Storm of Shadows Ch. 18

Once more into the breach we go! Finally have chapter 18 ready to go. As always, I have to give my Alli cat all my love and thanks for proofing the chapter for me. She's my own personal rock star!

Also got to give a shout out to my lovely Facebook inmates who languish with me in All Things Jaz C, happy in their incarceration :)

And today I want to say a special thank you to Franziska, who has literally read and kept me entertained with their comments on, I think, every single chapter of every story in the FTI world posted here. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy your journey through the tales. Unfortunately, you've now caught up so there will be a wait for the next chapters, but I think you won't mind too much.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eighteen

Natalia couldn't help feeling nervous. The private jet had just touched down in North America, and Kothari had shadowed himself to take the unconscious wolf from the plane without any of the humans seeing him. She noticed that the Ancients and Dara were tracking his movements, and she thought she saw Mila doing so too but thought she must be mistaken because her friend was blind.

She could sort of make out a dark shape moving over to one of the large black SUVs that were waiting to greet them, but she didn't know if she was just imagining it or if it was something new coming into focus as her body continued to transition. She felt much stronger now, more able to do things for herself without others hovering over her. She'd accidentally broken one of the armrests when she'd gripped it too tightly when the jet had taken off the first time, placing a pillowed cushion over it to hide the signs of damage as Kothari had grinned at her and taken hold of her other hand to settle her nerves.

They'd touched down at Edinburgh Airport and dropped off Joshua and Louis and his coven members. They'd refuelled and spent an hour with their friends before they headed off in opposite directions to return to their own covens with promises to keep in touch and let them know if they turned up any new information.

They had laughed when Freya spontaneously hugged Louis and the surly vampire had all but tossed her away from him, calling her a fucking psycho. Freya had tears running down her face she laughed so hard at his reaction, and Louis ended up rolling his eyes and grinning at her once he'd overcome his shock at her gesture. He could tell she was deliberately freaking him out and that it wasn't done with any real malice. Natalia could see that the coven leader was genuinely fond of her friend, and she hugged him goodbye for that reason, and just because she was going to miss him too.

His reaction to her hug was less volatile though his gaze never left Kothari who was arching an eyebrow at him the entire time. Louis kept his hug short and sweet, wishing her all the best in her new home and telling her his thoughts were with her mother.

That had sobered Natalia, and she'd been quieter on the next leg of their flight. She had no idea what she would be walking into once they arrived at the Armand-Hanlon pack. She could only hope that this Aaron person was able to save her mother as her mate had said he would be able to.

Now they were stepping down the steps onto the tarmac and she hung back towards the end of the line watching as her new friends were greeted by those waiting for them. There was a tall blond vampire hugging Dara as she reached him, his expression warm and loving as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He had to be Alexei Romanov, Dara's father. The way her brown eyes shone with adoration as she looked up at him was testament to that.

Another beautiful blonde wolf was hugging Dara next and Natalia instantly guessed that this was her mother, Cedar Alexander. They shared the same colouring, though her mother's blonde hair was a mass of curls tumbling down her back. There was so much pride in Dara's parents' eyes that it made Natalia's heart twinge a bit with sadness. Her parents had used to look at her that way too once. Now Roland was dead, and her mother didn't recognise her.

"It will be okay, Tali," Kothari said from her side, and she almost cried out in surprise when he just appeared beside her, so lost in her own thoughts she'd been. He must have come back up the steps so he could be seen heading down now that he'd deposited the wolf securely in the SUV.

"What if it isn't, Kothi? What if Mama lives but never remembers who I am? Watching Dara's parents greet her is so hard. I feel bad because I'm happy for her and glad she has her parents waiting for her to come home, but it just hammers home the fact that I don't have my dad anymore, and Mama doesn't know me."

"Whatever happens we have each other, my love," he whispered, his arms coming around her to hold her close. "We will weather whatever storm comes our way, and you have my parents, friends and pack to support you through anything that you need. You're not alone, Tali. You don't have to do this on your own."

There was a hint of irony in his tone, and it made her smile slightly. She had no doubt her mate was realising just how ironic it was for him to point these facts out to her when he had refused to acknowledge them himself for his entire life up until this point. Natalia quirked an eyebrow at him, and he gave her a wry smile.

"Do as I say and not as I do," he laughed softly. "I guess I'm having to learn the same things as you, my mate."

Her gaze turned back to the welcoming committee and the warmth Gard and Rayne were greeted with. Even Freya only mildly scowled when Cedar enveloped her in a hug though Alexei merely nodded in the Ancient vampire's direction. Dayton got a warm embrace from his beautiful sister, and a friendly clap on the shoulder from Alexei. Demetri raised a cool eyebrow at Cedar when she appeared to be about to hug him too, and she laughed softly and did it anyway, much to his evident sufferance.

Despite the many different reactions, it was plain to see that they were a tightknit group, some more standoffish than others but clearly fond of each other regardless of their different species. It gave Natalia some comfort that she would find the same level of support within this strange wolf/vampire dynamic now she was mated to Kothari.

Dante and Mila were hanging back, not wanting to get in the way of the reunion of old friends and family. Natalia heard Dara introducing their new friends, Cedar's smile warm and inviting whilst Alexei remained coolly reserved giving them a brief nod of his head.

There was no use trying to prevaricate any longer, so Natalia straightened her shoulders and started down the steps. They were the last to exit the plane, and there was no mistaking the slight stiffening in Kothari's body as they reached the Ancient vampire who was glaring at the younger male with a dark scowl etched across his face.

"Alexei," Cedar said, a slight hint of disapproval in her voice as she nudged her mate gently.

"Dara could have been hurt," the vampire grumbled, his scowl darkening. "She shouldn't have had to be running around Europe chasing his delinquent ass because he was being a fucking idiot."

"Alexei." This time it was Gard who growled out the vampire's name, clearly unhappy with the way his son was being spoken about. Rayne placed a hand on her mate's lower arm, giving him a look that quite plainly told him to butt out, that this was between Kothari and Alexei.

Their son met Alexei's anger head on with a slight twitching of his lips. He could understand why the vampire was so angry, he was protective of his children, but Dara was Vârcolac, and there had to come a time when even Alexei Romanov recognised his daughter's worth. "You are correct, Alexei, Dara shouldn't have been chasing my ass all around Europe," he answered with a nod of his head.

A smug smile crossed the vampire's face, and he shot his mate a 'so there!' look before he turned back to hear what else the errant Vârcolac had to say.

"I should have let Dara know what I planned, and we could have left together," Kothari continued as if the byplay between his friend's parents hadn't just happened.

His friend stilled for a long moment and then beamed a wide smile at him, one that he returned with as much affection. Kothari didn't know if it was Alexei's shock at seeing him smile so openly or what he'd said that kept the vampire silent, but it was a testament to Alexei's self-control that he didn't lash out and slap Kothari for his cheek.

"May I present my mate, Natalia," the Vârcolac continued, pushing his luck while he could. "Tali, you've probably already guessed but this is Alexei Romanov and Cedar Alexander, Dara and Cassia's parents. Cedar's also one of the top Betas of the Armand-Hanlon pack, and Alexei serves on the Vampire Council and the Ancient Council if required."

"Mate..." Cedar's voice came out as a stunned gasp and then a beatific smile crossed her face, and she spontaneously hugged Kothari as if it was something she always did. That appeared to stun the Vârcolac for a moment before he tentatively hugged her back, his body relaxing as his shock wore off. "Oh, Kothi, that's wonderful news. I knew there was something different about you the moment I saw you. I just couldn't put my finger on it."

