Aislinn looked up meeting the calm rich chocolate brown of the eyes of the new participant in their little game. His arms were folded over his chest, his feet planted as he calmly barred the path of the retreating Alpha.

Stanley looked at him and grinned before spinning around to face Aislinn. A gleeful expression now taking over his face and quickly replacing the fear and rage that had previously dominated.

"Is it true?" The newcomer asked his voice low and soft but she still heard him.

"Of course not you idiot! Now grab her! She attacked me and she must pay!" Stanley shouted his face smirking at her again. If Aislinn wasn't so concentrated on the new wolf she might have shivered from the disgusting images that his mind was conjuring up as he looked at her.

Holding his questioning stare with a calm one of her own she watched him evenly. Both were now completely ignoring the raging Alpha blubbering between them. Searching his face she made sure she kept her own blank.

Finally she spoke her voice nearly as low and soft as his had been, "You know it is."

The wolf held her gaze for another minute before slowly nodding his head while letting out a low sigh of defeat. A look of pure sorrow played over his features. "What now?" He asked glancing back at his Alpha.

Cocking her head she also looked at the man who was now watching the two of them with growing unease. His face began to pale in horror as his eyes flicked between them in disbelief.

"No! NO! You can't do this! I am an Alpha. Your Alpha. I have the council. They won't let you get away with this!" He screamed at them his head now whipping between them comically as his hands came up in a useless attempt to ward off any advance.

Aislinn finally let her face change. Her cool mask of indifference dissolving as a deadly smile erupted. Letting all of her fury, hate and rage fill her eyes. At the change both men took a step back from her.

She felt as Richard started moving in her direction. Making his way towards her at a faster rate. Across the mate bond she felt as her mate's own emotions spiked. Worry and concern filling him as he registered her now unrestrained and consuming emotions clearly.

She let out a cold menacing laugh as she stalked forward. Her eyes began to swirl with silver as her wolf become one with her. Melding together both focused on their prey. It satisfied them to watch as he cowered before their advance. Prowling gracefully in the moonlight.

"Oh that is where you are wrong Stan. I can and I will. I will feel your life drain away by my hands and I will rejoice in it. You have lived long with this debt on your head and now I am here to collect."

His eyes widened as he stared at her. "Wh-who .... Who a-are yo-you?" The thick stench of terror and fear was wafting from him making her wolf howl with delight and relish in the power.

"You know who I am. Did you think you would not pay for what you did? Did you think we would forget? Did you think your council could shield you forever?" Her voice was deadly. Ice and venom in her veins.

"They will kill you for this! You won't get away from them!"

She never stopped. Gliding across the space until she was nearly on top of him. Tilting her head back she looked up at him, leaning close until there was only a whisper of space between her still form and his now trembling one. Pitching her voice so it took on that of a friendly conspirator who was handing him her biggest secret she leaned in even closer going onto her toes to reach him. Letting her breath fan across his skin gently she whispered sweetly into his ear "Not if I kill them first."

And then she struck. Her blows were a blur that he could no longer keep up with. His wolf put up a fight, his alpha blood trying to make one final show but it simply wasn't enough.

When he tried to flee once more he found the path again blocked by the other wolf. Dropping to his knees Aislinn watched coldly as he begged for his life. The other wolf ignored his desperate pleas. The cries for mercy and compassion falling unanswered in the dark forest.

Without hesitation or second thought she moved behind him. Her hand expertly grabbing the dagger from her sleeve in one fluid motion. With barely a whisper of wind she brought her arm out the silver glinting dangerously and deadly in the pale light of the moon as the other hand grabbed harshly at his stiffly gelled hair. Wrenching back violently she exposed his neck.

And then it was red. In one swift move she ran the edge of the blade against his flesh. The incredibly sharp edge digging deeply into his vulnerable throat. Silencing his words in a gurgle of air and blood. The silver coated the gash, preventing it from healing. Wordlessly they watched as his body crumpled to the ground his life draining from his veins while staining the forest floor.

Richard and her new guard were around her in the next minute. In the blink of an eye they had formed a circle around her. Their bodies stiff and tense as they surrounded her. Their eyes anxious with fear and worry as they scented her blood on the air. Richard let out a growl as he planted himself directly in front of her. Squaring off with the other wolf still standing in the clearing. Not one spared a glance for the bleeding Alpha crumpled between them.

