I looked at the object in my hand with keen interest, watching how it caught the light if I held it at a certain angle.

"Ares, can you please stop staring at the steak knife? You're scaring my pack members," Sebastian sighed, and gave me a pointed look.

I rolled my eyes. I'll give them something to be scared about.

I set the knife down beside my plate, and I could hear a small puff of air leave Omar's mouth as he exhaled in relief. He was nervous around me since the meeting. He knew I wouldn't hesitate to kill any Red Crescent wolves.

I summoned a machete, small for average machetes, but much larger than a steak knife, and heard Omar, Samuel, and Axel gasp aloud.

I began using the giant blade to cut my steak, and Sebastian sighed in exasperation. "Dammit, Ares."

"Do not swear at the Luna," Lucas snarled at Sebastian, his canines descended at lightning speed.

"I do not take orders from Gammas," Sebastian snarled right back, standing up from his seat at the head of the table.

I grinned wickedly. You see what you've started? Cain's voice filled my head, and when I looked at his face, I could see his exasperation with my antics.

"Oh? At least I have a title," Lucas smirked, his eyes dark.

I could see Cain's mouth twitch up, resembling a small smile, that would be impossible to notice if you weren't looking for it. He didn't like Seb, and I could tell he didn't plan on stopping Lucas from antagonizing him.

"Then allow me to ask you: How does it feel knowing that an unranked wolf could kill you where you stand in seconds?" Sebastian asked, his hand twitching.

Lucas put his hand on his bearded chin, pretending to think. "It feels... like you're full of shit."

"STOP!" Axel shouted, and used his Gift to transform his arm until it was completely metal. He punched the wooden table so hard it completely split down the middle.

Cain looked at the scene with interest, but made no step to intervene. Why aren't you doing anything? I mindlinked Cain.

He shrugged, amused. What's to deal with? If Sebastian wants his ass beat by my wolves than that's fine with me.

I scoffed. Cain. Sebastian is almost an Alpha, and his Gift is exceptionally strong. It's not like Lucas can just kill him easily.

Cain gave me a weird look. You should really get to know Lucas better, I think you would be shocked.

I was about to question him further when my attention was brought back to the drama in front of us.

Sebastian suddenly uncrouched, his spine straightening. He abruptly turned around and left the room. A few moments later I could hear the Pack House front door slam shut.

Cain looked at me in disapproval, as if to say, "Look what you've done".

I sighed and got up from the table, putting the baby machete down on the table with a clanking sound that made some of the wolves jump.

"Shall I accompany the Luna, Cain?" I heard Lucas ask my mate.

Before he could respond, I answered Lucas directly via mindlink. I don't need to be babysat, Gamma. I said the last word venomously.

"This is an unsecured land for as long as Wilson is MIA and there is talk of rebellion," Lucas' voice was firm as he responded, but not disrespectful. Despite his calm tone, I didn't appreciate being questioned in front of Red Crescent wolves. My canines sank in anger as my eyes narrowed at being questioned.

Cain stepped in before I could attack Lucas. "Thank you for offering, Gamma, but I trust that the Luna knows her way around this land and Sebastian is no danger to her."

Lucas looked like he was about to protest again, but one look from Cain silenced him. He looked at me in concern.

I privately mindlinked Lucas. I'm not sure why you're so worried, but I'll be fine, Lucas. You should know that I am more than capable of neutralizing threats.

I gave him a final look as I headed out the door, following after Sebastian.

I followed his scent for about a mile into the woods, where I found him sitting on a large, familiar rock. He glanced at me before looking back down at the rock he was fiddling with in his hand.

Suddenly, his arm jerked up, and launched the rock at me with a brutal amount of force. I sidestepped it, avoiding it easily.

I looked at Seb in question, who just chuckled sadly. "You were always faster than me. Stronger. A better leader. I never understood why until I learned the truth about you being the firstborn."

My face fell in sympathy as I sat next to him on the oversized boulder. We looked into the green woods silently, as birds chirped around us, oblivious to the monsters around them.

