He's dying. Zander is dying.

These words repeated on an endless loop in Teru's head.

He's dying. Zander is dying. He's dying. Zander is dying.

It was numbing. Who would sing lovely ballads before they slept? What about Zander's dreams of escaping Abaddon's clutches? He had finally achieved it...only to end up like this before even getting a taste of freedom.

Tae-soo barked at Lila and Jacky to go ahead. The two looked at Teru before disappearing to the right, straight into the forest. Tae-soo went after them, stopping before stepping off the crumbling road. He was waiting for the rest to follow him.

"We'll stay here," Blaise said quietly. "Just holler if you need me."

Kieran nodded. The destined pair stayed close behind Tae-soo, leading them to Zander.

There were so many questions. "What exactly happened in the city? Everyone was fine."

"Well," Tae-soo pondered, thinking back, "long story short, we had a hell of a time killing Abaddon's soldiers. It was decades of pent-up energy, all released within the short hour we had. We wanted revenge and tried to get as much of it as possible. Then the earthquakes began. The ground split open. Buildings fell from all sides. Lila and Zander were separated from us. We found them later, with Lila dragging Zander by the scruff. His...legs were crushed by debris. That was when we sensed you leaving the island, feeling our pack leader getting farther and farther. We wanted to keep our promise to stay by, but our pace was slow because of Zander. He tried so hard to run. It wasn't possible. We took turns carrying him until we finally caught up. The pheromones at the lake basically made an easy trail to you guys."

This was devastating to hear. Crushed by falling skyscrapers? Damn it...

A tear threatened to fall down Teru's face. "I don't understand why Zander had to be isolated, though. Why does Kieran need to protect me?"

Teru paused when he walked through an invisible barrier of pheromones. He covered his nose, feeling sick. Kieran was on full alert and moved in front of him. This potency, with the intention in them to seek out an omega to breed, the need to dominate, and Zander's scent...

He wasn't just dying, but dying while in rut. Whether it was a coincidence or not, it was cruel and inhumane to die like this.

"Zander's rut still isn't finished. The green drug Abaddon gave him wore off. It's his first rut in two-ish years not to be influenced by that artificial shit, so I'm guessing his hormones are going wild. Teru, you are our leader, but being an omega puts extra burdens on you when an alpha within the pack goes into their season. It means you have to be extra forceful and strict, to overpower their instincts and make them see you as more than a tool to empty their balls. That's why I asked for Pride to be with you because of the pregnancy. You just never know what he could do. Yet, Zander was relentless to see you after his rut peak. It was his last wish as a human."

Animalistic snarls echoed between the trees. The sound disturbed a flock of small birds resting between the branches, scrambling high to fly away. They went closer. Teru felt dizzier with every step. They were close.

Teru was confused by this wish. "Huh? As a human?" He realized what Tae-soo meant. "Zander wants to be...a vampire?"

"Mhm. I don't necessarily agree. You know my feelings about it. In the end, it's not my decision and Zander isn't being forced. He said he isn't ready to go, that, quote-on-quote, 'I can't die. I need my pack. I want to live, even if I have to become a vampire,'" Tae-soo confirmed. "It was the most emotion I've ever seen coming from him. Zander pushed and pushed to stay alive as we tracked you. He should've been dead by now, but he never gave up. You should have seen the way he fought with himself, the way he argued with the voices in his head. He refused to go into the light. He wants you, the pack leader, to see him as a human one final time, to remember how he was before becoming a bloodsucker like the rest of us."

"And you want me to do it for you," Kieran snapped, annoyed by this development. Teru furrowed his eyebrows at the intense emotion his alpha felt, who was conflicted by the general idea of it.

Tae-soo nodded. "Yes, so-"

"No."

"No?" The two alphas glared at the other.

"No. I will not be the one to change him."

Tae-soo was at a loss. He hadn't expected this, thinking Kieran would agree wholeheartedly. A lot vamps thought of increasing their numbers as a game, biting and turning as many humans as they could. Tae-soo had jumped to conclusion that Kieran was the same. "I-I-I...you won't do it?"

"I will not."

"Why? It's a quick bite to the jugular and giving him your blood. Don't they call that a blood transfusion? It won't kill you. You're immortal for fucks sake! The purest of your kind, right after Lilith herself! You won't die that easily!" The panic in his tone went higher after every sentence.

"First, it could put me at risk because I'm currently blood deprived. To give a werewolf enough blood to turn him into my kind requires a substantial amount. I cannot protect Teru in that state. Second, you are a hypocrite by saying you hate being immortal. When it comes to your friend, it's now okay? Third, I...," Kieran hesitated, thinking if he should reveal this or not. Oh? Was this a secret Teru didn't know of? "I...have never changed anyone, to sentence this curse upon someone else. Do not judge me, because I know how to do the process flawlessly. Even if I did, I would not choose your friend to be my first victim."

Whoa. Whoa. Teru was stunned. "You've never changed anyone? Not once?"

"Not one soul. A human who was young, old, healthy, sickly, or dying, I've never turned a single person."

