 
MASKED SHEWOLF
YARA GHARIOS
Masked SheWolf

By Yara Gharios

Copyright 2014 Yara Gharios

Smashwords Edition

This book is available in print at most online retailers
Smashwords Edition, 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 recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

About

Titles

Sneak Peek
To Shmit, for the initial push that led to this,

and to Flo, because it's long overdue.
**INTRODUCTION**

On the edited and revised version

When I made the decision to go into self-publishing, I didn't realize how difficult it is for me to be doing this on my own. I'm not getting virtual feedback before I publish, because I had this insane idea that I don't want my usual editors -aka my best friends- to read my work until they can hold a hardcopy in their hands.

Joke's on me, because I left several plot-holes and mistakes. Fortunately, a benefit of self-publishing is the fact that I can edit content anytime I want without interrupting sales.

So here you have the -first- revised edition. I worked overtime with my writing beta on this. I won't tell you what has changed from the first edition, because I don't want to spoil anything in case you're actually reading this for the first time. However, if you are one of the original readers, you'll see the differences.

I'm very sorry for those who already bought the original copy and cannot get an updated one. I will be mentioning the changes in the second book of the trilogy to note the major differences so that no confusion will occur. Other than that, there's really nothing I can do.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the first installment of the _Masked SheWolf_ trilogy, edited and revised.

Happy reading!

**ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS**

First of all, thank YOU for reading. It has been a pleasure to entertain you. No really, it has!

It has been a crazy ride, turning this book from an experiment to a published work. I came close to giving up so many times, but I'm glad I didn't. I owe all that to God and my family; my parents, Georges and Reine, my older brother Jad and younger sister Hanadi, who have always been supportive.

My immense gratitude goes to the readers of the online community, without whom I never would have plucked up the nerve to even look up self-publishing.

Also a great thank you to my supportive best friends and first readers; Sarah "Flo"; my writing beta extraordinaire, Tamar "Zia"; and Michelle "Shmit", my MSW cover girl, not to forget every friend who has ever read any of my writings or simply showed their support (there are too many to remember, but I'll try to name as many as I can); Lea, Luna, Rim, Mira, Joey, Layal, Miro, Sharbel (playfully referred to as my "agent"), Rayan, Yazbeck, Ani, Jojo, Boushra, Nessie, and everyone who helped me when I needed information (those are definitely too many to remember).

Thank you to Marc, for taking the beautiful picture on the cover, and to Rita and Claude for putting it all together. My gratitude also goes to Ashleigh Neame, for all her help and tips on self-publishing, and for giving me my first review.

And finally a big thank you to the online community of self-publishing for making this possible.
PROLOGUE

Dylan

I want you to do something for me. Everything you think you know about my world, throw it out the window. As of now, you know nothing. You will eventually learn everything.

Here's my first revelation for you: werewolves are real. They have existed for longer than people can remember. I know, shocking, right? But there aren't that many of them, which is kind of a bummer because they're pretty awesome. They used to be exposed to the world, and at one point, humans even hunted them down.

Ever since those days of persecution, werewolves have lived in secret communities called packs. Today, an average pack would consist of around thirteen to sixteen members, all of whom are related somehow –over eighteen, if they're a really big family. We like to live in small numbers, to avoid suspicion among humans, but not small enough to leave ourselves unprotected.

Very few packs have the means to provide for a large number of members while remaining safe, but there are some known around the world to have more than fifty. Those are usually the ones who give themselves a name, like they're famous or something. They're the closest thing werewolves have to royalty.

Their numbers give them an advantage over other packs. Plus, they own most of the lands ideal for shifting without being detected by humans. Other packs need their permission to shift on their land. Therefore, they become an authority figure that smaller groups go to in time of need.

Sadly, this can lead to a few pain-in-the-ass packs, which are all about amassing power and forcing their authority on others. Werewolves who choose to live on their own among humans create a problem for those power-hungry. It's like a mob, in a way; join us, or die.

To be fair, not all big packs are like that, but enough of them are. They're hard to contain by the other more powerful big packs, but luckily not impossible, which is why we haven't had any conflicts among our kind in decades.

That's not all; you should also be aware that werewolves stopped having daughters about five centuries ago. No one knows why or how this happened, which means no one knows how to stop it, either. But it caused a panic among every pack in the world, big and small. They called it the pandemic. It got to the point where only male werewolves are born now, and they have to 'mingle' –if you know what I mean– with human girls for their species not to go extinct.

The result of a werewolf-human union is a male werewolf who is not as powerful as one born from two werewolf parents. Back in the pre-pandemic days, werewolf-human relationships used to be a shameful thing because they dilute the bloodline, but now they're necessary. What else are werewolves supposed to do? Let the race die? Besides, humans are not viewed as though they're beneath werewolves. Not anymore.

Once a male chooses a girl as his mate, he can tell her everything about our world. Back when there were female werewolves, everyone had a significant other, magically predestined for them. Humans call them soul mates, but werewolves just call them mates. Unfortunately, the only way for werewolves to find their _true_ mate is to see each other when they're shifted to wolf form. Humans, sadly, can't do that.

Now imagine what the reaction would be if a female werewolf was born in the twentieth century. Every child she might have with a male wolf, boy or girl, would be as strong as in the old days. Any pack interested in making stronger werewolves would definitely want to steal her. Those who were reluctant to do so would, at the very least, be afraid of other packs getting stronger because of her, and would do anything to prevent that.

Either way, I don't think they would be so casual about it, like "Hey, let's meet her and hope she falls in love with one of ours and makes babies with him!" No, it would be more like "Snatch her and go, go, go!" Maybe that's effective for them, not so great for her.

There's only one solution here; no one can know she's a girl. Pretending to be human doesn't work, since her scent would give away her animal gene. Pretending to be a boy, however, might be effective, because there's no difference between female and male werewolf scent. She just needs to watch out who she shifts in front of, because then they would be able to tell that she's actually a girl just by looking down her stomach.

Now, you're probably wondering where I'm going with this. See everything I just told you? It all comes back directly to me; I am a female werewolf in hiding. It's why I was given a boy's name when I was born; Michael Dylan Connolly. No one besides my parents and four brothers know the truth, and that's the way it has to stay, or else I'm in serious trouble.
CHAPTER 1

Michael

My patience sometimes amazes me. On any normal day, I am the most impatient person in my family. One of the perks of being the youngest is that I usually get what I want, if I ask my parents nicely enough of course.

I never ask for anything extravagant; I understand that there is a limit. However, anything my parents can provide for me is never refused. If I want the new PlayStation, I will get it tomorrow.

For my eighth birthday, they even got me a whole park full of inflatable balloon castles. I think they do this kind of stuff to overcompensate for denying me the freedom to really be myself, which means that despite always being given most of the things I asked for, I didn't grow up to be spoiled.

I did, however, become an impatient child, and it stuck with me since then.

However, today is War Day. On those days, I am always so concentrated on getting my task done that my patience is practically endless.

I can tell what each of my brothers is responsible for, thanks to the trails left behind by their individual scents. Mason made his move this morning when I woke up and stuffed my feet into whipped-cream-filled slippers. Before I could even start planning how to get back at him, Danny apparently also glued my shoes to the floor. Then Nate made sure my bedroom was locked from the outside, and he probably has the key.

At first, I wasn't sure if Connor had done his part yet or not, but then I notice that Burns isn't in the room, even though the window is closed, and I know that he did. I usually leave the window open for Burns at night. He would leave and eat mice, or whatever it is cats do at night.

But Burns either should have been back already, or the window should have been opened, because he always closes it after he comes back, right before crawling next to me to sleep.

I could have forgiven my other brothers' harmless pranks by going easy on them, but my eldest is so going to pay. Nobody messes with my cat.

I found him myself when I was sixteen. Burns was left by his mother to die in the corner of a diner where my brothers and I like to hang out. He was so tiny, and he was crawling blindly across the dirty ground, all blackened from rolling in the filth around him. It was only after I washed him that I found out Burns was actually grey with a white underside, and that it wasn't all dirt. I fed him every day with a dropper for a few weeks, until he could see and walk around on his own. But then Burns started following me home. I didn't even lead him here; he found me on his own. So I asked my parents if I could keep him, and they let me.

Sometimes, Burns acts more like a creature with a conscience than a cat. He's attached to me, even though it shouldn't be possible, because I am in a way related to dogs. But I am still very protective of him.

As motivated as I am right now to hatch the perfect evil plan and get back at Connor before going to the others, being trapped in my bedroom is kind of a setback. I could just break the door, but I might as well shout out that I'm awake and lose the element of surprise. Besides, it would make my parents very angry, and that's never a wise decision.

So that's how I ended up sneaking out of my bedroom window, just five minutes after waking up.

Connor's room is right next to mine. All I have to do is carefully climb up the tree outside my window, go to the side facing Connor's room, swing down, go in through his window and execute my master plan. Piece of cake!

The climb is the easy part, the result of strong muscles combined with years of practice. With four older brothers, a girl is bound to learn how to get by. When I get to the branch at Connor's room, I sit on it sideways, with the window to my right. I lock my legs firmly around the branch, and I swing to the right with the intent of grabbing on to the windowsill. But then my foot gets stuck between two smaller intertwining branches

"Shit!" I cry out.

It's too late for me to catch myself, and I end up dangling with my foot painfully wedged and twisted to the side. This only fuels my anger and desire to have revenge, and the pain becomes a distant feeling in the back of my brain.

Without thinking twice about it, I use my lodged foot to swing myself back up and then break the part of the branch that's keeping my ankle tied. Sometimes, having werewolf super strength is awesome. Okay, it's awesome all the time, but still; on War Day, it's a big bonus.

After freeing myself, I change tactics by sitting on the branch while facing the window, using the back of my knees and my hands to hold myself. Swiftly, I swing backwards with more ease this time. My speed again gives me an advantage. I spin so fast that a second later, my hands come in contact with the edge of Connor's window. I immediately let go of the branch.

I am so focused that I don't feel anything; not the way the wood bites into my skin and tears my pajamas, nor the fact that my ankle is starting to throb. When I am done with my mission, I can think about the rest.

Once again, climbing is the easy part, especially with my strength. Seconds later, I am standing in my brother's room, feeling rightfully smug. I know exactly what I am going to do to him. Instantly, I go to the first drawer of his bedside table where I know he keeps his phone. He only grabs it when he leaves the house or when his girlfriend comes over and takes possession of it.

The screen flashes and demands his password, which makes me hesitate for a second. Connor changes it almost every week because of me. What can it be this time?

I try the old one, just in case; 6764, the letters NPNG, which stand for "no pain, no gain". All of my brothers are so obsessed with their muscles. It's ridiculous. The password doesn't work, though, and I have to stop and think for a moment.

_What's Connor more obsessed with than himself lately?_ I wonder.

A smirk plasters on my face when I figure out the answer and type 26627. The irony of it makes my plan seem even smarter and more perfect. The screen unlocks immediately. I dive for the door to take a peek out and make sure no one is upstairs. Then I close and lock it.

The third drawer in his dresser is my next target, because that's the one his current girlfriend, Sandra –or is it Kendra?– uses nowadays. I feel disgusted at what I find in there, because it just confirms how often Connor's girl spends the night. After much searching, a grimace on my face, I thankfully find what I am looking for. I'm pretty sure it can fit me.

Hastily, I take off my sweatshirt and unwrap the custom-made bandages I have been wearing since I was thirteen, along with the shirt that hides the edges, and which I use to conceal my obviously feminine chest and make it look, as well as feel, flat.

I don't wear bras, for obvious reasons. But if I ever want to try putting on a pair, just to get a feel of what it's like, I would never in a million years have chosen something this lacy or pink. Looking at myself in Connor's mirror, I am surprised by how well they fit me, and how hot I look in them.

My dark brown hair, which I've kept short over the years, is pretty disheveled, considering I just woke up. It's sticking up in a pixie-like hairdo, which looks weirdly cute. Although my eyebrows are as full and messy as can be, my face retaining the peach fuzz I was born with, my skin looks smooth and glowing. My torso is usually hidden, but right now, with nothing but the bra and my boy sweatpants on, one can plainly see the curve of my waist and chest, and the thinness of my stomach.

For a moment, I just stand there staring at myself in the mirror, amazed that I actually look like a girl for once, a sexy one too, minus the slight facial hair. I even strike a pose and try on my best seductive smile. But then I remember that I have a mission, and I execute it as fast as I can.

When I'm done, I make sure there's nothing to suggest my presence in Connor's phone, which I return to the drawer. Then I unlock the door and casually stroll out into the hallway. Two seconds later, I remember that I am still wearing someone else's underwear, so I run back into Connor's room and take it off. I fix my bandages and put my shirts back on.

Right as I am putting the bra back into the drawer and getting ready to close the latter, he comes in.

"Busted!" he yell.

I jump and knock my elbow against the dresser. "Hey, Con! What's up bro?" I ask as casually as I can while facing him.

At six foot seven and as bulky as he is, you'd think he wouldn't be able to fit through the door. However, there he is, leaning against one side of the frame with his arms crossed, making his biceps bulge out of the same white shirt he always wears in the mornings, his blond hair still messy and his eyebrows raised in a questioning manner above his sea blue eyes. Anyone who doesn't know him would call him dangerous after taking one glance at his sharp and angular face combined with his giant physique. But we, as his family, know better.

"I know what you're doing," Connor says in a threatening tone.

Ignoring my anxiety over my plan going up in smokes, I manage to look surprised and innocent. "What am I doing?"

"Oh spare me the innocent act," he calls my bluff. "What were you even going to do with Andrea's bra, anyway?" - _Andrea! That's her name!_ \- "Hang it on my doorknob so Mom and Dad would find it? They pretty much know everything, you know, so they wouldn't have cared."

_Interesting_ , I muse. _So he didn't put it together. Well, he just made it easier for me to lie my way out of this._

"Actually, I was going to throw it on Nathan's bed and make you think she cheated on you," I easily say, sticking my chin up and crossing my arms defensively.

Clearly, he finds my supposed plan very unoriginal, and an epic failure, too. "That's it?" he asks. "This is how you avenge your beloved Burns? Wow, you're losing your touch, Mickey. That wouldn't have worked because I wouldn't have cared anyway; she and I aren't exclusive."

This actually surprises me. I may forget the girl's name, but Connor's always seemed to like her more than any of the others girls he's been with that I know of. The rest of us assumed she would be the one he eventually chose as a mate and told our secret to. But so far he hasn't done that, even though it's been almost seven months. That's the longest he's ever kept a girl around; the second longest was six weeks. That should mean something.

"What, really?" I ask, momentarily distracted. "But I thought you really like her. I thought she was the one; we all did."

He shrugs and brushes my comment off. "I like her, but I've still got time. There are plenty of other women with potential as mates."

What he's referring to is a basic unspoken law in our world. Putting me aside, female werewolves do not exist, but we don't have to let the entire race die. It's advisable that werewolves have children by the time they're 30, which means they should be in a serious relationship a few years before that; werewolves have enough respect for humans to be intolerant of fathers abandoning their werewolf sons with human mothers, especially when said mothers don't know about the existence of werewolves. For that reason, 25 is considered the average age at which a werewolf must have chosen a mate, and Connor is 24.

It's not really a law, as in someone checks every year on all werewolves of the world to see if they're on track, and if not forces them to do it. Some werewolves never have children, live happy lives with several women and aren't looked down on for it. However, the bigger packs tend to be strict about this rule for their alphas, which is what the big leaders are called, and betas, or the seconds in command; arranged marriages with human girls who are somehow connected to werewolves and already know of their existence are very common.

As for my family, we may be a small pack, but my dad likes to keep this tradition as well, being originally from a big pack before he and my family left when Mom was pregnant with me and Danny. He added to it his own rule, though; the first one of my brothers who chooses a mate, marries her and has a son will be the alpha after him.

So far, Mason's the only one with a declared mate, but I thought for sure Connor would catch up to him when his relationship with Andrea lasted more than a two month. I have nothing to say and remain silent, which gives Connor the opportunity to tackle me to the ground.

"Don't ever go into my stuff again," he grunts as we start to wrestle.

Like all my brothers, he's much bigger than me, which usually gives him the advantage under different circumstances. But when wrestling against only one of them, my size is actually my strong point because I can easily get out of his grip no matter how strong he is. Plus, I'm not that weak, either, and I am perfectly capable of taking one of them on.

I'm almost on the edge of gaining the upper hand and getting Connor off of me when we hear a voice at the door.

"Ahem."

Connor and I freeze and look up at the same time. And there stand the rest of my siblings. Mason and Nathan are exact replicas of each other except that Nathan's blond hair is a bit curlier; his blue eyes more expanded when he smiles and his face slightly thinner. As for Danny, we might be twins, but being fraternal means we don't have any features in common, except for our brown hair color. He has the same blue eyes the rest of my siblings do, while mine are hazel. My face is also rounder while his is sharp and defined, despite being only 17. And let's not forget he has the same tall and muscled build up as the rest of them, while I am slightly on the shorter side. Their sizes are almost intimidating, if not for the fact that this is routine for us and I know what to expect. We are about to form teams.

Let me explain how this usually goes for us Connolly boys. There are five of us, right? Logically speaking, we can't make up two teams and have a fair fight. However, there's me; I may be a boy everywhere I go, but in my house, there's no forgetting I'm a girl. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not as strong as they are, even if I am stronger than normal girls and even normal guys.

But my brothers like to challenge themselves in everything they do. Taking on two guys of equal strength and one girl who is stronger than the average female, with only one teammate to help them out; now that is a huge challenge for them. So when two of us start a match, and it could be any two, the moment the others join, the ones already wrestling are the leaders and they fight over the other three for who gets to be on their team.

Sometimes, we mix it up and have a completely unfair fight of one on four, but those rarely happen, and they aren't as serious as our routine thing because the group of four obviously always wins.

"Mase!" Connor immediately yells. "Remember how Michael took a picture of you throwing up after last week's party at Giselle's, and posted it on the school website?"

"Don't listen to him, Mase, you know that was him and not me!" I retaliated.

That actually was me, but I managed to convince them all that it was Connor. What can I say? I'm a very convincing liar. I have to be, to keep my secret.

"Nate, I know you and Mase are twins, but you have to be on my side," Con went on.

"Oh please," I scoffed. "He loves me more than he loves you."

"No freaking way; you locked him in the girls' bathroom for last month's War Day," he reminded me.

"Well if that's how you want to do it, then Daniel is with me because you locked him in the girls' bathroom once too," I threw back.

After having made our arguments, we stare expectantly at them and wait. The choice is ultimately theirs.

"I'm with my twin," Danny says.

"Yeah!" I shout victoriously.

"Well, I'm with Connor," Mason adds. "I'm pretty sure that was you who posted the picture, Mickey."

"Innocent until proven guilty," I throw back.

"So that means I'm with Michael," Nate concludes with a sardonic smile.

"May the best team win," Connor declares before they all jump in.

Ten minutes later, Connor and Mason's team is beating us against all odds, when Mom calls for us from downstairs.

"Boys!" she shouts. "You've made enough of a ruckus. Come down for breakfast; the girls and I won't wait for you forever!"

We keep going for a bit more until Mason, the voice of reason among us, points out that we should probably get going or else breakfast will get cold.

"You just want to see your mate," Nate teases his twin.

"That too," Mason confirms, not bothering to deny it.

Mason met Marianna two years ago, when he and Nathan went for a trip across Europe. She claims he was a jerk when she first met him, going partying every night and coming home with a different girl. She was a waitress at the place he frequented the most and saw him coming and going on his exploits, while also putting up with his incessant attempts to flirt with her.

Finally, one night, after he had struck out with a girl because he was totally hammered, he was having a sort of personal pity party while Nate was off with another girl. Marianna wanted to kick him out, but he kept telling her things about himself. Drunk Mason is a very honest and vulnerable Mason, so she saw in him something more than the playboy she thought him out to be.

Whenever he tells us the story of how they met, he says that there is only one thing he remembers from that night, something she said that haunted him until he saw her again. He still refuses to tell us what it is, for whatever reason, however, he does say that it turned his life upside down, and he's been in love with her ever since.

Six months ago, on his 20th birthday, he told her everything about us being werewolves, and even about me being a girl; she was the only one outside our family who knew that. It took my parents a lot of time to forgive Mason and accept that Marianna would never betray us, and she accepted him as well as us wholeheartedly.

I think beneath their teasing of his relationship and calling him sappy, my brothers secretly envy Mason, because he was confident she would accept him when he told her the truth, and because she had accepted him without hesitation. There was always that fear in male werewolves that their chosen mate wouldn't accept them, but Mason seriously lucked out. She's very sweet and smart.

Marianna and I get along well, and she's the closest thing I have to a female companion, even though she's 4 years older than me. But that isn't really saying much; Marianna gets along with everybody. She even gets along with Connor's girl, while I have to make an effort to want to talk to her.

As it so happens, when my brothers and I come into the kitchen, I see them laughing together while my mom finishes setting the table. It may seem weird that my parents are aware of my brothers' nocturnal activities and still allow the girls to stay over and have breakfast in the morning. The truth is, they know nothing they do will stop my brothers from sleeping around, but this gives them a say in whether or not the girl stays within our family. Any girl who lasts longer than a day in our house is a girl who has gained my parents' approval for mate.

As I think about how even my parents' approval is not enough for my brothers to choose a girl as mate, I notice Burns in Andrea's arms, reminding me of Connor's prank.

_Soon_ , I tell myself.

Not that I have a specific problem with Andrea, but as long as Connor hasn't himself declared their relationship to be serious, I'm not going to make an effort to get along with her. I mean, she's okay and all, and I can understand why my brother likes her so much, especially with her exotic looks. And, admittedly, it has been kind of fun learning some dirty Spanish words from her. But the truth of the matter is that we don't have anything in common other than Connor. Plus, she's a little too self-absorbed for my taste.

My mother is preparing bacon and eggs in the kitchen when we walk in. She has got her blonde hair pulled back by a headband, which makes her look younger than 45, although the crow's feet in the corners of her eyes are a dead giveaway. On the outside, my mom is a very tough looking lady, with a firm athletic build and a hard-set jaw, but she's actually a big softie.

That's not to say she's not strong. I mean, she is one human against six werewolves; just the matter of feeding us is a chore that would tire out anybody, but she also does the cleaning, the shopping and painting. She loves to paint. The cooking is the hardest part, though. I mean, for breakfast, she practically lays out a buffet for us. To human eyes, there's enough food to feed twenty people, but we all just have really big appetites. Especially Nathan, who eats like a pig.

"Morning, Mom," Danny and I say.

Mase and Con are busy greeting their girlfriends in their own special way, and Nate is already plating up.

"This twin thing is really cool," Andrea whispers to Connor, thinking he's the only one who can hear her. "I wish you had a twin."

"Morning, boys," Mom says with a smile on her face, her blue eyes twinkling when she sees us. "For God's sake, wait for your father, Nathan! Honestly!"

"I did," I hear Connor answer Andrea out loud. "I ate him in the womb 'cause he took up all my space."

Laughter rolls around the table, and it's at that moment that Dad makes an entrance. "Oh believe me, it's a good thing there's just one of him."

I've always admired the way my dad carries himself, in public and at home. Three years older than Mom, but he has a similar hardness to his appearance; with a square jaw that tints every expression he makes with coldness, eyes that could make anyone pee in their pants, and a sturdy build that almost rivals Connor's, he is easily the most intimidating man I've ever met.

Unlike my mother, though, he's just as hard on the inside as he is on the outside. He has always been able to make us boys guilty and afraid just by looking at us. His word is law, and he never has to raise his voice to make that clear. He has a lighter side buried somewhere, but it doesn't come out often. This morning, we are rewarded with its presence.

"Twins are a real piece of work," he goes on.

"Hey!" the four of us complain.

"And here I thought I was your favorite," I add.

"Of course you are," he assures me. "You're the only one who has my eyes."

It's those little gestures of favoritism on his part that makes me take risks when it comes to things he and Mom usually refuse to give me.

"Does that mean you'll let me go to college?" I half-joke, completely forgetting who is in the room.

"Why wouldn't you go to college?" Andrea asks, puzzled. "You and Danny graduate in June, don't you?"

Instantly, the mood is changed. As a rule, we never discuss matters that relate even a tiny bit to my secret in front of outsiders of the family. In my parents' opinion, going to college is very risky, because there are so many things that can expose my true gender. Remember what I said about usually getting what I want from my parents if I asked nicely enough? College is one of the exceptions. You know, right next to actually being a girl.

Personally, I think they just don't trust that I can handle it on my own, and would rather have me close to protect me. How else am I supposed to understand their constant refusal? But because they've always been good parents, and they were always fair with me and my brothers, I can't bring myself to accuse them of that on the off chance that I'm wrong.

Marianna has already been established as part of the family, but Andrea is still an outsider because Connor is not as brave as Mason was when he took that leap. When I asked that question, I didn't mean to put them in a bad situation, because I honestly forgot that Andrea was an outsider.

By the look in my father's eyes, though, I know he doesn't appreciate my bad timing. "Oh, Michael's just got someplace abroad in his mind, and his mother and I don't approve," he easily lies.

Shit, he called me Michael.

He must be really upset that I asked. I look away to hide my guilt as my brothers save me from an awkward situation and continue the conversation normally. My mother meets my gaze and she gives me that sad I'm-sorry-but-you-know-why-we-have-to-do-this smile and I look away again.

This time, Marianna catches my eye and her smile is sympathetic. She knows my plight and she supports me, but it's not like she can take a stand against my parents on my behalf. I wouldn't want her to, either. It took them long enough to be okay with her awareness that I'm a girl; we don't need to repeat that.

Something bumps my foot and I look down to see Burns rubbing his head against my injured ankle. The throbbing registered a while back, especially when my brothers and I were wrestling. But as werewolves, we heal pretty quickly, so I didn't think twice about wrestling. I forgot about it completely when my brothers joined me and Connor.

Smiling, I pick up my cat and put him in my lap, remembering my revenge plan against Connor. I casually reach for my cell phone in the back pocket of my pajama pants and put it on silent. I wait for Andrea to grab his phone under the pretense of taking a picture of the two of them together, like she normally does -honestly, the girl feels the need to document every moment of their life together. Then I dial his number. Seconds later, his phone starts ringing a very sleazy tune.

"Who the hell is Melina and why do you have a picture of her boobs?" Andrea suddenly yells.

Her voice breaks through the chatter of everyone else and causes them to fall silent.

"What?" Connor asks as he takes the phone from her. "Oh, no that's probably one of these guys playing a prank on me. They replaced my contacts' names with a girl's name and attached a picture to it they found online."

"That's my bra," she screams. "That's your bed! That's my picture on the bedside table! Who the hell is this girl? You don't even have the decency to show her face in the picture!"

"No, Andy, I swear," he frantically says as he starts to panic. "I don't know anyone by that name! This must be some prank!"

"Well, it's one hell of a prank," she exclaims and storms out of the room yelling curses in Spanish, some of which I understand.

Connor runs after her. "Andrea, baby, come on! Wait!"

_Yeah, sure, they're not exclusive_ , I mock him internally, having the time of my life.

When he's gone, all eyes are on me. Too late, I realize it's because I'm still petting Burns as if nothing's happened.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"That was..." Mason starts saying.

"Genius!" Danny finishes for him. "Seriously, only you can pull this off, Dyl."

I grin at the praise, and also because he called me Dyl. The only times my family refers to me by my middle name Dylan is when they're thinking of me as a girl. They call me Mickey most of the time, Michael when they're not happy with me, and Dylan or Dyl when something happens that makes my gender obvious. To be honest, I live for moments like these, though I would never admit it.

"Why? Because Michael's the only one who can wear a bra?" my father scolds sternly.

See what I mean about the name thing?

"Well, I'm going to be 18 in June, so I'm bound to be chesty," I reply sarcastically.

"Don't joke about this, Michael," he scolds again. He hesitates only a second as his gaze briefly drifts towards Marianna. "What if somebody saw you taking that picture through the window? How long do you think it would take before your secret comes out, and before the nearest pack puts two and two together and comes after you?"

"Isn't that kind of far-fetched?" Mason ventures to ask. "I mean, we're the only pack within five hundred miles, and even so, we live so far away from civilization that the only time anyone could see Mickey as a girl is at school, and he's not dumb enough to do that."

"I'm not willing to take such a risk," Dad retorts, his pupils dilating so much that his eyes are almost black.

"Honey," Mom calls out to calm him down, recognizing that his temper is rising.

Losing our temper is common for werewolves. If our outburst is strong enough, we could end up having an attack of emotions and temporarily lose control of our shifting ability. We all struggle with it, though I personally have yet to blow up in someone's face.

"It's alright," she reassures him. "It's just a prank. Dylan knows to be careful."

When he stares at her, his eyes gradually return to their usual state. Then he looks at me.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I say in a small voice, knowing that he's right, to a certain extent.

Outside, I hear a car door slam shut and a car drive away. _Andrea has left the premises._

He sighs and visibly softens. "It's alright, Mickey. Your mother is right; you do know how to be careful. I should be showing you that I trust you, not doubting you."

This makes me feel guilty about the college thing. "It's your job to worry, Dad. I understand that."

He smiles at me, and everything's all right between us again.

"And on a much brighter note," Nate interjects cheerily, "that was brilliant, Mickey!"

"Genius!" Danny repeats.

I smirk at them all, in my head already planning what I would do to them next. A couple of seconds later, Connor storms into the kitchen, looking furious.

"How the hell could you do something like that, Michael?!" he shouts.

Not the least bit fazed, I simply shrug and say, "Next time, leave Burns out of War Day."

CHAPTER 2

Logan

It's the strangest feeling, to go somewhere unfamiliar, and yet still get a sense that you're coming home. Then again, everything that matters happened here; this is where my parents met, where I was born, where I spent the first year of my life before they uprooted us all. Every significant moment of my existence started in this place that I've only heard stories about.

Already, my throat is clogging up with the memories my parents must have had. I can see them with my mind's eye taking a stroll around the park when they were my age, about to start a family. I can picture my dad pushing a toddler version of me on the swing as I laugh my heart out, and my mom sitting by the benches, watching us with a warm smile.

Their presence is everywhere, and the nostalgia that comes with it hits me harder the closer we get to the house. The loss is still very fresh, and no matter where I go, it still stings.

"Whoa," Reena whispers when the compound comes into view.

I'm pretty amazed myself. It's much bigger than our place in Maine, with more than enough personal space for all of us, and for the others coming in tomorrow, too. The most impressive thing about it, though, is the fifty years of history behind it, which shows in every brick of the wall surrounding it all.

Inside, the grass surrounding the gravel road is overgrown and vibrant green. Malcolm, our keeper, has apparently been taking good care of it in our absence. Identical two-story houses are spread around, about a dozen or so. There's also the training center, the hospital, the school, and right behind the pack house, the playground for the younger members.

In the center of the compound is where the main pack house is built, the biggest building in the compound. I park right out in its driveway and get my suitcase shared with Reena out. I carry it effortlessly up the wide stone steps that lead to the entrance and drop it by the door so that I can get my keys out. Once in, I cough for a moment; dust has been settling for almost twenty years, and while Malcolm is responsible of maintaining the public spots in the compound as well as manning the gate, he's not allowed in any of the houses.

Every piece of furniture is covered with sheets; in the living room, kitchen, dining room, game room, all nine bedrooms plus the three guest rooms. The building is four stories high with a basement and an attic; it has to be to contain this many rooms that would house the alpha and beta's families. The pack house is by far the largest building, which is where I will be living from now on.

"Welcome to our new home," I say with little enthusiasm.

Reena detects my tone of voice, but she doesn't comment on it, knowing that the eight werewolves following behind us would hear her no matter how low she whispers. She knows she has to wait till we're alone to talk. It's only when we get inside to our soundproofed room that she finally says what's on her mind.

"You know we really didn't have to come here," she tells me for the second time.

"He left me this task for a reason, Ree," I remind her. "I need to find out what it means."

"I understand that," she assures me. "I just meant that you could have made a weekend project out of it or something. Or maybe sent out Cade to do it."

"I have to do this myself," I insist. "Besides, I didn't force anyone to come with me; the pack agreed. They're strongest when they're with their alpha. Everybody has ties here, anyway, so we're not starting completely anew."

A look of sadness crosses her eyes, and she averts her gaze. "I don't. I have no one here. Not anywhere."

I wrap my arm around her waist as a comforting gesture and pull her toward me. Then, I plant a light kiss on her forehead.

"You have me," I point out, "and your family. So long as we're with you, you won't be alone, not anymore."

She leans into me, seeking the support only I have ever been able to give her. "Promise you won't leave me the whole time we're here?"

The reason I came back is still a mystery to me. That's why I can't involve Reena in it, because I don't want to put her in harm in case it turns out to be more dangerous than it appears. But I still promise to stay with her anyway.

After that, I immediately go find Cade, knowing he's probably waiting for me in the office by now. I'm proved correct moments later, when I open the door right outside my bedroom that leads to my dad's old office. Like all the bedrooms in the house, it's soundproofed, which is why I'll be working on my dad's project in there from now on.

The few pictures I have seen of the office are too old. Right now, instead of being filled with books, the shelves are empty and dusty. The desk and chair are covered with white sheets, and the window behind them is in extreme need of cleaning. The entire room is, to be honest; it even smells like ash, for some reason.

Cade is standing right by the window when I walk in, looking out at the view of the playground. He turns around when he hears me coming.

"Is it me, or has this place always been this dusty?" he attempts to make light of the otherwise serious situation.

Still, I manage a half smile. "We'll get around to cleaning everything. Where's Sadie?"

"She's getting everything ready for tomorrow," he tells me. "This is the first time she changes schools, so she's a little nervous."

"She'll be fine," I assure him. Sadie is easily likeable; she'll make new friends before any of us. "The U-Haul will be here any minute, and I'm sure the cleaning crew won't be far behind. We should get going; I don't want to stay out too late. The guys can help set up everything while we're gone."

Right before I'm about to leave, he takes two quick strides toward me, and grabs my arm from over the desk. "Wait," he says. "Before we go, I just got off the phone with your uncle Cliff. He said he tried calling you but that your phone was off."

I pull my phone out of my pocket and find that it is indeed off. "The battery must have died on the way." I was using it for music on the road, but I turned the radio off when we got to the first station, and I must have forgotten to unplug the AUX. Putting it back in, I face Cade again. "What did he say?"

"Your dad signed a treaty with a pack eighteen years ago," he informs me. "Apparently, he allowed them to live on our land indefinitely. They'll probably need a renewal from you, unless of course you don't want them here anymore."

Confused as to why he thought this is urgent, I frown. "O-kay... why did I need to know that before we leave?"

Cade stares at me intently. He conveys more meaning through that simple act than he does through words. "Because they're a lone family."

That's when I finally get what he's trying to say. "Are they on the list?"

He shakes his head. "I checked. But maybe they're still related somehow."

I pause, deliberating what to do. "What are their numbers?"

"Seven; two parents and five boys."

My eyes widen with surprise. _Quite the big family._ "We'll set up a meeting tomorrow. I'll take care of it."

Cades nods in agreement. "Okay."

"Anything else I should know about them?"

"That's pretty much everything."

"Then let's get going."

The closest address on the list is half an hour away. With my urgency driving me, we get there in twenty minutes.

The Mariners' house is very neat and homely, with a tire swing out on the well cared for front lawn. It's like the one I dreamt of having as a kid. I almost start to imagine if my life will be like this when I marry Reena, and how our boys will be spending their time. It's a nice imagery that delays my knocking on the front door for a good long minute.

Then Cade pulls me out of my thoughts by literally pulling me toward the door and ringing the doorbell himself.

"Just a minute!" a woman calls out from inside with a distinct Australian accent in her voice.

There are the sounds of a child's giggles and footsteps. The door opens. A blonde woman in her mid thirties is standing there, holding a boy of about two years old in her arms. The baby is still laughing, his face all red from the exertion. He cuts it off once he sees strangers in front of him, but his smile remains and even widens.

The woman smiles politely at us. "Can I help you?"

"Mrs. Mariner?" I check.

"Yes," she confirms. The baby squirms in her arms and tries to hide his face in her neck. The jerking movement almost causes her to drop him. "Jace, love, stay still. Let mummy talk to the nice men, alright?"

Unease starts to settle in the pit of my stomach. I've obviously caught her at a very bad time, and I don't want to take her away from her son, but I do need some answers.

"My name is Logan, and this is Cade. I'm sorry to come so suddenly and without notice, but I think you knew my father, Cameron Underwood," I start by saying, making it sound like a question.

Her face lights up with recognition. "Yes! Cameron! That's right. How is he? It's been years!"

"Um," I hesitate, not knowing how to answer that. "Is it okay if we come in and talk to you and your husband? There are some things I need to tell you and other things I need to know from you."

"Of course, dear, of course," she immediately agrees. "Come on in."

Mrs. Mariner leads us into the living room, and my eyes are almost immediately assaulted by the bright flowery patterns on the couches. Cade and I exchange looks. I can tell he's just as taken aback by the decor as I am, but he shrugs it off as quickly as I do.

"My husband isn't here right now, but he should be back any moment with our son Jake," she lets us know. "They play softball together every Sunday. It's a great father-son bonding time."

I don't say anything. My father and I never played softball, so I can't really relate to this kind of relationship. The way she talks about her family is very affectionate. You can almost feel the "all-American-family" air in their very house. Never mind the fact that she's clearly _not_ American.

Cade and I sit down next to each other while Mrs. Mariner faces us on the opposite couch, with Jace in her lap. He squirms until she turns him around, and he stares at us with round eyes that make me uncomfortable for some reason.

"Now. How can I help you?" she asks.

Better get right to the point; I'm feeling very uneasy in here. "How well did you know my father?"

"Not very well, to be honest," she answers. "My husband used to be in his pack before he met me on a business trip in Australia, but he and Cameron weren't really that close. It was a more of a formal relationship between them. Cameron is a very private man."

I almost correct her, but I can't.

"You said the last time you saw him was how many years ago?" Cade steps in.

Mrs. Mariner frowns, deep in thought. "Let's see, it must have been... eight or nine years ago? I remember that Jake was two, so it must have been that long ago."

_Now we're getting somewhere_. "Do you remember what happened then?"

There is urgency in my voice that finally makes her realize this is more than just a casual visit. Suspicion flashes across her previously friendly face.

"What's this about?" she demands.

Her heartbeat accelerates, and her arms tighten around her baby, as she just now begins to realize that she has let two werewolves into her home, unprotected. I don't want to frighten her, so I try to keep my own anxiety in check.

"Mrs. Mariner, the truth is..." I hesitate, forcing the words out, "my father passed away a couple of years ago."

Seconds later, her body relaxes again, and the pity I've grown used to seeing on people's faces appears. "Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a great man."

I swallow hard and wordlessly nod my thanks at her condolences. "I'm here because I'm trying to retrace his final steps, and one of the things he left behind was a list of names and addresses. Yours was the closest. Do you know why he would have done that?"

Almost instantly, fear fills her eyes, and she holds her son close once again. Her grip is too tight, though, and he starts crying. Babies crying are usually an annoyance for werewolves, especially with our strong hearing, but they're tolerable. This little guy's scream, however, is particularly high pitched. Cade and I automatically wince and cover our ears.

Mrs. Mariner composes herself and starts rocking her baby until he calms down a little, and his crying dies down to a low whimpering.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you," she says in a desperate manner. "You need to leave."

Her reaction is completely unexpected. Whatever it is that the list means, I didn't think it would be that serious. Now I need to know even more than before, and I can't leave without getting at least some information, but I also don't want to force Mrs. Mariner to talk to me. She's already too terrified; I don't want to add to that.

"Mrs. Mariner," I plead with her. "This is really important. Please, isn't there something you can do?"

She falters, torn between her obvious fear of something I don't even understand and her wish to help me. She doesn't break eye contact with me for a good long moment, nor do I, hoping I can persuade her this way. Finally, she sighs and shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, I really can't say," she repeats regretfully. I start to sag in defeat, until she speaks again. "But... my husband might be able to do something for you."

_Thank God_ , I think with relief.

"Okay," I agree, "we'll wait for him."

She frantically shakes her head. "No, not today. Come back next week."

I'll take what I can get.

"Thank you Mrs. Mariner," I gratefully tell her.

She doesn't reply and instead ushers Cade and I out. I don't understand any of it, but I know now's not the time to push for answers. Once we're out the door, she quickly shuts it in our faces. For a minute, Cade and I just stand there staring at it, trying to process what just happened.

Then I turn to him. "What the hell was my dad doing?"

He sighs morosely. "I don't know man, but it doesn't sound like it was anything good."

I look back at the house. "Whatever it is, I'm going to find out. I have to."

"I'm right there with you," he promises. "Do you want to check out another name from the list before we go home?"

_Home_ , I repeat in disbelief. _This is home now_.

"No," I reply. "I want to go through it one name at a time. Besides, I have a feeling this is the reaction we're going to get from most of them, so we might as well learn to deal with it the first time around."

With that, we walk back to the car, silently planning our next move.
CHAPTER 3

Michael

"Shotgun!" Nate shouts the second Connor grabs his keys, running straight to the front door.

There is a wave of complaint from the rest of us followed by some very colorful objections.

"No fair, you're the last one to be dropped off!" Danny points out, his voice the loudest above all. "It should be between Mickey and me, and you can fight with Mason after we get off."

"In that case, shotgun!" I yell hurriedly and take off running to Connor's black Audi.

"I'm next," Mason seconds immediately, which starts up a fight between him and Nathan.

In the meantime, Daniel has caught me by the leg and we're trampling over each other to get to the front seat. He holds my arm to keep me back but I trip him and he lets go. Then he grabs my ankle and pulls, but I'm expecting that and I give him a good kick before I fall down.

Then I shoot out of his grasp when he goes to grab whatever part of him I injured. Seconds later, I yank the door open and jump in next to Connor, locking it behind me. Mason and Nathan are already in the backseat fighting.

"So are we going or what?" I yell so that Danny can hear me and hurry up. "I don't want to be late like last time."

"Don't look at me; that was Nate's fault," Connor defends himself.

"Hey, you're the one who turned off my alarm clock!" Nate complains.

Connor just shrugs. "You made me the target; I had to retaliate. You should have expected something like that. I just wish Mom hadn't made me go back for you; that would have been such a better plan."

"When I get my own car-" he starts.

"You're a terrible driver, man; even Mickey's got more of a shot at getting a car before you do, and he's been waiting for less than you have," Mase puts in before he can continue.

"I might just get my own car," Nate goes on, obviously dreaming.

"For that to happen, you need money," I point out, "and to get money, you have to actually maintain a job position."

"Hey, waitering is harder than it looks, alright?"

"That's not even a word, dumbass," Con mocks.

That's when Danny finally makes it to the car and opens the door.

"Dude, you broke my nose!" he complains. He groans as he puts it back into place.

Well, that takes care of my vengeance against my twin. _Two more to go_.

"Oh please," I scoff. "You're a werewolf; you'll live."

"This won't heal for another hour!"

"You better not bleed on my car or I swear I'll make you walk," Connor threatens as he pulls out of our driveway.

The drive to Danny's and my school is not a very long one, but it always feels like it, mostly because we never shut up and almost always talk at the same time. It's a very interesting brotherly-bonding experience.

"Some brothers you guys are," Daniel whines _. Seriously; what a baby!_

"It was your decision to make Mickey the target for War Day," he points out. "Live with it. You know he always comes back swinging. Or were you not there when he almost broke me and Andrea up yesterday?"

"How's that going by the way?" I casually ask. "Did she take you back? Are you done groveling and begging yet?"

Connor shrugs with a mischievous grin on his face. "I didn't need to; I convinced her it was a prank, courtesy of my baby brother."

We don't say anything for a couple of seconds. I think that's the longest we've ever been quiet during the morning car ride. Then something unpleasant settles in the pit of my stomach and I feel it growing to the surface, even though I don't know what's going on yet.

"What did you do?" I demand, making each word sound like a separate sentence.

"I introduced her to your girlfriend," he teased.

Now I know what the feeling in the pit of my stomach is; anger. There's some embarrassment in there, too, at the concept of me having a girlfriend, but mostly anger. I don't say anything though, because I know that whatever I come up with is going to be countered by his indifference. That's the most effective way he knows to get on my nerves. Instead, I wait for the opportune moment and let my brothers bash him out in the meantime.

"Dude, that is just wrong," Danny is the first to defend me, even though I just broke his nose. What can I say? Twins always got each other's backs. "You can't choose for Mickey to have a girlfriend when you want him to."

"And yet, I did," he replies, completely carelessly.

"What if Andrea came and asked him about this imaginary girlfriend?" Nate adds in a rare moment of normal intelligence

Connor shrugs, although he looks a bit uncomfortable now. "Not my problem."

"Didn't you think about how this would affect Dylan's secret?" Mason protests, and he sounds almost mad. "That was a really stupid thing to do. Dad will bite your head off when he finds out."

This is apparently something Connor didn't think about. "You can't tell Dad."

"Why not?" I interject, and I put as much venom in my voice as I can muster. "It's the four of us against you."

For a moment, he takes his eyes off the road to look at me, and I can see genuine regret flash in his eyes. "Look, Dylan, I'm sorry, okay? You're right, just please don't tell Dad, I'll do anything," he bursts out.

And there is the opportune moment I was waiting for. "Anything?"

"Yes," he doesn't hesitate to repeat.

"Alright, then listen up, all of you," I start. "Aside from the obvious fact of having to fix this with Andrea, my target is Connor, but you are not allowed to retaliate."

I guess I should explain how War Day works. It's pretty simple; there's a target that all the others play pranks on every Sunday. He has all week to retaliate and chose the next target. Since I was yesterday's victim, I am the one who chooses whose turn is next. We used to sometimes pick the same person as the target repetitively, so we came up with a general rule that we can't be picked more than once a month.

So now, because of what he did to Burns and because of how he got out of my counter-attack, I want Connor to be next week's victim. Nobody can object; it's my choice.

"That's only fair," Mase agrees.

"Yeah, Con, I mean you basically retaliated against his counter-attack, and that's not allowed," Nate reminds him.

"Alright, I get it," Connor stops them. "It was a low move. I won't retaliate when you guys gang up on me."

This is what I love about our brotherly bond; we fight all the time, we humiliate each other practically every day, but we always respect each other's boundaries. Most importantly though, we have each other's backs, even if it doesn't always seem like it. Once, in the ninth grade, this guy thought I was hitting on his girl and cornered me after school for a fight.

I was alright taking him on; I may look like a scrawny guy on the outside, but I'm stronger than I appear, even for a werewolf. I mean, I can beat my brothers in a one-on-one wrestling match. I definitely would have won against some human. But he brought with him three of his friends, and that was about two more than I could handle at the time.

Connor had already graduated, but he had been the designated driver since getting his license. It was after school, so he was parked there waiting for Danny and me. He saw the guys corner me, called our brothers, and rushed to my side. Those guys got their asses handed to them, although we tried to take it easy on them and not inflict any permanent damage. They haven't bothered me since.

A couple of seconds pass in silence, and then we continue talking when Danny complains about his nose one more time.

"People are going to notice," he whines, "if I come in with a broken nose and miraculously heal an hour later!"

I grunt in annoyance. "Just take cover and avoid face to face confrontations until second period," I tell him. "You'll be fine. I do this all the time when I'm not in the mood to fix my voice."

Being a girl disguised as a boy is really rough. There are a lot of manners of walking and talking that I have to pay attention to. There are some perks, like never shaving or going anywhere near my eyebrows or nails, all of which I think are a waste of time that could be better spent doing something productive, like planning my next prank. But the downsides are still hard to deal with, even though I've gotten used to keeping my mask on without thinking about it.

One thing my parents were really scared would expose my secret by the time I hit puberty, besides the obvious physical thing that we've found a way to hide, is my voice. Luckily, it's kind of hoarse and throaty for a girl, which means that if I constantly speak at a low volume, I sound like a young boy whose voice is just starting to deepen. It also means that my singing is awesome, but that's not important right now.

Considering the fact that I tend to speak loudly when I'm worked up, something that happens quite easily, there is a bit of a challenge there. Sometimes, I don't even have the energy to conjure up my guy voice, so I just avoid speaking altogether. It gets rude often, but I don't really care. It's not like any of the people I offend are my friends. The only kids I hang out with at school are Danny and his friends, and they know enough to leave me alone if I don't want to talk.

"We're here," Mason announces with excitement. "I call shotgun!"

"Oh come on!" Nate protests.

Danny and I get out of the car and head to the building while the other Connolly twins continue arguing, and Connor tries to sort the situation out. Almost instantly, we're surrounded by Danny's group of friends. There are four of them; two girls and two guys, and they're all annoying in their own way. Now, normally, Danny would start up conversation with them right away and keep their attention away from me. But this time, because of his nose, he just covers it up and blurts out an excuse that leaves me alone with them.

To be honest, I don't think they count as his friends, more like his entourage or followers. I don't believe even Danny thinks of them that way, because all he ever does with them is joke around during school hours. They don't do that much stuff together outside school, except party, but it's not like they remember what they do at those.

My brothers are all very popular at parties, and they still get invited. I only go because they drag me with them; literally, they stuff me in the car against my will and drive off. Plus, since getting my license, they've been forcing me to go so I could drive them back, because none of them wants to stay sober all night.

One of the two girls in Danny's entourage - I could never remember her name without help - is always quiet and follows the group's move, but the other one, Nell, has been bugging me since the school year started. Danny says it's because she has a crush on me, but honestly, I don't like to analyze it. When we step out of Connor's car, she immediately grabs onto my arm and walks with me.

The only way I can describe her is by comparing her to a Barbie doll. She adores pink because she's always wearing something of the color, she has cerulean blue eyes and platinum blond hair that reaches just below her shoulders, and she constantly wears a plastic smile on her face. Plus, she's always a few inches taller than me because her heels are insanely high.

Honestly, I don't see why she bothers with me. Forget the fact that I hate the attention; she really could have any guy she wants. They all talk about her everywhere, how hot and sexy she is. Why can't she go bother one of them? At least they're her height and her type. I'm pretty sure she's not mine.

"Hi Michael!" she squeals. "How was your weekend?"

"Fine," I reply shortly and pull my arm out of her vine-like grasp.

