The Alpha Twins

by laura-maeve

Roughly two years have passed since the Witch's War. Maddox and Ash Black have lived in bliss with their siblings and mates. Dox has been learning the intricacies of leading the Children while Ash quietly worries over the fate of his human mate. But drama stirs once again when Ryell, Dox's mate, is threatened. Dox, with Ash's help, will do anything to protect her. Rated M.

25. Chapter 25

Hey guys! I know I've been away for a super long time. This chapter was giving me severe problems. Things have changed and I don't know what's up and what's down or who is who. This chapter sort of changed things for me and the characters are playing cards close to their chests. We'll see. Hopefully I won't be away for so long again. I really wish I could find a way to thank all of you for sticking with me and checking on me. That means a lot.

Please Enjoy!

---

The Next Night

RyellPOV

My hand was shaking too badly to put on my eyeliner. Cursing, I slammed the pencil on the bathroom counter.

"I thought you said this thing wasn't formal?" Dox asked from the bedroom.

"I said it was casual. That means no cargo pants or t-shirts. These are the leaders that aren't quite allies yet, Dox. We need to show some decorum."

His voice got closer as he talked. "Yeah, but I don't see why I can't just wear a t-shirt under the suit jacket. They'll never know."

I looked up into the mirror to see him standing there buttoning the sleeves of his crisp grey shirt. He'd wanted black, but I felt it was too aggressive. White was too business-like. The grey was casual enough for what amounted to a cocktail party. My dress matched the shirt's color to perfection, making my strawberry curls bright and fiery. Both his shirt and my dress had open necklines to show off the marks on our throats as was custom.

He glanced up only to do a double take at my expression. "What's wrong?" he demanded, instantly worried. He tried to move quickly toward me but had to slow down when the wounds pulled. He was healing with all the fresh blood even since yesterday when he made up with his dad. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to hide the fact that he was injured. All today, he'd practiced walking without the cane, straightening his torso and stretching the wounds to accommodate. As long as he didn't make any quick movements, he could stand tall tonight and pass the injury off as a training injury.

Leaning on my arms, I sighed and hung my head. "I'm just nervous."

His big hands landed on my shoulders, thumbs pressing in to hit the tight spots. "I understand. I'll be there with you the whole time. Our dads are going to be there, too."

Despite the persistent nerves, the tension in my body began to die down with Dox pressed so close to me in his sharp slacks and well-fitted shirt. He was handsome, and I was proud that he was mine. I knew there were going to be some alpha female types at the small preliminary party tonight, and that they'd most likely try to get his attention. I'd expressed that fear which had made him suggest matching outfits as a show of solidarity. I was just insecure enough that I hadn't disagreed.

I felt his lips on the back of my neck. The touch made me shiver.

"We'll get through this. You're not alone anymore."

Looking up into the mirror, I smiled at his reflection. "It's really nice not to be alone."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, carefully leaning over to press his chest to my back, molding our bodies together. "Never. I'll never leave you alone. I need you, too."

Hugging his arms around me, I leaned my face against his. "Sometimes I just want to apologize for being your imprint." His body jerked against mine like I'd shocked him, but I kept talking because I knew that his question would be why. "You didn't ask to be dragged into this leadership role, but you're so amazing at it. I couldn't have asked for a better man to be at my side, to support my claim to succeed my father. You're right here with me, sharing the responsibility even though you didn't ask for this burden. I love you more and more every day for all that you do for me, for my people. You're such a blessing, Dox. I'd be drowning without you."

Dox's arms tightened, holding me as close as we could get without being naked, but he didn't say anything, just buried his face in my hair. Then he pulled back and gently turned me around. His hands rested on my hips as he lowered his head so that we could meet eye to eye. "Ryell, there is nothing about you or our people that is a burden to me. Fate saw fit to grace me with the honor of being your man, your mate. And I will do whatever it takes to always show how grateful I am. And if you drown, I save you or we drown together. To the very end."

Emotion choked me, so it was a good thing I hadn't been able to get my eyeliner on. The tears fell as I swallowed hard. "To the very end," I whispered.

His grin was fierce before turning up at one corner to a sexy smirk. "What do you say we go make these yahoos jealous?"

My grin matched his. "Sounds like a good time."

DoxPOV

Despite my attempts to make her feel better, Rye's nervous energy danced over my skin as we stepped into the rec cabin.

Those standing closest to us went quiet and the hush spread throughout the large room.

I gripped her arm tighter to my side where it was looped through mine. Her nails dug into the suit jacket on my arm as she clung to me. I was nervous, too, but I hated that she was nervous to the point of being scared. Some of these people were not our allies yet and we didn't need their approval.

So, lifting my chin, I met the closest male's gaze with a defiant one of my own. To my surprise, he dropped his eyes first. Behind us, I felt Jason and Dakota move up at our backs, doing their best to loom menacingly.

Looking around at the crowd that was now facing us, I realized that most of the females were dressed to impress, some in ballgowns while others were so scantily clad that calling it a bathing suit would have been too much credit. Some were just flat-out buck ass naked. To a single male, it would have been a wet dream to see so many bare breasts and asses. I did my best not to linger on any one of them so that they wouldn't think I was interested.

Instead, I leaned over to breathe in Rye's ear, "You're still the most beautiful female here, both in and out of your clothes."

Her blush deepened. She'd put her head down and flushed when she'd gotten a good look around. Now she tried to hide a smile by turning her face into my shoulder.

"You heathen," she murmured.

I chuckled as the slight scent of arousal came from her. We hadn't been intimate since I'd gotten sliced up. I was still healing, but that didn't mean I couldn't tease her mercilessly. The anticipation would make the act all that much more satisfying.

The crowd parted, giving us a path to the front of the room where our parents were waiting. Our moms were both in cocktail dresses, dads in suits. I wasn't surprised to see my siblings there with their mates at their sides. Cordy was absent as was Wren. Adults only to this little gathering. And thank God for that. I could only imagine Wren's reaction to seeing all the bare female skin in the room.

But as we walked through the crowd, warm electric power began to seep around us, saturating the air. For a few moments, the air was so solid with power that it was hard to catch a good breath. Trying not to panic, I forced myself to take deep slow breaths, but it still felt like I was trying to breathe molasses.

Beside me, Rye's power flared in response to the searching energy that was reaching out for us. And then I felt her power surround me. Suddenly, I could breathe again, my lungs taking the light air once more. I used my elbow to squeeze her arm to my side, letting her know I knew what she'd done for me. But instead of acknowledging me, she was glaring at the crowd with amber eyes, a low growl slipping between her teeth. I noticed that many of the wolves dropped their gazes as they met her glare.

As we reached our people, the glare and growl died down. And once nobody but our own people could see her expression, she took a deep calming breath and closed her eyes. Walker gave her a nod of approval and a small smile. We greeted our families before turning to face the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Walker started in a booming voice that carried throughout the room, silencing the whispers and murmurs. "I would like to present to you my daughter and heir to my position of pack leader, Ryell." He moved around us, moving Rye's hair from her neck and lowering my shirt collar. "And her mate," he said with emphasis. "Maddox Black."

The murmurs started up again, many females going up on their toes, straining to see us through the crowd.

One female, wearing a push-up bra and what I assumed was a thong, stepped forward. Under the lights, her skin sparkled. For a moment, I thought of the Cullen side of my family out in the sunlight, but I knew she wasn't a vampire. Her eyes were dark blue, and the energy she threw off screamed shapeshifter. So therefore, she was wearing more glitter than clothing. But her skin was a light caramel color, like she spent time in the sun. Her hair was brown, mahogany almost auburn and down to her waist.

The woman gave a barely perceptible nod toward Ryell before looking at me. Those eyes moved up and down before she looked at Walker. "I and my pack will not ally ourselves with an alpha female who is mated to a male not of her species." Her eyes moved back to me. This time there was appreciation and lust. "Now if he were just a lover she was willing to share, we could talk."

Rye stepped forward, her arm slipping from mine. A growl curled out of her throat. "Maddox is my mate, and I do not share what is mine."

The woman didn't back down. She growled back. "We do not mate anything less than an alpha male of our kind. Others are too weak." Her gaze came back to me. "I can smell the weakness on him. I could take him down myself."

Rye stepped in her line of sight. "Are you threatening him?" she demanded in a low voice. Movement caught my eye, and I looked down to find Rye's fingers tipped in claws.

I stepped forward, but Walker stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. When I looked at him, he shook his head, mouth set in a grim line. I looked back to the two females facing off. The other was older than Rye, but I couldn't tell by how much. Shapeshifters aged differently than humans, something about the disease in the blood.

"Why would I waste my time?" the other female growled. "I am alpha; he is nothing to me."

