Walker held Crystal a little closer as she began to tremble.

"Don't panic. Stay calm," Walker told her, "There's got to be a good explanation."

Jaleesa made her way across the dance floor and stopped momentarily beside them.

"Get ready to fight... "

Walker noticed Seth and Gordon mingling at the buffet. Their masks were off and they looked immersed in conversation. Pate and his wife, Angie, were eyeing the elders, Maddy and Archibald were dancing as Gina, Valentina, Felicity, and Norman rolled by like an oddball clique. He could sense Metgar and Martina, Corey and Sarai, floating around the room as mere observers. No one suspected witches and wolves to be there.

"I'm surprised not everyone's here," Crystal said, "The Haven's, Parker, Felicity's people..."

"The Haven's are dead," Jaleesa said, much to the shock of Walker and Crystal, "They tried to get to Roxie...."

Walker looked to his mate who was just now receiving the news from Jadis. Her whole body went stiff and he could see her shaking.

"You cannot go to her," Jaleesa warned.

Walker decided to link her instead.

"I am so sorry, baby.." Walker linked, "We'll get through this. We'll make them pay for what they've done."

She didn't answer him. All he could hear from her thoughts was internal cry that shattered him.

Crystal kept eyeing Connie who was paying them no mind. She was cozying up to Maddy and Archibald, though, and that kept Walker on high alert.

"This is terrifying.." Crystal said, "What if she's some sort of undead?"

"I don't know..." Walker shook his head, "Get back to Dante as soon as possible. They're going to start the dance soon."

The dance—almost like an insane version of musical chairs. A person danced and danced with different people for a duration of a song—typically about five minutes—and then, somehow, whoever they're standing in front of when the song ends is who their mate is.

"It's almost time.." Walker whispered as Jadis and a few of the other witches zeroed in on the elders who were still seated and emotionless at their table on the stage—none of them masked, but they were in their gaudy robes.

Knowing that they weren't even the true elders made Walker's blood boil. He would get revenge for the dead, too.

All of them—all of the dead. He wasn't going to let it get to his head, he had to make this happen—he had to save his family.

"Whatever happens, Crystal, don't stop fighting..." Walker held her closer. They'd been friends for so long and now they were practically family, "Don't stop..."

Crystal nodded into his chest as she pulled away from him, turning around momentarily.

"I'm pregnant, Walker.." she said, "Dante doesn't know and I'm not telling him until this is all over."

Walker breathed in deeply. How could she not tell him? Of course she wouldn't. This was personal.

Crystal's parents, Sissy and Carlos, had arrived not long after they separated, happy and relieved to see their daughter. She gave them some story about needing space. How could she tell them the truth anyway? Connie was literally standing across the room from them.

Gordon, Leah, Chet, Chad..everyone was there in some capacity, but now Jadis was nowhere to be found. There were too many people—too many things going on—the music was loud, the room was spinning...

Roxie was contemplating making a run for it—she was so sick to her stomach, but her healing powers were working wonders on her situation. She'd have to stay—even if it was just to be a medic for her army.

The music was luring them closer to their partners—their promised ones...the atmosphere in the room had changed. Everyone was either on edge or anticipating the end...

Pate had joined her for a moment and leaned in as he took Roxie by the hands and danced briefly.

"Consider you and Walker graduated..." he blinked and left her standing in the middle of the room as Eric stood next to her now, taking Roxie by the waist and continuing the dance, "He told me the same thing—and Crystal. Connie..."

"I don't know, Eric..." Roxie mumbled, "She won't even come near any of us."

The wolves had already taken their places around the gymnasium as did the witches.

"We're on in ten.." Eric said, hugging Roxie and sighing, "You take care of that baby, OK? Don't give Walker such a hard time about taking out the garbage or anything..."

"Eric, you're going to make it.."

"We'll see..."

Suddenly, the music abruptly stopped.

"And now, turn to your partner and slowly take off your masks... "

Roxie's fingers trembled as she took away the red mask that had part of her face hidden most of the evening.

She stared in shock at Holden's face as it came into view.

Roxie looked over at Walker who was eyeing the girl in front of him—not a senator's daughter but Felicity!

Roxie's mouth fell open, but she smiled up Holden. Of course it would be him.

"Don't you dare try to run, Roxie.."

"W-why would I?"

Holden shrugged, "I see how you're looking at Walker, but that'll be over once we're mated."

She looked to Jadis who'd tossed off her mask and was lighting a pipe.

"I am so sorry, Holden, but that's not going to fucking happen!" Roxie tossed off her mask and pushed Holden back with her mind, causing the crowd to screech and disperse as Holden rolled across the floor.

