A Wolf's Cry Chapter 14 Rise of the Wolfmate, a sailor moon fanfic

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone had a safe and joyous holidays!

Here it is! It is done! Finally.

Enjoy.

By the way, I did have this finished by New Years!

I just wasn't able to post it before now.

PLEASE PLEASE have patience with this chapter, as most of you know I had a VERY hard time with it. As always if there are any major or annoying problems just let me know!

Chapter 14 – Rise of the Wolfmate

The throbbing pain was blinding for a full moment before Serena was able to push it to the back of her mind and ignore it the best she could.

As understanding dawned on her, Serena forced herself up onto three of her four feet, keeping her wounded leg lifted up off the ground and held protectively close to her body.

It had been a trap. Diamond hadn't fled. No, he had led her into a trap knowing that she would follow.

Diamond's intention was clear. He couldn't kill Darien himself so he was going to kill Darien by killing her, his Wolfmate whom he could and would not live without. Not for anything.

Diamond had not lived this long and become what he was by fighting honourably.

And Serena had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Darien had tried to warn her, but she had been so cockily sure of herself and her new power. She had allowed herself to overlook the fact that she was a newborn Lycaon with NO training at all, while Diamond and Darien were as old the forest around her.

And now Serena was going to pay dearly for her mistake, and because of her so was Darien. She was going to be responsible for the death of the mightiest Lycaon warrior alive, leaving the world – both Immortal and Mortal – without it's greatest protector.

How could she have been so stupid, so foolish?

Through the Wolflink, Serena heard Darien use language she'd never heard from him before, words that would make a sailor blush as the saying went.

'Serena, my heart.' Darien's voice inside her head was tender and warm, despite the anger and desperation she could feel boiling inside him.'You are anything but stupid, or foolish. You are brave and strong and hell bent on protecting everyone without any thought of yourself.'

Serena gritted her sharp pointed teeth, determination flaring through her with all the force and power of a supernova. If she was going to die, then she was going to go down fighting because if she died then so too would Darien and there was NO WAY Serena was ever going to let that happen.

Diamond just might succeed in ending her life but she was not going to go down easily.

With her teeth still tightly clenched, Serena slowly and carefully lowered her wounded back leg to the ground, applying weight an ounce at a time until the pain became more than she could stand and her leg crumpled beneath her after not even a third of the weight the leg normally supported.

For this battle at least, her leg was unusable. All Serena could do was tuck her leg into her side and try to keep from using it.

"I should thank you, bitch."

Serena tensed, as battle ready as she could be, at the sound of Diamond's booming voice echoing through the trees around her. Despite the volume of Diamond's voice and her new superhuman Lycaon ears Serena could not pinpoint where it was coming from. It sounded as if he was all around her all at once.

It reminded her of her brother's ridiculously high-priced surround sound system that he'd purchased with his fifty inch flat screen television. The system had eight speakers, all positioned up high around the room and as a result the audio literally "surrounded" everyone who happened to be in the room.

And Serena found both the surround sound system and Diamond's voice equally disorientating.

"With the simple task of ending your life, I will finally be rid of that pathetic coward of yours. He has been an irritation to me for far longer than I should have allowed."

Serena scanned the trees surrounding her but nothing, not one thing, gave away Diamond's location. She wanted to defend Darien, to point out to Diamond that Darien was not the one hiding right now, but as human speech was impossible for her Lycaon form, Serena settled with an extremely menacing growl that to her great satisfaction conveyed her response quite nicely.

Diamond's sadistic laughter echoed eerily around her and Serena fought the urge to cringe at the audio onslaught of the most sinister sound she'd ever heard in her life.

Serena stepped further into the clearing and turned her back end towards the tree situated in the centre so Diamond couldn't surprise her from behind. Again.

Should she try to make a run for it? Was that what Diamond was expecting and waiting for her to do? How fast could she move with her hind leg wounded so bad that it couldn't stand a fraction of her weight?

Despite her best efforts, panic rose within her. What should she do? What could she do?

And then Darien was there. He soothed away her rising terror as best he could through their matelink given that he himself was terrified right down into his ageless soul that he would not arrive in time to save her.

'Serena, buy as much time as you can. I'm coming. I'm almost there. Diamond lead you around in a wide arch before circling back to the clearing. He lead you there intentionally, he wants to mess with your head, as he always has done. Don't let him. Just do what you can to stall. Remember, Diamond's greatest weakness is his ego.'

Serena nodded once in understanding and then very carefully she forced her thoughts to go blank, turning her full attention to her surroundings, listening to the forest around her for any hint of movement.

That was when Diamond stepped carelessly out of the tree directly in front of her, his head angled to the side as if he were considering her like a little boy would a captured insect in a jar.

"What is he telling you?" Diamond enquired with the casualness of a man asking what she thought of the weather lately, only the evil in his black soulless eyes ruined the effect. "What words of comfort is he whispering to you? Is he promising that nothing will happen to you, that everything will be fine?"

Serena raised her lip and bared her sharp teeth at him in a soundless growl.

Diamond laughed that chilling sinister laugh of his again and took a step to the side, keeping his eyes glued to her as he strutted around the outer edge of the clearing.

"You should have chosen me, you stupid mortal bitch." Diamond hissed, his playful childlike tone was out of place with his words as he practically pranced around the outside of the clearing like some theatrical dark monologuing fairy. "I'm going to gut you like the pathetic mortal you are, and I'm going to do it slowly, all while your pathetic excuse for a prince will know that he can do nothing to save you."

Serena found herself wondering what it was about bad guys and monologuing. Hadn't any of them ever watched a Marvel movie? While the bad guy was rambling on and on, the hero found time to escape whatever trap the villain had set. Not that Serena was going to do anything about it, while Diamond was monologuing and trying to mess with her head, Darien was closing the distance between them.

But honestly, a long villainous monologue was a hero's best friend.

'Do not react, Serena.' Darien warned her. 'Try to show as little fear as possible. He feeds on it in his victims.'

Serena sneered defiantly. 'I'm not afraid of him.' And reached for the magic inside of her that allowed her to shift forms. Serena wasn't sure if it was magic, but she had no better word for it. If anything in this world was magic then this powerful swirling warmth inside of her had to be it.

It was painful but this time Serena was prepared for it and it was over much quicker than before. In the space of three heartbeats Serena was human again, as naked as the day she'd been born, but she forced herself to ignore her modesty that had been taught to her since the cradle and focus on Diamond.

Nudity in the Immortal world did not hold the significance it did in the mortal world. In the world she belonged to now, amongst the Lycaon kind, nudity was part of life.

Serena was aware of her bare feet on the damp foliage covered ground that crackled beneath her feet, the cool night breeze swirled around her naked body and her long unbound hair that brushed the back half of her body down to the back of her knees, caressing her naked flesh as it danced in the gentle night breeze.

And all the pain and aching she'd been enduring only moments before was mostly gone, even her leg was better, now able to bare her weight without much more than a persistent throbbing ache.

A glance downward revealed a half healed wound on her bloodstained thigh; it now looked days old rather than minutes. Her leg was not without complaint but it was usable.

Lycaon healing really was a marvellous thing.

'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!' Darien shouted incredulously into her mind, his terror pulsating through their matelink very nearly blinded her.

'Trust me.' Serena implored him and then once again focused fully on Diamond, carefully – and with great difficulty – keeping her face blank of expression.

Diamond was leering at her with sadistic lust and Serena had to fight both her building nausea and her urge to cover herself from his malevolent eyes.

Darien needed her to buy time, so she would buy time. As Serena saw it, in her Lycaon form she was a threat to Diamond – not much of one but still a threat – but in her human form Diamond still saw her as a defenceless weak mortal woman who was no threat to him at all.

Diamond's tendency to underestimate mortals was Serena's greatest weapon at this point and she intended to use it to her full advantage. And on top of that, as long as Diamond's vile gaze was on her body he wasn't paying attention to anything else.

"Nice." Diamond purred with creepy lust-filled approval. "Maybe I won't kill you that quickly."

"Same old threats, same hollow promises. Don't you have anything new to say, Diamond?" Serena tried to make her tone as nonchalant as her expression and was smugly pleased at how offhanded she actually sounded.

If she survived this night maybe she should try her hand at professional acting.

Finally Diamond raised his gaze to her face and tried to read her expression, but there was nothing to read – she was still young enough that the occasional lie was a necessary survival skill, especially as she'd been living on the campus where drama queens tended to rein supreme.

But Serena could read plenty in Diamond's eyes. She knew from her brief personal experience of him that Diamond had a mask that kept his thoughts from his eyes very well, but as he did not feel threatened obviously he felt he had no little to keep his thoughts concealed from her.

And what Serena saw turned her stomach. Dark lust flared in his black eyes at the sight of her naked body, anger no doubt at her flippant taunting tone and glee that would have been childlike if not for the evil that twisted each and every expression and emotion Diamond had.

There truly was no good in Diamond at all, not one ounce. Serena knew that everything that he had once been had all been burnt away centuries ago when he had Fallen after witnessing the death of his destined mate. Serena felt pity for that man who had suffered so much but she felt none for the monster he had become. There was nothing that could excuse all the evil Diamond had done since he had Fallen.

Diamond had to die, there was no way around that, but maybe in death he could finally know some peace.

Her thoughts must have leaked through her mask because rage flared in Diamond's eyes, replacing all else, and he snarled through his teeth, taking a menacing step towards her.

"Wipe that look of pity from your face right now!" Diamond warned with a furious vampiric hissing snarl.

But before Serena could react, Diamond was suddenly standing in front of her, with his arm drawn back and before Serena could do anything about it, Diamond – for the second time tonight – let his hand fly, backhanding her across the face with what had to have been most of his strength.

Pain exploded through her entire body and she lost all grip on her senses. She could not see, could not hear and could not feel anything but pain. Her head was ringing, her mind scrambled, and all she knew was the pain, which was all that was strong enough to penetrate the lake of disorientation she found herself drowning within.

Was she dead? Had Diamond killed her?

Darien could not reach her. Diamond had struck Serena hard, and the blow had left her disorientated and vulnerable. He could still feel her, could feel her pain and her terror as she fought to focus, to pull her mind back together and regather her senses before Diamond attacked her again.

Had Serena been mortal such a blow would have killed her ten times over, but now that she had the stronger more durable body of a Lycaon, it would take much more to kill her, for which Darien was unspeakably grateful.

But while Serena was down and in her human form, she was as helpless as a puppy.

Darien HAD TO get to her, to save her but he was still half a mile away and moving at a mortal pace due to his dangerously weakened condition.

Even when he reached her, Darien gravely feared that he would not be able to do much. In his current condition the best he could hope for was to buy Serena enough time to run. If she ran away from the Manor towards the east, then she would have a good chance of making it to Andrew.

To safety.

But first Darien had to get to her in time. Diamond had lead Serena around in a wide arch before heading for the clearing which was fortunate for Darien because if they had been going in a straight line it would have taken him far too long to reach them.

In fact, Darien knew that he never would have reached Serena in time to save her life.

He still might not reach Serena in time.

But thank the Goddess that his physical presence was not the only way he could help her. As Serena was practically a newborn into the Immortal world, it may be a long shot but right now it was all they had.

Darien reached deep into the link, throwing as much of himself into Serena's mind as the brand new Matelink would allow and focused on helping Serena find her focus.

'Serena, reach for me!'

Serena had regathered enough of her scattered senses to push through the pain and disorientation to recognise Darien's voice, Darien's presence inside of her own mind.

'Use me to focus.' Darien's authoritative but gentle tone echoed through her scrambled mind as Serena struggled to comprehend the meaning to his words. It was like he was speaking a different language that she had known a long time ago.

