"How are things back at your place Ev?" I asked as I poured him a cup of coffee.

He let out a tired sigh. "Are you asking about Lyanna and I or our new favorite couple?"

I slid the coffee to him with a half-smile. "Listen Ethan doesn't like it, but if it's really a problem we can move them. I know how hard you're both working and I don't want to see you run down because you're up all night listening to them."

Evan smiled into his coffee then groaned in satisfaction. He sighed then looked back at me. "Thanks, little sister, but we'll be fine. It's only two more nights."

"We're they–"

"Fighting or screwing all night," he quickly injected. "I'm surprised that they didn't calm down after they marked each other, I can't imagine how their bond feels."

I grimaced at the thought. "You promise to tell me if it's too much?"

Evan sighed then gave me a side hug and kissed my temple. "I promise Char," he replied slowly, a slight tease in his voice.

I rolled my eyes then looked at his hair. "It's getting long Evan, you and Ethan both are due for a cut."

"Lyanna likes it so I think not little sister," he replied with a cheeky smile.

"You two ready?" Ethan asked as he trotted down the stairs, wearing a slightly dark chambray shirt tucked into tan pants with a brown leather belt.

I smoothed out my dark high waisted jeans that Evie had let me borrow, then tucked in the little bits of my white button down shirt until it laid smoothly.

"Want a to-go cup Evan?" I asked.

He nodded. "Please."

Ethan grabbed a paper cup out of the cupboard that we had bought as Sam's while I slipped on some black peep toe wedged mules. Evan murmured a 'thank you' to Ethan as he handed him the cup before Ethan came around to me and kissed me. "You look nice sunshine."

"Closet de Evie," I replied with a cheeky smile.

He laughed then took my hand. "Ready Ev?"

"Let's do it," he replied.

We walked out of the house and made our way quickly to the pack house. The pack bond felt good that day, it was for once mildly peaceful. My wolf and I sighed out in relief, the pack had become like a child that we worried about.

We picked up Lyanna at her and Evan's cabin. She smiled tiredly at me and rubbed her cheek against mine. "Screwing or fighting," she murmured out.

I growled lowly. "I'll talk to Andrea. She knows better, it's their relationship but they shouldn't do that as guests in your house."

"Can we just beat her ass around?" Lyanna grumbled.

I pulled her close to me, letting her head rest on my shoulder. "Maybe," I chuckled out.

Ethan eyed Lyanna and shook his head. "Damn males," he grumbled.

Evan nodded as we got closer to the pack house. "I don't know how Caden does it; I thought you were a handful–"

Ethan cut him off with a growl while Lyanna and I lightly laughed. I nudged Ethan playfully, causing him to just roll his eyes as we walked down the little-pebbled path to the front steps of the house.

It smelled like coffee inside, which seemed to breathe life back into Evan and Lyanna's souls. They immediately walked back to the kitchen together while Ethan and I slowly followed.

Levi was in the kitchen chatting with Billy, Leo, and David who had a brown haired freckled little girl on his arm. Her curly hair was tied in a ponytail as her bright eyes watched the wolves around her, fearless even at that age.

She snapped her head to me and pulled on her dad's hand. He chuckled then let her go, not breaking away from his conversation.

Soon a little girl was throwing herself at me. "Charlotte!"

I laughed and picked her up. "Penelope, you're getting big! How old are you now?" I asked as I set her down.

She nuzzled my cheek then looked back at me with bright hazel eyes that almost looked purple with the blue and brown swirling together. "Twelve. I just had a birthday a week ago."

"Well happy late birthday," I said with a smile.

"Thank you," she said as she adjusted the strap on her jean overalls. She had on a light blue shirt underneath and jelly-looking sandals on her toes. She looked right up at Ethan and smiled. "Hi, I'm Penelope."

He laughed and bent down to shake her hand. "I've heard lots about you. Heard you're quite the comic book thief?"

She rolled her eyes. "Only because Lyle stole my legos!"

I laughed then took her hand in mine. "Well, I am sure Lyle will learn."

