She hated every bit of it.

What good was seeing someone else's past when she couldn't change it? No, she was instead stuck reliving what other people had felt, seen, and heard during key points in their lives-their happy moments and their sad ones.

She'd relived both life and death.

And now she was imprisoned in a home surrounded by painful memories of her mate's lost mate.

She cradled her belly and forced herself not to cry. It wouldn't do anyone any good, and she didn't want to appear weak, even if only for herself.

What the hell was she going to do?

"How the hell do you mate someone and not know it?" North asked as he paced his living room while Maddox snorted beside him.

When Adam had regained his energy after leaving his house, he'd walked to his nearest brothers' home to see North. He'd needed space to think and decide what the hell he was going to do. The enforcers, the men who answered to him, were guarding her to make sure she didn't do anything that could harm the Pack. He hated, though, that he'd left her alone in his house, in Anna's house.

North's house was a smaller version of Adam's, having one less room, though attached to it was the Pack's clinic. So no matter how much privacy his brother might have wanted, he was never alone. As the Pack's doctor, he had to be on call for all the major and minor injuries the Pack might encounter. Now that Reed's mate, Hannah, had been brought in as the new Healer, North's duties had been downgraded a bit, though Adam couldn't tell how North was taking that. As the Pack's Healer, Hannah was magically connected to the den and could feel if someone was in pain. She could also Heal small wounds, and if she used her trinity bond with her two mates, Reed and Josh, she could Heal quite a bit more. She was also an accomplished witch and potion maker who made some of the drugs and medicines the Pack used. As werewolves, they couldn't use pain medication and other drugs, but the potions she made helped, though that was a bone of contention with his sister, Cailin, who had done the job previously. Now his sister felt a bit lost and had become the nanny to Kade and Melanie's son, Finn.

Maddox groaned, bringing Adam out of his thoughts, and held his head in his hands. Adam knew his own emotions were wailing in twists and turns, so his brother, the Omega, must be in as much pain as he was. Thank God, despite Mad's title, he wasn't touchy-feely with his feelings when it came to his brothers. Adam didn't want to talk about what was going on in his head with anyone, let alone someone who could share it.

"Well? Are you going to answer me?" North asked again, his normally smooth demeanor breaking to show his strain.

Adam glanced away, ashamed to tell North the truth.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" North yelled. "You knew all this time, didn't you? Ever since you left, oh, eight months ago? And I bet that's how far along Bay is, right? You knew you were mated before you left her, and you did nothing. You left your mate, Adam. Why?" North sank to his couch, a look of pure disbelief on his face "That woman is not my mate," Adam growled, the taste of the lie bitter on his tongue. He could deny it all he wanted-oh, and he wanted to-but it didn't make it a truth.

Maddox growled and took a deep breath, the jagged scar that ran down his face darkening to a deep pink.

"Stop lying to yourself," the Omega said, anger and regret lacing his tone.

"I'm not lying to myself," Adam answered. "Just because she's here doesn't make her my mate."

"You marked her, didn't you?" North asked then shook his head. "No, wait. You don't have to answer that; of course you did. That's the only way she could smell of Pack, be pregnant, and have you up in arms like this."

Adam looked away, not wanting to speak. He closed his eyes and saw the flash of teeth, remembering the feel of her body beneath his as he sank his fangs into her shoulder when his cock drove into her pussy. He held back a shudder. Whether it was the result of revulsion or need, he didn't want to know.

There were two parts to a werewolf-the wolf and the man. That being so, the wolf and man had to each perform a task in order to create a mating bond. For the wolf to mate, the man had to mate-mark the juicy part of the potential mate's shoulder with his fangs while in human form. This released an enzyme not unlike that which turned humans into wolves, but the results were not as gruesome. No, this enzyme was pleasurable. Adam held back another groan. Both parties had to mark the other, and then their wolves would be mated. If one of the mated pair was not a wolf, then only the werewolf had to mark. For the man part of the werewolf pair, it was easier. There had to be only a sharing of fluids-the man releasing his seed within the woman. Or man, in his brother Reed's case, as he had done with one of his mates, Josh.

Together, the two parts of the whole would create an everlasting mate bond that would connect their souls. Some mates could sense one another and share their magic. When one of the wolves held a position of power, their mate would share it. So, whomever Adam mated-he swallowed hard-would hold the title of Enforcer's mate and would help protect the Pack if they desired; or they could stand by their mate and help them lead behind the scenes if they didn't like to fight-like Anna had done.

The icy shard drove deeper into the place where his heart had been at the thought of her name. Anna had been his mate-no, was, his mate. Not Bay. Never Bay.

"Adam, you have to talk to me. Sitting on your hands and brooding in silence won't work for you. Not this time." North bent so his forearms rested on his thighs and sighed. "We can't help you if you don't tell us what happened." Pity underlined his tone, and Adam wanted to vomit. He hated pity, though he should have been used to it by now. He'd lived with the pitying stares and undertones for twenty years.