"Yo, Michael, what's with the sour face?" one of the guys, whose name is Nico, asks with a chuckle.

"Just had a crap morning, that's all," I say casually, moving away from Nell.

"Oh, tell him the news!" Nell cheers excitedly. "This will cheer him up."

I frown at her then at them. "What news? What are you talking about?"

"There's some group that just moved into town," the tallest guy, Brad, tells me, and his expression does not show the same enthusiasm as Nell's.

"So?" I ask, not really sure how this is news.

"It's just weird, is all," Nico goes on. "I mean, there must be like thirty-five of them, and there are still more heading in. Not one of them looks older than twenty-three. I think they're some sort of a cult. They're moving into the old compound at Mayor's Creek; took up all the houses there, even the big manor at the end. "

This earns my interest. I have my suspicion on just what kind of group these people are; the old manor Nico mentioned used to be a pack house for werewolves, but it was abandoned some twenty years ago. It's the only reason why my family brought us over here; the manor was the only werewolf refuge within a hundred miles, so we knew we wouldn't be bothered by rogues or other packs here. It was abandoned years before we moved. Something about being forced to relocate or something, we don't really know the whole story.

What if they decide to introduce themselves to us, or worse, kick us off the land? My family has been the only pack in the area since my mom was pregnant with Daniel and me. But we are a relatively small pack, and they greatly outnumber us. Thirty-five is already a big number, as it is, for a pack to move at once, but there are more on their way. Either they're really stupid and careless about getting people suspicious, or they're a big pack who already has a lot of influence with the human authorities here.

"So, are they settling in or something, or just staying for the summer?" I ask as casually as I can, though I'm fully aware that it's the middle of March.

"Don't know," Brad tells me.

"They just started coming in yesterday," Nell adds. "Nico saw them driving into town."

I just say, "Oh. Okay," because I really don't know how to react in front of them. I need to talk to my family.

"But anyway, that's not the news," Nico admits, and that's when he starts exhibiting enthusiasm. "Word on the street is they're throwing a party this weekend, but they're not letting anyone in."

"Can you believe how selfish that is?" Nell indignantly protests.

_You're one to talk_ , I snap in my head.

"So we're going to crash it," Nico continues as if uninterrupted. "Want to join?"

My eyebrows shoot up and I stare at him. "You want to crash a party? A cult party?" If he really knew what kind of "cult" they are, he would not be so eager to do so.

"Who cares? It's a party! Are you in or not?" Nico presses.

I scoff and shake my head. "Pass."

"What? Why?" Nell whines annoyingly and pouts.

"Sounds exciting, really, but I don't care too much for parties," I tell them honestly. "Besides, they're probably going to be sitting around a campfire, trying to do magic or something."

It's not that far-fetched. Werewolf packs really do have a lot of campfires, and they sometimes spend part of their night in their shifted form, unless their human mates are with them. It's one of the ways of releasing the botched up emotions they always have to keep in check in order not to shift in front of humans, and it's also very healthy for their wolf side.

This is really bad; if a new pack is going to be shifting this weekend, they could actually pick up our scent; and then what? Will they force us to leave or do the opposite and invite us to join their pack? Two separate packs have never been able to coexist in the same area without land boundaries.

Without even giving the others an excuse, I take off in the direction of the school yard and pick up my phone to text my family.

We need to have a family meeting.

The minute I send the message, Dad tries calling me. I wait until the bell rings and people file in their classes before slipping away and calling him back. Mom and my brothers are all on the line with us in seconds.

"There's nothing we can do at this point, Mickey," Dad's voice says apologetically over the phone when I tell them. "We're not even sure of anything. Maybe your friends got it wrong."

"They're not my friends," I hiss, keeping my voice low. "But Dad, they moved into the old pack house, into the entire compound to be exact. How would you explain that? Whoever owned it still has property, because..."

Hesitating, I break off. I'm standing inside a cubicle in the guys' bathroom. It is first period, so there's a slim chance of anyone going in, and anyway, my strong hearing would alert me if someone's approaching. But still, I always hesitate to say the "w" word in public places.

"Because werewolves always have a backup house, we know," Mom finishes for me.

"That doesn't mean they still do," Nathan puts in. "Maybe they sold it."

I roll my eyes. "Seriously Nate?"

"Mickey, nobody's been to the pack house in twenty years," Connor points out. "Why would they show up all of a sudden?"

"I don't know," I admit. "Maybe they heard about us?"

"They've known about us for years," Dad reminds me. "At least, their alpha does. We had to get his permission to live on their land. We signed a treaty with him."

If it was unclaimed territory, we wouldn't have needed permission. But the land remains in their name, which means that they frequently send over scouts to check up on it and see what's happening. They would have seen us, which makes it so vital that we get their permission, or else they would have definitely chased us away.

These days, it's impossible to find unclaimed land, so when my parents found out they were having a girl they had to look for the one furthest away from other packs and most likely to be abandoned.

"Well then, why didn't he tell you they were coming back?" Daniel asks in a hushed tone, I'm guessing from inside a janitor's closet.

"We don't know that they did," Dad insists.

It is expected that my parents would freak out over the idea of me going to college, since some other pack might supposedly discover my secret. But when another pack actually moves in next to us, they're not the least bit worried. The universe is really cruel.

"I'm with Mickey on this one," Mason says. "It seems pretty far-fetched that a pack would sell any of their houses, which means they're the only ones who would ever live there."

"There's this thing called trespassing Mase, I think you and Nate tried it a few times," Danny throws back.

"Boys," Dads warns.

"In that case, who cares?" Mason replies. "Trespassers are not our problem."

"Unless they're rogue," Nate adds.

"Boys," Dad repeats, harder this time.

"Rogues don't travel in such numbers," Danny retorts.

"Keep your voice down Daniel! You're at school," Mom chastises.

"Sorry."

"There's at least thirty-five of them; they're definitely not rogues," I interject.

"Enough!" Dad suddenly yells, and we can all feel that this is more than just parental authority at play. His wolf is rearing its alpha head at us. We all fall quiet at the same time.

"Michael, I'm sure your anxiety is not misplaced, but there's no reason to be as alarmed about the situation as you are. I know the alpha personally, and he would have told me if they were coming back. Now, if the old pack is indeed back without informing us, we can sort it out. If push comes to shove and I feel like it's the best decision, we'll just move again."

"But Dad, we're this close to graduation," I object, horrified.

This is the only place I've ever lived in; I don't want to move. Plus, I was kind of counting on spending whatever time I have left to convince my dad to let me go to college. There's one I really want to go to, and it's only a couple hours away, which means that I would be close. The proximity was my best argument.

This is like my highest ambition; I can't ever imagine living as a girl, which means having my own family is out of the question, so college is kind of like the only goal for me.

"I've made my decision, Michael," he says with finality. "Anyway, it won't come to that, because I'm sure they're not back."

"But Dad," I try again.

"That's enough, Dylan."

Hearing my middle name is like a slap to the face. Usually, I like hearing it, but in this particular situation, it means that he's thinking very little of me, like I'm weak. Hurt but refusing to show it, I hang up the phone as my eyes start pricking. I'm this close to flinging my phone against the wall in frustration when I hear footsteps outside the bathroom door.
CHAPTER 4

Sadie

Zoey is pouting a lot recently. She's been holing up in her room more than usual, and when she's not, she's always on her cell phone playing on one app or the other. Even Zack noticed her weird behavior, and he's ten. I tried to talk to her, but she shut me out like she has never done before, and I don't know how to handle that.

Mom and Dad suggested that we give her time by herself. Last week was the first time she visited Trent's -her and my biological father- grave. Our parents thought she might want to, now that we're moving and might not come back. It's still too new for her though.

"Just worry about what you're going to do on your first day and leave me alone," she retorts during the car ride to school when I try to get her to open up again.

We're already an hour late because she took her sweet time pulling out of bed and getting dressed. Our parents gave her a good scolding, but she responded with an indifference that puzzled even them. I have no idea what to say to make her feel better, and now we're going to be late for first period.

Cade squeezes my hand from the driver's seat, silently telling me to drop it. But it's not in my nature to let things go; I'm headstrong, and when I set my mind to something, I don't stop till it's done. And I can't watch my sister be miserable without trying to cheer her up.

"Zo, I just want to know what I can do," I insist. "How can I help if I don't know what's bothering you?"

"God, you're relentless! I don't want your help," she snaps. "All you're doing right now is annoying me more."

I'm shocked into silence for a moment. Zoey has never yelled at me before. We may have our differences but she is my sister, my only full sibling. Our mother got engaged to our stepfather Joseph when Zoey was in the womb. They knew each other years before that, although she never knew he was a werewolf until after Trent died and they fell in love. Zoey was born a couple of months before they were married.

Joe is a pretty amazing father, and Zack is the funniest little brother ever, but there's still a bond that only Zoey and I have due to us sharing a biological father. I may be difficult at times, but we've always been able to get along in spite of that. Whatever is bothering her must be more serious than I thought.

She takes advantage of my shocked silence to block me out by plugging her earphones in and playing loud music on her phone. This is the first barrier she has ever placed between us. I'm hurt by this. For obvious reasons, she and I never had friends we could share everything with, so we always confided in each other.

"Don't take it personally, Sade," Cade tells me. "Listen to your parents' advice; give her time. She'll come around on her own."

I sigh in surrender. "I don't like feeling useless."

"I know," he says. "But I think this is one of those times where you have to learn not to push her."

I nod wordlessly. I'll live with Zoey's silence, but I definitely won't like it.

"Hey," Cade calls my attention. I look at him. He's still driving, but his eyes are on me, and his entire face is smiling. "I love you."

My heart flutters happily hearing the words, and I beam. I'm still not used to the effect he has on me, or how deep my feelings for him are. It always takes me by surprise that I can still smile like an idiot whenever he tells me he loves me, even though I have been hearing it for years now.

I say it back to him, knowing he likes hearing it as much as I do. When I first said it, he was shocked for a whole minute. Initially, I thought he didn't feel the same, because I was the first to say it. But it was just because he was happy, and it was proven when he smiled wider than he has ever had before and kissed me for the first time.

Sometimes, I can't believe my luck. I've always been mesmerized by him; he's a natural born protector, and I've always felt safe with him. It took me years to get the guts to finally tell him how I feel; even before having any certainty that he would feel the same way. It turned out even better than I imagined. His only flaw is that he gets jealous easily, and when he does, he becomes over-protective. He's not controlling or anything, but he gets irrationally angry and possessive, and threatens whoever he's jealous of. It's kind of hot to think about, sometimes.

Minutes later, we get to the school. It's very orderly looking, with surrounding brick walls that make it resemble a military academy. As soon as Cade stops the car, Zoey rushes out in a direction I'm sure won't lead her to her classroom, but I don't say anything about it.

"See you after you're done," he tells me.

I lean over to kiss him. It's a quick peck, but it has a little stomach-flipping impact. When I start to pull back, he suddenly holds my waist and pulls me to him again. This kiss is more passionate, and I'm immediately lost in him, tangling my hands in his hair and pressing my body into his. Images of this morning flash in my mind, and I start to feel hot.

He pulls away after several seconds. I take a moment to catch my breath, resting my forehead against his with my eyes closed.

"What was that for?" I breathe out.

"My way of saying good luck," he says back hoarsely.

Somehow, I doubt it. This is what he usually does in front of the guy he's jealous of. But there's no one to make him feel that way here, so I can't really make sense of why he would do this now. I don't question it though. I can't complain when he kisses me like that. I can't do anything other than wonder when he'll do it again.

With effort, I remove myself from him and get out the car. I walk up the steps of the building slowly, forcing my heartbeat to calm down. Once at the top, I turn around and wave at him, and then he pulls out of the school's parking lot.

Just as I predicted, I'm late for class. The hallways are completely empty. I take out the piece of paper where I wrote my classes. Unfortunately, I've never been in this building, which means I have no idea where the classrooms are. There aren't any students for me to ask, and I have no idea where the administrative office is either. Looks like I'm going to have to walk around to find my way.

I sense that this might take a while, so I take out my iPod and plug the earphones in, playing whatever song was on last. Then I start walking. The rooms are labeled, which is lucky for me, but I don't see the one I'm looking for. However, I do find a pattern, and I presume that I'm supposed to go to another building, to the second floor. There are only two others, thankfully, so it will be easy to deduce which is the right building.

The one I enter first turns out to be the right one, and I smile in victory; although I might have already been smiling anyway, since my good mood hasn't died down yet. I find the cafeteria on the first floor, which means I won't have trouble finding it during lunchtime. On the second floor, I also find the girls' bathroom just at the end of the hall.

As I'm walking I collide against someone coming from around the hall. My bag and books drop from my arms. The other person staggers while I yell in surprise and almost fall, but he grabs me by the arm.

"Whoa," I say. "Thanks."

The other person is not much taller than me, so I don't need to look up to see his face. It's a boy, though his baby features confuse me at first. He has one of those that faces that look soft and delicate. The more look at him, the more it's obvious that he's around my age. He stares at me with puzzlement as I pick up my stuff.

"Hello?" I say. "Are you alright?"

At the sound of my voice, he jumps a little. "Yeah, I'm fine," he says dismissively.

There's a strange quality to his voice that makes him sound young. He clears his throat and speaks again, with more politeness this time.

"Sorry about running into you like that."

That's a bit better. I put my iPod on pause and tuck it with my earphones into my back pocket. Still giddy from Cade's kiss, I smile widely at him

"It's okay," I assure him. "It's partly my fault; I didn't think anyone would be here, so I just amped up the volume."

He seems surprised by how casually I'm talking to him. This is how I usually am with everyone, even new people I meet, but it's kind of amplified because I'm in a good mood right now.

I chuckle. "What? Not used to having pretty girls talking to you?"

He grins to one side. "Actually, I'm used to pretty girls nagging until my ears bleed, so this is a nice change, hearing an apology for once."

The joke takes me by surprise, and I laugh louder than I intended. Then I remember we're in a deserted hallway, and if someone walks over, they'll think we're skipping class. In a childish moment, I clamp my hands over my mouth.

The guy seems amused by my reaction. "You can stop suffocating yourself; I don't think you're in danger of being heard here."

Pretending to be suspicious, I narrow my eyes. His easy-going manner is encouraging, and I find myself joking back effortlessly. "So you plan on torturing me where no one can hear me scream?"

"Oh, I don't need to torture you," he says, his face completely poker. "You're going to tell me all your secrets without me doing anything about it."

One of my eyebrows shoots up. "Really? How do you figure that's going to happen?"

He taps the side of his finger against his lips and whispers, "It's a secret."

When I laugh this time, I don't hold it in. I'm enjoying myself too much. I extend my hand out toward him. "I'm Sadie."

Smiling back, he shakes it. "Dylan," he says, and then seems to backtrack. "But everyone calls me Michael."

His statement puzzles me. The names have nothing to do with each other. "Why?"

"That's my first name," he explains. "Dylan's my middle name."

"Then why did you say Dylan first?" I wonder.

He shrugs, looking at a loss himself. "I don't know," he admits.

I stare at him for a moment, trying to make sense of his character. Then I do what I always end up doing; I roll with it. "Alright, well that's what I'll call you," I decide. "So what are you doing out in the hallways during class, Dylan?"

Falling back into a light mood, he grins. "Why? Are _you_ going to rat me out?"

I make a sound of mock-indignation. "For your information, I have a very valid excuse for being here at this time."

"And what's that?" he humors me.

"I was lost."

Dylan is surprised at first, but then he realizes that I'm new, and that it's normal for me to be lost.

"Maybe I can help you," he suggests. "Where are you going?"

"I'm not really lost anymore," I tell him. "It's not hard to figure out where each classroom is. I'm going to BA217."

"That's not far from mine," he reveals. "Why don't we walk together?"

I smile. "Sure, Dyl. Thanks."

The nickname takes him by surprise. "You're calling me _Dyl_ now?"

I begin walking in step with him, a smug smile on my face. "Yes, I am. You better get used to it."

He seems really cool, and I really want to have at least one good friend here. Even if I won't be able to tell him all my deep dark secrets, I'd still like the company.

"I have a feeling I'm going to have to," he plays along.

_I sure hope so_ , I think.

CHAPTER 5

Michael

It took me a while to figure out what's odd about Sadie. When I first bumped into her in the hallway, I was worried she was a teacher, or worse, the principal. But then I looked closely and realized she was definitely a student; probably my age or a year younger.

She's beautiful too; big brown-colored doe eyes, long dark hair almost reaching her waist, a heart-shaped face with round cheeks and cute features. She's almost my height and seems pretty athletic. She was dressed very simply, in dark jeans, a white flowing shirt and flats, which I found reassuring, for some reason. At least she's not a walking candy stick like _some others_.

She seemed a bit stranger for some reason, and the reflexive question I was about to ask her, to make sure she was fine, died in my throat; she gave off a werewolf scent. Not just any kind of scent, the kind I only come across on people like Marianna and Andrea, and sometimes, to my horror, on _my_ mom.

People around us obviously catch a part of our scent on their skin and clothes, but to leave a mark this strong requires direct exposure to a werewolf for several hours, with skin to skin contact included. And from the smell of her, Sadie's had plenty of that this morning. It wasn't any of my brothers' scent, which can only mean one thing; she knows one the werewolves from the other pack very intimately.

I'm used to forcing people out of my way without thinking twice about it, but I needed to find out more about this other pack, so I made an effort to be nice to her. It worked, she even smiled, and not the flirty kind that makes me nauseous or the polite kind that is to be expected between strangers. An honest to goodness smile, like we're old friends suddenly meeting up again. From there, we seemed to click.

I was surprised when she said she was lost. Then it registered that she might be someone's mate, and if so, if she came with the pack, she's probably new. Completely ignoring the fact that she might very possibly be aware of the existence of werewolves, I wondered how anyone could transfer schools so late into the semester. I guess if you're an old pack that has connections in the area, you can have anything you want.

While we walked to class, I barely learned anything substantial, other than the fact that she's a senior and she just moved here with her family. I did learn, however, that the move is permanent, which I accept calmly and without overreacting this time.

By the time we were going our separate ways to our classrooms, I've forgotten the fact that she's from another pack and decided to just enjoy her company. Sadie is kind of fun to be around, and I really hope I meet her again.

And I do, at lunch. While I join my brother and his friends, I notice her sitting two tables away with a couple of other girls I've seen around school before. I know the kind of backstabbing people they are, and from the look on Sadie's face, she has realized that too, so I decide to come to her rescue.

"Hey," I say when I'm close enough.

She looks up and a relieved expression crosses her face when she sees me. "Hi Dyl!"

"Want to have lunch together?" I suggest.

She nods and one of the other girls starts gushing. "Oh, my God, for reals?"

I give her a stone-cold stare. "I wasn't talking to you."

The girl looks confused. "What?"

I roll my eyes and turn my back on them. "Come on, Sadie."

Danny's friends are staring with their eyes bugging out of their sockets when I casually sit at their table with Sadie next to me. I exchange a quick look with Daniel, and I can tell he has caught the remaining traces of werewolf scent on her. His expression is quizzical, but I give an imperceptible shake of the head to let him know that I would explain later.

"This is Sadie, and she's new," I simply tell everyone.

"Hey guys!" Sadie greets them all brightly, not the least bit fazed.

"Hi Sadie! I'm Nell. It's so nice to meet you," Nell replies cheerfully. I recognize something devious in her eyes.

"You too," Sadie answers genuinely.

"So how do you know Michael?"

Sadie quickly recounts how we met before asking the others for their names. When it's Danny's turn, I step in to add how we're related, and she seems to find that interesting. For some reason, when people hear the word "twins", they automatically expect two people physically identical. When I say that's what Daniel and I are, some get surprised, since we look nothing alike except for our hair color. Sadie is the exception to that because her surprise is due to an entirely different reason.

"Twins?" she repeats excitedly. "That's awesome! My boyfriend Cade has younger brothers who are twins, and they're identical."

"We have an older set of twin brothers too, and they're identical," I share.

Her eyes widen in shock. "Four boys? Wow, holidays must be interesting for you guys."

"Actually, there are five of us," Danny informs her.

If possible, her shock increases. " _Five_ boys? My God, your mom must be one tough cookie."

Danny and I laugh together. "Oh, she is," I assure her. "I mean, there's also Dad in the picture. With that many guys around, she's bound to be tough, and she's kind of scary sometimes, but she's still very gentle and motherly."

Sadie smiles softly. "Sounds like you guys care a lot about each other."

It makes me uncomfortable how girly the conversation is becoming, so I put on an indifferent mask and just shrug.

Danny comes to my rescue. "We're family," is his explanation.

"Oh yeah, I don't know any family that's closer to each other than the Connollies," Nell interjects. "They've been here for like, forever, and they always do everything together."

_How would you know?_ I want to snap at her.

"My family is like that too. We've always been there for each other," Sadie says, her voice taking on a very affectionate tone. "I mean, we may seem a bit crazy to people who don't know us, especially since there's a whole bunch of us, but anyone can feel the love and loyalty between everyone."

Neither Danny nor I miss the loud clues she's giving; she's definitely a werewolf's mate, and from the way she described it, it sounds like she has been living with them for quite a while.

"So what's it like living with a big family?" Nell asks, obviously forcing interest.

"Insane," Sadie replies with a grin on her face. "I mean, there is my nuclear family- my parents and my little brother and sister. But a lot of my dad's family has also been around since I was three and a lot of friends too. We'd always go to each other's houses and stuff, until it got to a point where it felt like we were all living together."

"Wait," Nico suddenly pipes up, breaking off my confused thoughts about Sadie's childhood and family. "Are you the guys that just moved in?"

"Yeah, actually," she confirms, sounding surprised. "How do you know about that?"

"I saw the U-Hauls yesterday," he replies.

"Wait, that's your family?" Danny asks with fake curiosity.

She nods. "Yeah."

"Didn't you say there were thirty-five of them, Nico?" Nell asks.

"We're eleven," Sadie corrects her. "At least, that's how many there are in my family, under one roof."

"Whoa," Brad finally speaks.

"Why did you all move in at the same time?" Nell wants to know.

Sadie starts to look uncomfortable because of the prying questions. "Originally, the place we moved into belongs to us, so technically, we're moving back."

"Still, I mean..."

I cut her off right there. "Back off Nell. It's none of our business."

She has the decency to blush and look down in embarrassment, although she doesn't apologize. At least she let it go and stopped talking.

"So you're having a party, right?" Brad suddenly speaks up again.

"Yeah, but it's kind of exclusive," she tells him apologetically, not the least bit surprised that he knows that. "It's a sort of a welcome home thing we're throwing for ourselves."

"That's pretty cool," I comment. "You guys must have really missed living here, huh?"

I'm hoping she'll answer in a way that would shed some light on why they're back, or possibly why they left in the first place.

"I wouldn't know, I wasn't born when my family left here," she tells us.

Ah, of course, I should have thought of that. She's my age, after all, and my family moved here before I was born, and by that time the pack had already moved away.

Just as I'm about to ask another question, my phone beeps almost instantaneously with Danny's, and I know it's a text from our parents. We stare at each other for a brief second before pulling out our cells and discreetly reading the message.

We've all been invited to officially meet the Silver Moon Pack's new alpha. Rod's Diner, after school.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My fingers light up with the sensation of bringing life to the atmosphere. My entire body is elated with so much joy and brightness that it feels like my chest is going to explode. This is usual for me, but it still takes my breath away every single time. It is my only reason for living at the moment.

My final period of the day is my favorite, because I get to do the only thing I've ever done for myself out of selfish reasons. Playing the piano has always been my forte. My parents signed me up for home lessons when I first picked up a keyboard at three and wouldn't put it down for hours every day. I was a natural, apparently.

As I play the last note, my fingers gently smooth over the keyboards, and I stop for a moment to take it all in; the silence, the still burning euphoria in the air and the feeling of dominating the world. Then the clapping comes, as it usually does from both teacher and students, and I open my eyes again.

Miss Tanner has tears in her eyes and is using a tissue to wipe them away. Among the few students taking this class with me, five of the seven girls are staring at me like star struck teenagers while the other two are busy admiring themselves, and the only three guys are annoyed at the attention I'm getting. They'll have to get in line.

"Oh, that was beautiful, Michael," Miss Tanner cries, figuratively and literally.

"Thanks," I mumble with indifference.

The self-consciousness and discomfort I feel are already draining away the euphoria of playing and dropping me back to a cynical reality where I have to act like I don't care about anything. I can't bring attention to myself. This has always been a vital role for me to play, because too much attention might cause trouble. It's the reason why my parents cut me off from my piano lessons when I was thirteen, when my teacher tried to get me to perform onstage.

"But he's got so much potential!" he said to my parents after they refused, begging them to let me share my talent with the world.

Their answer was just like the answer for me attending college. No. What would they have done if they found out about the singing thing too?

Miss Tanner calls the next person to perform their piece, and I mentally groan. Not to sound conceited or anything, but none of them has any shred of talent. The girl that goes next picks up the violin, and I can already tell this is going to be yet another torture session for me. Especially with the way she is eyeing me, like she's making sure I'm listening. We only play in front of each other once a month. I dread these days almost as much as I look forward to them. As I always do, I look out the window and drift off to dreamland, tuning everything else out.

If I weren't a werewolf, if I were just another girl born with everything I have now, I would probably be a singer. If that didn't pan out, there would always have been plan B; a concert pianist. The thrill of playing the piano is amazing, but I feel the same thrill when I'm singing along too. My singing voice is low, which means it's easier for me to reach the bass notes than the high notes. Obviously, I never sing in public, because while my voice is not high-pitched, it's still obviously female.

While I stare at the tree outside, with the screeching sound of the violin playing in the background, I picture what my day would be like in a world where I carry no dark secrets, not even the werewolf secret; a world where my family and I are human. Perhaps my daily concern would be whether or not the guy I have a crush on likes me. Nah, that's probably not true. I mean as a guy I'm cute, but as a girl I'd be too hot to have these kinds of insecurities.

I try again. Maybe my main concern would be to make music. Maybe instead of being a confident bombshell that is more than likely shallow and slutty, I would be an introvert musician in a struggling band. That would be cool. And obviously, because I would have incredible talent both for music and picking friends, we would most likely make it big time. Wouldn't that be something? The only downside would be that my brothers might treat me like a girl, and maybe War Day wouldn't exist. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

I snap back to reality when the bell rings, and I'm almost grateful to be out of the torture room. But then I remember what plans I have for my afternoon, and the uneasiness returns. The only bright side is that Sadie might be there too. I wonder what her reaction would be if she sees me.

When I see the other girls in the classroom coming towards me giggling with each other, I grab my books in one swift movement and rush out of there as fast as I can, pretending not to hear when they call my name.

The hallways are filled with students as eager as I am to leave. I get accidentally pushed against the blue lockers a couple of times, and pieces of cracked paint fall on my red hoodie. A minute later, I meet up with Danny at the school entrance.

"Hey, bro," he greets me. "Ready to take on the Silver Moon bunch?"

I groan. "Don't remind me."

I'm nervous enough as it is. My family hasn't had contact with another pack since I was born. I personally never even came face to face with one. A part of me is scared they'll take one look at me and instantly realize that I'm a girl. But I trust my parents, and I know they would never put me in danger.

When Daniel and I get outside, we find Nate leaning over a girl against the outer wall with her books tucked into both her arms. One of his hands is in his pocket while the other is resting on the wall beside her head. They're both grinning flirtatiously at each other.

I look at Danny, and he guesses what I'm thinking from the sardonic smirk on my face. It breaks my heart to extract Nathan from an easy win -really, it does... I can't stop myself though from grabbing him in a headlock and rubbing the hair on his head with my knuckles as fast and as hard as I can. I steer him in our direction.

"What's up lover boy?"

"Get the hell off, Michael!" he screams.

I let go just as he's about to punch me in the stomach and grin at him. "What's the matter? Didn't you just get laid this weekend? What was her name? Gina?"

"Gina?!" the girl screeches in anger before he can even react. "You're the one who screwed my best friend over, you asshole?"

_Whoa, I did not see that coming._ I'm so impressed that one of my eyebrows shoots up.

Nate tries to save himself. "No, Cami, I never-"

She cuts him off. "Save it! You know, I actually thought you were cute. And to think I was this close to giving you my number!"

Indignant, she walks off with her nose in the air. It takes about two seconds for my composure to break and for me and Danny to start laughing our asses off. We hold each other up while we get it out of our system. In the meantime, Nate stares after her for a couple of seconds before turning his glare toward me.

"Now that, my dear brothers, is what I call payback," I announce with a bow.

"You're a true natural," Danny praises, going along and clapping for me.

"Thank you, it's a gift," I modestly reply.

"Can we just go now?" Nate grumbles.

He is just itching to get back at me. I can feel it. But, sadly for him, because of the rules of War Day, he's not allowed to.

The three of us walk to Connor's car. My two remaining brothers have chosen to stay in the car, because even though one of them refuses to admit it, they are too whipped to go near other girls, especially high school ones.

Mason does that by choice since he is entirely devoted to his mate -like I said, whipped. But Connor, I suspect, is afraid of... damn, I forgot her name again... his girl dumping him.

They're both sitting in the front, so there's no point arguing over shotgun. Once we hop in, Connor pulls out of the parking lot and starts driving towards Rod's Diner.

"I always enjoy watching your retaliations on War Day, Mickey," Mason comments with amusement.

I give him my best innocent smile. "Thank you brother."

"You know you're the only one left on his agenda, right?" Nate reminds him.

Mason apparently forgot about that because he grimaces and slaps a hand over his face.

I laugh at his discomfort. "Oh, don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"Hey!" Con protests. "Why does he get the easy treatment?"

"Because he's the only one of you idiots who's got a mate," is my reply.

I don't need to elaborate; they know what I'm talking about. It means Mase is the one who sympathizes with my fellow females, and subsequently with me, the most. Also, there's the fact that Marianna becomes concerned about him very often, which means I can't ever do anything drastic to him. But that doesn't mean I can't yank his chains every once in a while. Marianna even joins in on the laughter sometimes, which makes her so much cooler in my eyes.

"Connor might have himself a mate soon," Daniel hints teasingly.

"Shut up," Con replies with forced indifference.

Oh yeah, he is so whipped.

"Nah, he's too much of a coward to take that leap," I continue the joke.

"I'm not a coward!" he protests.

"Then why haven't you asked her?" Nate mocks.

What's the girl's name? There's a joke I need to tell...

"Because, we're not serious," Con insists. "I just like having her around sometimes."

"Yeah, and you just adore her borderline obsessive need to immortalize everything you do together in pictures," Danny says sarcastically.

"Hey, it's not her fault we're both photogenic," he replies defensively.

"Oh man, you're as obsessed with her as you are with yourself," Mason remarks, "if that habit of hers doesn't even get on your nerves."

I wish one of them would say her name already so I can tell my joke!

"We all have habits that get on people's nerves," Connor points out evasively.

"Yeah, but we only put up with them if we care about the other person," Mason goes on. "Like when Nate wears dirty shoes all day and only airs them when I decide to go to bed, for example." We all roar in laughter at that, even Nathan.

"That's harder to put up with than Andrea's picture fetish," Danny laughs.

Andrea! Finally, I can tell my joke.

Just as I open my mouth to start saying it, I see the diner's sign, and the joke dies in my throat. The others fall quiet as well, and a tense silence builds up as Connor parks.

Finally, Danny sighs and says, "Let's go dance with the wolves."
CHAPTER 6

Logan

Rod's Diner has been used as neutral territory for pack business since my family first lived here. The current owner is Rod's son Malcolm. He is a werewolf in his forties who stayed behind with his family when our pack first moved. His father was too attached to the diner and refused to leave, even though he was terminally ill. Malcolm stayed to take care of him in his last few years of life, and then took over the business. He's got a wife of his own and two boys who are fourteen and fifteen years old, all of whom work with him.

This is where I've chosen to meet with the Connollies, on the off chance that a conflict will ensue, to give everybody a way out. The "closed" sign greets us at the front door, but Malcolm lets us in immediately.

The diner looks the same as it did in my parents' photo albums, only a bit worn out. The colors red and white dominate the doors, counters, tables, sofas and chairs, and the floor tile is checkered black and white. A few tables are messy with food remains, but the others are shining and reflecting the light from the lamps. We sit at the table in the far end corner. Cade and his brothers are the ones I asked to come with me, along with Sadie and Reena.

"This place is... interesting," my mate mutters when we enter. She's not one to love places that sell junk food. She's very health conscious.

For some illogical reason, Reena chose to wear something extremely revealing. We're in the middle of spring, yet she's wearing jean shorts and a tight white blouse which makes her eyes bluer and hips curvier than usual. Combining that with her natural olive skin tone, long and straight black hair, sharp features, and striking good lucks, she looks as though she has just came back from a day of tanning at the beach.

On the one hand, I'm uneasy at the thought of other guys ogling her. It's bad enough that Jared and Sam eyed her up and down before we left the compound. But on the other hand, she is undeniably sexy, and my satisfaction over the fact that she is mine makes me want to show her off.

"Think Mom and Dad would remember this place if they came here?" Cade asks his brothers.

"Definitely," Sam and Jared answer back simultaneously.

"It must be as old as they are," Jared jokes.

"If not older," Sam plays along.

Their usual banter always starts this way, but they are interrupted by Sadie this time.

"Can you imagine how much history the pack has here?" she comments with a fascination that negates Reena's disgust and Nashes' mockery. "What if some of our parents met in this very diner? It's so cool to think we're literally standing in their place right now."

She took the words right out of my mouth. I think she may have even said them for my benefit. Every new place I visit in this town is yet another link I have to my parents. Yesterday, after Cade and I had come back, I spent a considerable amount of time just walking around the pack house. I visualized what my parents might have done at one point in their lives in each room. I could imagine them having breakfast together in the kitchen, or lounging around in the playing room, or just relaxing in their bedroom, which I am now occupying.

"Maybe for you guys," Reena murmurs so low that only I hear, because my ear is right by her mouth. My arm is around her waist guiding her towards the farthest table in the corner.

"Don't think like that," I try to reassure her.

Thing is, _try_ is the keyword. She has been getting very pessimistic about her family for the last couple of days. At first, I thought of it as a chance for me to act as her protector, but she's doing it so frequently now that I'm only half-heartedly trying.

Once we all sit down, one of Malcolm's sons comes over to take our orders. He's not surprised when the guys order 3 course meals. He knows who we are. Malcolm was expecting us, and the Connollies too, who should be here soon.

"When they get here, you guys have to behave," I warn the twins. "You're only here for backup."

The Connollies have five boys, which means we're outnumbered by two. However, we're not outmatched; no matter what kind of training this family has had, I am certain that they can never match ours.

"Hey, we always behave," Jared objects.

"We're the poster children for politeness and propriety, pardon," Sam goes on in a mock-British accent, emphasizing the 'p' too much.

A round of snickers and laughter follows. Even I can't contain my amusement. The twins usually have a knack for getting on people's nerves, especially mine, but their humor is always a breath of fresh air when I'm tensed.

"Maybe you shouldn't talk at all," Cade suggests, only half joking.

"We could pretend to be serious so they'll think we're intimidating," Sam decides.

"If you manage that, you can have the game room for a whole week," Sadie teases.

I smile fully this time. This is just the motivation they need. They've been arguing with her over that since we moved, because she spent more time than they did yesterday.

Minutes later, the food is brought to us. Halfway through, a middle aged couple, who I'm guessing are the head of the Connolly family, enters the diner. The man is tall and burly, his werewolf scent immediately tipping off who he is. His blonde wife beside him also has some traces of it on her.

When they spot us, I immediately stand up to greet them, the way an alpha should. I'm still not used to everything about the position, but being formal is one of the things I've mastered since my youth, having been trained by my uncle.

"You must be Mr. Connolly," I say.

"Please, call me Steven," he replies. "This is my wife, Brooke."

She smiles and shakes my hand first before moving on to the rest of my company. I take it as a good sign that they're both friendly to all of us.

"I'm the alpha of the Silver Moon Pack," I announce myself. "My name is Logan Underwood."

Steven cuts me off before I could introduce everyone else. "I don't mean to interrupt you, Alpha, but I think you might want to save time and leave the introductions for when my children get here, because they're only moments away."

That's not the worst idea. "Of course," I agree. "Have a seat then."

They comply. For a couple of seconds, we just sit there in awkward silence. Everybody is so uncharacteristically quiet. I almost miss the twins' jokes that could've diffused the tension. But I actually prefer this awkwardness over risking a conflict because of their childishness. Besides, I can handle formalities much better than I could contain two teenagers.

"Would you like to order something?" I suggest.

They exchange glances. "I think we just might," Brooke decides for the both of them.

Once their order is taken, I've gathered my thoughts enough to determine what to say to them to make the situation less awkward.

"So tell me about yourselves," I start. "How long have you been living here?"

"A little over eighteen years," Steven answers. "We used to be part of the Redwood Pack before we moved."

I have to contain my surprise so as to keep a businesslike appearance. The Redwood Pack is one of our allies. They're renowned for their numbers, which match ours, but they don't own as much land as we do. I'm surprised anyone would want to leave them because the security they offer is impressive. Several travelling packs that pass through their territory are offered immediate shelter. That's mostly how they managed to gather their numbers in the decade that they've been formed. They welcome all.

"Why did you leave?" I'm curious to know.

Steven exchanges an affectionate smile with his wife. "When we found out Brooke was pregnant with twins, _again_ , we kind of wanted to raise our children in a traditional environment."

"It was my idea, really," Brooke adds. "I wanted them to experience school and life the way I did. Don't misunderstand me though... living in a pack is great. But it was a little overwhelming for me, and our family was becoming too big to include other people in it. So I spoke to Steven about it, and we agreed that it was the best decision."

The mutual respect between them is almost tangible. I'm fascinated by it, because it's not something I got to experience firsthand in my childhood; having grown up mostly without a mother. This relationship is obviously one based on communication, trust and equality. I envy their children.

"We always say that this chapter of our life truly started when Daniel and Michael were born," Steven goes on.

Surprisingly, Sadie perks up when she hears that. "Daniel and Michael?" she repeats excitedly. "As in, Danny and Dylan?"

Steven and Brooke both seem shocked that she has recognized their boys. So are the rest of us, to be honest, and we all stare at her.

"I didn't know they were werewolves," she exclaims. "This is great! I knew Dylan and I were going to be friends."

Cade's expression speaks volumes about his current jealousy, but he doesn't get the chance to literally speak because the _ding_ sound suddenly signals that someone's entered the diner. Malcolm knows we're conducting pack business and that privacy is necessary, so he wouldn't just let anyone in. These must be the Connolly boys.

Steven stands up and confirms my suspicion. "Ah, there they are," he says.

They stride in together, with an ease to their way of walking that almost hides their wariness at meeting strangers. Two of them look exactly the same, which I find amusing considering Jared and Sam's presence. The third blond one is obviously the oldest, and it looks as though he's a couple of years or so older than me. One of the second set of twins is almost as big as the rest of his brothers.

But it's the last one that I'm looking for; the youngest one, if I'm guessing correctly. He is clearly the ugly duckling in the family, although he's not literally ugly. Being well-built is not a side effect of being a werewolf. We're all strong without the added muscles, but some of us, like my pack, develop them with our training. It's not uncommon to find werewolves who are scrawny. I've just never met one because the packs we usually deal with have extensive trainings, like ours.

Until Michael.

When I lock eyes with him, I can feel something connecting us, and I can't look away. It's him, I know it. Their name may not be on the list, but if this family is in any way related to my father's final project, then this guy would be the key to understanding why.

"Alpha Underwood, these are my children," Steven starts introducing them. "Connor, Mason, Nathan, Daniel and Michael. Boys, this is the Silver Moon Pack's new alpha, Logan Underwood."

"Pleasure," the oldest, Connor, says politely.

"Welcome," I tell them. "Why don't you each grab a seat and we can start."

Sadie catches Michael's eye when he and I temporarily break contact and gives him a smile. "Hey Dylan!" she greets him cheerfully.

"Hi Sadie," he says back warmly.

The rest of his family is giving him curious stares, which is strange because they must have deduced fifteen seconds ago that they already met.

"How do you two know each other?" Cade asks with a possessive edge to his voice.

"We met at school," she finally explains. "Dylan, this is my boyfriend Cade. I was telling you about him at lunch. He's the beta."

Cade nods in Michael's direction but doesn't say anything. This is going to be another episode of Cade's jealousy, I can feel it coming. I almost roll my eyes. It's kind of ridiculous, in my opinion, because Sadie is obviously crazy about him.

"Nice to meet you," Michael answers politely. "Sadie said great things about you."

Cade smiles at her adoringly. "Did she now?" he asks.

Reena suddenly clears her throat. She doesn't usually say much during official pack meetings, so it's kind of a surprise that she's asking to be acknowledged. We all stare at her.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce us?" she asks me, sounding offended.

I nod, remembering my manners. "Right. This is my mate, Reena," I start, knowing she'll expect to be introduced first, "and these are Cade's brothers, Jared and Sam."

"Pleasure," Connor repeats.

"Now that we've all been acquainted with each other, why don't we get down to business?" Steven suggests in a tone of nothing but respect.

"Of course," I agree.

I waste no time doing just that. The sooner we can get the formalities out of the way, the quicker I'll be able to find out whether or not they're related to my father's project. However, I don't feel like sharing my father's death just yet, so I have to be ambiguous when it comes to my recent rise in title.

"I understand our previous alpha gave you permission to live on our land eighteen years ago, right?" I begin with.

"That's correct," Steven replies. "We would just like to renew that agreement so that we may continue living here and coexist peacefully."

"Yes, of course," I repeat, sensing an opportunity. "I have thought it over, and I have a different proposition for you."

Steven frowns in confusion. "What's the proposition?"

"Join our pack," I simply reply.

This takes them by surprise. They all look at Steven, waiting for his lead. In their defense, this is not a common occurrence. Usually, packs are very tightly-knit; rarely are people invited to join. Even the Redwood pack, though welcoming, rarely allows anyone to permanently join them.

I have given this a lot of thought before coming to the meeting. Because they're not on the list, I can't flat-out ask the Connollies if they have a connection to my father. And if they live on our land separately, they might not be forthcoming on their own. I figured the best way to earn their trust was to get close to them, co-exist and build relationships, where these types of questions would not be suspicious.

Besides, even if they weren't somehow connected to the project, they're still a small and isolated pack, and they're living on my land, which means they're under my protection. I can't very well kick them out, and I can offer them better safety from within the compound walls. It's what my father would have done. He was the kind of alpha that would have helped anyone who needed it, because it was within his ability -and therefore his responsibility- to do so.

Though initially shocked into silence, Steven quickly finds a diplomatic answer. "That's very generous of you," he says, his voice taking on an edge that implies a rebuttal. "However, and I sincerely hope I don't offend you, we've been living this way for almost two decades, and we're quite comfortable the way we are."

Like his family did with Steven, my people look at me for a verdict. I try to keep a neutral mask on while I mull this over. I honestly didn't expect them to refuse. Not to sound narcissistic, but our pack's reputation is one of the strongest in the country and precedes us everywhere we go. Other werewolves regularly ask to join us. But when I hand in an open invitation with no strings attached, I'm naturally shocked at being refused.

_Why wouldn't they want to join us?_ I wonder.

Maybe they do know something and they're just hiding it. That's the only explanation I can come up with on the spot, but I can't be sure, and I sure as hell can't ask them about it. I'm going to have to come up with a different way to earn their trust.

Fortunately, I don't think that's going to be very hard. We don't need to be in the same pack to be friends, for one thing. And then there's always activities like Friday's party and Saturday's bonfire camp that we could invite them to.

"I can respect your decision," I finally say. "And in that case, I will agree to renew the agreement you made with our previous alpha. You may continue to live on our land, and you are always welcome into our pack house. As long as you all respect our rules and not cross one of our own. In return, we will treat you like family and none of us will try to cross you either."

Thankfully, Steven nods and says, "Thank you."

"That being said," I add in a much lighter tone, "we're throwing a welcome home party this Friday, and we'd like to invite you all."

"Oh, that's very sweet of you," Brooke fondly replies. "My husband and I unfortunately don't enjoy parties, but I'm sure the boys would love to go."

"Yeah, sure," the one called Daniel says casually.

The five of them agree to attend the party, thus ending the official part of our meeting. We don't immediately part ways though, since those of us who already ordered are still eating, and the Connolly boys are hungry.

Then, in the spirit of unity, we start trying to strike up conversations with each other. Steven and Brooke show interest in our pack's training, and I in turn ask about theirs. They explain to me that aside from the boys going to the gym twice a week, Steven trains them in wolf form every Tuesday night, in a clearing in the nearby forest. However, Steven suspended training until the summer begins because their school years are close to being over, and they will need the extra time to study. Connor is the only one who hasn't interrupted his own training because he graduated from college.

After a while, another conversation catches my attention, and I briefly listen in on Sadie telling Michael how she and Cade got together. Sadie must have just finished telling him about how her parents met. Those two stories usually go together. In spite of myself, I can't help listening in, as do the rest of us.

"I grew up with Logan and Cade since I was three," Sadie is saying. "We've always been close. Originally, Logan's parents were hoping that he and I would get together, because they knew he would be alpha one day, and it was vital that his mate would be someone reliable who would never betray them. Who could be better than someone he has grown up with?"

"Okay," Michael encourages her, immersed in her story.

Sadie smiles and looks over at Cade, who is of course staring at her with an enraptured look on his face. "But I've always felt like I had a special bond with Cade," she goes on. "I've had a crush on him since I could remember. I came clean and told him straight away when I was sixteen, and lucky for me, he felt the same way." She looks at Michael again, still smiling. "Last year, he asked me to be his mate. Of course I said yes."

They reach for each other under the table, which only I seem to notice, and clasp hands.

"Wow," Michael says, displaying the usual fascination people got from hearing Cade and Sadie's story. That is, unless you've already heard it ten thousand times and have practically memorized it. "This is amazing. I mean, you make finding one's mate sound so easy and effortless."

"Oh believe me, there was plenty of effort," she assures him frantically. "And we each had our personal struggles to go through. But it was all worth it in the end."

A dreamy look crosses her face and she can't help taking a glance at her mate. Cade's expression instantly mirrors hers.

Unlike the uncomfortable feeling I'm getting, Michael grins. "Yeah, I'll bet it was."

"What about you Michael?" Reena suddenly pipes up. "Any potential mate on the horizon?"

I stare at him expectantly, kind of curious to hear the answer myself.

"No," he simply says, which for some reason makes me even more curious. He just said it in a way that made it final, that not only does he not have a mate or even a potential one, he doesn't believe he ever will.

"Don't worry, Dylan," Sadie reassures him. "Everybody's got a mate."

"Oh, I don't think that applies to me," he says evasively, confirming my suspicion.

"That's ridiculous!" she objects. "I'm positive you're going to find her someday."

Michael averts his gaze, looking embarrassed. And that's when he makes eye contact with me again. I try to crack the puzzle that is in his eyes, only to come up empty handed. Uncomfortable with my prying, he looks down at his plate, in turn making me feel bad about staring.

"Maybe," he allows. "Someday."

It sounds like he's saying it only for Sadie's benefit, and not like he actually believes it. For some reason, I am very interested in figuring out what makes him so sure that he's never going to find a mate. I've never met a werewolf who seemed so put off by the very thought. I've met plenty who were nonchalant about it, but none that refused the idea altogether. I'm very curious to find out what makes Michael Connolly tick.

CHAPTER 7

Michael

When we get home, I practically run up the stairs into the guest room while the rest of my family settles in the living room or the kitchen. I'm surprised Mason doesn't go straight up there with me, but it makes sense when I see him raiding the fridge. Marianna's suitcase is thrown open on the bed, and I'm relieved to find that there's nothing inside it yet.

She's not in the room, but I hear her in the bathroom. The door is open and I take that as I sign that I can go in. She's collecting her beauty products and toiletries from the cabinets. She hears me coming and smiles at me, looking sideways.

"How was it?" she asks, and the ever present hint of her French accent shows.

"Tense," I tell her. "As expected."

"What's the new alpha like?"

I take a moment to think about how to answer that. The guys in the pack were different from what I imagined; they're all younger than I expected, maybe even younger than Connor. The first one I recognized was Sadie's boyfriend Cade, because he was standing closest to her. He's pretty cute in an injured-puppy kind of way, but his features are almost baby-ish. I personally don't find that attractive, even though he is pretty well-built.

Two others were identical, which led me to guess they're the younger brothers Sadie mentioned. Plus, Jared and Sam had features in common with their older brother, although they were not as muscular. When introductions were made, I knew I was right about who they are.

So that meant that the last one was the alpha. He was tall, and his physique was much more defined than all the others'. Vein tracks stuck out on the parts of his arms that were not covered by clothing. He had blond hair and eyes so smoldering that I couldn't even tell what color they were. He looked so perfectly sculpted, like some piece of art instead of a real person, that it was almost impossible to look away.

Because we were sitting across from each other during the whole meeting, I had plenty of time to analyze how he looked, but it was the initial contact that gave me the creeps.

Something happened when we made eye contact. A petrifying heat rose from my stomach, and extended outward like an invisible chord. It was the instinctual fear of the alpha our wolf side usually feels, especially in the presence of one that is intimidating.

If the process of elimination was not enough to confirm that he was alpha, it was obvious by how the other three seemed to subconsciously follow his lead. And the fact that he was the only one who kept eye contact with me until his mate asked him to introduce everyone.

Now, _her_ , I didn't really like. She gave me a weird smile when we were introduced. I also don't appreciate the rude way she snapped at her mate -the _alpha_ , of all people- when she told him to introduce us. My family was barely saying a few words, and we usually never shut up. I couldn't understand why an alpha as strong as Logan would be with someone like that.

Every time we locked eyes throughout the evening the chord thickened again, no matter how brief the moment was. His presence was just _that_ enormous and daunting. Even Connor was backing down.

"Too young to be so grave and intimidating," I finally say.

"He intimidated you?" Marianna wonders with a frown.

"Not on purpose, but yeah," I find myself confessing. I would never admit to this in front of anyone other than her, especially not my brothers. I would never hear the end of it.

"How old is he?" Marianna asks curiously.

"I don't know, but he can't be older than Connor," I reply.

