A Wolf's Cry

by Serenity Angel14

A perilous Immortal War. The sake of all mankind. The burdened waning soul of an Immortal warrior Lycaon prince. Everything rests in the hands of one mortal girl who wants only to live a normal life.

9. Chapter 7 Betrayal of a Brother

Hi guys and gals! Hope everyone is well, and as always thanks to those who review.

I have a gift for you all, a chapter that actually earns its rating! So enjoy!

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Chapter 7 – Betrayal of a Brother

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Serena was mentally exhausted, and felt physically run down, even though she'd enjoyed a full eight hours of rest and had enjoyed a delicious and over-the-top feast of a breakfast.

Four hours ago they had returned to the Lycaon manor from the Anami mansion, the late midday sun blazing brightly in the white fluffy cloudy sky above and since then, after changing into a pair of blue jeans and a simple white blouse, Serena had been on the balcony of Darien's bedroom looking out over the breath-taking view of nature's vast scenery. She was so deeply lost in thought that she'd barely noticed the passing of the hours.

Everything that was now weighing her down and consuming her thoughts came from the realisation she'd had the night before that she had a choice to make and she had to make it soon. Her time for delaying her decision had come and gone days ago.

She had been pulled into an Immortal Supernatural world and war that she hadn't been born into – or maybe she had been but hadn't realised it until she'd been forced too. All her life she'd had the feeling that she was out of place in her life that she hadn't been able to explain until now – and now she had to choose her place in either her world or this world.

As it stood, as she could see it, Serena had two alternatives. She could walk away from Darien and the entire Immortal world and return to her normal life; if she asked with enough resolve Serena knew that Darien would give her back everything she had lost. It would mean leaving the Immortal world to itself, which in turn would mean the possible extinction of the Anami and the Lycaon kind. She'd be alright though, Darien would see to it; even after she refused him and left, she would always be safe and protected by unseen guardians.

But how many others would lose their lives because of her choice? How many innocent people would die at the hands of the Damned if the Anami and Lycaon warriors who hunted them were no longer there to fight against the soulless monsters that dwelled in the darkness?

On the other hand, she could take the risk to her heart and self-identity and stay, to find out what fate had in store for her and the Immortal races. She would have Darien and possibly give the two dying Immortal races hope again. But staying meant not only being in the middle of a supernatural war, but also losing her friends and her brother. If she stayed she knew that she'd have to sever all ties with them as she would only place them in grave danger by doing anything else.

Either way, Serena had something important to lose, something important to her that she'd be forced to sacrifice.

Darien in exchange for the normal life she'd worked so hard for? Her friends and family for a life of danger and responsibility?

What if she left and everything Darien had told her turned out to be true, that they really are destined to be together, that she is his mate and the only hope for the Anami and Lycaon kind? Could she live with herself if she left the Immortal races to their own desolate fates? She was already falling in love with Darien; it was the only thing currently in her life that she couldn't deny. She wasn't certain of anything anymore, but she was certain that she had really strong feelings for Darien.

Andrew had really helped her to come to understand Darien, to see what she had been blind to before. Darien was a pain to deal with, he was arrogant and stubborn and his negotiating skills really needed work, but he wasn't the jerk she'd wanted – needed – him to be.

Instead he was a brave selfless prince who loved and protected his people while he had battled his own inner demons – his Beast. He was brave and loyal, clever and cunning and he refused to give up no matter how hopeless the situation seemed.

Just look how persistent he had been – continued to be – in his endeavour to make her see and accept that she was his mate, whom he had waited so many centuries for.

If she stayed, they would always be butting heads, but she would love him and have his devotion in return.

Was the love of the Lycaon Prince enough though? Enough to sacrifice all she had ever known?

What was she going to do? What would happen if she did chose him? What would happen if she didn't?

It was so hard to make a decision when her heart told her to take a chance on the love that could bloom between them while her head told her that she knew so very little about Darien's world and therefore she had no idea just what she'd be getting herself into.

Everyone knew that it was easier to take the known path than the unknown one. The unknown was scary and exuberant and meant taking a chance; it required the strength to have faith.

Did she have that strength, the courage to have faith in something – someone – else that was so far out of the realm of everything she knew?

Maybe it was time she found out. The time had come to choose her path once and for all, and stick to it.

Besides, just because the unknown path is scary, doesn't necessarily make it the wrong path.

As a little girl, her mother had always read to her before bed. She had read fairy tales of heroic princes and true love. Her mother had always believed in truth love; when Serena had asked why her mother had smiled a loving happy smile and told her that it was impossible for her not to believe in true love because she had married her true love.

Serena could still feel the gentle loving kiss her mother had then planted on her forehead before looking into her daughter's eyes and whispered, "You will find your true love one day, my darling and when that happens, don't be afraid to fight for it. Love, true love, is worth fighting for, worth sacrificing for."

Serena had been too young at the time to truly understand her mother's words, but the happy dreamy way her mother had spoken had put stars in her eyes and for years she had fantasied about finding the kind of love her mother knew.

But that had all changed the day her parents had died. In her grief, Serena had thrown away her dreams of love and happily-ever-afters and had settled for a more practical dream that left her little room of ever feeling that kind of pain and loss again.

But a solitary mundane life was never what her mother had wanted for her. Her mother had wanted her daughter to know the kind of love and happiness she'd felt every day; she had been a housewife with no outside career, but she'd had everything she'd ever wanted. Her mother had wanted her to live, not just sleepwalk through life.

How had she forgotten that? How had she forgotten everything her mother had taught her? How had she forgotten her parent's love and what it felt like to love in return?

Love and life were worth the risk, and the kind of love she sensed could be between her and Darien was worth a whole lot more. If she didn't do this, if she didn't take this risk, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

Grinning with anticipation, Serena threw her leg over the balcony railing and just as she had the night she had escaped into the city, Serena confidently climbed down the outer wall of the manor, using the balconies as a ladder; this time though, instead of going into the ballroom, Serena used the external staircase that linked the last balcony to the ground floor terrace. She had been so distracted by the ballroom that she hadn't really noticed it the last time.

Unlike before though, this time she wore no shoes. The paved stone terrace was cool beneath her feet, even in the light of the late afternoon sun, but the damp soft lush green grass felt almost warm beneath her bare feet. There was something exhilarating about walking on lush grass with bare feet, something primitive and exciting. She felt the urge to run and frolic and be free, to live life in a way she hadn't in so long.

It was amazing how carefree and content Serena felt now that she had made a choice and committed to it.

Her other foot left the hard surface of the terrace and just like that Serena knew he was there even before she even thought about turning around. He hadn't made the slightest sound or done anything to give himself away, but Serena knew with all certainty that he was behind her.

She could feel him.

Very slowly, still wearing her playful anticipating grin on her lips, Serena turned to find herself staring into the pair of deep dark blue eyes that she'd be able to pick out of a crowd with a mere glance. His heart and soul lived in his eyes now that she was taking the time to see him as something other than her arrogant jerk of a captor. He was compellingly salient and alluring as he watched her with all the intensity of the fierce and mighty predator that he was.

"I thought we were past this."

Serena cocked her head, giving him a curious look that was every bit as playful as her mood. "I guess it depends of what you mean by 'this'."

Serena bit the inside of her cheek as she watched him glare down at her. His eyes narrowed suspiciously and wary confusion crossed his handsome face. He knew she was up to something but he couldn't seem to catch on.

Maybe she should give him a little hint.

Serena gave him her best daring grin as she took a big step backwards, without breaking eye contact with him. "So Lycaons love the chase, huh? Well, let's see if you can catch me again."

Darien's eyes widened at the blatant playful challenge as he realised what she was intending to do. Well, why not? If she wanted to play, then he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, as the expression went. If acting like a couple of adolescents was what it took to keep her with him, to stop her from running from him every tiny chance she had, then so be it. He would do much more to obtain the same outcome.

Darien allowed an devilish predator's grin to spread across his lips for the first time since he had last played with Rei as a child, and he indicated his head at her in an upwards nod, indicating for her to go. "Run little rabbit, run. The big bad wolf wants to eat you up."

To be honest, the last thing Serena had expected was for this playful side to emerge in the blink of an eye, but she wasn't going to waste time analysing every little thing anymore. She wanted some fun after so much seriousness; she wanted to see Darien's playful side after she'd seen only his serious obsessively overprotective side.

Not to mention his wolf side, and what way better than to play Little Red Riding Hood? After all, Darien was one wolf she wouldn't mind being eaten by.

Not taking the chance that Darien would change his mind if she waited too long, Serena spun on her heel, heading straight for the tree that she'd used before to escape the grounds.

Playing cat and mouse – or more accurately, bunny rabbit and wolf – in the ground's gardens wasn't nearly as exciting as the woods beyond the manor's walls.

Just as she had scaled down the manor's outer balconies, Serena once again found herself climbing the limbs of the tree by the wall to escape the manor's grounds. It hadn't been that hard the night she'd escaped and now that she knew how, she was up the tree, over the wall and landing on the other side in half the time it had taken her the first time.

The moment her feet hit the dried brown leafed covered damp earth on the other side of the wall, Serena was off dashing into the trees as fast as she could as she knew Darien would momentarily be on her heels in hot pursuit.

It felt good to run and be free without the knowledge that she was going to be hunted down and dragged back. Yes, she knew she was being hunted now, but this time it was a game, not a run for the sake of her freedom.

Serena had a hunch that this time when Darien caught her, she was going to enjoy it much more than the last time.

But that didn't mean that Serena wasn't going to give this chase everything she had. It had been such a long time since Serena had felt so alive, so exuberant. She wanted to run and never stop, she wanted to be part of the untamed wilderness and never again be apart from it. She wanted to be chased and caught; she wanted more of this freedom, this sense of adventure.

And she wanted to experience everything that Darien's eyes had promised to deliver down upon her when he caught her.

Behind her, Serena heard the distinct snap of a twig snapping and she knew without a doubt that it was him and that she had only heard it because he'd wanted her too. She was being hunted by the predator of all predators.

Not looking over her shoulder, Serena pushed more speed into her pace, willing her legs to move faster – or as fast as she could while she was ducking and weaving through the trees of the forest.

The forest was beautiful with thriving tall trees that were spaced far enough apart that the sun's rays streamed through the canopy above, the thin golden rays of the sun that was just now beginning to lower towards the horizon were visible against the shadows of the forest. The dried golden leaves, small twigs and lush grass cushioned each step of her bare feet and the fresh air smelt of damp earth, live greenery, bark and sunlight.

There was not a single sign of civilisation. No marked paths or trash or fences or powerlines. There was just nature and the pure beauty nature provided.

Serena's lungs were beginning to protest at the effort it took to draw enough oxygen from her panting breathes and her legs were telling her that she needed to slow down. She was fit enough but she had been inside studying for the majority of the last few years, she couldn't continue to push her body as she had as a teenager in her daily routine that had been the made dash to school.

Besides, she wanted to be caught. What good would it do to be caught if she used up all her energy in the chase?

