The fire crackled in the cover of the thick tree trunk and she sighed as she watched him pace back and forth. The black wolf was annoyed to have stopped for the night when they were just half a day away from the temple but she needed the rest. She didn't expect to be ever returning there but when Joseph had found her he had been very persuading. Leaving Kara in his and Leon's hands had been the best choice at the time but she had never thought that her daughter would suffer through the nightmares that usually only plagued prue breds. She could see from the pace the wolf walked that he was desperate to get home and she smirked.

She was surprised that he hadn't claimed Kara yet but then again he had humanity in him at times. When she first saw him that night she reunited with Leon and him, she hadn't thought that he could be her daughter's mate but that changed after her father blatently said his position. She should have picked up on it when the two first met but she had been distracted with seeing to her daughter's safety. Now she was preparing to walk back into her daughter's life and help her when the true cure to the nightmares was the one person who had promised to never take anything from her without her concent.

"Calm down."

His black eyes shot back at her and he growled "Something's wrong."

"We will be there before late afternoon. Everyone is fine."

His pacing continued and he sighed "I can't sense her."

"Does she ever close herself off?"

"To a point."

Emily chuckled and said "She is probably sleeping and doesn't need to alert you when you are wore out."

A low growl made her smile and she rested her head on her leg. He ignored her gaze as he finally settled down away from her. He stared up at the sky as she drifted to sleep and recalled their encounter.

Coming out of the forest, he stopped walking and stared at the enormous field of flowers. Aged timbers left of a structure looked back at him and he slowly approached. The sensation of a tear in the ground and something powerful happening where he stood surrounded him. He stopped by the building and looked behind him. The wolf stared at him and he watched her approach.

Joseph?

He nodded and she came cloesr. He could see the anxiety in her eyes and he knew she wanted to know about her daughter.

I need your help

Kara?

In trouble

Emily stared at him with worry and looked around them. She led them inside the burnt place and looked back at him.

What is wrong?

She's suffering from extreme nightmares and they are taking a physical toll on her.

Emily took a deep breath and shook her head.

I can't do anything. You are the only one that can help her

You are the only option we have right now

She stared back at him and he looked away. He heard her approach and he looked back at her. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. Slowly she nodded and they left her home.

Staring at a blue sky, he stood up and looked around. No sign of any threat came to him and he looked back at Emily. She stirred slowly and met his black gaze. Without a word, she stood up and followed him from their cover. They ran all morning until they reached the city and shifted before entering the place.

The streets were already busy with prosperity and she looked at Joseph. He kept his gaze forward and she looked at all the people moving about.

"When did this happen?"

"A few years ago."

"Who did this?"

"Your daughter."

She smirked and looked back at him. Her quest hadn't been a failure after all. She had spread word to come here and return to their homeland. Never hearing anything from the people she sent this way, she figured it had not worked out and she began returning home. Joseph's abrupt stop made her glance back at him and she saw the alertness in his gaze.

"What is it?"

A low growl rumbled from his throat and he shift as soon as they left the city. She watched him take off in a blur and quickly pursued him. He led her back to the temple like lightning and she watched him slow into a trot as he entered the place. She walked in behind him and found her father pacing in the courtyard. The place was packed with several men and women.

Children were romping everywhere or watching by the females up inside the temple. When Leon saw them, he stopped pacing and waited for them to shift. He hugged Emily and looked back at Joseph.

"You did it."

"Where is she?"

His elder eyes grew heavier and he said "I'm not sure. Their hunt doesn't usually take this long."

"Their hunt?"

He nodded and said "Not long after you left I allowed her to start hunting at dawn."

"By herself?"

Leon shook his head and looked over at Camille. The woman approached quietly and studied the woman beside Joseph.

"Rafe is with her."

His growl didn't go unnoticed and he asked "How long have they been gone?"

Leon shook his head and said "All morning."

Emily held Camille's gaze and tried to identify her daughter's scent. Nothing but strangers were picked up and she looked back at Joseph.

"I can't sense her."

Leon sighed and said "I lost her presence a few minutes before you showed up."

