Cole was stunned by the elf's reaction to him. When he had first seen her, it had been like a revelation, like everything in his world was finally coming together.

One glance at her and he had forgotten that he was a bastard and that he was a dark wolf, destined to never experience the full completion and thrill of a full shift. Her green eyes had sparkled and he had finally felt like he was home. The pull had been so strong that it had awakened equally strong jealousy in him. She was his and his father wanted to trade her to Zane.

It therefore did not make sense when an invisible force shot out of her. Cole was not prepared and the psychokinetic shove tossed him across the room and through a closed door. His body was finally stopped by the walls. The whole castle shook as his body hit the wall then ricocheted off it.

The sound of his vertebral column cracking did not terrify him as much as the sight in front of him.

Her eyes were glowing like with an unholy fire and her skin was licked in tiny little flames that did not seem to be burning her. Her hair which had been black a moment before was now dripping with blood. No wind could be felt in that part of the castle yet her clothes were billowing as if they contained a storm within them.

More experimental than his brother, Cole had seen a lot of things in life; witchcraft, paganism and cultism- nothing really shocked him anymore. But never before had he come across anything like this. She was terrifying yet beautiful at the same time. There was something pure but also malevolent about the whole picture such that he forgot to drag his broken spine and hightail it out of there before he became toast in the literal sense.

Luckily for him, the other elf, Mara, came into the hallway. She signalled for him not to move.

"Stay there," she said to him, her eyes on Erinna.

"Don't think I have much choice, sweetheart," he groaned.

He still did not know how he had managed to misunderstand Erinna. As much as he liked games and a little rough play, Cole would never take a woman against her will. He would have never touched Erinna if he had thought it was not what she wanted.

She had resisted yes, but most women liked to be coy with him, knowing it made him more focused on the hunt. He had listened to her body and it had spoken quite clearly to him. With her blood drenched with pheromones and nipples sticking out like pebbles in the uncorseted dress, her body had been ripe for the picking, hell it had been begging to be taken.

There had also been the issue of the pull, he had never felt as connected to another being as he had with her. Like she was...the one.

Accorded Mates were usually given to the strongest individuals in the race. He was the first dark wolf to have arisen in thousands of years so it was not out of the realm of possibility that she was his. Why hadn't she recognized him then?

Mating for werewolves was not as many people believed. Their mates were not written in the stars or predestined. Like everyone, they chose mates based on compatibility then bonded with them before the whole tribe during a full moon with the blessing of the alpha. Their unions were more successful than other species simply because they were aided by animal senses and instincts when they made a choice.

A life mate was one thing...but an Accorded Mate was another thing. They were god given, universe approved, soul bonded and destiny chosen. The concept was phenomenal. It had happened only thrice in their race, as far as Cole knew. Perhaps that was what had made him reckless but the moment he had seen her he had lost all common sense.

She was so beautiful and so alive.

He heard the older elf talk to the one who was his, trying to calm her down. Cole was filled a wave of possessiveness that shocked him. The trigger on his emotions did something and before he could stop it, the shift began. His first full shift.

🐶🐶🐶🐶

With Mara's help, Erinna was finally able to calm down, to regain control of her emotions. She was taking deep breaths under the woman's supervision when they heard it... the crack of bones.

They both turned in wonder. Guilt and fear churned in Erinna's stomach. Had she hurt Cole again without knowing? The events of the past few minutes were a bit off a blur in her head, she remembered trying to regain control but failing, and then an invisible force shooting out of her.

She had tried so hard to keep the darkness at bay, knowing what devastating effecrs it could cause if unleashed but it had been a losing battle. The wave of power had swept over her, consuming her and merging with her anger and sense of violation. It was only when Cole was on the floor, hurt and broken that she had realized what she had done.

Mara looked to the werewolf who had ceaselessly sent her innuendoes her way ever since she had arrived in Silvercrest and her eyes widened. She had thought Erinna had hurt him again without realizing but the truth was worse than what she had imagined. He was in pain alright, but it wasn't from any broken bones Erinna had given him. Colton Zahid was shifting.

