Severin sat in the driver's seat with Zero beside him. They were waiting outside the Rover Night Bar for Elijah to let his former boss know that he was quitting.

Zero's eyes were outside, searching the area as she seemed to be doing any time they were outside. All Severin saw were the storm clouds brewing in the sky over the parking-lot; the raggedy old bar; and a bunch of drunkards creating a ruckus near their vehicles. Severin really hoped those men had a chauffeur or at least take a taxi home. Although, something told him that Zero saw way more than the ordinary eye could possibly imagine.

"You said that you saved him from captivity," Severin broke the silence first. "What did you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," she retorted. "Elijah lived in a cage."

Severin then remembered Tom's words back at the night of the birthday party. Zero worked primarily on terminating cage fighting associations. "No wonder he looked lonely despite being in a room full of people," alleged Severin.

Zero scoffed. "When you live in a cage for so many years, being lonely is the least of your problems," she told him. "Besides, a wolf is never truly alone."

Severin frowned and looked at her face through the reflection of the window. "How so?" he asked.

Zero's face brightened through the reflection, Severin saw her enchanting smile as she looked up at the moon in the sky. "How can a wolf be alone when the moon shines its light even in the darkest of times," she said. "Our moon guides the world and never forgets to grace us with its power." Zero looked down at her hands where the light of the moon beamed.

Severin's heart squeezed as he saw the sad smile on her face. "I never thought about it like that," he mumbled.

"The moon and I have a very old bond," she whispered. Severin wanted to reach out and hold her hand, that rested on her lap. But he held back the urge. "Hey, do you have time tomorrow?" Zero suddenly asked him.

Severin was already facing her when she turned and met his eyes. "Are you asking me out on a date?" he amazed.

Zero looked at him puzzled. "I guess you can think of it like that," she said making him laugh. "Well?"

"My time is always free for you," he grinned at her.

Zero shook her head. "Who made you such a flirt?" she remarked.

"My mom," he told her bluntly. "She believed that a man should know how to treat a lady."

Zero's amusement fell. "Did your mom ever teach you how to treat a killer?" she said more than asked.

Severin's smile widened. "I'm sure it uses the same amount of charm and caution," he told her. Zero took a deep breath and looked away outside the window again.

That was when Elijah appeared with a duffle bag slugged over his shoulder. He knew what car they were waiting in because Zero told him earlier before they left. Elijah walked around the group of friends huddled near the truck and marched straight to them. He opened the door and slid in the back seats.

"Ready to go?" Severin asked, as he met those blue eyes through the rear-view mirror.

Elijah nodded. "Yeah," he replied.

Severin reversed out of the parking-lot and got onto the open roads, that were fairly empty since it was late at night. He didn't want to come off rude or insensitive by asking Elijah questions to get to know him, so Severin stayed quiet for the rest of the ride. But he was mindful that Elijah wasn't one to make conversation simply to fill the silent. Elijah stayed reserved but his curious gaze was on Zero the entire time.

Zero, on the other hand, was attentive to the road and instructed when Severin should change lanes or take a turn. Zero didn't find it necessary to poke and probe at Elijah with questions either. Frankly, it appeared as if Zero knew Elijah for years and trusted him, even though it was clear that they didn't know each other at all.

They finally arrived at the manor, and Elijah was surprised of the pre-open gates, but still he hadn't mentioned anything about it. Severin parked outside the garage, and they all got out together. Zero went to Elijah's side, holding her hand out to his bag, but he stared at her uncomfortably.

"Let me help you," she said, grabbing his bag and taking him to the house.

Severin smiled at her as she explained that this was where he'd live from now on. They had just entered and Zero explained the routes to the house and all the safety measures. Severin was waiting for her to give the strict run-down, which he got when he first came here about the three rules, but it never happened. Severin was astounded more than anything else.

"There's the kitchen, which you can cook and eat in doesn't matter to me," she explained. "If you live here then you do your own laundry and wake yourself up."

"Yes, ma'am," Elijah answered as his eyes surveyed the entire manor.

"Come on, let me take you to your new room," said Zero.

"Wait," Elijah stopped her. His confused blue eyes staring at her with bafflement and panic. "How much do I owe you?"

Zero titled her head. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"For letting me live here, how much do I pay you?" Elijah clarified.

Zero blinked and stared at him confused for a while. "You owe me nothing," she said. "You live here for free."

Elijah's eyes widened. "But- but this is too much," he said. "I can't have this all for free."

Zero shared a grim look with Severin who understood Elijah's concern. "I hired you for a job, Elijah," she said. "So, I consider that as payment." Elijah opened his mouth to argue or correct her. But he couldn't muster a word after seeing Zero's stern gaze. "Now, the bedroom-" she pointed to the stairs making him go up them.

Severin grabbed Zero's hand when Elijah was a few steps away from them. Zero was surprised and stared at his hand in hers.

"What?" she asked.

"You didn't give him the three rules you gave me," he told her.

She raised a brow. "Yeah, so?"

Severin's mouth dropped open. "So, you're just strict with me," he remarked.

