Chapter 6

"Fuck, there's so much blood!"

"Someone grab some more towels!"

"Did it hit her heart?"

"Her eyes are open. That has to be a good sign, right?"

"Cass, please hold on!"

"Erik, get that baby out of here!"

"But I can't just leave…"

"My friend, he may be a newborn but that infant has seen enough blood today to last a lifetime," Xavier steadied his worried friend, trying to get him to see reason.

"We can't lose her too," he said with tears in his eyes. "Promise me."

"Erik…"

"Promise me!" Erik bellowed; quieting down the chaos in the den. "You've never lied to me once or gone back on your word! So promise me she'll live!" Xavier darted his blue eyes between his friend's green; his expression solemn, before taking a deep breath and promised the impossible with every eye in the room on him. "Okay, then I'll be outside coordinating our defenses with the other Alphas until Cassandra can take over. Roman, you or Seth really should be out there too. You are Alpha of the pack she mated into."

"I'm sorry, Erik, but there is no way either of us are leaving Cass right now," Roman shook his head while he swapped out one bloody compress for another. "As you said, she is part of my pack and her survival takes precedence over everything else right now. If they give you too much trouble, I'll come out and kill one so the rest understand the order of things around here."

"It really is no surprise why she likes you so much, and Malakai too, for that matter," he smiled sadly, looking at the cub in his arms before he left the house.

"Dean, are you getting through to her?" Seth glanced up at his brother, who knelt opposite him with his hands over the wound in her chest; his eyes clenched tight.

"I can hear her but she sounds so far away," he whispered with a shaky voice.

"Didn't Malakai say that she had to start the healing process?" Seth turned to his Alpha with questioning eyes. "That day I attacked her; she didn't just start healing, she had to start it, right? I'm going to assume this asshole missed her heart because she's still alive. We can't do any kind of surgery on her because her body will push the bullet out and reopen the wound so we need her to start this thing."

"Dean, brother, I know you're hurting and scared to death but look at me!" Roman lifted his chin with a hand, meeting petrified blue eyes with petrified grays. "Concentrate on talking to your mate. Don't let your panic make your thoughts unclear and we'll try to keep our minds focused so she can hear you above us. It has been her gift since birth to hear your voice, Dean, use that. Tell her to heal this and come back to you, okay?"

"Okay, Rome," Dean nodded shakily, closed his eyes and focused on his woman.

"I'll be right back, Seth," Roman stood and stormed to the door, practically pulling it off its hinges in his haste. "Shut up!" his deep voice boomed across the yard, startling every Shifter into silence. "Right now we need every one of us on this property focusing their thoughts on one thing – one word. Heal. We need to reach Cass' mind to start healing her wound and all of you thinking different shit is fucking that up! So right now the only word you need to think is heal!" he spun on his heel, slammed the door and returned to Seth's side.

"Smart thinking, Rome," Seth nodded his head at his Alpha when he knelt at his side.

"I wouldn't have thought of it if it wasn't for you, Seth," he whispered softly, cocking his head while running a shaky hand over Cass' forehead. "Can you hear me, baby girl? We need you to come back to us. Come on, Cass, heal and come back to us!" The big man was breaking down. He'd made a quick friend in Malakai and just lost him. Now his little brother was on the verge of losing his mate; a woman that had come to mean the world to them all, and if he lost her, Dean wouldn't be far behind. "Please, Cass…"

"Rome, calm down," Seth placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before glancing over at the front door. "Xavier, please go see what the commotion is about out there," he directed upon hearing the raised voices outside.

"Roman!" Xavier shouted from the open door, running out an instant later.

"These people are driving me batshit! I don't know how she puts up with them," the big man grumbled, stalking towards the door with Seth at his side. Upon stepping outside, they were faced with a bunch of Shifters; mostly Alphas, arguing among themselves. "Enough! What did I tell you?" Roman's deep voice commanded the attention of everyone present. His anger was a tangible thing in the air, and everyone could see his nails lengthen before he clenched his fists and suppressed the change. "Cassandra is in there, bleeding out on the floor! She needs our help to heal. I asked you to do one damn thing and not even five minutes later, you're fucking up and letting her down!"

