32.

Lana ran following the beaten path hoping she would get some sort of escape from the pain in her head. Sienna has calmed down and was now sobbing in her sanctuary, she felt hurt and betrayed but did not know why. They both felt their mates callings and their concern but they weren't ready to face them. The much-used path led them to a more forested area; the temperature was a bit cooler as she slowed down to a calm walk. The sound of water rushed to her ears loudly but was calming to her current mood. Breaking through some bushes, it revealed a waterfall flowing into a deep clear swim hole; around the swimming hole were trees meshed with foliage except for a little opening to the beside of the waterfall. Curiosity got the best of her; unconsciously her feet led her to the opening and she was in awe once more as it was the entrance leading to a stone ledge behind the waterfall. Already comfortable with her new surroundings, she lay down on the cool ground and rested her head on her paws looking thought the mist.

'What do you think they... well Vadim wanted us to remember?' Sienna asked in a soft hoarse voice. Lana whimpered in fear; she was scared of whatever it is but on the other hand curious as to what their mate wanted them to see so badly.

'It must be something vital to us and for him' she finally said. 'Do you love him as much as I love Nikolai?' Sienna asked this time wanting to know her wolf spirit answer.

'I love Vadim but I feel like it should be more. When Nikolai found us, I felt a stronger pull to Vadim and I sensed his excitement, but i was confused at the same time.' Lana was in her own world when they found their mate, the pull to Vadim felt like it was already there and they were just renewed. Something was underneath the surface, something that needed to be uprooted.

'I think we should give in to the memories that came in harshly. This time we would be ready.' her human firmly said giving her reassurance that whatever they were about to find out they would go through it together. Closing her eyes, Lana focused on the person who longed for some hidden secret to be brought forward. She focused on Vadim in his wolf form. Domineering. Powerful. Arrogant. Large body. Blue eyes that reflected the moonlight on a still dark night. The Dark King of the wolves.



"HELP!! SOMEONE!!! HELP!!! PLEASE I BEG OF THEE!" The flashback took Lana back centuries ago where there was no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no paved roads, and simple wooden structures as housings. She saw the memory as a movie; she was beside the red-haired woman as she cried out for help. Lana saw how badly hurt she was, blood-stained her once beautiful blue dress that matched her glassy blue eyes. Her injuries looked fatal and she was surprised the human had survived; on the muddy ground, her small hands covered the deep slash across her stomach. There was also one on her shoulder and legs, did she fought with wolves?

A number of footsteps came closer to her, the human girl cried out louder to them, four men came to her rescue but one stood out, his presence caused her to shrink back even if she wasn't there in wolf form. "Search for more survivors. He truly caused these people great pain and damage," the tall blonde said as he knelt down beside the human. A few distant voices answered him. His blonde hair was long past his shoulders held back messily with a black ribbon. Dressed in a white shirt and brown britches and matching boots he was truly sight. The girl was relieved that someone heard her. Lana quickly went to the next side of the human as the man gently touched her wounds, she saw how his brown eyes soften at the girl. "Hello, my lady. Tis' alright. I am here to help" his voice was strong though it was low.

"H-Help me. Please sir," she begged once more. He gently laid her head on his lap and held her hand, "My help is not for the weak of heart. Tis' a curse yet a gift but I cannot let you die little one. For a human you are very strong and brave," he said squeezing her hand.

"I do not wish to die on this day of my birth. Help me live, please sir" she muttered taking deep breaths between a few words. The man looked back at the two silent men behind him; they nodded their heads 'yes' giving their leader the okay. "It is your decision to make this a gift or a curse, little one," he said before he morphed into half man and half wolf, his once brown eyes were now green. His fangs were long and sharp as his ears were now a wolf's. The human screamed in fear, thrashing about but the man-wolf calmly kept her gaze until she calmed down and turned her head giving him access to her neck. The blonde bit into her neck, she let out an ear-piercing scream before passing out.

