Blake watched the sky as snow fell onto the driveway to Vale Academy. The school had once again started to buzz with life as the students returned from their holiday. The large brick mansion in a gothic style greeted them and many of the students moved to the wings which held the dormitory. Hadrien, who had arrived earlier than the other students after visiting France with his brother, stood beside him. Unlike Blake who shuddered in the cold air, Hadrien seemed unfazed. The result of him being a wolf shapeshifter no doubt.

Blake blew hot air on his cold hands while his emerald eyes watched the road for his roommate's return. It didn’t take long before Alex exited a black cab with a bright smile. Blake came running only to slip and crash into Alex who came tumbling down into the snow with him. Both of them roared in laughter as they threw snow at each other.

“Bloody hell, you left my makeup in shambles!” Alex said and pointed at his face. His goth makeup was flawless and only enhanced his Chinese heritage. But what bothered Blake wasn’t his friend's makeup, he was used to it, it was his hair. His once raven hair, cut in a very j-rock fashion, was now white as snow.

“What happened to your hair?”

“My mother coloured it after hearing what happened to your hair. Said something about me being supportive,” said Alex with a shrug.

Blake blushed and ruffled his own white hair, the evidence from his dabble in Dark Arts last year, with an embarrassed look on his face.

“Personally, I think it suits me!” Alex joked.

“Oui, now you look even more like a ghost,” Hadrien said with a smirk and Alex threw snow at him.

“I don’t want to hear that from your pale ass!”

Blake rolled his eyes and they brushed off the snow before going to Blake and Alex's room to help him pack up. Even the room was a tad cold as this was an old building and heating wasn’t really a thing back in the day. Even after they have installed the heating system, the old stone walls made sure that the building was cold. It was pleasant during the warm summer but rather inconvenient during the winter.

“So has anything happened while I was away?” Alex asked while unpacking.

“I got a new sweater from my brother,” Hadrien replied with a smirk.

Alex rolled his eyes,” Let me rephrase that, has anything interesting happen?”

“Blake’s painting was ripped to pieces.”

Alex grew rigid and turned his eyes towards Blake. “What? Why? Who did it?”

“The culprit was never caught. Probably someone playing a prank,”said Blake casually.

“Hardly sounds like a prank to me,” Alex muttered but let it go.

“Oh, Blake made out with Jaxon during the Christmas party,” Hadrien pointed at Blake who blushed guiltily as a response.

Alex grinned at Blake which only made him turn to an even darker red. “Shagged the wolf, did ya?”

“No, only kissed him and how do you know that, Hadrien?”

“Everyone knows, the entire family stood by the window and peeked at you two. And wolves like to gossip. Except for Elliott, I have no idea where he was during the Christmas party,” Hadrien replied with a shrug. Blake groaned in dismay. That explains why Jaxon’s mother wanted to spend time with him and why his father wanted him to meet all the wolves in the pack. They already think that they are dating.

“So? Is it official?” Alex asked and mirrored Blake’s thoughts.

“Not really, we haven’t even gone on a real date,” Blake muttered.

“What do you call the Christmas party then?”

“A party?”

“Blake!”

“Fine, but I want… I don’t know. More. It feels more like a shallow thing. I want more intimate dates… Without his family gawking at us,” Blake sighed with a dreamy look on his face.

Alex cocked an eyebrow,” you are barking up the wrong tree.”

“Hilarious.”

“Thank you, I wanted to use that one for a long time. Either way, wolves are not really known to be romantic. If you ask for a gift, he will most likely hunt a deer for you,” Alex said with a shrug and Hadrien smirked at him.

“A deer is better than a rat, cheri.”

“Don’t insult me. I would get my baby a rabbit. I am an Asian Golden Cat after all.”

A squeak was heard underneath a pillow on Blake’s bed.

“I did not see you there, Coney.”

The little rabbit jumped out from the pillow and gave a defiant huff, “You could never catch a rabbit! You are too lazy, cat.”

“You are adorable, Coney, but I will feed you to my future mate!” Alex said and laughed when Coney turned his back on him with an insulted huff.

“Behave, you two!”

Blake petted Coney who seemed to calm down and lean into Blake.

“Well, our love lives are not the most interesting that happened during the winter vacation.”

“Oh?”

“There are some new characters in town and from what I can tell, they are not here for the fair landscape.”

