Vadik Waldorf followed two rules.

1. Whatever his big brother wished, he'd make it happen.

2. Kill without mercy.

Standing on the edge of a tall building, watching the busy city beneath his feet, he realized that he hated being here. He wished he could return to Russia. However, since his older brother had the plan to annihilate their father's pack and anyone associated with Lucas Waldorf, their time here had been extended. Vadik didn't care much about anything, but his brother's command was everything to him. He followed Alec and ensured that nothing ever hurt him. They had a bond that their father never understood, since he was built only by the rules of deceit.

Vadik wasn't here for no reason. He was hunting his father's trusted advisor who had gone into hiding ever since Lucas Waldorf died. Antonov finally returned to the city, which was his first mistake. His second mistake was thinking that Vadik and Alec forgot about him.

Vadik nor his brother forgot the monstrosities the Waldorf pack committed. Lucas commanded his wolves to destroy anything they touched. Vadik had succumbed to that lifestyle a long time ago too. He fought for his father thinking it was the honourable thing to do as a wolf. However, Alec was the one to stop him before he could stoop so low that even the devil itself felt like child's play.

War was part of his nature, he knew how to fight and how to kill as a kid. But Alec was the one to teach him control. Now, he fought for his brother. He'd do anything Alec wished and it didn't matter how much he had to claw and kill, in order to, accomplish that wish.

Vadik's dark shadow was bulky and threatening as it lumbered behind him. He leaned his heavy boot on the edge of the building as Antonov crept into the alleyway. He lived here in secret and no one knew of his whereabouts, until now.

Vadik was done waiting. He brought his other foot off the ledge and jumped down the edge. The sharp wind was cold under his jacket, his boots hit the cracked concrete and he landed on the ground perfectly. Taking to the darkness that was always on his side, he followed Antonov into the alley, just like a wolf cornered his prey.

Antonov froze in his tracks when he sensed the presence behind him, it was sinister as it slowly crept closer and closer. Vadik stepped out from the darkness and watched the colour on Antonov's face drop to a sickly pale white.

"Vadik," his voice trembled. "How did you find me?"

Vadik tilted his head. He never understood why people asked that just before they were killed. He didn't bother answering and slid out the blade from his holster.

Antonov's eyes widened enough that they could have fell out. "Don't kill me," he begged. "I will do anything for you."

"You don't have anything I want," Vadik replied.

"Wait! Just hold on!" Antonov held his hands up. "Your uncle has been seen. Some say he's back in town."

"Mikhail is exiled," Vadik responded. "He's not allowed here."

Antonov didn't know what to say after that. "I can get more intel for you," he said desperately. "I know a guy-"

Vadik didn't hear the pleads or the bargains. He lifted the sharp blade and sliced it across Antonov's neck. There was a clean laceration from one jugular of the neck to the other side. The man fell to the floor with his head flopping off, blood spluttered all over the walls. He twitched as life left his body. Vadik sheathed his blade and walked off in the other direction. This was just another name marked off in his book.

Vadik crossed the road and reached his truck, when his phone's alarm went off. He knew right away what that meant. Alec was in danger and it told Vadik to drop all plans, return to Russia and survive. However, Vadik would never leave his brother in danger especially if he was captured.

He jumped in the truck and followed the GPS tracker that was on his brother's phone. His foot on the race didn't lift, he'd find his brother and make sure he was safe. However, the tracker on his phone being left on was an obvious trap. Alec would never get captured by idiots who would make such an amateur mistake. Whoever they were dealing with thought this plan out far and would reach any means to capture Alec and even himself.

Vadik braked and parked in the outskirts of town right before the forest where his brother was taken. There was at least an hour drive from here up to a remote territory. He got out of the truck and heard his brother's voice in his head telling him to get out of here.

He shut the door, raking hand through his dark hair as the breeze picked up calling forth a storm. He knew that whoever took his brother would lure a trap for both of them. There was probably an army waiting for him while he stood here alone.

However, Vadik was stronger alone. He would never get captured even if trained wolves hunted him. He ignored his brother's irate voice in his head and treaded down the private property to fight whatever war that came knocking on their front fucking door... again.

As Vadik crossed the forest, he acknowledged that security was tight. He could barely make it past the first ring of forest without being found. Turning into a wolf, he knew that he could soundlessly walk in the darkest parts of the shadows. He reached the inner part of the territory where there was massive castle perched on acres of land. This was a beautiful property and it was clear that it belonged to wolves. This must belong to some pack, but Vadik wasn't quite sure who it belonged to since he already knew the major packs in New York personally. This pack had to be new to the city. Unless, it wasn't a pack.

