We had caught on to her scent trail soon after we had left Philip, my inner wolf growling with disgust as the image of him rough handling our mate flashed across our shared mind. Desmond was practically hopping in joy as we followed the sweet smell of honey to a house on the outskirts. My mouth salivated at the delectable aroma the closer we approached.

My absent minded body walked with purpose when the house came into view but I was rudely pulled away and behind rough brush. Desmond's concerned face moved in front of mine seemly tearing my trans to shreds. I didn't miss the hint of amusement still glistening in his eyes.

'Earth to Osiris, hello? Earth to-'

'Could you shut up! I am focused' I retorted at his childish remark swatting his hand away from my face.

'That was not focused Osiris.' He mused as if I didn't already know but I was to prideful to admit it. 'Happy you found her and all but you can't just waltz up there. The beta female is with her anyways.' He said pointing at the top floor window that showed the two girls talking.

Her sun ray hair seemed to glow in the evening sunset that basked the house in a warm glow. Watching her intently I focused my eyes closer on her ever detail from her lightly freckles checks, her petite frame compared to the beta female, and her innocent doe brown eyes. She didn't look much older than eighteen, which confused me more, she should have had a wolf by now.

"This pack hates me anyways why would they want me to stay. I'm sure once I get to the boarder they'll let me walk across it with applause. They've wanted me gone for years." My ears perked at the angelic voice.

A frown formed on my face hearing that Philip's pack was treating her poorly. It didn't come to surprise to me that he was handling her with little care, but I couldn't understand why. She was small, no threat to much of anything let alone a whole pack.

"Promise me you'll be careful." The beta said distress in her voice.

My other half let out a nerve chuckle as she replied. "I pro-" The beta grabbed her arm and I didn't miss the wince she showed at her hard grip. My fists balled at my sides at her discomfort.

"No, Seraphina I mean it. Even though you're leaving you're still my best friend. You're the sister I never had and I'd be torn if something happened to you."

She was leaving I had to wait to follow. If she didn't have a wolf like I presumed this far, then following her would be a walk in the park. She'd never see or smell us, we'd all just have to be silent as mice. Nothing we all couldn't handle.

The sudden sound of a door shut brought my attention back to the house. My wolf on high alert made quick work of following our mate with ease. Her long blonde waves draped over her beat up green back pack and her dark attire she definitely put work into putting together did little to hide her. Her blonde hair needed to be tucked away, it was a dead give away against the dark forest.

"You were right." Desmond whispered following my gaze. "She is leaving. Makes me wonder what kind of treatment she got from her pack."

I felt Desmond's eyes burrowing holes into the side of my face, I didn't have to look at him to know he felt revulsion. My wolf was aggravated with the sight of his mate rushing to escape a pack meant to be called and felt like family.

As I followed her a couple meters behind my maddened wolf paced pack and forth in my head. He wanted to dish out the same treatment they bestowed on her, he wanted to wreak havoc on all those that wished and did harm to her. He had no mercy at this moment and the only reason he wasn't running a rampage was the little blonde beauty in front of him. She captivated his every attention, pulling him further down this rabbit hole; a rabbit hole that could very easily could engulf us both, and not in a pleasant way.

I had enemies out there. I had bounties on my head. I have plenty of families that have animosity towards me.

After all I was called the Alpha Slayer for a reason.

Minutes flew by as I intently watched her move about the forest. Her attempts at being soundless and inconspicuous were laughable. It was evident now more than ever that she didn't poses an ounce of wolf in her.

Her footsteps were loud enough to be heard meters away where we stood hidden behind trees. She was uncoordinated as she ducked under large branches and lifted herself over fallen logs. She'd even managed to scrape her palm against a log lodging a splinter in it. She'd cursed under her breath in what I assumed she thought was inaudible but to me it was clearly heard as if she were right in front of me.

An entertaining smirk formed as I watched her with bemusement. My wolf's mate reminded me of a defenseless lamb wondering aimlessly and unaware of its surroundings. She was easy prey, I told myself looking around the scenery around us all.

'Is-is that a smile I see?' Desmond teased making me turn and scowled agitated at his banter.

I was moments away from shooting a snarky reply when the sound of paws padding against the damp earth diverted my attention. My head veered in front of where my mate was. She must have seen them now, one of the patrol groups, in front of her. I could hear and make out two heartbeats, the sudden quickness of the wolves heartbeat meant they heard her.

My eyes darkened as I thoughtlessly stepped forward snapping a twig in half. I was never this clumsy, the girl was making me dangerously naïve. Another reason not to claim her.

Desmond grabbed the collar of my shirt tugging me down behind a thick bush. His finger pressed securely to his lips and a small nod in the direction of the patrol shifted my attention back.

