(Italics: mind linked thoughts)

Ben had been gone for hours and I still couldn't find a way to escape. He had chained me to the tree and I had tried to free myself, but it had been useless. And I couldn't shift, I didn't know why but I guess it was mostly because I had only done it once.

I looked up to the sky and thought about what was probably happening back in the Pack. I could only hoped Mathew, Michael, Liam and everyone was okay. That they were still clueless of where I was so I could protect them. I wasn't sure of how far Ben plan to take this, but I wouldn't allow him to hurt my family. I knew I was the only one who could fix this, I was the reason of why this was happening in the first place.

I was startled by a noise and I stood up straight ready for anything but what I saw surprised me. Liam's wolf was coming towards me. He stood a few meters away before shifting to his human form. "Liam." I whispered and he put a finger to his mouth signaling me to be quiet. I nodded and watched him as he carefully unchained me from the tree. "How did you find me?" I asked him. "Where's Mathew?"

"Serena, we don't have much time. Please, I'll explain later. Let's go!" He said and took my hand, leading me into the woods.

"No! Please... I need to know. " He stared at me for a minute before he spoke.

"He's fine. Your father and him are making sure there's enough distraction so I can take you to a safe place."

"What?!" I was speechless. Did he just say my father and Mathew? I must be hallucinating.

"Yeah it sounds crazy but it's true. Now we need to go, please Serena. We don't have much time." He said and I followed him, still trying to process everything.

"Come, we aren't far from the safe place."

I kept following him but a piercing growl made me stop dead in my tracks, but the second growl I heard was what made me turned around in shock. That one I recognized it, I felt it. I felt the heat of my wolf trying to set free.

Mathew, our mate! My wolf screamed on my mind.

"Serena, don't!" Liam pleaded but it was too late, my wolf was already on its way. Right to where Mathew's voice had come from. I had shifted into my wolf. I was able to feel all my power and energy as I ran in my four paws, ready to take anything.

I ran into the woods with Liam trailing behind me. When I heard where the fight was coming from, I stopped. I needed to see what was going on, in order to plan how I was going to help.

I spotted Mathew fighting against Ben, while my dad was being held by a group of wolves that were most likely to be rogues.

"Liam, I need you to help my father. Take down those rogues. I'll help Mathew." I mind-linked him.

"Are you crazy? You can't fight against Ben, even with Mathew. You are a new wolf, you don't know how to fight."

"Just do what your Luna told you. Liam, I need you to trust me. I think I know how to stop Ben."

His wolf stare right into me, before bowing in acceptance. I nodded back and we both ran into the fight.

I went straight to Mathew as soon as I saw Liam join my father. They both stopped at the sight of me and the worried look on my mate let me know he didn't want me there. I shook my head and let him know I wasn't going anywhere. I needed to do this. I just hoped it worked out.

I shifted back into my human form. "Ben, please shift back. I need to talk to you." I said. I wasn't able to mind linked him since he had betrayed the Pack.

He shifted back and Mathew did too. He was at my side ready to protect me. "Serena, I'm glad you decided to come. I was waiting for you. This wouldn't be the party I wanted without you here."

"Stop it! Please Ben, stop all of this. I'll let you leave. I won't hunt you, but you have to promise to leave my territory."

He laughed and shrugged. "Do you think I care about your territory? Oh my Serena, you are so mistaken." He said. Mathew growled at his comment. I wasn't his to talk that way.

"Then what do you want?" I asked placing a hand on Matt's shoulder.

"You." He replied with a wicked grin. "That's all I ever wanted. So I'll make you a deal. Let us fight, me against your precious mate, just like Liam and I were going to. If he wins, he can kill me. If I win, you'll be mine."

"Mathew, please." I mind-linked him. He was shaking so bad, and I knew if he didn't calm down he would launched against Ben.

"You can't accept that Serena, even if I win. This is wrong." He replied.

I looked at him and I knew what I had to do. "I'll fight against you. The first one to surrender, loses."

"What?!! Serena! You can't do that!" Mathew shouted.

"The same conditions?" Ben ignored him and continue. "I accept."

I nodded and we both shifted back into our wolves. Liam and my father ran to us, they had already taken down the rogues.

"Please, hold Mathew." I directed to Liam. He shifted and did as I said. I looked at my father and he nodded at me.

Once I was sure anything would interfere with the fight I looked back to my mate. He was desperately trying to set free from Liam's hold.

"I love you so much, if anything happens. Take care of the pack, be the great Alpha that you are."

"Serena please...I love you too."

I turned my wolf back to Ben and when I saw him, I took a deep breath and growled. I had to be strong and precise, even if he had been my best friend before. The wolf standing meters away from me was far from who he had been. He was now consumed by anger and envy, and it would not change. I needed to make sure he died, I wasn't going to let him hurt my Pack and my mate.

Let's do this!