Zero stood motionless in Severin's arms, her heart hammered in her chest and her hands trembled. She tried so hard to control her breath and her pained expression, but she failed. Severin's warm indigo eyes saw right through her. He saw how hard she tried to control the need to give in and show him, that she was breaking. However, the way Severin held her gently, he pulled her out and grounded her to be with him, even though fire surrounded her, ready to consume her and take her.

After seeing Elijah break in front of her, she had forgotten that maybe she didn't have the strength to help him. But she wasn't alone in this. Severin had held both of their hands when she was too weak this time.

She always knew that this was what having a family meant. But this was the first time, she had experienced it herself. She was always on the outside, always looking at others and seeing they healed each other, but it was too far from her. When she had fallen after Elijah had viciously taken his anger out on her, she had not given up on him, but herself. Although, it seemed that Severin believed in her more than she ever thought he would.

Severin lifted his hand and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You okay?" he asked tenderly.

Zero leaned into his touch. "I should check on Elijah," she said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Tom is already with him," believed Severin. "You just worry about yourself for now." He gently caressed up and down her arm, which lessened the stinging pain of her wound.

Zero almost forgot all about the injury when Severin's touch was all she focused on. His hands, his skin, the heat of his body kept her captivated solely to him.

"Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?" he suddenly asked.

Zero gaped up at him, when she saw the smirk on his face, she dropped her head on his chest in defeat. "You're crazy," she mumbled.

"It astounds me every time," he continued as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm covered in sweat and blood," she said as she tried to move, but he didn't let her.

"Yeah, so?" He tilted his head and laid a quick kiss on her lips. "So pretty-" he kissed again and then chuckled at her stunned expression. "One more time," he asked and she was about to object, but he quickly stole another kiss from her.

Zero frowned at him.

"Don't get mad," he said.

"Are you going to keep having your way with me?" she asked gruffly.

Severin blinked as his cunning eyes shined. "Was that what I was doing?" he asked innocently. "And here I thought that I was comforting my mate."

"Severin," she said.

"Yes, sweetheart?" He grinned at her. "I almost wish you were drunk again. You were a lot more honest with all your adorable confessions."

Zero stiffened. She barely remembered last night. She did know that after getting shot, they came home and Elijah patched-up her wound, then she took painkillers and antibiotics, then her mind went fuzzy from there. She forgot what happened and then she woke up with Severin in her bedroom, but that was it. What did she do? she searched her head for answers.

Severin suddenly laughed at her. "You should see your face," he jested. "You look horrified."

Zero was horrified, that she probably did something stupid. "What did I do?" she almost regret asking that.

"That's for me to know and for you to fantasize about," he retorted devilishly. "But a little hint is that everything you did turned me on."

Zero's eyes widened and she had tight-lipped her mouth shut. She closed her eyes and ran away from this man.

"Hold on," he laughed more as he followed. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Zero reached the first floor when she saw all of the other pack members lounging around the living-room. They seemed rather calm despite everything that just happened. But that was to be expected, these wolves had seen their own fair share of evil and tormented pasts. No one understood Elijah more than all these men.

Suddenly, the doorbell went off. Tom went to the door first and Zero wondered what that was about. The door opened and a young man with a red uniform stood with a big bag in his hand.

"I have your order," he said with a dull voice.

"Who ordered food?" astounded Zero.

"Don't you know when someone is upset, food helps right away," remarked Zeiden.

Klaus quickly went to help Tom pick up all the boxes. There were quite a lot from what she could see.

"Oh, this is not my house," said Tom as he grabbed the boxes from delivery man.

"Not mine either," added Klaus.

"Zero! Bill!" Shouted Tom.

Severin laughed at Zero's befuddled expression. He passed her and went to pay the bill of the seven boxes of pizza. It seemed a party began without her even realizing it. But this happened whenever everyone got together, and this was only half the gang, the rest of the wolves weren't even here.

"My treat," said Severin as he paid and tipped the delivery man.

"Oh, we have a keeper," remarked Ronin.

The group gathered again in the living room and opened all the boxes, ready to eat and forget what just happened. Except Elijah didn't seem keen on eating, so he sat with a bottle of water and kept to himself most of the time.

Zero went over and grabbed the cheese slice from Tom's box and passed it to Elijah. "Eat," she said. "Never take your frustrations out on food, it's not good."

Elijah frowned. "Just not that hungry," he said.

"We've all heard that line before, buddy," alleged King. "Eat, you'll feel better."

Elijah looked down at the slice and reluctantly took a bite. Zero only ate then too. She didn't realize how hungry she was until the pepperoni and jalapeños loaded pizza touched her mouth.

"Zero, don't you think it's time to address the elephant in the room?" said Marcello.

