

Ties To The Blood Moon

A Novel

by

Robin P. Waldrop

eBook Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Robin P. Waldrop

http://www.robinpwaldrop.blogspot.com

LICENSE NOTES

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the following for their support throughout this project:

To my friends, Author Aaron P. Lazar, Kristin Aragon, Steve DeWinter, and my two daughters, Erica D. Garner, and Alicia D. Page, who put up with my countless nagging emails and helped me in ways I will never forget. Thanks in large part to a wonderful community called Book Bloggers for taking the time to read and review _Ties To The Blood Moon_ , and also for the author interviews, guest posts and blog tours.

And special thanks to my awesome editor Kelly Coffey, for working tirelessly to make sure this book could be its best. Thanks to Claudia McKinney-phatpuppyart.com for the beautiful book cover.

Special thanks to you, the readers.

Prologue

Aunt Bev kept telling me it wasn't my fault. But, if I had waited one more day before leaving to spend spring break with her in Alaska, I would have been home to pull my mother from the burning house. I knew my aunt meant well, but it hadn't helped with my dreams for the past two weeks. Or should I say nightmares?

As soon as I lay down and closed my eyes, the same scene filled my mind over and over again. Almost like a memory. I was in the woods just outside my house and helplessly watched a huge ferocious dog-like creature circling my house while it burned. At first glance the animal appeared to be red, but as I continued to stare, the color of his fur shifted like dancing flames.

My home was on fire and I looked helplessly on, listening to my mother's screams coming from somewhere inside. I knew I had to save her, but I was afraid.

"Mom," I screamed, and started to rush for the house when the beast noticed me and snarled. I froze, unable to move. His yellow eyes glowed as if they reflected the fire behind him and I saw his blood-stained fangs.

I quickly ran away from the house. Away from saving my mother from the hungry flames that consumed her. I glanced to either side as I ran and saw the faint reddish glow of several other dogs through the trees. They had joined the first dog in the pursuit of his prey.

My lungs burned as the woods ignited behind the dogs, forcing me to run faster or be consumed by the same fire that claimed my mother's life. I skidded to a stop at the edge of a cliff and spun around to face the pack of wild beasts as one by one they emerged from the burning trees and approached me. They appeared to be almost smiling.

I had two choices—each of them a death sentence. I chose the latter and leaped from the cliff. The dogs peered over the edge as I fell away from them. They seemed disappointed with my choice. As they moved away out of sight I looked below and saw the ground rushing up at me.

Right before impact I woke up and realized I was still falling. I hit the hardwood floor beside my bed and cried out.

Chapter 1

Today would be my first day at my new high school. Aunt Bev didn't know it yet, but she would. Between the nightmares and the long hours of sun I found it hard to sleep at all. Reluctantly, I climbed out from under the four thick quilts that lined my wrought iron bed and went to stand in front of the pine wood closet, staring at all the new clothes Aunt Bev had bought for me. I sighed heavily and dropped my shoulders. My heart ached terribly for my mom, and I needed to get out of the house and away from my aunt. I loved her for everything she was trying to do, but she was beginning to suffocate me.

Determined to get out of the house, I flipped through the rack of new clothes, but ended up choosing a pair of my old jeans, my favorite long sleeve hooded tee-shirt, and my old red converse shoes—all of which my mom had bought me. The only new item I chose was a black parka Aunt Bev had picked out. She'd insisted it was normal wear for all the residents of Haven, Alaska. When I had tried it on at the Haven Mall—that's code for the only general store within fifty miles—I felt like a bubble wrapped package. And I'm pretty sure I looked like one, too.

After showering, I stared at my reflection. My carrot red curls seemed brighter in the Alaskan light, so did my light blue eyes which made my already pale complexion take on a bluish hue. I brushed my teeth and got dressed, but something was itching the back of my neck. I knew it wasn't the tag inside my shirt, because it was an old shirt and I always cut the itchy ones out right away. I went back into the bathroom, but when I pulled my hair up, there was nothing there. I shrugged, and plucked the bubble wrap jacket from my bed before going downstairs.

I stopped at the bottom of the steps and gazed through the huge bay windows. Outside reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting my mother had. Soft rolling hills casually dropping off into a small lake surrounded on three sides by large fir trees reaching for the sky. A low fog hung just above the water like a blanket of soft cotton.

"Gen," my aunt called, for the gazillionth time since I'd gotten off the plane.

"Yeah—Coming." I rolled my eyes.

Aunt Bev was just setting a giant stack of pancakes on the table when I pushed through the kitchen's swinging door. I couldn't help but notice the subtle muscles in her arm when she extended it to set the plate in front of me. Something else to remind me of my mom. She had always been adamant about working out and keeping fit. She glanced up and smiled. Just then my heart panged because she looked so much like my mom. They both had dark hair, brown eyes and shared the same quirky smile. Even though Aunt Bev was five years older than my mom, she seemed younger for some reason.

We ate in silence. I pushed a fork around my plate trying to get up the nerve to tell her I wanted to go to school. I wanted to go anywhere outside of this house. I felt like a prisoner. My mom hadn't been near as protective as Bev.

I felt her eyes on me, but I didn't look up. Finally, I blurted out what was building inside of me. "I want to go to school. It's senior year, Aunt Bev," I pleaded.

"I thought we decided you would home school." She paused, then added. "The weather here can be very unforgiving you know."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care," I huffed and jumped from my seat. "I need to be around people." I raked my plate in the garbage. "Come on, Aunt Bev—I'm seventeen for Christ's sake." I started to pace, trying to come up with some kind of rationalization that she wouldn't be able to argue with. Then it hit me. "Please, Aunt Bev. I think if I was at school every day I wouldn't think about mom so much."

Aunt Bev tucked her bangs behind her ear and stood. I watched her face for any kind of telltale sign of what her answer might be. She just stood still like a statue. _Say yes, say yes, say yes,_ I kept saying over and over in my mind.

That quirky smile of hers suddenly spread across her face. "Okay, okay," she said, and laughed lightheartedly.

I screamed with delight and rushed around the table and wrapped her in a hug, lifting her off the floor. I didn't think about it at the time, but lifting her was as easy as lifting my fork.

***

We pulled in front of the school. "This is it?" The building didn't look at all like a school. Instead, it reminded me of a large airplane hangar huddled in the middle of a few smaller ones. I was totally relieved to see school had already started and the students were tucked in their classrooms somewhere—hopefully far away from view of the front office.

I exited Aunt Bev's Jeep and to my surprise I heard the other door shut. I quickly turned to look behind me. Aunt Bev, wrapped up like an Indian papoose, had filed in behind me. I gave her the old, "you've got to be joking" look. A bubble-wrapped teenager and her blanket-wrapped aunt—I'll bet we made the handsome couple.

"What?" she asked, her forehead wrinkled with a frown.

"I can register myself."

"Like, no—you can't," she answered in a teenager's mocking tone and out came that quirky smile of hers, again. I rolled my eyes and couldn't help but smile back sarcastically.

"All right," I huffed, not finding any humor in being treated like a twelve year old. My shoulders slumped. _Another few minutes and I'll be free ... for seven hours anyway._

When we entered the school it looked completely different than I had pictured. There were doors on either side of the hall with lockers in between. Aunt Bev pushed through the glass door marked office and I followed with my head down.

Once inside, we stepped to the long counter that split the office down the middle. It surprised me when the lady behind the counter called Aunt Bev by name. Why would she know her? It wasn't like Aunt Bev had kids.

She had black hair, a round face, and high cheekbones. She didn't look like the mental image of an Eskimo I'd always had. I pictured them with animal skin jackets, matching boots, ice hanging off their faces, and living in little igloos. Instead, she wore blue jeans and a neon pink shirt with a picture of a wolf screened on the front—which actually made me immediately feel at home. In my last school everybody over dressed. Even the coach wore designer wind suits.

She and Aunt Bev talked for several minutes, apparently forgetting the reason they had gotten the chance for their visit in the first place.

When they both finally took a breath I saw my cue. "Um ... can I get my schedule and go on to class?"

"Oh ... uh, of course. Here you go, Genevieve. And here's a map." She handed me a piece of paper with four lines and a few boxes on it. I eyed the paper briefly, then stuffed it into my pocket before looking her square in the eye.

"It's Gen," I said flatly, then looked over my schedule, told Aunt Bev bye, and hurried out the door.

"I'm free, thank God," I mumbled under my breath as I strolled down the hall to find my English class. According to the map my first class was all the way at the end of the second hallway, which to my surprise turned out to be a whole lot shorter that what it looked like on the paper.

With my jacket over one arm and my backpack thrown over my shoulder I took a deep breath, which did nothing to slow my climbing heart rate. I entered the room, and all eyes were on me. I thought I might hyperventilate on the spot.

Mr. Donovan was short, bald, and his furrowed eyebrows said he was very perturbed that I had the nerve to show up in the middle of his class. I cleared my throat and handed him the piece of paper from the office. He looked down his nose through his little round glasses and squinted at the piece of paper before handing it back, along with a sheet of assignments.

"Find a seat, Miss Labreck."

I turned and looked up. The kids had already lost interest, but I still kept my eyes glued to the floor until I reached my desk in the next to last row. After pouring over the essay list, I thought of my old essays at home and thought of my mom. My eyes grew hot with tears. _Not now!_ I pretended to have something in my eye, rubbing at it with my fingers.

When the bell rang—actually, it sounded more like a loud, grinding buzzer at the end of a basketball game—I waited until everyone filed out the door before checking my schedule for my next embarrassment. I sensed someone watching me and looked up.

"Hi. I'm Luna," a dark-haired girl said in a soft voice. She was very pretty. Long, straight, jet-black hair swept to one side, light brown skin that glowed against the bright overhead lights, and high cheekbones that pushed her eyes in an upward sweep.

When I stood up, I was at least four inches taller. "Hi." I smiled. "Gen."

"Where's your next class?" she asked.

"Chemistry, uh, somewhere," I said, and fumbled for my schedule.

"We only have one chemistry teacher," she giggled. "Come on. I'll walk with you."

We talked along the way and she pointed out the library and lunchroom as we passed. When she left me at the door to the chemistry lab, we made plans to meet at lunch.

I was glad there were no extra students for me to pair with in chemistry. I got to work by myself, which was a good thing because chemistry was not my strong subject and I didn't feel like making a fool out of myself on my first day.

By lunch, I was starting to relax a little. I followed Luna through the line, and then we sat with a group of her friends. She introduced them, but I instantly forgot their names.

Sitting at the table lost in the cacophony of voices, I felt someone's eyes on me. I purposely dropped my fork on the floor and while leaning down to pick it up I looked behind me. Across the room, I spotted three Native American boys sitting at a table by themselves. All three had long black hair, tanned skin, and muscular bodies. I kept looking around until I spotted the one who'd been looking at me. Don't ask me how I knew he was the one—because he wasn't looking at me when I saw him—I just did.

He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. His disheveled russet-colored hair boasted deep golden highlights shining under the fluorescent lights, his chiseled jaw line defined his masculine facial features, and sort of pouty lips. His eyes were a piercing green color, like the color of the Jamaican waters, and he knew how to use them to his advantage. He wasn't all busting out with muscles, either. He was more on the lean side, but I plainly saw the muscles outlined in his tight shirt.

Even though he was sitting alone he must have heard something funny because I saw one side of his mouth curve up in a smile. My heart drummed hyperactively and it was at that moment I knew I was going to be happy at my new school.

Chapter 2

I wanted to throw my alarm clock through the window, but I didn't because I wasn't quite awake enough to move. I had fought the urge to sleep as long as I could. Every time I did fall asleep, the same nightmare returned. It was as if someone repeatedly pushed rewind then play on a DVD player inside my head. The end result would be me waking up just as tired as when I'd gone to sleep.

After a long hot shower I dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen. To my surprise, Aunt Bev was gone. She'd left a note and as soon as I read it I squealed with delight. She'd had some early morning errands and had actually left me the keys to the jeep. It didn't even matter that the note said to come straight home from school and not to talk to strangers. _Really, Aunt Bev. What am I— like twelve?_ And since I didn't really know anyone yet, where would I go? It made my day not having to be dropped off with most of the kids still in the parking lot.

It was cold and rainy when I left for school, but it was still a freakin' awesome day. After I turned the key and the jeep fired up, a smile stretched across my face and was still there when I pulled into the school's parking lot. I pulled into an empty space at the far corner of the lot. I grabbed my backpack and put my hand on the door handle, suddenly feeling like I was being watched again. When I pushed open my door and jumped down, I casually twisted around, scanning all the unfamiliar faces.

The same three boys I'd seen in the lunchroom were hanging out under a giant fir tree of some kind. Even though all three looked a lot alike, two of them were identical. They were laughing and talking, but I noticed the third one seemed to be staring a hole through me. I raised my head and sort of smiled, only he didn't smile back. He just promptly turned his attention to his friends. I felt like a total moron. My eyebrows furrowed and I stomped off toward the side door of the school. Didn't he know when someone was obviously trying to be nice?

I was still fuming when Luna caught up to me.

"Hey, Gen. Wait up," she called out. I could tell by the sudden change of expression on her face she knew something was bothering me.

"What's wrong?" she asked, following me inside the building.

"Nothing," I scoffed, and looked over my shoulder because I heard them somewhere behind us. Luna followed suit.

"Okay." Her voice filled with dread. "What did they do?" she asked standing beside me watching as I fought to stuff my bubble wrap into the small locker.

"Who? Those creeps right there?" I nodded toward the three approaching boys. "Let's just say I hope everyone isn't as unwelcoming as they are." My eyes followed them as they walked by. When they glanced my way, I narrowed my eyes at the one who'd been so rude. He halfway smiled, and then out of nowhere wrapped his forearm around Luna's head and gave her a noogie. "Leave her alone, you cretin," I yelled, and shoved him backward so hard he slammed into the wall on the other side of the hall. If there was one thing I had no patience for, it was a bully.

"Genevieve, stop," Luna cried out grabbing my arm.

"Why, Luna? What gives him the right to pick on kids smaller than he is—especially girls?" I spat the words, never taking my eyes off him. Adrenaline rushed through my body, causing me to shake. He pushed himself off the wall and for an instant I could have sworn his eyes glowed. You know, like the movie _Blood and Chocolate_.

"Those 'cretins' are my brothers ," Luna blurted out.

My anger quickly fizzled and was replaced with humiliation. I cleared my throat. "They're ... your brothers?" First bell buzzed but it didn't have any effect on me. I looked at her, and then him as he walked away, then her again. "But, how can that be? You seem so nice, and they're such—such _jerks."_

Luna laughed out loud. "Yeah, that's what some people think when they first meet them. I promise they're really pretty cool once you get to know them. The two tallest ones are identical twins, Joshua and James. And the one you body slammed ... he's my twin, Joseph. He was just joking around with me. Probably trying to show off in front of you."

"Oh—Luna I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's all right. I promise they really are nice though. They're just kind of shy until they get to know you." Luna grabbed up her book. "Tardy bell's about to ring. We better get to class."

I guess she didn't hate me because she stopped outside her classroom door and said we would meet at lunch.

The minutes ticked away slowly in English class. I knew that from the constant watch I kept on the clock hanging over the chalkboard. Mr. Donovan was—in short—personality-challenged. I tried to focus on what he was saying but it came out sounding like the teacher's muffled voice in the old Charlie Brown cartoons. You know, wawa-wa wawa wa. _Wa_ wa-wa. I giggled quietly at the thought and Mr. Donovan looked up from his notes, pointing his nose downward so I would get the full effect of him scowling at me from over the top of his reading glasses.

***

I instantly came awake when the annoying buzz rang at the end of class. I slipped the _Cosmopolitan_ magazine from inside my English workbook and dropped it into my backpack. Luna was waiting for me outside class. I was still a little wigged out from what had happened with her brother and hoped she wouldn't rag on me for the entire lunch period.

We inched our way through the line and I knew she wanted to say something about earlier. To avoid it I started asking her questions about the different groups of kids.

"See that table by the window? That's the preps. Dads are oil tycoons and stuff. They check your parents' bank balance _before_ they decide if they're going to grace you with their shallow conversation." We snickered in unison. "And I'm sure you can tell that the table in the back by the garbage cans is full of chess club nerds and computer geeks. I don't think a single one of them has an IQ less than one-ninety."

Luna got up on her tiptoes, looking around the room. "Let's see ... the two long tables in the middle are for hardcore jocks only. If you don't play, you don't sit." She turned, peering around the girl behind us, trying to see who she might have missed.

I looked across to the other side of the room and saw her brothers at their usual table but they weren't alone this time. My heart immediately thumped with excitement and I couldn't breathe. _He_ was with them. The guy I had seen the day before. "Oh my God, he is so beautiful," I said, under my breath.

If I hadn't known better, I would have sworn I screamed it out loud. No sooner than I had that thought he turned, looked right at me, and smiled crookedly. I didn't smile back. I didn't breathe. My face suddenly got so hot I was sure it was bright red and glowing. I wanted to duck down behind the line of students and crawl out of the lunchroom.

Luna turned around and saw my face. Her expression quickly contorted into one of confusion, but I think she took me for being sick or something.

"Gen?" Luna cocked her head to one side. "Are you all right? You don't look well." She grabbed my tray from me even though I kept telling her I was good, and had me follow her to a table. She just happened to pick the table closest to her brothers.

I tried to convince her to sit where we sat the day before, but because she thought I was sick she parked our trays and made me sit. She left me sitting alone while she went to her brothers' table. I tried not to let them see that I was watching. I had no idea what she had said, but a minute later the three brothers stood and followed her back to our table.

"Gen," she smiled. "These goofy guys are my brothers, Joshua and James."

"What's up?" The twin guys said at the exact same time.

"Hi," I said, as Joseph came from behind one of the taller boys.

"And you've already met Joseph." I was almost sure he snarled, but later when I told Luna, she laughed and said it must have been my imagination. The other guy didn't join the brothers. Maybe he had a girlfriend, or maybe he just didn't find me interesting enough to introduce himself.

"We're all going to a bonfire after school. Wanna go?" Joshua and James asked, again in unison.

"I don't know. I'm supposed to go ... never mind." I smiled "Sure, count me in." Aunt Bev would just have to get over it. After all, I _was_ seventeen.

They went back to their seats, and Luna and I sat quietly in ours. I was hoping she'd tell me something about the other guy at her brothers' table. Just thinking about him made my heart flutter, which was weird because I'd had a few boyfriends when I lived in Cali, but none of them made me feel like this guy did.

Out of the blue, Luna peered at me and whispered his name. "What?" I asked, wondering who she was talking about.

"His name is William Novak," she said, smiling. "I saw you checking him out." She nodded her head toward him. "He's new, too, and he doesn't talk much. Sort of like you, huh?" She giggled, and I assumed it had something to do with my face feeling hot again.

As soon as school let out I rushed to my locker, grabbed my bubble wrap, and hurried for the door. When the sidewalk cleared enough to see the parking lot I spotted him standing with Luna, her brothers, and a few kids she'd introduced me to at lunch. My heart rate climbed rapidly. With each nervous step I took toward him, my heartbeat grew faster until I thought I was going to have a heart attack. What was it about him that made me feel so weird?

When I got to the parking lot, Luna grabbed my hand. She was just about to take me to meet William until I heard Aunt Bev's voice behind me. I cringed. My smile had already changed to a frown before I even turned around and saw her walking toward me.

"Luna, this is my aunt. Aunt Bev, Luna." I tried not to act too pissed in front of my new friends.

"Hello Luna," my aunt said, and smiled at her, but my aunt's smile quickly faded when she glanced back at me. "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"I was going to go—"

She cut me off. "We've got to take the Jeep for a tune up and new tires. That is—if you plan to drive it every day."

Luna forced a quick smile. "Uh ... I'll see you tomorrow, Gen. It was nice to meet you," she called out to my aunt from over her shoulder and rejoined the group of kids. All of whom were staring at me with strange expressions.

My eyebrows furrowed and I looked at Aunt Bev with narrowed eyes. "I can't believe you came here," I whispered with a clenched jaw, not wanting anyone to hear. "You just made me look like a little kid in front of my friends," I fumed.

"I'm sorry, Gen. But if you would have read the note I left you this morning you would already know I specifically said for you to come _straight_ home after school."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her arm, guiding her back to her truck. "I was coming home," I lied and somehow got the impression that she knew it. "We were just going to hang out for a few minutes first." She closed her door, and rolled down her window when I stomped away.

"I'll wait so you can follow me," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. I cringed, balling my fists before I saw Luna trotting toward me.

"Gen, wait up," she called out, waving a small piece of paper and smiling. It seemed like she was always smiling. "Here," she handed me the piece of folded up notebook paper. "It's my cell number. Call or text me later."

"Sorry I couldn't go with you guys, Luna. But I'll definitely go next time." I narrowed my eyes at my aunt, who was blocking traffic while she waited for me to back out. "This is the last time she's going to treat me like a child."

Chapter 3

When we got back to Aunt Bev's house, I mean our house—whether I liked it or not this would now be my permanent place of residence—I ran up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door. With balled fists, I paced the floor like a caged animal looking for a way to escape. Tears of frustration ran down my face. Staring down at the floor, tiny red dots suddenly appeared, scattered here and there. The more I paced the bigger the dots grew, until I finally stopped and took a good look.

When I opened up my hand, my palm was red with blood. I quickly opened the other and it was the same way. I jumped to my feet and hurried into the bathroom and turned on the cold water. I didn't have to look too closely to see the slits in the palms of both hands. In the midst of my anger I had unknowingly dug my fingernails into my palms. _I so need to trim my nails._

I took a wet washcloth to my room and cleaned up the floor then went downstairs to borrow some nail clippers. I almost had a heart attack when I rounded the corner and saw William with his back leaned against the kitchen counter. Aunt Bev was talking with someone, but it wasn't him.

I quietly backed up to the hallway and peered in the mirror. My reflection was enough to scare anyone. My hair had always been extremely kinky in the past just like one of those cheap frizzy-haired wigs, but now the curls had relaxed quite a bit, which I didn't understand. My face greatly resembled that of a gothic girl turned psycho due to tears and mascara. _Mental note: buy waterproof mascara._

After a quick spit and tissue face wash, I hurried back down the hallway toward the kitchen, but stopped abruptly when I heard my name. Aunt Bev had said, "Genevieve doesn't know yet." Who could she be talking to about me? I wanted to stay quiet and keep listening, but as I was inching my way backward, I bumped into an end table and knocked over a lamp.

"Gen? Is that you?" my aunt called out. Who else could she have possibly thought it was? I mean, we were the only two living there, we didn't own any dogs or cats—which by the way, was something I intended to change—and as far as I knew we weren't expecting anyone.

"Yeah," I answered reluctantly. My mouth went dry and my heart fluttered at the thought of being in the same room with William, yet I couldn't understand why. Sure, he was the most gorgeous guy I'd ever laid eyes on, but I had seen plenty of hot guys before, and never had this kind of reaction. Maybe it was the Alaskan air or something.

"Genevieve," Aunt Bev called impatiently. "Come in here, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Coming." I back-stepped to the mirror for one last look. Staring at my reflection I suddenly wondered why I was bothering. A guy as hot as he was would already have a girlfriend ... or three.

"Gen, I'd like you to meet Ezekiel Novak and his son William." Aunt Bev was leaned against the stove next to a tall dark haired man who looked entirely too young to be William's dad. His features were as smooth as silk and his skin was a creamy, pearl color. When my eyes met his, a sudden feeling of embarrassment came over me, like he knew my thoughts.

"N-nice to meet you." I would have shook his hand, but didn't want him to see how bad mine was shaking all on its own.

"Hello, Genevieve. This is my son, William." When Mr. Novak spoke, his voice was smooth and his tone even, almost melodic and hypnotizing.

My tongue promptly felt swollen and stuck to the roof of my mouth so I couldn't speak, all I could do was stare. My body trembled and I grabbed the edge of the counter.

"Hi, Genevieve." William smiled, and right away my legs grew weak and shaky.

"Call m-me ..." I floundered, and my voice trailed off. The room grew dark and the last thing I remembered was falling.

***

When I came to, I was on the couch and Aunt Bev was blotting my head with a cold wash cloth. "What happened?"

"You fainted. I think you have a fever."

I pushed the cloth and her away. "I'm not sick. I feel fine."

"Gen, your skin is hot. Look how red it is," Aunt Bev insisted.

But when I raised my arm my skin was its normal white color. I furrowed my brow. "What are you talking about?" I asked, still utterly confused.

After she inspected my arm, I watched her expression change from worry to confusion. "But-but, I don't understand. Gen, your skin was red as fire, and extremely hot to the touch."

"Well, I'm fine now, just hungry. I can feel my stomach churning." I smiled and then it quickly dawned on me that William and his father had been there when I passed out. "Oh my God." I slapped my hand against my forehead. Aunt Bev came rushing back from the kitchen.

"What is it? Are you feeling sick again?" She sat down on the edge of the couch.

"No. Just humiliated. William saw me pass out. That's it. I'm quitting school."

Aunt Bev smiled. "Don't be silly. He seemed genuinely concerned about you. Here." She handed me a sticky note. "His cell number. He said for you to call him later if you felt up to it."

"I might if I had my cell phone turned back on," I said dryly.

"It's already done, and I charged it for you today."

I got excited."You did? Really?" Smiling, I jumped to my feet, not knowing which direction to go in.

"It's in your room." Aunt Bev pointed toward the stairs.

***

When I pulled into my parking space at school, Luna and her brothers loitered under a tree, and I assumed they were trying to get out of the rain without going inside the building. I saw her looking around anxiously, like she was watching for someone. When she spotted me climbing out from the Jeep, she smiled and waved me over.

I still didn't feel any less guilty for what I'd done to her brother. I couldn't help but smile every time I thought about it. For a guy that looked so muscular, I sure didn't have a hard time shoving him across the hall. I must have just caught him off guard.

I looked at the ground while walking and chewed the inside of my lip the whole way. When I got to the spot where Luna was standing, I reluctantly looked up. Joseph smiled as he came to join us.

"Genevieve?" he smiled crookedly.

"It's Gen." I nervously smiled back.

"Sorry. Gen." He held out his hand and I shook it. "Let's start over. My name's Joseph."

Relief instantly washed over me. "It's nice to meet you, too." I could tell he was as shy as me by the way he looked down and kicked at the ground with the toe of his boot. "I'm really sorry about yesterday," I said sincerely.

"Hey, it's all good. It's just that when I saw my sister standing with you, I thought she had told you about us already." He got quiet for a minute then looked up with a huge smile. "How'd you get so strong? Do you lift weights? 'Cause you don't look like you do."

I could tell he was being totally serious. "Nah, I'm really not strong at all. I guess between the adrenaline and catching you off balance, I just got lucky."

The school buzzer rang and he turned to leave, but quickly stopped and looked back. "We're all going to Wolf Point for a bonfire Friday night. Luna's going. And some of the kids from school. You wanna come?"

"Sure ... but, I don't know where it is—I don't know where anything is." We smiled simultaneously. Luna must have been listening because she looped her arm through mine and said she would ride with me. I think it was more to make sure I would go.

When I walked in to English class, I was almost at my desk when I started feeling lightheaded again and was suddenly very hot. My vision tunneled, but I managed to make it to my desk and drop into my seat. I laid my head down for a minute and then heard a familiar voice. Without lifting my head I opened my eyes. William was sitting two seats over and talking with Luna. I had this nervous pit in my stomach and my heart drummed in my head. _What is it with this guy and why is he suddenly in here?_

After a few deep breaths I started feeling a little better, but was still weak. For some reason when I got close to him a weakness came over me. "But that can't be. People don't have that kind of effect over other people," I said under my breath. When I glanced back over at him the corner of his mouth curved up with that same crooked smile of his. Just then, I thought I might actually melt onto the floor.

Luna whispered, telling me there had been a scheduling change and William had gotten moved to my class. I found it rather odd that he was the only one to change classes.

All during class I sat with my head propped on my hand and kept catching myself staring at William. You know, one of those open-mouthed stares. Then, the most embarrassing thing of my teenage life happened.

"Miss Labreck," Mr. Donovan snapped at the same time as he slammed his pointer stick on someone's desk in the front row.

I jerked and sat up straight. "Huh ... uh, yeah?"

"You can worship _your_ Romeo after class. Right now we are talking about Juliet's Romeo."

A burning flush flew over me when the entire class busted out in laughter. I pulled my hoodie further over my head and sunk down into my seat as far as I could go. I would have gotten under my desk if I could have fit.

For the remainder of the class, I had to fight to keep from looking at him. When the bell rang, I grabbed my backpack and hurried out the door. Even though I already had my book for my next class, I went to my locker anyway. I thought maybe if I kept my face buried inside it, I wouldn't have to talk to anyone I was just in class with.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. Two cheerleaders from class stopped just behind me and purposely talked over the loud voices that filled the hallways between classes.

"Hey, Gen."

I looked briefly over my shoulder, then went back to rearranging my bubble wrap—like there would be more than one way to stuff it into my locker in the first place.

"You might as well hang it up, _new girl—_ William is mine. You got it? Keep your pasty-white paws off!"

I pretended not to hear them. Luna had warned me about the cheerleaders here. They thought because they were popular, it gave them first dibs on everything—even guys. She said she'd once dated a boy for two years, and one night she caught him with a cheerleader at the bonfire. The worst part was the girl had been her best friend since the first grade.

What did I care anyway? He was way too beautiful for someone as plain as me. There was something about him, though, that I couldn't shake. He was like a drug ... and I was quickly becoming addicted.

Chapter 4

At lunch I sat with Luna and her friends, again. They were all hyped up about the upcoming bonfire. Truthfully, I wasn't paying attention to anything they were saying. Instead, I was lost in the crowded lunchroom hoping that I might catch a glimpse of William. I even turned sideways in my seat to get a better view of the kids behind me, but I sensed William wasn't there even before I looked.

I must have looked like a little lost puppy because Luna put her arm around my shoulders and nudged me.

"Who are you looking for?" she asked, but her smile lead me to believe she already knew the answer.

"No one." I sighed. "Just looking." When I glanced to my left, I spotted the cheerleader from earlier. "Hey, Luna. Who's that girl right there?" I whispered, but I'm not sure why. With the dome-like roof, and the metal walls, it was like one giant echo that never stopped.

Luna's normally open face closed up a bit. "That's Elise Decker. Super cheer-whore," she said through gritted teeth while glaring at the girl.

"Is she ... the one?" I asked reluctantly. Luna's eyes started to fill with tears, which told me she was. "I had trouble with her this morning after we left English class."

"Yeah. She's the one. Why...what did she do?" Luna asked, but kept her eyes trained on Elise. I glanced down after Luna had moved her arm and her hands were balled into tight fists. I thought Luna might jump up from the table any minute and punch her.

"Oh, it was nothing. I'll tell you later." I didn't want to add to the already volatile situation, instead I tried changing the subject. "So ... tell me, what goes on at the 'bonfire'?" I did air quotes for bonfire. "I mean, why does everybody get so psyched about going?"

Luna opened her mouth to answer until Elise decided to grace us with her presence. That was her first—and last—mistake.

"Wuz up, Goonie Lunie? Who's your pasty friend?" Elise asked sarcastically, while twirling a piece of her over-processed hair. Luna turned her head away from Elise, and I got the feeling she was scared of her for some reason. "Yeah. That's what I thought. You talk a big game when I'm not around, but I don't see you talking now."

I gave Luna a sidelong glance and saw a tear about to spill over onto her cheek. "Leave her alone. She hasn't done anything to you," I said looking up at her from my chair.

Elise turned her attention to me by reaching out and flicking one of my curls."What? You think I'm scared of you?" she asked, and let out a fake giggle.

Adrenaline raced through my veins and my hands began to shake. I had no patience for stuck up girls, especially those who thought they were better than everyone else.

I promptly stood and my chair flipped backwards. I don't exactly remember what happened, but the next thing I knew Elise and I were being lead out of the lunchroom by two teachers and Elise's face was bleeding. I heard the crowd in the lunchroom screaming, "Go, Gen!"

While I waited inside the counselor's office, I overheard a teacher saying that I'd had a wild look about me when they pulled us apart. Pulled us apart? I don't remember touching her. Suddenly, the back of my neck started itching again and when I rubbed across it, I could feel a raised line. I pulled my compact out of my backpack and used the mirror over the tiny hand sink in her office to get a look at it. Although it was red and irritated, nothing was there. I quickly sat back down when I heard voices drawing near.

Miss Baylor, the counselor, came in and closed the door behind her. She quietly walked around her desk and sat down across from me. She was a young woman, probably mid-twenties. I noticed her jet black hair wrapped up in a knot with two pencils holding it in place. She had on a Haven High School sweatshirt and, like so many of the teachers, she wore blue jeans.

She placed her elbows on her desk and folded her hands. "Well, Genevieve, this is not the way I had intended for us to meet." She pulled off her glasses and looked at me severely. "Would you mind telling me what happened?"

I didn't know what to say. She was expecting an explanation, and I couldn't give her one. "I-I-I don't exactly know."

A puzzled expression flitted across her face, and then she smiled. "How do you like it here at H-H-S?"

"It's okay, I guess. I mean, it's hard to know for sure after only a week. But I guess as far as school goes, it's fine." I sat with my hands tucked under my legs, swinging my feet back and forth nervously. If she called my aunt, it would be reason enough for her to take me out of school and then I'd be a prisoner at home again. "Miss Baylor, please don't tell my aunt. After my mom died and I came here to live, she wanted me to home school. I guess that's her idea of protecting me. I had to beg her to let me come to school in the first place.

"I swear Luna and I were minding our own business when Elise came over and started picking on Luna. At first, I wasn't going to say anything, but she put her hands on me. I was only defending myself."

Miss Baylor picked up her phone and pressed a button. "Mr. Long, I won't be calling Genevieve's aunt after all." She glanced in my direction and winked, said something else to the principal, and hung up the phone.

"You're not?" I asked earnestly. She smiled and shook her head. I was stoked. "Thanks, Miss Baylor. I _really_ appreciate it."

"We've all made mistakes." She paused for a minute and stared off somewhere. "I see so much of myself in you."

"How?" I furrowed my brow.

"It's not important right now." She halfway grinned. "I want you to promise me that you will do everything in your power to conduct yourself as a young lady."

"Yeah ... I promise," I said, dropping my head down. As soon as she finished talking, I thanked her again for not calling my aunt, and quickly left her office.

Luna was waiting for me down the hall by the girls bathroom. "Gen, oh-my-gah." She hugged my neck. "You slapped Elise like, so hard, she turned a complete circle and I swear her eyes rolled back in her head." She followed me into the bathroom.

"It should have never happened. I lost control." I paused and walked to the sink. "I just feel like I'm losing my mind."

"Did Mr. Long call your aunt?"

"No. For some reason Miss Baylor told him not to call." I couldn't help but grin when Luna's jaw dropped.

Chapter 5

Friday was the longest day of my life, but as soon as that annoying buzzer signaled the end of the school week, a smile stretched across my face. I couldn't wait to go to the bonfire. Luna told me how much fun we were sure to have. Finally, some time away from home with a bunch of kids my own age. I only had one obstacle standing between me and freedom ... Aunt Bev.

When I pushed through the double metal doors of the school, spring brought the sweet smell of fir trees into the air. The brisk wind blew my hoodie back, but I didn't care. I was on a mission. Somehow, during the ride home, I had to figure out a how I was going to convince Aunt Bev into letting me go to the bonfire.

Luna was standing next to my Jeep with a large group of kids. I wrinkled my brow and slowed my pace, not sure of what was going on. I heard Luna announce my presence, and everyone promptly stopped talking and turned to face me. I searched their emotionless faces for a sign of what they wanted from me.

All at once, everyone started cheering. There were people I swear I had never seen before patting me on the back. They were all congratulating me for putting Elise in her place. I smiled even though I knew I had handled the situation wrong. They actually made me feel pretty good.

My heart started fluttering when out of nowhere William stepped up next to Luna. I thought I was going to pass out when he spoke to me.

"How come you haven't called me?" he asked. The corners of his mouth curved up, revealing a sexy smile.

My face suddenly felt hot, and I smiled sheepishly. "I, uh, wasn't sure you really wanted me to call. I thought maybe my aunt had gotten you to pity me." I quickly looked down at the ground, too embarrassed to look at him.

"Pity you?"

"Yeah. You know ... after I passed out at your feet in my kitchen."

"Nah. I'm used to it. Girls fall at my feet all the time." He laughed and I giggled, slapping him across the arm.

Luna walked up and looped her arm through mine. "So ... William, are you coming to the bonfire tonight? Gen is coming," she said, and nudged me at the same time.

He smiled and I knew his answer. Now all I had to do was convince Aunt Bev to let me go. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be an easy task.

During the drive home, I went over in my mind all the different reasons I would use if my aunt said no, and I was ninety-nine point nine percent sure her answer was definitely going to be no.

My pulse rate continued to rise with each step I took toward the garage door. I stopped, took a deep breath and sighed before entering the house. When I went inside, I didn't see Aunt Bev and was just about to call out to her when I heard her speaking to someone.

As I eased into the den her voice grew clearer; she was on the phone. Evidently she hadn't heard me come in. I knew this because I heard mention of my name and something about it not being time yet. _Time for what?_ I continued listening. My aunt became increasingly angry. I heard her say, "I won't let you have it your way." Even though it was wrong to eavesdrop I was compelled to listen.

"You'll have to kill me first," Aunt Bev said in a hushed, angry tone, and it frightened me.

I took a step and kicked an umbrella leaned against the wall. My heart all but jumped out of my chest when the umbrella slid down the wall making a scraping noise. Aunt Bev grew quiet, and I hurried back through the kitchen, opening and shutting the door leading in from the garage as if I had just come home.

"Aunt Bev?" I called out, trying unsuccessfully to hide the nervous tone in my voice.

"Hi, sweetheart." She forced a smile through a pained expression when I walked into the room.

I tried not to stare at her. Her face had been washed of all color, looking as though she had seen a ghost. "Is something wrong? You don't look so good," I asked trying to sound innocent, even though I knew it had something to do with whoever she'd been arguing with on the phone.

"I have a nagging headache." She rubbed her forehead. "But I'll be fine."

I was making a roast beef sandwich and didn't even realize how high I'd piled it with meat until she said something.

"Hungry?"

"Not really. I just have this sudden taste for meat." I put some of the meat back into the package, and then, when she wasn't looking, grabbed half of it back out, rolled it up and downed it in two bites. "Maybe I was a little hungrier than I thought." We laughed simultaneously.

She leaned against the counter with her arms crossed loosely over her chest and watched me practically inhale the sandwich. The whole time I was eating I kept going over in my mind all the different arguments I would use if she said no to the bonfire.

Finally, I just blurted it out. "There's a bonfire tonight up at Wolf Point by the caves. Luna, her three brothers, and all the kids I've met at school are going. Can I please-please-please go?"

"All right," she said, smiling.

I was so sure she'd say no I didn't hear her say yes. "Why not? I really want to go. You're not being—"

"Gen. I said yes."

A warm feeling washed over me. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I've got some errands to run later anyway. I don't want you out late though."

I jumped up from my chair, and wrapped her in a hug, squeezing her tightly.

"Gen," she stammered. "I can't breathe."

I quickly let her go and saw her face was blood red. "Sorry, Aunt Bev," I uttered. "I didn't think I was squeezing that hard."

After I showered, I went into my room and my cell phone was chiming like crazy. It was text messages from Luna. There were two within three minutes of each other.

**Are you coming tonight?** was the first message she sent.

**Gen. Why aren't you answering?** she texted, like, fifteen seconds later.

Chill Luna. I was in the shower. Yeah. I'm coming. I'll text message you when I leave. You still want to ride with me?

She must have been staring at her phone, because as soon as I pressed send, one came right back. **Yeah. Hurry. We need to leave in an hour. You won't want to miss a thing.**

I laid my phone down and looked in the mirror; panic immediately set in. I hadn't even begun to get ready yet. I was going to have to hurry if I expected to leave in an hour. I rushed to my closet and grabbed a pair of black ski pants, matching white and black top, and my new Ugg sheepskin boots.

Forty-five minutes later I dabbed on a little perfume, scooped up my jacket, and hurried down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. I'd almost made it to the door when I heard my aunt.

"Gen," she called out for the gazillionth-and-one time.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah," I moaned, stopping just inside the kitchen door.

"I just wanted to tell you to treat that Jeep like it was yours ... because it is." When she hugged me I think I detected a tear in her eye. I smiled, thanking her and slipped out the door.

Chapter 6

I didn't say much during the ride to Wolf Point. I wanted so much for William to be there, but at the same time I hoped he wouldn't show up. Luna, on the other hand, had taken control of the stereo and was happily singing at the top of her lungs to a new Smashing Pumpkins' song I was hearing for the first time. I kept giving her sidelong glances.

"What?" she tried shouting over the music while looking at me questioningly. Her whole face lit up with the prettiest smile. Her smooth complexion reminded me of melted caramel. She was such a free spirit. Nothing seemed to phase her, except ... Elise. But, that was totally understandable. I didn't even know the girl and she managed to push me over the edge within like five seconds of opening her mouth. I can't remember ever getting that angry before.

Actually, since moving to Alaska, I'd been noticing things about me that were changing. Luna and I hadn't really talked about what happened per se, except when half of the senior class congratulated me in the parking lot.

"Nothing," I shouted back, shaking my head. "Just—" I was still shouting when Luna quickly turned down the stereo. "Nervous."

"Why are you screaming?" she asked, and we both laughed in unison.

Luna guided me off the road and down a long gravel path. It suddenly grew into a darkened abyss. Thick masses of trees so tall I couldn't see past the tops overlapping each other on both sides, blocking out the sky somewhere beyond.

We drove at least a mile or two before the trees finally parted to reveal a huge opening in front of a cave. There must have been fifty or sixty vehicles parked in no certain order. Kids were scattered all over the place in small groups. Some hung out on truck tailgates, some had already paired up and were busy fogging up car windows, and others, more serious about the art of the bonfire, gathered firewood, placing it atop an already impressive stack.

Jack, I was told his name by Luna, was the unofficial DJ. Dressed totally in black, with guy liner to match, he had the trunk open on his brand new red Audi A8, showing off a mobile sound system with two massive bass thumpers and a dozen other smaller speakers. "Radioactive" by Kings of Leon blared from his stereo and echoed through the trees and into the cave. I must say, I did like his taste in music.

I was moving around slowly, taking it all in, when Luna pulled me toward the cave. "Come on, Gen. You've got to see this."

We stepped around a group of kids that had been blocking my view of the cave. I recognized them from one of the lunch room tables we had eaten at.

"Gen, you remember Nathan, Darcy, Samuel, and Katy, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Hi." I waved and then realized I so must have looked like a dork. After we brushed past them, the cave opened up into this humongous room with a high ceiling. The light from the flames danced off small crystals embedded in the walls, which gave the whole room a glowing sparkle. It was so mesmerizing and beautiful I could hardly take my eyes off of it.

Several other kids from school sat around a small fire talking and laughing with someone a bit older than everyone else. She was dressed in Eskimo garb. When we got closer, I was shocked to find it was Miss Baylor.

"Hello, girls," she said, smiling at us. "Are you going to be around later for the telling of the 'Legend of the Adlet Royalty and the Blood Moon'?"

I shot Luna a puzzled look and shrugged my shoulders. Luna quickly spoke up and told her we would be there.

"What was that all about?" I whispered as we walked to the opposite side of the cave.

"She's training to be our first female shaman." Luna spoke as if it was something we talked about all the time.

"And? What is that supposed to mean?" I felt like I had to pry the words from her.

"She believes in the supernatural. The legend tells about the coming of a wolf princess, and how she will unite all the people."

"All what people?" I wanted to say but didn't. I was just as confused as I was when I saw Miss Baylor. "Let's go back outside." I nudged her back toward the opening.

We circled the whole place but I didn't find William. Maybe he had decided not to come after all. I was completely bummed. Luna and some friends were heading into the woods and she asked if I wanted to go along. I was a good bit behind everyone else and called for Luna to wait up when I stopped to get a pebble out of my boot. I guess she didn't hear me, because when I ran to catch up I came to a fork in the path and no one was in sight. I played the eeny-meeny-miney-moe game and the path on the left side won.

The deeper into the woods I walked, the darker it grew. Finally, due to the thickness of all the huge trees completely blocking the sky, it was too dark to see and I took that as my cue to turn around. However, I promptly discovered it was easier said than done. What I thought was taking me back out was only taking me deeper into infinite darkness. I stopped in the middle of the path and swallowed hard. My heart raced and fell at the same time when it hit me—I was completely alone.

I flipped open my phone to text Luna. "Shit," I paced around, waving my phone in the air. "No signal ... that's just great." Okay, I thought as I looked around me. I was, maybe for the first time in my life, lost.

I started to slip my phone back into my pocket when I remembered it had a built-in light for taking pictures at night. So, my three hundred dollar phone was now a flashlight—and a real crappy one at that. The light barely illuminated the ground a few feet out, but it was way better than no light at all in the dark abyss of the woods.

I stopped and listened, trying to hear Luna and her friends or at the very least which direction the music was coming from, but sounds bounced off the trees making it seem like the music and voices were coming from everywhere. The darkness blanketed everything around me, making me feel like I was the only person in all of Alaska.

Suddenly, it was as if all the typical noises of the woods at night were amplified. I felt eyes on me, sending cold chills up my spine. My pulse started to climb. I turned slowly in a circle, shining my light toward the darkness, and froze when my light hit across what appeared to be red fur through the trees beside me.

"Oh, God," I threw my hand over my mouth after it dawned on me that this was all very much like the reoccurring nightmares I'd been having. Hot tears filled my eyes and I tried blinking them away so I could see. My fight or flight reflexes obviously weren't up to par, because I just stood perfectly still waiting for a rabid creature to leap out of the bushes and kill me.

I shook violently and held my breath after hearing what sounded like a low growl. I knew if it was an animal, I would never escape with my life. I shined my light at the ground until I found a large rock, which I picked up and then ran.

When I thought that maybe I'd outran it or scared it away, which both were highly doubtful, I stopped. I quietly stood still for a minute, and listened. I heard the sounds of dead twigs snapping under the weight of something stepping on them and it was growing louder. I slowly stepped backwards until I bumped into a tree. I laughed nervously at myself, but even that was short-lived when I heard a series of low throaty growls coming from somewhere close by. I was obviously too frightened to scream because when I tried nothing came out.

I slowly shined my light around until I saw it. A huge wolf-like creature with his head lowered a bit, but staring me in the eyes. I watched helplessly as it inched its way closer. It had bared its teeth, snarling, revealing fangs dripping with saliva in anticipation of the kill. Just as it crouched its front legs low, readying itself to pounce, another larger one leaped at it from the side, taking it to the ground. They were rolling around, teeth locked onto each other

As I turned to run, I tripped over a tree root, felt something rough scratch across my face, and then heard a ferocious howl. I scrambled to my feet, and kept going. I wasn't about to stick around and wait for the victor to claim its prize—me. While running, I still heard the growling and other noises like ripping flesh and cracking bones. All of a sudden, there was this ear piercing series of yelps and cries. I couldn't see what was still out there, but I just knew the fight had been over me. One animal had maimed or killed the other, and now was going to take his reward ... me.

Chapter 7

Exhausted, I leaned back against the trunk of a large tree and slid down until I my bottom settled on the cold, damp ground. After crossing my arms over my knees I buried my face and began to sob. I was too tired to move, so I couldn't run anymore no matter how hard I tried. Not only was I lost in the woods, but I was about to become dinner for a crazed animal, and was helpless to do anything about it.

I heard a twig snap close by, but didn't bother to raise my head. What was the point? I was probably going to die anyway.

"Genevieve ... why are you crying?"

I knew that voice by the way my heart skipped a beat. Before I looked up, I tried to wipe my face clean. "What ... where did you come from?" I asked, barely able to breathe, let alone speak. He reached down, gently pulling me to my feet. He smelled like heaven and cookies. I closed my eyes inhaling deeply, as if I could suck in his smell and keep it with me forever.

"I came out here to ... you know ... relieve myself and I heard someone crying," he said, sounding embarrassed.

Even though I couldn't really see his face, I figured it had to be red. "I've been lost out here. I went for a walk and then it got so dark and I couldn't find my way back." I rambled. "Did you hear the growling?"

"Huh?" He held his hand on the small of my back as we headed back up the path.

"I was being chased by wolves or rabid dogs or something. Just before you found me I heard snarling and wild growls, like they were fighting over which one was going to eat me. Then there was all this yelping like something chased them off. And then you showed up."

He laughed out loud. It was the sexiest laugh I had ever heard."Oh, Genevieve. You do have a vivid imagination."

"I'm serious. I know what I heard." I folded my arms tightly across my chest, and stopped walking. "You think I'm making it up?" I furrowed my brow.

He had taken a few extra steps before stopping, which made him a few feet further in front of me. I heard another low growl close behind me."Shh! Did you hear that?" I whispered, while frantically glancing around. "They're following me. I think they want to ... kill me."

He never said if he heard it or not, but I figured he had by the way he grabbed my hand and hurried toward the open field at the end of the path.

His features stiffened to a painful mask. "Your face is bleeding," he said, sounding like he was holding his breath. I gave him an awkward glance, and his expression softened. The back of his fingers gently brushed across my cheek. I was so entranced by him that I had forgotten all about being scratched. He walked me to a car parked close to my Jeep. A beautiful, brand new, black BMW. The same car I had seen at my house the day he and his father came over.

He pushed a button on the remote and the trunk popped open. My eyes were glued to him as I watched him open a bottle of water and pour it over a clean folded shirt, he then dabbed it so tenderly against my face. "There you go. All better." he said quietly and his lips curved upward forming the most angelic smile I'd ever seen.

"Thank you, William." We stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours. I wanted him to wrap me in a kiss and never let go. It was like he read my mind. He slowly began to move closer. Just as our lips were about to touch I heard Luna's voice.

"There you are." Luna shot William a skeptical look, then smiled at me. "I see why you got separated from us." She tilted her head to one side and furrowed her brow. "What happened?" Luna asked, tracing her finger gently along the scratches on my face.

"Oh, that. I scratched it on a branch or something in the woods." I covered my cheek with my hand.

"Four times?" Luna glared at William when she asked.

"Don't look at me! I found her that way." William said defensively, spun on his heel and walked away. I watched after him until he disappeared inside the cave.

"Thanks for running him off, Luna. I really like him, but now I'll be lucky if he talks to me again." I dropped my shoulders and sighed heavily.

"Sorry, Gen," Luna said, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. "I don't trust him. He's too ... too, pretty,"

I smiled. "Oh my God, I know, right? _And_ , he smells like sandalwood and cookies." We laughed simultaneously.

Luna looped her arm through mine, and started pulling me in the direction of the cave. "Come on. He's not going anywhere as long as you're here."

When Luna and I re-entered the cave, there were twice as many people sitting around the fire than before, and Miss Baylor was setting the scene for the story she was about to tell and seemed to have everyone's undivided attention. William stood across the room, staring a hole right through me, and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed, like he could read my thoughts and knew how badly I wanted him close to me. At the same moment I was thinking that, I gave him a sidelong glance, and he made a poor attempt to hide his grin.

