I pulled away from Rook and stared up into his eyes. He still had his massive arms wrapped around my waist and my body pressed tightly to his. We both just stood there dumbfounded by what just happened between us.

A lycan and a huntress making out, the world just tilted on its axel, or at least mine did. I didn't know what to think or do. My body and heart were screaming for me to jump back into the delicious Rook pool, but my head was telling me this was so wrong.

Rook was the first to pull away and I was glad he was a little stronger than I was. He cleared his throat nervously.

"I'd better clean up this mess. You should get some sleep." He said.

I don't know if I was glad or heartbroken that I was being so easily dismissed. I had already made a huge fool of myself, so I decided to take him up on his offer and rushed off towards my room.

I stopped halfway there when I heard Yvonne's voice. I thought she had left a long time ago? I crept back towards the kitchen. It sounded like she was in a heated argument with Rook.

"What did you do?" Yvonne screeched.

I heard pots and pans being tossed around, but I knew if I went any closer they would be alerted to my presence there.

"I kissed her." Rook sounded pissed.

"And? What's wrong with you kissing your mate?"

My heart turned to ice and fell to the pit of my stomach. Mate? Did she just say mate?

"She has to leave. I can't have her here anymore. I can't fight my desire for her any longer."

Rook's voice sounded strange, like he was fighting demons within. It was growly and harsher than normal.

"I warned you about this. I told you if you denied what you felt for her, you would go feral. Now look at you! And what kind of nonsense are you talking? You want her to leave? What good will that do?"

"She can't be my mate. You think a huntress will willingly become my luna? She hates our kind. Our kind killed her mother."

I slumped to the wall, completely incapable of breathing or thinking straight. I was his mate? The alpha lycan's mate? It all made sense now why he was keeping me alive and nuzzling up to me any chance that he got.

I quietly eased my way back down the hall towards my room. He was right. I had to get out of here. I couldn't be his mate and certainly wouldn't be his luna and rule by his side. I had to leave and I had to leave right now.

I slipped on a black shirt and pulled on some black boots. I needed to be able to blend in with the night. I grabbed a silver knife I had snuck out of the kitchen when no one was looking and eased it into the back of my pants. I crept from the room and towards the door that led outside.

I paused as I passed by Mia's door. I wanted to tell her goodbye so badly, but I didn't have the time and she would likely fight me on leaving and possibly alert someone else to my leaving.

I walked out the door and into the cool night air. I glanced around, surprised when I didn't see or hear anyone. I knew the woods were being guarded in the surrounding areas and likely more so after the werewolf attack, so I would have to play this smart.

My heart lurched slightly at the thought of having to fight and possibly kill one of Rook's lycans. I guess being here and learning a little bit about them and finding out that they were not all complete monsters had changed my attitude towards them. Before I would relish the chance to kill as many as I could, but now the thought sickened me.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I entered the safety of the woods. I was no longer out in the open and was able to move more freely. Thankfully, my ankle had healed enough to keep up a fairly swift pace.

I wasn't sure how long I had been in the dark woods, but it seemed like it was a never ending maze. The fact that I had no idea where I was nor where I was going didn't help very much. I assumed eventually that I would find some kind of civilization.

A loud howl echoed throughout the woods and seemed to be coming from all directions. My heart picked up speed and so did my feet. It was Rook, I would know that howl anywhere. It sent a jolt through my heart and I wasn't entirely sure it wasn't a jolt of pleasure.

It hadn't taken him long to discover I was missing. I had to think, he could track my scent so easily, he'd find me in a matter of minutes, no matter how far of a head start I got.

The sound of rushing water caught my attention and I headed towards it. I came into a clearing with a large rushing stream. The current was strong, but what choice did I have? I waded into the water until I was about knee deep and continued down the stream in the water.

My teeth started chattering the water was cold, but this was the only thing I could think of to throw Rook off my scent. He couldn't track me in the water or at least I hoped so.

My legs started to feel like rubber and my feet were so cold they had gone numb, but I continued on. The further down stream, I went the rougher the water was getting, I was going to have to get out soon or the current would knock my feet from under me and swept me under.

My foot slipped on the smooth rocks and I tumbled forward, but luckily, I was able to keep my head above water. I took that as my final sign that I needed to get out of the water. I had traveled far enough down the stream, that hopefully I had thrown them off my trail.

I came out on the opposite side of the stream, my legs nearly gave way when they were back on solid ground, but I pulled myself together quickly and rushed on.

Either my fatigue had me seeing things or I just saw a grey blur flash through the trees in front of me. My heart froze and so did my body. I slowly slid the knife out of the back of my pants and held it close at my side. Ready for anything that dared to attack me.

I saw it again. Whatever it was, it wasn't trying to hide its presence from me any longer. So much for wading in the freaking cold water, it obviously didn't do any good.

The creature slowly crept forward. It was a grey and white lycan and it was huge. I watched as it shifted back into its human form and my blood turned to ice water in my veins. Of all the lycans, why did it have to be him?

"Hello, little huntress. I've been looking for you."