Rye's power rushed out of her and snapped like a whip against the other female. With a hiss, the woman jumped back, cradling her arm to her barely-covered chest. Her eyes were wide with surprise and fear as she rubbed a red welt that was appearing down the length of the outside of her arm from wrist to elbow.

"You might be alpha, but I'm more powerful than you," Rye said in a low voice. Her head lifted, and I was willing to bet her eyes were amber again. "Listen to me now and listen well." Once the room went quiet again, my mate threw down the gauntlet. "Maddox Black is my mate. If any of you came thinking to get into our beds, you might as well leave now. I will not share my mate."

Her head tilted in a way that I knew she was seeking my attention. I moved up beside her, taking her hand. "And I will not share my mate."

"If anyone disregards this warning," Rye continued, "if anyone approaches Maddox in any way other than friendship, I will see it as a challenge and act accordingly."

"The same for me."

One of the males stepped forward, sneering. "You can't challenge us. You aren't one of us."

That comment I could have ignored. But the next one that came out of his mouth made my blood boil.

"If I wanted your female, I could take her from you easily. I'd get more fight out of her than you. Deanna is right; you stink of weakness."

Behind me, there were growls from the family.

I glanced over my shoulder at them before a very evil smirk pulled at the corner of my mouth. Calmly, I slipped out of my suit jacket, handing it to my mother. Then I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt before tucking my hands into my pockets. Very nonchalantly with an expression as though I were thinking things over, I walked back through the crowd, past Deanna, toward the male. He wasn't that big of a guy. Very average. Shorter than me, thinner than me with nondescript brown hair and hazel eyes bordering on brown. But the power rippling off of him told me he was either the leader of his pack or damn close to the top.

He watched me with narrowed eyes as I walked closer to him and then started to circle him.

"What's your name?" I asked.

His shoulders tightened. "John."

"John," I murmured, placing the name with appearance. "Pack leader?"

"Second," he answered as I came to face him again. "Alpha female is too close to giving birth for Peter to be here in person."

My brows went up. "So, your pack leader cares for his mate and child?"

John's jaw tightened. "Yes," he said through clenched teeth.

"Tell me, did he mate for love or power?"

Now his eyes closed. "Love." But then those eyes snapped open to glare at me. "But she is one of us. You are not."

"I'm still a werewolf."

"But a different species. Weaker. And, I've heard that you and your siblings have vampire blood in your veins."

Murmurs started up again at that.

"And so, what if we do?" I asked as I started unbuttoning my shirt.

John frowned when he noticed what I was doing but answered my question. "Vampires are our enemies."

Pausing, I held up a finger. "Correction: the Volturi is our enemy. You should really get your facts straight before making accusations."

Turning so the room wouldn't see my still-healing wound, I pulled my shirt out of my pants and handed it to Rye. She gave me the barest of questioning looks before I nodded and finished undressing. Dad, Will, and Jules were all smirking as they realized what I was going to do. Ash pressed his lips together to keep from grinning. Mom was shaking her head with disapproval.

Taking a deep breath, I tilted my head, cracking my spine before reaching down inside myself to my wolf. The change came fast because I hadn't phased in a long while and before I knew it, I twisted around and was on all fours in front of John. Hackles raised, I growled as I padded forward, my claws clicking on the hardwood floor. John backed up, eyes wide, fear seeping out of his pores. I snapped my jaws a few times, driving the point home to make it stick. The crowd parted as he backed up, nobody helping him, until his back hit the wall. Sidling in close, I growled. John craned his face as far away as he could against the wall. In wolf form, my head reached his chest. Lifting my head, I snapped my teeth inches from the skin of his throat.

When I felt his fear turn to anger, I backed off and went back for my family. The crowd backed away from me, Deanna giving me a cautious stare that had just a touch of approval. In their world, brutality earned you respect. Did I care what they thought about me? No. But I didn't want them to cause problems for our pack. These people needed to know what Rye and I were willing to do to protect our people.

Rye was holding my clothes when I stopped in front of her and phased back. My chest and abdomen screamed with the change, but once I was back on my feet, the pain dissipated. As I reached for my pants, I glanced down. Everything was healing, and now all that was left were scars and only a few places that had yet to close all the way. Once I was mostly dressed, I looked up to meet Rye's eyes. I was surprised to find a burning lust there, her eyes flickering to amber and back again. Reaching under her hair, I cupped her face and brought her lips to mine. She fell against my chest, but I didn't care as the passion consumed us. Her nails dug into my shoulders as my tongue invaded her mouth, claiming her the only way I could and still be relatively decent.

When I pulled back, we were both breathing hard, and I was ready to take her. Instead, I wiped the lip gloss from her chin and around her lips to bring my thumb to my mouth. Mmm, strawberry. Her eyes went wide before going heavy and hooded, and her arousal was a dense perfume in the air. Walker cleared his throat, giving me a look over his daughter's shoulder.

Smirking as I went to buttoning the cuffs to my shirt, I casually turned around to face John and the room once more. Before speaking, I ran my gaze over the room, meeting some heavy glares here and there. Then I met John's stare and said, "Try to take her from me; I dare you. You might be able to grow some fancy claws, but I can change and have your throat ripped out before your next breath. And I was the one who killed Eleanora for what she'd done to my people, to my sister. Snapped her neck. Do you really think I'd do less for my mate?"

John glared at me. "You've made your point."

"Have I?" I looked at the room again. "Ryell and I are not available for anything involving sex or relationships with anybody but each other. I may not be one of you, but I love her. I am still a werewolf, and I can still be alpha enough for her. My bloodline is royal of sorts. I am the second born son to the alpha of my kind, and I will damn sure earn the title of Ryell's alpha male even if I have to beat every male in this room. No other male will have her. She is mine, and one wrong glance or touch toward her will be challenge between us. And know this: I will not hesitate to make the fatal move."

The room went absolutely silent.

Then a young man stepped forward, grinning ear to ear. "Well, I must say they certainly have my vote. Damn, what a show of power." He nodded in approval and started a slow clap.

I frowned. There was something familiar about him. He was my age, well-built but still slender. And if I'd thought John was powerful, he had nothing on this guy. His power snapped and crackled in the air, racing down my skin in a tingling line.

Behind me, Rye gasped a little.

When I looked at her, there was a warning in her eyes as they flicked from my gaze to the man in front of me.

Deanna stepped forward. "You always were one for flashy shows, Joseph. Has your father taught you nothing?"

Joseph. Why was that name familiar, too?

At my side, Rye gripped my hand, holding on hard.

Looking at the apprehension on her face, I remembered that this was the kid who'd hurt her. This was the kid who had made me so angry that I'd phased because he'd gripped my mate so tightly that he'd left bruises in her skin. He'd been angry that she wouldn't sleep with him so she'd get pregnant and be forced to mate him.

A low growl rumbled in my chest as I looked back at him.

Joseph held up his hands in a surrender palms-out motion. "I deserve your anger. When I learned why my father was planning a trip here, I offered to come in his place so that I could formally apologize in person." His gaze moved to Ryell. "What I did to you was inexcusable, and I am deeply sorry for the distasteful idiocy I harbored. I am sorry for this dishonor I tried to place on you and the one I definitely placed upon myself. I deserved every punishment I received for my actions. And I am here to support you and Maddox."

Rye stepped forward and lifted her face to look up at me questioningly.

I looked back at Joseph, narrowing my gaze. I scented no deception coming from him, only sincerity.

Did I trust him? Fuck no. But his actions had been against Ryell. It was up to her to make the final judgement.

I gave her calm eyes and the barest of nods.

She studied the guy before taking a deep breath. "You'd support us just to apologize?"

Joseph shook his head. "No. I'm supporting you because I see your union and peace as the future. We must learn to stop fighting amongst ourselves. Our numbers grow by the day and soon we won't be able to hide behind the thinning veil that protects us from the human world. Things will slip. I did see the news from Seattle and recognize the problems that could spring from that. The Children must learn to accept the fact that we are not the alpha species. There are strengths out there that we could make peace with that have nothing to do with our infections. It's time we embraced change because it's coming for us whether we want it to or not."

RyellPOV

I stared at Joseph and fought the urge to rub my arms where I could still feel where he'd gripped me.

Instead I stood tall next to Dox and looked up at him again. His dark eyes were calm, and I knew he was leaving the final decision about Joseph to me.

Everything he'd just said was true and diplomatic.

"Did you have anything to do with what happened in Seattle?" I demanded abruptly. I wanted to catch him off guard.

He stared at me for a moment before shaking his head. "No."

My wolf sniffed the air, finding it clean and crisp. I wished the Cullens were here, specifically Edward. Dominant wolves could learn to lie physically in order to fool other wolves, but there was no way he could have concealed his thoughts from Edward.

