Chapter 2

To Sophia's surprise, the bubble holding me captive broke. Water splashes around us as I land on my bare feet. Nia whines urging me to go to him and accept him. But I can't. I won't. 

It's a curse which runs in my family. No Carson woman has ever survived their mate. Just like my predecessors, he'll chew me up and spit me out. He'll hurt me. I know he will! 

I bolt. Nia whines, but I ignore her and run. My bare feet pounded into the dirt. Sticks and stones dig into me as I ran, but it doesn't bother me. That's what I do best; running. I kill, I run; I survive. 

A deafening roar shakes the entire forest. I didn't need to guess whom it belongs to, but I admit the sheer monstrosity behind it froze me stiff for a split second.

'Take us back,' Nia's voice echoed in my mind, but I can't. I won't make the mistake of trusting my mate. It's all a façade that'll plunge me deeper in pain.

Although he hasn't done anything, and it hurts to run from him. I couldn't allow someone to hold such power over me. Not again.

Just a few more steps and I will be free.

One more step...

Suddenly, two strong arms caged around me. Sparks shot through my soul at the contact, and a newfound warmth enveloped me. Mate! "Let me go!" I yell. I thrash and squirm in his grip, ignoring how Nia is having a completely different reaction to him.

She purrs for the first time in 12 years. Her entire body relaxes, downright contempt as our mate holds us. I'm relatively sure I elbowed his gut, he grunts, but doesn't say anything, containing me with a strength I've never fought against before.

A growl rips past my lips, it is vicious and promising, but he only holds on to me tighter. "Sister," he says, his voice sounds nonchalant – almost bored. I jerk my head back, the sound of my skull breaking his nose echoes in the sudden silence. I don't know if it is from shock or pain, but he releases me.

Magic sneaks up on me, and I effortlessly dodge it, that won't work on me twice. Taking advantage of Sophia's surprise, I bulldoze right through her. 

She stumbles a couple of feet back and loses her balance. An attack like that should have knocked her out.

I stiffen slightly, a cold feeling prickling the back of my neck and I recognise it immediately; Vampire! A powerful one too! Why is there a Vampire on pack lands?

The Lycan wraps his steel arm back around me, only tighter. "Enough, Copo de nieve," his lips brush against my ears. The foreign language wisps so softly pass his lips. I freeze.

A blur breezes past me. Only one creature can run so fast, "vampire," I growl. It stands before Sophia. It seems to be concerned about her. Why?

I recognise him as the trainer I noticed earlier. Again, that familiar feeling washes through me.

I took a whiff of the air, to find the vampire's scent. Something about his presence resurfaces old feelings. 

I tap the Lycan's arm and gesture I wouldn't do anything. He hesitates, as his body stiffens, but nonetheless complies. I was far too deep in my thoughts to care when the Lycan releases me. My entire focus was on the vampire trainer who has his back facing me.

I take a hesitant step towards him. My back glued to my mate's chest as if he fears I would try to escape again. 

But my mind is in a trance the vampire quickly turns on his heel. His eyes flash a feral red for only a split second before disbelief twists his handsome features, staring into my eyes, unblinking, as I whisper, "Dylan?"

I stand right before him now. Dylan takes me in slowly, assessing me to try and determine if I am real. He hesitates, his amber eyes flooded with tears, but he sheds none and takes a lock of my white hair.

"V-Valerie? Wai-... Is that you, Wolfe?" 

"Charming!" I yell, as realisation hits me, I jump on him. Throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him as though my life depends on it.

He hugs me back gently but tightly. The familiar warmth I've missed for a decade envelops me. 

Pleasant memories flood in, the only good memories of us - taking me back to the moment we had first met. 

A month after escaping my father, I ran from the creatures that lurked in the forest— as I fought to stay sane. I remember crying every night, scared, alone and surrounded by monsters.

Then he came. Like some fucking prince charming on a white stallion.

He fought the creatures that had cornered my young. Naive. Self.

A stranger so fierce and powerful, someone who could drain every last drop of my blood in seconds; saved me. Me. 

The former daughter of an Alpha. A lone wolf. A girl at war with herself and the world. A girl who fought to survive in a place she didn't belong. 

We were two stranger finding solace in each other's arm. That was over a decade ago.

A loud possessive growl disturbs the moment. In less than a second, we both jump away from each other as if we committed a crime. Dylan is quick to wipe the tears from his face. His eyes never leave mine. "How are you… Where have you? It doesn't…" he stutters, as he tries to wrap his brain around the fact I'm here. 

Surprisingly, I've finally turned him speechless. He's usually so fucking annoying, but I have come to like that about him. 

Dylan huffs, stomping his foot into the ground, "what the hell Wolfe! I haven't seen you in a decade, and you attack my woman! What the hell is up with that?!" He yells, ahh there he is.

I take a glance to Sophia; she carefully studies me as understanding sparks in her eyes, "Uhh, it was nothing personal…" My mood abruptly changes from light-hearted to feral. 

A familiar odour lingers in the air. Death. 

The foul taste of desiccation and blood hovers in the air around me. It becomes more potent as they near the border. It was rogues. Judging from their potency they're close, infesting the unclaimed area past the border.

A lone wolf's natural enemy is a rogue; they can sense it and give you that push into insanity. Lone wolves aren't supposed to exist. Wolves hunt in packs, even rogues. Our bonds with our packs keep us sane. Without them; wolves are as good as dead, so most become rogues because it's easier to live without a conscious than live fighting yourself. Your spirit. Your wolf.   

Rogues don't share a connection, but they have a common goal for chaos and blood.

The rogues appear from behind the trees, completely bare - even the woman. They didn't care for something as trivial as clothing. Besides, it was a good distraction for throwing creatures off during battle. I snarl, my lip curling in warning, but they pay no attention.

Nia whimpers painfully, her mind being pulled to them, persuading her to join them. "Lone-wolf…" the one who stands before the rest smirks, eyes crazed as he bites off a piece of flesh from the human leg in his hands, "come."

I growl - it's dominating and feral, my answer clear to him. It's always the same. He leers as his toes just brushing the borderline. He's crazy to come so close; I'm sure he knows who this territory belongs too.

I dig my feet into the ground. Within seconds I only stand a breath away from him. He hovers over me, with only the border standing between us. "Leave!" I demand. My tone sharp and threatening, he smirks flashing his canines.

"Hmm, after you killed my brothers?" he muses, referring to last night. Although it doesn't seem to bother him. He just wants some thrill out of killing me. "Step out, and we'll settle the score." His eyes gleam with excitement, as he runs his tongue over his teeth, chunks of flesh trapped between his blood coated teeth, taking another bite.

The rogue woman pounces, entering pack territory. I am quick to jump back and dodge her claws. She slashes my face. Snatching her wrist, I break her limb and rip out her throat before she could howl.

In an instant, I felt three powerful people stand behind me. I knew who they belonged too. Warm, steel-like arms curl around my waist. My mate pulls me back from the very naked rogue before me. "I have no problem cleaning the entire forest of you lunatics," the Kings' voice was promising, dark and cold. His skin felt hotter than the average temperature, and I know his wolf is fighting to the surface.

"Leave now," his tone was commanding. No wolves, regardless of their classification, can fight the command of a Lycan King.

Their heads tilted in submission. Eyes flash red in anger before the rogue narrows his gaze to me. "I'll see you again-..." he doesn't finish. The arm around me disappeared. Before I even register the loss of contact, the Lycan crosses his border and tears out the rogue's heart.

"No, you won't."