Joseph shot his gaze to the waterfall just as Rafe came running in. He was breathing hard from the painful run and met the black gaze instantly.

"Help!"

Before the guards or Leon could question him, Joseph was out the waterfall and Rafe ran with him. Emily met them in the forest first and was shortly joined by Leon and Camille. They were at the spot he had been forced to leave Kara and Joseph was taking in the scents.

"What happened?"

"Government men. They shot her. I wouldn't leave her behind but she refused to let me stay with her."

Leon's growl rumbled throughout the area and he snapped "That is unexceptable."

"She did it as a promise to me."

They looked at Camille and said "I've been watching over her since you took us in and she promised to never let anything happen to my son."

Emily stared at her and Rafe sighed "But it was my responsibility to keep her safe."

Joseph

Joseph kept searching the area and felt the faintest brush in his mind. He looked to the west and back at Emily.

"Joseph, don't."

"You won't be able to keep up."

She shook her head and said "If you go after her alone, you'll both get killed."

"I will bring her back."

He left them standing still as he took off again. His mind stretched to find her again and all he found was emptiness.

Kara

His legs were tired from the long trip but he couldn't lose her now. Her power was missing as he followed her trail but he could still feel her. It was faint but he felt just enough of her to know she was alive. He ran all night and came to a stop when he came up on a parked vehicle miles away from their home. Men were guarding it with weapons while some talked around a fire and others slept.

Kara

No response came but he could feel her in the truck. He moved closer and saw the dogs resting by the doors to the truck. They were watching for any trouble and seemed uneasy as they picked up on his presence. He settled down a few yards away and waited. Eventually the fire was put out and everyone packed up.

They climbed into different vehicles and he kept out of sight as he followed their departure. The group led him from the forested wilderness into the grasslands and then into the mountains. He ignored the hunger and thirst pounding through him as the pursuit took them another day from their home. The group parked at the top valley in the mountains and he settled down in an alcove above their campsite.

Kara

No response came again and he felt the anguish growing in him. He couldn't reach her and had no idea what condition they had put her in. Her power was non-existant and it would make their escape much more difficult with the wear on him.

Who's there?

He looked over his shoulder as new presences drew closer. He could feel the mammoth power and took a deep breath. This pack was the last one he wanted to deal with at a time like this but unfortunately he was going to need their aid. Carefully he stood up and watched them slowly show themselves. Six black wolves approached with six brown, white, and red wolves.

They stood before him silent and protective of their territory until one white female relaxed and approached. She circled him and looked back at the others.

It's Joseph

All but one seemed to relax and he hated it. They still looked at him like he was harmless and his gaze held the alpha's gaze. Black eyes met black eyes and he refused to submit.

"What are you doing here?"

He stared at the wolf and said "Working."

"This is our home. Not yours."

The white wolf came up beside the alpha and said "Zeke, he is no threat to us."

"You may not see it but just look at him. He is exactly like Maximus."

Joseph looked away from them and focused on the camp down below. The dogs had been moved closer to the fire and the truck doors had been left to just one man. The rest of the men were talking around the fire and enjoying a dinner. His eyes narrowed and he didn't hold the growl back as he move down the mountain side.

Joseph, where are you going?

He ignored the inquiry and moved closer. He felt them following him and as much as he knew he would regret their aid, he was grateful for help. They circled the camp and he watched Zeke send in one of the other males. They silenced the man guarding the truck doors by holding their throat in their mouth and he quickly moved to the doors. Shifting to his human form, he broke the lock on the doors and opened one.

Looking inside, he found it completely dark and he climbed inside. He searched the large compartment until he found her lying by the back wall. She had lost her wolf shape at some point and he moved to her side. When he touched her skin, he found it ice cold and an onslaught of images and memories flooded him.

What is it?

Hurry up Joseph

He ignored them as he ran his hand along her face and brushed her hair out of her face. She was being devoured by the nightmares and he took a deep breath.

"Kara."

She stirred slightly and slowly managed to open her eyes. Her hazel eyes focused on him like he was just a dream until he caught hold of her hand and then a slow smirk caught her face.