She released him and then pulled Natalia in for a hug that didn't really surprise her. Cedar was a wolf and Natalia understood wolves and the whole mates thing. Packs always celebrated mates because that meant they would have new life being born into the pack.

"Welcome to the Armand-Hanlon pack, Tali. We've been apprised of everything that's happened in Europe, and we understand that you've been through a traumatic experience. Rafe wanted you to know as soon as possible that Ava is still with us, though she is still struggling with her loss. We are doing all we can to help your mother so please don't give up hope."

Just hearing her mother was still alive made Natalia choke out a small sob. Part of her had been thinking the lack of news being shared about her mother had been because the pack was trying to keep her loss from being any worse that it was. "Thank you," she whispered, tears filling her eyes though she managed to stop them from falling. "That means so much to me even if things do not work out the way I hope."

"None of that," Kothari growled, pulling Natalia into his arms and laying his cheek against the top of her head. "Ava birthed a strong, resilient daughter when she was a fragile human. She survived a vampire attack and being changed to a wolf. If she has even half of the strength of her daughter then she will make it through this, Natalia."

The tender way he held her, and the soft but firm tone he used had shock crossing Alexei's face. He looked at his daughter in mock bewilderment. "Okay, I thought you said you were bringing Kothi home with you? Who the fuck is this imposter?"

"Dad!" Dara laughed shaking her head at him and giving him another hug. "It wasn't that long ago that Rafe was about to resign as Alpha when he found out he was getting you and Uncle Andrei as part of his pack. Kothi is nowhere near as bad as you two so stop giving him a hard time."

Alexei grinned and kissed the top of her head. "I know, I'm just messing with him. I'll leave Rafe to be the bad guy. We're just relieved to have you all home safely." His brown eyes lingered on Dante and Mila who were still standing a little apart, and he frowned slightly before he looked back at the others.

"Is there a reason we're not heading back to the pack?" Demetri interrupted, his impatience evident. He'd been apart from his wife for far too long and was eager to feel her arms around him. "We do have an urgent need, Alexei."

It was Cedar who answered, giving him a soothing smile. "We brought Mallen with us, Demetri. He's already started taking care of Fox while we wait."

The vampire was about to repeat his question when Aaron ran up to them from the main airport building. "Sorry, it took a bit longer to get the clearances through. We can head off now." His blue gaze zeroed in on Kothari and his expression hardened.

"If it wasn't for the fact I'm just so bloody relieved to see you all home safely I'd be kicking your ass right now, Kothari," Aaron's usually cheerful expression was hard as he morphed into his Head Beta role. He had no idea he was echoing Alexei's words, and he opened his mouth to say something more and then he frowned, looking at the Vârcolac for a long moment as he realised that Kothari was hugging a pretty brunette to his side in a very proprietorial way.

Realisation dawned a second later and the Beta's face broke into a huge smile. "You found your mate," he breathed out, unceremoniously dragging Kothari into a warm hug. "I'm so happy for you, Kothi." He pounded the younger male on the back, his grin widening. "It's a bit of a turn up for the books though. It's a bit hard to be pissed at you when you may never have found your mate if you hadn't gone to Europe. Let me have a word with Rafe before he hauls your ass in for a dressing down. I'll see if I can talk him around a bit."

Kothari hadn't expected that, and his expression turned shocked and then resolute. "Thank you, Aaron, I appreciate it, but it would be disingenuous of me to claim my independence to make my own decisions to travel to Europe to find my parents only to hide behind others when I must face the consequences of my actions. I will speak to Rafe alone when we return to the pack."

Aaron stared at him for a long moment, and then he smiled slowly and there was an expression on his face that Kothari had never seen there before. Always Aaron's expression had been one of resignation, now there was respect in his blue eyes, warmth and approval in them too. "Welcome home, Kothari," he said quietly and then he turned to look at Natalia. "So, are you going to formally introduce me to your, mate?"

Kothari fought the urge to roll his eyes, knowing he was being teased. Of course, Aaron knew exactly who she was, being second in command of the pack. "This is Natalia, though she prefers to be called Tali. My mate is Ava's daughter as you well know because that's one of the reasons we sent her home to the pack when Roland was killed. I knew her only chance of survival was with you, Aaron."

Aaron couldn't stop himself from reaching out and placing a gentle palm against her cheek. "Welcome, Tali," he said softly. "Did Cedar pass on Rafe's message about your mother?"

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears once more that she managed to hold back. It was hard because everyone was being so kind to her, but she didn't want to embarrass her mate by weeping like a child every time someone mentioned her mother.

"Ava is stronger than she knows, Tali," the Head Beta said in a kindly tone. "She is fighting every day, and I have no doubt that once you're home at the pack that she will improve immensely."

"She doesn't remember me," Natalia answered, her voice sounding so forlorn that Kothari immediately placed an arm around her back and pulled her into his side. "Thank you for all you've done to help her, Aaron. Kothi said you were a miracle worker, but I didn't dare to hope too much."

Aaron smiled and it had a hint of humour in it as well as compassion. "Miracle worker? That's a new one, especially coming from this bundle of trouble. It's been a combined effort, Tali. Liam and Reasa have spent endless hours dream walking with Ava too, and little Pippa anchors her when she tries to slip away. She's come a long way, and I have no doubt that soon she will remember you, young one. You just need to be a little more patient."

His mentioning of Pippa caught Kothari's attention, and he kissed the top of Natalia's head to help soothe her even as he was turning his attention to his Head Beta. "Is Pippa okay, Aaron?"

The blond wolf nodded though he wore a slight frown. "Ash has been looking after her for the most part with Nors being away, and Liam and Reasa have been staying with her too so they can monitor her mental wellbeing when they're not with Ava. Rafe wanted the child to have some sense of pack normality though she becomes distressed if we keep her away from Ava too long. She becomes hysterical about keeping her promise and if she isn't a good girl then Monster won't come back for her. She won't elaborate too much on the second part, but we understand that she feels she must keep her promise to Tali to stop her mama going to sleep forever. That's a huge weight for one so young to carry."

Natalia choked out a small sob, her expression stricken at allowing Pippa to take on that responsibility after the attack on her pack. It had been the only way to convince the child to go stateside with her mother but now it appeared to be having a detrimental effect on the little girl. "We shouldn't have allowed it," she choked out and she could see her mate was feeling equally as guilty.

"It was the only course of action open to us at the time, Natalia, and it was me who allowed it, not you. I was the one responsible for what was happening at the time."

"I was there too, Kothi," Dara interrupted, frowning too. "Pippa wouldn't leave, and we couldn't take her with us. Being there for Ava was something she understood, it was the purpose she needed to cope with losing her own parents and then being attacked again so soon after that. It was necessary at the time, yes, but it isn't necessary now. We can fix this when we get home. What we're not going to do is play the blame game anymore. Sometimes hard decisions need to be made. We own them and then we fix them."

Now it was everyone's turn to look at Dara in surprise and with a healthy amount of respect in their eyes. She blinked at them slowly and then shot them a rueful smile. "Why do you look so surprised... have I not always been considered as one of the more 'normal' Vârcolac? It shouldn't be that surprising that I can speak common sense."

That brought a fair few smiles from the others though Aaron was still looking slightly concerned. "Pippa will be fine, I'm sure, once we work out who this Monster is she keeps talking about. Once we can convince her she's safe from it everything should be ok."