She pauses and stares at me in shock. "That young? And he's alpha? Why the sudden change?"

I'm just as clueless as she is, so I simply shrug. A moment later, she resumes emptying the cabinets.

"You know, if you put these at the bottom, they'll squirt all over your suitcase," I jokingly say.

She grins but doesn't stop. "I'm just checking that everything is here."

"Where else would they be?"

"Mason and Nathan's room."

I grimace in disgust. "I didn't need to know that."

She giggles. "Then why ask?"

I take a moment to memorize her laugh. After she leaves today, who knows when I'll see her again? And how long will she stay next time? This time, it was a week, but we got lucky because her university had a longer Spring Break. There's no seeing her again until the summer starts. Who else am I going to be myself with?

I love my family; I really do, with all my heart. But even though we all know the truth, they raised me to be a boy and they consequently act like I am. When Marianna came into our family, she already knew my secret, so it was never weird to behave like a girl with her. She had no preconceptions. Who am I going to confide in now? If only Mason mans up and proposes, then there will be more reason for her to move here.

The more I think about these things, the more the lonely feeling in the pit of my stomach expands until I'm close to tears.

My silence catches Marianna's attention and she stares at me with worry in her beautiful blue eyes. "What's wrong?" she asks kindly.

Wordlessly, I go and hug her. She doesn't hesitate to put her arms around me and hold me close. That's when my eyes really start tearing up.

"I'm going to miss you again," I whisper against her shoulder, my voice cracking.

"I know darling. I'll miss you too," she promises.

"I've gotten so used to you living with us," I tell her.

"Believe me, I'm used to you guys, too," she assures me. "But you know I can't just drop out of school. I've only got one year left, and then, maybe, if the time's right, I will be here more often. Besides, my parents are still in France; I can't just leave them childless so early on."

It's selfish of me, but I'm glad that she said "my parents" and "France" instead of "my family" and "home." It reinforces the belief that we're her family, too.

"So what happens when you do get married?" I challenge. "What then?"

"I don't know," she admits. "I can't imagine a life different than the one we have now."

I pull away and hesitate to say what's on my mind, but she urges me with an encouraging look. "Long distance relationships are known for failing..." I trail off.

Marianna seems amused by that. "You know that won't happen with me and your brother."

"Relationships can mean friendship," I hint, allowing myself to show even more vulnerability. This isn't just anyone; this is someone I consider to be my sister.

My point dawns on her. "Oh, but we're not just friends, Dyl. We're practically sisters," she voices my thoughts.

Hearing this makes me grin like a child on Christmas. This is the first time we voice how strong our bond is, and it makes me happy that she feels the same. It's enough for me, for now. And just like that, my girly moment is over, and I'm back into my old role.

"So, big sister, I guess you won't mind if I borrow some of your clothes?" I joke, secretly hoping she'll say yes.

It would be nice to have some girl clothes, if only for the illusion that I can actually be one someday. It's not like I can go shopping.

Marianna laughs whole-heartedly. "Knock yourself out, _soeurette_." I'm guessing that last word means _little_ _sister_.

Excited, I go raid her closet and come up with a couple of things that I like; a pair of skinny jeans and a grey blouse with a purple cardigan stitched over it. That gives me an idea.

"Good choice," Marianna comments when she sees them. "Want to help me pack now? Mason appears to be occupied."

I chuckle, remembering that nothing gets in the way of my brother and his stomach, not even his mate. Then I stare at her and grin. "Only if you help me prank him, and I promise, nothing extreme."

She grins back. "What do you have in mind?"

I tell her, and she approves. We make a plan of action then immediately begin executing it. I hide in the hall outside Mason's bedroom door. Then I hear Marianna's voice calling out to him.

"Mon amour, can you come help me with something?"

Seconds later, Mason strolls into the guest room. "What do you need?"

When I'm sure he's too far from the door to see me, I go into his room, with all the ninja skills I've acquired over the years, and head straight for his desk. I quietly search the drawers until I find what I'm looking for, and I execute my plan. Then I hear their voices coming closer. I panic, so I jump in his closet. Right as I close the door on myself, they walk in, laughing and giggling flirtatiously.

Watching them isn't part of the plan. I'm supposed to be out in the hall again and come in when the deed is done. But it doesn't matter now; my innocent eyes have already been assaulted. I close them to protect them from more harm, but my hearing tells me all I need to know. Marianna kisses him passionately and keeps on driving him backwards until the back of his legs hit the chair. Then she pushes him down and straddles him, proceeding to make out with him. All the while, I throw up at least three times in my mouth, praying it will be over soon.

An agonizing one minute and seventeen seconds later, Marianna pulls away, and I open my eyes to find her with a love struck smile on her face. Mason is much worse; he's dazed and panting, not bothering to hide where his gaze is drifting.

_Please let this be over soon!_ I think to myself.

"I should get back to packing," she sighs.

One of his eyebrows shoots up. "You're kidding, right? You got me all riled up and now I'm not even getting anything?"

Gag! That's four!

Smiling suggestively, Marianna stands up and holds her hand out for him. "You want to help me? The suitcase might get too full. It might need some weight over it to close it."

_My poor innocent ears!_ I mentally shriek.

"Let's go," Mason replies eagerly.

He goes to stand up, but then he falls back on the chair. "What the hell?"

That's my cue to jump out of the closet. "Hey!" I shout, and he jumps in shock.

"Michael?!" he yells and then he scrambles to throw something in his lap; the closest thing he finds is his beanie on his head. Ew, seriously?! "What the hell did you do that for?"

The usually nice and caring Mason is way gone now, and he's replaced by angry-because-he-was-just-left-hanging-and-embarrassed Mason.

"Payback's a bitch, huh bro?" I tease. "Glue me once, I glue you right back."

"That's not even funny!" he protests.

Marianna and I exchange smirks. "It's a little funny," she says.

His eyes go as wide as saucers. "You were in on this?!"

She smiles coyly and leans over to whisper something in his ear that she knows I can hear. "Don't worry, _mon amour_ , I'll make it up to you." He stares at her longingly, his anger forgotten.

I make my repulsion known by gagging loudly. "Get a room, you two!"

Mason glares at me. "We're in _my_ room. You get out."

"Marianna has to pack," I object, a little jealous.

"She's right," she backs me up before he could say anything. Then she smiles seductively at him. "Later."

His gaze is full of promises. "You better."

God, their horniness is so obvious and unbearable to watch. I literally have to drag Marianna by her arm out of Mason's room.

"Can I help?" he calls after us.

"No!" I reply.

When we make it to the guest room, I close both bedroom doors for extra precaution. My only solace is knowing that Mason is struggling to get out of his glued situation right now.

"That was fun," Marianna comments, beaming.

I give her a flat look. "You didn't feel my repulsion. You and I enjoyed that for different reasons."

She laughs joyously, and I can tell she's still high over making out with my brother. "Oh, just wait till you're in love, Dylan. Then you'll think differently."

Suddenly, I'm not up for packing anymore. Dejected, I look away and wait for her to catch on, which she does a couple of seconds later.

"Ah, Dyl, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad," she apologizes sincerely.

Like I always do, I shrug it off. "It's no big deal."

Then I go to the closet to start emptying it, but she stops me with a hug. She doesn't say anything this time, because she knows there are no words to comfort me about this.

I can never find love. I can never get married and have kids of my own. I'm destined to live alone for the rest of my life. Most of the time, this fact is easy to ignore because there's so much going on to distract me. Almost every time the subject comes up, I manage to breeze out of it without making anyone suspect a thing. I got so good at hiding it that I've even convinced my family that it doesn't bother me. But this is the second time it comes up tonight, and it's really frustrating.

No matter how much Marianna understands me, this is one thing she can't ever relate to, so I don't talk about it, even to her. I'm not about to change that now.

"Your plane leaves in four hours," I remind her. "We should really finish packing."

Her expression tells me how much it pains her to see me hurting and not be able to do anything about it. For her sake, I put on a strong smile.

"It's okay, Mary," I reassure her. "It's just life. I'll adjust. I'll be fine."

She doesn't seem convinced, but she knows not to push me. She shakes her head in frustration. " _Un jour, soeurette, tu trouveras l'amour, et tu pourras enfin vivre librement_ ," she says, of which I only understand the words "soeurette" and "amour", which is what she calls Mason. _Love_. Whatever she said, I'm sure I disagree.

From then on, the atmosphere is heavy. We do keep up conversation, but we pack faster than we would have if we were talking animatedly. It's not like she has a lot stuff, anyway. It's the only reason why she didn't pack until the last minute.

Before I know it, we're loading her suitcase into the back of Dad's car. Mary, Mason and I are hopping in, with me calling shotgun. There's no point in all of us going to the airport to drop her off, so the others say their goodbyes in the driveway before we leave.

On the way, the three of them keep up conversation, but I'm too distracted to join in. I hate how affected by this I am right now, and I wish I can snap out of this sad and lonely feeling already. I may not have had my first attack, yet, but I still get mood swings that are very hard to get out of.

At the airport, Mason and Marianna go to check her luggage in and get her boarding pass while Dad and I wait in the cafeteria. We're an hour early, anyway, so we have some time to kill.

"Are you okay?" Dad suddenly asks me. "You barely said a word since we left."

I try to think of what to tell him. "I'm just... I'm really going to miss her," I finally say, which is completely true.

His lips tighten in sympathy. "I know, kiddo. We're all going to miss her, but aside from Mason, you probably will miss her the most."

I nod wordlessly and stare at my cup of hot chocolate. I would kill for some coffee right now, to wake my senses up again. I know my dad would definitely object. I can't ever have anything harmful in public, because who knows what I'll do when I'm too pumped or too drunk or too high to care about boundaries? A coffee right now would probably be harmless, but to my dad, it's just like the college thing. A small risk can lead to a big risk, so avoid them altogether.

Mason and Marianna take more time than they should have, but I understand why when they join us. Marianna's hair is untied and her face flushed. Looks like _later_ finally came around; and probably in an airport bathroom, too. How classy.

_God, I'm so bitter when I'm upset_ , I remark.

Marianna and I exchange looks when they meet up with us. "Boarding's in ten minutes," she says.

Dad stands up immediately and gives her a hug. "Have a safe flight home, Marianna," he tells her kindly. "Call us when you land, no matter what time it is."

"I will, Steven," she promises. "Tell Brooke goodbye again for me, please? And thank you so much for having me."

He pulls away and smiles at her. "You know you're always welcome. You're family. Don't take too long to come back, okay?"

She grins back. "I won't," she assures him.

He leans forward and kisses her forehead. I feel a stab of jealousy. He never treats me as tenderly as this, but I push it away. It's just my frustration at the whole love situation, and It's making me more emotional than usual. I guess it doesn't help that I'm a werewolf, too, and that emotions are felt much faster and take longer to dissipate than with humans.

After Dad, it's my turn, and I'm reminded again of how much I'm going to miss her. We hug closely for a long moment. Before we pull away, she whispers to me only, which is covered from my dad and Mason's ears by the murmur of the crowd around us, "Don't let life get you down. Stay happy no matter what, okay? I promise, someday, everything will make sense."

I really doubt it, I want to say, but I hold back from doing so. I doubt things will ever make sense. I'm always going to wonder why out of all the werewolves in the world, I had to be the first one who had to hide her gender.

When Marianna and I break apart, Mason spins her around before we can look at each other and crashes his lips to hers. His arms wrap desperately around her waist. I don't say a thing about it this time, because I know how he's feeling.

It's never easy to say goodbye.

When we get home, it's almost 9 pm. My brothers are in the living room playing video games, at least Nate and Danny are, while Connor is watching, and I'm guessing my mom is cleaning up in the kitchen after dinner. The sight of video games doesn't even cheer me up. All I can think about is that I need a long hot shower to calm myself down. Sadly, I get interrupted on my way to my room.

"Yo! Mickey!" Connor calls my name. "Want to go for a run?"

My ears perk up with interest. 'Go for a run' is what we say when we're talking about shifting into wolf form. This is just what I need to vent out and distract myself from my emotions. It works a hundred times better than a shower does.

"Sure," I agree, suddenly positive again. "Who's going?"

"All of us," Nate answers, his eyes fixed on the screen. "Except Dad."

"Mase, want to come too?" Danny asks.

"Let's go," Mason agrees.

"Hold on a second, let me just finish him off," Nate says confidently.

"You wish!" Danny retaliates.

Sensing an opportunity, I look at Mason and Connor respectively, and then I nod my head at Nathan and Daniel. They smirk, and a silent agreement passes between us. I count with my fingers to three. Then the two of them scream and jump on the two guys playing while I run to the TV and yank its cable out of the wall. I hear their protests, and it's like music to my ears.

"Man, I was this close to beating the shit out of Danny!" Nate complains.

"Get off, Con! You broke my console!" Danny yells.

Mason, Connor and I laugh about it for about seven seconds, until Nate and Danny start fighting back, and a wrestling match begins. We don't need to voice the teams this time, because it's pretty obvious. However, we don't get to do much, because it's less than a minute later when Mom yells at us.

"How many times have I told you not to fight in the living room? Everybody out! Go for a run! NOW!"

The five of us freeze and exchange awkward looks. Sometimes, I swear, Mom can be scarier than Dad.

"We'll continue this outside," Nathan announces, to which we all agree.

We scramble off each other, pushing and tripping one another while doing so. What can I say? Boys will be boys. We can't really help it.

Five minutes later, we're out from the back door and taking the path that leads to the woods a couple miles away. On the way there, Nate and Danny have an argument on who was supposedly going to win the video game.

"Dude, I had you cornered like a little mouse," Danny is saying.

"Oh please," Nate objects. "I had like seventeen exit routes."

"That's not logically possible," Connor comments, obviously trying to get on Nathan's nerves. He's always been the easiest to rile up.

"Whatever," Nate exclaims in anger. "Once we're done with this, I want to continue our match, and then we'll see who wins."

"We'll know who will win this particular match, but the one you started at home, we'll never know who won that," Mason adds with the same intent as Connor.

"You guys are such assholes," Nate complains.

"And you're a p-" Danny starts to say but suddenly stops.

We're almost at the edge of the woods, and we all freeze. There's a fresh werewolf scent emanating from the left side of the clearing, and it's none of ours. I recognize a couple of the signature scents, but the other five are unknown to me. This can only mean one thing.

When I glance in the direction of where the scent is coming from, I can see the pack house in the distance, some five miles or so away, lit up in the dark night like a lone street lamp. I never knew it's this close to our home.

They must have just gone into the woods, or else we wouldn't have detected their scent from so far away. Damn. I was really hoping I would be able to let loose a bit. Guess it's going to be a hot shower after all.

"You guys go ahead," I tell my brothers and start to back up. "You could use a free night."

"No way, Mickey," Mason is the first to object. "We're not going if you're not going."

"Yeah," the other three back him up.

I roll my eyes in a show of indifference and gesture at the pack house. "They live here, now, which means we'll probably run into them a lot when we go for a run," I remind them. "We all know there's no way I can shift in front of them, unless I want Dad to kill me. Do you really want to keep your wolves bottled up for so long?"

There's a moment of hesitation. "What about you? Where are you going to shift from now on?" Danny asks.

I shrug. "I'll just do it in my bathroom," I say, like it's no big deal.

"It's not the same," Nathan points out.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?" I snap.

"You can't keep your wolf bottled up either, Michael," Connor tells me.

"I'll be fine," I insist.

I can tell they're about to object one more time, but we suddenly freeze again. The scent is getting closer and it's right in front of us now. As one, we turn to the trees and see them walking out in our direction. I can make out Logan and Cade, but the others, like I said, are strangers. A few seconds later, we're standing about seven feet apart. There's something about the way they're all huddled close together, with Logan front and center. That makes me anxious, like I'm tensing for a fight, although no one's acted hostile yet. I avoid looking at them as hard as I can and instead stare at the ground.

"Hey," Logan starts, and he sounds much more relaxed than he did earlier in the diner. "You guys here to shift?"

We exchange looks and come to another silent agreement, although I don't like it. We can't separate now, or else it'll look suspicious.

"Actually, we were just taking a walk," Mason says calmly.

"Oh," he says, sounding surprised. "Well, would you like to join us?"

Although he said it normally, I can tell he's being extra polite by inviting us to shift with them. I can't stress enough how unusual it is for a pack as big and powerful as theirs to invite strangers to share things with them. It makes me wonder again why Logan is going against all the rules of conduct I've grown up knowing about packs like his.

"Thanks, but we've been out here for a while now, and we should really get back," Connor declines as respectfully as he can. It just serves to add more tension.

"Are you sure?" he checks, sounding almost disappointed.

That's when I make the mistake of looking up and my eyes instantly meet Logan's. In the dark, it's even harder to tell what color they are. The heat I felt in the diner rises again, and it's even stronger this time, because neither of us breaks eye contact. I'm too intimidated to look away, but I don't know why he won't.

The others, my brothers and Logan's pack, all notice the staring match and feel the thickening tension between the two of us. I know that I'm going to have to be the one to break it.

"Yeah, we're sure," I say, and my voice sounds strained. It's just so hard to talk normally when he's staring at me like that. Especially since I can't look away, and my body feels like it's in flames.

"No need to be so territorial," Cade says. There is a warning in his voice.

They've misinterpreted the reason for the tension. But at least I know now why Logan won't look away; I'm practically challenging him by looking straight in his eyes. I'm thankful that Cade spoke, because it finally gives me something to look at other than Logan. The beta's hands are locked into fists like he's preparing for a fight. I need to calm the situation down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to give you that impression," I say honestly, and I'm glad that my voice sounds steady and sincere. "It's not about territory. We're just not used to running with anyone outside our family. You can relax now."

All at once, the SMP members seem to deflate, except for Logan. Then they notice that they listened to someone other than their alpha and resume their rigid postures. But when Logan's shoulders relax and a small smile appears on his face, they slacken again.

"Some other time, maybe," he says, and it's the closest to friendly I've ever heard him sound. "When we're more used to each other."

I don't want to dispute him, and I especially don't want to keep looking at him, so I just nod and glance at my brothers like I'm telling them that we should go. Thankfully, they follow my lead and nod their heads in respect for Logan. Then, we all turn around and walk away.

Judging by the lack of footsteps, I can tell they're still standing in their spot, watching us leave. We don't dare say a word to each other in case they're also listening. It's only when I see our house that I look back. They are just silhouettes in the dark now, and they're retreating to the trees; all but one.

When we get home, we're too exhausted to say anything to our parents, so we mutually agree to put it off till morning, and each one goes to his room. I lock myself in my bathroom, draw that much needed hot bath and do what I said I would do; I shift. It's not as much of a relief as it would have been if I was out in the open, but it's all I can do. I prance around in my bathroom for a while, thankful that it's quite big, and even play with the water in the tub a little, pretending it's a pond or a river.

But then my fur becomes so soaking wet that it's almost heavy. I repress the urge to shake it off, mostly because I don't have the energy to clean up the bathroom afterward, and I just shift back.

All things considered, the hot water did relax me and eased all of the tension from my shoulders. I have to come to terms with the fact that, for the time being, this is going to have to be my only method of blowing off steam.
CHAPTER 8

Logan

Their hushed voices are easy to detect from outside, but I can't make out what they're saying exactly. It sounds like they're having an argument. It's late at night, so their boys are probably in bed by now, and they might not want to wake them. Either that, or they're just expecting us.

I knock on their door three times before their conversation is cut short. Then I hear footsteps approaching, and seconds later, Mr. Mariner greets Cade and me at the door. Unlike the way his wife welcomed us yesterday, it's clear he's not happy about how she told us to come back.

"Listen kid," he says in a tone that suggests he's about to send us away.

I don't give him that opportunity. "I won't bother you for long. I just have a couple of questions."

He briefly glances inside at where his wife is undoubtedly standing. "I know my wife gave you the impression that I can help you, but I don't think I can."

My mood begins to sink. I was already more nervous than eager to finally get some information, but I begin to lose what little hope I have left.

"Why not?" I reply politely. "Why can't you say anything? Can you at least explain _that_?"

His wife appears by his side before he can think up an answer. "Sweetheart," she says soothingly, although her voice is shaking, "we have to tell him _something_. We don't have to say everything, but he got into all this trouble to get to us."

He throws her a hard stare. "Do you have any idea the trouble _we_ would be in if we did?"

She eyes him levelly. "Of course, I do," she retorts, her tone defiant. "But he still deserves to know _that_ , like he said."

Cade and I hold our breaths, waiting hopefully. A werewolf's mate is really a great companion, sometimes acting as the voice of reason. Like now. I just hope his ego is not too big that it wouldn't allow him to listen to his wife.

Finally, he sighs. "Alright, fine," he relents. "Come in."

"Thank you," I say in earnest.

Whatever it is that's holding them back, it must be serious, and I truly am grateful that they're taking a chance in talking to us.

They let us into the living room, like last time. The house is quiet, but I notice Jace is sleeping in the armchair with a pillow preventing him from falling.

"I'll go fix us something to drink," Mrs. Mariner declares before going into the kitchen.

"So I assume you're about to explain why you can't tell us Alpha Cameron's motives, in putting that list together or including you on it?" Cade bluntly guesses.

"Look, it's not that I don't want to tell you," Mr. Mariner objects. "Believe me, I want to honor his memory and reveal everything. He was a good man, he died too soon."

Again, my chest tightens. The memory stings even more now that we've moved here. But I'm also losing hope again that I will learn anything substantial.

"Then why don't you?" I challenge. "What are you so afraid of?"

I accidentally raise my voice with that last question, which wakes Jace up. His cries pierce the silence of the night, and my ears. That is one very loud cry-baby. I'm almost considering letting the issue go, to leave and never come back.

His father rushes to his side and starts cooing to soothe him. I don't know how he stands to be so near someone who could quite literally damage his hearing, but he doesn't seem to mind it one bit.

"He needs a diaper change," Mr. Mariner declares. "I'm going to run upstairs and get some, alright?"

"Can we help?" I offer. If it will pacify the man enough to be more forthcoming, I am prepared to do anything.

He hesitates at the door but caves when Jace's cries intensify. "Actually, if you could lay him on his mat over there, on the ground, just take the diaper off and keep holding his legs up, that would be great."

Wait, what? He wants me to change a diaper?

Technically, that's not what he said, but he does want me to do the disgusting part. Unfortunately, I've already offered, so I can't back down.

"Uh, sure," I finally agree.

Mercifully, that's when Mrs. Mariner strolls in with a tray of lemonade cups for all of us. "I got it," she assures me.

I watch her pulling him up from the armchair, mumbling soothing nonsense, and placing him on his mat, before moving on to the diaper removing and wiping. It's a disgusting sight, but I am mesmerized by the devotion in her eyes, so I can't keep my eyes off the pair.

Mr. Mariner then returns. Between the two of them caring for him, Jace calms down in seconds. I never thought I'd be envious of a little baby. A few minutes later, they sit back on the couch with Mrs. Mariner rocking Jace to sleep.

"Do you know what it's like to lose someone you love?" Mr. Mariner suddenly said. "To have them ripped from your heart when you need them the most?"

The question is very random, but I don't think about his motives for asking when I eye him levelly and say, "Yes. I lost both my parents."

He nods. "If you had known beforehand that something was going to happen to them, what would you have done to protect them?"

"Whatever it takes," I immediately answer, starting to understand where this is going.

He nods again and pauses to let that sink in. "Cameron himself warned us," he goes on. "If anyone finds out what we did for him, there would be consequences. So we kept it secret, even though we didn't fully understand why."

I am more confused now. "Mr. Mariner, what is going on?"

He sighs, glancing at his wife and son. "The last time someone came asking questions about Cameron, and we refused to tell them," he pauses, "Jace was taken from us for two days."

I blanch.

"What?!" Cade says in a sharp whisper. "How?"

Mr. Mariner looks at us again. "We don't know. There wasn't a trail left behind, so we thought it was a human. We even went to the police and filed a report. There was an investigation the whole time he was gone. He was only six months old."

Mrs. Mariner's eyes brimmed with tears.

"The second night, we couldn't leave his room, and we fell asleep on the floor," Mr. Mariner continues. "We woke up to him crying in his crib, like he's been there the whole time. We didn't notice the note right away because we were so happy to have him back, and there wasn't a trail left this time either."

"The note?" I repeat, confused.

"Yes, there was a note," he confirms somberly. "At first, I thought they were going to threaten my son's life again if we didn't cooperate, but they must have realized we truly didn't know anything. Instead, they warned us to forget all about Cameron, and never speak of what we did for him with anyone, especially not someone in his pack, or else something much worse would happen. We didn't even dare look for him, although we didn't know he was already dead."

I take a moment to process this. There are millions of questions I'm dying to ask, but after hearing their story, I'm not sure I want to anymore. Obviously, I am more intent than ever on finding out what my dad was doing, but I can't risk the life of anyone else for that, especially not an innocent child.

I choose my next words carefully. "Mr. Mariner, I just have one more thing I want to ask, and I promise it doesn't put your family in danger."

He eyes me carefully, but doesn't say anything.

"Was my father doing something illegal?"

He visibly relaxes. "No," he replies. "Like I said, your father was a good man. That's why it doesn't make sense that the favor he asked us to do would get him killed, or would push someone to kidnap Jace to keep _us_ quiet about it. But somebody seems to think it is, so I'm not about to put my son's life in danger for the second time."

I only hear the first part of what he says; I am too horrified to listen to the rest. "You think he was _killed_? Because of the favor you did for him?"

There is a hard look in his face. "I am certain of it. I didn't think much of it at the time, but after we helped him, your father said he would protect us. Two years ago, he died, and a few months later, my son was taken. It's not hard to put two and two together."

My father's death was ruled as an accident; he fell from a high distance. Hearing Mr. Mariner say that he was murdered is a complete shock to my system.

_My father was murdered_ , I repeat robotically.

I hear Cade call my name, but I am unable to answer. I am unable to form a coherent sentence or find a rational denial that explains his death in a natural way.

"Maybe you should leave," Mr. Mariner suggests. "This is a lot to take in."

Mrs. Mariner doesn't disagree with him, like last time. In fact, she doesn't acknowledge us at all and just keeps on rocking her baby, even though he's already fast asleep.

Cade grabs my arm and pulls me up. I numbly follow him out and into the passenger seat. He doesn't speak to me until the Mariner's house is far behind us.

"Are you okay, man?"

"My father was murdered, Nash," I finally say it out loud, and I'm surprised by how calm my voice is.

"We don't know that for sure," he counters. "Maybe they're just confused. God knows they're scared to death."

My thoughts suddenly clear up as my determination flares, and I face him. "They were telling the truth," I insist. "He's right. It's too much of a coincidence that just after my father died, Jace was kidnapped."

Cade doesn't say anything else. I can tell he doesn't want to question me. A plan is already forming in my mind. I didn't know what I was getting into when I first received the list. I've only been alpha since I turned 21, and that list is for alpha eyes only. My uncle Cliff hadn't known what to do with it, so he left it for me when I came of age. I came here without a clue as to what the list means or what I am going to do about it. But now, it's crystal clear. There's really only one thing I _can_ do.

"Tomorrow, we're coming back," I decide. "I'm going to give them two choices; either they join us and receive our protection, or they leave town and get as far away from here as they can. Either way, I am going to find out what is the favor they did for my father."

"Don't you think we should lay off them for a while?" Cade suggests. "They're already traumatized enough as it is. Maybe if you give them time to calm down, they'll come around on their own."

I mull it over for a moment. He does have a point. "Alright," I agree. "We'll give them some space for a few weeks. In the meantime, I want to visit the other names on the list. Maybe they'll be more forthcoming."

It's not just about understanding what my father was doing anymore. One of those families on that list knows what happened to him. If I could find out what -or who- got him killed, maybe I'll finally get closure. More importantly, I have to honor his memory and make sure he didn't die in vain.
CHAPTER 9

Michael

The next morning at breakfast, the parental units are informed of last night's run-in with the wolves. Their reactions are exactly as to be expected; alarmed and anxious. When Dad is usually like this, he is a very bad listener, so it's a struggle to calm him down and slowly explain everything that happened.

"Are you sure they didn't suspect a thing?" Dad checks, after we've assured him over and over again that we're safe.

"Yes, Dad," I repeat patiently. "I'm sure."

"I'm just checking," Dad says. "Alpha Underwood is anything but dumb. It's easy for him to catch on. We have to be more careful than usual."

This seemed a bit hard to process. I mean, how much more precautions can we take? We already limit our contact to people outside the family, we barely go out without one of our own, and even in our home, I am treated like a boy most of the time and expected to behave like one no matter who is around. If anybody was listening in on our conversation right now, they still wouldn't be able to know that I'm a girl, because we never acknowledge it out loud. They'd just think we're hiding something.

"What else can we do?" Daniel voices my thoughts, sounding as confused as I feel.

"We can't have them suspect anything," Dad tells us. "At the moment, we can get away with the excuse that we're still not used to each other, but that won't be good enough after a while. At the very least, you boys will have to be civil. It might even be good that you form ties with them, though of course, not deep enough to reveal secrets."

My brothers and I stare at each other to make sure we all understood the same thing. By their expressions, I'm guessing we did.

"So... you want us to be friends with them, but not _best_ friends?" Danny asks, a hint of sarcasm seeping through his voice.

Dad catches his incredulousness and frowns at him. "There's no need to use that tone," he says. "You boys know very well what we would have to do if we can't coexist with the Silver Moon Pack. This is _their_ land, not ours. We'd have to leave. Your mother and I are already looking into unclaimed territories in case we have to take off on short notice."

The news is more of a shock than it should be. My dad always plans ahead with everything, and it's really no surprise that he would have an emergency escape plan. But it's still astonishing that he would uproot us so... easily; like it's no big deal, when in fact all of us have loved living here since we moved.

Out of the five of us, Connor is probably the only one with some faint memories of our family's life before I came in the picture. But after that, keeping my gender secret became a priority for them. He was six years old when my parents left the Redwood Pack. But he still always gives the impression that he loves living here more than anything.

"Dad, we can't just leave," I try to object. "Our whole life is here."

He gives me a pointed look. "Which part of it? Your friends? Your relatives? Your hometown?"

I wince at the reminder. Daniel and I may have been the only ones to have been born here, –right in this very house in fact– but it still feels like our hometown. When it comes to relatives, Mom and Dad are the only ones we have. They never even talk about the rest of their immediate family members. As for friends, we don't have any real ones other than each other because of this very reason; at any moment, Dad might make us all move.

The bigger three, Connor, Mason and Nathan, are old enough to do whatever they want and Dad won't object. But for whatever reason, they continue living with the rest of us and abiding by the rules Daniel and I have to. I'm not sure why they do that, but secretly, I'm a little glad. I don't know what I would do if they left.

"That's a bit harsh, darling," Mom says in my defense. "You know it's not their fault that they've never had that kind of connection here."

Dad looks at her tiredly. "I know, Brooke. But Dylan's safety has priority over that. We all know it. It's why we're all still here, because we care about you, Dyl."

I look up at him and suppress my weakening eyes. "I know, Dad. But I don't get what else you want us to do. I mean, honestly, what more _can_ we do? We can't really be friends with the SMP members for the same reason that Danny and I aren't friends with the humans at school."

Dad frowns in confusion for a second. "The what?"

"SMP," Connor repeats for me. "You know, the pack."

Recognition dawns on his face and smoothes his eyebrows apart. "Ah. Right. Well, nevertheless Mickey, these wolves didn't just let us live on their land for nothing. They didn't invite us to join them or you to shift with them just because they felt nice. Alpha Underwood is really trying to form ties between us."

The five of us are all confused by what Dad says.

"But _why_?" Daniel asks the question I know we're all thinking.

"By my guess, to respect the wishes of his predecessor," Dad tells us. "Or actually, the guy before that."

"Still, that doesn't explain why he's jumping at every chance he gets to play nice with us," Nathan comments. "I'm almost this close to being flattered, but it'd just be too weird."

My brothers snicker and I half-smile. Of course, only Nathan would say something like that at such a serious moment.

"Well then you better get used to it, because I have a feeling that- what did you call them Mickey? _SMP_ is one very persistent pack," Dad says. This is the closest I've ever seen him get to sarcasm.

There's a moment of silence while we process that before I finally speak again. "So... what does that entail of us, exactly?"

Dad shrugs like it should be obvious. "Hang out with them. Go to their parties, do plans with them after school, have study groups if you even need it. Do things normal teenagers would do. Just don't shift with them, and don't say anything that would put Michael's secret in danger."

He makes it sound so simple, when in fact, it's anything but.

When we get to school later that day, I meet up with Sadie in the hallway, at her locker. I seek her out because I know Dad will expect us to start the friends plan right away, and Sadie's the only one I'm genuinely comfortable around so far. She's putting away her books when she sees me coming and beams at me like she has been waiting for me. It actually brightens my day a little.

"Morning!" she says in her cheerful manner.

"What's up Sadie," I say back.

"I hear you met the guys in the clearing yesterday."

I scratch the back of my head nervously. "Yeah, um, I hope they didn't take that too personally, it's just that it's still weird for us being around other..." I look around hesitantly. "You know. _Others_."

She flashes me a reassuring smile. "I know. I'm glad you don't have that problem with me."

I grin at her. "No offense, but you're not as intimidating as they are."

Holy shit, did I just admit to being intimidated out loud? To Sadie, of all people?

Thankfully, she doesn't seem to notice the slip and instead laughs at the part directed at her. "I'll have you know, I grew up beating up Cade and Logan's asses, so you better believe I can hold my own."

"You mean before they shifted for the first time and had their strength spurt?" I tease her, grinning.

She mock-glares at me. "That is an unfair advantage."

I chuckle in amusement and decide not to push her on this."I actually meant that you don't radiate testosterone animosity like they do."

I just did it again!

"Oh." She smiles softly. "Trust me, they're softer than they look, even if they don't admit it. Especially Logan."

An eyebrow shoots up. Logan, the _stare-you-down-till-you-pee-in-your-pants_ alpha, a softie? Somehow I doubt that, but I don't say anything.

"Walk me to class?" she asks timidly a moment later.

Knowing exactly what she means by that, I give her a teasing smirk. "Have you lost your way again?"

Sadie blushes with a faint smile on her face. "I forgot my schedule at home this morning, and I haven't memorized my classes yet."

"Oh?" I tease. "Did someone distract you?"

She understands what I am insinuating, which makes me like her even more. "Oh shut up," she complains, blushing again. "When you find your mate, we'll see if you act differently. So are you going to help me or not?"

I hide the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach and finally roll my eyes at her. "Let's just go to the admissions' office and get your schedule again."

We've got a good fifteen minutes before class starts, so I know I'm in no hurry. Once we know which classroom she's in, we start walking at a slow pace together, and she's asking me questions about myself.

"When's your birthday?" she wants to know.

"June 6th," I tell her.

"Where were you born?"

This is a fairly safe question, if I know how to answer it, and I do, because I've practiced telling it since I was seven. The same way my parents practiced explaining to people that they left their pack to raise us in a quiet place. The real reason is that they found out one of the new twins my mom was pregnant with is a girl.

"In my house," I say easily.

Sadie seems surprised by my answer. "What, really? Your mom didn't go to a hospital?"

"She went to a hospital twice before that to give birth, and she wanted to try the ' _real experience_ '" -I make air quotes- "without any doctors or medicine," I explain, which is still 20% true.

"Didn't your dad put up a fight?" she wondered.

"Sure, but she was determined to do a home delivery at least once," I tell her. Then, I grin. "Whenever he talks about it, he says it was one of the longest, loudest and filthiest nights of his life."

She smiles but doesn't answer for a moment, and I can feel she's not quite done yet. "It seems to be very easy for you to talk about this," she remarks, confusing me.

"Why wouldn't it be?" I wonder, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Because you're a guy," she simply says.

I ignore the guilty feeling rushing through me at that moment. I've never felt bad about lying to anyone before, but Sadie's different. She's someone I can actually be friends with, like Marianna.

"So?"

"So, if I ask Cade or any of the guys in my pack about live births, they'd squirm and call it gross female stuff," she says.

Other than the surprise I feel that she said the word _pack_ in public, it dawns on me that she's right. I've never paid attention to that particular piece of information, because I practically recite it by heart every time I'm asked about it. No one's ever asked what Sadie just did.

The lie rolls off my tongues smoothly, but it still pains me to deceive this girl, whom I very badly want as a friend. "My parents drilled the story of my and Danny's birth into me so much that I became sort of immune to it."

"Which one of you is older?" she asks excitedly.

I mentally breathe out a sigh of relief that she's changed the subject all on her own, and half-smile. "Danny," I reply. "By only twelve minutes. But he, like all my brothers, treats me like the baby of the family."

She laughs out loud. "Oh, believe me, it's better than being the eldest. Everything falls on you, and you're expected to be the better sibling so that you can put a good example for the younger ones."

"Connor's never been worried about that with us," I laugh. "He's the one who got Mason his first condom and Nathan his first fake ID."

We're almost at her classroom, and we're laughing so loudly that people are staring at us. But for once, I don't really care; I'm having fun, so I'm not about to stop just because me laughing is an unusual public behavior.

"Your family seems so incredible," Sadie comments, still laughing. "I can't wait to really get to know them all."

A part of me is trying to convince myself that she only said that as part of SMP's plan to get chummy with us. But she seems so truthful that it's impossible to doubt her. Whether she's executing a plan or not, Sadie is as honest and genuine a person as she appears to be.

"Thanks," I tell her truthfully with a smile. "You should be warned, though, we're a little crazy, especially on Sundays."

She frowns. "Why Sundays?"

That's when I tell her about War Day with pride. She finds it incredibly amusing and laughs for almost a minute straight when I tell her what sort of pranks we've done on each other. Obviously, I change the story of what I did to Connor last time.

"Jared and Sam have a friend called Tyler," she informs me. "Whenever those three get together, they are huge troublemakers. But they've never done anything like War Day."

"Maybe you should suggest the idea," I say.

She smiles. "Nah, that's your family's thing. They have their own little games they play."

I nod and change the subject. "So what's _your_ family like?"

Her smile brightens even more. "They're pretty amazing," she says. She's about to add more, but suddenly, she has an idea. "Actually, now that you mention it, we're going out to the movies after school today, and I would love it if you could come, so I could have someone to talk to. I comment a lot during movies, and none of them can stand it."

I briefly smile, amused. "Isn't Cade going to be there?" I wonder.

I find it odd that they're able to be separated from each other for so long. My brother and Marianna start texting or talking endlessly on the phone when they're away from each other for more than two hours. Even Connor and Andrea have to check in five times a day if they don't see each other.

"No, not really. He and Logan have some work to do a few miles north of the boundary, and they won't be back until tomorrow morning," Sadie tells me.

"Oh," I say again. "Then sure, I'd love to go with you guys."

She grins and flings her arms around me in a hug. "Thank you Dyl!" she squeals.

I chuckle and awkwardly pat her head. Her enthusiasm is something I'm going to have to get used to, apparently.

"No problem," I assure her. "Now get to class or I'm going to be late for mine."

With a final squeeze of my shoulders, Sadie pulls away and scampers off to class, throwing a backward glance at me with that same beam on her face. So far, it feels nice to have a friend. I didn't even think about Dad's instructions when I agreed to hang out with her; I did it because I wanted to.

Later that night, I meet up with her at the movies at exactly seven pm. I find her waiting at the food counter, with a middle aged couple who I'm guessing are her parents, a teenage girl around fifteen who must be her sister, and a ten year old boy who can only be her brother.

Sadie, her sister and their mother are all brunettes, but Sadie's father and little brother have dark auburn hair. Their eyes are also different; while Sadie's are pure brown, her mother's and sister's are green, and her brother's and father's are hazel colored.

Her sister is an exact replica of her mother only in a younger version, especially with the oval shape of their faces. Since Sadie's face is actually heart-shaped, I'm guessing she takes more after her father than her mother. As for the little boy, he's like both his parents in many ways, and I have to admit he's kind of adorable. He's sitting on his father's lap, laughing his little heart out as his father told a funny story. His mother is watching them with an affectionate glint in her eyes while Sadie tries to talk to her sister, who is too busy typing on her phone to give more than one worded answers.

Sadie spots me a second later and waves frantically, bringing her family's attention to herself. The sister whispers something to Sadie that makes her frown and whisper something back, to which she shrugs then resumes texting on her phone. Sadie's brother stands up immediately and goes to stand in front of me. I halt and look at him.

"Are you Dylan?" he asks, and he sounds so much like Sadie.

"No, I'm Michael," I deadpan.

He grins and puts his hand out. "I'm Zack!"

I take his hand to shake it and feel him putting a little pressure on it, although this is probably what would be considered a hard shake for him.

_Is he trying to show off his strength?_ I wonder.

I pretend to be in pain. "Go easy on that hand, Zack," I beg. "I kind of need it for writing my homework and stuff."

He grins and grabs it a bit harder. I pretend to quake and fall to my knees.

"Stop it, you're killing me!"

Then he starts giggling and let go of my hand. Two pairs of converse shoes come into my peripheral vision and I look up and find Sadie and her sister standing there.

"Are you bothering my brother, Dylan?" Sadie jokingly asks.

"His name is Michael," Zack corrects. "Don't worry Sade, I scared him enough so that he won't hurt you."

Smiling, she bends her knees until she's at eye level with him and she ruffles his hair. "Aw, my protector." She stands up again and puts her hand behind her sister's back. "Dylan, this is my sister Zoey."

Zoey looks up from her phone to spare me a single glance and a nod.

"Nice to meet you," I say dryly.

"Hey Michael?" Zack calls again.

I look down at him. "Yeah, little man?"

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?" he wants to know.

"I have four brothers but no sisters."

His eyes are wide. "Whoa! That's more than Sadie's boyfriend has! You're so lucky you have brothers. I only have sisters."

"Hey, you know I would kill to have a sister as awesome as yours," I point out. "You're the only one who does, so you're a pretty lucky man."

"Not true," he objects. "Reena's brother has a sister."

I frown and look at Sadie. She gives me a look that says later, and turns to her brother. "Come on, Zack, let's go back to Mom and Dad. The movie starts in a few minutes."

Sadie's parents are very nice people. They ask me about my family, my school and what I want to do in college when I graduate; the usual things normal people ask their daughter's friends. I play it aloof, because I can't talk about wanting to be a musician.

Once we're inside and the trailers start showing, I lean towards Sadie to ask her about what Zack said.

"Oh, Reena's adopted," she tells me. "Her parents wanted a girl when Jason was fourteen, so they got permission from the alpha. She was ten when she started living with the pack, and she's been with us ever since."

"So then you, Zoey and her are the only girls in the pack?" I ask and then backtrack. "Not counting the adult mothers, I mean."

"Unless you count the few mates that some of the guys have chosen, then yeah," she replies. "But we're the only ones whose families are werewolves and part of the pack."

I stare at the screen in silence for a bit. I silently wonder how it must have been like for Cade and Logan to grow up with girls their age around. I didn't have any female presence, other than Mom, until my brothers started dating. The only girly thing my mother ever talked to me about was where babies come from. That conversation was done with Dad and the rest of my brothers, so that means I felt compelled to make the same jokes they did.

"So what's her and Logan's story?" I wonder.

She smiles sideways at me. "Well, you know that the plan originally was that Logan and I would get together in the end, right?" I nod. "When I chose Cade instead, Logan's parents set their hopes on Reena. Obviously, they never pressured him... they weren't that controlling. But they did give subtle hints that they would support the relationship. Five years ago, they started dating and they've been mates for two."

I don't know what to think about this. The one time I saw them together, they didn't strike me as a couple that much in love. To each their own, I guess.

Still, I can't help noticing that a sliver of melancholy settles in my stomach.

"Hey, listen," Sadie sharply whispers as the title begins to appear onscreen. "About Friday. You're coming, right?"

I frown. "My brothers and I already agreed."

Didn't we?

"Yeah, I know that's what you said in front of the others, but I just wanted to make sure you didn't just say that out of politeness."

"We'll be there," I promise. "Why are you asking?"

She sighs out of frustration. "Because Cade and Logan are going to be gone that night, and Zoey can't drink but she's going to be a bartender, and Reena's not really my favorite person to be around when she's intoxicated, so there's really no one for me to hang out with."

I'm really curious about how a host can miss his own welcome home party. But I doubt she'll tell me what they're doing, so I don't ask her about it.

"Yeah, sure, it'll be just the two of us," I agree.

She grins. "Thanks Dyl."

When Friday does come around, I'm ashamed to admit that I'm a little nervous. I've never been to a party before, and I've certainly never thought I would go to one out of my own free will. I even spent ten minutes thinking about what to wear. _Ten minutes!_ I usually just grab the first thing I find in my closet.

In the end, I put on the usual jeans and hoodie, and head out to find my brothers still wrestling in the living room over who gets to sit in the passenger seat.

"You had shotgun after school!" Danny roars.

"And you had it this morning, remember?" Nate fires back. "You bargained with Mickey and gave him forty bucks to give it up."

"You know he only agreed to that because he knows he's driving after the party," Mase points out.

As the screaming match continues, I join Connor who is leaning casually against the front door, calmly watching our brothers.

"Ten bucks says Nate ends up shotgun," he says.

"You're on," I say. "I believe in my twin."

"Isn't anyone betting on Mason?" Dad's voice asks from the couch.

I shrug. "Mason doesn't really care. He just likes to rile them up."

We watch them for a few more minutes until we hear Mom sighing loudly from the kitchen. She comes stomping into the living room with a murderous look on her face. At first, the three of them keep on fighting, but then she puts two fingers in her mouth and lets out an ear-splitting whistle that just about blows our heads off. Even Dad has to cover his ears to protect them. Sometimes, having heightened senses really sucks.

"If you boys aren't out of this house in one minute, I will make all of you walk to the pack house, do you understand me?" she threatens, her voice low and deadly.

We all fall quiet and stare guiltily at each other. Our parents usually put up with our bickering and only intervene when something more important needs to be done, or when our fighting is taking place downstairs, which is where all the breakables are. Plus, my parents kind of cherish the nights when my brothers and I go out. It's the only time they get some peace and quiet. And other disturbing things I am not even going to think about.

"Sorry, Mom," Mason is the first to say.

She point at the front door. "Just take it outside," she orders, a bit calmer now.

We shuffle out, mumbling apologies and goodbyes. Before they can start fighting again, Connor suddenly announces, "Mason gets shotgun."

"Aw, come on!" the other two protest.

"No buts," he argues. "It's my car, and he's less annoying than you two."

They continue complaining, but they do as he says. "I can't believe you're always favoring Mase and Mickey," Danny whines.

"At least you get to drink," I point out, to which they have nothing to say.

Because of my secret, it's always been an unspoken rule that I can't ingest any substance that might make me drop my guard and cloud my judgment. Ever since I turned 16 and got my driver's license, I'm the designated driver after a party.

I don't really mind the not drinking part, since I've never really tried it, but I like to play it out like I do. It makes my brothers sympathize with me and gives me plenty of opportunities to mess with them. Driving home is an added bonus. I like driving, and I rarely get a chance to, so when I do, I cherish it.

On the way to the pack house, the conversation shifts to my brothers' memories of their best and worst nights of partying. I can't really give much input, since I usually take a nap in the car and wait for them. But I do find a million different things to make fun of. Like how Connor once got so wasted that he went skinny dipping with a girl, who then ditched him when he started singing _I'm Too Sexy_. That was too weird for her.

A few minutes later, we get to the entrance of the pack's compound, and a security guard asks for our names. When Connor gives him our last name, he calls for someone called Creed on his walkie-talkie and he buzzes us in. The gates retract and the road opens up in front of us; I am literally amazed.

Sadie may have said there are eleven of them, but that's if you only count those living in the pack house. There's about a dozen other regular-sized houses scattered across the compound, and all of them may be lived in. Malcolm the diner owner probably lives in one of them.

There are also a few other buildings with different purposes inside the gates, used for anything a big pack needs; a training center, a hospital and a school. I'm pretty sure there's also a playground somewhere in there.

A granite road leads all the way to the pack house, then turns around and makes a perfect circle back to the entry gates. Every patch of land in between that doesn't have property built on is covered by a perfectly green grass carpet. Some trees are also scattered here and there. It almost looks like a spa or a country club, with the pack house as the hotel.

In the werewolf world, a pack usually lives in the same house, and they have all their training and education within it. But SMP is a bit too big to fit inside one house. The compound was built decades ago and the pack's way of life was established along with it.

The pack house is where the alpha, beta, family and mates live. I'm guessing this is where Logan's family lives, along with Reena, Cade and Sadie. The others live in the houses. The training center and hospital are used by all, but the school is for the younger kids only.

At this time of the day, when the sun has set hours ago, the lights coming from the pack house are bright enough to illuminate a big part of the compound. Music can also be heard from there, but it's far enough from the houses that it doesn't disturb them if there's anyone at home sleeping. I doubt anyone other than little kids and their parents is staying home tonight; this party is a big deal.

When the pack house itself comes into view, I notice that the road has been closed from that point on, and there are a few people gathering in front of the barriers. There's a lot more people than I imagined; surely more than the pack contains. Then I realize that most of them are human, which really shocks me. I thought this was supposed to be a private party?

"Where the hell am I going to park?" Connor mumbles to himself.

That's when I notice a familiar brunette who seems out of place amidst the crowd on the street. Standing beside people clearly dressed for a night out at a club, she looks almost awkward in a simple short-sleeved red dress that reaches her knees, with laces lining the top of its chest. She has black flats on and is tapping one of them while she looks around for us.

I roll my window down and stick my head out. "Sadie!" I yell.

At the sound of her name, she turns and sees me a moment later. She beams widely and jogs toward us.

"Hey Dylan!" she greets me in her usual manner. "You made it!"

"Yeah, we did. Um, do you know where we can park?"

She seems to realize that my brothers are in the car too, and crouches down to see them through the window.

"Hey guys!" she says. "Nice to see you all came."

"We wouldn't miss it," Mason says with a smile.

Then she looks at our driver. "It's Connor, right?" she asks.

"Yeah," he answers casually, a little surprised she remembered his name.

She points to the side of the barrier. "You can park on either side of the street here. Not that many cars are supposed to be coming in."

"Kay, thanks."

"Wait, Con, hold on," I stop him before the car moves again. I hop out and close the door behind me. "I'll meet you guys in there."