Zero's eyes went directly to Severin before anyone else. How was she going to tell everyone that Severin was her mate? Wait, if Marcello was asking then they already knew about it. Damn, she did not need to talk about this right now.

"How'd you get hurt?" Marcello suddenly asked then.

"Er- what?" She couldn't control her dumbfounded look.

Marcello's frown deepened. "Your wound?" he repeated. "Who hurt you?"

She let out a breath of relief.

"I thought you were talking about something else," commented Klaus, as he ate pizza with King; both of them sat with their legs crossed on the floor.

All of their attention was on her now wondering what Klaus talked about.

Klaus's blank eyes looked at her as he innocently ate. "Was I not supposed to say anything?" he asked.

"I don't think we were," muttered King.

"What are you two talking about?" Zeiden asked them.

"Zero?" insisted Marcello.

"I encountered Reaper last night," she revealed trying to change the topic. "He was the one that shot me."

"You met him?" astounded Alec.

"No, he sent his men," she clarified.

"You didn't expect him to come in person, did you?" said Vadik. "He's too smart for that."

"Or a fucking coward," remarked Adrik.

"That too," agreed Vadik.

Zero didn't think Reaper was smart or a coward. He was simply a man with a purpose, so he was merely motivated, and that could be dangerous because she was the exact same.

Zero knew what purpose felt like, since her entire life was built around her own commitment to help others. Reaper's motive may be to kill her, but still he had a purpose and she commended him for that. He wasn't a lost soul or conflicted with thorny thoughts. However, that being said, Zero knew that he wasn't someone she'd give a second chance to. He wanted to kill her. Good, now she can focus on killing him. The plan just got a whole lot easier.

"Hurry up and eat," she said. "We continue training after you're all done." She left to the kitchen to get some water.

The chatter in the living room grew.

Zero decided to change her bloody clothes before she continued the training session. She was just about to go upstairs when Elijah approached her. She looked at his worried expression and waited for him to start, but he didn't.

"If you're worried about what'll happen if we train again, then don't be," she said.

"It's very likely I will lose control again, Zero," Elijah warned her.

Zero put a foot on the step and leaned on the railing. "Then I will step in and fight you again too," she claimed and that surprised Elijah.

"What if I hurt one of your friends again?" he asked.

"They're your friends now too," she said, "just apologize and I'm sure they'll be fine."

Elijah raked his tousled hair out of frustration. "Why are they all like that?" he huffed.

"Who?"

"Them," said Elijah. "How are they okay with me?"

"Oh, that's just who they are, they're crazy," believed Zero.

"We are," a voice intervened, it was King. "We all tried to kill one another long ago. Marcello even shot us both not too long ago."

Zero remembered that. "I still need to get him back for that," she muttered.

King approached them with a smile on his face as he faced Elijah. "None of us see you as a threat, Elijah," he said. "And I speak on everyone's behalf, we understand what you've been through... especially me."

Zero stiffened when she heard the ice in King's tone as he spoke of his past. She never thought he would bring it up, since King wasn't proud of his days in cage fights.

"I was in the cages too," he revealed. Elijah's eyes widened. "I escaped with a few friends of mine, but the memories made me feel like I never left that place."

"I didn't know," Elijah muttered. "You don't have the marks."

King smirked. "I covered myself with ink," he told him. "You can do it too. I know a great artist, I'll hook you up if you want."

Elijah gave a small smile. "Thanks," he said.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," King said as he exchanged a soft look with Zero. "It's hard to forget but trust me when I say that it gets better. And it's not a bad idea to surround yourself with people who care about you-" King turned and looked at his mate who was laughing with Severin and Tom - "My mate saved me, and as much as I hate to admit it, my pack's not so bad."

Zero bit back her laugh. "Someone has matured," she teased.

King rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Although, they still are a pain in my ass," he grumbled. "But no one has my back like my family does. So, you just need to do the same."

Elijah looked at King. "I would like to try," he said.

King smirked. "Then you'll be fine," he added.

"Why are you so smug?" jested Zero. "Klaus basically transformed you. Gotta hand it to him."

King shrugged a shoulder. "I never said that my husband wasn't the best," he said.

"He changed a lot," she said to Elijah. "Should've met him when he was single. A fucking pain, I tell you."

"We don't talk about that," reminded King. "I'm a dutiful mate to the love of my life, thank you very much."

"You better have been because Gabriel would have killed you," remarked Zero.

"Gabriel?" asked Elijah.

"My annoying brother-in-law," King rolled his eyes again. "I don't know how I tolerate him."

"Let me guess, who has green eyes and blond hair?" pointed out Zero.

King chuckled. "True... well, the things I do for my husband don't make sense to me either," he admitted.

