WARNING! This chapter gets a little uncomfortable.

The wolf who gripped my shoulders wasn't gentle. When we'd reached the cage he tossed me against it and turned to his nervous friend.

"Willem go get the key."

"But I thought you-" The nervous wolf glanced between me and his obvious superior, flinching when he growled.

"Sabin has the other, jackass, so get the spare from Malachi's office." He turned to me, titling his head and I recognized him from my first night here as the one who'd tried to sniff me and been warned off by Sabin, though this was the first time I'd heard his southern drawl, "I'll keep the meat-girl busy a while."

Call me crazy, but I didn't like the sound of that.

"How can you all just sit back and watch while that crazy wolf up there attacks Sabin?" I demanded, "What if he really hurts him?"

The wolf shrugged, moving to sit on one of the exercise machine's benches. "Then Sabin don't deserve his position and must forfeit his title as Second."

I shook my head, "Aren't any of you worried about him?"

He laughed, bracing his elbows against his thighs and watching me with a glimmer in his dark blue eyes that made me uncomfortable. "You kiddin'?" he scoffed, "That boy was bred for this since the day he could walk. Malachi beat him worse than any of his competitors ever could when he failed. He spent more time in that cage than Cali. Hell, the old dog wouldn't feed 'less he came out on top of everything. Did you think he got his title just by bein' the Alpha's son?"

My throat felt tight from this new information and pity for Sabin, so I nodded. What a horrible way to grow up. How could anyone do that to their child? The wolf chuckled, shaking his head.

"This ain't the royal family, sugar. No one gets what they ain't owed, and Sabin wasn't no different. Though in his case, it was be the best or face his Alpha's rage. Can be quite the motivator."

"Malachi isn't as nice as he likes to pretend." I said, wringing my hands when I heard a howl through the open basement door. "But Sabin will be ok?"

The wolf laughed, shaking his head and looked me over. "I see he made with the charm already. He's good at that too. An Alpha needs more than brute strength as it turns out. He already get you to open them long legs o' yers?"

My jaw dropped a moment and I could only glare at him in shock. "E-excuse me?"

"Got the key, Tate!" Willem had returned and shut the basement door behind him, thankfully blocking out the sounds of the continuing fight. The wolf in question watched me scramble a moment in my discomfort before he held up a hand and whistled for Willem to toss the key ring. He caught it easily and slipped them into the back pocket of his worn jeans.

"Well, pretty lady, since we seem to have a little while, why don't we all get to know each other better?"

I took a step back, then jumped away when I found Willem behind me. He was an anxious little bastard, but quiet too. Tate titled his head, his smile sure and just a touch menacing.

"Come here, sugar." He waved me over, but I didn't budge. There was a sickness growing in my gut. A fear that this was about to turn into something terrible. When he saw that I wasn't moving his smile grew a little, and tightened, his eyes flashing, "Baby, you can either come here, or I can come get'cha. Up to you."

I glanced between them, swallowing as Willem herded me closer to the other wolf. I didn't want them to hurt me, and I knew that with the others all outside watching the fight, there would be no one to call for help. They knew it too. I took a tentative step toward him, then yelped when Willem shoved me forward. Tate caught my arms, shooting a cross look at Willem that I knew was staged, and tsk'ed.

"No need to get rough, she's gunna behave, ain't'cha, sugar?"

I didn't respond, just looked between them, fighting the trembles that were starting in my hands. These animals attacked at the sign of weakness, it was just what predators did. If I wanted them to leave me be, I had to do my best to be as strong as possible despite my fear.

Tate was built much like Sabin, if a bit smaller. He might have even been attractive if it weren't for the personality. He shook his dark bangs from his eyes and titled his head to regard me, patting his leg.

"Why don't you sit?" he suggested, but I scoffed at the idea. The wolf's smile vanished, his dark eyes narrowing and his tone hardened. "Sit."

I was jerked down into his lap, my back pressed against his too-warm chest and his arm wrapped around me. It trapped my arms against my sides and ensured that I wouldn't get away no matter how I struggled.

Tate growled low in his chest, the sound almost like a purr, and leaned in to breathe in my scent at the base of my neck. I stiffened, fighting not to struggle and excite or anger him, but he suddenly swatted the hair from my shoulder to get a better smell and I couldn't help the startled whimper. He chuckled against my throat, his hot breath making my skin crawl and nuzzled against me.

Willem had closed his beady brown eyes to take in my scent as well and whined like a dog, high pitched and irritating. "She smells great. How's Sabin keeping himself from takin' a bite? I'd sure love to."

My attention snapped to him at this, my gut dropping to the floor as if I'd just taken the first hill on a roller coaster. Tate sat back, and shoved me over to his lackey who caught me too tightly and took his time sniffing the bared skin of my throat. Behind us, Tate stood and moved slowly to a plywood cabinet, sifting through its contents. I was too busy shaking in Willem's bruising grip to pay him much mind though. This bastard had just admitted to wanting to eat me!

