Hot damn! I should hold chapters hostage more often!

I was thrilled and kinda shocked by the amount of reviews I got for the last chapter, and I can't thank you all enough for your support and criticisms. They really helped me get a handle on what you all liked and what you still needed to know. While I can't answer all the questions yet, I've covered a few.

That being said, I never meant for this to take so long. The chapter was written, waiting to be published, and then I read some of the questions and just couldn't help myself. I figured I might as well throw you all a small bone. Then it turned into a whole rewrite and the chapter somehow ended up growing 8000+ words. I have to say I'm pleased with this, even if it means there will be three wolf chapters rather than the two I had, but I'm hoping you won't be upset by it. And for those of you worrying that you won't get your Isaac fix, don't worry, he's coming back soon. Keep in mind she's only with the wolves until sunset.

"Come on, girl, no one sleeps that deeply on the floor." I woke to the startling sound of Sabin kicking the bars of my cell. Blinking through the harsh fluorescent lights, I pushed up from the musty mattress and rubbed sleep from my eyes. The smell of the thing followed me so I couldn't imagine what it must have been like for an animal.

And that's when the sluggishness of post sleep left and I remembered exactly where I was, and what the thing starring at me was.

"Oh, good, thanks for joining us." The werewolf grumbled. He was spinning the key to the cell around on his forefinger, looking impatient.

"What the hell do you want?" I asked. Fear only lasted so long with me before it turned into anger and I'd spent all that night terrified. The fact that I knew he'd lose his woman if they hurt me didn't hurt my confidence either. Yes, being here scared the living hell out of me, but I didn't want to sit around wringing my hands all day. I was tired of being pushed around and, if the hunters had taught me anything, it was that wolves respected strength.

Sabin rolled his eyes. "Fantastic. You're even pleasant in the morning."

I didn't reply, simply glared at him.

"Right," he nodded, "so I'm here to take you up for a bathroom break and some grub. Are you hungry?"

"Is it poisoned?"

"Not unless Rendall's cooking. He tends to burn things. But you're right, let me just tell them to add a dash of cyanide to yours, that'll make the swap with your leech really smooth."

"Fine," I said and climbed onto my feet ignoring his sarcasm.

Sabin, with a shake of his head and that damn smile, unlocked the cell and let the door swing open. I stared at him a moment, glancing at the stairs and moved forward slowly. As I got to the cell door, however I lurched forward, heading for the staircase and my hopeful freedom. Sabin caught my arm, swinging me back around to give me an 'are you serious' look.

"Okay, that was just pathetic." He laughed.

"Worth a try," I said as he began to lead me toward them anyway.

"Not really."

The house was quiet when we got to the kitchen. Littered with dishes, but otherwise empty. I preferred that to the entire pack watching me again. This one wolf was hard enough for me to handle without breaking down into sobs again. Sabin led me toward another staircase and up into the second story of the house and a hallway lined with doors. We headed for the far door, which turned out to be a bedroom, then into the bathroom within it. When I turned around to close the bathroom door, however, he grabbed it, shaking his head.

"Sorry, babe, but I'm on guard duty. Can't let you out of my sight."

I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Don't be an asshole."

He grinned devilishly, quirking a brow. "Feel free to shower if you need it."

"Drop dead." I spat.

"Yeah, I guess that's how you like your men, isn't it? Pale, cold and without a pulse." He titled his head, "Tell me, does that constitute as necrophilia?"

I didn't bother replying, just turned on my heel and moved to the toilet with a huff. Sabin took up a spot in the doorway, leaning back against the frame and crossing his big arms over his chest. I did the same, glaring at him for a long moment until he quirked a mocking brow.

"Yes?" he asked, tone full of laughter. He seemed to be getting a real kick out of messing with me.

"Can't you at least turn around?"

"Sure." He said, but didn't move. I waited until irritation got the best of me.

"Well? Do it."

"Nope." He grinned.

I ran my hands through my tangled hair, wanting to rip it out. Bits of dirt tumbled down onto my shirt and I pulled a leaf from the mess. I needed a shower, but there was no way I'd be doing that with this asshole watching me. And damnit, I really needed to pee!

"Please," I sighed, holding my head in my hands. "I'm not going to run again, all right? Just let me go to the bathroom, I won't even close the door."

Sabin considered it a long moment then shrugged and stood strait. "Close the door if you want, I'll wait in here." Then he went serious, "But if you do something stupid like shimmy out that window and run? I'll catch you, and it won't be as fun as the last time."

"Whatever." I waved him off and slammed the door in his face, kicking it after. I could hear him laughing outside when I locked the door and hurried to the shower. The sound of the water would cover my using the bathroom. I didn't want him hearing me any more than I wanted him watching.

My shower was fantastic. The hot water helped to clear my head and sooth the muscles that had been tensed since I arrived. Like most guys, he didn't seem to use conditioner, so I made do with a scentless shampoo and did my best to wash up quickly. I must have lost track of time however, because suddenly there was a banging on the door.