"Charlie," David said with a warm smile. I gave him a side hug, not letting go of Penelope's hand, while he pulled me tight to his side and kissed my crown. "How's are you girly?"

"Well obviously better now that you two are here."

"Of course," he playfully scoffed out. "Can't have any real fun unless me and my girl are here. Isn't that right Pen?"

"Yup!" she said, high-fiving her dad in the process.

"Morning Charlie girl," Levi said as he walked to me. He came over and nuzzled my hair, his beast reaching out and checking on mine before he looked down at Penelope. "Well come here ya little ass beater," he chuckled out.

Penelope grin then jumped into Levi's arms. He hugged her tight to him then gently pushed her back to get a good look at her. "Heard you had Lyle running pretty hard the other day?"

She nodded. "That's right."

"Broke his damn leg?"

"Well he stole my Legos," she whined.

Levi nodded firmly at her. "Good job girly, maybe try to avoid the fences next time?"

"Alright," she sighed out.

He winked at her then shook his head as David sighed out tiredly. "You got yourself a handful there."

David shrugged into his coffee. "Nah, got myself a good girl here."

I eyed her as she linked her hand in mine. She would occasionally meet the eyes of the older wolves, looking at them with such bright curiosity and no fear. She was entirely fearless and hungry to know the world around her.

"A strong one too, you'll have to start watching your ass soon," I thought out loud to David.

He chuckled and nodded. "Been working with her for a long time now. She packs a good little punch."

Ethan walked back to me and handed me a coffee. "Ready?"

I nodded. "Let's get this pony show going," I breathed out before I looked at Penelope. "Well Pen, are you with me or your dad?"

She looked at her dad with big eyes that made David's tough frame crumble a little. He looked at me, almost apologetically. "Char–"

"It's fine," I injected, waving him off. "I may need this one to help me keep these boys in line, right Pen?"

"Right," she replied with a firm nod like her father's.

Ethan shook his head as he laughed and put a hand on the small of my back, leading us away from the group and towards the council room. Lyanna caught sight of us and trotted over to Penelope. She rubbed her cheek against the little girl's then took her other hand. "Heard Lyle has a broke leg Pen?"

"Ya," she replied shyly.

Lyanna laughed a little. "Don't worry, I am sure that little shit deserved it."

Penelope smiled as Evan followed behind us. "You with us today Pen?"

"No, she's with us," Lyanna replied teasingly.

Penelope laughed as we got into the conference room where some wolves were already starting to gather. I looked over at Lyanna and nodded my head to the folders. "Want to help me pass them out?"

"Course," she replied.

"I can help too," Penelope added eagerly.

"Alright," I breathed out with a smile. "Everyone get's one, ok?"

"Got it," she replied confidently.

I handed her and Lyanna each a stack then took my own to start passing out to people as they sat down. Eventually, I made my way to David with the last of my stack and handed him a few as Billy took a seat next to him.

He winked at me. "Morning girl."

"Morning Billy," I replied while I handed him a folder.

"See you got you a new helper there?"

I chuckled. "She's a good girl."

Billy nodded while David smiled into his coffee. "She is. You should let me take her to that log David. She can swim right?"

"She loves the water," he replied.

"Been real good for Charlie here, we should see how she does. I started Andrea on it when she was around Pen's age," Billy thought out loud.

David nodded. "I think that's a good idea. Levi already talked about how I should have her start swimming."

"She's strong David," I added as I looked back at the young girl, bright eyes that smiled politely to the different Alphas, Lunas, and Betas as she passed out folders.

"I know," he breathed out. "Had to pull her out of a fight the other day. Apparently, some older boy, two years older than her and able to shift, was picking on a friend of her's."

"And?"

David breathed out a sharp laugh. "That boy has a broken arm, fractured kneecap, and a really bruised ego."

"Shit," I breathed back. "Well good for her. Older boys like that should know better."

"He does now," David chuckled out.

I nodded while he and Billy chatted some more then turned to trot back to the stairs. Penelope was handing Ajax and Deryl some folders; Aiden looked her with curious eyes then sat back a little. "Who's is she?"

"David's" I replied. "Master of Arms at Tikanni."

