I've never seen Elijah that enraged.

"Jackson, you take the girls upstairs. They're under your responsibility. You'll kill any intruder who would get to you."

Alec's eyes turn red and then yellow. Jackson nods at Alec's orders.

Alec shifts into a giant black wolf. His eyes are back to their usual green. Nevertheless, he looks furious and terribly dangerous. I get goosebumps all over my body.

He is the biggest and the most frightening wolf I've ever seen. I suppose that's how the lycans look when they are in their wolves' forms. And today, I face an angry Royal Lycan.

"Alec," I murmur.

I am scared by the lycan I see who is clearly deadly. But also scared that something might happen to him. I can't lose him. Not now. Not ever.

He looks at me, then at Jackson, who suddenly grabs me by my waist. His brawny arms do not give me a chance to get away or fight, so I can stay with Alec.

He runs to the stairs, and I see Alec and Elijah running straight to the woods with my parents right behind them.

I could be an orphan by the end of the day as my whole family goes to the woods. I can't help tears rolling down my face.

I realize Julie is by our side. At least, we will be together. Jackson has to keep her out of danger; we need to hide and protect her. We can't lose our Luna; Eli can't lose his mate.

She follows Jackson as he climbs the stairs three steps at a time. We are on the top floor in less than a minute, and we enter my room.

Alec's Beta closes the door, locks it, and closes all the shutters. He acts like we are on a siege. I just have time to check the French window. There are wolves everywhere. Fighting each other with blood. I've never seen such a horrible scene.

We are in an actual siege: It is nothing but rage outside. Wolves of all sizes and colors are fighting each other. The peaceful clearing of the packhouse is nothing but blood and despair.

All my happy childhood memories seem to be torn apart as wolves slaughter one another. How the hell could that happen?

I don't see either Alec or Elijah. I should easily see them. One giant black wolf and one big black Alpha wolf. But still, they are nowhere to be seen.

The two most essential wolves of my life - the two souls that always made me feel alive - are just desperately out of sight.Minutes seem to last hours. I suddenly hear some voices.

On your right, be careful.

It sounds like Alec. Impossible. I can't possibly hear him. But I'm fully affirmative. I hear his angelic voice.

Thanks, let's try to find some runners.

Elijah. I can hear Alec because he is communicating with Eli. They're together. An Alpha and a lycan Prince. They can make it. They are probably the two most capable wolves to survive any opponents or ambush.

I know Eli can deal with two regular wolves simultaneously, even if they are clever enough to trick him. I suppose Alec is strong enough to deal with more of them, as he is a lycan.

Let's go...

Alec is taking the lead. Good, he has decades of experience. They will be fine. They have to be okay.

A part of me would miss without Eli; My heart would die without Alec. I feel them both. It has to stay this way.

Alec...

Elijah disappears suddenly, and so does Alec's voice.

Julie falls to the ground and screams like she is hurt, holding her chest... Fuck, something is happening to Elijah. This is why Julie is so hurt.

This mate-link allows wolves to know if their mate is okay. When they are, you feel good. When they are not okay, you feel the pain or despair that the other is feeling, including wounds or death.

That explains why I feel Eli, thanks to our twin bond. I can feel his pain right now, but he seems alive, and his life does not seem endangered. But he is definitely full of rage.

If this annoying Alpha little brother dares to die before I do, I'll kick his ass myself after bringing him back.

Julie breathes heavily, but she seems to be able to catch Eli mentally. Even though she is scared to death, her face relaxes a bit. I kneel beside her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"He is gonna be back soon, Julie. Breathe. I'm here." I try to sound as calm as possible, attempting to focus on my heartbeat, repeating over and over that they were strong. I try to take my mind away, ignoring the raging growls, screams, and howls.

Trust them.

That's what my subconscious keeps on telling me. A voice full of hope, power, and authority.

But suddenly, I can't reach Eli anymore. Why can't I? Why am I feeling so cold? What's this extra pain in my chest? I have never felt this way before. What if it is Alec? What if he is hurt and dies?

I know we did not officially mate. Until we do that, many things are not possible yet - like feeling the other's pain. But still, I have this awful feeling that he is not good.

My mind keeps repeating he does not need us, he perfectly deals with everything, that I just have to wait for him, that I can't help him - not yet.

My body feels another way - panic is getting over me. I need to do something to help him. I need to stop this feeling.

I feel like my body is torn apart, that wolves' claws opening me in two. I scream, as the pain is intense. My eyes fill with tears of pain. If anything happens to Alec, I won't survive it.

I feel emptier and emptier. My heart runs riot, on edge to explode. I am overwhelmed with anger, pain, fear... rage. I am full of rage. Yet, it feels like it is not even my rage. I've never been like that. I've been strong for so long.

But today, having no control over what is happening in my pack, with my people murdered, my brother risking his life, and my mate defending us, makes me lose all my senses.

I run to the door. I need to get out of here. I need to find Alec. But Jackson stops me. His large arms grab me, and he tries to take me away from the door. But I am in some trance state, and I hit him with my knee, right in his ribs. I hear him cough.

"Get the fuck away from me!" I yell at him.

"I swear I'm gonna kill you if you don't let me out. So let me go, Jackson. I don't want to hurt you."

