Savage Moon Rising

Savage Moon Rising Ancient Prophecy, Book 2 Leiland Dale

Published by Silver Publishing Publisher of Erotic Romance

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000." Cover Artist: Reese Dante Editor: Alison Todd Savage Moon Rising © 2010 Leiland Dale ISBN # 978-1-920468-48-4 All rights reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. PUBLISHER SILVER PUBLISHING http://www.silverpublishing.info

Dedication I would like to thank Alison for being such an awesome editor. It’s been really great working with you. Reese, thank you for always being there and listening to my rants. You’re a friend in a million! Last but not the least, Stormy. Thank you so much for being a part of my life. You’re truly inspirational and an exceptional friend to have. I’ll cherish our friendship for the rest of my life.

Savage Moon Rising by Leiland Dale

CHAPTER 1 Blake Savage stood and looked out at the carnage of bodies strewn all over the clearing. How had things gotten to this point? As if it weren’t bad enough to be burdened by an unknown disease, now they had vampire attacks? He turned around and spotted Wade, the Alpha of the Watson pack, halfway across the field with blood slowly seeping from a gash in his side. Blake quickly ran over and tore his already tattered shirt from his body. No huge loss anyway, he thought with a shrug. "Here let me help." "No. It's okay. I'll heal." Wade slapped at his hands as Blake tried to press the cloth to the wound. "Don't be an ass. Let me help, you could bleed out." He couldn't understand what it was about Wade, but from the first moment Blake saw him, he just knew he had to have him. It was like a fire burning, the need inside him coursing through his veins like flame through gasoline. Every time Wade slapped his hand away Blake's wolf protested and 5

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wanted out. "Oh my God!" He looked around to see Will approaching as the man removed his own shirt. Will pushed Blake out of the way and starting dabbing his shirt on the gash on Wade's side. Blake growled when Will traced his fingers around the wound. Mine! the wolf inside him growled out. Instinctively he moved closer to Wade, keeping a close eye on Will. Blake gasped when he noticed Will's hands starting to glow, and then the savage gash in Wade's side slowly started to close. Blake just stood there with his mouth hanging open in total shock and awe at what he was seeing. He’d never met anyone who could do something like that before. When Will pulled his hand back, Blake started to reach out to touch the now-healed wound. "Don't." Wade snarled at him. "What the hell is your problem?" All he wanted to do was help, yet every time he tried Wade turned him down flat. What was so wrong with him that Wade couldn't accept his help? Blake looked up and saw Eric leading Will to 6

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another injured pack member. Without waiting for an answer from Wade he walked over to where Eric stood and cast a quick glance towards Wade before looking back at Will. Blake watched Eric's mate carefully as he placed his hands on the wounds of one of the hurt pack members, but nothing seemed to be happening. Envious, Blake watched the way the Eric and his mate interacted and wished that someday he'd find his mate, too. Someone who would love him the way Eric obviously loved his Will. He lifted his eyebrow when Eric looked over at him, confusion written on the man's face. Maybe there was something more to the Prophecy that they weren't aware of yet? "We need to find out why the vampires were able to come out in the daylight." "That shouldn't have happened. We need to get to the bottom of this . . . and quick." Eric and Blake both looked at Wade in surprise. "So you'll be sticking around for a while?" Eric asked with a smug smile on his face. Blake felt his heart start to race and blood run 7

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through his veins like a runaway train. Great, that was all he needed, he thought. He couldn't understand why he felt so strongly attracted to someone who obviously didn't want anything to do with him. Wade fidgeted and shifted from foot to foot, glancing over at Blake. "Yeah, well . . . I might as well stick around and help out." "The more the merrier." Eric shook his head and smiled at Blake. "We're going to head on over to my cabin . . . our cabin, and get Will settled in. If you need anything you know where to find me. I'm sure you'll be able to set up Wade and the rest with a place to stay?" "Yeah, that's fine. We'll talk again later. They can stay at the main cabin . . . Cory too," Blake said, almost scowling. When Eric and Will left he walked over to Wade and gestured for him to follow. "Come on, I'll help you to the cabin." "I don't need you to help me," Wade growled at him. "I'm not an invalid. I can get there by myself." Blake couldn't believe he'd lusted after Wade since the moment he laid eyes on him; the man was as 8

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stubborn as a mule, and a complete asshole. "Then follow me," he snapped as he turned around and then stalked off towards the main house. Blake stopped when Darren, Ned, and Tony walked towards them. "How are you guys doing?" The trio cast a questioning glance at Wade before answering. "We're okay. Just a few scratches, but we'll heal fine in a couple of minutes." "Good. You guys can come with me, too. I'll show you where you'll all be sleeping." Still frustrated with Wade, Blake continued walking towards the main house, leaving the group to follow behind him. Cory stood there waiting when they got to the front porch of the main house. "Hey, Cory. I take it Will and Eric told you that you'd be staying here at the main house?" "My boy." Cory looked over Blake's shoulder towards the couple's house with his eyebrows raised suggestively and a smile on his face. "Those two needs some time alone, I think." Chuckling, Blake pulled Cory into a quick embrace and then immediately stepped back again. 9

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Cory seemed to be a good egg. "Oh yeah. There's no telling what will happen." "Oh I know what will happen . . . and it's about damn time too." Cory laughed, obviously delighted about the pairing. "Come on guys. Let me show you to your rooms." Walking into the main house, Blake expected everyone to follow behind him, which they did. He could feel a pair of eyes tracing his body from top to bottom and deliberately ignored it. He couldn't understand what Wade's problem was. Blake knew Wade felt the attraction between them just as strongly as he did, he saw it in the other Alpha's eyes each time he glanced at him. As he thought about what might happen if the stubborn man acknowledged the draw between them, Blake's whole body heated up and his cock started to lengthen behind the zipper of his pants. He walked up the stairs and stopped when he reached the top, closing his eyes for a minute to compose himself. Blake continued on down the 10

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passage, passing two doors; one on the left, the other on the right. "Wade, this is your room," he said pointing to the door on the left. "Cory, you can stay in this one. I'll get some of the guys to bring your stuff up in a little bit." Blake opened the door to the bedroom on the right. "That's no problem. It's a little early to go to bed; we haven't even had dinner yet!" Laughing, Cory shuffled into the bedroom and began to look around, leaving the door open. Blake ignored Wade as the man growled and stomped his way into his bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. He continued to walk further down the passage, images of Wade's face and his perfectly toned body playing behind his eyes. Blake started when Darren touched his arm. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Dammit, I can't afford distractions right now. Especially uncooperative ones, Blake thought as he opened the bedroom door on the left, next to Wade's, and gestured to Ned. "This is your room. Tony, you can sleep in the one across the 11

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hall." He walked over to the bedroom next to Cory's. "I know it's not much but it should do for now. Darren, your bedroom is the one next to Ned's." Blake pointed to the door a bit further down the passage and, mission completed, turned to walk back down towards the stairs. "If you guys need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. We're brothers, and we look after our own." Blake walked down the stairs and into the big common room. The place was filled with overstuffed, comfortable double couches, a couple of recliners, and a huge flat screen television. On the outside wall there was a big fireplace with two huge windows flanking it. Turning around, he closed the wooden sliding doors of the common room, and walked over the windows, pulling the heavy curtains closed. He needed some peace, just for a little bit. For the millionth time his mind went back to Wade. What was it about him? He lay down on the couch and pulled the throw over him, laying his head on the armrest of the chair. During the fight Blake's eyes kept being drawn 12

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to Wade like a moth to a candle. Blake found himself caught off-guard by the enemy a couple of times because of it. The pain in his side was a constant reminder of why he was distracted during the fight; it hurt like hell, but at least he healed quickly. Blake was glad he was an amazing fighter, otherwise it would have been worse. Blake's eyes reluctantly closed, and before he knew what was happening he drifted off to sleep.

A shiver ran down his body. Blake found himself standing in an open clearing, the thick mist surrounding him making it difficult to see more than a couple of inches. As if by magic, the mist lifted. Goshe and Koda stood a few feet in front of him. "What . . . what am I doing here?" "Blake, you've been called before us because we have something important to share with you," Goshe answered. "There isn't much we can tell you right now, except to confirm the prophecy isn't yet 13

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complete." Blake looked at the Ancient Ones and frowned. "I don't understand. I thought Will and Eric meeting and mating fulfilled the prophecy? There wasn't anything else written on the papers Will had." "That might very well be the case, but it's actually only the beginning." Koda looked over at Goshe with a look of concern on his face. "Even as Ancient Ones, we don't have the answers until they are revealed to us. All we know so far is that as pack Alpha it is your responsibility to take the next step." Blake bowed his head as a sign of respect. "What do you need me to do?" Goshe smiled over at him. "It's not what we need you to do. I think you already know what is required of you." "Remember, always protect your pack," Koda interjected. "Yes, I am aware of that aspect of my duties, Ancient Ones, and as pack Alpha I do my best." Blake felt heaviness on his chest. His pack members were dying and yet they still didn't have any sign of a cure. 14

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"I just don't understand what Will has to do with any of this? My pack is dying out, and we're no closer to getting a cure for the disease either." "Blake, I'm sure you noticed Will has the power of healing. He's what we call a Healer and . . ." Goshe burst out laughing all of a sudden, and turned around. "Excuse me." Koda stood there smiling as he looked over at Blake. "You have no need to worry, Blake. With the help of Will your pack will start healing. You will understand the rest soon enough." Koda turned around, and the Ancient Ones slowly started walking away. "Oh!" Goshe stopped in mid-stride and turned back around. "We leave you with one more thing . . ." Koda turned and looked at him with a frown on his face. "When the moon rises, two must become one. United you will stand, and powerful you will grow. Only then will the path to peace be opened." "What do you mean?" Blake asked, his head bent in puzzlement. When he looked up the Ancient Ones had disappeared into the thick mist that 15

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surrounded him yet again. He sighed out loud in frustration as his vision turned white and everything disappeared.

Waking with a start, the smell of barbequed meat assailed Blake's nostrils. He sat up and bent forward, his elbows rested on his knees with his face in his hands. What the hell did Koda mean? Blake was puzzling out the Ancient Ones' advice when his wolf perked up as an earthy scent assailed his nose. He flew up from the chair and started to track the scent. The moment he opened up the wooden sliding doors of the common room, the scent dissipated. His wolf howled in frustration. Blake felt his heart drop to the floor as he scented the air . . . and smelled nothing. His mate had entered, and left, the common room while he was asleep. Of that much Blake was certain. It definitely wasn't any of his pack members; he would have known long ago if his mate were a member of his own pack. That meant it could only be one of the four wolves who came with Eric and Will. 16

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Blake's first thought was of Wade. The idea of Wade being his mate had him shaking his head and laughing softly at himself. Wade was Alpha of his own pack and there was no way two Alphas could be mates. And anyway, Wade didn't even like him, let alone want to be his mate. Blake headed outside through the back door, where he found the men sitting around while Cory cooked meat on the barbeque. "Hi guys. Sorry, I'm not the best host." Blake flushed with embarrassment when Wade glared at him. As he looked over the three other men, Blake wondered which one of them was his mate.

