Ella could feel the wind in her hair and the sun on her skin and yet her mind was not on those things. It was not on the water that she could hear lapping against the edge of the shore as Trig splashed around the lake and Nickolai taught Maggie to swim, despite her bad foot.

The girl was actually doing much better and didn't seem to be in as much pain since Nickolai began working with her. The six weeks that they had been with the pack had been good for Maggie. She was gaining weight and finally growing taller.

They had been good for Ella as well, who had come more and more out of her shell and open to the pack members. There was only one thing that still weighed heavily on Ella every day. One thing that caused her to have doubts and dark thoughts.

Brendon had not once sent word.

He had admitted to her that it would take him a week or so to reach the compound but that he would send word as soon as he was settled in to let her know what was going on.

Nothing. She had received nothing. Not a single word.

Reaching in her dress pocket, Ella pulled out the letter that Brendon had left for her when he had snuck out in the night.

Ella didn’t blame him for leaving while she slept and was almost grateful that he had. She could only imagine how painful it would have been to say goodbye and watch him ride away.

She found that she was feeling more things now. She could feel sadness, fear, hate, anger, amusement, joy and even happiness now. She had begun smiling more and more and had even laughed once when Nickolai and Trig had gotten into an argument and Maggie had punched Trig hard in the groin for calling Nickolai a ‘hard ass’.

She had been told by Brie that it wasn’t really the best thing to laugh over and that children shouldn’t be encouraged to commit violent acts but Ella had laughed anyway. To her, it had been funny.

She missed Brendon. She wanted him to see how much better she was doing. She knew he would be proud of her. If he were here she would be complete.

Ella unfolded the wrinkled and worn letter. She had read it enough times to have the words memorized but still she liked seeing his handwriting and so she would pull it out and look at it several times a day.

Ella,

You may be mad that I chose to leave while you were sleeping….again. That seems to be a habit of mine. What can I say? I care too much about you to leave you any other way.

I don’t know when I will get to see you again so there are some things I want to make sure you know. I love you, Ella. With all my heart. You stole it and I don’t want it back. You can keep it forever just so long as you don’t break it, honey.

I’ve never had feelings like this for anyone. Life has always been hunting and the council but now when I look in my future I see something else. I see you and I sharing a cabin, a life. I see me waking up with you in my arms every morning.

That’s what I see in my future, Ella and it’s the best future I’ve ever pictured.

So just remember, until I’m able to hold you in my arms again, that I am yours. You are my captor. You have my unfailing loyalty and devotion.

Yours Always,

Brendon

Ella put the creased paper to her nose and breathed in the scent. She could still smell the smallest trace of Brendon in the folds. The tiniest hint of sandalwood and horse.

“How are you doing?” Dawn asked, interrupting Ella’s daydreams of Brendon. Ella sighed as the other woman settled down on the grass beside her and then covered her chest with a blanket as she allowed Creed to suckle his lunch.

“I miss him.” Ella admitted. Dawn nodded and the two women were silent as they both stared into the water. Trig had tried to sneak up on Nickolai and was currently sputtering and trying desperately to swim to the bank after the thorough dunking he had received.

Farrah was waiting on the bank to help him up, an amused grin on her face. She was the only member of the pack, other than Ella who didn’t know how to swim, that didn’t like water. It was the cat in her.

Maggie was laughing happily and getting the hang of swimming, with Nickolai’s hand supporting her, Brie was cheering the girl on, Grange was pacing the bank about forty yards from she and Dawn and watching Dawn. Anika and Blain were talking together on the far side of the tiny lake.

Ella had felt sorry for both of them after learning they had both lost their mates to Faugrimm’s men, but she was happy that they seemed to have found a kinship and happiness with one another. She had even seen them kissing once and had quickly turned and walked away, not wanting to interrupt their private moment.

“I thought that he would write to me by now.” Ella finally stated, filling the silent void between the women. Dawn gave her a comforting smile.

