This had happened before. I knew this feeling. This feeling of thinking that something was the worst thing I had heard and then being proven wrong by something even more awful was familiar to me. I had initially thought that my dad killing my mom was the worst thing that I have ever heard, and now my best friend told me I had been there when it had happened. That I was there witnessing everything and not doing anything.

"Look, it was not your fault, Xy, if that's what you are thinking." His hand reached for mine and he held it. "You were only seven or eight years old. Even if you wanted to help, you could not possibly do it. At least you would not be capable of stopping your dad. Not when he was in his wolf form."

"I was there, and I did nothing," I mumbled to myself. Even though I knew Eros was right, that I would not have been able to help anyway, it did not make me feel any better.

"You can't blame yourself, Xy." He squeezed my hand gently.

"But why can't I remember anything?" I asked, more to myself than to him. I had no recollection of that horrible night. None. All I remembered was that one day I had woken up in a house that looked similar but did not feel the same. Then I walked downstairs to find that it was my dad who had stood in the kitchen making breakfast instead of my mom.

Eros shrugged, not knowing the answer to my question either. "Maybe you were too young, or the event was too traumatizing that your brain simply refused to remember? I am not sure, Xy."

I nodded, shoving the thought to the back of my head. It was not the time and place. I could blame myself for all I wanted when I was in the company of my own. "Why did he kill her?"

"We don't know for sure. My dad and the others have interrogated him, but all he said was that he did not remember a damn thing." Eros hung his head, looking troubled. "Even our Alpha has used his power to force him to tell the truth, but your dad said that he did not know."

We sat there in peaceful quietness until I threw one more question in the bucket. "Tell me why you said to my dad that if I got away, he would have nothing to bargain?"

"Our Alpha believed that your dad was telling the truth and thought that perhaps Atlas has been the one who killed your mother, even though Atlas also denied it. So he banned your dad. Your dad promised he would keep Atlas under control, but he locked Atlas away, saying that he did it in order to protect you. I was sent by my father and the rest to keep an eye on you, make sure that you are still alive, and that your dad stays true to his words. But he nearly lost it to you in the kitchen, didn't he?"

I nodded. There was no point in hiding it. Although I had initially thought that perhaps my dad had not realized that he had hurt me considering how he had gone to normal afterward, yet now hearing Eros telling me this, I wondered if my dad had been acting that day while also reporting back to Eros about what had happened.

Eros sighed. "I have told him that he should not shut Atlas away. He should still communicate with him, shift now and then just to let Atlas roam the forest, stretch his legs for a bit, but he was so afraid that he would lose control. He was afraid that he might accidentally hurt you, but then he hurt you in the kitchen because he did not have control over Atlas."

An image of a copper wolf flashed through my mind. There had been a bit of sadness in those dark eyes when I'd interfered with the fight between him and Ryker. I bit my bottom lip, realizing how odd it was that I felt bad for Atlas, who presumably killed my mom. "So, is it true that Xyrra is not even my name? That my dad's name is Thanos Ashcroft and not Robert Lancaster?"

"Yes." Eros sighed. "Ryker must have told you. What else did he tell you? Did he tell you about our pack, too?" His tone was a bit defensive, but I could tell from his eyes warily watching me that he was afraid that Ryker must have told me something horrible about his pack. For a split second there, I felt scared of being here alone in the forest with him, but then I remembered that this was Eros, my best friend, for as long as I knew. I still recalled the day my dad brought a young boy into the house and introduced him to me. The young boy had come the next week and the week after that, accompanying me at the park nearby or helping me with my homework. At some point that I was not sure when it could be during sophomore year, I had even developed a small crush on him. Then he'd introduced Crystal to me and I had gone back to see him as my big brother.

"No," I answered truthfully. "He only answered my questions. He did not mention anything about your pack besides the fact that your Alpha made everyone change their surname and how every member has a Greek name. Like yours."

Eros gave out a harsh laugh. "That much is true. My family was lucky that our family name already starts with the letter A." He took a sharp breath, then held my gaze with a serious look on his face. "The Erebus is not like The Ethereal, Xy. A lot of awful things happen here. We are not just a regular werewolf pack, we are all mafias. Some of us are parts of The Greek Mafia, while the rest are Sicilian mafioso. And our Alpha—" He heaved a heavy sigh, shaking his head as if it was too hard for him to continue.

"Leonidas," I provided, recalling the name had been mentioned a few times previously.

"Leonidas Aglieri," he pronounced the surname in a perfect Italian accent.

That name did not ring any bell, so I said nothing.

"The son of u Signurinu," said Eros.

The only Italian mafia I knew was Al Capone. "Um, who?"

"Pietro Aglieri, famously known as 'The Little Gentleman' (*). They hung his quote to Judge Alfonso Sabella on the walls of our pack house." Eros took a deep breath and looked at me solemnly. I'm more than what you think - not just a werewolf. I belong to the mafia too. My whole family, my whole pack are mafia."

"You are a writer," I told him.

But he shook his head. "That is just a cover. I am a mafia, first and foremost."

"I have read your books. You are a very talented writer, Eros."

"You only said that because you have never seen me kill people mercilessly. You only read them on the pages of my book." His voice was bitter and full of hatred. I couldn't tell if he directed that hatred towards the cruel world he was born into or towards himself for mercilessly killing those people. "Those books, those scenes, I have lived them, Xy, which is why it is not safe for you to be here, Xy. There are people who have done things far worse than what I did. I stand by what I said last night. You would be safer with Ryker Cromwell. The Erebus and Atlas or anyone who wants to harm you would think twice if you are with The Ethereal unless we wish to start a pack war."

