"Come on, Nyx, is that the best you can do?" Gwen smirked, her foot on Onyx's chest.

Onyx scowled, "I was just warming up."

Gwen laughed, and helped Onyx off of the training floor mat. "We've been training for an hour. I'm pretty sure that's enough warm-up time."

"Rematch," Onyx groaned, rolling her head, stretching her neck.

Gwen grinned. "I'm almost starting to feel bad."

They got into fighting positions, and I leaned forward, stretching my back from my position on the floor. I hadn't slept all night, hadn't eaten anything all day, and overall felt terrible. I asked Gwen if she would be interested in sparring with Onyx, and she jumped at the opportunity.

They were more evenly matched than Onyx and I, as her and Gwen were much more similar in stature. Onyx would get in a few hits, but Gwen is no weak wolf, and had much more ferocity than Onyx, despite her lack of technical training.

Go for her left side, I tell Onyx. It's weaker and less guarded than her right. Her movements are chaotic; use that against her. Have a solid defense, hit her hard, go left.

Onyx gave a slight, almost unnoticeable nod, letting me know she heard my instructions, but not revealing to Gwen that I had tipped her off.

As they sank into their fighting positions, Gwen swung first, which Onyx blocked. Onyx quickly kicked to the left of her torso, hitting her in the side of the ribs.

"Onyx! Ouch!" Gwen groaned, grabbing her side. "I thought we were friends."

Onyx grinned, but threw another punch to her left. Gwen had wisened up, and blocked the hit. Gwen swung her fist at Onyx's head, but she ducked out of the way. Onyx quickly punched back, this time to Gwen's right. Gwen was more heavily guarding her left side, and didn't expect the hit to her right.

While Gwen was doubled over in pain, Onyx tackled her, sending both of them crashing to the floor. Gwen tried pushing Onyx off of her, but Onyx wrestled both of her hands to her side as straddled Gwen's waist. "Ha! Got you, you red-headed demon!" Onyx laughed victoriously.

"Get off me, jerk, you broke one of my ribs," Gwen groaned as Onyx leapt off of the ground. "You totally owe me a drink after this."

Good job, I tell Onyx as she drinks from her water bottle, Gwen scowling as she observed the bruise on her side. You saw that her right side was open, and you adjusted your hits. Good progress.

Onyx was beaming, and opened her mouth to say something in response when she was interrupted by a familiar deep, gravelly voice.

"Sitting during training? That's at least twenty laps." I turned around, unable to stifle the huge smile that spread across my face.

I ran to my mate, jumping into his arms and wrapping my legs around his waist, and my arms around his neck. Cain, I breathed his scent in deeply, burrowing my face into him.

"Oh, mate. I've missed you," he whispered, pressing a kiss on my temple.

You said you weren't coming until later, I accused him.

He laughed, a deep, rich sound. "I wanted to surprise you, I told Thane and Axel not to tell you."

Cain pulled away, putting me back on the floor with a frown. "You're too light, you've lost weight. Is Thane feeding you?"

I've just been working out a lot, I defend myself.

Cain's frown deepened, and no doubt was about to call me out on losing muscle too, when Gwen interrupted. "Cain, don't you know it's rude to comment on a girl's weight?"

"Don't start with me, Gwendolyn," Cain warned with an eye roll, but there was a small smile on his face as he turned to Onyx.

"Onyx, it's nice to see you again," He formally greeted her, and she nodded shyly in response. "Alpha Cain."

Cain wrapped his arms around me. "Let's go get some food in you, pup."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"You totally cheated," Gwen grumbled, crossing her arms. Leo, seated across from her at the dining table, scoffed.

"Admit it, Gwendolyn, you got your ass kicked fair and square," Leo said, taking a bite of food.

Gwen scowled. "Not fair and square. I bet Ares told her to go left."

Onyx laughed, and Thane grinned from his seat next to her. "It's your fault for not guarding your left side," Thane pointed out.

"Don't get in the middle, cousin," Cain wisely warned, wrapping his arms around me as I sat on his lap.

"You stay out of this!" Gwen snapped. "Alpha," she added.

Cain rolled his eyes. "Told you so," He muttered to Thane.

I couldn't stop the yawn that escaped me. My exhaustion was really getting the better of me. Let's go take a nap, pup, Cain mindlinked me. I can feel your exhaustion through the bond.

I nodded, and we excused ourselves from the table, Cain carrying me into the bedroom where I had been residing. He gently placed me on the bed, crawling in next to me. He wrapped his muscular arms around me, and the warmth was a comfort I didn't know I missed.

"You're tense," He muttered. "What's going on, Ares?"

