Chapter 3

Roman pushed his legs hard, heading straight for the preserve's tree-line while he kept an eye on his pack. Not counting Dean, Seth and Brad were the fastest runners and way ahead of them. Everyone adhered to Seth's advice about staying together but staggered so that they couldn't be taken down by a burst of automatic fire. In the thick of it though, it seemed like preservation won out and the pack ran for the safety of the preserve as fast as their legs would take them.

They were in wide open land now; easy pickings for the Hunters. Roman's hearing was sharp and picked up the sound of a rifle chambering a round. The sound of the click didn't follow. Instead his ears picked up a THWIP, then the sound of the air parting and ended with a THUNK and the distinct sound of a body impacting the snow.

"Keep running!" a female voice split through the sound of gunfire and the wolves' panting breath.

Seth spotted her moving among the trees; deep in shadow. She was fast and moved with deadly precision. He kept his eyes on her while he ran towards her property. The Hunters turned their attention on her too. She avoided gunfire like it was standing still; firing one arrow after another. He and Brad crossed the line first, stopping beside her.

"They cross the property line these days," she said in a low growl; reaching to her belt and flung a knife off to their left, hitting a Hunter right in the heart. "Either follow my scent into the interior of the land or stay behind me and keep low. Tell your people," she hissed at Seth, firing off another bolt. "By the way, these fuckers die easy if you wait until they're out of ammo," she pulled two knives, staring across the field at Roman and the others. They were between her and some Hunters on a decline. Without a sideways glance, she ran to her right, easily ran up an outcropping of rocks and let the blades fly.

'Duck, Rome!' Seth shouted to his Alpha, cocking his head when the blades cleared their heads by inches before finding their targets.

"I had it covered, hon, but it is the thought that counts," she winked at the brown and blonde wolf, lifting her bow and firing to cover the last few wolves.

'You can hear me?' Seth asked while her Akitas pounced on some Hunters that ran up on them, taking them to the ground and proceeded to tear their throats out.

"Sure can, Spike. Down!" she yelled at the ones that just crossed over; running towards Roman, reaching over her shoulder and pulled her sword, cutting down one of the bolder Hunters that was on his tail. She just drove the blade into his heart and glanced up to see one of the straggling wolves take a hit to the leg and go down.

'Antonio!' Roman screamed and coiled to spring forward before the woman appeared in front of him.

"You can't go out there," she shook her head, standing up to the large black wolf before turning towards the open field and the wounded wolf. "Dean…" she called out to him while her eyes surveyed the distance and remaining opposition.

'Cass, you can't leave the property!' he answered in a panic.

'Dean? Is that you?' Roman panted in relief.

'Rome! Don't let her go, Rome! Don't fucking let her go!'

'It's too late, bro,' Seth called out when she broke cover and outran the fastest of any of them while dodging shots.

Cass slid like she was stealing home plate, throwing a blade at their nearest adversary before she settled on her belly. "Hey, Antonio, I'm going to get you out of here but I need you to stay in this form no matter how badly you want to shift. I can't carry a full-grown man at top speed, okay?" she asked the silver wolf; her eyes darting around constantly.

'I promise,' he whined when she shifted his legs. 'Son of a bitch!' he growled when she lifted him in a fireman's carry and made a mad dash towards the trees.

'Fuck!' Cass clenched her eyes when the first round ripped through her side and grit her teeth when another pierced her thigh but never slowed down. "How many times do I have to tell you to get down?" she snapped at the pack, easing Antonio down on the ground. "I'll take care of you when we get back to the house, Antonio. I just need to clean up," she patted his head with a pained smile before snatching up one of the Hunters' rifles. "I was having a great day," she took aim and fired. "I was in bed after finally getting laid," another shot. "He might have even done it again," another shot. "But no, you fuckers have to ruin my naked snuggling by hovering like fucking vultures," another shot. "Fuck, I hate you!" she threw down the empty weapon and curled her fingers around her blades, taking a few steps over her property line. "Why won't you worthless fucks just die!" she bellowed at her people.