Serena tried to get her stunned mind working again, but it was so hard, like trying to swim through mud.

'Focus on me. Use me as a focus point to reassemble your mind.'

Focus? Darien wanted her to focus. Right. She needed to focus. There was something important that she had to remember, to do. But what was it?

'You're in grave danger, my love. You need to open your eyes and get back on your feet. He's hurting you, I can feel it. You have to defend yourself. You have to stay alive until I get there. You just need to hold on a little longer. Please, try to pull yourself together. He hit you hard but you are strong. Your will is the strongest I have ever known. Use it now.'

Someone what hurting her? Yes, there was pain. She could feel it, but it was all one. She could not tell one pain from another, the pain was like the disorientation. It was all around her; the disorientation and the pain had consumed her until she couldn't tell the two apart.

Darien said she had to focus. That she could use him to focus. He wanted her to open her eyes. Was that why she was suspended in darkness? Her eyes were closed; Darien wanted her to open her eyes.

'Yes, open your eyes!'

Okay. She needed to open her eyes, but how? She didn't even know where she was, let alone where her eyes were.

Focus. She needed to focus, to rid herself of the haze she was trapped within.

Use Darien as a focus point. Okay. She could do that. Serena could feel him, he was the warmth and pulsing light in the darkness on the edge of her consciousness, but the more she focused on him the more the disorientation faded and the pain increased.

There was more pain now and the more Serena pulled herself out of the heavy darkness the clearer and sharper the pain became. The pain even divided until Serena could distinguish one pain from another. There was aching pain in the distance and hot sharp burning pain that threatened to overwhelm her, to swallow her whole and destroy her.

But at the same time, the worse the pain became the more she aware Serena became. She became aware of not only her own emotions and senses, but Darien's as well.

And Darien's were stronger. They were more important to her. Darien was terrified because he loved her and she was being hurt. Darien loved her and if she died then he would die too.

And she was at risk of dying because of she was facing a dangerous enemy in battle.

That was where the pain was coming from. Diamond had hurt her, he had hit her. Diamond was hurting her.

Just like that, the scattered pieces of her mind fell into place like pieces of a puzzle.

Serena's eyes flared open. She was lying slumped on the ground at the base of the tree in the centre of the clearing that Diamond had slammed her into. She was naked; she could feel the cold damp foliage coated ground beneath her bare body and the course bark of the tree against her bare back.

Serena could even feel the cold breeze caressing her bare flesh like an icy lover's touch.

And hovering over her, crouched on his knees with his white hair hiding his black eyes from her, Diamond was enjoying himself as he cruelly ran one outstretched claw across her midsection, slicing another painful cut along her belly, adding another to the half a dozen long bloody gashes that were already there.

Diamond was cutting her, slowly, slicing her from one end of her belly to the other as if he were a toddler finger-painting with only one finger using only red paint.

Serena clinched her teeth, fighting against her need to scream in pain and forced her body to remain still. Diamond was slicing her flesh but not deep enough that he risked cutting anything vital – his objective was obviously to cause pain, not life-threatening injury.

No doubt Diamond intended use the sight of her bloody and injured naked body to distract and torture Darien when he arrived.

And Diamond was so focused on his task, taking so much sadistic delight from harming her, that he hadn't yet realised that she had woken.

This was her chance. Diamond was close and he was unaware. Serena didn't think that she'd actually passed out, rather just been literally knocked senseless from the force of Diamond's powerful blow.

And her impact with the tree hadn't helped at all either.

Reaching for her Lycaon magic, Serena willed her body to shift as she leapt into swift action.

As her body grew in size in the blink of an eye, contorting until she had four legs instead of two and a furry coat, Serena lashed out with her hand. As the blow landed her hand became a clawed paw the size of a serving tray. Tensing her fingers that were now toes, Serena felt and heard fabric and flesh tear as her claws slashes across Diamond's chest.

Roaring in outraged pain and surprise, Diamond leap back from her; he was several feet away before Serena had even returned her paw to the ground. His arm was crossed instinctively over the wound that was no where near as severe as Serena had hoped it would be.

Diamond snarled with sheer rage at her, the evil furious hate that burned in his black eyes promised that she would pay dearly for what she'd just done.

No doubt with life's blood.

Serena raised herself up onto all four feet, relieved that once again shifting had healed her minor wounds enough that the pain had dulled to a throb that was easily ignorable.

She could get used to this. Serena knew that shifting did not always completely heal severe wounds – just look at Nephlite and Zoicite – but it did dramatically speed up the process. So all she had to do was avoid any fatal injuries and she would survive.

But it came at a price. Each time Serena shifted, she could feel a fraction of her energy fade away. Shifting took energy from her. Which meant that each time she shifted she weakened. Shifting once or twice had no noticeable effect, but constantly shifting in such a short period of time could be dangerous, especially in battle.

So even Immortals had their limitations.

'Shifting too many times in a short period can leave you unconscious and leave you at the non-existent mercy of your enemy. In some extreme cases it can even kill you, so you must be careful Serena, do not shift again.'

Serena mentally rolled her eyes at Darien but kept her wary gaze focused outward on Diamond. 'Like you can talk, Darien. I can feel how weak you are. Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself. I have a few more shifts left in me, you don't.'

Serena heard Darien mentally snort at her words. 'Stop worrying about you? It would be easier for me to stop the Moon from rising.'

Diamond purposefully lowered his arm from his wound and shifted his weight, his stance becoming one of a man intending to attack.

Serena tensed in response, waiting for him to leap into action.

'Be wary, Serena.' Darien told her sternly. 'If he knocks you out even moderate wounds can kill you. You can't shift if your unconscious.'

Just like Rei. And just like that her pride and triumph at finally giving Diamond some of his own medicine was gone beneath a wave of anger and guilt.

Rei. Rei, who had very nearly sacrificed her own life to save her from Diamond, was proof enough that what Darien said was true.

Serena had to end this. For Rei.

All of the vigour Serena had been feeling since she'd leapt into pursuit of Diamond evaporated and all that was left was a burning rage and determination born from her bloodthirsty hunger for revenge.

This was THAT moment. Her moment.

Right here, right now, her moment had come. The moment in which everyone eventually had to face, the moment in which a person had to let go of their youth in favour of becoming all that they could be. Serena couldn't be that naive student any more, teetering on the knife's edge between the immaturity of girlhood and the responsibility of womanhood. She was a mated woman now, she would one day be a Princess – by marriage to the Lycaon Crown Prince – and possibly someday she would even be the Queen of all Lycaon kind. She would be looked up too, an example for everyone around her. She would be in a position of authority and expected to lead.

And defend. Serena was a warrior now, a solider against the Damned who threatened the innocent and wanted to take over both the Mortal and Immortal worlds. The Lycaon and Anami kind were the only ones who stood between the Damned and the Mortal world they had sworn to protect.

Serena had become so much more than she had ever thought she could be and she would only continue to grow from this night onwards. She had to pay for what she had been given and this was how. She lived for others now, lived to serve and protect.

Serena would never give up. Never. She would never stop fighting as long as there was an enemy to fight. She was going to fight as hard as she possibly could; she was going to fight every bit as hard as everyone else had ever fought for her so that she could become what she was destined to be.

And Diamond wasn't going to stand in her way any longer.

Serena could feel Darien's love and pride for her, his admiration for the bravery in her thoughts and her full and utter acceptance of her destiny, her place in his – their – world.

'Let your resolve drive you but do not let it make you reckless. Diamond's greatest strength and his greatest weakness is his ego. I am almost there, just hold him off a little longer.'

Serena did not comment, not even in her thoughts, but she could feel just how close to passing out from exhaustion Darien really was.

Serena cast a brief glance down at Diamond's wound and was pleased to see dark blood oozing from between his fingers, running down his arm and dripping onto the ground at his feet. Unfortunately the flow was already slowing. It would not do much to slow him down for long.

"YOU BITCH!" Diamond roared, black rage in his eyes such as Serena had never known. "YOU'LL DIE FOR THAT!"

Serena couldn't help but take a step back from him in fear. Finally Serena could truly see it, could see him for the centuries old fearsome Immortal warrior of the Damned that had kept Diamond on his throne all this time.

Diamond flexed his fingers and dramatically extended his arms out from his sides and bent his knees ever-so-slightly like something out of an exaggerated Dracula movie.

Serena tensed and bared her teeth, halting her retreat from him. Instinctively Serena knew that she wouldn't be able to buy any more time. She had so enraged Diamond that this time he intended to kill her for real.

A fight Serena had so little chance of winning alone.

'You are not alone.' Darien promised her, his tone hard and resolute, and like the knight in shining armour he was – not literally of course – Darien burst from the trees and into the clearing, as naked as the day he had been born.

He immediately positioned himself protectively between Diamond and herself.

Unfortunately, there was no way that Diamond could fail to noticed how dangerously weak Darien was. Darien was unsteady on his feet, swaying back and forth as he panted like a sixty year smoker who'd just climbed several flights of stairs, struggling desperately to catch each breath.

Darien was so weak that even breathing seemed too much for him.

'Darien.' Serena whispered into his mind through their Wolflink, her mental voice trembling with her fear and worry for him.

'Do not fear, my sweet Serena.' Darien soothed her. 'I would have to be dead to be kept from standing at your defence.'

Deep within, Serena's vibrant Lycaon heart clenched in agony at the very thought, and before she was even aware of what she was doing, Serena took her place at Darien's side.

'We protect each other now.' And without another word Serena charged at Diamond, focused on her target – Diamond's bloody thigh.

Serena suspected that she'd still be discovering knew aspects of her transformation a year from now, but still she was surprised at how fast she was able to move. Her feet hardly touched the ground before they were airborne again, and the trees around her blurred into a whirlwind of colour, but at the same time it strangely felt as if time itself had slowed down. She could hear her own heartbeat, she could feel the cold night air as she sped through it and she could see Diamond coming closer and closer as clearly as she had ever been able to see anything.

Serena opened her jaws wide, mentally preparing herself for the disgusting taste of Damned blood that would fill her mouth when she sunk her razor teeth into the flesh of Diamond's thigh.

But just a Serena reached him, her target disappeared as if into thin air, and then without warning, what felt like a lead pipe slammed into the back of her neck, sending her crushing down into the ground hard.

Serena shook her head, trying to clear the familiar disorientated state. Thankfully this time it passed with a few shakes of her furry head.

Though their Wolflink Serena heard Darien curse furiously at seeing Diamond hit the back of her neck with his arm and she felt his fury that Diamond had hurt her yet again.

Serena was getting really and truly sick and tired of getting hit in the head. How many blows could she take before she suffered permanent brain damage?

And with that thought Serena pushed herself back up onto her feet, aware that her legs and her bloody belly were covered in dirt and mud. Since her belly had the lightest layer of fur the feeling of her bloody and dirty state was not pleasant but she ignored it as she turned to find Darien engaged in ferocious battle with Diamond, already bleeding from several fresh wounds.

Even to her inexperienced eyes, Serena could tell that Darien was moving far too slowly, so much so that he was almost an easy target for Diamond's strikes, and on top of that, Darien was so weak that he couldn't strike out with enough force behind his own attacks to do much damage in return.

Serena considered giving Darien more of her own strength but knew he wouldn't take it. He wouldn't leave her any more defenceless against Diamond than she already was.

Even the two of them together weren't enough to take on Diamond and win. They were going to die at Diamond's hand very soon unless she did something.

But what could they do that they hadn't already tried? Darien didn't have any more tricks up his sleeve – hell, he didn't even have the strength to fight – and Serena had no more ideas either.