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CHAPTER 2 Giving Blake a dirty look, Wade got up from the garden chair and went to stand next to Cory in front of the barbeque. From the moment he laid eyes on Blake his mind was like a fog, saturated lust and a need to claim, and Wade just couldn't understand it. So much had happened in the past couple of months. First Eric, the Chosen One, came through their small town in search of his mate. Having a wolf from another pack in their territory wasn't anything new, but there was something mysteriously different about Eric. Of course, Wade could tell he was one of the good guys, he'd sensed it the moment he laid eyes on the wolf. During the two weeks prior to Eric's arrival in Watson, vampires were constantly entering their territory. At first Wade didn't think too much about it, until the night Eric arrived. Then, Wade remembered when he was a kid and they used to sit around the campfire after they went for a run. His grandparents would tell them stories about their heritage. The story 18

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about the Chosen One and the Prophecy were legendary among the tales. So the night Eric came into their town and vampires attacked him things started to fall into place for Wade. The Prophecy spoke of a pack dying out because of an unknown sickness. Wade knew it wasn't his pack as they'd never had a problem like that. When Eric finally came through their town again, with Will, Wade decided to escort them home. Even though it wasn't his pack the Prophecy spoke about, the outcome would affect the survival of all wolf packs in the long run. One thing he didn't expect when they arrived in the small community was the feeling of utter despair within the pack. The sense of hopelessness was so strong it was like a thick, dark fog smothering the wolves. Adding to that was the fact they'd barely arrived in the small community when the vampires attacked, in broad daylight. This in itself was extremely bothersome to Wade. He'd never heard of vampires being able to come out into the daylight before. Ever. 19

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The healed gash in his side still throbbed, reminding him of the pack member lost during the fight. Even though he wasn't the Alpha of this pack, his instincts to protect were always there. Now that he was here, Wade couldn't just leave his wolf brothers to fend for themselves, not in the state their pack was in. The instinct to protect the pack was ingrained in him from an early age by his father; he couldn't fight it and so wouldn't try. His father had been strong, an Alpha who always fought for his pack with everything he had, until he was killed by rogue wolves many years ago. Wade tried to shake the memories of the vicious attack that took the lives of his parents when he was still a child. Losing his parents at such as early age left him with a deep sadness, not only for the loss of his parents, but also because he knew they couldn't see all the things he had accomplished as pack leader. Wade turned his head to look over his shoulder at where Blake was sitting on a garden chair by the table. He was deep in conversation with his Beta, 20

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Darren, and Wade's two other pack members, Ned and Tony. Wade eyed Blake, his heart pounding against his rib cage as trickles of sweat ran down his spine as he fought the urge to join them. Blake was probably one of the most gorgeous men he'd ever seen. Wade could see the muscles of his chest ripple under the shirt as he moved, and his mouth dried up just at the thought of touching Blake, and having Blake's mouth on him. Wade looked away and growled at himself in frustration. What the hell was wrong with him? Wade frowned at himself. "You going to help me, or you just going to stand there?" Cory nudged him in the side and smiled. "What do you need, old man?" Wade asked as he playfully nudged back. "Old man! Get your butt into the kitchen and find me a big dish to put the meat in, and then you can start bringing out the salads I made earlier," Cory grumbled. "I'll show you old man." "No problem." With one last look at Blake he headed inside the house and into the kitchen. 21

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Searching the cupboards, Wade finally found a big dish in one of the bottom cupboards. Grabbing a cloth from the sink, he wiped it out before striding back outside. "Here you go. I'll start bringing the salads out." He could feel a set of eyes watching him. Looking over his shoulder, Wade caught Blake staring at his ass. A deep blush settled on Blake's cheeks when he realized Wade caught him staring. With an evil grin on his face, Wade made his way back into the kitchen. Wade was just bending down to retrieve the bowl of potato salad from the bottom shelf when a strong scent assailed his nose and had his cock achingly hard in his pants in seconds. He knew who it was without having to look over his shoulder. "What do you want?" he snarled. Wade couldn't help himself. He didn't want to be attracted to Blake, but each time he came close to the other Alpha his wolf went totally crazy. "I just came in to get the knives and forks. I'll be out of your way in a minute," Blake replied. 22

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As he stood up straight, Wade heard a drawer open behind him somewhere. Slowly he turned around and placed the bowl of salad on the kitchen table. Blake abruptly shut the drawer and turned to face Wade. "I just don't get you. I've done absolutely nothing to you, but since the moment we met you've been snarling at me to the point of actually being rude." Blake shook his head and frowned. "What is your problem?" Staring at Blake for a moment, Wade tried to get his thoughts together. The man turned his insides into knots. The way Blake looked at him with those light hazel eyes, as if he could see straight into Wade’s soul, and those lips . . . they were begging to be kissed. The wolf inside him paced restlessly. "Nothing's wrong." He turned away and bent down to get another bowl of salad out of the fridge. "Bullshit!" Wade jumped at hearing Blake's voice just over his shoulder. He straightened out and placed the second bowl on the table. "Nothing. Is. Wrong," he 23

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said calmly through gritted teeth. "I just need you to leave me the fuck alone." "Whatever, man. I thought you were here to help but . . . I don't know." "What the fuck does that mean?" Wade frowned as fury built up inside him. Was Blake suggesting he was here for another reason? "See? All defensive again . . . and you say you have nothing against me." Blake started turning around and reached for the utensils on the counter. Grabbing Blake by the shoulders, Wade hauled the Alpha's body against his own and crushed his mouth down hard against Blake's. He surprised himself with his actions, but right now he couldn't care less. Blake's lips were soft against his and the total opposite of his hard, chiseled body. Wade deepened the kiss and plunged his tongue deep into the cavern of Blake's mouth. The taste of Blake's mouth was addicting. He tasted of whiskey and cinnamon, even though Wade was sure he never drank any liquor. Blake's hand fastened to the back of his head, deepening the kiss, 24

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while the other hand roamed over Wade's body. Blake groaned into his mouth as their tongues teased and tasted, driving each other closer to the brink of madness. Wade's arms went around Blake's waist and pulled Blake tightly against him. He groaned into Blake's mouth when their groins touched and his hard shaft rubbed directly over Blake's. Wade was sure he was quickly losing his mind. He pulled away from Blake and broke the kiss. They were both breathing hard as they tried to catch their breath. Looking at Blake, Wade could easily see the lust reflected in the Alpha's half-lidded eyes. Without a word, he quickly grabbed the two salad bowls on the table and headed back out to the yard. Wade couldn't believe what he just did. He could beat his head against the wall for being so stupid. "Oh, you're just in time," Cory called out as he started taking meat from the grill and placing it into the dish Darren was holding. Darren walked over with the dish of meat and placed it in center of the table with the plate of toasted sandwiches. Everyone 25

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pulled up chairs and sat down around the table. The bowls of salad were passed from one person to the next. "Thank you," Wade said to Darren, seated on his left, as he dished up some salad. Turning to his right and holding the salad bowl out for the next person, Wade caught his breath and licked his lips. Sometime during the dishing up of food, he'd missed the fact that Blake now sat in the seat next to his. "Thank you." Blake took the bowl and smiled at him. Fuck! The man was gorgeous. Wade couldn't help but stare at his lips. They were red and swollen from their kiss earlier. The memory had his cock straining, rock hard, against the zipper of his pants; not that his hard-on had completely gone away since he had walked out of the kitchen anyway. Wade shook his head to dispel the lusty thoughts running through his mind; there were more important things to think about. While he did decide to stay and help Blake with his pack, Wade still had responsibilities of his own pack to deal with. How he was going to keep it all together? Especially with the 26

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attraction he felt towards Blake added into the mix. He turned to look at Blake. "We need to talk about some things." "Okay. We can go into my office after we're done eating." Wade's eyes almost bulged out of his head. No way did he want to be alone with Blake, not after what happened earlier in the kitchen. "Umm . . . that's okay. We can talk while we eat," Wade quickly replied. "Darren and I have to go back to Watson in the morning. As you know, I'm the Alpha of my pack there." Blake nodded. "Well, we're a very small pack, and not so far from here. I like what I've seen about your community, it seems to be well organized." Wade stopped talking and looked around the area at the back of the house. It had its own backyard, and just beyond it you could see the clearing, with the trees surrounding the entire community farther out again. Wade liked the layout, and the way the community was set up. Not only did they have a place to run freely without having to worry about being exposed, but they had the privacy provided by 27

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the trees, too. "I haven't worked out any of the details yet, but I think you could use some more help. I'd like to speak to my pack and see if they are willing to relocate." He swallowed hard when he looked back at Blake and caught him looking straight at him. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to bring them here." He watched Blake's face for any reaction to his question. Wade didn't know why he got the feeling that it was so important for him to be here, he just knew it was something he needed to do. He sat there in silence, waiting for Blake's response. The reaction he got from Blake wasn't the one he'd been hoping for though. Blake looked away and slowly pushed up from his chair. A moment or two later, Wade watched him walk away from them towards the clearing. Quickly getting up from his chair, Wade moved to join Blake. As he laid his hand on Blake's shoulder the touch almost seared his hand and sent electrical currents right down to his groin. "It was just a thought. I figured both our packs would be safer as one bigger pack. I can see it was a bad idea." Why did 28

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the thought of Blake not wanting him around hurt so much? Wade pulled his hand back and turned around, walking back towards the table. "It's okay. Just give me a moment." Blake smiled at him before he continued to walk out towards the clearing. Sitting at the table, Wade watched Blake's retreating back. Never in his life had he ever experienced such a strong attraction to anyone before. He felt it the moment they met. It was like invisible strings tugging at him . . . pulling him towards Blake. Wade watched him stand in the middle of the clearing, looking up into the heavens as if he were searching for answers. A few moments later Blake turned around and walked back towards them. When Wade looked up to meet Blake's gaze he could see a look of total peace and acceptance on his face. Blake held out his hand as he stepped closer to Wade. "You, and your pack, are more than welcome here." Letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding, Wade took Blake's hand, giving it a quick 29

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shake before pulling back. Somehow they'd get through this . . . somehow he'd get through this; hopefully with his heart still in one piece. Wade nodded. "Thank you." He looked over at Darren. "We'll need to go to bed early tonight, it's a long drive back." He then turned to Ned and Tony. "You two will stay behind until we come back. We shouldn't be any longer than a day or two. Until then . . . follow Wade's orders." The three of them nodded, and then continued to eat. His head started to ache from the stress of the day, adding to the extra pressure he'd put himself under. Wade didn't know how the Watson Pack would react to his suggestion of relocating but he was sure most, if not all, would agree. It was a logical move after all. There was just one person who would be a problem. Probably a big one, too. Wolfgar. Whenever there was trouble in his pack, Wade knew exactly where to look: Wolfgar was almost always the center of the problem. Since Wade's father won the challenge against Wolfgar's and became pack Alpha, the man went out 30

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of his way to turn pack members against Wade. Up until now it hadn't worked. Most of the pack knew how evil Wolfgar really was, especially since he was known for blackmailing rich members of other packs: supposedly he possessed information implicating them in some really shady drug deals, things not everyone would want exposed. All Wolfgar was interested in was the money. Wade had no real proof the blackmail was happening so he couldn't do much about it, but never-the-less Wade still kept a close eye on him. Wade dug into his food as the chatter around the table started up. Blake pointed at Darren and started to laugh. "Oh my . . . your face." "What? What's wrong with my face?" Darren pushed back from the chair like the Hounds of Hell were behind him, a frightened expression on his face. "You have barbeque sauce all over your face," Blake replied, laughing harder with every word. Wade turned to look at Blake. "I wouldn't laugh if I was you. You have it all over your chin and 31

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some on your cheek." Wade shook his head. "How the hell did you get barbeque sauce on your cheek?" He reached out towards Blake with one hand, his finger swiping the sauce from Blake's cheek. Without realizing what he was doing, Wade then sucked his finger into his mouth and licked the barbeque sauce from his finger. The laughter died on Blake's lips as he looked up at him, and Wade couldn't miss the steamy look of lust clouding Blake's eyes. "I'll help clean up." Blake stood up from the table and started clearing off the table. Wade stood up in a rush, almost knocking over his chair, walked further into the backyard, and looked out over the clearing. Thinking back to Blake's words earlier in the kitchen, he realized that yes he did treat Blake like crap, but it was only to keep the attraction he felt hidden. It seemed they were both very much attracted to each other; Wade could see it in Blake's eyes. He lay down on the grass and stared up at the starry night sky. It was beautiful. Darren and he would have to leave before sunrise if they wanted to make it back to Watson in 32

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time. Wade was anxious to get things moving and return home as soon as possible: he didn't realize he already thought of where Blake was as home. Getting up reluctantly, Wade then walked into the house. "I'm going to go take a shower and head off to bed," he told Cory and Blake when he passed them in the living room. "Good night." "Night son. Drive safe tomorrow," Cory replied almost automatically, his attention fixed on the television. "See you in the morning." Blake smiled at him. Wade couldn't describe the funny feeling slowly burying itself deep inside him, and right now he was too exhausted to try. Tiredly he walked up the stairs, and then to his room, musing on what Blake did to him. Wade went to sleep with thoughts of Blake still playing in his mind.

