Kayleb only made it to the living room of the family mansion. His head was pounding and he knew his skull was cracked and his nose was broken. His back was burning and the silver was weakening his system as it seeped into his blood. He had to get whatever was in his back out of his back.

It only took seconds before Jake, Angela, Raquel and Evan came running into the living room. They had smelled Kayleb's blood and pain and come running. Jake stepped over Kayleb and grabbed the knife, removing it from his back with one quick motion and a wet sucking sound.

"What happened?" Raquel asked as she crouched down beside her son and used her shirt sleeve to wipe some of the blood from his face.

"I went to Vanessa's house to get her some things. Vincent was there and he stabbed me in the back... The damn coward."

(Kayleb is okay.) Jake called to the rest of the family. Evan grabbed his sons hand and helped pull him to his feet. Angela laid a gentle hand on his arm and Kayleb felt her energy flowing into him and the pain in his head and back quickly disappeared. He still felt tired from the silver but he knew he would survive.

"What in the hell were you doing going back to that house alone? Didn't you think that it might be dangerous?" Evan demanded. Kayleb felt the normal irritation at his father and tried to hold his temper.

"I thought they might want some more clothes and things. I didn't think he would still be there and I definitely didn't expect him to jump me from behind. I figured he'd fight fair."

"They never do." Lane said coming down the steps with Hunter. "Damn vamps are sneaky bastards."

"Fido is in a mood." Hunter said matter of factly. Jake rolled his eyes and then turned back to Kayleb, who was covered in blood and looked dead on his feet. Jack looked down at the knife in his hand and he knew why. It was a thick blade that was hollow in the center and Jake was sure it had been full of liquid silver... These kinds of weapons were becoming more and more common and the liquid silver did a number on were creatures.

"What did Vincent say?" Jake asked. Kayleb hesitated momentarily. He knew he needed to tell them the truth but he also knew it was going to throw the family into turmoil just the way it had two years ago when Saraphine had been tormenting them.

"He wants Vanessa. He said if I didn't hand her over to him then he would start killing my pack one by one until I give him what he wants." Anger flashed across Jake's face and he shook his head.

"I'll kill him myself if he thinks he's going to lay a hand on my family."

"Let's just give him the damn woman and save ourselves a load of trouble." Lane said. He had meant it as a joke but Kayleb hadn't taken it as one. He leapt through the air, changing as he went and landed on his uncle. Lane changed as well, into a smaller silver wolf and the two of them fell to the floor in a pile of tearing claws and ripping teeth.

(I was joking!) Lane yelled. He was currently getting his ass kicked by his much younger nephew who was still suffering from silver poisening... That fact didn't do much for Lane's self esteem but then again he never had been much of a fighter.

(You won't give him my mate!) Kayleb growled, his mind blank to all reason and logic.

(I won't!) Lane promised and then he yelped loudly when he felt Kayleb's teeth close on his leg.

(Dammit. Jake! Evan! Hunter! Don't just stand there! Do something!) Lane begged.

(You'll learn to keep your mouth shut.) Jake replied with a shrug. Angela put her hands on her hips and glared at him and he sighed with defeat. He changed into his wolf form which was much bigger than either of the other two wolves.

(STOP!) he yelled and he let out a growl and a snarl that seemed to shake the air. That sound was enough to snap Kayleb out of his protective, angry daze and he jumped away from his uncle.

(Sorry.) he said as Lane licked at his bloody front leg.

(I was just joking, you overreacting pain in the ass. You're just like your damn uncle Jake!) Kayleb felt his head spinning. His body was weak and he had just used up his remaining strength...

"You need to get upstairs and rest. Sleep is the only thing that will help your body recover." Raquel said sternly to her son.

(No I need to....)

"You heard your mother." Evan said in his no nonsense voice that he always used whenever Kayleb, Kaylee or Gwen didn't do what their mother told them to.

(It's almost dawn.) Jake said. (I will keep watch until then. I have the safe guards set up so that he can't just dash into the house. Frances is coming tomorrow night. He says he knows Vincent and can help us. Go rest. Your mate will need you strong.) Kayleb nodded and then turned and used what little energy he had left to drag his furry butt up to bed.

(I can't believe you were going to let him kill me.) Lane said to his brother.

(You have to learn that there are certain times when jokes aren't funny.... Besides I thought for sure you'd be able to defend yourself against a silver poisoned wolf that's over one hundred years younger than you.)

(Unfortunately the brute strength gene passed me by... But I can out charm both of your asses any day of the week.) Lane replied with a wink.

***

Vanessa walked into the kitchen around nine the next morning. She had finally found sleep a little before dawn. She was pretty sure that she had heard a rumble of thunder while she'd been sleeping but it didn't look like it had rained outside.

"Good morning." Kaylee said from where she was eating a bowl of cereal at the table.

"Good morning." Vanessa replied. Rebecca turned from the stove with a plate covered in more eggs, sausage and bacon than ten people could eat.

"I'll take that up to Kayleb." Kaylee said standing up and tossing her empty bowl in the sink.

"What's wrong with Kayleb?" Vanessa asked before she could stop herself.

