"Valentine wouldn't do that to us," Seokjin whispered. "I want to trust that he won't hurt us. We have been allies for years. And it took a long time for them to trust us in return. Most of their colony joined them because they were afraid of wolves. They wouldn't ally themselves with a violent pack when they had us, a peaceful ally, to protect them."

Jimin's heart pounds inside his chest as they approach the neutral zone of Calemari. The forest floor slants up into a ridge that overlooks the valley below. The once-delicate flecks of snow have turned into bundles of fluffy snow. The horizon of rolling hills turns into a gray fog as the visibility drops. The sky is dark with heavy clouds and the threat of a coming blizzard.

He stands at the edge as the weight of fear settles over his mind.

Winter is here.

In the back of his mind, he remembers how worried the pack was about preparing for winter. They worked themselves to the bone in storing extra food and sealing every crack in the cabin to keep out the cold air. The pack harvested the last of the produce and checked their solar panels. It was their top priority; everything has changed.

He looks to his side and notices Jungkook handling a rifle. Seokjin hyung and Valentine are going over the details and planning their rescue mission. They have no idea where Namjoon hyung and the others could be. Although Calemari isn't a large town, there are plenty of hiding places.

Deep down, Jimin knew the Nightwalkers would betray them. It was his general distrust of people as a collective that they would be tricked. This pessimistic side of him developed in the early days of the end of the world. Evil was the world's nature, and Jimin knew it all too well.

"Listen up!" Valentine calls out and beckons to the group to huddle close, "We're going into the neutral zone together. Proceed with caution, and we will all make it home safe."

Jimin gathers his courage and stands tall. We're going to save them. Then I'm going to make Alpha Nikolas and the Nightwalkers pay, he thinks to himself.

Seokjin breaks away from Valentine's side to stand near Jimin and Jungkook. His scent broadcasts notable fear and anxiety with its wilting roses and sharp blackcurrants; it stings the inside of Jimin's nose. In contrast to his internal feelings, Seokjin's handsome face is calm and trusting. It makes Jimin glad humans can't pick up on a werewolf's true scent.

The group begins the journey down the slope and into the neutral zone.

Calamari isn't much to look at with its outer rim of debris and rotting buildings. A gray-dead atmosphere has fallen over the seemingly abandoned town. They reach its borders and Jimin sniffs the air for any sign of danger.

Only the scent of wet cement and mold greets him.

The complete absence of scent means the Nightwalkers must be using scent-blockers. It isn't a good sign.

Valentine takes the lead and silently motions for them to follow behind him. The humans raise their guns and take aim at the spindly-cracked window panes and condemned homes. Their feet scuff loudly over loose gravel and broken glass; the storm of crunching footsteps sets Jimin on edge.

They're too loud. This isn't safe. We can't just storm the town and expect to find Namjoon, Hoseok, and Charlotte by chance! We can't just waltz to the doors of the courthouse and demand they return our packmates.

He shoots Seokjin a look and mouths, What are we doing?

Seokjin's lip curls back into a grim line. He shakes his head at Jimin and motions him to stay close.

Jimin fights the urge to speak up, to yell at Valentine that they can't ambush the Nightwalkers and expect to walk away unharmed. This is a violent pack, don't they understand that? Don't they know that guns alone won't take down a pack of this size and strength?

Humans think they're invincible, Jimin thinks bitterly to himself. Arrogant to a fault until the end.

The unpaved streets are coated with a fresh layer of sticky snow. The deep potholes and deep cracks in the road's foundation are almost disguised by the veil of white. A gust of wind sweeps through the empty streets and whistles through the crevices of the rotting buildings.

Valentine, boldly leading the group into the heart of the town, pauses at an intersection. He glances both ways and holds his hand for the group to stop.

Jimin's body aches from held tension. His hands are already shaking with growing panic. What's going on? What does he see? Jungkook takes in a deep breath, flaring his nostrils, and looking around wildly. He bumps his shoulder into Jimin's and exchanges a look. Jungkook mouths while tilting his head toward a closed-down burger restaurant, There.

Jimin follows his gaze and his stomach drops.

A human-shaped head peers through its dusty window. They are being watched.

Seokjin's brow furrows and his expression flashes with frustration. He starts to open his mouth, glaring at Valentine, but the pop of gunfire breaks the held silence.

Jimin jolts and immediately grabs onto Jungkook, angling his body to protect him. Seokjin's eyes go wide with panic and his hands shoot up into the air, fighting back a startled yelp. Jungkook nearly pulls himself out of Jimin's frightened grip and his body shudders as it forces back his transformation.

Jimin searches the streets for any sign of incoming danger and then his heart skitters up into his throat.