“I’m sure he is fine. He is probably just too busy trying to get things taken care of so he can come home to you.”

Ella had her doubts about that. Something in her was telling her that something had gone terribly wrong. “I’m sure you’re right.” she whispered because she knew that was what she was expected to say.

Ella folded up her letter and slipped it back into her skirt pocket.

Everything was calm and relaxed. The pack was laughing and enjoying the day, oblivious to the worry picking at Ella’s mind. She couldn’t help but feel as if something bad was going to happen. But what?

Grange would know if the wolf pack that wanted revenge on him was anywhere around. So why the rising hairs on the back of Ella’s neck?

Ella was faintly aware of Dawn switching Creed to the other side of her chest when suddenly chaos exploded around them.

Arrows flew out of the bushes and cries of pain filled the air as several found their marks. Ella watched with horror as an arrow pierced the back of Dawn’s shoulder, coming out inches from where Creed’s head was resting.

Grange’s growl of rage vibrated in the air and suddenly the alpha shifted, becoming a big black wolf, hell bent on killing the men that were now coming out of the woods. There were ten at least and they had no scent. Suddenly Ella knew what they were…

Hunters.

Brendon was in trouble. He might already be dead.

Ella sat as if frozen in place. Dawn was crawling toward the protection of the forest with Creed wrapped in her arms, She was bleeding heavily and fighting to stay awake long enough to get her son to safety.

Grange was locked in a deadly battle with the Hunters, one that was bloody and vicious.

Anika and Blain had shifted and were rushing to his aid while Trig pleaded with Farrah to run for cover, and Ella was reminded of the child in her womb.

Ella’s gaze went to Brie who was in hysterics while Nickolai laid a bleeding and unconscious Maggie into her arms and pointed toward the woods before turning, shifting and rushing to his alpha’s aid.

Ella wanted to help. Wanted to run. Wanted to move. All three things were impossible somehow. She was stuck. It was as if the air itself was too thick for her to move through. She sat there in a kind of dumb shock while the pack she had grown to feel a part of was ripped to shreds.

Arms grabbed her, Hunters, two of them. Ella hissed and then felt something sharp stick into her neck and a burning sensation filled her body.

Her eyelids became heavy. Her limbs began to feel tingly and fuzzy. She was faintly aware of the battle still raging on. Arrows, swords, gun shots, all flashing and ringing out in the once peaceful lake valley.

The scent of blood and black powder was thick and heavy and then suddenly Ella could no longer stay awake. Her eyes slipped closed just as she was aware of being tossed over a broad shoulder.

***

Grange knew they weren’t going to win. His entire pack was going to be wiped out and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. These Hunters had come out of nowhere. No one in his pack had been armed. No one had been prepared. They had been spread out, lost in their own conversations.

The Hunters had attacked like cowards and now Grange was going to lose everything that mattered to him.

He had seen Dawn get hit. He was aware that she had made it to the woods. A sword pierced his side, sinking into his flesh and causing him to whimper in pain before twisting and lunging for the Hunter that had been wielding it.

Then just as quickly as they had come the Hunters vanished.

They just faded back into the tree line.

Grange collapsed on the ground, panting and bleeding heavily. His eyes begin to slip closed and then he heard the crying.

A baby.

Creed.

He pushed himself to his feet and then shifted back to a man, reaching behind him to pull the arrow out of his back. It wasn’t deep but it hurt though not nearly as bad as the hole the sword had left in his side.

It had done damage that would take days to heal, though Grange couldn’t worry about that now. He had to find his wife and child.

“Grange, are you okay?” Anika demanded as she came running to him. Grange gave both she and Blain a quick once over. They were covered in superficial cuts and bruises just the same as him. Blain had a deep gash through his thigh that had him limping heavily and Anika’s arm was hanging at an awkward angle, clearly broken.

“I… have to find Dawn.” he replied, his voice tight with pain and fatigue from blood loss. “Go check on everyone else. Assemble the pack in one place in this valley. Stay on the alert for another attack.”