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CHAPTER 3 Waking up the next morning, Wade turned and looked out the window. The curtains were still drawn from the previous night, when he'd opened the curtains to look out into the night as he tried to fall asleep, but couldn't. Eventually, the tiredness he felt deep down in his body had overcome him, and he'd blissfully fallen asleep. Throwing the covers off, Wade got out of bed and walked over to the window. Everything outside was still pitch-black this time of the morning but with his wolf senses Wade could see every movement. The silence in the house echoed eerily around him, like a lost soul, as he turned away from the window and started to get dressed. Creeping quietly out of his bedroom, Wade was careful to shut the door silently behind him. No need to wake everyone else up. He walked to Darren's room, two doors down from his, and opened the door. Darren lay all stretched out, still fast asleep, on the bed. Walking into the room, Wade closed the 34

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door behind him and approached the bed. "Hey. It's time to get up." He reached out and shook Darren's shoulder. The man grumbled as he slowly opened his eyes. "We need to get on the road." "Okay, I'll be out in a minute." Stepping back from the bed, Wade gave Darren a stern look before he turned around and walked out of the room. As he closed the door behind him, Wade cast a look at the door next to Darren's. Was Blake still sleeping? Wade wondered. He was about to walk over to Blake's bedroom to let him know they were leaving when he stopped himself in mid-stride. He didn't owe Blake anything. On the contrary, Blake owed him and the other three Watson pack members for being there when the vampires arrived. That was another thing still bothering Wade. He couldn't understand how it was even possible for vampires to be out in the daylight; they were creatures of the night. For as long as he could remember, he'd never known of any vampires able to come out into the daylight, never even heard of it 35

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being a possibility. Wade turned around and headed towards the stairs. Everything was dark in the main room, but he caught the faint scent of a wolf. He sniffed the air again. The distinct scent caught his attention firmly and made his cock take instant notice. Once his vision adjusted to the darkness, Wade saw a figure sitting in one of the single sofas off to the side. His lust, and the urge to mate, drew him towards the silhouette sitting in the dark. His heart sped up, beating against his chest like a drum. Wade rubbed his sweaty hands on his jeans as the wolf inside him rebelled against the restraint Wade was forcing upon it. The closer he got to the dark figure, the stronger the arousing scent became. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come down and see you off." Startled, Wade stopped in his tracks as the dark shadow got up from the couch and stepped into the moonlight. Looking at the gorgeous, half-naked body, dressed only in a pair of boxer shorts, he caught his breath. 36

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Wade swallowed hard before answering, "You didn't have to." His voice was rough with lust and a desire so intense it almost took his breath away. It certainly seemed to have taken his common sense. "I wanted to." Blake took a tentative step closer. Before Wade realized what he was doing he lunged forward, taking Blake into his arms and capturing the man's mouth in a savage kiss. Wade could feel himself losing control and his wolf taking over. They grabbed at each other, pushing and pulling as they battled for dominance. Blake swung him around and pushed Wade up against the closest wall. That was so hot! Wade thought as he threaded his fingers through Blake's hair and pulled his head closer. He had to taste more. It felt like Blake's hands were touching him everywhere, driving him out of his mind. A throat being cleared with an "Ahem," brought Wade right back down to earth with a thump. He shoved Blake away from him and turned to look over at the front door; Darren stood there with a smirk on his face. "Meet me at the car. I'll be out in a 37

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second." "Yes, Alpha," Darren answered with amusement, the smirk turning into a full-on grin. Wade groaned and turned back to look at Blake. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Wade moaned when Blake licked his lips. God, he wanted another taste. He leaned forward and gave Blake another deep kiss before pulling away and walking towards the front door. Stopping in the doorway, Wade looked over his shoulder at Blake. "Look after yourself." The wolf inside Wade protested with every step he took farther away from Blake, and Wade battled himself all the way to the car. This could not be happening to him. How could his mate be another Alpha? Wade wondered as he opened the passenger door of the car and got in. He berated himself for losing control with Blake. How could he have lost it so completely, almost to the point where his wolf was on the verge of coming out? Wade looked over at Darren and noticed the knowing look and broad smile on his face. "Can you just start the damn car already?" 38

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Wade growled. Darren just laughed as he turned the key in the ignition.

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They made good time on the drive back to Watson; the weather was perfect for driving and traffic seemed light. During the ride back they took turns driving, giving each other a few extra hours of sleep, but even sleeping was difficult for Wade. His thoughts kept returning to the intense kiss he shared with Blake and the feeling of Blake's body pressed against his as he pushed Wade up against the wall. Wade's cock responded and ached with need as it strained against the zipper. The wolf wanted to claim its mate. Now. It was early evening when Wade brought the car to a stop outside his house, at the end of the main drive of the compound. Looking around, Wade realized he and Blake weren't too different from each other in their ideas about keeping their packs safe. 39

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Although their individual reasons for holding their packs together might be different, their ultimate goals were the same. They each built their own werewolf community in order to keep the pack members together. In turn, this also provided extra safety for each member of the pack. It seemed they were both looking out for their pack, and took the position of being Alpha very seriously. Wade admired that about Blake; even while his pack was dying out from an unknown disease, Blake held on strong during the battle with the vampires. Wade started when Darren's hand touched his shoulder. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. Yeah. I was just thinking there for a minute." Giving Darren a reassuring smile, Wade opened the car door. Stepping out, he glanced around the compound, and frowned. Something just didn't feel right. It was all just too . . . quiet. Wade looked over at Darren and could see the same confusion he felt written on the other man's face. "I'm glad I'm not 40

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the only one who thinks there's something seriously wrong with this picture." The door to Wolfgar's house opened just as Wade took a step away from the car. Wolfgar stepped out, his shoulders squared and a sly grin on his face. The hair on the back of Wade's neck instantly stood up; something definitely wasn't right. Darren walked around the car and flanked his side as Wolfgar approached. "Call off your little watchdog, Wade." Wade took a step forward and stood in front of Darren protectively. "What's going on here?" Wade growled out, ignoring Wolfgar's insult towards his Beta. From the corner of his eye, Wade noticed some pack members peeking out from their windows, while others were cautiously stepping out from their homes to watch the confrontation. "I'm officially challenging your for the position of Alpha of the pack!" Wolfgar sneered at him. "Challenging me?" Wade threw back his head and laughed, thinking Wolfgar was joking. Even though Wolfgar gave him a lot of trouble in the pack, 41

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there was just no way the man could think it possible he could beat Wade in a challenge. Wade realized the challenge was not a joke when Wolfgar aggressively took a couple of steps towards him. "You're no match for me." Wade knew this challenge could only end one way, and it tore him apart knowing he couldn't just walk away. Darren laid a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this." Wade looked over his shoulder at Darren. "Yes I do, and you know it." He turned back around and looked at Wolfgar. "Let's do it. Here, now." "It would be my pleasure to rip you to pieces and show everyone how useless you are as an Alpha!" Wolfgar growled out as he started to tear the clothes from his body. Wade never understood what it was Wolfgar had against him; it wasn't like he'd ever treated the man badly. Yet Wolfgar always went out of his way to make sure something went wrong, and on many occasions tried to turn the pack against him. Those little tricks of his never seemed to work; just like 42

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Wade the pack members were all too aware of what Wolfgar was up to. Pushing Darren further behind him, Wade stepped forward to meet the challenge. Just as he was about to remove his clothes, Wolfgar charged towards him, shifting in mid-air. Reacting instinctively, Wade dodged Wolfgar's sharp claws and shifted. The clothes ripped from his body as he changed, the torn shreds blowing away in the wind. From the corner of his eyes Wade saw the pack members creating a circle around them. Wolfgar growled out angrily and lunged forward. Again Wade moved out of the way when Wolfgar lashed out. With quick, decisive movements, Wade stepped closer and slashed his lethal claws over Wolfgar's side. The challenger howled out in pain, blood spattering the ground as Wade's claws dug into Wolfgar's side. Wade reared back when Wolfgar swiped at him, and jumped back onto his feet. In a surprise move, Wolfgar attacked, his claws ripping through Wade's sides. The crowd went deathly silent 43

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when he flew through the air and landed with thud on the ground. Wade panted heavily, his sides burning as if hot coals were shoved inside him. Never had he felt such searing pain before, not even when he fought against the vampires alongside Blake. Just thinking about Blake gave Wade renewed strength. Even if he didn't understand why they were chosen to be mated, Wade was going to make sure he saw his mate again. He stood up just as a roar split through the air. Turning around, he saw Wolfgar standing in the center of the circle with his back turned towards him preening like a victor. The crowd erupted in a chorus of encouraging howls when Wade stood up and charged Wolfgar. A split second before Wade jumped on top of his challenger Wolfgar turned and saw him. They fell to the ground together as they grappled, jaws snapping. Wade nipped at Wolfgar's nose, forcing him to lift his head and giving the Alpha the perfect opportunity to bite down on his throat. Biting down, Wade locked his jaws and Wolfgar instantly stopped struggling against his hold. 44

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Wolfgar's body stilled as he submitted to Wade. Slowly, warily, Wade released his throat and took a step back. Lifting his head, he looked at the pack members surrounding them. Every single one had their head bowed to him as a sign of their submission. He never doubted their loyalty towards him, just like they never doubted his loyalty to them. Turning, Wade started walking towards Darren, pausing in concern when he heard the pack members shout in outrage. Wade spun around just in time to see Wolfgar come down on top of him. He didn't want to kill the wolf but it seemed there would be no other option; Wolfgar wasn't giving him one. Within seconds Wade latched onto his opponent's neck, locked his jaws, and ripped out Wolfgar's throat. Blood flowed over his tongue and saturated his muzzle, and Wade tossed Wolfgar to the side as the man's body went completely limp in his jaws. Shifting quickly, and revealing the bloody streaks covering his body from head to toe, Wade 45

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started the walk towards his house with a heavy heart. Killing another pack member wasn't something Wade did lightly, even if was Wolfgar; he was a pack member after all, and that meant Wolfgar was family. You looked after your family and protected them. In the end the victory was bittersweet; he might have won the challenge but he lost a pack member. When Wade reached his house and opened the front door, Darren was right beside him to make sure his Alpha wasn't hurt too badly. He had always been there for Wade, especially when he needed Darren the most. Wade considered Darren to be like a brother to him, not just a pack member. They'd been close friends since they were kids. Growing up, their parents started teaching them the way of the pack, and prepared them to one day take over, together. It was only natural Darren would be his Beta and that he be there with him now. "I'll be okay," he said to Darren as he walked up the stairs to the bathroom. Stepping into the shower, Wade let the water cascade over him, washing the blood from his body and down the drain. 46

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The water stung when it flowed over the cuts, and every small movement had him cringing from the pain of the injuries to his side. Wade turned off the faucet and stepped out of the shower, quickly drying himself off. The long drive, and the fight, had tired him out. Wade made his way to the bedroom and then settled himself on the bed as he pulled the sheet over his body. Within moments of his head hitting the pillow, Wade drifted off to sleep.

