"You're going easy on her," I call out to Lucas. Lucas, though a strong wolf, was far too gentle with Onyx. I had seen him shatter countless bones while training, even some of mine, but over the last week, Onyx only left the trainings with minor bruises.

I kick the punching bag, but my wolf wants more. Blood.

Ever since Cain had left, my wolf has been inconsolable. Despite talking to him through our mindlink, I could feel the bond tugging, begging me to be with my mate.

"You two keep sparring for awhile, I have to go," I mutter as I leave the training center, my mask and cloak wrapped around me like a second skin.

I practically sprint into the woods, deeper into uncharted territory. Thane had told me not to go into the woods without him or Lucas, but I had been doing so the past week without running into any complications. Maybe it was arrogance, but I had every right to be arrogant. No rogue I would cross would be stronger than me, and the threat of Wilson was just a memory now.

A memory that still plagued my nightmares. I thought that by killing Wilson, he would no longer have control of my subconscious, but the dreams came back stronger than ever. Naturally, I told Cain that I didn't have them anymore, which seemed to give him comfort in being away from me.

I also omitted information about how hard the transformation had been on me. Every day, I thought about running a blade down my eye, just to ease some of the constant stimulus that I was now being subjected to.

Everything was brighter, and seeing everything in detail had become more of a hindrance than an advantage. Thane told me that I would get used to it, but I didn't want to. I was perfectly fine with my senses the way they were before.

The headaches were the worst part. Being stabbed with a knife hurt less than the splitting migraines that assaulted my skull during every second of the day. Another thing Thane had warned me would pass.

I was yanked out of my thoughts when I heard a branch snap. Thank God. Anything to distract me from my suffering.

I summoned a knife, to be specific, the knife that Thane had given to me. I had been using it for all of my kills, and this would be no different.

When I couldn't see any signs of a rogue, I tried blocking out everything but scent. I couldn't tell why, but I could swear that I had smelled the rogue before. Almost an impossibility, since rogues never survived encounters with me.

I gasped as I felt the familiar plunge of a dagger into my chest, narrowly missing my heart. I crumpled to the ground in pain, groaning.

I couldn't feel my wolf.

I ripped the knife out, and to my horror, the wound begun to burn with intensity. Wolfsbane.

"You won't heal," A voice said, and I looked up to see a tall male with blond hair standing over my bloody body. "It was a silver dagger, and I soaked it in wolfsbane."

That's where I recognized the scent from. The rogue that had stabbed me once before, when I was with Lucas and Axel.

"I learned my lesson after the last time I stabbed you," The male said, a small smile on his face. "I can't wait for you to bleed out, dying alone, just like all of the rogues you've killed all over the continent, Reaper."

I coughed, blood seeping out of my mouth, and I could see the wound in my chest turn green. Whatever immunity I had to wolfsbane had gone away once my body healed itself during the transformation.

Thane, I'm in the Northwest section of the woods, about ten miles out from your pack, come quick, I mindlink him, trying unsuccessfully to stifle the fear in my voice.

I put my hand over the wound, trying to stop the blood from pouring out. "You killed my mate," The man said, bending over to punch me in the face, shattering my jaw.

"Get in line," I mumble through mouthfuls of blood, spitting it to the side, only to be replaced with more.

"Do you feel guilty at all for all the deaths you've caused?" The man asked in disgust, kicking me in the side, breaking a few ribs. I could feel my lungs filling with blood. "You're no better than the rogues you hunt. You're as monstrous as our kind gets."

My body is begging me to fall into unconsciousness, trying to protect me from the pain of my death. I hear the male say, "Enjoy Hell, Reaper. It's where you belong."

I hear his footsteps go off into the distance, and the last sound I hear before I allow myself to drift off, hoping that Hell isn't too hot.

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

I feel myself stir, restricted by someone's arms.

"Don't move," I hear Thane's voice say softly. "You lost a lot of blood, we're almost to the healer."

