The gang was running on a dirt trail, leaving the dust behind as they run. "Man, I'm getting tired!" Hige complained as he left to the ground on his face, causing everyone to stop and look back at Hige with Blue on his side.

"Oh, come on Hige. It's not that far." Esmeralda said after she placed her hands on his hips.

"No offense, Esmeralda, but this isn't what I call a shortcut." Tsume said.

"Yeah, plus I'm getting hungry. I blame you for claiming that you know a shortcut." Hige complained some more.

"It is shortcut, plus I thought you said that you guys said you wanted to meet my clan." Esmeralda as she turned around and continued walking into the direction they were heading.

"Wait, you mean…" Toboe mumbled.

"Yeah, we're really close by."

Hige suddenly jumped on his feet and ran ahead of her. "Alright!"

Esmeralda sighed before she said, "Come on, guys. Let's get moving."

They ran beside her and finally caught up with Hige. As they got close to Esmeralda's home, they noticed a lot of wolves were running around, cubs playing with each other, wolves carrying dead animals in their mouths, but what really surprised the gang except for Esmeralda was that everyone stopped what they were doing at staring at Esmeralda with shock and happiness in their eyes.

"Umm…Esmeralda, where are we?" Toboe asked as he looked around the caves and mountains in the area.

"My home. Come on, it's this way." They followed her until they stood in front of a huge cave in their human forms.

Once they arrived, they noticed three people standing in front of them. One of them was a man who had shaggy midnight black hair that fell to his neck, a pair of red eyes, tanned skinned, wore a leather jacket with a white shirt underneath, a pair of black jeans, and a pair of black shoes.

Another of one of them was a female with long straight white hair that fell to her elbows, a pair of emerald eyes, pale skin, wore a black jacket that went past her hips and the zipper was down, a tight red tube top that covered only her chest, a pair of navy blue jeans, and a pair of brown boots.

The last one was like another version of Esmeralda, except her eyes were red, her hair fell to her shoulders and her hair covered her left eye, and she wore a black spaghetti-strap tank top with a green long sleeve shirt that was transparent, a pair of black jeans, and combat boots.

The man walked towards the group while Esmeralda walked towards him. They glared and growled at each other the man said, "What do you think you're doing here? Get out of my sight!"

"Why don't you move out of my way, you old fart?!" Esmeralda shouted

The man growled before turning into a midnight black wolf and tackled Esmeralda to the ground. Kiba and others were about to jump in when they realized that the man was just licking her face while Esmeralda was laughing.

"Uh…unless they lick themselves to death here, I think we should cool it." Tsume said as he and others relaxed.

The man got off of Esmeralda and turned back into his human form before helping Esmeralda up who was wiping the saliva off her face. The two women ran towards Esmeralda and hugged her.

"Oh, Esmeralda, it's so good to see you again." The white haired woman said. "

Yeah, we've been worrying about you nonstop." The 'other Esmeralda' said.

"I'm sorry that I worried you guys so much." She said as she hugged them back.

They pulled away before Esmeralda and the man hugged each other. "It's so good to have you home."

Esmeralda pulled away and turned to her gang. "Guys, this is my old man and father Ryou, my mom Ayumu, and my twin sister Scarlet. My parents are the ones who taught Scarlet and I everything we needed to know to survive."

Hige began to laugh. "Are you telling us that you were taught by old timers like them?"

The others back away from Hige as Ryou and Ayumu stood in front of him with a glare that could kill.

"Do you find that amusing, you little porker?" Ryou asked which caused Hige to be quiet.

Kiba walked up to Ryou and Ayumu. "Hello, I'm Kiba. It's nice to finally meet the parents of Esmeralda."

"I'm Toboe."

"I'm called Blue."

"Tsume."

"Nice to meet you." Ayumu said.

"Esmeralda, we've seen that you noticed a few new wolves in the pack." Scarlet said.

"Yeah, I did. They don't look like the ones we usually get."

"That's because they're not." Ayumu said.

"What do you mean?" Kiba asked.

Ryou walked to the edge of the mountain and pointed at a huge gang of bad looking wolves. "That pack belongs to my older brother. He's been planning to overrun me for years. He thinks that we should follow his way of life instead of our own." He explained.