A strangled cry of disgust escaped my throat when I felt Willem's hot tongue against my throat and Tate appeared in my line of sight with a laugh. He pulled me away from the too-eager wolf and back against his chest, while Willem licked his lips, his eyes flashing gold.

"She tastes good."

"Does she?" Tate mused arching a brow. He was moving to try me himself when I swung around and slapped him with all I had.

The wolf's head turned with the blow and I stumbled away from him. Willem was too shocked to grab me, he just stared at the other. My anger melted quickly into fear as Tate's eyes cut to me, bleeding to bright yellow. I started to backpedal wanting as much distance between us as I could manage, but he was too quick. I yelped when he backhanded me, until the sound was cut off by his fingers around my throat. I gagged, tripping over myself and clawing at his hand as the wolf growled low in his throat and shoved me back against the cage bars. My feet left the ground, kicking wildly as he stared me down.

"That was rude." He said slowly, his voice deep and rough from his anger. "And here I thought we were all gettin' along. But if yer gunna be difficult…" He tossed a roll of duct tape to Willem, which he'd taken from the cabinet. The squirrely wolf caught it, but his wide eyes remained on us.

"Uh…Tate, she's turning purple."

"Mhmm." He agreed, titling his head. His grip on my throat tightened until I gagged again, the edges of my vision beginning to darken. "So sugar, what's it gunna be? You gunna play nice?"

I couldn't answer him, but tried to nod. He let me choke a few moments more then released me and watched me crumple to the ground. I coughed and gagged, holding my bruised and sore throat while he crouched down in front of me. He watched me with a sick satisfaction, titling his head to regard me with another horrible smile.

"Ya know, Tasha's been wearin' that shirt for years now, but I don't think she fills it out quite like you do."

I glared up at him, still clutching my throat, letting my hair tumble around my shoulders to shield some of my face. My cheek still throbbed and I knew there would be finger shaped bruises around my throat the next time I looked in a mirror. I wanted to attack him, to reach out with my own long nails and claw out the eyes that so thoroughly infuriated and terrified me. This was what I remembered of werewolves. This is why I had feared them. Cruelty and an animal savagery that made me sick with fear and hatred.

"I agree." Willem grinned, he seemed to be feeding off Tate's confidence now, growing bolder. Tate reached into his back pocket, pulling out the keys and stood slowly moving to unlock the cage door. I took that moment to shove off the ground and onto my feet, but just as with Sabin, I was caught. Willem grabbed my wrists, juggling them into one hand and pressed me back against the cage bars.

"Whoa there, meat-girl. Where you runnin' to?" I fought his hold, jerking with everything I had to break from his grasp, but even if he was smaller than the others, he was still stronger than me. "Ah-ah, didn't we just talk about behaving?"

"Get the fuck away from me you stupid piece of shit." I spat, but he only raised his brows. Behind me I heard the distinct sound of the duct tape being pulled and Tate reached through the bars to grab one of my arms. That was it.

With a furious shriek I surged forward. My knee went to Willem's crotch, my forehead to his nose. I didn't break it because he jumped away too quickly, but I still managed to stun him enough to pull free. While Tate cursed from the cell I kicked the door closed, locking him inside. Even if he had the keys, it gave me extra time and I used it to run for the stairs. This time I made it to the steps. Unfortunately, so did Willem.

He growled deep and threatening and caught my ankle. I tripped, falling forward, my head cracking against the first step and my body went limp. With me stunned, Willem was able to drag me back across the room while Tate reached between the bars to unlock the cage. When the world had stopped spinning, Willem was holding my arms against the concrete floor and Tate had stepped over me.

He gazed down at me with a heat in his yellow burning eyes that made tears well up in mine. I wanted to call for Sabin, for anyone, but who would hear me? Who would care? Tate scowled and kicked me in the stomach. I groaned, curling around myself, but he pushed at my hip with the toe of his boot, to lay me out again.

"Well, now we know you're a liar. Can't trust liars, so I guess we have to get rough, don't we," he said kneeling down and straddling my waist. I tried to hit him again, but Willem kept my arms tightly pinned, grinning like the sick bastard he was. Tate leaned down, stroking a finger down my cheek, pausing as he reached my throat and inspected the sensitive skin there. He found my scar next, looking it over with a heavy frown.

"You really let that parasite suck on you?" he asked, turning my head to inspect the scar more closely. "Don't think I could ever do that. I mean, playful bitin's one thing, but letting him drink yer blood?" He shook his head and let me turn back to glare at him. "How's that get fun?"

"I hear they have some kind of chemical in their saliva, makes it feel good." Willem chimed in, "So their meals don't go screaming and fighting them all the time."

