[Damien's POV]

I stood by our bed, looking down at Rachel's sleeping form. Even in sleep, it looked like her body was reaching for mine. She had moved towards my side of the bed at some point as I had been getting dressed for the day. It was times like this, that she looked the most beautiful. The times I love her the most. Seeing her need me, wanting me, even in sleep. I needed to remember how lucky I was to be loved by this woman. Remember she was who I had chosen for my life. I had given her my heart.

So why did it feel as if my heart belongs to another as well? Two women that love me. Two women that I was hurting. Though Rachel not knowing of the conflict inside of me, has saved her from the pain up until now. Neither women deserved it. Everyday I am beating myself up more and more. I can feel part of my heart calling for Leilani. Part of me that belongs to her now, and I can't stop it. It's like a run-away freight train. I am not even sure if I want to stop it, even if I could. I am truly a selfish bastard, but I never break promises, and I do not intend to. Rachel has my promises, even if Leilani has part of my heart.

Leaning down over Rachel, I place a kiss on her forehead as she sleeps. I whisper in her ear how much I love her. I watch as a tiny smile spreads across her face. Her petite mouth open a fracture and a soft sigh escaped from her lips, right before she snuggles deeper into the covers of our bed. I stood up then, and headed out of our bedroom to prepare for the day.

The house was still eerily quiet with it being still a bit early, but I needed to prepare for Elder Alec's arrival today. As I reached the desk in my office, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye outside. Along the treeline I had watched Leilani so many times before, I caught the twinkling of light for a second, before it disappeared. Not really sure of what it was, but forgetting about it.

I sat down and began getting paperwork together, and other items that I needed to take care of. I am not sure how long I had sat there, to be honest. I was deep in concentration, that it wasn't until I heard knocking at my door did I look up. And there, stood Alex in the doorway in front of an older gentlemen.

"Damien, Elder Alec has just arrived."

"Thank you Alex. Won't you please come in Elder Alec?"

"Please, just call me Alec."

"Alec than. Please have a seat."

"Thank you Damien, but I think we should not waste time. I would prefer you take me to the prisoner at once. I need to see it to confirm the Elder Council's suspicious. If it is indeed what we suspect it is, then we can tell you more. But first, I need to see the prisoner."

"Yes, yes of course. Come this way." I stated as I led Alec out.

As we arrived at the prison and entered. I watched as Alec scanned the area, frowning in concentration. We continued through the corridors and onto the cells. As we entered the area the creature was kept, it turned it's head quickly in my direction as it had the first time I had seen it here. Again, it tried reaching through the bars trying to strike at me violently. Snapping and snarling, with such hatred and rage aimed at me. I then turned to Alec, and watched as his eyes widened.

"I must get a closer look at that symbol your pack doctor told you about."

"Yes, of course."

I instructed four of my strongest guards to restrain the creature. As soon as they opened its cell, it tried to lunge at me again. Thrashing about and snapping its mouth at me. If I were a lesser man, I would have quaked in my boots, but I am not a lesser man. I stood my ground watching as the guards pinned it to the ground on its belly. Once restrained, I watched as Alec approached the beast, and squatted down lower to take a closer look at the symbol on its neck.

"It is what I feared it is." I heard him say, as he turned his head towards me.

I watched as he stood up and straightened his body again. He walked the few steps it took to stand directly in front of me. A serious look upon his face.

"What is it Alec?"

"It is a Fallen, Damien."

"A Fallen? What is that?"

"I will explain that to you in a second, Damien."

"But, where did it come from?"

He sighed before answering, "We caused them. Our kind's actions, caused them."

I looked at him confused, "What? But how?"

I watched as he shook his head no slightly, with a look of disappointment on his face.

"Obviously the Elders and I have been too lax in our duties to our kind. And that is our fault. I take the blame for it."

"Explain to me how we are responsible for this." I stated, as I pointed to the creature again.

I watched as Alec stepped away from me, and stared at the wall. Not really seeing anything, as he continued to speak.