"If you want to eat, you'd better do it before the food's cold." Sabin called as I turned off the shower.

"Then bring me some clothes." I retorted, reaching for a towel just as the latch on the doorknob snapped and the thing flew open.

The werewolf paused to stare at me a long moment before he laughed and took my wrist, pulling me back into the bedroom. He shoved me back so that I sprawled onto the bed, struggling to keep myself covered with his too-short towel, and he moved to his bedroom door.

"Tasha!" he called down the hall from his doorway. I heard a grumble and clattering from one of the other rooms and the girl from last night stomped into the hall, a pair of black Skull Candy headphones around her neck.

"What?" she asked, the air of disgruntled teenager all around her. She couldn't have been more than 16, with long, strait black hair and dark brown eyes that reminded me of Josep's, sans the gold flecks. Sabin grinned amiably and jerked his thumb back toward me.

"I need to borrow some clothes for the prisoner." He said. Tasha however scowled, shaking her head.

"No way, she'll get that leech's stink all over them. I'll never be able to wear them again."

"She bathed, you brat. Smells all human now." Then he paused to grin, "You know, I think she'll make them smell better."

"Just cuz she smells like my wettest dream doesn't mean I want it all over me. Why don't you ask one of the other bitches?"

He scowled, looking as if he wanted to take steel wool to his ears, "Ok, eww. I never want to hear that again and you'll do it because you're my sister and I can demand things like this. Besides, you're little, and so is she."

She gave him a glare that surpassed my own. Sabin's brows rose slowly and he leaned out the door. "Don't make me come get them." It was only a playful threat, but something about his body language said he'd do it.

With an angry grumble, she spun and slammed her door behind her. After a moment or two, it opened again and the clothes came flying toward his head. Sabin caught them with a laugh and thanked her mockingly though she'd already slammed the door again.

"Are you always this sweet, or is it just for my benefit?" I asked picking up the jeans and shirt he'd tossed onto the bed.

The werewolf shrugged and moved to flop down beside me, tucking his hands back behind his head.

"She's still pissed that I chased off her meat-boy on their last date. Squirrely little bastard wouldn't know what to do with a girl if she sat on his face anyway."

I arched a brow at that and stood up, gripping my towel tightly. "What-boy?"

Sabin grinned again, watching me as I moved back to the bathroom to grab my underwear. "Human. It's what we call them. Sort of like slang."

Meat…well, that just made me feel all safe and sound.

I closed the door halfway and hurriedly pulled on the clothes. The shirt was tight, but I suspected that was due to the fact that Tasha had no breasts to speak of and I was moderately endowed. It would have to do though, and I liked the smiling image of Little Alex tipping his bowler on the front. She had good taste in movies at least. A Clockwork Orange was one of my favorites. Then again, what did that really say about us?

I closed the door in the bathroom to hurriedly pull on my bra and panties. Thankfully they were not covered in dirt as the rest of my clothes had been. When I left the bathroom, hopping on one leg to pull on my shoe, Sabin's eyes locked on the shirt or more importantly my chest. Crossing my arms over them, I decided to stop bouncing around like an idiot and cleared my throat to get his attention.

"Hmm?" he asked, taking his time to look back at my face.

"You said something about food?" I stated briskly.

He nodded toward his dresser to a plate stacked high with breakfast. There were eggs, toast, and sausage, but way too much for me to finish by myself. He must have seen the look on my face as I grabbed the plate, because he gave a shy little laugh and nodded toward it.

"You slept through breakfast, so I had to reheat it all, but it's still pretty good. We're all used to big appetites around here, so I might have gone a little overboard."

"How big exactly?" I poked at the sausage with wide eyes.

He shrugged, "Fast metabolisms. Keeps most of us fit with the unfortunate side effect of making it nearly impossible to get drunk without a full bottle of jack."

"Thanks anyway." I said then looked around the room for a place to sit that wasn't near him. Unfortunately it was sparsely furnished and I was forced to sit at the bottom edge of the mattress to eat. Sabin sat up, rolling his eyes and hooked a finger in the belt loop on the back of my jeans, dragging me across the mattress to sit next to him and stealing a sausage off my plate.

"No need to be rude." He smiled then settled back against the headboard to watch me eat with an interest I didn't understand and found uncomfortable. He must have gotten bored because the silence didn't last long.

"If I can ask, what's with all the animosity? What have I done to you?"

"Other than taking me hostage, pushing me around, and locking me in a cage all night?"

"Well…" he scratched his head, "Besides that, yeah."

"I don't like werewolves." I said, starring down at my food. I was quickly losing my appetite.

"I'd guessed that. Any particular reason why?"

I didn't answer, instead focusing on eating my eggs though I didn't have a fork. Sabin sighed, leaning forward to catch my eyes.

"Come on, girlie. Tell me what us terrible wolves did that was so bad. Or do you hate us on principle for your leech's benefit?"

