The next couple of days were frought with tension. Akela was pushing herself and the rest of the travellers to the limit in an attempt to reach Kira as fast as possible. She was constantly nagging Sam in the lead and pleading with Ezekiel to make them go faster. As second in command for this journey, Sam lead the group through the forests and valleys separating Akela from her twin. Akela trotted along in the middle of the group, flanked by Zion and Abel. Ezekiel followed behind in Alpha position.

Akela was checking her connection with Kira more often than she should, and spent the rest of the time worrying. Even Abel had dropped his innuendoes gradually with the increasing anxiety Akela felt. 

They were each carrying dog saddlebags. In Akela's opinion it looked kinda stupid, but they had to carry everything somehow, and it didn't hinder their progress.

Zion amazed Akela with his ability to keep pace with the rest of them on his two feet. On his back was a large hiking backpack, half full of medications and nutrient rich foods.

As Akela yet again reached for Kira on their third evening, there was still a day of travelling between them. She felt her sister nearly collapse in a mixture of relef, grief and exhaustion

"We're here! Akela! I'm at the cabin!" Kira linked. It was faint, as if Kira was spending the last of her energy.

"She's at the cabin," Akela told Ezekiel who was banking up the fire pit for the night.

"Good," he replied.

"Not good! She's exhausted! We need to go! She needs food! We need to..." Akela ranted, making the four men all stop and stare at her. Her voice was desperate and shaking.

Ezekiel stood up and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. Her eyes filled with tears at the firm concern on his face.

"Tomorrow. Akela. We need to rest! Tomorrow!" He said.

Akela's tears fell and her breathing thickened with grief. Kira was so close!

"We'll destroy ourselves if we don't rest, sweetheart. I won't let her die. But I don't want to lose you either," Ezekiel continued and wrapped her into a warm hug while her body shook from a mixture of worry and exhaustion.

"She's so weak," Akela cried onto her uncle's chest, seeking his comfort.

"She needs sleep. Zion has nutrition drinks and high energy food in his pack as well as formula for the baby if she's unable to feed him," Ezekiel listed everything she already knew.

She nodded, unable to stop the tears. Ezekiel pushed her to a position where he could look at her.

"And I think you need to rest as well. We're a long way from home and you're pushing yourself hard," Ezekiel smiled and lay his arm around her shoulder, guiding her shivering body to a log where she could sit.

Zion approach hed, offering a protein shake.

"She needs you to be strong tomorrow," the wolf faced man said seriously.

Akela suddenly felt too tired to object and drank the thick liquid. She had just finished when Abel returned from the woods with dinner. The men worked fast cooking the meat and suddenly Akela's stomach growled loudly.

Abel grinned at her and came over holding a stick with a few Chunks of charred meat on it.

"Roe deer. Almost as cute as you, but it had a limp and wouldn't have survived winter..." he said quietly.

Akela looked at him with a questioning frown.

"Don't tell anyone... but I hate hunting. It feels wrong, but my wolf loves it," he shrugged.

Akela nodded. She understood. She loved the chase, but hated the kill.

Once they were full and the rest of the meat was safely wrapped up and packed up for the next few days, they all lay down on their sheepskin.

Akela looked at Zion in his sleeping bag and Abel, curled up with his tail under his head like a pillow.
Her heart reached out to both of them.

She tested the link with Kira again. Her twin was curled around her small pup. Both of them asleep and Kira's heart beating softly.

"Sleep on Kira. Tomorrow we'll be there!" Akela thought and tried to transmit the feeling of a full belly to her twin.

It was a quiet breakfast before they set off again. Sam and Zion were annoyingly running off into the bush to gather plants along the way but the pace was steady.

The link with Kira became clearer as they approached and Akela felt tears rise again when she recognised the landscape.

They approached a thick forest with caution. Akela knew Ezekiel had picked up the scent of a foreign lycan and was going slow to identify the direction of the stranger. She, herself was too focused on the slow heartbeat of her twin. The closer they got the clearer she could feel her, and Abel was sniffing the air every few steps muttering about orchids and strawberries. Zion looked way too severe for her comfort.

There was a small smile on his face as he looked at Akela.