"Then why aren't you doing anything about it?" Tsume asked.

"That's the thing. I can't." Ryou looked down in shame, which worried Esmeralda.

"What does he mean?" Blue wondered.

"Let's just say that things have changed since Esmeralda left home." Ayumu said as she and Scarlet looked away.

Esmeralda walked towards her family and said, "I have missed you guys."

"And we have missed you…" Scarlet said before she and their parents kneeled down on their knees to her. "Princess Esmeralda."

Esmeralda looked out on the edge to see all the wolves in her clan kneeled for her as well.

"Princess?!" Kiba and others were shocked.

"Oh yeah, I'm the first in line for running my father's pack if something were to happen to him. I guess I forgot to mention that to you guys." Esmeralda explained as she and her family walked inside the cave.

"Tsume, did you know that?" Toboe wondered.

"Let's just go." Tsume said as he walked inside with the rest following him.

Everyone was outside in the bonfire, even Kiba and the others. However Tsume didn't see Esmeralda or Scarlet around.

"Come one! Come all!" One of the male wolves shouted as he appeared out of nowhere next to Ryou and Ayumu. "Hurry, hurry, here's your chance. Here's your chance to see the mystery and romance."

When he left, Ayumu giggled while Ryou patted her head gently with a smile.

"Come on, everyone! Come see the finest girls in our pack. Make an entrance to entrance; Dance la Scarlet and Esmeralda…Dance!"

On the last word, he disappeared out of thin air and Esmeralda and Scarlet appeared in his place. Esmeralda wore a gypsy style burgundy dress with a teal waist scarf with gold coins and teal sheer sleeves with burgundy sequins while Scarlet wore a gypsy style green dress with a black waist scarf with gold coins and black sheer sleeves with green sequins. They also had a golden anklet on both of their feet.

All of the male wolves including Tsume were awed struck at the sister's beauty; Tsume was focusing his attention on Esmeralda. Music filled the air as the girls began to dance around the bonfire and danced with each other at some moments.

"I didn't know Esmeralda could dance like that!" Toboe exclaimed.

"How beautiful." Blue added.

Esmeralda and Scarlet spotted their father and ran over to him. Esmeralda pulled out a transparent purple scarf and wrapped it around his neck playfully; Scarlet used it to pull him closer to his daughters. They moved in to kiss him on his cheek, but jumped away at the last second. Ryou chuckled at their amusement as well as some others.

Scarlet continued her dance while Esmeralda did a cartwheel. She did a split and flipped her head back to see Tsume looking at her. She smiled and winked at him. Tsume saw this and blushed a bit. Two random wolves tossed a spear, one for Scarlet and one for Esmeralda after she got up. They caught the spear, stuck it in the ground and spun around before doing a theatrical pose. They came together and did a final pose.

The whole clan started cheering for them, even Esmeralda's friends cheered for them. Ryou and Ayumu applauded them for their great performance as Esmeralda and Scarlet threw the spears in the fire and sat next to their parents.

Ryou stood up and shouted, "Can I have everyone's attention?" Everyone got quiet and looked at him. "I like to welcome back my daughter, Esmeralda, and welcome her friends to our home."

Everyone cheered as Esmeralda waved at them. Some girls bought out a big plate of rabbit meat, deer meat, and some bird meat.

"Go on guys, eat up." Esmeralda said as her friends were shocked at the large amount of food they were offered.

Suddenly, everyone grabbed as much as they can and ate it quickly before going to another piece of meat. "I'm guess you've got your manners while traveling." Tsume joked.

"Hurry or you'll not get any!" Esmeralda shouted before she went back to eating.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Hige exclaimed before he and the others grabbed some meat and ate.

After everyone was done eating, they heard running noises. Esmeralda looked up to see a pack of wolves were coming their way. Everyone kneeled down; including Esmeralda and her family. Kiba and the others did the same. The pack stopped their running and stood in front of Ryou and his family.

"All hail the leader of our pack!" Ryou shouted. Esmeralda looked up and gasped to see who it was.

The leader was a male wolf with midnight black fur and crimson-red eyes; but in his human form, he had long black hair that fell to his mid-back, crimson-red eyes, a red band over his head with his fringe emerging over it, tanned skinned, a black leather jacket, black fingerless gloves, a white beater, black pants, and black shoes.

