Kai POV

I'm nervous. I can't believe it. All this time I've spent with Winter and I can't quite stop fidgeting with my
hands. I get dressed in a separate room, so that she doesn't feel afraid of me, spending time smoothing
my hair back and making myself look as presentable as possible. I knock on the door gently and wait for
her to call me in.

Whatever you do, don't mess it up. She's vulnerable, remember.

Don't you think I know that Storm? I know she's vulnerable. She's got amnesia for heaven's sake.

Well then, treat her gently, like fragile china.

I'm not going to treat her like she's going to break. She's stronger than you think she is.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Enough Storm!

"Come in" she calls in that husky beautiful voice of hers.

I open the door and walk in, my mouth falling open. God she's beautiful. She has no idea just how much
of an effect she's having on me. Her smile, those pearly white teeth of hers. Her slim legs clad in
leggings. She's wearing a dressy blouse and the leather jacket I got for her. Her hair cascades down her
shoulders in waves. She's stunning and for a moment I'm speechless.

"Do I look okay?" she asks me nervously.

I gulp. She more than looks okay. "You look beautiful" I breathe, bending down and giving her a quick
peck on the cheek. I'm not about to push it right now and try and get a long kiss, although I have to say
it's taking a hell of a lot of restraint.

"Where are we going?" she asks curious and I smile and shake my head.

"It's a surprise" I remind her and she pouts at me. It's adorable, shaking her head so that her hair flies
over her shoulder. I go to take hold of her hand and she flinches.

"Sorry" I apologise, I guess she's still not to sure about me. It stings a little bit, but I can't exactly blame
her. I mean who knows how I would act if I didn't have all my memories.

"No I'm sorry" she says softly, and takes hold of my hand, sparks flying between us "I didn't mean to."

"No harm done" I say with a friendly smile and begin to tug her out of the room. She giggles as we
descend the stairs, laughing at my excitement.

"You'll love it" I promise her, helping her into the passenger seat of the car. She gives a small nod,
buckling up her seatbelt and patiently waiting for me to get into the driver's side.

I start the engine and she reaches over to change the music, to country of all things. I know she likes that
type of music and I'm willing to leave her to listen to it. She stares out the window, watching the scenery
go by. She fidgets with both hands and I know she's nervous. I just don't know if she's nervous of me or
of going out in the first place. Soon, we've started our way into town and her eyes light up with
excitement as I manoeuvre through the streets, parking in front of a club which I hope will be very
familiar to Winter. The neon sign reads "Club 666" the same one I brought her to on our first date and
the one that I am the proud owner of.

I help her out of her seat as she stands and grips my hand tightly, tucking herself in under my shoulder.
"A club" she says anxiously "are you sure this is a good idea?"
"I promise you'll like it. If you don't we can just go home" I suggest and that seems to cheer her up
slightly.

I walk her down towards the line that's all the way up the street. It's great to see how many people are
desperate to get into the club. I confidently head towards the front of the line, where my regular
bouncer, Leo is.

"Leo" I greet him and Winter looks at him, biting her lip.

"Do I know you?" she asks him tentatively "you look a little familiar."

Success. She remembered something. I want to fist pump the air. Leo looks bemused. "We met the last
time you were here, princess" he says charmingly.

I glower at him. No one calls Winter princess but me. He just grins, recognising that he's pushed my
buttons. Good thing he's an excellent employee.

"Oh," is all Winter says with a puzzled expression.

"Hey what's going on? This guy's pushing his way in, you're not going to just let him through are you?
We've been waiting for ages" a young teenager shouts from behind us, sounding extremely pissed.

Leo just shrugs. "I'm not telling the owner he can't get into his own club. You do it if you're game
enough" he says calmly and the boy falls silent.

Winter looks at me. "You're the owner?" she asks eagerly.

I give her a wink. "I'm just going to take her through" I tell Leo smugly, gently pulling Winter behind me
as we go inside.
Winter is fairly bouncing in her excitement now, listening to the loud music and watching couples gyrate
and make out on the dance floor. There's a wide smile on her face. "What do you want to do first?" I ask
her.

She thinks for a moment. "Can we get a drink?" she asks "I'm a little thirsty" she adds.

We go to a booth and sit down. A waitress comes up and this time Winter orders a Dr Pepper while I
order a plain coca cola.

"I think I need sugar" Winter says quietly "I keep having this craving."

Come to think of it, now that I eye her, she does look a bit pale. Maybe we should have left tonight to a
different day.

"We can leave if you want" I offer but she shakes her head and smiles, leaning back against the seat.

"No, I like it here" she says.

A cute goth girl comes up. She has makeup plastered all over her face, she's wearing a tiny shirt which
shows her midriff off and a short skirt with a little chained belt, knee high boots and fishnet stockings.
She had lovely brown hair in pig tails and would be roughly about Winter's age. She's also, very, very
drunk as she stumbles slightly into our table.

"Sorry" slurs the girl and I frown, she's very inebriated. Surely the bartender should have cut her off by
now? I make a mental note to check into that. In the meantime the girl is staring down at Winter who is
looking at the girl, completely fascinated.

"Can I just say" the girl continues tipsy and swaying on her feet "that you are the most beautiful girl in
the room."

Well that wasn't something I saw coming. Winter looks at me helplessly, wondering what to say or do.
I'm trying to stifle my laughter.

"Would you dance with me?" the girl asks hopefully.

Poor Winter looks like she's about to faint. Enough of this.

I stand up and come over to Winter's side, laying a possessive arm on her shoulders. "I'm afraid that I
don't share" I drawl "but my partner thanks you for the compliments."

Winter nods profusely. "Yes thankyou" she says blushing.

The girl looks disappointed. "Well if you change your mind" she says with a grin "then come find me on
the dance floor."

"Okay" Winter says quietly, both of us watching as the girl staggers away.

The second the girl is gone we both burst into laughter. Winter laughs until she cries. "Oh that was
funny" she chortled "especially considering I was sitting with my partner. She's really ballsy" she
continues with admiration.

"Well if you don't mind" I joke "how about dancing with me?"

She's up in an instant and we're both on the dance floor. I have to admit, I'm not much of a dancer, but
Winter doesn't mind. She on the other hand can really move to the music, her hips swaying in time to it,
her body pulsating on the dance floor. It's a complete turn on and I have to work hard at a certain part of
my anatomy not popping up in my tight trousers. It takes a lot of effort and self control.
Several dances later, and several women glared at by Winter for daring to approach me, and we're both
pooped and ready to relax in a booth. Winter fans her face which has turned slightly red. I give her some
cold water and she drinks it down, throwing it back in several gulps. "Thirsty" she wheezes.

I laugh. "You're not kidding."

She grins. "Dancing is hard work."

Man she looks hot right now. Her body on that dance floor, my god I've got the biggest hard-on.

Storm, have you ever heard of giving too much information?

But we're bros so we can say whatever we want to each other.

Still, I don't need to know you have a hard on!

Why not? I know for a fact you were getting one while you were dancing with her.

Okay, that's enough, goodbye Storm.

I cut Storm off and put up a block before he can tell me anything else. Damn that mutt. Bro's indeed.

"Can you order me a dr pepper again please?" Winter asks, standing up and looking slightly unsteady on
her feet "I just need to go to the bathroom."

"Do you want me to walk you over there?" I ask, glancing at the bathrooms which are in a hallway off the
dance floor. She shakes her head. "I'll be fine. I just need to freshen up a little" she says weakly.

I'm not so sure but she starts to walk off anyway and I keep a close eye on her to make sure she makes it
into the bathroom. Only then do I flag down a waitress and order Winter and myself a cool drink. I'd give
anything for a nice refreshing beer right now, but seeing as Winter can't drink, I'm not going to either. I'm
not that much of an asshole. Give me some credit at least.

The drinks come. Still no sign of Winter. I'm concerned she might be sick in the bathroom. My fingers
drum along the table top as I sip at my coke. I don't want to embarrass her by trying to get in or getting
security to check on her. I take a glance at my watch. It's only been five minutes, I'm clearly getting
carried away. I settle back in my seat and sip my drink, watching the dancer's on the dance floor.

A drunken man is shouting obscenities at the bar tender and I hover, wondering if I should go investigate,
and possibly step in. He hasn't threatened violence but as I listen, it's clear that the bartender has cut
the man off from drinking, rightfully so. It's standard policy and I'm appreciative that he's following it.
The security team step in, so I don't have too and I watch as the man is dragged away, kicking and yelling
all sorts of things, before his voice fades away as he's dragged outside. The bartender looks relieved. I
don't blame him. No one wants to have to deal with that crap, and bartenders have to on a daily basis.
How hard is it to stop drinking when it's clear you've had enough? Too hard for some people apparently.

Where the hell is Winter? I glance at my watch and begin to get concerned. It's been a little while now.
What do I do? I can't exactly push into the ladies room myself. Hell no, not even as the owner. There had
to be a member of security who was female who could check on her for me. I turn my head to look and
sigh. They're all outside still. I turn back and almost have a heart attack. Winter is standing there, pale,
her eyes red and puffy. I hadn't even heard her approach, let alone smelt her scent, but there was so
many people in the club it would have been easy to miss it.

"Are you alright?" I ask, leaning over to grasp her hand. God they're so cold and clammy. I try to warm
them with my own.

There's a tremulous smile on Winter's face. She swallows and then speaks. "I'm not feeling the best, is it
okay if we just go home?"
If she's not feeling well, then of course we're going home. That's not even a question. I get up hurriedly.
"Let's go" I say crisply and begin to drag her behind me out of the club. She feels so cold. It's odd.

"I didn't mean to ruin anything" she says in a whisper.

"You haven't" I say firmly "I had a great time tonight and there'll be other nights as well."

She gives me a small smile and nods.

I help her into the car and place the heater on for warmth. She curls up in the seat and rests her head
against the window, watching everything pass by. By the time we make it back to the pack house, she's
fallen firmly asleep.

I frown. She must be sick or something. I gently gather her up and cradle her to my chest, walking up
towards the bedroom. I debate whether to put her in a separate room again but she's cold and I figure
my body heat might help. I place her in the bed and take my shirt off, climbing in beside her, pulling her
up against me as she sleeps and resting my head on her shoulder. This is where she belongs, where she's
meant to be. I close my eyes. For now, I would have to be content with her company and pray that her
memories come back soon.

Winter POV

I can see the crestfallen look on Kai's face when I ask to go home. But what was I supposed to tell him?
That when I went into the bathroom, my eyes, for a moment, looked like they were glowing red? That it
was enough to upset me. It also meant I remembered Thomas and everything that went on. It's like my
memories are slowly flooding back, but I can still feel Thomas's hands on me, see his fangs out of his
mouth and even feel the pain as his fangs pierced my skin. Everything was so vivid, it was like I was right
back there again.

I'm trying to tell myself the glowing red eyes were just a trick of the light, that it was a residue of the
memories that came flooding back, but part of me isn't so sure. We get into the car, and I feel exhausted
and drained. No matter how much sleep I get lately, it never seems to be enough. I'm always tired. I
wonder if it's because my blood got drained. Maybe I don't have enough iron in my blood and need to
get supplements?

I watch the scenery go by and feel myself drifting off. I'm barely aware of Kai picking me up and carrying
me to the bedroom, but I can feel him as he cuddles close to my. I can hear his heartbeat beating it's
slow, even rhythm as he pulls me tightly against him. It feels nice. I stop shivering, his body heat helping
to keep me warm underneath the blankets. Soon instead of being drowsy, I'm asleep and dreaming.

I'm running. It's dark and the moon is shining overhead. I'm fast. Faster than I've ever been in my whole
life, running as though my life depends on it. But it's not fast enough. Even as I flee, from danger, it finds
me. His voice drifts towards me through the air as I shudder.

"Winter" he calls and although it's quite, barely above a whisper, I hear it, my whole body stilling in fear.

"Winter" he hisses and I turn, desperately trying to find the source of the noise, my heart thumping
wildly in my chest.

Where was Kai? Or Damien or Langdon. Why am I all alone? Has he killed them all? But I thought he was
dead, how is he here? It wasn't possible. It can't be.

"You can't escape me" comes the whisper again as I force my body to begin moving, crashing through
overhanging branches and leaping over debris. For some reason I'm in human form and I don't know
why. Why haven't I shifted to my wolf form? When I try though I find I can't. But I can run really fast.
Faster than a normal human.

"Leave me alone" I scream hysterically. My feet are bare and covered in scratches, blood flowing from
several cuts. It has a metallic smell that makes my nose crinkle. It smells strong.

"Winter" he calls and I stop, seeing him up ahead.

It's like living a nightmare. He's standing in front of me, a wicked grin on his face, his arms held out in
surrender. "You can't escape me" he says again, his voice chilling. He's so pale, so stiff. His body is
covered in all sorts of injuries and it's weird that they haven't healed. I'm trying to remind myself this is a
nightmare, but it seems so real. So so real.

"You're dead" I say my voice shaky "we killed you."

He laughs, throwing back his head. "But did you really?" he asks, a smile on his face, an expression of
amusement as well. My throat goes dry. I'm starting to second guess everything. But we had killed
Thomas, hadn't we? Nobody could go back from what we'd done to him.

"Why are you here?" I ask shakily.

His grin grows wider. "I'm here to see my handiwork" he says and I frown.

What on earth did he mean by that?

"Did you think you would really escape me Winter?" he asks sounding bewildered "that I would just let
you go without a fight."

"Why are you so obsessed with me" I shout across at him, the wind howling in the distance "what did I
do to make you want me so badly?"

"You didn't do anything special, I've just always loved you" he says. My heart sinks. He's like a paranoid
stalker. Was he going to stalk me in my dreams as well now? Give me nightmares that won't go away?

"Please, just let me go Thomas" I beg him, tears trailing down my cheeks "you have to let me go."

"I can't" he rasps, his eyes glowing red in the darkness, his body moving closer.
My own body is stiff, paralysed with fear. No matter how hard I try, I cannot get my limbs to move. He
reaches out and touches a strand of my hair as I make a gurgling sound. Now my own voice has betrayed
me.

"You're so beautiful" he murmurs, his fingers trailing down my face, stopping at my neck.

"Please" I manage to whimper, but it doesn't stop him.

"You'll thank me one day" he whispers "you were supposed to be mine forever."

I belong to Kai, I want to shout at him, but my mouth won't move now. Instead I'm forced to feel his
clammy hands on my skin as he grabs hold of my hand and presses it against his lips. Yuck. His lips are
freezing cold. His eyes are glinting with triumph.

My whole body is trembling. He can sense my fear and it makes him smile at me, his eyes staring directly
into mine. They're so bright, so vivid. He stares at me, his head cocked to the side.

"One more, for old time's sake" he mutters and before I can even comprehend what it is he's getting at,
he bends his head down and presses his lips against mine, forcing a kiss on me. My stomach is roiling and
there's bile rising up in my throat. I'm going to puke but he stops, places a hand against my chest and
smiles.

"I gave you a gift" he murmurs and then in a puff of smoke he's gone, just like that. My mouth opens to
scream and suddenly, I burst awake.

I press a hand to my lips, trembling. The dream or rather nightmare, had been so real. So vivid. Like I had
been there and Thomas really was alive. I sit up, careful not to jostle Kai who's sleeping peacefully in the
bed. I don't want to wake him, but right now I can't sleep either. I crawl out and make my way downstairs
and into the kitchen. Whenever I was little, my mother would make me some warm milk when I had
trouble sleeping. Right now I wanted that comfort and luckily, the kitchen was empty.
Girl that was some nightmare. Gave me the heebie jeebies.

Me too Sabriel. What do you think it means?

It means nothing. He's dead. We killed him. You were just having a nightmare.

It felt real.

I know, but it was just a nightmare. Trust me Winter. He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore. Maybe you
should talk to Kai about the nightmare?

I don't want to disturb him with something like this. It's just a nightmare, I'll get over it.

Well, it might help, but it's your decision.

I'll see Sabriel.

I place the milk in the saucepan and put it over the burner on the stove. I stir it constantly, humming
under my breath. With luck this will make me sleepy again. I pull it off the stove and place it in a mug,
sitting at the table and sipping away. Ahh, the stuff warms my throat and makes my belly feel pleasantly
warm. This is what I needed.

My hands cup the mug tightly. My stomach growls lightly like it's hungry. But its the early hours of the
morning and to be honest I'm still tired. I focus on drinking, trying to reassure myself enough to go back
upstairs and back to bed. But the nightmare stays fresh in my mind. I can still feel Thomas's clammy
hands and his freezing cold lips on mine. I shudder.
I finish the milk and reluctantly place the mug in the sink. Maybe if I cuddle up to Kai again, my body will
relax and go to sleep. It's worth a shot. I walk upstairs, my heart thumping in my chest. I can't believe I
let a nightmare scare me this much. God, I'm such a coward. I make my way into the bedroom and Kai is
sitting on the bed, looking all dishevelled as my throat goes dry. He glares at me. Uh oh I guess I'm in
trouble, but for what?

"Do you have any idea, how panicked I felt when you weren't in the bed next to me" he hisses. I gulp.
That thought hadn't even crossed my mind. Maybe I should have woken him up to let him know where I
was going. "Anything could have happened to you" he continues to vent "you could have been out for a
run and attacked by rogues, you could have hurt yourself and fallen down the stairs. You could have been
kidnapped again" he almost shouts and I flinch, cringing at his words. He was really pissed. Not that I
blamed him. After Thomas took me, Kai no doubt was having trouble keeping me out of his sight.

"I'm sorry" I apologise softly and he huffs, running a hand through his messy hair. He's not wearing a
shirt and my eyes stare at his chest appreciatively.

"Where did you go?" he asks finally, making an effort to keep his voice calm. His eyes stare directly at me
and I swallow nervously.

"I went down to the kitchen for some warm milk" I answer quietly, fidgeting with my hands.

He exhales. "Why didn't you wake me up? I would have come with you" he says annoyed.

I flush. "I didn't want to disturb you. Besides I was only going to the kitchen downstairs" I explained. He
nods.

"Couldnt' sleep?" he asks and my heart skips a beat. He didn't know the heart of it.

"A little" I admit. "I'm tired now though."

He sighs. He pats the bed. "Come here, let's get you tucked in" he says and I come over, letting him place
me into the bed and tucking me under the bed covers.

"I'm going to go do some training" he mutters "if you feel the need to get up, then mind-link me please"
he says with a grimace.

I give him a nod.

He bends down and gives me a peck on the forehead. "Get some rest" he says, walking towards the
doorway and eyeing me sternly "I order you to" he adds and then leaves. I close my eyes in relief. Now I
could try and get some sleep, but there was something that wouldn't leave my mind. Something that
was very concerning to me. In the dream Thomas had mentioned he'd given me some sort of gift. I knew
it was just a nightmare but that wouldn't stop going through my mind. I can't help wondering what
Thomas had meant by gift. From my memories he hadn't given me anything, not that I remembered.

It was just a nightmare I remind myself. It didn't mean anything. Stop letting it mess with your head.
Thomas is dead. There is no gift. The nightmare was just that. A nightmare. It wasn't real. There was
nothing real about it. It's just something that you need to move forward from. At least that's what I was
trying to tell myself. But another small part of me wonders if there was something to the nightmare,
some small part of it in my subconscious that was trying to tell me something, or warn me. Either way,
the nightmare was going to stick in my mind for now and the foreseeable future and I was going to have
a hell of a time trying to forget about it.

Langdon POV

Life's been different with my new mate. Sometimes it's hard to know what he's thinking, but we get
along well and well, the sexual chemistry is definitely there. I blush just thinking about how responsive
my mate is to being touched and to the sex itself. God, his little cries turn me on and my cock twitches
just thinking about doing it again.

Damien comes out of the bathroom and looks pensive. I know he's worried about Winter and this damn
amnesia. Especially since he's been travelling for so long to find her and now he's lost his chance to
reminisce with her. I also know he's still beating himself up for everything he's done to her in the past. To
be fair he'd done a lot of horrible things to poor Winter while she was growing up. But I know it was also
due to his father and Damien's fear of him.

"What's wrong?" I ask softly as he sits on the bed frowning. I move behind him and begin to knead the
muscles in his shoulders and the back of his neck in a soothing circular massaging motion.

For a moment there's nothing but silence and his heavy breathing.

"I just, I want to spend quality time with Winter." He says disappointed.

"That's a bit difficult while her memories are mainly gone" I point out and hear his exhale.

"I know. Do you think she'll forgive me again?" he asks, putting his hands up and stopping me from
continuing the massage, his eyes staring beseechingly at me "do you think she'll be upset when she
remembers what I've done?"

I have to pause and think. It was difficult to say one way or the other. But Winter's a kind, compassionate
caring girl. I couldn't fathom that she would hold a grudge against her brother, not when she'd already
forgiven him once. But I could also understand why my mate was so concerned.

"I think you'll find that she forgives you" I say slowly "after all she forgave you before, so what's to stop
her doing it again?"

That makes him smile slightly. "But the things I did. . . Langdon" he says thickly and I hold a hand up,
stopping him with a shake of my head.

"What you did is in the past. It's what you do now and how you treat her that matters now."

He falls silent, brooding. I can't help but stroke his hair and he lets me. It feels so soft and silky, running
through my fingers.
I've noticed his breathing has hitched again and smile knowingly. I remove my hands and sit across from
him, staring at him challengingly. "It's time" I tell him firmly as he looks at me confused.

"I need to know that you want this relationship and this mate bond. I know we've had sex, but that
doesn't mean anything if you're thinking about walking away now."

He looks puzzled. "Why would I walk away?"

"You tell me" I shoot back "since we've had sex, you've been quiet, depressed and detached. It's like you
can't hear me half the time" I say trying not to sound like I'm sulking. I feel like a pouting teenage boy
though.

"Oh" breathes Damien, his eyes seeking mine "I'm sorry, I didn't realise that I had made you so
concerned" he said thoughtfully "to be honest I've been lost in my thoughts for the last few days."

"Really" I say sceptical. Surely he wouldn't lie to me though, would he? But what kind of thoughts are so
pressing that you fail to communicate with those around you? It didn't make sense.

"Really" he repeats "I've just been trying to come to terms with everything."

I wonder what he means by everything. Apparently it's not just about Winter then. I fold my arms and
patiently wait. Damien blushes, how adorable, his cheeks bright red, as he bites his lip and looks away.

"Explain" I say softly and he begins to fidget with his hands, looking down at the bedspread. His ears are
red as well. That's interesting.

"The thing is, I'm trying to come to terms with this mate bond thing" he says softly as I flinch. Was he
saying that he didn't like the fact that the both of us were mates?
"Is it that you don't want to be mates?" I ask and he shakes his head. Thank god for that.

"I just needed to accept that my mate was a male and I can't stop thinking about the sex we had. How
different it was and how well" he pauses and looks at me shyly "how great it felt."

I can understand that. I'd found the sex to be mind blowing as well. I'd known instinctively what to do
and my wolf had grumbled because I wouldn't let him take control.

"Then what's the problem?" I ask delicately, reaching over and taking hold of Damien's hand, so that he
stops his damn fidgeting.

"The problem is I don't know how you feel about me" he breathes.

Oh Damien. The poor kid was at a loss and looking around him, anything to avoid looking directly at me.

"Do you really want to know?" I ask quietly. He gives me a nod.

"I adore you" I tell him firmly "I love waking up to you each morning and snuggling against you at night. I
hate when you're not with me and I have this overwhelming desire to protect you. You're always in my
thoughts. When you smile, I smile. When you're sad, I'm sad" I say with an exhale "I honestly can't even
remember what my life was like before I met you. All I know is that I don't feel lonely or miserable by
myself anymore."

He looks stunned. Crap. Maybe I had told him too much information. I feel vulnerable, naked, exposed
and very much am hoping I haven't scared him away.

"I feel the same way" he whispers as I look at him in shock. "I want to be with you Langdon, I don't want
to be with anyone else" he says with a hitch in his voice.
I watch mystified as he stands up and then sits himself on my legs, facing me, his hands wrapping around
my hair, his face inches from my own. It's the first time Damien's initiated contact and my heart is almost
swelling with joy at that fact, my wolf prancing around happily in my head.

"You're the only one that I want" he breathes and then he leans forward, pressing his soft lips to mine as
I gasp. He's gentle, a little unsure, his lips moving, his tongue diving into my mouth and caressing it. I
moan, the boy is turning me on, my cock twitching in my pants and starting to become hard.

I can't get enough of him. The softness of his lips, the delicateness. He tastes so mind numbingly good
that time seems to stop still and there's just the two of us, making out on the bed. I'm panting and I can
see his erection as well. When we pull back, both of our eyes are dark, our wolves coming to the surface
for a moment.

I close my eyes trying to regain control, something that is made extremely difficult by Damien's bottom
sitting on my lap and wriggling around. He was going to kill me with this torture. My hands were itching
to touch him. But I hold back, because there's an idea brewing in my mind, something that I want to ask
my mate and I needed him to hear what I have to say, even if we both are itching to ravish each other on
the bed.

"I want to prove how much I want you" I tell Damien, grabbing his face between my hands and staring
deeply into his beautiful eyes. He looks confused. I almost want to smile, but this is serious.

"How?" he manages to mutter, once he's got his breath back.

"Let me mark you" I growl and his mouth falls open in shock. "Let me claim you as mine so that
everybody can see it."

Have I gone too far? Was this too much, too soon for Damien? I'm starting to doubt myself as his eyes
slide away from my own and his body tenses on my legs.
I open my mouth to say that we don't have to, when he speaks first "Yes."

Have I heard him correctly? Did he just say yes to me? "Yes?" I clarify.

"Yes" he growls back "and I get to mark you as well."

"Fine by me" I hiss "but I get to do you first."

I stand up, holding him firmly and lay him down on the bed. He looks apprehensive now but I give him a
reassuring smile. I climb over him and lean down, pressing my lips to his mouth, rougher than he had
been, demanding access and plundering the inside of his mouth with my tongue. He moans and it makes
my entire body jolt. Fuck, that sounds hot. I can feel the sparks between us, as I push harder against his
lips. My hands caress his chest underneath his shirt and he begins to pant as I touch him. Slowly I pull
back, trailing kisses down his neck until I stop at the nape, his neck exposed, bare and so smooth.
Reluctantly, I let my canines pop out and as he lays there, my hands still touching him, I bite into his
neck, hearing him cry out as I do. I pull my head back and then lick the wound, sealing it closed, looking
over at the mark of a wolf in satisfaction. He's mine now. The mark is there for everybody to see. No one
will dare try and touch him now. Not unless they want their heads ripped off their body.

Damien surprises me by gripping me by the waist and laying me down beside him. He climbs over and
begins to kiss me, fervently, his hard on rubbing against my leg. I moan, his hands touching me hesitantly
underneath my shirt, as he begins to mimic what I did to him. I grip him around the waist, my eyes
closed as he slowly breaks off the kiss and begins to kiss the nape of my neck. My breathing becomes
heavy as he tilts my head to the side, giving him better access to the nape of my neck. I feel a sharp
piercing pain as he bites into my flesh, and then the coarseness of his tongue as he seals the wound
closed. Now I had my own personal mark from him. I too, have been claimed by my mate.

"Sorry" he says timidly, sitting up "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't" I growl "so don't apologise."

God, he's sitting atop of me and looking so fucking cute. The fact we've just marked each other, makes
tonight even more special. I wonder how Winter will react and then remember the amnesia. It's a
shame, she was so excited to find out that her brother and I were mates. She would have loved to find
out we had marked each other. Maybe when she gets her memories back she'll be excited.

Damien's making a move to get off me and my hand shoots out, preventing him from moving. He's
rubbing slightly against me and my eyes narrow as I smell his arousal. My hand moves to cup him at the
front of his pants in the crotch. He sucks in a breath. I smile, gently rubbing him as his breathing
deepens. He's so responsive. Within seconds I have him flat on his back, blinking in shock. I begin to pull
the zipper down on his pants. He clutches the bedsheets between his fists. Fuck. I haven't even touched
him yet and he looks like he's about to blow. This was going to be a lot of fun, I thought with a smirk.

"I think tonight calls for a celebration, don't you" I say gruffly.

His eyes widen. "Celebration" he squeaks. "What kind of celebration."

I undo the zipper on his pants and reach in, grabbing hold of his cock and gently stroking it. "This kind of
celebration."

Johnathon POV

Aaaah. It's good to be back home. It only took one hell of a car drive, a plane ride and the rental of a car
to get back as soon as possible and I stare at my pack house with satisfaction in my eyes. I've been gone
for so long, but now I can focus on my pack and my duties. I feel older somehow, more responsible. I feel
a pang in my chest, remembering my goodbye to Winter. She doesn't even know who I am, let alone is
going to be worried about my leaving. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that she's alright and that, in
the end, we were able to save her from that son of a bitch Thomas.

I pull up in front of my pack house, and take a moment to look at it with new eyes. It might not be as big
as Alpha Kai's, but it's a beautiful wooden style cabin with two stories and modern amenities. It was
nothing to be ashamed of. Neither was the pack, even if it wasn't the largest in the country. I was going
to change all that. I was going to make my pack, one of the strongest in the world. I had big plans.
I get out of the car and shut the door, my feet pounding into the gravel of the driveway as I walk to the
front door and let myself inside. I barely make it into the foyer, before there's a whooshing sound and my
mother comes racing in and literally throws herself into my arms. I can feel tears trickling down her face
onto my shirt, and feel immensely guilty. Even though she knew where I was heading, even I hadn't
fathomed it would be as long as it had. I was a terrible son, I thought to myself, to make her so worried
about me.

"You were gone for so long" she sobbed as my arms awkwardly went around her "I didn't know if you
were coming back."

I patted her lightly on her back. "Mother, I was always going to come back" I remind her gently, frowning
at the wild look in her eyes "I am sorry it took so long for me to come back though" I finish up.

She continues to cry as I hold her. I don't dare move, even though my shirt is slowly getting drenched by
her tears.

"Mother" I say quietly "I'm really sorry."

She pulls back, sniffling, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "It's just that I didn't
hear from you and Mason has been stepping in for you as the Beta but even he was getting concerned
and . . ." she trailed off helplessly.

"Mason is perfectly capable of taking care of pack business" I assure her "that's why I left him in charge.
You shouldn't have needed to concern yourself with any pack business while I was gone."

I motion for her to follow me, heading to the trusted study where all the paperwork and boring stuff gets
taken care of. Somehow I'm not surprised to find Mason sitting behind the desk, furiously scribbling
away. He'd always been pedantic about making sure all of the work was done. Mason leaps up as soon as
he sees me.

"Alpha Johnathon" he says formally, bending his head respectfully. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
I wave my hand at him. I don't care much for the title anymore. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth,
although I can't say why that is. "Just call me Johnathon from now on" I say firmly. He nods, looking
speechless.

He moves out from behind the desk and I sit in the large chair, motioning for my mother to sit down,
Mason sitting in the other chair, one of his legs folded over the other.

"Did the warriors keep up with training while I was gone?" I ask turning to Mason.

"They kept to the rigorous schedule. We will have to find a new head warrior though and soon."

I'm puzzled. "What happened to Nick?"

"He found his mate and is moving to her pack to live with her" answers Mason smoothly.

Damn. Imagine that. "Who's been taking care of the training in his absence then?" I ask suspiciously.
Man I've only been home a few minutes and already I've gone into Alpha mode.

"I have, between all the other duties" Mason answers.

I stare at him in shock. The poor man must be exhausted going from one thing to the other. Clearly he
hasn't delegated any of the work, he was that pedantic he would rather do it himself and burn himself
out doing it.

"Mason" I say very calmly and very quietly "that is going to end. You must have some idea of who's the
best warrior by now. Ask them if they'll become head warrior. I want it done by the end of tomorrow. If
they won't do it, then go to the next best and so on. However I have no doubts that the first one will
agree, considering it's many benefits and perks."
Mason looks upset and a bit sulky. Maybe he doesn't like the fact that I've come back and he's back to
being the Beta again. Too bad. He can deal with it.

"I'll arrange it by the end of tomorrow" he assures me and I give a small nod.

"You've changed" my mother breathes, staring at me, her tears long gone. "It's like you've become more
mature somehow. You seem to be more responsible" she adds, putting her hands to her face and looking
at me in astonishment. It's unnerving.

"Mother are there any maintenance issues in the house or gardens that you would like taken care of?" I
ask in the hopes of distracting her. It works.

She cocks her head and thinks about it. "Well there's a loose step in the staircase" she murmurs "which
could be dangerous. Other than that I really can't think of anything else."

"Consider it fixed" I tell her, watching as Mason scribbles it down. I have no doubt it will be fixed by the
end of tomorrow as well, if Mason has anything to say about it.

"What about rogue attacks while I was gone?" I ask, leaning back in the chair.

Mason looks concerned. "We had one rogue attack while you were gone, but it was easily handled."

"Were they killed?" I ask "or thrown in the dungeon?"

Now he looks nervous. "We killed them, should we have taken one prisoner?" he asks puzzled.

I shake my head. "No, but if you had taken a prisoner then I would have wanted to know" I explain. "You
did well in handling the rogue attack. Were there very many?"

"About five" Mason answers "luckily patrol spotted them straight away. The other good thing is that we
had men injured, but there were no fatalities. None of our people received life threatening injuries."

God I'm tired. The plane ride, although not long, has really taken it out of me. Or maybe it's the last few
weeks spent stressing over finding Winter and then saving her from that hybrid Thomas. That's probably
it. It was a far better way to travel then by wolf or foot though. If I have my way, I'll only ever be traveling
by car from now on.

"Did you find the girl?" my mother asks unexpectedly. She leans forward and looks at me eagerly.

"Yes, we found Winter. Just in time too" I explain "her brother is staying there. He found his mate at the
same pack."

My mother claps her hands together. "How sweet" she gushes "but no girl caught your eye there?"

I shake my head. No, the only girl who had caught my eye was Winter, and due to my own stupidity, I had
well and truly lost her. I had no one to blame but myself. If I could turn back time, I would do things
differently, but she was with Kai now, and she was happy and that at least was something to hold onto.
Who knows if she would have found that happiness with me.

"The only girl that I am happy to see is you Mother" I tease as she laughs and shakes her head at me.

"We have to have a celebratory dinner" Mother says with a grin.

I almost laugh. I had anticipated that's what she'd do. She always loved to cook when she had the chance
and this had given her the perfect opportunity.
"What do you want, I'll make anything you'd like" she offers.

"Anything you feel like making" I say honestly "a home made meal is great, it's been a while since I've
eaten one."

She looks stricken. "My poor little man" she croons and I cringe. My god, how embarrassing. "I'll have to
fatten you up with some decent food. I'm going to go and start cooking right now" she cries and sails out
of the room, almost skipping in her happiness.

I dissolve into laughter, Mason's shoulders shaking in his chair.

"I don't' know why you're laughing" I tease him "you know you're expected to attend dinner as well."

"It's just" he chokes out "she called you little man." He bursts into laughter. I scowl at him.

"Don't forget I'm your Alpha" I growl warningly but he just continues to laugh, tears forming in his eyes.

"Alright, alright" he finally says, leaning against his chair and holding his hands up in surrender "I'll stop."

"How is the pack running? Tell me the truth now mother's not here" I order.

He looks perturbed. "The pack is running fine, smoothly. Except for the head warrior position needing to
be filled and that rogue attack, everything else has been smooth sailing."

I relax. The pack had been in good hands while I was gone. Mason had done an excellent job of keeping
things running. I take not of the fact he has dark circles under his eyes. When was the last time that he
had a decent sleep? I really need to organise a Gamma as well to help lighten the load.
"Mason" I say gently "I think we need to look at filling the title of Gamma as well. It's too much work
between the two of us and you've had to shoulder the burden the entire time I've been gone."

I swear his face brightens up. Clearly he thinks this is an excellent idea. "That would be fantastic. It would
be far easier if we had a Gamma to help delegate some of the work to."

"Any ideas on who the Gamma should be? I feel like it should be a decision made between us, rather
than just myself deciding."

That seems to shock him. "What about Jordan? He's also the best warrior and could fill both positions?
Training could be a part of the Gamma's duties?" he suggests.

It's brilliant. It's like killing two jobs with one stone. "I think that your idea is brilliant" I say honestly "let's
have a discussion with him in the morning. It's best to get it done quickly."

He nods and I smile. Everything is going well. I'm about to stand up and go to the kitchen, where mother
is no doubt cooking furiously, when something comes to mind and I sit back down hastily.

"How is the prisoner doing?" I ask him.

Mason looks blank for a moment. The prisoner, I want to yell at him. You know, the only one that's been
there in the dungeon for the last couple of months. That prisoner. The one I swore to Damien that was
never going to cause trouble again.

Come on Mason, I think impatiently.

Then he looks at me and bites his lip. Now I'm feeling suspicious. What isn't he telling me? Why is he
being so quiet.
"About that prisoner" Mason says in a hushed voice "Um, the thing is" he stammers.

"Spit it out Mason" I growl, watching him wriggle in the chair, clearly nervous.

"There was an incident and he managed to escape" he bursts out. He looks away nervously.

For a minute, there's just silence as I digest his words, not fully comprehending them. Then realisation
dawns. I stand up, towering over him as he cringes back in the chair. My eyes are narrowed and staring
directly at him.

"How does one" I say dangerously quiet "one measly little prisoner manage to escape the dungeon?"

"See, the thing is, there was an omega and they got too close and. . ." he trails helplessly.

I can't believe it. They let the prisoner escape. One that I was intending to keep locked up for the rest of
his miserable fucking life. My hands clench into fists. "How does he get away from a whole pack Mason?
Did no one track him down?"

"He escaped just before the rogue attack" Mason explains miserably "by the time we ended the fight, he
was well and truly gone. I didn't see the point in wasting the trackers time."

I give a loud huff and punch the wall, giving vent to the anger coursing through my body. "Get out" I say
between gritted teeth "before I lose control completely."

He's out the door in a flash. I breathe, counting to ten, trying to keep my wolf from taking over, willing
my body to relax. My whole body is tense, my muscles stiff, I'm breathing heavy and I'm so angry. All I
feel is pure rage right now. Finally I sit back down in the chair and cover my face with my hands. How am
I going to tell Damien and Kai that Winter's father, has escaped his prison cell and it was all my fault?

Kai POV
I don't know what's going on with Winter lately. I know she's lost her memories but it's something more
than that. I just can't quite put my finger on it. Last night at that date she told me she felt sick but this
morning, she disappears for warm milk because she can't sleep. Who can't sleep when they are sick? It
doesn't make sense. Or maybe I'm just being paranoid. Who knows.

I meet Langdon. "Training grounds" I mutter to him "I need to work out some of my frustration."

He looks taken aback but does as I ask. There's no sign of Damien and I figure that he's got to be
sleeping. I wonder if they were up late last night. Then I stop and halt in my tracks, reaching out a hand
to look at Langdon properly. There's a massive smile on my friend's face and there, on his neck, is a
mark. They marked each other!

"Congratulations man" I say, patting him on the back. It was awesome news. Langdon more than anyone,
deserves to be happy with his second chance mate. Especially after what that bitch Candice put him
through.

"Thanks" Langdon says quietly "we did it last night."

I look directly at him "are you happy then?"

His eyes sparkle. "Very."

We start to walk across the grounds, both of us lost in thought. Winter doesn't have my mark anymore
and while I would love to claim her again, I'm uncomfortable doing it while she still has amnesia. Storm
on the other hand, has no such qualms about it.

She's our mate, she should bear our mark!

Storm we've been over this, we can't just do it without her consent.

Why not, we did it the first time.

Exactly why we can't just do that to her this time. We never should have done it without her consent
originally. This time we need to be more respectful of Winter.

I don't like the fact she doesn't have our mark anymore Kai.

I don't either Storm, but we just have to be patient. She'll let us mark her again eventually.

She'd better. She's ours, no one else's.

Trust me, she knows that Storm.

Man my wolf is more possessive of Winter than I am. He's very protective of her as well. I guess Damien
is lucky that Storm hasn't torn him to shreds for what he did to Winter in the past, because my god he
wanted to. He really wanted to. If he hadn't have been Langdon's second chance mate. . . . He would
have been in serious trouble.

We reach the training grounds. Jeff, the head warrior gives us a wave and jogs over to us. I can see two
warriors in the ring sparring, both of them not giving an inch, covered in sweat from head to toe. I
wonder how long they have been out here for.

"Alpha Kai, Beta Langdon" Jeff says with a smile "it's nice to see you out here. Is there something you
need?"

Oh yeah, there's something I need alright. I need to vent some of my anger and frustration out by
fighting. My whole body is tense and even Langdon looks like he could use a fight.
"I came out here to train" I say and Jeff looks at me, completely taken aback.

I'm a little indignant. It's not like I don't come out here, it's just that Langdon and I normally train by
ourselves together to save time. But I come out here every so often to see how everyone else is going
and to train some of the men and women.

"We'll that's fantastic" beams Jeff. Man he's so chirpy in the morning. It gives me a headache. "Who are
you wanting to train against?"

I turn and eye Langdon who looks resigned. "I'm guessing it's me" he tells Jeff wryly. Jeff just nods. He
gestures for the warriors to leave the training ring.

"Wolves or human form?" asks Langdon as we get into the training ring and seperate, staring at each
other.

"Wolves" I growl and he nods.

Without hesitation, both of us begin to strip off our clothes. Then I spot Damien in the crowd. He's come
out here to watch. I consider pointing him out to Langdon but I don't want to distract him from our fight.

I shift, bones cracking loudly in the otherwise quiet air, there's a small crowd gathered around us,
something that I'm used to. It's not often they get to see their Alpha fight another in the ring. Langdon
shifts into his own wolf as well. I've always liked his wolf. It's a dark grey colour all over except for a small
patch of white on the nose. He's large, only a few inches smaller than my own black wolf. We glare at
each other and begin to circle one another.

I'm looking for an opening, any opening at all that will help. Langdon is the first to race towards me and I
meet him halfway, both of us clawing and swiping at each other. I get on top of him and he bucks me off,
sending me flying. I shake my head and run towards him, stopping just in time as he dodges to the side.
Damn, he's fast, but I'm faster.
We begin to circle each other, snarling, our jaws opening and shutting. This time he leaps towards me
and I jump, meeting him in mid air, my jaws clamping onto him as I land, shaking him and throwing his
body into the nearest tree. He hits the tree with a large thud and crashes to the floor. It doesn't stop him
though. He's up on his feet within moments. This is going to be a hard fight, just the way I like it.

But then I spot someone's face in the crowd. Someone I hadn't expected to see, considering that I had
left her tucked in bed in the room. What on earth was Winter thinking coming out here? Was she
insane? She should have stayed inside the pack house if she'd gotten up, instead of coming outside and
into the cold air. We were going to have a serious discussion once this was over. Damn it. Now I'm
distracted.

I dodge to the side just in time as Langdon attempts to tackle me. I turn and swipe him across his
midsection and hear him growl in response. I jump and land on top of him, only to get sent flying
through the air as he twists and kicks me off. I'd forgotten just how good Langdon was at fighting. Then
again, there was a reason I had made him my Beta and it hadn't been just because we were best friends.
This time I stalk over to him and tackle him to the ground, my wolf is bigger and more dominant. I clamp
my jaws onto him and he wriggles and kicks. Then I go flying again. This is becoming a nuisance I think to
myself. We're so evenly matched the fight could go on forever.

I look over at Winter and her face is completely ashen. She's standing next to Damien, a hand to her
mouth. She looks worried. Langdon is looking over as well and has just realised Damien is in the crowd.
Damien is just as pale and looks concerned for his mate. I don't think I can continue, not with Winter
looking so frightened. Langdon appears to be thinking along the same lines.

I shift. Langdon does the same with a smile on his face.

"Good fight" I tell him as we both bend down and retrieve our clothes. "I just couldn't continue. . . " I say
looking over at Winter pointedly.

"I know" Langdon says softly "I understand."

We both get dressed.

Then we make our way over to Damien and Winter. Damien's eyes are shining. "You were awesome" he
tells Langdon. "I can't believe how well you fight."

"Thankyou" Langdon says with a chuckle. He takes hold of Damien's hand. "Do you want to do some
training while I watch" he offers. Damien looks thoughtful. "I wouldn't mind doing some training. I
haven't really had the opportunity to in the last few months" he admits "even at my old pack I tended to
skip it."

"Well then there's no reason not to train here" Langdon answers looking at his mate sternly.

I glance over at Winter who is looking and listening to the both of them intently. There' s a smile on her
face. She really does love that brother of hers, even with amnesia.

Damien glances at her. "Winter would you like to stay" he offers "I would love to spend time with you."

She frowns. I guess she still doesn't have much in the way of memories when it comes to Damien. "I
don't really enjoy watching the fighting" she says slowly "it makes me feel sick to my stomach."

There's a disappointed look on Damien's face. Winter sees it. "But maybe later, after the fighting, we
could talk. Maybe you could tell me about our childhood" she says.

Damien goes even paler. He swallows. "Sure, we can do that" he says faintly. She gives him a beaming
smile. Now Damien looks miserable. I guess he's going to have trouble explaining her rough childhood. I
don't feel even an ounce of sympathy for him.

Winter looks at me. "I know you probably wanted me to stay in bed" she says quietly as Damien and
Langdon move away from the both of us.
"I would have preferred you did" I growl and she looks at me upset.

"I can't spend the rest of my life in bed" she points out "not when I need to get to know you as well,
considering that we're mates" she adds with a frown.

She has a point. Doesn't mean I'm any less upset with her. I mind-link Langdon.

I'm taking Winter back to the pack house. Let me know if you need me.

Will do Alpha Kai.

Thanks.

I gently take hold of Winter's hand and give it a kiss, noting how cold it is and frowning. I shrug out of my
jacket and drape it over her. "Cold?" I ask and she gives a small nod. No wonder she's so pale. It's a
surprise her teeth aren't chattering together.

"Let's go home and have breakfast" I suggest and she walks along with me obediently. I sigh. I don't want
Winter to feel like I'm being possessive of her, but I'm afraid to let her out of my sight after what
happened with Thomas. Even though that bastards dead, I feel like I failed her. I'm not going to fail her
ever again.

Is it my imagination or is she walking funny? Her body is stiff and her movements are slightly jerky.

"Are you feeling alright?" I ask softly.

She bites her lip. "I don't know. I feel strange" she admits "I don't know how to explain it, but I know that
I'm really thirsty" she says "even though I drank plenty of water before coming out here."

"Maybe you're just hungry" I suggest, steering her towards the pack house. I'm concerned but trying not
to show it. Something seems off about Winter. But I'm not sure what it is. Her movements are strange.
Like she's having trouble walking. She's definitely not alright. Then I see her stumble and although I
move fast, she drops to the ground in a dead faint as I stare down at her. I scoop her off the ground
quickly. Her lips are blue now. Her hands are clammy.

I change directions and begin to head towards the hospital, Winter securely cradled against my chest. I
scold myself for not getting to her sooner and hope she hasn't injured her head. That's the last thing she
needs. Hold on Winter, I think to myself as I run, we're almost there. Hopefully the doctors have some
idea of what caused her to faint. Because this doesn't just seem like she's sick to me.

Winter POV

When I wake back up, the doctor is examining me, shining one of those damn bright lights in my eyes. I
frown. I knew I hadn't been feeling well when I walked out to the grounds but I hadn't realised I would
actually faint. How embarrassing. The doctor looks concerned. "Your iron is severely depleted, I can tell
just by looking at you" Dr Jameson says. That's what his name badge says anyway.

"What do we need to do?" asks Kai anxiously.

"Well" the doctor pauses "I would suggest eating iron rich foods, such as plenty of red meat, spinach, but
I also might suggest supplements. I feel you might have been drained when that hybrid took your blood
and it's struggling to replenish itself."

Kai nods, looking grim. I just feel woozy.

"Everything else, appears to be fine and healthy. Winter, I really don't want to see you in here again"
jokes the doctor as I struggle to sit upright.

"You can go home" Dr Jameson says to me "but I suggest you take it easy and rest when you can.
Especially since your amnesia still hasn't gone away."

"Thankyou" I say meekly. Kai sighs.

"I'm carrying you back to the pack house' he says shortly. I frown at him. I'm perfectly capable of walking
back, but something in his facial expression warns me not to push it.

"Goodluck Winter. Come back for a checkup in two weeks time" suggests Dr Jameson "we'll check your
iron levels and give you a transfusion if it's needed."

I nod and climb out of bed, my legs almost buckling beneath me. Kai's hand whips out and supports me,
preventing me from sliding to the floor.

"Careful" mutters Kai admonishing me. Like I did it on purpose. I give a huff, feeling annoyed at him. I'm
not some delicate piece of china that's going to break. I was getting tired of being treated like it. He
scoops me up and I give a shriek, kicking and wiggling.

"Stop" he growls and I pause, my body tense as he cradles me against his chest.

I sniff involuntarily and my mouth waters. Man, he smells delicious, his scent strong and pungent. I can't
get enough of it. His arms tighten around me.

"I'm taking you back to the pack house" he murmurs and I don't bother to argue. Instead, I force my
body to relax against him, rather than fight against him. He looks relieved. Slowly, he walks out of the
hospital room and heads towards the main entrance.

"Where's Damien?" I ask out of nowhere and he looks at me, jaw clenched tight. Apparently Damien is a
sore spot for him for some reason. But I remember speaking to Damien just before I fainted. Plus he is
my brother, apparently.
"He's waiting in the dining room for you, along with Landon" he grunts as we make our way out of the
hospital and onto the grounds.

It doesn't look like much time has passed since I've fainted. At least judging by the sun's position in the
sky. I curse the fact that I don't have a watch or a way to tell time. I snuggle against Kai. His body is nice
and warm. He walks with me in his arms with ease, as though I don't weigh more than a feather. It's
actually a nice feeling. He's quiet but he looks concerned, all of his focus on the pack house which is up
ahead.

My stomach growls loudly and he chuckles. "I guess you're hungry" he laughs. I blush. But it's true. I'm
starving. Suddenly ravenous. It feels like it came out of nowhere.

We enter the pack house and he walks to the dining room.

"Winter" cries Damien as Kai reluctantly puts me down, one arm snaking around my waist as I lean
against him "how are you feeling."

"I feel a little weak and shaky. I didn't mean to worry anyone" I answer softly. Damien leans forward and
then hesitates. He looks uncertainly at me and at Kai. I don't know what makes me do it, but I close the
gap and fling my arms around him. His arms instantly go around me and he hugs me tightly to him. I
breathe in his scent, recognising it's familiar. A memory comes to me.

I'm so small. Just a little girl, who is running around the grass while her mother and father watch her. Her
older brother is sitting on the ground, looking bored. I don't want to play by myself, it's boring.

"Come get me Damien" I cry. "Come play chasey."

At first he ignores me. But my mother gently nudges him and he slowly gets to his feet. I shriek and run,
Damien's footsteps behind me. I giggle and shriek, running as fast as my little legs will carry me.
"I'm going to get you" he shouts as I speed up. I dodge around trees and jump over branches, ignoring
the fact that I'm getting dirt all over my dress, wanting nothing more than to play with him.

Then he tackles me to the ground and I giggle, wriggling underneath him. He grins at me. "I got you" he
says and my eyes shine up with adoration at my older brother.

The memory's gone just as quickly. But it's enough for me to feel some love and tenderness towards
Damien as I give a small sob and hug him. Slowly he pulls away. "Why are you crying?" he asks me
slightly panicked, Kai scowling darkly at him.

I wipe the tears from my eyes. "Just a memory" I tell him softly "a nice one."

Why does he look so relieved to hear that? Kai relaxes slightly as well. My stomach lets out a loud growl,
reminding Kai why we came to the dining room in the first place.

He pulls a chair out from the table for me and motions for me to sit. Langdon and Damien join me. "Have
you guys eaten?" asks Kai gruffly as he gets behind the kitchen counter.

"We have, but we could always eat again" Langdon grins.

"That would be nice, all of us eating together" I beam. Kai fall silent at my look of happiness, shooting
dirty looks at Langdon and Damien when he thinks I'm not looking.

"Winter what do you feel like?" he asks, perusing the refrigerator and it's contents.

Hmmm. I have to think. But I'm craving meat like nobody's business and the first thing that comes to
mind, is what I call out. "Steaks" I say hopefully and they all look surprised.
"Steaks" Kai repeats looking taken aback. "Anything else?"

To be honest, I only want the steaks. Honestly, the thought of anything else is making my stomach churn.
"Maybe some juice" I answer slowly.

"I'll just make some steaks and eggs with toast" declares Kai, shooting the other's a look "if anyone else
wants something different, than they are welcome to make it themselves."

"That sounds good" declares Langdon and Damien nods fervently. Good, no one seems to be too
bothered by the steaks. I have to admit it's a strange craving to have. Maybe it's the lack of iron?

I sniff appreciatively as the steaks get taken out of the fridge, my mouth watering in anticipation. Even
though they haven't been cooked yet, they smell delicious. I can't wait to get my teeth into one. Langdon
gets up and grabs the juice, pouring a glass for everyone.

"Here" he says kindly, pushing a glass towards me.

"Thanks" I mutter, staring at the orange juice with revulsion. It had seemed like a good idea at the time,
but now that it was right in front of my nose, it was making my stomach heave. I tentatively take a sip
and almost spit it out. It tastes strange, like it's gone off, but when I glance over at Langdon and Damien,
they don't seem to have a problem with the juice at all. Strange. I gently push my glass to the side and
glance over at Kai.

He's got the frypan ready and the eggs are cooking, toast in the toaster ready to be buttered. Now he
just had to deal with the steaks. "Winter, how do you like your steaks?" he asks.

I have to think for a moment. Normally I would go for well done, but my body wants something different.
Before I can even consider what I'm about to do, I call out "rare" and lean back in my chair.

If Kai thinks my decision is weird he doesn't say anything, Langdon and Damien opting to have their
steaks medium rare. Within minutes Kai's finished everyone's breakfast.

He brings mine over first and I can smell the tantalizing odour of the meat on the plate as he places it in
front of me. My stomach growls loudly and my mouth begins to water. Kai gives me a peck on the cheek.
"Breakfast" he growls and then gives the others their food before plopping onto a chair on the opposite
side of me. I stare down at the steak in fascination. There's blood oozing underneath it. The eggs look
like runny liquid and I scrape it to the side, not wanting to taste it. I nibble lightly at the toast but my
stomach doesn't like the taste.

"Thankyou for breakfast" I tell Kai and he gives me a small smile, diving into his own breakfast. He's given
me the biggest portion of steak and I reach for the knife and fork. As soon as I press on the steak, blood
oozes out. It's definitely rare, I see with satisfaction. I cut a tiny piece off and place it in my mouth,
chewing slowly and almost moaning as it hits my taste buds. It's so sweet, so tender. I'm desperate for
more. This time I take a slightly larger piece and plop it in my mouth, closing my eyes in ecstacy. It's so
juicy. So soft. It's the best thing I've eaten in a very long time.

I begin to dive into the steak while the others eat around me.

"So if you want to start training, how about together the two of us, go out there tomorrow morning?"
Langdon.

"Are you sure?" Damien.

"Of course. You can only learn by training. Heck, I'll even train you as well." Langdon.

"That's brilliant. I can't wait." Damien.

I ignore them. All I want is this beautiful steak. When I glance down and see that I've eaten the entire
piece of it, I almost want to cry. Kai shoves a small piece at me. "I wasn't sure if you would want more"
he explains, his eyes on the steak that's gone. At least I'm eating I want to tell him indignantly.
Soon though, that piece is gone and I'm still craving more. But I don't know what. I stare down at the
small pool of blood on the plate. I inhale and the metallic scent is strong in the air, but instead of filling
me with revulsion, I feel hunger instead. Without thinking about it, I place the toast and eggs on the
table top and lift the plate up in both hands, staring at the blood with fascination. I tip the plate towards
my mouth and the blood slowly trickles down, into my open mouth, trailing down my throat as I swallow
it all greedily. It's so good. I lick my lips. I even lick all the blood off the plate and smack my lips together.

Utter silence. That's the first thing I notice. Everyone is staring at me awkwardly. Kai of course looks like
he's about to faint. I stare back, wondering what's wrong. They look like they've seen a ghost. What the
hell is wrong with them? I wasn't acting that strangely was I? In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I feel
energised, rather than weak like earlier.