"That right?" he mused. "How old are you?"

"I am twelve and my name is Penelope," she replied calmly, almost coy in her tone.

I raised my brow as Angeline bit back a laugh with Deryl and Ajax.

Aides raised his brows. "Mouthy little thing isn't she?"

"You're a mouthy big thing," Penelope shot back.

Angeline bit back another laugh while Deryl turned to cover his face. Ajax rolled his eyes then looked over at Penelope. "Don't worry, his bark is bigger than his bite."

Penelope looked Aiden up and down then nodded. "I can see that," she replied, like a little adult.

Deryl started laughing with Angeline who leaned over to look at Aiden. "Better watch your mouth Aiden when she get's bigger she'll be able to have your ass."

Aiden grumbled while I rolled my eyes and pulled Penelope along with me. Ethan eyed Aiden then Penelope and winked at her. "Good work Penny."

"Penny?" Ethan nodded. She snorted. "My name is Penelope."

"I am fully aware little bit," he laughed out. "Still calling you Penny."

"Ethan likes his nicknames," I added with a smile.

"That's right sunshine," he added as he pulled the whiteboard a little closer.

"Men are weird," she said, almost turning her nose at the thought.

I bit back a laugh then pulled her over to where Ethan and I were sitting. Lyanna waved and patted the seat next to her. "Come on Pen, got you a seat saved here, and Evan sneaked in some snacks. I think Derek is sitting with us too."

I smiled and nodded to her, letting her run to sit with Lyanna right as the vampires walked in. Derek and Elliot zipped over to her, hugging her before they both took the seats next to her.

Evie sat behind her and almost burst with happiness. "Oh my God Barrett I love her, can we get one?"

"You mean a kid?" Barrett asked.

"Well, what else did you think I meant Queen B?"

Barrett groaned while Evie winked at Penelope. Penelope smiled and looked at Evie's braided ponytail. "I like your braids."

Evie touched them then smiled back. "Thank you, I could do yours if you like?"

"Really?"

Evie nodded with an electric energy. "Mhmm, we could do your ponytail like mine."

"Ok," Penelope breathed back with a smile.

"Alright! Everyone quiet down!" Ethan called out as I sat down next to him. The whispers and soft chatter silenced, leaving all eyes on Ethan and I. He sighed and looked around the room. "Well, before we get started, I wanted to make sure we all knew about Greg—"

"Heard he tucked his tail and ran?" Derek injected.

Ethan nodded. "He did, he said his mate was in heat but per some information that Barrett and Evie," he said while nodding back to where they were sitting. "Collected last night, my gut tells me otherwise."

"We should bring his ass back!" someone called out.

"No we let him run," Ethan replied. "We let him and we follow him. Tikanni and Lusa trackers are already on it, we need to see where he goes."

"I have some to spare Ethan," Deryl added.

"That would be great. Remi is heading up the efforts if you want to send them his way," Ethan replied.

"Can do," Deryl replied with a firm nod.

"Continuing on," Ethan said. "The long story short of why we are all here, is because our region has a rogue problem that needs to be addressed. We have found out over the last few months not only rogue incidents that seem to be similar amongst our packs, but our pack as you know has new leadership. It was discovered that Thomas, Emmett, and their mates were all directly involved with the attacked that happened here ten years ago, and have been involved with the increase of rogue activity in this area."

Ethan paused as worried murmurs filled the air. Ajax looked around and snarled. "Will you all shut the hell up?"

I bit back a laugh while Ethan bit back a smile. Ajax sighed then flickered his eyes back to us. "Our pack, I know like many others extend their apologies for the mess here. We know it couldn't have been easy," he said then scratched at his beard. "Do you know why or how?"

Ethan sat down and nodded slightly. "This is what we know; we know that Emmett was a part of the Pure Seven, or the rebel group that opposed the treaty we have with the vampires–"

People gasped and started whispering again. Ethan's beast was annoyed. He looked at Levi who rolled his eyes then growled out loudly, shushing everyone again. "This will only work if we keep our conversation down while others are speaking. We have rogues coming over our borders and we need to do something before it gets worse. Does everyone understand?"

