Sean shifts back to feet first, coughing into his hand as if his lungs are filled with fluid. Braxton snaps his canines at him, growling a warning. Sean flashes fang back as Braxton shifts back to feet, too. They are completely nude, of course.

I jerk my gaze away from them abruptly, blushing fiercely. Yup, they're well-endowed. Way to ogle them in front of everyone, Ili.

Twin growls draw my attention back to the males. My she-wolf blatantly checks them out, peeking out with one eye. Both Sean and Braxton flash smiles at me. Sean's is small, just a twist of his lips. His eyes are dark and predatory on me. Braxton's smile is a full grin, his lips peeling back to reveal teeth that look extra-white against the dirty, bloody skin on his face.

Blood. Georgina's blood.

"What did you do to her?" I ask, dazed. I can see Dad pushing his way through the crowd. All of the alpha female candidates and most of the Beta challengers are still close to the stage, swarmed by their friends and families.

"Alpha Carm took her," Braxton says a little too cheerfully.

I narrow my eyes at him. "What did you do to her, Braxton Grim?"

The two, feral beasts approach me, hemming me in. Every eye in the crowd is on us. Two savage beta contenders are posturing to the current Beta. Trying to intimidate her. Just like Alpha Conner's challenge, everything is out of place, unaligned and confusing. My body stiffens as they close in, but I refuse to flinch away in front of the entire pack.

"We won't hurt you, mate," Sean promises in a low purr. His eyes are ink-black. His body comes close enough to touch, but he keeps just enough distance that I only feel his warmth.

"I'll do better than not hurting you," Braxton adds. His shoulder bumps Seans and earns a hard jab to the side in return. They snarl at each other again, snapping their canines.

I straighten my spine, feeling furious. My she-wolf practically hisses in fury like a cat. "Excuse me? You won't hurt me?" I snap. "What makes you think that I won't hurt you in the Challenges?" Arrogant males. We all know I'll lose the Beta Challenge, but really? Don't say it to my face!

Something close to confusion flickers over Sean's face. Does he really think I'm that pathetic, that I need his stupid reassurances! I mean, yes he could easily hurt me, but hey, what's new? "What did you do to my sister?" I spit at him. My she-wolf snaps her teeth in the air, as conflicted as I am at the thought of Sean and Braxton hurting Georgina?

Sean looks down, shame-faced. "My mate," he murmurs, his tone oddly formal, "We could only bring you this." He stretches out his offer to me. Before I can accept it, Braxton snatches it and balls it up in his fist. I see the flash of gold before it disappears in his blood-stained hands.

"Idiot!" he snarls at Sean, bumping his shoulder. "You feral fuc-" he stops and slides an easy, reassuring grin at me. It's nothing short of macabre with the blood and dirt flecking his skin. My she-wolf sniffs at him suspiciously. Our weak bond flickers. This male is a good actor and we should remember that.

Sean stiffens, "that was for our mate, Brat," he growls. He reaches out and, faster than my eyes can follow, snatches the golden threads back from Braxton. He doesn't give it to me, though. My she-wolf eyes him, too. He's not as good at acting, at least not in her opinion. She can see the wild wolf imprinted all over him. It's as if he's a different wolf from before.

"Was that..." my voice trails off. My brain refuses to compute the thought that Sean was going to hand me a hank of Georgina's bloody hair. I have to be wrong. It doesn't make any sense. My she-wolf is spinning in circles, barking happily at the intended gift, but my brain keeps shouting the truth at me. Sean loves Georgina. Even if he's fallen out of love with her, she was his first.

I never thought he would hurt her. Revenge on my sister takes nasty in my mouth.

"Well, at least this is going to be interesting. The pack will need some entertainment," Alpha Conner mutters. "You two will fight last," he says to Sean and Braxton. "You know how this goes. The next two weeks will be dangerous for Iliana."

"No one will hurt our mate," Sean says.

"Why do you keep saying 'ours?" I snap, affronted at the clear bait-and-switch Alpha Conner is pulling. "I do not belong to either of you!"

"Because women belong to themselves!" Bailey adds hotly.

We must look like a bunch of loons, standing on the stage. The new alpha looking amused while his luna glares at him. Two feral nutcases pacing possessively around me. Me. Confused and irritated.

"But I belong to you," Alpha Conner croons at her. I watch Bailey soften with a pout.

