I woke up to the sounds of the birds whistling in the early morning light and felt complete peace for the first time in nearly 200 years. I was still resting against the fur of my mate and I sat up slowly so as not to disturb him. These sparks which moved across my arms were foreign to me and I stared at them for a few moments. As I rose I took the opportunity to really look at him. He was quite beautiful when he let his guard down and I found myself wanting to touch his coat again, to feel its softness. His coat was brown with hints auburn and I smiled when I realised my hair matched his wolf's coat. A small tear escaped from my eye and I quietly removed it as I watched his slow breathing. It was clear his hatred for my kind meant that a union between us was impossible and I was trying so hard not to let my disappointment show.

In saving my life he gave up all hope of finding a werewolf mate and I knew how much that must have hurt him. It was no secret to my people how werewolves treasured their mates. Mates in my world were seen as weakness and we were rarely partnered with them. Our families chose for us and that was final. If you happened to come across your mate during your long life then you were supposed to ignore them. When I thought about my 'chosen' mate my blood boiled. The 150 years of hell I had to endure made me sick. I quickly removed his face from my mind and thought about the danger I placed my true mate in. He was now in danger since he was now tied to a Vampire and the same for me now being mated to a werewolf. I could not help but look upon him with complete awe despite our differences. When he saved me from the humans he was like a warrior of old and he reminded me of my father. He defended me knowing I was weak and without a thought to the cost. He was a good man, that was clear. A far better man than I was as a woman. I had done many unspeakable things in my very long life and looking upon his angelic form it only pained me even more. He was tied to a monster and he didn't even know it. He thought I was just a normal vampire of my kind and maybe it was better that way... for if he knew....

He shifted and his wolf jumped up instantly when he saw I too was awake. His wolf instinctively extended his neck and licked my cheek affectionately. I couldn't help but giggle but as soon as I did it was like there was a switch within my wolf. The conflict between the man and the beast. He shifted and I still could not contain my fascination for his change. He was remarkable even in his human form. His tanned skin glowed in the early morning light and his abs were a sharp contrast to his silky soft hair a combination of the soft and hard which all resided in this one man, or wolf should I say. All of which made it so difficult not to stare, he was the most handsome creature I had ever laid eyes upon. I quickly averted my eyes when I saw the hardness in his own.

"I have limited control over my wolf's actions. You should not think too much into it. I will wait here whilst you hunt". He said.

"I cannot feed from animals it makes me sick". I confessed.

"Well you need to eat something. You're painfully thin and even though you mentioned that .... your kind... can go weeks without sustenance I believe you have already gone weeks without food. Am I correct"?

He gave me a pointed look, one my father used to give me and I nodded deispondently. I guess he could read me better than I thought.

"Don't lie to me again". He said.

"What food can you eat which is an alternative to blood?".

He was in all warrior mode with how he spoke. No emotion whatsoever. Maybe that's how he was dealing with the whole situation.

"There is none. I cannot survive without blood". I admitted.

He shuffled from one foot to the other and my brow furrowed. He looked uncomfortable before he spoke.

He extended his arm out towards me.

"Here"

he said and he looked away in disgust. I felt dirty all of a sudden the way he treated me and my anger rose. I slapped his hand away and he looked confused.

"I cannot drink from my mate. It is forbidden". I stood on shaky legs in anger and decided to correct myself when he looked ready to protest.

"I meant a werewolf"!

His mouth closed tightly.

"I can go a little longer you don't need to concern yourself with me".

He scratched the back of his neck which I found he did when he felt awkward and I almost wanted to apologise for my outburst.

Almost.

"I have somewhere that I need to go. I have to report an issue to another pack. Can you be trusted if I bring you along with me"?

"You mean will I gobble up your children in the middle of the night, rip off the heads of your warriors and create a blood bank out of your women"?

....

I couldnt help the sarcasm but he flinched at my words and seemed to have taken them a little too seriously as he took a careful step back. I rolled my eyes.

"This is ridiculous. No, I will not harm your species in any form you have my word".

He nodded and turned in the direction he needed to go. I tried walking a few steps to follow him and had to stop again. I really had never been this weak before but I could not show it to him no matter what. I would never allow myself to become a liability or a hassle to this wolf who despised me so much. He had done enough already with saving my life. I could not ask any more of him.

After around an hour of waking I found it difficult to walk in a straight line. I would often come up against a tree and have to change my direction again. He would occasionally throw a worried glance behind him to watch me, no doubt making sure I would not attack him but he refused to slow his pace. I found myself closing my eyes and opening them up periodically. I stared at the back of my nameless mate and when I opened my eyes up again he was gone....

then... fur.

My eyes drifted open and I found my brown and Auburn wolf at my side supporting my weight and holding me up straight.

I smiled.

"Thank you wolfie".

He huffed his displeasure at my name for him again but I ignored it. I'm not sure if it was the delirium or hunger which made me do it, but I opened my mouth and didn't stop talking.

"I never thought I would find my mate you know. I waited for such a long time too. Our people are deprived of their mates. Did you know that?"

I looked towards him but the wolf kept walking straight ahead as if he could not hear me at all, so I continued.

"My parents found a mate for me when I came of age....

The wolf stiffened slightly but carried on walking.

"He was tall and handsome, wealthy beyond belief but behind that was his true self. A man devoid of all emotion. Pure evil. He wanted what my families name and title could give him but nothing more. He was cruel to me, every day I would suffer at his hands. Each day he would come up with a new ways to torture me".

"I ran away from home the night before our pairing but they found me and dragged me back to him. It has been so many years since that night, so many years since I had seen him last, but even now I fear him". My voice broke and the wolf stopped walking.

"What I wanted to say to you, is that I can take your hatred and I can understand why you hate me, I even hate myself, but you will never need to fear me. I know what true fear feels like and I never want to experience it again".

After a few moments the wolf walked behind me and pushed his head into my lower back impatiently pushing me forward even quicker. I guess he was tired of hearing me talk so I didn't say anything else for the rest of our journey. Sometimes he would hold my weight and if my walking picked up again he would allow me to hold his tail as he would lead us through his peoples territory. I guess he wasn't as bad as it would seem. He may not like me, but he cared.

And that was enough for now.

"I wish I knew your name" I whispered to myself.

I heard the name in my mind and my eyes widened. He conversed with me using the mate link.

"Alec" I said out loud testing the name.

He spat the words into my mind and I watched his wolf continue his walk up ahead as I held onto his tail.

I smiled.

At least now I had a name for the face.

And what a pretty name it was for my wolfie.