Kai is the first to speak "Winter, are you feeling alright?"

"I feel great" I tell him honestly "fantastic."

Langdon and Damien are shooting Kai sidelong glances. "Um, alright, do you want to try and rest?" asks
Damien.

I shake my head. "Maybe I could join in on training? Or go for a run or something?'

"I think a run would do some good" Kai agrees "but you just fainted not long ago, so how about taking it
easy until I can go for a run with you?"

I pout. "Fine, I might go read a book" I say grumpily. I get up and storm upstairs. Why were they all acting
so freaked out all of a sudden?

Unknown POV

God, I can't believe I managed to escape from that horrible dungeon. Those bastards thought they could
keep me in there forever, but I showed them. I showed them all. That omega, I don't even feel sorry for
messing around with her feelings. As if I was in love with her, ha. She's about the same age as my
daughter Winter. Still, she served her purpose, So I can't really complain about that, can I. She was just
so easily fooled. That's what they get for using omegas to bring my food to me. It was just a matter of
time until I managed to sweet talk one. Stupid pack.

My feet crunch on the grass. How fortunate it was that there was a rogue attack as I was escaping. Even I
can't believe my good fortune. It was like the moon goddess herself was urging me to escape. I take my
time walking. There's nothing but clear blue sky for miles and no sign of rain or anything gloomy like
that. The sun is warm, which is good because the only thing I have on is pants. They left me shirtless in
that damn dungeon. I could shift, but I'm still weak from my injuries and find it easier to travel in human
form and allow my wolf to recover.

I frown at the ground. I've managed to cover a large area of space. That bloody Alpha Johnathon was
missing from the pack and rumour had it he'd gone searching for my daughter Winter, with my son no
less. They thought I couldn't hear them, but I paid attention. Even when blood was pooling from my
wounds, I listened and I remembered everything they spoke about. They should have been more careful.
Sometimes I'd faked being unconscious in order to get them to talk even more.

I know all sorts of things. Winter being mute, my son's apparent guilt over the whole thing. I spit at the
ground in anger. That bastard son of mine stood up against me and all for her. What had made him
change his mind over hurting Winter? How dare he stand up and tell me no. This was all his fault, well his
and Winter's. I would forever hate my daughter, no matter how much those big eyes of her's pleaded for
me to stop, or the tears that she cried in front of me. Once upon a time I would have stopped instantly
and hugged her, but now I can't even bear to think of touching the little bitch.

I could just leave and go in another direction. But I want revenge. Revenge for what happened to me in
that dungeon. It's all Winter and Damien's fault that I ended up there. It's their fault that I was tortured.
It's their fault for my miserable existence. My hands clench into fists as I walk, my head lowered down to
avoid stepping on anything sharp or pointy with my bare feet.

Slam. The door swings shut on the cell in the dungeon as I race to it, my fingers curling around the bars,
ignoring the burning sensation of the silver against my flesh.

"Let me out" I roar and the boy, Johnathon, stares at me with anger on his face.
"You sold your own daughter for money" he hissed and I stare at him and shrug.

Of course I had, I needed it to pay back some debts. How did this concern him? It's not like it affected
him at all. He should butt the hell out of my business.

He motions to the guards. "Shoot him" he orders and I notice for the first time that the guards are
holding tranquilizer darts. I have no doubt they contain wolfsbane. I can smell it from here.

I back away but it's too late. The darts hit me, one in the chest and another in my thigh. I let out a roar
and pull them out, but it's too late. My body flops to the ground.

"Get him chained" Johnathon says coldly from above me.

The guards haul me up, even as I kick and fight, chaining me up against the wall, my back exposed to
them.

"You bastard" I snarl, trying to look over my shoulder.

His eyes are dark, there's an unreadable expression on his face. He's holding something in his hand, but I
can't make out what it is from my position. I refuse to let some young lad intimidate me like this.

The first crack of the whip surprises me more than hurts. But I can tell it's silver because my back is
literally burning until he pulls it away. I let out a howl, my whole body shuddering.

"I'll kill you when I get free" I promise him, my voice shaking.

The boy is silent. "The only reason I'm not killing you is because of Winter" he says "god help her but she
still thinks of you as her father, despite everything you've done to her."

Crack.

Shit. The pain is excruciating. I cry out at the second strike.

"This is for Winter" he grunts and the whip slashes my back. This time it's so powerful that I scream,
involuntarily. He certainly put most of his strength into it.

"This is for Damien" he mutters as the whip slashes me again. My whole body is shaking now. I'm not
sure how much more I can take, but I don't' want to give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing me fall
unconscious. My hands clench into fists.

"When I get out of here" I mutter slowly "I am going to kill you and my children with my bare hands."

Crack. This time I'm prepared for the whip. Then there's silence. It's nerve wracking. I can't tell what he's
doing. There's the sounds of things being moved and touched. That's when I realise he's going for
something else. He has to be.

"Take him off the wall and let him dangle from the ceiling" he orders and I feel the guards moving me
around as I stare down at them with hatred. Soon my feet are dangling off the floor and my hands are
stretched over my head.

Johnathon walks in front of me, brandishing a silver dagger. I suck in a breath. He can do some serious
damage with that. He caresses it, touching the tip, his hands covered in gloves to prevent himself from
being burned by the knife. He cocks his head. "You know, I suspect that Winter has scars all over her
body from you. It would explain the loose baggy clothing she wears" he hisses and I flinch. He would be
correct. His eyes light up at my reaction and I swear as I realise I've given myself away.

He plunges the dagger into the side of my midsection and I scream, my skin bubbling and burning bright
red. He pulls it back out and examines it.

"Get the doctor" he snaps over his shoulder, and moves close to me.

"You were going to let your own daughter be raped" he breathes, his face inches from mine. "I think it's
only fair that we make sure you can't physically do anything like that to anyone. You sick, twisted, son of
a bitch."

I have no idea what he's talking about. A man comes down to the dungeon, looking uneasy, Johnathon
looking over his shoulder and giving a quick nod. Then I feel him, he's cupping my man hood and
clutching the dagger. Oh god no. I start to writhe in my chains, kicking and screaming. His hands tighten
and I howl. He's going to crush them at this rate.

I don't see it but I feel it as he severs my ball sack from my body, my mouth open in an endless scream as
I sob hysterically. The doctor injects me with something that makes me fall unconscious. When I wake
up, there's stitches and my scrotum is gone forever. I'm no longer a man, and it's because of them.

I shudder at the memory of it all. My gaze unconsciously goes to my nether regions and my lip curls with
hatred. They have ruined me forever. He ruined me forever. I spent months recovering from that ordeal,
planning my revenge and plotting. Then I began to hear the rumours of Winter and I listened. I know
which way to go, which direction to follow and it's because of Johnathon's Beta letting loose the
information.

I sit beneath a tree, needing to rest. I had half expected them to send out a search party for me, but
maybe they thought I was killed by rogues? Fuck. I need a drink like no one's business. But I don't dare
walk into town. That would make it far too easy to find me. Although it they even have half a brain, they
would know exactly where I was going. I plan on dragging Winter back with me. She can still earn me
money but Damien would have to die. He had become too much of an overprotective older brother and I
can no longer trust him to do what's right.

There's the crack of thunder in the distance. So much for there being clear skies. Now I can see fucking
storm clouds gathering. Is everything going to be going fucking wrong today? I don't have the energy to
make a goddamn shelter. I pause, debating my options. There's a pack not far from here. I could pretend
to have run into some rogues and needing assistance. But it's risky. Especially if that fucker Alpha
Johnathon has put the word out to keep an eye on me. I scowl. I guess I need to make a god damn
shelter. How fucking annoying.

I slam branches down, in a right mood. My wolf is telling me to calm down but I ignore him. Since we lost
our balls he's been particularly sulky. It's exasperating me. I slam the shelter together. taking all my anger
and frustration out on it. The stupid thing is barely waterproof but I don't care. As it it the rain is starting
to sprinkle down on me and I poke my tongue out, letting the raindrops fall on it and swallowing
gratefully. I'm thirsty. It's been a long travel. We haven't come across any lakes or streams yet.

I slowly climb into the shelter, keeping my head poking out. The rain begins to get heavier and soon it's
hailing down. There won't be any moving until it's passed. It could take a while. I remind myself that I
have time. So much time it isn't funny. This isn't a race, not for me. I would rather be slow and cautious
then be caught before I can take my revenge. The wind begins to get heavier. I hope my shelter doesn't
go flying. Maybe I should have put a bit more effort in. My wolf is smug. I scowl and put a block up,
refusing to talk to him.

At least there won't be any rogues. They hate water and when it rains. That means I'm safe for now.
Which is good, I'm not particularly in the mood for a fight right now. Even though it might help my anger
out. I content myself with lying down on my back and closing my eyes. I ignore the thudding sounds of
the heavy rain and the whoosh of the air as it causes branches to move back and forth. I drown out all
the sounds and instead begin to picture my son and daughter in my mind's eye. I remember what they
look like. I remember everything about them. Winter is no match for me. She never was and I doubt
she's gotten stronger even with her wolf. Damien might prove to be more difficult but I can handle him if
I need to. But it's Winter I want, Winter who I will take back with me. I don't care how long I have to wait
to make my move, my daughter is coming back to the house, whether she likes it or not.

Damien POV

Well I've spent some time with Winter, trying to make her remember me and the small, very rare, good
parts of her childhood but it's been difficult. She still can't fully remember and it makes it awkward. We
feel like strangers rather than the family that we are. Poor Kai is devastated. It can't be easy seeing the
mark on her neck suddenly gone. Plus he's too nice to just mark her without her consent. I know if that
happened with Langdon I'd be pretty upset.
Langdon's been pretty quiet lately. I've just gotten into the shower, wondering where on earth he's gone
to, when the door opens and he comes waltzing in. I raise my eyebrows. He leans back against the vanity
and folds his arms, his expression unreadable. "Do you want to join me?" I offer but he shakes his head.

Damn. I was hoping he would.

"Thanks, but I'm enjoying the view" he purrs and I can't help but blush. Even now, I still have a reaction
to the man. My body just does it automatically.

"If you got undressed, I could enjoy the view too" I grumble as he chuckles.

"Are we training today?" I ask him eagerly. He's been super wicked at showing me the ropes and training
me. It's been fun. But he looks pensive.

"To be honest" he says calmly "I thought we could do something else today instead."

Now I'm intrigued. "What kind of thing were you thinking of?" I ask slyly.

He grins. "It's a surprise."

I groan out loud. I'm not particularly fond of surprises but if my mate wants it to be, then I'll go along
with him. Besides, now that I'm looking at him closely, he looks excited, more so than usual. It has to be
something pretty important then.

"Does Kai know about this surprise?" I ask suspiciously. After all, as the Beta, Langdon can't just walk
away from the pack for anything without permission.

"Of course" Langdon says lightly as I turn the water off in the shower and wrap a towel around the
bottom half of me.
He follows me back out to the bedroom. Man he must have been up super early today to be dressed and
showered before me. I thought I was an early riser, but he's even worse.

"How should I dress then?" I say exasperated "formal, not formal?"

"Wear something comfortable and loose" he says and I eye his clothes with raised eyebrows. He's
dressed in trousers and a shirt, so I figure I should do the same. Except that I go for black jeans and a
white shirt. He looks impressed, licking his lips. I give him a wink.

"Follow me" he orders.

We walk down to the garage, and I'm expecting to see his car. But instead he retrieves two helmets and
hands one to me. Well, that's a surprise in itself. I hadn't known he had a bike. Now my own heart is
thudding wildly in my chest. I've always wanted a motorbike but could never afford one. Besides it hadn't
made sense to get one when I had a perfectly working car. He leads me to a harley and I drool at it. It's a
fine piece of work, leather seats, huge motor, one large piece of beauty. Langdon laughs at the
expression on my face. He gets on and flips the helmet over his head.

"Get on" he shouts, his voice muffled by the helmet.

I gingerly get on behind him, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist for balance. He starts the bike
with a loud roar, and then slowly peels out as I tremble in excitement.

We head out of the pack house and onto the main roads, swerving between the traffic. Langdon seems
to be a pro at handling the bike and it's so fast, it easily surpasses the cars on the road. The wind is
rushing through my hair and I feel free, free are than I've ever felt in my life. We begin to slow down
once we reach the city, to my disappointment and he pulls into a a parking lot, full of cars. I narrow my
eyes. Has he brought me to a carnival? Sweet, uptight Langdon? Surely not.

I climb off the bike and pull of the helmet, Langdon climbing off slowly, a wide smile on his face. "I hope
you like carnivals"

he teases. My heart skips a beat. Man I love carnivals. I wonder who told him, or like me, he loved them
as well.

"Brilliant" I breathe out, handing the helmet to him and watching him place it on the handle bar.

"I thought it was time we went for our first date" he announces, grabbing hold of my hand and leading
me to the entrance. He pays for our entry and then we head inside.

My head swings everywhere. Where did we go first? There were so many choices. Then I spot the
rollercoaster and my eyes light up as I drag him over. Langdon clutches the front of the seats, looking
green as we go up and over, spinning around fast. When it's finished I have to help him out, his legs
swaying slightly as he walks. I have to stifle my laughter.

"How about that one?" I ask eagerly, pointing to a ride that went up high and then dropped quickly.

Langdon goes pale. "Sure" he stammers.

"We don't have to" I protest but he shakes his head.

"No let's do it."

The poor sweet man screamed the entire time we dropped. He also went so pale I thought he was going
to faint. I helped him out, feeling slightly guilty. I should have insisted on doing something else.

"Langdon do you even enjoy carnivals?" I ask suspiciously.

He looks sheepish. "I kind of heard you say how much you like them, so I thought it would make a
perfect date" he mumbles "I'm not too fond of them myself to be honest."

I'm so touched. He was doing something special for me, even though he didn't really enjoy it.

"How about the ferris wheel" I say softly. Surely that ride would be alright for him.

His eyes light up. Score one for Damien, I think to myself.

"Let's do that last" he suggests "get some ice cream and fairy floss first?"

Man I'm down for that. Not to mention the endless games that are waiting for me. Langdon seems
content to stand and watch me, eating the fairy floss and even stealing mine. Not that I mind. I'm having
a blast. We even do a ring toss game together. He's really relaxed out here and it's a good side of
Langdon that I'm seeing. He's not so uptight out here, away from all his responsibilities of the pack. He's
even content holding my hand, despite the strange looks we are receiving and the occasional insult
under someone's breath. It doesn't seem to bother him at all. It doesn't bother me. I thought it would,
but to he honest, all my focus is on him and the enjoyment of the date. Everything else around us seems
to fade away.

"Man I'm stuffed" I growl, patting my stomach. So much fairy floss and ice cream, not to mention the hot
chips and hot dogs I've eaten. I feel like I'm about to explode. Langdon hasn't faired much better, but he
mainly stuffed himself on fairy floss. Apparently it's a weakness of him.

"I feel like I'm going to need to be rolled back to the motorbike" grouses Langdon "I shouldn't have eaten
so much."

"You ate less than I did" I point out with amusement "you really should have tried one of those hot
dogs."
He wrinkles his nose. "Do you even know what's in a hot dog" he demands.

"No" I groan "and I don't want to know. Not unless you want me to be sick at any rate."

"Is there any other games or rides you want to go on?" Langdon queries.

I shake my head, then remember. "We were going to go on the ferris wheel" I mutter. It's not as crowded
at the carnival now, not when it was starting to get late. We'd spent out here.

"Oh yeah" Langdon said quietly.

We turn towards the ride, grateful to see there's hardly anyone waiting. Langdon pays for our tickets and
I swear he's talking to the ride operator, because it takes him ages to come back.

"Everything alright?" I ask him.

He looks taken aback. "Yeah everything is fine" he babbles.

My eyes narrow. He's up to something, I'm sure of it.

We get to the head of the line and sit down, putting the safety bar over us. The ride begins and the view
is amazing. You can see over the city, the bright lights, the sunset, all of it. It's beautiful. I'm in awe. I'm
glad we decided to do this ride last, because the view is nothing short of spectacular. Then the ride stops
suddenly. I glance downwards nervously, but Langdon has a wide grin on his face. Did he know the ride
was going to stop when we were at the very top?

"Langdon" I say "did you do this?"

He smirks. Then moves closer. His hands grab hold of the sides of my face, his eyes staring into mine as I
swallow nervously. God he's beautiful. He moves forward, his face inches from mine, and then slowly,
tenderly, he places his lips against mine, one of his hands going to the back of my head and holding it in
place. I moan out loud, his tongue diving inside, touching mine and caressing it as I push my lips back
against his, giving as good as I've got. It feels like time has stopped still, everything around us, the noise,
the lights, fading away into the background. My hands go around his neck, pushing deeper in the kiss,
my own tongue eagerly dancing with his. My hands itch to explore him, to feel him all over, and I'm only
dimly aware that we're out in public.

Then the ride starts again, causing both of us to pull back reluctantly. "That was so romantic" I tell
Langdon and he looks pleased.

"I bribed the operator, that's what took so long" he beams. I grin back.

When we get off the ride, I'm sad to see the evening is over. IT was such a nice day and it was made
more special spending it with my mate. I sadly take hold of Langdon's hand.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"Nothing, I'm just sad the date has ended" I try not to sniffle. After all there will be plenty of dates.
Won't there? Langdon looks confused.

"But there'll be loads of other dates" he points out, stifling a smile "I promise you that. Plus we still have
to ride the motorbike back" he says and I cheer up. There is that.

The drive back is quiet. It' s hard to talk anyway with all the noise from the bike and the wind. We get
back to the pack house and Langdon takes my helmet and puts it away. I'm about to turn and head to
the pack house with him, when he pulls back on my hand and stops me.

"Just a second" he says quietly. "Damien I want you to know that I genuinely care about you. I'm not
taking this mate bond for granted, there will be other dates."
He exhales as I listen, a smile on my face. "I'm not really good at expressing my feelings. But I can do
better. In the meantime" he says with a chuckle, holding out his hand with the motorbike key.

I stare, not comprehending. What was going on? What was this.

"It's yours" He clarifies "the bike. I got it for you. I know you've always wanted one."

"It's mine" I whisper and he nods.

I fling myself into his arms. "Thankyou so much" I utter over and over again as I hug him. He pulls me
back and then I astonish him by giving him a massive kiss. One that gets my heart racing, my body
beginning to get turned on by touching him. I pull back and grab Langdon by the hand, the key firmly
held in my other one.

"What do you say we take this to the bedroom" I breathe, about to show him just how much I appreciate
him. The perfect end, to what had turned out to be the perfect day.

Kai POV

Winter's been acting really strangely lately. Even Damien has noticed it and her memories still aren't
coming back. At least not completely. Is it possible that's the reason for it all? I still can't get the image of
her eating steak for breakfast and then licking the blood. Sure, shifters crave meat, but I don't think even
my cravings gone that far. Maybe she's pregnant? Like having weird cravings? But wouldn't she know if
she was? Besides I don't think bringing up the possibility is a good idea. She'll most likely start yelling at
me. I think it's safer to put that idea by the wayside for now.

I'm sitting in the study, perusing my paperwork. There's so much of it. But that's the life of an Alpha.
Everything has to run smoothly in the pack. The phone rings and I frown. Only certain people, mainly
other alpha's have the phone number in the study and it's a small amount at that. I pick up the receiver.
"Alpha Kai here" I growl.

"Oh Kai, thank god I got hold of you" the voice says. I stare down at the receiver. The voice is somewhat
familiar to me. In fact, I'm almost certain of it. This has to be Johnathon. What the hell does he want?

"Johnathon, this better be an emergency" I say tightly.

There's silence on the other end.

"Well I wouldn't quite say it's an emergency" his voice says quietly.

"Johnathon, cut the bullshit, what on earth is going on?"

A large exhale. My hands clench into fists. He isn't even here and he's driving me insane. Fuck sake. What
does the moron want now?

"Look, it was an accident" Johnathon begins. Not the best way to start a sentence. "Winter's father was
being held at my pack as a prisoner." I roll my eyes. Tell me something I don't know.

"I already know that" I growl "so what about it?"

"Well, while I was gone, at your pack" Johnathon says delicately as I listen intently "her father managed
to escape. I am assuming he will make his way to your pack. Apparently he knows where Winter and
Damien are."

"Shit" I swear, slamming my hand onto the desk and placing a large dent in it. I close my eyes. For once,
can't we just get a break. Especially Winter. She's had enough to deal with.
"How could you let this happen" I snap irritably "what good is your pack if it lets someone go free."

"I'm just as upset as you are" Johnathon growls back "but what's done is done. I just wanted to give you
a heads up. Because he's a piece of work, let me tell you."

"Thanks" I mutter "I'll get my men to keep an eye out. But damnit Johnathon, I'm majorly pissed off at
you."

"I can live with that" Johnathon says easily "goodluck with everything." Damn it, he's completely ruined
my day and I bet he doesn't give a shit about it either.

I slam the phone down and put my head in my hands. Great. Another thing to deal with. Winter's father
was abusive to her, her whole childhood. No doubt she felt safer with him a prisoner. How on earth do I
take that sense of safety away. Do I even tell her? Maybe there's a way to keep her out of the loop and
deal with this problem at the same time.

I mind link Langdon and Damien Can you both come to the study. It's important so come straight away,
don't dawdle I warn them. I hope Winter is sleeping upstairs. She seems to sleep a lot lately.

A knock on the door. "Get in here now" I snap and they walk in, sitting in the chairs opposite the desk,
while I hastily close the door behind them.

"We have a bit of a situation" I say with a grimace "Johnathon just rang to inform me that they've had a
prisoner escape."

"That shouldn't really be a problem" Langdon says confused "why doesn't he just track the prisoner
down." He folds his arms over his chest.

Huh. I should have asked the little bastard that when I had him on the phone.
"I'm guessing because the prisoner's now too far away to track" I say wryly "normally it wouldn't be our
problem either, but the prisoner happens to be. . ."I trail off not wanting to finish the sentence.

Damien pipes up, his face completely ashen "mine and Winter's father. Isn't that right" he adds quietly. I
give a small nod.

Langdon exhales. "How long do we have?"

"Until he gets here? Could be weeks, could be days, especially if he makes his way here without stopping
anywhere else" I say grimly.

"Fuck" whispers Damien. For once the boy doesn't look cocky, in fact, he looks like he's going to be sick.
Langdon grabs hold of his hand and gives it a squeeze.

"It's alright Damien, we'll keep a close lookout for him. He's just one shifter, and not even a strong one at
that" Langdon said trying to soothe his mate who looked distraught.

Christ, if this is the reaction Damien had, then there was no way I was going to even entertain the
thought of telling Winter.

"He can't be that bad" I say to Damien "can he?" I ask sounding uncertain.

He looks grim. "He tortured Winter for her entire childhood. I'm also to blame for that, but he enjoyed
it" he whispered incredulous "he actually derived pleasure from hurting his daughter."

God, I want to beat the man into a bloody pulp. With luck, I'll get my chance to.
"Is he a strong fighter" I muse and Damien shakes his head, then looks at Langdon, biting his lips.

"He's a lot stronger than me" Damien tells his mate. "I never could stand up against him."

"We still have plenty of time until he gets here" I tell them both "patrol will be on the lookout as well,
but honestly I don't really think he poses much of a risk or danger. In all likelihood someone from patrol
will round him up and put him in the dungeon. He doesn't sound that strong to me."

"I agree" Langdon says firmly, looking directly at Damien who doesn't look convinced. "You have nothing
to be afraid of, not when I and Alpha Kai will protect you and Winter."

Damien looks slightly calmer. "What are you going to tell Winter?" he asks "she thinks she's safe and that
he's a prisoner in Johnathon's pack. Well she did" he mutters "with her amnesia I'm not sure if she even
remembers that."

I shrug, trying to look carefree. "I'm not going to tell her anything" I say lightly "I don't want anything to
stress her out anymore than she already is."

"You can't just keep the truth from her" Damien protests "she needs to know so that she can keep
herself safe. You'll only make her angry by not telling her."

"I'm trying to protect her" I thunder "she doesn't need to know. What good would it do? She would just
be constantly looking over her shoulder and jumping at every little noise."

"She's stronger than that" Damien counters. Langdon stays silent in the background. I scowl at him. His
mate is challenging my decisions and it's pissing me off.

"I won't let this harm her or put her back from her recovery" I shout, getting to my feet and sending
several things flying off the desk. The door swings open. Winter stands there, her arms folded, an angry
expression on her face. Damien gulps. Langdon looks nervous and I give her a small smile. How long has
she been standing there and listening?

She strides forward and puts her hands on the desk, her body leaning forward, her eyes staring directly
into mine. Fuck. This isn't good.

"What is it that you don't want to tell me" she says very quietly, but the tone of her voice is ominous and
enough to make even Langdon cringe. It's blatantly clear that she's furious.

"Listen Winter" I say hastily "it's not that big a deal. . ." I trail off, her eyes narrowing as she glares at me.
She's not buying it at all.

"She has a right to know" Damien hisses "after all it concerns her. "

"Fine" I bark at him "the both of you get the hell out of here" I thunder.

Damien peels himself off the chair and tugs Langdon to the doorway. Langdon gives me an apologetic
glance over his shoulder, before he leaves the room with his mate.

Winter folds her arms across her chest and stamps her foot impatiently. "Well" she says snarkily "what is
it you're hiding from me Kai? Don't lie to me" she warns.

I sigh. "Fine, your father, has escaped from Johnathon's prison. Apparently he's on the way here."

Silence. Awkward silence.

She falls back into a chair, a hand to her mouth in shock. Tears form at the corner of her eyes. She clearly
remembers her father then. Shame. I would have preferred she never remembered him ever again.
"You're sure?" she asks me, almost desperately "you're sure he's coming here and not somewhere else?"

"I'm not sure, but Johnathon says he knows where you and Damien are, and I need to act accordingly."

"You were going to keep this secret from me" she says scandalised "how could you Kai? I have a right to
know that he's coming for me. Even if it means that I have to stay inside to be safe, you should have told
me immediately."

"I only just found out" I explain heavily "Damien and Langdon were my first priority. I just didn't want to
stress you out" I say, flinching at the look on her face.

"You have no right to make decisions for me without my consent" she says, throwing her hands up "you
wouldn't like it if I did that to you."

No I wouldn't, I have to admit. "I was trying to do the right thing" I argue back.

"Well stop making decisions for me" she cries "I'm an adult Kai, I can make my own. Please, promise me,
you won't try and hide anything from me ever again."

Her voice is soft, pleading with me. Her eyes are beseeching me. I can't resist the tears that are forming
in the corner of her eyes. She's more upset than I imagined she would be.

"I promise I won't hide anything else from you" I say sternly "but you have to listen to me and keep
yourself safe. Is that fair?"

She gives a nod, a small smile on her face.

"Kai" she says gently "I will try and keep myself safe, but I won't lock myself in a room while everyone
else goes about their lives. I might not be prepared to fight my father, but I also won't let him take over
my life and living."

"Good" I say with a smile "because I don't want that for you either. Winter, how would you feel about
visiting the training ring over the next few days? Get some training in? I'm sure Sabriel is missing it."

For some reason she looks inexplicably sad. Have I said something wrong?

"I um" she hedges "haven't been feeling well lately, so it might not be a good idea to visit the training
ring, until I'm fully well again."

Now I'm concerned. She hasn't been feeling well for a while now. "Do you think you need to see a
doctor?" I ask "maybe just for a checkup?"

She shakes her head. "No, I think I'm just a bit under the weather" she admits "I'm sure that with plenty
of rest and fluids, that I'll start to feel a lot better soon."

I'm not so sure about that. But she reaches over and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. "I remembered
a little bit more today" she tells me eagerly. Her memories have started to come back in dribs and drabs,
which is a good sign. Even if it's slightly frustrating, because there seems to be no order for when they
come, it's completely sporadic and random.

"What did you remember?" I ask and she gives me a grin. Then I notice that she's blushing, her cheeks a
bright red colour. Whatever she's remembered it is obviously something good. I bet I know what it is too.

"I remembered, our first night together" she breathes, kissing my hand "and how special you made me
feel."

I bend down and kiss her, tenderly, Winter melting in my arms. "I love you" I tell her and my heart skips a
beat when she repeats it back to me.
"I love you too Kai."

Winter POV

Smack. I can feel the sting as he slaps me directly across the face. I put a hand to my cheek. His face is
inches from mine and I can smell the sour taste of his breath. "You stupid bitch" he hisses, "where's the
beer."

I had forgotten we were out. It was my job to keep the fridge fully stocked, but between school and
studying it had slipped my mind. I guess I should be thankful that he left money for his beer, but hardly
anything else for actual food.

"I forgot" I mumble, dropping my head to my chest and hoping he might show mercy. But he shows
none. Instead he grabs hold of my arm and twists it as I cry out from the pain, shoving me in front of him
and down to the basement, the one place I fear most in the world.

"Please" I beg, but he ignores my pleas for mercy, shoving me so hard down the stairs that I almost trip
and fall. I catch myself on the railing just in time.

"Move" he snarls and reluctantly, I place one foot in front of the other, until I'm standing at the base of
the stairs, his large frame thundering after me.

I can see it and my whole body trembles. I don't want to go in there. All that's waiting in there is more
pain. More abuse. But he shoves me towards it, hard and my body smacks to the ground. He curses
under his breath.

"Move you little bitch" he growls and I get back up, feeling woozy and lightheaded. His eyes are gleaming
in the darkness and there's a twisted smile on his face. The bastard is enjoying this.

I stand in front of it, willing my body to move. But I'm paralysed with fear. He laughs, loudly and pushes
me hard, my body flailing as I fall inside the silver cell he's created, just for me. I turn around and he
brandishes the whip, the one that digs into flesh and gouges you, at me.

"Father, don't do this" I beg and he shakes his head at me.

"You are no daughter of mine" he spits "you murderer."

I fall silent. I am a murderer. If it wasn't for me, my mother would still be alive. I'm the reason she's dead.
I'm the reason my own father and brother hate me.

"Lie down" he orders me and for a moment I waver. What would happen if I defied him? Refused to do
as he said? But another part of me knows I'll only make it worse if I try. I lie down on the hard, cold
concrete ground, my back exposed. I know what's coming and I bite my lip, trying to hold back the cries.

Thwack. The first hit of the whip lands between my shoulder blades. Even with my clothes on it's digging
into my skin and when he pulls it back, I can feel large chunks of flesh being pulled along with it. The pain
is excruciating.

Thwack. He doesn't hold back, using all of his strength to whip me. I begin to scream, the sounds echoing
throughout the otherwise empty basement.

Thwack. I stop counting after the first five. My whole body is now numb with shock. I can't hold back my
screams and if anything, that makes him smile even wider. My own father is enjoying hearing me scream
from the pain.

Thwack. Blood is pooling around my body on the floor. The whip has silver on it, I can feel my flesh
burning and bubbling as it touches the strips where my clothing has ripped and torn.

Thwack. I don't know if I'm going to make it out this time alive. It's the longest he's beaten me for and he
shows no signs of letting up. Am I going to die, right here in the basement?
Thwack. I barely feel the smack of the whip anymore. I feel like I might be dying. He gives a grunt.

"You stay in here, you miserable worthless piece of shit" he declares and I hear the door to the cell
closing. Part of me is relieved he's finally finished, hearing his footsteps as he storms up the stairs and
slams through the basement door. Another part of me is worried I won't live through the night.

I lay there, in my own blood, my head resting on my arms. I can't move. Every single tiny movement I
make brings pain. I'll heal from these wounds, but without a wolf it will take some time. Not only that,
but I'll be left with yet another bunch of scars on my body to join the old ones. What if I were to kill
myself, comes a voice in my head. Finally give Father what he wants and my brother as well? I try to tune
out the voice but it's persistent, constant, not letting go. That was the first night, I seriously started to
contemplate killing myself. While I didn't go through with it, it stayed on my mind for the rest of my days,

I blink looking up at the ceiling. Ever since Kai had informed me that father had escaped from
Johnathon's dungeon, it seems like my memories are coming back in small pieces, of everything my
father, and Damien have ever done to me. I can feel the pain, the hurt in the memories. My hands trace
the scars on my back and stomach, realising where they have come from. I never realised just why I
feared my father so much, but if the memories were any indication, he was a monster, an evil bastard
who needed to be stopped. The old Winter would have been afraid, would have stayed out of the way
and tried to keep herself safe, but the new Winter, the new Winter wanted to be stronger, more
courageous. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life in fear.

I get up and wander to the mirror, looking at the back of myself, craning my head over my shoulder.
There are all sorts of ugly scars, criss crossing over each other, long white lines that snake around and
cover me. They were put there by my own father and my own brother. I feel sickened. How could
someone derive such joy from hurting someone?

I think back to the rogue attack that took my mother from me. But I don't remember much. Everything's
a blur. I remember being a little kid, out for a picnic with mother, sitting underneath a shady tree. This
had been her idea. She had wanted to be outside and Damien and father had refused, wanting to stay
indoors. Then she'd smelt something, stiffened and told me to run. But I didn't want to leave her behind.
I knew something was dangerously wrong.
"It's rogues, Winter, you have to run" she shouted.

"But mummy" I had cried out.

"No, you need to go" she growled and then shifted.

I don't remember much more than that, other than running across the grounds screaming my head off,
bursting inside the house while Father and Damien looked at me.

"Mummy, mummy" I snivelled, pointing.

Father had gone as white as a sheet. "Stay here" he demanded, telling the both of us to stay put.

He went' racing out.

When father had finally come back, his shoulders were slumped and his head was down. He looked
miserable, sad. I hadn't known what to do and had gone to hug him, but he pushed me back.

"You" he hissed and I stared at him, my lip quivering "this is all your fault."

"What's wrong daddy?" I'd asked.

"She's dead" he'd growled "because of you"

Being a little girl, I hadn't understood what he meant, but from that night onwards everything had
changed and not for the better.
"Winter" Kai said softly, distracting me from my thoughts. "Winter are you alright?" he asks me
concerned.

I try to give him a smile but fail miserably. "I'm remembering things, that I would rather not" I say lightly.
I'm trying to play it off like it's no big deal, but Kai sees right through me.

"Oh Winter" he murmurs, grabbing hold of me and embracing me tightly "you don't always have to act
so brave, you know. I know what your father did to you. I know what Damien did. I don't expect you to
just get over that" he explained.

I stifle my sobs but suddenly the gates come crashing open and I'm crying, loudly, on his shoulders as he
holds me. Why can't I just be the strong girl that I know I can be? Why does the past effect me so much?
Kai just holds me, saying nothing and I soak his shirt in my tears.

Winter you went through something traumatic, it's alright to cry and to show weakness.

I hate doing it though Sabriel.

Well the past is shit, no kidding, but the future, the future is what we make of it. This handsome man is
most definitely a part of our future.

I like the idea of looking forward instead of backwards. But I don't think I can avoid my memories coming
back Sabriel.

I'm not asking you to. I think you need to accept the past so that you can move on to a better future.

Thanks Sabriel, your advice is something I'm going to take into consideration.

I heave a shuddering sigh and burrow into Kai's shoulder. God, he smells delicious, that scent of his is
mesmerising. My mouth is watering just smelling him so near. I can hear his heartbeat and it's so loud,
thudding in his chest. Why is his heartbeat so loud? He pulls back from me.

"I think you need to spend some time with Damien, if those memories are coming back to haunt you" he
says and I shake my head.

"He hurt me Kai" I say indignantly "he didn't stop my father and he even joined in. What kind of older
brother does that to his little sister" I add hurt.

Kai sighs. "It's in the past though Winter, and he did come good. Heck he even travelled all this way to
find you. I don't know if you remember how excited you were to see him, but you flung yourself right
into his arms."

"But what if he hurts me again?" I ask in a small voice. My god, I sound like a small child, instead of a
grown woman. So much for being brave and confident.

Kai looks thoughtful. "I don't think he will, not intentionally. He really seems to love you Winter, and your
amnesia hasn't exactly been easy on him either."

Ouch. That hurt. Big time. Who cares about Damien? Not when I was the victim.

"Maybe if you're there, I'll spend time with him. Or if Langdon is there" I say slowly "but I don't want to
be left alone with him, not yet at any rate. When he shows me I can trust him, then I'll see him alone."

"That's fair enough" Kai agrees, giving me a long lingering kiss that has my knees knocking together. "But
how about you at least come downstairs. We can all sit together in my study or have lunch together in
the dining room?" he suggests.

That sounds too much like being a family, which we are not. I think about the study idea, but I'm not
ready to face Damien just yet. I need time to process everything. I need time to be alone and not be
pressured to do something I don't want to do. Quite frankly, I just don't want to see my brother just yet.

"Maybe next time" I answer quietly "I think I'm just going to spend time in here and read a book."

He looks like he wants to protest but sees the look on my face and just nods. He quietly leaves.

After he's gone, a thought comes to me and I sigh. I might have to see Damien after all. Because not
once, did my father ever tell me, or show me, where he buried our mother.

Kai POV

"No, there hasn't been any sightings of the son of a bitch just yet" I snarl, holding the receiver tight to my
ear, and imagining it to be Johnathon's neck as I squeeze it tightly.

"I've sent my best trackers out but too much time has passed to pick up his trail" Johnathon says on the
other end of the line, not sounding remotely apologetic. Does he not realise the full magnitude of what
he's done? How on edge both Winter and Damien have been since they have heard the news? Does he
think this is a game? My anger rises with every word that he speaks.

"I've sent mine out, there's nothing there. Are you sure he's coming for them? Maybe he got smart and
decided it wasn't worth dying over" I hiss. Maybe the man possessed some common sense. It was
entirely possible.

There's silence on the other end of the phone.

"I don't think he'll give up on them quite as easily as you seem to think he will" Johnathon says quietly.

I glower at the telephone. This was all his fault to begin with. If it wasn't for him and his bloody useless
pack, this man would still be in prison. Well a dungeon at any rate. Instead of heading here and
traumatising my poor Winter all over again.
"How's Winter and Damien going" he has the audacity to ask me. I grit my teeth.

"Damien is on edge, expecting to see his father at any moment. As for Winter, she's holed up in the
bedroom and it's bringing back some nasty memories. She's about to have a nervous breakdown" I
growl.

"I'm sorry for that. By the way, we forgot to tell you about the rogue. You won't understand but Winter
will. The rogue she saved, showed us the way to your pack. That's all she needs to know. It might be
enough to cheer her up some."

I frown. What the hell did he mean by the rogue she saved? No one saved a rogue. They would kill you as
soon as look at you. Johnathon had to be playing a cruel trick. Was he messing with me?

"Yeah sure" I say dryly. He senses my unease about it.

"It's not a lie, talk to Damien about it. He'll tell you it's the truth" he defends hotly.

I roll my eyes. Sure I'll get right on that. He's silent for a moment while I fume on the other end, fighting
back the urge to hurl the receiver at the closest wall and break it.

"Do you require some assistance?" he asks "because I can come back and help until he's been captured
again."

The hell he would. I don't want him anywhere near my pack, let alone near Winter making those googly
eyes at her again. Besides, my pack was fine to deal with one lone shifter for heaven's sake. It was
laughable that he thought we might need his assistance. I'm one of the strongest packs in the country
and one of the strongest Alpha's. In fact, now I was viewing it as an insult.
"Thankyou for your concern, but that won't be necessary" I tell him with a sneer.

"Kai" Johnathon says lowly and I have to strain to hear him "take care of Winter, because if she so much
as get's a tiny bit injured" he pauses "then I'm coming for you. Take care of her or else" he snaps,
slamming the phone down and hanging up on me.

Did that little bastard really hang up on me? I stare at the phone incredulously, but the beeping sounds
mean that Johnathon, has indeed, hung up. That little asshole. No one hangs up on me. I slam the
receiver down several times, banging it hard, taking out all my anger and frustration on it. I keep banging
it until there's a knock on the door.

"What" I growl and Langdon comes walking in, without Damien which is a surprise in itself.

"Not in a good mood, I see" Langdon says with a smile of amusement on his face as I scowl at him.

"What do you want Langdon" I say a bit sulkily, almost pouting like a child. Damn that Johnathon. He's
put me in a foul temper. I feel like punching something and if Langdon isn't careful, it's going to be him. I
scowl at him.

Langdon flops down in the chair. He looks tense, theres a crease across his forehead and his usual jovial
smile feels forced. This isnt' like him at all. Maybe I should be listening to what he needs as well.
Evidently he was being as affected by the possible threat of the father like I was. After all Damien was his
son. No matter how strong and brave Damien comes across, even I know he must have been terrified to
have a father like that as a child.

Langdon puts his head in his hands, looking older than his twenty-three years. His brown hair is shaggy,
tied back in a small ponytail. He doesn't look anything like the cool, confident, put together man that I
knew.

"Man, I hope this asshole turns up soon" mutters Langdon "I don't know how much longer I can keep
Damien calm. He's terrified Kai. A young man, an adult male, is terrified of his father. What kind of
monster would this father have to be, to cause that much of a reaction in his own son?"

I sigh. So Damien wasn't faring too well either. Langdon looks exhausted. "He's not eating properly, he's
not sleeping. When he is sleeping he has nightmares. It's all I can do to get him to hold it together. Then
to top it off Winter has stopped speaking to him, which has put him in a depressive mood. I don't know
what else to do. I left him sleeping to come see you. If he knew I was gone. . . " Langdon trailed off. I got
the hint. Damien needed Langdon to be by his side.

"Winter's not faring much better" I admit, clogged in the throat. "She's sleeping but not well and I know
she's having nightmares. All of this has started to bring her memories back. Her childhood trauma is all
coming back to her, not to mention Damien's part in it. That's why she's not speaking to him. I can't force
her to either. That has to be a decision she makes for herself."

Langdon sighs.

"How is patrol going?" I ask leaning back against the chair. My temper has soothed itself somewhat and I
no longer felt like punching the walls or poor Langdon.

"I've increased it but there's been no sightings. Patrol is on the lookout and I even got several pack
members hiding in the trees keeping a lookout over the forest. If this man comes, we will see him before
he makes it onto the grounds."

I hurrumph. At least we were well prepared. But when it came to helping our mates, both Langdon and I
were feeling helpless.

"All you can do is be there for him Langdon" I tell him "I don't think Winter or Damien are going to rest
easy until their father has been caught. Until then, we do our best to comfort them."

Langdon grimaces but gives a small nod. "Maybe Damien will join me at the training ring" he says quietly
"it will give him a chance to vent out his anger and frustration and make him exhausted enough to get a
proper sleep."
"I think that's a great idea" I tell him, with a small smile. I watch the poor man leave, his shoulders
slumped, looking like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I groan. Winter hasn't come downstairs yet again today. Which can only mean one thing. She's holed up
in our room again. This doesn't bode well. It was like she was afraid, so afraid, she couldn't bear to leave
the room. Doesn't she understand that I will protect her? That nothing is going to get past me and sink
it's claws into her?

I walk upstairs and pause outside our bedroom. I can hear the sound of sobbing, crying, and it wrenches
my heart. She sounds so broken, so upset. Should I really disturb her? But my hand knocks on the door
anyway. If she tells me to leave, then I'll honour her wishes. But instead, to my shock, the bedroom door
is wrenched open and she flings herself into my arms. My hands go around her automatically, even as
she wraps her legs around me and it feels like I'm carrying a koala. Her head rests on my shoulder and I
can feel her tears beginning to soak my shirt. Her whole body is trembling as well.

"Winter" I say cautiously, rubbing her back as I sit on the bed. She refuses to look at me.

"Winter, honey, what's wrong?" I ask, hearing her sniffle. Her small cries are painful to hear.

"I remembered" she whispers "I remember everything."

Hallelujah. She finally got her memories back, just like the doctor had originally said she would. My arms
tighten around her. I'm well aware of what painful memories she might have in regards to me and the
complete asshole I was to her originally.

"My father is a monster" she whispers "and so is my brother."

Ouch. It didn't look like Winter was about to forgive Damien any time too soon. Still I remember what
Langdon said about Damien being completely miserable and decide to at least try, to make Winter see
reason.
"Winter, your brother was just as afraid of your father as you were" I say, hearing her sobbing stop. "He
went along with your father, because he was afraid your father would hurt him if he didnt'. That doesn't
make it right, or any less wrong, but he did go good for you didn't he? Start to care for you properly? He
even travelled all the way here to save you from Thomas."

She was quiet. Like she was digesting his words. Maybe he'd gotten through to her. She took long
shuddering breaths. Encouraged, Kai continued to speak to her.

"Langdon says Damien isn't sleeping well. Is barely eating and he's completely miserable because you've
stopped talking to him."

She finally pulled back and I could see her face. I hold in my grimace. She has dark circles under her eyes,
red puffy eyes, her hair is matted and dishevelled and she's ashen, completely pale. Paler than I've ever
seen her. Whatever she's been doing up here, it hasnt' been to sleep.

"Is Damien really that upset?" she asks, climbing off me and sitting on the bed, her arms folded across
her chest.

I give a small nod. "To be honest I think Langdon misses you as well" I say pointedly as she looks away
from me for a moment, looking thoughtful.

"Kai" she says "it's just that the memories won't stop coming and I'm afraid. I'm afraid to close my eyes
in case it's another nightmare. I've had so many nightmares and they all seem to be so real" she
whispers, her body shuddering. My god, I hadn't realised just how badly she was being affected by all
this. No wonder Langdon looks so miserable and exhausted. He was keeping as close to his mate as
possible, whereas I have been doing all my work and leaving Winter to hole up in the room by herself.

"What if I stay with you while you sleep" I suggest quietly.

She stares at me for a moment, fidgeting with her hands. Then a look of relief covers her face. "You
would stay with me?" she asks uncertainly.

"Yes" I say, getting up off the bed and pulling everything off it, pulling the bed covers back. She gets in
slowly, lying down on the pillows, her face staring at me as I sit beside the bed. I pull the covers back
over her and kiss her forehead. I frown. She feels warm but doesn't seem to be too phased by it. Her
eyelids slowly flutter closed as I watch over her intently. Slowly her breathing evens and I push her hair
away from her face. There's a small smile on her face and she looks a lot more serene. I settle against the
bed. I will stay here as long as she needs me until she wakes up on her own. I hadn't realised how afraid
she was. I need to be a better mate.

Winter POV

I'm screaming, at the top of my lungs while thunder crashes down in the distance and the rain pours
outside. It helps to muffle the sounds coming from the basement. My father is grinning, enjoying the
sounds of my screams while Damien stands in the background. My eyes meet his, pleading for help, but
he just looks away.

Slap. My father's hand slaps me directly across the face as I dangle in the cell, my hands chained over my
head, my legs dangling uselessly. It hurts, but no more than what he's already put me through already. I
feel the sharp stinging pain of the knife as he trails it lightly across my back.

"Should I write something" my father sneers as I try to stifle my sobs and remain quiet. Besides it's not
me that he's asking, but Damien who hovers in the background, like the coward he is.

"I think she's had enough" Damien says lightly "if she can't make it to school then they'll know
something is wrong. Winter's never missed a day in her life."

For a brief second, a brief moment, I had thought he was trying to save me. I should have known better.

"Nah, she can take more" my father mutters.

The tip of the blade pushes in harder as he drags it across my skin. My flesh burns and bubbles from the
silver, a sharp cry emitting from my throat. Blood trickles down to the floor.

"Your turn" my father says quietly and my head whips up to see Damien. He looks like a deer caught in
the headlights. But my father shows no mercy. He hands the knife to Damien, who I bitterly realise, has
already gloved up, like he was expecting this to happen. Damien eyes the knife, twisting it over and over
in his hand, a dark look on his face.

"Do it already" my father barks out and Damien slowly, wanders over to me, the knife held firmly in his
grasp, his eyes looking up at mine.

My body tenses in preparation. He plunges the knife into my side, stabbing me and leaves the knife in as
my father crows with delight in the background. I scream, hysterically trying to dislodge the knife with no
luck, my legs kicking and my body bucking wildly. There are tears trailing down my cheeks. It's with relief
that I feel Damien pull the knife out, but just as quickly he plunges it into my abdomen, blood pooling
around the wound. This time when he yanks the knife out, I feel woozy and dizzy. My body's been
pushed past my limits. I no longer care if I live or die, I just want the pain to stop. The torture. The
torment.

I'm lowered to the floor and the chains are torn off. My father hums under his breath. "Make sure she
gets food and water" he tells Damien "can't have her dying on us now can we."

I stare at my brother hazily and for a moment, I swear I see regret on his face. But it's gone just as
quickly, as though it had never been there in the first place.

Another flashback. Another piece of the so called puzzle slotting neatly into place. I try not to rock back
and forth on the bed, even as tears come to my eyes. How anyone could do that, to their own daughter
and sister defies all belief. Was I not good enough? Other than apparently killing my mother, was I such a
terrible person that I deserved to be punished? Why else would Damien have taken such joy in it?

You're not a terrible person Winter.

Sometimes it's hard to tell Sabriel.

Why don't you just ask him? See Damien face to face? He owes you an explanation.

You're right. He does. He can damn well start explaining himself.

You go girl, sock him one if you have to. Get those answers you've been asking for.

Right. I'm going. My hands clench into fists. Damien does owe me an explanation for everything. Kai is
currently in his study but I know that Damien and Langdon have been walking around the house lately
and staying close by. I yank the door to the bedroom open and stomp down the stairs, now in a full
blown foul temper. No matter how much I eat and drink lately, nothing seems to satisfy the hunger and
thirst I seem to have. This just makes me angrier.

I check the house first. No sign of Damien. I even check the grounds outside quickly, but don't venture
too far. For some reason I can't seem to bring myself to go too far from the bedroom. The bedroom is
safe, secure. It feels like a haven to me. I sigh. Something tells me that the person I want, has to be in the
study or Langdon's house. I'm betting on the study. Damien is literally clinging onto Langdon lately and
doesn't like to be too far from him. Just like I don't like to be too far from Kai at the moment.

I walk down the corridor and reach the study door. I sniff and wrinkle my nose. I can smell them all in
there, but they smell weird to me. Slightly unpleasant which is odd, because Kai's scent should smell
delicious to me at least. I must be getting sick or something. I shrug. I'll deal with it later. I tense and then
smack the door to the study open. As I suspected, Kai, Langdon and Damien are all in there, discussing
god knows what.

Kai goes to get out of his seat. "Winter now's not really the time" he begins, but I ignore him.

I focus all my glaring on Damien who's cringing in his chair. Obviously he can see just how much of a
temper I'm in.
"This is between me and Damien" I say calmly "both of you can get out."

Kai opens his mouth to protest, but then Langdon shoots him a look and they both excuse themselves. I
fold my arms across my chest. Damien stays silent.

Finally I can't take it any longer. "How could you" I burst out "you tortured me with father and you didn't
do anything to save me" I almost scream in my rage.

"You don't understand" Damien mumbles and I turn to him, my eyes flashing and my lip curled up in a
sneer.

"You're right I don't understand. I don't understand how a brother can take part in torturing his sister.
How you just kept quiet. How you didn't try to stop him, not even once and how you even participated
with him on occasion."

Now he looks pale. "I didn't have a choice" he pleads. "You think he wouldn't have done the same to me
if I'd refused?"

I think Damien's full of shit. "Dad never layed a finger on you" I scoff "you were his precious son. It was
his daughter he hated. You weren't responsible for mother's death, I was."

Damien stands up, sending the chair he's sitting on to the ground with a large crash. "You have no clue
how hard it was to stare into your eyes and still torture you while you cried."

"No, because I was the one being tortured. Maybe you should have seen how much that hurt from my
side" I say sarcastically. He swallows nervously.

"Look, I was terrified of father" he admits "enough that I would have done everything he said, if it meant
that he didn't hurt me instead."
"You were a coward" I spat out.

"Yes I was a coward" he yells out spreading his arms wide "and I regret what I did to you, every damn
day. I have nightmares about what I've done. I know that no matter how hard I try, I'll never be able to
make it up to you."

He's damn right about that. My rage feels like it's spiralling out of control. My breathing is heavy, my
hands won't stop clenching and unclenching as I stand there and I'm gritting my teeth. I so badly want to
punch the lights out of him, but even now, I can't bring myself to hurt him. Damnit. My eyes fall on the
desk instead and before I can stop myself, I pick it up, which astounds me, I didn't know I was that
strong, and throw it against the wall, shattering the desk into splinters while Damien stands there in
shock. I feel mildly impressed with myself. Fuck, I'm strong.

"How did you do that" breathes Damien in disbelief, staring at the ruins of the desk on the floor.

"I used my anger" I snap at him, trying to breath and still feeling the urge to kill him.

"Look Winter, I don't know what it is you want from me" Damien says quietly, wringing his hands and
standing on the spot, putting his weight on one leg, then the other. "I am truly sorry for everything I did
to you in the past. I can never make it up to you, because you're right. I was your brother and I should
have protected you instead of doing what I did. There are no excuses. I stuffed up, made a horrible
mistake and you suffered because of me. "

It's like he's taken the wind out of my sails. I'm starting to feel deflated. Instead of rage, I'm starting to
feel overwhelming sadness. "I have scars all over my body that won't go away" I choke out.

"I know" he whispers.

"The memories, they'll never fade" I continue.

"I know" he whispers.

"I have nightmares Damien" I say, bursting into tears "and I'm afraid all the time. Why couldn't
Johnathon have just killed him" I howl "because waiting for him to come is killing me."

"I know" he whispers"because the same thing is happening to me. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I have
nightmares and I feel like I'm constantly looking over my shoulder. I feel the same way you do Winter. If it
wasn't for Langdon I would have probably lost my mind right now."

I sniffle. If "it wasn't for Kai, I'm pretty sure I would have had a nervous breakdown by now. He's been my
rock this entire time.

Damien's eyes are shiny with unshed tears. "I can't make up for the past Winter" he says with
determination etched on his handsome face "but I can try and have a future with you. That is if you're
willing to let me. I don't blame you if you never want to forgive me, but you forgave me once before. I do
love you as a sister and I want to show you that I can be the brother you deserve."

I'm openly crying now. My emotions are a mess. He closes the gap between us and hugs me, pulling me
in tight against him as I rest my eyes and place my head against his chest. His hands grip me tightly
around the waist and I breathe in his scent which still smells strange to me.

We stand there, for several minutes, just clutching onto each other and saying nothing. I finally let go of
all the anger that I've been holding onto with Damien. There's no point holding onto an old grudge. He
can't change the future. He did travel this way for me. I know he loves me and a small part of me,
despite everything, loves him back.

There's a tentative knock on the door and then Kai and Langdon step in, looking at the destruction of the
room with raised eyebrows.

"Sorry" I apologise sheepishly "I let my anger get the best of me."
Kai looks at his desk. "Who broke the desk?" he asked curious.

"I did" I say very quietly.

He looks amazed. "That desk is so heavy and solid that I struggle to lift it on my own and you managed to
throw it across the room" he exlaimed "strange" he mutters to himself.

"Is all forgiven?" asks Langdon and I give him a nod, stepping away from Damien.

"All is forgiven" I say and mean it, sailing out of the room. Kai and Langdon look at the desk as I leave and
shoot each other a glance full of meaning.

Damien POV

I'm too little to understand but I can't stand to watch him hurting my little sister Winter. I pull on his arm,
"Stop daddy" I tell him, Winter cowering on the ground in an effort to stop his fists from hurting her face.
She's crying and it makes me feel sad for her.

He glares at me. "Your sister is a murderer" he spits out "she's the reason that your mother is dead. She
killed her and now she gets to pay. Don't get in my way or you'll be next" he threatens. He waves his arm
and sends me flying, my back hitting the wall as I crumple to the ground in tears, before he starts hitting
poor Winter again who is crying and begging for him to stop.

It's raining and there's thunder in the background. Winter is in the cell, the one that father purposely
built just for her, crying and screaming as he whips her. I can smell the blood in the air. I'm older now, but
no less afraid of him. I can barely stand the screams, the crying as he hurts her. She's lying there on the
ground, completely helpless. She's much weaker than either of us, and the fact she has no wolf, makes
her even more helpless. It also means she's slow to heal, something that the old man takes sadistic
pleasure in.
"Please stop" she screams, as I watch, feeling numb.

