Rapping downstairs woke him up and he sat up in bed. Glancing at the clock, he frowned and slid from his warm bed. Running a hand through his hair, he descended a stairwell and approached the front door. Unlocking it, he pulled the door open and met Aine's gaze. He saw the thick coat and bundle in her arms and pulled her indoors. Closing the door, he looked back at her and found her staring out the window. He approached her quietly and rested a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at him and he saw the hard look on her face. "What happened?" She met his gaze and said, "Doran wants to kill them." He took a minute to take in her words and shook his head. He knew his friend didn't trust the wolves, but he also knew the guy would never harm them. They had protected Aine and she meant a lot to both of them. She looked to the door and glanced back at him. "He thinks they attacked him earlier tonight." His eyes widened and he stared at her. She seemed alert and ready to strike at any hint of doubt on his part. He took a deep breath and approached her. "You two were attacked?" She met his gaze and snapped, "Yes." "It wasn't the wolves?" Her eyes flashed and he shook his head. He had no clue why Doran would believe them. There would have to have been a wolf present or else she wouldn't be dressed to leave town. "Why would he blame the wolves?" "He got bit." Staring at her, he couldn't imagine something besides a wolf able to do such a thing. Her seriousness set him on edge and he swallowed a growing lump in his throat. "What was it?" Her eyes narrowed and she growled, "A vampire." He wanted to laugh, tell her she was imagining things, but her tone sent chills through him. Slowly he sat in a chair and asked, "How do you know?" She glanced down at her hand and said, "They were the ones to kill my mother." "Aine, she wasn't killed by vampires. You know they don't exist." Her eyes snapped back to him and she bit back the disgust in her throat. She had come to him, hoping he would keep an eye on Doran and he sat there mocking her. The faith she had in man was shaky, but he had always been a reassurance. "I shouldn't have bothered." Pulling the door open, she stepped outside and he got to his feet. Yanking on his boots, he grabbed his coat and ran outside. Looking down the street, he saw her retreating to the outskirts and he ran after her. Approaching her, he saw her stop and drop the coat and wrapped food on the ground. She turned to her right and stared down a dark alley. He stepped behind her and caught her shoulder. She jerked him away and slowly gathered her things. He followed her out of town and grabbed her shoulder again. "Aine, please stop." She stopped by the entrance to the woods and kept her back to him. He took a deep breath and rested his other hand on her opposite shoulder. "I'm sorry that I don't believe you, but running off isn't going to prove anything." She closed her eyes and said, "I trusted you." He stared at the back of her head and let out a sigh. She stepped away and he caught her elbow. Pulling her to a halt, he wrapped his arms around her and felt her cold body freeze his. "Just come back to my place. We'll talk this over." She looked at the woods and took a deep breath. The sensation of being watched filled her head and she caught one of his hands. Pulling his arm off her, she put her coat on and handed him the food. He stared at her and she looked past him. Down the hill, she met the burning gaze and slid her hand into her jacket. "Aine-" "Shut up." He stared at her. Her tone had been icy cold and authoritative. He'd never been on the receiving end of that side of her and it left him in shock. She looked like the predators that raised her and he slowly began to understand. Something was causing danger to her only known family and she was ready to die protecting them. She stepped around him and he followed her. He saw the man staring back at her and the sneer on his face. She looked like a wolf, ready to strike at the first hint of movement. The man let out a low growl and asked, "Where's my brother?" She stood her ground and said, "Dead." The man let out an ear-piercing scream and lunged. Aedan didn't see him close in on her but found him standing in her face and holding her throat. She stared back at him and her eyes burned into his. Her hand slowly slid out of her pocket and Aedan caught a glimpse of metal. She shoved it into the man's chest and he threw her back onto the ground. Seeing the fight left him rooted to the ground and his senses straining to keep focus. She looked up at the attacker and he looked down at his wound. Blood dripped onto the ground and he ran his hand over it. Licking the blood from his hand, he stared down at her and she felt her pulse slowly rising. His eyes fixed on hers and she felt the lack of control slipping through her. His hands pinned her onto the ground and fangs flashed white in the night. Her eyes held his gaze and he spat the blood onto her face. She didn't blink and Aedan watched the man straddle her. He needed to get to her, but his body wouldn't move. Feeling the frustration about to choke him, he watched the man lower his head to her throat and saw her hand thrust the knife into his chest. He let out another piercing scream and she rolled to her side as the fangs caught her shoulder. The pain flooded her senses and she screamed as the knife plunged into the region of his heart. The man ripped his head back and jumped away, clutching the new wound. She moved to her knees and caught the bleeding wound. He felt his feet moving and he moved to her side. He knelt next to her and she caught his gaze. The man stared at her and slowly began approaching. She pushed Aedan away and forced herself to her feet. Holding her ground, she heard the silent movement coming from the woods and smirked. The man growled and snapped, "You're going to pay for this." She felt her strength slipping away with the blood loss but willed her legs to remain steady. The man drew closer and she saw the flash of white over take him. He fell back onto the ground and she dropped to her knee. The man let out a roar and took off into the fields. Looking at the brown eyes staring back at her, she let the three come to her and Cori licked her face. Breck stared at Aedan and let out a low growl. She ran her hand across his neck and he looked at her. She slid her hand along his muzzle and he grew silent. Belenus nudged her shoulder and she looked at him. He wagged his tail slowly and she let him slip into her arms. Aedan