Dawn jerked her head back. The hills, trees and clouds whizzed by past them. 'Why?'

'Just like that. In fact you and Daryn should meet them. I heard that Sedora had formed an alliance called Mozrath. Even you should start collecting allies. It takes a long time to amass people who would back you up or stand with you in times of dire needs and I assume that Sedora is not going to sit quiet.'

​​

She took in a deep breath. 'I will talk to Daryn…' she said. How she wished that Sedora had died. But the woman had not only disappeared, she had also taken Gayle with her. Things only became darker. Feeling sad, Dawn hugged his neck and just closed her eyes. 'Let's only value our time together, Quetz.'

And Quetz stopped talking about anything else. After an hour of flying, he landed smoothly. He stretched his wings for her to step down as gently as possible. Dawn stroked his nuzzle for a long time. 'Don't make me miss you dragon.'

'I will come to you. I don't think I can stay without my rider for a long time.'

She laughed softly.

When Dawn came home, she found Daryn speaking with Neal nervously. His face was ashen white and so was Neal's. The two men looked at her and she quivered. Something was grossly wrong.

"Caleb just called," said Daryn.

---

In a pub and restaurant in Yorkshire.

Evening 9PM.

Caleb was sitting in a dark corner watching his interest. She was dancing with her group of friends on the small dance floor, her thick curly blond hair going wild with every step she took and her deep blue sapphire eyes shone brilliantly when the lights fell on them. Pale as marble, the girl looked as if she hadn't seen the sun in a long time. Almost a foot shorter than him, she had a warm heart-shaped face which had a sexy cleft on the chin.

He had watched her from a distance from a long time—almost a month while still recovering from the shock Pia had given him. The bitch was in love with his brother while she played games with him. He hated her from the core of his heart and it had taken all his will not to murder her. He did love Pia… And he didn't know how long it would take for him to get over her.

Somehow watching her from far distance soothed his nerves. Her scent, mist combined with citrus, made his wolf clamor on the inside.

---His mate---

---Protect her---

Every muscle in his body gravitated towards her but he was scared that if he went near her, she would also abandon him like Pia did.

From the day he landed he knew that this place was going to unravel something very important for him. And then he saw Elize in a party hosted by one of his acquaintances who owned a hospital in this region. The girl, a human, worked in the hospital as a Manager of Accounts.

"Elize!" her friend called her. "Your phone is buzzing," she pointed at the table where it was flashing a name.

The girl with blonde hair and very blue eyes sauntered to the table. She picked up the phone. "Dr. Walsh! Good evening!"

The can in Caleb's hand was on the verge of getting smashed. He was getting jealous of any man who was close to her, including her father. He wanted complete possession of this girl and what he knew about her—the girl loved freedom. In fact she was ferocious about it. And she wasn't in any relationship, which was good, but why would a twenty-four year old girl not be in a relationship. Or was she jilted in love. Caleb felt like killing the man who might have touched her body.

Ever since he had known that he couldn't stay seeing her at least once a day, no a few hours a day, no, maybe the whole day, he had been stalking her.

"I am sorry but I have bad news Elize…" said the doctor without wasting time. Caleb could easily listen to the man on the other side. His heartbeat accelerated.

Elize's throat went dry. She braced herself and said, "Spill it Dr. Walsh." He could feel that she was holding her breath.

"The brain tumor has grown. You need surgery but that would be one risky affair."

The can in his hand crushed and the beer spilled on his clothes.

A tear rolled out of her eyes as Elize looked away from her group and hid her misery. "Are you sure?" she somehow managed to speak with her throat hurting as she choked upon her emotions.

"I am sitting in front of your MRI scan. I would like you to come and see me at your earliest," said the doctor in a low voice.

Her breaths became shallow and she squeezed her eyes. "How much time do I have?" she asked. The symptoms of her condition had started showing all of a sudden. There were fainting spells, nausea, black spots in vision and loss of appetite. She had neglected all of it for almost a year but upon her father's insistence, she took a test, the results of which came out today.

"I am afraid, not much… Maybe a few months…" replied the doctor.

Elize grabbed the hem of her turtleneck sweater as if it were a source of stability, as if it was going to comfort her. When she opened her eyes, adrenalin that had cruised through her body had manifested in her feeling as if she could puke. She wanted to run outside and breathe in the cold November air of Yorkshire, but she didn't even have the strength left to move a finger.

Blood from Caleb's face drained as a sudden and overwhelming sensation of dread surged through his body. He grabbed the corners of the sofa he was seated in as his body shuddered. He broke out in cold sweat. For a month he had been contemplating on how to approach her, how to talk to her while dealing with his own demons of never falling in love and now he was thrown into this situation all of a sudden. His wolf clamored him to go to the girl and soothe her nerves. She looked as if she was about to faint.

Taking the advantage of his Lykae speed in the dark pub, Caleb rushed to her side and held her before she tumbled to the ground. The music blared in the background and no one noticed her falling. Caleb held her, picked her up in his arms and made her head rest on his shoulder. He grabbed her purse and phone and walked out quietly from the pub. To everyone else, they looked like a drunken couple. Most women couldn't help swooning over Caleb's muscular physique. He looked like a knight in shining armor who just rescued his girl who was drunk as hell.

Only a few people were present on the streets outside, busy with their own drunken brawls. He came to the parking area, made her lie down on the rear seat and rushed her to the hospital.

Rain had started to fall, cold and heavily.

Caleb located Dr. Walsh, who took Elize to the emergency ward immediately.

"Who are you?" asked Dr. Walsh when they were wheeling her in the emergency.

He didn't answer. Only let out a growl.

Before she disappeared in the emergency room, he asked the doctor, "Will she die today?"

"No," said the doctor and the nurse closed the door on his face.