Liam stepped forward. "No, he does not want to play. What do you want with him?"

Ember took the lollipop out of his mouth and held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa. He called me- whoever you are. I always answer when my favorite treasure calls." He caught eyes with me and winked.

Liam blocked my view as Xavier picked me off the ground.

"I'm his mate. Who are you?"

Ember bit into his lollipop, and an audible crunch was heard. He took the stick out of his hands, and it was incinerated in his fingertips. Smoke slithered up to the ceiling and danced with the pipes above before disappearing into the air.

"I am you, but stronger." He smiled. "I am Ember the Hellhound, and I can tell you all, minus Kye, are shapeshifters- werewolves by human terms." Black waves cascaded as he ruffled his hair and took his hand out of his pocket.

"Hellhound?" Xavier nodded his head slowly. "Where's your master?"

Ember shook his head. "I don't have one."

Kyle scoffed. "All hellhounds have masters. You are no different."

Ember rolled his eyes nonchalantly. "If you must know, my master is gone. He violated one of the laws and Hades had him sent back to Lucifer. So, all of his 'slaves' were set free to roam Hades' domain and the Earthly plane. Quite lucky, the lot of us are, if you ask me."

"Oh, great. So, there are more of you who roam without a leash?" Liam questioned.

Ember's face grew dim. "We are cut from the same cloth, so do not throw that insult my way without knowing it hurts you too."

Liam growled loudly and balled his fists. He was about to charge forward, but Kyle and Xavier held him back. I ran around Kyle as he stepped closer to Liam and ran for Ember with my hands in front of me.

Ember stepped forward to grab my wrist and pulled me closer to him. With all the sudden movement happening, I brushed my black strands behind my ear and saw all three men staring back at me.

"You said you wouldn't fight, yet you were about to. Please calm down, Liam." I turned to Ember and realized I had to talk fast. I didn't want them attacking my new 'friend,' but I knew that the window of hope was closing soon.

"Ember, would you ever hurt me?" I asked. His eyes widened, and he jerked his head back.

"Heck, no!" He laughed a bit and a feeling of tension broke. He looked at Liam, Xavier, and Kyle. "If you think I'd hurt Kye, then you must not know hellhounds. Many know us as these foul creatures with demonic abilities, incredible strength, and endurance. But once we make a pact with someone, we are very loyal to them."

He shrugged. "If anything, I'm more concerned with protecting Kye. Since my pact with my old master was broken, myself and a few others are trying to find new pacts. Hades told us we could work for him if we really wanted to, but I wanted a pact with someone no one else has thought of making one with before."

"So, let me get this straight, you want to cause no harm to Kye?" Liam raised a brow.

Ember nodded. "If Kye dies, then I automatically go back to Lucifer, and I'm written down as a failure because I did not protect him enough. The only reason I didn't go with my last master was because he violated on his own time."

Xavier huffed. "Your world seems very complicated, but if he means what he says, then I have no reason to distrust him until he has given me a reason to. I may not know much about hellhounds, but I believe I have heard that their loyalty to their pact master is unrivaled."

Liam looked at Kyle to get his input. "I stand with my Alpha. And plus, this may be a good thing for Kye. It'll take him out of his room and may help him open up to more people besides us."

Liam looked at me. I clasped my hands in front of me and pleaded with him silently. I desperately wanted to make a new friend, and my chance was literally standing right next to me.

Liam sighed but smiled. "Alright, Kye, Ember can stay."

I genuinely smiled, and Ember chuckled at my excitement.

"Thanks, but I was planning on staying regardless of what you all said."

Liam thrusted a finger at him. "Don't push your luck."

Ember shrugged before popping a new lollipop in his mouth. "Okay, boomer."