Eric woke with one of the worst headaches he has ever had. He couldn't tell if he was even capable of getting up. With a slight groan, he turned his head, hoping to find his mate sitting by his bedside waiting for him to get up but that wasn't what he saw. No, he found his mate's younger brother sitting in a chair with his arms across over his chest, and his head tilted back while he slept.

Not what Eric was expecting after being thrown across the yard and nearly dying at the time. With a groan, Eric lifted himself up, leaning against the bed board.

"Your up," Ross yawn, stretching his arms over his head. "I was so worried," the boy said with concern. "I thought we, meaning I, was going to die."

"Have you no shame," Eric snarled.

"Yes and no. How do you feel?"

"Like I was hit by a truck and more," he muttered and that wasn't a lie. Eric could still remember the day he first shifted and ran wild. It was that day Eric ran out on the human roads and got ran over by a pickup truck. Lucky for the driver, the human continued on without stopping. If Eric got up- well the human would have been dead within seconds.

"Where is my mate," Eric took a look around the boy's room.

Ross's room was filled with posters of 70-80's bands, AC/DC, Journey, Gun's and Rose's, Queens, Iron Maiden and the Def Leppard's. The boy clearly enjoyed the days of rock and roll. In the corner of the room was a shelf filled with CDs of all the band's music and a few other bands that weren't on the walls. On top of his dresser, he had a 35" TV across the room from his bed with an Xbox one system hooked in.

Ross's room was a little bigger than his sister's room. Eric could clearly see that his mate had spoiled her brother over the years with all the treasures he had in his room.

"She- had something to do," the boy sounded uncomfortable.

"How did you get all these stuff?" Eric said changing the subject.

Ross nervously smiled, taking a look around his room like it was the first time seeing it. "Most of the stuff belongs to my dad. The CDs where his and I have some of mom's favorite movies in my top dresser. Blake bought me the posters and the game system. She mostly bought me the system just so I would have something to do other than bother her. She bought some of the things I have but most of the thing belonged to my parents.

"Blake wanted to get rid of our parent's things. I guess she didn't like seeing it around the house, but it's all I got to remember them by, you know."

The boy wouldn't even look at Eric and he didn't blame him. The subject of their parents seemed to make him nervous and uneasy. Eric drifted gaze away from the boy, "Your dad has a nice collection," he said not really knowing what to say.

"Thanks," he could hear Ross choke back a cry. "Um. . . you're Beta was here," Ross continued, trying to change the subject again, "he wasn't happy to see your state but covered your Alpha duties for today."Eric looked at the boy, nodding his head. "And my sister wants you out before she gets back."

"It's too bad I'm not leaving," he said crossing his arms. He was here for his mate and if he had to fight his way into her life he would. Eric needed her not just to be his Luna but because he could feel the loneliness of not being whole. For seven years, right before he was made King, he felt the pull to be complete. Even his wolf wished to be whole and the need grew ever passing day.

Ever since Eric was a boy of thirteen he felt a pain in his heart that screamed out for his mate even when he didn't know it, Eric always felt like his mate was calling for him, telling him to find her, save her, protect her, and now those years of searching for her ended.

But the calling of his mate ended, it was almost like she didn't want him or she no longer was living. To Eric's relief, his mate was living but not really. His mate needed him more then she thought.

"My sister isn't happy your highness," the boy said weakly, his hands shaking, "You have to leave. Just wait until she cools down."

The boy's body was shaking uncontrollably. Did something happen between them?

"Please," the boy whimpered, squeezing his hands over his knees.

The boy was defeated. Eric could tell that whatever happened wasn't good, and whatever did happen, didn't happen often. With a sharp nod, Eric slowly got out of the bed. He wasn't going to argue with the boy any more than need be.

"If my Beta comes by, let him know I went out for a run."

Ross only nods in silence.

Eric sprinted into the woods, the wind whistling in his ear, he took off his shirt, throwing it away from his burning skin. Eric could feel his wolf creeping out of his skin, telling him to let him out and Eric wasn't going to stop him. He slowed his pace to take off his shoes and pants. Within the seconds of stripping himself naked, Eric's wolf broke through the skin, breaking the bones to shift into his form.

Eric got on all fours stretching his back, growling for the satisfaction of a hunt. His wolf needs to run, to hunt, to release itself from his anger towards his mate for rejecting him, for not wanting him near.

The moment Eric's wolf released himself from his human self, he sprinted further into the woods. Letting the woods consume him and his thoughts.