"Oh no, this is bad," Mara said.

Erinna looked at the older elf who was now licking her lips nervously. Mara's face seemed to have lost color and her eyes were wide with dread. Erinna did not know what she was so afraid of.

Did she fear Cole would hurt them?

"It's okay Mara, I can talk to him," she assured her.

She had never talked to a wolf before, but she figured it couldn't be that much different from talking to Alex.

"No, that's not the problem."

"Then what is?" She asked because Mara's fear was beginning to get to her too.

Hair was shooting out of Cole's pores at an alarming pace. His bones continued to stretch and lengthen as they redefined themselves right before their eyes. The scene should have struck her as bizarre yet it oddly captivated her. Perhaps it was her morbid fascination with the dark creatures of the night, but whatever it was; she could not tear her eyes away from him; some unknown emotion was rising in her chest.

"He's not supposed to be shifting Erinna. No dark wolf has been activated for at least three thousand years. This is bad."

Erinna sighed and caught herself before rolling her eyes. With Dracula she could roll them all she wanted because she knew he wouldn't do anything but here on the outside world, it would be considered rude and her father would not have it. It had been long since she had been bound by Elven princess etiquette; living with vampires was strangely liberating.

"Mara, I told you Cole will not hurt us."

"It's not that. Only an Accorded Mate can activate a dark wolf."

The air left Erinna's lungs.

"What?"

Before Mara could respond to her, a growl that sent chills down her spine emanated from where Cole had been seconds back. He had finished shifting.

Wolf Cole was as beautiful as were Cole and if Mara was to be believed, he was also as beautiful as werewolf Cole. He was standing, staring at them with an intensity that made her mouth dry and her stomach jolt. As a wolf, he was still big and riddled with muscle. His skin had been replaced by a shiny black as night coat that made him look dark and intimidating.

Before she could stop herself, Erinna walked towards him, slowly so as not to startle him. She was drawn to him in a scary way. It was not the same thing as she had with Vlad but there was a feeling in her chest aching to define itself. She bent down to touch him but Mara snatched her hand away.

"Are you crazy? Don't touch it."

"Mara__"

"The second you put your hand there, you'll both be marked. Is that what you want? Cole is the second worst thing that could happen to you after Dracula. Don't be stupid Erinna."

Mara's interference irritated her. She could not explain it but she wanted to be with Cole, to hold him in his arms and to comfort him. Before Erinna could lash out at Mara, the door opened and Cole shot out of the hallway in the opposite direction like a bolt of lightning.

"Is everything okay?" Zane asked with furrowed eyebrows but Erinna could not answer him.

What Mara had said was finally sinking in and to say she was stunned was an understatement.

Was it possible for a person to have two Accorded Mates? It was already a rare event of spiritual significance on its own to have an Accorded Mate but to have two? It was insane.

The more Erinna thought about it, the more her head ached. Vlad was her true mate, there was no other; she knew that in her heart. Why was this happening then? Her mind could not process it or explain her inexplicable pull to Cole and the more she ran over possibilities, the more she became confused.

"Yes," Erinna jumped in to answer Zane before Mara could explain.

Cole clearly hadn't wanted anyone to know he had been activated if the way he had shot out of that hallway was any indication. Who were they to tell his secret? She and Mara however, had a lot to talk about. In fact, she needed a full history on werewolves.

She was more confused and scared than she had ever been in her life. It was worse than the time Vlad had kidnapped her, telling her about a destiny she had never heard of. Then it had been easier because she had had nothing to lose. This time she had everything to lose because Vlad would never share her with another.

"I brought you the veil. I thought we could have breakfast before I showed you around the territory?" Zane asked.

His request seemed so trivial to Erinna in light of the recent events but perhaps the distraction would do her some good.

Mara made an excuse to leave, probably not wanting to third wheel. Erinna wished she hadn't, everything was changing and she needed the silent comfort of something familiar. And she still wanted to know werewolfy things but she decided if there was as good a teacher as any, it was Zane.

