For a while they sat in silence, Akela and Kira holding hands. Both feeling the threat of another attack and the elation of being alive.
To the side, Sam was gathering the remains of their belongings and hurriedly stuffing them into the three remaining saddlebags and Zion's backpack, preparing for a rapid retreat.

Akela looked at Zion who was checking Abel for any serious injuries while Abel was trying to bat him off. Their obvious care for each other, Zion's need to look after his brother and Abel's reluctance to be fussed over, was endearing. Even Kira chuckled when Abel coughed while pushing Zion's stethoscope off his skin.

"Damn it, Zion! I'm trained as a firedog! Stop fussing!" Abel coughed out.

Akela felt her face stretch into a warm smile at the worried look on Zion's face.
There was a flash of connection between them when he looked at her as well, and his face softened into a tender smile back. Akela felt it as a warm blanket, softly wrapping itself around her heart.

"So... you were bonded to two brothers and you finally chose that one?" Kira asked with a curious smile and a nod towards Zion.

"Yeah. I mean, Abel is cute, but. It's Zion..." Akela tried to explain.

"Right. You wanted the one you could love, not the one who could bang you senseless?" Kira delivered dryly.

"KI!" Akela said in shock.

"You've always been a bit more puritan than me. That's why I told you to run. I could handle Preston because it was just sex. To you it was more than sex and painful," Kira said softly.

Akela felt her tears press on again.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you! I wanted to get you away, but I couldn't without help," she said, her voice breaking.

Kira tilted her head, studying her more timid twin with a smile.

"You have been so brave!" Kira smiled.

Slowly, Akela lifted her face to look at her sister.

"Dad would have been so proud of you. You went on your own in winter. For goddess knows how long. You found the Cizinec heir. Just like dad told you. And when he wasn't who dad thought he was, you still managed to convince him to help!" Kira smiled warmly.

Akela barely had time to give her sister a hug before Ezekiel came hurtling out of the forest with a panicked look in his eyes.

"Preston is back!" He told Kira.

She nodded, sensing her forced mate's presence at the same time as Abel came running over to them.
Akela felt Zion's arms wrap around her waist, giving her his courage, which she felt was only thinly covering a fear greater than any he had ever felt. The cadence of his heart revealed the tension.

The small group stood tightly bundled together.
Sam, Felix and Ezekiel were in wolf shape, facing out to the forest, ready to protect the two couples and baby Helios.
The forest surrounding them teemed with Alpha Preston's delta fighters. Akela clutched Zion tightly, shivering in fear.
She felt his fear too.
Despite having served as the Shadow mountain Delta prime and being a strong fighter, he was all too aware of Akela being at risk. She felt his fear of not being able to defend her. It was as if he was fearing more for their future together than for his own life. And Akela feared not being able to defend him. He couldn't shift. If more than one wolf attacked, her Zion would be in trouble. She hated the thought of losing him. He leaned down to lick her temple.

"We'll be all right," he whispered.

Akela looked at him, regretting not giving in to her heart a long time ago.

"Don't think about regrets, Akela," he said with a small smile.

She only shook her head and tucked herself closer into his hug before she turned and embraced Kira, enclosing her into the hug, making it a group hug when Abel's arms wrapped around the girls as well.
An exchange happened between the brothers. A pact to protect the two women they were bound to was sealed with a nod.

Kira was stood there in the middle shaking with fear, clutching Helios to her while Abel was trying to whisper reassuringly into her ear. Preston was close enough for his power to terrify Kira, and Abel was trying with all his efforts to counteract the forced claim with his own.

Kira's eyes met Akela's.

"At least we're together," Kira said quietly.

"I found you. And I'm not letting him take you again," Akela replied stubbornly at the defeated look on Kira's face.

Kira tilted her head so her black mark became visible.

"He owns me, Aki. He feels me through this ugly thing! And he knows I'm with you," Kira muttered.

Abel dipped his head and kissed the mark gently.

"Not for much longer..." he said.
He could have taken the opportunity to make a flirty, suggestive comment, but for once, Abel was fiercely serious.

Kira looked at him.

"My mate! Mine!" Abel grumbled jealously with a furious look towards the forest.

Kira gave a short breath of a laugh.

"Damn. You're cute!" She grinned.

Despite the dire situation, Abel's possessive declaration was just what she needed.

"I will replace that ugly mark with my white one... He can't take my heart and soul!" Abel grinned, back on flirty mode, but the soft look in his eyes betrayed the honesty behind the words.

"And if my brother gets to much... feel free to reject him.." Zion huffed with a smile at the way Abel was completely in Kira's power after such a short time.
Akela felt how much her sister was resisting Abel's charm too. But she would not reject him. Her heart was already open to his.

Abel gasped in pain at the idea while Kira looked confused.

"Reject?" She asked.

"Please don't... I will be the best mate in the world... please stay with me!" Abel begged.