Tate shrugged, "Sounds about right. Guess they'd have to have some way to get their food all docile." He looked back down at me, "So does he bite'cha on the regular?" a sick grin twisted his lips upwards, "Being that you smell so damn tasty, I don't see why he wouldn't. Bet'cha like it too. Regular vamp-whore."

"Get the fuck off of me." I said, unable to stand this anymore. Listening to cheap curses and insults was one thing, but I could feel Tate getting excited against my stomach and fear was steadily growing that this might all get worse than I'd imagined.

"Hey now," Tate laughed, glancing up at the snickering Willem. "It ain't proper for a lady to use language like that. Might have to muzzle you, ya keep it up, ya hear?"

I turned my head away, glaring off at the cage and wishing I'd just stayed inside it. Was Sabin the only wolf here I could trust? Had I been right to fear them all along? A tear blurred my vision and trailed down my cheek to the dirty floor, the salt burning my cheek on its way. Willem laughed above me, and Tate's fingers skimmed down my throat to the collar of my shirt.

I sucked in a breath, turning my eyes up to the ceiling, "Cernunnos!" I cried, my voice wavering with my tears. The wolves laughed at this, Tate tilting his head at me in curiosity. "Cernunnos, please!" but nothing happened, the room remained in place, there was no spinning and no whoosh of air. Either he couldn't hear me, which I didn't believe, or he was ignoring me.

"You prayin' to our gods now?" Tate asked with a laugh, "You think that'll appeal to us or somethin'?"

My sobbing started when the material of my shirt ripped and he leaned forward to breathe me in. Willem just stared at my chest. In his excitement, his claws had come out and they pricked my wrists where he held me too tightly.

Tate, ever the dirtbag, kept eye contact with me as he leaned forward and drew his tongue over the top of my breast. He sat back up with a low growl of pleasure from the back of his throat, and ripped open the rest of my shirt, tracing the line of my bra.

"You're right Will, she does taste good." His forefinger hooked into the cup of my bra and he dragged it down, exposing my breast. I sobbed again, trying to buck him off, to roll or fight, but they had me pinned too well. I was helpless, something I had felt far too often. But this was new, while Isaac might have made serious advances, he'd never gone as far as to molest me. As much as he liked to fuck with me, when I truly wanted him to stop, he did.

I'd never appreciated that more than I did now.

Tate ducked down again, still holding my eyes, and circled his tongue around my nipple with a low purr. Willem was busy laughing. He'd shifted my wrists into one hand and reached out to sink his other hand into the untouched cup of my bra, grasping my breast roughly. I screamed gearing to call Cern again in my desperation, but suddenly Tate slapped me, his hand snapping down to cover my mouth.

"Hush up, sugar. No one wants to listen to yer hollerin', so you keep it down or I'll gag you."

My eyes narrowed, and lost in my anger and fear, I bit down on his hand until he growled. The wolf jerked back, lifting his hand to hit me again, but Willem stopped him despite the burning yellow rage in his eyes.

"If she's all black and blue when the other's see her Malachi is going to be pissed." He warned, glancing back at the stairwell and then to his rapist pig friend. "Tone it down."

Tate growled, but lowered his hand, then jumped up to his feet. "Get her to the cage." He said, inspecting his hand while Willem stood and dragged me to my feet. I immediately began kicking and fighting him, which made Tate's eyes narrow. He marched up, catching my sneaker in the side and then with a hiss of pain, he cocked back his fist and sank it into my gut.

I curled around the blow, wheezing, with lights dancing around my eyes, and this time when Willem dragged me toward the cage, I didn't put up a fight. I was stunned into submission, gagging around the pain and fighting to make my lungs work again. By the time I'd managed to draw a breath, I was inside the cage and Tate was holding my arms up against the bars. Willem, still outside of it, had grabbed the duct tape and was securing my wrists in place. When I couldn't move them anymore, he continued to wrap them just to make me whimper, and Tate started in on me again.

He pushed my bra up over my breasts, leaning down to close his mouth over first one and then the other. When I started to sob again, pleading in nonsensical stings of words, he looked to Willem who pulled a length of tape and smoothed it over my mouth. Duct tape however is not much of a gag and they were irritated to find that I could still scream even if it was slight muffled.

"So what is it that makes you all hot for that leech?" Tate asked, stepping back when Willem entered the cage again and letting him take his turn playing with me. I tried to knee him again, but the smaller wolf growled, grabbing a fistful of my hair, wrenching back my head, and pinching my nipple until I whimpered. Tate continued on, watching me from his place against the wall.

"They all come pretty, so it can't be that. They gotta be to lure their food." His eyes followed Willem as he got down on his knees, licking his way down my stomach before he glanced up at me and tugged my jeans down far enough to kiss the soft concave below them.

"Yer a little thing," Tate continued, "So you don't need a vampire to find a man stronger than you, and he left you here without so much as a kind word, so it ain't love got you crawlin' back to him. To me, that leaves pain." He stepped closer, pulling Willem off of me before he could move to my more private parts. Idly he traced my nipple, trailing his fingertip down my stomach. I winced as I felt the sharpness of his claw, it broke the skin, slicing a thin line down below my bellybutton, and the wolf tilted his head.