Realising that she had entered a small clearing with a single tall tree in the middle, Serena slowed her pace and changed her course. The tree was tall and bountiful in limbs with thick bushes of leaves that hid most of the upper inner trunk from ground view.

Just as she had with the tree that had been her ladder to scale the manor's high wall, Serena grasped hold of the highest limb she could reach and used it to pull herself up into the tree until her foot could reach the lowest branch at her waist height. Once both feet were on the lowest branch it was easy to climb high enough that she was hidden by the thick layers of trees but not so that she couldn't see the ground below.

Seconds later, a large black familiar wolf exploded into the clearing and all but skidded to a halt.

Serena held her breath even as her heartbeat deafened her. She might just be able to hide from him long enough that she could run in the direction she had come. Of all the directions she could go, going back the way she had come had to be the last thing he would expect.

As Serena watched the great midnight black wolf perked his ears and looked around for a long moment, clearly listening intently. As the silent seconds ticked by Serena became mildly fearful that he'd look straight up at her, but instead the black wolf lowered his nose to the ground and sniffed.

Serena pursed her lips. That was cheating! He was tracking her scent, and here she'd thought that he might actually give her a chance in this game!

Without warning or apparent cause, the black wolf's head snapped up and he took off straight ahead in the direction he was originally heading.

Serena remained deadly still for a full minute before she released her held breath and drew in another in relief and delighted glee. It had worked! He hadn't tracked her up the tree, instead he'd continued on in search of her! Now she had to get out of the tree and then she would run in the other direction back towards the manor where she'd wait for him to become frustrated and come back looking for her, defeated.

A single green leaf floated majestically down passed her face, falling gently towards the ground below.

Serena's gaze locked onto that leaf as her eyes grew wide. Slowly she raised her gaze to the branches above her head.

On the branch two branches above her head, nestled comfortably and relaxed on all four large paws on the thick limb looking down at her with his dark blue penetrating eyes and a wolfish grin on his muzzle was a sheer black wolf that looked too heavy for the branch to actually be supporting the weight of. The look in his eyes was playful and daring. He was just daring her to run from him again while gleefully communicating that it was not so easy to hide from him.

After a long silent still moment, the black wolf raised one questioning and daring eyebrow.

With a startled cry, Serena leapt down from the limb she sat upon and down out of the tree as swiftly as she could manage while being cautious not to break her neck, intending to run the moment her feet touched the forest floor. Unfortunately, as she landed and straightened herself, Serena looked up to see the black wolf now standing in front of her as if he'd been there the whole time.

With another startled cry, Serena stumbled backwards and lost her balance. She landed on the soft earth on her backside with a tiny bounce.

Serena glared up at him hotly as he towered over her by several feet, "Will you stop doing that! Jeez, what is it with you Immortals and just appearing like that?!"

Again that irritating eyebrow rose, mirth obvious on his wolfish face.

Serena climbed to her feet, disappointed that their game was over so soon. She didn't want it to be over yet, she wanted to run and be chased a little more, and she was going to get what she wanted. He may be able to track her to the ends of the earth but since when had she let that stop her from running when she really wanted too?

Careful not to betray her intentions, Serena abruptly whirled and prepared to run from the clearing and from him, but before she could take more than a single step the large black wolf pounced and landed directly in front of her, blocking her way.

The look he gave her Serena read easily, 'I've got you now and I'm not letting you go.'

Darien was evidentially enjoying their little game immensely.

On one hand Serena knew she was caught – she didn't want their game of "catch-me-I - know-you-will" to come to an end so quickly, she'd loved the chase too much for it to come to such a swift end – but on the other hand, she was curious to find out just what Darien planned to do with her now that he'd caught her.

Serena grinned playfully as she took a slow step back and brought a child-like pouty expression to her face. "Don't you want to chase me anymore?"

The large black wolf shook his head from side to side with exaggerated slowness without taking his eyes from her for even a second.

"And here I thought you Lycaons loved the chase."

Darien's expression was downright suggestive, even though he currently resided in the form of a wolf, and Serena got the meaning loud and clear: 'There's something I love even more.'

It was highly tempting for Darien to let his mate run from him again just for the arousing thrill of chasing after her, but with his Beast so close to the surface because he'd been chasing his mate and relying on his wolfish nature to do so, his control was not as iron-fast as it usually was. He would never harm him mate, not even while his Beast was in full control was she in any danger from him, but his Beast might just convince the man to let him take matters with her further than she was ready for. He wanted to be in as much control of himself as he could be during their first mating, whether that was tonight or not.

Darien wanted their first time of coming together in the flesh to be between Serena and him, the woman and the man, not the Beauty and the Beast.

The winds blowing through the clearing shifted direction, carrying with it a different scent than it had carried a moment ago.

Mingled with the scent of the forest, the creatures living within and his own kind there was the unmistakable scent of fresh blood and death.

Between one moment and the next, everything changed.

DANGER!

Darien flattened his pointed ears against the top of his head and raised his wolf lips to bare his teeth as he violently cursed himself for taking such a stupid and foolish risk with his mate's safety for the sake of courting her! Had he not been so amused and distracted by her he would have sensed the nearing danger that was in his territory much sooner than he had!

There was great danger heading their way, his senses and instincts prickled with the malice that was rapidly drawing nearer with every passing second. There was no way he could get his mate back to the safety of the manor before they caught up with them.

Sending a mental command to his sister to send everyone to him even knowing that it would be minutes at best before help reached them as his pack was scattered throughout the city and his territory. Darien took hold of Serena's hand gently, carefully, in his muzzle and led her back to the tree.

Serena allowed him to lead her without falter, as if she had sensed that something had changed, that she was in danger. That she trusted him, that she showed no fear of him even when he held her small delicate hand between his sharp pointed teeth, only made him need to protect her all the more.

Only made him care for her all the more.

But there was danger coming and he did not have time to dwell on how much she trusted him. He would face the approaching danger with his mate as safe as she could be given the circumstances.

Darien released her hand from his muzzle and indicated his head swiftly upwards, silently ordering her to get back up into the tree, the hard serious look he gave her warned her not to even try to argue with him.

Serena had no idea what had caused such a significant change in Darien and in effect the atmosphere around them, but she knew it was serious. They might even be in danger and one thing she could always trust Darien with – no matter what happened between them relationship wise – was her safety and wellbeing.

Danger had to be coming; Darien only ever got that seriously pissed when she was in danger.

Darien was relieved that Serena had gotten the message; fear filled her scent as she wordlessly climbed back up into the tree, returning to the branch she'd seated herself on moments before when there had only been fun and excitement in the air.

Darien knew that putting her back up in the tree would only slow down the enemy by a moment or two if any of them got by him – he would have to be dead – but it got her out of the way the best he was able too while outside the manor walls.

Darien could not believe he'd been so stupid and reckless with his mate's safety! What in all hell had he been thinking about when he had allowed her to climb the wall and disappear into the trees for the purpose of a chase?!

He knew exactly what he had been thinking – getting her out of her pants and into his bed.

And now it may very well cost Serena dearly!

With an agitated flick of his tail, Darien turned his back to the tree, but he remained less than a foot from its base and faced the direction of the approaching danger; the very direction in which his mate had been running in only minutes ago. If she had not stopped to climb the tree, she may have very well have run head first to the danger. She practically had as it was.

Darien could hear them now; there were five of them, all Anami by the sound of it, moving fast and swift through the trees straight towards them. Darien had no doubt that the approaching enemy knew exactly where they were and had known before he had heard them coming.

How the hell had they managed to get so deeply into his territory without alerting himself or those of his pack whom he had assigned to guard the borders of his territory?! If he survived to see the dawn, he was going to find out just how they had managed to trespass on his lands without so much as a single warrior of his pack being alerted!

Never in all his time on this patch of earth that he called his home, had any Immortal – outside of his own pack – stepped foot inside his territory without him knowing about it! On such an occasion he had either approved and allowed it, or acted to defend his territory as the Lycaon Alpha he was!

Less than half a minute had passed in which nothing had broken the tense silence of the clearing and they were there; Darien could sense them. They had come to a silent halt just out of his sight – blocked from his sight by the trees. They were close enough now that Darien could taste their putrid scent of blood and death in the air around him and nothing else. The wretched stink of the Damned always overwhelmed all others.

Two of the five, Darien knew their scent's well – as the scent of the Damned differed from other Immortals, every living creature upon the earth had their own unique scent – and he snarled wrathfully, murderously, at both them and himself.

If he lived through this, he was going to tear a strip from his own hide and then he was going to deal with those who were on patrol guarding his territory!

"Now, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Diamond asked casually as he stepped out from the trees and into the small clearing, his tone was a gloating one.

Darien crouched lower, tensing battle-ready to spring into battle to defend his mate. In the past, all his battles against Diamond had either been interrupted or outnumbered, so they had never fought an even battle to find out which of them was the better warrior, and it seemed that tonight was not going to be any different.

But regardless of the fact that Darien was at this very moment outnumbered five to one – not to mention that he had his mortal mate to protect – he would win the coming battle. He was not going to die today, not if it meant leaving his mate at Diamond's non-existent mercy. One way or another Darien knew that he would be forced to spill blood this night.

Though it would be Diamond who would decide the terms.

Behind Diamond, the four Anami Damned appeared from between the trees and stepped into the clearing, the first of which was Sapphire, Diamond's right hand lackey.

With four of his own at his back Diamond took a single step forward and finally took his eyes off of Darien as he raised his gaze to the tree at Darien's back.

Serena.

Darien growled in warning as Diamond came another step closer to him and his mate, his eyes firmly glued to Serena.

"She is far more beautiful than I imagined."

Serena heard the tall handsome – but not nearly as handsome as Darien – male with long pure white hair that ran down his back – that was kind of wavy and full in that perfect queer-guy kind of way – compliment her in an oily tone that made her desperately want to bathe. To make it even worse, he was looking intently at her like a cat watched the gilded canary. The guy – a Damned Anami as she could see his black eyes that in the late afternoon light almost looked dark purple – was wearing a white suit with purple designs on the front of the jacket that was buttoned right to his neck with an inch high collar that stood tall around his neck, but that wasn't the strangest thing about his look.

The white haired weirdo was actually wearing a shoulder to ground length purple cape! It was a medium purple on the inside and dark deep purple – that matched his eyes – on the outside.

This guy had seen one too many Dracula movies; he had that air about him that screamed that he had a serious taste for the theatrical and dramatic. Hell, not even Andrew and his Anami coven – who dressed dramatically – had been corny enough to actually do the cape thing.

All five of the Damned Anami stayed within the shadows of the trees and out of the sunlight, for which Serena was grateful because it kept them that much further from her.

Serena shook her head, as if to dislodge the ill-timed thoughts, and turned her focus back to the situation at hand. She was up a tree – literally – while Darien stood – in his sheer midnight black wolf form – face to face with five Damned Anami; one of which was staring at her with far more heated interest than she liked. In fact, he that was giving her the creeps so badly that she suddenly had the overpowering urge to take a long hot shower – with a bottle of bleach.

