"We are not negotiating this," I growled out to that pesky vampire that I use to call best friend. "He is a child and I am not letting you take his life! He is two and has so much life ahead of him! He is ours, and you are not having him." Lucien stared at me, and then laughed. Bloody bloodsucking vampire.

"I will get him, with or without magic." What the hell?

"What on earth are you on about?" I snarled.

"Magic, how else do you think I do my disappearing act?" So he relies on magic, huh? "I suppose it is war, Kaden," he spoke. "It's a shame, our friendship is going down the drain even more."

"You're not getting the kid," I told him.

Lucien looked to the gang of vampires behind him. He looked to me and smirked. "What are you waiting for, boys? Get them." Just like that they all swarmed to attack us. Luckily, my pack were ready and we all shifted.

I headed straight for Lucien. He was my target. I would be the one to kill him no matter what. He's caused a lot and I know for a fact I am not happy he wants to kill Matthew. In a short space of time, I've become very fond of the little guy. I wouldn't know if I would say I love him, but I care for him very deeply and he is like a child to me. Someone threatens to take his life to benefit themselves? I will annihilate them, not matter who they are. He was Nova's half-brother but as far as I knew, they hadn't really hit it off. I'm sure she won't mind me killing this son of a bi-

"Come at me, Kaden. Go on, you know you want to," Lucien taunted. I narrowed my eyes at him and lunged for him. I had easily pinned him to the ground and growled in his face. I didn't really care if I had got spit or goober on his face. I didn't give two craps. "Aw, Kaden, baby." No one calls me that other than Nova. I started clawing at him which he knew it made me angry. "You know I like it rough, don't you? Unfortunately, I have a wife and child now so..." He stopped, probably realising he had just revealed a secret to me which he wasn't suppose to. He told us he wasn't married or had anyone. Lying bast-

Lucien managed to push me off of him and went for my neck. Psh. But before I could get to him or he to me, I was tackled by a few other vampires. Lucien waved goodbye to me and headed to the house. With anger fuelling me I managed to fling off the stupid vampires and snap their necks, killing them. I sprinted to the house where Lucien had managed to get in.

I checked on my pack before heading in, realising there was a huge bloodshed on my pack land. It was mainly vampires, which I was thankful for. I noticed a few of my men though. Their families. Lucien caused this. I ran into the house and up to the bedroom where I'd left Nova and Matthew. I hope they're okay.

I burst open the door, not caring if I had broken it - which I had. I looked around and growled under my breath when I didn't find them both. I could've mind-linked her, but I didn't want to distract her. I ran around the house looking for them and trying to find her scent. It led me to the kitchen and eventually the backyard. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Nova and Lucien standing over a dead Matthew.

Matthew.

That poor boy.

I am so going to kill Lucien for this. I let out a thunderous growl making both their heads turn towards me. Nova had tears in her eyes but was shocked to see me. Lucien looked...shocked? Why was he shocked? Thought he would've been happy that he killed a two-year-old. I went to lunge for him, but Nova stopped me. I hated myself for almost hurting her. With her, she had a towel which she flung at me.

"Shift, Kaden." I did as I was told, feeling like a kid, and shifted. I wrapped the towel around me. "You can't kill him," she murmured. Is she off her rocker?

"But he killed Matthew! He deserves to die," I snarled.

"Both of you call of your men from fighting each other," she calmly said. Like little children, we did as we were told. Well, I think Lucien did. I didn't really know how vampires communicated to their..community. "Tell them to go home." So we did. Why was she so calm? What's happened? "You're not my brother, are you?" she asked Lucien.

"No."

"Yeah and he's married with a child too!" I butted in.

"Lucien, I want you to go home. Never come back or ever speak to any of us again. Vampires are not to set foot on our land, ever. Not even you." Lucien nodded his head and walked away. What the hell?

"You can't just let him go! He killed Matthew. For power." She walked up to me and pulled me into a hug. She looked up and went on her tip toes, placing a kiss on my lips. I wanted to refuse to kiss her because she let that bloodsucking murderer go, but how could I resist? This wasn't like your typical war. It was one of the shortest I've ever been in. Too short. Not that I like killing people, but it was very short. "Love, we can't."

"Not everything is as it seems," she started. "You see that little boy laying there? You see him, right? That boy, he died a hero. He saved everyone from the craziness that is Lucien. He saved us from Lucien gaining absolute power - or somewhat absolute power. His kind is extinct now." I didn't really get what she was saying. So I asked her, obviously.

"What do you mean, baby?"

"For a two-year-old, he's pretty smart. He'd run into the kitchen with Lucien hot on our heels. By the time we had gone out into the garden, we saw h-him... H-he... H-he.." I pulled her closer to me, her face to my chest. She started to cry, sob even. I didn't know what she was trying to say, and I was baffled. But I had to be there for her. Comfort her. "He plunged the knife into his heart," she whispered against my chest. For a second, a mere second, I felt my heart stop.

"He what? He's two, he couldn't have."

"I saw it, Kaden. I saw it happen with my own eyes. He's a little hero," she whispered. I was so hellbent on making sure I killed Lucien for this but if Nova hadn't stopped me, then I would've killed an almost innocent man.

"We need a funeral.. For all of the lives lost today. I'll get a few warriors to gather the dead bodies and have them here. None of the kids are to come out back until after the men and Matthew are in coffins." I quickly ran upstairs to a random bathroom and picked a clean towel. I went back downstairs and lay it across Matthew. "Sweet dreams little man." He was probably more of a man than most of my pack. He had guts and I can't believe he did such a thing. It was all surreal that a two-year-old killed himself or even thought to. "Let's go upstairs, I don't want you seeing anymore dead bodies."

"Kaden, I love you. You know that, right?"

"Of course I know. Do you know that I love you more?"

"That's impossible," she giggled. Man, I really do love this woman.

"Nope, it's as possible as...uh.." She laughed at me which I didn't mind. I loved when she did actually. Why? Because as cheesy as it sounded, I loved her voice. We headed up to our room just before the warriors started bringing in the dead men. I will forever hate Lucien. I stayed up to comfort Nova knowing she needed me. I would've helped my warriors, but my mate came first. "Thank you for stopping me earlier," I told her. I was grateful. Sort of.

"I couldn't let you kill him, even if he wasn't my brother. He didn't harm Matthew and I couldn't let you kill him for something he didn't do."

"You've got a good heart, baby. I really cannot wait to make you mine, you know that?"

"I already am," she giggled again.

"After the funeral, we must mate. Before the full moon."

"When are the funerals?"

"Hopefully tomorrow. Since we're wolves, we can get funerals sorted as soon as. After tomorrow, okay? Not straight after the funeral, but a day after or something. Well, I'm taking you on a date before it, obviously. I'm going to make it was special as I can," I beamed. I saw her blush which made me kiss her nose.

"You're too good to me."

"You deserve the best, love. You should know that."

"Ew stop being cheesy," she muttered and stuck her tongue out at me. I rolled my eyes at her and kissed her forehead. After that, we didn't really know what to do. We were surrounded by memories of Matthew since he practically lived in our room. There was his bed, his toys, his drawings.. I'm seriously going to miss this kid.

***

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