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CHAPTER 4 Liviano De Luca got off the airplane at di Pescara Airport and walked through the terminal to the carousels to claim his baggage. The only reason he agreed to come to Italy at all was because the Folletti Vampire Council had summoned his family for assistance, and he was the lucky one to be chosen to face the council. It was the last place he wanted to be; it reminded Liviano too much of his life as a human. The De Luca clan consisted of his parents and five siblings. Over the centuries they'd made many friends and, besides the Folletti, they were considered one of the most powerful vampire clans around. Not even the Folletti dared to interfere with their chosen way of life. Even before Valente found him so many centuries ago, and turned him, his family had decided they would only hunt animals to feed from. This was one of the things the Folletti never understood about them; they were of the belief that vampires were made to hunt humans and drink their blood to 48

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survive, effectively the top of the food chain. The De Luca clan proved them wrong, and because of their use of non-human blood they'd made many friends who were always there and stood with them in their beliefs. The members of his family were all born centuries ago in Italy. As time passed over the centuries it became more and more difficult to hide their identity, especially as many newly made vampires attacked humans recklessly, thereby exposing them all. Not long after one excessively bloody incident the De Luca clan decided immigrating to America seemed to offer the best chance for their survival. Liviano never regretted his decision to follow his family. Valente and Bianca treated him like he was of their own blood and bodies. Liviano gazed around the airport at the people rushing about as they collected their luggage and headed towards the exits. When he spotted his single piece of luggage on the carousel, Liviano quickly stepped forward. "Scusi, mi scusi," he said as he 49

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squeezed through the throng of people surrounding the baggage claims. As his bag came past him Liviano grabbed the carry-on and hoisted it over his shoulder. He hated crowded places; they always made him feel as if everything was closing in on him. As fast he could, Liviano pushed through the crowds towards the exit. He stepped up to the curb just outside and hailed a cab. Liviano opened the door to the taxi and threw his carry-on onto the back seat as he got inside, ordering the driver to take him to the hotel. "Per l'hotel per favore." The driver looked at him in the rear view mirror and nodded before pulling away from the curb and merging with the traffic. During the flight to Italy Liviano was given plenty of time to wonder why the Folletti would summon his family. It must be something truly important for them to call on the De Luca clan after they'd shown, in no uncertain terms, their disgust with the clan's beliefs. The honk of a vehicle behind them drew Liviano's attention back to his surroundings minutes 50

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before the taxi drew up to the curb and stopped in front of the hotel. Liviano pulled his wallet from the inside pocket of his black leather jacket and handed the driver some largish notes with the request to wait for him to return. "Vi preghiamo di attendere. Sarò diritto indietro." Sliding his wallet back into to coat pocket, Liviano then opened the door and stepped out onto the curb, pulling the carry-on out with him and slinging it over his shoulder. The cold mid-March breeze quickly chilled him to the bone. Liviano hurriedly shut the door of the cab and attempted to pull the edges of the leather jacket together as he walked through the entrance of the hotel into the lobby. The hotel was small but exquisite paintings hung on the walls. Liviano recognized the top-of-theline furniture strategically placed throughout the lobby of the hotel. A concierge appeared at his side requesting his luggage. "La borsa, senore." "No, questo bene. La ringrazio." Liviano declined, and walked over to the reception desk. A 51

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young woman with a dark mop of curly, shoulderlength hair stood behind the desk. She looked up from the computer at him when Liviano approached and he instantly recognized her as one of their own. "Good evening, sir. How may I assist you?" the lady asked with a thick Italian accent. Liviano noted her name from the nametag on her left breast pocket. "Good evening, Patricia. I have a room reserved under the name De Luca." "Certainly, sir." She smiled at him as she turned towards the computer screen and rapidly tapped the keys on the keyboard. "Here you go." Pulling a note card from a pile sitting on the desk, she placed it in front of him. "Please complete this for me while I get your room key for you." "Thank you." Patricia gave him a suggestive smile as she turned and disappeared around the corner. If she only knew he was gay, she wouldn't be so nice. Liviano smiled to himself as he completed the note card. A few moments later Patricia returned with his plastic room card in her hand. "Here you go, sir. You're in room 207." Turning 52

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to the side, she pointed to the left of the reception desk. "You can take the elevator up to the second floor. Once you reach the second floor, your room will be down the hallway to your left." Patricia touched his hand with the tips of her fingers. "If you require anything . . . anything at all . . . please, do not hesitate to ask," she said shyly. "Thank you so much." Liviano lifted her hand to his lips, giving it a quick peck before letting go and turning towards the elevator. He pressed the button and stepped inside the moment the doors opened. Impatiently, Liviano punched the button for the second floor; he just wanted to get this meeting with the Folletti over and done with so he could go home. When the elevator doors opened up on the second floor Liviano quickly stepped out and followed the directions Patricia gave him, down the hallway towards his room. The lock made a clicking sound when he slid the keycard through the card reader on the door. Liviano pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. Casting a quick glance around the room without really noticing anything, he 53

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dropped his carry-on at the foot of the bed and exited the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Liviano sighed out loud as he stepped into the elevator. The flight from the US to Italy was long and left his legs feeling cramped from sitting so long. All he wanted to do was turn back and go to his room, but Liviano wanted to get the visit to the Folletti over and done with more. When the doors to the elevator opened, Liviano quickly stepped out, strode through the lobby, and then walked out of the hotel towards the waiting taxi. He opened the door and quickly climbed in, shutting the door behind him. "Al Castello, si prega." The driver's eyes latched onto his in the rearview mirror. Liviano could see the sheer terror reflected in the man's gaze at his request to be taken to The Castle. Even though times may have changed, and vampires weren't hunted like animals any more, it seemed the Folletti still put the fear of God into humans. "Si, Si," the driver answered, his head bobbing up and down in a quick motion. Sitting back in his seat and closing his eyes, 54

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Liviano concentrated, letting the noise and the distractions around him fade into the background. For the hundredth time, Liviano wondered what the reason could be for the summons to the Folletti. Not once, for as long as he could remember, had any of his family members been summoned by the council. This must be something extremely important. When the taxi came to a halt he quickly opened his eyes and sat up straight. The big castle loomed in the distance. Liviano removed his wallet and paid the driver before moving to get out. The moment he closed the door of the cab it sped off into the night. Liviano approached the gate, and was about to push the button on the intercom when he sensed someone standing close by. A voice drifted in the air towards him. "You've arrived." His head snapped to the side as Liviano spread his legs apart and braced himself, ready for an attack. His senses had never let him down thus far, and right now, they screamed vampire. Liviano glared into the darkness and allowed his eyes to adjust to the lack of 55

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light. A small figured slowly stepped out of out the shadows. "Oh, come now. We don't have time for these games, they're waiting." Liviano gave the man a onceover; he looked to be about five foot seven, and a black cape covered him from head to toe. "Who are you?" Liviano's breath caught in his throat when he looked up, directly into the vampire's sapphire-blue eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. "My name is Ciprian. I'm a Protector for the Council. I assume you're from the De Luca clan?" he asked. "Yes. I'm Liviano De Luca." Ciprian nodded and turned away, walking towards a side gate Liviano hadn't noticed earlier. "Follow me." Wow, they're definitely a friendly bunch, now, aren't they? Liviano thought to himself as he followed the younger vampire through the gate and across the courtyard towards the large, wooden double entry doors of the castle. A few other vampires, dressed in 56

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the same black cape as Ciprian's, passed them on the way to the castle and sneered at Liviano; the De Luca clan's preference for animal blood didn't endear them with vampires not of the same mind. Liviano took in his surroundings as they walked. The Castle was entirely surrounded by a ten foot wall made of stone and cement. The outer perimeter of the wall was lined with Dogwood trees, half in bloom, and flower bushes of every kind, giving the Castle an inviting look. Liviano snorted. Nothing could be further from the truth. He followed Ciprian up the stone steps to the wooden doors and waited for him to open them. Stepping through the door, Liviano found himself transported back in time. Liviano whistled softly under his breath as he took in the paintings hanging on the walls. They were painted by some of the most renowned painters of their time and must have cost a pretty penny. Baroque-style couches lined the walls on both sides, and heavy, thick curtains covered the stained-glass windows. Glancing towards the end of the hallway, Liviano could see another set of wooden double 57

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doors. He almost bumped into Ciprian when the man stopped abruptly before gesturing to the couch standing against one wall. "Wait here," Ciprian said before walking down the hallway towards the double doors. Liviano sat down on the couch, moving from one end to the other, trying to get comfortable. The furniture might be expensive and good to look at but it sure as hell isn't comfortable. He thought to himself. Liviano sat there staring at the double doors, patiently waiting to be called, and wished he was any other place but here.

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CHAPTER 5 Getting up from the table, Blake walked idly over to the window. As he peered out into the bright sunlight he noticed the state of the buildings; some were falling apart, yet others were well tended with beautiful flower beds outside the porch. Once again Blake was reminded of the illness plaguing his pack; it was like he could see it reflected in the walls of the buildings. He wearily wiped his face with his hand and looked out the window again. Eric and Will were approaching the main house. He stepped away from the window and walked towards the front door, opening it up and stepping outside. "Good Morning." He smirked at the couple. "How did you sleep?" Blake couldn't help but tease them, the whole pack heard their screams and howls last night. Everyone might have gotten an earful, but it still was a joyous occasion for every member of the pack. A few months ago, Eric was visited by the Ancient Ones and told he had been chosen to find the one person who could save their 59

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pack. Not only would this person be the savior of their pack, but Eric's mate as well. Eric didn't have any more information than what the Ancient Ones gave him and from what Blake could find out, it wasn't much help, either. He and Eric were best friends; they grew up together and learned everything they knew about their pack from the combined teachings of their fathers. Blake didn't only consider Eric to be his best friend, he was also the brother Blake never had. During Eric's absence he constantly stood watch at the window, waiting for his friend to return, hoping Eric would find his mate and come home safely. Blake watched Eric and Will as he walked down the steps of his front porch towards them. Eric pulled Will close to him when the human's cheeks flushed deep red. "We slept like little cubs." He burst out laughing and slung an arm around each of them. "Congratulations, and welcome to the family. I'm honored to have you as part of our pack." Blake pulled back and looked at them. "Where are you off to?" 60

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"We're going to see Terrance," Eric replied. Despair flowed through Blake like a raging river; Terrance was one of the pack members who had taken ill. "It's time. Are you coming with us?" Blake nodded, and followed them to the last cabin closest to the main house. He watched as Eric took Will's hand in his and walked up the steps to the cabin door. Eric tapped on the door twice and a few moments later it swung open. Victoria stood there with every hair on her head perfectly in place and a lopsided smile on her face, but even with her perfect grooming Blake saw the toll her mate's illness had taken on her; new wrinkles showed on her forehead and around her eyes. "Morning, Victoria." Eric gave a slight nod. "This is my mate, Will. May we come in?" "Good morning. Please . . ." Victoria stepped back, allowing them inside the cabin, only noticing Blake behind the couple as they stepped inside. "Oh. I'm sorry Alpha, I meant no disrespect." Victoria bowed her head down and to the side, acknowledging him. 61

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"No need for worrying, Victoria. It's okay." Blake's hand rested on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. "We're here to help. Can you take us to Terrance?" Victoria nodded and led the way into their bedroom, casting quick, curious glances at Will. Eric walked over to the side of the bed where Terrance lay with a blanket covering him. His breathing labored and heavy, Blake could smell the man's death heavy in the air. "Hello Terrance. How are you feeling?" Eric asked compassionately. Standing with Victoria at the end of the bed, Blake watched Eric and Will closely. He hoped this would work. Blake still didn't understand how a mere human like Will could be the savior of their pack, but after what he saw the previous day he now had hope for them. "I've seen better days," Terrance replied with a little bit of humor. "This is my mate, Will. He's here to help you." Eric pulled Will closer and stood right beside him. 62

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Terrance looked up at Will with hope shining bright in his eyes. "Is it okay?" Terrance gave Eric a slight nod. Turning to face Will, Eric gave him a quick peck on the cheek and stepped back to join Blake and Victoria. "I'll be right here if you need me." "I'm going to have to touch you," Will said. Blake could sense fear in Will, everyone else seemed scared and a little hopeful at the same time. Blake didn't know what to expect, or even if anything would happen. Nobody did. So much was riding on Will being able to cure the sick pack members of this disease. He watched as Will pulled the covers down, exposing Terrance's frail body. He had the body of someone who was starving, and his bones were clearly visible. Will placed his hands lightly on Terrance's chest and stomach. A few moments later his hands started to glow a fiery red and his eyes rolled back in his head. Eric quickly moved to stand behind his mate, holding onto his hips. Terrance gasped as the red glow engulfed his body. Blake held Victoria back by her arms as she 63

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took a step towards Terrance. A few minutes, which felt like hours, passed before the glow started receding and then disappeared altogether. Blake quickly let go of Victoria and stepped forward, pulling a chair up for the exhausted healer just as Will slumped back into Eric's arms. The room was filled with a deathly silence as they all watched in awe as Terrance opened his eyes, his breathing no longer labored. As they watched, Terrance visibly regained his strength; it was as if Eric had hit the rewind button on his illness. Victoria rushed over to help when Terrance attempted to sit up in bed, eventually resting his back against the headboard. "How are you doing baby?" Eric looked down at his mate, obviously worried. "Tired." Will's eyes slid closed as he curled further into Eric's embrace. Blake walked over, looking down at Will with concern. He hoped the healing, or whatever it was that just happened, didn't harm Will. "Is he okay?" "He'll be fine. He's just tired." Eric lifted Will 64

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into his arms and got up from the chair. "I'm going to take him home to lie down." They walked through the cabin towards the front door, Eric with Will in his arms. Blake reached out and opened the door, allowing them to walk outside before he shut it firmly. Turning around, the Alpha walked back into the bedroom, needing to reassure himself that the healing really did work. Victoria sat on the edge of the bed, cradling Terrance in her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. Blake slowly approached the bed. "How are you feeling?" "I'm feeling much stronger with every passing moment, Alpha. He just . . . just touched me," Terrance said with awe in his voice as he looked up at him. Blake could see the color slowly creeping back into the man's skin, and the stench of death no longer hung in the air. "That's good. You get your rest now so that you can finish healing." "Thank you, Alpha," Victoria said in a soft 65

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voice. With a nod, Blake turned around and walked out of the bedroom, leaving the couple to their privacy. Blake stepped outside onto the front porch and stood there, looking out over the cabins lined up in a row. I just witnessed a miracle, he thought to himself, and smiled. There was hope. His pack would survive.

