“Are you sure about this?” The small lanky man asked, seeing the woman’s pained expression. He didn't see why she couldn't go with them, to be with her child clearly she loved her. While his larger ‘friend' stood beside him with an air of authority surrounding him, the 'smaller' man seemed just as powerful, except for the fact he wasn’t a Werewolf. He could tell the that the werewolf wasn't very 'calm' and 'collected' perhaps it would have been better to have come without him, but then again they were way too close to another Pack's territory...

“So long as she’s safe… I haven't been unable to do anything for her, I should have done something years ago... but I was too scared... I was sure they would have taken care of her better than I ever could... but..." The woman glanced back at the girl lying on the bed.

"I have no excuses that can ever justify her suffering; if I or anyone really wanted to stop what was happening then we could have... So long as she is safe and can learn to be happy... this is all I ever wanted for her.” The women said, tears falling as she realized she’d never get to see her baby girl again – but this was for the best… it was the only thing she would ever have done 'right' by her daughter having avoided the 'truth' all these years.

“We will, she's part of our family now.” The man towering with authority said as the lanky man walked towards the bed and gently picked the girl up into his arms, he was surprised at how light she was. Wrapping his flames around her to warm her, he knew a little bit of 'healing', which is surprising considering how destructive his flames were.

“We’ll be sure no Hunters will ever be able to find her! The Pack and my Coven will make sure of it, so long as you do your part right. But I have no doubt that with Becca here, I’m sure all will be as planned.” An elderly woman said, getting out of the car and opening the back door for the lanky man to lay the girl down on the back seat, getting in as well. 

The portal connecting the two spaces were about to close, unable to continue holding it open. The Elderly women nodded to the two men and they got into the car.

“Thank you.” The grieving mother whispered just as the portal closed.

"Now it's my turn." The last remaining witch held out her hand for the mother to take. Her black hair neatly cropped, she was wearing the hospital's uniform. Placed her hand in the witch's she let the witch do what she did best.

…

A few long – dreaded – hours had passed… since Aegis was pushed out of the theater and into her own personal room, she had yet to wake up. For the first five hours Loretta had banned him from going into the room, not just him but ‘everyone’ even the Luna. Only when Alpha Rodrick showed up after investigating (interrogating) Valerie and her group of friends did he give his mate and Aiden the chance to ‘say’ goodbye’ – as though Aegis wasn’t going to make it… Aiden looked to Loretta, her eyes red from crying nearly hidden from sight, her head kept low…

Not even she was sure if Aegis would pull through. Beside Loretta was one of the nurses specifically assigned to Aegis' room, she wasn't a werewolf, but she was fully aware of who they were.

He watched as the monitor beep – proof she was still alive – whenever it seemed like she had finally taken her last breathe… it gave him a semblance of reassurance; his eyes glued to the monitor for even the slightest change. Her head wrapped in bandages, a small hole having been made to release the pressure from the pooling blood in her head… All her beautiful burning auburn hair shaved off. She looked so pale, more like a Vampire or ‘witch’ than Werewolf… He knew she was healing slower than most ‘weak’ humans, but didn’t realize how severe her condition was and the reason to why no one thought she’d pull through – poisoned… she had slowly been poisoned since she was five…

He was still trying to recover from this knowledge when the monitor started screaming.

“No… Aegis! Wake up… Wake up! Wake up damn-it!” His voice; from a panicking mess immediately to a stern authoritative bark; as though his position as a ‘Beta’ could bring her back to him. But even as the staff came in pulling him away to safe her… it was too late… this much he already knew as Aegis was rushed out the room, and into an emergency operating theater.

Aiden sat in the waiting room, already ‘dead’. Aaron had just arrived, seeing Aiden so lifeless he felt his own regret start to eat at his core.

Having been kept in the dark to why the Pack was in chaos; seeing Mr. Davis making sandwiches as though his life depended on, the sandwiches he only ever made for Aegis... Then chasing a bunch of pups out the kitchen when they tried to take some of it to snack on... something he has never done in his life!