*****

Jaxon ran along the trail. Tree’s and bushes covered it and would have made it difficult to run but Jaxon was used to it. His four paws were perfect for running in the forest and his nose helped him locate his way home. It did not take long before he came to a clearing. Both his brothers had beaten him there. They had already turned into their human form and Jaxon did the same.

The black fur that covered his wolf shape vanished and it was replaced by fair skin. Dark brown hair covered his head and two piercing blue eyes gleamed on a handsome face. His fit body was covered in sweat as he leaned over to pant.

“How the hell did you two beat me?”

“Experience,” his eldest brother Elliott said.

“By not sucking,” The middle child of the family, Kai, snorted.

“You two are old, you should retire. Sip some tea and reminisce about the past,” muttered Jaxon.

“I would love to retire at the age of twenty-five but alas, I need to cover for my two rowdy brothers,” Elliott said and stretched his body.

“Seriously, though. You have trained like a madman ever since Christmas. What’s that about?” Kai said and pointed accusingly at Elliott who frowned but refused to look at them.

“Nothing… I just wanted to become stronger.”

“If you get any stronger, your wolf will turn into an elephant,” Kai muttered and turned to Jaxon.

“You, on the other hand, need some serious training. You are one of my best players. Why the bloody hell can’t you keep up?”

“Too much food during the Christmas and New Year,” Jaxon laughed and patted his stomach.

“Spectacular, one of my star players has become fat,” muttered Kai before he cocked an eyebrow at Jaxon. “I thought you kept in shape by hunting that little rabbit of yours, Jax.”

A dumb grin slowly plastered onto Jaxon’s face at the thought of Blake. “Maybe I don’t have to hunt him as much anymore.”

“Shit, I don’t want to know about your sex life!” exclaimed Kai and Elliott agreed. All three of them were interrupted by their father, Owen Price, who came towards them with stormy steps. He was not a fair sight as he was clearly furious.

“Who of you are in trouble?” Elliott asked while watching his father. Jaxon shook his head as he could not remember anything that deserves a scolding. Kai merely shrugged which could mean anything.

“Then it’s me who is in trouble,” muttered Elliott but apparently Owen heard them as he answered with a grumble.

“None of you is in trouble, but we do have a problem. Joshua Dufort was attacked!”

Jaxon saw Elliott grew rigid and his face was sour.

“Hadrien’s brother? Was it a fight or an assault?” Kai said slowly and scratched his dark stubble. Now seeing them beside each other, Jaxon was struck by how much Kai looked like their father. Though, Kai had not the same stern attitude as him.

“I do not know. That stupid boy won’t tell!”

“That means it was a fight… And he lost miserably,” Elliott sighed. “Where is he?”

“At your office, getting patched up by Joanne Lyndon,” Owen replied.

“When did that girl come here? Isn’t she a nurse at Elan Academy?” Kai asked but all of them ignored him and rushed to the office. Joshua, being a far throw from his usual handsome visage as he was covered with bruises, laid down on the couch while a woman in Elliott’s age put ice on the wound. Her dark brown eyes met Elliotts and she pulled away her long chestnut-coloured hair and pushed up her large, round glasses while giving them a kind smile.

“The hero is fine if a bit sore,” she said and slapped Joshua over his bruised arm and a river of french curses flowed freely from his mouth.

“I would rather call that the sight of a loser,” Kai joked and hit Joshua over the head and got a grimace as a reply.

“You are far from the most adequate fighter in the pack. Whatever possessed you to get into a fight?” Elliott sighed at the sight of Joshua. Elliott had never seen Joshua fight, to be honest. No one has as Joshua often charmed himself out of trouble.

“Walsh!”

The room fell silent as Joshua’s words sank in. Jaxon’s eyebrows shot up.

“Who?”

“Ronan Walsh… He is an Alpha from another pack who had come to visit us during the Christmas party. He is also the one that frightened Blake,” Elliott muttered and Jaxon was too agitated to notice his father’s gaze which perused his eldest son with a concerned look on his face.

“The guy who… Wait! Is he the one that ripped Blake’s painting to pieces,” Jaxon asked with a low growl.

“No, he assured me that he wasn’t that childish,” said Elliott and fidgeted with his hands.

“And you believed him?” Jaxon growled.

