Kaden rose with the pack as the first light rays slipped over the horizon. His body immediately flooded with adrenaline, eager for the fight ahead. He sought out Anderson, who was with Christian, Gabriel, and Elestar.

"Be safe, my son," Anderson said to Christian as he approached. "Trust your wolf, and follow your instincts."

"I will, Father," Christian replied. He turned to Kaden. "Keep the old man safe for us."

"He doesn't need my protection," Kaden grinned. "But I will keep an eye on him if I can. As Father said, be safe and watch your back."

Christian nodded. "Same to you, brother."

"Everyone, gather round!" Elestar called out.

Wolves and elves quickly assembled around him. He looked over everyone, then motioned to a small group off to the side. "My teleporters are ready for you. Do not rush; we will all begin together once inside. Sadly, we are not fae and can only take two at a time, so find one and hold on. Otherwise, wait for them to return. We should only need a few moments to get everyone inside."

With that, he walked over to the nearest teleporting elf and grasped their arm. Anderson did the same on the other side. Together the three of them disappeared. All around, elves and wolves began doing the same.

Kaden hung back, both waiting for the crowd to shrink and making sure no one was left behind. True to Elestar's words, it only took a few moments as the teleporters came and went for all 40ish wolves and the 20 elves that were infiltrating to disappear. Kaden quickly had an open elf and grabbed onto them with a nod.

The elf muttered a few words, and their hand made quick sigils in the air. As he finished, the space around the pair seemed to fold on itself like origami. It folded again, and again, and again, until there was just a speck of space left. All around them was void, black nothingness except for that little piece. Just as quickly as it had gone, the speck reversed itself, unfolding into a new space around them. Stone floors were first, followed by walls, pillars, and a high ceiling. He could see all of the assembled wolves and elves even before the magic had finished, and bright torches that were mantled into the walls around them. The last fold resolved, and it felt like the world suddenly snapped back into place.

As the magic faded, Kaden was forced to his knees as an incredible force tugged at him. Air was sucked from his lungs as his wolf surged forward, fighting for control. He staggered to his feet, looking at their surroundings for any sign of danger, but found none. No one else seemed to have experienced what he had or noticed his intense reaction. His wolf guided his gaze upwards. He couldn't see the pull, but he could feel it. It was coming from somewhere above him.

Anderson was scanning the crowd and nodded upon seeing Kaden's arrival. The large group was quiet, waiting for his word. "Everyone is here. Be on your guard here, and good luck hunting." He shifted to his wolf form, and moments later a veil of heat formed around him. Other wolves followed suit, and Kaden saw the familiar magics of ice, lightning, air, and fire begin to light up the space around them. The elves too wielded elements, and Kaden could pick out light, earth, water, and even one he didn't recognize. Anderson put his nose in the air and must have picked up a scent. He growled and took off. The group followed suit, slowly spreading out through the keep.

Another pulse of energy brought Kaden to his knees yet again. The pull he had felt before was there again, beckoning to him. Something wanted him.

"Prince Kaden, are you alright?" asked an elf next to him.

He nodded, gritting his teeth and pushing himself back onto his feet. He had planned on staying with the rest, but whatever this was had to be dealt with first.

"Go, fight. I'll be fine," he told the elf.

"You shouldn't be alone; your father will not be pleased. Allow me to assist."

"Fine. We're going up."

He took off, running up the main staircase as flames engulfed him. The elf was behind him, barely making a sound. They raced to the upper floor, which appeared empty.

Where to? He asked the wolf in his mind.

Back, and up, was all he got back. Flashes of the rear of the keep, and one of the towers, crossed his mind.

How are you seeing this?

Truthfully, I do not know, the wolf replied. But it is important, more important than our prey. Go.

Kaden took off again. Another staircase led to a second floor. He broke through every door he could find, but there was nothing there that stood out to him. A third staircase, and a third floor. Again, nothing.

"There's no way into the towers from here!" he shouted in frustration. He whipped around, looking for anything. A tapestry, a hidden door, a passageway.

"Return to the ground floor, Prince," said the elf behind him. "Most are secluded from the rest of the area to prevent easy access. The only door is at the base of the structure, so defenders have the advantage in a fight."

Kaden turned to look at him. "We have to go back?"

"It is the most likely point of ingress," the elf replied.

Kaden growled; his eyes glowing. He ran, back down the flights of stairs they had come from and back to the main foyer. The teleporters were still there, guarding the exit.

"Okay, let's try again," Kaden said. "I need to go back, and then up."

The elf that was with him scanned the foyer. He seemed to have found a way he approved of, as he motioned for Kaden to follow him. They went underneath the main staircase and into a small hallway. It led them off to the side and down the wall, a series of doors breaking off to other rooms as they went. The hallway itself was a dead end. A small door at the end led out, and the elf stepped out into a large, dimly lit area. There was a back wall with a large stained-glass window and a door in each back corner.