Anika and Blain nodded before limping away. Grange headed toward the woods. Following the scent of his mate’s blood and the sound of his sons cries.

“Dawn?” he whispered with fear as he entered the tree line.

“Here.” Dawn’s voice was weak and Grange swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. His mate was tough. She had been through a lot and always come out in the end. This time would be no different.

He found her, curled up behind a bush. Creed was lying loosely in her arm and she was trying to comfort him but seemed too weak to pick him up.

“I can’t breath well.” she whispered hoarsely and Grange nodded. It was clear from the sounds of her breaths that the arrow had ripped a hole through her lung. At least it had gone cleanly through and he wouldn’t have to rip it out.

“You’ll be okay, love. You just need rest.”

“You’re.. hurt!” Dawn exclaimed weakly. Grange just shrugged.

“I’ll be okay.” he promised. And he knew he would, in time. The whole pack seemed to be in need of at least three days of recuperation from their wounds.

Grange lifted Dawn into his arms, despite her protests and his own pain and weakness. Dawn kept Creed curled up against her chest and at the sight of his father, the boy calmed instantly.

He could hear Brie crying as they entered the valley. The pack was gathered in on area, all circled around a body on the ground.

Dawn demanded to be sat down when they got to the crowd and Grange sat she and Creed on the ground.

“Maggie…” Dawn gasped as tears filled her eyes. Grange pushed his way past Blain and saw the girl on the ground. An arrow had pierced her chest and she was quickly bleeding to death. Already she had lost consciousness and was dying. Her heart barely beating.

“We have to save her!” Brie pleaded with him and Grange felt his heart break.

“She’s just a mortal girl, Brie. She can’t live through that.” he replied gently. He looked around for Ella and realized the vampire was not there.

“Where’s Ella?!” he demanded.

“Gone.” Farrah replied quietly, her arms wrapped protectively over her stomach. “Those Hunters took her.”

Grange felt his heart fall. Brendon was probably dead, since those Hunters had come. The Council had seen through his lies and that would have ended with his death. Grange had failed him in the only thing Brendon had ever asked of him. Maggie was dying and Ella had been taken. He hadn’t kept either one of them safe.

Brie lifted Maggie into her lap and clung to the girl as she sobbed.

“Please save her, Nickolai. She is the only child we’ll ever have.” she pleaded as she looked up at her mate. Grange looked at Nickolai’s face and felt his heart hurt for his pack brother.

“I’m not strong enough, my Brie. My blood wouldn’t heal her quickly enough.” Nickolai’s eyes went to Grange and Grange saw the unspoken question.

His alpha blood was strong enough. But changing a child was risky. If a child was bitten then the werewolf automatically took control of their body. They wouldn’t age to puberty and then begin to shift and gain strength. Instead they would be able to shift instantly. And if it was hard for an adult to handle the wolves emotions and control the shift, it was nearly impossible for a child.

She would need constant supervision and extra training daily.

“Please, Grange…” It took Grange a moment to realize that the broken voice speaking to him belonged to Nickolai. “Please, save my daughter.”

Grange nodded. It might kill him, since he would have to give Maggie some of his own blood and he was still bleeding heavily and didn’t have much to spare, but he could not stand by and do nothing.

He dropped to his knees and took the girl from Brie, who kissed her cold, pale forehead and then folded her hands in lap, clasping tightly to her skirt while Nickolai put a hand on her shoulder, offering her all the comfort he could in his own despair.

Grange took the girls limp arm in his hand and brought it up to his mouth.

He sunk his teeth in, letting his poison soak into her veins and then he put his own arms against her mouth. He had no knife and so he slashed his arm open with his teeth and then began to pour the blood into her mouth until she latched on to his skin.

The world went blurry, the ground seemed to move and then he fell to the ground, barely aware of the voices calling out around him as he lost consciousness.