Atlas POV
Falling asleep was far from easy the pain I had caused myself made it a struggle. However, I couldn't afford to be in a state of unawareness, especially considering Mia's situation. It was insane, but the moment she left the room, an overwhelming emptiness consumed me. It felt as though a part of me desperately yearned for her, calling out to be in my arms. I longed to hold her forever. Was this the Lycan nature within me?
Eventually, after some time, sleep overtook me, but it only led me back to the recurring dream. However, something felt off this time. In the dream, Mia, in her white wolf form, seemed distressed as she ran. But unlike before, she suddenly collapsed and vanished. "MIA!" I shouted loudly within the dream, feeling a tight pain in my chest, reminiscent of the pain last night.

Then, a new voice, low yet powerful, surrounded me within the dream. "Mate, Mate is in trouble, Atlas. You must wake. We must save her before it's too late," the voice echoed.
"Who are you?" I asked. Panic consumed me as I frantically tried to wake myself.
"Mate, you mean Mia?" I asked again.
"I am Brutus, your Lycan. I have been trying for years to break the spell keeping me away from you. But now, our mate Mia has started the process. Inara and Mia are in danger. You must wake and find them before it's too late. I sense the danger she's in. The pain you feel is not my shifting it's Mia's," his voice boomed in my mind.
Suddenly, I jolted awake, gasping for breath, and yelled "MIA" once again, at the top of my lungs. Bryn rushed into the room, followed by Flint, catching me off guard. "Atlas, calm down. Mia will be back soon. She had to help Flit," Bryn explained.
"Then why the hell is Flint here, and Mia isn't?" I snapped. Anger surged within me, an unfamiliar sensation. Flint lowered his head and replied, "She commanded me to return. Mia is my Alpha now. My wolf can't disobey her command." I could tell he was being honest.

"Release me! She needs my help," I demanded.
"Atlas, you are in no shape," Bryn tried to reason with me, her voice filled with concern. I watched as Flint's eyes seemed to momentarily fog over, his brows furrowing in realization.
"Fuck, Mia," he snapped, his voice tense with worry, "Atlas is right, she is in trouble." Bryn reluctantly gave in, her hands swiftly undoing the bindings that held me captive. As soon as I was free, I sprang to my feet.
"Take me to her, now," I demanded, my voice laced with panic. Flint nodded in response. Bryn gently placed her hand on my arm, her touch both comforting and cautionary.

"Atlas, you seem different," she said softly, her concern evident in her voice, "please be safe, as you cannot shift." I nodded my head in understanding, acknowledging her warning. Without wasting another moment, I set off with Flint, his body transforming into a grey wolf. He raced ahead at a speed that I could match, but it was still astonishingly fast. It seemed that my own speed had somehow increased, a thrilling sensation that added to the urgency of our mission.
We swiftly covered several miles and then suddenly, Flint halted and sniffed the surroundings. As I scanned the area, a burning sensation coursed through my body.
The sound of atleast two individuals reached my ears. Flint briefly shifted back to his human form, his voice softening as he spoke. "Vampires. I didn't detect their scent before. They must have been masking themselves. This is no ordinary fight for a human. But I don't think you are one, are you?" he questioned.
"I can fight them." I replied confidently.
He nodded in agreement. "My link with Mia is currently one-sided. She's most likely unconscious or drugged," he warned. A growl escaped me, a sound I had never made before. "Shifter, I see. We'll retrieve her," he assured me. Resuming his wolf form, Flint led me to a colossal tree surrounded by rocks. We both surveyed the area, and there, beneath a net, lay Mia on the ground.
The voice echoed in my head once again. "Destroy whoever dares to touch our mate." A desire for vengeance surged within me.
"Let's finish her now or at least have some fun with her." One of the vampires spoke.
"No, the orders were clear. The damn wolf wants to kill her himself." The other one reaponded.