After twenty minutes running, Eric slowed his pace, sniffing the air and ground for the game. Eric could smell a deer by but didn't see it. It only meant it was close. He sniffed the ground some more, smelling something else.

It was faint but there was another wolf. It didn't smell like a rouge, no, it smelled different. The sent only peeked Eric's wolf's interest. Forgetting about the game, Eric's wolf followed the scent of the wolf, all he and his wolf knew was that the wolf was female.

In a ten minute hunt, Eric found himself by a river. Creeping his way through the trees he kept himself in the woods away from the clearing. He lied on his belly glaring at the figure before. Taking another sniff in the air, he knew he found his prey and now he watched, waiting to see what this female was doing.

The only question running through Eric's mind was that she was no rouge so it only meant she belonged to the Black Water pack or another pack, with the Hunt coming underway he was sure packs from all over would come. But why was she out here alone? Did she not know that rouges roam this far?

The she-wolf was crouched by the water, drink her full. Her frame was small like a child but she was all woman. He could tell just by the smell of her that she was of age for mating which only meant that she was a target for any unmated male.

Eric was about to come out and shift to tell the female to return home but stopped dead when she lifted her head up. He lowed his body back down, not knowing why he was doing it.

The she-wolf looked around for a moment, lied down and then cleaned her beautiful dark gray paws, lifting the right paw she ran it over her head with a whimper. She whipped her head to her left shoulder trying to nip at it but it only made her whimper more.

Eric watched the she-wolf struggle to lift herself up and limp not walk but limp upstream.

Eric growled under his breath while watching her. He believed the young she-wolf mayor was attacked.

He saw the she-wolf tense up with a shiver. She glanced around, staring into the woods.

This only made Eric and his wolf anger. Eric didn't know why it upset him. Maybe it was because he saw her weak and too small to protect herself. Maybe it was the fact that she looked scared for her life.

Lifting himself off his belly, he made his way into the clearing making himself visible to the she-wolf. His body stood in the sunlight, letting the warmth of the sun hit his light brown fur. He stood tall, showing the female who he was. An Alpha. Her King.

She turned towards him and growled, lowering her body as if she was going to attack him.

Eric stared down at her, daring her to attack if she wanted to live but he would kill her. Eric could see the horror in her eyes, she was protecting herself, which made Eric fully believe she was attacked by a male. He could make himself look small, show her submission, that no harm would come to her but he wouldn't do that.

A king does not submit, ever.

Eric growled taking a step closer, commanding her to shift but she doesn't. She doesn't even respond to his command nor did she lower her guard.

'Shift' he commanded her through her thoughts.

Nothing.

Eric shifted into his skin, standing tall before the she-wolf, "Shift," he spoke sharply, glaring down on her.

She did nothing but stood up straight and go bug eye, looking around as if searching for his wolf. She sniffed the ground and then the air but her nose only pointed at him.

Eric glared at the she-wolf, "Shift," he commanded once more take a step towards her and she growled violently. She took a step back, readying herself to attack if she needed too.

The action angered Eric's wolf, making himself visible as he growled back at her.

"You will do as I say she-wolf, shift."

She didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't dare show fear. The she-wolf continued to growl, locking her eyes with his. She then snapped her teeth at him warning him to stay away.

"Shift," Eric's wolf commanded, clawing his way out.

Eric was hesitant to walk over to the she-wolf, slowly taking a step forward he stopped dead tot he sound of gunfire. Snapping his head toward the direction of the gunfire, the she-wolf leaped out and took a hold of Eric's arm biting as hard as she could.

With a howl, Eric grabbed the she-wolf's scruff of her fur, throwing her off of him. With a yelp, the she-wolf's back hit against a tree. Her small body hit the ground hard.

Eric's wolf had already taken control of him before he would stop his wolf from hurting the she-wolf anymore. His wolf broke through the skin, letting his body shift once more.

His wolf proud around the she-wolf, watching her, studying her while she lied there on her belly, softly breathing. His wolf growled, snapping his teeth at her to tell her to stand and face him for what she had done but she didn't move.

The she-wolf didn't open her eyes, didn't roll over for submission, didn't respond to his command. Who was this she-wolf?

Another gunfire had gone off and Eric glanced up, staring out into the woods. With a grunt, Eric shifted back into his human form, and take the she-wolf back to the Black Water pack with him.

When he turned to take the she-wolf and leave, she was gone.