Miss Baylor chanted something in a language I didn't understand while sprinkling herbs or something into the fire. I was beginning to wonder just what I had gotten myself into. For all I knew, I could be in the middle of a satanic ritual. I giggled silently at the outrageous thought. After Miss Baylor circled the fire she resumed her seat among us and began telling a story.

"Some believe the Adlet wolf is nothing more than a myth. But as natives of Alaska we know this to be an untruth. Many generations back there was an Adlet queen. She bore a female child ... a princess. And this daughter had a daughter, and so on." She peered intently at each one of the students as she spoke.

"Is this supposed to be a ghost story or what?" I whispered in Luna's ear. Luna seemed to be entranced by Miss Baylor's story and without taking her eyes off her, she just put her finger to her lips signaling me to be quiet and listen. Sitting on the dirt floor, I sighed, propping my chin in my hands and stared into the fire only half listening.

"Then evil came upon the tribe and killed many, including the Adlet princess ... or so they thought. The tribes-people that were spared told a story of a woman returning years later and telling them that one day a princess would come and unite the different tribes. She said only then would the Wolves, Lycan, and Blood Drinkers live together in peace."

"Really? I'm sitting here on a Friday night listening to this crap? What does this story have to do with anything?" I mumbled and started to get up, but Luna pulled me back down.

"You have to stay or you'll break the circle." She warned. Some of the students heard us whispering and glowered at me. "This is our heritage," she added in a whisper. "Just listen."

Miss Baylor stood and scooped some powder out of a pouch that hung around her waist, and tossed it into the fire. Sparks of every color floated up into the air as she started chanting.

"I invite the princess of the Adlet wolf to join me in spiritual union. She is the tenth generation of daughters. On this, the night of her birth, the moon will start out white, but when she rises to take the throne, it will bleed and become solid red. Come. Give the blessing and show me your mark. If she is one upon us let the fire turn dark."

Miss Baylor stopped, immediately the fire went completely out, and the room turned pitch black for several seconds. I heard whispers in the dark, then the fire promptly roared back to life. At first, I thought it was just some kind of joke until I looked at Miss Baylor's face. All her color had drained. Her face was snow white and she appeared to be in shock.

Chapter 8

"Well," Miss Baylor said with a forced smile while nervously rubbing her hands together. "That's never happened before." After pursing her lips, she stepped away from the circle without saying a word to anyone and quickly left the cave.

I furrowed my brow. "What just happened?" I asked Luna, the hair on my arms standing.

"Miss Baylor really believes in this stuff, and all the signs point to the princess being here."

"You mean like, here in Alaska, or here inside this cave?" I suddenly felt paranoid like all eyes were on me. I glanced around the room and spotted William leaning against the wall, his sexy eyes made my heart flutter, and for obvious reasons I blushed and lowered my eyes. When I looked up he was halfway across the room coming straight toward me. He smiled and his pearly white teeth sparkled from the light of the fire.

"Well ... that was," he paused and cleared his throat. "Weird." He smiled crookedly. Every time he got really close to me, I'd catch myself holding my breath, and had to remind myself to breathe.

"Yeah. Extremely." He could have said the sky was green and I would have agreed with him. William had an aura about him that filled me with happiness.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at me, like he was thinking. "I want to show you something." He held out his hand gently taking hold of mine. "Come on." We went outside and he placed his arm on the small of my back as we started climbing on the large rocks directly above the cave. When we neared the top it leveled off somewhat into a path.

"Close your eyes." His voice was like velvet. Without even asking why, I just did it. For whatever reason I felt a connection to him unlike anything I had ever experienced. I couldn't explain it, I just knew in my heart he wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt me.

He took my hand and guided me a short distance. "Okay," he whispered softly next to my ear. "Open them."

The view before me took my breath away. We were standing on a large flat area of rock on top of the back side of the cave, and above us the sky was a series of, blue, red and green curtains of light, dancing and waving. The colors had made the sky into moving art, like a symphony but with light instead of sound.

We sat together. I was speechless as I watched, and I could feel William watching me as I peered at the lights. After a few minutes, I started rubbing the back of my neck. It ached from constantly looking up. William removed his jacket and laid it behind us, then gently pulled me back. His touch caused my stomach to swirl with butterflies.

I lay on my back with my knees bent, watching the colors change and move. William lay on his side with his head propped on his hand, staring at me. I tried to act like I didn't notice, but I'm sure my trembling hands and quivering lip told him otherwise.

"So ... where are you from?" His thumb rubbed a delicate circle on the back of my hand.

"L.A. is where I just moved from, but I was born in Oregon. Me and my mom moved a lot after my dad died. I guess she just couldn't find a place that felt like home."

"Your aunt told me and my dad what happened ... I'm really sorry—"

"Where are you from?" I asked, cutting him off, not really wanting to get on the subject of the fire and losing my mom.

"Canada. Just me and my dad. We move around a good bit, too ... because of his job. Mostly Europe. My mom left when I was little."

"Oh ... I'm sorry, too." I detected a hint of sadness in his voice that tugged at my heart.

"It's okay. It was a long time ago; I don't even remember her... not really, anyway."

There was this awkward exchange where neither one of us really knew what to say next, so we both started watching the aurora borealis, again.

I felt completely intimidated by him. He was perfect in every way, something I could never be. I kept giving him sidelong glances, and every time he was still eyeing me. He must have noticed because he suddenly flashed that sexy smile of his again, revealing a dimple I didn't recall seeing before. A burning flush flew over me, I promptly lowered my eyes and smiled.

He slowly inched closer until his face was right next to mine. My heart sped up until I thought a heart attack was eminent.

He placed his hand on my chin and softly turned my face toward him. His hand was like ice at first, but quickly started to warm up until it felt burning hot. His gaze danced back and forth between my lips and my eyes, and mine did the same. I wanted him closer to me, which made my heart ache. Somehow, I knew that nothing he did would get him close enough to satisfy me, and he would always leave me wanting more. It was as if a part of me physically needed William, and I had never felt that way about anyone before.

He inched his way closer, but just before our lips met, his expression turned hard and he quickly sat up.

"What ... what is it?" I quickly sat up.

He creased his brow and pursed his lips. "Shh," he said, not unkindly, cocking his head to the side. He paused briefly. "We should go." He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. "Come on," he said with an urgency in his voice.

"What's wrong, William?" I searched his face and my heart fell, not knowing what I had done wrong. I think he realized it too.

"It's not safe up here," he said, his eyes narrowed and turned dark, and then I heard what I thought he might be referring to. An eerie howl echoed somewhere behind us. "Hurry," he said, tightening his grip on my hand, and dragging me behind him.

As we neared the bottom I was compelled to look behind us and I saw why William had been so upset. Peering over the edge were three giant wolves revealing their fangs. There was something strange about their eyes. They looked almost human.

William didn't waste any time getting us back over to the bonfire, around people, and of course a really big fire. I guess he figured that the wolves wouldn't venture in too close.

I noticed Miss Baylor standing off by herself, leaned up against a car. She appeared to be nervously biting at her thumbnail. I told William I'd be right back and walked over to join her.

"Hey Miss Baylor," I smiled. Apparently she was in deep thought, because she didn't answer at first. "Miss Baylor ... is everything all right?" I asked after lightly touching her on the arm.

"Hmm? Oh—yes, Genevieve. I'm sorry. I was a million miles away," she forced a laugh, but I could tell something was definitely bothering her.

"Can I ask you a question?" I stood with my hands in my jacket pockets, eyes lowered, pushing around pebbles with the toe of my boot.

"Of course you can." I detected a slight tremble in her voice.

"What was all that about in the cave earlier? I mean ... at first I thought you were just telling spooky stories to try and scare us. But after the fire roared back up and I saw your face ..." I trailed off.

"Gen, my great-great-grandfather was an Inuit shaman, highly respected by the tribes in Alaska. All the great leaders came to him for guidance, or prayer, even healing. He was very powerful. He talked of the great war between the Blood Drinkers and the Shape-shifters."

"Shape-shifters? Blood Drinkers?" I sort of shook my head, and smiled.

"Lycan are Werewolf slaves, and Adlet are giant Werewolves. Any creature that 'transforms' is known as a Shape-shifter. And Blood Drinkers are vampires. They have all been fighting for many years. Before my grandfather died he told about a vision he had with his spirit guide. A princess would walk among us, and on the night of the blood moon, she would claim her throne and end the war.

"Do you really believe all this? Because you sound a little ... stressed." Subconsciously, I had taken a few steps backward.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I've seen them!" she snapped, but I don't think she meant to. I also didn't think she noticed how I kept glancing past her, looking over the top of the cave.

"You saw them tonight, didn't you?" she asked.

"Saw who?" I furrowed my brow. I was beginning to get a little freaked out.

"Not who ... what. The Lycan were here tonight. They know of the princess too, except they don't want the war to end. They want to kill her before she rises to take the throne."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This was stuff that was only supposed to exist in fiction books, and sci-fi movies. It wasn't supposed to happen in real life, and certainly not around me.

I stared at Miss Baylor, waiting on her to laugh and say it was all just a big joke. But she never did. She believed every word of what she was telling me. I just wasn't sure that I believed it.

"So ... this princess ... is she here?" I asked jokingly, but got totally freaked out when she stared at me, but never said another word.

Chapter 9

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I flipped it open to find a text message from William.

**Are you going to hang out with Miss Baylor the rest of the night?** I looked up and William was leaned back against the front of his car, resting on his elbow with his feet crossed. Even from across the fire his eyes were mesmerizing. My heart fluttered again, and I wondered how long I would keep reacting to him like that.

**Be there in a sec.** I text messaged back.

"Um, William is waiting for me," I said, breaking the silence.

"We need to talk about this, Gen," she called out as I walked away.

I briefly turned to face her, and kept walking backwards. "We will," I told her, but had no intentions of further entertaining the craziness she was trying to feed me. I'd definitely be talking to Aunt Bev later.

I knew it was late, but I didn't want this night to end. When I reached William's car he smiled, but kept his distance, which bothered me. Luna came be-bopping over with her perky attitude and totally silly grin. She looped her arm through mine, pulling me slightly further away from William.

"Gen, it's getting late. I have to be home by twelve," she said, smiling dryly at William as if to say, "ha-ha she's mine."

I peered longingly at William and sighed. "I guess I need to get going."

He pushed himself off of his car. "I'll walk you." He placed his hand on the small of my back and we started walking. Luna was a few steps ahead. His hand on my back felt like ice, but his touch set me on fire.

We reached my Jeep faster than I would have liked. I was disappointed after turning to face him, he didn't even attempt to kiss me. He just opened my door and waited for me to climb in. I was crushed when he said a simple bye and closed my door.

I stared through the windshield and watched him until he disappeared somewhere on the other side of the bonfire. I sighed heavily and dropped my shoulders.

During the drive home, Luna was extremely quiet. She stared out the window while listening to Sick Puppies. Whenever she noticed me glancing in her direction, she would smile. But, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, when she thought I wasn't looking, her smile was promptly replaced with a frown.

I finally couldn't take it anymore. I reached, turning the music down. "What happened inside the cave tonight?" I asked earnestly. Of course, she attempted to play dumb, but the look on her face said she knew exactly what I was talking about. I slammed on the brakes, and skidded onto the side of a very desolate road.

"Gen!" she screamed when the seatbelt caught and jerked her neck. "Why are you stopping?" she asked apprehensively.

I narrowed my eyes and turned to her. "I want the truth, Luna! Especially if it involves me," I shouted ominously. I glowered at her while waiting for an answer. I wouldn't really do anything, like make her get out and walk, but I wanted to intimidate her so she would tell me everything she knew.

"Miss Baylor has these bonfires from time to time. She's convinced her great-great-grandfather had a vision quest, and as the shaman of her family, it's her responsibility to keep searching for the Adlet princess. That's the only way there will ever be peace between the tribes and the Blood Drinkers."

"Okay ... so ... what does that have to do with me? I'm clearly no princess!" I snapped sardonically.

"I don't know that it has anything to do with you, but I will tell you that the fire turning black tonight has never happened before. That's why Miss Baylor was so freaked. I swear that's all I know."

I pulled back onto the road and drove the rest of the way to Luna's house in silence. Before she climbed out the door, I touched her arm. "I'm sorry." I dropped my shoulders. "I didn't mean to go off on you like that. It's not your fault."

She reached back and hugged my neck with one arm, then smiled sadly. "We'll talk tomorrow." I sat in front of her house, even after she was safely inside, rubbing the back of my neck. When Luna hugged me, I guess it got irritated again.

Her house was a small wooden structure among several others, each sitting close to the next. Narrow but deep, they reminded me of row houses, kind of like the one my mom and I had when we lived in Maryland for a whole three months. I didn't know who all lived with her and her three brothers, but the tiny place hardly looked big enough.

I felt really bad for coming down so hard on Luna. My temper seemed to be growing worse lately. Actually, I had been noticing other things about myself changing.

I was hoping Aunt Bev would still be awake when I got home. When I came in through the kitchen door she was getting off the phone and I overheard her telling whoever it was that she had to hang up because I had just gotten home. It was well after midnight, which made me wonder who she would be talking to at such a late hour and wondered what it could be that she hadn't wanted me to hear.

I forced a smile. "Hi," I said over my shoulder while reaching into the fridge. "How was your night?" I asked guardedly.

"It was quiet actually. I did some reading—a book that I've been meaning to read for a while."

"Oh? What kind of book?" I asked skeptically. I don't know how I knew, but she was being evasive.

Her normally open face closed up a bit. "Nothing you'd be interested in." She changed the subject abruptly. "How was your night? Did you have a good time?" She sat down at the table across from me, watching as I made myself a sandwich. I noticed her brow furrow when I popped open a can of soda.

"What?" I asked, wondering why she all of a sudden looked so weirded out.

"Oh ... nothing. She forced a smile. "Your nails grow so fast. If you're out of nail polish remover, I have some in my bathroom."

"I just trimmed and painted ..." My voice trailed off when I held up my hand and saw how long my nails were, again. The nail polish I'd just put on two days before was already gone from a large portion of my nails. "Wow!" I smiled nervously, tucking my hands under the table. "I, um ... I guess they do grow fast."

I lay in bed unable to sleep. The brightness of the full moon shone through the window above my bed, hitting me in the face. It made me think about everything that had happened at the bonfire. But mostly, it made me think about William. Even when he wasn't around I couldn't get him off my mind. When I thought about the way he had almost kissed me my heart fluttered again.

I got on my knees to draw the curtain closed, and I saw movement outside, down by the lake. I looked on curiously, thinking it was probably a moose or maybe even a bear. Although I couldn't quite see it, I knew it lurked just beyond the yard, in the shadows of the trees that lined our property.

I was more curious than frightened and sat back on my knees, staring into the night, which at this time of year lasted barely a few hours. I quietly slid open my window a tiny bit so that I might be able to hear movement close by.

I cocked my head to the side and listened intently. It was completely quiet outside. I found it ominous that no animals moved, not even the call of an owl I had gotten used to hearing every night. Suddenly, my heart about jumped out of my chest when the eerie silence was broken by my phone vibrating across the night stand. I had placed it on vibrate earlier just in case someone called while I was driving Luna home. With the music blasting through my speakers, I wouldn't have heard it ring.

I took my eyes off the back yard and eyed the time displayed on my alarm clock before scooping up my phone. It was two thirty-seven. I flipped open my phone.

**Are you awake?** It was a text message from William.

My face lit up and my heart beat wildly. **What are you doing awake so late?** I wrote back, chewing at the inside of my cheek and was glad he couldn't see how nervous and excited I was to hear from him.

**Couldn't sleep.** he messaged back in like, five seconds. **You wanna hang out tomorrow?**

**Sure. But first I'll have to ask my aunt.** I was already going through in my mind what I was going to wear.

I'll call you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.

A grin lingered on my face as I flopped over onto my back, staring up at the ceiling daydreaming about being with William until my concentration was broken by the familiar echo of a wolf's howl wafting in through my window. It sounded the same as at the bonfire only this time it was closer ... much closer.

Chapter 10

After fighting the bright sunlight that managed to find its way through every little crack in my curtains, I decided sleeping in was not going to be a viable option for me, so I sat up and angrily threw my pillow across the room. It hit the shelf above my dresser, knocking several books and my collection of seashells onto both my dresser and the floor. "Argh!" I slammed backward against the mattress, and then I remembered the howling that happened outside my window. I thought about telling Aunt Bev everything that went on, but decided to wait until I went back to school. There was no reason to freak her out _and_ ruin the rest of my weekend, because as soon as she found out, she'd probably lock me in my room until I turned like thirty.

Since my mom's death a few weeks back I'd hardly slept, which was probably why my temper had gotten so much worse lately. I thought about her all the time, wondering if I'd been home would I have been able to save her.

I put on a pair of baggy sweats and my mom's old long-sleeved Bob Marley tee-shirt I had borrowed for my trip. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, staring at my face. My light blue eyes seemed to be getting darker and taking on a green hue. My hair was turning a deeper red as well. I knew that wasn't really possible ... or was it? I shrugged my shoulders, pulling my hair into a loose bun, brushed my teeth and headed down stairs.

Aunt Bev was not in the kitchen when I went down for breakfast. She had a pitcher of fresh orange juice on the table, and a plate with bacon and biscuits beside it. I went down the hallway and as I entered her room, I heard her shower running.

I scanned her bedroom admiring how beautifully it was decorated. A large wrought iron canopy bed covered the biggest part of one wall. Sheer curtains were twisted and draped through the top, and the bed was covered with an overly plush white down comforter trimmed in light blue with matching throw pillows of white and blue. There was a chocolate-colored, faux suede chaise facing a huge rock fireplace with a forty-two inch flat screen attached to the wall above it. I glanced at the antique dressing table and that's when I noticed her cell phone sitting next to a picture of her and my mom.

I quietly crossed the room, and picked up her phone. My heart raced from the fear of being caught, but I just had to see who she had been on the phone with so late at night when I'd come home from the bonfire.

My heart all but stopped beating when I scrolled through her recent calls and found the name Annalisa. Just then, the shower water stopped. I promptly closed the phone and ran from her room, not slowing down until I'd reached the kitchen. I tossed a biscuit onto my plate, shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth and poured some juice.

A few minutes later, Aunt Bev came into the kitchen. It didn't take much to notice she was so totally not acting like herself.

"Good morning," I said, forcing a smile.

She poured herself a cup of coffee as I watched, then reached into the cabinet and took out a tea bag and dropped it into her mug. "Good morning," she replied, with a look of trepidation.

"Um ... is everything all right?" I asked, furrowing my brow. Normally something like that would have been funny, but the way Aunt Bev had been acting lately told me something had her preoccupied.

She turned around to face me, and I could tell she was forcing herself to smile by the worried look on her face. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason ... except you just put a tea bag in your cup of coffee."

She stopped just before taking a sip, and looked down at her cup for a brief moment. She quietly poured the contents into the sink, then just stared out the window.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" I asked, but I don't think she even heard me because she didn't bother to answer. "William and I are running away to get married because I'm pregnant," I teased, trying to get a response from her ... any response.

She was lost in her own world, not hearing a word I said. "Really? That sounds like fun." She checked her watch, and then scooped up her purse from the desk. "I've got to run some errands. If you go somewhere before I get back, leave me a note." She kissed the top of my head, then disappeared out the kitchen door.

Something wasn't right with my aunt and I needed to find out what. I mean why would she have been on the phone after midnight with my school counselor? They certainly hadn't been discussing my academic future.

After finishing breakfast I cleaned the kitchen because Aunt Bev was a clean freak and would have had a meltdown if it wasn't clean. I sure didn't want to do anything to make her change her mind about letting me go out with William later.

I checked my phone like every five seconds but William hadn't sent me a text message. I had no clue what time we were going out, but I didn't want to get ready too early and have to just sit around and wait.

I wandered around the den peering at all of Aunt Bev's pictures hanging on the wall, and sitting on top of the piano. I decided to try my hand at the piano, which I hadn't played since we'd moved from Wyoming when I was eleven, and had to leave our piano behind because we were moving to a much smaller house.

I opened the bench to find something I could play. When lifting some of the music sheets I found an old book beneath them. I got it out and carried it to the couch where I placed it in my lap. It appeared to be very old so I carefully open the cover, exposing pages so yellowed they were turning brown. It smelled of mold, and made me sneeze.

I quickly realized it wasn't a music book, but an old book of legends. It had no title—which I found weird—but it did have a table of contents. I ran my finger down the page but found it hard to read because the words were so badly faded. I struggled to make out some of the headings and my jaw dropped open when I spotted something familiar. One of the headings said something about Adlet, which was the same name Miss Baylor had been talking about at the bonfire.

I was beginning to find the whole thing a bit too coincidental. I rushed through the pages until I reached the story "Searching for the Adlet Princess." I read the first page which talked a lot about the Adlet woman who had fallen in love with a shape-shifter posing as a Russian. I turned the page and read through it. While reading the third page I suddenly froze when I saw the picture of a painting on the adjoining page. It was a young woman surrounded by a pack of giant wolves. The woman looked a great deal like my mom. My heart pounded in my ears. I slammed the book closed and returned it to the bench before rushing out of the room.

I didn't know what to think. I fell back onto the couch and stared out the window, trying to take in everything I had just seen and read, along with what Miss Baylor had said the night before. There was something very familiar about the book, but I just couldn't quite wrap my head around it.

"Oh God." I threw my hand over my mouth. It had just dawned on me the reason the book seemed familiar. I had seen my mom reading the exact same book.

Chapter 11

I was curled up on the couch watching a _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ marathon when my phone started ringing. I snatched my phone from the table. It was a text message from William. My heart immediately raced with excitement.

**What are you doing?** he text messaged me.

**Watching tv. What are you doing?** I messaged him back. I was glad he'd sent a text message instead of calling, because I probably would have been all tongue tied, thinking about last night, and how we'd came so close to kissing. Just thinking about it caused my whole body to tremble.

**Are we still on for today?** he wrote.

**Yeah, I guess. Where and when?** I hoped I wasn't acting too disconnected. I didn't want him to think I wasn't interested, I just didn't want him to think I was too eager. The truth was I'd do just about anything to be with him.

I had made the mistake of acting too eager before, back when I lived in L.A. I was overly friendly with this guy I really liked, and because of that, he thought I would give in just to be with him. Was he ever wrong. When I said no and he wouldn't quit, I ended up kneeing him in the groin as hard as I could. He let me go, but kicked me out of his car, leaving me to find my own way home from the beach.

It's a surprise. Dress warm and be ready in thirty minutes. I'll pick you up. Okay?

**Yeah. But make it an hour. I wanna finish watching this show first.** I had no intentions of watching the next five minutes or fifty minutes. I just didn't want him to know that. I would need every minute possible to get ready.

See you in an hour. Be sweet. ; )

I jumped up and squealed with excitement. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could, which turned out to be extremely fast. I only had an hour to get ready and I hadn't even showered yet. I seriously thought he would have given me more of a notice.

I grabbed my robe and towel and hurried into the bathroom, showering in record time. The big job would be picking out something to wear, especially when I didn't have a clue where he was taking me. It's not like we had a big selection. We were so far north of the lower forty-eight, I doubt if most people even knew there was life up here. Okay, so I was exaggerating a little bit, but there really wasn't that much to do except for arcades and movie theatres. And, since they were both indoors and heated, dressing warm certainly wasn't a requirement.

I had no choice but to just grab something so I opted for a pair of American Eagle lined dark brown corduroys, and a bright pink flannel shirt. And of course I would take my bubble wrap with me.

When my phone rang in the middle of putting on my mascara I almost poked my eye out. I was so nervous with anticipation I jumped at almost any little noise . **I'm outside. ; )** William's text message read.

**I'll be right out.** Having the worst case of butterflies _ever,_ I could hardly type the message, my hands trembled so badly. I had no idea what to expect when I walked out through the garage.

The sky was no longer sunny; a band of low lying dark gray clouds filled the air. Autumn would be coming early Aunt Bev had said, so I took that to mean the snow would start much sooner up here than anywhere in the lower forty-eight. Haven was so far north that a normal school year went from March to October.

William waited at the top of the driveway in the most awesome brand new red Lexus sports car. Through his dark tinted windows, I easily saw his sparkly white teeth and perfectly disheveled hair. He always looked like he'd just stepped out of _GQ_ or something. His smile said he was just as happy to see me as I was to see him. My knees started shaking so badly I thought I was going to hit the pavement before I got to his car.

He didn't actually get out of the car, but he did lean across and open the passenger door for me. When I climbed in, Bob Marley's "Everything's Gonna Be Alright," wafted softly through the stereo speakers. I immediately felt a tug at my heart. William noticed and quickly scooped up the remote, turning it down.

"You don't like Bob Marley?" he asked earnestly.

"It's not that. I love him," I halfway smiled. "He was my mom's favorite. Whenever I was upset about something, she would put on this song and start singing it while dancing around the room acting silly. In just a few minutes, I was over whatever it was that had me upset in the first place."

He reached over and squeezed my hand in a comforting way, and my heart pounded inside my chest. "I didn't know—I'll change it." His voice was velvety smooth and extremely sexy.

I gave him a sidelong glance, and behind his dark sunglasses he'd lowered his eyes briefly. "Don't you dare!" I snagged the remote away from him and we both laughed. "Really. It's good memories."

I turned the song up and settled back deeper into my seat. Neither of us spoke until it ended. "So ... where are we going?" I asked, smiling nervously.

"It's a secret, and if I tell you I'll have to kill you." He briefly lowered his glasses, looked over the top of them, and grinned. "Let me ask you this ... are you afraid of heights?" He sped up once we'd gotten on the highway.

"No. Why?" I asked while trying to get up the nerve to place my hand on top of his, which rested on the gear shifter.

He grinned, like he was being sneaky. "You'll see," he taunted and turned up the stereo.

We drove through the mountains for the better part of an hour, and just as I was about to nod off, we turned off the road after passing a sign that read, "Alaska Adventures."

I glanced at William. He had the biggest grin on his face. "What have I gotten myself into?" Although I was apprehensive, for some reason I trusted William completely.

After parking we got out and I saw the "Treetop Tours" sign. We walked down a dirt path, except it was sort of more like a mud path, in the middle of some of the largest redwood trees I'd ever seen. A little ways down there was a small building he went inside while I waited.

A few minutes later, he walked out with a guy wearing a Hurley jacket and blue jeans, carrying three helmets.

"Gen, this is Mark. Mark, Gen. He's our tour guide." William took my hand and we followed Mark to a lift. I cupped my hand over my eyes when I looked up. My heart dropped when I discovered it went so high I couldn't even see the top.

"It's fine, I promise," William said when I was reluctant to get on. I took his hand and climbed on pretending to be much braver than I really was.

When we got to the top, Mark buckled William and I into a sling type thing made for two people. I could feel my heart pounding in my throat, and my mouth was so dry I could hardly swallow. I was expecting him to attach himself to the line at some point, but instead he said he'd see us at the other end, then gave us a shove.

When we first took off I screamed and shut my eyes tightly after looking down from above the tree tops. We were so high up I couldn't even see the ground below.

William laughed. "Open your eyes or you'll miss it."

"That's my plan ... to miss seeing myself fall to my death." Even though it was freezing cold up there, I'd broken out into a sweat. Summer in Alaska didn't mean warmth, it just meant sun.

"You said you weren't afraid of heights." He sounded amused.

"I thought you meant like airplanes or skyscrapers. Which means being inside somewhere looking out." I cracked my eyes open a tiny bit as I started to get used to the feeling of hanging in mid air. Slowly my anxiety lessened and I finally started enjoying it.

He had his arm looped tightly around my waist, and our bodies pressed close together. We went over one of those knot things on the zip line and it jarred the harness, startling me. Out of reflex my hand flew to his chest, and it was only minutes later that I realized his heart beat seemed faint and slow.

"You're heart's beating so slow," I said, smiling before moving my hand away. "Mine on the other hand is pounding so hard, people in the lower forty-eight can probably hear it," I laughed, but then suddenly felt like I had done or said something wrong. I shifted uneasily and looked at William. His green eyes flitted over me, then quickly away again.

He cleared his throat . "I've ridden these things like a thousand times," he said, flatly.

Just before we reached the end of the zip line, I looked down over the side and saw a shadow of someone in the trees below. At first I dismissed it thinking that I'd somehow seen our shadows.

After our ride ended, we thanked our guide before we headed back down the same path we came in on earlier. I spun around when I heard a twig snap behind us. I turned so quickly it was like I'd heard it before it snapped, and I caught a glimpse before it disappeared that time.

William didn't turn around, but I knew he'd heard it too. "Come on." He tightened his grip on my hand. "Don't stop."

"Did you see it?" I asked, trailing behind him. I took two steps for every one of his, but was still having trouble keeping up.

When we got to his car, he'd already pressed the unlock button on the remote. "Get in," he said in a low deep voice that didn't even sound like him. As soon as I was inside the car he slammed my door and I heard the locks engage. I turned around to see where he went and watched him disappear back into the woods where we'd just came out.

Even though the sounds were muffled through the glass I still heard growling and snarling, along with sounds like breaking trees. "William," I screamed, but he didn't answer. Tears stood in my eyes.

The snarling stopped, and an eerie silence filled the air. I held my breath, staring at the spot where I had last seen William before he'd gone into the woods.

Chapter 12

I let out a deep breath and sighed with relief when William stepped from behind the trees. Walking toward the car, he brushed dirt and dead leaves from his ripped up, bloody shirt. He looked at me and smiled crookedly when he leaned in to grab a fresh shirt from the back. He closed the door and opened the trunk. A few minutes later he climbed into the driver's seat.

"What happened out there?" I asked.

He didn't look at me, but he's features stiffened. "It was a couple of guys from school. They were just trying to scare you." He glanced in his mirrors as we drove away.

I thought about what he said and wondered why he was lying to me. "Do you expect me to believe that? I was there, William. I saw the shadows and heard the snarls—"

"Leave it alone, Gen," he snapped, but I could tell he didn't mean to. It didn't make the hurt I felt any less, though.

I wrapped my arms around myself and sank deeper into my seat. He reached over and tried to put his hand on mine, but I shrugged it off, repositioning myself so I was looking out my window. He cranked up Breaking Benjamin on the stereo, and drove entirely too fast all the way back to Haven.

When we pulled into my driveway, he turned down the music then looked at me with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, Gen. Please don't be mad." I wasn't facing him but could see him in my peripheral vision. He lowered his eyes and sighed heavily. "I ... care about you," he spoke softly, gently taking my hand in his. When I didn't say anything he leaned over to my side of the car. "You're being all quiet and sad now," he whispered, causing a burning flush to fly over me.

"Nah, I'm not mad, just tired." I glanced at my house then back at him. "I better go." I gave him a peck on the cheek before climbing out of the car. "See you later," I said flatly, then closed the car door. I didn't bother looking back, because I could feel his eyes on me as I strolled into the garage.

By the time I got to the kitchen door my phone was ringing with a text message. I dug it out of my jacket pocket. It was William.

Want to do something fun tomorrow?

I wasn't quite ready to forgive him yet. **I'm not sure yet. I might be busy.** I lied. I wanted to be close to him all the time, but for now, I needed to play a little hard to get.

Alright. You can let me know later. I really am sorry. : (

His last text message tugged at my heart strings. I would let him wonder for a little while, then I would let him know things were okay between us.

It was only around five-thirty when I'd gotten home and Aunt Bev was in her office working at her laptop when I found her.

"Whatcha doin?" I leaned against the open door casing, and smiled. She jumped at first, throwing her hand over her heart. She then quickly used her other hand to slide a book under some papers. It wasn't just any book, it was the same book I had found inside the piano bench earlier. "Gen, you scared the hell out of me." She forced a smile. "I didn't expect you home so early." She minimized the screen on her computer, then stood and moved toward me, away from her desk, as if to keep my focus away from what she'd been doing.

"Sorry ... I didn't mean to scare you," I said, my eyes flitted between her and the book.

She crossed the room and sat on the side of her bed to slip on her boots. "Did something happen between you and William?"

"Nah, not really. The date was just over, that's all."

"I have to go out for a while. Can you fend for yourself with dinner?" Her eyes seemed frantic and nervous.

"Sure, I guess... why?"

"I've got a meeting with the town council tonight." Even though she smiled her dark eyes betrayed her anxiety.

***

After Aunt Bev left, I changed into my flannel pajama pants and matching tank top. I cooked a frozen pizza, then settled on the over-stuffed couch in the den to watch _E.T._ I loved that movie. When I was little, some boys in my class called me E.T. because I had great big eyes and a high forehead. I went home and cried thinking it was a bad thing. My mom, being the loving and affectionate person that she was, rushed right out and bought the movie. As we watched it together she explained that those boys were just jealous because E.T was this really great alien who could make things move with his mind, and they wanted to be like him but weren't.

The next day at school those same boys waited on the playground. When my class came outside they tried to taunt me again expecting me to cry, but instead of crying I smiled and skipped away. They never teased me after that day, and that was when I knew my mom was _the_ greatest mom _ever_.

Occasionally we would watch it if I was upset about something, and I always felt better afterward. Although I was sitting there watching _E.T._ alone, it made me feel like she was there with me again.

Not even halfway into the movie my phone rang. It was a text message from Luna.

**Are you at home?** Luna wrote.

**Yeah. Watching a movie. What's up?** I was into the movie so it took me several minutes to write back.

I'm coming over. Be there in a few. DON'T LEAVE.

I tossed the phone onto the couch beside me, and carried my leftover pizza into the kitchen. I put my plate into the dishwasher and heard a knock on the sliding glass doors. My heart jumped because I didn't think Luna had enough time to get all the way to my house from hers.

My adrenaline surged through my veins. I grabbed a large knife from the block on the island next to the cook top, and inched my way quietly to the door. I pressed my back against the wall and peeked out the side of the curtains. As quiet as I had been, Luna was looking right at me. I let out a lungful of air, realizing then I'd been holding my breath the whole time.

"How did you get here so fast?" I asked incredulously.

She pointed to the small boat tied at the dock. "I live across the lake. It only takes, like, five seconds to get here by boat." She wasn't her usual happy self, and I could tell.

"Come on in, I'm watching—"

"I need a ride into town—like, now." Luna cut me off.

"What's wrong, Luna? Is someone in trouble?"

"Yeah ... no ... I don't know. There's been a meeting of the town council called."

"Uh, I know. That's where my aunt told me she was going."

"You don't understand, Gen." Luna's voice sounded frantic and desperate. "This is not like a regular meeting. Someone 'called' it." Luna said, doing air quotes with her fingers.

"Which means ...?" I held both arms out, palm up.

"I'll tell you what it means. It means something's up, and they want it kept a secret." She followed me into the den. I dropped onto the couch while she just stood across the room, not bothering to take off her jacket. "I want to go there to find out why they're all being so secretive."

"Luna, I'm sure it's nothing. You want something to drink?" I asked her before taking a large drink of my soda.

"Fine. If you won't take me, I'll ... I'll hitchhike." Angry tears filled her eyes as she spun on her heel and headed out of the room.

"Wait," I yelled, jumping up from the couch. I didn't realize how determined she really was until the front door swung open.

I ran out of the den, through the living room, and caught up to her just as she was headed out the door. "Wait here and let me throw on some jeans."

I found Luna pacing back and forth in the foyer when I came back down stairs. "Let's go," she said sounding anxious as she started to open the front door.

"No. Lock that door. We're going out through the kitchen. I hit the garage door button then we jumped in the Jeep, and backed out.

When I glanced at Luna, she was chewing the inside of her lip, and nervously bouncing her knee at record speed. "All this really has you freaked out, doesn't it?" I asked, softly rubbing her shoulder.

Luna paused for a minute before answering. "You don't understand how important this meeting is, Gen. Something _big_ is happening. The last time they called a meeting was after ..." her voice trailed off and she started fidgeting with the zipper on her jacket, then peered at me again. "If I tell you something, you promise to have an open mind?"

"Yeah ... sure. I guess so."

"For many years there has been this ..." Luna paused.

I looked at her and saw tears welling up.

"What is it Luna?"

Luna shook her head, but stayed silent the rest of the way to town.

There was an eeriness as we drove through town. Even though it was still fairly early, the streets were empty. I didn't even see a dog or cat anywhere. I felt around on my door and quietly pressed the lock down.

Following Luna's directions it seemed as though we were headed straight toward a dilapidated fishery. The building sat next to the water beside a few broken down, decaying fishing boats. She had us park behind a tall bank to hide the Jeep from view of the factory and the road.

"Why are they having a town council meeting here? Shouldn't it be at, like, city hall or something? Isn't that where towns have their _town_ meetings?" I asked sardonically.

Luna furrowed her brow. "Shh. Keep your voice down or they'll hear us," she whispered. "Stay down and follow me." She then looked briefly over her shoulder at me. "Quietly."

I felt silly following Luna's zigzagging motions, and thought maybe she'd watched _Rambo_ a few too many times.

When we got to the building my heart was pounding so hard I could feel the pulsing in my temples, which was giving me a major headache. We eased around to the back of the building. I had a sneaking suspicion Luna had done this before after spotting a few old crates strategically placed directly underneath a broken window.

"When we get to the window you have to be super quiet," she whispered.

After nodding that I understood, we dropped to the ground and belly crawled until we were both by the crates. I swallowed hard when I heard a man's voice shouting.

"My people fought for peace for many years. There was too much bloodshed between the Lycan, Adlet wolves, and Blood Drinkers."

Luna tapped me on the shoulder. "That's my grandfather talking," she whispered.

"When the pack of the Lycan rebels came, somehow, they were able to get past our warriors, standing guard. The Lycan only left after feeling certain they had killed everyone. Royal family, warriors and all. This is the way our tribe left it until someone betrayed our trust and told them of a female infant that had been safely smuggled out.

"In my vision quest I was shown that the princess has returned, and the time is near when she will once again bring peace between our worlds."

"Do you think _they_ know she is here?" I overheard a woman ask.

"Who is that?" I tapped Luna on the shoulder, and mouthed the words.

"My mother," she whispered.

"You're not even certain Genevieve _is_ the princess. Her life is in danger, and it might be for nothing." My jaw dropped and it felt like all the blood raced away from my brain when I heard what my aunt was saying.

"All the signs lead to her, and I know you have seen the book. Even the picture bares a family resemblance to her," Miss Baylor said.

"That picture could be anyone of a hundred people," Bev snapped, but her voice wavered. "Gen hasn't shown any signs of the transformation. It might not even be her. Why can't one of the local daughters reign?"

"Quiet," Luna's grandfather shouted. "Only a pureblood can ascend to the throne. We didn't decide. The gods decided for us."

"Yes, Uncle, and the fire ceremony has proved that theory. It must be her," Miss Baylor argued.

"Everybody ... _please_ settle down." Luna's mother spoke calmly. "We all know there is one more test that will tell for certain. Have Annalisa perform the test, and if it proves that she is indeed the princess, we will start the preparations."

The long silence made me extremely nervous.

"All right," Aunt Bev uttered, sounding completely exhausted. "Perform the test. I won't stand in the way." She paused momentarily. "I will do whatever is needed to stop the killing."

Chapter 13

I sat frozen in disbelief, still not believing what I'd overheard. My eyes were closed letting the cool air to seep into my skin when Luna suddenly jerked on my arm.

"Come on," she whispered harshly, dragging me behind. "We have to go before they find us out here."

We ran as fast as we could all the way back to the Jeep. We both jumped in and I didn't bother taking the time to fasten my seatbelt; I just wanted out of there. It was becoming quite clear to me these people had gone mad.

Luna didn't talk as we headed toward her house, except to tell me she'd make sure to send the brothers to get their boat. From the corner of my eye I saw her taking sidelong glances at me off and on the whole way. A couple of times, she acted as if she was about to say something but stopped herself. She seemed almost angry about something.

Finally, I couldn't hold back any longer. "Do they really believe all that stuff about Werewolves and vampires?" I asked.

"Yes ... they do. And so do I," she said imperiously, glaring at me.

I couldn't wrap my head around all the things I had heard. It seemed like I had fallen asleep in L.A. and woke up in a fantasy realm in Alaska.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked as we turned onto her road.

"No," Luna replied severely.

"How do you expect me to believe all that crap?" I asked, not wanting to believe Luna was as crazy as the rest of the fine people of Haven.

"I know it sounds crazy—"

"Sounds crazy? It is crazy, Luna. You've all gone freakin' mad."

"You have to see it with an open mind."

When I glanced at her, she had this look on her face, peaceful, like she'd been brainwashed. Kind of like Stepford wives, only way crazier. At least with that movie it was more believable because a lot of scientists had found evidence leading to the possibility that aliens existed. This was just stupid crazy. Everyone in their right mind knows werewolves and vampires are fictional monsters created to scare people.

"I've read about what happens to people that live in a place where the sun never sets completely for months at a time. After a while they begin to lose touch with reality."

"I'm not crazy—none of us are _crazy_. I've lived my whole life hearing the stories and believing in the Adlet princess. It should be me ascending the throne, not some outsider ... not you."

"Well, you can have it Luna because I don't believe it and I don't want it," I snapped after losing my temper.

We pulled into Luna's driveway, and she opened the passenger door. Instead of getting out she stared out through the windshield like she was thinking about something, probably what I had said. Her eyes filled with tears. "Being the Adlet princess is not only a great honor, it's also a huge responsibility. Whatever happens, I will not let you make a mockery of my people's heritage."

She jumped out, slammed the door, and ran into her garage. I yelled for her to stop, but she didn't even slow down.

On the drive home my knuckles turned white from gripping the steering wheel as I thought about everything I'd overheard at that meeting, and what Luna had said. I'd seen movies about brainwashing, and wondered if that could have been the case.

William's image popped into my head. He seemed to be the closest thing to sane I'd found in Alaska. I heard the song "Kryptonite," which was the ringtone I'd assigned to his name. I promptly dug my cell out of my pocket as soon as I pulled into my garage.

**You haven't texted me. Are you still mad? : (** William wrote, adding a sad face. I was over being angry before I'd gotten out of his car, but I wasn't quite ready to let him know that.

**I told you I'm not mad.** That was the truth. I just wanted to make him wonder for a while.

Then ... what? You don't want to see me anymore?

**No, I definitely do.** The ever-popular butterflies had once again returned at the mere thought of seeing him.

**You wanna go on a picnic tomorrow?** he texted.

My heart raced faster with each message. I mentally drooled at the thought of being on a picnic with the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen. How could I refuse.

**Maybe.** my trembling fingers wrote, but my mind screamed yes.

Close enough.

**Close enough to what?** I didn't understand what he'd meant until he wrote right back.

**Did I forget to tell you? Maybe means yes. I'll pick you up at noon. Bye. ; )** William replied within seconds and had thrown in the word 'bye.' My guess was he had done that just in case I might try to say no.

The garage door slowly started to rise, and startled me. I realized Aunt Bev was back so I jumped out and ran in the house, not wanting her to know I had been anywhere.

I ran to the den, scooped the remote from the end table, and flipped on the television while diving onto the couch all in one swift move. I had just gotten my breathing under control when I heard the kitchen door open and close.

"Gen?" she called out from another room.

I quickly hit the info button to read the name of whatever was on the TV, so if she asked what I was watching I'd know. _E.T._ was over and _The People Under The Stairs_ was on.

"I'm watching a movie," I shouted. "You want to come watch it with me?" I asked, but secretly hoped she'd say no. I hated that movie; it gave me the creeps.

She stuck her head around the corner. "No, thanks." Her smile was sad and she appeared frazzled. "Can you come into the kitchen please?"

I had no idea what she wanted unless maybe someone had seen my Jeep. "Uh ... yeah, sure." I was trying to come up with a lie that she would believe, just in case.

When I rounded the kitchen door I stopped abruptly. Miss Baylor stood at the counter with her back turned to me. She was doing something but I couldn't see what. I furrowed my brow. "What's up?" I asked, shifting my glance between the two.

"Annalisa is here to talk to you." It quickly became apparent that Annalisa and Miss Baylor was the same person. I remembered hearing Luna's mom say something about having "Annalisa" perform the test. I stood in the middle of the kitchen wondering if I should run away. It was clear beyond all doubt that Aunt Bev had also been in the sun too long and she believed in monsters.

"Hello, Genevieve," she smiled, opening her hand, arranging a series of small objects and different colored stones on the kitchen table. "Have a seat right here, please." She patted the back of the chair in front of her

I looked at Aunt Bev, pleading with my eyes, but I guess she didn't notice.

"Would either of you like a cup of jasmine tea?" Aunt Bev asked.

That's just great. Here I was stuck in the kitchen with two women, both who had obviously allowed the long lasting Alaskan sun to fry their brains, and my aunt was acting as though we were at a freaking tea party.

"No thanks," we both answered at the same time.

"Genevieve—" Miss Baylor started to say something but I cut her off.

"It's Gen. Call me Gen," I said severely.

"Gen ... see these objects I've laid out? I want you to pick three of them, any three you want."

"Then can I leave?"

"Yes, then you can go ... to your room," Aunt Bev scoffed.

I randomly picked two really fast, but for some reason I couldn't decide on a third object, which I thought was great. If I didn't pick a third, then it would mean I wasn't the one they were looking for. "These are the only two that seem right. So ... I guess I'm not who you thought I was, am I?" I smiled, feeling good about outsmarting her. Maybe now they would leave me alone.

Satisfied I had gotten over on her, I started to push my chair away from the table when she stopped me.

"As a matter of fact, you are _exactly_ who I thought you were."

I suddenly felt nauseous. "Huh? You said pick three, but I only picked two."

"I know." Miss Baylor picked up the two objects I had chosen, and when she placed them together they formed the base of a ring. She smiled broadly at my aunt.

When I looked toward Aunt Bev, I could tell she was forcing herself to smile.

"I don't understand," I stated.

"I purposely asked you to pick three objects, but only the true princess would have been able to pick only two." She held up the ring made from the two pieces I had chosen. "See? This is the 'Blood Moon' symbol." She let it dangle between her thumb and finger. "This is the symbol marking the Adlet princess."

"I don't believe it ... and nothing you can say will convince me otherwise." I stared at it briefly. "It sure is a funny looking ring with the big hole in the top." I stood and folded my arms tightly across my chest.

"Nothing?" Miss Baylor paused for a moment, then came around the table and stood next to me. "Bev, do you have a handheld mirror?" she asked.

"Yes." Without questioning her reasoning, Aunt Bev left the kitchen and came back a few minutes later holding a make-up mirror.

"Nothing you can do with a mirror is going to change my mind. You're both nuts."

"Trust me, Gen. Please." She spoke in a calm even tone, holding out her hand for me to take, which I reluctantly did. I figured why not? I'd let her show me whatever it was she'd wanted to show me, but in the end it wouldn't change a thing. I wasn't the princess now, nor would I ever be.

She led me through the den with Aunt Bev trailing behind. We stopped in front of the large mirror in the hall.

"Pull all your hair up and hold it on top of your head." Miss Baylor instructed.

I shook my head and shrugged, but still did what she asked. She gently placed her hands on my shoulders and turned my back to the large mirror, and signaled for my aunt to give her the smaller one.

"Look in the mirror at the reflection of the back of your neck," she instructed.

I glanced at first, not expecting to see anything. I then quickly did a double-take, looking harder. I stared in disbelief at a faint tattoo-like picture beginning to form on the back of my neck. I rubbed it hard with my hand, thinking somehow they'd drawn it and I could erase it. In the end, all I managed to do was make my neck really red, and the picture was still there. My jaw still hung open when I looked at Miss Baylor.

"The closer time gets to the blood moon, the clearer the mark of royalty will become."

"But—" I floundered and trailed off, not really knowing what to think or say. I was lost in thought when a loud banging at our front door startled me. Aunt Bev's head spun toward the door, and when the banging came again, she went answer it.

"Wait," Miss Baylor shouted at her, before turning to me."Put your hair down," Miss Baylor whispered appearing quite panicked. "You must not show or tell anyone. Do you understand?" She placed her hands on my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes.

"Why not?" I asked confused.

"Your life will be in danger if anyone finds out. Remember ... show no one," she whispered firmly.

Chapter 14

My aunt answered the door and I heard a familiar male voice. His voice sounded panicked and I heard him saying something about Luna.

I saw Luna's twin, Joseph, when me and Miss Baylor hurried into the foyer.

"What is it, Joseph?" Miss Baylor asked.

"It's Luna," He said very agitated. "She's disappeared into the woods ... we have to find her."

"I'm sure she's fine, Joseph. You know she does this all the time when you boys upset her."

"Not this time. She went into ... the dark part of the woods."

"She knows that part of the woods is dangerous. It's Lycan territory. What would compel her to go there?" Miss Baylor searched Joseph's eyes.

Joseph looked briefly at me, and I could tell he knew where Luna and I had gone earlier. I quietly shook my head at him and mouthed the word please while he had my aunt's and Miss Baylor's attention.

"I don't know," he lied. "She was upset about something, but she wouldn't say what."

They all three looked at me. "I don't have a clue where she is." Which was the truth. I really didn't know where she went, but I'm sure everything that happened tonight had a lot to do with why she ran away.

"Where are your brothers?" Miss Baylor asked.

"They've already gone searching. Dusk will be here soon." His gaze shifted away from Miss Baylor, to me and Aunt Bev, then back to Miss Baylor. "We have to hurry."

"I'll go with you," I said to Joseph.

"No." he said, not unkindly. His gaze was hard at first, but then his large golden eyes softened. "It's not safe for you out there."

"I don't care. It's ... my fault she ran away." She had wanted to be the "chosen one" more than anything, and maybe she felt like if I hadn't come to Haven she could have been. I would have gladly given it to her if I could, but unfortunately for me I was pretty sure it didn't work that way.

"Stay here," he demanded before disappearing through the sliding glass door.

I tried to run after him, but by the time I got to the door he had disappeared. I stood at the open glass doors, with my arms wrapped around myself, staring out toward the lake. Tears stood in my eyes when I thought about Luna out there with God only knew what.

Miss Baylor left a few minutes later, promising to let us know as soon as they found Luna.

My mind raced. I had to help find her, and I had an idea. "I'm going to my room," I told Aunt Bev.

"Do you want to talk about anything first?"

I shook my head and walked past her to the stairs. I glanced back at her and forced a smile that fell away quickly. "We'll talk tomorrow."

When I got to my room, I quickly figured out how to remove the screen from my window. I made sure to turn up my music to make sure she couldn't hear me sneaking out.

It turned out to be quite easy. When I climbed onto the lower roof and peered over the edge, it looked to be a bit higher than I originally thought. The temperature was dropping quickly. I climbed back in and grabbed a hoodie. Before leaving again, I yelled downstairs to tell Aunt Bev I was going to bed. That's what I did almost every night, so I felt sure she didn't suspect anything. I stuffed clothes and pillows under my covers to ward off Aunt Bev, just in case she got nosy, then grabbed my flashlight, and out the window I went.

Inside the thick tree line behind my house it was dark and very frightening, but I couldn't risk Aunt Bev seeing the illumination from my flashlight. I fumbled my way through the woods, running into briars and tripping over roots or rocks—I wasn't sure which— and kept looking back until I could no longer see the lights from my house.

