Our paws galloped upon the forest floor as my wolf continued the journey for us towards Moonlight's camp. Now that I had a small incline as to where Violet might be my wolf seemed to have had a boost of energy. I could feel the impending tiredness seep over me like a blanket and I had to shake my head frequently to remove its spell. It had been almost 24 hrs since I had slept or eaten and my strength was waning fast. I could only thank the goddess that I had not been pursued in my efforts thus far to reach Violet. I would doubt I could overwhelm an attacker in my current state but I had to keep pushing through the hunger and pain. I had to, I needed to warn her by any means necessary.

The promise I had made to her mate hung over me like a dark cloud and whilst I was more than willing to accept it at the time, now it felt more like a curse. I felt a range of emotions after Dimitri gave me his blessing. Happiness, excitement, guilt. The third one was the most challenging and the worst to extract from my conscience. Was I going against the Goddess's plans by removing Violet from her true mate, and if I did, would she forgive me for it? I knew that Violet was now mated to him and surprisingly I was not hurt by this. After all, I had also experienced this with Evelyn and I would not wish to take that away from her. That feeling of complete wholeness and acceptance from the one person who was created for you. Could Violet be happy with me knowing those feelings her true mate evoked were still attainable? Knowing that he was still alive? I was being selfish I know, but for once I wanted something for myself instead of putting others before my own happiness.

The knowledge I had knowing that the guy was in love with her though squashed that rebelious fire within me. He wanted me to convince her he was a bad wolf and the lie left a sour and bitter taste in my tongue. Could I Start our relationship on lies and deceit? I could do anything to save her life, granted, but not at the cost of her unhappiness. She had a right to know that her mate was probably a better suit for her than me. He was stubborn, impulsive and a leader who cared for his pack. But he quite obviously loved his mate enough to put her safety above his own happiness. Were any of us perfect? No, we all had faults but I couldn't add lying to my own very long list. Violet needed to make the choice on her own and I would not judge her for it. I planned on telling her the truth about Dimitri. I had too.

Within a few moments I decided to slow my gait. I was exhausted and needed a few moments to rest. When I heard the faintest trickling of a stream I followed my wolfs nose until it led us there. Like a horse to water I must have drank my weight in gold. The journey taking its toll on me.

That's when I heard it, the raised voices of humans. It was rare that any human would travel this far into the mountains so it only peaked my interest. I approached them under the cover of the bushes which kept my position well hidden. There were two men shouting towards a figure huddled on the ground in a protective fetal position. Who ever it was their frame was small and they shook with fear. Werewolves almost never came into contact with humans. The Goddess created a shield almost 200 years ago which kept this part of the continent free of those who would venture into it to separate those who were not apart of the supernatural world. If they so happened to step across the line they would see nothing but trees with no werewolves in sight. But even so, it was rare they ever ventured this far into the mountains and I myself had not heard of a human sighting in years. So I looked upon them with a keen interest.

They looked similar to us, no heightened senses at all so my presence remained undetected as I listened into their argument. The two men wore hoods to cover their faces and were in a sort of dark and ambiguous clothing. I could tell they were in their mid thirties but it was not the men who gave me pause but the rather the figure who lay on the floor between them. They were dressed in rags with holes that barely covered their cowering form. They were dirt stricken and appeared to be as weak as I had felt. One of the men spoke first..

"I'll say this only once girl. Tell me where the others are and I'll kill you quickly".

The other male proceeded to spit on the girl when she refused to answer. So it was a young girl? My wolfs protective side peaked and I tried to reason with him. This was human business and I could not get involved even if I wanted too. Any attention drawn to our species existence could be suicide for our community. It was ingrained into us from pups never to stray too far into the humans realm and always keep our existence a secret from them. Our survival was dependent on our discretion. What I did find odd though was that I was no where near the border. How could they have crossed so far into our shield undetected? All of the 9 packs had a treaty where reports of the humans movements on our borders were monitored closely and reported back to the Alpha's. Perhaps with the recent war with the Rogues these security measures were popped on the back burner. Something else to report I thought as the male continued.

"Very well. I have no further use for you then".

I saw the flash of silver before he raised his hand high above his head. His intent was to bring the knife he was holding down onto the girl. I realised I would have to risk the Goddess's wrath for it but if I did not intervene now I feared I would only regret it later. In killing my own mate I knew I was already damned so what if I added another transgression to the list?

I had yet to see the face of the girl in question as she used her hands to cover herself, at a first glance with how malnourished she looked she could not be any more than 15 years of age. As the humans knife was poised to strike I took my opening and exited the trees with a rush. I heard the screams of the men as I tore into them. Even in my weakest state these humans were no match for me. They screamed like toddlers and I became lost in my own fury. When the noise of their screaming dissipated I could only hear the faint sounds of the birds who watched from above the trees. Their eyes fixed on the humans limbs, waiting on an opportune moment to gorge themselves on my recent prey. The taste of their blood in my mouth almost made me gag but I refrained from doing so. Staring down at the men I witness the lights in their eyes fade. I sniffed to ensure they were no longer a threat to us. When my wolf seemed satisfied with his work he turned his head to survey the young girl we had just saved.