Valentine's men are facing them with their guns aimed at the trio. Their expressions seethe with threats and warnings; daring them to try to run away. Their shoulders are pressed against each other to create a solid barrier around the three wolves. They are trapped.

It's difficult to breathe.

Valentine stands beyond the circle with a grim expression, perhaps a shadow of guilt.

"What are you doing!?" Seokjin explodes. "We didn't shoot at you!"

He feels dizzy.

"I know you didn't. You're unarmed," Valentine replies.

Seokjin gapes at him in disbelief and sputters, "What the hell are you doing, Valentine? We're not the enemy here!"

Jungkook lets out a deep growl as his pupils dilate and shake. Jimin feels heat radiating from his trembling body.

"Times are changing, Seokjin, and we're not going to be left behind." Valentine continues, "If you were smart, you would listen to what he has to say."

Seokjin's jaw slacks. "You betrayed us. You betrayed us for them. After all this time—," he chokes on his rage as he speaks, "—all this time, you lied to us! Valentine! What happened!? What changed?"

Valentine has the decency to wince but before he could answer, an unfamiliar voice speaks up. "The world is changing, and Valentine responds well to reason."

A man emerges around the corner of a brick home with an infuriating grin of victory. He spreads his arms out and shrugs. "Welcome, Bangtan, to the future!"

"Who the fuck are you?" Seokjin shouts, throwing his arms to his sides. He steps forward and the humans bristle with fear at the motion.

The man walks to Valentine's side, unruffled by Seokjin's question, and lays a hand on Valentine's slumped shoulder. "I am Alpha Xander, leader of the Nightwalkers." He casts Valentine a mocking smile, "Thank you for retrieving them for us but I thought there were two more."

Valentine's eyes are downcast. "They stayed behind but one is gravely injured. They'll be handled. Don't worry about it."

Jimin gasps as a cold terror shoots through his system. Taehyung and Yoongi!

Xander nods. "And the radio station?"

"It should be our's within the hour."

"Excellent."

Seokjin draws in a breath and yells, "Where's Alpha Nikolas?"

Xander reacts with a violent jerk and he glowers at Seokjin. "I'm the Alpha here! You won't speak that name in my presence! He's dead, I killed him, and I'm in charge!"

"Aren't you a treat?" Seokjin mutters in distaste. "Where are my packmates?" he asks, projecting his voice to echo through the air.

Xander scoffs in response. "You should be more worried about yourself."

A small flicker of hope alights in Jimin. He didn't answer him. They may not have captured them, after all.

"Why are you doing this?" Seokjin questions. He steps in front of Jungkook and grabs his hand behind his back. Jungkook is struggle to maintain a human form. Jimin can't stop looking at the guns aimed at their heads.

"Days ago, we received a message from the Nightwalkers, from Alpha Xander," Valentine answers with a note of shame. He refuses to look Seokjin in the eye. "He offered a proposition and we accepted. They offered us protection and allowed us to keep our land during their expansion."

"It was an obvious response," Xander cuts in, "and once Alpha Nikolas was taken out of the picture, my plans finally came to fruition. We will take this entire territory and secure a unique asset in one fell swoop."

"Why do you want our radio?" Seokjin asks.

"It's the perfect tool! It's practically made for us. The expansion will become easier when we have access to the whole valley's network of communication." Xander puffs his chest with pride, "It was my idea. But Nikolas was too timid to take advantage. I was tired of watching him struggle and decided to take matters into my own hands."

Jimin thinks back to Yoongi and Taehyung at home. Yoongi is too injured to try to defend the land, and Taehyung isn't enough to fight off an ambush. He can only pray that they run instead of trying to take on the Nightwalkers alone. The radio system isn't worth dying over.

"And Alpha Grayson?" Seokjin looks around at the humans. "Was it a fake ambush?"

"Yes, a rather interesting strategy," Xander comments. "Although we mourn the loss of Alpha Grayson, his pack should have no issue continuing without their leader. After all, Grayson answered to me and their pack will continue where they left off."

Jimin tastes phantom blood on his tongue as the memory of the fight resurfaces.

They had killed Alpha Grayson, after all.

And that means that his pack was still lurking in their territory, waiting for the right moment to strike and take over the radio system. It meant Yoongi and Taehyung were in more danger than ever before.

The first attack was staged, and Seokjin caught it. The timing of it all was wrong. It was impossible for Valentine to know they needed backup; it had all been planned from the beginning. They separated the pack and weakened their defenses.

Jimin clears his throat and speaks up. "What are you going to do with us?" Why bother taking us hostage and explaining your plans?

"You may prove useful. Although Valentine and Grayson's pack are capable..." Xander spares Valentine a look, "we can't leave things up for chance."

