fix that attitude by the time I return for another inspection."

The pup bared his teeth, wolf fully showing its dominance over its human host as he snarled "Or else?"

Brandon still cringed at the memory of the oppressive power that flowed from the Lycan as he took another step, standing toe to toe with a young Alpha already showing signs that they were vulnerable to Corruption.

"Or else I'll fix that attitude for you." The Lycan snarled lowly, succeeding in forcing the Alpha pup on his knees in clear submission.

After the Lycan had left, Alpha Ryker explained the reason why the powerful, imposing man had been there in the first place.

They always kept a vigil among the packs, always observing the Alphas, young and old. Waiting, watching for any signs of Corruption.

It was why the Lycan was so harsh with any Alpha Pup that showed weakness to Corruption. To nip the issue in the bud before it could get worse.

By forcing the wolf to realize that it wasn't the hottest thing on the block, that someone else was stronger than it, they corrected the pups before Corruption could settle.

All to prevent the Lycans from having to mercilessly slaughter said pup when it reached adulthood as a Corrupted.

For the Lycans saw it as their duty to hunt down and kill any Corrupted. They did show mercy to the afflicted Alphas that could still be saved, could become Lycans themselves.

But for those who had lost their humanity, who had become monsters...Lycans would hunt them down without remorse and kill them where they stood.

Which also meant that all packs needed to report to the Lycans. Any interaction of an Alpha with another pack member that was out of the ordinary, would be identified and reported to the Lycans.

And now Brandon realized the silent caution in his father's gaze. If Sean, Jamie and Royal had truly been saved by the Lycans, that meant that they were seen as one of the Lycan's Protected.

Which also meant that Brandon's interest in the Community, had unintentionally drawn the eyes of the Lycans towards him.

Watching his every move, waiting for him to step a single toe out of line.

They would be curious to see what a young Alpha, the next in line to become Pack Alpha, wants of someone who's under the protection of the Lycans.