I met his eyes levelly and put the plate on the bed beside me. "A werewolf killed my family." That shut him up, so I continued. "We were camping up in the mountains and it smelled our food cooking. My dad tried to distract it but it ripped him in half and went after my mother. When my sister and I ran it caught up with us and dragged her off. I got lucky." I knew this was what had happened, even if I couldn't actually see it in my mind anymore. I wasn't sure yet whether this was a blessing or not.

Sabin's smile had melted away completely now and he had become very still. His eyes, already the deep gold color, lightened just enough to tell me he was affected by this information, even a little angry. He opened his mouth, then closed it again to think. After a long moment of deafening silence, he finally spoke.

"Was it here in Texas?" he asked, this seemed to be important to him. I shook my head and he nodded, relieved just a bit. "How did you get away?"

"I wouldn't have," I said softly, "if it weren't for the hunters. They killed the thing and took me in. They explained what had happened and what was out there."

"When you say hunters…"

I smiled faintly, "Not of the deer variety."

Sabin shook his head and sat forward again, looking confused. "But you live with a vampire. How could you be with hunters as well?"

"They're dead, and I had nowhere left to go."

The wolf paused a long moment to look at me, his lips curling down into a frown. "Did he kill them? The one you're traveling with?"

I looked back at my plate, grabbing a piece of toast and nibbling slowly. It was answer enough apparently and the wolf laughed incredulously.

"Why the hell would you stay with him?"

"It wasn't my choice." I said, not wanting to discuss it further.

Sabin shook his head then looked down at his hands, picking at a loose thread on his worn jeans.

"We aren't all like that, you know. I mean there are always exceptions and sometimes there are accidents, but killing humans without cause is strictly forbidden. Eating them here in the states…it's punishable by death." He touched my shoulder briefly, "Whoever that wolf was, if your hunters hadn't killed him, his pack would have."

The room lapsed into silence again, stretching on while I ate and Sabin sat back against the headboard, lost in thought. After a while, not liking the quiet, I turned to him. This new knowledge was comforting had he not prefaced it with in the states. That meant that outside of America it was sanctioned. Desperately wanting to think about something else, I changed the subject.

"So what's the deal with this girl? I mean she ran away from you, so she can't be too happy to come back."

"That's not up to her."

"Because she's your woman" I said with air-quotes. Sabin nodded. "And the other one? What is she?"

"Cassidy?" he asked with a laugh. "She's incentive for a pack member to grow a pair. He wants to challenge me, and has yet to follow through. Hopefully this will finally push him to it."

I took a bite of my sausage, chewing quickly. "Challenge you for what?"

He wadded up a napkin and tossed it at me, then leaned back on his pillows. "My place as Second. He wants to be Alpha when Malachi finally steps down."

"And that's how you guys do it? By fighting?"

He shrugged, "There's a bit more to it, but yes. No pack will follow a weak leader. We can't."

"Mhmm." I nodded, frowning down at my eggs. "I guess that makes sense."

I wiped my hands on the napkin and moved to stand, but Sabin was already up. He took my plate, downed the last bit of meat and let it clatter onto the dresser. When he turned back I crossed my arms awkwardly and looked around.

"So…what now?"

He smirked, stretching up with a yawn. His tight, blue tee-shirt lifted up away from his low-slung jeans, flashing a bit of taught skin. The guy had fantastic arms, and apparently his abs weren't bad on the eyes either. Unfortunately he caught my unintentional gawking and smirked.

"Well, I could take you back downstairs to the cage."

"Or?"

"I could take you outside for a walk, but you'd probably run off again."

"I think it's out of my system now, thank you. Besides, full stomach equals little running for me." I shrugged. "So, what do you do to entertain yourself around here?"

The wolf tried to hide a smirk, leaning back against his dresser. "We live by a simple credo. The Three F's of pack life."

"Which are?"

"Food, Fighting and Fu-"

"I get it." I said, running a hand through my hair and rolling my eyes. Really, what was it with supernatural men and sex, or was this just an animal thing?

"Well we've gotten the first two out of the way."

My hand stilled halfway through my hair and I looked up at him. "Are you coming on to me?"

He titled his head, looking me over. "I'm bored. And you're not unattractive. Too thin, but I can live with that." His eyes flashed pale gold, the pupils shrinking, "And then there's your scent."

When he stalked forward I tried to retreat, tripping back over the bed and landing on my ass. He reached out to hold me in place after that, leaning down to take a deep breath over my throat nd pressing my into the mattress.

"I've never smelled anything like it," He murmured with a frown, remaining uncomfortably close to me. "Neither has my father."

"I'm sorry." I replied, stiff and feeling the beginning of trembles from his proximity. Yes, I was getting comfortable that he wouldn't kill me, but my fear of wolves hadn't vanished just because one wolf was civil with me. The hunters had once explained that a wolves' temper is short. The smallest thing, such as the challenge of eyes could set them off and in that case the only thing to do was submit one's self and hope that they hadn't shifted too far, or run like hell, but that generally resulted in mauling.

