I own none of the original trilogy.

"There." Brady nods toward the huge Academy. "They're probably all in Haldis."

I take a deep breath to steady my raving nerves. Questions fill my head, almost overwhelming me. I calm myself enough to organize the chaotic thoughts and lead my pack inside.

"My parents are here?" Dad's hopeful voice is still weighed with misery, but he seems calmer, too.

Falling into step beside him, I nod. "Yeah. They were wondering how you were doing almost as soon as I woke up."

Brady snorts sarcastically. "And then you nearly beat me with those fangs of yours soon after!" he taunts.

"I'll do it again, too," I growl. "Just go tell Anika we're here."

Ren watches him go through narrowed eyes. He drops back; I follow suit, motioning for the others to go with Brady. "I don't like him," he states, glaring at Brady's back.

"Why not? He's really nice."

"Exactly! Too nice, perhaps?"

I roll my eyes. "Ren, he's not going to hurt any of us. I've been here long enough that if he wanted to, he would've." I remember his admittance to loving me and swallow back those words. "Anyway, his brother is the one you should worry about, not Brady. Nick is such a flirt."

"With you?" he presses.

"Protective much?" I retort, baring my teeth. "Have you forgotten who's alpha here?"

"No! I just don't want you to get hurt." He pauses when I snarl once more. "I know you can fight for yourself, Aqua, and you've proven that many times. Alphas need to stick together, though."

Cocking an eyebrow, I query, "Since when are you an alpha?"

"Since I started sneaking off to our neighbors," he answers. "I knew that you were the only alpha of us younger wolves, and I wanted to see if I could help you. Since I was originally born in the older pack, they accepted training me in secret. I was the betas' son. When I finished my training, I qualified to be an alpha. All I need is for you to accept me as such."

"And as my mate," I remind him, a warning edging my voice. "I don't know, Ren. I can't choose a mate now that all this happened."

"You sound like Calla during her stories," he comments. "There's no questioning you're her daughter." He lowers his voice. "She would've been proud of you, you know. She probably is in whatever place souls go."

I avert my eyes, which suddenly stung. "I'd do anything to have her back."

"That's not entirely impossible," Ren soothes, his promise farfetched.

The pack can't go on like this. "Okay, if you want, you can stand in as alpha male until I actually do take a mate. Until then, no one is anyone's mate. Deal?"

"Deal," he accepts.

"Now let's go catch up to the others."

I kept this short because the next chapter has a lot of reunions, interrogations, things like that. Oh, and a lot of alpha drama. So, until next time.