I ran for hours without stopping. My mate could not find me. I knew that if my enemies found him, I would not survive his death. Leah hadn't stopped pining for him, but I just kept running. Finally, just as the sun peaked its head over the mountains, I slowed down. I had small, un-noticeable hide-outs everyone. And it just so happened that I had one in this particular town.

I managed to reach the run down house without drawing attention to myself. I slipped in through the back door and then barricaded it. Once I was satisfied with it, I made my way to the hidden door. If anyone followed me, the state of the house would through them off track. My true hideout rested underneath it. Everything in it was state of the art. Opening the fridge, I spot a bottle of pure wolf whiskey. As tempted as I was to get good and drunk, I grabbed the bottle of bud light beside it.

Popping a tv dinner in the microwave, I scarf down the food. I would be safe here for a few days and then I would have to move again. It was fatal to stay for too long in one place. Lying on the couch, I turn the alarm on and let myself give into sleep. I don't know how long I slept, but within a heart beat I was awake. Something was wrong. Keeping my breathing and heart rate slow as if I was still asleep, I listen to the silence. Something or someone was in my hide out.

Using my wolf vision, I quickly spot a fairy asleep in my lazy boy recliner. Silent as a ghost, I slip over to him. Then, as quick as a viper's strike, I grab him and throw him onto the floor. His eyes snap open and he jumps to his feet. I turn the lights on and growled at him. It was the bartender from yesterday. I glare at him and stay where I was.

"What do you want?" I ask. "I wanted to make sure you were ok. What happened earlier?"

"Why do you care? Your kind doesn't really tend to worry about me." His silvery white eye brows arch higher and I silently kicked myself for slipping. He knew nothing about me or who I was. "Is that so? And just who are you?" I didn't answer; instead I stood up suddenly and walked to my kitchen. I knew he was following me but I didn't care. I wanted something to eat.

"You know, I have never met a wolf quite like you before that's for sure." He said with a chuckle. A soft growl sounded from me and he laughed louder. "I didn't mean anything bad by that." I tried to ignore him. Fairies hate you Jewel. Just like the rest of our world. I told myself as I concentrated on cooking. Soon, the aroma of eggs, bacon, and fluffy biscuits filled the air. Pulling two plates from a small cabinet, I fill them up and sit them on the table.

Nodding towards the one in front of me, I sat down and waited until he joined me. "You didn't have to fix me anything. I could have just popped over to my house and ate." I look at him and he shut up. "You're not very talkative are you?" He asked as I bit into a biscuit. I just shrug my shoulders. After that, we ate in silence.

"Why did you run when Darius Stetson howled?" I just sighed. Does he ever stop talking? I couldn't help but wonder. Darius Stetson. My mate. I liked his name. It sounded strong and pure. "What do you know about Darius Stetson?"

"Not much really. I know that he's the current alpha of the Dark Knights, and has been for the past seven years. He's single and looking, or so I hear." He quickly added when I gave him a dark look. Instantly he understood. "I know that he's after the person who killed his best friend three years ago." Now that got my attention, but I didn't let on.

"What happened?"

"Someone lured him into an alley. They must have known that Rico was a vampire because they emptied a whole clip of wooden stake bullets into his heart. The poor guy never stood a chance." I had to restrain myself from flying across the table and hurting him. Rico wasn't some "poor guy". He had been a murderer, and he got what was coming to him. "Who killed him?"

"The Grimm Reaper." I wanted to laugh at the name the supernaturals had given me. They had started calling me that after the hunters who hunted our ancestors. "Why should Stetson care so much about a vamp?"

"Rico saved his life when they were children. He has sworn that when he finds The Reaper, he or she will die very slowly." I just nod and grab the plates. Now I had another reason for avoiding my mate. "You're his mate aren't you?"

The fairy asked as I slowly started to wash the dishes I had used. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. It would explain why you ran from him back there."

"Maybe I ran because I had just beaten the crap out of a pack wolf and didn't want to get thrown into a cell."

"Maybe. But I'm going with option A." I knew he was smirking from the sound of his voice. "What's it to you tinker bell?" He threw his head back and laughed hard. "Now that's a new one." I couldn't stop the small smile that played across my lips. Without thinking, I raised my hand and ran it across my face. It left behind a trail of soap suds.

When I turned around, he took a towel and dried my face. When his eyes landed on my scars, he slowly nodded. "I know why you keep running." He whispered and I looked him in the eye. "The second I touched you, I knew everything." I paled and stepped away from him. Slowly my hand reached behind my back and wrapped around the gun handle. He must have realized that, because he took a step back and raised his hands.

"I'm not going to hurt you Reaper." I sigh and relax a little. "The name's Jewel." My secret was out. But did I trust this unknown fairy to keep it a secret. "I won't tell anyone. They wouldn't believe me if I did." I had to smile at that. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

"Because I can't stand to see people, human or supernatural, in the amount of pain that you're in."

"I'm not in pain."

