It took me three hours to get her calmed down and asleep. I've sat on the edge of our bed, my elbows along my knees, head in my hand as I watch her breathing for the last hour. She's so calm, beautiful, and she looks happy for the first time in a long time.

I hate that we have to make the trip back to our hell. Ethan asked me how bad it was when we were young pups. I gave him a dry laugh, one without any humor at all, as I told him all the gory details. My father was physically abusive. I suppose that's why him and Paulo, Penny's dead-beat father, are best friends. They are two peas in a pod.

The things we both had to endure at their hands, are horrendous. Paulo and my father would always say they were making us stronger than the rest of the pack. Really, they are both just sadists, that enjoy wreaking pain on others. Since we were so small, defenseless, and helpless we were their perfect targets.

More than once Daneth and his closest friends had to put a stop at what they were doing. More often than not, the physical abuse was towards me. I did everything I could to keep the heat off of Penny. She was already so fragile. Their actions only made it worse.

Before I got sent away, Daneth taught me what he knew about fighting. He would take me deep into the forest, where the river ran low, our surroundings covered in mountains. He would show me how to do different fighting stances, how to be quick so no one could get a hit on me when the time came.

I asked him once why Paulo never came after him, since he was ten years younger, and much smaller. Daneth simply smiled at me, a mischievous one, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. "Simple you can't hit something you cannot catch." Once he taught me how to fight, to defend myself, he trained me with speed and precision.

We would practice for hours, well into the early morning hours. Then, he'd sneak me back just in time for my father to come wake me to do chores. It wasn't until I began fighting back, and winning against both Alpha's that my father decided to send me away.

The only thing I thought about when that happened was Penny's safety. I was fearful for her life. She was my everything and for the first time in our lives I wouldn't be there to protect her. Daneth told me not to fret, that he would do everything in his power to protect her.

Looking at her now, I am eternally grateful to her uncle for keeping his word. He got her away from there as soon as he could. Into the human world where she would remain safe, and her father wouldn't ever be able to find her. Not that he didn't try his hardest, but what he forgot was his younger brother is a technical wizard. He made her disappear into the night. With his best human friend, that he knew would keep her safe.

Standing from the bed, I softly kiss her forehead, before making my way to the door. Looking back at her once more, I leave the room. When I get into the living room, everyone is up and looking at me expectantly. "So, what's the plan?" Hunter asks me the question that is on everyone's mind.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out as I walk to the couch. Sitting down, I rub my hands down my face, keeping them there as I try to work through my thoughts. I almost feel like crying, that's how terrified I am of taking my mate back there. Especially, once her father Paulo realizes what I have done without him knowing.

He's the Alpha of the pack, the natural leader, and supposed to be there when the ritual of two werewolves coming together as one. We decided to skip all that, knowing good and well he wasn't actually going to allow that to happen. I'm not an idiot, he gave me his word that she would be mine if I found her and brought her back to him.

However, I don't trust that cruel son of a bitch for anything. I agreed to find her, knowing completely where she was. Daneth kept me informed for years. Only, so I could succeed in my own plan. To bring her here, to our den, with our pack, the ones that I consider my brothers.

I would have Daneth sneak away, to help me with the ritual. As we need an Alpha leader for the ritual to work. When he turned thirty last year, he became leader of a brotherly pack, with his older brother's blessing. Paulo thought he could have his younger brother get together many lone wolves.

Offering them food, shelter, and a family to be surrounded by. To help him gain more power. That's what it all boils down to, him and my father holding all the power in our world. They never told anyone else what they wanted in this life, but it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

There are about fifty different wolf packs in our world, fifteen alone in the United States alone. There are approximately anywhere from fifty to one hundred in each pack. That's a lot of Were's, and not even all of them. Many decide not to be a part of a pack, or simply grew up being alone.

Paulo has already made friends with the West Coast brethren pack, the one he secretly promised the son of the Alpha there my mate. I hope fighting him has put an end to that thought, although I highly doubt it. I know this is some sort of trap, Paulo thinks he has the numbers. Little does he know Daneth now has well over one hundred wolves that consider him their Alpha, and they are now with me.

When I drop my hands, a sinister smile is on my face at the thought. "It'll take us about four days to make it back there. I say we bring everything we need, and we must be prepared for anything." I look at each of my brothers, seeing as much determination as I have myself on their faces.

"We have no idea where those other wolves are from the other night. For all we know they could ambush us, and I know they will go for Penny out of everyone. We cannot let that happen." The thought of any other wolves paws on my mate sends me into a rage. I have to shake my head, as I feel a large hand on my shoulder.

Looking to my side, I see Daneth looking deep into my eyes. "We won't let that happen." I nod my head at him, knowing his word means everything. Standing from the couch I tell them to get prepared to leave within the hour.