"No." Sabin was saying. He slipped his fingers into my hair to pull me closer. "It's wonderful. You smell like earth and…" he took another deep breathe, closing his eyes in pleasure, "Earth and sunlight. God, the leeches must be able to smell it too. Is that why your vampire kept you? Does he tell you that you taste like his forsaken sun?"

It was growing harder to breathe with Sabin so close and finally I shoved him back. I caught his eyes as they flashed pale gold, but he killed the instinctual growl rumbling in his chest before it became too menacing. He was angry, but he either shook it off, or buried it deep because that smile returned to his lips. Not sure how to respond to him, I said the first thing that popped up.

"I thought wolves mated for life."

"Mate yes, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves. Pack life is a lot more open about such things than the human world. You should be used to that though, living with a vampire."

"I don't sleep with him, and I've never wanted to." Liar Liar Liar.

Sabin shrugged "I'm good with that."

"I'm not sleeping with you either." I said firmly.

The wolf stood strait, unfazed, "Too bad, guess we go outside then."

And that was the end of it which left me feeling a bit shocked at how easy it had been. I couldn't even feel angry toward him, because he wasn't pushing it at all. These people were so weird!

Sabin opened his door, sweeping his arm out dramatically for me to follow. I hopped off the bed and hurried out of his room and into the hall. At the stairwell, he took hold of my arm, leaning down to speak softly.

"Gotta keep up appearances."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't argue. It really wasn't worth it anyway. We made our way down the stairs and into the living room where a couple of wolves were lounging on the couches. Cassidy looked up from a magazine, her long legs thrown over the arm of her chair and frowned at me.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, sitting up strait. The wolf watching TV glanced over with matching concern.

"We all know how bad that cage blows. I'm just walking the human." He grinned, patting the top of my head like a dog, "Don't worry about it."

Cassidy looked as if she were going to protest some more, but Sabin swept down, taking a firm hold of her blond hair and kissed her. The girl went still, then relaxed, making a soft noise of protest when he pulled back.

"Don't worry about it." He repeated and this time she nodded.

As we moved toward the door and Cassidy left the room I leaned in close to Sabin.

"So does she know she's being used?"

"I'd thank you not to say that out loud." He muttered back, squeezing my arm.

"That's a no then?" He sighed and I shook my head. "So how are you supposed to incur this guy's wrath if you're being so sneaky about the whole thing?"

"We've got a keen sense of smell, better even than your vampires," he grinned, "I'm sure Vilkas can smell me all over her."

"Oh." I frowned, getting an unwanted mental image of just how that might happen, "Alrighty then."

"Sabin." The voice echoed down the hallway as we reached the back door. The wolf tensed, moving me just behind him and stepping forward to look down at his father standing in the door of his office. The older wolf was scowling, though that might have just been the way his face always looked when he wasn't playing charming regent.

"Sir?" Sabin replied.

Malachi eyed me a moment before turning his attention back on his son. "I trust you're not doing anything stupid."

"It's good to know you have faith in me, father." He replied in an equally veiled sarcastic tone.

The Alpha stared at him a long time before letting out a slow breath and waving us away. There was a tension I couldn't interpret between them, and probably didn't want to. "I need Rendall." He said.

Sabin nodded stiffly. "On it," he replied and whisked me out the door.

I think I surprised him once we'd walked into the sun and I sucked in a breath. It was involuntary, but my body just went still and I closed my eyes lifting my face toward the warmth the ball of fire afforded us.

"How long has it been?" He asked after I'd opened my eyes again. I flushed in an embarrassment I didn't understand and looked down at the thick grass. Their lawn was well manicured for a bunch of dogs.

"I don't remember. The hunters were all night owls and then Isaac...I don't even know when I adjusted to his schedule. I haven't enjoyed the sunlight for a long time."

He watched me with what looked like pity, so I nodded out toward the lawn to distract him. "Now what are we out here for?"

It was cool out today as we moved quickly across the huge lawn and toward the guest house near the trees. Sabin ignored the wolves outside who stared at us. (Thankfully not even close to the numbers last night) When we got to the door, he released my arm to pound on the door once and burst in. He seemed fond of making entrances.

There were three males inside, two at a pool table and one sitting on top of a bar, drinking whiskey strait from the bottle. When they saw Sabin they began a chorus of "what up's" then realized I was with him and lost their smiles. He wasn't bothered by this of course and pointed me toward the couch at the center of the room. I was guessing this was the guy hangout here, seeing as it was covered in liquor posters and naked women.

"Rendall, boss-man wants to see you." He said, speaking to the mammoth man from last night. The huge wolf nodded, handing over his pool stick and heading for the door without a word. Guess he just didn't say much. Once he was gone Sabin turned to the guy at the bar with an overly enthusiastic smile.

"How are things Vilks?" he asked and the guy bared his teeth, eyes turning pale.

