Zero... come back... we need you... I need you...

Who was calling for me? That voice, why was it so sad? Don't be sad. I'm not gone. I'm right here... but where was here?

A void as dark as night held her prisoner. She couldn't lift her arms nor her legs... No, she couldn't feel her limbs because they were absent. She had no arms to move nor any legs. She opened her eyes and saw nothing except darkness; no light or object was near her, as if she was falling inside a hole that had no end. She wished to move but nothing followed her. Something else held her down and something else brought her here to this place that wasn't like any other.

Zero, we need you... That voice again! Someone called out for her. She needed to go and help them.

Something kept her here but not for long. She gathered the strength in her body and lifted out of this prison holding her down. When she pulled her leg from this shackle, a loud bell echoed through the air like it was warning someone, Zero didn't care for that right now. She ripped away her limbs and got to her feet that were bare and clean. She felt as if she had been asleep for centuries, her breath was short and her body had no muscle.

Suddenly, something fell around her draping her face and arms. Zero stiffened when she touched hair, it was her own. She never kept her hair this long, not after that incident. How was it possible that her hair was back to this length?

Zero straightened and took a good look around her. That was when she realized she was standing in a forest now. Tall trees all around her appeared as if shadows since it was night here and looked as if it'd always be that way. Above the forest was a sky full of falling stars of all different colours, they danced near the full moon who basked its glorious light on this realm. That helped Zero spot all the small animals running around too. A bunny as white as snow hopped over stones and bushes; a family of mice scurried by evading the large snow owl keeping watch over everything.

Strangely, there were no sounds here. Everything breathed together and nothing appeared as if it normally would on Earth.

You didn't save me... The voice again resonated towards her.

Zero didn't understand why, but she needed to get to that voice. But when she took the first step, her foot didn't support her weight and she dropped onto the ground making noise in this strange place. Although, she had left that dark pocket and was laid on soft grass and moss. She almost wished to change into her wolf form here and run freely. It was safe here, no humans or distractions. A place that was guarded to keep everything harmonious and pure.

But what was someone like her doing here? she wondered. There had to be some kind of mistake.

Zero... Zero...

Zero looked ahead of her and saw her mate dressed all in white like he always would be. His indigo eyes broken and fragile, his smile had vanished and there was a pale sheen over him. Zero pushed off the ground and ran to him, but she never got close enough. He held his hand out to her and so did she, but a wall kept her from grabbing a hold of him.

Why did you leave us?

"I didn't mean to, but it was the only way to end this hatred," she answered.

His eyes soothed then, like they never once stopped trusting her. Only you could have done that. But what happens now?

Zero didn't know what was going to happen now. She didn't even know where she was.

Abruptly, her body felt chained once again. A powerful grip on her body attempted to drag her back to that pocket of darkness.

"Severin!" she screamed reaching for his hand and him for hers.

"Zero!" He was being pulled away too.

Everything went black again, but that was only because her eyes were closed. When she opened them, she found herself standing in the hospital where Dr. Stone worked. Hundreds of people where gathered around, she recognized everyone right away. All the packs were here and their families. Zero walked around the packs and saw Gabriel, Isaiah, Alec, King, Marcello even Zachariah was here. Czar and Veronica had arrived and were sitting hand-in-hand.

What happened? she wondered. Why were they all here? she couldn't remember anything.

That was when she saw her mate sitting on the floor covered in blood, Elijah was as if a ghost and so was Tom. Her family... looked broken.

"What's wrong-" she couldn't reach them; her voice was muffled.

Dr. Stone walked out then with tears down her cheeks. "She's dead," she announced and the crowd broke out in tears.

Severin got to his feet and went into the room all on his own. Zero wished he wouldn't see a dead body, she didn't want him tainted with that. But she couldn't grab his hand nor speak to him, so the least she could do was join him. They walked into a dim room where a table was laid out and a body covered with a white cloth.

"This is what you were trying to tell me," he said to her, his hand went to his neck where there was no mark of their mating. "You didn't spare me, Zero. I still feel as empty and as dead even without your mark."