"Do you like it when he hurts you? Is that it?" He slit another slow gash into me starting at my hip and ending at the hem of my jeans. I shook my head frantically, but he only grinned. I watched in growing sickness as he lifted the clawed finger to his mouth and sucked the blood away.

At the taste of me, his pupils shrank and his yellow eyes seemed to glow. A growl started deep in his chest and he lurched forward, grabbing the bars beside my waist.

"Jesus, you taste…" but he couldn't finish the thought, his eyes fell closed and he breathed me in, excited by the scent of my blood, then sank down onto a knee in front of me. Willem swiped a finger across my gash and tasted me, his own eyes brightening to gold when he did. Meanwhile, Tate had begun to draw at my wounds. He lapped at them hungrily, growling as he did, as if he couldn't help himself, and the longer this went on, the more aggressive he became. When he'd cleaned the wounds he added another, this time deeper than the others. He held my eyes as he drew his claw from my waist down into the hem of my jeans, then growled when the blood bloomed out of it. I feared that once the blood had all been cleaned away, he might actually try to bite me. To my horror he smiled wide, his teeth sharpened to wicked looking points and opened his mouth to do just that when the door to the basement opened.

Willem stumbled back as if putting distance between us might prove he had no hand in this, but Tate didn't seem to care. Not until a growl echoed down the stairs. The wolf pulled back, remaining knelt before me and watched as the huge wolf Rendall descended the stairs, his eyes bright gold.

"Get out." He growled at them and Willem scampered off with his proverbial tail between his legs. Tate didn't budge, in fact he chuckled and leaned in to lick at the blood that had begun oozing from my cuts again. This did not a happy, giant wolf make, and Rendall stormed into the cage, grabbing the back of Tate's neck and literally throwing him against the concrete wall.

Tate's head cracked against the stone loudly, and he fell against the dirty mattress with a stunned groan. Rendall reached down, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up off his feet to slam him back against the wall. Tate wheezed, but forced a smile and when he did there was blood smeared across his sharp teeth. I didn't know whether it was his or mine, but couldn't find the energy to care. I'd since gone limp, letting the duct tape support me as the giant wolf leaned forward and growled something into the other's ear that made him laugh.

"Come on, she's just some skanky shadow. Prob'ly be dead by month's end."

Rendall growled again, the sound echoing through the huge basement and Tate gagged as the grip around his throat tightened. I hoped he like it, the sick fuck. Rendall threw him down against the concrete, motioning toward the door, but Tate only rubbed his throat and shook his head.

"What, are you this bitch's keeper? Since when do you care if a leech's plaything gets what's owned 'em?" The giant wolf's next growl was answer enough, and Tate pushed himself from the ground holding up his hands. "Then again if you were just waitin' for your turn that's fine too. Watch out though, she's got a mouth on her." And with that, he winked at me and hurried out of the basement.

When Rendall turned to me, his eyes were still yellow, but the expression on his face was pained. I whimpered when he reached for me, and he paused, taking a slow breath.

The wolf did his best to fix my bra without actually touching my skin and pulled the tape from my mouth. I was still sobbing as he grew his claws and slashed through the tape at my wrists, catching me when my legs shook too badly to support myself.

"It's over," he said, slipping his arms under me to lift me up and carry me to the mattress on the floor. He set me down gently and knelt down, pulling off his tee-shirt and offering it to me. I clutched it against myself, and when it became clear that I wasn't calm enough to put it on myself, he hushed me and softly asked me to lift my arms. He helped me into the shirt, tugging it down around me and when he was finished, I sobbed loudly, throwing my arms around his neck. Rendall didn't seem to know what to do at first and just sat there, arms at his sides, until finally he closed them around me, awkwardly patting my back.

"I have to get Sabin." He said gruffly, trying to extricate himself from my vice grip, but I shook my head.

"What if they-"

"They won't." he said, and by the anger in his voice, I knew it was true. He found the key ring on the floor and handed it to me. "Close the door behind me and Sabin will be here as soon as he can."

I nodded, but before he could stand, I'd hugged him again. "Thank you." I sniffled into his shoulder, repeating it over and over until I could do nothing but cry.

Rendall nodded, pulling away and moved to the cage door. He glanced back at me to make sure I'd closed it and watched me curl up into the far corner of the cage, looking pained again. Then with a soft growl he couldn't keep back, he bounded up the stairs and slammed the door behind him. I was left to sob in the harsh florescent light.

I don't know how long I waited, but the sound of the door put me on edge and I clutched the key ring to my chest as if it would protect me. Sabin took the stairs in two leaps, landing in a crouch at the base and when he saw me, his expression turned hard.

