Delilah's POV

"No! Please don't take me away! I beg you. Please! I'm not a criminal. I'm not a rogue! Alpha Enzo please tell them!" I cry out as I'm dragged away by General Kane's men. Despite how hard I kick and fight, their grip remains tight on me.

I look around frantically at my pack members. Tears flow down my cheeks and my heart beats fast.

"Help! Please help me!" I cry out. My pack members only stare quietly as they take me away. They show no disapproval, no resistance. As if they're happy to get rid of me. The reality of their abandonment breaks my heart.

Ahead, the war general walks on like he can't be any less bothered by my protest. My skin gets cold at the thought of what he will do to me. One of the masked men binds me in chains and drags me along with him through the woods.

On getting to the clearing outside Silver Crest Pack, three cars are lined up. One is a van. They put me at the back of one of the cars and put the rogue at the back of the van.

"Where are you taking me to? I've done nothing to deserve this..." I cry.

I'm still complaining when one of the masked men injects me on the neck, and I become half-conscious.

Everything turns hazy for the rest of the drive. We finally stop and they bring me out of the car. Next thing I'm on a bed and someone is pulling a blanket over my body.

The next morning, I wake up with a sharp headache. I immediately notice someone else in the room, a tall man dressed in black with his hair hanging loose. Before I can make out his face, he walks away and a lady comes into the room. She has long, dark brown hair, a thin and tall figure, and is wearing black, too.

"How are you feeling?" She asks.

"I have a headache," I tell her.

"Sorry about that. Let me get your food and medications. I'll be right back."

I watch her with my eyes as she leaves the room. Did she just apologize to me? And why is she offering me food and medication? Am I not supposed to be a prisoner? Was I not taken by the war General? I begin to replay the events of the previous night in my head. I'm sure the war general captured me.

It's when I try to move out of bed that I finally see the chains strapped to my legs. I'm held prisoner.

The lady comes back some minutes later with a tray having food and water. She keeps it on the bed in front of me and I examine the healthy plate of vegetables and fruits. What exactly do these people want from me? Am I a prisoner or not? Even my own pack did not treat me this well.

"Please have some food and take your medication, Delilah, you'd be fine."

At the mention of my name, I look up at her. "How did you know my name? And where is this place?"

"We have your personal, family and pack details. Your name is just the tip of the iceberg. You're currently in the army quarters. I'm Sentinel Nora, and I'll be taking care of you in the meantime."

Sentinel Nora... Her name reminds me of my friends back home. A tear drop slips from my eyes and more follow until I'm a sobbing mess.

"You should worry about your present and leave your past behind. Alpha Enzo, your former pack, that's all gone. You're with General Kane now." She speaks as if I'm meant to sing for joy when I'm being held prisoner.

"I'll be back," she says and leaves, shutting the door behind her. I notice a CCTV camera in the room, and it immediately makes me uncomfortable.

Looking around, I search for any other monitoring device. The room is painted a bright shade of blue with a white ceiling and a brown wooden polished floor. It has only the bed I'm sitting on, a table and a chair. A ceiling fan hangs above.

After finishing my food, Nora comes back and takes away the tray. When she returns again, a man is with her. He has grey hair, a slightly chubby frame and is a bit taller than Nora.

"This is Doctor Rogers. He will be seeing you frequently," Nora introduces the man.

"Why do I need a doctor? I'm not sick."

Nora smiles and walks closer to my bed. "You have fainted up to three times in eight hours. I doubt you remember any of that."

Suddenly I sit up, becoming defensive. "I never fainted back at my pack. Someone drugged me on my way here. I'm not sick! You did this to me!"

"Calm down, Delilah, we're trying to help you."

"No, I won't calm down. You can't forcefully take me from my pack and put all manner of drugs in me, claiming I'm sick. What do you take me for? Some kind of lab rat? If there's any experiment you want to carry out on werewolves, find someone else cause I'm not one!" I immediately realise my slip and pause. "Just let me out of here please..."

She lets out a sigh and shakes her head. "Doctor Rogers, please start the procedure."

"Is it safe to start? She doesn't seem to consent." The doctor says.