I coughed, attempting to block my emotions from the mate bond as much as I could. Just been training a little bit too hard lately.

"You hardly touched your food," He observed whole gently tracing his hand along my leg. "You have dark circles under your eyes. Your ribs are sticking out," He said as he ran his hands along my protruding rib cage.

I've just been stressed, I say lightly. What with training Thane's mate and all. It's not a big deal.

"If you want to come back to Blood Lake with me, just say the word, mate," Cain whispered into my ear. "Thane would understand."

No, no. Don't be ridiculous. I've just been a little distracted and forgot to take care of myself, it happens, I brush him off, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply.

"We can talk about this when you wake up," Cain said as he kissed my head, and I nodded as I sent a silent prayer to the Moon-Bitch.

Please, please don't let me have a nightmare.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I hummed as I went through the fridge for something that would sate my never-ending hunger.

"Pickles and peanut butter? Really, mate?" Cain laughed as he saw what I decided on.

"I can't help it," I groaned. "It's all I'm craving lately."

I dipped a pickle into the peanut butter, laughing as Cain wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Have I ever mentioned how thankful I am that only females get pregnant?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's not so bad. Here, take a bite," I held out the pickle, and Cain sighed, but took it from my hands and took a bite while cringing.

"I think I know what would really help the cravings," He said with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Oh? What's that?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Death." He deadpanned.

"What?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"If you die, you won't have cravings," He shrugged as he popped the rest of the pickle into his mouth.

"Cain," I started, my mouth dry.

"Don't 'Cain' me, bitch," He growled, and grabbed my throat with his hand.

"Please," I pleaded as he continued choking me. I tried summoning a weapon, but it wouldn't work. I clawed at his hands, but I could feel myself start to slip into unconsciousness as a few bones in my neck snapped, filling my throat with blood.

He tossed me to the side, not looking back as he walked away.

It didn't matter that he released me. I was choking on the blood that filled my throat, and I wasn't able to heal.

All I could do was clutch my neck helplessly as I bled to death, my only thoughts on my pup.

I shot out of bed, clutching my throat. I see my murderer, and all I can think about is killing him, killing the murderer of my pup and I.

I grab his throat, and squeeze with all of my power. He throws me off of him, off of the bed, on to the floor. I land on my feet and I snarl, about to attack him again when he speaks.

"Ares, it's me, your mate," Cain says as he raises his hands up. "I'm not going to hurt you, I would never hurt you."

Cain, I exhale in relief, relaxing my stance.

In an instant, he has me in his arms, and I can't help my body from trembling in his clutch. "Oh, pup. I didn't know you still had the nightmares. That's why you haven't been sleeping."

I keep trembling, too afraid if I say anything my voice will give away my anxiety, fear, and sadness. "You're coming back to Blood Lake with me," Cain orders, but his tone is gentle, too scared of shattering me.

N-no, I stutter. Onyx needs me, Thane needs me-

"You need me," He gently says, and he picks me up, walking back to the bed where he sits against the headboard and cradles me.

I gain control of my breathing as he soothingly strokes my hair, the heads of sweat from my forehead drying. I can handle this, Cain.

Cain's expression is filled with pain. "I can't leave my mate alone in this condition. I won't."

I will never forgive you if you force me to go back with you, my voice cracks, but I am firm in my words.

"I'll make you a deal, pup," Cain finally says, after the silence nearly drives me insane. If you don't have a nightmare tonight, you can stay until the challenge is over. If you do have one, you go back with me, no protests, no complaining, and no holding a grudge against me."

And if I don't accept the deal? I ask drily.

"Then I take you back with me anyways, and you'll hate me for it, but at least you'll be with me," He responds simply.

I knew the odds of me going without a nightmare were low, almost a zero-probability outcome, but I know he is being serious about dragging me back to Blood Lake. Honestly, at this point, who could blame him? I had become a hollow shell of a person.

Deal, I say, and Cain kisses my forehead.

"I love you, mate. I know you want to help them, but my desire to protect you far outweighs anything else." I stay in his arms, feeling my wolf relax in the presence of her mate.

Suddenly, there's a knock on our door.

"Not a good time, Gwendolyn," Cain calls out, and he must be able to smell her, his sense of smell superior to mine.

"Too bad. Thane promised we would go to a human club tonight, and I have a lot of work to do on Ares before she's presentable," Gwen yells through the door.

"We don't have to go," Cain offers. "I can tell her to fuck off and we can stay in tonight."

No, no, I reassure him. I think it will be good for me.

He examines me apprehensively, and before he can tell Gwen to fuck off anyways, I pull him in for a kiss.

Looking back, it's hard to believe how different my life would have gone if I hadn't gone to the club that night.