Whenever she is getting hurt I either feel angry because I'm the one carrying it out, or numb when father
does it. Her voice is pitiful and weak. She's begging for mercy, but it's pointless. She should know by now,
it's been years, that father is incapable of mercy or forgiveness. He's incapabable of anything but
drinking his precious alcohol and inflicting pain.

I can hear the thwacks of the whip as it meets her flesh. The sound of her cries in the small basement.
The sizzling sound of the silver meeting and touching her bare flesh. The smell of burning flesh is
sickening. I gag.

My father is smiling. He's not holding back, using his strength to whip her and I can't even remember the
reason for it. It takes very little to make him angry these days. But I hate the cell. It's monstrous. But the
thing I fear the most and which makes me ashamed, is that he'll use it on me one day when I make him
angry. That's how much of a coward I am.

"Please" Winter sobs, her hands scrabbling at the cold concrete floor, her body covered in gouges and
scratches, her voice is hoarse from screaming. "Please stop."

Father hits her again and she falls silent. Her head turns to the side and she looks at me. I suck in a
breath. Her eyes are dead, staring blankly. The light's gone completely from them. It's like she's given up
completely, no longer even making a sound as the whip continues to strike her back. I feel sick. I'm a
coward. But if I step in, who's to say father won't turn on me with the whip? The bastard is a lot stronger
than me. To my shame, I say nothing, turning away and walking upstairs as my father continues to
torture the little sister I've long since stopped trying to protect. Now, I protect myself, no matter what it
takes.

The flashbacks are coming more regularly now. More intense, more in my face than ever before. I don't
know what's caused it. It could be the argument I had with Winter, or it could be the fact that I know
father is on his way. I place my head in my hands. Why can't I stop remembering? It's so painful, it sticks
in my mind and won't let go. Every sound, the pain, the feelings, all there as I relive what I don't want to
remember. My breath comes out in short heavy puffs, my heart is thudding wildly in my chest. I glance
over at Langdon, who is sleeping peacefully, his brown hair all tousled and across the pillow. Thank god I
haven't disturbed him. He needs sleep. I know he's gotten very little since I've started with the flashbacks
and he hasn't really left my side. He senses my fear, even though I've tried not to show it. How pathetic
am I? Even fully grown with a wolf, I'm afraid of my father. I don't see what Langdon sees in me
sometimes. He could do so much better, you know?

I climb over him slowly, trying not to jostle him. If he wakes up, he'll insist on staying awake with me and
I can't have that. This insomnia is slowly killing me. I can't sleep. My whole body trembles as I get out of
bed, putting on a heavy sweatshirt of Langdon's for comfort and slowly creeping into the kitchen. Warm
milk is meant to help you sleep right? At this point I'll try anything. I open the refrigerator and grab the
milk, pouring it into a saucepan. I grab a mug and place the saucepan on the stove, stirring constantly
until the milk is warm. Then I sit at the dining table.

I yawn. I'm so tired. You would think that if I were this tired, that sleep would come naturally to me. But
no. No matter how exhausted I feel, my body refuses to sleep. It's infuriating. I sip my warm milk. At least
that's making me calm down somewhat. The milk soothes my sore throat and I relax in the chair. I don't
even mind that I'm sitting in semi darkness, the only light that ther is is coming from the few windows
that are in the kitchen.

There's nothing to fear here, I chant to myself. It's just Langdon and myself in this house. I'm perfectly
safe. But my body, even though it's slowly relaxing, refuses to stop trembling. Then I hear the sound of
footsteps and my heart sinks. I was so sure I'd gotten out of the room without disturbing the poor
bastard. Sure enough, Langdon comes walking in, his hair all dishevelled, looking all sleepy and adorable
I might add. He yawns widely, putting a hand to his mouth. I feel guilty that he's awake.

"Do you know what time it is?" he comments quietly.

I shake my head. His eyes soften as they gaze at me. "I'm guessing you couldn't sleep again" he said
pointedly. I flush and look at the table.

He doesn't look angry. In fact he just looks calm, grabbing himself a hot drink of coffee and sitting
opposite me. "I thought I told you to wake me up when you can't sleep" he chides.

"I don't want you to have to sit with me when I have insomnia" I burst out "it's not fair to you and you
need your sleep. Kai relies on you as his Beta."
He's silent for a moment. "Kai might rely on me, but I care about you Damien. We're mates. I am happy
to stay up with my mate and comfort them when they can't sleep."

I lower my head in my hands. "They won't stop Langdon. I can't make them stop."

"The memories" he guesses "the flashbacks? They only started when Winter stopped talking to you and
you found out about your father escaping his cell. I think that your fear is producing them."

He's probably right. "You must think I'm pitiful" I say weakly "to be afraid of my own father like this. Not
to mention disgusting. I treated Winter horribly just to save my own skin" I tell him, tears forming in the
corner of my eyes. "I could have stopped hurting her, could have stopped bullying her at school at least.
Instead I chose to keep going. It's a wonder that Winter's forgiven me when I can't even forgive myself."

Langdon runs a hand through his hair, making it stick up in different directions. "Has it occured to you,
that maybe you need to forgive yourself" he argues "you were a kid Damien, making the best of a bad
situation. You already confessed that you were afraid he would torture you as well. You were trying to
survive" he argues "even if it meant hurting another person. We're not perfect, none of us are. All you
can do is look forward and try to make amends with Winter now. She want's a relationship with you, you
want one with her. The flashbacks are preventing you from looking forward."

"How can you even stand to be with someone like me?" I ask him thickly "you're so damn handsome,
you're perfect, you're confident and you make me feel like I'm the only person in the world for you. Not
once have you even judged me for what I did."

He gives me a small smile. "I don't judge you, because you're judging yourself enough for the both of us"
he says calmly "and I am with you, not just because we're mates, but because you're funny, kind, sweet
and pretty damn good looking yourself" he adds as I blush. I'm pretty certain my cheeks are like a beet
red right now.

I glance down at my empty mug and push it away. I hadn't even been aware I was still drinking from the
mug.
"Damien" Langdon says quietly "your father is not going to lay a hand on you or Winter. You are both
safe from him. Kai and I have patrol on the look out for him. He's never going to harm either of you
again. I wish you believed that" he said with a shake of his head and an exhale.

"I wish I could too" I say feeling ashamed and angry "but until the bastard's caught, I'm always going to
be looking over my shoulder expecting the worst and so is Winter. I just want this all to end."

"It will" Langdon says firmly "you just have to hold on for a little longer.

It was easy for him to say, but not so easy for me to actually do. Still he's trying to help and it's sweet. My
mate genuinely cares for me. I love the fact he cares so much, even when I feel guilty about it. After all
he's probably got other things that need attention, besides myself. Still it gives me a warm feeling inside.

Langdon finishes off his drink and stands up. "Do you feel able to go to sleep?" he asks.

I feel wide awake but give a small nod. The worst case, I'll just lie next to him until it's time to get back
up.

His eyes narrow on me and he looks suspicious. Uh oh. Maybe I wasn't convincing enough? He comes
round to me and grabs my hand. His hands are nice and warm, although rough with calluses from all the
training he does. He rubs my hand gently. His eyes search mine and then he bends his head down and
gives me a kiss, soft, gentle, his lips soft against mine.

"Lets go to bed" he breathes, pulling back and I willingly follow him as he tugs on my hand and leads me
back to the bedroom. Langdon plumps mine up as I quickly go to the bathroom and I slowly climb on to
the bed and snuggle down. Langdon climbs in beside me and pulls the bedcovers over the both of us. His
arm snakes out and pulls me against him, so that my back is resting against his chest. His other hand
reaches over and to my shock, he begins to stroke my hair.

It's soothing. His touch is gentle. The last time I was touched like this, had been my mother soothing me
back to bed. Despite myself, my eyelids begin to flutter closed. It's so relaxing. Langdon smiles down at
me.

"Sleep" he soothes "sleep Damien."

I yawn and my eyelids close. He never stops stroking my hair. My body relaxes underneath the covers
and I feel myself beginning to get sleepy. I can't even fight it and I don't want to. My body begins to drift
off and the last thing I hear, or think I hear before I'm fully asleep, is Langdon's voice saying "I love you."

Winter POV

The pain in my head is excrutiating. It's unlike any headache or migraine I've ever had before. It's so bad
that I'm currently lying in bed with all of the blinds closed and curtains pulled, the darkness surrounding
me so that my eyes don't hurt from the sunlight. It's like my head is pounding and I'm so incredibly
thirsty. No matter how much water I drink though, it doesn't negate the thirst. I'm also incredibly hot,
like i'm burning up. Maybe I've caught a virus or something, who knows. I thought shifters very rarely got
sick. In fact this is the first time I've really gotten sick like this ever. I don't want Kai to catch it, but he says
he has a great immune system. In other words he doubts he'll get it.

I'm so lonely. Since I've gotten sick i've been avoided like the plague. But it's much more than that.
There's a voice inside of me and it's not Sabriel's. This is the secret I've been harboring for days, not
telling anyone. Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what the voice constantly tells me to do. Sabriel's voice
has gone completely silent. She's stopped speaking to me and I know it has something to do with the
evilness inside of me.

Kill them, kill them all Winter. They are all betrayers, can't you see that? Your brother hurt you, you must
hurt him back, show him what it feels like.

Leave me alone, I don't know who you are, or what you are, but please, please just go away.

Don't you understand yet? My voice is yours child. The thoughts in your mind that you don't dare speak
of, all the bad things you think about on a daily basis.
I would never kill someone, that's a lie.

Is it? Right now you're thinking about killing someone aren't you? The one person who has hurt you the
most? You want to hunt him down and kill him for everything he did to you and your brother. You crave
his death. You want him dead. Why do you feel like that is so wrong?

The voice falls silent as I give a small sob. They are not wrong. I do want my father dead. He ruined my
life and Damien's. Why should he be allowed to continue to live and hurt us? But the rest of it, the rest
of it frightens me. I would never wish my mate or my brother dead, no matter what they have done to
me in the past. I wish I could talk to Sabriel. I give it one more try.

Sabriel, do you hear me? I'm scared. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't know what's going on.
Please speak to me, let me hear your voice. I'm begging you. I don't know what I'm going to do if I've lost
you forever. I miss you so much.

I'm literally begging to hear her voice. Part of me is fearful that I've lost my wolf forever. That Sabriel has
vanished because I can no longer sense her at the moment. Which means I can't shift into my wolf form
either. The only defense I have with my father coming. Without being able to shift, I'm vulnerable, weak,
reliant on others to keep me safe. It stings and it sucks big time. Not to mention, I'm too afraid to tell Kai
I've lost my wolf. Because I know he would panic, would want me to go to the hospital for all sorts of
tests. He has enough stress at the moment without me adding to it.

You have more strength at your fingertips then you think Winter. You are not vulnerable, you are a
hunter, a huntress, capable of so much more than what a pathetic shifter can do.

I don't want to know. I just want you to stop talking in my head. I can't deal with this right now. I want
Sabriel back.

When the voice speaks again, it's harsh and brutal. Sabriel is gone, get that through your thick head.
There's just me now and you're going to have to learn to get along with me or it's going to be a futile
struggle between the both of us. You need to embrace your strength, your uniquness, the fire within
you. Even the parts you consider evil, are a part of you even if you try to ignore it. I am your only friend
now. Deal with it Winter.

I just lie there, quietly sobbing. The voice is getting stronger, more insistent. It sounds like it's hissing
constantly and it really doesn't like Kai or the others. In fact, it often comments that I should do things
like push them down the stairs or poison them. The worst thing is, that the voice is so hard to ignore.
Unlike with Sabriel, I can't cut it off or put a mind block up because it just breaks through. It taunts me,
mocks me and calls me names. But it sounds like me and that's the part thats so frightening. Because
what if the voice is me?

A knock on the door, breaks my thoughts. "Winter are you awake" Kai calls and I give a small grunt,
watching as the door swings open, blinking furiously as light enters the room. He comes and perches on
the bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asks concerned. He reaches out and touches my forehead. His hand jerks back
in shock.

"You're burning up" he exclaims, crossing to the bathroom. I say nothing. I feel hot, but not too much.
I've been hot the last few days.

I hear the sound of running water. Kai comes back out. "A nice cool bath should do the trick" he says
quietly "it should help bring your temperature down at any rate."

I burrow under the covers. I don't want a cold shower right now. I don't want to leave the bed. But Kai
isn't taking no for an answer. He pulls the covers off as I let out a squeal, scooping me up in his hands
and carrying me to the bathroom. He stands me up and strips off my clothing while I let out a small
murmur of protest. Then he picks me up and places me gently in the water.

I let out a small hiss. The water is cold, and it takes time for my body to adjust to it. When I do, I lean
back in the bathtub, letting my body sink right down as the water washes over me. I start to feel cooler
than I have in days. Kai sits on the floor next to the tub, not caring if he gets wet. His eyes are intently
watching me. I feel self conscious.
"How are you feeling otherwise?" he asks.

Like I want to rip your head from your body, you pathetic, dumb shifter.

I have to ignore the voice, my heart thudding wildly in my chest. I need to make Kai believe that
everything with me is alright.

"I'm okay" I murmur "just have a bit of a headache and a bit hot. Otherwise I'm alright, just tired" I try to
assure him.

He doesn't believe me for a second. "Winter you're not just a little bit hot, you're scalding to the touch"
he says firmly "as for the headache, it's been how many days now?" he prods.

It's none of your business you stupid mutt.

"A few days" I answer weakly, trying to concentrate on Kai and not the ugly voice in my mind.

"I'm worried about you. So is Damien and Langdon. I really think that you should visit the hospital and
see a doctor."

Don't let him force you. He doesn't know what he's talking about. We could hold his head under the
water right now if we wanted to.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest and recover" I tell Kai dully. I clench my hands into fists under the water.

Kai doesn't look convinced, but I shoot him a pleading look and he sighs.
"Fine, but if this continues then I will insist on you seeing a doctor. Is that clear?" he asks sternly.

Crystal clear, I think miserably. "Yes" I answer quickly.

He clears his throat. "Look I came up here to share with you that there still has been no sightings yet of
your father."

What a shame. It means we have to wait some more before we kill the old bastard. Never mind, we can
think of different ways to kill the man to pass the time.

"Patrol is still keeping a close eye. I hope that helps comfort you a little bit" Kai is continuing as I blink
and refocus on him "I know it's not much of a comfort but at least we know he's at least another few
days away."

"That's good" I say automatically. The voice snickers in my mind.

"Would you feel safer with Damien and Langdon?" asks Kai suddenly "his house is further away from the
pack house and is easier to defend?"

The question should be will Damien and Langdon feel safe with you in Langdon's house. Should we tell
him that?

"Um, I would rather stay here in my bedroom" I say quickly "I feel safer with you Kai" I add, lying through
my teeth. Kai looks pleased with my answer. The poor bastard really believes what I'm saying and a fresh
wave of guilt floods over me.

"Of course you're safe with me" he answers "I just want to make sure you feel secure here."
"Well I do" I answer quietly.

The water is more than freezing now and I stand up, shivering slightly as Kai hands me a towel to wrap
myself in. I do, my teeth chattering and make a beeline back to the bedroom. I would get dressed, but
prior experience has taught me that I'm about to go hot again and quite frankly I can't be bothered
putting clothes on. Not this time at least.

Kai lets out the water from the bath and saunters in, looking worried. "You look like you've lost weight"
he comments and I glance down at my body self consciously. I hadn't realised, but now that he
mentioned it, food had been the last thing on the agenda.

"How about I send something up" he offers and I realise that he will just get more concerned if I refuse
the offer.

"I would like that" I say calmly.

He comes over and gives me a peck on the cheek. "I have to go back and do some work, but I'll check on
you later alright."

"Alright" I say automatically.

"I'll send that food up" he promises. I just nod.

He vanishes out the door and I give a sigh of relief. The idea of food makes me naseaus but it wouldn't
hurt to at least try to eat something. Kai is as good as his word and within minutes, theres a plate with a
burger and fries, plus a coca cola by my side as I eye it. The smell is amazing and my mouth waters. It
looks delicious. Slowly, almost reverently, I pull the burger out of the bun and hold it between two
fingers. I sniff. I'm almost drooling. I take a bite and almost moan with the sheer flavour of it hitting my
taste buds. I devour the burger within moments, licking my lips when I'm done. The fries smell almost as
good but the second I put one in my mouth, I spit it back out in disgust. It tastes like charcoal. Yuck. I
wipe my mouth with my hand and send the fries scattering to the floor. I sip the coke and my stomach
churns. It doesn't like it. I frown. It's coca cola for heavens sake. Since when did I stop liking soft drink?
It's perplexing. Reluctantly I place the drink back down on the bedside table. I guess I'm not drinking that
either. But my body is craving something, something more and rich and flavoursome. I just wish I knew
what it was. The one small hamburger wasn't enough to satisfy it. Then I glance over at the mirror above
my dresser and freeze. Two glowing red eyes stare back at me.

Kai POV

When I go to check on Winter later, she's fast asleep in the bed, snoring away lightly. I walk closer and
frown. There are dried tears on her cheeks and puffiness around her eyes. She's definitely been crying.
But why? Is she that fearful of her father? Or is it from not feeling well? I hesitantly touch the side of her
face. Her fever seems to have vanished, or at least for now it's gone. It seems to have a habit of coming
and going at the moment. Poor Winter. I sit on the bed and stare at my mate. She's had a lot going on at
the moment and is under a lot of stress. Her memories are coming back now, in dribs and drabs
thankfully but I'm still not sure of how much exactly that she's remembered about our time together and
I can't bring myself to push.

She stirs and mumbles in her sleep. It's adorable. Cute. The blanket slides down under her breasts as it
moves and I suck in a breath, staring at those creamy globes and feeling a twitch coming from my cock.
God she's beautiful. Storm wants her badly. He's disappointed when I tell him that we have to wait until
Winter is better. He pouts in my mind and I'm forced to put a block up, so that I don't have to listen to his
constant whining.

As it is, I'm feeling like I need to leave, my hands craving to touch her all over. It would be rude to disturb
her sleep for something so crass. But before I can stand upright, her hand snakes out and grabs hold of
my arm, tightly. I'm surprised at her strength. She has a firm grip and it's almost painful. That's laughable
right. I'm a big bad Alpha, she shouldn't be anywhere near as strong as me.

"Stay" she mumbles sleepily.

I watch as her eyelids begin to flutter open, her eyes focusing on me. She gives me a tentative smile.
"Please don't leave" she begs.

"I won't" I tell her, wondering why she's so upset and distraught. Something's happened but I don't know
what.

She struggles to a sitting position, letting the blanket fall to her hips.

Don't look, Don't look, Don't look I chant to myself feeling hysterical. Typically, my eyes shoot to her
breasts. Damn my body and my eyes. She doesn't seem to notice thank god, that I'm acting like a horny
teenager.

"Winter, what's wrong?" I ask and she bites her lip and looks away.

Silence. I can hear the clock ticking in the room, it's that quiet. "Nothing" she says finally "nothing's
wrong."

Right, and pigs can fly. She's lying. But I'm not going to pressure her for the truth, not yet anyway.

"Are you hungry?" I ask instead "I can get you some food."

She wrinkles her nose. She hasn't really had much of an appetite lately.

"No, thankyou." she answers.

I'm feeling helpless to do anything. Then she takes a deep breath and gets to her hands and knees,
eyeing me suggestively. Her eyes stray towards my cock which is covered, thankfully, by my sweatpants.
She licks her lips.

"I think I'm hungry for something else" she purrs. I gulp.
She stands up and moves so fast, she's almost a blur. I blink in astonishment. Man, can that girl move fast
or what.

She slowly, teasingly, slides my pants down as I stand there trembling, too afraid to move and spoil the
moment. I like this side of Winter, the confidence and the teasing she exhibits.

My cock springs free, hard as a rock and erect as fuck. She licks her lips again and then sinks down to her
knees. She slowly licks the tip as I close my eyes and groan out loud.

"You taste good" she breathes.

Fuck is she trying to get me to blow my load? She puts one hand on the end of the shaft and slowly, inch
by inch, takes my cock inside her sweet pretty little mouth. God the feeling is so intense, it's all I can do
to hold onto my self restraint and my self control. Part of me is itching to get her onto that bed.

She begins to bob her head up and down and I moan, her throat is fucking tight and the suction is
unbelievable. Her hand begins to move back and forth and I'm a goner. I'm panting like crazy, barely
keeping myself upright while Winter continues, a smile on her lips. She knows exactly what she's doing
to me, the little minx.

When I begin to feel the tingles of an approaching orgasm, I force her to her feet. She looks up at me
with those big innocent eyes of hers, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"My turn" I growl, undressing her slowly, reverently, before placing her on the bed, lying spread eagled,
waiting for me.

I crawl onto the bed and grab hold of her ankles, keeping them firmly apart. I bend my head and sniff her
mound. My mouth waters. I want to taste her. Slowly, I lick along the folds of her pussy and hear her let
out a small cry. I grin. I love hearing her cry out in pleasure and right now she's about to do a hell of a lot
of it. I slowly, lick along her clit, hearing her give a gasp as I continue. I slowly build up the pressure as
she pants and writhes beneath me, unable to move her legs and forced to endure everything I'm doing
to her. Soon her body tenses and I can tell she's almost ready to cum. I insert one finger into her slowly
and pump it back and forth, continuing to lick her pussy as she moans out loud.

"Oh god Kai" she's moaning over and over.

I give a wicked grin. The girl has no idea what's going to happen next.

I insert a second finger and curl them both up, thrusting back and forth while my tongue stays on her. I'm
hitting the g-spot and her mouth is open in a silent scream. Seconds later she screams out "Kai" for real
as her orgasm washes over her. I keep it going, forcing her to have a second orgasm as she wails and
writhes, her body tensing and arching. She screams again, loudly and I give a grin, slowly letting go of her
ankles and sitting on the bed looking nonplussed.

She comes back down to earth and stares at me hungrily. "Please Kai" she pleads and I cock my head at
her.

"Please Kai what?" I ask prodding her "tell me what you want Winter" I growl "say it, say the words."

She's almost sobbing now. "Please Kai, I want your cock inside of me" she whispers.

Well she doesn't have to tell me twice. I arrange her on the bed, on her hands and knees, that delectable
little ass of hers right in front of me as she looks over her shoulder unsure about this position. If she
doesn't like it, then I'll change it, I'm not a complete asshole, but I want her to try it at least.

"Trust me" I tell her and she gives a nod. I slowly run my cock along her slits, teasing her a little. She
whimpers. Damn, she wants my cock badly. Truth be told I'm desperate to be inside her sweet little
pussy.

I line up at her entrance. "Ready?" I ask her and she nods, looking shy.
I slowly, inch by inch, push my way inside of her. She arches her back, making it easier to gain access,
although she probably didn't mean to. It was mere instinct. Fuck. She's so damn tight. I can feel her walls
clenching around my cock.

"Oh god, oh god" she pants as I push all the way in.

"You feel so big" she whimpers "I feel full."

I don't answer. Instead I slowly pull all the way out and then thrust all the way in again as she tries to
keep her balance. I keep doing that, pulling all the way out and going all the way back in as she trembles
beneath my body. I want to take my time, make her feel every inch of me as I take her. Her little bottom
is rocking back and forth, meeting my thrusts. I grip it and hold it still as Winter makes a whining noise at
me.

I begin to move a little faster, thrusting in harder. She grips at the sheets, her head lowered now,
breathing in and out deeply.

"Fuck" I moan, feeling her ass right up against me as I take her.. I reach around and squeeze her breasts,
making her gasp. Fuck they are so soft. Everything about her is perfect. Just right.

I want her to cum again. Cum hard while my cock is inside of her. I reach around with my hand and begin
to finger Winter's clit furiously as she moans.

"Cum for me" I growl "cum for me Winter."

She mewls, scrabbling at the sheets, her body beginning to tense as I give a wicked grin. Her body is
responding right how I want it. I increase the pressure. She almost bucks beneath me.
"Cum for me" I hiss and she bucks before her body stills, her walls clenching tightly around me as an
orgasm washes over her body. I grin triumphant.

"Kai" she sobs "god Kai, I can't take much more."

I withdraw and flip her over, so that she's lying on her back. Then I push back in while she's still
recovering from the orgasm. In this position I can thrust harder and faster while also being able to bend
down and take Winter's breast into my mouth. Her mouth falls open. She gasps. I begin to thrust as hard
as I can, Winter meeting me halfway eagerly. Fuck. My cock is tingling now and I can't help myself. Her
walls are still throbbing and clenching around my cock. I give a loud growl and then tense, shooting my
seed inside of her.

Before she can move, my hand snakes back down to her clit, teasing it, touching it while I remain buried
inside of her. She wriggles and moans. "Please, god" she begs and I begin to furiously circle her clit
making her whimper.

"Kai" she screams, going over the edge, her body shuddering. That's how I like to hear my name, I think
to myself smugly. Once her orgasm has finished, I pull out and get up off the bed, grabbing a washcloth
and bringing it back to Winter who's still lying there looking stunned.

I gently wash around her pussy, cleaning her up and then throw the damn thing in the hamper. I pull her
into my arms and stroke her hair.

"Kai, that was" she begins with a hitch in her voice "amazing" she finished.

"You make it amazing" I tell her and I mean it. Werewolves are sexual creatures by nature, but it's always
better having sex with your mate and intended partner. She blushes.

"Would you stay with me a while?" she asks quietly "even if it's until I go back to sleep again? I don't
want to be alone right now" she finishes.
"Of course I can. I'm pretty tired after all that anyway, so why don't I catch a nap with you" I suggest.

Her eyes shine at me. Yep, huge brownie points right there. Way to go Kai.

"Yes" she whispers and turns her back to me, snuggling under the covers, looking over her shoulder.
"Will you hold me Kai?" she asks.

I would hold her until the end of time. I climb in beside her and pull her against me. I can hear her heart
beating, it's thudding loudly and rather quickly. Must have been what we just did.

"Winter is there anything you want to tell me?" I whisper.

"No" she murmurs "I just need you to hold me right now."

Well, at least it was something. But in the back of my mind is a suspicion that Winter is hiding
something, and it's something big. Why won't she talk to me? I'm her mate. I can be trusted. Whatever it
is, I hope she spills her secret soon.

Winter POV

The voice in my head is getting stronger, more insistent all the time. It's bloodthirsty, wants me to hurt
the people I love and it's taking all my willpower to remember who I am anymore, let alone avoid doing
anything the voice tells me to do. Kai is suspicious of me, I know he is. He might not have said anything,
but his eyes are so intent when he watches me, like he's waiting for me to do something in front of him.
Does he suspect that I'm changing? Part of me hopes not, but the more logical part of me is screaming
out that he knows, that he's come to his own conclusions.

The fever is still ongoing. But the rest of it, the fatigue, the sore joints, all of that has disappeared and to
be honest I've never felt better in my whole life. But I still can't speak to Sabriel. I miss her like crazy. I
want to confide in Kai, but I'm afraid of what will happen if I do. What if he decides to put me in the
dungeon because he thinks I might be dangerous? I can't risk that. Not when he's put me in the dungeon
before.
Can't you hear their little heart beats racing along the voice hisses and don't they smell delcious and
juicy? Just take a taste, a small taste of Kai and see how delicious he is. You know you want to. Give in to
your desires, embrace what you are becoming. Why try to hide it? You are strong, you are powerful. You
are more than just a shifter now. Stop being such a coward and let the instinct take over.

It's getting harder to ignore the voice. Because even though I'm up in the bedroom for instance, I can still
hear Kai's heart thudding in his chest. It's beating steadily and I can even hear the blood pumping
through his veins. I lick my lips, wondering how his blood would taste if I were to take a sip. I frown and
shake my head, pacing back and forth in the room. Something is up. Kai's heart rate is increasing. Which
means he's feeling stressed. I open the door and creep down the stairs. I can already tell that Langdon
and Damien are in the room, but to my surprise, they leave the study, just as I make it to the door.

"Hey Winter" Damien says gently and I give him a small smile and a hug.

"Hey, where are you guys going?" I ask lightly.

They shoot each other a look. "Back to the house" Langdon says lightly "maybe watch some television, or
a movie. Relax" he finishes, grabbing hold of Damien's hand and leading him away as Kai motions for me
to sit down.

I barely hear Damien and Langdon leave the pack house, all my focus is on Kai and the worried
expression he has on his face.

"So Winter, how are you feeling?" he asks gruffly.

I raise my eyebrows. He's hiding something, but I'll play along for now.

"Better, except for the fever, everything else is fine" I tell him "I feel so much better."
He gives a small smile. "I'm glad, I was getting worried about you" he said lowly "and was considering the
hospital."

Thank god he hadn't forced me to go. "Well, as you can see, I'm fine" I say with a forced laugh "awesome
actually."

He regards me steadily. I gulp and look around the room nervously. I'm trying to avoid looking at him. It
doesn't help that his heartbeat is so much louder in here. It's almost pulsating in my head. I want to
scream out, it's that loud. But I pretend everything is normal. That nothing is wrong and that I'm the
same old Winter I've always been. I have to keep the facade going for as long as possible.

"Nothing, seems off at all?" asks Kai.

I blink at him innocently "no, why do you ask?"

He just huffs and sits back in his chair. "No reason" he says quietly. Liar.

"So what's happening at the moment?" I ask between gritted teeth "because I could tell that Langdon
was lying to me."

Kai grimaces "he's always been a terrible liar" he admits.

I wouldn't have to ask if they had been discussing whatever it was like normal people in the study,
because I would have easily overheard them. They'd been smart enough to mind-link with each other
instead so I hadn't.

Kai gives a loud groan. "I don't want you to panic" he begins, leaning forward, his eyes watching me
without blinking "but there's a possible sighting of your father coming towards the territory. We can't say
it's your father for certain, it could just be a lone traveller."
I say nothing. I feel this inexplicable desire to know if it is in fact my father heading towards the pack. My
hands clench into fists. I feel anger flare inside my breast. This was it. This was the moment we'd all been
waiting for. The moment has finally arrived.

"How far away?" I ask casually.

Kai looks at me warily "He's almost an entire pack away. If they hadn't called to inform me of a stranger
coming this way, we wouldn't even know about him. It will take at least a day on foot or several hours as
a wolf for him to arrive Winter, so there's no need to be hasty" he finishes.

No need to be hasty! There was every goddamn need to be hasty. If it was my father, then we should use
surprise to attack him and kill. Why would we wait? It didn't make sense. I don't even care that it's just
one shifter, that we should easily be able to deal with. All I can think about is how much my father
enjoyed torturing me and the fucked up childhood I had because of that bastard. I'm ready to deal with
him myself.

"All we can do is wait" Kai says quietly "you're protected here Winter, remember that."

My head isn't listening to him at all. Instead the voice is persisting in my mind, telling me we need to kill
my father, to take care of him by ourselves. I let the voice wash over me. It's becoming soothing, saying
everything that I'm already thinking and feeling. It's right, we needed to do this on our own, not wait for
father to come here, but rather take the fight to him.

"Let's go get some rest" Kai says and I stare at him incredulous.

Does he really think I'm going to be able to sit around and relax right now? Is he kidding?

He gets up and walks around the desk, taking hold of my hand and gently tugging me along behind him.
I'm so stunned, that I let him, walking woodenly up the stairs, and into the bedroom again.
He's trying to trick you Winter. There's a reason he wants you in this room. Don't let him control you.
Don't let him lock you up like an animal. Don't let him take away the chance to finally kill that evil father
of yours.

I stare at Kai suspiciously. He's rifling in his pocket and comes out with a key. Son of a Bitch. The voice
was right. Kai was trying to lock me up in the bedroom. How could he do this to me.

"This is for your own safety Winter" Kai says quietly, going to the door as I stare at him with wide eyes
"you've been stressed out about your father for weeks and this way you know he won't get to you."

"Kai" I say slowly "don't do this. I'm begging you to not lock that door."

He looks at me sadly "I need to know you won't try something stupid."

That's enough for me. I race over and grab hold of his arm, squeezing tightly, using my new strength to
get him to drop the key to the floor. His jaw drops open and he wrestles with me.

"I won't let you lock me up" I snarl at him "I'm not some animal you need to cage."

"That's not what I was doing" he grunts.

"Liar" I hiss "I should have known I couldn't trust you."

We wrestle some more, Kai attempting to get the key. I move fast, faster than even I thought was
possible and circle him. Without hesitation, and with a fair bit of anger, I raise my hand and punch Kai
hard enough to send him toppling to the floor. He's laid out flat and his eyes are closed. Shit. How hard
did I hit him? Apparently hard enough to knock him completely out. I hesitate then take hold of the key
that was on the floor. I feel slightly guilty and stare down at Kai for a moment. Then I gently shut the
bedroom door and lock it with the key, throwing it down the stairs. He should never have tried to do this,
this was his own fault. Stupid man.

Well done Winter. See how easily you overpowered Kai? That's how strong you are now. You don't need
his protection. You don't need anyone to protect you. You are a force to be reckoned with. They should
all be fearing you.

I start heading down the stairs. relieved that Damien and Langdon aren't in the pack house. The last
thing I want is to have to fight the both of them as well. I have no doubts that if I run into them, they'll
both try to stop me. I head out onto the grass. There's very few pack members around and those that
are, merely ignore my existence or wave quickly. This is perfect. I run towards the forest. I'm so fast that
trees and scenery pass by in a blur. I'm faster than I ever was as a shifter. I easily get past the pathetic
patrol we currently have on. Then I pause. I have no clue what direction to head in. But maybe the voice
inside my head might know?

Smell him out. He's your father so you will easily recognise the bastard's scent. It wont' have changed.
Let your instincts and sense of smell guide you to his location. You can smell things from miles away
when you concentrate on it. You can also hear things from far away such as footsteps. Listen for the
sound of cracking twigs and crunching leaves. Even shifters make noises as they run, do they not?

I wrinkle my nose and then take a giant whiff. I'm almost sick as the pungent scent of alcohol and
cigarettes hit my nostrils. The scent is definitely reminiscent of my father, that's for sure. I can also smell
strong body odour and old food. Yuck. He's on foot rather than in shifter form, which is surprising. But if
he's drinking then it won't be too much of a surprise. He was always fond of his damn alcohol. It means
he's moving slow. In fact as I'm listening, I can tell that he's not even travelling in a straight line. He's
weaving back and forth. He's drunk. Good god, how stupid could he be. This was going to be way too
easy. My lips curve into a smile. I have nothing to fear. He's incapable of fighting in such poor condition.

This was my chance. Before Kai wakes up and before he's found. I take a deep breath and centre myself.
My eyesight becomes even more focussed as I look in the direction I need to go. I clench my hands into
fists and narrow my eyes. My heart thuds loudly in my chest. I begin to run, trees and scenery passing by.
I smirk. My father is about to get a very big suprise and a not so warm welcoming from his only daughter.
I relish the chance to finally kill the man who's made my life a living hell for the majority of my life. I feel
sorry for Damien who won't get a chance to do the same.
Winter POV

He's close. The smell of his disgusting body odour combined with the blatant scent of cigarettes and
alcohol is getting stronger, more pungent. My heart is racing in my chest. My hands are clenched into
fists. I'm ready for this. Ready to face the monster who made my life a living hell and ruined my
childhood forever.

We will slaughter him and leave his entrails for the animals to consume. Drain him of his blood and tear
his body apart from limb to limb. He will never mess with us again and he will never hurt another human
being ever again. He deserves to die. You know that too Winter. He can not be allowed to live.

I'm also dangerously aware that Kai might have woken up by now or been found by Langdon and
Damien. He's going to be incredibly pissed when he wakes up, I think to myself a little guiltily. But then,
what had given him the right to think it was okay to lock myself up in the bedroom for my own safety?
Did he think I was that fragile and that frightened? Was I really coming across that pathetic? God, if
that's the case, then I need to show him just how capable and strong I am right now.

He's an arrogant fool. You didn't need him to protect you like that. He tried to lock you up in a cage like
an animal. The irony is that you are so much stronger than him Winter. He's a fool if he hasn't realised
that yet.

I try hard to ignore the voice but it's persistant. It puts thoughts and ideas in my head as I run and
eventually it becomes impossible to block it out. Or maybe I'm just tired of blocking it out. I run, my
breath coming in short puffs, but I never get tired or out of breath. Which considering the distance, is a
small miracle in itself. My eyes are sharp, taking in every minute detail as I go past. I jump and it's a
massive leap, taking me closer faster than running. But I don't mind taking it a little easy. After all, I'm
not quite sure what I'm going to do when I come across my father.

But I can't prolong the meeting any longer. Because I sense him and his actual presense up ahead. I slow
down to just a walk, my eyes scanning ahead as he walks into view. He looks just like I remember him,
the same greasy dark hair tied in a ponytail, the small pot belly, the stained and dirty clothes, bare feet
and repugnant smells surrounding him. He hasn't changed one iota, not even after spending time in
Johnathon's dungeon. It clearly made no difference to the bastard at all.
He stops when he sees me and I cringe at the wide smile that comes onto his face. I can tell he's drunk
because he's weaving slightly as he walks, instead of walking in a straight line. God knows where he got
the alcohol from. Probably stole it on his way here.

"Winter" he says cheerfully as I glare at him "it's been a long time."

Not long enough, I think to myself grimly, feeling rage inside of me. "What is it you want father?" I ask
angrily "why bother coming here?"

He pretends to look hurt, but I'm not fooled by the bastard at all. "Why you're my family Winter, you and
Damien. I came to take you both back home, where you belong" he says and then adds "I am your
proper guardian after all."

"No, you want something else, what is it?" I ask patiently. As if he wants us to be a family. What a
pathetic liar he's attempting to be.

His eyes narrow and then a calculating look appears on his face. I knew I was right and that he had an
ulterior motive.

"Fine, I figure that you and your so called mate, he's an Alpha isn't he? Would pay money to get me out
of your lives. After all, I'm currently unemployed because of you and Damien. The least you could do is
set me up. I'm sure your mate has plenty of money at hand."

"You want us to pay for you to go away" I say lightly, incredulous at his demands. Is he really this moronic
and delusional?

He shrugs. "Why not. We both know you wouldn't want me anywhere near you after what I did to you"
he says slyly.
My voice rises. "You tortured me. don't pretend like that was nothing. You tortured and abused me for
years and now you want me to pay you money to go away."

He laughs. "I tortured you, you little bitch, because you reminded me of your mother. God" he exclaims
"even now you look just like the bitch. I can't stand it. I could never look past it, it's like she's there,
constantly getting a dig in at me, revelling in my misery."

I blink confused. From the way he's speaking, it almost sounds like he believes mother is alive. But he'd
told us she'd died in the rogue attack. I begin to feel suspicious. "Mother didn't really die in the rogue
attack, did she father? You just told us that story to save face."

His face contorts and he looks at me meanly. "What would that information be worth to you" he taunts
"would it make you feel better Winter? To know that she abandoned all of us in order to be with her
precious lover of hers? That she never came back for you or Damien? I took care of you both, housed
you, fed you, while she stayed away, enjoying herself and forgetting all about everyone she left behind.
Your mother was nothing but a whore in the end. She ran away from me and our life together, telling me
she wasn't happy anymore. Ha. You don't do that to your mate. You don't just leave them. The bitch had
the nerve to reject me. I wish I had killed her. She deserved it."

I feel numb. The way father spat out the words, his disgust evident in his voice, as well as the lingering
hurt, all felt like he was telling the truth. Had my mother abandoned me and Damien without a care in
the world? Perhaps she hadn't thought father was capable of laying a hand on us. Maybe she meant to
come back and couldn't for some reason. It all whirled in my mind. The only thing that remained crystal
clear, was the fact that my mother was alive. All these years being punished for her death, and she was
alive and safe out there somewhere. Tears come to my eyes.

"You're not getting a goddamn dime out of me" I tell my father, my voice dripping with hatred. "Leave
now before it's too late." Although I suspect it's already too late as my bloodlust becomes overwhelming.

The voice in my head is getting louder and it's becoming harder to ignore it, particularly with the amount
of rage I'm feeling inside of me. I want to tear my father apart.

"I'm not leaving" he spits out "in fact why don't you make this easier on yourself and come to me Winter.
You've always been such a placid little thing."

I cock my head. I'm not placid anymore, but he doesn't appear to know it. In fact, as I eye him, I realise
he doesn't see me as a threat at all.

"Where is she?" I ask bluntly "something tells me you know where she is, father. Where did our mother
go after she left your sorry ass?"

He glares. "I don't know where the bitch is, if I did, she would no longer be alive" he spat out. I believe
him. He's that petty that he would have tracked her down. Hurt her, like the coward that he was.

Kill him. He lied to you and Damien. He told you that your mother died in a rogue attack, when he knew
she was alive after all these years. You could have looked for your mother years ago if it wasn't for him.
Don't let him control you anymore. Get rid of the asshole forever.

My steps are slow but steady. A triumphant grin comes over his face as I walk towards him. I pretend to
look meek and weak, the same old Winter that he was used to. I feel what feels like fangs come out of
my mouth. His mouth drops open. He points at me. "Your eyes are red" he splutters and then, before he
can shift, or do anything, I feel my body move so fast it's a blur. I grip him around the throat, tight,
preventing him from shifting, my eyes glaring into his. I'm enjoying his weakness, his struggling. The idiot
is so drunk he couldn't have shifted successfully anyway. How stupid could one man be.

His hands clutch at mine, frantically trying to move them. I throw his body across the ground and watch
it hit a tree. He gets to his feet, trying to shift, but after a few bones cracking, he goes back to human
form. You would have thought he would make sure he was sober when coming to the pack but nope,
he'd had one too many drinks.

I grab him and raise him up high, delighting in how strong I am, how feeble he is compared to me. I lick
my lips, feeling hungy, hearing his heart race in his chest and his blood pump through his veins.

"You bitch" he wheezes "monster."

Maybe I am a monster. But he's not one to throw stones. Because he's the worst, abusive, monster I
know. I slowly lower him down, so that he's facing me and I stare at the nape of his neck. The fangs, or
canines? Whatever they are portrude out of my mouth and instinctively I place them against my father's
neck and then push down.

Blood, so much blood to drink. It eases my thirst and soothes my sore throat. It feels deliciously warm,
rich, potent, I hum in ecstacy as I continue to drain him, his body struggling to begin with, then going
limp as I continue. Soon enough, the blood runs out and I give a small whine of disappointment. My
father's body is limp and I drop him to the ground, staring down at his ashen face. I still have so much
anger inside of me. So much rage. My nails turn sharp like claws.

My hands thrust inside the body and I pull out his heart, smiling with glee as the blood stains my hands. I
throw it across the forest and turn back to the body, this time pulling out his intestines and entrails. I
sniff, sensing that someone is coming up behind me. My body tenses. Would this be yet another enemy
to destroy? Or a friend? The scent is familiar but I'm in a haze, all I see is red, everywhere. I'm desiring
nothing more than to keep killing, to find more blood to drink. Already I can tell there are wild animals
nearby and I lick my lips, hungry again.

"Winter, sweetheart, look at me" I hear from behind me.

I frown puzzled. I recognise the voice. I'm sure of it. Slowly the red begins to fade from my eyes. The
anger begins to fade as well.

"Winter, look at me" continues Kai.

I'm reluctant. Now that I've come back to myself, I shudder at the dead body laying at my feet. I feel sick
to my stomach. I stumble backwards. What have I done? My god, what kind of monster am I? But then I
remember everything and it takes all I have not to kick the dead body at my feet, feeling nothing but
disgust at the man who dared to call himself my father. I'm not sorry he's dead.

"Winter" Kai's voice is persisting and I slowly, quietly turn around, cringing at the horrified look on
everyone's faces.

Kai is the first to get over his initial shock. He blinks a few times the slowly moves towards me. His eyes
dart to my father's body but he says nothing. I look down and see blood trickling down my shirt.

"Kai" I say my voice shaking "I don't know what to do"

He gathers me into a hug. "It's alright sweetheart we'll figure this out together. "

I shake my head. "No, you don't get it. I know that Thomas turned me into a hybrid" I whisper and Kai
just holds me tighter.

"I've suspected that he might have done for awhile, but it's only now that I am certain about it" Kai tells
me.

I shiver. "I'm a monster" my voice cracks. "I'm disgusting."

"No you're not" Kai says gruffly, turning me away and walking back towards Langdon and Damien. "I
don't care if you're a hybrid Winter, we'll work it out. I still love you no matter what." He says firmly, his
eyes staring directly into mine. "You are still the woman I fell in love with. I don't blame you for what
happened here, although" he says somewhat wryly "it might have been nice if you hadn't knocked me
unconscious."

"Sorry" I whisper guiltily.

"I still love you Winter as well." chimes in Damien, patting me awkwardly on the shoulder.

"I as well" says Langdon gruffly.

I say nothing as Kai steers me away towards the pack house grounds. But in my head, all I can remember
is that my mother is out there, somewhere, still very much alive. How was I going to tell Damien? Or
worst, should I even tell my brother that our mother abandoned us, even if it was to save her own life?

Damien POV

What Winter did to our father will remain in my memories forever. But if I have to admit to anything, it's
that she was determined enough to take him down all on her own. So what if she's half vampire? She's a
badass as far as I'm concerned. The only thing bothering me now, are the words she spoke, once we got
her back to the pack house. "Our mother is still alive Damien."

I wanted to scream at her that she had it all wrong, that mother had to have died in that rogue attack.
Because if she didn't, then where was she? How could she have abandoned her children as though they
meant nothing to her? What mother would willingly leave her children behind? But there never had
been a grave to visit, a place to grieve our mother. Our father was a lying bastard, that was the truth and
now I had to deal with the overwhelming guilt that Winter had been tortured for a reason that never
existed in the first place. That is, if he spoke the truth. He could be trying to mess with our heads again, it
wouldn't surprise me. I bet he never thought Winter would be capable of killing him.

I think back to one of my favourite memories of her. It's nightime. I was always one of those kids who
could never fall straight asleep at night. Most parents would be furious, but my mother would just smile
at me and motion me to follow her. My little legs would follow her outside and we would lie down in the
grass, staring up at the sky with all the twinkling stars above us.

"Damien look" she would say, pointing to a direct constellation and telling me what it was. "That one's
the archer" she told me, her hair rippling in the wind.

I would cuddle next to her, my head on her shoulder, snuggling in as she held me. She always smelt so
sweet, like flowers and her hair was soft and silky. She would kiss me on my forehead and hold me close.
I was always so excited to spend this time with her. It was our little secret. Even my father didn't know
that we went outside to spend time together.

We would lie there until I started to get sleepy. As soon as I started to yawn she would give a small peal
of laughter and get to her feet, gently pulling me up as well. Sometimes I was so tired she would have to
carry me, but she never once complained. She would tuck me into bed, pulling the covers over me.

"Go to sleep my little cub" she would tease, kissing me softly on the forehead and then disappearing out
of the room. I always felt bad that I woke her up, but she seemed to like our time together too, or at
least I thought she did.

As a little boy I had adored my mother and loved her beyond all reason. She was the one who hugged
you and dried your tears. She made cookies when I was feeling sick, told me stories at bedtime. She
always had a smile on her face and laughter on her lips. I remember the way she would hug me for no
reason, other than she felt like I needed one. Winter and I had both loved her to bits. Our father had
adored her as well, or at least that's what I remember. Is it possible my memories are wrong?

I storm into Langdon's house, my anger rising as I think about my mother. Winter had to have misheard
father when he told her she was still alive. Either that or he was messing with her. That would just be like
the bastard, to mess with our minds and break our hearts all over again. My hands clench into fists. I
wish I had gotten there sooner, to hear the asshole tell it to me as well. I would have known immediately
that he was lying. Winter was just too gullible for her own good, that was all. But I was lying, now to
myself. Trying to make myself feel better and it wasn't working.

"Hey" I hear a soft voice and turn to see a concerned looking Langdon. "I heard what Winter said, are
you alright?" he asks.

I don't know what to say. Am I alright? No, I'm no way near alright. I take a deep shuddering breath.

"I don't know."

He reaches over to embrace me. "I'm here for you, if you want to talk, or if you just want me to hold you.
Just tell me what you need."

I explode, jerking out of his grasp and punching the wall, leaving a huge dent behind. My hand stings but
I ignore the pain, enjoying the numbness coming over me.

"She can't be alive" I vent to Langdon who's watching wide eyed, his jaw clenched "father is just doing
what he does best and fucking with our minds" I shout, punching the wall again. "There's no way that my
mother would have just abandoned Winter and I" I almost scream, spittle flying everywhere "no mother
leaves her children behind, do they?" I ask him, turning to face him directly "I'm right, aren't I? No
mother willingly leaves her children behind?" I stifle a sob.

"Oh Damien" Langdon breathes, coming closer and gripping my face between his two strong hands
"listen to me. You can't let this break you. Your father could be lying, we'll work it out. But don't break
down now on me. You're stronger than this" he whispers.

I lean into him, my whole body trembling, my head on his shoulder now as he hugs me tight. The silence
is comforting. I hurt so much inside that it's like a pile of daggers being stabbed directly into my heart.

Langdon takes my hand and grasps it, gently tugging me towards the stairs and up to the bedroom. I
follow without resisting, lost in my thoughts and the bitterness consuming me. We make it to the
bedroom and he begins to pull the covers down, when I stop him, grabbing hold of his arm with
desperation.

I kiss him, hard, rough, needing to feel his lips on mine. He responds, his hand gripping my hair, making
me moan in delight. I need him, with a fierceness that frightens me. But Langdon seems to know it too.
His tongue darts inside my mouth and begins to caress my own as I let out a moan. He tastes so good.
My hands are gripping his shoulders, my body swaying gently as we kiss.

His hands slowly slide underneath my shirt and I shudder at how warm they are against my skin. He
gently squeezes me and then, breaking off the kiss, slides my shirt up and over my head, throwing it
across the room and letting it fall to the ground. He undoes the belt on my jeans and slowly pulls it away
as I suck in a breath. He pulls my pants down slowly, looking up at me, his eyes gleaming in the darkness
of the room.

My cock stands erect as I blush at him. But he doesn't seem to mind, instead licking his lips with
appreciation. "Someone's excited already" he teases, before gripping hold of my thighs with his hands
and kneeling in front of me.

"Wait Langdon" I say roughly, but it's too late, he's already lowered his head and licked the end of my
shaft as I close my eyes and groan out loud.

"Fuck" I whimper as he slowly places his mouth over my cock and takes me inside his mouth. He begins
to slowly move back and forth as my body tenses, the feeling of pleasure overwhelming me.

"Hold still" he growls and I obey instantly, still whimpering as he begins to move even faster, taking all of
me inside of him. My body is tense and I can feel my impending orgasm.

"Langdon" I whisper trying to warn him "if you keep doing that I'm going to..." I trail off helplessly as he
gives me a grin and continues. I shudder and then give a shout, spilling my seed inside of his mouth.
Langdon drinks it all up and then stands up while I stand there, trying not to fall down.

"Get on the bed" Langdon purrs.

I climb on the bed and feel his arms adjusting me so that I'm lying on my side with my back to him. I
glance over my shoulder and watch with anticipation as Langdon takes off his clothes. God damn that
man is delicious. He gives a chuckle, seeing my wide eyes and blatant staring.

"Like what you see" he growls.

"Oh yeah" I mutter with a smile.

He comes up behind me, cuddling close. I feel his erect cock poking me in my bottom as I wiggle against
him.

"Just a moment" he says sounding strangled. I smirk. I'm guessing he's dangerously close to his own peak
at this rate.

I moan as his finger enters me, slowly stretching me out as I pant and writhe. Langdon begins to kiss the
nape of my neck, hard, rough, making me submit to him. I would submit to this gorgeous man forever if I
had the chance.

Another finger and I feel stuffed. He thrusts them back and forth slowly as I mewl, clutching the sheets.
Langdon's breath is short, uneven as he bites me gently on the neck. "Can't take much more" he groans
"are you ready for me?" he chokes out.

"Oh god yes" I moan, disappointed when I feel his fingers slowly withdraw. Then I feel him at my
entrance and my head falls back as he slowly enters me, inch by delectable inch, until he's all the way
inside of me, his hands gripping tightly to my waist.

He withdraws and then slowly thrusts inside again. God he's fucking huge and it feels god damn amazing,
considering how tight I am. He's gentle with me, careful, my body rocking back and forth to meet his
thrusts in a frenzy.

"Fuck you're tight" pants Langdon.

"God, I can feel all of you inside me" I pant. "You're massive" I say gruffly.

He lets out a small snort of laughter, then withdraws completely.

"Langdon" I complain, pleading.

He rolls me over onto my back and lines himself back up again, his eyes staring directly into mine.

"I want to see your face as I fucking cum" he says loudly.

He slams into me. Thank fuck. Right now I'm desperate for some rough fucking. He lifts my legs over his
shoulders and begins to pound into me over and over again. I can't stop crying out. My whole body is
quivering. He's hitting some sort of spot and my cock has gone fully erect again. My hands are clutching
at the bedsheets and I'm whimpering over and over again as pleasure washes over me.

"Cum for me" he growls "cum for me Damien."

My mouth falls open, my head falls back. "I can't" I pant "hold on much longer."

"Dont" he roars and that's all it takes. My body tenses and my cock spurts out my seed all over the bed.
Langdon gives me a wicked grin.

"Good boy" he says with a wink.

He's even rougher now, an intent look on his face, his eyes pitch black, meaning his wolf is close to the
surface. He's biting his lip. He's in a frenzy now. "God damn" he whispers, and then I feel his body stiffen,
his seed spilling itself inside of me. I cry out, Langdon slowly withdrawing his cock from inside of me,
collapsing beside me.

"I needed that" I admit to him as he gives me a quick peck on the lips.

"I know" he answers. We both look at each other with a grin. "But I also think we both might need to
have a bit of a clean up" he says wrily.

I chuckle. We both strip the bed and then wander into the bathroom. Neither of us is shy with each
other. He starts the shower and motions me inside. I groan out loud and let the water wash over me.
Langdon hands me the wash cloth.
"Thanks" I mutter.

I begin to wash myself, fully aware that he's watching my every move.

"Damien" he says lowly "I know you're hurting right now and that's okay. But would it maybe help if you
told me a little bit about your mother and what she was like?"

I close my eyes under the water. "My mother was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen" I begin,
getting lost in my memories.

Winter POV

The dungeon is cold and dismal. But I don't dare complain. I had insisted they put me down here in the
first place, for everyone's safety, even when they had tried to protest against it. But my actions seem
futile, stupid. I should never have bothered. Because if I wanted to, I could easily get myself out of
here.There's the smell of old blood in the air. and it's disgusting, my nose wrinkling in disgust. I huddle
underneath the blanket Kai gave me, shivering profusely and wondering at my actions. Will this really
keep all of them safe? I doubt it. I can't get the image of my father out of my mind. What I did to him.
The pervase pleasure I took in pulling out his entrails from his lifeless body, the screams that echoed
through the forest. It was like another person had taken over, a different Winter, one who was evil and
enjoyed every bit of harm she did to him. Who, even now, wished he'd put up more of a fight so that she
could have hurt him even more than she had.

I feel numb, it's hard to explain. I should have felt happy, satisfied, joyful that my father was dead. After
all, I certainly enjoyed killing him. But the happiness and satisfaction have worn off. Now I'm just glad
that he won't ever touch or hurt me again, let alone Damien. He was a horrible person, the pack would
be much better off without that drunken alcoholic loser member. I won't ever have to look over my
shoulder again and wonder when the next hit is coming. Or feel his flesh as it smacks into mine, or feel
his breath as he whispers things into my ear. That bastard is gone and part of me is guilty that I feel
nothing over it, no sadness or guilt.

We need to get out of here. Why do you keep us locked up Winter? Why do you not embrace the power
that you possess? You hunted down your father and he'll no longer hurt you ever again. Did you not
enjoy it Winter? Hearing his screams and pleas for mercy. Forcing him to die as a pathetic human instead
of a shifter? That man will never lay a hand on us ever again. Why won't you convince Kai to let us out of
this pathetic prison? It won't be long now until we need to drink again and sate our thirst.

