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© All characters and storylines surrounding these characters belong to me; Eben Black..

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I was standing on the surface of the expanse of ocean again. I could feel my feel sink a little through the surface. I gazed up and found storm clouds splintered the skies while the sea underneath me shuddered with some unseen force. What had happened here? I looked around and expected to see the beast inside me lurking somewhere, but she was nowhere to be seen. I took a step through the shallow waters, the sea stretched down beneath me and I wondered if the wolf was somewhere beneath me. I crouched and sank a hand through the trembling surface. The world around me disappeared in a rush of noise and a moment later I was sat upright in bed, breathing deep and looking around in a wild panic. Aleksander was sat beside me, he looked concerned as he watched me stare around the bedroom. Aleksander leaned forward and licked along my neck slowly. I shuddered and looked down at him from inches away. His green-grass eyes looked so worried and anxious now. That confident King had disappeared, and now here sat a concerned companion. The male who wanted to bed me so bad had disappeared and in his place sat a nervous cheetah looking cautious around me.

"What happened?" I asked as I eased back onto the mound of pillows behind me.

"You don't remember?" Alek replied with a curious look.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember what happened. I admitted, "I saw Kane and Snow take on that thing, and then I saw you and Donovan throw it out the window. The beast inside me faltered too."

He looked at me with a curious expression.

"What's wrong?"

"When you passed out it was like your body was breathing out a cold breeze. I carried you here and the entire time you were freezing to the touch. Donovan told me to get you in bed and warm you up."

"Bet you loved that assignment?" I replied as I sat back up and let the bed sheets spill in my lap as I sat beside the cheetah.

"Sounded like an ideal job, but you've been freezing to the touch for almost an hour. You only warmed up when you woke up. Trust me, its not been pleasant."

I watched him raised his knees and prop his elbows on them while he stared across the bedroom. "Sorry about that," I replied.

He grinned over at me and said, "You have nothing to apologise for. It wasn't your fault."

"So where are the others then?" I asked.

"Well, your onboard physician turned up and has looked over Snow and Kane. Those two are in their bedrooms. Eddie's up and about and working with Donovan and Bishop to fetch that monster from down on the street. From what I gathered the wolf has returned to a normal werewolf form, like yours and Donovans. Apparently Donovan knows him." Aleksander smiled sadly and said, "Donovan seemed upset about it. I get the feeling he thinks he's failed his pack again."

"Who was the wolf?" I asked.

"A kid named Noah."

I stopped dead. Noah? That human who'd not transformed in three months?

Aleksander snapped his fingers in front of me and brought my attention back.

"What?"

"You said that your beast faltered? What did you mean?" he asked.

"I had a dream before I woke up, I was speaking with the beast inside me, everything seemed fine. Then when I tried to transform during the fight, the beast stopped dead and pulled back."

"That explains why you looked so exhausted when we turned up?" Aleksander said with a gentle smile as he bumped his shoulder gently against mine. "Have you spoken since?"

"To the beast?"

He nodded.

I shook mine and said, "I returned to that dream world earlier. I couldn't find her. Its strange. She might never speak to me at times, but whenever I've dreamed of that place she's always there."

He considered me for a moment and then said, "You've made me feel less special now."

"Less special?"

"I thought I was the only one who could speak to my beast during a dream. In all honesty, I thought it was my imagination. He's never said anything coherent."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He's a beast, an animal. It makes sense that he speaks in growls and random noises."

"I suppose so, but why does mine seem so intelligent?" I asked.

"No idea. Beasts vary like people's personalities. Have you asked whether or not Donovan or Kane or Snow communicate with their beasts?"

"Nope, its never really crossed my mind before. Its just usually I can feel her there, like some faded shadow, watching all the time, but now, now there's nothing."

"Are you worried?" he asked as he looked at me with those bright green eyes.

I considered the question and then nodded. "I am."

"I see. Donovan has a theory behind your beast's disappearance. He thinks that it had some reaction toward the werewolf attack, and has locked itself away."

"Sounds about right, but my wolf has never been frightened of anything before."

"Donovan believes its sealed itself and needs some coaxing out of hiding."

"Coaxing? And how does Donovan propose I do that?" I asked.

He smiled, almost ashamed as a blush crept up his face. He looked at me, those heavy-lidded eyes lost for a moment and he whispered, "A binding might awaken your beast."

I could feel a blush creeping up my face now. I replied, "And you volunteered for the binding?"

He shook his head and replied, "No. I never volunteered, but I am one of the closest alphas to you at the moment who isn't bound to you."

"Sounds like things played right into your favour?"

"Trust me, I didn't want this to happen like this. I wanted you to want me."

I blinked. Aleksander had been so adament about bedding me before, there was no love around him, or even a shred of compassion. Just the need for more strength for his animal group. But now it seemed he wanted more than that? I frowned and asked, "Is this another dream? One minute your adamant about being some adonis lover who'd bind yourself to me for the power boost, and now your confessing some attraction to me in an emotional sense? Your confusing me, big time, Aleksander."

"I don't mean to. Its just I've watched you all for the last few hours, and there's real love there. I thought it was some lie to cover up your own needs and desires. But there's real emotion there."

"And that in turn woke up your emotional side?" I replied looking a bit confused.

"You do still intrigue me, but watching you try and pull back Snow during that brawl. Seeing Donovan with you when I'm around too. You all love one another."

"And you didn't believe me?"

"I've seen and heard stories of Lupines binding for punishment and revenge. Your one of the first I've met who binds out of love and compassion." He rested his head on my shoulder and gazed up at me.

"Your such a wierd person, Aleksander."

"You have no idea." He leaned closer and closer, his eyes burned with a gentle heat, a gentle passion. It was like his eyes with lit up like some neon light.

"So what does this binding mean for you now, Alek?" I breathed.

"It would mean the start of something, something similar to what you share with Snow, and Donovan, and Kane."

"It would also mean more power for you, more strength and standing among the other wereanimal leaders."

"True, but in all honesty that's not what I want right now. I want you, Eben. I want you to be mine, I want you to know that I'm slowly," he inched closer, "falling for," he breathed over my lips, "you." He closed the gap and our lips touched, a gentle brush of warm flesh in the quiet hush of that bedroom. Part of me screamed that Aleksander wanted power. He wanted dominance. He wanted to be the alpha of his people. But there was a gentle compassion there that he'd never shown anyone else. He was warm and beautiful to look at. The beast had wanted him for his power, and now we were in agreement. Aleksander was now perfect material for the binding. I liked Aleksander, not at first, but I'd come around to liking him. I could feel the warmth of his body against mine as he deepend the kiss.

Was this really going to happen? I could feel that deep, metaphorical flame flicker, like some miniscule orb of light in the distant darkness. Donovan had been right. I needed to bind someone new. Aleksander would do.