He rubbed his jaw "How do you feel, knowing that Ben is your human mate?"

"I am?"

The person in question appeared in the clearing, pointing at his chest and staring at them like aliens.

"Ben?!" Lia was bewildered,

"Aren't you supposed to be taking care of Rex, what are you doing here?" She couldn't believe her eyes.

Ben threw his hand, "Well, shit happened and here I am. Though you don't need to worry about your brother Rex, Dan sent him back to my place,"

Lia's eyes widened,"Wait a minute, my brother's here too? Ben, how could you risk his life like that, I trusted you to keep him safe"

"Your brother was here," Ben was brisk to clarify, "And I did keep him safe. Beside you should give the boy some credit, he's actually capable than you think,"

"Quite interesting to have the subject of our conversation here," Raphael's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Ben, run!" Lia guessed Raphael's cruel motive before the vampire moved an inch.

But the idiotic fool neglected her instruction and stood still as if his feet were glued to the ground. Well, he wouldn't have run far since Raphael could outspeed him any time, any day.

In a moment of desperation, before Raphael could lay his hands on him, Lia reached her hand and a forcefield engulfed Ben knocking back Raphael.

"Awesome," Ben awed, taking in the encompassing wispy bubble-like structure shielding him from the predator gritting his teeth outside from failure. He even went ahead to make a face at the furious vampire.

"Impressive, as expected of you, Lia. But let's see how long you can keep up with both," A dry grin stretched Raphael's mouth to the side.

Almost immediately, Lia staggered back feeling faint but her mate caught her by the midsection.

"You're running out of juice, Lia. You can't keep up with both barriers at once, it's draining you" Asher cautioned.

"No, I can. Just hold me tight," His stubborn mate insisted, "Give me your body to lean against, then I'll last long enough for Sabrina to arrive " Lia requested.

Asher hated being unable to provide for the welfare of his mate, it made him feel powerless- just like that time he was captured.

He could not hurt Raphael for his mother-in-law's sake but he could hurt the witch, yet Raphael wouldn't let him, it made him feel frustrated. Yes, that was Raphael's plan, he found out.

His older bastard of a brother wanted him to feel hopelessness before ending him. No, that won't happen! He'd find a way out of this!

Eyes burning with determination, Asher became his mate's backbone; supporting and holding her up each time her legs would want to give out.

He knew she was exhausted, having been fighting all night was not an easy task at all.

"I've got you, baby girl," he would whisper into her ears and this somehow renewed Lia with strength and she kept up with her forcefield.

"Alright everyone, why don't we go back to that point of the discussion where Raphael mentioned that I'm your human mate or something," Ben pinpointed.

"He's lying Ben, there's no such thing as you being my human mate," Lia refuted Raphael's claim.

Raphael was amused, "You have a vampire mate, werewolf mate, why shouldn't you have a human mate? How and why do you think you and Ben fit together like two imperfect puzzle pieces?" was his question.

"I do support his theory," Ben acquiesced, earning a glare from Lia and Asher.

"Ben and I are the closest of friends and you're just jealous because you're not going to be my mate. Neither would you have a friendship as precious as ours. Why? Because you're just a backstabbing manipulator of a vampire," Lia finally let out those words she longed to say at last.

"Closest of friends, huh? Quite amusing," Raphael snorted mockingly, "I have never seen a human relationship where the friend follows the other like a loyal puppy,"

No name was called but Ben knew who Raphael was referring to and took offense, "Hey, that's mean, I'm not a loyal puppy," he protested.

Yet, Raphael ignored him and went on, "When he was possessed by the necromancer, why do you think you were chosen as his queen?"

"Because Lawrence possessed my body?" Ben gave him a stupid look.

"Yes, Lawrence or whatever he calls himself did possess your body but all of his actions such as kidnapping Lia was influenced by your deepest, darkest desire"

"That's quite stupid, Raphael," Lia stated, "Are you saying that because Ben likes me, that makes him my mate?"

"I don't like you!" Ben blurted yet blushed.

"One word Ben and I'll burst that bubble," Lia referred to the shield she placed on him.

"Fine, I'm obviously the less privileged mate," Ben mumbled sadly under his breath but everyone heard it.