Where was Andrew? Surely the girls had done as she had asked? She had stressed to them that it was a matter of life and death that they get word to Andrew as quickly as they could.

The girls should have reached the Anami Mansion by now, they'd had more than enough time, even if they'd gotten lost a time or two.

Andrew was their last hope, so where was he?

Surely Andrew hadn't abandoned them, hadn't left them to face Diamond and his Damned Army alone? But what if Andrew's mansion had been attacked too? What if he couldn't help?

What would they do?

Very well aware that the two of them were fighting a losing battle, Serena jumped back into the fray without another thought for herself, striking out what little she could while staying out of Diamond's reach.

If Diamond got his hands on her again, Darien would no doubt be forced to watch her die a full moment before before he willingly joined her in death.

'Andrew, where are you?'

Now all three girls knew EXACTLY what all the commotion in the woods had been while they'd been in the car. It had been this. This, which even as they watched with their own eyes, could not believe.

The three enormous wolves – two had stepped soundlessly from the darkness moments before – were locked in a ferocious savage deadly battle with six of the men who had only minutes ago formed a circle around the three of them.

At first, after realising what was happening, all three girls had terrifyingly expected to watch the six men be gruesomely torn apart by the wolves that seemed to have been made for battle, but after only moments it had become painstakingly obvious that these men were not normal.

Hell, they probably weren't even human. Instead of being torn apart by claws that were longer than Mina's hand, the men had moved with inhuman speed and stealth and had dodged and avoided both the razor sharp claws and Tyrannosaurus Rex-like teeth while attacking the wolves with impossibly long claw-like fingernails – that had not been a part of their hands before they had sprung into battle as there was no possible way they had missed something like THAT – and obvious great superhuman strength.

Strength that had revealed it's impossible limitlessness when one of the men picked up one of the wolves and had THROWN IT INTO A TREE A GOOD FIFTEEN FEET AWAY!

Mina could not understand what she was seeing, but at the same time she could not deny what she was seeing. She had known that Trista and those with her were not normal – and logic told her that Andrew was one of them in every sense – but there was no way she could have guessed something like THIS!

This should have been impossible, these were creatures of myths and legends and movies, but ever since that moment that she had met Andrew's eyes, her world had changed, she had changed. Mina did not understand it, but she knew, just knew, that this was what Andrew was a part of.

And now so was she. As hard as if was for her to believe, to accept, her entire world had changed the moment she had connected with Andrew and it was so strong that she could not deny it, no matter how much she wanted too. She was drawn to Andrew in such a way that even now, apart from him after meeting him for only a matter on minutes, faced with a very possible gruesome death, all Mina could think about was that if she died she would never see Andrew again, never know him.

It was as if Andrew was the missing piece of her that she had unknowingly been searching for her entire life and now that she had found him she could only ever be complete with him.

But how did that make sense? How could it be real?

Trista had said that Lady Serena would be able to give her her answers. Did that mean that Serena had experienced something like this too? Did Serena feel like this about someone too? Could Serena explain to her exactly what this was between Andrew and herself?

Mina needed to see Serena, needed Serena to explain all of this. Mina needed to know what this was.

Mina wanted to world to make sense again.

"No!" Trista shouted from where she stood protectively in front of the three of them, effectively snapping Mina out of her thoughts with a startled jump.

Mina turned her attention back to what was happening around her in time to see Trista point to their right, at the darkness over their heads.

"Don't kill it here, not before the eyes of our Prince's innocent mate! Take it into the shadows!" Trista ordered, sounding like the battle Commander she claimed to be.

Mina peeked over the shoulders of the men who still stood protectively around them to see that two of the pale men had one of the wolves on the ground, holding it pinned by its neck and rear legs even as it struggled savagely against them, clawing deep gashes in the earth beneath it. Snarling and growling and snapping its massive jaws dangerously close to the one holding it pinned by it's neck.

But neither of the two men showed any fear of the massive beast with black soulless eyes.

And that was the last Mina saw of it. The massive wolf and the two men disappeared in the blink of an eye.

But the racket remained. The snarls and growls and thunderous chomping of its massive jaws continued on for a few moments more before it was silenced by a sickening meaty thud mixed with the horrible mixed sound of massive bone snapping and with one final pained pathetic whimper.

Mina knew the creature was dead, even before the two pale men stepped back into the light, their eyes focused on the remaining two enormous wolves.

"Do not weep for them, my lady."

Mina blinked, realising that the words were meant for her. She raised her gaze to find Trista watching her with a solemn expression, her eyes soft with sadness.

"To become what they are, they must spill life's blood of the innocent." Trista explained, her words carrying the same sadness as her haunting eyes, her words just loud enough to be heard clearly over the noise of the battle that raged around them. "These evil creatures have spilt the blood of countless innocence. This is what we do. We put an end to them and hope that they may find peace in the next life with the Moon Goddess."

Trista turned her sad eyes back to the battle. "Every one of the Damned was once one of us, Anami or Lycaon, they once stood with us in the same battle we continue to fight, but they fell to the Darkness that we all carry, that we all fight every unmated day of our lives. Their numbers swell as ours dwindle, and with each one of us that fall to the Darkness, a little more of the waning hope that we have left vanishes with them."

Trista turned and looked Mina straight in the eye with a faint sparkle in her own. "That is what makes yourself and Lady Serena so special, so important to us. You are both cause for renewed hope for our kind, for all Immortals. The light in our eternal night. This is why any one of us would gladly lay down our lives for you, or your friends."

And then Trista smiled, it was a smile filled with sadness and pain, but it was the smile of one who still had hope none-the-less. "You can feel it, can't you? This life, your mate, calling to you from the core of your very soul."

Over Trista's shoulder Mina watched as the six men, who moments before had been engaged in battle, disappeared into the darkness dragging the remaining two massive wolves who struggled violently against the hands that held them.

Ten seconds later, after sounds Mina did not want to hear again, there was only silence.

If Mina had had anything left in her stomach she would've definitely been violently sick. Again.

"Just get us out of here." Lita pleaded, who now looked just as pale and sickly as Mina felt.

Mina had never seen Lita look like that before and it scared Mina more than the massive wolves had. No matter what had happened, what situation they had found themselves in, Lita had always been the strong indomitable one, brave and unmovable.

Trista nodded her head once and raised her right hand high up into the air above their heads, gesturing forward with her hand.

A moment later the muffled sound of a motor engine replaced the silence and out of the darkness, like a great big black monster stepping out of the safe cover of night, a black SUV with tinted windows drove up to them.

Trista lowered her arm and extended it towards the vehicle, inviting them forward. "Your friend awaits, if you still wish to carry onward."

Without a word, the three of them moved towards the SUV, not one of them had it in them to do anything else. All three of them just wanted to get to Serena and then wait for this life-altering night to end.

The closest man to the vehicle from their protective circle quickly moved to open the hind door on the passenger side, wordlessly coaxing them up onto the long black leather back seat.

Amy stepped up first, sliding along so Lita could follow behind, both getting in without question of a word of argument.

Mina stepped forward to follow Lita but paused before stepping up. She turned and looked into the darkness at the spot that she'd last laid eyes on the massive wolves with black eyes, all too aware of her protective detail around her waiting impatiently for her to step up into the black SUV that looked as if it had been plucked right out of the hands of the Secret Service.

Serena really was in danger, and now so were they. What had they stumbled into that Mina had the sickening suspicion she was now an important part of?

As Mina stepped up into the SUV beside Lita and clicked in her seatbelt, knowing one thing for certain: her life was never going to be the same again. Tonight had changed everything forever and Mina couldn't fight the dreadful fear that it might not be a change for the better.

Serena couldn't keep this up much longer, and Darien was in an even worse state.

In the past few minutes the situation had gone from really bad to disastrous. Darien was now bleeding from over a dozen wounds, a few of which were quite serious and his strength reserves were all but depleted; he was very close to having nothing left.

He was almost done. For good.

And Serena had various wounds of her own, none life-threatening but enough to start really affecting her. With every drop of blood that flowed or oozed from her Lycaon body, another ounce of her strength left with it.

Diamond hadn't gained a single wound since she'd swiped him across his chest with her claws even though Darien was fighting with all his might and Serena intervening when she could. Their Wolflink helped them coordinate attacks that ultimately failed due to Darien's weakened condition and her own inexperience.

All they had managed to do was not get killed, but unless something changed it wouldn't be long now; one way or another they were going to fall.

Then it happened. Darien knew it just as surely as she did that it was now or never and in his desperation Darien lunged for Diamond's throat, his claws outstretched as far out in front of him as he could manage, intending to sink his clawed human fingers into Diamond's throat, effectively fatally wounding him and ending Diamond's life.

But Diamond saw it coming. Serena saw his gleeful dark triumphant grin that chilled her right to the bone and reached for Darien through the Wolflink even though Serena knew that her warning would come too late.

Diamond brought his own clawed hand down as he sidestepped Darien's attack, aiming for Darien's jugular artery exactly as Darien had intended with him.

No. NO!

The world spun around her, blurring every detail but one.

Diamond's hand.

Darien cried out in pain and anguish as Serena let out a pained whimper as blood sprayed through the clearing.

Andrew could smell blood. A lot of blood, mixed with other bodily fluids.

The scent was so potent, so overpowering, that Andrew hadn't known anything like it in over three hundred years, not since the last medieval battlefield he had fought upon. It had been a devastating victory. Andrew had led his army against their Damned enemy who had been outnumbered but had fought fiercely; the Damned had been defeated but Andrew's army had suffered great loses. For two days the nearby river had run red with the blood of so many of his own.

The smell came first, carried by the wind forewarning them of the death they were about to see. The cries of battle came next.

Andrew hurried faster through the trees with his own forces at his back, several dozen of his warriors, all brave and loyal. All willing to die for him and their cause. All willing to fight with their Lycaon Allies regardless of the animosity that had once existed between their peoples.

The first thing Andrew noticed as they left the trees was the destroyed outer manor walls, beyond which laid the trashed manor and grounds, all of which were a frenzy of battling pairs and even a few groups, all fighting for their lives.

Andrew came to a halt but the forces at his back did not. His brave Anami warriors, most of whom had severed him for hundreds of years, did not hesitate to join the battle against the Damned enemy who had until their arrival clearly and gravely outnumbered their opponents.

As they were trained to do, a small number made up of his healers and field medics began to sort through those who lay on the cold bloody earth – the wounded and the lost. They tended to the wounded as best they could and finished off the wounded Damned. It was a well practised strategy that Andrew had long ago shared with the Lycoan kind. Tending to the wounded even while the battle raged resulted in fewer deaths and dealing with the downed Damned prevented surprises – such as the enemy re-rallying against them when they thought the battle over.

Only his two bodyguards remained at his back as Andrew searched the battlefield for sign of Darien – in human or Lycaon form, Andrew knew both forms well.

Andrew did not see Darien but he did see one battling Lycaon in human form that he did recognise. He watched as two of his own hurried to relieve the obviously exhausted and wounded Beta of the two Damned Anami soliders he was fighting that was easily twice the man's human size.

Upon realising Andrew's presence on the battlefield, Jadeite promptly turned and hurried to him, limping badly the whole way.

With one look at Jadeite's injured leg, noting the badly torn flesh and blood trickling down his leg, Andrew had to wonder how the Lycaon was still in the battle, especially while fighting on two legs instead of four – well, one and half legs anyway.

At his back, Andrew sensed his bodyguards tense in response to the Lycaon's approach on an active battlefield – a reaction born from centuries spent as enemies before becoming allies – but they did no more than that as logic overrode the automatic and instinctive response; Jadeite was no threat to their Crown Prince as he was the alley they had come to aid.

