Dante is gone...

Such news coming from him did not sit well with the Demon king....And he could feel it.

Cruel lips curved downward as he beckoned Apollyon to come forward. The Demon Angel approached him slowly and regarded him carefully. 

"Please elaborate, Destroyer." The Demon king motioned for him to come even closer as he sat on his throne.  

With a stoic gaze, he remained calm even though the putrid stench from their surroundings wanted to make him gag,  Apollyon repeated his words. 

"Dante is gone. He has not returned to his lair in days."  Apollyon informed him.

He watched cautiously as the Demon King's malevolent gaze turned annoyed. 

"And, my Angel?" 

Meeting the dark being's gaze, his back straightened some as he responded. "She remains with the Wolf."

"And why is that?" The Demon King's eyes flashed red in anger.

Before Apollyon could answer, an argument and scuffle could be heard in the hall behind him. He turned in the direction of the noise in time to see Felipe burst through the doors, struggling and dragging a girl he unceremoniously let go of and shoved to the floor.  Apollyon looked down at the woman sprawled before him at his feet.
It was Miranda, the she-wolf, exhiled from Maddox's pack.
He shot a venomous glare at Felipe. This was not going to end well.

"Why what do we have here?" the Demon King stood with interest and gracefully walked before him and reached for the girl. She recoiled with a growl. 

"My, My, you brought me a feisty play thing, Felipe." he purred with excitement as he wrapped his long fingers around her neck and began to squeeze.

Apollyon's jaw ticked as she began to whine in pain. 

"She has something to tell you about Dante." Felipe said to him.

"Does she now?" He stood slowly and effortlessly with her still dangling by her throat from his fingers. 

Apollyon stood to the side and watched the she wolf struggle in the Demon King's hold.

"What is it that you want to tell me, my pet?" He smiled viciously at her as she continued to struggle and claw at his hand around her throat.

"I'm not your pet," she growled.

He chuckled and regarded Felipe. "I guess what she has to say is not important. Perhaps she can be my new plaything after all." He crooned.

"Danté is dead. He was killed." She managed to wheeze between breaths.

In shock, he tossed her to the ground and stumbled back.

Apollyon watched as she coughed on the floor.
The Demon King spun around and slowly made his way back to his chair.
She slowly stood up and continued.
"Rumor has it, The Angel killed him with her light," she said with teasing triumph.

In a blink of an eye, she was hanging in the air by her neck.  Slowly her body floated towards his outstretched hand. She wheezed and fought to get free but couldn't. Apollyon stood by silent, watching as Felipe stood and watch in fear. 

"She is considered the Luna of your pack. Therefore, you are just at fault and should pay." he hissed, tightening his grip.

She shook her head angrily. "She is no Luna of mine."

A spark of interest and intrigue formed on his face. He let her go and watched as she rubbed her throat.

The She-wolf held his gaze. She should have been terrified of the so-called Demon king as should all that stood before him.  The handsome-looking dark being slowly walked around her. 

"I sense you do not care for your Luna. Why?"

She turned her head to follow him. "I despise her. She stole what is mine. The Alpha." 

He cracked a deviant smile and chuckled. "Ah, A lovers hate. How riveting."

She remained silent as he finally stood before him. She looked away from his piercing gaze. But he just as quick tilted her chin up. "I believe you, and I will work very well together. We have a mutual interest. You want your Alpha. And I want my Angel."

She swallowed as his eye began to glow slowly.

"How far are you willing to go for your lover, wolf."

All stood around silently, waiting for her to answer. Apollyon's jaw ticked. A sense of doom settled in the pit of his stomach. 

Miranda never flinched when uttered the words that sounded like music to the demon's ears.

"To the bowels of hell if I have to."

A devious smile formed on his lips. "Bring me my Angel, and you will have your Alpha." 

                                                                                 ~*~*~*~*~*~*

Days had passed since Dante' died.

And he had to deal with his mate's grief.  For hours he consoled her and convinced her as much as he could, or she would accept, that none of what happened to Dante was her fault. He could feel her doubt, her pain, and her unease. He decided against giving her space to deal and the bickering between all of them did not help. 

Her mood soured more as Michael, Uriel, and Raphael began to argue with him, which only worsened things. And, they were still on the same damn subject of taking her home. After hearing what she witnessed they were terrified that it could have an impact on her.

"Of course, it can have an impact on her, he literally turned to dust in her arms." He faced Michael with an irritable glare.

"Don't hold that tone with me, Mortal..I," Michael began.

"She belongs with us in our Realm," Uriel insisted.

"No, She belongs here with me. In case you have forgotten, she is my mate." Maddox inched closer. 

"Enough!" Gaia stepped between them just in time to see Hannah standing there watching them.

"Hannah," Raphael stepped forward but she stepped back. 

"Why don't all of you get it in your heads that she doesn't want to be bothered?"  Maddox stood before Raphael. 

The arguing continued with the three of them. She was overwhelmed by it all and simply just mentally checked out and left them there arguing.

"Give her time to cope. It's not every day an Angel witnesses death. Especially not one like what happened to Dante." Gaia had told him.

"I know, but how much time? I can't bare seeing her like this. She doesn't smile. The damn weather is as gloomy as she is. It won't stop raining."  he mumbled before turning away from her to go after Hannah.

Gaia smiled as she looked up at the greyish clouds above them. It was true. Hannah's emotions had everything to do with the gloomy rainy day. 

When he caught up to her, she had stripped down to her panties and waded into the lake by the clearing. With her back to him, waist-deep, she stood there looking up at the sky.  

He could feel her confusion and fear. He slowly kicked off his boots and removed his clothes. He carefully stepped into the water and joined her.  She turned in his embrace and welcomed his warmth. The rightness of her body against his soothed Koda, sending a kick of lust through his body.  She felt open and responsive to his closeness, and in no time, she was hoisted up and wrapped around his waist.  In the open, for nature to see, they made passionate love in the water until they were sated and spent. 

Slowly he carried her out of the water. On the embankment, he settled down with her in his lap. He pressed his lips to her hair and remained there, holding her tightly in silence, listening to the water and nature play around them. 

They remained that way for some time until she straightened up out of his hold and finally spoke.

"Do all supernaturals...Werewolves die the way Dante did?" she asked.

Her voice was tight and labored as she tried to brace herself with the slight fear of his answer.

His hands gently caressed her jaw. She closed her eyes slowly. Waiting for his answer. Waiting for the blow to her heart. That if she went to war with the Demon King, would those around her suffer such a fate?

"No," he whispered. 

She exhaled slowly. "We age differently, Hannah. Slowly. As long as we continue to phase and change, we slow down the process of aging. But because we live amongst humans, most of us, choose to stop to blend in with the humans or.. so that we can age with our loved ones." 

She turned slowly to look up at him. 

"Will you...Continue to phase?" She trembled some. "To remain immortal with me?" she gazed up at him. He could smell her fear and anxiety. 

A part of him needed her to understand their kind and what it meant to be in this realm as a Lycan. Being here as wolves came with consequences. It came with trials of Pain, heartache....suffering. But also, love, happiness, and joy.  He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was passionate and filled with so much love. He slowly pulled away. He caressed her neck and held her tight to him. His gaze hardened, and his eyes began to glow. "As long as you are my mate. Always! with every moon ."

His answer satisfied her. And that pleased him. It pleased his wolf even more.