Zero pulled their interlocked hands up to show him. "Something tells me Elijah's not a troublemaker, unlike someone else I know," she said and let go before walking the stairs.

Severin scoffed. "Now, that's hardly fair," he astounded from the back and then quickly bolted up the steps towards their new roommate's bedroom.

Zero opened the door beside Severin's room and showcased the space entirely for Elijah's use. The area was massive and had a huge bed with a desk and bathroom. Elijah looked lost in the space. Zero had to push the man inside and put his bag down, so he'd finally realize that this was reality and his new room.

"Do you like it?" Zero asked.

Elijah stared at the room with a blank expression. "Er- I uh- yes, I do," he muttered.

Severin stared at the poor guy who just looked uncomfortable. "You hungry?" he asked chirpily.

Elijah looked past Zero to Severin. "Uh- kind of," he answered.

Zero nodded. "Unpack and freshen up," she told him. "We'll have dinner ready by then."

Zero and Severin turned to leave when Elijah said; "Hold on," they turned and looked at him. "You still haven't told me what I'm doing here."

Zero smirked. "There's no rush," she said. "I'll tell you after dinner." Zero closed the door leaving Elijah to his own accord.

"What are you planning?" Severin whispered.

Zero put her hands in the pockets of her coat. "Hopefully what I'm thinking doesn't happen because if it does then I'm not sure if the world is ready for it," she said.

Severin felt her angst instead of realizing his own anxious mood. "So, what's for dinner?" he said trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm craving chow mein," Zero said idly.

"Should we order takeout?" he asked.

Zero pulled out her cellphone and placed an order for stir-fry noodles, honey-garlic chicken and a bunch of pork dumplings on the side. Severin went to his room to freshen up too. He showered off the exhausting and long day, which felt heavenly.

After noticing that he'd spent quite a while under the hot water, he finally rinsed off the rest of the soap suds and got out. He grabbed the robe off the hook and wrapped it around himself, before he left the bathroom to dry his hair with a towel. He didn't hear any other voices or footsteps, so he guessed that Zero and Elijah were still in their rooms.

Severin changed and put on a pair of pants and a cashmere shirt before he left the bedroom to go to the kitchen, but it seemed he guessed wrong earlier. Zero was already showered, changed and setting the table with the food that had already arrived. She stood over the table in a pearl-white nightgown, that fell to her feet and was a delicate silk fabric. Severin didn't know where to look, his eyes kept drinking in the sight of her gorgeous skin against the white. Except, when Zero had turned her back to him, he saw something rather strange. A pale scar peeked right over her bare shoulder, he couldn't see the rest since it hid under the nightgown. He was about to ask about it, when he heard footsteps behind him so he held himself back.

Zero turned and saw him and then she saw Elijah. "Hope you like Chinese?" she asked.

Elijah held an indifferent expression. "I honestly forgot the taste," he told them.

Zero smiled. "I ordered a lot of it, so enjoy until you never forget," she said. "Come on, you too, Severin." She ushered them to join her at the dining table.

They sat down and Zero had already opened her noodle box to chow down. Severin grabbed the chopsticks and snapped them apart before he enjoyed his noodles and chicken, that were saucy and hot.

They enjoyed their dinner and Zero explained the security in the house to Elijah. She made sure he understood every protocol and she even told him that he'd start training with her as soon as possible. Not that Elijah looked like he needed it, Severin could tell from the broad frame and robust figure, that Elijah was a skilled fighter. However, it seemed that Zero wasn't convinced.

Suddenly, a loud alarm rang in the house, it echoed and silenced the three of them.

"What's that?" Severin asked.

Zero sighed as she put her chopsticks in the empty noodle carton. "Goddamn it," she cursed, as she pushed the chair back and got up. "You two eat. I'll be back." She left and it seemed that disturbing alarm was the phone.

Severin heard Zero's stern; "Hello." Before she walked away upstairs.

"So, you're not her driver, are you?" Elijah asked.

Severin looked back at Elijah who sat across him. "No, I'm not," he said. "I'm a guest too."

Well, that was the wrong word for what he was. But Severin didn't know what he was to Zero. He wasn't a guest nor a friend. He was her mate, although unmarked, but still her mate. He just didn't know how to tell others that.

Elijah's eyes, that looked more vibrant now than when they met in the bar assessed Severin. "Does she bring people to live here often?" he then asked.

Severin put his chopsticks down. "No, I don't think so," he said and felt like smiling. "We seem like the rare cases."

"Oh," muttered Elijah.

They finished dinner pretty fast and it was getting close to midnight now. Elijah and Severin cleaned the dining table and every few minutes they searched for Zero to come back, but she didn't.

"I'm gonna check on her," Severin said as he wiped his wet hands.

Elijah looked at him from the sink. "Alright," he said. "But don't you think-" Elijah suddenly went quiet and his eyes darkened. Elijah's eyes darted outside the window that was over the kitchen sink. A surge of threatening pheromones radiated from Elijah and the room drowned in the man's poisonous intent.