The other wolf was quick to uncross his arms at the sudden appearance. Throwing his hands in the air in a symbol of submission and surrender at Richard's growl. When her Guardian didn't let up, and his chest began to rumble with its force, the other wolf smartly retreated. Taking two careful steps back, his eyes dropped quickly from her and to the ground at her feet.

It was this scene that Kaiden, Austin and Clay ran into. Kaiden took one sweeping look before moving with lethal intention to her side. His face was hard and murderous but his eyes showed the worry and terror blazing under the surface.

Her guards moved immediately to let their Alpha pass before quickly closing ranks behind him again. Austin and Clay moved so they stood near Richard. Positioning themselves so they were effectively further blocking any path to her. The other wolf smartly took another step back as the newest additions set themselves against him. He didn't overlook the unfriendly faces now watching him suspiciously.

Kaiden ignored everyone as he took in his mate. Her hair was wild and tangled, tumbling around her shoulders and back, twigs and leaves caught in the silvery strands. Catching scent of her blood his eyes turned black a growl rumbling his chest as he stepped closer to her. Anger erupting through him at the thought of her being hurt, of someone making her bleed. He wanted to kill, to destroy.

He met the cool calm steel of her eyes. He calmed slightly, at least enough so he could speak.

"You're hurt."

"So are you."

He scoffed at her statement causing her to roll her eyes at him. He let out a small chuckle feeling a bit of his fear and anger ebb as his eyes scanned over her.

"Where are you hurt?" He tried again.

"It's nothing."

He growled again, to which she huffed rolling her eyes at him again before showing him a few of the minor scrapes and bruises on her arms. His eyes flashed to her neck as he scented her blood again, his eyes darkening. His hand moved to shift her hair but she pulled away from him. He let out another low growl this time in irritation. Looking up at him he heard her sigh before she gingerly pulled her hair back over the other shoulder letting him get a view of the four claw marks that raked down the delicate flesh of her neck.

His body stilled. His vision flashing red as complete fury took him over. He turned slowly looking at the wolf that wasn't from his pack. The man's eyes were flashing nervously between Kaiden and his mate while he shifted his weight from foot to foot. His face pale and wary.

Kaiden felt another growl rip out of his chest, shaking the trees around them.

Richard and Austin stepped aside as he made to move forward. Suddenly a small hand on his forearm stopped him. He looked back in surprise and followed the small delicate hand up to the steady calm face of his mate. Her eyes were gentle as they looked at him. The feel of her skin on his calmed him, as did her scent. He let her light touch hold him still as he eyed her cautiously.

Aislinn offered him a small smile as she read the emotions still swirling in him.

"It wasn't him."

Kaiden growled lowly at the mention of the other wolf and the reminder of her being wounded. He also definitely wasn't happy with her defending another man to him. His eyes flicked down to her neck where she had pulled her hair in an attempt to hide the injury from him once more. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It was the Alpha. Stanley." Her voice was soft and gentle.

This had Kaiden's eyes black as all traces of calmness evaporated as his wolf threatened to completely take over. His body began to shake as his wolf urged, no demanded him to kill. To sink his teeth into flesh and tear it apart.

"I killed him." That snapped him out of it. His anger now shifted to his mate who was regarding him calmly. It didn't escape Kaiden's notice how the other wolves were shifting uneasily in the presence of his Alpha's rage and knew that not only was it filtering through the pack link but waves of dominance and rage were most liking radiating from him permeating the air of the clearing.

"You!?" He snarled out his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer to her until his chest was nearly brushing against hers.

His height forced her to have to tilt her head back in order to hold his stare as she defiantly nodded her head in confirmation.

"I told you to stay out of it. I told you to stay at Richard's side. I told you to not get hurt." He gritted out as he continued to glare down at her.

She didn't flinch under the weight of his eyes or words. Standing her ground her voice was flat as she spoke back to him. "And I told you not to attempt to command me."

He threw his hands in the air before running one through the tousled silkiness of his raven hair, before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He felt her spike of amusement as he glared at her once more.

Aislinn looked up at her mate and couldn't help the tiny smile that crept out at the feel of his concern and worry for her. She looked him over, her own instincts now pushing her to make sure he was unhurt and safe. She had been trying to ignore it but eventually just gave in and let her eyes roll over him. Blood sweat and dirt covered him from head to toe. She eyed the blood taking a deep breath. Ignoring his overpowering and intoxicating scent for the moment she filtered through them and was relieved to find that most of it wasn't his. There were a few scratches covering his chest and arms but nothing too deep and most were already beginning to heal on their own. Colorful bruises bloomed over his skin but it didn't look like anything was broken.