Kothari shuffled his feet and looked a little sheepish. "Uhm... that would be me," he admitted. "I was Agony when I rescued the child from the vampires who'd killed her parents and then killed the vampires attacking Tali's pack. I wasn't exactly thinking about the impact of what my actions may have on a young, impressionable mind. She called me Monster when I rescued her, and I allowed her to continue to call me that because I was a monster at that time. I promised her if she ran the final way to Tali's pack on her own that I would come back for her. It was the only way she would leave my side."

"Ah," Aaron said, "that sort of makes more sense now. We were viewing this Monster she kept mentioning as being harmful to the child and was struggling to understand why she was so distraught that it might not return. We didn't consider that she actually wanted the Monster to come back for her, that she was trying so hard to be a good girl to ensure that happened. It will make it easier to work with Pippa and find a family for her."

Kothari stiffened, his expression going dark in an instant. The Head Beta noticed it immediately as did the others. It was almost as if Agony had returned, and Natalia gently placed a small hand on his chest, drawing his eyes to hers.

"You're growling, Kothi," she said softly, and his eyes appeared to stare straight through her for a moment before he slowly began to relax.

"Sorry, love," he breathed, relaxing his hold on her, knowing he had clutched her too tightly and likely hurt her. Kothari pressed his forehead against hers and he took a deep breath to centre himself. "She's mine, Tali. She's mine as much as you are," he whispered inside her mind. "I can't explain how or why it is this way, but it's how I feel deep inside."

Natalia soothed his cheek gently, her heart overflowing with the love she felt for this, beautiful complicated male that belonged to her. He was trying so hard to deal with the onslaught of emotions he'd buried so long, at a loss to understand how to deal with those emotions in an acceptable manner. He'd formed a bond with Pippa that was clearly deeply entrenched inside him. It confused him for the most part, and yet at just the thought the child might be taken from him caused his vampire to rear up in protest.

She made her decision right in that moment, knowing that she would give her, beautiful complex mate anything his heart desired. She had fallen in love with the little girl on first meeting her anyway. She was the bravest, most beautiful little wolf she'd ever met.

"She is ours, my beautiful mate," she whispered back, seeing stunned shock and then joy light up Kothari's beautiful eyes. "We will convince your Alpha of this, but perhaps in a less volatile manner?" Natalia injected some dry humour into her tone, and he smiled and pressed his lips gently to hers before straightening.

"I'll speak to Rafe about this too, Aaron," he finally said in a reasonable tone. "For now, I suppose we'd better head off to the pack before Demetri blows a blood vessel. Looks like he's in dire need of some sweet Mara loving."

The Ancient vampire had been remarkably patient, giving their necessary pack bonding time but clearly itching for them all to leave. "You keep your nose out of my wife's sweet loving, boy," he growled softly but his lips were twitching in amusement and there was a sparkle in his deep green gaze. "Now, can we get the fuck out of here?"

Alexei burst out laughing, clapping his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Everyone is congregating at the pack, D. Mara's heading over there too."

They all laughed at the eagerness on the Ancient's face as he opened the door to the first SUV and climbed. "Then move your asses," he growled again. "I have some sweet loving to take care of."

Kothari and Natalia got into the same SUV as his parents. The vehicles were huge because they were pack vehicles so there was plenty of room for everyone. Gard chatted quietly with the wolf driving the car and Natalia quickly caught on that the male was one of Aaron's boys, DJ.

She nestled against Kothari's side, quietly listening to the easy interactions between everyone and feeling more relaxed the longer she was in the company of the Armand-Hanlon packmates. It was evident that things were so much different over here, that existing with vampires wasn't a fight of life and death but was more a harmonious friendship by those she'd met already. She was aware it likely wasn't all hearts and flowers everywhere stateside, but at least within the pack she would be safe and protected. There was hope for her mother too, and it appeared that she would soon be adopting a little wolf cub into her growing family.

Natalia hadn't expected that turn of events, but she wasn't unhappy about it. Pippa needed some stability, and her mate needed the connection he'd developed with the little girl. If they could help her overcome the horrors she'd been through and give her the love she badly needed, then she was more than happy to give that to the young one.

She fell asleep at some point, still recovering from her own injuries and the changes to her body. She woke when the SUV pulled to a halt, feeling her mate resting his cheek against the top of her head.

"We're here, Tali," Kothari whispered quietly, and she smiled, tilting her head back to look up at him.

He was looking a little concerned as if worried about what his Alpha may say, but when their eyes connected she saw his darken as he dipped his head and caught her lips in a ravishing kiss. Her fingers immediately threaded in his hair, pulling his mouth tightly to hers as his touch lit a fire in her that threatened to consume her. He tasted so good and did such amazing things to her insides that she never wanted the moment to end.

Kothari reluctantly pulled his mouth from Natalia's, hot need shining in his gaze as he stared at the beautiful woman who was his for eternity. He ached to be with her, ached to taste every inch of her soft skin and make her writhe with pleasure beneath him until they finally joined together, and they finalised their mating in the age-old way of weres and vampires alike. But she was still recovering, and he still had to face the rest of his pack and Rafe in particular. His needs would have to wait a little longer though hopefully not too much because he needed to complete his claiming of his woman otherwise he'd likely go crazy again.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Kothari, stop hiding in the bloody car. I'm not that much of a dick that I won't give you time to be with your new mate and celebrate the success of your mission to find your parents with the rest of the pack before we have a little chat."

Rafe's deep voice echoing through his mind shattered any amorous thoughts he was having. Kothari grimaced and let out a deep sigh. "Come on, my love. Rafe is demanding my presence." When she looked a little concerned, he brushed his fingers gently against her cheek. "He's a good Alpha, Tali. Probably the best this side of the pond. He will be firm but fair in whatever judgement he comes to about my actions. And he's not going to kick my ass the minute we step out of the car."

That appeared to soothe her, and they got out, only realising that they were alone once they stopped staring into each other's eyes.

Natalia halted, her eyes going wide when she saw how many wolves and vampires were crowded in the large outdoor meeting area close to what had to be the Alphas' home. She'd never seen so many wolves all in the same place before, and it made her eyes widen further as she watched everyone hugging each other and laughing and talking all at the same time. For a moment she thought she was going to start hyperventilating it was all so overwhelming and then the group seemed to part as if on cue, and she found herself staring at a huge brown-haired wolf with deep brown eyes and a stunning white-blonde haired woman whose hands were resting lightly on her slightly rounded stomach.

Kothari slipped his arm around her back and gently coaxed her forward, his big body tense though his expression carefully neutral. "Rafe, Lacey, this is my mate, Natalia," he said gravely, and it was only because his hand was clutching her hip so tightly that she could tell how nervous her usually indifferent mate was. It mattered to him that his Alphas accepted her. That had her love for him growing exponentially even though she hadn't thought she could love her mercurial Vârcolac any more than she already did.

"Natalia," Lacey said, a warm smile crossing her exquisite face. "It's so lovely to meet you and welcome you to our home."

"Indeed, welcome," Rafe agreed, his stern expression melting into a warm smile as he towered over the uncertain girl. He didn't need to be connected to her with an Alpha bond to sense that she was overwhelmed and still in the transition period of her mating. "I understand you prefer to be called, Tali. I hope Cedar and Aaron were able to reassure you a bit about your mother."