The voice is persistent, ever present in my mind, even as I try desperately to tune it out. It's loud though.
More of a constant hiss than anything. A lot different to Sabriel. God I miss her. I would give anything to
hear a bad or lame joke from my wolf right now. She would make me laugh without even trying. God
damn she was a sassy wolf. Not Ito mention pretty. I'm sure she would have a solution to this problem.
One that didnt' involve a dungeon cell.

Heavy footsteps on the stairs. Kai walks down slowly, holding a food tray. He manages to open the cell
door and place the food down on the floor without spilling a single drop. Reluctantly he closes the door
again. I eye the food with interest. There's juice, a muffin, bagel and some fruit. I reach for the juice first,
but the second the liquid hits my throat, I begin to gag and convulse, throwing up the contents. I wipe
my mouth feeling miserable and slowly reach for the muffin. It tastes like dust in my mouth, I cough it up
and the food goes flying across the room. I look at Kai who is staring at me grimly.

"I think we need to face the facts Winter. You don't need food or drink, you need blood" he breathes.

I shake my head. I refuse to believe that. I don't want to face the facts, I want to shy away from them for
as long as possible.

Idiot, we drained your father's blood remember. It will only keep you going for a small amount of time
until you need more. You will need more, I'm warning you. So I would start accepting that we are a
vampire and get over it already. Unless you want to slowly starve yourself to death, which is a painful
way to die. Be free Winter. Save yourself.

"I can't drink blood" I tell Kai miserably "I won't do it. There must be something else we can do" I say
desperately, but he looks completely stymied.

"What if you just drank a little" he suggests quietly, a determined look on his face as he holds out his
wrist. Surely he must be joking?
Something comes over me and I stare at the veins, licking my lips. I can hear the steady sound of his
heartbeat and the sound of blood rushing through his veins. I begin to feel thirsty as I stare at it. Kai
moves it closer to me.

"Kai, no don't" I say weakly, but he doesn't listen and shoves his wrist and hand through the bars of the
cell as I look at him completely horrified. Does he have any idea what he's doing to me right now?

Doesn't his heart beat sound so nice and the blood pulsating through his body? We dont' have to take all
of his blood, we can take just a little. Enough to keep us going and get rid of this hunger and thirst. It's
better than killing someone for their blood isn't it?

Damn this voice that won't shut up. But it's beginning to make sense. God, I feel disgusted in myself. Kai
is holding steady, his eyes staring directly at me.

"Winter drink" he says with a low growl "I want to see if you can restrain yourself from taking too much. I
want you to do this for me."

I sidle closer. I feel my canines (I hate calling them fangs so canines it is for now) slowly protrude out of
my mouth. Kai's eyes widen but he doesn't move. I grab hold of his wrist tightly, making Kai wince in pain
from the strength of my grip, and bring his wrist to my mouth.

Slowly, gently, I pierce the skin of his wrist and blood rushes into my mouth. It's sweet, flavorful and I
moan out loud as I begin to suck, letting it trail down my throat. It's refreshing and I drink, until I see Kai's
hand trembling. Feeling repulsed, I immediately drop his hand and move back away, wiping my mouth
with the back of my hand.

I no longer feel thirsty or hungy. Instead I feel amazing, refreshed, like I could run ten marathons and
never get tired. All my cuts and scrapes are miraculously healed and I find myself almost jogging in place.
Kai licks across his wound and I feel overwhelming guilt. "I'm so sorry" I begin to apologise but he holds
up his hand, stopping me.
"I told you to do it" he interrupts "and I would do it all over again. You can't see yourself right now, but
you're practically glowing and you look much healthier." He sounds amazed. Like it's a massive
transformation thats occured right in front of his eyes.

See how good we feel with fresh blood in our system? Don't you want to feel like this all the time? Be
this strong all the time?

"I guess the vampire side of me is stronger than the shifter side" I mutter without thinking, still disgusted
in myself.

"Maybe, but you held back from taking too much. Now will you stop being so foolish and come out of
there?" he asks looking exasperated. "I trust you Winter, not to kill me if that helps" he says trying to
lighten the mood.

I can't help but laugh at that. But I'm still a little hesitant. Kai gives me puppy dog eyes. "Look vampire
chick or not, I still love you as my mate, this doesn't change that. I will stay by your side no matter what"
he promises.

I sigh and step back. "Fine, will you let me out please" I say lightly and he grins, opening the doors to the
cell at once. I walk out slowly. It's like my eyesight has become sharper, even sharper than a shifters as I
take everything in. He grips my hand and gently gives it a squeeze. We walk upstairs together. I spot
Damien on the grounds with Langdon, training. He looks ferocious and I'm impressed at how well he's
doing against his opponent, as I slow down to watch. Kai follows my gaze. "I'm impressed that you can
see the training" he comments "because while I can see it, I can't make out who is actually doing the
fighting."

"Langdon and Damien" I tell him with a smile "and Damien is kicking ass."

"He's gotten really good" Kai comments with a grin "Langdon has really been training him hard."

"Are you sure that I should be back up here in the house?" I ask nervously "I still think the dungeon is
safer for all of you."

"Let me decide what's safe for me. None of us wanted you to lock yourself up in the first place" Kai said
sternly "that was all you. I'm willing to bet you're exhausted after spending a night in there."

I shake my head. "Not really. I feel like I could go and run for hours."

"Well I'm' hungry" Kai comments with a sidelong glance at me "how about we go sit in the dining room?"
he suggests.

I'm more than up for that, sitting at the table while he grabs himself some sandwiches to eat. I swear the
man can eat his body weight in food and still want more.

He munches on the food while I relax against the chair. I don't know how to feel. I should feel repulsed at
being part vampire but part of me is slowly embracing it. I can't change what's happened to me,
although if Thomas wasn't already dead, I'd be killing him with my bare hands right now.

"Kai what if we can't find a way to turn me back?" I ask hesitantly.

He swallows hard. "I have an idea about that. The werewolf king's wife is a witch. I thought we could
maybe ask her for help. She might know a spell or ritual that would take away the vampire part of you so
you would no longer be a hybrid."

I don't know how to feel about that, but I do feel a tiny bit of excitement at the thought that something
could be done.

"When can we do it?" I ask hurriedly.

Kai shakes his head. "The werewolf King is currently on the other side of the world, visiting packs. We
can contact him once he's back on our side of the world."

"Oh" I say quietly feeling a little deflated. I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up so quickly. Silly
Winter, I chide myself, at least Kai has come up with some sort of plan. It was better than nothing. It was
a possibility and that was something to cling onto.

I twirl my hair with my finger, looking off into the distance.

You will not be able to get rid of me. I will never let you go. Foolish girl. Do you really think a witch is able
to help you? You are stuck being a hybrid whether you like it or not. It is time you accepted it.

"Your brother is a little upset at the moment, but once he's calmed down, I'm sure he'll want to see you"
Kai suggests.

"He's upset about what I told him about our mother, isn't he?" I ask lowly.

Kai gives a small nod. "How does he think I feel" I snarl, scratching the table top "finding out after all this
time mother was alive, and father was lying while torturing me. Does he think I found it easy to listen to
it? Or does he think I'm lying?" I hiss.

"Calm down Winter. I think he's finding it hard to come to terms with the possibility that your mother is
alive" Kai says delicately.

I just grunt at him, feeling disgruntled. Stupid Damien.

My hand goes up to my neck subconsciously, tracing where the mark from Kai used to be until Thomas
managed to remove it. I feel sad at the loss of it. Wait a minute, my eyes widen in disbelief. Is the reason
that I can't hear Sabriel anymore, because I lost my mark ? My mind begins to race, a mile a minute. If
that's the case, then would having Kai mark me bring her back? My mind begins to go into overdrive. I
feel a spark of joy at my idea.
I jump up and grab Kai by the hand, insistently tugging at him, almost dragging him up the stairs as he
tries to keep up with the pace I'm setting.

"Slow down" he exclaims, panting.

We make it to the bedroom and I sit on the bed and regard him eagerly. He raises his eyebrows at the
look on my face, clearly wondering what it is I'm thinking. I can't help but give him a goofy smile. God, let
this work, I pray to myself, please let it work.

I clear my throat. "Kai, will you mark me again? This time I'm asking you to and consenting to it" I point
out and watch his expression turn grim.

Kai POV

I stare at Winter, unsure if I've heard her correctly. She's twisting her hands together, biting her lip,
looking at me shyly, waiting for some sort of reaction from me. I can't help but remember the first time
that I marked her without her consent and flush. This time she's asking me for it, but what if it does
something to her? What if it causes her pain now that she's a hybrid? Is Winter really willing to risk it in
order to have her wolf back again? I have to make sure. I can't just go into this blindly. But I do feel
excitement stirring in my breast at the idea of having my mark and claim back on her neck again, where
it rightfully belongs.

"You want me to mark you?" I ask, repeating her words slowly and watching her rection.

She gives a nod. "Please, it might bring Sabriel back" she whispers "and maybe it will make the vampire
side less, oh I don't know' she says desperately "aggressive. Besides I miss not being able to mind-link
with you' she points out. Her voice is shaky now, her eyes pleading with mine.

I still feel hesitant, even as my feet move closer towards her of their own accord.
"We don't know what marking you will do though" I say softly "are you willing to suffer whatever
consequences there might be doing this?" God, help me, I'm really considering doing this. All we can do
is pray that nothing serious happens as a result. Besides, she's asking me, desperate to have Sabriel back
and I can't blame her. I wouldn't know how to cope without Storm, my own wolf.

"I'll pay whatever price" she assures me, her eyes beseeching "I just want to be marked again. Claimed as
yours" she adds softly, longingly. My breath hitches in my throat.

I think we should do it man. It's been bothering me that she doesn't have our mark on her neck. How are
other wolves going to know she's ours?

Storm, she's going through a lot right now and you want to tell me her not having our mark is bothering
you.

She said she's willing to suffer the consequences Kai, I think we should do it. At least this time, the
marking will be on her terms instead of ours.

I'm worried it will do something or cause some sort of reaction. We could end up hurting her Storm.
Then what?

We won't know unless we do it. I think it's worth the risk. Besides, can you really resist the fact that our
mate is begging us to claim her as ours again? She's our mate. Our mark belongs on her neck to show we
are her mate.

Damn you Storm. Why do you have to be so argumentative?

Damn the wolf for being so persistent. I slowly tug Winter up by the arm as she obediently stands,
inhaling her scent and crinkling my nose. Her scent has been a little different since she changed, but it's
still intoxicating to me. I bury my head in her hair. "I hope you're right about this' I murmur as she
trembles beneath me "because once I've done this, there's no taking it back" I growl, my voice loaded
with meaning.
She shudders. "I know" she stammers "please Kai. I want this" she whispers and I swallow hard. How can
I resist her plea?

I move her head to the side, exposing her creamy skin and the nape of her neck. Where my mark used to
be. I frown down at it. Storm's prancing around in my mind, encouraging me and I'm forced to block him.
Slowly my canines withdraw.

"Get ready" I whisper and Winter stiffens. My head lowers down and slowly, I pierce her skin and bite
down as she gives a jolt. I revel in the taste of her as I withdraw and lick the wound closed, my eyes
gleaming with satisfaction that it's worked and that the mark is once again there for everyone to see.

Then Winter gives out a long, horrific scream, her legs buckling beneath her. I sweep her up and place
her on the bed. Her face is flushed all over and she bucks and writhes on the bed, screaming her lungs
out as I look at her helplessly. I have no idea what's going on. But I had dreaded something like this
happening. I should have listened to my instincts.

"Hurts" she whimpers.

"What hurts" I say anxiously, kneeling beside the bed, desperate to do something to help her "what
hurts sweetheart?"

"All over" she pants "feels like I'm burning from the inside."

I rush to the bathroom and fetch a wash cloth, soaking it in cool water and rushing back, patting her
down with it. But the second it touches her she screams even louder. I drop the wash cloth. It's not going
to help. Not when she's in this kind of state.

Screw this. I mind-link a doctor to come straight from the hospital. I'd take her there, but I don't want to
cause her any more pain than she's already in. Several minutes later and I'm hovering near the doorway
while the doctor checks on an almost unconscious Winter. "I can't tell you what's wrong" the doctor tells
me puzzled "if I have to hazard a guess though, it's either a result of her wolf trying to claw its way back
to the surface or both sides fighting for dominance."

"Will the pain stop?" I ask quietly, Winter lying there, panting, sweat dripping down her face. Her whole
face is contorted in pain.

The doctor shakes her head. "I can't even say if the pain killer's I've given her will help. She doesn't
appear to be responding to them, but she's also not screaming as much. I wish I could tell you more
Alpha Kai, but this is something that's just way out of my knowledge and experience. Hybrids are so rare,
that we haven't really had a chance to study them. I apologise for not being able to help you as much as I
would have preferred."

I don't blame the doctor. "Will this stop?" I ask, pointing to Winter "will it stop if one side becomes more
dominant over the other?"

She looks upset. "I hope so, but there's also every chance that this will also cause her to die, if it drags on
too much. Her heart could give out from the shock."

I swear and rub my eyes. I shouldn't have marked Winter, I should have known something like this would
happen. Fuck. I feel like I'm slowly dying alongside her. If she dies, I won't be able to control myself. I feel
helpless, a rush of guilt washing over me. Goddamnit.

"If you should need anything else, don't hesitate to mind-link me again" the doctor says, and I usher her
out, thanking her silently. Langdon and Damien come rushing up. "What's going on?" Damien blurts out,
paling as he sees the condition of his sister.

"I marked her" was all I said pointing to her "and this happened. Now we could all sit here and lay the
blame on me or we can do what we can to make her comfortable."

Damien glowers at me and pulls a chair up beside Winter, clutching hold of her hand. Langdon sits
silently in the background, occasionally glancing at her, but giving myself and his mate privacy to be with
the one we love.

"Mother" she cries out and my heart skips a beat. Damien looks at me pained. "Why" she sobs "why did
you leave us."

Damien just clutches her hand even tighter. "Winter" he says quietly "Winter, I'm here for you" he
promises. Her eyes are closed completely now and she's almost lifeless on the bed.

I suck in a breath. She's so pale, all over. Her skin is almost translucent. While she's not exactly writhing
with pain anymore, she's barely moving and her whole body is heating up. My mark is clearly visible on
her skin and I swallow, glaring at it. This could have been avoided if I had just told her no and waited to
find out what would happen. This is all my fault.

"Damien" she moans and he leans over her, looking anxious. "Damien why do you hurt me" she whispers
and he flinches.

"I think it's the fever, it's making her delusional" I tell him gently.

He just nods, focussing his attention on her while I sit on the other side, smoothing her hair from her
face. Christ, she's burning hot. I dont' dare get the washcloth after what happened last time.

'Father don't" she shrieks and Damien jolts. He swallows hard and re grabs her hand.

"Father's not here anymore" he tells her thickly "father can't hurt you anymore."

She stiffens and then her body relaxes again. Damien's voice must be getting through to her then. God,
this is so painful to watch. I'm on edge and so is Damien, both of us unable to relax even slightly while
Winter's in such pain.
I glance out the window. It's nightfall. The moon is glowing brightly in the sky. It's a full moon tonight, a
night when shifters are stronger than usual.

"Do you think maybe we should put her in the bath or something?" Damien says a little desperately.

I look at him. "When I tried to wipe her over with a washcloth she screamed bloody murder. Otherwise I
would have done that already."

He deflates. "She's just so hot" he comments.

Suddenly she sits upright "I won't let you win" she screams out loud "I won't."

She falls back down.

Damien looks worried. "This can't be good for her body to handle."

"It's not" I tell him glumly. I feel helpless and it's a shit feeling to have. My hands clench into fists. God if
there was just something I could do, rather than sit here and watch my mate go through whatever it is
she's going through.

That fucking Thomas, I think to myself miserably. He's the reason she's a hybrid. If I'd known what he'd
done to her, I would have killed him far more slowly and tortured him as well. He'd gotten off lightly and
it stung. Poor Winter was suffering because of that bastard and his sick obsession to have her. Who
knows what else he might have done to her if we hadn't gotten there. I just wish now it was sooner.
Maybe then we could have prevented this from ever happening.

There's a cracking sound and Winter screams, Damien and I jumping back as we see that her leg has
changed to a wolf one. But it stays like that. Another crack, her arm changing to wolf form. She's still got
her eyes closed and I'm wondering if she's even aware of what is going on. She's sobbing quietly now
and my heart is breaking. Transforming shouldn't be painful, but this is her first shift after becoming a
hybrid and it's not normal the way she's shifting. It's way too slow.

"Aaarghh" screams Winter as her other leg becomes a wolf one, breaking and adjusting.

Her body begins to buck and writhe as slowly her remaining limbs and body begins to break and shift
into her wolf form. I blink as finally, after several long minutes of pained screaming, a wolf remains on
the bed, her eyes closed, curled up in a foetal position.

I tentatively touch Winter's wolf. It's hot to the touch as well. Her eyes don't even open. I glance over at
Damien. "Got any ideas?" I ask wryly.

He shakes his head and sits back down, looking at the wolf appreciatively. I admire her as well. When
Winter first got here she was a runt, a tiny little thing. But her wolf has slowly been growing and now it's
almost as big as mine. Such a lovely thing to look at. Now I have to wonder though, if Winter is going to
be able to shift back to human?

She slumbers. Slowly, Damien, Langdon and myself begin to fall asleep, my head resting on the bed from
my sitting position. I can feel her soft fur beneath me.

I don't know how long I've been asleep for, but my whole body springs back when I hear the sound of
shifting. Damien lifts his bleary eyes and pushes his chair back as Winter's body begins to turn back to
her normal human form. I touch her. Her body is now cool to the touch. Her fever has broken. Damien
begins to blush as he realises she's naked, looking away in discomfort. Langdon merely stretches from his
position on the floor where he's spent most of the night observing.

Winter's eyes open and she sits up, stretching out her arms, a small smile on her face. She stands up,
walking experimentally, holding out her arms and watching them with wide eyes. "Kai" she breathes "I
can hear her again. Sabriel's back inside my mind and I can shift back to a wolf again. I can control my
vampire side too" she almost squeals happily, rushing over to me and giving me a massive hug.

"I thought you were going to die" I said miserably and she cuddled me harder.
"Sorry" she whispered "but don't you see? Now I have both sides of me. The shifter side and the vampire
side. I can be a wolf again and go for runs. I needed this Kai. I'm sorry if I scared you though." Her voice is
apologetic. I almost laugh. She shouldn't be apologising to me, if anything I should be apologising to her.
Silly girl.

She'd done more than frighten me but I can't blame her for wanting her wolf back. One thing floats in
my mind though. If she's strong as a vampire, will her wolf be stronger than an Alpha's now as well?

Winter POV

I can't believe that I have my wolf back again. It's like hearing a lost best friend come back to me. Not
only that but the incredible thirst and desperation for blood has abated. Like it was never really there.
Sabriel is just as excited to be back.

Man have I missed you Winter. It was like being stuck in a danky old, black cave by myself. It was no fun
at all and I couldn't get through to you. I had to talk to myself and it was sooo boring.

I missed you Sabriel, so much. That other voice was horrible, kept telling me to do all sorts of horrible
things to Kai and my friends.

Well it might be gone, but you still have the vampire half to contend with, you're going to need to feed
but it will be every few days or once a week now, versus everyday.

I don't want to be part vampire.

I know sweet girl, but we have to make the best of a bad situation. Besides, we look good as a pale chick.
Totally rocking the goth scene. I dare you to challenge Langdon to an arm wrestle. You can totally beat
him.

I'll consider it.

Or Damien even. He could stand to be taken down a peg or two. Have his sister kick his ass.

I blink my eyes and give Kai a watery smile as he embraces me hard. "I can smell your scent and it's
almost normal again" he murmurs to me. I crinkle my nose at that. I hadn't realised my scent had
changed. I can smell his scent though and it's intoxicating. "Do you feel the need to drink blood?" asks
Kai tentatively and I shake my head. In fact, my stomach is rumbling for normal food.

"Actually I think I could use some food from the kitchen" I say shyly, rubbing my stomach with one hand
and feeling sheepish.

Kai gives a loud laugh. "I can hear your stomach grumbling from here. Let's go" he suggests, taking hold
of my hand and gently tugging me forward.

I glance down at myself and blush, Kai doing the same when he realises I'm naked. I hastily get dressed,
leaving Langdon and Damien in the room as we head out to the kitchen.

"What would you like to eat?" he asks, digging around.

"Do we have any doughnuts?" I ask hopefully and he wrinkles his nose, looking quite disgusted, fetching
some out of the pantry. "Juice too" I request and disgruntled he brings me a glass with the container of
doughnuts. I inhale the smell of them, the sweet smell of chocolate and the musky scent of the sprinkles
as I take one in my hand and examine it eagerly.

"World's worst breakfast" grumbles Kai, munching away on a piece of toast. I ignore him.

I take a bite and moan loudly as the taste of the doughnut explodes in my mouth. It's delicious, sweet,
seductive. I can't get enough of it and it's staying down and not coming back up. A huge bonus for me.
"It's delicious" I mumble around the food in my mouth. Kai just shakes his head at me. He has no idea
what he's missing. Doughnuts are a staple breakfast food.

Langdon and Damien come sauntering in, Damien's eyes widening as he sees me eating with Kai. "You
seem to be feeling better" he mutters, sitting across from me. I push the container of doughnuts towards
him and he grabs one, biting into it messily. Langdon scowls and grabs himself some cereal. Clearly he's
of the same mind as Kai. Whatever. Damien's enjoying the food. I give him a wide smile.

"Well now Sabriel my wolf is back and I can eat normal food. What's not to enjoy" I say lightly as Damien
gives a small chuckle.

"Don't get angry at Kai either" I warn him "I was the one who asked for him to mark me and he wasn't
sure about doing it."

Damien just grunts and polishes off his doughnut, reaching for another.

"I'm glad to see you are feeling better" Langdon says to me quietly, between bites of his cereal. Kai sips
slowly at his coffee, closing his eyes in bliss. I guess it is early this morning and he'd spent the night
helping to take care of me. The poor guy must be absolutely exhausted. Maybe I should have suggested
bed first. Too late now.

"Thankyou Langdon" I answer.

Damien's fidgeting with his hands now and looking at me uncertainly. What's going on? Surely he's not
afraid of me? I've never once attempted to do anything, even when being taken over by my vampire half.
Or is he wanting to ask me something and can't bring himself to. Finally I can't take the sidelong glances
and biting of his lip anymore.

"Whatever it is Damien can you just spit it out" I explode "you look like you have something to say, so
just say it."
"Fine" he shoots back "I think it was sheer stupidity for Kai to mark you. How did he know it wouldn't kill
you" he exclaims throwing his hands up exasperated.

I narrow my eyes. It's almost like he wants to pick a fight. This isn't about Kai marking me, I have no
doubts it's about something else.

"I already told you that I was the one who begged Kai to do it and as you can see I'm alive and well" I say
evenly as Kai grips the table in his anger.

I begin to tap my fingers on the table top. Langdon is silent, pushing his bowl away from him and resting
his head on his hands as he stares at the whole lot of us. I tense.

That boy is acting like he's got a stick up his ass, one that needs pulling out asap.

You're not wrong. I just wish he'd spit out the problem already.

Well you know you can make him. You don't have to sit and take his criticisms anymore girl.

What do you propose I do?

Bite him. Bite him good.

Trust you to come up with that Sabriel.

Well I was hardly going to tell you to kiss him!

"Damien just talk to me" I say tiredly "I had one hell of a night and I'm too tired to yell at you. Why don't
you just say what's really on your mind?"

He looks at me with sadness on his face. "Did our father really say that our mother was still alive?" he
asks slowly "could he have been lying. Trying to psych you out maybe?"

That could be a possibility, I acknowledge to myself. But something in father's voice had rung true when
he told me. The way his voice had been dripping with malice when he spoke about her, the repulsive
look on his face.

"Father told me she was alive and that she was seeing someone else" I say quietly "I don't think he was
lying Damien. What would have been the point? It was more like a deathbed confession, he knew he was
going to die and he wanted to hit me where it hurt the most."

It had hurt. Knowing I was tortured all this time and she hadn't even been killed by rogues as he'd told
me. The fact he was punishing me in place of her. It gave me nightmares and it caused my heart to hurt.

Damien stared at the table. "All these years" he mutters "all these years and he was lying to me about
mother and being killed by rogues. That it was your fault. I tortured you" he said thickly, glancing up at
me "and our mother wasn't even dead. I hurt you for nothing, you did nothing to deserve it." He slams a
hand down on the table.

"Damien I don't blame you. Father was a bastard who took pleasure in making us do his bidding. He's
gone now. He can't hurt us anymore."

"Exactly right" growled Kai, while Langdon reached over and silently gripped my brother's hand.

"Blaming yourself is only going to cause you pain" I continue heatedly "don't let father win. Don't let him
cause you any more regrets or pain." I stare Damien in the eyes. "You need to move on from father's
influence."
I reach over and grasp my brother's hand. "All we can do is look to the future and leave the past behind.
We can learn from it."

He holds onto mine tightly. "But Winter if our mother is still alive" he chokes out "then what do we do?"

I look at Kai who's listening intently, his arms folded over his burly chest, a grim expression on his face.
Sonething tells me he already knows what I'm about to say.

"I want to find her" I tell Damien quietly, my eyes staring directly into his "I want to find her and get
some answers. Like why she left and why she didn't take her with us. "

"We don't even know where to start" Damien points out, his eyes seeking Langdon's.

"Then we go from pack to pack" I say with determination "she has to be somewhere in this country
right? I can't see her upending everything and disappearing to another one. It doesn't seem like Father
cared enough to go searching for her either. For all we know she could be like two packs away" I say
excitedly.

Damien looks less enthused. "Or she could be ten packs away" he grimaces. "I don't think I want to go to
every single pack in the country Winter, it just seems like a lot."

"How else are we going to find her?" I burst out frustrated.

Kai clears his throat. "I don't think you need to go from pack to pack. It's too much traveling. What we
can do is ring other packs and give a general description of your mother along with her name and see if
it rings a bell with anyone."

My eyes are shining at him. "You would do that?" I ask him softly.
He gives a nod. "Of course. But are you really sure you want to find this woman? She abandoned the
both of you and left you in you're father's hands."

"I'm sure" I tell him firmly.

"Then it's done" he says with a light shrug.

"What is your mother's name anyway?" asks Kai "Maybe we could start from there."

"It's" I start and then flounder. I can't remember, I was so young when she left.

"Elena" supplies Damien "I wouldn't bother with the last name, she's probably changed it."

"That's what I think as well. Does she look like Winter?" asks Kai.

Damien looks at me and a small smile comes over his face. "The spitting image" he says with a chuckle
"only mother is older of course. "

"It shouldn't be too hard to throw out a description then" Kai says calmly "I'll go and start making phone
calls now. But I'm not going to promise anything" he warns "so don't get your hopes up too much.
Nothing might come of it. I just want you to be prepared."

Damien and I nod furtively.

Kai gives me a kiss on the forehead and then vanishes down the corridor that leads to the study. I watch
him go wistfully. Maybe I'll go and join him in a minute. "What if we find her" Damien is saying and I blink
my eyes and try to refocus on what it is, he's actually saying. What if we find her?
"Then we ask the questions we need to" I tell Damien quietly. My mind is whirling around with
possibilities. Part of me though is fearful that she might have died in the meantime. If that was the case,
we might never get the answers to the questions on our lips. Damien looks excited at the prospect of
finding her, but I'm not. Because I don't think there's any good reasons for abandoning your children like
she's done. My canines pop out of my mouth and my eyes begin to glow red. A small part of me, the hurt
little girl inside, wants to kill her for what she's done.

Kai POV

I can hear the desperation in Winter's voice when she speaks about finding her mother. I guess it's
normal to want answers when you find out that the person you trusted most in the world is still alive and
never came back for you. But she's going to get hurt in the process, I just know it. Even though I'll be
with her every step of the way, I can't take the pain away from her or stop her from hearing the truth. All
I can do is be there for her, even though all of my being wants to protect her and her brother Damien
from the god awful truth.

Langdon seeks me out, shutting the door. "What do you think?' he asks softly.

I raise an eyebrow at him. "I think that the both of them are only going to get hurt. But who are we to
stop them finding out the truth?"

"I know" Langdon says heavily "Damien's going to be in for a shock when we find the woman. But I can't
refuse not to help him either."

I give him a tight smile. We both want to protect our mates and shield them from anything that could
harm them. Was that really so bad?

"If it were me, I'd want to know the truth" I exhale "so I can't blame Winter for wanting to find out what
happened either."

The phone rings. I hastily grab the receiver and put it to my ear. "Alpha Kai speaking" I bark out.
For a moment there's silence and I wonder if it's a wrong number. Then I hear his voice of all things,
making me clutch the receiver tightly in the grip of my hand.

"Alpha Kai, it's Alpha Johnathon" comes his smooth unwavering voice. I frown. What the hell is he doing,
calling my number.

"What can I do for you Alpha Johnathon" I say politley, glaring at the telephone. Damn kid. What's he
want now.

"You told me to phone you if I should need assistance" he says grimly.

Great. I had told him that. Still I would have thought it would have taken him a lot longer to have the
guts to phone me.

"What kind of assistance do you need?" I ask suspiciously.

"My pack is currently being attacked constantly by rogues. We've managed to hold them off but they're
becoming braver and we could really use a hand in wiping them out. "

I consider it. I couldn't tell him no, not when I had promised to provide assistance. He sounded like he
genuinely needed it. Plus, I realise, if I leave for his pack then phone calls to other packs about Winter's
mother would have to wait until I got back.

"We can be there in a few hours" I growl "give us your location. Inform your men to expect us as well."

I slam the phone down once I've been given all the information.

"Fuck" I swear, running a hand through my hair. This was the last thing I bloody needed to deal with.
"I take it I'm coming as well?" asked Langdon. I shake my head.

"No, I need you to keep the pack running smoothly. I'll take a few men and leave. You can explain to
Winter. . ." I trail off as the door to the study bursts open.

"Tell Winter what" comes her voice, her eyes staring hard at me as I swallow nervously.

"Johnathon called, he's having trouble with rogues at his pack and I told him I would assist" I begin.

Her eyes narrow. Damien stands behind her, looking apprehensive. "You figured I would stay here" she
almost snarls "while you go and help."

I give a huff. "Be reasonable Winter."

"I am being reasonable" she snaps "I'm a hybrid remember, I can help. Not to mention that Johnathon
risked his life to save me from Thomas. I owe him, Kai, we all do. I'm not staying behind on this one. I
won't." She says firmly.

I look at Damien who gives a nod. He won't stay behind either. Langdon is frowning. He doesn't want his
mate to go without him. I swear under my breath.

"Fine" I mutter "we'll all go. Langdon let Jeff know so he can take over the running of the pack. I really
need to give him the Gamma title officially" I muse before glaring at Winter. "If you come, you follow all
of my instructions, is that clear?" I demand "no going off on your own, no trying to take on several
rogues at once. You listen to me and Langdon" I say heatedly.

"I can do that" she promises.

I grimace and plonk down on my seat, rubbing my eyes. This was going to be a very long trip, I could tell.

"Go and pack" I tell them with a sigh "meet me back here in thirty minutes."

They both take off like a shot. "Are you sure this is wise?" asks Langdon.

I glower at him. "Did it look like I had a choice. At least if she's with me, I know she's safe."

He nods thoughtfully at that and stands up. "Guess I better go pack" he mutters "you should as well."

I just chuckle and get up, heading upstairs to the bedroom where Winter has clothes skewn everywhere.
I grab a backpack out of the closet and hand it to her, grabbing another one for myself.

"I just can't pick" she mutters as I stare at her incredulous. We're not going to a fashion parade for
heaven's sake.

"Just pack some comfortable clothes, we won't be there long" I snarl.

I'm packed within five minutes, watching Winter as she debates over every item of clothing she has. Is
this what all women are like when it comes to packing? It's nerve wracking watching her. I pull out my
phone. "You have five minutes" I tell her tersely as she blinks at me panicked "otherwise we're going to
miss our flight. "

It's almost amusing to watch her begin to slam random things into the backpack. I grab hold of it and
walk downstairs, Langdon and Damien waiting patiently in the study. I bet Damien hardly took anytime
at all to pack I think a little grumpily.

"We'll all go in the one car" I say evenly "seeming as we need to take a small flight. We'll rent a car when
we get to the other side. Is everyone ready to go?" I ask, staring at Winter pointedly, who to her credit,
merely blinks at me all innocent like.

"Yes" everyone chimes in.

We decide to take my suv. Winter gets in the front with me, Langdon in the back with Damien. I glance at
them in the rearview mirro and shake my head. The two lovebirds are holding hands already and
whispering things in each others ears. Winter fidgets with the radio as I pull out and head towards the
main road.

"It will be nice to see Johnathon again" Winter says excitedly, a wide smile on her face.

Nice for her I think sourly, I could have happily lived my life without seeing the teenager again.

"I wonder how he's doing" she adds "he seemed so sad the last time I saw him. "

That was because he left while she had lost her memories I think bitterly. I wasn't naive. Johnathon still
had feelings for Winter, even though he tried hard to hide it.

The flight seems to take forever. I hate confined spaces. It makes me feel claustrophobic. Even sitting by
the window I curse the fact that I can't spread my legs out.; Winter on the other hand, is so petite that
her legs spread out with plenty of room still.

"How long do you think we'll stay at Johnathon's pack for?" she asks turning to me, those pale pink lips
of hers spread in a smile.

"A few days, maybe a week" I answer grumpily.

I glance over my shoulder to see Langdon is asleep with Damien's head on his shoulder. I gape. How the
hell is he able to sleep in such tight quarters and uncomfortable chairs? It's not normal. Damien is awake
but barely, his eyelids fluttering. I glance back at Winter and she's wide awake and chattering a mile a
minute.

Slowly I drape an arm over her, pulling her across to snuggle with me. She nestles her head against my
chest and I almost purr in contentment. She's gone quiet now and it;s more relaxing. I can feel my whole
body relaxing as well, closing my eyes, only to bolt upright again as the plane descends.

"Well that was fun" chirped Winter, tugging me out of the plane while I scowl at everybody. Langdon and
Damien follow behind me, both with small smiles on their faces.

"Langdon, Damien, let's go" I bark, storming towards the car rental place and quickly securing another
SUV. I drum my fingers along the steering wheel. I'm regretting this already and I haven't even made it to
Johnathon's pack.

"Kai" Winter says in a small voice "I don't mean to make you upset" she says, fidgeting with both hands
as she climbs into the passenger seat.

I grab hold of her chin with one hand, gripping it tightly and then lean forward, mashing my lips against
hers. I'm rough, possessive, my tongue delving into her mouth and caressing hers. I want her to know
that she's mine. She moans, her hands coming up behind my head. Aware of the passengers now coming
into the backseat, I slowly, relucatantly, pull back, looking into her eyes.

"Just remember that you're mine" I purr and she nods, a smile on her swollen lips.

Langdon and Damien remain silent, aware of what just happened. I turn the key in the ignition. I pull out
and glance out the window. The scenery is nice, the towns quite small. Winter is staring wide eyed at
everything, but Damien refuses to look out the window, instead staring down at the ground and closing
his eyes. What's up with that? Soon the scenery changes. It's more woodsy, less town like. We pull up to
a back road and begin to drive through the woods, careful to keep a close eye out for approaching
shifters. Although, if Johnathon's done his job right, they would know to expect us as it has in fact only
been a few hours since this morning. I can see what has to be a pack house in the distance, forced to
stop when several shifters leap in front of the car, growling, snarling,with their ears tucked back.
"Damnit Johnathon" I curse as Winter slinks back in her chair "you had one job damnit. One job."

"Stay here" I tell Winter grumpily, opening the door and getting out of the car awkwardly. The wolves
snap their jaws at me.

They must have mind-linked their Alpha thankfully though. Because two minutes later Johnathon comes
jogging up, looking extremely apologetic.

"Sorry" he says breathing heavily "I told them to expect you. You're able to go on your way now" he says,
with a distinctively unhappy look at the wolves.

"Can one of them drive?" I ask, throwing him the key. He motions towards one of the wolves who shifts.
Winter, Langdon and Damien hop out of the car.

"Drive this to the pack house" Johnathon says to the wolf, handing the young lad the key. He nods and
gets in, driving away as we watch.

We begin to walk towards the pack house, a huge mansion but cabin style to blend with the forest. I
keep a wary eye out and keep my ears pricked for the sounds of any approaching rogues. Luckily I don't
smell one nearby. Johnathon looks on edge, glancing every which way. He doesn't look like he's slept a
wink in days. "So tell me about these rogues" I request of him, all of us waiting for him to open his
mouth and speak. They must be causing one hell of a problem for him to look this way. I'm annoyed as I
haven't had a chance to put feelers out for Winter and Damien's mother yet. Besides, I fume to myself,
how hard can it be to get rid of a bunch of rogues?

Johnathon POV

They're here, they're finally here. Winter looks as lovely as always, although there's something that's
slightly different about her. I can't quite put my finger on it. She looks radiant but fierce, stronger
somehow. It's unsettling and awe inspiring at the same time. Kai looks the same, same grumpy
expression on his face, Langdon isn't much different but Damien looks more confident, settled. Being
Langdon's mate really seems to suit him. He's more laid back as well.

"Tell us about these rogues" Winter says quietly as we gather in the study, my mother, bless her heart,
thankfully gone for the day, otherwise she'd be butting her head in and asking what everyone wanted to
eat.

"There's not much to tell" I say with exasperation "we've always had the odd one, here or there to take
care of but there seems to be a pack of them now, just sitting and waiting. Anyone travelling this way is
going to get attacked."

"Why haven't you just wiped them out" growls Kai looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"I was waiting for your assistance" I admit "and your guidance" I say pointedly at Kai who has the
decency to look semi ashamed of himself. Winter glowers at him and he shuts up.

"I think it's fantastic that you've asked for help" Winter says enthusiastically. For a moment her eyes glow
and I stare at her stupefied. Did her eyes just glow red? Or was it a trick of the light?

"No Alpha likes asking for help, but there's been too many injuries on my side to ignore it" I say with a
growl "my people are good fighters but not against a whole pack of rogues."

"Do you know their location?" asks Kai "where they have holed up for now?"

"They haven't moved. Their a little south of here, away from the border, but with a clear view of the
pack. They can see our incomings and outgoings."

"Not good" Kai mutters. He takes a deep breath. "Tomorrow we'll hunt them down along with your best
fighters. I have several of my own men still coming" he promises me.
"Thankyou" I mutter, my hands clenched into fists.

Winter is pensive. She's glancing out the window and frowning as I watch her, one hand under her head
which is cocked slightly to the side. She's staring in the direction of the rogues. "These rogues" she
mutters softly, looking over at me "they look rather thin and mangy don't they? Like they haven't eaten
in days or even weeks properly. Are they really attacking your pack?"

I flush. "They're rogues. They don't need to be attacking to be eliminated. They're bad wolves who like to
kill. It's better to kill them first." My voice rings out loudly.

Winter looks at me disappointed, turning to the others as I flinch from the look on her face. "I don't
know" she mused "I don't believe we should kill, just for the sake of killing. If they're only hungry, why
can't we just help them with food and water?" she asked Kai who looks taken aback.

Is she insane? You don't just go up to a rogue and say, hey, do you want some food. They'll attack you on
sight. I wait for Kai to back me up, but he too is looking thoughtful.

"Kai, you can't honestly be thinking that she's right" I say annoyed "you know what rogues are like."

He exhales. "I do, but Winter has me thinking that maybe not every single rogue is bad. She helped one
long ago and in return he helped you, did he not?"

I scowl. "That was a one off" I mutter "its not likely to happen again."

"We dont' know that" Damien cuts in. Great, another soft hearted shifter. Maybe I should have gone
alone on this. It was infuriating listening to them give a damn about some pathetic, weak rogues.

Just then a mind-link comes in

Alpha Johnathon, the rogues are approaching towards our territory. They don't appear to be hostile yet,
what would you have us do?

Continue to patrol and I want everyone prepared to fight if they get any closer. Is that clear?

Understood Alpha Johnathon. We will advise you if the situation changes.

See that you do.

I cut the mind-link off and stare around the room incredulous. "See" I accuse them, pointing and waving
my arm in exasperation "the rogues are already coming closer to the boundary line. You can't tell me
they aren't planning on attacking. Why else would they come so close."

"Food and water" shoots out Winter with a roll of her eyes. She glances at me and then scowls. Whoa.
This is a totally different side to Winter than I've seen before. This one is more agressive and loads more
confident. I have to say, even if I don't like her attitude, I'm certainly admiring her for her convictions.

"Let's go check the situation out" Kai says pleasantly, putting his hands in his pockets.

"You better be prepared to shift" I warn grumpily. The last thing I need is a dead alpha on my conscience,
because he was too stubborn for his own good.

"We'll be fine" Langdon says cordially as I begin to walk towards the doorway, feeling like a nervous
wreck. These people are going to get me killed, I just know it. I stomp down the hallways and out to the
grounds. None of them shift. I gape. Are they going to present themselves to the rogues as humans?
Winter raises her head and places her hand across her eyes due to the glare. "Which way do we go from
here?" she shouts.

I point and then gape as she disappears. She's a complete blur. I've never seen a shifter move so fast. It's
incredible. None of the other's look worried at all.
"Aren't you worried she'll get attacked?" I say urgently.

I swear I hear Damien give a snort. "They should be worried about her" he mutters under his breath. I
still hear him though.

Even Kai looks nonchalant about his mate going towards the rogues so fast. What on earth is going on?

I begin to run, shifting into my wolf form, the others doing the same and trotting towards the direction of
the rogues. When we get there, Winter is standing directly in front of them, her hands held out like she
was surrendering.

"I am not a threat" she yells out, the wind distorting her words "I just want to speak to you. Please, if one
of you could shift, we could talk."

She's greeted with growling and snarls, but they dont' attack. In fact they look like they might be mind-
linking each other. I didn't even think that rogues could mind-link.

Damien and Kai's wolf come up behind her, Langdon behind them, all of them ready to attack at a
moments notice. I just watch in disbelief. I just wanted the rogues gone. Couldn't they understand that?
This was foolishness. Stupidity at it's best. Good intentions or not, they were going to get themselves
killed, or at least Winter was. Not that she seemed to be aware of it. She continued to plead with the
rogues.

One rogue in particular pushes their way to the front of the group. It's eyes search us all, but it's red eyes
rests on Winter for some reason. It cocks it's head, its tongue lolling as it pants like a dog. Winter reaches
over to touch it. Kai growls in warning but it doesn't stop her as she touches the fur and strokes it, the
rogue letting her.

"Strange" Winter whispers "this wolf seems very familiar to me. Like I've seen it before, but I don't know
where."
She sounds completely puzzled, staring at the wolf in fascination. It sits on its backside and views her
quietly.

Kai shifts back to human form. He looks sheepish. "They don't appear to be attacking" he calls to me. I
frown. That's what they want you to believe. I dont' trust them for a single second. Then there's the
sounds of bones cracking and adjusting, and one of the rogues shifts to their human form. He's thin,
incredibly so, with long blonde hair that's matted, a long grisly beard and his eyes are red. His body is
clearly malnourished. I feel sick just looking at him. He's been starving for a long time.

"Help us" the rogue says in a croaky voice, "please we are all starving. We were never going to attack, we
just wanted food and water, supplies" he says, his whole body trembling. He can't be older than thirty
but he looks so much older. Time has not been kind to him.

"Are there any more of you?" asks Kai, drawing back his shoulders. The rogue gives a small nod.

"There are some more women and children back there. "

God, I feel like a right bastard. I shift and walk closer, standing beside Kai. "I'm Alpha Johnathon, the
Alpha of this pack. If you all need food and water, you are welcome to come on my lands" I say, taking a
chance as Winter beams at me "but should you show any signs of violence. . ." I trail off thoughtfully.

"I promise we won't" the man says hastily. "and we can't thank you enough for the offer."

I just grunt. We'll see. I still don't trust them, but even I'm not a complete asshole. There's children
starving for heavens sake. No one could ignore that. Well no one with a conscience anyway.

Winter is still staring at the wolf in front of her. "Will you shift?" she asks the wolf and it seems to
hesitate.
"Please" cajoles Winter. I wonder what her obsession with this wolf is. But to be fair, Damien is also
eyeing it strangely. Maybe they both know it from somewhere.

The wolf stands up and shakes itself all over. Then the sound of shifting can be heard and suddenly,
instead of the wolf, there is a woman standing in her place.

Wow is my first thought. Even though the woman is dangerously thin, she's still beautiful. She reminds
me of Winter, with her long hair and skin tone. They could easily pass for family members. Heck,, for all I
know they are family members. The woman is silent, her head down at the ground. Winter is staring at
her, her face pale.

"Look at me" Winter hisses, Damien moving to stand beside his sister, his own face ashen now and his
body trembling all over. Kai seems to sense there's something wrong, standing protectively behind his
mate. Langdon moves behind Damien, still in his wolf form, his jaws open at the ready.

The woman is hesitant. Or afraid. Her hair is covering her face completely. She's clutching both hands
together tightly and not uttering a single sound. Winter looks excited and dismayed at the same time,
one hand to her lips. Are those tears in the corner of her eyes? Damien's jaw is locked tight and his eyes
don't move away from the woman. The other rogue keeps looking back and forth, unsure of what is
going on.

Winter holds out a trembling hand, her sobs filling the air. My heart gives a pang. She sounds devestated.
This rogue woman is completely affecting her. Kai grips her from behind and hold her as she begins to
cry. Damien winces and gives his sister a sympathetic look.

"Will you please look at me?" Winter sobs "I feel like I know who you are. So what is the point of hiding
it? What good is that going to do? Damien can see you too. We both can. Why are you trying to hide?"

The woman slowly turns her head. Progress. Slowly her head begins to move backwards until she is
staring back at Winter, her hair still around her face.
Winter reaches out and smooths back the hair, revealing the woman's face to everyone, a trembling
smile upon her lips.

"Hello mother" she whispers and then faints dead away while the woman lets out a shocked cry. I could
not have foreseen this coming in a million years. Winter and Damien's mother was a rogue who'd been
on the run for a very long time from the looks of it. The question was why?

Winter POV

I can't believe that my mother is a rogue. I don't know if it was the shock of that, or just finding her so
easily that made me faint. When I come to, I see that I'm lying on the couch in the living room, Kai,
thankfully dressed now, hovering over me with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Where is she" I gasp, struggling upright. Kai pushes me back down.

"Hold still" he says firmly "she's gone to clean up and will be down any minute. I don't need you fainting
again."

I glance over my shoulder to where Damien is standing, looking shell shocked. Langdon is holding his
hand and rubbing it, in an attempt to get him to calm down.

Slowly, I sit upright, ignoring Kai's glaring. I want to see my mother. There are so many questions burning
on my lips. Damien's as well, no doubt.

"She wanted to stay with you, but I insisted she get some food and clean up first" Kai says fixing his eyes
on me. "She needed to eat as did all of them. It was a good call of yours Winter. These rogues meant no
harm and you managed to avoid bloodshed. Not to mention found your mother at the same time.
Strange coincidence that" he mutter darkly and I just scowl at him.

Coincidences happen all the damn time. Besides, the universe owed me a break, didn't it? After
everything I've gone through?
"She better have a damn good reason for leaving us" Damien mutters from behind me, his tone dripping
with resentment "or else I'm completely gone from here."

I turn to look at him. "I'm sure there was Damien. Who wants to live their lives as a rogue? Not to
mention she was starving. Can't you just hold off your opinion of her until she tells us her story?" I plead.

He folds his arms across his chest and huffs. "I'll give her a chance" he promises "but I'm not promising
anything."

"That's all I want you to do" I whisper shakily. I have complete faith that my mother will tell us everything
and that nothing she's had to do was her fault. Father chased her away, he had to have.

Footsteps on the stairs make us all look towards it. Damien angrily. Myself eagerly. Kai sits beside me and
holds my hand but I barely feel it, my whole body suddenly going completely numb. My mother
awkwardly steps into the lounge room. I stare at her in awe. She looks so much healthier already, after
getting a meal inside of her and getting cleaned up. Her hair no longer looks like a rats nest and her skin
looks a lot smoother. Less dirty. She no longer resembles a rogue, except for the eyes which continue to
glow red. A bit frightening and hard to look past, but I would try. She was still beautiful none the less and
really did resemble me. It gave me a nice feeling to look at her.

She wrings her hands together. "May I sit down?" she asks in a hoarse voice.

"Of course" I say, watching as she sits across from me, looking up at Damien and then quickly away.
Damnit, I told him to be nice. I glare at him and he raises an eyebrow at me.

"I'm sure you have all sorts of questions. . ." she begins nervously.

"We do" I interrupt "Like what happened to you? Father told us you were killed in a rogue attack."
She looks remorseful. "You have to understand" she begins "when your father and I met, the mate bond
linked us together. In the beginning he was charming, kind, fun to be with and he was affectionate" she
said bitterly. "But then he started to change. It was only one drink at nightime, then two and then
numerous drinks. I tried to stop him drinking so much, because he was an angry drunk, but he didn't
seem to care. "

I lean forward, intent on hearing the rest of the story. "Back then, women were told to keep quiet and
deal with it. I can't remember what set him off the first time. whether it was dinner was late or I
accidentally burnt some of it, but it made him so angry that he hit me."

I gasp. I didn't remember any of this, but I'd been so young.

She looks away. "Then when you both came along" she said quietly "it went back to being good for a
while. He really adored Damien and when Winter came along, he seemed to be really excited about
having a daughter" she said with a small smile. "He stopped drinking, worked real hard and spent time
with all of us. For a while at least, everything was perfect."

"But it didn't stay that way" I guessed, seeing the sadness in her eyes and the lines across her face as she
spoke.

She gave a short bark of laughter.

"No it didn't stay that way" she agreed "he started to go back to his old ways. The only difference was
that he hit me in the privacy of our bedroom, because he didn't want you guys to see it. But it was
getting worse and there were times when I thought he was really going to kill me one day. There were
times I could barely get myself off the floor and moving to take care of you both."

"Wasn't there someone you could have told?" I ask outraged "some other family members or the Alpha
of the Pack? A friend?"

Mother shakes her head. "I no longer had any friends to contact. He had slowly stripped me away from
everybody I had in my social circle. The Alpha of the pack was his cousin remember? So he wouldn't
have done anything. As for family, I was an orphan when I met your father. It was one of the reasons I
was so happy to discover my mate. I thought I would be getting the family I always wanted."

"So what happened?"

She sighs. "I met someone. A second chance mate called Lexus who wanted to save me and get me away
from your father. He was determined to make sure I lived. But there was a catch. Lexus had been
banished from his own pack for daring to be with me, a mother with two children. He was a rogue" she
said gently, "and I didn't care because he treated me far better than your father ever had."

"So you just took off with the rogue and left us" burst out Damien incredulously, glaring down at our
mother who flinched. "What, we were too much of a burden for you and your new life" he kept going
aggressively. "You figured, hey, I don't want kids anymore, so I'll just leave them behind?"

Tears welled in her eyes. "I would never" she choked out. "I wanted to take you with me. Was going to in
fact" she said sniffling "but the day I was having a picnic with Winter, rogues did come. We fought them
off, but your father was so angry and incensed with me. He'd somehow found out about Lexus before I
rejected him and he used the attack to drag me off and beat me. He beat me so bad that I almost didn't
make it" she whispered looking haunted "and he left me for dead in the trees. I couldn't move. If there
had been any rogues left, I would have been a goner. Your father was so much stronger than me,
especially in wolf form. It was nothing for him to force me to shift and take his abuse. Running away
didn't work either" she admitted.

"So how did you survive?" I cut in, resting my arms on my legs and staring straight forward.

"Lexus came and found me. He'd known something was wrong and he'd come looking for me. He found
me all brusied and bloodied in the forest and managed to hide me in a cave for a few days while I rested
and recovered."

"Why didn't you come back?" I asked.

"I was afraid" she whispered "he'd told me that he'd kill me if I tried to take you both from him. His
cousin was the Alpha. Lexus and I would never win in a fight with them. Plus, being with Lexus meant
being a rogue and there was every chance you would die with us if we were attacked or forced to defend
ourselves. I'm sorry" she sobbed "I have thought of you both everyday and wondered what you were
doing. Whether you were still alive. I always remembered your birthdays. You were never far from my
mind."

"You know he beat Winter too" cut in Damien angrily "you left your daughter to be beaten by him
instead. How does that feel mother? Knowing it's your fault."

"Damien" I protest weakly, but my mother's eyes widen in disbelief as she stares at me horrified.

"Oh god Winter, he really did that too you? I had hoped he wouldn't touch you, prayed he wouldn't. I
thought maybe it would be different because you were his children."

"As you can see, it wasn't" Damien said nastily.

"Damien stop" I plead "please, it's not like mother's had it easy. She's had to travel as a rogue all this
time" I argue "cut her some slack."

"It's alright Winter" mother says "it's the least I deserve. He's not wrong. I can understand his anger. You
both have a right to be angry."

But I wasn't angry. I felt incredibly sad for her. She's been running all this time. Starving. Her mate for
company but no one else. Missing her children. Never having enough to eat or drink. Never having a real
home. She'd suffered. We all had. Was being angry at her going to make any of this better? Would it heal
the wounds and the trauma? Or would being angry just cause more suffering, more pain?

"Damien" I say quietly "I get that you're angry but you need to put yourself in her shoes. She had no
choice but to run. If we'd become rogues we might have died. Sure, our childhood sucked, but getting
angry about it now doesn't make anything better. It just makes you feel even crappier."
He sneers at me and I stare him down. Suddenly his body deflates and he looks miserable, rather than
angry. Sad, rather than full of hatred. This was a shock to him too, I remind myself. He wasn't expecting
this either and didn't know how to handle his emotions.

"Where is your mate?" I ask mother quietly and she gives me a sad smile, tucking her hair behind her
ears.

"I'm afraid that he died last year" she said looking down at the floor "he was killed for going onto
someone's territory by mistake. I couldn't get to him in time."

I feel so much grief for her. How terrible to lose your mate like that.

"I'm sorry for your loss" I whisper feeling choked up. Damien makes a small noise in the background.

"Thankyou" she says politely "I miss him each and every day."

I look over at Kai. He knows what I'm about to do and he agrees with me. I take a shaky breath and lean
forward. "Mother, I would like you to stay at my pack with me and Kai" I say eagerly "you'd have a home
to go to and a place to sleep. Food, water, everything you could ever need."

She looks at me bewildered. "I didn't think either of you would want anything to do with me" she said
whispering.

"You thought wrong. Damien also lives at the same pack" I say shooting a glance over my shoulder. My
brother gives a tight nod.

"If you're sure" she says thickly.

I get up and give her a hug, embracing her tightly. All of us have wounds to heal, some more than others,
but this would be a step in the right direction. I only hope that Damien takes the step forward to and lets
go of the past. Before it consumes him completely.

Damien POV

God help me. I know I should feel sorry for my mother, but something inside of me is so angry and
resentful that it's overwhelming all of my senses. I'm not like Winter. I can't just forgive and forget. Our
mother is lying. She could have come back to get us at anytime and we would have gone with her, no
questions asked. Especially since it would have been infinitely better than living with our bastard father.

I shouldn't have stormed off. I gather my thoughts and walk back towards the living room, Winter and
mother embracing. I swallow hard. "Did she tell you that she killed our miserable son of a bitch father" I
spit out, Langdon sucking in a breath as I plonk back down on the chair. "That he was trying to get to us
after being locked in a dungeon? It must have been so nice to have been free of all this bullshit" I snarl
"hooking up with your so called mate Lexus. . ." I trail off as I hear a strangled noise from the hallway. All
of us turn and look. to see that Johnathon is standing there, looking extremely pale.

"I'm sorry to interrupt" he says quietly "I was just coming down to check on all of you. Did you say that
your mate's name was Lexus?" he asks sounding like he's being strangled.

I narrow my eyes. What the hell is going on with him? Why does he sound so damn upset? It's not like
his mother abandoned him, is it? Then I remember that his father left him to go hook up with another
woman and never came back. God, I need to stop being such a bastard.