His wide muscular chest was on full display and somewhere he had managed to find a pair of shorts that rode dangerously low on his narrow hips. She couldn't help it when her eyes roamed over him. Taking in every dip and valley of his muscles or that her heartbeat sped up at the sight. Her stomach clenched and it wasn't necessarily unpleasant.

Ignoring her comment Kaiden nudged his chin in the direction of the other wolf, who now stood looking as if he was considering bolting and disappearing for a very long time. Aislinn couldn't fault him, her mate was an intimidating sight. Especially covered in blood after coming out of a battle from which he won while being outnumbered two to one. Not to mention they were all calmly standing around with a dead alpha at their feet.

"He stopped him from escaping."

That caught him off guard. Kaiden looked down at his little mate before eyeing the other wolf critically.

"My mate says you helped her to stop your Alpha." The man nodded, "Why?" Kaiden demanded his voice harsh.

"Just because he was my Alpha doesn't mean I agree with him. What he has done, no one should get away with. Our pack is better off without him." Kaiden couldn't not hear the honesty in the words.

He looked down at his mate again, cocking his head unsure what she wanted to do. It was easy to see that something more was going on. Now that he was sure she was unhurt and safe he was happy to let her take control.

Feeling his emotions shift, she let her own barriers down, letting him back into her mind before turning to face her new found ally.

He was tall, well he would have been if she wasn't constantly surrounded by the giants of her mate, his friends, and not to mention Richard. Still, he was probably around six feet, his shoulders and chest broad and well defined, light brown hair brushed along his collar where it was combed away from his face. His cocky stance however, was being diminished by the nervous looks he was throwing her.

"Your Alpha was wrongly given his title, his own father approached the council set to have it denied to him. The council used the knowledge of his power and greed to its advantage. He has ordered and been a part of horrible crimes against our kind. You watched me kill him." Aislinn spoke taking in everything.

Slowly he nodded unsure what would happen next.

"You had fallen out of favor with him for some time now. Opposed his alliance with the council, fought his oppression of your pack."

Again he nodded confusion overcoming him as she spoke of things she shouldn't know.

"Your old Alpha had a choice for who he wanted to take over instead of his son, did you know who it was." Honest shock filled him as he shook his head.

After a minute he watched as the tiny little she-wolf nodded at him. Still unsure he followed her gaze as she once more looked at the hulking shape of her mate standing at her side.

Her next words stunned them all, "Vance was chosen to replace Stanley's father, David, as the next Alpha of the Silva pack. He was opposed to the council and supported the old Alpha in cutting ties with them. However David underestimated them. He didn't move fast enough and they had him assassinated. From there they had Stanley initiated. Vance will take over his rightful title of Alpha and will ally with your pack."

"What!?" Vance shouted taking a step forward only to be intercepted by Richard and Austin who let out low growls of warning their fists clenching as their eyes narrowed to slits, both grabbing him harshly. Vance's first instinct was to fight the hands holding him but he fought it down instead forcing his body to go limp. Holding his breath for what would happen next.

Kaiden looked skeptically at the wolf in question, feeling for his mate across their bond. Shifting through her feelings he felt her certainty and confidence.

"Richard. Aus." His voice was sharp, both men instantly dropped their restraining hands although Richard let out another threatening growl before stepping back.

Kaiden stepped forward.

"Does my mate speak the truth?" He asked letting his authority and power resonate in his voice.

Even with his darker skin it was easy to watch as the head warrior visibly paled under the unflinching stare from the Alpha.

Shakily he nodded, although he was still shocked about the revelations, everything she had said about his feelings and positions about the council and his old Alpha's actions were correct.

"Alright then. Take your pack back to your land. Tomorrow you will come with your chosen beta and third to our house and will take the oaths. From here on Pack Silva will share in a treaty of peace as allies with Pack Argentum Sanguinis."

The name caused a tremor of shock and surprise to flash through Vance but he smartly didn't question it. Simply nodding at the order. He felt his curiosity spike as he looked again at the small silver haired she-wolf. Watching them he wondered not for the first time who in the hell these people were.