"Alright, cool," they easily agree.

"Remember, don't drink anything except water you've poured yourself," Mason reminds me.

I roll my eyes, annoyed he had to say that in front of my friend. "Whatever, Dad."

Sadie's watching us with an amused half-smile on her face. I grab her elbow and start dragging her away. "Don't even start."

"Start what?" she asks innocently. "Teasing you that your brothers are babying you? Why wouldn't I? It's hilarious."

Instinctively, I growl at her, but there's enough noise around us that she doesn't hear.

"I'm the designated driver, okay?" I offer as a way of explanation.

"Whatever you say, _baby_ ," she teases.

CHAPTER 10

Daniel

My brothers and I have a system during parties. We always go together and we check in with Mickey every hour so that he could make sure we aren't getting too drunk. Alcohol doesn't affect us as easily as it does humans, but when taken in large amounts, it makes us as vulnerable as any drunk person.

My brothers and I are allowed to drink though, except for Mickey of course, for one simple reason. Drunk guys are not taken seriously if they start yelling that their baby brother is actually a werewolf girl in hiding. If Mickey was to start acting like a girl, however, the truth would come out. We can't shift when there's the least bit of alcohol or chemicals in our system, but all my twin has to do is take his shirt or pants off.

It's unfair that he's the only one who can't drink, so we promised that we would always stop when he tells us to. But he lets us have our fun, because he has this warped sense of right and wrong, and he thinks it's wrong to chain us to him.

Unfortunately, the welcome party at the SMP is the first one he attends willingly and has someone to hang out with. This makes him distracted, and I unintentionally let loose. Thirty minutes later, I'm much drunker than I've ever been in my life.

"More shots!" I scream over the loud music.

Everyone cheers me on. My vision is so fuzzy, but I feel like I'm flying and that nothing can stop me. People love me every time I drink and announce that I've taken yet another one. I like it. Somebody hands me another shot. Grinning, I reach for it and look up at the person to thank them. I stop short when I see a girl.

"Why hello, gorgeous," I flirt.

She's really pretty; her eyes are so blue, like the ocean. Or are they green? I can't tell. I'm distracted thinking about taking a swim in the back pool soon.

"Hi," she says back with a suggestive smile.

By now, it's just me and her talking. Maybe she wants to go to the pool with me.

"You want to go for a swim?" I ask.

She scrunches up her nose for a second in an adorable way, but I'm sure it's just the fuzziness of my vision. She purses her lips like she's considering it, and then she leans forward towards me like she's about to tell me a secret.

"Tell you what," she begins, and I get closer to her, my curiosity to know her answer burning inside me. "You finish that drink, and I'll take you up somewhere secret."

I knew she was going to tell me a secret! I love secrets!

People always tell them to me, and I usually keep them. Without hesitation, I down the shot she gave me and wait for the burn. Nothing comes.

Whoa! Did I just develop a superpower? Alcohol resistance! Awesome!

"Hey I didn't even feel that!" I exclaim with pride.

"That's because it's water," she tells me with a straight face that doesn't have a hint of the flirty expression she wore before. "I think you've had enough."

I don't understand what she's telling me at first, and I frown to concentrate. "You tricked me!" I finally realize, feeling betrayed. "That's not very nice! I'm going to get a drink from someone who's not mean, like you."

"Don't you want to see my secret place?" she reminds me.

_Damn it! I love secrets. This is too tempting! How do I choose? Wait, why don't I want to see her secret place again?_ I wonder.

"Okay!" I agree enthusiastically.

She holds out her hand for me and I take it immediately. Faces of other people blur in front of me as she's leading me upstairs somewhere. She stops in front of a door and opens it, pulling me inside with her. The music is more muted here, and I can hear my own breathing, but there is a ringing in my ears. I see a bed and realize we're in her room.

Oh!

Anticipating what she had planned, I pull her toward my chest with a grin on my face.

"What are you doing?" she squeaks.

"Isn't it obvious?" I say back.

"Ew, no! That's not what I meant! Let go of me!" she protests, sounding a little afraid.

Dejected, I do as she says. My parents always tell me to respect girls, and I don't want to scare her. That has never stopped me from turning on the charm and convincing girls who've said 'no' to me before, but something about this girl makes me stop, for once. Still, I can't say I'm not disappointed.

"But why?" I pout.

"I'm fifteen you idiot!" she yells. "That's statutory rape! Hell, that's just rape!"

My eyes widen. Am I so far gone that I didn't notice she's so young? "Then why did you bring me here?"

She heaves a sigh and shakes her head with both her hands on her forehead. "This was a bad idea. I don't know what I was thinking. Of course, if he's drunk enough not to remember this in the morning, then he'd be drunk enough to expect this! Why didn't you think of that?"

She's confusing me again, and I frown. "Are you... talking to yourself?"

She gives me an exasperated look. "Yes, I'm talking to myself, you idiot."

That's twice that she called me 'idiot'. I wonder why I don't feel offended, but I'm distracted by what she said before. "What don't you want me to remember?"

She sighs again, but this time, she slumps down on her bed and looks tired. "My secret," she reminds me.

I gasp in shock and kneel down in front of her. "So there really is a secret?" I whisper with wonder.

She laughs a little and nods her head. "Yes, there really is a secret," she repeats. "I can't tell anyone I know about this, and I thought a total stranger would be a good choice. Obviously, I miscalculated a lot of things."

She looks down with a sad expression on her face. I don't know why, but it makes me sad too, to see her about to cry.

"Oh please tell me!" I beg. "I love secret, and like you said, I won't remember this tomorrow. Please? I'll tell you a secret, too!"

She hesitates and does that nose scrunching thing she does before she agrees. "Alright."

"Yes," I quietly cheer, which takes the sadness out of her eyes.

"Do you know that my dad is not really my dad?" she begins by asking.

I blink twice. "What?" So far, this is the worse secret ever.

"The man who raised me is not the same one who gave birth to me," she explains.

I suppress a laugh. "Men don't give birth, silly... women do."

She rolls her eyes, although she's smiling at the same time. "Okay, fine, he's not my biological father. Is that better?"

I put on a straight face. "Continue," I try to say with authority.

It only succeeds in making her laugh again. "You're funny when you're drunk, you know that?"

I shrug. "I'm funny all the time," I correct her. "I've never been this drunk."

She seems a bit surprised by that. "Really? Why not?"

I shake my head. "Nuh-uh! Your secret before mine."

She gives me a non-impressed look. "That's your secret? That you've never been as drunk as you are now? I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you don't seem like someone who can easily hold their liquor."

Coming from a fifteen year old girl, I should probably take that as an insult, but I can't focus. I am confused. This girl is messing with my brain.

"But how are you sure I won't remember this in the morning?"

"I watched you," she tells me. "For a werewolf, you're kind of a lightweight. You had four beers and fourteen shots in a row. You're still talking normally, but not rationally. I get the feeling you don't generally drink a lot, because you were singing ' _We Are Family_ ' at the top of your lungs, and completely off key, if I may add, after just seven shots. My sister's boyfriend can have twice as much as you drank in total before he starts behaving the way you are now."

Only one thing in her speech catches my attention. "Sister?" I wonder if she's cute, too.

"Yeah," she confirms. "You've met her. Her name is Sadie. He boyfriend is Cade, the beta of the pack. Remember?"

I can't remember, and it's making me even more confused. I need to focus, so I close my eyes shut and shake my head. What were we talking about?

"Besides," she adds before I can ask her out loud, "even if you do remember, it won't be so bad to have someone to talk to. You seem like a decent guy. I mean, you could have just taken advantage of me even when I said no. And you could have just left me here."

That's when I remember. "But I want to know the secret," I beg her.

She shakes her head like she's forcing herself to focus too. "Right, that's true, I was telling you about how my dad isn't my biological father," she recalls.

"Are you adopted?" I blurt out without caring.

"Technically, yes, my dad adopted me," she tells me. "But my mom is really my mother. That's not the point, though. The point is that I found out something about him."

I prop myself up on my elbows, which I place on her knees. This must hurt, but she doesn't try to move me.

"What?" I ask excitedly.

She pauses before answering me. "He had a son a few months before Sadie was born with another woman. And my mom doesn't even know."

My eyes go wide with my childlike excitement, and I lift my head from my hands. "Ooh, a brother! Brothers are awesome. I have three of them."

"This isn't awesome for me; my dad is a cheater," she complains. "I always had this perfect idea of him, you know? That he was this great guy, and he died before I was born, but he still loved me. But now that I know he has a kid with another woman, it's like the whole image of him being perfect went into dust. Is that so wrong of me? Is it too stupid to wish that all my genes came from good people, that my parents are someone I can be proud of?"

I drop my arms casually over her legs and lean my chin over them.

"No," I tell her with certainty. "He's the stupid, and you're a... better than him."

"How can you say that? You don't even know me."

"Because you didn't let me drink any more, and you didn't want to sleep with me, and you don't want to tell your mom because you don't want to hurt her, and you love your other dad," I count the reasons off on my twelve fingers. "Trust me, you're nothing like him."

Shocked, she blinks at me and takes a moment to reply. "I'm starting to doubt whether or not you're really drunk," she says.

"If I was, I wouldn't be trying to make you feel better, believe me," I answer her. "I might not forget this, but I won't use it against you; I promise."

Her smile is adorable, just then. "Thank you, it's really sweet of you to say that."

I shrug. "I won't be this nice in the morning, so you better make use of it."

"Ah, so you're the type that becomes adorable when you're drunk. I hope you stay this way sober," she says. I smile at her, just because she's nice. "So what's _your_ secret?"

Excited again, I lift myself up from her legs and lean toward her face. I hear her sharp intake of breath in surprise. For a moment, I'm distracted a little. I can't remember what I was going to say because suddenly I want to kiss her. From the way she's looking at me and how her heart is beating, she does too.

I get close enough that our lips touch just a little bit, and I wait to see how she will react. She doesn't move away, even though I stay still for several seconds. But when I go for it, she suddenly puts her hands on my shoulders and pulls back.

"Um," she shakily says. "You, uh... you haven't... told me _your_ secret."

Just like that, I remember what it is I was going to say, and I completely forget that I was this close to kissing her. I'm excited again about telling her my secret. But I don't want anyone to hear, so I put my hand and mouth to her ear.

"My secret is... my twin is a girl," I whisper to her, and then immediately pull away to look at her face.

She frowns at me, disappointed and confused. "I was wrong. You really are drunk."

"Nope," I deny, popping the 'p'. "It's the truth."

She blinks as it fully registers. "That's impossible."

I shrug again and am about to explain to her how this happened when I hear the rhythm of the music change into a familiar song.

"Oh I love this song!" I cheer and stand up. "Let's go dance!"

She's still distracted and shakes her head to clear the confusion. "I need a drink."

She grabs a bottle on the way down and gulps down half of it at once. I tug at her arm as I wait for her to finish.

"Come on, you said we'd dance," I whine.

I take the drink from her hand and she follows me to where everyone is. We dance face to face first, and I take a few sips from her drink every now and then. But then, she gets bold somehow –I'm guessing because the alcohol is kicking in. She turns her back on me and leans into me. Now this is what I'm used to. The child in me disappears as we start moving together sensually in a way that excites me on a completely different level. I want to kiss her again.

I lean my head over her shoulder to speak in her ear so she could hear me. I'm probably going to get back to being a jerk when I'm sober, so I might as well ask her out now.

"Do you want t-? _Oof_!" I'm cut off by a hand grabbing me and yanking me away from her.

"Hey!" she protests.

I sway in place for a little, and my vision dances the way I was seconds ago, before I look for the source.

"Mickey!" I enthuse. I want to introduce him to my new friend, but then I realize I don't know her name. "Have you met Sadie's sister?" is what I settle for.

He throws a simple glance in her direction before getting closer to scream in my ear. "Danny, your friends are upstairs. We have to go and get them back to Nico's place."

My friends?!

"What?" I yell back.

What friends? The only friend I have right now is the girl whose name I don't know.

When I turn to ask her what her name is, I find her sitting on the couch a few feet away with a distant look on her face. I take a step toward her before I stumble on someone else's foot and surge forward, landing face down next to her on the couch and passing out immediately.
CHAPTER 11

Michael

The house is alive with music, lights and bodies dancing all around. The party barely even started an hour ago, and already, people are dancing like their lives depend on it. I make a vow to myself that I would only hang around Sadie or my brothers all night. Pack or no pack, I'm still me, and I still hate parties just as much as I always have.

Sadie has shown me around the house. On the outside, it's kind of nice looking, with brick walls and a flat ceiling. Inside, it's even better. There are three levels and a basement. In the basement, a game room is set up, with video games and televisions. A narrow wooden spiral staircase leads the way down there.

The top two floors are bedrooms. There are fourteen in total, and eight bathrooms are spread out on all four levels. The first level is where the party is mostly taking place. The living room has been emptied out of furniture to make room for a dance floor and a sound system, also, to clear the breakables away. There's already a bar in the back that's being used for the party.

The kitchen is also on this floor. Compared to ours, it is gigantic. There are three fridges at the right side decorated with magnets, one of which has a piece of paper magnetized to the door with the word "drinks" written on it. The other two are for food.

Two big stainless stoves are at the wall adjacent to the one where the fridges are. The rest of the kitchen is lined with closets, cupboards and counter-tops. There are two rectangular tables of about seven feet long by three feet wide, each in the middle of the room, with about twenty eight chairs around it. I'm guessing that even though only one pair of the adults live here, the parents must all come over for meals.

Very few people are sitting at the table. A couple of werewolves are rummaging through the food fridge, while three are searching for drinks. I am suddenly reminded of the strange sight we drove into when my brothers and I first got here.

"Hey, why are there humans here outside?" I ask Sadie.

Her lips twist up with amusement. "Oh, they're just crashing the party."

She says it so calmly that it takes me by surprise. Doesn't the pack care that humans have intruded on their private _Welcome Home_ party? "And... that doesn't bother you guys?"

She shrugs. "The bigger the crowd, the better the party."

"So... you don't actually care about keeping it private?" I ask skeptically.

"If we didn't want anyone crashing, do you really think they would have been able to?"

I pause, considering it. "I guess not. But why?"

"How old do you think most of us are?" she asks teasingly. "A few of the guys found their mates at some of these things."

I crack a smile. "Yeah, I'm sure plenty of guys have fallen in love during parties," I say with sarcasm.

Sadie pretends to be offended. "Hey, I will have you know that my first night with Cade happened at a party not much different than this one, and it was magical!"

I cringe in disgust. "Why the hell did you feel the need to share that with me?!"

She smirks. "Because I knew it would bother you, obviously. You ooze _virgin_ out of every pore, and knowing you're not like other shallow guys who only care about getting laid, gives me enough reason to torture you."

Whoa! Is this really the same sweet and innocent Sadie that I met at the beginning of the week?

"Who are you and what have you done to my friend?"

She laughs loudly. "Oh this is going to be fun!"

"What is?"

"You and I being best friends."

For a second, I think my ears ring with shock. _Did she really just call me that?_

"Is that what we are?"

"Not completely yet, but we will be," she swears, winking. "I can tell. I have a sixth sense about these things."

Ignoring the joke, I blink at her a couple of times. "Won't it bother your boyfriend that you have a guy best friend?"

She sighs at the mention of his name. "I love Cade," she says dreamily, although there's still a rebuttal in her voice. "But he doesn't control me. He knows that he can trust me, even if he gets jealous. Besides, you're not really my type."

I grin. "Good, 'cause you're not my type either."

She cocks one hip to the side and jabs her fist over it. "Are you saying I'm not good enough for you?"

I pretend to study her from head to toe and then shrug. "Meh, I could do a whole lot better."

She throws her head back and laughs. Then she grabs my arm and starts to drag me out of the kitchen. "Come on, let's go. I need to have a drink in my hand."

The first drink Sadie has is a punch. By the smell of it, I'm guessing there's some vodka in there. She introduces me to some of the pack members as we walk around and strikes up conversation with a few of them while I stand awkwardly to the side.

Music is blasting from all around me and basically making my ears bleed. I don't know whatever song is playing, but I don't care to know, for once. I'm not really having a great time. Sadie is much too friendly to hang out with one person all night, regardless of her initial complaints when she begged me to come, so I am forced to sit back a lot and watch her interact with people I have zero interest in talking to.

Sometime after that, I see two of my brothers; Nate is dirty dancing with a blonde girl and Connor is sitting on the couch next to a short red-head. They seem to be having a very serious conversation. The very fact that he's sitting down instead of dancing just proves to me that he really does care about what's-her-face.

Sadie then drags me to the keg and pours herself a drink. Time passes and she starts moving with the music. Then she has another. Then another. Before I know it, she forces me onto the dance floor, giggling like crazy. It doesn't take a genius to see that she's a little more than just tipsy. I wonder again what's so important that Cade left her alone at a party.

After a couple of minutes, as Sadie dances around next to me, I see him coming through the front door with Logan. I wave around to catch his attention. When they see me, the two of them walk over.

"How many drinks did she have?" he yells when he sees his mate, for once not the least bit hostile.

"Enough that you should get her out of here," I yell back.

He nods and grabs her arm. She stops dancing and looks up at him, her face immediately lighting up. "Cadey!" she squeals and throws her arms around his neck. "You're here!"

"Come on, Sade, let's go somewhere more quiet," he tells her.

He puts his arm around her waist and leads her away. I'm left standing there with Logan, who is staring at me like he's expecting me to start dancing. It's too awkward for me, so I decide to walk around and find something to do.

"I'm going to look for my brothers," I let him know.

He nods but doesn't move and continues to stare me down. I turn my back on him and walk up the stairs, intending to search the rooms for my brothers. When I get to the top, I glance back behind my shoulder, and he's still standing in the same position like a stone, his eyes on me. This guy gives me the creeps without even trying. It's totally unfair.

The upstairs level is more difficult to maneuver around, basically because there's no difference between bathroom doors and bedroom doors. It's impossible to follow my sense of smell because of all the different smells in the air and the alcohol overpowering everything else. I'm going to have to check them all.

The first door opens up to a couple making out on a bed. In the second one, I find Mason vomiting in the toilet.

"Man, we haven't even been here that long," I comment, keeping my voice normal since music is more muffled up here. "How are you so drunk already?"

He mumbles out something I can't catch; I only make out the words "what" and "time" and conclude what he wants to know. I check my watch and am surprised that it's almost ten thirty. Have we really been here more than an hour? I didn't even feel the time passing, although I was bored for most of it.

Before I have a chance to answer his question, he grabs the toilet seat again and empties whatever's left in his stomach. I lock the door and rush to his side.

"Mason," I sigh. "Why would you do that to yourself?"

He slurs something else of which I only understand "miss her."

"Seriously?" I ask with exasperation. "You think that poisoning yourself like that will make you miss her any less?" He groans and puts his hands on his forehead. "Alright, fine. I'll find the others and we'll go home."

I lift him as carefully as possible and lay him against the bathtub. His eyes close and his head falls back against the edge of the tub. When I'm sure that he's okay, I leave and close the door behind me, hoping to God that it will be enough to keep people out of it. I have to be fast.

It doesn't take too long to find Nathan; he's in one of the rooms playing strip poker with a couple of girls. From their lack of clothing and non-stop giggling, and his single discarded shirt on the side, I'm guessing he's winning.

"Yo, Nate," I call out to him, and he looks up at me and laughs like a true drunken idiot. "Put your shirt on, we're leaving once I find the other two."

"Aw," the girls say in disappointment.

Before he can complain and waste some of the time I can spend locating my remaining brothers, I get out of the room and close the door. The second I'm out in the hallway again, a hand grabs my arm and yanks me towards the person to whom it belongs.

"You look like you're lost," a girl's voice slurs.

We're at eye level, and it doesn't take me more than a moment to see who it is.

"What do you want, Reena?" I ask impatiently. I need to get out of here.

She smiles and trails a finger down the length of my other arm. "Well, that's a very good question," she says. "I could use a little help with something. Can you meet me in that room in about ten minutes?"

Disgusted, I rip my arm out of her reach. Nell, I could have handled, but this girl is seriously slut-material when she's drunk.

"I'm busy," I snap and stomp off with anger.

How can any werewolf, and an alpha of all people, pick this... _thing_ as a mate?

Shaking my head, I focus back on my task. Connor is the one I locate next; he's with the same girl I saw him with downstairs, and she's topless -but thankfully has her bra on. My first instinct is to mentally gag, but then I notice he's passed out and the girl is sitting next to him, with a very angry look on her face. She turns her glare onto me when she sees me.

"What happened?" I ask, bewildered.

"We were just having some fun," she whines. "I only snuck in here because he asked me to. He was doing very well, I mean he's a great kisser and I was totally willing to go all the way. But then I turned away for a second to lock the door, and he just fell asleep! I mean, like, seriously? Am I that horrible?"

I'm so uncomfortable that I don't even know what to say for a moment. "I'll be back in a minute," I blurt.

The girl calls out for me to wait, so I hurry out of there. _Connor is completely in love with his girlfriend_ , I say to myself, the surprise of it making me halt in my step for a second.

I don't find Danny in any of the other rooms on this floor, but I do find some other people we both know sprawled on the ground with a couple of passed out werewolves.

"Michael!" Nell squeals, having a giggling fit. "You want to dance with me?"

Furious, I stare at them one by one. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"

Nell and her friend put their hands over their mouths like they're holding in their laughter. Brad just has a ridiculously dopey smile on his face as he stares at me, and Nico is talking like a hippie on pot.

"Told you we're sneak in, dude," he says. "Guess you changed your mind about joining us. Hey, do you know where Danny is?"

"How did you guys even get here?" I hiss, hoping to God the two werewolves don't wake up anytime soon.

The girls laugh out loud, and I struggle against the urge to slap them into sobriety. Nico explains how his house is so close to the compound that they all simply walked over here, waited for the guard at the gate to be distracted and snuck in.

This changes my plan radically. No one else in the party is going to care whether or not they get home safely, and they can't even walk straight to go back to Nico's place. I'm going to have to take them myself, but how are they going to fit in Connor's car with my four gigantic brothers?

_I'll worry about that after I find Daniel_ , I decide, exasperation starting to make my blood boil.

I leave Danny's friends and go back downstairs, praying with all my might that he doesn't take too long to show himself. It takes a couple of minutes, but I do find him in the middle of the dance floor, grinding on some girl. He's got a bottle of beer in his hand that he keeps drinking from.

This whole situation is turning into the worst night of my life. I rush through the mass of bodies to reach my twin. He surprisingly doesn't put up much of a fight when I grab him and pull him away; he's too far gone to be able to fight back, anyway. The girl actually seems more upset than he is and lets out a 'Hey!' of protest.

"Mickey! Have you met Sadie's sister?" he asks with a smile on his face.

That's when I notice that it's Zoey he's dancing with. She doesn't look as wasted as he does, but she is a little tipsy. She frowns disappointingly at me, which I ignore.

"Danny, your friends are upstairs," I shout in his ear. "We have to go and get them back to Nico's place."

He squints at me. "What?" he yells.

He turns around, looking for Zoey. I'm about to grab him and literally drag him away when someone comes up behind me.

"Is there a problem?" a voice asks.

I spin on my heels and come face to face with Logan. He's wearing his usual stoic mask. In the back of my head, I wonder why he's always so cold-looking. He hasn't been back for long, but it doesn't take much to have a good time, at least according to my brothers. Hasn't he even tried to have fun? It's _his_ party after all.

"We have to go," I find myself blurting out without even thinking about it, something urging me to be honest with him. "But there are some humans here that I need to drive home with us, and we can't all fit in our car."

_Stupid stupid Michael!_ I mentally berate myself. _How can you admit this out loud to someone who is practically a stranger?_

I try to fix my slip up and say something to explain that I can handle it. However, I don't get a chance to do that.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift."

I blanch. "Um, I-" I stutter.

By this point, there's about half a dozen people listening in on our conversation.

My brothers and I have an agreement that we'd never leave one of our own too drunk at a party. Unfortunately, with Danny's friends also in the picture, I feel responsible for them too. Although I don't like having to go back and forth for two trips, I can't very well fit all eight of them in the car, so I'm going to have to.

"It's fine," I finally say, loud enough for him to hear over the music. "I can do two rounds."

"I insist," he says with the most authoritative tone I've ever heard.

He sounds a little commanding, which is kind of offensive. No matter who Logan Underwood is, he's got no right to boss me around. I'm not even part of his pack, which would have been half acceptable if that were the case. I start to glare at him when I notice something else in his stare; it's almost as if he's asking me a question.

A twitch in his hand then catches my attention, although it goes unnoticed with the few people watching –excluding my wasted brother who is now passed out on a couch. I glance down at his knuckles then back at his face, and I suddenly understand. He's telling me to play along. I'm not sure whether that means that he's not really trying to give me an order or not, but I suppose if I were to oppose him right now, it would look bad, so I listen.

"Do you have a car that can fit eight- or actually ten?" I add, remembering that he and I will probably need seats in there too.

One of his eyebrows twitches up and I see the ghost of a smile flicker across his face. He doesn't say anything; he just nods and turns in the direction of the front door. That's when I catch him by the arm, and I feel a spark of electricity go through his shirt to my fingers. Did he rub his feet on a carpet or something?

"I need to get my brothers and their friends from upstairs," I tell him when he looks back at me questioningly.

Logan leans toward one of the guys on his left. He notices my hand still on his arm and stares at it until I let go and raise both hands up in surrender. He looks at me directly in the eyes for a couple of seconds before he goes to talk to the guy. A chill runs down my spine. Jeez, this guy seriously knows how to wordlessly assert his power.

The dude Logan was talking to comes up to me with two of his friends. He gestures to the stairs as if to say, _lead the way_.

In five minutes, we manage to carry all four of my brothers plus Danny's human friends into the back of a plain black Ford van that is undoubtedly one of the pack's many big vehicles, all without saying a word to each other.

The passed out people in the back are draped over each other by the time we leave the pack house. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like for Nico's mother when she opens the door for us.

Logan remains quiet while we're still inside the compound. It's just me and him in the front, so it's pretty awkward. But after we exit the gate and the music has long since died down, he surprises me by breaking the silence in the most unexpected ways.

"Thank you."

Perplexed, I frown at him. "For what?"

"Going along with the authoritative alpha thing," he specifies. "I didn't know whether you'd get what I was trying to say or not."

My face relaxes when I understand. "Oh. Yeah, sure, no problem."

Another awkward moment of silence passes. He looks at me sideways once, like he's searching for something.

"Why _did_ you play along?" he then asks curiously.

I shrug because I'm not really sure myself. "I don't know. I guess it just seemed like... like you needed something."

I feel so pathetic saying that, but he gets what I mean, thankfully. "Yeah. I just wanted to get out of there."

"Why?"

He sighs and grips the steering wheel. "Guess I just don't really like parties."

The admission takes me by surprise, but we're already at Nico's place and I can't respond just yet. Without a word, Logan and I step out of the van and onto Nico's front porch. I knock on the door, and when his mother opens it a couple of minutes later, she looks as if she was just asleep.

"Hi Mrs. Martinez," I greet her politely. "Sorry to wake you, but there's someone who needs to be tucked into bed."

She's furious when I tell her that her son and his friends snuck out to go to a party and mumbles something in Spanish about teaching him a lesson. Or something like that; my Spanish isn't really good, and I'm just assuming from the context of the situation. Logan and I haul the four humans into the house and place them on beds and couches, as Nico's mom tells us.

Back in the van, my brothers have started snoring rhythmically. It's kind of funny to watch and listen to, so I take out my cell phone and film a video of them while Logan is pulling out of Mrs. Martinez' driveway. Once I'm satisfied with its length, I lock it with a password to use as leverage for the future.

From the corner of my eye, I can see that Logan is aware of what I'm doing, based on his movements. I can sense that there's something on his mind concerning my behavior with my brothers, but I don't think he'll say anything. To avoid awkward silences as much as possible, I think it's best if we keep conversation flowing.

"So why did you really need to leave the pack house?" I ask once I'm done and have put my phone away. "I mean, it's your party, after all, and you haven't been there for that long. It couldn't have sucked that early on for you."

It takes him a moment to reply, and I almost think he's not going to. "It's not really my scene," he finally says. "It wasn't even my idea, it was Reena's. But the pack could use a little fun right now."

I frown. "Why do you say that like it means something bad happened?"

"Something did," he confirms, but he doesn't say what.

"Sorry, it's none of my business," I acknowledge and plan to change the subject.

"Our old alpha died two years ago," he reveals.

Speechless, I just stare at him until I settle for the only thing I can say honestly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay."

I hesitate. "Your father?" I guess.

Alpha titles are almost always passed down by family. Unless they don't have kids, in which case it goes to the next of kin. Sometimes, the pack will need or want a new leader; selecting one becomes a completely different process for each pack.

"Yeah," he sighs. "He was... a good man."

I've never dealt with grieving people before, so I have no idea what to do here. The only way I'm able to approach this is by not focusing on the tragedy of it. "So, what happened to the title? You immediately became alpha?"

He glances at me with something resembling relief, but it's too fleeting to tell. "Not exactly. I only became alpha a month ago, when I turned 21. My uncle was the acting alpha in the meantime, because I don't have any siblings. He handled my training until I was at the legal age to receive the title."

Wow. I can't imagine how terrible it must have been for him; right after his father died, he had to start intensive training, and then two years later, he had to take on a huge responsibility. I was right when I told Marianna he was younger than Connor. Logan's barely reached the legal age, which is when he was supposed to begin training to become alpha, not take the title straight away like he did. It's not hard to deduce from his general demeanor that he has had to grow up fast.

"Sounds to me like you're more in need of fun than the rest of the pack," I comment.

Logan's lips wordlessly thin into a hard line. A moment later, we turn the corner onto my street, and I point out my house to him. As he pulls up, I hear him whisper, "It's not that simple."

Opening the door, I ask, "Why not?"

The two of us go to the side door of the van to start unloading my brothers. "Just... too many things to take on at once, I suppose. I can't afford to let loose and have something happen when I'm not in the right state of mind to handle it."

I smile ruefully to the side. "Believe it or not, I can actually relate to that," I confess.

That's when Logan does something completely unexpected; he smiles. Well, it's a half smile, and he suppresses it after just a second, but I definitely saw it.

_So he's not made of stone, then?_ I jokingly think to myself.

"Yeah, I kind of noticed your family being overprotective," he states.

"You can say that again," I grumble. "I'm always the designated driver, and I've never had a drink in my life. Not that I care much about getting drunk, I'd just like to know what it's like, at least... to let go."

Okay, so I lied; it does bother me a little that I'm not allowed to drink. There are some things I miss out on that might be cool to experience every once in a while. But it's really not that big of a deal. I've managed just fine without it.

"You've got plenty of time," Logan reassures me.

As he carries Connor and I haul Daniel, it dawns on me that I don't feel as awkward around Logan anymore, nor am I as intimidated by him as usual. We're just two people having a semi-normal conversation. It feels the same as regular people developing a normal friendship.

When we get to the front door, I pull my keys out of my pocket and open it. My parents are most probably still out; it's only eleven. They usually stay out late on date night; sometimes even get a hotel room.

I show Logan the way to my brothers' bedrooms and he drops the eldest on his bed while I leave my twin on his. Before we go back to the van for the other two, I fish out Connor's car keys from his pocket. I'm going to need to go back to the compound for it. Surprisingly, I'm not as disappointed about going back as I was when we first got there. I'm actually kind of glad.

Once Mason and Nathan are tucked into their respective beds in their shared bedroom, Logan and I go back to the van. Again, we get to talking while he drives, and this time, he's the one that starts the conversation.

"So is this normal for you guys?" he asks, almost sounding like he's joking for whatever reason.

"What is?"

"The four of them going to parties and having fun while you just wait for them to be out of it enough to drive them home?" he specifies.

My eyebrows shoot up, impressed that he guessed it spot on. "Actually, yeah. I'm not much of a party person either. Plus I'm the youngest, so I don't get as many free passes. I'm always stuck with the role of the responsible one who has to take care of them at the end of the day."

Logan looks at me again, and this time, he doesn't try to hide his smile. "I guess we have more in common than we both thought."

"Guess so," I say back with a small grin.

There's a moment of comfortable silence. "You're okay, Michael; you and your family."

I chuckle. "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself." I pause. "As for your pack, I'm not really sure," I joke.

He snickers. "You're a small pack, it's just our numbers that are intimidating for you," he assures me. "Once you get to know us, you'll see how great it actually is to be a member of this pack."

His affectionate statement reminds me of the meeting at Rod's Diner the other day, and I decide it's safe to mention it now. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you invite us to join your pack?"

Like a flipped switch, he is tense again, and his grip on the steering wheel tightens. "It's called common courtesy," he replies dryly.

Whatever moment we may have had is shattered. I just had to push my luck, didn't I? Obviously, it's too soon to ask such a question. We still don't know each other well enough to be that open.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it," I promise him.

"It's okay," he says with the same tone he used on me before, at the party, and every time I've seen him before that. The awkwardness returns.

"We're here."

He drops me off right next to Connor's car and remains in the same spot while I hop into it. I feel kind of guilty all of a sudden, even though theoretically I know I haven't done anything wrong. When I drive away, I glance at the rear-view mirror and see him still sitting in his van.
CHAPTER 12

Daniel

I wake up the next day in my own bed. My memory of last night is a little hazy, but I remember the important things. Dread begins to settle in the pit of my stomach.

"Shit!" I whisper.

Frantically, I jump out of bed and start searching for my phone, hoping to God that I remembered to take her number.

I still don't know her name!

I am sure it was mentioned when we had the meeting at Rod's Diner, but I can't remember it. I scroll through the contacts list and am about to give up when I land on the last one. _Zoey_. This is not a name I remember adding. Crossing my fingers, I dial and wait. She answers on the third ring.

"Morning Danny," her voice replies cheerfully. "I see you found my number. I had to search your pockets while you were unconscious to get your phone, sorry about that. How's your head?"

I ignore her question, even though my head is actually throbbing. "What the hell happened last night?"

"You... don't remember?" Zoey asks innocently.

"Refresh my memory," I sarcastically say.

"We talked for a bit, shared some secrets, then we danced, and when your twin interrupted us, you passed out on the couch and she and Logan drove you home," she confirms my suspicions. "We didn't sleep together or anything, although you did try to kiss me."

The last part doesn't even register. All I'm thinking is, _Shit!_ _I just spilled the biggest secret in our family._ I have a lot of damage control to do.

"Zoey, you're nice and all, but if you repeat what was said last night, not only will everybody think you've gone crazy, but I will personally make your life miserable," I threaten. "I've made much older girls than you cry before, and that's only because they wouldn't stop complaining about me not calling back, so you better not piss me off."

I don't make it a habit to scare girls, but there is nothing I won't do to make sure that Dylan's secret is safe. My parents finding out I slipped up is an even scarier scenario. Plus, I have a horrible hangover, and I don't care enough to spare her feelings right now.

"Wow," Zoey says after a moment of silence. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd be a jerk in the morning."

"You have _no_ idea."

At first, she sounds almost hurt, but then her voice hardens into anger. "Tell you what. The pack's having a bonfire camp in the forest tonight at six. It's in the clearing where the river runs the widest. If you convince your family to come, then I'll consider not ratting you out. And it was Logan's idea, so you don't have to worry about showing up uninvited."

I wait for the punch line. This can't be the way to buy her silence. It can't be that easy.

"That's it?" I finally ask.

That's when she delivers the blow. "Well, I was thinking that while we're there, we could have a talk. But if you try to avoid me, I might just have one with your sister instead."

I press my lips in a tight line. "Fine," I growl. "I'll find a way to get my brothers to come."

"Good," she replies in a sickeningly sweet voice. "And Daniel? Little piece of advice. Don't threaten a person who has something to use against you. And don't ever piss _me_ off again."

She hangs up. I stare at my phone in shock. For a fifteen-year-old, she sure can be a b*tch.

On the surface, it may seem like an easy task to tell my brothers about the bonfire. However, my parents are difficult to fool. That's why I'm going to have to handle this with a lot of care.

The really hard part is playing Michael. Our family is very tight, but if there's only one person I'd tell everything to, it's my twin. We've always been able to guess what the other one is thinking. That's why it's so easy for us to share everything. One wrong move and he will know I'm hiding something.

I'm not very surprised when I check the time and find that it's almost noon. I was so out of it last night that I almost slept through the entire morning. Mom, Dad and Mason -who looks worse than I feel- are the only ones downstairs when I come down, but soon enough, Nathan and Connor join us.

"Well you boys look terrific," Dad jokes.

His voice feels like a hammer on my brain.

Connor is the first to groan and speak. "Nobody talk for a while, please."

Aside from chuckling once, they mercifully listen to our plea. The four of us spend an hour nursing our hangovers in complete silence, while Mom and Dad prepare lunch. By the time the food is ready, we're okay enough to act like we normally do. Mason and I set the table, and the other two help bring out the food.

"Danny, get your brother," Mom says when everything's ready.

"Mickey!" I yell. "Lunch!"

"That is not what I meant," she objects after nearly dropping a lasagna plate.

"Okay!" he replies from upstairs.

I shrug. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Where has he been this whole time?" Nathan asks.

Dad frowns. "I don't know. I would have assumed he's playing the piano, but it's been quiet all morning. Wonder what he's up to."

"Probably online gaming," Connor suggests.

That's when Mickey comes strolling down casually and sits opposite me at the table.

"So what's good today?" he asks.

"I made enough lasagna to feed twelve normal people, so that should be enough for you dogs," Mom teases.

She always cooks more than is normal for a regular family, and there's usually a joke in there somewhere about our werewolf side making us eat like animals.

"How was the party last night at the pack house, boys?" Dad asks while we all scramble over each other to get as much food on our plates as possible before it disappears. We all hear the unspoken 'now _can we talk about it?_ ' in his voice, except for Mickey, who literally did nothing interesting last night and thus has nothing to say.

"Honestly, there is enough this time!" Mom complains when we make a mess of the table, as usual.

There never is enough. We always finish it faster than she takes to be done with half of hers. I think she's afraid of getting us fat if she feeds us too much, so she tries to minimize the quantity on purpose, but she just doesn't know when it's too little. She may have been living with werewolves for more than half her life, but she can never really comprehend how fast our metabolisms consume things.

"It was good," Mason is the first to answer Dad's question.

I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity to speak so I can casually let the bonfire slip, like I'm just making conversation.

Mickey snorts and shoves his fork into the lasagna before taking a huge bite. "You were sick less than an hour after we got there."

"So? I still had fun."

I see an opening and take it with a sneer. "I know _I_ did."

They all groan.

"Not at the table," Mom begs.

"Please tell me you're not into Sadie's sister now?" Mickey pleads.

My window of opportunity is fleeing. I laugh humorlessly, playing it off like I am into Zoey. "Please. I just think she's hot."

His frown speaks volumes about what he thinks of that. "She's fourteen!"

"Ew, dude," Connor complains.

"Fifteen," I retort, slightly defensive for some reason.

"Boys," Dad warns. "Your mother said not to have this kind of talk at the table."

Mickey and I share confused looks. "But we haven't said anything," he protests.

"Not yet, but I know my own children, and you're _this_ close," Dad tells him.

Mickey rolls his eyes almost imperceptibly, but then, a far-away look crosses his face, and he slowly drifts out of the conversation. Mom and Dad ask us what we did, and we each tell our version, in a way that makes the others look bad. I remember Mickey saying something about my friends crashing the party, and I tell my family about that too, just to make someone else look worse than I feel. This little piece of information takes Mom by surprise and confuses Dad.

"How did they get home?" Dad wants to know.

Since none of us can answer that, we all turn to the only person who was sober that night.

"Logan and I drove everyone home, including these clowns," he answers, gesturing to us.

Too late, he realizes what he has said and how he has put himself in the center of everyone's attention. That's when the conversation turns into an investigation, and everybody starts talking all at once.

"Did he seem friendly? Did he suspect anything?" Dad starts.

"What did you talk about?" Connor asks.

"Are you starting to be friends with him?" Mason demands.

"Is he still acting all mighty and shit?" Nathan questions.

"Language Nathan!" Mom warns.

The poor guy can't even get a word in, although he sure tries to. After a while, he can't take it anymore.

"Guys!" he yells. "Would you stop making such a big deal out of this? It was just a ten minute car ride! Geez! No, he didn't suspect anything. Dad... there was nothing to suspect. Yes, he was still a bit cold, but he seemed friendlier than before. And I don't know what we talked about... family and packs and stuff. Now will you all just stop interrogating me already?"

We throw him apologetic looks and don't say anything for a full minute. That must have been the longest we have ever been quiet. However, we all could have guessed that Dad won't be able to hold it in for too long.

"In all seriousness Mickey," he goes on saying. "You will try to behave... decently with Logan, won't you?"

I'm not really sure how to interpret Dad's definition of 'decent' behavior. Neither do my brothers, and we stare at each other quizzically. Mickey is more confused than all of us.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he says, deliberating on whether or not he should be insulted.

"I just don't want you to forget that he is an alpha after all, and he's letting us stay on his land," Dad replies. "You owe him your respect and gratitude. I know how you get with authority figures."

"Well you don't have to worry about that, I'll be on my best behavior," Mickey assures him sarcastically.

Dad ignores the mockery. "Good. So do you have plans with Sadie or anyone next week?"

I sense another opportunity and seize it before Mickey can answer.

"Actually," I say, "Zoey told me about this bonfire camp they're having tonight in the forest."

My evil twin pretends to be shocked. "Oh my God, you were separated from her lips long enough to have a conversation?!"

I raise my hand to flip him off, but then I remember where we are and focus on Dad, which makes Mickey grin like he has won some sort of victory.

"Anyway," I go on, "she said we should come. Even Logan said it was okay, and I think the pack is half expecting us to show up now."

"That's wonderful news!" Mom exclaims. "What time will you need to be there?"

_Play it cool_.

I shrug naturally. "Around six, according to Zoey. I guess we have to set up camp first."

"That's decided then," Dad says with finality. "You're going."

I internally sigh in relief. _Thank God_.

"Hey Dad?" Mickey suddenly calls out. "Is it alright if after lunch I go to the store to get a new tent and a sleeping bag? My old ones are too old for use anymore."

"Sure," he agrees. "Do you need someone to go with you?"

"Nah, it's fine, I can make a trip on my own."

We wait for him to get back before we head out together to the forest, hiking to where Zoey said they would be. They're gathered in a clearing almost in the middle of the forest. The river is only a few feet away, even the humans would be able to hear it. The ground is covered with grass that was obviously cut short. Tree logs lie here and there, mostly around the campfire site. The plant life surrounding the clearing creates a wide circle of bushes and trees. I'm guessing they do this often and have arranged the place themselves.

When we get there, at least seventeen tents are being set up all over the grass. That must make about twenty tents in total, if you count ours. I don't really recognize any of these people, except the ones I've met at the diner. Mickey does, however, and he acknowledges some of them with a nod. Then he joins the Creeds almost immediately after he spots them. I'm left with the rest of my brothers to set up our tent.

Secretly, I'm glad to be on tent duty, because it gives me an excuse to avoid facing Zoey for just a bit longer. I'm proven correct in thinking that when she comes over a few seconds later.

"Hey guys," she greets us all at once, sounding nervous.

They look at her curiously, trying to determine what a girl they've never met before is doing talking to them.

"Hi," Mason replies.

"I'm Zoey," she introduces herself.

Recognition crosses all three of their faces at the same time, and they throw me amused glances.

"Oh, hey, you're Sadie's sister, right?" Nathan asks, discreetly snickering and winking at me.

His sneer evokes a strange reaction out of me; an impulse to slap him on the back of the head and tell him to behave himself. It's almost like I'm offended on Zoey's behalf, even though she doesn't seem to notice. But I know my brother, and I can tell what kind of thoughts are going through his head right now. I may hate the girl's guts, but she's still fifteen, too young to be subjected to Nathan's very presence.

She smiles timidly, blissfully unaware of anything running through his head, or mine. "Yes, I am."

"Nice to meet you," Mason continues, ever the friendly one. "I'm Mason, this is Nathan and Connor, and of course you've already met Daniel."

We make eye contact for a brief second. "Yeah, we did," she confirms. "So, how's that tent coming up?"

"Kind of tricky," Connor says. "We don't do this very often."

"I think it's good," I reply with difficulty, as I'm trying to insert the bars into one another without breaking them. The last thing I want is her offering to help and having an excuse to stick around.

She does wait a few minutes before she catches on to what I'm doing. Instead of subtly reminding me of what she had threatened me with, she just goes right out and asks, "Danny, can I talk to you for a bit?"

Her tone, although sweet, makes it clear that the question entails only one answer, which is proven when she walks away without a backward glance like she expects me to follow. Nathan again starts winking and grinning at me when her back is turned. Even Connor does this, though there's less innuendos in his stance. Only Mason looks apprehensive. I play along and force myself to look eager to follow her.

"Sorry guys, you're on your own."

I try to make it sound as though I'm glad to be free from tent duty, and I must have succeeded because they all find some way to manifest their complaints, either by groaning or voicing it.

Zoey marches deep into the forest, far enough away from the clearing that no werewolf will be able to hear us, even if we start arguing. At least she's keeping her word, I'll give her that. She could have kept us in a more public spot, where I would be forced to go easy on her, but she doesn't. I don't know whether to call that confidence or stupidity.

Finally, she halts her footsteps and spins on her heels to face me. "Thanks for doing as I said," she tells me.

"Whatever, now why don't we get back to the point? What's it going to take for you not to say anything?"

She holds her palms one underneath the other at stomach level, and faintly smiles. "Nothing. I'm not going to tell anyone."

My eyebrows fly up with shock and relief. "Then why are we even having this conversation?"

"I need a favor," she slowly says.

"A favor," I repeat skeptically.

She nods. "Look, I don't care what you think of me, and I am not the least bit interested in getting you or your sister in trouble-"

I cut her off and shush her. "Don't ever use that word," I hiss.

She rolls her eyes. "Nobody's going to hear us."

Zoey doesn't understand what it has been like for us to keep this secret, how long it took us to even stop thinking of Michael as a girl. She's treating it too lightly, and that's dangerous.

"You have no idea what it's like, so don't pretend to be so smart," I retort.

"You're being paranoid," she argues.

"Oh yeah? Try living with my parents for as long as I have. You'd be terrified when you get the slightest doubt that you put someone you care about in danger," I snap.

Taken aback, Zoey blinks several times before she finds something to say. "In danger?" she repeats. "From _me_?!"

I roll my eyes. _She is such a child_.

"From anyone who knows," I reply angrily. "Maybe _you_ won't do anything about it because you're human, and you're fifteen, but there are some people who would literally kill to get my brother if they ever found out his secret. Now I don't know you, so I don't trust you to keep this to yourself, but more importantly, I don't trust that you won't slip up and let the wrong people know, so if you ever say that word again, it won't end well."

She stares at me with such a helpless look on her face, and I know that none of this occurred to her before. "Oh," she says after a long silence. "I didn't... I didn't think about that."

"No of course you didn't," I snap again. "Because you don't understand what it's like. You just assumed that you can use this to blackmail me into getting whatever it is that you want from me. You didn't think that lives could be at stake, _my_ family."

With shame, Zoey averts her eyes and nods slowly. "I see," she whispers, her voice quivering. "I'm sorry, I was wrong to do that. I won't bother you anymore, and I won't tell anyone about... about Michael. Sorry. Bye."

Abruptly, she walks away. She tries to hide it, but I know she's on the verge of crying. And then I realize what an ass I am. Her initial idea was not to blackmail me; she was nice when we spoke on the phone this morning. She was even concerned for me. She only got defensive and brought up my brother's secret when _I_ threatened her. I stare after her while deliberating what to do. She's getting farther away by each passing second.

"Wait!" I suddenly hear myself calling.

She stops but doesn't turn around.

Don't do it!

I grimace and decide to ignore every instinct telling me to pretend this never happened. "What's the favor you wanted?"

She shakes her head and resumes walking. "Nothing. Sorry to bother you."

"Zoey, stop!"

She stiffens in place. Slowly, I approach her like a wounded animal. I don't want her to run away. Now that I know she's not truly a threat and that I _am_ actually being paranoid, I feel bad. It doesn't matter whether I trust her or not, she's only a fifteen-year-old girl. I shouldn't have treated her like a criminal, especially since she didn't show any signs of wanting to hurt my family until I verbally attacked her.

"I'm sorry," I genuinely tell her. "Can you please tell me, what is the favor you wanted?"

That's when I walk around her and come face to face with her vulnerability. Her big green eyes look ever greener in the middle of the forest, and they brim with the tears she's holding in. Guilt stabs me in the chest. When I told her that I had made girls older than her cry before, I meant it, but it was never intentional. Now it is, and I feel disgusted with myself.

"I was being a jerk," I offer as comfort. "Tell me what I can do."

Zoey takes a deep breath and lets it out heavily. She wipes the corners of her eyes until they're dry. In a matter of seconds, all of her vulnerability is shoved back inside, and she stands before me with a challenging stance.

"I won't say a word about Michael," she promises. "But I won't ask for anything in return."

I know where she's going with this, and I interrupt her. "You're not asking, I'm offering."

She frowns skeptically. "Why would you do that? It's not like you'll get anything out of helping me."

I shake my head once. "No, but I have to make it up to you," I say. "I don't want to be a jerk again."

She stares at me for a couple of seconds, gauging my honesty and deciding whether or not to trust me. It's funny how the tables have turned suddenly.

"Alright," she finally agrees. "Do you remember what I told you yesterday?"

I frown. My memory of last night isn't very reliable. The first thing that comes to mind is how I spilled the beans about Michael. I can even recall the exact words I used and how I had leaned over close to her face to say them. I may have also tried to kiss her. Before that, it's a blank. I rack my brains for the answer. It comes in pieces.

"Your dad cheated on your mom?" I guess. "Wait, I know you're adopted by your stepfather, so... your birth father cheated on your mom?"

She spares me the trouble and tells me, although she looks very uncomfortable saying it out loud to a perfectly sober person. "Yes, he cheated on her when they were engaged and had a son who is a few months older than my sister. And none of us ever knew."

My face falls. "Oh." I pause. "That's... pretty bad."

She nods sadly and sighs. "Yeah."

"How did you find out?"