"Weren't you scared?" Elijah asked. "Of hurting him, I mean."

King raked his dark hair. "Hell, yeah," he admitted. "I would kill myself if I did anything to hurt Klaus."

"Then how are you with him?" Elijah said. "What convinced you?"

"It's simple really... life was grey without him," King smiled tenderly. "Every day was the same and I didn't repair my broken reality. Until, I met Klaus and he became a home for me. Where he was, I had to go. I couldn't give that up for anything, even if it was to my own fears."

Zero's heart squeezed. She understood that feeling all too well. She looked across the room and saw Severin talking to everyone. His smile was bright enough to lift the room and he had the warmest light, that even consumed her. Home... she could see home in those indigo eyes. She could see it.

"I need to get changed," she told them. "I'll meet you downstairs." She left them standing near the stairs and went straight up to her dressing room.

Zero stripped out of her dirty clothes, although her mind occupied with other thoughts, but her hands unfolded the fresh linen shirt over her head onto her body.

Zero refocused herself, allowing her a minute to cool down. She reminded herself that none of this was in her control; her body nor her heart were in her command. Those two had already made their choice, it was solely her mind that stayed objective to her rational opinion. It was clear to her that in her heart she had accepted Severin, there was nothing that would deny it now. However, a constant fear that sat in her mind didn't allow her the luxury to mark him.

Zero walked out of the dressing room to the group downstairs. She saw that the living room had cleared out. "Where is everyone?" she asked Tom, who was cleaning up with Klaus and Severin.

"Downstairs," answered Klaus. "Marcello got in a fight with King and you know how they get."

Zero could come up with a lot of outcomes that could result from them fighting. "They better not break anything in my gym," she grumbled.

Klaus laughed. "Oh, then you better get down there," he warned. "I'm sure they already made a mess."

Zero smiled at Klaus. "How is everyone back home anyways?" she asked. "I hope Gabriel doesn't keep you all too busy."

Klaus's eyes always lit up brightly at the mention of his family, especially his oldest brother Gabriel. "Everyone is great," he beamed. "And Gabriel is doing his best for us, like always."

Zero put her hand on his cheek. "If only everyone was as sweet as you," she said. "I wouldn't have such a tough time."

Klaus chuckled. "I don't know about that," he said.

"Especially your mate," she pointed out. "The man is in constant trouble."

Klaus's cheeks bloomed a bright red at mention of his mate. "He would be proud if he heard that from you," he admitted.

"I know he would be," she said. "You tamed him pretty well."

Klaus's eyes widened. "Er- I didn't do anything," he fumbled and scampered off to the kitchen.

Zero quickly went downstairs to see what mess those boys got into. Once she reached the last step, she heard sounds of grunting and curses too. More than anything, she heard the impact of bodies colliding and she didn't have to guess that the training had already begun.

Right away, Zero saw the usual suspects sparing on the mat. King and Marcello beating the crap out of each other. At this point, it wasn't even to teach Elijah. They were just evening out their own score.

"What are two doing?" Zero came over and stood near the mat.

King and Marcello's arm twisted around, locked in position, but Marcello had his free arm locked around King's neck. Both of them froze and looked at her.

"We were teaching, Elijah," grumbled Marcello.

"No, you weren't," admitted Alec.

"Yes, we were," added King, as he pulled Marcello's arm further causing the man to let out a sharp sound. "See, Elijah, this is how you break a man's arm."

"And Elijah, to break a man's throat, you to just have to use a little bit more force," Marcello growled as he tightened his hold too.

Zero sighed and dropped her head in her palm. "You're not helping," she said, but those two were not listening at all.

She gave in and merely let them get tired themselves. Besides, despite their lack of brains, both of them were great fighters, so Elijah would learn a lot just by watching.

Zero circled around the mat as she watched Marcello twist out of King's grasp and pull free. He was fast and swift with his movements, while King had a lot more rugged fighting style, it was clear from the harsh punches King packed, that he learned this from being on the streets. While Marcello got better because he was personally trained to fight. However, it was hard to tell who was better. Zero liked the way King stood his ground, never avoided the hits or attacks. Marcello, on the other hand, kept his moves under a lot of control. He never hit unless he saw the need to, which reminded Zero a lot of herself.

"King, watch your left," she warned.

King already understood and turned quickly before Marcello was about to jab him. "Oof, nasty move, Marcello," he remarked. Marcello shrugged a shoulder irking the shit out of King.

"Marcello," Zero called out and he looked at her, when only King knocked him off his feet.

Marcello fell with a loud thud. "What the hell, Zero!" he snapped at her.

"Never get distracted," she reminded and laughed at him, so did the others.