"I sense your sister," he explained, and Akela realised she must have frowned.
Trying to be subtle, she studied the puppy-faced man next to her, looking for any signs of what he was thinking. Every happy swish of his tail felt like a cut through her skin.
He was happy.
She could feel it.

Turning her head to see Abel, she picked up a similar excited energy from him. While Zion was overjoyed, Abel's mind was humming with anticipation.

Akela's heart fell into her gut. She hated how much she resented their excitement. As much as she loved Kira and knew Kira loved her in return, there was a sudden fear in her that both Zion and Abel would want Kira.

She felt a hand rub her neck and ears, just like she used to do with Zion and looked up at him.

"Relax, Akela!" He grinned.

The massive rock in her gut moved up to her throat in an instant.

Nodding, Ezekiel motioned for them to run forwards, into a small clearing where Sam sat like a good doggie, waiting for his next instruction.

"Safe?" Ezekiel asked.

"Very safe," Sam replied.

The two older lycans nodded for Akela to approach the cabin. Abel stayed in wolf form while Zion removed his backpack and started setting up camp.

Approaching the ramshackle hut, Akela's fur stood on end. She could feel the presence in there; she knew her sister was there.

Zeke nodded her forward. Even after all this travelling she still thought he looked ridiculous with he saddlebags Allie had insisted on them carrying. Akela didn't know what was in most of the packs, but Allie had said it was stuff Kira would need. Quickly, Akela, Zion, Abel and Zeke shifted, and Zeke opened the top bag to throw them each a set of clothes to shield them from the arctic wind.

He undid one of the side bags and brought out a babygrow and a pack of nappies which he handed to Akela along with a warm handknit sweater.

"You go first. We'll come when you say she is ready," he nodded, and Akela took the bundle from him and a bottled nutrition drink from Zion.

Abel was bouncing nervously next to her.

"You all right?" she asked.

"Yeah... I will be... I mean.. it just feels... like my heart... just picked up an extra beat..." Abel said quietly with a serious face that had Zion chuckling.

"And you feel all warm inside?" Zion asked.

Abel nodded, and Zion's face grinned even wider.

"You'll be okay..." Zion smirked.

"I need to be in there!" Abel complained.

"No... You need to be patient. You don't know what she's been through," Ezekiel instructed.

Akela approached the door and knocked before entering. Inside she found a shuddering, cold and skinny wolfbody under a thin blanket. The malamute looking wolf was curled around a sleeping but an equally skinny baby.

"Kira," Akela said softly, and the malamute opened her eyes and looked at her suspiciously.

"Kira! I found you!" Akela laughed and watched her skinny and underfed, mirror image emerge in front of her before Kira stood up and hugged her. Akela saw, more than she registered the multitude of scars and bruises covering her twin's body

The baby started whimpering against the cold air, and Akela quickly handed over the clothes.

"Here. You need to stay warm," she said and helped Kira into the jumper before they dressed the baby in the baby grow, heated next to Zeke's warm body.

Kira accepted the drink Akela offered and scrunched her nose at the unusual flavour. Both sisters were quietly studying each other, not knowing where to start the conversation.

"Did you guys just chop down a tree or something? And did you bring cinnamon?" Kira asked sniffing the air.

"No... That would be Abel," Akela replied, recognising the scent.

"Abel?" Kira asked.

"Yeah," Akela smiled and watched Kira's face break down into a suspicious frown.

Kira sat down again with her sleeping child.

Akela sat next to her and prepared to talk. Their hands entwined, both needing the contact more than the conversation.

"When you told me to run, I did as dad said. I went south, and I found them. The Connors. I found the Cizinec heir, but he turned out to be a kindhearted pacifist who lives in a human village with his human mate and works as a firefighter," Akela smiled.

Kira frowned.

"So not a great warrior?" she asked.

"Not at all... But he has so many wonderful people in his pack. A doctor and a veterinarian and all kinds of good people. His mother knitted the jumper. His Luna sent the baby clothes," Akela smiled.

"Okay?" Kira asked. A million questions swirled beneath the surface of her frown before her face softened towards her twin.

"He came here with me," Akela smiled.

"This is the same Alpha who came to visit Preston? Right?" Kira asked.

Akela nodded.

"And his delta Prime is with you?" Kira asked, recognising Sam's scent.

Akela nodded again, sensing her sister's direction.