"Um," she hesitates, "it was by accident. When we were packing for the move here, Mom suggested that I go visit his grave before we leave. She thought I needed it. I said I wanted to go alone because I figured it would be easier that way, you know, no pressure... He was there."

"Your brother?" I presume, since I'm assuming she doesn't mean her birth father.

She winces. "Uh, yeah, I guess that's what he is. Anyway, I thought he was visiting someone else at the cemetery because he had flowers in his hand, so I asked him about it, and... he said my father's name. Trenton Brock. Then he said he was his son John, and that he comes to see him once a year, because they didn't really get to know each other when he was alive."

That must have been really hard for her. "What did you say?"

Zoey shrugs in response. "Nothing. I left running."

I frown. "Are you sure that was a good idea?"

She looks up at me like an angry little kitten. It's too adorable to think much of her anger. Actually, no; she's a little more than just 'adorable', although she's certainly cute. It's hard not to smile when she looks at me like that. I wasn't completely drunk when I tried to kiss her yesterday. Given the chance, I would try again sober.

"I was in shock," she protests. "I couldn't very well say something like, _'oh that's a funny coincidence, he's my dad too, nice to meet you bro_ ', now could I?"

I raise my hands up in surrender and allow an amused smile to slip. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Are you laughing at me?" she objects, getting angrier, which in turns makes her even more attractive.

I attempt and fail to hide a chuckle. "I'm sorry, it really has nothing to do with what you said, I swear."

"Then _why_ are you laughing?"

"It's just- you're cute when you're angry."

Her anger dissipates into embarrassment. She blushes and brushes her hair behind her ear, looking down. As if I need another reason to find her attractive.

"That's... you're... that's completely irrelevant," she stutters. "And don't try to distract me by changing the subject. I still don't know why I'm telling you this, and if you keep this up, I'll just walk away now. I don't even know you. I don't even _like_ you. This was a bad idea. It's a horrible place to talk anyway. Forget this ever happened."

My head is spinning. How does one person go through that many stages in under thirty seconds and not get dizzy? But when she actually does walk away, I have to snap out of it and go after her for the second time. I grab her hand and spin her toward me again.

"Whoa whoa, slow down," I say. "It's okay, you can trust me. I think we can agree I'm a great secret keeper."

She frowns at me. "Uh, actually, I think we can agree you're _not_."

I dismiss the thought immediately. "That's different... I was drunk when it slipped. Besides, I've kept it for years before that. And trust me, even drunk, I'm not going to tell anybody _your_ secret."

She almost succumbs but then shakes her head. "It's still a bad idea to talk about it here."

I hold her other hand before she decides to leave again. "Then let's go out and talk about it," I suggest, already thinking about places to take her to.

Zoey doesn't immediately answer. "You mean like... like a date?" she asks.

I nod encouragingly. "Exactly like a date, and we already have a topic of discussion."

She pauses. " _You_ want to go out on a date with _me_?" she repeats.

My ego does not take her unwillingness to go out with me well. I lift up one eyebrow and force a grin. "Would that be so bad?"

She wavers uncertainly. "I don't know if I'm allowed to date," she admits.

That's actually a relief to hear. "Then we won't call it that," I propose. "We can just tell your parents we're going on study groups. Is there something you're not good at that I can pretend to help you with?"

Her offended look gets the message across loud and clear.

"Or maybe we're on separate study groups," I immediately fix that. "In any case, we can use an excuse for now."

She pauses hesitantly, and I start to sense victory. "I don't even know if I like you," she points out.

I grin. "Don't worry, you'll learn to love me."

At last, I see amusement flicker across her face, even though she's rolling her eyes. She doesn't immediately answer. She just stares at me for a moment with a contemplative look while I keep smiling encouragingly. I haven't been on a proper date in a while, and after putting aside my shitty attitude and realizing I might actually be interested in Zoey if I get to know her, I'm actually looking forward to taking her out.

Finally, she gives in and sighs. "Fine," she relents. "But nobody can know, especially not our families. I don't want mine to know about John yet, and I am not ready for their meddling if they hear the word 'date'."

"I can live with that," I easily agree.

"And I won't say a word about your brother," she swears.

I smile, grateful not only for her promise, but that she also called him my 'brother'. "Thanks."

She nods back with a tentative smile of her own. I can tell she's already warming up to me. But then we stand in silence for a moment that stretches us into awkwardness.

"You can... let go of my hands now," she finally says.

That's when I realize I'm still holding both of them and immediately let go. "Right, sorry."

She rubs them together once, and holds them one over the other the way she did a while ago. "So, when are, uh, we meeting up? And where?"

And just like that, I am once again comfortable. "I have your number," I remind her with a smile. "I'll call you."

She narrows her eyes suspiciously. "Is that one of those guy things where you say you'll call but you really won't?"

"No, I promise," I reply honestly. "I will call you."

"You could just be saying all this so that I stay quiet about your brother," she goes on, but this time I detect humor.

I grin and begin to walk back to the campsite. "Try me then," I challenge playfully. "If I haven't called you to ask you out within next weekend, you can threaten me again."

She smiles brighter than ever. "Alright, you're on."
CHAPTER 13

Michael

Music has been a part of my life for years. From a very young age, I could play the piano just as well as I could sing. But my passion for music didn't develop until I was fourteen. Since then, music has become the same thing as breathing for me.

What happened was that I watched a live performance at a local café of an amateur musician playing one of my favorite piano pieces on the acoustic guitar. I don't remember his name, but I do remember him saying that he had been teaching himself to play for over a year, and that that was his first performance in front of a crowd. When he played the first note, I was hypnotized.

His fingers moved effortlessly over the strings. From the moment he started playing, he was perfect. His performance was immensely flawed, obviously, but his talent and love for music radiated off him in waves and had the entire crowd, including and especially me, mesmerized. My heart was soaring and my eyes were wide as they followed every gesture of his fingers in complete rapture. His movements were hesitant and somewhat nervous, but they flowed over the strings like velvet rope.

I watched him like a star-struck fan girl. He made me fall in love for the first and only time in my life. I was in love with him, with his music, with his instrument, with his talented fingers, with everything about him and his performance. I couldn't even clap when he was done because I was still soaring with wonder, and I didn't realize he had stopped until he was taking a bow and going offstage.

I lift my pen and bring the tip of it up to my mouth, biting on it as I re-read what I've written under the question "Explain in one page why you chose your major."

All application forms I might send ask the same question in one way or another, and I will write the same answer for all of them. I've been locked in my room since morning filling out application forms, because I don't want my family to catch me, and I've just finished the last one.

I've decided long ago not to tempt fate and will only apply for a couple of universities; NEC and Berklee. Secretly, I'm hoping for Berklee, but I would be lucky to go to either one. They're not far from each other and they're both about three hours away from home. The closeness is basically my strongest argument against my parents. I just hope that when the day comes and I tell them, they'll have an open mind, and possibly even an acceptance letter in their hands to sway them.

When Danny calls me down for lunch, I hastily put everything in two envelopes, one for each college, and tuck them under my bed. I'm going to have to find an excuse to get out of the house later so I can go to the post office and mail them. I can't take the risk of putting them in our mailbox, or else my parents might find out, and it's not the time for that yet.

When Danny mentions SMP's bonfire camp, my excuse practically makes itself up. Two hours later, my applications have been sent, and I've got a new olive-colored tent and matching sleeping bag tucked under my arm as I walk home. Then, we meet up and leave together.

The campsite is big but cozy, and it's filled with families from SMP. When I find the Creeds, I walk over to Sadie and her father building their tents first. They're both concentrating very hard on their task, but they communicate with an ease that I envy a little bit.

Her little brother Zack looks like he might have tried to help, but all he's doing now is wave the sticks around with his mother like they're swords. The two of them are laughing away. I can hear Zack's childish giggle from all the way at the edge of the clearing. Zoey is sitting beside them on a folded chair, watching them wordlessly without her cell phone in hand. There's a nervous energy about her stance, but I can swear I see a smile fighting to break free across her face.

It's almost cruel of me to interrupt this nice moment, but I know my brothers will have started working on our tents and I don't want to have to help them, so I slip away. Zack is the first to see me, and he squeals, "Michael!" and starts running to me.

_Oh no_ , I panic. _Is he expecting me to pick him up?_

Fortunately, all he does is grab my hand and start dragging me toward them.

"Look, Michael! I'm winning in a sword fight!" he informs me enthusiastically.

"I can see that," I tell him, calmly following him.

"Hello Michael. Nice to see you again," Sadie's mom greets me with a smile.

I return it hesitantly. "Nice to see you guys again too."

"Want to help us with our tents, Dyl?" Sadie asks me.

I chuckle. "I just left my brothers so that they don't ask me that question."

Zoey perks up. "They're here?"

I point them out to her and she immediately stands up to go over there. I watch her greet them awkwardly and try to strike up conversation with my twin, who is too focused on the tent to concentrate on her.

"Hey," I hear and turn around.

Logan and Cade have joined Sadie's family. Cade is helping them, so it must have been Logan who said 'Hey'.

"Uh, hi," I say back.

"Glad you guys could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it."

Silence fills the air. Well, at least, between me and him; the rest of the pack members are abuzz with conversation. The awkwardness is almost palpable.

"Do you want to help start the fire?" he suddenly asks.

Taken aback, I blink a couple of times. "It's not dark yet," I note.

"It will be in less than an hour."

After a moment, I shrug. "Okay."

Logan's camping skills must have been better than mine, because by the time the fire is in full blaze, the sun is starting to disappear behind the trees, and the light is kind of necessary at that point. Next thing I know, people are gathering around the fire, leaning or sitting on the logs laid there. The way that they all come practically at the same time makes me think like I'm missing something. I take a seat next to Sadie to get some answers.

"What's going on?" I whisper. The crackling of the fire and the hum of conversation is enough to cover my voice from strong werewolf hearing.

"It's story time," she whispers back.

My eyebrow shoots up. "Story time?"

"We always tell stories around the campfire when we do this. You know, old legends and ancestors stories, stuff like that."

"Who's telling the first one?"

She nudges her chin towards a middle-aged man with a short black beard, a bald head and a size so big even by werewolf standards. "Logan's uncle Cliff, Reena's father," she tells me.

My jaw drops and I gasp. "Reena is Logan's cousin?!" I hiss.

"Technically, no," she reminds me. "Adopted, remember?"

"But-" I stutter, unable to find words to express my shock. "But that's-"

"It's not as weird as you think," she assures me.

_It is, actually_.

However this isn't important right now, and it's not my business anyway, so I let it go and pay attention to the man about to tell the story. He waits a bit until it's completely dark and then everyone pays attention. Even the humans seem interested in hearing this.

"Before the pandemic," he begins, "our people lived differently than we do now. In those times, female werewolves were born just like males, and they were just as numerous."

The subject of the story takes me a bit by surprise, and I exchange glances with my brothers. They send me reassuring looks. There's nothing dangerous about campfire stories.

Logan's uncle continues telling the story. "Back then, our ancestors didn't have a choice in who their mate is; it was already predestined. Every male and female had their own other half, a mate in the real sense of the word, a _true_ mate. They would find each other once they laid eyes on the other's wolf. A connection would form between them the closer they got, a connection through which they can sense each other in ways no other can. They could hear each other's thoughts and feel the other's emotions. Sometimes, when it was particularly strong, they would start seeing the world through the other one's eyes. There was nothing stronger than the mate connection as proof that they belong together."

The girls stare at him dreamily, although some have envious expressions on their faces. Even Sadie is listening to the story as if she's on cloud nine. Her hand is wrapped in Cade's, and her head is resting on his shoulder while his arm is draped over hers.

"One of the last pair of mates known to our kind, Simon and Camellia, perhaps have the most inspiring history of all," the man goes on. "The pandemic had already started a dozen years before they found each other. There was panic all around the world among our kind, and packs were desperately searching for any female werewolf they could find to pair her off with her mate and hope they have daughters. When it started taking too long and failed anyways, the females were sought out directly for arranged or forced marriages. Every werewolf wanted to be the one who saved the race and kept his bloodline strong."

He pauses a moment for dramatic effect. I have to admit that I'm no longer uncomfortable. It's actually kind of eye opening to listen to him. He's quite the storyteller.

"It's around that time that Simon and Camellia found each other. They immediately went into hiding, knowing that the mate bond didn't mean anything to those who would want to take Camellia away from Simon. He fought many of his kind off to keep her safe. That's when our kind started to turn on each other. Those who had accepted the pandemic and began to mix among humans would welcome the pair into their homes when they were running. Until the day Camellia was successfully taken. She was moments away from being turned into a slave when Simon gathered whatever followers he could to help him and came to her rescue. Their bond was too strong for her kidnappers, and they conquered against their enemies.

"A few years later, the pair was starting their own family and was recruiting those who helped them into a new pack that they formed. Their bloodline, the bloodline of their children, my ancestors, is the bloodline that started this pack. We are the pack that we are today because of them, because they are always a reminder of how unity is our kind's greatest gift. The mate bond may not exist anymore, but our mates are still just as important to us as ever, and they always will be."

When he said that thing about unity, it kind of felt like he was talking to me, although I know it's not the case. It just reminded me of yesterday, when I asked Logan why he would invite us to join his pack, and how I found it strange that he responded coldly. Maybe it has something to do with unity, in a way, which triggers a sense of duty in Logan that he has toward not just his pack members, but his entire race as well.

I turn to look at him and I find him deep in thought with an expression that I can't even begin to decipher.

The next morning, I'm the first to wake up. The sun isn't even up yet when I open my eyes. Being here is making me restless, because I haven't shifted outdoors in a week. That can't be healthy for my wolf side. All night I kept fidgeting. When I wake up, I'm all tangled in my sleeping bag. Try as I might, I can't fall back asleep now. I won't be able to until I release the pressure building inside me.

Now that I'm awake, there's an itching feeling crawling all over my skin, begging me to shift. My watch says it's five am. If I'm quick and quiet, I can slip far enough away to shift without anyone noticing, and I might enjoy a few minutes to myself in wolf form. I hope I can slip past whoever is patrolling right now.

As slowly as possible, I take a peek outside the tent's entrance. I'm not worried about waking up my twin; Daniel can sleep through an atomic bomb. It's the guy patrolling that I don't want to alert of my presence.

One of Logan's guys is sitting by the fire about twenty feet away, feeding it just enough to keep himself warm and have enough light to see around him. It's extra difficult to sneak past someone whose hearing is ten times better than the average human, but I have had a lot of practice with my brothers, and I am confident I can do this.

My hands are steady as I open the tent just enough for me to crawl out of it. I'm thankful that there are no leaves in the clearing or else the rustling would have made this much more difficult. Once I'm out, I keep my eyes on the guy's back as I push myself up into a crouching position. Then I take my time to retreat to the safety of the trees and bushes. It's amazing that I'm able to keep my focus when I am this edgy to shift. I check that he still isn't aware of my presence before I stand behind a tree.

Just because he can't see me doesn't mean he won't hear me. My steps as I walk away are still careful and swift. Along the way, I keep my ears strained to detect any sound that he's coming after me. It's only when I'm far enough that I can't hear the activity at the campsite anymore that I take off running.

Twenty minutes later, I reach another clearing that's a bit closer to the edge of the forest, on the opposite side of the pack house. I stop to catch my breath and look around. Once my breathing is back to normal, I strain my ears and make sure that no one is close enough to hear me or see me. Then I strip and lay my clothes beneath a tree's roots and close my eyes, wanting to take my time shifting so I can revel in it.

Heat sears through my body from the bottom of my spine to the top of my head, stretching across my limbs and growing a fifth one, a tail. My legs and arms shorten into the same length, as my hands and feet change into paws. I feel the fur growing on my skin, a sensation that is just like relieving an itch. I crouch just as my bones shrink and expand again into a different anatomy. My face feels distorted as my forehead gets pushed up and back. My mouth and nose mold together and grow into a snout, my teeth elongating with them, and my ears pull up and change shape.

When the shift is complete, and the heat has dissipated from my body, I open my eyes. Everything looks sharper, brighter and more detailed. I can smell everything in the air as far as six miles around me; from the trees, to the dirt and even the trail of my own scent leading back to the campsite, which is too far for me to detect. I can also hear everything and see the details of things twice as far as my human eyes can perceive; about two miles. I know what my wolf body looks like without needing a reflection. My fur is pure white and my eyes have a blue-ish silver color.

I let my wolf side take over and do whatever feels right; I run, I chase a couple of rabbits just for the thrill of it, I even chase my tail for a bit. At one point though, I have to stop myself from howling, because I know the others would definitely hear that. After about an hour, I simply lie on my stomach and rest a bit in wolf form, my tongue sticking out of my snout as I pant to catch my breath.

As I'm just resting there, I suddenly detect a scent not very far from where I am. It's a werewolf scent. Alert, I lift my head, ears pointed up and listen. I turn my ears to get a wider hearing range, and wait. That's when I catch the sound of a twig breaking. And then I feel it; I am being watched from a distance.

I don't think twice about it, I just take off running. I go to retrieve my clothes first, because I know I won't be able to get dressed until I'm absolutely sure it's safe to shift back into human form.

I don't know where I'm running, but it doesn't make much of a difference. I'll be able to find my way back easily. I just need to get far enough away and as fast as possible so that I can become a human boy again before I am found. My heart is beating a mile a minute, both from the exertion and the fear.

I'm so stupid!

I shouldn't have gone shifting while a big group of werewolves is so near. It doesn't matter how early in the morning it was when I left. There's still a chance that at least one of them is an early shifter. One is all it takes to expose me and put me in danger. It was a terrible time to make poor decisions.

I run and run until my lungs are about to explode, my four legs are burning and I am panting so hard that I feel like I can't go on anymore. I don't know how much time passes before I do stop, but that's only because I find a spot between a boulder and a tall tree where I can hide and change. In a matter of seconds, I am back in human form and hastily putting on all my clothes.

If I truly _was_ a guy, this would take ten seconds. A girl would have more clothing items that would be difficult to put on, but my disguise takes even more time. All the while, I still sniff the air and listen for someone approaching. Nobody comes, mercifully, but I don't immediately come out of my hiding place.

When my heart rate has calmed down once again, I look for another werewolf scent nearby, but mine is the only one. There's also no sound that I can detect. If someone did see me, then they didn't follow me, which means they're not onto my secret. There's no point in hiding out here. When I get back to the campsite, if the person who saw me asks, I'll make up an excuse for running.

_There's nothing to be afraid of_ , I tell myself.

Gathering up my courage, I leave the safety of my hiding spot and calmly find my way back. The trail I left behind while walking this morning is still strong, and I follow it back to the campsite.

The guy who was patrolling when I left is now joined by five other people, two of whom are Sadie and Cade and the other three are Cade's brothers and some guy I don't know. They're engaged in quiet conversation. Something tells me they've been here this whole time and that none of them were the one in the forest. I decide to put that incident completely behind me and not even tell my parents about it. There's no point in worrying them when nothing has happened.

I don't bother hiding myself as I walk to join them because it wouldn't matter now anyway. The point in me leaving in secret was not that nobody finds out about it, it was that nobody discovers me while I was there, although I did come pretty close. Besides, I left a pretty strong trail behind me. It's hard to hide that.

The guy who was patrolling notices me first, and his head jerks up to look at me with a confused expression. "Where the hell did you just come from?"

I stick my thumb to point behind my back. "I went for a run."

"Whoa," Sadie laughs. "How did you get past Tyler?"

_Ah, so this is the Tyler she told me about, Jared and Sam's friend_ , I conclude.

Reflexively, I grin at her. "I have awesome ninja skills."

She laughs again as her mate glares at me from behind her back, his arms tightening around her waist possessively. I do a mental eye-roll.

_Seriously dude, you've got nothing to worry about_ , I want to tell him.

"Why didn't you wait for the rest of us?" the guy I don't know asks.

I shrug. "I like to fly solo from time to time." The truth is that it was kind of lonely to shift alone, but I'm not about to admit that.

"Oh, Dylan, this is Tyler by the way," Sadie suddenly remembers, gesturing to the guy on patrol, and then to the last one I don't know. "And that's Blake."

I nod at them respectively. "Nice to meet you."

"You and your brothers still don't like to run with strangers?" Cade retorts as if neither of us has spoken.

His dislike for me is obvious in his voice, even though he's trying to suppress it in front of his girlfriend.

"You can ask my brothers if you want, I just got too restless and had to shift," I calmly reply.

"That'd be nice," Sadie comments before he could say anything and gives him a meaningful stare.

Seeing her expression, he sighs and nods. I wonder what the pack normally does during the day when they're out camping. We spent the whole night sharing stories, I must have lost count how many of them actually told one. There were more histories about mates before the pandemic, some about the pack's ancestors fighting battles, and a very long but interesting story of how they rose to the status they have now.

What can they do on this camping trip during daytime if they don't shift? Obviously, there has to be something or else the human mates wouldn't have stayed. Whatever it is, I wonder if it will be possible for my brothers and me to join them.

Suddenly, I remember that it's Sunday. What am I supposed to do about War Day with all these people around? I had such a good prank planned, which would be even better because of the location of the campsite near a river. I don't want to have to wait until I'm home; the surprise element is the best part of it.

"You okay Dylan?" Sadie asks.

My eyes focus back at my surroundings. "Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

I contemplate telling them; it wouldn't be the worst thing if they helped out. Maybe we could have fun together and do some more of that "bonding" Dad keeps demanding we do.

I make up my mind and smirk. "It's Sunday," I remind Sadie, who suddenly beams. I look at the others. "There's this family tradition I'd like to let you in on."

I don't want to lose precious pranking time so I tell them the short version of how War Day works with its rules. Sadie is so excited about it that she talks over me a couple of times to tell the others. They seem to find it hilarious, except Cade, who just sits there stone-faced.

"Who's the target this week?" Blake asks eagerly.

"My eldest brother, Connor," I tell them.

"What do you want to do to him?" Tyler wants to know, and his grin tells me he's in, no matter what my plan is.

They like my idea and they all want in, although Cade has to be convinced to do it by Sadie.

However, before we can really start planning how to do it, Logan and Reena join us from their tent along with a few other SMP members. The alpha and his mate are holding hands, which kind of makes me sick because of what happened with Reena at the party. I honestly cannot understand how these two could be together. I'm not one to judge though, so I just focus on having a normal conversation.

"Morning guys," Sadie is the first to say in her cheery voice. "Want to help us prank Dylan's brother?"

"What are you talking about?" Reena asks with a frown.

"Apparently, they do this every week to one of them," Cade sarcastically announces, which I ignore and explain to the newcomers what I just told the others.

"Sounds like fun," Logan comments. "But I'm going to have to pass. There's something I need to do."

"What? You're bailing on us already?" his beta replies.

"You're coming with me."

An understanding passes between them. "Oh."

"What about me?" Reena complains, looking a little hurt. "You're just going to leave me here?"

Logan stares at her with confusion. "Uh, I don't think you'd like this Ree. Besides, you can stay with your parents. I'm sure that's got to be more interesting."

She rolls her eyes and lets out the most ridiculous sound; something like _psh-ah!_

"Fine, whatever," she retorts.

Suddenly, the group of people witnessing their interaction, especially me, is very uncomfortable with the direction the conversation is headed.

Logan grabs her wrist when she tries to move away from him. "Hey," he says, surprisingly very softly. "Don't be upset. I do want you with me."

She smiles and looks up at him. "You do?" she asks in a really whiny and annoying voice; like nails on chalkboard. Apparently though, I'm the only one who hears it, because no one else winces.

"Of course I do," he assures her, and there's so much emotion in his voice that can melt even the toughest rocks. "I always want you with me. But you'll get bored on a trip like this."

A silent conversation seems to pass between them, in which Reena sends Logan accusatory looks and he pleads with her not to do this in front of everyone watching. She's being very stubborn, but he doesn't back down either, and it's hard to guess who's going to give in to the other first.

Finally, Reena huffs, although it's more resigned than nagging this time. "Fine," she agrees. "We'll talk about it later."

Then she leans over and kisses him shamelessly in front of everybody, making the level of discomfort rise by at least two hundred per cent.

He slowly pulls away after a moment. "I'll miss you," he smiles.

She smiles back coyly. "I'll miss you more."

_Would you just leave already and spare us the PDA?_ I mentally groan.

As if they heard me, they finally separate. Logan and Cade then leave, and I feel a weight lift off my chest when I can't detect their presence anymore. It's like the tension created by Logan's intimidating presence dissipates when he's not around.

Grinning, I turn to the others. "Alright, let's go humiliate Connor. I'm just going to wake up my other brothers first... I'm sure they have their own pranks planned."

The twins are up almost immediately, but Danny takes a while to be revived from his coma-like sleep. As I expected, they complain about being woken up so early. Then I tell them the reason, and they hop out of their sleeping bags like kids on Christmas morning.

"I need a sharpie," Mason says and starts searching for one in his bag.

That's the lamest and most unoriginal prank I've ever heard of. Then again, it's Mason; loving but sappy and cheesy, be-nice-to-everybody Mason.

"Are there any jars around I can use to trap bugs?" Daniel wants to know.

"I'm sure there must be some," I respond.

Although disturbing and disgusting, Danny's plan is much better than Mason's. He disappears for a minute while the rest of us prepare our stuff. When he comes back, he's carrying a big jar with writhing worms in it.

But Nathan is the one who wins 'best prank' award out of the three of them when he holds up a big balloon. "I've been saving this fart since Thursday," he announces with a proud grin.

My brothers and I stare at him incredulously. "Oh, my God," I grimace, completely repulsed.

"How the hell did you get it inside a balloon?" Danny wants to know, and he sounds unnaturally impressed with the idea.

"It's not mine, obviously," he scoffs. "It's fake... it came in a spray bottle. I just used it to blow the balloon up."

There's a stunned silence, tinted with admiration. This is definitely a first. And here I thought _I_ am the master prankster.

"Well, to each their own," Mason relents, shaking his head in disbelief at his twin. "Everybody ready?"

"Yup," we all say in unison.

I clap my hands once to get everybody's attention. "Let's do this."

Mason goes into the tent first to draw on Connor's face. Daniel slips in second and lets the worms loose all over Con's sleeping body. Nathan then crouches beside him, a plug covering his nose, and releases the fart from the balloon out of the hole and directly into Connor's nostrils. Jolting awake, our older brother thrashes around in his sleeping bag, scratching his nose repeatedly and letting gusts of air out of it.

"What the f-?" he screams once he registers the worms squirming on top of him.

He swats them away like they might actually bite him. Before he has a chance to recover from the shock, Jared, Sam, Tyler and I rush into the tent and carry his struggling body by his arms and legs.

"Hey! Come on guys! Stop it! It's not funny! Let me go!" he shouts, which wakes up all the sleeping campers.

But we ignore him and carry him all the way to the river, where we proceed to throw him in the cold water. Some come out of their tents to follow us and see what's going on. Everybody starts laughing the minute Connor emerges from beneath the surface and starts sprouting threats randomly at people.

"Now, now big brother," I playfully scold him. "You know you're not allowed to retaliate on War Day this time."

"I should have known," he mutters. "Michael, you are the devil's spawn. I swear, if I had any choice in the matter, you would be dead by now."

"But you don't," I remind him. "Ain't that the beauty of it?"

Laughs resonate through the trees. Sadie steps out of the crowd and stands next to me, grabbing my arm and jumping up and down excitedly. "Who can we prank next?" she cheers.
CHAPTER 14

Daniel

Partly to prove my point, I call Zoey on Monday during her lunch break. Our school cafeteria cannot accommodate all of its students at once, and that's why lunch is divided into two periods. Seniors and juniors eat together, and freshman and sophomores after them.

Zoey is sitting with a couple of freshman at one of the rarely used tables. I had to skip English for this, but it's not like I need any help in _that_ subject. She doesn't know I am just outside the cafeteria when her phone rings, and she frowns as my name flashes on the screen.

"Daniel?" she whispers, bemused. "Aren't you in class?"

"Nah, the view was boring in there," I reply lightly. "It's much better here. By the way, how can you not like tomatoes? That's like the world renowned best vegetable."

She looks around in surprise as she humors me. "Actually, tomatoes are fruits, and I don't like the taste."

"But you like ketchup," I point out.

She glances down at her salad, where she has replaced the tomato slices with extra ketchup in the sauce, and then she searches for me again.

"Ketchup doesn't taste like tomatoes," she argues.

"It's the exact same taste," I disagree.

"Not to me," she disputes with a tone of finality. "Where are you?"

"Your eleven o'clock."

She finally spots me. Without thinking about it, I grin and wave. Zoey simply sighs and hangs up. Seconds later, she stands up and starts walking in my direction. Knowing she will follow me, I slip back and head for a corridor I know will be empty at this time. It doesn't take her long to catch up to me.

"You know, if you were going to talk to me at school, maybe a direct conversation would be a better way to go next time," she suggests.

I grin again. "Where's the fun in that?" I counter. "Besides, you said you don't want anyone to find out, and you dared me to call you. Don't blame me, I'm just following up on that. I'm not one to back down from a bet. And we're here now, aren't we?"

She sighs and shakes her head patiently. "Fine, have it your way," she relents. "What do you want?"

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. I thought it was obvious. "I'm asking you out, like I said I would. I know you already agreed, but we didn't decide on when and where."

She's even more surprised. "You... you were serious about that?"

Now I'm just confused. "Of course I was. Why would you say _yes_ if you weren't sure whether or not I was serious?"

She crosses her arms and avoids eye contact looking uncomfortable. "I didn't start questioning it until later. I mean, it's a little weird. You don't even know me. Why would you want to go out with me?"

When I realize she's only being insecure, I am slightly more confident. I almost thought she was going to back out.

"That's sort of the point of dating," I tease. "To get to know each other."

"But getting to know me isn't going to get you anything," she states.

I tense up immediately. This is a new one. Never in my life, when I asked a girl out, did she talk about what I could expect from the relationship so soon before it even had begun. But then again, maybe I misunderstood what Zoey meant. _Is she talking about what I think she's talking about?_

"I already said I won't tell on you and I will keep your secret, so you don't really have to do this," she adds.

That immediately clears up my confusion.

"I know," I assure her. "But I want to."

She doesn't break eye contact for a good long moment. I can feel her assessing my honesty and possible motives. It's not just because I think she's cute, which I do. The truth is she's not like any girl I have ever met before. She's a little younger and more innocent than I'm used to dating. I also get the sense that she doesn't have very many close friends at her old home. She's therefore socially less experienced as well.

But the way she treated me when I was a jerk to her made _me_ feel like a child. I have never known anyone who could bring me down to Earth when I'm having a bad moment so quickly after meeting them.

"Alright," she finally agrees, _again_. "How about Friday after school?"

I nod triumphantly. "Done. I know just the place we could go to without being bothered. We'll have to meet up somewhere else, but that's going to be the easy part."

"I'll text you where you can pick me up from," she says, right before she spins on her heels and returns to her boring lunch period.

On Friday, when final period ends, Zoey calls me. She won't be leaving with her sister. She's going to wait for me a few blocks down the school building. I feel a little uneasy about her being out alone. I tell myself that I will be very quick and won't make her wait.

We could have just met up at school and walked from there, but then I wouldn't have been able to drive her home, and if her parents were the ones to pick her up after, she would have to explain to them why she isn't tutoring at a friend's house, like she told them she would be.

Michael is apparently going back with Sadie to hang out at the pack house, so I'm standing alone in the parking lot, waiting until the rest of my brothers show up to pick me up. Nathan is riding shotgun, which explains the smug smile he throws my way. However, since Mason appears to be attempting to decipher a difficult math problem on his phone in the backseat, I'm assuming he didn't get the honor because he earned it. It was for lack of trying on Mason's part. Wordlessly, I hop in the back.

"Hey Con, can I borrow the car when we get home?" I immediately ask, not bothering with greetings.

"Nope, sorry," he replies. "I'm taking Andrea out. We're going out for Chinese, and then we're going to some museum she's always wanted to visit since she was a kid."

"Wait, wait, wait," Nathan rushes to say, looking like a mad scientist on the brink of a great discovery. " _Andrea_ likes _museums_? We are talking about the same Andrea, right?"

"Is it actually a shoe store?" I joke.

"Or maybe it's a _shoe_ museum! The History of Heels!"

Connor pretends to laugh, and then says, "Shut it," in a clipped tone.

"Since when do you do nice things to girls you're not serious about?" Nathan goes on like Con didn't say a word.

"I've done nice things before," he protests.

"Not like this," I point out. "Never like this. Are you sure you're not in love, bro?"

Connor sighs in annoyance. "Fine, if you shut up about this, I'll let you have the car," he proposes. "We can just take a cab, I guess."

I grin. _He is so predictable._ "Done," I immediately agree.

A moment later, Mason's call goes through, and he gets in touch with Marianna. "Mary, I've been calling you for hours," he states with something akin to annoyance, which is strange for those two.

" _I'm sorry, I was studying_ ," she replies sweetly.

We tune them out by launching into a discussion about how long it would take us to run from our place to SMP's in wolf form, and who would get there first. But we don't really get that far into it because something unprecedented happens that distracts us; Mason and Marianna start arguing on the phone.

"You said you would come here after you graduate," Mason is objecting.

" _Yes, but I didn't say it would be permanent_ ," Marianna points out. " _You misunderstood that part on your own_."

Mason pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Mary, we talked about this before. I thought it was implied."

" _We never said that I would move immediately after I graduate, you're assuming things again_ ," Marianna retorts.

"Why are you being difficult about this?"

" _Mason,_ mon amour _,_ " she replies patiently, " _you know exactly what it would take for me to permanently move. I'm not the one avoiding the subject._ "

"Marianna," he tries again, but she cuts him off.

" _No, Mason, I've heard enough_ ," she says with a tired voice. " _You promised that you will understand. I am not pushing you to do anything, but I wish you would do the same for me. I have to go now. I'm tired and I want to sleep. Goodnight. I love you_."

Then she hangs up on him.

_Yikes. Trouble in paradise_.

"Everything okay?" I ask Mason when he grips his phone in his hand and almost smashes it.

"Fine," he snaps.

I back off after that. Mason is never rude. He is rarely even remotely unpleasant. Except when he's in a seriously bad mood, like now, in which case we're better off steering clear of him altogether. We go back to the previous conversation, although it's obvious we're putting half the effort into it this time. This is the first time we've seen Mason angry at his mate. She's usually the epitome of perfection in his eyes. I can't understand why he hasn't asked her to marry him yet, which is what she was talking about on the phone.

When we get home, my excuse to my parents is that I want to practice for a few hours. In retrospect, it's kind of a bad one. I should have at least thought of a follow-up that would explain why I'm playing basketball alone on a Friday evening. For once though, they don't question it.

I pick Zoey up from the spot we agreed on. She's still in the same clothes she wore to school, and I'm in my basketball uniform. I'm sure that to anyone watching, we don't look like a couple about to go on their first date. But I had to change, and Zoey couldn't very well bring some clothes with her. I still think she looks cute though, in a long white flowing skirt, purple top and sandals. Her natural look makes her even more beautiful in my opinion.

She's hesitant to get in the front seat, but she doesn't say anything as she climbs in. I'll admit that the proximity is another reason why I wanted to drive her, but it's not the main one. Once she's in, I pull out of the parking lot and start driving.

"You're looking very pretty today," I immediately tell her, hoping the compliment will make her more open during this date.

"Thanks. You're... um." She stares up and down at me, taking in my uniform. "Please don't tell me we're going to a basketball playground and you're going to teach me how to play as some sort of attempt at comedic romance?"

I hold back a smile. I actually hadn't thought of that. It would have been a good idea, if she didn't ruin it.

"First of all, it's called a basketball _court_ , not a playground," I correct her. "Second of all, no, we're not. And third, believe me, if we did that, you would love being pressed up against me." I end it with a wink.

Her nose scrunches up like she has smelled something unpleasant. "Why do you talk like that?"

Her question confuses me. _What's wrong with the way I talk?_ "Like what?"

"Like you're _trying_ to come off as arrogant."

Caught off guard, my eyebrows shoot up high on my forehead. "That's how I come off?"

I've been described as many things before; jerk, ass, douche, insensitive, pig, the list goes on. I don't always care, because most of the time that I behave that way, I'm not in my right mind. But no one has ever called me arrogant when I'm sober and meant it. Being narcissistic is kind of Nathan's thing. It's really a shock that she called me that.

"You think so highly of yourself, and it's like you want to force me to feel honored that you're even talking to me," she goes on matter-of-factly.

Huh. Well if that isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is. I understand she's just being honest here, and I can't really be upset with that.

"Sorry, I'm really not trying to give you that impression," I tell her. "How about whenever I'm being arrogant tonight, you slap me on the back of the head?"

She relaxes and lets out a little chuckle. That's much better. "Okay. And if you're majorly annoying, I'll slap you on the face."

I mock being scared and sharply turn my head in her direction. "Not the moneymaker."

She laughs loudly. "See, now you just earned a slap to the back of the head."

"Well you can't slap me now... I'm driving," I point out with exaggerated seriousness.

"I'll surprise you."

The place that I picked out is not one I usually take dates on. But seeing as we don't want to be seen in public, it's perfect. Plus, it feels wrong somehow to take Zoey out to the same places I've been to with other girls.

This place used to be a golfing spot, but it has been abandoned when the owner went into debt and had to sell it. Word is that it's going to be a public park now, so the fences are kept open at all times.

The golf course is still there, because construction isn't scheduled to start for another six months. But it's not in very good condition. The grass, though still green, is overgrown and uncared for, and weeds are growing in the sand. It's not much, but I've set up a small picnic in one of the better looking spots under a willow tree, where we will be sheltered even more.

Despite my obvious poor choice, Zoey seems to like it when she sees it. The only thing she had to say about it was, "And you said you weren't taking me to a playground." I took that playfully though.

"You know, you never really told me what's the favor you wanted," I point out when we're set up against the bulk of the tree, eating sandwiches I brought in my gym bag.

Zoey frowns contemplatively. "I did tell you."

"You told me how you found out, but you didn't really say how I could help you."

She sighs. "I guess I just... wanted someone to talk to. I thought it was obvious. Evidently not."

I feel a rush of sympathy for this girl. She has been given a bit more than she thinks she can handle. All she needed is somebody to share the weight. Suddenly, I'm glad it was me she chose out of the people at the party to tell her secret to. I know I can shoulder some of this burden for her. The very least I can do is make it easier for her to carry it.

"That's okay," I assure her. "I'm honored you're even allowing me to be in your presence."

She laughs again, shaking her head. "That slap is looking more appealing by the minute."

I smile triumphantly at making her laugh, and take the last bite out of my sandwich. There's more food in my bag obviously, but I can't bring out everything at once. Zoey doesn't eat the way I do, and she might be full, even though I'm not.

"Can I ask you something?" she says, suddenly serious.

"Isn't that a question on its own?" I tease. She doesn't say anything, just keeps staring at her half-eaten jam sandwich. I sober up immediately. "Sure."

"What's it like?" she asks vaguely. "For Michael, I mean?"

My first instinct is to _deny, deny, deny_. Michael's secret has been the biggest part of my whole family's life since I was born. I was raised to stick to a certain number of topics when it's brought up, or to avoid it altogether when I'm with them. I've never even said my opinion about it in front of my parents, or even Mickey himself.

However, for a reason I still don't quite understand, I trust Zoey, and I want to tell her everything. I know she won't tell anyone anything she hears from me. She definitely won't shoot me down if I start, the way my parents do when I try to talk to them. And she won't judge me for my often selfish thoughts of leaving the family and living without this kind of burden on my shoulders. I stay for Mickey, because he doesn't deserve to be left to carry it alone.

"No matter how hard it might be for me to live with this kind of secret, it's infinitely harder for him," I tell Zoey. "You know, I think he was kind of traumatized at first, when our parents told him that he was different from us, but that he couldn't let anyone find out about it. He was raised as a girl for the first few years of his life, but they dressed him up like a boy.

"I remember when we were six, we used to go to the beach a lot in the summer, and my parents would buy him the same kind of swim shorts they got for the rest of us. One day, in public, he asked them why he didn't wear swimsuits like the other little girls. My parents laughed it off in public, but that's when they knew they needed to include him in the secret. They delayed it as much as they could, but when they finally told him, he cried. He thought they didn't like him and wanted to replace him with a boy."

Zoey frowns with compassion. "That's so sad," she says.

I nod. "It took a while for him to get used to behaving a certain way. By that time, we were all great at keeping our feelings bottled up, but Mickey was an expert. He went through a phase, when he hit puberty, where he wouldn't give more than one worded answers when we addressed him. It really worried my parents."

"What happened to end that phase?" Zoey asks.

This is where it gets uncomfortable for me. "Uh, well, his... girliness... kicked in."

Understanding colors her features. "Gotcha."

_Thank God_. "So he got 'the talk' and they told him sulking is normal, but that he shouldn't let it get him down so much. That was around the time he came up with War Day, as an outlet of some sort, although he would never admit it. Sometimes, I wish I could help him more, but I don't really think there's anything any of us can do... makes me feel useless."

Unexpectedly, Zoey grabs my hand. "You're not useless."

The reassuring gesture takes me by surprise. Suddenly, it dawns on me what I just did, and more importantly that she reacted positively to it. This is the most I've ever talked about something that bothers me without cracking a joke at some point. It's encouraging that she's not laughing.

Feeling an urge, I lean in slowly hoping to kiss her. Out of nowhere, she slaps me on the back of my head, and I reflexively duck and cover myself.

"How was that arrogant?" I half-heartedly object.

"That was for what you said in the car," she specifies. She wags her finger in front of my face as warning. "But try that again and you will get one on the face. I don't kiss on the first date."

I suppress a smile. She really does look cute when she's trying to be angry. "Got it."
CHAPTER 15

Michael

I regret forcing Connor not to retaliate. It makes my week uninteresting.

My brothers and I bicker as usual, but other than video games banters, wrestling matches and girlfriend teasing, there's not much excitement, because no one plays any pranks on anyone else.

Luckily though, it doesn't get boring for me at school, because I spend more time with Sadie. We even get to a point where it's just the two of us and I don't need to hang out with Danny and his friends to pass the time somehow.

I learn that her mom is a school teacher at the compound, and her dad is an attorney who acts as the pack's lawyer when one is needed. It's really nice to get to know someone like that.

I even enjoy listening to Sadie ramble about her "darling angel little brother." Don't get me wrong, I met the kid, and he's okay. But I don't normally like kids, so for me to voluntarily talk about them is a great feat.

She also tells me that Zoey is going through a phase and has been very cynical since they left. Sadie and her parents chalk it up to an identity crisis, because that was when she visited their biological father's grave for the first time. She had always known about him but there wasn't anything concrete to remind her of that until she went to that graveyard.

When I ask Sadie how she felt when she first heard about him, she tells me that it was different for her.

"I have some memories of him," she says. "I was three when he died. Even as a kid, I always knew who he was. My parents didn't have to explain to me like with Zoey, because I felt the transition when I suddenly had a new dad, and they were always honest about it with me."

"Your parents are really sweet," I comment without thinking, and then backtrack. "I mean, it's cool that they're open-minded like that."

Sadie chuckles. "You don't have to do that."

I blink at her. "Do what?"

"Be so tough all the time just because you think that's how you should act," she specifies. "You don't have to hide your emotions, not with me."

"I'm not," I defensively say.

She rolls her eyes and just says unconvinced, "Sure."

I've come to learn a few things about Sadie herself. She's very observant, sometimes a little too much. She's also very open-minded and headstrong. I get the feeling there's nothing I can tell her that she wouldn't be okay with.

Well except for the whole 'hiding my gender' debacle. I'm not too sure how she might react if she ever found out, which I'm counting on never happening.

"Do you want to hang out at the pack house after school this Friday, maybe play some video games?" she suggests.

My eyebrows shoot up and I fight a grin. "You play video games?"

"Of course I do," she proudly confirms.

Now, this is another thing about Sadie I'm grateful for; we have a lot of shared interests. She's not really into stuff that are way too girly, like squealing about boys, and shopping till you drop, and getting 'manises' and 'pedises', or whatever the hell they call getting their nails done. She's down to earth, and real. Under such circumstances, how can we _not_ become friends?

"Wait, don't you have a date with Cade?" I check.

Those two always have something planned. It's like they can't survive the day without seeing each other, although that sounds cheesy, and frankly a little sappy.

"Not until later in the evening," she tells me. "We can do something in the afternoon."

I shrug. "Okay."

The invitation is basically the highlight of my day on Wednesday, because it finally brings something new and exciting since the camping trip.

On Thursday, Marianna and I have a video chat for like half an hour before we're interrupted by Mason. That's about twenty minutes longer than we've ever lasted before.

Then it's Friday afternoon, and Sadie and I are standing in the school parking lot waiting for Cade to come pick us up. Zoey went on a study group, and Connor has already left with Danny. I have to stiffly stand in one spot while Sadie barely contains her excitement about seeing her mate again. Other kids stare oddly at us -our friendship is still weird for the entire school.

On the inside, I'm dreading facing Cade. I just know there's a 'talk' coming up sometime soon, and I am not looking forward to being threatened. It's not that I'm afraid of the guy; I'm just familiar with this kind of behavior from possessive boyfriends, which - _lucky_ for me- is heightened in werewolves. It really pisses me off when I can't defend myself with the best argument I have; the truth.

"So where are you guys going tonight?" I ask, just to avoid feeling uncomfortable over being stared at by other kids.

"He's taking me stargazing," she sighs. "He has this thing for astronomy. It's kind of romantic actually."

She goes into detail about past dates that have been similar, and I keep my ears focused on listening to her while my eyes scan the parking lot. So far, I've counted seventeen cars coming and going since my brothers went home, and there's still no sign of Cade. Where the hell is he? If he's as dedicated to her as I've gotten the impression that he is, he would have been here the moment she stepped out of the main entrance.

"There was also this one time we went to a planetarium, and it was seriously the best day," Sadie gushes. "I think that was the last date we had before we moved here."

The wheels start turning in my mind. "So where did you move from?"

"The pack lived in Maine for twenty years," she tells me. "It's also where I grew up."

"Twenty years?" I repeat, surprised. "Wow, that's a long time. Why did everyone suddenly decide to move back here?"

"Actually, moving away from here was supposed to be temporary," she admits. "They weren't planning on staying for twenty years. I guess the move wasn't so sudden because everyone's always known they would come back here one day."

I frown, confused. "Temporary? Why did they leave in the first place? And why did it take so long to come back?"

Sadie shrugs. "I don't know the whole story, but I'm still not at liberty to talk about pack business," she simply says.

Her honesty surprises me, but in a good way, and I know better than to stick my nose where it doesn't belong.

"So is that where they're going when they take trips away?" I ask after a moment of comfortable silence.

She blinks. "What do you mean?"

"I just noticed that some of the guys are frequently busy somewhere, like the night of the party, and the morning after camp," I explain. "Even now. Are they going back to Maine for some unfinished business?"

Sadie seems a bit taken aback by my question and pauses; either because I guessed something right or she didn't think I noticed these sorts of things. "No, that's not where they're going," she finally tells me. "It's too long a drive. They're not leaving Massachusetts... they're just keeping an eye on things and protecting the pack."

"From what?" I wonder, to which she simply shrugs.

That's when the tension starts to settle and I can tell she knows more than she's letting on. I don't push it though. Thankfully, we're saved from having an awkward silence -which would be a first with Sadie- when Cade suddenly pulls up in front of us in his red convertible BMW. Sadie immediately jumps into the passenger seat and plasters her face to his, her hands on his neck. I roll my eyes and wordlessly climb into the backseat, keeping my eyes averted.

"I've missed you," she mumbles once they finally break apart for air.

"I've missed you more," he whispers back, his voice hoarse.

_Uh, hello! Person in the backseat!_ I want to yell at them.

As if she hears me, Sadie pulls away and turns to me. "Baby, you remember Dylan, right?"

I think I hear him sigh right before he meets my gaze levelly. "Of course," he replies dryly. "Only, I know him as Michael."

My name sounds like a curse word coming from him. There is definitely a 'talk' coming up. Great.

For Sadie's sake, I make an effort to be extra polite. "Good to see you again."

He nods his head to the side. "You too." He faces his girlfriend again. "Shall we?"

My suspicions about him are confirmed at the compound. Cade's brothers are in the living room with a guy I'm guessing must be Reena's brother, Jason. They're arguing about where they should spend their Friday night, while the three sets of parents -Sadie's, Cade's and Jason's- are in the dining room putting away the leftovers from lunch.

I am shocked. _They have leftovers?_

"Hi Mom. Hi Daddy," Sadie greets them.

"Michael!" her brother cheers.

_Since when am I his favorite person?_ I wonder.

"Hi," I say to everyone.

"Want to play Wii tennis with me?" Zack suggests.

"You will go upstairs and change young man," his mother objects. "We're all going to the park, Sade. Would you and Michael like to join us?"

"No, I promised I would crush him in a round of video games," she replies with mock seriousness.

I grin. "That's what _you_ think."

Sadie's mom smiles. "Have fun then."

She and Zack then leave the room. The other adults start following them when Cade speaks.

"Sade, I need to change before I go. Could you make me something to eat on the way?"

Although she smiles, she gives him a knowing look and agrees. I try to follow her to the kitchen, but he grabs my arm, quite roughly I might add, and stops me. By then, we're the only ones in the room. I sigh and look at him neutrally.

"Is there a problem?" I deadpan.

"That girl in there," he starts, "she's mine, and as long as you remember that and don't try anything, there won't be a problem. Okay?"

_Ah, so it's a pissing match he's expecting_ , I mentally comment.

"Look man, I'm not interested in her that way, or in anyone for that matter," I tell him. "Plus, you know, you should really trust her... she loves you."

His grip on my arm tightens and his teeth grind together. "I do trust her -I'm not worried about that. I'm saying don't try anything. It's _you_ I don't trust."

"You don't even know me," I remind him.

"My point exactly."

I refrain from eye-rolling, because I know how werewolves can get about somebody else trying to get close to their mates, although Cade is kind of pushing it.

"Look, I respect you and all, but you're out of line. I want nothing from her other than her friendship, and I've given you no reason to believe otherwise and be threatened by me."

He gives me a deadly and warning glare. "Not yet."