Even his voice made her shudder. He whispered smoothly, but there was malice beneath, hidden in the undertone that revealed that he was capable of great evil and cruelty.

And then there was the fact that he had actually admitted imagining her. God only knew what had included -.

NO! Serena was so not going to go there. Ever.

It took every ounce of Darien's self-control not to lunge at Diamond and tear his throat out, as his Beast was ferociously demanding. If Darien let his Beast have its way, to take control over the man within, then there would be a fight here and now. The Beast was sheer emotion and instinct and reckless impulsiveness, there was no logic or reason, only predatory cunning and the thirst for the blood of those who threatened his mate.

Darien watched through narrowed wolf eyes as Diamond made a show of closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, tasting what Darien knew was Serena's scent. Her scent was as thick in the air of the clearing as the putrid scent of the Damned was.

"Her scent is like fresh blood," Diamond purred, opening his eyes to look down into Darien's furiously narrowed eyes. "Sweet, intoxicating, and innocent." Diamond's expression became one of amusement, "But I note the lack of your scent within hers. You haven't mated with her yet, or even marked her, have you?"

Serena knew a malicious taunt when she heard one. No matter how old a male was, when it came to completion he always had the conduct of a six year old boy, even the Immortal ones it seemed.

"An innocent child, she is." Diamond's grin became one of downright cruel intent and dark delight; the expression of an evil creature who was about to do something wicked that he knew he would thoroughly enjoy. "But she won't remain so for long once she is in my possession."

Serena narrowed her own eyes in repulsion. Surely, that didn't mean what she thought it did . . .

One look at the lust in the white haired weirdo's dark eyes told her that it meant exactly what she thought it did.

Serena didn't know whether to vomit or be irritated that both he and Darien seemed so confident with her while knowingly omitting her own say in the matter.

Okay, so Immortal women were low in numbers, but surely not every unmated Immortal was that hard up that when they came across an unmated female their thoughts instantly went to sex . . .

Just like every other male – that wasn't related to her – Serena had ever known in her life. What was it about the male sex that made their thoughts so consistent from puberty to death, no matter how long a time that was?

Below her, Darien was dangerously close to letting his hold on his control go and give his Beast free reign to tear Diamond limb from limb. He could not stand the way Diamond kept leering at Serena, as if he had the right to look at her with such blatant lust.

His enemy would not ever lay a hand on what was his! If anyone of them took so much as one more step forward, Darien was going to let his Beast loose to do as it violently willed.

'Darien, we're only three miles away!' Jadeite's urgent voice echoed through his mind, alerting him that Jadeite and his Beta's were on their way in wolf form. They would be there in less than two minutes.

A few minutes were all he had to keep Diamond away from Serena for. Diamond was not known for fighting the fair fight, when Darien's pack arrived, Diamond would flee as he had always done.

Diamond had not survived so long by being bold; he was a coward through and through.

As if he had actually heard Jadeite's words, Diamond looked passed him to the trees at his back as if expecting to see Jadeite emerge there at any moment.

Just a few minutes more . . .

"It seems our time together without interruption will be brief this day," Diamond turned his gaze back to Darien with dark anticipation and an evil gleeful grin on his pale white lips. "In that case, before I take my leave, I want to introduce you to my parting gift."

Diamond extended his arm to his left, but did not take his eyes from Darien's face; he obviously wanted to saviour Darien's coming reaction.

Darien tensed, knowing that whatever Diamond had planned would not be good and he would be ready. Whatever it was that Diamond had brought with him – whatever it was had arrived somehow undetected – Darien would face and defeat it.

A pure snow white wolf – that was just that little bit larger than Darien himself was – with slightly longer than normal fur stepped proudly from the trees.

Darien's eyes widened in disbelieving shock and horror and he stopped breathing as he instantly recognised the Damned Lycaon wolf.

The only thing that had changed was the eyes. These were black and empty now unlike the smoky blue they'd once been; they eyes that looked at him now were the eyes of an experienced Damned Lycaon.

But it wasn't possible! It couldn't be! Not this! Of all the things Darien had seen in his near thousand years of life, this was the first thing he absolutely refused to believe was even conceivable!

'Malachite?' Even though the word was spoken mentally, Darien's broken agonised voice was a trembling whisper.

It couldn't be! He was dead; Malachite had died centuries ago rather than become one of the Damned!

The white wolf's grin was cruel, and his eyes were malicious. 'Brother.'

The voice that growled into his mind was the same as it had been long ago but at the same time it was so so very different.

'You're dead. You died centuries ago!'

Darien could not accept it, could not tolerate it. Malachite was alive; the best of the strongest-minded Lycaon warriors of this millennium had fallen in to Damnation! He didn't even want to think it but Darien knew a Damned when he saw one. His brother had fallen to the Beast, and it had been centuries ago.

'No,' Malachite derided maliciously. 'I came to my senses centuries ago when I joined forces with the wining side. I realized I was a fool to live cowering from those disgusting mortals! We are gods amongst vermin; we shouldn't be hiding in the shadows because of such inferior creatures.'

This was not the Malachite Darien had grown up with and loved as much as he could have any blood brother. The Malachite he had known would have died the most gruesome death rather than become what he had hunted and despised!

It could not be. This could not be his brother, the one who had fought side by side with him since they had been old enough to pick up a blade.

The agony within was too much for him to bear. He had suffered so much, endured so much, carried the weight of so many crushing burdens and unforgivable mistakes on his shoulders for hundreds of years, but this was just too much. They had fought side by side for so long, faced the same enemies and battled the same demons within.

How could Malachite betray him like this? How could he have surrendered to the Curse of the Beast?

Darien could remember the last time he had seen Malachite as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Malachite had confessed to him that he could no longer hold his Beast at bay and that he had to go because he did not want to hurt any of their family or force them to end him themselves. He had disappeared that night; he had left on a suicide mission to kill Diamond who had reappeared after seventy years of hiding from them after their last previous encounter.

Until this moment Darien had truly believed that the Malachite he had known and loved – and lost – had died a hero rather than become the evil they hunted.

'What happened after you disappeared?' Darien needed to know, he needed to know how his brother had become one of the fallen Damned.

Malachite shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly; the motion in his wolf form was hauntingly familiar. 'I went to Diamond intending to kill him, but instead he made me see sense, to see what the mortal race really was and how foolhardy our tireless efforts to protect them were. I joined the winning side, the right side, and kept myself hidden in the world of shadows and flowing lifeblood. The mortals do not deserve to live! Look at what they have done to our mother earth; they are killing her with their greed.' He narrowed his eyes in disgust and hatred, 'They are far more evil and destructive than we, the Damned, can ever be.'

And then, in the blink of an eye, the hatred and disgust was gone, replaced by something else, something that almost made Malachite look as he had before he had betrayed his own family. Malachite took a small step towards him, but Darien could not even think of attacking him, the brother he had mourned so deeply for so long.

'Join me brother! Together we can be a force to be feared once again; we can cure the earth of this infestation! Together, we can rule the world! You are the rightful king of all Immortals! You can unite all Immortal, Lycaon, Anami and the Damned, under one king and rule the earth!'

Darien was fighting tears. He was not proud of it but he was closer to tears than he had been in centuries. He may have be a thousand year old Immortal Lycaon warrior prince but he did believe in the existence of a soul, he did feel. He felt pain and loss and betrayal just as every other intelligent creature on the planet did.

Malachite was alive, but he had fallen, most likely only days after Darien had last seen his brother. He had killed and fed off the innocent; Darien could smell the blood and death on him just as potently as he could in Diamond's scent.

And there was no doubt that some of that blood belonged to Anami and even their own kind. The Malachite Darien had known had never been one to keep out of any fight; he would have fought against his own kind, his own blood, since the year he had become of the Damned.

Above, Darien could hear Serena's racing heartbeat and he could smell her vitalizing scent of sunlight and milky honey; there was a notable amount of fear in her scent, but still to his nose she smelt like heaven. No doubt Serena was the cost of the deal Malachite was offering. Diamond would never just stand by and let Darien take his place as king of all, not unless he had something much more valuable in exchange.

Serena. One way or another, she would be the price of Malachite's offer.

But even if she wasn't, Darien could not do it. For too long he had been fighting to protect the mortal race and his own people, for too long he had been living by his honour and duty. It was part of who he was and it was beyond him to surrender it.

And once upon a time, it had been Malachite's honour and duty as well.

Darien did not know what had changed in his brother so long ago that had made him fall and become one of the Damned, in doing so betraying his pack, his brothers, his family and his people. For so long they had stood side by side, fighting together against the same enemies. They had shed the same blood and gained the same scars; they had trusted their lives in each other's hands and had known each other's skill as well as they had their own. They had shared the same pain, faced the same darkness, the same tireless struggle against the Beast within.

They had been the truest of brothers.

Only weeks ago, Darien knew he would be struggling with the choice – Malachite had once meant too much to him not for him too at least consider it – but now he had his mate, the fragile, innocent and unique mortal woman who he cared for, who was his to protect and love.

There was no choice to be made here, not between a mate and a brother.

Malachite had made his choice centuries ago. He had fought alongside the enemy and had killed innocence and his own kind. He had fallen and in becoming one of the Damned, had destroyed the brother he had once been.

The Malachite Darien had known was gone, he had died the moment that first drop of life's blood had touched his lips.

Something had happened, something that had prevented Malachite from finding his honourable death before he fell into Damnation – by Diamond's doing no doubt – and now Darien had to do one final thing right by his brother. He had to kill him so that maybe, just maybe, there might be the dim hope that the real Malachite trapped within could find peace with the Moon Goddess in paradise.

'Malachite, you have been my brother all my life. I have loved and trusted you and I have yet to live a day that I do not wish you were by my side once again, but now I need to do the right thing by you.' Darien looked up into his eyes, pleading and regretful. 'One of the last things you said to me before you left was that you would rather die than fall. Now, the time has come, I will set things right.'

Rage surged in Malachite's black eyes as he stepped back and growled furiously at him. 'Then you will die,' he snarled savagely into Darien's mind, 'And Diamond will be king!'

Darien sank back into his battle-ready stance, without breaking eye contract with the white wolf. 'I will never let that happen. Mortals are young, they need time to become wise and realize their mistakes. One day we will all live together in the light once more, but for now they need our guidance and our absence from their world.'

Malachite's gaze flickered up to Serena in the tree above as the focus of his hatred and rage in his eyes visibly shifted, 'She's an abomination! The offspring she will yield will be half-breeds, and that cannot be allowed to happen! We cannot mix our ancient blood with theirs!'

In his peripheral vision, Darien saw Serena shrink back in fear under the force of Malachite's malicious violent glower.

'She's my mate!' Darien glowed in deadly warning.

'She must die.'

Darien was deadly still while his eyes were vigilant as he waited. He knew what was coming, Malachite may have fallen, may have spent centuries concealing his continued existence from him, but Darien still knew him, knew his fighting style and his battle strategies.

Darien, baring his teeth and growling viciously, truly witnessed that the brother he had once loved was long gone, only despising hatred and burning rage remained within the body of his lost brother now. 'You will die if you try for her.'

