Prologue

Nikolai rolled over in the sheets, reaching out to see if Elle still lay next to him. When his strong fingers grazed her soft ones, he pulled her closer, snuggling into her and smelling her hair. Although they had only been together for about three years, Nikolai could still feel the love he had for her raging in his blood.

Some members of the pack had grunted in disapproval when they had gotten married as he hadn't even imprinted his mark on her. At first, Nikolai had believed it would happen as soon as he was sure she was his soul mate. But when months passed and nothing had happened, the reality that she was not his mate began to seep in.

Elle had been heartbroken and thought it best to break off their relationship but Nikolai would hear no such thing. Yes she wasn't his mate, but he really didn't care. He loved her with all he had in him and that was all that mattered.

Unable to stop himself he leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the cheek, rousing her from sleep. After a while of blinking herself awake, Elle opened her eyes. "Hey," she stage whispered. "Thank you for waking me. I haven't slept all night, it was refreshing," She smiled, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Nikolai smirked, giving a small shrug. "It was the least I could do."

Elle nudged him in the ribs, laughing.

"Why couldn't you sleep though?" He asked, concern quickly taking over his countenance.

Elle rolled over, downing some water from the bottle she always kept on her besides table. "Remember I told you I'd been feeling sick for a while."

Nikolai's frown deepened. He remembered that Elle had been complaining of not feeling well for a while now. "We'll have to see the doctor today," he decided, grabbing her and unleashing kisses to every part of her face with the intent of making her laugh.

It worked the magic as Elle squealed, laughing and trying to break free from his grip. "I booked an appointment already, baby." She reminded him.

"Good. Now all we have to do is take a shower and prepare for the day," Nikolai said, a look of innocence playing in his eyes.

Elle narrowed her eyes, looking her husband over suspiciously. "Since when do you let me get out of bed this early?"

Nikolai shrugged.

"We're just taking a shower," Elle deadpanned. "Just a shower."

Nikolai smirked, deliberately fondling her full hips as he placed her on his lap and whispered into her ears. "If you say so, Mrs Slade."

Elle only laughed, snuggling into him as they began to discuss their plans for the day.

***

Elle watched in amusement as Nikolai tugged on her shirt for the millionth time today. "I'm really going to be a father?" His voice was high pitched than usual and seeing just how excited he was warmed Elle's heart. Nikolai usually had on a tough exterior which he put on display for everyone except her, so seeing him openly show this much emotion even in front of the doctor was surreal.

Elle nodded in reply, nudging his arm. "Watch the road," She joked. Nikolai laughed, excitement making his face flush.

"I'm going to be a dad. With twins?!" He asked once again, a huge grin creeping into his face. All of a sudden a look of alarm was visible on his face. "Baby, shit. This is real. What am I gonna do? We'll need to get diapers and stuff and a cot." He paused thoughtfully. "I can make a very nice cot with my own hands but I'd need to make two, which means I'd have to start as early as possible and I don't really-"

"Nikolai Slade!" Elle nearly choked with laughter. "Calm down for one fuc-fudging second."

They exchanged looks and Nikolai bellowed with laughter. "I'm not allowed to swear in front of the kids now," She defended, running a hand over her stomach.

The car filled with laughter for a while as Nikolai squeezed his wife's small hand. He knew it wasn't easy for her. But he would be by her side the entire time.

As Nikolai drove through a bend in the road, he suddenly hit the brakes, lurching the car to a stop. As he looked over at Elle who still held a hand to her chest in fright, fury raged through him. Kicking the car door open, he gazed toward the cause of disturbance; an older man whom he recognized as Jonas Verbeck. Jonas was the alpha of the Monhowl pack; the most brutal pack of wolves he'd ever come across and a rival pack of his own pack, Selene. Jonas had always sought instances to get into a fight with Nikolai as he had sworn to take over the title of the most powerful alpha.

"What the hell," Nikolai growled, getting to where Jonas stood in a few seconds, and grappling him by the neck. Jonas only laughed, raising two fingers in some kind of signal. Infuriated, Nikolai landed a blow to his cheek. He was confused as to why Jonas was chuckling hysterically. Until he saw why.

From behind the surrounding bushes, Nikolai saw about eight other werewolves emerge. His heart stopped when he saw three others emerge from behind his car and toward the passenger seat where Elle sat.

All of this was planned out, he realized with a sinking heart. How hadn't he been aware of their movements being watched? He'd been so excited for the news that he hadn't been paying attention to anything else.

Before he had time to react, five of them had begun to land heavy kicks to his gut, bringing him to his knees. Jonas gripped Nikolai's neck and squeezed, landing blows repeatedly until half his face was coated in blood. When he had battered Nikolai to his satisfaction, six of his men held him down and made him watch as Jonas gingerly made his way to the spot where his men had tied Elle to a tree.

Nikolai growled in helplessness as he watched Elle try to defend herself against them. Jonas landed two swift blows to her abdomen and smirked when she cried out in pain. Signalling his men to tighten their hold on Nikolai, Jonas spat in Elle's face, taking ahold of her dress and ripping it in one swift motion.