"What happened?" he asked, the rage that churned behind his voice was enough to make me nervous as he unlocked the cage with his own key and closed it behind him. The moment he'd knelt in front of me I shook my head. I don't know why I didn't want to talk about it, shame perhaps, but he wasn't going to take no for an answer and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me roughly.

"Damnit, Mira what did they do?" My head hung forward and I hiccupped on my tears, so Sabin began to inspect me. "Where the fuck is your shirt?"

"R-ripped it." I managed to get out.

"Did they touch you?" he demanded, and I nodded, letting him wipe away my tears, though his hands were shaking. "Where." This was spoken roughly, as his throat began to change in his anger but I shook my head.

"Just…just my…" my arm wrapped around my chest, and that was answer enough. He seemed to calm a moment at that, thankful that it hadn't been worse, but when he took his next breath his body went rigid.

"You're bleeding." He said in a hollow voice.

"He scratched me." I murmured swallowing passed the lump in my throat.

Sabin's golden eyes brightened, his pupils shrinking and he reached for my shirt. I tried to swat him away, but he growled, making me jump and go still. He lifted my shirt up around my stomach starring at the gashes there, and I could hear his teeth grinding together. Then something occurred to me and my stomach dropped, threatening to make me vomit.

"Oh, god." I breathed, and Sabin's eyes snapped up in alarm. "He scratched me! What if- oh god what if I…" I dissolved into tears again. Sabin hurried to console me, shaking his head.

"It doesn't work that way, Mira. The infection comes from the saliva and our teeth when we've changed. It has to get into your blood to transfer."

"But it burns!" I cried, panicking, "He was licking me, and-"

He grabbed my shoulders, looking me directly into the eye. "No." he said firmly. "The change happens from a bite. Only a bite. Even if he'd nicked you with his teeth, it would take a full bite to start the change and you are fine."

"But-"

"It burns because there is still an infectant in our claws, but it won't do anything but irritate your skin and it isn't bad enough to cause real pain." He leaned forward, trying to make me understand. "You're fine, Mira. You aren't going to change."

I exhaled and with it my body went limp again. I fell against him, letting him catch me and hold me against his chest. I didn't even have the strength to cry anymore. We remained like that a long time, and Sabin fell into a stiff silence, his mind on what had happened though thinking about it seemed to make his fury grow.

"What happened to Vilkas?" I asked, softly, wiping away my remaining tears on his shoulder. The wolf was quiet a moment, before he scoffed.

"Does it matter?"

"He didn't seriously hurt you?" I asked softly. Sabin laughed, though it was tense and a tiny bit forced. He'd apparently lost his shirt during the fight, and the slashes across his chest and side looked angry. They were far deeper than mine. He was also covered in bruises, though they already seemed to be healing, all the greenish yellow that comes at the end of the process. And I couldn't be sure, but he might have been favoring one leg, just a bit when he'd come in.

"He got a few good hits in, made me bleed a little, but I got him to the ground. He won't be challenging me anytime soon."

"Good." I murmured.

The wolf laughed at this, but the sound was angry and shook his head. "What is wrong with you? Who gives a fuck if I'm hurt, I'll survive. You on the other hand-"

"I'm fine now." I said, managing to keep my voice steady even if it wasn't very strong.

"Don't lie to me." He snarled, and I drew away from him, eyes wide. The wolf cursed under his breath and hung his head a moment, fighting to get himself back under control, and when next he spoke his voice was smooth and fully human. "I need you to take off your shirt."

"Why?" I demanded, my arms going back around myself protectively, but he wasn't paying attention.

Sabin jumped to his feet and moved out of the cage to the plywood cabinet where Tate had gotten the tape. This time I saw without a doubt his slight limp, and wondered how bad his injuries actually were. Was he really biting them down just for my benefit? The wolf returned with a bottle of peroxide and a first aid kit in a tin box, setting them beside me.

"I have to clean your wounds, or they'll get infected." He muttered, looking furious and barely contained.

"I'm fine. I just need to-"

"Take. Off. Your. Shirt." His eyes were still blazing, his body tensed and I stared at him a long moment before deciding it was better to let him do this, even if I didn't want to be touched.

Slowly I pulled Rendall's shirt over my head, setting it beside me and then removed the remains of Tasha's. At the sight of this, his fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't say anything and instead turned to the first aid kit.

He didn't bother sorting through it, simply upended the box and grabbed the cotton swabs when they scattered with everything else. Honestly it was flattering that he was so angry by this, and a reassurance that not the wolves acted that way, but at the same time, he was starting to make me nervous. His eyes had yet to dim back to their pretty golden color, and blazed on, the pupils tiny and furious and when he grabbed my waist, he wasn't gentle.

My sharp intake of breath must have alerted him that he'd startled me because he quickly pulled back, closing his eyes and taking a breath to calm himself. Then after a few moment, he opened the peroxide bottle and wet a swab, dabbing it across the deepest of my cuts.

