I decide to leave Tonic with his newfound friend. It isn't often that Stefan makes a new friend, and honestly, I didn't need Tonic to be more involved in my plans than he already was. I needed to speak with Haryek about the plan and gauge his reaction without worrying about being revealed to Alpha.

Besides, I don't know how many more questions about my relationship I could take.

My relationship.

I ponder this as I walk, thinking about his concern, leaving his people with little notice to come and check on me. The fact that he stayed in the home of a Strigoi was mind-boggling to me. The two had been natural enemies since the great wars of vampires and werewolves, even if a Strigoi was only a subgenre.

Deceiving myself with romantic thoughts that this brute might care for me was cruel, but it does feel good to ponder. People didn't often care much for me, in my time with the young men who came in and out of my life as a teenager, there was a common denominator. I found that I was often lacking in what made people likable.

My mother had said that I marched to my own rhythm; I had never fit into the pieces that made for polite society. I didn't laugh at the right time, I never got the joke, I refused to entertain the sport of hunting and I took to drink at the young age of sixteen.

My piece was bent, broken, and misshapen. It was easier to toss it to the side than attempt to make it fit with the other rounded corners; I was pointy and hard-edged.

It would seem it took a dictator to find someone I had things in common with.

I go through my familiar city towards the outskirts where the rebellion lay hidden, passing the haunting carcass of a destroyed building. Yet, it looked burned, not looted as many of the lycan-claimed buildings.

For a brief moment, I wonder if he's safe. I know that none of us are secure in these times. I remind myself that there are far more foes among those that surround my castle, yet among them, I feel the safest I'd felt in many years.

Here, on the streets of my home, I'm at my most exposed for an attempt on my life. My father had enemies; it would be nothing for the rebellion to turn on me, and with that, I keep my guard up.

As I leave the city limits, stepping into the sector of homes that I'd demanded Haryek give back, the elf is the first to meet me. Unfortunately, he has not forgotten about my last visit as he stands too close, hungry. Haryek is my opposite, the monster others saw me as.

I did sexual favors as a means of survival, and Hayrek did them as a way of control.

"Haryek." I greet.

He smiles at me, a beaming white beacon of perfection. Offering to hug me, I propose my hand instead. "I'd like to update you on our current situation, alone if we may."

"Eager are we? Well, we can adjourn to my cabin if that suits you?" Haryek asks, brushing his lips against my ear, and giving me an inviting gesture to his residence. Taking a step back with a frown, I clear my throat to loosen my nerves, forcing myself to let go of my tension.

I couldn't lower myself to the expectation just because it would please him, I'm not afraid of someone like Haryek who was trespassing on my land.

It begins to dawn on me that the reason I reached the rebellion quicker today is that it had grown. They had taken hold of more homes.

"How about a walk?" I suggest, my tone short.

"Of course." He offers me his arm, and I reject it, though he's quick to attempt to snatch it anyway. "Don't be a tease, Nicolas, dear." Haryek's voice is tight beneath his teeth, raising the hair on my neck as his arm snakes around my waist, fingers twisting painfully into my hip.

Suddenly, I felt as though this walk was no longer voluntary.

We make our way towards the gardens and the smell would be intoxicating if my anger wasn't in full swing. There must be an earth mage among those here. He plucks a rose and offers it over; I take it with a look that says I'm not amused as I force myself out of his grasp.

"Really? Do I look like someone who likes hearts and roses?"

As quickly as it crosses my mind to tease him into salvaging this relationship, I toss the rose over my shoulder. Too bad for him; I'm not an idiot. I make poor choices, but seeing that they had continued to take over pieces of my city had pushed me over the desire to be cordial.

"What news do you bring? What keeps you out of my chambers?" Haryek questions, annoyed with my dismissal as he runs the back of his fingers over my arm.

Gritting my teeth, I shove his hand away with a hard glare. "Haryek, this is important. I've found my father's spellbook."