Andrew studied Jadeite as he approached and noted his injuries and the obvious signs of fatigue on the man. Jadeite, along with all others of his own on the battlefield, had fought long and hard, yet even beyond their limits they had fought on.

Darien was fortunate in his strong and devoted pack. Andrew's own had never been tested so formidably, but Andrew had no doubt that his own would honour him just as Darien's own continued to honour him.

Jadeite, panting heavily, carefully but quickly bowed his head to Andrew as was proper, but Andrew waved the formality aside.

"Where is Darien and his mate?"

Jadeite pointed into the trees at Andrew's back. "Diamond took off. Serena persuaded and Darien followed."

Andrew narrowed his eyes, baffled. "How could Serena pursue?" Surely Darien never would have let her do so, not that Andrew intentionally doubted Jadeite's word.

Jadeite swallowed, still trying to catch his breath. "You will not believe it easily, but Serena followed Diamond in her Lycaon form."

All three Anami's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

Andrew whirled on his heel and flew back into the trees.

If what Jadeite said was true and Serena had become of the Lycaon kind then she was a miracle worth any price to protect, even his own life.

A miracle Andrew had to see with his own eyes, especially now that he had found his own mortal mate. If Serena had become Lycaon, did it then stand to reason that Mina could become Anami?

Had Andrew not scented Serena for himself, he would have considered other possibilities, such as that Serena had been a born Lycaon who had been lost in the Mortal world, growing up not knowing what she was. But he HAD sampled her scent and Andrew had no doubt that Serena had been a mortal human in all meanings of the word the last time he had been in her presence.

For the second time in one night hope, real hope bloomed in Andrew's soul. After so long, could it be possible that he had been gifted such a precious mate? A mortal born who could become one of the Immortal World?

Dare he believe it so?

Serena slammed into Darien so hard that she sent the both of them rolling, blood spraying as Diamond's craws raked Darien's back and Serena's belly and side.

The three of them went sprawling in three different directions.

Serena had feared that she wouldn't make it in time and she very nearly hadn't. Instead of trying to knock Diamond off his feet to save Darien, Serena had collided with them both just in time to spare Darien's neck from Diamond's fatal blow.

When Serena had rammed the two of them, Diamond's attack had been knocked off target. Instead of Darien's neck, Diamond's claws had sunk into Darien's back and had sliced through his flesh right down the length of his back. And then as a result of the force of her own attack, Serena's side and belly had collided with Diamond's outstretched claws as well. The force of her own lunge had very nearly impaled her on Diamond's razor claws.

Only when everything was silent and she was still, did the pain hit her like an anvil. Serena lay on the ground on her side – thankfully her uninjured side – as her wounds throbbed with red hot pain, pain that kept her paralysed on the ground.

Even breathing was agony.

The wound felt hot and it throbbed in a way that made the wound seem alive, like the wound had a life of its own and it was pissed.

The wound was deep. That Serena knew. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew. She could feel her blood streaming down her body to pool on the ground below her, turning the damp earth into sticky black mud. The sensation felt strange, the blood felt hot and cold at the same time, while her wound blazed like someone had set fire to her belly and side.

This was it. She was done. She had done all she could do and it still hadn't been enough. She was this amazing powerful creature, a legendary Lycaon and still she hadn't made a difference.

Diamond was going to kill them both and in doing so he would win. The evil Darien had spent his entire Immortal life keeping at bay would flood the earth and all good would fall.

In Darien's mind in response to her thoughts, Serena heard Darien hope that Andrew might have a shot at stopping Diamond now that his forces had been diminished at the cost of his pack, but as mighty a warrior as Andrew was, Darien was Diamonds only living equal in battle and in cunning intelligence and strategy.

Serena was saddened that she hadn't been able to affect the outcome of the war but consoled herself with that at least she had known real love. The kind of endless powerful love she'd dreamed of as a little girl. She was endlessly thankful for that, for Darien.

For the brief but happy time they'd shared.

A shadow fell over her and Serena opened her eyes enough to look up at the monster who towered over her.

"Diamond, don't you dare touch her again!"

At the sound of Darien's weak but threatening voice, Serena smiled. Her smile was weak but real. Darien had sounded so weak and she could hear pain in his voice just as clearly as she could feel it, but at the same time there had been that hard commanding tone of supreme authority that Darien used when he was determined to have his way.

It was the voice of a man who had been raised, and intended to be, king.

Darien was there with her. They would die but at least they would die together. If they both had to die then that was how Serena wanted it. She feared dying only a little bit, she feared leaving Sammy alone and the girls behind who would never know what happened to her, but she feared Darien's death most of all.

Just as Darien feared nothing more than her death.

Darien watched helplessly as Diamond hovered over Serena's still and wounded form, his hand raised high to strike and kill her as Darien watched on, too injured and weak to rise to his feet no matter how hard he tried. He had been pushed well and truly beyond his limits tonight, more so than ever before, and now because he was weak he was going to watch Diamond kill his mate just as Diamond had watched his mate die so long ago.

This was what Diamond truly wanted, his ultimate revenge upon him. Diamond wanted Darien to suffer as he had in the moments before he had fallen to Damnation. As a Damned Diamond was unable to feel love or kindness or empathy. He knew only hatred, anger and revenge.

Diamond intended for Darien to suffer a fate worse than death before Diamond finally killed him.

Darien struggled again to rise to his feet, but he did not even have the strength to get to his knees. As it was, it was all he could do just to remain conscious. The looming blackness of exhaustion had become heavier with each passing moment; he wouldn't be able to keep it at bay much longer.

'No! Serena!' Darien feebly reached out for her from where he lay on the cool damp earth, his barely open eyes filled with fear and anguish. 'I'm so sorry, my sweet goddess. I never should have brought you into this life. I should have left you alone, safe in your mortal life.'

Serena's heart and eyes softened with her love for him, and with the sadness that their time together was coming to an abrupt end far too soon. She had no regrets though; she did not regret a single moment of their brief time together. She was only sad knowing that her death would cause Darien unbearable torment and in turn bring about his own death.

'No,' Serena cooed softly into his mind. 'Listen to me, Darien. I would rather die tonight than live an eternity never knowing you, never knowing this love that has taught me to fly. Never knowing this magic that you have shown me, that you have made me a part of. I was so wrapped up in trying to achieve the life that I thought I wanted that I didn't realise that I wasn't really living. You brought me to life in a way I never dreamed. You showed me a world filled with life and magic and loyalty, and I am and always will be eternally grateful for to you for that, but what I am most grateful for is you and your love.'

Serena summoned every ounce of her love for him and sent it through their wolflink, needing him to feel the power and purity of her love for him so he couldn't doubt her declaration of love. She wasn't afraid of the unknown any more, she wasn't afraid of dying. Darien had taught her that there was nothing to fear in death, that in the unknown lurked so much possibility and hope and if this truly was the end for them then Serena wanted Darien to know that.

To believe.

'I love you with my whole heart and I am honoured to have been your Wolfmate. The pack calls me the miracle but in truth you are the miracle, my love. Your strength and courageous heart has brought your people so much further than they would have gone without you. They live today because of your strength and your stubborn head. They have hope because you endure.'

Darien opened his mouth to declare his love out loud, needing to speak the words for Serena and the whole world to hear one last time, but movement over her caught his attention.

It seemed that Diamond was not going to allow Darien his final chance to tell her how much he loved her.

Darien's heart froze in his chest and his eyes grew wide as Diamond's clawed hand sped down through the air, aimed at Serena's unprotected neck.

The blow that would end Serena's life.

NO!

Without warning, like the intervening hand of the divining angels on high, something shot out from the trees with all the speed of a bullet from a gun and rammed into Diamond's unprotected unsuspecting back.

The force of the collision knocked Diamond off his knees and sent him flying over Serena's still form and into the trees on the other side of the clearing. A moment later the sound of something big hitting wood with jarring force vibrated through the silence of the clearing and the forest around them.

Darien raised his gaze from his Wolfmate's beautiful face to the face of the man now standing in Diamond's place over Serena.

Andrew grinned devilishly down at him with a sparkle in his green eyes that Darien had never seen there before. "Sorry we're so late, my friend. We intercepted thirty Damned headed for the Manor and had to deal with them before coming here. I did not believe you wanted Diamond's reinforcements making life even more difficult for your own."

Darien's eyes narrowed on his good friend, to whom Darien would forever owe an unrepayable debt for saving Serena's life. Even in his weakened state Darien could see that there was something very different about him; he seemed lighter, almost . . . . slaphappy?

But now was not the time for such things, even with Andrew's aid Diamond would not be easy to take down.

Behind Andrew, two Anami warriors stepped out of the trees into the clearing, both quickly taking flanking positions just behind their Crown Prince, both prepared to fight the most fearsome Damned warrior on earth for their prince.

Serena sighed in relief into the cold ground beneath her, taking a moment to close her eyes to collect herself and offer her silent thanks to the Moon Goddess who watched over all Immortals. It had worked. The girls had found Andrew and had delivered her message; help had come at last. Now there they had a real chance of winning the battle that continued to rage in the Lycaon territory.

'Thank the Goddess.' Serena silently repeated her thanks, once again thanking in prayer the Moon Goddess of the Immortal races that was now her deity also.

Serena opened her eyes and returned her attention to their rescuers and noted with great relief that only one of them showed any sign of having recently engaged in battle; the Anami to Andrew's right had two minor gashes running along one cheek as if he had been attacked by something with sharp claws that had narrowly missed taking his head from him shoulders. The wound had already healed enough that it had clotted, only drying blood from his check to the neck of the buttoned up shirt tarnished his otherwise pristine appearance.

They had fought as Andrew had said but none of them looked tired or showed any sign of being badly injured. Each of the three were able and ready to fight, which gave them a distinct advantage over Diamond who had to be tiring after all he had done.

And it pleased Serena to no end that this time it was Diamond who was outnumbered. Gravely outnumbered if she counted Darien and herself – which might not actually be smart since the both of them were down for the count for the foreseeable future.

"Fear not for your pack, Darien." Andrew assured him, drawing Serena's focus from her thoughts.

"I have sent the rest of my forces to the Manor; what Damned remain will be suppressed with no more loss of life." Andrew explained reassuringly as he walked over to Darien and helped him into a sitting position with hardly any effort at all, moving his naked blood and mud covered body back a foot or two to lean him up against the nearest tree trunk. "My best field healers are among them, the wounded will be seen too."

Then Andrew turned his attention to her. Serena opened her mouth to speak, momentarily forgetting that her Lycaon vocal cords weren't up to human speech, and as a result a strange sounding whine came out.

Darien laughed weakly but the sound was filled with genuine love and amusement at her momentarily bewilderment. "Serena says 'hi Andrew'."

Andrew grinned down at her, amused as well. "Hello, Serena." He lowered himself down onto his knees beside her and inspected her wounds, but he must have seen something in her eyes because he gave her a reassuring gentle pat on her furry shoulder. "Have no fear, your friends are safe. I promise."

Serena quirked an eyebrow at him. Was it just the loss of blood that had made Andrew's tone sound funny – not ha ha funny, but weird funny – when he had spoken of her friends?

Serena would have asked Darien to inquire on her behalf but the sounds of battle from the trees pulled her attention away from Andrew and his almost . . . giddy demeanour.

Serena turned her gaze to the trees just in time to see one of Andrew's Anami bodyguards – the one that didn't have a bloody cheek – come flying out from between the trees and hit the ground hard only a few feet from her, spraying dirt through the clearing behind him.