He lets go and stands relaxed again just seconds before Sadie walks in from the kitchen with a panini sandwich. She hands it to him with a sweet smile and leans into his arms for a hug. He runs his hand over her arm and kisses her forehead.

"Thanks Sade," he says all lovey-dovey and gross-like. "I better hurry. Logan will be expecting me soon."

Then he takes a bite from the sandwich and goes up the stairs two at a time. Sadie watches him and waits until he's out of earshot before turning to me with a knowing smile.

"Okay, be honest, did it work on you?" she asks.

I pretend not to know what she's talking about. "Did what work on me?"

She rolls her eyes. "The whole stay-away-from-my-girlfriend-or-I'll-kick-your-ass talk. Don't play dumb with me. I've known about that speech since we started going out."

Amused and also impressed that she knows him so well, I chuckle. "Not really," I admit. "It's not him... there's nothing he can say that would scare me because I don't see you that way. No offense."

She shrugs. "None taken."

I nod. "Good."

"Now that that's out of the way, how about a few rounds of Battlefield 4 to start off?" she suggests. "I'll get the snacks?"

I grin. "You're going down."

"Oh, we'll see about that."

Fifteen minutes later, Cade has left, Sadie and I are in the game room, and I find out she is not as bad as I would have expected her to be. She's actually pretty good. I can tell she plays this game quite often, but it's also obvious who she plays against. She's more confident than she should be with her skills, which makes me think whoever she plays against goes a bit easy on her sometimes to make her happy. Only a boyfriend would do this sort of thing.

After that, it's like time just flies by. We play four different games for two hours straight. I don't let her win but she does manage to do that on her own in almost half of the rounds. While we play, we tease each other in a way that's very different than how my brothers and I do it. If possible, it's just as fun as playing with my brothers.

Around six thirty, a car pulls up in front of the pack house and I notice that it's gotten dark because of the headlights shining through the small window up high in the basement.

"Whoa, are they back yet?" I question. "We barely got started!"

Sadie laughs and her hands grip the console while she fires at me. "We've been at this for hours," she corrects me. "I have to get ready before Cade comes, but I'll just finish you off before I go."

A short, sarcastic laugh escapes my lips. "Okay, sure."

Then I proceed to wipe the floor with her.

"No!" she shrieks when the game's over and she lost. "No fair, I was this close to pulverizing you!"

I pat her arm like a wounded animal. "Whatever you say, sweetie."

That's when I hear the front door open. Whatever reply Sadie was thinking of throwing at me dies in her throat when we hear shouting.

"... same fight over and over again!" a female voice yells. "You promised me!"

"Can you listen to me for just one second, please?" a voice pleads with her.

Is that Logan?

"No! I just don't get it, Logy!"

Yup, definitely Reena and Logan.

"I don't get why you're never around anymore. It's like, ever since you officially became alpha, all you care about is following ghosts and dead leads. I mean, I knew being an alpha meant you'd have more responsibilities, but you're not even here to fulfill them, and you've completely ignored your responsibilities toward me. I don't like feeling neglected, Logan. You promised you'd stay with me, but you're abandoning me every chance you get."

Their footsteps indicate that they've gone into the kitchen now, but their voices are still loud enough to be heard throughout the whole house.

"Ree, you know that's not true," Logan protests. He sounds so tired and yet he's gentle with her. It's kind of sad to listen to.

"Should we go?" I whisper to Sadie.

She sighs and shakes her head, then stands up and leaves.

"You know how I feel about you," Logan is saying. "This is just something I have to do. You don't have to understand it, but I do need you to support me."

"Well, I don't, okay? Because I can't just forget about myself too."

"Reena," he begs and is cut off by Sadie entering the kitchen.

I have to strain my ears to hear what she says. I'm curious, okay? It's not everyday I witness a big fight between an alpha and his mate. My parents never fight like that. They argue, sure, but it never escalates this way, at least not from what I've seen.

"Hey guys," Sadie greets them. "Want to join us for some video games?"

"I'm going to my room," Reena angrily announces before Logan could say anything.

"Ree," he calls after her. "Reena, please."

From what I can tell, she ignores him and goes upstairs. Logan sighs tiredly.

"Hey," Sadie calls out with her soothing voice. "Everything alright?"

"Don't worry about it, it's fine," he replies. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your date? Cade's going to be here soon."

"Yeah, I'm going to, I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Yeah, I told you I'm fine. Who are you playing video games with by the way?"

"Dylan," she tells him.

"Oh." His voice changes.

"He won't be here long. Cade and I are going to drive him home before we go," she informs him.

"Oh, well, that's not necessary." Next thing I know, he's coming into the game room with Sadie following behind him. For a moment, he just stands there in awkward silence. You know, the usual for us. "Evening, Micheal. How's everything?"

_Did he really just say_ evening _?!_

I shrug. "Good. You?"

"Could be better," he admits. I'm surprised by his answer because I only asked out of politeness. "Listen, you don't have to go right away. I'm kind of in the mood to play a little bit of video games myself, so if you want to stay, I can drive you later."

I hesitate. I don't want any more awkward moments with this guy; I've lived through enough. "Uh, I don't know about that."

Sadie steps in. "I'm going to get dressed. You let me know what you want to do when I come back, okay Dyl?"

Unwillingly, I nod. "Sure."

After she climbs up the staircase, Logan sits next to me on the couch.

"Really Michael, you can stay a while longer, I don't mind taking you home after," he assures me. He coughs and lowers his voice. "You, uh, may find this hard to believe, but I like talking to you."

My left eyebrow shoots up skeptically. "You're right. I do find that hard to believe."

He sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "Listen, I know I acted a bit defensively last time, and I'm sorry. Putting that aside, I really did like talking to you, and I'd like to try and be friends."

My shock makes my ears ring. Did I just hear him right? Did an alpha just say he wants to be friends with me, a lowly werewolf who isn't even part of his pack? That's got to be a first. Although, to be fair, there has never been an alpha as young as Logan... not for a long time at least.

"You're not messing with me, are you?" I check.

He frowns, looking very confused by my question. "Why would I do that?"

I pause. "So you want me to stay a bit longer just so we could... talk?" I ask in complete disbelief.

"We don't have to do just that, obviously," he answers. "We can pick up the game where you and Sadie left off."

I don't reply immediately and instead think about it for a second. He has just given me an opening to start whatever kind of conversation I want to start. But I'm not sure if there's something I want to talk about that's worth staying and facing possible tense silence. Although, I am curious about his fight with Reena.

"Okay, I guess," I finally agree.

His smile is relieved, and I get the sense he really wants somebody to talk to. "Thank you," he tells me.

He doesn't say anything else and just stares at me, like he's waiting for me to get the ball rolling. A couple more seconds of silence pass.

Then, he leans his elbows over his knees and joins his hands together in one grip. "You know, you were a lot more talkative in the van," he jokingly remarks, saving me the trouble of breaking the ice.

I half-smile, and suddenly, I feel a little lighter. "Sorry, I just keep remembering the last time I tried to ask you something and you completely shut down," I find myself admitting.

It's like whatever censorship I have over my thoughts evaporates with this guy.

He chuckles, joining his hands together between his legs and looking down. "I guess I had that coming. But you can't blame me for having my guard up."

I balance my head from side to side as if I'm weighing something in my mind. "Well, there's guarded, and then there's armed-and-ready-for-battle, and you were all missiles and tanks. I mean, you made me feel guilty for asking a simple question."

Amazingly, he looks up at me and smiles, and that's when I get a closer look at his eyes. I still can't tell what color they are though, because with the room's lighting, they keep switching between blue, hazel and brown.

"Sorry about that," he tells me truthfully. "That wasn't fair to you."

I soften at his apology. "In your defense, you were kind of having a rough day."

He exhales loudly and leans back against the couch, covering his eyes with his hands. "More like a rough year," he tells me, sounding so tired that I feel an urge to get him a glass of water or a blanket or anything that would actually make him feel better.

For a moment, I watch him rub his eyes with the palms of his hands, studying him.

"Hey, can I ask you something? And this time you won't freak out on me?" I add with humor.

Without removing his hands, he smiles and mumbles, "Sure."

"Are you okay?"

Something about the tone of my voice catches him by surprise. He drops his arms into his lap and looks sideways at me, analyzing me just like I was doing seconds ago.

"No," he finally says. Then he scratches the back of his head. "Not really. But there's a big part that I can't talk about with outsiders. You know, from the pack."

His honesty isn't offensive at all; I'm actually grateful that he answered the way he did this time instead of making up something and pushing me away.

"Then which part can you talk about?" I wonder.

He thinks about it for a moment. "Reena."

A flash of annoyance surprises me. What is that about? Didn't I just say I was curious to know what the fight was about?

"What about her?" I ask.

"I just-" he cuts off. "I don't know. Lately, it's been more complicated than usual. We've never fought as much as we have since I became the alpha."

"I'm no expert, but I think fighting is necessary between couples," I say. "But still, I've never seen my parents or any of my brothers fight like that with their mate or girlfriend."

He sighs heavily. "I swear, sometimes, being a good mate is harder than being a good alpha."

I grin smugly. "I wouldn't know. I'm never going to experience either of those things."

He gives me a dubious look. "Why do you say that?" he says. "I mean I get the thing about being alpha, but everyone finds a mate, and you're no exception. One day, it's going to be you complaining to me about having a fight with your mate, and it's going to be me giving you the advice."

For more than one reason, I can't help laughing. "Okay, first of all, what makes you so sure I'll even come to you for relationship advice?"

He pretends to look offended. "Well, I should definitely return the favor. I am a man of honor, you know? I'm an alpha... I kind of have to be. I don't just take things from others, even if it's words of comfort."

I roll my eyes. "Well aren't you chivalrous. Thanks for making the rest of us look bad. Besides, I didn't give you any advice. It was a load of crap I heard on TV or something."

"Still, it helped," he insists.

"Whatever," I laugh.

"I see you two are getting along," Sadie's voice jokes, coming from the doorway.

Logan and I both turn to look at her at the same time. We didn't even hear her coming because we were too caught up in the conversation, which turns out to be pretty great, when it flows easily.

She's dressed in a strapless white dress that reaches her knees and a black cardigan over it, open at the front. She's also got on shiny black flats and various silver bracelets clinking together on her arms. Her hair is pushed back with an iron band, making her face look radiant. She is seriously gorgeous right now.

"Wow, Sadie, you look beautiful," Logan tells her.

"Yeah, you're amazing," I second that.

She smiles brilliantly, flashing her teeth, and giggles like a little schoolgirl with a crush. "Thanks guys! I hope Cade agrees with you."

"He will," Logan assures her.

"He'd be stupid not to," I add confidently.

She chuckles at our compliments. "Anyway, he's here already. Have you decided what you want to do, Dylan?"

Logan and I exchange looks, and we smile at the same time.

"I think I'll hang out here for a while."
CHAPTER 16

Logan

Three more names were crossed off my father's list. Two of them kicked us out of their houses the second we mentioned my father's name. It wasn't like with the Mariners; they didn't turn us away out of fear. It seemed more like they hated my father. The third family does not even remember who my father is. They were nice enough to invite us for some tea though.

The fourth family Cade and I visit is another sad and hopeless case. When we get there, the house is abandoned. It's not hard to conclude they moved.

"Damn it, I really had a good feeling about this one," I admit to Cade.

"We'll find something," he assures me. "One of those names is bound to talk to us."

I don't acknowledge how much I hope he's right.

"What do we do now?" he asks.

I remember the Mariners telling us they went to the police when they thought Jace's kidnapping was something done by a human. Maybe this family had a similar idea.

With my luck turning worse and worse with each name we cross off my dad's list, I think it's understandable that I'm really hoping for a change of fortune right about now. But things don't turn out the way I want them to, unfortunately. I get a big surprise when we're about to walk into the police station.

"Jason?" I say when I spot my cousin leaning against the side of the building. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be going out with the guys?"

Jason shrugs. "They couldn't make up their minds on where to go, so they just decided to hang out at Tyler's place. I didn't feel like sitting around. So what are you up to, cuz?"

I narrow my eyes and sidestep that question. "So instead, you decided to drive forty-five minutes to meet me, when I'm working on something you're not allowed to know about? How did you find me anyway?"

"GPS, dude," he replies in an obvious tone.

I've always found the way he sometimes talks to others like they're dumber than him kind of irritating. I haven't had to deal with it much, because we're related, and I'm also his alpha. I don't buy it. Not the GPS thing, but his excuse.

"Jason, why are you really here?"

He gives up the pretense and says. "Okay, fine," he relents. "It's my sister."

Taking a step toward him, I immediately tense up and imagine the worse. "What happened? Is she okay?"

He raises his hands up. "Easy Romeo. Reena's fine. She's just... well, she's depressed, to put it lightly. She's gone to some bar all by herself, and she wouldn't come with me when I tried to get her to come home."

Reena has been mad since the bonfire camp. She hasn't said a word about it though, and it has been eating her up inside. I should have expected that she would do something like this, and I'm guessing she wants to pick a fight.

Exasperated, I sigh and shake my head. "Give me your car and go back with Cade. Where is she again?"

"That Irish place five minutes from home," he tells me.

I turn to my beta. "Try to get a copy of whatever relevant reports you can find." I look at my cousin again. "You, stay in the car when he's in there. You're still not allowed to know what this is about."

Jason once again raises his hands in a sign of defeat.

To be honest, a fight with Reena is inevitable. I was stupidly trying to avoid it, but deep down, I knew it would only become worse the longer I wait. So when she greets me with a cold hard stare and a long gulp of whatever she's drinking, it's not much of a surprise.

The fight doesn't last long, nor does it contribute anything new to what has already been said. She still doesn't understand why I'm so committed to this project, and I still can't get her to see it. It doesn't take her long to change her mind about the picking-a-fight thing and shut me out. The slam of our bedroom door is indicative of how angry she still is.

I tell Michael about my fight with Reena because I really want a break. His concern strikes a nerve, and I couldn't lie to him when he asked if I was okay. But I still couldn't tell him everything, which I was up-front about. I'm glad he asked though, because now I feel lighter, the echo of what happened to those families, as well as the burden of fighting with Reena, flew off my shoulders.

About an hour later, we're still playing video games, but we've toned it down to a simple Mario game. We're technically taking a break, and this way we're able to keep up a serious conversation.

"Can I ask you something Michael?" I venture.

"Sure," he quickly agrees.

"How come whenever someone mentions mates, you somehow play it off like that's not a discussion you should be included in?"

His fingers tap a little on the joystick as he pauses. "Because I don't have one."

"That's not what I mean," I tell him. "You changed the subject earlier, when I said you will get a mate one day, and you talk about it like it's not something you'll ever have."

Instead of answering directly, he turns it around. "Let me ask you something. Have you ever seen the way some little girls get so worked up when they see dolls? Or some little boys with their toy cars?"

"Yeah," I say doubtfully.

"In the last few years, have you ever felt the need to join them and play with them?"

I see where he's going with this. "No, but that's different," I argue. "I did use to be one of those kids when I was their age. I just grew up and developed new interests."

"So did I," he agrees. "I used to want to be in a relationship, but now I just don't care about it. There are other things I'm interested in instead."

"Like what?" I'm curious to know.

"Well," he hesitates, "I play the piano. Keyboards too, but I love the piano more."

This catches me off guard, and I take my eyes off the screen to stare at him. I knew he was an introvert, but I never would have guessed that Michael Connolly is artistic. "Really?"

He frowns uncertainly. "Does that _shock_ you?"

"No, it's just that I never would have guessed," I reply. "And I don't mean that in a bad way either. I mean, it's a _pleasant_ surprise. Can I hear something?"

His eyes widen and he looks at me in surprise. " _Now_?"

"No, I don't mean _right now_ ," I assure him.

"I didn't know you had a piano here."

"We have one, somewhere." _Probably._ "But you can wait until we bring it down here, if you want. Why don't you come over tomorrow and then you'll play me something?"

Michael accepts immediately with a shrug. "Sure, that might be cool, I guess."

Smiling, I go back to playing. "Great."

We play in silence for a few more minutes, until I feel the need to fill it. I'm uncomfortable making small talk, but I want to get to know Michael, so I'm going to have to.

"So what do your brothers do?" I ask. "And your parents."

"Uh, well," he hesitates, surprised by the topic I went with, "Connor graduated with a degree in Marine Biology last year, and now he works at an aquarium during the day. Mason is in college studying Mechanical Engineering. Nathan has been going from one job to the other since he finished high school, and Daniel is a senior like me. My dad is the manager at a candle-making factory and my mom is a reporter for an online magazine."

"Huh," I reply, not knowing what else to say. "Interesting."

"Now that you've got the ball rolling with the most _fascinating_ topic in the world, can _I_ ask you something?" he says.

"Shoot," I allow.

"Where's your mom?"

Reflexively, I look down for a split second. "She died when I was young," I reply, my eyes on the screen.

All the color drains from his face and he pauses the game.

"Oh," he mumbles apologetically. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked so carelessly. I didn't think it would be something like that."

I shrug, letting him know it's okay. "I don't remember her much."

He pauses hesitantly, deliberating. "What do you remember?"

"Mostly what happened after," I say. "My dad took it hard and had a drinking problem for a while after that. It wasn't too bad, and it didn't take him long to get out of it. But I can never forget seeing him stumbling through the front door and asking me to get my uncle before he passed out and fell on the floor. That was the last night he ever drank."

"That's why you don't like parties, isn't it?" he correctly guesses. "Because you don't like being around drunk people."

I don't say anything, but my silence is enough of an answer.

"I can understand that," he reassures me. "I'd be more surprised if your father's drinking past didn't affect you one bit. Then I would have to wonder whether you're a cyborg or not."

It's unsettling how easily he can shift the conversation onto me, and that it could affect me so much. I'm an alpha; I'm not supposed to show weakness in front of others, especially not someone who won't join my pack. But it's too easy to let my guard down around him, and he's doing the opposite of making me feel even weaker; he's saying exactly what I need to hear to pull it together again.

"A cyborg?" I repeat, amused.

"Don't tell me you don't know what a cyborg is," he begs.

"Of course I know what a cyborg is," I fervently assure him. I frown uncertainly. "How did we get from talking about your family, to my parents, to _cyborgs_?"

Michael shrugs. "I had to change the subject. You were becoming sad again. Not that I don't get why, I mean I do _now_ , but you should loosen up a little."

I don't answer that. I know he's right, but I can't explain to him why I haven't been able to 'loosen up' without revealing confidential information.

We play for a few more minutes without much conversation, when Jared and Sam return. Since Cade must have dropped him off, Jason must be back with them too, although I don't know where he is.

I feel Michael grow uncomfortable when he declares that he has to leave. It's not even eight yet, but he says that he has to meet up with his brothers for a run. Knowing his aversion to shifting with strangers and his unease around my pack, I don't push him to run with us. However, I do take his number and make him promise to come over tomorrow as soon as he can before I let him go.

Sadie and Cade won't be home for another hour. Their parents are probably still at the Creeds' place. After Jason joins us, the guys take control of the game room. They'll be here for hours before they go to bed.

I can't avoid facing Reena any longer, so I drag myself up to our room. The walls of all the bedrooms in the pack house are soundproofed, and I can't hear what she's doing in there. I knock on the door twice. No answer.

_Maybe she's in the bathroom_ , I conclude and go in.

The bedroom lights are out. The only illuminated side is the upper half of the bed, because the bathroom door is open. The shower is running too, which means I guessed right. However, there's a strange sound that I did not anticipate hearing.

"Ree?" I call out, worried.

When I get to the door, I see the shower curtain closed, but her silhouette is lower than it should be if she were standing up. She's crying, and there's a metallic smell in the air.

"Reena!"

In seconds, I rush to her and yank the curtain to the side. She's curled up on the bathroom floor, completely naked, the hot water spilling over her from the shower head. Her long hair, made darker by the water, sticks to her back and the sides of her face, which is contorted in pain as she lets out low whimpers. Her eyes are red, but it's impossible to distinguish her tears from the bath water.

The startling part is that the water underneath her is tinted in red, because of a cut on her left leg. From the way the blood is oozing out fast, I realize it's pretty deep. I see the razor on the tub floor a little further away from her feet. Immediately, I shut the water and remove the razor.

"What happened?" I demand, alarmed.

She sobs incomprehensibly and covers her face.

Hastily, I grab the first towel I find and wrap it around her bleeding leg. She doesn't stop me, although she cries out when I touch the cut and hurt her. Then I get a second, much bigger towel and wrap her in it entirely. I lift her effortlessly and place her on the closed toilet. I crouch down at eye level in front of her.

"Hey," I say calmly, putting my hand on her cheek and forcing her to look at me. "What happened, Ree?"

She swallows her sobs and wipes her face with the towel. "I fell," she replies with difficulty. "I was... shaving... and I just... slipped."

I frown; I still don't understand. Her cut is deep, but she wasn't this distraught when she broke her leg seven years ago. "But why are you crying so hard?"

"Because you weren't here!" she cries. "You broke your promise."

_This is about our fight_ , I realize.

I sigh and drop my hand. I was dreading this for a reason; when we get to a point in our fights where Reena's not getting her way, she can turn on the waterworks very easily. I used to succumb to it and give in whenever she starts, but she's been doing it so much lately that I can't tell anymore when she's truly crying or when she's pretending. Right now, I'm thinking it's the latter.

"Reena, I can't keep explaining this to you," I say calmly.

She shakes her head sadly, her tears running dry. "Logan, what am I supposed to do when you're not here? I don't have a job, and I had to drop out of college when we moved. You're the only thing that makes sense in my life. I left everything behind for you, and now you're gone half the time."

Standing up, I dust my knees. I care about her, I really do. But I wish she wouldn't attach her life so much to mine. She needs to have her own interests at the same time, but she refuses to even develop a hobby, much less look for a job.

"What do you want me to do?" I ask. "Because you know I can't stop until I find out what the list means. Why don't you look into colleges nearby that have summer courses?"

She looks up at me, eyes round. "And until then? That's at least two months away."

"I don't know, Reena," I tell her, out of options and losing patience. "Make friends? Go out more often? Spend time with your family?"

She averts her gaze, an uncertain look on her face. Then she stares at her fingers crisscrossed together, fidgeting nervously.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I don't mean to be the clingy girlfriend. I... I just really miss you."

Guilt hits me in the gut. I lean closer to her and gently lift her face up to look at me. "Just because I'm gone a lot doesn't mean I will suddenly stop caring about you, okay?"

She smiles a little. "I know."

I smile back and give her a long kiss. My hand goes to her waist, and I start to pull her toward me. But she flinches and breaks the kiss.

"What's wrong?" I ask worriedly.

She winces as I remove my arm. "I fell," she reminds me. "I hit the tub there."

"Let me see," I request.

"No, no, it's fine," she replies anxiously. "I'm going to have the cut checked out anyway, so I'll ask about that."

I frown. "Are you sure? You might have a bruised rib. Maybe we should go now-"

"I'm fine, Logan," she insists. "Really, don't worry about it. Are you going out tomorrow again?"

I'm surprised by the abrupt change in subject, and even more so by the hopeful expectation in her voice that I will indeed be going out. "Uh, no, actually, Michael is coming," I tell her. "But if you want me to go with you to the doctor's, I can tell him-"

"That's fine, don't tell him anything, I was going to go alone anyway," she maintains.

"Ree," I try to protest again.

"Logan, I mean it. I'm not trying to trick you to make you feel guilty later. I really wanted to go alone."

Hesitantly, I search her face for any sign of resentment, but there isn't any. "Okay," I finally agree. "If you're sure."

"I am," she persists. "Have fun with your friend tomorrow." Then she stands up, with some difficulty, a smile on her face, and plants a light kiss on my lips. "I'm going to get dressed now. Do you mind?"

"Uh, sure," I manage to say, surprised by the fact that she called Michael my friend. I guess we really are starting to become that, in a way.

A little while later, Cade meets me in my office to give me an update of what he found at the police station. Not much, as it turns out.

"They wouldn't give me any report," he says with annoyance. "Not even after I mentioned my mom or your dad. Said it was _confidential information_."

Cade's mom is the pack's Liaison. Liaisons are humans in charge of keeping packs in touch with the human world, and who provide cover stories for us when they are needed. We used to have another pack Liaison when my dad was still alive, but Cade's mom took over the position when the man died. She already had a degree in public relations, and had minored in law for a few years, so that came in handy.

"Did they tell you anything, at least?" I ask, willing to take anything.

"Yeah," he replies in the same tone. "I also did a little internet research that added things up. The Almonds' only son Paul was kidnapped six years ago. They moved a year after that, but I don't know where. I don't even know if they found him again."

He pauses to let that sink in. This list keeps bringing me one shock after another.

Then Nash delivers the final blow. "He was only six, man."

I'm up earlier than everyone the next morning. My body has grown used to it because I've been doing it almost every day for the past two weeks that we've been here. Today's the first time that I don't have anything planned and no one to run with; everyone at the pack house stayed up late last night, so they're all still sleeping.

The conclusions that Cade came up with last night about one of the families are still a weight on my chest.

_I need a distraction_.

Restless, I call Michael. It was a revelation when Reena called him my friend last night. That might be my best shot at gaining his trust. However, my motives are not entirely selfish; I also genuinely want to see him.

Too late, I remember that maybe he's sleeping like the rest of my pack. It's after eight, though, and there's a chance he's not. I'm taking it.

"Hello?" he answers curiously. He doesn't recognize my number.

"Hey, it's Logan," I say. "Did I wake you?"

His voice sounds more relaxed. "Oh, hey! No, I've been up for ages. What's up?"

"Uh, well, there's a bit of a problem," I tell him, trying to sound serious.

He buys it. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know how much I can tell you, but I could really use your help."

"Sure, what is it?" he says gravely.

I wait a moment, for dramatic effect. "Everybody's sleeping, and I'm bored."

There's a pause before he laughs. "See? That's the loosening up I was talking about!"

I can't help smiling. "Yeah, I'm still working on that."

"I can tell," he notes lightly.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever," I reply. "Anyway, I remember you promising I'd hear you play today, but it looks like we can't do that in the house without waking anyone."

_Plus, I'm not sure anymore that we have a piano anywhere around_ , I silently add.

"Crap, you didn't forget," he jokes. "Okay, I have the solution. I know where we can meet up for this. But I have to warn you, it might involve breaking the law. Is that something you can handle, _alpha_?"