"Finally." I let out a sigh of relief until I turned on the flashlight and saw the eeriness of the woods at night. When I shined it around, the shadows it cast made the woods look even scarier. I stopped and took in a deep breath. "This is no time to be a chicken," I told myself. As I walked and called out Luna's name, it suddenly dawned on me, I had no idea where the "dark" part was. From where I was standing everything looked pretty dark to me. Joseph must have meant something else ... but what?

I looked up, but the trees were so tall I couldn't see the sky past them. I was in an endless black pit. What if I got lost? No one even knew I was out here, so they wouldn't know where to look for me. With that, I decided to go toward the lake, and use it as a guide.

When the sound of bullfrogs grew louder, I knew I was getting close to the water. A few more steps and I saw the water through a break in the trees. As I stepped into the clearing I heard a low growl and I froze. My eyes flitted from side-to-side, but I didn't move. When I heard it again I realized it was coming from somewhere behind me.

I bolted, running parallel to the water, and the low growl I'd heard previously turned into a vicious snarling noise. It was growing closer, and by the sound of the ground thudding under its feet, it was running straight toward me. Adrenaline raced through my veins, and my heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to explode in my chest.

Suddenly, I tripped and went flying with my arms straight out toward the ground. I looked behind and spotted a giant wolf-like animal running at me, teeth bared. I was too scared to run. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to see my attacker rip my limbs off. I silently prayed that death would come quickly.

I heard a fearsome growl, different from the one before. I opened my eyes just as much larger "wolf" leapt from the side, colliding with the first, and their tangled bodies rolled toward the water. The larger one was a beautiful reddish color, and for some reason I didn't feel threatened by its presence. I watched as the smaller was grabbed and slung across the clearing. The wolf then glanced at me, revealing blood covered fangs, but it didn't growl. The smaller one saw its chance for attack and I screamed, "Look out!" The larger one turned, and the smaller one sank its teeth into the larger one's back and they went rolling again.

I was on my knees huddled over, my eyes tightly closed, and my hands covered my ears, trying to block out the volatile sounds of gnashing teeth and ripping fur. Snarls, that reminded me of thunderous explosions filled the air around me. I was sure they were killing each other. I cracked open my eyes just in time to see the larger, clearly more dominant one, reaching down and ripping the throat out of the one that was chasing me.

The victor looked up for a brief moment; I managed to get to my feet without taking my eyes off of it. I stared, unable to move. It looked up at me one more time, and I saw large golden eyes. I think it was waiting for me to go before ripping the other one to shreds, so I ran back in the direction I thought was home.

I ran until my side throbbed in pain, and my lungs burned from lack of oxygen. I tried to keep pushing my legs, but they would no longer move and I was forced to stop. I bent over, placing my hands on my knees, but still never took my eyes off my surroundings. The creatures' (I still wasn't ready to call them by what they were) massive size would cause the earth to pound beneath my feet, I would be fully aware they were still coming.

After I caught my breath, I stood upright. The pain in my side had not completely stopped, so I pressed my hand hard against it, but got little relief. I started moving again anyway.

I knew I was almost home when I saw the dimness of light between the branches. Just before reaching my back yard, I saw a shadow moving toward me. I left my flashlight where I had dropped it when the animal attacked me.

Once again, my heart pounded. I was too tired to run, so instead, I stopped.

"Gen, it's me, Luna" she spoke in a low, throaty voice.

I could hear her, but the shadows of the trees hid her from view. "Luna? Where have you been?" I asked, and then my anger took over. "I almost got killed looking for you. Some kind of giant wolf-like ... beast almost had me for dinner—"

"Werewolf! Say it." she growled.

I crossed my arms tightly across my chest. "It wasn't a werewolf. It ... it ... it was a giant dog turned rabid."

"Go home. It's not safe out here," she said, sounding disappointed.

I took a few uncertain steps toward the shadows.

"Stop. Don't come any closer, just go home." Luna's voiced had softened only slightly.

I heard her walking away. "Luna," I shouted, but she didn't answer and I didn't follow.

Chapter 15

Getting back inside proved to be a bit more difficult than sneaking out had been. I guess I could have knocked on the door and told Aunt Bev I'd heard a noise outside, and locked myself out when I went to see what it was. Being the dare devil I'd recently become, I decided to climb back up on the roof and slip in the way I had gone out instead.

I pushed some loose bangs behind my ear while standing in the back yard studying the house. I saw a gutter system in place, but didn't know if it would withstand my weight. Even though I barely weighed a 110 pounds, the downspout was only held on by three tiny metal straps. Just as I was about to give up and knock on the door, I tripped over something laying next to the garage as I rounded the corner.

Low and behold it was a ladder. A smile stretched across my face. "Thank you," I whispered to no one in particular, then grunted as I lifted the heavy wooden step-ladder.

"Damn, this thing is heavy. What kind of wood is this freakin' ladder made from?" I strained so hard, my eyeballs felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets any minute.

Somehow, I managed to maneuver it around to the back yard and leaned it up against the house. I was all proud when I climbed up and stood on the roof like I'd just conquered the Romans. However, I failed to think my plan through. I eased up the window and climbed through head first, and fell sprawling onto my bed, which made a loud thudding noise against the floor. I lay still, panting quietly, as if Aunt Bev could hear me panting from downstairs. If she didn't hear the thud against her ceiling, she certainly couldn't hear my breathing patterns.

When I felt sure the coast was clear, I got on my knees and crawled to the head of my bed to close the window. I pulled the curtain back and peered out. My eyes bugged out when I saw the top of the ladder sticking up over the lower roof. It screamed, "Here I am. Right where Gen left me after she snuck out and back in."

My shoulders dropped. I shook my head, and furrowed my brows. I chewed the inside of my lip trying to figure out what to do. The way I saw it, I only had two choices; I could leave it there until morning in hopes of waking before Aunt Bev did, or I could push it off the house and take I chance of it hitting the deck and waking her. Even if the ladder didn't end up on the deck, I'd still have to make sure to wake up early so I could put it away before she saw it.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to decide. My bedroom door swung open, and the light switched on. I promptly dropped away from my window, and turned to find Aunt Bev standing inside my door with her arms folded tightly across her chest.

"Where have you been?" she asked, but I felt sure she already knew the answer.

"Um ..." I trailed off, and pushed loose bangs behind my ears.

"You went searching for Luna, didn't you?"

Tears stung my eyes, and my shoulders fell hard. "I had to ... it was my fault she ran away."

"Don't you realize you could have been killed out there?" she demanded, looking at me severely.

I debated on whether or not to tell her about the giant wolves, but opted not to. "I didn't go far," I lied. "Luna told me she lived just across the lake. So I only walked, like, part of the way around, but it was so dark in the woods I couldn't see, and I came home.

"Well ... if you would have stayed here you would have known that Luna's mother called over an hour ago and said she was safe at home."

That couldn't be true, because I had just talked to Luna in the woods thirty minutes ago. I thought Luna's mom and Aunt Bev were close, so why would her mom lie?

"See ... everything's fine then," I smiled and tried to make light of the situation, but she wasn't buying it.

"You're not in Iowa, or Idaho, or any of those safe places you and your mom lived in before. Alaska is a whole different world, with many large animals that won't hesitate to kill you."

"You're right." I tried to look remorseful. "It was a dumb thing to do. I promise I'll never do it again," I lied, hoping she'd buy it. The truth was, I couldn't or wouldn't make a promise like that. If I had a friend I knew was in trouble, I would do everything in my power to help them, no matter what Aunt Bev had to say.

Apparently, it worked. She switched off the light and closed my door without saying anything else. I laid back on my bed in the darkness, my arms folded behind my head, and thought about what I'd just done. I had lied to the one person who'd been there for me, who I felt would always be there for me, and she believed it. I thought I'd feel good about getting away with it but the truth was, it made me a little sad.

I woke up freezing, and glanced at the clock on my bedside table. Four-fifteen was illuminated in red. I started to climb under the covers when I noticed my curtain moving. I shot forward in the bed and spun my upper body around. My window was open but I remembered closing it before I fell asleep.

I jumped off the bed and switched on my lamp, half expecting to find a rapist or murderer lurking in my room. My heart pounded and my throat tightened. After what I had witnessed in the woods, anything could have been hiding in my room. Maybe monsters really did exist.

I inched my way to my closet, and placed both hands on the knobs. I took a deep breath and snatched both doors open at the same time. Relief washed over me when my closet was empty except for my things. I closed the doors back and then turned to face my room. Even though I hadn't found anyone, I had the distinct feeling someone had been in there while I slept.

I closed my window and locked it, then crawled under my blankets. Every time I closed my eyes I pictured the wolves and their piercing eyes.

***

It felt like I had just gone back to sleep when I was startled by a knock on my door.

"Gen," Aunt Bev called out before turning the knob and coming in.

"Yeah," I replied gruffly. I cracked open one eye and noticed something in her hand that strongly resembled a hammer. I slowly sat up. "What are you doing?" I yawned the words.

"Get up and you'll see," she snapped, and I detected more than a just hint of anger in her voice.

I guess I moved too slowly for her, because she crossed the room, grabbed my arm, and pulled me up onto my feet. I dropped my shoulders "What?" I whined.

"I need to stand on your bed," she scoffed, then climbed up on my bed and proceeded to nail my window shut while I watched. She looked at me over her shoulder. "You didn't actually think I bought all that crap you were feeding me last night did you?"

"I can't believe you're treating me like a child," I shouted.

"I can't believe you're behaving like one," she snapped right back.

Realizing I couldn't do anything about it, I grabbed my phone and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind me. "Who does she think she is? She's not my mother, and I'm not a baby," I grumbled, while descending the stairs, two at a time.

I went into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of juice, grabbed an apple, and went into the den. I dropped onto the couch and pulled my feet up to my chest. After pulling my hair up in a messy bun, I text messaged William.

**Good morning. Are we still on for today?** I pounded on the keys so hard my fingertips hurt.

Aunt Bev passed through the den on her way to the kitchen, and I glowered at her the whole way, but she never once looked at me so that was a wasted effort.

"You want some breakfast?" she called out happily from the kitchen.

"No," I yelled. "Don't waste your time ... I'm _not_ hungry."

I scooped the remote from the table and switched on the TV, although on Sunday mornings hardly anything decent came on. I flipped through the channels twice before settling for a Lifetime movie.

Aunt Bev called out something from the kitchen, but I just turned up the volume a little more to drown her out. If she was determined to treat me like a child, I might as well play the part and act as juvenile as I could.

I wasn't really interested in watching a movie where the plot was always basically the same. A man killed his wife, wanted to kill his wife, or ran away from his wife. I kept checking my phone, but William hadn't answered. I guess just because I was forced to get up at dawn didn't mean he should have to.

Two hours of Lifetime and I was ready to scream. Unable to force myself to suffer through another movie, after the first one ended with the husband going to prison, I decided I'd had enough and went up to get ready for mine and William's picnic. At least I had that to look forward to.

At exactly eleven fifty-five, "Kryptonite" started playing on my phone. I dove across my bed and snatched it from the nightstand.

**Hey gorgeous. Are you ready?** William texted.

**Yeah. Where are you?** I answered anxiously.

I heard the door bell ring, and Aunt Bev yelled that she would get it. When William didn't text right back, I figured it must be him at the door. I took my time grabbing my things, and strolled down the stairs.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, Aunt Bev had just closed the door.

"Is that William?" I asked, smiling.

Aunt Bev turned around to face me. I could tell by the look on her face whatever it was couldn't be good.

"I told him you can't go," she said harshly. "Until you can learn to obey the rules, you can just sit at home."

"You can't do that," I screamed, tears brimmed in my eyes.

"Oh ... I can. And I did. Now go back up stairs and change." She pointed up the stairs.

"I hate you! And just for the record ... _my_ home burnt down." I ran up the stairs, not bothering to look back, and slammed my door so hard my shelf hit the floor. I threw myself across my bed and sobbed. Every time I stared at the nails I cried harder. The nails were the only thing stopping me from escaping.

Once my tears subsided, they were quickly replaced with anger. Those nails keeping my window from opening were the only thing stopping my escape. I even tried prying them out with anything I could find, but she had hammered in several nails and there was no way I would get it open.

I sat in the middle of my bed with my arms wrapped around my knees feeling sorry for myself, and hating my living situation. I couldn't wait until graduation, then I would be able to leave this crazy place.

My text message went off, and I jerked up my phone. It was William.

**Don't sit there on your bed feeling sorry for yourself.** he wrote.

**What else is there to do?** I messaged back, and then it hit me. How did William know where I was sitting?

Chapter 16

I turned my upper body toward my window; my heart trembled with excitement at the sight of William. He was outside my window staring at me with that crooked smile of his. Even though dark clouds hung overhead, he still wore his sunglasses.

"I asked if you were ready?" His voice sounded muffled through the closed window.

I jumped up, crawling on my knees to the window. "The window is nailed shut," I replied sadly.

"This window?" He pointed, then just lifted it like it was nothing.

My jaw gaped open and I stared in shock at the nail tips hanging down from the window bottom.

"Thanks for putting that ladder there. It made sneaking you out for our picnic that much easier." He held out his hand, palm up. "Madam, your chariot awaits."

I jumped off the bed, scooped up my jacket and phone, locked my door, and climbed out my window. He took my things and glided effortlessly down the ladder. I watched in awe, and he had to get my attention before I remembered he was waiting.

"Oh ... sorry." I promptly smiled feeling positive my face was totally red. The look I saw on his face afterward, made me sure of it.

When I landed on the ground, he was waiting with his hand out. My eyes shifted from his hand to his face, and I smiled broadly. He smiled, too and his eyes sparkled. That was all William had to do and I would follow him anywhere.

"Shh ... we have to be quiet," he whispered. Your aunt is in her bedroom."

"How can you tell with all the curtains closed?" I asked in a hushed voice, but he didn't answer. We ducked down and crawled until we were passed Aunt Bev's bedroom window and around the end of the house.

William gently pulled me to my feet, and we bolted. Holding hands and running, we both laughed the entire way to his car, which he'd hidden down the street from my aunt's house. I called it her house, because I didn't feel like I belonged there, and couldn't wait to get away.

"So ... where are we going?" I asked, knowing I should put on my seatbelt when I realized William only knew two speeds ... dead stop or speed demon.

"You'll see," he peered at me and grinned devilishly, raising and lowering his eyebrows rapidly. William turned up the stereo and we listened to Smashing Pumpkins at near full volume. "I love these guys, don't you?"

I could hardly hear him. I think I read his lips more than heard his voice. I pointed to my ear and shrugged. Talking over the music proved an impossible task, so I settled deeper into my seat and enjoyed the ride.

It was much shorter than the last, which was good, but since he wouldn't tell me where we were going, I was still a little anxious.

We drove away from the mountains and into the woods. The road grew dark, but beautiful with the tall redwoods lining both sides of the road. Small yellow and purple flowers dotted the sparse grassy areas. William finally took off his sunglasses, and I stared at his eyes. Not because they were so magnificent —which they absolutely were—but because their color kept changing. I remembered them being a bright sea-green color, but now they were a much deeper emerald color.

I was so happy to be with William I didn't let the fact I had snuck out again take over my thoughts. My cheeks were starting to hurt, I'd been smiling for so long. "This is all so beautiful." I looked over at him and yelled. He didn't scream back a comment, although he did smile. He reached across the seat, taking my hand in his and interlaced our fingers. His hand was super cold at first, but quickly warmed, which I found quite odd. Every few minutes he'd gently squeeze my hand, and I would squeeze back.

He suddenly whipped the car off the road onto a dirt drive surrounded by tall trees and shrub bushes partially growing over the path. My heart raced and fell at the same time, and I grabbed my chest. When I looked over at him, he had that crooked grin going on, and I felt a hot sensation go through me.

It wasn't all bumpy and filled with ruts like a four-wheel drive path would be. Obviously, this one had been traveled much less.

William turned down the stereo. "We're almost there," he said warmly.

"You think?" I teased. "Now will you tell me why we are having a picnic in the middle of the dark woods?"

"We're not ... exactly." He smiled mischievously, and drove around a large boulder. Behind it the woods opened into a small clearing. He stopped, and turned the ignition off. I was in awe as I looked through the windshield. We were in the middle of a small clearing next to a creek bed. The grass was a light green, like newly planted grass when it first starts to grow. Except it was taller, six or more inches maybe. Scattered around were patches of the same flowers I'd seen along the road. When we opened our doors, I heard rushing water close by. I stood up and stretched my arms over my head while standing on my tiptoes, and that's when I spotted a small waterfall.

I looked at William and smiled brightly. "This is the most perfect place I've ever seen." I sighed happily.

"I thought you might like it," he said, smiling proudly.

I strolled over to the creek to look around. When I turned back to see were William was, he had spread a large blue and green quilt on the ground and at one corner had placed a large dark brown wicker basket. He stood beside it with his arms spread out to the sides.

"Mademoiselle," he said, smiling, and bowing. "Lunch is served."

"Why, thank you, kind sir," I replied in my best southern accent, which I'm sure sounded nothing like a southerner. My curtsy skills also left a whole lot to be desired.

"What did you bring us? I'm starving." I sat on my knees and lifted the top on the basket.

William had thought of everything. He had packed gouda cheese and crackers, roast beef sandwiches, potato chips, and of course, a bowl of cut up fresh fruit. While I was setting out everything, he went back to the car and brought two soda pops.

I was so hungry I'd eaten half of my sandwich and a huge handful of chips before realizing William wasn't eating. He was lying on his side with his head propped up on his hand. Even though he had pushed his food around his plate a little bit, he hadn't taken a single bite.

My smile faded. "Why aren't you eating?" I asked earnestly.

"I had a really big breakfast this morning." He patted his perfectly formed six-pack abs. "I'm not hungry yet. But go ahead. Eat all you want."

William's eyes were on me and I suddenly felt self conscious. I took a few sips of my drink, then pushed it to the side so I could lie back. Storm clouds were gathering overhead causing it to grow darker. It was like twilight, but at two o'clock in the afternoon.

I rolled onto my side facing William, mirroring his position, and matching his smile."So ... you never did tell me how you knew what room my aunt was in."

"I didn't," he laughed.

"No, you didn't tell me." I tilted my head, unable to figure out what was so funny.

"I mean, I didn't know what room she was in. I made it up just to pacify you." He laughed loudly, his wonderful laugh echoed through the trees, sending waves of warmth over me.

"You," I shouted, laughing too. I rolled over on him pinning his arms to the ground.

Our laughter gradually eased off, and we were left staring intently into each other's eyes.

"You're so beautiful," he said, and again, I found myself slowly lowering my lips toward his, when a splashing sound broke our concentration. We both quickly looked toward the water, then I promptly rolled onto my back. William sat up to see if he could spot where the noise was coming from. When he didn't lie back down right away, I also sat up.

"What is it? Is someone out there?" My eyes shifted between William and the woods.

"Nah. I think a rock turned loose from that cliff over there and hit the water at the bottom of the falls." He tried to keep his tone light, but was clearly struggling.

We sat facing each other, my feet crossed under my legs, and William was scooted close to me with his legs in, like, a horseshoe around me. He reached out, wrapping a few strands of my long hair in his fingers. "You have the prettiest fire red hair, but what happened to all the curls? He pushed the strands of hair behind my ear. "It's not as curly as when I first saw you, is it?"

I shot him a puzzled look. "Really?" I pulled some of my hair forward. Although it still had soft waves, the kinkiness was gone. I laughed nervously and shrugged. "I guess it has something to do with the fact there is no humidity up here."

William gazed at me, taking my hand in his. Again his hand was colder than the air outside, but quickly warmed to match the temperature of mine. His expression said he wanted to ask me something.

"Go ahead ... ask me whatever it is you're dying to know." I smiled slightly.

"Okay, I will." He paused before continuing. " Um ... so ... what do you think about everything that happened the other night in the cave?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I started fidgeting with my hands when I noticed my nails were a good bit longer that they had been the previous day when I'd filed them. I tucked my hands under my legs."Ask me something else."

"Okay ..." William's eyes narrowed a bit, not unkindly, and he rubbed his chin with his thumb and index finger.

"Why did you come here?"

"You asked me to, silly," I laughed hollowly.

"Clever, but I think you know what I meant." He pulled me a little closer, looking deep into my eyes. His smile faded into something more serious. "Do you believe in vampires?"

I cocked my head, furrowing my brow. Why did he ask me about vampires? I thought this whole thing was about werewolves. I bit my lip a little harder than I intended to and immediately tasted blood. I felt it and wiped my finger across my lip and smeared the blood. William's features stiffened to a painful mask, and I could have sworn his eyes turned black, but only for a second.

He turned his head away, and reached inside the basket, handing me a napkin, but still not looking at me. I thought maybe the sight of blood made him sick or something, but then he frightened me when his voice changed.

"Get in the car," he said in a low throaty tone. He was already on his feet. I had not seen anyone move so fast before. With lightning fast reflexes, he jerked me by the wrist and pulled me to my feet. "Now! And lock the doors." He had spotted someone or something through the trees, and without looking at me, he shoved me behind him in the direction of the car.

The wind shifted and I smelled them coming. I don't know how I knew what it was, but I did. It smelled like rotting blood and wet fur. Then suddenly, I felt a strange sensation throughout my body. When I tried to lift the door handle, something kept getting in the way. When I took my eyes off of the woods and looked down at my hands, I screamed. "William, what's happening?"

William's eyes were black as night when he turned to face me. His features had turned hard, making his mouth appear wider. He only glanced at me briefly before shifting his gaze from my face to my hands. In a flash, he had moved the twenty or so feet from the creek bank to the car and threw open my door.

Chapter 17

An eerie calm filled the air, causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. William shut me inside the car making me promise to stay put. I locked the doors and looked on helplessly. It suddenly sounded like a stampede of elephants coming toward us, but it wasn't. I gasped when a pack of large wolves charged out of the woods, heading straight for William. He ducked just as one leaped toward him and it flew into the windshield of the car, shattering the glass.

The remaining wolves snarled and growled as they slowly drove William backward. I held my breath, but was unable to look away. I couldn't sit by and just watch them tear William to shreds. With my eyes fixed on William I felt around on the door until I found the lock button. When I hit the switch unlocking the doors another pack of wolves emerged from the woods, they were even larger than the previous pack. I thought for sure William and I were going to die. Then they did something shocking. I don't know if they were there to help us or not, but they tore into the smaller wolves.

William joined in the fight, moving incredibly fast, much faster than humanly possible. My eyes couldn't keep up with him. Most of the time he was nothing more than a blur. Between the shattered glass and the muddy fur mixed with blood, I was having a hard time seeing out the windshield. At one point, I saw William tear into a wolf's throat, and I swear it looked like William had grown fangs.

Some of the wolves made it to the car, but the larger wolves kept circling, keeping them from getting in. That didn't deter them, though. They kept lunging at the car, the sound of their bodies slamming against the metal was terrifying. And they were biting at the glass, each time cracking it more.

The larger wolves were stronger, but the smaller ones were faster, and finally broke through the back window. I had to run. That was my only chance to live, and ... the only way I knew to save William.

Adrenaline surged through my body, as I crawled across to the driver's seat since my door was too smashed in to open. After a deep breath I threw open the door at the same time one of the wolves lunged through the back seat. I slammed the door, but I knew it would only deter him for a few seconds.

As I ran toward the path we'd drove in on, I heard William scream my name, but I didn't slow down. My heart pounded erratically in my chest, forcing the blood to rush through my veins. I ran as fast as I could, but when I glanced back I saw one of the wolves gaining on me. I tried to be smart thinking maybe if I kept changing directions I could keep the wolf from catching me. I ran faster than I ever had before. Maybe it was because in the past I hadn't been running for my life. I was starting to tire quickly, which slowed me down.

When I glanced behind me again, I didn't see the wolf. Relief set in, and I slowed even more thinking I'd outrun the beast. That was a stupid assumption on my part. Wolves are silent hunters, and just because I didn't see him that particular time didn't necessarily mean I'd out run him.

When I turned and started to leap over a rock, I felt something grab at the back of my leg, and then a sharp pain burning pain filled me. I fell to the ground, my face hitting the muck.

At first, I thought I'd pulled a muscle in my leg. When I reached bag to rub the tightness out, I heard a series of low growls, and I scrambled to turn over. Four huge wolves were inching their way toward me. I promptly pulled my hand back and looked down at it. Blood dripped through my fingers and onto the ground. The light blue jeans I wore were muddy and my left pants leg was shredded and bloody. I swallowed hard, trying to fight back the tears. The pain in my leg was intense, but I managed to slowly inch my way backwards away from the wolves. I only made it a few feet back when I bumped into the base of a large tree.

I was injured and trapped. The wolves had won. It would only be a matter of time until they tired of staring at their prey, and pounced. I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to see their fangs tear into me, ripping me apart.

I screamed when I felt something touch me.

"Everything's going to be all right, Genevieve," William said softly.

My eyes shot open, and William was scooping me up into his arms. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and squeezed. "But ... but, how? I thought for sure you were dead," I said sobbing into his chest.

"Shh," he whispered softly. "I've got you. Everything's going to be all right now."

Even though William had me and I knew I was safe, my heart still raced with fear, and the tears kept coming.

"Your leg is bleeding out. If I don't slow it down, you'll bleed to death before I can get you somewhere."

He stooped down, and tried to set me on the ground, but I was still terrified and shaking violently. He pulled my hands from his neck, pushing me back enough where he could see my face. "Gen, you've got to let me sit you down for a minute, so I can wrap your leg." He spoke sternly, but not unkindly.

"But, where are those wolves that had me surrounded?" I frantically look all around us, but saw no sign of them.

"They were protecting you. Not trying to hurt you."

I didn't have time to think about what he'd just said. He pulled off his tee-shirt, and I swear every muscle in his chest bulged when he flexed to tear a long strip of material from his shirt. I couldn't help but stare at his honey colored skin, so firm and buff. William captivated me and I completely forgot about the pain in my leg, until after he wrapped my leg and pulled the material extra tight, causing me to scream out in pain.

"We've got to hurry. Your leg is still bleeding pretty bad." He scooped me up effortlessly.

"How are we going to go anywhere? There's nothing for miles and the car is trashed."

"I'm going to carry you." William gazed at me. "Do you trust me?" he asked earnestly.

I brushed my fingers gently across his cheek. "You know I do," I whispered fiercely staring into his eyes. I had such a euphoric feeling whenever I was with him, and I couldn't explain how I knew, but I knew he would always protect me, even if it meant him giving up his life to save mine.

Chapter 18

William ran so fast I had to press my face against his chest to keep my neck from snapping. I thought he would be growing tired, but the truth was he had an extremely slow heartbeat and it hadn't wavered. I was freezing and growing weaker by the minute.

"William, I'm so cold and tired. Can't we stop and rest?" I asked, my voice low and faint.

"Tired?" I heard him laugh. "I'm the one doing all the work."

"My arms are so tired," I moaned. When I opened my eyes William was moving so fast, everything we passed by was a blur. The best I could tell we were still in the woods somewhere.

"We're almost there. You've got to hang on, just another minute." His tone was calm and even. He didn't even sound winded, and I don't know how that was even possible.

I was so weak I could barely manage to open my eyes. The trees were thinning out and we were coming up a small hill just behind a large cinder block building. I peered into his eyes. "Wh ... where are we?"

"The hospital," William said, smiling proudly.

"That's ... impossible. We were ..." I floundered and trailed off as everything around me faded to black.

***

When I woke up, I couldn't yet open my eyes, but heard William's voice whisper from somewhere in the darkened abyss.

"Genevieve, You have to wake up." William's whispers were stern. My guess was I didn't open my eyes quickly enough, because he resorted to shaking my arm, and I cracked my eyes open a tiny bit, but they closed again quickly.

When I was finally able to open my eyes, the whiteness of the room made it hard for me to focus. The bright lights directly overhead didn't help either. William was standing beside me wearing a blue scrub shirt, which confused me even more than I already was.

"Where am I?" I tried to sit up but my arms were like limp spaghetti.

"Whoa, now," William smiled crookedly. "You lost an awful lot of blood." He pointed to a pole on the other side of the bed. It had two bags of clear fluid, and a half empty bag of blood. My eyes followed the tubes, which lead to both of my arms.

William leaned down close to my face. "As soon as this bag of blood is empty, we have to go," he said gravely. "It's not safe here."

I closed my eyes and thought about what he'd said, and it all started coming back. We were at a picnic when a pack of werewolves attacked. I couldn't believe that I, Genevieve Labreck, said werewolves. No matter what I wanted to believe, that's what they were. What I couldn't wrap my head around was why some of them had attacked us, and the others had protected us. It just didn't make sense. I could see them fighting over us, but not for us.

My eyes shot open when all the lights went out. It was pitch black for a moment and all the normal electronic sounds of the hospital had stopped. As the emergency lights flickered to life, I saw William unhooking the still half full bag of blood from the IV pole.

"What are you doing?" I asked perplexed even further.

"They tracked us." William spoke with a sense of urgency. He help me slide off of the bed.

"Who?" I asked, frantically searching his eyes for an answer.

William stopped moving and stood very still. He appeared to be listening to something and didn't answer me. "They're coming." He kneeled down and slipped my sock and boot back onto my injured leg.

"I'm so tired, William." I winced when I pressed my foot onto the floor.

"We have to go now." He pulled me close, so I could lean on him. "When I open this door we have to move quickly. If something happens, keep moving. Take the stairs down to the side entrance. Help is waiting there."

I looked at William through my tears, trying to understand what was happening. He smiled at me, but it wasn't his usual cheerful grin.

"Ready?" he asked, pushing a few loose strands of hair behind my ear, and tucking the bag of blood into the neckline of my hoodie. I nodded, and he threw open the door. I guess I expected to see mayhem in the hallways, but it was actually quiet. Only a few nurses moving patients up and down the hall.

"The stairs are at the end of this hall," William said, walking quickly, bracing me so that I barely had to put any weight on my injured leg.

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the stairs. The door to the stairwell flew open and William pushed me into a room, and eased the door closed behind us. He leaned me against the wall while he rushed across the room to the window.

"What are we going to do, jump out the window?" I whispered nervously.

William pulled the pillow from the empty bed and placed it against the window. "Turn your head."

As soon as I did, I heard the sound of breaking glass. I promptly opened my eyes and William was already next to me, and gently picked me up.

"Close your eyes." I watched his eyes turn completely black. Before I had time grasp what was happening he ran to the window and leaped with me in his arms.

I closed my eyes somewhere in mid air. I felt us hit, but it wasn't anything like I had expected. We were three stories up, and even with the added weight of William holding me, he still managed to land on his feet. Adrenaline raced through me and my whole body shook.

I must have passed out again, because one minute we were on the ground running and the next minute we were racing away from the hospital in the back seat of a truck with two of Luna's brothers, Joseph and Joshua.

"Where are we going?" I raised up and asked William.

"Somewhere with people who can keep you safe," Joseph blurted from the front seat, and then looked over his shoulder glaring at William.

I saw William's eyes start to turn dark, and knew he was getting angry. I reached into his lap and slipped my hand into his. He gave me a sidelong glance, but held his jaw tight. I brushed it off and smiled at him.

Joshua, who was driving, readjusted his rearview mirror so he would have me in his sights, then he turned to Joseph. "Lay off, Bro, he's only trying to help."

The level of testosterone in the truck was so high I thought they would pull over any minute and have a pissing match. I tried to ignore it by going to my "happy place" but even that didn't help.

Finally I'd had enough. I sat tall, folding my arms tightly across my chest, and yelled. "Will someone please tell me what is going on? I swear this place makes even L.A. seem mild, and 'normal.'"

Joseph turned toward William and scowled. "You haven't told her?"

"When should I have done that, Joseph?" William shot back sarcastically. "When I was running with her in my arms, hoping she wouldn't bleed to death? Or, when I was saving her from the clutches of Zane and his clan at the hospital just now?" William glared furiously at Joseph. Joseph's eyes narrowed and he held William's stare.

"Uh ... fellas. I'm right here." I waved my hand in between them. "How about one of you fill me in on just what exactly in the hell is going on?"

Chapter 19

I had no idea where they were taking me, but I couldn't wait to get there. It appeared everyone but me knew what was going on but wasn't willing to tell me. Even when I asked William, he simply told me I needed to wait until we arrived, then I would be filled in on everything.

We drove far out of Haven. Asphalt turned to gravel and civilization was left far behind us. Grass was exchanged for snow as we drove further into the mountains. When I looked at William, he was looking straight ahead at nothing, but kept taking sidelong glances at me.

"How much farther?" I asked dryly. I was trying hard to mask my fear, but William could read me like a book. He slipped his hand around mine, gently rubbing his thumb inside my palm, but still didn't look at me.

"We're here," Joshua answered and turned the truck into a group of trees.

I sat forward in the seat, watching as we pulled through the trees to an opening that revealed several run down looking shacks dotting a hill side. They were shaped similar to Luna's house, not very wide, but they were long. Eskimo children were running around playing kick ball, or soccer, I really couldn't tell which. A few Eskimo women were exiting what appeared to be a large greenhouse.

We pulled through heading toward the furthest house in the back, and Aunt Bev's bright-red truck came into view. "Did you know she would be here?" I snapped at William and he just silently threw his hands up in surrender.

"I called her," Joseph answered quickly, but didn't look at me either.

"What... is this some kind of conspiracy? Everyone knows what's going on but me?" I had said that more for my benefit, so I wasn't at all surprised when I didn't get an answer.

The truck came to a stop, and I scooted away from William to the other side and threw open my door. When I stepped down, I made the mistake of putting too much weight on my ankle, I fell to the ground wincing from the pain.

By the time Joseph managed to open his door William was already around the truck. At first, neither one reached to give me a hand. Instead they were having another stare down. Finally, William reached for my hand and I slapped it away and managed to get myself up.

"I'm fine." I scoffed. "Why don't you two go somewhere and have a pissing match." I glared at them both and pushed past them, hobbling to the house Aunt Bev's truck was parked in front of. I hated it, but I had to wait for someone to help me up the steps. There was no hand railing and my leg was killing me.

William was so in tune with me that he was by my side in a flash. I glanced at him, and he bore a pained expression, which tugged at my heart. I expected him to wrap his arm around my waist to help me climb the steps. Not William.

He gently pulled me close, his hand pressed against the small of my back. I thought he might kiss me and the excitement sent my heart into overdrive, causing my body to tremble. When I peered up at him my bottom lip quivered faintly. Our eyes locked, his lips parted slightly, and I closed my eyes and waited.

My eyes shot open when I felt him lift me up into his arms. The first thing I saw was that amazing crooked smile, and I knew he had been toying with me. I was furious, and relieved all at the same time. Even though I wanted him to kiss me more than anything, I wanted our first kiss to be special. Not on the front steps of an Eskimo Indian abode, not that's there's anything wrong with Eskimos or where they live. I just wanted it to be special and not with an audience.

When we got to the top step, he gently let my legs drop, but still kept his arm around my waist. Aunt Bev heard us and threw open the door.

"Genevieve. Oh my God, honey," she cried out, and ran onto the porch. She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing way too tight. When she pulled back just enough to look at me, her eyes were red and puffy like she'd been crying.

"Are you all right?" Her eyes flew over me.

"Yeah, except for my leg ... but it's not that bad." I tried to play it down so Aunt Bev wouldn't be so freaked out, but the truth was, it hurt like hell. I let her dote on me for a minute, then I started with my own set of questions.

"What are you doing here, and why did they bring me here?" I asked suspiciously, as she helped me inside the house.

The living room was quite a bit larger than I'd expected. It was warm and felt very inviting. On one wall sat a fireplace big enough I could step into it, you know, if it didn't have a blazing hot fire going inside it. There were two hand carved couches and three matching chairs. All of them had beautiful overstuffed cushions, which I assumed were also handmade, with bold colored fabrics on them. There was also a chair made from real antlers that I thought was awesome. I assumed they somehow had electricity, because there were two lamps in the room and they were both lit.

"Sit down, Gen." Aunt Bev helped me to the couch, and then sat next to me. Aunt Bev, pulled the empty blood bag from my shirt and pinched the tubing because my blood had started to backfill into the tubing. "You need blood going in not coming out." She smiled, but I still saw fear in her eyes. I placed my hand on her shoulder. "I'm fine ... really." I forced a smile.

William leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest on the opposite side of the room. I motioned for him to join me, but he didn't move. Joseph and Joshua promptly disappeared somewhere into the back of the house.

She scooted down to the floor and sat back on her knees. "Let me have a look at your leg." She examined the bandage.

The hospital had cut my pants leg off right above my knee, and after they stitched it, wrapped gauze around my leg. "It's not that bad." I forced a smile. "And besides, they have it all wrapped up." I didn't want her to see how bad it really was. It would just cause her to worry that much more.

"Don't argue," she said calmly and gently patted my leg. "Turn your leg."

I lay against the back of the couch, turning to my side, and Aunt Bev slowly unwrapped my leg.

"Mary ... come look at this," she called out to Luna's mom who was in the kitchen.

"Is it that bad?" When I leaned forward, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe that was my leg I was looking at. The wound had already closed and the stitches were gone. "But ... I don't understand. How is that even possible?" I couldn't take my eyes off it. "Where did the stitches go? There had to be stitches. I saw my leg before William wrapped it. There was a crater-sized hole in my leg," I rattled frantically.

Aunt Bev held up the gauze and there were several little black knots stuck to it. I furrowed my brow. My mind had to be playing a trick on me. How could I be on the verge of death one minute and the next minute my leg was almost completely healed. It was like I was in a dream and couldn't wake up. Suddenly, all the weird things that had been happening started to make sense. A million questions that I wanted answers to raced through my mind. Inside I was screaming, but on the outside I was shaking violently.

I looked to William for answers, but he just glanced at me for a second. His expression quickly faltered and he lowered his eyes. Even though I sat perfectly still, the room started spinning and I placed my hand on the couch trying to steady myself. My heart began to pound in my head and then the room slowly faded to black.

Chapter 20

I woke up abruptly and sprang forward, looking around. My heart raced as I panted, out of breath. William sat in a chair across the room.

"Where am I?" I asked with trepidation.

He shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "Someone's bedroom at Luna's grandfather's house. You fainted."

Everything that happened came rushing back, and I felt a bit embarrassed at the thought of being weak and fainting. "I did not faint ... I ... I passed out from..." I trailed off, and tears filled my eyes. I gulped down air to keep from crying. What was the point in trying to hide anything from William? He could read me like a book.

William sat next to me on the bed, and put his arm around my shoulders. He pulled me close and I buried my face in his chest, quiet tears spilled from my eyes. He stroked the back of my hair, which was now almost completely straight.

"Why is this happening to me?" I was confused and just wanted to go home. Back to mom. Back to when I thought my life was normal.

He just held me tight, making quiet hushing sounds to calm me with his uniquely smooth voice. "All of this is not the end of the world, Genevieve." He gently kissed the top of my head.

"Are you ... you know ... one of them?" I pushed myself back for a second to see his face.

"No." He pulled me in close again. "I'm not." He smiled thinly.

My heart began beating like crazy, but his never changed. I pressed my ear closer and really listened. At first, I thought he didn't have a heartbeat, which on a normal day I would find impossible. But then I heard it, very faint and beating slowly.

I quickly raised my head and shot him a look. "You're lucky," I smiled.

"Why?" He asked, a line formed in his forehead making him appear confused.

"For a second, I thought maybe you were one of those 'blood sucking vampires,'" I giggled, doing air quotes for blood sucking vampires.

"A vampire? What would make you think that?"

"You have like, the slowest heartbeat ever. At first, when I didn't hear it I was about to freak. But, you're safe, because you're alive. You know, vampires are dead and all."

"Look, Genevieve. All I know is I care a great deal about you. It doesn't matter what I am or what you are. I just want to be with you, regardless."

I pushed away from him and stood. Surprisingly, my leg didn't even hurt anymore. I paced the floor and then stopped when I was directly in front of him. His gaze locked onto mine.

"What am I, William?" I paused, giving him time to say something ... anything, but he just dropped his eyes and stood. "You know what's going on here, don't you?" A tear escaped and ran down my cheek. "Am I some kind of a freak, William? Is that what I am? A freak?"

He glanced at me but only for a brief second, and his eyes looked so sad. "Of course not," he said, walking over to the window.

"Then explain how my leg healed in a matter of hours? Huh, William?" I folded my arms tightly across my chest, and furrowed my brows.

"When I first met you, I thought you were just this beautiful girl I wanted to get to know. But then—"

"I see you're awake now," Aunt Bev said after barging into the room. I nearly jumped to the ceiling, but William must have known she was coming, because he only slowly turned around. "Can you please come into the living room?" she asked, but it wasn't really a question. "We need to talk. Everyone is waiting."

Right away I noticed how she glowered at William when she thought I wasn't looking.

"I'm feeling weak, and I have a major headache. Besides, William and I are talking right now," I replied sharply.

"Gen, there isn't much time." A painful expression flitted across Aunt Bev's face when she looked at William. "She doesn't have a choice you know, and you're just making the inevitable harder." She looked hard at him before storming back out of the room.

"I'm not doing anything," he shouted back, but the door had already slammed shut.

William wouldn't look at me, so I crossed the room and made him face me."What is she talking about? What's the inevitable?" I searched his eyes for the answer, but his expression seemed cold and distant.

"Your legacy," he said, trying to sound matter-of-fact about it, but sadness filled his voice.

"My what?" I laughed hollowly.

William wrapped his arms around me and squeezed so tightly I couldn't breathe. Then just like that, he dropped his arms to his sides. "You have to go to your aunt. Let them explain it and then we'll talk." His gaze was completely mesmerizing. Whenever he looked into my eyes I kept having to remind myself to breathe.

"I don't want to talk to her. Or them," I pleaded, but William gently pushed me away.

"Go on, it's something you have to do," he said, not unkindly and pushed me harder, but in my heart, I knew he didn't mean it. "We'll talk afterward. I promise." He turned back toward the window and I reluctantly left the room.

Aunt Bev, Mary, Luna, and her three brothers were all in the living room when I walked in. The three boys were shirtless and I tried not to stare at their taut upper bodies and muscular torsos.

I smiled thinly. "Okay, let's get this over with." I rubbed my hands together and took the only empty seat, which happened to be on the couch right next to Joseph. It was a little awkward to say the least.

"You're not going to pile drive me into the wall are you," he teased, and his brothers laughed loudly.

"I just might," I shot back sarcastically, but couldn't keep from grinning.

The room fell silent. I leaned back next to Joseph, and stared straight ahead, but felt him taking sidelong glances at me.

I wondered why nobody had started talking yet, and then I saw why. Luna's grandfather stepped into the room. He stood silently in the doorway and scanned the room. He had long, silver-white hair, which he wore in a single braid down his back. He was also shirtless, and I was shocked to see how muscular he still was. He had on pants made from animal skins and mukluks covered his feet.

Joshua who'd been in the antler chair, hopped up and nudged his way onto the couch, forcing me closer to Joseph.

Luna's grandfather took his seat and I noticed that he and his three grandsons each had the same red circle tattooed on the upper left side of their chest.

Mary stood and crossed the living room to stand behind her father's chair. "Gen, this is my father, Chief Abe Okpik. Father, this is Genevieve Labreck." She then said something to him in, I'm assuming, an Eskimo language. It must have been about me, because as soon as she finished he glared at me.

I felt very intimidated and wanted to crawl under the couch. "He-hello sir," I muttered. He nodded at me but didn't speak. I got the distinct feeling that he didn't like me much.

I chewed the inside of my lip waiting nervously for him to say something, but at the same time, all eyes were on me.

"Genevieve, do you know why you are here?" His voice was completely different than I expected. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and calming, not gruff or throaty like I had expected.

"No, sir, not really." I answered, feeling a little more at ease with him.

" I'm going to tell you a story. I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say before you ask any questions. I also ask that you keep an open mind." He scooted to the edge of his chair so he was pointed more toward me and then he began.

"The day of your birth is the first day in November. Beginning at midnight on that same day is when the Blood Moon rises."

I scrunched my eyebrows. "The what?" I mumbled, but he continued as if he hadn't heard me.

"The night of the Blood Moon is when the veil between Lycan, Adlet, and Blood Drinkers, or vampires as you know them, is lifted. Many years ago there was an Adlet woman whose husband was killed during a hunt. Like many creatures, the Adlet choose only one mate for life. She grew very lonely over time, and tried to remarry, but no other Adlet warrior would have her.

"Russian sailors began coming to our land to buy animal pelts, which were very popular given the constant freezing temperatures their country sustained. One night a man claiming to be a Russian sailor came, showering her with gifts. She mistook his intentions for love, and she lay with him.

"It was later discovered by an Adlet warrior he was not a Russian sailor, but the shape shifter who had been killing warriors while they hunted. The chief, who was also the woman's father, gathered the remaining Adlet warriors of the tribe and they hunted him down, killing him in his animal form. They dragged him back to camp to parade their kill.

"The next morning the rest of the tribe, including the woman, came to see the animal, only a Russian man lay dead in its place. It was too late though, the Adlet woman told her father she was with child.

"Several months later, she bore five children who appeared to be human, and five wolf-like pups. The tribe said she was cursed, and she went to her father when she got word they were coming to destroy the five pups who they said were an abomination. Her father couldn't stand to see his daughter's pain, therefore he agreed to take the five pups and carry them across the ocean, leaving each one at a different port to be adopted. She took the other five and disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again."

"Okay, but what does all that have to do with me," I asked the chief incredulously.

"The five taken across the ocean are what is known as Lycans. The five she raised are a larger wolf breed called Adlet wolves. When her father reached his first stop and went below deck to retrieve one of the animals, the five 'pups' had mysteriously taken on human form, but he dared not take them back. So he went on and carried out his daughter's wishes. They grew up as humans, mating and spreading their seed, but there was evil in their blood.

"Eventually, the evil ones came back to wreak havoc amongst the tribes, and also any Blood Drinkers who had come here to escape the grasp of the Amalric. The royal princess came, and her warriors killed most of the evil clan, and there was peace for many years.

"Over time the evil clan's numbers grew again to be many, and they were able to kill off most of the royal family—all but one. Zane is the leader of that clan, and he's been looking for the princess for many moons. He will stop at nothing until he finds her."

He stopped speaking, and I watched as he rubbed his hand over the tattoo, and surprisingly, so did not only Luna's brothers do the same exact thing, but Luna did too. Suddenly, the back of my neck began to heat up like fire had been placed on it. When I rubbed my hand across it, it was like touching a hot stove.

His eyes hardened when he looked at me. "You see, Genevieve, the same blood runs through your veins that runs through ours."

"How is that? I'm not even from here?" Tears stood in my eyes. Joseph reached over and took hold of my hand. I surprised myself when I didn't move it away.

"Not our blood like brothers, the blood of the Adlet. You see, the spirit walkers spoke of a princess with the purest of pure blood. The descendant of the royal child who had been safely smuggled out before the Lycan could kill her. They said she would come one day to accept the throne, and in doing so there would once again be peace among the different clans. The time is upon us." He looked completely serious.

"The royal daughter had a daughter who had a daughter, and so on until finally the tenth generation daughter was born ... that daughter is you."

Chapter 21

Shocked, tears ran down my face. Joseph patted my hand awkwardly, trying his best to comfort me.

Aunt Bev came to sit next to me, and pulled me in close to her. "You see, Gen, your mother was Adlet. All that time she spent taking you camping, teaching you how to survive, and how to fight, and how to live in the woods. she was preparing you. This has been your destiny all along."

"I don't want to do this. Let someone else do it," I cried.

Aunt Bev pulled my face up so I was looking at her. "This has always been your destiny. Your mother had to fight her whole life to keep you safe. Why do you think she moved you around so much? It's because Zane kept tracking you," she paused. "Gen ... your mother died saving you. The fire was no accident. Zane burned your house to hide your mother's murder. You coming here was no accident either. She called me because she could no longer keep you safe."

I knew what Aunt Bev was saying was probably true, but it still hurt so bad, and I was frightened. "What if I fail? This will all have been for nothing." My heart ached to know that my mother loved me so much, she gave her life to save mine.

"You won't fail. This _is_ your destiny. You can do this," Aunt Bev said softly, trying to smile through her own tears.

I shook my head "I don't know. I just need time to think about it."

"There is no time. You leave tonight," the chief said sternly.

I peered at him. "Tonight?" My heart ached to the point I thought I would die any second.

"Yes." His voice was cold and without emotion. "You have to retrieve the Crest before you can take the throne. Once you take your rightful place upon the throne, the Lycans will no longer be enslaved to Zane. The killing will stop and you will reign."

"Shouldn't we go home and pack?" I asked Aunt Bev. I didn't really care about packing, I just wanted to be with William. I would go home and pack to runaway with William.

"I'm not going, and I've brought your bag already. I would never survive the journey. Only you and your royal warriors will be going."

"My royal what?" I was having a hard time comprehending that I was a royal anything. All my life I'd been plain old Gen.

"James, Joshua, Joseph, and Luna. They are your protectors." As Aunt Bev said each of their names, they rose and crossed the room to bow before me.

"What about William? I want him to go, too." I pleaded, but I could tell by the look on Aunt Bev's face she disapproved of the idea.

"There's no room on the plane," Aunt Bev blurted out. I sensed there was something she wasn't telling me. "You must leave for New Mexico tonight."

"Why are we going there? Shouldn't the Crest be here somewhere close to your tribe or something?"

"No. The crest was taken far away for safe keeping until the day of our princess' return," Mary spoke up.

"I'll be going with you," Luna said, happily, getting all perky like we were going on a friggin' picnic.

I didn't want to hurt hers or her brother's feelings, but I knew unequivocally I wouldn't feel safe without William to protect me. Whatever he was or wasn't, he'd kept me alive so far.

I sighed heavily, lowering my eyes. "Let me go tell him good-bye." My heart ached at the thought of not seeing him for God knew how long. Maybe not forever.

I pushed myself up off the couch, and left the room. When I opened the door to the bedroom I was certain I'd been in, it was empty. I ran over to the window where William had been standing when I left, and threw back the curtain. When I tried to push the window up, it was locked. "Where did he go?" I muttered.

It was suddenly too much to shoulder. My life had literally changed in an instant, and the one person who I thought could save me from it all had left without a word. I collapsed onto the bed and bawled. _Why would he leave without saying good-bye? I thought we meant something to each other._ Everything was confusing, and it hurt. I kept praying it was all just a bad dream, but in my heart I knew it wasn't.

After I pulled myself together, I returned to the living room. Luna and the boys stood ready with their backpacks, and I saw mine leaned up against the wall beside the front door.

Aunt Bev picked it up and handed it to me. "I put in everything you might possibly need for the trip." A strange expression flitted across her face. She whispered in my ear as she hugged me tightly against her. "I want you to be careful. If anything happens, remember what your mother taught you. Do you hear me?"

"I will," I whispered back. She held onto me until Luna got her attention.

"We really need to go, they're still tracking us and I feel them getting close," Luna said quietly.

Luna touched my shoulder and I jerked, so she quickly let go. When her hand had touched me, I saw a blip of something. A man I'd never seen was talking with someone. I couldn't see who it was because Luna had pulled her hand away too fast. It was the weirdest feeling ever though, like she transferred her thoughts to me. I knew she had felt it too, by the surprised look on her face when I turned to her.