"NOW!!!" Jaleesa waved her hand as she floated in front of the elders who were quick to act on their own survival instincts—being caught by surprise didn't help their cause as Jaleesa was able to take down two of them easily. She'd only knocked them out, but it bought them enough time to bind them as Metgar and Evans shifted, dragging the bodies off to a secure location.

It was pure chaos.

Vampire, wolf and witch fighting together as the fight ensued.

Archibald was seen tumbling over a table as Dante threw a few punches—having yet to pull himself into wolf form. Crystal rushed up the wall to bring down one of the many elders who'd climbed up—her awakening bringing an endless amount of stamina to her little body. She dragged the elder down and tossed him across the room.

"You won't do this to us any longer!" Her eyes turned to a black hue and her fangs protruded as she scoured the floor for Connie, "Where are you, you bitch!"

"Roxie!" Suri called to her daughter in the middle of the melee, not seeing Connie or Madeline anywhere in the crowd.

Roxie looked towards her mother who had chanced upon a few vampire traitors. They weren't from their den, or any of their allies.

Roxie rushed through the crowd, pushing people out of the way with her mind as her teleportation set her right in front of the ringleader.

"Gordon..." she gasped, "Y-you we're in on it this whole time?!"

Gordon only smiled. His wild eyes told her he was about to make a move, but she didn't let him. With one swift move of her hand, Roxie broke his neck.

"Gordon... " Walker's carried in Roxie's ear as they stood next to each other, "I'm losing all of them.."

Roxie trembled, but she took Walker's hand, "You haven't lost us!"

All around them there was nothing but pure carnage. Suri and Brett had meled with Valentina and Norman, two traitors from the Weeper's.

"Tell us why?! Tell us who you work for!" Brett said as he took to hand to hand combat with Norman instead of magic.

Norman fought hard, but he never waivered. He wouldn't budge when it came to sharing their information.

"Go fuck yourself, Brett!"

Brett's fierce growl could be heard throughout the room as Norman stopped fighting him and took the last hit to the face as Suri lunged at him, clawing at his stomach and disemboweling the man.

Parker cried out as his partner was killed, but he knew it had to be done. Brett grabbed him by the neck and pulled him into the fight, but Jaleesa stopped him.

"He's alright!"

"You didn't fucking know that about Gordon!"

Suri stepped between them and pushed Walker off.

"Go find your father!"

Go find your father..

Walker stared down at her. His father had killed him in his visions, but he wasn't running away... he just couldn't find him.

Margot and Lewis, Connie's parents, were fighting off a few of the witches who were trying to get to the rest of the elders. There were only 8 left from what it looked like and they were holding on strong.

"Going somewhere?"

The senator's daughter!

"The name's Alice and you're mine, big boy..."

Roxie tackled the girl as Alice tried to touch Walker. A gasp escaped Roxie as she noticed Alice's eyes go from green to black.

"Oh shit!"

Walker made his way to Seth and Eric who were taking out three rogue wolves.

"Thank the gods for this one's awakening!" Seth panted as Eric's power of strength overtook the wolves who were easily eliminated.

"Glad to have you with us, Seth!"

Seth smiled,"Behind you!"

Walker's fist intercepted the running tackle of a witch who was cackling all the way to her death.

"Damn!" Seth chuckled,"I didn't get these powers. Maybe I should sit this one out! I got word from Brett about everything. For what it's worth, congrats! "

Walker nodded as he jumped over more dead or dying bodies. He couldn't see Roxie anywhere, but he could smell her and she was alive and well.

He had to find his father and Maddy.

"Going somewhere, Walker?"

A familiar voice sounded behind him.

Connie.

"To find you, actually... Looking good for a dead chick, Connie."

Connie smiled, but something was off–way off. She didn't care that Walker was saying these things, she knew they were true.

"This is a lovely party, isn't it?"

Walker stepped towards her, wary of the situation, but his curiosity got the best of him.

"What the fuck are you?"

Suddenly, Connie was tossed so abruptly into the wall behind Walker that the entire room heard her head smacking the concrete.

Walker looked up to see Jaleesa and Roxie standing there, Roxie looking exhausted, but Jaleesa appearing completely ready to go.

"I'll figure out what's going on here," Jaleesa said, gesturing towards Connie, "Victor and his father are clean, Eric, Oliver, and Jesse are allies. I've no clue where Felicity or her mother went, but her dad is over there fighting for his life and looking scared out of his mind."

"Valentina is gone, too," Roxie noticed, "It looks like a lot of the women on what could be the enemy's side have taken off."

Seth rushed up to them after piling through some wolf rogues.

"Taken off, but to where?!"

"There is too much going on!" Metgar said as the wolves rushed them, "Did they know? Did we get ratted out?"

Walker felt a hand on his shoulder as he whirled around and a fist connected with his face.

