Summary: Her brother is a werewolf. Her best friend is a witch. And she is simply a human. Life is normal for Elizabeth Waterford, well mostly normal, in a world filled with werewolves, vampires, and witches. She enjoys her life until rogue werewolves interrupt her peaceful existence and bring the Enforcer to her doorstep. With her brother's life in danger, Elizabeth must find her inner strength and work with the terrifying Enforcer to save him. And she starts to think maybe she isn't as human as she believes…

Author's Note: This will be a supernatural story. It will have some level of violence, gore, and sexual situations. I hope you will enjoy it and give it a chance...Bear with me as I have no Beta :) I love to hear from my readers, so leave a review if you can. Enjoy!

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."

Albert Schweitzer

Chapter One – First Encounters

In the dark woods of Moscow, Russia, the cold and violent wind from the north lifted the white, flawless snow from the ground and into the air. Swirling around a hooded figure kneeling on the ground, the snow continued on its unknown journey weightless and free. The kneeling man knew a blizzard was coming soon, but knew he would not get to see the storm's arrival. The cold wetness of the snow melted against his knees and seeped through his clothing, an irritant to him, but he kept his complaints silent. Instead, he focused on the ground, momentarily lost in memories and decisions of his long past. To any passerby, it would have been an odd sight to see the sun shining so brightly in the blue, crisp sky and then down to the resigned man brought down to his knees by unfortunate and tragic circumstances. Yet, the nameless man knew his punishment was deserved. He knew the price he would pay by saving his brother.

Behind the man wrapped in dark, black hooded cloaks, four tall similarly dressed men stood, proud with long, gleaming swords strapped to their hips, each of their hands grasping the hilts. No one could see any of the men's faces, hidden by the hoods of their long cloaks. One of the men stepped forward from behind the kneeling man and spoke with a determined, authoritative voice. Yet, the kneeling man was not fooled by the man's bravada. His friend's voice may have sounded apathetic to any outsider, but he could hear the slight tremble of affection and sorrow in the words. The kneeling man closed his eyes, ignoring the standard speech that accompanies all impending executions. Losing himself in a long sea of memories, he eventually left his brief reverie to focus on the last of his friend's words.

"...Therefore, in accordance to our laws, your sentence is death by sword. Do you have any last words or requests, mi frater?" My brother...The kneeling man smiled gently at the term before shaking his head in the negative. He heard the sword being unsheathed behind him followed by three more, and as his impending death loomed over him, the man did not fear it. He almost welcomed it before a howl pierced the sky, interrupting his execution.

Wolves were native to these woods, but this was no ordinary wolf. Looking north of their location, all five men stared listlessly at the large black wolf sitting on the top of an embankment. The only sound now was the howling wind that swirled around them in no particular pattern. This animal was definitely not a Russian wolf; it was a werewolf. At five and half feet sitting on its haunches, the wolf's massive head peered down at the men before settling on the kneeling one. Tilting its head to the side, the wolf's intelligent and piercing green eyes sparkled before the animal violently shuddered and transformed before their eyes. Black hair receded into his body as bones broke with sickening cracks and reattached into a human skeleton; smooth skin stretched out on his limbs until the men could see the skin of a man. His wolfish head contorted to the point where the muzzle of a wolf disappeared and a handsome face appeared.. After only a few seconds, a tall, dirty, and naked man stood before them.

The kneeling man then stood up and removed his cloak while his comrades started to stand in a fighting stance out of habit from years of fighting werewolves. Peering back at them, the nameless man spoke, his voice commanding in his distinctive placating, yet assertive way, "Peace...Be still, mi fraters. Let us hear what this young man has to say."

His partners relented only slightly as the once kneeling man handed his cloak to the young green eyed werewolf. The men shared a knowing look as the werewolf put the cloak on before the newly dressed man addressed the group, "My name is Luca Clark Blackstone, and I am the son of Joaquin Blackstone, alpha to the Blackstone Pack. I have come here to ask you to spare this man's life. His only crime was sparing his brother's life. I understand the laws of your people because pack law states a similar type of punishment for this type of crime. However, I fear this man may be the only one who can bring peace to this world…This ongoing war between vampires, werewolves, and witches has caused the spill of blood from thousands of casualties...mostly innocent ones. If this man's only crime was to spare one life when he shouldn't have, and yet he can atone by saving the lives of thousands, how can you stand by and watch him die?"

