"Avayla! Lunch is ready!" Yunho called out from the house. He heard the girl's high pitched squeal as she came running out of the trees.

She had inherited Mingi's smile, so wide and full of joy, but her long platinum blonde hair and blue eyes belonged solely to Seonghwa. And she was the light of the household.

Behind her came Theo. He too had inherited his father's smile and slightly puffy cheeks, but he got his mom's messy mop of brown hair.

Theo was clapping his hands as he ran behind Avayla and both of them started giggling. When she realized she was getting a little too far ahead, she paused and held out her hand, which he took gladly.

"Uncle Yunho! We're coming!" She called out, pulling Theo behind her. The boy beamed when he saw his mom and ran straight into Yunho's awaiting arms.

"There's my boy." He cooed, rubbing his nose against Theo's. His baby laughed and patted the side of Yunho's face. It was his way of saying hello to whoever picked him up.

Avayla squirmed at his side and Yunho knelt down next to her again. "What have you two been up to?"

"We built a secret playhouse! Didn't we Theo?" She pointed back at the woods and Theo nodded several times, then made a jabbing motion with his hand. "That's right! We found our own special swords and are training to be guards so we can help protect the house!"

"Is that right?" Yunho asked. Theo reached for Avayla and Yunho set them down so they could run inside.

It melted his heart when he saw the two of them interacting. Avayla had turned into Theo's protector the moment she was old enough to recognize that he was different than her and needed that extra help. But she never judged him. That was the nice thing about them only being two months apart, they grew up already accepting who the other was.

She was able to communicate with him in ways that no one else could, too. Maria had tried to help them teach Theo sign language, like the humans used, but he never really showed any interest in it. He had managed to find a way to communicate all on his own, most of it being through tapping and pointing, but Avayla could understand him as if they had their own special link.

While she was starting to show signs of forming the pack bond, Theo hadn't quite gotten there yet. And really, Avayla only picked up on a word or two when the pack link was used.

Everyone was convinced she was going to be an alpha like Mingi, mostly because of how she was with Theo. And because of this relationship, they were thinking Theo was going to be a beta. But there was still some before they would know for sure.

Pups would show signs of their rank anywhere between five and eight years. Theo was five years and eight months now, making Avayla five years and ten months old.

They had grown up so fast.

Yunho could hear them giggling inside and took a moment to look out into the trees. It was the one moment of the day that he allowed himself to be sad.

He kept hoping that any day now Wooyoung and San would come marching up to the house in a triumphant return.

They had left just over five years ago to try and find a cure for Wooyoung's illness, but they had promised they would only be gone for five years.

They were late.

Granted it was only about two months, but that didn't stop Yunho's mind from wandering. What if something had happened to them? What if they had decided not to come back?

The beta shook his head and took a deep breath, pushing his fears and worries behind him. He missed his best friend so much. He understood why they had left, but that didn't stop it from hurting... He couldn't dwell on it, though. So he shook his head again and turned his back to the forest. The moment was over.

He turned and ducked inside, smiling when he saw both kids eating at the table. Yeosang was listening to Avayla tell him about their playhouse and swords. He gave her a sweet smile, but the second he turned away it was gone.

Yunho felt a twinge of guilt. Yeosang and Hongjoong had been trying to get pregnant for a couple of years now but with no success. Maria had run a few tests and was confident that the latest herbal remedy she had made would help with his fertility.

Yeosang seemed to be accepting of it though. He had mentioned at one point that his lower fertility rate was a blessing in disguise because of when he was held prisoner at Alpha Pack. He had been raped several times a day while there, his 'chosen alpha' waning him to bare his pup, to no avail.

They were actually waiting for Maria to come visit them today to check up on him, as well as Seonghwa and Yunho.

They had all been talking about having another pup so they wanted to make sure they were healthy.

Seonghwa and Mingi walked in a short time later, holding hands, and whispering to one another before going to greet Avayla.

Everyone was preoccupied, so Yunho took this moment to duck into the bathroom to take a shower. He needed to find something to distract himself. That moment kept creeping up on him and he didn't like it. He was slowly losing the fight with himself as fear and worry crept in.

Just as he was about to lock the door, someone put pressure on it from the other side. "Are you ok love?"

Yunho sighed and opened it up. Jongho immediately pulled him into one of his warm hugs. His would purred at the contact as they nuzzled the mating marks they had left on each other's necks. It was the best medicine for both of them. That comfort was all they needed sometimes.

