The closer Sophie got to the pack house the louder the voices got. Angry male voices. She couldn't help the fear that invaded her. But she swiftly pushed it aside and with determination in every step she took the last few stairs, opened the door, and stepped into the hallway.

The scene that greeted her was one of confusion. Zack and two of his beats, one of who she had met last night, stood in the centre of the large room surrounded by Ron Stevens and four other very angry males. Who, it seemed, all wanted to shout out their displeasure at once. Alpha's Thomas and Jacob stood off to the side watching the commotion with unreadable expressions on their faces.

As Sophie moved closer she could clearly see Zack's anger and frustration build, and as she drew alongside him, he reached his limit. "Shut up!" He bellowed. His voice booming of the high ceiling and walls, the alpha command clear.

"Now, calmly, can one of you tell me what the hell this is all about?" He demanded.

Ron stepped forward and jabbed an angry finger toward Sophie. "Her! That's what this is all about. Ms high and mighty Alpha female interfering in matters that are none of her business. You better get a grip of that one and quick Zack. She's only been her five minutes and already she is causing trouble for me and my family. Hell for all the pack, and I for one won't stand for it. If your father were still here......"

Zack growled dangerously, menace emanating form every pore. "First of all Ron, it's Alpha! I am your Alpha and you will address me as such, unless you want to challenge me for the position? No, I didn't think so. Second, that is your Alpha female you are talking about and you will do so with respect. To disrespect her, is to disrespect me and I think we have established you don't want to do that."

Zack moved closer to Ron his voice dropping even more in his obvious anger. "And thirdly, as you rightly pointed out, my father is not here. I am! And even if he was here, I say again, I am your Alpha! Not him. He has no say in what goes on in this pack any more. He lost that right when he stepped down. Now, I will ask again, what is this all about. And mind your tone, you have tried my patience enough for one day wouldn't you say?"

Sophie could see Ron struggle to reign in his obvious displeasure at the severe rebuke from Zack. Grinding his teeth, he turned enraged eyes once again in her direction. "I was taking Beth home this afternoon and she was giving me some grief so I had to give her a little encouragement, when along came your mate and stuck her nose in where it didn't belong." He blustered out, chest puffing out in feigned indignation. "She had no right to interfere with a father disciplining his young."

Sophie had heard enough! Pushing aside any fear that still lingered, she pushed forward, putting herself directly in between them. No matter how long she stayed with this pack she owed it to herself and to the other females to make her stand here and now.

"Had you not been dragging her along behind you like a misbehaving dog I would have not had to interfere, as you put it. You injured her to the extent that she is, at the moment, with the healer. What you were doing was not discipline! It was abuse! Plain and simple abuse! Your daughter was terrified. And so were the other females present. So terrified in fact that no one would come to your daughter's aid when you were obviously hurting her." Sophie fumed.

Ron growled his rage at her. "You don't know what you are talking about girly!" He gritted out angrily. "Are you so damaged by your own childhood troubles that you see abuse where ever you go?" He smirked. "That's if what you say happened to you really did. I mean there was never any proof of what you said, was there?"

Rage, pure and simple rage, coursed through her and for the first time in more years than Sophie could remember she could feel her wolf rush forward. Her teeth began to lengthen, and fur pushed through the pores on her skin. She growled deep in her throat. And her wolf kept pushing. As her eye sight sharpened and her sense of smell heightened, her wolf rejoiced at the pungent scent of fear now emanating from the pathetic male before her.

"I don't care what you do or do not believe Ron! I know what I saw today and what I saw was you physically abusing your daughter! And I do not believe for one second that it was the first time. When she gets here, her alpha will speak to her and get the truth." Sophie looked around the room, realising that the other males standing around were very familiar. They were all the previous alpha's inner circle. These were the males who had done nothing to stop her torturer. And it did not surprise her one little bit they were here in support of a male caught hurting his child.

"I made a promise to the females of this pack this afternoon." She told them all, looking back at Zack, as he stood frowning behind her. A small part of her was surprised at his lack of interference. But he seemed.....happy? To let her continue. Sophie turned back to the older males.

"You older pack members seem to be under the impression that you are untouchable. That you can do what ever you want to whoever you want. It seems it has been that way for far too long. Well that stops now!" She made eye contact with every male present. Her inner wolf bright in her eyes. "Violence against other pack members will not be tolerated! No matter who they are to you, or what their rank in the pack is. No decent male, or female, should ever lift their hand in anger to a weaker wolf."

Sophie stepped forward putting herself directly in front of Ron, the scent of his fear still heavy in the air. "I am your Alpha female, and I have spoken! If you fail to comply with this very simple order the punishment will be swift and severe. Do I make myself clear?" The last was said with her wolf so present it was more of a series of growls than actual words.

Ron tried in vain to hold her eyes but satisfyingly quickly, could hold them no longer. His wolf more than aware that it was the less dominant in this battle of wills. As he finally lowered his eyes he slowly tilted his head to the side and gave her his throat. His obvious unwillingness to submit made her wolf howl at the sweet victory.

"I want to speak to your Alpha now." Sophie said calmly, her wolf receding slightly at his capitulation. "Wait outside to be called back in for your punishment." She looked at the other males present. "You can all leave now." She stated firmly. Leaving no doubt that she expected them to follow her order.

They all looked at each other before angrily striding out the main door and down the steps, Ron following slowly behind.

As the door closed, Sophie turned back to her mate, standing quietly at her back. The other two alphas had moved closer. "I meant what I said Zack! Things have to change in this pack. You have let your fathers influence linger for far too long. Those idiots believe they are untouchable. That they can get away with anything."

Zack frowned, and shot a quick look at the two council wolves standing by his side. "Can we talk about this in private mate?"

Sophie looked again at the older alphas. She realised she had to be very careful what she said. In her determination to expose the problems within the pack she had also exposed Zack and the pack to more scrutiny by the council representatives. She did not care in the slightest what became of his parents but she did care about the young that had been taken away.

She knew that the steps she had taken here today would go some way to bringing the young home. The changes she would ensure were implemented would help to prove to the council that they would be safe.

What she now wanted to know was why these males had still been getting away with their crimes after all these years.

And Zack better have a bloody good reason why those changes had not been made two years ago when everything came to light.