Gasping loudly, my eyes flash open and I'm blown away by the sight. Blood splattered on the ground and smeared on the trees. Growls and hisses echo into the night. I can hear every bone crunch, every single drop of blood that crashes onto the ground. I can hear skin tearing and neck-snapping. My senses on high alert as I witness the battle of wolves vs vampires. I look at my arms and see them slightly paler. My hair is a deeper shade of red, and my canines feel more like fangs. I've been reborn into the thing that I hate the most. Despise the most. Raw power pulsates in my veins and it sickens me. Tightening my hold on the small mahogany box Emerson gave me I place it in my pocket and come to stand. I don't give a damn what he said.

Some wolves immediately stop and stare at me in disbelief. A few vampires prey on their momentary distraction to lunge at them. My body moves before my mind can catch up. I rip their hearts out in an instant and crush them in my hands, staring as the blood oozes down my wrist. The delicious smell of their blood tempts me to drink and I growl in anger and disgust.

I look up at the sound of Nick's ferocious growl to see his grey wolf battling the leader, the one I hit with my car. My throat starts to ache with the need for blood, his blood. The wind wraps around my body as I dash towards them with a speed that leaves me both exhilarated and revolted.

I grab the vampire's throat and lift him up high while I glare into his black eyes. A look of shock crosses through his gaze before he covers it up with a smirk.

"Alora," Nick says in a breathless whisper as he shifts back "You're alive..."

"Well, look who's ready now." The vampire states.

"What do you want?" I demand while tightening my hold.

"Call them off." He grins while ignoring my question. "I'm here to offer a truce."

"Clearly." I scoff as I gaze around the chaos. He looks around for a moment before whistling. The vampires halt in their tracks and flash to stand behind him. Tightening my hold on his neck he raises his hands up in surrender and I drop him. My wolves come to stand behind me and Nick.

"I wasn't sure if it was true or not." He begins "That you were 'The Flame'." He rolls his eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You reeked of plain dog earlier, but you don't anymore."

Nick looks at me in confusion as he sniffs me and scrunches his eyebrows together. The pack in turn does the same and they slightly shake their heads as they try to understand the change in my scent. Julian's wolf growls in my direction before he abruptly silences himself. I can see that the pack is fighting their instinct to attack me. My altered scent makes me the enemy but their loyalty forbids them from attacking. Hate begins to blaze through my body as I remember what I've become.

With a threatening hiss, I bare my teeth at the vampire. "If that's the case then you also know I can end each and every single one of you in the blink of an eye. Why should I do anything but that?"

"Because you now have something that we need. In exchange for handing it over, we will never harm any of your wolves again." He bargains.

I can't hold back the laugh that bubbles out "What I need is a drink because my throat is burning." I threaten with a smile and his eyes narrow in repulsion.

"Vampires don't drink each other's blood." He sneers.

"I'm not a vampire." I clarify while extending my canines as I smile threateningly. My wolves let out menacing growls.

"Let's just kill them." Nick says, tired of all the talking.

"Ah ah," The leader tsks while shaking his head "You don't want to do that."

"And why not?" Nick spits out, body shaking with anger.

"If you kill me the entire vampire race will come for you." He says with a smile as he answers Nick, but his intense eyes are focused on me.

"Who are you?" I ask, voice low and menacing.

"My name is Jack." He smiles ruefully "Jack Lume."

A few of the wolves gasp as they stare between us. He bows mockingly with a sweep of his arm and continues "You may have heard of my father? Emerson Lume?" I say nothing as I stare him down, feeling my stomach turn in disgust "Or perhaps my mother? Clementine? That's right. She's still alive and pissed as ever."

I hiss out baring my teeth in warning "What the hell is it that you want?"

"First, I want you to call off your dogs." He sneers. "Then I want you to hand over the Kynda."

"What the hell is a Kynda?" I question without batting an eye as he arches a brow.

"You're telling me you have no idea that for generations your pack has been in possession of the most powerful crystal in the world?" He questions while crossing his arms "Do you think me naive? Hand it over and call off your monsters."

I extend my arms to the side of me "They aren't attacking you."

"Not them." He rolls his eyes "The hybrid monstrosities you now command. They're killing us off and we can't stop them."

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about." I growl while feeling my wolf thrash inside of me. She's upset that this vampire is in some way related to us. I'm pissed at the insinuation that I have any sort of contact with those mutant freaks. The very ones who are the reason for every ounce of misery I posess.

"Call them off." He repeats as he grits his teeth.