"Yes, Alpha," Natalia replied respectfully, not sure how Alphas were addressed stateside and still being in awe at the fact that the pack had an Alpha couple who already had grown children and Lacey obviously pregnant again too judging from the way she cradled her stomach. Life for wolves in Europe was so harsh that most packs only had one surviving Alpha at a time and any young ones from an Alpha mating were usually taken away immediately to grow within a new pack with a few strong Betas to hopefully take over that one once mature enough.

"Oh," Lacey let out a sad gasp her beautiful pale blue eyes looking slightly stricken. "Are things more formal in your pack, Tali?" she asked gently. "We're a lot more relaxed here, young one. It's just Rafe and Lacey."

Kothari gave her a reassuring smile, and a nod of his head and she relaxed a bit more. "I wasn't sure if you did things differently, Lacey," Natalia said, trying not to sound so meek. "Our Alphas don't tend to live very long in Europe. Our Betas, who are less formal, could be our Alpha the following day so that sort of made it a bit redundant, the whole Alpha respect thing. But I didn't want to possibly cause any offence if you followed the old ways here."

Rafe barked out a laugh, genuine amusement crossing his handsome face. "You've just returned home mated to my errant pack member who disappeared alone to travel to another continent without the approval of his Alpha, and I haven't kicked his ass immediately on his return. That alone should speak volumes, Tali." Though he was laughing there was a hint of steel in his tone and eyes as they raked over her mate's resolute expression. He glared at Kothari a moment longer until Lacey placed a gentle hand on his arm and he broke the staring contest to look down at her.

"I know," he huffed out. "If he hadn't gone to Europe then he wouldn't have found his mate. That still doesn't mean you and I are not going to be having a very long discussion about how unacceptable your behaviour, not only has been, but was when you masked your pack bonds. But for now, let's celebrate Gard and Rayne's homecoming and the exemplary job you all did managing to get home in one piece."

Kothari relaxed a bit more at his Alpha's expression, the sternness fading to be replaced with a resigned smile. He relaxed more when Rafe placed a big hand on his shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze to reinforce his pride in his young pack member. "We are happy you've found your mate, Kothi. Go and join your family and friends."

Natalia sighed and leaned against her mate, more of her own tension releasing at the kindly expression on the Alpha's face when he looked at Kothari. She could see that he was indeed a good Alpha. Others of his dominance level in Europe wouldn't have given an errant pack member a reprieve from their judgement. They couldn't afford not to have everyone fall in line immediately.

Kothari pulled her away from the Alphas, introducing her to a myriad of strangers who were grinning and teasing her mate, asking what miracle had occurred to turn him into a normal person which he took in his stride, considering it was probably quite overwhelming for him too.

"Where's Fox?" she asked Dara, when she found herself beside her new friend. The blonde's lips tightened, and her eyes went to one of the buildings a little distance away.

"Mallen took him straight to the infirmary. He asked that everyone give him and his team the space to check out the extent of his injuries and devise a treatment plan. Every part of me wants to be over there with him, Tali. It's taking everything in me to keep my distance and trust in Mallen's medical skills."

She had wondered how Dara could claim Fox as hers and then step back and not mentioned it again. Natalia couldn't imagine being so far apart from Kothari now that she knew they belonged together. Her expression must have shown her confusion because the blonde wolf gave her a rueful smile.

"You're wondering how I can stay away from him, aren't you? I'm not quite sure how I'm managing it myself," Dara admitted. "Perhaps it's a Vârcolac thing rather than a wolf thing but not all of us who have found their mates need to claim them instantly. Lily knew Mac was her mate from when she first saw him at eighteen. She's only recently claimed him though. I think deep down she knew she wasn't ready to be mated, that she needed more time to grow and learn who she was as a person before she could take on the responsibility of being mated."

"Wow, I've never heard of anyone waiting that long to claim their mate," Natalia commented, genuinely surprised by what she was hearing.

"It's not typical with wolves here either," Dara smiled in response. "Liam knew instantly that Reasa was his mate and claimed her quite quickly. Cassia and Pietro took a little time because of Pietro's injuries from Europe, and it took Agony a while to come around to the truth about you and him. Granted those instances weren't as long as Lily's claiming but we Vârcolac seem to have the restraint to wait until our mates are ready. Fox doesn't know me, and I don't know him. He's hurt badly and will need time to recover. I'm prepared to wait until the timing is right for us, and smart enough to know that now isn't that time."

"So, you're not telling your family and friends until the time is right?" Natalia guessed and earned herself another warm smile.

"No one who heard my claim will say anything until I mention it myself. No one interferes with mates... well except for when it was Reasa and Liam but that was a completely different scenario and one the pack is still recovering from. You'll likely hear all about it as you settle in here, now that you're a member of our pack."

That had Natalia frowning and also looking a bit confused. "Am I?" she asked keeping her voice low so others around her couldn't hear. "I thought I would feel a connection with Rafe as an Alpha, but I don't feel anything, Dara."

Her friend nodded and gave her hand a soft squeeze. "Neither do the other mates of the Vârcolac. It's nothing to worry about though. Rafe and Lacey accept those mates as part of the pack despite the lack of Alpha bond. The Vârcolac remain bonded to Rafe, that's all that matters. You belong here with us, Tali, for as long as Kothi remains a part of this pack. No one will ever send you away, so please don't worry about that."

Natalia let out a long sigh of relief. It had been worrying her that she hadn't felt a bond with Rafe or Lacey, but hearing it being explained as not being out of the ordinary settled some of her anxiety. Dara suddenly got a faraway look on her face, and she noticed the same expression crossing Kothari's and guessed that they were possibly speaking telepathically to each other. Kothi had explained to her that all the Vârcolac could do that.

Kothari felt Kallum nudge his mind, and he let down his mental guards to allow the other male access. As soon as he did he felt all the others join them, and he stifled down a deep sigh. If Kal started reading him the riot act for disappearing he was going to lose his shit. He wasn't ready for being chastised multiple times, he wanted to find his mate and spirit her away so they could continue their kissing thing.

"Kothari," Lily muttered. "I don't think any of us want an in-depth view of what you want to do to your girl!"

"I second that," Elle's dry tone echoed through his head. "I can't believe you actually managed to find a mate either, " she tacked on, her tone turning disbelieving.

"Fuck off," he growled back irritably, feeling old habits kicking in as he instinctually pushed them away.

"No, you don't, Kothi," Dara laughed softly. "Those days are long over, my friend. You're not slipping backwards because Tali's not at your side right now to soothe you. You've worked far too hard to find some peace. Don't try to throw it all away at the first available opportunity."

He knew she was right, and he swallowed hard, fighting down instincts that had served him well the past twenty five years. "Old habits die hard," he sighed softly. "It's going to take me a while to stop instantly trying to protect myself."

"You feel so much more balanced as it is," Kallum said quietly, and it sounded as if there was a hint of relief in his mental tone. "You scared us, Kothari. You should have told us what you planned to do. Perhaps we could have helped in some way."

"I wasn't exactly myself at the time and you know you would have tried to stop Agony, Kallum. You would have told Rafe, and he would have tried to cage the monster. I would have hurt people we all loved if that had happened. I did what I did to protect you all as well as find my parents."

He could sense Kallum's disbelief, as well as the others'. He didn't know how to make them understand, how to put in words just how much of a danger he was.

Dara spoke then, her tone practical and firm. "He's right, Kal, and I think you know that too deep down. I was there when Agony was dominant. I was there when he took down vampires as if they were fragile humans with no special abilities. Agony couldn't be caged at that time. If it hadn't been for Tali, I think Agony would have won the battle for dominance in Kothi's body and he would never have returned to us. What happened needed to happen. We're all home safely now and that should be all that matters."