* * * * * * *

"First of all, why would anyone here want to harm me?" I asked, not finding his solution appealing at all. "You said that your Alpha asked you to keep an eye on me to make sure that I am still alive. People who want me to stay alive can't want me dead, Eros, unless they're either bipolar or a bunch of indecisive people who need to grow up." I caught something in his eye and instantly knew that there was something that he was not telling me. "What is it? Tell me. I mean it when I said I would never trust you again if you don't spill the beans."

"It's about your mother, Xy."

"What about my mom?" I asked carefully, holding my breath as I waited for his answer.

"She was not just your father's mate." Eros ran his fingers through his platinum-blonde hair. "The Night Walker's Alpha, Oscar Sinclair, claimed that your mother was his mate, too. Your mother was stuck in between your father and Alpha Sinclair. Since both men refused to share, there was a duel." Eros shook his head. "And you can pretty much guess the rest of the story."

"So Oscar died? My dad killed him?" I was somehow in disbelief that my dad had killed another human. Well, werewolf, but still.

"As I said, Xy, there are many horrible things that happened here. According to my dad, the Night Walker pack may seek revenge, since your dad initiated and challenged Alpha Sinclair to a duel. As much as I hate The Ethereal, you will be safer there."

Now I was more than curious. "Why do you hate The Ethereal so much?"

"We are rival packs, Xyrra. The Ethereal rules the North while we rule the South, but unlike us, who prefer to do things underground and live in the shadows, The Ethereal keeps it legit." Eros laughed, shaking his head at his own choice of words. "The previous Alpha, Ryker's grandfather, was a billionaire. He owns half of Europe. Ryker would have inherited all of that, too bad he was too pussy-whipped."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard the rumors that his grandfather has given him an ultimatum, that he will give the position to someone else if Ryker takes Alana as his mate." Eros shrugged a shoulder. Clearly, he did not care about all of this. "I really don't see what the big deal is, but his grandfather seems to think that Ryker should go with his destined mate. So Ryker forewent his inheritance." He turned to me and his voice was pleading, "Go with him, Xyrra, he is your mate. He will keep you safe."

"But I don't trust him, Er," I said frustratedly. In all honesty, I could not even trust myself when I was around Ryker. There was something that pulled me towards him, this kind of insane chemistry whenever our bodies were in proximity, and that scared the hell out of me. Being with Eros, however, provided a calm, homey feeling. "I think he was the one who asked Cindy and her gang to bully me."

Eros's face hardened, and I realized a little too late that I had not told him about what had happened at the school the other day. "What did they do to you?"

I explained to him the entire incident, from when Ryker found me on the swing to when I accidentally overheard him on the phone. "So now can't you understand why the last thing I want is to come and ask for his help?! I don't trust the guy."

"Then don't," said my best friend after a short while. His blue-green eyes bore into mine as he leaned in and cupped the side of my face with his free hand, the one that was not holding my hand. "Get your revenge, Xyrra, but for the time being, use him to protect yourself. We are still not sure where Atlas or your dad went, but if Atlas lost control the way he did on the day he killed your mother, then it would be safe for you to be with Ryker. With the rumor about the Night Walker." Eros shook his head. "Honestly, I wish I could be there for you and keep you safe, but I am bound to this place. I have responsibilities here too."

Looking at how torn Eros was right now in-between choices, I did not want him to choose between his family or me. "I will go with Ryker," I said, surprising him with my decisive tone.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep, keep my friends close and my enemies closer, right?" I forced myself to smile. "While I was there, I will figure out what they know about my dad," I said, recalling that Ryker had mentioned something about having an investigation on my dad. "And I will find his weakness. I will get my revenge."

Eros smiled, planting a soft kiss on the top of my head. "That's the Xyrra I know."

"Speaking of my name, well, Xyrra, do you happen to know what my birth name is?"

He shook his head. "No, I am sorry. Everyone refers to you as Xyrra. But I will ask my dad. Perhaps he knows."

"Thanks." I squeezed his hand back.

We walked back to the car where both Ryker and the red wolf were. Ryker was leaning against the hood of his car. He straightened up once he saw me coming. I turned to Eros and threw my arms around him, hugging him for what felt like forever.

Eros chuckled then whispered in my ear, "Text me whenever you need me, okay?"

"I will."

"And if the dickhead tries to do anything," Eros added, clearly meant to piss Ryker off, "go ahead, show him the karate moves that Rob and I used to teach you."

"Arsehole," I heard Ryker curse under his breath.

I smiled at Eros. "You know damn sure I will."

At last, I was inside the moving car again, only this time it was driving north. Ryker glanced at me briefly. "Where do you want to go? Home?"

"No," I took a deep, calming breath and when he glanced the second time, I made sure I had my sweetest, most charming smile on. "I am coming with you." When he still stared at me with doubt and confusion in his silver eyes, I added, "It is time The Ethereal meets their Luna, don't you agree?"

His silver eyes flashed black for a split second and I knew Khrysaor had heard that last bit, too. Although I was not completely sure whether that was a good thing or an imminent disaster.

* * * * * * *

A/N: So ... this author is curious, which one would you like more: Eros or Ryker? also, spoiler: this is a "tame" reverse harem story so Xy will have at least four suitors (more for you to choose on) :DD

(*) This is actually a real-life person. If you are curious, you may try finding more info on Wikipedia/online.