"We are yours," Sean cuts in, looking at me.

"I'm yours more," Braxton adds.

Trey Wilkinson suddenly bounds up on the stage. As he does, I realize that he didn't line up for the position of Beta. He may be the only younger male who could take the spot from Sean or Braxton. He gives Alpha Conner a significant look and nods.

"Let's go see Uncle Alex," Alpha Conner says grimly.

It feels strange to be included in this group. Sean and Braxton fall into place on either side of me and just a step behind. I think they're hitting each other behind my back if the thwacks I'm hearing are any indication. Alpha Conner and Luna Bailey stroll ahead, smiling casually as they say goodbye.

Trey is our front, away from our group, away from everyone as the crowd parts to avoid him.

Where is the Beta family? I mean, Braxton's family? Where's my family?

The door behind Alpha Alex's... former Alpha Alex's... office closes behind us with a decisive click.

Alpha Conner is in Sean's face a second later. "Back off," my new alpha snarls. "You're only free from your little cage to protect Ili, got it?"

"Yeah," Braxton adds. A half-heartbeat later, it's Braxton who has an angry alpha snapping his canines in his face.

"Alpha Conner," I blurt out quickly, "why did you do that?"

Alpha Conner eases back from his younger brother. Braxton wisely keeps his head angled down, submissive to his alpha. "You'll be the perfect Beta one day," he brags.

I frown. "You can't possibly think that I can actually be the Beta," I tell him slowly.

He walks to his desk and sits down, grinning. "I can, actually, think that you will be my Beta." He tugs Bailey down into his lap. She already has her laptop open in front of her. The desk, I realize, looks new, and the office is different from what I remember seeing in Alpha Alex's place.

So... Alpha Conner must have know the Challenge was coming tonight? But then, why didn't he issue the Challenge to Alpha Alex instead of the other way 'round?

I push that thought away to focus on the important one at hand. "Alpha-"

"Call me Conner, Ili," he interrupts, resting his chin on Bailey's shoulder.

"Conner," I say again. Two low growls split the air.

Once again, Alpha Conner interrupts me, "you need to protect her, not be two jealous fucks over other males talking to her."

"Conner," I say a little louder, "I can't be a Beta. If I'm not strong enough to be Bailey's alpha female, then how can I be-"

"Sean and Braxton are your strength, Ili. It's genius," Conner boasts, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Stop interrupting her," Bailey scolds, speaking for the first time since we walked in here. "That's three times in the past two minutes." She doesn't look up from her laptop.

Conner's arms drop. He actually looks shame-faced as he apologizes to me, "I'm sorry, Ili. There's just a lot going on and I can't waste time with my Beta second-guessing herself."

"Right. Except it doesn't make sense," I argue. "The Beta shouldn't need protection, first of all. Second, why them?" I glare at the two males in question. Braxton grins back. Sean appears as if he's ignoring the conversation completely, alternating between staring out of the window and at me.

"You can choose others," Conner muses. Another set of growls pierces the air. Sean and Braxton move closer to me. "Except that they won't allow it. I think you're stuck with them, Ili."

"But, it's your choice what role they will have," Bailey adds from Conner's lap. "If you want to ignore them and date someone else-"

"Then that male loses his dick," Braxton snarls.

"Don't interrupt your luna," Conner snaps. Hypocrite.

"I'm not trained to be a Beta," I say desperately. My wolf scratches at me. The flare of pain making her position clear. She's already warmed up to her role and her males. Goddess, I'm screwed.

Sean and Braxton both move closer to me in tandem, hemming me in a bit. My she-wolf cowers a little, taking comfort in her alpha and luna's presence. We both ignore the slight sting of mating venom welling in my mouth. That is so not happening.

The males back away, still circling me, but not so close that I can't breathe.

"Sean and Braxton are the strength." Conner inhales slowly, his harsh glare falling on first Sean, then Braxton. "I know they fucked up. Hell, it's why they can't be Betas. You, on the other hand, are hard-working, smart, well-liked, and you hold their balls in your claws. It's brilliant, you have to admit. Uncle Alex came up with the details," Conner admits.

"Where is Alpha Alex?" I ask, feeling desperate. I need to cut this idea off at the source, former alpha or not. Not to mention that I don't want to hold any balls. Not at all. Or lick them, I add for my she-wolf's benefit.