When my eyes rested on the small form I noted that my first assumption had been wrong. She was not as young as I had first thought, maybe even a woman. Her body was malnourished indeed but she had to be a young woman in her early twenties at most. This was not my only surprise, I had

expected to see fear or contempt in her eyes but she seemed accustomed to such violence which only worried me even more. My eyes rounded when I made eye contact with her emerald ones. I sniffed the air between us and stopped short in horror.

No, it can't be! Why did I not smell it before?

I watched her rise from the floor slowly and walk towards me on shaky legs. At one point she leaned against a tree for support, her frail body not able to withhold her own weight. Her hair was long and matted. She had Auburn hair and porcelain skin. But her eyes.....her eyes were green and they drew to me to her like only one other did before her...

Evelyn.

She had a small rounded face and buttoned nose but her skin was marked with scars both recent and old. I almost fainted when she smiled at me. I shifted, not caring enough whether I scared her in my naked form or not. We stood there in silence for a few moments until I heard her voice. It sounded like music was playing.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think my mate would be a werewolf". She said.

I growled low.

"I am not your mate, Vampire"! I spat.

I struggled to form the word in my mouth. My hatred was received well and clear but she did not seem surprised by it which removed my frown. She smiled wistfully and her eyes portrayed her sorrow. When I saw her clutch her stomach my resolve broke slightly. She had obviously been through a traumatic experience and despite our species being enemies I was torn between walking away and cursing the Goddess for her cruel joke or rushing over to provide her with some support or aid. I stepped forward hesitantly and then halted. I turned away from her when she caught my slip up.

"Thank you, for helping me".

She spoke so softly and my head betrayed me when It automatically turned me towards her again.

"I have... fa-family nearby, you won't need to worry" she stuttered slightly brushing off my obvious rejection with another smile. She could see how conflicted I was. I nodded and turned. I could not believe my luck. Or should I say curse. How could this happen to me? Getting stuck with a Vampire as my second chance mate, this made me tired all over again. I didnt have time for this.

I began to walk away and turned around to look at the floor between us. I could not quite face staring into her beautiful face again. She was beautiful but she was practically a walking corpse and not my exactly my 'type' if I was being honest with myself.

"Look after yourself" I grunted although it pained me to say so. My voice sounded grated and rough even to my own ears. It grieved me having to speak to a Vampire but her condition was troubling and I struggled with myself as I turned away from her and shifted to continue on my path towards Violet. I refused to look back and see her face one last time. I was disgusted with our pairing and my prejudice towards her kind could never make it work. I didn't make it more than a mile before my wolf whined and sat down to look back towards the direction I had left the wounded red headed vampire behind. I internally sighed to myself.

This could not have happened at a worse time but my mind kept replaying her comment around 'family'. We both knew that was a stark lie. She had no family in this territory and there were two predators who could quite easily kill her in her weakened state.

The humans who were chasing her and others of my kind. Others who would not be so kind as to let her live like I had. I reluctantly doubled back towards the place I had left her and my heart skipped a beat when she was no where to be found. One thing about Vampires which our kind hated was that they left no smell at all. The reality that I had nothing to track her with sent my wolf into a blind panic.

I shifted into my human form and searched the ground for her tracks. She was bleeding and heavily. Her blackened vampiric blood left a trail of breadcrumbs straight towards her. I sneered at the blood and stepped over it carefully, keeping a safe distance from it like acid. When I came upon her form a few yards away she was breathing heavily. She clutched her abdomen tightly as she huddled into the safety of a tree. She was shivering and her forehead had beads of sweat, she could have gotten an infection as her eyes had yet to open. Vampires had heightened eyesight and hearing. Was she so injured then that she had no awareness of the dangers around her?

I approached her hesitantly, unsure if she would attack. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she looked up to see me. I paused and had to look away from her again. Her eyes were drawing me in with the bond and I had to resist.

"Where are you injured"? I asked reluctantly.

My hands rested lightly above hers with the intent to move her arm away so I could get a better look but she flinched away from me as if I had burned her. This only angered me even more.

"I am not like your kind, I would never harm a woman no matter WHAT they are"! I said.

"I don't fear you mate" she said resolutely.

"Pstt.. don't call me that" I sneered between clenched teeth. Hearing her call me her 'mate' made me shiver.

"They injected wolf's blood into my system. Your touch hurts me". She smiled again to reassure me that it was not me but what the humans had done to her. I sat opened mouthed at her confession. This was worse than I thought. The blood of our kinds could kill the other and there was simply no cure for it that I knew of, well, there was one but it was madness and I could never consider it. I racked my hands through my hair and looked into her eyes, searching for another answer there but trying not to look too concerned. I closed my eyes, I hated what I said next.

"If I can get you to your kind, can they help you"?

I asked hopeful but the idea of having to come into contact with any more of her kind sickened me. I could barely tolerate her presence as it was.

She shook her head slowly, struggling to keep her eyes open. Her mouth tiled up slightly however. She obviously found my discomfort amusing.