Marcello lifted off the ground with a grunt. "You two planned this," he accused.

"Can't admit defeat no matter what," remarked Ronin.

Marcello glared at him with a moping expression. "They cheated," he said.

"Who cares?" said King. "You lost."

"I hate you," Marcello gritted out.

"I hate you too," King added.

"I hate both of you," Alec shoved between them and stopped the fight that was about to begin again.

"Alec, touched the mat," claimed Zeiden. "He has to challenge someone now."

"Get up here then," Alec said to the guy.

"Er-" Zeiden stood dumbfounded. "How about we give Elijah a shot?"

The room went quiet.

"If you don't want to then you don't have to," Alec said to Elijah. "I can always beat up, Zeiden."

Zeiden groaned and fell on the mat over Ronin. "I'm still sore from the other fight," he cried.

"It's okay," said Elijah. "I'd like to try again."

"How's the fighting going?" Severin asked as he walked inside with Klaus and Tom by his side.

Zero looked back from them to the mat and King had already vanished. He was standing with Klaus and already looked uninterested by the fights. Marcello got off the mat and sat with Zeiden too. As they all returned, Elijah stepped up facing Alec.

Alec stood to his powerful height when a menacing thrill emitting from his body. His pheromones were masking all other scents in the room. The bitter blood-thirst was dangerously strong and every wolf here was well aware what type of beast Alexander Waldorf truly was.

"Alec," Zero said as a warning to the man to hold back as much as he could.

Alec's deep blue eyes focused on Elijah. "I don't get hurt easily," he said. "Hit me and don't hold back."

Elijah didn't need to be told twice. He was already on edge from earlier, so when he attacked Alec first, it was hard to dodge most of his hits.

However, from where Zero stood, she could tell that Alec had allowed Elijah to learn how to land an attack, despite facing tough defence. Alec was the perfect choice to fight Elijah. Since he was an alpha, he was more in control of his pheromones and had a control the others wolves didn't. He guided Elijah using his own methods and before Elijah knew it, he had gotten faster and a lot more refined.

But then, Alec attacked. He punched Elijah toppling the man back. But Elijah didn't lose focus, he rebalanced his centre and stood firmly. Alec had other plans. He rushed across the mat, locked his arms around Elijah's waist and flipped him over. A powerful move, definitely took a lot of strength, but the fight ended right then and there.

"Damn!" all of the astounded.

"Vadik, get up here," Zero instructed. "You'll fight with Elijah too."

"Too?" said Alec.

"You're gonna make Elijah go against both of them!" astounded Ronin. "Oh, that's going to be hell."

Vadik got up the mat and stood with his brother as Elijah faced them.

"This looks a little unfair," advised Klaus.

Zero got to her feet and got onto the mat. "Not now," she said. "If either of you land a single punch on either of us. I'll let you win."

"You're injured, Zero," said Alec looking at his brother warily.

"Gives you an advantage then," she retorted.

Suddenly, the whistle blew off. They all turned and saw it in Zeiden's mouth.

"Sorry, I got excited," he said with a chuckle.

"Zero, are you sure?" Elijah whispered to her.

Zero looked at him, seeing the concern in his blue eyes. "Don't worry, they won't touch you," she said.

"I've got your back then," he confessed secretly.

Zero tucked her shirt into her pants. "Let's do this," she challenged.

Zeiden blew the whistle again and right away Zero saw Vadik work with his brother in perfect harmony to fight against her. Elijah had held Vadik back and Alec was free to attack her, but it wasn't so easy. Zero was faster than all three of them and before they saw her move, she was already through and standing behind them.

Alec turned and met the end of her hard fist. Zero wrapped her leg around his, catching him of balance and he was on the ground. She was lifted off by a pair of strong arms, obviously Vadik but he hadn't taken into consideration that Elijah had already grabbed her arm and hoisted her free. She revolved away as quickly as she could. Both Alec and she got onto their feet at the same time.

Alec and Vadik both attacked now, they were quick to attack with their fists but it didn't take long for Zero to figure out their pattern. She dodged not letting them hit her or Elijah.

Suddenly, Elijah lifted her off the ground and Zero knew what she had to do. She kicked both of them hard enough to slam them into the wall. The brothers fell against the wall and the whistle went off.

Zero turned and looked at Elijah. "You did good, partner," she praised.

"It looks like he fights better with you, Zero," pointed out Adrik.

"He does," said King.

Alec and Vadik came back to them. "Why'd you have to kick so hard?" Vadik groaned as he rubbed his chest.

"My bad," she said.

Klaus tossed him an ice-pack.

Zero trained longer with Elijah when she also realized that he did fight better with her.

