This couldn't be happening. After everything she had done to isolate herself from everyone, Alec couldn't have found her. She head butted him, making him release her. After shoving him off her, she jumped to her feet, wolf claws out and snarled.

He stood with arrogance, eyes glowing amber, lips parted enough to flaunt his sharp canine teeth. "You need to relax."

"Relax?" She broke the distance, grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him hard against the wall. He wrapped his fingers around her neck and now, she was the one being shoved into the wall, which she was certain would soon crumble under the power.

"Because of you they're dead!"

"I never told them to come to my home. You did!"

She fell silent, eyes glistening with tears. "If--If you wouldn't have forced me to go with you...They would have never come to set me free from you."

His eyes stopped glowing before he released her. "Malaysia...I didn't come to force you into anything."

"I have a hard time believing that--How the hell did you even find me--"

"Trust me, it wasn't easy." He chuckled. "That blood bond to Elias really made it difficult for me to sense you, but in the end, you are pack. Your wolf is connected to mine--"

"I'm not part of your pack." She shoved him away. "Leave and never come back."

"Joel is looking for you." She froze like a statue at his words. "He is tracking Elias wherever he goes. I'm certain that soon, he will grow impatient and capture him."

She forced a smile before facing him. "You underestimate Elias. He isn't going to be easy to capture."

"I don't know about that. A vampire fasting for more than a year isn't strong enough to even fight a toddler off."

Her heart dropped to the ground at his words. "What the hell do you mean?"

He stared at her, bewildered. "Did he not explain to you how a blood bond works? Malaysia, he can only feed from you."

Her legs shuddered. At the fear of collapsing to the floor, she took a seat. If that was true, then why had he made the decision of them going their separate ways? Her heart ached at the realization he had wanted to punish himself for what had happened. All these years, he had been suffering immensely. She pressed her hand against her chest, now understanding the pain she had begun to have months after they headed their own ways.

When she lurched to her feet, Alec stopped her before she could even reach the front door. "Where are you going?"

"I need to go to him."

"Joel has someone watching his every move. If you go to him, the pack will attack, kill him and take you."

"Then what the hell should I do?" Her body shook against her will. "I don't want to lose him too!" She fell silent. "Wait--what makes you think he didn't have someone watching you as well?"

He released her then. "Because he thinks I'm dead." Pain flickered in his eyes. "That day, he annihilated my pack. I was too arrogant to realize that not only was his pack larger than mine...But in the end, even with all the training I did, he is much older, stronger." He paused, clearly in an attempt to remain composed. The pain of losing his pack was evident in his large bright blue eyes that were framed by large lashes. "He left, thinking everyone to be dead. I was barely hanging on, so when they checked, they presumed me dead...Once I healed, I collected all the bodies and buried them."

Pain enveloped her as she recalled what had happened. "Why are you here, Alec..."

He stepped closer to her, cupping her face to make her meet his gaze. "Forgive me. I allowed my desperation to keep you safe blind me. Everyone was excited to have a female on the pack--"

She raised an eyebrow. "Everyone?"

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Mostly everyone...Others saw you as a liability...I didn't force you to come home because I sought an heir, but because the moment you were turned, you became family."

She stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself. "Perhaps, everything would have been different if we would have simply sat down and had a chat." 

"Joel has to pay for what he did."

She shook her head. "That will not bring them back..."

He broke the distance, stopping when his face was too close. "Malaysia, I know that deep down inside you want what I want.  Stop lying to yourself."

She held his gaze. "You're right. I want to have the pleasure of killing that bastard--No! Of torturing him until he begs for me to end his life." She was now sobbing. "Even if we kill him--this pain breaking me apart will not go away--I will carry this with me until I take my last breath."

"I had to burry everyone that day, even my younger brother...I'm going to kill that bastard and everyone who stands in my way...If you wish to stay in hiding all your life, then fine. While Joel is alive, you will never be able to live as you wish...Elias will eventually die without your blood."

