"You can't just leave Sera, Alpha Philip will sniff you out in a heart beat not to mention the doubled up boarder patrol while the gathering is operating." Mara had tried to stop me as I packed a pack back up of clothes, hygiene items and a bag of cash I'd had stashed away for the past three years.

I had always thought about leaving after I found out I couldn't shift and had no wolf but now that I was really doing it I couldn't ignore the many racing scenarios that ran ramped in my head. Zipping up the pack back I grabbed my cell phone on the desk as Mara stepped between me and the door as I moved to leave.

"What are you doing?" I hissed panic clear in my voice.

"I'm not letting you leave. You'll get yourself killed." She warned crossing her arms. "You don't even have a car Sera. How far exactly do you think you'll honestly get before a pack member sees you leaving?" She raised an eyebrow at me as my mouth opened in object but it immediately snapped shut.

She was right I was practically human. I was slow, clumsy, weak, blind and deaf in comparison to them. I'd be snatched up the moment they caught my scent.

I cringed as I nervously tried to figure out what I was going to do, I never got this far in my plans and now I regret not preparing for this moment better. Then it dawned on me, didn't this pack hate me and despised me? Why would they care if I ran off. They'd probably celebrate once they realize I'd left, no more explaining the shameful excuse I am of a werewolf.

"This pack hates me anyways why would they want me to stay. I'm sure once I get to the boarder they'll let me walk across it with applause. They've wanted me gone for years." Mara's face fell as she watched me tighten my back pack on my shoulders.

She knew that they wouldn't stop me, the only few people that would try and stop me would be my own parents and Alpha Philip himself, and I wasn't lingering around to find out what it was he wanted to finish with me. My skin crawled at the thought of all the possibilities.

Not finding anything to argue me with to stay Mara moved to the side leaving my bedroom door with no obstacles. Not missing a beat I hurried out only to be halted as she wrapped her hand around my wrist.

Her blue eyes held so much apprehension and sadness I could have sworn she looked physically pained by my departure. I shouldn't be surprised though know that Mara pulled tooth and nail to make my life happier and more enjoyable once I didn't shift. If it weren't for her kindness and protection I'm sure I would have ran away by now or worse killed myself from all the hate and segregation.

"Promise me you'll be careful." She warned me.

"I pro-"

Mara yanked my arm causing me to hiss at her sudden roughness, as if I weren't bruised enough from Alpha Philip.

"No, Sera I mean it. Even though you're leaving your still my best friend. You're the sister I never had and I'd be torn if something happened to you." She bit her lips, an attempt to keep from crying no doubt, but the glistening of her tears in her eyes was clear. Sighing an forcing a smile she looked down at me taking my phone from my hand. "Share you're location with me and I want at least a text from you every day and a phone call at least once a week."

"Okay mom." I joked tugging her into my chest to give her a comforting hug. "I promise to be careful and keep you in the loop."

Breaking away from her I bolted down the stairs and out the front door. My parents weren't home having gone to visit my mother's relatives in a neighboring pack. I was thankful they weren't home, they'd have tried to stop me, I'll call them later to let them know I'm alright.

As my thoughts raced I ran past the last cottage of a wolf family on the outskirts of the town. My mouth grew dry as I ducked under a fallen tree trunk listening intently for any sound. I was nearing the boarder when I noticed two wolves sniffing some of the trees in the woods. They were one of the patrols and as their ears perked up I cringed when my fingers scraped against the tough bark of tree.

Spinning around I tucked myself behind a nearby tree holding my breath for good measure. I was so close yet it felt like a mile away, I knew I said they'd just let me walk out of the territory but then the worry hit me.

What if they say this as treason? Turning my back on my pack?

Gory images of wolves ripping me limp from limp flashed before my eyes and I sucked my lip in with the images. I needed to leave and the longer I sat here the closer Alpha Philip was to discovering what I've been up too.

My head recoiled in the direction of the sound as whatever created the noise approached me. It sounded like heavy footsteps and with each...

I cringed nearly in tears, I couldn't catch my breath, I felt like every breath I tried to catch it was never enough. I listened to myself gasping for air as an anxiety attack harassed my mind that was struggling to keep calm and steady. If I lost my focus now, if I panicked now, I'd never make it across the border.

Taking in a deep breath I moved to step from behind the tree but was pulled back flush against it. My mouth opened to scream but a rough hand pressed snug against my patted lips. My frantic eyes trailed up from the hand on my mouth. Thick muscle traveled from his wrist to his elbow; wide veins wrapped around his arm in mouth watering designs.

As I followed the rest of his arm up my eyes drew wide as I looked into those familiar and oddly soothing brown eyes. I instantly stiffened against the harsh bark that itched my fragile soft skin.

He dropped his head next to my ear making me tense up every muscle in my body. I felt scared and strangely fascinated in the way he made my body buzz with excitement.

He rose his free hand to his face and pushed his index finger to his lips in a hush gesture and I idly listened. Closing my eyes I listened as more foot steps walked by us and continued forward.

There were more...

Bones snapped as one of the wolves from the patrol shifted.

"You're the alpha slayer's brother." A male voice protected braking the eerie silence of the woods.

"I am and we were just leaving." Another deep male voice relied just on the other side of the tree.

My heart pounded against my rib cage with every second I stood pressed snug between the tree and the hard plane of this towering man. I didn't know what he was doing here or why he held me hidden.