"And the wood and cinnamon scents?" Kira asked, taking another whiff of the scent drifting in from where two eager lycans were waiting with varying degrees of patience.

Akela pulled a deep breath deep into her gut, trying to find a way to explain.

"Right... So, when I first found the shadow mountain, there were these two amazing males. Brothers, in fact," she started and watched Kira's face drop into disbelief.

Her own grin twisted up at her twin's gradual understanding.

"I connected with both... but I'm fairly sure one is yours," she almost smirked as Kira's hand reached out and smacked her shoulder in dumb disbelief.

"I didn't want to choose until I knew which one was truly mine..." Akela said carefully, trying not to reveal to her sister how much pain it had caused all three of them.

Slowly Kira straightened her back and for the first time since Akela had opened the door, there was a flicker of hope in Kira's eyes.

"A white mark!" Kira whispered, half a smile forming as her hand subconsciously lifted to the ugliest black mated mark Akela had ever seen. 

"You wanna meet them?" Akela asked.

"Yeah... I've been sensing someone outside and getting whiffs of this amazing smell for half an hour... " Kira grinned.

"Kira. I want you to meet the two Shadow mountain Betas. Zion and Abel Connor," Akela grinned and called for the two men to come in. The door swung open, revealing both of them hanging back, just outside the door.

The door opened fully, and Zion entered first, followed by a nervous looking Abel.

Kira's gasp was audible. She looked at Akela in terror before looking at them again.

"Connor?" She asked.

"Connor!" Akela smiled.

A few seconds of awkward silence passed before Zion took a step forward with a tin cup of something warm.

"Hey. I thought you might need some more food," He said, placing it within reach of Kira.

"I've got yours outside, do you want it now?" he asked Akela. 

She shook her head but gestured to her sister before waving towards the two brothers.

"Okay...so guys, this is my twin sister Kira. Kira, this is... Abel... and Zion," Akela introduced.

Zion held his hand politely out to greet. Kira took it with a sharp inhale as she felt a bond.
Akela's heart fell as Kira's smile widened.

"I'm Zion," Zion said. His eyes were boring into Kira's, fearful, searching, somehow pleading.

"Whoa... Bond," Kira smirked.

"Yeah. I definitely feel a connection," Zion frowned in confusion before looking at Akela again.

"Maybe I'm the one with two mates," he teased when he saw her worried face.

Akela averted her eyes, facing the floor in fear of revealing how her heart pounded in her throat.

"Hey. You're cute... you're like one of those Shetland wolves. The ones old Marnie told us about when we were kids..." Kira grinned, her eyes locked with Zion's.

"The ones that gave fish to poor children... I remember," Akela replied quietly.
Her voice thick and threatening to break.
She hardly dared to look at her sister.

Kira's head tilted slightly as she studied Zion carefully.

"Lovely to meet you, Zion," she grinned.

Zion's face melted into a friendly smile.

"It is my pleasure," he smiled back, some sense of relief audible in his voice.

Akela couldn't look at them. The friendly tone was too much.

Zion's eyes went back to the small child who had just woken, and he reached into his parka to grab a bottle.

"I wasn't sure if you still feed him yourself, but Luna Allie said I should offer," he smiled and held it out.

"Thank you. I have been breastfeeding, but there hasn't been much food lately," She shrugged sadly and held the bottle out to the baby, who promptly rejected it, seeking his mother instead.

"Looks like we'll have to feed you first," Zion chuckled and offered a water bottle instead when Kira lay the child to the only source of food he knew.

Over by the door, Abel was hanging back, studying the exchange in front of him in detail.

The cabin was quiet, while Kira let her son take what he needed and she was processing the presence of the two men. Zion went outside and returned with Akela's portion of brothy soup that Sam had cooked over the flames. Akela accepted the cup with a grateful nod. the s pup was made with the rest of the deer along with all the plants Zion and Sam had annoyed Akela with picking along the way.

"All iron rich herbs so Kira can regain her strength," Zion grinned at Akela's suspicious studying of the soup.

Kira watched curiously how relaxed Akela was and found herself studying the man with the wolf-face closer. The kindness of his eyes and the weirdly comforting smile was a contrast to the clearly worked on muscles, hidden under a windproof parka. Akela seemed to trust them, so Kira decided to follow her sister's lead. She lowered her jumper again once the child was satisfied and looked at them expectantly.    