"You came."

He nodded and asked "Are you okay?"

She didn't try to move and he saw the exhaustion in her hazel eyes. He lifted her up to sit and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"We need to get you out of here."

"I can't."

He caught her arms and wrapped one around his neck. When he went to stand up the pain flooded her and he stopped. The agony pounded in his head and he looked down at her side. He barely managed to make out the wound and found the large stain on her shirt.

"Can you move at all?"

She shook her head and said "I can't feel my legs."

He held her against him and said "I need you to shift then."

"I can't."

"Whatever they gave you is strong but you are stronger. I need you to focus on how you learned to shift in the first place."

She held his gaze and slowly closed her eyes. She drew up the old memory and felt him release her as he shifted. His warm fur helped her cold skin as she focused on shifting. The pain was overwhelming but she pushed herself until she was finally back in wolf form.

Time's up

He slid her onto his back and caught hold of the form in her mind to help her keep it as the doors were pulled all the way open. A man looked at them and raised his gun. He let out a growl and charged the man. The gun went off after he left the man lying on the ground and took off running.

"Stop him!"

Joseph ignored the men as they tried running after them and felt the pack settle in around them. They made sure he wasn't stopped as they ran up into the safety of the mountains and he was led to their lair. He carefully laid her by a firepit and looked up. Everyone was watching him and he stood up straight.

"Watch after her until I get back."

Zeke stared at him and said "We don't take orders from you."

Joseph growled and snapped "It's not only me you would have to deal with if anything happened to her."

"Where are you going?"

"To teach them a lesson."

Zeke shook his head and said "Not by yourself."

Black eyes turned on the alpha and he trotted down the mountainside. Zeke let out a breath and looked back at his siblings. One of his sisters looked down at the wolf and back at him.

"She's hurt."

"Treat the wound. I'll go make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

He took off down the mountainside and spotted Joseph coming up on the camp. He walked straight into the camp and all the men turned their weapons on him. His growl was powerful and he held the leader's gaze.

"You are stupid for coming back."

The black eyes stared back at him and the man motioned for his men to lower their weapons.

"I'll take care of this one. You pack up so we can go find the wolf he stole from us."

The man tossed his gun aside and pulled out a blade. They circled each other and Zeke crawled closer to the camp. He watched the man swing at Joseph and the wolf evade it with ease. His fangs sank into the man's leg and dropped him to the ground. The man's blade almost caught his chest and he ripped the man's throat out in a blur.

Standing on the dead man's body, he watched the men stare back at him with contempt and fear. His hackles went up as the men came back to face him and the dogs were released. They stayed away from the fight and he waited as the men drew closer. Zeke stared at the sight as man after man tried to take down the black wolf and was slaughtered. One man did cut his side but he finished the guy off with ease.

When every last man lay dead on the ground, he took a deep breath and looked back at Zeke. The alpha just stared at him as he approached and they returned to the lair. The pack was resting around a burning fire and looked up as they came into sight. Zeke watched him settle down next to Kara and he met with the others.

"Did you take care of them?"

He shook his head and said "No I didn't."

The red wolf looked at him and asked "What happened then?"

Zeke laid down and said "Joseph killed them."

"By himself?"

He nodded and said "He is stronger than any of us could possibly imagined. What I saw was pure darkness released on the men."

"Zeke, should we be worried?"

"No Angel. We need to find out who this woman is."

The white wolf laid next to him and said "Whoever she is, she is his mate."

Another black wolf chuckled and said "Don't be silly. Joseph would never find a mate."

Zeke closed his eyes and said "If she is, she isn't claimed and that makes him all the more dangerous."

The red wolf laid down beside Angel and said "He mentioned being worried about someone else. Does he mean Leon?"

"Possibly. The question is, what is she to Leon?"

The other wolves settled down and stared at the sleeping couple across the lair. Angel studied how Joseph kept her from their view and his gaze met hers. She saw the slightest hint of gratitude in his black gaze before he looked away and she closed her eyes.