"You are, you just keep it hidden to well." I glare at him but deep down, I knew that he was right. Suddenly, I give up. Motioning for him to follow me, I go back to the den. Throwing myself onto the couch, I wait until he's seated. "Rico and his family wiped mine out thirteen years ago. It has taken me that long to track down each and every one of them to make them pay. Rico was the last one.

"But as you can guess, along my way, I made enemies. And they would love to see me squirm before I die. And the only way that they could get at me would be through my mate. Who, just as fate would have it, is now looking to kill me as well? He just doesn't know it yet. I can't let him find me, as bad as that sounds. It'll be the death of both of us.

"So, until I come up with some sort of plan, I'll have to stay on the run. And avoiding my mate at all costs."

"That sounds like a very lonely life." He commented but I just shrug. "I've been alone my whole life. It won't be anything new to me." I stopped speaking and thought of my mate. What did he look like? Was he a kind and caring person, or was he strict and cold as ice? I had seen many of both kinds of people during my life. And I hoped that my mate was one of the former. Quickly I shook my head. Thoughts like that wouldn't do me any good. I would never be able to find out.

I look over at the fairy. "What's your name?"

"Fenris. But I go by Donny. Not many people in this world know of my real name."

"Then why did you tell me?" I asked curious. "Because I know who you really are. I thought it only fitting that you knew my real name." I just nod and silence falls between us again. I let myself drift back to sleep, but I knew that I wouldn't sleep as long as I wish I would. Three hours later, I awoke to find Fenris gone. I hadn't realized that a part of me had been hoping he would stay.

With a shake of my head, I get to my feet and make my way to the small closet. Opening the door, I pull on the hidden lever. A hidden door sprung open and I quickly make my way down the narrow stairs. I felt the need to run, but seeing as how that wasn't safe for me to do at the moment, I felt like beating the daylights out of a punching bag would suffice.

Two hours, a broken hand, and eight bloodied knuckles later, I felt eyes on me. After one last punch that snapped the chains holding the bag up, I spin around. Fenris was leaning against the wall watching me, his eyes hooded. I was glad that he came back, but I didn't show it. "I brought pizza." Was the only thing he said as I walked past him.

Walking to the bedroom, I strip and step into the shower. I rinse the sweat and blood off me before I set my hand so it wouldn't heal wrong. Once I step out and dry off, I just pull on a pair of loose night pants and a sports bra before making my way back to the den. Taking a deep breath in, I grin. Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. I grab to large slices and sit on the couch, slowly eating them.

Fenris would look at me often, and I could tell that something was on his mind. But he would just shake his head and turn back to his pizza. I found myself mesmerized by bright silver scars running all over his body. Some of them reminded me of my own, but I knew better to ask. I had no intentions of gathering a new scar or two tonight. "Thank you." I say softly as I finish my last slice. "It's been a while since I last had pizza."

"Why do you keep running?" He asked suddenly, looking at me for an answer. Sighing softly, I lay on the couch staring at the ceiling. "I stay on the run because if I were to stop, they would find me and kill me. While I don't care if I die, I don't want to be tortured to death either. So, it's easier for me to move from one place to the other often." He nods as if he understood. And who knows, maybe he did. He might know of my pass, but I wouldn't ask him about his. I had learned the hard way that asking questions only brought about pain.

"What's my mate like?" I whisper before I could chicken out. Fenris' eyes burned brightly as he smiled. "He's a wonderful man. You'd like him I think, Jewel. He cares deeply for those who depend on him for protection. I've seen him take in those that other packs would deny. And I've seen him fight almost to death for someone in need that he didn't even know." I smiled, but listened as he kept talking about my mate.

For hours he spoke, telling me story after story about Darius. And with each one, I wished that I had been able to find all this out for myself. But I knew that that would never come to pass. If it wasn't for the fact that I had killed his best friend to avenge my family, it would be due to the fact that I had too many people after me to stop and try. Leah whimpered softly and I felt like joining her. A life without him seemed to long, but I would make it. I was stronger than that. Or so I like to think.

Fenris stood to leave and I spoke again. "You won't tell him that you know who I am or where I am. Will you?" Fenris met my gaze. "I won't tell him Jewel because I think that should come from you. But I know it's not possible. So, no, I won't tell Darius who his mate his." I could see how he felt about it and I nodded my thanks. It wasn't normal for our kind to run from our mates, but I had to.

Even though neither of us had met, Darius was now my world. And I would do everything short of meeting him to keep him safe and alive. I watch as Fenris disappears and the second he's gone, I start to miss his company. Shaking my head, I get up and walk to my bed. I didn't need company, I thought as I climbed beneath the sheets. I had spent the last part of my life alone and it hadn't bothered me then. So why did it bother me now? With a deep sigh, I turn on the security system and fall asleep.

I planned on staying here for another week or two before leaving. And as I drifted off to the Land of Nod, I was happy at the thought of Fenris being able to come visit me no matter where I was. I just hoped that my trust in him wouldn't be misplaced. I liked having him as a friend.

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