'Darien!' Jadeite's urgent voice did not distract Darien from Malachite and what was coming. 'We're coming but Diamond had a dozen Damned circling around to ambush you from behind, we're dealing with them now but we'll be a few more minutes, just hang on!' And then he added, wretchedly, having learned of Malachite's betrayal through Darien's own mind, 'You don't have to do this alone. Get Serena and get out of there, we'll deal with him after.'

'No,' Darien snapped firmly with a heavy heart. 'This ends now. Tonight. I owe Mal that much.'

Jadeite said nothing but Darien could feel his sad sympathy for him and what he was being forced to do.

'How touching!' Malachite snapped irritably in Darien's mind, his tone saturated with fake sweetness having heard every word; it appeared that their mental link with the pack on the deeper level still existed.

It gave Darien hope that there was still something left of the Malachite he had once called brother left within.

Serena could do nothing as she continued to watch the two wolves – one as black as a moonless night and the other as white as the cleanest snow – just stand there glaring at each other. They did not have the ability to speak with words but it was obvious that they were communicating some way; it was obvious by their expressions that were constantly changing. She had not missed the shock and heart-shattering sadness that had appeared on Darien's wolfish face the moment the white wolf had stepped clear of the trees, nor had she missed the rage or hatred radiating from the white wolf.

There had been a moment when the white wolf had appeared to have let down his guard but that had soon passed.

Now Darien was crouched low with his ears once again flattened against his huge head, as tense and as still as stone, all except for the snarls that continued to rumble through him. As sad and shocked as Darien so obviously was at seeing this huge white wolf, he was still prepared to fight the white wolf.

Despite the ugly aggressive aura that radiated from the white wolf, the wolf was as gloriously magnificent and beautiful in his white pelt as Darien was in his black pelt. While Darien's black coat shimmered and gleamed with the sunlight that caressed his pelt, the white wolf – that had longer fur than Darien – had a grace about him that even in the dangerous situation they were in she had to admire the beauty of these magnificent creatures. The white wolf's coat seemed to flow and float around him with every single movement. In the golden light of the setting sun, the white wolf seemed to glow.

Reminded of the fact that the sun was still up, Serena tore her gaze from the two humongous wolves and back to the Anami Damned. The sun was up and they didn't seem uncomfortable – although someone at some stage had mentioned something about Anami being able to stand sunlight for short periods of time but right now her mind was too preoccupied to recall the specifics – but they were sticking to the shadows of the trees, watching the two wolves with dark anticipation.

They wanted a fight and they expected blood to be spilt.

With that realisation that brought chilling terror spilling into her stomach where it spread to the rest of her body, Serena moved her eyes back to the two wolves.

Darien was outnumbered. If anything happened to him, it would be all her fault. She was the one who'd fought him every step of the way and she was the one who'd continuously run from him. It was for her that he'd not once but twice been forced to fight to protect – and would now fight a third time – and it was because of her that they were out here alone.

Where the hell was Darien's pack? Surely, they had to know that something was wrong. Yes, they hadn't been out there all that long, but . . .

Serena was at a loss; she'd never felt so useless in her life. There was nothing she could do to help him, nothing. Darien was the prince of his people and he was the one who'd pledged everything to her, had vowed to protect her from harm no matter what, but she could do so little for him in return.

Darien was facing death for her – he was outnumbered six to one – and all she could do was watch like some hapless maiden in a seventeenth century love story.

It would be all she would ever be able to do. She was a mortal in a world of superhuman Immortals. Others would always have to fight the fight to keep her safe, others would always have to sacrifice for her and there was nothing she could do about it. It would always be others who fought and died for her, she would never be able to fight for herself or those she cared about.

Below, an earth-shattering thunderous wolf-like roar pierced the silence and violent chaos erupted beneath her as white and black blurs flashed through the space below as the two wolves disappeared into thin air.

Serena released a startled scream as she lost her footing and her balance, only just barely catching herself in time as she threw out her arm to grasp hold of a neighbouring branch that she used to steady and rebalance herself.

The air was filled with shattering roars, growling, snarls and meaty thuds and just beneath the fierce sounds of Lycaon battle, Serena could make out gleeful excited cheers and bellows from the Damned Anami who watched from the shadows.

Serena looked their way to see that only the Damned in the cape kept silent and still as he watched the brutal battle in the clearing beneath her.

Serena followed his gaze but all she could see was the occasional brief flash of white or black pelt; they were battling too fast for her human eyes to see. But regardless she knew what was happening.

Darien and the white wolf were locked in a ferocious battle and Serena couldn't even tell who was winning. Serena prayed to the heavens above that Darien was every bit as skilled and able as his arrogance proclaimed him to be.

Darien's first priority was to keep Malachite and the fight away from Serena. He knew better than most the limitations and abilities of Immortals and knocking over a tree – even one with a thick trunk such as the one Serena was up – did not exceed them. So easily tragedy could strike mortals, especially in the Immortal World; a single Immortal blow could shake the tree violently enough that Serena could be thrown out and badly hurt.

But in such a small clearing it was difficult to control the position of the battle while at the same time trying to keep his head attached to his shoulders. Darien was stronger and faster than his opponent by a hair but Malachite did not have the disadvantage of having his mortal mate to protect. Malachite's focus was directed completely on him while his own was split between keeping the battle away from Serena, assuring that Diamond and his Damned warriors did not try to near Serena and keeping his own life.

His pack was only a few minutes away, dealing with the last of the group of Damned that had been circling around to ambush him from behind, but until they arrived he was all that stood between Diamond and Serena, between his most dangerous enemy and his most precious ward.

He would NEVER let Diamond lay a single hand on a single hair upon his mate's delicate head. As long as Diamond continued to be a threat to Serena Darien refused to fall and leave Serena defenceless.

But at the same time Malachite may not leave him any choice. Malachite had been at every training session and battle Darien had fought for the first five hundred years of his life; none knew his abilities and battle strategies better than Malachite – who had helped him formulate and practice most until they had been able to execute them flawlessly.

Now Malachite was using everything they had once shared against him with all his savage hatred-driven focus.

Out of the corner of his eye Darien saw a white flash and ducked his head just in time as Malachite's white claw-extended paw flashed passed exactly where his throat had been the millisecond before. Darien countered with a snarling flash of his teeth and he lunged with all his weight and strength, shoulder first, into Malachite's chest, sending them both flying back through the air until Malachite slammed into the thick trunk of a tree with Darien's weight slamming into his front.

The tree jerked violently and seconds later it plummeted towards the ground with a deafening crush, but instead of hitting the ground, it crushed into the trees behind it, taking limbs and branches with it.

A rain of leaves showered down over them all as the forest itself seemed to scream in pain.

Battles between Lycaon kind were different than any other kind of battle Darien knew. While mortal on mortal battles depended on weapons, punches and kicks, and Anami battles depended on razor-clawed hands and pointed fangs, as well as their grace and agility, while Lycaon battles were far more animalistic.

Lycaon battles were fought with four paws of equally razor-sharp claws, and long pointed K9 teeth, just as with nature's wolf. The battle was more in your face, so to speak, fought in closer proximity and that made it far more dangerous, far more violent and gruesome.

For a moment, everything was still and Darien wondered if he had knocked Malachite out – he knew he had not killed him as he could hear the white wolf's heartbeat – but just as the thought passed through his mind Darien sensed rather than felt movement beneath him. Darien felt two sets of paws contact with his chest and lower belly with enough force to send him flying back through the air several feet before he managed to twist his body around and dig his front claws into the moist earth.

After a few more feet, Darien kicked out with his back paws and brought himself to a stop, eight deep slashes scaring the ground between them.

The scent of fresh damp earth filled Darien's senses as he snarled in animalistic outrage at his opponent as Malachite slowly rose to his feet.

'You're dead, 'brother',' Malachite roared ferociously, his wolf face contorted with hate and rage that nature's wolf would never know. Hate was a creation of man, not animal.

Darien knew what he had to do to defeat his fallen brother and he already deeply regretted that he had to do it, but he had not other choice. It was something he hadn't needed to do it in centuries, but it was needed now. He could not kill his own brother, but his Beast could.

If given absolute control.

Darien purposefully softened his expression and looked deep into Malachite's black soulless eyes. Long ago, before the burden of the Beast had taken its toll on him, Malachite's eyes had been bright with mirth and joy as they had played together as pups and participated in mock battles with wooden swords.

Malachite had been his best friend and his closest brother, and Malachite had deserved his mate more than any other Darien had known throughout his long life. But Malachite had given into the Beast and he had become one of the Damned.

And in doing so, he had left his mate alone in the world without him. May the Goddess protect her, whoever and wherever she was.

'I am so sorry, brother.' Darien apologised, meaning his words right down to his very core. 'I should have made sure you succeeded in finding you death rather than let your absence be proof enough. I suspect that a part of me wanted the hope that maybe you were alive somewhere with your mate, living a happy life. Forgive me for that, for in that foolish hope I failed you. I failed by allowing you to become this. I pray you find peace in your next life, my brother. May your mate live long and happy in your unintentional absence.'

The last sentence was an ancient and outdated farewell, but using it now felt right. It was said to those who never found their mate before their Beast overcame them; it was the prayer that after their undeserving fate their undiscovered mate may somehow find happiness in the world she had been left in without him.

And with that said, Darien closed his eyes and did what he had not done so utterly in centuries. He released his hold on his Beast and mentally bowed back as he gave his animal side complete control, releasing it from the hold of the man within.

While the man loved his Damned brother and could not kill him, his Beast – that was all instinct and ferocity – could. The Beast could do what the man could not, even for the greater good.

Buried deep within the large black wolf, Darien mentally closed his eyes and gave his Beast free rain. He could not watch the death one who had for his entire life held part of his guarded heart.

---

Something about Darien had changed. Serena could sense it as clearly as she could see it. She couldn't explain it but it was as if Darien had just grown weaker. She could still feel him, but the feeling, the awareness she constantly felt when he was anywhere near her was so much weaker all of a sudden.

Physically there had been a change in his as well. In the blink of an eye, at the same time that her awareness of him had weakened, his stance had become more rigid, his stood taller, prouder and his eyes were as sharp as a samurai blade. There was no hesitation in him, no divide in his focus.

All there was left was intently pointed focus and burning drive in his eyes that held murderous intent and alertness, and there was no other emotion at all.

It was as if Darien had shut part of himself down, and now only the animal – his Beast as they called it – remained.

Serena remembered being told about the Beast within all Lycaon kind, but surely it wasn't an actual part of them; she'd thought that it was all metaphorical. Something they believed in but wasn't actually a separate sentient being.

But that's exactly what it seemed like, what it felt like.

Without warning, the black wolf threw back his head and released a furious blood-curdling roar that was a combination of a wolf's howl and a lion's deep furious roar and Serena nearly fell out of the tree as she hastily slapped her hands over her ears and winced in pain at the piercing sound.

