disclaimer: i don't own the dark guardians
thanks so much to everyone who's reading this!
as soon as i get lucas and kayla set up where i want them, i'm going to start integrating other characters into the book (there's a method to my madness, i swear!)
this is my story and i love you for reading it! (:

Chapter 10:

I felt my head connect with the hard floor, sending a dull thud through my ears. Funny, I didn't feel a thing. I felt my body crumple, along with my sanity, but I was powerless to stop it. It's not possible, it's not possible, it's not possible. The phrase kept circling in my head, and I shut my eyes against the too bright light. I had seen Lucas become a wolf, I had seen Lucas become a wolf. With my eyes still closed, I felt, rather then heard, footsteps. They radiated through my body sending spasms up my spine, until I knew I was shaking. Can't breathe! My breathing increased as I struggled to get more air into my lungs. The floor was cold against the side of my face as I started to panic.

I saw a shadow against my lids and cringed further into myself. I hunched my back, pressing my face into my arms, and curled my legs in.

Images assaulted me: Lucas, aloof and staring, his gaze intense. Me, feeling his stare on my back as I got into my parents car and drove away. Flash! Lucas, walking into my class. Me, falling on my back, embarrassed. Flash! Me and Lucas joking and laughing together on my crap tour of the school. Flash! A figure, Lucas, jumping through the window; saving my life. Me, looking up at him...I didn't know angels had silver eyes. Flash! Lucas, hugging me, comforting me while I cried. Me, depending on him, hugging him closer.

The feelings I had built for Lucas vanished the moment the last image came: Lucas, removing his clothes. Me, backing into a corner, desperately hoping he wouldn't attack me. Lucas, turning, stripping bare, begging me not to run, Lucas...the weird shimmer...Lucas, a wolf. The last scene flickered and died, leaving me alone on the floor once again, defenseless.

I must have been making some sort of noise; my throat felt raw. I slowly, slowly opened my eyes. Lucas, a very human Lucas, looked back. He looked horrible, but thankfully, was fully dressed. He was all pale and shaking slightly. His eyes widened as they searched over me, and if anything, he turned paler. My eyes continued to dart around the room. Nothing looked different. How does nothing look different? Everything was different now, and I was the only one effected.

My eyes snapped back to Lucas as he shifted his weight, making the floor creak. He swallowed loudly. "Kayla." He spoke my name, only my name. He sounded...he sounded as bad as he looked, his voice thick with emotion. He sat down against the wall opposite of me and spoke again, "Kayla, please, look at me."

"I am looking at you." I snapped, voice shaking. Lucas looked startled that I had answered him, but I was past caring. I felt so confused. What was happening? Lucas turns into a fucking wolf, and that's all he can say? 'Kayla, look at me.'

What about explaining what the FUCK just happened?

"Kayla! I will explain, I promise. Just please, look at me. Look in my eyes."

I hadn't realized I had spoken aloud. Unless Lucas was a mind-reader, too. I couldn't help it-a small bubble of laughter escaped. I clamped a hand over my mouth and sat up, backing myself up against the wall. My arms felt like noodles, which only added to my hysteria. I could barely hold myself upright, random giggles bursting out of me.

"Kayla, please." Lucas begged again. What had he wanted? Me to look into his eyes?

I inhaled to try and calm myself, and raised my eyes to meet his. Almost instantaneously, I felt less threatened. His eyes captured mine, entrapped mine, in his world. His silvery essence engulfed me. I literally could not look away. I felt...complete. Ridiculous! I scolded myself, get some answers you moron! For once, my brain had a point.

I tore my eyes away from his, breathing easier. I hated knowing that Lucas caused my panic, and I hated more knowing Lucas took it away. I didn't want my emotions to be so connected with him, not after this.

"Better?" He said slowly, softly.

Grudgingly, I nodded. Then, in a small voice, I asked, "Why?"

Lucas leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kayla, I never wanted you to find out this way. I never thought I would have to do that to you, and I am so sorry." He sounded disgusted with himself. "I'm so sorry."

I just sat there, numb. Lucas propped himself up again, and moved a cautionary few inches toward me. My body seized, leg muscles tensing, begging me to run. In a fight of flight situation with Lucas, I would take flight any day.

Lucas froze. "Kayla," He whispered, "I would never hurt you. I could never hurt you."

I didn't know what to say. I thought back to the images that had assaulted me earlier. Up until now, they had all been good. I had felt comfortable with Lucas. I knew that Lucas would never hurt me. But what about this one?

My eyes filled with tears, "I don't understand any of this."

Lucas sighed and moved away from me again. "I know. Kayla...I'm going to try and explain everything, starting from the beginning, ok?" I could only nod. That seemed to be enough for Lucas, because he started speaking right away.

"This all started when you visited the National Forest last summer." What? Lucas didn't even speak me then! "I already told you, the first time I saw you, it was like a punch to the gut. I was amazed, I hadn't imagined it could be so strong..." Lucas trailed off, his eyes filling with wonder.

"What could be so strong?" I asked timidly. Had I not seen Lucas morph before my very eyes, I would have been certain he was insane. But I had seen it. I let that shred of proof keep me from darting out of the room like I so desperately wanted.

Lucas studied me. "Can I answer that question after I finish?" He asked. He didn't wait for my reply, and carried on, blocking out my tiny sound of protest. "I watched you the entire summer, Kayla. I was too nervous to talk to you though. You were only a sophomore in high school, and I had just started college... I knew that I would have to see you again."

I was confused, very, very confused. Why did he have to see me again? I was surprised when Lucas spoke again, because he had drastically changed topics.

"Devlin was one too."

"He was a werewolf?" I gasped.

