"Where are you going?"

Lia asked her mate who kept walking on without sparing a look at her.

"Asher! "

She screamed and tried to catch up with him but the more she ran, the slower she went, it was as if she was trudging through quicksand.

"Where are you going?!" Lia yelled after him but the vampire continued with his journey.

He moved sluggishly to the extent one would think he had lost the will to live.

Every lift of her foot weighed, almost like lead was tied around her ankle and dragging her back.

Fog arose and began to spread across the field, narrowing her visibility.

"Asher! " Her voice broke this time as she watched the fog slowly swallow him up.

Lia was scared all alone but no matter how much she cried, he didn't return. She felt a pain in her heart, it made her gasp for air.

---

"Asher!" Lia woke with a startle.

She sat upright, her action waking the werewolf who was sitting beside her bed - err, hospital bed.

"You're up" Daniel breathed in relief, before pulling her into a hug but his face scrunched up when he felt something cold drop on his shoulder.

He pulled away, "Why are you crying?" and wiped away the ones trailing down her cheeks.

Lia squeezed her eyes shut to express her confusion, "I have no idea. I woke and tears are springing from my eyes"

"It's alright, must be a nightmare" Her werewolf mate kissed her on the forehead tenderly as a form of assurance.

Daniel could now have peace of mind. After she had fainted last night during the party, he thought he had lost his mind.

Though the pack doctor had assured him she was okay, he still paced up and down her bedside. What could have caused her to pass out, she was a supernatural for crying out loud.

"What is it?" She wasn't at ease, he could sense it through the bond.

Daniel watched his mate bite on the inside of her lips and instinctively knew whatever favor she was about to ask was related to Asher.

"Hey, I know I'm supposed to focus my attention on you these few three days but can I speak to Asher, please? I feel slightly uncomfortable like something's happened to him "

Lia watched his blank expression, unsure if he'd grant her request. She wasn't going to lie, she would find it hard granting him that if she were in his shoes.

Though Daniel had initially been her only mate, circumstances forced him to the bottom. Lia knew it was not easy for a man of his position to accept the second position that easily.

"Sure" Daniel agreed.

Lia let out a breath she never knew she was holding.

"I can't find yours at the moment but here, you can use mine" He offered his cellphone.

Lia took his hand with the cellphone in it, "Thank you"

She gave him a warm smile and embrace, briefly - Lia was grateful for having two understanding mates else she wondered what she'd done.

"I'll be out there until you're done " He gave her some privacy.

Lia called Asher at once, she couldn't get that dream out of her head. The thought of losing her mate scared her out of her mind and until she confirmed Asher was alright, she would not relax.

"Hello, Daniel?" His voice came alive from the other side causing the tension hanging around Lia to reduce by eighty percent.

"Is me? " She said.

"Lia?"

"How have you been?"

"How do you think I'm doing?"

She rubbed her head," I'm serious Asher. Did something happen? Is there something you're not telling me? "

There was a short pause as if he was filtering what to say to her.

"Asher? Talk to me, Asher! You can't seriously hide this one from me because I felt it from the bond"

" My brother attacked me " He finally opened up.

"Raphael? He attacked you? Why would he do that? " Lia peppered him with questions.

"You know what, I'm video calling you" she decided.

"No!" He was quick to refuse her.

"What do you mean, no? I have to check up on you, make sure you're okay " she explained.

" I'm okay, mate"

"No, I still need to check on you else - "

" Do you trust me "

"Yes, I trust you Asher but - "

"Then, trust me now "

Lia couldn't protest any longer, she was still worried but had to believe him.

Thankfully, he didn't sound like someone in pain cause if he did, video call or not? She would race back to Little Town just to examine him.

She took a deep breath," Fine"

"That's my girl "

Lia visioned a broad smile on his face as he said that.

"I miss you, Lia"

"Me too "

"Alright, have fun with Daniel. I can't wait for you to return to me"

"Yeah, see you "

The call ended.

Well, her nightmare didn't come to accomplishment, that was all that mattered.