The nameless man cocked his head at the young man he considered a friend before speaking, "Luca, I am thankful for such a loyal friend. You have been standing by my side at the peril of your life and title as future alpha. While I had hoped for a different fate than this, I must and will accept punishment of my crime…I knew the risks...knew the punishment for what I did, but I spared the life of my beloved brother when he should have been killed per the law because I loved him." Suddenly, the man was interrupted by the youngest and shortest man of the group behind him.

"Wait, sir, I want to hear more from this Luca Blackstone." Removing his hood and sheathing his sword, the tanned round, youthful face of Jeremiah emerged. His flawless face only marred by little laugh lines at the corners of his blue eyes making him look only slightly older than a young boy. He was the one whose laughter and smile lifted the spirits of the group; the one whose innocence still remained intact despite the routine savagery they regularly encountered. Luca looked down at Jeremiah with a grateful smile as Jeremiah continued, "Young wolf, how do you think our leader is able to end the war?"

All eyes fixed themselves on the werewolf who looked at the man who was his best friend and confidant. He couldn't let him die for a mistake that he made. He lowered his eyes and faced the four before responding, "My father and I along with the older generation of witches and vampires seek to create a Supernatural Council to oversee boundaries and peacekeeping. We are tired of the unnecessary bloodshed. We need your leader's guidance and strong hand to maintain order by eliminating any and all resistance to this Council's creation. As enforcers, no one will go against you and live...This has been evident at the beginning of the war...Let's use your momentum and strength for peace and end this war once and for all."

***Present Day Portland, Maine***

Dressed in a long black wool coat, dark jeans, and black boots, Luca Blackstone stood on the porch of his sister's house waiting for her to open the door and let him inside. He smiled as his supernatural hearing picked up on her accidentally tripping over her dog while rushing to get dressed. After his father Joaquin died a few months ago, Luca's world changed drastically as he assumed the role of alpha to the pack. Meetings with other alphas, maintaining borders, overseeing pack affairs all meant he spent less time with the sister he so loved. The pack and his sister, Elizabeth, did not often cross paths, and while he understood why, it still hurt he had to keep such a big part of his life separate from the pack.

Elizabeth was not a werewolf. She was only his half-sister, not that any of this mattered to him. She was his beautiful, independent, and incredibly stubborn sister. Their mother, Lila Grace, had been a human living a mundane life as a waitress when she encountered Joaquin one night. From what they told Luca later, it had been love at first sight. Luca had been born not long after their marriage and pack commitment ceremony and his first few years with his family had been wonderful. It was not until Lila wanted to be turned to a werewolf did the trouble start. Joaquin had been resistant at first but as he always did, he gave into his wife's wishes.

It was not until after he unsuccessfully tried several times to turn her, several visits to witches, and finally a meeting with the pack elders that they discovered Lila's blood was incompatible with any supernatural element. This meant she could never be turned: werewolf or vampire. She was doomed to die a human and age faster than her husband and child. Joaquin and Luca were devastated to learn this about Lila, but they made the best of it for several years. Then things turned tragic when his mother was kidnapped by a rival pack using a warlock as a shield. The warlock used his power to hide the rival pack in order for them to surprise attack Luca's pack.

Joaquin started a war with the alpha of the rival pack in order to get his wife back, but during that time Lila was impregnated by the powerful male witch. It took his father and pack nearly three years to rescue her and when they did, Lila had a little girl with her. In a rage, Joaquin eviscerated the warlock that had raped her. Elizabeth Grace was the spitting image of Lila with her soft, wavy dark brown hair and inquisitive emerald green eyes. Luca tried not to feel anything for Elizabeth at first, but her innocence and sweet temperament broke through any wall he had erected to keep her out. He had just turned eighteen when Lila returned with the two year old girl. Lila was never the same, having been tortured, raped, and violated in more ways than one during her time away.