"NO!" Nikolai screamed, realizing what was about to happen. "Please don't touch her!"

Jonas gave a loud laugh, the panicked tone in Nikolai's voice pushing him on. "Too late," He laughed as he ripped Elle's underwear and penetrated her amidst her cries and struggles.

"No!" Nikolai tried to roar but it only came out as a groan of pain, tears filling his eyes as he struggled to break free from the hands that held him fast. But it was no use. Laughing, they gripped his neck, forcing him to watch as the men took turns on her, hooting wildly as they did the gruesome activity.

After some minutes of yelling and struggling, Elle collapsed into the grass, all the energy sapped from her. She appeared broken, her once glowing body bruised and bloodied, her white gown in tatters besides her still form. When Jonas was satisfied, he gave another laugh at the crying form of Nikolai slumped on the floor and with a smirk, he bent over Elle, gripped her head in his hands and snapped her neck.

Nikolai let out a broken cry, sweat and tears running down his face. "Please, no. D-don't-"

A hard object connected to the back of his head, letting out a sudden gush of blood. Nikolai lost count of how many blows landed to the back of his head. The last thing he saw was Jonas Verbeck bending over him.

"Not so powerful now are we?" He laughed, landing one last powerful blow to Nikolai's head.

Nikolai's last thoughts were of Elle as Jonas and his pack walked away, leaving him in a pool of his own blood.

***

"He's awake, Beta," the healer, an old woman, told Drew. She stood in front of the sick room, her hand pointed to where a pale Nikolai laid on the bed.

Drew nodded. "Thank you." As he went closer to the bed, the healer bent her head as a sign of respect and ushered herself out.

"Alpha." Drew sat on the chair by the bed, his sorrowful brown eyes locked on Nikolai. Though unmoving, Nikolai's eyes were open, the glittering silver of his eyes bloodshot.

"Alpha," Drew repeated, agonized to see his Alpha like this. The man was in pain, broken beyond repair and it hurt to face him like this. He sighed, wishing that he had been there to protect his Alpha and Luna.

The room was silent, apart from the ticking of the clock, until Nikolai started talking, his voice sad and empty, "I've lost everything that I've ever loved, Drew. My Elle, my sweet, gentle Elle and the twins are gone."

He continued, still looking up, nary an emotion depicted on his bloodless face. "I was there, watching as that bastard held her down, beat her, raped her then fucking killed her. I was there, Drew, I was. I didn't do anything, I let her die. I let her die, Drew! Elle and the twins!" Nikolai's voice came out as a roar as he sat up fast in his bed, the sheets falling to reveal his naked torso. All his wounds from the ambush the week before were fading, except for the deep cut on his chest.

Why wasn't that wound healing? Drew thought even as he was stunned at the news that Elle had been expecting. As the son of powerful alphas, Nikolai's bloodline was very strong, therefore he healed fast so why wasn't that cut fading away? He got his answer soon.

Nikolai stared at his hands, lost in his own miserable world. Drew sighed, his Alpha was going into beast mode. In as much as Elle wasn't his mate, his wolf had become used to her and the thought that she was no more was more than they could take. Nikolai's claws were growing, his fangs displayed as he bellowed at no one in particular, "You know, I'm pathetic! I call myself an alpha, her lover and her husband and yet, and fucking yet, I couldn't save her. I just stayed and let her die when it should have been me. I should have fucking died in her place!."

"All my wounds are healed, almost gone but this," He laughed mirthlessly, pointing razor sharp claws at his heaving chest. "I won't let this one go. I requested that the healer add a reasonable amount of silver powder into it. That way, it won't heal properly and would serve as a remembrance of how weak I was."

He threw the remaining sheets off his body and stood, revealing his nude form. Drew averted his eyes in respect, his heart pained by how heartbroken his alpha was. Nikolai wasn't the only one feeling guilty, he was too. He and the pack members hadn't been there to fight those bastards Monhowl. He fisted his knuckles, anger so violent rushing through his veins.

"I am so sorry, Alpha. The guys and I should have been there to protect you and Luna. I am so very sorry," Drew spoke in remorse.

"No need to be sorry. I am the reason why. After all, I brought down my guard," Nikolai uttered, the absence of any emotion is his deep voice chilling. Drew cast a saddened gaze at the broken man. Nikolai was now clad in a pair of shorts, staring outside the window which looked over the property of their pack.

The man turned to his Beta, fire raging in his eyes, fingers clutched in a fist, muscled arms bulging in fury as he bit out, "Ready the wolves, both young and old, there should be no one left out. Bring them to the square, it's ready to train. And when I mean training, I mean training so hard that if you fail, you're out and dead."

Drew shook his head in regret. "Alright, but don't you think we should retaliate? Give the Monhowls what they're looking for?"

A pause, then, "No, we wait. Bide our time and hit them when they least expect it."

Nikolai's lips curled in a frightening snarl, "Revenge is a dish best served cold, Drew. Mark my words." His tone was so empty, cold and as Drew stared at his retreating back, he knew one sure thing, the person in front of him was no longer human or animal, he was a monster.