I may be a simple human, but I feel like I could genuinely hurt him right now. I have never felt so crazy. Even though I'm scared of myself, I can't act differently. Jackson's strong arms hold my arms and body so I can't hit him.

"I'm sorry, Olivia. I can't let you go. Alec will kill me if anything happens to you on my watch. And with all my respect, he is scarier than you are."

His voice is soft but authoritative: he won't negotiate anything. I have no other choice but to bite his arm, so he lets me go. I have finally gotten rid of this big wolf.

But suddenly, I sense Julie, who attempts to take my hand. Her hand nudges my arm: I can even feel her warm, relaxing touch.

This is a Luna thing to comfort people and make them feel better. It is almost working. Then my door shatters as a wolf looms in my room.

He is a large brown wolf. I can see his teeth as he growls. His canines brush my face, and I can feel the odor of blood emerging from his mouth.

Julie's wolf just jumped right in his ribs: she was so fast to turn. I did not have time to notice it happening.

The wolf falls to his side, a little dizzy, but he quickly gets better and stands up. There is less and less space between the wolf and Julie.

That does not matter, as Jackson's giant wolf takes his neck into his solid jaws, and we can hear vertebrae cracking as the wolf breathes his last sigh.

I make a small scream as I realize this is the war I feared yesterday during Eli and I's party. It was just yesterday, but it feels so far.

Hide. You can't stand them. Yet.

That's the only thing my instincts are screaming at me right now. I kind of... panic.

I go to my walk-in wardrobe and close the door. I lock the latch. Stupid, it won't stop the wolves, but I least I try to save myself.

This is crazy how foolish you can be when you realize you could die at any moment.

Well, at least I have some instinct to escape and survive after my moment of craziness. How could I have thought I could help anyone?

As the pain inside me goes away, I feel a warm liquid on my forehead. I put my hand on my face, then I look at it.

Blood.

It seems like the wolf got me in the end. It hurts.

I feel worried, but it is like this emotion was not mine. Deep inside my body, in the core of me.

The door blows up as I hear some howling outside the house.

I catch the bat I used to play baseball with my friends when I was younger.

"That's okay, Liv, it's me, you can go out. They're leaving."

I recognize Jackson's voice in this darkness.

As he switches on the light, I can see that he has some bruises on his face and chest, but he looks fine despite the bruises. He comes to me and squats next to me. He looks at my wound and puts my hair back.

"Well, you won't keep a trace of it, Princess. This wolf is lucky to be dead. Alec must be mad, feeling you hurt. He would have made him pay harder than I did for wounding his Princess." I look at him.

Alec can't feel me; we are not fully mated yet - and I'm not a wolf, anyway.

That's what I would like to say, but nothing comes out of my mouth. Jackson's voice is so calm, just like nothing bloody has just happened. It helps me relax. He gives me his hand, and we go out of the closet.

I see Julie, who runs out of the room, right to the stairs. I follow her without thinking twice. We hurtle down the stairs: We need to find Elijah. I need to find Alec.

My parents enter the hall, hands in hands, covered in blood. They seem okay. My mum and my dad come to me and hug me.

"You're okay, honey?" My mum sounds concerned, but relieved at the same time.

I'm not as strong as they are.

Today I realize that a war might be the end of me with no wolf to protect me. Without Julie and Jackson's quick shifts and animalistic force, I would be dead by now.

"Bastards," my dad says, angry, as he passes his hand on my wound.

"They hurt you, Liv. I'm so sorry." He kisses my forehead.

I smile at them to show them I'm fine.

"I'm good, don't worry."

Well, in fact, I'm fucking scared, and I want to go away from this, but... true, I am physically okay.

Julie runs to Elijah: they hug for a long time and kiss. Elijah smiles. Nevertheless, he must have had a hard time, as he is covered in blood.

Significant cuts can be seen on his face and chest, even if they seem to heal already. Alphas heal fast. I run to him and hug him.

"Thankfully, Alec was here. He saved my ass. I think he is good enough to take care of my sister, in the end."

Eli has a grateful voice. That must have been something out there. He kisses my forehead as I tighten his chest harder.

"I'm fine, Liv, really. Except if you break my ribs."

He sounds amused, and I wish I could laugh. But suddenly, that's a peculiar emotion that takes control over me.

I look around me, and my heart starts to beat too fast for my human body.

Where is Alec? Why is he not here?

My tears start to flood: my deepest part is moaning as my mate is missing.

Go find him; he needs to see us.

My brain finally agrees with my heart. I run outside, straight to the woods, blinded by the tears.

I must be half distance between the house and the woods when I hit something. Or someone.

Two muscular arms catch me and wrap around my neck. I instantly relax. The sparks and calming goosebumps go through my whole body.

"That's okay, Liv. That's okay".

The soft voice is so appeasing, just like his blooming flower scent. I've missed it.

Alec is here.

He is alive.

I am alive. I let a big breath of relief get out of my lungs.

"I swear, if you leave me alone like that ever again and dare to die, no one will stop me from killing you again, Alec."

I sob, and I can taste the salty tears that come to die on my lips.

Alec puts his hands on my hips and lifts me. I put my arms around his neck, my head hides in his neck, and I wrap my legs around his waist.

"Copy that, little wolf."

He murmurs in my ear before he walks us back into the packhouse.