Andrew was instantly on his feet and then he was gone, disappearing into the same trees.

A moment later the second bodyguard was back on his feet, and following his prince.

Serena could smell fresh blood. Anami blood. The Anami bodyguard was bleeding.

And the smell wasn't like that of the blood of the Damned. It wasn't sickening or rancid, but it wasn't exactly a pleasant scent either. It was a lot like Lycaon blood – that scent she knew well after the last few hours – but at the same time it was so very different.

'It is believed that Lycaon and Anami kind share a common ancestor, or so the legends of old go.' Darien explained even though his thoughts and senses were focused on the battle within the trees that he could hear but not see. 'Mortal blood is metallic, but ours is . . . well the best description with your limit knowledge and experience would be magical. It's what makes us different from mortals on the cellular level.'

In the back of her head Serena thought that this was more something Amy would be interested in with her highly intelligent and curious mind.

Serena personally was satisfied with magic as an explanation.

In Darien's mind, Serena heard him reflect on how easily Serena's attention became sidetracked, just like a puppy.

Serena growled half playfully into Darien's head making Darien chuckle ever so briefly.

Serena reflected on Darien's previous thought and had to admit that he had a small point. It might be something she would have to work on, but everything was new and fresh to her now, so sue her if she got a little sidetracked by it.

Darien had had centuries to experience the world through the eyes of an Immortal and learn to focus his instincts and abilities – she hadn't.

Serena, momentarily distracted from her wounds by their playful banter, made a move to sit up but the pain that shot through her quickly had her lying back down where she carefully kept her body still.

Serena raised her head and turning only her head, studied the worst of her wounds. It wasn't bleeding as badly as it had before, the blood now oozing out rather than gushing, but it was still just as painful.

Serena sighed. It seemed that being an Immortal being able to shift into a wolf the size of a minivan did not exempt her from pain.

Darien studied Serena's wound through her eyes and mentally noted that it would need seeing too once Diamond was taken care of.

Which would be nowhere near soon enough. Had Darien the strength, he would have crawled across the clearing to her and tended to her wounds, but right now he was struggling just to remain conscious.

His body needed to rest and very soon, one way or another, it was going to get what it needed. It was only Darien's loving compulsion to keep Serena safe that gave him the force of will needed to remain awake for as long as he had.

Suddenly, three tall figures burst out from the trees, all three engaged in a frenzied battle of sharp slashing claws, snapping elongated teeth and superhuman strength, speed and agility.

Even with her new Lycaon eyes Serena was just barely able to follow enough of the battle to know that even with two against one, Diamond was still holding his own well enough that he had suffered no new injuries.

Andrew and his bodyguard – the one with the bloody cheek – were fighting their hardest but they just couldn't seem to gain the upper hand long enough to kill Diamond.

Oh, by the Goddess! Serena mentally cried out exasperated, using one of Darien's favourite exclamations of frustration. What was it going to take to bring Diamond down?!

Serena didn't know where the second Anami bodyguard was – Serena hoped he wasn't dead – but even with the two Anami warriors, Diamond was still holding his own and Serena just couldn't tolerate that.

Diamond was going down. Tonight. Serena was going to make sure of it!

'Serena, don't you dare!' Darien warned her sternly, glaring warningly at her from where he sat slumped up against the tree, his glare impressively thunderous despite his weakened and injured condition.

Not ten feet from her, Andrew and his bodyguard were exchanging blows with Diamond, but not one was landing.

Serena was sick and tired of bleeding, it was well and truly time that Diamond shed some of his blood. A lot of it preferably.

Clinching her teeth tightly against the pain, Serena forced her body into a sitting position, all the while Darien continued to growl and threaten and plead inside her head.

As much as Serena loved Darien, she had to admit that it had been so much easier to plot and do mischief when Darien hadn't been able to hear her thoughts and feel her emotions.

'Serena! Let Andrew handle Diamond!'

Serena ignored him.

Darien promptly decided to switch tactics; his threats didn't carry much weight when he couldn't even sit upright by himself.

'Serena,' Darien said in a gentle cajoling tone. 'You are very brave to want to help but you'll only be in the way. Haven't you learned your lesson yet? Look at yourself! You haven't even been a Lycaon for one day let alone been trained to use your abilities!'

Serena ignored him, although she made a mental note to punish him for his choice of words later.

In the way? Learned her lesson? If Serena had had vocal cords she would have told him to kiss her ass. She might have been his mate but she was not his to command!

Darien really had to join the twenty-first century.

'Serena!'

Serena could feel her four paws beneath her and feel the cool wind dance across her pelt. She could hear the sounds of the ferocious and savage battle that raged beside her and she could hear Darien's frantic heartbeat from his fear for her.

Serena opened her eyes and raised her front paw to take a step when suddenly two things happened at once. Pain shot through her entire body radiating from her stomach and the world spun around her as a wave of weakness and dizziness hit her without warning.

Serena stumbled and her front legs collapsed beneath her, causing another wave of stabbing pain to shoot through her making her release a pained whimper before she could stop it.

"Serena." Darien whispered out loud, clearly distressed and hating himself for not being able to help her and for putting her in this situation. Hating himself because she was in pain and there was nothing he could do for her.

Serena's heart once again swelled with love for him. Darien had always carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, had always taken care of others while caring nothing for what it cost him. He always blamed himself for everything.

It seemed that Serena was going to have a full time job with him. He was going to learn that not everything was up to him, that it was alright to let others join the fight occasionally.

Serena gritted her teeth so hard that she was hurting herself but she forced herself up onto her feet regardless, fighting to push back the dizziness and her exhaustion. She had to get to her feet and stay on her feet. She had to fight.

'No, you don't.'

Serena opened her eyes and looked at the battling trio. Nothing had changed but the steadily rising number of injuries Andrew and his bodyguard had.

She had to help.

And without another thought, without any more hesitation, Serena summoned up all her remaining strength and ran into the fray.

Serena had no more idea of what she was doing than she'd had the first time she'd battled in Lycaon form – only a short while ago – but this time she handed herself completely over to her instincts, to what felt right. She snapped her hug muzzle while making sure that she didn't bite either of her Anami allies and when they were clear Serena lashed out with her sharp claws.

Not once did Serena land a blow or catch Diamond with teeth or claw, but Andrew and his bodyguard took full advantage of the presence of the massive attacking animal with claws and teeth and struck out when Serena had Diamond momentarily distracted.

Andrew got Diamond quite badly across the right side of his ribs and the Anami with him caught Diamond across the shoulder blade and the back of his arm.

The three of them fell into a rhythm. The bodyguard would divert Diamond's attention away from her and Serena would use the opportunity to lash out at Diamond, who easily dodged her attacks but Andrew was there waiting when Diamond did.

Diamond has sustained two more injuries, both minor, one to his lower thigh and the other to his hand, when he'd finally had enough.

Serena didn't see it coming and the three men saw it coming too late to warn her.

Diamond waited for her to go for him again and then he lashed out with his uninjured leg, kicking out at his with all his strength while ducking beneath Andrew's clawed hand.

Diamond's foot caught her fair in the stomach, right in the previous injury he'd given her. Serena felt her flesh tear as Diamond effectively reopened her wound anew.

Serena screamed in pain, which in her Lycaon form came out as a pain-filled cross between a roar and a whimper.

Serena didn't even remember being airborne, all she knew was that one moment she was in the heated fray of battle being hurt and the next she was on the other side of the clearing, lying limply on the cool damp earth that felt oddly pleasant compared to her heated bleeding and swollen flesh.

'Serena!'

'I'm alright,' Serena replied instantly, automatically, but her tone was weak and filled with her agony. Her tone betrayed the lie in her words.

In her mind, Serena felt Darien's desperation as he pulled himself across the foliage covered hard damp earth in desperate need to reach her.

Serena opened her eyes enough that she could see him, but other than that she did not move. Her large furry body did not have the strength to move. There was no if, buts or maybes about it; she was done.

'End this, Darien.' Serena weakly pleaded him.'Diamond's evil must end. Please, for Rei.'

Darien feared she was dying and Serena found herself unable to care. She didn't have the strength left to care; she just wanted this done with, once and for all.

Still several feet away, Darien's heart very nearly stopped beating. Surely Serena wasn't giving up, not Serena, who was filled to the brim with life and energy and that feisty stubborn will of hers.

What had Diamond done to his Serena?

Fury boiled inside of him such as Darien had never known. Serena giving up was not right! A defeated Serena was just wrong!

Darien turned his attention from Serena to Diamond to find that Diamond was only a matter of feet away, in fact Darien was closer to Diamond than he was to Serena.

His entire body was consumed by a throbbing pain that robbed every muscle of its strength, but if it was the last thing he ever did, Darien would find the strength to end this.

Darien focused everything he had on his right hand, but for a long moment nothing happened. For the first time since mastering his abilities, his body would not obey.

Darien poured more of his will into his task, and long seconds later his drained body slowly managed to obey him.

Maybe for the last time. Had he ever been so weak, so exhausted, in all his long life?

If he had then Darien had long since forgotten it.

Darien flexed his aching fingers; the tips of his five long sharp claws harmlessly caressed his palm.

It had been a long time ago that Darien had learned the valuable lesson that the defeat of an enemy could come from the smallest of things, the right attack that took so little to accomplish could tip the scales.

All he had to do was wait. Wait for his chance.

Diamond was going to pay for the harm he had done to Serena and Darien was going to accept nothing less than life's blood as payment.

Darien did not have to wait long. Andrew saw to that.

Andrew had kept a careful eye on Serena, mindful of both her and Darien's location, making sure to keep the fight away from the two weak and injured Lycaon's.

No more harm was going to come to either of them, especially not the young woman who had unknowingly delivered his mate to him.

Which was why, when he caught sight of Darien crawling on his belly toward Serena, Andrew had manoeuvred Diamond further towards the opposite side of the clearing.

And why, when Darien stopped in the middle of the clearing and extended the claws of his right hand with his eyes focused on Diamond, Andrew knew what he had to do.

Andrew planned his course of action carefully. This was their chance, the one they had waited for for centuries and Andrew was not going to let it slip away.

Attacking one at a time, Andrew and his bodyguard subtly manoeuvred the three of them back towards the centre of the clearing, keeping Diamond solidly focused on the two of them and his back to what lurked behind him.

Andrew didn't need to worry with words with his bodyguard who'd been with him for centuries. Like all Andrew's personal bodyguards, they had trained together until they could act as one in battle.

Andrew did not consider any of his own his serves; he considered them friends and family. They had fought together many times, had earned each other's trust and loyalty time and time again and as such they had all learnt to fight and move in harmony.

Andrew's bodyguard had caught on to Andrew's intention almost immediately.

They continued to push Diamond back, a step at a time.

Attack. Attack.

First step back.

Attack.

Second step back.

Almost there, just one more step.

Andrew attacked, one last time.

There!

Darien aligned his claws, tensed his fingers and lashed out, aiming for the ankles that were now within arms reach.

Skin and flesh parted and blood sprayed, soaking Darien's fingers as he sliced his claws through both of Diamond's ankles, severing both Achilles tendons.

Diamond cried out in startled pain as he crumbled to the ground like dead weight, his feet now useless to hold him up.

A tiny triumphant grin touched Darien's lips for the briefest of moments before his naked body, filthy from head to toe with blood and mud, became limp and darkness closed in on him.

'Darien!' Serena cried out weakly from where her Lycaon bleeding body lay on the cold damp earth.

The only thing that kept Serena from completely losing it was that she could still feel him there, on the edge of her consciousness, even though she couldn't hear anything; Darien was there but he wasn't responding to her at all, it was like his mind had near completely shut down.

