When I stomped out of the kitchen I went straight to the forest. Walking under the trees calms me because me and my mother used to do this all the time. She would always tell me stories, love stories. There was always this one story that stood out for me. She never told me the name though.

"Come Little Beth, it's time for our walk!" My mothers shouts from downstairs.

I practically jump down towards my mother. We both walk out the door and into the wild.

My mama shifted into her silver wolf and carried me on her back.

'Do you want me to tell you a story Little Beth?'  My mother mind links me.

"YES YES YES!" I shouted happily. This was my favourite part of our walks. My mama's stories.

My mother released a little, lady like laugh, 'Okay...
Once Upon a Time there was this beautiful human girl. Her family was very rich because they hunted most of the wolves and sell their fur.

One afternoon the beautiful girl decided to go for a walk in the woods because she loved it so much.

While she was walking a big grey wolf jumps out. It started to snarl at the beautiful girl. She was frightened because she's never seen a real wolf before.

The grey wolf was about to pounce on her, but another wolf, the most beautiful black and white wolf the girl had ever seen, came out of no where and jumped in front of the girl to protect her from the big bad grey wolf,'

"He saved her mama?"

"Yes baby, he did.
Then, right before her very eyes, the beautiful wolf shifted into a handsome man. The girl wasn't scared, she was amazed. From that point on...it was love at first sight. She was the man's mate.'

I squealed in excitement.

'The couple kept their love a secret because the girl's parents hunted wolves...werewolves, but she didn't know.

One night, after a year of keeping their secret, they snuck out to run away with each other in the woods because they knew they could never be together because of the girl's family, but...they got caught!'

"Oh no!" I exclaim.

'The girl's father grabbed her and dragged her away, but the man wasn't going to give her up without a fight.

The man and the father fought one another until the man won. The father still wanted his daughter. So they made a deal. The father can still see his daughter if he stopped hunting and moved away from here. The father agreed.

From that day on the beautiful girl and her beautiful wolf could be together.
The man cherished the girl and treated her as if she was a rare jewel. She was his everything, his other half of his soul.

When the mates bond was official, the human girl was fully connected to the Wolf man. 

The End.'

I always loved that one. I only found out a few years ago that it was actually my parent's story. My mother was still a human, but she just had the ability to shift. Werewolves used to use the help of a witch and their werewolf bite to turn there human mates into wolves. It's an illegal practice now. There were wise effects because she never has the spirit of a wolf, she purely only has the ability to shift.

That's why she got sick...because she was still human and her body was weak.

Images of her sickly body flooded my mind. She got skinnier and paler every day. I shook my head. I think that's enough walking down memory lane for one day! I make my way back to the house, but I stop in my tracks when I see a silver car pull up the drive way. An old couple climbs out. Oh Sshhiiiiitt. This must be Xander's parents.

The elderly woman's sight lands on me. Her face transforms into a warm, motherly smile. She walks up to me and pulls me into a tight hug,
"You must be my son's mate I've been hearing about. Oh goodness let me look at ya," she grabs my face and moves it around from left to right, "You are so gorgeous sweetheart! My son is lucky to have you."

I then heard a warm and deep chuckle, "Let the girl go Abbie. You're scaring her to death." Says a man from behind. This guy was old, but man was he big. Not fat big, but tall and solid kind of big. The man gives me a smile which makes the sides of his eyes wrinkle,
"My name is Joseph. It's a pleasure to meet you," he says and sticks his hand out. I grab his hand and shake it.

"Please, the pleasure is all mine. It's an honor to meet you two." The couple looks at each other and smile as if they're saying something that I don't know of. "Shall we go inside ladies?" Joseph asked. "Oh yes! I'm freezing my butt off!"

"And what a sexy butt it is," Joseph mumbles, but Abbie hears it. She turns to him and playfully smacks him, "Joseph Nightwalker! Do not be inappropriate in front of us ladies!" All he does is chuckle. How the hell is this sweet man Xander's freaking father?! It doesn't make sense.

Joseph offers his right arm to Abbie, who doesn't hesitate to take it and offers his left arm to me. I already feel familiar with him that I take it without question. It made me feel nice inside. He felt so fatherly. I haven't had a real father since my mother had died. So this feeling was something I welcomed greatly.

"Mum? Dad? What the hell are you two doing here?" Xander asks as we walk inside.

"That is not how to talk to your mother young man!" Abbie growls, "We came to see your mate."

He looks down at me and gives a cruel smirk, "Go ahead...Better yet just take her and don't let her come back. So that I can live in peace." He says numbly and walks to this strange door at the end of a hallway.

I flinch when the door slams. Joseph looks at the door with fury on his face.
He turns to me and his eyes are sad,
"Has he been like this the whole time?" He asks gently.

I shake my head and wave my hand carelessly, "OHHH Noooo. He's been fine."

"He's been worse," says Soul from the top of the stairs." He walks down and stands in front of his father.
" Xander is out of control, father. I knew he would probably be a little bit of an asshole but he's gone too far, dad. He's gone beyond his craziness."

"We'll be right back," Joseph mumbled. He and Soul turn an both walk towards the door Xander went to and disappeared behind it.