Nora shoots me a glare like I'm being too difficult. "One of her legs is chained. She won't be able to run."

The doctor takes out a syringe and comes close to me. "This would only prick you a little. We need just a small amount of your blood okay?"

"No! Don't come close!" I shout, but he doesn't listen. I begin fighting against his hold.

"Nora, please hold her down," the doctor says and Nora approaches me on the bed. She uses her two hands and pins me down to the bed so the doctor can insert the syringe. I try to push out of her grip, and the needle injures me.

"Ahh!" I groan in pain. Blood leaks out of the small cut. The doctor gives me cotton wool to hold it off.

He pours the blood into a vase containing a crystal clear liquid and the blood starts to bubble.

His expression hardens and he looks back at me. "She's concentrated. We need to infuse her now."

"What do you mean? I'm fine. Stop making things up. Let me go, you're the ones making me sick!" I cry out, not wanting to relive my experience from six months ago.

The doctor opens his bag and brings out a sack containing a red liquid.

"This is cure blood, it will reduce the effect of the Silver in your system, Delilah. You need to allow us to do this now, if not, you might faint and not wake up for a long time."

"Silver doesn't affect me. I've dipped myself a lot in Silver Lake. It doesn't harm me. Just let me go, please."

Nora steps forward, her figure imposing. "So what? Even if you're not sick, do you really want to return to Silver Crest?"

"Never! But I don't want to be here either. The general takes only rogues and criminals, what business does he have with me?"

Nora scoffs. "You don't know how endangered you are outside the walls of this place, do you? Why do you think Alpha Enzo did not discard you from his pack? People are looking for you Delilah, people worse than..."

"Enough!"

The room shakes as General Kane bangs the door open and steps in. He shoots Nora a glare so she bows her head and walks away from me.

His presence alone gives an air of discomfort in the room. I shift in my bed as he walks up to me.

He examines the cut on my elbow as a crease forms on his forehead. He looks into my face so his gaze burns into mine. My breath almost catches in my throat and I swallow uncomfortably.

"Now you will calm down and accept treatment. After that, you will fall asleep and..."

"No..." Despite my heart drumming in my chest and the knot forming in my stomach, I muster the courage to say my mind. "I will not calm down. I want to leave this place. Let me go, General Kane, please," I beg him.

His gaze immediately softens with surprise.

"What did you just say?"

"I want to leave," I repeat, not minding if he strangles me for my boldness..

He turns to the other two in the room and speaks in a tone dripping with anger. "Nora, doctor Rogers, no other ear should hear of what just happened now or you two would pay dearly for it. Look into this and find me reasonable answers before midnight."

My heart drops in my chest as he turns back to me. Now his eyes are filled with with hatred.

"I'll be back for you," he says and storms out of the room, banging the door behind him.

It's after he leaves that the realisation hits me.  I'm immune to his powers. For a war general, this is considered a weakness.

Kane's POV

There's something strange about Delilah. She's not like the other wolves I've met. Why did my Alpha command not work on her? Is she under some sort of protection?

I continue to pace about the monitor room, wondering at the new occurrence. No one except the Ultima and my stepbrother can withstand my Alpha commands.

Something is definitely not right with Delilah. And the way she defied my orders - direct, and with so much audacity - it fuels my rage even more.

I look down at the CCTV camera footage. There wasn't even the faintest glow in her eyes when I tried to compel her.

"Xavier! Xavier!" I call out to one of the omegas working for me and he runs in. I want to test my powers on him but an omega is an easy target. "Call me Nora and my beta, Ezekiel."

A few moments later, Nora and Ezekiel are standing in the room with me. I face Ezekiel who is unaware of what I'm about to do. I speak to him. 

"Leave the army quarters and stay in the pack house for tonight. Uh... Stamp your right foot three times, spin twice, and leave."

Immediately, there's a golden glow in his eyes and he starts doing exactly as I have commanded.

When he leaves, I turn to Nora. "My powers can work on Ezekiel but not Delilah? It's already past midnight. I need answers. Now."

"We aren't sure yet why she resists your commands but we know for certain that it has nothing to do with you. She's the different one."

"Of course, I know she's different. What makes her so? That's what I'm asking."