The pack watched her throw one blade after another, hitting every man in the heart and all the while ranting about how they interrupted her sexual encounter.

'Remind me to never get between this chick and her intended dick 'cuz damn,' Seth glanced around at the field of dead with wide eyes.

"Ares! Apollo!" she whistled, returning to Antonio's side. She ripped off a strip of material from the hem of her shirt and bound his wound. "Relax; they can carry him back to the house. You guys are too tired and they're used to it," she directed Antonio over the dogs' backs before turning back to the dead. "You picked a good spot to cross over. It is closer to my house than the spot Dean crossed. You can shift or not; I don't care," she shrugged her shoulders, tucking her arm close to her side. "I know someone who is dying to see you," she turned towards the others and pointed the direction they were going with her free hand. "By the way, Spike," she glanced down at Seth, "it was a very good dick," she gave him a smug grin before focusing on the path.

She walked beside Roman, telling him how she found Dean and how he was now. She answered his questions about the Hunters and the other Shifters that lived on the premises. Seth walked behind them, watching her closely before looking at the ground; seeing her walk on top of the snow and a trail of blood behind her steps.

'You were hit?' he asked even though he could see the hole in her pant leg.

"Yeah, I'm fine though," she gasped, lifting a hand to wipe at her sweaty brow. The movement allowed him to see her bloody side too.

'I can smell a lot of blood,' Roman glanced up at her in concern.

"I'll be fine; I just need a minute," she stopped; breathing heavily while she held a hand to her side. "The dogs will lead you to Dean and the house. I'll take care of Antonio there and find you a parcel of land with a few cabins. Go on," she jutted her chin out.

Roman and the others followed the dogs while Seth lingered at the back of the pack, looking back at the woman. He had a weird feeling in his bones from the moment he saw her and it only intensified when she dropped to her knees, lifted the hem of her tank and he saw an impossible thing. She took a handful of snow and rubbed it across the gash to wash away the blood, and then inspected the already healing wound.

'Hunter!'

His growl was the only warning she had before he barreled into her chest, knocking her backwards. As an immortal, she healed from all wounds but it took a hefty toll on her energy once she allowed it to begin. She wasn't expecting to be attacked by the very Shifters that she just saved from death.

'Seth!'

'She's a fucking Hunter, Rome!'

Cassandra mustered the last bit of strength she had left, lifted her feet to plant just under his hind legs and pushed him up and over her head. Just as she rolled over to her hands and knees, he was on her again; burying his teeth in the joint of her neck and shoulder.

"I can see him, Seth," she gritted out of clenched teeth; blood trickling down her front and back from his sharp canines clamped down in the soft flesh. "I saw what he did," she gasped when he jerked a bit.

'Get out of my head, bitch!'

'Cass!' Dean jumped off of a small hill into Seth, ripping him away from his lady, the two of them rolling through the snow. The instant Dean returned to his feet, he stood his ground between his pack and Cassandra; teeth bared at his brother. 'She isn't what you think, Seth!' He backed up and physically stood over her crumpled form, protecting her from his family.

'She's a Hunter, Dean!' Seth snarled at his pack mate.

'She's that and much more!' Dean coiled his body, preparing to lunge if he was forced to. 'She saved all of our lives! She's saved a ton of Shifters over the years!' He moved again when Seth paced back and forth, keeping his guard up to protect her from him. 'She's my mate and I won't let you hurt her!'

"Dean, you can't mate a Hunter," Roman told his little brother once he shifted to human form.

"I beg to differ," a mountain of a man, almost completely albino, stepped from the trees, surveying the pack of wolves and the bleeding Cassandra. "It is her destiny to mate a Shifter," he moved towards their guardian; kneeling at her side to inspect her wounds. "Let me take you home, Cassandra," he said softly. "I know you've always wanted a ride on my back," he smirked.