The room was silent as people eyed Ethan in a mix if mild shock and respect. Levi nodded with a devious glint in his eye while Lander bit back a smile. I put a supportive hand on his thigh, nodding to him to go on.

"Back then it seems that their efforts were messy. It seems like ten years ago they started something, a slow brewing storm, that seems to be showing its real head. We don't know much else besides the evidence we have gathered and witness accounts along with 'interviews' that Barrett and Evie have helped us collect. Our pack has uncovered traitors, or wolves working for the rebels. They have since been removed, but I would heed a warning to you all to look within your own packs as well if you are having rogue problems, they can't just cross a border on their own."

"What evidence have you found and what have you been doing as of now?" Ajax asked.

"Right now we have lots of journals, letters, and other fantastic paperwork from my father and Jeremiah Black. Those have proven very useful, and to be honest it probably wouldn't hurt to go through them again. We found out that my grandfather was involved threw them, but we also found out that there is another member that seems to still be active called, 'The Snake.'"

"The Snake?" Ajax repeated back.

"Yes," Ethan replied with a nod. "We have no idea who it is yet, but it's one trail we're trying to uncover. We also have a few other things; we have the rocks that I know many of you have found at your own packs, and paper without any words on them–like an invisible ink of some kind. The witches that work with this region are coming tomorrow and should be able to provide us answers to that and the 'poofing' that seems to occur around these rogues.

"We have a hunch to believe that the rogues are hidden in the north, far in the mountains, but again it's just a hunch. Our pack has been working with Tikanni and Lusa to figure out where they are and what they plan to do."

"Why, though?" Deryl added. "I thought the rebel cause died?"

"We all did," Leo answered.

"And you are?" Deryl asked.

Leo smiled politely. "An ancient one." Deryl nodded while Angeline groaned and shook her head as her cheeks flushed a little in embarrassment. Leo sighed and looked around the room; Evie was already braiding Penelope's hair, but stopped to listen to the older vampire. "We thought they died but apparently not. Alex and I have had a feeling that it's been them, but up until recently we really didn't have any proof. It involves both our species, I know many of you understand how important it is that we do not let them succeed in what they are trying to do."

"Agreed," someone called out.

A silvering Alpha stood and raised a few fingers towards Leo. Leo nodded with a polite smile to him, permitting him to speak. "I was around then, I remember, and I do not wish to have to deal with that hell again. We're lucky here in Alaska where we are far away from most other supernaturals, but I have a cousin in a pack over in Colorado, and it was hell for them," he said while looking around the room before he turned back to Leo. "Last time they wanted to wipe you guys out as well as anyone that supported the treaty. Is this the same song?"

Leo shrugged. "It's been the same since the beginning. Every few hundred years it seems a group or people from the ancient lines rise up and try to carry it out. We are looking into our kind, vampires are not innocent from this and they will be brought forward if we uncover anything."

"This is serious then," another man with dusty brown hair said. His Alpha grunted in agreement as he nodded to Leo respectfully. "My father told me stories of those days and I don't wish for my family to ever see them. This sounds to me like a bigger operation than we thought. No matter where they are hiding the rogues, it means that there are those numbers again. Those numbers being hidden from us by a cause run by people we don't know. That is damn organized if you ask me, and would take someone on the inside to help.

"I know we suspect Greg, and I would agree that we have reason to, but how can we trust that the information here is not leaked when we have people like Black over there whose father was not only a known supporter but raged hell for all of us."

I snapped my eyes to Jaxon and Andrea across the room. Jaxon stiffened while Andrea glared at the Beta. Ethan growled lowly and looked over at the Beta. "My grandfather was Emmett Everette, a supporter the whole time who slaughtered half his pack and both his children for this cause, yet you come to my pack and accept our hospitality willingly. We are not the sins of our father's and neither Jaxon or I wish to continue that legacy."

"My father is nothing but a set of bones that I have crushed and spread amongst the gravel that I walk on to my pack house every morning so he can know that it was his son that set things right. That his bones are not worth the proper burial that they deserve," Jaxon said somberly, his eyes staring off in a distance.

