"Thank you." I smiled at Declan as he began to pour into my champagne glass with a pleasant overflowing serving of bubbly.

"Of course." He nodded. I stepped away as Lucas came next with his bone-dry glass to get a serving as well. The real estate agent had brought a specialty bottle that he said was made in the basement of his home, and offered to give us a tour in the possible future. He claimed to be something of a spirits connoisseur. From the way that he described his house, it sounded amazing. Although I didn't know that Jason had visited him already, Declan had told me. That's something that my lover had kept to himself. We'd need to have a talk privately about that. I'd already been worried half to death over the fact that he'd become so withdrawn lately, and I desperately needed to know what else he was hiding.

I leaned my back against the island in the center of the kitchen, watching the others talk while holding their now full glasses.

"Hey, he said to wait!" I laughed as George began to down his drink partway. Declan had some announcement or toast to make in Jason and I's honor, which I was appreciative of. Just the fact that he came was a kind gesture from someone who was essentially a stranger to our family. Hopefully this would turn into a nice friendship after all. George rolled his eyes at my outburst, and I turned back towards Declan to give him a pitiful look. Lucas walked away as Declan grabbed another glass for himself, pouring it full.

"It's fine, as long as you have something to toast with." The older gentleman stated with a shrug, before rounding the island I was still leaning against. His two friends, who acted rather like guards, followed behind him without any drinks of their own. I didn't pay it too much mind to them however, and soon Declan clinked onto his glass with an extended claw, demanding all of our attention as he raised his glass into the air.

"I just wanted to thank you," he began, watching all of us as we fell silent to listen, forming a semi-circle around him. "Thank you all for being so kind to this old man. And thank you Forest for inviting me into your lovely new home." He nodded at me. I raised my glass high into the air in acknowledgment.

"None of which Jason and I would have were it not for you. So thank you." I smiled.

"Of course. It does my heart good to help others when possible. You were all in such a dark place, and knowing that I could help, even in the smallest amount, was the least I could do. To our fellow wolves. May we all find solace and brotherhood as one!"

Declan released a low, drawn-out howl. Lucas was the first to follow suit, raising his glass into the air with a high pitched howl of his own. The other two guards joined, followed by George, with his own slightly awkward howl. All their glasses raised in the air, I joined in. We howled together in solidarity, like a single unit when our voices finally joined together at the same pitch. Something about that sound was beautiful, even if we weren't all members of the same pack. Just to be amongst other wolves like this was.. nice. No worry of death and misfortune, constantly looking over your shoulder. It was finally okay.

"Cheers!" Declan grinned, as everyone lowered the glass and brought it to their lips.

"Stop!" I heard my pack leader shout as the door to our bedroom burst open, cracking down the center with the force that it partially swung off the hinges. I dropped my glass in shock as Jude and Jason both came running out of the room towards everyone. Lucas gave a confused look to Jude as he continued to bring his glass towards his lips, only to have our Alpha smack it out of his hand. The glass shattered across the floor, intermingling with the shards from my own.

"Declan I am so sorry!" I immediately apologized, stepping around Jason as he had placed himself a bit in front of me as though he were protecting me from something. His bare feet standing in the shattered glass with little care.

"What is the meaning of this?" Declan arched a brow, glancing between the two men. It was obvious that he was clearly annoyed by the whole situation, but he kept himself so calm, his shoulders lax as he sat his own drink to the side before pocketing his hands.

"Don't play games with us," Jude barked, flashing his teeth at the older man. I shot my Alpha a dirty look.

"Shut up, you're being rude! He was just giving a toast." I frowned, but Jude ignored me completely, taking another step forward towards Declan as he in turn took a step back. The two wolves at his side stood completely still, their hands crossed in front of their belts.

"Your mate is right, pup." Declan grinned, his upper lips curling back slightly to show his own extended canines. Totally ignoring Jude and focusing on Jason. "All I did was offer you the help you wanted. You're behaving like a wild animal."

"You…" Jason began, tapping the tips of his talons deep into his palms as his body started to shake. His face was turning as red as his hair, and the glare he gave was full of a hatred I'd never seen in him before. "I?" Declan tilted his head to the side.

"You killed Jake!" Jason barked, and I could feel my stomach start to turn. I looked Declan up and down, unsure of what move to make. I took a step away from everyone.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him. Jude walked up towards my lover's side, only a step or two ahead of him.

Declan said nothing, but the annoyed look turned into a stare just as hateful as Jason's.

"You should be careful with such accusations, little wolf." He growled from behind the two wolves he brought with him. Lucas looked back and forth between all of us before stepping up to Jude's side.

"I thought Jake got sick and died," I piped up, taking another step away.

"He did, after this asshole and Leon gave him a laced drink." Jason didn't wait for any of us to react to what he had just said before he rushed Declan, not caring about the wolves who immediately positioned themselves into a more defensive stance. He twisted on his foot, launching himself over the center island of the kitchen, the blood from the bottom of his feet leaving red, sticky smears across the floor as he practically threw himself over to get to Declan. The wolf on the old wolf's left launched himself towards Jason to stop him.