Zero's body froze and she broke at the truth of his words. She saw herself on the table, laid out like she was asleep. Then it all came back to her- what had happened. She was fighting Reaper and she had killed him but lost her life too, which wasn't a surprise to her at all. However, she didn't expect these many people to mourn her because when someone like her was born alone, she imagined that she'd die alone too.

"You were never alone."

A melodious voice chimed through the building and Zero walked out to see who it was that could talk to her here.

A figure appeared. A woman with a midnight blue gown that trailed behind her. Her wild black hair spilled all the way down to her hips. Pale as moonlight were her eyes, they were peculiar but beautiful. The pupil was a light grey and the iris was moonstone. She was beautiful and divine, almost unreal. Zero had seen this woman once before as a child.

"Maya," Zero prayed those words.

A smile as lovely as roses appeared on the goddess's face. "Welcome back," said Maya. "There are some visitors here to see you-" Maya escorted Zero from the hospital room to the foyer where everyone stood- "There not the only ones."

Zero recognized all the faces; some she met for brief moments on her missions, some friends and partners. Maya took her to the large balcony presenting her the entire road covered with people.

"They all prayed for you," said Maya.

"Why?" she mumbled.

"Because you are their saviour," Maya's smiled broadened. "But before I bring you to them, I need to show you something." Maya snapped her fingers and took her to a darkness, the abyss. Zero opened her eyes with her standing in that crystal black water again. The moon was above her, she felt it seep into her blood and bones.

"Why have you brought me here?" she asked Maya.

"The last thing you wished for," Maya pronounced. "You wanted to be accepted in my grace and you were."

"What do you mean?"

"It's time to be reborn, child," whispered Maya.

Zero didn't say another word. All she did was stare at those mesmerizing eyes that she always prayed to see one day. Her goddess, the one she prayed to night and day was here in front of her. She knew all this time that her goddess was real, but she never thought she deserved to stand in her presence.

Before anything else, Zero went down on both knees and bowed. "You heard all my prayers," Zero found her voice again.

Maya's smile saddened. "Of course, I did," she said. "You were always sincere. Always down the right path and always following me. Now, stand, I want to see your eyes."

She did as she was told. "I've met you before," said Zero.

Maya's eyes winked with charm. "Oh yes," she remembered as well.

"Why did you meet me then?" Zero asked and wondered if it was okay to question the divine, but she was already dead and curious, might as well let it kill her twice.

"Because I was there when you were born," she told Zero. "I saw how resilient you were and decided to keep an eye on you myself, like I do all my children who are alone."

"It was after that day that I became Zero," she admitted. "You put that cloak on me and-"

Maya's face brightened with a radiant glow. "I know," she said. "All I did was cover you from the cold, yet you went on saving the world."

"I had to do what you did for me for anyone that needed my help," Zero said. "There were many."

Maya nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, there is a lot of evil walking around," she said. "Although, every few centuries I always find myself watching over a warrior who fights for others. But for the first time, you were the one who changed the course of all packs and wolves. You united alphas who always had rivalry, you kept all rogue wolves safe and everyone good respected you, yet evil feared you."

Zero's heart was racing like a stampede. "I tried my best."

Maya brushed Zero's hair back. "I know you did," she said. "You always did your best. I just regret what you've seen; all the darkness you fought against and kept hidden from others. Your heart ached every time yet you continued to fight."

"Darkness didn't matter to me then or now," she said. "I only knew that people needed help, so I went wherever they called."

Maya laughed, it echoed through the void and blossomed through the water. "You really are a strange one," she said. "I'm glad you fought back and stayed strong. Oh! That reminds me, would you like to know about your parents?"

Parents? What did that even mean to Zero. Nothing at all at this point. They weren't of any use when she was alive and neither would they be now.

"No," answered Zero. "As far as that's concerned, I only considered three people my blood."

Maya's eyes gleamed. "I don't think I need to guess who two of those are," she said. "But the third?"

Zero grinned. "Severin, Elijah and-" her eyes locked with the one who saved her again- "You. To me you are my mother and father."

