That's it, that's the reason

*Claire Pic*

"What are you doing here?"

"Get off our land"

"Murder"

"Rouge bitch"

Those were just some of the insults thrown my way, but the one that stung the most came from my former best friend, Claire..

"Why are you on our turf MUTT" Calling a wolf a mutt was the worst insult imaginable, and to hear it from someone I once considered family? That was the deepest betrayal.

"We don't want murderers, especially not on our land." The female wolves flanking Claire were tense, as if they were ready to attack. It was surreal, realizing that this was what family and friendship had been reduced to.

They didn't know anything—hadn't even asked for the truth—but they were all too quick to judge based on rumors. Not that it was any of their business.

"Trust me, I'm not here for any of you," I spat, my words dripping with venom. I was still the Alpha female, and even after five years away, my wolf wouldn't stand for this level of disrespect. Fury bubbled up inside me. If they didn't make a move soon, I would.

"No surprise there, no one wants her here. So get the fuck out."

Before I could respond, a growl—deep, ferocious, and earth-shaking—rumbled through the house. The sound was so powerful, I was certain it could've been heard from miles away.

Instantly, every wolf in the vicinity bowed their heads, submitting. Camden stepped into view, his presence commanding and overwhelming. Behind him, a frightened-looking Caleb trailed, and Camden positioned himself between me and the pack, pulling me with him—just inside the threshold, but barely.

When Caleb  saw me he ran towards me eyes wide with fear.

"How dare you?" Camden's voice roared, each word carrying the weight of an Alpha. "I should punish every single one of you. No matter the situation, you do not disrespect a member—current or former Alpha female—and you definitely do not disrespect pack members."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes internally. The hypocrisy was overwhelming. Camden himself had disrepected me not just me once, and now here he was, acting like the protector of justice. If he only knew...

"Avery is a guest on our turf, and you will treat her with respect!" Camden roared.

"But she's a killer! She destroyed our pack!" The voice of one wolf—either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid—shouted into the tense silence, and soon others murmured their agreements, their eyes burning with judgment. I couldn't stop the scoff that escaped me. They didn't even know the truth. They didn't know the half of it, but they were quick to judge based on rumors. None of this was their business.

I bit back the urge to lash out. My wolf was fuming beneath my skin, itching to put them in their place, but I held myself steady.

A low growl rumbled from the back of Camden's throat as his eyes flashed a warning. "Enough!" he roared, and I could feel his wolf fighting to get out. It was clear he was trying to hold it back, but it wasn't easy. Camden wasn't one to enforce punishments unless absolutely necessary, but when he did, they were devastating.

As the pack cowered under his command, I could sense them shifting, some even lowering their heads in submission. Then, just as the tension seemed to peak, a small voice broke through the air.

"Momma, what killer are they talking about, and why is Daddy so angry?" Caleb's innocent question pierced the heavy silence like a needle through fabric, causing all eyes to snap to him. Camden stepped aside slightly, still trying to shield us, but it was too late now.

I felt a tightness in my chest, but I kept my voice calm. "Nothing, sweetie. They were just being meanies. Don't worry about them."

Caleb looked up at me with those big, curious eyes, his tiny face scrunched in concentration as if trying to figure out if I was lying. After a long pause, he frowned, nodded, and muttered, "I don't like meanies making you and Daddy angry. No treats for them."

I couldn't help but chuckle softly at my little Alpha in the making. He was already punishing the pack in his own way by denying them the small treats  he thought they'd been looking forward to. It almost made the situation more bearable. Almost.

I glanced up at Camden, still standing tall, a silent protector as the pack continued to watch us with mixed expressions of confusion and curiosity. They were all trying to figure us out, but I didn't owe them an explanation. They'd figure it out eventually.

I was still angry, and I knew I should leave. But before I could turn to walk away, I felt Camden's hand on my arm, gentle but firm.

"Avery, wait," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I know you're upset, but this isn't what we need right now. My parents want you here, my sister does too. Hell, I want you here. Please, just come upstairs with me. Two hours, and then we can leave. I promise."

Did he just say please? Camden, the Alpha who was known for his strong, commanding presence, begged? My heart softened despite myself.