Suddenly, Tae-soo was in Kieran's face, fuming. "No, it's not okay! I said my stance, but that is what he wants! He won't make it to see another ten minutes if we wait! You have to change Zander! He made it this far to see Teru. The pack has a plan to stay in the shadows until we can get him under control, as a rutting alpha and a baby vampire! We're not going into this blind."

The prince growled back, eyes glowing, "Creating a 'child' vampire is an extremely personal decision for the 'parent.' Some don't care about the laws I helped put in place, by turning whoever crosses their path. We have registrations for a reason. I am not like that, casually letting strangers take my blood. This is not Pride deciding this. It is me, as a vampire with preferences. I will not do what you asked. Respect my choice."

"You royal piece of shit! It's so selfish to think that way! This is someone's life!"

Their argument stressed out Teru. It also puzzled him. There was a plot hole in this desperate convincing to make Kieran do this. Asking Tae-soo, "Why can't you, Lila, or Jacky turn him? You guys are vampires, too."

"Oh, we are fucking bloodsuckers, but that doesn't erase our original genes completely."

Tae-soo angrily opened his mouth to show them his freakishly growing canines. His other teeth changed shape and his jawline broadened. The molars pointed and expanded wider.

These were the teeth of a werewolf with vampire fangs.

But, the difference between their fangs was unmistakable. Tae-soo's were longer than the average wolf's, but not as long and sharp as Kieran's. The tips were duller.

"As I said, werewolves were never meant to be vampires. We are undying, never aging, can heal quickly, and let's not forget the disgusting hunger of a bloodlust killer. Identical to a vampire, but not quite, either. Abaddon tested his morbid curiosity if we could turn a human into a bloodsucker. We were his lab rats. All of those people we killed-their terrified screams, the pools of blood on the floor, how the guards piled up mountains of bodies in the corner, Abaddon feeding us blood slaves one after another before starving us for months-"

He cursed to himself at the things he had to do while under Abaddon's care. "As if the heavens would not allow such monstrous creatures to exist, we can't bite properly. It's extremely painful for the prey. Our pheromone sacs are underdeveloped. We can't release a sufficient amount of venom to relieve their suffering while drinking. We're still werewolves in the end, along with stunted vampire abilities. A normal human, no matter if they were alphas, betas, or omegas, isn't compatible with our blood. Each victim died. I truly believe it's not a coincidence, that the heavens made it that way to not upset the balance of a new species. It's the reason why they made us natural enemies. I still do not know how you two became fated mates. Do you think I'm the hypocritical one? Look at the heavens instead for allowing y'all's destiny to be together."

This was a lot to take in, information overload.

Our pups are hybrids. Would they be different since they were born that way-? No, no, no, now isn't the time to think about it!

They were at a standstill. Tae-soo had nothing more to explain. Kieran was firm about not turning people today. He remembered the fond memory of Zander singing again, with his gentle voice soothing Teru to sleep in their kennels. If it honestly wasn't for him, falling asleep would have been impossible.

According to Jacky, Zander didn't sing often, too shy to do it in front of others. Apparantly, he knew Teru was having a difficult time adjusting, going out of his comfort zone to sing almost every night for a month while confined.

Sometimes, we all have to leave our comfort zones.

Teru cautiously held his mate's hand, entwining their fingers tightly. He didn't need to say anything for Kieran to understand; they could sense it within their connection.

Please. Please do it.

"Little one."

Teru looked up. Kieran was as serious as he could be.

"You are asking me to go against my morals."

Teru lowered his head in shame. Yes, he knew he was making a dire request. Kieran would never ask him to do the same, to do an action that would make him question his morality in the future.

He was a terrible mate.

"You are not a terrible mate. I just want you to consider this. It may be your friend's wish to be turned, but it's a continuous existence of misery. Are you fine with me sending his soul to a life of damnation?"

Damnation. No one ever deserved to be turned into a vampire against their will, but if they were volunteering, then why not in the end? He wavered before nodding yes.

The alpha put his fingers under Teru's chin to lift it. Once more, they stared intently, both worried at what was to come next.

"I," Kieran stated, "would do anything for you, so I will-"

"Holy shit, this is painful to watch. I'll do it. You should've just called me five minutes ago like I said!" It was Blaise, standing a few trees away with his hands on his hips, face scrunched up from gagging. "Seriously, it ain't my first rodeo show with making baby vamps." He turned back at Lucas and winked, prompting his best friend to roll his eyes.

Tae-soo was relieved, sighing. "Hurry. He's over there." As he guided them, his human form shifted into a smokey-colored wolf; bones breaking and snapping, muscles expanding, fur growing. He was so used to the process and the growing pains that came with it, that altering forms didn't make him flinch.

In a larger clearing was a pile of leaves, flattened to make a bed. The pheromones would have been enough to bring Teru to his knees, but his concern for Zander somehow overcame that. His instincts as their pack's dominant omega were stronger.

He tried to walk ahead of Kieran to get to him faster, but he was held back.

"Careful, little one. His urge to use you as a breeding partner is waning, but stay alert."

It wasn't like Zander could attack him in this state, regardless. The scene was heartwrenching. Teru gasped. Kieran was speechless. Even Blaise TSKed at the sight.