[Damien's POV]

As I rested my head into her neck, I noticed a flickering of movement on her throat. A faint twitching of the skin every few secrets. Hoping that I was not imagining it, hope grew within me. I rested my head against her chest, praying that what I had hoped was true, was. And there, I heard it. The faintest beat of her heart. It was there, she was alive still. I had time still.

Picking up her body in my arms, I stood up ready to run in my human form. Needing to get her back to the house. Needing to give her a chance to live. Without her, I would only be half a man. But time was against me, and this was my one and only chance for the future I wanted.

With her in my arms, I turned around. I hadn't noticed anyone else's arrival. But there in front of me was someone else. I watched as whomever it was stepped out from the shadows of the woods. Walking towards me, somewhat shocked at their arrival.

"Hello baby." I heard her say.

"Thank god its you, Rachel. Run ahead and tell the pack doctor I need him at the house urgently"

"No, I don't think so my dear." I watched as her face became blank.

"What do you mean? She's going to die. She needs help."

"Let her die then. She is of no importance."

"What is wrong with you Rachel? You would let someone die?"

"Of course I would. Especially someone who is in the way."

"In the way of what? What are you talking about?"

"Silly man, in the way of what I want. What you didn't think I knew she was your mate. Tsk Tsk."

I stood there frozen in shock. Not understanding what was going on, but knowing I was wasting precious time to get Leilani help. To save her life.

"You knew this whole time didn't you?" I stated as I tried to step around her.

Ignoring my question, I heard her say, "This is your last chance Damien. You can choose me, and let her die. Or."

"Or what, Rachel? You do not place demands on me!" I stated as I continued walking.

"Or, you die. If I can't have you. No one can."

I turned around then, facing her again. Seething with anger. My wolf wanting to retaliate against the woman whom I thought I had loved, that was threatening the very future of the one I did love.

"And who is going to stop me from leaving? You?" I laughly scathingly at her, "I think not."

Turning around again, I began walking.

"Oh not me my dear, but my mate will."

"He's dead. You told me that. He died in the rogue attack."

"Oh about that dear, I lied." At this point, I had turned to face her completely again.

"One last chance Damien. That's all I am giving you." I watched as she put on an innocent appearance.

"Never Rachel." I stated as I turned around yet again, and began leaving. Her next comment had me stopping in my tracks, as a chill ran up my spine.

"Funny, you never asked me about my mate Damien." She walked over to me then, and stood in front of me. Her face contorted in rage.

"Oh, I can see you are confused dear. So let me enlighten you. Oh you have met him before. And he oh so wants to meet you. I kept him away from you, but now that you have chosen her over me, I think I will let you meet him face to face now. You know, it's funny. Even after I rejected him, he still wants me. He's still just so possessive. If only he hadn't been a lowly pack warrior. I always deserved an Alpha."

"What are you talking about Rachel?" As I asked her this, I saw a figure come out of the woods to my left. My eyes widen.

"Oh, there is my darling mate. Right on time. Tsk Tsk, should have let her die. Now you are."

That was when the light bulb flashed in my head, and I remembered what Alec had told me earlier today about rejected mates. I watched as the figure stalked closer, hoping my revelation wasn't true. But there it was, in all its horrific glory. The creature, the fallen, that I had held in my prison for over a week now advancing towards me. I placed Leilani's body softly on the ground, and I walked away from her. Baiting the creature as far away from her as possible.

"He can smell me all over you Damien, and he doesn't like it one bit." I heard her cackle behind me. "I am going to enjoy watching him kill you. Since you and your mate will die today, and you made me Luna. I don't need you anymore. It's too bad, we would have had fun together."

"After I am done with him, I am going to kill you Rachel. And I am going to enjoy it."

"Promise? Oh that's right, you don't keep your promises. Ta-ta now."

And at that, the creature lunged for me as it shifted into its wolf form. I barely dodged its attack, falling to the ground and tumbling forward. I looked behind me over my back, and saw it skid to a halt and turn around. Getting ready to strike back again. Realizing I didn't have much time, I shifted quickly. Just as it lunged at me a second time, I crouched down, and it leapt over my wolf body.

We began circling each other now. It's full attention on me, but mine divided on it, and Leilani. I couldn't tell where Rachel had gone. Nor did I care where she went. I would take care of her as soon as I was done here, and as soon as I knew Leilani would live. I waited patiently for it to give me a sign on its next attack when I saw its left leg twitch, letting me know it was about to jump at me from the left side. Just as I predicted, it jumped at me. With my concentration diverted in so many directions, I was not quick enough to dodge this attack. I felt as his teeth sank into my left hind leg. I felt the crushing of my bones within his jaw.

Twisting my head around, I was able to attach my fangs to its throat. Trying desperately to yank it off of me. I felt its hold on my leg slip, and I used all my strength and wrenched his body off of me. I had him pinned to his back, with my jaw clenched like a vise on his neck. I felt him trashing under me trying to get loose. Trying to kill me. I clamped my teeth down harder, and using my front paws to pin him, I began shaking my head violently back and forth. I could feel his flesh tearing, and the metallic taste of it's blood as it began to seep onto my tongue. It fought harder, and I thrashed more. Until I felt the peeling of skin away from skin. I watched as its body twitched and jerked before it stopped moving, as I held its decapitated head in my mouth.

I tossed its head to the side, and began limping towards Leilani. That was when I noticed Rachel sitting above her with the blade I had pulled from her body in her hands. She was getting ready to plunge it back in, and it would surely kill her if I didn't stop it. With a broken back leg, I ran, and jumped. Pinning Rachel to the ground in her human form.

Before she got a chance to transform, I sunk my claws and teeth into her chest and began ripping away at her flesh. I began pulling organ after organ out of her body and only stopped when I stopped hearing her screams of death.

Shifting back into human form, I crawled over to Leilani and felt for her pulse. I was relieved that it was still there. Though it hadn't weakened, it hadn't strengthened either. And with the last bit of strength I had, I picked up her body, and carried her back to the house. Praying for a miracle. Praying that I would be able to see her beautiful grey eyes open.

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A/N: And that is the end of the story my friends. There will be an epilogue to this story. And I think I have a sequel in mind for this story as well. It will likely deal with the repercussions of the events in this book. Basically a book about Damien winning back Leilani's forgiveness.