Chapter 02

SYLVAIN

I rubbed at my chest as if it would alleviate the building ache there. It was something that was becoming a part of me. I didn't necessarily like it but I learned to appreciate it because it let me know that Tania was fine, wherever she was. My back still burned with phantom pain. I knew we were linked, so what was phantom pain to me, was real pain to her. I tried not to worry about it too much but my mind always drifted back.

Was she being tortured? Punished maybe? Maybe she escaped and ran into some other kind of trouble? So many scenarios ran through my mind and I had no clue how to put myself at ease.

There were times I could feel a gentle tug at my chest as if the bond was something tangible. As if she was tugging at the bond. I knew we weren't fully mated so the bond wasn't as strong however, those were the times I sent calming, soothing waves of tranquility and safety down the bond — at least, I tried to. It worked, I knew because she would calm down and stop hanging onto the tether linking us — until she needed that little reassurance again.

"They're scared," Tane, my beta, informed me.

I sat back in my chair with a sigh, "There's no need for them to be scared. No one from our pack was involved and we handled the situation as best as we could. None of our pack members were casualties."

"That's not why they're scared and you know it," Tane griped, scrubbing a hand down his face. His green-blue eyes were hooded with exhaustion.

"I know," I breathed, tipping my head back so I could glare at the ceiling of my office.

My pack was now scared that our defenses were down. That we were so pathetic at protecting our own all because some fae managed to get past our borders, somehow empty an entire lake, and make it her little lair. They had every right to be scared. Nothing I said would soothe them, even if I admitted to them that the woman who caused so much havoc was my fated mate.

Matter of fact, I was pretty certain most of my pack would run in the opposite direction if they knew she would be their future Luna.  It would be fine if they were running off to other cities which were still under my rule but they wanted to escape this pack entirely. I had a major problem on my hands. Too many major problems.

"They just have to put their trust in me. They just have to believe that I'll find a way to protect us from these unfamiliar threats," I murmured but as I said the words I realized I was asking too much of my people.

"Having her as a Luna would be beneficial," Tane whispered, as if someone could overhear us — it was impossible with the room being soundproof.

I met my beta's gaze as he leaned forward in his seat and propped his elbows on the table between us, "If I can convince her not be a murderous b—" I choked on the word, "and convince her to accept me then maybe it could benefit us. The pack would have to accept her as their Luna eventually and if she can get a magical barrier around the pack to protect us, maybe they will consider trusting her."

"Sounds like a piece of cake."

"Yeah," I muttered, adding sarcasm to my tone and a smile to my face, "only the cake is made of stone covered in poisonous frosting."

"I mean, it could be worse," Tane shrugged, biting back his chuckle.

"Don't give me that shit," I cut him a glare that instantly had his lips thinning, "I still have a Hellhound to deal with. I am not looking forward to the conversation I'm about to have with him."

"On the bright side, he can't kill her. From what you've told me she'll just absorb his fire," Tane pointed out as if those words would make me feel better.

They didn't.

"That's not going to stop him from trying and I'm sure he can find other creative ways to get what he wants. Hellfire isn't the only way to kill a fae. An ordinary fae at least."

"You'll figure something out," this time, Tane's words held conviction as if he truly believed I'd find the answers, "Ebony and I are going to help a few of the pack members demolish that maze in the lake, remove that obsidian silver-laced powder and then return it to its original beauty. If you want, you can help."

"If I have time, I'll be there," I said curtly, waving a hand to dismiss him so he could get to his mate, "get going. The quicker I get this work done, the better it is for me."

Tane lowered his head submissively, a respectful gesture to his alpha, before pivoting on his heel and leaving the room. I hated being bowed to but there was no way to stop it. I had spent a month ordering them not to bow but it was compulsive. They did it as if it were a knee-jerk reaction.

A fist pounding on the thick mahogany door jarred me back to reality. I politely asked the person to come in, straightening in my seat with a grim smile. It was unlike me but worry cloaked me like a black cloud that I couldn't get rid of.

Thorne entered, his massive form ambling toward me. He was a fairly good-looking guy with deep brown skin and rich hazel eyes that held captivating flecks of gold. If one looked closely enough they'd notice the thin ring of fire around his irises that could easily be missed. His hair was cropped into a buzz cut and his smile was something that could light up Times Square. Only, now he was scowling at me, ready to barbeque me into the next fucking century.

"You wanted to speak to me," Thorne grunted. I noted the way his full lips pulled back into a snarl and the way the bags under his eyes weighed heavily with exhaustion.

"I did," I admitted, squaring my shoulders and readying myself for this conversation.

"You don't need to explain why you did what you did to me," Thorne said with a baritone voice, "but I'm guessing that's not why I'm here. I'm here because you're going to try to convince me not to kill her."

"Is that too much to ask?" I muttered under my breath.

"Cleo is in a coma," was all he said.

"I know," my voice softened because I did sympathize with him, "and I'm sorry about that."

"How many times have you said the word sorry in the past week Alpha Sylvain?" Thorne quizzed, his British accent thick in his words.