"Uh ... okay, I'm ready." I tried to stand tall and look confident, but a sigh slipped out. I promptly thought, "What if William hadn't gone, but was just outside somewhere getting some fresh air or something?" I turned back to Aunt Bev. "William might be outside somewhere. If he comes back tell him to call me. Okay?

Aunt Bev hesitated and cleared her throat. "Um ... he left, Gen," she uttered.

"How do you know? He might still be around."

Her eyes averted mine. "Because, I sent him away." She pulled her shoulders up, almost like she was proud of what she'd done. "There wouldn't be enough room for him in the plane, and I figured it would hurt him less if I told him."

"You had no right. I didn't even get to tell him good-bye. Why do think you need to control every aspect of my life? I'm sick of it." I shot her a disgusted look and threw my backpack over my shoulder. "And I'm sick of you."

I spun around on my heel, and without looking back, I stormed to the door. Luna and the boys had already gone outside.

"Gen," Aunt Bev had shouted from somewhere behind me. "I'm sorry." I heard her voice grow thick.

"Good riddance!" I slammed the door, and ran to the truck.

Their grandfather waited patiently in the driver's seat. I was the last one to climb in. I sat back and Luna put her arm around my shoulders, laying her head against mine.

"I'm sorry, Gen," she whispered.

I bit my tongue to keep from sobbing. My heart pounded erratically, and I felt like throwing up.

Luna's grandfather stomped on the accelerator, but instead of heading back the way we had come in, we drove around behind his house and onto a dirt road.

I noticed Joshua and James were rather edgy while they kept a constant watch out the windows for some lurking danger that might be close. Joseph stared straight ahead. He was quiet and seemed withdrawn. I didn't feel like I was in danger, but what did I know? My new best friend, Luna, was an Adlet wolf.

We stopped next to a huge lake, wrapped on three sides with snow covered mountains. Luna pointed out that all the land, including the lake, belonged to Luna's grandfather.

When we stepped out of the truck, the icy wind whipped over me, and I wrapped my arms around myself.

I scanned the area around me looking for William. I couldn't explain it, but I had a feeling he was watching me from somewhere close by.

"Where's the plane?" I asked, flatly.

"Out there." Luna pointed across the water, and when I looked closely, I saw a tiny dot.

"So ... like, how are we supposed to get out there? Swim?" I threw my hands up.

At first, Luna gave me this look like I had hit it spot on. But, just as I started to protest, she laughed lightheartedly. "Just kidding. A boat is coming."

She knew by the look I shot her that I didn't find her sense of humor funny. I turned my ear toward the water, and I heard the faint burbling sound of a boat's engine slowly growing closer. I was genuinely relieved when I heard it coming. I was really starting to get a bad feeling and it scared the hell out of me.

I was the first one to climb into the boat. Joseph helped me in and then jumped in right behind me. Luna and the twins loaded our gear and then settled into the boat. The icy wind was way worse on the water than it had been standing on the shore. They had talked me into leaving my big jacket in the truck. Joseph said we wouldn't need them where we were going.

The plane had just started to climb when I remembered my phone was in my jacket pocket. "We have to go back," I shouted frantically over the loud engine noise that the Cessna made. Everyone jumped, even the pilot, which made him temporarily let go of the control thingy, causing the plane to teeter to one side.

"Are you trying to kill us?" Joseph shot me a look. "You don't have to scream," he said into his microphone that was connected to a set of headphones. "See this little thing right here?" he asked sarcastically, pointing to my microphone. "You speak into it in a _normal_ voice, and then we all can hear it in our headsets." He pointed his index fingers to each side of his headset.

"Sorry. But I just realized I left my phone in the truck." I was as close to hysterics as I could be without crying.

Joseph shook his head. "Sorry. We can't turn around ... it's too dangerous."

"Please." Fresh tears filled my eyes. "I ... need it," I trailed off trying to think of an argument that would convince them I needed my phone, but the truth was, there wasn't one. I wanted my phone so I could talk to William, not because it was needed to help me sustain life or something. I dropped my shoulders and lowered my head.

I turned toward the window, and watched the sky grow dark as we flew south. I thought about William and how I might not make it back. He would never know what happened to me. Fresh tears streamed down my face when I thought about how hurt he had to have been when Aunt Bev told him to leave. There was no telling what she'd told him. She probably said that I didn't want to face him, so she offered to do it for me. I would never forgive that woman as long as I lived.

Chapter 22

I arched my back and stretched my arms high over my head, trying to work out the kinks sleeping in my seat had left in my neck. Twin one and two, Joshua and James, were already out of the plane. Luna was still asleep, and I caught Joseph taking sidelong glances at me even though he pretended to read a magazine.

"Where are we?" I asked no one in particular.

"A small airport south of Seattle," Joseph answered, without wavering from the magazine.

I could tell he wasn't reading it. I mean ... not really. If he was, he'd have to be the slowest reader in history, because he hadn't turned a single page since I'd woke up.

I peered out the window at a small metal building lit up on the inside, and an idea hit me. I could go in there and ask to use the phone and call William. "Um, I'm going to get out and go to the bathroom," I said to Joseph while reaching for the door.

"There's a small bathroom in the back of the plane." Joseph pointed his thumb over his shoulder without taking his eyes of the magazine.

When I glanced behind me I saw two extra seats. Empty seats. I was extremely pissed and since Luna was still asleep, I directed my anger toward Joseph. "Did you know about this?" I shouted, pointing to the empty seats.

"What?" He asked, looking up from his magazine, his face contorted.

"There was enough room for William to come with us." I slammed myself back down into my seat, folded my arms tightly across my chest, and started bouncing my knee really fast.

Luna stirred in her seat. When she sat up her long black hair was knotted and sticking out everywhere. "What's all the yelling about? Some people are trying to sleep around here."

"Did you know, Luna? Did you both know there was plenty of room for William?" I glared at them both for a minute, and when neither answered fast enough, I pushed open the door and jumped out. Luna called after me as I slammed the door and ran to the building.

There was a small counter just inside the door, but the room was empty except for me. I stood around for a minute, pretending to be interested in the maps hanging on the wall closest to where the phone sat on the counter. When no one came, I promptly jerked up the receiver, and punched in William's cell number. "Come on damn it. Pick up the phone." I kept glancing around nervously while his phone kept ringing.

Finally, his voice mail picked up. I waited for the beep and then I started to talk so fast, I'm wasn't sure he would be able to understand the message.

"William, it's Genevieve. I didn't tell Aunt Bev to make you leave. I wanted you to come with me, but they said there wasn't any room in the plane. I don't have my phone, so you can't call me, but I'll try to call you again soon. We're on our way to New—"

I spun around to see whose finger had pressed the button on the phone. "What do you think you're doing?" I spat, angrily.

"What do you think you're doing? Do you want to die, because I don't." Joseph was furious.

"What are you talking about? I was just trying to call William, not the Haven Daily News." I was extremely hurt and confused. I didn't know what I'd done wrong.

"What if they have his phone tapped? Or, what if they have him? No phone calls, no telegrams, no carrier pigeons, no contact with anyone! You feel me?" Joseph said angrily, grabbing my arm, and quickly jerking me toward the door. "We have to go now." He glared at me. "Thanks to you, it's not safe here."

He shoved me into the plane and everyone stared, but said nothing. Luna reached over to take my hand, but I jerked away from her, and turned to face the window.

"I caught her on the phone." I heard Joseph through my head phones. "She was calling William."

Luna gasped. "What did she tell him?"

"Nothing. But, she was about to tell him where we were going."

I turned off my headset and closed my eyes. I had a hard time falling asleep, and even when I finally did, it was fitful. I wished I had stayed awake.

I was at the edge of the woods again, watching helplessly while my house burned. This time though, it was different. There were several huge, ferocious beasts circling the house and they were taking commands from William.

When I heard my mother screaming, she wasn't crying out for me to help her, she was screaming for me to run. I reluctantly listened to her pleas, and bolted for the trees.

Again they followed, and somewhere behind I heard William shouting my name, but I didn't stop. My lungs burned from the smoke of the flames gaining on me. I was forced to keep running, as every time I glanced over my shoulder they were still chasing me.

I skidded to a stop when I came to the edge of the cliff. I turned around and the beasts emerged from the woods, teeth bared and snarling. Fresh blood dripped from their fangs, and I thought they'd killed William until he emerged from the woods and calmly walked right between them, holding out his hand for me.

"Jump, Genevieve," he said in a calm even tone as he drew near.

I turned my upper body and looked over the edge. "It's too far down." Tears streamed from my eyes.

"You can trust me. I'll catch you." His mouth curved upward into a grin, unlike his normal smile. "Jump."

I hesitated and one of the beasts leaped toward me. I turned and jumped, but William wasn't there to catch me. The ground came rushing up fast.

I woke up kicking and screaming, and when I opened my eyes, Joseph was holding me down. "What in the hell are you doing?" I shouted over the plane's loud engine noise. He was saying something I couldn't hear.

He pushed a button on the side of my headphones. "You were having a bad dream."

"Get. Off. Of. Me," I growled in a low throaty voice that frightened even me. I pushed him off with ease, and it not only shocked him, it shocked me as well. He flew backwards, and landed on top of Luna.

"How did I just do that?" I mumbled and thought about it for a minute before I jerked off my hoodie and looked at the bulging muscles in my arms. But I didn't have muscles. I mean before moving to Alaska I was just your average skinny, un-muscular type girl. I promptly turned to face Joseph and fought to hold back the tears, but couldn't. "I'm sorry ... I ... don't know what's happening to me."

Joseph kneeled on the floor next to my seat and wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me close, stroking my hair. "It's okay, Gen." He spoke softly and quietly while I cried into his chest. Unlike William's, Joseph's heartbeat was strong and loud, and he displayed a gentle side that I'd never seen before.

I felt safe letting him hold me. It gave me a sense of normalcy. I wanted desperately to hang on to the old Gen. The Gen from L.A..

After I finally calmed down, I gently pulled away. When I peered at him, he had the same weird look on his face that I was sure covered mine, and we both smiled.

For the first time since we'd left Haven I no longer felt depressed. I wasn't feeling sorry for myself anymore, and I think because I felt better, Luna and the boys felt better, too. We joked around, laughing, and telling silly stories, which made the time fly by (no pun intended).

Joshua, did something, and Maroon 5's, "She Will Be Loved" started blasting through our headsets. James was trying to dance in his seat, but it looked more like a chicken attempting to fly. We laughed hysterically, but it didn't bother him one bit.

Of course, Joseph felt the need to really embarrass me. He quickly jumped out of his seat, grabbed Luna's hairbrush, and started using it like a microphone, singing to me. A burning flush flew over me, and they all laughed uncontrollably. _Mental note: hide Luna's hairbrush._

Chapter 23

I laughed so hard for so long that eventually my kidneys felt like they were about to burst. I walked down the narrow aisle, if that's what it was even considered, to the little doorway in the back of the plane. I dreaded seeing how tiny the bathroom was going to be, but I couldn't hold it until we landed again. I couldn't even hold it another five minutes. When I passed by Joshua and James, who had taken up residence in the two seats furthest back, they had become engrossed in a map they had spread across two tray tables.

I tried not to be nosy, but caught myself looking as I walked by. I wasn't a great map reader, but from what I saw we were going to be crossing miles of desert and rough mountains. My stomach tensed, fearing the worst. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, or how I would be of any great value if we encountered more werewolves, except I might be able to slow them down by letting them eat me.

The next time we landed, we were at a small crop dusting airstrip, somewhere in the state of Utah. I caught myself looking out the window for William. My heart ached every time I pictured him.

I caught Luna taking sidelong glances at me so I quickly changed the subject. "I'm starving, but it doesn't look like we'll be getting anything to eat here." I said sarcastically, after looking out the window at a bunch of nothingness.

Joshua grinned broadly, but didn't say anything. James climbed out behind the pilot, and when James returned, he brought back a different pilot, who just happened to be carrying a large brown basket.

As soon as the doors closed, my mouth started to water. I stuck my nose high into the air and sniffed. The smell of fried chicken filled the air.

"You didn't think we would let our queen starve do you?" Joshua said, taking the basket from James.

"I'm not your queen. I'm not anything." I shook my head, and lowered my eyes.

"The missus says for ya'll kids to enjoy your supper." The pilot spoke with a southern-type draw.

"Who set all this up?" I asked earnestly.

"My grandfather. He knows people in many different places," Luna said tearing into a chicken leg.

Not only was there chicken, but also biscuits, French fries, and fruit. James passed out sodas and when I finished eating, I was stuffed to the point I could hardly hold my eyes open. I was determined to stay awake though. I just don't think I could take having another nightmare like earlier.

"Hey, Luna. I want to ask you something," I said after turning off my headset, not wanting the guys to hear.

"Sure," she replied, licking her fingers after swallowing the huge bite I saw bulging in her cheek.

I moved over next to her and turned off her head set, then settled next to her.

"What's with all the secrecy?" Joseph yelled out.

"Girl talk, bro. Now, leave us alone," Luna pushed him away and smiled.

"I uh, I ... okay. What happens to your clothes when you transform? I mean, it's obvious something happens because I have yet to see a werewolf in pants," I giggled. A warm flush washed over me and I smiled sheepishly.

"That's a really good question. Unfortunately, I can't answer it."

I scrunched my brows. "What do you mean? You don't know?" I wasn't sure at that point if I would ever transform. "Are you naked afterwards," I whispered. I could tell by the way she smiled she knew I was freaked about her brothers seeing me in the nude. I wasn't awkwardly shy, but I didn't want to parade around naked. Not in front of the whole world and definitely not in front of the boys.

"Your clothes go into a state of limbo sort of. And when you transform back, you're dressed." She shrugged and cocked her head to one side.

"Stop messing with me, Luna," I said a little too loudly, and quickly glanced around at the guys to make sure they hadn't heard.

"No. I swear," Luna seemed completely serious. "Grandfather said each Adlet is under some kind of inner secret spell. Well, it's not a spell, but it's kind of like that. It has to do with our pack tattoos. Transforming and clothing and healing. Joseph can explain it better than me," she said and started to get up.

I yanked her back down. "No! I mean, no. It's all right. As long as you swear I won't end up naked I'm good."

I moved back to my seat and tried to think about what Luna had told me, but quickly grew so sleepy. Even though I tried my hardest to stay awake the last thing I remembered was glancing around in the dark at Luna and James still eating. Joseph had fallen asleep first, and was snoring so loud I easily heard him over the plane's engines.

A couple hours later I woke up, my head felt like lead, and I had an awful taste in my mouth. It was cold and the wind was blowing. I cracked my eyes open and glanced around. Everyone was still asleep, except the pilot. His seat was empty and the back door was wide open. It took longer than normal for everything to register. I even looked behind me, thinking he might be in the bathroom, before it finally hit me ... we had been drugged. "Oh Jesus, Joseph, wake up," I screamed, but he didn't budge.

I promptly shot up from my seat wondering why the pilot would bail on us. The suction coming from the open door pulled at me, and I grabbed onto Joseph's arm.

"Help me," I shouted, mere inches from his ear. "Joseph, you've got to wake up." I held on with one hand and slapped him hard with the other. Finally, he stirred.

"Oh my God." Joseph held his hand to his forehead. "My head is killing me.

"Forget about your damn head for a minute, and help me." My feet weren't flying in the air or anything, but there was a strong suction pulling me toward the open doorway. I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. All I could picture was getting sucked out and falling thousands of feet.

I guess Joseph saw my distress and promptly pulled me into his lap. I was so relieved, I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed tightly.

"Shh, you're all right now." He held me for a minute until I calmed down, then pushed me back just enough to see my face. "Where's the pilot?"

"Uh, I'm thinking out there somewhere." I replied sarcastically, but didn't mean too, and pointed toward the open door.

Without a word, Joseph sprung into action. He slid out from under me, and carefully made his way to the back where the open door was. I wasn't sure he'd be able to get it closed. I held my breath as he pulled on the door handle. His face turned deep red as he strained and his muscles flexed. Although I cared deeply for William, watching the taut muscles in Joseph's chest and abdomen ripple underneath his tight shirt, stirred something deep inside me. He let out a loud grunt and gave a final hard jerk, latching the door.

I ran to him and threw my arms around him. "You were so brave. Thank you." I kissed him on the cheek before I even thought about it. Afterward, I let go, lowering my eyes. "Uh ... we better wake the others.

Joseph had managed to stir Joshua awake, but so far hadn't had any luck waking Luna and James. I suddenly remembered that they had eaten a good bit more than the rest of us.

"We were drugged. It must have been in the food. That would explain why Luna and James aren't waking up." I thought about it all for a minute, then turned to Joshua who'd climbed into the pilot's seat. "I thought your grandfather knew these people."

"He does. I just don't understand what could have happened."

I furrowed my brow. "I guess he doesn't know them like he thought he did, or we wouldn't be thousands of feet in the air without a pilot, would we?"

"Stop it! Both of you, just stop it," Joshua shouted incredulously. "I really don't think it matters who is responsible at this point. Right now we need to concentrate on how we're going to land this plane without killing ourselves." By the time he'd finished shouting, a vein poked out in his forehead, and his face was blood red.

James and Luna woke up right in the middle of Joshua shouting at me and Joseph. Just like the rest of us, they had terrible headaches and Luna had a confused look on her face.

"We were drugged," I said flatly. "The pilot bailed on us too. Isn't that just great?" I spouted hatefully, and pointed at Joshua sitting in the pilot's seat. I was being sarcastic but I was really only trying to mask my own fear of dying.

"What about the radio? We can call for help. Somebody will rescue us," James said, optimistically.

"Nope ... not gonna happen." Joshua said, holding up the severed microphone cord. "But what you can do is look in the outside pocket of my back pack and hand me my cell phone."

"You had a cell phone this whole time and didn't tell me?" I narrowed my eyes, glaring. "I thought we couldn't have our phones because they could be tracked," I snapped.

"Sorry, Gen. It wasn't my idea. Grandfather told us Zane would know you'd try to call William and he'd be waiting to intercept it." His tone said that he was being sincere.

"Uh ... Joshua? I hope you already took out your phone and just forgot." Joseph's face contorted, sweat started to bead up on his forehead.

"What? I haven't touched it." Joshua shot a look over his shoulder. "Look again."

"It's not here." Joseph dumped out the contents of Joshua's bag. Everything spilled onto the floor.

"He thought of everything, didn't he?" James commented sarcastically.

I glanced over at Luna. Quiet tears washed down her face. Her white knuckles gripped the arms of her seat.

"Joseph, go to the back and grab the map. Put it in my bag and hand it to me. Everybody else, get your bags on your backs, and buckle up."

"What's happening, Joshua?" Luna sobbed. Her cries grew louder.

"Hurry up. I'm afraid we don't have much time." Joshua ordered. "We're out of fuel."

"I thought we fueled up when we stopped in Utah? I asked earnestly.

I didn't see them put the fuel in, because I went inside to get Mr. Green," James muttered. When we came out, the fuel truck was driving away from our plane."

I felt the nose of the plane dip downward. I gasped and Luna screamed. Joseph was in the seat next to mine and took my hand, squeezing it tightly. I glanced at him, and he was peering at me. There was something comforting about his eyes. He leaned in close to me and I thought he was going to try to kiss me. I closed my eyes.

"If anyone can land this plane, it's Joshua. He's awesome with the flight simulator game at the arcade," Joseph whispered, proudly, and his chest swelled. "He's held the high score for three years running," he said, matter-of-fact while holding up three fingers.

If I hadn't been so terrified, I'd have probably laughed. Instead, I squeezed his hand and forced a smile.

One thing we had going in our favor, I think, was that the sun had risen. I looked out my window and saw nothing but dry, desolate, desert all around. I hope landing on the desert was like landing on the water, because James and Joshua were in a panic up front. They couldn't figure out how to drop the wheels. We had the big ski thingies, but no wheels. The last I heard wheels worked better than water skis on the ground.

When I glanced at Luna, her faced was soaked with tears. Joseph kept telling her everything was going to be just fine, because of Joshua's high score. Somehow, I just wasn't finding that comforting at all.

When I glanced out my window again I figured we were in trouble. We were headed straight toward the ground, and James was screaming for Joshua to pull up. "Are you sure you can do this?" I shouted, and squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I had my answer when Joshua didn't respond.

My eyes were still closed tightly when I felt us level off. I let out a deep sigh, and realized I'd been holding my breath. I cracked open my eyes for just a second, but slammed them shut again when Luna screamed and the plane hit the ground hard, bouncing all over the place. I heard a loud thud just before James screamed, then fell silent. The nose dug down in the sand causing the plane to flip forward at first, then side over side.

Chapter 24

I guess I had been in shock, because it took me a minute to respond to Joseph shaking the crap out of me. If the plane crash didn't give me whiplash, Joseph definitely would.

We were tilted up on our side, and Joseph kept me from slamming against Luna when I unlatched my seat belt.

"Is everybody okay?" I asked earnestly, then looked around. Joshua was standing on the top of the plane trying to drag James' limp body up through the open door. "Go help your brother. I'll get Luna," I told Joseph.

"Are you sure you're all right?" He stared hard into my eyes.

"I'm fine, really. Go, your brother needs you." I waved him off.

When I reached Luna, she didn't have any obvious signs of injury, so I figured she must have just fainted, but I couldn't wake her.

I kept smelling something, but I was worried about Luna so I ignored it at first. But it continued getting stronger. When I finally glanced around, I saw what it was. The back of the plane was on fire.

"Joseph! The plane is on fire and I can't get Luna to wake up," I shouted frantically before I unlatched Luna's seatbelt and started jerking her toward the front of the plane.

After Joseph helped to get James to the ground, he jumped back in and threw Luna over his shoulder with ease. I watched him climb over the front seats and up through the door. Her head flopped around and her arms dangled like a little rag doll.

I don't know why, but instead of climbing out behind Joseph, I climbed over the seat toward the back, and grabbed the fire extinguisher. The fire seemed small enough to put out easily.

"Gen! what are you doing?" Joseph's voice sounded panicked. "Come on, we've got to get out of here before it blows up."

"How's it going to blow up if there isn't any fuel?" The fire extinguisher ran out fast, and Joseph came from behind and tried to throw me over his shoulder, but I refused to play the part of the damsel in distress. "I'm coming."

Joseph grabbed my hand and together we climbed to safety.

I stood on the ground with my hand cupped over my eyes. The sun was bright and burning hot. I quickly broke out in a sweat.

"What were you doing in there, other than trying to get yourself killed?" Joseph asked incredulously, while helping Joshua bandage the gash on James' forehead.

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking." I didn't look at him. I was too busy staring across the desert, worrying about the fast approaching vehicle I spotted off in the distance. "Um ... you guys ... we've got company coming." I pointed in the direction of the tiny spot shooting up sand behind it on the horizon.

Joseph and Joshua Jumped to their feet and stared in the direction I was pointing.

"Shit," Joshua shouted, and scrambled to lift James. "Get everybody behind the plane." He promptly headed to the side facing away from the vehicle and laid James in the soft sand next to the plane. It also happened to be the side the sun was hitting, which made the sand hot to the touch.

The temperature was climbing quickly and all I could think about was the possibility of having to travel for miles on foot. I pushed up on my sleeves, but it actually made it worse by allowing the sun to beam directly onto my skin.

I walked back to help with Luna. She was already awake and slowly pushing herself up onto her knees. "My head," she murmured, pressing her hand on the side of her head. Joseph helped her to her feet. "What's going on?" she asked, appearing confused.

I took her arm from Joseph and put it around my neck while I helped her to the side of the plane. She sat down and I knelt between her and James. Joshua and Joseph moved around to the front of the plane.

"What happened, Gen?"

It was obvious she was still dazed, especially since she was leaned against a partially buried plane with a broken wing. "As you can see, we crashed." I patted my hand on the plane. "But we all lived to tell about," I smiled, trying to make Luna smile.

Luna leaned forward, trying to see around me. I turned toward James, and found his eyes were open.

"Hey," I smiled. "How are you feeling?" I asked, quietly putting my hand on his shoulder.

Before he could answer, Joseph called out from the front of the plane. "You guys be quiet. They're close."

When I looked back at James, he was unwrapping his head.

"Stop. You have a nasty cut on your head." I was trying to keep my voice down, but I guess it still wasn't enough, because Joshua scolded me.

"I'm fine. Why are we hiding?" he asked, but then his eyes got big, I'm guessing because he saw my eyes open wide. "What?" He rubbed his hand across his forehead, then brought it down. There was nothing on his hand.

I furrowed my brow. "I saw your forehead. It was all gashed and bleeding." The wound had closed completely, and all that remained was a puffy red line. "What are you?"

"Oh, that." He smiled. "Let's just say we're fast healers. So are you." James' tone was light and the way he talked was like everybody should know that.

Luna pursed her lips. "Shh. I can't hear what they're saying," she whispered, her eyebrows scrunched.

Joshua stepped around the plane, and an old man with bushy, silver hair and a shaggy beard, wearing dirty blue jeans overalls, moved from behind him.

"Hey you guys. He saw our plane going down, and he came to check for survivors." Joshua had this relieved smile on his face.

Joseph came around from the other direction and was elated when he saw James had awakened. "Hey, Bro." I couldn't help but grin, too, when I saw the huge smile stretch across Joseph's face as he reached for James' hand to help him to his feet.

"Let's go," Joshua called out. "He's giving us a ride to a truck stop a few miles north of here." He seemed relieved, but I sure didn't have a good feeling about the whole thing.

Something told me we shouldn't trust him. He was just too nice and insistent. The whole thing was also just a little too convenient and gave me the willies. I mean, who drives around in the desert picking up strangers? For all he knew we were a group of teenage killers waiting to rob and decapitate our next victim. Or worse, maybe he was the psycho about to kill us.

I tugged on the back of Joseph's sweat-soaked shirt, and motioned for him to follow me. When we were out of earshot I stopped walking and turned to face him wrapping my arms around myself. "I don't trust him," I said with trepidation.

"Come on, Gen. Look at him and look at us. What's he gonna do?" Joseph tried to make light of the situation.

"I'm telling you. There's something more to it. I don't know exactly what, but I just know there is. Please, let's just tell him no thanks."

"You kids a comin'?" The old man had snuck up on us and had this really creepy smile that sent chills down my spine.

I looked at Joseph, then at him. My heart suddenly fluttered when Joseph leaned in close.

"It'll be all right, I promise," he whispered in my ear. I felt his hot breath on my neck, which stirred feelings inside of me that I'd only felt with William. He put his arm on the small of my back, sending a spark of electricity through me. Something inside me awakened as we walked close together. He held my hand and gave me a gentle nudge, and helped me to climb into the back of the pickup truck.

Joshua rode up front and the rest of us rode in the back. The wind from the moving truck was a welcomed comfort even though the hot desert sun beat down on us.

I shifted my gaze from the sun to the cab of the truck and then back to the sun.

Joseph must have been watching me, because he soon got curious enough to try to see what it was that held my attention. "What are you looking at?"

"Um ... correct me if I'm wrong. But if the truck stop is north and it's ten-thirty in the morning, shouldn't the sun be on the right side of the truck?" I asked, becoming more uneasy by the minute.

Chapter 25

I don't know why I was worried. Luna and I were with three big strong guys who also just happened to be a special breed of giant werewolf. So if that man had any intentions of hurting us, he'd be sorry as hell he offered us a ride.

We pulled onto the highway, and drove several miles, before turning off again. I saw an old house ahead in the far distance. Joseph didn't see it because his face was buried in his arms, propped up on his knees. Luna was facing me, so unless she had eyes in the back of her head, she couldn't see it either. And James was asleep. I swear that guy could sleep through a hurricane.

When I tapped Joseph on the shoulder it startled him. He jerked and quickly raised his head, opening his eyes. I pointed at the house. "That doesn't look anything like a truck stop to me. I'm just saying." I threw my hands out, palm up, and shrugged.

I tried to down play it, like I wasn't worried, but I'm sure Joseph saw right through me. He shook James awake and whispered something to him that I couldn't hear. James didn't say anything, he just simply nodded at Joseph.

We turned onto the path that led to the house. It was an old one story shack. Most of the paint had worn off the clapboards, and half of the railing was broken or missing on the front porch.

He and Joshua opened their doors, and stepped out. A three-legged dog came hopping from around back, barking and excited to see his master.

"You youngens get on out and stretch yer legs and get some water. I'll only be a few minutes," the old man said, and dropped open the tailgate. "There's some fresh rain water in that barrel over there." He pointed in the direction of a few large barrels sitting beside the house.

"Do you have a phone we can use?" I asked earnestly.

"Nope, 'fraid not. I ain't never had no one to call, so I couldn't see payin' for one." He turned and started to walk in the direction of the back of his house. He walked like maybe one leg was a good two inches shorter than the other. "Sorry," he called out without bothering to turn around.

As soon as the old man disappeared around the house, Joshua spoke up. "He's just a harmless bootlegger. He said he saw our plane go down on his way back from one of his 'customer's' houses." He did air quotes for the word customer's.

"I hear what you're saying, Josh, but I just have a bad feeling about this 'harmless' guy." I did air quotes for harmless, but I was really just mocking Joshua.

He looked at me severely. "My name is Joshua, not Josh."

"Sor-ry. I had no idea you were so touchy about your name." I spun on my heel and stomped off toward the rain barrel.

I scooped out a small handful of water and tasted it. It was surprisingly cool for such a hot day. When I picked up the ladle hanging on the side of the barrel, it was all grimy and nasty looking. I wasn't about to stick that thing to my face without cleaning it first. I took it with me and went looking for a water hose. When I stepped around the back of the house, I saw wires going from the house to a telephone pole. I didn't see the old man anywhere so I knocked on the back door.

While I was standing outside the door, I heard the old man's voice coming from somewhere inside the house. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but his conversation seemed one-sided. There was a couple of crates under the kitchen window, and even though I knew I shouldn't, something compelled me to see who he was talking to. My whole body shook like crazy at the idea of him catching me peeking in his window.

After quietly situating the crate, I stepped up on it, and slowly stood. When I peeked in, he was standing in front of a cabinet with his back to the window, and I saw a curly black phone cord stretched up from inside a drawer to a receiver pressed against his ear. My elbow hit a can on the window ledge, sending it crashing to the ground. My stomach tensed with fear and I quickly ducked. When I heard his footsteps clomping across the wooden floor, I bolted and didn't slow down until I'd made it around to the front where Luna and the boys were drinking.

As soon as I saw them dipping their hands in the barrel, it hit me and I promptly looked down at my empty hands. _Oh my God, the ladle._ I was in such a hurry, I'd left the ladle laying on the back steps.

I was about to sneak back and get it when the old man came out the front door and yelled for us. While we walked, I tried to think of a good excuse in case he asked who was around back, but he didn't.

"Load up. I got one more stop, then I'll drop you kids at Beaver's. That's the name of the truck stop I told you about."

While riding, all I could think about was how the old man had lied. Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore and I told Joseph what I'd done.

"Are you trying to get yourself shot?" he scoffed. "Moonshine runners don't play."

"Chill out. He didn't see me," I huffed, but knew he was right. "What I want to know is why he lied about having a phone." I had my chin propped on one knee, using my finger to draw objects in the small sand piles scattered across the bed of the truck.

I raised my head and looked around when we turned off the highway, again. I furrowed my brow. "Where are we going now?"

"Joshua said the old man had one more stop on the way to the truck stop, so I'm guessing this is it." Joshua pointed to a much nicer house than the one we'd just been to. It was a large two story white house with a manicured lawn, and beautiful flower beds. It had a long circular drive with a massive fountain right in the middle. It looked out of place to me.

We drove around to the back, and passed a carport to our right with several ATVs and a golf cart parked underneath. A tall man wearing jeans, a bolo tie, and a cowboy hat came out as soon as we stopped.

"Howdy folks. I'm Walter. Welcome," he smiled broadly, and tipped his hat. "Howdy, J.D."

I assumed he was referring to the old man, since none of us were named J.D. and the old man answered to it.

"You kids look a bit on the parched side. Come on in and cool off in the air conditioning." He stood at the back door, holding the screen open.

We just sort of looked at each other, and Luna shrugged her shoulders. They happily jumped out, but I remained hesitant. The whole thing seemed a little too ... easy.

My stomach was in knots, and I tried to tell them we were making a mistake, but Joseph called me paranoid, so I reluctantly followed them inside.

Once we were all inside, he led us to the den where a football game played on a giant TV. He had us sit down, and I hated to admit it, but the cool air felt awesome. A couple minutes later he left and came back with a tray full of icy cold sodas and a bowl with chips and salsa. I was so thirsty, I couldn't open mine fast enough.

We all settled deeper into the large sectional, laughing and having a good time, until all of a sudden Luna's smile disappeared.

"Uh, guys ... where did Walter go?" Luna uttered, and slipped her hand inside mine.

The room grew eerily silent, and then we all heard it at the same time. J.D.'s truck started up and drove away.

Joshua and James jumped up at the same time. "Come on you guys, let's get out of here," they said in unison.

Joseph was already up, stepping toward me when Walter stepped around the doorway leading to the kitchen, and he had a shotgun pointed at Joshua and James. They both stopped instantly.

Luna squeezed my hand, but didn't say a word. Joseph slowly eased in front of us, then I heard two distinct clicks from somewhere behind. My heart hammered against my chest. Adrenaline mixed with panic rushed through me. I slowly turned my upper body. Two men we hadn't seen before stood behind us with their guns aimed at the group.

Before I knew what happened, the deafening sound of a shotgun blast filled the room, causing my ears to ring. Joseph fell to the floor. I looked on in horror as a red stain slowly spread across his shirt. Luna screamed and dropped to her knees beside him.

"You! Get over here, before I shoot these two boys," Walter said in a low evil tone, pointing at me.

I hesitated, and he pulled back the hammer on his shotgun. "All right, all right. Just don't hurt them."

I had taken only two or three steps when Joshua and James did some kind of jump, pounce thingy off the wall, and leaped clear across the room, transforming into Adlet wolves in mid-air, landing on the two gunmen. A fight ensued, and my eyes were fixed on them when Luna screamed for me to watch out.

Chapter 26

Evidently, Walter didn't know about us, because he looped his arm around my throat and started firing aimlessly around the room. "What the hell are you?" he screamed in between shots.

I heard Luna grunt, then slump over on top of Joseph. Fear rushed through me. My whole body began to shake and I when I grabbed at his arm, my fingernails had changed to long sharp claws. I felt like my insides were on fire and my organs seemed to be moving around in my body. The smell of blood heightened my senses even more.

Everything went blank momentarily and then it was like a surge of electricity ran through me. I felt my strength increase. My sight was suddenly much better. I spotted a tiny drop of blood across the large room fall from Joshua's fang, and I went wild. I dropped to all fours, and a ferocious growl unlike anything I'd ever heard before came from deep inside my chest. When I peered into Walter's eyes, they displayed utter terror. He threw up his hands in surrender, but it was too late. The hunger for blood mixed with the infusion of immense power had completely taken over.

I leaped, taking him to the floor. When I looked down at what should have been my hands, they were covered in snow-white fur. I pushed the shock out of my mind. I couldn't think about that then. All I cared about was stopping him before he hurt anyone else. I lowered my face next to his, letting out one, final, ear-piercing cry, before tearing into his throat. He immediately stopped fighting and I picked him up with my long fangs and slung his lifeless body across the room.

It was unlike any feeling I had ever known before. I couldn't control it, nor did I want to. It was like raw power mixed with dominance and adrenaline. I felt so free.

I reared up, my head touched the ceiling, and I growled with such a monstrous fury it echoed as loud as thunder throughout the house. Before I had time to think, my animal instinct took over. I crouched low and leaped across the room, colliding with Joshua. He snarled and I latched onto him. He bared his teeth and bit down; fur mixed with blood, flying about the room. I was just about to bite down and crush his throat when James flew at me, knocking me off of Joshua. Our tangled bodies rolled across the room. I sank my teeth into the back of his neck and started to bite down.

Luna screamed something in a language I'd never heard, but I somehow understood and stopped, falling to the floor.

She rushed to my side. "Genevieve. It's okay to stop now." When she pulled me up, I was totally spent, and collapsed in her arms.

***

I woke up screaming Joseph's name, and bolted upright on the couch. I quickly held out my hands turning them over, looking at both sides. Tears filled my eyes after I frantically scanned the room. Small puddles of blood and pieces of flesh lined the floor and blood spatters dotted the walls. Luna had a bloody cloth in her hand.

"What in the hell just happened to me?" Luna, Joshua, and James stood beside the couch, but I didn't see Joseph.

"You turned," Luna said softly. "How do you feel?" She wiped at my neck with the cloth.

"I'm fine. Everything's just a little fuzzy." I narrowed my eyes a bit and tilted my head to one side. "Where's Joseph? Oh no, Is he ... dead—"

"Of course I'm not dead." My heart rose and fell all at the same time, and relief filled me as Joseph walked into the room, shirtless, towel drying his hair. "I hear you kicked ass." He grinned broadly, causing his siblings to smile, too.

I tilted my head and chewed at the inside of my lip. "But you were shot," I trailed off while my gaze shifted from Joseph to Luna. "Wait a minute. You were shot, too." I stared at her bloody shoulder, bewildered.

"I hate to break up the party, but we've got to get the hell out of here." Joshua said evenly.

I promptly remembered that I had gone after Joshua. I stood up and followed him into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Joshua." I put my hand on his arm when he reached for the fridge, but he jerked it away. "I didn't mean to—"

"I know you didn't." He spun around to face me. "I just forgot what it's like the first time someone turns. Just a little unnerving, that's all." He smiled thinly and patted my shoulder. "You and Luna go through the house and take anything you think we might need. Tell James and Joseph to look for the keys to those four-wheelers." He nodded toward the back door. "I'm going to get what food and drinks we can carry."

Luna came downstairs dragging a duffel bag. She obviously found a lot more upstairs than I did downstairs. I heard Joseph calling us from the back door.

"Come on. We gotta go now." Joseph was holding the screen door when me and Luna came trotting through the kitchen. James and Joshua were under the carport topping of the gas tanks and firing up the four-wheelers one after another.

Joseph promptly tied down our gear on the ones that had cargo bars on the back, and James was the lookout, crouched down by the side of the house where he could spot anyone as soon as they turned off the highway.

Joseph looked at me. "How are you at driving one of these?"

"Um, not too great I'm afraid. I mean I can drive one, I just ..." I trailed off.

He laughed. "Hop on. You can ride with me."

James came running and started yelling before reaching us. "Let's go, let's go! Headlights just turned onto the driveway," he said, jumping onto one of the ATVs. Luna and Joshua followed suit, and we took off through the back of the property.

Even though it was completely dark, we rode with our lights off. I promptly realized I could see just like it was day time, something I couldn't do a week earlier. We hit a small gulley, and I flew up off the seat, but quickly wrapped my arms tighter around Joseph. He took his left hand and placed it over my interlaced fingers. His hand felt warm and strong, helping me to relax a bit. I scooted closer to him and rested my chin on his shoulder.

We rode for hours until finally stopping once we made it to the mountains. Nobody wasted any time climbing off the ATVs and stretching our aching muscles. James and Joshua went for firewood, while Joseph, Luna and I made camp.

Luna seemed nervous and fidgety. She rambled about stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with anything.

I kneeled on my knees right next to where she was sitting. "Did what I think happened earlier tonight, really happen?" I asked earnestly.

She looked through one of the bags, taking out three large cans of beef stew and sodas. I didn't think she was going to answer me.

"Luna?" I gently placed my hand on her arm.

"You turned." Her reply was flat, emotionless, and she'd said it without even looking at me.

"Why now? Why not the night I was about to be attacked in the woods, or the other day when I was with William?" I searched her eyes for an answer, but she didn't seem to have one.

She didn't get a chance to answer because James and Joshua approached us with two armloads of firewood. Joseph had spread out the only two sleeping bags we'd found back at Walters house. I cringed when I thought about his house.

If we hadn't gotten in J.D's truck, none of this would have happened. I told them I'd had a bad feeling about that old man, and I had been right.

That was all water under the bridge now. I'd turned into a monster and almost killed one of my friends. My throat tightened and my eyes grew blurry. I promptly turned away from the fire James had gotten roaring, and tried to blink away any tears.

"Here, Gen."

I turned around, and Joseph had sat down on his knees next to me, waiting to share one of the cans of stew. We didn't have dishes, so we would all be eating out of the same cans.

I took a few small bites and gave it back. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry," I said quietly, and stood.

"I know why your upset," Joseph called after me. When I didn't answer, he rose and followed me. "Hey." He gently grabbed at my shoulder, but I jerked away. "Gen, you need to talk to me."

I spun around to face him, my face wet with confused tears. "I don't understand why this had to happen to me. I was a perfectly normal, confused teenager. And now I'm a ... a werewolf princess."

"I can't pretend to know how your feeling. I could only imagine the horrific thoughts that would be racing through my mind if I suddenly found out I was a princess." Joseph chuckled warmly and I couldn't help but laugh a little, too.

He reached out and gently wiped at one of the tears running down my cheek. "See, it's not the end of the world. You have so many people who believe in you and a pack to fight with you."

"It's just all too overwhelming. I'm supposed to be doing normal teenager stuff. This is not what I had in mind," I paused and sighed heavily. "My life's never going to be the same again, is it?"

Joseph pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms tightly around me, and I pressed my face into his chest. I felt his heart beating against my cheek, strong and erratic, and I felt a nervous pit growing in my stomach. He pushed me back just enough to look at me. I trembled as he lifted my chin and fixed his gaze on me. I stared silently into his big soft eyes.

Joseph suddenly tensed and loosened his hold when soft footsteps approached behind me. I quickly dropped my arms. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, and my body began to shake violently. It was happening again and I didn't know how stop it.

Chapter 27

"Gen," Joseph screamed. "You're killing him!"

Anxiety gripped me. I shook my head to clear the haziness, and when I looked down, James was pinned beneath me. I fell to the side, shocked, appalled. I had turned into some sort of crazed monster. Totally out of control. I got to my feet. Unable to look at Luna or her brothers, I quickly turned away. "I need some time ... alone," I said and hurried inside the tree line  at the base of the mountain.

I hadn't made it far when I heard Joseph and James calling me. instead of answering I kept running until I couldn't hear them anymore. I felt like I had to get away from them. They weren't safe around me. No one was. I had never felt so alone, and my heart ached. I fell to the ground and sobbed.

What had happened to my life? One minute I was just this girl, and the next I was a ... oh my God I was a killer. I lay there thinking about everything. Murderers, rapists, kidnappers, and me. I wanted to die. I mean, how could we justify killing others?

***

When I opened my eyes Luna was sitting next to me, stroking my long tangles.

"Hi," she said, but not in her normal perky voice. She peered down at me with a reassuring smile.

I jerked upward and leaned on my elbows. "How did I get back here?" For a brief moment I thought it had all been a bad dream. But the look I saw on James' face told me it had been very real.

"I'm going to do some scouting further ahead in the mountains. I won't be long." He was talking to Luna, but shot me a quick glance before disappearing through the trees.

"I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't mean to hurt him. I just can't control myself." I fought back the tears, which I seemed to be doing a lot lately.

"I understand, Gen. I still have trouble sometimes too. My brothers are teaching me, just like they will teach you."

I shot her a confused look.

"You heard me," a grin fluttered across her lips. "You didn't think I came along just to take care of you guys, did you?"

"I want to ask you something." I took a drink of the water she offered. "Why was Joshua so distant after I attacked him if he knew I would have trouble controlling it at first? I saw the same look in James' eyes, too."

"Because, Gen. You're much stronger than they are—than any of us are. With you just turning, you should be weak, but you're not."

"What happens if I can't get it under control?"

"You will. The boys are going to help train you."

I glanced around. "Where are they?"

"Gone to catch rabbits," Luna grinned wickedly.

"Huh?"

"Let's get everything packed up while we're waiting." Luna stood and held out her hand to me. "And, Gen? Just know that killing for the sake of saving others is not frowned upon by the Gods," she uttered and smiled softly.

I couldn't help but smile sheepishly. I realized I'd caught his scent before I even saw him. Something else I hadn't noticed about myself before.

"Where's Joshua?" I asked, leaning to see around Joseph.

"Hiding." A sly grin slowly appeared on Joseph's face.

I just looked at him, bewildered at first, and then aggravated. I guess he noticed my furrowed brow and quickly realized I wasn't amused by all the mystery.

"All right. He's in the woods close by and when I give the signal, he'll release a rabbit. Your job is to chase and catch it without hurting it."

"But what if I can't? I don't want to hurt a poor defenseless rabbit. No." I shook my head. "I won't do it," I snapped and pursed my lips.

"Luna will be right beside you. She won't let you hurt the rabbit." He assured.

Joseph was beginning to lose his patience with me. "Why won't you come? Luna might be weaker, but dude, she is lightning fast," he informed proudly, and put his arm around Luna's shoulders, squeezing her close to him. Her face flushed. She promptly lowered her eyes and smiled, looking just like a little girl.

They might not have been identical twins like Joshua and James, but they were obviously just as close.

"Come on, Gen, I promise I won't let anything bad happen," Luna said, and pulled me by the arm.

"All right already. How do we do this?" I asked with trepidation.

"Follow me, ladies." He waved at us to follow.

As soon as Joseph whistled, I instantly heard the rabbit scurry and then it's scent wafted in the air. I looked out of the corner of my eye and Luna had already changed. She let out a loud growl, and I started to panic. I didn't know why but I wasn't changing, so I closed my eyes and pictured my mom screaming for help, like she had in my nightmare. Adrenaline tore through me, and then the violent shaking. I quickly dropped to the ground. The haziness lasted only a short time. Unlike before, I was fully aware as I began to change. The pain wasn't nearly as intense, and it seemed like just a brief moment until my animal instincts took over.

I glanced at Luna. She was crouched and ready. I reared up, letting out a deep growl before I bolted with her on my heels. I followed the rabbit's scent, and it took only a few seconds until I spotted him zigzagging between the trees. I picked up the pace even more. My strides were long and fast, but Luna's were faster. She really could fly.

Just as I swiped at the rabbit's hind legs, Luna came around me and scooped him up by the back of the neck. My long claws dug into one of her legs, and she rolled, dropping the rabbit from her mouth. I crouched low, and snarled at her, ready to pounce.

She looked into my eyes, and spoke with her mind, calming me. The calming effect was like nothing I had ever felt. My breathing slowed, and I changed back at the same time she did.

"Luna, you're hurt," I said softly, as I looked at her bloody leg through her ripped jeans.

"Nah, I'm fine," she smiled, but I knew she was lying by the way her features promptly stiffened to a painful mask.

"Pretty nice," Joseph called out, with this huge grin on his face as he jogged toward us.

I shot him a hard look over my shoulder. "I hurt her, Joseph."

He ran and jumped over me, landing next to his sister. I watched as he pulled apart the tear in her jeans and examined the cut. He had such a gentle way about him. It made my heart flutter just to watch him.

"She'll be fine. See, it's just a small cut." He held the tear open for me to look. "It should heal quickly."

"Are we quitting or what?" Joshua appeared from behind a thick patch of bushes holding two rabbits by their ears, one in each hand. "What's going on?" he asked earnestly.

When I saw those rabbits a raw hunger consumed me. My adrenaline started to rush again, and I knew what was about to happen.

I transformed instantly, but didn't allow myself to move. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it out.

"Let her do it on her own." I heard Joshua say. "Gen, open your eyes," Joshua called out to me from across the clearing.

I opened my eyes just as he kneeled down and released both rabbits. They scurried away, and it took every bit of strength in me not to give chase. I wanted those two rabbits in the worst way, but I fought through it and suddenly the urge was gone, and I was me again, except I was utterly exhausted.

My knees shook and I was about to fall when Joseph grabbed me up, and swung me around in circles. Luna was laughing and cheering and even Joshua smiled, which was something I had rarely seen him do. Not that he was a grouch or anything, but he was just more of the serious type.

We all joked and laughed on the way back to our camp. I didn't realized we had run so far. It seemed like it had only taken me a couple minutes to chase down the rabbit, but we had been walking back for almost an hour and still hadn't made it back to camp.

I guess I was weak from changing twice so close together, and the sun's rays seemed to also be taking a toll on me. My legs ached, and I finally reached the point I couldn't walk any farther. "I need to rest," I gasped, and dropped into a crouch. "The sun seems to really be draining me. I don't see how you guys can take it ..." I trailed off, sitting down.

"Come on, we're almost there." Joseph lifted me off the ground.

I was so tired I couldn't even wrap my arms around his neck as he carried me. I lay my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

"What happened to her?" I heard James ask earnestly.

Joseph leaned me against the base of the tree that had the largest amount of shade. "I guess changing took a lot out of her."

"That's ridiculous. Changing doesn't affect someone like that and you know it," James scoffed at Joseph. "Whatever's going on with Gen has nothing to do with her becoming an Adlet wolf."

Chapter 28

I was almost asleep until I overheard Joshua say my name.

"Shh ... keep your voice down. She doesn't know that, and until we figure out why it's affecting her this way, there's no need to tell her." Joseph's voice was low and throaty.

Tell me what? What's 'affecting' me?

"Well, transforming shouldn't take all her strength, even when she's first learning to control it." He paused for a minute. "It's obvious something's not right and we've got to figure out what before we get to Devils Pass," Joshua snapped.

"She's just tired, that's all." Joseph didn't sound too convincing.

James chimed in. "Joseph, you know it's going to take all of us to get past Zane's henchmen. If she's not one hundred percent, we're as good as dead."

They all grew quiet, so I opened my eyes. Luna was the first to see me awake.

"Feeling better?" she smiled weakly, and I could tell it was forced.

"Yeah. Much better," I lied. "How's your leg?"

"Healed. See?" Luna had changed into a pair of blue jean shorts, which showed off her muscular legs. When she pointed out the place on her thigh, it was nothing more than a thin red line. "We're fast healers." She peered at me and giggled, I assumed, at my wide open eyes.

"Let's get going. We still have a long way to go," James said, and climbed onto his ATV, and we all followed suit.

The sun's rays burned heavily on my bare skin, and my energy lessened by the minute. I cupped my eyes and peered up at the sun. It was about to drop behind the mountains and I counted each second.

I caught myself falling asleep several times, and almost fell off the ATV more than once. I think Joseph felt it the last time because he clamped his hand securely over mine.

We didn't stop until well after dark. We were in the mountains, somewhere in New Mexico. When I climbed off the ATV, I quickly realized I had loads of energy. I felt almost like I had drank a bunch of energy drinks.

"Where'd the sudden burst of energy come from?" Joseph asked skeptically.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Who cares where it came from." I danced around. "The important thing is I feel great."

"Don't burn it all off yet. You're going hunting, again." Joshua warned.

"Okay. Let's go." I slapped my hands together feeling like I could take on the whole world.

"This time it will be harder. No light. You'll have to rely on pure animal instinct. And, you'll have to be able to transform quickly," Joshua added gruffly.

The further we walked into the trees, the more nervous I became. It wasn't going to be me and Luna like it was before. The brothers were coming this time. I had to transform, hunt down a rabbit, catch it, then transform back ... all without any help. If I went too far, Luna wouldn't be there to stop me.

Joshua finally stopped, and turned to look at the rest of us. "Everybody ready?"

The "everybody" he was referring to was me. My whole body shook, and I'd broken out into a sweat.