"Come on dear let's go into the kitchen and make something shall we?"

I nod, keeping myself silent.

***

XANDER

I sit inside this cage and breath deeply. 

"This isn't you Xander. Stop reacting so much." I growled to myself. 

I heard the door open and then close. The air of battling dominance was thick in the air. I knew exactly who had just come in. I was ready for a beating. 

"Hello, Son."

I turn around and look at him from inside the rotted cage. "Hello, Father."

I saw Soul leaning against the wall behind our father. Probably to make sure nothing bad happened. He was always the one to break up our fights. Both argumental and physical. 

My father came towards me. He looked at the old cage and studied it, "You've spent many nights in this cell, haven't you Xander."

I was silent.

"Tell me, why were you in this cell?"

I clenched my jaw. I didn't want to answer, but I knew better than to answer with silence to one of Joseph Nghtwalker's questions.

"Because I couldn't control my wolf anymore. I would go...manic." I answered hesitantly.

"Why?" My father questioned. Right now, I was no an Alpha. Right now my father was the dominant one, and me, the son.

I growled. Why is he doing this? Why is he making me relive everything?

I sighed, "Because I was tortured for years."

"That's right. You had suffered for years and it has definitely taken its toll on you, hasn't it son?"

I looked at the wall and nodded my head. 

My father wrapped his hand around the bars of the cell, studying the rust, "Please tell me, my son, what was this cage for."

"It was to ensure everyone's safety."

"Safety? Why would they need to be protected?" He already knew the answer. but he wanted me to say it.

I closed my eyes tightly and say with a strained throat, "From me, they needed to be protected from me. Because I was insane. I would go on raging killing sprees.  I was consumed with torment and darkness."

For the first time, my father finally looked at me dead in the eye, "That's right. You have darkness within you, my son. I understand that you suffer every day with torment. You cannot control yourself sometimes and I understand." He takes a step closer to me. I saw Soul push against the wall and watched us closely.

My father looked at me like a lion to a lamb, "Do you want to know what I do not understand, Xander? I don't understand why you would hinder the opportunity of reviving your heart once again. That beautiful she-wolf, your mate, is the one chance you have to climb out of that black hole. She is your light. Her light is fast and can chase the darkness away."

I shook my head, "No father. You do not understand because you are not me. I am doing all of this for her. I am doing everything I can to protect her from me. Just like how you protected the pack...from me. I am ensuring that her light will continue to grow and not be tainted by me," I stand up straighter to my father and whisper to him, "No light is bright enough to chase away what is inside me. Because the only thing that is faster than light...is the darkness."

***

We enter the kitchen and started to make some brownies from my mother's secret recipe.
While I pour the batter into a rectangular tin, Mrs. Nightwalker makes some coffee.
"Do you usually put cinnamon essence and honey in your coffee?"

"Oh no, dear! This is how Xander likes it. He absolutely loves cinnamon. I don't know why since I totally hate it."

I laugh while I put the brownies in the oven. Just as I put the timer on, Zapora comes bursting into the kitchen.

"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy! MUMMY!" She screams and gives her mother a tight hug.

"When did you get here?" Zapora asks.

"Oh around an hour ago."

"Oh, where's Xander?" She says, looking around.

By the mention of his name, Mrs Nightwalker turns away, blinking back tears, "Your brother has gone so far away baby. I don't know how he's gotten to this point. I thought he was doing well," she sobs. Zapora rushes over and holds her mother.

"Your brother has become what he never wanted to be. Cold...heartless...and numb," Mrs. Nightwalker turns to me with tear-filled eyes, "You are his only hope Lizzy. I know he has been cruel to you. And that is unforgivable. But I know that there is a reason," Mrs. Nightwalker's eyes dazed away as if reliving a memory, " Did you know he used to pray to God for protection over his future mate? He would do that even after this incident. My Xander boy would talk about how he will take care of his mate and make her the Queen of his heart. I know my Xander is still in there somewhere, but you got the shovel sweetheart. Only you can dig him out of his grave."

I felt my own heart begin to ache. I didn't like the Xander I saw, but I wanted to bring the one that I knew back. But I didn't know how "How do you know I can do that?"

She gives me a knowing smile through her tears, "You're his Elizabeth, his Izzy."

My eyes widen so much that I think they're going to pop out. My jaw just hit the floor...literally. Oh.my.gosh! She knows I'm Izzy? IZZY? 

"Oh sweetheart close ya mouth you look like a guppy fish."

"How do you know?" I asked breathlessly.

Her eyes connected to the tattered leather string around my neck,"I'd know that necklace anywhere. And Xander wouldn't stop talking about his Izzy and how he gave his necklace to her and gave her his first kiss to seal their promise." I grab the obsidian necklace and tuck it under my shirt. I have to be me more careful with it.

"A promise he didn't keep," I whisper with a deep sadness.

Mrs. Nightwalker cups one side of my face and smiles, "That's what you think Sweetheart. Trust me. He hasn't given his heart to anyone, that's totally impossible."

I frown, "Why?"

"Because he's already given his heart to a little girl he saw crying at a waterfall 12 years ago. He's got no heart because he placed his where it already belonged, in you."

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