"They are coming!" Marcus stepped forward, glaring at Roman and Seth who stood above the rest of them on the patio. "The outer patrols have detected their scents crossing on to the property!"

"Then send men to back them up; especially the unmated Alphas I see standing around here," Roman smirked at Xavier for that whispered piece of information. "Being Alpha does not excuse you from battle. In fact, you should be at the forefront of your men leading them, protecting them, and if it happens, dying beside them. There are more of us than them and we have something worth fighting for; our lives, our homes, and our people. Our future rests on how we handle this! Now that we know they are virtually human with somewhat enhanced senses, they should be easy to defeat if we use the speed and stealth of our canine and feline Shifters to make them deplete their ammo, and then the bear can move in while we take those fuckers out."

"That is a feasible plan. We need to reach out to all our patrols to know exactly where they are crossing over before we make our move. Do it now," Xavier shouted to the gathered masses; that went silent as they contacted their people out in the woods.

"We're going to want to pull our people back to lure them further on to the property so that we have cover and can flank them; hit them from all sides," Seth looked to his Alpha and Xavier, getting nods of approval. "If there are any people occupying those outer acres, the mated pairs need to be brought into the interior; maybe even here since it's dead center."

"Agreed. Coordinate that with the Alphas while I'll let Dean know that we're going to war. I know, little brother," Roman patted Seth's shoulder when he opened his mouth to argue. "I'd rather stay here too but we need to lead this, Seth. They've been here and relied on Cass for protection for too long to effectively work together without a leader. That falls on us now; and since Dean has a pack of his own with Cass, you are my Omega and I need you by my side," he ruffled his hair and turned towards the house. "Dean?" he cocked his head curiously when he felt his pack mate's feral side emerge, and hurriedly opened the door. "What are you doing?"

'Baby, can you hear me? I really need you to listen to me, Cass,' Dean's mental voice wavered while he called out to her mind. 'I need you to heal, love. I need you back; just can't lose you,' he clenched his eyes, tears falling unbidden down his cheeks. "What's different? Why did I evolve and you didn't?" he asked aloud, staring down into her unseeing eyes.

*Maybe it's the prophecy that's wrong*

It was a feasible hypothesis given that their mating was the first between a Shifter and a Hunter. It was all theory that was never proven before. The more Dean thought about it the more he was sure that both Shifters and Hunters would have some idea on how it should happen but until it was put into practice, nothing was certain.

Seth's words rang around in his head, making him think back to their mating. What was different? They both came while he was inside of her in wolf form. They both came while in human form the first time. What did he get that she didn't? Every aspect of their night ran through his mind before his inner animal forced a growl from his throat. 'Blood; I bit her when I came,' he came to the realization when he felt her life's essence seep between his fingers while applying pressure to her wound. 'She needs our blood,' he told his inner beast; who heartily agreed anything to save their mate.

"What are you doing?" Roman's voice cracked through Dean's ears and mind, making the big wolf look to his Alpha. "Dean, you're on the edge; you need to be real careful that close to Cassandra, brother," he held his hands up, edging towards the large blonde wolf.

'We're together on this, Rome. She needs our blood!' He backed up a step but remained standing over his mate's prone body. 'I need you to bite me. I've got to get my blood into her! Please Rome!'

"Why your blood, Dean?" Roman asked as he carefully approached the near feral wolf. Dean had always been an equal in strength and had added agility when they played around before, but now with his recent enhancements, Roman had no doubts that his little brother would hand him his ass if he felt his mate was threatened. "Please be careful," he jerked his hands up in surrender when Dean stomped his feet on either side of his mate's body.

'We…I'd never hurt her, Rome, but you are by wasting time. Shift and bite me,' he growled low in his throat, turning his gaze down to his love.

Roman dropped to his hands and knees, shifting to his other form before standing and shaking out his shiny black fur. 'Are you sure about this, little brother?' he asked once he stood at Dean's shoulder; his answer was the large wolf turning his head to present his neck. 'The mating mark!' Ro's eyes widened before he closed his jaws on his brother's flesh. 'How did you know?' he asked while he moved his mouth over Cass', letting Dean's blood dribble between her lips.

