2. The storm before the calm.

'Mate.'

Emris' wolf alerted the second his mother walked into the living room with a girl who's beauty put the moon and stars to shame.

He watched her movements; the way she tried so hard to hide how her body trembled in their presence, the sound of her heart beating like it threatened to rip out of her chest, and how her golden eyes darted across the room in awe of her surroundings.

'Mate..' Titan reminded in a low and excited growl, a hint of desperation etched in his voice.

But wait.

Emris paused. Her smell..

Her eyes met his, and his jaw clenched.

She's Werewolf. He growled internally and balled his hands into fists.

"Who is she?"

Emris' deep voice provoked snarls from Lynn; the dark haired woman and Vincent; the blonde man standing next to him, and their eyes turned gold.

His question was all they needed to go into attack mode.

Faye flinched, then hid behind Gwen; tightly gripping Gwen's top as the sound of her heart drummed against her ears.

Are they going to kill me? Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts.

Was it a bad idea to follow this woman in the end?

She felt her hope for a different life start to dwindle as the harsh snarls from Lynn and Vincent filled the air.

"Enough." Nick's voice came out low, but loud enough to silence his little sister and his brother-in-law.

He walked towards his wife, then glimpsed at a terrified Faye.

"What is this?" He questioned, calm and gentle- more than willing to hear her side of the story.

"I'd prefer my question be answered first." Emris demanded, taking a few steps forward.

Gwen held her arm out; shielding Faye from Emris' looming build and steely gaze.

Nick stood between his wife and his son, his large build covering Gwen and Faye from Emris' sight as he met Emris' steely gaze with a glare.

"Step back." He ordered.

Emris stared at his father; a deadpan expression on his face and a menacing look in his eyes.

They knew him well enough to prevent him from getting any closer.

The room's eerie silence was interrupted by Emris' low and amused scoff.

"She's a Werewolf, Dad." He pointed out with a slight grin. "How has she been here two minutes and we haven't ripped her head off?"

Faye's heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach as those words left his grinning lips.

Gwen's hold on Faye's hand gently tightened, and Faye's eyes widened when she caught a drop of sweat roll down Gwen's face.

W-wait..

She mused and went rigid when her eyes drifted to Nick's clenched fists. He looked stiffened and vigilant, just like Gwen.

Are they scared of him?

"I'm saying this not just as your father, Emris." Nick started. "But as your Alpha as well."

His eyes turned from blue to gold, and his short hair spiked up; pulling with it grey fur that grew on his neck and down to his back.

"Step.back." He ordered in a deep growl.

Emris' jaw clenched and his fists tightened, then he let out a scoff. He let out a sigh as a slight smirk crossed his face. Then he retreated and took a seat on one of the Couches, crossed his leg and leaned his arms over the head of the Couch.

Gwen let out a low sigh of relief, and her hold on Faye's hand loosened.

"Now listen." Nick announced, shifting back to normal.

"We'll all listen to our Luna and avoid unnecessary actions. Are we clear on that?"

Lynn let out an unamused scoff and plopped down on the two person Couch next to Vincent.

"This is ridiculous." She muttered.

"Don't let me shove you up the chimney." Nick warned and Lynn narrowed her eyes at him.

They all took their seats, and all eyes followed Faye as Gwen led her to the farthest Couch facing them.

Gwen let out a sigh when her eyes scanned the furrowed brows and deep frowns on all of their faces, then she intertwined her fingers.

"I would like for you all to accept Faye as one of us."

"WHAT?!" Lynn snapped, her nose flaring and wrinkling in a fierce gaze.

"Gwen, you can't be serious!" Vincent added, then turned to Nick who simply sat still without a word or an expression on his face.

They often teased Nick and Emris with the phrase; like father, like son. But in that moment, the phrase had never stood so true.

Like his father, Emris sat still without a single reaction. He simply had his eyes on Faye, and Faye occasionally stole glances at him.

When her eyes would meet his, she'd quickly tear her gaze away and marvel at the warmth that bubbled in her stomach.

What exactly is this feeling..?

She mused, lifting her eyes from her feet and glancing at Emris once again.

This time, she held his gaze; grabbing a fist full of her dress as she felt her small body cave under the pressure of his blue eyes.

Then Emris leaned forward, placing his elbows on his legs.

"Faye, is it?"

The room went silent, and Faye stiffened. She tore her gaze from his and looked at Gwen with eyes that begged for help.

Gwen didn't need much of a sign to understand that the poor girl was terrified of talking- especially to Emris.

"Yes." Gwen replied Emris. "Her name is-"

"What pack sent you?" He cut Gwen off, ignoring her intercession for Faye and tilting his head.

Faye's eyes widened a fraction, and just as she turned to look at Gwen, Emris growled;

"My mother's not your servant, dog." He snarled. "Speak!"

His bark resonated through Faye's ears and echoed in her mind like a chime. A shiver shot through her spine, and her ears began to ring.

"Transform, you insect!"

Stop..

"EMRIS!" Gwen yelled. "You're out of line!"

"Am I?! Emris snapped, his nose scrunching and his eyes turning a deep gold. "You're the one out of line here, Mom! You brought a Werewolf into our territory- into our home!"

"You're disgusting! A disgrace!"

The memories came in fragments, building up in an ache and heaviness in her head as she watched the man she felt strangely connected to fume in his loathing of her.

He tore his gaze away from Gwen and settled it on Faye once more, her silence tugging further at his anger.

"I SAID SPEAK!" Emris roared, shooting to his feet and provoking Nick and Gwen to do the same.

"TRANSFORM!" With the voice came the feeling of razor sharp claws slashing at her back, and her screams filling the air as her silver hair turned red from her own blood.

Her vision doubled, and the sounds around her muffled.

Then, everyone went silent once again. All of their attention settled on Faye- and their eyes widened.

Out of Faye's nose and eyes, blood flowed like waterfalls.

Dropping on her white dress already stained from dust and weeks of having the same thing on, it suddenly dawned on them that her beauty and identity had completely distracted them from the state she was in.

She looked like she would break at any moment.

"Please.." Faye whispered between sobs, her chest tight and her breath caught in her lungs as she tried her best to hold back the sobs that effortlessly escaped her lips as she parted them.

"It hurts."