Serge's POV

I tore open the throat of one of the eastern wolves and his body crashed to the floor, knocking one of the waiting room chairs to the floor. I could not even taste the new rush of blood because of the amount that was already in my mouth.

There were only a couple of eastern fighters left, and our backup was taking care of them handily. I scanned the fight and with horror I noticed a familiar brown wolf crawling away, a trail of blood falling behind her.

I scanned the area and spotted a man with a gun and I put together what had happened. I growled with fury, but then I was drawn back to Elise.

She was bleeding out and the lingering threat faded. I hurried towards her, regaining my human form as I moved. The fight was nearly over, and I needed my hands more than my fangs.

From the corner of my eye I saw a dark wolf go for the eastern king's throat and I put the matter from my mind.  Matthias was more than capable of killing that one.

"Call Fischer," I croaked out. Tabitha was on her phone, and that too faded from my attention.

Somewhere far away was still the sounds of snarling and whimpering, but I did not comprehend it, because Elise was the only thing left in the room. I pulled off what was left of my shirt and tried to stop the blood that was seeping from her side.

I worked in a frantic haze, refusing to think the worst. "Stay with me, Elise. I just got you back. I love you. Don't leave me."

I kept talking nonsense to her, hoping beyond hope that she was hearing me. She was so pale.

Finally Doctor Fischer arrived, along with a couple of people carrying a stretcher. I could not even wonder where they had gotten it from. Doctor Fischer worked on her for minute, gave a series of commands, and before I fathomed what was happening, she was being picked up and carried away.

"Where are you taking her?" I asked.

Lacy looked at me with sympathy as they rushed Elise out the door. "There's an infirmary here, it was on the plans."

I nodded, I had to trust them as we hurried to the elevator and then downwards, part of my team circling us protectively, a conflicted Matthias leading the other part of the team in an effort to find the king's heir.

We passed people in the halls, but no one challenged us. They seemed as disoriented as I felt.

We had cut off the head of the snake so it seemed what was left was writhing mindlessly on the ground.

I still did not want my people to be caught in the thrashing.

Elise was wheeled into the infirmary and Doctor Fischer took over. He kept one of the eastern wolves with him to assist and I was forced out of the room.

"Her curse is better when I'm near."

"The risk of infection is higher, too. There's a waiting room out there."

I left although I was not happy about the matter.

I waited outside in a chair. My phone rang.

"We caught him," Sierra said, her words full of obvious satisfaction.

An answering flare of triumph hit me, but was quickly extinguished by my concern for Elise.

"What should we do?"

I considered. "Guard him, I'll contact the other leaders and we'll confer about it."

"Roger."

I hung up. I should have contacted Nicholas, but I put if off for another moment. I called Austin first.

He picked up immediately. "Serge?"

"The eastern king is dead and we've got his son."

I heard Austin's sharp intake of breath at my words. "You son of a bitch, you actually did it. Did you get Elise back?"

His words stabbed at my heart. "We did, but... She was hurt. I have to talk to Nick, he can tell you more. First, I want your opinion on what we do with him, Austin."

Austin paused, obviously thinking through everything I had said. "Well, you could bring him back here, but keeping him alive is a risk. You're leading lead the team, I'll defer to your judgement." The thought had crossed my mind. I wanted to execute him on the spot for his part in what had happened to Elise, but that might not be the wisest course.

"Thanks," I said, although he really had not been much help.

I dialed Nicholas with a lump in my throat. The answer was again near instantaneous.

"How is it going?" he asked.

I inhaled. "We got Elise, but she was injured."

"What happened?" His voice had a tremor that reminded me of Elise's curse.

I did not know how to tell him. "She...She got shot. She's with Doctor Fischer now."

His response was immediate. "I'm coming there."

I was not going to try to stop him. "Matthias killed the eastern king and we caught his son. Most of their forces have surrendered."

"Good," he said bitterly.