"Your desire for vengeance blinds you. Last time, we had larger numbers, yet, we still failed. What makes you think that this time we have even a small chance when we have no pack?" She ran her hands through her hair. "The only option here is for me to hand myself over to him---or commit suicide."

His fingers locked on her wrists and their gazes met. "Those options are not on the table--never will be. No matter how bleak things might get, I promise I will get us through it."

"Alec, I don't want anyone else to get hurt--"

"Do you really think Elias will simply stand back and let you turn yourself in? That fool will walk into Joel's territory and get himself killed in the process. A wolf's bite is deadly for vampires." Her eyes widened and his narrowed. "They never told you."

She could have killed them the night she had shifted. 

"Where is Elias?"

Alec backed away, eyes turning almost pitch black. "With Sierra...He has remained in the city...Slowly becoming weak."

"How do you know all this?"

He hesitated. "Because I've had friends around the city keep an eye on him."

She shoved him. "You're just like Joel!"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to him, leaving no space between their bodies. "I'm nothing like that bastard."

"Then why were you keeping an eye on him for? Don't deny it! You hoped to locate me through him as well!"

"Enough!" A growl erupted from his lips. "I kept an eye on him because of the object he used against the witch that came with Joel, but Elias is good at hiding his true identity. The objects he used to absorb the magic were gifted long ago to one of the first vampire clans to have ever existed. The cyclens were given to them by a strong coven as a symbol of their alliance."

"Take me to him without Joel noticing and I'll help you."

A smile pulled at his lips. "Deal accepted."

During the rest of the night, she found it difficult to sleep. She tossed and turned all night until the dazzling sunlight peeked through her windows. Once she was ready, she headed with Alec to the bar to say her goodbyes. Even if she had tried so hard to keep distance, she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to all of them.

The moment Vanessa spotted Alec, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at Malaysia. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." She tried her best to smile. "I have to return to the states."

"And this handsome man is? Is he one of them?" Jessica shot Alex a flirtatious smile.

Even though they were all speaking in Spanish, Alec surprised them by saying, "Yes. I'm a werewolf."

All the women stared at him and Angelica began to speak in English. "Where are you going with this man? From what you told us last night, they are not to be trusted."

Malaysia smiled. "Oh, don't worry. If he tries anything, I'll kick his ass." All of them hugged her, telling her that she better visit someday. Once at the airport, Alec took her hand and walked toward the back. She was about to protest, knowing that wasn't where they were supposed to go. Until, he pushed her into a wall. She didn't slam into it, but entered a corridor that led into a large hexagon-shaped room.

A short woman scurried to their side and glared at Alec. "You said you would be here for three days, Alec."

"Sorry, but it took me longer to find her."

Now, the woman looked at Malaysia up and down before smiling. "Well, I can see why you were so desperate to find her. It's been centuries since I've sensed the power of a she-wolf." She addressed Alec now. "I've sent a coven member to wipe out that human's memory of her."

"Good. Is the portal opened?"

She nodded and gestured for them to follow her, which they did. When they reached the portal, Malaysia's heart skipped a beat at the anticipation of seeing Elias and Sierra. Alec walked through it, holding her hand tight in his.

On the other side, she found herself in their old home. Not much had changed the past years. Tears trickled down when she met Sierra's eyes across the room. Sierra laughed before hugging her a little too tight. "You brought her to us...Thank you."

"Did you tell him yet?" asked Alec.

"Of course not--He doesn't want her here, but if he doesn't feed soon...I fear the worse."

"Wait--You sent him to look for me?"

"Yes--He came here about nine-months ago trying to make an alliance with Elias, but of course, Elias flipped out and didn't give him a chance to speak--I feared when he found you that you would react the same."

Malaysia couldn't stop herself from smiling. "I did at first--" Her smile vanished, a sharp pain enveloping her heart. "Come on, Sierra. After what happened, you can't blame us for attacking this imbecile before asking questions."

"Imbecile?" 