Her hidden memories took her further ,it looked like a few months or a year because the same man was now riding beside the human. Her pale skin was flawless and her blue eyes shone brightly in the sun, "Why do you follow each massacre?" she asked of the man. He stopped and looked on as the people who followed him on horses and in carriages go slowly pass him," Because a father's love has no boundaries. We always try to protect them and hopefully save them from themselves" was all he said before moving on. "Mr. De Leon, wait," the girl called out before following him. Castio De Leon saved the human? Lana came to the conclusion that she was sent back to the time where his son was still bloodthirsty and was claiming dominance over the humans. But why was she sent back to this time?

The familiar screams of humans came to Lana bringing her to the painful memory Vadim tried to show her. There were shouts of men telling women and kids to go to safety as they protected them with swords. Lana looked around her, it was a small town, fire was already burning two buildings, humans were running for their lives as wolves with bloody snouts ran after them. She caught sight of Castio, he was standing at the edge of the town with sadden eyes, he nodded his head and the men behind him shifted into their wolves and bounded forward to help the humans. A lone black wolf was about to go forth but he stopped it, the wolf huffed and turned back. "Darius!!!" Castio began shouting, calling out for his son, the wolf who was responsible for all the deaths he witnessed. The wolves cowered before him as he walked in the midst of the chaos just calling for his son. Lana was pushed forward to somewhere deeper within the town beside a large black wolf, his arrogance and confidence were familiar. Then he turned his head, Lana whimpered, it was her mate but his blue gaze was cold as he turned to the direction where his father called. He looked hesitant to go, forgetting about his kill, his eyes shifted from blue to a soft brown just like his father's. Darius shook his head to return to his kill when two wolves pounced on him, snapping at his hind legs and his back. They took advantage of his distraction and clawed at his body and face but their attacks were useless for the son of Castio. Before Darius could fully retaliate another wolf rushed forward and attacked one of the wolves on him. He was grateful for the help and made a quick kill of his attacker; his little hero dumped her kill and turned to him.

Lana gasped in surprise, it was her in wolf form, her amber eyes literally stood out against her fur. Darius stepped slowly to the she-wolf utterly confused as to why he had the urge to protect her. The she-wolf only wanted to know that he was safe and cared for. She boldly touched her nose to his then to his neck, Darius stood frozen. Scared of the foreign feelings that were ignited within him, scared of the beautiful she-wolf with the amber eyes. In his moment of weakness he shifted back into human form to touch the wolf, it came as a need as she held his gaze. He was a breath away to touch her when she fell to the ground with a painful howl. Darius shifted back into his wolf and stood over her looking to find the shooter. Fangs bared, posture defensive he wanted the person dead. The she-wolf shifted back into her human form, seeing her bare legs below him, he forgot about the shooter and turned to see the beautiful red-haired woman. He froze not knowing what to do, there were three arrows within her all protruding out of her stomach.

"C-Cas....C-Castio" she breathed out in pain looking up at Darius. A confused look came upon his face as the woman called out for his father again. "Who are you?" he asked his eyes wandering over her body, his urge to help was great but he knew if he pulled out the arrows she would die either way. She was about to answer but her words were lost with a gurgle in her throat then the stilling of her body. Darius stumbled back still confused even more so when he felt a faint pain in his cold heart.

"Darius. Son."

He swiftly turned to his father glancing back at the woman who saved his life. "Father. She... I didn't kill her. She...She saved me. She...She called for you." he said quickly trying to grasp at the emotions going crazy within him.

"Son. I know you didn't" Castio said. He put his full attention to his father; brown eyes similar to his were filled with tears. "Father" was all he said knowing what was to come next, Darius glanced back at her, watching her blue eyes slowly lose the light. "What was her name?" he asked solemnly.

Before Castio answered he plunged a silver dagger into his only son's heart, tears flowing down his face as he held Darius. His son stilled as the dagger cut through his heart, using the little strength to grab hold of his father, the last hug from his devoted father. His body began to feel heavy and cold, his wolf howled in pain within him till he can no longer hear him. The last words he heard were the sorrow-filled words from the man who sired him.

"Lana. Her name was Lana. Till we meet again, son, I love you."