Serena was stunned that the white wolf gave no reaction to the roar that was pure blood-thirsty ferocious fury. The only sign that the white wolf even considered the other wolf a threat was the vigilant way he watched the black wolf with his dark gleaming eyes.

The white wolf was enjoying the fight.

The black wolf was Darien, Serena reminded herself. This enormous killing machine of killer instinct and fury had to weigh a tonne with his solid muscle and thick body. His claws were longer than her hand and his teeth were even longer, each a gleaming razor sharp dagger in his wolfish muzzle. He was, from snout to tail, all immense killing power and sharp unmatched instinct.

This deadly creature was Darien, the man who'd sworn time and time again that he would never hurt her, that he would protect her no matter what. This killing machine, this perfect predator, was the man she was coming to love who looked at her like she was the most precious thing in his life.

Time and time again Serena had seen anger in him but never had she feared that he'd hurt her, not really, but looking at him now, it was hard not to fear him. She'd seen him in his wolf form before, she'd watched him fight in this form to protect her, but never had he been this. There was something so different about him, and she suspected that it was because this was the Beast she was seeing. The predator and murderous killing machine that was the sum of all the battles Darien had ever fought and all the blood Darien had ever spilt.

As fearsome as he was right now, Serena couldn't help but to also be humbled and awed that this killing machine, this powerful Beast had sworn his loyalty and devotion to her, that he would do anything for her. He, the mighty Lycaon Prince and Alpha, was hers to call her own if she chose him.

Before her wide eyes, Serena watched as the black wolf lowered his head nearly all the way to the ground, all the while watchfully glowering at the white wolf.

Darien was waiting for the white wolf to attack first, Serena realised. He wanted the white wolf to make the first move.

He did not have to wait much longer.

So fast that Serena barely saw it, the white wolf leap into the air with a snarling growl and his razor claws extended as he soared straight towards the black wolf.

And they both disappeared from her sight for a split moment only to reappear an instant later, on opposites sides of the clearing – to her left and her right – blood dripping on the ground beneath them both.

Serena could barely breathe, let alone swallow due to that her heart currently resided in her throat.

The white wolf stood on three paws, his back left paw held inches above the ground, blood gushing from the long gashes that marred the white fur from his belly to his kneecap, but while the white wolf had been injured, as too had the black wolf; testament to that was the blood that stained the white fur that coated the white wolf's bloody feet.

That was when Serena saw that the black wolf's back was glossy and gleaming in the fading evening sunlight which highlighted what otherwise would have been unable to be seen. Blood dribbled down his sides to the ground from the long gashes that ran near the full length of the black wolf's back.

The world tilted around her and it was all Serena could do to stay conscious as everything span around her, out of focus.

Darien was hurt. The mighty Prince of the Lycaon kind he may have been but he could still get hurt, he could still die. Up until now, Serena had unknowingly been under the belief that he was some supernatural Immortal who could do the impossible, it had never even entered her mind, not seriously, that he could be hurt, that he could be defeated and even killed.

That Darien would meet defeat had never seemed to be even remotely possible, until now.

This was all her fault! Why had she been so stupid?! Why had she insisted on fighting him every step of the way?! Yes, she was conflicted and uncertain, but she should've listened sooner to what she had been told so many times.

While she was an inconsequential human girl whose absence from the human world would not be noticed on a grand scale, in the Immortal World she was important enough to die for as the continuation of the Lycaon race depended upon her because they depended so heavily on Darien. She was Darien's mate, his salvation; if she died then Darien would die.

And if Darien died then as too would the protecting Lycaon race and the human race would be left to the cruel blood-thirsty hands of the Damned.

Serena's mind was racing; it was becoming difficult to keep track of her thoughts as they zoomed through her mind. Nothing felt real, as if she was trapped in a dream she couldn't keep up with. She felt trapped in a world of indecision, shackled by her fear and uncertainty, but one thing was clear.

Darien had to live, no matter what, even if she had to hand herself over to the Damned to save his life.

---

At sound of the mortal woman's soft helpless whimper, Diamond looked up into the tree. She had become deadly pale and sickly looking.

It had been a long time since a mortal woman had caught his appreciation as anything other than his dinner, but this one was breathtakingly beautiful; she was a stunning prize fit for the king he was. With her in his control, there would be nothing to stop him from achieving his goal. This mortal woman able to breed with Immortals was the key to bringing down Darien and finally claiming the throne that was meant to be his. None would hesitate to join him as he would be the one able to give the Damned what until now had been unachievable; a mate for those of the Damned.

Soon, soon, the mortal woman would be his. The smell of spilt Immortal blood was thick in the air, both from Malachite and the foolish Lycaon prince. The last clash between the two had been pleasing, while the Lycaon Prince had caught Malchite's hind leg in his teeth Malachite had slashed the prince's back with two sets of claws.

Darien was enduring much this night, much to Diamond's delight. The pathetic prince's anguish at Malachite's betrayal had been priceless and highly enjoyable.

For centuries Diamond had gone to great lengths to keep Malachite's existence a secret, patiently awaiting the day that he would be most useful.

When Malachite, the Lycaon Prince's most trusted and beloved brother, had come to him to kill him he had been on the verge of falling into Damnation. Any other would have killed Malachite on the spot, but Diamond had not survived for so long as the ruler of the Damned by being just like every other mindless Damned. He had a cunning intelligence and a lasting patience that had made him unbeatable. Instead of killing Malachite, Diamond had instead imprisoned the miserable excuse for a Lycaon in an unescapable cell with three young mortal women, each of whom he had eventually made suffer before their death.

But it had taken nine days for the first Beta of the Lycaon prince to indulge in his feast of life's blood, while Diamond hadn't expected him to last the first day. On the tenth day, Malachite had emerged from his cell as one of the Damned, no longer interested in killing Diamond but instead ravenous for more life's blood.

Since that day, Diamond had been patiently waiting for the day in which Malachite would be the most useful, and that day had turned out to be this one. Diamond wanted the Lycaon Prince's mortal mate and he was perfectly willing to give up Malachite to get her.

If Malachite survived, that it would be a plus, if not . . . well, Diamond would get over it, as the mortals said.

Originally, the plan had been to take the mortal female while Malachite distracted the Lycaon prince, but Diamond found himself too enthralled by the entertaining battle to disrupt it now by grabbing the female.

The prince's reinforcements were not too far away now, and even if Diamond did miss his opportunity to get his hands on the mortal female, the anguish over having to face his Damned brother would no doubt take it's toll on the Lycaon prince and weaken him. Making it easier for him to take the mortal female the next time he came for her.

No matter how things turned out this night, Diamond would have a victory and the Lycaon Prince – if he survived – would be significantly weakened, one way or another.

At the sound of tearing flesh, Diamond turned his gaze from the mortal female back to the two battling Lycaons to see that playtime had come to an end; the battle had begun in earnest.

The two Lycaons were locked in a ferocious bloody and violent battle of snarling roars, razor claws and snapping teeth, the battle between the supernatural Immortals happening too fast for the eyes of the young mortal female to follow.

Both Lycaon wolves were trying to gain the upper hand but both seemed to be evenly matched, and equably knowledgeable of the others battle strategies and fighting styles. In fact their fighting styles were almost identical, which was of no surprise to him; the two had grown up together and had fought side by side for half a millennium.

Malachite went for the Lycaon Prince's throat with his massive muzzle, but the Prince expertly twisted his body away a split moment before Malachite's jaws would have snapped closed around his throat. Darien counterattacked with a clawless blow to Malachite's chest that sent him flying back several feet before he was able to dig his claws into the earth and bound back towards Darien with all the strength of all four of his paws.

And just like that, Diamond could see that the end of the battle had come, if the Lycaon prince was man enough to take the opening.

Malachite was once again soaring through the air towards Darien with his front claws fully extended and murder in his eyes, his obvious goal was once again the Lycaon Prince's throat, but the black wolf was ready for him.

Diamond found himself idly wondering why Malachite had so blatantly left himself open. It was a rookie move that as the veteran warrior Malachite was he should have known better.

The black wolf remained solidly where he was until Malachite was too close to do anything to prevent the attack.

The Lycaon prince sprung into action as he leapt into the air with a feral snarl and his front paws once again collided with Malachite's chest with all the force of a Lycaon wolf's superhuman strength, and Diamond knew it was over, even before Malachite landed jarringly on the ground with his opponent's claws buried deep in the soft flesh of his throat.

Diamond looked up from the two Lycaon wolves just in time to see the pathetic Lycaon Prince's own burst out from the trees on the opposite side of the clearing.

It appeared that he would not be leaving with what he had come for, after all, but Diamond was not worried. He had won this night, regardless. The death of his most beloved brother by his own hand would destroy the Lycaon prince even more deeply than Diamond ever could have.

The pathetic Lycaon Prince deserved much more for what he had done to him so long ago, and he would get it soon enough. Soon, the Lycaon Prince would suffer beyond that he had ever known. Soon, all the Lycaon Prince had would be his.

---

The Beast had done what it had been tasked to do; it no longer needed to be in control. As Darien again became the master of his body the first thing he became fully aware of was the warm liquid soaking his paws, the overpowering metallic scent of blood in his nostrils and the sickening soggy gagging in his ears.

And the sight before his eyes was one that Darien would carry with him for always, even if he outlived the earth itself.

The sight of his brother's blood soaked face and wide black eyes as he realised that he was dying. He was struggling to breath but blood was pooling into his mouth and gushing from his torn throat, he was drowning in his own blood.

Darien could hear the white wolf's racing erratic heartbeat become slower and slower as it struggled to keep beating.

He had killed so many in his near millennium of life, but never had Darien felt a death as agonisingly as he felt this one. He was killing his own brother, the one man born whom he had loved more than any other.

With one final feeble ba-bump of Malachite's heart the light faded from Malachite's eyes and Darien became aware of the fact that his reinforcements had finally arrived, including his own sister who stood grief-stricken in human form by Jadeite's furry side.

Darien could do nothing but bow his head in misery over Malachite's still lifeless body, taking only a moment to mourn for his fallen brother, while still keeping half a mind on Diamond and the Damned to his right.

He had just killed his brother, his best friend, and he didn't even have the luxury of time to mourn. How cruel life could be.

In the tree above Serena was unmoving while her mind struggled to understand what her eyes were seeing. Darien had killed the white wolf, but what she couldn't understand was why he was so clearly mourning over the body of the white wolf he had just been forced to kill in a brutally violent battle; at the same time she couldn't help but feel his pain, his anguish at what he had done. Tears came to her eyes as she stared down at him, not one of the Immortals below moved at all.

Until, after a full moment of silence had passed and Rei stepped forward and laid a comforting hand on her brother's blood-soaked back, offering him what comfort a sister could.

"Malachite wasn't our brother anymore, Darien." Serena heard Rei whisper sadly, sounding as if she was seconds from crying. "He was lost to us the moment he became Damned. You know as well as I that he would have wanted death rather than continue to live like this. This wasn't your choice, it was his."

Serena silently gasped as realisation finally dawned. Darien had not only known the sheer white Lycaon, but he had been a member of Darien's family! Jadeite. Nephlite. Zoicite.