His father resented Elizabeth and could never accept the toddler as part of the pack, even a part of Lila, especially when he discovered that the child, like his wife, was doomed to be human due to having her mother's incompatible blood. Joaquin sent Elizabeth, through no fault of her own, away to strangers. Luca had been furious with his father when he found out his sister was gone, and even walked away from the pack, from his birthright as future alpha. He was also angry with his mother who stood by and let her daughter get taken by complete strangers, but his mother had returned to them an empty shell, void of any life or reason. Once he discovered her location, Luca took Elizabeth back and made sure to find her a childless couple with a lot of love and desire for children. His life was too dangerous for a child as a lone wolf.

The Waterford couple was amazing and Luca could not have asked for better parents for his sister. He remained a constant presence in her life. Once she got older, she began to put the pieces together and confronted him over her birth, adoption, and the fact she aged while he remained virtually unchanged physically. Slowly, Luca introduced his sister to world of supernatural beings: werewolves, vampires, witches, and the like. She had taken it horrifically at first, but when he took a risk showing her his werewolf form, she had accepted it. She loved him enough to accept him for who he truly was. He convinced her to keep silent about everything she learned because humans that discovered the existence of supernaturals often were executed. This was an extreme measure by the Supernatural Council to maintain peace. They rightly thought if humans discovered vampires and werewolves truly existed, then they would seek to exterminate or experiment on them. This would cause another massive war where millions would get killed.

Knowing that if she told anyone, she could be responsible for her death as well as her parents and Luca, Elizabeth swore to keep everything a secret. To keep her from feeling too isolated, Luca introduced her to the future Portland, Maine grand supreme witch, Raven Dawn Spencer. Raven and Elizabeth became almost instant friends, and his sister grew very protective of them all. He knew she loved having someone she could talk to about girl things, the supernatural world, and just be herself. He adored the fact that as a human, she felt she could protect the most powerful people in Portland, the head witch and future alpha, but that was part of her charm. When she was just a pre-teen, she convinced him to return to their father and take his rightful position as heir to the alpha position. He would be a better leader and help his pack, and so he did, mostly for her. Joaquin was thrilled to have his son, though Luca only wanted to be with his sister. Elizabeth saw him for who he truly was and not some pawn for power like their father.

Brought out of his musings, Luca straightened up from leaning against the porch railing when he heard her unlock the door and swing it open. His heart swelled with love when her face brightened tremendously when she saw him as it always did. Reaching for him, she beckoned him inside. His werewolf sense of smell picked up the delicious scent of lasagna cooking in the oven and the aura of witch. Raven was there. He had to bend his head at the door to step inside, a disadvantage of being over six foot tall and built like a bodybuilder, genetically like his father and prior alphas before him. His sister, however, was shorter than him at five foot five much like their mother.

She wore a simple royal purple sweater that fit her like a glove and black dress pants with purple flats. With a round face, straight nose, and peachy complexion, she almost was their mother's twin except for the fact that Elizabeth had large breasts and slightly narrow hips, but the curves were there. Lila had been very thin, fragile, and built more like a runner. Unlike their mother, Elizabeth was not skinny nor was she fat. She was curvy and healthy, and Luca liked that about her. She was full of life and strong. Luca had spent many hours threatening and physically keeping teenage boys away from her, something she hated, but he made a promise to keep her safe. She was his best friend and a beautiful person inside and out even though she didn't see herself as physically appealing. Raven's rock music became obnoxiously louder as they entered the kitchen, and Luca rolled his eyes. The witch liked to get under his skin for her own amusement and had purposefully turned the volume up to irritate his sensitive hearing.

At a short five foot one height and small stature, Raven often was underestimated, but she was a very powerful witch. Her mother was the coven leader in Japan and had married an American soldier while he was stationed there. Raven was born on the military base. However, her father had no clue about the magic or supernatural element he married into because he was human. Raven's mother suppressed her magic until she learned to control it in order to keep their secrets. It was not long after her birth, unfortunately, Raven's father died in combat when she was young. Her mother continues to lead the coven in Tokyo while Raven settled in a new life in Portland with her mother's sister. Soo Yung was nearing her death and needed someone to carry on as leader of the coven. Raven, the closest living relative as her niece, had gladly taken on the role.