She had to get to him. Serena needed to feel his beating heart beneath her hands.

Not her paws.

Serena closed her eyes and reached deep within her, pushing away everything else and turning all her focus inward. She didn't know if she had the strength left to shift one more time but she was going to find out.

She ignored her fear for Darien, she ignored the men around her as Andrew moved in on Diamond for the kill, she ignored the pain of her injuries and she ignored her own exhaustion.

Serena needed to be human again.

And there is was. The warm pulsing power inside of her. It was like a second heart that she could bend to her will, it pulsed with life and warmth and power, like a tiny sun she carried inside of her.

It was the second greatest gift Darien had ever given her but it was as precious to her as Darien's first gift.

Darien's first and the most treasured gift was Darien's own heart, a heart filled with all the love and devotion Darien possessed.

Darien had given her so much. More than she could ever repay and she wasn't going to lose everything now! There was no way in heaven or hell that Serena was going to let either of them die.

Her body might have been too weak to shift again but Serena's will was as strong it had ever been. She focused on the magic and poured every tiny bit of her will against it, compelling the magic into action even though her body did not have the strength to offer the change.

It fought her, wordlessly telling her that she was indeed too weak for this, but Serena stubbornly kept pushing against it, bending it to her will.

And just like that Serena felt the warmth, the magic spread over her and this time the pain of transforming was easier to ignore and was gone much sooner.

Serena opened her eyes and cast a glance down at her naked body to see that the wound on her belly was still open but once again the flow of blood had slowed from gushing to oozing.

Suspecting that her blood loss was one of the reasons why she was so weak, Serena lowered her hand to her belly and pressed her palm against the deepest and widest part of the wound just above her hip bone not knowing if it would make any kind of difference. It was what people did when they were hurt, covering the wound either to protect it or in effort to slow the flood of their life giving blood.

But that was all Serena had the strength to do. She had used everything she had to shift that one last time. Lying her head on her other arm, Serena closed her eyes and welcomed the looming darkness with one last thought.

'Darien.'

Andrew looked down at the man who was considered the world over as the most fearsome Damned warrior on the planet who was at this very moment crawling through the blood soaked earth in desperate attempt to flee from him.

But Andrew was not going to allow that. Diamond had done so much damage, caused so much hurt over his long Damned life that there was only one mercy left for him – his own swift death.

It did not seem honourable that this was how such a mighty warrior met his end but Andrew was not going to hesitate. He had to think about all he had spent his entire life fighting to protect – his people, his allies the Lyccaon kind, his friends, his family, the innocent people of the Mortal world and now his own mate.

Diamond had threatened Serena time and time again over her short time in the Immortal world, had even kidnapped and hurt her, and Andrew could and would not let the same thing happen to his own mate.

Mina. Such a perfect name for her, the fair golden haired beauty with the bewitching angelic eyes who looked so alike Serena that they could have been sisters.

Andrew sensed movement behind him as someone stepped into the clearing but a sampling of the air told him that it was the second of the bodyguards who had taken a blow meant for him when they had been battling Diamond amongst the trees.

The wound would not cost the brave Anami warrior his life but it had been severe enough to keep him from the remaining of the battle.

"May you find forgivenesses and peace in the Realm of the Moon Goddess, Diamond. May your lost mate welcome you into her open arms at long last." Andrew bestowed the traditional final farewell upon Diamond for all the service Diamond had done Andrew's father, the Lycaon King, before he had fallen into Damnation.

"Just be done with it!" Diamond hissed through his teeth, defeated yet still proud.

Andrew rushed forward, yanked Diamond back onto his knees and raised his hand up high, his half-bent fingers locked in position, his extended claws sharp and deadly.

Darien wanted so much to rest his pained and aching body that had been pushed beyond all limits this night, but he needed to make sure Serena was safe before he could rest.

Darien did not know how long he had been out for, but he suspected that it hadn't been much longer than a few minutes. He was a warrior whose instincts were far too well honed to allow him to remain unconscious on a battlefield.

Movement was what kept one alive. It was the rule on the battlefield. Those who remained still were an easy target, those who pushed on and kept moving stood the best chance of surviving.

But Darien's mind and heart were insisting that he move for a much more important reason than his own survival.

Serena was hurt. Darien did not know just how much of a Lycaon Serena had become, maybe she was all Lycaon now, but maybe she did not have all their strengths. It took a lot to kill a Lycaon, even in human form, as Immortal beings could heal almost any wound if it was seen too in time but Serena was not a born Lycaon and there was no telling what her limits were.

Darien forced his eyes open but even that seemed to be too much to ask of his exhausted and battered body. Everything was blurry as his eyes struggled to find their focus.

Serena. Where was Serena?

"Serena." Darien croaked weakly, the word so softly spoken that his superhuman ears barely caught the sound.

Serena. Darien reached for her with his mind and found her but the absence of cognitive activity told him that she was unconscious.

Serena.

"She's here." A familiar and gentle voice assured him from somewhere above.

Darien raise his gaze, which after a few more seconds finally focused, to reveal the calm face of his Anami best friend who was kneeling on one knee beside him.

Andrew considered Darien for a long moment, thinking hard. The man was dangerously weak and he needed his rest but Darien was so stubborn that Andrew knew that he would never let his body rest until he knew Serena was alright.

But Serena wasn't all together alright. The scent of her blood was heavy in the clearing, and shifting so many times had done enough to slow the bleeding of the wound but the tiny young woman needed a healer.

Andrew owed Darien and his mate everything. It was forbidden, even though Lycaon and Anami kind now considered themselves allies, but to Andrew Darien and his Pack were far more than allies to him now.

They were friends.

Darien had proven himself trustworthy of all Andrew's secrets, even those of Andrew's royal bloodline.

There were a few things that Anami royalty could do that the Lycaon kind knew nothing about, not even the Lycaon royalty.

Andrew sighed heavily, making his decision. What the hell, as the mortals said. Diamond was dead, along with the bulk of his Damned forces and the discovery of mates in the mortal world had opened up all sorts of doors for all Immortal kind.

Andrew placed his hands on either side of Darien's head, one of which was soaked in dark blood all the way up to his elbow, bowed his own head and closed his eyes.

With a deep breath to prepare himself, Andrew reached deep within, calling his magic to do his bidding.

Lycaon kind used their magic to change their bodies, to become impressive beasts that kept them close to the Moon Goddess and the wild spirits of the mother earth, but Anami kind used theirs in other ways.

Anami kind could not change their form but there were others things they could do, especially the Royal Anami bloodline.

As part of the Royal Bloodline, Andrew could do things that his people could not, such as what he was about to do.

Darien was aware enough to wonder why Andrew was cradling his head as he was. Darien knew he was in bad shape but surely he didn't look that bad that Andrew feared that he was close to death?

Sure, he felt like death warmed over, but he wasn't dying.

"For you, my friend." Andrew told him softly, a moment before his hands began to grow warm.

Darien had no idea what Andrew was doing and despite their long years of friendship, in which they had fought in countless battles together, Darien's deeply embedded survival instincts screamed at him to stop Andrew from doing whatever it was he was attempting even though Darien didn't even have the strength to raise his head.

And why wasn't Andrew seeing to Serena? Serena was the one who was badly hurt, not he. Her wound had to be tended too as she was already in a dangerously weakened condition and she was still losing blood.

He could smell it.

The warmth from Andrew's hands surrounded Darien's mind and consciousness in a pleasant cloud of warmth and an unfamiliar . . . was that magic?

Darien did not know what Andrew was doing or how he was able to accomplish it, but the soothing warmth began to spread down his body as slowly and as gently as a mist atop the ocean.

What was happening to him? It almost felt like he was being very slowly submerged in warm water after spending all day outside in the icy cold.

"Don't fight it." Andrew's tranquil voice told him, his voice somehow sounding much clearer and much closer than it had the moment before.

The warmth reached his toes and then it slowly eased once Andrew released him.

"What did you do?" Darien asked aloud and was immediately stunned at how steady and strong his own voice had sounded when only moments ago it had been a struggle just to voice a single word and that was when was stunned to Darien realised that he felt so much stronger than he had a moment ago.

Without moving his body at all in fear that it was an illusion, Darien turned his full focus inward and mentally scanned himself.

He was stronger, he had more energy than he should have had. Darien knew he had barely half of his usual energy and strength, but it would be enough to get him to his feet. He wouldn't be able to shift for a while yet, but he was able to move – sluggishly – with some effort.

Darien opened his eyes and looked up into Andrew's intelligent friendly eyes, who was waiting patiently. How was it possible? How had Andrew done what he himself had only just discovered that he could do with his own bonded Wolfmate?

How had Andrew shared his energy with him, his magic? Andrew wasn't even of Lycaon kind, how was this possible when it was only just manageable between royal bonded mates?

"How?"

Andrew grinned mysteriously at him. "I am sad to say that even after years of friendship, there are still some secrets between our races." He extended his hand to Darien in a silent offer to help him up.

Darien took Andrew's offered hand and Andrew pulled him up onto his feet that were only slightly unsteady beneath him.

"You transform into a creature of fearsome might," Andrew pointed out. "So it should not surprise you that we have a few tricks of our own?"

Darien grinned, Andrew's point well taken, and bowed his head once to Andrew in respect and thanks before he turned – slow enough that he did not put his battered body under any unnecessary strain – and closed the distance between himself and his still unconscious mate, not sparing more than a brief glance at Diamond's bloody lifeless body.

Finally, Diamond's death had come to pass.

Darien could not care less that it had been Andrew who had delivered the deathblow that had finished off Diamond once and for all. He did not care that it had not been his own hand that had avenged all those Diamond had killed.

Truth be told, Darien had expected to feel relief and triumph when this moment finally came, that at long last Diamond was no more, but Darien felt neither. Diamond's tale had been one of tragedy, despite all the pain and suffering Diamond himself had inflicted upon on others.

Darien could let go of all the negative emotions and bad memories he carried of Diamond for more than half his life. He would forgive and move on.

But first he had to see to his Wolfmate.

Serena was in a lot of pain and had a serious injury. When Diamond had struck her he had intended the blow to take her life as Diamond had realised that his final moment might very well have come and Darien knew Diamond well enough to know that he had intended to take Serena into death with him knowing that Darien would willingly follow.

Darien would never let that happen. He had sworn an oath never to allow any harm to come to Serena and her demise damn well was not going to come by Diamond's hand.

Like countless others.

Darien knelt beside his wolfmate, closing the last foot of space between them and tenderly brushed her tangled muddy hair back from her pale face. Like him, Serena was as naked as the day she had been born and was covered in dying blood, smeared mud and various bruises and scraps. Her long golden hair was dreadfully tangled with leaves and twigs, and smeared with mud.

Serena was so deeply unconscious that he could not reach her through their Wolflink. The first thing Darien had to do was wake her, and thanks to Andrew it was now possible.

Darien laid one hand gently on Serena's bare hip and his other gently cupped the unbruised side of her face, sickened to his very core that he had allowed so much harm to come to his mate whom he had sworn on his life and his very heart to protect from all harm.

Darien reached deep into his Wolflink, reaching as deeply as he could with Serena in her unconscious state, and then he focused completely on her and what he had to do, what Andrew had just done for him.

Throwing all his will against his own magic and Andrew's loaned energy, Darien pushed it through their matelink.

Thankfully, it obeyed without any resistance and flowed smoothly into Serena's naked drained and battered body.

And with every ounce of energy he gave her, Darien sensed Serena's mind drift back towards consciousness.

Darien kept going, giving her all that he could spare without passing out. Only when he was sure that he had given all he could, nearly three quarters of what Andrew had given him, did Darien stop and wait.

