Five years passed, for the last two the pack had been serving in Africa. Elspeth went with them as a nurse and as Lady Kingair's maid. Now returned, they settled back into their lives the Kingair. Two new clavagers had been approved. For some reason, Elspeth disliked these two from the moment she saw them. She told Sidheag but they needed new clavagers desperately after losing some in Africa. Cormac had been the hardest loss. They were named Douglas and Nigel, and even Lyall seem to ignore her feelings of dislike.

"You will just need to win them over like the others," he suggested.

It was true that some of her dislike for them came from them trying to hit on her the moment they met. The others told him not to, but Douglas tried to grab her backside. To which she responded by almost breaking his arm.

"What's your problem bitch?" He yelled at her.

He then found himself being stared at by the angry faces of the entire pack. He apologized, but it seemed empty to her.

Elspeth had been helping Lyall with pack business for a while now and one thing she was in charge of was the household. It was during the second full moon after returning that she noticed things going missing.

"It's them I know it!"

Lyall looked at her over the stack of paperwork in front of him. "What proof do you have?"

"Proof! Things only started going missing since they came here and they are not to be trusted," she said matter-of-factly.

"That's not proof," Lyall looked down at her. "We need proof before we can accuse anyone."

"Oh don't give me that you don't work for BUR anymore."

"I may not work for BUR but I cannot condemn someone on your gut feeling." Lyall pointed towards the door, "I have paperwork to attend to."

Elspeth finally convinced Lyall to get one of the local BUR agents to go undercover. His cover was as an antiques dealer who was interested in a certain artifact that the Kingair pack happened to have. He came to the keep a few days before the next full moon and asked Lady Kingair if she would sell it for a large sum, but as per the plan she denied him. She had Douglas and Nigel to escort him out. He then suggested he would pay a lot to get his hands on the object.

They took the bait and the next day after the full moon they were caught trying to sell the artifact to the undercover BUR agent. BUR let Lady Kingair handle their punishment since this was pack business. They confiscated all the money they had left from the sales of the stolen items and were banished from the Kingair lands.

A few days later Elspeth was helping Lyall with some paperwork. All of a sudden he stopped and stood.

"I apologize," clearing his throat. "I dismissed your opinions in the pack almost paid the price for it."

"Well I forgive you mangy English git," she gave him a smile and went back to her paperwork. Only to find herself suddenly wrapped Lyall's arms and being kissed. Just as quickly he pushed her away and fled the room.

She and been kissed before and she was not the virginal maid that most people assumed. But this was Lyall she never thought of him that way nor did she ever think he did either. She knew he had a lover that he had left behind in London.

Over the next few weeks Lyall did everything he could to avoid her. What had overcome him? How could he of kissed her? Something about the way she looked at him stirred something he hadn't felt since being with Biffy in London. He and Biffy had agreed to put their relationship on hold until he could come back. They never agreed to be exclusive. He figured a gorgeous young dandy like Biffy, living in the middle of London society, would have many lovers. He never felt he would meet anyone exiled to the wilds of Scotland. He had lost his precious control, his pride was wounded and he had no idea what to say to her. At least he knew this wasn't her first kiss nor was he dealing with someone unfamiliar with the sensual arts. He had heard the rumors but also knew she chose her lovers carefully.

"What in the hell!" She screamed at him. She finally had him trapped he couldn't avoid her.

"Can we not do this now?" He asked from inside his cell.

"Why so you can avoid me more?" She was pissed, not about the kiss, but that he had been avoiding her for a month. Now he was locked in his cage trying to fight his change as long as he could just as he always did.

She was so mad at him she didn't hear the footsteps until it was too late. A strong sweet smell invaded her nostrils as she was being grabbed. The last thing she remembered was Lyall half screaming, half growling.

When they brought her back around she was bound with her hands behind her. The front of dress had been ripped open, and rough hands were groping her body. She could tell that she had been punched or kicked several times.

"Good you're awake. Look at me bitch." Douglas slapped her across the face. "I want you to see this happen."

She fought back as much as she could but bound and drugged she was no match for the two men.

"What are we gonna to do with her?" asked Nigel.

"Throw her in with that English bastard. He'll finish her for us," laughed Douglas.

At this point she was pretending to still be unconscious from the last punch he gave her. Luckily he punched like a nine-year-old boy. She had been trying to get her wrist untied and by her estimation it was still a couple of hours till sunrise. Even Lyall could not control himself from ripping her to shreds on a full moon night.

When they picked her up, she started to fight him again.

"Stop fighting or will use the chloroform before we put you in there," Douglas hissed.

She stopped moving.

"Good girl," as he groped her again.

It took everything not to react, but she couldn't risk being put in there unconscious.

They cut the ropes at her wrists and pushed her inside the cell.

"Good night," her assailants left.

She stood with her back to the door and could feel the predatory eyes upon her. Two glowing orbs on the other side of the cell.

"Randolph, please?" She begged.

It was a small chance, but she hoped that some small part of him could hear her. Even in the dark cell she could hear his muscles tense and he was ready to leap. Bruised and bloodied with a possible broken rib she stood no chance against his strength and speed, but instead of jumping he stepped forward. He was fighting, trying not to kill her. How long could he last?

A few moments later that question was answered. Luckily because of him fighting himself his attack was slow. She was able to side step which sent him headfirst into the door. This left him dazed and again he leapt and she dodged. This second blow was able to knock him out.

Elspeth knew this would not last long. She prayed that someone would come down to the dungeons, but knew that that was unlikely. Short on clavagers she was the only one on duty down there. Looking for anything she could use as a weapon or shield, she found some bits of chain that had been broken. He started to awaken. She made herself as small and quiet as she could. There was no hiding the blood that flowed from her wounds or the sounds of her labored breathing, every breath fighting against her broken rib. When she looked up all she saw were his eyes, ready to kill.

She was so tired and in so much pain maybe she would just let him kill her. Hopefully he would go for her throat and make it quick. Yet, she also knew when he changed back and found her dead body he would never forgive himself. For that reason, she had to stay alive.

She threw the bits of chain that just bounced off him as he stalked towards her. He pounced, now on top of her growling, his breath in her face.

Elspeth looked up, "I forgive you."

Lyall's teeth sunk into her arm. Her screams startled the wolf, and he backed off. She could tell that Lyall was gaining control as she blacked out.