The dragons had not come alone. Luna's elite wyverns, though fewer in number, barely broke a sweat separating the unbound and the werewolves. Most of the unbound, once realizing that two of the much bigger, much older, much stronger dragons had arrived, took off. Those who remained rattled their scales and roared in defiance.

Luna turned her massive head towards them and hissed. The winter air around them went from chilly to dead cold. Pale blue and green light rippled through her feathers and an aurora ripped through the sky above them. Her elites could feel her anger through the bond, bolstering their own hatred of the unbound kin.

The next moment, the rest of the unbound fled. This was not a fight they stood a chance of winning.

The neighborhood had gone still except for Rhia's thrashing against Nekros's hold. The woman Rhia had been attacking was safely in the arms of another kin, and the second she was put down she ran for the shifted werewolf, who immediately shoved her behind him. His hackles were raised, teeth bared, and there was a constant rumble of a growl in his throat.

"Get her out of here, Nekros," Luna snapped after shifting back into her human skin.

"Working on it," he grunted.

Finally, he wrestled Rhia into a position where he could shift while keeping her in control. Still, she very nearly slipped between his talons before he snatched her again and lifted them into the air. Rhia shrieked one last time, but by then there was nothing she could do.

"Go with him," Luna instructed her elites. "Do not let her out of your sights this time."

The wyverns spread their wings and took off without argument, leaving Luna alone with the wolves. Slowly, she turned to face the lycan king. So, this was Aarón Guerrero.

He looked down at her with blazing red eyes filled with mistrust and hatred that she couldn't blame him for holding. The lycan elders had denounced her. They hadn't let her anywhere near any of Eve's descendants since her death. She had stayed away, using their insistence as a convenient excuse. But, if she were being honest with herself, it was simply easier to stay away. If she had pushed back, what exactly could they do to stop her?

If she had pushed back and was involved with Aarón's life—or his father's life or any of his predecessors, for that matter—would anything be different? Or were they always destined to stand here as unfortunate adversaries?

"You've grown into a strong wolf, Aarón," she said quietly. "Eve would be proud."

"Is that all you have to say to me?!" Aarón snarled. "Is that all you have to say to us? After everything that's happened?"

"If pretty words could fix all the mistakes I've made, I would stand on a soapbox in the middle of every lycan neighborhood until every werewolf heard me. But we both know that won't change anything, so what exactly do you want me to say?"

"You abandoned us!" He roared and advanced on Luna. "Your blood gave life to Eve as it did to Constantine! You created the werewolves as you did the vampires! So why did you turn your back on us when we were being hunted down like rabid dogs? Why?!"

He was inches away, towering over her in their respective forms, roaring even as his voice cracked from the strain and his grief. There was as much pain as there was anger in his eyes. Eyes that looked so much like hers. He looked like her. At least his wolf looked like her wolf. Sleek black fur over a powerful body. One of his ears twitched in his agitation, exactly as she used to do.

Luna reached up to brush her fingers along the side of his face. She couldn't help it. She was desperate to feel the connection to Eve she had lost so long ago. The magic in them both reunited like long lost friends. Aarón felt it too. The red in his eyes faded before they fluttered shut, and he leaned into her hand. Slowly, he sank into a crouch, so his bulky body was level with Luna's petite human frame.

Through their limited connection, Luna felt forty-four years of emotions churning within him. The determination, the discipline, and the empty void where his sense of self should have been.

Aarón was the lycanthrope's very own chosen one, but he had not been raised to be a king. His entire life's purpose was to prepare for the inevitable battle against Nolan Wes. He was trained and prepared to lead an army against the vampires as well as challenging the alpha-omega structure of modern werewolves. Everything he had been taught had been to restore the lycanthrope to their former glory... and then step aside for his sister to take the throne, re-establishing the matriarchy that lycan society had been built on.

But his sister was dead. Aarón was the last of Eve's descendants. He was terrified and out of his depth, unprepared and barely keeping his head above water. The only solace in that dark pit was the spark of the soulmate bond with the human woman standing back with her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach. Their bond was not as strong as others she'd felt. It was weakened by conflict and lies from both sides, but it was also considerably strengthened by genuine affection as well as the tiny flicker of life growing in her womb.