Maya's smile enchanted the world, as if the moon has kissed the horizon and beamed its glorious light over the ocean waves. "You really are the most beautiful soul," she said. "But why would you choose that title for me?"

"Parents are supposed to protect their kids," said Zero. "You protected me all my life when I had nothing. No prestigious name, no money, no destiny. But you saw me and gave me warmth. That sounds a lot like a parent to me."

Zero witnessed maybe the impossible and a phenomenon. A single pearl-white tear streamed down Maya's glass skin, the tear fell into the water below them and exploded into millions of tiny little stars. Zero stared in awe as that tear transformed into a cyclone of starlight and blasted into the universe, taking form of a galaxy.

"So, what happens now?" Zero asked. "Will I stay here with you?"

"Do you want to?" asked Maya.

Zero hesitated as she recalled all the faces of the people at the hospital. "I must go back," she answered. "I have a lot more to do."

Maya chuckled. "Of course, but before you go, I have a little gift," she said.

"I think seeing you has been the greatest gift," Zero blurted out.

Maya stiffened and looked at her adoringly, she bent forward and laid her lips on Zero's forehead. "I bless you, child of mine," she whispered. "Now, for the real gift, which I warn you will hurt."

Zero grinned. "Please, I was stabbed, beaten and still managed to kill a psychopath," she said. "Hit me with your best shot and don't hold back."

"Good, a little bit of arrogance will get you through this," remarked Maya. "Lay down in the water."

Zero did as she was told and braced for the impact.

"Ready?"

"Always," she answered.

Maya lifted her hand from under the sleeves of her gown and the procedure began. Zero's screams echoed in this endless void.

"Zero!" Severin jolted awake crying her name.

Another nightmare of chasing her, but this one was different from before. She wasn't in a bloody state, she was alive and healthy. He even imagined her with long hair, she looked youthful. There were no scars on her hands or face, she looked as if she rested and had gone to a good place. Maybe, this was just a way for his mind to ease his aching heart. Severin didn't believe that Zero died despite what happened. They had a funeral and weeks went by with nothing to fill the void as everyone grew angst.

Severin opened his eyes and got up only to realize that he wasn't in his room, he was in Zero's room that they once shared.

He got up and walked out because he couldn't hold onto this anymore, it was killing him. He passed his brother's room but the door was open and Tom wasn't to be seen. He saw the letter on the table that said he was gone to see Elijah again.

Severin turned to go to his own room when his eyes locked onto the great doors at the end of the hall. His feet moved on their own towards it and he went inside closing the door, like Zero always did and he sat where she sat too.

In front of the ebony sculpture of a beautiful woman, Severin was at a loss of words rather than fuming with anger. He had a lot of resentment in his heart for Maya and wondered why Zero worshipped her at all. However, Severin saw the love in his mate's eyes for Maya. That love was stronger than a storm and unwavering, nothing could shake it. So, he would have faith for his mate and for Maya that Zero's story had no end. Her legacy lived in everyone that she touched and nothing could wipe that out. Even now, Zero lived in his heart and there would be no way he'd forget her memory.

"You always protected her," Severin spoke to the statue. "I hope you protect her wherever she is now."

Severin wasn't devoted to Maya, not like Zero was. But he still grabbed the matches off the counter and lit a candle for his mate. Her strength and her devotion were all real and worth remembering until the end of time.

Severin left the room after a while and returned to the hallway, it felt strange to return to the other parts of the house. That temple felt alive somehow, like it had a beating heart and now he couldn't hear anything else. To cover the silence, he went to his room and took a long shower to unfreeze his stiff limbs. He got dressed later in his usual white attire and left the tie, vest and jacket, he didn't feel the need for those right now.

In the empty manor, an eerie silence filled again. Severin climbed down without any desire to eat or drink, it's been like that for a while now. Through the windows, he saw how the great gates of Zero were shut closed for no one to enter. No one came to these gates looking for their saviour anymore. She wasn't here anymore to brighten the path of a person who had lost hope. Now, even Severin. Everyone was on their own fending for themselves, and it won't be long until evil festered in the darkness once again.

