6 years have passed.

:Jack:

I pull apart Isaiah and Jasmyn.

Jasmyn gives me a little growl, continuing to fight against my strength.

I laugh, lifting her onto my shoulders.

Isaiah pouts. "What? No fair!"

"You're only three, Isaiah. I'm older than you," Jasmyn giggles.

"Go get Mommy, and we'll have a fight," I encourage my son.

Ellana steps around the corner, her lips tugged downward. "I am changing Brenna. If you wouldn't mind keeping them busy for a little, that would be great."

"Oh, come on, Ellie. Loosen up. Have a little fun. Enjoy life. You're getting old."

"If my old mind remembers correctly, I'm younger than you."

"Oooh," Isaiah says, glancing between our staring.

She sighs. "No. Go make supper."

We all groan and sulk away.

"Mommy is no fun," Jasmyn grumbles.

"I know. I am a much better parent."

A knock sounds on the door, and I set my daughter down to answer it.

I take Isaiah's hand, leading him into the kitchen, and dropping him on the counter.

He crawls to the sink. "What are we making, Daddy?"

I smirk. "I dunno. Should we make cookies?"

He licks his lips. "Yes."

I frown. "There is one thing. We need to find a recipe."

He nods. "Of course, Daddy."

I snatch my phone and Google a recipe.

"Does this one look good?" I ask, showing him my phone.

"It looks like bunny poop," he frowns.

I pause, staring at him. "What?"

The kitchen door swings open, revealing Atticus and Elisa, with their son.

"Ace!" Isaiah squeals, jumping into my arms. I set him down, and he waddles over to his friend.

"Ew. I don't want your germs, Isaiah. Don't drool on me." He looks nervously at his dad.

Atticus chuckles, lifting my son up.

Isaiah gasps. "Uncle Atti!" He hugs him with his short arms.

I roll my eyes, smiling. "How have you been, Elisa?"

"Good. Ace is a handful, but aren't all children?"

I nod.

"How has your family of five been?"

Yes, that's right. Five. Ellana, Jasmyn, Isaiah, Brenna, and I. "It's a lot," I say, simply. "They are well behaved, though."

"Come, Atticus. I want to go see Ellana," Elisa urges.

He nods, setting my son down. "Ace, are you staying here?"

"Yes. I wanna stay with Uncle Jack."

"Alright. We're not far if you need us."

Ace rolls his eyes. "Geez, Dad. I'm not six, anymore. I can take care of myself."

Before we know it, they're gone, leaving us three guys to bake.

I lay the plan out on a piece of paper, sketching it, as well. The boys understand it. I understand it. It's going according to plan.

We all run around the kitchen, grabbing possible ingredients and throwing them into bowls.

I sink to the floor when we're done.

Ace collapses beside me, where as Isaiah is on me.

I wipe the sweat from my forehead. "Women... I don't know how they do this."

I get two nods of agreement, one a little more aware than the other.

Then I realize what lies around us.

Flour is scattered all over, sugar in the floorboards, milk splattered on walls, vanilla extract dumped on the counter, the blender dirty, bowls, spatulas, and spoons on the island.

"Uh-oh," I say, standing up and setting my son beside me. I glance nervously around. "Uh, guys?" I clear my throat. "I have a feeling the women won't be cleaning this up."

Ace gulps, and Isaiah claps his hands.

"Isaiah. Don't get any ideas. You can't tell Mommy this, alright? Promise?"

He nods and runs off.

"Isai- ugh. Great." I mind link Atticus to get in here quickly, but quietly.

A few seconds later, he's jogging in, a panicked expression on his face. "What did you do?!"

"I don't know! I need help! I'm going to be in so much trouble!"

Atticus grimaces. "Me, too." He doesn't look at Ace. He just starts throwing things in the garbage can.

"What are you doing?!"

He glares at me. "You can buy more! We don't have time!"

I nod, kidnapping the cloth that was hanging on the faucet. I scoop up crumbs and liquids, before the door slams open, taking us all by surprise.

I gulp. No. This is not happening. It's fine.

"Jack, what the hell did you do to my kitchen?!" Ellana storms over to me, grabbing my ear to pull me down.

I yelp. Nope. It's real.

Atticus smirks, then cowers when he sees his wife glaring at him.

