Akela was trying to read the book Luna Allie had given her when music and children's laughter drifted in from the living room.
Curiosity prompted her to lay her book aside and go investigate.
Slowly she descended the stairs and stood in the open doorway to the large family room and kitchen.
All the furniture had been pushed to the side and there, in the middle of the floor, was Zion with his weird wolf smile and little Blossom on his hip swaying his hips and jumping around, making the curly haired 7-year-old squeal in delight.
Akela couldn't fight the little smirk as she leaned up on the doorframe, her arms hugging herself as he boogied around the room with the half-crazed children.
Blossom was mostly either climbing on him or hanging upside down from his hands.
Around his feet were Beta Ameer's two eldest children, Kahn and Gill.

"You should join in," an amused voice came from behind Akela.
She turned to see Hunter grinning.

"Once he gets them going he can go for hours," he continued before gesturing for Aimee to come closer.

She chuckled at her little cousins before disappearing into the kitchen.

Akela looked at Zion's swaying bottom and actually rather stylish moves around the labyrinth of children trying deliberately to trip him up.
He caught her eye with a cheeky wink.

"I'm sorry you're not getting the full effect of the song," he grinned and started mouthing the words to Tom Jones' Sex Bomb while made a couple of unsubtle rolls of his hips that had Akela's face glowing red hot in seconds.
Not from upset, but from sheer embarrassment over the fact that he looked downright delectable doing it.
At the back of her mind, some kind of dirt-fairy was cooking up an imaginary sensation of how it would feel like to have him make those motions in a different setting.
With a lot fewer clothes...

"Zion... you're destroying me!" She thought, knowing full well that he was picking up her emotions and hormones.
In return, she felt his amusement mixed with more than a little hope.
Her response had triggered something that made his normally placid eyes glow with something more feral.
Akela stared into his eyes, knowing he could feel her mated pull, fully assured that he would never ever hurt her.
He would never force her or take their bond for granted.

She knew that Abel in this situation would have walked over to her, touched her and somehow acknowledged their connection, probably with a kiss or a possessive declaration.
Zion just gave her a simple smile and turned his focus back to the children, spinning Kahn in the air while the twist of his furry ears was trained on Akela.

She gave him another grateful smile while trying to subdue that warm, fuzzy feeling threatening to break her heart and make that silly smile a regular feeling on her face.
An outburst of Zion's weirdly soundless laughter had her heart skipping, spinning and doing a weird little happy dance.
The next second her eyes filled with tears from the onslaught of emotions. She couldn't allow herself this luxury.
Not when she wasn't sure if Zion or Abel was hers.
She couldn't get these soft feeling for Kira's mate!

Kira, who was claimed by force.
Kira who'd given birth to the heir of the Alpha ruler.

She looked at Zion again.
That carefree, happy and selfless male was just what Kira would need if she ever got free.
He sent her another one of those happy doggie smiles as he swung Blossom over one shoulder with Kahn climbing up his leg.
His patience and kindness seemed endless. Even when Blossom grabbed his ears to stay steady on his shoulders while he lifted Kahn, he hardly flinched.
But those ears... those fluffy, soft ears.
Her hands remembered what the tufts of fur at the tip of them felt like between her fingers.
Her fingertips longed to touch the silky fur again.
Wrenching her heart out of its hopeful, soft ache, she pushed off the doorframe to go to the kitchen. Maybe a drink would soothe her suddenly tight and parched throat.

Behind her, her heart lay sprawled on the floor.
Gratefully she accepted the cup of tea Aimee had prepared and took a strengthening sip, letting the warm liquid soothe her sore chest.

Opposite her Hunter and Aimee were both looking at her, waiting to say something.

Akela looked at them in turn, urging them to spit it out.

"I know you're bonded to two... but.." Aimee started, sending a sideways look at her cousin for help.

"It seems you might feel torn," Hunter agreed. His golden eyes held the same sympathy, without pity, that his father used to hold.

"And we've known them all our lives... and figured we can help," Aimee offered. 

Hunter opened the door to the garden, waiting for the girls to file through before they all sat down at a picnic table by the firepit.

"It's just... I don't know who of them is really meant for my sister," Akela explained carefully.

"Okay? Describe her," Hunter asked.

"Why?" Akela asked.

"Who knows... she could be mine," Hunter grinned and got a serious jab to the side from Aimee.

"Ouch!" He whined and Aimee rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No. Seriously. If you tell us more, we could help you work it out," he smiled

Akela looked at them. The sibling dynamics of having grown up together was so familiar. Like her and Kira.

"Kira looks like me. We're twins. Even our wolves look the same. We were so close that when our wolves emerged mine took her name and hers took mine. I'm Akela Kira. She's Kira Akela," she said quietly.

"Well. That explains Zion and Abel. They were always really close," Aimee nodded.

"Yep. Never one without the other... Abel's wolf even looks like Zion," Hunter agreed.