"Thane," I mumble, fighting the urge to go back into the dark.

"Shh, don't talk," Thane soothes me. "Tell me later okay? There will be a later." And his last words sound more like a reassurance to himself than me.

I pass out again, ignoring the faint tingles I feel from his arms.

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

I gasp, sitting upright, grabbing my chest. It's covered in gauze, and I smell chemicals. I try ripping off the IV needle embedded in my forearm, when my hand is grabbed by another, sending a chill down my spine.

"Relax, Ares," Thane says. "You're barely alive right now, let the healers and I take care of you. You're safe."

"He's still out there," I frantically thrash in the bed, and Thane holds me down by my shoulders, none too gently.

"Who? Who attacked you, Ares?" Thane asks, and his voice is calm, despite my panic.

"I-I don't know. A rogue. He can turn invisible, he stabbed me," I say, trying to calm my wolf down so I don't shift on the hospital bed.

Thane's eyes flash in... recognition? "Do you know him?" I ask.

Thane is silent for a moment before he answers. "I've ran into him before, yes. I... don't know where he is."

"We have to find him," I insist, still struggling under Thane's iron grasp.

"Later, okay? You need to stay here overnight, doctor's orders," He says seriously. "And since I know you don't give a fuck what a doctor says, that's an Alpha order."

"I am an Alpha," I hissed. "You can't order me to do shit."

"Don't make me sedate you, Ares," Thane warns, his eyes darkening. "Do you realize how serious this is? If I had gotten to you a minute later..." His voice trailed off.

I rip the gauze off, showing a nasty wound, still slightly green. Thane sighs. "You're not immortal, Ares. You can die just like everyone else. I... You almost died. You're staying here until at least tomorrow, whether you're awake for it or not."

I narrow my eyes at him. "You're not my Alpha. I'll do what I please, and right now, I please to get the hell out of here."

I swing my legs over the side of the bed, and stumble once I'm on my feet. Thane catches me by my waist. "You can't even stand on your own. You're staying here until further notice. I'm telling Cain to come immediately," He says.

I growl. "If you tell Cain about this, he's going to drag me back to Blood Lake no matter what. You know that Onyx isn't ready to stop her training with me yet."

Thane looks at me sadly. He knows I'm right. "I'll tell Cain myself once the Challenge is over. By then, I'll be mostly healed and he won't be able to be mad." A lie. Cain would be infuriated if I kept this from him.

"Don't bullshit me, Ares," Thane snarled, his anger surprising me. "You're his mate. He would slaughter me if he knew that his mate was injured on my watch and I kept it from him."

"Cain isn't my fucking keeper," I hiss back, and I'm sure my eyes are just as dark as his. "I appreciate you saving my life, but I'm my own person, and I say that this is going to stay between you and I alone."

Thane's eyes soften. "I'd be betraying Cain if I kept this from him."

"And you'd be betraying me if you tell him."

A clear ultimatum, and I can see Thane's hesitation in his next words. "Fine. I won't tell Cain or Lucas about this if you promise not to leave this bed until tomorrow, and promise that you'll come back here daily for check-ins with the healer."

"Deal," I say, already knowing as soon as he leaves I'm going to rip out the IV and go back to the pack house. Good luck to Thane if he tried dragging me back here.

Once I'm back laying on the bed, Thane holds out his hand for me to shake. I almost feel guilty as I clasp his hand, knowing that I intend to go back on my word. What can I say? No one ever commended me for my honesty.

As my hand wraps around Thane's I feel a needle go into my arm. Thane used his free hand to push the plunger down. I look at him in betrayal, and gives me an almost apologetic look as he pulls his hand away.

I try to move, but I'm immobilized. I can already feel the drugs begin to pull me under, but not before I hear Thane say, "Sorry, Ares. Your little tricks may work on Cain, but I know better. Sleep tight."

My mouth is open in shock as Thane leaves me alone in the room. He played me.

Even worse, he played me better than I was playing him.