Black Devil and Full Moon were fighting together, but they were lacking in experience.

Elena was soon covered by several wounds and probably reported few broken ribs. But she had killed many, her wolf in full fury.

So badly outnumbered, she began fearing for her friends. Rex was merely standing up and trying to cover Giulia, knocked out in a corner with blood all over her. Her heartbeat was much slower than usual.

And Marco was busy with 3 large wolves. A pierced fear paralysed Elena, sure he wasn’t going to make it. She couldn’t allow to loose her life’s brother. He could’t die because of a suicide ambush from a mad wolf.

Life can be hilarious: Full Moon’s high-ranked members were defending small pups from Black Devil.

When Elena ran toward Marco, someone or something grabbed her by the tail so brutally she almost fainted from the absurd pain. Her cry died in her throat, not having the strength to shout.

Four large wolves surrounded her, growling with mischievous glares. “Use the syringe idiots! What are you waiting for!” A random person yelled.

“Take her away without killing her or I will make you my slaves! You, pieces of nothing!” Alpha Ciro’s voice vibrated from her left. Elena barely registered those exchanges directed to her possible kidnapping.

She was too busy witnessing Marco figure falling on the ground. With 2 wolves scattered dead around him, the remaining one was tearing into pieces Marco’s lower body. His eyes become hollow orbits; the mouth wide opened in a strange manner.

Is that the face of the dead?

The fate that we all had to face at some point down the path.

Marco, the most amazing soul, full of energy and positive energy, with a life to live and a newly discovered mate. He was being destroyed by those evil shadows engulfed in their insanity.

It seemed hours but it could have been a bunch of minutes since that horrible nightmare started.

The majority of the students scattered around dead, heavily wounded or kept in hostage.

The fight was ending. No help was coming.

“Alpha! We need to leave NOW, that damned idiot is almost here!” Someone else yelled.

When she noticed a scary huge needle heading to her neck, she jumped back but in vane. Alpha Ciro punched her and shoved her to another warrior.

And then, that scent hit her like a thunderbolt.

Her mate was there!

The school trembled threateningly, and the walls around the main entry crumbled under the impact from the arrival of two new wolves.

Elena recognised one as Marco’s mate, indeed a scary red wolf with scarlet eyes. Nothing compared to the other ‘wolf’ standing next to him.

It was the biggest beast she had even seen, more like a tractor, with razor fags. If a great white shark had witnessed those fags, it would have died of embarrassment for how pathetic his tiny teeth were in comparison. His fur was like the darkest night. One of those nights without stars or hope, when the moon and all the stars decided to abandon the humanity.

She merely acknowledged the Beta of Devil Pack speeding toward Marco..or what was remaining. She was too busy staring at the other wolf, too mesmerised. That was Craken, the legendary Black Alpha’s wolf. She had recognised him from the pictures.

Those glowing, stormy eyes stared at her, with a swirl of powerful emotions: love, rage, and... fear?

Realisation hit her soul like a bullet train.

“He is mate! Mate is here for us!” Titilas shouted in happiness.

They looked into each other eyes for what seemed eternity, adsorbing the presence of the other.

“The Alpha of Black Devil pack is my mate!” Elena thought in disbelief. She was so in awe to forget where they were.

And then it happened.

Trails of blood ran from her nose to her mouth and chin. The eyes of her mate followed the path with incredulity.

The loudest and scariest roar everyone had ever had the bad luck to hear, smashed everything: all the glass from the big windows exploded into millions of pieces, the wall cracked and all the invaders covered their ears.

Elena was kneeling on the floor completely astonished and agape, a tsunami of emotions invested her entire soul.

Never moving her gaze away from her mythical mate, she hugged herself. Still in his wolf form, he was pouncing at the hopeless enemies with incredible speed. He reminded of a legendary shadow that came to our mortal world to slay all the evil beings with his lethal scourge.