Severin ignored that sickening sensation and moved to return to his room, when suddenly, he froze in his tracks as he heard the creak of the gates echo through the manor. His heart told him to run and check like he always did, but he knew that he would be disappointed when he saw someone else. He wasn't going to give in this time, never again.

The gates silenced and Severin calmed down a little.

The air in the manor thickened, like its heartbeat returned. A strong pheromone released around him latching itself to his body. He felt his numb body catch fire all over, it seeped into his blood.

Severin turned and looked at the gates. All he could do was run until he reached the driveway and saw with his own eyes who had arrived.

"It's you," he said.

Zero stood full glory once again. She was dressed in dark robes, her hair long and black behind her swaying in the wind. There was something different about her, she appeared stronger and a lot more dignified. Severin couldn't believe his eyes, this must be some trick that his mind was playing on him and tormenting him with. They were all at her funeral, they had her cremated in front of thousands of people and it was live on television too.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked.

Zero pushed through the gates and walked towards him barefoot. "I hope not," she replied.

"We had you cremated?" he said.

She looked surprised. "I'm glad you did," she said. "I never wanted to be in a casket."

He nodded. "I had a feeling," he said. Were they really talking about this? Severin stopped in his tracks and he felt his eyes blur with heavy tears. "You came back-" his voice trembled.

"I had to," she professed with her strong sapphire gaze staring directly into him, like she always had... it really was her. "A bunch of troublemakers were waiting for me."

Severin let out a laugh despite the tears in his eyes.

"Are you going to keep standing over there or will you come to me?" Zero asked.

Severin didn't hesitate for even a second. He ran right into her, taking her into his arms and she really was with him. She hadn't disappeared and this wasn't his imagination. She really was live and in-flesh right where he needed her- with him. He turned his head into her neck and smelled her fierce pheromones that nothing on this planet ever compared to before.

"It's you," he breathed out. "It's really you."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I missed you... I've missed this..." she said softly. She pulled back and looked at him with a tender ease in her gaze. "You're not going to believe who I met," she was grinning and that made Severin even more curious.

They went to the house and after such a long time Zero touched the floor. She took a long moment by the door before she entered.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her.

Zero looked around the kitchen and living-room. "Where are Tom and Elijah?" she asked.

Severin's gut twisted and he lost his voice. "Er-" he didn't know what to tell her or how to even start.

"Severin, where are the boys?" she asked sternly.

"I think you should sit down first," Severin prompted.

Zero pulled back her shoulders and the air around her thickened. Severin was a little terrified, but damn that was what he missed. She was back five minutes and already demanding answers. But she sat on the chair and so did he.

"It's been really hard without you, Zero," he told her with a heavy sigh.

Zero picked up the newspaper off the table and saw the headlines, but she didn't say anything about it.

"Your funeral was all over the news and many didn't believe it," he told her.

"You're not telling me what I want to know," she said as she continued to skip through the papers. "Where is your brother and mine?"

"Hospital," he blurted out.

Zero's hands froze and her gaze darkened. "Why?" she asked.

"Elijah cut his wrists again," he told her. "This time it was life threatening and he still hasn't recovered. Dr. Stone is keeping him under her care-"

"And Tom?" she said.

"He's with Elijah," said Severin. "I was heading down there before-" he went quiet when he saw the dark turmoil in his mate's eyes.

Zero stood to her feet.

"Where are you going?" he asked her.

"Going to go get my brother," she said as she went out to the garage.

"Shouldn't you change first or at least put some shoes on?" he suggested.

Zero ignored that and grabbed the keys for the van and got in. "Are you coming or not?" she replied.

"I'm not leaving you again," he remarked and jumped into the passenger seat with her.

Zero drove down the streets and she appeared deep in thought, the frown between her brows proved it.

"You still didn't tell me how this happened?" he said to her. "You came back from the dead, Zero. How's that possible?"

"It was her," she revealed.

The statue in the temple at him flashed in front of his eyes. "Maya," he uttered.

Zero's hand fisted around the steering wheel. "I never thought that she would grace me with her presence," she said.

