Caine

36 hours earlier...

The cool air hit my face as I tore from the tent. Yasmin is mine. I won't sit here any longer while that mutt tries top make a claim on her.

I could hear the beta and my mother exit the tent behind me as I heaved in lungful's of air. The movement exaggerated by my large chest.

"It may all ready be too late. It all depends on the connection she feels towards Caine." Beta Michael's was talking to my mother, his words were hushed but not quiet enough.

Before he could even blink, I had him by the throat, holding him at arm's length, if only to stop myself from ripping out his throat.

"Do you not have any good news for me, or are you so willing to die you speak that of which will get you killed?" My voice almost demonic now.

I have to find her. No more of this pussy-footing around waiting for the recon to return. I continued to stare at the wolf in my hand. His gaze as unwavering as mine.

"They have returned." A voice shouts from the outer boarder of our makeshift camp.

"Bout' bloody time," I hiss tossing the unless wolf to the ground before spinning to face Marcus.

Mother, stepping forward, eye's me with a smile before she raises her hand just as Marcus captures it planting a soft kiss on her skin.

A disgusted noise escapes my mouth at the action drawing their eyes to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry Caine, did you want me to kiss your hand too?" Marcus chuckles stopping once he sees the glare on my face.

"What have you found?" I demand.

"Yasmin. We found Yasmin. She is hidden deep within the forest of dark, protected by magic and bound by metal." Marcus was far to happy about this. Did he not realize entering the forest of fate was a death sentence to any and all supernatural beings?

How was Keith able to secure a safe passage and place to hide?

"But there's more," he cheerfully taunts. Turning to the fellow vampires and wolves in his team, Marcus motions for one to step forward. "I stumbled across this little one trapped in a thorny bush, she was near death but I managed to free her and in return she agreed to help me."

There sitting on the shoulder of a wolf I was unfamiliar with was a Dryad. It's pointed features and leafy attire shook more the closer her ride came towards me.

Stopping a short distance away, I listened as her high whining voice told the story of how the sad wolf rescued a dryad and in return was allowed safe passage into the forest, and the following events leading to my beautiful Yasmin being held captive.

As the day wore on and the little light that shone through the canopy above darkened, wolf and vampire alike readied for the battle we would face ahead.

We knew that without an amulet we were in for a fight. Tree people lurked in those woods and they protected it fiercely.

"We don't stop until we bring my mate, and the true Alpha Luna of the Bristol pack home." I roared at the assembled army.

With a deafening roar in return, vampire and beast followed me deeper into the woods.

***

The tree people began their attack the moment we stepped foot on their land. Their branches shaking and swaying creating damaging wind that could be felt for miles.

Through the night we ran and fought, with small moments of peace between the fighting. The tree people were weary of our large numbers, dropping back constantly only to attack once again the closer we got to the clearing where Keith hid.

Howls sounded around me as the first wave reached the dome separating me from my love. "Spread out, find a way in." I called fighting off another attack.

The wind had died down, as the light started to break through. My heart stilled as I spotted her.

Long brown hair blowing softly in the wind, her hand pulled at something around her neck. "YASMIN!" My bellow for her only resulting in another tree person lumbering over to me. Making quick fire wood out of the creature, I sort out my mate once more.

A low rumble built in my chest at the sight of Keith's hands holding her. Why wasn't she pulling away in disgust? Has she given up on me already?

Time seemed to slow as he drew back from her, fingers caressing her face, and still, she didn't turn from him. She didn't flinch, didn't fight. Keith's fingers gripped her chin and the world froze. His lips touched hers shattering my heart. I was too late. She chose wolf over vampire. Contaminated love over true love.

The wolves fighting alongside me and the other vampires howled at my loss, my own animalistic roar joining like a promise.

A promise to kill him and take back what was mine.

The bloodlust was instant. My focus remaining on her and her alone as she searches the fighting for me. My pace slow as creature after creature fell at my feet. A slice across my back eliciting another roar. This one capturing her attention.

A small smile lighting her face even as she stumbled backwards being dragged by that mutt. She was still mine. I could feel her now. It was faint, but it was there.

The creature had started to retreat once more, leaving me free to find a way inside the magic field. Yasmin and Keith were only gone for a moment, but soon the were back insight, closer to the middle of the field than before. My anger never ebbing rose higher as he stroked her cheek then gripped her shoulders before kissing her lightly. It was coming, I could feel it. The blood in my veins pulsing at a new high, the beast inside my raging, and I let it. Keith was dead. By no other hand but mine.

A rush of air rushed by me towards the centre where Yasmin stood, and even over the battling crowd her sweet voice reached me. "Thank you, Keith."

Her arms had barely touched him before I was if front of her, crouched ready to fight. Keith rattled by the force of my throw slowly got up.

"You shall die for touching what's mine." My beast growled out, attacking Keith.

My fingers and teeth tore at him, as he did the same. I was older and stronger, but I had been running and fighting now for just over a day. I was growing tired, but I would not loose.

Hunger clawed at me at the sweet smell of blood. Not just any blood, Yasmin's blood.

Without a thought my eyes snapped to the trail of red liquid dripping down her arm.

"KEITH, NO!" Her cry pulling me out of a haze.

Yasmin shifted faster then ever before, claws and fangs extended as her chocolate brown wolf dove past me connecting with Keith's wolf midair.

She was stunning. The power in her jaw and she held the male down, the beauty in her fur as it shifted with her. Nothing could compare to the sight of her wolf, well nothing other than her naked body which now held onto a naked dying man. As she bent down kissing him on the head, I raced towards them ripping Keith from her arms.

Keith's heart was out of his chest and in my hand faster then a blink of the eye. She did love him after all. I stood just behind her as she got to her feet, turning to look at me. I could take me eyes from her face, because if I looked at her naked body, I would lose control and take her right here. But Yasmin was no longer mine. She had given him her heart.

"He does not deserve your sympathy." I hiss. Allowing myself to touch just her arm, I spin it palm up. "Here," I managed to grunt as I drop the still warm muscle in her hand. "But it's only fair he gives you his heart."

It breaks me to see the horror on her face. I did that. I put that look on her face. But I just wouldn't have been able to see her with him. I turn from her broken self, directing the army so we may return home.

The strong push from Yasmin's small hand has me stumbling back. Not from the force but from the contact. The shock of her skin making me weak. I wanted her bad, I needed her. I wasn't paying attention as she screamed at me.

"Disappointed to find me?" Her tiny fist connected with my skin once more, my eye's shifting to my beast as I try to stop him from taking her body right here.

"Disgusted at how inept your mate was to protect herself?" She continued shove me. Her sweet hands lingering longer on my flesh, making me grunt in need.

"I'm sorry you have to be mated to a wolf, to someone who was unable to free herself, to someone who couldn't protect herself. But if you think I will put up with you ignoring me I won't. I have my wolf back now and she won't back down to no one, not even you." Her screams echo around the now quiet field.

What the hell is she talking about? Why would I be sorry about having her for a mate? She is perfect. But she didn't want me anymore, she chose Keith, didn't she? Her hand slaps me across the face before she thrusts something small into my hand.

"Here, this is what Keith used to get through the forest unharmed. Use it or not, I no longer care."

My eyes drop for a second to see the small amulet.

"What the fuck Caine," Marcus shouts snapping me out of my stupor. All of Yasmin's words finally sinking in.

I look up just to see her running off into the forest, her brown wolf disappearing.

"YASMIN!" I scream but it's already to late, she has gone.

I face the stunned army around me. "Well, what the fuck are you all waiting for? Follow your Alpha Luna."

With that, I took off after my mate, the love of my life. I won't let her get away from me this time.