AN: Thank you so much for your reviews on Chapter 9! I'm hoping to reply to them tonight after work. As we approach 200 reviews (Just 15 away! Yay!) I want to note thst as a thank you I'll write a little something for reviewer 200. :)

This is another chapter filled with delightful drama, and hopefully it answers a couple questions. I hope you enjoy it and watch out for chapter 11 coming out sometime late next week. Happy Holidays everyone!

And as always, beta love to the wonder DarkNorseLady.

Bound to the Light

10. Gone Girl

When Remus stumbled for the third time in ten minutes, he heard a sigh behind him. "Moony, you aren't in any condition to be out here. Is the village close by?"

Sitting down on a fallen log to rest, Remus turned to look at his friend. "Yes, there is a clearing just up ahead, then it's just a short path." He sat in silence for several seconds before adding, "and you know why I had to come. I need her, Padfoot."

Sirius looked at him thoughtfully before nodding and moving forward to offer his hand. "Alright, let's get you to your little witch so she can heal your stubborn arse."

Fifteen minutes later they were making their way into the village center.

Upon seeing the state he was in, Dolphi was immediately at Remus' side. "Liam, go get Alpha, something is wrong." She helped the still weak wolf to sit at one of the tables that were still up from the full moon feast. "What happened? Who is this with you? Where is Hermione?" she was firing questions off faster than he could register what she was saying.

"I'm fine. Rough change is all. This is Sirius," he gestured toward the other man, "he's been one of my closest friends since school." Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Hermione is why I'm here. I need to apologize to her for being such a prat."

"Well, why would you come here?" Fenrir asked making his way through the gathered crowd. "She's not been back since you left a month ago."

Remus' eyes shot open, "That's impossible. She left to return here yesterday morning."

"What do you mean she left yesterday?" the alpha wolf growled.

"W-we had a fight, and she said she needed time," Remus ran a shaky hand through his hair. "She was coming back here for the moon and to spend a couple of days." The next thing he knew something was colliding with his jaw, and he was falling out of his chair. Looking into the angry face of Fenrir a shiver ran down his spine.

"After everything we talked about Lupin," he snarled, "You let her just wander off on her own. Do you not care for her safety at all?"

When the man pulled his fist back, preparing for another hit, Remus noticed Sirius moving toward them out of the corner of his eye. "Stay out of this Padfoot; I deserve worse."

"You stop this right now, Fenrir Greyback," a voice shrieked. The crowd quickly parted as Calia marched toward them, wand in hand. "You will not continue to hurt that poor boy. You of all people should be sympathetic to how it is to live with a headstrong mate." Coming to stand between them she helped Remus back into his chair, before turning to point a finger in Fenrir's face.

"Acting like this is not going to help find our daughter, and when we do find her, she's going to be livid with you. And you," she turned now pointing her finger at Remus, "I don't want to hear another word about what you deserve. You are a good man Remus Lupin, and you deserve a long and happy life with Hermione. Now though, you are going to go back to your hut and get some rest. If we still haven't found her once you've rested up, you can join the search then."

When it was apparent that he was going to argue with Calia, Fenrir stepped in. "She's right. You'll be no good to the search for Hermione if you pass out from exhaustion, and it's obvious you had a rough night last night. Go back to your hut and get some rest" When Remus opened his mouth to protest the alpha growled, "that's a direct order, Lupin. Go now! And you," he pointed at Sirius, "go with him. If either of you needs anything further, Calia is staying behind. Liam, get search parties together. I'm going to go find my daughter." Without another look at the group, Fenrir stormed off in the direction of the clearing.

Remus stood motionless, just staring at the bed for several minutes before moving to stand on Hermione's side. As he pulled the blanket and sheet back the wooden oath ring, she had hung above the bed caught his eye.

May the earth open beneath me, may the sea rise against me and may the sky fall upon me should I forsaken my oath.

"It sure feels like the sky has fallen on me," he mumbled as he settled in, laying his head on her pillow. Inhaling deeply, he savored the faint smell of her, before he let out a sob. "I'm sorry Hermione," he whispered into the empty room, "I shouldn't have said those things. I shouldn't have let you go alone. Please be safe. Please come home."

As he felt the sleeping potion Sirius made him take start to kick in; he stared at a picture on her bedside table. It was taken the night of their bonding ceremony. He was twirling her around the fire before pulling her close and stealing a quick kiss. "Please come back to me," was the last thing he murmured before sleep overtook him.

