I woke up to the shouting and screaming from outside of Nicolette's room. The sheets had been thrown around and her scent lingered.

The sounds of footsteps were heard next as the slam of the front door rang through my house. I felt a break through the pack's barrier. Someone had gotten through border control. I'm going to need to have a talk with them.

I fling the curtains that covered the window open and saw Nicolette leaping through the trees and warriors following her on foot. I let out a growl. How could Lucas just let her go out like that.

I fling open the balcony door and jump to the ground and shift into my wolf.

My wolf begged for the control. He wanted to be the one to save Nicolette but her safety came before the pride of my wolf.

I ran through the trees catching up with Nicolette's vampire speed. The scent of rouges hit my nose as Nicolette came to a stop.

I shifted back into my human form and found clothes. The same man that had captured Nicolette the other day. I heard her voice cut into the link.

"Warriors please refrain from attacking the rouges in front of you. The female witch in the tree will take care of it," her voice rang through my head. My eyes widened. It takes a lot of training to learn to do that.

I watched her jump down to the forest ground making a noise that made the rouges turn and face her.

A wolf made a snide remark at her which made my wolf want to lash out and attack but I stifled a growl from him. I watched as the wolf turned into ash and the force of the wind that came from her blow into the wind.

His body flew with the win then all of their heads snapped and they were all on the ground. My wolf watched in awe. He was proud of his mate.

The man took off and Nicolette looked forward, dazed. Then, she was on the ground. I moved quickly to her side and bent down beside her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lucas growled. I ignored his question and put my hand over her neck the feel her heart rate.

"I asked you a question Malcom," he said. My eyes flashed golden at the disrespect from my Beta.

"And I am higher rank than you Lucas. You have no right to be barking orders at the Alpha unless you want to be stripped from your title," I snapped back. He opened his mouth to say something but he smartly kept his mouth shut.

Her heart rate was slowing down and her temperature was rising. I carefully lifted her up off the ground and carried her bridal style back to my house.

"Gather the border control and all warriors on the training ground and you and Seth take over watching the border," I ordered. Nicolette looked exhausted as she laid in my arms peacefully.

Her body was freezing cold against my warm body. I guess her witch and vampire form dominates the warmth of her wolf. She always seems cold all the time.

I bring her carefully to her room and lay her in her bed and covered her. I stare at her for a few seconds and plant a light kiss on her forehead. I turned off the lights and make my way to the training grounds. I would get back before Nicolette could wake up, hopefully.

The warriors were all crowded on the training grounds like I had ordered. Their murmurs were carried by the wind as they wondered why I had requested them to be there.

"How long did I train all of you before you were sent to your training," I asked calmly. I paced back and forth as they grew silent.

"One year, Alpha," someone finally answered. I heard a slap and a quiet ow from the wolf that answered. The warrior next to him instructed him to not speak but not quiet enough.

"Why shouldn't he speak warrior? I asked a question and he answered," I stared at him. His eyes widened and his heart rate started to pick up.

"One year. I hand-trained each and every one of you all for one whole year and I'm still finding rouges on my pack lands," I said with my voice getting louder at each word. "I'm letting older warriors do everything while I train every single one of you all."

"My old warriors are assigned to their same position as they were before the young warriors took you place temporarily," I announced in the pack link. I wonder if that would have woken Nicolette up.

"Everyone's dismissed. Tomorrow 7AM sharp we start training," I growl. I didn't stop for any questions and went straight back to Nicolette's room to check up on her.

I opened her room door quietly and saw that she was still sleeping. I quietly shut the door and take a seat in the uncomfortable arm chair that was till placed beside her bed.

"If I've seen anything I think you're falling in love with her," a voice said. My head snaps over to the voice of my brother.

"What are you doing in hear Darius," I groan and lean back in the chair.

"Why did I find out about your mate from Lucas? My own brother didn't tell me that he found his mate but his Beta told me," he stated as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"I didn't thi-"

"Didn't think what? That you wouldn't fall in love for her? How can you not? I met her only the other day and I think it was a bullshit move to practically reject her at the first sight of her," he said looking at her. My wolf wanted to growl at him for even looking at his mate.

"What I do with my mate has nothing to with you. Why are you even in here?" I question him. He rolls his eyes but refuses to make eye contact with me.

"Lucas sent me here to watch her incase she woke up," he said. "By the way. Your mate likes children." I let out a breath as I stare at her.

Her breathing started to get heavy and the smell of fear filled the room. Nicolette shot up out of the bed with sweat breaking through and he cheats rising up and down quickly.

"Woah take it easy there princess," Darius said lifting himself off of the wall. My wolf let out a growl at the use of a pet name on her.

"What happened?" She breathed. She caught her breath and took a gulp of water from the glass next to her bed.

"You blacked out after using you magic," I explained. Her face morphed into disappointment.

"Fuck," she cursed. She ran her hand over her face to wipe of the swear and leaned forward and took a deep breaths. "Elemental magic tends to drain me faster." She shivers and let out a breath as she brought the blanket closer to her body.

"I'm sorry Nicole I may have broken the heater on my way here," Darius confesses. She shrugs and lays back down to warm herself up using her own heat.

"Darius go prepare training schedules for the next few months," I ordered. He nodded and quietly left the room.

"Why were you in here last night?" She asks me quietly. Her back faced me so I couldn't see the reaction her face showed. I sigh as I stare at her wavy brown hair.

"I was just making sure you didn't burn my walls again," I said. I didn't want her to know I was worried for. Worried that she was going to wake up crying because of what I had said to her.

She turns around and faces me. Her jade eyes stared into mine. Her face read that that wasn't the response she had hoped for. Her eyes seemed to be softer as she stared at me.

"Are you still cold?" I ask her. She shrugs then finally nods. I stand up from my seat and with my heart racing, I climb into the bed. My hand slightly touches her waist but she doesn't stop me.

"I can go back if you're uncomfortable," I tell her. She flips her covers over me and shoves her face in my chest.

"No it's okay you're very warm."

———