Malaysia chuckled before she fell silent at the creak of a door. From the guest room walked out Elias, looking exhausted and too pale. The first time she had laid eyes upon his adult appearance, she had been taken aback by the similarities he had to Connor. Now that she got a good look at him, the similarities were the color of his eyes, nose and hair color. However, Elias was covered in freckles. Apparently, he had decided to let his hair grow to his shoulders and had it half tied back. The beard looked good on him. 

When his eyes fell upon Alec, he moved fast and had him by the neck against the wall. A hiss escaped his lips, which Alec returned with a frightening growl. "I told you to never return here or I would tear you to pieces---" He halted speaking, his head tilting slightly before he glanced at Malaysia and released Alec. "Mal." She couldn't stop crying now. Without thinking, she rushed to his side and jumped into his arms. He pulled her tight to him. "What have you done? You shouldn't have come."

She buried her face in his shirt. "You imbecile. I should slap you for not getting me the moment you began to grow weak--I should be angry with you, but I can't...I can't."

It caught her off guard when he trialed his fangs over her neck and actual excitement overwhelmed her.  Alec cleared his throat and Elias made distance, his scarlet eyes deepening to the point of appearing Black, fangs peeking through his parted lips.

"How exactly are you going to go about this?" Alec arched an eyebrow. 

"I don't see what the issue is," Sierra began. "Is there something both of you want to inform us?"

Alec glanced at Elias who was breathing as if he had been running for miles. Alec actually hit his shoulder, making him tumbled forward. Elias regained his footing and hissed. "Like it or not we're now allies, so calm the hell down. Feed from your beloved so we can start this bloody plan."

"Beloved?" Malaysia and Sierra said in unison.

"Blood bonds are made between vampires that decide to make a union that ties them body and soul." 

Malaysia glanced at Elias. "W--what? Your brother made you promise him that you'd take me as your bride?" Elias's silence said it all. "You should have told me all this before--"

"Before what?" His eyes glistened with tears. "We had no time to reconsider this--If you wish to break it, you can."

"How?" asked Sierra.

Elias hesitated. "A powerful wizard can break it with a spell..." Perplexed at the pain that invaded her heart, Malaysia glanced at him. Was this his pain and not hers? 

"You shouldn't have done this without her consent--"

Elias interjected Sierra. "You're right---I should have just walked away and let her fucking be found by Joel--"

"We could have found another way to protect her from that bastard--"

"Oh, if you know of a way--Go head! I'm listening!" He broke the distance between Sierra and him. "I care too much---If not, I would have walked away long ago...."

"Stop," Malaysia pleaded. "Please, this isn't helping at all--I don't want both of you to argue...It's fine."

The room fell silent for a moment.

"So, now that you're not trying to kill me, I'd like to know the name of you clan. Perhaps they can be of use--"

"No." Elias didn't even think it over.

"Why not? What clan do you belong to?"

"He left the clan months before we met," Sierra said when Elias didn't answer.

"The name."

Sierra was in deep thought while Elias glared at Alec. "Now that I think about it, I was never informed."

Alec glanced at Elias. "I wonder why you would keep that a secret."

 "Alkavenians," Elias said, which apparently stunned Alec into utter silence. 

"T--The Alkavenians I've been told don't mix with the humans."

Elias smiled. "My father and older brother are heartless bastards, aren't they?"

Alec stepped closer, eyes flashing amber. "If your father truly is Arius, why the hell did you even agree to make that blood bond with her? You're saving her from Joel, but damming her--"

"Connor and I decided to leave the clan--"

"Oh please--We both know that your father will summon you sooner or later. I'm surprised your psycho of a brother Ethias hasn't fucking come looking for you." He paused. "I don't want to imagine what chaos will be unleashed upon the world when he finds out one of his son's dead."

Elias averted his gaze, folding his fingers to fists at his sides, knuckles turning white. Malaysia didn't think and broke the distance, placing her quivering hands over wrists. "I've seen far more mercy from my father than some alphas. He is over one thousand years old...Our clan is one of the last of the originals...Everything he has done has been to keep everyone safe. He believes humans eventually will turn against us all and will attempt to take full control."