"That's my sister," Cassia's voice joined the conversation, and they could all hear the pride in her tone as she listened to Dara's words. "We should be thankful for Kothi and Dara's safe return, along with the rest of our packmates. Let's not fight amongst ourselves when there is no need."

There was a long pause when no one said anything and the Kallum sighed deeply. "I guess wiser heads than mine have prevailed," he chuckled lightly. "It's good to have you home, Kothi, and congratulations on your mating. I don't mean this in a bad way, but you were the last one of us I expected to mate so soon."

That had Kothari smiling and he was surprised to find that his initial instinct to chase them all out of his mind had dissipated in the face of Dara's staunch defence of him. That the others appeared to accept him back into the fold was evident by the warmth flooding through their Vârcolac bond, echoing Kal's amazement at him having mated.

"You and me both," he quipped back, it feeling a tad strange but also amazing to feel so much a part of their tightknit group after holding himself apart for so long. He found he liked it, even Elle's standoffishness. Perhaps his friend was another he would need to have a little chat with, as he had with Dante.

"Oh, Cass, I almost forgot to tell you. We brought Fox home with us. He's in a pretty bad way though. We think he was attacked as soon as he arrived back in Europe. He was beaten up quite severely by the vampires that were holding Gard and Rayne and then crushed under a rockfall when the vampires blew up the cave they were in. Mallen's got him over at the infirmary right now. He won't let anyone in at the moment, but he might let you as you're part of his medical team. It turns out he's Tali's Head Beta... or I guess I should say was now she's mated with Kothi."

Dara felt bad about manipulating her sister's protective instincts, but it was the only way she was going to get any information on how her mate was doing until it was disseminated through the pack by Rafe. As expected, Cassia's Beta instincts kicked in and her tone turned businesslike.

"I'm on my way back from a supply run. I'll be there shortly and see what I can do to help." Her sister left it at that, but Dara knew her well and was aware that she'd picked up on the undertone in Dara's mental voice. They would talk privately later, but she was aware that her sister probably realised that Dara's comment was more than just imparting some information.

"So, I was right," Kallum commented his tone thoughtful. "Pietro met with a European wolf called Fynn who was with Fox when they first met him. He was worried because Fox had gone dark, so Pietro has been keeping an eye on him while Caleb, Annie, Rafe and Jared make up their minds whether or not to bring Fynn into our inner circle. I suspected that they might be part of Ava's pack, but we didn't have any confirmation of that until now. I'll let Rafe know and he can speak to the others."

"Please do, Kal," Kothari said as Dara echoed his mental tone with her own urging. "Tali could do with one of her former packmates supporting her. She's been through a lot and with both Ava and Fox in a bad way, she's needing the support of a friend she knows she can rely on. Everyone in the pack are welcoming her, but it's overwhelming being amongst so many strangers. Where is Liam?" he added, just noticing that his friend was missing from their conversation.

"He and Reasa are currently dream walking with Ava. Apparently she became agitated a couple of hours ago, around about the time you guys arrived back. I don't know if that has anything to do with her distress, but Liam figured his attention was most needed with the wolf and he could catch up with you later," Kallum answered.

Kothari could understand that, and his gaze shifted over to where his mate was standing beside Dara. She had just accepted that she wouldn't be seeing her mother today, so he decided not to mention Ava's agitation. There was no point in worrying her unnecessarily. He must have thought the last part out aloud because Kallum agreed with him and they said their goodbyes and slowly faded from Kothari's mind. His feet were making their way over to Natalia and Dara before he knew it. He was at his mate's side in a few strides, his arms wrapping around her as Dara's refocused and gave him a small smile before moving silently away.

"Do you know a wolf called Fynn, Tali?" he asked, brushing his fingers lightly against her cheek and watching her eyes light up before the light dimmed and sadness crossed her face.

"He's one of our pack Betas," she whispered. "He was with Fox and the others, and I haven't seen him in weeks. He might even be dead now for all we know. We have no idea of what happened to those who were with Fox when he returned to Europe. They could all be dead and Fox the only survivor."

Kothari gave her a reassuring smile and gave into the urge to brush her lips tenderly with his. "He's alive and he's still here, love," he murmured gently, desperate to take the haunted expression from her gaze. "Kal is going to update Rafe and the other higher ups that he's part of your European pack along with Fox. That should hopefully mean that he'll be allowed to come to the pack, and if it doesn't then I'll make sure that you can meet up with him in the city once you've finished your transition. You'll see your friend again, Tali, I promise."

Her eyes filled with tears instantly and they fell silently down her cheeks as hope brimmed in them too. "Do you think they will let him come?" she asked tearfully. "It would mean so much to me to have someone I love and trust here while we wait for Mama and Fox to get better."

"We have to wait and see," he answered with a regretful expression. He didn't want to give her a definitive yes if Rafe and the others decided it wasn't safe.

She gave him a hopeful smile, and he kissed her softly again. He couldn't stop himself from kissing her, it was all he could think about at the moment, his need to complete their mating a pressing need within himself.

"Kothi?" The quiet feminine voice that interrupted them had his head turning to look down into the eyes of Rhianna Armand, Rafe's sister and also sister to his father too because she carried the soul of Anakatrine the last vampire Queen.

She was sort of his aunt by default though he'd made it his mission to avoid her at all costs as he had been growing up. He hadn't wanted to care about someone else, so it was easier to avoid her and Caleb. That's how he'd rationalised ignoring his family from another time. Now he looked at her and realised from the concern on her face that despite his distancing himself from her, Annie had never stopped that from preventing her caring about him.

Her lavender gaze searched his face and then she reached up and touched his cheek lightly. "I'm so glad you're home safely, Kothi, and overjoyed to see you've found your inner balance. I know it's been a difficult and often lonely road, but I've always had the utmost faith in you."

Her praise shocked him but also filled him with a warm glow. "Thank you, Annie," he said quietly, shuffling his feet slightly, feeling a little ashamed by the way he had ignored his aunt for so long, but knowing that it wasn't something he could change, and she didn't appear to hold it against him. "Tali, this is Annie, and also Anakatrine, my aunt on my father's side. It's a bit complicated to explain. There's quite a lot I do need to explain, but it's a bit much to take in all at once. Annie, this is my mate, Tali."

"Hello, Annie," Natalia said shyly, blushing at being caught kissing Kothari so publicly.

"This hulking shadow behind me is my mate, Caleb," Rhianna smiled, warmth in her tone as she looked up at her golden-brown haired mate who was smiling at her indulgently. "Our strange family does take a bit of getting used to, Tali, but I'm sure you'll manage to work it out eventually. I hear you've brought one of you former packmates home with you, and that this Fynn wolf is part of the same pack?"

When Natalia nodded with a hopeful expression, the petite vampire smiled once more.

"Let me have a word with Rafe. I'm sure once he realises how important it is for you to have some of your former packmates around that he will relent and allow Fynn to visit with you. From what I hear you've been through a lot recently. It's only right that we do everything to make your stay here as comfortable as possible."

Natalia swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears once more though she swallowed hard again to halt them from falling. Kothari pulled her close, his protective instincts kicking in. He hated seeing her cry. It was like a visceral pain lancing through him, and it called to his darker side, the side he couldn't let free.

"Thank you, Annie," he said solemnly. "That would mean so much to both of us."