****

Wade opened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch, the late afternoon sun beating down on him. Out in the clearing, just over fifty pack members waited for him. Wolfgar's challenge the previous day still lay heavy on Wade's shoulders. Killing another wolf, especially a pack member, was one thing Wade never had to do before and he hoped that he never would have to again, either. Killing Wolfgar, even though he challenged Wade, kept him tossing and turning all night. In the early morning hours Wade eventually gave up trying to sleep, got 66

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out of bed, and went for a run in the woods in an attempt bury the memories and stench of death he felt clinging to him. "Time to get this over with." Climbing down the porch stairs, Wade made his way to the clearing. The previous evening he'd asked Darren to inform the pack he was calling a meeting. He just hoped that they would choose wisely with the decision he was about to give them. As he approached the clearing the crowed parted to make way for him. Wade stepped into the center, with Darren following behind him. "How are you doing?" "I'm good." He looked at Darren and smiled. Wade stood there and looked around him at the pack members. "You took care of Wolfgar? Made sure he was well taken care of?" "Yes, Alpha." Darren nodded and took a step back to stand behind Wade. A silence descended over the crowd. "I would like to thank all of you for coming on such short notice." Wade cleared his throat. "I'm sure some of 67

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you are still mourning what happened yesterday. However, I've called this meeting because it's of an urgent nature." Wade walked around the circle, pointedly looking every pack member in the eye. "During my absence I met my mate. I've also found a better place for us to live." Almost immediately the chatter started, some people voicing their curiosity, others their denial. "Hear me out before you say no." Wade raised his hand to quiet the crowd. "About two towns from here there is another, smaller, pack. Unlike ours, they're very secluded and have a community of their own." He looked around at the pack members and saw the curiosity on their faces. Good. "Here in Watson we're very exposed. We live in the middle of the human community, and there's always the chance of us being outed." "My Beta," Wade extended his hand to Darren, "would be able to tell you what a beautiful place it is. I believe it would not only be safer for us as a pack, but also as shifters." 68

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"But what about those of us that have jobs here in Watson?" one of the pack members interrupted. "Like I said, the choice is yours if you want to relocate with us or not. There is a human community about twenty-five minutes drive from the pack. It would be easy to find another job there." Blake responded. "Most of the pack members there work the land and sell what they harvest to the human community, I'm sure there would be room for those of us who wish to do the same." "Would you still be our Alpha?" a female pack member asked. Wade thought about that for a moment before answering. He didn't know how he and Blake were going to work together as Alphas, but one thing he was determined would not change was him leading his pack. "Yes, I will still be your Alpha. However, once I'm mated you will not only have me as your Alpha but my mate as well." Once again, Wade felt like he was speaking out of line. He hoped that Blake would agree with his decision. "I know this has come as a quite a shock, and I 69

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might be asking too much from some of you, but I'm asking you to please consider the option." Wade slowly turned in a circle and with his eyes, pleaded with each member of the pack. "Please move with me. Let's grow and stand stronger, together. Let us learn from each other and grow as a pack. For those who choose not to go with us, please, remember you will always have a home with us." Wade knew this move was something he had to do if he wanted to protect his pack. It would ultimately make them stronger against the vampires. "For those who decide to leave with me," he took a deep breath, "we will be leaving exactly ten days from today." The chatter started up again as Wade turned away and made his way back to his house. Hopefully most, if not all, of the wolves would decide to leave with him. There wasn't much for them here in Watson, and only a handful of pack members had jobs in the human community. Hearing footsteps running up behind him, and feeling a hand fall onto his shoulder, Wade turned his 70

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head and looked over his shoulder. "You miss him already?" Darren asked. "Who?" Wade asked, playing dumb. He knew exactly who Darren was talking about. "Your mate, who else?" "No. Why would I miss him? He's a pain in my ass." Wade wasn't going to admit that he was actually missing Blake. Darren laughed, appearing reassured, as they continued to walk towards his house.

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CHAPTER 6 Seven days, and still Blake hadn't heard from Wade. He got up from the couch and walked over to the sliding glass door, pushing it open restlessly. Blake stood there for a few minutes, to watch as the sun went down, before stepping out into the back yard. The smell of sulfur wafted under his nose, causing his senses to perk up instantly in the hunt for a threat. His eyes quickly zeroed in on the figure standing in the distance, among the trees. Without thinking Blake shifted and headed towards the shadow at a steady lope. As he approached Blake scented the air to make sure the vampire was alone. When he was satisfied he crouched down into a defensive stance and growled, warning the vampire not to attack. The vampire slowly, and cautiously, stepped out from behind the trees with his hands held up in front of him. "I'm not here to fight or cause trouble. I came to speak to your Alpha." Blake growled viciously again, making the 72

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vampire take a step back. Couldn't this twit tell that he was the Alpha? Stupid vampire! "Okay, I get it. You want me to wait," the vampire said. If he could, Blake would have rolled his eyes, this one obviously didn't have too much between the ears. Still crouched down aggressively as he faced the vampire, Blake slowly started retracing his steps before turning around and sprinting towards the house. He constantly looked over his shoulder to make sure the vampire wasn't following. Obviously Blake wasn't getting anywhere with this one as a wolf, so he was left with no choice but to try to talk to the idiot. Maybe then the vampire would understand he was the Alpha. Blake disappeared behind a bush and shifted back into human form before entering the house and quickly dressing. A few moments later he stepped out of the house and stalked into the clearing towards the vampire. "Who are you and what do you want?" Blake shouted out. 73

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The vampire stepped out from the trees and slowly approached, stopping a few feet away. "I'm Liviano De Luca. I was sent by the vampire council to speak to you." "To speak to me about what?" he snarled. "We have nothing to say to your kind!" Blake kept a close eye on the vampire, he didn't trust him one bit. The vampire glared at him, his hands fisting at his sides. "Actually, there is something I have to say to you, or at least ask." Taking a step closer, Blake had his face right against the vampire's. "Since when can vampires come out into the daylight?" "What!? You must be insane!" Liviano took a step back and looked at him with total disbelief written all over his face. "We cannot come out into the daylight. That . . . that's not possible." "It is possible. There were a group of them here about two weeks ago." Blake pointed to a pit in the middle of the clearing. "See that? We burned them there after they attacked us in broad daylight and killed members of my pack." 74

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The vampire looked over to where he was pointing and slowly started walking towards it, shaking his head. "This is . . . this is just . . . impossible." Liviano stuttered. Blake followed, keeping a close eye on Liviano. Even though his shock was evident in his expression, Blake still didn't trust him. "Are you telling me you don't know about his? How could you not?" he growled. "I . . . I . . . I don't know." Liviano seemed to be lost in his own thoughts for a while before turning back around to face him. "I'm honestly here just to make peace between our kinds, but it seems there are things that even we didn't know of." Liviano looked at him as he obviously thought carefully about what to do next. "Give me a moment. I need to call my parents." Blake grunted in surprise as Liviano turned his back on him. It seemed the vampire wasn't very concerned Blake would attack him and tear him to shreds. This made Blake reconsider the words of truce Liviano spoke; maybe he was actually here for that 75

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reason, maybe Blake could trust him. The Alpha still felt skeptical, but so far everything with Liviano rang of truth. He couldn't smell even an ounce of deceit hanging in the air around the vampire. He watched Liviano pull out his cell, and moments later the call was answered. Liviano spoke in hushed tones, now and again looking over his shoulder at Blake. Turning his head away from Liviano to hide the fact that he was listening, Blake eavesdropped on the conversation. "I don't know. Something strange is going on. According to Blake, the Alpha, the vampires attacked their pack in broad daylight." "There's something brewing, papa. It just doesn't feel right," Liviano replied to the person on the other end. "I'll see what I can do. I'll be home soon." He flipped the cellphone closed and turned back around to face Blake. "Well, it seems there's some stuff we need to find out." Liviano motioned at the pit with a worried expression on his face. "Do you remember what they looked like?" "Yeah, I remember." Blake gave him a 76

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summary of each of the vampires, describing them in precise detail, even down to what they wore. It seemed as if Liviano was making a mental note of each point Blake mentioned. After Blake finished profiling the vampires, he looked at Liviano again, who appeared to be deep in thought. "Well, that's what I know." "I really want to work together and see if we could work out a truce between our kinds. All the fighting just seems . . . unnecessary, you know?" Liviano responded with a frown on his face. Blake felt the same way. Why couldn't the werewolves and vampires work together instead of against each other? United, they would definitely be a force to be reckoned with. "Yeah, I agree." Liviano took a step towards him until they were just a few feet apart, and held out his hand. "I hope we at least get to talk. It was nice to meet you, but I think we need to figure out what's going on here," he said, tilting his head to the side. "I'm going to go and find out what I can with my family, and see what we come up with. Maybe we'll meet up again 77

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after that to share information." Taking a step forward, Blake shook Liviano's hand. "Thanks. I appreciate your help." The hairs at the back of his neck stood up, letting him know they were being watched, so Blake pulled his hand back and looked over his shoulder. Before he realized what was happening a wolf sped past him and jumped into the air, attacking the vampire. He stood there in shock for a split second before pulling himself together. Liviano and the wolf were slashing furiously at each other, rolling around as they fought. "Stop!" Blake growled at the wolf. Within moments the two broke apart. The wolf stood to the side, baring his teeth and growling at Liviano. After a better look at the wolf, Blake realized it was Wade. "What the hell are you thinking? Get back here!" Blake's temper rose as Wade ignored him. "Now!" The wolf took a few reluctant-seeming steps back towards Blake while still keeping a close eye on Liviano. Blake looked down at Wade then back up at 78

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Liviano. "Are you okay?" "Yes, yes, I'm fine." Wade growled at his side. "Just shut up. You don't know what war you could have just started." Blake took a step towards Liviano, but Wade stepped in front of him. "Oh, for fuck's sake." He looked back up at Liviano and caught him smirking. "We'll see you again soon. For now, I think I have something to take care of." "We'll see each other again soon. Hopefully I'll have some more information for you then." Liviano nodded and took a few steps back before turning around and disappearing into the woods at lightning speed. Ready to rip Wade a new one, Blake turned around . . . and his breath caught in his throat. Instead of finding the wolf, Wade stood there in front of him in all his naked glory, glowering at him. "What the hell were you thinking? You could have been killed!" Blake could barely say a word as his gaze traveled up and down Wade's naked body. His cock instantly reacted, straining against the zipper of his 79

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pants. Swallowing hard, he answered, "I was perfectly safe. Liviano just wanted to talk." He swallowed a groan when Wade took a step towards him. "Safe!? That was a vampire. You didn't even have your Beta backing you up!" Wade's whole body seemed to shake with anger.