Her racing heartbeat was hammering hazardously quick, she was on verge of a panic attack. She was definitely paranoid of the actions from her own pack. My teeth grounded together, it was adding fuel to the fire.

'I'm afraid what they'll do if we don't interfere.' Desmond shared his face not showing an ounce of emotion but his voice gave way to his fear. A fear I too had, and tenfold, that I hated to have.

'I agree. She's a good as dead if we don't do something. I can't claim her they'll kill her. You know that.'

The slight twitch of his pressed lips told me he was thinking the same thing. We'd have to kill them, it would cause more animosity to be added to my name, but I didn't see another option.

About to stand up and reveal myself Desmond yanked me back down.

'I have a plan, but you have to trust me.' He insisted.

My stomach churned with the endless possibilities that could play out. Did I trust my younger brother? Of course. But did I trust him with Seraphina.

The name flowed through my mind like a calm wave in the middle of a desolate sea. The mate bond called to my wolf... no it didn't just call to my wolf it called to my soul. A never ending string that pulled from the depths of my being straight to her. To her soul. It begged to tether us together, a connection that would surely rupture in both our demise.

Another snap echoed in the silent forest, the sound ricochet off the numerous trunks, my mate stilled against a thick trunk terrified of the noise. I wanted nothing more than to console her, reinforce the sliver of composure she still possessed.

I could lie to myself the amount of will power she had over her feelings left me in awe. How could a wolf-less person be so controlled, so collected.

I hadn't even known her for more than two hours and she already left me speechless.

'Keep her hidden until I say otherwise.' The external growl inside my head rang out and I instinctively jolted back.

Was my little brother really trying to command me? He must have been dropped one too many times on his head, it wouldn't be a surprise if that were true, our parents weren't the emotional available type not to mention gave us the bare minimum.

Still, I trust him with reluctance as he darted into the trees, my men following close behind. Moving swiftly through the brush, being very careful to be silent, I hold my breath for a moment once I am only a few feet from her. She leaned to step out from her cover, with streamline precision I pressed my hand to her mouth pushing her back against the tree.

Her large brown eyes grew unbelievably wide, the terror in them manifesting in seconds. My wolf purred in delight at the mere proximity and with her so close now her honey rich scent was more than alluring. It was gripping my soul from its core tugging it closer to her own.

Could she feel it too? Of course not, I sniffed in her scent again, there was no wolf attached to her.

"You have no business here." One of the patrol wolves seethed. My mind zoned out, only her harsh breathing and deer-like eyes were all I could focus on.

Being this close, being able to touch her skin against my own, being able to see every size of her freckles and every caramel flake in her brown irises, made her more enticing. I wanted to run my hand through her blonde loss curls, I wanted to trace every scar and find ever beauty mark.

She was preoccupied listening to the conversation so Desmond was conducting with the patrol to notice me drinking her in. What was her name again?

"Play along if you want them to let you go." I instructed her listening closely to the scene unfolding. Desmond was standing before the patrol stopping them from coming any closer.

She was focused solely on Desmond and her pack patrol guard, allowing me to further indulge in her every detail. I wanted to enjoy everything that she was, but I couldn't.

Suddenly my wolf growled as I heard Desmond claim her as his. I knew what he was doing. He was ultimately saving her, he was taking the target off her back before she even realized it was there. But damn it if it didn't feel like someone had ripped my heart out.

If anyone found out about the fact that I had found my mate... she would be as good as dead. They'd kill her, and inevitability kill me, but it was at no surprise, all traditional "alphas" wished to drag me through the dirty. They all wished to ruin my reputation, my livelihood, they all wanted to ruin my movement in fear of what they had always gotten away with.

Abuse of power.

I vowed to tear down the hierarchy of abuse and replace it with one of pure intentions. I valued when alphas led and guided their pack, protected and respected their pack. A group of people that trusted their wolves as family and lives with the intention of an alpha leading them, watching over them.

Wolves are meant to be led so they naturally gravitated to groups, packs, but alphas can easily take advantage of a pack. Members of a pack can easily over look the harsh and irrational actions of their alpha in fear of being attacked or exiled. Alphas' where a token of strength, they ward off enemies, they were feared.

And I hated I was one of them.

I wondered what she'd think, I wondered what she'd do when she realized I was what so many think of as a murderer. She'd see me like everyone else, a predator, a monster of the night that hunted those that took advantage of their status, of there authority.

"She can tell you herself." I heard Desmond mention. My mate stiffened at the sentence. Her feet were firmly planted in place as she slowly realized the she was my so called brother's mate. If she only new, if she only had a wolf, she'd know it to be a lie.

Realizing that she wasn't going to move on her own, with a gentle nudge I pushed her out into the open. Her heart beat quickened more as she sensed all eyes on her.

