All Is Fair

Helena's wrist trembled as she slipped on the sparkly bracelet. When she bought it that afternoon she thought it was the perfect touch to her outfit, but now she wasn't so confident. Her long brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail, showing off the open back of her short black halter dress. The skirt flared out at her waist and spun outwards when she moved to get a side view of herself in the motel's mirror.

Her petite frame was elongated with a pair of four inch heels, Helena hoped she didn't trip at any point tonight. With the smokey makeup Helena decided it was good enough. She let out a sigh and reached for the door handle, her hand was still trembling.

"You can change your mind," Helena said to her own reflection. "You don't have to do this."

Helena looked away from the mirror. She was in a crappy motel room and had already been here for a week. That meant moving on and finding another dingy place to stay at before they realized her credit cards were fakes and she couldn't afford this place. The dress she wore was the first new one she had bought in years, and the first one that wasn't from a resale shop. This was her final night and she made peace with that.

No more lonely nights. No more traveling around aimlessly. No more takeout food. Best of all no more constant worrying. She turned back towards her reflection.

"You can do this," Helena said. "This is what you want."

She smiled at her reflection. This time when she reached for the door knob her wrist stayed steady. She pushed open the door and headed out into the night, knowing fully well it may be her last.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Three Days Earlier

A knock at Brooks' door made him look up from his work. He wasn't particularly interested in going over the latest financial reports and welcomed the distraction.

"Come in," he said.

He rose from his desk as two people entered his office. The room was large. It was decorated in rich browns, like most of the lodge. The floor to ceiling windows let the summer sun shine across the office and Brooks had a hard time seeing who had entered until they got closer towards his desk.

"Alpha Benson," Andrew said.

Brooks recognized one of his Betas, he noticed the other person in the room was Andrew's mate, Rebecca. He was not used to interacting with these two on such a formal level.

"My father is Alpha Benson," Brooks said. "Please, have a seat."

He knew Andrew meant the title as a sign of respect, since Brooks was next in line for the title and more than prepared. At 6'4" he was an inch taller than his father. His broad shoulders and lean muscular build didn't make him as intimidating in his human form. It didn't help that he had high cheek bones, piercing blue eyes, and jet black hair. But he was more than skilled at defending himself and his people. Attackers often underestimated him and that was a trait that came in handy on more than one occasion.

Both of the other wolves sat down. Brooks waited for them to begin. He noticed Rebecca kept her head down. Andrew reached over and squeezed her shoulder gently. Brooks felt a pang of longing at the sight. When Andrew first met Rebecca, Brooks thought she might have been his mate. Something about her smelled divine, but time showed she was meant for Andrew and Brooks was mistaken. That was five years ago and Brooks was still no closer to meeting his match.

"What can I help you with?" Brooks asked.

"I need a favor," Rebecca said. She still didn't lift her head.

"We are all friends," Brooks said. "There is no need to act so formally."

"Alpha, I am afraid you are going to judge me harshly for what I am about to tell you," Rebecca said.

"Calm down," Brooks said. "We are more than friends, we are family. You can be as open as you like here."

Something about this meeting made Brooks shift with discomfort. He had little interaction with Rebecca over the years, but him and Andrew worked together a lot. He was never this stiff.

"Family," Rebecca said. "That is what I want to talk with you about."

She looked up and Brooks saw the tears in her eyes. He nodded his head for her to continue.

"When I met Andrew I was only eighteen," Rebecca said. "I was selfish and reckless and lonely."

"You are making excuses before you are telling me what you did," Brooks said. "Start with the issue first, then explain your justifications."

Rebecca took a gulp and started over.

"When I met Andrew I had just run away from a foster home," Rebecca said. "That part is true, but I wasn't completely alone."

She paused.

"Go on," Brooks said.

"I had...have a sister," Rebecca said. "And I abandoned her. Andrew and I are at the stage where we want to start our own family, but I can't in good conscious until I atone for leaving her. I must find her."

Brooks leaned back in his chair. Rebecca was the first human turned wolf in the Benson pack in over one hundred years. The one previous to her was Brooks own mother. The pack never wanted to stir any issues within the human world and Rebecca pledged that she had no family.

"It would have been easier for us to find her five years ago," Brooks said. "We could have helped her set up a new life. You could have stayed a part of it."

"I know that now," Rebecca said. "But at the time...My parents...Our parents died when I was only thirteen. I spent five years taking care of her. I wanted something that was my own. I was selfish, stupid. I figured she would make her way back to the foster home once I didn't come back to the motel..."

"Wait," Brooks said. "You ran away from the foster home with her? I assumed you just left her there."

Rebecca looked back down again, before glancing up slowly in Brooks' eyes.

"Can you help me find her?" Rebecca asked.

Brooks felt an unnatural amount of disgust towards Rebecca. What sort of person would abandon family like that?