Malachite.

Darien had just killed his brother. For her.

No. No! Horror overtook her with all the force of a tidal wave. She wasn't worth that kind of pain and guilt that would so completely destroy a lesser man!

"Darien," Serena gasped in emotional agony, feeling sick to her stomach as she struggled to think up something to say, something that would make it better.

But there was nothing she could say, nothing she could do could change what had been done.

At the sobbed word, Darien looked up into the tree and straight into the trembling tear-filled eyes of his mate. She had heard Rei and now she understood.

His mate was hurting, was weeping, for him, sharing his pain and his misery.

His mate, who was good and kind-hearted, was still in danger.

Forcing down everything, the agony and the grief, Darien did the only thing he could do. He turned control back over to his Beast and allowed the feral part of him that could go on to do what needed to be done. His Beast was the one part of him that could go on regardless of what he had just done.

This was the one fight Darien would have sold his soul not to have had to fight. Of all the terrible things he had been forced to endure in his many centuries, none of them rivalled this.

Rei pulled her eyes from the white blood drenched wolf at her brother's feet, unable to look at him anymore – he had been her brother too – and instead glared at Diamond with all her hate and fury flaring like forest fire in her eyes.

"You will die for this, Diamond." Rei spat at him venomously.

"Ah, the spitfire Princess of the Lycaon race," Diamond mockingly bowed low to her, gracefully sweeping his arm across his chest like he was in some theatrical musical. "Why such venom for me when it is your own brother's paws that are soaked with drying blood, as they have been for centuries?"

Rei opened her mouth to reply, but malicious laughter touched her ears and she shifted her eyes to the Damned Anami on Diamond's right that so strongly resembled her brother.

"Sapphire!" Rei hissed viciously, rage filling her like boiling lava and she crouched low to lunge at him, when gentle hands caught her in an iron grip. She had felt her mate shift back to human form only moments ago but she was so consumed by her grief and rage that she hadn't even acknowledged it. Even now as her mate held her against his naked body, she felt none of the usual arousal that flared so effortlessly between them.

Rei fought against the hold of her mate, mentally warning him to let her go even as she felt his sombre resolve not too. Jadeite shared her rage and her hatred for the Damned pair, but he was unwilling to have her hurt for the sake of revenge in a fight they had had yet to be authorised to fight.

Serena watched Rei struggled against Jadeite's hold – Jadeite who was stark naked but shielded from her eyes by Rei – around her that pinned her arms to her sides, but to no avail – Jadeite was much stronger and bigger than she was. She could empathize with the Lycaon Princess. She felt the same pain and the same need to do something violent that came from that pain, but like the Princess, Serena could not do anything about it. The princess could do nothing because her mate would not allow her too and Serena could do nothing because she was mortal in a world of superhuman Immortals.

Below, a black blur caught Serena's attention, pulling her focus away from the struggling princess.

One moment Darien was standing over the body of his dead brother, the next the great black wolf stood with his back to the tree and was snarling and growling far more murderously at the white haired Damned Anami in the purple cape that Rei had called Diamond. Not once had Serena seen Diamond cast even a glance towards Malachite's dead body.

Diamond laughed beneath the weight of Darien's murderous glare, amused and unafraid of Darien or his pack of wolf warriors, "Well, this has been disappointing, but entertaining none-the-less."

Darien snarled menacingly. To Serena's eyes, unless she had missed her guess, the Beast within him had taken control once again.

Serena was really beginning to hate Diamond; that Darien and Diamond were enemies had been obvious from the beginning of this little encounter.

Diamond looked pointedly up at her but spoke to the black wolf. "She is far more than I thought she'd be." He droned with a swagger that screamed of an over-inflated ego.

Darien growled at him viciously, the menacing sound speaking volumes of his desire to attack, but Darien stood his ground.

Diamond looked down from the tree to the midnight black wolf. "I do not wish her dead. Malachite was wrong about her; she isn't an abomination, but an unique beautiful jewel. She will make a fitting mate," He narrowed his eyes tauntingly, "for me."

Darien roared in absolute fury, in union with his three Beta's in wolf form who stood at his back, ready to fight with their Alpha; they liked the idea no more than Darien did.

Serena wondered if the Beta's were so enraged because their Alpha was or because of the lustful insinuation towards her from one who was not her intended mate.

In response to the Beta's outrage, Diamond tensed ready for battle, and as one both Diamond and Darien took a step towards each other.

There was nothing Darien wanted to do more than take his chance to rid the world of Diamond's evil, his Beast cried out for it, but Darien instead found himself telling his Beast that there could be no battle, not now. Their mate was too close; she could get hurt or worse, taken. A one on one battle would have been different, but Diamond was not a man of honour, he would never fight a fair fight.

It was the main reason why Diamond was still alive, otherwise in a fair fight Darien would have slaughtered him centuries ago.

From his mouth an aggravated growl escaped, telling the man within who was not currently in control of his body, that the Beast agreed, but that did not mean that he liked it. The Beast's nature and instinct was to fight and protect, only for the sake of their shared mate did the Beast agree to abide reason.

Darien was grateful. The Beast within an Immortal Lycaon was not a separate sentiment being, but rather one half of the same consciousness, the man and the animal, the wolf. While the man was the most often in the driver's seat the Beast was always there, all instinct and animalistic impulse, but every now and then, the Beast took control, either to run free or to do what the man could not.

This night was one of those times. Darien had not been able to kill his fallen brother, but his Beast had been able to fight to protect their mate. Darien was unable to face what had been done with his hands, so he allowed his Beast to remain in control so their focus was on their mate who was still very much in danger.

Diamond gave Darien a challenging glare, raising an eyebrow in query. "Has our time finally come? I do not know many who would so recklessly risk their mate's safety."

Rei knew her brother just as well as the Beta's did, maybe better than – she hadn't spent as much time with Darien as the Beta's had but they were siblings – and she knew the nature of her brother's Beast. There was going to be a fight and maybe Darien would defeat Diamond, maybe not, but the chance of something happening to Serena was too high.

Before Darien could raise to Diamond's taunt, Rei stepped forward and looked up into the tree at the young mortal woman with tears in her wide eyes nestled high on a thick branch. "Miss Stevens, please come down." Rei addressed her formally, not wanting to reveal personal bonds on the battlefield before the eyes of the enemy. "We must go."

Serena stared down into the telling eyes of the Lycaon Princess for a moment before she obeyed, carefully but quickly climbing down, making sure that she left the tree on the opposite side from Diamond as he and Darien continued to face off against each other.

Serena had not needed words to know that Rei wanted to get her out of there was soon as possible. There would be time for words later.

"Well, it seems we have overstayed our welcome," Diamond bowed his head in farewell as he took a step back, towards the trees from which he and his own had emerged. As he did Diamond fixed his eyes on her with such intensity that Serena involuntarily shuddered. "We will meet again, Serena. Soon."

Darien snarled hostilely and in the blink of an eye Diamond and his Damned men were gone.

With her feet now on the ground, and Diamond gone, Serena turned her back to the trees in which the Damned had vanished and looked down at the still body of the white wolf with sorrow's heavy hand wrapped around her heart.

Only a matter of minutes ago this forest had heard her cheerful laughter as she'd been playfully chased through the trees; that had been a happy moment that had been leading to something more. But then that moment had become one of violence that had ended in sorrow and death.

How could she be part of this world when she couldn't even bare to visit it?

---

So much had changed in the last thirty minutes, but it was only now that it was all beginning to sink in.

Serena had known that Darien was an Immortal werewolf with superhuman strength, speed and agility, she'd seen him kill – Damned Anami – to defend her, but this was different. The battle had been so brutally violent and devastatingly humbling. The battle that Darien had fought as a wolf against another wolf still left her awed and in a large part, shocked. It hadn't been until this last battle that Serena had been able to comprehend just how monumentally out of her depth she really was and how monumentally out of her league Darien was. He was an Immortal Lycaon Prince and Alpha, not to mention a respected warrior, and she was a mortal girl who was in no way unique – Darien was the sun and she was an insignificant speck of dust.

And on top of that, what shocked her more than anything, what left her staggered was that she'd truly seen for the first time just what Darien was willing to do for her or more to the point what he wouldn't do for her and there wasn't a single thing. He had killed that wolf, one he'd known personally, but it could've just as easily been Darien who'd been killed. He truly was willing to die for her, to battle to the death for her.

As it had turned out, white the Beta's had stepped into the clearing when they had arrived, there had been several others of the pack amongst the trees, out of her sight but close enough to intervene at a moment's notice.

With an expressionless mask, hollow of any expression or life on his face, Darien had ordered three of the pack to stay behind to deal with the remains, while the rest had accompanied them back. He had yet to even look at her since the hollow haunting look he'd given her at the battle's end. He had just picked her up in his human form, his naked human form which she was really trying to remain indifferent too – she hadn't looked! She hadn't even peeked, not that she wasn't tempted; she just didn't trust herself to look and remain in control of herself – and had run back to the mansion so fast that the surroundings had blurred.

All the while Serena had stared up into his face, a face hard and cold with its icy emptiness. He'd shut himself down but Serena had the dreading suspicion that a mounting thunderous storm was building behind that hard expressionless mask, one that would rival the fury of any hurricane mother nature had ever conjured.

And Serena knew that she was the one who was going to have a front row seat to witness the coming tempest.

After clearing the wall that surrounded the manor in a single effortless bound, even while carrying her, Darien had landed, crouching to absorb the impact, with all the strain he would show descending a single stair.

That had been where their escorts had left them, scattering in various directions in the blink of an eye. Apparently Serena wasn't the only one aware of what was coming. They had all known and they had fled like a flock of seagulls would a vicious attacking dog.

Even more impressively than his leap over the wall that surrounded the manor, Darien had with a secure hold on her, leapt up onto the balcony – that was four stories above the ground – in a single bound.

Truly, even after the battle with the white wolf, it seemed that she was still only beginning to see Darien's true capabilities.

Only when they were back in his bedroom did he release her – by release she meant that he all but dropped her onto her feet.

Darien definitely wasn't happy and it seemed certain now that she was going to be the one to pay the price.

Serena knew he wouldn't hurt her, he had sworn such, but right now she didn't trust his current mindset. He was pissed off and had just killed in a brutally ferocious battle for her; the adrenaline and the after affects still lingered in all its untamed carnal ferocity. Without hesitation, the moment her feet touched the solid surface, Serena was moving. She had to get to the door and beg Rei for protection from him for the night.

Serena knew she made it off the balcony and into the bedroom only because he allowed her too, but the moment her hand touched the door knob on the other side of the room, the room around her spun and she found herself standing in the middle of the room with Darien standing between her and the door.

She hadn't even felt Darien's touch when he'd evidently picked her up and dropped her in the centre of the room before retreating back from her again.

In that moment, something – finally – pierced his expressionless mask, and Serena found herself instantly yearning for the silence and the hard mask once more. As thunderous as he had been, it had been concealed behind a mask of aloofness. It meant that he was trying to control himself.