Shaking my head with amusement, I grin. "Where do I have to meet you?"

~~~~~~~~~~

"When you said this place, I thought you meant we'd go somewhere from here, I didn't actually think we'd be breaking and entering into your school," I whisper, even though there isn't anyone around.

Michael is climbing up the back wall of his high school. It's Saturday, and he has assured me that no one will be here today. His brilliant plan is to sneak in through one of the windows on the third floor, which he said was always left open because it was too high for anyone to reach -anyone _normal_ at least- and no teacher ever bothered to close it. Apparently, there's a music room on that floor that we can use.

When we got here, he casually leaped up to the bottom edge of a second floor window and pulled himself up. Now he's in a standing position on his tiptoes over that same ledge, and spreading his hands up as high as he could to grab onto something. I'm guessing he wants to use it to pull himself up to the third floor.

"I told you we'd be breaking the law," he points out.

"I didn't think you were serious," I hiss.

"Come on _Logy_ ," he taunts. "Live a little."

_This guy is insane_.

"Don't call me that," I object. "It gets on my nerves. I only let Reena do it because she's my mate... and she came up with it."

Michael laughs. "If that's not love, I don't know what is."

"Shut up."

That's when he finds his momentum and leaps, instantly grabbing onto the window he was aiming for. I'm still on the ground, and I watch him. Even though he was talking to me while climbing, his focus was unwavering. He may not think of himself as alpha-material, but I have a feeling he would be smart when confronted with a difficult situation, like in a fight for example.

He looks back at me when he's in and smiles haughtily. "Your turn."

I shake my head. "You're up there already," I point out. "Why don't you just go to that music room, open the window and start playing?"

"Because the sound might travel," he replies like it's obvious.

I find an alternative. "Then open the front door and I'll go in from there."

"I don't know where they keep the keys." He smirks. "Is the big bad alpha scared?"

I glare at him. I don't like his attitude. Turning my back on him, I take several steps while he continues to taunt me.

"Oh, come on, you can't be that afraid," he says. "It's just a wall, what do you have to lo-"

Whatever he's about to say is cut short when I face him again and start running. About ten feet away from the building, I jump and soar right to the window he's standing behind. I hold on to the opening with both hands, my face less than a foot from his. His heart is racing from the shock, and it's enough to bring a smug smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"You're strong," I point out, keeping my voice low because I still don't want us to get caught, "but I'm stronger."

Swiftly, I leap down from the window until I'm standing inches away from him. He still hasn't moved. He's about a foot shorter than me and is simply staring up at me in surprise.

Abruptly, he shakes his head and takes a step back. "You have _got_ to teach me how to do that," he announces.

My grin widens. "Sorry, pack training secrets," I taunt him in a whisper.

I'm bluffing, of course. There aren't any secrets; we just train longer and more often than most packs. I like messing with him though. He's been doing that nonstop since yesterday, and the tables have finally turned.

He narrows his eyes. "Why are you still whispering?"

"I don't want to get caught," I reply, although I use my normal voice.

Michael rolls his eyes. "We're already inside," he reminds me. "No one's going to hear you but the mice. I'm sure your wolf side can handle that just fine."

_The tables have sure turned again real quick_ , I observe. I don't mind it though.

He twists on his heels before I even get the chance to think of a response. "Come on, music room is this way."

I follow him wordlessly. I'm used to working hard to be myself around people. The only one I was always comfortable around is Cade, and that's because we grew up in the same house, as brothers. It took me years to warm up to Sadie, but that's only because she kept pushing me to let her play with us. I didn't even open up to Reena until we had been dating for a year.

With Michael, I'm really surprised at how natural it comes. It's only been two weeks. I had my guard up at first, but that's instinct; I don't trust people instantly. But even two weeks is shorter than it has ever taken me to start being comfortable around someone.

I like it.

The music room he walks into has several seats in the middle with scattered instruments lining the walls, a teacher's desk at the front corner and a small stage in the center with a piano set up on it. He immediately walks over there and sits down at the piano's chair. I lean against one of the seats, waiting.

He hesitates and stares at me. "I've never played for anyone before," he admits. "I mean, of course, plenty of people heard me before, like my family and during class. But I've never willingly played for someone before. I'm not even supposed to be doing this... my parents made me give it up professionally."

I frown. "Why?"

He shrugs. "They didn't think it would get me anywhere," he says, sounding disappointed by that fact. "I haven't gotten any real practice since I quit. I only play at home as a hobby now, and sometimes in class, but only when-"

"Michael," I stop him.

He falters. "Yeah?"

I smile encouragingly. "Just play."

He takes a deep breath. "Okay," he sighs.

He faces the keys and holds his hands out over them. There's a moment of silence, and then he starts playing an unfamiliar tune. It starts off slow and sad. The sound fills the air, travels to me and hits me in my very core. Then it picks up a little, but it's so bittersweet that it tugs at my heartstring, and I feel a tightening in my chest the more I listen to him. The melody constantly shifts between slow and fast, slow and fast, moving back and forth like a tide, and I feel myself being moved along with it.

He's good. He's _very_ good. I watch him as he plays, leaning toward and away from the piano the more he gets into it, eyes closed. I want to stay still, because if I move, I might break the trance we're both in. But I'm curious to see how his hands are moving over the keyboards, because it seems to me like the sounds are too fast. I want to see how he's able to keep up the rhythm.

Wordlessly, I stand behind him, my gaze fixed on his rapidly moving fingers. I try not to startle him as I sit next to him on the stool, and I continue watching him, alternating between his hands and his face. At one point, he opens his eyes and notices my presence, but he doesn't falter once. His focus is even better than when he was climbing the wall.

Too soon, his movements slow down, and the music comes to an end. He gently lifts his fingers and places them on his lap, twisting his face to look me in the eye.

"What do you think?" he asks in a low voice.

He must be feeling some of the residual effects of the trance too.

"That was amazing," I tell him honestly.

Michael's smile is neither smug nor teasing. It's just happy. And for the first time since we moved here, so is mine.
CHAPTER 17

Michael

"No way man, Lorde rules," I counter.

"You don't understand what she's talking about half the time," Logan protests.

"She's ambiguous," I retort. "You have to look deep beneath the surface to get what she's saying." I dropped my expression into a mask of concern. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive. I know it takes a lot more effort on your part to understand something as complex as a seventeen year old girl's lyrics."

He narrows his eyes at me and gently punches my shoulder. If he were any of my brothers, he would have tackled me to the ground by now. I think of how awkward that would be and thank my lucky stars that Logan Underwood is a much nicer person than my brothers and would never wrestle with me.

It has been a week since he and I started becoming sort of friends. I've been coming to the pack house every day, and he was there most of the time. When it was just the two of us, we talked a lot about music, but we also discussed our families, childhood memories, and once even the weather. They were very normal conversations, but if you take into consideration the fact that we haven't known each other that long, it's amazing that we fell into a normal friendship so quickly.

More often than not, Sadie was also there, which means Cade was never far behind. By the fourth time I came over, we were quite a crowd hanging out in their living room. Even my brothers started tagging along after I told them how much fun it is, and then Jared, Sam, Tyler, Reena and Blake followed one by one. Reena's brother Jason never showed though. I don't know why, but it doesn't really matter to me.

During our group meetings, we spent most of our time either taking turns playing video games, or just goofing around in a way that's similar to how my brothers and I hang out. It's not much different from the way it feels around my family, as a matter of fact, because they are one too. Most of them treat each other the way siblings do, except for those who are mates, of course.

Sadie and Cade are always loved up on each other, and even Logan and Reena, who still have some unresolved issues, feel a need to squish together on an armchair and show some serious PDA that makes my stomach churn. I mean do they really have to do that in front of us? It's kind of rude.

"How very mature of you," Logan replies.

Sadie giggles. "I thought it was funny."

"You think anyone mocking me is funny," he retorts, though he says it with affection.

She shrugs, neither denying nor confirming, and we fall back into conversation about music. Aside from my brothers, Logan and Sadie are the only people I'm willingly talking to. I'm still not comfortable around everyone else, but I can't expect Sadie and Logan to devote their usual pack 'hanging out' time for me.

Luckily for me, although they're participating sometimes, the others are having their own side conversations. However, Reena and Cade often asking for my friends' attention is a constant reminder that I am among some very awkward company.

"What's your favorite song?" Sadie wants to know.

I think about it for a moment before answering. "Of all time, probably _For No One_ by The Beatles. But right now, it's Lorde's _Glory and Gore_."

"Oh, I love that song," Sadie agrees with my choices.

"That's actually one I can stand," Logan says with something resembling admiration, which makes me chuckle.

After I played _River Flows In You_ for him on the piano, we haven't been able to agree on anything music related again. Where he says hip-hop, I say jazz, and when he tries rock, I go for pop. It's still an ongoing argument on which genre, artist and song are better. We both realize it's probably not going anywhere, because music is taste. We're just having too much fun every time it comes up that we've started thinking up ridiculous arguments to amuse each other. Yesterday, I mentioned that I don't like rap because 'wiki-wiki' sounds like a clucking chicken.

"My favorite song right now is _Thrift Shop_ ," Danny comments jokingly, making everyone laugh.

One by one, they all say what their all-time favorite song is. I only care about hearing Sadie's and Logan's; _Total Eclipse Of The Heart_ and _Whiskey Lullaby_ respectively. Logan's choice makes me pause. I connect the dots back to the conversation about his mother. Even though the song doesn't completely correspond with Logan's parents' predicament, it's close enough.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when Sadie asks me another question. "What about bands? What's your favorite band, Dylan?"

"Hands down, The Scorpions," I immediately reply.

"Oh that's right!" Danny enthuses. "I remember when you sang _Wind of Change_ in the fifth grade talent show, and the whole crowd was so speechless they forgot to clap for like five seconds."

Mason and I shoot him warning looks, but it's too late.

"You sing too?" Logan asks with interest.

That's something I haven't told him, for the very simple reason that I can't give him a demonstration, like I did with my piano skills.

"Not since a very long time," I reply dryly, hoping to end the conversation with that.

Sadie apparently doesn't get the message. "Whoa, that's so cool!" she yells. "Come on, let's hear something!"

I glare at my twin, who bows his head in shame, and shake my head. "Nah, I'm not really that much into it anymore."

"But I've never heard you sing," she complains. "And I didn't even know you did until now."

I shrug. "So?"

"Please?" she begs, making the word longer than it really is

"Sadie, it has been years... my voice isn't even that good anymore," I lie.

"So?" she throws back at me. "Logan is terrible but that doesn't stop him from singing nonstop in the shower."

Everyone laughs at that declaration, and even Logan cracks a smile. The others then start talking about their own embarrassing habits and compete over who's the worst. Even my brothers join in on that conversation.

I'm relieved that the spotlight isn't on me anymore. I'm about to tease Nathan for minimizing the extent of how much he sucks at air guitar when something happens that makes me jolt in surprise.

_Oh no, not now!_ I whine. _How could I forget the date? This is so not the time for my body to remind me that I'm a girl!_

It's a good thing no one has noticed yet, because it means I can think up a discreet excuse to leave. Sadie addresses me. "Come on Dylan, can you please sing us a song?" she insists.

I panic; I need to get out of here. "I said no, Sadie," I snap. "Can you please drop it?"

She blanches, shocked that I would actually speak to her that way. I can't think about hurting her feelings right now, I just seriously need to get out of here before anyone with a strong sense of smell detects that something is wrong. This is the only thing I could think of in the spur of the moment.

"I'm sorry, I just thought-"

I cut her off. "I said no about three times," I retort. "Can you stop pushing me?"

"Hey, lay off," Cade says threateningly.

Without answering him, I stand up and storm out. I don't even think about what I'm doing nor do I listen when they start calling my name; I just run to the nearest bathroom and lock the door behind me. I scramble toward the toilet.

"Shit," I mutter when my suspicions are confirmed.

There's a knock on the door and I freeze. Then I get a whiff of his scent through the crack under the door, and I sag in relief.

"Mickey, are you okay?" Mason asks through the door, sounding concerned.

"No," I tell him desperately. "Mase, I have to go home."

"Why? What's wrong?"

I grimace; this is so uncomfortable. "Um, well..." I hesitate. "Is anyone with you?"

"No, it's just me," he assures me.

"Is anyone close enough to hear us?" I check again.

"No, they're all downstairs, although they're really worried about you," he informs me. "Sadie wanted to check up on you, but Cade is pissed off because of how you talked to her and wouldn't let her."

I take a deep breath, my panic building. "Mase, it's that time again," I tell him in a rush, hoping he hears it.

"What time? What are you-?" he breaks off when he smells the blood. "Oh."

"Yeah, _oh_."

"Do you need the car?" he asks, immediately jumping into damage-control mode.

"I think I'd prefer to slip out unnoticed," I admit.

"All right. I'll make up an excuse and you leave through the window."

I sigh in relief, incredibly grateful that he's the one who came after me and not any of the others. I don't wait a second longer before I unlock the bathroom door, crawl out the window, jump down two stories and take off running.

By the time I get home, I'm sweating bullets, which aren't just from the exercise, and there's an undeniable blood stain on the back of my jeans. My parents look up from their respective work when I walk in, and their expressions are surprised.

"Hey honey," Mom greets me. "I thought you were going to stay at the pack house until later tonight?"

"Dylan," Dad says in a warning tone, catching the scent that Mom can't detect.

I'm too out of breath to answer either of them, so I just turn around. Their sharp intake of breath lets me know that they got it.

"Get cleaned up," Dad orders.

_Great_ , I think to myself. _I am so going to hear about this later_.

I can picture it now; he's going to yell at me for being careless enough to forget to keep track of the days and putting myself in direct risk of exposure. And I'm right; that's exactly the speech I hear when I come back down after showering. My mom stands up for me, as usual, but she's still partly on his side, like always.

My phone is taken away for a week and I'm not allowed to leave the house until it is over, which is going to take four days. They might want me to stay home an extra day too, as a precaution.

I've never had to stay home at a time like this before, at least not under such circumstances. Then again, that has never been a problem because there has never been another pack ignorant of my secret until now.

My punishment is actually a good thing, because now that I've upset Sadie, I've angered her pack members. If I see her, I'd have to face them, and then my secret would really be out.

I just wish Dad hadn't taken my phone as well, because I want to at least call her and apologize. The idea of her being mad at me or hurt because of what I said makes me sick. Not to mention that the pack is now going to hate me for treating her that way. Whatever progress I made with Logan might be lost for good. I hope Sadie won't be holding a grudge when I see her again at school.

My mood is lifted again when I wake up the next morning and find a letter in the mailbox addressed to me from Berklee. It's sheer dumb luck that it arrived on this day, when all my family is out and I'm the only one able to receive the mail. I hadn't thought of that when I sent the applications, but I'm too excited right now to stop and reconsider.

I run to my room without bothering to close the front door, since I'm home alone. Then I rip the envelope open like an excited little girl.

The letter says that my application has been received but that it's still missing one component; I am required to send a video of myself displaying my talent before I can get either an interview or an audition.

I smirk. "I know just what to give you," I tell the letter.

Then I smack myself for being an idiot and talking to an inanimate object.

Before I set up my camera and laptop, I check that my parents, Connor and Nathan are still at work, and my other brothers still at their respective classes. I adjust the camera so that it's focused on my upper body. Then, I take out my old keyboards, test the keys and sound out a little bit and then hit the record button on the camera. It takes a couple tries but I finally get it right in one take.

"Hi," I say for the seventh time with a smile. "I'm Dylan Connolly, and this video is part of my application for Berklee. I'll be performing the first part of _Glory And Gore_ by Lorde."

I start playing at the same time that I start singing. I tap my foot against the floor in a rhythmic pattern. The more that the song and lyrics build, the more I feel the rush of playing. When I get to the chorus, I throw my body back and start nodding my head with the music and the thudding of my foot. I don't linger too much on the higher notes because my voice is much better on the low ones.

When I'm done, I smile at the camera again. "Thank you. I hope to see you at the audition."

And I hit stop.

"Oh my God," I hear a voice say from my door and sharply turn.

All the blood drains from my face. "Sadie," I mumble in shock.

_Shit. I didn't close the doors_.

"Oh... my God," she emphasizes. "You're... you're... Dylan, you're not a boy?" It comes out more as a question than a statement.

Is it too late to use the denial approach?

"Yes I am," I frantically insist.

She points an angry finger at me, suddenly not so much in shock anymore. "No, no, _no_! I heard you with my own ears!" she snaps. Gone is sweet bubbly Sadie. Whoever this girl is, she is furious.

Panic grips my insides and makes it harder for me to breathe. "Sadie," I beg. "It's not... You're... You're confused." But even _I_ can hear the outright lie.

It dawns on me just then that in all the years my family and I have spent taking precautions so that my secret never gets out, we never prepared ourselves for the possibility that it might. I have literally no idea what to do here, and I'm scared as hell. I'm trained to avoid this type of situation, not face it!

"Don't try to make me look like the idiot here!" she retorts. "I heard it in your voice! I still hear it now!"

I cough and attempt to mask my voice the way I always do. "Sadie, you're imagining things," I say again.

I know, it's pointless, but what the hell am I supposed to do? I'm panicking too much to be able to think straight. The only plan I'm forming in my mind right now is 'deny, deny, deny, and hope she buys it.'

Her eyes suddenly go wide and she covers her mouth with her hands. "Oh my God," she whispers. "Oh, my God, I can hear it now... I can tell that it's fake."

"Sadie," I desperately try again, my guy voice slipping.

She gasps, something else seeming to dawn on her. "That's why you didn't want to sing yesterday, isn't it?"

I give up the denial plan and instead opt for silence.

"I skipped school when I didn't see you there, and I came here to apologize for being so pushy, even though Cade is completely against it, but now..." she trails off, looking horrified.

The biggest part of me is still freaking out, and thinking, _Oh my God, she knows! She knows! I have to do something! Don't just stand there quietly, DO SOMETHING!_

But another part of me, a much, much smaller part, is hurt by her reaction, her rejection. _Is it really that horrifying that I'm actually a girl?_

I need to say something; anything. "How did you get here?"

It speaks!

And obviously, it says the wrong thing.

"Cade drove me," she replies robotically. "He's waiting downstairs." She pauses and her eyes become unfocused. "I need to talk to him."

And that's when my thoughts clear up a little. Sadie finding out is one thing, but Cade... that's another thing altogether. That's one step closer to Logan finding out, which means the whole pack, and that is something I am most definitely _not_ ready for.

I grab her wrist to stop her. "No, Sadie, you can't tell him, you can't tell anyone," I desperately plead with her.

She winces and struggles to free her hand. There's a red mark left behind from my fingers.

Shit, I didn't mean to hurt her!

"I have to go," she frantically says and then runs out of the room.

"Sadie, wait!" I call out and start going after her.

But then it registers what she said; Cade is waiting for her here. I'm still in the danger zone; I can't go out there. But what if he comes storming in when he sees the mark on her wrist?

Hastily, I run back into my room, lock the door and hide in my bathroom, wishing with all my heart that I could have just gone after her and explained myself. She might have understood, and we would still have a shot at remaining friends. It's too late now.
CHAPTER 18

Daniel

Zoey and I have gone out on two dates, and I still haven't kissed her once. I've waited way less for way more before. But I don't know why, with Zoey, everything just feels... brand new, and I don't want to blow it. It's not about buying her silence or even giving her someone to talk to anymore. I'm happy when we're just talking, and that's unusual behavior for me. I'm waiting to see what happens though, which is why I haven't rushed into anything.

Although I'm still seeing her at school, when I skip most -or all- of English class to sit with her at lunch, I am still limited to certain things. For one thing, we're at a public place, and we could both get into trouble if we're caught, mostly me because I'm not attending my class. Then there's the fact that we're sitting under the stairs outside the cafeteria, and she can't stay away long or the classmates that she sits with at lunch will notice her missing. That's why I'm really looking forward to taking her out again, just the two of us.

For our third date, precisely ten days after the first one, I know exactly how to surprise her. I'm not sure if she's going to like it or not, but at least she won't see it coming. I pick her up from the usual spot outside school. I had to bargain with Connor to get the car again. He's starting to suspect something, so I'm planning on telling Zoey that we probably shouldn't go out more than once a week.

She smiles at me when she hops in the car. "Hi," she says brightly and kisses my cheek.

She started doing that a couple of days ago, when I made her laugh. I cherish those moments. By now, she's used to seeing me in my basketball uniform during our dates, but I'm hoping she won't see the duffel bag I hid behind her seat.

"Hi," I greet her back. "Ready for some fun?"

"Define _fun_ ," she requests.

I grin. "You'll see. You're going to love it."

I'm not sure if she will, truthfully, but I'm hoping she'll at least see the humor in it. When we get there she bursts out laughing.

"I gave you an idea, didn't I?" she guesses as I park the car in front of the deserted basketball court.

"A hell of a good one too," I add. "Prepare for the time of your life."

"Daniel, I can't play basketball in a skirt and sandals," she protests.

I hold the duffel bag out for her. "Then it's a good thing I brought you my spare uniform, isn't it?"

She beams and shakes her head. "You're unbelievable."

_And yet, you're taking the bag_ , I notice with delight.

She makes me stand outside the car as she changes. I pretend to sneak a peek, but she chastises me immediately. When she emerges, I can't help noticing she's no longer cute in my uniform; she's straight up hot. She's wearing clothes that are normally on me. How am I not supposed to find that sexy?

"What's first?" she asks, excitement making her jumpy. I like this side of her.

"Do you know how to shoot?"

She gives me a flat look. "Once again, you underestimate me."

With a few steps, Zoey is at my side yanking the ball from my hands. She bounces it a few times on the ground then stands several steps away from the hoop, outside the three-point zone. I cross my arms and watch her with amusement.

"Who's over-confident now?" I tease.

She doesn't acknowledge me and just rolls the ball in her hands a couple of times, eyes fixed on the hoop.

_This I have to see_.

She bends her knees and hops, throwing the ball simultaneously. It soars right into the ring, without even touching the net. Then she smiles innocently at my shocked expression.

"Aw, are you sad that you don't have an excuse to press up on me anymore?" she taunts me. The thing is... I am. That was my whole plan. "It's okay, I can pretend to be terrible, and you can show me some pointers."

I can still turn this around. If she's competitive enough, I can still get some closeness under the pretense of wanting to win.

I mock-glare at her. "Fine. Let's see how you handle yourself one-on-one."

She brings her hands up challengingly. "Bring it on."

On principle, I have to go easy on her. Not because she's a girl, but because I'm trying to make her happy. She's proving herself to be very good... you know, for a human. I don't intend to let her win, but I accidentally do, because I'm going so easy on her that she is noticing my weaknesses.

After about fifteen minutes, I have to call a time out. She's starting to get really tired. I don't want to exhaust her. We sit down by the hoop and I hand her one of the two bottles of energy drinks I've brought with me. She gulps down half of it.

"It's really not fair that you have superhuman strength and stamina," she complains.

"Right, because _that_ 's why I'm not sweaty," I reply.

She makes a face as she takes a gulp. "Shut up, you know I'm good."

I drop the pretense. "You are, actually," I allow. "Were you pretending to get the name wrong last time?"

She smirks but doesn't answer.

"How did you get so good?"

While she's closing the bottle again, she shrugs and answers me. "My dad used to be a high school basketball coach way before he met my mom."

I frown. "Why didn't you ask him to train you himself?"

She looks up at me, and her expression is completely changed. "My other dad."

My face falls. "Oh."

"Yeah," she seconds. "Anyway, I joined the basketball team in my last school. It was the closest connection I had with him. Until... you know."

"Then you gave it up?" I guess.

She nods. "Maybe not entirely, or else I wouldn't have agreed to this. But... at the time, it was more than just a way to relate to him. I didn't have any close friends I could confide in. My sister is my best friend, but... she's with Cade a lot, and sometimes those couple-y moments coincide with the times I need her. I can't take those moments away from her. So I found another outlet in basketball."

Of all the things we could have had in common, this is the last thing I would have expected. But it's also the best coincidence that could have occurred.

"How are you with the whole you know, brother thing?" I ask, genuinely concerned.

She smiles tentatively. "I'm okay," she assures me. "I guess I just needed time. I'm still struggling with the cheating dad part, but I'm not freaking out about John anymore. Of course, I haven't seen him since that one time, so I don't know how I would handle-"

I cut her off. "Why don't you?"

"Why don't I what?"

"Why don't you meet him?" I suggest cautiously. "I mean, _really_ meet him. Introduce yourself."

Her eyes widen. "You mean tell him we're related?"

I shrug. "Yeah. Maybe it will help you move past your dad's mistake. Maybe you'll even like your brother. Maybe he already knows about you but he just didn't recognize you. Any of these could be true, you never know."

"Or maybe the reminder will just be too much for me and I will make a fool of myself and become miserable again," she counters. "Or maybe Trent was living a double life before he died and had two families. Or maybe John's mother was his real wife and my mom was the one he cheated with. Any of these could be true too."

"I'm sorry, it was just a suggestion," I try to pacify her.

Zoey shakes her head adamantly. "It's too risky."

My resolve grows again. "You mean you're afraid," I state. "You know, maybe the only way for you to get over it is by meeting John, finding out he's just as much of a jerk as your father was and putting them both out of your life for good. Yeah, it's a risk, but so what? Are you going to be confused your entire life without doing anything to change how you feel? Don't you want to be happy? Don't you think you deserve to be?"

I can see her determination wavering, but she's still too scared to admit defeat. I grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.

"At least say you'll think about it," I beg.

A moment later, she sighs and looks at me with a pained expression. "Alright, I will think about it," she relents. Smiling, I try to kiss her cheek but she stops me. "On one condition."

I pull back and stare at her uncertainly. "What's that?"

She hesitates and bites her lip. "I want to tell my family about us first," she announces.

I'm very surprised, to say the least. "The whole reason we haven't told anyone is because you're not ready."

"I know," she assures me. "But I've been thinking about it, and there's no reason we can't tell them we're dating without mentioning Trent and John."

I frown. "I thought you said you're not allowed to date."

She winces. "Um, yeah, I may have over-exaggerated that part," she confesses. "They never openly forbade me from dating... I just assumed that's what they would say. I think they might even be happy for me. They love your family."

"Why did you say that, then?" I think I know the answer, but I want to hear it from her.

"Because, uh, I wasn't sure I wanted to go out with you at the time."

That's what I thought. I can't really blame her though. I wouldn't have gone out with me, either.

"But I'm glad that I did," she quickly adds. "I like being with you, and I want my family and yours to know it."

She's the first girl to ever be proud to be in a relationship with me. I can't help smiling at that. "Then let's tell them."

She doesn't seem as happy as she claims to be. "Daniel... we might have to tell your parents that I know the secret. Mine won't have a reason to suspect anything about John, and they don't even have to know about Michael, but... yours might ask you about it."

_Oh_. That's why she's hesitating so much.

Am I ready to have my family hate me? On the one hand, we've never kept secrets this big from each other. Michael would certainly not talk to me for a long time. But on the other hand, I don't like hiding my relationship with Zoey. It's not something I'm ashamed of; quite the opposite, I still can't believe she's dating me. I want us to be able to go out whenever we want without worrying about what to tell our parents.

"I don't know Zo," I say.

"It's your decision," she says to reassure me. "When you're ready, you can tell your parents, and then I'll tell mine."

I nod, wondering how the positions could have been reversed so quickly. "Thank you."

She smiles back at me, and I know the difficult moment has passed. "That was one surprisingly good speech... about being afraid to be happy."

I look away sheepishly. I was hoping she wouldn't comment on it. "Yeah, uh, I've been making up a speech like that in my head for a while now... to tell Michael. I've never had the guts to say it though. My parents would never forgive me."

She squeezes my hand reassuringly. Right then, I make up my mind; I will find the right moment and tell my family everything. I am not going to hide this amazing girl anymore like a shameful secret.

All of my previous confidence evaporates in an instant; I've put myself in a vulnerable position and cannot pretend to still be self-assured anymore. I stare sideways at her, and she stares back evenly, though I hear her heart speeding up. My own heart starts racing in anticipation.

I feel an urge to kiss her again. It's different this time though; I'm not drunk, and I actually do care if she wants me to kiss her or not. Maybe what's really different is that some part of me has started to really care about her. That scares me more than anything.

More importantly, I can't rush into things like I'm used to doing. I know she's never been with anyone, and I don't want to scare her off or make her feel like I'm forcing her into anything. But at the same time, these days, I'm happier than I've ever been, and it's all because of her. It's a new and strange feeling to me. I don't mind being nervous, as long as I am with her right now.

Then, I lean in slowly and put my lips against hers for one small moment. I pull back just a little bit and wait, giving her ample time to stop me if she wants to. She breathes heavily a couple of times and tilts her head slightly, inviting me. I capture her lips with a bit less caution this time.

She tastes like the blueberry energy drink she just had. My hand lifts up to her neck, the other going to her back. She grabs hold of my shirt on both sides and grips it tightly as the kiss intensifies. Moments later, we pull away at the same time for air. She puts her forehead against mine, our eyes closed and our breaths mingling.

I don't feel the usual triumph at reaching that next step. I'm very happy about the kiss, but I'm worried if she is too. Then I start to doubt whether or not I should have gone for a kiss at all, in case she didn't like it. I was doing very well so far, I don't want to ruin it by rushing.

"Was that out of line?" I ask her, whispering.

"A little, maybe," she murmurs back. "I don't know."

I can't help smiling. "You okay? Not too dizzy?"

She chuckles and shakes her head. "There it is. Arrogance."

"It's okay, you can slap me again," I allow.

"Okay."

Then she pulls me toward her by my shirt, and we go back to where we were before.
CHAPTER 19

Michael

During the three days I spend home, I really come to appreciate school. And my cat. Burns is my only companion during my house arrest. He even stays with me when I shift, a fact that's always amazed me. He doesn't do that with my brothers, but for some reason, when I shift, he doesn't mind being around me. I haven't spent this much time with him since he was a kitten, and that was two years ago.

My parents refuse to give me back my phone no matter how much I beg. And I seriously beg. But since I can't tell them why I need it, they don't relent. Can you imagine their reaction if I told them that not only was I applying for college and basically going against their word, but that someone also found out my secret? That would be the last straw, for sure. My dad would hate me.

So I suck it all up when they send me back to my room every night, and I stay with Burns. At one point, I think of contacting Sadie online somehow, but then I find out they also turned down our Wifi until I've learned my lesson. Oh, and the icing on the cake? The landline is off limits. Seriously, it's like I'm cut off from the rest of the world. And for what? Getting my period?

Ew! Why did I just think that?

I've never skipped this many school days in a row. The most I've ever missed are three days; one because I had a very high fever, the other because I had turned for the first time, and the last because I faked being ill.

After this time though, I'm never going to miss this much in a row again. There's nothing like being stuck between four walls. Believe me.

The first day, after Sadie left, I was holed up in my bathroom. I had a panic attack for the first time in my life. My body was racked with helpless and tearless sobs. I had a gripping fear surrounding my heart and eating my intestines away. I refused to even unlock my bedroom door. My family took it as me being cranky about my punishment and moody with "hormonal imbalance". Seriously, I heard them say that.

The second day is the only day I actually cried, and it was cathartic in a way. Although I still felt like my world just turned upside down, I was much calmer, at least on the outside. I was able to be around my family without having another panic attack. That was when my brain started to work again, and the begging for the phone and internet started.

On the third day, I was constructing plans of action for when I face Sadie or any other SMP members who she might have told. By the fourth and final day, I was growing restless and needed to go back to school.

I'm relieved when Friday finally comes. After a quick trip to the bathroom to make sure I'm all clear, I get ready faster than I have ever had before. I'm the first one out the door when my brothers and I leave.

"Whoa, Mickey, what's the rush?" Nathan asks, noticing my hasty behavior.

"I need to see Sadie," I tell him and jump in the backseat.

When I'm inside, I start to nervously bite my nails. It takes me a moment to realize I'm all alone in the car. Even Connor is still out. I look out the window and find them all standing there with their jaws hanging open.

"What?" I ask them, confused.

"You're... you..." Connor stutters.

"Are you feeling alright, Michael?" Mason asks worriedly.

I stare at them weirdly. Why are they acting like that? Do they know? "Yeah, why?"

"Because the front seat is right there," Nathan points out, and it comes out like a question.

Surprised, I turn my head to stare at the back of the front seat. Oh. I didn't fight for shotgun like we always do. I must be really distracted.

"I don't feel like riding shotgun today," I tell them.

The truth is that I don't feel like bantering over it. I'm not in the mood to do anything remotely fun until the claw caging my heart retracts and I can breathe normally again. It's bad enough my secret is out, but on top of that, I also have to hide it from my family and deal with it alone.

Surprisingly, my brothers don't argue with me or each other. They just calmly get in the car without making a fuss about who makes it to the front seat first; Danny.

On the way to school, they give me these looks, like I'm a ticking bomb and they don't want to set me off. No one says a word. I figure they think I'm going through some after-effect mood swings when I catch them sniffing for blood smells. They know that my... that _it_ is done, but they must think I'm still going through it for some reason, and are uncomfortable with the fact.

_This is going to be the longest and quietest car ride of my life_ , I think to myself sadly.

And I'm right. None of us says a single thing, and Connor keeps the radio off. All I hear for a long and agonizing fifteen minutes are the noises from the car and the sound of my brothers' breathing. When Connor pulls up at the school parking lot, I'm so ready for the awkward moment to be over that I rush out without a backward glance.

I search for Sadie during any free minute I have all morning, but since we don't have any classes together, my best chance is to wait for her at lunch period. However, my luck must be out because I can't find her anywhere. Then I remember that seniors and juniors are allowed to leave school for lunch, so I run to the parking lot and find her waiting there. Relief washes through me, and the claw eases up just a bit on my chest.

"Sadie!" I call out to her so she could hear me from the entrance.

Just as she turns to the sound of my voice, Cade pulls up in his car. The claw returns stronger than ever, and dread settles in the pit of my stomach. I can't see him from this distance, but I can feel the daggers he's shooting at me. Sadie looks torn and glances at the car when he honks at her before turning back to me. She gives me a pained expression and jumps into her boyfriend's car.

"Damn it!" I scream and kick the wall as they call leave.

Pieces of cement fall from the blow of my kick, and I immediately retreat into the cafeteria again. Looks like I'm going to have to suck up my pride and go to the pack house after school.

I don't tell my brothers why I want to be dropped off at the compound, and they thankfully don't ask questions when I request that. All they say is to make a damn good apology.

I'm a bit confused as to how much they know at first, but then I realize they're talking about how I snapped at Sadie the last time I was here. They think I'm here to apologize for that, which is partially true, so I just nod and tell them that I will.

Getting through the gate is easy, because Logan has given my family free access to the compound anytime we want. My heart is pounding as I walk the path in the direction of the pack house. My hands are stuffed in the pockets of my hoodie and are joined together nervously. I make it about halfway when I sense half a dozen werewolf scents approaching me from the direction of the pack house.

Instantly, I freeze and stare at the appearing figures whose scents I've mostly come to know; Logan, Jared, Sam, Tyler, Blake, and, of course, Cade. I'm surprised that even Jason and his father are with them.

_Shit_.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to deal with anyone until after I had talked to Sadie. She's the only one I'm certain knows, and I've been preparing myself to find out from her who she has told. It's too late now, and I can't even run; it would be suspicious.

Unfortunately, when Cade catches my scent, his steps become more hurried and angry. I slip back into my mask of indifference without even trying, which is a relief and gives me a boost of confidence. I hold my ground and patiently wait for him to catch up with me.

When he does reach me, I don't flinch or fight him as he roughly grabs me by the collar of my hoodie and yanks my face closer to his.

"You got some nerve showing up here," he snarls in my face.

"I came to apologize to Sadie," I calmly say.

"The hell you are! You're going to stay away from her," he barks.

In my peripheral vision, I spot his brothers with Tyler and Blake staring at me with similar expressions of anger, although theirs is more diluted. Logan grabs Cade by the arm.

"Nash, ease up man," he requests gently but firmly.

"Not until I show him the way out."

_Him_ , I repeat to myself. _So he doesn't know_.

By the looks of it, neither do they. This is strange; why wouldn't Sadie tell him? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad, but I was fully prepared for the chance that he and many others did know. But if Sadie didn't even tell Cade, I doubt she would have told anyone else. This is confusing.

"Cade," Logan repeats, and I detect his wolf side rearing its alpha head. "Stand down."

After a moment, Cade reluctantly obeys. I fix my hoodie the minute he lets go of it.

"Take a hike guys," Logan orders. "You too, Cade. Start training without me Cliff. I'll catch up."

I sense the other guys retreating towards the forest, but Cade stands there and tries to stare me down before finally going after them. I exhale in relief when they're out of earshot.

"I have to say, you really are bold," Logan announces, not a trace of anger or disrespect in his tone. In fact, he's almost smiling at me.

"I really need to talk to her," is all I say.

He nods. "Okay. Go ahead. She's inside."

Taken aback by his calm demeanor, I stay rooted in my spot and stare at him. "That's it?"

He blinks. "What do you mean?" he asks, confused.

"You don't have a problem with me talking to Sadie?"

Logan shrugs. "I don't have a problem with you, period. Cade's overreacting... it's his job as her mate to worry about her, and he gets especially touchy when someone treats her badly," he tells me. "But I know how you are with music, and that you don't like to be pushed on it. If you recall, I was there, and from what I saw, Sadie's just as much to blame as you are for your outburst. Cade just doesn't see it that way because he's biased."

"What about his brothers and the others?" I ask.

"The others follow his lead sometimes. I haven't exactly shown what my thoughts are on the matter, so they backed Cade up."

Dumbstruck, I simply stand there, until he tells me to stop losing time and go find my friend already. Nodding, I walk up the remaining distance to the front door of the pack house and ring the doorbell.

I look back once to find Logan and all the other guys gone. I ring again and the door finally opens, but it's not who I'm expecting and hoping to find.

Reena leans against the frame and smiles at me. "Michael," she giggles. "I see you've recovered from your pneumonia."

That was the excuse my parents used to explain my absence, both to the school and to the pack. It's serious enough that the school would have excused me for the whole week if I wanted to, and strong enough that the pack would believe that I actually had it, even with my strong immunity system.

"Where's Sadie?" I immediately cut to the chase. I'm not in the mood to make an effort to be polite to her today.

"Well, she's around the compound somewhere, I'm sure," she tells me cryptically. "You want to wait with me until she comes back?"

I bite on my tongue to keep my snappy retort out. Luckily, I'm saved when I see a familiar brunette join us at the door.

"I got this Reena," she tells her nicely.

Reena winks in my direction once before retreating. I think I feel bile rising in my throat for a second there. However, I'm too busy following Sadie into what appears to be her room to care.

If I had any doubt before that Sadie's a girly girl because of her skills in video games, those doubts are squashed when I walk into the candy-land that is her room.

Well, candy-land may be an exaggeration. Although there is a lot of pink, especially on the walls and her pillows, it's not too in-your-face or over the top. Her room is relatively small, definitely smaller than mine. But it seems that she doesn't mind the space and has accommodated each corner to her taste. She has pictures of herself, her friends and family. There are also posters of various celebrities, and a large quote written in red right above her bed that says ' _Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain - Joseph Campbell_ '.

There's a desk and bookcase against the wall at the foot of her bed and a big chest that also serves as a bench next to the bed, on which she'd placed several stuffed animals in shades of red, pink and white. In front of the bench, against the wall, are a small makeup table, chair and mirror.

The fourth wall, next to the door, is where the closet also stands. The ground has parquetry flooring, and the ceiling is painted a faded purple color.

The first thing Sadie does when we're in her room is close the door. Then she sits on her bed with her arms crossed and an expression that couldn't be further from her normally cheerful one. She waits for me to finish examining her room and talk first.

"Sadie, I'm so sorry," I start, and I don't even bother to mask my voice.

"For what?" she asks coldly. "Being rude to me the other day or making me feel bad about something I didn't even do?"

"Both," I admit.

"Look Dylan, I get why you have to hide it," she admits. "But you didn't have to avoid me altogether and make me feel even worse. I was worried sick about you! You could have just come to me and explained, I would have understood. I had already found out... I would have kept it a secret. That's what I've been doing for the past four days. I even lied to my boyfriend about it for you. I felt so bad the whole time, but you were avoiding me. I didn't know whether you were mad at me or not, and now you show up after leaving me racked with guilt for _days_!"

The way she answered kind of distracted me from the content of the situation; she's too worked up about the wrong thing, and brushing off the real issue at hand. "You're being strangely cool about this," I hesitate.

Her eyebrows shoot up. "Cool? No Dylan, I'm anything but cool. I'm mad."

I shake my head. "No, I know you're mad, but... you're still calling me Dylan normally. Like the truth that I'm a girl doesn't even bother you."

"Well I've had a couple of days to process," she replies sarcastically. "There was enough time for you to talk to me during that time, and I would have listened. But it has been four days, Dylan, and you've ignored me this whole time when I could have helped you!"

I grimace, knowing I'm going to have to tell her. "Sadie, you don't understand. I couldn't talk to you, and I couldn't leave the house."

She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I heard about your pneumonia, and frankly, I don't buy it."

"No you're right I didn't have pneumonia, but I really couldn't call you... my parents took away my phone," I tell her. "In fact, they cut off all ways of communication, including the landline."

She frowns, momentarily distracted. "What? Why? And why didn't you just come to see me then? I skipped school for you. If you really wanted to talk to me so badly, you could have found a way."

I groan, uncomfortable at saying it out loud. "I ... I just couldn't leave the house, Sadie."

"Why?" she insists, growing impatient.

I sigh and pause before answering her. "Because... it was my time... of the month. You know. I couldn't be around werewolves without them knowing."

Instantly, her face falls and her anger evaporates, replaced by shock. "What? You had your period?"

I wince and frantically gesture for her to stop. "Shh! Don't say it out loud!" I hiss.

She blinks at me for a moment before a grin starts to fights its way onto her face. Sadie then covers her mouth with her hand and stifles a laugh.

"Oh my God," she giggles. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're being such a boy about this. It's a normal thing, and it's just me here... why are you so ashamed?"

"I'm not, it's just-" I sigh and sit on the bench with my face in my hands, my elbows propped up on my knees. "Look, I may have always known the truth, but I've been treated like a boy since I was seven by my own family. It's hard when I have to face the facts, like with now, and it makes me uncomfortable."

God, I'm so out of my element that I speak in codes. How the hell am I supposed to explain myself to her if it's hard for me to even voice my thoughts?

I look up at her. "I'm sorry I snapped at you the other day," I say. "I just needed an excuse to get out, and that seemed like my only option at the time. If it makes you feel any better, I got grounded."

She smiles at me, and it instantly warms my heart. "Not really but its okay. Every part of it."

I hesitate. "Really? Even the part about... you know, _me_?"

"Especially that," she replies softly. "I think I've always felt it, because you weren't interested in me or any other girl. And, I don't know, we sort of connected on a feminine level, don't you think? Even though you tried so hard to hide it, I always felt like I was talking to a girl friend with you. Honestly, I was kind of glad I found a somewhat sensitive guy. Guess I wasn't that far from the truth."

This feels a bit too good to be true. "Are you sure this isn't weird for you? Because I have to admit, it is a little bit for me. No one outside my family has ever known, and they treat me like a boy most of the time. Well, except Mason's mate, Marianna. She's the only one who knows the real me and treats me like a girl. She's halfway across the world now though, so it's hard to have this kind of conversation with someone other than her."

Out of nowhere, Sadie smiles proudly. "I can be your second Marianna!"

Her announcement makes me choke a laugh. "How about you be my best friend Sadie?"

She holds her hand out for me to shake it, and I do. "Done," she says. "Now, tell me everything!"
CHAPTER 20

Sadie

I am curious by nature. Sometimes it's a fault, but I like to think of it as a positive thirst for knowledge. When I first started crushing on Cade, I used to imagine what he would look like in wolf form. What color would he be? How big would he be? How furry?

Of course at the time I was only nine, and he hadn't shifted yet, so naturally, I didn't take into consideration the process that would get him there. I know the basics from my dad, but he hasn't told me and Zoey much because it's a very private matter to werewolves.

_It's like asking a pregnant woman to let you inside her belly when she's giving birth, so you could experience it without feeling her pain_ , Dad had said.

Personally I didn't get it, but when even Cade wouldn't tell me what his first transformation was like, I knew there was no way I was ever going to find out.

_Lo-and-behold!_ My best friend is a girl! Now, suddenly I'm thinking, _here is an opportunity to access unlimited knowledge!_

I'm exaggerating obviously, but I'm too excited to suppress my dramatic reactions. Dylan gave me free reigns to ask whatever I want, and I'm taking advantage of that to fill the gaps that none of the guys I knew ever agree to fill.

Surprisingly, it hasn't been strange to stop calling her 'he' in my head and start thinking of her as a 'she'. Like I told her earlier, I did have my suspicions that she wasn't being honest about her personality. Truthfully, I had a hunch that her sexual preference is what she's really hiding, which I would have still been fine with, but this is even better.

She is sitting cross-legged on my bench. Her uncomfortable expression reminds me of a suspect about to be interrogated. Meanwhile, I roll my desk chair closer to the bench and settle into it comfortably.

She joins her hands together seriously. "What do you want to know?"

"You'll answer any question I want, right?" I check mischievously.

She nods in confirmation.

_Where do I start?_ I sigh.

Obviously, I want to know everything about the kind of life she has been leading so far, but I can't let the opportunity of seeing into the eyes of a werewolf pass. So after a pause, I know exactly how to proceed.

"First things first, how hard was your first transformation?" I ask. "I mean, I hear it used to be much more painful for females than for males, back when both were common."

That's one of the few things people agreed to tell me, mainly because it's one of the stories we usually hear around campfires.

"It was, but not in the sense you think," she tells me. "It takes more time to get through it the first time for females, because it would come at the same time as their first, uh, other thing."

It's so cute that she can't even say it.

I smirk. "Say the word."

Dylan rolls her eyes, smiling. "Period," she forces out reluctantly. "Anyway, aside from being in pain because of the first transformation, you're also experiencing other kinds of pain, and it takes you longer to give in to the shift and end your torment."

Confused, I frown. "I don't understand what you mean."

"Shifting is supposed to be relatively painless once you get the hang of it," she explains. "But because it's your first time, you wouldn't know the right way to do it, and your body would be urging the shift but at the same time fighting it. See, you sort of form a wall in your head where all you can focus on is how much it hurts, and you don't allow yourself to react on instinct in order to shift because you think it's going to bring you more pain."

I nod intently. This is even more fascinating to listen to than I imagined.

"Besides," Dylan goes on, "when your body goes into the phase for the first time, your senses at that moment become heightened and remain that way for good."

This is another thing my dad agreed to tell me. I'm so excited about knowing something that I practically bounce in my seat. "Oh, I knew that! It's because until you shift for the first time, you're no different than a human, even in your scent."

"That's right," she confirms, looking amused. "The werewolf gene usually gets activated around the same time that puberty begins. Sometimes, it takes more, but that's the norm for almost everyone. Before that, everything about a werewolf is strictly human... their strength, their immune system, their senses, the scent released by their body, everything.

"But when the gene is activated, everything about you changes. Your strength increases, your immunity is heightened, and even your body heat varies because it becomes dependent on your environment. You don't feel cold or hot, unless the degrees are to an extreme. Your body also gives out a scent that lets others know that the gene has been activated.

"One of the hardest parts to deal with is the heightened senses, because it means your nervous system is suddenly receiving an influx of information from all over your body, and processing them in a magnified way. If you have a headache, you'll feel like you're banging your head against concrete. Even the touch of a feather would be excruciating, because you would feel like it's going under your skin and directly onto your synapses. It's an assault of all the nerves in your body, and it's overwhelming. So imagine the... menstrual pains added to all of that. Females fight it for longer."

I can practically recite what she's about to say next, because that's the part everyone usually skips to.

"But once you're in wolf form, you can adjust your senses and learn to control them even during human form, so that you don't feel the same pain again when you shift voluntarily the next time," I finish.

Dylan nods. "Exactly. It even becomes a good experience after that."

There's a follow-up question I'm thinking of, but I'm hesitating to ask in case she might get nervous about it. "When you say heightened senses, does that mean like you can smell when I'm horny or something? Because I've never really asked Cade that."

As I expected, she blushes. "Uh, no, n-not really," she stammers. "We, uh, we don't really pick up scents like... like that, unless we're focusing really hard on it. The involuntary stuff is different. It's more like... the essence of things, you know? What distinguishes a tree, from a human, from a werewolf. Not what-what bodies... emanate. But it covers long distances."

"Cool." I smile excitedly, moving on to the next part. "So when did you first shift?"

"I was thirteen," she tells me, a bit relieved at the change of subject. A shudder rips through her spine at the memory. "It was a very long three hours."

Dylan's first transformation must have been a terrible experience... now I understand more why people don't talk about their personal experience. I don't want to make her relive it any more than she does. Instead, I switch back to the 'my best friend is a girl' situation.

"How long have you known that you're a girl?"

It may sound like a stupid question, but if her parents raised her to be a boy, maybe she didn't originally realize that she was a girl, and thought herself to be the same as her brothers.

She gives an evasive shrug. "I always have, I just didn't really want to be different from my brothers and accepted the secret. My parents treated me like a tomboy for the first six years of my life, and then the secrecy began and I became a boy all the time, even with them."

It seems weird that she has known her secret and has been able to hide for so long. "Wasn't it hard to keep at such a young age?"

"Yeah, very hard," she affirms. "There were so many times when I was almost exposed, and once I slipped up so badly that a human guessed, but my parents were able to sort that out. Besides, they never let me out of their sight until I was eleven."

Curious, I prop myself on the palm of my hand, with my elbow leaning against the armchair. "How did you slip up?"

"At the time, my parents never really talked about my gender in front of others, whether to say I'm a girl or a boy," she tells me. "They always used my first name without saying 'he' or 'him'. So one time, my brothers and I had a play date in the park, and this pregnant lady walked by. I said something about how when I grow up, I'm going to have babies like her. The other kids took it as me telling them I'm a girl and they told their parents, but mine convinced them that I have an overactive imagination. That's when they started taking turns watching me all the time."

I pause. A mystery from a while ago resurfaces, and I make the connection. "Is that why you won't go shift with any of the guys? Because they'd know?"

"Yeah," Dylan confirms. "My gender's pretty hard not to deduce when I'm in wolf form."

I grin when the next logical question occurs to me. "What color is your wolf?"

"White," she answers dismally. "Snow white, unfortunately."

I can't understand her sadness over such a great fact. "What do you mean 'unfortunately'? White is a beautiful color."

"It's girly," she grumbles.

This makes me laugh. It's just such a childish answer, one my little brother would give in such a situation.

"Well guess what, honey?" I tell her. "You _are_ a girl... you need to accept it and live with it. Of course you still have to hide it, but you have to be okay with yourself at least."

From the way she chips her fingernails and looks away, I can tell she has grown uncomfortable with the topic. So I save her from her unease and change the subject.

"Is it okay if I see what you look like in wolf form?" I finally ask the question that I've been dying to ask, trying to contain my glee.

Dylan suppresses a smile, amused by my reaction. "Sure, someday," she agrees.

I beam. "Can we now?"

Her smile is replaced by surprise and disbelief. "What, _here_? In your room?"

I giggle and wave my hand dismissively, feeling kind of gleeful that she even agreed. "No, silly. We'll go to the forest!"

"Uh," she hesitates. "Sadie, I can't risk being seen."

I realize my mistake just then. I almost forgot that no one but me knows she's a girl. It's kind of a privilege, to be honest.

"Oh. Right," I say. "Well, what if we wait for them to come back? I know their schedules, and no one will be going into the forest for another two hours after they return."

"Still, Sadie, they'll know I'm there, and maybe someone will want to come," she adds, hinting at something.

_She means Cade_ , I realize. _He would not like that_.

Well, it's because of his protective nature that I haven't seen anyone shift yet, and because of another reason that he's hiding from me. I am sure that if we're careful about it, no one will ever know.

"Yeah, I know. We could always sneak out?" I suggest, instantly brightening again.

Dylan stares at me wordlessly for a moment. "You're not going to let this go, are you?" she guesses.

I smile innocently and shake my head. We may not have been friends for long, but Dylan knows me so well. Defeated, she sighs and agrees to sneak out when the guys come back. I know a spot. It's secluded and far enough from the pack house.

While we wait, I ask her more questions about her family's history. They used to be part of the Redwood Pack in Columbia. Her dad was good friends with the alpha, and he was even his beta before they left. When her parents found out that one of the twins her mom was pregnant with is a girl, they didn't tell anyone. The only one who knew was the human doctor who gave them the news.

Steven's immediate thought was to move the whole family away. He trusted the alpha, but he knew that he might not be allowed to leave the pack. Dylan's dad told him that it was important that the family moves, but he asked the alpha to trust him and not ask questions or come look for them. It took them a month to settle where they are now, and then three months later, Danny and Dylan came along, in that order.

My fascination with her family history doesn't stop there. I ask about her parents and how they met, what her brothers are like, which ones have mates or are in a serious relationship that could lead them to having mates. When Dylan tells me that she frequently forgets the name of Connor's girlfriend, I find it hilarious. Mason's story with his mate Marianna is the cutest thing ever. She even tells me that my sister and her brother Daniel might have had something going during the party, but that she doesn't think it led to anything.

Then things take a more serious turn when we get to her hobbies. Dylan may talk about it like a simple pastime, but I can tell music is a big part of her life. She tells me her experience with the piano and how much she loves to play and sing. That's when I remember what she was doing when I walked in on her, and Dylan suddenly turns anxious again.

"This is my second biggest secret," she warns.

"I won't tell anyone," I swear.

"I was sending out college applications," she admits, looking sheepish.

I gasp in surprise. "What?! How?"

She shrugs. "I guess it's more a pipe dream than me actually hoping to go to college. My parents would never allow it."

That's not really why I am so surprised. She has been trying very hard to keep her gender a secret, and yet she's okay sending out a video that basically reveals it to the world?

"But isn't that like a neon sign exposing your secret?" I express my concerns out loud. "I mean you do realize that you sounded like a girl on that tape and that they'll just mistake you for a tomboy?"

She looks away shamefully and nods. "Yeah, it occurred to me. That's why I didn't send that tape. I'll do another one with just the piano."

Right now, she's keeping her secret while attending school. But she has her entire family to look after her in case something went wrong. Granted, it sounds like they don't give her a lot of freedom and they could be a bit overbearing, but the only reason she hasn't been exposed already is because of them. If she went to college, and she accidentally let it slip, or if her roommate saw her in the shower, who would be there to do some damage control? She has already slipped up before, it could happen again.

"Dylan, I don't know if that's such a good idea," I voice my thoughts. "Even if your parents do let you go, you can't. You think hiding your gender here is hard, imagine what it would be like on campus where no one knows and you're on your own protecting the secret."

"I know it's going to be hard, Sadie," she assures me. "But I can't stay with my parents for the rest of my life. Plus, I want to do something with my life, and music is what I really love."

"Dylan," I try again.

She cuts me off. "Sadie, you don't have to worry. I don't think I'll get accepted anyway."

She must have realized that I'm not going to budge. Like I said, she knows me, she understands how stubborn I can be. However, unlike how she conceded when I insisted to see her shift, I can tell that this crosses a line, and I don't push her on it. We switch back to lighter things, until a whole hour has gone by, and I receive a text from Cade.

_On my way back_ , it says. _He better be gone when I get there_.

I bite my lip and hesitate as to how to answer him. If I don't say anything, he'll worry and either come bursting through my bedroom door or follow my scent. But if I say the wrong thing, he'll get angry and still do one of those things.

_We made up_ , I start. _I'm going to Dylan's place to hang out._

His response is to panic and immediately start calling me. I love him, but he needs to learn to let some things go. I can take care of myself. I hang up on him and start texting him back.

_You promised to be more open-minded_ , I type. _Dylan is my friend. He made a mistake, but he apologized, and he is not the problem you're making him out to be... it's your irrational jealousy. Please stop overreacting, Cadey. You have to trust me more!_

It takes me a while to send that, because he keeps trying to call again as I'm typing, and it's a pretty long text. But when it gets through, my phone stops ringing altogether.

I don't use the ' _you should_ _trust me_ ' card unless it's necessary, when I know he won't take me seriously any other way. I know that he does trust me, but his jealousy often clouds his rational side, and reminding him of that fact is a kind of warning that his possessiveness is starting to get annoying. Fortunately for me, he's more concerned with not making me upset than he is with me talking to other guys, so he finally gets the message.

"Let's go!" I announce cheerfully once that's out of the way. "I am going to show you the best way to get out of this house unnoticed."

"Don't you need your phone?" Dylan asks, pointing to the device I've thrown under my pillow.

"No," I reply. "I want to teach him a lesson."

We get out from the back door and stand hidden behind the house, watching for their arrival. When we see them approaching, we scale the edge of the compound to go unnoticed to the gate.

I've always been into spy movies, so I kind of get a little too much into it and start humming the James Bond theme song. I even crouch and cross the wall like a spy. Dylan seems to find it hilarious, but she doesn't join in on the fun with me. Her loss.

Leaving the gate is easy, as is turning around and going in the opposite direction when we're far enough for Malcolm's replacement not to notice. From here, Dylan takes the lead and gets us to the clearing in forty minutes.

Nobody will be coming for two hours, which means we have a bit over one hour to be gone. But it's not a big deal; I only want to see her shift into wolf form real quick. We don't have to stay longer than five minutes.

"Now what happens?" I ask once we're standing in the clearing. I can't contain my excitement, and I keep jumping up and down excitedly.

One of her eyebrows shoots up in surprise. "You've never seen anyone shift?"

I laugh and cock my hips to the side, placing my hand on it. Does she _not_ know my mate? "How well do you think that would sit with my boyfriend? Me seeing other men naked?"

"But what about Cade? I mean, I'm sure nudity's not a barrier here," she teases.

Laughing again, I playfully push her shoulder back. "Shut up. Of course it's not a problem, but I've only seen him naked on my eighteenth birthday last February, and he has been a little weird about me seeing him shift since then. I've seen him in wolf form a couple times before that, but always by accident, and I've never seen him turn right before my eyes. Before my birthday, there was the nudity excuse, but now, it's like he's afraid that if I see him as he's changing form, he'll scare me away."

Dylan frowns. "That's odd," she comments.

"Tell me about it," I agree worriedly.

I sometimes get afraid that this is a sign that he doesn't actually want to be with me. But then I remember his moments of jealousy, and our undeniable love, and I am even more confused. What could he possibly be hiding?

It's pointless to think about this right now, so I shake my head and bring my attention back to the situation. "Anyway, what are you going to do first?"

"Well, uh, I'll go behind that tree," -she points at the one behind her- "hide my clothes and change, then I'll come out, and... I guess you'll see me in wolf form. Then I'll go back behind the tree, change back, get dressed and we'll leave."

My eyes go wide. This is so not what I had in mind "What? No!" I object. Dylan flinches in surprise. "I don't just want to see your wolf, I want to see you shift!"

Dylan looks outraged and uncomfortable. "I'm not going to strip in front of you!" she protests.

Being the tactless girl that I am, I don't immediately understand why she's so against this. "Why not?" I complain. "We're both girls here."

"Because, it's-it's just," she stutters. "No!"

She doesn't seem to notice that she covers her chest with both hands. And that's when it dawns on me; she hasn't been a girl almost all her life. How can I expect her to be okay with stripping for someone when she's only been taught to be embarrassed of her femininity?

I soften and try to make up for my insensitivity with a small smile. "I'm sorry Dyl, I don't mean to embarrass you," I reassure her while taking off my jacket. "Here, you can take your clothes off behind the tree and come out covering yourself in this. It's not much, but it's better than being completely exposed. I don't want you to feel self-conscious, but I do want to see the change happening."

Wordlessly, she stares at me then at the jacket I'm offering her. It's clear that she expected me to put up more of a fight. Normally, I would have, but I'm trying not to give her any more reasons to distrust me again. I want her to be completely herself with me from now on, and she won't come out of her shell so long as she feels threatened.

For a moment, she just stands there, trying to determine what to make of my gesture. Then, slowly, her facial features begin to relax into a calm determined look.

Instead of taking the jacket, she steps back and starts taking her hoodie off. I'm very surprised, but I recover quickly and try to reassure her with a smile. When I see what makes her chest looks flat, I can't suppress my amusement. My eyebrows shoot up and I cover my mouth to hide a grin.

Her face is all red when she takes that off, then her shoes, socks, jeans and boxers, until she's standing sideways without any clothes on in front of me. Her eyes immediately close. She's got a very nice body, slender but firm. No wonder she looks so skinny as a boy. There's only one problem with it...

"Damn girl, if you just shave, you'd be smoking," I can't help teasing her.

She chuckles half-heartedly. "That's funny," she comments without humor. "Now let me concentrate."

I stay quiet so she can focus on changing without any distraction. The change happens slowly, starting with white fur growing from her neck and spreading to her spine, then from there to her limbs until it covers the rest of her body. Slowly, every part of her morphs into her animal shape, and she bends over on all fours when the final moment passes.

A beautiful white wolf stands before me, shaking its fur. I am so awed that I can't keep the smile off my face. She opens her eyes, and I'm surprised that they've turned blue. Cade has always remained the same the few times he showed me his wolf form.

When I don't say anything, Dylan cocks her head to the side curiously, as if to ask me if I'm okay. Unable to contain my glee, I squeal and start hopping in place and clapping my hands at the same time. Startled, Dylan jumps back a step.

"That was so cool!" I cheer.

She tries to laugh but it comes out as repeated yelps. The child in me suddenly wants to play tag with the cute fluffy animal.

"Catch me!" I squeak and take off running.

I don't get very far before Dylan blocks my way. I stumble over her and we fall to the ground together. Overjoyed, I giggle like crazy, while she pins me down under her stomach.

"I surrender!" I manage to say. "You win! Get off me!"

She retreats and settles on her stomach next to me, waiting for me to catch my breath. It takes me a moment, but I finally do.

"That was so awesome," I breathe out.

Dylan huffs in approval, resting her head on her front paw and watching me with an unmistakable glint of amusement in her big blue eyes.

We lay there in comfortable silence for a while. But then another idea passes my mind, and I sit up cross-legged and face her. "You think we can race or wrestle?"

She lifts her head and frantically shakes it.

I can't help pouting. "Why not?"

She looks up at the sky, then in the direction of the pack house, and then back at me. She's trying to tell me that it's late, and we should get back.

I sigh dramatically. "Two more minutes?" I beg. "This is just like having a huge stuffed animal! I just want to cuddle you all day!"