"Please," Andrew said. "We have been looking for six weeks and there is no trace of her. I can help."

"How old is she now?" Brooks asked.

"She will be twenty one in three days," Rebecca asked. "I still remember her birthday."

"I am sure she will be thrilled to hear that," Brooks said. "Complete forget about you leaving her to fend for herself."

Tears welled in Rebecca's eyes again. Brooks thought maybe he was too harsh. He glanced at the pile of documents on his desk. He told himself searching for this girl would be more interesting than going through the financials.

"Tell me everything you know about her," Brooks said. "Start for the beginning."

"We had a...strange upbringing," Rebecca said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Helena didn't bother taking her car. She walked along the side of the road into town. It didn't take long until she reached the end of the no-name bar's parking lot. She spun herself around and watched the sunset behind the trees. She expected the night to come instantly, but instead it was like different shades of blue set out with subtlety.

Being outside after dark was expressly forbidden. That was one of the insane rules Helena remembered from growing up with her parents. If they had followed their own advice then maybe they would still be alive. The thought made her shiver. It felt unnatural for the world to seem so quiet, but Helena didn't care. She didn't care if she lived through the night either. She was done hiding. Spinning on her heels Helena walked into the rickety building.

Once she pushed open the door, she realized she may have over done it. Everyone was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, or some casual get-up. All eyes were on her. There were more people in here than she expected too and she was smacked in the face with the scent of fish.

Helena took an open seat at the bar and sat down. The bartender came right over to her.

"I'm going to need to see your ID," he said.

Helena reached into her purse and pulled out the one she chose for the evening.

"Jane Smith," he said. He glanced back

over at her. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," she said.

"What would you like?"

Helena didn't think that far ahead. She had never been in a bar before and had no idea what to order.

"Get her a vodka soda water with a lime," a cool voice said.

Helena felt the hairs on the inside of her ears rise. She turned to see a gorgeous man take a seat next to her. He had on jeans and a white t-shirt, but wore a blazer as well. His blond hair was slicked back and his blue eyes were gazing her up and down. He looked slightly older than her, but Helena didn't think he was over thirty.

"Not much of a drinker?" He asked.

"Today is my twenty first birthday," she said.

"I know," he said.

"How would you know that?"

"You dressed up in a town like this, must be a special night," he said. "You're all alone and the bartender said happy birthday. If it was your twenty second you would have known what to order."

The bartender came back with the drinks. Helena's new friend paid.

"Thank you...," she said.

"Thank you Victor," he said.

"Thank you Victor," Helena replied. "Are

you from around here?"

"Where's here?"

Helena wasn't sure. She moved from town to town, and stayed off the grid. She had to think for a second about what state she was even in at the moment.

"No," Victor said. "I'm not."

He starred straight at her. She watched his icy blue eyes look back into hers. His stare was so intense. Helena knew a handsome stranger talking to her for no reason was good to be true. She recognized right away what he was up to.

"That doesn't work on me," Helena said.

"What doesn't?" Victor asked.

"The trance thing you can do," Helena said.

"What do you think I am trying to do?"

Victor asked. He gave a nervous laugh.

"I know what you are," Helena said. "And I don't care. I thought I would have had a little more time before you came for me, but tonight is as good as any. Can we stay in the bar for another hour or so? Then I will go willingly."

A smile slowly spread over Victor's face.

"I've waited three years for you to come out after dark," he said. "I think I can wait another hour."

Helena nodded her head and turned to look at the rest of the patrons. A girl swatted a boy's hand away. They continued to flirt. It seemed like such a simple life, a life Helena would never know.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The pack pulled up into the dungy motel's parking lot. There were a few cars, but all of them had seen better days. The three black SUVs stood out. It had taken Brooks longer than he thought to track down Rebecca's sister, but he was pretty sure he was right this time.

Unfortunately, the girl had been on the opposite side of the country and Brooks had to fly in to find her. That meant taking ten of his betas with him. He was happy his father approved of this mission or else it would have been called off before they landed at the airport.

Brooks pulled out the picture he was carrying of the girl. It was the most recent one he could find and was taken when she was only fourteen. He doubted she resembled the awkward teen in the picture.

"Scan the parking lot," Brooks told his team. "Look to see if anyone leaves their room."

He straightened his suit coat and went into the manager's office. A slimy looking man was leaned over the counter reading a magazine. He ignored Brooks, so he rang the bell. The worker looked up, unamused.

"Have you seen this girl?" Brooks held up the photograph.

"No," the man said before looking back down.

Brooks was bored with this. He reached in his pocket and threw a one hundred dollar bill on the counter. This caught the man's attention. He stood up and took the photo from Brooks.

"Nobody that age here," he said.

"She will be twenty now," Brooks said.