"We would never make it in time, besides, I haven't seen them in years and I doubt they would help me now".

"Tell me how to save your life then". I demanded. I was becoming impatient seeing her writhe in pain quietly. She was evidently trying to withhold her agony from me out of pride.

I knew I was being harsh to her, cold even but I couldnt help it. This whole situation was my worst nightmare and her being so kind about it all just pissed me off even more. Why could she not just hate me too? Lost in my own thoughts I failed to realise that she had not answered until I saw her head lull to the side. She had passed out and my eyes widened.

Could I just walk away now and leave her?

No one would know.

No, I quickly shook that idea away. I had to help her but I could only think of one way how.

If she had a wolfs blood in her veins then the only cure was to be bitten by one. She would remain a vampire but her body would always be immune to us. I stood and began to pace in agitation. She didn't have much time and I knew this but the solution to her problem meant that the cost was great. In doing so I would bind her to me as my mate forever. This was unheard of, a werewolf mating with our enemy. She would have a link to my pack through my mind and could always leak our secrets to her coven. But if I let her die what kind of wolf would I be? I would be worse than her kind. The vilest of creatures without a beating heart or soul and what would be the consequences of this with her council and mine? My council would hunt us both to the ends of the earth and that's not even taking into account what her own people would do to us. We would be shunned forever by both Vampires and Werewolves alike, doomed to an isolated packless existence.

I could have done it for Evelyn, I could have done it for Violet, but could I turn my back on my own kind for her. I stared at her pale form. A dead, soulless bloodsucker. I rubbed at my eyes harshly to block out her slumped form in my mind. This was torture. She would die if I didn't help her and with that thought my conflict stopped. I couldn't stop Anya, my own Luna from dying. Nor could I stop most of my pack from the same fate. But I would be damned if I added another life to that list. Without thinking further on the subject I charged over to the one creature I had been raised to despise and loathe my entire life. I pulled her to my chest and her head fell conveniently to the left, exposing the flesh at her neck where my mark would be. Cursing myself I looked up to the sky, towards our Goddess.

"I hate you! Have you not tortured me enough?".

I spat out each word with vehemence and I meant every word of it. Today would be the last day I would show her my respect as our creator. Just when I have a moments happiness she takes it away from me. Rain clouds began to form and the first droplets of rain fell down on to us as I returned my anger filled gaze onto the Vampire before me. She shook as my touch affected her, the pain evident on the creases which had formed on her brow.

"I'm sorry Vi" I whispered to myself.

Leaning down I extended my canines and hovered over her laboured pulse before biting down hard and claiming her.

*********

Alec

The rain continued to pour hours after I had marked the vampire, it left me no choice but to shift into my wolf and curl myself around her as she shook with the cold. The vampire had remained unconscious but her symptoms seemed to have eased since I bit her. A dark part of me had hoped she would not survive the fever and the other half of me hated myself for those very thoughts. She shivered uncontrollably for what seemed like a whole day until her arms reached out to hug my coat. My wolf purred and snuggled closer but I wanted nothing more than to be a million miles away. This bond could not make me love her. This was a mistake. The Goddess was toying with us cruelfully and I wanted no part of it. At least no more than what I had already taken part in. That was more than enough for me. She stirred and I stiffened. As the Vampire opened her eyes her emerald eyes latched onto mine until awareness hit her. She sat up quickly and touched her neck but she didn't seem as horrified as I had hoped she would be. Instead, she did the unthinkable and smiled at me again. Is all she can do is smile? Does she have no other facial expression? I huffed down my nose and the snout of my wolf nudged her away from me. She seemed to have gotten the hint as her smile fell instantly.

"Thank you, for saving my life again. I know what it must have cost you". She said. Her words seemed sincere but you could never tell with 'their' kind.

I shifted when I spotted her arm was still leaning on my leg which had now shifted into my human form.

"Move away from me Vampire". I said forcefully.

She habitually flinched from me again and I sighed. She pulled her hand back so quickly it was almost like it had never been there. The supernatural speed freaked me out and I guess my face said so too.

"Sorry" she said and she backed away from me again.

We sat there for half an hour in silence, not quite knowing what to say to one another as we watched the rain clouds fade. She needed to know that what I did was not because I had planned to encourage this pairing but that I had a need to protect life, it did not matter who's life that was but as a Beta it was in my DNA to preserve it. I must not allow her to fool herself into thinking it could ever be more than that. She avoided eye contact and it let me think for a while. Something about her did make me want to know her story.

Who was she?

What happened to her?

Why did her coven not find her before?

Was she kidnapped and held hostage by those humans?

And...

How did she get into werewolf territory?

My mind was drained and I was still tired from my journey today. I needed rest, but could I trust her to shut my eyes? Would she make her move on me when I was at my weakest? I scoffed at myself, of course not. Not now that were were mated. She would also feel the same pain I did. I guess that's my one consolation. I looked up to her again and scowled when I noticed she had been looking at me the whole time I was caught up in my own thoughts. She quickly turned away from me again and my scowl dropped.

"You can sleep, I won't bother you". She whispered.