Lavender eyes twinkled and she touched his cheek again lightly. "Oh, this is going to take some getting used to," she laughed softly, and he knew she was referring to how approachable he suddenly was. "Love the eyes, Kothi."

And the petite vampire drifted away as quickly as she had arrived, heading over to his parents to flow into his father's arms and hug him tightly. Caleb watched her with a resigned expression and rolled his eyes. "That's something you're going to have to get used to," he muttered under his breath as he shot an appraising glance at the young Vârcolac. "You can't rip the head off everyone your new mate hugs no matter how much you want to."

With that parting shot, he too headed over to Kothari's parents, laughing as he gathered Rayne into a warm hug and Gard gave him the evil eye.

"Was he warning you?" Natalia asked, appearing a little overawed by the vampire couple. Technically she should feel afraid with all the strange vampires within the pack but oddly she didn't. Kothi was right, it was a strange gathering of family and pack, but the way they interacted, the obvious love and friendship between them, soothed any issues she might have at being so close to the species that had attacked and destroyed her pack.

"Probably," Kothari sighed, giving her a small smile. "We're awfully possessive of our mates, and I don't have the best track record when it comes to not losing control of my darkness. Caleb was just letting me know if he's able to allow Annie her need to be tactile with those she loves that I'd better be prepared to do the same."

Natalia leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'll try not to be too tactile with other males," she promised, not wanting to do anything that tested her mate's hard fought new inner balance.

Kothari smiled softly and tilted her chin up for a gentle kiss. "You don't have to do that, Tali. You should be free to be as tactile as you want to be. It's my responsibility to ensure that I control my own behaviour and as long as I know you're mine I can be generous enough to cope with your need to be affectionate with anyone else."

His quiet declaration touched her because she knew without a doubt that once she saw Fynn, and Fox was able to have visitors, that she'd likely be throwing herself into their arms for some comfort. They were her Betas even though she had never made the change to become a wolf. They were home, her family, all that she had from her former life now that everything had changed. They would always be pack to her, they had always protected her and knowing them the way she did, she knew that they would continue to do so regardless of what had happened.

Even as she was thinking this, her mind was going to the new friends she had made along the way. She suddenly realised that she hadn't seen Mila and Dante in a long time, in fact, apart from when they'd first arrived at the compound, she hadn't seen them at all.

As sense of foreboding overcame her the instant the thought registered. She stiffened instantaneously, knowing just what that feeling meant. "Where are they?" she blurted out, her eyes frantically searching the throng of people in the clearing.

"Tali?" She could hear confusion and concern in Kothari's voice as terror started to build deep inside her, her body spasming with the visceral emotion, her stomach heaving as she fought not to bend over and violently throw up.

"Kothi, where are they? Mila and Dante? We have to find them! We have to find them now!" She took off running, using her terror to guide her, aware that Kothari was calling her name and that others were turning to stare at her in shock and confusion.