"Which way?" the elf asked him.

Left, the wolf spoke.

Kaden moved to the left door, grasping the door handle.

"DUCK!"

He immediately crouched and rolled away, as air whipped over his head. Springing back to his feet, a crimson-eyed woman stood in his place between him and the door. The elf's sword had intercepted an extended clawed hand that had just missed Kaden as it dropped from the ceiling.

"Well now, here's a treat." The vampire grinned. "An elf and a little wolf. You make quite a lot of noise running around aimlessly, you know," she teased.

Kaden lunged at the vampire, shifting in mid-air. His large jaws snapped at the vampire's arm, but she sidestepped his advance, moving out of reach of his immediate flames. "Now now, you'll have to do better than that," she chided.

Kaden inhaled and the flames around him grew. Calling on his magic, he shot a large fireball at her. She dodged it, giggling at him. She sent a streak of purple energy from her hand toward his companion, who pulled up a shield of magic to block it. "Be careful," he called to Kaden. "This is not natural."

The vampire focused back on Kaden but sent a streak of energy toward both of them. She hadn't budged from the doorway, keeping them from passing. "He's right, you know. We're not like others. We've learned to hunt anything." Another bolt of energy for each of them. She backed up the tower side above the door, her magic holding her in place. "We can get our sustenance from anyone we want. We've turned hunting Fae into a sport." She sent a barrage of her purple magic projectiles at them, forcing them away from her and each other.

Kaden sent a stream of fire at her, forcing her further up the wall. The elf began muttering a stream of words, power building in his hands. The vampire tried to intervene, but his shield was still holding. He continued his incantation, the energy refining into a perfect sphere of light. He threw it at her, hitting her square in the chest.

She screamed, falling off the wall and crunching against the stone floor. Kaden pounced, pinning her down with the weight of his body and grabbing her head between his jaws. With a quick shake, he snapped her neck as he had done to the beaver's the day before. He released the head, letting it fall. The elf walked over and brought his sword down on her neck, cleaving it from her body. "You're not the only one who learned to hunt their prey," he muttered.

A third tug reached Kaden. This one was different from the first two. It felt weaker than before, unable to stagger him. At the same time, the pull was incredibly strong and accompanied by a wracking pain in his mind.

I'm sorry.

The voice reached into his mind for the first time, soft and strained. This was the source of the pull, and Kaden's wolf wanted to howl in triumph as the bond between him and Evelyn formed in his mind. But something was wrong with her. Very, very wrong.

Evelyn, love! He nearly cried through the bond. He felt her consciousness, which was dull and almost dark. She should be full of light, the yin to his yang, the candle that chased away his shadows. What was she doing here? What had happened to her? He darted to the door, charging up the long spiraling staircase.

Who…?

I'm coming to get you, love. Hold on a little longer.

No…...he'll hurt you…...like he's done to me…

He can certainly try. I am stronger, now that I have you.

…...I'm sorry… he's fed from me again… everything is going dark…... I'm so sorry…...

Kaden could sense her fading in and out. No! Hang in there for me, please! He increased his pace, barely touching the steps as he landed on them. The staircase was nearing the top of the tower, he was close!

At the last moment, he saw the pair of guards on the landing at the top. He kept up his momentum, crashing into one and sending them both into the other. They collapsed in a heap, the wolf crushing them under him. He got up, uncertain if they were dead, knocked out, or stunned. Right now, he didn't care. He slammed his shoulder into the door. It took three tries, but on the final shove, it finally gave, swinging in on its hinges before it collapsed flat on the ground.

The room was fairly large, matching the circular shape of the tower. Kaden noted the large bed in the center, where a tall wiry male sat with a small female naked in his arms. The man's hands were squeezing Evelyn's breasts as he held her in place, and his mouth was attached to her neck. Her head lolled to one side and her skin was the color of ash. It was impossible to tell if she was breathing. If Kaden hadn't just spoken to her, he'd have taken her for dead already.

The man raised his head, looking directly at Kaden. Blood flowed from the wound on Evelyn's neck, slowly trickling its way down her collarbone.

"So…a wolf comes to assault my keep?" the man drawled.

Kaden snarled, baring his teeth at the man who dared to touch his mate.

"Oooooh, so scary," the man patronized with a knowing smile. He stood up, dropping Evelyn's body onto the bed. "If you came for her, you're too late. She's already been infected with the virus twice now. She will turn, even if you somehow get her out of here. And if you've come for me, I've just had the most delicious snack." His crimson eyes glowed, matching Kaden's. "I won't be easy to kill."

Kaden blinked and the man was gone. He whipped around, sensing the man's presence behind him, and stared as a shining blade sank through the man's chest. The man gasped as it registered in him, and he sank to his knees. The blade retracted before he collapsed onto the floor. The elf knelt in the doorway, blade over his head, slightly winded.

