Devilin walks up to the elevator to get in his room while tapping something on his phone oblivious of his surrounding. After everything that happened at the party and in Chris's house, he got a lecture from his father about his duties and responsibilities.

As if, he had not memorized it with his mind and heart, his father always made sure to drill it in his head from the moment he knew how to speak.

With the ding of the elevator, he let go of his thoughts and gets inside the lift with his eyes still fixated on the phone.

When the elevator starts, he presses the number to his floor, while all of a sudden someone clears their throat making him narrow his eyes and looking behind him to find him alone with a blonde-haired woman who has a big smile on her face holding some stuff in her arms.

"Hi there" the blonde greets way too cheerful for his taste

"Which floor?" he asks instead waiting on her

"Huh?" the girl looks at him in confusion before slapping her forehead and wincing in pain afterwards

"Which ever floor you are going, I'm fine with it" she smiles making him look at her bewildered

"Excuse me?" Devilin asks the girl in confusion

"It's okay, you are excused. So..." she nods his way still with her bright smile intact

"Do you live here?" Devilin asks in suspicion

"Oh...no, no I don't...I just..." she stops when he abruptly pushes the stop button on the elevator

"Are you stalking me?" he asks fully turning around to look at the girl trying to sense any threat from her

"Oh, no, no I'm so not stalking you. I mean, okay, fine I may have Googled or even looked for your every information I could get in such a short time...

Not that it was a big deal, knowing who you are and what you are capable of doing, I mean you are the only son of Dante Carlos who is a council head member...

Okay, so I may have been stalking you for the past few days" she sheepishly agrees when she sees something dark flickering in his eyes

"May I know why?" Devilin asks the girl through gritted teeth, as he cannot believe that someone was stalking him for past few days and he was unaware of it

"I just wanted to meet you and give you these," the girl slowly explains as she takes out a box of chocolates, a wrapped gift and a bouquet of roses

What the fuck!

Devilin mentally curses as he watches the girl in front of him in disbelief not believing what was happening with him.

"Who sent you? Is my sister or someone involved in this prank?" he asks incredulous as the situation he was in

"What no, this is not any prank I was gathering enough courage to come face you and then you were kind of not coming to your house so I just waited for you and viola!

You are here, so...Hi" the girl waves her little hand awkwardly while Devilin just looks at the girl dumbstruck

"Who the fuck are you and how did anyone let you in anyway?" he asks looking lost

"Oh...sorry, I just said that I know you and then the guy he just grinned at me and asked for few bucks to let me in...

Oh...and I'm Adriana, by the way, we are also mates" she smiles brightly once again explaining to him

Devilin just blinks and blinks and once again blinks as he stares at the girl not knowing what to say or how to form a word and along with his whole body his mind has frozen as well.

*******

"Ma-mates" Devilin finally finding his voice speaks making the girl bob her head up and down in agreement

"You can totally touch me and find out about it all; I have no problem at all" the girl bubbles up not being able to box her excitement as she bounces a bit

"I...we...fuck" he curses pushing his hands through his hair before he touches the girl's hands

The electric shock they both feel makes Devilin stagger back a bit while the girl just swoons in her place.

Devilin can't believe the girl standing in front of him to be his mate moreover he can't believe he didn't scent her before hand but then again with the amount of perfume she bathed in will make it hard for anyone to pin point her real scent.

"Okay, so I just wanted to say that I think you could be an integral part of my project life cycle and that you auto-complete me...

And now that I have seen, touched you in real, oh my god you are hotter than the bottom of my laptop" she voices mesmerized seeing him up close and personal

Devilin just stares at the girl dumbstruck as he never in his entire life thought of meeting his mate this way. Moreover, he cannot understand half the things she is going on about and if she does not stops talking for another second he will loose his mind, as she is definitely not the picture of the mate he wanted or even imagined.

"I really can't believe I actually found you, I was like standing for about fifteen minutes minus the time I was staring at you when you were busy talking to someone when you just stood out in the corridor...

I was going to surprise you by jumping in front of you with like Ta-Da but then you were so extremely busy furiously typing on your cell phone which is a really good model by the way, so I waited till you looked up which didn't happen as you enter the elevator and I had no choice left..."

"Shut up" Devilin growls making her stop abruptly

"Oh, okay...I'm sorry I tend to keep talking a lot or babble when I'm nervous or excited or normally in any case...

Not that this is a normal case, I mean it is a once a lifetime opportunity to find the true love of your life. I'm so excited that I can run out of here screaming and dancing naked" she takes a long deep breath making Devilin face palm

However, before any one of them starts, the intercom in the elevator start to beep making Devilin curse.

He starts the elevator and without acknowledging her turns around while, the girl just smiles dreamily and stares at his reflection on the door.

The longest ride of his life comes to stop at the floor he is staying and without a backward glance Devilin gets out of it and rushes to his apartment locking him.

Taking a huge breath of relief, thanking his star, Devilin sighs in relief, that the crazy girl did not follow him before he looks at his hands as he holds the things the girl gave him.

With another curse, he throws all of it somewhere without giving it much attention before he goes for a very long shower.

