I watched as Kei breathed evenly in her sleep, her face relaxed and so much more younger than normal. Brushing a stray hair out of her face, she nudged closer to me. Smiling softly, I lay besides her and made sure she was fully tucked in the covers before making myself comfortable.

She looks like an angel, Axel murmured.

"With an attitude of a demon," I remarked dryly. Before I could react, Kei raised her hand and covered my face with her palm.

"I know I have a soul blacker than tar and all but at least talk about me when I'm not in earshot," she muttered before rolling over and falling back to sleep. I stared at the back of her head for a long moment, not quite sure what just had happened.

I thought she was asleep.

She is, I said, sounding mystified.

"I'm not quite there yet," Kei said, her back still turned towards us. "You and Axel are louder than two teenage girls gossiping about..." She trailed off and was replaced by her quiet breathing. Chuckling quietly, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back to my chest. Smiling slightly, I soon followed her into the darkness.

***********

I woke with a start as I heard a small knock at the door. I sat up slowly and stared down at Kei's sleeping form before carefully slipping out of bed. I looked out the window to see the night sky twinkling with the stars. Padding over to the door, I swung it open to see Clark standing in the hallway looking disheveled. Instantly, a ball of unease formed in my gut.

"Give me a minute." I shut the door and began getting dressed quietly. When I had finished slipping my shirt on, I walked over to the bed where Kei's sleeping form breathed evenly. I leaned down and brushed a stray hair out of her face and in response she wrinkled her nose slightly before it smoothened out. As if habit, I bent down and kissed her cheek softly before pulling back and stepping away. I heard her let out a quiet sigh as I shut the door behind me. Facing Clark, I began walking down the hall.

"Tell me what has happened." Clark's hair was out of its usual neatness and was sticking straight into the air as if he had ran his fingers through it multiple times. His clothes were ruffled and looked as if he just thrown them on without a care.

"Alpha Hale has caught wind of another rogue attack that is supposed to happen tonight." I glanced sharply over at him.

"What time is it now?"

"It's 3 AM, alpha. He got the message about 2:40." Before I could ask any more questions, we had arrived to his office and I swung the door open without knocking.

Alpha Hale and another man were talking but stilled once I entered the room. They however relaxed once they knew it was me.

"Alpha Dare, we have things to discuss."

"So I've heard." Clark and I walked in, shutting the door behind us. "Who is this man?" I scrutinized the man calmly, noting that he looked familiar.

"This is Jett, my beta." He bowed his head in respect. I finally remembered where I had seen him, recalling that he was the one to take the woman that attacked Kei in the infirmary. He was a broad muscular man with long light brown hair up in a ponytail. His eyes were a light hazel and had a critical look in them.

"Alpha Dare, it's an honor to meet you." He held out his hand to shake to which I took it.

"Likewise," was my reply and pulled away. Turning to Alpha Hale, I turned serious.

"When did you get the news of this attack?"

"One of the missing bodies was found just at the edge of the woods just a little over an hour ago. Upon inspection a note was found on his person."

"Do you have it?" He didn't say anything but pulled out a piece of paper out of his pocket of his suit pants and handed it to me. Unfolding it, the neat handwriting surprised me only slightly before I began reading the single sentence.

You better be ready at dawn, Alpha Hale.

That was all it said and I looked up as I finished reading.

"I'm assuming another rogue attack will take place," Hale said, his tone hard. Folding the note back carefully, my thoughts swirled around. Whoever this person was, it seemed they were the masterminds behind all of these attacks but the question was why? Handing the note back, I sat down. Everybody followed suit, knowing that it was a silent permission to do the same.

"Whatever it means, we should expect the worse. I don't get the impression that these are ordinary rogues at work here." Alpha Hale nodded in agreement.

"Whoever wrote this letter wanted to warn us about whatever is to come, but I still have no clue what to expect," he said with a shake of his head,

"It's probably well known now that I am currently here as well. That means that they either have a plan to take both you and me or they are extremely powerful."