My mother looks at Johnathon timidly. "That's right, my mates name was Lexus" she says quietly, looking
a bit uncertain "is something wrong?"

"What was his last name?" Johnathon asks, looking on edge. "Did he tell you?"

She cocks her head and thinks for a moment. "I believe it might have been summer?" she mused "we
never really had much reason to remember our last names" she explained thickly. "We just called each
other by our first names."
Johnathon was holding onto the doorframe now. His shoulders were shaking. There was a grim
expression on his face. Winter was starting to look at him concerned.

"Johnathon are you alright?" she asked.

"What did he look like?" Johnathon said abruptly to our mother.

She gives a large exhale and then looks away for a moment. "When I first met him, he had silky black hair
that he kept tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were blue and bright and he was tall and muscled. He
looked stern, but he was anything but. He was a sweet and kind man. He loved me fiercely" she
continued, her eyes softening as she reminsiced "when he told me he couldn't go back to his pack
because he'd been banished, I didn't hesitate to go with him anyway. I would have followed him to the
ends of the earth."

Winter looked at our mother admiringly. She sounded so girly, when she spoke about him. Women and
their romances. Even I felt a little touched. Johnathon looked sick.

"Oh god" he choked out, sounding like he was being strangled.

Winter leapt up and patted him on the back. "What's wrong Johnathon" she exclaimed "you're behaving
so weirdly."

His eyes were pitch black. He raised his head and regarded Elena, our mother steadily as she cringed at
the expression on his face.

"I'm acting this way because Lexus was my father and he left my mother to be with you" he snapped and
all of us stared open mouthed at him.
My mother shook her head. "No, Lexus didn't have any children, I checked. He told me he was single, I
believed him."

"Were you actual mates, or chosen mates?" Johnathon yelled.

"Chosen mates" she whispered. "I wish we had been true mates, but I loved him just the same."

Oh boy. Even I didn't see this one coming. Johnathon looks like he's about to explode. His hands are
clenched into fists and his eyes have remained a pitch black.

"Oh my god" Winter whispers, her hand to her mouth as she looks at Elena, who is just as horrified.

"How could you have been so stupid?" I cut in derisively "he lied to you. He abandoned his child, just like
you abandoned your children and you never even realised it?" I'm incredulous "come on, he must have
let something slip at some stage."

Kai's eyeing everyone now, wondering when he's going to be needed to defuse the situation.
Johnathon's like a bomb about to go off and explode, everyone subtely backing away from him and
staring at him as he paces back and forth.

"I can't believe this" he growls "you're telling me that Lexus, my pathetic excuse of a father is dead?" he
prods.

Our mother looks at him apologetically, tears in her eyes "he died going onto some Alpha's territory last
year. But I'm not sure he was your father" she says gently.

I roll my eyes. Of course she's still in denial. Doesn't want to admit to her mistakes, and trust me, this is a
very big and very bad mistake.
Johnathon comes in and sits on the couch. His eyes are cold as ice. "Lexus was my father. You described
him perfectly to a tee" he growls furiously "I have no doubt in my mind that he is the one that died last
year. He shacked up with you" he snapped.

A gasp from the doorway has us all swivelling our heads to look at the person, now clutching the
doorway for support, her whole body trembling. I wince. Johnathon's mother has heard every word and
right now she looks completely stunned. She's blinking back tears.

"What did you all just say" she whispers, sounding shaken. Her eyes rest on my mothers and narrow as
she glares "your father shaked up with this whore?' she screames, spittle flying everywhere. I flinch,
Winter cringes and Kai looks nervous as hell. Like he's completely out of his depth.

"He just disappeared one night. Never told me anything. Just left. He left his little son behind, me behind
and for what?" she sneers, her tone cold as ice, her arms folded across her chest. Mother looks
uncomfortable but stays silent, shooting the woman remorseful looks. As thought that's going to
accomplish anything.

"I didn't know" mother begins.

"You should have known. You should have questioned" screams Johnathon's mother "you idiot girl. You
slut" she accuses "going off with someone else's man. You should have known better" she yells out.

Johnathon leaps up and goes over to her, trying to calm her down. Goodluck with that, I think to myself.
It's like watching a car wreck. You know it's intevtiable but you can't stop watching.

"Mother, please calm down" Johnathon begs, "Elena couldn't have possibly known. Why are you so
angry at her, when it's father you should be angry at?"

The woman gives a huff, glaring around the room, no longer the nice, hospitable host she had been
when we first got there.
"You say your father is dead" she storms "this woman is the reason for it. She took your father away from
you Johnathon, why aren't you angry?" she screams.

Johnathon's lips tighten. "I am angry" he admits "but I can also see both sides to the story. It's not like
she asked him to lie to her. If he was really like that, then weren't we better off without him anyway" he
asks her firmly. He grabs hold of her hand "we did alright without him, didn't we? You raised me and I'm
forever grateful to you for that. I love you mother" he says.

I've got to give it to him, his voice is dropping with sincerity. I'm a little envious. I didn't have a
relationship like that with my own mother or father. I wish things could have worked out differently for
Winter and me.

The other woman looks unconvinced.

"Please, I really didn't know" mother says to her, her voice shaking, her face miserable.

"Sure you didn't" Johnathon's mother spits out. "I will never forgive you for what you did. My son grew
up without a father, because of you" she shouts and storms over to Elena.

Before we can even move to stop her, Johanthon's mother raises her hand and slaps mother across the
face. There's nothing but stunned silence in the room.

"You will leave tomorrow morning and you will never come back. I don't want to clap eyes on you ever
again, hear your voice speak ever again. Do you understand me" she challenges.

My mother nods, a hand raised to her stinging cheek, a red palm now on her face from the slap. "Yes"
she whispers.

Johnathon's mother just glares then turns and storms from the room. "Make sure they leave" she shouts
to Johnathon who looks at us embarrassed.
"I'm sorry about that" he apologises, but mother just waves the apology away.

"It's the least that I deserve" she says roughly "I must apologise, I never imagined that Lexus had another
life he never told me about."

Johnathon just shrugged. "I've made my piece with it. Mother will come around eventually but I think it
best" he hesitates "if you leave tomorrow morning as she suggested."

Mother nods.

"That's fine, we'll all leave tomorrow morning. You don't need us to hang around anymore anyway" Kai
cuts in, glancing over at Johnathon meaningfully.

"Everything is under control, thanks to you guys" he answers.

Huh, bet he didn't feel that way when we got here and pretty much took it over. Smooth, Johnathon, real
smooth.

"Then it's settled" Kai answers smugly, glancing around and leaning back in the chair "we'll leave early
tomorrow."

But theres something I need to do. Something I wasn't even aware of until now. But every fibre in my
being is begging me to do it. After all there's nothing to be afraid of anymore is there? Besides, there
might be something that will bring back memories, something sentimental to give to Winter. God knows
she's the sentimental one out of us both. Right now she's busy fussing over mother. I clear my throat and
look towards Langdon who merely raises an eyebrow.

"I have somewhere I need to go first" I tell them honestly "it's about time I made the trip back to the
house anyway."

Winter lets out a startled gasp. "Oh Damien don't go back to that house" she says in dismay "it ought to
be condemned."

I laugh. "It's not in that bad of a condition but I never stepped foot in fathers room or the basement.
There might be something we want to keep. It's worth going through at any rate."

Winter bites her lip. "I just think it's such an evil place" she says forlorn "what if you get hurt or
something?"

Langdon clears his throat. "I will be accompanying him" he tells Winter with a slow smile "I promise you
that I won't let anything happen to him."

Why does mother look so nervous? "I agree, you shouldn't go back there" she says huskily "best to
forget that place ever existed."

I cock my head at her. "Theres nothing you want brought back?" I ask politely. "Some memento
perhaps?"

She adamantly shakes her head. "There is nothing in that place I would ever want to set eyes on again"
she spits out. Her tone drips with resentment. "The whole place can burn down for all I care. It wouldn't
make me cry that's for sure."

"I get it" Kai said calmly, clapping me on the shoulder "when do you want to leave?"

I just look at him "same as you, tomorrow morning. It's not far from here. You I'm assuming will be
heading for the castle?"
"You bet your ass, we are" he glances at Elena "we'll drop you off on the way" he adds.

She looks annoyed but gives a slow nod.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow and revisiting the house. There's so much I never looked at, or wanted
to look at now. But why is mother so adamant about me going there, and wanting it to burn down?
What is she so afraid of?

Kai POV

Well that was a bit of complete fuckery. Never could I have imagined finding Winter' s mother so quickly,
let alone that she hooked up with Johnathon's dad. Johnathon was pissed and quite frankly I couldn't
blame him. Winter can defend her mother all that she likes,even she has to admit that what Elena did
was wrong. In so many ways.

Now, I don't know what it is about Elena's mother but I instantly dislike her. It could be her abandonment
of her children, but I think it's the way she avoids my gaze and how she dodges questions she doesn't
want to answer. Or the way she fidgets as she answers, looking uncertain like she's guessed it. My skin
crawls being near her. But Winter seems to be unaffected by her mother, rising to her defence regardless
of everything. My god, even Damien senses something's off. He's not a fool, even if I reckon he looks like
one.

"How much longer until we reach the castle" comes Winter's voice, snapping me out of my thoughts. I
glance down at the clock on the car and give a sigh.

"Hours yet" I say, looking over the scenery. "But wait until we get there" I say excited "the castle is
something special to look at. Plus King Axel is a really nice guy. Down to earth and kind. I haven't met his
wife yet, so I can't really tell you about her. He's been kind of cooped up since his marriage" I comment
frowning "he used to like travelling to the different packs and meeting the Alpha's. Weird how marriage
changes someone."

Winter shoots me an icy look. "Is that your way of saying you will not contemplate marriage?" she asked
with a hiss and I gulp.
"That's not what I meant" I protest quietly "there was no offense meant."

She just grunts and sits back. Fantastic. Now I've managed to piss off my mate as well. It's going to be a
very long trip. Nothing but silence from Winter who's staring out the window as I drive. I watch the
scenery pass by in a scowl. Why can't I just learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes.

Seriously dude. You mentioned marriage in a derogatary term and didnt' think she was going to take
offense? Are you really this stupid?

Shut it Kai. I wasn't meaning anything by it.

She's a girl. Girl's dream about being married. The white dress, the rings, the ceremony, the whole
shebang and now she thinks you don't want to marry her. Smooth dude, real smooth. It's going to be
your fault if she says no when you finally get the guts to propose to her.

I don't know if I'm ready to ask her yet. She still has this hybrid problem to deal with and it never seems
to be the right time.

Hey, I don't care. Get with the program. I'll take over and ask her. She won't say no to me, I'm not the
one she's pissed at. She can marry old stormy any old time.

Shut up Storm.

Your just jealous that our mate loves me more, admit it. Not my fault you're such a douchebag.

Stupid mutt. He really knows how to push my buttons. I cast a sideways look at Winter. She's slumped
against the window, blinking furiously. Had I made her cry? God I'm an asshole. I clear my throat.
"Winter I wasn't saying I would never get married" I say firmly "just that I wasn't thinking about it right
now."

She nods but says nothing. Sigh.

Thankfully the gate looms up and several guards swarm the vehicle, pointing their guns at us. Winter
looks nervous as hell but this was to be expected. I merely wind my window down and smile at the
guards.

"Name and purpose of your visit" one says abruptly, frowning at me.

I shrug. Can't make friends with everyone. "My name is Alpha Kai" I say slowly "and I'm here to visit King
Axel, an old friend of mine."

His eyes go cloudy and I know that he's mind-linking the King. It's just a matter of time now. We sit
patiently waiting. The guards never let their guns go down. I'm impressed. They are acting exactly like
they should be, none of them letting their guards down at all. Nor have they moved a single inch. Winter
looks at me in concern but I just wink at her, to show her that everything is alright. I've done this
numerous times before, just not with her.

"You said Alpha Kai, didn't you?" the guard checks and I nod. His eyes go back to normal and he signals
to his comrades to loosen their weapons.

"King Axel is expecting you in the throne room" he tells me "do you know where it is?"

I give a grin. "I know it, but shouldn't you guys be escorting me in?" Now I'm confused. Has King Axel
gone a bit soft on his protocals. I've never been inside the castle without several guards escorting me in.

The guard shakes his head. "King Axel says you dont' need to be escorted and I take my orders from him"
he says calmly. He motions towards the others. "Fall out" he booms and they begin to walk away. I shake
my head in surprise and put the car into drive. Winter looks relieved and a bit more relaxed. We drive
forward, up the long driveway and park in front of the massive grey castle as Winter's mouth falls open
in awe.

"It's so beautiful" she gushes, hopping out of the car and turning around to see as much of it as she can.
"It's huge" she comments.

I give her a wicked grin "wait until you see the inside then" I point out "it's just as gorgeous as the
outside, maybe more so."

We wander through the entrance, past the guards who wave us through, clearly expecting us.
Communication is awesome between these guards. Winter's mouth falls open as we walk past artwork,
intricate furniture and royal looking curtains.

"Wow" she utters.

I laugh. We walk towards the throne room and stop at the doors, two guards standing at attention. "I'm
Alpha Kai and this is Winter" I say introducing her "I believe King Axel is expecting us."

Their eyes cloud over and then they nod, opening the doors and ushering us through. Winter thanks
them quietly.

The throne room is large and elegant, a red rug running all the way to the throne chairs. We walk down,
King Axel on his chair, smiling widely at the both of us. I frown. He seems to have aged somewhat since I
last saw him. His black hair now contained silver tips and his eyes had wide dark circles beneath them.
His green eyes were dull rather than sparkling and his short beard was thick and rather messy instead of
well groomed like it normally was. He was dressed in black pants and white shirt, his normal uniform and
he waved with slightly trembling hands. It was like he'd aged ten years or more since I'd last seen him
less than two years ago.

"Welcome" King Axel declared jovially, standing up and rushing forward to shake my hand, his eyes
lighting up. "It's been a very long time, hasn't it Alpha Kai? I can't remember the last time you came for a
visit" he admonished.

"It's been too long" I agree before turning to Winter who is uncomfortably shifting her weight from one
foot to another "this is my mate Winter" I said and he gave her a kindly smile.

"Winter, what a beautiful name, for a beautiful woman" he complimented her.

He keeps this shit up, I'm gonna knock him down to the ground. He's hitting on our woman.

No he's not Storm, he's being polite

If we're not careful, she'll prefer him to us. We need to make a grand statement. Propose damnit.

No she won't, you are being paranoid.

Throw a ring at her.

No. Stop being an idiot!

King Axel politely shook Winter's hand as she beamed up at him, completely charmed. I frown. Maybe
Storm had a point.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" Winter says shyly.

"You must meet my wife" King Axel says with a chuckle "she's out for the moment but will be back for
supper. She loves to meet my old friends. You havent' met her yet, have you?" he says frowning, as
though trying to remember.

I shake my head. "Actually your wife is the reason that we are both here" I say politely "I have heard that
she is a strong witch? One of the strongest in the country?"

"Well yes, she is" King Axel tells me proudly "no other witch can compare to her. But, tell me, why is it
that you require a witch?"

I look over at Winter. "My mate was turned into a hybrid against her will. Now she's half vampire, half
shifter. We were hoping that your wife, would be able to take the vampire part out of her."

King Axel looks at Winter Sadly. "You poor thing" he exclaims "to have that done to you. Is the person
responsible dead? For I can send my men out right now to look for them."

"They are dead" Winter assures him "but thankyou for the offer."

"hmmm, taking part of you out like that" King Axel murmurs thoughtfully "I'm not sure if it can be done.
But if anyone can do it, my wife would be the one to come to. We must ask her at dinner."

"What is your wife's name?" I ask out of curiousity.

"Her name is Vanessa. I met her. . ." he trails off looking puzzled "well I'm not quite sure where I met her.
I assume it must have been on one of my travels though" he said decidedly "and we decided to get
married straight away. We both knew we wanted to be with each other forever, so it made sense and
we've been happy since. It's been just over a year, if I remember correctly."

I'm a little puzzled. How do you not remember how you met someone? Especially when it was just over a
year ago? I peer closer at my old friend. Is it possible that he's struggling with dementia? Can
werewolves even get dementia? I've not heard of it happening to a shifter before.
"Congratulations on your marriage" Winter tells him sincerely "I'm sure it was beautiful."

He frowns. "Well yes, it was. But it was a small one. We felt it better to elope rather than have the large
traditional wedding. So much more intimate" he mutters "but I do wish my parents could have been
there. I've not seen them since I met Vanessa. They refuse to have anything to do with me."

He shakes his head and then sighs. "Well let's organise your accomodation and set up a time for supper. I
can't wait for my wife to meet you. She'll be overjoyed" he babbled, leading them out of the throne
room with large strides "she's always happy to meet my friends. So few visit me these days" he added
with a frown "I suppose they are all busy with their own mates and wives. I must travel again one day,
when Vanessa is up to coming with me. See how everyone is getting along."

I stare at him. He sounds so strange. Not like himself at all. I knew he'd be changed slightly once he had a
wife, but this was a significant change.

He thrusts open the doors to a bedroom and motions us inside. "This will be your room for the night.
Let's do supper at 7pm tonight" he says hurriedly, running a hand through his hair "I must go and do
something."

He tears out the door before I can say anything.

"Well that was weird" comments Winter, frowning and looking out the door.

"You don't know the half of it" I mutter. I was curious to see this Vanessa at suppertime and how she
acted towards her husband. Something was off. I could sense it.

Winter POV

King Axel seems to be a lovely man, albeit a bit strange. Almost like he struggles with his memory
somewhat and he appears to be far older than I had imagined a friend of Kai's being. It made me more
than a little intrigued about this Queen Vanessa of his and what she was like. Would she be like King Axel
or be the complete opposite?

Kai waited patiently for me to finish getting dressed. I had taken care and dressed up more than I usually
did, but still refused to wear a dress. Instead I'd opted for a dressy blouse and skirt, topped with my
favourite leather jacket. My hair shone from the amount of brushing I'd given it and I'd lightly applied
some makeup. I looked beautiful, I saw with satisfaction as I gazed in the mirror looking at my reflection.

We look good girl. Ready for a night on the town.

Or a dinner date with the King of Werewolves? What do you think Sabriel?

I think our mate looks like he wants to take us to bed and I'm tempted to let him. Dang our man looks
good.

He does doesn't he. Sigh. Not enough time for bedroom activities though.

Winter, when will you learn. There is always enough time for bedroom activities, it just depends how
much you're willing to make the other people wait for dinner.

I'm not making a king wait for me Sabriel.

Figured. Shame. I'm feeling a tad neglected on the sex front lately.

Sabriel! Shush.

"You look beautiful" Kai murmurs in my ear, making me shiver with anticipation, as I turn and wind my
arms around his neck.
"You don't look so bad yourself" 'I breathe, eyeing him suggestively. Damn Sabriel, she'd made me
horny! But I couldn't help it. His pants clung tightly to his legs and buttocks and the white shirt he wore,
slightly open just made my mouth water as I spotted part of his naked chest. His scent tantalised my
nostrils and I breathed it in, feeling dizzy myself. He had no clue what he was doing to me.

Kai's eyes darted towards the bed "maybe we can put that to good use later" he whispers, with a smirk
on his handsome face.

Maybe he does know how he's affecting me now. I stand up on wobbly legs and offer my arm to him with
a smile.

"Shall we" I ask and he grins, taking hold of me and clutching me tightly.

He leads the way to King Axel's private dining room and as we walk, I look around at the various
paintings on the walls and the odd ornament here or there. A lot of it pertains to greek mythology, a
painting of poseidon laying proudly in the centre of one of the walls. "He likes his art" I comment to Kai
who gives a nod.

"He's always loved art and he also has a keen interest in greek mythology" he answers. "So he combined
the two when it came to decorating the castle. You have to see that he has a really good eye for
paintings" he answers "whereas I have no clue when it comes to art. I just choose what I like, whether it
actually goes with the decor of the pack house or not."

We reach the dining room and walk in slowly. King Axel looks up from his seat and smiles. "Welcome,
welcome" he cries, gesturing at us both "take a seat. Vanessa is just running a bit late" he laughs. Kai
pulls a chair out from me and I sit across from King Axel with a wide smile on my face. I feel nervous as
hell. What on earth am I going to talk about? Kai slides in beside me.

"You look lovely" King Axel tells me with a raised eyebrow.

"Thankyou your highness" I say politely.

"Oh no it's just Axel dear" he says scandalised "I don't like being called King all the time. It gets rather
annoying" he says in a whisper.

I giggle. Kai chuckles and shakes his head, reaching for a glass of water and taking a sip. "If it was me, I
would insist on being called King all the time" he joked.

"That's because you have a big head Kai" Axel teases back.

I hear the sound of loud footsteps coming and turn in my seat to find a woman approaching. She's
beautiful. ethereal looking. Her smooth, creamy porcelain skin was further enhanced by her bright red
dress that clung tightfully to her bodice and across her hips and bum. She had pale shimmery silver hair
that cascaded over her shoulders and down to her buttocks in waves. She wore bright red heels. Her red
lips curve into a smile as she greets her husband, who stands to attention.

I frown and rub my eyes complexed. Something is wrong with my eyesight. I can't seem to bring
Vanessa's face fully into focus, the outside edges seem to be blurry as though it's moving. I shake my
head slightly.

"Sorry for being so late" Queen Vanessa apologises as she kisses her husband on the cheek.

I blink. For a second there, it looked like there was some pale green light where she'd kissed him, but just
as quickly it was gone.

"There's no need to apologise" Kai tells her.

His voice is husky. His eyes are staring at her intently, as though she's the only woman in the room. His
mouth is slighlty open in awe, and he's reaching his hand over to shake hers. I feel a flare of jealousy as
she shakes Kai's hand, deliberately holding onto his hand for several long moments afterwards. I notice
to my anger, that Kai doesn't yank his hand back and rather seems pleased by the attention.

Sabriel what's going on?

I don't know. Did you and Kai have a fight or something?

No, but at this rate we're going to be. It's like he doesn't even remember I'm sitting here!

Slap him on the head.

Tempting, but I can't do that in front of a royal couple.

Kick his leg? Stomp on his foot? Kick him between the legs and force him to sit down?

It's fine. It's just my imagination.

If that's what you want to think. But I think there's something fishy going on. I can feel it in my bones.

Then her eyes shift to me and her lips curl back. "You must be Alpha Kai's mate, Winter" she says slowly
"what a unique" she coughs lightly "name to have."

It feels like a dig. "Please sit down" Queen Vanessa orders, but we all stand until she's taken her seat.
Then we sit down, Kai barely even glancing my way. Ouch, that stings. I resist the urge to stomp on the
bastard's foot and instead take a sip of water myself.

"It's so nice to have old friends of Axel's come out and visit" she says sweetly as her husband smiles and
leans back in his chair, servers coming out and placing food on our plates. "Most just make a phone call"
she says blithely "instead of making the trip."

She lifts her hand and drinks from her wine glass, a bead of sweat trickling down her breasts, Kai's eyes
darting to it. I roll my eyes. Men, they were all the damn same. It's painful to acknowledge that Kai is like
that, but the proof is right in front of my eyes.

"But isn't it lovely that Alpha Kai and his beautiful mate have come" King Axel says excitedly.

His wife gives a smile and kisses him on the lips, Kai looking sulky in his chair. I blink. There. This time, I'm
positive that I'm not imagining it. I saw a green light flare where their lips touched. But what does it
mean? Why the hell does Kai look like he's about to cry seeing it? King Axel is his friend for heaven's
sake. Plus, doesn't he care how he's making me feel?

I grab a lettuce leaf and bite into it roughly. Queen Vanessa raises an eyebrow at me and delicately picks
up her cutlery, smoothly cutting into her salad as I watched, placing it daintily into her mouth.

"You must be hungry" she trills and I shrug.

Kai reaches out and swipes some sauce away from the corner of her mouth. "Thankyou" she breathes
and my heart gives a painful leap. What is he playing at?

"So helpful" Vanessa continues and Kai flushes, smiling wildly like a schoolboy. I glare at him and crunch
loudly on my salad.

"Winter" King Axel says and I turn my head to look at the man, smiling despite myself. He's such a nice
mannered man, it's impossible to be angry at him, even if his wife is pissing me right off.

"Yes King Axel" I answer.

"How long have you and Alpha Kai been together for now" he asks.

I stop. It takes me a while to think. After all I wasn't going to include being incarcerated in the dungeon
by him or the times he pushed me away. "A couple of months" I say finally, looking at Kai who's still
smiling like a loony at the queen "isn't that right Kai" I say raising my voice.

Kai looks confused. "Yeah, yeah, what you said" he finally mumbles, turning back to Queen Vanessa
who's preening at all the attention he's giving to her.

"How did you two meet" I finally snap, looking directly at her. She blinks her eyes, bewildered, King Axel
looking bemused in his own chair.

"Well it was on one of his trips to my pack" Queen Vanessa said, looking slightly worried. King Axel
looked confused, biting his lip and looking away. She leant over and kissed her husband again, and the
frown lines disappeared from his face and once again he looked calm and relaxed in his seat.

"Well anyway dear, these lovely people had a very good reason for coming to see us" King Axel said
turning to her. Her eyes lit up with interest.

"Oh really" she said coyly "what would that reason be?"

Kai leans forward and grasps her hand "beautiful lady" he breathes "my mate Winter was made into a
hybrid against her will. We've heard that you are a powerful witch and were hoping that you might be
able to help us? To take away the vampire side of her so that she can be just a shifter again."

Vanessa's eyes glinted. Her lips curled back as she looked at me, her eyes sweeping me over. "A hybrid"
she commented "that accounts for the nasty smell in the room" she hisses. Her face softens as she looks
back over at Kai who's eyes are pleading with her. "I can help you, but it will need to be done under the
light of the full moon" she says casually, "which is in three days time. It's when my powers are strongest
and when your shifter side will be at it's strongest as well" she says, barely glancing at me, Kai listening
to her every word.
"You would do that for us?" Kai says happily and she reaches over and grips his chin, smiling at him.

"Of course I will do that for you honey" she chirps "after all I wouldn't want you to be unhappy if I can fix
it" she whispers. I scowl at her, Kai beams and her husband looks aloof, as though he's not registering a
single thing she's doing. How are these two mates, if she acts this way towards other men? I look at their
necks and they are both marked. It's the oddest thing. I've never seen mated and marked mates act this
way towards others ever, especially not towards another marked mate. Kai is completely and utterly
transfixed by her. My anger rises and eventually I can't take it any more. I stand up, pushing my chair
back loudly.

"Please excuse me" I say quietly "it appears I've lost my appetite."

No one says a word as I leave and as I glance back over my shoulder, I see with sadness, that Kai's not
watching me walk away at all.

Damien POV

"How long's it been since you came back here?" asked Langdon with a frown on his face, as we pulled
into the driveway of my childhood home. The home stood there, a stark contrast to the others. I'd been
expecting to see the grass grown long, sun damaged, prickles everywhere, a sure sign of neglect and the
fact that nobody currently lived there. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the grass was
freshly mown, a lovely green colour and even the house itself looked like the outdoors had been painted.
Then a moment of panic hit me. Had somebody moved into the house while I was gone? Would I knock
on the door to find a stranger answering it?

"Someone's living here" I comment to Langdon, pointing at the grass and the house itself "they've
maintained the grass and painted the outside. We can't just walk in there."

I'm disappointed. I really wanted to be able to explore the house in detail, away from wandering eyes
and even, to my reluctance, away from my sister Winter. I wanted to spend this time with Langdon.
Besides there are no guarantees that I'll find anything of use here anyway. But I can't help remembering
the pained look on my mother's face when I announced we were coming here and the suspicion that she
was harboring some sort of secret.
"No ones living here" Langdon insists, getting out of the car and walking confidently up the driveway. "I
had the lawns mowed and house painted. I wanted you to have someplace to get away to, once in a
while if you needed it."

He did this for me? I'm speechless for a moment, watching as he retrieves the key from its little hidey
hole rock by the door, opening it and ushering me in before him. I glance around the entry way, my eyes
blinking to adjust to the light as Langdon turns on several to light the way.

"Where do you want to start?" asks Langdon patiently. I think for a moment. I shudder at the thought of
going into the basement,. That room's getting left till last if I can help it. "Father's room" I muse "maybe
there's something interesting in there."

We make our way back to the far side of the house where his room lay, the only room downstairs. I kick
aside empty beer cans and beer bottles, wrinkling my nose at the pungent smell of alcohol. Langdon's
brows rise in disgust at the smell as well as I force open the bedroom door. I walk in and look around
with dismay. There's bottles and cans, all empty, scattered on the floor, window ledge, top of his dresser
and even some against the wall in his bed. There's barely any free space on the floor and I have to place
my feet carefully as I walk inside. There's not many places to look. His dresser reveals nothing but
clothes. His wardrobe the same, a few miserly photos of himself and mother. Nothing of import. The
bathroom contains toiletries, very few of them and under the bed is nothing but empty alcohol bottles.
What a waste of time. I kick at the cans near me in anger. Just another reminder of how pathetic my
father really was. If it wasn't for Winter, I have no doubts the whole house would have been covered in
beer bottles and cans.

"What about the attic" suggests Langdon "don't people put important things up there?" he sounded
uncertain.

I laugh. "What, you don't have anything in the attic?"

He shakes his head. "No, who can be bothered climbing up the stairs to place everything? Besides all
your stuff should be out on display otherwise it's rubbish" he declares.
I can't argue with that logic. It does make me wonder why we have attics in the first place. Still he does
have a good idea. I haven't stepped foot in that attic at all. It could be harbouring all sorts of goodies just
waiting to be discovered.

"Let's check the attic" I agree with a smile.

We slowly walk out, dragging bottles and cans with us, despite trying our best not to. I frown. I would
have to come back here at a later stage and clean up, clear father's room out. Make it into a habitable
bedroom that was nice and airy, for visitors. Besides, I really wanted to erase every single part of that
bastard. Doing his room was a good start.

"Where's the damn string" commented Langdon as we wandered upstairs. His eyes were shooting
everywhere, a look of fascination on his face. I wryly point to the string almost above us and he flushes. I
keep my laughter to myself and reach out with one hand, pulling the string down and moving out of the
way as the ladder slides smoothly down. The darkness upstairs beckons. I grin at Langdon.

"Want to go first?" I ask politely.

He snorts and shakes his head. "Wouldnt dream of it, after you" he says with a grin.

I just chuckle and begin to climb the ladder, hoping fervently that the light, when I reach out to pull on it,
turns on. To my relief it does and I automatically step aside to let Langdon come up, my eyes sweeping
around the room in awe. There was so much stuff that it was impossible to know where to turn. Boxes
piled up hazhardly, toys piled in a corner, even furniture, sat there, covered in dust. How long had this
stuff been sitting here? It was almost sad to see the toys piled lonely in the corner.

Langdon's eyes narrow with curiousity and interest. "This is much better" he says cheerfully "much more
stuff to look through. More memories to unlock" he declared. I was moving towards the toys, my hands
shaking. There was a bear in the corner, a bright blue one, with a white round stomach. I remembered
him from my childhood. His name had been Laylay and I'd carried him everywhere. Then one day he'd
disappeared and I thought it was because I'd lost him. I'd been inconsolable, mother doing her best as I
cried my eyes out. What was he doing up here? I reached out and took him, feeling the softness of his
fur and looking at his beady little eyes. Mother must have put the bear up here, but why? Had father
made her? I held the bear to my chest, swallowing tightly. I had loved this bear. It brought back nostalgia
to be holding it close again.

"His name's Laylay" I tell Langdon, handing the bear to him "he's coming home with us" I add and watch
my mate's eyes sharpes with genuine interest as he nods.

I exhale, coughing as dust rises up from the floor. My eyes water as I stare over at the multitude of boxes.
I take one down and begin to dig through, handing Langdon another one. Most of it contains so much
junk that I don't understand why they didn't just donate it or throw it out. Who needs spare cups,
glasses and plates? We had so many in the kitchen already that it wasn't funny. We didn't need
tupperware either. There were paperback books that I suspected were placed there with the intention of
coming back down when the bookshelves were put up. Unfortunately, the bookshelves were currently
sitting in pieces in the corner of the room. I also noted, rather drily, that there was also an entire box
dedicated to wine glasses, beer glasses and shot glasses. No need to wonder whose box that had been.

"I can't believe this. Where are the photobook thingy magigs? The actual memories of us all?" I explode.
Langdon grunts and rips open another box in front of me as I take a break.

"This one of them?" he asks me and I rush over and pluck the book out of his hand. I smile with delight.
It's a scrapbook. I sit next to Langdon and open it up.

"This is a photo of me on my first day of kindergarden" I breathe out, recognising the uniform on myself.

"You look cute" Langdon teases as I blush.

I pull the page over. This time there's a photo of Winter as a toddler, chasing a butterfly around the
garden. Her dress is flying in the air and theres a wide smile on her face. "She looks so happy" Langdon
says with a smile, tracing the photo with his finger "like she doesn't have a care in the world."

"She was happy" I say with a lump in my throat "when she was that little, her laughter was infectious.
She would spend ages running around, chasing me, playing with her toys. Nothing made her sad. She
especially loved mother, was stuck to her like glue." My voice is a little bitter towards the end.

A wedding photo flops out. I pick it up and examine it. Mother's wearing a white dress, like all brides do,
standing beside father who's in a tuxedo. While he's beaming with happiness though, a massive smile on
his douchebag face, mother looks grim in comparison, a small tight smile on her face, as though she's
anything but happy to be marrying this man. Had she realised what he was like? So why go through with
the marriage? Why not call it off and run away? Father doesn't have his red eyes and puffy complexion in
the photo, so he hadn't been drinking heavily that day or the day before.

"Not the nicest wedding photo" sighs Langdon scrutinising them both. "Your mother looks angry."

"That's what I thought as well" I said leaning into him. "Do you think she knew what she was in for with
him?"

"Judging by the expression on her face" Langdon said calmly "hell yes."

I carefully placed the wedding photo back and then flipped the page over. I trace the photo with a smile
on my face. It's a photo of Winter and I, in costumes for halloween. There's a massive bowl of candy next
to us. Winter is a toddler in this photo too, but adorable in her little princess costume.

"I remember this" I tell Langdon quietly "we weren't allowed to go trick or treating, mother was far too
worried about us, but she let us hand out candy to the trick or treaters that came to our door. Winter
and I would take turns opening the door and greeting them. We got to stay up later that night and we
got to eat some of the candy that was left over by the trick or treaters. Father was home that day, but I
don't remember what he did. He wasn't with us, that was for sure" I said annoyed, Still, Winter would
like looking at this photo, I decided, and carefully pressed it back in.

"Let's just take this scrapbook home to look at" I suggest, grabbing hold of my bear from Langdon. "Were
there any others?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "Not in the box I was digging through. That was the only one. There are still several
boxes that have yet to be opened though. Are you sure you want to go home now?"

"We can come back another time" I say assuring him "it's late and I'm tired. I want to look at this
scrapbook properly in the daylight. With you."

"If you're sure" Langdon agrees, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. He reaches for my hand with a
smile. I reach out awkwardly to take it and look down to see a photo, slowly fluttering it's way to the
floor, face down.

"Just let me grab that" I tell Langdon hastily, opening the book and retrieving the photo. I flip the photo
over and for a minute or two, what I'm seeing doesn't resonate with me. My whole body goes into
shock. Langdon comes to stand beside me. His mouth falls open. This was what mother didn't want me
to find, this is what she didn't want me to see. One photograph that exposes all her lies. My whole body
begins to shake in anger, my hand clenches tightly around the photo. I feel the urge to wrap my hands
around her neck and strangle her to death.

"Calm down Damien, we'll get to the truth" Langdon promises, his own voice filled with meaning.

"She better tell me the truth" I spit out, waving the photo "otherwise she dies Langdon" I say and I mean
it, my eyes flashing black as I stare at my mate. For what she's done, she deserves to die. She's no better
than my father.

Damien POV

I barely remember the car drive home, back to the pack. I know Langdon helped me into the car, I
remember him putting the heater on to warm my suddenly cold and shivering body. The music droned
on in the background during the short drive, my hand tapping uselessly against the window as I stared
out into the distance, my eyes not focussing on anything in particular. My other hand gripped the
scrapbook tightly, so tight that my hand had gone pale, the photo in question, the one I needed answers
from, firmly tucked inside so that it wouldn't flutter away in the wind.

"Damien you need to calm down alright" Langdon said shooting me a half crazed look.
I wonder what it is I look like, that he feels the need to speak to me like that. I look over at him but say
nothing, my heart thumping painfully in my chest. I feel detached, like part of me is shrinking away and
trying to escape my own reality. The image on the photograph constantly pops into my head over and
over again. Like a movie constantly put on repeat. There's no sound but it still seems too loud for my
comfort and too bright inside my own head.

"That bitch knew" I snarl at Langdon, turning to him and seeing his jaw clenched and his own eyes
flashing furiously, he's just as angry as I am. "She knew Langdon. This is why she didn't want me going to
the fucking house. That lying bitch" I shout, slamming my hand angrily against the dashboard as Langdon
picks up the speed slightly.

"Still, getting this angry isn't going to do anybody any good" he says tightly.

"It's doing me some good" I snarl, slumping back against the chair. "Because if I don't let some of my
anger out, I might end up killing her with my own bare hands" I threaten, my voice shaking. I mean every
word. My whole being is screaming at me to kill her. Why should someone like her be allowed to live? I'd
known my father was a complete bastard but this, my mother being a sadistic crazy ass bitch, wasn't
something I'd seen coming.

We pull into the driveway and Langdon tentatively turns the motor off, before reaching over and
grasping my knee, gently stroking it. "I know you're angry" he whispers "but try to get a hold of yourself.
If you go in there, screaming and shouting, she won't give you anything. She won't give you the answers
you need, she'll shut down and you'll be stuck with nowhere to look or go." His tone is gentle, even as
his eyes are grim. His own body is stiff and I realise that he's just as angry and upset about this as I am.
Maybe more so.

I take a couple of deep breaths, forcing the air into my lungs, willing my body to relax somewhat. The
pack house looms in front of me and slowly, reluctantly, I climb out of the car, retrieving my trusted
scrapbook and taking hold of a steadfast Langdon's hand. "We can do this" he tells me, squeezing my
hand.

I close my eyes and nod, traipsing towards the front door and reaching out to knock. Langdon grabs my
hand. "What on earth are you doing" he hisses "we don't need to knock, we're pack members. "

Oh yeah. Totally forgotten about that, just so used to being at Langdon and my home.

We open the door, wincing at the large creaky sound it makes. It's late, so I half expect that bitch of a
woman who is my mother, to be in bed, frustrating me even more completely, but to mine and
Langdon's ultimate surprise, she's in the living room, watching a movie. When she turns her head to see
who is there, her eyes widen slightly, but then return to normal. She's been expecting us then. She leans
back against her chair. Her eyes widen as she sees the scrapbook I'm holding firmly under one arm.

"You went to the house then" she said weakly "and looked around."

I glare at her with utter hatred. Never in my life, have I wished someone would drop dead right that
instant, but I would happily wish for that to happen now. My hand is shaking as I slowly grip the scrap
book in my hand and drop it, loudly on the coffee table. She watches my every move, her face pale, her
body trembling. I slowly flip through the pages, Langdon behind me, silently offering his support. I know
he won't step in unless he feels the need to, that he knows this is something I need to do and say myself.
I hear the crinkles of the pages as I search for the photograph, the one that means everything to me, my
fingers withdrawing it from the page as I hold it up and then slam it down on the coffee table in front of
my now crying mother.

"Care to explain this mother?" I taunt, glaring hard at her.

She swallows. Her face turns ashen.

I look down at the photograph, my heart giving a squeeze. It's a photo of her, dressed in a hospital gown,
sitting upright in a hospital bed, clutching two babies to her. One in each arm. Both are boys, both are
dressed in blue onesies, with little hats on their heads, wrapped up in a swaddle. Someone's written an
inscription to the photo on the back at the bottom.

Our baby boys. Twins Damien and Drake.

Twins. I had a twin out there. Something I'd never even dreamed of the possibility of having. My mother
had giving birth to two boys when she had me. I wasn't a single child she'd given birth to after all.

"Our baby boys, Twins, Damien and Drake" I repeat quietly, watching as she looks away. "Where's my
brother? What did you do to him mother? I don't have any memories of a brother with me at all. So
where is he?" I hiss.

Her eyes water as she looks at me. "You wouldn't understand" she breathes quietly, heaving a sob.

My eyes narrow "try me."

Her hand reaches out to grab the photo. I tense, but she merely trails a finger down it, looking pensive.

"You were both so beautiful" she said choked up "both exactly identical down to the birthmark
underneath your knee."

"So what happened? You decided you only wanted one of us?" I snarl sarcastically.

She flinches. "No" she whispers "I wanted both of you. I swear, it's just. . ." she trails off.

"I didn't know I was having twins when I gave birth in the hospital. We only had the one ultrasound and
it showed just one fetus. I was young when I had you and I was terrified" she exhaled "but when I gave
birth and there were suddenly two of you, I was even more terrified" she said honestly "all I could think
about was that I would have to get up to feed two babies, that I would be cleaning up and chasing after
two of you."

She sounded selfish. "Your father had been drinking again, which meant I was going to be all alone
looking after you. That was bad enough, but he'd started gambling as well. He wasn't a good gambler
and before we knew it, we were in serious debt to some scary people" my mother admitted.

None of this was news to me. My father had always been a deadbeat dad. Langdon was stroking my back
as I folded my arms and stared coldly at my mother.

"This is nothing new" I snapped.

"No it wasn't" she agreed readily "but when I'd given birth and we discovered twins, he came up with a
solution to the problem. A rich couple had approached him, prepared to pay a lot of money for one of
our babies. It was enough to cover our debts and leave us a little bit to get along on. I fought him on it, of
course" she snapped looking exasperated "I didnt' think it was right to separate twins. But he was so
persistive, constantly pushing me and convincing me that the baby would be better off in a rich
affluential family. "

My eyes narrowed. "You let him sell my brother" I said incredulous "just like that. Did you even meet the
family that father was giving him to?" I said suddenly "or did you just take his word for it?" My voice was
dripping with malice now.

She bit her lip. "I couldn't leave the hospital so I just took his word for it. But Damien, he did come back
with a lot of money and the first thing he did was pay off his debts" she whispered.

I couldn't even bear to look at her. "So that makes it alright then" I snap "selling an innocent baby to god
knows who. You have no idea who it was, where he went to do it?"

She shook her head. "If I could change the past, I would" she said with a cry "but it's too late. We figured
it was better if you never even knew you had a twin. I'm surprised he kept that photo" she sobbed.

"How can you live with yourself" I ask her snidely "You sold off a child, left the other two to be terrorised
by your ex mate, abandoned them and then suddenly want to be a mother again. Not to mention
hooked up with someone else's mate. Do you feel any shame at all?" I ask.
She bursts into tears. "I'm sorry" she sobs "your father was so persuasive. "

I glare "Did he leave any information at all about the family he was selling Drake to" I said lightly "the
pack name, town, anything like that? You said influential family, what did he mean by that?" I asked

She sighed. "I don't know, when he said influential family he was quite excited, said they were richer
than he'd imagined. But then he also said they would not tolerate him coming for more money, that they
would kill him if he tried. So I guess they were powerful as well."

I feel so much anger at her. Part of me want to throw her through a window. I glower. Langdon gently
touches my back. "We didnt' finish going through the boxes, perhaps there's something back there" he
says quietly.

My mother looks at me guiltily. "I am sorry. "

"You only care about yourself" I snarl "I have a brother out there who I've never met. He's also probably
Langdon's mate as well, twins generally have the same mate" I snap. "It's rare when they don't."

Langdon takes a deep breath and releases it. "Come on let's go to bed Damien" he suggests, trying to tug
me out of the room.

"You have no soul" I tell my mother hatefully "your'e nothing but a demon that deserves to be killed. All
you've brought Winter and I is misery and pain. Do you think Winter will forgive something like this when
she finds out?" I spit out "see what you're precious daughter does then mother. She'll hate you, just as
much as I do. Just wait and see" I yell out "I curse the fact we met you" I scream out wildly, Langdon fully
grabbing me and almost marching me out of the pack house.

"I think some sleep is in order" he says wisely "and then we can go back into the attic and look through
some more boxes" he finishes firmly.
"What if I can't find him" I say miserably.

Langdon shoots me a look "we'll find him Damien. He's got to be out there somewhere and Kai has a lot
of technical experts that can help. But right now" he says pointedly "I just want to get you away from
your mother before you murder her. "

Kai POV

When Winter excuses herself from the dinnertable I'm incensed. We're guests for goodness sakes and
she's being undeniably rude. Poor Vanessa. She looks disappointed and even though I offer my
apologies, she still seems a little deflated. God she's beautiful. Her hair is so long and silky, her dress
clings to her curves in all the right ways. No wonder King Axel hasn't left the castle in so long, when he
has a beautiful goddess like this at home to see every day and night. I stand up, reluctantly, to go and
find my own mate, who I hope by now has seen the error of her ways and will hopefully apologise for
her rudeness tomorrow. Storm makes a protest in the back of my mind but I ignore him.

"Goodnight Queen Vanessa" I tell her, kissing her hand as she smiles widely at me.

She places a hand against my chest and I feel my heart thumping wildly in my chest. It's loud, but she
doesn't seem to hear it.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you Alpha Kai" she says sweetly, those pale lips of hers curving into a smile.
She kisses the back of my hand. "I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow" she finishes, and I blink,
feeling unsteady on my feet. The room almost feels like it's swaying back and forth. How strange.

"Goodnight King Axel" I manage to mutter.

"Goodnight Kai" he answers with a bit of a grunt, his wife kissing him on the cheek.

I blink. I must have had a few more drinks tonight than I'd realised. My feet are unsteady as I make my
way back to the bedroom. I knock on the door, loudly, frowning at my hand which is blurry "Winter, you
in there" I yell and hear footsteps.
The door is wrenched open and her eyes are blazing pitch black at me as she lets me in, closes the door
and stands there with her arms folded over her chest.

"What the hell is wrong with you" I grumble and she snaps, poking me in the chest.

"What's wrong with me" she sneers "what's wrong with you. You ignored me at dinner Kai, acted as
though I wasn't even there" she snapped. "The queen was rude" she continued heatedly "and you didn't
even notice her little digs at me."

I peer at her. The queen wasn't rude. I hadn't heard her be anything but polite and sweet at the dinner
table. I sigh. Winter's in a foul mood.

"Sorry" I mumble, not sorry at all. Winter's being completely unreasonable. I stare at my mate, watching
her eyes slowly transition back to their normal colour. She's not angry anymore. Or at least she's
managed to calm herself back down to a normal state.

"The ritual or spell can't take place for three days" I tell her quietly "can we just try to get along with
each other until then" I finish tiredly. She lets out a huff but gives a reluctant nod. Good. Otherwise it's
going to be a very long few days here at the castle, not to mention uncomfortable. I almost, for a
moment, wish Damien was here to distract her. Even if I do find him to be a complete pain in the ass.

She goes to go past me and I grab her arm, spinning her towards me, leaning down and capturing her
lips. She struggles for a moment and then relaxes, granting me access to her mouth. I dive my tongue
inside and caress hers, hearing her moan. It's been far too long since we've been intimate. I lead her
towards the bed, peeling off her clothes as we go, touching the softness of her skin with my hands, lying
her down ontop of the bed.

"Kai" she moans and I give a grin. I love hearing my name coming from her lips.

I kneel between her legs as she gasps, my hands gripping her thighs tightly. "Don't you dare move" I tell
her thickly, my eyes glaring at her. She nods, her hands clenching the bedsheets.

I slowly, gently, run my tongue along her clit, hearing her breathing becoming even heavier as she begins
to pant in excitement. She tastes sweet, and I nuzzle against her, circling her over and over again.

"Kai" she cries out "oh god, I can't"

"You can" I growl out "you can take it."

I begin to slowly slide a finger inside of her as her body stiffens and stills. Then another one, slowly
thrusting back and forth, as I continue to lick her.

Her head is moving back and forth frantically. "Kai it's too much" she sobs and I apply more pressure. I
know she can take it. She's done it before.

Then I feel it. Her body starting to clench around my fingers and stiffen. I begin to flicker my tongue
across her clit, furiously pumping my fingers inside and out of her as she sobs and mewls. My own cock
is beginning to get hard from the sounds of her voice and the little cries she makes. Then her whole body
stills and I hear her scream my name at the top of her lungs "Kai" as she cums, hard, her walls clenching
around my fingers.

I give a grin of satisfaction and wait until she's relaxed her body again, before I move, getting off the bed
and tearing my clothes off. I'm about to walk over to her when she shakes her head and gets up,
sauntering over to me and then slowly sinking to her knees. "My turn" she growls and I suck in a breath
when I feel her mouth suddenly take in my cock. My legs shake. Fuck it's intense, she's taking me slowly
inch by inch, her hand grasping at the end of my shaft. I give a strangled cry as she begins to move her
head back and forth, my whole member inside her mouth.

I clench my hand in her hair and stare down at my mate who looks so fucking sexy right now. Then I
blink. Why has her hair colour changed? When did she change her hair colour. Her face looks up for the
merest second and I stiffen, my whole body going completely still in shock. It isn't Winter's face staring
up at me right now, It's Vanessa's. Her eyes are glinting at me as she sucks me off. I know I'm seeing
things, but it seems so real. Am I doing this? Has Vanessa somehow permeated my thoughts this
intensely?

I'm paralysed, but then my body begins to move back and forth in time to Vanessa, her lips curled
around my cock. I repeatedly blink my eyes but I see only Winter and to my shame, my body responds.
It's like I'm in a trance, and then just as suddenly, I'm free, looking down at a slightly confused Winter.

"My turn" I growl.

I pick her up and carry her to the bed, enjoying the way she feels in my arms, the pitchedness of her
breathing, the arousal that I can smell. I get up on top of her and hold her eyes for a moment, enjoying
the way she's looking at me, before I position myself at her entrance. Her face goes all hazy and then
suddenly I'm looking at Vanessa, who's staring widly at me, her hair dishevelled.

"Do it" she whispers "fuck me Kai" she begs.

I slam into her, hearing a sharp cry, Vanessa's eyes gleaming as she begins to move back and forth, my
own thrusts wild and primal. It's like my body is possessed. A small part of my brain is trying to remind
me that it's Winter that I'm having sex with, but it's quickly blocked as I grin down at Vanessa.

Her lips are pursed with cries, sweat drips down her body and down her breasts. Her back arches in
pleasure as we fuck. There's no gentleness in the coupling, just raw need, our primal instincts taking
over. I feel her body begin to shudder and grin, reaching down and fingering her clit as she writhes and
sobs, her body stilling as an orgasm washes over her.

"Kai" she screams "god, more, I want you, fuck I want you" she shouts out.

Spurred on by her words, I flip her over and put her on her hands and knees. I slap her ass, listening as
she gives a cry, her bottom rocking back and forth invitingly at me. I thrust inside of her pussy, with one
hard thrust and then hold her tight around the waist as I rock back and forth, teasing her for minutes at a
time until she begins to beg me. "Please, please fuck me harder, take me Kai" she begs in a gutteral
voice.

I ram into her hard, without mercy, desperate to feel my own pleasure, become frenzied as I take her as
hard as I can. She cries out and whimpers, my hand smacking her ass every so often. Fuck she feels so
tight. Her walls are clenching around my cock and it's taking all my self control not to just cum. Her ass
jiggles with every movement and it's hot as hell. Vanessa somehow seems to look both wanton and pure
at the same time. It's exhilerating. A tiny part of me tries to remind me that it's Winter I'm in love with,
but just as quickly that voice fades away. Everything is topsy turvy, nothing makes sense right now. All I
feel is the urgent desire to fuck the person I'm with, my body demanding it.

"Can't take much more" I grunt out, feeling my own body beginning to stiffen.

"Cum inside of me" she moans. "I want your seed Kai, I need your seed" she whispers.

"I'm about to cum" I growl and she begins to frantically move back and forth against me, the little minx.
Is she trying to kill me? I groan out loud.

"Fuck" I yell. My body begins to tense up and then suddenly I stiffen, gripping her tight as I shoot my load
inside of her. Panting heavily I lean over her for a second. Then I slowly withdraw from her and fall next
to her in the bed. Vanessa runs her fingers down my arm. I feel guilt for the first time. My god, I've
betrayed Winter and Axel and yet, it's like the guilt suddenly just vanishes. As I stare at Vanessa's body,
all I want is to be with her again. My cock is already becoming hard.

"I'm just going to clean up" Vanessa purrs, getting up and going to the bathroom. I just stare up at the
ceiling breathing hard.

You're disgusting, you know that? You just made love to our mate, believing she was someone else.
That's disgusting Kai.

I don't get what you mean Storm.

I mean that's not Vanessa you moron. I have no clue what's going on with you, but that's Winter. You
pretended to have sex with someone else. How hurt do you think she's going to be?

Will you shut up. I didn't, I mean, I don't think I did, what the hell is going on? Just leave me be Storm.

Vanessa comes back, clutching a handtowel, slowly, seductively wiping my cock over, which begins to
spring to attention again.

"Hungry little fellow" she comments with a laugh "maybe we should feed him again" she says
seductively, my cock rock hard now. She gently places her hand around it and I give a gasp, feeling all the
blood drain from my head. She bends her head down and licks along the slit as I quiver.

"Oh fuck Vanessa" I moan and just as suddenly the tongue stops and her head pokes up. I frown. Why
does she look so angry?"

"Kai" the voice is angry "did you just call me Vanessa?" the voice is incences.

Fuck. This isn't good. I shake my head, trying to clear it. Slowly Vanessa's face, fades away and I'm left
with Winter's one. She's biting her lip and looking like she's about to cry, rip my head off or do both.
She's pale and furious, her hands clenched into fists.

"Kai" she spits out "did you just call me Vanessa?"

"I don't, I mean, I'm not sure" I mumble feeling panicked. She glares harder.

"Did you think you were having sex with Vanessa?" she whispers harshly.
I don't know what I was thinking. I'm so confused right now, I don't know how to answer or where to
turn. But she is pissed. "Wow, you thought I was Vanessa or you were pretending I was. Either way that's
sick Kai" she snaps. "I can't believe you."

"Winter I didn't mean to" I begin but she's done, pointing out the door.

"Get out" she screams hysterical "get out you lousy son of a bitch."

I grab my clothes and limp out of the room. She slams it in my face. "Don't bother coming back here" she
shouts "find somewhere else to sleep."

Fuck. I put my clothes on in the hallway. My head is spinning. I feel like I'm about to vomit. How did I
confuse my mate with another woman? Why was Vanessa's face the only thing I could see in the room? I
had cheated on my mate, not properly of course but still, envisioning another woman was cheating. Was
Winter ever going to forgive me for this?

Winter POV

"Whoa, Whoa, Damien calm down" I say with a whisper, his voice loud inside of my ear, as I hold the
cellphone there, my hand trembling. "What did you just say? Repeat it" I order, barely caring that it's way
past midnight and very late. After what Kai just did to me, the son of a bitch, I've been way too angry to
sleep, let alone even consider trying to rest.

"Mother gave away my twin. I have a twin Winter."

Shit. I had heard correctly on the phone.

"Did she say why?" I hiss, feeling anger on his behalf. There's such a yearning sound to his voice.

"They owed the wrong people money" he said in a dull tone.

I wince. Sounds like father. But still, for mother to go through with it? Disgusting.

"We'll find your twin, Damien. There's got to be some kind of record for it. Where he went with Drake."

"I'm already looking in the attic. But there's nothing and mother apparently doesn't know" he growls.

I sigh.

"After this is all over and done with, I'll help you" I tell him, pacing back and forth.

"How's it going over there" Damien asks, perhaps sensing something is amiss.

I frown. How much should I tell him? Should I be honest or gloss things over?

"Something's fishy" I tell him finally "I don't know what it is, Damien, but something feels off" I tell him
honestly "I don't even know if I want to go through with this ritual or spell. Maybe I'm being stupid" I tell
him glumly.

"Winter, if something feels wrong, then there's something going on. I'm heading up there, I should be
there in time for that ritual" Damien growls. I hear Langdon agreeing in the background.

