Mate...he'd said mate. Lilith had distinctly heard the word mate cross his lips but it just wasn't settling in her brain. Other words fluttered uselessly around her brain too; regret harming you, kill anyone that does; words that a mate would say she supposed. She was looking straight at Fenrir, locked on his eyes as they narrowed a little in nervous anticipation. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly several times, so many words circling her brain, but she couldn't manage to grab a one of them. Did mate mean he was in love with her? She barely even knew Fenrir, though part of her suddenly and unexpectedly wished she did. Lilith wondered if what she'd glimpsed in his eyes was real...but also he was a fucking DeathEater! That much was certain, and she certainly shouldn't have been entertaining thoughts of them being mates, everything else not so much.

Gods her heart was fluttering as clumsily as her brain. Mate?

"She's not your fucking mate."

All seven heads snapped in the direction of Rabastan's growl as he strode out of the darkness like a man on fire. Dolohov swore under his breath, raking his hands down his scruffy face. What was happening to his DeathEaters, the hardened battle ready men he used to know? The dark lord was just going to laugh them all back into prison for being so bloody stupid! Duty first, everything else second, that had always been their motto.

Five bleak, soulless years Rabastan had spent rotting in Azkaban and in those years he just let the hell hole suck him dry as if the dementors were still on duty. Lilith, his angel, had been the only bright spot, the only breath of fresh air. She'd come in out of nowhere like a storm; beautiful, refreshing and teeming with power, power that she'd used to jolt him back to life. Lilith deserved that same power in return but not from a suffocating, dominant source like Fenrir. Rabastan wasn't even positive that he was worthy of his witch but he would give her the undying devotion she deserved. Worthy or not, he refused to sit idly by while the werewolf stole his angel.

Thorfinn exchanged a worried glance with Dolohov as Fenrir prickled with anger, fists clenching, body tense. They'd seen many a man on the receiving end of the wolf's explosive temper and neither wanted to see Rab in a pool of his own blood. Thor had never really understood the desire of a mate or wife or anything more permanent than a weekend, so to him the fighting seemed rather pointless. Lilith was hot but there were a lot of other women just waiting to be had.

"You son of a bitch…" Fenrir snarled at his soon to be formerly alive associate.

"Just because you quote unquote claimed Lilith doesn't mean I'm giving up." Rabastan growled, not at all daunted by the larger man, despite the fact that he had to glance up a bit. He stopped several inches before the wolf and crossed his arms over his chest. "All that matters is who she cares for, not who called dibs first."

The witch's eyes widened in shock, looking back and forth between the men rapidly. What in the hell was going on and what did Rabastan mean by "claimed"?

"What does he mean?" she demanded of Fenrir, but he was too busy trying to keep his wolf from consuming him fully. His fangs and claws were just on the cusp of emergence and the only thing holding him back was the thought of ripping someone to shreds in front of his sensitive mate. "What does he mean?" this time the demand went through clenched teeth to the other men.

"Now's not the time for this." Antonin told everyone and no one, shaking his head slowly.

Rodolphus observed his brother with a mixture of pride and disbelief. He honestly hadn't thought his little brother had it in him anymore and he had to remind himself to close his gaping mouth. He almost looked like a new man, back straight bringing him to his full six feet, eyes alert and alive. Rab was back, his brother was back! Perhaps Lilith wasn't so bad after all. Though his little brother had always hated his overprotective nature he was feeling it and the very moment Fenrir took a threatening step towards Rab he darted in between them.

"You have no idea who you're fucking with." Fenrir growled, teeth subtly protruding. If he'd wanted to he could have easily broken the hand pressing against his chest to hold him back. He'd merely wanted to intimidate his rival, though he had to admit Rabastan was standing quite solidly.

"Enough of this." Thorfinn muttered as he strode over to where Lilith stood adrift in a sea of chaos. "You two are barking mad. Come with me Lil." Without giving her a chance Thor grasped her elbow gently but firmly and began leading the witch away. He waved for the other stunned onlookers to follow him but didn't bother to wait and see if they did. Thorfinn wasn't going back to his cell over a bloody cock fight.

"No!" Lilith protested sharply, pulling her elbow free. "I want to know what Rabastan meant by that, I want to know what the hell's going on." she almost screamed, she was so tired of being dragged everywhere and told what to do.

The husky blonde sighed in exasperation and grabbed both of her elbows to pull the witch closer. He waited until he had her full attention, not wanting to say it twice. Thorfinn felt a little squeamish about saying the words that were soon to spew from his mouth, he was actually starting to care for the witch.

"How about you answer a question instead, do you want to be put into the worst prison imaginable and be a cock cushion for countless unsavory blokes?"

Lilith visibly blanched at the blunt truthfulness he offered, body shuddering involuntarily, and the confirmation that her worst fears imaginable waited just floors above. But it was the reminder that she needed, the slap across the face that brought her back to her senses.

"No." Lilith growled, more at the idea of it than at Thor.

"Didn't think so." Thorfinn retook her elbow and with most of the men now following, stalked on down the tunnel. "Just for me then."

He gave Lilith a playful wink which actually brought a smile to her face, halfhearted though it was. The witch moved on because necessity overrode her desire to know what the hell they'd done to her now. Mate...claimed...she knew what they meant but what did that mean with respect to her? She didn't feel any different and she'd always heard that being claimed by a wolf was very painful and debilitating for a time, neither of which was happening to her. What was happening to Lilith was a clusterfuck of emotions all fighting to be heard at once. For the time being however she set them aside and forced herself to take some deep breaths, calmness was strength. Above all else strength was what she needed, answers and freak outs could come later.

Halfway to blows, both men froze as the object of their affections walked off of her own volition. They felt an almost identical, simultaneous tug on their heartstrings, something Rab had forgotten he'd had and Fenrir hadn't known he'd possessed, along with a healthy dash of Thorfinn needed to get his hands the fuck off of her. Wondering if they were thinking the same thing the men exchanged scowls.

Rabastan sighed tiredly. "A truce for now then, before we make her hate the both of us?"

Fenrir sneered in reply, he felt nothing but disgust for Lestrange and wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds. Still, the man had a point. If it came to blows or worse his mate would likely be quite disgusted with them. Lilith was the yin to his yang, soft and gentle to his rough and bristled, he needed to make sure his aggressiveness didn't destroy his chances, even if that anger was in her honor. Sure he'd claimed Lilith but that didn't guarantee her love or affections, Fenrir wasn't so full of himself that he thought he wouldn't have to earn those. He would, he'd have to earn everything she had to offer but fortunately he loved a good challenge.

"Remember that she's mine and we won't have any issues." he growled, meeting Lestrange's eyes as his own set flashed from steel to yellow and back.

"I wouldn't be so certain of that." Rabastan taunted in return, his kiss with Lilith on the forefront of his mind. Sure she'd slapped him but she'd also protected him by telling the guard it was a misunderstanding. That had to mean something.

"Don't let me catch even a wisp of your scent on her again."

"Please." Rodolphus scoffed on his brother's behalf as the trio chased after the retreating party members. "No woman can resist the Lestrange charms."

Even Bellatrix, who had played hard to get for every other boy, had fallen hard for Rod. That had turned out to be a mistake but the point remained the same. Whatever happened though they would need to get it straightened out before they reached Malfoy Manor. The dark lord had no patience for silly muggle games, as he had once called a love feud.

Fenrir grizzled slightly in reply to the elder Lestrange but said nothing. He would accept the truce...for the time being.