Hermione sat propped up against a wall. It felt like it had been hours since she had woken up in this place, but she couldn't be sure. All she knew is she was in some kind of dungeon, and she was chained to a wall with a collar tightly fastened around her neck. The only thing she could smell was the coppery scent of her blood as it leaked from several gashes that littered her body.

Her transformation had not been pleasant.

At first, when she woke up the night before, already fully transformed, she had been dazed, but as that wore off, she became restless. The longing for her mate had her pulling at the collar and trying to break free. Soon her instincts entirely took over, and with nowhere else to vent her frustration she began taking it out on herself. Biting and clawing at her flesh.

The sound of heavy footsteps caught her attention, and she looked up into the smirking face of Farkas. "How are you feeling this morning, princess?" He chuckled, "I'm afraid you don't look so good."

"Where am I? Why are you doing this?" she managed to rasp out.

His smile just widened. "Ah, yes. Well, your alpha made a big mistake turning his back on me." Farkas sat down on the stone floor, just out of her reach. "After he exiled me I wandered around for a few days, trying to decide how to best get my revenge on him, on Remus, and of course on you." Leaning forward he pulled at one of her limp curls, laughing when she growled and swatted his hand away.

"I bet you didn't know that your precious papa would occasionally do work for the Dark Lord did you?" he nodded gleefully when her eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Oh yes, during the first war sometimes the hunts weren't just for food. They took traitorous witches and wizards to be dealt with by the Death Eaters. Then the Dark Lord fell, and life in the pack was able to return to its normal isolation. When he returned your dear papa refused to continue his service. Do you know what changed?"

Hermione had an idea, but the words were caught in her throat. She just shook her head.

"The difference was, this time the 'Big bad wolf' had a little curly-haired pup at home. It turns out when Calia pointed out that you could have been one of the witches he'd have to hunt, dear ol' dad lost the taste for it."

"How do you know all of this?"

"It's rude to interrupt," he tutted. "So, I made my way to the Dark Lord and gave him an offer he couldn't refuse," Farkas' eyes glittered with malice. "I told him I knew the way to get the pack to do whatever he demanded. All he had to do was know the alpha's weakness, you." He laughed loudly as she snarled.

"We came up with a plan, so we both get what we want. He gets to control the pack, and I get my revenge. Once he has no use for the pack anymore he's assured me I can return and take my rightful place as alpha. Do you know how one becomes alpha of a pack Hermione?"

"No," she whispered, "y-you can't."

"Oh, I'm going to, and Fenrir isn't the only one we're getting rid of, we can't let his mate live after all." Farkas relished in the sound of her quiet sobs. Leaning in so close his lips were practically against her ear he whispered, "want to know my favorite part? Lupin is at the top of the Dark Lord's extermination list, and with an alpha in charge that'll put you in your place, and your true mate out of the way nothing is preventing you from being mine." He jumped back laughing when she lunged at him, only to be roughly pulled back by her collar.

"Well princess, I'm afraid I have to leave you for now. I do hope you enjoy your stay here though." He winked at her before standing and leaving her once again alone.

A commotion from the village center caught Calia's attention. When she arrived it was to see one of the last people she'd expected, "Roddy?"

His lip quirked before he bowed low, "Mrs. Greyback, you look lovely as ever. I must confess I wish I were here under better circumstances; I have news of your daughter."

"Surely, we are on a first name basis by now Rodolphus." She stared incredulously at the man before looking to his companion. She recognized the other man from her time in school, though he'd been two years ahead of her, and the years hadn't been kind to his once handsome face.

"Mr. Dolohov," she nodded politely. When he nodded in return, she let her eyes drift back to Rodolphus. "Perhaps this is a conversation we should have in private? Liam, please locate Fen and let him know we have guests. We'll be back at our hut."

The younger wolf looked as though he were going to protest, but just nodded and turned to head back into the woods. "This way gentlemen," Calia directed them to her hut.

She had just set down tea in front of both men when the front door busted open. "What do you know, Lestrange?" Fenrir immediately demanded.

"We've been sent here with a message from the Dark Lord," Rodolphus began. "He's not pleased with your lack of support. Hermione has been taken to Malfoy Manor and will remain there, unharmed, as long as your pack is willing to help with our cause. Should you disappoint him, the Dark Lord is prepared to take it out on her."

The tension was palpable as they sat in silence. After a moment Fenrir looked over to Calia, "we don't have a choice, Cal."