"Uncle Leon?!"

"Surprised to see me, my little niece?"

She glared at him and shouted, "Surprise to see that you're still alive!"

He glared at her. "Oh, that? Well, after you replace me as the leader of the attack force, I got bored. So, I took off, ran a wolf pack of my own, and defeated your father for his title as leader of his pack. But enough about me, I've got a surprise for you."

He and the wolves behind him stepped aside to reveal a male wolf in his human form. He has grayish hair, blue eyes, peach skinned, wearing a blackish-brown zipped-up jacket with a red shirt underneath, a dog tag, a pair of tanned/beige pants, and black and white shoes. He walked towards Esmeralda, grabbed her hand and brought it up to his lips to place a kiss on the top of her hand; surprising Esmeralda in the process.

"Esmeralda, meet your new mate Masaki." In the background, Tsume was glaring at Masaki while he and the other wolves behind him stood on their feet.

A brief moment of silence filled the air until Esmeralda said, "My…mate? But I can't…"

"You can and you will. You see, my little niece, this young wolf is my second-in-command and a prince of a very royal wolf pack. I was thinking that I would kick back and relax here while Masaki takes control of my pack. I arranged this marriage just so you could save your precious home with the power of yours and his pack combined. If the wolf can't mark his mate, then you can kiss your home and people goodbye." Leon explained.

Esmeralda looked at her family before closing her eyes. Masaki pulled Esmeralda into his arms, bringing her closer to him. "I'm sure that we'll be…very happy together." Esmeralda said before Masaki placed his thumb and first finger on her chin and made his look into his eyes.

"I can't wait to take you to my homeland. I'm sure you're going to love it." Masaki said.

"Which, I should tell you, is very far away. We shall celebrate my niece's wedding at moonset, tonight!" Leon announced before everyone cheered except for Esmeralda, her friends and family, and Masaki.

"Esmeralda, are you sure?" Blue asked.

"Yes."

"Take the princess to her cave so she can prepare." Leon ordered before two of his men followed Esmeralda to her room/cave.

"And keep an eye on her friends." Causing them to glare at Leon, who smirked and walked away. Tsume narrowed his eyes at his back.

Kiba and the others were inside a cave that Scarlet showed for them to rest a bit. "I can't believe that Esmeralda grew up in a place that looks so much fun!" Toboe said.

"You said it! I wouldn't mind living here forever." Hige said as he laid back.

"How could you even think about stupid things like that? We can't let Esmeralda go through with this; after all we've been through." Tsume said as he clutched his fist until his knuckles were white.

Kiba smirked at Tsume and asked, "Are you sure that you're not…jealous?"

"Of that guy?! You saw her face, she doesn't even like him."

"That may be true, but maybe she doesn't need to. Things are different here; who are we to question her culture?" Blue asked.

"Her uncle set the whole thing and he's bad news in my book. How do we know if any of this is really?" Tsume brought up a good point.

"Alright then, Hige, Toboe, the three of us are going to check out Leon's pack. Blue, see what you can learn about Masaki. And Tsume, you could…" Kiba turned to see Tsume was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Toboe wondered.

"Probably to go see Esmeralda…" Kiba mumbled.

Kiba, Hige, and Toboe were sneaking around the area where Leon's clan was hanging out at. While walking, Toboe tripped over something and made him fall.

"What the heck are you trying to do? Trying to get us cau-"

"Wait. It's quiet…Way too quiet." Kiba stated before he looked in a cave to see some of Ryou's men in cages, looking weak, tired and hungry.

"Wolves in cages?"

"They've locked up some of Ryou's men." Hige stated.

"That means that there was no army." Toboe added before they heard noises from behind them. They turned around and saw some of Leon's men in their wolf form surrounding them.

"And it looks like Leon doesn't want anyone to find out.

Blue was wondering around Masaki's cave, trying to look for something there is to know about Masaki. She picked up a piece of a bone with some dead meat and flies on it.

"How disgusting." She muttered.

She put it back before she noticed a box at a corner. Right when she was about to look inside, she heard Masaki and Leon's voice. She hid somewhere where they wouldn't find her as they walked inside.

"Yes, my plan was brilliant, wasn't it Masaki?" Leon asked.

