Her piercing blue eyes meet mine, filled with fear but not directed at me. If she had been in the room during the fight, her fear would have been justified. Her fair skin glistens under the dim light, a stark contrast to the dark bruises and scrapes that mar her delicate features.

 Despite her trembling wrist, she stands tall and doesn't cower in my presence. I can hear her growl escape as she mistakenly assumes I am a werewolf. I make no effort to correct her misconception; it's better if she remains unaware.

It is true that pure blood helps with silver poisoning, and she is my fated mate - a fact that I do not plan on revealing to her just yet. But for now, she is helping me by offering herself as a source of healing through her blood.

She tries to hide her fear behind a facade of strength, but her eyes betray her true feelings. My inner beast has developed a soft spot for her.

"It will be painful. Close your eyes and think of something that brings you happiness," I advise gently.

She closes her eyes as I slowly sink my fangs into her delicate flesh. A sharp intake of breath escapes her lips as she feels the pain, but she does not pull away.

The rich taste of her blood fills my mouth and instantly begins to heal my wounds. After a few moments, I know it is enough and remove my fangs from her skin. She still keeps her eyes closed, lost in the dream world of happy thoughts.

"Thank you," I tell her sincerely.

As I start to stand up, she opens her eyes and looks at me with shock, noticing how quickly my wounds have healed. She then glances down at her wrist where there was once a wound, but now only a trace of blood remains.

I take her hand in mine and give her a gentle smile before running my tongue along the softness of her skin. She watches in amazement as her wound completely disappears, her eyes widening in shock.

As I turn to leave, she speaks up in her sweet, soft voice.

"You...you healed me before, last night, didn't you?" she asks, remembering our previous encounter.

I turn to look at her and let my expression answer her question.

"You should go now. I'll take care of this mess. Someone will be coming soon," she says with urgency.

I quickly grab a torn rug from the side of the bed and carefully wrap up my latest victim. "I will dispose of this. No one must know that I was here," I tell her firmly.

She nods in understanding and I make my swift exit, leaving behind no trace of my presence except for the lingering taste of her blood on my tongue.

"Lazarus, you need to be more careful. Why is there blood all over your clothes?" Sebastian shouts, his voice filled with concern and annoyance.

I steady my breathing and try to calm my little brother down. "Seb, it's not what you think. I ran into a minor altercation, but I handled it," I reassure him.

He glares at me, his eyes narrowing in disappointment. "You're getting careless, Laz. This isn't like you. Remember the plan and what we are fighting for," he scolds sternly.

I feel a pang of guilt and remorse knowing that I have let my emotions and recklessness get the best of me. "I'm sorry, little brother," I offer sincerely, knowing how much he worries about me.

"Our parents are gone, Lazarus. You're all I have left. And whether you want to admit it or not, these people – your people – look to you as their Alpha King," he reminds me before turning and walking away.

It pains me to see him so saddened by my actions. Our parents died when he was just a child, leaving me to raise and provide for him for most of his life. But Sebastian is right. These people rely on me and the hope of freedom that I represent. I need to focus on that. There is so much more at stake now than just myself.

I know that my beast is also feeling the weight of this responsibility, but it's something that must be done. As much as it pains me, I need to create distance between myself and the girl. My duty lies with my pack and securing their safety and freedom. Maybe after this mission is complete, I can find a way to save her too. But for now, I must put everyone else first.

Sebastian's words continue to linger in my mind – they look at me as their Alpha King, and I must act like one. It's a heavy burden to bear, but it's one that I have accepted.

"Lazarus, what's wrong?" Brick's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"I'm not okay, but I'll manage. I need a favor from you." I tell him, knowing he won't ask for details.

"Anything," he replies.

"I need you to keep an eye on Cynthia Brooks when you can," I say, bracing myself for his questions.

"She's your mate, isn't she?" He asks bluntly. How does he already know?

"How did you figure it out?" I raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, your body tensed up when I mentioned her and now that we're here, your scent is all over her," he explains with a smile.

"It's not what you think, Brick," I shake my head.

"Then what is it?" He prods, clearly trying to understand the situation.

"I got into a fight and ended up killing someone who was armed with silver knives. She helped me by allowing me to drink her blood to heal. That's why our scents are mixed," I explain quickly, trying to get to the real reason for asking Brick to watch over her.

"But she's your mate," Brick repeats.

"Yes, but right now I have bigger concerns than this supposed bond," I reply firmly.

"Yet you want me to basically spy on her?" He challenges.

"No, just make sure she's safe whenever possible," I clarify.

"Fine. But don't forget, you drank her blood. Your mate bond is going to be stronger now. Ignoring it won't be as easy," he warns before leaving me alone with my conflicted thoughts. Everything just keeps getting more complicated.