When the bloodlust fades away, while the smoldering pile of ash continues to smoke, I'm left feeling empty and cold. All the pent up frustration and fierce anger has cleared and I feel utterly defeated. It's as if i'm drowning, just under the surface of the water, where air is so close, but still always out of reach. I can't even piece together a coherent thought as I stare into the dying embers.

Lost is a good way to describe it.

I feel lost.

The tense, uncomfortable silence in the room is only making this situation worse. I need to get out of here; I need fresh air.

I turn around slowly, forcing myself to look away from the ashes, and start toward the glass door that leads to the porch. I can feel everyone watching me closely, cautiously. They watch me like they're waiting for me to suddenly snap and attack them.

As I walk past Gabriel, he reaches out and carefully latches his hand around my arm. My eyes stay fixated directly in front of me. I don't look at him; I can't. I can't bear to see the sympathetic look in his eyes, but i'm even more afraid that if I look at him, I'll see disappointment. I shake off his hand gently and continue toward the door.

When I finally step out into the cool night air and the door clicks behind me, it feels like a weight has been lifted and i'm able to breath again. I wouldn't have been able to spend another minute in that room.

But the new, lonely silence allows my thoughts to race.

I've spent so long running from angels, that I never even considered demons could also be chasing me. His words are still ringing in my ears and replaying in my head on repeat. According to the demon, my father knows that I exist and he knows that I could be useful to him. I always figured that he never found out about me. In fact, I've spent the past seventeen years thinking that, and in just a few seconds, that idea was ripped apart.

I should have known better. It was naive to think that someone as infinitely powerful and knowledgeable as himself didn't know of the  virtually impossible, hybrid creature he created. Maybe I was just being hopeful, desperate to brush those ideas under the rug and deal with the consequences when they inevitably come back to haunt me.

But quicker than I could have ever imagined, the consequences of brushing off those ideas are knocking at my door and it's only a matter of time until he finds me.

I press my forearms against the wooden rail decorated in delicate strings of white lights, and run my hands over my face, my head spinning. My eyes wander over the beautiful scenery, and I find that i'd much rather focus on the way the sun falls behind the mountains, instead of my somber thoughts.

Eventually, the sky turns dark, only illuminated by the constellations of twinkling stars and the pale, crescent shaped moon.

After at least an hour of standing on the dark porch, unmoving, the glass door behind me slides open and then closes shortly after. Initially, I expect it to be Gabriel, but the smell of spices, freshly fallen rain, and a strong heartbeat tell me it's not. It's Zeke.

I stay silent, as if he isn't even there, and continue to stare into the darkness. I hear him inhale sharply and takes a few hesitant steps closer. It's obvious that he's struggling to find the right words, his mind most likely racing with theories and superstitions, but I can guarantee that none of them are even close to correct, and none of them are nearly as gruesome as the truth. Eventually, he clears his throat and speaks.

"Will you tell me what just happened?" He asks, breaking the silence, voice wavering as if he's trying to keep himself together, practically bursting at the seams with questions.

It was easy to predict that this would be his first question, but I don't blame him for asking it and I know that he has a hundred more, however, it would be for the best if they stay unanswered.

"No," I answer flatly, tone cold and empty. "Will you leave?"

"No," he answers in the same tone I used.

A harsh sigh escapes my lips and I shake my head lightly. Even after everything he just saw me do, why is he so insistent on sticking around?

"You need to leave," I say sternly, emphasizing my words in hopes of getting it through his thick skull.

"I told you, i'm not going anywhere," he retorts quickly.

I let out a scoff in response, and he takes a few steps closer.

"You saved my life," he says quietly, as if that explains everything.

"Well, then, you can write me a thank-you card before you go," I remark sarcastically, irritation laced in my tone.

"I'm not going," he argues. "Your friend, Gabriel, he said there might be a war coming and I want to fight with you. It's the least I can do."

A war? Gabriel must be talking about my father. I didn't think of it before, but he's right. If my father comes for me, he definitely wont be coming alone. But, why would Gabriel tell him about that?

"You want to fight?" I ask, letting out a dry chuckle. "You have no clue what you're getting into. If there really is a war coming, it'll be against things you've never even seen before."

"You're underestimating me. I'm a werewolf, I can help you," he says stubbornly.

"Did you see how easy it was for me to kill that demon? To rip his heart out? That's how easy it would be for something to kill you in a war like that." I say.

I turn around to face him, noticing that the small lights laced over the porch reflect in his eyes, looking similar to stars lighting up the night sky, just as a low growl rumbles from his chest. I can tell he's about to argue, but I cut him off before he can.

"Just leave, Moose. I don't need your help," I voice sternly.

I brush past him and stalk back inside, but of course, he follows right behind me. He doesn't look like he's gonna leave anytime soon, but there's no point in arguing with him right now.

When I spot Gabriel, with his back to me, standing in the kitchen talking to Alpha Gage, I stride toward him quickly. Alpha Gage's eyes land on me over Gabriel's shoulder and he my notices my sudden determination as I make my way to them. His eyes worriedly flitter between Gabriel and me, before he takes a few tentative steps away, as he realizes my pointed glare is fixed on Gabriel.

"Why are you telling them about a war?" I confront him with an edge to my voice.

The others glance between each other with nervous expressions, but I ignore it. Gabriel sighs lightly before he even turns around, muscles in his back turning tense, as if he already knew I was going to be upset about this.

"They could help us, Victoria. If we really are on the brink of a war, we're going to need all the help we can get." he answers after turning to face me, his voice soft, probably to keep me from getting too upset.

"We don't need help," I grit out. "We also don't need to tell them anything."

"We can't run from this like we have with the angels. He will find you and we need to be prepared when he does." Gabriel answers, his tone growing stern.

"I know that, Gabriel, but we don't need to drag them into this," I argue.

"If it means that you will be safer, then yes we do. They also offered to help. It's not like we would be forcing them against their will." Gabriel says, sounding slightly irritated.

"They don't even know what's going on. They don't understand what they're getting into." I growl, getting aggravated with the constant back and forth arguing.

"Then we will tell them. We will tell them everything and they can decide whether they want to help us or not." Gabriel decides, as if it's some perfect compromise.

"No, we are not telling them anything." I declare. "Zeke has already almost been killed once because of me." I wildly whip my hand in Zeke's direction, gesturing to him. Zeke's eyes grow wide at the sudden attention and he takes a few more steps away.

"If we tell them everything, then we can train them. We can show them how to fight agains-," Gabriel doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence, because I cut him off.

"No." I insist. "Absolutely not."

"Victoria." He sighs.

"We will get them killed," I growl.

"We will prepare them, so that they know what they're getting into," He says. "I know that you don't want to do this, but we need their help."

I shake my head angrily, and glare at him. In the corner of my eye, I notice Noah standing on the other side of the island with that same deer in headlights look while he watches us warily. The air is heavy and tense as Gabriel and I stare at each other in a silent battle. I want to shout at him and argue but I know that he won't budge. After killing the demon, I also don't have the energy to stand here and yell at him. At this point, I can just hope that after we tell them everything, they won't want anything to do with us anymore.

"Fine," I concede angrily. "But if they get killed, their blood is on your hands, Gabriel."

His features twist into a pained expression, making a twinge of guilt rise through my burning anger. Without another word, I brush past him, bumping my shoulder against his roughly, and go into the living room.