We were outside again and it made me sigh in relief when the yucky heavy feeling of the dark mana was being forced out of me by the pure mana that roams the day time world. It felt nice, refreshing, calming.

"Are you okay now Vaden?" Lady Beatrice asked softly beside me as we walked.

"I feel much better, yes." I smiled at her happily once the beast part of my soul finally settled back down and the dark mana fully left my system.

"I'm glad, I truthfully wouldn't know what to have done if you went into a blood haze." She confessed looking concerned. I looked at her to see her frowning at the ground while her hands played nervously together in front of her.

I stopped walking and she went a few steps ahead of me before realising that I've stopped. She turned around and looked up at me, still with her concerned frown. I stepped up to her and placed my hand to her cheek.

"You shouldn't be frowning." I told her seriously as I looked into her stunning eyes I could get lost in just to see the different types of silver and slight blue tinge I could find in them. "Good." I praised in a barely there voice as her face smoothed out and I smiled at the feeling of warmth coming to her cheeks. I could also hear her heart beat quicken, which made me glad that mine wasn't the only one being effected by our proximity.

"Thank you." She whispered surprising me.

"What for?"

"For helping Mercy. I wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for you. You always make it so easy to help people and I slightly envy that, but I know it's a part of you. It's just how you are. I... and I really like that about you."

My breathing stopped at her confession and the way she closed her eyes then turned her face to press more into my hand. I swallowed nervously when I felt her hands grip onto the hem of my shirt and started to twist it. I could feel her nervousness in the mana surrounding us but I could also feel the contentedness that we were both feeling with being so close.

"You would have found a way to have helped her, my lady." I assured her.

"I wouldn't have even asked to change her if it wasn't for you in the first place though, Vaden." She replied opening her eyes but keeping her face to my hand, which I'm not complaining about, her skin was so smooth. It made me want to find out if she was just as smooth all over and then pet her till she purred, even if she wasn't.

"My lady..." I whispered softly feeling like if I spoke any louder I would break this strange, but warm, intimacy. "Are you happy?"

I knew my question surprised her by the slightest widening of her eyes but a smile quickly pushed my worry away. "It's strange, before I was only just content with my existence. I worked with my sister to keep our territory at peace and I could study mana and spells as much as I wanted, but in the back of my head the reminder of what I was, what I could do, what I've done, made everything so much harder to do. Even the simplest of things felt weighed down with the regret that followed me around constantly. But then you came along."

I could barely breathe and it was made worse, or better, when my lady stepped closer to me until our noses nearly brushed and I felt her hands, no longer playing with my shirt, now spread out over my stomach, underneath my vest, become trapped between us.

"You came along and somehow got me to tell you my fears that I haven't even told to Aviva or Mercy. Then you offered to help me, which I admit I wasn't expecting, and even after I brushed you off, pushed you away because I gained a new fear. I was, still am, afraid that I'm going to hurt you. You still want to help me, and as selfish as I feel saying this, I want you to help me. I want you to take my fears away. I want you... I..."

Silence surrounded us. My heart was a beat in my head while an urge similar to the feeling of blood hunger thrummed through my body urging me to push lady Beatrice to the ground and assimilate everything there was to know about her body.

I was so caught up with lady Beatrice being so close to me and my own thrumming need for even closer contact that I literally jumped in shock when a voice sounded through my head.

Alpha, we're being called to lady Aviva's office. You and lady Beatrice have to head there immediately too. Anon said and I felt evil at that moment because I was once again interrupted from what I knew was about to happen.

I growled lowly in frustration. Fine. I snapped at him without meaning to and I felt his confusion but I didn't explain myself to him, I just cut off our connection.

"What's wrong Vaden?" Lady Beatrice asked now leaning a bit away from me, which I hated.

"I'm sorry my lady, but we're being called to lady Aviva's office for some reason." I told her with a sigh as I dropped my hands and painfully stepped away from her.