"Are you always like this?" Zane asked after they were out of the castle.

Silvercrest seemed to have way more children than Erinna had ever seen in Transylvania and she was delighted to see them. Her wish was to interact with them but she did not want to give Zane the impression that she was beginning to like his kingdom.

"Like what?" Erinna frowned at his question.

"If I was narcissistic enough, I'd think it was for me but I know it's not. You've done nothing but glare at me since you arrived. So it's either an elf thing or there must be someone else turning you on."

"Turning me on?"

Erinna's mouth dried and her jaw dropped. She was not used to anyone other than Vlad being so crude or blunt with her. No one who wanted to see the next sunset anyway.

"Have you ever smelt a female wolf on heat? You smell twice as good, even when you arrived. It is like you are in a constant state of heat, your blood is drowning in pheromones."

Erinna's face heated faster than she could have controlled it and she just wanted some rock big enough to crawl under.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you, I was just curious. Are all elves like that? Your Seer isn't," he said, referring to Mara.

It was a lie, he had meant to embarrass her and Erinna knew it. No gentleman would have mentioned something like that to a woman, let alone a princess. Erinna straightened her spine and lifted her head, looking him straight into the eyes do as not to give him the blushing virgin reaction he clearly expected.

"It is not an elf thing, Alpha Zane, it is an Accorded Mate thing. My body is ready but not for you as you assume. I'm supposed to bond with my mate on Samhain."

"Still think the leech is your mate?"

Erinna narrowed her eyes at Zane's insulting reference but the infuriating werewolf just laughed.

"I'm messing with you. Lady Mara said it's part of your destiny."

"She would say that. Like my father, Mara was raised to hate that which she does not understand." Erinna stopped and turned to look Zane in the eyes, "Is it so hard to imagine I do love Count Dracula?"

"Honestly? Yes. But tell you what? I'm an open minded guy. Why don't you tell me about you and saint leech whilst we wait?"

"I never claimed he's a saint," Erinna mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Then tell me how you, one of the nicest people I have ever met could have ended up with someone like him."

"How do you know I'm nice?" She narrowed her eyes.

It were opinions like these that made Vlad believe she was too good for him or that he could never measure up. Purebeing or not, Erinna was not perfect. Anyone who was capable of love was equally capable of hate. And wasn't it in darkness that light could truly thrive to its best potential?

"Just a hunch."

"I was seconds away from burning your brother a few moments ago."

"It's impossible to live with Cole and not want to burn something. But my brother's more annoying habits aren't what I want to hear about right now. Tell me about Vlerinna."

"Vlerinna?" Erinna said, her face not hiding her disgust.

"Vlad and Erinna."

"That is just distasteful."

"Vlarinna then," he said with a smirk and she couldn't help but laugh at his boyish charm.

"Fine I will tell you, but please desist from the disturbing names. And you should stop using Vlad's first name."

"What? You think I'm afraid of papa vampire?" he laughed.

Erinna cocked an eyebrow even though she found his comment funny. Vlad was basically the first vampire and truly the father of all vampires yet hearing him being referred to as papa vampire was hilarious.

"You should be."

"You don't give me much credit. I am the crown prince, you know."

Not if your race finds out their dark wolf had been activated, her mind thought.

"Odds still not in your favor. He can't be killed."

"Maybe I have a secret weapon."

Something in his voice when he said that alarmed Erinna but she kept her expression neutral.

"Really now?"

"Yes, a dark haired, insanely attractive secret weapon."

"Yeah don't repeat that comment ever again."

"Why is everyone so afraid of him?"

"I'm not afraid of him; he'd never do anything to me. I'm afraid for you."

Zane laughed.

"I was just joking; I know what he is capable of, my whole race does. But if things go the way I plan, he shouldn't be a problem for long."

"Hmm," Erinna smiled not saying anything, deciding she could humor the man's fantasies.