"Too many times," I supplied with a jaded sigh.

"How many times did you mean it?" He cocked his head to the side while holding me under his accessing gaze.

"You don't know me," I began calmly because I was a calm guy for the most part. Jovial and easy to get along with. But, just like everyone else, even I had a dark side, "so I don't expect you to know this about me but I'm not like your average Joe. I sympathize with you. I'm sorry that this entire situation ended up the way it did. I'm sorry Cleo is in a coma and that Julian's sister, Maddie, died. I'm sorry that Phillip, Julian's brother, had to be turned and I'm so fucking sorry that my mother had to be strapped to a chair in the middle of a bed of wolf's bane," I leaned forward, elbows resting on the table and fingers lacing together with a growl on my lips, "so when I say I'm sorry, I mean it. Every fucking time I say it."

"If she wasn't your mate would we still be having this conversation," Thorne asked, narrowing his eyes in on me.

I held his gaze because I needed him to see how much I meant my words so he would back off, "Most certainly not," I settled back in my seat and began tapping my finger on the desk, "I would have killed her for what she had done to my mother alone. My mother has been through enough, she didn't need that to happen to her, too. But she is my mate," I paused, swallowing even though my throat felt like sandpaper, "and I have to believe that there's a reason for it. So, now we are having this conversation. There's no point in wondering about what if's because this is the reality that we need to tackle. I need you to let me deal with her. Deal with this, accordingly."

"What you want, Alpha Sylvain," Thorne stood, attempting to intimidate me with his height and size, "is for me to let you fuck her and forget what she did to my woman and everyone else."

"Fucking her was the last thing that crossed my mind," I responded honestly, "I want to help her. Everyone deserves a second chance. Even the Devil."

"You prove to me that she can be helped and maybe I won't sever the bond between you two and tear her heart out. And trust me, Alpha Sylvain, rejecting someone isn't the only way to break a bond between two wolves," Thorne's words were spoken in the form of a promise and a threat, one I hoped he didn't follow through with because I had been searching for my mate for a long time, I'd kill him myself if he thought he could take this away from me.

A snarl worked its way up my throat, "We have a deal, hound."

"I can't take Cleo to a human hospital so we're stuck here until the doctor gives her the go-ahead," this was Thorne's way of asking me permission to remain on pack territory.

"You can stay for as long as she needs. The vampires have already left and my sister and her mate are eager to return home to their son. Alpha Victor," I paused because it was still so weird referring to him as an Alpha, "will be leaving soon as well."

"So, it will just be me remaining?" Thorne looked uncomfortable by that.

"You won't be made to feel like an outsider so relax," I reassured, "if you need anything feel free to ask any member of the pack. They will be more than willing to help you."

"This discussion is over then? I can return to Cleo?" Thorne asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

He couldn't wait to return to the woman he loved. I knew the feeling, sort of. I wanted to find Tania just to make sure she was okay before delivering a verbal beating to her for what she had done considering I couldn't offer a physical one. I wasn't prone to hitting a female but when they threatened my family I wasn't opposed to putting them down either.

"Go," I dismissed, casting my gaze down to the table where a mountain of paperwork waited to be attended to. It ranged from pack business to the family business — the multiple hotels we had in our name.

Thorne didn't have to be told twice, practically running out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

I felt a tug on the bond at that moment, forcing me to ignore the paperwork I needed to sort through. Leaning pack in my chair, I closed my eyes and focused on the bond. If I focused hard enough, I could see it flare to life — a glowing white thread weaving your souls together. It was beautiful and chaotic.

Instead of sending a usual calming wave down the bond, I tugged back, wanting her to feel that someone else was at the end and that she wasn't alone. I figured she didn't know about the mate bond or hadn't figured it out yet which had me wondering what her reaction would be if she knew she was mated to a wolf.

Fae, like vampires, could pick their own mates. It was said that even the King or Queen could pick their own mate, although, I wasn't certain how true that was considering Zephyr wasn't the rightful King. Whereas, a vampire and werewolf king and queen were fated mates.

I knew that my sister, being a half-blood, didn't appreciate her right of choice being stripped away from her. Would Tania give me the same reaction? I could only hope that she didn't reject me but I would make it clear to her that it was an option available. The only problem was the chances of surviving a rejection as a werewolf were slim. She'd probably get off unscathed. That was probably all that mattered, though.

I peeled my eyes open and pulled out the burner cell from the top drawer. My father and sister had been trying to get a hold of Zephyr for a few days but he refused to answer any of our calls. It was my turn to try. If he knew where his daughter was, I needed him to tell me.

I found his number under the contact list and pressed dial. The phone rang for a few beats before reaching voicemail.

I drew in a lung full of air before speaking, "Zephyr, it's Sylvain. I know you're ignoring us but I really need you to pick up the damn phone. I'm not going to hurt your daughter and I'm definitely not going to kill her. I'm the one that saved her for Goddess's sake. I need to see her. I just need to make sure she's fine. I'm not going to be at peace till I do, so please..."

I ended my sentence there and prayed that he would finally crack and call me back.