T W E N T Y - S E V E N

Fynn Lykos (Kassian's cousin) POV

One Year Ago

"Whatever you do, you will not embarrass me" My cousin and Alpha Heir growled into my ear, gripping the scruff of my ear tightly "This is a very important meeting, and if you fuck it up, I will murder you in your sleep."

I shot him my cheesiest grin "I don't think our Moms would appreciate your homicidal tendencies towards me at the moment."

"I swear to God" he growled at me, pinching the skin at my neck "I don't care if our Mom's are sisters. Ruin this for me and I will disown you the moment we get back home."

"Okay, okay" I held up both hands "Geez, when did you become such a buzzkill cousin? You're starting to sound a little bit like Heir Fenrir."

He growled again before releasing me until I had no choice but to stumbled into the hard edge of the bar top.

His Beta and Third shot me small sympathetic looks before voiding their face of any emotion and following behind their Alpha Heir.

Oh how I did not envy those three of their jobs, internally wincing at the responsibility and sacrifice they have to give up every single day of their lives.

My heart pangs at the stress and frustration I see lining my cousin's shoulders as he stalks towards the room in the back I knew this bar kept for these exact occasions, when important meetings needed to be held in discrete locations without the prying eyes of the Penta or their minions breathing down your neck.

I didn't mean to add even more stress onto Kassian's shoulders, knowing that he counted for me to be on my best behavior and use my skills to observe...people's thoughts.

Something that only I could do considering it was one of many gifts passed down from my father, the former Prince of the Vampyres.

A few lesser rank members from our Pack joined us tonight, but stood as far away from me as possible, worried or freaked out that I might snap like they always think I will and drain all their precious blood from their body.

Something I'd never do for a multitude of reasons, the first being that blood (unless it comes from an absolute pure source) is absolutely foul tasting, especially the blood from full blooded wolves. The second reason being that I really didn't need blood to survive, and even if I did, I would never feed from my fellow pack mates.

I'm not an idiot even though everyone one else tends to think of me as one.

If I were to attack a Pack Member or any member from any one of the other four Packs, my cousin would have no choice but put me down.

He couldn't banish me, for that would be too light of a sentence for those out for my blood.

They punish me for who my mother chose to fall in love with...

They goad me to get rid of me...trying to force my cousin's hand until he has no choice but to deal with the Vampyre-Wolf Hybrid.

The first and only one of his kind according to ancient texts and history.

And while many have attempted to create hybrids like me, none of them have been successful.

Mainly because my parents had something they didn't...the fact that they were true mates, destined for one another according to the Fates.

My attention focuses back on the matter at hand when a few unsavory remarks from my own pack members filter through my mind.

The big one being how my cousin could allow such a monstrosity to not only accompany him but to also be so high up in the ranks, high enough that I was considered one of my cousins personal guards but low enough to not have scrutiny or major responsibility fall back on me.

Another thought crosses my mind, making me cock my head at the person's words.

"She's going to die tonight" the person thought, her voice every bit sadistic and cruel, letting me know that it was a Vamp "Her blood smells too sweet to let go to waste."

I discreetly tilted up my nose in the air, looking for the source of the Vampyres current desire.

When the scent of apple and cinnamon hit me, my mouth watered instantly.

Which was weird considering I never, like I said before, I've never been one to crave blood before.

My eyes immediately zeroed on the blonde vamp sitting next to some other vamps, no doubt from her coven, as she gazed at someone a few feet away from her.

My gaze followed hers and my heart nearly stopped beating at what I saw.

More specifically...who I saw sitting there.

A raven haired beauty so gorgeous that she took my breath away.

The pale pink glasses she was wearing sat cutely on her button nose as she waited on the nearby tables, that sweet innocent look she had going on clashing with what se was currently wearing.

An outfit that had me narrowing my eyes at the attention she was getting from everyone in the bar, not just the vamps.

She was in a tight tank top that dipped low, kissing the top of her cleavage just enough that her pink lacy bra was peeking out.

