I loved her not for the way she danced with my angels but for the way the sound of her name could silence my demons.

Victor’s P.O.V

It had been so long since I had visited their grave, my parents… I had my eyes closed, listening to the running water of the waterfall. Enjoying the scents of my garden and thinking back to all those wonderful times my mother had brought me here, telling me stories of her love for my father. When I smelt her, heard her footsteps. I was afraid to look, already sitting next to their grave, ready to relive the last moments I had with them… I wasn’t sure I could cope with having her here to see that… to have to endure such horrible things. I heard her sad, voice making me look wondering if something had happened but I met with her lavender eyes, holding a shared sadness as she flicked her gaze between me and their grave. I looked away, my heart touched by her empathy before I hear Dimitri tell her to be beside me. Momentarily upset with him for she should never have to see me in such a state. Yet, her presence helped, helped quell the hatred building inside me.... at myself.

I heard Dimitri’s fading footsteps, I waited for Laura to say something… or to leave, and when no noise was made I stole a glance and instantly regretted it. She seemed afraid.

“Victor?” She called, her voice sent chills down my spine. Her tone was full of concern, which made my heart beat just a little faster.

My heart pounded more when she sat next to me and took my hand in hers, the mate bond sending zaps of pure electricity through my veins. I had to battle with my thoughts, the need to just claim my mate now, and the pain I had to grieve my parents. I closed my eyes focusing on the sounds around me, just enjoying having her finally touch me, finally seem to accept the bond. Knowing there was no Xander, no Domini, and no other males to compete against now. She was mine.

I looked out at the pound, my eyes lingering on the smooth rocks jutting out against the waterfall, remembering my mother laying there in the hot summers. I could almost see her, with her charcoal black hair, her ochre sun-kissed skin, and her delightful cheeky smile. My father would scold her, beg her not to be wearing such skin-tight clothes in front of just anyone, Anya would splash in the water, teasing me….

“I miss them.”

She asked me what had happened to them, I wanted to tell her… she was my mate, my love, my everything yet… I knew how gruesome the story was, how my parents were tortured before their deaths. How Anya had to suffer the worst thing a woman could experience as I had to watch, unable to help, unable to stop any of it from happening. I felt my body start to tremble in anger as the urge to shift mounted, I wanted blood. I wanted vengeance. I couldn’t do anything back then, 17 and unshifted.

“Well… they were murdered.” I hoped that would be enough for her, really not wanting to her to have to hear how horrible it all was. But it wasn’t, she pressed me for more, squeezing my hand.

So I explained it, with as little detail as I could but I still relived it. Every second of it. James. The vampire responsible. I was going to kill him. I had to kill him. For Anya, for our mum, our dad, and our pack.

I heard Anya approaching as I retold what he did to her, knowing she would hear me. I wondered why she didn’t stop, why she kept walking when I knew she would have heard every word.

She called me, I turned to Laura, seeing Bella with her. Her face was full of pain, her eyes already drenched in tears as I saw her expression shift. That faraway look as she relived it. I looked away, shaking in rage that I couldn’t save her then and I couldn’t save her now. Having to see her relive it, was so much worse than just reliving it myself.

I couldn’t contain my rage any longer, I punched wildly. Smiling in satisfaction as the painful crunch pulled back the skin on my knuckles. A shallow sense of relief flooding my body for a moment, giving me a sense of euphoria. I prepared myself for another hit of that precious freedom when something stopped me, I growled in frustration yanking my arm back when I heard her sweet voice call to me.

Laura’s beautiful, desperate, fearful face was remerging. I felt shame wash over me, how could I act in such a childish manner in front of her? How could I scare her?

I felt my world spin as she pulled me into her lap, I felt my heart soar as she touched my hair, caressed me, and hummed. Her voice was so pure, so soft and melodic I could have fallen asleep. I felt all my pain, all my worry melt away under her protective grip. I wished we could stay there forever, but I could hear my pack gathering at the entrance of the garden. Hoping to catch a glimpse of my beautiful, amazing, and perfect mate.

I took her to them, stood with pride as they smiled in delight at her stunning self. Dimitri and Domini took their places as our Beta’s introducing Laura formally to the pack. I saw her confused look when Domini mentioned she was the last of Amethyst pack, odd. That was her mother’s linage, an ancient and strong pack. Was it true that she really didn’t know?

I lost track of her as my members bombarded me with congratulations and sadness that the ceremony had been done so soon, that they couldn’t make it to Slate pack in time to witness it. When I finally found her again I couldn’t help but grin in pride, Rebbeka and Chandler were speaking to her.

I approached grinning from ear to ear as Rebbeka was practically radiating joy, her rich golden brown hue and amber flecked eyes singling under the sunlight. Chandler, my cousin, was much shorter than his mate but that didn’t stop him from kissing her. I always felt my heart beat a little faster around them, Chandler had a similar personality to my mother. I guess those genetics were strong.

I could sense Laura’s overwhelmed feelings and decided it was time to take her back inside, I would never understand why Ashly chose to shelter her so much. She seemed so, clueless, so childlike… and yet… there were moments when I looked into her eyes, and she was powerful, knowing, and smart.

I brought her back to her room, slightly saddened that we were not yet sharing a room. I didn’t want to push her, she had made it very clear that for whatever reason she couldn’t or wouldn’t accept our mate bond. She seemed sad, I was surprised it was simply due to the color scheme of the room? For the first time I actually took notice, my mother had always insisted on keeping the guest rooms neutral colors so our guests could decorate and made the space their own. I realized she probably didn’t know this so directed her to the cupboard that kept all the different colored blinds, sheets, blankets, towels, and more. I grinned as she held a beautiful grey-dark-blue blanket thinking it may have been her favorite color, yet her face did not reflect joy… something else…  I watched as she walked over to the bed, sitting before staring at me intently.

“Laura…” I began to ask her if she was okay, if she needed me… if she wanted to talk… but I couldn’t bring myself to. What if she rejected me? I sighed, remembering my promise to her, to explain everything.

“I want to, explain everything… but… I don’t know where to begin?!”

She nodded, smiling slightly “start from the beginning, how did you know my father was a vampire?”

I frowned, unsure how to explain, I didn’t want to take her back… back to what happened… and I sure as hell didn’t want to relive that for a second time in one day.

“Well… back… when I was taken…I overheard him, James, he was looking for you… for the half-breed.” I stopped staring at her horrified that I had just said that…“half… hybrid…” I struggled to find a suitable word but she smiled sadly.

“It’s okay, everyone that knows calls me a half-breed. It’s no different to being mixed with a human, witch, or another shifter.”

“Regardless” I exclaimed, appalled I had hurt her so. “I heard that a child had been born from wolf and vampire linage, not just that, but of Amethyst and Amrita clan.”

“Oh?”

Her response was cold as if she had no understanding of just how important, how insanely powerful that made her.

“You… you don’t know what that means do you?” I took a steadying breath at her vacant expression, unsure how to explain how impossible her mere existence was.

“Laura… you shouldn’t exist…. There has never, and I mean never, been a child born of vampire and wolf parents, let alone of ancient bloodlines.”

“Well… I guess I’m the first… but… I’m nothing special…”

I felt horrible as her face fell, which she looked on the verge of tears. I walked up to her without thinking, wanting to comfort her, to shake sense into her. But she did not move her head to look at me.

“Laura, you are more than special…” I tried to explain to her but stopped as I felt her eyes staring a hole into my pants, my nose picking up on her lustful smell….