“We are here on an investigative mission into your newly changed female. The Portland Alpha says she smells quite unique. Let us meet with her and no one gets hurt.”

I thought I had seen Kai at his fastest before, but I hadn’t. The speed at which he moved, was akin to the vampires. He lunged forward and clamped his jaws down on the vampire’s neck tearing out his throat. Before I had time to express my shock, the second vampire was gliding up into the air and landed inside the circle right in front of Jai, Diya, Maya, and me.

The third vampire was fighting Devon and a few other wolves. The vampire Kai had injured was still alive and had his arms around Kai, squeezing so hard I could hear ribs breaking. Anna darted towards the vampire and ripped Kai away from him with the force of The Hulk. She jumped up on her hind legs and pushed the vampire back with her front paws sending him flying backward. I guess we knew what Anna’s new power was, extreme strength. Kai looked at Anna with surprise and they went after the vampire.

The vampire in the middle of the circle lunged for Kai’s mom. She was a submissive. Diya and Jai were both less dominant than me. I could feel it. I had an overwhelming urge to protect them all. Being dominant didn’t mean you were physically the strongest. I knew that. But it did mean I had to try to protect them. This must be what Kai feels like all the time for the entire pack. I threw myself on the vampires back and knocked her to the ground. She whipped out a thin silver chain and had my paws bound before I could think to deflect her. I gave her a wolfish grin. I was immune to silver for whatever reason. When the silver didn’t burn me or begin to make me weak, I saw fear flash in her eyes. Jai lunged for her and had one of her wrists in his mouth as Diya went for her other hand pinning her down. I yanked my paws and tore the silver chain apart.

‘Decapitation or a stake through the heart.’ I heard Emma say into my mind. Jai and Diya were pinning her down for me to finish her off. The vampire tried to fling them off but two full grown werewolves were too much for her. Could I kill a vampire? Could I decapitate someone? The answer came from deep within me. The new me. If it meant I was protecting my pack, my family, then yes. I crouched on my hind legs but just before I was about to pounce, the vampire jumped high up in the air with Jai and Diya still hanging from her hands and came down hard, slamming them both on the ground. They let go of her and whimpered. Then the vampire reached out and took a handful of Kai’s mother’s fur in her hand and started pulling. Kai’s mom whimpered and growled trying to bite the vampire.

That was it. That was all I needed to see, to know what I was capable of. I was a vegetarian, I was a do-gooder but I was also a werewolf and in that moment I knew, I was a murderer. I sprung back and leapt at the vampire, baring my teeth, and came down on her chest knocking her back. Before she could push me off, I lunged for her neck and bit down hard while thrusting my body into a roll and using the momentum to pull her head clean off. Her body turned to ash before my eyes. The head in my mouth disintegrated leaving behind a black chalky ash that tasted of death. My heart was hammering in my chest. It all happened so fast I wasn’t sure it was over.

I ran to Kai’s mother and she stared at me with wide eyes. Then she lowered her head in thanks and nuzzled me. I felt like I was being watched. I turned to see Kai and the pack staring at me. All the vampires were dead. Three distinct piles of ash lay on the ground. Kai was the first one to tilt his head back and howl. We all followed. Someone had tried to take one of ours, to harm us. This was our land, our family, our pack. We would protect what was ours. We ran back to the house slowly, reflecting on what happened. Twice Kai had asked me if I was okay and both times I assured him I was. I didn’t really have a choice. I had to be okay. This was my life now. I was hunted. I was a hunter. I just didn’t want those I loved to get hurt. I was starting to see the rationale in my birth mother’s choices for my life.

When we got back, I shifted quickly and ran inside before any of the rest of the pack was done shifting. Kai tried to follow me but I shook my head. I needed a break. I needed a shower. I could still taste the ash on my tongue. I let the water beat on my back. So the Portland Alpha was behind this attack? He smelled something different about me. That I was part witch? That I was the Matefinder? How would he even know that? Unless legend said the Matefinder was part witch. Was this the last time vampires or anyone would come for me? Not likely. I could run away. The second the thought was out, my heart protested. I couldn’t leave Kai. I loved him. But I also wanted to protect those I loved.

‘Don’t worry. I can feel your struggle raging inside my head. Anyone who comes for you will meet the same fate as those vampires. You are safe,’ Kai told me.

‘I don’t care about my safety, I care about yours,’ I replied to him.

‘As long as you are with me, I will be fine. The only way I can get hurt, is if something happens to you,’ he stated.

I sighed and turned off the tap. I dried off, brushed my teeth, and changed my clothes. When I came out into the kitchen I expected some big awkward talk about the vampire fight. Instead, some Indian dance music was on and Diya was dancing with her mother. They were laughing. Trent and Jai were talking quietly while watching them, and Kai was cooking. I stood there unsure of what to do. Kai’s mom spotted me. “Aurora! Come dance with us.”

I smiled, and shouted over the music. “You will have to teach me. I’m not much of a dancer.”

Maya pulled me into the living room and motioned her hands in a pattern while shaking her hip and dropping her shoulder. I tried to follow what she did and Diya busted up laughing. “Oh my God, you’re horrible!” she teased.