Freeman's Land, home to the mysterious Lysander definitely lived up to it's name. It looked like the aftermath of some teenaged rave in the middle of the woods, there was debris and evidence of chaos everywhere.

This new land was unquestionably intriguing however, I still hadn't fully digested the situation that just unfolded only minutes ago with Isabel. It was just like swimming on a full stomach, it was bad to jump into the deep end without allowing your stomach time to mull over what was just consumed. I didn't want to open a whole new world of questions when I already had enough swarming around in my head as it was.

I twined my hands through my hair as I leaned against the nearest tree trunk, "Does anyone want to explain to me what just happened?"

All eyes were suddenly on Matteo, he shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "She's obviously a lunatic, that's all you need to know."

I laughed and dropped my arms dramatically, "You've got to be kidding me!" I pushed off of the tree and stalked towards Matteo with an accusatory finger pointed at his chest. "That psychotic woman just went absolutely postal on me, she wanted to keep me in her lands and try and turn me. You're going to have to give me a better answer than that bull."

Matteo narrowed his eyes at my rude finger and lazily batted it away with a small wave of his hand. "We don't have time for one of your breakdowns, Olive." He condescendingly remarked as he stepped around my fuming frame.

One of my what? As his back was turned away from me, I impulsively reached out and shoved him. "Tell me what happened." I demanded but Matteo didn't stumble or lose his footing, his entire body just went still. Fran and Amias collectively sucked in a breath and I thought I might've even seen a vein popping out in Matteo's neck.

When Matteo finally turned around to face me, I did my best to hold my chin high and pretend that I wasn't scared out of my wits. His eyes were dark and suddenly he was advancing towards me, sending me scrambling backwards trying to keep the safe distance between us. He stopped his menacing progression as if he could feel the confusion in the air, looking away from me and to the rest of the group who looked equally interested in hearing his response.

"Isabel turned me, I don't know how many others but I know that I wasn't the first and clearly was not the last." Matteo announced, "I knew she had turned others but now I know that saving and helping is the last thing on her mind, she's gone completely unhinged." His infuriated demeanor melted away as he dragged a hand through her hair, appearing equally frustrated by this new knowledge, "Her pack is one of the oldest, they have ancient magic that not many wolves know how to access anymore. The only reason that Isabel would have an interest--"

"Obsession." I chimed in, finding a better fitting word.

"Right, the only way I can even begin to explain her obsession would be because she is doing this all for someone else. Someone above her is using her, orchestrating this all for their own benefit." Matteo was thinking aloud, pacing before us. He didn't understand exactly what was happening, an alpha not in total control of the situation was refreshing I'm not going to lie.

Amias snapped his fingers together as he came to a sudden realization, "I bet she's working with that vampire rogue dude, Lysander to turn people for him!"

The blood instantly left my face, "Vampire King Dude Lysander?" I grit out between my clenched jaw as I glowered at Matteo who looked like he was going to wring Amias' neck. "This entire time you've conveniently left out that the man you are leading me towards isn't really a man but is a blood sucking monster?"

I moved to shove Matteo again but he caught my hands and pinned them together in front of me. "I would advise you not to do that again." He warned lowly, his grip tightening and ever so slightly becoming painful.

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore." I exclaimed as I wildly thrashed in his grasp, "I don't want anything to do with you and if that means you lose your wolf, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make because I can't trust a single thing you've ever said or done."

Everything was eerily quiet after my declaration, I was heaving from the exertion it took to utter those words before him. I glanced around and as soon as I came to rest on Fran and Amias they turned around and made themselves sparse, they could sense the impending outburst.

Matteo stared down at me, his gaze was menacing and cold. There was nothing, only a burning anger that was directed entirely upon me but surprisingly enough he dropped my hands. "This is about last night." It wasn't a question, instead, he arrogantly stated it like some kind of fact.

Of course he would assume that, I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. "You've got to be kidding me? Last night? Nothing happened between us." I folded my newly freed arms across my chest.

A wicked grin spread across Matteo's face, "I never said anything about us, Olive. You brought that up all on your own."

"You're mental." I denied, my face was turning red I could just feel it.

He shook his head, savoring my discomfort. "I think, you are embarrassed over your wild display of affection last night." Matteo tainted cruelly, "I think, it's that embarrassment and your crippling remorse that is fueling this temper tantrum of yours."

My nostrils flared in anger, I had to use all of the restraint to keep myself from launching forward and attacking him. "You are mistaken."

Matteo scoffed and nodded sarcastically at me, "Sure I am, care to explain?"

"Neglecting to tell me that Lysander is a vampire? That is messed up on so many levels, Matteo. Surely, you can understand that." Vampires were such a rare occurrence nowadays, they had been driven into reclusion with the exponential growth of wolf packs in the area. Since they were so rarely seen, it was easy to forget their deadly nature and how much trouble they could really cause for a werewolf. I hadn't forgotten, however.

These beasts were murderers who preyed on the innocent and stalked the weak. They were cold hearted and callous, only caring for themselves. Inflicting pain was something they enjoyed, it was all just some sick game to them.

Sounds a lot like someone else I know.

"All you do is manipulate me and play with my head. I'm not some doll you can pick up and play with and then when you are bored just toss me aside for later." I watched him furrow his brow, I didn't know if that was a good sign or troubling. "One minute you hate me, they next you want me and the following day you want to kill me. It's maddening, Matteo and I'm done being your little chew toy."

His eyes were looking at the tree beside me, not meeting my gaze. Matteo looked uncomfortable again just like he had in the bathroom right before I started crying.

Bursting forth, Matteo suddenly moved towards me. He caught my face in his hands and tried to kiss me but I was expecting some kind of move like this. I slapped him, stopping him in his tracks.

Matteo dropped his hands, his face was a mixture of disbelief and anger.

I felt strong, for the first time in a long time I actually felt confident. "You can't just kiss away the problems here." I stepped away from him, "That's not how reality works."

He was seething now, it was no longer shock but a burning anguish that I had told him off and had been right. But beneath the rage, I knew he recognized the truth behind what I said. Somewhere inside of him, he had to understand.