"Fine, but drive carefully" I tell him heatedly.

"Get some sleep" Damien tells me "See you soon."

"See you soon" I echo back, hanging up the phone. I fight the urge to throw it against the wall and smash
it.

Fuck you Kai, I think angrily, glaring over at the bed. He had pretended I was someone else when having
sex with me!

So wrong. We could tell him he has to go fuck himself for the next few months.

Not enough punishment Sabriel. I'm about ready to rip him a new asshole.

Well that would certainly work. Might be hard to get him to hold still while you do it.

It was a phrasing of speech. I wouldn't really do it.

Figured. What if we buy a chastity device for him? Means he can't sleep with anyone else and we get to
embarrass him.

Sabriel, if it comes to that, then we might as well leave his pathetic ass.

We could make him a slave like in the bdsm stuff.

Sabriel you have a weird kink.

I'm just open minded.

I would call it more than that.

I throw the phone down on the bed and stomp out of the room. There's no sign of Kai anywhere thank
goodness. Part of me wants to rip his penis from his body. I decide to explore the castle. I walk absent
mindedly, coming across the odd maid or servant who merely bows or curtseys and then lets me be on
my way. My legs carry me through to the private dining room area and I tense when I see that Kai is
standing there, looking nonplussed and confused. My hand wants to reach out and grab him, throw him
against the wall and scream out my anger.

Instead I slowly back away, ducking back out to the hallway and am about to walk away when I hear her
voice. None other than Queen Vanessa's. I peek back through. She stands there, clad in a tight
nightgown, that is white and completely see through. You can see her bare nipples and white underwear
through it. There is a smile on her face. Her hand reaches out to touch Kai on the arm. I keep well back
out of sight, my eyes wide in disbelief. What the fuck is going on? Had Kai come out here to sleep with
her? I can feel myself simmering with anger.

Her mouth opens in a smirk. "Did you do it" she says, running her hand up and down his arm as he
stands there, "did you do as I ordered you to and sleep with her?"

"I thought I slept with you?" Kai's voice is hushed, barely above a whisper and he sounds completely
confused. He clutches his head and groans.

"That was part of the spell. I made you believe it was me so that you would sleep with your little mate"
she explains to him, like he's a small child, even patting him on the head. "Anyone who comes close to
me gets hit by the love spell I have surrounding me. It's the only way to keep King Axel from
remembering anything."

I suck in a breath. She must be pretty powerful to have a love spell going at all times or she must have
some sort of relic or item that her power is attached to. What did she mean by King Axel remembering?
Remembering what? I Know they can't be mates, not if she's using a love spell to keep him attracted to
her. Something which is illegal by the way. But why did she want Kai to sleep with me? What was the
importance of that?

"With the spell I placed on you, you're little mate will conceive tonight and become with child. Don't
worry, it won't be for long. Everything will fall into place on the night of the spell. All you have to do, is
keep doing what I order you to do" she tells him, almost lovingly.
"But I want you" Kai mumbles. His hands reach out to grip her. Vanessa gives a small chuckle and moves
away.

"Later, darling. The King would be very suspicious if I don't go back to him in a minute" she explains
tiredly. "He's very possessive of me when he wants to be."

I've heard enough. I quickly turn and go down the corridor, rushing back to the bedroom where I slam
the door shut. I hadn't been too sure of the ritual before now, but after overhearing Vanessa, I know that
I can't go through with it. My hand unconsciously goes to my stomach. According to Vanessa I would
conceive tonight. My heart skips a beat. A smile goes to my lips despite myself. I wanted to be a mother.
Wanted a child of my own. But Kai had made love to me, under the impression I was Vanessa, which
stung. Even now he was under her spell and I didn't know who to turn to.

Damien was coming, I remembered, glancing over at the cellphone. But he was a man too. Would he be
under Vanessa's spell if he came into contact with her? Langdon too? A knock on the door had me
tentatively walking over and opening it, prepared to fight if need be. It was Kai. I frown at him
suspiciously.

"Winter, I know what happened was wrong" Kai begins, walking inside and running a hand through his
hair "I just don't know what happened. It was all topsy turvy, I love you, not Vanessa" he says firmly.

I look at him suspiciously. His eyes look clear, not glazed. There's no sign of hesitation with him. But what
about the meeting he just had with Vanessa?

"Kai, I just saw you with Vanessa" I exclaim, sitting on the bed and glaring at him "was there a reason you
had to go see her so late at night?" I ask my voice rising "especially since you called my her during sex?"

He has the grace to flush. "I didn't go see Vanessa" he protests "I don't know what you're talking about.
You threw me out of the room remember? I've been out wandering ever since."
I cock my head. He really doesn't remember. It's only been a few minutes since his meeting with her. I
drop my head into my hands and groan out loud.

"You know I'm not letting you sleep in here with me right" I say sarcastically "you're still in the
doghouse."

He nods, looking grim. "That's fair" he comments.

You know we could actually make a doghouse for him.

Sabriel, it's a little insulting to Storm to do that, don't you think?

Oh yeah. Poor Storm. I wouldn't feel sorry for Kai though.

Me neither, but I'm still not doing it.

"So why are you here Kai" I push, sensing theres another reason for his presence. "What is it you want?"

He looks tired. "I wanted to make sure that you want to go ahead with the ritual."

I open my mouth and then shut it. Should I tell him the truth? Am I speaking to Kai right now or
Vanessa's lackey? But I'm hesitant. I really want to believe that my mate is capable of breaking a love
spell. Shouldn't the mate bond be stronger than a spell?

Life isn't a fairytale Winter, remember that.

Oh I know Sabriel, there's also witches and vampires to contend with as well.
Werewolve's are the best species.

I make up my mind. "Kai I don't think doing this ritual is a good idea. I think we should explore other
avenues and ideas instead. It just seems to be dangerous and we dont' even know what the ritual
involves."

He shrugs his shoulders. "Everything comes with a risk Winter" he says incredulously "we came up here
for your sake remember. Now you're telling me it's too dangerous?"

"I just think we need to be more cautious" I argue back "this can't be the only way."

"No, but it's the quickest way" he shoots back, looking miffed. "Other options could take months, I'm not
willing to wait that long" he scoffs.

He's not willing to wait that long? I'm the one that's the hybrid! This doesn't affect him at all! What the
hell is the problem?

"Kai" I snap "it's not exactly your decision to make, is it? It's not your body, you're not the one being
affected" I almost yell, throwing my hands up in the air.

"The ritual is our best bet. What have you got against Vanessa anyway" he demands, shooting me a
peeved look "besides me mistakenly using her name earlier. She's been nothing but nice seen she's seen
us."

"Why are you defending her so much" I shout, finally snapping. He flinches. His mouth purses in a tight
line. He glares at me. His hands go to his hips.

"Winter, please" he snaps "You need to get this hybrid thing taken care of. Why are you being so
stubborn?"

"I'm being careful" I say stiffly "not stubborn."

That's when I make a rookie mistake. I stand up and turn around, presenting my back to Kai, lost in my
thoughts and my anger. I feel his arm come across my neck, squeezing as I try and push it away, my eyes
bulging, my arms flailing around as I hit out at him. I can feel my vampire side coming to the surface, my
fangs popping out and go to push, but something sharp pierces my neck before I can. I feel myself
becoming out of it, my body dropping harshly to the floor, my eyes staring directly ahead.

Kai comes into view, bending down to pick me up. He places me on the bed, my vision blurred, my limbs
refusing to cooperate.

"Didn't want to do this, but Vanessa needs you to do the ritual" he mutters, placing the bed covers over
me. "She won't let you escape or leave" he finishes, his whole body tense. "Don't worry Winter, I'll take
care of you, you'll see, once the ritual is done, everything will go back to normal. You just have to wait
until then."

My eyes flicker, my vision hazy. Even though I fight it with every ounce of my being, pretty soon I drift
into darkness, Kai's hand firmly holding my own, my body uncooperative as I slept with dread rising
inside of me.

Winter POV

It feels like I'm floating, suspended in mid air, surrounded by darkness and yet, I can distantly hear a
voice in the distance, one that is familiar to me.

Winter you need to wake up. Winter, Winter, Winter wake up. Earth to Winter. Hello Dumbass

The voice is annoying. Extremely so. Persistant. But there's something else that is inside of me,
something that makes my hands draw to my stomach unconsciously. Images flicker in my mind:
Sitting at a dining table, opposite King Axel and his wife Queen Vanessa. But every time they kiss, a green
light appears and fades. What is this light? What does it do? Why am I the only one who can seem to see
it? Is it because I'm a hybrid?

Kai making love to me, his hands exploring me all over. Then he utters the word Vanessa and I'm
heartbroken. I send him out of the room, angry, confused, scared. Why would he think I was Vanessa?

Wandering around the castle at night, no real destination in mind. I come across Kai and Vanessa
conversing. She wanted him to have sex with me. Why? What is her motive in getting me to conceive?

Kai coming back to the room, talking to me. A sharp, painful prick. The bastard dosed me with
something, then forced sleep and now this state of nothingness.

I struggle to open my eyes but am not successful. All I can do is float and think, with images popping up
in my mind. How could Kai have done this to me? It hurts so bad, but then I realise that Kai didn't do any
of this to me. Not really. Not to his awareness. Vanessa has put who knows how many spells on him to
make him do this. I think the green light is also a spell she's placed on the King. It would explain his
confusion and lapses of memory. But how does a witch manage to seduce more than one man? Unless
she's part siren? Is that possible?

Anything is possible idiot. Just because hybrids are dangerous and becoming one can kill you, doesn't
mean there aren't other ones around. By the way Kai's a dick. I'm going to insert a needle right up his
fucking rectum when I get hold of him.

Is that you Sabriel?

It's me. Alive and kicking. Your mate is such a douchebag. I blame Kai only. Storm would never have done
this in a million years, no way.

It's not his fault, he's under a spell.

So I heard. If she's part siren then anyone who comes into contact with her is going to be seduced, you
know that right? So Damien and Langdon are going to be just as useless. I hate to say this Winter but. . .

But what?

You really need some girlfriends. They wouldn't be able to be seduced by a siren. Sometimes the male
species just seems so pathetic and weak. Like right now.

I would settle for waking up right now instead.

I don't have any suggestions for that. Unless you want me to scream in your head or something? See if
that jolts you awake?

I consider it and then wave the idea away. Instead I begin to see if I can move parts of my body, wiggling
my toes, my fingers, getting circulation back to my body. Yes, I can feel it working, slowly parts of me are
becoming easier to shift. My eyelids flutter open. I'm in the bedroom, tucked under the covers like Kai
had done previously. My head shifts to the side, the door is open. Footsteps sound outside the door. I
can hear that bitch Vanessa's voice. "Remember just check on her. If she's still sleeping soundly then
don't dose her. It's bad for the baby" she tells someone, who I assume must be Kai.

"Don't worry I won't. I will do exactly as you say Vanessa" Kai's voice.

I want to roll my eyes at how lovey dovey he sounds towards her. Instead I move my limbs back into
place and force my eyes to close. If he comes inside now, he'll dose me when he sees me awake. I force
my breathing to be slow and even, aware that Vanessa is still outside the door.

I smell him come into the room, his footsteps heavy. His hand touches my forehead and my cheek, his
eyes no doubt sweeping over my body.
"How is she?" Vanessa calls out, her voice rich and smoky.

"Sleeping" Kai answers, still touching me "she's still sleeping."

"As I thought" she said sounding satisfied "she'll be under until tomorrow at least with the dosage you
gave her. Tomorrow night is the ritual. Once that has been completed, she will no longer be needed."

"What about me?" asks Kai.

She chuckles. "I will definitely need you Kai. You're going to keep me company with your friend Axel. A
woman can never have too many friends willing to do as she asks."

Slut, I think furiously to myself.

"Now come along" she orders him "King Axel wants to spend some time with you, his friend and that
means I can have some alone time" she adds with a sigh. "It really is hard to keep spells going all the
time with barely any rest" she complains. I hear their footsteps as they move away from the bedroom
and go down the corridor, but I don't dare try to do anything for several long minutes.

I think it's safe now. I can't smell them either Winter.

Why is it so hard to move? I feel like I'm tied up or something.

It's the sedative you were given. I don't know what was in it. I do know she wants you for some reason
and your baby. You need to get up.

I'm trying.
Try harder.

I use all my might to move my legs and arms. My eyes open easily but the sedative isn't wearing off, at
least not quickly enough for my liking. I take a deep breath and then launch my body onto the ground,
hitting it with a large thud, my legs and arms spreading out. I guess I must have shocked my system
because I could move, albeit slowly. I use my arms to get up and sway on my feet, glancing back over at
the bed. My eyes widen in disbelief. Is that my cellphone? Had Kai left my cellphone for me or had he
missed it in the bedding? I don't care. I limp over to it and grab it, my vision slightly blurry.

The battery's about to die. I need to be quick. I bring up Damien on my contact list and press the
message button. I know he's coming anyway but he needs to be prepared. Otherwise he'll be under her
spell the second he walks through the castle doors.

Queen, witch, siren.

Kai under spell.

I'm in danger

Be careful getting here.

I hit the send button and then hide the cellphone in my dresser. I glance out of the corridors and see that
it's empty. Now I hesitate. There's so many servants running around, that anywhere I go, my
whereabouts will be reported. I'm screwed.

Not if you're dressed as a servant

I can't just knock some poor innocent girl out and take her clothes
Winter, you don't have a choice. We're in survival mode hun.

I feel bad about this.

A servant girl comes wandering past. I make a motion towards her. "Excuse me" I say politely, backing
away into the room "could you please give me a hand?"

She comes inside and with a grimace of distate, I whack her on the back of her neck, sending her
crumpling to the floor. I hastily change my clothes and hers and then with a spurt of genius, place her on
the bed, under the bedcovers. With any luck, they'll assume it's me without coming fully into the room.

I head back into the corridor, keeping my head down. I look just like the rest of the servants now, and
make my way with ease towards the back of the castle. If I can get to outside, then I might be able to
shift and escape. Then I can get Damien and Langdon to help me get Kai back. It's worth a shot. I can't
exactly just lie in the bed waiting to be sedated over and over again. I creep down the stairs, hands
clutching at the bannisters. I'm still unsteady on my feet.

A voice sounds behind me, dripping with malice. "Oh dear, you're out of your bed. You're meant to be
resting Winter, dear. Otherwise you won't be ready for the ritual tomorrow night."

I slowly turn and face her. She's to the side of the stairs, Kai beside her, his jaw tight, his hands clenched
into fists. She smiles at me maliciously.

"You think that I'm still going to go ahead with that ritual" I hiss, my whole body trembling in indignation
"I refuse. I would rather keep my hybridness. I don't trust you one bit" I snarl, looking over to Kai with
pleading eyes.

"Kai let's just go. I don't need this ritual. Just you and me, let's go home, away from here."

His eyes widen for just a moment and I feel the tiniest hint of hope, but just as quickly he looks away.
"No" he mutters "we need to stay here Winter."

Vanessa smiles triumphantly. "I really am doing this for your own good" she promises, her voice thick
with meaning "you'll thank me later for this. Now how about we all walk upstairs and get you back into
your bed?" she asks.

The hell l will. Instead I growl at her. She sighs. "You're going to be pigheaded about this, I can tell" she
wails dramatically, wringing her hands together. She suddenly clicks her fingers and Kai goes as still as a
statue, his eyes unblinking, his posture stiff and still.

"What have you done?" I whisper.

She doesn't answer, retrieving a large kitchen knife from behind her back. She places it against Kai's
throat. "Cooperate or I will kill him" she says bluntly.

I see a drop of blood from the kitchen knife being pressed so hard against his throat. "You need him" I
say numbly, my head beginning to scream in panic. "You need him."

"Not really" she muses " I need you more. So I'm prepared to sacrifice him in exchange for you. So how
about it Winter, do you want me to kill your mate right here and now?" she pushes.

She means it. She makes a sudden move and I scream out in rage "no don't, I'll do what you want, just
don't kill him" I beg.

She throws something down at my feet. I slowly bend down and pick it up, looking it over curiously.

"It's a sedative, but one that won't harm your baby" Vanessa says calmly "drink it."

I eye the sedative, but Vanessa's right there, with the knife, prepared to kill Kai if I don't do it.
"You'll let him go."

"I won't kill him" she huffs, glaring at me "now hurry up. I don't have all day you know."

I flip her the finger. She just laughs at me.

I undo the vial and press it to my lips. There is no smell, it's odourless. Vanessa waits, tapping her foot on
the ground, as I reluctantly take one last look at Kai and then drink it down, gasping at the foulness of
the taste, the vial dropping from my hand and smashing to pieces on the ground. Vanessa drops her arm
with the knife, letting out a short laugh. Kai's body jolts back to life as my own begins to sway and then
crashes to the ground.

"Kai honey, your mate needs some help getting back to bed" Vanessa coos, giving him a wink and a kiss
on the cheek "get her back there would you and then stay guard. We can't risk her getting free again.
Not when this ritual is so damn close. Everything I've ever wanted is almost at my fingertips. I'm not
about to let it slip through my fingers now."

Langdon POV

I've never seen Damien this morose and miserable before. Repeated trips to the attic, have revealed no
new information in regards to his twin Drake. The basement, a cold, desolate, dark and horrible room,
has nothing of importance that I can tell, although Damien, refuses to so much as step foot inside of it.
The cage, or cell, is something that he fears looking at and I can't blame him, even standing near it is
enough to make me uncomfortable.

Elena has been avoiding the both of us, keeping herself holed up inside her room. However, tonight,
she's ventured back into the living area of the pack room and Damien wastes no time in asking her, once
again, where Drake was taken.

"Damien, I really don't know" she protests thickly, her eyes puffy and red from crying "I don't know what
else to tell you" she cries, leaning back in the chair, her eyes wide as she looks at the both of us.
"I just don't understand how you couldn't have asked where he was taking him. He was your son,
mother, your flesh and blood. Did that mean nothing to you?" Damien growled, a look of utter contempt
on his face.

"I didn't want to know" she said, her voice trembling "It would have hurt too much to know where he
was, that he was with another family who loved him. It was far easier to pretend he didn't exist at all. I
focussed all my attention on you and Winter instead and never thought about the other baby I gave birth
to either." God even she knew how cold she sounded surely, I thought to myself.

Silence. Elena looks haggard, emotional and overwrought. Damien looks seethingly angry, frustrated at
the lack of information and dicovering no new clues. He plonks himself down on his chair, frowning.
Elena sniffles, running a hand through her dishevelled hair. Part of me feels sorry for her. To have spent
the last few years of her life on the run, with a mate who left his own partner behind. Both of them lying
to each other and then losing her partner for being a rogue. She's not had an easy life, even if it was one
of her own making. But it wasn't my place to persuade Damien of that either.

"Damien, we can contact the other packs, see if we can find him though his adoptive parents" I whisper,
kneeling down and taking his hands "but you need to stop getting so angry at Elena. Sure, her actions
were wrong, but what good is it going to do, to hold a grudge against her? All it's going to do is keep
fueling your hatred towards her."

Damien's eyes rest on me, our hands touching and soften. He glances over at his mother who is now
sniffling, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, while avoiding our gaze.

"I'll keep trying to think Damien, maybe he said something to me that I didn't fully understand at the
time" she offered "maybe he let slip and I didn't realise. Hell, I'll even go and look around the house" she
says firmly, turning to look at her son who for once, doesn't snort derisively at her or scoff. It's something
at least.

"I think that's a good idea, your mother would know the house and where your father might have hidden
something more than anyone" I tell him and his eyes light up with the tiniest spark of hope. "Let her try
Damien, it can't hurt, can it?" I press, trying not to be too hard on him.
Elena gives him a watery smile. Damien sighs. He looks defeated. "Fine" he mumbles "but I don't want
you getting rid of anything in that house just yet. I still have to clear all the alcohol bottles and beer cans
out" Damien grumbled. I stifle my smile at his complaining.

Elena's eyes dimmed somewhat at that comment. "It's mainly your ex mates room that contains the
alcoholic rubbish" I tell her hastily and she gives me a grim nod.

"I'll start tomorrow" she says quietly "with your permission of course Damien. I just want you to love me
again, like you used to do when you were small."

Please don't say anything cutting, I think to myself, giving Damien a swift glance. Sometimes its hard to
read him, especially when theres no expression on his face. I do know that he's a young man, hurting
right now, pushing away the love of a parent because he blames them for the loss of another. If Winter
was here, I thought to myself sadly, she would know what to do. I know her and Damien have been
conversing with their cellphones. She was a stable influence on him, always had been. Damien might not
realise it, but I sure did.

"Alright mother" Damien sighs, not noticing the way his mother's eyes light up when he uses that one
simple word towards her. "Maybe you can find what we can't" he admits not sounding too positive
about that.

"Have you heard from Winter yet?" she asks tentatively, fidgeting with her hands. She's nervous. But
desperate for information on her daughter as well, who is currently at the castle, where we are intending
to head next.

"Yeah, she seems to be going okay. But she's not a fan of Queen Vanessa" Damien says with a shrug, not
sounding worried about it.

"Well the queen isn't the nicest of people. Not to mention even when she's been married, she's been
involved in all sorts of different affairs. It's said she's so beautiful that no man can resist her, once he's
come into her presense. I don't know how the King puts up with that" Elena said slightly outraged.
Thankfully Damien refrains from commenting about the hypocricy of that statement. Although judging at
the way his mouth thinned, I could tell he wanted to.

"Yeah, Winter was a little less specific than I would have liked her to be, when I was talking to her. I think
it's nerves and the ritual" Damien said without thinking. I shoot him a glare, but it's too late. Elena's
head pops up and she glares at both of us.

"What ritual are you talking about?" she says tightly "I know that the queen is a witch, what is she doing
to Winter" she finishes with a growl, standing up and crossing her arms.

Damien cringes. He looks up apologetically, his mother almost shooting flames from her eyes. "Well
Winter is a hybrid" he says slowly "so she wants the Queen to take out the vampire side of her and make
her a shifter only again."

"What" she screeches "how did Winter become a hybrid. When did she become a hybrid" she demands,
flailing her arms around.

"Calm down, we'll tell you" Damien says annoyed, the screeching no doubt hurting his ears. I sigh. I
thought Elena already knew.

"It all started with this guy Thomas" starts Damien wearily, telling the sad, sordid tale to Elena, who
listens, mouth flattened, her breathing heavy. The only thing missing is steam coming out of her ears.

"I can't believe it" Elena says distraught "your poor sister" she exclaimed "no wonder they were in such a
hurry to get to the castle. I suspected something was going on, but this" she says weakly.

Damien just frowns and then we hear his cellphone going off with a message. He pulls it out of his
pocket, and checks the contact. I can see it's from Winter from here. He holds the phone out, so that all
of us can read the message which is glowing brightly in the dimness of the room.
Queen, witch, siren.

Kai under spell.

I'm in danger

Be careful getting here.

"Queen, Witch, Siren" says Elena bemusedly "who does she mean? Is she saying that the Queen is a
witch and a siren?" She gasps in shock.

"It would explain why men seem to fall in love with her so easily" I say under my breath "the siren part of
her would lure them in like it was nothing."

"It also says that Kai is under a spell" Damien points out, his brows arching in concern "do you think it's
under her spell? "

"Well if that's the case, then he's most likely lost to us for now" I murmur "Kai will be doing anything the
queen asks of him. We can't trust him when we get there."

Fuck. So much for Kai keeping Winter safe. But then, neither of us had really known much about the new
Queen, other than she was a well respected witch. No where, had we heard about her being a siren, or
that she would have ulterior motives. The King was an old friend of mine and Kai's for heaven's sake,
we'd been delighted to learn that he'd found his mate and gotten married. Now I was pissed. What if she
wasn't really King Axel's mate? Had my friend been bewitched and tricked by this woman? I was
determined to find out.

"It says she's in danger" Elena says sounding slightly panicked "we need to go to her."
Both Damien and I turn to look at her in shock. "You can't come" Damien says firmly "you need to stay
here, where its safe. Besides you promised to go through the house for answers" he points out to her
chagrin.

Her cheeks go bright red in anger. "I can't stay here when we know that she is in danger. You can't make
me stay here. I'll just follow the both of you if you don't take me" she says triumphantly.

Damien swears. I merely raise an eyebrow. Part of me suspects that Elena could actually be a help in this
situation, but I'm not going to pressure my mate, one way or the other.

"Fine" Damien growls finally "but we don't let anyone know we're coming. I don't want them warned
beforehand. Don't even mind-link Winter or Kai. For all we know, she's managing to listen somehow with
a spell."

"I daresay that we'll be caught once we reach the grounds" I point out and Damien nods.

"I and mother will be caught once we reach the grounds" he corrects me as I look at him confused
"you're going to sneak your way through in the boot of the car."

I groan out loud. "You're going to put the big smelly blanket over me to hide my scent aren't you" I
grouse. Damien laughs out loud in answer. "I want you to search for Winter once we've made it to the
castle. Something tells me, she's going to be the one who needs your help the most."

"Anyway, let's go" Damien mutters, grabbing his wallet and keys "we can't afford to lose any more time. I
don't like the sounds of this ritual either. I want Winter safely gone before the full moon. We can find
another way to turn her back into a full fledged shifter. This is not the way."

I agree. I grab my own keys and wallet, Elena grabbing a small handbag. She gives an awkward smile. I
reach out a hand and take hers, leading her alongside us, to the garage. Damien eyes his motorbike with
longing and I hide a smile, going over to the SUV as he sighs and walks over.
I help Elena into the passenger seat. She smiles tiredly, adjusting herself in the seat as I walk to the back.
Damien grins and helps me into the boot of the car, a large smelly, old, blanket placed on top of me. It
covers me completely. I also stink and I cough and splutter, hearing Damien's laughter as he shuts the
door. "Try not to cough when we get there" he yells and I flip him the finger. I hear the car start and the
murmur of voices, the driver door shutting with a loud bang. The car pulling out, the tires squealing
softly. Music playing from the radio, the whisper of Elena and Damien's voices. I relax where I am, lying
there, things piled on top of me and close my eyes. There's very little traffic at this time of night and
before long I find myself becoming sleepy. But before I fall asleep, I suddenly realise that, Elena,
managed to get herself out of searching the house for more clues by coming with us. Was it intentional?
I very much suspected it was.

Kai POV

"You should have seen Africa, Kai, it was beautiful" King Axel was enthusing at the breakfast table, his
arms gesticulating wildly as he spoke, his eyes dancing. "For some unfathomable reason, even the shyest
of creatures would approach our tour bus" he said, with a wry shake of his head. "Vanessa even reached
out and touched a tiger's head as though it was nothing but a cat" he said chuckling.

My eyes turn to Vanessa, who merely looks at her husband indulgently. "Oh Axel, you make it sound
much more exciting that it is" she breathed. For a moment her eyes linger on me and she licks her lips
seductively as I watch, feeling desire and lust run throughout my veins. Storm grumbles a protest at me
but I block him, not wanting to hear it. In fact, I don't wish to hear his voice at all, annoying and
persistant as it is.

A guard tentatively walks in "Your Highness's" he says, bowing deeply from the waist in respect as
Vanessa and Axel sit patiently, waiting for them to speak "some visitors attempted to gain access to the
castle. Per Queen Vanessa's instructions, we have detained them in the dungeon, until such time as you
are able to ascertain they are a threat."

"Thankyou" drawled Vanessa with a coy smile "did these visitors say what they want?"

The guard hesitated. "They claim to be family members of your current visitors your majesty."
Vanessa gave a hiss and looks at me. I know who it must be, Damien and Langdon must have finally
made their way down here. Thank fuck for that. I was starting to think they were going to make Winter
and I go through this damn ritual by ourselves. Then it hits me what the guard had just said about them
being put in the dungeon.

"They can stay in the dungeon. I want no complications when it comes to tonights ritual" she decides,
resting her head on her hand, her eyes flickering between myself and the guard.

"Queen Vanessa" I quietly say, "these family members need to be set free" I begin and then trail off as
my mind becomes smoky, cloudy, unable to recollect what I was going to say, let alone what I had been
thinking. I pause confused.

"It's safer for them to be in the dungeon" Vanessa insisted, her eyes blinking at me, her head cocked in
annoyance.

"It's safer for them to be in the dungoen" I repeat blankly "they need to be kept away from the ritual" I
added with a frown.

Vanessa's eyes gleamed. King Axel merely looked blank as he stared down at the table. The royal guard
was confused but smiled at his queen anyway. "I shall keep them locked up then your highness" he said
politely.

"Thankyou. Please take your leave" Vanessa said calmly, motioning for the young man to leave. Her eyes
sparkled with triumphance.

I feel confused. "I should check on Winter" I mutter, about to stand up, when Vanessa's hand darts out
and grabs hold of my arm.

"Winter is safe" she cooes, her voice washing over me, my body feeling relaxed as she speaks to me, my
whole body leaning forward in an attempt to be even closer to her. She has such a beautiful smile and
that body of hers! Smoking hot.
"You need to let Winter rest before tonights ritual" she instructs in a husky voice.

"Yes, let her sleep son" King Axel says jovially "tonights going to be a big night after all. Best to get as
much rest in as you can."

"But Winter needs to eat" I begin to mutter and Vanessa places a finger against my lips, causing my cock
to twitch with excitement.

"Winter is fine, stop worrying about it" she breathes, standing up and pulling me up beside her, Axel
looking away and completely oblivious, apparently, to it all. Either that or is this something he's used to. I
feel like I should protest or move away but then just as quickly the thought flickers from my mind.

She's so close to me. I can smell her perfume in the air. an intoxicating scent of lilies and roses. I take a
deep sniff in appreciation. I can feel tingles where her hand grasps my own.

"Kai, I can feel your heart racing in your chest" she whispers, placing a hand against my breast "I can
smell your scent, I can feel the love you have for me" she continues as I look directly at her. Her voice
washes over me, my body stays close beside her, but part of me wants more, even knowing that Axel is
still in the same room, I don't care. It's like a compulsion, one that I cannot resist, as my head slowly
lowers itself down and my lips softly touch hers.

She tastes divine, like ambrosia or what I figure ambrosia tastes like. Her lips are like velvet honey. She
kisses me with a fervor, her cheeks flushing as she finally pulls back.

"Kai, what has come over you" she gasps.

I should care that Axel was there, but when I glance around the room, my friend has long since
disappeared. There's no sign of him anywhere and I wonder, slightly guiltily whether he left as I started
kissing his wife. Why don't I feel even remotely bad about it? Am I that much of a bastard? Because
rather than leave, my eyes are sweeping over Vanessa's pert breasts and slim figure, my body craving to
take her then and there on the dining table.

"Save that for later" she purrs, coming over and shucking me under the chin. There's a satisfied smile on
her face as she studies me. "I think you'll make a much better King than Axel, by my side" she whispers
thoughtfully.

I give her a nod, taking in her skin tight dress with a sigh. She laughs. "Go and take a walk my pet, work
off some of you frustration" she says sardonically. I should take offense to that but my whole body just
responds, whether I want it to or not. In fact, I bow before her, then turn and leave the room, very aware
of her watchful gaze as I do so.

Kai will you snap the fuck out of it already. You're an embarrassment.

Storm what is your problem? Vanessa is everything we've ever wanted in a mate.

She's not our mate jackass, Winter is. Can you get that through your thick skull?

I can't fight my feelings for Vanessa. Storm what do you think it is? I just can't move my body when I
want to and all I can think about is her.

It's because you're under a spell you nitwit. How thick are you? Think about Winter. Think about the way
she smiles when she's happy, the way those big eyes of hers widen when she laughs, how her laugh
sounds. All the stuff that makes Winter unique and special to us.

I do. I think about Winter and how she lights up whenever she spots me coming. The way her hugs feel
when she hugs me, her body so warm and toasty. The sparks that fly between us and what her lips taste
like when I kiss her. Even the way her body feels like beneath mine, the sound of my name coming from
her lips, the way she shudders as she cums.

The more I manage to think about it, the less confused I feel and the less clouded my mind seems to be.
She needs us Kai. That gorgeous woman, upstairs right now, needs us and you need her. I swear to god
when all this is over with, if you don't put a ring on it, I'm sticking your sorry ass in confinement. God
knows any man would be lucky to have that girl and you're being such a douchebag when it comes to
marriage. For fuck sake, getting married isn't like your contracting an std.

I know that Storm.

Well, the way you act, I'm beginning to think you have serious issues when it comes to getting married.
Are you afraid of priests? Because I can work with that.

It's not priests you jackass that scares me.

Then what is it?

I'm afraid of disappointing her! There, I said it. I don't want her to be disappointed and regret marrying
me. So it's easier to just not do it.

Um, you've disappointed her so many times, why would it matter if you were married?

What the hell Storm. Can't you just be sympathetic for once?

No. You'll get sympathy when I think you deserve it.

Damn mutt, you could be nicer to your human you know. At least try to be a bit respectful.

I'll think about it but don't hold your breath dumbass.

I give a slight huff and shake my head. Leave it to Storm to be so bloody blunt right now. I sigh and look
around at the desolate castle, with the servants moving back and forth, chatting amiably to each other.
What do I do right now? If I go to the dungeon, then Vanessa will know instantly and there's every
chance I'd get thrown in there as well. I scowl, looking towards Winter's bedroom. I can already see
several guards in the corridor, no doubt they will inform Vanessa should I choose to go back up there as
well. The grounds seem to be the safest bet.

I walk off, slow, trying to appear as though I'm still unsteady on my feet and under whatever spell she
placed on me. The front door is just as heavily guarded, the guards giving me a nod as I leave. I sigh. I can
hear the sounds of shifters sparring in the distance, no doubt training to keep themselves fit and
prepared for battle. My feet unconsiously turn towards the direction and I walk, the sun shining down
warmly on me, my feet crunching over twigs and leaves, the grass soft and lush. Shouts can be heard as
well as a small crowd cheering. They sound just like a pack would, I think with a smile.

The training ring is large, not unexpected considering the location, two large shifter's in the ring. I can
only see the back of them, but they look fit, with muscled abdomens and bulging arms. They are
grappling in human form, much to my satisfaction. You should be able to defend yourself in human form
as well as in your wolf form.

"Go, you can do it" screamed a person from the crowd.

"Make him drop" screamed another.

I stayed behind the crowd, watching pleasantly, distracted, from my problems, for a minute at least. The
warriors leapt apart and began to circle each other, as I watched the crowds reaction.

Thump. The taller one is swept to the floor, hitting the ground hard as the crowd roared in disbelief. The
shorter one, immediately took advantage and gave a hard kick, before performing some sort of wrestling
move, that had the poor bastard on the ground quickly tapping out.

"Drake is the winner" yelled out a member of the crowd who had been acting as the referee.
"What a surprise" scoffed a person.

"Yeah, like you couldn't see that coming" another laughed, elbowing his friend.

The crowd began to disperse and I start to move to the front, my eyes on the young lad still in the ring,
his back to me. I can see the sweat glistening down his shirtless body, a half sleeve tribal tattoo on his
right arm. His hair was shaggy. But something, something about this boy seems familiar. Like he reminds
me of someone. He's busy talking to a friend as I slowly circle around and come up towards him.

I inhale in shock. Those features. Those eyes of his, the hair, the lips, so much of it was the same and yet
there were subtle differences. The hair was slightly longer. He had ear piercings up and down his right
ear. The tattoo. A small scar across his eyebrow as though he'd been hit with something. His lips were
slightly twisted. But there was no denying who he looked like. For, despite the small differences, he was
exactly identical. I was standing there looking at the very same image of Damien, right in front of my
eyes, my mouth gaping open in shock.

"I better go before mother finds out I'm here" the boy called Drake said to his friend with a sardonic
twist of his lips "she hates it when I spar."

"Your mother probably already knows" his friend said with a grin "Queen Vanessa knows everything.
Poor bastard" he said laughing and walking away.

Then Drake looked at me. "I'm sorry, Can I help you?" he asked in a hoarse voice. No doubt from the
fighting.

"You have to go to the dungeon" I whisper urgently, even as I hear her voice yelling for Drake in the
background. I can't believe Queen Vanessa is his mother. How was this possible? A twin. Did Damien
know? Before Vanessa reached us both, I take another shaky breath and tell him "go to the dungeon.
Trust me."

Drake POV
I stare at the man who stepped forward to speak to me, aware of my mother's presense and her harried
footsteps towards me.

"You need to go to the dungeon" he had said, like there was some great mystery awaiting me. It's
intriguing though, like there's something he knows that I don't. I give him a small smirk. As if I'm going to
fall for it though. It could be a trap.

"Drake" the voice is sharp, angry, annoyed. Ah mother, so nice to see you again too. I turn towards her
and raise an eyebrow, annoyed at her already.

"What are you doing out here" Vanessa hisses, coming closer. She's waving her arms around like a lunatic
and frowning fiercely at me.

"I was training" I tell her abruptly and she sneers at me.

"How many times have I told you to stay away from the training ring" she snaps, "It's below you, to train
with the royal guards and what not."

There it is, the superiority complex she seems to have. That we, for some unfathomable reason, are
better than everybody else, because she married King Axel, an extroadinarily nice man that really
deserves far better than my mother as his wife. Part of me wishes I wasn't such a coward, because then
the man would actually be free of this witch instead of stuck with her.

Her eyes slide over to the man who has scars on his face. "Alpha Kai" she says in a sugary sweet tone of
voice "I didn't see you there, I thought you were just going for a walk" she adds looking suspicious.

He seems to pale slightly or is it my imagination. Uh oh, had he gone against my mother's orders. Poor
bastard. He really should know better.
"I was going for a walk when I came across the training ring and decided to investigate" he said quickly.

That seems to satisfy her.

"I was looking for you" she seems to purr "Winter will need another dosage soon. Shall we go to her
room and provide it."

I frown. Who the hell is Winter?

"Certainly Queen Vanessa" Alpha Kai responds, holding his arm out to her. My mother willingly takes it
and they turn to walk in the direction of the castle.

"Drake" Vanessa says as I look at her, "I expect you to join your father and I for lunch shortly. Is that
clear?" she says haughtily.

I scowl at her. Miserable bitch, already back to micro managing my life. I bite my lip however and give her
an insincere smile. "Certainly mother" I snap. She glares at me then shrugs and walks away with this
Alpha Kai man. God how I hate her. I'm under no illusions that she's not my real mother. I've known since
I was tiny that I was adopted. Shame that the man who adopted me with her died. He was nice, from
what I can recall. Whereas my mother is a coldhearted bitch who goes through men like they're nothing.
She doesnt' even care if they are already married. I know she's a witch, but there's something else to her
because men throw themselves at her without her even trying. It's annoying and embarrassing. I suspect
she's part siren but I've never been able to prove it. But it would explain a hell of a lot.

"Screw this" I mutter once they are a safe distance away "I'm going to go and check that dungeon out."
Trap or no trap, I can't get the look of desperation on that man's face. It wouldn't hurt to have a quick
look would it?

I put my joggers on, I hate fighting in shoes for some reason and head towards the building towards the
far end of the castle. If I'm in luck, and to be fair, it's a pretty safe bet, then Jared is going to be the one
guarding, because its the most hated job out there and it gets given to the dumbest guard out there.
Hence, Jared.

Yes, I almost cheer loudly in my head. It's him. With his dreadlocks and nose piercing, dishevelled
clothing and general air of boredom, it's none other than my stoner friend Jared standing out front.

"Drake" he crows when I come into view, fist bumping me with a grin "long time no see man. How have
you been?" he exclaims.

"I've been better. I only came back because I ran out of money back packing" I tell him sorrowfully.

"Ah man, that sucks. Would have been nice though yeah, backpacking through europe" he says excitedly
"better than being stuck here at any rate" he says sadly.

He furtively checks the grounds but nobody is interested in us, let alone cares what he's doing. He rolls a
joint and lights it, smoking it with an appreciative look on his face.

"That's the stuff" he moans, handing it to me. I take a drag and then pass it back.

"Don't get caught" I warn him and he just laughs, chugging away.

"I won't nobody cares enough to come here anyway. This is the job given to the lowest of the lows" he
laughs "I'm not complaining though because I can smoke and not get pulled up."

I sigh. He's never going to change, but then why should he have to? He's a genuinely nice guy with a
heart of gold, even if he does like to get stoned or high as you call it.

"Hey what's going on tonight?" he asks me suddenly.

I frown. I've no idea. "Nothing as far as I know, why?"

"There's some talk about your mother doing a ritual or something" Jared mutters.

"I got nothing" I say with a shrug of my shoulders. "Hey listen Jared" I ask him as he peers at me blearily
"can you let me inside? I hear you have some prisoners in there?"

He blinks, caught off guard. "There are prisoners in there" he says with a grin "You want to go in there
man, go ahead."

I hesitate. I don't know why, but something makes me ask it anyway "have you got the keys to the cell?"

Now he looks a bit anxious. "I do, but why do you need them. "

"I don't" I say quietly 'but why don't you come inside with me? You can still smoke your joint then" I add,
watching him think it over. After all you can guard inside just as well as outside I want to shout at him,
but he needs to come to that rationale himself.

"Yeah ok man" Jared says and both of us slip inside.

I blink, the darkness overwhelming in such a small confined space. I can hear voices coming from the last
cell and I walk quickly, Jared unconcerned as he walks behind me, inhaling his joint. The marijuana
smellls disgusting but theres this most beautiful scent coming towards me. It's hard to put a handle on it.
It's like chocolate mousse, my favourite dessert in the whole entire world. Not only is that perplexing but
my wolf is going crazy in my mind, pracing around and growling like a possessive bitch. I want to know
what the hell his problem is.

I stop in front of the prisoners and gape. I swear that Jared has dropped his joint in surprise. There are
three of them. One older woman and two men. The older woman is beautiful in a way, with her pale
skin, longish hair and beautiful blue eyes. But its the other two which make me want to go insane.
Standing directly in front of me with his own mouth wide open, is a mirror version of me. Sure, my hair is
slightly longer, I have a tattoo on my arm and I'm a little more tanned than him, but the other man is me.

"Holy shit, there's two of you" exclaims Jared from the back as his eyes dart back and forth in shock.

"You're me" I whisper to the man. "You're like my twin" I add in disbelief. There's no mistaking it. He'r
right there in front of my very eyes. I never even knew he existed.

The other me stares. "You're Drake" he bursts out "I've been wanting to look for you."

"How do you know my name" I murmur, trying not to touch the silver bars, but desperate to reach in and
touch him. To make sure that he is in fact real. After all Jared is not the most reliable of people to ask,
especially when he's under the influence.

"It's a long story."

My wolf however is growling at me and I turn to the third prisoner in the cell, the one who is regarding
me steadily, his arms folded across his chest. I've never seen such a perfect man. His eyes are black,
showing his wolf is close to the surface, his whole body is toned and muscled. He reminds me of a greek
god with his hair all mussed up. The other me is standing close to him, one hand on his shoulder.

"Mate" I growl the word without warning, causing the man to stiffen where he's standing. His eyes dart
to me.

For a moment I feel desolute and then he softly says it back "Mate" as other me just smiles grimly.

"Holy cow" Jared shouts, "my god man. This is unbelieveable. Two of you and your mate. My god, oh my
god" he continues to mutter to himself.
"I'm Damien" other me says "your twin brother and this is our mate Langdon" he indicates the gorgeous
hunk next to him. The woman has remained silent all this time, a hand to her mouth, tears welling in her
eyes.

"This is our mother Elena" Damien says quietly and I regard her, wondering how I ended up adopted but
Damien apparently didn't. There's a story to be told there.

"I'm more interested in why you all got tossed inside a cell" I say quietly, my hand itching to grab hold of
the key and open the door.

"We came here because my sister Winter is with her mate inside the castle. I think she's in danger. She's
supposed to go through some kind of ritual tonight and we came here to stop it. We havent' done
anything wrong."

"I have a sister" I say quietly, awed and overwhelmed, and Damien nods.

"Queen Vanessa is my mother" I tell them and hear them all inhale in shock.

"We're screwed then" Damien says bitterly "was this just a joke to you?"

I shake my head. "I can't stand my mother and I've always known I'm adopted. So no, this isn't a joke for
me" I growl "I only just learned of your existence, give me a freaking break for gods sake."

"Will you help us?" Damien asks desperately "Winter is in there" he continues.

I cock my head "is her mate Alpha Kai?" I ask and they nod.

Shit. I glance down at my watch. I need to hustle and soon before mother comes looking for me again.
She ordered me to have lunch with them and she meant it. I want to scream in frustration. My mother,
my real mother, my brother and my mate are all locked inside a cell. It' s almost too incredible to be real.
I eye Jared who's disposed of his joint and is smiling widely at everyone. I sigh. He's not going to be much
good. At least he looks like a happy guard.

"Look I can't let you guys out right now" I say firmly "your sister's just been dosed which I think means
she's been put to sleep. My mother is expecting me any minute and will come looking if I don't go. Your
best bet, is for me to release you later, when the ritual is about to start" I finish, my heart pounding
wildly in my chest. I'm completely making this plan up as I go along.

"How do we know if we can trust you" Damien says thickly. Ouch, that hurts, but I don't blame him for
asking it.

"Drake is the most honest person I know" Jared chimes in out of nowhere. "If he tells you something he
means it."

Damien deflates. "But it means going against the woman who raised you" he says suspicious.

I give a bitter laugh "trust me, I mainly raised myself. I wouldn't worry about loyalties right now. Just wait
here and be ready. If I know my mother she's doing the ritual when the full moon is completely up in the
sky" I say. I point to Jared "he'll get you anything you need for now. Trust me, you get let out earlier, you
end up getting caught and then Winter is a goner. This is the only way" I tell them and then eye my mate
"you and I are going to get a chance to know each other better later. It hurts me to leave you in here" I
tell him, meaning every word. He nods in understanding. I turn and begin to walk away, yelling over my
shoulder "be ready, because I will be back for all of you, you can count on it."

Winter POV

It's so dark and so cold. It feels like I'm floating, in mid air. I can feel my hair hanging down, the clothes
on my skin, the air on my flesh. I open my eyes and it feels like I fall for a moment, landing on what looks
like nothing, just darkness for miles. I frown. Why can't I feel anything between my feet? What's
preventing me from continuing to fall? Have I finally died after all this time? I feel a pang at that. But if
I'm dead then what is this? Is it hell, because it certainly isn't heaven.
Winter, Winter, do you hear me?

Come and find me, if you can.

The voice is taunting. Eerie, like an echo from somewhere far away. I turn around in a circle wildly but
there's no one there. I can't even tell which direction the voice is coming from. In the end, I give a shrug
and begin to walk, feeling like I'm in quicksand, each step a difficult maneouvre, my feet slipping as I do. I
curse under my breath but what would standing there, doing nothing do for me? As it is, I'm
remembering the drug I drank to save Kai's life and ponder the possibility that this is just a horrific
dream.

So weak Winter. Is this all you have? You're little more than a pathetic human, struggling to walk when
you should be able to run, to fly almost. What a waste.

Fuck you, I think to the voice in my mind, flipping the bird even though there's no one there. I try to
speak to Sabriel but for the moment, she's completely silent and I know the voice in my head isn't her.
It's nothing like her. Even if it is sassy. Sabriel's sassiness is different. I fall and my hands slide around
frantically. The floor feels cool, almost like glass even. It takes a minute, but I get myself standing again
and this time, I notice, my feet don't seem to sink and I can walk normally, albeit slowly, the floor
slippery.

That's a little better but you're still nothing but a weakling. Someone who relies on others to save her,
content to be a nobody. Who feels the need to change herself but not for the better. You're so slow
Winter, can't you see? Come and find me.

The air seems to crackle around me and my hair begins to frizz and stand up all around. Lightning and
thunder all around me, water pouring down and soaking me to the skin. I can feel every single droplet as
it hits me. It stings. This isn't just water, or is it? The coldness hits me hard and I can feel it in my bones,
my whole body trembling as I begin to walk, slowly, the floor even more slippery and hazardhous. What
is the purpose of this? Why is the voice tormenting me so? Who does this fucking voice belong to and
what does it want from me?

A strike of lightning hits me and I scream out loud, expecting myself to spontaneously combust or
something, but instead all I feel is the tiniest bit of pain run through my entire body and then nothing.
The thunder is so loud that it's almost impossible to hear my own thoughts, let alone concentrate on
anything else. I grit my teeth, shivering violently and continue to walk in the same blasted direction.
With all the pain I'm feeling and the sounds I'm hearing, I'm almost a hundred percent certain this isn't a
dream, but who knows. Maybe it's that fucking drug I took willingly. Seriously messed up, that's what
this is.

Did you feel that lightning hit you? Barely left a mark, didn't it? As though reminding you of the strength
you possess? Aren't you tired of always being the victim Winter? Of people hurting you for their own
nefarious purposes? Aren't you sick of these evil people? Wouldn't you like it to be different? You know
you do. Somewhere inside of you, part of you wants to hurt them, like they hurt you. Dont lie to yourself
anymore Winter. Come and find me.

Now the voice is coaxing me. The thunder disappears and I give a loud sigh of relief. warm air blasting
around me. Within moments my clothes and my hair is dry and my body stops trembling. Then the wind
becomes harsher, revolving around me, my clothes flying around me wildly as I put my arms up, every
step now torture as I try not to slide back in it's web. I'm starting to get seriously pissed off now.

"What do you want" I scream out, it fading into the wind "what do you want from me? Why are you
doing this?."

I don't know what I expected, but there was no reply. Nothing but my words being bitten and tossed
away by the harsh wind. I grit my teeth and force myself forward, feeling fatigued, drained. This,
whatever it is, is torture of its own. Maybe I am in hell. If that's the case, it's a lot different than anyone
ever envisioned it. It's also fucking annoying. My hands clench into fists as I stride forward, Right now I
would love nothing more than to get my hands on whoever the voice belongs to.

Would you Winter? What would you do? Fight me? You don't have the guts or the power. I'm far more
powerful than you. You wouldn't stand a chance against me. You would lose your life within an instant.
Do you know that? Are you ready for death? You seem so eager to die? Pathetic little girl. Come and find
me, if you dare.

The wind dies down and I inhale greedily, but the warmth is gone as well. Then the ground beneath me
gives a loud cracking noise and I see shards falling down, before larger bits follow, my whole body
slipping and sliding as I try to run, to no avail, as the ground vanishes beneath me and I fall, down, down,
down, my body kicking and screaming, until finally I stop. I open my eyes, looking around curiously.
There is a hard stone floor beneath my feet, the walls the same material. I can't see a door, as I explore
what seems to be a room. In the middle of the room stands an item, covered with a sheet. My eyes go to
it. Should I pull the sheet off? There is nothing else to be found. I walk to the front of it, or what I assume
is the front of the tall round item and ponder what to do.

Winter, Winter, are you there?

Pathetic girl standing there, so scared.

Are you going to come and find me?

Because there's no leaving this place until you do.

So what's your decision going to be?

I wonder. . .

The voice is coming from behind the sheet. I stare at it, my hands trembling, before I reach forward and
quickly grab hold of the starchy fabric and in one fell swoop, before I change my mind. rip the sheet off
and toss it to the side. I stare in shock at a large oval mirror with legs that was hidden beneath it. It's as
large as I am and my feet move closer off their own accord before I can stop them. My reflection stares
back at me, but different. Her hair is lighter, a whitish blonde, her eyes are a cool clear blue, her skin is
pale as porcelain and her lips are a ruby red colour. She stands tall, no blemishes on her whatsoever. As I
stare she lifts her t shirt and moves around in a circle, her skin completely clear of any scars, unlike my
own which has plenty. She smiles at me triumphantly, her fangs glistening in the light. I reach out to
touch the cool surface of the mirror, in awe despite myself.

"Who are you" I whisper and the girl chuckles as I cringe.

It's her, the voice I've been hearing. She cocks her head and studies me. "I'm you, but the you that you
haven't embraced yet" she says with a hiss "you still hold back when you should be embracing me" she
says a tad bit sadly and I feel a moment of guilt.

I know who she is now. There's no denying it. But still, I say the words out loud to be sure. "You're the
vampire side of me, aren't you?"

She reaches out of the mirror and I almost scream as she steps outside of it, the mirror going dark and
blank behind her. "I am the other half of you that you stifle out of fear. The part you wanted to be rid of"
she sneers, glaring at me as I back away a few steps.

"I don't fear you" I protest, but even I know that's a lie. After what I did to my son of a bitch father, I have
feared the vampire side of me, not going to lie.

"I'm not a monster" the other me says sadly, circling around me as I watch her wearily "I merely want to
survive. You can control the urges. Is it really so bad to have blood every few days in exchange for
strength and speed that is far superior to shifter's."

"It is when you're taking it from people" I hiss.

"But you dont' have to. Heck, you could get it from the hospital" she points out and I fall silent. Because
she's right, I could.

"You need me" she points out, with a smirk.

I narrow my eyes at her "what makes you think that?"

"Because without me" she says lowly "we will both die. Do you think Vanessa is doing the ritual for your
benefit" she hisses, her eyes going blood red "she wants the power that we possess. She's not going to
just take our power. She got us pregnant for heaven's sake or have you forgotten?"
I had forgotten. I inhale sharply as I remember. But what would Vanessa's motive be for something like
that? I stare at the vampire in confusion. "I don't understand why she needed us pregnant" I say
helplessly, no longer moving away from her.

"Because the King wants an heir. She plans on taking our child and inserting it into her during the ritual
to trick him. A half witch, half siren struggles to conceive and she's too impatient to wait years for it to
happen. She cannot have our child Winter, I will not allow it."

"Nor will I" I snap.

"Then be honest. You are too weak as just a shifter to save yourself, let alone our child and Kai. You need
me, or will you take the risk of failing?"

I wouldn't take the risk. It was far too great. Neither was I going to lose my baby, even if I hadn't liked
how it was conceived. Kai and everyone else, including my child, was too important to me. I look at her
helplessly.

"What do I need to do?" I ask, making my decision. Vanessa was going down. I didn't care about the
consequences.

She smiles at me. "You need to embrace me fully" she says calmly."Walk into me child, close your eyes
and become one. A mark will appear on your forearm if you do it right."

We didn't have time to lose. She was beginning to look concerned. "We must move, they are taking you
outside for the spell. Hurry up Winter" she urged.

I gather up my courage and move forward. Once I'm right in front of her, I take a deep breath and walk
into her. It's not an easy process. Every step or movement is indescribeable pain as our bodies meld
together. Something she failed to tell me, I think a bit sourly. Eventually though, after using all my
strength and fighting for it, there is but one of us standing there.
"Close your eyes" the voice comes to me unbidden and I do, imagining us as one, myself as both shifter
and vampire. No longer repulsed by the fact. No longer horrified by the vampire aspect of me. Because I
need her. I need both sides of myself and I was realising that now.

I feel a burning sensation on my forearm. My eyes flutter open and I watch wide eyed as a celtic, tribal
tattoo appears on my arm, glittering slightly before becoming a dark black that was very prominent on
my pale skin. My fangs popped out with ease as I flexed my arm. It was time to wake up.

Damien POV

"Well he seems nice" Elena commented from the cell, her voice dripping with sarcasm "he could have at
least let us free."

I roll my eyes. Langdon is quiet, hard to read, a grim expression on his face as he regards us all. The other
boy, or guard, Jared is still staring at us all in disbelief, my twin having walked away now.

"Langdon" I say quietly, "are you going to keep him as your mate?" I ask tentatively. I won't blame him if
he says yes, after all it's relatively normal for twins and triplets to have the same mate but it stings to
think of sharing him with another person, even if that person is my brother. I scold myself for being
jealous especially right now. But I can't help it. After all I've had Langdon to myself up until now.

He hesitates for a moment. "It's a weird situation" he says finally "I know it's a normal thing but I find
that I'm really attached to you and don't want to be shared" he admitted "but I also don't want to hurt
your brother's feelings either" he says with a frown " I need time to think about it."

"That's fair" I say quietly.

I turn to mother who looks pensive now, staring off into the distance, thinking about god knows what.
"Mother, any chance you want to explain how Drake ended up here?" I ask sarcastically.
She looks up. I frown. She genuinely looks mystified. At a complete loss if I'm being honest with myself.
Maybe she's been telling the truth this time. Either that, or she's a hell of a good actress. I suspect the
latter.