I looked down at Caleb, whose smile had returned as he looked around the house, clearly not upset anymore. Sighing, I nodded.

"Fine," I muttered, before turning back to face the pack. "Continue with the barbeque. We'll be seeing you all later." Camden led the way, and I followed, trying to ignore the small sparks that ignited in my chest every time our hands brushed.

But just before we turned to leave, Caleb's little voice rang out again. "Hi! I'm Caleb," he said, stepping forward, his posture surprisingly confident for a child his age. "I'm Daddy's son, and I'm gonna be an Alpha just like him!" His voice was clear and unashamed, and the pack stood still, staring at him in surprise.

The silence that followed was heavy, the pack members exchanging looks of disbelief and curiosity. No one had expected to see a little boy or for him to speak so boldly, but there was no mistaking it—Caleb had Camden's blood running through his veins. It was clear as day.

Caleb was the splitting image as Camden with a few of my features just more younger. Their gazes shifted from Caleb to me. Some faces still showed shock while others showed guilt and regret.

I glanced up at Camden, who was standing a few steps behind, a proud but gentle smile on his face. Caleb's confidence only made me more proud. There was no denying his future as an Alpha.

With a final look at the stunned pack, Camden turned, leading us toward the elevator. "Let's go," he said softly, and I followed him, Caleb skipping ahead.

____________________________________________________________________________

When the elevator doors opened, we were met with the warm, familiar faces of Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Mrs. Davis rushed forward, enveloping me in a crushing hug.

"Oh, Avery, we've missed you so much!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with warmth.

"I'm so sorry," Mr. Davis said, looking deeply apologetic. "The pack has gotten protective of Camden... but that doesn't excuse their behavior. What they said to you was awful. No one deserves that."

"It's fine," I said, forcing a smile. "I just want to forget about it. Let's not dwell on it."

Stooping down I gave a smile to Caleb before introducing them. 'Caleb these are your other grandparents, grandpa Zach and grandma Alice."

They both nodded, their expressions softening, and we moved inside. I stooped down to Caleb's level, gently brushing his hair from his face before introducing him to the couple.

"Caleb, these are your grandparents, Grandpa Zach and Grandma Cammy."

"Hi, grandma Alice! Hi, grandpa Zach !" Caleb said, his voice bright and full of excitement as he rushed to hug them both.

"Oh, aren't you just the cutest thing?" Alice cooed, holding him close. "Come on, let's get inside where it's quieter."

We spent the rest of the afternoon with Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Caleb drawing them into his little world, laughing and joking. They didn't press me for details about my past, nor did they ask about my life now, and for that, I was thankful. I didn't need to share everything. Not yet.

As the afternoon slipped by, the clock ticked closer to four o'clock. We needed to visit my mom soon. Just as I was about to stand up and make a move, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Ring ring.

"Hello?"

"Avery! Did you forget we were coming? Sophie and I are at the hotel. Nice room though," Danny's voice came through, teasing.

I felt a tight knot form in my stomach. Fuck, Danny. I had completely forgotten about meeting them.

"Oh, Danny, I'm so sorry, I lost track of time," I responded quickly, "Listen, I'm about to head to the hospital. Meet me there with Sophie, then we can grab dinner together."

"Alright, see you soon, love," he said, before hanging up.

I wasn't about to offer an explanation or try to ease their minds. They could think what they wanted to think. Let them think Danny was more than a friend.

I didn't want anyone trying to push me and Camden together, even if the chemistry between us was undeniable. Life would be a lot simpler if everyone stayed out of my business.

"Caleb get ready we're gonna visit your other grandparents" I said, trying to ignore their stares.

I turned to the Davis's, offering a polite but brief smile. "Zach , Alice , it was nice spending the afternoon with you, but we have to go."

They nodded, their faces filled with understanding and unspoken questions. We exchanged farewells, and I ushered Caleb toward the car.

As we made our way outside, Camden trailed behind, following us silently,

He helped Caleb into the car, strapping him in with a quick but affectionate kiss on his cheek. His protective nature was hard to ignore, especially with a few pack members hanging around outside, observing the scene. It grated on my nerves. I was still angry, still processing everything from earlier. But I had learned to ignore the eyes of others. If they were going to watch, they could make up their own stories.