Conner's face darkens as he joins Sean at the window.

"Police are here," Sean intones from his post at the window. The flash of red and blue flicker over the bookcases and walls in the office. We are all drawn to the windows like moths to a flame. My heart starts to beat in my throat as the nerves hit.

Over the landscape crawls vehicle after vehicle, strung out in a line. I can see the pack outside moving around uneasily. Several wolves disappear into the woods nearby. More head towards their own cars. The line of red and blue vehicles pass by. Illuminated by the flashing lights and the lights from our party, we can all read the different law enforcement names on the sides of the vehicles. The county sheriff's department is first followed by SUV after SUV labeled with F.B.I.

They stop in front of Alpha Alex's house.

---

"Fuck. What's happening, Con, Bails?" the Brat asks.

"Alpha Alex is being arrested for credit fraud," the luna says quietly.

"How the fuck?" the Brats sounds completely bewildered. We edge closer to him. He buries his insanity deep, but we know it's there. It stinks on him, bitter and desperate. We clasp his shoulder hard, letting him know we will contain him as he contained us earlier with the Other female.

"Years ago, he would purchase up debt that our pack owed with a shell company. He paid pennies on the dollar for it, then only pursued collections with other wolves and humans, never ClearHowl. This was before he made so much money," the Alpha says.

"That's illegal?" the Brat asks. He jabs us in the ribs. We let him go for now.

The Alpha glowers out of the window. It is a good thing he is not outside to confront the humans. We could not contain this male if he wanted bloodshed. "It's the Council pursuing this, egged on by all the small packs. We suspect it's a team effort with the Council up in Canada."

"The TrueBorn took the north," we tell them. The Brat, the Alpha, and our Luna look at us. We wait for our mate's soft grey eyes to turn our way, but she is still staring out of the window. It aches when she doesn't look at us.

"Their little girl panties are in a bunch over it," the Brat finishes our thought for us.

"Yes," we agree.

"What should we do?" our mate stares at the Alpha.

"Hide inside? I guess we're doing it," the Brat answers, glaring at the Alpha. The Brat's easy smile can't hide the predatory look deep in his eyes. He is eager for our mate. His Mark on her has not festered, but neither is it complete. We have Claimed her body, but he is trying to Claim her soul. He will act brash and thoughtless to try to prove himself to her. It is a good thing we have two minds, then.

"The pack needs to be reassured," the Alpha says easily. "We'll go outside in a minute."

"Where's Dad?" the Brat asks.

"Up north," we reply. "He is not the sort to stay behind and allow others to go to war." It itches at us, too, but we will not leave our mate's side again.

"Fuck," the Brat sighs. "This is war?" His eyes stay on our mate, never leaving. His soul yearns for her, but he does not understand. She is Beta. She owns us.

"Inuit has twin sons," the Alpha replies. "You met them, Brax. Those two will easily rule the north when their time comes. Their daddy already took over multiple packs and is still going at it. His sons will be just as capable of ruling."

"So..." our mate murmurs quietly, "two alphasons could take over even more packs?"

"War," the alpha responds. He encircles his luna in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Will Uncle Alex be sent to human prison? Really? And what about Uncle Lyall?" the Brat asks, sounding a little desperate.

"We'll get him out, soon. They thought by doing this it would weaken ClearHowl," the Alpha explains quietly. "They wanted to arrest Dad and Uncle Alex, then go after Carmichael. I think they assumed that I wouldn't be able to hold the pack."

"Because I'm human," the Luna says sourly.

"And because we were locked up," we say.

"That bitch must be a spy!" snarls the Brat.

"What did you do to Georgina?" asks our mate.

"We need to discuss that," the Alpha gives us another hard look.

"Carm took her with him. Said he knows where to put her," the Brat scowls at the floor, kicking his toe at the wood. "He also mentioned hybrid wolves," he says quietly.

The alpha blows out a breath, but before he can say anything, one of the human vehicles pulls up outside.

"Shit. I need to talk to these fuckers," the Alpha mutters. "You need to calm the pack down, Ili. Take these two schmucks with you."

He and the luna leave, hand-in-hand. Our mate stares after them, looking lost and worried.

"Beta," I murmur quietly to our mate, "Take the luna out to the pack. We will go with you to protect you."