Akela nodded. She had seen it too.

"Kira is strong. She was born first and always the first to try new things. She got stuck on an ice drift for two days when we were ten because she had seen the bears catch fish," Akela smiled.

"Right," Aimee said and adjusted the loose scarf she always wore over her head.

"I had never been without her before she had the pup and I was told to run," Akela sniffed, holding back tears.

"She told you to run?" Hunter asked with a frown.

Akela nodded.

"We knew. Nobody told us, but we knew. Once one of us had provided an heir, the other would be given to the Delta fighters for their pleasure... until... well... I don't really want to think about it..." Akela shuddered.

"So you ran?" Aimee asked. Her face was scrunched in a thoughtful frown.

"Because Kira told me to and because the Delta who was going to have me first had a heart and let me run..." she whispered.

"So Kira... Do you think she's okay?" Hunter asked.

"I don't know. I mean. He claimed her an hour after the pup was born and that cut our connection. I haven't felt her since," Akela shook her head.

"He... claimed her... just after giving birth?" Hunter asked with a disgusted wrinkle of the nose.

Akela nodded.

"I'm raised as a human, but even in Lycan society that HAS to be classified as rape? Surely that claim isn't valid?" Aimee scoffed.

"She agreed... to save me..." Akela sniffed softly.

"Abel... Abel for sure!" Aimee nodded with a look towards Hunter.

"No way... That is something Zion would do! He would rather burn to death than see someone else suffer," Hunter shook his head.

"No... Don't you remember? When Gerry and River got together and Abel hid behind a tree to hide how moved he was? He was crying so hard!" Aimee grinned.

"Abel is sentimental... but Zion is protective," Hunter nodded.

They both nodded and looked at Akela again.

"Right... If Abel is Kira's mate... Alpha North won't know what hit him," Hunter said.

"But if it's Zion... He will ask a million questions and plan an elaborate escape..." Aimee said.

"And the pup?" Akela asked.

"Alpha heir?" Hunter asked.

"Strong blood..." Aimee agreed with a firm nod.

"I'd say both will accept him, but you saw what Zion is like with kids..." Hunter grinned.

"So the pup will be best off with Zion?" Akela asked, feeling her voice break.

Aimee saw the tears Akela was desperately blinking off.

"I think... I think you need to listen to what your heart tells you," Aimee said softly.

Akela shook her head.

"Kira will need someone kind and patient..." She whispered.

Aimee placed her hand on Akela's.

"How about you? What do you need?" she asked again.

Akela shook her head, refusing to acknowledge the pain in her heart.

"Abel is kind and patient too. Kira will get someone who will do everything for her," Hunter smiled, seeing Akela's feelings through his budding Alpha senses.

"I can't make that choice for her... I need her here!" Akela sighed.

"You don't choose. Your soul does," Aimee smiled. 

Their conversation was interrupted by a banshee-like scream of excitement as three kids came tumbling out on to the lawn followed by a laughing Zion. All of them were closely pursued by Abel in wolf shape. Both grown men were pretending to chase and catch the overexcited children as they scrambled to hide behind bushes and up into an apple tree. Pretending to grab her and catch her, Zion pushed Blossom into a tall oak, allowing her to climb out of Abel's reach before he sprinted around the playhouse in pursuit of Kahn while Abel had his teeth clamped on the backside of Gill's jeans, dragging the laughing child backwards.

"See? Big ass pups, the pair of them," Hunter grinned before he stood up, and shifted into his own golden blonde wolf and gave chase after Gill who had gotten out of Abel's grip.

Akela's eyes flitted between the two she was tied to. One of them made her heart skip, the other made her feel safe.

"They are not killers. Neither of them like blood. Abel is the biggest slut going, but that's only because he knows he can. Deep down he longs for his mate," Aimee shrugged.

Akela sighed heavily.

"Zion... There will never be a more loyal wolf. Apart from possibly Alpha Zeke... Just look at Zeke with Allie. That will be Zion in 20 years," Aimee grinned.

"And your parents?" Akela asked.

"My parents are weird. All proper behaviour in public, cheezy as anything at home. My dad even converted to her religion before they mated..." she grinned with a self conscious tug on her headscarf.

"So basically all Lycan males are... sappy?" Akela asked.

"Basically... in this pack at least... the women run the show and the men worship the ground they walk on," Aimee grinned.

Akela chuckled.

"And then there's my uncle. The tough as nails Beta who turns into a lamb with his wife," Aimee smirked as the brick wall of a human rounded the corner to see what the ruckus was all about.

Akela watched as he was about to stop his children's wild behaviour when Emily stopped him with a hand on his arm.

He gave her a look but softened into a smile before kissing the top of her head.

"Go on Kahn! Surely you can outrun a measly Connor Beta!" he shouted at his son being chased by Abel.

Kahn changed direction, launching himself into his father's legs for protection. Abel sat down with his tongue lolling and his eyes sparkling with joy.

