"I need personal guards?

" August frowned.

"There's some kind of ancient creature coming after you. I'd like you to have someone with you at all times. I'm going to try to make sure that person is me of course. But it might not always be possible. It's just a precaution.

"

"What in the world do you think Finn can do against a vampire?

" she asked.

"I mean honestly…

"

Graeme didn't answer. The question made him uneasy, because he simply didn't have an answer to it. What would any of them do against a vampire?

"Maybe you should have let me stay and question Zoe until we got more answers,

" he grumbled.

She sighed.

"It isn't all there for her yet. It hasn't all come back to her. If we press her, it might confuse her even more.

"

"You could see that?

"

"Yes. With the Veiled. I can't tell you the difference, it's incredible. All of those restrictions that were on her—that were threaded through her whole system—they're gone. But there's a heavy shroud that seems reluctant to leave, and she doesn't seem quite strong enough to fight it yet. If she isn't, it could suffocate what she's gotten back so far.

"

"Okay,

" he sighed and grabbed her hand.

"Then you get guards until we figure out more.

"

"You know what else I get?

" she tilted her chin.

"To walk through the woods without being carried like a pup.

"

"That's what you think,

" he smirked and she pulled away from his hand to run, but he was too fast—catching her around the waist and swinging her up in a bridal carry with her legs kicking the air.

"Ugh!

" She groaned with laughter, throwing her head back to dangle over his arm.

"You're so fast.

"

"Why did you even say anything? I would have forgotten,

" his deep chuckle brought a grin to her face.

"I like when you chase me,

" she confessed, swinging her legs in the air over his other arm.

He rumbled in response, lifting her closer to him so he could taste her lips.

"I like chasing you.

"

After he kissed her, she started swinging her legs again like a child.

"Can I ask you something?

"

"Of course, darling.

"

"What's up with Lucas? Does he like Zoe? I'm surprised that he hasn't left her,

" she thought aloud.

"You can't see that with the Veiled?

"

"I've never tried,

" she tilted her head in thought.

"We have a shared aura. You and me. It happened after you marked me and we… mated,

" she giggled, her cheeks turning pink.

"Really?

" he smiled. She never mentioned that before.

"That's not surprising, I guess.

"

"It's gold,

" her blue eyes sparkled.

"I've never noticed one between other mates.

"

"Lucas and Zoe aren't mates, I can tell you that much.

"

"Oh? How do you know?

"

"He had a mate already. You don't get two.

"

"He had a mate already?

" her eyebrows pinched together.

"What happened?

"

"They hadn't completed the bond, because she was younger. She was too young to even realize it yet, actually. So he stayed at a distance, watching over her from a distance like mates do when the bond is delayed,

" he explained.

"And then there was an incident.

"

August's stomach knotted at this, anticipating the tragedy that he hadn't spoken yet. She swung her legs to be let down, so he dropped her onto her feet and they continued on walking side-by-side.

"What happened?

" she crossed her arms, unconsciously attempting to protect herself from the full impact of what was coming.

"This was shortly before I left the pack, so it's been years now. Her and some friends were curious about the Grimm. They slipped past the perimeter between runners, and they ran into a stray. None of the females had their wolves yet, and they couldn't defend themselves. Her friends got away, but she didn't.

"

"What?

" August was squinting, imagining it.

"Why would this stray hurt her?

"

"Strays can be **ing ruthless. That's why I was tracking strays for the council when I left—to make sure those who were reported were handled. That incident actually helped cement the decision for me. Lucas had asked to be given that role, but the elders gave it to me since I was abandoning Alpha.

"

"Is that why he despised you so much?

" she asked, biting her lip in the process. Lucas' behavior would make that much more sense.

"Oh, I'm sure that had something to do with it.

"

"What was her name? How old was she?

"

"Cora. I believe she was thirteen,

" he raked a hand through his hair.

That incident was devastating for the whole pack, for Cora's family, and for Lucas in particular. Graeme didn't have to be told that Lucas blamed himself for not being there. Any male would have felt the same way had she been their mate. It didn't matter that it wasn't his fault, he would still be haunted by it.

"Thirteen?

" August repeated, fitting the pieces together now.

There must be something about Zoe that stirred those feelings of responsibility he had for Cora years ago. Perhaps that was why he was reluctant to leave Zoe now.

"I guess that also helps explain why he was so angry when you brought an outsider here,

" she thought aloud.

"He had seen what outsiders were capable of.

"

"Hmmm. You may be right,

" he hummed, recalling how furious Lucas was when Graeme showed up with August that night.

"Maybe watching over Zoe will be good for him,

" she said softly.

"Maybe it won't,

" Graeme replied. August turned to him questioningly, and he sighed.

"I still don't completely trust her. if he ends up with complicated feelings for her, as impossible as that seems to me,

" Graeme screwed up his face,

"and she is even a fraction as nefarious as she was before, he will end up in a difficult position.

"

"That's not going to happen,

" August shook her head, refusing to believe it. She felt the pure depth of Zoe now. Zoe needed time, yes. But she had pushed through the most difficult part of her situation so far—realizing the monster that she once was in contrast to the truth of her actual being.. And it was that truth she felt Zoe striving for.