"He hates everyone who is not a vampire."

Elias was about to attack but Malaysia held him back. "Calm down."

"You mutts love to point out the wrongs other do, but are oblivious to your own." When he collapsed, Alec actually helped Malaysia aid him to the sofa. 

Sierra propped her hands on her hips. "I thought you were kicked out of your clan because Anastasia had turned you into a child."

Elias could clearly barely keep his eyes open. "If you knew about our clan, you would have never believed us...just like everyone else. The identities of all the members are kept a secret...No one ever reveals their face..."

"Why?" Malaysia asked.

His smile was barely visible. "There are many reasons...One of them is simple. Simply being part of the clan places a target on your back...and those you care about."

"What will happen when your father summons you--"

Elias interjected Alec. "He gave me three years to mourn my brother."

Pin-drop silence.

"He--He visited you?" Sierra asked with wide eyes. "When? You've been here most of the time."

Elias closed his eyes, a small smile tugging on his lips. "Ethias came to me...As expected, he was unfazed by Connor's death." A tear slid down his face. "He blamed him for our mother's death...hated him since the moment he was born..."

Noting that he was rambling, Malaysia placed her hand over his forehead, noting he was burning up. "He has a fever." 

"Feed him before he grows mad--It's surprising he hasn't lost his humanity yet."

"But what if he loses control?" Sierra asked.

"If she doesn't feed him soon, he will become consumed by the desire for her blood and kill her."

Malaysia made a cut on her palm with her wolf claws. As expected, Elias caught the scent of her blood and his eyes opened to reveal dark ones that had flecks of glowing red. For a second, fear consumed her and she staggered to her feet, but Elias was beside her within seconds, his hand taking hold of the hand she had cut. Even though it had healed, scarlet still coated the spot. 

At the hand that snaked around her waist to draw her to him, her cheeks flamed. Their faces stopped mere centimeters away. The heat spread to her face at the thought of him actually kissing her.

At the last second, before his lips touched hers, a small smile tugged at his lips and he pulled back before raising her hand and actually tasting the blood that still coated her palm. Perplexed, she became lost in her head, not understand where all the sensations bombarding her came from.

Elias and she were nothing but friends.

This had to be the damn blood bond.

When he bit down on her neck, a gasp escaped her lips, not having expected all the divine sensations that exploded throughout her body, making her quiver against him unwillingly. It had been long since she had felt the pleasure that enveloped her. As he continued to feed, she found herself craving more. She was more than glad when he finally retracted his fangs from her neck, but then, as she stared at his parted lips that gave her a glimpse of his fangs, she wished they were back inside her.

"Is this normal?" She wrapped her arms around herself. "All these things I'm feeling?" Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Alec and Sierra were nowhere in sight. Her eyes widened when he cupped her face in his hands, tingles shooting through her. 

"Forgive me...Sierra is right. I should have explained it in detail before letting you make a decision..." He paused, eyes glistening with tears. "I was blind by my pain...I didn't want to lose you as well..."

She thought for a moment. "Even if I would have known all the details, I still would have agreed to it..."

The door of the house creaked open. Sierra peeked inside, a too large of a smile on her lips. Alec and she must have exited the house when the feeding had begun. "Well, that took longer than I expected it would."

Malaysia felt her cheeks burning. "So, exactly how did you all plan to kill Joel?"

Alec closed the door shut behind him. "It wouldn't be wise for anyone to see Elias has completely recovered from his state. Joel will know you're here."

"So, he can't leave the house at all?" Malaysia asked.

"Neither can you." Alec grinned. "I'm sure you'll find something to keep you both busy."

"Until when? And can't you find a damn witch to cast some sort of spell that--"

"Malaysia," Alec began. "If Sierra asks a witch for a spell to hide someone's true identity, it could reach Joel. That man is friends with many witches. And you will remain here until I come up with a plan to kill that bastard."