"Why?" he pleaded in a soft rasp, bringing Luna back to the present moment. His voice trembled under the weight of the world put on his shoulders by his elders. "We needed you. Eve needed you. Why did you love them more than us? Why...?"

"Because Eve told me to stay out of it," Luna finally answered quietly. Aarón watched her intently, silently begging her to go on. So, she did. "I have known Nolan Wes since before he took that name. He has always been a very controlled man with tremendous restraint. But there has also been a darkness inherited from his mother's side. His maternal grandfather was an enemy of the dragons, but Nolan himself had always been loyal to us, so I did not see..."

She stopped and shook her head, silently scolding herself. What was even the point of lying?

"I did see it. I saw the anger and the bitterness and his resentment growing stronger with every year that passed. I should have helped him. I wanted to help him. I did not know how. I was scared that doing anything would only make it worse. It was, after all, my fault that he was turned into a vampire in the first place.

"I told myself to focus on Eve and Constantine. The creatures they were before feeding them my blood could hardly be considered alive. Their futures were blank slates and the whole world was open to them, and it was my responsibility to see them succeed. I told myself that Nolan would be fine. I chose not to think about the destiny that was taken from him the moment he was turned. I did not consider the toll that fifteen thousand years would take."

Aarón's eyes snapped open at that and stared at Luna. "Fifteen thousand," he breathed. "I knew he was old. But... how...?"

"Time is a powerful thing, Aarón. Mortals are rarely given lifecycles longer than what their minds can tolerate. Immortality is not the gift foretold by myth and legend. In a few short thousand years, breeds are born, evolve and go extinct. Civilizations, both magical and mundane, rise and fall. People live and die. Live and die. The endless cycle of life and death is enough to make anyone go mad. It is one of the many reasons why the consumption of dragon blood is so dangerous and forbidden."

Under her gentle touch, Aarón shuddered, confirming what Luna could already feel. She couldn't tell whose blood it was, but it took no stretch of imagination to know that he could have only gotten it from the Organization.

"Nolan tolerated the passage of time better than most, and he hid the strain incredibly well. But it was there, just beneath the surface. He was an elastic band stretched beyond its limits, and all it took was a little tug from a couple of werewolves to make him snap.

"I wasn't there for the conflict that started it all. Every witness I talked to said that the werewolves were the instigators. They all agreed that they were young, drunk, and trying to pick a fight. They also agreed that Nolan's response was an extreme overreaction. Fifteen thousand years of rage finally found an escape, and he lashed out.

"The werewolves demanded retribution. The vampires refused. With enough time, Eve and Constantine probably would have come to an agreement. The problem was Nolan. It didn't matter how much regret or guilt he felt in the aftermath, the dam had been breached. He was never able to reign it back in, and the werewolves became the sole focus of his temper.

"I tried to intervene before it got out of hand. Both Eve and Constantine told me to step back. They had both worked so hard to prove their breeds as independent and worthy of Counsel representation and had agreed that they couldn't come running to me whenever there was a crisis. When they saw the devastation, I begged them to reconsider. Constantine agreed, but Eve still said no. She declared war. The conflict escalated until the Counsel intervened. By then, Nolan had hunted down all but three of her blood relatives.

"When she was in the custody of the Counsel, I went to her again. I was ready to save her no matter what her answer was. But the woman in that cell was not the one I knew. Eve was tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of living. Those fifteen thousand years had taken their toll on her as well. I think she saw the war as a chance to end it all without losing the faith her family and her breed had in her.

"But she underestimated him. Family is as sacred to Nolan as it was to her. She never once thought he would take it as far as he did. By the time she figured it out, it was too late. Without her family, she lost all will to live. None of us knew that her death would kill more werewolves than Nolan ever did, but I don't think she had the capacity to care anymore.

"So, I didn't ask. I stayed with her until the Counsel made their decision. I was with her at her end. Then I went to the place where Constantine was tending to her family in secret. When they were well enough to travel, we brought them and the other surviving loyalists to Columbia.

