Chapter One-Marcus

Luther's voice drifted away as I slipped through the closing guard doors, and into the lycan kingdom. It wasn't the smartest thing I'd ever done, but this wasn't a time for overthinking. Plus, no one ever considered me to make the most rational decisions, especially with my wolf so close to the surface.

This was a time to find Lilly.

To save her.

To hold her.

For the first time … ever. Those moments after I met her in the woods had been spellbinding. Her beautiful blue eyes, and auburn hair. Everything about her sung to me like a siren, pulling me in, only to spit me back out.

Lilly had haunted my dreams for over a decade. My wolf had accepted she was gone, dead, buried for all we knew. But something deep inside of me—the human part of me—knew she was alive.

The mouthwatering scent made my skin burn in anticipation. I knew I wasn't thinking clearing, especially after ignoring Luther's call. He may be my brother, but he was the alpha, and I'd went against him.

I needed to find Lilly more than I needed air to breathe. I knew he would understand  now since he found Blaire. He'd jumped through hoops and would battle every supernatural creature under the sun for her—apparently.

Either way, I was inside the danger zone now, slinking along the shadows of the buildings, in hopes of finding my lost mate.

"Nice night out, isn't it?" I heard Axel on the other side of the buildings, being led to the king. I rolled my eyes. The man didn't take anything seriously, and I wanted to strangle him most days, but he wasn't so bad for a lycan.

"Can it," one of the lycans said. "You rub me the wrong way."

"I didn't rub you. Come on now, I'm an engaged man," he said.

”Oomph," he said. One of the lycans must have pushed him, because I sensed the unease from across the courtyard.

The buildings I hid behind stopped, and I bent down, watching as they continued down the driveway toward a huge manor that looked like the pope lived there. The wind picked up, blowing a chilly autumn breeze against me, and my wolf picked up her scent again.

Mate, he howled, pushing me forward.

There was no coverage for me beyond that point. It was a straight shot to the manor, with no trees or buildings to hide behind. The small houses behind me looked like old slave quarters from back in the day, and the setup rubbed me wrong.

Wouldn't Lilly be there? With the other maids and servants? Why would her scent come from the main house?

Unless … I balled my fingers into fists at the thought of her being, a sex slave. She was young enough for it, but it stripped me of all my insecurities and left me raw and vulnerable for everyone to see.

Sliding my palm down my face, I tried to wait until they were yards away before slinking against the wall that separated the kingdom from the woods. Anyone could see me, but I didn't care.

I had to get to her. Tonight.

The lycans led Axel into the front doors of the house, leaving the courtyard clear of anyone else. With a fury, I raced down the side of the wall, the moonlight shinning against me, flickering against my face as I made my way toward the side of the house.

Food wafted from the opened window to my left, light and laughter spilled out into the night. Carefully, I peeked around the corner, looking into the grand dinging hall while lycans and humans ate amongst a giant dining table.

"Sir," someone said from the entrance.

Who I assumed to be Jason lifted his head from his plate. His back was to me, so I didn't get a good look. "What is it? Can't this wait? You know I don't like to be interrupted during meals."

"It can't wait, Sir. Someone, a lycan from the city, is here. He needs to speak with you."

Jason mumbled beneath his breath, but stood up slowly, giving me a better view of the table. He waltz toward the entrance, arrogance dripped off each step, and I sensed his aggravation at Axel's presence.

The chatter continued moments after he disappeared around the corner. I couldn't see Lilly or the entire table from this angle, so I slipped around the back of the house, and toward the backyard.

Several lycans stood around a giant gazebo outback, and I crouched down and hid behind a shrubbery. There was no way I could get to the back door without them seeing me, and no way in hell I could walk into the back door.

Pressing the back of my head against the side of the house, I closed my eyes and tried to stay calm. My wolf began to pace quickly, howling and trying to force its way out.

I couldn’t take on four lycans.

I was desperate but not stupid.

The back door slammed, and I glanced back around, but this time two lycans stood right above me. "The lycan brought a friend," one of them said, reaching down and grabbing me around the arm.

Part of me wanted to fight them both off, and jump the barricade. I knew I could make it—easily. But being dragged into the house meant being closer to Lilly. I couldn't pass it up. My wolf howled in pain, the pain of being so close, but so far away. 

"Get the bastard to Jason. He needs to know that lycan is full of it. I figured he was. He hasn't stopped talking since he got here."

One of the lycans from the front gate pulled me toward the back door, and into the kitchen. Several female lycans sat around the kitchen, staring at me as if I had two heads.

The place screamed old money, with antique furniture and a southern charm that I couldn’t even say was tacky. The lycan shoved through the swinging door of the kitchen, pulling me past the dining table full of guest.

They all stared.

The lycan glanced back at me with furrowed brows. "Either you've planned to be here, or you're stupid, because you haven't tried to run," he said, stopping at a door. "Jason is going to kill you. Say your prayers, wolf, because you won't make it through the night."

When I didn't respond, he shoved through the last doorway, and brought me into a room that resembled a library. Axel sat at a table, sipping a cup of tea like he'd been invited by the queen.

Jason sat in a leather bound chair behind a desk, studying Axel as if he wasn't sure of him yet. His dark eyes shifted toward mine, and pricks of pain tap-danced along my spine.

His blond—almost white—hair reflected against the bright lighting of the room. "What in the hell is going on here?" he asked.

"Found this one around the corner of the house. Looks like your little friend brought his wolf buddies."

Axel nosily sipped his tea. "On the contrary, lycan, I do not know this man," he said, sitting down his cup. "Looks like a fine young chap though. What's your name?"

I immediately wanted to roll my eyes. Axel would play stupid until the last minute, or die lying. I almost admired his acting skills.

"You think we believe that—," he said, but Jason put up his hand, silencing him instantly.

Jason titled his head, and stared at me. "Why are you on my property?"

I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. My fingers involuntarily flexed and tightened. I wanted to take his head off, and put it on a stake. Lilly's scent was on him. Near him. It made my wolf irate.

I fought to keep myself together.

Axel widened his eyes at me, probably hoping I'd come up with something good, but I had nothing.

"Well, the poor man is mute," Axel said, standing. "Now if I can be on my way with Mrs. Caterina—my mate—,"

"Sit down," Jason said, never moving, but his voice held promise. "Why are you here with him?" he asked. "Why send him in, and then sneak in behind him? Is this a plan to take our people? Kill one of us. This can't all be for Caterina. I half-heartedly believe Axel is here for Caterina, even though she's a good ten to fifteen years older than you, but you," he said, standing to face me. "You look mad. Who are you here to see?"

I swallowed the slew of curses on my tongue, finding pleasure in knowing I would kill this man in the near future.

The library door opened, and in swept the sweetest scent I'd ever had the pleasure of smelling. She wore a white dress that swept against the tips of her bare toes. She held books in her hands, and a pen captured vertically in her luscious mouth.

She'd grown since the last time I saw her, and my wolf melted at the sight.

Lilly gasped, a ringlet of hair fell from her up do, and her blue eyes landed on me. Her face turned ashen, and everything in the world slid into place. "Marcus," she whispered so softly it left goosebumps against my skin.

She remembered from all those years ago.

She wasn't a werewolf, but she felt the connection way back then. It hadn't left her.

Jason's chuckle felt like a sledgehammer crashing into my perfect glass house, shattering my one chance at having my mate—my future.

"Now it makes more sense to me," he said. "Sound the alarm" he said. "We have an intruder here to take my betrothed."

That was when everything turned red.