*******

Adriana smiles gleefully as she waves at her mate who just stepped out of the elevator with her gifts along. She stares at his back until the doors are closed; she hopes he liked the things she brought for him before she groans remembering that she did not give him her number.

Nevertheless, she cheers as she thinks that she can always leave it in the reception down stair or she can give it next time she sees him.

Now that she has finally met him she cannot explain, the happiness she feels knowing that she can finally have a mate who will love her unconditionally, that thought alone sores her heart.

"Mission 01- meeting the mate complete" she grins mentally giving herself hi-five before she notices the old lady who is in the elevator staring at her

"Hi there" she greets at the lady who nods with a smile

"I'm just really happy, I just met my mate and he is so H.O.T" she spells the words giddy about the fact

"That's really good," the woman, answers before they get out of the elevator.

Adriana goes to the reception and leaves her number on the desk for her mate before she leaves the apartment building.

*******

"Hey what's up?" Devilin gets startle as Ryan pats his shoulder

"What...uh nothing" he replies clearing his throat as well as his thoughts

"Then what's bothering you? I have been calling you for quiet sometime and I noticed you were not even giving any attention to the meeting...

Everything alright" Ryan asks curious as he has never seen the boy so lost

"Yes, everything is perfect. I was just..." They both gets interrupted when the someone enters the room there were at

"Okay boys, listen up. Ryan you will be tagging alone with Devilin on this one. We got a call, more of these mandrakes are roaming freely in some areas and we want them gone...

Devilin, not all but we will need few of them alive for some tests and answers. Ryan, please make sure he doesn't go berserk," Rom requests as he throws a file in front of them both.

"It was an accident last time," Devilin grumbles as he goes threw the pages

"Your accidents costs us more damage then anything Devilin, just refrain from using your powers too much and try to act a bit normal" Rom advices the boy

"Define normal, grandpa," he asks instead irritating Rom

"Normal as in we don't want a massacre, if you aren't capable of handling your powers then you are free to come to training with any one of us" Rom grits through his teeth as this boy was getting more and more out of hand each day.

"I am capable of doing it myself, you want your mandrake alive you will get them. See you around, grandpa," he replies teasing Rom as he gets out of the room

******

Rom throws his hands in the air in exasperation as Devilin leaves the room abruptly.

"I swear he is more of a handful than his own father. At least, I know Dante will throw some insults and sexual comments, but this, this boy right here, he is...

I don't even know what he is" Rom complains

"Relax, take it easy, may be the missions are getting on him. He has been covering for both Gio and Adrian" Ryan pats Rom's shoulder in assurance

"May be you are right, but these three are the best and work gets done fast when they get involved...

I do not have anyone I can trust enough to send; we need to be as discreet about these missions as much as possible" Rom sighs rubbing his face tiredly

"There is other ways to finish it all up real quick," Ryan suggests and before he even finishes Rom shakes his head no

"You know we can't and they don't take orders from us anyway. It should be either Enzo or Crystal...

In addition, I know both of them will never risk the specialists' life and we all know after whatever happened in Ad's pack by Thomas none of those kids will step out of their hide out until and unless they feel the need...

Lord knows, I haven't seen Emma for more than a decade, they have shut everything," Rom cries in frustration thinking about his princess

"They had to do what they can to protect themselves now that they don't have enough faith in us to do that for them" Ryan comments trying to calm his friend

"Anyway, make sure he doesn't do anything to upset anyone after what happened at the party last time, everyone is a bit wary about him" Rom requests as he talks about Devilin

"Ya sure, I got his back. I will see you later" Ryan takes his leave

*******

Devilin jumps to another tree as he hides his scent following the mandrake, which he hopes, will take him towards his hide out and where his others friends are so the attack will be swift and easy.

He looks at his side to find Ryan following his lead; he nods at his companion vampire before he focuses back on his target.

He cannot help but feel suffocated, as he was not working alone when they always send him out alone. After whatever happened at the party, it was as if everyone was waiting on him to slip and mess up, especially his father.

Sometimes, he feels like his father wants him to fail and mess things up just so he can give him one of his infamous lectures, which was reserved just for him.

Everyone sees the happy side of his father the cheerful pervert but not him; with him, his father acts as strict as they come.

He has to be perfect in everything he does, a good son, brother, friend, tracker so one day when he takes over his father's place; his father will not feel any doubt.

As if, because he knows no matter what he will do he can never impress the Great Dante Carlos his own fucking father. His father will always find something to taunt him and make him work hard as he has been doing his entire life.

Everything has to be done like his father wants, a control freak. He dreads the day when his father will find out that he will not be having any red-haired grandkids but seems like bloody blonde ones.

That will be an epic moment, a big Fuck you in his face, as that man has been pushing him to seduce Ariel and mate her.

Like hell if he will seduce anyone, Ariel is like a sister to him and mating her, it only makes him want to throw up.

She is too fragile, pure to be mess up just because his father desires some red heads of his own. He will never understand his father's obsession with Ariel's mother, not that he cares.

He has a lot on his plate and now with his mate in the mix, he does not even know what to do, expectations kill people is all he can think of, as it seems between his father and his mate he will be a sacrificial virgin lamb.