"Wait, what is going on here?!" I shouted, extending my arms out as though that would make everyone calm down for a moment. But it wasn't helping anything. Before I knew it, Jason was tackled onto the floor by the wolf, Declan backed up into the corner of the kitchen counters. Our eyes met, and his teeth flashed at me in a creepy grin before he squatted low and leapt over Jude at an impossible height and the wolf that now attacked him. He dashed between the few of us that stood dumbfounded, almost slipping to the floor on the glass before Lucas let his instincts take hold. His face looked just as confused as mine, but like the good pack mate he was, he tackled Declan with no hesitation before he could attack. The older wolf let out a grunt as he was hit in the gut, sending him right into me.

My shoulder slammed into the linoleum floor, the joint within feeling like it was grinding bone against bone at the sudden force of pressure.

"Dammit!" I cursed, wincing as I pushed myself away, leaning my back against the counter island behind me. Lucas raised a clawed hand into the air, bringing it down to swipe at Declan's chest. But before he could even get his fist half way down, Declan latched his fangs on to his other arm, causing my pack mate to howl in pain. I scooted upwards until I was standing yet again on my feet. Peering over the counter I could see Jason now on top of the other wolf, doing just fine as Jude held the other guard by the throat with his jaws.

"Look out!" George shouted. I was able to roll towards the right of the counter in time before Declan could sink his claws into me after getting away from Lucas.

"Declan, what are you doing? Let's just talk this out!" I shouted again, trying to get everyone to calm down and to stop fighting. But he spat towards the ground, eyeing everyone around him as he recovered from his failed attack. He took in the situation with a calculated glare.

"There's nothing to talk about. I gave your mate Thorn's head, and he was supposed to give me one of yours in return. I think I'll be taking my leave now." Without further warning, Declan started to turn and bolt towards the door. But now it was my instincts that started to kick in. I hesitated for but a moment before I went running straight towards Declan. I didn't think, just going through the motions before jumping towards him.

I wasn't able to grapple him successfully, but instead latched onto the bottom hem of his pants, tumbling him face first into the floor.

"What did you say?!" I shouted, as I tried to pull him and place my body over the top of his. Doing my best to be as ferocious as possible, but even in his old age he was still so much more powerful than I was.

"Keep him down!" Lucas shouted as he ran towards me. It was wrong of me to even have looked away from Declan, despite thinking I could keep him wrestled down until Lucas approached me. Instead, I looked over to Lucas shouting, and suddenly there was a burning pain searing through my cheek. I grasped onto the side of my face, rolling off of Declan halfway as he wriggled further to get me off of him.

"Fuck!" I shouted, removing my hands to stare at the bits of blood that spattered over the length of my palm. I could hear George shouting on the phone about an emergency, and tried to snap out of the pain as Lucas dashed past me, chasing Declan out of the house.

"He's getting away!" Jason yelped from behind the island, standing up tall as he rushed after Declan as well, the wolf he had been fighting with rushing out after him until all four were out of the door. I whined, shaking my head again for the pain to disappear, which turned from a searing-hot sting into a painful throbbing. Each beat of my heart causing blood to rush to my face and drip onto my shirt.

I scrambled onto my feet yet again, almost falling down to my knees at the blinding pain. But I kept pushing myself to go after them, only to collapse just outside of the doorway. Staring down the street towards the sound of a familiar howling call, I could see my two pack mates chasing after two dark figures, all small on the horizon. Declan had turned into a frighteningly massive sized wolf as he took down the road, and was quickly gaining speed and leaving Jason and Lucas behind.

"Forest, are you okay?" I heard George ask, making me jump as he appeared behind me so suddenly. I nodded, still gripping onto my cheek. The scratch didn't feel that deep, but the pain was almost unbearable to the point where I felt as though I may pass out if I couldn't get the pain to stop. I took my hand away again, bringing my palm to my hand to smell it. The smell of it was slightly off. I could detect that sticky, dry yet faintly sweet scent of the champagne that had spilled all over us from wrestling on the ground.

It must have been on his claws when he scratched me, but for simple alcohol to be causing such a burning, throbbing sensation was beyond me.

"I'm fine," I finally said, allowing George to help me up and carry me towards the kitchen sink. Jude was sitting firmly upon the wolf that hadn't gotten away, his mouth stained with a bit of the stranger's blood as he looked me over.

I leaned over the sink, turning on the hot tap water to quickly splash the blood off, hoping to remove the champagne from inside of the cuts.

"They chased Declan down the street." I winced at the pain as it grew every time the water would hit it.

"Jason's going to die for what he's caused." Jude's tone was dark, quiet. And sent chills down my spine with how serious his threat sounded.

"He's got some explaining to do," I nodded, "But you're not going to lay a finger on him."

Jude snorted. "Hm. We'll see about that." Still keeping the remaining wolf pinned.