"Fucking great. Why wouldn't they be?" He raked Sabin with a scathing look but the wolf only grinned wider.

"Just checking." He said, nodding for me to get up.

I moved out the door in time to hear the whiskey bottle crash against the wall just as Sabin was leaving. He laughed, turning to wave at the angry dog inside and slammed the door.

"Guess that means he smelled you." I said.

"Looks like." He said, stretching up his arms with a huge grin. "Uggh, Now I'm all…"

He turned to me and had leapt forward before I'd known to scream. We hit the ground, rolling, so he took most of the impact, but landed with me on my back in the thick grass and him pinning me down.

"Feisty." He finished with a wicked smile.

"You have another man's woman for that." I said with a scowl and tried to push my arms up, but he was too strong and they remained pinned to the ground. "Get off me."

"Wanna wrestle?" he asked, tilting his head.

I scoffed, looking at him like he was crazy. "Let me think…no."

"Don't be a wuss." He teased, "Besides. If you aren't gunna play with me, I'll just have to amuse myself." He leaned down to nuzzle my head to the side with a soft growl, "And I've already got you on your back."

"Isn't there some kind of, 'don't fool around with the hostages' rule or something?"

He laughed, "Wouldn't know. Never had a hostage I wanted to tumble with before…well, there was Accalia but that was-"

"She was a hostage?" I asked. What was it about this girl that he wanted so badly?

"At one point she was a rabid dog, with good reason. Keeping her controlled was…difficult. She spent the majority of her first year with us in the cage because it was that or let her maul everyone who got close to her. She left me a few impressive scars at least."

"And you watched her?" I swallowed focusing on the conversation rather than the fact that he was settled on top of me.

"At times." He nodded, reaching up to brush the hair from my face, letting his fingers linger too long on my skin. "At the time I hated the job, but after a while, I realized that she was fascinating." His grin was wicked and promising as he tilted his head to regard me with interest. "Very much like you."

"Get off of me, Sabin." I said flatly, though the strength didn't fully reach my voice. The wolf laughed, shaking his head, his eyes falling to my mouth and turning a lighter gold as he breathed in my scent again. Something about it seemed to drive him a little crazy.

I froze, trying to sink into the ground as the wolf leaned down ever so slowly, intending to kiss me. The moment was thankfully interrupted by a squeal and we both turned to look at the small group of children playing in the yard. One of the boys was chasing a girl. She giggled and screamed in the happy way children do before the boy lept forward, much like Sabin had done to me. He pinned her to the ground laughing, before another girl, who seemed to be her twin attacked from the side. The group of them wrestled about steadily getting closer. Normally this would have seemed far too aggressive for children, but by the happy laughter and the wistful smile that had grown on Sabin's face, I knew it was just a game. An animal thing.

The boy managed to break free of his attackers and ran toward us, seeing Sabin. The wolf above me climbed to his knees, though I was still trapped on the ground and caught him before he could trample me.

"Sabin! The boy cried, "Jade's using teeth!"

With a chuckle Sabin, thankfully, climbed off of me to set the boy down in front of us. "Well you aren't bleeding."

"But she bit me!" the boy protested as the girls joined us. The one in question growled a soft puppy growl, but the strangely adorable affect was ruined by the row of tiny sharpened teeth that filled her mouth. I sat up quickly, drawing away from them, but it only caught their attention. The boy, titling his head took a slow sniff in my direction, glancing at Sabin before addressing me directly.

"You smell pretty." He said with a shy little smile, letting his shaggy brown air fall into his big golden eyes.

"Thank you." I replied, not knowing what else to do and feeling a bit awkward.

The twins pushed in closer. Jade took a tentative sniff of me while her twin, nervously twisted at her braid.

"You can't talk to her Patrick," she half whispered to the boy, "Momma said she's with the dead things."

The boy, who didn't seem to care much beyond his interest in me, only scowled. "Don't be stupid." Then he looked to me, eyes widen slightly. "Are you really dead lady? You don't look dead."

"No," I cleared my throat, glancing at Sabin who was fighting a laugh. "I'm alive."

"See!" Patrick shoved the girl, "I told you. She's too pretty to be a dead thing."

"He's got a point." Sabin smirked while the nervous twin frowned at me and hurried to his side. She tucked herself against him and watched me as if I were a rattlesnake poised to strike.

"Momma told me." She insisted, looking to Sabin for confirmation. "Why'd you let her out of the cage?"

At this, Jade chimed in, "Don't be a puppy Erika. Sabin won't let her hurt you. He's the bestest most strongest wolf there is! Even Momma said so."

I smirked at this, arching a brow at him and the adorable blush that now colored his cheeks. It seemed he did have a shred of humility. Who knew?

"What's your name, lady?" Patrick drew my attention by tugging at my pants leg. I gave him a smile, finding it hard not to like such a cute, forward child. "Mira."

He grinned at that bashfully and watched me through his hair again. "My momma said that only fairies smell like you. Are you a fairy miss Mira?"

