"Surprise," Lily said as she smiled her mean smile. I remember when the barbie juniors at school walked past us she'd give that exact smile.

Ouch.

"How...," I trailed off in shock. I was left speechless and forgot how to speak.

Tate however was completely in control. Whether it was him or his wolf, I had no idea. He marched up to Lily with loud growls.

Lily's face transformed- and now a sultry look passed onto her face and I clenched my jaw, grinding my teeth.

Did she seriously just give my mate a suggestive look?

"My, my. If it isn't my favourite Alpha wolf," Lily purred and my jaw dropped open.

Lily, the Lily I knew didn't flirt shamelessly with men. On instinct I stepped towards Tate as my eyes didn't leave Lily's.

"You shouldn't have just done that," Tate growled as he glanced around the smoke that was in the air and making it harder to breath.

There was only so much a wolf can take.

"Oh what? This?" Lily asked in a innocent tone as she tilted her head.

A second later she shot her hands out in front of her and a ball of fire flew out towards me.

I gasped and quickly opened my palm and water hit her fire ball.

Tate growled again and pounced on Lily, his nails extending into claws.

Lily squealed in surprise and fell onto her back. Tate grabbed a hold of her hands and twisted them behind her back so she couldn't shoot out fire. However the room was already on fire and the smoke made it hard to see.

Tate kept Lily's hands behind her back as she screamed and struggled. I on the hand, used this time to extinguish the room that was burning at a fast rate. However every time I put out a flame, it just made more smoke appear. The room was hard to see and my eyes began to water as a cough bubbled up in my throat.

"Elina?" Tate called out worried, "-Elina are you alright?" Tate yelled out. I heard a thud that sounded suspiciously like a body and Lily's cries vanished.

Tate appeared by my side and he wrapped his arms around me and pushed my face into his chest, covering me from the smoke.

"Did you kill her?" I asked in horror as I made out Lily's figure limply on the floor.

"No," Tate said gruffly, "-not yet. I need answers."

Not yet.

The sound of hurried footsteps made Tate's head snapped towards the door. He growled loudly in warning as a figure rushed inside.

"Who's there?" Tate called out in a deadly tone as he pushed me behind his back and took a step forward.

"It's me!" Colin called back as his blurry figure entered the room and he coughed, "-what the fuck happened here?"

I opened my mouth to answer but I breathed in a whole lot of smoke and I started coughing violently.

I felt myself being picked up and the warmth of Tate made me calm down a little.

"Quick. Get her out," Colin's voice held a tone of urgency.

Tate followed Colin out with me in his arms and I heard cussing as the halls too were covered in smoke making it hard to see.

"Here goes nothing," Colin muttered as he held his hands out making me confused.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tate yelled as he abruptly stopped, looking back at his uncle.

Colin didn't reply and closed his eyes. He held out his hands and stood there.

Suddenly the air around us picked up and the smoke started swirling around. My coughs died down as I watched in shock. The smoke slowly started fading and seconds later it disappeared and I slowly eased onto my feet.

Tate and I started at Colin in shock.

"Still got it in me," he smirked and rubbed his palms together.

"Please don't tell me you're.." I trailed off.

"The air Elemental?" Colin inquired with a sheepish smile, "-guilty as charged."

****************************************************************************

"Shes waking up," I whispered and stepped forward but Tate roughly pushed me behind him.

Tate and Colin tied Lily up. They literally wrapped her on a chair and tied her hands so they were dangling in a bucket of ice water. Her feet were also tied up and her head hung loosely, her face facing the sky, considering we were by the lake. Just in case.

Despite what she did, I felt bad for the position she was in. After all she was my best friend for a long time.

The shock of Colin being an Elemental was still raw. However Tate vowed we'd discuss that later on.

"What the..." Lily murmured and slowly lifted her head. Her eyes slowly opened and her blonde hair laid unattractively on her shoulders.

Lily's confused eyes searched around the forest in confusion and her eyes blazed in fury when they fell on me.