"Seraphina?" Desmond's voice struck through my thoughts like a lightning bolt through thin air cause if the atmosphere around me to feel electrified.

Seraphina. I mentally told myself. How mesmerizing.

The name felt like smooth velvet as I mouthed the name to myself as I observed the two patrol wolves visibly tense at my presence. My narrowed eyes stared holes into the faces creating even more fear to roll off of them.

They may have been trying to conceal their fearful behavior but nothing was going to hid their scent.

"H-he is my mate." Sera stuttered not enjoying being the center of attention. She noticeably trembled; her knees bobbed against the thin material of her leggings.

If my wolf wasn't so infuriated with the fact that Desmond openly claimed her as his own I would have been more angry at the wolves that made her tremble. Although, I didn't miss the snide remark from the patrol guard.

I intended on hand him what he deserved even if it built tension between Philip and I. No one was going to disrespect my mate.

"Did I say you could speak to her?" I questioned keeping myself from growling. If I showed too much emotion to her they'd become suspicious, I had to see her as only my brother's mate. The thought felt poisonous in my head.

The guard looked horrified as he stumbled back into the wolf at his heels. Good, he should be fearful of me, I was no angel.

"Osiris." Desmond hissed catching my attention quickly. He wanted me to stand down but the itch to defend my mate was capturing ever ounce of my attention. It was hard to think of much else, so I offered him dark scowl. "We don't have time for this. I would like to get my mate back home now."

His words were another snap to my nerves and I could prevent my wolf forcing his way to my forefront. Willing him back under my control I narrowed my eyes at my brother before they slipped down to the small figure behind him,her golden eyes poke just barely around his side. Her eyes grew wide in fear when mine locked on to her's. I internally cringed, I didn't want her to fear me but maybe it was for the best. It'll naturally deter her away from me.

With a strain exhale I forced my muscles to loss their tension. My wolf still wanted to pummel the little weasel but I knew it would only cause more issues later. Issues I didn't need.

Giving on last glare at the guard I shoved past him. "Let's get going."

We made it over the boarder into barren lands, the lands between territories, where anyone could roam freely. It came at a cost though as rogues that had nothing to lose lived and thrived. We couldn't stay here very long, though my brother's and my scent should deter them, it wouldn't last for long.

'Jensen has the SUVs just a few hundred feet east.' Desmond alerted me his arm securely wrapped around my mate. Her body leaned slightly into his in a gesture I could only assume was meant to sooth her nerves. Her fear was seeping out of her to the point it overwhelmed all the surrounding scents.

With a quick nod we walked in the said direction without a spoken word. We had only been silence for a few seconds before Seraphina stopped in her tracks. Desmond stuttered in his steps regaining his footing as he removed his arm from her.

Desmond glanced over at me in confusion as she stood there not speaking a word. Her golden eyes scanned the surrounding as she sucked her bottom lip in her mouth uneasy.

Shrugging in response, I had no answer to her behavior leaving this situation solely in Desmond's hands. He was her acting mate.

"Is something wrong?" He asked catching her attention.

Her eyes darted to me for a brief moment before fear flickering behind them before moving to Desmond. My jaw clinched.

"I can't go with you." She muttered softly. Desmond stared at her blankly as she continued. "You won't want me." She tried to hide her shame as she casted her eyes to the ground.

A low growl rumbled from me and all of my men including Desmond looked over to me. My mate how seemed not to have heard it's low pitch.

So she wasn't a wolf in any sense. So then what was she? Human? Not many packs allow human to live among them, but then again Philip was an odd alpha to begin with.

Desmond approached her slowly, she was like a helpless doe in the woods, move too quickly and you'll spook her.

"Why wouldn't I want you?" He asked softly, grabbing her hand. She stared up at him sheepishly and I could see the wheels turning in her head as she contemplated his words. What ever it was she was timid about voicing was making her naw at her lip.

She bit at her lip nervously until it bleed. It was obvious she'd done it numerous times before with the multitude of scars. Her anxiety was daily and visibly distraught her thoughts. Something wasn't right.

I was plagued with the pull to calm her myself as Desmond tugged her gently towards him. My leg twitched wanting to storm over and rip her out of his grasp but I kept my feet planted.

"I," Seraphina paused glancing once more over in my direction. "I'm weak and useless. I'll only burden you."

'We should just let her go Osiris, it'll be the best thing for you-'

'Don't tell me what's good for me! Say whatever you have to, to keep her from leaving. She can't leave.' I demanded hating the feeling of letting her out of my sight. He couldn't let her just walk away.

Desmond pulled her closer wrapping one arm round her waist and resting the other on her hip. The internal battle I was fight roared even louder in my head. I forced myself to walk away unable to continue watching them.

If I watched anymore and listened to him talk to her as if she was his, I was going to loss it.