I laughed away the unpleasant thought and shook my head, "No. Most of the Fae I've met smell like flowers or rain."

Suddenly Erika pushed herself from Sabin's arm to join the others in front of me. Her eyes, like theirs, were wide with fascination. "You've seen a fairy?"

Her sister shook her head, "Momma says fairies aren't alive no more. The Green Man trapped them in the dark wood cuz they hurted too many people. Everybody knows that stupid."

I paused a moment, recognizing the name as one of Cern's many epithets. Did wolves know about him? Did they recognize him as their god? It made sense, being a culture that valued the earth and he being its protector. Eventually, I would have to ask him about that.

"Oh, they're alive," I said gravely. Then, so as not to frighten them, I smiled. "I went to their forest once when I was in England. They were having a celebration for their king." No need to mention that their superstitious beliefs were all fact. That was just too much for children. When I looked around at them, even Sabin was listening intently now, his expression unreadable.

"There were all different kinds, and all different colors, like flowers. Some were dancing, and when the light of the fire hit their skin, it shimmered like they were made of diamonds. When they sang, it was so beautiful that the humans around them were put under a spell and danced too."

"Did you dance?" Erika asked softly, as if speaking loud would ruin the moment and stop my story.

I shook my head, "I had special protection, otherwise I would have danced forever."

Jade smiled, "What else did you see?"

"Well, there were some Fae that didn't look human at all. Some had horns and hooves like a goats, and some had great wings like giant birds."

Patrick looked dazzled and scooted closer to me. "Did you see them fly?" he asked with barely contained excitement.

I nodded, "They were colored like birds from the tropics. Bright blues and reds and purples. When they spread their wings, they were bigger than me."

"bigger than Rendall?"

"Even bigger than him," I grinned at their gasps, "so big that when they took to the sky, their wings blotted out the stars."

The children ooh'd and aww'd a moment and Sabin continued to watch me closely, his eyes becoming more intense by the second.

Erika, having decided I wasn't evil or dead, tugged at my pant leg with a huge smile. "Did you meet the fairy king?" she asked and I felt my own smile fall a bit at the memory of that night.

"I did."

Oblivious, her sister pushed on, "what did he look like?"

I took a slow breath, and glanced at Sabin. He'd caught my reluctance but wasn't going to hush the children. He was too curious himself.

"Well," I began "he wasn't really a fairy. He's a god. Stronger than any Fae."

"Stronger than Sabin?" Patrick asked in awe.

"He's the strongest man in the whole world." I replied.

Jade pushed herself closer to me, cuddling up against my side. She was startlingly warm the way Sabin was, which I assumed was another wolf thing.

"Is he handsome like Sabin?"

I chuckled at the wolf's second blush of the day, reaching up to brush the dark hair from her face.

"Oh yes. He's incredibly handsome And his eyes are the color of grass in early spring. Like this." I indicated a patch of bright green on her dress and they all ooh'd again.

Patrick however seemed skeptical, probably lost at the handsome comment. Looking at the others, he gave a small frown. "Did you really meet the king?"

I smiled and held out my hand so they could all see the ring there. "I did," I told them, "and he gave me this."

Patrick reached out with his chubby boyish fingers and touched the sun at its center. When he did, the metal at the heart of the sun seemed to come alive. It rippled like golden mercury before settling back into place. Te children shrieked in excitement at this and Sabin's expression became something like wonder. I had to admit to a little shock myself. I'd never seen it do that before, and had to wonder if it was because they were wolves. Again, I would have to talk with Cern about this all as soon as I could.

Erika was reaching out to touch it too when the thin woman across the lawn began to gather the other children still playing there.

"Lunchtime!" she called and Sabin shooed the children away, putting his grin back in place for their benefit.

"Off you go, rugrats, before it's all eaten." Seeming distressed, the twins jumped to their feet and dashed off to join the others while Patrick remained behind. Smiling bashfully, he leaned down and picked a small white flower, handing it over.

"I gots to go now miss Mira, but I like your stories. I never knowed someone who met a fairy before. You're not evil like auntie Marcie says."

"Thank you." I said, deciding I didn't need to meet this woman and happy to have changed her nephew's mind. "You're very sweet yourself." He blushed, eyes lightening to a buttery gold, before scampering off to the others and leaving me alone with Sabin once again. He was still watching me, but now he looked as if he'd just discovered a fascinating new species.

"You know, Mira, I'm beginning to think you're much more interesting than just your scent."

I laughed at that and shook my head. "Not really. I just seem to find myself in the wrong places more than most. I have terrible luck."

"I take it seeing the fairies wasn't as glamorous as you made it out to be?"

"I haven't been that scared in a long time." I paused a moment, and arched a brow at him. "Wait, are you saying you believe me?"

"I thought it was just talk for the little ones until your ring did that neat little water trick. Now I'm not so sure."

I chuckled, starring down at the braided metal, poking it with a finger. It didn't ripple and I frowned. "Yeah, that part is new."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked, glancing between me and it.