I weighed the pros and cons. I didn't trust him because I knew his rage. Until he proved that he'd gotten it under control, I'd be wary of him. But on the other hand, Dox and I needed all the support we could get from both young and older pack leaders. Joseph was positioned to inherit his father's pack. He was old enough to be challenged and most likely had already won a few. His pack wasn't like ours. There was violence and brutality, and once Joseph reached challenging age, there was likely already a line waiting because once he was beaten, his father was the last to defend the throne. As I understood it, the male was older, Joseph being his youngest offspring. To keep his dad on the throne long enough for him to take it, Joseph had to be good at fighting. And the power rolling off of him was enough to make anyone pause.

Despite my hesitation, I dipped my head in a nod. "Then we appreciate your and your pack's support."

Joseph slipped his hands into his pockets and bowed a little at the waist. "I look forward to our talks of alliance."

Behind him, Deanna stepped up. "I must admit that I judged you too quickly, Maddox. After your show with John, perhaps there's a fierce streak in you after all. I will agree with Joseph. I look forward to possible negotiations and future joining of our packs."

I really didn't like the way her eyes were roaming Dox's body. So, I wrapped myself around him and tossed my hair over my shoulder so she'd see the scars of his teeth in my throat, his mark that made me his one and only female. Dox's arm wrapped tightly around my waist, accepting me against him. From my studies, I knew that a lot of alpha males would be annoyed at the alpha female for being so clingy, but Dox wasn't one of those. His body heated up, priming for sex, as I pressed as much of myself against him as I could.

Deanna noticed, a smirk lifting the corner of her plump mouth. I hated the bitch. And the look in her eyes told me she was going to push us to see how we'd react. I had to prepare for the fact that, despite my threat, there would be several females dying to test me. A lot of them would still go after Dox, and it would be a test in my patience. They would be watching for how touchy and controlling I was and whether or not I trusted Dox to not have a metaphorical leash and staying loyal to me.

This was going to be a long night.

The Next Day…

DoxPOV

The air was cold on my teeth as I hissed.

"Oh, quit whining," Rye said as she pressed the pump on the antibiotic spray one last time. She poked and prodded the skin here and there in different areas of my torso. "It looks much better. No more goo. How are you feeling?"

When her fingers hit a ticklish spot, I pulled back and tugged my shirt down.

She smirked but went to put the medicine back in our bathroom.

"I feel myself again. I just hope Carlisle clears me to phase again today since the big party is tonight."

"Well, cleared or not, you're moving a lot better. Even if you can't phase again, I doubt anyone will know you're hurt. You don't smell like death anymore like you did the other night."

I sent a deadpan look toward the bathroom even though she couldn't see it. "Thanks for that," I called over the sound of rushing water from the sink.

The water cut off, and a couple moments later, she was standing in the doorway drying her hands. She grinned. "You're welcome."

I rolled my eyes, preparing for a comeback when my phone chimed. After digging the thing out of my pocket, I cursed when I read the text.

"What is it?" she asked just as her phone went off.

She frowned at it where it lay on the bedside table. I wiggled mine at her. "Group text from Grampa Charlie. He needs the leaders at the police station."

"Did he say why?" she asked pulling her phone off the charger.

"Nope, but I can guess it's about that video and questions about our little shindig tonight."

Rye sighed. "I guess we should get dressed then."

This time, we both sighed. We'd just finished breakfast and were both still in our pjs. There was no traipsing around the house naked right now; there were far too many people coming and going in this house and some didn't like to knock. But we still slept naked. There was no way I'd sleep beside my mate with something between us. I needed to feel her in our private space. And I knew she felt the same.

Neither of us bothered with showers so we were out the door in twenty minutes. Cole's car was pulling out of their driveway. They were our neighbors but there was still about ten minutes of walking distance between us. I was feeling well enough to drive so I was behind the wheel of our truck. I saw Cole lift a hand in a wave before pulling off in front of me. We ended up following them all the way up to the police station. Will's Jeep was already there with them still in the car, and Jules pulled up behind us with Bray. Mom and Dad followed. Walker and Christa drove up last.

Will and Hunter got out of their car to join us. Apparently, they'd been fighting. Hunter's lips were pursed, and Will was scowling. My guess was that he'd wanted her to stay home, and my sister-in-law had refused.

"How ya doin', Hunter?" I asked as I took Rye's hand.

She shot Will an angry look, to which he rolled his eyes and scowled harder, before turning a smile to me. "I'm well, thank you. How are you?"

I tilted my head. "Almost there."

Behind Will, another vehicle pulled in. It was one of the small buses the compound had. Jason and a handful of enforcers spilled out. Their energy was high and nearly visible on the air. They were all thrumming with contained violence.

Her smile grew. "Good. How was the meeting last night?"

Now I scowled. Last night had just gotten worse after our little show. I'd been warned that my mating to Rye would be tested, but it was still bad. Deanna wouldn't leave me the fuck alone, trying to get another rise of anger out of me. And a lot of the males had tried to be subtle in their advances toward Rye. There were too many times she and I had been separated for my comfort, but our people had stayed close to both of us. Dakota had been on Rye like white on rice. Jason had stayed with me, glaring toward the females, and some males, who exuded lust like perfume from their pores.

"That badly, huh?" Hunter asked as she fell into step on my other side leaving her glowering mate to trail us.

"About what I expected," Jason said, joining us. "It's always like that when that many male pack leaders are in the same space. And emissaries can be just as bad if not worse. And the alpha females? Don't get me started. Always looking for the strongest," he said, shaking his head.

Hunter nodded as if she understood exactly what he meant.

"That was normal?" I demanded. "That was a disaster."

"Not necessarily," Jason countered. "You showed serious backbone from the start. That's something they'll respect even if they don't agree. You made it clear that they'll be dealing with you as one half of the alpha couple whether they like it or not. Since most of the leaders are males and idiots, they'd rather deal with you than Ryell."

Rye's hand tightened on mine. "What? Why?"

Jason shrugged apologetically. "Because you're female, young, and beautiful. They won't take you seriously for a long time."

It was Rye's turn to scowl. "Well, that's just stupid."

"Like I said, idiots," Jason repeated. He gave her a wink. "We all know you're more than capable. I wouldn't put much stock in it. They know we're the powerhouse of the northwestern seaboard. Plus, our allies all down the coast. Mostly this party is for them to kiss our asses, not for us to get their approval. This is a courtesy party so to speak, just to let them know who they'll be dealing with when Walker decides to hand over his crown or to let the two of you start making heavier decisions in his place."

"We're proud of the way you handled yourselves last night," Walker said.

"Very," Dad echoed. "And Jason is right. We really don't need them right now. We're just flashing colors to let them know how dangerous and powerful we are. You and Ryell as a couple, even without thrones, are a powerhouse."

Rye's hand tightened in mine. "That doesn't mean I liked watching those females paw all over my man."

Walker rolled his eyes while Dad chuckled.

"None of them compare to you, babe," I said with a grin.

She scowled. "Thanks for saying that, but I swear, the next one that touches you, I'll take it as a direct challenge and beat a bitch."

About the fifth time I'd been groped inappropriately, Rye had thrown out another warning to any female that touched me the rest of the night. She'd thrown off enough power to back up the threat, and nobody could contradict her. She was within her rights to protect her territory, which apparently, was me.

Cole raised his hand. "Let me be the first to say that I'd pay some damn good money to see that."

"It better all be on me," Rye demanded.

"Of course," Cole said with a grin and a wink.

Ash appeared next to Cole. "So, what do you think this meeting is about?"

I shook my head and looked at the blank glass doors of the police station. "Nothing good."

AshPOV

Cole and I trooped into the station after Dox and Rye. Behind us were Jules, Bray, and Piper. Since Jason was on duty, he couldn't stand by Piper's side as her mate per his own rules. He couldn't be a couple while he was working. Behind the three of them, our parents followed with Will and Hunter. There was tension between my brother and his mate, but none of us would bring it up in front of strangers, and the two of them would tuck it away until later. We all knew that we needed a united front standing before the humans of our territory.

Grampa Charlie was there standing next to the police chief of Forks, Darren Harrow, and Chief Yates from the rez. Charlie looked tired and like age was creeping up on him.

"Let's head into the conference room," Chief Harrow said, nodding toward the only closed space large enough to hold all of us and give us some privacy.

When we were all situated with the door closed, Harrow shook hands with Dox and Dad before reaching for my hand. "Thanks for coming so quickly."

I nodded. "You called, we came. Our job is to help protect the town."

Chief Harrow frowned, his eyes wandering our group. "Where's the boy that was attacked, from the video? Why isn't he with you?"

