Hey! Another chapter! Don't hate me too much after this! :/ And, I'm sorry it's on the shorter side! It's the best I could do!

~ Lissa

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I heard the shot over all of them.

The bullet slammed into my upper thigh, almost a heated punch, that knocked me to the ground in surprise. I sprawled backwards onto my back with a shout, the gun slipping from my hands. As Kolton started firing away, hovering above me, I listened to the blood rushing in my ears. As my breathing increased, I began panicking in my head. I was just shot - I was bleeding profusely. Grabbing my gun, I slowly sat forward, peering at the bullet hole. I started panicking even more when I noticed that my blood was mixing with the blood already on the grass.

Kolton grabbed my upper arms and pulled me to my feet. "Shit, that's bad."

A wave of dizziness washed over me and I grabbed at his hands, forcing him to put me back down. Lying on my back, bleeding out, I listened to the cries of pain and furious growls from around me. Cautiously, Kolton knelt down beside me, pressing his warm hand against my forehead. "Hey, look at me. Don't close your eyes." He ripped off the sleeve of his shirt and tied it around my wound - strangely, I didn't feel anything. "Thea, look at me. Breathe."

"THEA!"

The familiar voice was a relief. A tear escaped my eye, rolling down my temple, as I watched Ethen rush towards me. The look of concern and anger on his face was terrifying. When he reached me, he shoved Kolton away, replacing his spot next to me. I looked into his emerald eyes, struggling to hold back the tears threatening to spill. Was I going to die? Already? I had witnessed two deaths - Pete and Noah - did I want to see anymore? Or, did I just want it to be over with? Ethen grabbed my hand, his black hair matted to his sweaty forehead.

"It's going to be okay," he assured, before his canines extracted. A murderous red invaded his eyes, followed by him chomping into his wrist. With wide eyes, I watched as he moved his bleeding wrist to my mouth - I turned my head, disgusted. Impatiently, he released my hand and grabbed my chin, forcing my face upright and shoving his wrist into my mouth. His blood dripped down my throat and I had no choice, but to swallow. A warm feeling spread up my leg and with a quick glance to my thigh, he leaned backwards, his wrist leaving my lips. "There, I got you."

Confused, I slowly sat forward, peering at my healed thigh.

Kolton shook his head. "The power of mates."

"You healed me," I processed, stunned. "It d-doesn't hurt."

"You need to leave," Ethen told me, seriously. "Kolton, get her out of here. That's an order." Kolton nodded and my eyebrows raised - he had listened to Ethen so quickly. I was expecting an argument, maybe a snide remark from him. Ethen grabbed my upper arm, sending sparks throughout me, and helped me to my feet. "Please, I need you somewhere safe."

I frowned. "I want to be here with you. I want to fight and help -"

"Thea, I can't lose you," he interrupted, pain evident on his face. "If I lose you, I will no reason to continue living, understand? If you die, I do too." I sputtered for a moment, searching for words, but I couldn't produce any. "Come on, we still have a chance at a happily ever after. Just leave. I want to know you're safe and I want to be able to come find you when this is all over. You're my prize - and no one plays a game if there isn't a prize involved."

"And, you're my prize," I responded, shakily. "I can't lose you either."

"I will be safer with you gone."

I pinched my lips together. "I can't just sit around somewhere, waiting for you to come find me. Remember, I had to seek you out when you left me in the forest. I lost you that day. I won't lose you now."

"You won't," he assured, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I will be okay."

"You don't know that," I argued, staring into his eyes. "Noah thought he would be okay, but he's not. Pete thought he would be okay, but he's not." Ethen's eyebrows scrunched together and I continued with a trembling voice. "People are dying. Everybody is at risk, including you. I won't have everybody die here today and I'm off somewhere hiding - and then, I'm the last one standing. Alone. Sad. Because I lost everybody. I want to be here to make sure that doesn't happen."

"I'm sorry," he murmured, pecking me on the forehead. I frowned as he nodded to Kolton who sprung forward, grabbing my upper arm and pulling me away. I started thrashing against his hold, staring at Ethen who remained standing there with a broken expression, watching me being dragged away. I fought and fought against Kolton, but he was too strong. When we were a good distance from Ethen, Kolton turned his head and glared down at me.

"Will you stop fighting already?" he growled, annoyed. "I'm trying to save you."

I huffed. "You're following stupid orders!" Using his other hand with the gun, he fired at the nearest soldier, killing him. "So much for being an Alpha - for being a leader! No wonder I had managed to steal your pack away from you! Nobody can be an Alpha when they're somebody's bitch!" He jerked to a stop, whirling around to me with a scowl. "Yeah, you heard me! You're Ethen's bitch, following his orders like the pathetic werewolf you are."

"Watch how you speak to me," he warned, stepping closer. "And, no one dares to defy the Volkov brothers. They aren't to be reckoned with - they're to be respected. They're the reason that I am what I am. I have them to thank for my power and strength." I swallowed the lump in my throat when I noticed the serious expression on his face. He truly did respect them. "Now, shut up and don't die on my watch."

"Just let me help!" I screeched, desperately. "Come on, you know I can fight! I defeated that pack member of yours!"

