I sat up finding my sister laying on the ground beside me pale with her crimson blood staining the white snow. I scrambled over to her pulling her limp body onto my lap. Her head lulled back as tears raced down my face.

Sapph wake up!" I yelled holding her in my arms. I got to my feet scooping her in my arms carrying her toward where Nathan was. Her golden hair whipped my leg as her head bounced with each step I took. I knew she gave her life to save mine. Guilty and anger flashed through my body making me numb to the loss.

I found myself floating in an abyss of darkness alone. It hit me like a wave that my own sister had killed me.

"Sapphire," I spun finding my mom standing there next to me.

"Mom," I gasped tears pooling in my chocolate eyes.

"Baby," she said taking my hand in hers. She tucked my golden hair behind my ear as I thought of Nathan.

"I let him down. I let my mate down and I let Josh down," I gasped as pain racked my chest.

"Honey Josh is alive," my mom said softly. "He's holding you in his arms carrying you back to Nathan."

"I saved him," I said as she nodded.

"Danielle thought he was dead so she left," my mom said as I felt the collapsing connection to my brother. "You died saving the boy I was unable to."

"I can feel him. He is in pain not physical but emotional pain," I said softly turning from my mom. "Will I ever be able to see him again?"

"I'm sorry but death once it happens is final. Death doesn't bargain with anyone," she said as I touched my necklace thinking of my pack. It was going to plunge into chaos with Danielle and Drake's power unchecked.

"It hurts to be without Nathan," I whispered as she sighed.

"Your mate is in more pain than this. He's a witch who shouldn't be carrying the wait of this," my mom said as I felt my heart racing. I could almost feel Nathan's arms around me. His touch felt lukewarm through each dimension. I gasped as I was knocked backward my mom's eyes registering her shock...

I sat up coughing as Nathan pulled me close.

"Thank god," he said holding me close.

"What did you do?" I asked confused how I was alive.

"I reversed the spell I used to make the knife. I wasn't sure it would work but it was the only thing that could kill you," he said as I faced my brother.

"Josh I saw her," I said as he helped me up.

"What did she say?" He asked me as my heart pounded in my ears.

"I'll tell you later but for now we need to get to the council," I said as we ran through the snow quickly. We arrived to Danielle acting sad as she rambled about someone attacking us. I gasped rage deeply planted in my fibers. I walked over my teeth bared. "Hey!" Danielle jumped facing me with panic.

"You attacked us!" Josh spat as she turned to flee. I shifted quickly racing after her. I knocked her down pinning her to the cool snow. I turned into my human form as a few high council members walked over to us.

"Get it off me!" Danielle shrieked as I got up showing I'm not a monster. If I was a monster I would have killed her no matter who was here.

"I'm not a monster sister. I would never betray you the way you did us in the woods," I gasped tears rushing down my cheeks.

"You did by saving him!" Danielle spat as Josh rushed toward her. I spun stopping him from killing her. He wasn't used to the Lycan rage yet.

"He's our brother and you tried to kill him. We just want a normal life but you send hundreds of fighters after us out of fear," I said harshly as the council members watched in silence. "Before trying to murder us maybe you should have some evidence first."

"You just going to let her kill me?!" Danielle demanded glaring at the council.

"Danielle if it were up to me you would be stripped of beta but I wouldn't kill you. No matter the things you have done you will always be family," I sighed knowing she wasn't going to see we aren't a threat.

"The council concurs with your statement Sapphire," the woman said as Danielle flew into a rage the magical knife gripped in her hand. She lunged plunging it into my stomach. I watched as the knife shattered leaving no mark.

"Nathan destroyed the knife to save me. He invented it so he had the power to break it," I said as two council guards grabbed her hauling her away. I gasped collapsing into Nathan's arms.

"You brought a witch here?" The woman asked as I faced her.

"Yes, he's my mate," I said causing her to gasp. It was rare to have a human mate let alone a witch for a mate.

"I am surprised but happy for you. I also am in stating you as Alpha and your brother as Beta of your pack," she said with a smile. "We will escort you home."

"Nathan we get to go home!" I beamed pressing my lips to his firmly. I knew this was just the beginning as there are far greater people out there who want us dead. With my brother by my side we can defend the clan till our very last breath...