Chapter Four

Alpha Joe POV

Shifting into our wolves again we head out into the forest the boys' scents are easy to pick up and we follow them as fast as we can. Their scent suddenly disappears when the heavy scent of copper and death replaces it, worried for the pups we pick up speed following the new scent, skidding to a stop in the clearing we check our surroundings before shifting.

"You don't think-" Dean trails off as he surveys the massacre around us.

"Six dead Alpha and we found these" he holds his hand out showing me the darts "they smell of wolfsbane and silver." Closing my eyes, I inhale again and under the smell of copper, wolfsbane and silver I can just catch the pup's scent. They were here, but where the hell were they now? If going by the darts the only conclusion I could think of was that they were taken for leverage.

"You think they were taken, don't you?" Dean gulps knowing that nothing good can come of this, nodding we shift and head back to the pack

We need to get back fast. If Alpha Rick has kept a rogue to question, we may be able to get them to spill where they may have taken the pups.

Unfortunately for us the idiot of an alpha hasn't, I don't know why am so surprised but it means we are still no wiser in where the boys are. Our mates are a mess and have had to be given a sedate to keep them calm and my stubborn daughter is as a calm as cucumber as she goes on about how the girl promised and that she will bring them back, I am pretty sure she is in a state of shock right now.

Calling a meeting Alpha Rick agreed to send his trackers out until ours arrived to see if they could find a trail to follow and when I say he agreed, I mean he took charge of everything. Apart from letting us explain that our sons were taken by the river we weren't allowed to say anything or ask anything else, we weren't even able to ask about Jenni and Sam. According to him we didn't know the area and it was best for us to let them search.

Unknown to him my allies and warriors were out searching just outside the borders to see whether they could pick up a trail whilst I waited behind with Dean for our trackers, we wanted more than nothing to be out their searching, but we knew that it was best to stay behind until we could embolise a stronger search party with our trackers.

We had been standing waiting for news on the pack house porch all night as we waited for our trackers to arrive and just as the sun started to rise, the first rays of light hitting the dew on the grass our trackers arrived along with another group of warriors but it wasn't them speeding down the dirt path towards us that had our attention, no it was the scent of Harry and Luke on the wind. Narrowing our eyes on the treeline to try and determine where it was coming from. a malnourished she-wolf probably no older than sixteen steps out into the clearing unsteadily and there in her arms she is struggling to carry to sleeping pups.

My beta is right beside me as we rush to her and grabbing our sons up into our arms, not saying a word she bows to us before turning towards the cottage. Surely this cannot be the sister, I see the pups in the distance rushing out of the cottage to greet her, I see her stumble a few times probably from exhaustion. Opening her arms, I watch as the pups launch themselves into her arms, nearly knocking her to the ground. I let her go for now, desperate to get my pup to my mate and know she could probably do with a rest before she is hassled by me.

Holding on to our pups tightly we head up to our mates We have the boys. I inform everyone so they can stop the search.

"How did you find them?" are mates ask in unison as they fly into us in the hallway.

"We didn't" we both say in unison, they look at us in confusion unsure how we have the boys back without finding them.

"She saved us" a tired voice croaks from my arms, looking down I nuzzle my son, so happy to see him with his eyes open, alive and well. A scream comes from behind me scaring the shit out of me, spinning around I nearly topple over the coffee table in the lounge area of our room.

"She kept her promise." Cassey screeches at the top of her voice making the boys bury their heads in our chests "Sammy said she would save them" she launches her small arms around my leg and her brothers leg that is dangling from my arm, I can't but chuckle with my luna at the sight of her.

"Yes, she did, how about we let your brother and Luke get some sleep." she nods enthusiastically following behind me not ready to let them out of her sight.

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Eager to leave and head back to our own territory we leave our mates to pack up everything, whilst the pup's sleep. Heading into the dining hall to find Alpha Rick to inform him of our departure and to thank everyone again for their assistance, we are frozen in shock as we observe our mysterious girl, Jenni serving breakfast to various tables along with some of the other pups from the cabin.

Where are the Omegas? Dean asks realising my confusion.

I don't know Dean, but this seems rather peculiar to me. Why are pups serving us again? I thought they were just helping out last night, but I have seen no adults helping them. Deciding it is best to sit an inform Rick of our departure first whilst we try to work out the ever-growing mystery of the pups, we get distracted as he automatically starts up a conversation with us.

"Joe, you look absolutely exhausted." I scowl at him knowing that he decided to go to bed last night after sending some warriors out to help us "Bet you are glad to have the pups back safe and sound? Where were they in the end?" of course the almighty alpha doesn't have a clue what happened.