The body quickly turned to a fine black mist that gathered and fled through the floor.

"You wolves make for a great distraction with all the threatening and growling and snarling you do," the elf commented, puffing a bit. "I need you around more often. Vampire Man isn't dead though, just retired for a little while. We need to go after him and finish him off properly."

Kaden shifted, running into the room. Evelyn lay on the bed, deathly still. "I can't, not right now." He picked her up, turning to the elf. "I need to get her out of here."

The elf looked at her. "You should put her out of her misery. She's been infected; either she turns or she dies."

"I can't do that," he breathed, the thought ripping through him. "She is my mate."

The elf looked at him incredulously. "She's your mate? This is the one that the Great Luna chose for you? An infected human?" His voice rose.

"She is. And I ask you to help me get her out so that we can discover what the Great Luna has in store for her."

The elf sighed. "Fine. As you wish. Far be it from me to step between the Great Luna and her plans. But if I have to come back and exterminate your pack one day, I'll be saying I told you so before you die. At least wrap your mate up so that the entire keep isn't ogling at her."

Kaden had entirely overlooked the fact that Evelyn was barely clothed in his rush to get her safe. Whatever nightgown slip-dress someone had given her was doing little to cover her. He quickly grabbed the sheet off the bed, wrapping her in it before picking her up again. Only he should be allowed to see her in this state.

The elf led the way back down the staircase with Kaden following. The guards were still unmoving, and Kaden didn't care to take the time to check them. The pair walked in silence, eyes and ears alert for any disturbance. They ducked back into the service hallway, closed it behind them, and returned to the main foyer entrance. Here, the sounds of fighting could be heard.

The elf turned to Kaden. "Once we clear this door, make for a teleporter. They will get you back to the clearing. I will cover you, but you must not stop."

"I will. May I know your name?" Kaden asked.

"I am Nevarth," the elf replied. "Why do you ask?"

"To give you my thanks, Nevarth, for keeping my mate and I safe from harm. You do us a great service, and you are an incredible warrior."

Nevarth nodded. "I feel we had it easier than we should have, but I am glad it was favorable for us. Ready?"

Kaden nodded.

Nevarth watched as a few fights rounded the main staircase in front of them. He was waiting, presumably for an opening he could see would allow Kaden the best chance. "Go!"

Kaden ducked out of the service door and ran. Nevarth was at his back again, deflecting elements and energy with his shield as they sprinted to the door. Around him, wolves jumped at their adversaries as elves cut them down. Kaden grunted as something grazed his torso, but he kept going. He could not fall now. Evelyn's life was quite literally in his hands, and he needed her to live. He nearly bowled over a poor teleporter elf, who grabbed him by the arm. Space folded around them once again, and then the keep was gone.

The clearing unfolded into existence, and Kaden was surprised to see a handful of people already there. As the magic completed and space snapped into place again, he saw that Elestar was there, tending to one of his elves. Kaden made his way over, giving the elf a nod.

He sat on the ground, laying Evelyn in his lap. He pulled on his wolf senses, looking and listening, and feeling. A chilling moment passed before he felt her heartbeat. It was inhumanely, painfully slow. Relief flooded through him; she was still alive.

He tried reaching out to her with his mind but got no response. She was unconscious. Her mind was flooded with remnants of agonizing pain and heart-crushing terror. He could see everything that the vampire had done to her and everything she had imagined he would do once she was turned. He gripped her tightly. Never again.

Elestar walked into his field of view. "Are you hurt, Prince Kaden?" He motioned at the injury on his torso.

Kaden looked down at it, shaking his head. It would heal on its own. "It's nothing," he managed to say between gritted teeth.

"Very well. And, your friend?" Elestar asked, motioning to Evelyn.

"Mate," he growled.

The shock was evident on Elestar's face. He took a moment to absorb the information before he continued. "My apologies. Is she…" he trailed off.

"She's not dead, but she is not far from it. The vampires got to her. She's been infected and I don't know if she'll survive." He folded over her as if shielding her from further harm. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help her."

"I'm afraid I don't have any knowledge or wisdom to impart that could help you. As painful as it is, we don't usually let someone who is in a state like hers live." Elestar went quiet for a minute, thinking. "The Great Luna has been allowing the different species to intermingle for a while now, though. Perhaps it is time for the vampires to be affected. If she is your mate and you are bonded, you may be the only one who can help her. Give her your strength. If she is a vampire, or even close to one, maybe she needs your blood, as we do when completing the Blood Rites."

Of course. It made perfect sense once Elestar said it. Kaden looked up at him. "Do you have a mate, Elestar?"