"Oh, okay." She sighed as well, dropping her hands also from my stomach making me suddenly feel cold. "We should go."

I just nodded silently still miffed at Anon and slightly at lady Aviva for needing us right at this moment.

"Vaden." Lady Beatrice suddenly spoke up bringing me out of my sulking thoughts.

"Yes my lady?" I asked walking really close to her.

I looked at her when she didn't continue speaking right away, only to find a blush reddening her cheeks. "I was wondering..." She started off again, her hands once again playing nervously in front of her. "Can you call me by my name?"

The request was barely audibly even to me, but I still heard it, and it made my heart jump in exhilaration. "Of course... Beatrice." I smiled at her, completely elated by the feeling of intimacy just saying a name could make me feel.

My smile widened at the cute smile that lit up Beatrice's flushed face, the action I found completely adorable.

"Thank you." She murmured in embarrassment looking once again at the ground.

I just smiled because it felt nice.

*

We walked into lady Aviva's office to find Anon, Mercy, Ashwini, Georgia and Galen lined up in front of lady Aviva who sat in a seat behind her desk. A stranger was beside her with his arms crossed over his chest. I eyed the stranger as I took a place beside Anon and Athena while Beatrice stood on the other side of lady Aviva.

The unknown male stood tall wearing a strange robe with mixtures of greens colouring the fabric. A thin sword was sheathed at his side while brown leather boots covered his feet. But what shocked me about the sight of the man was that he had lime green hair that fell over his head in a mop and his eyes were a faintly glowing forest green. He was obviously not human. His mana was crazily powerful and a constant feeling of strong magicks continuously rolled off of his well-built form.

"Good you're all here." Lady Aviva started once we were all standing in place. "It seems like bad news is popping up constantly lately." She sighed while leaning forward clasping her hands together in front of her while her elbows rested on the desk.

"What's happened Aviva?" Beatrice asked concerned as she shot a look at the stranger.

"I've just received news from an old friend asking for help with a certain problem." Aviva drawled then sighed. She waved a nonchalant hand at the stranger. "Explain the message."

"My lady," he bowed to her before stepping slightly forward gaining everyone's attention, though I doubt any of our attention went anywhere but to him anyway. "your highness, the king, has requested your return princess." The man said bowing even lower to Georgia, which surprised me.

"What are you talking about?" Georgia asked looking from the green haired man to lady Aviva looking concerned. "Why would my father request my return?"

Wait... SHE'S ROYALTY?!

I was so confused. I knew she was a fairy, though I can't feel anything different with her compared to a human, I thought she was just a servant that lady Aviva fell in love with. But royalty? There's a story here and I really want to learn it.

"The king needs you to return because the realm is under attack." The stranger answered still bowing to Georgia.

"You can straighten, Orrick. Who would be stupid enough to attack a whole realm?" Georgia asked now looking highly confused and had a frown.

"Orcs, my lady." The messenger replied making Georgia gasp.

"What? How?" She exclaimed and I felt her horror and fear.

"They somehow managed to create a portal between the two realms." Lady Aviva answered for the messenger. "In your fathers message he's told me that over a quarter of the realm has been taken already."

"No..." Georgia breathed in disbelief looking just about ready to faint. "I need to go back, I need to make sure everything's alright."

Lady Aviva stood up and walked around her desk to stand in front of her shorter lover. "I can't go with you, Georgia, if you go... you might not be able to come back."

"But he's asked for your help, which means you can go too." Georgia whispered.

Lady Aviva shook her head. "I've been banished from the fairy realm my dear, you know that. Even with your father asking for my help, I cannot return with you when you go."

"But..." Georgia tried to argue but it was obvious she didn't know what else to say so she went silent.

"You need to go back, and I've already agreed to help. Beatrice, Vaden and Ashwini will be going with you." Lady Aviva sighed and I was surprised by the feeling of real distress coming from her mana. I really want to know how she managed to get banished from another realm and what the story was between the two. It seems I've highly underestimated Georgia in thinking that she was just a little fairy who's managed to gain favour with my lady.