They're keeping us alive to make sure they get their hands on the radio. A bargaining chip, if it came down to it.

Jimin realizes this means they don't have Namjoon and the others. If they had, Jimin, Jungkook, and Seokjin wouldn't be worth saving.

"Take them to the mail room and keep an eye on them," Xander orders. Jimin tenses as he watches people rise from the rubble around them. The absence of unique scents confirms that they are using scent-blockers. The Nightwalker wolves approach the circle of humans with looks of pride; all too pleased with the turn of events.

"Jungkook no," Seokjin whispers harshly, "not yet."

The young wolf appears feral and his body shaking with effort. He casts Seokjin a look of doubt but manages to hold himself back.

"You've served us well, Valentine, I'm happy with the outcome of our partnership." Alpha Xander lands a solid blow to Valentine's back, a bit too hard to be friendly. Valentine coughs from the pat and maintains a blank expression. "Soon we'll have everything we need for our expansion. But I'm going to need one more thing from you..."

Valentine frowns, "We gave you everything—"

"Oh, but did you?" Xander grins. Then he glances at his wolves who encircle the humans. "Have I ever told you how much I love your guns? And your farmland, truly a work of art, and how self-sustaining it is now."

Seokjin braces himself and gives Jungkook a sharp elbow to the stomach. "Ready?" he whispers.

The whites of Jungkook's eyes have nearly vanished when he nods.

Valentine is taken aback and Jimin felt a twinge of pity for the human.

He should have known better than to bargain with a pack like the Nightwalkers.

"We don't need you anymore," the wolf crooned, "and we don't need your men."

A savage roar erupts from the hungry throats of the wolves. The Nightwalkers shift into their wolf forms, standing terrifyingly tall above the humans, and they lunge with unhinged jaws of teeth and saliva. A few guns go off but it does nothing to deter the ambush.

Jimin shifts without thinking and as soon as his paws hit the pavement, he bolts. Seokjin and Jungkook transform as well and run after him. They weave through the chaos of battle and make a beeline for the outskirts of the city. Adrenaline spurs Jimin to run faster than he has ever gone before. His vision is fixated on the border of Calemari and the forest at the top of the hill.

Run, run, run, run, he urges with every running step.

Then a wolf skids out in front of them and attempts to block their path. Jungkook sprints in front of Jimin and rams himself into the wolf without hesitation. The wolf yelps in pain as Jungkook takes them to the ground. He bites deeply into the wolf's neck and nearly rips out its throat.

Seokjin barks as another wolf tries to stop them. He bravely leaps forward and hits the wolf in the shoulder. The wolf is almost knocked off-balance and Jimin finishes the job without thinking. He jumps and bites the wolf's leg, yanking it from under them. The wolf crashes into the ground and Jimin bites down on their throat. Warm fur fills Jimin's mouth as he clenches his jaw, threatening to bite through the skin like it is a piece of meat. He holds his grip until he tastes blood.

Jimin releases the wolf and scans his surroundings, making sure Jungkook and Seokjin are okay. They finish off another wolf and render them unconscious. They lock eyes for only a moment before they start to run again.

That is, until, Jimin heard Charlotte scream behind him.

Jungkook and Seokjin must have heard it too. They skid to a stop and turn around in shock. Then Jimin sees Charlotte, bloodied and barely clothed, being held by Xander by the throat.

Jimin's world tilts on its axis.

Charlotte winces as she claws at his hands. A gurgled scream escapes her throat as she fights helplessly.

Xander merely smiles at them. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

We were so close.

We almost escaped the tunnels when the Nightwalkers cut us off at the exit.

As they descended upon us, Rosalie jumped out in front of us and begged them to reconsider. She tried to convince them that Alpha Xander was going to turn against them all. She said it would be smarter to let us leave in hopes that they all leave Calemari alive.

"Please don't do this. We aren't animals," were Rosalie's final words before they tore her apart.

I don't think I will ever stop hearing the sound of her dying gasps. I don't think I'll ever forget, and perhaps that's for the better.

Her sacrifice will not be made and vain, and these animals will be put down once and for all.

At least, those were my sentiments as we launched into the attack.

Now as Xander chokes the life from my bruised body, I wonder if any of it will matter.

Pain lances through my throat as Xander's grip tightens. My head pounds with the lack of oxygen and my lungs spasm with desperation to breathe. I groan as my head lolls back and stares up at the snowy sky.

In the corner of my darkening vision, Hobi is dragged into the street with his head hung and his body limp. Two of the Nightwalker wolves pull him across the broken streets and plant him beside Xander. Then we are joined by Namjoon, who remains in his wolf form. His fur is matted with blood and his shoulder is protruding at an awkward angle. A collar of chains has been tied around his neck; it takes three wolves to drag his half-conscious body out into the open.

