UNEDITED

Prince Markus' POV:

We followed the coven leader to an office where they had us seated comfortably. The coven leader's mate tended to our needs, bustling around the room. My men soaked up the attention, graciously thanking her for her hospitality.

Lukas' eyes fell on her as she darted passed him. I caught him smiling endearingly at her more than a few times. She would smile warmly back. It felt like an intimate moment I was intruding on. I felt that heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach again.

Once everyone was settled a tension quickly filled the room. Lukas shifted in his seat behind his desk while his mate stood by his side. She places her hand on his shoulder as he lets out a heavy sigh.

"Your Majesty, what have you heard?" After quickly filling him in on what we knew and how we came to be here, he let out another sigh.

It was then I took in his haggard appearance. Most vampires pride themselves in their pristine and well-kept appearance. Lukas on the other hand sat slumped in his chair running a hand through his untamed beard. He lifted his eyes to meet mine.

"We know who is behind the attacks." Sitting up straight I find myself leaning forward eager to finally find out some answers. It seems my men had the same idea. We were all waiting eagerly.

"Who?"

The pause he took seemed completely unnecessary. The tension was only building.

"Her name is Erin-"

"A girl?!" Anthony flinches at my glare. He bows his head.

"My apologies. Continue."

Lukas clears his throat, looking back and forth between us both.

"Please listen to the full story before you make a decision." After a nod he continues. "I met Erin in the woods one day. I had smelt blood. Lots of blood. It had called to my beast and... I lost control. I found Erin at the end of a hill in pretty bad shape." He stops to put his hand over his mate's hand that still lies on his shoulder.

"Erin was a werewolf-"

"Was?"

"Tony I swear-"

"Sorry. Sorry." He has the decency to look ashamed for interrupting. Again.

"Erin was a werewolf. From what she told us, she was accepted into a pack that in the end betrayed her. The Luna framed her and she was banished from the pack. They made sure she couldn't make her way back." Silence fills the room. We were all shocked at the news. Werewolves are pack creatures. They stick together. Protect one another. Or so I thought.

"She ran from our home and was attacked. By a mad man. A scientist. Someone who changed her. He bit her and eventually succeeded in turning her. Erin became the first ever werewolf/vampire hybrid. Those killings were her doing. As you can imagine she struggled with control as both beasts fought each other."

"Where is she now?" He gulps.

"That's the thing. We got her back home, things were looking good. Until the night she was introduced to the coven..."

"She attacked?"

Arabella speaks this time.

"No, your Majesty. I was attacked and almost kidnapped, but Erin stopped it. She came and saved me. She returned me to my mate but-"

"But I accused her of the attack. I lost control of my beast when I saw my unconscious mate. Because of my actions Erin has gone missing. She has taken off, but we don't know where. I have some of my men and women looking for her but nothing yet." Lukas bows his head in shame. His shoulders slumped as if physically carrying the heavy burden of his actions.

"And what of the attempted kidnapping?"

"Well my mate has the power to read minds and we were quickly able to find the culprit. Our doctor." Lukas looked physically troubled at the news. No one wants to admit that they had a traitor with no suspicion whatsoever.

I look to the coven leader's mate.

"What did you see?"

"Not much. His thoughts were troubled making his memories distorted and unclear. I saw him meet a group of unknown people a number of times. Werewolves. There was a woman. I can tell she is important. He is terrified of her. I suspect she is a ringleader of sorts but it's hard to say. They were experimenting on people. The results kept coming back 'inconclusive'".

Experimenting? This was worst than I thought. I had so many questions. Who was experimenting? On who? And why? And this Erin? Who knows where she is or what she could do.

"Please, don't hurt her. She was slowly learning how to control before the incident. She was starting to like it here. We took her in and we want her back." Arabella speaks confidently and I can hear the emotion clearly in her words. It seems she had gotten attached to the pup.

"I will have to send word back to my father. I'm going to be honest with you. I am intrigued by her story and would like to meet her but if she is a hybrid, the first of her kind it is unknown what she could do. It will be hard to convince the King that she is not dangerous once he finds out she is behind the brutal killings." Arabella covers her mouth, quietly excusing her self before leaving the room. Lukas stares at his desk.

"She is a good girl. Strong. I knew from the moment I met her she was going to change my life for the better. And then when my mate met her. It clicked. We will fight for her. She is a victim in all of this. There is something bigger happening. Someone successfully made a hybrid. What do they plan on doing with them? Why make them in the first place? I want these questions answered as much as you do, if not more. We will help you find out the answers you need but I will not let you kill her." Every word is spoken with such conviction, no one utters a word as we let him recompose himself. It's obvious everything has taken a toll on him and his beloved.

"I will do my best to keep her safe." He only nods already lost in thought.

Looking over at my best friend and right hand, we stare at each other in silence. His previous words come to mind. He was right. Something big was coming and I honestly don't know if we are ready.