Now the expression on his face was one of fierce feral fury, the intensity so potent that his eyes blazed with the power of it that had suddenly taken on a fervours hungry edge. His entire being radiated with primal¬ ravenous desire; he was all animal and there was no trace of the man left within him. It was as if the great Beast within him had been set free during the battle and had yet to succumb to the civilised and controlled man within who normally reined over the wild Beast. His eyes blazed with fiercely burning liquid fire like the volcanoes of Mercury. No longer was a single emotion held back within them, within him. Fierce frenzied lust had him completely possessively fixated on her and the heated carnal intent made her skin prickle and burn with anxious heated longing that she was struggling to control.

Serena raised her hands in front of her, fingers spread, as if to fend him off as she dared not to even blink, for fear of losing sight of him for even a moment, of breaking eye contact with him for that long, would unleash this fierce half-crazed Beast upon her. She hadn't feared him, not truly, until this night. And it wasn't fear of harm that she feared right now, even in this state she would bet her life – and in this current moment, she most likely was – that he wouldn't hurt her.

Serena took a step back but froze when he instantly reacted, lowering himself into a half crouch, rigid and ready to pounce on his prey.

And she was his prey – prey that was indomitably keeping her eyes glued to his face. He was still naked and this was the absolutely the last possible moment in which Serena wanted to risk losing her control by peeking.

And all at once Serena knew what was happening with crystal-clear clarity. All that energy, all that ferocity and vigour from the battle remained in him and it was now focused on her. Only it wasn't the kill that the Beast hungered for now, she could see it as plainly in his eyes as she could see sunlight in the middle of a cloudless day.

"Darien," Her voice trembled anxiously, her heart beating so fast in her chest that she could barely hear her own voice over the frantic tempo. She was cautious of him like the cornered helpless weaker creature that she was. Now she knew how Little Red Riding Hood had felt moments before she'd been eaten by the Big Bad Wolf; here she was facing her own Big Bad Wolf. "Don't." She couldn't move, couldn't do anything against him. She was as helpless against him as a child was against a predatory lioness, she could do nothing but try to reach the man buried deep within beneath the animalistic side of himself. "No. Please." She was begging him and she wasn't ashamed of it; when her survival was at stake her pride could be damned for all she cared.

Serena wasn't sure what she feared more right now, the physical or the emotional. While Darien was clearly being controlled by his Beast which made him unpredictable and that much more likely to harm her – accidentally – on the emotional side, if their relationship took the step into physical intimacy then Serena knew without a doubt that she would be his for the rest of her life. She would never be able to run from him, even if one day she found the will too. She would be his and she would disappear, buried in his overbearing dominant shadow for the rest of her life. What she feared most in his presence would come to pass and she would be helpless against it, as helpless as she was against him now. She was not strong enough to hold onto her sense of self in his all-consuming shadow. The worst part would be that she wouldn't even know that it was happening, that she was losing herself in him.

"You're mine!" Darien hissed in a low animalistic growl that rumbled from low in his chest.

Serena could almost see him pounding his chest with his fists in a display of animal dominance. His voice hadn't sounded human, it had sounded as if it were coming from a wild out-of-control half-crazed deranged animal.

And it was; his animal side, his Beast, was in charge now. There was none of the logic or control remaining in him from the man she knew.

Darien lowered his stance a fraction, moving his body into an even lower crouch, ready to spring, but it was enough for Serena to notice and she knew she'd just run out of time to try to reason with him, to reach the man buried within.

With frantic fear for herself, Serena spun on her heel to flee from him.

"REI!"

But Serena knew Rei wouldn't come, not even Darien's own sister would dare to get in the way of her Alpha, at least not in this state he was in. She was in Darien's world now and in Darien's world he was the Alpha and the Crown Prince. Without her being in immediate danger of harm, no one here would interfere and she knew it. Andrew may have, but he was many many miles away and even with his super vampiric hearing, he wouldn't hear her.

And just like that, before she even felt or sensed herself in motion, Serena found herself on the floor, on her hands and knees with no idea how she came to be there, just like when Darien had moved her away from the door. After her change in position the next thing Serena became aware of was the burning hard heat plastered against her back, not just her back but the entire back of her body. She was wrapped in iron hard heat that her body recognised as Darien long before her mind had caught up to the fact.

She was on all fours on the floor with Darien on all – human – fours above and around her. He was all over her like a coat of solid burning iron, his steel hard heat was all but scorching her back, backside and thighs. She was trapped beneath him. She could feel the slight movement of his chest as he all but panted in and out; his hurried breath was hot air against the right side of her face, drowning her in the scent of his breath and of him. His arms and legs framed hers from the outside, restraining her beneath him. His groin was nestled against her backside, making her very well aware of the naked erection prodding her like a hot iron bar.

He was so tall that even though Serena was on all fours, he framed her in a perfect fit, as if he'd been made to fit her. He had caught his prey, there was no escape for her until he decided to let her go, and now she knew he was going to conquer his capture as a Viking would his newly-captured helpless slave.

And everything, from his beyond masculine wild erotic scent that was making her head swim with arousal and wanting, to the burning heat of his powerful hard body that imprisoned her, to his impressive erection that she was unable to ignore even if she had all her senses, was arousing her more than ever before. Not even her dreams had dared to venture into something so primitive and forbidden. She was so helpless against him, against his power and his primal hunger. She wanted him so much that she burned, she hungered. She yearned.

Her breathing had become frantic, her breasts felt tight and heavy while her nipples ached with the need for his touch, and between her legs, she could feel herself growing moist as she burned from that point deep within her lower belly. Her body wanted him with a starving intense hunger that left her writhing and she was powerless again it, powerless against him and the spell he had woven over her body.

Perversely, his display of dominance, knowing that he was going to take her whether she liked it or not, turned her on her even more, taking her arousal higher and higher that she was left to it's mercy, to his mercy. She wanted to feel him deep inside of her more than she wanted to live. She'd die if he didn't touch her, if he didn't claim her.

NOW!

Her body had, without warning, over-ridden her mind and had imprisoned all her reasoning and fear and doubts, locking them away. All she could do now was feel. Her hunger for him was beyond any she'd ever known.

Darien was dangerous, deadly and animalistic, and in so many more ways than Serena had had known, was all male. Everything about him called out to everything female inside of her and dominated over it all. She was so far gone that she was mere seconds away from begging him to take her like some bitch in heat.

She was his, why had she tried to fight it? For the life of her Serena couldn't remember. She couldn't remember anything beyond the last minute; no more than a minute had passed since she'd called for Rei, but it seemed like an eternity and a heartbeat all at the same time. Time had ceased to have meaning, nothing had meaning anymore. She wanted nothing but more pleasure and more of Darien.

As if sensing her body's submission to him or more likely catching scent of her arousal, Darien raised his arm from where it framed hers, lifted his upper body up fractionally and grabbed a tight hold of a handful of her hair.

As he all but yanked her head to the side, to turn her to face him the best she could in their position, Serena felt a firm pressure, but no pain. Even at his fiercest, Darien and his Beast were wary of hurting her.

Serena made no move to resist him or to protest; she remained still and silent as he glared with fierce heat down into one half of her face. Using the same animalistic feral growl that he had used when he'd proclaimed that she was his, Darien hissed demandingly, "has you flesh been tasted before?" He was consumed by pure animalistic possession and rising murderous jealously at the mere thought of another male having touched her.

Serena couldn't answer, not because she didn't know the answer but because her body was so lost in the sweet madness that was her arousal that she couldn't form the words. It didn't even occur to her to be outraged that he was demanding the answer the way he was. She'd lived her entire life without knowing that she was the mate of a dominant possessive Lycaon Prince; he wouldn't have had any right to protest if she hadn't been a virgin.

In response to her assumed silent defiance, Darien pulled on her hair until her neck was stretched as far as it could be without inflicting pain. There was a promise of violence in his black eyes as he took her silence as a confirmation – violence towards her imagined lover. "Has any man had you?!"

"No! Alright?! No!" Serena snapped desperately, the way he was holding her head was uncomfortable, bordering on pain.

That she was a virgin seemed to please him and calm the Beast within somewhat, but no more than the threat of murderous violence – against the phantom man who'd tasted her before, not her herself – faded from him, while everything else remained.

Darien released her hair and Serena lowered her head to ease the strain and relax the tensed aching muscles in her neck.

In the last remaining functional part of her mind, Serena wanted to blast him over his caveman behaviour, but before she had the chance, she realised that Darien had lowered his face into her hair and was inhaling the scent of her like a cat would catnip.

A low deep growl vibrated through him and he less than subtly shifted upward a fraction to press his hard erection harder against her backside.

And just like that, any ability to think was gone. Serena arched her back as her fingers curled into the expensive soft rug beneath her, but she could do nothing more with how she was trapped she was beneath him.

"Wolfmate." Darien half growled half purred in her ear, the word was absolute. It was the recognition of one soulmate to another.

Serena was in no state of mind to argue with him; right then Serena would have sold her soul to him to have the pleasure his hard body was promising her.

She should've known that such a price wasn't necessary.

It took Serena a long moment to realise that her blouse was pulled tighter against her back than it should've been and she looked down beneath her to see that Darien's hand hadn't returned to the floor. Instead it had worked its way up the front of her blouse and was this very moment cupping her breast through the thin cotton of her bra with his large hot hard fingers, moulding the soft flesh in a steady but gentle grip and massaging with skilful ease.

There wasn't much room in her blouse for Darien's thick arm but that didn't seem to slow him down as he released her breast for a brief moment to pull down the cup of her bra to reach the naked flesh of her breast, and her sensitive pink nipple.

Serena groaned as electric pleasure vibrated through her like an eclectic shock and she threw back her head to rest it on Darien's shoulder from the sheer intensity of the pleasure. She'd been burning hotter than the sun before Darien had put his hand on her bare sensitive heated flesh, but now he threatened to send her into supernova.

Her obvious display of satisfaction brought a deep growl of approval and the sound of tearing fabric reached her ears a moment before Serena felt the cooler air of the room caress her chest and belly.

Serena opened her eyes and looked beneath her to see her blouse, now shredded down the front, hanging open, and watched as Darien – who had a single wolf claw extended one finger of his hand – slice through the material of her bra as easily as she could tear wet tissue paper.

With nothing stopping him and taking full advantage of it, Darien spent the next several minutes driving her higher and higher into maddening ecstasy as he fondled, pinched and massaged her breasts and nipples, enjoying her lust-maddened reactions as much as she was. And he did it all with one hand!

Oh sweet mercy!

The heat and pleasure was immense. Serena was so close to coming just from the pleasure he was giving her breasts that she was withering wildly beneath him but she just couldn't seem to go over the edge. He had her there, teetering on the very edge of orgasm, driving her out of her mind, but it wasn't enough. She wanted more. She needed more.

Serena had never, not even in her naughtiest wildest dreams, been so turned on or so insane with pleasure; she hadn't been with a man before now, but she was a flesh and blood woman, she'd still had needs before Darien!

But this was something else, something more, something so so so much better.