Lia shook her head, this was all Raphael's fault. Who knows what Ben was thinking about?

"Listen here Ben, you're not my mate. There's no bond between us," she added quickly, "Except our friendship bond,"

"You don't feel that bond with Ben because he's human, it's more intense with your supernatural mates," Raphael explained.

"That's enough Raphael," Asher spoke up this time, "No matter what you say, Lia's not going to bring down this shield" he declared.

An evil smirk appeared on Raphael's face, "Fine then, I don't need to plead with her, I'll make her,"

"What are you going to do, Raphael?" Lia had a bad premonition about this.

"Watch me," His threat was apparent.

Lia watched Raphael pull a knife out of his boot and began to cut his arm while a scream of pain was heard from her mother's lips.

"Raphael, stop it! You're hurting my mother!" She cried out.

"You're a sick bastard," Ben was fired up too.

"Bring down the barrier and I'll consider," Raphael proposed.

"Lia, don't …" Asher was still saying when she stepped out of the barrier leaving him behind.

He was short of words, how was that possible? He didn't know his mate could manipulate the forcefield to this extent. Her powers evolved?

"Let me out of here," Asher was unsettled by her stupid plan, banging his hand against it.

"I'm sorry but I have to do this," Lia apologized and walked over to Raphael who had kept his own part of the deal of not hurting her mother anymore.

"What do you want from me, Raphael?" She stood right in front of him, fists and jaw clenched tightly.

"I told you," Raphael lifted his hand, stroking her face," I want you to be mine. You don't know how much potential you possess but I'm going to help you develop that. You don't need Asher, he's going to keep holding you back from being who you need to be,"

"And what do you benefit from this?" Lia asked him, knowing Raphael would not be doing this without gain.

"I'll rule by your side when the time comes," he said, lowering his head to kiss her.

Lia didn't move a muscle, standing still as his face kept getting closer and closer till their lips were almost touching.

Raphael smirked, this was the opening he has been waiting for for a long time. To possess Lia with her being in her right frame of mind. The feeling was heavenly.

But just as he was about to claim her lips, she pulled back slightly which made his brow raise.

"I'm sorry Raphael but I'll never be yours," She smirked at him and before he could react, engulfed both of them in her shield while Asher and Ben were released.

Lia looked at the side of the woods," Sabrina, now!"

Dan and witch emerged out of the bush," Naturae, vocationis exaudi me,"

Per Sabrina's spell, Raphael's witch was snatched to a tree, the vines wrapping around her body, disabling her.

Sabrina would have killed the witch but she was Devon's mother- Devon was a good kid- and it was obvious to her that she was doing this against her wishes. Mother and daughter needed to be reunited.

"Unlink my mother now!" Lia boomed at Sabrina.

Raphael's eyes flashed red, "Get me out of here!" he knew his plan was about to be ruined.

"I'm sorry but you know I can't do that," Lia declared.

Angered, Raphael grabbed her on the throat.

"Lia!" Asher called out of concern. His mate wouldn't die but every pain she felt was real.

"S-Sabrina do it," Lia urged the witch to proceed with the plan.

All this while, the hybrid deliberately distracted Raphael so he doesn't pick up Sabrina's presence as they - Sabrina and Dan- wait for a good opportunity to make their epic appearance.

Sabrina's gaze moved from Lia to Raphael to Asher and back again until she received a go-ahead signal from Dan.

"Et Sabrina inrita cuiquam facta fuisset factum est solvere corrigiam calciamentorum quo fuit, vita vitae reditus esset in viam,"

An eerie wind began to blow, picking and throwing things around until it suddenly settled.

Everyone - including Raphael- was enthralled by what's going on that they stopped whatever they were doing and watched.

"Is it done?" Ben asked no one in particular but all eyes turned to Sabrina's expectantly for the result.

"I think..."

Sabrina gasped suddenly, her hands going around her neck while her eyes grew wide.

"What's going on?" Dan was alarmed when he caught her from falling to the ground. However, her expression was pale and she was gasping for breath.

"What did you do?" asked the horrified Lia to Raphael.

His witch now free from the tree was the one who answered instead, "Whoever unlinks them would have to sacrifice her life, that's the consequences"