Sitting at the base of the steps, she stared at the waterfall and listened to the quiet reports handed to her father. Her irritation and worry was growing more by the day and she was beginning to feel like they would never return. Leon stopped talking as he looked at her and sent his men back to work. He walked over to where she sat and joined her.

"Joseph will bring her home."

She took a deep breath and said "I don't know, Dad. Something isn't feeling right."

He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a comforting hug. She took a deep breath and heard someone running through the falls. Rafe came to them and Leon stood up.

"What is it?"

I saw them and it wasn't just them

Emily joined her father and they watched Rafe look back at the waterfall. She felt the power surround them just as the black wolf stepped into sight. He stopped and waited for Kara to appear and she let out a sigh of relief. Leon left her as his granddaughter shifted and took her in a firm hug. She hugged him back and looked over at her mother.

Emily approached her and watched her daughter look back at the waterfall. Joseph waited as the pack slipped inside the temple and their presence stilled everyone. Leon watched each wolf shift and saw them stand beside their brother.

"What are you doing here?"

Zeke stepped forward but Kara spoke first.

"They are with me."

Emily looked back at the pack and watched her daughter stand by Joseph. He looked back at her and she turned her focus to Leon.

"They aren't welcomed here."

Joseph fixed him with a black gaze and said "They gave us shelter."

Leon shook his head and said "You know better than anyone that you cannot trust them and their presense isn't welcomed here."

Zeke stepped beside his brother and said "We are not here because of you. We are here because of Kara."

Emily joined her father and said "She doesn't need your help. She has all of us."

Angel let out a low growl and said "No she doesn't. You left her when she was child. Everyone here expects too much from her. We welcome her for who she is."

The reprimand silenced all arguements and Joseph looked back at the woman in topic. She was holding her ground and her thoughts were silent for once. Her gaze was holding Leon's and the man wasn't looking away. When he finally looked up at Joseph, he gave one nod and pulled Emily aside to allow them entrance.

"You are welcomed to stay as long as my granddaughter wants it."

Zeke led his pack into the temple and they watched everyone move out of their way as they disappeared from sight. Leon turned his gaze on Joseph and the man followed him up into his quarters. Emily stood staring at her daughter and took in the scar running along her eye. She slowly approached Kara and took a deep breath.

"How are you?"

Kara settled her hazel eyes on her mother and said "I've been better."

"I've missed you so much."

"I know."

The woman slowly took her in her arms and the old rift between them slowly became bridged. The old comfort she got in the woman's arms was calming and she closed her eyes. For the longest time she dreaded meeting her mother again but now she felt relieved to have her back.

"You've grown a lot."

Kara stepped back to look at her and said "I've been through a lot recently."

The woman ran her fingers over the scar and asked "Who did this?"

She smirked and said "Camille."

"What?"

"It was when we met. She found me with Rafe in human form with a hunter's trap beside us."

The woman didn't look happy but remained where she was. After all these years, her motherly instincts were still as prominent as ever and she hated seeing her daughter hurt because she wasn't around.

"And Joseph?"

"What about him?"

"Did he handle the situation?"

Kara shook her head and said "I told him to not let Leon hurt her for protecting her child."

Emily ran a hand through her hair and said 'Instead, you welcomed her and her family to live here."

Nodding, she walked with her mother up the steps into the temple and they made their way into her quarters. The woman took in all the wall carvings and looked around the place.

"What did your grandfather teach you?"

Kara took a seat by the fire pit and said "My responsibilities to our people and he explained them."

She indicated her markings and Emily looked back at her. The woman knew too much at such a young age but there was nothing but knowledge the woman had wanted. She studied all the different symbols and focused on the one above her entrance.

"This one is you."

Kara nodded and said "I can control it now."

Emily looked back at her and asked "What?"

She turned her gaze to the fire pit and looked at the blackened logs. The flames appeared and begin licking them. Emily let out a slight gasp and looked back at her.

"How did you do that?"

She shook her head and said "I don't know. Since the nightmares began bothering me, I have been effecting the flames with them. Now I can make them do anything."

The woman sat down in front of her and asked "How is that?"

She held out her hand and her mother took it. Slowly she turned her mother's hand over and the heat began bathing it. The heat transfered until it began to become too hot and she stopped. Emily took her hand back and looked back at her. A flame lingered in her eyes and slowly disappeared.

"How did this happen?"

"I think the government triggered it. They drugged me and made sure to leave me wounded enough that I couldn't use my power to heal myself more than just keeping myself alive."

Emily frowned and asked "How does this relate to Joseph's family?"