watched the affection between the four and slowly picked up the bundled food. He approached them and she slowly rose to her feet. Knowing she needed medical treatment, he caught her shoulder and she shook her head. She met his gaze and said, "Go home." He stared at her and said, "You're injured. Let me get you some help." She caught his arm and took the food from him. He watched the young wolf step between them and flash his fangs with a low growl. She rested her free hand on his head and he grew silent. "Please Aedan, go home. I'm fine." He closed his eyes and nodded. Catching her face in his hand, he kissed her forehead and stepped back. "Just make sure you come back. I'll take care of Doran." She smiled slowly and he watched the white wolf nudge the young pup along. The two walked ahead of her and the third wolf lingered behind. His eyes stared into Aedan's and cold chills slid down his spine. Slowly Aedan walked back to the town and the four slipped into the woods. They walked to their lair and she dropped onto a knee. Pain raced through her body and she clutched the wound, dropping the food onto the ground. Belenus sniffed the wrapped food and looked up at her. He gave a whine and she released her shoulder to rub his head. "Go ahead." He nudged the cloth away and caught up a rabbit. She forced herself to her feet and walked past the tree. Walking further into the woods, she approached their pond and pulled her knife out of her jacket. Kneeling down, she cleaned the blade and put it aside. Slowly she discarded her jacket and pulled her shirt off. The winter cold hit her bare skin and she held in the shiver as she splashed water onto the wound. Hearing the soft footsteps, she looked over her shoulder and saw Cori and Breck watching. Silently they approached and Cori sat next to her. The she-wolf began cleaning the wound and she closed her eyes. She felt the wound closing and slowly looked back at Breck, He rested on a set of boulders and she sat back on the back. Cori nursed the wound and she looked up at the winter sky. The fight would leave its mark and she would be ready for the next. ______________________________________________ Throwing the door open, he stumbled into the hall and forced his way up the giant staircase. Feeling the hot blood running down his hand, he stumbled into the study and dropped into a chair. A side door opened and his sister entered. Her eyes flashed red and she ran to his side. Quickly she ripped his shirt open and saw the wounds. She growled and asked, "What happened?" He looked to the shadows and met a pair of red eyes. Slowly he caught his breath and turned back to his sister. "Julian is dead, Artis." Her eyes flashed and she shook her head. He took a deep breath and looked back at the shadowy figure in the corner. "Coyle, he was killed by a woman." Artis looked at him and asked, "A woman?" He nodded and said, "She almost got me." "You let her do this to you?" The cold voice caused his teeth to grind together and he watched the man step into sight. His blonde hair resting down his back, pulled back in a tie at his neck, and his eyes now a shade of coal black. He always made the room feel tiny when he entered and now it left him feeling uneasy and insignificant. He shook his head and said, "I wounded her, would've finished the job but damn wolves stopped me." Artis let out a gasp and turned to the one in front of them. She met his gaze and he turned back to her brother. "Wolves, Bain?" Hearing the disinterest in his voice left him annoyed and he nodded. Artis rose to her feet and caught Coyle's arm. She felt the power hiding under his skin and stared up at his warrior face. He had protected their family for decades. Now they were being destroyed and she knew he would resurrect that mistake. He stared at Bain and said, "She's a hunter." Bain shook his head and said, "I remember this one." Artis looked at him and asked, "You remember her? How?" He smirked and said, "Same blood as twenty years ago." "The woman you left dead in the forest." Bain smiled and said, "I remember the little pulse hiding in the woods. It's the same pulse as this woman." He slid his hand over his mouth and said, "Her blood is the same as that woman's." Coyle walked to the window and Artis asked, "Didn't you kill the last of that line?" Bain smirked and said, "Apparently that is what the wolves drove me away from that night." Coyle stared at him and asked, "Again?" He nodded and watched the man look back out the window. Something was sparking interest in the man and that always left him uneasy. They were in jeopardy from extinction and he was interested in this woman and the wolves. "You're twisted Coyle. She may be wounded, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't kill you. Those wolves won't let you near her anyways." Coyle stared back at him and smirked. Artis caught the man's arm again and he looked down at her. She slid her hand along his chiseled jaw and and shook her head. "Please just stay here until my brother's wounds are better." The hiss caused her to jerk back and he left the room. Bain sighed and closed his eyes. The wounds had quit bleeding but the pain and torn muscles had a long time to go. Artis returned to his side and helped him to his feet. "He just needs time to figure out what to do with you, Bain. That was foolish of you." He shook his head and said, "He wants to meet this woman, Artis." She ignored the true statement and helped him out of the study. They walked down the hall to his chambers and she helped him over to his bed. He dropped onto his back slowly and she cleaned the wounds. Wrapping them, she closed curtains on his east window and left the room. Pulling the door shut, she let out a sigh and walked down the hall. Reaching the annex to Coyle's quarters, she took a deep breath and silently moved to his room. Stepping inside, she found him at his window, staring at the night sky and she closed the door. He closed his eyes and felt the hands slide over his shoulders. Her teeth nipped his ear and he turned to her. She needed the sex to take her loss out of her mind and he used that to calm the beast inside. He took her to bed and satisfied her before taking a long drink from her. She laid spent under him and he closed the marks on her upper breast. Rolling onto his side, he looked up at the ceiling and felt her leg slide over his. She slid her arm across his hard chest and rest her head over his dead heart. Closing his eyes, he let his mind settle on the notion of the mystery human and he slid into their sleep.