Blake's pov:
If I'm going to go down, I'm not going down without a fight. I won't let my father see my weakest sides anymore. If he really wants me to pay for Fagan's death, I'm gonna make it damn hard for him, even if it means I don't get out of this alive. My wolf and I have managed to come to an agreement on trying. He didn't exactly feed me with an awful lot of confidence, but we have both agreed to try. If I don't try, how will I ever know?

- You think you have what it takes to kill me, boy?

He asks me. My wolf and I manage to keep our stance. One thing makes me able to do that – my family. Deep down I know I have what it takes to beat him because I have something and someone to fight for, he doesn't. All I have to do is shut out whatever it is he's trying to tell me. It's easier said than done, but that is one of the battles that I have to win next to fighting him.

- You are posing a threat to me and my family. I'm not leaving this place knowing that you're out here and at any point can pose legitimate threat to them...

I answer as I go on the attack in my wolf-form. My father smiles confidently before he turns into his own wolf and runs towards me. I try to bite him in the neck, but he foresees it and easily avoids my attack. Just as I manage to turn around again, he head-butts me in the shoulder and a wave of pain spreads through my body. I try to shake it off, but that only creates even more pain.

His wolf is much bigger than mine, just as he is bigger than me in human-form. His wolf is better trained than mine to kill others. Mine will only act out of a protective instinct of his family. Although this technically is a battle to protect my family and my pack, I have started this battle. Now my shoulder is in a bad state and I can hardly stand on my right paw.

- Looks like you're in a bit of pain, boy...

He lets out before he attacks me. I limp slightly, but I grit my teeth together as I run towards him and somewhat hesitate in order for him to make his move first. He moves his paw early and I respond by biting it as hard as I can...it's enough for him to withdraw slightly, but I'm not strong enough to throw him away or get a distance between us. Instead, he plants his teeth in my injured shoulder and my wolf whimpers before he lets go of the paw and my father's wolf throws us against one of the trees.

I turn back to my human form almost right away as the taste of blood is dominating my tongue. My father turns back himself and looks at his hand for a moment. I can see it's shaking. I must've managed to break a few bones and give him the same injury that I had myself for three years. That's hardly going to be enough.

- You went for my paw, huh...

He asks me as I try to sit myself up. I hold on to my shoulder that I'm pretty sure is bust and crushed. My entire body is loaded with adrenaline, but I know the moment that passes, this is going to hurt a hell of a lot more.

- That's disappointing. I would've thought you were smarter than that. I would've expected you to actually try to kill me. My hand twitching will hardly be anything more than an annoyance.

He lets out as he walks up to me and pulls me up by the shirt. In doing so, it slightly makes some of my scars visible and he notices. He's apparently proud of his 'good work' because he knows he's made most of them. After a moment, he finds the strength to throw me back into the clearing and I land right on my bad shoulder. I immediately turn around, wincing in pain that is becoming more and more evident by the second. That's when he walks up to me and actually lifts me up again, only to tear my shirt off before dropping me.

- What, are you enjoying the 'good work' that you put me through for six years? Is that what we're going back to? You inflicting more pain on my already wrecked body?

I ask almost out of anger as I see a smile appear on his face.

- I do enjoy what I am looking at, but that doesn't make you any stronger. I will make sure you remember that when I go through my plan for you. Then, you will have nothing left to help you survive. You will almost beg me to kill you...

I have no idea what he's talking about on that last part. It sounded deeper than what he's already done to me. I don't have much left to give right now, but whatever it is that he's implying, it sounds much worse.

- ...no, your time here won't be anything like what I did to you as a child. Clearly, that didn't help you become stronger...

I almost snort at the comment when he says that.

- Stronger? That was what that was all about? I was four years old!

- You were the offspring of an Alpha-wolf! If there was any chance that I was going to hand you the pack, you had to be strong...and neither you nor your twin-brother possessed that strength...

He goes on.

- At four years old we weren't even supposed to!

I argue back as he walks towards me again and puts his foot down on my shoulder. It causes an intense pain unlike any other as I briefly catch sight of Brutus who's standing there doing nothing. That's what he's been doing ever since my father and I started the fight. If he truly wants me to believe that he has a family to fight for, he would've done something...

- And now you don't either...why do you think you failed to save all those lives that I took a couple of nights ago?

He bends down, towering over me and putting even more weight on top of my shoulder. I grit my teeth the best I can, but it's just getting harder and harder.

- You will be taught a hard lesson regarding that, son. Before I can do that however, I need to take away whatever strength it is that you do have left...

