All's Well, Ends Well

"I KNEW IT!" I flinch at the tone of Harry's voice. "You were behind this all along." I could feel him fuming as he stepped closer beside me, pointing fingers at Reez.

"Gabe, listen." Reez lamented as he started towards me. It hurt to see the pained expression on his face but I know I was wearing the same one.

"NO! Don't step closer!" Harry fought back. I hear Rowan growl and he stepped closer too, provoking Harry.

"ENOUGH! I don't want to fight with you." He glared at Harry before he turned to me. I stood my ground although fear was coursing through me. "All I want is your Alpha." That wicked smile of his was what motivated me so that I could wipe it off.

"I don't want to fight with YOU. So take your child and leave." I spoke with spite, not missing to send a look to Reez.

"Gabe-"

"Who said you had a choice?" Rowan interrupted his son. "If your pack didn't inform you already, I will take you no matter what. Now that you're here."

"Over my dead body." I hissed.

"With pleasure." Rowan advanced me as I did the same.

"No, Dad." Reez prevented his father as he held him by his arm. His father growled as he turned to him and yanked his arm from his hold.

With the distraction that it made, I had already been in Rowan's face and I landed a punch at him. As he turned to face me, I used my power to run back beside Harry. He turned to me with a provocative smile as if I had just started the war I seemingly avoided.

When I saw him walk towards me again, I turned myself invisible but not inching a single step away from where I am. Rowan looked angry as he turned his head around screaming, "DON'T PLAY WITH ME YOU LITTLE MUTT."

I laughed internally at him. However, I shouldn't use this to my advantage because I still don't know his power, and if he can counter me, then I'm toast. I still haven't moved from my spot. However, when the ground started shaking, I accidentally revealed myself in shock. I saw his hands make clench a little so I know he was responsible for doing that.

"You think you can toy with me?" He sneered and smirked. In my peripheral vision, I could see a huge boulder floating in mid-air to my right and I knew it was coming for me.

I saw it fly towards me in a matter of seconds and I dodged it by stepping back quicker than the rock could hit me. I completely forgot that Harry was beside me. But as soon as I turned to him, all my worries were gone as the huge boulder piled in pieces beside him with his right arm stretched out towards it in a punch. Good thing his power was strength.

Rowan grumbled under his breath at his failed attempt towards us.

"You're gonna regret that." He yelled at us before howling. It was absurd that he did it in human form but it still sounded like wolves. Soon, we know why he did that as other wolves, in human form, from their pack came rushing behind him.

He smirked seeing his men pour and knowing he would definitely outnumber us. I turned my head around to my pack, some of them were standing outside the house while the others were probably inside, scared to their wits. With a pleading look, I hope Heros would read my mind right now and tell them in my behalf that I'm sorry, that I'm not enough to be their Alpha. I couldn't defend them and I promised to myself that I would. I was given this responsibility and all I could do was disappoint them.

They would've been better without an Alpha, by then they still wouldn't be claimed. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you. I failed not only you and myself, but also my mother who worked hard keeping this pack together before.

Heros might have gotten the message as he turned to me with a sullen look. He shook his head and I did the same. I'm sorry.

I replaced that look of guilt with the same glare I had earlier as I turned to face them again. I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by a bird squawked above us. It circled around us before slowly descending between us. I watch before my eyes as it turned into a human ― Keifer. He was buck naked from just turning but he didn't care as he turned to face Harry and I.

"They're coming, Alpha." He said, making sure both our parties hear it. I see the confused look on Rowan so I figured he's just as clueless as I am.

I looked at Keifer and he was subtly signaling with his eyes to look behind me. I did as told and there I saw an army.

Man after man coming towards us in a uniform line, standing in front of the pack but behind me and Harry. They were people that I haven't seen before and they were marching towards us as if they were soldiers at war.

I see the elders in wide flat rocks levitating on air by Elder Patt's power. Elder Jone and Elder Faeris were in the same rock while the two others were in different ones. It was the army that I never knew I had.