Elestar gave him a shallow smile. "Not yet, mine is still out there somewhere hopefully. Just as I can't imagine the Great Luna giving you a mate just to take her away, I don't believe she would make me live a life without the person I was meant for. I am a patient man, and I have a long life. I can wait." He laid a hand on Kaden's shoulder, and Kaden felt magic running through him, healing his injury. He winked at Kaden before walking away.

Kaden looked down at Evelyn, running a hand through her hair. He raised the same hand to his mouth and bit into the veins that ran down his wrist. As blood immediately pooled on it, he gently pulled her mouth open and pressed it between her lips.

Please take it.

He held still, waiting, watching. The world around him shrunk as he focused on Evelyn. No one and nothing else mattered more. Time slowed as he waited for a sign, a twitch, anything from her to indicate something had changed. He lost track of how long he sat there, letting his wrist bleed into her.

Please, Evelyn…please…

He pulled away and bit into his wrist again. More blood flowed from the new wound. A third bite produced even more. He returned it to her mouth as tears began to blur his vision. Was it already too late? Was she going to die anyway? She had no wolf he could appeal to for strength or magic to replenish what she had lost.

He looked up into the sky. Please, Goddess, spare her. Please don't take her from me now when I've just found her. He blinked, the tears cascading down his cheeks. Don't let her final memories be of pain and suffering. Don't leave me alone and empty. He could feel himself getting lightheaded. He knew that he was losing volumes of blood, and had reached a critical point. Still, he did not stop. Please, Evelyn, wake up! Breathe. Move. Give me SOMETHING!

Nothing.

He sat there for another few minutes, letting the tears flow down his face as cold numbness filled him. There was no change from Evelyn. While he could still see and feel the bond in his mind, it was only a matter of time before it faded away. She was going to die, and he had failed her. He hadn't been able to protect her, to save her. His chest tightened and a sob escaped him. At least it wouldn't be long before he followed her, mated or not.

He pulled her up so that she was sitting in his lap, and hugged her to him. He buried his head in her neck. I'm so, so sorry, love.

I failed you.

He cried into her as the anguish swallowed him. Gently rocking them back and forth, lamenting over the cruelty of it. His light, his mate, the one thing that completed his very soul, was gone just as he had found her, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

Fingers brushed against his back and he whipped around, growling. How dare someone interrupt-

But there was no one there. Instead, a pair of arms wrapped around him, laying their palms against his back. He froze, not daring to breathe or move. He gently reached out, tapping her mind with his.

Evelyn?

…so warm…

He watched as she took a shallow breath and nuzzled into him, wrapping herself around him.

Evelyn, answer me.

A pause, and then: I'm here.

Relief washed through him. The numbness receded as her light began to flow weakly through the bond to him. He could still feel her pain and exhaustion, but she was alive. Nothing else mattered. He let out the breath he had been holding, hugging her tightly.

Thank the Goddess. I thought I lost you.

It felt pretty close, I won't lie. He…the, ya know, the vampire, he was holding me on the edge.

You are safe from him. We are outside the town, away from the keep. He shouldn't make it out alive, and even if he does, he'll go through me and my family first.

And who are you?

Kaden noted the caution and fear that laced the question. There were going to be scars from this experience, and she might never fully recover.

My name is Kaden Landry. I have been drawn to you for nearly two years now, watching over you when you were alone in the wild. Fate has decided that you are my mate, the only one in the world I will ever truly love. I'm sorry I was too late to protect you from the vampire, but I hope you'll trust me to keep you safe from now on.

He watched as a debate raged in her mind for a moment. She didn't trust him, but even stronger was a fear of being left alone. Then a practical thought took over. She was still vulnerable even though the threat of death by vampires had passed.

I don't seem to have much of a choice right now if I want to live, and I'm quite attached to the living experience. He felt her body tense as pain raced through her. He pulled some of the pain into himself, dulling it from a sharp searing wave to a dull throbbing. She relaxed again. I don't want to sleep; in case I don't wake up again. But I'm out of energy. I will trust you, Kaden Landry, and I hope it is not misplaced.

Her mind faded as it retreated to sleep. He wasn't surprised by her attitude, nor did it bother him. She was incredibly vulnerable and had only his word to go off of. Trust would come with time.

He kept her close to him. His wrist was still bleeding, though his magic was already slowing it and starting a healing process. The blood loss caught up to him though, leaving him exhausted and dizzy.

"Elestar?" he called out.

A moment, and then: "What can I do for you?"

Kaden laid Evelyn on the ground gently. "She will live. Your theory was correct. I've given her too much. I'll live, but need to rest. Would you watch over us for a short while?"

Elestar turned and called over a pair of elves. They stood on either side of him, a silent pair of sentries.

"Rest, Prince Kaden. You and yours are safe."

Kaden shifted to his wolf form, laying down next to Evelyn. Her skin felt cold, colder than was normal. Closing his eyes, he quickly followed her into sleep.