"He's fine, dear." Rebecca replied. Vanessa forced him from her mind and nodded.

"Where is Faith?" she asked. Hunter walked in the kitchen.

"Upstairs." he replied. Vanessa watched him open the fridge and pull out a jug of what looked like blood. He poured some into a coffee cup and then stuck it in the microwave. While it was warming he turned back to Vanessa. "Faith, Gwen and Kaitlyn are keeping Kayleb company."

"I'll take that to Kayleb." Vanessa said grabbing the plate away from Rebecca. She told herself that she just wanted to see her daughter and not the hard bodied, dark eyed werewolf who had made her blood run hot, her heart beat fast and her head spin with his earth shattering kiss the night before..... Not to mention the way he had rushed to protect her and vowed his undying devotion.

"Did you hear me?" Kaylee asked. Vanessa shook her head.

"Sorry I zoned out.. What did you say?"

"I said to give my brother a chance. He's a good guy and he really does care about you."

"No, I'm just his mate and so he has to care about me... It's nothing any more than that."

"It's nothing any less than that either." Kaylee replied.

"I need more than that." Vanessa whispered as she looked down at the food covered plate. The microwave dinged and Hunter pulled out his cup.

"Thanks for small miracles." he said and quickly excused himself from the estrogen filled kitchen.

"I think you need to talk to Angela." Rebecca said to Vanessa. Vanessa shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore..." she said.

"Give it up." Kaylee cut in. "You are family now and Rebecca will not rest until she fixes you."

"I'm not broken and I'm not family." Vanessa argued.

"Of course you are." Rebecca replied. "Family.. I mean."

Angela walked into the kitchen then with Brent on her hip and looked questioningly at Rebecca.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You said something was wrong."

"Telepathically talking about me behind my back?" Vanessa asked. Rebecca shrugged as she began to wipe down the counters.

"What are families for?" she asked. Vanessa shook her head and then walked out of the room before Angela could get involved in 'fixing' her. She couldn't deny that her pull toward Kayleb was strong. She wanted to be near him. She wanted to see his smile and to be the one that put the smile on his face. She wanted to let him protect her and open the scary closet doors at night. She wanted to kiss him and feel his hands on her cheeks, in her hair, all over her body...This thought made her blush and she shook her head to clear the racy images.

She stopped outside his bedroom door and listened to the sound of laughter coming from inside. She heard the giggling of young girls and then she heard a deeper, almost raspy laugh and she felt her own heart fill with happiness.

"I'm happy just because he's happy... Is that how this whole mate things works?" she asked herself out loud.

"Nope." Vanessa turned to see Bethany in all her tan, long legged beauty standing behind her. Bethany tossed her hair over her shoulder and crossed her long slender arms over her perfect chest.

"Sorry.. I was thinking out loud." Vanessa mumbled as she blushed red with embarrassment.

"Did it help?" Bethany asked.

"Not really." Vanessa replied with a sigh.

"I know you're confused and you're overwhelmed by the whole pyscho vampire wanting you dead and my slightly brain dead nephew blurting out to you in the middle of it all that you are his mate but maybe I can offer some clarity.

"Mates do feel a pull toward one another... Mainly sexual. You know the primal urges. Men will also feel possessive and protective toward their mates. But caring whether or not he's happy? His happiness making you happy? That sounds more like the beginnings of love."

"Because we're mates."

"Why do you all you mortal women think that? Just because someone is your mate does not mean that you automatically love them. I didn't love Greg for a long time... Jordan and Kent didn't love one another at first. Some mates get lucky and find love right away but not all of us. And the love that those other mates find doesn't have anything to do with them being mates."

"I don't love Kayleb. I don't even know him... How do I know that he's a good man or that he'll be good for my daughter?" Vanessa asked. She wasn't sure what made her open up to Bethany but she needed a friend right now and since she didn't have any she was using the closest woman available.

"The tough ass man who served in the military, has been in countless battles and seen some pretty rough crap. The man who tries to always seem like an indifferent, aloof tough guy is currently in that bedroom having a tea party with three little girls just to make them smile... Doesn't that tell you something about what kind of man he is and how he will be for your daughter?"

Bethany patted her on the arm and then turned on her heel and walked away. Vanessa stood in the hallway as her mind raced. She had never imagined finding another man after Steven. She had made a pact with herself to be independent and to raise her daughter to be strong and independent as well but what if she turned away from something that really could be great? Would that teach her daughter to be strong or would it teach her daughter to be afraid of reaching out and grabbing a chance at happiness?

She thought of the way that Jake looked at Angela all the time with such intensity in his eyes and then she shivered when she thought about the way Kayleb had looked at her just last night.... The way his hands had felt on her cheeks both possessive and gentle at the same time.

What kind of woman wouldn't want a man that looked at her like that? That touched her like that? Vanessa let out a long breath and nodded. She had always hated change but at this moment it seemed like change was going to happen whether she wanted it to or not and she could either go with it and have a chance at finding love or fight against it and run the risk of regretting that decision for the rest of her life.

If there was one thing she knew it was that life was too short for regrets. She reached out a shaking hand and in the back of her mind as she opened the door, she thought about how she was opening the door to her future.