"I slid into the driver's seat, ready to leave, but just as I was about to start the engine, Camden appeared beside my window, his face set in a tight, unreadable expression.

"Avery, I know it's too soon, but my sister gets back tomorrow. She's been dying to see you. Would you mind coming over for dinner?"

Dinner. My eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping up my spine. "Dinner? As in the pack's Sunday dinner?"

He ducked his head, clearly thinking i forgot about the tradition. "Yeah. The pack dinner."

I couldn't help the sigh that escaped me. Of course, Camden would want me there, and I knew it wasn't just about his sister wanting to see me. It was about the pack, about keeping up appearances, about making sure I was still part of the fold.

Before I could answer, Caleb piped up from the back seat, his little voice full of excitement. "Ooh! Can we go, Mommy? Please?"

I turned to look at him, and then back to Camden. His eyes were pleading, his face soft with hope. I sighed, rubbing my forehead in mock exasperation. "Fine, we'll come."

Camden smiled, relief flooding his features. He stepped back as I started the engine and waved to the Davis's one last time, signalling our departure.

____________________________________________________________________________

The drive to the hospital was mostly quiet, just the hum of the engine and Caleb's soft chatter in the backseat. When we arrived, Danny and Sophie were already waiting outside the doors, grinning and waving at us.

"Caleb! Aunt Avery!" Sophie screamed, jumping up and down with excitement. Caleb grinned widely, running to her as she ran toward him.

"Sophie!" we both screamed in unison. A few passersby gave us confused, questioning looks, but I ignored them, focused only on the warmth of Danny and Sophie's presence.

"Hey, Avery," Danny greeted me with a smile, though his eyes flickered with concern when he saw the tension in my face. "You okay?"

I gave him a tight smile, nodding as I pulled him into a hug. "I'm good. Just a lot happening today."

"Oh did you let the crazy out? He teased, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"I'm not crazy" I huffed, giving him a playful shove. He smirked and leaned back, clearly not buying it. "Let's just go," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"You know I haven't seen your folks since I was nineteen"

"And whose fault is that Mr. Big shot warrior"  I shot back he added, sounding nostalgic as we walked.

"Hey, I was the pack's best warrior, probably still am," he said with pride, a puff of his chest.

I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, "cocky asshole" making sure the kids didn't hear, but I knew he caught it.

"Ha-ha, don't be peanut butter and jelly, Ave. You're a great warrior too, and I should know—I taught you everything you know," he teased, nudging my side.

"Whatever, Danny. Now shut up, we're here." I knocked on my mom's door, peeking my head in to see she was awake, though looking a little pale.

"Mom, guess who came to visit?" I said, a little grin forming on my face as I opened the door wider.

"Oh? Who is it, sweetie?"

I stepped aside, and Danny walked in with a flourish. "Gasp"

"Is that...?" My mom's voice trailed off in surprise as her eyes widened.

"Yup, it's me—your favourite wolf, Danny Kaine's," he said, walking over to her and kissing her hand with exaggerated grace........Just as my dad walked

"Hey punk what do you thi... wait Danny is that you?"

"Uncle Benji! Whoa, long time no see!"

"Danny, my boy, where have you been?" My dad greeted him with a hug.

"The pack has missed you and your jokester self," Dad added, clapping Danny on the back.

"I've missed you guys too," Danny chuckled. "Oh, how could I forget? This is my daughter, Sophie." He stepped aside, revealing Sophie, and I could see the confused looks on my parents' faces. Sophie looked just like Jessica—Danny's mate. Which made sense she sister of Sophie's mom.

"I'll explain later" he smiled.

We spent the evening catching up with my parents, reminiscing, and joking around. By the time we left for dinner, the kids were already knocked out in the car. I smiled, relieved that they were asleep, making it easier to get them into bed later.

At the hotel, I was exhausted. Danny and I sat on the couch, the silence between us comfortable until he spoke up again.

"Hey, Ave, can i talk to you for a sec?"

"sure" i mumbled leaning into his side.