"Why am I not surprised," Lily spat and glanced down at her hands and feet in fury.

"Found yourself another guard dog did you? Always the damsel in distress," Lily sneered and Tate snapped as he appeared in front of her in inhuman speed and grabbed her by the throat. I gasped as he pulled Lily up with a growl and the chair tilted back onto its heels.

"Tate-"

I was cut off by his fearful growl. Lily's eyes were open wide in horror and she stared at Tate in panic.

"Tate," Colin cooed and gently pulled Tate away from Lily as she gasped for air.

"I wouldn't bother. I mean, who's the one tied up in a chair?" He snorted and Lily glared at him.

"I could always shift into my wolf. What then?" Lily sneered in a hoarse voice and I cut in.

"You would have the moment you opened your eyes. Obviously you figured out you can't use your powers in wolf form," I said in a monotone voice as I stared intently at the girl I called my friend.

I knew her too well.

"Putting that aside," Colin said in a bored tone as Tate wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close.

"Tell us," Colin said as he walked around, behind Lily's chair and softly placed his hands on her shoulders.

"-how is it that, you," Colin said slowly building suspense, "-hold the powers of the fire Elemental? The same one dear Elina so delightfully drained the blood of."

I looked away when he said that. But from the corner of my eye I saw Lily swiftly glance at me and gulp.

"L-Like I would tell you," she spat and Colin squeezed her shoulders making her cry out in pain.

"Wrong answer. Try again," he whispered by her ear.

"No." She said.

Tate growled.

"If you would like I could get my dear Nephew to handle this his way," Colin shrugged as he walked around to stand near us.

"-though his the messy type. Blood and all that," Colin said casually as he pretended to check his nails.

He successfully scared Lily as she squirmed in her seat.

"When an Elemental dies their power goes to someone like them. Someone of the same ambitions and same at heart," she spat.

"-obviously you haven't done your study. Not so smart now ey?" Lily chuckled meanly as she targeted her gaze towards me.

Colin laughed loudly and all our gazes snapped to his.

"Oh my," Colin laughed and wiped away a fake tear as his expression suddenly turned hard and angry.

"-listen here you stupid barbie looking piece of shit," Colin sneered and his voice changed instantly making my jaw drop. Tate let out a humorous snort and look at his uncle with raised eyebrows.

"You think we're stupid and you're so fucking smart?" Colin growled loudly, "-well then did you know that when the water Elemental dies AKA Elina, all the other Elementals die?" He sneered and Lily's mouth shut tight.

My eyes widened at the piece of information and I stumbled slightly but Tate held onto me.

"You're lying," Lily shot back but the confidence in her voice wavered.

I found this a great time to step in.

"Maybe," I said casually, trying to keep my voice strong, "-but would you really risk it? Do you hate me that much to risk yourself? To death?" I asked and Lily remained quiet for a few moments.

"Yes. I do hate you." she said with so much confidence.

I had to admit it. That hurt. It hurt deeply.

"But not so much to risk your own life," I said lowly and we all stayed quiet for a few seconds.

"You're right. I wouldn't risk it," she said boldly and glared up at me.

"But I do hate you. In fact I despise you. You were always everyone's first choice and me?" She sneered, "-there was no me! No one gave a shit about me!" She all but screamed and I was taken aback by her words.

"-so kill me. Get it over and done with."

"With pleasure," Tate growled and extended his claws, but I stepped in front of him and he came to a halt. I turned my head to face Lily.

"No. I won't let you get killed because I'm not you. Our friendship might not have mattered to you but it did to me," I said quietly.

"Untie her and let her leave. But Lily I promise you, if you disturb us again I will personally kill you."

"What? No!" Tate growled but I grabbed his hands and looked up intently at him. Tate stared back for a moment and let out a angry sigh and he nodded at Colin.

Tate was angry. That I could tell.

"Fine. Just this one time. But if someone else dares to hurt you one more time," Tate said shaking in anger as he held up one finger, "-one more fucking time, I will have their head cut off and their body fed to vultures."

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