Vincent Lapin sat lazily smoking his cigarette, as he waited on his porch for an old 'Friend' to pay him a visit. Although, it was more of a meeting than a visit, for a debt that was finally being collected. He was surprised when he received the letter with that familiar pack seal. He had not kept in contact with anyone of his old pack in years, he thought no one knew where he was or thought he had died years ago. But he knew he should have known better when it came to her.

'Speak of the Devil and she shall appear,' he thought humorously, as her black Porsche peeled into his dirt driveway. His home was well hidden in a cluster of trees deep in the forest. He was far enough that none of the neighboring packs ever bothered him but close enough to a small human town, that he could get food and other needs met. He raised an eyebrow as the familiar red-headed wolf exited her vehicle.

She walked with a seductive sashay of her curvaceous hips, that always left him mesmerized. It also did not help that she had purposely worn a tight black dress that accentuated her long slender legs. She was trying to play games with him, for no woman would have come this far in the forest, wearing those pumps. But this was business, and he needed to stay alert. Besides, most men who fell for Valerie DeRose's schemes would find themselves in compromising positions with little memory of how it happed and relieved of all their pocket money. He took one last drag before snuffing his cigarette out with the soul of his shoe.

"Hello Vince," her sensual deep voice worked its usual magic on him. It wasn't fair really, her being his mate and all. Even now, knowing she would say no, he tried to formulate the right words to convince her to stay the night with him. But much to his annoyance, pack business always came first. Even when he was out he could not forget that one rule that forever tormented him.

"Val. What do I owe this lovely visit? It's been years," he ran his hands through his graying hair. Ever since he gave up his rank of Beta, he felt his age was catching up to him much faster these days.

Her plump red lips formed a tight smile, and she fixed him with a look that told him this was not a simple light visit of old lovers. "I am here to collect on the debt you owe to Luna Selena," she answered matter of factly.

"How much do I owe?" He asked taking out his worn-out wallet. She stilled his hand before he could go much further.

"This isn't a debt that is easily paid off with money and you know that. What she is demanding of you will require secrecy and your current isolation."

"When I left the pack to become a hermit you all laughed, now you want to take advantage of my humble abode?" He accused with an intrigued smile. "So, the old pack is back in the smuggling business? I thought you left that all behind you once you became more established." She sighed and furrowed her brows in that way that he always found adorable.

"Vincent, this isn't a normal smuggling job. What do you know of the Moon Glade pack?" He leaned back in his seat as he scratched his stubbly chin in thought, "Were they not obliterated not too long ago? Not one survivor? Shame too," he drew out each word in his deep scruffy voice. "Such a long lineage, but I guess even the Goddess' favorite can't foresee their end when the time finally comes." The Moon Glade pack had a long history of producing wolves that had magical gifts. Some of those gifts are the ability to see the future. Vincent had figured that was all talk, with how easily the Black Moon pack took them out.

"They did see it coming, and they saw nothing they could do to stop it, or that is the story fed to Luna Selena. They managed to save their last relic, and the Silver Blade has been asked to take care of it." She said invoking the name of his old pack. Thanks to that damned debt, he was still bound to them. But once all this was over, he would be forever free of them. Part of this did sadden him as he looked at his old flame, who would never bear his mark. He wondered if in the next life they could be true mates again.

"So, where is this relic and how long do I need to look after it?" He finally asked. Valerie's demeanor seemed to change slightly, as she slowly walked back to her car. He sighed, he knew her well enough to know that things would not be as simple as he hoped. His eyes squinted in confusion as he noticed that her back window had been cracked this whole time. Was this artifact an animal of some kind?

'Great just what I need, a pet.' He stood in alarm when he noticed the little bundle she pulled out, and the wining snotty baby, crying loudly in her arms, pissed that he had been disturbed from his sleep. "Is this some kind of a joke?" His voice rose in agitation. "If you wanted kids we could have adopted years ago!"

She glared and ignored his comment as she placed the child in his arms, "She is the last survivor of her pack."

"How is a baby a Relic? Did she have some mythical gift dating back to the Goddess?" He asked almost sarcastically, not fully believing the rumors of Moon Glade's magical wolves.

"If she has a gift, it has not been revealed. But she is still rare. She's an Omega."

A low growl escaped the wolf as his temper began to flare. He almost handed the baby back, "Your asking I take care of an Omega?! I thought they died out decades ago!"

"Shush, you'll scare her," Valerie ordered as she quickly fixed the babe's blanket to better protect her from the autumn chill. "Moon Glade was a very old pack, they still had some Omegas. Besides is it not poetic that the weakest among them is their only survivor? At least she won't have a mate to come looking for her."

"Yes, she will just go into heat and attract every wolf around her. She will be a beacon for any horny mateless wolf!" This is why Omegas died out. Subservient slaves, but without any mates, they did not reproduce enough. Vincent remembered the tales of how beautiful Omegas were. But they were defenseless and said to not be so bright. This child would be completely dependent on him to protect her from her own kind. But somewhere in that aging heart of his, he felt bad for the little thing. To be the last of a weak race with no abilities to shift, his protective instincts wanted to shield her from all the dangers of the world, but he wondered how much of that was him and how much of that was the Omega's influence.

Valerie's reaction to the baby did not escape Vincent. He saw how she doted on the child even now. This also warmed his heart, seeing this motherly side of his mate. The side of her that had been denied to her by a cruel fate.

"Why don't you stay with me then? Help me raise her, a girl needs a mother not a grumpy old hermit like myself."

Valerie continued to gaze at the baby, her eyes peering off into the fantasy that she knew she could never have, "You know my place is at Selena's side. You have always known that. You made your choice and now I must make mine," She said forlornly

She stole one last look at Vincent before backing away, "I have to go. Keep her safe and the fewer wolves that know of her that are not approved by Selena, the better. I don't know how much is true about Omega's influence but it is best to expect the worst especially when she reaches puberty. Cheer up Vince, I have faith that you will be a wonderful father, even if you are a grumpy old hermit."

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" He asked sarcastically. "Will you at least come to check up on her from time to time?" He asked, hoping against hope. He hated how this one woman could still leave him begging like a needy puppy.

She gave a wan smile before heading back to her car, "Good-by Vincent."It was the last thing she would say to him before leaving him once again, most likely for good this time. He sighed and took another look at the child, Valarie had never told him what her name was. "I have to name you too, don't I?" He asked. The baby offered no answer but at least she had stopped crying.

"I guess I have to do everything. Hmm.." He sat down on his chair once again as he took in her pink eyes and white hair. A very unusual combination, that only came from Moon Glade. He would need to color her hair and get her contacts when she was older. But as he stared at her, he could not help but think how she resembled a little rabbit, this made the old man chuckle to himself. "Perhaps they thought it a funny joke making you a Lapin," he mused. "But you did also survive a massacre, that has to mean something." He ran through what little girl names he knew till he finally fell upon his sister's. "Colette Lapin, I think I like that."