The Alpha killed all the warriors in a matter of minutes, with little help from his Gamma and Beta who were mostly occupied with Marco. The ability and facility he had to dust several enemies away was scary. Her mate was a nightmare that came from the deepest hell, breaking every neck and crashing souls like they were nut shells.

Alpha Ciro didn’t even have time to blink. Captured and barely alive, he was on the floor like a forgotten bag.

This was too much.

Elena covered her eyes and starting to sob, overwhelmed by that day, probably the most intense one of her entire existence.

When she felt a special glare on her, all her hairs stood up. Slowly peeking from behind her fingers, she saw her mate approaching her. He had shifted back and his magical blue eyes were solely on her.

Elena still couldn’t believe how incredibly tall and huge he was. Only wearing a pair of loosing basketball shorts, his upper body was in full display and covered in stained blood.

“Hello, mate" He whispered.

His husky voice made Elena shiver. There, among all the wounded wolves, among the smell of death and tears, with more and more nurses and senior pack members rushing to help. Among all that, Elena felt happy. He took few more cautious steps, as she was going to disappear.

When he reached her spot, he knelt in front of her, with just enough space to breathe. His big hands started to run across her hair, while his eyes scanned all the details of her face.

“My mate.” He murmured with a hidden emotion and shining eyes. Elena smiled at him, noticing how sweet he was and how delicately he was touching her hair, like she was made of porcelain.

“Hi.” She replied shyly. He looked at her lips and then back at her eyes. A small blush formed in his cheeks. Ooooh!

When he moved his attention to her arms, making sure she had nothing seriously injured, electric sparks fired everywhere he touched. They looked at each other in amazement, with their mouths slightly parted, lost in the pull.

“What’s your name?” He finally asked her.

Elena frowned. Was he going to reject her?

“Elena... from Full Moon.” She croaked out, nervously.

But he didn’t seem to care who she was. When he opened his mouth to say something, his big hands went to cup her face.

“You are so beautiful.” He murmured while leaning closer to her neck.

With a deep inhale, he closed his eyes. Unintentionally, Elena mirrored his action and took a big breath of her mate's scent.

Her all body relaxed and was healing faster.

The magic bubble was broken when he suddenly snapped his head in the direction of his gamma, who was looking at him with a serious expression.

Mind-link probably.

Before leaving her, he kissed her forehead. A strong blush spread across Elena’s already purple cheeks.

When she smelled her dad and few other members of her pack, she jumped in disbelief. Her dad was alive and healthy! Oh, and he looked very angry...ough! Several students and teachers had small or deep wounds but could go to the nursery by themselves, while others had to be carried away. Then, on a remote corner, there was a certain number of bodies covered with sheets. She frenetically looked for Rex and Giulia, not wanted to know about Marco. Where were her friends!?

And then she smelled them. Rex was lying unconscious on a stretcher, his dad keeping his hand and talking to a nurse. Giulia was in the arms of her respective dad who was yelling at some of our warriors.

“Elena!” Her amazing father was standing behind her with a worried face and relief. She threw herself at him, crying out all her tension. “Daddy! For a moment I thought you were-”

He interrupted her with a nod. “That crazy Alpha tricked us, sweety.”

Now that the effects from the magical episode with her mate were vanishing, Elena felt drained out and started to sob.

“Sssh my baby is ok, I’m here now.” He whispered and hugged her like he used to do when she was a child, patting her head with one hand and with the other keeping her firmly against his chest.

“Let’s get you home.” Concern rise in his voice.

A loud cry made her heart stopped, she petrified. Their Beta was crying, desperation flooding in tormented waves. “It can’t be..” Elena murmured, slowly turning around from her dad’s hug and moving away the hand of Alpha Giacomo that was trying to cover her eyes.

And there it was, a chopped bloody hand.

And by its smell and the ferocious despair of their Beta, Marco was the owner of it.

Black dots covered her vision. She heard a scream who then realised was hers. The last thing she saw was her mate staring at her with pure panic deforming his perfect face.