'It was the only thing different; that I got but she didn't. It didn't even dawn on me that she'd need to bite me too since she isn't a wolf. Isn't it always blood when it comes to our kind, Rome? Our kind, her kind, humans; we're all the way we are because of our blood. We just assumed it was the animal in us that drove us to bite, draw blood during mating. I think it is what binds us together. Get some into her wound, Rome!'

'Good idea; it'll get into her system faster. You continue to amaze me, little brother. I don't doubt your opinion on the mark at all. It actually makes perfect sense. I know we've all lived without an elder Alpha for most of our lives and we're learning as we go but I think we're doing okay so far for a bunch of rogue pups,' Roman took more of his brother's blood, letting it fill his mouth before he lowered his head over Cass's chest. "Aren't you changing back?" he asked once he retook human form.

'It'll take some time. My wolf is just as concerned about her as I am. He's a lot stronger since I changed, Rome. He's able to take control over this form now, and he's very possessive of her. I don't think I'll be able to change back until we calm down,' Dean kept his eyes lowered while his Alpha narrowed his gray gaze on him, slowly nodding his head in understanding.

"You need to keep her warm," he tilted his head towards Cass, nodding once Dean lowered his body over hers. "I came in here to tell you we're going to war out there. The Hunters are crossing on to the property. These people need to be led so Seth and I are taking the lead until Cass is back on her feet. We're going to keep her charges safe; her oath intact."

'That's good, man. I'll be here with my lady,' he nodded, keeping his focus on his love.

Roman sighed; his big shoulders falling dramatically in grief and worry. It went against every instinct he had to leave his family in a time of crisis but the cost of his inactivity was too great to ignore. He sent out one silent prayer to their Maker to keep an eye on his loved ones before he walked out the door.

"Roman, why do you have Dean's blood on you?" Seth cocked his head after scenting his brother; eyes widening before he started towards the door, only to stop when Roman gripped his bicep. "Is Cass okay? Tell me she's alive and you didn't have to put Dean down or something?"

"She's still alive, Spike, and so is Dean," he smiled at his Omega. "He came up with an idea that may help her and I'll tell you all about it on the way."

Cassandra was drowning in a sea of chaos. The voices of her charges were loud with panic in her mind. She knew she'd been shot and blood loss weakened not only her body but her tenuous control over the bond she shared with the Shifters, allowing the full volume of their terror-filled thoughts to take over.

She knew her eyes were open but couldn't see a thing. She knew she was breathing, barely, but her lungs felt an oppressive weight limit her oxygen intake.

The brain was an amazing creation. Other organs in the body function; the brain being the only organ that can convince them not to. Her brain was alive; overactive and overwhelmed to such a degree that it was crippling her senses.

She was lost in the din within her mind.

She was a prisoner within this weak shell of a body.

She wouldn't die; she knew that, but she'd remain in this state until some Hunter finally finished her off with a proper shot to the heart.

Her sanctuary would be invaded. Her charges would be slaughtered. Dean and her pack mates would die. The prophecy would go unfulfilled and her destined path would come to an end, and all the while she'd be lying here helpless on the floor until someone put her out of her misery. She'd welcome death then. She might even beg for it.

'Dean; my beloved pup, Roman; my fierce yet gentle Roman, and Seth; my Spike,' she thought miserably; her failure from earlier multiplying exponentially when she thought of a world without them in it.

She thought her journey through this loud nothingness would never end until it was abruptly interrupted by burning pain in her throat. The fire continued to blaze until it reached her chest and erupted into agony.

'Son of a bitch.'

'Cass, baby?' Dean turned his big head down to focus on his mate.

'Hurts…' she whined without any change to her facial expression.

'You got shot in the chest, darlin. It's bound to hurt.'