I turned to Rowan and his anger had risen to a whole new level. I see the Elders in his pack nearing his back and also showing off their power. One had fire in his hands and I could immediately tell his power. I saw different orbs of energies in them and I could tell they too have been preparing for this.

"Mr. Rowan, what ruckus is this that we have to excuse ourselves from work?" Elder Faeris calmly asked.

"I don't care how you got these many wolves in a short time but I'm still going to tear you down." He snarled.

"Short time? What, do you think you're the only ones preparing for this?" Elder Vix laughed. "We may have acted weak but as you can see, we've also been waiting for this." He continued to provoke.

I may not have any understanding on what is currently happening but I needed to ride this train of pretending to be strong and prepared.

"Again, we don't want war. So we could pretend this didn't happen and MY acquired packs wouldn't fight with yours. But if you want, last man standing gets everything." I dared. I didn't know where I found the strength it took for me to say that, but it felt so satisfying to say that.

Rowan growled for the nth time today and he hesitated for a bit. "I'll get you next time, Parsch. You and everyone in your pack." He raged before stomping down the path and back to his car. Reez was frozen in his tracks from probably everything that he witnessed from that but I could tell he still wanted to talk to me.

"Gabe, I wanna talk-."

"There's nothing left to talk about, Reez. Go on. Your dad's waiting for you." I interrupted. At the same time, his father yelled at him to come to him immediately and he obliged.

The other members of his pack backed up slowly and went away. Reez gave me one last apologetic look before running towards the car. As soon as he stepped in, his father hit the gas and they were off, letting us survive another day as the Parsch pack.

I turned towards my pack when I was sure the enemies were gone. One by one, the army that stood behind us began disappearing in thin air. The elders were slowly lowering down themselves to the ground.

"Alpha!" Heros screamed as he went to me. The other wolves gasped and I feel the gravel in my knees. I didn't even know I felt this weak until now. I couldn't even hold myself up from the stress.

"I read your mind, we are not disappointed in you. We are rather proud of what you've done." He said, wrapping his arms under my arms to help me stand up.

"He's right, Alpha." Elder Jone smiled at me.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thank you". I sniffled back the tears that were threatening to spill.

"All hail, Alpha." Elder Patt shouted and the rest of them followed.

I laughed at them. "That's so corny, you guys."

"All hail, Alpha." I heard a weak and nasal voice. I found the source of it and it was Onda with a tissue paper to her nose. I could see the blood seeping into it and I panicked.

"What happened?"

"Holograms." Lucy spoke beside her. "Onda mastered to make them move, they're still made of air so as long as they don't touch, we're good." She laughed.

"Yeah. Good thing I did that, although I spent all of my energy and my head hurts." Onda lifted her arm to cup her head.

"Yeah, and you even borrowed some of my energy to shield you." Lucy reminded.

"Well if you didn't, I would have died." Onda countered.

"Okay okay, you know let's get inside for now and celebrate before anyone sees us." I announced, They all cheered and they began walking towards the house.

The elders smiled at me and pat my back before walking behind the other wolves.

"I SAW KEIFER'S THING." Savana shriek among them. Some of them agreed and laughed at the already blushing Keifer who was hiding behind the wall. They continued to tease him even until they were inside, but I needed to thank him later. That was a very bold move and he did it for the pack.

I only notice Harry still standing quietly beside me, looking at nothing but the pebbles under his shoes.

"Hey." I started. "Sorry I doubted you, I even defended him when you were right all along."

"'Sfine" He answered timidly. I pouted, then an idea came to my mind. I grabbed his hand.

"Thank you for being strong for the pack." I smiled at him but he was busy looking at our joined hands.

"No, you were strong, too." He spoke, looking everywhere but me.

"Yeah." A comfortable silence followed after. "Let's go inside?" I asked. When he nodded, I smiled and led us back, still holding his hands, swaying it back and forth.

I could get used to this, It wasn't always peaceful like this but the family that's looking at me now, who are about to welcome me as I walk through the door, who said they were proud of me, who wanted me her, who made me feel home ― this was the family that I need.

END of Volume 1