******

Damn, even thinking about his mate is making him go out of track, who the fuck just shows up out of nowhere and declares they are mates especially in a fucking elevator?

Has the girl ever heard any thing about giving space and time? In addition, what the hell, was it with all that perfume?

He can still smell it even after weeks of their encounter. She just up and cornered him like that giving all those gifts to him, psycho.

No one should ever do that girl or boy; it will freak the hell out of anyone when someone just tells you that he or she has been stalking you.

Well, it definitely freaked the fuck out of him, creepy as hell. Moreover, as he remembers her excitement that day he knows she will be showing up again wanting more from him, but fuck him if he knows what to do as his father never did give him talks on mate shit.

His father, all he said was being a hot-blooded male he will learn everything by himself and he still has not learned anything on it.

He cannot even ask her to go away because that would be so rude, and being rude to a girl is not his style.

He has three important women in his life his mother, sister and Ariel. He would definitely not like it if someone treats them badly or rude so that is why he can never be rude to any girl, but if it was a boy, oh he would fucking mess them up just like he wanted to mess Eric up when he was with Ariel.

Ariel was out of reach, she was not someone's fling or one night, she was some one who needs to be cherished as well as respected with love and care. No man will touch her with bad intentions again not while he was around and alive.

No girl deserves to go through what Ariel went through.

All he needs to do is find Thomas; no one gets that fucker but him. That was the deal between him and his father.

He will make himself worthy of his father's post if gets to kill Thomas and no one else. For that single reason, he is going through all this, because right now his father owes his ass.

*******

Devilin comes to a halt as the mandrake takes him just where he wanted, he grins evilly seeing all of those mandrakes letting him know he hit the jackpot, as this was by far the largest group of mandrakes he has caught.

"Devilin"

"Ryan" they both nod at each other before going in for the attack.

Devilin jumps from the tree and lands directly on one of the mandrakes before he alerts everyone. He grins licking his lips as he pulls out his daggers and gets ready for the attack.

"Devilin, we need some of them alive," Ryan reminds making him nod at the deal they had

Devilin just stands waiting for the mandrakes to come to him, and when they do, he opens the portal transferring a few of them to where Rom wanted them before he starts his game.

The mandrakes did not even know what hit them as Devilin slices them all open in a blink of an eye. Ryan narrows his eyes as he sits on the branch of the tree watching the boy killing those mandrakes so easily using his speed and strength within a few seconds.

"All done in here," Devilin announces as he stops to look around and sees blood splatter and dead bodies

"Clean it yourself then" Ryan commands and Devilin clears the place out with a flick of his finger as if nothing happened in there just a moment before

"Done" he informs bored cleaning his dagger when he turns around abruptly and grabs someone mid-air slamming them into the near tree.

"Easy there, he is important" Ryan calls out seeing the body in Devilin's clutch

"Who are you?" Devilin growls as his senses were still heighten and whoever dared tried to attack him

Clutching the cloak, he pulls it off the intruder's head to let loose his hold.

"Aunt" he nods at the girl

"Too slow, Devil" she grins showing her teeth to him

"Whatever" he grumbles before leaving her for Ryan to deal with

*******

"Any reason for you to follow us" Ryan asks the girl

"I wanted to see the new species of those mandrakes everyone is hushing about" she replies him

"If you are so curious then you should have followed the protocol" Ryan scolds her but she just rolls her eyes

"Your protocols killed many of us, so sorry if I didn't get the memo" she hisses before turning to look at Devilin

"Where are others, it's like everywhere I turn it's only him. I am bored seeing my nephew's ugly face" she comments making Devilin huff.

"If that's the case, then return back to the pack you will get to see much worse faces then me...

Starting with my father and grandpa" Devilin snickers making Emma laugh wholeheartedly

"Sorry kiddo, but that is not possible," she states before pulling something out of her cloak and passing to Ryan

"What is this?" Ryan asks as he takes it

"It's Oliver's blood sample, I thought you will need it," she replies to him

"Where did you get it from?" Ryan asks her shocked.

"Ellen had it with her all this time; I coaxed her to hand it to the pack. Make sure you make better use of it then us" she advices before she goes to leave

"You know you could have come back to hand it over," Ryan suggested but Emma just shakes her head

"We can't"

"Not again, I mean why it is so hard to be back?" Devilin asks in annoyance

"You will not understand Devilin," Emma states making him huff again

"What's there to understand? Some of your lives were lost along with ours that is not reason enough to shut everything out...

You should merge your powers with us and help us find the real culprit instead of living a life without life...

I swear you women, just love to play with men's head; you have to make everything over dramatic and mysterious when that thing is all simple and clear...

All you have to do is take a step and come back home, everyone will open their arms happily but no it will be a crime if you take that simple step because nothing is fun when it's not dramatic" Devilin groans being the dramatic one.

"I just saw a glimpse of my brother-in-law in him and that was so scary," Emma gasps dramatically making Ryan chuckle

"He is his father's son after all" Ryan comments

"No, he is Devilin" Emma smiles before she pulls her cloak and disappears out of their sight.