Zane laughed at her response. It was cute when he laughed, it was so good-natured, light-hearted and sweet and reminded Erinna of Alexander. Along with the other few friends she had made in Transylvania, she missed his company.

"She doesn't think I can do it. You wound my pride, here I rescued you from the big bad vampire with my shining armor and you won't even give me the benefit of doubt," he said, touching his chest in mock hurt.

Despite her reservations, Erinna found herself laughing. She was finding Zane's company amicable. Perhaps he was not as funny and daring as Alexander or as devastatingly beautiful and irrevocably attractive as her mate but she liked him. Even with all the bad Vlad jokes he kept saying to rile her up.

She would have known immediately if there was a malicious bone in his body but there wasn't. From the part of his soul that she could read in his eyes, he was strong, kind, generous, authoritative and honest. It also didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes, but she was not interested in him that way. One bossy count was enough for an elf princess.

"You didn't rescue me, you stole me," she smiled.

"Agh princess, has no one told you it's not the means but the end which matters?"

"Don't you have any werewolfy things you should be doing?"

"Werewolfy things more important than breakfast with a beautiful princess with a body begging to be possessed?"

Erinna's smile left her face.

"Do not speak to me like that."

He made it seem as if there was anything she could do to control the heightened state of desire that her body was suffering as a result of being absent from Vlad.

"It's a werewolf thing too, you know." He winked at her and she shook her head in amusement.

It was embarrassing that Zane had noticed her body's state of arousal but she guessed it was the downside of living with wolves.

Miya had told them it would get worse as the moon approached and clearly she had been right because she couldn't move without it feeling erotic. The swish of the fabric against her sensitive skin, the weight of her heavy breasts, the flush of her skin...

"You really have to stop," Zane groaned, taking a step back.

Erinna's eyes widened as she realised her error. Thinking about her current condition apparently exacerbated everything.

"I'm sorry, that was tactless of me."

He nodded. Her mind conjured the most disgusting things she could come up with until her skin felt cooler.

"Thank you," he said.

When breakfast came, Zane resumed his previous pestering, asking her to tell him about Vlad. She didn't want to but knew refusing would only make it seem like she was ashamed of what they had and she wasn't. And if it achieved nothing, perhaps it would make him see the strength of her bond with Vlad and he would halt his father's attempts to marry them.

So she told him everything except their intimate moments and Vlad's past. That was not her secret to share.

"So you see? I love him, there's nothing that can ever change that. It was sweet of my father to try and rescue me but the truth is I didn't need rescuing. I was right where I wanted to be."

She did not know how she was going to settle the debt that her father now owed the werewolves but she was not going to marry Zane. Werewolves could be cruel but she hoped they would not hold her to a bargain that had been made without her knowledge.

"Erinna, you just told me he cheated on you."

"Everyone has their faults."

The memory was still fresh and it hurt her even speaking about it but she was surer in her feelings for Vlad than she'd ever been before. She didn't know what Ingrid had done to make him sleep with her but after seeing Vlad at him most vulnerable, she could not imagine him cheating on her. She had to believe that whatever had happened, it had happened without his will. Which meant Ingrid was going to have some explaining to do when she caught her.

"Forgetting your birthday is a fault, not knowing your anniversary is a fault, but cheating on you?"

"You aren't asking anything I haven't asked myself but you would have to know Vlad to understand my feelings about the situation. I reacted impulsively but I realize how wrong I was now. My anger blinded me and I didn't believe in him as I should have."

"Blinded you?" Zane exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, Vlad is not like that. We have come so far and he would have never hurt me intentionally."

"It sounds like you're making excuses to me."

"Maybe, but I don't expect you to understand."

Erinna knew it made her weak but she needed Vlad so desperately that she knew she could never let him go, cheater on not. Maybe he had cheated but they could work through it. Everyone made mistakes and was bound to fall at times. What mattered was how they dealt with it. Could she let one night destroy what they had?

"I don't mean to pry, Princess," Zane began.

"Which means you are about to pry."