Hey guys! Hope you all enjoy the year ahead, and enjoy the new chapter!

Kadea:

I needed my pack. I needed my Beta and my best friend Mae. I needed my Third, Fannia. I needed Falisha. But most of all, I needed my boyfriend. I needed Tiberio.

Dorian:

I knew first that the Kadea I had grown up with died when she scarred my face and neck. And I knew that it was my fault. I regretted that I had held back from telling her about that night, but my father had led me to believe that if I ever told her, he would do worse things than lock me away in a silver cell the first time I shifted from the full moon. I hated myself from believing him over her, but I had known that the threats from my father weren't empty, even as a ten year old boy.

I tried to move into a sitting position, but the force that Kadea had hit me across the face with had broken several bones, and I hissed through my teeth as the pain burned over my back. I sighed, and tried again, remembering one of the things Sorscha had told me: that if I didn't move into a laying down position, the broken bones would mend themselves in their current broken places. Then I had a thought. I could have sworn if anyone was near me then, a light bulb would have appeared above my head.

Sorscha. My pack. My pack's borders. The Alpha Council was being held on Hallivard – my pack – land this time. I raised my head, but paused as I remembered one of the Council rules.

During Council time, no Alpha will have any contact with their pack, unless ordered by the Superiors.

But the Superiors hadn't arrived yet, so technically we weren't in the Council yet. And even some half-witted human would be able to see that I needed immediate medical attention. I looked up at the sky for the time, and knew that there would be a few wolves Scouting around the borders right now. So, damning the consequences, I reached my head as far back as it could go, and howled.

A few long, agonising seconds later, and three members of my pack broke through the trees. Their eyes found mine instantly, and one of them raced off to get Scorsha, while the other two came and stood either side of me protectively. They didn't speak, and I was grateful for that small mercy, knowing that from last night I would barely have any voice left. I watched tiredly as the sun continued to sleepily rise from its night long rest, and my eyes went to two shapes as they raced towards us.

I felt my mood instantly lift as my eyes fell upon my Sorscha, and I smiled despite my injuries, though it quickly changed to a grimace as Scorsha shifted and placed a soft, warm hand on my back. Her green-flecked brown eyes were bright with worry, and she pulled something out of her medical bag that was slung across her shoulders. Her hand came around and cupped my face tentatively, and she placed a small vial against my lips.

"Drink, please, Alpha." Her voice was calm and soothing, and my heart fluttered in my chest. "It will ease your pain enough for me to set your bones correctly without you feeling anything."

With Sorscha's help, I swallowed the contents of the vial, and a sudden drowsiness overcame me.

"Wha?" I slurred out, and Sorscha smiled down at me. Well, it used to be Sorscha, at least.

In front of my eyes, I watched with growing horror as the girl I loved changed into another person. Sorscha's brown hair was replaced by short-cropped blonde hair, and her green-flecked brown eyes colour turned black with hauntingly poison green splotches. When the powerful glamour had finally been taken away from the creator, I tried to bare my teeth at the person who had been Sorscha only seconds ago. Calex DeAndre, leader of the Serpents, one of the largest Vampire Clans to ever walk upon the Earth, knelt over my paralysed body. Behind him, the two wolves let their glamours go, changing back into their natural Vampire state.

"I believe my clan has some requirements with you, Mr Hallivard," Calex purred.

But I could say nothing back to him as the poison he gave me earlier took my unwilling body into unconsciousness.

Maelynn:

I had been dozing lightly outside the pack's Healer's Ward when my Alpha contacted me.

Mae?

Starting, I was instantly alert. Kadea? What's wrong?

I left the Council early. I'm coming back home.

But Ka – you can't leave the Council until it's finished!

I don't give a shit. I'm coming home.

I sighed. How far away are you?

Walking along the end of Snowborn pack's East border, and about to cross over the top of Rowan's pack border.

Walking or running? I grinned.

I heard her snort. What do you think? Oh, and call the pack together, but don't tell them I'm coming back. I want to leave as much surprise on my side as possible.

Why the surprise factor?

Because, there's gonna be a few bombshells being dropped tonight, and they need to be prepared. My sudden appearance will surely be a nice warm up for everyone.

I nodded. Fair point. Fannia and Falisha?

They can know, but have Fali warned to not tell a soul. Not even her mate.

I nodded again. As the Alpha wishes it.

I didn't need to see Kadea to know that she had just rolled her eyes and sighed, but smiling despite herself. You know I hate you doing that.

You know that's why I do it, I grinned before ending the conversation to rally the pack.

A few minutes later, I had successfully gathered the entire pack together into the community room, and Fannia walked up next to me, her twin on her heels.

Is she here yet? Fannia asked me.

I shrugged. She hasn't contacted me. But when she told me to do all this, she was just going along Rowan Whitethorn's pack border. So I'm guessing she's either here now, or just about to arrive any second now.

Fannia nodded just as Kadea communicated with me down our bond.

Silence please.

I shifted and relayed the order to the rest of the pack, and over a hundred pairs of eyes turned towards the front where I stood with Fannia and Falisha flanking me in their wolf forms. I stood with my head held high, and eyes steely in dominance, and addressed them all.

"Wolfblood's of the Fireblood pack, I have gathered you all here early this morning on urgent matters. But, I cannot tell you of these matters myself."

Confusion rippled through the pack, and Fannia stepped forward, growling for silence. I nodded my thanks, and opened my mouth to continue when I was interrupted.

"Your Beta cannot tell you, Fireblood's, because your Alpha needs to do so herself." Everyone spun around to face the voice that came from the back of the room.