"They should have never been taken" I snarl at him making him flinch "And to where they were? I still am not sure as of yet but will do soon. One of your pack members saved them" he looks confused even more so when I point at Jenni, he doesn't manage to hide the distaste on his face quickly enough as he realises whom I am pointing at.

"Come now all's well that ends well. And I doubt that worthless mutt saved them. Don't let her innocence deceive you, Joe. She probably just found them hiding somewhere" huffing back at him, we wait for the saving grace to get to our table but before she gets to us, I see her sway on her feet along with a couple of the other pups.

"Are they ok?" I ask concerned nodding towards them worried about their health and if they are going to collapse.

"They're perfectly fine" he answers waving my question off with a flick of his hand " they are a bunch of attention seekers, the whole lot of them." I see my beta's frown matching mine; doesn't he see how exhausted the pups are there is no faking that.

"Attention seekers?" Dean questions Rick, managing to get his mouth to work quicker than mine.

"Yes, that little good for nothing you pointed too, and the rest of the mutts are orphans and always looking for attention" says a blonde-haired woman sliding into a seat next to the luna.

"Orphans? How many are there?" Dean carries on prying for the information we were planning to get elsewhere while I just sit there horrified at the way the alpha is letting them talk about the pups, mind you he is not talking about them any better.

"Too many" the luna sneers glaring at Jenni as though she is sucking on a damn lemon, what on earth have they done to receive this much hate?

"Well, in that case. We will gladly take them all off your hands" I state matter-of-factly, as my wolf urges me to take them under our wing.

Err...Joe what are you doing? Dean chuckles in confusion, that makes two of us I haven't got a clue what I am doing but I know one thing, those pups cannot stay in this pack.

"What?" the three of them stammer, I can see panic flare in Rick's eyes and I wonder what he is worried about.

I am not leaving them here Dean. Don't care how we do it. Even Godric won't leave them behind and you know he will kidnap them if he has too to make it happen.

Yeah, but let's see if we can do this without resorting to kidnapping.

"We will take the all the orphaned pups" I say clarifying to them that I indeed do want to take all the pups.

"Finally, the filth can go" blondie sneers and I see a few other nods around the table agreeing with the young wolf.

"No. no you can't possibly want them" Rick growls the panic in his eyes still hasn't settled, the luna looks white as a sheet as she starts trying to stutter an excuse in why I cannot take them.

"I have a lot of pack whom want a pup, Rick. Unfortunately, some of them haven't been lucky to be blessed with their own" total lie but he damn well doesn't need to know that "Though we are fortunate not to have any orphans. It does mean that there are no pups for them to adopt" that part is true I am lucky to have a pack that is loving and accepting and no pup is without a guardian which makes me sure that my pack will take these pups in just the same.

Seeing that he is still not sold on the idea I wonder what his motive is in keeping them around but I cannot think of that right now I need to secure their release into my pack "It will save your packs money and of course we will ensure they are all well cared for"

"I don't know perhaps you should take some time to think about this." Rick tries again to put me off.

"No need, Rick. Who do I need to talk to get them ready to go? My mate is eager to leave after last night and I don't want to cause her and Chelsea anymore distress after yesterday."

"Finally, the filth is going." I hear a few wolves around mutter under the breath and yet again I wonder what has warranted this hatred towards the pups.

You are craftly Alpha. I have notified our mates. They're packed up ready to go but I don't know if we will have enough space to take them, if all them pups from last night are orphans...

Get the warriors to go and rent some SUVs or whatever they can get on short notice, Dean. We are taking them all now. I am not leaving a single one behind.

"Well. I don't know. I don't want to burden-"

"No burden at all." I am not letting him talk his way out of this so he can keep them, its clear that they aren't wanted here.

"Alpha let me go round them up and get them to pack up" Dean says jumping to his feet knowing if we don't act fast, we aren't getting them out of here.

"Perfect thank you Dean. Alpha Rick if you don't mind, I will go notify my Luna of the good news. She absolutely adores having pups around." I smile and give him a nod before I head towards my room. What the hell am I doing? Will anyone in my pack adopt any of them? If not, they can just live in the pack house with us Godric happily declares more than happy to have more pups in our pack.

Joe, I am so proud of you. I cannot wait to get them pups out of here and home with us. Our pups have seemed to have grown crushes on a certain two, a Jenni and a Sam. I feel my mate's amusement come through the bond about the pups and am definitely not surprised the boys have a crush on the young she-wolf after she saved them from rogues. I really need to find out the full story of what happened there.