"No idea" she says calmly. Too calmly.

"You're so lucky to have Drake as a brother" the stoner says. You can smell the marijuana drifting off his
clothes from the cell and his eyes are so glazed over, I'm amazed he can see at all. Let alone carry on a
conversation.

"Is that right" I say drily although, I'm curious about Drake. My twin looks so much harder than myself,
like he's had a rough upbringing as well and that tattoo well, it's awesome. I'm considering getting one
myself now.

"Yes" enthuses Jared "he's so nice even if he doesn't look it. Trust me, he'll do anything for his friends.
Shame about his mother" he comments "he really hates her. Which is strange because everyone else
loves her."

"I don't suppose you are willing to let us out" Langdon speaks out, moving forward but avoiding the bars.

Jared looks apologetic. "I promised I wouldn't but Drake will be back soon, don't worry. He wouldn't lie
to you" he assures us.

We have to trust him. Elena sits on the ground and makes herself comfortable. "Is there any chance of
getting something to eat and drink?" she asks politely.

"Of course" Jared says cheerfully "I'll get someone to bring some good stuff down. You like chocolate?"
he asks my mother who looks horrified at the very idea. Why do I have the feeling he has the munchies?
I fight back a grin as he almost races outside. Mother looks offended. "He didn't even ask what I wanted"
she says with a groan "he'll probably come back with junk food and soft drink."
"Well it won't kill you" I tell her with a shrug "be grateful he's fetching anything. He could just let us
starve."

"I am grateful" she protests "but he's stoned, and I don't want lollies and chips."

"Tell him that when he gets back then" I say with a sigh. God, does she have to complain about
everything? Why can't she just leave well enough alone?

Langdon grabs hold of my arm and drags me into a corner, "Leave your mother alone" he sighs "we have
bigger fish to fry."

I look around the cell and the dungeon. We're the only ones in there.

"What do you suggest we do?" I ask mystified "we can't exactly break out of here" I point out wryly.

He huffs impatiently. " I know that, but it's not like we have a plan either" he points out impatiently
"what do you think we should do when we get out?"

"Save Winter" I snap like it's going to be the easiest thing in the world. Even I wince when I speak those
words and I look at Langdon sheepishly.

He merely rolls his eyes and folds his arms, arching an eyebrow at me "you know it's not going to be that
easy, don't you?"

"Well what should we do? The queen is a witch and a siren according to Winter, how exactly do you fight
someone like that?" I snap with a shrug. "Men can't fight against sirens, we're lucky she's only a half
siren, but combined as a witch?"

"We can still win, we just have to be cautious" Langdon says quietly. He looks determined, I'm just not as
optimistic as him.

Elena must have been listening because she turned her head and chuckled at the both of us. "You men
will be like putty at her fingertips" she chortled "don't you see, the only people unaffected by sirens are
women. You are both goners as soon as you see her. Drake is only immune because he's grown up with
it. This whole plan was stupid to begin with."

I turn on her angrily "well do you have any suggestions then mother" I spit out "or are you just going to
sit there and tear everything we think of down."

Langdon grabs my arm. "She said women are immune" he hisses, gesturing at a wide eyed Elena "so she
must be immune to her charms. Why don't we get her to take charge in a way. Be a vital part of the
plan?"

"No way" Elena says weakly "she'll kill me before I can do anything."

"You are still a shifter" I point out angrily "and it's your daughter she has. Don't you care mother, about
Winter?"

She falls silent and goes pale. I stare triumphantly. She's feeling guily and rightly she should. Finally she
slumps her shoulders and leans against the wall, muttering under her breath. "Fine, tell me what to do"
she says weakly.

We sit down with her, facing the door. The door bursts open, startling us all as we jump in our skins.
Jared comes in wheeling a trolley and smiling with a look of success on his face.

"I brought food and drink" he says crowing proudly.

I glance at the trolley and almost burst out laughing. As I'd predicted he'd brought all sorts of sweets and
chips, lollies, soft drink and water thank god, not to mention a copious amount of chocolate. Langdon
makes a strangled noise and my mother's mouth has dropped open in shock.

"Thankyou Jared" I say politely "that was really nice of you."

He beams. He manages to hand everything through the bars as I pass the stuff out. My mother wrinkles
her nose and accepts a bottle of water but nothing else. Snob I think with amusement. Jared is inhaling
his own food.

"Drake says eat up, you need your strength" he comments, placing a potato chip in his mouth and
munching loudly as mother winces in disgust.

I grin. I can't help it. I like this kid. Even as a stoner, he's nice.

"What else did Drake say?" I ask as he selects a jelly snake and opens his mouth, dropping it down into
his throat with a slurping sound.

He glances at me meaningfully. "That at a certain time, I'm to unlock the cell door and then slip away,
leaving you guys to your own devices."

I inhale. "Drake will keep his word then" I check, still awed by the fact I've seen my brother in person and
that I didn't have to go on a personal quest to find him.

Jared looks insulted now. "OF course he'll keep his word. He would never back down from it. He's your
brother, you should at least know that about him. Don't twins have a special bond or somethin?" he says
with annoyance.

Twins most likely had a bond, but only when they grew up together I thought with a pang of sadness, my
chest feeling heavy. I would have loved to have grown up with a brother by my side, someone to have
adventures with and get into mischief with but it was not to be. Perhaps it was better that way, because
at least he wouldn't have grown up with an alcoholic piece of shit for a father, but would things have
been different if he had been around? Would father have been more hesitant in regards to the abuse if
he'd had two sons to stand up to him and say no? Life could have been so much more different, I blame
him and my mother for everything that's occured in my life up until now. Thank god for Langdon who
shows me love and affection every day, who guides me when I'm steering in the wrong direction and
who is there for me in every single way he can be.

"I wish I had a special bond" I whisper to Jared, who's eyes soften as he looks at me.

"Sorry man" he apologises gruffly "didn't mean nothin by it. Heck, Drake is a brother to me, the only
family I got. I guess I'm a little jello" he says sadly.

"You're a good brother to him" I say, watching the young man's face light up. "I guess that makes us
brothers too" I add and he beams. His entire face is glowing.

"Really" he says "tha's so cool."

He yawns. I'm betting the effect of the marijuana is making him sleepy which makes me nervous. We
don't want him to fall asleep and forget to open the door to the cell. Mother however speaks up quietly,
standing abruptly and making eye contact with Jared who blinks at her bemused.

"I need the bathroom" she says hurriedly.

"You're going to have to hold it" Jared says awkwardly "I can't let you out, not yet anyway."

She glares at him and then blushes to my surprise, what on earth is the woman up to now.

"I can't hold it" she argues.

I see Jared glance over to the small bathroom in the corner. It's not far but he's weighing up his options.
After all there is two men in the cell who are more powerful than him. My mother is beginning to
bounce up and down on her toes, cheeks beet red.

"Please" she pleads softly.

Jared looks awkward now, as he shakes his head. She doubles over and clutches at her stomach as
though she's in agony. "You don't understand" my mother says beginning to shake and sob, her voice full
of -pain "I need the bathroom. I'm getting my period."

Stunned silence. Jared's mouth drops open. Langdon and I glance at each other uncomfortably. Was
there a reason she needed to blurt that out for everyone to hear? Nonetheless my mother continues
"I'm bleeding, I'm uncomfortable and I need to use the facilites" she howls. Everyone is feeling awkward
now and Jared is completely speechless. I guess he's never had to handle a situation like this before.

Jared is blushing profusely now and he almost completely bowls over the food trolley, searching
frantically for something as we watch quietly. He finally brandishes a key at us. "Don't tell Drake" he
babbles at us as we all nod, my mother clutching her stomach for all she's worth.

He inserts the key into the lock as we stay back. "Stay back" he advises Langdon and myself, and we
press ourselves back against the wall.

The key turns with a loud ominous creak, Jared pulling the door half open as my mother lets out a
screech of pain. The tips of his ears are red. "Sorry, Sorry" he mumbles, letting my mother out "the
bathroom is over there" he advises, pointing at it. My mother takes a step, then another towards the
facilities. Jared starts to close the door again and I tense, prepared to rush the poor guy when my
mother whirls around instead and hits him hard across the head. Langdon and I are incredulous as he
drops to the floor with a loud thud, the eyes rolling to the back of his head. He's unconscious as she pulls
the door open, hissing in pain from the silver and we walk out. Langdon picks up Jared carefully and
gently places him inside the cell, shutting the door and locking the young man inside. I feel a stab of
remorse. I don't like that we're leaving him like that but we have no choice. Drake would let him out, I
was certain of it.

"Well done mother" I congratulate her and she just eyes me.
"See I am good for something" she says harshly "now let's go find that blasted Kai and your sister. "

She heads towards the exit, Langdon and I in tow.

Kai POV

I feel frustrated. Every time I try to go to Winter, Vanessa somehow makes me forget that's what I want
to do and I find myself doing her bidding instead. Lunch was spent at the table, learning about Drake
who seems to be slightly uncomfortable in his mother's presence. He certainly doesn't act like a loving
son at any rate, but I could be reading him wrong. It's hard to say. My friend King Axel is also silent,
staring down at his food, his eyes glazed over. He hasn't uttered a word, Vanessa instead doing the
majority of the talking. The same thing happens at dinner, and I push my food around on my plate, not
hungry, my stomach churning nervously as the sky begins to darken. My gut begins to cramp in response.

Drake too, looks out the window. He seems to be contemplating something but it's hard to say what. The
room is full of tension.

"It's almost time" Vanessa says in a husky voice "for the ritual. Winter will finally be free of her vampire
side" she says, turning to me and staring deeply into my eyes. I feel my body becoming loose and
relaxed, my mind free of everything but what she is telling me. Drake lets out a snort and she shoots him
an angry glance. I know she didn't want him to come down here, she'd told him bluntly it wasn't the
right time but he'd showed no caring about that at all. He'd actually been quite snide about it, but Axel
had been delighted to see him, much like a father seeing his son. It had been touching to see. At least
someone seemed to care about the boy. It was a shame he hadn't ended up with a better mother.

Vanessa glances outside with a gleam in her eyes. She turns to her husband who blinks at her confused,
an absent expression on his face. "Axel" she says brusquely "go to our room. You are no good to me right
now. You can't help with the ritual" she explains, a sly expression on her face.

For a moment, there's a look of disappointment on Axel's face, but just as quickly it fades away as he
stands up and bows to his wife, who watches him keenly. "As you wish my queen" he says
monotonously.
He turns and walks away with slow, steady footsteps, the sound fading into the distance.

Drake watches him go with a brooding expression on his face. He looks upset on Axel's behalf. His
mother merely raises an eyebrow at him. He stays silent. She smirks.

"I must fetch a few things from my chamber" she informs me haughtily as I listen, my feet not moving as
my body remains still "stay here with Drake while I do so."

"As you wish" I say automatically and she smirks.

Vanessa or rather, Queen Vanessa, turns and glides out of the dining room, a look of concentration on
her heavily made up face. Drake gives her the finger behind her back, luckily she doesn't turn around and
see it. Loving son, he is not coming across as. I turn to look at him, my head at least able to turn. I
wonder if I should be anxious about that. Nah. I'm good.

Drake frowns at me. Smack. He raises his hand and slaps me directly across the face, causing me to
stumble backwards.

"Ouch" I snarl and he looks at me repentent. Well sort of anyway. It quickly fades. Bastard.

"Sorry" he whispers "but pain seems to be the only thing that breaks my mother's spell. You should be
able to move now" he added.

I move my foot experimentally and gasp. He's right, I can.

I give him a sidelong look "did you go to the dungeon?" I hiss and he nods, his face pale.
"I did and I met my brother Damien" he advises "they are still in there, but I plan to leave in a minute
and free them. You on the other hand" he whispers frantically "need to do everything my mother tells
you to. Not that you'll be able to do otherwise, the second she's back here, you'll be under her spell."

"Then why aren't you?" I snap and he gives a bitter laugh.

"I guess because I've grown up with her. I'm immune."

"What is she?" I ask anxiously "how does she have so much power over me?"

He looks incredulous, as though surprised I haven't worked it out yet. Now I feel stupid for no damn
good reason.

"She's half siren" he whispers, checking the doorway "no man can resist her. Did you honestly think your
friend chose her as mate" he says and I still.

"Oh my god, no wonder" I murmur feeling sick and somewhat angry as I stare at the boy "why haven't
you stopped her?" I ask and he looks at me grimly.

"Because she's still my mother. Not to mention she would see it coming, it's no secret that I can't stand
her" he adds.

We hear the sounds of footsteps coming and he motions at me frantically to get back into the position I
had been in when she left. I hurriedly oblige and she comes waltzing in, clutching several items to her
breasts which she hands over to a very apologetic looking Drake.

"Drake my dear" she purrs, thrusting her breasts out as her son winces and looks away embarrassed
"would you do me a massive favour and take this out to my altar table outdoors" she says, grasping his
arm and looking into his eyes, even as he tries to evade her. "Kai and I have one more thing to grab
before we can begin. You don't mind do you?" she asks.
Drake's eyes meet mine and I know he's going to the dungeon now he's been given the opportunity. I
give a discreet nod and he smiles a little at her. She visibly relaxes.

"Thankyou" Vanessa tells Drake warmly as he gives a grunt and a nod, starting out of the room with his
hands full of items "we'll see you out there" she adds with a grin.

I eye her as he leaves. She seems so confident, so sure of herself. I can feel the siren part of her calling to
me, doing my best to resist it, but it proves to be futile. My whole body seems to be floating again and I
don't feel anything like myself. God, I'm useless, I think annoyed as she runs her hand up my arm.

"Kai my darling' she says sweetly, tingles spreading up my body "I think it's time to fetch Winter now,
don't you? We need her, after all, for the ritual."

I nod and she leads me out of the room and throughout the castle, until we reach the bedroom that
Winter and I have been staying at.

She pushes the door open and walks inside, gesturing for me to follow. My steps feel leaden as I come to
the side of the bed, staring down at my mate with confusion. She lies there, snoring softly away, her
body curled up in a foetal position. She looks so innocent and so vulnerable. I once again try to resist the
spell, but cannot break it's hold on me. Vanessa's eyes gleam with satisfaction as she eyes my mate on
the bed, who appears not to be aware of either of our presences.

"Pick her up Kai, but gently please" Vanessa instructs me in a husky voice, pointing down at Winter.

Damn her to hell, I think sourly. My body moves to respond to her direction though, my arms scooping
Winter up and holding her cradled to my chest. Her head lays back limply and her arms and legs swing
back and forth in my grasp.

"Follow me" Vanessa says lightly, gleefully leaving the room.

We head through a variety of winding corridors and out of the castle, heading southwards on the
grounds. Something large and shimmery is in the distance, gleaming in the moonlight. I can't make it
out, but it appears to be what she's aiming for, her body striding purposely towards it, smiling in the
moonlight. Winter's body feels light in my arms, as light as a feather, her body cold against my bare skin.
We continue in the direction and my eyes make out what the large item is. It's a large table of sorts, I
suppose you could call it. But it was made of white stone or marble or something like that. Long and
rectangular, it's the perfect size for a person to lie down upon.

Vanessa nods as she spots the various items she'd given Drake piled haphazardly next to it. "Damn that
boy" she swears. glancing around with annoyance on her face "where on earth has he gotten to now? He
never did have the stomach for my spells" she said with a derisive snort. She motions for me to put
Winter down on the table.

I gently place her down, her face staring up at the moonlit sky, her arms and legs by her sides. Vanessa
leans down and retrieves something else I didn't see and I blanch as she waves the chains around. "Tie
her to the table."

Resist, damnit, I think to myself, but already I've grabbed the chains and wound them around her and
the table. She pushes a padlock at me and I lock it, stepping back and looking at my mate gravely. Why
does she resemble a sacrifice to me? It makes me nervous but I still don't move towards her.

The moon is high in the sky now, stars twinkling overhead. There was a slight chill to the air and part of
me wonders how it is that Vanessa is so unaffected by it, clad in a simple short black dress that clings
firmly to her figure. She tests the chains and beams at me. "Nice and tight" she approves "well done my
soon to be King."

I feel dread at that promise. I don't want to be her king. I just want to be Winter's mate and even that
was at risk right now, considering everything I've done. Why aren't I completly under her spell? Because
my thoughts are my own, I notice with surprise. Is it because Drake slapped me? Or because I can't stop
thinking about my mate in between Vanessa's talking?

She begins to light some candles, placing them in a large circle around the table, the flames, lighting on
their own. Not only that, but they do not flicker or fizzle out despite the chilly air and brisk wind. They
dont' topple over either, standing firmly on the grass. She also makes me stand back so that I'm not
inside the circle.

"Done" she mutters to herself, standing back and eying it critically.

I dart my eyes around. Where the fuck was Drake? He had said he was going to the dungeon so where
was he? Surely it didn't take that long to free a few lousy prisoners? If he didn't hurry this ritual was
going to be done and dusted and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. My body was refusing to
move unless she told me to.

"A few more minutes" Vanessa said quietly, spreading out her arms and swaying back and forth "and
then I will have what I desire most" she exclaims.

Her gaze drops to Winter and she smirks "so much for being a powerful hybrid" Vanessa says snidely
"she's the weakest one I've ever come across. She has all this power at her fingertips" she says
unrepentently "and doesn't use it. What a waste. She doesn't deserve it. She doesnt' want it. So I'm
going to take it and so much more. I will finally have everything I finally wanted. What I deserve" she
laughs quietly, as I stare at her in dismay. She sounds crazed, but then, wasn't she crazy? I couldn't keep
up with the way her emotions kept changing so quickly.

She bends down and grabs a chalice and a small dagger. Vanessa hands the chalice to me and my hand
closes around it automatically,holding it steady in front of me. She aims the small dagger with a white
crystal handle, at her forearm and closes her eyes, preparing herself to draw blood, from what I can
determine.

Suddenly we hear a loud shout and my eyes fly open in relief. "Get the fuck away from my daughter, you
bitch."

Damien POV

We spent ages waiting for Vanessa to start her fucking ritual thing, that poor boy Jared still locked up in
that cell we left him in. We couldn't risk being caught in the castle and stuck to the grounds, spotting
Winter being carried out and Kai carrying her once it became dark. Drake was annoyed, finding us and
scolding us for not waiting but he shut up when I glared at him. He did however, leave us briefly to go
and let Jared out of the cell and I respect him for that. Clearly the two of them are close friends. He's
loyal, a nice characteristic to have.

We duck behind some bushes nearby, watching as Vanessa instructs Kai to place Winter down on the
stone slab, restraining her with chains around the table. Kai is moving but it's mechanical, his
movements jerky as though he's trying to resist.

"It's the siren part of her" mother whispers "Kai's clearly under her spell." Well duh.

Drake joins us. I cast a look at him.

"Have any of you thought of a plan?" he asks rather desperately as we all shake our heads at him.

"Well that's just great" he huffs.

Langdon seems concerned, narrowing his eyes. "She's about to draw blood" he murmurs "now might be
a good time to interrupt her."

I open my mouth to answer but Mother has already stood up and strode around, staring a startled
Vanessa in the face as she shouts out loud "get away from my daughter you bitch."

"So much for that" mutters Drake, getting up and walking around, Langdon and I following. Elena has
given away that we've escaped from the dungeon, even if she didn't meant to, so there was no longer
any point in hiding. I could kill her though, for losing control, even if it's out of fear for her daughter.

Queen Vanessa is beautiful, her hair flowing in the wind. Her eyes are eerily bright as she smiles in
welcome at us, the dagger slowly dropping to point at the ground. "Well isn't this a nice suprise" she
trills her voice lilting in the air. "So many nice visitors" she adds.
I frown. Why can't I move? I try to step away but can't. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces,
including Elena's, they can't as well. Vanessa moves closer, her eyes narrowed on me in particular, a
small smirk on her face.

"Well Drake how coincidence that your twin happens to be here as well" she scoffs touching my face as I
flinch. She grins.

A few more steps and she stops directly in front of a frozen Drake, his eyes glaring at his mother angrily
as she sighs and shakes her head, tsking in disappointment.

"I expected more from you, my son. Where is the loyalty to your mother?" she says sadly, a hand
clutched to her chest.

"You're not my mother" he spits out "You've never been my mother. I'm just a trophy for you to parade
around. You don't care about me" he growls "you just needed me to help you lure in certain men."

Vanessa gives a large sigh and then turns to my mother, a sadistic smile on her face.

"Here is your so called real mother" Vanessa drawls, as Elena tries to raise her hand to her. She catches it
and digs her nails in, causing Elena to yelp in pain. Drake goes pale. His eyes are horrified. He glances
over at me and I stare back, feeling just as helpless.

"It's been a long time Elena, hasn't it" Vanessa continues and my mouth drops open.

What did she just say? It wasn't my imagination, she just called my mother by her first name. Which
means the two of them knew each other.

"Screw you Vanessa" hisses Elena. She groans as Vanessa drops her arm. I can see nail indents on her
from where I stand. There's also a slight bit of blood welling up.

"So rude" says Vanessa annoyed, walking back to Kai and placing a hand on his chest as he stares at her
like a lovestruck puppy dog.

"After all I did for you" she snaps, as Elena rolls her eyes.

"What do you mean?" I force out.

Vanessa gives me a coy look. "Did your mother not tell you how you were conceived?" she asks wickedly.

I'm confused. She laughs. Elena turns her head to face me. "Don't listen to her" she pleads.

I ignore my mother. Drake is also staring intently at her. "Tell me" I growl.

Vanessa shrugs. "Well your mother knew me when we both attended school together" she said with a
disgusted glance at a distraught looking Elena "we were friends, despite the fact I wasn't a shifter. When
she met your father" she told me, raising her eyes, contempt on her face "she found out that she was
unable to bear children. A rare oddity in a shifter, but it does happen" she says with a pitying look at me.
"So she came to me. Your father, it turns out, was desperate for an heir back then and Elena was
desperate to give him one. The timing worked out well. I willingly agreed to cast a spell on her in order
for her to conceive but with an ultimatum. You see" she sighed "I too wanted a son to love, to adore. My
kind find it extremely difficult to bear children as well and the spell would ensure she had twins."

"Myself and Drake" I uttered out, casting a scornful look at my mother. She'd lied to me, yet again. Why
was I so surprised?

"Yes" said Vanessa sweetly "your mother had to give up one of you to me and she did so without any
qualms at all. Your father went along, because I gave them a substantial amount of money in return as
well. Imagine my surprise when your mother came back, wanting a daughter to go along with the son
she had. Very little time had passed at all, but she wanted to have the two of you close together" she
explained.

My eyes dart to mother. Langdon is calm, placid, even frozen as he is, feet stuck to the ground. I can tell
he's taking everything in.

"Does that mean she had twins again?" I ask, fearing the answer.

Was there another Winter out there somewhere?

Vanessa shook her head. "No, it would have killed your mother if I had used the same spell. This time she
would get one daughter only and be happy with that. Another spell would kill her. I did it for her, in good
faith and then she forgot about me like I never existed."

Her tone was bitter, I noticed, like she'd been hurt by mother's lack of friendship.

Elena was indignant. "I was busy being beaten half to death" she snapped.

Vanessa rolled her eyes "I told you to leave him" she hissed "over and over again but you didn't listen
and then you finally did, leaving your children behind. You're a disgraceful human being" she told her.

I could agree with that. Even Drake was eyeing Elena with misgiving and he barely knew her.

"Vanessa, I'm begging you don't do this" Elena pleaded, looking down at Winter "you have a choice."

Vanessa laughed.
Her face was incredulous. "You want me to stop this ritual?" she asked with a laugh "you must be
kidding. I don't care if she is your precious daughter, she has something that I want. Or rather, she has
two things that I desire."

Winter was so still but her hair, her hair was slowly changing colour in front of me. I blinked but was
certain it was turning an extremely light blonde. Vanessa was so busy speaking, she wasn't noticing that
at all. I kept my face blank, not wanting to draw attention to that. Something was clearly going on. I was
praying it was for the good and that it might be a case of her waking up. Langdon too, cast a sideways
glance before looking back up. He'd noticed as well.

"What is it you want?" I asked rather desperately.

Part of me was desperately hoping that Kai would get his act together but he seemed to be blinking and
glancing around like he was completely at a loss. I suppose, having been in Vanessa's presense longer, he
was more susceptible to her wiles? Did it work that way?

Vanessa turned to look at me, her eyes glinting in the moonlight. Her lips curved back.

"What do I want" she repeated with amusement. "Well, I want lot's of things. But right now' she said
delightedly "I want the power that Winter possesses as a hybrid. Taking her Vampire side will make me a
trybrid, something that's not been done before."

"Then you'll leave her alone?" I check.

"No. She also has the baby she's conceived under my spell. I want that baby. It will be transferrred into
my own body to grow and develop. I've always wanted to experience pregnancy and this is my chance
to."

I stare at her with hatred. She's so evil. Elena lets out a choking sound. Vanessa glances at her.
"Whats' wrong Elena? Are you upset about me killing your daughter? Because once I'm done, Winter will
be nothing but an empty shell and I'll be the most powerful species in existence. Not to mention, her
mate, will be my king and rule by my side. He's rather handsome or I happen to think so anyway."

"What about the king" asked Langdon.

"I plan on killing him too" Vanessa snarled "a more boring shifter, I have never met. I want his kingdom,
not him. He will go, just as all of you will."

Something was spreading on Winter's forearm. It looks like a mark of some description. Or tattoo. It's
tribal and it's dark. It seems to shimmer for a moment and then stills. How curious. Elena is spitting vile
curses at Vanessa who is merely laughing as she walks back over to Kai and draws her arm back up, the
dagger shining brightly as she tenses her arm and gets ready to pull it across and draw blood.

"With this blood" spits out Vanessa, dragging the dagger across her arm and causing blood to trickle. Kai
hands her a goblet. "I will force Winter to drink it, mixed with some herbs" she added, bending and
grabbing a small container, shaking it and trickling it in. "It will purge her vampire side out and it will
come to me. It will be all mine."

I try to force my body to propel forward. I'm shaking from trying so hard and I can see the others doing
the same, Drake in particular grunting and swearing as he tries.

"Mother don't" Drake shouts as she stares at him "enough of this evil. Stop while you still can" he growls.

She raises an eyebrow and shakes her head. "Sorry Drake but I know you. You've sided with my enemies
and I can't forgive that. If it's any consolation to you" she says quietly "I will make your death a painless
one, I promise. You deserve that at least."

He looks like he's been struck across the face before it hardens as he stares at his mother. She looks
unrepentant. I grit my teeth and feel the tiniest bit of movement.
Kai sways slightly on his feet. He's trying to move, I can sense it. Vanessa still remains oblivious, too busy
gloating over what she' about to do. Winter's arm moves, twitches slightly. I see Vanessa move towards
her, the goblet firmly held in both hands, the smell of the herbs disgusting and pungent, strong in the air
as we gag. She stops and looks down at Winter, cocking her head.

"Such a weakling. What a shame you didn't embrace it" she tells her.

How does she not notice Winter's hair changed?

She lifts the goblet up and prepares to put it to Winter's lips. To everyone's shock, Winter's arm swings
up and grabs Vanessa's hand, gripping it tightly as the woman squealed, her eyes fluttering open.

"Think again bitch" Winter snarls, her eyes glowing red "I'm going to kill you."

Winter POV

I can hear voices above me, distant, like they are talking underwater and it's frustrating. But the last bit is
clear and my eyes flash open as I grasp Vanessa's arm, before she can spill any blood from the goblet into
my lips and tell her "I'm going to kill you."

I swing up and dart to the side, eyeing her with nothing but contempt. Everyone else is frozen. Vanessa
seems to be in shock.

"How is it that you are immune to my spells?" she croaks, dropping the goblet with a clang.

I shrug. I actually don't know. What I do know is that I feel powerful, strong, like there's something
pumping through my veins. I'm different but I like this feeling. It's addicting. I feel like I can take on the
world, but my main concern right now is the bitch in front of me. She's going down and I'm going to be
the one to do that.
She flings a bolt of lightning at me and I move, the bolt hitting the tree with a loud hissing sound. The
tree topples with a cracking noise.

I glance around at everyone who appears to be helpless. "Let them go" I tell her firmly "your fight is with
me."

"You really think tha I'm that stupid" she spits out, circling around us all, eyeing me warily "they'll attack
me the second they are free."

This time a fireball flies towards me and I duck in time. She smirks at me. Arrogant bitch.

"I have plenty of trips up my sleeve" she says arrogantly "I intend to have that power you possess" she
cries "and that child of yours too."

Like hell she will. I race towards her but she sends a giant burst of wind towards me, causing me to fall
back and hit another tree. This time the poor tree topples to the ground from the crash. Whoops. I feel a
sharp pain in my side, but ignore it, focussing on her instead. I can't let down my guard. She's powerful,
but I'm stronger.

"Winter, be careful" cries my mother in warning. She's eyeing me helplessly. I feel bad that they can't
move. It's kind of annoying as well because Vanessa is using them as shields as she flings her power at
me.

"Just give up already" snapped Vanessa, a fireball just missing me by an inch as it goes flying past.

"Never" I snarl, my fangs protruding from my mouth as I give her a fake and insincere smile. "But you feel
free to if you're scared."

Her eyes glint at me. "Kai" she says suddenly, turning to my mate, "go and fight Winter for me. She's
trying to hurt me" she purrs.
My mouth drops open. Is this bitch for real? Oooh, what a goddamn coward. How dare she use my mate
against me.

Wow, she's gotten desperate already huh.

Sabriel what do we do? We can't hurt our mate.

We could outrun him? Knock him unconscious? Drain his blood and make him half vampire?

No none of those. We're going to have to try and keep him at bay while fighting Vanessa.

Goodluck with that. That bitch is crazy. At this rate, she'll send all of them at you.

I know. let's do this.

Well if we die, we die together. It was nice knowing you Winter.

Same Sabriel.

Kai gives a gigantic shudder and then begins to move towards me, his eyes pleading, his mouth in a tight
line.

"I don't want to do this" he says "but my body won't listen to me."

"I know" I tell him bravely "I know."

I cock my head at him. Maybe Sabriel did have a good idea after all. Kai begins to get closer and I don't
move, not until the very last second, where I use my vampire speed to get around him, effectively
swinging my arm at the back of his head and hitting him as hard as possible. My hand connects with a
crunching sound. Kai's mouth falls open and then I watch, sadly and regretfully, as my mate crashes to
the ground, facedown, completely and uttery knocked out.

Vanessa gives a shriek of frustration. She stomps her foot as I chuckle, relishing her little tantrum.

"That didn't go to plan, did it" I taunt her.

She narrows her eyes. "I was laying bets that you were too nice, to injure your mate, but I guess I was
wrong about you" she snarls "so much for being sweet and innocent" she digs. I just laugh.

Whoosh. Another fireball. I duck just in time and see that it comes dangerously close to Damien. Then I
blink. That's not Damien. My eyes travel around and I see two Damien's. My eyes widen. Did he find his
twin? Is that what I partially overheard? I get distracted, a fireball hitting my arm and I curse as I swat at
it, sending it fizzling out. Damn it hurts like a bitch.

"Hurts does it" she mocks me. I flip her the finger.

It does hurt. I glance around at the others. They are far too vulnerable out in the open like this while she
flings fireballs. I'm putting them in danger, staying like this. They can't dodge or duck like I can. I stare at
Vanessa, narrowing my eyes at her, jumping to the side as she screeches in frustration at another near
miss.

I hear the Vampire voice.

Give them blood to break the spell that comes from the siren part of her that paralyses her victims.
Whose blood?

Yours silly. You aren't affected by her spell are you? You're not very bright sometimes are you?

I'm choosing to ignore that.

Huh. What do you know. While I dodge fireballs and the occasional lightning bolt, I use my fangs to
pierce the skin of my wrist, causing blood to trickle down my wrist. I shoot to twin Damien first and
trickle it into his mouth while Vanessa stares, not comprehending what I'm doing. I do the same to Elena
and real Damien, as well as smear some into Kai's mouth. They all begin to move and Vanessa gives a
shout, "You bitch, what have you done", her tone extremely angry.

I grin. "Come and get me" I growl and shift, heading directly to the woods as she screeches indignantly.

My paws thud across the ground, dodging trees, fallen branches and debris, my tail wagging. The
vampire side is ecstatic at how well everything is going. Everything seems so effortless. I can hear
Vanessa behind me. For a witch she's definitely fast and finally I turn and shift back to the vampire part
of me. She stops in her tracks.

"You're done" I shout out, my voice loudly echoing in the wind "you're nothing but a pathetic witch who
uses her powers to get men because your too ugly for them to want you."

"How dare you" she screams. This time she sends dirt flying everywhere. I wince as small rocks hit me
across the arms and chest. Never mind, they aren't doing much damage.

My speed is overwhelming as I race towards her and grip her by the throat. She gasps as I raise my arm
back and then send her flying into a tree, her back hitting it with a loud crunching noise, her body sliding
to the floor. She screams, spitting out blood as she stands back up.

"That was for Kai" I blurt out "I know you put a spell on him. I know what you did."
She barely gets an answer out when I'm holding her again. This time I reach my arm out and grip hers,
breaking her arm as she flails wildly in my arms. I drop her and back away.

"I can heal that" she cries and I watch her broken arm slowly mend itself.

"I know" I say slyly "but it wouldn't be much fun if you couldn't."

She sends what looks like a small tornado at me. I get stuck in it, cursing, wind rushing around me as it
lifts me high up into the air.

I brace myself. She lets me drop. I fall to the floor, on my back, my bones healing instantly.

"Nice one" I congratulate her, malice dripping from my voice "but now it's my turn. Let's see you heal
this you bitch" I snarl and move.

This time I get behind her and wrench one of her ams behind her back. Before she can utter a spell or a
word, I wrench her arm out and rip it completely from her body as she screams. I fling it away and walk
back around to face her, blood spouting out everywhere. She uses her other arm to cauterize it. Even
witches can't regrow limbs I think with contempt. I almost want to spit in her face.

"That was for Damien" I tell her, cocking my head and looking pointedly at her legs as she turns and tries
to stumble away. "Where are you going?" I call out.

She looks back, absolutely terrified. Her so called plan, or ritual that was to happen tonight, had
completely backfired on her. I'd also ripped off her right arm, knowing it was the stronger one that she
used to conduct spells. Her left one would be weaker and so would the spells she tried. I also suspected,
that one armed, her siren side would be dormant or extremely weak as well.
I start to skip. She's unbalanced with one arm, struggling to move away. She definitely can't run. This
feels like fun. The vampire side of me is gloating now. I move and get in front of her, forcing her to halt in
her tracks. She weakly holds up her arm and sends a fireball at me. It fizzles before it even touches me. I
grin, showing her my fangs.

"I'm hungry now" I purr "I can hear your blood pumping through your veins, the heavy breathing, your
heart thumping. It sounds so delicious" I continue as she blanches.

"Don't" she tries but I just tsk and step closer.

I grab her by the throat, and force her head to go to the side, exposing the creamy side of her neck. My
fangs pierce her skin as her body jolts, her other arm weakly trying to push me away. She tastes sweet
with a hint of bitterness as I begin to drain her, sucking greedily at her blood. My mouth is watering. I
feel rejuvenated, energetic as the blood continues to slide down my throat. It's so smooth and fresh. So
delicious. It's sweet, tantalising. I feel triumphant. I've won and conquered her, she no longer poses a
threat to me.

I'm careful though, not wanting to take too much, at least not yet. She has to suffer, for everything she's
done. I still remember the helpless feeling of having to take the drug she gave me so she wouldn't kill
Kai. I stop and pause, her skin is pale and her face is ashen. She's close to passing out but not yet. My
other hand reaches up, clawing away at her midsection and chest. She gurgles, as the blood drips down
onto the forest floor and seeps into the dirt, staining it red, as I stare in satisfaction. For a minute, I feel
pity for her, but it fades. I also hear voices in the background and know that Damien and the others are
coming. I stiffen however, as I hear the footsteps of someone else coming. Christ, did I not hit him hard
enough? I was sure he'd be unconscious for ages yet. But it's him and I turn to face him, holding a very
still Vanessa in my grasp. He halts, no doubt stunned by my red glowing eyes or the smile that won't
leave my face as I torture my victim.

"Whoa, Winter" Kai says, holding up his hands "don't you think that you've done enough?' he protests,
looking slightly green as he looks at Vanessa.

I shake my head. She hasn't suffered nearly enough. Not to my satisfaction at any rate. I want her to hurt
more. I want her to die screaming. "No" I tell him heatedly, "she has to die."
"She's almost dead anyway" he argues pointing at me.

We begin to argue while I forget what I'm doing. A rock, a large one, suddenly rises from the ground
while I stare in disbelief. I throw myself forward but it's much too late, the rock hitting Kai across the
back of the head. He lands to the ground, the rock on top of him. It's bigger than his head. His skull looks
slighlty mushed. I give out a scream of rage, ripping off Vanessa's head and flinging it across the ground,
letting her body drop to the floor. I run to Kai. I pull the rock of his head and examine him, panicking at
the sight of blood and more. I desperately try to feel for a pulse, but to my anguish and despair, cannot
find one.

"Kai" I scream, beginnning to shake him as Damien and the other's come into view "Kai wake up."

Winter POV

I wish I could say that I didn't remember the next few moments, or hours but it's imprinted on my mind.
Shouting and screaming for Kai to wake up, shaking him with my arms. I don't remember which one it
was, either Damien or his twin Drake, confused in the moment as I screamed for my mate, taking hold of
me, and dragging me back away from him as I flailed around and struggled against them.

"Let me go" I screamed " I need to go to Kai. He needs me"

It finally hit me that it was Damien holding me back, his eyes staring down at me with, was that
sympathy in his gaze? Why would I need his sympathy? Kai was alright, he just needed the hospital, I
convinced myself, he needed medical attention, that was all. He would be fine, I tried to convince myself,
but the words felt hollow.

The other one, Drake was looking down at the body of his mother with an unreadable expression on his
face.

"She's definitely dead" he muttered, looking at my mother who was bending down to check Kai all over.
"What about him?"
My mother was checking for a pulse. I stilled, looking at her desperately and she wouldn't meet my eyes.

"There's a tiny pulse, barely there, but it's there" my mother finally said and Drake nodded. He moved
towards Kai and firmly grasped him in his arms. The sight of blood hit me again and I blanched, the smell
repugnant. I couldn't stand to see my mate hurt and it was all my fault, I thought bitterly. Why hadn't I
just killed Vanessa immediately instead of toying with her? I should have just been done with it. Instead
I'd played with her and Kai had been hurt as a result. I was an idiot. What had I done? Bile rises up in my
throat, threatening to empty my stomach contents as I double over in grief, Damien's strong arms the
only thing holding me up.

"I'm taking him to the hospital" announced Drake and my other brother, the one tenderly holding me,
gave him a small nod.

He rushed off, my mother coming to my side, to my surprise, whereas Langdon, followed behind Drake,
also heading to the hospital. I suppose as the Beta, it's his duty to find out his Alpha's condition. I
struggle weakly in my brother's arms, all my strength suddenly zapped out.

"I killed him" I sob wildly "Kai's dead because of me" I scream out.

Damien shakes his head. "He's not dead. Mother found a pulse" he pointed out, and then glances behind
me at the corpse still lying there. "Vanessa is gone, thank goodness. You got rid of her. Winter, don't
blame yourself for this, we tried to get Kai to hold back, but he was insistent on going to your side."

That just hurt me inside even more. My nother pulls my hair back from my forehead. "Sweetheart" she
croons "this isn't your fault. Why don't you let Damien hold you and take you up to the hospital? I'm sure
you could use a checking over as well" she adds pointedly. But my wounds are healed, one of the very
many benefits to being half vampire and half shifter. We heal incredibly fast.

Part of me wants to change Kai, it would heal him, make him better, but he can't consent to being a
hybrid and I won't force that on him. One time he told me he didn't want to be one, apologising to me,
and I had to respect that, but by god, it was killing me inside and part of me wanted to be selfish and do
it anyway. I was hoping the surgery would go through and that I wouldn't have to be tempted to do just
that.

I let Damien swoop me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. "For what it's worth, I am sorry about
Kai. But he'll pull through Winter, he's a stubborn jack ass, you know that" he adds.

I desperately want to believe him. Believe everything they are telling me, but there's something in their
eyes as they glance away, something they aren't saying to me. He begins to walk and I cling to him,
holding desperately onto his flesh which warms me on the outside. But it's the inside of me that's chilled
to the bone, inside of me that hurts so much that I want to scream out all my pain and anguish.

The hospital is busy, crowded and chaotic. We walk inside and a nurse spots us both, looking me over
with a critical eye. "Do you require assistance?" she asks over the noise.

Damien shakes his head. "Actually we're looking for a patient, would have just been brought in, Alpha
Kai?" he asks with a smile. The nurse almost swoons.

"He's in surgery at the moment, Your friends are currently in the waiting room" she added, taking us
down there "I'll come inform you when the surgery is over."

I barely grasp anything she's saying. Damien sits me on a seat, my mother taking one on the other side of
me. Langdon and Drake look at us with a grim expression. "They're doing surgery on his brain Winter. We
don't know if he'll make it."

I let out a cry, Damien's arms enfolding me. Drake looks at me sadly, but doesn't try to touch me. It's not
the best circumstance to meet your sister, I guess. But I find myself reaching out a hand to him, he
hesitates but then takes it, giving it a gentle squeeze in sympathy. "What are his chances?" I ask thickly.

He's an Alpha, this can't be right. Don't Alpha's heal better than other wolves? What about Storm. Oh my
god, I can't lose them, I can't, I think to myself.
My mother tries to calm me. "Winter, you need to breathe honey. You're going to collapse at this rate.
Just breathe. We won't know anything until the nurse comes back."

My eyes fill with tears. Someone, god knows who, hands me a box of tissues which I gratefully accept,
blowing my nose and wiping my tears. My whole body feels lightheaded.

"I think she should lie down" I hear Langdon say in genuine concern "she looks like she's going to pass
out. She would have used a lot of energy up with that fight" he informs them.

My mother moves. My brother hops off his seat and then gently pushes my unresisting body down over
a few chairs, placing a jacket over me. "Sleep" he murmurs as I let go of Drake's hand "we'll wake you
when we hear something."

I open my mouth to protest, but the tiredness overtakes me. The truth is I had expended a lot of energy
and right now, Sabriel was also going insane at the thought of our mate being injured and hurt. My eyes
close of their own accord even though I try desperately to fight it, frightened that no one would wake me
up with news.

I drift, but not so deep that I can't overhear them talking around me.

"What is she going to do if he doesnt' make it? How will she cope?" Langdon.

'We'll be there for her. No matter what. She needs our love to pull her through" my mother.

"I feel so bad. I should have been able to fight, my mother is responsible for this, well not my real mother
but still." Drake

"I'ts okay. Kai is a tough son of a bitch. The bastard will pull through, I'm certain of it." Damien.
But as the hours pass, the voices begin to change. I can hear snoring next to me and surmise that it must
be Damien.

"Langdon, will Winter be okay?' Drake. He sounds so concerned, like a brother even though we've just
met.

"I don't know" Langdon answers stiffly "she's strong, brave, fearless at times, but to lose a mate, is to
lose your entire world."

Silence. Nothing but silence. He's hurting too, his voice sounds pained. His best friend was in surgery as
well and his Luna was losing it at the moment.

Hours pass. I feel my strength returning, my eyes beginning to flutter open. My mother reaches down
and helps me to sit, gently patting me on the back. "Do you want something to eat?" she asks, pointing
to a tray of sandwiches which must have been brought by one of the nurses. I consider it, my stomach is
growling and churning. I don't want to eat, but going hungry isn't really going to help the situation either.
I gingerly reach over and grab one, munching it absently, my eyes on the revolving doors.

"Still no news?' I ask rather hopelessly. Surely that was a bad sign wasn't it?

"No news, he's still in surgery" answers Langdon with a sigh "but they do keep coming to inform us so
that's something. King Axel is recovering. Turns out Vanessa tried to poison him before the ritual. He's
out of critical condition but also anxious about Kai."

I give a slow nod. The hospital is so depressing, being surrounded by all white, the walls just a glaring
reminder of where you are and what you are doing. I've always hated them and now I've been stuck
inside of one for almost, from the looks of it, 16 hours.

I get up and go to the bathroom, letting myself have a small cry. I use the cold water to splash on my face
and cool down some of the redness and the puffiness of my eyes. It's refreshing and I blink back further
tears.
Winter, our mate, our mate is hurt so bad

I know Sabriel, it's my fault

It's not your fault. There's no blame here child, just fear for our mate and his safety

I can't do anything to help him Sabriel and it hurts

I'm hurting too, my child, my heart feels as though it's bleeding.

Oh my god Winter our mate

Sabriel ends that sentence on a scream full of anguish and despair. I feel the most intense pain of my life
in my chest and scream, dropping to the ground, one hand to my heart as it thumps wildly. My screams
continue, the pain washing over me, again and again, my body curled up now in the foetal position,
unable to move, only to feel the neverending waves of pain. I can hear shouts outside the door but it
barely registers. It hurts, hurts so bad, and I find myself desperately clawing at my chest to make it stop,
the make whatever this intense pain is go away, blood trickling down to the floor. The more pain I feel,
the more frenzied my clawing becomes. What the hell is this pain?

The door bursts open and several nurses file in, grabbing hold of my arms to prevent me from scratching
and wounding myself any further. "Doctor get the sedative ready" a nurse shouts as my arms begin to
flail around and my body begins to writhe from the pain. A man in a doctors coat steps inside, carefully
holding a syringe. My eyes widen. What are they doing? Couldnt' they see that I was fine, that I didn't
need help? My mate was the one that was needing the help, the assistance. Why weren't they with him?
Then I see mother's face and Langdon's as they look down at me, their faces pale and ashen.

"Winter, this is for your own good alright, it will help take the pain away" the doctor murmurs.
Pain. What did they know about pain? I was being slowly tortured, from the inside, unable to make
sense of it all. All I could do was fight them in disbelief. Some part of me, knew something was very
wrong.

A sharp prick as the syringe or needle goes into my arm, the nurses all panting heavily from the exertion
of trying to hold back my limbs. I give a small hiss, glaring up at them all. The pain begins to slowly, ever
so slowly, subside, my body becoming limp and boneless, the nurses letting go so that my arms and legs
flop to the ground.

"It's taking effect" the doctor commented "let's get a stretcher to put her on and get her to a hospital
room."

I feel myself being lifted up and placed on something hard and cold. My mother reaches out and holds
my hand, walking beside me as my eyes blink in confusion, my vision becoming somewhat blurry.

"Winter, I'm so so sorry" my mother whispers, her voice shaky and cracking "they did all they could, but
in the end, there was just too much in the way of injuries and complications. I'm sorry to tell you. . ." she
pauses, her eyes brimming with tears as I wonder where everyone else is "I'm sorry to tell you honey,
that Kai didn't make it. That's what that pain was."

Just like that, I learnt that I had lost my mate and my whole world, my eyes shutting and my mind drifting
off in a pleasant haze brought on by a sedative. Kai was gone forever and there was nothing I could do
about it. I should have changed him when I had the chance, selfish or not.

Kai POV

Drip, drip, drip. The sound is incessent, bloody annoying and I open my eyes, my mouth widening in
shock as I scream at the fact that it's like I'm underwater, feeling the water on my body, but unable to tell
which way is up or down because it's so damn dark. My arms flail around, my body moves every which
way, in a frantic attempt to get some air, certain that I'll die if I don't get some oxygen into my lungs. It
takes several minutes, before I calm down enough to notice that, despite the fact I'm underwater and
floating around, I'm not drowning and my body doesn't appear to need air. What the hell is going on?
The last thing that I remember is something hard and heavy hitting me right on the head. Not Winter,
but a rock, branch, tree limb? All I know is it hit me hard, and fast, before I could dodge it. I remember
Winter's frantic screams, over and over again, while I was unable to open my eyes, or do anything. She
was so hysterical, it had killed me to listen. Someone had finally held her back, her touch suddenly gone,
my body feeling so cold, like it would never be warm again. My heart suddenly skips a beat as a
realisation dawns on me. Have I died? My god, no, I couldn't have. But Storm is quiet, and no matter how
hard I try to reach my wolf, there's no answer. I feel like there's a part of me missing, like Storm has been
wrenched out of me. It's disquieting. But if I'm dead, then where am I? Is this hell?

I hear a sudden sucking sound, and then without warning the water begins to slowly push down, until
my body is lying there, a small puddle beneath me, feeling like I'm in quicksand, it's that hard to move
myself into a sitting position. I rub my hand over my eyes and blink, but it's still dark, my eyesight
seeming to be like a normal human beings, rather than as a shifters, and I awkwardly get to my feet,
stumbling slightly. My body is cold, shivering violently as I glance in every direction, but all there is, is an
empty landscape, no grass, no trees, no clouds, no sky. Nothing but blackness all around me.

"Hello" I shout, "anyone there?"

No answer. I huff and contemplate my situation. In the end I decide to start walking, in a random
direction, in the hopes I come across something, anything that will tell me where I am. I need to get back
to Winter, she's waiting for me. I won't let her think I abandoned her. If I have to claw my way out of her,
I will. My feet move with purpose, my stride never faltering. Hours pass and I begin to despair, thinking I
really am in hell. Why else would it be so dark and so cold with nothing in sight?

Just as I'm beginning to think of giving up, light appears up ahead. Like a strobe light from a play, in the
distance. I squint at it and then begin to walk a little faster, feeling myself get a second wind. Whatever
that light was, I wanted to know where it was coming from. I jog, lightly, and the closer I get, the more
light there is, until I find myself blinking against what seems to be harsh sunlight, my hand over my eyes.
I turn around in bewilderment, suddenly finding my feet are standing on ground and grass, blue sky
overhead and millions of flowers spread across the ground for the eye to see. A lake is off to the side and
a swing hanging from a tree. Wait. Is that a person on the swing?

I walk slowly towards the small dainty figure, her features coming into focus as I approach, her hair
silvery in the sunlight, her skin pale, her eyes the clearest and brightest blue. There's a knowing look on
her face as she halts the swing, her bare feet barely touching the floor. I gulp. She doesn't appear to be a
human, but rather something else, emitting a dangerous and powerful aura. I stop where I am as she
slowly gets to her feet and then glares at me, as though personally affronted by something I've done to
her.

"You" she shouts incensed as I jump and then stare "how dare you."

She has to be talking to me right? I glance around but there's no one there. Yep, just me. She strides
right up to me and points her finger in my chest, breathing rapidly in her anger.

"You idiot" she howls.

Now that's a bit much. I don't even know this woman but she shoots me such a scathing look, that I
wisely decide to keep my mouth shut.

"It's not your time. You, you" she splutters, hands now on her hips "are not meant to be here. You are
meant to be with her!" she exclaims with a snarl. "You nincompoop" she growls.

My mouth falls open as she turns and storms away, glancing over her shoulder, shouting at me "follow
me dumbass."

I follow. It's not like I know where I am but what is this woman's problem? She finally stops at the foot of
the lake, where I now notice a big black, familiar, wolf, resting under the tree.

"Storm" I cry and go to walk towards him when she flings her arm out and prevents me.

"Stop, he's resting right now. You will not ruin his recovery" she snorts "or I'll kill you."

I notice a small vial next to Storm, shimmering with red blood. It's so bright in the sunlight and I feel
myself drawn to it, like it's beckoning me.
"Can you tell me where I am" I snap at the woman, angry now.

"Don't get rude with me" she says and then relaxes, gesturing around her. "This is the space between"
she murmurs, biting her lip "where all people go before they die."

I really don't like the sound of that. "Am I dead?" I ask "who are you?"

She looks offended. "Haven't you figured that out? I'm the moon goddess" she says icily "and I am none
too happy with you Alpha Kai."

I gulp. Fuck. The moon goddess is pissed at me. Really pissed. If looks could kill, I'd be nothing but ashes
in the wind by now.

"I'm sorry" I apologise, not knowing what else to do.

She sighs. "You fool. How could you let down your guard like that and let yourself be hit" she demanded.

"I didn't want Winter to go so far she'd hate herself. I thought that Vanessa was weakened. I was stupid, I
know that" I tell her firmly.

"Well it was a dumb thing to do" she grumbles "now I have to do something about you."

Uh oh. "Like what?' I ask her nervously, trying not to give rise to my panic.

"Well, I can either let you die, or I can offer you something to keep you alive" she said quietly "but it
requires a sacrifice as all things do. The thing is, you've not done the greatest job at being a mate to
Winter" she points out seething "and I would require you to do much, much better."
"I could beg you not to end my life, but in the end the decision is up to you" I say evenly, my heart
hammering in my chest "but I will say this. I know I've been crap to Winter, my god, I feel like the worst
human being in the world sometimes. I hate myself at times. But I have never stopped loving her. She's
my everything. The reason that I want to keep going every day, when part of me wants to just sink into a
depression that's hard to get out of. She's the reason I've found a reason to smile again. She's taught me
what love, real love feels like. She's shown me what it's like to be affectionate and what it's like to crave a
person so badly, you'll go to any lengths to do what they want or need. Winter is my reason for living,
she makes me stronger and more compassionate as a human being. I've changed, maybe not enough,
but some and I don't want Winter to ever think that I left her, or stopped caring. If you kill me, then all I
ask is that you give her a mate, that loves and adores her as much as I do, and who shows her the love
that she deserves."

I see a slight smile of encouragement on the moon goddess's face. But it doesn't matter, because all I can
see in my mind's eye is my precious Winter. I feel a pang at the thought that I may have to leave her, but
if she can find some happiness with another person, then I can find some small consolation in that. My
heart is breaking and all I feel is agony, stuck in the depths of my own despair. If I'm honest with myself, I
don't want Winter to find someone else. No one is going to love her like I do,no one will understand her
like I do. I stare straight at a quiet and serious moon goddess.

"I take it back" I state, my eyes turning black "Winter is my mate and will stay my mate. No one loves her
like I do. No one cares for her Like I do. She's always been mine and she always will be" I declare, my
heart skipping a beat. The moon goddess is silent, awed in fact.

"That's all very well but are you willing to make a sacrifice" she says with a sidelong glance.

"Name it, I'll make whatever sacrifice I have to" I growl "anything, if it means going back to her."

She nods, pleased. She takes my hand and shivers run up my spine as I feel the full magnitude of her
power, tugging me over to where Storm rests and the vial sits, glinting in the sunlight.

"Blood" she says, pointing to it "to be specific it's Winter's blood. You drank some earlier but not enough
for the transition to take place."
I frown. Transition? Into what? Horror then shock. She means into a hybrid. I glance back down at the
vial, my heart hammering now. I have a feeling I know what the sacrifice is.

The moon goddess bends down, her white dress sweeping across the grass and grabs ahold of the vial,
igrnoring the sleeping Storm. She balances it on the palm of her hand. "If You drink this, you will live" she
says softly "but you will also become a hybrid, like Winter is. Unlike her, the transition will happen
immediately and without any hiccups." A pause "you'll be able to control your urges but you will need to
feed every so often as Winter does. You'll be exactly like her and Kai" she says sternly "there is no cure.
Witches cannot take the vampire part out of you or Winter. Are you willing to go through with this? To
live as a hybrid? Or shall Winter find love with another mate?"

There's no malice in her tone, but I stiffen at the mention of Winter and another mate. I regard the vial
silently and reach out to take it. The glass is smooth, cold, tiny in the grip of my own hand. She waits, her
eyes wide, for me to do it and without a word, I open the stopper and drink it down in one quick rush,
the blood sweet and tart. I drop the vial to the ground with a clatter.

"You love her, don't you" said the moon goddess with approval "and she loves you. I can hear the grief
and the pain she's emitting from thinking she's lost you forever. She needs you Kai and you need her.
Start showing her how much because she needs it. It's not enough to speak it. Actions sometimes can
speak louder than words" she said.