Abel was still stood, resting on the wall in the shadows by the door.
Once Kira had been given sufficient time to focus on her baby, he took a step forward. He watched Kira closely as she slowly lifted her eyes towards him and felt his world tilt on its axis.

Her jaw dropped before she turned an accusatory look at Akela.

"Kira, Meet Abel!" Akela smirked, registering Kira's shock at his sheer beauty both in her facial expressions and through mindlink.

Abel took another shaky step forward and dragged a rickety chair over to where Kira was sat.

Quietly he studied her, taking in her tired, underfed gauntness and the sudden sparkle in her eyes.

"My Goddess! You are beautiful!" Abel suddenly whispered.

Kira's eyebrow's shot up in amusement.

"I have never looked worse, but I'm certainly taking that as a compliment," she smiled.

Abel's eyes lit in a bright smile as he held his hand out to her.
Both of them jumped in surprise at the touch before they relaxed again.

"Oh wow! I could get used to you," Kira chuckled as Abel gallantly kissed the back of her hand.

"I've been told to treat you as a precious treasure..." Abel smirked.

Kira frowned and tilted her head to show the mark Preston had placed on her. The scar was black, with tendrils along her veins reaching up her neck and across her shoulder.

"Will you let me erase it?" Abel asked with one of his trademark charming grins.

Kira looked at him and another chuckle burst from her.

"We've only just met, and you're asking me to mate?" she laughed, her hand still held in his.

Abel's eyebrows wiggled flirtingly.

"Only if you want to. Unless I'd be cheating on your sister," he grinned.

Kira's eyes met his as she burst into loud laughter.

"Yep. I can see why I feel like you could be mine. Aki would have fainted at a suggestion like that," Kira laughed.

"You're cute and funny. Now, if you can cook..." Abel grinned.

"Nope. But I'm a beast in bed," Kira flirted back sending Abel into fits of laughter.

Zion was stood to the side quietly laughing at the way the other two were flirting up a storm.

"I see your problem Akela. These two are, for lack of better words, perfect," Kira grinned and gave Zion an unsubtle wink that had him laughing.

"We won't ask you to make any decisions yet. First, we'll get you home, fed and rested," Abel said, showing his more serious, concerned side before he turned his look to the little child in his mum's arms looking at him curiously.

"Hey there little dude," he smiled and got a broad baby smile back.

"Yeah, we'll be best buddies. We'll play legos on Sunday mornings so your mama can sleep. And we'll surprise her with her favourite breakfast when she gets up," Abel cooed down to the boy.

"Are you for real? Am I dreaming this?" Kira frowned.

"This s real, Ki. They are both kinda sappy around babies," Akela smiled, seeing how Zion was itching to join in with Abel's weird grimaces as he tried to entertain the baby.

"What's his name?" Abel asked.

"Helios. After the sun god," Kira said.

"Helios Connor, let's go out there and meet Uncle Zeke," he grinned and led Kira towards the door.

Akela swallowed down a weird icy heat. 

Abel's face was up on a level 9 flirt mode whereas Zion was looking at Kira with a tender, questioning frown as if he knew her from somewhere and was trying to recognise her.

Selfishly, Akela wished Kira would announce who she felt was her true mate. Somehow put Akela to peace by choosing.
Akela looked at the floor, not noticing how Zion's eyes were flickering to look at her and how his frown deepened when he saw the deep furrow between her eyebrows.
Carefully he looked at Kira again to see a bright little smirk directed at him.

"Well. If this ain't weird. Bonded to two brothers and my sister in one swoop," Kira chuckled.

"I'm glad you see the fun in it..." Akela mumbled.

Kira stopped and turned to look at her sister.

"One of these two has the power to erase this. It's probably going to take some time to work out who, or I'll end up with a dark mark on top of a dark mark," Kira shrugged and tugged her top aside to show the deep purple bruising to match Alpha Preston's canine teeth.

"And I want you to have a white mark," she continued with a finger tracing Akela's neck.

"I want your mark to be true," she said gently.

Akela nodded. Her throat was suddenly feeling tight as a sob burst from her, and she wrapped her twin up in a tight hug, finally releasing the pent up tears.