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Sitting on the porch during the early morning hours, unable to sleep, Wade's protective instincts had kicked in. His immediate thought was of Blake. His mate was in danger, but from what, Wade couldn't tell. Without a thought he'd packed his stuff and rushed out to his car, driving non-stop to get to Blake. The need to protect his mate was so overwhelming Wade felt like his insides were being torn apart, bit by bit. Standing in front of his mate, Wade couldn't believe how stupid Blake was. How could he trust a vampire? he thought to himself as anger and irritation 80

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wracked his entire body. Watching Blake's eyes roaming over his body, Wade's cock hardened fully the moment Blake's gaze stopped at his crotch while he licked his lips. The pain in his side was quickly forgotten as Blake's eyes continued to rake over his body. Acting on instinct he lunged forward and grabbed Blake's face between his hands, capturing his mate's lips with his own. Blake gasped in surprise, opening his mouth and allowing Wade's tongue to delve inside. Wade groaned as the Blake's taste exploded on his tongue. He quickly pulled back before he went too far, and rested his forehead on Blake's. "God, you're a fucking idiot." Wade was surprised when Blake grabbed him and shoved him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him as he landed on top of Wade. "What the hell--?" "Mine!" Blake snarled before his mouth came down hard on Wade's. Struggling against Blake's hold for a moment, Wade flipped him over and landed between Blake's 81

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spread legs. "No, you're mine. My mate," he growled back. "I'm going to fuck you until you don't remember anyone else ever touched you." Wade's words seemed to have brought Blake out of his lust-filled daze. Blake shook his head. "Not if I fuck you first." Blake's hard cock rubbed against his as he leaned forward and nibbled on Wade's neck, distracting him for a moment. Wade felt himself being lifted, and landed on his back with Blake between his legs. "I told you I'm going to fuck you." Wade gave Blake an evil smile. "Not with all your clothes on." They shoved at each other, rolling around in the grass as they exerted their dominance over the other. The roughness Blake used to handle him turned Wade on more and more as his naked body rubbed against Blake's. Wade wanted him like he'd never wanted another man before. His entire life he'd been hoping to eventually find his mate, but never in a million years would he have guessed his mate would be an Alpha too. 82

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Cheering and wolf whistles interrupted them. Looking up towards the houses, Wade spotted Eric, Will, Ned, and Tony gawking at them. He pushed himself up onto his feet and looked down at Blake, lying there on the ground, breathing hard. "Well, if you want me, you better come get me." With that Wade shifted and ran towards the main house, bounding up the back stairs and into the house through the sliding doors. The moment he got to the top of the stairs, in front of Blake's bedroom, Wade shifted again. With a wicked grin on his face he opened the bedroom door and walked towards the bed. Wade couldn't believe he was doing this; he didn't know how it was going to work out between the two of them. They were both Alphas and obviously neither of them wanted to give up control, in bed or out of it. One thing he was sure of, though, was that tonight he would claim his mate.

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CHAPTER 7 Blake got up from the ground and glared at the quad smirking at him. Looking away, he took off at a run towards the house where his mate waited for him. Since a very young age, even before he became the pack's Alpha, all Blake dreamed of was one day finding his mate and settling down. Never in his life though had he ever imagined that his six foot two, blue eyed hunk would also be an Alpha. Worst of all, even though he was an Alpha himself, never had he thought he'd be willing to submit to his mate. He shook his head in disbelief as he stepped through the sliding doors, pulling them shut behind him. Taking a deep breath he inhaled the woodsy scent of his mate and followed it up the stairs. When Blake reached his bedroom, the door stood wide open, giving him the most fantastic view. Wade lay sprawled out on the bed naked, his legs spread wide apart as he looked at him with a wicked grin on his face. Blake groaned out load, his cock throbbing in his pants as it leaked pre-cum. 84

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Over the past two weeks Blake had laid in the same position as he jacked-off to images of Wade naked. Never had his imagination even come close to the real thing; Wade's body was a piece of art. His heart pounded against his chest with every step he took closer to the bed as he devoured Wade with his eyes. Every inch of his mate's body was sculpted with muscles, from his shoulders and down his chest. When his gaze locked onto the dark, pebbled nipples standing erect, Blake licked his lips. "I'm going to lose it if you just keep standing there looking at me like that," Wade growled. "Get your ass over here!" Without thinking Blake slid onto the bed and crawled over to straddle Wade. "God, you're breathtaking." He placed his hands on Wade's chest and traced his chest muscles with his fingers. Wade sucked in a breath when Blake's fingers grazed his nipples. "Fuck, I'm gonna cum just from you touching me." Wade reached up and ran his hands down Blake's arms. "Get naked. I need to touch you." The 85

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desperation in Wade's voice had Blake instantly reacting. With a growl, Blake grabbed the edges of his tshirt and ripped it from his body. He stood up on the bed and unbuttoned his pants while Wade watched, following every movement with his eyes. Blake dropped his pants, lifted one leg at a time, and kicked the pants flying across the room. Before he knew what hit him, Wade grabbed him and pinned Blake underneath him on the bed. "You're fucking beautiful." Wade panted as he started to touch Blake. "From the moment I laid eyes on you . . . you took my breath away." Blake's breath quickened and his wolf ached to be let loose. Dropping his head forward, Wade captured Blake's lips with his own. He whimpered when Wade's tongue teased his lips, begging for entry. Touching him and bringing him to the point of madness, Wade's hands were everywhere. He opened his mouth and deepened the kiss, bringing their tongues together as they tasted each other's essence. Wade's naked cock pressed against his, their 86

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pre-cum slicking them up, making their hard shafts glide easily against each other. The friction felt so good, Blake didn't know if he would last much longer. He pulled his mouth from Wade's. "I won't be able to hold on much longer. You're driving me insane," he said breathlessly. The look in Wade's eyes as he looked down at him almost made Blake lose the last bit of control he held onto. "Where's the lube?" Wade demanded. Blake pointed over to the bedside table where he kept the lube stashed. "In the drawer, at the back." Kissing down his chest, Wade continued playing with his nipples as he reached over and opened the bedside drawer. When Wade's mouth closed over his right nipple, Blake's back arched off the bed in pleasure. He could hear his heavy breathing echoing through the room as he panted for breath. The whole situation felt unreal to him; he couldn't understand where the need to give up control to Wade came from. It scared the shit out of him, but at the same time it also felt sooo good. Wade stopped suckling on his nipples and 87

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looked up at him. He was totally entranced by the need he saw in Wade's eyes as the man stared down at him. "Lift them over my shoulders." Wade nudged his legs with his left hand. Like an obedient dog, Blake complied and lifted his legs over Wade's shoulders. Reaching down with both hands Blake separated his butt cheeks for the other man, gasping when a cold finger rimmed his hole. "Shit that's cold." "It'll get warm soon, don't worry. I'll be gentle, my mate." A warm, fuzzy feeling settled in the vicinity of his heart. His eyes locked onto Wade's as he felt the finger slowly pass through the ring of muscle. There was just a tiny bite of pain, but within seconds Blake squirmed and moaned as Wade pushed in deeper, moving his finger in and out. "More . . . please. I need more." As a second finger pierced his hole Wade's mouth latched onto his. Blake pushed back eagerly with every thrust of Wade's fingers.

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Pulling back a bit, Wade looked down at Blake. It took his breath away that this gorgeous man was his mate. Blake's head thrashed around on the bed as Wade moved his fingers in and out of Blake's tight hole. Wade knew he could lose himself and cum just from watching his mate get so lost in the throes of passion; knowing it was because of him made his cock grow harder and ache even more to be inside Blake. Tilting his fingers, he brushed them over Blake's sweet spot. Blake's eyes grew huge as he shouted so loud Wade could swear the windows would shatter. "Oh fuck! Feels good." Blake panted. The invasion of Wade's third finger made Blake stiffen, and not in a good way, his body going bowstring tight. "Are you okay?" Wade asked, seeing the insecurity flash over Blake's face. "I . . . I've never . . ." Blake's voice trailed off. "It's okay, baby. I'll take care of you." Wade felt his heart swell with pride and . . . love? The realization that he was falling in love with Blake 89

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caught him totally off-guard. They hadn't even known each other all that long and yet here he was falling head over heels. There was just something about finding your mate that made your mind go crazy and your emotions see-saw all over the place. Sitting back on his heels, Wade scissored his fingers in and out of his mate's hole. The tightness around his fingers confirmed his mate was still a virgin. Through the haze of lust his eyes welled up with tears, just knowing Blake was his mate and that he had waited for Wade. Leaning forward over Blake, Wade grabbed the bottle of lube lying next to him with his free hand and squirted some of the cold gel onto his hand. Panting with need, Wade slicked up his throbbing cock. "Please, Wade, don't make me wait." He smiled down at Blake. "I won't, baby. I'm almost there," he said as he pulled his fingers free and carefully positioned the head of his cock. Slipping Blake's legs from his shoulders, Wade leaned forward and captured Blake's mouth in a scorching kiss. 90

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Blake's legs instinctively wound around his hips when he thrust forward, his cock pushing through the ring of muscle. Wade pulled his mouth away and looked down at Blake as his cock slid further into him. "Fuck!" Blake shouted as he bore down onto Wade's cock. "Oh baby . . . shit. Are you okay?" he asked the moment he bottomed out and felt his balls against his mate's ass. His whole body shook with the sheer magnitude of having Blake's tight passage surrounding his cock. The muscles clasped onto his cock as if they were afraid of letting go. "Yes!" he hissed. "Now fucking move!" Wade wasn't surprised at his mate ordering him around. After all, he was an Alpha. "Anything for you," he growled as he slowly started to move in and out. Gritting his teeth, Wade tried desperately not to lose control of his wolf. He didn't want to hurt his mate, but his wolf wanted out, insisted on claiming his mate. "Fuck . . . yes . . . feels so good." Blake panted. 91

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Tilting his hips slightly, Wade watched his mate's eyes grow huge and dilated as he continued to thrust deep inside him, hitting the sweet spot every time. Blake's mouth hung open and their panting breaths echoed through the room. He looked so damn gorgeous. "Like that?" "Oh God . . . yes . . . harder." He couldn't help but comply, and started to thrust harder. A moment later Wade felt himself lose control as his wolf took over; the shift into their third form came over him within seconds. His hands and feet shifted into claws as his face became part wolf, part man. Wade felt his body grow bigger as his limbs extended. Shifting into their combined form only happened when an Alpha pair mated. He froze on the spot, buried balls deep inside his mate. Fear raced through his body. In his third form Wade was much bigger than he normally was, and that included his cock. He didn't want to hurt his mate and started to pull out, but Blake tightened his legs around Wade and looked up at him. "No, please. You're not hurting me." Blake 92

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pleaded. "Blake . . ." he could feel his cock starting to thicken inside Blake as the change continued. Wade leaned over on all fours and locked his eyes onto Blake's. As his cock continued to thicken, Blake's eyes rolled back in his head. Panicking, Wade tried to pull Blake's legs from around his hips, but Blake held on tight, refusing to let him pull back. "I don't want to hurt you dammit! Let go." Wade growled. "You're not hurting me. God, it feels so good." He looked down at Blake, stunned. His mate was enjoying this? If he'd known he would shift into his third form when he mated, Wade would have turned right around the moment he sensed Blake was his mate. Never in a million years would he hurt his mate, but it seemed Blake had other ideas. Blake looked up at him pleadingly. "Please don't stop. Let me feel you." He gave Wade a wicked smile. "I want to feel you slamming your cock deep inside me. Take me and make me yours, my mate." What little control he had left fled with Blake's 93

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words. He reared back, holding onto Blake's shoulders, and slammed deep inside him in one smooth thrust. "This what you want?" he growled as he continued sliding his cock out and ramming it back inside, over and over again. Head thrashing from side to side, Blake's back arched off the bed with every thrust. Wade felt the wall of muscles around his cock contracting a moment before Blake threw his head back, his shout splitting through the air as he came. Bending over, he bit down on Blake's neck as his mate shot cum all over his chest and stomach. Wade's balls drew up to his body as his release soared through him. With a joyous howl he lost all control and spilled his seed deep inside his mate. His body shifted back to human as the knot extended at the end of his cock and continued to pulse, his seed coating the inside of his mate's tight passage. Running his tongue over the bite mark to seal it, Wade lifted himself up onto his hands and looked down at Blake. He watched as Blake ran his fingers through the cum on his stomach and lifted it to his 94

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mouth, sucking his own release from his fingers. That was so hot! "If you're not careful, we'll be having round two right now, and we're not even done with the first round yet." Blake's arms snaked around his neck and pulled him down to lay on top of him. "We have plenty of time." Lying in his mate's arms, Wade felt content, but when the knot started to recede he knew he had to pull away. Sitting up, he slowly pulled his cock from his mate's body and got off the bed, heading for the bathroom. Within moments he was back with a warm, damp cloth and started to clean Blake. "Give it to me. I can do it." Wade growled at Blake. "No. Let me take care of you." Blake pouted, but grudgingly released the cloth. Fuck, his mate was gorgeous. Wade smiled as he finished cleaning Blake and threw the cloth towards the direction of the bathroom. Slipping into bed and wrapping his arms around Blake from behind, Wade 95

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pulled his mate close and nuzzled his neck right where he'd bitten down on him. "You okay?" "Hmm . . . yeah, I'm good," Blake replied in a sleepy voice. He pulled Blake closer, their naked bodies melting together like they were made for each other. Wade drifted off to sleep with his mate in his arms and a smile on his face. Everything was good with the world . . . for now.

