"You know him?" Cage gave Clara a look ridden with surprise and anger.
He had now pulled his broadsword from his side and beheaded a lone stray vampire who had charged his way.
The other members of the pack were busy dealing with the rest of the vampires in the clearing.

"I thought a werewolf's hearing was unmatched? You seem to not be as sharp as you claim alpha. Did you not hear what I said before?" Clara shot back sassily, earning a growl from Cage.

"We'll speak about this later." Cage said and pointed to Clara and Orion before turning away.

Clara spotted her sister a few yards away and she raced to snatch her up in her arms. Mari sobbed into her sisters shoulder and hugged her tightly. "I promise I won't let anyone hurt you again." Clara said and glanced down at her sister. "I love you Clara." Mari whispered low enough so no one could hear.

The vampire who's leader put him in charge of Mari, struggled in Orion's grasp. His arms flailed and his legs kicked.

"I have to help my friends Mari... I want you to run east, into the forest and wait for me there. I will distract the bad men, okay?" Mari nodded her head at Clara's request. One last bone crushing hug was shared between the two sisters before Mari took of running into the forest.

Clara noticed Orion still grappling with the vampire in his arms and she stepped towards the two of them, piercing the vampires chest with the blade in her hand. He fell to the ground, lifeless.

~~~

Most of the vampires in the clearing fell back as soon as they realized the cards weren't in their favor. Cage, Kai, Angelica, Callum, Daniel, Orion, and Clara all breathed ragged breaths as they killed as many vampires as they could. The rest ran into the forest towards the south wind.

Guinevere, Clara's mother was able to wiggle out of the vampires hold that held her. She used her bare hands to angrily hold him off until Clara could run to her and put him out of his misery.

"Clara, watch out!" Cage called from across the clearing. Turning away from her mother, Clara saw the vampire behind her before it was too late.
She ducked and sliced the front part of the vampires legs. He let out a shrill.

When she turned back around, Clara realized her mother was gone. The blur of Cage sprinting into the forest passed through her peripheral. Clara realized what he was chasing. A vampire who had her mother, and was heading into the forest towards her sister.

Clara watched as Cage transformed into his wolf. His white fur glistened in the sun rays through the trees, the beauty of his large wolf unmatched.

The wolf ran through the forest after Guinevere and Mari. He followed the sound of their calls of distress. Clara followed close behind Cage.

The strong, incredibly fast vampire who now held Clara's family, ran and ran. He dodged trees and shrubs with precise movements. Seemingly flying further and further into the forest.

Cage came to a halting stop when he realized he wasn't chasing anything. Not anymore. The vampire was gone. Long gone. Clara tripped as she tried to stop just behind the werewolf looking in all directions. She let out a whimper as she gripped her left leg, standing up with a determined groan.

"Where did they go!? No, no they are here. Cage please, you can run faster then I can! You have to keep going!" Clara sobbed and fell to her knees. She begged Cage, but he didn't keep running.

Cage walked on four legs towards Clara. His body towering over her as he gently placed his head into the crook of her neck. "It's going to be okay Dani." His voice echoed in her mind.

Dani. The name she had given Cage in place of her real one. She wished now that she had been honest with him about who she was. She wanted nothing more than to hear her name roll off his tongue.

"I promised my sister-" Clara sobbed and wrapped her arms around Cage, his fur soft to the touch.

"I know darling. We will get her back." He said to her without speaking. Lifting his head, Cage glanced at the distraught girl, a silent promise in his eyes.

Clara reached up and ran her thumb across Cage's cheek, she studied his scarred eye momentarily. The tied piece of fabric that covered his eye had come undone, leaving him exposed to her gaze. He turned away, ashamed. She tugged on a piece of fur on his body and said, "Please don't turn away."

Cage didn't listen, and Clara took it as a cue to not push her luck. She got up hesitantly, and pushed through the pain in her calf as she walked behind Cage back to the rest of the group.

Daniel was on his knees, noticeably trying to catch his breath when they reached the- now vampire free clearing.
Callum watched as Kai chased off the last of the vampires and slid his sword back into the sheath at his side. Angelica fixed her blonde hair into a braid as she glanced up to Cage.

"Care to explain what is going on?" Kai asked Cage, his gaze falling on the red haired beauty at his brothers side.