Luca had helped get her established. Werewolves and witches normally didn't interact, but vampires tried to wreak havoc in Portland a few years ago. There was little else that witches and werewolves hated more than vampires. Luca and Raven had worked together and eliminated the rogue vampires through his brute force and her skill in magic. For the next few years, they kept in contact with information of the happenings in Portland should they need to team up again, but luckily Portland remained peaceful. When Lila died from a brain tumor four years ago, Raven was the support system for both he and Elizabeth. They both couldn't ask for a better friend than the witch especially during difficult times.

Elizabeth and Raven, maintaining their human identities, got accepted into the local university. They were now in their sophomore year and lived together in a small townhome near the university. He was proud that his little sister was trying to make her path into the world. At twenty years old, Elizabeth had a 4.0 GPA, was top of her class, and had accrued several other academic achievements. And although he contributed to her sheltering, Luca just wanted her to have the best life possible. She deserved to be happy. Raven maintained a decent GPA, but she was more focused on her witch dealings and had other important witch tenets to teach her coven. In a bit of irony, Raven had chosen to major in Chemistry because what witch doesn't love mixing chemicals or magical elements. However, his sister was not so sure about what she wanted to do professionally, but she loved working in the lab. She hated Chemistry but seemed to have found a niche with Biology, her chosen major.

He watched the two girls argue about, of all things, who the better superhero was between Batman and Superman. He knew Elizabeth could be relentless in her defense of Batman, and laughed when her face turned red when the witch insulted her favorite character. Raven was like that. She loved to push people's buttons for reactions. She was a fluid type of person, always changing her looks to whatever suited her fancy that week. Currently, the petite black-haired girl had cut all of her dark black hair into a pixie cut hair with bright pink tips, a new piercing in her lip, and several in her ears. There was no denying that she definitely had an edge to her.

While Elizabeth set to work finishing dinner on their weekly meal together, Luca gritted his teeth when Raven smacked her gum louder than necessary. Ignoring her antics, he sat down in the oak chair at the fall-decorated kitchen table before addressing the witch, "I suggest you cut the crap out, Raven. I would hate to invite the pack to join us...Some of the boys might like to take a bite out of you."

Her dark eyebrows shot up in amusement as her heavily pink eye shadow shimmered over her narrowed violet colored eyes. Snorting, she responded in a similarly serious manner, "Well, Blackstone, they can try to do that, but I imagine I might enjoy taking a 'bite' out of them." They shared a somber stare before they both burst into a fit of laughter while Elizabeth rolled her eyes playfully. The two couldn't remain serious even if they tried. While the two lively bantered back and forth, Elizabeth finished the lasagna, salad, and fixed everyone a plate.

They began eating for a few minutes in silence when Luca interrupted the peace by remarking on Raven's outfit. "Hey Rave, that outfit screams, 'Maneater!' or 'I'd cut a bitch!' Maybe you should get a new stylist!" Playing with her long braided hair, Elizabeth choked back a giggle but quickly sucked in a breath when a look of anger crossed Raven's petite face. Her friend's pretty violet eyes could slice through anyone like a knife and she was giving a deadly look to her brother now.

Peering down at her black t-shirt that had white letters, "Go F*ck Yourself" and shredded blue jeans, Raven glared at Luca before replying hotly, "Yeah, well, how about I cut you since you're the only bitch in here, wolf!" Elizabeth's eyes widened in slight alarm, but Luca only laughed at Raven before continuing to eat. He completely ignored the death stare from her best friend for a few minutes before he responded to her quietly.

"Relax, Raven, you know I am just picking on you. Anyhow, how's university going? Anything new?" Elizabeth sullenly looked down at her half-eaten plate, knowing Raven would rat her out to Luca. The witch never kept anything secret from Elizabeth's brother if Raven viewed it as a threat to her friend's safety. The two of them would lock her up in a nunnery if it suited their purposes. Raven briefly glanced at her friend, mentally asking her forgiveness for blabbing to Luca about her confession earlier.