"I don't want my blood on your pretty white fur, Malakai," she lifted a weak hand before it fell to her side; her eyes falling closed.

"She's out while she heals," he said aloud before glancing at the others. "Take your soon-to-be mate home so she can heal properly, boy," he bellowed at Dean.

Dean shifted back to human form with very little effort and bent to pick up Cass. "I've got you, darlin. I'll get you home and cleaned up before I put you in bed," he murmured into her hair while he cradled her to his chest and led the dogs with their passenger towards the house. "It's fucking safe, Rome! I've been here for a week and she has a panic attack if I stub my toe. She'd die before she'd hurt any of us," he shouted at his Alpha before storming off.

"Her pup tells the truth," Malakai told Roman when he walked beside him. "Please, son, everyone on the preserve knows he's her pup when he started the mating process earlier. He howled loud even in human form," he mock-shuddered before he chuckled. "My name is Malakai. My sleuth of bear lives on the northern tip of the preserve. If you ever get around to being decent to Cassandra, she'd be the first to tell you that I'm a cranky old bastard but my family owes her their lives and I owe her a debt that can never be repaid," he spoke softly, patting Brad's head after letting the young wolf sniff his open palm.

"What debt?" Roman asked curiously.

"We were hunted by Humans and Hunters alike. There was no safe place for us anywhere except here but the preserve was a temporary refuge. I was the one that convinced her to change her mind about that. She allowed us to stay at a great cost," Malakai lowered his head; regret coursing through his being. "Rome is it?" he asked and Roman nodded. "Cassandra can read Shifters' thoughts. Once she opened the place up to me and mine, she started to allow others to stay as well. There are a lot of different species of Shifters on this land and they are all in her head. For a long time she couldn't hear a person talking right in front of her face; their voice just mixed in with all the others in her mind. I don't know how she maintained her sanity. I get a headache just hearing my own sleuth's thoughts. She was always actively checking the property for newcomers but as our numbers swelled, she patrolled all the time to keep her mind occupied. A side effect of having so many of us here is she's virtually lost the ability to sleep. A few of the Alphas that have lands closer to her home stop in to check on her and tell me that she's lucky if she gets an hour. So in the past century alone, she's survived on an hour of sleep a day," he nodded at the stunned expression on Roman's face.

"Yes, Rome, I said a century and that brings me to the other hardship we've brought her by living here…her people. If you listen to her speak, she calls them Hunters, not her people. I don't think anyone hates the Hunters more than Cassandra," Malakai shot Seth a narrowed look before continuing on. "With so many of us relocating here or seeking temporary help, the Hunters have amassed on the borders of her property, as you well know, and she's killed more than you can imagine in defense of us. Imagine if you will how hard it is to slaughter your own kind because they lost their path and threaten everything you've believed in for centuries. Yes, I said centuries; as far as we know, Cassandra is the oldest Hunter alive," he nodded again and sighed when Roman appeared confused. "You do not know the history of the Hunters, do you? You don't know the difference between them?" he asked, stopping in his tracks.

"No, I never learned anything about them other than they turned their backs on their calling and began to kill us off," Roman stared at the ground, running a hand back through his long hair.

"You're a pack of nomads," Malakai stated but Roman nodded. "I sense Alpha blood in a few of your males but they chose to follow you and call you Alpha."

"Our former Alphas all died young trying to find us new dens. Most of my pack are survivors of other packs that were killed off. We've never had a place to stay long before we had to relocate," he shrugged his shoulders, feeling slightly self-conscious under this old Alpha's scrutiny. "I'm the oldest among them with Alpha blood; I was already an Alpha when I found them so yes, they decided to follow my rule and I've worked my ass off to keep them safe this long."