She had to find them! She had to get to them before it was too late! Natalia ran as if lives depended on it, because lives did, Mila's and Dante's. She had no concept of how fast she was running, or care at the startled expressions following her. All that mattered was she had to find her friends and stop whoever it was that was trying to hurt them.

~~~~~

"We have to leave, Mila. We should never have come here." Dante Castillo was pulling his mate reluctantly through the deep foliage, winding a path away from the pack compound, his muscles tense, his senses alert.

"But why, Dante?" the petite darkhaired vampire asked, her expression puzzled and also a little angry. "Tali's back there. If it's dangerous we have to warn her." She didn't want to leave her friend, but Dante's grip was vicelike, he was all but dragging her away from the wolves and other vampires.

"She's safe with them," Dante growled, shooting an intent gaze behind them. "They're her pack now and they'll protect her. But we need to leave, and we need to do it now."

"Going somewhere?" a deep male voice said quietly, a brown-haired vampire dropping from a tree a few feet in front of them, to lean on it almost casually.

Neither of them had seen this vampire at the compound, but they both halted instantly, knowing a deadly predator when they saw one. Dante's heart was pounding in his chest as he saw their escape was cut off and heard the sound of another vampire at their back. He didn't need to turn around to know who was behind them, it was Alexei Romanov, Dara's father. The vampire had been staring at him so intently ever since they'd arrived, and it had set his hackles up, knowing that something was very wrong with the way the other vampire was looking at him.

"Why the cryptic message, brother? My Rose is not too happy with me cutting and running just as we were getting to the good part of our day away from the pack." The vampire in front of them had his gaze fixed on the vampire tracking them, and Dante knew instantly who the male was.

Andrei Romanov.

Dante's heart almost stopped as realisation dawned, and he realised just how much danger they were currently in. The Romanov twins' reputation was legendary. He had no illusions that he'd be able to fend of the brothers if they attacked, which meant his Mila wasn't safe.

"It took me a while to recognise him," Alexei growled from behind them, "but I finally placed the face. He's changed since he was human but not that much."

Andrei's brown eyes flickered over Dante and Mila, his expression thoughtful. He stared at them for a long moment and then shrugged nonchalantly. "You're going to have to clue me in, Alexei. I can't be expected to remember every human or vampire we've ever encountered." His tone sounded bored, but only a fool would think that the predator was anything but fully alert.

"The Brotherhood of the Righteous!" Alexei hissed out through clenched teeth.

Dante was carefully positioning Mila behind him, angling his body so that he could see both brothers at the same time. Alexei was feral, his talons out, his eyes black as sin. Andrei remained more civilised but that somehow made him appear the more dangerous of the two. Anyone could see Alexei's current state of mind. No one could guess at Andrei's with his veneer of civility and a half smile gracing his full lips.

"Ah, yes, those pesky humans who liked to hunt vampires," Andrei sighed, moving closer to his brother but never taking his alert gaze from Dante. "They were all destroyed, weren't they? One of Abraham's experiments actually working for once."

Both Dante and Mila stiffened at the sound of their mentor's name. The Romanov brothers had known Abraham. And what was all that about his experiments? Dante was the one that had destroyed the Brotherhood after he had been turned to a vampire during one of their many attacks on the covens back then. He'd never known who had turned him, having being brought low from behind after taking an almost fatal wound to the stomach.

"Mila had no part in the Brotherhood," he ground out, not bothering to deny that he had been part of it. He wanted to scream at the utter irony of his current situation. Centuries of hating himself, centuries of denying himself his mate. And when he finally granted himself some absolution, his past fucking caught up with him in the shape of two of the deadliest predators ever to live. It was as if fate was laughing at him and maybe he deserved it. But he had to save his beautiful Mila. She didn't deserve to pay for his past actions. "Let her go and I'll take whatever retribution you want to mete out."

"Dante, no!" Mila cried, fear and fury dancing across her beautiful face as she pushed forward to stand at his side. "You've atoned for your past, and they don't have the right to judge you for it. They're hardly innocents." Her unseeing gaze swung in their direction, fury in her voice as she addressed them.

"Go on. Lie to us. Tell us that you don't have anything in your past that you regret. There isn't a vampire over a thousand years old that can claim to be innocent. You know that as much as we do!"

"He murdered thousands of our kind. He destroyed the coven Andrei, Abraham and I were a part of down to the very last vampire. If we had been there that day we would have died too, and you wouldn't be here, either, Mila. Abraham was your Sire, wasn't he? I can scent it, that small lingering scent of sandalwood that was so much a part of him." Alexei's voice was chilling and even Mila swallowed hard as it became clear that her words were not getting through to the irate vampire.

"You were killing his people back then, draining humans dry," she countered, praying for Dante to remain silent while she tried to reach through Alexei's fury. "What were humans supposed to do, Alexei? Line up in a row and say sure go ahead and slaughter us like cattle? This Brotherhood might have killed a thousand or so of you back then but how many humans did you butcher? Ten thousand, a hundred thousand? You should take a long hard look at your own actions before you whine about what happened to your coven and friends."

"Alexei!"

It was only Andrei's cold voice that stopped his brother lashing out at the blind vampire, his civility in tatters as she had the gall to lecture him, Alexei Romanov, on what was right and wrong.

"We should let cooler heads deal with this, brother," Andrei continued, half smiling at the irony of it being him having to calm down his twin when it was usually the other way around. "You know the others would not have brought them here if they were a danger to our pack. You're overreacting because Dara was over there with Dante in Europe and your father's protective instincts are coming out at that knowledge. Be at ease brother."

He would have said more but something blurred into existence beside them crashing into Alexei powerfully and throwing him into Andrei so hard they both crumpled to the ground in shock. They jumped back to their feet instantly, staring at the woman who was glaring at them in utter fury, crouched in a fighting stance as she protected her friend.

"If you touch them I will hurt you," the girl hissed, fury in every word. "Do not make me hurt you, Alexei Romanov. I do not wish to lose your daughter's friendship!"

"Tali?" Alexei was still reeling from the cracked ribs that were starting to mend from when Kothari's mate had crashed into him. Her speed and strength distracted him from what he had been about to do, confusion crossing his face. The woman before him was not the quiet, overwhelmed young girl that he'd met at the airport. No, she was a strong, deadly predator, all wrapped up in a pretty, innocent package that spoke of fragility and guile. Fuck! How many enemies had Kothi and Dara brought into their pack?

"Don't even think about it, Alexei." The cold, hard tone of the most volatile Vârcolac was chilling. Kothari arrived a handful of seconds after his mate and strode over to her side, blanketing the two vampires from the twins' gaze.

"You don't know who he is!" Alexei hissed at him, his momentary distraction fading to be replaced with his fury again.

"I know Dante and Mila were instrumental in guiding me to my mate. I know they protected her along with everyone else and fought at our sides to defeat the vampires our enemy sent to stop us finding my parents. I know that if ever I had a need they would stand with me and protect my back because that is who they are now. And most importantly, I know it would break my mate's heart if anything ever happened to them, and I refuse to allow anyone to hurt her again, not after everything she has lost. That is all I need to know, Alexei. And that is all that you should need to know too." Kothari's words were cold, his tone hard, his eyes darkening as his more feral side became more dominant. But he didn't lash out, knowing it would hurt Dara if he did anything to wound her father and uncle.

"Will someone please tell me why I've just had to send my pregnant mate into lockdown?" Rafe Hanlon asked, striding into the clearing along with his sister and her mate, with Demetri and Mara not far behind them. He'd left Freya and the others protecting the more vulnerable members of his pack, but Dara had followed them with a stern expression on her face as if daring him to tell her to stay behind. He'd found that quite amusing despite the situation and decided to let her come. She was one of the strongest members of his pack after all.

"They've brought a traitor into our pack," Alexei answered, his gaze never leaving Dante as he spoke. "Dante Castillo was a member of the Brotherhood of the Righteous and is responsible for killing thousands of our kind when he was human."

There was a moment's silence and then Rafe let his brown gaze connect with the new vampire. "Is this true?"

"I was once a member of the Brotherhood, yes," Dante replied, not looking at the Alpha. He was not the most dangerous person in the clearing therefore he kept his gaze fixated on the vampire that wanted to take his head.

"Rafe, may I?" Rhianna asked in a quiet voice, not wanting to steam in and take over. It so irritated her brother when others did that in his pack.

"What do you think you're doing?" Caleb asked, a frown on his face. "The Brotherhood was no joke, Annie. They massacred so many of our people."

"And you weren't massacring theirs at the time?" Her cool response echoed around the clearing and even Alexei averted his gaze for a moment at the subtle rebuke from the small redhead. It didn't help she was echoing Mila's own accusations from a moment before. "I think I will make my own decision here, mate, and not be blinded by past histories that cannot be changed."

With that she strode forward and motioned for Tali and Kothari to give her room. For a moment she thought the volatile Vârcolac would refuse her, but when she arched an eyebrow at him, he reluctantly pulled Natalia to his side and stepped back.

"Annie won't hurt them, love," he whispered gently, kissing the top of her head.

"I know that," Natalia answered, her expression less pensive. "I don't want to throw up my last three meals." She clarified when he looked surprised, and his lips actually twitched slightly.

Rhianna peered intently at Dante for a long moment, letting her thoughts merge with his as she often did when she was vetting the Praetorians. He sensed her intrusion and initially tried to resist her, but then allowed her in, and she gently sifted through his memories until she was satisfied, giving him a warm smile and a nod of thanks as she gently extricated herself from his mind.

She turned then to look at Mila and the vampire Queen within her sighed softly. "I need to speak with her, Annie," whispered through her mind, and she reached out a hand to Mila, waiting for the vampire to touch it lightly.

