“Please, at least let me guide her up to the outer edges!”

I watched fretfully as Forrest begged Zane to accompany me on my journey. He had dropped to his knees with his arms outstretched as Leo stood to the side. Even Leo was growing angry. It made my heart ache.

“You know very well, brother, that your scent will be discovered far before you reach those gates!” Zane shouted. His nostrils flared. He was growing more impatient by the second. And I couldn't blame him. We were quickly losing daylight to this ordeal.

I stood behind with my hood pulled up to guard myself from the daylight. I watched the patches slowly disappear between the trees as the sun retreated, becoming dimmer as the evening approached. I yawned. This was particularly early for me.

“But Zane, she might die,” Forrest shouted while crumbling to the ground.

“All of us could die, brother. And one day, all of us will die. That is the nature of life, of our existence as paranormal creatures on this fruitful earth. Collect yourself, please, before I lock you in the dungeon.”

Forrest continued to grovel on the ground. When Zane raised his fist, I intervened and pulled Forrest upright. I held his shoulders and shook him.

“You'll join the ranks after I've made the initial break. Don't lose yourself,” I whispered.

A grunt erupted from his lips as he stood on two feet, using my shoulders to steady himself. When he was standing, he pulled me in for a hug and planted a passionate, but sloppy kiss upon my lips. I smiled when I pulled away and ruffled his hair.

“Chin up,” I reminded him. “Or else we might all go down.”

When Forrest had stepped away, Leo approached with his lower lip sucked into his mouth. He was thinking. I could tell by that look that he was lost in his own thoughts, perhaps even imagining what his life would be like without me. I batted away tears and forced a fang-filled smiled.

“And you,” I teased. “Watch your brother lest he becomes a mess in my absence.”

“Don't say that,” he huffed.

Though it bit, I understood what he meant. I gave him a long kiss, lingering around his lips for a moment, and then pulled away to stroke his head.

“I’ll see you both soon,” I whispered.

He nodded. “That's exactly right.”

I couldn't stop the tears. They fell freely as he squeezed my hand and stepped aside to join the others standing around. All of the shifters were present, even the women. Though I had not gotten along much with Gracie, she still offered me a supportive nod. I guess this was the part where I proved my allegiance.

And I was ready for it.

I turned to Zane who calmly held out his hand for me to take.

“I can walk you about halfway, but you'll need to go the rest by yourself,” he advised as we began to walk between the trees. “I just want you to know that I will be right behind you.”

“I know,” I shivered.

His hand squeezed mine, but never released it.

“You can do this, Riley. I'm so proud of you for being brave. This is no easy feat,” he encouraged.

“I feel like I'm holding the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

A light chuckle escaped his lips. “I suppose that's just one more thing we have in common.”

I smiled at the comparison. It was true—Zane and I were rather similar in our leadership skills and our morality concerns. He was fierce, strong, determined, and also incredibly kind. He used kindness as a weapon above everything else, only resorting to violence when it was necessary. I appreciated this trait in him.

“We seem to have a great deal in common, Zane,” I voiced aloud. “And that's what keeps me glued to your side.”

“You would make a fine leader, Riley. I don't doubt it,” he said.

I smiled wider. “I'm not so sure.”

He stopped us in our path and held my shoulders.

“Don't think that way. You are a leader. Believe it,” he said firmly. “Hone in on that skill and use it to defeat these sadistic fangs. It will take all of your strength to do so.”

I bit my lip and nodded. When he released my shoulders, he leaned in to kiss me. We turned to keep walking. I sniffed at the air and realized we were just about halfway. My stomach dropped as I recognized the parts of the wood that were Tempest Legion's territory. It wouldn't be long before Zane had to fall back.

When we reached the clearing where I had initially encountered the shifters, we stopped near the edge of the pond. The waters calmly reflected the fading light. I looked over in the distance to see the sun through the trees. The light barely reached us. It was almost time.

“Remember, guard your thoughts. The spell I gave you should mask your scent temporarily. Be sure to be swift as Wyatt takes out the security cameras. They should be unarmed by the time you get there,” Zane reminded me. “And if you need anything–”

“Whistle. I know.”

He laughed.

“Good girl,” he whispered. “Now, go get 'em.”

I turned to leave knowing that if I lingered any longer, I might try to run away with Zane. But that was ridiculous. Running away wouldn't solve anything. As I walked toward the trees up ahead, I turned on my heel and ran back for one last passionate kiss. Our breathing became ragged as we embraced under the fading light, and I pulled back to whisper heatedly, “Thank you for letting me become one of you.”

With wide eyes, Zane nodded, pulling me closer.