Georgia crossed her arms and looked almost sick. "Will we be enough my lady?" I asked looking towards lady Aviva. "I've never met or even heard of orcs but it seems that they're quite powerful if they can attack a whole realm so confidently."

Lady Aviva nodded her head in understanding. "Orcs are disgusting creatures and are incredibly strong, but only physically. They can die as easily as a human but are tough to over power. You would usually use mana and magicks to defeat them but... it seems they've somehow gained the ability to use mana. Not just any mana either, dark mana."

"Then how are we meant to defeat them if they're both strong physically and magically?" Ashwini asked next, confused. "It sounds like we need an army instead of just the three of us."

"Not all the orcs can use dark mana." The messenger answered bringing back our attention to him. "They attack in squads of around twenty. Out of those only one, or two if you're unlucky, can use dark mana. If you can take out them, then it's pretty simple to take out the rest of them with mana and magicks."

"Still, twenty? That's a lot." Ashwini grumbled with a frown.

"Don't worry Ashwini, I'm sure Beatrice and I can handle them." I smiled at her reassuringly. "With your help of course. Your skill with magicks are better than mine but our strength can keep them away from you I'm sure."

Ashwini smiled at me. "And your control over pure mana along with lady Beatrice's knowledge of mana will come in handy as well. Okay I can see how we can do this now."

"I'm glad." Lady Aviva smiled before sighing. "You are going to have to leave tonight to be able to make it to the portal in time before it closes."

"Then I guess we better get packing." Georgia sighed softly not looking all that excited to go back to her realm.

"We'll meet out the front in an hour." Beatrice decided and with respectful bows everyone besides for Beatrice, lady Aviva and Georgia left the office.

I sighed softly feeling like I've barely gotten a break from travelling.

"You'll be alright, right Alpha? I'll come with you if you want." Anon told me as we walked, Mercy and Ashwini walking behind us.

"No, we'll be fine. Won't we Ash?" I asked turning to smile at the earth woman.

"Of course." She grinned confidently in reply. She said nothing about the shortened name so I assume she was fine with it. "I'm the best witch in my coven and so far you're the strongest Nightwalker I've ever met."

"I'm not the strongest. Actually I believe I'm far from being the strongest." I laughed softly. "Lady Aviva is far more powerful than myself. I can feel it. The amount of mana she holds... and there's this slight undertone of something just fundamentally terrifying inside her, which makes her even more scary for the control she obviously has over whatever it is inside her. Plus... there's also Enrique who, if I was allowed to go through with my attack, would have killed me instantaneously. I'm sure."

"Is lady Aviva really that strong?" Mercy asked curiously.

"Whenever I'm near her I get this tingle of withheld power that just thrums through the air around her." I smiled slightly. " She has full control over herself and knows how to use every drop of the power she holds."

"Damn, I knew she was a scary woman, but for even you to say that..." Anon muttered looking impressed.

"Anyway. We should go get ready. Anon, where's Athena?" I asked him as we turned away from the other two with a wave and headed off towards our rooms.

"She's with that servant girl, Sian I think her name is." Anon answered.

"You'll be alright looking after her right?" I asked as we walked into my room and I headed to change into my travelling clothes, consisting of thicker leggings with leather guards on the thighs, shins and ankles, a tougher shirt that slipped underneath leather gloves and which I wore under a thick leather vest with leather guards over my shoulders, elbows and forearms to my wrist. Thick leather boots tied up around my leg till halfway up my shin. A belt around my waist kept the hem of my shirt tucked in and held my sword, hunting knife and a smaller knife, while I tucked a dagger into both my boots. Can't be too cautious.

"Of course. Part of Pack duty when I was a soldier was to take turns to look after the pups along with the maternal females." He smiled at me when I walked out of my wardrobe while tying up my hair. I like my long hair, but it's seriously getting to become a pain, especially when I'm fighting. I wonder if I should cut it? A thought for a later date.

