Watch The Dark

Declan was, in most ways, prepared for Blake to mind link him. He should have been glad, seeing as it meant that they found something. However when he sent his warriors off, something felt wrong. Something in his heart made him uneasy. His wolf was also rather agitated, pacing back and forth in his mind, making it hard to think. Something wasn't right.

It was only when his mark began to pulse that he realized why he felt so uneasy. It wasn't him at all. It was Tana. Something was wrong with Tana.

He ran into Lennox's pack house in a panic, following her scent into the cells where Mara lay on the floor, lifting her head slowly when he threw the door open.

"Where is she? Where is Tana?" He growled. Mara winced slightly and sat up to look at him.

"I'd assume she went to check on her pups. She ran out of here rather fast," the woman said monotonously. Declan let out yet another growl of frustration and barrelled up the stairs again, crashing right into Lennox, who seemed just as agitated.

"Erica mind linked me. We need to get to the safe house. Now."

***

Tana's P.O.V

Her wolf had taken over. She shifted faster than she ever had before and charged straight into the woods. She could hear Mika and Erica screaming after her, but she didn't turn around. All she could see was Icarus and Sincere. She couldn't focus on anything else.

Her nose led her to dead end after dead end. Whoever had taken the pups had been smart about it and had split up to go in various directions to lead her off course.

In the back of her mind, she knew that she was being led into a trap. Only a fool wouldn't realize this. However, every rational thought became white noise and her instinct to protect her pups took over. She was no longer in control. It was just her wolf.

Letting out a frustrated growl, she took off after the strongest scent she could find. Rage and terror fueled her as she dodged fallen trees and bushes that happened to be in her way. She could hear fighting not too far off and began to follow that. If there were Blood Wolves, she could find her pups and get them back to safety.

Tana, come back, we need to figure this out rationally, Declan's voice drifted in her head. She didn't mind link him back and her wolf didn't stop. Even the pull of their mate bond couldn't make her turn back or slow down.

But a massive bulk of fur could.

She was thrown to the ground in an instant, a loud growl rattling her bones as she got up to face her attacker.

It was Talon. She could recognize those eyes anywhere. Those bloody, violent eyes. His entire body was rigid and stiff, his fangs bared as she bristled under his gaze. He was the reason her pups were gone. He was the reason for all of her suffering. He had killed her brother.

With a roar, Tana launched herself at him and sunk her teeth into one of his legs to try and bring him down. He responded by grabbing her by the scruff and tearing her away, coming at her in a flurry of claws and teeth as he tore at her fur and face and anywhere else he could reach. The scent of blood filled the air and Tana found herself lost in the violence. She couldn't think rationally, she couldn't breakaway. The only way this was going to end was if one of them died.

Talon grabbed one of her paws and clamped down until a loud crack filled the air and Tana let out a howl of pain. It had already begun healing but in the minute she was incapacitated Talon threw her down and clamped his teeth around her neck, trying to force her to submit.

She let out a long, drawn-out whine and tried to struggle free. However, seeing as he was larger and stronger than her, she did it to no avail.

They were both tired. Even with his jaws around her throat, she could hear him panting and watched his body tremble with the effort, which gave her an idea.

Tana stopped all of her struggling and let herself go limp. Her tail was tucked between her legs and she moved her eyes away from Talon's; a complete show of submission.

If a wolf could smirk, he did before he stepped off of her and allowed her to get off of her side. She lowered her head more and heard the tell-tale cracking of bones as he shifted back into his human form.

"Shift," he demanded, his cruel eyes fixed on her defeated body. Tana didn't move. She didn't even turn to look at him. She just stayed where she was and tried to catch her breath.

"I said, shift!" Talon snarled. He threw his leg out and aimed a kick at her belly, but Tana took that sloppy move as a moment to sink her teeth into the delicate flesh of his ankle. He cried out and stumbled back, slamming down onto the forest floor with a loud growl as Tana advanced on him.

"The moment you kill me, that bastard son of yours will die," Talon threatened. It was the same kind of threat he used the last time she had fought him. It was empty and desperate. His eyes, though cruel and bloody, held a kind of fear only Tana could pick up on. He was scared of her.

She finally had the upper hand.

About a month ago when Tana stood in front of him in the cells, she had told him that if he even spoke of her son again, she would tear his throat out.

Two years ago, she threatened to kill him for what he had done to Alec.

Five years ago, she promised that one day she would escape him and make him pay for what he had done to her. What he continued to do to her.

Seven years ago, he told her that she would never best him.

Now that she stood on him, her fangs bared in his face, those empty promises and threats she had once made finally were possible. She could finally end the man who had tormented her all those years and be done with the trauma he gave her.

Tana had to make sure that he would never, ever hurt anyone the way he hurt her again.

It was that thought that pushed her wolf to tear into the soft flesh of his throat, his roar of pain dissolving into a gurgle as blood flowed freely from the wound. She spat the chunk of flesh out beside him, watching as his eyes dulled with every spurt of blood that was released from the wound.

He could not hurt her anymore, but she didn't feel any better.

***

The sun had started to set as Tana reached the howls and growls of fighting. She could smell Blake and a few other familiar scents, but when she tried to pick up on the Blood Wolves' scents there was nothing there. Even when she snuck behind them to figure out where they had come from she couldn't find anything. It was like they didn't exist in that sense.

She dodged the mass of fighting all together and back tracked from where the Blood Wolves had come from. Luckily, there were more scents to follow the further she went. There was one in particular that stood out to her though.

Sincere.

Her wolf stood on edge and let out a low growl. She was going to get her pup back, even if it killed her.

***

Fang's P.O.V

His wolves had not settled down. They were refusing his serum. His control was slipping.

This could not happen. He had his pup. He had everyone under his thumb.

But then he felt a pack bond snap. He felt a family bond snap, and he suddenly knew what had happened. Or, more specifically, who.

Fang could not care less about where his brother was currently laying. He wanted his power and he wanted his title as alpha. That was the only thing that mattered to him.

It figured, after all he had done, that the one woman he had hired to do his bidding had royally screwed up. She was supposed to be the best of the best and she had screwed it all up.

No, it hadn't been her. It had been that moon goddess cursed slave.

He should have controlled her himself. He shouldn't have left it to his brother. His brother was too stupid, too impulsive. He had screwed everything they had worked for.

Fang believed Talon deserved to be dead. He shouldn't have been the leader of the Blood Wolves in the first place. It should have been Fang. He was stronger, smarter, and far more qualified. However, he was also younger. By one year. 12 months held him back from his true destiny.

12 months had decided who their father would love more.

Fang jerked out of his thoughts, a familiar scent mixed with rage and fear filling his nostrils.

A slow, calculated smirk grew on his face. It appeared the Star Child had finally arrived to save her pups.

If only she could save herself, too.