Mila gasped in shock as a feeling of electricity flowed through her body at the redhead's touch. She had no idea who this vampire was that everyone conceded to, but she sensed no threat from the other woman, so she accepted the hand that was held out to her. Her body was tingling, and she closed her eyes briefly. The moment she did she found herself in a strange white room, a different petite redhead sitting on a dark crimson sofa, lavender eyes watching her intently.

This wasn't the vampire standing in front of her, she was aware of that instantly. She wasn't sure where she was or who the woman was, but she was conscious that she felt no fear.

"Come, sit with me, child," the woman said, motioning to the sofa. "This will take but a moment though it will feel longer for you in here that it will for that delightful young man of yours waiting patiently for you to open your eyes."

Mila's feet were moving of their own accord even as her mind was registering the other woman's words. Had she seriously called Dante a young man? He was over twelve hundred years old and hardly young by most standards in Europe.

"You're not Annie," she said sinking down on the sofa beside her and she was rewarded with a warm smile.

"I am and I am not," she smiled softly. "I am Anakatrine, the last vampire Queen. My body has been dead for over three thousand years now, though my soul resides in Annie's mind, as my King Callain resides in her mate Caleb's mind. You have met my brother Kothari senior in Europe, though you know him as Gard. He is my Guardian and together we make up the triumvirate of power that once ruled the vampire nation."

Mila blinked stupidly at her, aware her mouth had dropped open as Anakatrine spoke. Vampires had had a Queen? How did no one know of this over in Europe?

"Here, take my hand. It will be quicker to explain it this way. I must confess it is a relief to find one such as myself. It makes the whole explanation thing less tiresome."

Mila accepted the small hand held out to her and she gasped as images and sounds began to collide inside her head. She saw a great palace full of vampires, elegant ballrooms, and lavish gatherings. She saw the vampire royalty, relaxing with those they ruled. She saw the love between the Queen and her King, and the fierce protectiveness of Gard as he walked always a step behind or in front of them. It was so wonderful that Mila felt herself smiling, and then everything turned dark and foreboding. She wept as she relived the story of Rayne's birth and the final moments of Anakatrine and Callain.

When she opened her eyes she knew her cheeks were wet, and the vampire Queen reached across and gently wiped them away. "Do not weep for us, sweet child. Things always happen for a reason, even if we do not always understand them at the time." Her smile turned wry as she brushed her fingers close to Mila's sightless eyes. "Such strength, young one. So powerful and yet so restricted."

"I'm not sure what you mean, Your Majesty," Mila said, not sure how to address this woman but thinking she should use the honorific title.

"Please, call me Ana. I have been dead too long to stand on ceremonies any more. Don't let that lot out there know that I said that though. When they're being particularly foolish, sometimes I have to ask Annie to cede control of her body so I can Royally kick their asses." She giggled, and her amusement was so infectious Mila found herself laughing too.

"Now, I understand why I was restricted looking into the future so long ago, Mila. The fates must have decided that there was only so much I should know about the coming conflict. But it appears they have set in place another powerful Seer to finish this last piece of the puzzle."

Mila frowned slightly and then barked out a brief laugh. "You're not meaning me, Ana?" she asked in an incredulous tone. "I only randomly have visions, though they are becoming more frequent. You can probably tell that my restricted vision likely plays a part in my not being as strong a Seer too."

The Vampire Queen watched her for a long moment, her smile slightly wry. "It is your lack of conventional sight that will make you the most powerful Seer in this time period, young one. You just need some help with how to focus your abilities which I am happy to provide when things calm down a little around here. For now, it's time to lower the blood pressure of these ridiculously overprotective males. If they spent as much time engaging their brains as they did their testosterone levels most of these little misunderstandings could be avoided."

She smiled warmly and stood up. "I know you see them," she added, one perfect eyebrow rising when Mila instantly understood and stiffened in surprise. "It's your choice whether to reveal that knowledge or not, Mila, though I would counsel not. Intuition is telling me that your ability to see the Vârcolac when shadowed should remain a secret at the moment. That ability may one day save someone or more than one of those we both love or will come to love."

Mila nodded, remaining silent. Though the Vampire Queen appeared to merely be speculating, she was aware how sometimes her own internal musings were more of a part of her abilities than an innocent thought. Anakatrine was the most powerful Seer in the world. Perhaps her inner musings were the same.

"You can open your eyes now, young one."

As soon as she did Mila found herself back in the clearing with everyone watching the huge smile that graced Rhianna's face as she let go of her hands and looked over to Alexei who was still rigid with fury. Surprisingly it was Mara who walked over to the irate male, one hand resting on her hip as she cocked her head at him with a disapproving expression.

"Stop being an idiot," she said with a weary sigh. "It's bad enough we have to tiptoe around Andrei's crazy ass without having to do it around you too. No one's asking you to become best buddies with the vampire, just rein in the alpha male bullshit. Or don't you trust your daughter's judgement, Alexei? Or Kothi's? Or Annie's?"

At her words Andrei barked out a loud laugh. "You do know I'm standing right here and can hear every word you're saying, Mara?"

Her stern expression shot to the other twin. "Seriously, Andrei? You're going to deny you have a crazy ass?"

"Crazy ass was not what I was in the process of enjoying before my mate left me hanging," Loretta Simpson growled, appearing out of the trees in a tight fitting tank top and pair of jogging bottoms. "What have you been doing this time?" Her brown eyes met her mate's, an expectant expression on her pretty face.

Andrei grinned and pulled her into his arms, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose. "It wasn't me this time, my Rose. It was his turn." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder at his twin. "Though Mara's clearly a little batshit crazy at the moment too. Did you hear her actually ask Alexei if he trusted Kothi's judgement? He's fucking crazier than I am and that takes a lot of doing."

Alexei watched his brother, heard Mara's words, saw the small smile on Annie's beautiful face and knew that they were manipulating him in their own ways. He wanted to growl at them and tell them to fuck off, but they were getting through to his feral side, and the scent of his mate arriving and the feel of her arms circling him from behind lowered his aggression levels further.

"Causing a ruckus again, mate?" Cedar asked with a wry smile, pressing against his back. She'd had to stay behind to help lockdown the pack and stayed long enough to ensure everything was in hand before she came to join her mate. "What have you done? It must be bad if you've managed to piss off our daughter."

Dara didn't look mad when he let his gaze go to her. No, there was no anger in her beautiful brown eyes but there was a hint of disappointment. Seeing his baby girl with that expression hurt his heart. He never wanted to disappoint any of his family, especially not his daughters. "Fine!" he growled, scowling darkly. "But he stays the fuck away from me. He might have changed and so-called atoned for the past, but I don't forgive or forget. Unlike my twin who is suddenly signing up to become Martha Fucking Stewart's sibling rather than mine."

Andrei snorted a laugh, genuinely amused by his brother losing his shit. "Well, if everything is cleared up here can I get back to having my woman explore just how crazy my ass is, or do we need to hang around?" His gaze went to Rafe who had remained silent during the whole episode. Most other Alphas would have barged right in and tried to take control of the situation. Rafe was smart enough to allow the pack members who could get through to Alexei to defuse the situation first until Alexei was back in control of himself.

"I think we need to get this potential issue resolved right now," the Alpha said in a firm tone. "We have enough shit to deal with without having any further splits happening in this pack. So, I want to hear what Dante has to say about this Brotherhood and exactly what happened back then. Not only so Alexei sorts his shit out without breaking his girls' hearts, but so you can run any interference on the Council too if any of them recognise Dante and have a similar reaction."

The blond vampire growled low in his chest, his brown eyes flashing in anger. Rafe was seriously going to side with a European vampire over him? He must have telegraphed something in his expression on his face because Rafe's hardened.

"My mate is currently in lockdown because you lost your shit, Alexei. That's already pissed me off. Don't fucking throw oil onto the fire by giving me any attitude. We need to sort this out and now. Everyone back to the pack. We'll have the meeting in the main living room in half an hour. Dara, can you get all the Vârcolac to attend? Cedar, can you ensure Mac and Karn return. Sorry, Loretta, you're going to have to wait for a piece of your mate's ass."

That last part generated a few chuckles and a resigned sigh from Andrei. It was enough to break a little more of the tension.

Rafe turned to look at Natalia. "I never thought I'd see the day that anyone could outrun Kothari," he commented with a thoughtful expression. His gaze then settled on Mila and then finally Dante. "Will you help to resolve this once and for all?"

Dante glanced down at the petite woman at his side, tilting his head in just the right angle so she could 'see' his expression. The reassuring smile she gave him helped to lower some of his mistrust, the wide smile Kothari shot him lowering his hostility. Kothi had said Rafe was a good Alpha, and despite the fact the big wolf was surrounded by vampires who could kill him in a heartbeat, he had no fear scent in the slightest. Rafe Hanlon was Alpha of this pack, and it was evident that even the Romanov twins respected the wolf and trusted him.

"I will tell you the truth from the humans point of view. Whether that resolves anything will be up to Alexei Romanov," he finally replied, taking a leap of faith and walking slowly over to the Alpha. "But if this goes to shit I want your word that Mila is protected at all costs. Give me that and we'll come back with you, otherwise you may as well just kill me here right now."

"Well, that shit won't be happening," Demetri drawled quietly. "Stop being such a fucking drama queen, Dante. You're freaking Mila out. Let's get this cleared up once and for all. We have enough enemies to be fighting with."

He wrapped his arm around Mara and headed back the way they all came. One by one they turned to follow him, Tali and Kothari bringing up the rear with Dante and Mila. They were all still tense and wary, but Dante knew he couldn't avoid what was to come. He only hoped that he still had some of his new friends at his side once they knew the full truth of his past.

To be continued...