"You were always the thorn in my fucking side, Walker!" Archibald snarled as he hit Walker over and over again—taking his rage out on his son like he'd never done before, "And now you've gotten yourself wrapped up with this tramp? You're ruining everything! Look at the elders! There are only six left! Six, you little asshole!"

Roxie was in front of Archibald in a flash, grabbing his fist and pushing him further away from Walker.

"Roxie!" Walker cried out as his mate brought Archibald to his knees.

Archibald screamed in pain as Roxie's fangs protruded and her eyes blazed.

"Your granddaughter says hi.." Roxie tore off the sash as her little bump was presented for all the world to see, "You will never hurt my mate again, nor will you hurt anyone else. Your lies and your sick, twisted greed cost the life of your children's mother and your own daughters! You show no shame or remorse for what you've done –you are merely upset that you got caught. I'm not through with you, Archibald. I've only just begun. "

The room went silent as Roxie pummeled into Archibald with her fists, her mind, her powers. Every pain and hurt she'd endured—every time he'd hit Walker or took his anger out on them—she was doing this for her future, for every innocent person's future.

"Get the elders!" Roxie called, "Show them no mercy!"

She could hear the fighting in the background, but Roxie didn't care. She was tiring out, but she couldn't stop.

Walker joined, the two of them feeding off of each other's anger as most of the people—except for Jadis who was steadily eyeing the ones who were allies—rushed into the basement.

Connie had even slipped off with her mother, Sharla, leaving her father, Dennis, to fight for himself. He eventually gave in and allowed Corey to tie him up as the witches bound him with their spells.

"Why are they letting us do this?" Walker panted, "I can't...I can't hold out, baby...we gotta—shit...the elders are dead. They're all dead..."

Roxie looked at the carnage around her, but she wasn't deterred.

"Did you kill my father?!"

Archibald smiled, "Of course I had him killed, you little slut. A slut just like Maddy—wherever that bitch is. She's a mess—I've practically raised her to be the lady she is. I didn't need anyone fucking up my plans."

Jadis whistled for her witches to move into the far side of the gym while people watched as Walker and Roxie continued on.

"Do you feel that?" Roxie asked her mate.

Walker shrugged, "I feel like taking a fucking nap."

"No...no I felt the same thing when I was taken by the demons in the forest.."

Suddenly, the room darkened—the lights flickered.Silence abounded as Walker and Roxie watched as Archibald lay in a fetal position waiting for the next hit, but it didn't come.

Maddy, Connie, Felicity, Sharla, Valentina,Margot and many of the other women who'd rushed into the basement came out very much unscathed and very...angry.

"What the hell is this?"

"Well, fuck me running.." Jadis said, her pipe smoking, "They're succubi."

"How ridiculously ignorant all of you are!" Maddy laughed, looking towards Archibald who was trembling in fear, "Say goodbye to your dad, Walker."

Walker stepped forward on instinct, "NO!′

Maddy wiggled her fingers as Archibald's neck snapped and he fell to the floor, lifeless.

"To think any of you had a clue. Just as moronic as ole Archie over there, the asshole that he is... Yes he knew about Margaret, but I put the girls in the car. I couldn't have the competition now, could I? Walker's ancestors thought it would be a delicious idea to destroy the elder council created by the universe and who was there to help? Us, of course! Pity you all didn't use those powers to help your cause!"

"People have suffered because of you!" Roxie cried as she looked around the ballroom,"All of these people mated to the wrong ones. How cruel can you be?"

Maddy frowned, "Interesting... I didn't see them complaining for years until, -"

Walker stood next to Roxie now, his lips curling in disgust.

"Until the universe took control again, your powers were wearing thin and you became no match for us, Madeline. You killed my sisters, helped kill my mother and and now my father and anyone else who got in the way..This will not happen anymore."

"What were you planning on doing? Me? Roxie?"

"Everyone, Walker! None of you are worthy to lick the ground we walk on! The craze, the rage, the witches...! We took over after your family thought they had it all together, but they've never had it.. We have. Your father's abuse never hurt me, Walker. I couldn't feel anything. You were so sweet to take those blows for me... for your stepmother. "

"You're a bitch... " Walker growled,"But so was my father so it's a match made in Hades."

"Well, too bad your father's dead now and can't see me rise... a new council will be formed as I can't seem to tame these cretins anymore," Maddy smiled, "All I need is you... "

Roxie laughed, "The audacity... You've been so blinded by your evil that you've no idea what we're capable of... "

Maddy stiffened. She had no clue, no idea what mutations Roxie and Walker had, no way of knowing the powers their awakening had brought forth.

"Archibald's plan is dead like he is," Roxie smirked, "His cronies are dead...his allies... And now? It's your turn. "