Standing there, oozing ease and neutrality, stood my best friend and Alpha, Kadea Alexandria. Her hands were spread wide from holding the heavy oak wood doors that were easily three times Ka's height, but Kadea made it look easy to hold them open while the pack's eyes roved all over her with shock, surprise, and wonder. But the Alpha's eyes weren't on the pack.

Our eyes met across the room, but not even the torches lighting the room could compare to the shining smile we shared together, and I could see the ever so slight tremble in her arms. I knew it was from relief though, not from the incredible amount of effort it would be taking to hold those doors open for that long. Standing tall, she took a step forward and let the doors swing shut behind her quietly, before she continued walking calmly down the middle of the room, the pack parting for her, heads lowered with one paw tucked underneath their bodies in a bow.

I had to admit, my best friend looked every inch royalty as she walked down the room with her head held high, and what I guessed was her dress from dinner earlier last night trailing behind her. The diamond jewellery and little crown sparkled in the torch light, and I knelt on a knee as Kadea stepped up the three steps leading to the platform. I knew the twins had followed suit behind me, and I also knew Kadea was hiding her grimace with a deceivingly bright smile. She touched my shoulder and I rose beside her, and smiled at her.

Why do you have to make everything so over the top if you hate it so much? I asked teasingly.

"Rise, my pack," Kadea said softly, hiding a smile.

The pack rose, and as one, we all listened as our Alpha explained what she was doing here and the events of the night. I knew she was leaving things out, but I knew she would tell me privately afterwards. After she had given her recap, Kadea patently answered all the questions the pack had, and within three quarters of an hour, the pack was still buzzing from having Kadea back instead of her being at the Council. But then she said something that I'm pretty sure no one expected.

"I spoke with the rest of the Alpha's as I was coming back here, and we all have agreed that we will meet again at a new location for the Council during the third week of next month."

Did Dorian agree as well? I wondered, but to my horror, a wolf in the crowd voiced the exact same question. Kadea's head snapped around to that Wolfblood, and I stepped up closer to Kadea and gripped her wrist to keep her from losing control. Without her telling me, I had known during the recap that something had happened between the two. The discreetly clenched fists, the tightness of her shoulders when she explained her kill, and how her voice had turned slightly plain and bored when she lied about having to kill Mr Hallivard. They were all little hidden clues that only I knew about, but I suspected that Fannia was onto it as well.

I took a breath. "Your Alpha has repeated countless times what happened during the night. In doing so Kadea has made some very serious and hard decisions about telling you all about it. The last remaining Hallivard son would have had to agree to the terms of the next Council, or else he would be questioned by the Superiors about why he refused. So yes. Dorian agreed to meeting for the next Council."

I felt some of Kadea's tension drain from her, and she tensed her wrist in gratitude. I squeezed her wrist back, letting her know that I understood. "For now, everyone, that is all I am capable of right now for the moment." Kadea ended, but then thought of something. "Hafiza, the Healer's Summit has been moved forward two weeks." Hafiza nodded, and left the room with her medical students-in-training following her. "The rest of you, you are all dismissed."

The entire room knelt on one knee with their heads bowed, before moving out of the room in an orderly fashion. As the last Wolfblood left the room, Kadea slumped against me, clutching me close in a tight hug. I clung to her with equal pressure, and Falisha left the room quietly, murmuring something about her mate needing her. The shoulder of my shirt started to get wet, and I realised with a start that Kadea was crying. I held her close, whispering over and over, "it's ok, it's ok. You're here, and nothing's going to happen to you."

She shook her head as she recovered, and waved Fannia over. She approached, and together we sat on the stairs going up to the platform, listening as Kadea told us the rest of the details she hadn't mentioned to the rest of the pack. We listened silently as she told us about Rowan being Aelin's mate, about how Aelin was her sister. Kadea then told us about what really happened that night, about her parents being murdered, andthe real reason why she killed Mr Hallivard. She told us about scarring Dorian's face, about the hunt during the night, and about the encounter in the clearing.

When she was finished, we all sat in silence, before Fannia and I broke it softly.

"So, when the Hallivards told you that your last name was Alexandria, it was all a lie?" I whispered.

At Kadea's nod, I sunk lower on the step and blinked in confusion and realisation. "My real name is Kadea Ashryver Galathynius, apparently." Ka said before turning to Fannia as she opened her mouth.

"So what happened to Dorian after you left him?" Fannia asked.

"I contacted the rest of the Alpha's to arrange the next Council, but didn't hear anything from him. He was probably sulking off in his pack somewhere." Kadea growled bitterly.

Fannia nodded and thought for a second. "Did you sense him on the bond though?"

Our Alpha cocked her head to the side. "No, actually. I didn't." I watched her eyes, and saw worry eating into the corners despite her feelings about earlier last night.

My heart went out to her, and I reached over and squeezed her hand. Ka looked over at me, and smiled sadly, squeezing my hand back. Something about that gesture triggered something in the back of my head that I needed to tell her about.

"Oh, Kadea, I need to show you something." Her eyes turned inquisitive, and I shook my head, pulling her to her feet. "You need to see it to believe it. Hafiza and Yrene have been in contact with each other, and they think they've discovered something that could change everything."

Kadea's eyes widened, and I grinned at her before running out of the room and down towards the Healer's Ward. Kadea quickly overtook me in her giant wolf form, and neither of us cared about how many walls she slipped, skidded, and smashed into in her haste to get the the Ward. She stopped just inside the door, and I led her down to one of the operating rooms. I paused outside the door, and Kadea looked curiously at me, both of us panting slightly from the run. I took a breath, and whispered.

"Remember, what Hafiza and Yrene have done, has changed everything." Kadea nodded her head, and I opened the door into the room.