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"I'm screwed! Garth cried.

"Calm down," said Iago reassuringly.

"My dad's going to find out. There's gonna be aCivil War. Or he'll...he'll... hurt her!

"Calm down Garth."

Or he'll hurt Kate for blabbing about it. And one else you might know. I screwed up bad!" he began to sob. Garth. "Two packs destroyed because of me. Fuck! Shit! Shit! Shit! Garth banged his head against a nearby Oak.

"Garth shut up and listen!" Iago snapped. Garth went silent but his mouth still trembled.

"Garth, let's look at these things practically."

"What do you mean? How the fuck am I have a gonna get out of this? Or her out of this?"

"You really do love this Omega, don't you."

Garth looked at Iago squarely. "If I weren't forced to...I'd be with her now! It's not a blessing or privilege been alpha. It's a curse!"

"Garth let's not start this again. Think about it for a second. Who's in line to take over both packs?"

"Me and Kate of course."

Okay, and in any case who gets Eastside?"

"You know that's me Iago. What you talking about?"

Iago grinned. "I'm talking about succession."

"Succession?"

"Think about it, Garth. Once your head of the pack, who cares who sleep around with? Hell you can take on any meat you wish. As well as break anyone off as you want." Garth began to collect himself as Iago's words begin to turn the wheels in his head.

"You'll have the power to change things. Make things the way you want them to be. And if anyone says otherwise you'll have the right to give them the bottom of your paw and the razors teeth. You'll have the right to force them. Whether it's an omega you want to be with or whatever your desire is. It's all in your grasp. All we need to do is speed up the succession."

Garth's mouth turned dry and his paws squeezed against the soil. "You can't possibly be asking me to kill my own father.

Iago nodded gleefully. "It's the only way."

How dare you Iago. You've been my most loyal friend all my life. And you asked me to kill my own father? What is wrong with you?"

"Your father? Don't you remember training together? How many times you told me that he only saw you when he needed you? That you were just another one of his tools? You were a tool for this marriage. Now you're his hostage. He forces you to and her to sneak off into the dark forest to even embrace each other. Who do you want Garth? Him or her? What would you pay for the price of her love? The blood of one aging, nearly decrepit alpha or the blood of two packs?"

Garth looked down. All I could think about was Lilly's cool, moist snout and rubbing against her warmth.

"Can it be done?"

Iago's grin grew wider.

"Of course. But we'll have to think things over real thoroughly for it to work."

**************

Kate sighed gently as she felt August gently stroke her side as he lay next to her. She giggled softly as August nibbled at her ear and licked the back of her neck.

"You know," his gentle wheezy voice said, "humans have the most beautiful understanding about mating."

"What's that?"

When two mate, they become one body and one Spirit.

That struck Kate. The first time in her life she felt as light as a feather. No obligations or condemning eyes to watch her down and every step. She felt that she was finally free. Like she could prance around smiling with a mocking gaze without shame. Like the way she first saw August. Grinning in the face of danger.

"I know," she said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes August. I feel more like you."

"And what am I?"

Kate couldn't quite put it into words but she gave it a shot. "A spirit who's carelessly free." August laughed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't give a damn what others think. You'd risk your life to spend one night with me. And all you have to show for it is a grin. Why is that? Why are you like this?" August turned her over and locked his sharp emerald eyes on hers.

"Because it's my life's work to be happy. Everything I do, I do because I think it'll make me happier person. Regardless of what others think. I've made plenty of mistakes but I don't worry about them. I just overcome them. Kate the only thing that matters in life is your own happiness. And everything you do should be in the pursuit that happiness. You owe it to yourself."

Kate shook her head. "That's easy for you to say. You don't have a pack to look after."

"Well...do you want to look after them?"

Kate froze. "Of course but I...I..."

"But you feel like a prisoner."

Kate's eyes giveaway that her answer.

"Then to hell with them!"

"August, how can you say that? They're my pack."

"And are you their puppet? Kate I knew from the beginning that you were trapped and screaming to get out. And you're telling be that it's because of your pack." Kate couldn't answer. The years of hearing nothing but her obligation to her pack still bore down on her mind like a boulder. But she put away her self-doubts for a second and let him continue. He smiled softly. "What right do they have to your happiness? Why must you worry about making them happy and with no regard for your own happiness?"

"It's my duty. It's been since the time I was born"

"Duty? Did anyone ever give you the chance to say no? Did anyone give you the chance to be free?"

Kate trembled. She thought of Humphrey and their trip together. "Yes."

"And why didn't you take it."

"Because I had a duty to the pack."

August began to go cross. "You see, you're talking in circles now. Does everything you do revolve back to what the pack wants and not what you want?"

Kate frowned. "What would you expect me to? Not marry Garth and let there be war between our packs. My family would be in danger if we didn't."

"Hold on a second. War? Would you have waged war?"

Kate pause. "We'll...no...I mean unless they started it."

"Okay. Would they?"

"Of course! Tony...err...Garth's father wanted it."

"Did Garth want it?"

"I...I don't know. He doesn't seem to be that kind of person. We might have worked something out."

"So...you married him because you were worried about your family."

"Yes."

"And your friends."

"Yes. Of course."

"So this Tony _forced_you to marry Garth."

"Y..." Kate caught herself. She never thought of the sting of that word until now. Forced. She knew that August read it right off of her face. She could feel his glowing green eyes piecing into her soul.

"Then let me ask you, Kate. If war between the packs is the only reason you and Garth are submitting to this marriage is out of fear for yourselves and your families, why are you lying with me here now?" Kate's heart sank and her chest froze. She couldn't lie in the face of those eyes of his. Slowly, she uttered through a whimper, "Because it's just too much." Never before in her life did she admit that something was too much for her to handle to anyone.

"Don't you see, Kate? You've kept on telling me that you gave up your right to happiness out of sense of duty. I could go on about how bad it is to sacrifice your happiness out of sense of duty. But it wasn't just that. It was force. You were forced to do something against your will because someone threatened you and your family. It was fear. You sacrificed what you wanted out of fear. That is much worse."

Kate had never heard so many noises coming from within before. One voice was screaming WHAT DO YOU KNOW!!!! The other was screaming DON'T YOU SEE HE'S RIGHT!!!! but suddenly both were silenced when she felt August place his paw on the side of her head.

"Kate, you're not afraid anymore. I felt the fear leave you when you let me touch your lips with mine. You're free now and you know it!" He smiled as he ran his paw down her cheek, her neck, and her side.

"So what is it you want?" he said softly.

She looked away from him.

"Hey, it's not easy pursuing your happiness. But be strong and be brave and every pain will be worthwhile. What do you want for yourself?"

Kate looked up at the starry sky. "Is it me?" She brought her eyes back to August's.

"August...I love you. I love everything about you. And I want to be like you." August closed in to kiss her again. But she backed away.

"But what I want is the person I sacrificed for this marriage. I want the person who told me what life is worth. I want the person who gave me that chance to be free. And only now do I realize that."

"Who?"

Kate jumped to her feet as if the ground was three-hundred degrees hot.

"It's Humphrey!!!"

August followed her lead and staggered upright.

"We're one now Kate," he said abruptly, "You have my strength and purpose. So do what I would do. And go for it!!!"

Kate smiled back but her face sank a little upon realizing something.

"What will I tell him about us?"

"Tell him the truth. That you just need a little direction."

Kate could almost laugh. But before she could turn August dashed in front of her. "Just remember. No matter what happens to us I will always be with you. Remember that.

Kate like the side of his face. "Thank you, August. Thank you for your strength."

Then she took off.