"You are a rare man, Roman. Most packs wouldn't allow outsiders to infiltrate their ranks, and you made a habit of saving as many as you could. A rare man indeed," he kept his gaze forward, smiling from renewed faith in his race. The young Alpha beside him was a diamond among his kind. "Sounds like you're where you were always meant to be then. Her pup was telling you the truth; she'd die before she allowed any harm to befall any of you. Your pack could find a safe home here if she allows you to stay," he cast a sly smirk at Seth who just snorted in irritation.

"Malakai! Is Cassandra alright?" Erik asked as he and Xavier rushed up. "What the hell happened?" he darted his eyes among the newcomers, chest heaving in worry.

"Erik, calm down and do not shift. We don't need an angry Grizzly stomping around right now," he placed a hand on the brown bear's shoulder. "Xavier, there is a wounded wolf with Ares and Apollo. Tend to him, please, since Cassandra is unable to do so," he jutted his chin out towards the house. "When you're done with that, find a parcel of land with cabins near the house for Roman and his pack. If Cassandra wishes them to move upon awakening then she can instruct them where to go."

"Of course, Malakai," Xavier inclined his head at the elder Alpha before heading towards the house.

"Xavier is wolf so I think your people would be more comfortable with him showing you around rather than a Polar or Grizzly bear. They can go inside, shift, eat and wait until he is done with your friend. It is perfectly safe, I assure you," Malakai cocked his head at the young Alpha.

"Seth, take the others inside," Roman's tone of voice left no room for argument and his second-in-command did as instructed but not without a low growl. "I would like to continue our conversation if you don't mind," he narrowed his gray eyes on ice blue.

"I'd be happy to but after I tend to Cassandra. I think you should join me and her pup so you can get some insight into the woman, the way her generation differs from the others and the connection she has to your pack mate," he said in a leading tone, taking in Roman's nod. "I'll tell you this now for you to retain until our later conversation," he stopped at the door, looking at Roman with a smirk. "It should have been you but he got here first," he laughed, walking inside and leaving a stunned Roman behind before he followed him in.

"Its okay, Cass; I'll get you cleaned up and in bed, baby," Dean said in a dazed tone; his blue eyes glassy as he gently ran water over her wounds.

"Who the hell bit her?" Erik asked from his perch on the bathroom counter. "The bite looks worse than the damn gunshot wounds!" he frowned, looking at the jagged tears on her neck.

"Seth…my brother," Dean snapped his name before sighing out their relation. "How does this healing thing of hers work?" he darted his eyes to the door in time to see Malakai and Roman appear.

"It works on its own, Pup. Grab some towels to put on the bed, Erik," Malakai jerked his head at his fellow bear. "As soon as he lays those out, carry her in and just let her rest. Her body will do all the work," he focused his ice blues on Dean who clutched Cassandra's naked body to him like a teddy.

"Help me dry her off, Rome," Dean whispered, rising out of the tub to sit on the edge with her still in his arms. "Be careful, Rome," he snapped with worry when he thought his Alpha was patting too hard. "You're all clean now, darlin," he kissed the top of her head, rocking her back and forth.

"Take her to bed, Dean," Roman gave him a small smile; seeing how emotional his little brother was and tried to keep him calm.

"I cannot believe one of your mutts bit her after she saved your lives," Erik shouted at Roman while Dean gently placed her in bed and scooted in beside her; pulling the sheet to their waists.

"Erik! Now is not the time!" Malakai growled low in his throat; his tone demanding obedience. "I'm not his Alpha," he explained to Roman when he darted his eyes between the two bear. "He is Alpha of his sleuth and I'm Alpha of mine but I am the oldest Alpha on the land and it affords me a little respect…"

"Except when you're acting like a douche," Erik added with a chuckle.

"Except when I'm acting like a douche," Malakai laughed.

"Which is often," Erik continued with a grin.

"You're pushing it," he narrowed his eyes on his friend. "Which is often," he affirmed to Roman.

"Cass said you weren't very social," Dean said softly, kissing her cheek before glancing at the Polar bear. "Why are you here?"