"I'm ready." I floundered as I tried to move next to Luna. They were all so graceful when they moved. I, on the other hand, looked like a baby giraffe, all legs and stumbling over my own feet. We weren't on flat ground like we were during the earlier hunt. I quickly realized the uneven floor of the mountainous terrain would be much harder to maneuver on.

"Let's go." They transformed and were on the move. I didn't have time to think about anything. I suddenly dropped to all fours, and followed. I smelled something straight ahead of me, but it wasn't the familiar scent of a rabbit. It smelled like blood mixed with a gut retching stench.

I heard a series of low growls, and I knew something was wrong. I bolted in the direction the growls were coming from. I leaped onto the top of a series of stacked boulders and looked below. Luna and the boys were surround by a large pack of coyotes.

They weren't your regular everyday run of the mill coyotes either. These were quite large for coyotes and their features were almost grotesque, like something out of a bad horror movie. One of them had its teeth bared and was slowly inching toward Luna.

I crouched low, then pushing off hard, leaped from atop the rock. I landed in front of Luna, and reared up, growling more fierce than ever before. It cowered, but I didn't care. I grabbed that coyote by the throat and snapped its neck in one shake of my head, slinging its lifeless body to the side.

My pack saw that as their cue. A vicious and bloody fight ensued. Even though they were greater in number, we were much greater in both size and strength. Joseph dove right into the middle of several coyotes, and Joshua joined him. The sound of crunching bones and the smell of blood filled the air. When I glanced at Joseph, he was ripping out their throats one after another. His fur shined in the moonlight from the fresh blood sprayed everywhere.

In the midst of the growling and snarling, I heard footsteps trailing off in the distance. As soon as I felt sure they didn't need me, I gave chase. I knew we couldn't let any of them get away or Zane would know for sure we were coming.

I was having a hard time tracking the coyote, because the mountains in that area were covered in their scent. It was their home and they hunted the mountains all around the Ice Cave, and Devils Pass, which was where James had said we were going.

The smell of fresh blood grew stronger. I realized the coyote had probably been wounded and that's why it was trying to escape. I continued following the scent until I was sure it was somewhere close, then I slowed down to make sure it wouldn't outsmart me by hiding and having me run right past it.

Sure enough, it had circled around and when I came to a clearing near a ledge, I stopped and looked around. I saw that I could get around and block it from passing.

I quietly climbed over rocks and slid down dirt passes until one final leap landed me directly in front of it. I reared up and growled. When I came back down on all fours, it was laying down just waiting.

I leered at it, and when it raised its head, I saw the terror in its beady eyes. I couldn't kill it when I didn't even feel threatened. I transformed back and stepped out of its way. "Go." It just looked at me, burning those sad eyes into my memory. "Go now, before I change my mind and kill you." I pointed up the path.

Slowly it stood, but still in a cowering way. It started past me. "Run fast and don't look back or I will kill you."

I could have sworn it bowed its head while passing me like it had known who I was. the coyote promptly did as I ordered and disappeared through the rocks.

I had already turned back, and climbed back down the rock face when Luna and her brothers trotted out from the trees. They seemed shocked to find me just standing on the path.

I was afraid to look at them. "It's, it's gone ... it got away, somehow," I said, then lowered my eyes and started back toward where we'd left our bags.

Chapter 29

Leaning back against a large rock, I gazed up at the stars. Something I hadn't been able to do since moving to Haven. I often wondered if there even were stars in the Alaskan sky. My heart ached, causing my throat to tighten as I thought about William. I wondered if I would ever see him again. A single tear spilled onto my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand.

I overheard the four of them arguing, again. I felt sure it was about me, and my ineptness to catch and kill the coyote that had gotten away. I wasn't a cold-blooded killer, and something told me the coyote was just like me, thrown into the middle of something that was out of its control. When I had looked into its eyes, I saw only hurt and sadness. It hadn't wanted to be there any more that I did. I overheard James say my name, which made me listen more closely.

"Gen's not ready. She couldn't even track down an injured coyote," James scoffed.

"You know what Grandfather said. Gen is an important part of this journey. We can't leave her alone and unprotected. At least if she's with us, we can protect her." I watched as Joseph got extremely close to James' face.

"Stop it! Quit fighting," Luna snapped, her voice carrying.

"Shh, she'll hear you guys," Joseph said.

"She doesn't want you, Joseph," Joshua snapped.

"Is that what you think, Joshua? It's not like that. Gen and I are just friends," Joseph replied harshly.

I was having a really hard time keeping my mouth shut. They were arguing because of me. I was somehow tearing them apart. I couldn't figure out what I'd done to make Joshua and James hate me so much. I hoped they weren't holding my attacking and almost killing them against me. It wasn't my fault and it wasn't personal. Nobody had bothered to tell me what to expect. Maybe if I'd known, I could've at least _attempted_ to prepare for it.

A noise coming from somewhere behind the trees caught my attention, and I tried to block out their incessant bickering so I could listen better.

That proved to be entirely impossible. I heard Luna say my name, so I turned my attention back to them.

"I just told you, Joseph. You're wasting your time ... she wants William."

I saw Joseph drop his shoulders and lower his head. It tugged painfully at my heart, but I wasn't sure why. I thought my heart belonged to William, so why was my stomach twisting into knots?

The siblings grew quiet for a moment, which allowed me to hear the noise more clearly. It was a voice and it was calling my name. It wasn't just any voice. It sounded strangely familiar and I was over whelmed with the urge to find out where it was coming from.

"Uh, you guys? Luna?" They had started in on each other again, and refused to pay attention to me. "Um ... I'm going to go, uh ... use the bathroom," I called out.

Luna waved me off without even bothering to look in my direction. I stared in disbelief, growing more irritated by the minute. They were arguing about me like I was a possession not a person. "To hell with them," I grumbled.

The voice called out again and I followed it in the direction of the trees. I stopped briefly and turned around. Luna had one hand on her hip, pointing her finger in Joshua's face, and of course, they were still arguing ... about me. I wondered why they hadn't heard it, too. Just before disappearing through the trees, I briefly looked over my shoulder but kept going.

I followed the voice into a pass made of volcanic rock. The moon cast its glow on trees growing all twisted up with barely any vegetation on them. I suddenly wondered if I'd made the right decision taking off but I didn't feel threatened by the voice.

Climbing down a steep hill I noticed the temperature steadily drop. By the time I reached the bottom the air was freezing cold and I felt a slight breeze.

The voice grew louder as I followed and eventually found myself entering a cave where every surface was made from ice. It really freaked me out. I mean, we were in the middle of a desert where the temperature during the day easily hit triple digits, and here I'd only walked about a mile and was surrounded by ice.

When James had earlier mentioned the Ice Cave, I thought it was just the cave's name. I didn't know he had meant it literally. I didn't think about it much ... I couldn't. I was so entranced by the voice, I couldn't focus on anything but finding it.

It was cold and completely dark. I inched my way deeper inside, feeling my way along the ice-covered walls. The voice seemed like it was just in front of me, and when I felt my way around a turn, I saw a faint glow from somewhere up ahead. My heart raced and my breathing came in short slow bursts when I saw a large dimly lit cavern. Even though there was a small amount of light, I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

My heart fell when I saw a woman in the distance, lying on a stone table. It was only when I got closer I could tell it was my mom. I quickly rushed to her side. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be asleep. I watched her delicate chest barely rise and fall.

"Mom?" I looked on in disbelief. My vision immediately blurred from tears. "Wake up." I shook her, but she didn't move. The voice came again, soft and clear.

"Genevieve, although she cannot hear you, you _can_ save her," the voice spoke to me.

"How?" I looked all around. "How can I save her?" I asked with desperation.

"You _can_ save her," The voice said then paused. "You can save them all. But, you must be brave and willing to do things you never imagined. Your path will not be an easy one." The voice echoed softly.

"You're lying," I screamed, wiping away my tears with the backs of both hands. "Mom, wake up," I pleaded, shaking her hard. "We have to get out of here now!"

"Genevieve, you must listen. Your mother did not die in the fire. Zane has her. Hurry Genevieve, only you can save her."

"Gen, where are you?" Luna called out.

I spun around and saw a light coming toward the cavern. "We're in here, Luna ... please hurry!"

Just as the flashlight beam got close, the chamber light went out and Luna rushed in.

"I found her, Luna. I found my mom," I smiled, looking through misty eyes.

"What?" Luna sounded confused. "There's nobody in here but us," Luna said, shining the flash light around the empty room.

I peered at the empty table, and then grabbed the flashlight from Luna's hand. "She was just here." I shined the light on the empty table. "She was right here, and there was a voice echoing through the cave. It told me how she didn't die in the fire but was kidnapped by Zane. The voice said he has her."

"Why did you run away?" Luna asked softly.

"You're not listening to me. I didn't run away. A voice led me here, and I found my mom right there on the table." I pointed at the empty table. "The quest has changed now." I ran toward the cave entrance, and Luna was on my heels.

"Where are you going, Gen? What are you talking about?" Luna asked.

"Zane has my mom ... and I'm going to find her ... with or without help from you and your brothers."

Chapter 30

I ran right into Joseph when I exited the cave, only he wasn't alone. James and Joshua were also there. I tried to push away from him, but I was so hysterical he couldn't understand what I was trying to say, so he just held me tightly. Luna came out a minute later rubbing her hip. She had slipped and fallen on the icy floor. Any other time we would have probably had a good laugh, but not now, not after what Luna told them.

"Let me go. I have a new quest now. I have to find out where Zane is hiding my mom," I screamed, and fought to get away from Joseph.

"What are you talking about?" Joseph asked skeptically.

"My mom was in the cave, only she wasn't in the cave." I stared at Joseph with pleading eyes. "I know it sounds crazy, but I saw her, and she didn't die in the fire ... Zane took her."

"What do you mean your quest has changed? Gen, if we don't find the Crest and take it back to the throne, Zane wins." Joseph stared into my eyes, and he looked confused and hurt. He was squeezing my arms too tightly, but I didn't care.

"My mom isn't dead. I have to find her." I tried to pull away.

"Where? Where will you go to find her? You don't even know where Zane is," Joseph sneered.

"You know where he is. You can take me," I replied.

"No. He won't, Gen," Joshua snapped.

My gazed shifted between Joseph and Joshua. "Yes, he will, James," I said, then peered at Joseph. "Tell him, Joseph. Tell him you will take me to Zane's hideout," I pleaded.

Joseph released his grip on my arms. He lowered his eyes toward the ground, and shook his head. "I can't ... I'm sorry." He turned his back to me and walked away.

"Don't you see? He'll kill her if I don't find her ... please." I collapsed to the ground, totally spent and exhausted.

"Gen." Joshua pulled me to my feet, and spoke softly. "He's going to kill her anyway." He had this super-sad look on his face. "But, if we get the Crest, maybe we can use it as a bargaining tool to get your mom back."

Luna wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "He's right, Gen. It sounds like our best option."

"When the time comes, how do I know you'll keep your word?" My gaze shifted between Luna and her brothers.

"Because, _I_ give you my word." Joseph stepped in front of his brothers. "If it comes down to Zane releasing your mom in exchange for the Crest, I'll personally give it to him."

They all peered at me, waiting for an answer. I let out a deep sigh and dropped my shoulders. "Okay ... I'll do it." I said, trying to hide my trepidation.

"All right, you guys. Keep your eyes and ears open in here. I doubt Zane is planning to let us take the crest and just walk out," James said, leading the way.

I hadn't paid attention to all the different passageways when I entered the cave the first time. I had had a hard time concentrating. All I could think about was my mom being alive and how I couldn't wait to get home and tell Aunt Bev.

"Smell that?" James asked, stopping and turning to the rest of us. "We're getting close. Stay alert," he whispered as evenly as he could before he started walking again.

Between the lingering adrenaline of seeing my mother and my heart starting to race with fear, I knew something was about to happen. I just didn't know what or where, but I could have probably guessed if I really tried.

I watched James shine the flashlight up toward the ceiling as the passageway opened to a large cavern. Did I say large? I meant huge. The ceiling was at least four stories high, and the entire room was covered in ice.

James shined the light at some markings visible behind the ice. "I know this is the right room, but I don't see anything resembling a crest."

Luna and I started across the cavern. At first, we didn't see anything either. But when she swung the light across the far wall, a sparkle caught my eye.

"There's nothing here," Luna called out.

"Wait a minute," I said, grabbing the flashlight from her. "Look!" I rushed over to the far wall. Just underneath a layer of ice I saw what appeared to be a large tomb.

"That's just great. How are we going to break through the ice?" Joshua threw his hands up.

"I guess we'll have to go outside and find some sharp rocks to beat against the ice," Joseph proposed, dismayed.

"If we do that, we might break the Crest, and then it will be of no use to us," James replied severely.

The back of my neck starting heating up again. At first, I didn't think anything about it. But it kept growing hotter, much hotter than before. Without saying anything, I placed my hand against the back of my neck for a few seconds, then reached down and touched the back of Joseph's hand.

"Ouch!" He scowled at first, jumping up from his crouched position, and rubbed his hand. "Damn it ...what was that?"

Luna shined the flash light on his hand, displaying a burn mark across it.

I had already placed my hand back on my neck, and moved in front of the wall. I allowed it to heat up as long as I could stand it, then placed my hand against the ice directly over the Crest. The ice promptly began to melt and run down the wall.

"How are you doing that?" Joseph asked earnestly.

I just smiled because the truth was, I didn't know. It really made me think though. As much as I had fought against coming and doubted everything Luna's grandfather had told me, having the ability to melt the ice brought it all together. Maybe it really was my destiny to take the throne as the princess.

Luna shined her light on the melted area of the wall, and I pulled the Crest loose. It was small and silver like a brooch with a nickel-sized deep red stone protruding from the middle. As soon as I closed my hand around it a strange feeling surged through my whole body, taking my breath away. I wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Chapter 31

A strong gust of wind swirled through the room. I found myself encased in the middle of a whirlwind. Images flashed through my mind, then, as quickly as the wind came ... it was gone. Luna and her brothers were all staring wide-eyed at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling extremely self-conscious. They remained perfectly still and silent. "What are you all staring at? Tell me," I pleaded for someone to answer.

I was about to explode when Joseph finally found his voice.

"Um ..." he uttered, and cocked his head a little to one side, and smiled faintly. "You ...." His expression faltered, and he lowered his eyes.

It promptly became obvious I wasn't going to get an answer, straight or otherwise, from Joseph.

I turned to face Luna. "Luna?" She had that same bewildered look on her face, which made me even more confused. The longer she stared, the more her mouth gaped open. "What the hell are you guys staring at me for? What's wrong with me?" I started to yell, and Joseph was the first one to finally snap out of it.

"Please don't freak, Gen. It's nothing bad. I swear. It's just that ... you've changed. You've changed a lot." He suddenly looked embarrassed and lowered his eyes.

"Okay, now I'm really starting to freak out. Would somebody please talk to me so I can try to make sense of this whole thing."

Joshua and James had been staring at the floor the whole time like they were afraid to look at me. Did something really happen when I touched the stone. Maybe that's why it had been hidden behind the ice for so long. Maybe no one was meant to find it because it was cursed.

"Look at your skin, Gen. It's ... it's so flawless, it's almost glowing."

When I pushed a piece of loose hair behind my ear, I noticed how silky it felt. Not just soft either, it really felt like silk. My heart suddenly raced out of control.

I ran my hand across my arm and it startled me, and I quickly jerked it away. I had never felt skin so extremely soft that wasn't on a baby.

"You're suddenly more beautiful than anything I've ever seen. It's like you take my breath away." Joseph was in awe.

I laughed hollowly. "I think you guys stayed out in the sun too long. I'm no different than I was ten minutes ago."

"You're wrong." Joseph turned and started across the room. "Come over here."

I followed him to a spot on the other side of the room where the ice covered a green mossy area giving it a mirrored effect.

My knees grew increasingly weak and I trembled, staring at my reflection. My whole outward appearance had changed. I appeared to be slightly taller, my hair was longer, my features were way softer, my body had the great hour glass shape, even my breasts were larger. I was definitely okay with that part.

I stepped up for a closer look. My eyes were definitely darker. Growing up they had always been a washed out blue color, then I noticed them taking on a greenish hue. But now they were clearly a dark shade of green.

When I turned around, Luna, Joshua, and Joseph had joined James, and they were bowing before me.

A burning flush flew over me. "Get up, you guys." They didn't move at first, but then slowly, they all stood.

"You truly are the Adlet princess and we are your servants," all four spoke in unison, and it gave me goose bumps. Even though I had known very little about life, I was preparing to give it up in exchange for something I didn't truly understand. I now knew more than ever, it was my calling.

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Stop saying that. I'm just an ordinary teenage girl." I turned toward the passageway, but spun back around. "Well ... maybe not ordinary, but still a teenage girl. Now, can we please get outta here? I'm getting creeped out."

I waited allowing James to take the lead, then I stepped in line next to Luna, looping my arm through hers and smiling. I started thinking about everything that had happened so far during this journey. No matter what had happened, Luna had been nothing but patient and kind. Not to mention how she'd stuck up for me when they were arguing. I had been so self-absorbed, and worried about my feelings and what I was giving up, I never stopped to think about what all of this had meant for them. Luna and her brothers were giving up everything to protect me, even if it meant them dying, and I hadn't bothered to thank any of them.

She covered my hand with hers and gave a gentle squeeze. In turn I nudged her with my hip, a little too hard I might add, and she sort of bounced off the ice wall. What made me feel so bad about it was that was the same hip she'd walked out of the cave rubbing earlier after she had slipped on the ice. But, being the awesome person Luna was, she just giggled. Her hip had actually healed within minutes of falling, but I kept forgetting about that part.

We made it out of the cave without a hitch, and I smiled just starting to relax when James stopped abruptly and held up his hand.

"What is it?" Luna whispered. When she grabbed my arm another vision shot through me. It was the same man and he was dragging something. The next thing I knew, they were all facing outward from a tight circle they had formed around me.

Coyotes lunged at us from every direction. Some even jumped off the rocks high above us.

James and Joshua were the two fastest at transforming. In wolf form it was impossible to distinguish one from the other. They both had beautiful reddish-brown fur. Joseph changed next. His deep red fur with silver tips was even more beautiful than that of his brothers. Although Luna was a faster runner than her brothers, she was the slowest to transform. Her fur was silver with deep red tips—the exact opposite of Joseph. It was strange I hadn't noticed it before.

" _Gen! Change now,"_ Luna called out to me in my mind. I had been so entranced by their beauty I had forgotten to focus.

Her call came too late. A huge coyote lunged at me from behind. My back arched inward when his razor sharp claws dug into my flesh, sending me to the ground. I heard his teeth gnashing at the back of my head. Suddenly his weight lifted off of me and I quickly rolled to the side. By the time my feet and hands hit the ground I'd transformed without even thinking about it. I heard a fierce thunderous growl come out of nowhere and was shocked when I realized it had come from me.

Being greatly outnumbered didn't faze us. We were much larger, much stronger, and much faster. Hungry for blood, the five of us tore through the pack of coyotes. In just minutes most of them were dead and the ones that weren't, cowered and ran away to hide in the mountains.

Unfortunately, the worst wasn't over. Actually, the worst was just beginning. Descending from the mountain was a large pack of Lycan ... Zane's henchmen. Their disheveled and splotchy fur covered bodies revealed they had battled many times before. Although they were skinny and appeared undernourished, I knew not to be fooled by their appearance. The closer they inched toward us, the more they snarled, gnashing their teeth and growling.

James and Joshua slowly backed up to stand next to us by the mouth of the cave. Adrenaline surged through my body, making it hard to keep still. We stood our ground and waited. As their pack neared, they split apart. My heart raced uncontrollably when I saw an extremely large—bigger than us—solid black werewolf. His fur was short and slick, and the moon reflected off his back. His fangs were extremely long, but pearly white. When I looked in his eyes I quietly gasped, and my heart nearly skipped a beat. His eyes were not only large, somewhat angular, and black as coal, they depicted pure evil as well. I didn't need anyone to tell me who he was. In my gut I already knew.

He slowly sauntered toward me, and all three brothers quickly moved between us blocking his path, which evidently was what he wanted. While their focus was on him, the bushes behind us exploded with a dozen more Lycans.

Luna was so fast, she had ripped out the throats of two Lycans before the others knew what happened. Joseph wasn't as fast as his sister, but he was extremely strong. When two other Lycans jumped him simultaneously, he clawed and chomped until both of their bodies lay in a mass of blood and flesh on the ground having been twisted and ripped to shreds.

James and Joshua lunged at the larger one, but his pack quickly swarmed them. They both took on two and three at a time, but began tiring. Joseph went to help, leaving Luna to help me escape to safety.

Without her brothers to assist, the Lycans took Luna down quickly. I heard her call out to me, but I couldn't answer. I had made the mistake of looking into the larger one's eyes, and had fallen under his spell. I couldn't move, and even though I was screaming on the inside, I couldn't scream out. All I could do was continue to stare into his eyes while Luna yelped from somewhere behind. I watched helplessly as he leaped through the air and everything suddenly faded to black.

Chapter 32

When I came to, everything was extremely fuzzy at first. It was like my memory was wrapped in fog that was slowly lifting. It was still dark, but I could tell by the twisted growing pattern of the trees around us we were headed back through Devils Pass.

Suddenly, the panic of what had happened surged through my veins and when my heart started pounding, I felt this really intense pain in my head.

"Put me down," I yelled after looking at the face of the man carrying me. I mean, he wasn't ugly by any means, but I was sure he was the one who had tried to kill us.

"As you wish," he said, speaking in a low even tone with a slight hint of a foreign accent. He promptly slammed me onto the ground, knocking the wind out of me. I looked up at his face. The moonlight illuminated most of his features. He appeared to be quite young. His features seemed smooth yet firm. He had jet-black hair, a chiseled jaw line and a short pointed beard. He stood over me with an ominous look on his face.

"Did you obtain the Crest, Genevieve?" He moved extremely close to me, and stared down.

"What crest?" I tried to play dumb, but I think my face told the truth.

"Don't think I am stupid. It would prove to be a grave mistake on your part." His brow furrowed. "I know why you came here ... to find the tomb of the Adlet woman."

I thought about everything that had happened in the cave once I touched the Crest. Maybe he'd never seen me before I found it, so he wouldn't notice the changes I'd gone through after removing the Crest from the tomb's lid.

I furrowed my brow, trying to hide my fear. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now, where are my friends?" I asked while getting up.

"Dead, probably," he said in a tone that sounded like he was pleased with himself for whatever reason. If they were dead, I doubt seriously he had lifted a finger to do the actual killing. He definitely struck me as someone who used others to do his bidding.

I narrowed my eyes. "If you've hurt them in any way, I'll kill you myself."

"Ha! I seriously doubt that, young lady."

I moved dangerously close to him. "Why not?" I moved even closer, tilting my head back as I came within inches from him. He was a good bit taller than me and even though he did frighten me, I wasn't about to let it show. "What's to keep me from transforming and killing you right now?" I asked coldly.

He tilted his head, glowering at me for a long moment, an evil smile stretched across his face. He leaned forward until his nose almost touched mine. "Because, your mother will die," he whispered, paused for effect, then let out an eerie laugh. His voice echoed off the mountains around us.

"Is that so? My mom is dead so I highly doubt you can do anything at this point."

"But you are wrong, Genevieve. Camilla did not die in that fire. She is very much alive," he said in a low growl.

I spun around and saw the serious look on his face. How did he know about the fire? What if he was telling the truth and my mom wasn't dead? My heart immediately started aching, and I had to fight to keep from crying.

"Let's go." He spun me around and pressed his hand on my back, shoving me forward.

I took a few steps further down the path before stopping and turning to face him. "How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

He smiled thinly while reaching into his pocket. When he pulled out his hand a thin gold necklace dangled in his grip. He tossed it to me. "Keep walking."

When I opened my hand and picked it up by the chain, I saw the tiny heart shaped locket. I knew instantly it was my mom's. She wore it every single day, never taking it off. I remembered asking her about it when I was little. She told me my father had given it to her right after I was born. He told her the heart represented his love for us.

My eyes burned with fresh tears. I didn't need to open the locket. I knew there would be two pictures inside. One picture was of me as a baby, and the other was the two of them taken on their wedding day. I slowly lowered the chain into the palm of my hand, then made a tight fist around it.

A surge of electricity shot through my body, forcing me to my knees. I was blinded by a white light, and as it faded, I saw her. My heart beat so frantically my chest ached. My mom was inside a dark room. It smelled of must and lavender. She was sitting against a cold dirt wall and she was calling out to me. She kept trying to show me something, but I couldn't make out some of it. Flashes of mountains, snow and pathways dotted my mind, then vanished.

My eyes shot open when I heard a loud thud. I promptly turned around and saw Zane lying in a crumpled mass on the ground, a darkened silhouette standing over him.

I sensed him before I saw him. My heart fluttered unabashedly. "Oh my God!" I jumped to my feet, breaking out into a gigantic smile. I leaped, throwing my arms around his neck, and wrapping my legs around his waist. "William," I squealed, squeezing him tightly, not wanting to ever let him go.

He swung me around a few times, squeezing his arms even more tightly around my waist. "Genevieve ... thank God you're all right," he whispered softly in my ear. "I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you."

We held each other a few more moments before he loosened his hold, letting me slide down the front of him to my feet. He still had his hands around my waist as we gazed into each other's eyes.

I quickly noticed he had a puzzled look on his face, and his eyes kept searching all over my face.

"What are you looking at?" I had almost forgotten about the sudden change that happened in the cave.

"You're different somehow," he said, his fingers gently pushing loose hairs away from my face.

My skin flushed warm, and I grinned. "It's a long story," I answered, then as I thought about something, my grin slowly faded. "How did you find me?" I asked, gazing into his eyes, still unwilling to let go of him.

Before he could answer, some loose rocks slid down the mountain. William's gaze flew upward.

I sensed his uneasiness, then I suddenly remembered Zane was unconscious only feet from where we stood.

"We have to go!" His voice sounded urgent. He grabbed my hand and we ran. I felt like a clumsy puppy, tripping and stumbling while we ran. William just held on to my hand and pulled me along, keeping me from falling. We didn't slow down until we were away from Devil's Pass.

"Wait! I have to find Luna and the boys," I shouted, yanking back on his hand. "I need to make sure they're okay." I didn't know what William's plan of escape was, but I couldn't leave without at least knowing they were all right.

"Where are they?" he asked earnestly.

"They were still fighting the Lycans at the Ice Cave." It promptly hit me that so much had happened since I'd last seen William. I couldn't help but wonder what he would say when he found out I was a werewolf, and not just any werewolf either. I was the Adlet Princess.

I needed to tell him before he found out on his own, so I could explain that none of it would ever change my feelings for him.

"I went to that cave looking for you, but the only thing I saw was a lot of blood and dead coyotes."

I thought about what Zane had said, and hoped he was wrong. "Maybe they're back at our camp ... follow me." I held out my hand and he took it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

William and I ran until we were inside the tree line not far from the camp. He pulled on my arm so I would stop. I opened my mouth to speak, and he gently place his finger to my lips.

"Shh. I hear something," he whispered, then turned his ear to the side like he was trying hard to listen.

I did the same thing and then I heard Luna's voice. She was crying. My heart sank as I thought about something bad happening to one of her brothers. _Oh my God ... Joseph!_

Chapter 33

I bolted toward the camp. I hoped William was behind, but wasn't about to stop to find out. I had to see why Luna was crying. I couldn't even think about any of the brothers being hurt, especially not Joseph. I didn't actually realize just how fond of him I had grown until the threat of him being hurt or killed entered into the equation. The closer I got the more my heartbeat quickened and the unbearable ache inside my chest grew.

I rushed toward an opening in the trees where I saw a small fire burning through the branches. Luna's sobs echoed inside my head. When I broke from the trees I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Genevieve," Luna shouted when she turned and saw me, a huge smile immediately covered her face. She jumped to her feet and ran to greet me. The force of her weight almost knocked me to the ground.

I silently counted heads. All three of her brothers were there, and I quickly realized Luna had been crying for me. Joshua and James were even smiling when I looked at them. There was something more in Joseph's expression than just a smile, like, relief mixed with a sadness, maybe.

"How did you get away from Zane?" she asked, squealing and squeezing me way too tightly. Suddenly, she went stiff and the brothers' smiles disappeared.

I didn't realize what it could be at first, but then I remembered ... William had stepped out from inside the tree line.

Luna released me and stepped to the side. "What are you doing here?" she asked, not entirely unkindly.

I felt the tension quickly forming, and decided I better say something. "William rescued me."

"Sure he did ," Joseph said, glaring at him. He stepped extremely close to William, and eyed him up harshly. William didn't cower one bit even though he knew he was outnumbered. Instead, he leaned in close to Joseph and appeared to say something to him, but I couldn't hear what.

Joshua spoke up and broke their testosterone-filled stare down. "So, tell us, William, how did you find Gen? I mean ... who told you where we were?" Joshua shot William a dubious glance.

"Genevieve's aunt told me where you guys were headed," William answered dryly. Once I got down here, I tracked you guys to the cave, but when I got there, you were already gone. I was headed back down the mountain when I overheard voices, and that's how I found her."

William was still staring at me oddly with a hint of that crooked grin of his as he walked up next to me and put his arm around the small of my back. I figured he was still trying to get used to my new look. My heart rate instantly climbed, and I felt tingly on the inside. I couldn't explain it, but every time I was around him I got the excited feeling of a first kiss or a first date. Joseph glanced at me with a heartbroken expression, his big eyes seemed so sad, and then he turned his attention to his brothers, and mumbled something as he disappeared behind the rocks.

Not wanting William to see the guilt I felt over Joseph. I lowered my eyes and slid my hands into my front pockets. I suddenly felt the necklace. With all the commotion, I had temporarily forgotten what Zane had said. I quickly pulled it out and held it by the chain. "We have to get back to Alaska," I spoke with an urgency in my voice.

William stood next to me and ran his finger down the chain, stopping the locket from spinning. "Where did you get this?"

"Um, I got it from Zane, but it belongs to my mom," I replied all panicky, and briefly turned to face William. "My mom wasn't killed in a fire. Zane took her."

"What are you talking about?" William peered into my eyes and seemed genuinely shocked at what I'd told him.

"I can't explain it, but I can see things sometimes. Zane is holding my mom somewhere." I glanced around at everybody. They were all looking at me like I had lost my mind. "Look, damn it! My. Mom. Is. Alive. When Zane handed me her locket I had a vision ... or something. Anyway, I saw her in this, like, dungeon place. And she was calling out to me. I need to get home and tell my aunt."

"I believe you," Luna said, with that happy-faced grin she always seemed to be able to put on in a moment's notice.

"No, you don't, Luna. None of you do." I trailed off, dropping my shoulders.

William hugged me tightly, and I curled into his chest, accepting the comfort. "I came to take you home," he said softly. "I came to take all you guys home." He glanced at Luna, and the two brothers. "I've got an SUV not far from here, and my dad's company plane is waiting at an air strip just south of town."

I know my face must have glowed with happiness because William smiled and gave me a gentle squeeze.

***

The ride to the airstrip was tense at best. The sun hadn't yet started to rise so my energy level was still up. It was like I'd drank a bunch of energy shots or something.

Joseph hadn't spoken a word since he saw William. He sat behind me in the SUV, but I didn't have to look at him to feel his eyes burning through my back. William tried to hold my hand, but I acted like I wasn't paying attention.

When we arrived at the airstrip, the place seemed abandoned with the exception of one guy in a pair of coveralls and, of course, a really sleek looking jet.

"This is your dad's 'little' plane you mentioned?" I threw up air quotes for little.

William just nodded and grinned slightly. "I never said little anything. This is how we Novaks roll." He spread his arms wide, referring to the jet.

"Can we all just get on the damn thing," Joshua said eyeing William ominously. "It's not safe for Gen to be here," he spat his words at William.

One by one we entered the jet. When I stepped inside it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. William turned to the left and went inside the cockpit.

I just stood inside the front of the plane taking it all in. "I think I could get used to this," I mumbled under my breath. There were sixteen seats, eight on each side, facing each other in sets of two. All the way in the back was a couch, a bar and a couple of tables.

I waited for Joseph to sit somewhere before I took a seat. I was afraid he might sit by me and cause a fight with William.

Before William came out of the cockpit, the intercom made that familiar doorbell noise, and I cringed as soon as I heard William's voice. I was so afraid he was going to spout off to Luna's brothers.

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome aboard Novak Air Alaska. I've picked some mood music for the trip. Please enjoy your flight and, oh yeah ... don't forget to thank your host for this totally awesome ride home."

He must have timed it because the exact same time the cockpit door swung open, T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" started blaring through the speakers. He pimped down the aisle, then dropped into the seat next to mine, sprawling his long legs in the aisle, and leaning his body toward me.

I didn't need to look in the mirror to know I was blushing. A felt the burning go from my face down through my body. I sank deeper into my chair and turned my face away from everyone ... including William. I couldn't understand why he was acting like a complete ass. He had won. I was with him, but it just didn't seem good enough.

Luna and Joseph moved from their seats closer to Joshua and James, and talked quietly among themselves. William glowered at Joseph every time he looked toward us.

As morning started to break, my energy dissipated. I was physically and emotionally drained. Hot tears stung my eyes when I pulled out my mom's necklace and studied it for a moment. I closed my eyes, twirling the chain between my fingers, thinking about everything that had happened. Something didn't fit. A journey that was supposed to have been so extremely dangerous, went pretty easily, with the exception of a few dozen coyotes and Lycans.

When I woke, everybody else was asleep except for William. His seat was empty. I sat forward, looking up and down the aisle. I was thirsty, so I went to the bar in the back and stooped down to get a soda from the little fridge underneath before taking a seat on one of the stationary bar stools on the other side.

There was a large mirror on the wall behind the bar. I stared at my reflection, realizing it was the first time I'd really gotten to see myself since the cave. I couldn't believe how long my hair had grown in the last few days. Most people's hair only grew about one half inch every month. Mine must have grown six or seven inches in just days. I was in awe of the fiery color it had become. The kinkiness had turned almost perfectly straight, except for the occasional wave, and it flowed down to my waist.

I set my drink on the bar and slowly stepped closer to the mirror, eyeing my full reflection. My arms were cut with large tight muscles. I pulled up my tee-shirt and my stomach was just as muscular, each set of muscles defined perfectly. _I look almost like a body builder._ I smiled briefly, then let it go when I looked more closely into the mirror. I turned my face a little to the right, then left, my fingers tracing my high cheek bones and defined jaw line. I was staring at this beautiful woman in the mirror, but I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that it was me.

I jerked, and quickly spun around when the bathroom door next to me swung open. "William!" I grabbed my chest. "You scared the hell out of me." I smiled sheepishly, knowing he had seen me staring into the mirror. My chest rose and fell with each deep breath I took, trying to slow my racing heart. His crooked grin didn't help the situation one bit.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was lonely without you," he said, pulling me in close and gazing into my eyes. "I missed you," he whispered softly into my ear, squeezing me tightly.

Something felt different about William. Don't get me wrong, his touch was tantalizing, and he still made my heart skip a beat every time he said my name, but he wasn't acting like the same guy I had left behind in Alaska. He seemed to have a smugness about himself ... and I didn't like it.

"I want to talk to you," he said earnestly.

"Yeah? Well, I kinda _need_ to talk to you." My smile faded when I saw the look of concern on his face.

Interlacing his fingers with mine, he led me to a small couch a few feet from the bar. I sat down and he dropped onto the seat beside me. He started to say something, but I stopped him. I didn't know how he was going to react, but I had to tell him.

Chapter 34

I glanced nervously toward Luna and her brothers, and then back to William. They had kicked back in their chairs and crashed ... hard, although I couldn't say they looked peaceful at all. Maybe subconsciously they already knew.

"Hey ... remember me? Hel-lo." He nudged my shoulder, waving his hand in front of my face.

I turned to look at him, smiling only briefly before lowering my eyes. "Sorry. I don't want them to overhear," I uttered.

"What is it that has you so upset?" He asked, smiling softly.

"It's a long story." I sighed heavily. "I'm not really sure where to start." I hung my head and took a deep breath. "I'm an Adlet wolf princess," I blurted, then cringed while waiting for his response.

"You're upset because you're a princess?" His face contorted into bewilderment.

"You're not listening." I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm ... I'm a werewolf." I promptly realized I'd said it too loud, and glanced toward the siblings. Luna stirred, stretching her arms high over her head, but then turned over and pulled her knees into her chest and settled again. I turned my attention back to William.

He pursed his lips like he was angry, but it fell away quickly, turning into a slight grin. "I know."

I scrunched my eyebrows. Confused. "Huh? How?"

"Are you forgetting I was at Luna's grandfather's with you?" He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and pulled me close, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"But, Aunt Bev said she sent you away."

"She did, but I didn't leave right away. She told me to go out the back door, and left the room. I started to go, but I stopped in the hallway when I heard Luna's grandfather's voice."

"So ... you ..." I trailed off, unable to form the words I wanted to say.

"I heard everything." He pulled his head back and slowly lifted my chin so he could see into my eyes. "It doesn't change how I feel about you." He tenderly rubbed my chin. "Genevieve, I've never met anybody like you before."

The last few days—weeks really—began to catch up and tears gathered in my eyes. I started wiping at them, but William moved my hand away and gently wiped them for me, before cupping my face in his hands, and gazing into my eyes. As he came nearer, my heart raced wildly from the anticipation of what was about to happen. His gaze slowly dropped to my mouth, then back to my eyes, I did the same as his lips inched their way closer.

Pleasure rippled through me the instant I felt his lips press softly against mine. His kiss was warm and gentle at first, but we both grew hungry and the gentleness quickly gave way to passion. His mouth pressed forcefully against mine, and I kissed him deeply, parting his lips impatiently when I felt his hardness pressing against me. My hands gripped his tee-shirt pulling him over on me, his hand tangled itself in my hair.

The more he kissed me, the more I wanted him. His body grew extremely hot under my touch, and no matter how close I pulled him to me, it just wasn't close enough. Desire burned inside me, so strong it was almost painful. He had stirred something deep within my soul, and I knew I wanted to be with him ... forever.

We both panted feverishly, as he moved eagerly between my mouth and my neck. When his tongue touched the soft place behind my ear it filled me with such ecstasy, I bit my lip hard to keep from screaming out with pleasure.

William's body suddenly tensed up, and he pushed himself away from me.

I sat up, following him with my eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked earnestly, shocked and hurt that he'd just suddenly broke away from me in the midst of such passion.

He didn't look at me when he stood up and walked to the bathroom. He threw open the door, and leaned inside. When he turned around, he handed me a tissue, but still averted my gaze. "Your lip is bleeding," he said flatly, and then moved behind the bar and changed the music from Three Doors Down's, "When I'm Gone" to Nickelback's "Far Away".

I suddenly felt a nervous pit in the bottom of my stomach, and when I looked up Joseph was glowering at me. His eyes were cold and emotionless, and I knew he had seen William and I kissing.

My heart ached severely. Mine and William's first kiss had been magical, like seeing a shooting star or a fresh rainbow after a bad storm. And now, because of Joseph, I felt ashamed, like I had betrayed him. We were supposed to only be friends, but my feelings for him had grown while in New Mexico. The moment I saw William again it seemed to vanish. I never meant to hurt Joseph, but I had and nothing I could say would change it. Tears stung my eyes again, so I hurried into the bathroom and locked the door.

I sat down on the small seat in front of the vanity, and cried quietly. I was upset when I should be elated. William's kiss had been the most wonderful thing I'd ever felt, yet I seemed more sad than I had ever been before, except for when Aunt Bev told me of my mom's death.

I promptly thought about my mom and the fact that she might really be alive. No, I knew she was alive. I couldn't exactly explain how I knew, I just did. So many aspects of my life had changed. I mean, like how many people do you actually meet in your lifetime that can say, "Oh, by the way, I'm a werewolf princess". Yeah, right.

I turned around and faced the mirror, staring at my reflection. I was still in awe of the changes my body had gone through when I had picked up the Crest. I ran my hand through the long tangles and pulled it into a messy bun. It startled me when someone knocked on the door.

"Go away," I said flatly.

"It's me, Luna. Please let me in," she said softly.

I unlocked the door, but turned my back when she came in.

"Wow. This is way more than I expected for an airplane bathroom." She halfway grinned, and I couldn't help but crack a smile in return.

She was right. The room was spacious and elegantly decorated. She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face. "We'll be landing soon," she said her words muffled through the towel she was using to dry her face.

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Don't remind me."

"What are your plans, Gen?" Luna folded the towel neatly and placed it back on the counter while looking at me through the mirror. "I mean as soon as we land. You _are_ still planning to help us take back the throne, right?" Luna paused for a moment, staring at me with pleading eyes. "If we don't take it back, Zane won't stop until all our people are dead, and the vampires, too. And he won't stop with us." Luna's voice sounded desperate. "When he's finished, he'll take every Lycan along with any rebel vampires whose lives he spares and then travel to Europe to continue his reign of terror."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at her."Don't you get it? He won't stop until we're all dead or Lycan slaves."

"How do you know what his plans are?" I asked incredulously. She was hesitant. Elusive. "Luna. How—do—you—know?" She still didn't answer. I crossed my arms tightly over my chest. "If you want my help, I need to know."

"My ... my grandfather," Luna uttered, and lowered her eyes.

I furrowed my brow, puzzled. "How would your grandfather know?" When she didn't answer right away, my expression changed to one of hurt. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Because, I don't want you to think the wrong thing about my grandfather." Tears ran down her face, and she steadily wiped at her eyes.

"I promise I won't, Luna. You're my best friend." I smiled softly, pulled her close, and hugged her for a minute, then she gently pulled away and began.

"Before the killing stopped, my grandfather called a secret meeting with Zane and another man. My grandfather made him a deal to allow the Adlet and the docile vampires to live in peace. I don't know for sure what the conditions were because I got there late, but Joshua said my grandfather must have agreed to allow Zane to take the throne. Right after their meeting, Zane did disappear, but the killing didn't stop—not completely, anyway. I mean, until you came he hadn't bothered our kind, but humans and vampires kept disappearing."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why would your grandfather agree to something like that? Does he think it's okay to sacrifice some to save others?"

"Of course not. But he'll do whatever he has to in order to save his people."

"Who was the other man?" I asked, taking it all in.

"I don't know. He spoke with a heavy accent, though. He definitely wasn't from Alaska."

"Hey in there," William called out through the door and we both jumped. "We're getting ready to land. You girls might want to buckle up. It could get rough. We're about to hit a storm."

I shot Luna a severe look. "We'll talk about this later."

Chapter 35

Thunderous booms vibrated the plane and lightning strikes hit all around us as we began our descent through the clouds. Luna's brothers tried to act all cool, but I saw right through them. They were just as frightened as us girls. I had come back up to the front at Luna's insistence, but I really wanted to be with William.

He seemed to be the only one completely untouched by the storm. He leaned back in one of the back seats with his eyes closed, and hands clasped together, resting them across his waist. I kept looking at him out of the corner of my eye, but he never moved. We had just shared the most wonderful moment and now he was acting as if the whole thing never happened.

My mind switched to what Luna had told me. Why would her grandfather make a deal with a monster like Zane? Maybe he never intended for us to find the Crest. But why would he risk the safety of his grandchildren?

"Hey," I whispered to Luna, who was frantically chewing on her thumbnail, and squeezing the hell out of my hand. She closed her eyes tightly each time she saw a bolt of lightning. "We're not going to die." I patted the top of her hand and she cracked open her eyes just in time for the plane to jump around from the wind pockets.

I glanced back at William, again, and something struck me as odd. If I didn't know better, I'd have sworn he was dead. _There is something totally not right about him, and I'm going to find out just what it is._

When the turbulence subsided enough that I could walk in the plane without being thrown around, I told Luna I'd be right back, and hurried away from my seat before she could think of a reason for me to stay.

William still hadn't moved when I got close. I was about to tap his shoulder when more turbulence caught me off balance. William moved with lightning speed, reaching up and grabbing my arm. Just as I started to fall in the opposite direction he pulled me down into the seat next to him.

"What was that all about?" I asked skeptically, my heart hammering in my chest while he helped me buckle my seatbelt.

"Did you want me to let you go flying across the plane?" he asked with a perplexed look on his face.

"No," I smiled sheepishly. "Of course not. I meant, how did you move so quickly?"

William just grinned slightly and shook his head, like he thought I was ungrateful he'd kept me from busting my butt.

I sat quietly, nervously fidgeting with my long fingernails while trying to figure out the best way to approach William with my questions. I kept taking sidelong glances until the last time I peeked at him, he was staring straight at me, smiling. I took that as my cue. "I need to ask you something, and I would like a straight answer."

He didn't say a word. Instead he propped his elbow on the arm of the seat closest to me and rested his chin on his hand, staring into my eyes.

"I'm just going to be straight." I paused and took in a deep breath, then sighed. "From the first time I saw you in the school cafeteria I have felt something. I tried to chalk it up to teenage hormones gone wild, but it was something way more deep than that. Right from the start the attraction was too strong, almost intoxicating. That's not normal."

He continued to gaze into my eyes, almost like he already knew what was coming.

"I'm not stupid. I've noticed things about you, but I guess I was just so content to be with you, I let it all go by. And who gets introduced to the idea that they're dating a werewolf, and doesn't bat an eye? What are you, William?"

His smile faded, he pursed his lips and a crease slowly formed on his forehead. "Before I answer that question, are you absolutely sure you want to know the answer? Remember that old saying ... be careful what you wish for—"

I quickly cut him off. "William," I whispered severely. "Just please tell me." I struggled unsuccessfully to hold back my emotions.

"All right." He let out a deep sigh and took my hand. He turned his body in his seat, resting the side of his knee on the arm rest, so he was facing me directly.

I wasn't sure why he did that either, unless he was afraid I might try to run when he told me. If it was that bad, maybe I didn't need to know after all. My whole body shook violently, and my throat was so dry, I felt like I had swallowed a giant ball of cotton.

His expression turned completely serious, almost grave. "Genevieve, I don't want you to freak out or anything, and you can ask me anything you want ... just don't hate me." There was an overwhelming sadness in his voice.

"Okay, now I really am freaking out." I tried to smile, but he suddenly got this look like a sad little boy, and it broke my heart. Seeing him like that caused my whole body to shake worse than I'd ever thought possible.

He leaned in really close to my face and whispered. "I'm a vampire."

It was over so quickly, I thought I'd heard him wrong. I stared out the window trying to absorb what he had just said. "You're a—" I trailed off. For some reason I couldn't quite wrap my head around what he'd said. I guess deep down I wasn't ready to comprehend his confession.

The thought of coming from a normal family where werewolves, and vampires, and God only knew what else didn't exist was no longer a reality for me. Everything I had been raised to believe suddenly turned into a complete lie. It even made me wonder about my mom and dad.

William nodded. "Afraid so. It's not that I was trying to keep it from you, I just didn't think you were ready to hear it yet. I was going to tell you when we got back to Alaska."

I quickly shot him a look, but didn't say anything. It's not that I didn't want to, I just couldn't. I guess him telling me he was a vampire solidified the fact even more that in my world there really were things that went bump in the night.

"Please don't hate me." He stared at me, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"I don't hate you, William. Actually, I'm sort of relieved." I forced a tiny smile. I'm glad you're not 'normal.'" I did air quotes around normal.

His mouth curved up into his sexy sideways smile. My heart rose and fell all at the same time when he took my hand and wiggled his fingers to interlace them with mine.

"It explains the animosity between you and them." I motioned toward Luna and her brothers.

"Yeah, we're not the best of friends, but we do have a common enemy ... Zane and his Lycan slaves. Vampires and the Adlet made a pact to work together. It was our only chance to defeat him. We kept his kind under control for a while until someone learned of your existence and told him. He wants the throne, and he'll stop at nothing to get it."

"How do you know him?" I asked, but William ignored my question, acting like he hadn't heard me.

Before I could ask him again, the pilot came over the intercom and announced we were on our final approach, and for some reason he wanted to see William.

"We'll talk later ... I promise," he said, appearing almost relieved the pilot had called him.

"Wait a minute," I said and his expression turned serious. He gazed at me, but I didn't look him in the eyes. "Tell me the truth. Can you read my mind?" I asked, suddenly thinking how embarrassed I would be if he could. All my feelings for him and the intimate things I pictured us doing someday.

He kissed my hand, and I watched as the corners of his mouth curved upward. He waggled his eyebrows up and down, and laughed loudly. Then without answering my question he sprang from his seat letting my hand fall as he hurried up the aisle and disappeared through the cockpit door.

Chapter 36

Joseph wouldn't even look at me after we got off the plane. To make matters worse, he was actually nice to William, and thanked him for the ride. Luna hugged me for the like, the forty-seventh time, and then disappeared inside her grandfather's truck.

William's dad had a car waiting for us. The window tint was so dark, it appeared to be night time outside even though it was actually daytime. It wouldn't grow completely dark for a few more months.

The ride home was eerily quiet. I saw William in a whole new light and wondered why he would want to be with someone who was a natural enemy to "his kind."

We turned toward each other and we both started to speak at the same time, and laughed.

"Sorry, go ahead," I smiled, already feeling a bit better.

"I haven't been totally honest with you," he said, then dropped his eyes to his fidgeting hands.

I had no idea what he was about to say, which really made me nervous. "Oh?"

His eyes sparkled against the darkness of the car. "I haven't been dishonest, I just haven't told you everything."

"Well? What are you waiting for?" I smiled nervously, and he scooted a little closer. Whatever it was, it couldn't be any worse than the bomb I had dropped on him. "I'm listening."

"Uh ... I'm sort of like you." After he said that, he glanced at me with that sideways grin that always made my heart flutter.

"My father brought me to Haven for a reason. You see, you're not the only one with an agenda. I was sent here by the Amalric to stop Zane."

"What are you talking about, William?"

"The Amalric is like the president of all the vampires. Just like humans, we have laws we have to abide by, and Zane has broken all of them."

"But ... I've seen Zane transform. He's a werewolf, right?" I asked with trepidation. At first, I thought William must have been confused, but what he said next told me there was so much more about this new part of my life that I had yet to learn.

"He is and he isn't." William paused for a brief moment. "Actually ... he's both," he said gravely, and grew quiet, like maybe he thought by telling me it would somehow put me in more danger.

I swallowed hard. "Is that even possible?" There was definitely something in his tone that frightened the hell out of me.

"Yeah. It's rare, but it does happen. They're known as hybrids. There are only a few in existence, and Zane is one of them. The others aren't like him though. They stay hidden, because if they were to reveal their identity to the wrong person it would only be a matter of time before something happened. They would be blamed and the Amalric would be forced to send out a hunter to destroy them. I've seen it happen before."

"So ..." I trailed off, my mind raced in a million different directions and was unable to form the questions I so desperately wanted to ask.

William must have felt my hand shaking when he took it in his. "I shouldn't have said anything yet. It's all still too much for you—"

"No," I cut him off. "I want to know everything. Please. Keep going."