Seb continued. "I always thought it was just because I wasn't the Alpha yet. I used to hate my father for keeping the Alpha title from me. Little did I know he didn't even have the power to give it to me." He gave a tight smile but kept his eyes on the trees.

"And now, I have nothing. I don't have the Alpha title, I don't have a father, still don't have a fucking mate, and most importantly, I don't even have the respect of the pack anymore." I looked at him sadly. I had gotten everything he wanted, and I didn't even ask for it. I'm not sure what I would say to him, even if I could talk.

Suddenly, his hand started shaking. A yellow burst of electricity shot from his hand, striking the tree until it split down in the middle and blackened. His eyes were bright golden.

"This is fucking bullshit. I will kill my father myself as soon as he is caught," Sebastian spat out, jumping off the rock and pacing angrily.

I sighed. Get in line, buddy. Cain and I already argued over who would get the honor of ripping his heart out, and even Thane said he wasn't sure if he would be able to hand him over without killing him first.

Suddenly, both of our attention turned to the rustling of leaves to our right, nestled in the trees. "Whoever that is, you've got to be pretty fucking stupid to try attacking an Alpha and a half," Seb called out, making me snort at him calling himself half of an alpha.

An older man, with slightly greyed hair and dull blue eyes came out from behind a thick shrub. He looked directly into my eyes. "You will never be the Alpha of Red Crescent. Females are not Alphas. You think because you can throw a couple of knives, people should bow down to you?"

One of my eyebrows quirked and my lips turned up at the older man in amusement. Is this what the rebels thought? That I wanted to be Alpha of Red Crescent? I have no desire to be the Alpha of Red Crescent. Cain and I already agreed that even if we merged Red Crescent with Blood Lake, it would likely be more trouble than it was worth, not to mention way too much land to guard effectively. When Wilson died and the Alpha position was passed to me, I would be able to voluntarily give the title to Sebastian.

The old man turned to Sebastian. "And you. You're far too weak to be an Alpha. Any real Alpha would have squashed any rebellion before it could even begin. You aren't respected, and that's why you will be overthrown the second you become an Alpha."

Sebastian snarled, and launched himself at the old man, who's eyes glinted in amusement. Sebastian turned into his wolf in midair, an impressive transition that takes many transformations and practice to undergo flawlessly, and launched himself at the old man.

To my surprise, Sebastian fell to the ground hard, a high pitched howl coming from his throat.

I acted quickly, summoning a knife. When I flicked it back to throw it, suddenly a sharp, painful sensation flooded my body. It felt like someone was stabbing me over and over again. I clutched my head, where the pain was the worst, and a low, pain-filled groan left my mouth.

I was momentarily distracted from the pain when I felt pressure on my sternum. A man who I recognized from Red Crescent trainings had his knee pressed on my chest and a knife on my throat.

"You should have stayed with the Blood Alpha," The man spat in my face and the knife began cutting into my neck, though the man mad sure to do it slowly to maximize the pain. He probably picked that trick up from me.

Despite the pain clouding my mind, I vaguely heard the sound of snarling. Suddenly, the fog of pain dissipated, and I gasped for air. The man who was holding the knife to my throat looked up, and I followed his gaze to see a large, tan wolf ripping the head off of the old man.

I used the chaos as a distraction, and flipped the man so he was underneath me, while disarming him so I had possession of the knife.

You shouldn't have left home today, I mimicked his earlier sentiment to myself snidely. I shoved the dagger into the side of his neck, but towards the back near his spinal cord so he wouldn't die instantly. His body slacked as he paralyzed. Tears dropped out of his eyes as his mouth slackened. I winked at him, discarding his body to side as he desperately tried to move his arms and legs.

Sebastian, still in wolf form, looked at me in concern. I nodded once to let him know I was fine. I turned towards the tan wolf, already knowing what he would say.

I heard the sounds of bones breaking as the wolf transformed back into a human. He looked at me in disapproval once he was human again, his large frame unabashedly nude.

I raised my hand up to silence him before he could speak, I don't even want to hear it, Lucas.

MISS ME?