Dox looked at Cole and Cole looked at me.

I frowned. "Casey," I said slowly, "isn't exactly part of our inner circle. And he's still healing. What is this about?"

Harrow looked at Yates, who nodded solemnly. Harrow ran his tongue over his teeth, making a sucking sound, as he looked at us. "The boys in Seattle finished with that video. The FBI are on their way here and want to talk to the boy. They want him here and ready, good and nervous."

Unease curled through my gut. "But he's a minor," I muttered, trying to find a way around this. Even though we were all preparing for the world to discover us, we could at least try to prevent it a little longer. And Casey needed to be protected because he was so new to our world. We couldn't afford to have him shapeshift early in an interrogation room. He'd end up tearing people apart before they pumped him full of bullets. One silver bullet to the heart would kill him but so would hundreds of lead bullets. There was no way any new shapeshifter would be strong enough to heal from that kind of thing.

Harrow nodded. "That means his dad will have to be with him."

Cole stepped forward. "His dad doesn't know what happened. He has no idea. Casey will have to lie not only to the feds but also to his dad. He'll be left alone in that room and be expected to lie to two grown men."

Harrow held up his hands in surrender. "Don't shoot the messenger, son. I'm just trying to prepare the lot of you for what's coming. You want to protect the boy, then you need to find a way to do it fast. But either way, they know he's here, so he can't just disappear. They'll be suspicious and stick around longer to figure out why and how he vanished. He needs to talk to them."

When Cole opened his mouth, I put a hand on his arm. He took a deep breath without even looking at me and stepped back. I looked at Harrow. "We'll take care of it. How long do we have?"

Harrow gave Cole a hard look as he said, "Tomorrow afternoon. They're finishing up in Seattle today."

I nodded. "Like I said, we'll get it taken care of. Is there anything else we should know?"

Yates nodded. "More than likely, with a case like this, the feds will look into anyone they think Casey might be close to. Seeing as how he's one of ours on the rez, there's a good possibility Cole will be looked into as Casey's high school football coach, and by extension the Black family. Be prepared to be ambushed with personal questions."

Chief Harrow looked at all of us, and there was something apologetic in his eyes. "I can't stop them from coming to ask questions, but that doesn't mean I can't warn good, innocent people."

There was a wave of surprise through our group, my own brows shooting up to my hairline.

Harrow shook his head. "Let's just say that I've been properly…informed…about what all has happened that we normal folk didn't know about. The wars, battles, deaths. Charlie and Chief Yates made sure that this whole department was aware of what your people have been through, and what all you've done to protect the innocent people of Forks and the reservation. We'll do what we can to help you."

It was Will who stepped forward, hand out. "We very much appreciate that. And you have my apologies for any problems we've caused for you and your people."

Harrow took the hand but shook his head. "For all your families have sacrificed for our community, for our families and children, I'm willing to bend a few rules."

Will gave a curt nod. "You have our thanks. We'll prepare as best we can on our end."

There was a moment of silence as we all took a minute to think about the possibilities. None of us were really coming to terms with the fact this was actually happening. Walker's vision for my brother were coming to pass just a couple years after having thought it out loud.

It was Charlie who shook himself and said, "Well, I guess we better talk to the rest of the station. Looks like things are about to get complicated around here."

---

An hour later, I was standing on the porch of Casey's house with Cole and my siblings. We'd decided to take care of the problem on our own since Casey belonged to the rez. But we needed Cole because he was the one person Casey might be closest to who was involved with the packs. I'd tutored him, but our relationship wasn't as close as his with Cole.

My man was the one to ring the doorbell and place himself at the front of the group.

Casey's dad answered. He took one look at all of us standing there and some tension flowed out of his shoulders. "Thank God you're here." The relief on his face made my gut twist.

"What's wrong, Matthew?" Cole asked, suddenly seeming bigger and more authoritative. He really did care about his players.

Casey's dad, Matthew Simmons, stepped aside. He was a big guy, kind of what you might picture when you hear that someone is a biker. Shoulder-length hair. Bushy beard. Rough around the edges. He worked construction and was often traveling as there wasn't much to do here on the rez or in Forks. Due to that, Casey stayed with his uncle.

The man motioned all of us inside while my siblings and I traded looks. We followed Cole's broad shoulders through the front door. I noticed that Dox was walking better, less hunched over. The phasing at the preliminary party must have helped a great deal. Even though Carlisle had been so angry that he had a hard time hiding the expression behind that mask of calm he always wore, he'd been happy with the results and was debating on letting Dox phase again before the party tonight, expecting the healing to be nearly complete. Still, I let him go ahead of me so that I protected his back as we all trooped inside. It seemed that times were getting dangerous again, and I'd give my life for my brother's, for any of my siblings.

The house was actually a bit too small to hold all of us. It was a one-story, but nicely furnished. It was clear that though Matthew was a rough guy, he preferred his place taken care of. The wooden floors sparkled with a high shine. Everything was neat and tidy, not even a random drinking glass left out. While we all crowded into the living room, he poked his head down the hall, probably to check that Casey wasn't listening. Before he came back, he opened a door in the hallway, taking something out, before closing the door quietly.

"Matthew, what's going on?" Cole asked quietly but firmly.

The man came back into the room holding what I now saw was a shirt. "I found this in Casey's room, shoved under the bed. He's been acting so weird lately that I thought he might be on drugs, so I searched his room. I found this."

Carefully, Cole reached out to take the shirt. He held it carefully because there was blood on it.

I was suddenly nervous, but I didn't know why. Casey's dad deserved to know the truth, and this was the optimal circumstance for that to happen.

Cole glanced at me over his shoulder as he held the shirt up by the seams of the shoulders, showing the bloody slashes in the stomach area. Exactly where Casey's wounds had been.

"Now, I'm not an idiot," Matthew said angrily. "My family is from the rez as far back as we can trace. Maybe a little mixed blood. My ancestors were part of the Quileute pack, so I know about the Black family. I knew Billy. And I've seen the news coverage from Seattle." He gave very direct eye contact to Cole when he demanded, "That was my boy that was getting attacked in that video, wasn't it?"

The silence sat on the heavy tension while we all tried to find something to say. But another voice interrupted.

"I guess you'd prefer I was on drugs, huh?"

Every head turned toward the hallway where Casey was standing, his hands shoved into his pockets, shoulders bunched up. He wouldn't meet anyone's gaze as he rocked on his heels.

He looked up sheepishly. "Sorry for eavesdropping. Kinda can't help it now."

"It's okay, Casey," Cole said.

"Cole's right," Jules said, stepping up. "Your situation is why we're all here. We need to talk about something important as well as fill your dad in on what happened."

Crossing his arms, Casey leaned against the wall of the hallway. "He's already guessed." He still wouldn't look at anyone.

Matthew stepped forward. "Casey, son, look at me."

It took a moment of Casey biting his lower lip before he raised his eyes.

"You were attacked, weren't you?"

The kid nodded.

"And you're more than human, now, aren't you?"

Casey nodded again.

Matthew turned to us. "And all of you knew, didn't you?"

"We took care of him after there was an incident in the locker room," I answered. "As far as we can tell, it's textbook lycanthropy." I looked at Casey. "Have you healed completely?"

Casey looked nervous but blew out a heavy breath as he lifted his shirt. Due to the weightlifting and training Cole put the team through, Casey was in great shape. There wasn't even a scar across his lower abdomen from the claws.

I nodded. "Textbook."

Matthew lifted his hands only to drop them to his sides. "So, what does this mean? Casey's going to be with Quileute pack?"

My siblings and I shared a look.

It was Will who stepped forward. "Not exactly."

Matthew's brows dropped low. "What do you mean 'not exactly'? He's one of you now."

Will shook his head. "No, he's not. He is a werewolf, but not of our kind. The Quileute wolves don't carry lycanthropy even though we're shapeshifters. Ours is genetic. Casey was infected. If his Quileute genes were the cause of his shapeshifting, it should have kicked in a couple years or so ago when our territory was threatened."

The frown deepened. "Then what does that mean for my son?"

"Dad-,"

"No. I want to know what the hell is going on."

It was Dox's turn to speak up. "Casey's going to be a member of my mate's pack."

Matthew turned his frown to Dox. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Dox opened his mouth but Casey stepped forward. "Dad, there are two packs, two different types of werewolves. Ryell, Dox's mate, is the next pack leader to the kind of wolf I'm going to be. They told me I don't have to join the pack, but I do have to learn how to be what I'm going to be."

"And what are you going to be?"

Casey licked his lips, obviously struggling with what to say. It was clear that Matthew wasn't handling this well if he couldn't put the pieces together. We were going to have to spell it out for him.