“Yes, he is here for another reason,” Elliott sighed and looked up at his father who hadn’t released him with his gaze.

“He wants to become patriarch,” said Owen. It was hardly a question but Elliott replied anyway.

“Yes, he said that I wasn’t strong enough to lead so he has come here to take control.”

“He can’t do that!” Jaxon exclaimed but silenced when he noticed his father’s look. “Can he?”

“He can. I am just surprised that he hadn’t just gone up and done an official challenge,” Kai shrugged.

“That would not be enough. The Price family has ruled this pack for ages. It is not easy to take the title from us. Certainly, not with a mere challenge for battle,” said Owen and seemed to ponder the situation. He turned his stern gaze towards Joshua.

“Was it he who challenged you or the other way around?”

Joshua avoided looking Owen into his eyes which told everyone in the room what the answer was. He had challenged Ronan.

“A stupid move… We will either have to claim that we send Joshua or we can say the truth, that Joshua acted on his own,” said Owen.

“If we do the latter, it will seem like I cannot control my Betas which will discredit me,” Elliott groaned and gave Joshua a harsh look which made him wince.

“Is this all so bad? Fights happen all the time between shifters,” said Jaxon and scratched himself on the head.

“True, but he is here because Elliott seems to have lost control of the situation. An unruly Beta only solidifies that claim,” Owen pointed out.

“I will talk to Ronan. Hopefully, solve this between us two,” Elliott finally said reluctantly and Owen nodded.

“It might be best but don’t solely put your trust in diplomacy. Ronan is a believer of the old traditions. He might want to challenge you. Do not back away!” Owen warned and Elliott replied with a grim expression.

“I know.”

*****

Elliott walked over to the Nantgwyllt Church which has come to be Ronan’s base of operation. He and his minion have often been spotted smoking and drinking in the old stone church. Much to the priest’s dismay. Not that he had the power to throw out Ronan. Minister Jenkins could only pick up the rubbish after the hooligans.

It didn’t take long before Elliott saw Ronan who was leaning against the little church while talking to his gang. His dark eyes met Elliott’s and a cocky grin, no different from when they were younger, grew on his face. It was obvious that he had waited for Elliott. His gang, all in leather jackets, hooted at the sight of Elliott and called him the bitch of the Price pack. Elliott did not care as this wasn’t the first time he had heard such words.

Ronan crossed his arms over his chest and Elliott could see the muscles move on his well-formed body. The asshole from his past had nothing on him except dark jeans and a tank top. Something he most likely did to distract Elliott who stared at Ronan’s tattoos. He hadn’t had those when they were younger.

Elliott reluctantly forced his gaze away from Ronan’s well-toned chest to stare at his unshaven face with what he hoped looked like determination. He slowly closed in on his target which seemed to take an eternity. When he finally was just a few feet away from Ronan he couldn’t help but to glare as the sudden urge to hit the guy rushed through him. Ronan had not stopped smirking knowingly at him which made this unbearable.

“I heard you had a run-in with my Beta,” Elliott said and could hear snickers from the people around them. They were clearly mocking him.

“You heard correctly. I must say, you sure have changed taste from when you were young. Back then you wanted men. Now apparently, you got a taste for boys. Is that why you became the principal?” Ronan said with a thick cockney accent that Elliott once had found sexy. Another wave of snickers rushed through the crowd.

“No, I became the principal because I actually was able to accomplish something unlike other people,” Elliott snorted and narrowed his eyes. “And I don’t see what my love life has to do with you or your mongrels.”

A growl came from the people around them but Ronan merely glared at them and his goons silenced. He still was able to control people with fear, that hasn’t changed since they were young.

“Your Beta challenged me so I set him straight. Did you like my gift to you?”

Now it was Elliott’s time to growl and he had no intention of being silenced. They were not sixteen anymore. He was the alpha, the next patriarch and he would not allow disorder on his turf. Ronan did not look impressed though a merely gave him a dull look.

“I’m guessing my gift wasn’t appreciated.”

“I’m here to return it,” Elliott snapped and a dangerous smile spread across Ronan’s face.

“You sure has become confident since the last time I saw you, Elliott!” Ronan straightens himself and started to pace around Elliott. He looked like a predator stalking his prey as he was ready for battle. “Let’s see if it’s merely posturing.”