Severin couldn't believe what he was hearing, yet that was the only explanation to how he was sitting next to Zero again. "What happened then? Did she say anything to you?" he asked, but she didn't answer him. He looked at her and his words froze when he saw the most extraordinary smile on Zero's face.

"It was incredible," Zero said. "My goddess was in front of me and I couldn't do anything but fall at her feet."

Severin put his hand over hers. "I'm glad you met her, but I'm happy that you're back too," he admitted.

Zero looked at him and she interlaced their hands. "You were waiting for me," she said. "I had to find a way back."

They arrived at the hospital and Zero got out of the car with Severin. A sharp pain ached inside his chest when he saw her walking into the hospital, back to the place he already lost her. This was where she had left them all.

Zero froze in her tracks ahead of him. "Severin?" she frowned.

Severin felt the flood of despair climbing into his soul and he was drowning. Suddenly, a hand brushed his and snapped him out of the dark. He looked around him, the hospital and saw Zero.

"I'm right here," she told him.

Severin held her hand tightly and he followed her into the hospital and he wondered how everyone here was going to react.

And like he anticipated, everyone froze in their tracks and gaped at Zero who was walking through the building with no trouble at all. They went to the VIP ward where Elijah was kept and by the time they went to the top floor, the whole hospital knew of her return but no one got in her way or crowded her.

They came to the single door where he knew his brother and Elijah were. Severin heard muffled voices before he opened the door wide.

Tom stood in front of Elijah who was laid out on the bed, his head turned away to the window. "I thought I told no one to visit," Elijah said.

Zero saw his pale skin, the bandages on his wrist. "Not even me," she used that stern tone of hers.

Elijah's head turned, his pale eyes flickered with heavy dread. "No, that can't be real," his voice broke, tears pooling his eyes. "You died. We burned your body."

Zero stepped inside the room, her pheromones released as if a hurricane arrived, it filled the space that all three men could feel her. "I'm here," she affirmed.

Elijah hastily got off the bed surprising Severin and Tom. Although, not Zero. She held her hand to stop Tom and Severin, stopping them from getting into Elijah's way to get to her.

Zero toppled back by Elijah's force when he slammed into her and he started crying on her shoulder. They didn't say anything, because she felt his sincerity through his tears. She could hear his heart hammering, his breath uneven and his arms tightly around her.

"You're back," he sobbed.

She smiled as she held him as long as he needed. "We're back," she said with that resilient tone of hers that made them all smile.

Zero motioned towards Tom and took him in her embrace too. Severin couldn't resist either, he came up behind them and hugged his family with Zero in the centre where she was supposed to be.

Suddenly, Dr. Stone, Dr. Avery and Dr. Kim toppled over each other just to get through the door with raggedy breaths and wide eyes.

"It's you. It's really you," astounded Dr. Avery.

Dr. Kim panicked first. "How's your body? Heart rate, blood pressure, scar tissue-"

"I'm good-" Zero answered.

Dr. Stone walked in closer with guilt in her eyes. "I'm so sorry... I'm sorry," Dr. Stone dropped her head down. "I failed to save you... I failed."

Zero put her hand on her head. "There was nothing you could've done," she reassured. "Death came for me with a purpose."

While the doctors were here, Severin arranged for Elijah to be discharged from the hospital because Zero didn't want him anywhere but by her side back home. Dr. Stone wasn't comfortable sending Elijah back but seeing Zero with him reassured her right away.

Zero stood to her feet. "You two really didn't handle this well, did you?" she crossed her arms. "I can't leave you alone anywhere."

"Don't even joke about it," intervened Severin. "Let's just all go home together this time."

Zero smiled at that. "Let's go home," she said and Severin felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

They left the hospital and drove home.

Severin thought it would have felt like a dream, but everything that happened was still like a fresh wound. The cut was deep and the memories kept oozing out reminding him of the pain with every movement. He didn't know how long it was going to take for all of them to move on from this. But, sitting next to Zero, he knew that it was going to be okay. She was their saviour after all.