They had a match with King and Marcello before they fought Zeiden and Ronin. Adrik showed how to disarm someone who held a weapon to Elijah and how to fight with a weapon too. That continued when they moved to the shooting-range room and learned weaponry for a few hours...

It was late at night, when Zero realized how long they had been in the basement.

"Maybe, we should end it here," she announced.

Everyone was exhausted and slumped onto the floor.

"You all should head home," she said. "I'm sure your packs are waiting."

Everyone gathered themselves and went upstairs after the long day had ended. Zero shut the lights off after the gym emptied and followed the group at the end.

She reached the top floor when her eyes instinctively searched for Severin. He wasn't in the living-room nor was he in the kitchen. She found Tom lounging on the couch with a cup of tea and a book. But where was he? she wondered.

"You guys done for the day?" Tom asked them as he closed his book and got up.

"Finally," groaned Zeiden as he rubbed his neck. "I thought at the end I was going to die."

"Can't argue with you there," added Ronin and Alec.

"You guys did good," Zero said. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

The men turned and faced her.

"It's no problem," King spoke first. "You call us whenever you need."

She smiled and guided them all to the front door. One by one they all left in the cars that they came in. They cheered Elijah up too, which was reassuring but Zero wasn't fully convinced yet that Elijah was better now. He had a smile and was talking again, but Zero knew that blank expression since she had it many times herself.

"Zero," Marcello was the last one in front of her.

"Yes?" she faced him with an eased expression.

He looked at her for a long moment, his golden eyes studied hers. "It's nice to see that what you did for me, you're doing it for Elijah," he said.

Zero turned back and looked at Elijah who was sitting with Tom and holding the book he was reading earlier.

"I didn't do anything, Marcello," she said and meant it too. "You helped yourself and chose the right path, that's all."

Marcello held a soft smile, which was rare. "Only because I had you to look up to," he confessed. "If it wasn't for you storming into my penthouse, I probably still would be..." his voice fell and he looked at his pack members waiting near the car.

Zero saw how Adrik, Ronin and Zeiden all waited for Marcello. Once they were enemies, people who didn't want to be on the same side. And now, they protected each other, loved each other to the point that it was painful now to leave anyone behind.

"You're not alone anymore," said Zero.

Marcello's eyes brightened. "No, I'm not," he said. "And I am happy to see that you're not anymore either-" he looked at Tom and Elijah- "Severin's a good match for you."

Zero coughed on her own air. "You know?" she astounded.

Marcello raised a brow. "Have you seen the way he looks at you?" he remarked. "Yes, I know."

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

Marcello shrugged a shoulder. "I was waiting until you were ready to share it," he said. "But from the way you held this secret in, something tells me that you're hiding it for a reason." Zero's muted expression told him what he already guessed. "This is going to be fun," he jested.

"What?"

"Everyone is going to be on your ass about this," he said. "Zero found her mate yet she's in denial."

"I'm not in denial," she grumbled.

"Then why haven't you marked him?" said Marcello. "He marked you, quite possessively too."

Zero almost touched her neck where he had left his mark, but she held back the urge. "My gut tells me it's not the right time," she told him.

Marcello frowned. "Because of Reaper?" he asked.

"Him and a few other things," she told him.

Marcello put his hands in his pockets. "Mate with him," he said.

"I already have," she admitted and it was true. She saw him as his mate, but she wasn't going to let him suffer her absence once she died. That wasn't going to happen ever.

"Then mark him," Marcello advised.

"Marcello," she sighed.

"I want you to be happy," he told her. "Like you made me when I mated Zeiden."

"And I love you for that," she said. "But let me handle this. Let me do what needs to be done."

Marcello opened his mouth to argue and fight her decision, which he was known to do. But he held back this time. He nodded in agreement before he left the house and got in the car with his pack. The last car drove out of the driveway and Zero closed the door, locking it to secure safely. She went to the boys on the couch.

Elijah stood up when he saw her. "Did everyone leave?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. "We should freshen up and have some dinner."

Tom stood up. "I would cook but I suck," he confessed. "But I'm a great helper."

"I can cook something," said Elijah looking at Zero though. "I'll just take a shower first though." She nodded and he quickly left to his bedroom.

"Where's your brother?" she asked Tom.

"He said he had some work to do, so he's probably in his room," he told her.

Zero left the main floor, climbing the stairs and went to Severin's room. But before she even knocked or opened the door, she knew that he wasn't in there. She still opened the door and confirmed it for herself and she was correct. He wasn't there. She turned and went to the temple across the hall and it was empty, then the sauna room which was unoccupied too.

An unexpected surge of dread filled her as she looked around and he wasn't anywhere. Zero remained calm in her steps, but her heart raced inside her chest. The only place that she guessed he could be was where she headed straight for right now.