Her tight short shorts hugged her curves so much that it looked like her ass was about to fall out, an ass so full that it had me biting down on my knuckle to keep from groaning.

But what really got my heart pumping was her face, so innocent looking , adorable, and out of place here that I just wanted to bundle her up in my jacket and run out of here, making sure none of these perverts or animals could hurt her.

The blonde vampyre's thoughts once again invaded my mind.

"Poor little mouse won't even know what'll hit her" she cooed to herself, obviously a newly made vampyre that wasn't old enough to know how to guard her mind.

And if she wasn't a newly made vampyre, and older than I originally thought, than she was an idiot being driven by her bloodlust.

My body was moving before I knew it, my ears ignoring the quiet hisses from my own Pack.

I smoothly slid right next to the blonde, signally the bartender for two drinks before turning towards her with my very best charming grin.

"Nice night, isn't it?" I cooed thanking the bartender with a twenty as he slid over my two drinks.

Funnily enough, alcohol and sugar were the only two things that didn't taste like absolute ash on Vampyres palate.

I passed one of the tumblers to the blonde who took it without a word of gratitude.

Rude much?

"Yeah," she muttered into the glass of expensive bourbon, nursing and savoring her drink almost sparingly "It's turning out to be a really good night."

She snorted at her little inside joke and I had to try my hardest to keep a scowl off of my face, instead trying to act confused instead.

I glanced at her friends and with a startling realization, I noticed that the entire group was filled with newly turned vampyres, their gaunt appearances and twitchy muscles giving them away as they each eyed a potential helpless victim they could feed on when it was time.

I looked back at the blonde and really took the time to observe her, noting that while she was young and newly turned, she wasn't as newly turned as the rest of the group was.

Which had me thinking that she was in charge of them tonight, teaching them the ways of whatever coven they come from, and how to hunt for their prey.

However put her in charge of this assignment must have been dumb, blind, and a complete moron.

This girl couldn't even sense her enemies from her allies, even if said enemies were sitting no less than two feet away from her.

I mean, my scent was a little hard to figure out considering I didn't smell neither like a vampyre or werewolf but even if she couldn't pick up on my scent, she should have easily picked up on the fact that was wolf was bubbling beneath the surface of my skin, itching to get out.

And there was no way someone like her, a fellow predator, would have missed his presence.

"Do you mind if I buy you another drink?" I slurred a little, trying to gain her attention onto what would be an easier target than my raven haired beauty "I swear you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen, and that's saying something considering I've seen a lot of pretty girls."

Her lips curled in disgust but she said nothing, most likely wanting to keep the drinks coming as she waited for my girl to get off work.

I signaled for two more drinks and then chatted her up for as long as I could.

Thoughts from my fellow pack members drifted into my mind, mostly annoyed at my flirty behavior towards a vampyre.

There was only one person's thoughts that had me glancing back over to where he stood, my mind taking a mental note to discuss his statement with Kassian later, was Roland.

The bigoted idiot thought I was conspiring with the vampires at this very moment, intending to turn on the one person I considered my brother.

And according to his thoughts, Roland would have no qualms about taking me out to protect his Alpha.

I also didn't miss his brief image of him taking my spot at my cousins side.

"I..." started to say but she quickly cut me off

"Look thanks for the drinks but I'm not interested" she dismissed me "You're not my type."

"But," I interjected half heartedly "I thought we had a connection."

"No" she pushed, basically throwing me into the Jukebox so hard that it sparked and stopped playing music "You were nothing more than someone to bide my time."

The raven haired beauty unhooked the dry cloth from her jean shorts before heading behind the bar and bending down to pick up a backpack.

She patted the bartender on the shoulder before heading towards the back double doors.

The blonde vamp smirked before throwing back her drink, signaling her coven that she was going on a hunt.

I waited a beat or two, my heart beating in anticipation, before leaning forward to ask, in the very best drunk voice I had where the bathroom was.

When he pointed in the direction of the double doors, I nearly smiled.

It's showtime.