They arrived to the house and he parked the car on the driveway. They were happy to be home and with everyone together and safe.

Severin unlocked the front door and they walked into the dark house that was vacant and desolate.

"None of the lights are on," she muttered.

A dread sank into him because he could sense her mood had dropped to a dangerous level. A coldness seeped into her eyes and it seemed she had realized the consequences of her death. Elijah being in the hospital, all of them separated and then her house was empty and dark all made her realize that her family had crumbled. This wasn't what she wanted for them and neither did Severin. Everyone may have been back together, but a lingering fear in all of them had struck deep. Severin wondered if Zero could heal this wound simply by being with them again.

"We should head inside," suggested Severin.

Tom and Elijah went inside first, but Zero lingered back and so did Severin when his phone pinged repeatedly with messages. He didn't need to check them to know what they were about or from who for that matter.

"I really left," she whispered as her gaze got lost on the open gates.

Severin looked back at the large territory and forest, that surrounded the wide and free space. "What?" he asked.

"That dark void," she told him. "I never thought I would be back here."

Neither did I. He almost blurted that out but he didn't.

"We have visitors coming-" Severin looked down at his watch- "Well, they should be here soon-"

The air thickened, thunder roared but it wasn't from rain, that sound was clearly the result of engines. Suddenly, a herd of cars rushed through the open gates towards them. Zero turned on her feet and faced the packs, their alphas and all of her friends.

"You all could've done this tomorrow," she jested.

Gabriel got out of his car. "You're back," he astonished. "You're really back."

Zero smirked at him, at all of them. "It's good to be back," she said.

Severin didn't know that they all could move so fast when they crashed into her to hug her. Gabriel was the first before anyone and then the rest of them joined- Marcello and King too.

They went inside and Zero offered coffee and food, but everyone was too blown away by the turn of events that food was the last thing on their minds. It seemed that the only one hungry was her and she was already pouring herself orange juice in a large glass.

"Are we all seeing the same thing?" said Ryder.

Severin stood amongst all the packs as they watched Zero in the kitchen preparing a sandwich to go with her juice.

"It's not a ghost, right?" added Ronin.

Zeiden smacked his shoulder. "Don't scare me," he chided.

Alec shivered near him. "I don't like ghosts very much," he muttered.

"She's making a sandwich," reasoned Azura, "it's not possible for ghosts to do that."

"Zero's ghost can do anything," responded Lazarus.

"Touché," Azura mumbled.

"Can you all cut it out," said River.

They went quiet and now Zero was walking back to them. She took a seat in her usual spot surrounded by everyone who quietly watched her take a bite of the sandwich and a swig of the juice.

"So-" Zero dusted the crumbs off her fingers- "what does the world look like?" she asked that to the alphas.

"Grim," Gabriel answered for them.

"I can tell," she said as she gestured to the newspapers.

"How'd this happen?" asked Marcello who was too eager to keep quiet about it any longer. "We burned your body, nothing was left."

Zero looked at Severin and he knew that she was wondering how they were even going to begin to believe her.

Suddenly, Klaus stepped up. "It was her," he said meeting Zero's eyes.

Zero looked at him befuddled. "How do you know?" she asked.

"Because I can see her touch on you," he said. "Like she had touched me."

"Can someone fill me in?" demanded Marcello.

"Our goddess, Maya," answered Klaus. "She saved Zero and brought her back to life."

"That's crazy," voiced Isaiah. "Our goddess is just a myth... right?" He looked around at all of their faces.

The entire Centauri pack looked at the rest of wolves firmly. "She's not a myth," confirmed Gabriel. "Maya saved Klaus too."

"And it seemed she saved me after," said Zero.

"This is ridiculous," said Lazarus.

"But the only explanation to this phenomenon," reasoned Zachariah.

"Well, it doesn't matter what it was," said Zeiden. "Zero's back, that's all that matters now."

Zero smiled at him. "Well, there wasn't food in the netherworld. I need food and so do all of you because it looks like none of you ate these past few days."

"Wait, how long do you think you were gone?" asked King.

Zero frowned. "A couple of days. Why?" she asked back.