Her eyes turn to me, flashing angrily. Her pretty lips part to scold us, but she bites back her words. A true Beta. Thoughtful, understanding, smart. Utterly breathtaking.

"Yo. We need showers. And clothes. Fuck, we'll be arrested just for indecent exposure, let alone the blood all over us," the Brat protests.

"Fine. You two shower and... get lost or whatever," our mate says frostily. "I have to find my family and try to explain why you're covered in my sister's blood, I'm the temporary Beta, and Alpha Alex is being arrested for credit fraud from decades ago. Not the murders or the kidnappings or unlawful imprisonment, but fucking credit card fraud!" she yells.

We capture her wrist. Only her wrist, dainty and soft like a bird's wing, but it steals our breath. Our feet shakes his head, bewildered at his own stupidity. How did he ever hurt such a creature? Our fingers wrap around her wrist and then some. So delicate, but her bones are made of pure steel. Need, white-hot, races down our spine and settles in our belly.

"Let me go," she says breathlessly. "I... um... I have to go outside..."

"You will come with us while we clean ourselves," we command. We will not let her out of our sight again.

"Let her go, you feral fucker," the Brat rolls his shoulders, eyes flashing. We understand his anger. He wanted to touch our mate first.

Our mate goes pale. "Don't call him feral," she snaps at the Brat. He bows his head, cowed, his wolf howling madly at the rejection. "Sorry, Braxton. I just... he's right," she says quietly, to herself we think. "If I go out there by myself one of the Beta Challengers may kill me early. You two really need to shower, though. You reek."

"You will come with us," we demand again. Our grip is formidable, but not tight enough to hurt her. We can see the debate in her eyes, but our smart mate quickly realizes that it will do no good to argue when the pack needs her.

"Fine. Hurry up," she snaps.

We release her wrist and follow our mate as she hurries from the room. The Brat is next to me, grinning madly, the predatory light shining deep in his eyes.

---

"Do you wanna wash me, Ili-doll?" I ask as we enter a clean, plain white room guest room. Sean follows, his wolf shining from his eyes, his claws restrained, if not contained. I can't fucking believe he grabbed Ili with those suckers out. He could have hurt her.

"Just shower, Brax," Ili snaps.

I'm smiling like a lunatic as I turn on the water and step into the huge stand-in shower. First of all, I'm back with Ili. Second, Conner didn't boot my ass right back to prison. Third, my female is Beta. Fourth, a fucking shower sounds like sheer happiness.

I don't even wait for the water to warm up. I don't need it warm, I just need to wash the filth off. Groaning, I tilt my head into the spray, holding my arms to the side so that the other jets hit my body. Pure delight.

I feel him join me. This feral fuck can't wait? Turning around, I glare at Sean through the water falling in my face. He ignores me, his eyes pinned to Ili as he vigorously rubs soap over his body. He's showing off for her, his sinewy muscles highlighted by rivulets of soap bubbles and water running down his clean skin.

Scowling, I grab the shampoo bottle and dump some of it directly on my head. My hair is longer and when I scrub my fingers through it I can feel the grit and sand from our mountain prison. I spin and show Ili my back and ass. They look good after all the work I did up north. Not to mention, boring, repetitive prison workouts featuring as many different ways I could think of to do squats. Spoiler alert: there's only one way.

A knock on the door draws Ili away. Sean moves before I do, cutting her off before she gets to the door. I open it to see Trey Wilkinson standing there, eyebrows quirked, a bag of clothes in his hands. "Hurry up," is all he says as he hands me the bag.

I grunt in acceptance of his offer and hurry back to the shower to rinse the suds from my eyes. Sean and I dart back to the shower and resume cleaning. Ili occupies herself with sorting the clothes, her eyes refusing to stare at us no matter how we posture and flex. Sean and I might as well be invisible.

Except the sweet scent of her arousal mingles in the air with the scent of lemon soap and floral shampoo.

We both step out of the shower at the same time. I cut the water while Sean towels himself off then holds out his hands to accept the clothes Ili offers him. I follow, eagerly, and take the bundle of cloth she hands me next. She's blushing, shy, but the stiffness of her shoulders tells me that she's not ready.

I've pushed her enough when she wasn't ready. I won't. Her mouth looks so inviting and the sweet curve of her neck is gorgeous and my Mark... goddess.

A familiar hand comes down on my shoulder. "Easy," the feral fuck mutters.