"Okay, Sir. We are yet to conclude with our findings. If you would give us extra time..."

"Nonsense!" I cut in on her excuses. "I have gone on over ten missions today. Do you know how many rogues I've had to capture? Did I give excuses to the Ultima? You had since the morning hours to do this. What have you discovered so far?"

Nora lets out a faint sigh. "She lost her wolf months ago. It should explain why she isn't responsive to your commands. Her mother was banished for being a warlock, and there are no records of her father or siblings."

"She really has no one?"

"Yes sir, she's all alone."

My mind flashes back to the time we took her from her pack. No one tried to help her out or speak for her.

"Don't tell her anything about her identity, especially how she's wanted for a crime we're not sure she committed."

"Yes, sir, I'll report that she's held captive here in our prisons."

"No, don't say a word to the Ultima. No one else except me, you, Ezekiel and the doctor knows she's here."

"What about her pack members? They saw us take her."

"There was a deception that we drowned her in Silver Lake. They were looking for her body there after we left."

Nora nods in understanding.

"Set up CCTV cameras in the guest room and send her over."

Nora looks surprised. "Sir, here? To your quarters?"

"Yes, and do it tonight," I reply and start walking away to my personal room when she calls to me again.

"Sir, is it safe? The ultima declared her dangerous."

I let out a sigh and turn to her. "Are you saying I should be scared of my prisoner?"

She immediately shakes her head, "No, Sir."

With that, I leave for my room. The security camera is fixed and Delilah is brought to my quarters.

The doctor has already left to come back in the morning and Nora has retired for the day. I'm alone with the woman who is driving me insane.

If the Ultima is secretly looking for her and she is immune to my powers then she must really be something. I watch her from the CCTV camera as she roams about the room. She badly wants to escape, but the room is sealed all around.

She moves desperately into the bathroom and comes out frustrated. I made sure nothing that could be used as a weapon remained in there with her.

Throughout the night I continue watching her intermittently. Most of the time she stands at the window, looking outside through the glass. Sometimes she sits down and begins to cry.  She doesn't sleep until four in the morning. That's when I slip into her room.

In the dimly lit room, I can see her body moving with the rhythm of her breathing. She seems to be deep asleep, so I assume it's safe to move closer to her. She doesn't sense my presence. I'm not supposed to be here when she's sleeping but I can't help my curiosity

She has refused to change the red gown we captured her with. I suspect there's something she's hiding within it. I carefully search one of the pockets of the dress and find nothing. Just when I'm about to check the second, she shoots her eyes open and looks at me.

Immediately she scrambles up the bed as her breathing flares up. "Why are you touching me?" She asks fearfully. "Is this why I'm here?  You want me as your personal slut? Oh my goodness. I've never been brought so low. I can't be a sex slave."

My eyes widen in alarm as she holds the bedsheet over her chest.

I take two steps away from the bed. "I have no such interests in you, Delilah."

"Then why are you here in the middle of the night, sneaking into my room and touching me. Please I can't do this. I've never known a man in my life. I've not even met my mate."

I hate to think that she's right. I would've given this a second thought before sneaking up on her like this. But I desperately needed to search her in case she had a protective amulet or something.

I can't stand the thought that someone like her is immune to my compulsive power.

I want to turn around and leave. But I won't let my prisoner have the belief that I want her for personal gain, and a sexual one at that.

With a determined look, I take two steps closer to her bed. She tries to shrink herself as she looks downwards.

"You are way beneath my standards, Delilah. I would never conceive the thought of being intimate with you. Never."

For the first time, I study her face closely under the glow of the moonlight seeping through the windows. I hook a finger underneath her chin and her eyes meet mine. Immediately, a red colour shines through her iris, and a wave of energy flows through my body.

My lips part in surprise. I shouldn't be reacting to her this way. I want to speak but I've lost all force in my voice.

No, this can't be. I had given up on finding her. But here she is, my mate. Delilah is my mate.

My wolf, Alexander, stirs. I have never felt him this pleased with anyone.

"Come on, let's have her. No one would know," he urges within me.

"No!" I say outwardly.