'No, can't feel that… Fire in my veins…"

'It's my blood, baby. I had Romefeed it to you and pour it straight into your wound. It was the only thing different, Cass,' he explained before she could ask. 'I bit you during our mating. It has to be working cuz I can hear you now. You were so far away before I did it. Tell me I didn't fuck up,' he begged while he stared into her unflinching gaze.

'Aside from introducing iron to my heart, there isn't a thing you could do to harm me,' she blinked her eyes, still staring at the ceiling.

'Focus on healing, Cass; start the process,' he nudged her temple with his nose, running his tongue up her cheek.

Cass' eyes finally fluttered shut; her lids tightly pressed together while she tuned her senses. 'Your blood…is coursing through my system. It is t-taking effort to focus beyond it…and the fucking burn,' she fisted her hands and barely managed to bend her legs at the knee, trying to curl in on herself. 'Talk to me, Dean; keep my mind occupied so that I can do as you ask.'

'I love you, baby. I was afraid when I couldn't hear your thoughts. I was so scared you were gonna leave me.' He lapped nonstop at her face while he kept his body as close to her as possible, sharing his body heat. 'I thought Romewas gonna kill the Alphas outside when they wouldn't calm their tits while I was trying to get through to you.'

'Why are the Alphas riled up? And where is Roman?'

'Hunters are crossing your borders. They're invading and Romeis leading the others against them.'

'You need to go help them, baby.'

'No.'

'Listen to me, Dean,' she moved one clenched fist over his paw, forcing her hand to open and lace her fingers through his fur. 'I believe in my heart they will win but not without casualties. They need us and; until I can stand again, us is you. I know the laws of a pack, my love, but you know what you mated.'

'I know; you can't stay out of fights when it comes to my kind. I just found you, though.'

'I know what I mated too and I don't want to be the reason for your death, but my oath…' she tightened her fingers and forced her eyes open. 'I need you to take the gift of our mating and go ensure the survival of your brothers.'

'I don't want to leave you.'

'I flipped the switch, Dean; I'm healing, and I need you to go. It isn't just your family, my love, but all of your people. I need you to protect what I've built here.' She could see the struggle he was going through when he glanced to the side and pulled back his muzzle, showing his teeth. 'My beloved pup…the reason I stayed alive for us to find each other is outside that door. I kept your people alive long enough until you were born and found your way to me. You gave me something I've never had – a family. My new pack mates and my new people are out there fighting for their lives; their right to exist. You share a lifeline with me; we share blood, and that makes them yours to protect too. Go,' she jutted her chin out, watching him slowly stalk away.

'I can't shift right now to open the door.'

A strained chuckle filtered through her mind and into his; easing his feral side just a bit. 'You have my permission to Dean Smash this time.' She let her eyes fall shut when he burst through the front door and saw through his eyes once he caught his brothers' scent and ran in their direction. 'It's going to get loud in my head, baby. Don't abandon them no matter how loud I scream. And please be careful.'

'I love you, Cass.'

'I love you, Dean.'

It was the hardest thing either of them had ever done – they let each other go when everything within them said to stay together. Cass held on long enough until Dean cleared the acreage where the mated couples and families took refuge before the pain took her over.

'If his blood is triggering my change, why is it so painful for me and he slept through his?'

She felt every single thing shift within her. Her muscles in her legs became tighter yet remained streamlined; that would allow her to move faster and make her more agile than she already was. Changes were occurring to her reproductive organs and; as painful as it was, she couldn't help but laugh and hope it wasn't so that she could in fact carry a litter.

'Fucking Spike! Thanks for putting that in my head!'

Her senses began to sharpen, making her eyes clench when her hearing picked up every sound on the preserve and well beyond its borders. It was so loud it sounded like everything was in the room with her. If she could move a muscle, she'd have her hands plastered over her ears.

Her eyes were next and while she couldn't tell what the change was, her right one burned more than the left.

Just when the muscles in her arms began to change, a pain shot through her heart that jolted her unresponsive body into the fetal position.

"Cass?" AJ called out hesitantly from the doorway.

The debilitating pain in and around her heart prevented her from answering the female wolf and her mate but the mental scream she released had both of them rushing to her side.