"To reduce the risk of Nolan ever finding out about the last of Eve's descendants, he made the region impossible for vampires to thrive by only ever opening two blood distributions centers in all of Central and South America. I asked the dragons who hold that domain to give the pack some protection from afar. Your family has always been in tune with the earth, so they were willing to agree.

"It was the only time either of us went against Eve's wishes. I hated myself then for breaking my word. I hate myself now for not doing it sooner. I hate myself more than you could ever understand that I didn't do more.

"I'm sorry, Aarón. I know that it will never make up for all that your family has lost because of my failings. You may never forgive me. I will never forgive myself. But I am sorry. Your pack has rejected me at every point for the last five millennia, but the offer stands now as it has with every one of Eve's descendants. If there is anything you need from me, you need only ask. I may not be able to say yes, but I will do everything in my power to do right by your people.

They stood in silence for a long time, staring into each other's eyes. Slowly, Aarón leaned closer to press his forehead against Luna's. She felt his request through his magic, and opened a link between them so he could speak without the rest of the pack overhearing.

"You speak of Nolan Wes as if he is still alive," he told her. "And he very well may be. I did not kill him that night, but he was dying. The Organization promised me his death when they took him. I do not know where, and I do not trust them. If he is alive, and he comes back..."

"I will not let him anywhere near you, your family, or your pack," she promised. "I will not allow him to pursue his hunt, nor will I allow my fellow dragons to assist him."

"Any of them?"

Luna felt a heavy weight of fear behind that question. She had been thinking of Rhia. But the ice-cold terror in his magic made it clear that he wasn't. Who was he afraid of? Would he even tell her if she asked?

"By the magic that sustains me, Aarón Guerrero, King of the Lycanthrope," she promised, deciding to play it safe and not press for details at the moment. "My life and the lives of my kin are yours. If you should fall, we will fall with you."

Aarón's body relaxed, but her words had not eased the deep-seated fear within. He nodded and pulled away from her, rising back to his full and incredible height. Thank you, Luna," he said, loud enough for the rest of the crowd of wolves to hear. "Forgiveness will take time and effort that I am willing to give if you are."

Turning slightly, he held out a clawed hand towards his human mate. She approached cautiously, taking his hand but keeping the other wrapped around her middle. "I would like to introduce you to my queen," he continued in a quieter tone. "Danika Guerrero."

The look of adoration and pride on both their faces was enough to melt a layer of ice over Luna's carefully guarded heart. She bowed low to the human. "It is an honor, lycan queen," she said. "I apologize for my niece. Rest assured that her actions will not go unpunished."

Danika smiled shakily and nodded, tucking herself closer to Aarón anyway.

Luna turned and walked away until there was enough space to shift. As she spread her wings to follow her brother, she left him with one last message. "Take care to remember what I said about dragon blood, Aarón. It is one thing to consume it yourself without considering the consequences. It is another to give it to your mate without her knowledge. Soulmate bonds have shattered over less."

~

They flew for hours at a speed and altitude that she could never reach on her own. With no way to escape Nekros's claws, Rhia had accepted her fate and settled in for the long flight back to Greece. She was surprised when he started to descent towards the French island of Corsica. The much smaller dragonkin compound was nestled between steep mountains and cliffsides, providing shelter and privacy from the rest of the world despite how popular the island was for tourism.

Less than fifty feet from the ground, Nekros's grip loosened enough for Rhia to slip out and spread her wings. The sudden displacement of the air caused by the larger dragon's shift, however, created a downdraft that overpowered her. She hit the ground hard, and her injured limb crumpled under her weight and the force of the landing.

Rhia came out of her shift screaming, though if it was from the pain or the rage, she couldn't tell for sure. For the first time in her life, she wanted to burn something. To hit someone. But her hellfire wouldn't answer her call, and she could barely form a fist with her hand. Somehow, over the blinding, overwhelming pain in her arm, she felt the stabbing sensation in her spine, reminding her that she wasn't supposed to shift at all for another three weeks.

Nekros was beside her the next moment. He was speaking, but she couldn't comprehend his words through all the other stimuli wracking her body. She did, however, realize that he was reaching out to help her stand. "Get off me!" she screamed and forced her legs to take her weight to shove herself up and away from Nekros. Her vision blurred dangerously, and she stumbled, but somehow managed to stay on her feet.