"There have been reports of a man on campus...He never speaks to anyone but attends all the musical performances...My witches have stated that they sense a great power from him, but he is only human. No one can get an official reading on him long enough to learn more about him. Since he has done nothing and his intentions, although unclear, are not evil, my coven is only keeping tabs on him for now. But, we have some trouble brewing...Elle was harassed again." Raven and Elizabeth winced as they felt Luca's energy darken and suffocate the atmosphere in the small kitchen.

Luca was generally calm, but if Elizabeth had any sort of trouble he could lose his temper quickly. Looking up, she saw her brother's eyes glow a feral orange color. His wolf was clamoring to get out, but he was holding him down. Gripping the table edge tightly, his fingers splintered the wood with his supernatural strength. Elizabeth, as she normally did when this happened, rushed to his side and pulled his head to her chest like a mother to her child. Stroking his soft brown curls, she whispered, "Luca, I am fine. Nothing bad happened to me. I'll tell you everything." After a few caresses, deep breaths, and soothing words, she felt Luca's tense body loosen up. She sat back down and saw Raven and Luca looking at her expectantly.

Exhaling loudly, Elizabeth began, "I got done with my evening class early, so I went to that small chapel that Betty, my old babysitter, owns. It's a block from the university, but it has privacy for me to play piano. You know I like to play sometimes when I am stressed from work or class. I got there and played for an hour or so, but it got dark and I needed to come home and feed Daisy. As I walking back to my car, Hugo was leaning against the hood of my car. He tried talking to me, but I lied to him. I told him you were expecting me for dinner, and that I shouldn't talk to him." Elizabeth looked at Luca with concern because he was eerily quiet, taking shallow breaths and teeth clamped tight. His eyes betrayed how out of control with fury he was, but he managed to keep it together to hear the story.

"Go on, Elle. I am listening." Luca's mind raced as he wondered what nefarious agenda Hugo had in mind for him by using his sister. Hugo Lorenzo Mendoza physically looked like a male version of Raven with several facial piercings, black and blue spiky hair, but built like a semi-truck. Though he was brawny, he was also cunning like a snake and a rogue werewolf. Rogue werewolves were extremely dangerous. They were the rejects, often criminals, of werewolf packs who did not recognize any state of authority. They certainly did not abide by rules or laws, human or otherwise. Hugo had come into town two weeks ago with two or three rogue misfits and immediately set his sights on Elizabeth who worked as a hostess at the local restaurant in town.

"I tried to go around him and be courteous...even after he asked to take me to dinner himself. He even invited himself to my 'dinner' with you, Luca. I told him 'no' kindly, but then he grabbed my arm as I was about to get in the car." She jumped in her seat when Luca shoved his chair to the ground as he stood up enraged. His eyes glowed as he bellowed, "That son of a bitch touched you?! I will kill him!" He stormed to the door, but Elizabeth begged Raven to stop him.

With a quick immobile spell, Raven restrained the werewolf in mid-step, immobilizing him inches from the front door. Elizabeth rushed to her brother and grasped his face to force him to look down at her. "Listen to me, Luca! He grabbed my arm, but a man intervened." It took several minutes before Luca settled down again and Raven released him when she approached them in the hall. Once she was satisfied that Luca would not climb the walls, Elizabeth continued the story.

"The man is the one Raven was telling you about earlier. He told Hugo to let me go. I begged the man to go. Raven had told me he was human, and I couldn't bear to see him get killed on my behalf...The man looked at Hugo first, and then he simply gave me a ghost of a smile like he knew something I didn't. I almost fainted when he spoke directly to me. In a tranquil and confident voice, he said, 'Go home, little one. I can handle this fight.' I told him I couldn't leave him behind, and that Hugo wouldn't hurt me. He saw through my lie immediately. The man said, 'That's where you are wrong, little one. He can and will, but not as long as I am here. So go...Go home and tell Luca about this...You need more protection.' He had a bit of an accent...There was a faint European accent like Russian, maybe. Anyway I tried to get in my car again, but Hugo yanked me to him by my arm before yelling at the man, 'Step off! This is my bitch...Get your own…' Luca, this mystery man came up to Hugo with no hint of fear and replied, 'Let her go. We don't need to fight.' I wanted to scream 'run' to the man, but he just stood calmly even when Hugo attacked him…"