"Phil, she's convulsing!" AJ sat helplessly, unsure if she should touch the huntress.

"Dean said she's probably evolving through the final phase of their mating but I didn't think it would be like this for her," he ran his gaze over the shaking woman, feeling the pain radiating off of her. "Help me settle her on her back." The two of them eased her tense form over; AJ holding her down while Phil pried her arms away from her chest. "Holy shit, Age, look how fast she's healing!"

Cass could hear them speak but couldn't respond while she felt her body push the round from her chest at the same time a hard shell grew around her heart. 'Or is it my heart that is hardening? Fuck if I know; it just hurts like hell!' She gritted her teeth while her entire body shook with the pain. It felt like it lasted an eternity before the tremors began to lighten up and her muscles gradually lost the tension that kept her curled in on her self.

"Cass? Can you hear us, princess?" Phil asked in a soft tone.

"I can hear everything. Please keep your voice down until the transformation is complete," she replied in a strained voice.

"Can I do anything for you?" AJ whispered with worry on her face.

"Will you get me some clothes from my room? I don't care what as long as it is easy to move in. And AJ, there is a belt with knives in a hidden panel in the library. I just put the image and how to open the door within your mind. Please bring it to me." The young wolf nodded her head and ran up the stairs, leaving her mate with their guardian. "My senses have heightened to a level that will take time to get used to. It is shockingly more irritating than hearing everyone's thoughts."

"What happened there at the end?"

"My heart changed. I don't know if it built a protective barrier around it to shield it from harm or it hardened to protect itself but it feels so heavy, Phil," she lifted a hand and settled it between her breasts. "I was cursing Dean because he slept through his changes but I think mine were so painful because of my wound and my age. I was as I was for a very long time and my changes were quite extensive."

"I think it might have been so painful because you forced your way through it. He had time to go through it without thinking about it. On top of your wound and Malakai's recent loss, you know we're going to war," Phil shrugged like the answer was obvious to the world. "You're needed and couldn't wait for it to go at its pace."

"Here is a crop top and some shorts, Cass," AJ walked in, holding the items out and gasped when Cass sat up and opened her eyes. "Oh wow!" she cocked her head and stared at her in fascination. "Your right eye turned blue – the color of Dean's to be exact," she smiled; her and Phil each taking a hand and helping Cass to her feet.

"Can you stand alright, princess?" Phil asked when she swayed on her feet while pulling her top over her head.

"Yeah, just make sure I don't nose dive into the floor while I pull on my shorts," she nodded, stepping into them while the two wolves steadied her.

"Tell me you aren't seriously planning on going out there," Phil cocked his head, watching her fasten her weapons belt around her waist. "You can barely stand. How the fuck do you think you can fight?"

"I'll fight because I have to. My mate is out there and I'll be damned if I leave him to fend for himself." Cass closed her eyes; connecting with him and saw everything he did. "He's there now and in the thick of it." Focusing her ability to read Shifters, she managed to filter out everyone else except her pack mates. "He's helping Roman but Seth needs backup."

"Uh, Cass," AJ clung to her mate's arm; the two of them taking a step back.

"What?" she growled while sweeping through the rest of her family's thoughts in an instant.

"Your hands, princess," Phil smirked when the huntress' eyes snapped open and lifted her hands into her field of vision.

"Interesting," Cass studied the very sharp nails that extended from her fingertips. "These better recede or I'll be spending a fortune on sheets."

"Dean really gets you clawing away when he hits it, huh?" Phil chuckled and quickly coughed when her dual-colored eyes narrowed on him.

"I have to go but I need you to direct the mated couples I sense outside," she brushed a hand over his forehead and left him blinking when she turned to the doorway. "There are defenses around this compound; a sort of last chance to save our asses if this day ever came. I placed the information in your head and I know what you're going to say," she cut him off, glancing back at him. "If any of the Alphas outside give you any shit then let them fucking die. This isn't a democracy anymore when death is on the doorstep."

"Be careful," AJ whispered; knowing their guardian could hear her despite the fact that she vanished from sight.