He started talking about everything I'd missed, filling me in on things back home and what had been going on in the neighbouring pack and at work. To be honest, it was starting to feel a bit overwhelming. Couldn't he tell me this stuff in the morning?

"Lastly," Danny continued, his voice a little more serious now, "I was thinking about your mom on the ride back. Remember the nurse from the other pack? She told us about those traveling wolves who had similar symptoms... you don't think your mom has that, do you?"

I froze for a second, my mind racing. Danny was right, there were similarities in her symptoms. Silver poisoning, something rare but dangerous, could have been at play here. When a wolf ingests silver, it wreaks havoc on their system, and if left untreated, the consequences were usually fatal.

"But Danny, it doesn't make sense. The symptoms aren't exactly the same, and her system's been flushed out multiple times already. Why would the seizures keep coming back?"

He paused, thinking deeper. "What if this wasn't just an accident? Silver on its own would be easy to spot and treat, but what if someone wanted to hurt her... slowly?"

My eyes narrowed. "Okay, but a low dose of silver wouldn't cause this much of a reaction."

He paused again thinking. "True... unless it's mixed with something else. Something like Aconitum. Both in low doses aren't lethal, but together?"

"Aconitum... you mean wolfsbane?"

My stomach dropped as realization hit. That was it. Wolfsbane could amplify the effects of silver, especially when administered in small amounts over time. I jumped up, adrenaline coursing through me.

"That's it! Wait, how come the doctors couldn't figure this out on their own?" I muttered, more to myself than to Danny.

"It's not something you see every day, Ave," Danny said gently. "And if you don't think you're being targeted, why would you even consider it?"

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. "Watch the kids, I'm going to the hospital," I said, already rushing out of the room.

Danny's voice called after me, but I didn't slow down. Hopping in my truck, I sped toward the hospital, my heart pounding in my chest.

____________________________________________________________________________

When I burst through the hospital doors, I could barely keep my thoughts straight. "Mom! Dad!

"Avery, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Where's Caleb?"

"Jeez, Mom, calm down," I said, trying to steady my breath. "Have you been to the human world recently?"

"Uh, yes," she replied, looking confused. "Your father and I went to brunch a couple of weeks ago."

"Did you come into contact with any silver?" I demanded, urgency in my tone.

"Silver? No," she replied, shaking her head.

"Think hard, Mom."

"She paused for a moment. "Well, I bought this charm bracelet set from that sweet girl in town but it's not silver, is it?"

My stomach twisted as I realized the danger. "That's all I needed to hear. Take them off. NOW."

I turned and rushed to the front desk. "Where's Dr. Myer?" I asked the nurse at the counter. Before she could respond, a deep voice echoed through the lobby.

"You called?"

"Yes, my mom is being poisoned. She needs a purification bath, immediately."

''Look Avery I know you want your mom to get better but you can't just demand a purification bath to a patient tha....''

The nurse tried to argue, but I cut her off. "Look at her chart. Tell me my mom doesn't have the symptoms of silver and wolfsbane poisoning. "

"what would the symptoms be in  low dose external contact?"

He stood there gaping at me so did everyone else

"Now" I growled.

Dr. Myer didn't hesitate, pulling out a chart and scanning it quickly. "Seems you're right, Ms. Avery. The symptoms are clear. It's just that we hardly see cases like these. We tend to overlook them. I'm sorry."

He turned to Nora. "Call my team, we need to get a bath prepared immediately."

I stood there, trying to keep my breathing steady as I processed everything. My mom was going to be okay. She would get through this. Thank the Moon Goddess for Danny

When I walked back into my mom's room, the doctors were already there, explaining the procedure to her.

The procedure would be a mix of healing herbs and a purification bath, infused with moonstone, mandrake root, and silvervine. My mom would soak for hours to flush the toxins out of her system. While that worked, the pack's healer would perform a magical ritual to stabilize her wolf side and regenerate her energy.

"Is she going to be okay?" my dad asked as the team prepped for the bath.

"She will be. We just need to make sure nothing else comes in contact."

They moved her to a special chamber where she'd stay for the night. My dad kept an eye on her, but we were hopeful.

She was strong. With a little help from the moon goddess, she'd pull through.