Kai reached into his bag and pulled out an undershirt and a pair of trousers before tossing them in front of Cage. Everyone turned away while he transformed into human form and got dressed. Clara tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear nervously.

"She's his luna." Angelica figured out within a moment of studying Clara up and down. Callum, Daniel, Kai and Orion all looked either confused or serious as they paused in silence.

Callum was the first to break the silence. An amused, laugh erupted from him. "A human? A human is your mate." He mocked.

Kai kneeled down, his head held low as he bowed to Clara. "Please excuse their manners my luna, It has been a very long time since we have seen or had a wolvish queen in our presence." Kai said quickly, and Clara realized where she had seen the man before. His long dark hair and brown eyes were familiar.

"I-" Clara started but Kai interrupted, his anger towards Callum and the rest of his pack mates was evident. "Bow!" Kai growled out and everyone except Orion and Cage bowed before Clara.

"I- I um..." Clara glanced down at the four who bowed before her. She studied their eyes.

"It's proper for a wolf pack to bow before an alpha's soulmate. They call both, an unmarked soulmate and a claimed one- luna." Cage explained and Clara nodded in understanding.

"Please stand. To be honest, I am very confused by all of this. Everything that has been happening in my life recently has been crazy. I-I do believe you have the wrong girl." Clara rambled and wiped a stray tear that fell down her cheek. Everyone stood and Kai smiled as he reached for her hand.

"I understand. I am so sorry for what has happened to you. I'm assuming the woman and girl the vampire took were your mother and sister?" Kai asked and tried his best to comfort Clara, she smiled meekly, believing him.

"Yes, and I have to find them. Thank you for taking care of all the vampires you could. I couldn't have protected myself against them all." Clara let go of Kai's hand.

"We will help you find them.... And, I must tell you, we are not mistaken. You are indeed Cage's soulmate. Whether you are human or werewolf, it doesn't make a difference. I hope you will come to trust us as friends, perhaps even a secondary family someday. I will start by introducing myself, my name is Kaiman, but you may call me Kai" Kai said before Daniel stepped forward next, extending a hand to shake.

Clara shook Daniels hand, her eyes raking over his face and features as she did. His beautiful dark skin contrasted with his light colored eyes. His attire radiated elegance, although his clothes were rugged and worn. "Daniel Smith." He introduced himself.

"I'm Dani Mainn." Clara lied once more and smiled. Releasing his hand, Callum stepped forward hesitantly and exchanged niceties next. "Callum Vanjoy." He said and nodded.

Angelica was last to step forward, a small amount of jealousy rising from the pit of her stomach as she did. She smiled half genuinely. "Angelica Weiss. It is nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Clara replied and glanced down, her sudden shyness getting the best of her.

A moment passed, and Cage glanced at Orion skeptically. "It's not in our best interest to trust vampires Dani, so you had better explain this." Cage growled.

"His name isn't this, it's Orion, and I don't have to explain anything. I saved his life, he saved mine in return. You should watch what you say, you can hurt people with words- if you weren't aware." Clara said matter of factly. Kai chuckled, surprised when he heard her challenging tone.

"If it was merely an exchange of life or death favors, I suggest he leave now. It's dangerous where we are going. Where the vampires are taking your family isn't a place for the lighthearted." Cage said and Orion gave him a challenging glare, his eyes had now returned to their normal shade.

"Don't be so hasty brother. We are going to need as many able hands as we can get. He may be a vampire, but that doesn't mean he is an evil one. If Dani trusts him, so do I." Kai put in his two cense on the matter.

Clara glanced at Orion, the man she had watched shake and shiver in the night. She had watched him become what he was now, a vampire. Did she trust him? she did, but she was unsure as to what his intentions were. In truth, she knew very little about him.

"I don't have any family in these mountains, or in the Willow. Before... Before my change, I'd always been a traveler. I would be happy to be apart of your company, so long as you are willing to answer my questions."
Orion said and placed a hand on his stomach, the urges to drink blood he was feeling were almost unbearably painful.

"It's settled then." Kai patted Cage on the shoulder. Oh, how he loved to provoke his brother.

Kai, Cage, Daniel, Callum, Angelica, and Orion were now decidedly, all apart of luna Dani Mainn's Company.