"The answers you seek are in our Lycan history, Damien. Our archives span centuries, telling the future generations of their mistakes, in hopes that the following generations do not make the same mistakes again. It is the duty of the Elders to insure that our history is taught to every new generation. Do you remember as a pup, being taught the importance of true mates?"

"Yes, I do. But I do not understand how mates and the Fallen have anything to do with this." I wasn't sure if I was frustrated with the confusing conversation more, or the fact that he had brought up mates. Leilani was not something I wanted to discuss or think about.

"Then you were obviously not taught enough. So let me explain what they have in common. There is a story of a great battle in our Ancient past. One telling of a war that lead to thousands, even hundreds of thousands of our kind were being slaughtered and killed. A plague of creatures that had decimated the Lycan population. And that creature over there, is one of the very beasts that were described in our archives. They are referred to as The Fallen."

I watched as he sat down on a chair, and continued talking.

"To understand the origins of this story, you must know the lore that was written. Do you remember as a child, your parents telling you the importance of listening to the Goddess?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Do you remember them telling you, if you did not heed her words, that there were consequences to it?"

"Yes."

"Well the Fallen were our consequences for not following her word."

"I still do not understand what you are trying to say to me Alec!' I yelled in frustration.

"Of course, let me explain more. Going back to the great battle. You need to understand that during this time, our kind was much less civilized than what it is now. We were savage beasts more than human. We allowed our beasts to rule over us. We did what we wanted as a people. Mated whom we chose to, not whom was destined. It wasn't until one Elder watched as his own daughter's descent, that we found out how the Fallen were created. He watched as his daughter suffered unbearable pain, while her mate continued on with his life. Watched her lose her mind. Watched her break apart. Watched as her bruised and battered body became weaker and weaker. Until she became a Fallen. "

"Alec, you are talking in riddles! Just tell me what they are!" I roared at him.

I watched as he stood up swiftly, rage in his eyes, and stormed to me. Putting his face an inch into mine, causing me to flinch.

"Fine, I will state this as bluntly." I watched as he lifted his hand and pointed at the creature.

"That thing, that Fallen, is the consequence of ignoring one's destiny. That thing is born from the rejection of one's mate for another. That thing IS the rejected mate. That thing is the personification of the pain and torment it had to endure because someone elses' selfishness. Every time their mate kisses or loves someone else, pain like you can not even imagine took root in their soul, giving birth to THAT creature! Only our kind can create them. Only the denial of a true mate bond, can a Lycan be condemned to whatever life that is! It is the Goddess' way of punishing us! We are both the cause and the anedote to it!"

I flinched back, gasping for air. Flashes of Leilani streaming through my mind. Her smiling at me, her laugh, her sad desperate eyes reaching out for me. Remembering her as a child. Remembering all the times I had seen her over the past week. All the clues I had been given, but too blind to see. This was the future I had presented her with. This is how I had rewarded her for loving me. This was the path I had thrust upon her.

"Can they be changed back? If the mate bond is accepted?" I asked Alec with pleading eyes.

"No, Damien. There is no turning back once you have become Fallen. There are only two outcomes for them. That there, or death. That is why we have strived to teach you to accept what the Goddess has given you. Because the consequence of not doing so, means the death of one of our kind, in one way or another. And that creature tells me, we have failed to do that."

"I have to go. I have to go." I repeated over and over, while walking slowly backwards out of the room.

The only thing on my mind was Leilani. Hoping that I was not too late to get to her. Hoping that she would forgive me, and I would be able to save her. Accepting now that she was my destiny all along. Undestanding now, that I had and always would love her. It was Rachel that could not shine a light to her. It was she that I needed and wanted. Not because of what she could become, but because I had finally realized how much I truly loved her. I had let my arrogance and pride get in the way. She had suffered silently for so long, never even telling me what I had put her through. She has put me first everytime, and if it took the rest of my life, I would prove she was my first as well.

"I am coming for you my love." I whispered as I ran back to the house.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Unknown POV]

You will never leave me. You are mine. And he will insure it. Close now, he is so close.