Kira looked directly at Akela with a familiar, mischievous glint forming in her eyes.

A grin spread. Kira's back straightened and suddenly she thrust Helios into Zion's arms.

"Guard him as if he was your own,"  Kira said seriously before turning around.

"Do you trust me?" She asked Abel.

"What?" Abel frowned.

"I need to find Preston to deal with some unfinished business. Do you trust me?" She said.

Slowly Abel nodded but with a tightly doubtful look on his face.

"Please come back to me..." Abel whispered.
Zion had never heard his brother's voice break like that before.

Kira lifted up on her toes and gave Abel a tender kiss.

"I hope to the Goddess that you are worth it..." she sighed and shifted into her wolf.

Akela followed suit and shifted to join Sam, Felix and Alpha Ezekiel as they circled protectively around the remaining Zion and Helios.

Abel shifted too, and followed Kira to the edge of the forest where she looked at him before running away, leaving Abel to pace back and forth while the North wolves were slowly moving closer, trapping them in the little clearing.

Akela walked over to Abel who was staring at the spot where Kira had vanished between the trees.

"She'll be back here soon," Akela thought and rubbed her cheek on Abel's.

He turned to look at her with a very human worry etched on his face.
Gently she rubbed her muzzle on his, licking his cheek to show her care.

"I'm sorry for getting between you and Zion," he thought.

Akela sent him a questioning look.

"I felt the bond with you. And it was so strong. But I knew he loved you and that you loved him. I was just worried about not having anyone who was mine. And I've never been second best to Zi before," Abel apologised.

"You're my second best but Kira's mate," Akela replied.

Abel sighed and shot another look into the woods.

Akela had to smile at his fear.

"She'll be back soon," she smiled just as a commotion settled over the forest.

The deltas moved. Not closer to the clearing, but gravitating towards something else.

Ezekiel signalled for them to move closer in case Kira would need help.
They came close enough to the edge of the hill to see a small camp. Akela shivered in fear and disgust as she recognised the scent and presence of Alpha Preston.

On the outskirts of the camp, four large deltas were surrounding Kira, stopping her, while more deltas were approaching.

"Oh fuck this!" Felix muttered and made to move in to defend his sister.
He didn't need to.
The small female wolf among large fighters shifted into a buck naked human Kira.

"Out of my way! I'm still your Luna!" She ordered the closest thug.
Several others looked at her in confusion.

"That was an order, Theo!" She said fiercely to a dark wolf trying to growl at her.

One of the wolves closest to her shifted into his human form and kneeled to her, setting off a wave of submissions between her and the large black Alpha a few feet ahead.
He shifted too and dressed in clothes handed to him by a frightened servant before he turned to the naked, skinny Kira.

"Kira! You've returned! Was your brother not able to satisfy your needs?" Alpha Preston smiled dryly.

"My brother is the bravest lycan I know! Do not underestimate my family," Kira huffed, her arms crossed over her chest in defiance.

"But you're coming back to me. With my heir I presume?" Preston replied with another smarmy grin.

"Helios is quite safe with his uncle," Kira smiled.

Preston made a move and three Deltas started to move into the forest.

"Don't you dare move! My son is not to be touched by North wolves!" Kira ordered with more confidence than she had ever owned, and the deltas returned slightly sheepishly.

"Get my heir!" Preston shouted.

Kira looked at the three.

"I'm still your Luna! Stay!" Kira said with controlled anger.

Up on the hill, the Shadow Pack members mustered all their courage in support of the lone, nude figure in front of the North Alpha.

Preston frowned and stared at his forced mate. A delta came running with a shirt that he threw over Kira's shoulders.

"Thank you Rhody," Kira smiled gently as she slipped her arms into the clothing, buttoning it at the waist.

"My Luna looked cold," the delta replied with a bow, and slipped something heavy and solid into her hand behind her back.
The serious nod Rhody gave her told her not to give the object away. Swiftly she tucked her hands into the ends of the shirt, before bringing her hands in front of her.

"At least your men care about my welfare," Kira smiled dryly at Preston.

"What do you want? Luna!" Alpha Preston snarled.

Kira picked at a nail with her thumb and sighed theatrically.

"I want my life back," she said.

"You're my mate! My Luna! Your life is with me!" Preston grumbled.

"That's the thing, Preston," Kira smiled sadly.

The big Alpha growled in anticipation.

"You're not my mate. You never were. Your mark on my body is black," Kira said in an innocent voice.

"I've claimed you as mine! You belong to me!" Alpha Preston roared.

"No. There is a lycan who can give me a white mark. My true mate. Someone who will love me rather than control me and make my soul feel on fire," Kira smiled softly.

Up on the hill Akela had to stop Abel from running to her. He was giving out soft whimpers Akela didn't know he was capable of making.

"Not now," Akela thought and saw him focus again on Kira. Next to her, Akela felt Zion's touch on her shoulders.