She nodded. Turning to look at Rodolphus she bit her lip, "and you're sure she's safe there? I remember well the vial people my father had in and out of the manor; I can't imagine Lucius keeps very different company." Her eyes involuntarily moved to Dolohov, who was quietly watching from the corner.

"It's been ordered that she's not to be harmed. No one is stupid enough to go against the Dark Lord's wishes." Rodolphus tried to reassure her.

"I can think of two," Dolohov spoke for the first time, "Lucius has quite the temper, and Merlin help the little witch if she crosses Bellatrix."

Calia closed her eyes for a long moment, only opening them when Fenrir pulled her to his chest. "She'll be ok." He whispered to her as he rubbed calming circles on her back.

"Well, that's all the information we had to pass on. It's probably best we head back to Malfoy manor now. I will check on her myself and ensure that she's properly watched over. Don't worry Callali- Calia," he quickly corrected himself, "I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing happens to her."

"Thank you," Calia gave him a small smile. He nodded at her in return before him and Dolohov both rose and made their way towards the door.

"Oh, and Roddy," the man turned back to look at her. "Please pass on a message to your wife and my dear brother," though her voice sounded sweet everyone in the room could hear the dangerous edge in her words. "They may have made fun of me for being sorted into Hufflepuff back at Hogwarts, but they'd do well to remember that unlike snakes, badgers have claws. Should so much as a hair on Hermione's head be harmed, I will not hesitate to rip their throats out myself."

He looked at her in admiration for a brief moment, before nodding again and turning to exit the hut.

The next time Hermione heard footsteps they belonged to a tall boy with white blond hair. He kneeled beside her and brought a bottle to her lips. "It's a pepper up potion. You'll need your strength to get upstairs."

She felt instant relief as the liquid flowed down her throat. Hermione stared nervously when the boy pointed his wand at her but was grateful when he murmured a quiet spell, and she felt the collar fall away. "T-thank you," she whispered.

He just nodded, "can you walk?" He stood and helped her to her feet. When she stumbled, and her leg gave way he gently wrapped an arm around her waist and led her forward.

By the time they reached the top of the first set of steps, he had decided it would be easier just to pick her up and carry her the remainder of the way. Still feeling weak, she just laid her head on his shoulder and hoped he was someone she could trust. When they arrived outside a large oak carved door, he gently set her on her feet before pushing it open.

The room inside was extravagant. There was a large fireplace to her right with a plush white couch in front of it and a large bookcase on either side. Straight ahead there was a white writing desk in front of a window that overlooked the most beautiful garden Hermione had ever seen. Finally to the right was a bed that was near twice the size of the one she had back home. It had an intricately carved white headboard and posts that led up to a gorgeous golden canopy. The room looked like it was fit for royalty.

"This was your mother's bedroom," startled, Hermione turned to see a woman to her right, standing in the doorway to what appeared to be a bathroom. "Welcome to Malfoy Manor. I wish you were here under different circumstances, but please know that while you are here, you are safe, and will be treated as one of the family. I am your aunt Narcissa, and this," she gestured to the boy who was still helping Hermione remain steady, "is your cousin Draco. Should you need anything while you are here, either of us can assist you. For now, let's get you cleaned up and healed. Draco, please help Hermione to the bed."

Once she was settled, Narcissa used a quick cleansing charm to sanitize Hermione's body and clothing, then got to work healing each of her wounds. She found a nice pair of silk pajamas, and after sending Draco out of the room, she helped Hermione change.

"Thank you, but w-why are you being so kind?" Hermione quietly asked, "my mother was disowned by the Malfoy family."

"Never officially dear, only publically. You still have a right to everything you would have had you been raised as a proper pureblood witch; the vaults, the properties, the house elves, everything." Narcissa pulled the covers up to her chin, "I've heard you're a smart girl. You're going to find a way to get out of this house and get away from these people. I just hope that when that time comes, you take Draco with you." She took a deep breath, "rest up, I'll send an elf up with a light dinner later, and I'll be back tomorrow morning to check on you."

As she settled into the bed and looked around the room, Hermione's eyes fell onto a small picture on the bedside table. It was a picture of her mother as a teenager, probably no older than 16, being twirled around a dancefloor by a man that looked vaguely familiar. Reaching out, she picked up the photo to get a better look. Those eyes. He was the Death Eater that saved her life and judging by the way he looked at her mother; she had an idea why.