"Go get some clothes on. Alpha Zeke and Alpha Gerry want to lay a battle plan," Ameer grinned at his fellow Beta before scooping up his son and heading for the house.

Zion immediately stopped running to pick Blossom out of the tree.

"Am I in?" he asked.

Ameer shot a look at Akela.

"Yeah. I reckon it's an all hands on deck operation," Ameer sighed heavily before he turned and carried his two boys into the house..

Abel shifted and shook his head at his brother.

"I don't mind you in the planning, Zi, but I don't want you to fight. If anything bad happens, I need you here with Akela. I'll go up north if that's what they want," Abel said seriously before heading to the house where his clothes lay in a crumpled heap.

Zion swallowed heavily and nodded, the two of them in perfect understanding. Akela felt both of them as if they were touching her.

Hunter shifted and redressed before heading indoors followed by Aimee and Akela to find pretty much the entire valley pack around the large dining table, in addition to a fair few from the mountain.

"Right. Here's the deal. We need to scope out Alpha Preston without raising suspicion, so this weekend, Allie, I and Hunter are going up there on an undercover mission," Ezekiel said.

"Huh?" Hunter exclaimed.

"I have sent a request to Alpha Preston to meet him. There's a university in the human town just outside his territory and I've told him you have applied for a course in engineering up there," Ezekiel informed his son in a no-nonsense manner.

"The cover story is that you are adapting to a human society by getting a human education that will benefit the packs. We're asking Alpha Preston for permission to place you this close to his territory," the golden-eyed Alpha said seriously before turning to Akela.

Next to him, young Hunter's jaw hung loose in surprise.

"I know you want to come along, but I need you to stay here. If Kira sees you or suspects why were there, she might blow our cover. It's a recon mission this time, if all goes to plan, we will find a way to get her out," Ezekiel assured and Akela felt her eyes water again from the sympathy of his voice.

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. Her Alpha was willing to risk his own safety, his Luna and his Heir for her.

"Zion and Abel will be here with you, so will Alpha Gerry and Luna River. You can stay here with Grange if you want, or River and Diana will be delighted to have you up on the mountain if that feels safer," Allie smiled at the still scared girl.

"And what will you do if Kira wants to come back with you? What about the baby?" Akela asked.

"Her safety is more important than anything. If she's anything like you, the baby will not be left behind," Zion said firmly and Akela almost smiled at the protective tone of his voice.

"You'll be fine. And I'll be here with you," Abel smiled at her, laying an arm on her shoulder to give her a hug.

"Thank you," Akela sighed and rested on him. There was a weird feeling of strength when he touched her to level out the content happiness when Zion hugged her from the other side.

"Engineering?" Hunter frowned at his dad.

"Yup. Robotics," Ezekiel grinned back to see his son practically bouncing over for a spontaneous hug.

"You're not actually going. They have a perfectly fine robotics course in the city," Ezekiel smiled and tapped a prospectus from the local university with his fingertip.

"Seriously? You're not going to ask me to do business management or something Alpha-aimed?" Hunter asked.

"Nope. Aimee has plans to do business or economics, so I figured if you keep her around, you've got the pack assets sorted," Ezekiel grinned with a conspiratorial wink towards Sam and Saleha who were exchanging smiles behind their daughter's back.

Hunter bounced on his toes with a wide grin on his face while he looked at both his parents.

"You are the best!" he grinned.

"Don't you forget it. Because we need to work together if Alpha North will buy the cover story," Ezekiel grinned at his son.

Akela looked at her Alpha with a sudden realisation.

"Are you... Are you going to introduce yourself as Alpha Cizinec?" she asked, hesitantly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a thought appeared. Her father's prediction that the Cizinec heir would help was coming true.

Ezekiel shook his head slowly.

"Not sure if I trust him enough for that, Akela," he smiled.

"We're going as Shadow Valley Connor. If he's aware of us at all, he knows who Zeke is," Allie grinned.

"In which case, I'm going with you. No self-respecting Cizinec would go without his Delta," Sam said seriously.

Ezekiel nodded.

"You being another Cizinec will probably be a good thing," Alpha Archer nodded. The mood in the room was serious, sombre.

"Beta Ameer. The pack is yours," Ezekiel smiled at his second in command.

The beta rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"Right on. Party time!" He grinned.

"Ass!" Ezekiel grinned and punched his Beta in the arm.

Ameer gave a big show of pretending to be insulted before grabbing the Alpha in a playful headlock.

A couple of minutes later, two grown men were sat on the floor, laughing like children, a sofa and two chairs toppled over and the whole pack pressed up against the walls to avoid the scuffle.

"Don't worry... I'll keep his power-hunger in check!" Emily sighed towards Allie before her husband grabbed her into a tight hug.

Allie smiled at Akela to ease her worry.

"Boys... They never grow up," the Luna laughed before straightening her mate's messy hair.