Mathias POV

A week had passed since I had unknowingly handed Elise off to the enemy.

After the bastard gave me the go ahead, I had beat the prisoner until the fire of my anger was banked and yet he told me nothing.

I had killed before, but never had I taken out my wrath on a defenceless person. Even as I did it, I knew she would hate what I had done.

And I would tell her, because I was not going to hide anything from her. Let her see the dark side of my nature.

I would be able to tell her, because we were going to get her back. If I had to destroy the entire east, I would save her from the bastards who took her.

The leaders of the Trifecta were being cautious. They claimed that we did not know who had Elise.

Maybe they were right, maybe they were wrong. I was certain who had her. It was clearly the eastern king.

I would kill him one day, and maybe on that day my rage might cool at the sweetness of retribution.

I did what I could and it amounted to nothing. Nick had ordered me to stay on the territory and I had obeyed, but even as I did, my spirit rebelled. I wanted to find her and sitting still sifting through documents was doing nothing for the search.

Nick was trying to sidetrack me with these tedious tasks, this search for some connection that would magically point us to her location. Endless papers in some vain attempt to figure out who Mark and Fenton had contacted inside and outside of our territory.

I gritted my teeth and slammed my fists down on the table. The sound was loud, yet completely ineffective. Useless. Hitting the damn table was not going to help me find Elise, slamming my fists into the trunks of trees did nothing to bring her back to me. Looking through documents had given us nothing.

I was done with all the diversions. I got to my feet and stormed out of the pack offices. No one tried to stop me.

They were all acting like I was a bomb that was ready to explode. They were not far from correct.

I transformed and ran home.

Nothing gave me comfort.

In my wolf form, my gums ached for the pressure of enemy flesh, my tongue wanted the metal of the easterner's liquid life as I ripped it away from them.

In my human form I wanted to strangle them with my bare hands. I did not know the appearance of the eastern king, but in my imagination he was a dark yet squirrelly man, but the most important detail was how he broke beneath my punishing strength.

I would rescue her, kill him and then raze any who would still stand against us once he had finally fallen. Elise would be safe, the Trifecta would be safe, and then Elise could move on to the life she deserved.

My claws gripped the ground as I charged forward at breakneck speed. One wrong move and I would seriously injure myself as I slammed against an obstacle. I did not care, but neither did I need anything slowing me down.

My home came into my sight and I rushed forward. I pushed into the house and no one directly looked at me, no one got in my way.

I was explosive and they knew it. They had nothing to fear though. I was hardly going to waste my ire on my family.

I was saving it all for the damn eastern king.

I would rescue Elise and see him fall.

He had no idea of what was coming for him.

I stalked around my room for a long minute, visions of Elise here plaguing my mind. Recently and less recently. I could see her like a ghost in every corner of my room, every room of my house, every place in our territory. We had run free for so much of our childhood that there was almost nothing she had not touched.

I went to the door of my desk and wrenched it open. I sat down in the chair, where she had sat, and pulled out the folded piece of notepaper.

Matt,

When you first started doing this, you were right that it would be too hard for me to respond. I can't say it's easy, but it is easier. Right now asking for more than that seems too much to ask.

I love the notes you keep sending and this one you left is the best of all. I love you, too and I have for a long time in a lot of ways. You've been my friend forever and the only reason you weren't more is because I was afraid to take the risk.

I love you, too.

Elise

It felt like the only tangible piece of her that I had left. I growled to myself. She had to be alive. They would hardly have stolen her away so stealthily if they did not need her.

The answer was obvious, they were using her to get to Nick and maybe to Serge and Austin as well. They would hold her as a shield, use her as leverage for demands, or play with our minds. Something had to be coming. Anything.

The silence was aggravating.

And sitting here, moping over a letter was doing Elise no good.

But losing my mind and my temper over piles of documents looking for some pathetic clue was not doing her any good, either.

I needed rest, although I did not feel like I did. I had barely been sleeping since I lost her, but I needed to be in perfect physical condition when the time came.

I walked over to my bed and finally, with much difficulty, willed myself to sleep.

* * * * * * * * *

"Matt." Ruth's voice accompanied the knocking on the door.

I rolled over and groaned. What the hell did she want?

"It's Nick on the phone."

I grumbled a swear as I jumped out of bed. I pulled on pyjama pants from off my floor and rushed to the door and descended the stairs in threes.

The twins parted ways to let me through. Even they seemed reluctant to pester me under the circumstances, which was good, because I did not want to take out my impotent anger on them inadvertently.

I grabbed the phone.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The eastern king sent a message." Nick sounded weary. His tone set my nerves on edge.

"What does it say?"

"I think you'll want to read it for yourself."

I did not even hang up the phone. I went for the door and stripped. Without thought I grabbed my pants and charged through the forest to the pack offices.

Once there, my cells flowed to my human form seamlessly and I pulled on my clothes as I strode in the door. Raina did a double take as I strode into the pack offices in only my pyjama pants.

I only cared what Elise thought about my appearance usually, and right now there were more important concerns.

The bastard and Austin were already inside and I could not help the accusatory look I threw towards Nicholas that they knew of this before me. I did not care that they were the leaders of the Trifecta. She was mine. "They were here when it arrived," he said, as if my glare had been as clear as words.

