Author's Note: Moving right along... it's actually very rare that I manage to get so much done. Inspiration and motivation aren't very kind to me. But I'm just gonna keep pressing on and hopefully you guys enjoy it. As usual, please leave me your comments and opinions and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading, guys!

Kate and Garth were escorted to a den that was cleared out especially for them. Kate sighed. This was to be her new life; living with another Alpha, leading the pack together. This was the stuff of dreams, to be honest. It's like a fairytale come true. She was married to an Alpha… a handsome, strong Alpha. And not only handsome and strong, but another leader of the pack. That was literally as close as you could possibly get to a Prince Charming… Yet, she felt despondent. She didn't know if it was contagious… but Garth seemed to feel the same way, too.

Thinking about him reminded her to set ground rules. She looked at Garth seriously. "Look… Garth… you're a great guy and all. A lot of girls would consider it a dream come true to be with you. But… I'm not one of them. Let's get this straight right now. There is nothing between us. This bond was just set up by our parents to unite the packs."

Garth raised an eyebrow. "Ouch, Kate. You really know how to take a jab at an Alpha's pride. I understand… and I could just about say the same to you. I know that this was kind of forced on you, but I'm right there with you… to be honest… there's someone else for me. But I must've hurt her so bad by marrying you. I wonder if she'll even speak to me anymore."

Kate looked at Garth, sympathizing with him. She wanted to ask why he didn't stop the wedding. He raised a paw. "I know what you're thinking… And I didn't because it wasn't meant to be. I didn't stop the wedding because of the same reason you didn't. It's more than just us. I mean, Kate… we're pretty much exactly the same. Like you said about me, I'm willing to bet that every male wolf…" Garth stopped and chuckled lightly… "and maybe even a few female wolves would want to end up with you. But the truth of the matter is… we don't care at all for one another. We both want someone we can't have. But we have a duty… and there's tradition. As much as it pains me to admit… we have to leave the Omegas behind."

Kate's eyes widened as she realized that Garth was right, and that he knew that she also loved an Omega. "How did you…?" Garth sighed. "Kate… we're Alphas. We're trained to be sharp. I don't know what happened when you two were wolf-napped… but you fell for him. You fell for him hard."

Kate nodded solemnly, acknowledging Garth's words. Then something struck her as odd. "Wait a minute… you fell in love with an Omega too!?" Garth swore. He thought he'd managed to slip that by her… but then he realized she was an Alpha too. Sharp as a twig, and twice as deadly. He nodded and sighed again. "Your sister, Lilly."

Kate's jaw dropped. "You… and my sister?"

Garth nodded. "She's… amazing. She's so beautiful, and she doesn't even realize it. She's funny and she's patient… she taught me how to howl."

Kate involuntarily flinched when she recalled Garth howling for the first time… Her sister was patient. Kate couldn't manage to listen to that for more than five minutes.

Kate then thought about her sister. Kate frowned as guilt slammed into her. She'd broken two hearts with her marriage. Humphrey was probably long gone by now… and Lilly was probably suffering somewhere out of sight. Kate's chest ached and she looked over at Garth who seemed troubled as well.

"Garth… you couldn't possibly let go of Lilly that easily, could you?" Kate asked him, sympathy in her voice. Garth shook his head slowly. As unbecoming as it was for an Alpha… he began to cry. "What else could possibly be done, though? My father, your parents... our packs… their survival hinges on this marriage working out." Kate tried her best to comfort Garth. Then she began to walk out of the den. "Come on, Garth…" she called out to him and beckoned him to follow her.

Garth walked alongside her until she led him to a small pond where the moon hung above both their heads and was reflected off the water.

Kate closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp night air. She let it fill her lungs and she howled, loud and clear through the night. At first, the sound was proud and strong… the howl of a true Alpha. But Garth's ears heard something else. He listened closely and heard pain and suffering. He heard guilt and regret. He heard Kate calling out to the night… expressing her regret and sorrow to those she had hurt.

Garth looked over at Kate. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as her howl filled the night. Garth thought of Lilly… her violet eyes and her white shining fur… Then an image of Lilly's violet eyes stained crimson by tears and Lilly's white fur ruffled and dirty as she sat somewhere quiet and secluded to soothe her broken heart popped into his mind.

Tears began to flow from him and he took a deep breath in. He howled alongside Kate… both of the Alphas spilling their regret out into the night sky. Crying tears of guilt and sorrow, they howled a powerful melody of Alphas… Wolves from their pack howled back at them harmoniously, cheering for the newlyweds. They didn't hear the regret in their howl. They didn't hear the pain in their song. It was a sorrow only they understood.

Lilly heard the howl. She recognized her sister's voice. She recognized Garth's… the nerve! She taught him how to howl… and there he was… waving it in her face. Sharing the gift she gave him with her sister openly… on their first night of being a wedded couple.

Her pain bred anger. Lilly's tears began to dry as all of her pain turned to hatred. Lilly placed her paws over her ears and tried not to listen… she curled herself up in Humphrey's den and tried her best to lock out the sound of the howl of two powerful Alphas. Joined together.

It was impossible. Their loud song rang in her ears. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't live like this… hearing the wolf she loved howling at the moon with another. But where was she supposed to go? She wouldn't survive a day outside of Jasper. She couldn't hunt… she couldn't make a den… she couldn't really do much of anything.

And you wanted to be with an Alpha… you're useless…

She sniffled back her tears… and caught a scent.

Humphrey...

Lilly sniffed around the den… trying to follow the scent. She was no Alpha… but she would be able to get to him. Each howl filled her with more resolve. Lilly followed the scent… before she knew it, she was running as fast as she could to Humphrey, away from Jasper. She looked behind her one last time at the only place she considered home.

It's crazy the things a wolf will do with a broken heart.

Lilly ran off, leaving everything she knew and loved behind.