"A movie monster," Casey answered. "The kind of werewolf in books and movies. It won't be easy, and from what I can tell, the change is going to hurt."

Matthew looked back to us. "So, it's true, huh? The supernatural exists?"

Everyone in the room nodded. Matthew sank heavily onto the couch. For a long moment, he sat rubbing his palms on his jeans. Then he nodded. "Okay, so what do we do?"

Jules moved around until she was sitting on the chair across from the couch. "That's where the something important comes in. Casey, would you please come in and sit down?"

Casey licked his lips again as his eyes flicked from Jules to the empty spot on the couch next to his dad. "I think I'm fine right here."

Matthew must have seen the insecurity and hesitation in Casey because he said, "You're still my son. I will never be afraid of you. Now, come sit down so we can sort this out."

In slow, jerky movements, Casey moved toward the couch and carefully sat down as far away from his dad as he could get and still be on the couch.

Matthew stared at his son with sad eyes before turning them to us. "So, what's this important thing?"

Dox stood beside the chair Jules was sitting in. "The FBI will be here from Seattle tomorrow. They've identified Casey from the video and want to talk to him."

Casey's eyes went wide while Matthew looked shocked. "The Feds? Are you serious?"

Dox nodded. "We just came from the police station. We don't know how or why they're involved, but they are. And they know Casey is here. We were lucky that Chief Harrow gave us the warning instead of letting us be blindsided."

"What's it to you if my son gets questioned?"

"Dad-,"

"No, Casey. I want to know why they care so damn much."

This time it was Cole that spoke. "I care because I'm the football coach. I spend a great deal of time with the team and with Casey. All those boys are like little brothers to me, and the last thing I want is for anything bad to happen."

"And I tutor Casey," I said. "He's a good kid."

"The rest of us don't know him," Dox said. "But I'll get to when he starts coming around my mate's pack for training and possibly becoming part of the pack. As a leader, I'll be responsible for him, so whatever is said in the interview is my concern. We have to protect our people. And even before the attack and infection, Casey was one of our people. He'll remain one of ours. That's why we care."

Matthew took a second to think before nodding. "Okay, what do we do?"

"Well, the fact that you now know is helpful," Jules spoke up. "Because Casey is a minor, you'll have the option to be in the interview room with him. We would suggest you stay with him."

"Why?"

"Because I'll be scared, Dad. They're worried what I'll say when pressured. You need to be there to look out for any traps that I won't see."

The man looked at his son before placing a hand on his shoulder and nodding.

"I would suggest calling for a lawyer as soon as possible but not too soon." We all looked at Will. He shrugged. "Not too soon because it will be suspicious if you do, like we were tipped off. If that happens, they won't trust the local police and keep them out of the loop, thus keeping us out of the loop as well. So, honestly, we're counting on your acting abilities to be shocked and confused. And once you 'realize' where the questioning is going, call for a lawyer."

Matthew nodded. "I think I can do that. I'm still confused about all of this, but what I do know is that my son is scared and needs me. That's all a father needs to know."

Will nodded. "I understand completely."

Out of the five of us, he was the only one who could say that. For now. I tried really hard not to think about the baby that Victoria was carrying that could be my son in just a few short weeks.

"Will the pack be there?" Casey asked.

I nodded. "Both packs. We'll be dispersed throughout the station like we're making complaints with officers. Your kind of wolf hears better than ours through walls, so they'll be closer to the interview room. But the packs will be there. Not me or Cole because the Feds likely know who we are. They'd be even more suspicious to see us in the station. We'll be around, though. Somewhere."

Casey nodded. "Thanks."

I nodded but Will said, "Be surprised when you get the knock on the door from the police. They'll ask you to come to the station for a few questions. It's up to you whether to act like Casey told you about the attack or be surprised about that, too. It might be easier to just know about it and be expecting some sort of questioning but not of the going-to-the-station variety."

Matthew nodded. "I think we'll play it by ear. Thank you for everything, for taking care of my boy."

"We're protectors, Mr. Simmons," Dox said. "It's what we do." He looked at Casey. "Call me if you need anything. My mate or her people will be here in a heartbeat."

Casey nodded and gave his thanks again.

Jules stood. "We'll leave so you two can talk. There's a lot to discuss."

"Thank you, Ms. Black." His eyes went to her left hand. "Or should I say Mrs. Clearwater?"

Jule smiled kindly. "I'll answer to either."

"Get some rest, Casey," I said as Jules turned for the door. "Tomorrow won't be easy, and it'll be better if you stay as calm as possible. A good amount of sleep will help."

Casey ducked his head. "Thanks, Mr. Black."

I dropped him a wink before Matthew showed us out of the house.

JacobPOV

The silk tie slid through my fingers as I tightened it. "I still don't understand why I have to wear a tie to a party for werewolves."

Ness laughed from the closet. "Nobody said you had to, Jake. You're pack leader."

I gave the mirror an incredulous look in the direction of the closet door and started undoing the tie. "You're the one that handed me the damn thing. I've learned not to argue when you do that."

"Then why are you taking it off?" she asked in a flat tone even though I knew she couldn't see me.

Rolling my eyes, I began to retie it.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Wear the tie or don't. I'm not the boss of you."

I dropped my chin to my chest in defeat and heaved out a breath before turning on my heel to go to the closet door. Ness was stunning in a simple aqua cocktail dress that cut off at midthigh. Her brown and copper hair was down around her shoulders brushing the small of her back as she put in a pair of small diamond earrings that I'd bought her for our anniversary a few years back. Standing there in the doorway, I was stunned that she hadn't left me for the stunt I'd pulled. I wasn't wrong for leaving to get my shit together, but I had been wrong for not calling to tell her and the kids that I was okay. And that was what part of growing as a person meant: knowing when and for what to take blame.

"Jake?"

Focusing, I found Ness standing there, holding a small clutch purse.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, her brown eyes concerned, too.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I was just thinking how lucky I am that you didn't leave me."

The worry leaked out as she sighed and smiled softly. She walked over, smoothing a palm down my chest over the buttons of the shirt. "I told you, I'll never leave you. I've never known how to live without you. There's never been a before Jacob and an after Jacob. You're my life, and so are the kids." She wrapped the end of the tie around her hand and slid it out from under the shirt collar. After it was thrown onto the bed, she went to unbutton the top buttons. "There. Better?"

I took a deep breath. "Better." I grinned. "Thanks, wife."

She grinned back. "You're welcome, husband." She took my hand. "Let's go charm the socks off these idiots."

Once we were in the Escalade, the darkness seeped in around us, making the car tight and intimate. Ness crossed her legs, played with her purse zipper, and stared out the window. She was humming a little. If she was nervous about the party, she didn't show it. Last night, Dox and Ryell had handled themselves beautifully. So, I suppose I wasn't as nervous either.

"So," I said, breaking the silence, "therapy's going good."

The humming stopped, and she looked over. "Oh? That's great, Jake. I didn't want to ask because it's your business."

"It's okay. I want to tell you."

The silk of her dress slithered over the heated leather of the seats as she turned to face me. "I'm all ears."

"Actually, you're mostly breasts and ass, but-,"

"Jake!" she squealed and laughed, slapping my shoulder with the purse.

I gave her the Jacob grin she and Bella loved so much but then softened it. "Things are getting better with my sisters. We're all openly grieving Paul and Henry. Rachel's the worst though. Losing a spouse, a soulmate…I can't imagine losing you. Becca has Colton to worry over; she uses him to fill the void for Henry. And we're still getting through the abandonment issues. Becca still won't admit that she abandoned us, but Rachel did. If it hadn't been for Paul imprinting on her, she never would have stayed."

Ness rubbed my shoulder. "But if it hadn't been for her fear for Henry, Becca would never have come back."

"Exactly. Her original reason for coming back is gone, Ness." At the next thought, the road became blurry and it got hard to swallow. "He's dead, Ness. My nephew is dead because he thought it was his duty to fight in a war."

"Oh, Jacob." I let her take my arm to wrap herself around it, rubbing her cheek against my shoulder. "Wolves and vampires are the soldiers of the supernatural. Paul and Henry knew the danger. Our job is to protect, and they knew that. It was just bad fate that night. We almost lost so much that night. Jules, Jason,-,"

"You," I said quietly.

"Me," she whispered. "I was prepared to give my life for Jason. They're all like my children, Jacob. All I could hear was the fear and grief in Piper's scream. You and I have had our wonderful life together with kids; they haven't. They're just getting started, and I love Jason like my own. I couldn't let him die just when his life was getting better. I couldn't face Piper knowing I'd let him die out of selfishness."