The forest spun around him making Darien fell nauseous, but he didn't care. All he wanted was for Serena to wake up and smile at him.

It wasn't long before the absence of her utter exhaustion made it impossible for her mind and body to continue to ignore the pain of her injuries and she was pulled out of unconsciousness.

Beneath his hands, Serena's expression changed from one of quiescence to one of pain and distress and her breathing quickly picked up as she struggled against her agony of her battered body.

Darien felt her pain for a brief moment before Serena made conscious connection with his own mind and felt his worry and his own distress at the pain she was enduring, and in response Serena hurriedly struggled to block their link enough that he was not sharing in her pain.

Serena did not yet have mastery over their matelink, but she had learned enough to partly shield Darien from her pain.

One day Serena would master their Wolflink, as all mated couples eventually did. By the Moon Goddess, Serena WOULD live to master everything in his – their – domain.

Now that Serena was conscious again and Darien was satisfied that she had enough energy to keep her that way, Darien turned his attention – finally – to the most severe of her wounds.

Darien gently curled his hand around the back of her head, cradling her head with all the gentleness and care a loving mother would with her sleeping child, and with his other hand that rested on her naked hip, he carefully rolled her onto her back.

Darien ignored her nakedness and focused on the bleeding wound slashed across her belly and side.

Diamond, the bastard, had hurt her so badly that even shifting forms hadn't done more than fractionally heal the gaping wound that ran from one side of her belly all the way around to her side, ending above her hip. Had she been mortal – as she had been only days before – the blow would have killed her by now, but now that she was a Lycaon she was much harder to kill.

Praise and thank the Goddess.

Still, Serena needed attention or she could very well die. Darien looked down into her pale face, her expression contorted by her agony. Both her eyes and her teeth were clinched tightly shut as she fought the pain that she had until now been spared by the adrenaline of battle and the peace of deep unconsciousness.

Maybe Darien should have seen to her wound before waking her.

"Look at me, baby." Darien cooed, staring beseechingly down into her flawless beautiful face – he did not see her bruises and scrapes, only her. "Serena, open your eyes."

'Please.' Darien pleaded softly into her mind.

Serena opened her eyes and looked up into his, and relief washed through Darien when he read what lay in her tear-filled starry eyes beneath the pain. He saw as clearly in her eyes as he felt through their matelink her love and determination, determination to live, to be with him always. In her thoughts Darien could hear her refusing to let herself fall beneath Diamond's hand.

Darien smiled down into her face with love and tenderness, hearing Serena reflect on how handsome she thought him and how much he loved her, and his smile grew into a beaming grin of love and joy.

Serena was going to okay.

No longer frantic but still needing to ease her pain, Darien leaned down, hovering over her wound and drew in a deep breath through his nose. He could smell Diamond' scent in the wound, which was expected as it had been his claws that had torn through her delicate milky flesh – within him Darien's Beast growled furiously in outrage and Darien fought to keep the growl from escaping his lips – but he did not smell anything foreign inside the wound. There was no poison or any contamination that would harm her or slow her healing.

Darien had no way of knowing for sure if Serena had inherited all of the standard Lycaon abilities, only time would tell that, but he felt fairly certain that accelerated healing would be one of them. If not however, Darien would just have to give her more energy, enough to shift one more time and in doing so would heal the wound a little more, hopefully enough to stop the bleeding at least.

Satisfied that the wound was venom and poison free, Darien opened his mouth and licked at her wound, collecting as much of his healing saliva in his mouth as he could draw and did not stop until he had licked over the entire wound.

Out of the corner of his eye Darien watched as Andrew dealt with Diamond's headless corpse. Andrew had tossed Diamond's headless body into the centre of the clearing, then went to retrieve Diamond's head – Andrew carelessly kicked Diamond's head over to his crumpled lifeless body like a football – and then Andrew set the body alight using a Zippo lighter and a small bottle of lighter fluid that he'd pulled from his coat pocket.

The putrid smell of burning Damned flesh filled the clearing before bellowing up into the dark night sky.

Darien knew his healing saliva had done it's job when Serena's tense body relaxed and he could no longer feel her trying to block her pain from him. Her belly and side still hurt but she was no longer in agony. The wound had closed enough that her precious blood no longer leaked or oozed from her glorious naked body. It would be half a day or so before the wound was closed completely, but by sunset tomorrow all that would remain of the wound that could have killed her would be an angry half healed mark.

Serena laid limply on the ground, looking up at him through exhausted eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but Darien silenced her with a gentle kiss upon her lips.

"You never have to thank me, my love." Darien lightly rested his forehead against hers, looking down into her love-filled eyes. "Not for anything. That you draw breath will always be more than enough for me."

Serena laughed softly, happily. "You could out-charm Prince Charming himself, my proud warrior wolf."

Serena's heart swelled with love and joy such as she had never known, never dreamed of. She loved Darien so much that she was overflowing with it, and now everything was okay. No, everything was better than okay; Diamond was dead and now they were truly free of his evil. Diamond would never threaten anyone Serena cared about ever again and there was nothing left to spoil their happy life together.

Deep in her heart Serena knew with all the certainty of the heavens that everything was going to be alright now, and together the two of them were going to build a bright love-filled life together, one of joy and laughter.

Ignoring her aching and exhausted body as she was too deeply embedded in the moment and her glorious love for him, Serena reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand.

Serena could truly see him for everything that he was, all he had ever been and everything he had the potential to become.

Darien was more than an Immortal Warrior Lycaon Crown Prince; he was a man who felt sorrow and remorse and loneliness, who had vulnerabilities and fears even though he seldom showed it. He was a man who for so long had had to be strong for everyone else as he and his people had been trapped in a seemingly endless despairing world of darkness.

He was the man who loved her, would do anything for her and he was the man who unconditionally held her entire heart.

Darien was the man who was looking back at her with all the love and joy reflected in her own eyes.

Serena raised herself up onto her elbow and touched her lips to his sweetly tempting lips that tasted like blood and heaven. Serena closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss that felt like coming home. It wasn't a kiss of passion or hunger but a kiss of love and celebration, of the anticipation of the future that was to come as all uncertainty for the future had died with Diamond.

It was a kiss in which the both of them revelled in being alive, in not just surviving but having found each other and being together without any fear of what lay ahead.

Serena was the first to break the kiss that could've effortlessly lasted the day. She looked into Darien's bright loving joy-filled shinning eyes. "I love you." Serena opened their link as much as her inexperienced mind was able so he could feel just how much she loved him, love that was beyond description, there were no words that would give justice to how much she loved him. "The stars of heaven will crumble with age, but my love for you will yet endure."

Darien laughed softly, joyously. "Oh my sweet, when you say such things I am left helpless against your every whim."

Serena couldn't help but laugh; it felt so good to laugh.

"Lets go home," Serena drew in a deep breath, as if to cleanse herself of the weight of everything bad that had happened tonight. "We have much to do."

"As my Queen commands." But despite his words Darien shamelessly reclaimed her lips in a happy playful kiss that had Serena giggling against in lips in sheer joy that she had no hope of keeping contained.

Serena felt like she was going to burst from the amount of love and joy inside her.

Above them, someone politely cleared his throat.

"May I offer you a covering, Lady Serena?" An amused voice asked politely.

And just like that, reality slammed into Serena like a bucket of iced water. She was lying on the icy damp earth stark naked, right next to her stark naked mate.

Serena felt her entire face burn with embarrassment as she looked up to see Andrew standing a few feet from the two of them with his back politely turned. His right arm was extended behind him wordlessly offering them what he held in his hand.

Andrew's two Anami bodyguards were no where in sight.

Serena quickly realised that Andrew was offering his long black coat that he'd been wearing only moments before.

Serena suspected that if she hadn't been there Andrew wouldn't have even noticed Darien's nudity, or if he had he wouldn't have said a word about it. But she was Darien's mate and Andrew was a man who so obviously prided himself on being a gentlemen.

Serena wondered if Andrew had dared to sneak a peak before now; she had been naked each time she'd shifted to human form ever since leaving the manor.

Certain of Andrew's chivalry, Serena's embarrassment faded enough that she was confident that she would survive even if he had seen a little too much.

Darien leaned back and reached out to take the coat Andrew held out to them while Serena pulled herself up into a sitting position, ignoring her body's protests and the pain in her side and belly, and looked down at her naked self.

Most of her stomach and side was coated in her own drying blood and she was covered from head to toe in darkening bruises, small cuts and scraps and if that wasn't enough to complete the 'I was just in a violent and bloody battle' look, her entire body was covered in thick smears of dirt and mud and her hair was unruly tangled with the added bonus of sticks and leaves.

Serena looked like a crazy lady who'd been living alone and naked deep in the secluded woods.

Serena shrugged. In an hour Serena had no doubt that Darien would have her clean and dressed, with every one of her wounds seen too.

In fact, a quick glance into Darien's mind as he held Andrew's coat out for her told her that he already had such a plan at the ready, followed by spending the next two days alone in bed with her.

Serena's blush deepened, but not from embarrassment.

This matelink was going to take some getting used to.

Serena grinned like a Cheshire cat.

She couldn't wait. And it wasn't as if their mental link was without it's benefits as Serena suspected that it wasn't just pain that could be felt through their very deep, very powerful, very personal link.

The trek back to the Manor was a slow one, at least by Immortal standards, as both Serena and Darien were exhausted beyond measure and despite their advanced healing abilities were still sporting multiple injuries in various stages of healing.

Darien was so weak that Serena had to wonder how he'd managed to keep his eyes open let alone somehow find it in him to put one foot in front of the other even though Darien wasn't so much walking back to the Manor as he was being carried.

Darien had one arm draped over Andrew's shoulders with Andrew holding Darien's hand that was dangling over Andrew's opposite shoulder to hold Darien in place. Andrew's other arm was wrapped around Darien's bare waist, supporting most of his weight and effectively keeping Darien on his feet.

Serena suspected that Darien was keeping a part of his mind closed to her as he did not want her to know how he was feeling about his current position; it had to be a tiny bit galling being the proud warrior and prince that he was.

But it also proved Darien's humility that he hadn't said one objecting word when Andrew had helped him to his feet and assumed their current position. Not even in his own mind.

It seemed that Darien's much greater experience with mindlinks was going to put her at a disadvantage for a while. It was hard enough to live with Darien when he wasn't in her head but now he was going to constantly be one step in front of her.

Serena couldn't allow that. She was going to have to get a handle on the ins and outs of her Wolflink with Darien and quickly. It just would not do having Darien believe that he could handle her. She was a self-respecting woman of the twenty-first century after all, it wasn't in her nature to allow herself to be handled.

But what Serena suspected really bugged Darien – and what he was hiding from her in his mind – was her current position; she was currently being carried on the back of the unwounded Anami bodyguard, piggyback style.

And it didn't help that all she wore was Andrew's coat that was buttoned up from her neck to her thighs – Serena was extremely thankful that the coat had a slit up each side that allowed the lower half of the front of the coat to cover her most delicate of places, even in her current position.

But what could be done about it? They both were too weak to make it more than a few steps on their own, although Andrew's energy boost – Serena was determined to find out how Andrew had done that without a mindlink at some point – meant that they weren't being carried back unconscious.

At first, the both of them had been anxious to return to the manor as they had been away too long and they had no idea how the battle was going – Darien was too weak to even use his link with his Beta's even over such a short distance – but Andrew had assured them that with his reinforcements the battle would be over or at least finishing up by now – and doing do in their favour.