"I'm not really sure." I was about to expand on that thought, when something occurred to me.

Until now, I'd been terrified of werewolves as a whole, not that I suddenly thought them all to be cute and cuddly. I was just willing to admit that there were exceptions, like Sabin and the children. The point however, was that last night I had been all but a weeping pile of mush in their paws. So pathetic and terrified in fact, that I hadn't even thought to call on the one person who could have saved me. I'd had an out the entire time, but in my panic failed to use it.

Now I just felt stupid.

"Why are you with that vampire?" Sabin suddenly asked, jerking me from my thoughts. "Obviously you're not safe with him, not if he takes you to monster bashes. Especially not when he's killed the people who saved your life."

"It's…" I searched for a way to explain, failed, and finally settled on, "complicated. I seem to attract things that want to hurt me or steal me away. Like some sort of danger magnet. Honestly I'm safer with him than anywhere else." Not to mention the fact that Cern had all but ordered him to keep me safe or else. Though Isaac never mentioned their meeting, I'd always had a feeling the god had made a personal visit to him. How else would he have known the situation and its conditions?

"You could stay here." He said, surprising me, then to sooth my shock he grinned, "I could show you a better time than that vampire at the very least." He winked.

Rolling my eyes, I laughed. "I've never slept with him."

"Sure." He said laying back in the grass and propping his head in his hands. "And that scar on your neck is from an angry puppy right?"

"He tried, believe me."

Sabin's humor vanished and his eyes cut to me, narrowing slightly. "By tried you mean…"

I shook my head at the implication, surprised that he seemed protective over me and hurried to explain. "He never attacked me…well, he never hurt…Ok, not to the extent you're thinking. He can be an asshole, but he isn't a rapist."

He watched me a long time, searching my expression before accepting my response. The tension that had so suddenly filled him slipped away, "But he has made advances."

"And I ran away."

"Literally?" he asked, seeming far too amused by the idea.

"Technically, I dissolved, but yes."

"Oh?" he replied looking at me as if I might claim the world was a giant ball of cheese next. "Do you find yourself dissolving often?"

I sighed, "No, but it's been known to happen. The…uh, Fae king can do some crazy things."

I don't know what it was about him, but I trusted Sabin. It was strange, and everything in me would have hated the very thought of him, but for some reason talking to him, even if he was a werewolf, seemed safe. He was easy to open up to, and had won me over in a few hours. While normally I would have been irritated by this fact, and while part of me thought he was easy to talk to because he wanted to be, I still liked him. Besides, being around him, meant I didn't have to worry about the others wolves, the ones I knew would be as nice to me.

"So being that you can dissolve," he said this making it obvious he doubted it and I shoved him playfully, "Why don't you do so now?"

"What the ring isn't enough proof that I'm special?" I laughed. He grinned sitting up.

"That part I knew. And I'm not asking you to prove yourself." He titled his head, searching my eyes intently, "I'm just curious, if you can escape at any time, then why haven't you?"

I sighed, knowing what he was looking for and feeling just a little embarrassed at having to admit it to him. He liked to give me a hard time, however, and even if it was irritating, somehow it managed to also be endearing. The bastard.

"I don't feel threatened right now, I suppose. Why? Are you implying that I should be?"

Sabin chuckled and when he suddenly surged forward, pinning me back on the ground, his permanently golden eyes seemed to glow.

"Well, since we're being so honest here," he flattened a palm on the grass beside my head, trapping me between it and him, "You smell-"

"Like heaven?" I finished, swallowing nervously. Perhaps I had dropped a little too much of my guard with him. Had he been waiting for that?

He nodded in affirmation, "It's more than that. To put it bluntly, I'm an animal and you are all I can think about when you're close enough to smell." He titled his head and when he spoke, his teeth had sharpened, "I don't know if I want to fuck you senseless, or eat you up, but the thought of handing you back to that leech makes the animal in me furious. Every instinct I have is telling me to keep you away from him. To keep you." He shook his head, "I haven't felt the visceral need to possess something so strongly since I found my mate, Accalia. Even more concerning is that given the choice between you, I honestly don't know if I'd choose her."

My eyes went wide and I pressed back into the grass. "I've reconsidered dissolving."

The wolf chuckled and ruffled my hair, "Don't worry, little red, I can control myself." Then he smiled in his devilish and endearing way, "but perhaps you could settle the beast by giving in to one of them? Well," he chuckled, "I'd rather you slept with me."

I arched a brow, "No Sabin."

"I'm just sayin'," he grinned, "It could be for your own safety."

I scoffed, but couldn't help my smile at his ridiculousness. I knew he wasn't really threatening me. "As far as pick-up lines go fuck me or I'll eat you really isn't the smoothest."

He shrugged, "Ok when you put it like that-"

"You can't help yourself can you?" The angry voice grabbed both our attention. Out of my peripheral vision I saw that even the wolves lounging about in the sun had turn to look at the speaker, as if they could all feel his rage. Or smell it.