Another kiss sent me off and I ran in the direction of the coven. If I got there quicker, this would be over much sooner and I could return to my beautiful men who wanted nothing more than to be my everything. I arrived at the maze and ducked down below the bushes to catch my breath. While my breathing slowed, I clutched the blood stone tucked underneath my cloak.

A deep breath slowed my body and helped me regain my composure. When I had recovered from my sprint, I stood and shed the cloak from my body. I wouldn't need it from here. The black cotton fell to the ground and revealed my sleek outfit: tight black leggings, a black blouse, my blood stone, a long braid, and a utility belt holding my dagger and a few other assorted items to guard me from the fangs.

I looked incredible.

It was the sexiest I’d felt in a long time which only amused me as I made my way around the maze quietly. I looked up at the windows overlooking the guard. No movement. No sound. I sniffed the air curiously to see if anyone was near. Nothing.

With my heart caught in my throat, I quickly made my way across the courtyard with my dagger in my hands. I pressed against the door and gave a quick glance around. Still no sign of anyone. A sputtering noise caused me to jump and hold up my dagger. It sounded like water gushing from a spout. I turned to see the fountain coming to life and chuckled quietly to myself. When the panic subsided, I turned back to the door.

The latch was unlocked. I made my way inside, shut the door quietly behind me, and then carefully walked over to the carpeted steps. I felt too exposed. Surely, I would be caught walking up these steps, but it was the fastest way to the office upstairs. I had to move quickly. My footsteps were silenced by the carpet and I held the banister firmly to prevent myself from falling. I clutched my dagger in my right hand and breathed a practiced sigh of relief when I reached the top of the steps.

“You wreak of a wet dog.”

I gasped and froze in the center of the hallway. That voice was far too familiar. I knew it by the way the syllables reached my ear, by the smell of sage, and by the familiar tingle between my thighs. Unfortunately, I was still attracted to him, but who could blame me? Hundreds of years of sex appeal practice did well for him. With a proud smile, I turned to face Adrian.

“Oh, honey, I'm home,” I whispered sarcastically.

He smirked. “Cute, Riley. Have you come to collect something or just to flit about without any real purpose? Lord knows that's all you did when you were here.”

I kept my smile fixed to my lips while swinging my dagger around. With expert precision, I twirled it in my hand and then tossed it into my left, wielding it pointed toward him.

“You know very well that my purpose holds more meaning than that,” I spat. “For you to uphold your barbaric ways when there is a more humane option is simply ignorant.”

“This is our way. This has always been the best way. For you to join us and then judge us is the ignorance, Riley,” he growled.

“Your anger amuses me, Adrian, but I am not moved. I will not yield while you slay hundreds in the name of custom.”

He took a menacing step towards me. I held my ground.

“And those shifters are better than us? I'm sure you've been with two of them already, maybe even three,” he accused. He sniffed the air, scowling.

“Three is correct,” I smirked.

He growled while glaring at me with two jealous eyes. I knew that would bite at his cold heart. In fact, I had gambled on it striking a chord just for the sake of making him angry. It pleased me to see him hurt. It made this that much easier.

“What you fail to realize, Riley, is that humans are more despicable than any paranormal creature. They thrive on war, destruction, and chaos. We give them healing by giving them death. We are their release from their wretched existence,” Adrian explained. “And yet you deny that this is the moral way to handle the world.”

“The world isn't yours to destroy. Humans aren't your pets or your toys. They are people. They have lives and feelings and desires just like we do. Don't you see that?” I implored.

“How dare you even attempt to compare us! We are the elite immortals of the world, and we shall conquer it as we see fit,” he spat back.

It was my turn to take a menacing step forward. By the look on his face, I could tell he was losing power. And he didn't like it. He snarled at me as I approached, baring his fangs while crouching over into an attack position. While he bent forward, I started to charge with my dagger, but slowed as he relaxed into a standing position. He laughed suddenly.

Aghast, I lowered my dagger and gave him a puzzled expression.

“What?” I growled.

He shook his head, patting his thighs with amusement before sitting up to point.

“You're still not very bright, Riley.”

Darkness shrouded my vision. A collection of arms grabbed at my body, pulled the dagger from my hand, and disarmed me completely before I even had a chance to think. I fought hard against the assault while screaming for Zane, for Forrest, and for Leo. Could they hear me from this distance? They should be approaching the castle by now, surrounding it with supporting forces.

“Release me!” I cried. “You're making a mistake!”

The voices around me erupted into laughter and something hard hit my chest. It burned with an intensity I had never felt, sinking deep into my shoulder and twisting suddenly. The pain was incredible. I could feel myself mentally fading as I gave way to the arms restraining me. I knew this sensation. I knew exactly what it was.

I had been stabbed, and before I could manage to reach for the knife, the world went black once more.