There was only one way to figure it out. He needed to get inside. But as he crept out of the forest, there was only one open balcony on the south side of the castle. Vadik shifted back to human and climbed the tree next to him, it was high enough that he would be able to jump to the terrace.

Once, he got to the top of the tree, he jumped across, his hands grabbing the edge of the railing. He pulled himself up and hopped onto the balcony. The lights were off inside the room, and the breeze carried through the room blowing the long white curtains inside.

Vadik's wolf stood to alert just like he had. Whoever left this balcony door open must be careless because they didn't know who arrived. He stepped into the dark room, which was spacious. The room was decorated for a woman, it had golden chairs with pink embellishments and a glass table facing a fireplace made of white plaster and wood that was carved into little butterflies and flowers. There was a huge mirror that reflected the other side of the room and probably caught the sunlight in the morning. Vadik's boots probably dirtied the sparkling white floor.

Vadik never expected to walk into a room like this one. Whoever it belonged to live a very different life from him. The chandelier above him twinkled from the moonlight and shined its glint on the bed. Vadik looked to his right at a huge bed that had a canopy hung above it, it was pink and then a sheer white cloth draped around the whole bed closing in whoever slept on it. Vadik couldn't get a good look, but he saw the shadow of a woman laid beneath a duvet.

Vadik meant to leave the room ages ago, but something didn't let him. He stayed, his eyes locked onto the figure on the bed.

A quiet moment passed, he realized that he hadn't taken a breath yet.

The breeze from the forest carried into the room making the sheer curtains flow with it. However, that wasn't what made Vadik's blood turn as hot as the scorching sun itself. A lustfully sweet scent wrapped around him as if he walked into a field of wildflowers and not someone's bedroom. The scent seeped into Vadik's skin, it sealed onto his soul. He didn't understand this sensation at all. But everything in his body claimed this scent for himself.

For the first time, he had forgotten about his tortured past and his horrid bloodline. There was no haunted demon raking in the back of his thoughts reminding him that he was a monster. He stood, silently, comforted by this woman's presence.

Suddenly, she made a small sound and stretched her arm out from under the blanket. Vadik wasn't worried about being seen, he was hidden in the darkness of the room. He stayed in his spot as she turned onto her back and the duvet fell below her chest. The woman settled back to sleep and Vadik stepped out of the dark.

He meant to leave the room yet again, but instead made his way to the woman's side. Through the sheer curtain over the bed, he could see her delicate frame. She had thick black hair that was braided and rested beside her. She wore one of those flimsy gowns to bed. Vadik studied the cast of her long lashes on her cheeks and her plump rosy lips. She was beautiful and Vadik understood that someone like her wasn't meant for someone like him. He was just about to leave when his eye caught the faint hint of a scar on her arm and neck and even her clavicle.

Vadik's frown darkened and his brain raked over what caused her these marks. Anger pulsated off him and an urge to bend over and soothe her overcame him. She shifted again, like she sensed his rage. Her brows furrowed creating a small crease between her brows. Vadik regretted exposing his anger and stepped back from the bed, when his eyes caught the book beside her on the table. In black ink it was etched elegantly; "belongs to Mia."

The woman made a sound and her eyes fluttered open. "Mm-" she rubbed her tired eyes.

But Vadik was already hidden from her sight.

"Kade?" her voice was soft and gentle.

Vadik almost answered and his wolf howled back. Her eyes that were darkened behind the curtain looked around the room and passed right over him. Once she sensed that nothing was amiss, she grabbed the pillow beside her and hugged it back to sleep. It kind of irked Vadik that she was careless for a wolf. She should've sensed him and called for help.

Who the hell was Kade? he thought after it registered that she called out that name. She wasn't mated, he would've have smelt another man on her. Vadik didn't see a mark on her body either. She was a lone wolf still-

Ours, his wolf growled.

Vadik stiffened at his wolf's voice.

She is mine, the wolf seethed.

You and I don't get a mate, Vadik said.

I see mine right on that bed, his wolf replied. Go to her, make her ours.

We need to save our brother first, Vadik growled as he closed the damn balcony doors and stormed out of the room. He'd retrieve his mate later.

Since the tracker blinked on his phone and still showed a bit of distance, he knew that Alec was probably locked somewhere on this compound. Walked through the hall and saw the guards stationed around the premise. They would walk around in a pattern and Vadik easily slipped through the blind spots of when the guards turned their backs. He passed the hallway and down the stairs to the door to the cellar. He slipped inside and saw no one and it was dark down the stairs. He was sure there were cameras all over this damned house. He didn't care at this point, it was too late to back out now.

Vadik went down the stairs and saw three guards sitting at a table watching through a window where Alec sat chained to a chair.