William smiled warmly, and pushed a piece of loose hair behind my ear, before continuing. "Zane has been hiding out here for several years, building an army of Lycans. _If_ he takes the throne, he'll rule over all werewolf breeds, even Adlet warriors will have to obey him. Together with his army, he'll order every werewolf, Adlet, and  rebel vampire he's convinced to take his side, to overthrow the Amalric. Genevieve, if Zane does that it will bring chaos to the world. Humans will become slaves, and the world will turn into a dark place full of torture and death."Does this work now?

"Oh my God." I shook violently. "I've got to get my mom away from him before he does something to her."

"We will, but you can't tell anyone what I've told you, or why I'm really here."

"Not even my aunt?"

"No," he snapped, but clearly didn't mean to. "No one can know. Someone here is a traitor, and until I can find out who, you can't tell a soul. If Zane finds out, he'll kill your mom."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're not going to be able to take Zane back."

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

"Because ... I'm going to make that bastard pay. He'll regret the day he messed with me and kidnapped my mom."

"You can't kill him," William said sharply.

I folded my arms tightly across my chest. "Why not? I won't let you take him alive, William. He has to be stopped. It's the only way we can all be free." I don't know of any other time I had ever been so full of hate.

"You're not strong enough, or fast enough to stop him ... not yet, anyway."

Before I could ask him what he meant, the car came to a stop in front of my aunt's house.

"Go on inside. We'll finish this conversation later. I promise." He squeezed my hand.

My heart felt like it flip-flopped when he leaned in close and placed a tender kiss on my lips. I think he knew it, too, because he smiled warmly.

***

Aunt Bev freaked when she saw me. "Gen, oh my goodness, look at you." She had me by the hands, taking a long look at the new and improved me before she pulled me close, and wrapped me in a warm hug. "Are you hungry?" she asked afterwards.

"I really just want to take a shower before I do anything." I bolted up the staircase. "We'll talk as soon as I'm done," I called out over my shoulder, not slowing down.

"I'll go fix you something to eat." I heard her say through the bathroom door.

Standing under the hot spray of the shower felt awesome. The more relaxed I became, the more tired I grew. I could have simply stayed there for hours if I hadn't been so drained. Suddenly it felt like I hadn't slept in a week.

Washing my hair felt odd. It was as if I was washing someone else's super long silky hair, because mine had never felt so soft before. It was also the first time since my transformation that I had seen myself naked. I was a little embarrassed examining my body. I couldn't believe the tautness of my skin. There wasn't an ounce of loose skin anywhere. I had bulging muscles on my stomach, arms, and thighs, that felt completely surreal. I had to admit my bellybutton ring looked a lot better on my new stomach then it had on my old one.

When the hot water started to run out, I reluctantly turned off the shower and stepped out. The steam that covered the mirror slowly faded as I dried off. I dropped the towel and stared in awe at my reflection. A huge smile stretched across my face. I couldn't believe I was the beautiful girl in the mirror.

I hurried and dressed when Aunt Bev called me. "Are you all right up there?"

"Yeah. I'll be right down." I bounded down the stairs two at a time, and slid across the cool tile of the kitchen floor in my socked feet. "You rang?" I smiled and sang out, sliding to a stop.

Aunt Bev smiled, too, but I noticed her trying to hide a worried look underneath. "Well? Sit down and tell me everything." She set a plate with a big juicy steak and quartered potatoes on the table between us before taking a seat across from me.

"I'm not sure where to start. I guess you can tell I found the Crest." I smiled briefly, but let it fall away. I had this sudden surge of adrenaline rush through me, and began talking a mile a minute about the flight to New Mexico and how we had to land on our own, but somehow I got the feeling that she already knew.

Aunt Bev looked at me long and hard. "What's the matter, sweetie?"

I just looked at her while slowly chewing a piece of my steak. "Tell me ... how much of this whole thing did you already know about?"

She tried to appear innocent, but I saw right through her. "You already knew I was an Adlet ... didn't you?"

Aunt Bev looked a little defeated, but I knew she wasn't going to just blurt everything out until she found out what I already knew. "I knew the chances were good."

I saw her swallow hard. That's when I started to get pissed. "That's crap and you know it. You _knew_ I was the princess, and you _knew_ you were putting me in danger by letting me go down there." I tossed my fork onto my plate and took some deep breaths, trying to stay calm.

"All right," she uttered, dropping her shoulders. "I knew. But there are circumstances you don't understand." She looked up toward the ceiling, batting her eyes quickly, like she was trying to fight back tears. "Everything I've done has been out of my love for Camilla and you. I would die for you, Gen."

Maybe she was telling the truth, but how could I know for sure? Either way I really felt bad for being so hard on her. It just wasn't in my nature to be mean or cruel. "What really happened to my mother?"

"You know what happened," she stated evenly, avoiding eye contact.

I felt sure the tone of my voice let her know I was getting tired of her innocent act, but regardless she was still trying to avoid saying anything that I might not already know.

"Stop lying," I shouted, and sprang up quickly, knocking over my chair.

Aunt Bev jerked. "Okay. She called me and said Zane had found out where you were, and she needed to get you away from the house as quickly as possible. I told her to come here, but she was afraid of being followed. So, I caught the next flight to L.A. That's why she told you I wanted you to come and spend spring break with me. She had planned to join us, but Zane got to her first. My guess is he killed her and burned down the house to cover it up."

I watched a few tears run down her face, but I still didn't think she was telling me everything. I felt bad so I walked around the table and wrapped her in a hug. After she calmed down, I pushed myself away. "You better sit down. I have something to tell you."

Chapter 37

Aunt Bev appeared to be in shock. If I hadn't caught her, she would have hit her head when she collapsed onto the floor.

She looked up at me for the longest time without even blinking. Finally, she spoke.

"I must be losing it," she laughed hollowly. "For a minute I actually thought I heard you say Camilla is alive," she smiled briefly, still mildly shaking as she pushed herself up and into the chair. Her mascara left black smears on her face.

I leaned back against the island with my feet crossed and waited until she finished her drink of water before I repeated myself. "My mom _is_ alive, Aunt Bev." I paused for a minute to allow it to sink in this time. "Zane has her."

Her eyes got huge and her complexion paled. She tilted her head to one side like she was really thinking hard about the possibility of her sister being alive, but she didn't say anything.

"Did you hear what I said? Camilla is alive." I smiled warmly.

It startled me when she suddenly leaped from her chair, and grabbed my shoulders.

"You're sure about this? You've seen her?" Her hands trembled on my shoulders.

I nodded and pulled out my mom's locket from inside my pocket. "I got this from Zane while we were in New Mexico."

"Oh, honey," she uttered, and turned away. "This doesn't mean she's alive. I want to believe she is just as much as you do, but he could have taken it before he ..." Her voice trailed off, probably because she couldn't or didn't want to say the words "killed her".

I pushed myself away from the island. "You don't understand. When Zane tossed me her locket and I closed it in my hand I saw her, but it wasn't like a picture of her. My mom was in a room, leaning against a dirt wall. I think she was trying to show me how to find her, but then the vision quickly vanished. And before that a voice lead me to a room in the Ice Cave. I saw my mom on this table thingy. I touched her, Bev. She was real," I cried, and tears gathered in my eyes. "The voice that lead me to the cave said I can save her and everyone, but I have to be willing to do things I would have never imagined."

"Calm down, Gen." Aunt Bev rubbed her hand on her forehead while she paced the floor. "Tell me exactly what you saw," she said, stopping to face me.

"Does that mean you believe me?" I asked, nervously biting the inside of my lip.

"I want to believe you, but Zane is so powerful. You don't realize the terrible things he's capable of." She paused, and started biting on her thumb nail. "Okay ... think. What did she show you? If it was really her, then she would have shown you something that he couldn't have knowledge of."

I raked my fingers through my wet tangles. "Um ... let's see ... a snow covered mountain, a frozen lake with a big wooden thing sticking up through the ice, a cave opening behind a waterfall, and a path leading out beside the old fisheries."

"That's it?" Bev looked up from where she'd been writing down the descriptions.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so," I sighed and dropped my shoulders. "I told you they were just quick flashes. It stopped when I was startled by a loud noise."

We both grew quiet as I thought about my mom and how my heart ached for what that monster must have been putting her through, and how when I saw her in my vision she appeared frail and hopeless; her long slender fingers twirling a tiny white clover between her fingers. _Hang on, mom. I'm coming for you ... soon._

I felt so depressed and helpless. I didn't know how I was going to find her or even where to start looking.

For some reason, every time I pictured my mom, she was twirling that clover. Then it hit me and I stopped chewing the inside of my lip. "Hey, wait a minute. Maybe there is something else. I didn't say anything about it because I didn't think it fit."

"What is it?" Aunt Bev asked, studying the piece of paper she'd written the descriptions on.

"When I saw my mom, she had this little white clover, twirling it between her fingers."

Aunt Bev's head snapped toward me. "Are you sure it was a clover?"

"Yeah ... why? Does it mean something? Do you know where my mom is?" My heartbeat sped up.

Aunt Bev dropped into her chair like she was exhausted. "No," she simply replied. It means I definitely believe you. When we were kids, we had a beagle."

"Okay? And that means ... what?" I asked, wondering if maybe she was having some sort of breakdown.

"When we found Clover, she was nothing more than skin-covering bones and so weak she couldn't lift her head. We didn't know what to do so we ran and got our dad. You see, someone had starved her, and then dumped her on the side of the road to die. She looked up at our dad with the saddest big brown eyes I had ever seen and wagged her tail. Dad picked her up and she licked his jaw."

"Aunt Bev, what in the hell does that have to do with clover?" I didn't mean to go off on her like that, but I was getting so frustrated.

"The ditch we found her in was covered with white clover. Hence, the name Clover. It was Camilla's idea." She barely got the last sentence out before she broke down.

I rushed to her. "Shh, everything's going to be all right," I whispered, leaning my head on top of hers.

She patted my hand, and then stood, turning to face me. "I guess Camilla knew I would be skeptical, so she showed you that silly little clover, knowing you would tell me. There's no way Zane or anyone else could possibly know that." She grabbed up her purse from the counter. "I'll go to the library and start going through maps of Alaska. I'll start with caves that are located behind waterfalls and go from there."

"Do you want me to go with you?" I asked, already headed for the door.

"No! Uh ... I mean, stay here and wait for me. I don't need anything happening to you. Try to figure out what it was you saw sticking out of the lake.

"All right, but promise me you'll call as soon as you find out anything."

Aunt Bev disappeared through the kitchen door and a minute later I heard her tires bark against the pavement as she tore out of the driveway.

I waited until I was sure she was far enough away before I ran upstairs to grab my shoes and jacket. When I entered my room my cell phone was vibrating across my nightstand.

I scrolled through several text messages from Luna. All of them basically said the same thing. She wanted to know where I was, and what my plans were. I assumed she meant my plans for finding Zane, but the truth was I didn't have a plan. Not yet anyway. I didn't have a clue where to find him or how to go about starting.

I jumped when the doorbell rang. _Who could that be?_ I rushed across my room and pulled my curtain back just enough to see Luna's grandfather's truck parked in the driveway, and the bright sun beaming outside.

"Damn, Luna. Give me a minute to answer your texts," I mumbled under my breath. We had just gotten home, and she was already pressuring me to give her a decision about how we were going to stop Zane.

I stomped down the stairs, unlocked the front door, and threw it open hard. So hard in fact, it put a nice hole in the wall.

My anger turned to surprise when I found Joseph standing on my porch. He raised his head just enough to lock eyes with me. He had his hands stuffed deep inside his front pockets, and he had a worried look on his face.

"Joseph," I said, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh ... I need to talk to you. Can I come in?"

I stepped to the side. "Yeah ... sure." I smiled thinly.

After I closed the door he followed me into the den. "Have a seat," I said, then dropped onto the couch.

Joseph took a seat on the front edge of the couch at the opposite end, and turned his body to face me.

"So ... what did you need to talk to me about?" I asked, tucking one foot under the other knee.

"What has William told you?" Joseph asked sincerely, scooting a little closer to me.

I raked back my hair, and realized I hadn't even brushed it yet. "About what?" I asked while looking down at my pants where I pulled at a loose string.

"Himself?" His voice grew more harsh. "Has he told you what he is?"

My head shot up, turning to face him. I wanted to shout that I knew, but I held my tongue. "Has he told you?" I asked. I didn't want to reveal what William had told me without knowing exactly how much Joseph knew. I mean, it's not every day a girl finds out her boyfriend is a vampire. Even when I just thought about it, it still sounded so weird.

Joseph's eyes narrowed. "I know all about him ... but, do you?"

Chapter 38

"What exactly are you talking about?" My heart rate started to rise, and anger rushed over me. "The fact that William is a vampire? Of course I know. He told me everything." I said severely.

"Everything?" Joseph furrowed his brow. "Ha! I seriously doubt it." His hands shook.

We glared at each other, but neither one said anything for a long moment, until finally Joseph spoke again.

"Look," he said softly, while dropping his shoulders. "I don't want you to think I'm jealous or anything like that. I care about you a great deal and I don't want to see you get hurt ... or killed," he paused before adding, "The truth is, I don't think you do know everything there is to know about him."

"Like what, Joseph? You're telling me there are things I don't know about him, but you haven't told me what."

"You need to ask yourself if you really want to know. Because I don't think you'll like what I have to say."

"Joseph," I snapped. "For Christ's sake, just tell me!" I didn't realize I was shaking until I went to push a loose piece of hair behind my ear. I took a few deep breaths while I waited impatiently for what seemed like an eternity before Joseph finally started to talk.

"I don't believe William has told you everything, and the reason I say that is because if he had, you wouldn't be sitting here right now."

"Oh? And why's that?" I folded my hands neatly in my lap, trying to put on a strong front, but I got the distinct feeling Joseph saw right through me.

"William is working for Zane," Joseph said it quickly and then dropped his gaze to the floor.

I jumped up from my seat "You're lying! William would never work for a monster like Zane," I shouted, but quickly turned away when I felt the hot sting of fresh tears. I walked over to the window, cracked the blinds a tiny fraction, and wrapped my arms around myself. I stood with my back to Joseph, and because I was preoccupied, I didn't realize he'd walked up behind me until I felt his hot breath wafting my hair.

"I'm sorry, but it's true." His voice grew quiet. "I'm not trying to hurt you, but when I saw you two kissing on the plane, I knew he hadn't told you the truth," he whispered softly, gently placing his hand on my shoulder.

I sobbed quietly. He tried to get me to turn around but I wouldn't. I didn't want him to think I was weak. Especially when I was supposed to be a leader ... his leader.

"I saw him and Zane in my vision. And when I read Zane's mind that night outside the cave, I saw it again. That's why we didn't come looking for you. I knew William was waiting for you behind the rocks. That whole rescue thing with him supposedly knocking out Zane was all a set up.

"When you saw me lean close to William and whisper something, that's what it was. I told him I knew, and if he didn't come clean and tell you everything by the time we got back to Haven, I would." Joseph grew extremely quiet. He let out a deep sigh and walked away from me.

"Are you sure about this?" I cleared my throat and uttered, barely audible.

"Yes ... and there's more," Joseph said hesitantly, stumbling on his words. I think it was because he saw how much he'd already hurt me. "He, uh ... he's here to, uh ... keep you from taking the throne."

When I turned around, Joseph was sitting on the couch, again. My face grew hot, and my breathing labored. I was incredibly angry, screaming out like I was in pain. The next thing I knew, Aunt Bev was screaming for me to get away from Joseph. I had transformed, and if she hadn't walked in when she did, I would have ripped out his throat. I promptly changed back and looked apologetically at him for a second, then fell to the side, shaking uncontrollably.

"Oh my God, Joseph. I ... I didn't mean—" I peered briefly at Aunt Bev, but couldn't bear to see the terrified look in her eyes. I ran out of the den and up the stairs, slamming my bedroom door behind me.

I couldn't believe what I had just done. Joseph had never been anything but kind to me, and I almost killed him. I really think he would've died if she hadn't intervened. I wondered why he hadn't transformed and at least tried to defend himself. Worse than anything was the confused, hurt look in his eyes I saw when I came to.

"Gen," Joseph said gently. "I know you didn't mean to ..." he trailed off, and sat on the side of my bed.

"I'm starting to feel like a monster, and I hate myself for what I almost did to you." I sat up and turned to face him. "You need to leave. I can't control myself. I'm too dangerous to be around anyone right now."

He didn't go. Instead, he pulled me close to him wrapping his arms around me. I looped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his shoulder as he held me tightly.

"Shh, it's all right. You didn't hurt me."

He gently rocked back and forth, trying to comfort me. Him holding me was soothing, but I still felt terrible for what I had done.

"If my aunt hadn't walked in, you would probably be dead right now. I'm dangerous, Joseph, and you shouldn't be here," I said through a tight throat.

He pushed me back just enough to see my face, but I promptly lowered my eyes. "Don't say that," he said softly, brushing wild strands of hair away from my face. "We were all like you once."

He gently lifted my chin, but I still averted his gaze, feeling too ashamed to look at him after what I'd done. I had ultimately come to the conclusion I would have to go after Zane on my own. It was just too dangerous to allow anyone to go with me ... especially the ones I cared about the most.

Finally, I looked up at his big amber-colored eyes. Funny how I had thought I remembered them being brown. For the first time I actually saw just how beautiful they really were and how I suddenly felt drawn to him for some reason. Almost like we were connected in some way. Maybe it was simply because we shared a kinship—we were both werewolves—or maybe it was because I was finding myself attracted to him.

William suddenly popped into my mind, and I felt like I was somehow betraying him. I jerked away from Joseph and scooted off the bed.

"What is it?" He asked earnestly, slowly rising to his feet.

I shook my head and turned away. "You have to go." I was sure he caught my icy tone. I didn't want to be mean to him, but he was stirring something inside me and I couldn't allow that. Even if all the things he was saying about William were true, and I didn't know that they were, I couldn't just jump from one to the other. It wasn't what I was about.

"I can't leave you like this. You're hurting and I feel like it's my fault." He touched the back of my shoulder and I abruptly pulled away.

I took a deep silent breath and let it out before turning to face him. "I'm fine now." I forced a smile. "Thanks for everything, but I can handle it from here." I pulled open my door and stood beside it, making sure not to look directly at him.

"But—"

"Joseph," I said, not unkindly. "Please, just leave. I need to be by myself. Really." I forced a reassuring smile, but it fell away quickly.

He dropped his shoulders and sighed as he started out the door, but stopped when he stepped next to me. He leaned in close brushing his soft, warm, lips across my jaw.

Chapter 39

My body trembled long after Joseph had gone. I didn't know exactly when my feelings for him had changed, but they must have for his touch to affect me the way it did.

I froze when I heard a knock at my door, but relaxed a tiny bit when Aunt Bev pushed it open.

"Gen? Are you all right?" she asked, her voice all but trembled.

I wiped my eyes with my shirt sleeve before turning over. "I'm fine. Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I sat up and let my legs dangle off the side of the bed.

"Oh, I don't know. _Maybe_ it was because I came home and found you turned into a giant wolf on top of Joseph. Mary and Abe prepared me as much as they could before you came back, but I have to tell you, Gen, I wasn't at all prepared for what I saw. As you kids say, 'it really freaked me out,'" she laughed nervously.

I rolled my eyes and couldn't help but smile a little thinking about the mental picture she had drawn. "I'm sorry. I thought I had it under control but obviously I don't."

Aunt Bev picked up my hair brush from the antique make-up table she'd bought for me and sat on the edge of my bed, gently pulling me closer. She didn't say anything to cause tears to well in my eyes, but then she didn't need to. Just her gentle touch, and the fact she smelled like honeysuckle, my mom's favorite lotion, made the memories of when I was an innocent child come flooding back.

"I can't believe how long your hair—" she stopped abruptly for a moment, then leaned around to see me and smiled brightly. "Hey ... what happened to your curls? Did you straighten your hair or something?"

I smiled, only slightly and shook my head. "Nah. It happened when I, um ... when I was in New Mexico." I didn't feel comfortable talking with her about it just yet. Hell, I didn't feel comfortable talking about it with myself yet either.

"Well, do you want to know what I found at the library?" she rose and placed the brush back in its spot.

I nodded and promptly wiped at my eyes in a poor attempt to erase the tears before scooting to the edge of the bed.

"Okay." She began rubbing her hands together, but not smiling. "Well, I unfortunately found out there are over three million lakes in Alaska."

My heart sank, and I think she saw my disappointment, so she quickly smiled and began, again.

"But," she said holding her index finger in the air. "There are only three waterfall caves. I looked up those three and found one where they had torn down an old bridge, but left the pylons sticking up beyond the ice."

Aunt Bev barely got the last word out before I leaped forward, wrapped my arms around her waist, and lifted her off the floor. I kept spinning around until she squealed, and begged me to put her down. When I did she staggered to the bed and fell forward.

I ran and jumped on the bed next to her. "Where is this place?" I asked excitedly.

"Oh, my stomach," she moaned, but still smiled. "It's down south in a little town named Tok, about a half hour away."

I climbed off the bed and hurried to my closet, throwing open both doors. "That makes sense. He'd have to be hiding out somewhere close so he could still come after me, but be able to get back to my mom quickly if he needed to."

Her smile disappeared. "What are you doing?" she sat up and stared.

"I'm packing. What's it look like I'm doing?" I didn't bother to look at her. She had possibly found where Zane had my mom, so I was going to get her, and kill Zane.

"No, Gen. You can't just run off half-cocked. You've got to prepare for something like this." Aunt Bev was still holding her stomach, but she had gotten up and was standing beside one of the closet doors. "Do you want Zane to kill your mom? Because that's what will happen if you don't think this through." Her expression became pained. "Honey, you. Have. To. Have. A. Plan," she said, almost pleading.

She wasn't about to let me go off alone after an evil monster like Zane. I needed to somehow trick her in to believing I wasn't going to try it on my own. After what had happened with Joseph earlier, I couldn't take a chance hurting or possibly killing those I cared so much about. I would take William along though, because after I rescued my mom and killed Zane ... I wouldn't hesitate to kill him if I found out he was helping Zane and lying to me about it. I hoped for my sake he _did_ really care about me.

"You're right, Aunt Bev. Zane is too strong for me to go alone." I tossed my bag into the closet floor. For added measure I dropped my shoulders and sighed. "I need to work out a plan with Luna and the guys, but first I need to do some research, maybe even talk with the chief."

She watched me shut the closet doors, then followed me to my desk. After I sat down and turned on my laptop, I looked at her over my shoulder. "Do you know what a hybrid is?"

Aunt Bev stepped around my chair and leaned back against the desk, crossing her feet at the ankles, and folding her arms across her chest. "Yes I do. They are the most powerful of all the werewolves and vampires," she paused, then added, "The chief said that originally they were kept locked away by the Amalric. But as the years went by, some vampires and werewolves grew to be evil, and refused to obey the laws. The Amalric made a sort of deal with the hybrid. They were allowed to live their lives among others as long as when called, they would hunt down and destroy rogue vampires and werewolves."

"What about Zane? Isn't he a hunter?" I asked earnestly.

"He was actually the Amalric's favorite, until greed took over and he wanted to rule. The Amalric learned of his plans to take over and sent other hunters to kill him, but he was much stronger and killed everyone the Amalric sent after him, except one ... his brother. His brother couldn't bring himself to kill Zane. Instead, he banished him from Europe."

"Who is his brother?"

"I don't know. Few people do, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that's why you cannot go after him alone. He will destroy you, and then there will be nothing to keep him from taking the throne." Aunt Bev grew quiet, and lowered her eyes.

It was plain to see something was troubling her. "What is it? What aren't you telling me?" I stopped typing and turned toward her. Something wasn't right. Aunt Bev seemed to know way too much, but how?

She sighed heavily, and stared at me before she finally spoke, again. "Gen ... you're not just an Adlet princess. You were born to kill Zane."

Chapter 40

My heartbeat hadn't evened out since my conversation with Aunt Bev. It continued beating erratically inside my chest as I thought about what she had told me. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my sole purpose in life was to hunt down a hybrid and kill him. I shuddered at the mere thought of it all.

Aunt Bev was definitely not stupid. When I told her I was going to Luna's to talk with Chief Okpik, she had insisted on driving me. Once we pulled out of the garage, I was perfectly okay with it, because the sun was bright and I tired quickly.

"Gen." I had fallen asleep on the way and woke up to Luna shouting my name.

I cracked my eyes open, and peaked over the top of my sunglasses. The sun had already crested and was now on its downward descent. I waved my hand and smiled thinly, but let it fall away.

"I'm going to see Mary. Just let me know when you're ready to go," Aunt Bev smiled, and patted my hand, before she climbed down from the driver's seat of my Jeep.

I raised my arms over my head and arched my back into a much needed stretch. Luna, being the impatient girl that she is, snatched open my door and pulled me out before I even finished stretching.

"Dang, girly, you sure know how to ruin a good thing, don't you?" I teased and she smiled brightly.

Naturally, she looped her arm through mine, and we were headed up the steps when Joseph opened the door. I briefly hesitated, glancing up at him, but then quickly fell in step with Luna again, hoping he didn't notice how just the sight of him affected me now. He pushed open the screen and held it while Luna and I stepped over the threshold, and even though I didn't look directly at him, I kept taking sidelong glances as we passed.

Luna dropped onto the couch, but I didn't. "Aren't you going to sit down?" She asked earnestly. Joseph had closed the door and sat down on the couch opposite Luna. I could feel his eyes on me, and a hot flush suddenly went over me.

"Can we go to your room first?" I asked in a whisper while standing with my back to Joseph. I subtly nudged my head in the direction of her room.

She looked confused at first, but after I repeated it a couple of times, she finally caught on and jumped up. "Come on, Gen, let's go to my room," she said a little too loud, which made it extremely obvious.

To embarrass me even more, she grinned and winked at me right where he could see her. If I didn't know better I'd swear Luna had been born a blonde. Right then, I wished I was invisible.

When we got inside her room I closed the door before turning to face her. She must have seen the embarrassment on my face, because she asked me what was wrong. I placed my hands on her throat and pretended like I was choking her. "Could you have been more obvious, Luna?" I asked, and smiled a little.

"What did I do?" she asked. When she failed to smile, I knew she hadn't realized what she'd done.

"Nothing. Never mind," I sighed, and flopped down across her bed.

I lay on my stomach with my chin on my hands, and Luna joined me, lying in the same position.

"What's on your mind, Gen?" she asked, looking at me.

At first, I just shook my head, but the more I thought about it the more I knew I had to confide in someone. Luna had proved herself to be such a great friend, she even let me keep secrets when I needed to, never questioning my reasoning. "Did Joseph tell you what happened earlier?"

She cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? When did you see Joseph?"

"He came over earlier ...and he told me all about William." I tried to keep my tone light, but it was a struggle. We both sat upright, and by her expression, I felt sure even she could see my pain. "I ... I almost killed Joseph." My voice shook and I had to take a deep breath to keep from tearing up.

Luna threw her hand over her mouth and gasped. "Oh my God, Gen. Why? Why would you do that?" she asked, shock in her eyes.

"I don't know. I swear I didn't mean to. He was just saying all these hurtful things about William I didn't want to hear, and I guess I just lost it. Thank God my aunt came home in time to stop me."

Luna did the opposite of what I expected. She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me, trying to comfort me instead of the other way around. She really was an amazing person, and I felt so lucky to have met her.

I gently pulled back. "I haven't told you the craziest part yet. Your brother wasn't even mad afterward. He came up to my room and tried to comfort me."

She smiled through her tears. "Yeah, he is pretty amazing, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is, but I was so embarrassed and ashamed, I made him leave." I dropped my eyes toward the floor and fidgeted with my nails.

"Did you come over here just to tell me that?" Luna walked to the window and opened the curtains. The sun's rays hit me in the face, and I immediately shrank back.

"Luna, please close the curtains. I can't take the sunlight. I swear it instantly makes me grow tired now. Did it do the same to you guys when you first changed?" I lay back on the bed, unable to sit up any longer.

She hurried and closed them. "No, Gen ... it didn't," she uttered. "I'm not so sure this has anything to do with becoming an Adlet." She paused for a minute, thinking. "Maybe you should talk to my grandfather."

"Maybe you're right. Is he here?" I asked, already starting to feel better.

After I felt my strength coming back, I sat up. It was strange how quickly the sun could drain my energy, but even more strange how incredibly fast I would get it back if I was able to avoid the sun for just a few minutes.

"He's somewhere on the reservation. Wait here, I'll go ask my mom if she knows where he is."

After only a brief minute her door swung open. My back was facing the door. "That was quick. Did you find him?" I asked as I turned around and spotted Joseph. My heart immediately fluttered, and a nervous pit grew in my stomach.

"I didn't know I was lost," he said smiling warmly at me.

I lowered my eyes and smiled sheepishly. "Not you, silly. Your grandfather," I said, feeling a bit too happy to see him. He had this way of making me smile even when I didn't want to.

"Oh? It must be serious if you're thinking of involving my grandfather." He tried to look all serious, but it quickly melted into a laugh.

"Don't say that. He really scares me." My smiled started to fade, and I'm sure Joseph saw it when I raked my hair away from my face. I knew the answer to my next question the minute I asked Joseph. "Can you read my mind, too?" I asked sincerely.

He thought about it for a while before answering. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me." He tried to smile, but it fell away. "No ... for some reason I can't. I have met a few people in my life I couldn't read, and you're one of them."

"I believe you," I said earnestly. For some reason I trusted Joseph, and when he said he couldn't read my mind I believed him. Did that mean I was a good judge of character? No, it didn't. After all, I had trusted William with my life and look where that got me. Just thinking about William saddened me. Even after what Joseph had told me, I still yearned for William, for his gentle touch, his soft kisses, and his sexy smile. But, that was a part of my life I might have to let go at some point ... or would I never be able to.

Chapter 41

I shook violently while waiting to see Luna's grandfather. He was on his way to the house, and Luna had taken me to his prayer room to wait. I was pleased to learn Joseph couldn't read my mind. It would make it easier when I got ready to sneak away.

The door opened and I held my breath. I was shaking so badly when Chief Okpik walked in, even my teeth chattered.

He glared at me for a moment, crossed the room to his idol thingies, and lit what I thought might be incense. He chanted in hushed tones before taking his seat on the floor directly across from me.

"Do you have the Crest?" he asked. His face showed no emotion, which freaked me out a little ... okay, so it freaked me out a lot.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Crest. After pulling it from the ice-covered tomb I noticed it had a unique filigree design the encased the deep red stone.

He held out his hand and I gently placed it in his palm. He untied a pouch from his side and dumped out another piece of silver filigree. He said some sort of prayer while waving his hand over the different pieces.

Afterward, he unsheathed his hunting knife, and I swallowed hard when I saw how big the blade was. I swallowed even harder when he motioned for my hand. My heart felt like any it would burst from my chest any second, but still I laid my hand in his palm.

I almost passed out when he raised the knife over his head. I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see what he was about to do to me, but I was pretty sure it had something to do with _that_ knife and _my_ blood. Feeling a prick a few seconds later, I reluctantly cracked opened my eyes.

The chief had a sense of humor after all. He was only teasing when he'd raised the knife over his head, because when I looked there was just a small puddle of blood forming in the palm of my hand. He placed the Crest in my blood, then took it away and used his knife to maneuver the metal.

He stood and crossed the room back to his prayer table, or whatever it was, and called to me. When I got to the table he placed the ring on my right hand. "The powers this ring possess will only work for you. It will make you even more powerful than you ever imagined, but, the man you seek is just as powerful. You will have to learn to outsmart him." He turned like he was finished.

I wasn't about to let him leave until I had a chance to speak. "Chief Okpik, I think I know how to become more powerful than even him."

He stopped abruptly, but didn't turn to face me. "I cannot ask such a sacrifice from you. No one can." He knew, which meant he _could_ read my mind.

"You're not asking me, neither is anyone else. I want to do this. I'm _going_ to do this. All I want to know from you is if I do will it help me to defeat him?"

"Yes, but even then, you must wait until the time is right. If you attempt to rush, you will lose and many will die." He turned to face me, and stared for the longest time. "It will make you even more powerful than you think, but you must not tell a soul of your decision beforehand. Many will try to stop you, even if it means killing you. Your only hope is the element of surprise."

I had been so entranced by what the chief had said, I totally forgot to ask him about the sun's effect on me. I just shrugged my shoulders and went to find Luna. I figured pretty soon it wouldn't even matter anymore.

Next on my list was trying to come up with a way to see William without Aunt Bev finding out. She might not have had any children of her own, but she wasn't dumb either.

I was sitting on the couch waiting on Aunt Bev when an idea came to me. I bolted from the couch to Luna's room. I barely knocked before pushing through her door and found her wrapped in a towel.

"Oops, sorry," I laughed. "I forgot you said you were going to jump in the shower."

"It's okay. I thought you'd be gone by now," she added.

I sat down on the side of Luna's bed. "Nah ... waiting on my aunt and your mom. They're somewhere checking on a pregnant woman. Aunt Bev said she's due any time."

"She is my grandfather's mistress," Luna said like she was embarrassed by it.

"Really? Exactly how old is your grandfather?" I asked bemused.

"He's seventy-seven," she said like it was obvious. "My mom says having a companion has helped keep him young."

"What? You're kidding! I swear he doesn't look that old." He really didn't look nearly that old. His face wasn't even all wrinkled.

"His mistress, Akani, is only twenty-two." Luna looked at me all serious at first, and my jaw dropped, then we both busted out in laughter.

After our laughter faded, I thought very carefully about what I was going to say. "Um ... I need a tiny little favor." I held my index finger and thumb close together.

Luna instantly look worried. "What?" she asked with a long face.

"I'm going to break up with William, but first I want to confront him."

"I'm stoked that you are dumping him, but what does it have to do with me?" she asked, sitting at her dressing table, brushing her hair, and looking at me through her mirror.

"I'm getting to that part," I uttered. "My aunt won't let me see him, and I want to see the look on his face when I break up with him. So ... do you think you could cover for me just this once? Please-please-please?" I begged.

"I don't know, Gen," she said, shaking her head at the same time. "If you get caught, my mom and Bev will kick our butts, and you know it." Luna stopped brushing her hair while really thinking about it.

It was hard to keep the thought of breaking up with William in my head, but I had to just in case she caught a glimpse of the future. She did that sometimes, although thank God, she still hadn't developed her power completely or I'd be busted for sure.

She dropped her shoulders and sighed. "Oh ... all right. Tell me where and when. But, I swear, Gen, if you get caught you're on your own. I mean it."

Even though I was squealing on the inside, I didn't dare show it. I lowered my eyes. "Thanks, Luna. You're a great friend ... really." I crossed the room and gave her a quick one-armed hug. "I'll text you after I figure out everything."

All I could think about on the ride back home was William. The kisses we'd shared on the plane coming home—our first kiss—was more than I even dreamed it could be. The feel of his soft lips against mine. The tenderness of his caresses, then the passion that followed.

We had connected in a way that few people ever get to in life, but then I had found out the whole thing had been a big fat lie. A set up to somehow lead me away from taking the throne. What hurt even more was the fact that I had given him my heart, and through his betrayal he had ripped it from my chest and broke it into a million pieces.

I was glad the sun had set. Although it wasn't dark, dark, it was twilight, which was the closest thing Haven got to darkness in the warmer months. The dim light would make it harder for Aunt Bev to see my tears.

"Um ... I meant to tell you, the chief said I need to train with Luna and the boys before we go after Zane. So Luna said they would pick me up tomorrow, and we'd go to their river camp for a couple of days. I hope that's all right." I held my breath, waiting for an answer.

"All right. I guess it is for the best." She gripped the steering wheel with both hands, and I saw her knuckles turn white. "Gen, are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"What? Train? Uh, yeah," I answered sort of sarcastically, but didn't mean to.

"No. I mean everything." She seemed frightened by something, I got that. But what I didn't get was the feeling it had anything to do with me.

"It's not a matter of what I want. This is my destiny. It's why I was born," I answered, repeating her words from earlier.

She began to cry, so I scooted across my seat and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I promise everything's going to be fine. We're going to find mom and bring her back." I laid my head on her shoulder, and she leaned her head against mine. "I love you," I whispered. It was the first time I had told her that since I was about nine.

"Aw... I love you too, sweetheart," she uttered.

I squeezed her tightly one last time before I scooted back over into my seat, and turned on the stereo. My favorite Motion City Soundtrack song, "Everything Is Alright" was playing but I reached to change it anyway, figuring it wasn't Aunt Bev's type of music.

"Don't," she shouted, scaring the crap out of me. "I love this song."

"Since when do you listen to this kind of music?" I was in shock while watching her lips move to the words.

"Since always. I might not be a teenager, but that doesn't mean I can't like young music." She glanced at me with a sly smile.

I relaxed, settling deeper into my seat, and closed my eyes. I hoped that as long as Aunt Bev and my mom had each other they would be all right ... even if I didn't make it back alive.

Chapter 42

Now that I had things with Aunt Bev taken care of, I needed to talk with William. He had sent me a bunch of text messages earlier, but each time I saw it was him, I cleared my phone. Just thinking about him made my heart ache to the point I felt like a part of me was dying.

**Hey ;o)** I messaged him while lying in bed, hot tears stung my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away. _You have to be strong._

**Hi beautiful ;o) I was wondering if you had already forgotten about me.** he texted right back, like he'd been waiting by his phone.

**No. I couldn't forget you.** _Not after what you've done._ I wanted to say, but didn't. **I want to see you.**

When? Right now?

**Nah, I can't. How about tomorrow night? Can we meet and go to your family's cabin?** I needed him to think everything was fine, and I wanted us to be alone.

Okay. Tomorrow night it is. I'll pick you up at seven. ;o)

**No. I've got something to do. I'll meet you at the cut-off.** I couldn't take a chance of my aunt catching me with him. Like I said, the woman was far from stupid.

Sleep didn't come easy for me that night. All I could do was think about William, and cry. Why had all of this happened to me? Just a year ago, I was a normal teenager with normal problems. It seemed like overnight my whole world had flipped upside-down, and I was an Adlet princess werewolf and by the end of the next night God only knew what I would become.

I woke up crying out for William, my gaze flitted across the room. It took me a moment to get my thoughts in order before I realized I had the same nightmare, again. My mom's screams sounded so real to me, my heart ached. There was something different about it this time though. In my last dream, William had coaxed me to jump from the cliff with the promise of catching me, which he did not.

This time, William screamed for me to run away while he fought with Zane, trying to hold him back. When I reached the tree line I stopped and turned around at the exact same time Zane drove a long knife into William's heart. William told me he loved me, then collapsed, and I woke up.

I thought about the nightmare for a long time and when I finally glanced at the clock on my nightstand it was nine-thirty. I wasn't sure exactly what time I had fallen asleep, but I never wanted to sleep again.

What if I had judged William too harshly? What if somehow Joseph had been wrong, and William wasn't working for Zane? If that was the case then wouldn't William have told me? I was so confused. Every time I thought about the situation a huge knot formed in the pit of my stomach.

Even after everything I had learned, deep down I was keeping alive the tiniest bit of hope that just maybe William wasn't an evil monster like Zane after all.

I sat up and stared at the ring the chief had made and placed on my finger. In the dimness of my room it still sparkled. I rubbed the stone against my shirt to polish it and when I looked at it again I could have sworn it glowed. I rubbed my eyes, then turned on my lamp and looked at it again. It sparkled from the light, but it didn't glow. "Okay, Genevieve," I mumbled. "You're losing it, girl," I smiled dimly, falling back into my pillow, and scooped my cell off the nightstand.

I text messaged Luna to make sure she was awake before sending her the details for tonight. I made sure to tell her to memorize the message, and then delete it so unwanted eyes wouldn't see it.

It was one of the longest days ever. I was anxious as hell, so I tried to stay away from Aunt Bev as much as possible to keep her from noticing. Living in the same house, there was only so much I could do to avoid her.

When six o'clock rolled around I was already freaking. Seriously, like mid-heart attack freaking. All the pieces of my plan had been laid out and were starting to fall in place. This was good. I thought if I could get through the night, I could get through anything.

I put on some old clothes and threw my back pack over my shoulder. When I hit the landing at the bottom of the stairs I stopped and took a few deep breaths, trying to keep from falling apart in front of Aunt Bev.

"I'm gone," I called out as I headed to the kitchen. I had my hand on the back doorknob when I heard her call out from behind me.

"Wait a minute," she said, not unkindly.

I flinched, but shook it off. I took a quiet breath and forced a smile before turning around. "Yeah?"

"Nothing. I ... I just wanted a hug before you left." Her voice broke up. Aunt Bev must have known more than she was letting on.

"Hey, I'm only going to be gone for a few days. You're acting like I'm never coming back," I said, trying to keep my tone light, but my voice broke up a little, too. I really hated lying to her about something so important and life changing, but I felt I didn't have a choice.

We hugged each other tightly for a long moment before I finally had to pull away and leave. If I would have hugged her any longer, I would have broken  down and told her everything.

While backing out of the garage, Aunt Bev leaned against the open doorway leading to the kitchen with her arms wrapped around herself. I rolled down my window and waved, and she waved back. I saw her wipe her eyes as she turned to go inside.

When I pushed the shifter into first gear, I glanced back at the house. The garage door slowly closed and I felt a sudden ache inside my chest, like a part of my life was ending. I guess in a way it was.

I pulled into the little gas station on the edge of town, grabbed my bag and hurried into the bathroom. When I emerged a few minutes later, I had on a tight blue jean skirt, a silky black camisole top, a short-cut blue jean jacket with the cuffs turned up, and a pair of black spiked high-heels. The guy behind the counter couldn't stop staring at me. His mouth gaped open and he stumbled, almost falling behind the counter when he tried to reach a pack of cigarettes for a customer without taking his eyes off me.

I tried to hide my amusement, but couldn't. A man coming into the store held the door for me, and after I walked out he continued inside, but let the door close on his girlfriend or wife, whichever she was. That was all the convincing I needed. I had to know I picked just the right outfit for my tryst with William. I wondered when the time came if I would have the strength to not to let it go too far.

Chapter 43

The minute I saw William waiting at the cut-off I began to have second thoughts. My heart hammered so hard I could hear it inside my ears. When he flashed his headlights and pulled out in front of me, my cue to follow, there was no turning back.

When I pulled up behind him at the end of the drive, I couldn't believe the size of the cabin. That was definitely an understatement for what I saw. I thought my aunt's house was a pretty good size, but I swear his house easily made three of hers.

William opened his car door and stepped out. The second we made eye contact my heart started aching for him in a way I had never imagined. It grew worse as he walked toward my Jeep. I thought I was having a heart attack and then I realized I had forgotten to breathe. Why was it that with what I knew about him, he could still have that kind of effect on me? Maybe that's what my mom meant when she had tried to explain what love felt like.

When I was in eighth grade I had come from a school dance and told my mom I was in love. She sat me down right then and had the sex talk with me. I already knew a lot about it from the girls I hung around, but my mom insisted on explaining it anyway.

She was really cool about the whole thing too, not like some of my friend's moms had been. She didn't even try to tell me sex was bad or anything like that. She told me that sex was for two people who were truly in love and when I really did fall in love I would know. She explained how when your heart aches for him and when you feel like you can't breathe without him, or you think about his feelings more than you think about your own, that's true love.

What she said had really clicked with me, and I guess that's why I never had sex. I never felt that way about anyone ... until I met William.

He opened my door and I stepped down, but didn't make eye contact at first. I suddenly felt very self-conscious about my outfit, and I tried to pull my jacket closed.

When William didn't speak, I looked up. He had a strange look on his face, and his jaw hung open.

"What?" I asked, searching his eyes. "I look stupid, don't I?" I flushed with embarrassment.

"Uh ..." he trailed off, and a huge smile covered his face. "My God, Genevieve ... you're the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," he said sincerely, his eyes danced over me. He just stood frozen in front of me, like he was completely in awe.

"Are we going to hang out in the driveway all night or ...," I trailed off, and smiled.

"Oh, right. Yeah, come on. Let's go inside," he said happily, and placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the door. He unlocked the door and pushed it open, leading me inside.

When he flipped a switch and the foyer light came on, my eyes about popped out of my head.

"You said you and your dad had a 'cabin' on the lake," I said, doing air quotes for cabin while slowly checking out the room.

"Technically it _is_ a cabin," he said trying to act serious. He pointed to one of the outer walls made from stacked logs. "See ... it's made from real logs, so that qualifies it as a cabin." He cocked his head to one side and shrugged his shoulders while holding out both arms, palm up, trying to smile innocently.

"You are so full of crap, William Novak. You know this is far from a regular cabin." I had my hands on my hips, and furrowed my brow, but he knew I was only pretending to be angry.

The living room was more beautiful than I could have imagined. It was a huge open room with a big overstuffed sectional couch on one side, facing a fireplace made from river rock. The side facing the lake boasted tinted glass from the floor all the way up to the two story ceiling. On the other side of the room was a large bar area, pool table, some arcade style games, and the biggest flat panel television I had ever seen. There was even a small row of slot machines.

William showed me the rest of the house which consisted of a gourmet-style kitchen with a large breakfast nook, a formal dining room, five upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms, and a master suite on the main floor complete with its own deck and Jacuzzi.

After the tour, he asked me if I wanted anything to drink, but I declined since I wasn't sure if vampires ate or drink anything—I mean, besides blood.

William took my hand and led  me over to the couch. "Why are you here, Genevieve?" He asked sincerely.

He had to have felt my hand trembling inside his. "I wanted to see you, that's all," I said, nervously.

"Something's up. I can tell." He released my hand, and scooted away.

I started chewing on the inside of my lip. "Why does it have to be anything? Why can't I just want to be with you?" I asked severely, turning away from him so he wouldn't see my tears.

He sensed it or something, because I felt his hand wrap around my waist. He pulled me in close, but I still wouldn't look at him. "If you tell me nothing is going on, I'll believe you," he whispered softly.

I felt an aching in my chest and my eyes stung. I wanted to hate him, should hate him, but I couldn't. Even though my heart had been ripped from my chest when I learned of his lies, I couldn't hate him and I couldn't lie to him either. It's not the kind of person I was.

I didn't answer. Instead, I just shook my head. He lifted my chin, gently forcing me to face him.

"Come on, Genevieve, don't shut me out. Please."

I thought about what he said and I quickly became enraged. "Don't shut you out? Don't lie to you?" I shouted, jerking away from him. "What about you, William? Huh? Shouldn't that be like, a two-way street?" I jumped up from the couch, and headed for the door. "This was a mistake. I never should have come here."

"Genevieve ... wait," his voice echoed through the room.

At the same time I reached for the doorknob, William's hand covered mine. He had to have run, but I never heard a footstep. I guess that was another thing with vampires ... their agility.

"Wait! Please tell me what all of this is about." His voice sounded desperate, like he really had no idea why I was angry. What if I had been so quick to believe Joseph and it turned out he was the one lying, not William? No. I was sure Joseph had been telling the truth. He cared too much to lie to me, knowing I would eventually find out the truth and would hate him.

I jerked my hand loose and spun around to face him. "You want to know? I'll tell you. I know Zane sent you here to keep me from taking the throne. And your little rescue operation in New Mexico ... it was all a set up," I screamed. "I hate you, William Novak!"

"All right," he caved and threw his hands up in surrender. "I'll tell you everything if you'll just stay and hear me out." he pleaded.

"Oh. Now you want to tell me the truth? What ... like the truth you told me in New Mexico? Or the truth you told me on the plane?"

"I—"

I held my hand up in front of his face. "It's too late. You had your chance to be honest with me and you blew it." I opened the door and started out, but stopped abruptly. "Besides, someone else already told me the truth ... the whole truth. Let me give you some truth, William." A single tear ran down my cheek. "I don't know if I would believe you."

I walked out and slammed the door behind me, then ran all the way to my Jeep. All I could think about was getting the hell out of there. I would figure out a way to rescue my mom and defeat Zane on my own.

I cranked my Jeep, stomped my foot on the gas pedal, and popped the clutch. I took off way too fast, but I was so hurt and angry I wasn't thinking clearly. All I wanted to do was get as far away as possible from the source of my pain. I was sobbing and tried wiping away the tears using the back of my hand, but fresh tears replaced the old ones, keeping my vision blurred.

I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye, but by then it was too late to react. A Lycan quickly leaped from behind some bushes, landing dead center of my hood. Out of sheer reflex, I screamed and swerved.

Chapter 44

When I cracked open my eyes everything was fuzzy at first. I slowly blinked away the fog and found William sitting by my side. His sparkling emerald eyes had turned almost black, and he had this look on his face like he couldn't breathe. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head was so severe I couldn't. He gently pressed on my shoulders until I lay back. I glanced around and discovered I was in a bedroom I had never seen before.

"Where am I?" I asked in a maze of confusion and pain.

William pressed a wet cloth to my forehead and when I pushed his hand away, I noticed it was covered in blood. I promptly realized why he had that look. He was a vampire, and it appeared I was bleeding profusely. He rinsed out the cloth in a large bowl of red stained water, and patted it against my forehead.

"The bleeding is stopping now," he said without emotion.

"Where are we?" I was already starting to feel much better. I pushed the cloth away, and sat up. My head still pounded, and I felt a little woozy.

"We're in the basement," he said quietly, and started cleaning up the blood covered towels thrown about on the floor.

"Let me do that." I tried to stand, but got dizzy and fell backward onto the bed.

"You need to rest," he said, not unkindly, but still very short with me. He disappeared from the room, but returned quickly with a soda he handed me.

"Thanks," I halfway smiled, and leaned back against the pillows. "Why are we in your basement?" I asked earnestly.

"Lycans tracked you here. They're outside ... waiting," he said, grabbing some fresh linens from a closet. "They can't smell you down here. They can't get in either. We'll stay down here until your scent dissipates. It'll take a while, though. I'm afraid you won't be going home tonight ... or anywhere for that matter."

"It's okay. My aunt doesn't expect me back for a few days," I said, watching for his reaction but he didn't have one. Any other guy would have been thrilled to be locked away with a girl for even one day, but it didn't seem to faze William.

"Why is that?" He stood facing me with his hands tucked in the front pocket of his jeans. He had on a tight black tee-shirt that showed off his exquisitely formed muscles, and his hair was perfectly disheveled.

I smiled sheepishly and lowered my eyes. "Um ... I kind of told her that I was, um, going to train with Luna's family up at Bear Creek."

He walked over to me, taking a seat on the side of the bed. "I know you're angry, because you think I've been lying to you, and the truth is, in a way I have. But not in the way you think." He gently placed his hand over mine. "Zane thinks I'm working with him, but I'm not. Everything I have done has been to protect you. Zane is evil and very manipulative. The Amalric believes that somebody on the inside is secretly helping him. I had to live it and think it so everyone would believe I was working for him."

I couldn't believe it, but everything he was saying actually made perfect sense. And Joseph had only thought he was doing what was best by telling me. Maybe the whole thing had been a big misunderstanding after all. Or, maybe he was working for Zane, and this was all just another part of the cover-up. "Why didn't you tell me the truth when we were flying home? You hurt me so badly, William." I felt tears starting to form, but I didn't want to wipe at my eyes or it would have just made it worse.

"Don't you see? I couldn't trust anyone. Not even Luna and her brothers. We still don't know who it is. Genevieve, I hate to say it, but it could be one or all of them." He lowered his eyes.

"I refuse to believe that," I scoffed.

