Akela was curled up in Diana's room away from the two boys. Being back on mountain territory, so close to the two of them had her feeling like her breath didn't reach her lungs. She felt them both, clear as day.

She knew Zion had joined Maddox in the infirmary where they provided vaccines and healthcare. She also felt Zion's anger towards his brother.

On the opposite side of the territory a dark grey wolf was running, desperately trying to run off the fear and jealousy that was so unfamiliar to him. Every emotion in Abel's heart was mixed with self loathing and regret.

"Abel has never been refused..." Diana said, interrupting Akela's introverted focus on the two men.

She looked up to see Diana's warm smile.

"For the first time in his life, Abel can not win on his looks," Diana explained.

Akela shook her head sadly.

"I've never felt so torn," she whispered. Even she could hear the unnatural crack in her voice.

"Trust me. You didn't do anything wrong. He needed to be told that you're not going to fawn over his dimples," Diana chuckled and dragged Akela to her feet.

"They are just so different... And I feel them both." Akela mumbled.

"Well... I say we get lunch before finding Abel and forcing an apology out of him," Diana grinned.

"He doesn't have to apologise. I know he's sorry," Akela shrugged.

Diana gave a loud laugh. 

"The whole pack knows how sorry he is. He's running perimeters and broadcasting a beacon of regret," she chuckled just as a knock sounded.

Diana opened and exchanged a few words with the person outside.

"They want to see you," she told Akela with a much more serious demeanour.

Akela felt her heart drop.

"Come with me?" she whispered.

Diana nodded with a tight smile and grabbed Akela's hand in support as they made their way down the stairs to Gerry's office.

At the door, a serious looking Ezekiel tried offering a smile when he noticed Akela's terrified expression.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he smiled and squeezed her shoulder in a gentle, fatherly way. Immediately, her fear diminished and she felt surrounded by her Alpha's protective aura. It was the same aura he projected when Blossom skinned her knee or when Finn came home from school with a bad test score.

"Thank you," she whispered and felt his hand gently push her towards the office door. She threw another look at his friendly smile and released a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

In the office, Archer and Gerry were sat whispering behind the antique oak desk. Delta Sam was sat looking like his usually casual self in a sofa by the door with a cheesy looking paperback in his hand.

Akela was guided to a seat next to Ezekiel in another sofa nearer the desk. The golden eyed Alpha nodded to the two other leaders who looked at them, awaiting Akela's arrival.

Gerry's hands steepled for a few moments in front of his face before he released a slow frustrated breath.

His deep brown eyes fixed seriously on Akela. Her heart froze at the look of sympathy in them.

"I wish I could tell you we're all set to go in guns blazing to get your sister, but we're not even close," he sighed.

Akela felt her eyes fill as she nodded in understanding. Kira was beyond rescue.

"We have offered a trade agreement. We asked for five of our best deltas -  not you Diana - to train with them for a few months in return for timber from Zeke's forests. He wouldn't even consider it," Archer said.

Diana's mouth opened to say something.

"No, Diana... You're too valuable to send to an all-male fighter squad," Archer told his daughter with a warm smile.
A brief, selfish sting of jealousy rushed through Akela. It was the same look her father had on his face when she or Kira had gone to hunt alone.
She swallowed back the grief. It wasn't Diana's fault that her dad was still there, loving her and protecting her.
Her eyes blinked away the thin fog that briefly covered them as she focused back on the people in the office.
Sam's concerned eyes locked on hers. She gave a brief nod to show she was okay. In true Sam fashion, he winked and gave her a cheeky little smile before turning both their attention back to the discussion at hand.

"We would have sent Abel," Archer smirked. His focus was still on his daughter.

"Nope... No! No way! " Diana objected with a fierce shake of the head.

Gerry grinned, looking like he knew what she would say next.

"Abel is useless as a fighter! He would have been dog meat!" she continued, shaking her head.

Archer chuckled.

"We know. But we can't send you, and Zion... well, being a mercenary would destroy him, besides he looks..." Gerry explained.

"Zion looks what?" Diana fumed. "Zion was the delta prime who honed the guys on my squad. Zi is a very strong fighter" 

The two alphas grinned at their Delta Prime with amusement.

"I know baby sis. And Zion is everybody's cuddly favourite...." Gerry grinned.

Diana gave a faint grumble.

"But Zion is the most conspicuous of you and despite his skill, he wouldn't fight anyone," Gerry smiled.

Archer chuckled and shook his head before fixing on Akela.

"What Alpha Preston was interested in was female breeders. Preferably strong, willing females who would enjoy casual relations with his fighters," he informed with an undertone of distaste.

Akela nodded. It made sense. An all-male pack wouldn't breed on its own. Of course Preston would want Shadow mountain females. She suspected that he had probably even hinted about Cizinec females. She held back a snort. The last unmated Cizinec females were Luna River's sister Nia or Delta Sam's Aimee. Little Blossom was too young to be considered.

"What about old Hunter?" Ezekiel asked.

"Well... Short of rounding up willing girls among our own, our last bet is Hunter's relatives in the tributary packs..." Gervais sighed.

"And from his reports, they are unwilling to tell him anything," Archer muttered.