"And, it was a miracle," he argued, tugging me forward. "You'll get yourself killed out here and I can't - " He was cut-off by an explosion near us, actually very close to us. I was blasted by a wave of heat while being thrown off of my feet, flying through the air. When I connected back with the ground, painfully landing on my side, my ears were bleeding. I couldn't hear anything. I started panicking inside, ashes landing in my eyes. Frantically blinking, I looked around for Kolton, not seeing him. Was he dead? Had he blown up?

"Kolton!" I shouted, but I couldn't even hear myself. I was hoping that my lips were moving. Dizzily, I staggered to my feet, not surprised to see burns forming on the left side of my body. I didn't feel them quite yet, but they were going to sting later. I ran my hands through my hair, noticing how shaky they were - and how my gun was missing. Crap! No! I started glancing around at the ground, searching for my only weapon. As I was searching, a tall figure appeared in front of me and I swung my fist forward defensively, only to have it caught.

I looked up, relieved to see Temp. His skin was covered in dirt and blood - there were a couple scraps and forming bruises on his face. He was alive. He was okay. Without a word, I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around him, breathing in his sweaty scent. Tears were rolling down my cheeks at this point and as he started rubbing my back, my hearing started to return. I heard his soothing words, his murmurs that everything was going to be okay. "Blue, it's okay. I'm going to keep you safe. Just breathe. . ."

"Temp, N-Noah is dead," I stuttered, speaking into his chest. "Pete is dead. K-Kolton is dead. Everybody is dying a-and I c-can't -"

"We're going to be okay," he assured, kissing the top of my head. "Come on, lets get out of here."

I pulled away. "We can't just leave."

"Yes, we can."

"I am not leaving Ethen," I told him, seriously. I wiped away the tears streaming down my cheeks and sniffled quietly. I needed to suck it up. This was war. "We need to help."

"There isn't much we can do!" he shouted, extending his arms. "We're human, Thea. We have more of a chance of dying. We don't have the special healing. We don't have the claws or canines. We have petty guns. We have weak bodies. We stand no chance against these weapons, these bombs, these soldiers - we won't heal right away after they shoot us." I swallowed, feeling my bottom lip quivering. "I've always loved a little chaos, but I don't want to die. I don't want you to die. I want you safe and that's not here."

I hesitated. "It's not about what you want."

"Well, you know what?" he responded, coldly. "I'm going to be selfish. I'm going to be a selfish dick and make this all about what I want right now. I want you to leave. I want you safe. I want you." His warm eyes stared into mine and I held my breath, processing his words. "Maybe being with me isn't the best thing for you. Maybe you should be with a guy who can protect you with magic a-and change into a beast. But, I do want you - and I want you to have everything that you want. I want you to be happy, whether it's with me or not. But, God dammit, I want you."

I sputtered for words. "I - now isn't the right time for this."

"No, I need to say it because I will hate myself if you die or I do and you don't know," he continued, shaking his head. My eyebrows knitted together and cautiously, I glanced around, watching for any aims taken at us. When I looked back at him, his eyes were soft, staring into mine. "I love you, Blue, and I don't care if I lose my dignity after saying this. But, I've fucking loved you since our days at the facility. I've tried making myself hate you, but I can't. I've been going out of my mind because of you. Lately, it's like nothing is about me anymore, it's always about you - I'm always thinking about you and putting what you want first."

"Temp, I-I didn't know you felt this way," I stuttered, nervously. "I didn't know."

"Yes, you did," he argued, releasing a huff. "I know you remember us kissing that night when we got drunk. I know you remember and I do too."

I sighed. "We were drunk. I didn't think anything of it."

"Bullshit." He lifted his gun and suddenly shot a soldier approaching me from behind. Then, he directed his attention to me, his common frown on his face. "Look me in the eyes and say that."

"I've always just looked at you as my best friend," I told him, shaking my head. "I didn't think anything of that night, okay?"

"You're lying to me," he said, through gritted teeth. He dropped his head for a second, before lifting his gaze, glancing around, then looking back at me. "And, it's breaking my heart."

My chest tightened at his words, but before I could respond, a loud howl rang out. An Alpha's howl. Drew's howl. It was a howl of pain, but not physical pain. I whipped my head around, the ground trembling beneath me, searching for Drew. I spotted him, hovering above the body of a dead werewolf, his large head tilted back, howling up at the sky. Several howls rang back in response and chills traveled down my spine. I stumbled forward, squinting around soldiers, peering at Drew.

He lowered his head, digging his snout into the cheek of the dead werewolf.

Temp stepped forward, appearing beside me. "Who is that?"

My eyes stung as I watched Drew nudge the dead werewolf's side, pulling away with more blood on his nose from the bullet wounds in the werewolf's body. I stared at the dead werewolf for a minute, running through the list of people in my head, and comparing the fur colors.

Shakily, I answered, "That's Cole."

"His Beta?" Temp said, raising his weapon. "His second-in-command is dead then." We watched for a couple more moments as Drew mourned his loss. "Please, leave with me, Blue. We aren't going to win this war. We should leave while we still can."

"No," I replied, looking at him. "We still need to find Amanda."

"Amanda?" he repeated, in disbelief. "Like she'll be here."

"She wouldn't miss this," I stated, eyes narrowed. "And she's not leaving here alive."

His eyes widened. "I guarantee you won't be able to get close enough, Blue. Hell, you might not even find her."

"Oh yes, I will."