"Wait--I thought you had a plan," Malaysia said.

Alec shrugged. "My first step was to get you all to agree to join me...the next, I'm still working on." Before anyone could ask anything else, Alec exited the house. Malaysia stood at the door before glancing back at her friends.

"Does he not realize that Joel could also find out that he is still alive?"

Elias seemed to think it over. "Perhaps he thinks that even if Joel was to know, he wouldn't do anything because to him, Alec without a pack is no threat."

Her eyes widened. "A pack...that's what he is working on."

Another blow to the human and Joel was certain that his beta would kill him. He walked around the house, not catching any fragrance left that would let him know that Malaysia had been here. The man began to beg for his life. Humans were truly pathetic. 

"I told you that the she-wolf isn't here--I have no idea where she is," the man said in Spanish, fear lacing his word. 

Joel knelt in front of him and snarled. "The report says she attacked you...Why?"

"Please---I can take you to her friends--but you have to promise to let me go."

His beta grabbed the man by the neck and forced him back to his feet, then shoved him forward. The man staggered and led them to the bar beside a beach. There were lots of human relaxing on the sand or swimming. Joel stood in front of the door as his friend Ruby used her magic so no human would be capable of seeing them.

"Make them all leave the bar," Joel ordered.

One by one the humans began to leave. A female voice could be heard demanding for them to pay for the drinks. The second she exited the bar, the wind blowing her bright red curls back, her eyes grew wide with horror. "Erick--what's going on?"

"May we come in," Joel said with a smile.

"No--Whatever this man owes you--" She stopped speaking when Ruby waved her hand, obviously using her magic to force the female back inside. The second they walked into the building, the females inside were frozen with horror. The tall one with blond hair rushed to the redhead and asked her if she was okay. 

"This is simple...Where is Malaysia?"

The women froze. All except the read headed one, who actually dared make eye contact with him, even glare. "We don't speak English."

"You don't?" Joel moved and grabbed the one who had begun to tremble, forcing her to her knees. She screeched and just like many humans before, began to beg for her life. "Please, don't kill us! We will tell you whatever you want to know!"

"Keyla shut up!" 

"Angelica, if we don't tell them what they want, they will kill us!"

"They will either way!"

"Enough!" Both women fell silent. "Where is she?"

"She left with a man."

"Keyla--" A slap from his beta silence Angelica. She held a hand over her cheeks. Instead of crying, as he expected, the woman actually shot daggers at his beta. The one who was beside her now spoke. He had to admit that he was surprise she too tried her best to hide the fear within, but he could hear their heartbeats.

"We don't know anything about Malaysia."

"Are you not her friends."

"No. We are simply coworkers." 

A lie.

The human male now began to speak, annoying him. "I got you here--now let me go." Joel released Keyla and stood close to the man before shoving his hand into his chest and yanking his heart out. The lifeless body fell to the ground with a thud as screams of horror filled the air.

And now, no one could hide the fear within.

"Now, who is the man who came with Malaysia?"

The women were trembling, eyes on anything but him. Kayla stood, ignoring her friends. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Perhaps, he should have felt pity for all of them. However, he learned long ago, that pity was a weakness. 

"Please--I don't want to die...I don't remember anything about the man other than he was a wolf like her..." She glanced at her friends before meeting his gaze. "Why kill us when we can be turned."

"Have you lost your mind!" Angelica shouted. 

"Are you really willing to die for Malaysia?"

"Fine."

The room fell into silence.

Keyla smiled when he approached her, but that smiled vanished when he wrapped his fingers around her neck. "I'll turn those with a strong character. You are the weakling of the group." He stepped back after ordering his pack mates to kill her. 

Angelica tried to stand in the way but he held her back. She screamed at the top of her lungs as her friend was torn to pieces right before her eyes. The other two were frozen in horror to even move an inch. The woman in his arms closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. She covered her ears, presumably to block out the screams of agony.

He should have felt something...but after years of so much chaos, he had become numb to all of this.