"We're in the eastern headquarters."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I'll let you know more when I know what's going on," I promised.

He hung up and I dropped my arm onto the armrest of the chair. I was leading the group I had brought, but all I wanted to do was transform into a wolf and howl out my grief. Instead I had to find a way to keep it together.

After he finished with Elise, Doctor Fischer turned his attention to the other injuries. I was allowed into the room where they had put her for only a few minutes, just long enough to see that she looked pale and was hooked up to a couple of machines.

Brock had gotten a concussion from a severe knock on the head and almost every fighter had gotten hurt in some way. Most of them were running around not having their various ills tended to properly, Doctor Fischer noted with some vexation.

Then he turned his attention to me.

"Always transforming with injuries, Serge. You're a terrible example," he scolded as he stitched up a rather unpleasant tear in my leg. I barely felt it, probably thanks to shock.

"Can't help it," I said. How was I supposed to worry about such things when there was always something to do?

"At least your girl has more sense than you. She's smart enough to drag herself out of the way and maintain her form."

I let out a half-hearted chuckle at his words. It might be funny once she was finally safe, and healthy, and preferably no longer cursed.

"Good thing I came along, eh?" Doctor Fischer asked. "I might be past my fighting days, but I've still got a few things to contribute from time to time.

I wanted to stay by Elise's side and do nothing else, but matters of the eastern wolves continually plagued me. My fighters were going through the people who were left in the building and securing those who seemed to be a threat. It seemed many of the eastern wolves were reluctant to be under their king and amazingly we found some of the extinct Rocky Mountain packs in their numbers.

After that, I had to deal with the king's son. It annoyed me because I would rather be by her side, but I was certainly not allowing him anywhere near Elise after the threats that the king had made against her. I would have to go to him, but I was cognizant to stay only a floor or two above her. In her condition the last thing she needed was to have the curse assault her more.

I waited for the prisoner to be brought to me. Matthias and Isaac dragged him through the door and shoved him on the floor before me. He was around my own age, but looked rather the worse for wear.

He was probably upset about the death of his father. I knew how it felt, but I could summon no sympathy. If anything, it felt like justice.

He met my eyes and there was cold rage deep in the depths.

I should not have been surprised when he leapt towards me. His clothes tore as he transformed mid-leap and snapped his jaws at me. Matthias and Isaac leapt and grabbed him, but he had already sunk his teeth deep into the flesh of my leg.

I growled in response and tried to pry him off of me, but the human strength of my arms was barely a match for the power of even an eastern wolf's jaws.

Finally, he released me and transformed back into a man, but now he wore a satisfied smirk on his face. "What's your name?" he demanded.

"Serge. Why?"

"Serge, I order you to tell your fighters to stand down."

I laughed incredulously.

"Stand down!" he snapped, his self-satisfied expression melting a bit at my resistance.

"I don't think you're fully understanding your situation."

"You have to obey me. I bit you."

"Nothing happened, sorry to disappoint you," I told him with a small shake of my head.

He looked horrified, "But I thought my father..."

Then I understood. I glanced at Matthias. "Turn him into a thrall."

Matthias glared at me. "What?"

"Transform and try."

"Why?"

"Try it and we'll see."

Matthias frowned at me, and only deepened as he figured out what I was thinking. I kept my eyes on the king's son as Matthias stripped and transformed. He cast me a hostile wolf frown before sinking his teeth into the man on the ground before me.

The late king's son sunk lower to the floor, almost as if his structure had melted. Matthias stood back, his golden eyes confused as he watched the man cower before him.

"Congratulations, you took out the king, looks like you're the leader of his pack now."

Matthias turned his face towards me with a look of real horror across his wolfish features. "I guess that makes him your problem now. Talk to Austin, he really helped me figure everything out when this mess got dropped onto me."

I had never seen such a look of pure anguish on the face of a wolf before, but I had no time to waste with it. This was all Matthias's problem now. I strode out of the room and made my way back to Elise.