"They probably know that my pack isn't the strongest and see this as an opportunity to take over," he added. I shook my head at his reasoning.

"Maybe, but he would have waited to attack when I was gone. Having me here would prove to be disadvantageous for him. Yet, he sends this now with me still here." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Let's not dwell on the 'why' for now. We need to prepare for the attack. Clark."

"Yes Alpha," was his immediate response.

"Get my men ready. Tell them of the attack at dawn and to be prepared."

"Yes Alpha," he said again before standing and bowing, leaving the room silently.

"Jett, go make sure that everybody is in place." Hale ordered. He nodded and left the room.

"Is the others already being evacuated?"

"Yes, and while you were here, I sent for my sister and her mate to get Kei." I raised an eyebrow.

"You have a sister?" He chuckled.

"Yes I do. Her name is Sophia, and her mate is Elijah Hughes. I'm happy to see that a man can put up with her craziness," he chuckled to himself but I saw the love for his sister shine in his eyes.

"I would like to meet her sometime," I said.

"Maybe after this is all over." He sighed heavily and I stood up

I looked at the clock on the wall to see it was 3:27. The sun didn't rise until 5:40.

"I must go-" I didn't get to finish however as the door was slammed open. A woman stood in the doorway with a grave expression while a man stood behind her with the same look.

"Sophia," Alpha Hale stood up in surprise. "I thought you went to get Kei?"

"She's not there." I froze and stared at her.

"What?"

Don't panic. She probably wandered somewhere like she usually does.

And that's supposed to make me feel better how? I tried not to snap as the panic started to bloom in my chest like a weed.

"I'm sorry but I think she was... kidnapped." Sophia looked at me with an uneasy expression but I didn't have time to dwell on it. Without warning, I disappeared and reappeared in her room, my eyes searching frantically for her.

Kei? Can you hear me? Kei!

Nothing. Only silence. The gold string that connected us was still there but dim as if she was still asleep. I followed the string to her location but it only ended up in blackness and I opened my eyes to the empty room. I felt panic and uncontrollable rage begin to envelope me, storming over to the bed with the covers all messed up as if she had tried to fight. Letting out a roar filled with anger and pain that shook the air itself, I punched a hole in the wall.

"That bastard! He took her." I felt my canines elongate as it finally dawned on me and my power thrashed around the room. I stared at the spot where I last saw her, her face relaxed and looking like an angel. Yet now she was gone and I had no idea where she was. Clenching my hands, I felt my claws grow and pierce my skin but I couldn't make myself care.

"Alpha King." I didn't turn to look at Hale.

"There won't be an attack at dawn Hale. They already have what they wanted. It was all a distraction, and I fell for it so easily." My eyes scanned the bed as if Kei would magically appear. Just as my gaze rested on a pillow did I finally see a piece of paper lying on it.Reaching out I grabbed it and almost tore it in the process of unfolding it.

Alpha Dare, if I may be blunt you are surprisingly easy to deceive given how long you have lived. I would have thought that you would have caught on even after reading the short message that I had left for you. But I guess I can't complain, I have what I wanted. Your stupidity has let me get what I have been chasing for years. Don't worry, Kei is finally with me once more where she was meant to be. I'll break her and she'll never think of you ever again.

Red was such a horrible color. The color of anger and everything bad. Tearing the paper, I roared. I suddenly shifted and ran right out of the window, the glass shattering around me like sharp raindrops.

All of the men stared up at me in surprise and fear as I landed on the ground with ease, shooting off like a bullet into the woods. I searched for her scent but it was futile. She was gone and I knew that whoever had her was the one that had created her demons. Stopping abruptly I threw my head back and howled. You could hear my sorrow and anger ring through the air.

Yet I knew that I would do whatever it takes to find her. I would find rip the whole universe in half if I had to, no matter how impossible it would be.

No one messed with our mate.