"I know..." Jongho said, sensing Yunho's feelings through their connection. I'm trying not to dwell on it too."

His heart dropped at his alpha's words. They had all gone through so much. Wooyoung had captured Jongho's heart too, and the alpha had made the ultimate sacrifice when their mating bond was broken by letting Wooyoung mate with San. It ended up being a good choice in the end, but Jongho had never stopped loving him.

Their absence was hardest on the pair. Half of their original pack was gone. Plus they had missed getting to watch Theo grow up.

"Where's Hongjoong?" Yunho asked, not lifting his head up from Jongho's shoulder.

"He was out on patrol last I checked." Jongho started to place soft kisses against Yunho's skin. He let out a soft moan in response.

Just as he was about to suggest they step into the shower together, there was a knock on the front door.

Maria was here.

They both sighed and went to meet her in the living room. She spent the next couple of hours running tests as both betas and Seonghwa. The great thing about Maria is she could sense it all through her hands, so there was no need for machines or needles. It was the sign that she was a true midwife.

Both Seonghwa and Yunho checked out and were deemed healthy. Yeosang's exam took a little longer however, and Hongjoong was pacing back and forth outside the room.

He hadn't shown any signs of being sick at all, so why was it taking so long?

Yunho picked at his lip while they waited. Avayla and Theo were sitting on the ground working on some book work to learn how to read and write.

The door opened and everyone jumped to their feet. Maria had a hand on Yeosang's shoulder, and the beta looked like he was in shock.

Hongjoong rushed forward and took his beta's hands in his. "Is everything ok?" He asked, looking at Maria. "Why did it take so much longer? What's wrong with him? What did you find?"

Yeosang started to laugh, "Calm down, Joongie. I'm fine." He reached up to caress his alpha's cheek. "I'm better than fine, actually."

"Are you?" Hongjoong asked, his voice shaking.

Maria stepped out of the way at the same time that Yeosang nodded. Hongjoong cried out and spun his beta in a circle. Everyone else moved forward to congratulate the couple.

"Momma, what's going on?" Avayla asked, standing up to tug at Seonghwa's pants.

"Uncle Yeosang is going to have a baby!"

"Another one?! But I like it just being me and Theo!" She replied, crossing her arms in a pout.

Seonghwa chuckled and picked her up as Theo waddled over to Yunho. "You don't really mean that. You like taking care of Theo, right?"

"Of course! Theo is mine!"

Jongho wrapped his arms around Yunho's waist and smiled at the statement. "Oh he is, is he?"

"Yes, Theo is mine Jo-Jo." She squirmed in Seonghwa's arms and he put her down. Avayla ran to Theo's side and took his hand. He beamed at her while holding onto two of Yunho's fingers with his other hand.

Yeosang walked over then and sat on the floor in front of them. "Ava, sweetie, you do such a good job taking care of Theo. I know change can be hard sometimes, but it would mean so much to me if you would help me take care my baby too. He or she is going to need someone to look up to."

She gave him a contemplating look.

Theo tilted his head when he saw Yeosang place a hand on his stomach. He tugged on Yunho's hand. "What is it?" Yunho crouched down so he could be at eye level with his son. Theo pointed to Yeosang's stomach. "That's right, he's going to have a baby." He poked Theo's stomach. "Like you!"

Yunho watched as Theo tried to work out what was going on. Then he moved to sit in Yeosang's lap and placed his head on the beta's shoulder.

"Well Theo says it's ok, so I guess it's ok." Avayla smiled and sat on Yeosang's other leg. She patted his stomach several times. "This baby will be mine too."

"Oh boy." Seonghwa said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, she gets that stubbornness from you, precious." Mingi chuckled, then smiled wider when Seonghwa glared at him.

"Well dearies, I'll be off to let you celebrate. But you'll be seeing more of me soon!" Maria said, a wide smile on her face as she gave everyone a hug.

They had grown to love their midwife so much, so the prospect of her being around more didn't bother them at all.

"I say this calls for a celebration!" Hongjoong said as Yeosang stood up. Avayla and Theo started laughing as the alpha spun his mate around in circles again.

"I'll go get some meat from the freezer and set it out." Yunho said, bouncing up and down.

Their family was going to grow again, this was just the news he needed.

.

.

.

.

Faster Wooyoung. Don't give up.

I'm trying... But I'm so tired...

I know baby, but we need to keep moving. We can't let them find us.

I want to go home...

I do too. We will, just as soon as they stop following us. I promise. Now keep running. You can do it. Stay strong.

Sannie...

Stay strong.