She took a deep breath and said "We were attacked. I saved their lives. Angel and Joseph were hurt. I don't know how but I knew how to help her using Dad's gifts and something else happened."

"What?"

She closed her eyes and let the inner strength roll through her until she found the image in her head. Opening her eyes, she watched her mother stare at her in surprise and she let the image go.

"That is amazing."

Taking a calming breath, she looked at her mother and watched the skin move as Joseph entered. He casted a look at Emily and the woman smiled. She knew that look and silently stood up. Smiling down at her daughter, she left the room and they waited until the skin rested still again. He watched her stand up and she silently stood in front of him.

His gaze slid over her as she inspected the two bullet wounds and looked up at him. He had refused her help to heal and she could see why. The wounds were nearly gone but she wanted to help speed the healing process up.

"Joseph."

"We agreed not to speak about what happened."

She shook her head and said "No. You ordered it. We have to discuss what happened."

"You acted foolishly and could have gotten yourself killed. Nothing else matteres."

Her eyes lit up with annoyance and she snapped "I saved your lives!"

"By using power you have no business using."

"It's mine to use."

He caught her shoulders and growled "It will hurt you until you get the hang of it."

His touch overwhelmed her mind with his strength and she held his gaze. She could feel the frustration inside him and it matched her own. He was dealing with all the consequences of her using her second gift and it was going to change everything for them. His family had pledged loyalty to her alone and it forced them to work out their issues. Slowly she caught his hands and pulled his gaze down to her.

"I need to be able to use these gifts my father gave me. I don't know what brought them out but I need to learn everything about them and the only one that could teach me is dead."

Her calm approach slowed the mounting frustration and he felt the warmth of her hands settle around him. She released him and he let his grip go on her. The power left her as his touch faded and she watched him take a deep breath.

"Can you handle this?"

She smirked and said "I can with your help."

He studied the look in her eyes and left the room. She watched him disappear and let out a restrained breath. Being calm around him was the only option when her mind was overwhelmed. She had developed a way of leaving her mind blank when near him thanks to the government and it gave her time to think about her problems when she was ready. She walked into the bathing chamber and the candles lit as she slipped out of her clothes.

Wading into the hot spring, she let the water cover her from sight and soaked her tired muscles. The warmth eased the weariness her new form and powers left deep in her and she ducked under the water. She could feel her muscles rejuvenating and felt the prickle on her skin. Someone was approaching and she quickly left the spring. She dressed in her worn clothes and walked out of the bathing chamber just as her visitor appeared.

It was Lucious, one of her guards, and he looked around her room. She watched him look at the place and all her work on the stones.

"Can I help you?"

He turned his brown eyes back on her and said "I'm relieved to see you safe and home."

She watched him step forward and held her ground. Her eyes leveled with him and she hoped it would hold him back.

"Can I see for myself if you are okay?"

"No."

He stepped forward and she let out a low growl. His snarl returned and she jumped just as he shifted in movement. His blow hit her side and she rolled onto her side. Rising on all fours, she ran out of the room and heard him in pursuit. The brown wolf jumped onto her and knocked her down the hall.

She stood up and felt her old wound in her side beginning to come back. He approached slowly and she bared her fangs. His loyalty was beginning controlled by his lust and she had to get through to him before he was killed. He jumped at her and she took him with her down the steps. The fight brought spectators and she felt his teeth rake her shoulder as they rolled on the ground.

Her claws ripped across his muzzle, drawing blood and she felt the inner fire growing. It begged to destroy him but she fought it back. She couldn't give into the inner animal around her people. Lucious rose to his feet, blood dripping from his muzzle and she stood up slowly.

Stand down

Not anymore. This little kidnapping means you need a permanent protector, not Joseph

Her growl matched his and he jumped. She met him in mid air and the impact threw them back onto the ground. He landed on all four and when she landed, she felt her side give and went down. He walked up to her and she held his gaze.

Submit Kara

Her green eyes flashed and she stood up slowly. Her growl was echoed by thirteen other growls and she watched Lucious look behind him. He couldn't avoid the blow from the black wolf. Joseph pinned him by the throat and she shifted. He had his jaws around the wolf's throat and she caught her side.

"Don't."

He shifted his gaze to her and saw the bleeding and cuts. Leaving the frightened animal, he walked up to her and picked her up. He carried her back to her quarters without a word to anyone and walked her straight into the bathing quarters. Her mother arrived as he put her down and he shot her a look.

"Get out."

Emily held her ground and said "Let me tend to her."

His teeth snapped as he growled "No."