"It might be the girl who is staying in unit 11," he said.

"Can I have the key to unit 11?" Brooks asked.

"That will cost you," he said.

Brooks pulled out another hundred. The man was quick to get the key. Brooks went back outside. Andrew was waiting.

"This place is a dump," Brooks said. "But she might be here."

"How did you find her?" Andrew asked.

"She was finger printed when she was young," Brooks said. "But the same fingerprints are in different systems under different names. All in different states so they were never connected, I followed the trail."

"What was she fingerprinted for?"

"Mainly petty crimes," Brooks said. "It appears she is skilled with credit card fraud, which made it easier for me to trace her here."

Brooks stopped outside room 11. He knocked twice. There was no answer.

"I hoped she was here," Brooks said. "Then the faster we can get out of this hole."

He put the key in the door and pushed it open. As the air rushed out of the room and into his face he almost fell backwards. Andrew had to hold him up. Brooks felt like all of his senses were working overtime. He took a step inside.

For the first time since he was a child Brooks felt his wolf fighting to come to the surface. He was more in control of Brooks' body than he was. Her scent was overwhelming. It was everywhere. His mate.

"Where is she?" Brooks asked.

Not here. Brooks' wolf wanted to howl in agony. Brooks needed to stay in control. He turned and left the room.

"Get everything that is hers in one of the cars," Brooks said. "We're taking her with us."

Brooks was sure his eyes lost their blue color and were burning with his wolf's fiery orange hue. He went straight back into the office.

"The girl in room 11," Brooks said. "Where is she?"

"That is going to cost..."

Brooks did not have time for this. Not when he was so close to his mate. He reached out and grabbed the worker by the neck, before pulling him over the counter. Brooks threw him on the floor and put his shoe on top of the man's neck.

"She went to the bar," he said. "A mile west of here. You can't miss it."

Brooks lifted his foot and headed out. She was at a bar, where other men might be around. Anger and rage filled his veins. She was his. If any other man put his hands on her Brooks would rip them in two without a second thought. He jumped in the first SUV and didn't wait for anyone to climb inside before taking off down the main stretch.

Glancing in his rearview mirror he saw the other two SUVs were right behind him. The closer they got to the bar the harder it was for Brooks to keep his wolf down. He felt like his heart was going to beat through his chest if he didn't get the chance to hold her. He pulled into the parking lot and jumped out of his car. He didn't wait a second before opening the door and walking inside. Her scent still lingered in the air, but he knew immediately she wasn't there.

"What is with the fancy parade tonight?" the bartender asked.

"A girl was just here," Brooks said.

"Real looker?"

Brooks had to control the urge to claw the man's face off. He formed a fist.

"She just walked out back with that other guy," he said.

Brooks didn't wait another second before tearing through the bar. Determined to find his mate.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I think it has been an hour," Victor said. "Are you ready?"

"No," Helena said.

She finished her drink and stood up from the chair. She looked over at Victor. He gave her a confused look. She could sense a hint of wonder and amazement behind his eyes.

"Do you have any questions for me?" He asked.

"I learned a long time ago not to ask questions I won't like the answer too," she said.

"You are incredibly brave," Victor said.

"Or stupid," Helena finished.

Victor stood up from the chair. He held his arms out and signaled for her to walk towards the back of the bar. Helena shivered when she felt him touch the small of her back. She knew she was walking into death, but it was better than living the same of a life she had been.

They made it outside. The warm summer air felt nice on her skin. Part of her wanted to run, but even if Victor didn't have super human strength he would catch her in a second in these heels.

"Where are you..."

Before Helena could finish her thought Victor was right behind her, pressing her back against his chest. She felt his lips touch her neck and then a sharp prick. The pain was fleeting and soon it was gone. Helena wasn't sure if it was from the three drinks she had or what the vampire behind her was doing, but she felt her whole world start to slip away into a sort of euphoria. She was happy that at least death would feel good to some degree.

Helena let her eyes drift shut, but all of a sudden Victor was pulled off of her. She had been putting too much weight on him and her body fell backwards and hit the ground with a thud. She looked up to see a blur moving back and forth.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked.

Helena looked to her right. Another man was crouched down beside her. He had a shaved head. She watched as a lot more came running over, all in black suits.

"You're outnumbered," another voice said.

"She is already mine," Victor replied.

There was a strong gust of wind. Helena felt a shiver go through her body. The man next to her reached for her arm to help her up.

"IF YOU TOUCH HER AGAIN I WILL RIP YOUR THROAT OUT RIGHT HERE," A new voice said.

Helena's helper backed away. Helena felt arms wrap around her and lift her into the air. She turned to see a pair of red eyes outlined with gold staring back at her. She wasn't sure if it was from fear, the booze, or blood loss, but Helena's eyes rolled up into the head and she passed out in the stranger's arms.