I whimper when I see how infuriated my mate is. "I'm sorry. I-"

"Don't want to hear it!" She drags me out of the kitchen, then slaps my chest a couple times, before storming back into the kitchen.

I sigh, sitting back into one of the chairs behind me.

Atticus runs out with Ace, looking bewildered.

I nod. "I know. Very controlling."

Ellie screams something about not being deaf and I shrink back further into the chair, clutching my ear.

"I was wrong. The women did do the cleaning."

Shane opens the front door, then closes it behind Tyler and their son, Caleb. "What are you guys doing out here?" he asks, walking to the windows and opening a few.

I send them a glare and stare at the table, while my wolf is screaming at me.

"Jack and Ace got into trouble for attempting to make something."

"Ha! Jack? Trying to make something?!" Tyler sounds amazed. "My, my. Alpha Jack, I did not know you could cook."

I slide my chair back and walk up the stairs. I'm not taking their bullshit, right now. I just pissed off my mate. I need to calm down.

When I reach my bedroom, I slam the door and pace the room.

Way to go, fucking Jack.

I roll my eyes, not taking his bullishit, either. You know what? Maybe I need a run.

I pull my clothes off and set them by the window, before climbing down the fire escape.

I find it funny how when I first found Ellana, she jumped out of the wrong window. This one has a ladder.

I jump off and shift right away, taking off into the woods.

***

I sniff around. I sense something. It's a sour smell. Accalia snarls at whatever the smell is.

It's not a rogue, but there were rogues here not long ago.

I don't like it, whatever it is. It makes me uncomfortable.

I shrug it off as an unimportant animal, and head back to the border, mind linking my patrol to watch out for something that could be dangerous for the next while.

I make it back to my house, no problem, and climb through the window.

I look around, and see Ellana sleeping with my shirt on.

I smile to myself, the feeling in my stomach almost gone, now that I know she's safe.

:Peter:

I smile. I've found her. I've found her mate. I've found her children.

I turn around, facing the army behind me, the fire as our source of light.

"We are two hours away from Alpha Jack's pack. We have leverage. They don't. Jack will have no option but to trade his ma-"

"He would never! You selfish bitch-"

"Would somebody shut her up?!" I yell. "Seriously, why must you always interrupt me?" I crouch down in front of her petite, beaten up body. I stroke her cheek. "Isn't it a little embarrassing that I've caught you, hybrid?" I spit, and she turns her head. I grab her chin and yank it to face me. "Would you like to be burned alive? Oh, but, then your dear brother and mate wouldn't be able to save you. We wouldn't want that, now would we, Luna Amy?" I smirk when she doesn't answer. Or so I thought.

"Mister Gilinsky, you will not get anything from this. You will not survive this war. You are bringing it upon yourself, and you don't even have the right resources to win. My brother will win, with me dead or alive."

I frown. "When we capture your brother and his mate, and your mate, we are going to strap them down. And..." I lean in closer, my breath fanning her cheek. "You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to strap you down, too. But, I'm going to stretch you, so you and your mate are going through the pain at the same time. I might add flesh-eating poison, too. We'll see if your behaviour changes." I stand. 

"Let's go!" One of my men, Daniel shouts. "We've got to get going if we want to reach their pack by Wednesday."

I growl at him, then look at the wolves congregated around me. "Move out! And somebody carry the damn woman."

She growls at me, baring her teeth like the wild animal she is.

I glare at her, before heading over. "Shut up and act decent before I rip out your tongue."

She glares at me, as if she could stand up and beat me in a fight.

"I will make your death as painful and long as I possibly can," I promise. 

Laughter echoes around me.

"Shut the fuck up," I yell, shoulders heaving.

"Yes, sir," they all repeat, backing away.

Amy smirks at me. "So, when do we get going? I thought you wanted to get there by Wednesday."

"If your fatass keeps talking, we'll be there next year." I spin around, facing Toby, my archer. "Grab her. Do whatever you want, but I want her alive."

"Okay..."

"Your stank ass looks like if Anna from Frozen got botched surgery on her nose and jaw," Amy growls at me.

"Oh shut up will you?!" I snarl.

My archer tosses her over his shoulder, grinning madly.

I frown. She will be good leverage, but she is annoying as hell. "Move out." I point in the direction we need to go.