The woman watched him kneel in front of her daughter and caught Kara's gaze. The woman nodded and Emily left them alone. Joseph ran his hand along the cuts on her face and focused on her shoulder. The bleeding need to be stopped and he worked her shirt off. She caught his hands and made him look at her.

"I can do this without your help."

"You need to heal properly. I can do that."

Her eyes held his and he lowered his mouth to the wounded shoulder. She closed her eyes as the sensations swarmed her and she felt her spine tingle as each stroke of his tongue slid along her skin. Slowly he lifted his head and she saw the light in his black eyes. The fire matched the one burning inside her and he took a deep breath. Every inch of him pounded with the need to claim her and it took everything he had to hold it back.

"Your wound will heal properly now."

She nodded slowly, unable to actually speak, and watched him turn to leave. Her hand caught his on instinct and he looked back at her. Her hazel eyes were burning and his skin was on fire from her touch. She came up in front of him and he wished she put her shirt back on for his sanity.

You aren't going anywhere

Her words filled him with power and he felt the warmth they wrapped him with. She pulled his mouth down to hers and the contact left him on fire. He picked her up without warning and carried her into her bedroom. She felt the bed beneath her but could only focus on the mouth moving over hers. The clothes were discarded quickly and she felt his hands move over her, mesmerizing every inch of her.

The man looked down into her gaze and asked "Are you sure?"

She held his black gaze and pulled him back to her. His body moved against hers and she felt him slip into her mind just before he moved inside her. The pain was masked by their shared emotions and she let his hunger fuel hers. Each movement left her closer to the edge and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he brought her to the tip of the cliff and took her over. The pleasure ripped through her on waves of ecstasy and she held his gaze as they both came back down .

His head rested against hers and she slid her hands along his back. He kissed her slowly and she felt him leave her to roll onto his back. She rolled onto her side and looked at him. His gaze was on the ceiling and a slow smirk caught her mouth.

"What?"

"You held back for so long and I am just trying to figure out why."

He sat up and looked back at her. Her hair was falling down her shoulders and he ran his hand through it. Giving in to her was the best feeling in the world but he knew it was going to make it harder on her. She could feel his mind uneased and slid her hand along his shoulder. The skin rippled under her touch and she moved behind him.

Her hands worked on his shoulders and she took care to avoid irritating his healing wounds. The massage released the tension buried deep in his muscles and he closed his eyes. The woman was killing him by overloading him with her feel. No coherent thought could form in his head and he looked back at her. She held his gaze and he crushed his mouth to hers.

He pushed her back down into the bedding and claimed her all over again. She ran her fingers through his hair as he licked her shoulder and closed her eyes. Every inch of her was exhausted and completely relaxed for the first time in her life. His black eyes looked down at her and he watched her slowly look up at him. She had never looked so relaxed to him and he didn't want her to lose it.

"Tonight we stay in here but tomorrow you stay with me."

"This is my home."

He listened to her slow, steady pulse, and said "It always will be."

She felt him roll off and watched him study the room. His hand was slipping through her hair and he looked down at her.

"This changes everything, doesn't it?"

"It does."

She sat up slowly and asked "What will happen with Lucious?"

"Hopefully he is killed."

Her gaze moved back to him and she said "No."

The man sat up and stared at her. He knew she was trying to protect Lucious but the man had crossed a line. He had broken a law and broken his oath taken as one of the protectors of this place.

"Kara, he tried forcing himself on you."

She looked away and said "I held him off just fine."

"He betrayed the trust installed in him."

She took a deep breath and felt his hand still sliding through her hair. Annoyance was building in her, removing the relaxed sensations, and she ran her hands along her neck. He moved his hand from her hair and settled it at the base of her head. The massage worked deep into her muscles and she looked back at him.

"No obligations tonight?"

"We just got back. They can wait until tomorrow."

His hand stilled on her neck and he pulled her down to him. His arm secured her to him and he worked his hand along her neck, easing her tension. Her eyes rested on him and he kissed her brow at the top of her scar.

"What does this mean about us?"

He rested his chin on her head and said "It means I won't be able to ever walk away."

She smirked and wrapped one arm across his firm chest. He caught her hand and studied it, remembering the powerful paw she once bore. The woman's powers were growing more each day and were promising to match his quickly. He closed his eyes and breathed in the quiet evening. It felt different sleeping in a bed again after the many nights on the ground.

Not once since he broke her free had she complained about being outdoors day in and day out. They hadn't returned home quickly to allow for everyone to heal. His sister healed quicker with her pure blood but the wound to Kara's side and his bullet wounds were more demanding. They pushed themselves until the pack forced them to rest and Angel convinced the others to give them privacy whenever they bedded down.