"Alright. I've had enough of this." With a roll of my eyes I give the wolves the order to attack. Jack's nostrils flare in anger and with a nod of his head the vampires lunge into action. Nick steps closer to my side and Jack's eyes flicker between the two of us as a smile breaks out on his pale face. In a blur of movement I'm thrown against a tree and Nick is pushed onto his knees. Several syringes piercing his skin, injecting him with large doses of silver. Nick grunts as he fights back the painful howl I know he wants to release. His brown eyes flash up to meet mine as he contorts in pain. His face turns red and the veins on his neck protrude as he struggles to breathe.

"Call them off and hand over the crystal or we kill your little mate." He says with a wicked grin.

I tear my eyes away from Nick to smirk at Jack. His smile falters for a moment as he takes in my reaction. He might have my last name but he knows nothing about me. The fact that he thinks threatening my 'mate' will have me crumple to his will proves it.

"Here's the thing, Jack." I begin as I take a step forward "I don't give a damn who your parents are or what they want. I don't care about you or this mysterious crystal. And I sure as hell don't care that your vampires are dying. I don't like to waste my time which is exactly what you have done here today. So, in case you didn't already gather there is no truce." My claws extend as I stroll towards him. I slowly pierce his right cheek in a straight line, drawing blood "Ah, that's better. Just like daddy." I taunt and his eyes blaze with fury. "I don't take kindly to being threatened."

"You won't kill me." He states in confidence.

"No?" I ask in mock confusion. I smile and bring a bloody claw to my lips, enjoying the fear hidden in his eyes too much to be repulsed by the taste.

"You may be a filthy dog but you aren't stupid enough to risk waging a war on an entire race. You know who my mother is and the resources at her disposal. Not even the great Ember Pack is strong enough to survive an attack of that magnitude. Hand over the Kynda. I know you have it."

"Baby I've become something that I have hated my entire life. I've lost my family, my home and a part of myself. I have nothing left to lose and right now you're dangerously close to my territory. The declaration of war was made the moment you stepped in front of my car." A guttural growl escapes my lips and his face morphs into one of fear, seeing the evil in my eyes. "I have a little message for your dear old mommy." I whisper in his ear as I pull his head back to expose his neck. "I'm not Emerson. I will open the floodgates of hell and burn each and every one of you if you so much as breathe near my land again."

Biting into his neck he screams out as my claws dig into the back of his head and his back. Blood floods into my mouth and I groan in pleasure as the sweet taste assaults my tastebuds. I've never felt such a high. My wolf howls in warning and I pull away, throwing a screaming Jack on the ground as the vampires attack me. Grinning while my body hums in anticipation. Bodies pounce at me with incredible speed but with my improved eyesight I dodge each attack. A satisfied smile graces my face as I decapitate a few and feed on others in a whirlwind dance. The feel of fresh warm blood sliding down my throat is the most pleasurable thing I have ever felt in my entire life. I can feel my speed increasing even more and my strength is beyond anything I've ever felt. My blood is practically singing with each feed. I continue my dance until there was only one vampire left. Jack. He looks up at me with terror in his eyes. His black eyes so wide I catch a glimpse of my reflection in it and grin.

My long red hair flows down my waist and my red eyes burn with sick twisted pleasure. Walking towards him with blood covering my body and face, I slowly lick some from my lips. I squat down to eye level and he puts pressure on my bite mark that doesn't seem to be healing as he breathes harshly.

"Hush now." I whisper as I grab hold of his jaw. His black eyes flash with rage and defeat.

"Go on, then hybrid. Finish me off." He spits out in disgust. I hear the pack growl at him in warning and Julian comes to stand beside me. His blonde wolf coated with blood.

Cocking my head to the side I smirk "Is that jealousy I hear? Oh, did daddy not want anything to do with his bastard non-hybrid son?"

He responds by spitting at my feet. His momentary bravery is gone in an instant once I thrust my hand deep in his chest and grab a hold of his heart. His eyes widen in fear and I smile, fangs extended. With his cold dead heart in my grasp I am tempted to rip it out, but I can't afford to waste time and resources right now. So with a grin I decide to let them live until after the hybrids are taken care of. After all, I'm going to need something to do once I've executed my revenge.

"Pass along my message to dear old mom." Releasing his heart I step back and he wastes no time in escaping. "Lock your doors." I call out as he disappears.

~~~A/N~~~

Hey guys! Just wanted to say really quickly how happy I am! We made it to 300+ reads and honestly for me? Having people read and enjoy something that I've poured my heart into is the greatest thing in the world. It's all I have. YOU'RE all I have. So thank you, all of you. 💓

P.S. sorry for the mush, I'm feeling sentimental