Inside the indoor sports stadium, the boy's football team are practising for a trial match with the girls. The room is filled with the smell of sweat and the sounds of whining and cheering as Liam secures another goal.
" Your early shift will help us to win against the girls," one of the members spoke in excitement.
" Let's practice again after fifteen minutes," Aston orders while he tries to keep his breathing normal.
" Come on, Aston, it wasn't even warm up for me," Liam groans making other members whine or object.
" Majority votes for the break," Aston shrug looking at Liam as he supports other members' wishes.
Aston, Liam and Oliver sat down on a bench to drink water.
" So how is it like having a wolf?" Oliver asked Liam.
" Tommy talks non-stop about Sophia when she is not around. He is behaving like a puppy because of that," Liam answered making Aston and Oliver chuckle.
" What happens when she is around?" Oliver questions even though he knew the answer.
" Tommy gets jealous and fights for control which is really hard than I expected," Liam flinched after he spoke making Aston and Oliver think it was because of Tommy.
" He is freaking headache," Liam spoke in a grumpy tone.
" I can't wait for my wolf," Aston mutter looking in deep thought.
" Don't be sad, you will get your wolf on your birthday," Liam tries to comfort as he felt Aston's sadness.
" I am not sad about that but it's Dad... He is getting angry for no reason whenever I ask about the matter of the dead bodies," Aston said.
" There is a way where he will answer every single question of yours," Oliver spoke looking at Aston and Liam's expressions and then continuing,
" If you become the Alpha then he has to tell you everything,"
" I know that but it's up to him to decide when to give me the title," Aston said before drinking water from his bottle.
" Or you could challenge him for the title," Oliver suggested making Aston think for a while but he shake his head saying,
" Dad is a great fighter, he would make me submit easily,"
" Newly shifted werewolves are stronger than older shifted werewolves," Liam points out.
" Dad has experience in duels, he has never lost any duels yet... I don't think I could win against him," Aston mumbled.
" There has to be another way with the least damage to me," Aston spoke and looked at his best friend in the hope to find answers but neither of them had.
The three of them are quiet until an annoying sound came from Liam.
" What happened?" Oliver and Aston asked
simultaneously.
" I heard someone saying that Annie dresses up like his crush and fulfils his fantasy... Only I am the guy here who finds her weird and suspicious," Aston and Oliver started to laugh hearing Liam.
" Yes, you are the only one," Aston said between his laugh. Then Liam checked his phone as he receive a message.
" Sebastian is taking Ava to New York at the weekends," Liam announced looking pleased.
" At least, I don't have to see her for a few days," Liam commented as he remembers the video where Ava slapped Sophia.
" He can't take her like that," Aston spoke after coming out of the shock.
" Uncle Ben never let me take her outside the territory without bodyguards... And Ava is okay with this," Aston started to mutter to himself non-stop making Oliver and Liam concerned seeing him like this for the first time.
" Relax, he is her mate and... he didn't listen to Dad and Mom at all," Liam spoke trying to relax Aston but it did the opposite.
" It's not safe for her," Aston objects making Liam shrug his shoulders and advise,
" Leave her and move on.... she has chosen Sebastian,"
Even though Aston nodded his head but he won't listen. As Ava has difficulties making decisions and of which Ava never stopped shopping as she keeps on exchanging her clothes. If she had chosen Sebastian then why would she try to kiss him in the kitchen? Or why did she feel jealous when his photo with Anna got leaked? The only answer Aston could conclude was that Ava loves him. Therefore, he won't give up on her easily, he will fight and win Ava back as his chosen mate.
" I am going to meet Sophia now... See ya," Liam said leaving the stadium.
" Looks like his wolf is horny," Oliver joked making Aston agree and both of them went on to practice.
While the boys were still playing, one of the members stand on the bench and barked,
" Stop," Making everyone stand still in confusion.
" I got mindlink my Dad saying he and other guards found four bodies of male rogues at the border... Alpha has gone outside the territory for pack matter. We are under curfew until Alpha arrives... We have to be at home before the Zeta comes to check our homes and confirm our presents,"
The announcement made some of the boys quickly call their parents and others discuss while they prepare to leave. This was a shock to all as they all know this isn't an Unknown pattern. Now the boys are bringing up theories that the pack isn't in danger from Unknown.
" Shit, we have to inform Liam about the curfew," Aston said when he and Oliver came out of the indoor stadium.