"Which is why we asked you to be here. We need more information," Gervais smiled at Akela. It was a brotherly, warm and caring smile. One she felt at home with.

Encouraged by Ezekiel's warm body next to hers she drew a deep breath and started listing everything she could think of. She told them how the window of the dungeon had faced the training ground, how it sounded like their mode of punishment was group beatings, everything she could imagine about their weapons training and the food they were served.

It took a while but she pushed the thought of Kira to the back of her mind.

The strong leaders in the room with her nodded and took notice of everything she told them.

Eventually, she wound down and the room went silent.

"Thank you Akela," Gervais said.

"The reality of it is that surrounding packs are living in fear of becoming the next tributary back. Not one of them is strong enough on their own to dare protest and until you came along, we had no reason to get involved," Ezekiel said quietly.

Akela started protesting.

"No, Akela. You're one of us now. We can't ignore your pain," Gervais said.

"Or the pain your situation is causing my sons," Archer grinned.

"Diana, you and Sammy will have to come up with a plan for defence," Ezekiel nodded at the two Deltas. Diana simply nodded.

"Well..." Sam said hesitantly.

"No!" Ezekiel cut him off.

"Alpha. In my opinion..." Sam insisted, but Ezekiel shook his head firmly.

"No! My heir is not a bargaining chip!" Ezekiel said quietly but firmly.

The rest looked between them. This was obviously a repeat argument.

"So send Ameer on a backpacking trip!" Sam implored.

"No! They will rip him apart!" Ezekiel protested.

Akela felt her head whip between the two men she admired so much.

Ezekiel gave her a doubtful smile.

"I'm not sacrificing my Beta or my son for this..." he said quietly and apologetically.

Akela's mouth fell in understanding.

"Hunter? He wouldn't last a week!" Akela gasped.

"Not as a fighter... " Sam protested.

Akela fixed him with an unknown fierceness.

"Don't you get it? The north have two levels. Alpha... or Delta! Preston will never give up his Alpha position! Hunter will have to fight!" She explained, struggling against an increasing pressure behind her eyes while her voice increased in timbre and ended on a shrill shriek.

The men in the room were silent. all looking at her with varying degrees of worry in their eyes.

"So what do you suggest, Akela?" Gerry sighed. His fingers rubbing at his temples revealed how much he wanted an easy solution to this.

"I don't know..." Akela shook her head.

Ezekiel had a tight, frightened look on his face that made her want to say the right thing. She wanted to offer him a way that didn't involve hurting the people he loved. Something that didn't cause her Alpha pain.

"Maybe... I should go..." She whispered.

Ezekiel's eyes snapped up to look at her.

"No!" he said and shook his head.

"You are not in any kind of shape for a rescue mission!" Sam chuckled darkly.

"It's just.... I don't want to risk you getting hurt because of me," Akela muttered.

Sam laughed.

"We protect our own Akela. You're not going anywhere," he grinned.

The friendly protection from her pack-delta prime eased her worry.

"But you know the North pack best. You have spoken with Alpha Preston and you know what makes him tick," Archer pressed on. He wasn't unfriendly, just keen to find a solution.

"Alpha Preston is the kind of alpha to throw his rebels into the training field, up against five, six, ten other deltas and then keep the fight going until someone was dead and ripped to shreds. He used to boast about how his deltas loved to kill. And he loved watching..." Akela shrugged.

"Right... Hunter isn't going!" Ezekiel muttered.

"And neither are you!" Gerry grumbled at Diana who looked ready to bounce.

"No... But I was thinking... I could take my female Deltas as tributes... Mates for the fighters..." Diana started.

"Not happening!" Gerry stopped her and turned to Akela again.

"The best bet is somehow placing someone just outside his territory. In the human town or something... But ask his permission, as if it's a temporary thing. Say if... Alpha Gerry... or Sam... wanted to treat their mates to a trip north to see the northern lights or something..." Akela shrugged.

"Too obvious," Sam muttered.

"Or if Ameer found a martial arts club up there and entered the tournament...." Akela suggested.

"That's better," Archer mumbled.

"But Ameer is human... wouldn't be able to defend himself if he went to get Kira!" Ezekiel objected.

"He would have the pack - his family - to cheer for him... And the only polite thing for a travelling Alpha to do would be to visit the nearby Alpha," Akela shrugged.

Gerry chuckled. His face split in a mischievous grin.

"I like your way of thinking," he smirked.

Ezekiel sat in deep thought for a while before he nodded.

"Arch. If Preston takes me..." he started.

"He won't if you tell him you're the legendary Cizinec heir," Archer grinned.

"Oh fuck off... " Ezekiel muttered back with something of a grin in return.

Akela shook her head at the weird banter between the two brothers. The two legendary Shadow Mountain brothers who her father had admired.

"I need some air," she whispered to Sam and stood.

He nodded, sensing how her past was still troubling her. Across the room, Diana was in a quiet discussion with Gerry about some defences and strategies.

Ezekiel let his hand slip along hers for a moment to let her know he understood.

Quietly, Akela slipped out of the room, along the corridor and out of the house, leaving the leaders and their Delta primes to make the plans.