The elf freezes and stares at me like I've grown a second head. "My god. Well, where is it? Is the lycan leader dead?" The wicked undertones appear like horns on a devil. The mask slips and the beast underneath is revealed.

Haryek wants way more than my alliance.

"Safe," I tell him shortly. "The book is safe."

"Safe?" He repeats back, frustrated. "So that means what? Are the Lycans safe as well?"

"Many people had to die to make that book, Haryek; I don't think its purpose is to save people." I dare not reveal my near death; I don't want to give him any more ammunition against me. "We will have to discuss a different method moving forward; I've deemed the book unusable."

The elf prince scoffs, but he doesn't seem to understand my logic. "We had a deal, Nicolas. You would use the book to help us win the war. We were going to do this together."

My throat feels dry, yet I hold my ground. I was not scared of a monster, though there would be little I could do to defend myself in my condition. Slipping my hand up to touch my neck, feigning nerves, I check my pulse and find it faint. My body was hardly holding itself upright; coming alone was a mistake.

"I have to think about everyone involved. These negotiations didn't involve the book turning out to hold a curse. Besides, there are more pressing matters regarding your involvement." I turn to face him and put on my own politician's face. "I told you to return this land, and you've gained even more homes. This is unacceptable, Haryek. If we want to win this, we must side with the lycans; you must give back all the lands and homes you've taken from my people."

Haryek laughs out loud at me, only to frown when he spies that I'm serious. "This is not the same conversation we have had, so you'll understand my shock and horror at the thought. These are not humans, or elves, or magical beings, Nicolas. These are wild beasts. We cannot trust them. How can we fight alongside them?"

"You can refer to me at Your Highness; I have not yet surrendered my title as you have. I am the Prince of this country; you should treat me as such. They aren't beasts, Haryek-"

He's quick to interrupt, his eyes wild with his bewilderment. "They're what, Nicolas? Excuse me.. Your Highness! Ha!" The elf seethes, his teeth gritted, and saliva sprays with the malice of his words. Just the murderers of your family!"

There would be no room to yield, I couldn't give an ounce. "I think I have a connection with their leader; if I play my cards right, I can get him on our side, which means we stand a chance at making it to Ziduri without massive causalities. We need an army, Haryek, and one is sitting on my front lawn, ready to help us if we only were to ask them!"

Haryek runs his hand through his hair, carefully adjusting the carefully carved hair crown. He isn't pleased with my decision-making; his face contorted with disgust. "A connection? Is that what this is? What, do you plan to seduce him? Suck his dick and then we'll all be one big alliance?" He snaps at me, glowering down as he takes measure of my body. "How many times have you used this hole to get what you want?"

I gape at him, "That might be how you do things but that certainly is not what my intentions are!" I seeth under my breath, my blood boiling, my body trembling with rage. I didn't want to be seen, I didn't want him to know just how far I could sink. "You will not speak to me this way, Haryek. If you'd like an alliance, you will yield-"

"Please, I see through you. You and I are very similar; we fuck to get what we want. You were too easy to convince to join my bed. You're an experienced whore, alright. All of us capitol darlings are used to lying down or pushing it in to get ahead; if you wish to keep your integrity in check, Your Highness, then I suggest you lay back down.. on your back,.. or bend over if it pleases you, before more people have to find out exactly what company you keep."

The steps warn me to retreat as a different kind of predator gazes down on me. My body rings alarm bells.

"How dare you! You take the same liberties that I do; you weave the same web. Don't you dare threaten me when your admittance will come from lying in my bed." I remind him, spinning it, any way to reflect the way he looks at me now.

I can smell the heavy dose of cologne covering his white silks. "Ha! Your bed. I believe it was a stranger's couch, Nicolas. Unsatisfying as it was, you laid there like a drunkard, useless as you are now." He laughs at me, amused. "You practically begged for it with those 'fuck me' eyes... like you are right now. Look at you; I bet you're hard as a rock."

Closing the distance, his hand grips my jaw.

