***Another shitty map. I messed up a little but you get the gist. I put this here so you can see where Daniel is in relationship to others.***

Well. Groveling didn't happen. I got the silent treatment. That sucked more than any punishment I've ever received. Not that I've had many.

I got a brief lecture and that was it. Sabian and Zander hugged me tight then went to the bedroom. I followed behind with my head down. Their anger and disappointment tainted the air and I felt like shit. Half the pack had been alerted of our disappearance and had gone out searching for us. The clan also had been alerted just in case we showed up.

The three hours we were missing had been especially stressful for Sabian and Zander. Augustin and Marcus were their only surviving siblings. Then I was also missing. They thought the worst had happened.

Zander went into the bathroom and I heard the water cut on in the shower. Sabian stripped down to his boxer briefs and sank down on the bed. He stretched then slipped under the blankets with his back to me. I sighed and knocked on the bathroom door before going in. Zander peeked out at me then went back to washing his hair. I brushed my teeth trying to put everything out of my mind but I couldn't.

I fucked up. We should have confided in Sabian and Zander. Not just because they are my mates, but they are our leaders as well. They are responsible for each and every single pack and clan member.

My hands gripped the sink barely holding my trembling body up as another realization dawned on me. Eligor could have obliterated us and no one would have ever known a thing. Zander and Sabian would have lost their mate and brothers because we were foolish. Hot tears stung my eyes and I bit down on my lip.

Warm lips pressed to the side of my neck as a damp body pressed against me from behind. Zander whispered sweetly in my ear telling me it was alright. Guilt coursed through me. A choked sob came out of me and the tears rolled down my cheeks. He turned me around and wrapped me in a tight embrace.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry. We just wanted to take some of the stress off you and Sabian," I blubbered against his freshly washed skin. "We could have been killed. We were so stupid."

Zander sighed and rested his chin on top of my head. "Your heart was in the right place even if you made a stupid choice. We've all been there. You're still young. You'll make mistakes."

"But I-" Warm lips pressed against mine for the briefest of moments. It was enough of a distraction that I didn't realize we weren't alone until a large hand rested on the small of my back.

"Calm down, baby boy. Your horns are showing."

I threw myself into Sabian's arms and inhaled his scent. "I'm so sorry, big daddy."

Sabian stroked his fingers through my hair and over my horns. "It's fine. You guys are safe." He hooked a finger under my chin, tilting my head up so we were looking into each other's eyes. "You're here and you're whole. That's all that matters to me."

These guys. I don't deserve them. I stood on my tiptoes as he leaned down to kiss me. Zander pressed to my back and he and Sabian shared a brief kiss.

"Come on." He grabbed our hands and lead us into the bedroom. "Time for bed."

We crawled into bed but it wasn't until after we reaffirmed our love for each other, that we found sleep.

The beta put us on office duty for a week. Sounds like a cake walk, right? Wrong!

Holiest of gods! All that griping and whining I heard supernaturals doing about paperwork was justified. There was paperwork on top of paperwork. I've never seen so many forms and filing categories in my entire life. Some forms had to be done in multiples for different departments, species, or realms.

A witch in our pack had to file six ten-paged forms for the pack, her coven, the humans, the council office in Tu'men, the high witch council, and the hospital in Luna just to document the birth of her wolf-witch hybrid twins. There were mating forms, birthing forms, change of pack/clan forms, permission to travel forms, permission to attend school or work outside of the pack forms, housing forms, tithing forms -

By lunch on the first day, we were in tears. Sabian slammed the door on his brother when he came into his office. Alexa begged her uncle the head beta for leniency. He laughed so hard she left the office, face on fire. Ramiro was off pack lands. No one could find Zander but I had the distinct feeling he was invisible watching us somewhere.

Were they finished with us? No. Hell no.

After our week on office duty, we were sent to the clan. All friendliness previously shown was gone. Isabella put us in charge of training new vampires in combat. By new, I mean newly turned.

I wanted to pull my hair out. They were the clumsiest, weakest, most skittish creatures around. Two fainted when Marcus went to square up during hand to hand fighting. Another was so scared, he teleported when Lacy came charging at him. Augustin's was distracted during an aerial lesson and crashed into a building getting a concussion. My opponent tripped and fell on his weapon and injured himself.

Point made.

While we were being tortured, the war raged in the northern territories in Dong'Gul. The treaty talks in Vichitra had broken down and there was talk of a possible war closer to home. This was concerning for two reasons. The first, four of the countries were allies with Devin and Stephan. The second, it was close to Chiekh, N'Deya, and Ahta.

After an ambush on one of the islands that was supposed to be neutral, refugees started pouring into Luna and Tu'men. A meeting was called between our allies in Manabudh. N'Deya, Oboson, and several others could only appear via video. You could clearly see the strain everyone was under. There were dark circles, scruffy beards, and messy pony-buns to go around. The video feed we were getting from our ally in Ujo was spotty. Towers and satellites near his area were being attacked by the ogres to the north of him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the council member from Tu'men began. "I'll be brief. The blood moon is upon us."

"Blood moons aren't anything new," N'Deya snorted.

"They happen every year in the supernatural world," someone said with a chuckle. There were a few soft laughs and murmers of agreement. I thought they were taking this all a little too lightly. The screen for the ally in Ujo went snowy then totally black. We'd lost the signal.

The council member looked at something off screen at the same time N'Deya's phone rang. A frown crossed his face as she looked down at her phone but ignored it. There was a knock on the door to N'Deya's office and someone came in and whispered in her ear. The councilmember's frown deepened, his lips pursing into a thin line before he turned his attention back to the camera. N'Deya had gotten up. Someone we didn't recognize sat in the chair when she rushed out of the room with her phone to her ear.

What was happening?

Marcus leaned closer to his brother. "Sabian – "

"I saw."

The council member's eyesdarkened. "Alamseh and Ashrar have just beeninvaded."

N'Deya returned looking pale under her golden bronze complexion. Her face was grim. "The borders to Shou and Karanlik have been closed. Reuse and Aneh have banded together and are moving against Ujo."

My heartrate picked up as I looked around the room. The others wore looks of shock, confusion, and...anger? She couldn't be saying what I think she was saying. You only closed the borders if -

Hey eyes went from Sabian to Zander then landed on me. "We are preparing for war."

*I want to thank everyone for all of their patience and support. I've been working diligently on tying all those loose strings from the first book and this one together. There are roughly six chapters left.

**Originally I was going to color in the allies/enemies/neutrals/opportunists but then I messed up when I colored in the specific species. Instead of starting all over, here is a 'addendum'

Allies/Enemies/Neutrals/Opportunists (they'll align with anyone that benefits them)