"We need your help." Duran breathed.

We were now sitting in Luke's office, surrounded by my mother, Raphael, Richard and Penelope who all eyed our visitors with caution.

Yes, you read right. 'VisitorS'

"So do we." David, the centaur smiled.

"Ai! Ai! I third that!" Violet, the flawlessly beautiful witch voiced.

"What's your cause?" Luke questioned as he eyed the vampire curiously.

"Hunters." he breathed, sliding his long blue tongue over his razor sharp teeth as he stared my mate dead in the eye "They seem to have become quite the pest. Taking out packs like flies; ever since you had that meeting with those humans." he breathed, eyeing his long sharp claws with admiration before looking over at me and winking.

"They've been doing that for years back where I originated. Where do I sign?" Tuttugu said as she burst through the door of Luke's office and came striding over to his desk as she dragged a chair behind her, placing it with the back facing towards our guests before straddling it, popping a cigarette in her mouth and lightening it up as a grin spread across her lips.

"Hold up sweet cheeks." he snapped, eyeing Tuttugu curiously "We came here for a pact, not a full on war!" he snapped.

"Hmmm. Pity... Would have loved to use one of them's bones as toothpicks" she smiled as she fluttered her eyelashes before making a strange noise while sliding her tongue over her teeth.

"Wait. What do you mean by 'meeting with those humans'?" Luke questioned as he rose from his desk impatiently.

"It seems like you have forgotten... The meeting you had at noon the day after you met dear Alexandria." he said, breathing my name seductively causing Luke to growl in reply "Anyway," Duran waved it off before continuing "They were hunters my friend." he whispered causing Luke to growl again. "Now now... Listen. We've been watching you Mr. Jamison. You and your mate, both. Very, VERY closely." he whispered as he scooted his chair closer to Luke's desk. "Ever heard of 'The Prophecy' my dear shifter?" he questioned, glancing over at me before focusing his attention back on my mate.

"Prophecy? What Prophecy?" Luke questioned, frowning as he looked down at his now fisted hands which nails he picked at nervously.

"The one where your mate will bring us all together in uprising against the hunters." Duran smiled as he leaned back in his chair.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I exclaimed in protest, standing from my seat as I stared at Duran with my mouth agape "I can't do that!" I breathed as I stuck my hands in my hair before pacing up and down as my nerves too got the best of me.

"No. No!" Luke objected "There has to be another way. I refuse to let my Lexi di-" his words cut short as David stepped forward.

"Your mate will not die, Master Jamison. Indeed, she will live long enough to see her grandchildren grow old." he chuckled before smiling at me as my pacing came to a stop "There is no other way. There is only Alexandria." he smiled as he bowed his head before me, slowly taking my hand before kissing the top of it.

"Alpha..." Raphael started as he peered up at me over David's shoulder with sorrow in his eyes.

"Please. Stop calling me that?" I breathed, returning his look. I knew everything about these people. I've felt everything. I knew what and who Raphael was, and for that I was sorry.

"Yes ma'am... I mean Lexi." he smiled as he nervously corrected himself "I've spend almost a lifetime searching for you, to serve you. Don't give up now? Don't have Roxanne suffer in vain just because of your fears. Think about the greater good." he whispered as he stood up and awkwardly shoved his hands in his jean pockets.

"Ai!" Violet said, raising a tiny fist into the air as she pet the cat on her lap with her other hand. Where and when did she get a cat?

"Where do I sign?" I questioned, determined to not let my people suffer in vain any longer, winning an eye roll from Tuttugu as I repeated her words.

"Firstly, we need to have ground for our packs to come together... Unclaimed ground." Duran said.

"I know where we can go." I said, my eyes flitting to a tense looking Luke before setting back on the stinky vampire before me.

"Good." he started before David stepped towards Luke's table and pulled out a map of the pack grounds.

"Where is it?" he questioned, motioning towards the map.

"Northwest from the Eastern-Pack... Not too far from here." Luke voiced, taking charge as only an Alpha could "About 7 hours in human form. 3 in wolf form." he grinned.

"Lucky we're not human then." Duran laughed causing me to snort.

A question started running through my mind...

"How much time to we have?" the question sprung from my unprepared mouth causing me to cover it in shame.

"A day..." David said.

"You have got to be kidding me!" my mother said.

"I agree... We just came from battle and you expect us to jump into another one just like that?" Richard questioned as he stared at our visitors in disbelief.

"It's either that or the hunters come here and you and all of your loved ones die, son." Violet hissed.

"Our packs are waiting on the border for orders. And we didn't drag them all the way here for nothing." Duran said as he eyed Richard with a displeased look.

"Come on! I've been waiting my whole life for a chance like this. And I plan on taking it." Tuttugu said as she looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Luke-" that one word coming from my mouth was enough for him to give in.

"You have 8 hours to get sleep. Then we leave. So if the lot of you wish to be fresh enough to take down, how many hunters?" he asked looking at his foe questioningly.

"2000 give or take a couple." Duran said, smirking.

"- 2000 humans; then you better get some shut eye." Luke continued, the feral side of him flashing through his eyes as he glanced over at me before looking back onto our visitors.

"Pact?" David offered a hand.

"Pact." was all Luke said before walking past everyone and leaving, banging the door shut behind him as his voice echoed curse words through our bond.

____________

After Luke's raging take off, I followed him back to our house only to have him shut our bedroom door in my face.

Twenty minutes later the door slowly creeped open.

"Lexi... I want you to promise me something, please?" his voice desperate as he sat on our bed with his head in his hands before looking up at me, tears trying to escape his tear glands causing the skin around his eyes to redden.

I pushed myself off the doorframe and moved closer to stand in front of him with my arms crossed over my chest.

All my body wanted was to rest but I knew this conversation was something that meant something to him by the way emotion flowed in the merky green waters that were his eyes.

"Yes." my voice faint as it flowed from my mouth without thought.

"Promise me you'll marry me when we get through this. Please?" his voice strained as tears now rolled down his cheeks as the flood gates he held in his eyes opened up and his arms reaching out to me had my heart clenching.

"Oh Luke..." I sighed, moving right into his embrace only to have him push his head against my stomach as sobs ripped through his chest before he looked up at me.

"Promise me!" he begged, his lips now covered with the tears that flowed freely.

"I promise." I said, smiling down at him as I lifted my hand and pulled my fingers through his thick dark locks as he placed his head back onto my stomach and I kept trying to bring him some comfort.

"Sleep with me." he suddenly demanded in a soft voice as he held onto me tighter.

"What?" I questioned. Maybe I heard wrong?

"Sleep with me." his voice clearer now as he pulled away and stared up at me "No talking. No sex. No nothing. Your body close to mine is all I want."

"Okay." I whispered.

After half an hour I found myself in bed; showered and relaxed as his shirt covered my body along with his right arm and our silky sheets.

His soft kisses against my ear every now and again calmed all my nerves and healed all my aching of the days that passed since the last time I've been in his presence.

Slowly I found myself fading into darkness as his soft deep breaths lulled me to sleep.

"I love you..."