"What?" Severin asked as he saw the man turn pale as snow.

"Go get Zero," his voice was a deep growl. "We're under attack."

Severin didn't even ask questions, his feet moved on their own. He dashed up the stairs to the room where he followed Zero's scent to. He pushed the doors open and discovered that the room was a lovely Victorian-styled office. The masculine dark wood and stunning ceiling murals were a dream. Golden recessed lights and stain glass arched windows with a cathedral ceiling. There was a deep-red couch and leather chair over an area rug. Spacious built-in cabinets that held many books and decorative pieces. Severin was blown away and was about to compliment the room if he hadn't been sent here with an urgent message.

He spotted Zero still on the phone, but she stood behind the wooden table and a black leather chair. Her voice cut and she looked directly at him.

"We have a problem," he told her urgently.

She looked rather bored. "I know," she sighed. "I smelt it a mile away." She cut the phone and opened a cupboard and rummaged through it.

"What's the plan?" asked Severin. He was stunned by her nonchalant attitude. "They have your house surrounded, Zero."

Zero pulled out two guns and twin daggers before she rounded the table towards him. She worked swiftly as she attached the weapons onto her body with a black holster. "Exactly," she turned and opened the arched doors to the large balcony, which displayed the front of the manor. "They came to my house. Worst fucking idea."

"What are you doing?" he frowned when he saw Zero climb up onto the ledge of the balcony railing.

"Stay in here," she said.

Severin rushed towards the open balcony but he was too late. Zero had already jumped off from the second floor. Severin's mouth dropped open because he couldn't believe that the woman literally leaped off the building. But she wasn't some meek individual. Zero landed perfectly on the ground, she turned on her bare feet with the guns pointed out on each side, the daggers strapped to her back.

Severin saw her point in the opposite directions and then the whole property filled with the sound of gunshots. She shot every wolf's head and never missed. The massive and rabid beasts ran at her from everywhere but she was fine- didn't even break a sweat. She appeared as if she was practising target-shooting on an ordinary Sunday morning.

Severin leaned on the ledge, being attacked wasn't fun but watching her was undoubtedly amusing. The thrill of seeing her reload the empty barrel of her gun and then shoot whatever poor bastard was closest to her. The wolves dropped on the plain green field, their blood turning everything reddish black. The moon shined over the property, which helped Zero see everything that moved around her.

Severin grinned because his heart was pounding because of her. "You can't be real," he mumbled. His eyes lingered on her; he couldn't look away and there wasn't any chance that he would. Severin heard the front door open and Elijah appeared behind Zero.

"Is this why you hired me?" he asked her.

Zero's burning blue eyes gave the man his answer. Without hesitation, Elijah morphed into his beastly form, a rugged golden wolf appeared ripping through the night with a snarl. He ran to Zero's side and attacked any wolf that got too close to her. Elijah was ferocious in the way his sharp jaw locked onto the frail neck of his target. He ripped and shredded through the wolves, that were too far from Zero's gun-range. Elijah single-handedly cleared one side of the attackers.

Three wolves suddenly halted. They didn't come to attack her because they knew that they'd die.

"Don't you know that you should never touch a wolf's territory?" she asked them.

The wolves inched back as she idly strolled closer. Severin noticed that her eased expression had turned into a scary frown. She was fucking pissed. And these wolves were going to get it worse than their other buddies did.

Severin saw Zero drop the empty pistols that were fried from all the attacks. She reached around her back, to the holster, she pulled out a silver handle, glinting in the light of the moon, two silver daggers appeared.

The first wolf came at her with full force, but she merely beheaded him with one full swing. Severin was definitely not expecting such a horror show, but what did he know, this was pretty satisfying to watch.

Zero looked at the limp head, clearly not impressed. Severin chuckled and he saw her move towards the second wolf who stupidly ran at her too. Severin noticed her roll her eyes at the wolf who was a pup to her and nothing else. The wolf rushed straight ahead with an open jaw to chew her up, but she savagely stabbed inside the wolf's mouth. The wolf died at her bare feet when she ripped the blade out.

The last wolf didn't attack and it wasn't even going to try anything. Elijah came back to her side, his fangs dripping with the enemy's blood and his entire coat was drenched too.

Zero put her bare foot on the dead wolf's head. "You're going to give your alpha a message," she menaced. Severin's body chilled from her voice alone. "If he wants to kill me, send a bigger fucking army." Severin chuckled at her smug tone. "And tell him," she threatened, "he's my target now." The wolf ran the same way he came.

Severin left the study and walked onto the front steps of the house. Elijah morphed back to his human form and was soaked in blood too; his clean clothes were dirty. Elijah assessed the surroundings and said that it was clear from wolves, that they were safe again. He wiped his mouth but the blood just smeared on him more.

Zero stayed on the field, her gaze fixated on the moon above her, not looking at the blood pooled beneath her feet. The grass had been soaked crimson red, burning brightly as it ate at the white of her gown. Her legs soaked, her feet stained and so were her arms. Blood dripped off the strands of her hair and she drew in large breaths of air, like the scent of blood choked her.