"I know. I feel the same. But all I can do is flash back to Seth jumping in front of me, taking my hit and dying from it. He came back but that was dumb luck. We'll never get Paul and Henry back. How is that fair? Once someone is dead, it should be final."

"Oh, honey. We're supernatural beings. You shouldn't feel guilty because of unforeseen side effects. Our people follow you willingly because you give them a choice. They all know the risks. The problem is we haven't been preparing the families for loss. Maybe we should counsel the families of the wolves we put on the fight lines."

"That's not a bad idea."

"But Jacob, there's no need to feel guilty that you can't bring your nephew and brother-in-law back to life. Seth was an accident. I hate to say that, but it was a freak accident. Henry and Paul knew they were risking their lives to keep our people, our families, safe. We all risked our lives that night. And honestly, it was just luck that Jules survived. None of us know how she did. We could be in Becca's shoes twice over. Will could have died in his fight with Melice. Jules should have died with that much lightning in her body. Things happen, and we can't sit here to try to find explanations. I mean, why do people have to die at all? Why is that a part of life? But it has been since the beginning of time. We're just so used to being strong and fast and near impossible to hurt that it goes to our heads. When we fight against other supernatural beings, it turns into the same as a fistfight amongst humans. This is what soldiers go through in the military. This is what they risk when they go to war and leave the United States, honey. So many don't come home, or at least, not alive. We're soldiers, and we know what we're risking."

Everything she said sank into my mind. Since I started going to therapy, I'd been more open to listening and actually absorbing what people tell me. The guilt that I'd been fighting eased just a little to know that she understood what I was feeling and that she might also be struggling with the knowledge that we've come out luckier than most in not losing any of our kids or each other.

There was so much I wanted to say, but I didn't have the words. So, I leaned over to kiss the top of her head and said, "I love you, Renesmee Black. More than I can ever say or show you."

Her arms tightened around mine.

RyellPOV

Another sip of water slid down my throat as I struggled to keep smiling and stay civil.

"Maddox," Deanna was saying, "I hope you can forgive me for last night."

Another sip. Definitely another sip.

My eyes wandered to avoid glaring at her. The rec cabin was exquisitely decorated with several large tables set with glimmering china and wine glasses filled with reds or whites and water. More guests had arrived, but these were already allies just here to celebrate the mating and naming of the heir. Unfortunately, I was stuck at one of the larger tables with Dox, Jules, Bray, Deanna, and Joseph. They were the two larger packs that we needed alliances with. The rest of our people were dispersed around the room, trying to play nice with others. Dox's siblings were trusting us to not make a mess of things while they schmoozed the others.

Garrett and Haleigh had made it just in time with their people to settle in with Jason's enforcers and around the tables. When we'd come in, Garrett had nodded to me from across the room. A knot in my chest had eased when I'd seen my brother-in-law sitting there, knowing he was there to help if we needed it.

Beside me, Dox wiped his mouth before tucking his napkin back into his lap. "I've been told how alpha females can be in packs of the Children. I was forewarned, Deanna. But I don't think your apology should be directed at me. It was my mate you insulted."

As I set my glass down, Deanna turned to look at me. Her eyes were wide as if just realizing I was there. "What do you mean?"

The struggle not to clench my fist to break the wine glass was real as I quickly reached for it again.

Dox shared a look with Joseph, who was sitting on his right side.

"Deanna," Joseph said, "my dear, Maddox is trying to say that you're a heinous, horny bitch who was poaching another alpha female's territory. Therefore, it's the other female you need to apologize to, not the territory."

On my other side, Jules coughed into her glass, sputtering as she covered her mouth.

Deanna looked around the table before her eyes landed on me. Her hand went up to her throat, fingers tangling in her necklace. Surprisingly, she'd actually put on some clothes this time around. Skimpy clothes, but not bad enough to have to cover Wren's eyes.

She took a sip of her wine before talking. "Well, I suppose Maddox would be right. I am sorry, Ryell. I wasn't intending to insult you. Of course, I saw the marks on your throats, but I had no idea that you took them seriously. Or that you took Maddox's place at your side just as serious."

I managed to let go of my glass just as Dox's knuckles brushed my thigh when he adjusted the napkin on his lap. Forcing the smile hurt my face. "Well, I do. Dox is incredibly important to me. I couldn't even think to run this pack without him. Our wolves are mixing, having families. It only makes sense to have him at my side and just as much in power as I am. Besides, my father trusts him. We were all raised together, so my father knows what kind of male he is. I wouldn't want anyone else." The next part I couldn't help. It was either let the petty comment slip or explode. "Besides, the insult didn't sting as bad when he went to bed with me after the party." Bitch, I added in my head as I gave her a smile and picked up the wine glass again.

The dishes on the table to our left rattled. I looked over to find Dad glaring at me. Dox's hand gripped my thigh, grabbing my attention back to our table. His lips were pressed together.

Deanna's smile died but then flared back to life. This time, there was venom dripping off her teeth and daggers being buried in my chest from her glare. "Then I suppose we're burying the mess from last night. Hopefully we can start negotiations over."

"Of course," I said sweetly. Butter wouldn't have melted in my mouth. With a more genuine smile, I turned to my right. "So, Joseph, tell me, what would your father and pack offer us as allies?"

Joseph set his fork down on the plate. "In all honesty, my father's health is declining, so he's started leaving me in charge more and more. You may not know or believe this, but I was paying attention during my time here a few years ago. I took what I learned home, and since then, I've worked with my father and pack to start to change things. I'm not sure what we could offer more than supporting you in times of war or should you need help with whatever, I suppose. We would give just about anything to ally ourselves with you. I mean, you and the Quileute pack are basically the rulers of this side of the continent, and as far as I know, we're one of the only packs on this seaboard who hasn't joined you. I find that a fault."

"But your pack is already our ally," Bray said from the other side of Jules.

Joseph looked at him. "My father is your ally, and as I've said, my father won't be around much longer. As I am next in line, I'd like to make negotiations now for when I take the throne."

Deanna scoffed. "Your father isn't dead yet, and challengers seem to still be lined up. You can't expect to beat them all."

Joseph turned a cold, flat stare to her. "I have so far. I come from a long line of pack leaders. I will not be the weak link."

"My, my," Deanna said, fluttering her lashes sarcastically. "Aren't you the arrogant, strong type."

Smirking, Joseph picked up his glass. But he didn't say anything.

"And what would you want from us?" Dox asked Joseph, obviously trying to get us back on track.

Joseph shrugged. "Protection, obviously. But also, the possibility of joining our people."

My eyebrows went up. "How so?"

"Matings. You see, just after I went back home from here, my father's mental health went into the shitter. He became paranoid. Long story short, we have more males than we know what to do with. Most of them aggressive soldiers. You have a reformed force of enforcers. I'd be willing to send a handful of males at a time here to train with Jason and his men. I'd encourage them to maybe find mates, nobody against her will. I promise. I've learned from that mistake. And if any of the females who end up with my guys want to move to my territory, I'd be happy to house them."

"That's it?" Dox asked. "Matings and new enforcer ways? I find that hard to believe."

Abruptly, Joseph adjusted in his chair looking nervous. He sat forward, forearms on the table over his plate. "I was also hoping we could negotiate the allowance of a pack witch." He held up his hands. "I'm aware of how you feel about the witches after what happened. Similarly, I understand your hesitation, but you can't say that you don't keep your own witch around. Due to the high number of males, we have more injuries than we can allow to a hospital without suspicion. A lot of the wounds are the same; the doctors would notice."

Dox and I shared a look before turning to look at Jules and Brayden. They were the two who would have the most problems with that idea. Dox and I would have been able to make the decision on our own if only Jules hadn't been a leader, too.

Jules sat forward. "Let's be absolutely clear, Joseph," she said carefully. "Our witch, so to speak, stays in Seattle, a supernaturally neutral territory. She knows the consequences should she slip up. Now tell me, would you hold your pack witch to penalties? I mean, forgive my aggressiveness but after the last interaction with witches, I'm a little put off by the idea." She motioned to the scars on her skin. "Good people died during that war. Family died. If all you want is a witch for healing, I'll trust Mara to find you a witch whose only power is healing. But if you want more than that, we're going to have a problem."

While they stared at each other, Dox and I shared a look. He gave a slight nod, meaning he was leaving me to make the decision.

"I agree with Jules," I announced, still looking at Dox. As the table went quiet, I looked to Joseph. "As far as I'm concerned, witches will need to ask permission to come into our territory, and any of our allies who harbor witches without permission from us will no longer be our allies."

Deanna huffed. "Well I don't see how that's any of your concern."