She didn't bother knocking anymore and pushed open the door to her study room. And there he was, behind her desk, he sat with books open and a pen playing between his fingers. A breath of relief left her and she closed the door calmly.

He noticed her then, looking up and smiling, he said; "I was finishing up some work. I hope you don't mind that I used your office?"

Zero crossed the space slowly. "It's all yours to use whenever you need," she told him.

Severin chuckled as he reviewed the documents spread out in front of him. "That's very sweet of you," he teased.

Zero rounded the table, nearing him and suddenly she sensed the air of his pheromones. The comforting fragrance made her yield all her worries and just be free. He did that to her. Severin made her forget everything outside and allowed her to step into their own world. Only him and her.

How was that even possible? she wondered. How could someone make her feel free yet so safe?

"You're awfully quiet," he remarked, "even for you."

Zero shifted the chair and he looked at her confused. She bent down and kissed him. She was sure that he was surprised, but Severin didn't waste even a second before he kissed her back. His hands cupped her face and brought her closer. Both of the unravelled when their tongues met and the heat grew around them and inside their bodies too.

Suddenly, Severin stood to his feet, not breaking the kiss, he lifted her from her waist and seated her on the table behind her. As his mouth deepened the kiss, he pushed her legs further apart and settled between them.

The rush inside her bloomed into hot-blooded need and she had no idea what came over her. She circled her arms around his neck and drew him closer. She kissed him harder and let herself fall apart in front of him for as long as she could.

Zero stopped the kiss first. Both of them breathless stood facing each other.

"We're having dinner," she told him, "come downstairs." She shifted off the table and hurried off to her own bedroom.

Zero shut the door to her bathroom and quickly freshened up with haste. She changed into a long black nightgown before she stepped out of her bedroom and went to the rowdy kitchen.

She had just stepped into the kitchen when she saw Tom running left and right to help Elijah who was stirring something in a pot. The entire place filled with the scent of cheese and milk. She went over and bent to see what was cooking.

"It's Macaroni and cheese," Elijah told her.

Zero couldn't wait to dig in. "Thanks for cooking dinner," she said.

Elijah gave her a faint smile. "It's no problem," he muttered. "Besides, it's the least I could do."

Zero's skin went cold. "Elijah-" she was about to tell him not to be too hard on himself, when suddenly, her voice stopped in her throat the moment Severin entered the kitchen.

"What's for dinner?" he had asked as he stood with his shirt's sleeves rolled up and his hair messily raked back after she had tousled it earlier.

"Elijah cooked Macaroni and cheese," Tom answered. "I helped."

"You cooked?" astounded Severin.

"No, I picked up the dishes as Elijah cooked," he corrected.

Severin came over to the stove where she stood. His indigo eyes locked onto hers for a moment, but he quickly averted his gaze. She couldn't help but wonder why he had done that, when he never did before.

Zero shifted aside as Severin talked to Elijah and she went to the dining room alone. She felt as if she couldn't breathe whenever she was near him. There was a raging war inside her, that exhausted her as she battled everything around her. She was in the dark, overcome by the desire to be something she wasn't. She wasn't someone to lose her mind over a person and she definitely wasn't one to be sentimental. However, Severin made her like this. He made her look forward to what they'd do together next time.

Zero rubbed her shut eyes and leaned against the table. A sigh released from her lips and she pushed it all away.

Elijah suddenly came into the dining room with two plates in his hand. "Dinner's ready," he told her as he handed her a plate.

She grabbed it and sat down at the table with him beside her. Tom came with a bottle of wine as Severin walked in last with his own plate. He ate as he walked in and he praised Elijah. He was smiling radiantly and Zero made sure to keep her eyes on her plate. Otherwise, Severin's smile made her undeniably weak in the knees.

Tom poured them all glasses of wine. Zero was quick to dig in and eat silently. She didn't mind since Tom and Severin were engaged in a conversation about the packs that came today. They were fascinated by the wolves and curious about their packs too. Elijah didn't say much either, he was focused on his plate and the fork that twirled between the stringy cheese.

His mood matched hers, she thought to herself.

Zero finished her dinner pretty fast and she leaned back at the end with her glass of wine. She looked at the group around her and wondered how this all came to be. One moment she was here alone in this house, and then the next, she was surrounded by three people who surprisingly filled her heart like no one ever had.

However, danger lurked near her. She smelled it from the shadows that were waiting for her to lower her guard. Demons that laughed as they watched her, she saw them around her all the time.

Suddenly, Zero's wolf emerged.

You are wasting time, her wolf said.

I've already told you my answer, Zero replied.

You really have made up your mind, said her wolf. You won't mark him!