And each time, it was as if they were reminding him of all he'd lost, chipping away just that much more at the place he'd once called his heart. He hated it, but he'd lived with it because they were his family and Pack. He did much for that reason.

Maddox stood and walked to a corner of the room, his body radiating his tension. North looked at his twin and sighed, but Maddox merely glared.

What was going on between the two of them?

Adam shook his head. He had too much to deal with right now, and he couldn't be looking into the workings of their twin issues. He sighed; he needed to get this over with.

"I left the den when Josh and Hannah came to stay," Adam began.

North and Maddox nodded since they had been there at the time to watch him walk away, something he desperately wanted to do right now.

Adam coughed and fisted his hands, his body shaking. "I just got in my truck and drove, not caring where I went. I just needed to get out, you know?"

The twins nodded in unison but didn't say anything.

"I finally ended up in a small town in southern California." He'd driven and tried not to think about anything, especially about the fact that his brothers were one-by-one finding their happiness and highlighting the fact that he had none. "I stayed in a grungy motel off the beaten path for a few days, running in the woods nearby as a wolf." He'd needed that. As a wolf, no one would look at him as if he'd lost something. Some days he'd almost hoped he'd change to a wolf and stay there, but he didn't want to give his wolf the satisfaction. After all, he still blamed the wolf for letting him down all those years before.

"Then one night I couldn't take it anymore and ended up in a bar, trying to drink away my troubles."

North gave a low whistle, and Adam nodded. They all knew it took over ten times the normal human alcohol intake for a wolf to get drunk. He'd bought and drunk a few bottles of tequila from the witch who ran the bar. He'd been lucky in finding one run by a paranormal, but he'd given it up to Fate. His mistake.

"Bay was the waitress," he grumbled. "She got off her shift, and I let her join me." He didn't remember why he'd asked her to join him. Maybe his wolf had had more control of him at the time than he thought. "One thing led to another, we got drunk, ended up in bed." His face burned as he told his brothers, but he needed to get it off his chest.

"And then you left?" North asked, and Adam was thankful he wouldn't have to go into any more detail of what had happened during the "in between".

"Then I left." Because he couldn't deal with the fact that he'd betrayed Anna, his love.

North shook his head, disgust warring with that pity on his face. "I can't believe your wolf let you do that? Doesn't it hurt?"

It hurt like a fiery hell, but Adam wouldn't tell him that. "I'm stronger than my wolf." His wolf whimpered, upset that they'd left Bay, then and now. Screw him. "I made a mistake."

Maddox coughed. "Well, that mistake is now pregnant with your child. What are you going to do about it?"

Adam grew cold. He'd had his chance at fatherhood and lost it. He didn't want another. "As far as I'm concerned, Bay and her baby are on their own."

North stood up and snorted. "I can't even look at you. Do you even hear the words coming out of your mouth?"

He did, but he needed to keep saying them to stay sane. "I lost everything I had, North. Bay is not what I want or what I need. She's here because she thinks she's being followed." Finally, he said what he'd come to say.

"Followed?" Maddox asked. "By who?"

"She didn't know."

"You think it was the Centrals?" North asked.

"I have no idea, but it's not my problem."

"Really, son?" his father asked as he walked in the room.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Adam asked.

His Alpha raised a brow. "I could say the same to you. I felt you here instead of at your home where you should be, so I stopped by here."

"Dad-"

"Save it. I don't want to hear your excuses. That woman in your house is carrying your child and is your mate. I don't care if you don't agree, but that is the truth. I may not trust her because I don't know her, but I'm not turning my back on a woman who is in need. And the fact that you say she was followed? Yes, there is something we can do."

"That's why I want North and Maddox to help her."

His Alpha growled, releasing his strength. Magic shot through the room, sending tingles down his arms and filling his wolf with awe. He and his brothers staggered to their knees under the weight of their bond.

"You disappoint me, son. She is your responsibility, not the responsibility of others. I know you are hurting, but that is no excuse to do what you did or do what you were planning to do. She is your charge and yours alone. You are the Enforcer of this Pack, and you will deal with the consequences of your actions."

Adam felt like a scolded schoolboy but nodded then bared his throat.

"Good." His father released the magic, the room feeling like it was filled with oxygen again, and Adam stood. "Now that we have that settled, I want North to go over and check on Bay with Hannah. Bay looked like she needed someone to see how the pregnancy is progressing. While North is doing that, I want you to see if you can find anything about her, son. I still don't trust her, and that is a sad state of our times, but I don't want you leaving her side once you finish that, Adam."

Adam didn't say anything, rejecting the words his father spoke. He wanted nothing to do with this woman, yet it looked as if he had no choice. If Fate wanted something, it looked as if it would do anything to get it.

Damn it.