"Oh, I think it is our concern," I fired back. "You and your people are the ones who are here asking to be taken under the umbrella of our protection, of our power. I seem to recall, growing up, my father saying 'you live under my roof, you live by my rules'. I kind of figured that would carry over."

"You figured wrong," Deanna said.

"No, she didn't," Dox interrupted. "Our territory has grown so much that we're now neighbors, Deanna. If you make an enemy of us, who do you think would win if we decided to expand? As of right now, we're not allies, but neutral neighbors. Make a wrong decision and we're enemies. Doesn't seem like great odds for you."

There was no flirtatious venom left in the other alpha female. Trembling in anger, Deanna stood up, planting her palms onto the table. "How dare you? You're suggesting the rest of us bow to you, that you be the supreme rulers over us."

Next to me, Jules stood up, mirroring Deanna. "No. What she's suggesting is taking care of all of those who depend on her and her people, on us. Maddox is my brother, so therefore, we support him. He supports his mate. I very nearly died by the hand of witches. That coven was barely a dozen strong. If every ally pack on this coast had witches, they could sink us into the ocean. So far, this is the only strict rule we'd have. You all have come here to ask to be allies, to barter. Well this is our absolute price. No. Witches."

"You make such decisions without consulting your two other brothers," Deanna accused.

"Yes," Jules bit out. "They'd support this decision, and we trust each other."

The two females glared at each other.

Joseph reached out to place a hand over Deanna's. "They have a point, D. Get the right combination of witches together, and they could very well wipe us out if they had a mind for it. It was lucky that Jules and the others didn't die from their war."

Whipping her hand out from under his, she looked down at him incredulously. "You agree with this craziness? Give in to just one demand and it will turn into total dictatorship."

"No," Joseph said. "I've lived here among Ryell and her people. They aren't like that. Think about being in their place, Deanna. How would you feel about witches after losing some of your people, your family? I can tell you. You wouldn't be all warm and fuzzy toward them. Now sit back down and think like the capable alpha female I know you can be when you put your mind to it."

"I don't like being dictated to," she hissed.

"Of course not, but you are here asking to be allies and for protection. This is the only thing they're asking of their allies. It's a good deal." He looked back to us. "A healer would be appreciated for my people."

Deanna didn't sit down. Instead she looked over at Joseph. "I am an alpha female. You are second in line and barely twenty years old. Why should I listen to you?"

Looking down at the table, Joseph gave that little smirk again. He slowly picked up his napkin, wiped his mouth, and stood up. Slightly mirroring Deanna, he planted one palm on the table, bracing his weight on that arm. Then he released a punch of power that was all meant for her. Just the backwash of it burned my skin; I couldn't imagine what she'd felt. But it didn't look like pain as she closed her eyes, body shivering.

"Oh, Deanna," Joseph said softly. "I may only be twenty, but I am far more powerful than you, unmated, and so close to the throne that I can taste it. Your pack are my allies already, and I know you're looking for a mate."

Deanna's eyes stayed closed as she shivered again, a shuddering breath escaping her lips.

Dox and I glanced at each other from the corners of our eyes. We had the same expression of surprise and confusion on our faces.

The alpha female swallowed hard a couple times before opening her eyes to look at him. "Are you applying for the position?"

Joseph smiled again before pulling away, sitting down, and replacing his napkin in his lap. "It would be better than taking it by force, don't you think? We are neighbors, Deanna. I would find it insulting if you didn't consider me as we are allies. I'm available and you need a position of power filled. A war started by offense would not be kind to your people, and you know that."

The expression on Deanna's face was one of shock, lust, approval, and something else I couldn't name as she sank back into her chair. Jules followed suite. "Why, Joseph, are you threatening me?"

He gave her the same look with a little smirk. "Am I?"

Returning the smirk, Deanna rested her hand on his arm. "We'll talk later."

I cleared my throat. "So, Deanna, you wanted to start over with us in negotiations. What would you be willing to offer us, and what would you want from us in return?"

I was surprised to see that there was no longer any contempt in her eyes when she looked at me consideringly. "You mean if Joseph and I don't end up merging packs?"

"Would that make a difference?"

"Terribly. You see, I have the same problem as Joseph but with an abundant number of females. If we merged our packs, chances are his males would find mates in my females. He still has alliance with you in that he would want to embrace the ways and teachings of your enforcers."

"But if you merge," Jules said, "his desires for alliance should also be yours."

Deanna adjusted in her seat. "I'd want to sweeten the pot."

"How so?" Dox asked.

She smiled. "I'm merely ten years older than Joseph, still in the prime of my child-bearing years. Should we have children, I'd like a promise of a mating."

Dox's jaw cracked as he clenched his teeth.

It was my turn to press my hand to his thigh under the table. "You're talking as if you and Joseph have already decided on your own mating."

The two looked at each other.

"Deanna has made the offer since I was of mating age, before I came here to…court you, Ryell. That I'm, as she said, applying for the position all but guarantees that it will be done. She and my father have been in negotiations for years over my mating. Now, the compromises will be between the two of us, and they are very minor."

Clearing his throat, Bray stood up. "Dox, can I speak with you for a moment?"

Good idea, I thought. He was angry at the suggestion of an arranged mating. So was I, but I was willing to negotiate that now that Deanna wasn't being hostile towards me or making eyes at my mate.

I patted his thigh and nodded. Dox kissed my temple as he stood up to follow Bray to a back room that was soundproof.

Deanna's eyes followed them suspiciously. "Is everything all right?"

I smiled a little. "Everything's fine. But Dox and I would have a problem with an arranged mating for our children. We both believe in mating for love because that's what we've done. He's my true mate and I'm his imprint. We're soulmates. The best I could do is say yes to a mating as long as the children agreed to it and not be pressured into it."

"How very democratic of you," she said, sliding her napkin into her lap as the steaks were served.

I thanked the wolf that served us before answering. "Tell me, Deanna, if Joseph weren't near as handsome as he is, would you still consider mating him? Just for the power? Surely you'd think to yourself that there has to be a more attractive male out there who is just as if not more powerful." I pointed my fork at her. "You're just as picky as we are, but about different things. You're an alpha female who knows she's beautiful. Attractive young are something you'd think about, which is probably why you didn't have young with your previous mate. It was arranged, and you didn't find him attractive enough to mix your DNA with him. You now have a choice, which is what being democratic is all about."

She looked at me for a moment before smiling. "Well, it's good to know that the next alpha female of this pack is quick on her feet and sharp-witted. I would have hated it if you'd been dull."

And in that moment, I realized she was testing me in a different way than I'd been expecting. She was looking for another alpha female who could match her wit for wit, power for power, and feistiness for feistiness. She was looking for someone who could be her friend and understand what being a powerful female in a powerful male's world was like.

Lifting my glass toward her, I tilted my chin. "Likewise, Deanna. Likewise."

Clearly amused, Joseph lifted his glass as well.

Talk died down after that. Forks and knives scraped on plates as the boys came back and sat down. We ate in near silence, talking about mundane things like weather, but I could tell Dox needed to say something, and it would likely not be pleasant. Bray had thought of something that none of us had and took it to Dox while I was bartering the matings of my hypothetical children. My mate was tense beside me as he ate, keeping quiet while he thought.

When we were done eating, Deanna sat back in her chair, stretching her arm over to Joseph's shoulders. Her fingers rubbed his neck possessively, and he turned a smile on her. Apparently, Dox and I could expect an invitation to their mating.

"That was divine," Deanna said. "Compliments to the chef."

I ducked my head. "I'll pass the word."

"Dox, you look tense," Joseph said. "Is there something you'd like to discuss?"

Setting down his flatware, Dox sat back in his seat. He lounged there, legs open under the table, his arm draped along the back of my chair. The picture of ease and casualness. He was in a sharp black suit with a black button-up. He'd shaved his hair down after getting back from Casey's and before his shower. He looked like some sleek executive with a mean streak who was used to doing the dirty work himself. Last night we'd wanted to tone down the aggressiveness but after the events of last night, I'd said to hell with it and let him wear what he wanted. I had to admit, he was hot as fuck tonight with those dark eyes and tanned skin against all that black.

"Actually, there is," he answered in a low tone. His fingers were playing in my hair and brushing the skin of my back through the holes of the dress. "I'm concerned about you and Deanna merging your packs."

"Oh?" Deanna asked. "What worries you?"

"Your numbers would rival ours. What would stop you from declaring war on us?"

It was like the whole building had been listening as the place went quiet around us. When nobody answered, chatter started up again. Joseph and Deanna looked at each other.