"I made the trip down because I picked up the scent of you claiming your intended mate. That and you howl really loud when you ejaculate," Malakai smiled at Dean before the three Alphas started to laugh and Dean turned crimson red. "Pup, you forget this land is populated by Shifters. I doubt any of them didn't know what was going on here. It is also a big thing that Cassandra has been claimed and they're all waiting to see what happens after you finish the mating process. This is the first mating of a Hunter and Shifter; the first time a Hunter's true potential will be recognized. This is the intended evolution of our two races. This is huge," the excitement in his eyes was plain to see but only confused the two wolves.

"You said something about it should have been me?" Roman asked, taking a seat on the end of the bed.

"The old texts say that Hunters were meant to mate and breed with Shifters. It is the only way they can keep their abilities instead of diluting them until they are no more by breeding with Humans. Alphas, in particular, would enhance the change in their genetic makeup to make them more powerful as they reach their full potential," Malakai took in the silence while the three men digested that information.

"Dean would have been an Alpha," Roman said softly, looking up into the curious blue eyes of his little brother. "I came across his pack's land when I was searching for a new home. They were all dead…slaughtered except for this one little pup. I was just about to walk away when I heard his whimpers; his father masked his scent under his body, so I took him with me; raising him as one of mine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he lifted his eyes from his lap; pleading for forgiveness with his gray orbs. "You were one of mine for so long; I forgot that you came from some place so horrific that I forced it out of my memory."

Dean held Cass a little tighter to his side for a moment before he nodded at Roman. Digesting that information he turned to the elder Alpha. "In all these years, they never tried to fulfill their destiny?"

"The first gens mated among their gen which is expected and normal, and a few mated humans which started this whole mess. Our race was young then and we didn't interact much since they just watched over us. They never got a chance to test the prophecy before their civil war began with the later gens; until now and she's the last first gen as far as we know, and believe me, if there are any other first gens around, they've had plenty of time to find her. She's kind of notorious among her people if you know what I mean," he furrowed a brow, keeping an eye on his Immortal friend.

"Malakai, do you know why some of the gens rebelled and started the war with her kind?" Erik asked while watching the subtle healing of her skin and tissue.

"Well to be honest, some of them didn't like the thought of mating with us," Malakai shrugged his shoulders.

"Why? It was amazing," Dean said with a flush to his cheeks.

"You aren't finished yet, Pup," he smirked.

"What else do I have to do?"

"I think I'll wait until Cassandra wakes up and spring that on both of you," his ice blues shined in mischief.

"Why am I naked?" Cassandra asked the instant her eyes opened. "And why are three Alphas in my bedroom, watching me while I'm naked?"

"Modesty, Cassandra? Really? You're surrounded by Shifters all the time that end up naked on a regular basis. What is the harm with us seeing you the same way?" Erik asked with a smirk. "You know, your flesh pushed the round in your thigh out. It was the strangest thing I've ever seen, and kind of gross," he held up the spent bullet before setting it aside on the nightstand.

"How are you feeling? Did you heal up completely?" Malakai asked, brushing her hair off her forehead.

"I'm back in one piece but sore as shit. Has someone tended to Antonio?" she turned her attention to Roman.

"Your friend, Xavier, removed the slug from his leg. He's shifted and relaxing in front of the fireplace in the main den. I apologize for Seth…"

"Spike! I need to speak with him," she rolled off the side of the bed faster than Dean could reach her and grabbed a robe from behind her bedroom door.

"Cass, I really wish you'd rest. You got shot twice and almost had your throat ripped out," Dean followed her out the door, taking her arm to steady her when she started down the stairs.