Swiftly, I move to slap him, but he grasps my hand. His body is on mine, and he shoves me against one of the stone pillars. Petals rain all around us from the overhead tree, which is shedding its colored leaves.

Those white teeth near my ear, full lips close enough to feel their smoothness on my skin. I wrench against him, trying to twist again, pleading with my magic to do anything to protect me. "Now listen here, I've begun to find this little game tiresome. You are now an orphan, and if you think this country will accept you, you're sadly mistaken. You need me if you want to maintain your wealth, your country.. that home of yours." His tongue pops, and his hand slips to tighten on my throat.

"I don't know if I want to be so kind as to help you if you're going to be so accusing every time we fuck." He drags his thumb over my lip, and I jerk my head away, glaring at him as I feel a single tear roll down my cheek. My body was in overdrive, panicking, desperate to get away, and yet frozen in fear of how useless I was.

My body was betraying me; my fingers refused to charge, and I could feel the fever attempting to override the ice as my heart galloped in my chest.

"Trust me, it will just be the one time. I think we are done here." I shove his chest, but he bears down on me, and I feel like I'm suffocating. "Let go of me, Haryek." I search for his groin with my knee, yet in the heavy robes he dawns over his suit, it's difficult to find such a minor piece of anatomy. My body wished to sag, so drained after opening the vault. "Please, let me go." My voice fails me, a desperate whisper.

"I think I deserve an appropriate apology for your horrid accusations. So show me a little gratitude for giving you a kingdom when I take over this hell hole. Put on a show for me, hmm? Convince me to save you."

The bitterness rings through his voice, the contempt he had for me clear on his face.

Shaking my head, I fight to dislodge him, to get away. It doesn't occur to me to scream, nobody answered my screams before.

Temporarily, I'm halted as I feel his hand firmly strike my face.

"This will happen with or without your consent, so I suggest you decide right now what it will be. One will be much quicker than the other. There is still a chance for us, darling, to be together as the power couple. You'll see in time that this is what needs to happen. That it is what will happen."

I will my magic to return, pushing towards my fingertips as I feel my world threaten to go dark at the attempt. I'm defenseless, at his mercy. I'm not strong, I have no claws or fangs, my body was to depleted to fight back.

"Do your worst." I spit at him, disgusted, hollow. "You're disgusting, Haryek; I'd cut my throat before I bowed to you. "

Smirking, the elf tilts my head upward and I flinch at his fingers digging into my skin. "So dramatic... not until after I take your land, then I'll throw you off the tallest tower myself." Haryek presses his lips against mine. He invades my mouth so suddenly with his tongue that I practically gag on the taste of the coffee from his breakfast.

What I know to do is to retreat back inside myself. This will be over soon; just find your happy place.

Suddenly, the weight lifts, and I slide to the ground; my ears ring as life rushes back into me.

I inhale a few desperate breaths as my blurred vision fights to focus.

"Nicolas." I hear a voice, blinking rapidly to dislodge the frustrating ringing.

Adriam stands before me.

"If you ever touch him again.." The threat lay heavy in the air.

"Who's yelling?" I rasp. My eyes focus, and I can hardly make out a man—a tall, large man. He has Haryek by the throat, and the elf dangles in the air.

"Who do you think?" Adriam responds disapprovingly, "Are you alright?"

I nod, but my throat is sore, and I wince as I reach up to touch it.

"Don't, you're very bruised. You're like a corpse.." Adriam murmurs, carefully palpating my throat, frowning deeply as he searches my face and wipes at my tears with his thumbs.

"I think there has been a misunderstanding." Haryek garbles as his windpipe is slowly crushed.

"I saw you, bloody knife ear!" Alpha throws Haryek to the ground; the elf cries out at the impact as the lycan quickly follows his rolling body. A sharp kick is delivered to the elf's ribs, flipping him. Haryek coughs and sputters, clutching his ribs as blood seeps from his perfect lips.

It's almost beautiful the way the red contrasts against his pale skin.