Relief washed over him, he was glad to see his brother alive and not bleeding to death. He came up behind the guards who didn't realize what was going on until Vadik slammed his hand on the nerve that put the first man to sleep. The other on got up, pushing his chair back, dropping it and reached to fight Vadik, but he was way too slow. Vadik had already knocked him out with the chair he dropped before he could land a punch. The last man ran to the computer to probably alert the entire territory of the invasion.

Vadik came up behind him and grabbed his hand before he could press it. He twisted the man's arm back and tossed him into the wall, he passed out as his head bled a little. There was an exit door connected to this room. He went onto the computer and shut the cameras off and deleted all the footage of his arrival. He had about ten minutes before the system rebooted, which meant he needed to act swiftly.

Vadik opened the door and walked inside to meet his brother. "What mess did we get ourselves into?" he announced his arrival as he rounded the chair and stared at his brother.

Alec chuckled as he looked at him, his eyes slightly red another was blood dried on his mouth. Vadik immediately spotted the white bandage on his brother's shoulder. So, he was tortured, he thought to himself.

"Who do I need to kill, brother?" he asked as his eyes stayed on the wound.

"No one," Alec answered.

"Who captured you?"

"Kade Guerriero," Alec answered.

Vadik knew that name well, the entire world did. He was a mafia leader and a fearsome one too. "Did we kick his puppy or something?"

"Lucas killed his family," Alec answered.

"Of course, that sonofabitch did," Vadik rolled his eyes.

"Hold on, why are you here?"

"I'm came to bust you out," Vadik answered.

"No, I can't go," Alec responded.

"Why the hell not?" he retorted.

Alec struggled to find words. "I just can't, it's hard to explain," he said.

"Then we die together," Vadik said and sat on the table.

"Kade won't kill me but he will kill you," Alec warned. "You need to get out of here. I'll contact you once I'm free."

"Why won't he kill you?" Vadik was definitely confused now.

"He's my mate," he answered.

Vadik gaped at his brother. "And was kidnapping you and tying you down his fetish?" he remarked.

Alec sighed. "Can you just get out of here before they find you," he ordered firmly like he'd scare Vadik into complying, it never worked before and it wouldn't work now.

"We have another problem," he said because it was time to confess his truth now too. "I'm pretty sure that I found my mate too. Mia, she's upstairs."

"You're joking," Alec astonished.

"I'm taking her," Vadik decided.

"Don't do that, you idiot," Alec stopped him. "Kade will only hate us more."

Vadik rolled his eyes. "You're the one who makes the plans, not me," he said. "What do we do?"

"Just lay low and wait for my call," Alec said.

"You can't seriously think I'll sit back and do nothing while they torture you," Vadik growled.

"Let me handle Kade," Alec insisted.

"How are you going to do that tied to a chair?" Vadik scoffed.

"He'll untie me," he answered.

"He can kill you too," Vadik said.

"He had multiple chances to do that already but he hasn't," his brother explained. "I know Kade sensed the bond too. He just needs a bit of convincing."

"What should I do about my mate?" Vadik asked with a smirk on his lips.

"You have to wait," Alec said.

"Oh, so you get to seduce your mate, but I can't," he mocked.

"Can you focus!" Alec grumbled and the chains on his rattled. He forgot he was chained down and almost plummeted Vadik into the concrete.

Vadik laughed a little before he stared at his brother's affirmed eyes. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Lucas taught us that we don't deserve anything except pain," Alec said. "I believed him. I thought I didn't deserve a mate. Yet, here I am. And I decided that I will fight for Kade to be mine."

Vadik heard those words before. Alec told them to Vadik when they were kids training to be killers as their father tore their souls apart. I will fight for my freedom. Alec had the same look in his eyes back then too.

He straightened in front of his big brother. "If that's what you wish, then so be it," he affirmed.

"Wait for my call," Alec said.

"Yeah, yeah," he shrugged his shoulder.

"Stop sulking," Alec chided.

"Says the one stuck to a chair," Vadik jested.

"I'm going kill you," Alec growled.

Vadik knew that his brother could easily slip out of those chains, so he really did take that stab wound willingly. Goddamnit, there was never a peaceful day for them. Being a Waldorf truly was a curse worse than death.

The alarm in the house rang with a blaring sound.

"Get out of here," Alec urged sternly.

Vadik laid his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't die," he said before he shifted into his wolf form and ran out the emergency exit onto the large field escaping, like mist in the night.

Daringly, he howled at the crescent moon knowing that his enemy could probably detect him. But that howl wasn't for the moon or his enemies. It was for his brother. They had a chance to fight for what's important to them. They would never back down because that wasn't in their code. Don't make the mistake and think that Lucas Waldorf taught them that lesson. They went through hell to figure that out themselves.

Vadik and his brother were fighters and they'd win this battle no matter how bloody it was about to get for them.