Lakota "Council-member Armas, you can come to my territory when you need to question them; I don't want them to be moved around too much. They need time to heal, especially from the wounds that are not visible. Just let me know when you will be dropping by," I say, and I see a questioning look on Jace's face. "Have you ever heard of Crystal Blood Pack?" I ask Jace, but he shakes his head. Alpha Geofry tells me the entire Pack got slaughtered by the Alpha's jealous Brother. "Yes, he was jealous of his younger Brother. However, my Uncle didn't manage to kill all of us," I say, and when he realizes what my words mean he mutters Fuck under his breath. "Yes, your Son rejected an Alpha's Daughter. We settled down five years ago and have made our own Pack. I took over from Dad four years ago, and last night I finally found my chance at happiness when the Goddess gifted me with Lance as my fated Mate," I say as Lance kisses the top of my head. Captain Armand tells his men to take Carl and Joe to the SUVs when the men he sent out to retrieve the SUVs walk in, and Jace asks how he is going to run his Pack without a leadership. "Well, you are not. Only the heir of Alpha Geofry can take over his Pack," Council-member Armas states, and I wonder what they found out from the stuff we gave them. "Your Pack-doctor handed over a few things to Keir, and we have been studying those items very carefully. You are not Alpha Geofry's Son, Jace. He does have a Son, but he won't be around to take over the Pack, and you have your own Mother to thank for this," Armas says, and Alpha Geofry asks him what his Mate did. "Your fated Mate wasn't allowed to come near her Son, so she set her mind to visiting the Son of your Beta, a small way around your Alpha order. When your Mate saw her holding a baby, she figured it was your Son she was holding, and without checking anything the two of you took home the wrong baby. Carl is biologically your Son," he explains. I look at Lance as we both let his words sink in. "Wow, that is fucked up," Carmen mumbles behind me, and we all laugh at her words. Yes, it is definitely fucked up. Carl is the Alpha's Son, while Jace is the Beta's Son, and they got switched at birth because his Mother found a loophole. This is definitely one for the history books; the irony isn't lost on me. Everyone's future could have been different if it hadn't been for the baby swap, even though I doubt Alpha Geofry would have given up on his idea of forcing a chosen Mate on his Son. I invite Tychon, Denali, and Carmen to come with us for the time being. "Just take your time to deal with this, before you make a decision on your future. I would also like a chance to talk to you and Denali; there is something I need to tell the two of you," I say, and Carmen is more than willing to come with us. Denali and Tychon need to discuss it, and I see the hurt in Jazzy's eyes as she walks out of the office. She doesn't even look at Tychon as she passes him, and she starts asking Carmen questions about where she came from; I don't think Tychon realizes what he did, but Denali does. It takes a few more minutes before Denali tells me that they are coming with us, and I see Tychon look around the room. "Everyone went outside to the SUVs," Lance tells him, and I can tell that Lance is pissed off with Tychon; I understand better than most why he is angry. Most of our Pack-members have gone through rejection, and for Jazzy it feels as if she got rejected once again. I just hope that he will do it soon if he has no intention of accepting her, to let her start healing as soon as possible, and I hope that if he rejects her she will find happiness somewhere down the line.Jazzy is in an SUV with Carmen and two of our Warriors, and Tychon and Denali will be traveling with us. I try to keep a conversation going, but no one is willing to participate, and I quickly give up. I grab hold of Lance's hand; I need to hold him to keep calm. Tychon I am surprised to see the entire office empty, and Makucha whimpers when he realizes our Mate is gone as well; even I feel like something is missing. Lance sounds angry, but I think it is the entire situation with this Pack. Lance and Lakota escaped a life of being trapped here; they started an entire new life and built a new Pack in the process. I stare at the SUV in front of us; Jazzy is traveling with Carmen, and I am grateful someone is looking after the young female. I just wish I was in the same vehicle as my Mate; looks like I have to wait until we get back to Crystal Blood Pack to talk to her. The silence in our SUV is suffocating, and I wonder how long it will take before Lance can put this day behind him. Thank the Goddess he has Lakota by his side; together they can overcome anything, and from what I have seen she is a great Alpha to her Pack-members.Denali is quiet as well, but I think she just hasn't completely realized that she is free, and I think it will take some time for her to finally realize that. I will give her all the time she needs and then some more just to be safe; I just hope that her interview with Council-member Armas can give her some closure. When I exit the SUV I hear Jazzy's voice. "Alpha, I am going to relieve Colton from patrol; give him some time with Sela and their Pup," she says as she takes off towards the tree line, and I feel as if something is terribly wrong, but I have no idea what that might be. I feel Denali stiffen next to me, and I follow her line of sight to a male that reminds me of Lakota. From my sister’s reaction, I know she has found her second chance Mate. "Dad, who told you we were back?" She asks him before she realizes he is looking past her, and she places a hand on his arm before she softly speaks with him. She must have told him who Denali is, as he releases a mighty roar, but Denali just stares at him with a small smile on her face. He doesn't know her, but he is outraged by the wrong that was done to her, and if he gives her time I know they will be happy together. If he is willing to accept her as his Mate, that is; after all, she isn't a Wolf or a Lycan, and most of our kind were rejected by their Wolf or Lycan Mate. Lakota invites me and Denali into her office, and I remember her saying there was something she needed to discuss with us. Lakota introduces Carmen to their Pack-doctor Alice, and both of them walk towards the infirmary at the back of the Pack-house. Lance pulls Lakota into his lap, and she wraps her arms around his waist, leaning against his chest as she looks at me. "What kind of shifter are you, Tychon? I know you are not a Wolf or a Lycan, and you don't smell like a Mountain Lion either," My jaw drops when she mentions a Mountain Lion, and I wonder how she knows a Mountain Lion shifter; I only know of one that lives around here, but I haven't smelled him yet. "I think I need to explain something about myself," she says, and she tells us about the night she met her second chance Mate, that she was surprised to find him. "I read his journals recently, and I found out that Jake was a Mountain Lion," she looks at me as she sees the tears forming in my eyes. "Jake was a friend of mine; I know he lived around here, and I was surprised I hadn't smelled him when I arrived here. I am glad he found you in his time of need," I explain. "Denali and I are Leopard shifters; not many of us live around here, and I was surprised when she found her fated Mate in a Wolf. If I had been home I would have demanded to come with them; he probably would have rejected her anyway, but at least she would have been home. I will be forever grateful that you decided to help out the Council to right this wrong, and I want to thank you for allowing me to help," I say. "I know Denali wants to tell the Council what happened to her, to give them everything they need to take that idiot down, and I want to thank you for letting us stay until that is over..." I don't get to say another word as I hear a mighty roar coming from Keir, and I even see Denali looking at me as if I have lost my mind. I try to figure out what I said wrong, but I can't think of anything that could have caused Keir to get angry. Maybe it was the mention of her testimony that has him on edge, but that doesn't explain why Denali is angry with me as well, and I let my words run through my mind again. "Tychon, I am not sure what you were about to say, but I suggest you think very carefully about it, and keep in mind that I can speak for myself. You are in control of your future, and I am in control of my own. I like it here, and I have no intention of leaving," Denali says before she gets up and walks out of the office.