True to his nature, Darien seemed to know she needed more, and he seemed willing to obey her body's frantic wild demands. His hand slowly, centimetre by maddening tormenting slow centimetre, slid from her breasts down her stomach, the touch a gentle caress that had her oversensitive flushed flesh buzzing and burning. His hand continued on its journey at the same maddening pace down over her belly until his fingers reached the hem of her jeans.

Serena stopped breathing in anticipation of what she knew was coming next.

The first brief caress to the centre seam of her jeans between her legs, directly over the spot where she tingled and burned the most, she jumped what little she could while trapped beneath him. The zing of pleasure that rocketed through her was maddening, unbearably delicious and she wanted more!

Another elongated groan escaped her parted lips and it was all she could do to keep her arms holding her upright. Another one of those delicious touches and she'd come completely undone.

But the touch never came.

In fact, through the lust-powered haze that clouded her incoherent mind, Serena became aware of the cool air on her back where Darien's heat had been only a moment before. Missing his hard heat wrapped around her, Serena looked over her shoulder, puzzled as to why it had stopped.

What she saw made Serena stop breathing.

Darien was sitting on his knees behind her and for the first time she allowed herself to look below his neck and she LIKED what she saw. He was stunning and gorgeous when appropriately clothed, but without clothing . . .

Good Lord in Heaven. The man was exquisite, no he was godly, sculpted by angels, the whole bit. Not to mention IMPRESSIVE!

His entire body was hard and perfectly toned with hard protruding muscle – but not so much that he was bulky. His chest had only a thin layer of hair, his stomach was flat and hard, his legs were long and thick – runner's legs – and between them . .

Serena swallowed thickly, gulping, unable to tear her eyes away. It seemed that his power in battle was not his only power . . .

Thankfully, before Serena let his power intimidate her into once again attempting to run from him or calling for help, Darien turned his attention to her clothing or what was left of her clothing, momentarily distracting her. He grasped hold of the back of her blouse and with a vicious yank, tore the fabric right down the middle. What was left of the blouse fell to the floor in tatters, the sleeves pooling around her wrists. Her bra hit the floor a second later. And then he turned his heated hungry destructive focus to her jeans, the fact that the material was thicker and stronger didn't slow him down in the least.

Darien paused only a brief moment to admire her backside, before he cupped her butt cheeks and with a firm yank, the material gave beneath his superior superhuman strength and tore with a loud elongated rip. He kept tearing until the jeans were completely in two and then he released the abused fabric, sagging around her lower thighs.

All that remained was her delicate white cotton lace panties. The light delicate scrap of soft fabric was nothing against his merciless determined fingers. With a single flex of his finger, the ruined scrap of material fell to the floor beneath her.

It only then dawned on Serena that she was free from the cacoon of his larger stronger body but she couldn't have moved if her life had depended upon it – not that she would've gotten very far anyway.

And then Darien was back, cocooning her with his hard hot naked body once again, and Serena forgot all about everything but him. The scorching heat of his steel hard naked body was once again wrapped around her like an iron electric blanket. She could feel and smell the sweat that covered his glorious body and she could feel the prickle of his course chest hair on the bare soft skin of her back.

The flesh on hot sweaty flesh contact was too much for her over-sensitive burning body. He had her wrapped in an impenetrable cocoon of wild dominant male and raw sex, not to mention the hard masculine heat and power of him. Here she was, beneath the most powerful, strongest, dangerous being she'd ever met, and even lost to the untameable Beast within, he still hadn't hurt her even though it would've been so easy for him to do so.

How could one with such raw strength and power be so gentle and tender with her?

Serena was so aroused that it was torturing her, how was she still conscious, how hadn't she set the entire room on fire? Not that she would've noticed even if she had.

Although Serena was finding it difficult not to notice the hot hard erection that was prodding her backside.

All ability to think left her, when Darien's hand – without warning – returned to her most sacred of places, this time there was no clothing to protect her, and a long thick finger was roughly thrust deeply into her tight virgin channel.

Stars exploded behind Serena's eyes and a startled cry of pleasure escaped her parted lips. She'd been so unprepared for the intrusion that she'd had absolutely no preparation time before her orgasm exploded deep in her womb and her inner walls squeezed tight around Darien's thick invading finger.

If it hadn't been for Darien's hold on her, she would've been left sprawled limply on the floor, as she continued to writhe and thrash trapped within the throws of her orgasm.

Her body was on fire, buzzing with hot electric pulses of pleasure. She was blind, all she saw was white hot light – she didn't even know if her eyes were open or closed and she really didn't care.

After what seemed like an eternity, Serena felt it all begin to ease and she regained some sense of awareness. She could once again feel the hard heat of Darien's body around her, she could feel the hard floor beneath her knees and she could feel the sharp pain in her fisted hands where her fingernails were digging into the flesh of her palms.

With great effort, Serena forced her hands to relax and the pain faded.

Above and around her, Serena was vaguely aware of the victorious thoroughly male animistic sounds coming from deep within Darien's chest; it seemed that the big dominant wolf was pleased at giving his mate such pleasure.

The tremors from her slowly fading orgasm hadn't even subsided when Serena's pleasure fried mind became aware of movement behind, and that was all the warning Serena was given as the realisation slammed into her.

Darien was going to take her from behind, here on the floor, in the way of the wolf. Her body hummed with sensitive electric awareness from the after effects of her orgasm; her body burned for him more than drowning lungs burned for air but at the same time her exhausted overstimulated body wanted to rest.

With one swift brutal thrust Darien was inside of her, his entire long thick hot throbbing length and a mixture of pain and pleasure hit her like a lightening strike and she was once again blind. He was inside her to the hilt; she could all but feel him in the back of her throat he was that deeply inside of her. And he was so BIG! Oh, sweet Jesus and holy hell, he was stretching her mercilessly! He was TOO big, especially in this position, it was painful, like a white hot rod had been stabbed into her belly, but she didn't have the mental ability to gather the words to beg him to stop. She could feel herself being stretched beyond her limits, and she felt brutally impaled but she still wanted this more than anything she'd ever wanted in her entire life!

Serena whimpered at the violent unbearable potency of it all. It was all TOO MUCH! She couldn't take it, let alone take anymore. The pain, the pleasure, the burning heat, the pulsing electric delicious pleasure! She wanted more but she wanted it to stop, she wanted everything and nothing at the same time.

It was all going to drive her insane, or destroy her completely.

Darien didn't wait for her to overcome the pain or become comfortable with the alien intrusion, he gave her only a brief moment to become accustomed to his size and that was all.

Darien wrapped his arm around her midsection, anchoring her to him so tightly that she couldn't move an inch unless it was under his power. And then he was moving over her, hammering into her, thrusting with long powerful thrusts with no holding back. He was pulling her back as he powerfully thrust forward, taking his almost brutal thrusts impossibly deep inside of her at a rapid pace that she couldn't possibly keep up with, even if she'd been experienced enough at this.

Oh god, he was so DEEP, she couldn't see how he could possibly go any deeper if he tried! And he was so BIG, so THICK, that she felt as if she were being torn apart from the inside. She hovered on the knife's fine edge between intense pleasure and pain, unable to tell which was more intense.

He was all animalistic passion and focused intensity; he was pounding into her like the frenzied lust-maddened animal that he currently was.

Cries of pleasure and distress echoed in her ears, and Serena knew they were hers, but there was nothing she could do about it. She wasn't in control of her body at all anymore; all there was was Darien and his thrusting rigid length that was coming close to ripping her in two! There was so much pleasure mixed with the pain that Serena was mindless by it, helpless against the brutal intensity of it.

Her cries were almost as feral and animalistic as Darien's grunts of exertion and pleasure were.

And then the burning building electric pleasure was back, building higher and greater inside her belly, threatening to erupt so much greater, so much more powerfully, than before and all pain was forgotten, lost in the tidal wave of pleasure that was about to explode within her.

Serena had always heard others girls talk about the pleasures and intensities of love making, but never had she guessed that it was anything like this! She felt like she was going to die from the pleasure, the unbearable maddening burning hot liquid pleasure building low in her belly where Darien's length continued to pound into her, but she didn't care.

Her release, her supernova, was just there, just out of reach, just one more little nudge and she'd be . . . THERE!

The supernova of pleasure that exploded inside of her, through her, was immense, world-shattering, washing away her previous orgasm in a blinding tidal wave. It felt like being born, like heaven and unbearable torturous hell all in one. She couldn't describe it, it was maddening and torture all at once. It was hot and bright; it was the closest thing to heaven that she'd ever known, an out of body experience that came from her body but left her body behind as her consciousness was enwrapped in white hot pleasure. It was as unbearable as pain but it was the sweetest pleasure she had ever known.

And then Darien thrust his massive length brutally into her to the hilt and Serena felt Darien shudder violently above and around her. She could feel hot liquid all but fill her belly at the same instant pain exploded through her like lightening from her neck where she realised Darien was biting deep into the flesh between her neck and her shoulder blade, but she was still so lost in ecstasy that she could scarcely pay any real attention to the pain. She was beyond the clouds of heaven and in such a wonderful warm place there was no room for pain.

Deep inside, beneath the Beast, Darien shared in the joy and pleasure with his Beast who had for the second time in one night taken control from him! The man who had always been so careful to maintain control over his Beast had been taken over by his Beast that had maintained control over him after he had handed all control over to his Beast in order to defeat Malachite, for the man loved Malachite as a brother and never could have harmed him, not even when he was a Damned.

After the battle, his Beast had refused to succumb to him again and before Darien had known it; his Beast had had Serena spread naked beneath him.

Darien was not proud of the fact that he had allowed his Beast to do this but they both cared for their mate.

But regardless how Darien felt about it, when the Beast had bitten down on Serena's neck it had cemented things between them. The bite was significant between the Lycaon kind; it was the mating mark between wolfmates. While Anami bit the neck to feed and draw blood, the Lycaon kind did it only to mark one's mate. A mark that was permanent and powerful.

Serena was marked now, for life. She would carry his scent from now on, even if she never saw him again after this night, and even though the branding mark would fade from mortal eyes the mark would always be visible to Immortal eyes.

Darien authoritatively ordered his Beast to release his hold on Serena's neck with their teeth, which the Beast obeyed, now satisfied that their mate was forever more branded and marked as their own.

Serena collapsed, spent and panting, onto the floor beneath him, clearly having no more strength left within her to care about anything but sleep, while Darien remained on his hands and knees over her like the wolf he was. He stared down at her with sated triumph and a deeply feral expression of possession on his face, and he growled softly for her and all the universe to hear, "Mine. Wolfmate."

And the Beast let loose a victorious roar that echoed through the manor and the night beyond the stone wall across his territory. The cry of a wolf who had just claimed his mate and had marked her as his own.

Undeniably.

Forever.

---

Unfortunately my computer is going to the doctor, so I don't know how long I will be without it - not being able to write is going to KILL ME, but unfortunately there's nothing that can be done about it.
This means that I have no idea when the next chapter will be posted. I will try for early November, but no promises as I have no idea how long my computer will be MIA.