Andrea's eyes widened before she whispered something next to him while the Beta shut his mouth and nodded, sitting down next to his alpha who dipped his head at Jaxon.

"It sounds to me like we need to divide and conquer then," Andrea said. "We need to sure out who this 'Snake' person is, because it sounds like they are either running things, or directly involved. We also need to figure out what their next moves are and how they are doing things."

"I agree," Deryl added. "You say those witches are coming tomorrow?"

"Yes they will be here in the morning," Ethan answered.

"Good," Deryl sighed out. "We let them look at those rocks and the other things you have. How many of you have rocks?"

As Deryl asked it, almost everyone in the room raised their hands. He sighed and looked at Ajax who muttered a string of curses under his breath. "What about the disappearing?" Ajax asked.

I raised my hand and caught his eye. "I haven't seen it, but I have been around when it happened."

"I saw it," he sighed out. I could feel Ethan's wolf stand up and trot forward as the eyes in the room turned to Ajax. He leaned back and rubbed his face before looking back at us. "I saw the rogues, much like you did; I stumbled upon then on a morning run. I wouldn't have noticed them until I was right on them. These were sick, but they were not that sick. I was so confused so I followed them for a while to see what they were doing, but they were just walking aimlessly.

"After a while, I almost called my patrols because hell, they were just walking and seemed they were just sick and looking for a place to die. Then they disappeared. One had something in his hand, this dust stuff? He threw it down right as the other grabbed something on him and whispered out 'Transibo,' and like that he was gone.

"I thought I lost my mind. I went to the area but there was nothing there, absolutely nothing. Was it like that for you?"

I nodded. "I never saw it, like I said, but I did hear them muttering that word over and over. Right before they would disappear I would hear this 'crack.' It sounded like one of those fireworks you throw down on the ground and it pops."

"Yup, right as he threw the dust down there was a crack just like that–like a Blackcat."

"Yes, it sounded just like that," I added, my wolf almost relieved that someone else had seen it.

The graying Alpha raised his hand. "I have not personally seen it, but the people who have seen rogues on my land have something like that in the description they gave us of the incident. One said it was like stepping on bubblewrap."

"How many have something like this in the witness accounts?" Ethan asked. More than half raised their hands, causing Ethan's beast to stir. "We'll ask the witches tomorrow, hopefully, they will have answers. Our trackers believe that they were testing our borders. We found trails of old rocks that indicate that. I would suggest that if you have not told your patrols or pack members to pick them up, to start picking them up then toss them in some water–it seems to neutralize them."

"What about 'The Snake?" Deryl asked.

"Like I said before we just have the documents between Jaxon and I."

"I am in the process of digging up my father's stuff," Levi added. "He was a bit of a packrat and disorganized as hell, so it's taking Lander and I more time than I would have liked."

Deryl nodded. "My father was around then too and left everything from when he was an Alpha to me. I can go through our storage and see if there is anything."

"As can I," Ajax added. "I don't know if I will find anything, but I can look."

Ethan nodded. "If you have anything," he said to the room. "I know it's not the most exciting thing to do, but there could be something that we can use."

"I'll have our coven historians go through Alex and my records Ethan," Leo said. "If we find anything relevant we can send it over. We also have people we can offer as assistance. You all need to watch your borders with the threat of the rogues if you need help all you have to do is ask."

"Think you could stick some on Greg's ass?" Levi asked.

Leo nodded. "Consider it done."

Levi scratched at his scruff and looked back around the room. "We need to find these damn rogues. We cannot have a repeat of ten years ago, and I don't know about you, but it's starting to feel like a damn repeat."

I sighed and reached out to Levi's beast across our bond. The fear in his eyes, he was trying to hide it but I saw it. I saw it because it was a fear that I had. We had no idea where the rogues were and frankly, they could march in at any moment and we wouldn't know.

Ethan put his hand over mine that was resting on his thigh and gave it a light squeeze before he stood up. "So Jaxon and I put together a map," he said while he pulled the whiteboard forward.