The first vampire countered, "Well, she killed one of our own, so the deal changes." He approached Mia on the ground.
"I wouldn't touch her. Remember what happened to Erik. She fried him." The vampire with him warned.
The other vampire reluctantly stood up. At that moment, Flint revealed himself, snarling and pouncing on one of the vampires.
"We can't shift, but now you have my strength. You must free our mate that net is killing her," the voice commanded in my head. I rushed forward, engaging with the other vampire. An evil smirk played on his face as he looked at me, but I swiftly dodged his attack, relying on Mia's training. I spun around, seizing him by surprise.
"What the hell?" he snapped, startled by my strength. Equally surprised, I landed a powerful punch and then twisted his neck. Flint had already dispatched the vampire he targeted and approached as I pressed the now lifeless vampire to the ground. With his teeth, Flint tore the vampire's head from its body.
Flint shifted to his human form and we both sprinted over to Mia. As Flint reached out to touch the silver net ensnaring her, a sudden jolt caused him to recoil. "It's spelled silver," he growled, his voice filled with frustration. I extended my hand to help, but the moment my skin came into contact with the net, a searing sensation shot through me. It was a feeling I wasn't accustomed to, but I managed to yank the net off Mia. Her hands, tightly cuffed behind her back, were impossible to unlock.
Flint searched frantically for a key, but to no avail. "Bryn will have to break them with a spell," he warned, his voice tinged with concern. "But for now, we need to get her back. She'll need Bryn's help to heal from the damage the silver has already caused." Carefully, I lifted Mia into my arms, shielding her vulnerable, unclothed body against mine. Her breathing was faint, intensifying my worry, and deep gashes marred her skin, refusing to heal.
Flint shifted back into his wolf form, keeping a vigilant eye out for any further danger. As we hurriedly made our way out, I whispered softly against Mia, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'll have to get used to you rushing into danger like this, won't I? But promise me, from now on, don't do it without me." My voice cracked with emotion as I continued, "What would have happened if we were even a moment later? I could have lost you." I sighed inwardly, wishing Mia wasn't so reckless.
"The cuffs need to come off, mate. They're spelled too. I can sense her wolf struggling to heal her," my lycan's voice echoed in my mind, urging me to hasten my pace. "I know she went out to save Flint, but I wish she wasn't so impulsive." I silently expressed my frustration, not expecting a response. "It's our mate's nature, as well as ours. We have a duty to protect those loyal to us, as they depend on us. I'm not angry at her actions, just at those who harmed her. Our mate possesses incredible strength, just like us, and I can sense her power," my lycan reassured me. "I need to be able to protect her," I responded, my determination firm. "We will always protect our mate, and once I break the rest of this spell, we'll make anyone who dares harm or destroy her pay," my lycan growled fiercely in my mind. As Mia stirred slightly in my arms, I felt her warmth radiate against me. "Atlas," she mumbled softly, before falling silent once more.
Once in the house, Bryn immediately rushed over as I carefully placed Mia on the couch. "I was worried about her going out," Bryn sighed, her voice filled with concern. She began chanting a spell, her words hanging in the air as she released the cold metal cuffs from Mia's wrists. As soon as they fell away, I pulled Mia into my arms once again, the pain in my chest vanishing instantly.
"You got to her just in time," Bryn said. "She will wake soon as long as you remain with her. Atlas, your lycan, has he moved forward correct?" I could hear the concern in her voice as I turned to face her.
From behind me, Flint's voice cut through the air. "Lycan," he muttered, causing Bryn to let out a frustrated sigh. She looked up at Flint, her eyes filled with annoyance. "Of course, you have to come down now," she muttered.
"Atlas is a Lycan," Flint growled. "He is not your enemy, Flint. Do not act rashly. He is Mia's mate," Bryn warned him sternly.
"Fine, he did help save her," Flint growled again, dropping clothing next to me. "Dress her," he commanded, and then walked back up the stairs.