A crease forms between Delilah's eyebrows, her full, well-carved eyebrows, bordering those beautiful dark eyes she has.I shouldn't be thinking of her like this.

But my eyes trail down to her lips and further down to her chest. For the first time in a long time, I'm aware of the fortitudes of a woman. Alexander fights to take over and fulfil his desires. The more we stay within close proximity, the more I lose my willpower.

Kane's POV

"My mate is wounded," Alexander says within me.

Suddenly, all the strange feelings vanish from my body. Wounded?

"Yes, wounded. She can barely speak right now. We need to help her."

I withdraw from Delilah and she looks down in embarrassment. I need to do something to cover up for my awkward behaviour.

"Since you aren't comfortable with me, Nora will deal with you tomorrow."

Her eyebrows raise slightly in fear. This is not the effect I wanted on her. But it's better than having her think I'm sexually attracted to her. I'm not. And I strongly believe Alexander is confusing empathy for love.

Love is something I've banished from my heart a long time ago. There is no love in this world, just survival and loyalty.

I frown at her before turning around and leaving for my room.

"You should go softly with her if you want her wolf to heal," Alexander says.

"I would like to address this, Alexander. We have no time for unnecessary feelings okay? Don't let Delilah be a distraction," I speak inwardly to Alexander.

"You have found your mate, Kane. Mate with her soon. You're guaranteed strength, a trustworthy partner and immense pleasure... don't you want that?"

"No, Alexander, focus. We need to find out the problem with Delilah and whether she killed those sentinels. There's something mysterious about her."

"Then mate with her already. That way you can connect with her wolf. But go gently the first time, just foreplay and a little teasing would do. She's too weak to handle any vigorous..."

"Alexander!" I scold him.

"I'm only trying to help you. If you want to save Delilah's wolf, you have to connect with her and let her tell you what the issue is. That way, the mind link will be complete, and you can easily read her mind. All her thoughts and secrets will be bare to you."

"And mine? Won't she be able to read mine?" I retort.

"It's not guaranteed since her wolf is weak."

I shake my head and pour myself a drink.

"You cannot avoid this mating, Kane. Once you revive her wolf, the urge between us will be stronger than you can resist."

"Try me," I say to Alexander and drink the full bottle of whiskey. At least this will shut him up for some time. Horny wolf.

The wine takes full effect in minutes, and I doze off in my armchair. The next morning Doctor Rogers and Nora are tending to Delilah when I enter the room.

Delilah tenses on seeing me. Our stares linger before I turn my attention to Doctor Rogers.

"How is her treatment going?"

"We are giving her the second dose of cure blood. We should get all the silver out this evening. Also, we would be monitoring her to see if she still faints."

"Good," I tell Doctor Rogers. I trust him to do a fine job.

I turn my attention back to Delilah. She gives me that uncomfortable glare. Does she think I'm a pervert? Jeez! For crying out loud, I told her I would never want her. I try as much as I can to conceal my anger and turn to face Nora.

"Nora, search Delilah before she starts treatment. And make sure she changes those clothes."

"Yes, Sir," Nora replies and I leave. I have a mission to attend to. When I return I expect the silver gone and her wolf healed. From there we can proceed with our investigations.

On my way to the army house, I meet with my Beta, Ezekiel. Our boots crunch on the rocky grounds as we walk along. After working together for five years, Ezekiel has always proven his loyalty. He is slightly shorter than I am, has brown skin and low-cut hair.

"Exactly how many rogues have escaped?"

"Thirteen. I have men tracking them down already. Two have been found."

"Have you alerted the coast guard? Those rogues must not cross into the city. You know what will happen if they mix among humans."

We move to the operations room and straight to the tracking device. It picks up heat signatures from the borderline and the alarm starts to beep.

"One rogue has crossed the line. Get three hunters ready, and we'll move out in five minutes!" I hastily give the command.

"Yes, Sir!" Ezekiel replies and rushes away. He picks out three of our best hunters. We take one of the fast cars and zoom off to the coastline.

The coast guard already has its men searching the woods. Two of the hunters follow them and one follows me and Ezekiel. The rogue shouldn't have gotten far. We lose its signal on the tracking device but the hunter has already picked up a scent.