"I'll make a deal with you three," Xander calls out, "I think it's worth listening to if you ask me."

Maybe I'm hallucinating because I hear the sound of Jimin's feather-light voice reply.

Are the others here? Did they come to save us?

Xander laughs and shakes his hand, jerking my body around as if I were a plaything. Nothing but an empty shell. "Listen carefully. We need the radio, and according to my sources, Valentine and Grayson's wolves weren't able to retrieve it as I asked. I have three tasks for you to complete to secure the lives of your Alpha, Beta, and Luna."

"What do you want us to do?" Seokjin answers.

My heart lifts with momentary relief. My boys... they're here...

"It's quite simple. First, hand over the radio station and your Beta lives. Second, secure Valentine's colony for the Nightwalkers and your Luna lives. Third, leave this territory forever and your Alpha lives."

There is silence.

Xander laughs in disbelief. "You should be grateful I'm in the mood to bargain. I won't repeat myself. Talk amongst yourselves if you must. Weigh the lives of your pack and decide. Who is worth killing to keep the power of the Bangtan pack?"

Hobi coughs weakly as his body slumps into the ground. "No," he forces out into a hoarse whisper, "don't—"

"You said they'll live, but will you return them to us?" Seokjin questions. "You'll give them back to us."

"Of course."

Snow falls into my eyes as I stare at the sky above, distantly wondering if Rosalie can see us from up there—bones snapped underneath her bruised skin and the sound of flesh tearing—and if she would ever find peace. Her blood dripped from the wolf's mouth as he stalked towards us, leaving Rosalie's body discarded on the ground. At least, she's free from this nightmarish world.

"If we complete the three tasks, you will give us back our mates and leave us alone? We will be able to leave the territory unharmed."

"You will leave and never look back. You have my word. We will allow you to leave the territory if you complete these tasks."

I close my eyes as the last of my breath escapes my body.

It's over.

"And what about Taehyung and Yoongi? They will be allowed to leave with us."

Xander snorts, "If they are alive when we arrive. Yes, they would leave with you."

The Nightwalkers will lay claim to the territories and use the radio to expand their borders. Valentine's colony will be laid to waste under their rule; the resident humans will no doubt be killed without question.

We won't be the only ones who will lose our home.

This is only the beginning of Xander's hunger for power.

Am I worth the lives of thousands? What if life with the guilt of condemning so many to death?

"What is your answer?" Xander asks.

An impossible choice.

The Bangtan pack has never faced such danger before yet I trust them with my entire life. My heart is theirs and I will understand whatever decision they make. My fate is theirs and there is no safer place to be.

Then, the sound of a lone howl in the wind breaks the tense silence.

A strong, baritone howl echoes through the valley of the neutral zone. Several voices join the singular howl until it weaves into a beautiful song of unity and power. A song of many.

I crack the barest of a smile.

I'd know that velvety tone from anywhere.

Seokjin chuckles in a low tone. "You should start running, Xander. Run and never look back." Jungkook's deep growl backs his threatening words.

Xander's grip loosens and I fall to the ground. My hands slam into the ground and I narrowly catch myself. I cough violently as I gasp for breath, finally able to breathe again. I raise my head and watch in stunned awe as a sea of wolves run down the sloped hill towards the valley in a unified front.

I massage my throat and look over my shoulder to find Namjoon and Hoseok have been released. Their captors now run down the street with their tails between their legs. Xander lingers for only a moment, casting us a sneer before he runs away and disappears around the corner.

I hear someone run towards me and then the skidding of gravel. I turn and find myself staring into the loving eyes of Jimin. His gentle hands cradle my bare shoulders and his eyes are filled with tears. "Sweetheart," he says, barely above a whisper, "I'm so sorry."

My head leans and my forehead touches his. I breathe in his comforting scent of oranges and blossoms, allowing my senses to be whisked away into a scent-drunk paradise. Tears escape the corners of my eyes as I shake my head. "Nothing to apologize for," I say. "Thank you."

"I'm here now, we're here now." He takes me into his arms and kisses my chapped lips—I taste blood and citrus—and whispers, "It's okay. We're here. We're safe now..."

And for the first time in years, I truly believed those words.

A/N: It took a while to write this chapter and fully grasp the concepts I wanted to portray! I am finally satisfied with the turn of events! I would also like to point out that it is March 15, the Ides of March, and is fitting for a chapter so filled with betrayal! I can't believe how close we are to the end. Thank you for your patience and for staying with me throughout this journey! Leave your thoughts in the comments! <3