"Preston North! I reject you! I reject the claim you placed on my body and I reject everything you are!" Kira said seriously.

Alpha Preston staggered backwards with a hand on his chest. Kira folded over, crying out in agony as the forced bond shattered. Up by he bushes, Abel groaned as Kira's pain hit him through the bond.

In seconds, Preston was recovered and he was stalking towards Kira in fury.

"No one rejects me! You bitch!" He growled and started undoing his belt. Wrapping it around his hand he strode towards Kira who was obviously struggling to stay straight and not show fear.

"You're never leaving the silver cage again... Luna!" Preston snarled and grabbed Kira by the throat, lifting her off the ground. His hand wrapped tightly around the belt. His knuckles whitened with the force as his hand moved back in preparation to whip her

"Get my heir! And I can smell her prissy sister. Bring her to me. Kill the rest," Alpha Preston ordered.

His belt snapped forward with a loud clap as it hit Kira's hip. Preston's arm drew back to strike again. Kira's skin puckered into a wide, red mark which had Abel growling in anger.

Kira caught the eye of Rhody and shook her head with tears in her eyes, begging them not to follow orders. Mayhem ensued.
Some ran into the woods, keen for a fight. Others stayed, unsure. Other's demonstatvely tried to hinder others from following the order.

Ezekiel and his pack circled around Zion and Helios, preparing to fight.

"Akela! If I say go. You run... take Helios and don't look back!" Ezekiel linked.

"No! I'm not running again!" Akela returned and saw Sam give her a proud wink. Behind her, Zion clutched the baby, wondering how far his human legs could carry Helios and Akela before the North deltas could catch them.

"You will regret this," Kira croaked out just before the belt whacked her again.

Preston gave an evil grin, challenging her.

There was no preparation. Kira's hand shot forward and up.

To Akela it looked like she just had a spasm.

But then Preston's face fell. His grip faltered and Kira tumbled to the ground, her whacked thigh not willing to hold her up. The strong Alpha coughed helplessly, clutching his chest where the hilt of a knife protruded.

Kira stood up, slowly. Preston fell. His eyes were on Kira as she limped to him.

"I told you! I REJECT YOU PRESTON!" Kira hollered angrily, her foot repeatedly slamming into the knife hilt as she spoke. Her face was disfigured into a fierce snarl.

Unintelligible gurgling was heard before Kira lifted her foot and stomped on the hilt of the knife.
A pained shriek punctuated Alpha Preston North's final moment.

The forest was suddenly teeming with non allegiant Delta Fighters.
Some halted, unsure of what to do.
Others continued to circle Alpha Ezekiel and his small band.

Kira straightened her back and turned away from the dead body of her former mate.

"Thank you Rhody," she said at the youngster who stood there ready to come to her aid if she needed him.

"North Deltas!" She called out.

Several faces turned to her.

"I am still your Luna, now heed me!" Kira roared.

"More like a female Alpha after that kill..." Felix chuckled darkly. He was sat, calmly watching his sister with his tail wagging.

The still loyal Delta fighters returned to her. Most of them kneeled or submitted to her.

Some few remaned in the woods. Sceptical to female leadership.

"Your Alpha is dead! His heir will not be raised to take his place! The North pack is no more!" Kira announced.

Around her, confused Deltas stood up.

"But... what are we supposed to do?" Rhody asked.

"Go home! Go to your birth packs! Love your mates and treat them well. Tell your parents that the tributary arrangements are over!" Kira said.

"How about those of us who have no packs?" One young delta asked.

"I'll take you in," an older delta shrugged.

"You've been trained to fight. Now go home and fight for your freedom, use your muscles with kindness, not to harm," Kira smiled.

"What about you, Luna?" Rhody asked.

"I'm no longer your Luna. I just want to go home to my true mate and raise my son to be a good man!" Kira smiled and walked up the hill go her sister and her mate.

Abel met her halfway, grabbing her just as she collapsed.

"I killed him! I fucking killed him. In cold blood! I took his life!" Kira sobbed into Abel's chest.

"I know you did. You were so brave!" Abel whispered tenderly.

Kira looked at him, her face frozen.

"I can't feel you," she whispered.

"Killing steals your soul..." Akela said quietly.

Ezekiel smiled at her with a sad nod.

"It changes who you are," he mumbled.

Abel shot his uncle a look before looking into Kira's eyes with his forehead on hers.

"It was so brave. I'm so proud to be your mate!" He said quietly with a small smirk.

Kira carefully lifted her eyes to his and smiled softly.

There was a rush of energy, pulsing from Kira and Abel the moment their lips met, reforming their bond. It was as if several North deltas woke from a trance, as their Luna released them from their pack bonds and opened her soul to Abel.

"Ding-dong the wicked Alpha is dead.." Felix mumbled with a hateful look towards the corpse, currently being taken away.