"I'm not saying it's them. I'm just trying to make you understand that until we find out who the traitor is, you can't trust anyone."

"Not even you?" I asked, my voice husky from tears.

The side of his mouth curved up in a smile, and he raked his hand back through his russet hair. "Well, you have to start somewhere, and personally, I can't think of a better place."

I giggled and slapped his arm a little harder than I meant to. He laughed and rubbed his arm.

He leaned over me, putting his hands on my pillow on either side of my head. I reached up and placed my hand on his chest. I felt his heart barely beating at first, but the longer I left my hand there, the quicker his heartbeat grew.

He moved slowly toward me, his eyes locked onto mine. I inhaled deeply and exhaled in short nervous bursts. As soon as his lips touched mine a tingling rushed through my body. His kisses were short and soft at first, but when he really kissed me the passion became so intense I thought I was going to explode. I felt his hunger for me, but it was more than just lust. For the first time I felt William's love for me, and in between kisses I looked at him and saw his tears. I gently pulled my head back.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly, confused.

"I didn't  want to admit it, but I ... love you. I love you so much my chest aches for you," he answered, kissing me hard afterwards, so hard in fact, my lip started to bleed. "Mmmm," he moaned passionately, running his tongue over my lip.

I knew he was weak from his bloodlust, and I saw my opportunity. I bit down on my lip so hard I wanted to scream, but didn't. He gently sucked on my lip until it stopped bleeding again. I turned my head revealing my neck to him. My heart pounded so hard, I knew he couldn't resist me.

He moved to my neck, kissing it softly at first. Then I felt his teeth press against my neck, but he hesitated. I sunk my nails into his back, pulling him against me, pressing my neck to his mouth until he finally gave in and bit down.

A sharp pain shot through me, but gave way quickly to a euphoric pleasure that filled me completely. It was an indescribable feeling. I trembled and went limp under him, moaning, and praying he wouldn't stop. His mouth worked ferociously against my neck and everything started to fade away.

Chapter 45

William jerked away from me, but I was so drunk feeling I was unable to move. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," William whispered, not unkindly, and rolled away from me.

"You didn't do it ... I did." I had my eyes closed and was still smiling, but had started to come around. When I gained enough strength I turned toward him and lay my head on his chest. He put his arms around me and held on tightly. "Did you mean what you said earlier ... you're in love with me?"

"I've loved you since the first time I saw you," he whispered, pushing a few damp tendrils of hair away from my eyes. He looked at me in a way that seemed genuine enough, but how would I really know for sure.

I slowly began to feel normal again and that confused me. Once I'd been bitten, I thought I would almost immediately start going through some kind of change, but I just wasn't feeling anything. I sat up and stared straight ahead, thinking for a minute before saying anything. "I thought I would feel different," I uttered, turning to look at him.

William raised an eyebrow. "Why?" He asked earnestly.

"Because. I thought being turned would feel different." I lowered my eyes feeling cheated somehow.

William laughed lightheartedly, shaking his head. "Is that what you think happened?" He laughed again. This time a little more heartily as he reached for me. "Come here," he said, with his sexiest smile.

I lay back on the pillow, and he propped up on his side, gently running the back of his fingers down my jaw. It tickled, and I finally smiled.

"You weren't turned," he said matter-of-factly.

"I get that. But why not? You bit me ... and you drank my blood." I searched his eyes for an answer.

"That's not how it works. If it was, this planet would be completely overrun with vampires."

"Oh?"

"The only way to turn is to drink from the blood of a mature vampire."

I quickly sat up, looking at him. "Drink _your_ blood?" I threw my hands up. "It just figures all those vampire movie writers would get it wrong." Afterward, I dropped my shoulders and sighed deeply.

William sat up and put his hand on my knee, and stared intently into my eyes, seeming confused. "Why do you want me to turn you?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "You are the Adlet Princess. You have responsibilities to your kind."

"I'm not strong enough to defeat Zane yet. It takes time to build Adlet powers. Time that I don't have." William wiped away a single tear that ran down my face.

"I don't think you have thought this thing through. If I turn you, your wolf powers will disappear, and you will leave your people without a leader."

"If I don't turn, Zane will kill me anyway, and my 'kind' still won't have a leader." That was the truth. Even the chief had told me I wasn't strong enough to defeat Zane. "I'll just have to figure all that out later. I have to do this." I wasn't ready to tell him what the chief said. If William knew, he would never agree to turn me for the sole purpose of killing Zane.

"It's more painful than anything you've ever imagined. I just can't put you through that kind of pain."

"It would be nothing compared to the pain of losing my mom twice. That is what's going to happen if I don't get to her soon." I snapped, but didn't mean to. "He will really kill her this time. I just couldn't bear the guilt of knowing I could have stopped him but didn't."

"If I turn you and you kill Zane, it would be like putting a target on your back." He shook his head. "I just can't do that to you."

"Why? You said yourself that you were sent to stop him." I pulled away, eying William severely. "Was that a lie?"

"No. It wasn't. The difference is the Amalric _sent_ me. If I turn you, and you kill him, the Amalric will have you hunted down."

"I don't care." I scooted off the side of the bed, and grabbed up my shoes and jacket.

"Where are you going?" He stared at me, perplexed.

"I'm going to find my mom," I said in a low growl.

"That's crazy. You said yourself that you're not strong enough." He hurried off the bed.

"I don't care. I have to try, William. At least if I'm killed, my mom will know that I died trying to save her." I grabbed the doorknob. "Not running away because I was a coward."

I threw open the door and took two steps before William crossed the room in a blur and stepped in front of me.

"Wait." He held his hands up to my shoulders. "I'll do it," he uttered softly, sounding defeated.

"You will?" I asked skeptically.

He lowered his eyes. "Yeah ... I'll do it," he said, sadly. "On one condition. Promise me that you won't go after him until _I_ say you're ready.

I couldn't help but grin. I raised my hand excitedly. "I swear!" I took his hand and followed him back into the bedroom. The reality of what I was about to do hit me, and I started to shake.

"When was the last time you ate?" he asked over his shoulder while walking into the bathroom.

I furrowed my brow. "Um ... hours ago. Why?"

William came from the bathroom carrying wash cloths, towels, and a garbage can. "Sit down."

I got really nervous, and began having second thoughts. What if I had misunderstood the chief, and turning into a vampire wasn't what he was referring to? I shook it off, because it really didn't matter. One thing I was certain of was I couldn't beat Zane in my current state. Turning into a vampire was the only way. I would be as fast as Zane, and he wouldn't be expecting it . I would defeat him with the element of surprise.

William raked his arm across a table beside the bed, knocking everything to the floor, then placed the wash cloths and towels on top. He then crossed the room to a built-in bookcase and removed an old book.

"Are you going to read to me?" I asked bemused.

He glanced over his shoulder at me briefly, then turned back and did something causing the bookcase to swing inward like a door, revealing a small room.

"What's that?" I leaned, trying to see around William.

"After you turn, you will need to feed, so I have to make sure there is plenty of blood on hand.

I raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" I guess I hadn't thought about where the blood would come from. I just assumed everything would magically fall into place. I also started to wonder where I would get my blood from after I turned. Would I have to go bite people? I found the thought kind of silly and smiled.

"All right," William said when he came back out of the room. "There's enough blood in there for two or three feedings. That should be enough for now.

"Let me ask you ... where do you get the blood?" I asked earnestly.

"Actually, there's a couple different ways. One way is to bite someone. But, in a case like yours, where you're just turning, your bloodlust will be so high it would be too hard for you to stop before completely draining someone and killing them. So, we also have help getting blood. There are doctors' offices and blood banks we can buy it from."

"So, what ... you just like, go in and order blood?" I laughed nervously.

"Yeah, pretty much," he smiled, but I detected sadness in his eyes.

I patted the bed. "Come sit by me."

He closed up the room and walked to the bed, flopping down next to me.

"I know you have mixed feelings about doing this, but there's really no other way."

I looped my arm through his and rested my head on his shoulder, staring at the door. He said something, but I wasn't paying attention. For some strange reason my chest ached when I thought about Joseph and how he would react when he found out what I had made William do.

I promptly shook the thought from my mind. If I kept thinking about Joseph I wouldn't be able to go through with it, and I had already made up my mind. No matter what the consequences were, I was doing what I had to in order to save my mom.

Chapter 46

The last conversation I had with William before he turned me started out with him saying how happy he was that he would no longer have to bear the thought of living forever without me. He seemed saddened when he placed a soft kiss on my lips and I think in that moment he had finally shown me the true William. A kind, gentle, loving, sincere man that would protect me until the end of time.

A single tear dripped from his eye and he looked shocked when he wiped it away. "Did that come from me?"

"Yeah." I smiled. "It's okay to cry. I cry like every five minutes."

He had this really serious look. "No. You don't understand." He sat up, and that worried me.

"Don't understand what ... tears? As much as I cry, I think that qualifies me as an expert on the subject," I said, smiling, trying unsuccessfully to make him smile.

"Vampires can't make tears."

I raised up and propped my weight on my elbows. "Boy, I'm in trouble then, huh?" I laughed, but only faintly.

"There's certain things we can't do, and crying is one of them." A concerned look came over him, and he just kept staring at me.

"Genevieve ... there's something else you have to understand before you go through with this." His voice was low and throaty, just like it would be if he was crying. "Once you turn, you can't ever ... uh, you know." He paused and cleared his throat before finishing. "Have a baby."

"I kind of figured that. I'm not stupid, William. I understand anatomy. But, hey ... you never know?"

"No," he said, adamantly, shaking his head. "This is one thing I'm definitely sure of."

"Yeah? You also said vampires can't make tears, but you just did." I gazed at him, taking my hand and running the backs of my fingernails down his arm. "I've thought about this a lot. I know what the consequences are and I'm okay with everything. Honest."

William gazed longingly into my eyes. "I love you more than anything else in this world," he whispered and kissed me. At the same time he gently lay me back on the pillow.

"I love you, too," I whispered, while he used his fingernail to slice open the vein on his neck.

The taste of William's blood was much different than the blood I remembered tasting. As soon as I swallowed the first sugary gulp, my insides exploded. Pleasure rippled through me, making me feel truly alive for the first time. My whole body tingled with excitement. His blood was more intoxicating than a million drugs rolled into one, and I instantly became addicted.

I bit down, rolling over on top of him and latched on, wanting more. The intense passion I felt was unlike anything I could have ever imagined, and the more he gave the more I wanted. I didn't realize until that moment, but when he had bitten me earlier it not only affected him it affected me as well. My body longed for the sweet nectar coming from within him.

It was the most intimate feeling two people could share. The moment he pushed my head back and broke the bond, I fell away, sated but in agony, too. It felt like someone had ripped off one of my arms.

I lay back on the pillow too intoxicated to move. I could just barely open my eyes, and when I peered at William he was so ghostly white it frightened me.

I tried to nudge him, but I was so weak I couldn't move my arm. "William," I breathed his name so quiet I was afraid he wouldn't hear me.

He reached over and took my hand, interlacing his fingers with mine. "Shh ... it will start soon," he whispered. "Don't be afraid. I'll be right here until you wake."

***

The next days were a blur. I drifted in and out of consciousness. The pain grew to be unbearable at times and I begged for William to kill me. I writhed around on the bed in severe agony one minute and begged for water the next. I could actually feel my insides rolling around in my stomach. All of my organs seemed to be hardening. I was dying.

It grew increasingly hard to discern fantasy from reality. I had nightmares on top of nightmares. Not just your average "bad guy trying to kill me" nightmares either. These were more terrifying than any horror movie I ever remembered watching.

At one point I thought I saw William standing over me and when I reached for him he turned into a Joseph. He had giant black fangs and he bent down and started tearing my guts out with his teeth.

Once the pain finally started to lessen, my hunger grew. I wanted blood. I needed blood. I remember William holding me down and I tried to claw his eyes out. He said it was too soon to eat. I had to fully transform first or my body would just reject it and the pain would become even more excruciating. I couldn't even imagine anything more painful than what I had already gone through.

He didn't tell me about all the vomiting I would have to endure. Oh my God, I never would have thought one person had so much inside them. I threw up black bile for hours until I became too weak to move and passed out.

I cracked my eyes open for a moment when I heard William calling my name. "The light is too bright," I heard someone say in a low guttural voice, and quickly realized the strange voice I'd heard was mine.

Even though the lights were off in the bedroom, the door to the bathroom was slightly ajar and that light seemed like it was a million watts. "Sorry, I forgot." William hurried and pulled the door closed, then I passed out again.

I didn't think the pain would ever end. I felt like I had been on a rollercoaster ride to hell and back ... in all actuality I had. My body had died and was transforming into the ultimate undead being ... a vampire.

When I awoke that last time, I felt so much better. I was weak and hungry and my throat was on fire. I called out for water, but William knew that's not what my body craved. Instead, he went into the other room and returned with two bags of blood. It smelled heavenly and my mouth instantly watered when he carried it into the room. He tore open the bag and I ripped it from his hands. As soon as I finished both bags I wanted more. My hunger was taking over and I noticed a sound I hadn't heard before ... William's heartbeat. It was amplified and pulsed in my ears. My thirst quickly took over and I wanted to rip out his throat.

"More," I growled. "I need more." My voice sounded almost like a man.

"All right. I just wanted to make sure you were ready." He opened the door to the secret room, and returned a moment later with two more bags of blood.

I grew impatient watching him take his time opening the first bag. I ripped it from his hands and tore off the top with my teeth, gulping it down. He made sure to open the second one quicker than he had the first.

"Ahh," I said, falling back onto the sweat soaked pillow, smiling, fully satisfied, and completely intoxicated.

William locked the door to the hidden room, and climbed into bed with me, very gently pulling me close to him. It hurt like hell just to move, but I held it in. He gently wiped at the excess blood on my lips around my mouth. "How do you feel?" he asked quietly, close to my ear.

Still smiling, I cracked opened my eyes. "Like a million bucks ... well, like a million bucks that's been to hell and back."

Chapter 47

The steaming shower spray felt like tiny needles piercing my skin, but William assured me the pain would go away quickly. I wasn't sure just exactly what his definition of quickly was, but it sure as hell wasn't the same as mine.

When I opened the bathroom door William was still sitting in the same recliner he'd been in when he sat vigil while I was turning. He had my phone, and when I saw the look on his face, I knew something was wrong.

"What's going on?" I rushed to him, stumbling over my own two feet. William said when you first turn, your body still moves slower and has to play catch up with your mind. I sat down on the side of the bed closest to him and he handed me my phone.

"When I realized you were going to be here longer than you were supposed to, I pretended to be you and sent Luna a message telling her to get in touch with your aunt so she wouldn't worry. Luna messaged back and said your aunt is missing."

I scrolled back through her messages.

Gen are you okay? Haven't heard from you. :(

Got your message, but your aunt's not answering. Call me.

Gen. It's been two and a half days. Are you all right?

Why aren't you calling me? Something's terribly wrong. I need you to call me.

Gen, we can't find your aunt. I sent my brothers over there after she didn't answer for a couple days. They said your house has been trashed and she's gone.

"Oh my God," I gasped.

"I didn't see all the other texts until that last one came through a few minutes ago." William lowered his eyes. "I knew something bad would happen if I turned you. I should have never done it," he said severely, and sprang from his seat. He paced the floor, really beating himself up about something I had talked him into.

I jumped up, crossing the room and stopping in front of him. "Hey ... wait a minute. You didn't do this. I did."

"If you were at home, she might still be there." He was angry, but not with me.

"If I was at home, I might be dead." I peered at him, waiting for what I'd just said to sink in.

After a minute, William dropped his shoulders and sighed. "I know you're probably right, but it doesn't change the fact that something's happened to your aunt and I feel responsible." He pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around me. "We'll find her. I promise."

His touch felt so good I tried to let him hold me, but I had to push him away. My bloodlust was too strong. "Sorry." I shook my head, and wrapped my arms around myself while hurrying to the other side of the room.

When William tried to follow me I shouted for him to stay away. "Don't get close to me," I said severely, and he saw my razor sharp fangs. Vampires didn't really have fangs, they were just canine teeth that when threatened or aroused turned pointed and hung down a fraction lower than the other teeth.

His eyes grew so sad I knew he didn't understand why I was pushing him away. He just stood in the middle of the room looking like a scolded puppy.

"I'm not strong enough yet. When you were holding me, I could smell your blood, and I felt your heart beating deep inside me. All I could think of was how much I wanted to bite you."

I was shocked when I felt hot tears sting my eyes. I wiped my hand across my cheek, then looked at William, my eyes wide and brows raised. "I thought vampires can't make tears?" I stared down at my hand after wiping my other cheek. "What's happening to me?"

William seemed just as stunned, but tried not to let me see it. "Uh, first things first." He unlocked the door to the secret room, slipped away, and was back in a minute with a fresh bag of cold blood.

Of course, I found bag blood wasn't nearly as good as William's blood had been. His tasted like the sweetest honey you could imagine, and had the same intoxicating effect of the finest wine. But, right now blood was blood, and I craved it more than anything.

When I spotted the bag of blood, I rushed him, trying to snatch it from his hand. He was still much quicker than I was, and easily managed to keep it away from my grasp.

I kept fighting him, determined to get the bag. "Give it to me," I said in a low snarl that actually scared me. My mouth watered uncontrollably, drool sitting on the corners of my mouth.

"Stop it," he growled, glaring at me, and showing his fangs. "If you want to leave this house, you've got to get your bloodlust under control. It's what separates us from savage vampires and Lycans. We only feed when we're truly hungry ... not for sport."

"I need it, William. I'm so thirsty. Please, give it to me." The entire time I begged him, I never once took my eyes off of the bag. Between his heartbeat and the smell of bagged blood, I was going insane.

"No! You don't need it, Genevieve." He placed the bag on a dresser sitting across the room, then turned around to face me, planting his feet and crossing his arms tightly.

As soon as I saw his hand release it, I attempted to go after it. I'm sure I looked just like a clumsy Great Dane puppy. My feet fumbled, and my long lanky legs twisted under me when I tried to run causing me to stumble. I tried catching myself, but my reflexes were still not quite there yet, and I fell, landing at William's feet.

He laughed and it took my mind off of the blood for a moment. I got so angry, I grabbed his foot, catching him off guard, and yanked it out from under him. His back landed on the floor right next to me.

"That's what you get for laughing at me." When I saw the shock in his eyes, I couldn't help but laugh, too. "I'm not as weak as you thought, am I?"

His face scrunched up like it hurt, then it quickly faded into a sly smile. "No, actually you're pretty damn strong ... for a newbie."

He barely got the words out of his mouth before pouncing, and we wrestled around on the floor. I was still pretty sore, and at one point he accidentally elbowed me in the stomach, causing me to scream out in pain.

He stopped immediately and scooped me up off the floor, cradling me. He carried me to the bed and gently lay me down. He just kept apologizing repeatedly.

"I'm okay ... really, it's no big deal." I smiled reassuringly at him. His already naturally disheveled hair was even more messy  after our romp on the floor. I glanced up, then giggled. His mouth curved up into that sly smile again, and he smeared my hair all over the place.

Afterward, he plopped onto the bed next to me, pulling me onto his shoulder so he could wrap his arm under me. "Guess what?" He said in his most sexy tone.

"What?" I replied.

"Don't freak out or anything," he said, taking hold of my hands. "You seem to have forgotten all about your thirst."

I thought about it for a minute and realized William was right. For whatever reason, my hunger wasn't driving me crazy. It was still on my mind, but at the moment it wasn't controlling me. I was controlling it.

I heard a faint vibrating noise, but William heard it, too, and reached across me plucking my phone from the bedside table. "Here, love," he said in what was possibly the worst British accent I'd ever heard.

It was a text message from Luna. I read it aloud for William to hear. **Gen, I have news about Bev. Tell me where you are and I'll come there.**

**If it's something bad, tell me now.** I messaged her right back. When she didn't respond, I texted her again. **Luna. Tell me now, please.**

When she didn't text right back, I sat up. "We've got to go to her," I said frantically, and had already started chewing on my lip.

William sat up and swung his socked feet over the side of the bed. My gaze flitted between him and the bag of blood. "Just close your eyes and concentrate. You don't need it."

I quickly did just as he said. Even though it helped some, just knowing it was there was starting to get to me. "Please put it away." I was nowhere near ready to trust myself yet.

When William left the room my phone vibrated again. Naturally, he'd easily heard it from the other room and hurried back to my side.

Sorry, I had to wait until my mom left. I overheard her talking with my grandfather. He said in his vision he saw Bev with Zane.

Chapter 48

"Oh my God," I said incredulously when I walked into the kitchen and found the table and chairs tossed about the room. "Why would Zane do this? If he only wanted my aunt, he could have simply thrown her under his arm and walked right on out. Why trash the house?"

I didn't think much about it when I picked up the chairs with ease, but when I realized I had flipped the table upright with one arm, I really freaked. By the look on William's face, I'd say he did, too.

"Where is your aunt's room?" William asked, after closing all the cabinet doors.

"Um." I was so shook up I had trouble concentrating. "Oh. Right down the hall." I pointed William in the right direction before I headed toward the stairs. "Wait," I shouted, and tried to run, but instead, I stumbled around the corner.

When I spotted William almost to Aunt Bev's door, I grabbed onto the end of the hallway wall and smiled innocently, trying to hide the fact that, again, I had almost fallen on my face. "What exactly are we looking for?"

William shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. Anything that doesn't seem right, I guess," William said, and paused before adding, "Should we change your name to Grace?" He had seen me almost fall after all, and thought it was cute teasing me.

"Ha ha, very funny," I said sarcastically, and stuck out my tongue before disappearing around the corner.

When I pushed open my bedroom door, I expected to find my room trashed like the rooms downstairs. It wasn't though. Only one thing was out of place. A framed picture of my mom and me that I always kept on my nightstand. The frame was broken, and the glass had been stomped and ground into the picture on the floor. I wanted to cry after I bent down and carefully tried to wipe the glass away from my mom's face.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind it had been Zane that took her. I remembered his scent and could smell him everywhere. I figured it was a personal note from Zane. He was taunting me into coming to rescue my mom and now Aunt Bev, too. He would get his wish, but he would be expecting Gen the Adlet wolf, not Gen the vampire. Hopefully that would work to my advantage. The chief told me I would have to outsmart Zane ... and I would.

William found me standing in the middle of my floor holding the scratched up picture in my hand. He crossed the room and stopped next to me, reaching down, gently prying my fingers from the picture. "This isn't good." William stared into space, rubbing his chin. "He's made this personal. He doesn't just want the throne, for some reason he wants to make you suffer in the process."

"Why? I don't even know this guy." I took back the picture and flopped onto the edge of my bed.

"I'm not sure, but something has definitely changed." He wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me tightly. Even after everything that had happened William still made me feel completely safe.

He kissed the top of my head. "I know it hurts, but we'll find them."

"I'm not so sure that we will. Now that he has Bev he's probably moved them from the place I saw." I buried my face in his chest and wrapped my arms even tighter around him.

He tensed, and pushed me back enough to look at me. "Wait ... what do you mean 'the place you saw?'"

"When Zane tossed me my mom's necklace, the second I closed my hand around it I had a vision. I saw her and she showed me flashes of where she was. When I got home, I told my aunt and she researched the landmarks and found the only possible town the landmark could have been." I pulled away and paced the floor. "Don't you see? I shouldn't have involved Aunt Bev. It was my fault Zane took my mom and now it's my fault that he took my aunt."

William grabbed my arms and shook me. "None of this is your fault."

I furrowed my brow. "If he's moved mom and Aunt Bev I'll never find them. I don't have a clue where else to even start looking."

"I think I do," William said, lowering his voice. He released his grip and shoved his hands inside his front pockets. He lowered his head, and started pushing glass around the floor with the toe of his shoe.

"Where?" I asked earnestly. When he didn't answer right away, I grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt, pulling him to me. "Where, damn it?"

William's eyes locked onto mine. "The Adlet burial ground. It's a cave across the lake from the reservation."

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would he go there?" I rolled my eyes.

"He's not actually going to the burial cave. HHH e's going under it. There's a bunch of tunnels running under Haven. They were dug out hundreds of years ago. There is an entrance through the burial ground."

"How do you know about the tunnels? Have you been there before?" I asked skeptically.

"Everybody knows about them, _but_ , they don't actually know how to get to them."

"Okay. So how in the hell do you know?" I was beginning to get pissed. William loved playing little guessing games, but I wasn't in the mood for guessing. I needed facts and I needed them fast.

"The Amalric," he said, like it should have been obvious. "I'm not sure how they know, they just do."

"How are we going to find him once we get down there?" I asked, but before William could answer, the doorbell rang. William and I looked at each other for a moment before hurrying to the window.

Before I even pulled back the curtain I heard Luna's heart beating excitedly. She wasn't alone either. There were multiple heartbeats—four to be exact—and I knew she'd brought her brothers.

My eyes closed and my head tilted back. I smelled the delectable scent of their blood and I forgot about everything except the wonderful warming effect that spread throughout my body when William had given me that first bag of blood after I had awakened.

"Genevieve," William whispered harshly, pulling me away from the window. "You've got to get control over your bloodlust. I know you don't want to hurt your friends."

It was like I was in a trance and no matter how hard I fought I couldn't break free. My hunger was just too great. "I don't want to hurt them, I just want to feed from them." My eyes were still closed, and my heart had sped up to match theirs.

I was just about to give in and jump out the window to get to them when I smelled a much sweeter blood scent, and it was close by. I opened my eyes just as William finished tearing open the vein along his arm.

Even though I knew what he was doing would feel almost as amazing for him as it would for me, it was dangerous. He was already in a weakened state from turning me. If he let me drink too much, he would grow too weak to stop me and I would drink all the life from him.

I stuck my mouth against the blood pouring from his arm and sunk my teeth into him, pulling him on top of me and his arm over my face. His blood tasted even better than I had remembered it tasting the first time. It slid down my throat like thick, sweetened nectar, and pleasure instantly surged through me.

William felt the passion too. He moaned and started grinding his body against me, his free hand caressing my thigh. I dug my nails into his back, trying to force him closer, but I knew nothing I could do would get him close enough. I would never be satisfied until I had all of him, and even then I didn't know if that would be enough.

A sudden shock rippled through me, and I realized William had pulled his arm away. At first I had this awful feeling of separation, but after a moment I began thinking clearly again and I lay back against him, smiling, completely satisfied.

I heard a pounding noise and I thought it was coming from inside my head, but then when I heard Joseph shouting, I remembered Luna and her brothers were outside. I was so weak I could hardly move, and so sated I didn't want to.

"Oh my God," I moaned. "You definitely made me forget all about them." I smiled and started to move when my strength began coming back.

"That was the whole point. If you wouldn't have fed from me, you probably would have killed at least one of them." William sat up and straightened his clothes.

"I would never hurt them," I said, shocked he would even say that to me.

"Not intentionally. But trust me, until you can get your bloodlust under control, no one is safe around you. Especially not a human."

I knew William was referring to my mom but I refused to believe I would ever hurt her.

"Coming," I called out after Joseph threatened to break down the door.

Chapter 49

"We've been out here for like, fifteen minutes. What took you so long?" Luna asked, her brow furrowed.

"Uh ... you can't hear the doorbell upstairs," I answered, my voice still somewhat throaty from the blood.

Joseph pushed his way in between his brothers. "You couldn't hear me yelling either?" Joseph asked, scowling.

"No. Actually _we_ didn't," William said ominously, stepping out from behind the door. He glared at Joseph, his body language daring him to say something else.

I rolled my eyes. "Really? Are you two really going to do this right now?" I snapped at them both and they promptly changed their expressions. "Come on in, you guys," I called over my shoulder, totally annoyed, and lead the way into the den.

Luna sat next to her brothers who were sprawled on the couch. I was on the loveseat, and William chose to stand on the far side of the room. Leaning against the wall, arms folded tightly across his chest, and glaring at Joseph. I twirled my ring around my finger, but kept my gaze fixed on the floor. I tried not to make eye contact with Luna or her brothers, especially Joseph, but every time I glanced up all eyes were on me. I felt like I had "I'm a vampire" stamped on my forehead. When I glanced at William, I spotted a few droplets of drying blood on his sleeve. I sang the alphabet song in my head, trying not to think about his blood and how wonderful it tasted.

Nobody was talking at first and that made me even more uncomfortable. I had the distinct feeling they were on to me. I tried to shake it off, but what Luna said next made my fear an almost certain reality.

"Gen, I need to talk to you in the kitchen." Luna stood up, weaving her way between her brothers' knees and the coffee table. "Why don't you boys play nice and try to come up with a plan to rescue Gen's mom and aunt." She glared at her brothers, probably mentally warning them what she would do if they got out of line. When she was satisfied she'd gotten her point across she headed for the kitchen. I followed Luna, but shot a worried look at William as I passed by.

I pushed through the kitchen door behind her and let it swing closed. She was looking at the food and papers still thrown about the room.

"It was worse. I picked up the furniture already. It was upside-down and tossed all over the room. Zane really did a number on this place." I kinda smiled, in a sad way. I was nervously rambling and she knew it.

She looked at me for the longest time before saying anything and I realized if she was trying to communicate mentally, I couldn't hear her anymore.

"Gen ... what's going on?" she asked skeptically.

I shrugged my shoulders. "What does it look like? Zane broke in, trashed the place, and took my aunt."

Luna's brow creased, her suspicious look made her appear older than she really was. "That's not what I mean," she scoffed. "What's up with you? You're definitely not being yourself." She folded her arms tightly across her chest, and started tapping the toe of her shoe on the floor.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, but then it quickly dawned on me she had probably been trying to talk to me in my mind. I promptly started rubbing my temples. "I've got a terrible headache."

Luna nodded, only slightly and pursed her lips. "I guess that's why you can't hear me mentally, right?"

I grimaced, trying to play up the headache lie. "Yeah. It's really intense." I closed my eyes and kept rubbing at my temples, but I could feel her watching me. I heard her heartbeat speed up, and in a flash William rushed through the door.

He stopped abruptly when he saw everything was okay. "I was just, uh ..." he trailed off, then turned around and left the room.

"Can I see your ring?" Luna asked, in a calm tone; one that I thought said her anger had left the building.

When I held out my hand, she grabbed my fingers with one hand and my wrist with the other hand. She stared intently at something, then looked me in the eyes. I scrunched my brows. "What are you looking at?" I asked, totally confused.

"Oh my God," she said quietly. "You did it, didn't you?" Luna asked, with a repulsed look on her face. "You actually went and did it." She dropped my hand and backed up to the counter. An expression filled with hurt and betrayal covered her face.

"Did what?" I asked. I wasn't about to admit that I had William change me to a vampire. I wasn't ashamed of being a vampire. I was ashamed that I hadn't been truthful with Luna. I was afraid if I would have confided in her, she would have never agreed to cover for me.

Her eyes filled with tears at first, but she quickly grew angry. "Cut the crap, Gen. Don't treat me like I'm stupid. An Adlet's middle finger and index finger are the same length. See?" She shoved her hands up at me, showing me her fingers. "Your pulse is way too slow, and your skin is like ice," she shouted.

I jumped up from my chair. "All right. Yes ... I did it." I lowered my eyes, and stared at the floor.

Luna wiped away her tears before looking at me. "What have you done, Gen? How could you betray us like that? How could you use me?"

It broke my heart to see her so upset. Her words stung, but only because they were true. Luna was right. After everything they had done for me, I had betrayed them.

I tried to comfort her, but she jerked away. "Don't touch me," she snarled quietly, glaring up at me.

"Luna, I didn't mean to hurt you or your brothers, but I didn't have a choice. I promise I will still help take the throne. Maybe not in the way it was intended, but I won't let Zane become ruler."

I pleaded with her to try to see it from my point of view. "I had to do it to rescue my mom. And now he has my aunt, too. Don't you see? It was the only way I could defeat him—"

"No! We would have helped you defeat Zane, and rescue your family."

"We would have lost," I uttered. "And you know it. He is much stronger than the Adlet clan, but he won't be expecting me to be a vampire. Your grandfather told me the only way I would win was if I outsmarted Zane."

"My grandfather would never say that." She shook her head "You're lying."

"No, Luna. I'm not lying. He told me no one could ask this of me. I had to make that decision on my own, but he did say if I did it, I could win."

When I reached to put my arms around her again, she didn't move away. We were hugging when I suddenly realized how delicious her blood smelled. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply through my nose, slowly letting her scent fill me. My heartbeat sped up to match hers and I felt my fangs grow sharp.

William had felt what I was feeling, because he flew into the kitchen just in time to see my mouth opening. "Genevieve!"

I promptly snapped out of whatever kind of haze I'd been in. I was completely helpless of the fact that I was about to bite Luna. She would never know how William had probably just saved her life.

Hearing William startled Luna and she jumped. I quickly stepped closer to William so she couldn't see my face until I calmed down.

"I wanted to know what you have to drink for our guests in the den." He forced a smile.

"She knows," I said flatly.

William raised his eyebrows, looking back and forth between Luna and me.

I nodded. "Yeah ... I told her."

"Did you also tell her I had nothing to do with your decision? And how I tried to talk you out of it?" he asked tone steely.

William seemed to be aggravated that I had told her. He paced the floor. "Okay, look. What's done is done. We need to focus on working together to stop this son of a bitch. I know there's no love lost between you, your brothers and me, but I know you guys care about Genevieve." He crossed the room and stopped right in front of Luna, looking her in the eyes. "I care about her too, Luna." He paused for a moment, then turned to face me, and smiled brightly. "I'm hopelessly in love with her."

I was caught up in what William had said and didn't hear Joseph walk in.

"That's a bunch of bull, Gen. Don't believe it." Joseph said, but his eyes never wavered from William. "Vampires aren't meant for humans, or Adlet. They can't fall in love."

Chapter 50

"You just never stop do you?" I yelled, and tried to lunge at Joseph, but William held me back.

Even though William was stronger than me at the moment, as my powers developed, I would probably be stronger, because I had been an Adlet first. William said he had seen it happen when he hunted a vampire that had been a werewolf first. William said turning into a vampire would probably just add to the strength I'd already developed.

Joseph threw his hands up. "Forget it. I'm out of here," he growled before storming out of the kitchen.

William let go, and I raked my hair back and sighed, thinking about the awful way I had acted.

"Wait! Joseph," I called out, and ran after him, glancing over my shoulder at William as I left the room.

I caught up with Joseph at the front door. I would have caught him before he reached the door except I stumbled in the hallway and fell on my face.

"Wait! Please, Joseph. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," I pleaded. "I don't know what in the hell's wrong with me."

He stormed out and I followed him. "I would never do anything to hurt you. You have to believe me." I unknowingly touched his arm and he jerked it away. I saw only sadness when I looked in his eyes. He felt betrayed and I knew it. I had never told him we were anything but friends, but I felt sure my actions said we were. While in New Mexico we had developed feelings for each other. Neither one of us ever acted on them, but they were still real.

"How could you?" He looked at me like I was dirty, and it cut me to the core. "I cared about you, Gen." He spun around and started down the driveway.

"Joseph, please don't leave." My voice was low and throaty.

He turned around but continued walking backwards down the driveway. "You don't need me anymore. You've got him now," he said without emotion.

He turned away from me and I watched him walk away and even when I couldn't see him anymore, I knew he was still close. The air was thick with his scent, and I felt the aching he felt in his chest. I wasn't sure why I felt it. I was bonded with William and I felt his heartbeat too. His was much slower, and very faint, but his scent filled the air just like Joseph's, which meant he was close.

When I turned around, William was at the door. "I tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen," I said, shrugging my shoulders as if it didn't bother me that Joseph had walked away.

William didn't say anything, he simply looked past me. He was thinking about something and I felt his heartbeat grow faster.

"I told you, he's gone," I said nervously, but William's heartbeat continued to quicken, and his expression promptly changed to alarm.

"Get Luna and her brothers, Joseph's in trouble," William shouted as he tore out running.

"What?" I shouted, thinking he might just be saying that so he could slip away and battle it out with Joseph once and for all.

"Lycan," he screamed. "Go!" William disappeared from the end of the driveway.

I rushed into the house screaming for Luna. I found her hurrying out from the den with the twins close behind her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, anxiously.

"Joseph's in trouble. Something about a Lycan. William's already gone to help him," I replied frantically.

I turned and ran out of the house as soon as I'd finished telling them. I didn't have to check to see if they were following me, I heard their hearts beating wildly, right behind me. If Luna hadn't already told the twins I had turned, they would know by my speed.

I was so scared for Joseph and William I didn't think about anything but getting to them, and miraculously I didn't stumble and fall. Luna and the twins did pretty well keeping up after they transformed. They still weren't nearly as fast as me, but they were much faster on four legs than two.

I stopped and listened where the shortcut to Luna's house turned off into the woods. I heard Joseph scream for William to watch out, and I bolted.

I ran straight into the middle of about twenty Lycans. Then I understood what William had meant when he said my mind would work faster than my body. Even though everything was moving fast, I had the ability to see it differently. Everything moved in slow motion around me.

I watched Joseph on top of a Lycan he had pinned to the ground. His razor-sharp fangs ripped the flesh on its throat, tearing it to shreds. William was slinging Lycans—two and three at a time—through the air, helping to keep them away from Joseph. I couldn't believe he and Joseph were actually working as a team.

More Lycans appeared from deeper in the woods and surrounded us. I wasn't sure how to react. As an Adlet I was just getting comfortable in my skin. Now, I wasn't sure.

Luna and the twins arrived, leaping from the thick underbrush. Joshua and James tore through Lycans like two massive tornados, working like a tag team, biting, ripping, and tearing apart their prey.

I felt the cacophony of hearts beating in my head. The thick smell of flesh and fresh blood filled the air around me.

Luna's screams quickly pulled me back to reality. I turned around and found two Lycans pinning her down. I went nuts, snatching both beasts into the air, biting into their flesh, then ripping their heads off. I threw their lifeless carcasses to the ground. I really don't remember too much about what the others did after that moment. Once I tasted blood, I was no longer in control. Something inside me took over and I went through the Lycans like a Tasmanian devil, biting and ripping out their throats.

The battle ended quickly. William was shaking me, because my adrenaline still surged through my body. "Genevieve. It's okay. You can stop now, they're dead."

I kind of shook my head to clear it, and noticed a strange look on William's face. He let it fall away quickly when Joseph walked over and shook his hand and gave him a one shoulder hug. For a brief moment I thought I was dreaming.

"Thanks, Gen," Luna said, hugging me tightly, and smiling. "You saved my ass, girl."

Chapter 51

It was nearing midnight and I noticed the night sky was the darkest I'd seen so far. Luna said the nights would continue to grow longer and darker until winter, when there wouldn't be any more daylight until spring. She told me even though she'd lived in Alaska her whole life, months of nothing but darkness still took getting used to each year.

We walked a few steps ahead of the guys after exiting the woods. They wanted us up front in case the Lycans decided to attempt a sneak attack from behind. Something in the sky caught my attention, and when I glanced up I noticed the stunning green and red lights of the aurora borealis waving through the sky. It reminded me of the first night William and I were together at the bonfire and I busted out with a huge smile.

"This is really cool, you know," Luna said, smiling.

"What is?" I asked earnestly. She couldn't be talking about the northern lights because she wasn't looking up.

"Up until an hour ago everybody was on edge, my brothers hated William's guts, and I thought our friendship was over. Now, look at the guys," she said, and we both looked over our shoulders.

All four guys talked about how, together, they had put a major hurt on the Lycans. I was surprised when I heard James give Luna and myself credit for helping.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to take on more," Joseph said, then briefly threw his arm around William's shoulder. "Me and William kicked Lycan ass!"

Of course, that started a major testosterone debate on which one had killed the most Lycans. It was actually quite comical to watch until suddenly a terrifying vision shot through my mind.

"Hey, you guys," I uttered, after stopping in the middle of the road and grabbing both sides of my head. I fell to my knees when my vision blurred.

"Genevieve!" William rushed to my side and pulled me to my feet.

I was weak and unable to speak even though I could hear everything going on around me. "He's hurting her ... he's hurting my mom," screaming, I grabbed two fistfuls of William's shirt.

"Talk to me, baby." William wrapped his arms tightly around me, trying to comfort me. I heard someone's heart speed up and beat much louder than the other's and I knew it was Joseph. Unfortunately, if I could hear it, William could, too. So I quickly got William to focus his attention on me.

"I've got to get to Tok," I said, pulling free. "I've got to save my mom." I bolted toward the house before anybody had time to speak. The rise in multiple heartbeats told me everybody chased after me.

When I reached the house, I ripped open the locked garage door. All I wanted to do was jump in my aunt's truck and go find my mom.

"Wait, Genevieve. You can't just run off and go down there," William said, slamming me up against the wall.

As everything faded to white, I heard an unfamiliar growl. It sounded more ferocious than anything I had ever heard. When I could see again, I thought I was in some kind of weird nightmare. Everything around me was moving in slow motion again, then my vision quickly faded to black.

I woke up in the garage floor with my head in William's lap. Everyone stood in a circle around me and William. And they had strange expressions on their faces as they stared down at us. "What happened?" I asked, trying to scramble to my feet. Luna gave me a hand up, and Joseph did the same for William.

"You screamed and then passed out," William said, but I knew he wasn't telling me everything.

"I need to go to Tok. My mom was screaming for me. Zane was hurting her," I said frantically.

"You're doing exactly what Zane wants you to do. It's a trap," William said, not unkindly. "James and Joshua are going to run down there and check it out. They know the town, they know where the cave is, and since they're natives, they can move around freely when they get there without raising suspicion.

I knew he was right, but that realization didn't make it hurt any less. I grabbed his upper arms, searching his eyes. "What if she dies and I didn't try to save her?" I asked.

"She won't," Joseph said, not unkindly.

My head quickly snapped toward him. "How do you know that?" I asked, ominously.

"It wasn't in my grandfather's vision. If your mom was going to die before you reached her, he would have seen it."

"What else did he see ... and why didn't he tell me this?" I bristled.

"That's all he would tell me. I had to beg to get that much, but at least we know your mom won't die by Zane's hands. He knew I would tell you, that's why he didn't say more. He said no one can interfere with your destiny."

I dropped my shoulders, feeling defeated. I had to trust him. I needed to believe what he was saying was true. I didn't think Joseph would ever lie to me.

I quickly told the twins everything I'd learned about the cave in Tok, and made them swear to call as soon as they learned anything.

James and Joshua jumped in their truck and sped out of the driveway. William made sure he told me how he felt that it was a waste of time, because he just knew Zane wouldn't be there.

Luna followed me into the kitchen while William and Joseph stepped out onto the deck. Although I was happy to see they weren't at each other's throats, I wasn't sure just how well I liked their new found friendship either.

I sat down at the kitchen table and scooted my chair next to Luna. She was staring into space and jerked slightly when I spoke. "Did you see what happened in the garage?" I asked pulling up my knees, and wrapping my arms around them.

Luna chewed at the inside of her lip when she peered at me, tilting her head. "Huh? When we got there you were on the floor. William said you just took a few steps and passed out."

"Oh, okay. I was just wondering because I don't remember." The truth was I did remember most of it. When I heard the growling, I thought maybe it was Joseph thinking that William was hurting me. Something very weird was happening and I intended to get to the bottom of it.

Waiting on them to come in, and Luna off in a daze, gave me time to think. The realization of needing an actual plan had set in and was weighing heavily on my mind. A pit in the bottom of my stomach ached terribly at the thought of losing my family. Whatever we were going to do we needed to do it soon. Zane wasn't going to sit idly by and just wait for me to show up. His patience would eventually wear thin, and he might just kill them both.

I sensed Luna was taking sidelong glances at me, which told me she wasn't sure how she felt about the new me. Hell, I didn't even know how I felt about the new me. One thing I did know was I couldn't sit around and wait to hear about my mom's fate. I stood and headed for the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Luna asked, and started to stand up.

"I'm going to grab a quick shower. William didn't tell you to hold my hand in the shower too, did he? Because it would like, seriously make it hard for me to wash my hair one-handed." I informed dryly.

"Uh ..." Luna trailed off, embarrassed and blushing.

My heartbeat started to rise, which wasn't good, so I sang the alphabet song in my head. William and I were in tune with each other because he was the one who turned me. I knew if I was going to be successful at sneaking away I had to focus on keeping it slow and steady. If not, he would realize I was up to something and be waiting to stop me before I got out of the driveway.

I turned on the shower water and quietly slipped back out of the bathroom. Another good quality I had obtained when I turned was the ability to walk without making a sound. Well, for the most part anyway. I was still working on mastering my new found vampire skills.

I stepped lightly across my bedroom floor to the window facing the street. I couldn't go out the back window, which was the easiest way, because it sat right over the deck where William and Joseph were.

When I slid the window open and stuck my head out, I made the mistake of looking down and my heart jumped. "Damn it," I mumbled.

William would be up the stairs any minute if I didn't calm down. I quickly shut my eyes and took some deep breaths to slow my heart rate, then tripped while climbing out onto the window ledge while singing the alphabet again. I fell head first out the window and promptly thought maybe jumping hadn't been one of my smartest ideas.

Chapter 52

A huge grin covered my face while driving my aunt's truck. Somehow, I had managed to land on my feet after falling two stories. I was quickly finding out being a vampire had more perks than I ever realized.

When I turned onto the main road, a bunch of red and blue lights flashed ahead in the distance. I didn't think anything about it because car accidents seemed pretty common in Alaska.

When I got closer, I spotted a rusted pick-up truck smashed all to hell and laying on its side in the ditch, and my heart stopped. I whipped my aunt's truck off the road, and jumped out. "Oh god," I gasped running toward Luna's grandfather's truck.

A group of cops were standing around at the top of the hill and attempted to stop me when I was running down the hill. "Hey you! Come back here," one of the cops yelled, and bolted after me.

When I reached the truck, I checked underneath and inside, but it was empty. It was odd that the windshield appeared to have been busted from the outside. I looked closer and that's when I spotted large dents in the hood. I inched a few steps nearer, trying to get a good look inside the truck. I threw my hand over my mouth and gasped, stepping back after I saw bloody claw mark gashes in the back of the seat.

I felt a hand grab my arm, and without even thinking I spun around, and swung.

"Whoa, Genevieve," William whispered, grabbing my fist and gazing down at me with tender eyes.

I looked up at him wondering how he always seemed to find me, or just show up exactly when I needed him. I buried my face in his chest. "It's all my fault." My words came out muffled.

"Everything bad in life is not your fault," he said, gently, stroking my hair, and pressing me against him. "Shh, here come the cops. Let me do the talking."

"You kids know anything about this?" A short Native American state trooper asked in an even tone.

"It's our friend's truck. Was anybody hurt?" William asked, sounding innocent.

The cop took one look at William and was totally captivated. When he spoke, I heard the lust in his voice. I remember William saying that vampires could literally get away with anything in a human setting. All we had to do was get a human to look us in the eyes and they would become completely spellbound.

"Um, we didn't find anybody. The truck was empty when we got here. It looks like maybe a pack of wolves got whoever it was," he said, motioning us to follow him. The whole time we walked he kept looking over his shoulder at William. "See the drag marks?" He asked, and pointed to the ground. "We followed them to the edge of the woods, then they just disappeared."

When we walked back to the truck, Luna and Joseph were standing beside it. Joseph had his arm around her shoulders and she was crying silently. She glowered at me.

"You guys, I'm—"

William cut me off, squeezing my arm a little too tightly. "Not now," he whispered harshly, and nodded toward the group of cops on top of the hill. "Let's go to my house. We'll talk there."

"I'm not with  riding her." Luna gave me a look filled with hate.

"Joseph, take Luna in the truck and follow us to my cabin. We're going to get the twins back, but first we need a plan."

***

William didn't talk during the ride, and that made me feel even worse. I pulled my knees up to my chest and sunk further down into my seat. It killed me to know William was upset with me.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to run out on you guys," I uttered, looking at William.

His hand gripped the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles turned white and I actually heard the steering wheel make little cracking noises. When he turned a corner, I saw the dents in the steering wheel. William was much stronger than I ever imagined.

"Why did you do it?" he asked angrily. "I've done everything for you, and this is how you repay me? By taking off without so much as a good-bye?"

My voice sounded throaty. "I'm—"

He cut me off. "Yeah ... I know. You're sorry. You're always sorry, Genevieve."

"I thought I was doing what was best for you guys. I didn't want any of you to get killed because of me. This is my fight, and I have no right to drag you or them into it."

"That's just stupid. I love you. They love you. We chose to help you. You didn't make us do anything."

"Technically, that's not true. They're royal servants, and they didn't have a choice," I dropped my shoulders, staring silently out the window.

I felt a sharp pain shoot through my heart, and I guess William felt it, too, because he reached across the seat, gently taking my hand, and pulled me closer to him.

"I love you," he said tenderly, just before we stopped in front of his cabin.

When Luna climbed out of the truck, I knew right away she hadn't gotten over her anger. We barely made it inside before she started in on me, and Joseph grabbed her.

"It's all your fault!" She tried pulling away from Joseph, but he held her firmly. "If my brothers are dead it's on you," she cried.

I lowered my eyes, unable to speak with the huge knot forming in my throat. She was right. Everything that had happened was all my fault. "That's why I tried to do this alone, but you guys wouldn't let me." A tear ran down my cheek. "I can't help who I am. I sure as hell didn't ask for any of this, and if I could take it all back, I never would have come here. I would rather die than see any of you guys get hurt." I ran upstairs to one of the bedrooms and slammed the door.

"Gen," Joseph shouted through the closed door a minute later. "Let me in."

"Go away," I shouted, but he didn't. He just kept banging on the door until I finally opened it.

I kept my arms wrapped tightly around me. "What? You want to blame me, too?" I stared at him from across the room.

His big eyes immediately softened. "No," he said quietly. "I don't blame you at all, Gen, and Luna doesn't either." He stood just inside the doorway, gazing at me longingly. "I lo ... um." He cleared his throat. "I just wanted you to know, if you ever need me, I'm here." He turned around, and as he walked out he whispered something he didn't think I could hear. I gasped, and my heart fell as the words," I'll always love you," sank in.

Chapter 53

After I downed the two bags of blood William brought me, I nuzzled my face against his chest, feeling intoxicated and satisfied. Even though I had to fight to stay awake, I didn't want to lose the euphoric feeling that came over me each time I ate.

"We're leaving at dawn," William said, out of the blue.

I stumbled, trying to sit up. "What?" I asked, giving him a confused look. The room started spinning and I had to lie back down.

"Rest," he said, stroking my hair. "When you wake up I'll fill you in on everything.

When I closed my eyes I saw Joseph, so I quickly opened them and I was in another place. It was sprinkling rain as Joseph walked along the top of a cliff. He was wearing nothing but a pair of tight blue jeans and brown leather work boots. I watched the rain roll over his taut muscles.

Every time he moved, new muscles bulged, dancing under his skin. He shook his soaking wet hair, sending water in every direction. He gazed at me, parting his full lips, and I waited for him to say something, but he didn't. As I walked closer, I saw the water on his face wasn't rain, but tears. He mouthed the words "I love you" just before diving off the cliff.

I turned to run and saw my aunt holding hands with Zane, and waving good-bye at my mom and me. You know, like the television families who have perfect children and perfect lives and everybody lives happily ever after.