Surprisingly, Deanna nodded to Joseph to answer. He sat forward, resting his elbows on the table and folding his hands together. "You're right. Our numbers would rival yours. But it seems that even you seem to forget what kind of power you have. It's not just Ryell and the pack of Children you will lead together. It isn't just your genetic brand of werewolf, Dox. You are part vampire. And your family has gathered the loyalty of all vampires not under the rule of the Volturi. Not to mention Piper and her people. Deanna, though unwilling to accept the truth, was very nearly right earlier when she accused you of trying to rule over all of us. After our incident, don't think that I didn't consider going to war against you as soon as possible. But one thing my father made me do is think. I was always taught to carefully evaluate not just my opponent but also the forces that follow him. Just because I might defeat him in a fair one-on-one combat challenge, that doesn't mean his people would automatically follow me. If I killed you, the Children might follow me because you're not a Child. But the vampires wouldn't. Those loyal to your family would come after me and mine, which is not something I'm willing to risk. And neither is Deanna. We do what we do to protect our people, not offer them up for slaughter due to greed."

Deanna looked at us. "You're trying to dictate whether Joseph and I can mate or not."

Dox shook his head. "I don't care what you do. I just need to know where your intentions lie so that I can better prepare my territories. I'm protecting my people, Deanna."

She studied him for a long moment before slouching back gracefully in her seat, her hand playing at Joseph's neck again. "I have no ambitions to be queen of everything."

"And neither do I," I said. "Dox and I have no intentions to tell you how to run your territories. The only thing we require is that you request permission for witches. We've fought them and know firsthand. We don't wish any other pack to experience the same loss. You care about your people, Deanna. I can see past that façade you hide behind. We have the power to help you, but you have to trust us that we're making this decision for a very good reason. It's not to flex our muscle, but to protect those who have come to us."

Deanna was the one to convince. Seemingly, we already had Joseph willing to ally with us. But Deanna was more than likely going to be his mate soon. If she didn't go along with it, chances were good that Joseph would back out, too. He had no chance of mating with me, and Deanna was the last unmated alpha female in the area. She was his last chance to have a powerful and desirable mate on a throne rather than settling for someone he didn't want just to stay nearby.

The two of them stared at each other, trying to read the other.

Joseph shrugged before reaching for his glass. "It's your choice, D. You know where I stand on the subject."

"But my question is would you follow me if I chose not to accept."

Joseph refused to look at anyone. Instead, his shoulders dropped as he stared down at the table. He was thinking through his options, weighing the pros and cons of each.

In a quick movement, he flipped his wrist, downing what was left in the glass before setting it down. "We wolves have handled our problems without magical help for decades. I don't see that the acceptance of witches be cause to drop an alliance. Ryell, Dox, and their people would know better than we do what it's like to fight them. And even they keep their closest witch advisor in Seattle, in neutral territory. I would prefer to keep our alliance. All the other packs around us have accepted. I don't want to be alone, surrounded by packs who aren't allies."

"I'm your ally," Deanna countered. "They admitted that our numbers would rival theirs. They wouldn't dare attack us."

"Did you not just hear me?" Joseph demanded. "They have much more than just wolves in their numbers. Add all of them together and they could slaughter us without much of a battle. I'm not risking my people just to have a powerful mate in my bed. We aren't a love connection. Maybe in time, yes. But in this moment, no. We're just potential partners, bedwarmers. I need more than just the promise of beautiful, powerful young to protect my people right now."

Deanna sat back in her chair, staring at him. "So, you'd just ditch our alliance to leave me and my people in the cold?"

Joseph turned to her. "No, because you're smarter than that. Don't you understand yet? They will continue to grow in power, and I'm glad it's them. There could be worse to have that much power, those who would use it to dictate. These people aren't like that. You might not trust them, but I know you trust me. I've lived here with them, Deanna. Trust me when I say they're good people. I deserved the beating I got from Dox and later from my father for what I did. It was inexcusable. You've been in my life for a long time. Don't throw away our potential because of this one restriction. I'll give you however many young you want, and they'll be safe with allies like this. Don't make me choose."

While Deanna sat there, contemplating her options just as Joseph had, dessert came with dessert wines. Two platters of different types of cheesecakes, cakes, brownies, pies, and cobblers with scoops of ice-cream. I picked a slice of strawberry cheesecake with chocolate drizzle. Deanna chose a bowl of blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice-cream. Dox took the apple pie with homemade whipped cream. Jules surprised us all by take a slice of banana cream pie and a marble brownie with ice-cream.

"What?" she muttered around her spoon as we all stared at her.

Dox gave her a suspicious frown while Bray chuckled. "She likes dessert."

"Hey, I have training to help take care of my figure. It's not like I'm a lazy heifer."

Laughing, I reached out for the other plate of banana cream pie. Dox raised an eyebrow. "What? I like dessert, too. Sue me."

Shaking his head, he dug into his pie. "It better go to your ass," he muttered.

I paused the spoon halfway to my mouth so I could give him a you-are-in-dangerous-territory look.

He smirked and shrugged those broad shoulders.

"I don't recall you complaining about my ass the last time you grabbed it."

Dox wasn't the only one who choked as Dad's table rattled again.

Smiling sweetly, I took a bite of pie as Dox stared at me. His eyes were wide as if he knew my dad was glaring death omens at him.

Jules laughed. "You should know better than to tease her, Dox. You get what you give."

He straightened up to glare at her. "Hey, now," he said waving his fork between me and her. "Don't start that teaming up shit."

Jules lowered her spoon and quirked a brow. "Excuse you, little brother? Shall I whip out the arsenal I have to tease you with?"

Dox's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't dare."

"Don't tell me what to do and I'll keep all to myself," she threatened.

Dox opened his mouth to respond but Joseph got there first. "Please tell her what to do. I would love to hear this."

Dox glared in his direction, jabbing a finger toward him. "You stay out of this."

We were all about to start talking when three words grabbed our attention: "I'll do it."

All gazes turned to Deanna.

Joseph asked, "What did you say?"

The female took a deep breath. "I said, I'll do it. I'll agree to the alliance." She looked up at Joseph. "But I want our mating and our packs merged. That's my price."

Dox and I shared looks with Bray and Jules.

Bray cleared his throat. "If I may be bold enough to ask, what swayed your decision?"

Deanna opened her mouth as if she would give him what-for just for daring to talk to her, but then she looked to Jules, then me, then to Dox. She seemed to realize that Bray was as important to this conversation as the rest of us. He was Jules's mate and husband, the second in command to the Black dynasty.

Her shoulders eased, and she motioned around the table. "The comfort, the ease with which you speak to each other. You really are a family." Under the table, Dox took my hand in his. "In all honesty, I'm tired of the constant fight, of trying to rule by fear. I don't want to have young only to worry about them making it to adulthood. I want safety for my people. And I am truly sorry for the spectacle I made last night."

I squeezed my mate's hand. "We are what we are, Deanna. We knew to expect some resistance. Change is difficult to trust and accept; we understand that. I'm very glad you're giving us this chance."

She smiled a little.

"So, what do you say, Joseph? Do you agree to that price?" Jules asked.

He looked at Deanna. She stared back, and he took her hand. "Yes. I agree to that price."

"Do you really want this?" Deanna asked. "I am a decade older than you."

Joseph smirked. "Deanna, I've had a crush on you since before I hit puberty."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, don't look so shocked. I wasn't happy to be sent up here to court Ryell. I knew your mate was dying, and I knew you were in secret negotiations with my father over me. I wanted it to be me. And age has never meant that much to wolves. You're beautiful, powerful, and you care for your people. And as you said, you're still in your prime for bearing children. Even if we never come to love each other as more than partners, I would love our young."

Like so many times tonight, Deanna studied him. Then she smiled and lifted her glass. "Then I suppose Ryell and Maddox can expect an invitation to our mating once we sort out the details."

Dox lifted his glass. "We would be honored to attend the mating of our allies, and hopefully, friends."

My glass went up. "Very honored."

Jules and Bray joined us in a toast.

We'd done it. Dox and I had acquired our first allies. The sense of relief was just a drop against the pit of roiling nervousness that my gut had turned into because, in that moment, it occurred to me that Joseph could easily be the mysterious powerful male who had threatened Quinn and her pack to hurt those kids in Seattle. If he held a grudge, it could be a possibility his dad was already dead, he the new pack leader having come to scope things out himself. And his asking about a pack witch could be his probing for information on where we stood on the topic.

I could feel Dox's eyes on me as I sipped from the glass distractedly.

When I found Joseph staring at me, too, I forced a smile and choked down a healthier swallow of wine.

---

I know a lot of you were looking forward to the party. This went much differently than I had originally seen it. I really loved the moment between Jacob and Nessie. We finally see a little bit of Jacob's grief and his struggle to deal with the losses even a couple years later. I really do love you guys! Thank you! xoxoxoxoxo