We move cautiously as we approach the road leading into the city. A toll gate blocks it midway and three human officers stand guard.

"Wait," I tell Ezekiel and the hunter, John. An open-back van approaches the toll gate.

"He's in there," John whispers to me and I nod.

We retreat and stay behind a bush to watch. One of the officers comes around to the back of the van and checks it.

"Whoa! There's a freaking wolf here!" The officer shouts.

Immediately, the rogue jumps out of the van.

"Code red?" Ezekiel asks as the rogue attacks the men.

I shake my head in reply. "Wait."

We quietly watch as the men shoot at the rogue. One has a machine gun with him. He brings it out and finishes off the rogue in a round of shots.

The brown wolf is now lying lifeless on the ground partially out of sight. We listen to the men's conversation about the incident. They think it's a normal wolf and want to file a complaint about the attack. They have no idea of werewolves. Good.

"Let's go," I say to Ezekiel and John.

We capture nine out of the ten remaining rogues. The coast guard continues searching for the last one, and we head back to base.

On reaching the alpha quarters, I freshen up and head straight to Delilah's room. Doctor Rogers and Nora are still here. More medical equipment has been put in place. Beeping sounds echo through the room from the monitor. Delilah lies still on the bed. At first glance, I can tell that she's weak.

"Why doesn't she look better?" I ask them.

"We got all the silver out of her system and she developed bradycardia. We have tried giving her medications and are watching her for any improvements." Doctor Rogers tells me.

Delilah has changed her dress and is now wearing a blue flowery gown.

"Nora, was she hiding anything in her previous clothes?"

Nora shakes her head. "No sir."

I leave them shortly after. At midnight, I check on Delilah again through the CCTV. She needs to heal fast so I can get this investigation on the way. My curiosity can't let me sleep. I'm personally invested in this case.

"A mate bond will make your work easier. You should be happy she is your mate. She is one hot girl..."

"Not now, Alexander." I shun my wolf.

"If you don't do this, you'd have to involve the oracle. And there's no way she won't tell the Ultima."

A sigh escapes my lips. Alexander is right. I need to figure a way out of this before it's too late. Delilah looks too frail already.

"If she falls into another 6 months coma, you won't be able to mind link with her," Alexander says.

I don't understand why he's trying to put me under pressure. Does he want her so bad?

The light in Delilah's room begins to flicker. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the electricity. Next thing Delilah starts shaking vigorously in the bed.

Immediately, I rush straight to her room in a flash. Everywhere has gone berserk. The monitor connected to her beats rapidly. The lighting gets dim for one second and becomes bright again the next second. The room suddenly gets heated. Delilah continues to shake vigorously on the bed. Part of the bedsheets starts to burn.

I touch her body, scared that she's burning up but she's ice cold. Doctor Rogers needs to be here.

"No! Kiss her," Alexander says. "Form that connection, quick!" He adds impatiently.

"But she's probably convulsing!" I argue.

"Damn it! Do you want her to enter a coma? This is the only chance you have. Kiss her, now!"

My breathing comes out heavy as I look down at Delilah still shaking in bed. I put my two hands on the sides of her head and lower my lips to meet hers.

She's shaking so I deepen the kiss to maintain it. Her lips are cold in my mouth, but I continue the kiss anyway.

Placing my hand on her cheek, I try to keep her steady. A minute passes and I continue to kiss her with the passion I have for the investigation on her.

Slowly, her body relaxes and the beeping of the monitor slows down. The heat in the room subsides but her body is still cold. I withdraw from her and she opens her eyes. Alexander was right.

Our faces are just inches apart and I expect her to freak out. Instead, she pulls me in and claims my lips in a kiss.

In a matter of seconds, our tongues are dancing to a sweet rhythm.

"Mate..." A wolf purrs. The voice is soft and feminine. It's definitely not Alexander's. That means it's coming from Delilah's wolf.

My eyes shoot open in realisation. I break the kiss and look into her eyes. She's still weak, like her wolf.

"Don't stop, please. I need you for strength," her wolf speaks again. Her voice is so tempting.

If making love to Delilah would build her wolf's strength, then I'm down for it. I close up the gap between us and kiss her deeply.