Kara watched as SeoHyun fidgeted beside her. She knew SeoHyun wasn't looking forward to the banishment process. It was going to hurt and neither girl looked forward to it.

There was a fear among the pack that it would likely almost crush SeoHyun to have the support of the pack ripped away from her and nobody looked forward to her regressing to what she had been when she arrived in Aspen Creek.

Bran sighed he knew he had to banish the girls so they could integrate into the Golden Gate pack, but he didn't look forward to it. They were so young and innocent and he knew it would be bad, especially for SeoHyun, but he had faith that Thomas would take care of them; he didn't seem the type not to keep his word.

He had decided it would be best to travel with them to San Francisco and release them there so they didn't have to wait long to be integrated into a new pack. He knew Tommy was planning to integrate SeoHyun first as they had knowledge that she didn't do well without the support of a pack. Kara could handle herself better and had already assured him that if she had to stay a lone wolf for a day or two she would be just fine but begged that SeoHyun not have to experience the same treatment as she feared SeoHyun wouldn't do so well and would likely regress to what she was when Charles and Anna rescued her from San Diego.

Bran and Tommy had agreed and it was set that SeoHyun would be banished and brought into the Golden Gate pack with only a bare few hours in between for the sake of her own sanity. Kara would wait until the next morning to give Tommy time between the integrations.

Charles stepped up behind SeoHyun as Bran prepared to banish her from the pack with a flesh and blood banishment ceremony. SeoHyun already had tears in her eyes which made the whole process harder for him but it had to be done.

Tommy was in the next room as he felt this wasn't something to be witnessed by a stranger, she was with her family and that was best for her in that moment.

Bran took a hold of SeoHyun's right arm he had selected that because she was left handed and it would be easier on her if the wound wasn't on her dominant arm.

Just as had happened in the bonding ceremony a bit of flesh and blood were required but it was now SeoHyun's and not Bran's that was taken and Bran hated this with a passion, having to hurt his granddaughter seemed wrong, but he knew she would be okay soon enough.

"I am sorry, child, this won't be pleasant." He told her.

"I know; grandda." She took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"That which was bound by alpha's flesh and alpha's blood is bound no more. Alpha's flesh, alpha's blood returned from whence it came. No more to run, no more to hunt no more to fight. No more to answer the call of the pack. Banished, pack no more."

Bran could barely force himself to cut a small bit of flesh from her arm and swallow it as required by the ritual in symbol of returning what he had given her that day years before. His wolf was protesting this more than it had anything in years; she was his in every way that mattered and hurting her went against his very instincts. Her sobs made it worse and it took everything Bran had to get him back under control to banish Kara.

SeoHyun crumbled as the bonds severed and she found herself alone in her head for the first time in four years. Her knees gave way and Charles eased her to the floor so she didn't fall. He held her tightly as she sobbed and cursed the helpless feeling in the pit of his stomach. This was his pup crying in his arms and there was nothing he could do about it. He had to shove back brother wolf who was raging in protest to what was happening, he hated this as much as any of them did and he was wondering, not for the first time, if they should have brought Anna on this trip to help them hold onto control as they were removing SeoHyun from the pack bonds.

Kara took the banishment a lot better than SeoHyun did as they had all expected. She was strong and dominant meaning it was easier for her to stand on her own.

Bran gave Tommy the signal that it was okay for him to come in as SeoHyun calmed down. She was better but she wouldn't be 100% until she had a pack to lean on. They had been in his house the whole time so it wasn't a surprise that Tommy was nearby to hear the call. Tommy had decided to let SeoHyun physically heal and recover for a few hours before he put her through the ritual to integrate her into his pack, but after seeing how badly she reacted to the banishment he was beginning to second guess that idea. It was clear the girl needed a pack more than most wolves he had seen in his short time as a werewolf. He also wondered if she was ready to leave the Marrok pack at all she was young and had seen things no child should. Did she still need to be in Aspen Creek despite her desire to go to college? She was so fragile and in need of protection that she likely would get better with her in the Marrok's care.

SeoHyun looked at Tommy, meeting his soft brown eyes for a split second before her submissive instincts made her look away. Her face was blotchy and her eyes puffy from crying. She hated the feeling of not having a pack, she felt insecure and her mind was haunted by the San Diego pack alpha's words that she was worthless and unlovable even though she was in Charles' arms and she knew he loved her dearly. She still thought of herself as ugly despite what everyone in Aspen Creek told her of her beauty. She just couldn't see it in herself even after getting the complements for four years. She still believed herself to be ugly.

It took a lot of effort for her to push away from her father and walk over to the man that would be her alpha.

"Thomas James Oliver, alpha of the Golden Gate pack, I officially petition to join your pack." She said far too formally. She hadn't needed to go through the formal request procedure, Bran and Charles both told her that this alpha wasn't one to stand on formalities and a simple 'Can I join your pack?' would have sufficed.

"Accepted, and you can call me Tommy." He told her placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her what soothing energy he could, it would be easier once she was tied to him for him to influence her and sway her back to calm. It was clear to him that there were a lot of things going on in SeoHyun's mind that would need to be dealt with.

Kara wasn't as formal with her request but she too was accepted without question and Tommy announced that he would have preparations finished to integrate SeoHyun within the next two hours and Kara would be integrated at ten thirty the next morning so she didn't have to stay a lone wolf for more than one night.

Bran appreciated that Tommy had made accommodation for SeoHyun's unique needs.

Charles and Bran stayed with SeoHyun until Trent came to get her and take her in for the bonding ceremony.

SeoHyun seemed to ease once the bonding was completed and Tommy's influence washed her with calm. She could feel why everyone said he was like Samuel, his energy reminded her of her uncle which made submitting to him easier as he made her feel safe and at home.

"Welcome in," he whispered as he embraced her.

"Thank you." She replied returning the embrace she felt safe there.

It was hard for her to watch Charles and Bran leave but the feeling of her new alpha behind her, his arms around the top part of her shoulders made it easier to stand her ground when every instinct wanted to run after the men that had made her feel safe for once in her life.

"You're going to be okay, SeoHyun, I promise." Tommy assured her as he gently squeezed her shoulders.

"Then why is it so hard to watch them leave?" she asked wiping tears from her eyes.

"That's your family, SeoHyun, of course it's going to be hard to say goodbye, but you know you can go back for vacations." He said softly, trying his best to reassure her that she would be fine.

"I know. Let's go back to the house."

"Okay."

Tommy guided her into his jeep and they started driving back to the house from the airstrip his pack maintained.

"It'll all be okay, SeoHyun, I promise." Tommy assured her.

To Be Continued…