He held out the piece of paper and I held it in my hand.

Nicholas Mason,

I wish to extend my sympathies on your most recent loss.

If you wish to see your daughter returned in the same condition that she was taken, you will surrender your territory at once. I do not wish to see further harm befall members of our proud race.

In order to give you time to consider my generous offer, my messenger will return in a week for your response.

If you choose to harm the messenger and choose not to cooperate, the consequences will be dire. I will no longer be patiently measured in my approach to your lands and your daughter will be given to my son. Consider carefully.

Yours,

King Larson

I resisted my nearly overwhelming urge to crumple the paper or rip it to shreds. Instead I set it carefully on the desk. I frowned.

"Given to his son?" I repeated. I was going to rip that puny king's intestines out through his throat.

"It won't come to that," Nick said.

"You're not going to surrender?" I asked.

"No."

I swore and they all politely ignored me. Clenching and unclenching my fists, I tried to calm myself.

Damn it, they had us cornered in every direction. I was no better than an enraged animal in a cage. I could snarl and snap, but I could not find or reach or destroy my tormenters.

"What are you planning?"

"We don't know," Nick said. He sounded defeated.

"We'll find her." I had to believe it.

"We're trying." Austin sounded no more certain that Nick did.

Serge spoke gravely. "It's time to throw everything at this. We're at the end, Nick. It's his declaration that we either surrender or he annihilates us. It is as we expected, they have never been attacking at full strength. They've been playing with us the whole time."

Nick looked grim. He looked like he had at Elise's mother's funeral, except even older and more worn.

He continued speaking. "We're going to figure out where she is and I am going to take a team of people we can trust to save her. We'll keep it quiet, keep surprise on our side. They don't expect it."

"I'm going too," I informed him, staring straight at him, reminding him with my expression alone how much he owed her, just in case he had somehow forgotten.

He did not challenge me, although neither did he lower his gaze.

Nick nodded. "If we can locate her."

Serge nodded at the obvious statement. "I'm going to curse my captives."

Nick stiffened. Austin's expression did not change.

Finally, Austin spoke. "It's not our way, Serge."

I held in my growl. I wanted Serge to do it, I wanted him to get more information out of the prisoners.

Austin continued, "But, as you said, we are at the end of our fight. If something does not change, then our way will be no more and we will be little better than slaves to a tyrant."

He turned to Serge. "I'll take one of your prisoners and carry my share of the burden."

Serge nodded his firm agreement.

"Very well," Nick agreed. "But Elise will loath what we will do this day."

"She'll loathe what the eastern king is threatening even more," I pointed out.

"So be it," Serge said. "This is for her, but it is also for everyone under our protection."

It was cold and wrong, like the loss of innocence in the most corrupt way, but I pushed aside the instinct. There was no place for looking back.

Serge and Austin left the room and I went along to follow them.

"Wait, Matthias," Nick said, his tone grim.

I spared him a glance. "I'll be just a moment."

"No violence."

I agreed with a nod. I would keep it civil. Give or take a few threats as necessary.

I caught up to Serge in the hall. He did not look interested in stopping to talk, so I snapped, "Serge."

He stopped and turned with that expression that said told me I was an insignificant insect he could not quite bring himself to take seriously. It was one of the many reasons I frequently wanted to punch him.

"Yes?" he asked slowly.

"I want to know everything you're planning when you do figure out where she is."

"When?"

I swore. "Take this seriously, bastard."

"I've never taken anything more seriously, Matt."

My ire rose at him calling me by my nickname, as if he had some right, like Elise. "I don't have time for games."

"None of us do."

"Then stop wasting my time."

I frowned. "I want to know you're doing whatever needs to be done. You owe her."

Serge exhaled. "As if I could ever forget my debt."

He met my eyes in challenge and my hackles raised at the sight. "I'm doing everything I can conceive of. You're not the only one who loves her."

My jealousy clawed my insides, as if looking for a physical release for the pressure. I pushed it back. I needed him. I held in a curse. "Good," I pushed out through gritted teeth.

"I'll keep you informed. I'd be a fool to turn down a fighter of your calibre. And she'll want you there when we save her."

I wanted to threaten him. I wanted to point out that if we did not rescue her it would be better for her if he died right here and now. She would be free of the curse and her survival would be more likely, perhaps without the weight she could find an escape.

But I could not escape what she kept telling me. He looked as broken as she claimed. How the hell could I fight with him in this condition?

I ground my teeth. I swore again. "Thanks. We have to find her," I muttered, and then I turned back to return to my leader's side.

Nick was still sitting behind his desk when I returned. "Come with me," he said.

I did not question him. I simply watched Elise's father as he got up from behind the desk and walked out of the room.

It did not take me long to understand where we were going. We were going to the prisoner and Nick would do what he had to do.

And I was apparently going to bear witness to the transfer of magic. Perhaps it was only fitting, because although Nick probably did not know it, I had been the one to first suggest that Serge make another thrall out of the enemy.

It was not far before we descended into the darkness. My eyes adjusted quickly. I had seen this before, but not that often because my fighting ability was more valuable on the outer borders.

I nodded to the two guards.

"Open it," Nick said.

They obeyed without question. Nick strode in and indicated with a movement of his head that I was to follow.

I did.

"Hold him."

I did not want to obey, but I would play my part.