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CHAPTER 8 Over the next week things were rather hectic in the community. The morning after Wade claimed him they had to put things in motion quickly for when most of his pack would be moving to his community. That thought had Blake stopping short. It was no longer just his community, it was theirs; his and Wade's. In the past that fact would have bothered him; even with him always having known that when he found his mate, things would change. He didn't bargain on his mate being Alpha, though. I guess that changes things a bit, he thought Blake smiled as he walked out of the house. It was kind of strange, but it just felt right to share the responsibility with Wade. He'd learned so much about Wade during the past week. Wade cared so deeply about others. Even though he hid it from everyone around him, Blake could see through the mask of indifference he put up. At night, when Wade lay asleep next to him in bed, tossing and turning, Blake would gently lay a hand 97

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on his chest and whisper soothing words in his ear until he calmed down. The next morning when Blake asked Wade what he dreamed about, he would always look away without answering, his face red. One night as they lay in bed Wade confided in him that even though he was an Alpha, he didn't like to fight. When Wade moved closer to him and started telling him about what happened when he went back to Watson, Blake had wound his arms around him and cradled Wade like a baby while he sobbed in Blake's arms. It had torn him apart knowing his mate was hurting and there was nothing he could do about it. Sometimes Blake was grateful they were apart for that short period of time while Wade went back to his pack, because it seemed that was ultimately what brought them together. The first few days after Wade's arrival the pack members pulled together to help build more houses for the members of Wade's pack who would be arriving later in the week. Now, almost two weeks later, it felt like it was only yesterday the future of the pack lay squarely on his shoulders. Since the arrival 98

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of Wade's pack, he and his mate had sat down and discussed the dynamics of how it would work having both their packs living together, and also how they were going to deal with having two Betas. Wade had immediately addressed Blake's concerns about losing his Beta. Seeing that they were both Alphas, they decided to keep both their Betas and the pack would be treated equally as one. "After all, you're my mate and we're all family." Blake smiled as he recalled Wade's words. For the first time in his life since his parents were killed he felt wanted and loved. The moon was just starting to rise over the hill as night crept up on them. He turned around and started walking back into the house. His skin itched like a thousand ants were crawling all over him. It was the night of the full moon and the pull to shift made him antsy, always did. Blake walked up the stairs to his bedroom and opened the door; he really needed a distraction. Wade lay spread out on the bed on his back. That did it. There hadn't been a chance for them to have 99

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sex again since the night they mated. At first it was because most of Wade's pack members lived under the same roof as them, and then they were too tired after working alongside their pack members as they built the houses. Groaning, Blake remembered Wade removing his shirt and tucking it into the back pocket of his jeans as they worked on the houses. His muscles rippled with every movement as trickles of sweat ran down his chest. The man was pure sex on a stick. Blake could barely control himself from grabbing Wade and taking him right there in front of everyone. Staring -- well, ogling -- his mate as he lay on the bed, Blake grinned as a thought struck him. Wade had mated with him, but Blake had yet to take Wade. Blake couldn't think of a better night for it than the night of the full moon. Tonight was his night. His mate was in for one hell of a surprise.

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Wade woke up to find Blake standing in the 100

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doorway, watching him, with a sinful grin curving his lips. "And what are you smirking at?" "Oh, nothing." Blake shrugged his shoulders innocently and approached the bed. "Yeah right." He could see a wicked glint in his mate's eyes. Sitting up, he grabbed Blake the moment he was close enough and threw him down on the bed. "Now what do you have to say for yourself?" Wade grabbed Blake's wrists and pinned them down above his head as he straddled Blake. Over the past two weeks, he and Blake had spent almost every moment together. At night they would walk out into the clearing behind the house and sit against one of the trees at the edge of the woods, holding hands while looking out over the community. They would sit there for hours, talking and getting to know each other, until one of them fell asleep in the other's arms. "You know tonight is the full moon, right?" Blake asked. "Yeah, I know." Wade shook his head. "You have something up your sleeve. I just know it." 101

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"What if I have?" "Well, what is it? I don't want to wait to find out." Wade pushed out his bottom lip in a pout. "Oh no, that will not work with me." Blake laughed and pulled his arms from Wade's hold, wrapping them around him and pulling Wade down on top of him. "You'll just have to wait." Wade couldn't remember ever feeling so secure in his life. He knew Blake would protect him with every fiber of his being. Of course, Wade would do the same for him. Lying there with Blake's heart beating in his ear, he could admit he was truly falling in love with his mate. Every moment they spent together his feelings grew stronger and stronger. A few times he had to catch himself from uttering the words. He still worried that Blake only wanted him because they were mates, and not for the person he was. Wade hoped someday Blake would come to love him just as much as he was already falling in love with Blake. If Blake couldn't love him . . . Wade didn't know what he would do. It would tear him apart 102

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inside. Wade lifted his head when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." "Umm . . . hey," Darren said, moving from foot to foot, obviously uncomfortable. "We were just . . . we were wondering if you guys wanted to run with us." "Yeah, we'll be out in a bit." Blake answered. "Okay." Darren's cheeks flamed bright red as he tripped over his own feet in his rush to get out the door. The moment the door closed they both burst out laughing until the tears rolled down their faces. Never had he seen Darren move so fast before. Wade wiped the tears from his cheeks and pushed himself up onto his hands over his mate. Quickly leaning down, he captured Blake's lips with his own, Blake's tongue teasing as they tasted each other. Breathing hard, Wade pulled back reluctantly and looked down at Blake. "We better get going, otherwise we'll never get out of this room." Blake pushed Wade over onto his back and slipped off the bed, running towards the door. Taking 103

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up the challenge, Wade jumped off the bed and tore off his clothes on the way down the stairs, flinging them over his shoulder as he went. "You're not getting away from me so easily," he growled. "Catch me if you can," Blake shouted over his shoulder before running out the back door and shifting in midstride. Wade came to an abrupt stop and caught his breath. The last time he'd seen Blake shift was when the vampires attacked during the day. Even then didn't he get a good look at his mate, it was too chaotic. He stood there, totally awed, as he watched the pure white wolf run out into the clearing. Obviously realizing Wade wasn't behind him, Blake stopped and turned around. Shifting quickly, Wade ran towards his mate. The moment he reached Blake, he jumped on top of him and tackled him to the ground. Playfully nipping and teasing each other they romped in the clearing like pups. A few moments later two more wolves joined them. Wade instantly recognized his Beta, Darren, although he didn't recognize the other wolf. Instantly 104

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on the defensive to protect his mate, Wade stepped in front of Blake, snarling. Then yipped in surprise when Blake bit him none too gently on his hide. Turning his head to look at Blake, Wade realized his mistake when Blake walked over to the other wolf and nudged him; the wolf immediately bowed his head in submission. Taking a closer look at the wolf, Wade recognized Eric by the color of his coat. He walked up to Blake feeling like a total ass. Going down on his stomach, Wade crawled closer to Blake until his nose touched his mate's paws. Blake nipped at him again, playfully, and started running towards the woods with the Betas following behind him. Wade decided he wasn't going to be the last one to join in the fun. He got up and chased after his mate. For the next hour they ran through the forest, the wind whipping past him bringing the scent of prey closer and closer. They hunted together and ate their fill, drinking water from a spring before heading back. The moment they returned to the clearing Blake abruptly came to a stop and turned around to 105

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face him, growling. Wade couldn't tell if his mate was being playful or if something was wrong. Carefully he started to back away, one step at a time. The Betas stood off to the side with confused looks on their faces. They couldn't tell what was happening with Blake either, it seemed. When they reached the middle of the clearing, Blake stopped stalking him and stared at him with a feral look in his eyes. Within moments Blake shifted and stood before him, completely naked, his cock jutting straight up from the curly hair surrounding his shaft. "Tonight you're mine!" he snarled. Wade quickly shifted, realizing what his mate's intentions were . . . and it turned him on something fierce. With the full moon shining over them and their Betas to witness their mating, Wade couldn't have felt more loved and wanted than at that moment.

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CHAPTER 9 Feeling the strong pull of the moon, Blake's wolf took over. "Turn around on your hands and knees," he growled. Wade instantly complied and turned around, lowering himself to his hands and knees with his ass pointing towards Blake. Bending down, he grabbed both of Wade's ass cheeks and separated them. The musky scent drove him crazy as he started licking his mate's hole. Everything around him faded into the night as his tongue speared into the ring of muscle. His whole body shook with the fierce need to claim his mate. Blake reared up and moved in behind Wade, positioning the head of his cock. "I can't wait. Please forgive me." "Nothing to forgive, my love. It's okay," Wade panted beneath him. Without a second thought, Blake pushed forward at the same time Wade pushed back. His cock pushed past the tight ring of muscle and slid 107

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completely inside. Blake leaned forward over Wade as he tried to control his need. The warm passage fit him like a tight glove, surrounding his cock perfectly. "Move, please. Now." Wade grunted and started to push back. "I don't want to hurt you. God, please!" "God's not here. Fuck me!" Wade growled. Blake moved his hands to Wade's hips, holding them tight as he slowly pulled out and then shoved his cock back in all the way. They both grunted as he continued to fuck Wade hard and deep with every stroke. Blake's skin started to tingle as his wolf took over and he began to shift into his third form; his hands and feet turned into paws and his body grew bigger as he held onto Wade's hips. With every thrust of his hips, Blake felt his cock growing inside Wade's tight passage. Rearing up off his hands, Wade pressed his back against Blake's chest. Blake wrapped one arm around Wade while holding his hip with the other. "I love you my mate," he said before bringing his head down and biting Wade's neck. 108

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Wade's cock stood out straight from the dark curls surrounding his shaft. Blake felt the shivers running through Wade's body and the tight passage squeezing his cock. Wade's head fell back onto Blake's shoulder and he cried out his release. Blake slammed into Wade twice more before his balls drew up to his body, his release overtaking him like a runaway freight train. The heat shot down his spine to his balls. Releasing Wade's neck, Blake threw back his head, howling to the moon as he found his release. Even as his cock continued to pulse and the knot extended to lock him in place with his mate, Blake felt his body slowly start to shift back to his human form. Holding onto Wade, Blake lowered them both to the ground to lie on their side. Lying behind him, Blake licked the spot where he had bitten Wade. "I'm so sorry if I hurt you." Just the thought of hurting his mate had Blake's thoughts clogging up with emotion. "Don't give me that shit." Wade turned his head and looked at Blake over his shoulder. "You were fucking awesome. You're so strong, but so 109

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gentle at the same time." Shaking his head, Wade lifted his hand and placed it on Blake's cheek. "You didn't hurt me. You're my mate. My mate would never hurt me . . . no matter what." Wade lifted his head and kissed Blake. Blake moaned and plundered Wade's mouth with his own before pulling back and looking down at him once more. "You're perfect. I've waited my whole life for this moment." The emotions rolling through him overflowed as his eyes welled up with unshed tears. This moment right here, being with his mate, was what he'd wanted his entire life. Now, with his mate in his arms, Blake felt overwhelmed by emotion. "Hold me, please." Wade didn't have to ask twice. Blake pulled his mate closer, the knot at the end of his cock keeping their bodies joined. Blake looked over into the distance when he heard wolves howling to find their Betas standing with their backs towards them. For the moment they were safe. "I love you," Wade said using their mind-link. 110

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"I love you too," Blake replied before nodding off.