Zero gritted her teeth when her wolf snarled at her. She felt the rage spitting towards her, like a hurricane ready to swallow her.

Zero's hand tightened around the glass, when suddenly, the fragile glass shattered surprising all of them. Zero looked down at her hand, that had shards of glass piercing her palm.

"Zero!" Severin grabbed her hand. "What happened?"

Zero frowned when the blood oozed out of her palm onto the glass and dripped down her wrist. "It's nothing," she said as she got up.

"You have glass in your hand," chided Severin. "Let me see."

Zero moved to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and held it forcefully in front of him. He grabbed the cloth on the table and cleaned the blood dripping down. She never understood why he was so gentle with her. She didn't feel pain anymore, nothing hurt inside or out when everything is already torn up.

"Severin," she called out. He looked at her eyes rather than the blood. Something that she never wanted him to see. "It doesn't hurt," she confessed and his frown deepened. "Nothing hurts."

Severin's hands froze and his eyes saddened, like he figured out what she meant.

Zero brought her palm up and ripped out the shards one-by-one. She grabbed the cloth and tossed it aside. She fisted her hand. "Sorry for ruining the night," she smiled at the others before she left.

Although, she didn't know where to go in this large house. She didn't want to go to her bedroom, it didn't make her feel at peace no more. The temple felt as if the doors were too far, and she was unable to reach them. She didn't know why she couldn't face Maya right now. Zero turned and went to the garage.

Zero washed off her hand and wrapped a cloth around it so it wouldn't bleed all over the place. She then grabbed a spray and towel to clean her bike, so her mind would be silent for a few hours.

Zero sat on a stool as she cleaned the dirt off her bike. She didn't know how much time had passed, when suddenly, the door opened behind her.

"I want to be alone," she said to whoever it was, but she had a feeling she knew who arrived. Only one had the nerve. No answer came. Just a few footsteps behind her. She didn't bother looking either.

Severin rounded towards her with a first-aid kit. "Let me see your hand," he said.

Zero continued to work.

Severin sighed. He suddenly grabbed the cloth from her hand and put it to the side. He shoved between her and the bike and sat down on the bike's seat in front of her.

"You're so damn stubborn," he grumbled at her and Zero glared at him. "You don't scare me, Zero-" his fierce eyes matched hers- "Not anymore." He grabbed her hand and took off her lame bandage.

Severin opened the first-aid and cleaned off her wound. He blew fast as the antiseptic liquid dripped on her hand. He wiped around the blood and then used the cream so they'd be no scars. He cut off some white bandage and wrapped it up neatly. Zero watched as he worked on her. Severin suddenly bent down and laid a soft kiss on her palm. That sweet sensation pierced through her body, something she had never felt before.

"A kiss for a good job done," he told her.

Zero melted then and there. "What are you doing to me?" she blurted out.

Severin's eyes lifted and he viewed her. "I didn't do anything," he said.

That wasn't true, she thought. He stormed into her life and showed her that everything up until now was nothing but bleak.

"Severin," her dire tone already showed him what she had in mind.

"If you're going to tell me that you don't want to mark me again, I will push you down and kiss you," he threatened.

Zero's mouth closed and she sighed. "I won't," she said. "But let me ask you this... Do you really want me as your mate?"

"Yes," he answered without hesitation.

"Think about it a little," she told him. "I'll give you a few days-"

"No need-" he interrupted. "I wanted to spend every day with you the moment I knew your name."

Zero's heart sank. "I find myself wanting the same," she confessed before she could stop herself. "I know that makes me selfish to make you live this sort of life, but I can't see without you anymore. I look for you and I want you here." She closed her eyes. "I can bleed," she said, her blue eyes agonizing the pain in her voice. "I can kill and if necessary I will die. But you..." she looked at him, "you stay pure." Zero's jaw clenched. "I need you to understand that I am never safe," she said. "I make sure everyone else is, and that means, that danger will always come knocking at my door."

"I-"

"No-" she put her hand up. "I will protect you with my life, Severin."

Severin shook his head. "My life isn't worth saving at the cost of yours," he confessed. Zero's eyes lifted, the guilt drifted into sadness. "And I also think that you're allowed to be selfish, Zero," he said. "You deserve it."

"Not when it involves another life," she sighed.

"I make my own decisions, sweetheart. And I chose you," he smiled at her as he leaned closer to her. "Now, are you going to kiss me or do I do it?"

A moment passed before Zero kissed him. She didn't want to stay away anymore. She may not mark him but she had accepted him as her mate. They were mates, now and until Zero's life was no more.

Severin held her for however long they both needed. Until a rapid blue light flashed and thunder rolled in over the house. A storm began and rain poured down quickly, the droplets hit the windows and walls.