With my eyes still closed I felt the breath of the man holding me fan my face. Goosebumps rose across my neck and I shivered at the gentle sensation.

"Play along if you want them to let you go." He whispered next to my ear.

Opening my eyes from his stern command I watched him pull back to gaze down at me. His storm-like eyes stared into my own with a sense of curiosity and concern? Why on god's green earth would he look at me with concern? I didn't know him and he definitely didn't know me.

Still I caught myself nodding in response agreeing to "play along", honestly anything at this point to insure I make it out of here sounded like music to my ears.

"You had no business here." The same patrol man growled. Another growl roared over the forest and everything fell silent. Not even a chirp from the nearby birds could be heard, it was all dead silent.

"I had every business being here seeing that had I not come uninvited I wouldn't have found my mate."

There was a long pause that made it that much easier for all the wolves to hear my racing pulse. I wasn't the only one on edge though as I gazed up at the man holding me. He looked uncomfortable, like he was straining himself for control.

"Then where is she? Where is the slayer?"

"They are nearby, but seeing as we weren't welcomed here and your Alpha is less than predictable we couldn't risk either one of them being harmed. Seeing as your a mated wolf by the mark on your neck I think you understand my concerns for my mate."

I didn't recall seeing any woman with this group of males the first time I ran into them. They could have come across her once I left I told myself as I listened.

"Now you will let us leave, peacefully." The man emphasized his last word as if daring the other man to object his demand. With the threatening tone he used I found it absurd if anyone thought about testing him.

"How do I know you haven't just kidnapped one of our pack?"

"She can tell you herself."

At that moment I was tenderly pulled away from the tree that hid me and was guided out in the open with the beautiful man's hand pressed against the small of my back. My eyes grew wide when I realized that I was the "mate" they were referring to. I was to play along, his words echoed in my mind as my mouth grew dry with apprehension.

Now being out in the open I could see one wolf and another man stood next to it, it was Jimmy I could finally recognize. Another four men, that I had seen only back at the gathering, stood with neutral expressions on their faces as they looked towards Jimmy. One of the four that I assumed to be the man speaking had a gleaming smile on his face when his eyes fell to mine, but it instantly fell when Jimmy let out a laugh.

"I always told myself I'd pity the wolf that got stuck with this broken female." Jimmy snickered. "But then again this just seems like karma."

His words stabbed me in the chest. Sure, I've heard it all before but just because I was use to the harassment didn't mean it hurt any less. My face visible fell at his banter catching my so called mate's attention.

"I'd watch your tone if I were you, you aren't exactly on the high ground." My mate pointed out his eyes growing slightly darker, his dark and imposing expression made Jimmy take a step back. Both the wolf and Jimmy gave a weary look as they gazed at the man beside me as if just realizing who it was. "Seraphina?"

My eyes snapped up to my mate's at the sound of my name noticing he wanted me to state I was his. I knew he was probably saw me as weak but he wouldn't let me go on on my own, his wolf was probably fighting him now to defend me. If it were up to him he would have turned his back on me.

My tongue was stuck to the roof of my dry mouth. "H-he is my mate." I stated plainly jumping slightly when the man beside me balled up his fist into the back of my shirt.

With a gleaming smile my mate turned around to Jimmy. "As I was saying, we'll be on our way now."

Everyone that I presumed to be apart of my mate's pack started towards the boarder. A tender nudge at the small of my back alerted me that I too was to move along with them. As we moved around Jimmy the hairs on my back stood on end as he narrowed his eyes at me and I instantly looked away, scared if I kept eye contact that he would take that as provocation .

"Desmond take Seraphina with you." The deep voice of the man beside me was startling as Desmond approached, or also now known as my mate.

Desmond was quick to wrap his arm around my waist, a gesture that caused the man near me to stiffen. If I didn't know any better I'm pretty sure I sensed a bit of hostility from him but I pushed that fleeting thought to the back of my head.

Desmond must have noticed my unease and pulled me further way placing his body between the man and I.

They stared daggers at one another as their eyes fogged over, they were so indulged in conversation they hadn't noticed Jimmy step closer. My head swiveled in his direction, making eye contact, his head tilted to the side in uncertain curiosity.

I leaned further against my mate's body for comfort that never came to ease my panic.

"Sera, I'm finding it hard to believe that you are this man's mate." He looked beyond my face for a brief moment before looking back down at me. "You've packed like you're in a hurry, not to mention you-"

"Did I say you could speak to her?" The same gut wrenching deep voice questioned, causing my heart to do summersaults in delight.

I couldn't say the same about Jimmy however as he visibly paled at the question. He looked horrified as he stumbled back into the wolf at his heels. The towering man with dark shadowy eyes stocked towards him but he was immediately stopped by my mate as he grabbed his forearm.

"Osiris." Desmond hissed catching the man's attention quickly. His head turned to face my mate and I gulped when his black eyes casted a menacing threat towards Desmond. I wasn't sure how Desmond could just stand unfazed by Osiris's glower. "We don't have time for this. I would like to get my mate back home now."

Osiris's eyes darkened further as he peered behind Desmond and landed his eyes on my own. I shuddered at the dark stare relieved only when he looked back to Desmond with narrowed eyes. With a deep breath Osiris released the tension from his shoulders letting them drop to his sides.

"Let's get going." He growled pushing past Jimmy with a shove.

Jimmy lowered his eyes to the ground not once daring to look up as we all passed. Desmond kept a secure arm around my waist as we crossed the boarder into no man's land.