Caym paced in his study. He still had no word from Samuel. Damn it. He'd shared his blood with the wolf so he could find the other demon. Samuel had gotten close. Close enough that Caym now new the other demon was a female.

But not just a normal demon female. No, this female was a half demon, one sired from a demon and human, witch or wolf.

Caym grinned, pleasure at his circumstances running through him. Oh, he had an idea of who this half-demon was. This could be good for him. Oh, so good for him. He needed to celebrate.

Caym strolled through the office and walked to Corbin's playroom. Screams echoed along the walls, followed by masculine laughter.

He opened the door and sighed with contentment. His lover was using a razor-edged whip against a female wolf that resembled Ellie, Corbin's sister. She'd do in a pinch, but nothing could replace the toy he'd lost.

Corbin turned as if he'd sensed Caym's presence. Corbin smiled, his almond skin carrying a layer of sweat from his exertions.

"What is it, my love?" Corbin asked as he walked toward him, forgetting about the woman bleeding behind him.

Caym held back a wince at the use of "my love." He hated emotions such as those but would endure them for the greater purpose.

"I think we're getting closer to our goal," he crooned, though he didn't mention the woman. No, only Samuel knew that. And when Caym was done with the wolf, he'd kill him, leaving no loose ends.

Corbin traced a finger along his jaw. "Good, the Redwoods deserve to burn."

"Oh, they will, they will. All in good time."

Because Caym had an ace up his sleeve. He just needed to find her.

Chapter 4.

Bay rotated her wrists so they would crack, an annoying habit, but one she couldn't stop. Her whole body felt under intense pressure and tension, and anything to help relieve it was welcome. She thought of Adam's face and cursed.

Okay, not anything.

He'd been gone for over two hours. For some reason she'd thought that things would move quicker. She'd never lived with a Pack, but she'd figured they'd want to get things done and not just sit around. Apparently, she'd been wrong. Or maybe they thought she was the enemy and making a pregnant woman wait around was a form of torture.

Though she was thirsty, she didn't help herself to anything. No, she sat in the living room and waited. Curiosity had almost gotten the better of her, and she'd thought about searching through the house, just to see how the man who'd mated her lived, but she hadn't been able to find the courage to do so. Not only would he have been able to scent her presence in his domain, she'd also have felt like she was snooping, and as a person who valued their privacy above almost everything, she couldn't do it.

She heard the footsteps outside before they reached the door. She inhaled their scents- not Adam-and she turned, ready to defend herself and her child if needed. The Alpha, Edward, walked through the door, a brow raised.

"I like the spunk," he quipped as he walked into the living room. He was followed by a man who looked so much like him he had to be his son.

She lowered her gaze, not wanting to offend the Alpha. Though she'd never grown up in a Pack, she'd heard horror stories of Alphas who'd beaten and even killed if they weren't shown proper respect and protocol at all times.

She didn't know the protocol though, one of her mother's failings. But Bay couldn't be too hard on her since her mother had been thrown out of the Talons brutally by their overpowering Alpha.

Bay took a deep breath, trying not to show her fear. Maybe wolves liked fear. God, why was she doing this again? She hated wolves, even though she was one. Her baby kicked, and she instinctively put her hand on her stomach.

Oh, that's why.

For her child.

"You don't need to fear me, little one," the Alpha said, and took a seat on the couch, looking quite comfortable in his son's home.

She nodded and stayed where she was, not sure what she was supposed to do. Damn, she hated being weak.

"Hello, Bay," the other man said, and gave a small smile filled with compassion. Damn. She hated compassion that bordered on pity just as much as being weak. "I'm North, Adam's brother, and also the Pack doctor."

She inhaled sharply, her body clenching. "You can't hurt my baby."

North's eyes darkened, and he growled. "What kind of wolf do you think I am that I would hurt an innocent child?"

She raised her chin, not bowing to the wolf's power. She was the same strength as Adam in terms of hierarchy now, even if he wouldn't acknowledge it. This North would have to bow to her if she wanted it, though she wouldn't, not unless she needed to.

"I don't know what kind of wolf you are," she finally said. All I know is that you've come into Adam's home where he's left me prisoner and claim you are a doctor. What am I supposed to think?"

North growled and opened his medical bag, grumbling under his breath about pregnant females and their lack of sense. Yeah, like that was helping his situation.

"I have to apologize for my son," Edward said, amusement on his face. "He usually has a better bedside manner than that."

Bay nodded, not knowing what the Alpha wanted her to stay.

"Why is she standing up as though preparing for you to attack her?" a woman said as she came into the room. Her brown curls danced around her face, and her dove gray eyes were warm and intelligent. She walked up to Bay and held out her hand. Bay clasped it, unsure. "I'm Hannah, the pack Healer, and you're Bay."

Warmth radiated from the woman as well as another energy...a witch. Bay smiled; she loved witches. They were warm, loving, and easy to get along with. At least the witches she'd known had been.

"Hello, Hannah."