Once she returned to Little Town, she would have the opportunity to scan Asher's body for incurred injuries he might be hiding from her - that vampire keeps too many secrets from her.

Daniel returned, "You seem better"

"Asher was attacked"

The news was too sudden for Daniel that he froze, "Excuse me?"

"Raphael attacked him"

"Well, I never liked that brother of his. I knew it was only a matter of time before his mask cracked" Daniel sat on the space on her bed.

"By the way, where am I ? "

"The pack hospital"

"What a waste of space and resources, you could have just taken me to our room " She complained.

Daniel blinked, the use of "our room" made his heart pound against his chest, erotic imagination infesting his mind.

"Daniel? Daniel?!" Lia snapped her fingers at his face.

The werewolf jerked out of his imagination, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

"Sorry," His flush deepened.

Lia cleared her throat awkwardly, the look on his face told her everything she needed to know, and was thankful he didn't push that thought into her head.

"You fainted right in front of everyone, so the hospital was the next believable place you had to be sent. It would be awkward if they had to pay you a visit in our room"

Lia blushed, the way he emphasized "Our room " made x-rated thoughts spring up in her head.

"Secret dating is so tiring " She sighed tiredly.

"Oh don't worry, it's just the both of us for the next three hours. Thanks to your beauty sleep for about ….." He checked his wristwatch, " Twelve hours, everyone had left for the trip"

"I was never interested in the trip by the way" she leaned towards him, "Seems I have to pass out again so we could spend more time together tomorrow, just the both of us "

He copied her action by leaning closer till their face was touching. But instead of whispering sweet nothings, he said to her instead

"Go wash up, you smell "

Lia glared at him but his lips were curled to the side smugly, indifferent to her anger. Nevertheless, she obeyed.

She washed up - after making sure Daniel was out of their room and couldn't stare at her naked body through the see-through bathroom.

"You're done "

Her hand went to her heart, she was startled. Daniel was waiting for her right outside the door.

"Yes, I'm done "

He bent and sniffed her causing Lia to lean back awkwardly, sometimes she couldn't help but think of dogs when he did that.

"Let's go" He smiled and took her hand, intertwining them together.

"What was that for?"

"What ?"

"The ..." She comically made a sniffing gesture.

"Oh that, I marked your scent. That way, I can track you down wherever you go "

Wonderful, her boyfriend was a tracker.

They made small talks until they came to a stop in an unknown bungalow.

Daniel led her into a spacious room painted in bright and charming colors with children's toys scattered all over but that was not what held her spellbound.

It was the litter of puppies running around the house, driving the caretaker crazy that made her eyes go wide with shock.

"Oh my God!," She screamed in excitement, "Are they wolf pups?! "

Daniel nodded, "Yes, this is the pack's nursery "

Lia tried to lift one into her arms but Daniel stopped her, she threw him a questioning look.

"Trust me, you don't want to get involved with them yet until you heard my instructions "

"Whoa" Lia chuckled, "Instructions? What have you got up your sleeve now?"

"Lia, you're my mate but that doesn't mean my pack has accepted you yet. You have to prove your worth"

"Okay?" She pursed her lips, "How do I do that ?"

"One of them involves commanding these little devils into submission in an hour" he explained.

"Cool, look at those cute - "

"Lia, those are teething pups just born two days ago. Trust me, you don't want to mess with them "

She waved him away, "Come-on, trust me. If I can handle Trevor and Rex, there's no other kid in this world I can't handle"

"Lia -"

"When can I start ?"

Daniel gulped, " Anytime "

"Then I start now, " She declared.

She turned to look at those harmless little creatures, how could they be devils. They were so small and cute, they could easily pass off as Chihuahuas.

He signaled the caretaker who was so relieved to have the responsibility of caring for those mini devils taken off her shoulder.

"Good luck, Lia " Daniel sighed and closed the door with a heavy heart. Well, she wouldn't die anyway.

No sooner had Daniel closed the door did Lia's terror-filled scream reverberate throughout the whole house.