"You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars." -E.E. Cummings

Once Zane leaves the house, I decide it's time to become more involved with my alpha duties. I already have a medical plan developed from my time in Italy but I want to focus on training the pack. Honestly, there's not much to do financially. Business is booming and all the books are taken care of by Taara.

Just as I'm about to enter the home office, a scream echoes through the air.

Oh my goddess.

I run out the door and shift into my wolf. There's no doubt in my mind that scream came from a Nightshade but the fact that they have no scent makes them nearly impossible to track. Another scream sounds, this one louder than the last.

Using a shortcut, I'm able to cut through the forest twice as fast than I normally would.

A whine escapes me as I take in the scene in front of me. A scared kid, maybe 11 or so, is laying on the ground. A dark wolf stands in front of him for protection. The scent and sheer size of the wolf alert me that it's Zane.

I run to the kid and grab his shirt with my teeth. I drag him to the side where a small crowd has gathered. The pack warriors rush to get the crowd back into the safety of their homes but they are all enamored by my mate and the Nightshade.

The Nightshade and Zane circle each other. The creature is easily twice the size of Zane's wolf but there is no fear in Zane's eyes.

The Nightshade is one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. Its hands almost resemble a human except it has long talons. Its eyes bulge out and resemble pits of darkness. Even though it looks like something straight out of a horror film, there is no doubt about who the real predator in this situation is.

Zane's jaw locks onto the Nightshade's leg. The creature screeches into the air and uses its talons to rip Zane away.

He falls to the floor and I cry out. It comes out as a sad howl in wolf form but it gets his attention. His wolf's gold eyes lock on mine and he pushes himself up. Without any further hesitation, he pushes off his hind legs and launches into the air. His sharp teeth dig through the tough skin of the Nightshade and latch onto its throat. With a sharp tug, he pulls out its throat. The creature falls onto the ground and dissolves into dust.

Zane's wolf rocks to the side slightly before falling into a heap on the floor. His body spasms before shifting back into his human form. I follow his lead and rush to his side.

"Oh my goddess," I whisper.

His chest displays three deep scratches. Each of them is oozing blood and it does not seem to be healing.

"Zane," I cry as I fall onto my knees beside him. His face is losing color and I can feel the pain from his wound begin to blossom in my chest.

"Is it hurting you?" He chokes out.

"Hurting me? You're the one who looks like he's two seconds away from death," I reply.

He smiles but it quickly morphs into a wince.

Get Donata, now.

On it.

"Riccardo is going to get Donata and she will be able to help you, okay?"

"I realized we haven't gone on a date yet," he says. I can tell by his eyes that he's out of it. He won't be able to stay conscious for long.

"That's not important right now," I tell him. His eyes become foggier and I can feel the tears prick my eyes.

"If I survive this we can go on one, I'll plan it," he chokes on the last few words.

"Stop, please. You're going to be fine," I whisper.

"Knowing you, was my greatest honor, little wolf," he rasps.

"Alpha!" Donata shouts. She falls to the floor beside me and grabs her woven satchel. Her hands are frantic as she searches for whatever it is she is looking for.

"Luna, I need you to hold his hand," she orders. I'm about to ask her why but think against it, there is no time to waste. His hand is cold to the touch. So cold, that I nearly flinch. It's limp against mine and I wonder if he's already on track to becoming a corpse. The thought makes my heart hurt.

I envelop his hand with both of mine and send a prayer to a goddess.

Please.

"Ah!" The scream escapes my lips as the pain becomes sharper in my chest. I know it must be excruciating for Zane if it is this bad for me.

It's an odd trait that we werewolves have. Whenever our mate is in pain, we can feel it. It's only a small fraction of what they feel but it serves as a reminder to our kind. We are born for each other. We share our pain and our struggles. There is no time where we turn away from our mate because their soul is tied to ours.

Donata's frail hand rubs a dark paste over Zane's wounds. At first, I wonder if it has any effect since he continues to stare at me with glazed-over eyes. Then I feel his arm begin to twitch and a loud scream of agony fills the air.

His grip on my hand is nearly unbearable as he bucks on the ground. His screams are painful and I cannot stop crying. Goddess why can't I stop crying?

"Zane, it's ok," I tell him. I don't know if he hears me over his screams but I try to lend as much support as I can. It's such a terrible feeling to sit there and watch him in pain. There's nothing I can do to help him and it's tearing my heart in half.

I stroke his face gently in an effort to calm him and myself. Feeling his smooth skin beneath my fingertips helps me ground myself. He's here. He's alive. I continue the movement and give myself a chance to look around. Most of the pack has left but some of the higher ranking gammas and deltas remain. I recognize the majority of them to be captains. All of them look worried and I try to remind myself that I am an alpha now. I know Zane would not want his pack to see him like this.

"Go with the rest of the pack and keep them calm. Do not provide details that are not absolutely necessary," I say. They all nod and leave the area. It's an odd dynamic, one I'm not used to. I do not like commanding people but I can't worry about being rude or harsh. As I continue to comfort Zane, I wonder how he's been able to do this for so long. While he was not officially Alpha until a while ago, Giovanni always put pressure on Zane. He's been commanding this pack like an alpha since he was 17 and most alphas do not take their position until they are in their forties.

Just as I thought the pain was retreating, another scream leaves Zane. A second later I feel a piercing pain as well.

"Zane, you are going to be okay. The pain will be over soon," I tell him. He looks at me, really looks at me, with clear eyes. There is sweat traveling down his face and his hair is stuck to the top of his forehead.

"Alessandra," he whispers. It's so light that I am not even sure I heard it. I place both of my hands on the side of his face and lean in close. Our foreheads touch and all is still for a moment.

"I'm here," I whisper, as the tears continue to stream down my face.

His mouth opens and I wait for his words, but they never come.