I watch her bend down to pat Storm. She stands up and then glares. "Well" she says with a flourish of
her hands "hurry up and wake up already" she snaps. I feel myself start to fall, and then, gasping for air, I
sit upright, a hand to my chest, blinking at the bright light as I suddenly come to in a part of the hospital I
never would have imagined. The moon goddess had a lot to answer for, I thought a bit acidly, or she had
a wicked sense of humour, because I'd woken up in none other than the morgue! I blink and then hear
the sound of a scream, a woman running towards the door, as though her life depends on it. Great, I
think sardonically, this was going to be a little difficult to explain and all I want is to see Winter. Thanks a
lot moon goddess.

Winter POV

So much pain. It's intense. I feel like I'm burning up. The last thing I remember is being sedated by
hospital staff. I stare blankly up at the ceiling. He's gone. He has to be. That pain was him dying and I
remember my mother's words "I'm sorry, he didn't make it."

But how could Kai leave me like that? Abandon me? I thought he loved me. If he loved me, he wouldn't
leave me to be all alone. I need him. Does he not know that? I can't live without him being by my side. I
just can't.

Grief overwhelms me. I hear footsteps and then my mother's blurry face appears above me. She gives
me a smile but I ignore it. I feel her hand stroking my hair. "Winter, honey" she murmurs, her own voice
full of grief "I'm so sorry" she whispers.

I turn my head, tears trailing down my eyes and onto the sheet. Maybe if I pretend, for just a little while,
that Kai is still alive, the pain will go away.

"Hey Winter" says another voice and Damien comes into view, pulling a chair up beside the bed, gripping
my hand tightly, squeezing it gently. "I know you're upset and you don't have to talk, I just want to be
here with you. If you need something tell me, and I'll get it" he adds.

Damien always knows how to make me feel better. He knows right now that I don't want to talk. Because
to talk right now, would just end in more tears. I swallow and give him a shaky smile, my body trembling
on the bed. I wonder where Drake is or Langdon. Maybe they are together. Then I realise that Langdon
would be full of grief as well. Kai was his Alpha, as well as his best friend. He would need comforting as
well.

I curl up into a tighter foetal position. I hear my mother sigh as she strokes my hair. "So young" she
murmurs "the pain will fade eventually Winter, but you can't give in to it and let it destroy you. It will kill
you, if you let it."

"Let her grieve" my brother booms at her, shocking me and almost making me jump in fright "she can
take time for that mother. She loved Kai and he loved her. It wasn't like what you had with that man" he
said in disgust.
Mother's hand pauses. "I never said it was" she said hurt "just that I know how it feels to lose someone."

Please, I think to myself, please don't fight in front of me right now. I can't take it. I don't want to be
stuck in the middle between them. Not right now. I don't have the energy for it, let alone the inclination
to stop them.

My brother makes a grunting noise, but thankfully lets it go. Mother goes back to stroking my hair.

"Do you want a water or something sweetheart?" she offers.

I shake my head. Food and water is the least of my concerns right now. Or blood. I wonder where Sabriel
is but she's silent, grieving her way, or at least that's what I'm hoping.

Damien eyes me carefully but says nothing, leaning back in the chair, my hand still held tightly in his.
God, I hope he never lets it go, its a small comfort to me.

Then it bursts out of me, in a fury. "This is my fault, it's my fault that Kai's dead" I shriek out loud, curling
up tighter "I should have stopped, I should have killed her straight away. Kai would be alive if it wasn't for
me" I sob, " I killed him, my god I killed him."

"You didn't" Damien tells me gruffly, moving to kneel in front of my watery eyes "Winter, he should have
stayed on his guard more. He put himself in danger. You're not responsible for his death. Blaming
yourself is only going to make it worse. Trust me, you didn't do it."

I don't believe him. Damien is just saying it in an attempt to make me feel better. It's nice of him, but it
fails to placate me. My mother continues stroking my hair, as though that's all she can think of to do.

"Langdon must hate me" I murmur "I don't blame him if he does. I killed his best friend." My voice
catches as I begin to cry even harder.
"Langdon doesn't hate you" Damien said softly "Winter, please stop" he pleads "stop with the self
blaming and hatred. It's not going to help. You need to be strong right now. Alright. Sabriel needs you to.
She must be hurting something fierce. Both of you need to help each other."

My tears slowly start to subside. But they dont' fully stop. They'll probably never stop.

"But what do I do now Damien?" I whisper, staring at him, my mother listening but not speaking "what
am I supposed to do without him there?"

He sighs. "You start by grieving Winter, like any normal person. Then eventually, you start to put your life
back together, one step at a time. You're not alone" he points out, "you have me, you have mother" I
swear that was sarcasm in his voice when he said that "you have Drake and you have Langdon for
starters."

"Where is Kai?" I ask sniffling "I want to see him."

Silence. Damien looks as though he's debating what to say. His jaw tightens and he glances up at mother,
who seems to have gone pale and ashen.

"Where is he?" I burst out, frantic, sitting upright as Damien catches me "which room?" I'm heedless of
my actions now, wanting to go to my mate, not even thinking straight.

"Hang on Winter" Damien says, as I try to get up. "You can't go down there."

I stare at him confused. "Go down where?" I say impatiently.

He glances away. "You can't go down to the morgue" he finally utters "it's not allowed Winter.'
The morgue. They had put my beloved Kai in the morgue. My whole body shakes. I had thought maybe,
he would be in a hospital room, not thinking logically. I pale, and look at my brother, feeling sick to my
stomach. My mother sees it and grabs a wastebasket just in time, putting it to my mouth as I vomit up
my stomach contents. Not that there's much. My shoulders heave as I clutch at the wastebasket like a
lifesaver.

My brother looks green. He's never really had a stomach for someone being sick. But he valiantly stays
where he is. Mother pushes my hair back so that I don't get vomit in my hair.

"I'm sorry" I mutter miserably " I didn't realise that they would have. . ." I trail off.

"It's okay" Damien says quietly "maybe we can ask about going down there later."

Mother glares at him, he raises an eyebrow at her.

I try to rally myself. Kai would want me to be strong, I think to myself, he would want me to pull myself
together. But my face crumples anyway. My heart hurts, my chest hurts. My whole being hurts. Part of
me wants to beg for sedation again, so that I don't have to feel or I can just be numb. But then I would
just want if for longer and longer. It's dangerous to be numb, because then it's harder to feel.

There's a commotion and several nurses and security staff running through the corridors. Damien
frowns, looking concerned. He glances at mother. "I'm going to go see what's going on" he says gently
"mother stay here with Winter and neither of you leave this room" he adds firmly.

Mother opens her mouth to protest but then shuts her mouth. There's a look in my brother's eyes that
say do not mess with me. She takes the hint and moves closer to me, Damien going out of the room and
jogging in the direction of all the noise.

"What do you suppose is going on?" I ask weakly, mother taking the wastebasket and moving it away
from me thankfully, the smell was getting to me.
"Who knows" she shrugs "probably a difficult patient needing to be held down or something. I'm sure it's
nothing dangerous" she adds, seeing the look in my eyes.

I just nod and stare at the ground.

The commotion gets louder. Several screams and shouts. Mother begins to look worried. "Maybe I
should at least close the curtains" she begins to mutter. Right. That makes sense. Curtains will definitely
derail a crazy patient, I want to shout at her in disbelief.

"Stop" I hear Damien's voice shouting. Then a bunch of people yelling.

"Damn your brother for getting involved" Mother snaps "he should have stayed out of it. What if he gets
hurt."

I say nothing. Damien can more than take care of himself. Even if mother hasn't realised that yet. I wipe
my mouth with the back of my hand. Then wince. I hop off the bed on shaky legs.

"I'm going to go rinse out my mouth" I mutter, heading towards the bathroom connected to the room
I'm in. Mother nods, looking grim. She looks nervous. But the commotion seems to have died down and I
assume it was to do with a patient being difficult. Otherwise I'm sure we would have been told
otherwise by the nurses.

I stagger into the bathroom and turn the faucet on, dipping my hands under the water and cupping
them, splashing my face. It's refreshing and it helps to wake me up some, as well as dry my tears. I cup
my hands again and this time thirstily drink. I pat my hair a little. I barely recognise the girl in the mirror.
My hair is different, a light shade of blonde that's almost white,. my eyes are brighter, my skin is paler.
Any other time I would have thought I was beautiful. But at the moment, all I could think was that it was
strange to look this way, instead of a mess like I'm feeling. The vamp-side of me detracted from looking
like a slob. It was sad.

I swore I heard footsteps. But then I hear mother's voice, sounding slightly strangled. "Winter" she calls
"can you come out please? There's um" she pauses, slightly hysterical "someone here to see you."

I don't want to see anyone else. I scowl at the mirror. Part of me itches to break it, hurt myself in a way,
but I just clench my hands into a fist and then release it with a loud whoosh.

"Coming" I call, opening the door and then shutting it with a loud crash.

No, it can't be. My eyes are deceiving me. Either that or I've been dreaming this whole time, because of
the sedative. Because I can't possibly be seeing this. But it's so real, so lifelike. My mouth drops open, my
eyes widen. My mother is there, pale, a hand to her mouth. Is she seeing this too? Was I hallucinating?
But I so desperately want it to be true. My heart gives a pang. A shiver runs down my spine. My feet are
stuck to the floor, refusing to move, tears form back in the corner of my eyes. Can this really be?

He stares back, his eyes red, looking over me anxiously. I swallow, hard, feeling a lump in my throat.
Then, without warning, my feet move, and I race towards him, flinging myself into his strong arms, my
arms curling around his neck as I sob into his shoulder. It's him. It's really him. His hands grip me tight,
holding me close to him. For a moment nothing is said, Sabriel exploding to life in my mind. She begins
to howl, in happiness, the sound filling my mind.

"Is it really you" I whisper, sobbing.

"It's me" Kai answers "I'm back Winter and I'm never leaving you alone again. Do you hear me" he
demands "never again."

Langdon POV

I couldn't believe it, after all the anguish, the despair and the grief, that son of a bitch Kai was alive. He
literally stumbled past me, clad in a pair of scrub pants, security guards all over him, before Damien
managed to sort out the confusion. I guess the moon goddess has a sick twisted, sense of humor,
because he woke up in the morgue. I can't help but think to myself, that it's a tad bit hilarious and the
least that Kai deserved, for making us all think he was dead. He's in the room with Winter at the
moment, and I'm not about to interrupt. She was devestated, we all were, but she was literally begging
for death because he was gone. None of us could comfort her. Damien was about the only one who
could really get through to her, and I was so lost in my own sadness, I couldn't offer her anything.

Drake gently takes my hand, tingles running up my spine. I wipe my eyes for what seems like the
hundredth time, tears of joy spurting from the corners.

"I can't believe he's alive" I blurt out again "I could have sworn he was a goner. Should have known he'd
find a way to come back."

Drake is silent, he's a good listener, but there's also something else, something heavy on his mind. I feel
guilty. Ever since we've met, I've not had much time to talk to him, but can you blame me? My head has
been awash with thoughts of having to take over as Alpha and what I would need to do to keep the pack
running. I've barely had time to take a breath, and it's hardly the time to get to know another potential
mate.

"Listen" Drake says quietly "I can understand that right now is not the best time for this discussion, what
with Kai being dead" he pauses and frowns "and then coming alive again. I could feel your pain, Langdon,
just sitting beside you. But what I really want to know, is if you're willing to give me a chance, or if we
should reject this mate bond right now, before we develop feelings for each other. Before it becomes too
painful to separate" he murmurs, his eyes dark and piercing, his gaze troubled now.

My wolf howls at the thought of separating from Drake, his anguish overwhelming me. He has already
claimed Drake and his wolf as his mate, even though I've hesitated, not sure how Damien really feels
about all this. Even though he's assured me he's fine, it does change the relationship once again.

"What is it you want" I say turning to him, my mouth dry. Once again, a mere glance, and I'm completely
overblown with how handsome he is. "Tell me what it is? I can't imagine that you thought your mate
would be a man instead of a woman."

Then again, I could be wrong. It might have been a surprise for me, but that didn't mean it had to be for
him.
He chuckles, making me stare at him strangely. "I've been gay my entire life" he confesses wryly, "so it's
not a shock for me to be mates with another man, in fact I'm ecstatic, because it would have been really
weird to have been a female" he laughs.

Huh, what do you know.

"It's why Vanessa never really had a chance to use her siren part on me, because I wasn't attracted to
women" he said, shaking his head "god, she hated that" he exhaled.

"She was still your mother, you're not even remotely upset that she's dead" I say tentatively. After all he
did grow up with her and she raised him. He had to have some feelings for her, surely.

He shakes his head. "She stopped being a mother long ago, when she started to use her powers to kill
men for sport" he said. "King Axel is the only one who's lasted this long, I suppose she must have really
liked him. I did try, initially to warn the men, but they were so far under her spell, they refused to listen
or believe me. In the end I gave up."

There was a twinge of regret in his tone. He must have really tried to save the men.

"Why didn't you kill her?" I asked and he looked at me sharply.

"You saw what happened to all of us back there. With a snap of her fingers, she paralysed us all
completely. I never could get the advantage over her."

I fall silent. Vanessa's body had been burnt by the King's soldiers after we had left, nothing but ash
remained and that had drifted away on the wind. She was definitely not coming back. Thank god. I
shuddered. Her power was incredible, but also dangerous. It did make me wonder though, why she
seemed to hate men so much. As though there might have been a story to that in her past. Needless to
say, I was willing to bet that Drakes' childhood had not been a happy one, something he had in common
with Damien. Both boys had deserved so much better.
"Look, I really like you Langdon, my wolf is in love with you already. I know that you've been with Damien
for a good few months now, while you know nothing whatsoever about me, well besides my mother. But
I'm telling you something" he says, intensely, "I want to be with you. More than you could know. Right
now all I feel is shivers down my spine as I talk to you, my whole body is craving for you to touch me.
When I'm not beside you, my wolf gets sad or angry, and all I can think about is whether you are okay. I
haven't felt like this towards anyone else before, so this is new to me, but I'm not going to hide from it,
I'm going to fight. So if you try to reject me" he declares, his eyes blazing, his voice full of fervor "I won't
accept it."

I digest his words. The passion he invokes in me is so overwhelming that I can't breathe. He wants me.
Wants to be with me and Damien. He's not wanting to walk away, he's willing to share. He's so intense,
his whole body is practically vibrating beside me. His eyes are narrowed on me and his mouth is open a
little bit, he's panting from that speech. He runs a hand through his rumpled hair, never once taking his
eyes off me, his arms folding across his chest. His foot taps impatiently, or maybe nervously, on the floor,
a steady thudding noise. My heart begins to thump wildly in my chest. My hands go clammy, like it does
when I'm with Damien. My breathing goes shallow. My wolf is close to the surface. I can feel him. My
hands clench into fists, I'm trying to maintain my composure to the best I can, distantly remembering
that we're currently in the waiting room of a hospital. Footsteps sound behind me and I turn my head
slightly, Damien coming into view. He sits beside me and I glance at him, still not fully in control.

Drake starts to move and without even consciously thinking about it, my hand shoots out, preventing
him from leaving.

"Stop" I say hoarsely, my eyes turning pitch black "you're not going anywhere."

Drake gulps and sits back down, his eyes on me. Does he look a little relieved? Did he think that I would
still not want him after that speech? Something begins to ignite inside of me. Damien looks at the both
of us, perplexed, before a knowing look passes his face. Without a word, he silently gets up and begins to
walk away, a small smirk on his face. I barely acknowledge his leaving, my hand still gripping Drakes arm.

"I don't want to reject you" I growl "in fact, even though I 've considered it hundreds of times, I can't
bring myself to. I'm drawn to you, just like I'm drawn to Damien, but I'm not stupid. You are both your
own person, and I can't treat you both the same. It would be unfair. You each have different
personalities."
Drake's eyes are glistening now as he bites his lip. God he's adorable. I awkwardly shift in my chair,
feeling a reaction coming from my cock.

"I won't be rejecting you" I declare firmly, coming to a decision "which means, Drake" I say, leaning
forward and regarding him, my lips curled back "that you're stuck with me and Damien, whether you like
it or not."

His lips curl into a smile and he leans forward. My hand shoots out and grips him by the back of his neck,
startling him slightly as he blinks at me, my fingers twining themselves around his hair. I scoot forward on
my seat and then, before he can move, press my lips hard against his. This is no gentle kiss. I'm rough,
possessive and demanding. For a moment he stays still, then begins to reciprocate, a small moan issuing
from his throat. He tastes sweet, like honey, my tongue caressing the outsides of his lips as I coax his
mouth to open wider, my tongue slowly sliding in and caressing his. It's like a dance, the both of us,
tasting and touching our tongues to each other. His small moans and whimpers are turning me on, and I
grip the back of his head harder, forcing him to move even closer. I've completely forgotten about our
whereabouts, my hand sliding beneath a very willing Drake's shirt, caressing skin as he trembles, sitting
there, his legs splayed open. My cock begins to twitch.

A hand plants itself on my shoulder. "Ahem" coughs a very amused Damien as we jolt back, Drake's
cheeks flushed in embarrassment "as nice as it is to see that you've come to an agreement" he teases
"you might want to remember that we are in a hospital and in a waiting room."

I glance around. Several shifters, waiting on their partners to be helped, stare back at us, some with
curiousity, other's wide eyed. None have condemnation in their eyes. A little girl points and giggles as I
smile at her.

"Sorry" I mutter, slinking back in the chair "I just, couldn't help it."

Damien snorts. "I've been on the other side of that. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little jealous" he adds,
looking over at Drake with a smirk "so I want you to make it up to me later" he purrs. I gulp. So does
Drake.
Now my mind is awhirl with bedroom possibilities. After all Drake is going to have to share a bed with
myself and Damien. I get excited at the prospect.

"Sorry bro" Drake mutters "I just needed to know."

Damien shrugs. "All good. Just so you know, Kai is doing well and Winter's perked right up, now that her
mate has come back from the dead. The doctors are going to be discharging her shortly, once they've
finished examining Kai as though he's the most interesting thing they've ever seen."

I stretch. Damien swoops in and gives me a peck on the lips. I grin. "So I take it that means we are either
going back to the castle or home?" I ask drowsily. The castle was much closer. But I wanted to go home,
and be with my mates. I was willing to undergo discomfort if it meant being back inside my own home.
But it would be up to Kai.

Damien frowns, "I think we should go home, no offense but I'm not really wanting to go back to the
castle."

"It's up to Alpha Kai" I point out, "and whether he would be up for it. He just died remember" I chortle
"he might need to rest some more."

"I heard that" says a grumpy voice and my head swivels around to see my best friend standing there,
Winter clutching him around the waist with desperation, a wide smile on her face.

I jump up and fling my arms around him. "I'm so happy you're alive" I gush and then grin "but the
morgue?"

He swats at me and I dodge it. "Smart ass" he mumbles "like to see you wake up in the morgue one day.
Anyhow" he says fixing his eyes on us, Elena behind Winter "I believe it's time to go home. I find myself
wanting as far away as possible from here" he says with a shudder "and I won't be stepping foot in a
morgue anytime soon!"

Drake POV
I look around Langdon's house in awe. It's large, to me it's like a mansion, but he assures me that it's
quite small compared to the pack house and I believe him, but it's still impressive none the less. Damien
has gone to secure us all drinks and Langdon is busy showing me the 'tour' of his place, stopping tracks in
the bedroom. I stare at the bed. We're definitely going to need a bigger one, if all three of us are going to
share it. Langdon sees where I;m looking "I'll get a larger one" he tells me firmly, a small smile on his face
"if you're anything like Damien you probably take up half of it as well."

I shrug. Truth be told, I can't wait to feel him next to me, listening to his snores as he sleeps. The big man
blinks at me, and goes to turn away, when I stop him.

My hand snakes out and I grip his hand, pulling him towards me. He doesn't resist and I press my lips to
his, moaning as he takes charge, plundering it, his mouth becoming rough and possessive, his hand
gripping the back of my hair tightly. He delves inside and bgins to dance with my tongue, his arms
beginning to trail down my arms and feel beneath my shirt, my heart hammering wildly in my chest as
tingles run down my body. "You taste so good" he murmurs, his hand lightly trailing across my abdomen
as I suck in a breath "I think I might want to taste something else as well."

This time I gasp at the implication, but he just smirks, roughly pulling my shirt up and over my head, his
eyes gazing down into mine.

"Take your pants off" he instructs, his voice hoarse, eyes full of lust and something more, something
primal.

I hurry to obey, kicking them off rather awkwardly. He drinks in his fill. I'm not wearing any underwear
and it's painfully obvious, my cock standing erect and hard as a rock. I blush, but he just looks at me
greedily.

He goes to bend down but I stop him. I would much rather have my taste of him. I reach out with
trembling hands and grip the sides of his sweatpants, gingerly pulling them down, and off, his own
impressive and rather large member standing to attention in front of my wide eyes. I lick my lips in
anticipation. I slowly kneel as he rips off his shirt, my eyes drifting past his taut abdomen and straight to
his cock. I sniff. He smells so good. Gently, I begin to lick the tip of his cock as he stiffens, his large hands
on my shoulders, gripping them tightly. He makes a strangled noise. I grin.

slowly, inch by inch, I take him inside my mouth, loving the velvet smoothness of his cock, tasting the
bitter sweetness as I begin to bob my head up and down, enjoying myself immensely. His fingers dig into
my flesh, my hands gripping his waist and behind the buttocks, keeping him firmly in place, his body
trembling. I move one hand to cup his balls, and increase the intensity and pressure, hearing him moan
and cry out. It's like music to my ears. I don't let up, even though I wince as his fingers continue to dig in,
feeling the way his body is reacting and knowing instinctively, that he's close, from the way his breathing
coming in short spurts, to the way his body is stiffening.

"Stop" he says in a strangled voice.

I halt, disappointed and a bit reluctant, staring up into his eyes, which have turned pitch black.

"I'm not ready to cum just yet" he murmurs, helping me back up to my feet. I look back towards the
doorway, but there's no sign of Damien just yet. I guess he had to make a trip to the liquor store, in order
to get enough beers for everyone. Langdon doesn't appear to be too concerned, not just yet.

Langdon reaches down and lightly touches my cock, making it twitch in response. He licks his lips as I
gulp, suddenly extremely nervous.

"Get on the bed" Langdon says quietly.

I move, my feet walking on their own, trembling in anticipation, slowly climbing onto the bed.

"Lie down" he says, walking towards me.

I lie down, face up, watching his every move. He stalks to the bedside table, rifling through it's drawers
and then pulling something out, I don't quite see what it is, and sitting beside me on the bed.
"Relax" he growls.

He puts something on his fingers, but stops, bending down to plant his lips on mine, before slowly kissing
the nape of my neck. God it feels incredible, turning me on, my own moans filling the air. My hands
caress the back of him, my body writhing in pleasure. I almost can't keep my eyes open, but I want to
look at Langdon, his gorgeous body there for me to view and appreciate. He gives a noise, almost purring
in my ear.

"God, you're so damn hot right now" he mutters "just touching you is making me go wild and crazy. My
wolf wants you bad. Just wait until I take you" he growls. Another nervous swallow.

He trails kisses down my body, sucking lightly on my nipples as I gasp in shock. He blows air on them,
making them even more sensitive, a wicked grin on his face. My hands begin to grip the bedsheets. He
continues downwards, sometimes licking me along with his kiss, down my thighs and lower legs and
then slowly, devestatingly slowly, moves upwards towards my cock. He pauses and glances at me,
something indecipherable on my face.

"Relax" he orders.

I try my best, not easy when you're horny as fuck and he won't stop touching me. Christ, my whole body
is tingling and feels like it's on fire. I'm in sheer heaven and we haven't even gotten to the best part! At
this rate, I'm certain he's going to kill me.

I flinch as I feel something near my entrance. It doesn't hurt, was just not expected. Then Langdon
gingerly and carefully pushes a finger inside of me. He begins to wiggle it as I moan. "Let's get you
stretched out" he pants, his own breathing becoming quite laboured and panting. I can't say a word,
feeling the pleasure wash over me as he inserts a second finger and continues to gently stretch me out
so that it doesn't hurt as much when he takes me. I can feel the cold lubrication on his fingers and they
feel slippery and slick inside of me.

"Langdon" I moan. My body wiggles as he chuckles, enjoying my reactions to him. "Please" I choke out,
"I can't take any more."

He laughs but stops, methodically pulling his fingers back out, making sure not to go too fast.

"I want you" I pant at him, trying to move, Langdon reaching out and stopping me. There's a look of
concentration etched on his face as well as a possessive one. I feel him at my entrance as he moves and
lines himself up, holding himself in check, but looking like he's in pain. "Are you ready for me" he grunts
and I nod my head eagerly, bracing myself.

He pushes the tip in and stops as I pant. "Keep going" I cry out and he pushes a little further, being
incredibly patient as I feel a slight sting of pain. He hesitates.

"More" I demand, the pain fading, "god please, just push all the way in" I moan.

He thrusts in and my head falls back, my mouth open in a scream of ecstacy as I begin to feel stuffed. It's
incredible and I can feel every single inch of him. He waits and then, seeing that I'm in no pain, begins to
slowly thrust back and forth. lt's heaven and it's hell. It's delicious torture as he moves inside of me,
holding himself above me, my legs spread wide to allow him to go even deeper.

I can't breathe, I'm in that much pleasure. All my inhibitions have fallen by the wayside, and all I can do is
stare up in a haze of delirium while he increases the intensity and the pace, slamming all the way in and
pulling all the way out. My legs quiver, my body trembles, I shriek his name again and again, completely
lost in the throes of our love making. My heart is hammering so loudly, I'm sure it could be heard for
miles, as silly as that sounds. He stops and then stares down at me, while I blink up at him in confusion.

"Get on your hands and knees" he growls and I move to obey, peering over my shoulder in uncertainty.
His eyes are such a piercing black, that it takes me a moment to realise that his wolf has taken control.

Without hesitation or warning, he thrusts inside of me, hard, ramming into me as a yelp escapes my lips.
This is so much different to Langdon, even at his hardest. It's raw, primal and brutal, but exhilerating at
the same time. He's no longer gentle, taking me to new heights of pleasure as I rock back and forth,
meeting him, feeling the power behind his thrusts. His hand slaps me on the buttock, a sharp sting that
only adds to the pleasure.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god" I moan, thrusting back just as hard, my cock starting to tingle. I'm damn close,
but I don't want it to end. Not when I'm having so much fun.

"You like that" Langdon, or rather his wolf growls, "good."

He goes even harder, one of his hands reaching out to grip my cock, which is painfully hard. I cry out, but
his touch, despite his hard hammering of me, is gentle and firm, slowly pumping up and down, as I
groan. His hand moves faster, his thrusts begin to slow but continue to be hard and waves of pleasure
continue to wash over me. Fuck, I just can't take any more. It's too much, between him using his hand
and thrusting away inside me. My body stiffens and with a jolt, my seed comes spilling out, all over his
hand and trickling onto the bed sheets as I give a wild shout.

I feel Langdon or his wolf, move behind me, his head close to my ear and then a sharp sting as something
sharp pierces my skin. It takes me a moment to realise that he's marked me as his, claimed me just like
he claimed Damien. He withdraws his canines and licks the wound, licking away the blood, his own body
stiffening as he cums, deep inside me, at the same time. I collapse onto the bed, panting heavily,
drenched in sweat, the same as him, as he too lies beside me. To my utter surprise though, he's not
panting anywhere near as hard, and merely looks as though he went for a quick run. I feel like I've run a
marathon, my legs feeling like complete and utter jelly. I'm not even sure I could walk to the bathroom
right now without toppling over. My muscles are stiff and sore, but I'm absolutely ecstatic at being
marked and at the awesome and mind blowing sex I just had with my mate. I feel a bit more comfortable
with the dynamics of the relationship now.

I glance down at Langdon who gives me a peck on the cheek. To my astonishment, as I stare, wide eyed, I
see that his huge cock is already erect again and I swallow hard. There's no way that I can take another
round, not when this was my first time. My body just couldn't take it.

"Um, Langdon" I breathe, "I don't think. . ." I trail off, not sure how to phrase it.

He sees where I'm looking and smirks. "Don't worry" he grins "this time it's not for you."
Damien walks in and smirks as he looks at the both of us, not upset in the slightest over what's occured
while he's been gone. "No" he growls "I think that might just be for me this time."

Winter POV

I don't think I've stopped crying since I've seen that Kai's alive and well. He had quite a story to tell, with
the final result being that he made a decision offered to him by the moon goddess. I can't believe it. Part
of me is thrilled that he's with me again, but another part of me feels awful that he had to make that
sacrifice, to become a hybrid like myself in order to stay alive. I did this to him, but he insists it was his
choice to make and he made the right one.

The ride home was fraught with tension, my mother sitting in the backseat, silently watching the
scenery. Poor King Axel had been left alone, to deal with the aftermath of Vanessa and what had gone on
while he had been under her spell. I wish the poor bastard luck, for he had been married to her, for well
over a year. You would think he would dislike Drake, having been her son, but he didn't blame the guy in
the slightest. He'd been just as much a victim to Vanessa, just in a different way. I guess he's right.

Kai's hand rests on mine as we drive, my eyes intent on the window, the music playing in the background
from the stereo. His hand feels warm, his fingers tight as he clutches at me, not wanting to let me go.
Not that I want him to, not after such an awful scare. For the rest of my life, I will never forget that awful
moment of thinking he was dead. My stomach churns, and the nausea I'm experiencing becomes worse.
Bile rises in my throat and I swallow, hoping it will stay down, but with no such luck.

"Kai" I groan "pull over, quickly,"

He glances at me and immediately pulls the car to the side of the road, as my stomach turns sour. The
second the car has stopped completely, I bolt and rush to throw up in a small pile of bushes. Yuck. My
stomach heaves and I gasp for breath, continuing to gag. I wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my shirt
and grimace.

"Urgh" I moan, on my knees, Kai suddenly behind me, his hands gripping my hair and holding it up in
case I need to be sick again. I'm thankful for the small breeze coming through, it feels somewhat
refreshing.
"Are you alright?" Kai asks after a minute, one hand moving to stroke my shoulder softly "are you getting
car sick?" he asks nonplussed. I'm incredulous. Surely I can't be experiencing morning sickness so
quickly? Then again, was a hybrid pregnancy different to a shifter pregnancy? Then the dawning
realisation, that any child of mine, would be born a hybrid as well. Would they develop faster? My mind
is awhirl with all the possibilities and I feel faint, swaying slightly as Kai grips me hard, trying to force my
body to still. I close my eyes and take deep breaths, willing all my thoughts away, focussing on the now.
Eventually the light headedness and frantic racing of my thoughts dissipatate.

"I'm alright" I finally tell him, awkwardly forcing myself to my feet, his hands helping me to get upright, "I
guess just being cooped up in the car, made me feel a little sick" I admit. Does he even remember the
fact he was under Vanessa's spell when we supposedly conceived? His facial expression makes me feel
like it's been forgotten and I resolve to speak to him when we get home.

"Can we hurry this up please" my mother snarls, sounding annoyed "it's dangerous to be on the side of
the road, vulnerable like this" she murmurs.

I frown at the anxiousness of her voice. She's fidgeting in the car, looking on edge. What did she think
was going to happen? When we were so close to the pack?

"We're coming" I yell back at her, rolling my eyes. God, what on earth was her problem? We couldn't
take a few minutes, just to relax a little before getting back in the car, for heaven's sake.

I turn and give Kai a hug, sniffing his scent in appreciation. Even being a hybrid, his scent is almost the
same, just the slightest difference to him. Unlike me, he has taken to it very well, and seems to be able to
acess his vampire side without issue. I feel a little envious of that fact. But now, mine is just as easy, so I
shouldn't be jealous.

"I love you" Kai murmurs "so much. I would become a hybrid a hundred times over, if it means never
having to leave your side" he mutters, fingers stroking my hair.

"I love you" I whisper, feeling my heart thumping wildly in my chest, tingles spreading all over "never,
ever. scare me again like you did. I thought I was going to die, from losing you."

He exhales and pulls me in tighter. My mother is scowling from her seat. "We need to move" she snaps
icily "christ, you can do this when you get home."

"What the hell is up with your mother" Kai hisses and I shrug.

I have no idea what's gotten into her. We reluctantly return to the car. My mother gives a huff, leaning
back in her seat and pouting as I change the radio station. Kai starts the car again and raises an eyebrow,
giving his own little shrug and pulling back into almost non existant traffic. We are, after all, using the
back roads and in wilderness, sort of. It's not a route that people like to take.

"Mother" I say quietly "is there something wrong?"

She glances at me and then adamently shakes her head. "No, we're just wasting time and I want to be in
a nice comfy bed tonight" she says coldly.

It stings, that she can speak to me so rudely. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt though, perhaps
she too, was feeling a bit sick? Maybe she got travel sickness?

Kai tightens his jaw, and I can see that he's becoming very annoyed with her, but he says nothing,
concentrating on the road and keeping his eyes fixed ahead. I sigh. The tension is very thick in the car
now and I feel uncomfortable, watching out the window, my hand automatically reaching over to touch
Kai's. He grips it and then relaxes slightly, his jaw unclenching. I smile at him, in an attempt to placate
him.

Man your mother has a stick up her ass, or what.

You are so not wrong Sabriel. She's being so damn rude. I have no clue what's up with her.
Throw something at her and tell her to lighten up.

I can't just ditch something at her. It would be just as rude.

Might make her think twice about the comments she's making. Or we could I dont' know, push her out
of the car while it's moving, then we wouldn't have to deal with her at all.

I'm not going to push my mother out of a moving car.

Would you be willing to let me take over and do it then? Because I really don't like her, and Winter, I
don't trust that bitch, one bit. I think you need to be more cautious. She has an agenda, I'm sure of it.

I like to believe the best in people Sabriel, she's had it rough.

So have you. The difference is you aren't acting like a complete bitch

Alright, alright, let it go already Sabriel. I'll be more cautious around her, happy now?

Deliriously so.

I try not to laugh at Sabriel but the image of my mother being shoved out of a moving car, by my wolf, is
enough to make me smile and stare at the window.

"We're running late" mother snaps, folding her arms like a child "dammnit Winter did you have to stop
back there for so long?"
I turn and stare at her. As far as I knew we didnt' have a timeline to be back. Damien, Drake and Langdon
had gone before us, while we had taken the scenic route.

"Since when does it matter what time we get back?" I ask suspiciously.

She flushes. "It doesn't, I didn't mean to say that" she stammers.

But my radar is up. Something doesn't feel right. Sabriel was correct, we shouldn't have been trusting my
mother in the first place. Kai sees my look and pulls over, while I throw open my door and yank mothers
off its hinges as she cowers, slightly beneath me. Kai looks impressed at my strength as I throw the door
to the side. I didn't care if we had to run as wolves the rest of the way, I was getting to the bottom of
what mother was up to.

She shrinks back. "Care to tell me why you want to get moving so badly, or why you are worried we are
late?" I hiss.

My mother shakes her head. "I'm just grumpy Winter, I didn't mean to be. There's nothing going on" she
protests, but for once, my ears are picking up deceit in her voice.

"You're lying" I say quietly "I can hear it. Sabriel warned me, but I wanted to give you the benefit of the
doubt. Wanted to believe that you simply wanted to be my mother, but now I know, you're here for a
reason, and I want to know what the reason is" I snarl.

"I'm not lying" she shouts, as Kai grabs the door on the other side and flings it away, "you both need to
calm down. This must be your vampire side taking over."

I grab her and hold her tight on the arm. "I want answers mother" I murmur in her ear as she trembles.
"Now."

She pales, I notice something on the seat where I've just not so politely vacated her from. A cellphone. I
didn't even know she had one. Why had she been hiding it? I grab hold of it and flick it open, but
everything has been deleted. It's a burner phone, not keeping any information whatsoever in it, deleting
it the second that you pressed send. My eyes narrow.

"Why have you got a burner phone" I snarl, handing it over to Kai, who looks down at it in disgust, "why
would you possibly need something like this?"

Her mouth open and closes. I grip her harder, watching her wiggle in my grasp, wincing from the pain.

"Let me go" she snaps, "Winter, I am your mother" she says, trying to play the victim. Yeah right. She
might be my mother, but right now I was viewing her with absolute distrust.

Kai comes to my side. "There's a black truck, coming down the road, I sense they are human, but there's
a lot of them" he answers. I blink and concentrate, smelling the scent of humans, and a fair few of them
approaching at a rapid pace. I also hear the sounds of guns loading. "They aren't just ordinary humans" I
say as Kai nods, "they are hunters."

I fling my mother to the ground, watching with satisfaction as she screams out in pain. "The only way
they would know our location, is if mother, dear, gave it to them, which I'm willing to bet she did."

My eyes glare down at her, "how could you" I spit out "to your own flesh and blood."

She gives me a look, one that is scorching and full of contempt "I would never accept a disgusting hybrid
as my daugher" she spits out as Kai growls, "and the hunters will give me a lot of money for you. You're
special, at least to them" she says resentfully.

"Is money all that matters to you" I scream, unable to believe her audacity.

The van gets closer. Mother stands up and smirks. "I had to pretend to care, that I was a victim, in order
to get you to trust me. When I found out you were a hybrid, it was like all my dreams had come true. I
sold Drake, why wouldn't I sell you? I'm not your mother, Winter, I've never wanted to be your mother.
You're a means to an end, and a way for me to live a comfortable life. Maybe you should have listened to
your wolf more" she sneers, while Kai's eyes begin to turn red.

The van stops, and I whirl around, getting Kai's hand, ignoring mother completely as she rushes towards
it, "we're going to have to fight" I shout and he nods, "wolf or vampire?"

"Vampire" he growls "and show no mercy."

Winter POV

My rage knows no bounds as my mother takes the opportunity to dart towards a man who is hanging
out the back, looking like he's the leader, as he stares at Kai and myself, his black hair tied tight in a pony
tail, his blue eyes gleaming in the sunlight. He smiles widely upon seeing my mother, who flings herself
into his arms, his men, standing at the ready, their guns upright and pointing straight at us. I flinch. It's
hard not to feel disgusted at a woman, your own mother, you might add, betraying you like this. It
doesn't even seem to phase her as she hugs the man hard, crying out "Lexus."

What a suprise. Turns out her so called mate, and Johnathon's cowardly father weren't dead. How nice. I
seethe at the both of them, as mother moves away from him, a smirk on her face. Bitch. She would get
what was coming to her, I promised myself, and I wouldn't be merciful.

"Surrender yourselves, and we won't harm you" the man called Lexus calls out, his arms folded over his
chest "we can do this the easy way or the hard way" he adds pompously.

Asshole. Does he think we're going to just walk up with open arms and say 'take me?', if that's the case,
the man is clearly delusional.

I start counting. There's a dozen men, not counting Lexus and my mother, all holding what appear to be
tranquilizer guns. Their aim isn't to kill then, merely to take us out and transport us somewhere else for
experimentation or for sale. Hunter's don't always kill their prey, they like to study them first, use our
blood and other bits to experiment with.
"We're too open" I mind-link Kai "we're like sitting ducks."

He responds instantly as the men wait, their gazes never wavering from us, "We need to separate, draw
them out into the forest and take them down that way, it's our only chance. There's too many to
approach them all at once, one hit with the gun and we're dead meat."

He's right child. You need to go in opposite directions and lure them after you. Most of them are human,
besides Lexus and your mother. That gives us an advantage, but we have to be cautious of the
tranquilizer darts. Who knows what's in them but I suspect wolfsbane would be it's main component.

I agree. I'm going to kill my fucking bitch of a mother afterwards Sabriel. I'd do it now, but she's
protected by the men.

I know, but revenge will be sweet Winter, no go Sabriel shouts in my mind, Kai also giving an indicernable
nod, both of us racing to the side as shots sound out.

Kai goes to the right, while I race across the left, my vampire side easily outracing them, weaving in and
out of the trees, the men behind me cursing as they wasted several shots, darts embedding in trees and
landing on the ground. My hair flies through the wind, my body not tiring. I glance around and notice
that they are a bit behind, using my claws and sharp nails to help me climb quickly up a nearby tree, my
eyes scanning the woods. Good, they've spread out, I observe, not sure which way I've gone. There are
six of them, so they had split themselves up evenly, the other six having gone after Kai, who I hoped was
alright. He was relatively new to being a hybrid but by god, he'd be a strong one. Right now I need to
focus on my own safety and survival. There's no sign of mother or Lexus and I assume they are waiting
by the truck, rather than doing the dirty work themselves. My eyes begin to glow red. I hear heartbeats
nearby, getting louder as they get closer.

Two men come my way and I wait, tensing my body and preparing myself. I can hear their voices, both
sounding annoyed and disgruntled.

"Could have sworn the vampire bitch went this way" one commented. The other one grunts at him.
"Keep your eyes open" he says annoyed "the disgusting hybrid must be nearby."

I'm a little offended by their choice of words. My nails dig into my skin for a moment as I wait for the
perfect opportunity. They stop right under my tree and I move, throwing myself onto one of them, who
falls, stunned to the ground, his comrade swinging around and shooting as I move, slamming my fist into
his face as the dart misses, landing with a thwack into the tree I had just jumped from.

His comrade doesn't move, and I realise that he's been knocked unconscious, his head hitting a rock as
he fell. Good, I move away from the other man who is howling and clutching his face, his jaw broken at
least, from the sound it had made when I made contact with it.

"Bitch" he splutters and I cock my head and grin, relishing at the amount of anger in his voice. I was
going to enjoy this.

He moves towards me, grabbing a knife from a halster on his pants, brandishing it at me. I raise an
eyebrow. Does he think I care about the size of it?

He lurches forward and I shift sideways, grabbing his arm and bending it backwards, a loud cracking
sounding, his scream loud, giving away our location. I swear and kick his knee, sending him to his knees
and then use the knife, still in his hand, bending his arm and cutting his throat, the blood trickling down
as his body flops to the forest floor. I hesitate, the blood smells delicious, sweet and my mouth drools at
the thought of tasting it. But I remind myself there are still four men to go, and drop the knife, dashing
away again as I hear more footsteps. This time it's one guy, and I don't run away too far, but swerve and
dart in a different direction, to prevent the others finding me straight away.

The guy is huge, broad shouldered, with slick greasy hair and muscled body. Almost like a heavy weight
champion. It's a little unsettling. The smile he gives me as he raises his gun is creepy and unnerving.

"Time to sleep" he tells me confidently and I move, running right towards him, darting left and right, the
dart missing me by an inch at the most, as I slam my fist into his stomach. He gives a groan, but remains
standing, to my utter disbelief. I sniff, he's human, just one that seems to be on something to make him
even stronger. An experiment, no doubt.

I jump back as he swings wildly, connecting with nothing but air. "I'll get you" he snarls, no longer smiling
"and who knows maybe Lexus will let me have some fun with you."

I shudder at the thought of this repulsive man getting anywhere near me, let alone touching me. He fires
again and I grab the dart in mid air, my eyes narrowing in on it, my reflexes faster than ever. He gulps. I
don't stop, I move, my body slamming into his, jamming him against the tree as I sink the dart into his
thigh. I knee him in the nuts, making him let out a strangled gurgle, while I headbutt him as well, causing
his nose to break and to bleed.

I give a smile of satisfaction. He doesn't look so cheerful now. Instead as I step back and regard him, my
fangs now out as I smile, he glowers at me, clutching his genitals with one hand, bent double, the other
holding his nose as he falls to his knees.

"What" he stammers and only then seems to see the dart still in his leg "bitch" he murmurs and then
flops to the floor, his head hitting the ground with a thud, completely knocked unconscious. I pick up his
tranquilizer dart and rummage through his pants, finding several darts to load it with. I grin and start to
jog, hearing the sound of the last three hunters coming towards me. It was time to do some of my own
hunting.

The other hunters had joined forces and were approaching, their backs to each other, their rifles loaded
at the ready as I stayed, behind the tree, my own gun ready to go. Their eyes were intently scanning the
forest, their footsteps as quiet as they could make it, given the debris and leaves scattered all over the
dirt floor. They pass me and I move, coming around the side of the tree and shooting, the dart landing in
the side of one of the hunter's necks. This one, maybe because he was more lean and definitely less
built, touched his neck and his eyes widenened, before he promptly fell to the ground, completely out of
it. His mates gave a shout, seeing me and I dropped the gun, not wanting to take time to reload, one
man racing towards me while the other raised his gun. I Jump, the dart moving past me, almost in slow
motion as I'm that fast, colliding with the first man and rolling over him. The other man runs and I shoot
out my leg, tripping him up, before getting to my knees and piercing his neck, moving behind him and
drinking greedily while he flails wildly in my grip, unable to stop me, his comrade staring in horror as I
drain his friend completely dry.
I lick my lips and let the man drop like a sack of potatoes, my eyes on the last man standing, who is not
as brave as his friends or maybe he's just smarter, who knows, the man backing away, as I stand there
watching, wiping the blood from my lips with the back of my hand. I feel reenergised, the blood giving
me more strength and satiating the thirst I had.

"You" I snarl as the man halts, his whole body shaking, a look of abject terror on his rather plump face.

"Yes" he stammers, before putting his hands together and begging me "please don't kill me. I won't be a
hunter anymore if you let me live."

I cock my head. "How many?" I ask softly, feeling anger rising inside of me, letting it build instead of
trying to stem it. I welcomed it, let it take over me. I was no longer afraid of anything that was my
vampire aspect coming through.

He swallows hard, his eyes darting away. I raise my voice slightly, listening out for the sound of any
heartbeats, beside our own, nearby. "How many" I repeat.

"I don't understand" he stammers "how many what?"

"How many of us have you hunted? I don't care whether they were vampire, hybrids, phoenix's, dragons,
shifter;s. How many have you hunted?"

He looks nervous, sweat dripping off his brow. When he speaks, it's in a hushed voice that's croaky and
scared "I don't know, over 50 I guess" he says.

Just like that, any mercy I may have shown towards the man was gone in an instant. He clearly realised
as well, getting up on his feet and trying to run away, his back towards me. The foolish man. He should
have known that he couldn't get away, but he tried regardless. I get behind him, my hands coming
around his throat as he gasps in shock, pressing them tightly and then with full force, I break his neck
and fling his body into a nearby tree. It stays there, pinned by a sharp branch, for the rest of the hunters
to see if there are any more to come, in order to help their fallen men. A warning for them, that I would
kill them as well without hesitation. I feel bloodlust pumping through my veins as I take a moment and
wonder just how Kai is faring. A quick mind-link assures me all is well, that I can still get through if
necessary and I turn back towards the direction I had initially come from. My mouth curves into a wicked
grin. It was time to face my mother, and her not so dead mate Lexus who were still by the truck. They
were in for a real treat. They would get to see another side to Winter, and my mother would get to see
what happened when you screwed people over, especially your own family. I begin to hatch a plan, as I
make my way slowly towards the unsuspecting pair of lovebirds.

Kai POV

I dashed off to the side, with one last sidelong glance at Winter, reassured that she would be alright. I
was certain she could take care of herself, her figure like a blur in the trees. I myself, was weaving
through the trees, my feet crunching on dead leaves, my body feeling like it was a tornado. It was
exhilerating. I sucked in deep breaths of cold air, feeling my heart pumping loudly in my chest. There was
something so thrilling about the vampire side of me, the ease of which I was able to draw on it,
astonishing. I leapt up high, landing on a branch, taking time to pause and take stock of the heartbeats I
could hear, following behind me.

Six, all men, I could tell. They had their tranquilizer guns held to their shoulder, eyes scanning the forest
for a sign of myself. I smirk, seeing they are walking in teams of two. They were making this far too easy.
Sure, they are organised, both with their backs to each other, but I had thought they would have had
some more tricks up their sleeves. Or were they that arrogant, they felt it wasn't necessary?

I jump from tree to tree, my nails digging into the bark. It's like a scene from those twilight movies,
making my way steadily in a zig zag direction. The first team, when I do finally stop, take a while to find
me, and as they pass by, I fling myself on top of them, sending both flying to the floor. I smash my fist
into the first one's face, rolling backwards and getting to my feet. The other hunter gets up and I do a
roundhouse kick, sending him flying into the tree trunk. His comrade shoots and I fall to the ground, the
dart flying by. He swears as I turn and grab him by the neck, swinging him widly around and releasing
him. His body hits a tree in the distance and makes a sickening crack. He's either dead or broken
something serious, because he's not getting back up. I turn back to the first one.

He swings his hand at me, and I dodge to the side, grabbing hold and yanking it backwards, dislocating it
from his shoulder as he screams. I drop it and then punch him several times in the midsection as he
doubles over, before grabbing his hair, twining my fingers in it and biting into his neck ferociously, his
hands scrabbling uselessly as I drain him dry, throwing his body to the side. I lick my lips. His blood was
tangy but sweet with a hint of bitterness. I feel like I could run a thousand marathons and still not be out
of breath. Plus my thirst, for blood, was now gone. I grab the tranquilizer gun and find the darts in the
man's pockets. I give him a vicious kick, before I start to run again, two more heartbeats closing in on me.

They are persistant, but I'm surprised at the fact there's not many. They must be very arrogant and
cocky.

I know Storm. Two hybrids and this is all they brought? It's a joke.

We still have Elena and Lexus to contend with.

I know, that bitch betrayed her own daughter. She's all Winter's, Lexus will be ours I comment viciously.

Storm growls his approval. He too, is feeling bloodthirsty right now, but content to let me hunt down the
hunters in my human or rather vampire form. He would get his fight later. I had a feeling Lexus wasn't
exactly going to be a piece of cake to beat.

We stop, crouching down behind some shrubbery. I load up the tranquilizer gun. I can only shoot one,
but this gives me an advantage over the second one at least, if his comrade is down. I gingerly poke the
gun between the shrubbery and wait patiently for them to come pass. The idiots are muttering under
their breath, but my vampire hearing, more sensitive than shifter hearing, picks up what they are saying.

"Can't believe we got stuck with this assignment. Fucking Lexus being so impatient. I told him we needed
more men."

"He said he could handle it if we failed" the other man scoffs "says he's stronger than a hybrid. Fucking
idiot is delusional. I blame that fucking bitch that's with him. She has him wrapped around her little
finger."

"Well at least we get paid well" the first man grumbles "but sometimes it's not enough for what we do."
"Where do you reckon the other's are?" the man whispers and they pause, still just out of view, suddenly
becoming more cautious. Had they missed their fallen comrades as they came this way?

Their footsteps become a little more cautious, softer now, their voices having gone silent as they became
aware that my presense must be close by. I watch, waiting, as they slowly come into eyesight, still a fair
distance away, but not so far I can't shoot. I line it up, tracking their movements, keeping the gun in line
with them and then, whoosh, I pull the trigger and the dart goes flying, hit the man in the shoulder as he
gives a shout.

"Fuck" he howls as his mate turns to him wide eyed, falling to his knees and yanking out the tranquilizer
with one hand, wincing at the pain "he fucking shot me."

He falls face down on the ground, the other hunter nervously looking around, the gun still at his
shoulder height, his eyes sweeping from left to right. He leaves the other hunter unconscious, on the
ground.

I run towards him and he shoots, wildly, startled, the dart missing me by a mile. I smirk, as he pulls out a
knife and waves it at me. To me it looks like one of those plastic ones from the toystore, but I know it's
real. He thrusts it at me and I dart to the side, giving him a grin. He begins to wave it back and forth,
weaving forward as I continue to dodge, side to side, my fist darting out and punching him in the eye. He
howls and pauses, stumbling backwards and I knee him in the guts, before punching the side of his head,
sending him to his knees. Before he can move, half blind as he is, I move behind him and grab him
around the neck, depriving him of oxygen as he tries desperately to claw at me, his nails digging into my
skin. I wince but continue, his face slowly turning blue, until his hands hang limply by his sides, his whole
body slumping. I drop him and take the knife that's fallen to the ground. I touch the edges and flinch. It is
sharp. I glance down at my arms and notice, absently, that the scratches and gouges he made, are
already healing.

"This way" I hear a shout, two more heartbeats coming directly towards me. I dash foward and hide
behind a tree. I grip the knife tightly in one hand.

Two more hunters come into my line of sight, back to back. One bends down and checks the corpse's
pulse. "Poor bastard is gone" he reports, his voice gruff, his finger tightening on the trigger of his own
gun.

The other hunter is fairly young, trembling, his grip slack on the trigger. His eyes are wide as he stares
down at the body in front of him, looking as though he's about to be sick. He must be a newbie. I feel a
pang of sympathy for him. His whole body is starting to shake and it's a miracle he hasn't accidentally
pulled the trigger.

The older hunter shakes his head at him "get it together for heaven's sake" he snaps "christ, god knows
why Lexus insisted you had to come along" he murmured. "It's almost like he wants to get his son killed."

"I can't help it" the younger one cries, his blonde hair curled and moving in the breeze "I told father I
didn't want to."

Did that hunter just say this young one was Lexus's son? If that was the case, then why would he risk him
being killed? Would this mean he was Johnathon's half brother? Was he Winter's half brother as well? It
was mind boggling. My mind was awhirl with questions. My head was spinning. So many questions. The
older hunter makes the mistake of walking past me, his back facing me,and I move, faster than ever, my
arm thrusting the knife directly into his neck, before I yank it out. He gives a strange gurgling sound,
blood spurting out of his neck and onto the forest floor, the younger hunter turning green as he gives a
loud scream.

The older hunter's body falls to the floor convulsing. I stare at the younger man, who has already
dropped his gun in fright, his body shaking so hard his teeth are chattering.

"Are you really Lexus's son?" I ask coldly, moving towards him. He looks like he's paralysed, none of his
limbs so much as moving as I stop inches in front of him.

"Y, ye, yes" he stammers "please don't kill me" he continues, begging with me, "I didn't want to come,
but he said it was time I learnt to be useful."
I eye him carefully. He does look like he's merely a teenager and definitely isn't a young man, now that I
look closely. I feel disgusted that Lexus would put his own flesh and blood in danger. He and Elena are
cut from the same cloth, that's for sure.

"What's your name?" I ask abruptly and he flushes, looking down at the ground.

"Simon" he says quietly "my name is Simon."

"Is your mother Elena?" I ask and he nods, looking even worse for wear.

"She hates me" he mumbles "they both do. Because I'm a terrible fighter, even with shifter blood. I
would rather read a book, then go train. I'm pretty sure my father was hoping you would kill me."

My lips curl back in contempt. I was fairly certain of the same thing. "Do you know the girl that was with
me?" I say delicately as his body slowly begins to relax "Winter?"

He shakes his head "I saw her for a moment" he admits "but that's all."

"She's Elena's daughter" I tell him quietly "your half sister, if you're telling the truth."

He looks upset. "My father wanted you or my own sister to kill me?"

The irony. "How old are you?" I ask.

He bites his lip. "13" he finally says. My stomach churns. He's still a youngling. I could have murdered a
child. He was barely a teenager. He was tall for one though, which made him appear older.
"Thirteen" I say in disbelief "you have no business being here at all."

He hangs his head. "I think my father wants rid of me. I was going to try and run away tomorrow and he
must have found out, because next thing I know he makes me come here and forces me to hunt."

"Why are you running away?"

"Because I wanted to tell someone, another Alpha about the warehouse and the experiments, the
hunters are doing on different supernatural races." He says, steadily looking at me. I believe him, he
looks so earnest and his voice is sincere. Lexus must have been pissed when he found out his own son
was going to betray him.

"You were going to do the right thing" I say, uncomfortable when I see tears shimmering in his eyes. I
glance around at the forest. Winter mind-links me quickly and assures me that she's alright and headed
towards her mother and Lexus. I put a hand on Simon's shoulder. "We need to go" I say "you're coming
with me. Can you follow orders?" I add and he nods, his eyes flashing with hope.

"Good" I grin "because in a few minutes, you're about to see your sister in action. I just need to know
one thing? Will you get in the way of us killing your father?"

He hesitates, then shakes his head, curls bouncing, "I want him dead. He's a horrible man" he says
thickly, a catch in his throat "he deserves to die."

"Can you lead us to the warehouse?" I ask, imagining the dreadful building in my mind.

He grimaces. "They kept me blindfolded the whole time we were travelling" he syas hoarsely as we walk
"I wouldn't have the first clue how to get back. But Elena, my mother, knows where it is."

"Does she now" I say casually "I guess we better not kill her then." I mind-link Winter and begin to
include her in on the plan.