"Please stop." I try, but it's hardly loud enough. "Stop him. Stop him!" A crowd begins to close in, and my stomach twists in knots. "If the people see him acting this way, Haryek will win their favor. He has to stop!"

"Honey, there's not much that could stop him." Adriam murmurs, defeated.

I can see him fighting with himself; Alpha is no longer a man. He's a wolf fighting to get out, pure animalistic rage. He cries out in agony and drops to his knees, clutching his body. The wolf rips through him, and his clothes lie in an explosion around him. The gray beast stands where there used to be a man.

The wolf bares his fangs; he roars as he takes shaky steps forward, but I watch his pupils enlarge. This is what it looks like when they lose control. This was what everyone had warned me about; the hair-trigger could not be stopped.

Staring at the beast, I expected to feel the fear of the pain he'd caused me, and yet my body calmed with his presence. He looks magnificent. His coat has begun to change to a lighter gray with the chill of fall upon us, and his startling eyes are locked onto his prey.

What a creation.

I marvel at him until I realize he is going to kill Haryek. Before I know what I'm doing, I leap to my feet and run. He retracts, poised to protect himself from me, and I stand before Haryek, asking myself why I felt the need to preserve the Elf after what I'd been through. My intention was not to save Haryek but to protect Alpha's reputation. The people surrounding us needed to see that he wasn't uncontrollable, that there had been a reason for the assault.

"Stop!" I tell him firmly. "You've done enough; you have made your point."

The wolf bares its fangs and barks at me. His ears are flat back against his skull, and his lips are curled so that I can see every exposed fang. This is not Verando before me; the charming man from this morning was buried deep beneath the wolf's consciousness.

"There is no reason for you to kill this man. I'm-I'm okay. " I softened my voice, using the only power I have over him, and that's this strange desire to keep me alive. Snarling at me, Alpha snaps his jaws, moving to pass me, but I hold out my hands to cut him off. "If you kill him, it will ruin everything. You must stop. Look. Look at me; I'm fine. See?"

Holding up my palms, I take long and slow breaths as he observes me, his nose quivering, sampling my scent. Slowly, he starts to relax; the rage and hatred are leaving his eyes.

Everything in me says to touch him, an impulse to stroke the flame, knowing I'd be burned.

Warning him with my eyes, I slowly flip my palm, taking cautious steps forward. He stiffens, and his ears become erect. I can feel his hot breath and the warmth radiating off of him. Alpha watches my hand, his whole body tense and his muzzle tight as the breeze teases the long tresses of his plush coat.

I'm inches away from him when suddenly I'm pulled backward. His jaws snapped shut where my hand had just been seconds before.

"Get away from that creature!" Haryek screams, pulling me against his side.

Rebels. Locals. Wolves.

We're surrounded by a captive audience that can only see the savage beast trying to remove their prince's hand from his body.

"He wouldn't hurt me!" I shout, fighting out of his grasp.

Any ground I had gained was lost. The beast lowers himself to spring, intent on removing Haryek from my side. Alpha wanted to protect me; at all costs, he would defend me from Haryek, and right now, the elf dared to touch me.

"Victor!" I nearly scream, and the white wolf grabs Alpha by his scruff, using every ounce of his brute force to drag him away.

I shove Haryek, my eyes burning with my mounting frustration. "What is wrong with you?! You attacked me first! He was protecting me."

"I was saving you! You could have lost your hand!" He responds loudly, a smirk curling onto those perfect lips. I feel tears welling in my eyes; nobody saw what Haryek had done. They had only seen the attack that Alpha responded with.

My body begins to shake. If it were my last act, Haryek would never get the best of me again.

"If this is your idea of forming alliances, you are sadly mistaken. You will regret this, Haryek. Pack your things, get out of my city." The venom drips off my tone, as real a threat as I can promise.

I retreat to Adriam, who puts his arm around me. A growl rumbles in his throat as he glowers at Haryek. We mount Swift and Fleet, retreating to the safety of my castle.