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Blake woke with a start when someone shook his shoulder. "We might have trouble. I smell vampires close by," Eric said as he stepped back and turned away from the naked Alphas. Wade groaned when Blake slowly pulled his cock from Wade's body. "Come on, babe. We need to get up, we've got company." In a flash, Wade was awake and up on his feet, looking around. "What's going on?" He couldn't help but laugh; Wade stood there completely naked with streaks of dry cum down his leg, looking for trouble. "I think . . . I think you need to put some clothes on first," Blake said as he tried to control his laugher. "It's not funny," he growled. "What the hell's going on?" 111

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"We think there might be vampires around," Darren replied. Pulling himself -- and his clothes -- together, Blake started walking towards Eric, who stood at the edge of the forest. Wade and Darren followed close behind him. The nearer he got to Eric, the stronger the smell of sulfur became. Although he recognized the scent of one of the vampires, he couldn't place the others. Without turning around to look at the men with him, Blake said, "I know one of them, but I have no idea who the others are." Wade stepped up beside him with Eric flanking him on the left and Darren on Wade's right. They stood in silence, watching the edge of the trees. After a few moments six vampires stepped out from the trees and into the clearing, with Liviano leading them. Abruptly Liviano stopped in his tracks and his head swung towards Darren. With the speed of light two vampires flanked Liviano and held him by the arms. "No. Calm down," the female said. Blake and Wade both turned to look at Darren. 112

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His nostrils flared as he breathed deeply, his top lip pulled back as he growled at Liviano, his extended canines obvious. "It's okay," Wade said as he laid a hand on Darren's shoulder. What the hell is going on? Blake wondered as he watched the two men. "You're back." Liviano looked over at him, breathing deeply as if struggling for control. "Yes. This is my mother, Bianca," he tilted his head towards the female to his right, "and this is my father, Valente." He looked over at the man at his side and pulled his arm from his grip. "I'm okay. Thank you." Confused by the behavior of the two men, Blake was even more leery, but stepped forward and extended his hand in greeting. Valente took his hand in a firm grip and shook it, letting go and quickly stepping back. "Nice to meet you." He nodded at Bianca before stepping back. "Who are they?" he said and motioned to the three other vampires standing behind Liviano and his parents. Gesturing with his hand, Liviano rattled off the 113

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names. "My youngest brother, Angelo, my sister, Lidia, and my older brother, Remo." "We are sorry we just showed up unannounced again, but we thought you should be updated on what we found out about the vampires that attacked here not so long ago," Valente said as he took a step forward. Wade immediately stepped in front of Blake. If he didn't find it so irritating that Wade constantly wanted to protect him, Blake would have burst out laughing. The man who doesn't like to fight wanted to protect him; the thought both humbled him and made him snicker. Blake couldn't smell any hint of a lie in the air. There was just something about this clan that put his mind at ease, even if was only a little bit. His brows furrowed as he stepped forward and elbowed Wade out of the way. "Hey! Watch it!" "Just get out of my way and stop being rude." Blake looked at the vampires one by one and heard a snicker from his left. He cast a quick, chiding glance at Eric before looking back at Valente. "You've come 114

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with some news and I'm very interested to hear what you have to say. However . . ." Blake turned his head and looked at each wolf before answering further, "we can't stand out here all evening." "You can't be serious!?" Wade shouted in disbelief. "I'm as serious as a heart attack," Blake deadpanned, allowing a smiling to pull at the corner of his lips. "I believe I can trust you, but don't misjudge me. I will rip you apart if you try anything. And I mean anything." "We're here to make peace," Bianca answered. "Really, we believe that we could all work together instead of against each other as has been happening." She cast a quick glance at Valente. "There's been too many unnecessary deaths. I'm sure what we have to tell you will prove how much we mean what we say. After all, we need your help just as much as you'll need ours." "Like hell we do," Wade said under his breath. Blake looked over his shoulder at Wade with a scowl on his face. "Well, we don't," he replied sheepishly. 115

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Ignoring Wade, Blake looked back over at Valente, "Follow me." Wade and the Betas flanked him on both sides, following Blake to the main house while still keeping a close eye on the vampires behind them. His mate scowled at him in disapproval as they walked up the back stairs and into the common room, with the vampires following close behind. "Please have a seat." Blake motioned for the De Luca clan to make themselves comfortable on the chairs scattered about, without taking a seat himself. It didn't escape Blake's notice that Darren chose to stand on the complete opposite side of the room, as far from Liviano as possible. Darren kept looking over at Liviano like he wanted to ravish him one moment, and kill him the next. Liviano sat on the single couch with his oldest brother and sister flanking his sides, his legs shaking as he visibly tried to control his breathing. "Tell us what you found out," Wade said with a sneer. "It seems like you put this all in motion--" 116

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Before Valente could finish his sentence Eric lunged forward and growled at Valente. Blake quickly stepped in front of him and grabbed hold of him. Valente held up his hands. "What I was saying is that . . . it seems that you put this all in motion with the start of the prophecy." The fight left Eric's body as they all stared at Valente. "What?" Blake asked, completely stunned. "How do you even know about the prophecy?" "I know about the prophecy because we have one of our own," Valente said with a small smile on his face. "We might not know what the first part of your prophecy was, but when it came true, so did ours." "So you want to tell me . . ." Blake tried to wrap his head around the fact that not only did the vampires have their own prophecy, but it was linked with the wolves'. "You want to tell me that each time a part of our prophecy is fulfilled, yours is too?" "Something like that, yes." Valente stood up from the couch and walked over to the window. "Our 117

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prophecy says there are a selected few who will have the ability to go out into the daylight once the first part of your prophecy is fulfilled." He turned around and looked at Blake. "Even though they will be able to go out into the daylight, they will not be as strong as the rest of us. Their duty was to be our protectors."

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CHAPTER 10 "Your protectors? What would you need protection from?" Wade shouted. "We never did any harm to you. Vampires were the ones who attacked us, not the other way around." His body visibly shook from anger. When Blake slipped his arm around Wade's waist he immediately settled down. "As we all know," Angelo interrupted, "the prophecy is very old, and when the prophecy was created it was necessary for us to have protectors. We needed them." Angelo gestured with his hands as he spoke. The five foot eight, golden-eyed vampire wore glasses, reminding Blake of a librarian. "But that is neither here nor there. There's another, more important, matter." "I told you the vampire council requested me to come to you in order to make peace." Liviano spoke again for the first time. Blake nodded. "Well, we found out that they knew about the prophecy, even though none of the rest of us were aware of it." Confused, Blake shook his head. "Wait a 119

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minute. No one was supposed to find out about it? Then . . ." "The eldest member of the council remembered it being mentioned centuries ago by a protector before he died." Liviano looked over at his father. "The council wanted to use us to lure you into a trap." Valente quickly continued. "We didn't know. I swear. We didn't." He stepped away from the window to stand in front of Blake and Wade. "That's why we're here. The moment the second part of the prophecy is fulfilled all vampires will be able to go out into the daylight." Wade's brows drew together in confusion. "But . . . if that happens, then . . . we'll be in deeper shit!" "Actually . . ." Angelo said with a smile on his face, "yes, you'd have vampires around all the time trying to attack you, but at the same time because we will be able to come out in the daylight we'll also be much more vulnerable and not as strong." "The council is trying to prevent the second part of the prophecy from coming true. Somehow they know the key to the successful completion of the 120

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prophecy lies within your pack," Valente answered. Blake's mind raced around in circles, trying to remember what the guardians had told him. "When the moon rises, two must become one. United you will stand, and powerful you will grow. Only then will the path to peace be opened." Blake gasped and looked at Wade. "What's wrong?" Wade grabbed his arms and shook him. Blake stood there stunned for a moment. "It's already happened. The second part of the prophecy. It's been fulfilled." Blake walked over to the nearest wall and leaned back against it. "What do you mean it's been fulfilled?" Everyone in the room looked at him with expectation in their eyes. Blake could barely wrap his mind around the fact that the second part of the prophecy was fulfilled, without him even realizing it. "You and me . . . out there." Blake pointed out towards the clearing. "And now this." He gestured at everyone around the room. "This is it."

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Wade couldn't believe this was all happening. Not only had the second part of the prophecy come true, but vampires were actually sitting in their common room. "What does the second part of the prophecy say?" Blake looked up at him with a dazed look in his eyes. "Koda told me that when the moon rises, two must become one." He looked over at the vampires. "United you will stand, and powerful you will grow. Only then will the path to peace be opened." "Okay, so we're mated." Wade shook his head. "What I don't understand is: if we make peace with the vampires, won't they just come and try to kill us?" Wade asked. "They just said the vampire council wants to kill our pack." He gestured at the De Luca clan. "Not if we stand by your side and fight with you," Liviano immediately replied. "No fucking way!" Darren flew across the room towards Liviano. Within seconds they were at each 122

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other's throats. Liviano was obviously trying to calm Darren down more than he was protecting himself, or even fighting back. "No fucking way! You hear me! NO . . . FUCKING . . . WAY!" Darren screamed furiously before storming out of the house, his face a mask of rage. Everyone froze in place and looked at each other in bewilderment. It seems no one knew what the fuck was going on, Wade even less so. "Well, I think that's it then." Everyone jumped when Eric clapped his hands. "Maybe we could all get together again tomorrow night and discuss this further?" "Yes, yes. I think that's a good idea," Valente quickly replied and started herding his family out the door. "Tomorrow night then. Same time, same place." Nodding, Wade turned back to Blake. "I'll see you guys in the morning then? I'll just make sure everything is locked up before I go." "We'll see you in the morning. Thank you, by the way." Blake smiled at Eric. "Come on, we've had a long night." Taking 123

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Blake's hand, Wade pulled him into his arms. Wrapping his arms around Blake, he gave his mate a deep kiss before pulling back and leading him up the stairs to their bedroom. It still felt surreal to call it their bedroom, not just Blake's anymore, but theirs. Wade let go of Blake's hand and pulled down the bedding before slipping under the covers. Lifting his arms up in invitation, Blake slipped in next to him and crawled up close, his head resting on Wade's chest. "Everything will be okay, baby. I promise." Blake snickered. "Yeah, I know, my love. I just can't believe how it all turned out." Wade felt Blake's head as he tried to shake it. "It's so surreal. It seems like it was only yesterday that we met." He smiled up at Wade. "It does, doesn't it?" Wade brought his head up and gave Blake a deep kiss. "For now, let's just enjoy being with each other. We'll worry about the rest another time." "Hmmm . . . ." "I love you," Wade whispered into Blake's ear. "I love you too," Blake responded with a kiss to 124

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Wade's nipple.

~ THE END ~

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Leiland's reading list is exemplary of the evolution of erotic romance. Initially, Leiland began reading Harlequin Romance and Silhouette Desire but later transitioned to Silhouette Nocturne. After reading his first M/M erotic romance, tons of M/M material soon followed. As an avid reader, Leiland decided one day to take a stab at writing a book. These days, when not writing something new, Leiland can be found reading a steamy romance (shifters are a fav!), taking the pet dog for a walk or watching movies such as A Walk to Remember. You can find his website at: http://authorleilanddale.co.cc