He flipped it around to display a map of all our territories with red and blue dots on them. "The blue dots are just sightings and the red dots are attacks. Levi and I looked at this for a while; as you can see most of the dots are around the borders, close to trails between borders or roads."

"They could be coming from anywhere," Aiden breathed out.

"We have a few hunches," Ethan said. "Again, they are only hunches so we don't know how much weight to put into them, but I know my father had a strong feeling that they were in the north."

"If you throw out any logical reasoning," Evan added. "It makes sense. Just for a moment pretend those mountains are not way the hell up where the silver lays and hard as hell to live in, they have tons of caves that are big and run deep underground. Our tracker suspected that the caves would be some of the many hiding places that you could put them."

"While that may be true Evan," Deryl said, flickering his eyes from the map back to Evan. "Those mountains are rough country where the northern packs lie. That's beside the fact that there is silver all in them. Last time I was up there, it was a royal pain in the ass–you can't link because the silver in them trips you up.

"Besides that, that hypothesis is also going under the assumption that the northern packs in those mountains would let rogues willingly stay there. Many of those packs are scattered about, but the rogues couldn't hide there without those Alpha's knowing where they were."

"And how would they get here?" the silvering Alpha added. "How are they lasting long enough in those caves then making it down here?"

"I think these are all good questions for the witches," Alex added. "I think Evan has a good train of thought here, but we need to see what they say. Where there any other theories?"

Ajax nodded and stood. He walked over to the map and looked around before he pointed to an area that's light blue with little groovy lines over it. "Ice caverns. Deryl and I were talking, and like Evan said, if we throw out reasoning, those ice caves are big and if with our normal body temperature they wouldn't need much to stay warm."

"Those are also far too," Lander added.

"And that is polar bear country," Elliot added. "And let me tell you, if a polar bear sees one of us on their land, they won't let you live much longer. I doubt a rogue could fight those bears off, they like the caves too–sometimes they have openings to the ocean where the bears can enter or catch some fish."

"Anywhere else?" Derek asked.

Ajax sighed as he and Ethan looked at the map. "Down south is out of the question. There's too many humans and while I can think of a few places, I don't think they would be able to go undetected by humans."

"They could be poofing them all in, I mean, isn't that what happened?" someone called out.

Ethan sighed and nodded. "Yes, but 'poofing' those numbers? I agree with Alex we should save that for the witches."

"What would you do?" Lander asked. "What would you do if these theories solidify, if there is a good lead?"

"We should go see for ourselves," Deryl thought out loud. "The only way we would really know is if we sent some scouts, or went ourselves. I have a gut feeling that tells me that seeing them with my own eyes is the only way that we will know if they are or are not in one of these suspected places."

Ethan nodded, he nodded and my stomach turned because the idea of him going out and looking for rogues made me almost sick. "I agree with Deryl," he said, his words like knives of anxiety over the bond. "But we should wait and see what the witches say before we agree to any decisions."

The room muttered out words of agreement as Andrea met my eyes, her's were wary with worry like mine were. On one hand, they were right; I had a feeling Deryl was right, the only way we would know is if we saw them ourselves. On the other hand, I couldn't stand the thought of Ethan doing that, of being away in those mountains where I couldn't link him.

I sighed and pushed it back because it very well may not happen and it wasn't worth getting worked up about. Ethan looked back around the room and sighed. "Alright, I say we break here and grab some lunch."

The room started to disperse as he walked over to me; his eyes met mine and it was like he knew. He sighed and took my hand in his, kissing my palm with a reassuring half-smile. "Sunshine we don't even know if we're going to do that."

"I don't like it, Ethan. I don't like the idea of you going up there, being where I couldn't reach you and she doesn't either," I said, my beast nodding in agreement with me.

He sighed and kneeled down while I sat as Evie pulled Penelope with her to lunch. He brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers, his eyes heavy like the day was starting to feel.

"I know Char, but we don't know. Let's just see, ok?" He kissed the corner of my mouth then looked back at me with a ghost smile on his lips. "I'll always come back to you, you know that right?"

I nodded. "I know. I just don't want you to have to leave to begin with." 

"Let's just see, ok? Let's just see what happens."