Three guards entered the room, announcing, "Alpha is calling you all outside." Their voices were strong and rough, as if ready for immediate action.

Only an hour had passed since I last spoke to Adrian. Why hadn't he given us time to consider our next move?

"Mommy, what's happening?" Aria cried, distraught. Noah, confused, couldn't understand the unfolding events. "Mommy, Uncle is on the bed. Who are they calling Alpha?" he asked, perplexed.

I glanced at Jason, clenching my fist in sorrow. His uncle, Jason, was the only person Noah had ever heard called Alpha; he was unfamiliar with the term otherwise.

Without looking at him, I replied, "Our Alpha has changed, Noah."

"Changed? Who is the new Alpha, then?"

I was about to explain, but the guards began banging loudly on the already open door. "Why can't you all listen to us? We don't want anything to do with the former Alpha's family. Come out now!"

I recognized one of them as our old guard. He avoided my gaze. "What people say is correct," I muttered, walking out of the room. "Time and power change everything."

"With your children," another guard reminded me.

I was shocked. Had Adrian already taken them?

My mother, holding my twins' hands, followed me out of the room, my father behind us. Eric couldn't join us; he'd fainted from his wounds, inflicted by Alpha Leo using a poisoned wooden stake. He needed immediate treatment.

In the living room, Adrian sat on the couch like a king, his wounds concealed beneath his clothing. As if we were invisible, he ignored us, dropping an ice cube into his glass and taking a sip.

My father's forceful voice betrayed his reluctance to obey. "You called us, Alpha."

Adrian nodded curtly. "It's time for you to say goodbye to the pack house and everyone in the pack, Mr. Hansley."

I clenched my fists, battling anger and pain, but my mother couldn't hide her distress. "Why are you doing this? You have no right to hurt us like this."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, placing his glass on the nearby tea table.

"Why am I doing this? Mrs. Hansley, instead of asking me, why don't you ask yourself?"

My mother, startled, considered their actions against Adrian. "Are you talking about the meeting? My son was naive, and angry about what you did to my daughter." (My mother, the former Luna of the pack)

She showed no fear of the men with guns standing behind Adrian.

Adrian's gaze shifted from my mother to my children. My mother shielded them.

He scoffed. "I just want my children. The rest of you can go to hell."