" I don't think it's necessary because I am sure Uncle Ben mind-linked him about it already," Oliver said making Aston agree with him so he put his phone back into his pocket.
After receiving mind-linked from Beta Ben, Liam gave control to Tommy who ran in his human form. As with Tommy's speed, he was able to reach the pack library within a few minutes. Liam can hear Sophia's voice as he entered the library and followed it. He was surprised to see Sophia talking to four boys from the school.
" Sophia," Liam calls out her name stopping the discussion they were having.
" Liam, this is Tony, Morty, Joy and Mike," Sophia introduced Liam to the boys who bowed to him making Liam chuckle.
" You don't need to bow to me, I am not the Beta yet," Liam said while pulling Sophia towards him.
" You all should be going home, Dad announced a whole-pack curfew a few minutes ago," Liam said and take Sophia with him who was surprised to know about the curfew.
" Why are we under curfew," Sophia questions.
" Four male rogue's bodies were found at the border, Babe," Liam answered and noticed Sophia is in deep thought that she almost knock over by a brick.
" Be careful, Babe... What were you thinking that you didn't see the brick?" Liam asked.
" I am starting to think our pack isn't in danger by the Unknown. They never attack a member or a known person like Oliver's grandma and now this... Before you came, Tony, Morty, Joy and Mike were discussing theories as they don't believe Unknown will attack us," Sophia shared her thoughts but Liam snickered and said,
" So they convinced you by some theories. Like what?"
Sophia was annoyed by Liam's reaction but it was understandable. As she had the same feeling before the boys told the theories.
"Did you know Alpha Chris wasn't supposed to be the Alpha? It was his older sister Aubrey. No one knows how he became an Alpha but one thing is sure... It wasn't in the right way..." Liam interrupted Sophia saying,
" I have known Uncle Chris all my life, he is a man of his word... He follows the rules and is a great Alpha... And how does this have to do with the appearance of dead bodies?"
" Listen to me fully, then try to convince me to think otherwise... Did you know your parents along with Alpha, Luna and Gamma couple used to be bullies back in high school?" Liam shook his head making Sophia continue,
" They were harsh on people and so proud of being high-ranked that they did some fucked up things... That's why people think Alpha Chris did something he became Alpha overnight and the former Alpha left the pack without any reason... He is still missing. Things got worse after newly high-ranked were appointed. That year holds the highest level of people who left the pack or committed suicide... Lastly, the red blood moon attack... we were told at school it was an unexpected attack but it isn't...," Liam growling stopped Sophia when she talked about the red blood moon night as it was the night when Liam's parents got killed.
" You are talking about some well-known rumours... It's not true, Babe," Liam spoke and holds Sophia's hand to walk but she stood still.
" Those aren't rumours but facts... My parents agreed with it. I used never believed them as Aston's, Oliver's and your parents were the nicest people I met... But they are not... Your mom did something to my mom and me," Sophia bits her lips and said,
" After I went inside the pack house, I saw Female Beta Katie strangling my mom, Liam... Luna and Female Gamma were there but they didn't do anything. Three of them threatened mom and me... They said a lot of things that I am too scared to say but Female Gamma mentioned something about Chole... I called her asking about the matter. She told me, Alpha Chris, Beta Ben and Gamma Aiden threaten her family because she complained about Oliver... They even told her to endure him because he is the future Gamma and it's his right to do whatever he wants with her," Liam was shocked to hear Sophia and the thought of her lying never crossed his mind as he knows Sophia well enough that she wasn't lying.
" You are being sheltered from these actions of theirs same as, Ava, Anna, Oliver and Aston... I agreed with the rumour that our pack isn't in danger from Unknown but some old enemy that finally stood up to seek revenge from our high-ranked members, " Sophia said but Liam still objected,
" Dad told me all the people who could stand against our pack were killed,"
" They have told many lies to you, Liam and manipulated some documents to match their stories," Liam was having a hard time controlling his wolf, Tommy. He is fighting for control after hearing about the abuse Sophia went through.
Sophia hugs her mate as she was told at a young age that physical contact with her future mate helps to calm her mate down and vice-versa. Liam did relax under Sophia's touch and Tommy was calm down which stopped him from fighting for control. Even though Liam believes every word Sophia said yet it is hard to accept.
As he thought about Sophia's statement that he is being sheltered reminded him of the experience Oliver had in the underground office. Where Alpha Chris's sister Aubrey said,
" There are things you don't know because they are well hidden by your parents. They don't want you or the future generations of this pack to know,"