They all gaped at her.

"It's been over a month, Zero," said Hunter.

Zero's face finally looked surprised. She looked at Severin who couldn't hide his pained expression in time. "Well, it seems I have lost time to make up for."

Once the commotion had died down, Zero left the crowd to go freshen up with a shower. Severin went with her and he could feel her thoughts working over something, but he didn't know what. She didn't look worried, but she seemed distracted.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her.

Before Zero opened the door to her bedroom, she looked back at him. "I've been thinking it over, but can't figure it out," she said and he tilted his head in confusion. "How did you find me before?"

Severin remembered clearly what happened that night. He was alone in the house waiting for her to come back, when all he felt was her pain crushing his heart. He knew even being so far away from her that she was in danger.

"I called Gabriel," he told her. "He told me where you were. Tom, Elijah and I were already out the door before Gabriel could protest against it." Zero didn't look like she approved of their actions, but she couldn't do anything about it now.

She went into her room and he followed too. "Don't do that ever again," she told him. "This time the situation was handled, but the future is unknown-" she continued to warn him of the dangers but he was mute to it all.

Severin felt a strange ache crawl into his entire body as he stood in her dark bedroom. He remembered what it felt like when she wasn't here with them anymore and this house was an empty vessel. Something snapped inside him as he recalled; his pain, Elijah's suicide attempt and the world crumbling apart.

He grabbed her arm and turned her to look at him. "You thought not marking me would save me. Well, it didn't. Yes, you may not have marked my wolf, but you marked my heart," his tone was rough. "I died every day without you. Knowing that you were never going to come back killed me over and over again. And I don't care if you mark me or not, I want you and nothing will change that!"

She moved so fast that he didn't know what happened until his eyes opened again. Zero clamped her mouth down and sharpened her fangs as she marked his nape aggressively. "I'm sorry I made you go through that," she said before she licked up her neck soothing the sting of the bite.

Severin's hands gripped her waist and he held her against his body, feeling her heat match his and he realized that she really was alive again. His mate was back and now he was hers too.

Her lips brushed his neck. "My body has been reborn. So, will you mark me again?" she asked him.

Severin didn't waste a second longer. He stripped off the robes and took her down on the bed with him. She was clawing at his clothes and they both desperately sought for their bodies to be together and only skin, nothing between them.

He pushed her down and marked every part of her body that he could find, he didn't hide his desires and he didn't care to even try. Everything right now was his animal talking and he felt his wolf emerge multiple times too. Zero accepted it and took all of him without hesitation, it seemed she craved his touch more than he thought she would.

However, more than her eager need to be with him. He noticed something rather strange about her. Severin pulled back and looked down her lithe body that had no scars or any remnants of her past. He ran his hands over her thighs and the marks that covered her looked as if they never existed.

"What is it?" Zero asked.

Severin looked into his mate's blue eyes. "Nothing," he said, but only because he didn't find the need to do anything else but feel her in his arms.

They didn't know how much time passed, but Severin helped her take a shower and dress, but Zero chose to wear the robes she came with before she returned to the first floor.

It was well past seven o'clock and it seemed that thousands of people had gathered in front of Zero's house. All the packs were guarding the door and waiting on her to meet everyone that came to greet her.

Zero walked down the stairs like she hadn't just returned from the gates of death. Her head was held high and she knew that she needed to meet everyone that came to greet her. She grabbed the hem of her shawl and swung it over her body. Her eyes met Severin's, they were stern and strong. She patted Elijah's shoulder and then made her way to the open doors.

The moment she stepped out onto the front porch, the crowd broke out in relief. The cheered and Severin simply stared in awe of her.

Zero padded down the stairs and joined the mass. Severin watched silently as the crowd huddled around her, she walked through meeting everyone and they held her hand or touched her shoulder. She simply let them find relief that she had healed and was back on her feet. She wasn't looking for anything, but they were all here to find comfort from her. She reassured them that nothing would happen to her if they supported her the way they always had. Now, standing between thousands of people, she gave them tremendous strength.

The rogue alpha. The executioner. The saviour really had returned.