"We should head up to bed," said Severin. "It's getting late."

Suddenly, the air around Zero thickened when she smelt fresh blood. Severin noticed the change in her too, it was quite obvious with her flaming blue eyes and emerging fangs.

"Blood," she gritted out.

"Zero! Severin!" Tom rushed into the garage with a horrified expression. "It's Elijah."

Zero got onto her feet and ran to where she tracked the scent and it was Elijah's bedroom. She opened the door and her body felt as cold as ice. She knew it! She fucking knew it! And she could see the whole damn day that Elijah was suffering.

The window was left open and the storm rushed inside. Severin rushed past her and shut the windows first.

"What happened?" asked Severin.

"I don't know," Tom panicked. "I came to give him my book when I saw him like this."

Elijah sat in the rain, on the ground, in the dark. Fresh, deep and blunt cuts covered his neck and wrists, the red gleamed as it oozed out of his wounds. "It won't get off," he cried faintly. "Why won't they get off me?"

"How'd he-" Zero found the letter opener in his bloody hands. Since the knife was pure silver, the cuts would turn into scars and bleed longer. "Elijah..." She stepped closer.

Elijah looked up in surprise. "Zero," he wept as relief showed in his eyes. "I'm caged and I can't get out."

Zero leaned down looking at his wounds. "Did you do this to get yourself free?" she asked.

"I had to," he said. "They burn me."

Zero grabbed the knife. "Not anymore," she threw the knife to the side. "Come on, get up."

"No! Don't touch me!" he snapped. "I can't dirty you with my filth."

Zero crouched down on her feet. She touched his hands, looking into his faded eyes. "My brother could never get me dirty," she said. "Now, get up." She anchored his body and took him to the shower.

Severin had already turned on the water, letting hot water rush into the massive marble bathtub. "I'll help him get in," he told her.

Zero turned her back only, but stayed close to Elijah and her mate, because if Elijah attacked she had to be here to stop him. "Go on," she told Severin.

Severin stripped off Elijah's wet clothes and put him in the tub. Elijah winced from the contact. Zero went over to the counter and grabbed an antidote of chaparral herb, which would ease his pain and sedate him not to transform into his wolf.

"Is the water alright?" Severin asked.

Elijah's blank eyes flickered with recognition. He didn't respond, but his blinking eyes told Severin he was alright. Severin smiled at the man, the type of smile that made Zero's heart flutter.

"Are you okay?" Zero asked Severin first.

"Not really, I didn't expect that," he admitted. Severin shifted and took a seat away from Zero over to the sink, so did Tom.

Zero grabbed the towel and drenched it with water before she applied it over Elijah's wrist. The bright red stained the white cotton. Something in her heart broke, she couldn't help the rush of guilt choking her up and letting it all fall from her eyes.

Suddenly, a wet finger touched her cheek. Zero looked up and saw Elijah's eyes wet too. "You'll get through this," said Zero, her voice didn't falter. Elijah blank expression didn't change. "You're my family now. So, you need to get through this."

Zero got up after cleaning him and left the room. She stood in the dark and couldn't help but remember the terror in Elijah's eyes.

Severin followed her out. "I know it's hard for you," he said.

Zero turned, her eyes wet but she stayed firm. "As long as he gets back on his feet, I'll be fine," she believed.

Severin gathered her in his arms. "You're here with him," he said. "Why wouldn't he get through this successfully?" Zero clenched onto him but didn't say anything.

Severin got Elijah into fresh clothes and Tom had cleaned up the room by then too.

All of them returned to the bedroom as the storm continued to rage outside. Severin and Tom laid Elijah on the bed after he knocked out from the pain killers. Zero put the warm blanket on Elijah so he wouldn't catch a fever. And they were just about to leave, but their feet didn't move.

"Leaving him doesn't feel right," whispered Tom.

"That's because it isn't," said Zero.

Severin yawned. "Well, I'm exhausted," he mumbled.

"You two can head to bed. I'm going to stay," said Zero as she took a seat on the adjacent chair.

Tom went around the bed and pulled up the blanket before he got under it. "I'm not leaving," he reassured.

Severin smiled warmly as he followed too. He got on the bed and laid next to Elijah, when suddenly, he lifted his head and asked her; "Do you think this will scare him when he wakes up?"

"Probably," she replied. "But do it anyways."

Severin faced Elijah and went to sleep in no time. Zero could hear his calm breath as the rain crashed against the window. Zero leaned back and looked up at the rampant clouds.

"Maya," she prayed slowly, calmly as if she needed to pacify her heart that was still shocked. "Maya... Maya..." but for some reason, saying her goddess's name didn't bless peace, instead something bitter set inside her.