"Really? Soldiers looked after pups too?" I asked surprised and curious.

"Of course, how else would a pup learn if they were meant to be a soldier if they couldn't play roughly with an older wolf? Our main duty was to protect but that didn't stop us from teaching the pups how to keep their claws in so they wouldn't harm each other while playing. It also taught them about the hierarchy in the pack. If the pups can't listen to a soldier, which is a higher rank, then they'll just become rouge and not know how to follow orders. It can also give a sense of security for the pups as well, having someone they know there that will keep them safe and allow them to makes mistakes to help them learn and to let the pups know that there are people that they can speak to and trust." Anon smiled in memory, obviously playing with the younger shifters was a happy memory. "It creates strong bonds between the older and the future soldiers, making it easy to trust your back to one another when out on duty."

"That sounds incredible." I commented in awe.

"It was." He agreed. "Are you ready to go?"

"Ah, yes, yeah. I just want to say goodbye to Athena. I don't know how long we'll be gone for this time." I told him while we walked out of my room.

"Speak of the devil." Anon grinned at the sight of Athena walking down the hallway besides another little girl I remember as Sian with Victoria walking behind them.

"Vaden!" Athena exclaimed happily running to me. I smiled and squatted down catching her in a hug. She quickly leaned back though and looked me over with a frown. "Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry darling, but I have to go on a little trip to help some people." I told her vaguely. "But don't worry, I'll be back soon enough and Anon will be here at all times. If you even want to speak to me, you can just use him as a communicator."

"Hey! I'm not some object!" Anon exclaimed jokingly.

Athena giggled before going back to giving me a sad pouting face. "Okay, you won't be gone long right?"

"I'll be back before you know it." I assured her with a soft smile feeling bad for slightly lying to her.

"Okay then." She smiled though it was only to hide the sadness I could feel coming from her mana.

I quickly picked her up. "I swear I will come back as soon as I can. I won't leave you, I promise." I assured her looking right into her stormy grey eyes.

"You better be." She told me just as seriously a slight warning glare in her eyes that made me smile.

"Of course." I agreed. "Come on, I have to go now. Will you wave me off?"

"Yep." She smiled this time a bit brighter.

We walked towards the front of the estate where five horses, one being Ruddy, were waiting along with Georgia, the messenger fairy guy, Ashwini, Beatrice and lady Aviva. I placed Athena down beside Sian and Victoria who had followed us before squatting down in front of her again, holding her hands.

"I will be back, alright? Be good for Anon and I might bring you back something from my travels." I grinned at her remembering when a father said that to his own daughter back when I lived on the streets.

Athena's eyes brightened making me laugh softly at her sudden excitement. "Yes! I've never gotten a gift before." She exclaimed happily.

"Well you will now." I grinned at her before leaning forward and placing a kiss to her forehead. "Be good, have fun, make friends and I will see you when I get back."

"I'll miss you, but I know you'll be back soon." Athena said confidently as I stood up.

"Then I will see you then. Bye bye Athena." I told her before walking towards Ruddy, the other four already mounted on their steeds. I slid up onto the saddle and formed our connection smoothly allowing me to feel his excitement about going on another adventure.

"Bye!" Athena called waving her arm wildly from between Anon and Sian with Victoria standing behind the two girls with a small smile on her face.

"Ready Vaden?" Beatrice asked after an endearing smile towards Athena.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I smiled back at the beauty that was making my chest warm with just knowing that she was there.

"Then let's go." Georgia grinned and quickly pressed her horse into a quick canter before bolting through the gates.

"You know, I'm actually excited to see more fairies and go to a different realm. Hopefully this will be a better adventure than last time" I told Beatrice before allowing Ruddy to run after Georgia and the messenger guy, Orrick I think his name was.

Please comment and vote if you like the story so far! Thank you!

ALSO! Just to give some information, there is a difference between magicks and mana.