Luca's brain threw red flags when she mentioned his accent...No, he couldn't be here...If the man is who he believed he was, trouble was coming and his sister could be collateral damage. Elizabeth continued, missing the look of recognition on Luca's face, "Hugo let out his fangs and claws in order to, I guess, frighten the man, but it didn't work. He simply stared defiantly at him before pulling me into his arms…" Elizabeth paused as she remembered being swept into the stranger's arms. She felt it then: unbridled power. Stronger than Raven's...stronger than Luca's...He was powerful, whatever he was supernaturally, and it frightened her. He seemed to sense her fear because he released her and opened the car door for her to get inside.

"I got in the car and as soon as the man shut my car door, Hugo attacked him. He sliced open the man's coat and shirt, but the man moved quicker than any human I had ever seen. Every attack Hugo did, the man simply moved out of the way...I have never seen anything like it...Despite a torn shirt, the man didn't even break a sweat. He obviously knew how to fight, but I think he knew how to fight supernaturals. How? I don't have a clue since he was supposedly human. But Hugo grew tired of the man and turned to me. He was going to open my car door when the man grabbed his neck and lifted him off the ground to his eye level." Raven's eyes widened and that's when she noticed Luca didn't seem surprised by this revelation.

Elizabeth continued, "The man said something to Hugo, but I couldn't hear in the car...But after he released Hugo, I was stunned to see Hugo turn around and leave. I started the car and rolled down my window when the man leaned down and grabbed my shaking hands. It felt like...he was giving me his soothing, warm energy and then he whispered, 'I will never harm you, malyutka. Go home now. You are safe.' I nodded to him, but then as he turned to leave I stopped him. 'Wait! What's your name? Why did you help me?' He turned to me and gave me that half smile like he once again knew more than he let on and replied, 'Our paths will cross again, malyutka. You need to talk to your brother first.' And he disappeared into the woods behind the chapel…"

Raven's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Luca when he asked, "What did the man look like, Elle?" Before Elizabeth could answer, Raven pushed past her and pointedly asked if Luca knew who the mystery man was. Elizabeth questioningly looked at her brother before answering his question, "He was tall like you, maybe an inch taller, and pale with short, wavy dark golden brown hair, lean medium build, with dark honey gold color eyes. He had a razor straight nose, high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and was clean shaven." And he smelled heavenly...He reminded her of a hawk with his steady composure, ever watchful eyes, and sharp physical features, but she would never mention that to Luca. "There was no way he was human, Luca...Maybe he was a vampire?"

Luca shook his head in the negative before replying quietly, "That man was no vampire or werewolf...He is...something else. I do know him. His name is Wilhelm Sergei Alexandrov, and he is my oldest and best friend. He was right when he told you that you were safe...Wilhelm is a good, good man who would never harm you...He knows how much you mean to me...how much I love you. I am just glad that he helped you when I failed to protect you, but that's how he tends to operate. Slips in and out like a ghost, but I am sure you will meet him again because you two are the most important people to me. If he said you would meet again, you will. I guess I need to explain everything to both of you then..."

He knew that she would be baffled because he never mentioned Wilhelm or even acknowledged his best friend's existence. Shaking her head, she and Raven looked at each other with confusion on their faces. The werewolf had to keep his friend's identity a secret from everyone, including his own sister, for his own safety and his friend's too. Wilhelm was a private person and had lived a life of seclusion, so for him to make an appearance meant something ominous was on the horizon.

Elizabeth picked up her small black and tan beagle, Daisy, and cuddled with her before heading to the living room. Luca sighed heavily and followed his sister and Raven to the couch. The girls and the dog sat together quietly while he paced for a minute. He decided to sit on the piano bench with a black coffee table separating them. He couldn't reveal what Wilhelm was, but he could tell them how Wilhelm saved his life years ago. Sighing heavily, he knew this would be a long night, but with his appearance, his friend had decided it was time. And so, the alpha werewolf began his story.

Author's Note: Well that's the first chapter :) Wilhelm makes an appearance in the next chapter. I will try to update weekly and maybe more than once a week depending on life events. Let me know what you think!