Then there was Chris and James who seemed as though they were on a mission; ready to hunt – to murder even, if any dared to ask what was going on – he didn’t need anyone to tell him to be able to guess what had happened… After he left Aegis with the others he had gone to the lake, it was where their parents were buried with Tristan… He had followed Aegis there often, and each time it felt like his heart was ripped out and trampled on when he saw her briefly take note of the graves and then ‘walk’ away with trembling lips, obviously holding back her tears… As though she didn’t have the right to unburden herself… It was all his fault… He didn’t know how to make right with her, but at the same time, he didn’t’ try; he didn't want to try! It was easier to have some one to blame, than to just 'accept' so he instead fell in with Valerie’s schemes… Him the older brother was a puppet to his younger sister who somehow turned into a monster.

His eyes filled with ‘horror’, his skin paled…

“She’ll be fine, she’s always been stronger than any of us.” He told Aiden as he came to a standstill in front of his twin, trying to reassure him; to keep the hope alive, she couldn't be 'that' bad could she? Valerie would actually have tried to kill her...? 

“You… You did this!” Aiden roared.

“No… I… I didn’t… This wasn’t…” Aaron couldn’t grasp any of the words he had come to say… Aiden was doing his best not to let his wolf get the better of him, trying his best not to make a scene, but still he found himself stalking closer to Aaron only stopping when a door opened and a nurse walked out… Aiden looked at her, hoping she’d give at least a hint that she was ‘joking’… as she shook her head, her eyes kept low.

“I’m sorry to say, she went into shock… there just wasn’t anything more we could do for her.” The nurse informed him, she didn't seem particularly 'distressed' breaking the news, rather she was as monotonous about it as her own appearance. Aaron hearing the news, dropped to his knees…

“I… I killed… My sister… My little sister… I killed… I left her there with them… I could have…” Aiden heard the soft murmurs, grabbing Aaron by the collar he dragged him outside, fully intent on beating Aaron to a pulp, but then the image of Aegis, alone and afraid surfaced.

She's dead... She's dead because no one was there for her... because they blamed her... he blamed her... Whether Aaron was guilty or not, was he really willing to push yet another member of his family away to 'die'?

“If you want to repent… Then make sure you live! Live a quiet life doing everything you can to make this right with her knowing that nothing you do will ever satisfy her; that she’d never forgive you, and then work harder!”

“I’ll… leave…” Aaron nodded.

“No, you’re staying in the Pack where I can see you suffer!” Aiden barked.

“Now go.” His voice threateningly low.

The news reached the Pack, and Harold flew back home that very day still. Hearing the girl he had always ‘loved’ was now dead; it felt like a part of his soul had been chipped away, he hadn't seen her since she was three, and even when he could go to see her, he felt 'weird' at the idea seeing her... He knew what the feeling was, he liked her - a lot - and he knew seeing her would 'distract' him, so he chose to wait, wait until he finished his studies, because if he saw her before then, he wouldn't want to leave ever again. Ever since he turned sixteen he was more certain than ever that she’d be his mate. They had been convinced since they were just little pups, but now that chance was taken from him.

Just as Aiden, Harold wanted the people responsible to suffer. Matthew had been forced to watch Valerie be whipped. Kane lost his position as the next Gamma, it wasn’t even a decree made by Harold or Alpha Rodrick, rather the current Gamma himself ‘disowned’ his own son, saving some ‘face’ for himself within the Pack. As for Declan he was exiled along with the others, except for Aaron and Kane. Their crimes announced to every Pack within a hundred miles; the news of what they had done spreading like wildfire... insuring that no Pack would want them, "murderers", as a part of their 'community'.

...

When it came to giving her a resting place it was Aaron that asked that she be buried right beside Tristan.

While everyone was obligated to attend whether they wanted to or not, and while everyone shifted that night of her burial, Aaron stood in his human form.

While everyone howled to the moon, a prayer to the moon-goddess taht she would show favor and give the child’s spirit a place forever in her garden, Aaron prayed that Aegis would be given a second chance at life while he still lived, so that he could find her, protect and serve her like he was supposed to as her ‘older’ brother… even though she wasn’t family by blood, the fact they grew up together… It was the thread that tied them together and he had disgraced that bond.