Brutus' pov:
I should intervene. I can at least tell that's what Blake was thinking when he looked over at me a few seconds ago. A part of me wants to intervene too. We are two against one. We could've stood a chance. That's changed now though. Blake is injured and I'm sensing something troubling through the link. Don is expecting me to not intervene with anything, but he hasn't said anything about me staying or leaving. He's got Blake...maybe he won't notice that I disappear...

...I decide to leave it up to fate. I have to find out what's going on with Maija. I've just been standing still here for far too long as the pain she feels hits me like waves, some being bigger and more powerful than others. I do the best I can to stay strong as I run towards the cabin. I hear her scream from the top floor as I enter the door.

- Maija!

I call out as I immediately run up the stairs and get to our room. She's leaning against the bed, standing on her knees and I see blood is pouring between her legs. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not yet! It's too soon!

- Brutus! Please...help me...

I hear her plead as I immediately rush over to her and kiss the side of her head. She leans it slightly towards my shoulder as she holds on to her stomach.

- It's coming, Brutus...the baby...the cramps are constant...

She barely manages to get out as she has to let out another scream. The wave of pain that hits her as I try to lift her into the bed almost throws me off, but I manage to hold her steady as her nails claw their way through my jacket.

- Brutus?

She lets out as I've put her down and just look at her for a moment. I'm trying to gather whatever strength I have left as I grab her hand and give it a gentle kiss.

- I know this hurts, Maija, but I'm gonna need you to push. It's the only way this will end, alright? We'll do it together, you and me...

She nods weakly before I sense the pain again and she's forced to push. She's spreading her legs in the process and I immediately turn insecure. I manage to get it together and find a clean sheet before I try to figure out how far we are.

- I'm touching the head...you're gonna have to push some more...

I go on, but she immediately shakes her head. I grab her hand and give it a supporting squeeze.

- Baby, you have to. It's the only way...come on, I'm right here...

She pushes again and this time the baby's head is entirely in my hand and the rest its body follows quickly and we both hear the baby start to cry the moment it lands down on the bed. I cut the cord, lift the baby up and hold it towards my chest. I can hear Maija is both crying and relieved that it's all finally over.

- Boy...or girl?

Maija asks between heavy breaths. I look down at the little one as it continues to cry. I wrap it...her in the sheets I put down earlier and just look down on her...

- A girl...a beautiful little princess who decided to come a little earlier...

I let out as I remember the few times we actually talked about names. She's always had one in mind for boy or girl. If there was one thing we wanted more than anything, it was to give our child a name before we would have to give him or her away. I place a soft kiss on our baby's forehead before I sense something disturbing in the link. I look up at Maija.

- Maija?

She seems to be drifting off to someplace else and I don't like it at all. I gently put the baby down on the bed before I direct my attention towards Maija.

- No, no, no, no...Maia. Please, don't do this to me...just...open those pretty eyes of yours...

I let out, but our connection through the link is just getting weaker and weaker. I realize what's really happening, but I have a hard time accepting it. Our little girl is barely a few minutes old and she's already lost her mother...I have lost her mother. I have to keep it together for a small second as I hear our little girl turn uneasy. Perhaps she's sensing that her mummy is gone...

I pick her up and hold her tightly in my arms. I always knew we were never going to be a proper family, but I never imagined that Maija would die giving birth to our child. I always imagined our daughter to be someplace safe, away from Don's reach, while Maija and I would long to be with her. Now it's just me and our little girl. She's a beauty though...when I look down on her, she reminds me so much of her mother.

It's going to be damn hard. I never really did find a place for her to be. There was still supposed to be time for that, but it still doesn't change much. I'm getting my little girl out of here. I can't have her here around Don. Who knows what he'll do to her...I don't plan on finding out.

- You're going to be okay, little one. I'm going to get you out of here and get you somewhere safe...

I let out as I drop a soft kiss on her forehead. She seems to be somewhat calm, but still uneasy in my arms. I manage to get up and cover Maija's body with another blanket. I would bury her, but I don't have the time. I hear Don out there with Blake. I need to get us both out of here. Looking over Maija one last time, one thing comes to mind as I look back down on my daughter.

- Your mummy had a name for you if you were a girl...so your name will be Mira...Mira Lee.

A/N: So....that last name here....why does it sound sooo familiar? What was Brutus' last name anyway (see cast). Closing to the end. Not sure how many chapter left, but maybe not more than five. Remains to be seen. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! ;)