~ ZEV ~

Skhal submitted, dropping his head and putting his eyes down. But his shoulders were tense, and his tone impatient. "She may be only following her instincts, just as any of us would," he said reluctantly. "We cannot escape the possibility. You aren't in her head. You can't know."

Lhars looked at Zev then who tried to hide the fact that he was breathing too deeply, too quickly.

To tell them? Would they believe him, though? If he was forced to it like this? And he still wasn't certain they didn't have actual spies and betrayers among the Alpha Council, who were reporting to the humans. If he told them this, the humans might hear about it and that would remove the power from them.

He gave his head a small shake to Lhars, then turned back to Skhal. "I may not have been present for the exchange with Nick, but I can tell you, Sasha trusts him even less than I do. If she went with him, it was for the reasons she told them all—because she believed as Alpha she was keeping me and you safe by going with them.

"She understands them in ways we don't," he said reluctantly. "We discussed that during our Solitude as well. She sees things both in the way they use words, and in their plans. She understands aspects of their world that even I do not. She is equipped to deal with them in ways I cannot—and, as she pointed out, she can walk freely in their world, with no concerns for being discovered. There are ways she can work, rights that she holds, that Chimera can't. She has supports and… I'm certain she went to fulfill the duty. She told me that she sees her role as one who can work with the humans—see through their manipulations—and bring back the females. That she would focus her time and energy on them, while I should focus on you.

"We didn't have a chance to discuss that, to actually put it into action when this happened. But I have no doubt her motivations and goals haven't changed. She's gone to try and get the females back. Or figure out how to do it. Because we both know we couldn't cut ties with the humans until we had.

"We agreed that we wouldn't stop working with them completely until we'd figured this out. So I believe those who were there and gave testimony. She went willingly, because she sees the opportunity to both protect me, and to draw out the females that are still in the human's care. And once she's figured out how to get them out, or found the information that will let them do it, she'll come back."

"How can she come back if she's trapped, like you were?"

Zev's stomach plummeted at the mental images that swam through his head when the male said those words.

A low, quiet growl puttered in his throat as he considered the wisest way to answer the question. "She won't be trapped because she's smarter than me, and because she has something they want—our loyalty. Power as our Alpha…" he trailed off, then looked around the circle again. "Doesn't she?"

The Alphas all stared at each other, turning and looking, thinking about the question.

Zev wanted to snap his teeth that they answer him immediately. He was both immensely grateful, and somewhat nervous, when Kyelle was the first to speak.

"I believe him. I believe in Sasha," she said quietly. "It's been clear from the moment she arrived that her heart is entirely Zev's. She will not want to be away from him—but additionally," she added quickly, as one of the males opened his mouth to add to what she was saying, "she doesn't wish to take Zev out of Thana. She finds our home fascinating. She wants to be here. I stand for our Alpha," Kyelle said, meeting Zev's eyes, both determination and grief in her own. "I stand for her, and I believe in her. Yes, the Owl clan offer her the power of the Alpha."

"Thank you, Kyelle," Zev said quietly, then looked at the other males.

Lhars was next. "I was there when she met the human. I saw her stand, and I saw her lead. I carry the wolves in her wake and while Zev is weakened. She has both my loyalty, and my certainty. We are only biting off our own legs if we don't trust her to find a way through this. She may need our assistance—we should discuss who and when we send through to help her when the time comes. But I have no questions about her plans or loyalties.

"When they returned from the solitude, and while Zev lay, unable to help, she sat as his side, and spoke with me—she revealed her goals for our people, her fears, and her confidences." A flash appeared in his mind of Sasha, determined and facing Lhars without fear—one eyebrow of skepticism raised as she challenged him. His heart squeezed, and he sent a pulse of gratitude towards his brother, who continued to speak with the others.

"Her every thought, even when Zev was very ill, was for the people. How to strengthen all of us—not just him. And I watched her measure the human, and ensure that we were left with no questions in the hierarchy, no weaknesses. I am certain she stands as Alpha of all the Clans, not just the wolves, and I'm certain that she has not left to tempt Zev away, but to bring the females back to all of us. The stand with her. The wolf clan offers her the power of the Alpha."

Zev heaved a sigh of relief as, one after another, the rest of the Alphas answered his call for loyalty—extending their submission not only to Sasha, but to Zev himself. Though reluctantly, at times.

And so, when all the Clans had made their commitments, then Zev nodded, thanked them, and took a deep breath.

"My mate is in danger. But she also believes, I'm sure, that she'll get back to us. In the event that she doesn't. If they hold her longer than Nick claimed they would, we need a plan to return her here. I will lead that team—I must. I'm the one who knows the way. Other than Yhet, who is too easily identified in the human world as something different, no one else could lead a team straight to her. And no one else will have the skill to speak with the humans without drawing attention.

"What I need from all of you is both your loyalty, and your expertise. I will not wait longer than a week. If she hasn't returned on the morning of the seventh day, I will cross the gateway before night falls that evening. The question is, who will come with me, and how will we work to bring her—and the other females—back?"

Lhars sucked in a breath and his eyes went wide when Kyelle raised her hand and nodded. "I'll stand by you. And I believe it might be a good idea to have a female on a mission like this," she said quietly. "If your stories are true, they've been held and harmed by males for the past three years. The more females they can see who trust you and the males we send, the more likely the other females are to work with you."

Zev nodded his thanks again, but didn't miss the sudden tension in his brother at the thought of Kyelle crossing the gateway and possibly falling into human hands. He hated that he was going to have to ask him to sacrifice more.

As Lhars opened his mouth—no doubt to also volunteer for the pack to enter the human world, Zev spoke before he could.

"That means we'll need you here, Lhars, to watch over the Clans while we're gone. Dunken can help you. But who is best to come with us? Skhal's expertise would be beneficial…"

He continued, silently pleading with his brother to forgive him for the fear and anger that now painted itself all over Lhars' face.