When the dizziness wore off, Rhia turned with every intention of just walking away. "Where do you think you're going?" Nekros shouted after her. "We have to talk about this."

"Talk?!" Rhia barked a cynical laugh, turning and looking around at the kin who were venturing out of their homes to see what all the commotion was about. "Did you hear that everyone? He wants to talk! What happened, Nekros? Was it just a coincidence that you were in Paris at the same time, or did I finally do something that couldn't be ignored?"

"I wasn't ignoring you," he growled. "You should have-"

"Should have what? Called? Texted? Used the link? Well, those didn't work, so maybe I would have better luck getting the kin to reach you. Or, hell, maybe you'd answer the Counsel. Nope! It's been a fucking month. At what point did it stop being bad timing and start being deliberate?"

"So, this was all just to get my attention?"

"Oh, don't flatter yourself! I did exactly what you would have done if you were in my position. If you knew who had taken Phoenix and they wouldn't talk, you would rip them apart and not a single one of the other dragons would try to stop you! But because it's me, because I'm different, because I'm dating a vampire, because of whatever other bullshit excuse you can come up with, suddenly the lot of you are concerned about the consequences. Well, you can take your consequences and shove them up your ass! Aarón Guerrero has been bragging about killing my mate all year; why the fuck shouldn't I return the favor?!"

"You should have come to me first. I would have helped you!"

"Riiiight. Just like you 'helped' with Delta? He's dead, by the way. The Organization killed him. Not that you fucking care."

"You're right, I don't care about them. My concern is for you!"

"Actions speak louder than words, Nekros, and your absence spoke volumes."

"I told you not to go!"

"And I told you to come with me! But heaven forbid someone say no to Phoenix. Where is she by the way? Did you leave her with a babysitter, or does she only have a problem with being left alone when I'm asking?"

"Do not make me choose between you and Phoenix, Rhiannon!"

"Who the fuck is asking you to!?" Rhia screamed, and the dragonkin winced under the power of her voice. "All I asked is for you to keep your fucking word! No stone left unturned! That's what you said. You promised you would help me find Nolan. That was the whole point of going to the other facilities. We found your mate. You got what you wanted. And Nolan is still missing. But he's not a dragon. He's not even a full-blooded dragonkin. He's just a yfeerie who was turned into a vampire. So, fuck him, I guess."

Again, Rhia turned on her heel to storm away, but Luna's elites were landing in a loose circle around her and cutting off every viable exit. The lead wyvern shifted into a tall male who looked at her with eyes glowing with his own anger. "We have been instructed not to let you leave the island," he said coldly and gestured towards a side street. "A medic is ready to receive you at your temporary residence."

"Fuck your medic," she spat at the wyvern before looking back at Nekros. "I am well past the age where you can ground me like a child."

"When you stop acting like a child, we will stop treating you like one," Nekros snapped back. "You are out of control. Maybe a few weeks on time out until your mother returns will do you some good."

"My mother?" Rhia felt her body go hot again when she realized he was talking about Phoenix. "My mother is on the other side of the world in California! My mother has never laid a hand on me just because we disagreed! My mother had to be talked down from a ledge when she found out I was nearly killed by a pack of hellhounds! My mother wanted me! As a sick, abused, abandoned child to a hopeless fucking dragon, she has always wanted me!"

"Enough of this! I am sick and tired of hearing your damn excuses. It doesn't matter what she has done, that human is not and never will be your mother!"

This time, the dragonkin all jerked back as a ripple of power cascaded down Rhia's spine to the earth, making the ground beneath them tremble. They all felt the weak thread that connected them to the tenth dragon snap.

"If everything Madeline Kincaid has done for me doesn't make her my mother," Rhia hissed venomously. "Then blowing your load into that cum-rag of a cunt you a call a mate certainly doesn't meet the qualifications of being my father."

Without another word, she turned down the street and let the elites take her to Luna's guest house. She ignored the medic waiting at the door, going straight for the sitting room. Taking a bottle of liquor from a cabinet, she tore open the cap with her teeth and drank deeply.

~