"Don't mind him, he is very loyal to Mia, but a lot of his kind were used and killed by lycans," Bryn explained.
"I understand. I witnessed his loyalty to Mia. I misjudged him at first and am grateful to him for helping save her," I replied.
"Now, about your Lycan," Bryn said, diverting the conversation. As I carefully held Mia in my arms, I slowly moved to the couch so I could dress her.
"He spoke to me," I admitted, causing Bryn to smile.
"I see you have also healed. That is a good sign, Atlas. That means the spell is breaking. It is very apparent Mia will need your assistance in the fight to come," Bryn said, her voice filled with hope. I placed my hand on my chest, feeling no pain.
"If we remove the bandages, you will only see traces of the injury you caused," Bryn explained. I glanced at Mia once again, slowly sliding the shirt on her. Her injuries from earlier were now just red marks as well.
"She was not healing right away," I muttered.
"It was the silver. But removing the cuffs, as well as being in contact with you, healed her," Bryn said, her voice filled with reassurance. Mia stirred slightly in her sleep but remained peacefully unaware.
"I wish more than anything to see your beautiful purple eyes," I whispered against her, my voice barely audible over the sound of Flint coming down the stairs again. He placed a small memory card down on the table in front of Bryn. "Your spell worked. I was able to travel with it while shifting. Here are all the research documents I could find on their plans regarding Mia," he said.
"Thank you, Flint," Bryn replied, her voice filled with gratitude. "I'll take a look at these while Mia rests. The two of you, please get along. I won't accept fighting in my house," she added, her footsteps fading as she walked away. I noticed Flint's watchful gaze on her retreating figure, his eyes scanning every move she made.
"So, you two, are you a couple?" I asked Flint, curiosity bubbling within me. He chuckled softly, a sound that echoed through the room. "No, I wish, but no," he responded, a hint of longing in his voice. I decided not to push the matter any further, sensing his unspoken emotions.
"You did well fighting. I assume you had no idea you were Lycan," he inquired, his tone filled with genuine interest. "I just learned," I replied, my voice tinged with surprise. "I apologize for my anger earlier. Mia means a lot to me. She was not just my pack she was like a little sister," he explained, his words carrying a mix of regret and protectiveness.
"I understand. I'm happy she is forming a small army of those who will stand by and protect her," I responded. As she started to move against me.
"Mia, she does not ask for help often," Flint explained. "She takes on a lot of things she should not on her own. She is also a good actor, but I'm sure as her mate, you already see through some of that." He explained. I nodded, understanding the weight she carried.
"She won't tell you when she is hurt or in pain often, as she does not like being a burden." He continued, I could sense the heaviness in his words. "She is always the one to run out first when someone else is in danger or to protect her pack," Flint added, his voice filled with admiration. "Don't be afraid to snap back at her about it. She needs to be reminded she is not alone."
"I thought I would never say I was glad to be around a Lycan," Flint admitted, his voice tinged with surprise. "But if anyone can keep Mia safe, it's you." I felt a sense of responsibility settling over me. "I'll stand by the two of you," he declared. "She was raised to defend herself well. She took down the wolves attacking me with no issue, and would have done the same with the vampires, but it seems they caught her off guard."
Flint's words resonated with me. "You realized she was in trouble fast and acted on it," he acknowledged. "She is going to need that to survive. Mia is a wolf many want for many different reasons." He explained.
"I hate how that sounds, as if she is some object," I responded. "I want to find a way to make it so she is never hunted or seen that way." I proclaimed. Flint smiled at my words, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Suddenly, Mia stirred, her eyelids fluttering. "Atlas," she muttered, her voice weak. I moved closer to her, gently brushing my hand against her cheek. "You are safe now," I whispered, my voice soothing. "Get the rest you need." As I lifted her in my arms again, she drifted back to sleep against me, her breathing steady now. I made a silent vow to keep her safe, no matter the cost.