"Yes, sir. It was."

They walked to where the box was at as Blue looked up from behind a pile of something she doesn't care about at the moment.

"As we agreed, I give you my annoying little niece and you give me…" Masaki opened the box to reveal a dagger with a red jewel at the end of the handle. "Your great-grandfather's weapon. Sylvan Dagger."

Leon grabbed the dagger and clutched it in his hand. "With this weapon in my hands, I will control my brother's clan with an iron fist! No one will dare challenge me!"

Masaki noticed something and turned into his brown wolf form before tackling Blue to the ground. Blue tried to get out of his grip, but he was too strong for her to do anything.

"Well done, Masaki. You've discovered a spy." Leon said as he stood over them.

Esmeralda looked over at the dress she has to wear for the wedding she was forced to do. She started to remember all the times she spent with Tsume and others while journeying to paradise.

"Esmeralda." She heard a whispered and looked to see Tsume at the entrance.

"Tsume, thank goodness you're…I mean, I trust you're enjoying your stay?" Esmeralda asked as he walked towards her.

"Come on, we're getting out of here."

Esmeralda's happy face turned into a sad face as she looked down to the ground. "Tsume, I'm sorry but…I can't do that." Esmeralda turned her back at Tsume.

"Esmeralda, I know you. I know that you don't want to mate with this guy."

Mating Masaki is the only thing I can do for my pack; especially with the mistake I've made in the past. It's best for everyone."

"It's not the best for you."

"Tsume, if you can't be happy for me, then…don't even attend to my wedding." Her words shocked Tsume.

"Esmeralda…" Esmeralda turned to see Tsume was not there anymore. She sighed to herself before walking back in and getting herself ready.

The wolves dragged Tsume to a huge cage and threw him inside with Kiba, Hige, Toboe, and Blue.

"So…I guess we're going to miss the wedding?" Hige wondered.

"I couldn't talk her out of it. She has to mate with that guy…for her pack." Tsume said.

"No, she doesn't." Blue said.

"It's all a lie; Leon's army, the war, everything. Leon set her up." Kiba added.

"Then we have to tell Esmeralda the truth; before it's too late."

Esmeralda stared at the white dress she was wearing. Her dress was an off-the-shoulder dress that covered her ankles with sleeves covering her hand just a bit. She turned around and saw Ryou walking towards her.

"You look just like your mother when she and I were mating." Esmeralda looked away from her father. "What's the matter, Esmeralda?"

She looked up and smiled at him. "Nothing, everything is alright."

"Now, don't you even try to fool your own father; don't forget that your mother and I raised you and your sister." He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. "Your mother, Scarlet, and I have always expected great things from you, Esmeralda. Tonight, however, is no exception."

"Yes, I must do what is right for my pack, for the mistake I've made in the past." Esmeralda said as she looked down.

He placed a hand under her chin and made her look up. "You must do what is right…in your heart. Also, what happened in the past was not your fault. I'm sure they would've agreed if they were here right now."

"Ahem." They looked up to see Leon at the entrance. "Ready, Esmeralda?"

She turned to Ryou before they hugged each other. They pulled away and followed Leon.

Everyone was outside, waiting for the wedding to start. Music began to play as everyone looked at their right to see Esmeralda walking down with her Ryou.

While that was going on, Kiba and the others turned into their wolf forms and began to fight Leon's men while making their way to the wedding.

Once Esmeralda and Ryou made it to the front, Leon stood in front of her and Masaki while Ayumu and Scarlet stood to the side. Ryou turned towards Masaki and growled at him, which scared Masaki a bit. Ryou let out of Esmeralda and walked to his mate and daughter as Masaki stood side by side with Esmeralda. She looked around and noticed that Tsume and the others weren't around. She turned to Leon and asked, "Where are my friends?"

"Don't know, I guess they had better things to do. Now smile pretty for your new mate." Esmeralda slightly smiled at Masaki, who smiled back. "My brothers and sisters, we are gathered here at moonset to bind Esmeralda with this handsome young wolf in a joyous betrothal. Can any among us offer any reason why these two wolves should not be together forever?" Leon said.

No one said a thing, which is what Leon wants.

"I didn't think so." Leon turned his head to Masaki. "Do you, Masaki, take Esmeralda to be your mate as decreed the leader of the pack?"