Zane and my aunt got into a car and as they drove away, he rolled his window down and tossed something out. I'm not sure why, but I ran to get a closer look. I screamed when I saw he had cut off my aunt's head and thrown it out the window.

I bolted upright in bed panting heavily, my eyes flitted around the room. William picked up on my heartbeat and he burst through the door in a flash. My heart jumped when Joseph appeared a few seconds later.

"What's wrong?" William asked earnestly, glancing around the room, then fixing his gaze on me. Joseph stood to the side, trying to see into the room.

I sort of fell into a trance when I saw them both together. I had such deep feelings for them both, but I knew I belonged with William, now more than ever. I could never be with a human, or in Joseph's case, a werewolf. I just couldn't bear to watch helplessly as someone I loved eventually died while I remained the same young Genevieve.

"Uh ... I had a nightmare. It was awful," I said with quick short breaths.

William stared at me for a long moment. "It happens sometimes with bagged blood. Sorry," William said, acting a little short with me. "Come down stairs, we're going over the plan." He promptly disappeared from the doorway, and Joseph looked at me, quickly tilting his head and shrugging his shoulders, before following after William.

"Uh ... yeah," I replied warily. "I'll be right ..." I trailed off. It wouldn't have mattered what I said, because William hadn't waited around to hear it.

Luna and Joseph sat at the bar and William stood behind it. Luna was laughing, but when she saw me step through the door, she suddenly stopped. Even William's smile faded when he saw me.

"Why do I suddenly feel like an intruder?" I asked dubiously, searching their faces, and caught Luna rolling her eyes when she thought I wasn't looking.

"Maybe it's just your own insecurities," Luna said, shrugging her shoulders.

When she said that, I flew across the room in a blur. I knew I was getting much faster, because William barely had time to move before I stopped an inch from Luna.

"Let me tell you something right now," I said through gritted teeth, pointing my finger at her chest. "I don't need _you_ to remind me this whole thing is because of me, but it's not something I chose. It was chosen for me, just like the twins going to Tok. I didn't have a choice in that decision either. You were there, too, and I sure don't remember hearing you object."

I guess William thought I was getting too close to Luna, because he tried to step in between us. I was so angry and hurt, I felt the skin on my face tighten, and I shoved him so hard he flew all the way across the room, hitting the hearth on the fireplace.

I gasped, and ran to him. "I'm sorry," I said throwing myself on the floor next to him. I expected him to be really pissed, and by their speeding heartbeats, I assumed Luna and Joseph did too.

William just lay with his back against the fireplace hearth and stared at me for the longest time.

"William?" I asked, nervously.

"Damn, girl," he said, appearing to be in awe.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you that hard. Please don't be mad," I pleaded.

A huge smile stretched across William's face. He quickly got to his feet and pulled me up. "Mad? I'm impressed. I had no idea you would grow to be so strong, especially this fast." He looked passed me to Luna and Joseph. "We're definitely ready."

We sat at the table and went over the plan until we had each individual step memorized. William said we were as ready as we'd ever be. Luna slowly came around, and by the time we were ready to go she was over being angry with me. She apologized for blaming me and I apologized for getting in her face the way I did.

Joseph's phone rang. "It's Grandfather," he said, hurrying to get up from the table. He came back a couple minutes later, holding his hand over the phone. "He says there's been movement in the tunnels," Joseph said, looking at William.

"Okay then. What are we waiting for? Let's go kick some more Lycan ass." William rose from the table.

Joseph returned his phone to his jeans pocket. "I'm with you, Bro."

Chapter 54

When dawn broke we left the cabin and headed a short distance into the woods and stopped. Luna and Joseph transformed so they could keep up. I couldn't help but stare at Joseph in wolf form. He was still the most beautiful Adlet wolf I had ever seen.

I was a bad ass vampire and yet I had the worst case of butterflies ever. I think William knew it, too, because he put his arm around my shoulders, giving me a quick hug.

I stood still and grinned at him. "Last one there is a rotten fart," I called out just before bolting, leaving them all behind. I mean, everybody was stressed and we had to run a long way, so why not have a little fun.

At one point I had gotten pretty far ahead, so I ran part way up a tree and quietly waited. When William ran under me, I leaped, expecting to land on his back and scare the crap out of him. My plan quickly backfired. Somehow William knew, and he jumped to the side just before I landed, causing me to hit the ground so hard it sounded almost like thunder. Even though it hurt, the pain subsided quickly.

"Did I make that noise?" I asked incredulously, looking up at him.

He was too busy standing over me laughing hysterically to see Luna leaping through the air. She landed dead center of his shoulders and sent him rolling.

"Who's laughing now?" I asked sarcastically, brushing pine needles and dirt off my jeans. "Thanks, Luna," I said. What happened next really had me freaking. She had answered me in her mind, and I heard her. I hadn't been able to hear her in my thoughts since I'd turned, but I definitely heard her just then.

William gave me a look, and I just shook my head. As a vampire, he couldn't hear their thoughts, and therefore I shouldn't have been able to either.

We reached the frozen lake sooner than I thought, and Luna and Joseph were thirsty and tried lapping at the ice. I remembered the night at the Ice Cave and placed my hand over the back of my neck to see if my tattoo would still radiate heat even though technically I wasn't an Adlet anymore. When I removed my hand, it was solid red. Being a vampire I didn't feel pain in the same way I had as an Adlet.

William was in awe watching the ice melt away under my hand. "How did you just do that? Are you magic now, too?"

"I'm not sure. I mean no, I'm not magic, silly. It's got something to do with this tribal Crest on my neck." I turned around and pulled up my hair. "See?" I asked, but when William didn't answer I spun around. He wasn't even looking at me. I followed his gaze across the lake. "What?"

"Let's go!" He had seen something, and ordered us back inside the tree line.

"What did you see?" I asked, stepping to a thicker part of the trees when the sun peaked out from behind the clouds.

"Nothing. That's just it," William said, staring at nothing, rubbing the stubble that had formed on his chin. "Zane knows we're coming. He should have Lycans guarding the entrance, but I don't hear or see anything." He turned to face us, his eyes flew between the three of us. "Be alert, they could be anywhere."

We ran again, only this time nobody played. We all watched everything around us for movement. The next time we stopped we were at the cave's entrance.

Luna and Joseph quietly transformed back, their hearts pounded like mad, which told me they were as nervous as I was. William's heart never wavered. His was just as slow and steady as always. I couldn't help but be a little bit suspicious. I was trying my hardest to trust him, but somewhere in the back of my mind I still remembered the lies. What if he was a part of Zane's plan? What if he was using my feelings for him to lure me into Zane's trap?

I glanced at him suspiciously as he lead the way. Joseph went in behind him, and Luna and I followed through the narrow opening. Luna said the opening was narrow to keep bears from wandering in.

Once inside, the cave opened up to a small room with an opening to a larger room. It was dark, and smelled of rotten blood and stench, a typical Lycan scent. A single torch hanging on the wall lit the first room.

"Remember ... keep your eyes and ears open," William whispered as he walked through to the next room.

The second room was much larger and smelled better, because incense burned in different areas of the room. Large rock pedestals covered the floor. Different sized pottery jars were placed on the tables.

"What are these for?" I asked, reaching to touch one of the colorful jars.

Luna slapped my hand away. "They are filled with the remains of great warriors and past leaders of the Inuit," she said somewhat angry. "You must never touch them." She paused for a moment, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Gen." She smiled apologetically. "I'm just really freaked being in here. This place is sacred. No one but our leaders are permitted in here."

I walked around the room admiring the handmade drawings on the walls. "These are really cool." I smiled at Luna.

"All right, girls, this isn't a sight-seeing trip. You're supposed to be looking for an entrance to the tunnels," Joseph said, not unkindly. He brushed up against me as he passed by, quickly shooting me a sly grin, and my heart fluttered. I immediately felt William's eyes on me, so I pretended to be looking at a particular drawing.

While I was looking I noticed that one of the drawings portrayed a monster, a girl and a red moon. I was about to ask Luna about it when William called us.

"I found it," he said, standing next to a tall rock he'd pulled away from the wall. Behind it was a dark hole with stone steps leading downward.

William led the way, and I was amazed at the tunnels after we reached the bottom. They weren't at all like I had been expecting. The tunnels we were looking at were actually large walkways at least eight feet high and six feet wide, and there were six of them leading off from the bottom of the stairs.

Even though it was totally dark, William and I had no trouble seeing, but Luna and Joseph had to transform in order to see.

"We need to split up," William said. "Joseph and I will each take a different tunnel and you two girls take one together. Remember, all were doing is looking. We'll meet back here and search the other three tunnels if we don't find anything in the first three."

Before I could object, William was gone. Joseph reluctantly picked a tunnel and disappeared, leaving Luna and I to fend for ourselves.

"Come on, Luna, let's go," I said nervously, and she followed.

We didn't get far and our tunnel came to an opening with even more tunnels. We were about to turn around when Luna growled from behind me. Before I had time to turn, we were surrounded by Lycans. There must have been ten or more.

She lunged and I did the same. I was able to move at lightning speed, grabbing them by the throat and ripping off their heads one-by-one. Luna used her sharp fangs, ripping out throats.

When we were done, broken Lycan bodies lay strewn about on the tunnel floor. The stench of their blood filled the air. But, it was quickly covered by a much more delectable blood scent, which made my mouth water.

I spun around to find Luna covered in blood ... her own blood. She had a huge gash on her back that went from her shoulder to her hip, and when I touched it she snarled viciously.

"Luna," I snapped, trying to get her to listen. "You're losing a lot of blood. You need to be still or you'll bleed to death before it has time to heal." Even though Adlet wolves healed, they didn't heal nearly as fast as vampires. I knew even if Luna did stay perfectly still, chances were she would still bleed to death before the wound closed.

She lay down, and her ribs rushed up and down as she panted, which made the bleeding worsen, and made me hungry. I didn't know what to do, but as I thought I remembered how vampire's saliva is what made the bleeding stop when we bit people.

"Luna, I'm going to help you, but you have to lay perfectly still and close your eyes." I said, my voice was throaty like it used to get whenever I cried.

I held my breath and pinched my nose, trying my best to focus. I dropped to my knees, gently stroking her fur to keep her calm, and let the saliva drip from my mouth onto the wound.

I didn't see a change right away, and decided I had to do what I felt was necessary. I knew because of my decision Joseph would hate me, but at least he would still have his twin sister.

Chapter 55

"I'm sorry, Luna," I mouthed the words, then started to tear open my arm. Suddenly, I felt her breathing slow down. I turned and looked at her back. The bleeding had almost stopped and the wound was closing right in front of my eyes.

She sat up and transformed as soon as she had gathered enough strength. Her smile looked weak as she reached to hug me. "Thank you, Gen," she whispered, tears streamed down her face. "You saved my life, even after I was so ugly to you before."

When she pulled back, I saw the tenderness in her big brown eyes and was thankful I didn't have to turn her. "I already forgot about it." I smiled warmly. "You're my best friend, Luna."

After I stood up, I pulled her to her feet. "Let's get back. I'm sure the guys are waiting for us."

Joseph was waiting at the tunnel entrance. He had transformed and was squatting next to the wall, chewing his thumb nail nervously, when we got back.

"Where's William?" I asked earnestly.

Joseph averted my eyes. "He's uh ... he's down there," Joseph said, and pointed at one of the tunnel's entrances.

I didn't like the look on his face, so I started to take off, but he reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me back.

"Wait, Gen. I need to tell you something first," he said, then raked back his hair, and started pacing. "Look, I don't know of an easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it." he stopped and faced me. "I got back first, so I decided to follow William's tunnel. I figured you two girls together would be fine."

Luna and I quickly glanced at each other before looking back at Joseph.

"Gen, there's no easy way to tell you so I'm just going to be blunt." He paused and took a deep breath. "William is with Zane. I'm not sure what they're doing, but it didn't look to me like they were enemies."

I felt a huge knot form in my throat when I tried to swallow, but I quickly pushed my feelings away. "Did you see my mom or my aunt?"

"No." Joseph shook his head. "Only William and Zane."

"What about the Lycans? Did you run across any?" I asked Joseph.

"No ... I mean, I could smell they had been there, but I didn't actually see any."

"That's weird. Luna and I were jumped by a dozen or more of them. Why would they be down that tunnel if Zane is down this one?"

Joseph's eyes got huge. "What? Why didn't you scream or something?" he asked frantically.

"There wasn't time. They were on us before we knew it. But, we took care of them, didn't we Luna?" I peered at Luna and smiled secretively.

"That's right. You should have seen Gen. She was totally awesome," Luna said, putting her arm around my shoulder.

"Come on, let's go back to where Luna and I were. There's a reason Lycans were there."

I lead the way after Luna and Joseph transformed back to wolves. When we got to the mouth of the other tunnels, Luna spoke to me in my mind.

The Lycan scent is heaviest in the tunnel on the far right.

"Remember. No matter what happens, if we find my mom, I want you guys to take her and get out," I said, as we started down the new tunnel.

The tunnel turned slightly toward the right and I swear I felt like we were headed in a big circle. As it turned a little more, I saw a light flickering in the distance. There also appeared to be a ladder leaned up against the wall.

We stopped just before the ladder. My heart fluttered nervously. "Something tells me I need to see what's up there." I paused, as they both transformed.

"Let me go," Joseph said. He was trying to be our protector, so I decided to appease him.

He disappeared through the hatch at the top of the ladder, but came back a couple minutes later. "It looks like someone's basement."

"Maybe these tunnels were built as an escape route," I said incredulously. "Let's go back to where you saw William and Zane. I'll make them tell me where mom and Aunt Bev are. Then I'll kill them both."

I bolted without even waiting for them to transform. I was tired of playing Zane's stupid games. If he wanted a fight then he would get his wish. And when I finished with him, I would deal with William. If he was lying to me again, I would kill him with my bare hands.

Luna and Joseph hadn't yet caught up when I entered the same tunnel William had gone in. I stopped for a second and closed my eyes to calm my heart so William couldn't warn Zane I was coming.

I smelled him long before I saw him, but something wasn't right. William's heart was racing, and his heart never raced. Well ... except for when he turned me. Even though we hadn't had sex, he said blood drinking was just as intimate especially if it was with someone you truly loved.

A nervous pit deep in my stomach told me he was in trouble. It would serve him right for trusting a monster like Zane and lying to me.

I stopped just before the tunnel's end and peeked around the corner, spotting a small waterfall coming from a pipe up by the ceiling. _Waterfall? Maybe this is what my mom was trying to show me all along._ It flowed into a pool that ran under the wall. I scanned the room and gasped when I saw William hanging upside down next to a fire pit in the center of the room. He was chained by his ankles to a tall iron A-frame. It appeared to be some kind of system for skinning large animals, like bear or moose.

"William," I called out quietly. He didn't move. "William," I called out a little louder. I was afraid he couldn't hear me over the noise of the waterfall, but then his fingers on his right hand twitched. "I'm here."

One side of the room had been fixed up with make-shift bedding, chairs, book-lined shelves, and other home-like comforts. Across from that area I spotted a doorway. I quickly got the feeling that behind there was where he was hiding my mom and aunt, which meant I would have to deal with him before I could get to them. Although, dealing with Zane might prove to be kinda hard considering he was nowhere in sight.

I was about to go back and look for Luna and Joseph when I heard a noise in the room and moved back to the edge of the tunnel. I caught a glimpse of Bev escorted by Lycans. _I wonder where my mom is._

I threw a small pebble at her feet and she glanced my way. We locked eyes briefly just before they went back out the door. She had a weird look on her face and I wasn't exactly sure why, unless maybe she was shocked that I was able to find the tunnels. Hopefully, they were keeping her and my mom together, and she'd tell her I was coming.

Zane suddenly pushed through the same door Bev and the two Lycans had just gone out. He started pacing the floor and saying something I couldn't quite hear over the water noise. I leaned a little closer and part of the tunnel wall gave way under my hand, sending rocks sliding out onto the floor.

Chapter 56

I scrambled to my feet, but it was too late. Lycans were all over the tunnel behind me. It had been a trap. Zane knew I was there the whole time. He just pretended to be angry about something to keep my attention while the Lycans moved in behind me.

I could have easily fought my way through the stench-covered beasts, but Zane would have probably killed William to get me to come back.

I stepped out into the room. Lycans from the tunnel circled around me.

"Well, well, Genevieve. What a pleasant surprise," Zane said, grinning madly as he crossed the room to where I stood.

I narrowed my eyes. "Go to hell you bastard." I spat in his face, and one of his beasts lunged at my back. I quickly moved to the side, grabbed it by the head, and snapped its neck while taking it to the floor with my knee planted in its chest. I glowered up at Zane briefly, then ripped off its head, and sent it rolling like a bowling bowl toward Zane's feet.

The other Lycans snarled and growled, gnashing their teeth in the air, but I didn't cower.

"Enough," Zane shouted. "Stand back," he ordered, and of course they obeyed.

What I didn't get was there were enough Lycan slaves to easily kill Zane, so why didn't they? He must have done something really terrible to make them fear him.

I nodded toward William, then glared back at Zane. "Let him down."

Zane's smile faded. "Are you quite sure that is your wish?" He asked, staring hard into my eyes as he played with his goatee using the long fingernail of his index finger. I glared right back at him, never wavering. "Very well," he said flatly, waving his hand.

A Lycan raked his claws over the lever holding up the chain, and William fell to the ground landing head first. I rushed to help him up, but there was a lock holding the chain around his ankles. After taking a deep breath, I pried on the lock until it popped loose, freeing William.

William looked at me strangely, flitting his eyes around like crazy, almost like he was trying to warn me. He whispered something breathlessly before rolling onto his back, but I couldn't hear what he said.

"Come on," I uttered, and tried to help him stand, but he jerked away. "What are you doing?" I asked, incredulously. He wouldn't even look at me. It wasn't out of fear, but like I disgusted him or was beneath him.

William stood, brushing off his clothes, then acted like I wasn't even there. He kept his focus only on Zane. "I was beginning to wonder how long you were going to leave me hanging," William said, smiling at Zane.

I peered at William. "Why are you acting like this? What did you do?" I was stunned. I couldn't understand how he could betray my love for him. Joseph tried to tell me, but I had refused to listen. I was just too naïve to think he could ever hurt me after the intimacy we shared and him saying he was in love with me. My eyes burned hot, but the tears didn't come. I just stood in the center of the room glaring at him. "I trusted you."

William laughed. "That was your first mistake."

"I hate you," I screamed as loud as I could.

Zane slowly approached me. He grabbed my wrist, and led me to a chair and made me sit as William headed toward the door. Two Lycans started to follow him, but he objected.

"You need them more than I do. I can handle myself," William said sternly. "But she can be a handful."

Zane simply waved his hand and the Lycans returned to their places. He pulled a chair close to mine and sat down, quietly staring at me, his eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth curved up into an evil grin.

He was trying to get under my skin and I wasn't about to let him, so I leaned in even closer to him and whispered, "You better kill me, because if you don't, you're a dead man."

His smile disappeared and he pulled his hand up over his shoulder. I knew what was coming, but I didn't flinch. His hand came down fast and hard, backhanding me across the face. My head spun to one side. I slowly turned back to face him, my hair covered one eye, but I didn't push it back. Instead, I glowered at him with my uncovered eye, daring him to do it again. He cleared his throat, and turned away.

"Zane," William shouted as he pushed through the door, hurrying back into the room. "The twins are gone!"

Zane jumped up from his seat. "What do you mean, gone?" he asked in a low growl.

"They've escaped," William said, and I felt his heartbeat rising. The Lycans seemed to feel whatever Zane felt, and he was irate. They slowly started across the room toward William, growling and snarling. His eyes turned dark, and he held his ground, hissing at them. He stood ready to attack if they got any closer.

When Zane turned his attention to the Lycans, William quickly shot me a wink, making my heart stop, and confusing the hell out of me. I wished I could read his mind, but I couldn't.

Zane stomped over to me, snatching my arm and yanking me out of the chair by grabbing a fistful of my hair. "Where are they, you little bitch?" he asked through a clenched jaw.

I looked at his eyes, but not into his eyes. They were completely black and his face had contorted into something evil. "I don't know," I shot back.

"We'll see about that," he snapped, slinging me to the floor. "If she moves, kill her," he ordered one of the Lycans before turning his attention to William. "Come with me," he told William.

Zane shoved the door open so hard it slammed back, hitting him in the shoulder. I snickered, and the Lycan moved a bit closer to me.

"Stop," I shouted, holding up my hand. "Why do you let him make you his slaves?" I asked, and they all looked at me skeptically. "Your numbers are great. You could defeat him, and be free. Is that not what you want?" I thought I had their attention until one of the bigger ones, a scraggly one-eyed alpha male, let out a ferocious howl, and the rest cowered, lowering the heads.

My heart rose and fell after Zane snatched the door open and came in. He had my aunt by the hand, followed by my mom who he had in hand chains. William walked in right behind them, and his face was saddened. I knew whatever Zane had in store it couldn't be good.

"Mom! Aunt Bev," I screamed, and my mom's face brightened when she first saw me, but then it changed to a mesh of pain and fear when Zane snatched on the chain, causing her to fall. Aunt Bev's eyes looked downward toward the floor, and never even attempted to look at me.

Zane slung my mom onto the floor in the corner by his bed. When she hit the bookcase sitting against the wall, it moved slightly, but thankfully none of the books fell on her. I quickly noticed he was much more gentle  with my aunt, and I wondered if maybe he'd grown tired of my mom and that was why he had kidnapped my aunt.

I almost puked when he gently kissed the back of my aunt's hand before placing her in one of the chairs close to me. I tried whispering to her, but she never raised her eyes from the floor. I figured he must have told her if she looked at me he would kill me or my mom. I could understand Aunt Bev's fear. Zane was very intimidating. Even though he was gorgeous to look at, he was the definition of evil. In my eyes, that alone made him a hideous-looking monster.

He leaned over and whispered something in my aunt's ear, and the corners of her mouth curved up in a tiny smile. Before straightening, he looked over at me with a sneer that sent chills down my spine. My heart stopped as I watched him walk to where he'd thrown my mom onto the floor. He grabbed her by the hair, pulling back on her head to expose her neck. I held my breath and looked on in horror as he unsheathed a large knife and raised it above his head, looking just like one of those crazed psychos straight out of a horror movie. He placed the blade against her throat, and a tiny line of blood trickled down her neck. He stopped and looked at me to see if I was watching, then laughed eerily.

Chapter 57

The Lycans grew anxious. They smelled my mom's blood and started to move closer. Zane probably kept them hungry all the time, only allowing them to eat just enough to stay alive. That way, when he ordered them to hunt they would do so willingly.

"Where are the Adlet?" Zane asked in a demanding tone. "Don't lie or I'll finish slitting her throat, and feed her to them." He pointed to the pack of drooling beasts.

My mom whimpered quietly. The painful look on her face was tearing my heart out, but the truth was I didn't know where any of them were.

I could see movement out of the corner of my eye. William was inching his way closer to Zane. My eyes never wavered from Zane's or he would have seen me look away and known something was up.

"Don't tell him anything, Gen," my mom shouted, then winced when he pressed harder on the knife.

"Stop, Leave her alone and I'll tell you," I lied.

Zane ran his fingers through my mom's blood, then released her. He straightened up and glanced in my direction while meticulously licking the blood off of each finger, savoring every drop. "Mmm ..." he said. "Delicious." He had purposely done that to keep the Lycans riled up just in case he needed them to attack in a hurry. "I'm waiting, Genevieve, and you'll find I am not a patient man," he said, ominously.

"I don't know where Joshua and James are, but Luna and Joseph each went in different tunnels and never came back." It wasn't a complete lie. The truth was I had no idea where they were. I actually thought they had been captured when they didn't catch up.

Zane grew increasingly angry. "Do you think this is a game?"

"I swear I don't know where they are." My heart ached and I felt defeated when I heard my mom crying. "Please ... just let my mom and aunt go free and I'll do whatever you want," I pleaded.

My mom was screaming in the background, begging him not to hurt me, but he wasn't listening.

A series of intense growls followed by thunderous footsteps streamed from inside the tunnel. It caught everyone off guard, including me, when Luna, Joseph, and the twins exploded out of the tunnel.

The Lycans snapped their heads toward Luna and her brothers. My heart rose excitedly, but quickly fell when I saw the look on Zane's face. He wasn't surprised at all. He must have known they were close, but how?

I just wanted to get my mom and aunt away from him, so I could kill him. I glanced at William and he smiled warmly at me. It was at that exact moment I knew for sure everything he had told me earlier _was_ the truth. Even though we were still in danger I couldn't help but feel happy when I thought about William.

"Let my mom and aunt go, and I'll let you walk out of here. You have my word," I said, ready to attack. William had managed to get behind Zane without being noticed and was just about to reach my mom.

"Zane! Look out behind you!"

My head snapped to where the words of betrayal had come from. My chest tightened, and I couldn't breathe. Nausea spread through me and I wanted to puke.

I peered at my mom and my heart ached seeing the look on her face. She stared at her sister and her eyes were filled with shocked and hurt tears. I glanced over at William. His jaw had dropped and he was shaking his head in disbelief.

"Aunt Bev, what are you doing?" I asked bewildered. "William was trying to save my mom, not hurt her."

"I know exactly what William was about to do. I tried to tell Zane that William was playing him for a fool, but he wouldn't listen. We've worked too long and too hard to lose it all now." Aunt Bev walked over and stood next to Zane, looping her arm through his, and he leaned down and kissed her passionately. "Zane will kill you and marry Camilla. Then he will rule the throne."

"You're willing to lose everything so Zane can be with my mom?" I still couldn't wrap my head around what Aunt Bev thought she was going to accomplish by helping that monster to marry my mom.

"You foolish little girl. After they marry—"

Zane cut her off. "Quiet, Beverly," he snapped. "Don't tell her anything."

She narrowed her eyes at Zane. "She thinks this world revolves around her. Well, I want her to know everything before we kill her!" she shouted at him never taking her eyes off of me. "As I was saying, after he marries Camilla and accepts the throne as King, your mother will have an accident, leaving me to rule alongside the man I love."

I eyed her severely for a moment, then I remembered what I had read in the old book I found inside the piano bench, and I burst out laughing. "You stupid bitch," I said ominously. "You can never rule with him. She is blood, he isn't. if anything happened to her he would lose all rights to the throne."

Bev furrowed her brows. "You're lying!" she shouted, then turned to Zane. "She's lying isn't she?"

Zane didn't even look at her. He just stared at me with narrow eyes, like he was wondering how I knew, and then he flashed an evil smile.

"You should have read the book _before_ stashing it inside your piano bench, and then you would know. It's all there in black and white," I said disdainfully.

When Zane didn't refute it, she started to cry and became angry. "You lied to me? What about us? What about our plans to travel abroad ... see the world?" She waited for him to say something, but he just shoved her away. "You bastard!" she screamed and slapped him hard across the face. "I hope you rot in hell."

I saw his knife blade glint in the light, but by then it was too late. He quickly brought the blade down, stabbing her in the stomach, and shoving her to the floor with the heel of his boot.

I was in shock and couldn't see or hear anything around me. I just stared at my aunt lying on the dirt floor bleeding to death. Zane moved in front of me wielding his knife in the air. I knew he was going to stab me next but I still couldn't move. William grabbed him from behind, slinging him clear across the room.

"Genevieve!" William shouted at me, and I slowly turned to face him. "I love you," he said warmly, and I started to come back to my senses when I heard a thunderous noise booming from behind me and turned toward the tunnel.

I nearly freaked when the biggest, most beautiful, silver-furred Adlet I'd ever seen came thundering from inside the tunnel. It stood at least a foot taller than Luna and the boys, and had deep red eyes that reminded me of the color of the Crest stone. It was the leader of the Adlet warriors. It was ... Chief Okpik.

Zane's eyes widened and his face paled a little when he saw him. He hurried to his feet when the Lycans seemed to cower in the Chief's presence. Zane had to command them repeatedly to attack.

I was momentarily awestruck watching the Chief in action, the way he tore through three and four Lycans at one time ... and was winning. Luna and her brothers also fought more aggressively. I figured it was because he was there and they wanted to make him proud.

The Lycans were extremely malnourished and weak, but they greatly outnumbered us. Some of them were so puny, their necks broke easily. Joshua and James guarded the tunnel's entrance to keep more from getting through.

I thought that Aunt Bev was dead until I saw her move. A Lycan also spotted her and had started easing his way over to her. I saw it lunge and grabbed its tail, yanking it backward just before it ripped into  her face. I grabbed it around the throat and snapped its neck, then tore its head off.

"Gen ... help your mom," Aunt Bev stammered as her eyes slowly closed. I heard her heart beat grow very faint and knew she was fading. Even after everything she had said and done I still loved her enough that I didn't want her to die before we could get her some help.

When I looked around for my mom she wasn't there and Zane had vanished, too. I scanned the room frantically, but I couldn't find neither one of them. I suddenly remembered when I had seen the bookcase earlier it was cracked open. _How did I miss that?_

I didn't want William to know I was going after Zane. I looked around the room, not even Luna needed help, and the Lycans had already started retreating, at least the ones that were lucky enough to get past Joshua and James.

I eased over to the bookcase and pushed. It was on a spring lever and popped open when I released it. I scanned the room and found William eyeing me. He would just have to forgive me for lying. "William! Luna needs your help!" I shouted the lie pointing behind him. As soon as he turned away, I bolted, quickly disappearing through the hidden door.

Chapter 58

I flew down each of the tunnels that had opened up behind the bookcase, searching frantically, but couldn't find a trace of my mom. I was about to lose hope when I remembered something my mom had told me when I was little. "Be still, and listen," she had said. I don't know why I even had that thought right then, but I did. I closed my eyes and listened, but didn't hear her. "I'm just wasting time," I grumbled.

Just when I was about to give up hope I smelled the familiar scent of lavender and I remembered the vision I'd had in New Mexico. I slowly turned until I smelled it the strongest and followed. I thought I was headed to another dead end, but as I grew close I saw a door made to blend in with the charcoal colored walls.

I quietly turned the knob, but it was locked. _Really? You honestly think a locked door can keep me out?_ I took a step back, raised my foot, and kicked the shit out of the door. It went flying inward, and when the dust settled, Zane was hiding behind my mom with his knife to her throat, again.

I narrowed my eyes. "Put down the knife, you coward," I said in a low growl.

"You think I'm afraid of you? Ha! You're nothing more than a mere child." He laughed, and pretended he was sheathing his knife, but instead threw it so fast I couldn't get out of the way, and it stuck into my shoulder.

It hurt, but only for a second. His eyes grew big as golf balls when I pulled out the knife, and the bleeding stopped almost instantly.

"That's impossible! A werewolf cannot heal that quickly, not even an Adlet wolf."

"You're right, they can't ... but I can." I heard his heartbeat grow rapid and I laughed just as eerily as he had earlier.

He had my mom's arm bent behind her back, and I heard it when he snapped her bones in two. She screamed out in pain, and anger like I had never felt before washed over me. The bones inside my face began to move and grow, causing the skin covering them to tighten. My neck and shoulders moved next, popping and growing. My shirt tore when my skin stretched tight across my chest as it grew. My pants also ripped at the seams when my legs became too large and too thick for my jeans to hold them.

I thought for a moment I was turning back into an Adlet, but that's not at all what was happening. I was changing into something I had never seen before, and I was terrified of what was happening to me.

"I will kill you for hurting my mom," I said in that same deep growl-like voice I had heard in the garage. I also noticed my words were over pronounced because my fangs had grown long like an Adlet, which was definitely something that shouldn't happen to a vampire. All vampires had small fangs that were easily hidden when they closed their mouths.

Zane quickly shifted into his wolf form at the same time I lunged for his throat. It sounded like thunder cracking every time our bodies collided. He bit into my shoulder, the same one he'd stabbed, and I shoved him, knocking him back against the wall so hard it cracked behind him.

I heard my mom's terrified screams, but I was more angry than I had ever been, and I couldn't stop. I grabbed him by the fur on his throat and we went to the ground. I squeezed until my hands shook. "Die," I growled in a deep voice sounding like a monster.

His eyes started to glaze over, and my mom's faint warning for me to look out echoed in my head as everything faded to black.

***

When I woke up, I was lying on the floor with William cradling my head. I had a stabbing pain shooting from my back straight through to my chest. Everything was hazy except for the pain and the fact that I couldn't breathe. Slowly, my breathing started again and the pain subsided.

I smiled briefly at William, but when he failed to smile back the previous events started replaying in my head. I sat up, quickly feeling my face and looking at my body. I thought it all had been a terrible nightmare until I saw my pant legs were ripped at the seams, and fresh blood stains covered the front of my shirt.

"Where's my mom?" I asked, frantically looking around. "Where's Zane?" I pushed away from William and scrambled to my feet.

All four siblings ran in the doorway. "They're gone," James said, looking at William. "We followed their scent, but it's like they just disappeared."

"What do you mean they're gone? They were just here," I said, scrunching my eyebrows. "What's going on, William? I don't understand what happened." I paused, thinking. "I remember fighting with Zane and I had him in a choke hold." I slowly paced across the floor as I started remembering the details. "I felt this sudden sharp pain in my back, and then ... nothing."

William held up Zane's knife, and I tilted my head to the side, scrunching my eyebrows tighter. "Look closely," He said, slowly rotating it.

It wasn't Zane's knife like I'd thought. I think William wanted me to figure it out on my own, but Luna innocently spoke up.

"What are you doing with Grandfather's knife?" she asked earnestly, and I quickly turned my attention to her.

"Your grandfather's knife?" I asked. "Yeah, William ... why _do_ you have the chief's knife?"

William's shoulders dropped, and his expression saddened. "I think the reason you can't remember anything after choking Zane is because you were stabbed in the back with this knife."

Luna's expression changed to horrified and she gasped, throwing her hand over her mouth. The two oldest twins quickly averted their gaze from me, but I saw Joseph grow angry.

"But I'm a vampire," I said, still feeling a bit self-conscious saying it in front of Luna and her brothers. "A knife to the back wouldn't cause me to pass out or kill me ... would it, William?"

"It would if it pierced your heart," he said quietly, and he saw my confusion. "It should have killed you, Genevieve." William had the saddest look on his face. "The only way to kill a vampire is by piercing their heart. When I found you, you were in here alone face down on the floor with a knife sticking out of your back. When I couldn't hear your heart beating I thought you were ..." His voice turned throaty sounding and he trailed off. "I held you in my arms and I pulled out the knife. When I did, you suddenly opened your eyes." He smiled so lovingly it made my heart yearn for him. "I don't know why you didn't die, and I don't care. I'm just glad you didn't."

I chewed at the inside of my bottom lip, thinking. "Why would the chief want to hurt me?" I asked, looking the siblings.

I guess Joseph couldn't hold back his anger any longer. "Grandfather didn't do this! He _wouldn't_ do this. Not to Gen. He knows how I ... how we care about her and how important she is to the survival of the Adlet people," Joseph said and glared at William.

"I didn't do this to her," William shouted, and got in Joseph's face.

"Stop it!" Luna moved in between them. "I followed William here. He's telling the truth," she shouted at Joseph, and his features stiffened to a painful mask. "He didn't do it, Joe," she said softly, lowering her eyes.

"Maybe he didn't, but I know my grandfather didn't do it either!"

"Where is your grandfather, Joseph?" William asked, sardonically. "I sure as hell don't see him anywhere. And he left the cave before we did."

When William mentioned the cave, I thought about Aunt Bev. "What about my aunt? Is she ... " I trailed off, not wanting to hear one of them tell me she was dead. "I have to see her," I said before bolting from the room.

I couldn't help but feel sad. She was my mom's sister. She was my blood. And maybe it hadn't been her fault. For all I knew, Zane could have mesmerized her somehow. I remembered how I had been entranced by him in New Mexico, and I wasn't even a human. I felt sure it would be much easier to get a human under his spell. William didn't seem to have any trouble mesmerizing humans.

Aunt Bev laid on the cave floor in a warm pool of her own blood. She looked so peaceful and innocent it was hard for me to keep from falling apart. It was like her betrayal no longer mattered. All the fun times we had shared streamed through my mind like a home movie.

I took a few uncertain steps, and slowly knelt down next to her. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you," I whispered, feeling responsible for everything that had happened. When I leaned in close, gently kissing her on the forehead, she moved and I jumped. I had heard a faint heartbeat, but mistook it for Williams.

"She's alive!" I shouted at William, and when I looked at her again her eyes were cracked open. "Aunt Bev, you're going to be all right. You just have to hang on a little longer," I uttered, stroking her hair.

She tried to say something, but her whispers were barely audible, and it was hard to hear with the water noise.

"Shh, don't try to talk," I said, smiling sadly at her. "Save your strength."

William rushed over and dropped to his knees on the other side of her. He peeled back her blood soaked shirt while I watched and held my breath. He gently covered it back up, looked at me, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Gen. She's lost too much blood."

"Can't you give her your blood?" I asked desperate to save her. "You know ... turn her?"

He furrowed his brow. "She's lost too much blood, and the smell of death has already set in. I'm sorry, but I can't. It's too late."

Aunt Bev heard him, and opened her eyes again, forcing a smile through the pain. "It's okay. Let me go," she stammered and I knew she was almost gone. "Your mom," she uttered.

"Zane took her, Aunt Bev. He got away." I lowered my eyes, wondering if he might kill my mom as soon as he'd gotten away safely.

"I know where ..." she trailed off coughing. Her breathing was labored and her words came out broken, which made it harder to understand what she was saying. "Prague ... to ..." she whispered, then let out one more short breath, and was gone.

Chapter 59

Luna and her brothers went back to the reservation to talk to their grandfather and William and I returned to the cabin. I wanted to confront him myself but they convinced me it wouldn't do any good. Even Joseph said he would tell them before me.

I hugged Luna and made her promise to call me after she talked with her grandfather, but that was one call I definitely didn't expect to get.

"Oh my God, it feels good to be home," I sighed, dropping onto the couch and kicking off my shoes. William dropped onto the couch next to me and threw one of his legs over mine. He picked up the remote and switched on the stereo. The light from it glowed softly in an otherwise dark room. The impact of everything that had happened hit me all at once, and I couldn't help but cry. Tears may not have fallen, but I cried all the same—from sadness and exhaustion and fear.

William put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. His heartbeat was slow and faint, and mine started beating in sync with his. "Everything's going to be all right." His voice was calm and quiet as he ran his fingers through my long tangles.

I thought about what he said and looked up at him, furrowing my brow. "How can you even say that?"

"Because," he answered softly. "You're here with me." His smile was filled with love. He kissed me once, tenderly, then I closed my eyes, listening to Avril Lavigne's, "When You're Gone." William let his head fall back against the top of the couch, exposing the large vein in his neck. I didn't have to physically see it to know that with each slow, steady pulse his skin rose and fell over it. The sound of his heart combined with his scent instantly triggered my memory of his delectable tasting blood, and my mouth began salivating.

I needed to feel William's touch more than I had ever needed anything. I used my knee to push his leg from atop mine and flipped myself around until I was sitting on his lap, straddling him between my legs. My heart sped up to match his. I felt his eyes on me as I pulled my hoodie over my head, and he reached up to help, tossing it to the floor.

We gazed into each other's eyes as he placed his hands firmly on my sides, unhurriedly running his hands upward guiding my arms straight up in the air, then reaching down he pulled my shirt up and over my head.

I felt his hardness under me, his hands gently moved to my hips. He pulled me closer, tenderly kissing the fronts of my bare shoulders, causing my heart to beat even more wildly. He stopped long enough to tug at his own shirt, but too eager to wait, I ripped it from his chest, and ran my fingernails across the rippling muscles that lined his chest and stomach.

Wrapping his hands under my legs, he kissed me hard, picking me up and carrying me into the bedroom, his lips slowly dotting my neck with soft kisses. Standing beside the bed he released me, and my legs slowly dropped to the floor. His fingertips ran upward along the outsides of my arms until they were underneath my bra straps, gently guiding them off of my shoulders. Even though I was terrified I welcomed his touch.

He had one hand holding the small of my back while the other released my bra clasp, then he pressed his bare skin against mine. Although vampires were normally ice cold, once our bare flesh touched, our body temperatures soared, quickly growing hot to the touch.

My fingers trembled nervously as I fumbled with the button and zipper of his jeans, before finally getting it and they dropped to the floor. He swooped me up into his arms, gently placing me onto the huge pedestal bed, then straddled my knees while he unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans. I raised my hips, helping to make it easier for him to slip them off.

William moved up to the pillow next to me and I turned to face him. "You don't have to do this just for me," he whispered, gazing deep into my eyes, gently running the back of his finger down my jaw line. "I can wait if you're not ready."

I wrapped my tongue around his finger. "I am ready, William. I've never been more ready than I am right now," I smiled nervously, wondering if I was really ready, or trying to rush it because I loved him so much I wanted him to be my first. I didn't have to tell him I was a virgin, he'd already sensed  it, and I knew he would be gentle.

His eyes glistened as he leaned in to kiss me. He slipped his fingers under the straps of my panties, sliding them down and then using his toes to kick them off. His hands moved along the small of my back, sending chills down my spine. After gently rolling me onto my back, his lips worked their way along an imaginary line that went from the warm softness between my breasts down to the center of my stomach, peppering me slowly with soft moist kisses that made my skin tingle. It was such intense pleasure I kept forgetting to breathe.

As he worked his way to my mouth, my body trembled nervously. When our lips finally met, I grabbed fistfuls of his hair, kissing him greedily. His mouth was hungry for mine, but in a gentle way. I tasted blood through his skin, and excitement raced through my veins.

I heard a faint ringing noise that sounded like it was coming from under the bed. William heard it, too.

"Is that my phone? I asked, sighing heavily.

William kissed my shoulder before reluctantly reaching over the side of the bed. He dug my cell phone from the pocket of my jeans. The darkened room quickly became illuminated by the screen. Luna's name was lit up in bold letters, along with the words, " urgent 911."

"You better call her," William said, sounding so frustrated it was almost funny.

I took the phone and dialed her number. "This better really be good," I grumbled when she picked up.

"Yeah, it kinda is," Luna said, sounding anxious. "Gen, it was Grandfather that stabbed you, but wait until you hear why before you go off."

"I'm listening," I said severely, tapping my foot on the bed.

William sat up, silently mouthing the word "what," and I held out my phone a bit so he could also hear.

"His reasoning was if you killed Zane without permission from the Amalric, then you would be hunted down and killed, leaving the Adlet people without a leader."

I furrowed my brows. "What? Technically, I stopped being an Adlet when I chose to drink William's blood," I said sarcastically. "So, I don't see that it really matters anymore."

There was a long moment of silence. "That's where you're wrong, Gen. You are still an Adlet. Grandfather saw you in your new form. He called you ... hybrid."

My heart all but stopped completely. How could that be? Zane was considered a hybrid, but when he transformed, he still looked like a wolf. So, then why hadn't I been able to do that since William turned me? I climbed down off the bed, and picked up my clothes.

"So what you're saying is I can kill Zane if I get permission from the Amalric?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Luna answered hesitantly. "Why?" She asked, but I didn't respond. "Gen? Answer me. What are you going to do?" She asked, frantically.

"I'll call you back," I said, and pressed the end button while Luna was still talking.

I looked briefly at William, chewing on my lip. "Get dressed," I said, not unkindly, after picking up his jeans and tossing them onto the bed. "I need you to take me to my aunt's house, and then to the airport. I'm going to Prague."

William jumped off the bed, and tried to put his legs in his jeans while hurrying around the bed where I was putting on my clothes. If I hadn't been upset I probably would have laughed seeing him hop around the floor.

"Wait. You can't just go flying half way around the world on a whim."

I stopped putting on my clothes briefly. "Are you saying you won't take me?" I asked earnestly.

"No ... I'm not saying that at all, but you've got to plan out a trip of that magnitude."

I was in the process of trying to brush out my long tangles, so I didn't answer.

"Look, Genevieve. You're a vampire now, and you have to start thinking like one. You need enough blood to last you on the trip. What if something happened and you couldn't get blood right away when you got there?"

I stopped brushing and looked at him, raising my eyebrows. "I'm sure I would find something to eat. You said there are blood banks and doctors everywhere."

"Yeah, that's right," he nodded. "But you have to know where to look. Besides, there are other things as well ... like money, credit cards, identification, passports, and the most important ... the Amalric. You don't know how to find them. It's not like trying to find a post office or something. Even if you did get lucky and find them, they won't see just anybody."

"So, what are you saying, William?" I asked, and pulled my hair into a messy bun. "That I shouldn't even try to save my mom? That I should let that monster hurt my mom and others, too?" My eyes felt hot and started to sting.

"Of course not." He went into the other room, and returned a few minutes later on his phone. "Thanks, Dad. Appreciate it." He quickly snapped his phone shut, and walked over to a large walk-in closet.

I slipped on my shoes and stood in the middle of the room with my hands on my hips.

When he came out, he had a backpack thrown over his shoulder. "Okay. Let's run by your house," he said, smiling brightly.

I just stood in the middle of the room, staring at him in disbelief. "What do think you're doing?"

"Exactly what it looks like. I'm going with you." He walked to the bedroom door and turned to face me, holding out his arm. "Let's get a move on. The jet will be ready in an hour, and after we leave your house, we still need make one more stop on the way to the airport."

I was stunned, so it took me a minute to move. He had thought of everything. Was his love for me so great he was willing to risk his life for me? In the end I hoped to prove myself worthy of that love, but for now my focus was getting to Prague to save my mom, and to kill Zane.

Three hours later, we sat side by side, fingers entwined and my head nestled against his shoulder. The song, "Marry Me" by Train played softly in the background. William stopped kissing me and gazed into my eyes. "I love you, and I promise I'll never let anyone hurt you as long as I have a breath in me."

I traced my finger along his strong jaw line and pulled him closer. "You better." I smiled and kissed him softly. "I'm counting on a whole lot more of that."

###

**Keep reading for chapter 1 of the second book in the** _Ties To The Blood Moon series._

Book 2

Chapter 1

Someone was following us. I knew it and William knew it. He didn't say anything, but I watched from the corner of my eye as he continuously checked his mirrors. I had the distinct feeling it had everything to do with a man I spotted openly eyeing me standing at the curb just outside the airport exit. The same headlights had been behind us since we left the airport. Staying back far enough to be inconspicuous, but close enough to never lose sight of our car.

After we had stepped off William's father's jet, we walked arm in arm inside the airport and waited in line to go through customs. We had depleted the last of our blood supply while in flight and he acted somewhat worried. He had good cause though. He knew I would be getting hungry soon.

Vampires normally ate only every five to seven days. But newly turned vampires craved blood much more often. And for some reason with me it was even worse. It was like I just couldn't get enough. The more I drank, the more I wanted. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that before William turned me I had been an Adlet werewolf. A werewolf's sense of smell was many times more sensitive than even that of a bloodhound.

William said it would take my body some time to adjust. Until then, being around humans would almost certainly prove to be a challenge. All the different smells of fresh blood drove me mad. Just thinking about it made my mouth water and my heart beat faster.

"Remember what you learned? Hold your breath as much as possible to help block out the smell," William nudged me and whispered as we neared the line of people.

He had spent time on the plane helping me to train my mind to accept the fact that vampires didn't need to breathe nearly as much as humans. But, at the same time we held our breath, we still needed to move our chests in and out to simulate breathing, just in case someone took notice. I really had to concentrate hard to make my chest move while also remembering to not take in a breath.

The airport was so crowded and the smell of fresh blood lingered everywhere. Each time I did take in a necessary breath my mind went crazy with excitement. William quickly took notice and squeezed my hand so tight I thought my fingers would break. He was only doing it to help keep my mind off of a slightly older couple standing in line in front of us.

"Concentrate, Genevieve," he whispered. "We'll be through in a few minutes." His soft lips tickled my ear as he spoke, and the woman who stood in line in front of us, glared at me over her shoulder when she heard me giggle.

Once we made it through customs William scooped up our bags and started leading me through the crowd. There really wasn't much difference between Prague's International Airport, and LAX except I could understand _most_ of the people at LAX. I couldn't understand anything these people were saying.

I stopped when I spotted the same woman who had been so rude in line walking into the bathroom. "William, I have to go to the bathroom." FYI—vampires still pee. Blood is a liquid, and our bodies don't absorb all of what we drink.

William hadn't seen her enter the bathroom or he would never have allowed me to go. His forehead wrinkled when he kissed my hand and then reluctantly turned it loose. "Remember, don't breathe," he said, staring intently into my eyes.

The bathroom was much different than in the states. They were small enclosed closet-like rooms instead of regular stalls. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply through my nose and knew instantly which room she was in. I walked over to the sink and pretended to wash my hands while I watched the doorknob to her stall through the mirror.

When I saw the knob begin to turn I flew across the room in a blur, my hand covering her mouth as the door opened, pushing her back inside. The moment she looked into my eyes she stopped trying to fight. As I sank my teeth into her neck her body went limp. Her blood was richly thick and tasted as sweet as honey. I had only meant to drink a little, but the taste of fresh blood was much more delectable than bagged blood. I continued to drink and probably wouldn't have been able to stop before killing her, but a sudden terrifying vision of torture and murder quickly brought me back.

I sat her on the toilet, propping her against the wall and hurriedly cleaned her neck with tissue before disappearing from the stall. My saliva would make the wound heal in a matter of seconds.

I stopped for a second just inside the door, smoothing my hair and wiping traces of her blood from my mouth. I tried to act calm when I exited the bathroom. "Okay," I said to William while forcing a smile. "I feel much better now," I said, purposely avoiding his eyes.

I felt his eyes on me for the longest before he quietly grabbed my arm, jerking me through the airport, not saying a word until we were safely outside. That was when he spun me around to face him. "What did you do, Genevieve?" He had this wild look in his eyes. A look I had never seen before, and it frightened me.

I wrinkled my brow trying to appear confused. "What are you talking about?" I asked with my most innocent voice.

"Your heart sped up while you were in the bathroom," he scoffed and quickly reached for my face. I thought he was going to slap me, but instead he rubbed at the corner of my mouth and held up his finger. When I had wiped the woman's blood from my lips I had missed a spot.

"Well, she...she deserved it," I justified in a hushed voice. "You saw the way she looked at me—like she somehow knew what I was and thought she was better—and I told you I was starving!" I had no intention of telling him about the terrifying vision I'd had.

"You can't do that," he said severely through a clenched jaw. "Not here. Not in this country. These people are different, Genevieve. They know all about vampires and they still secretly hunt them here."

My eyes widened with alarm. "I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "You're right. It was stupid and I didn't think it through. I knew I could hypnotize her and she wouldn't remember anything. I made sure the wound had closed up, and she was sleeping peacefully when I left her."

William kept looking behind us. "What are you looking at," I said and tried to turn around to see, but he tightened his hold on my elbow and quickened our pace toward the curb.

"Get in," he said, holding open the door of a waiting car he'd rented before we left Haven. He tossed our bags into the back seat and slammed the door before rushing around to the driver's side.

As we pulled away from the curb I kept feeling like I was being watched. When I turned I locked eyes with a man in a long black coat with the collar pulled high. He just stood at the curb staring at me as we drove away. I turned my attention to William for a brief second and when I looked back where the man had been standing, he was gone. I sat forward and looked all around, but he'd somehow slipped away.