It only took the three Anami a matter of minutes to get them back to the manor. The wall on their side of the manor was all but done, shattered into rubble by the Damned army, but they did not head straight for the manor once Darien had seen with his own eyes that the battle was indeed over. The Pack and their Anami allies were picking through the bodies that littered the grounds, looking for surviving allies who needed healing and lingering Damned that needed finishing off.

Instead, Darien pointed Andrew to a tree only twenty feet from the main gate.

As Darien reached deep into the tree through an almost natural looking hole in the thick living trunk, he told her through their Wolflink that because of the Lycaon habit of exploding out of their clothes, there were several stashes strategically placed around the entire Lycaon territory, and especially around the manor.

Darien explained briefly that the clothing was mainly for the Mated as nudity was part of Lycaon life but bonded mates were naturally very protective – and possessive – of each other.

Serena had to admit to herself that that made sense. She certainty didn't want any other woman checking out her naked Darien.

'Darien was hers!' Serena thought savagely.

Through their Wolflink, Serena felt Darien's smug satisfaction at her possessive thought.

Darien pulled out two air tight clear plastic pouches, both containing either dark or black fabric that Serena guessed were items of clothing and handed one to her.

Less than three minutes later, the two of them stepped back out of the trees where they'd gone for a moment of privacy to dress – done solely for her benefit no doubt as Immortals seemed to be really blasé about notions such as modesty.

Serena found herself wearing a simple black dress with long loose fitting sleeves, it's skirt touching the ground while Darien wore only a pair of long black dress pants.

Being decent was all that they concerned themselves with; Serena didn't even ask for shoes. All they wanted to do was to get inside, take a few minutes to see to what could not wait or be left to others with more energy, and then go straight to bed.

Serena might not even take the time to brush herself off first. She didn't care that she was all muddy and covered in dying blood, she just wanted to sleep.

For the next year.

Now that they were decent, Serena took in the devastation that layaround her. The manor and the grounds were a complete and utter mess. Outside the grounds and the gardens had been torn to shreds, the flowers and other assorted plants had been torn, broken and scattered across the lawn that now had large gouges gored out of it, some long and deep enough that they could've been used as trenches.

But inside the damage was even worse.

The entire outer glass wall that had once stood two stories high, was completely gone, destroyed, now laying in various pieces and shatters across the lawn, terrace and throne room. Even the frames had been all ripped out – or ripped inward would be a more accurate description as the damage had been caused by the enemy crashing their way inside.

On top of that, the floors had massive jagged chunks torn out of its once smooth gleaming marble surface and the walls had several large holes in them where the battle warriors had either punched or gone completely through.

And on top of all that, there were countless blood stains from the fallen and wounded, and dozens upon dozens of lifeless corpses and just as many wounded that were now being seen to by either Anami healers or those few who had been lucky enough to escape serious injury – although they still had to be exhausted and hurting.

It broke her heart to see her home like this, to see Lycaon and allied Anami blood stain the floors, the walls and the grounds of their home. Even worse, it sickened her to her core to see slain Immortal's lying amongst their enemy.

The battle had been won this day, and with Daimond's death they may very well have won the war, but it was not time to celebrate. Now was a time to mourn and help the wounded and the fallen. Now was the time to bury their dead and clean up their home, to help those who grieved find their way.

The day would come for celebration and all Immortals would rejoice the hard earned peace they'd just won and finally look to the future that was now so much brighter. That would be the day that they would all let themselves feel the new hope for the future, to wrap their minds around the fact that the leader of the Damned – along with a large number of Damned – had been slain and that a mortal had not only been mated with their prince, but had become a Lycaon herself.

An Immortal Lycaon however remained to be seen – only time would tell whether or not Serena had gained immortality with her new Lycaon abilities.

But no matter how much time she had, Serena would spend each and every moment with the man she loved with all her heart and soul and be eternally grateful.

But first, the mess. The mess that was going to take forever to clean up.

There was a lot of work ahead.

"Serena!"

Serena whirled around, startled at the loud and familiar call that was so out of place that for a long moment Serena wondered if she'd imagined it.

Serena's eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped at the sight that greeted her.

Standing where there had once been two glorious thrones that had been reduced to twisted and torn rubble were three young women whom Serena knew well and loved with all her heart, whom she considered her sisters. One had long golden hair much like her own that shimmered magically in any light, one had short hair with very intelligent and gentle eyes and the third with brown wavy hair and spirited eyes towered other the other two standing tall and proud like the Amazon warrior she had often been likened too.

She couldn't form words. What were the girls doing here?! An Immortal battle had just raged on this very ground! The girls were supposed to have gone to Andrew to deliver her message that they needed help, not actually come to the manor!

Regardless of everything Andrew had done to help them, Serena was going to kill him for endangering her mortal friends like this!

"Mina?! Lita?! Amy?!"

Serena had never expected to see grace her new home.

"Serena!" Mina cried out again, a moment before the three girls sprung into motion.

Stumbling and sidestepping whatever littered the floor in their path, the three girls hurriedly made their way to Serena while all she could do was gape at them as they approached.

The moment they reached her all three of them threw their arms around her, hugging her and each other for all they were worth.

Serena clinched her teeth to hide her pain that they unknowingly caused her from contact with her wounded and bruised body.

"Serena!" Mina cried out her name for a third time before she pulled back enough to look at her. "Girl, we've been so worried about you!"

Thank the Moon Goddess that Darien had given her something clean to wear, something that covered her from neck to feet, or else the girls would've broken into hysterics at the sight of her wounded and battered form.

Amy and Lita pulled back to look at her and Serena took the opportunity to cast an accusing glare at Andrew over Amy's shoulder. As thankful as Serena was to see her friends – she hadn't realised how desperately she'd been missing them – Andrew was going to get a good talking too!

But for now, Serena was going to be with her friends.

"I know, and I'm so so sorry." Serena told them all, looking each one in the eye so they could see her sincerity. "It couldn't be helped. I stumbled into something that would only have put you all in grave danger."

"We know." Lita all but growled, keeping her voice low so not to be overheard by those around them.

Serena didn't tell her that no matter how quietly they spoke, those around them would clearly hear every word.

Amy scanned her face, her eyes filled with concern as they locked on the bruises that marred her face. "What happened to you, Serena?"

"Who hit you?!" Lita demanded dangerously, her fists curling into fists.

Serena gave all three of them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I promise I'll be alright. The monster who did this to me is dead. He can't hurt anyone any more. Tell me, how did you get here?"

The three girls quickly filled Serena in on their very eventful night, knowing that Serena intentionally changed the subject, leaving her speechless and shocked.

What had she done?! All three girls knew now and there was no going back. They knew! They would always be in danger now.

Because of her.

Three taps on her shoulder pulled Serena's attention back to the girls, and she turned and gave Lita a questioning look, patiently waiting for Lita to say what she wanted to say.

Lita leaned forward and whispered curiously in Serena's ear. "Hey Serena, who's that guy over there? The one with the long brown hair?" She pointed in Nephlite's direction where he stood just outside leaning against pillar that held up the above balcony, keeping her hand low so he wouldn't see her pointing at him. "He looks like my ex-boyfriend."

Serena rolled her eyes and laughed out as Lita often had some guy in her sights who "looked like her old boyfriend". A real laugh that carried across the room. It felt so good to be surrounded by the friends she considered her sisters.

There had been a part of her that truly had feared never seeing them again.

Darien watched as Serena reunited herself with her friends without any awkwardness at all; it pleased him that even though she was no longer part of the Mortal world, Serena was still Serena.

Darien did not worry that Serena's three friends were mortals in his Immortal world, he did not worry about the secret of all Immortal kind or what the young women might do when they discovered what they truly were. There was nothing left for him to worry about any more. He had his mate who was nothing less than a miracle, a glorious gift bestowed upon him by the Moon Goddess herself.

Serena was a wonder, a miracle. She was, or had been, mortal, but somehow she had become a Lycaon. He had no way of knowing if she had gained Immortality as well as the ability to shift into a Lycaon wolf, but it didn't matter. No matter how long she lived, every moment with her would be a blessing, a gift. He would treasure every precious moment he had with her. He would love her more than any man – mortal or Immortal – had ever loved a woman.

Darien turned to thank Andrew for saving them all but paused when he finally caught a look at Andrew's expression. It was not a look Darien had seen on Andrew's face before but it was a look Darien knew well.

Darien took note of how closely Andrew's Female Commander – Trista her name was – hovered to the women and how attentively Andrew was staring at one mortal young woman in particular – who looked startlingly like Serena even though he could smell that they shared no common bloodlines – and then it dawned on him.

Darien grinned with amazed delight for his dear friend, and picked a name out of Serena's thoughts. "She's yours. Mina."

Andrew did not take his eyes from the golden beauty who looked enough like Serena to be her sister and nodded while his eyes glittered with joy and affection as he watched the young women as they talked. "Yes. She is my mate. I do not know how, but she is special like Serena. Mortal, but mine. I understand now exactly how you felt my friend when you found Serena. And I thank you for clearing the path for me. I do not need to fear as you did, for her safety nor her fate. It seems that Serena was only the first of her kind revealed to us."

Darien indicated his head towards the four young women understanding exactly what Andrew meant. The last of his fear for his mate's future was gone. Serena had become one of them, how Darien did not know and he was not going to question his gift.

Not now at least.

If Serena was able to shift, then there was fifty/fifty chance that she had become Immortal, but if she hadn't, then that was alright too. He loved her, and whatever time they had together would be precious and he would be forever thankful for it.

"If Mina truly is akin to Serena," Darien said lightly, "You'll be able to change her."

Andrew nodded; the thought had already occurred to him and he had already prayed to the Moon Goddess that Mina would will it so. "When she is ready."

At Serena's side, the brunette that Serena knew to be Lita, enquired about Nephlite, the Beta catching her immediate attention.

Out of the corner of his eye Darien saw Nephlite and Zoicite enter from outside, treading silently over broken glass and other debris, and almost instantly their heads perked up as their eyes were drawn towards the young mortal women crowded around Serena. The identical expressions that appeared simultaneously on their faces were unmistakable.

Darien gasped in awed wonder, Andrew echoing him a heartbeat later.

"How can this be?" Darien wondered aloud, his tone portraying his stunned wonder. "Three more females of Serena's kind found in a single night?"

Andrew was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. It was incredible. In less than a month the entire Immortal world had changed forever. Fortune had finally returned to the two Immortal races. Or maybe it had been the Moon Goddess's favour that they had won back after so long. But whatever it was, it seemed that their time lost in despairing darkness – metaphorically speaking – had ended, and it had done so with the swiftness of a dark and terrible curse being broken.

Andrew smiled wholeheartedly, powerless to do anything else. "Do not question the gifts of the Goddess, my friend. Just be thankful for them."

Darien laughed at his friend's words. How quickly he had done just that after resolving not to! And oh, by the Moon Goddess it felt so good to laugh with such happiness and carefree vigour. Darien's body had never been weaker or so badly battered, but his soul felt so light, he was so happy, that he felt as though he could fly!

Darien smiled at Serena as she squealed and talked with her friends.

After a moment Serena turned and looked directly into his eyes, beaming him a stunning proud, happy and love-filled smile. There was a tell-tale and knowing look in her own eyes that he did not need to read her mind to understand. Serena had been listening to them and Andrew's last words had drawn her eyes to him.

Darien beamed back at her, feeling her love for him come through their Wolflink that was every bit as clean and as strong and as unbreakable as that of any other mated Immortal couple.

The beaming smile on Darien lips was the largest one to touch his lips in so many centuries.

"Oh," Darien purred to his Anami best friend. "I am."

Chapter End Notes:

I love a happy ending, don't you?