I knew it would burn, but not to this extent and I hissed, trying to pull away from him, but I was trapped between the wolf and the bars of the cage. Sabin jerked back, meeting my eyes a moment, and I could tell he was fighting the urge to snap at me.

"You have to be still." He said, voice shaking. I shook my head.

"You're making it worse."

"Mira…"

"I'll be fine if you'd just-"

"Shut your damn mouth and let me do this!" he exploded, and I shrank away from him again. Maybe this was one of the reasons his mate kept running away. His temper was short and even when he wanted to help, he couldn't keep it in check. It would have been endearing if it wasn't so fucking scary.

I touched his hand, knowing I had to calm him down and when he met my eyes I gave a tiny smile. Before he could reject it, I'd pulled him into a hug, holding tightly.

"It's over now," I said, knowing it was true and feeling the strength in my voice return, "I'm going to be ok, I promise." How strange that after nearly being raped, I was comforting him.

Sabin gently pushed me back, but wouldn't meet my eyes. Instead he went back to cleaning the gashes, trying his best not to yell at me when I jerked away here and there. Maybe it was just because of how I'd gotten them, but fuck did they burn. Cleaning them was worse them having Tate cut me, and I was forced to grit my teeth and cling to the bars behind me to remain still.

When he'd finished, Sabin ripped open a packet of gauze with his teeth and pushed it up against my wounds, motioning that I hold it in place. Then he found the small roll of tape in the mess and began wrapping me. When he was done, he stood without a word and turned on his heel, moving for the stairs.

"Sabin?" I called after him, but he'd already slammed the door and I was left to gather the contents of the kit and pile it all back into the box. I capped the peroxide and carried all back to the cabinet, tossing them inside and closing the door. After that, I really did know what to do, so I moved to the deep basin sink up against the far wall and washed my face. The cool water was a blessing against my skin and after a few minutes of washing I felt closer to my normal self again.

When the door at the top of the stairs burst open I jumped, and wrapped my arms around myself. I hadn't put Rendall's shirt back on yet and blushed at being exposed. Sabin stepped down onto the stair, dragging a growling wolf behind him, and when I saw that it was Willem, I rushed into the cage to hold the huge shirt against myself.

Sabin wasn't gentle. He dragged the wolf through the door and halfway down the stairs shoved him, watching him tumble from step to step and lad in a groaning pile at the base. His eyes still blazed and his pace was slow and deliberate, while Willem, who's hands had been taped up behind his back scambled to get back onto his feet. He didn't make it, though, because when Sabin got to him, he kicked him down, and I heard the distinct sound of a bone snapping. Willem howled, curling around his now broken rip and began to pant.

"Fuck man, she's just a shadow! What the hell is your problem?" Sabin ignored this and instead grabbed him by his shirt, dragging him up to his feet.

"Is this him?" He asked, gripping the wolf's collar, though he growled and bared his sharpened teeth at him.

I nodded, my fingers painfully tight around the bars. I don't know why I was remaining in the cage when it was opened, but it felt safer in here. "He didn't touch me as much as the other one though."

Sabin let out a slow breath, closing his eyes a moment, then cracked his neck. When his eyes opened again, they were pale yellow and gleaming. "Come out here, Mira."

I watched him a long moment at first, vary, but the wolf only sighed. "Come on, no one's going to hurt you."

I made a slow path to the open cell door, pausing there a moment when Willem growled and started struggling again. Sabin made a short menacing sound deep in his chest and shoved the wolf back down on his knees, squeezing the back of his neck until he let out a high-pitched whine.

"Don't mind him, he's just embarrassed." Sabin said waving me toward them until I stopped a few feet away. He tossed me the wad of cloth he'd been gripping, which turned out to be a thin, sleeveless turtleneck. Normally I couldn't stand the things, but I pulled it on thankful that it would cover the bruises on my neck where Tate had choked me. Willem watched this and sneered.

"It's like a strip tease in reverse. I think I'd rather you just got naked again."

Sabin's fist flashed out and there went rib number two. While Willem wheezed and cursed at the ground, I looked up at the enraged wolf.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as if they might protect me. Or maybe it was just the sight of my attacker. Looking at him now I could feel his fingers on my hip, my breasts and it turned my stomach.

"Me?" Sabin asked, smiling down at the other wolf. "Nothing. I want you to hit him."

"What?" I asked at the same time as Willem. Sabin slammed him down again, then looked to me.

"You heard me. Hit him, or kick him, just do something. Our laws are very strict when it comes to what he's done. We do not take this crime lightly."

"But I-"

"If he thinks he can get away with it this time, it will lead to more offenses. I will not allow him to hurt our women, but it is not my place to defend one who isn't in this pack." Sabin shrugged, "So I leave it to you. You won't be blamed, and he isn't going to touch you because if he does," here, Sabin reached down to grab Willem by the hair and look down into his face with a dangerous smile, "I will step in."