"I do." Masaki said.

"And do you, Esmeralda, take Masaki to be your mate?"

She looked at Masaki. "I…I…"

"Yes, Esmeralda?"

"Esmeralda!" She turned to the voice and gasped when she was Tsume in his wolf form fighting one of Leon's men. The fight got everyone confused and asked what was going on.

"Silence. Silence!" Leon turned to Esmeralda. "Do you wish to do what is right and take him to be your mate?"

"I do…not!" Esmeralda glared at Leon.

He got so mad that he pulled out the Sylvan Dagger and aimed it at Esmeralda. "You bitch!"

Just when Leon was about to strike her down, Esmeralda jumped out of the way. "I thought we agreed you would do what is best for your pack, Esmeralda! You will mate with Masaki!"

Suddenly, Tsume and the others ran up to Esmeralda from behind before Esmeralda looked back. "Esmeralda! It's a trick, all of it! Your uncle has been lying to everyone."

Everyone was surprised at what they just found out as Esmeralda turned her head to Leon and glared at him. "You're not the best leader for this clan!"

"You dare challenge the leader?!"

Esmeralda ripped off the dress, revealing her regular clothes underneath. "I challenge my uncle…for the crown!"

Esmeralda and Leon turned into their wolf forms and began to attack each other with the dagger in Leon's mouth.

"Esmeralda!" Tsume was about to jump in to help her, but a hand stopped him.

"No." He turned to Ayumu who had her hand out. "If anyone interferes, the challenge is void."

"Which means that…my older sister would lose." Scarlet added.

"Let's not forget, Esmeralda can handle herself." Kiba said as he watched the battle.

Esmeralda have been dodging Leon's attack before she jumped over him and landed on a cliff. She kicked off some huge rocks with her legs, but Leon cut them in half. He looked up and noticed that Esmeralda tackled him to the ground. They rolled around on the ground, Esmeralda biting Leon on the neck while Leon tried stabbing her. He kicked her off and made her fly to hit a boulder. She turned into a human again before she got up and kicked some more huge rocks at Leon until dust covered him. She stopped kicking the rocks to see if it did anything.

Once it cleared up, it revealed that Leon was okay without a scratch on it. He turned into a human and waved the dagger in his hand. "Sylvan Dagger. With this, I'm invincible." He active the power of the dagger and each time he swings the dagger around, powerful air was hitting her. It was so powerful; it made her crash against a boulder.

"Besides…" Leon stood in front of her. "You'll always be my little niece."

Esmeralda glared at him as she stood up. "I am not so little anymore!" She grabbed a chuck of a rock and bashed his head to the side. He fell and grabbed his bleeding forehead. They got into fist-punching, kicking, and dodging each other's attack while Toboe, Hige, and Scarlet cheered her on. Leon pinned her down with the dagger next to her neck.

"You've grown weaker, Esmeralda." She kicked him off before they rolled down the mountain and ended up back to where the rest of the wolves were at with Esmeralda on her hands and knees and Leon standing in front of her. "That's right, bow down before your leader."

She glared at him and shouted, "You may be the leader of this pack, but you are not my leader!" He sent another powerful air at her, but she dodged it and got close to him. Right when she was about to punch him on the stomach, Leon jumped out of the way and noticed that Esmeralda was hiding something behind her back. He looked at his hand and noticed that dagger was gone.

"No…No!" She pulled out the dagger she stole and turned to her father.

"Father, catch!" She threw the dagger and Ryou caught it without hurting himself. Esmeralda turned to Leon and glared at him before going over to him and beat him up with her punches and kicks.

She jumped out of the way and looked to see Leon was down for the count and took off the red band from his head before tying it around her head.

She turned to all the wolves and shouted, "The challenge is complete! This clan has a new leader!" Everyone cheered for her as Masaki walked up to her with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Masaki, but there will not be a wedding."

"As excepted. If that is what you wish." He said.

"Also, I hereby banish my uncle from ever entering this place again." Esmeralda ordered as Leon was starting to wake up.

"Banish?!" He shouted as he stood up. "Are you joking?! Where am I supposed to live?!"

"Don't look at me." Masaki said as he turned his head the other way.