Vilkas, the wolf whom Sabin was currently cuckolding glared down at the pair of us in the grass. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides and the veins in his arms and neck stood out against his skin as if they might burst from it. His eyes were bright yellow in his fury, gleaming as he watched us in disgust. At this, I felt Sabin tense above me, though outwardly he smiled. I knew he was ready t attack, but given the circumstances, said nothing.

"I thought it was the females that went into heat, but here you are. You spot a bit of tail and can't wait to pounce. No wonder your bitch keeps running off."

"I might be reading between the lines," Sabin spoke to me through his forced smile, "but I think he might be displeased with me in some way."

"Sabin." I caught his flashing eyes, recognizing the anger there when Vilkas had mentioned his mate. I tried to convey that this was a stupid idea, that this man was obviously about to try to kill him, but he didn't seem to care. The thin babysitter had returned with the children, some still carrying plates, but at the commotion she gathered them up and ushered them back inside. She didn't seem scared though, no one did. To them, it seemed normal, and they only watched with tense curiosity. There was a palpable excitement in the air, like in the lunchroom of a high school when a fight had broken out. They were eager.

Sabin slowly pushed himself up, helping me to my feet as well and brushing the dirt from my pants casually. Vilkas however, was growing more unstable by the second, his pupils, now incased in bright angry yellow, had shrunken to pinpricks. The effect was chilling.

"I'm sensing hostility, Vilks. Wanna share with me why?" Sabin asked calmly, finally turning to face the werewolf.

"You fucked my woman, you son of a bitch."

"Correction, Cassidy fucked me. Like a wild stallion, that one, and watch the way you talk about my mother. Especially when she is your Alpha's mate."

Vilkas growled, barring teeth that were longer and sharper than they should have been. "Cassidy is my mate. My woman. I have every right to defend my-"

"You're right." Sabin interrupted with a tight grin. "And while you're busy fighting for your humiliation, we might as well settle your grievances over my place in the Pack."

A flash of shock passed over the furious wolf's face before he replied "That's what this is about? You fucked my mate to get under my skin?"

Sabin stepped forward, gently urging me to the side and out of the way of harm, and chuckled, shrugging.

"Well, that and Cassidy's flexibility. I mean really, you are…were a lucky guy. She can get her legs allll the way-" but he wasn't given a chance to finish, because with a roar, Vilkas charged.

He moved so quickly I was stunned into stillness only feet away from them, a hand going to cover my mouth. The wolf caught Sabin at his midsection, lifting him up off the ground and then into the ground hard enough to send dirt up in a cloud of dusk. My heart raced in fear of what would happen to Sabin, but he didn't waist much time. With a savage growl of his own, he shoved Vilkas off and rolled onto his feet in a crouch. His fingers were curled, out at his sides, and their tips had lengthened and reshaped themselves. Now he had claws and when Vilkas next charged, so did he.

The wolf swiped at him ripping gashes in his blue tee-shirt and opening his chest. At the sight of the blood I thought I might be sick. What the hell had Sabin been thinking, starting a fight? What if Vilkas killed him? He wolves around us didn't seem startled as much as excited by this brawl. Would they stop it if it went too far?

"Get the human out of there." I heard the gruff, deep voice of Malachi behind me but didn't turn to look at him. I was too busy watching Vilkas shift. They were both beginning to turn in stages, between blows. Sabin's arms had bulged as if the muscle were growing under his skin. Vilkas snarled, snapping at him, and as he did the shape of his face began to change, his jaw lengthening into a muzzle and his teeth shifting to fit within it. Sabin's ears had lengthened as well, pointing at their tips and when he crouched again to attack, light golden hair began to thicken down his arms and neck.

Hands closed around my shoulder suddenly, dragging me back toward the house, and in my panic I fought. "He's going to kill him!" I shouted, but no one paid me any attention.

Another wolf join the one dragging me and slowly the fight began to recede as I was taken back to the house. Malachi met my eyes only briefly as I passed the door, and I tried to beg him to put an end to it.

"Stop them!" I pleaded, "He'll kill Sabin."

The Alpha had the nerve to laugh softly, before turning his eyes on the wolves behind me and nodded toward the house.

"Take her back to the cage. I think she's seen enough of our hospitality for now."

There was a muttered yes sir and then I was being hauled through the livingroom, the sounds of the fight still tormenting me before the basement door was closed behind the blond wolf that followed us. His eyes jumped nervously between me and the savage sounds of the fight and me until we'd descended the stairs and the sounds had faded.

All I could think about, however, was that the only wolf I'd met who'd shown me compassion was outside being torn apart and I was helpless to stop it. Was I cursed to be the death of all the people I cared for?

Now, I'm dying to know, given that you've gotten to see more of his character, what do all of you think of Sabin? Writing these chapters reminded me how much fun his world is to explore. It's making me miss his story and I'm considering starting it up again. Don't worry though, this one takes precedence.