"A shape-shifter," Lucas corrected me gently. "And yes, he was one. He was also my brother."

Brother...? Oh my god. Oh my god. OHMYGOD. My chest rose rapidly as I started to hyperventilate. Black spots appeared around my line of vision and Lucas fuzzed out of focus.

"Kayla! KAYLA STOP!" I couldn't stop. I couldn't. My vision has just started to funnel when Lucas sprang across the room, stopping directly in front of me. He firmly placed his hands on either cheek and forced my eyes to meet his. He spoke with a ferocity I had never heard before. "I would never, ever hurt you, Kayla. You are my everything. Devlin-" He made a disgusted sound at the back of his throat, "Devlin was damaged. Ruined. He let his power consume him, turning him into something ugly. I swear I will never attack you. I could never attack you."

I puffed out more air, less rapidly then before, and leaned my head back against the wall, exhausted. Lucas's words washed over me. Were they true? So far, I would have to say yes. There had been plenty of times, right now for instance, that Lucas could have hurt me. I remembered how my body had reacted to him all those times. It would fill with these intense urges to grab onto him and never let go; to fuse myself to him. I recalled how he had been with me on the path leading to the hospital. I had felt complete. Even now, my soul called out to his.

I carefully nodded, not finding the energy to speak. He exhaled loudly, releasing my face, and scooting a few feet back. "I was going to tell you this at the end, but you need to know now. I don't want to keep any more things from you, Kayla. I want you to trust me."

Rationally, I knew there was more to the story. Irrationally, I had hoped it ended with Devlin. "Ok," I said weakly, "I'm listening."

"Shape-shifers...well, we're different from people." I refrained from rolling my eyes. "My grandfather was an Alpha, a leader, of the...pack." I cringed at the word. "The dominance gene is passed down from male generation to male generation. My father was an Alpha, so naturally, Devlin took over for him." That made sense. I had an ominous feeling I knew where the conversation was about to turn.

"Devlin was a horrible leader. He abused his power, hinting to statics about our secrets."

I lifted my hand to halt Lucas. "What's a static?"

"A non-shifter." Lucas sounded sad for them.

"Ok."

He continued, "Devlin met a static girl while he was at college. He fell in love with her. He brought her here, to Wolford, to meet my parents." The town name Wolford took on a different meaning, suddenly. "My parents didn't approve. It wasn't..." Lucas struggled to find the right word, "expected. Devlin got pissed and took off with her. Then, one night, he found her being mugged in an alley. He shifted to save her, and she hated him after that. She thought he was a monster." Lucas snuck a peek at me, and I'm proud to say I kept my face neutral. I didn't think he was a monster, but I wasn't positive where I stood with the whole people-turning-into-wolves thing yet.

"Devlin was heartbroken. He came back here, a complete wreck. He abused his power even more, and when he threatened to tell the statics about our existence, I had to intervene." Lucas talked more swiftly now, "It was a fight-to the death. I was winning, and Devil took off. He ran away, which caused some controversy when I assumed Alpha position." I was shocked. A fight to the death?

A question popped into my mind: "Is that why you saved me? You had a chance to...kill him" I ended with a whisper. I did not want to think about Lucas killing anyone. It was too raw. I started to realize I didn't know anything about Lucas at all, if he would do something like that. I scooted back a little more, until I was flush against the wall again. He was too close for comfort after what I had just learned.

"No!" He shouted. I cringed, and he added in a softer voice, "Kayla, I saved you because you are my everything. Devlin went after you in the first place because he knew how much it would hurt me."

"But why?" I finally burst out. "Why do I mean so much to you, Lucas?"

"Don't you feel it?" He gestured between our bodies, "Don't you feel this energy connecting us?"

"So?" My voice was harsher then I intended.

Lucas jerked back, a flash of pain crossing his face for a fleeting moment before it disappeared. "That night I jumped through your window," He changed the topic again, "and saved you, I lifted you into the car and watched you drive away. I hoped beyond hope that you would be ok. I went back in and your father was there. To say he was freaking out would be a massive understatement. I told him I would handle it. I lugged Devlin in the cage into your backyard. I made sure nobody was watching, and I opened the door and phased." My mouth dropped open in horror.

"I had to kill him in battle, or my rise to be Alpha would never fully count." Lucas explained. "We...fought. It didn't end well." Lucas grabbed my hand in his tightly, holding it like a lifeline, and continued, "Devlin took the cowardly way out, again, and took off. Kayla, I am so sorry. Had I thought he would do that, I would never have let him out. I would have kept him in that cage."

My mouth was still hanging open stupidly. Devlin's not dead? But...what?

"Kayla," Lucas's voice was deep and serious. He looked me square in the eye, "I will not let him hurt you again. I promise."

I will not let him hurt you again. I will not let you hurt him again. I will not let you hurt him again? It almost sounded like Lucas thought... like Lucas thought Devlin would come back for me. I paled, my eyes searching Lucas for answers.

Why me? What did I do? Why me? Why me? Why was I so fucking important? I tried to form the words, ask Lucas the questions I so desperately needed the answers to.

"The girl Devlin brought home to meet my parents," Lucas started. I hung on to every word he spoke, "Devlin declared that girl as his mate. He blames me, my family, for not forcing her to stay with him after she found out what he was."

"What?" I managed to croak. This didn't make any sense. A mate?

"Devlin's coming for you because of me Kayla...how I feel about you."

I just started at him dumbly. What?

Lucas closed his eyes, and whispered: "A mate for a mate."

i have a question for all of you! if i were to do an entire lucas POV after i finish lucas and kayla, would anyone be interested in reading it? i had originally planned on keep this one completely in kaylas POV, so tell me what you think!