Leon was being taking away by his former men. "I won't forget this, Esmeralda!"

Tsume walked towards Esmeralda when she turned to face him. "So…now that you're the leader of this pack…I guess you'll be staying here?"

"I must do what it is best for my pack." She said before walking away.

All the wolves from below cheered on Esmeralda as she stood by her family and her friends were to the side.

"All hail Esmeralda!" Ryou cheered. The wolves cheered. "

Someone one very wise once told me that I have to listen to my heart. And so, I overthrew my uncle because he wasn't the best leader for this pack." She turned to Tsume and the others who had a sad look on their face.

She looked back and said, "Now, my heart is telling me…that I'm also not best to be your leader of this pack." All the wolves gasped as her family was shocked at what they just heard. "I've still got to find paradise and the flower maiden with my friends. That is where I belong."

She untied the red band before walking towards Ryou. "However, I'm leaving you in good hands." She tied the red band around Ryou's head. "To the man who took care of me as a cub." She stood to the side and shouted, "All hail Ryou!" All the wolves began to jump and howl with glee now that they've got their old leader back.

Everyone got off the cliff and right was the bonfire was at. All the female and male wolves were dancing around the bonfire in their human forms, looking happy.

Ryou stood in front of Ayumu with his hand out. "May I have this dance, my love?"

Ayumu blushed and said, "Why certainly." She placed her hand on top before they walked up to the bonfire.

"Got to admit something, Esmeralda, good looks definitely does run in your family." Hige stated.

"Yeah, your parents look just like the king and queen of a fairytale." Blue added.

"You ain't seen anything yet." Scarlet said before KIba and the others were awestruck but how Ryou and Ayumu were dancing. They did a pose where Ayumu was dipped down low while Ryou held her up with his arm around her waist.

"Ayumu is wonderful and Ryou looks so cool!" Toboe exclaimed.

Scarlet turned to Esmeralda and asked, "So, are you going to dance, Esmeralda?"

She got caught off guard when she heard that question. "Me?! I don't know."

Ayumu looked at Esmeralda as she stood up straight and smirked at her. Esmeralda glared at her, knowing that she was taunting her.

"Uh…Esmeralda?" Scarlet tried to call out for her.

Esmeralda grabbed Tsume by the wrist and pulled him forward. "C'mon, Tsume!"

Esmeralda and Tsume held each other's hand, standing in front of each other. "Okay then, and a one…and a two…and a three…" She mumbled as they began to move with Esmeralda leading.

"Esmeralda…this is impossible!"

"Shut up! I haven't dance since I was a cub on my birthday! Now, take a step forward!"

"Alright." He took a step forward and stepped on her foot, which caused Esmeralda to scream in pain.

"Hey, you said to step forward!" She responded by stepping on his foot, causing him to grunt in pain.

They stopped moving and stood still until they looked up and glared at each other. They turned in circles while trying to step on each other's foot. Ryou and Ayumu stopped moving also and watch them with amusement like a few other wolves did.

"Esmeralda! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down!" Scarlet tried to stop them, but she didn't listen. Scarlet started to get worried until Esmeralda and Tsume started to have some fun and dance in their own way. Tsume spin Esmeralda around and twirling her forward before twirling her back in his arms with her back on his chest. They were having so much fun; they were smiling and laughing with joy.

While they were dancing, Scarlet noticed a look on her sister's face that she hadn't seen before. She knew what it was and smiled at her. 'Way to go, sis!'

Ryou and Ayumu smiled at the young wolves before Ayumu asked, "Shall we continue?" He nodded before everyone began dancing again.

Everyone was having so much fun that Hige and Blue went up to the bonfire and began to dance.

"Umm…Kiba, Toboe?" They looked at Scarlet. "Thank you so much for taking such good care of my sister and for this amazing day. May I have the privilege of one of you two to dance with me, please?"

"I'll do it!" Toboe said before they both walked up to the bonfire and danced along with the wolves.

Tsume and Esmeralda were still dancing as they were talking, "I'm glad you still get to be with us on this journey…and not get married." Tsume said as he looked away to hide his blushed cheeks.

"Yeah, I want to find paradise, Cheza, and maybe find a mate of my own. Who knows, maybe I'll find one on the way to paradise." Esmeralda said with a smile.