Elias’ POV

Blood was everywhere.

On my hands. My clothes. Seeping into the floor. I could still taste it - coppery and thick, coating my throat as if I had ingested something foul.

The body at my feet no longer looked like a person. The assassin had been ripped to pieces by me. I had severed his limbs from his body.

But I didn’t recall having done it.

One moment, I had entered and found Elena pinned against the wall, a blade against her throat.

The next…this.

My chest heaved. My heartbeat was irregular and thumping in my ears.

Inside of me something was still desperately clawing its way to the surface, restless. I wasn't satisfied.

When I stepped forward, Elena stepped backward.

Her shoulders squared as if to prepare for a renewed assault.

She should have run.

Instead, she remained there, hands balled into fists, her eyes flickering with something brittle.

Defiant. Why was she always stubborn?

I should have been furious.

But rather, I felt something else.

Something worse.

Something that buzzed my blood in an unholy way.

The mate bond constricted around me like a chain, pulling me toward her. Urging me forward.

No.

I balled my hands into fists, my nails digging into the meat of my palms.

“Kill,” the words rang in my head. I fought back the urge to attack her as my wolf growled against the blood rage.

Elena wasn’t prey. She wasn’t an enemy.

She was mine.

I let out a sharp breath, willing my voice to calm. “Are you hurt?”

She paused, as if caught off guard by the question. “No.”

I stiff-nodded my head and faced the door, wanting room to breathe before I did something I couldn’t undo.

Before I lost control again.

Two guards came running, sliding to a stop as they saw the body. Their gaze went from my hands stained red to my face. They were horrified and I cleared my throat.

“She was attacked,” I said, moving aside so they could see better what was left of the intruder. “Find out who sent him.”

They hesitated, nodded vigorously, and then dragged the corpse away.

I turned back to Elena. She was staring at me still, something unreadable in her face.

I should have just left her in this room, but I didn't. My gaze rested on her and I let the words out of my lips.

“Come with me,” I said.

Her brows pulled together. “What?”

“You’re not safe here.”

She scoffed. “Oh, so now you care?”

“I never said I didn’t.”

The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

She blinked and so did I.

I wanted to slap myself a hundred times for slipping. “Move.” I commanded.

Elena didn’t listen. Of course she didn’t.

I stepped closer to her, towering above her, making her had to tilt her head back to see my eyes. “I wasn’t asking.”

Her lips opened, but she did not dispute.

She moved.

I took her by the wrist, not aggressively, but hard and took her out.

The packhouse was silent, but I could feel the stares from the other wolves. They were murmuring and I knew they should have seen the body by now.

What I didn't want was my mom making a scene out of it.

I pulled her through the halls and walked into my personal side of the mansion. To my room and yanked her inside.

The second the door closed, Elena ripped her wrist free and turned on me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I flexed my fingers, her heat still buzzing against my skin. “You were almost killed. You’re safer here.”

She folded her arms. “Now, I need you to keep me safe?”

“I never said that.”

“But still, you dragged me here.

She wasn’t wrong.

I had nothing better going on in my life at that time.

I turned, dragging a hand across my face. “Stay here. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Elena scoffed but didn’t dispute.

For once, she didn't refuse. Maybe, it was a good idea to save her from being killed after all.

I ignored her and walked over to my bed, and laid on it, staring at the ceiling.

“Oh, Incase you're tired. You can sleep on the couch,” I said and I heard her hiss.

I smiled, and closed my eyes, enjoying her tantrum.

When I opened my eyes, it was evening and I felt my chest burning. I saw Elena sleeping on the couch and I walked past her into the bathroom staggering like a drunkard.

I held onto the sink and tried to breathe. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to the mirror and my reflection showed something different.

My eyes were blazing red with my face morphing into a scary version of my wolf.

A burst of agony crashed through my skull, sending me backward against the wall.

I bit my lip, holding on to the edge of the counter tightly enough that my knuckles turned white.

My fangs grew and my taste for blood rose. I groaned, locking the door behind me as fast as I could and tried to control my breathing.

The pain shot through my chest and dropped me to my knees.

Suddenly, my vision blurred, and everything felt dark.

I sputtered, my frame shaking on the icy floor. My vision blurred. I could feel my bones contorting against my skin.

A fever of fierce heat burned in every pore. I could hear my ragged breathing and the furious beat of my heart. A growl whipped from my throat, off-key and inhuman.

I attempted to push myself up, only my fingers curled into claws. My sight blurred in and out of the room and of a silver-lit forest. A voice whispered my name.

I squeezed my eyes shut. This wasn't real. I had to stop it. My hands lunged toward my arms, claws digging into flesh. Pain exploded through me.

I dug further, ripping through my flesh. Blood flowed hot between my fingers. I barely felt it. I needed to feel it.

With one last scratch, I retracted my claws. My body lay crumpled against the floor, chest heaving. The fever faded.

As I caught my breath, I noticed someone in the mirror behind me, a woman with silver hair and dark lips. Her brown eyes upon me grinned an unnerving smirk.

I turned around, but the room was empty. A whisper tripped from her lips. “We’re not done yet, Elias.