"She's just a stupid meat girl!" Willem cried, "You don't even know her!"

"You're right, but my mate's life is contingent on her well being. If you attack her, my hands are no longer tied and I will tear you apart."

Willem whined again, high pitched like a dog, then turned his nervous brown eyes on me. I could only stare at him, until Sabin cleared his throat and raised his brows at me expectantly.

"I don't know what to do." I said, my throat was dry and I kept closing and opening my hands in my anxiety. The wolf was good enough to smile at me in his disarming way and nodded toward my hands.

"Make a fist, come here, and hit him."

"In the face?" I asked, glancing between the two.

He smirked at Willem's expression and shrugged, "If that's what suits you."

"I've never-"

"Jesus Mira just hit him!" Sabin exclaimed and in a flustered fit, I obeyed. I swung, closing my eyes and looking away from him, and my fist connected with the side of his head.

At the sound of soft laughter, I opened my eyes again. Sabin was looking at me with a mixture of disbelief and humor. To my mortification, Willem was the one laughing. He shook his head and looked up at me.

"What the hell was that? Here I was thinking you could actually hurt me, didn't know you had a fist like a pillow."

I scowled and Sabin gave a heavy sigh. "Sorry but I've got to agree with him. Have you never been in a fight?" I shook my head, clenching my fists at my sides.

"I changed my mind, Sabin," Willem said, the tension draining from his body. "You can let her beat me all she wants. Don't even have to hold me down." He looked up at me and his smile was repulsive, "I think it's cute, baby, you're kinda turning me on."

I think Sabin was going to break another of his ribs then then, but he didn't get the chance. Anger swelled in my chest until it was all I could feel and my fist shot out of its own volition. I felt my knuckles crack against his jaw, snapping his head to the side. He cursed, the words half garbled by his growl and looked back up at me.

"Fucking little bitch. Hit me again and I'll-"

I cut him off with another sock to the face, this time connecting with his cheek bone. I felt the flesh spilt under my knuckles and came away with blood on my hand. Sabin whistled his approval, inspecting the split a moment before he hauled Willem up to his feet and nodded for me to continue.

I thought back to when he'd been in my cell. The way he'd touched me. The way he'd held me down for Tate, and laughed when I began to cry. My rage built, bubbling inside me and demanding retribution. I hit him twice more once against his jaw and then again in the gut. I would have preferred that he doubled over in pain, like they do on TV, but I couldn't put enough force behind it and he only winced.

After that something snapped inside me. Anger more potent than I'd realized filled me to the brim, heating my blood, boiling my brain until I just let go. My fists seemed to move on their own after that. I hit him again and again, his face his chest. I even kicked him once. I wasn't just attacking for me anymore, this was for my parents, my sister. Then, when I was panting and my hands were screaming in pain from my split knuckles, I put all of my weight into one last strike. This time, when I hit him in the gut, Willem doubled over, wheezing and Sabin let him drop to his knees again, moving to drag me away lest I attack again.

"Whoa there, little red, I think he's had enough now." He caught me when I sagged; leading me to the wall so I could catch my breath again. From the floor Willem managed to sit straight, his eyes were no longer brown and he seemed to have grown a little in size, as if his muscles had swollen beneath his skin. When he bared his pointed teeth, they were streaked with blood and he spat it on the ground at me.

Sabin dragged him roughly from the ground and began to unbind his arms roughly. "You can get the hell out of here now, maybe go explain to the boys that the 100 pound shadow just kicked your ass."

"What about Taint?" I asked and my voice was husky. Sabin glanced back at me as he pulled away the last of the rope from Willem and the other wolf began to rub his wrists. He smirked at my misuse of the name and nodded up the stairs.

"Rendall's taking care of that one. He's a repeat offender, seems to think human girls aren't worth as much as ours."

I nodded, "I hope the big guy beats his brains in."

Willem's eyes narrowed and Sabin gave me a strange look, before glancing at the other. "I doubt it. We don't kill our own unless we have to."

"Pity." I murmured, starring down at the concrete, "Some people deserve it."

"Crazy bitch." Willem spat, snapping his teeth when I glared up at him. "You'd better hope I never see you again."

"Threaten her, you threaten my wife, Will, don't be an idiot." Sabin growled, but the wolf only laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But your mate's getting back in the next hour, after that this one's free game." Willem grinned wide, the expression all the more unnerving for the blood, "I know you'll taste as good as you smell. Can't wait to try the rest of you."

"Out."Sabin growled and the wolf obeyed with one last glare my direction, once he'd disappeared up the stairs, I looked to Sabin.

"I thought you said you didn't eat humans." I scowled, "That sounded an awful lot like a threat to eat me."

"There's an exception to every rule, Mira." He sighed, "But don't worry, if he so much as sniffs around you, I'll stop him. Put it out of your mind."