"I'm fine, Pup. Where is he?" she looked over the gathering of wolves in her house and cleared her mind when she didn't see him. "He's in your library," she started down the hallway with Dean and the Alphas on her heels. Upon entering she found Seth still in wolf form lying in front of the fireplace. "Hello, Spike," she startled him; his hair going up on his back but she wasn't fazed, moving to kneel before him. "Think of his face again, Seth; I need to be sure of something," she stared into his chocolate eyes before rolling hers with a sigh. "Stop calling me a bitch and do it," she growled at him before her eyes widened and she drew in a sharp breath. "I see him…and I see why you hate me so much," she closed her eyes against the mental images and lowered her head when the tears started. "It won't make up for what he did to you but I want you to know I put one in that bastard's heart six years ago," she told him with a trembling lip, slowly getting to her feet and let Dean wrap an arm around her shoulders to walk her out.

"Hey lady," Seth called out while he rose to his feet. "Thanks," he stared at the floor, toeing the carpet. "And I'm sorry about…"

"It doesn't matter; there is nothing you can do to me that I wouldn't forgive," she shook her head and walked out the door. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit, old friend?" she asked Malakai while leaning her head against Dean's shoulder.

"Originally it was just to let you know my cub was just born," he smiled down at her when her face lit up. "But on my way here, I heard this one claim you as his intended mate and had to be present for the big event," he chuckled.

"Mate?" Cass furrowed her brow, cocking her head in confusion.

"You had sex with him, Cassandra; everyone knows you had sex with him," he rolled his eyes; hiding his smile when Roman's pack laughed softly around them. "Shifters are not the only ones that mate for life. You've remained uninterested in every male you've been in contact with. Didn't you ever wonder why? That was your body's way of making sure you were untouched and pure until your intended found you. You chose him as yours; to give yourself to, finally."

"Are you saying I've remained a virgin for fucking centuries because my body was waiting for him to be born?" she scowled at the old Alpha, growling low in her throat when he nodded with a smile. "I hate my fucking kind! All this time I thought I was an immortal virgin because I didn't have a sex drive or because the rest of my miserable kind are all dicks that I wouldn't touch if they were the last men on the planet! But no, it turns out the one that makes me horny was born centuries after me! No wonder I'm such an effective killer! I've been cranky because fate left me celibate for so fucking long!" she ranted while pacing furiously in the den; the wolves stifling their laughter when the Hunter glared at them.

"Well your pup took care of that pesky virginity problem," Erik smiled, only for it to fade a moment later when she growled at him. "I see you've picked up some of his traits from the initial bonding already," he chuckled, hiding behind Malakai when that growl turned deep and rolled low in her throat. "My darling, we kind of knew it would be him considering he's been mounting and rutting against you for days, and you didn't kick his furry butt back to the Stone Age."

"Easy, Cassandra," Malakai took her shoulders and stared into her obsidian eyes that now bore golden flecks within. "You are taking on some of Dean's characteristics but for the change to be complete within both of you, the mating process must be completed."

"Both of them?" Roman asked.

"Completed?" Cassandra cocked her head inquisitively.

"Dean is an Alpha; he will reach a new level once it is done too. He'll be bigger than any wolf you've seen and from what I've read; be able to shift to a more powerful form. Cassandra will inherit wolf traits; not shifting, dearest," he shook his head when she tensed in his hands. "You'll be faster, stronger, your senses will be sharper than they are now but the most important thing the prophecy speaks of is you will both be Immortal," he darted his eyes between the two of them.

"I already am Immortal," Cassandra narrowed her eyes on him, waiting for the real reveal.

"I mean not even iron to your heart will kill you, my dear, and your pup will gain the same gift. I know you've never looked at your immortality as a gift, Cassandra, but you didn't have your life-mate then. The two of you and all of your offspring will carry these abilities. This is truly a gift now," he palmed her cheek when a tear of uncertainty slipped down her face. "You've lived as you are for a long time. I know you have to be scared of this change but this is your destiny and you chose it when you picked him to give yourself to," he smiled softly, allowing her to burrow into his chest.

"So how do we complete the mating process?" Dean asked from behind her; pressing his chest into her back.

"You have to claim her in your wolf form."