I nodded, but something in the back of my brain told me there was a little more to it. The wolves made too many references to eating humans for my taste, but I didn't want to push the subject.

"You needed that didn't you?" Sabin asked after it seemed the silence would swallow us whole. I glanced up at him and shrugged.

"It felt good, if that's what you're asking. I don't get many opportunities to let go like that."

"You should." He said, searching my expression, "I had no idea there was so much anger inside you."

"I just couldn't stop picturing what he did. I lost it for a little bit."

"No," Sabin shook his head, watching me closely, "That wasn't just for those bastards, it's deeper than that."

"You're point?" I asked, closing my arms around myself. The wolf chuckled, leaning back against the wall beside me while I rubbed my split knuckles.

"No point, just an observation. I live with some pretty crabby females, and when they're ragging, you don't even want to catch their attention, but you, Mira, I don't think I've ever met anyone as angry as you." He looked me over, "and that includes my woman."

I didn't respond, but he knew I was embarrassed and only smiled it off. It seemed that watching my beat on Willem had calmed him down considerably. "Don't think I'm judging you, little red. Lord knows I have no room to talk. I have a remarkably short temper. It's part of why Cali ran, not that I blame her. I've got an animal in here," he touched his chest, starring down at the ground, "rattling around and snapping its teeth. Fighting every moment of every day to rip its way out and take over. Sometimes, I almost want to let it, just for the peace of letting go." He seemed to snap back to earth then, and turned to me, expression solemn, "I get it, Mira. Really I do, but you have to force it down. I lost the one I care about to my demons, she looks at me and all she sees is the animal. She refuses to believe that I could love her."

"Do you?" I asked softly.

Sabin sighed, leaning back against the wall to rest his head against it and closing his eyes. "Not at first, and now with everything I have."

"So prove it." I said, standing strait and turning to face him. "Show her that you love her."

The werewolf arched a brow, opening his eyes to stare at me with humor and a touch of grief. "It's too late for that, baby-doll. She doesn't trust me anymore. She doesn't trust anyone."

"Well dragging her back here every couple months isn't helping."

He laughed, and the sound was pained and soft. "She's a danger to herself and the people around her." he said, "she's too emotional and without control she's going to hurt someone. And even if that wasn't the case I'm too selfish to let her go. So I'll chase her forever, I'll drag her back here every time she runs and let her hate me and fuck me and hurt me. Just as long as she is with me, that's all that matters. As long as I can keep her safe and at my side. As long as I can protect her, from herself as well as the world."

I watched him a moment, feeling a swell of compassion for the wolf I hadn't thought possible. With a smile, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Well I know you love her. You're a better man than she thinks."

Sabin's shock at my kiss was short-lived, and I watched the surprise melt into something unreadable. Moving before I could anticipate it, he grabbed my shoulder spinning us around and pinning me back against the wall. His other hand slipped into my hair, forcing my head back and he bent down to kiss me with an enthusiasm I could only attribute to a wild animal. When he pulled back I was frozen in shock and panting, gazing up at him with wide eyes.

"Don't be so quick to praise me, Mira. I am not and never have been a good man." He leaned forward breathing me in and shivering in pleasure of the scent. "I am a monster."

At this I shook my head, pushing back on his chest so I could look into his eyes. He wanted to shock me, and it had worked, but I saw through him. He couldn't chase me off.

"I know monsters," I said slowly, "I've met more of them than you would believe. You Sabin," I reached up to stroke his cheek, "are nothing like them."

He seemed taken aback by that and after a moment chuckled. He was just about to reply when the door at the top of the stairs opened and Rendall the mammoth stepped into view. He took in our positions, cocked a meaningful brow at the grinning Sabin and nodded toward the kitchen.

"We just got the call. The vampires are on their way with Accalia." Then he looked between us, "Unless of course you think we should stall them. Maybe even call the whole thing off?"

I pushed Sabin back and moved toward the stairs, trying my best to hide my raging blush, but the wolf only laughed. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me toward the stairs and Rendall's amused almost-smile.

"Back to the boyfriend," he said. "Aren't you excited?"

I took a slow breath, but didn't reply and that made the wolf laugh harder.

"Me too. Can't wait for the yelling to start once Cali sees me. She has the cutest way of insulting me. I can't get enough of it."

Rendall rolled his eyes and turned to lead us toward the office, while I tried to figure out what exactly I was dreading so much. I was however, pleased to see that his knuckles were just as torn and bloodied as my own.

Ok, damnit so these chapters just keep expanding, but fear not, Isaac is coming back…teehee, and with treats I think you might enjoy. I was planning on just saying fuck it and posting it all together as one long ass chapter, but as it turns out it was WAAAAAAY longer than I expected, so I'm splitting it in half…-sigh- AGAIN

Anywho, since these chapters were never supposed to be this long, I'm just going to post them all as quickly as I can get them up, no more waiting, but in exchange you must tell me what you think about them damnit! I must know!