She barks out a laugh. Out of nowhere, she licks my nose. I laugh again and wrap my arms around her neck.

"Sadie!"

Both of us jump and spring apart. I am horrified to find Cade standing there.
CHAPTER 21

Michael

Cade struggles with words as he stares at us in complete and utter shock. I'm too dumbfounded that he's actually here that I'm frozen in place. The minute he will charge at me, I won't have a way to escape. I can feel it building inside him, but I can't move. Plus, my brain is still working somehow, and it's telling me to keep my pelvic area against the ground no matter what, as long as he's close.

There were two things I found weird when Sadie told me about her relationship with Cade; first is the fact that they weren't together -in the physical sense- until she was eighteen, when I know they've been together -in the other sense- long before that.

Second is the fact that Cade still hasn't allowed her to see him during a shift. Usually, werewolves are dying to show their mates their wolf form. It's a very meaningful act in our world, because it's like recreating the mate bond... like letting their mate inside their very soul and showing them that they're theirs forever. It's strange that Cade would still be self-conscious over this instead of jumping at the opportunity to express how much she means to him.

So if shifting in front of your mate is a very meaningful act of love, finding them with another wolf would be a very meaningful act of betrayal, at least at first sight. But I can't really blame the guy for thinking that. I mean, what else is he supposed to think? That I'm a girl and Sadie's not really cheating on him?

"How could you?" he finally utters, and even I'm moved by how heartbroken he sounds.

It takes Sadie two seconds after he asks that question to realize how this must look like, jump up and run to him frantically.

"No, no, baby, I swear, this is not what it looks like," she pleads with him, seeing his expression becoming more and more deflated. "I love you, I would never do anything like that to you!"

"Did you watch him shift?" he asks again, his tone growing harsher with every word, although his eyes are still fixed on me. Sadie's hesitation causes him to snap his head in her direction and glare at her. "Did you?" he repeats. "Answer me Sadie, or so help me-"

"Yes, but it's not what you think! Cade, please let me explain!" she begs.

_What?! Explain what? She's not going to tell him is she?_ I desperately hope.

Suddenly, it's like she's not even there anymore. Cade slowly faces me again, and there is such hate in his eyes that I would have burst into flames if that was possible.

"You," he growls.

That's when he moves Sadie to the side and flies at me. Seriously, for a second there, it actually looks like he's flying. But then he explodes mid-air into a grey wolf and his clothes are ripped to shreds and thrown around him like fireworks. That's when I finally regain the ability to move. There's no point in staying still anymore, unless I want to get beat up and chewed off. There's nothing like a jealous and angry mate to get even the bravest werewolves to tuck their tail between their legs and run away in fear.

I take off before he can even reach me. Vaguely, I hear Sadie's voice shouting something, probably calling out for us, but I can't think about anything other than fleeing for my life. I hope to God that all those years of beating my brothers at races and bragging about being the fastest even though I'm the smallest, pay off right now.

My heart is beating a mile a minute, both from the fear and from the running. This is the fastest I've ever run in my life, but I can still hear him chasing me. He can't be any more than ten feet behind me. So I push myself even harder until my lungs are about to explode and heat is searing through all four of my legs. I don't know how long it takes him to catch up to me, but it feels like a long time.

Pain rips through my tail and spreads up my body as he bites down on it. A yelp escapes from my snout and I double over involuntarily. This is exactly the opening he needs to tackle me. I fight back, and for a moment I succeed in turning him over, but it's only a fraction of a second before he has the upper hand again and pins me to the ground.

I'm lying on my side staring up at him as he growls and snaps his teeth menacingly. There's nowhere to go anymore; I'm stuck. If I had any idea what he's about to do, I would have stayed there complacently and waited until he left thinking I learned my lesson. But for some reason, Sadie's face pops in my mind and it haunts me.

Even if he does leave me alone now, there's no mending that rift in their relationship. I trust her; I know she'd never tell him. But I also love her, and I know she loves him. I would hate myself if I were what ruined their relationship after they had been together so long. More importantly, Cade's the pack beta; Logan may be on my side now, but once word gets out that his right-hand man caught me with his mate in the forest, and I was in wolf form, there'd be no more mercy for me.

Against all my instincts and my better judgment, I take a deep breath and close my eyes. A couple of seconds later, I've changed back into human form, and I lie still beneath him, completely and utterly exposed. I swallow down my embarrassment and keep my eyes screwed shut as I hear Cade's growl cut off into a shocked yelp. Milliseconds later, he jumps off of me abruptly and I hear him back away several steps.

Tentatively, I open my eyes and sit up, automatically bringing my legs up with me to cover my chest. Cade is standing three feet away from me, still in wolf form. His breathing is heavier than mine but he's frozen just as I was before this whole chase game even began. We take a moment to catch our breaths, never taking our eyes off of each other.

"I don't want to push you or anything," I say in my normal voice when I'm calm enough to talk, "but I'm kind of naked here, and this isn't the most ideal position to be in. So are you going to kill me or what?"

He blinks and sits back on his hind legs, his front paws holding him up. A moment later, he starts morphing back to human form.

"Whoa there!" I yell in surprise and cover my eyes. "I didn't mean do that!"

"How else am I supposed to answer you?" his voice asks, and I'm relieved to hear that it holds no trace of the animosity he always has for me. I don't know whether it's safe to remove my hand or not, so I don't, until he tells me, "You can look now."

Hesitantly, I do as he says. He's sitting in a similar position only his legs aren't covering his torso as much as mine are which leaves his chest exposed. He's more buff than I originally thought. But now's not the time to notice that, and it's not as if I like what I'm seeing anyway. Frankly, I've seen more in my brothers. I wait for him to say something, at the very least to answer my question, but he just sits there looking at me. After a while, I can't take it anymore.

"Are you going to just stare at me all day?" I wonder.

"I need a moment to process," he tells me.

"Well, can you not take too long?" I request. "Because, supposedly, the next group going for training will be here any minute, and I don't really feel like being _outed_ in front of the whole world in just one day."

Cade takes a deep breath and holds it in for a moment before letting it out. "I don't understand how this is possible," he finally says nervously.

"What? That I'm female? What does it matter? At least now you know I'm not trying to steal your girlfriend," I attempt to joke.

Regret flashes in his eyes and he frowns uncertainly, though his expression is still clouded by his confusion over this whole thing. "Uh, yeah, sorry about, you know, that. I know I'm a little overprotective, but it's because I care about her."

I shrug. "Meh, I would have done the same," I reassure him. "Besides, when she finds out what happened here, she's either going to flip out that you saw another woman naked or be happy that she finally saw you shift."

Suddenly, his eyes widen as he realized what he did back in the clearing registers. "No! Damn it, this is not how I wanted it to go!" he complains, sounding frustrated.

This is good; this is distracting him from not knowing how to handle my secret. I use this opportunity.

"What is that about, by the way?" I ask without thinking twice about it. "Why haven't you shifted in front of her yet?"

He grimaces and gives me a look. "She told you?"

I shrug again. "Of course. She's my best friend," I state the obvious, secretly proud.

He sighs heavily and runs his hands over his face. "I was going to wait until she graduated."

That's still weird. "But why?" I'm curious to know.

His eyes meet mine and he gives me a very serious and intense stare. "You won't tell her?"

Taken aback, I pause before answering him. "Only if you keep my secret."

He stares flatly at me, his whole expression practically screaming the word 'Duh!' Though relieving, that doesn't cover everything I'm talking about.

"Seriously, though, you can't tell anyone, not even Logan," I specify.

He blinks at me, catching on. "He's my alpha. I can't keep this from him."

Dread starts creeping up on me, and I struggle to keep from panicking and find a way to convince Cade. "I'll tell him eventually," I blurt out, and part of me is surprised that I do mean it. I've come to trust Logan enough to consider actually telling him my biggest secret, though I don't think it would be anytime soon; my dad wouldn't allow that yet.

Cade looks at me doubtfully, but I sense some hesitation in his contemplative look.

"I will," I insist. "When I'm ready... Please?"

Finally, he nods once quickly, and I sigh in relief.

"And I won't tell Sadie whatever it is you're going to tell me," I promise.

He unconsciously rubs his hands together, and I get the feeling that's a nervous habit of his. "I was planning on asking her to marry me on the same day."

I gasp in surprise. Wow, marriage at eighteen and nineteen? I don't know how I feel about that. But I guess in our world, it doesn't really matter. We all plan to be with one person for the rest of our life –except for me, of course. Cade's lucky enough that he found her.

However, while in theory, his idea sounds romantic and all, to literally bare his soul to her right before proposing, in practice, it's hard to imagine it being carried out.

"So... what? You're going to take your clothes off, shift into wolf form, shift back into human form, then get down on one knee, buck-naked, and propose?" I question doubtfully.

He frowns disapprovingly at me. "No, of course that's not how I plan to do it. Just... forget I said anything."

I can see that I was a jerk, and I backtrack a little, softening in the process. "Sorry," I say honestly. "I'm sure you have a good plan, and it's really not my business, but I know Sadie's going to love it no matter what you do."

Instead of thanking me the way I imaged he would, Cade just stares at me with a grimace fighting its way onto his face. Finally, it breaks free.

"I'm sorry, this is just too weird right now," he confesses. "I mean, one second, you're a guy, and the next, you look like, like... that, and you even sound like a girl. How the hell did you manage to keep it a secret for so long?"

I expected his confusion. I guess not everyone is as open-minded and easy-going as Sadie. "Well, the short version is that I was kept on a very tight leash. I'll tell you the long version when we're not completely naked in the middle of the forest and werewolves might appear any moment," I hint.

He nods guiltily. "Right. Sorry. Let's go."

At that moment, before we even begin to shift so we could go back, a figure suddenly bursts into the forest and almost trips on us. For a second, my heart beat speeds up in fear, but then I see that it's actually Sadie and relax again. When she sees us there, she stumbles to a halt and stares back and forth at us incredulously, her breathing labored.

"Hi," I tentatively say when she keeps quiet, feeling the awkwardness increase by a hundred percent.

"I... have been... running... all over... looking... for you. What... the hell... happened?" she manages to ask.

Cade and I exchange a look. "We, uh, came to an understanding," I reply.

I can't exactly say we bonded, because things are very weird between us right now. But still, it's better than the tension that used to exist, and I'm hoping things will get better now that he knows. I've never had a guy outside my family know my secret, so this should be interesting.

"What- but-" she stutters. "You saw... her naked?"

Seriously? This is what she's worried about right now?

I roll my eyes. "Sadie, come on."

She glares at me. "I wasn't... talking... to you," she heaves, and then turns to Cade.

"Baby, can we talk about this when I'm dressed?" he asks. "You know I love only you, but I'd rather not stay like this any longer than I have to."

Not ten minutes ago, she was reassuring him that she's not in love with me, and now he's doing the same. Talk about ironic.

"I second that," I interject.

Sadie ignores me and takes a moment to catch her breath. Then she nods, going back to her usual self. "Okay. Go on then, shift!"

Cade's face falls, and he throws me a distressed look. I take the hint.

"Hey Sadie, want to ride on my wolfy back on the way to get my clothes?" I suggest. "I can run if you want me to."

My idea works, and Sadie's face immediately lights up with a smile. "Oh yes!" she squeals.

"Alright, then stand back a little," I tell her.

When she does as I say, I close my eyes and shift quickly. There's no need to take it slow this time. It feels good to change at this speed, like going downwards on a roller coaster really fast. I involuntarily shake my fur when it's done and then open my eyes. Sadie is still staring at me with excitement glowing in her eyes. Her hands joined together by her heart. With my head, I motion for her to come on up, and she bounces on me like a child.

That was the first time I've played with a human in wolf form. If I had thought about it before doing it, I probably would have worried too much about hurting her and not done it. Not that I didn't hold back, but I did enjoy it nonetheless.

Her weight is bearable on my back, thanks to my strength, and I waste no time running out of there, following the trail Cade and I left behind. Sadie's laugh rings through the air like bells. I sincerely hope this earns me brownie points with her boyfriend. He's technically the first person I willingly reveal my secret to. And for some reason, I trust that he will keep it.
CHAPTER 22

Mason

" _Last call, boarding to Paris_ ," the voice in the intercom calls.

My heart is beating off the charts. I can't believe I'm doing this. Mary and I have been together for what feels like a lifetime. I've always considered her the light of my very existence. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that to end. Maybe that's why we've been fighting so much recently. I need to take that as a sign.

My duffel bag strung over my shoulder, I hand the flight attendant my ticket and boarding pass, then step into the hallway leading to the plane. My anticipation is growing with every moment. I didn't think I would be this nervous, but I was fine an hour ago, when I lied to my parents about staying on campus for the weekend to study.

Maybe it's the change that I'm scared about. It's a cheesy reason to be afraid, but it's true. We don't know what will happen to us in the future, but we somehow end up thinking of the worst possible scenario and start dreading it. The annoying 'what if' questions that just won't shut up are buzzing in my head. I try to calm them down by sleeping, but that's not so easy to do when your mind is on overdrive.

_This is going to be a long flight_.

Take-off provides a good distraction. I've always been fascinated by airplanes. I wanted to be a pilot before going for mechanical engineering. I know it seems like I've passed on a great opportunity for a lesser one, but if I can't handle a long distance relationship with my girlfriend in our current situation, how is being away _all_ the time any better?

And as long as I'm being honest, let's address the bigger problem that would ensue; where would that leave Dylan? If I go, the others will start wanting the same. There's no way I can do that to my only sister.

Suddenly, I feel like a hypocrite because of what I'm about to do. Mary is the one who taught me to accept Dylan for who she is, and I'm about to change everything for all of us, for good.

"She can't live like this forever," Marianna once told me. "She isn't ready yet, but one day, she's going to want to break out of that life, and when she does, you have to be there to support her. She will need you, all of you."

I didn't understand it at first, but eventually, it sunk in on its own. Maybe it's a long way down the road, but Dylan is going to find her true mate one day. Mom and Dad always knew that was a possibility. We've never lived close enough to another pack for us to have contact with other werewolves, and for the possibility that one of them is Dylan's mate.

Since our new neighbors moved in, that possibility became more real, and our parents have been more anxious than ever. If she finds a mate, that will be it, she won't have to keep her secret anymore. Mom and Dad are waiting for that day but at the same time dreading it, because it might mean that they will lose their little girl. Every parent's nightmare is when his or her child leaves them for good. I still don't know whether I'm going to speed up the process or not.

During the flight, I fidget in my seat a lot, until the lady next to me asks me to stay still. I watch a couple of movies to try and pass the time, but that's still not enough. I am relieved when I finally get some rest five hours after we've taken off. But it doesn't feel like I got a wink of sleep when I am shaken awake.

"Excusez-moi, monsieur, vous devez attachez votre ceinture, nous allons atterrir."

My French is not that great, but I understand that the attendant is telling me that we're about to land. I fasten my seatbelt and go back to sleep. There's a good half an hour or so until we're allowed to move, and I can take advantage of that. I need to be fully awake by the time I get to Mary's apartment.

I get a taxi. I give the driver the address and start rehearsing my speech in my mind. I must have repeated it at least five times, but after I'm dropped off in front of her apartment door, I can't remember a single word.

Her roommate Elise answers the door. She recognizes me, but she doesn't acknowledge me and instead immediately calls for Marianna, no doubt calling me the worst names in French. Elise never really liked me. Normally, I would be trying to get along with her for Mary's sake, but I'm not in the mood right now.

Seconds later, Marianna is at the door, dressed in the pink pajamas I got her for her birthday. Unlike Elise, who rolls her eyes and goes back inside, Mary is shocked to see me there; in a good way, of course. We could be having the worst fight we've ever had, but we would still be happy to see each other.

"Mason!" She jumps into my arms, and I wrap her in a close embrace, taking in her familiar scent that I've missed. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

I can't drop the bomb immediately after getting here. I need to appreciate her presence first, because I don't know if she's going to want to do that in a few minutes. "I missed you so much," I whisper, nuzzling my head against her neck.

She tilts her head up and kisses me, and for a while, I stop worrying about what's going to happen and just enjoy the moment with her. Somehow, we end up pressed up against the door, and I can't stop kissing her. I'm starting to get worked up in a different way though, so I need to tell her now before we end up in her bed.

"We need to talk," I whisper roughly, my mouth against hers.

"About what?" Her voice sounds dazed.

"Get dressed, and meet me downstairs," I tell her.

I kiss her one last time before I pull away. She frowns at me, her eyes burning with want, before she blinks a couple of times and goes to her room.

As I wait for her downstairs, I move around restlessly, constantly rubbing my hands together. This is my nervous habit, and I can't contain it at a time like this. Minutes later, she walks out in jeans, a jacket and sneakers. Even in those, she is still very beautiful.

The look on her face has been replaced by a wary one. "What is going on Mason?" she asks.

"I know what it would take for us to move in together," I assure her. "I do know that."

"I know you do," she says. "But until you ask, I told you I am not having this conversation."

"I am asking," I blurt out.

Marianna stiffens. "What?"

"I am asking you to marry me," I elaborate.

She blinks, staring at me blankly. "No," she says.

My spirits are entirely crushed. "No?" I repeat, dumbstruck. "Is that your answer?"

She shakes her head. "No, you're not asking me," she specifies. "Not really. You don't mean it. This is a desperate attempt to get me to move to America."

Is that what she thinks?!

"It's not," I vehemently try to persuade her. "I really mean it. Marianna, I want to be with you, no matter where we are. If you don't want to move to America, I'm prepared to live right here, in this tiny apartment with your roommate who hates me. All I ask is that you let me call you my wife."

She looks at me uncertainly. "If you really mean it, why did you always avoid the subject?"

"Because I was scared," I admit. "I was torn between choosing you or my family, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to leave them behind. I'm still not."

She sighs. "Mason, I would have to leave my family behind too," she points out, "but I was prepared to do that to be with you."

"It's different for me," I remind her, "and you know that. There is something very important at stake that people don't normally have to consider in this situation. One person gone from the house, that's one less person to protect my sister. Marrying you would have made it final, because I can't keep living with them when I'm trying to build a life with you, and I was too afraid of what might happen to Dylan."

A moment of silence passes. "And now?" she asks, her voice starting to quiver.

My eyes look down in shame. This is the hard part, the part that could make or break our relationship, because Marianna cares about Dylan too, and she might not forgive me for deciding to abandon her.

"Now... I think it's time for her to start taking care of herself," I confess. "We can't protect her forever... and I can't put my life on hold forever."

I look up at her again, and I can't decide what to make of the tears beginning to brim in her eyes. "I don't care where we go, as long as I'm with you. So I'm going to ask you one more time... and I won't bother you with it again. Marianna Bleue, will you please marry me?"

One tear falls and lands on her cheek. I want to hug her, hold her hand, or do whatever it takes to make her smile again. But I need to know what she wants first. If she doesn't want me, I lose the right to even touch her again.

"It's not because you thought we're too young?" she finally speaks, on the verge of crying. "Or because you're not ready or... because I'm older than you?"

I am so surprised by her assumptions that I forget for a moment what we're doing here, and all I can think about is making it clear how I feel about her. She's always so smart and self-assured; I forget sometimes that she has her own insecurities. I dare take a few tentative steps toward her until we're standing within touching distance.

"Of course not," I strongly assure her. "You and I, we're not some teenagers playing at being in love. We have been ready for this since the moment we knew how we felt about each other. And why does it matter that you happened to be born a couple years before me? You'll still be too good for me anyway."

A sob escapes her lips at the same time that she smiles, and her tears continue to fall freely on her face. "You really want to marry me?"

I smile back, hope flourishing deep within me. "I really want to marry you."

Marianna zealously nods her head throwing her arms around my neck. "Yes."
CHAPTER 23

Michael

It takes Cade a few days to get over the fact that I'm a girl, and to forgive Sadie and me for forgetting he was alone in the forest naked. We came back for him with clothes after a while. He wasn't too happy with me for keeping Sadie distracted, but there was already so much awkwardness that he didn't dare say anything.

He only got over it when the pack, especially his brothers, started questioning him about forgiving me so fast. I was with Sadie in her room, which was right next to his when it happened. The door was open and they didn't know I was listening in for the both of us.

"Just last week, you were planning this guy's murder," Jared pointed out with irritation, "and now you're best buddies with him? It just doesn't make any sense!"

"First Logan gives him the all-clear, then Reena and Sadie are all loved up on him, and now you're telling me everything you thought was wrong with him before has now just vanished?" Sam demanded sarcastically. "This guy is brainwashing our pack one by one and winning them over somehow, and he has started from the top of the pyramid! Are we next?"

"Enough with the conspiracy theory!" Cade ordered, raising his voice authoritatively. "Look, I was wrong about Michael. He's not after Sadie, and he's definitely not got anyone brainwashed. He's just like the rest of us... he's trying to fit in somewhere. And you know what? After the way we've been treating him, I can't really blame him for resenting us. I mean, his family's been nothing but respectful and friendly, yet we throw accusations at him left and right, like he's some kind of criminal, and he doesn't deserve that. So just do me a favor and lay off him, alright?"

Beta Cade is in the house, ladies and gentlemen!

If that's what second in command is like, what the hell is Logan like when he's truly going alpha? I sure as hell don't want to find that out.

From then on, Cade is more willing to join us when Sadie and I hang out. I have to say that it's interesting having him around. The only males I have ever had were my brothers, and even though they know my secret, they've always treated me as one of them, because of Dad's plan to keep up appearances even in the seclusion of our own home.

Being around Cade is strange; I can't really say we're friends yet, but it feels like there's something brewing at least. For instance, he has been better at helping me keep the secret than his girlfriend. Sadie likes to make comments out loud that somehow relate to my gender, when she thinks no one can hear. But we live among werewolves; there's always someone who can hear. Cade's the one who stops her from going too far.

This one time, we went to the movies with two of my brothers, Logan, Reena and Zoey. Danny was talking to Zoey in the corner and Connor was taking Logan's advice on something I guessed was mate related. The three of us and Reena were in charge of picking out a movie for everyone to see. Sadie really wanted to watch a romantic comedy.

"Reena and I want to see it, and I'm sure it's Dylan's type," she remarked.

Cade gave her a look. "Why would Michael want to see a chick flick?" he hinted. "Besides, we outnumber you five to three, so we get to say no on that one."

Sadie didn't reply at the time, but she did apologize later on when it was just the two of us. Turns out, I took Marianna for granted all this time because it always seemed so easy for her to keep my secret.

The fact that Sadie's having trouble with her choice of words is an indicator that even though I don't look like one, she certainly thinks of me as a girl, _all the freaking time_. I'm almost glad Cade found out at the same time, because he's always hanging out with us now, and he's keeping her in check. They're both even helping me carry out pranks every Sunday.

A week later, I wake up to the delightful jokes my brothers pull on me for War Day. I recognize who pulled what from catching their scents; my shoes smell like eggs because Nate stuffed a handful of his dirty socks inside them, and left them to rot all night. My face is excessively drawn on by Mason, who was last week's target. Connor has taped a giant poster of an underwear model on the roof above my bed; let me tell you, that's not a nice sight to wake up to.

And finally, my phone has been taken out of its charger by Danny, and I can't find it anywhere. I need that phone; I was going to call my friends and see if they wanted to do something this afternoon. Guess I'm going to have to walk to their place, again. I hate walking when there's a perfectly good car in the driveway.

On my way there, my feet stomp on the ground furiously, and I contemplate ways to get back at my twin. Obviously, he's my target, but what could possibly be the most humiliating comeback after what he has done?

I'm hoping to get some help on that. Cade's got a very weird imagination, and I could use that for ideas on how to retaliate.

My visits to the pack house have been so frequent lately that the guard immediately buzzes me in when he sees me coming. I don't even knock on the front door anymore. I just waltz right in and join them wherever they are. Today, I find them in the game room, having breakfast over a friendly game of Mortal Kombat 9.

"Die! Die! Die!" Sadie is shouting.

Just another day in the life of Sadie and Cade.

Smirking, I lean against the door frame and watch them for a minute. This is one of the strangest things about their relationship that I admire and will never get used to. They love each other and gross out everybody around them when they express that love. But they are still so laid back and unafraid to be their true self with one another. It just amazes me how much trust they have in their relationship. It must be pretty wonderful to be able to trust someone enough to let them into every part of your life.

"Let me know when you freaks are done," I finally speak and make my presence known.

"Dylan!" Sadie exclaims without taking her eyes off the screen or breaking her concentration. "Grab a chair... watch me beat my boyfriend to a pulp."

"You wish, dummy," Cade replies dryly.

I can definitely feel the love here.

I chuckle at the intriguing dynamic of their relationship. "I'm not here on a social visit," I admit without moving. "I'm actually here because I need your help."

Fingers continue clacking against the consoles and their eyes remain glued to the screen. "Sure, what's up?" Cade asks.

"It's War Day and I've been targeted," I simply say.

Almost instantaneously, they pause the game, lower the consoles and stare at me with mirroring expressions of excitement and anticipation. That is so freaky.

"What did they do?" they ask in unison.

Okay, _that_ is freaky.

After I tell them what my brothers did, they guess that Daniel is my target, without me needing to specify. We start brainstorming ideas together of how to get back at them. We're interrupted when Logan comes in searching for Cade. He looks so angry that I automatically try to make myself scarce. We're good friends, but there are still moments when he can intimidate me without even trying.

"Hey," he stiffly says, giving a general nod of greeting to Sadie and me. "Got a minute? I need you to do me a favor."

Immediately, Cade stands up. "Sure. What's up?"

"There's something I have to get from the old house in Maine," Logan tells him. "Can you make the drive with me? We'll be back by tomorrow."

"Yeah, of course," he immediately agrees. "What do you need?"

Nervously, Logan brings his hand up to the back of his neck. "Uh, something of Reena's," he answers cryptically.

Something is off about him, and I'm not the only one who notices it. "What's wrong?" Sadie asks with concern. "What happened?"

"I sort of... forgot her birthday yesterday," he confesses, though he doesn't seem very ashamed of the fact, mostly still angry. They must have had a pretty huge fight about this.

"Whoa," I hear myself say in shock. "How did that happen?"

Suddenly, he gets defensive. "I don't know! It just slipped my mind!"

"But... you weren't here all day," Sadie points out hesitantly.

"I was busy," he snaps.

Whoa! Someone's PMS-ing.

"Calm down man," Cade attempts to reason with him, and I sense he's fighting the urge to reproach his alpha, in this state, for snapping at his mate. "I'm sure you two can solve this, whatever this is."

Logan breathes out heavily in frustration, and shakes his head. "I don't think this time will be as easy," he complains.

I want to say something that would help him, but I've never given the best of advice. The only thing I know is how to lighten the mood with humor. Somehow, I don't think that's going to work in this situation. Logan's moody behavior is not something I'm familiar with. I'm good with the laid back Logan and the serious Logan, but I'm not sure how the pissed-off Logan would take my attempt to joke.

"I'm sorry Logan," Sadie tries to console him.

She's good with the tender voice and all that crap, which is exactly what we need right now. Unfortunately, it doesn't work, and Logan simply walks out of the room saying he'll wait in the car while Cade gets his stuff. A moment later, while the lovebirds are busy with each other, I follow him.

He's at the front door when I catch up with him. "Hey," I call out to stop him.

Logan faces me and gives me a quizzical look. "Yeah?"

I struggle for words. "Uh, um." I did not think this through when I came after him. "What do you need to get from the house in Maine?" I blurt unexpectedly.

He frowns and his eyes become distant. "I don't know exactly," he admits. "She forgot some things there when we left, and she's been saying that she wants some of it back. I guess I figure if I find something important enough to her, I could bring it back and make her happy."

That's an interesting plan. "And if you don't?"

He hesitates, his stare focusing back on me. "I don't know."

We stand in silence for a moment, neither of us saying anything or trying to leave.

Screw it, I'll just be honest. That has worked before.

"What happened this time?" I dare say.

Logan sighs then walks over to the living room, and I know we're about to have another heart-to-heart moment. I'm really starting to like those. He takes his spot in the armchair and I sit adjacent to him on the couch, facing the chimney and television set. He remains quiet for a bit before answering me.

"I've been absent... a lot, in our relationship since we moved back here, and Reena's feeling neglected because of that," he tells me. "She misses the old house and wants to go back there. Things were very different between us there, they were easier, and she thinks that if we move back, we can go back to how we were then. But... I'm trying to make our move here permanent, and she disagrees with that."

I take a moment to let it all sink in and try to think of the best advice to give him. When I come up blank, I decide to just say what's on my mind, as I usually do with him.

"Look, I can't pretend to know anything about relationships, especially not that of mates," I admit. "But, and it pains me to say this, I kind of agree with Reena on this one. Not the move, obviously, but your, uh, absence. I've noticed that you take a lot of trips, somewhere, which is not my business, but it's certainly not healthy for your relationship. You're missing out on a lot of time with your mate."

Logan looks away evasively. "You wouldn't think that if you knew what I was doing," he says cryptically.

My eyebrows join together in confusion. "Well yeah, maybe, but I don't... like I said, it's not my business," I remind him.

"I know," he sighs. "Believe me, I want to tell you. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about you that makes me trust you. You're the most honest person I know."

I wait for him to take it back and say something else, but he doesn't see the humor that I do. "You're kidding, right?"

Up close, from this angle, I can tell that his eyes are grey. I never noticed _this_ color before.

"No," he replies hesitantly, my surprise making him doubt his statement. "Why? Do you disagree?"

"No, no," I hastily assure him. "It's just..." _How can I put this in a way that doesn't make him suspicious?_ "I don't tell you all my secrets."

He relaxes again, and I almost sag in relief. "I don't expect you to, that's not what I meant," he tells me.

"What did you mean then?" I wonder.

"When I ask for your opinion, you don't hold back, and you don't sugarcoat anything," he specifies.

"Oh," I say with a little less surprise. "But that just means I speak my mind."

He chuckles. "That's what I'm trying to say. I admire that about you."

"Well." I pause. "Thanks... I think."

One corner of his lips pulls up in a half smile. "No problem."

There's a moment of comfortable silence before I remember how this whole conversation started and speak again. "So what are you going to do about Reena?"

Logan sighs, looking tired now that we're back to that. "There's nothing I can do but try to make it up to her," he replies. "I'm certainly not going to stop taking those trips I've been taking."

I purse my lips and consider his dilemma from another angle. "Why don't you try a different approach?" I suggest.

He stares at me with confusion. "Like what?"

I can't believe I'm about to take this girl's side. "I don't know what it is you're doing, and I know I probably can't ask you to tell me, but I'm guessing she knows. Why don't you try to include her more in it?" I propose.

"Reena would get bored with it... this sort of expedition is not her thing," he tells me.

"It doesn't have to be her thing. Look, she's your mate," I point out. "All she wants is to spend time with you. You don't have to take her with you if you don't want to, but it doesn't really take much to make someone you care about happy. You just have to do something that reminds her you haven't forgotten about her."

Logan's smile is full of approval, and he is impressed. "You might have a point. Thanks, Michael," he sincerely says.

Smug, I give him a slight smile and nod. "My pleasure," I assure him. "I told you I would be your go-to man for relationship advice."

He laughs, and I smile wider when he does. It's just so contagious.

"Yeah, sure, you're a real romance expert," he goes with the joke.

"Who's a romance expert? Dylan?" a voice says from the doorway into the living room.

Logan and I turn at the same time and find Sadie standing there with a smirk on her face. Cade is right behind her and wearing a similar expression. He is also caring a duffel bag over his shoulder.

"I think you must have him confused with someone else," she teases.

"You're just jealous that I have all the good advice," I go on.

"Sure, that's it," she humors me.

The guys are amused by our exchange but don't go along with it. Cade lifts up the car keys and dangles them in front of him for Logan to see.

"Car's ready," he says. "Let's go."

Sadie latches onto his waist and buries her head in his neck. "Don't be too long or I'll miss you," she murmurs, though we can all hear it.

He holds her in his arms and chuckles in her ear. "I'll miss you more... even if it won't take that long."

I roll my eyes. "Okay, spare me the lovey-dovey stuff...you had plenty of time to do that upstairs," I point out.

"I second that," Logan backs me up as he walks out of the living room.

"Jealous idiots," Cade mutters.

"I heard that," I loudly say, "and it's completely untrue."

"Bye Michael," he replies in a sing-song voice.
CHAPTER 24

Sadie

There is a definite crush situation going on. I can't believe I didn't notice it before. All the signs are there; she tries to make him happy, she perks up when we talk about him, and when they're alone together -which Cade and I have snuck down to see. She loves having his attention and listens to every word he says like he's sprouting the secrets of the universe. There is no denying that Dylan has a crush on Logan.

When the guys are out the door and out of the driveway, I join her on the couch. The mischievous smile can't be contained from my face. This is either going to be really fun or really bad for me, but either way, I'm going to tease her endlessly about this until she admits it.

Dylan notices my expression and frowns suspiciously. "What?" she demands.

"You like Logan," I state.

"'Course I do," she confirms. _That was easy_. "He's a great alpha and a good friend."

I can't say that doesn't surprise me. This is really the last answer I would have expected. I didn't think she would misunderstand me.

The laughter erupts without warning, and I shake my head in disbelief. "No," I say, drawing on the 'o' sound. "I mean you _like_ like him. You have a crush on him."

Dylan's eyes practically bulge out of their sockets, and her eyebrows almost fly up to the top of her forehead.

"What?!" she chokes out.

Her reaction just confirms it even more.

"You totally do!" I insist.

She gives me a flat look. "Sadie, you're delusional."

"That's what you said when I found out you're a girl," I point out in a sing-song voice.

She slaps her hand over my mouth and frantically shushes me. "Keep your voice down when you say stuff like that! Honestly Sadie, we're in a house full of werewolves, remember?"

She is much too paranoid. It's to be expected, of course, because she has been drilled to fear everything her whole life. But the Silver Moon Pack is probably one of the few who would protect her. I can't force her to tell them, but I'm trying to give her hints so that she could think of it on her own.

I have to forcibly remove her hand. "Oh relax, no one's going to hear," I assure her. "It's nine thirty on a Sunday morning... most are still in bed and anyone who's awake is out."

"You don't know that... somebody could still hear us," she hisses.

"Yes I do know. I know the house's schedule, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, like everyone always sticks to a schedule."

I ignore her objections and grin. "Dylan and Logan, sitting in a tree," I sing with a low voice.

She covers my mouth again, putting more force behind it this time. I can't help being excited. This is probably her first crush, and it's making me so excited. I wonder what he would think if he knew she's a girl. I wonder what she would even look like.

"Sadie, I do not have a crush on Logan," Dylan whispers slowly, trying to get the message across.

She is definitely in denial. But two can play at this stubbornness game. Since my speech ability is blocked, I have to bob my head up and down in rebuttal.

Frustrated, Dylan sighs heavily. "Okay, what's it going to take for you to drop this?"

A plan immediately begins to form in my head. I realize it's probably a bad idea to force Dylan to accept the fact that she's a girl, but if she's ever going to be truly okay with who she is, she needs a little encouragement.

Dylan pulls her hand back when she feels my lips turning up into a smile. "Let me give you a makeover," I request as kindly as I can.

She blinks, completely lost, "What?"

"I just want to see what you look like in girl clothes," I use as an excuse.

She glares at me in response. Seconds later, I realize what she must have thought I meant, so I raise my hands up and add, "Just clothes, I swear... no shaving or plucking or makeup or anything. I can use my imagination for that."

"No," is her immediate response.

I pout. "Why not?"

She seems to be starting to lose patience, because she brings her hand to cover her face and puts two fingers on the bridge of her nose.

"Sadie," she says calmly, "Over a month ago, I got in trouble for wearing a bra in the house and taking a picture in it."

I knew she was going to use this line of reasoning, and I know exactly how to counter it. "But your brothers are by now either gone to work or out with friends, and your parents have that brunch with mine in half an hour," I point out. "The house will be empty, and we can take precautions so that no one sees us from outside."

That's when she starts to hesitate, and I take advantage of the opportunity.

"Five minutes," I beg. "That's all I'm asking for. Five minutes of you in clothes you were meant to wear, and then I'll help you burn the evidence myself."

There is a part of me that suspects Dylan is only suppressing who she is out of fear and habit. But I think she actually longs for the freedom to be herself. I am giving her an opportunity to do that without getting caught or being in trouble with her parents for it.

"Fine, but just five minutes, and we have to be sure no one can see or hear us," she finally agrees in a hushed tone.

Beyond pleased, I squeal and throw my arms around her neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I chant. "Wait, you do have girl clothes, right?"

Dylan considers this for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I have something that might work," she says.

I can feel a nervous but suppressed excitement radiating off of her, and I'm glad that I was right. She will thank me for this someday in the future.

The time it takes us to walk to Dylan's place from the compound is enough for her family to have vacated the house. Dylan rushes us into her room, locks the front door, closes every window and curtain on the second floor and starts taking out the clothing items she must have been talking about.

"Just remember that the shirt isn't mine, but the pants are, so there's no way they're going to match," she tells me.

It's cute that she gets so self-conscious.

"It's fine Dyl, just put them on. I won't judge you on your wardrobe choice," I tease.

Dylan may have let the fact that I saw her naked in the forest a couple weeks ago slide. Although I insist that it is okay for her to change in front of me, she is adamant that she won't strip for me or anyone ever again. I have to relent.

She takes way longer than she should have in there, and I start to get restless after a while.

"Come on! You've been in there for over twenty minutes!" I complain. "I'm beginning to think you drowned in the sink."

Finally, after taking her sweet time, Dylan unlocks the door and steps out of the bathroom. She stands in front of me while I examine her appearance. She doesn't have her usual bandage wrappings on, so her feminine curves are obvious for anyone looking. The mismatched colors of her purple top and grey pants look oddly cute together.

Her hair reaches just the middle of her forehead from the front and is only an inch and a half long. It is a mess. A cute mess, but it's still in need of a comb. Her eyebrows, though separated, could use a bit of a touch-up. But regardless of all of that, she is still very pretty. I just wish she would see that herself.

"Oh yeah, with a little work, definitely hot," I reaffirm my previous assessment.

"Well too bad this is the best you're going to get," she replies sarcastically. "There's no way I'm ever going to have the luxury of doing more than that. Now are we done? Can I change back?"

Pleased I finally got her around to doing this, I smile and nod. "Yes, you can change back now. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she mutters.

I hear a rattling sound coming from downstairs. Dylan and I exchange a look, realizing at the same time what the sound is; keys going into the lock. I am suddenly very frightened and very annoyed at myself. But I'm not nearly as scared as Dylan, who rushes into the bathroom and locks the door.
CHAPTER 25

Michael

Ever been in a situation where you're doing something you know you're not supposed to do and suddenly you hear someone coming, so you scramble to hide the evidence and look as natural as possible? Well, I find myself in that very situation when I hear the front door open downstairs.

I frantically take the girly shirt off and throw it in the laundry basket, while Sadie paces and hovers around in my room, trying to figure out how she can help.

There's not enough time to wrap the bandages perfectly around my torso, and the end result comes out too disordered. I throw the baggiest hoodie I can find over my head in hopes that it will hide the mess.

"What do we do?" Sadie hisses at me as I hear footsteps going up the stairs.

Panicked, I make gestures for her to stop talking and motion to the bathroom. She's not happy about me trying to hide her, and she shakes her head in refusal. I don't get a chance to argue back because my bedroom door goes flying open and we both jump at the same time.

I don't know which member of my family I expected it to be, but I'm shocked when I find all six of them standing there. My brothers have somber expressions on their faces, but I can see traces of sympathy in there for me, too. Mom looks stern and my father's face is completely unreadable. When they see Sadie in the room with me, they all seem shocked. Dad is the first to talk.

"Sadie," he says with a tone of surprise. "I would have expected to find you at brunch with your family."

"Uh, no sir, Dylan and I were... um, hanging out," she replies nervously.

He glances at me. "Yes, I can see that," he coldly answers. "Mason, would you mind driving Sadie back to the compound? There's something we need to discuss with Michael."

_Uh oh_ , I think with dread. _Does he know that she knows?_

It becomes apparent that he does when, after Sadie and Mason leave, he takes two steps in my direction and yanks at the bandage sticking out of my hoodie. In one rough movement, he rips the fabric too fast, which burns my skin. Then he holds it up in front of my face like a piece of trash.

"What were you thinking?" he hisses.

Let me be clear on something first; I am not a goodie-two-shoes when it comes to my parents. I listen to them because I know there's a purpose behind each rule they set out for me and my brothers... to keep us safe. But when I saw a way to be myself that wasn't risky, I took it. Their appearance right now is a complete shock, and there's no way I could have predicted it.

It's amazing though, how my dad can make me feel like a child again with one simple look. "She could have seen that. Do you know how easy it would have been for her to know you're hiding something?"

Surprise colors my face; so he doesn't know? But then why was he so mad when he came into my room?

"Steven, this isn't what we came here for," Mom reminds him in a tone gentler than her stoic expression.

"Why are you here, anyway?" I venture to ask, thinking that whatever it is, it can't be as bad as their reaction would have been if they find out Sadie knows my secret. "I thought you were going to that brunch with the pack?"

"We were. We did," Dad tells me icily. "But then I got a call, and we had to have a family meeting."

Choosing to focus on the topic and pretend not to notice his anger, I frown. "What call?"

"From Berklee College of Music," he replies, and my body heat suddenly drops. "Apparently, you are late in sending a recording that is required with your application, and you have until the end of July to submit one if you wish to get an interview or an audition."

My dread is instantaneous. When the applications demanded my parents' numbers, I didn't fill it out, obviously. I did give them our address, since I'm usually the one that checks our mailbox every day. However, I didn't take into consideration the fact that our address is listed with Dad's phone number in the books. Apparently they easily found it. I must have forgotten my phone on silent and that's why Berklee called him.

This is just as bad as them finding out Sadie knows. I remain speechless, and Dad takes that as an admission of guilt.

"I cannot believe you would go behind our backs like that. I thought we raised you better!" he gradually starts raising his voice until he's yelling at the end.

I flinch, but he doesn't stop or even acknowledge it. He does lower his voice again though.

"I thought we had a better relationship than that. I thought we trusted each other enough to be honest... instead we find you lying to us and going behind our backs, willingly putting yourself at risk of exposure!"

Something about the way he uses the collective 'we' makes his lecture so much worse. An uncomfortable feeling starts to churn right beneath my heart and makes it beat faster.

"What were you thinking, Michael?" Mom demands.

The churning increases by a tenfold at the sound of my name. "I was thinking that I want to do something for myself... for once," I reply, and I'm just as shocked as they are by the steadiness of my voice.

Normally, this is the part where I would be apologizing for my risky behavior and promising that I would be more careful next time. For some reason, I don't feel like doing that. I'm not sorry, and I'm definitely not afraid to let them know that.

"I'm tired of doing this," I confess, "always hiding who I really am... who I want to be. All because someone may or may not find out I'm a girl, and may or may not use that information to harm me. Well what if they don't? What if I do go to college as a girl and no one cares?"

"Dylan, you know what our kind would do if they found out, we've been over this a thousand times," Dad chastises me.

Upon hearing my middle name, the churning in my heart turns into a suffocating burning sensation. "Do I?" I snap back. "Do I know that for sure? Because so far, two people have found out, and they're doing just fine with that information!"

A collective gasp escapes from the six members of my family –well, five now that Mason's not here. A rational side of me is telling me that I need to take it back, or at least apologize for letting Cade and Sadie know my secret, but I can't seem to make myself care. I'm in a bizarre state that's alien to me, where I've lost control of my emotions. The words tumbling out of my mouth are not passing through brain censorship first.

"What?!" Mom breathes. "How did this happen?! Who found out?!"

I hold my head up defiantly. "Sadie found out about three weeks ago when she walked in on me singing, and Cade has known for two weeks. He thought we were doing something and attacked me, and I had to physically show him the truth to stop him from ripping my throat out," I say all in one breath.

Mom is the only one who gasps again. "Dylan... what have you done?"

The burning sensation is really getting uncomfortable now. "They're not going to tell anyone, I trust them," I announce through my building anger.

Mom suddenly looks pained. "Dylan, why can't you see that all we want is to keep you safe?"

That's when the heat in my heart explodes into the rest of my body, crawling over my skin and urging me to let it out.

"What's the point of keeping me safe if I'm also a prisoner?" I shout. "Do you think I enjoy living like this? I spend my days worrying about everything I say or do, hoping it doesn't reveal anything about my _secret_!" I use my fingers to make air quotation marks.

"I wonder why I don't have any friends," I go on screaming, "but then I remember I can't, or else they might get too close! I don't have a choice in anything... not what I wear, not who I hang out with... not even what I can do with my own life! And the worst part is that I ask myself every day, how could my own family force me to live like this and expect me to be okay with it? How could the people who are supposed to love me unconditionally and accept me for the way I am, ask me to hide my true self even when I'm alone with them? It's pulling me in two, and I'm so f*cking tired of it all!"

After my outburst, they all stare at me with wide dumbfounded eyes. Some instinct that is still submissive to them berates me for talking to my parents in such a way, but I'm still in the state of frustration and I don't care what I do or say. The only reason I'm stopping is because I'm out of breath and my throat is starting to hurt from all the screaming. This time, Daniel is the first to speak, which is enough of a shock to quiet my mental voice.

"Dad, something's wrong," he simply says. "Can you hear that?"

For a second, I'm distracted.

"Yes, I know," Dad replies calmly... too calm. "She's having her first attack."

_What? I'm not attacking anyone_ , I angrily but silently protest, because my throat still hurts.

My heart is beating so fast that my breathing is all over the place. It's like I've run a marathon. No, more like ten marathons. I feel a bit lightheaded all of a sudden, and I fall back on my bed. They rush over me and hover so closely that it's suffocating.

"Get away!" I snap angrily.

"Give her room to breathe," Dad orders.

All at once, they back away but remain close enough to touch me if they need to intervene. I'm getting dizzy. This can't be good. And suddenly I understand what they were talking about.

When werewolves turn for the first time, their five senses suddenly become heightened. That's what makes the transformation so painful. They learn to adapt to it with time, and the change becomes pretty painless later on, and even exhilarating.

But there's another kind of change that happens after they've turned back to human form; their emotions become heightened. In wolf form, this is easy to control because you have a way to let all those pent-up emotions out; running and howling work best, for example. But in human form, if not stopped, these emotions are externalized through physical violence, rage and an episode of blacking out where the person literally loses control of himself and wakes up not remembering what happened.

Like with the first shift, the first attack is the most difficult because it's new, and fearing it only intensifies it. I've mentioned already that I've never "blown up" before. That's because I always keep everything bottled up, and I try to act as detached as possible in order to protect my secret and keep make my parents happy.

I didn't expect for it to happen anytime soon, and to be honest, I was hoping I escaped having to go through it. Turns out I was wrong. My secret, the college argument, my family's anger at me; all of it was too much for me to bottle up, especially since I was also apparently harboring some resentments I didn't know I felt toward them.

The sensation of all these emotions attacking me at once is overwhelming. Anger, bitterness, sadness, frustration and guilt are coursing through me all the same time, and I don't know how to stop them or even let them out the right way. I understand now why they call it an "attack". Add fear and panic to the list of emotions flooding through me.

I begin to struggle for breath when my heartbeat accelerates and becomes too fast for me to keep up with it. I'm afraid it might burst at any moment. It has never happened before, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about it.

My family starts comforting me. I guess they can sense my fear. They all talk at the same time, however, and it's impossible for me to focus on just one.

"... all right, darling, breathe..." Mom's voice is gently saying.

"... calm your anger and then you'll..." Dad... obviously.

"... think of Marianna and how..." Danny tells me, which yet again is surprising on its own. When did he become so observant when it comes to my mood and interests?

"... chocolate cake..." I want to roll my eyes at Nate's stupid reassuring words, but I can't do anything other than try to properly breathe.

"... asked Andrea to be my mate..." _What?_

My eyes widen as they find Connor. _Seriously?_ I ask him with my gaze. The rest of them are just as surprised as I am, and they stop to listen to him.

"Yes, yes, that's right," he encourages, his eyes softer than I've ever seen them. "You heard me correctly. I told Andrea about us two days ago, and I asked her to be my mate."

"How did she react?" Dad asks him curiously.

"Uh, she was excited," he admits in a somewhat embarrassed tone. "She's watched tons of movies and shows, and um, she kind of thinks it's cool. Although she was worried that I would find my soul mate one day and leave her, which was kind of weird. It could have gone worse, I guess. She could have rejected me."

Focusing on what he's saying is distracting me. Little by little, I feel my breathing slowing down. I try to open my mouth to ask him something, but it's still difficult.

He sees me struggling and goes on. "You were right this whole time... I've been a coward. But I won't be anymore. I love her, and it's about time I stopped hiding it."

My lips finally touch each other and I can breathe again, which means speech comes back to me. "Took you... long enough to... admit that," I say in a raspy voice, which makes them all sigh in relief.

The attack has been halted this time; who knows when I'll truly lose it. While I catch my breath and calm my raging emotions down, they stand there and wait for me. I try to ride it out as long as possible, because I don't want to hear Dad lecturing me again. But after a while, it becomes apparent that I'm stalling. I can't delay the inevitable, so I sit up straight on my bed and face my parents.

Dad takes a moment to just stare at me. Although he's not as cold as he was when they first came in my room, his mood is now much worse; he's disappointed in me.

"I'll tell you the truth, Dylan, I would have at least hoped that you would be honest with us about how you're really feeling," he says with such sadness that I feel much more guilty for saying those things before. "You've never mentioned anything like that before, and I'm disappointed that you think you can't tell me and your mother anything you want anymore."

I try to search for my voice again, at least to say that I'm sorry I said those things, and that I didn't mean them. I know he won't believe it though, because I don't think I do either. I can never hate my parents. I love them very much. But I really do feel trapped because of my secret and how much they push me to protect it. It's very tiring to keep doing that.

"I'm going to let you rest now. I know how much of a strain the first attack can put on you, and you came pretty close to your breaking point," he adds dejectedly when I don't respond after a long silence. "As for the other two issues, we'll talk about them when you're feeling better."

Then wordlessly, he and Mom stand up and exit my room, closing the door behind them. My brothers and I remain in silence for a bit.

"Well that could have gone worse," Nate finally breaks the ice, making the rest of us chuckle.

"Somehow I doubt it," I comment.

"At least one thing came out of this," Danny hints. "Con's finally got a mate!"

He and Nate start behaving like goofs, while Connor groans and covers his face; however, I can see the hint of a smile pull up the corner of his lips, which makes me smile.

"Can you please not?" Connor complains.

"Oh, what did you expect? That we wouldn't say anything?" Danny teases.

"He must have known _that_ was never going to happen," Nate goes on similarly.

Although I'm glad they're not talking about what just happened, for once, I decide to come to my eldest brother's rescue. After all, he's the reason why I just narrowly escaped having my first attack.

"You guys do realize that this only means he is one step closer to become the head of the family after Dad, right?" I point out smugly.

One of the important parts of becoming the new alpha is the necessity of bringing a new heir. Some packs even use an interim alpha for a while until the next in line gets closer to having a son; in other words, until he chooses a mate. In our family, for instance, Dad has decided that the next in line is not necessarily the eldest; it's whoever brings an heir first.

Mason was closer than any of us in accomplishing that goal, but there's a chance he'll want to make a family of his own with Marianna instead of living with the rest of us. Now that Connor has chosen a mate, he's back in competition to be the next family alpha. Danny and Nate apparently haven't considered that.

It is precisely at that moment that Mason chooses to knock on my bedroom door and join us. He looks at our faces respectively, seeing none of that sadness or sympathy for me they were all feeling when he left us, and frowns in confusion.

"What did I miss?" he asks.

We stare at each other, not really sure where to start.
CHAPTER 26

Logan

A pattern started to emerge after Cade and I met more than half of the families on my father's list; almost all of them have a son who was kidnapped at one point. That can't be a coincidence. Not all of them were returned, like Jace.

One of the families was as afraid as the Mariners and wouldn't even let us in. On a hunch, and because Cade thinks the police will turn us away again, we did some online research. Neither of us is very good at it, but I picked up a few things about this during my training that were helpful.

We found out that not only was their 15 years old son, Ben, the youngest boy in the family, kidnapped when he was five, he was also still missing to this day. I presumed that they did not take the threat as seriously as the Mariners did, and they're now suffering the consequences.

The only other still missing boy is Paul, but we couldn't talk to his parents or find out anything more about them because they moved, a year after he was taken. We can't be sure if the families who turned us away had also gone through the same thing, but my gut is telling me that the kidnappings were no coincidence.

This is the only lead we have, but unfortunately, all it does is make me so stressed out. Cade convinces me to put it on hold for a while. He's not as affected by this as I am because it's not as personal to him. And frankly, the only reason he's going along with it is because of me; like Reena, he doesn't believe it will lead to something the way I do. I've been taking Michael's advice and keeping Reena updated on what's happening with us. She even tagged along when we paid a couple families another visit. It's not doing much though; she's against the idea even more.

"Take a week off," Cade suggests. "Work on your love life. Be with your friends. Soak in the sunshine. Just enjoy your life for a bit. I will handle this until you're ready to get back to work."

Naturally, I have to put up a fight, but it's only half-hearted because I'm exhausted, and I really could use a break. "We still need to see the families again and offer them our protection," I remind him. "We have to start with the Mariners."

He puts his hand on my shoulder to calm me down. This is my best friend speaking, not my beta. "I know that, that's why it will be the first thing we'll do," he guarantees.

I finally relent.

The first thing I should do is start making up my weeks of absence to Reena. However, my priorities get rearranged when I get a call from Michael asking if he could come over after school. He sounds mad, although he doesn't say anything about it, but I immediately know he could use a friend. I tell him to stop by for a round of video games. I promised Jared and Sam that they could have the game room all weekend if they let me and Michael have it for the afternoon. It's the only way I know he will be comfortable enough to talk to me.

It's the casual small talk and joking at first, but as usual, it shifts.

"Have you ever had a fight with your parents?" he asks.

I'm surprised by the fact that I'm not bothered to talk to him about them anymore. "Well my mom died when I was six, so I don't remember any fights I might have had with her," I admit. "They might have involved me not wanting to go to bed, eat my vegetables or put my toys away."

I have come to learn that humor and honesty are the best way to approach things with Michael. It's a tactic that puts him at ease, and is a good way to judge his mood, based on how much he responds to it.

"What about your dad?"

He didn't joke back. Which means it's not a random question. But he didn't make a grave comment either, which means it's not a very serious problem.

"My dad was not always around after she died," I tell him seriously. "He had a minor drinking problem for a while, as I told you, but he got through it."

I'll never forget his face when he hit rock bottom. I was only twelve, and he came stumbling into our living room, calling for me like an adult child who was just barely learning how to walk and talk.

He told me to get my uncle before he passed out. That was the last day he ever had a drink. It was also around the time he started visiting lone families and was gone for most of my life.

"But after that, he was very busy with his work, and I started seeing him less than usual," I go on. "He tried to be in my life more often, and when he was, he was the greatest father I could ask for. A great leader, too. But he still could have been there more often."

That's a very big thing for me to admit, and I've never told anybody how I felt about this, but I know this will bring comfort for both of us.

Michael pauses to take it in. "Did you ever resent him?"

"Sometimes," I acknowledge. "Believe it or not, I even resented my mother at one point, for leaving me with him. For leaving me at all. He was still in his drinking phase, and I was angry at the world because I felt abandoned by both of them."

The silence that follows on Michael's side is contemplative. I've given him a lot to think about. I'm interested to find out how this relates to him. I can almost feel the wheels turning in his head, making him reflect on his own situation.

"Did you always know you were going to become the alpha after him?" he asks.

"Of course," I confirm. "That was always the plan."

"Didn't you ever want to be something else?"

That's when I start to piece together everything and figure out what's bothering him. Michael had a fight with his family that somehow involves his future.

"It wasn't forced on me," I assure him. "I was raised to become a leader since I was born, but I had a say in the matter. It's my future... I have a right to decide what I want to do with it."

"And you chose to be an alpha?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

I shrug. "I didn't want to be anything else," I say, not knowing how else to explain it. "It became who I am."

Another pause... the only sound was coming from the video game, "Do you think your parents would have resented you if you chose something else?"

This hits a new nerve. I still worry every day whether or not I'm making my parents proud, and I don't have them around to ask. However, this isn't about me right now; it's about Michael. Everything I say is to help _him_ , not myself.

"I imagine they would have been a little disappointed," I admit, "but they would have been okay with it. They were my parents... they loved me. All they wanted was for me to be happy."

This is as far as the serious conversation goes, because Michael goes back to his usual joking manner after that.

When we part ways a while later, I get the feeling that I am just as affected as he is by what was said, if not more. So affected, in fact, that I take a walk a few days later to the one place which I haven't yet gone to see since we got here.

It was my father's gift to my mother on their honeymoon, because they couldn't leave the pack that long. He built her a small cabin in the middle of the forest, right next to a waterfall and a river, where they would go to be alone for a few hours every day during their honeymoon. After I was born, they spent some time with me here. Uncle Cliff says I fell asleep to the sound of the waterfall faster than I did at the pack house in my crib.

Then the pack moved, and no one has been here ever since. It's clear by the way the dust is gathering on the empty floor. I bring with me some cleaning gear and a folded cot that I place on one side of the cabin. Then after that, I take my jeans off, my shirt already discarded as window cleaner, and shift. The scenery is too beautiful not to enjoy.

Being here is very therapeutic, and I soon find calmness from my previously raging thoughts. I also find a renewed hope to make up with Reena.

She's in our room when I get home, reading. That's how she has been spending her time alone when I'm not here, ever since I suggested she finds something to do with all her free time. I would have asked her to come to the cabin with me, but the place feels too private, and I can't accept having anyone else in my parents' refuge.

She looks up at me when I walk in, and she smiles tentatively. "Hey. How was cleaning duty?"

Instead of answering her, I join her on the bed and lean over to give her a long kiss. Her confusion is evident at first, but then she melts into me and returns the kiss. I wrap her arms around her, and push her gently so that both of us are lying on the bed.

She pulls back, and I continue trailing butterfly kisses down her jaw, her neck to her collarbone.

"Logan," she sighs. "What-?"

I shush her and then kiss her lips again. "Don't say anything," I request. "Let me make everything up to you."

She smiles, and complies.
CHAPTER 27

Michael

Dad's idea of giving me space is to ignore me during the entire week. He's not being hostile or anything, but he doesn't acknowledge me in any way. I know what he's doing; this has always been his tactic to get my brothers and I to think about what we did while we wallow in guilt.

By the time he finally has a talk with us, we would have changed our minds and made up an apology speech. Too bad for him I don't want to change my mind. I'm tired of my secret controlling every aspect of my life. It would have been fine if I at least had an outlet, but I don't; my family is denying me even that.

Logan was right; it's _my_ future. I should get a say in what I want to do with it. It's not like I suddenly want to wear dresses, go out with boys and shop. I still want to be me, even if that means being a boy. All I want is to have purpose... otherwise, what's the point of living?

What do they think? That I'm just going to live with them for the rest of my life? What happens when my brothers leave and I'm the only one still at the house? What happens if they die? Am I supposed to live with one of my brothers? I can't spend my entire life with a babysitter. And it's not like I'm asking for too much. College is not that big of a deal.

It surprises me how radically my thoughts and opinions have changed during the past month. Before, I never thought my parents' security measures were extreme. I always knew they were there to protect me. But now, it's like every rule they have ever laid out only serves to suffocate me more. I can't imagine how I was able to take it all for almost eighteen years.

There's only one thing that takes my mind off of the fight with my parents... War Day retaliations. I handle one brother each day just so I can keep myself distracted for as long as possible. It's a shame I don't feel as good about myself when successfully pulling each prank. It's like the life has been sucked out of me this whole week.

I'm not depressed or sad or anything, but I'm also not happy or even relaxed. My emotions are just... neutral all the time. That's how I know my time of the month must be coming up. It has been almost four weeks since last time. I'm so not looking forward for another four days of hiding out in my parents' house.

Talking to Logan was probably the greatest help.

Being with Sadie and Cade is the only other way I can pass the time, but I have the judgmental thoughts of my parents hanging over every awkward moment we have. They asked me only once about what happened after Sadie left, and I was so nonchalant in the way I answered that they didn't dare ask again. Sadie was dying to know what I'm going to do about college, I could tell, but Cade wouldn't let her. I'm very thankful for his presence. He's been a better friend than I thought he would be.

Friday after school is when Mom and Dad finally acknowledge me. When my brothers and I walk into the house, it takes one look from our parents to let us know what's about to happen.

"Uh, we are going out," Mason announces. "We promised some of the SMP guys that we'd go for a run together, and they've been waiting since camp night."

"Yeah, what he said," his twin replies just as the four of them leave, giving me some final encouraging looks.

Their expressions are not how I expected them to be. I was waiting for their disappointment, or even their anger, but not the relaxed and even inviting looks they're giving me.

I stand there awkwardly waiting, until Dad says, "Take a seat, Mickey."

_Mickey_ , I repeat with shock in my head. _That's encouraging_.

My bag drops at the side of the armchair on which I plop down. I try to gather my confidence since I want to be able to hold my ground without wavering. It's hard to do that, because seeing their faces is making the guilt begin to rush through me again and my arguments to slip away from my mind.

Plus, Dad is not just my father; he's also my alpha, which means I'm anatomically inclined to obey him. It's not impossible to resist an alpha, but it triggers your sense of right and wrong in a way, and blurs the line between obedience and your own principles. Distinguishing between your own beliefs and those influenced by your sense of duty toward your leader becomes hard.

My parents sit next to each other on the sofa facing me, and the way they're handling themselves together makes me think of a powerful political couple. Intimidation begins to creep up my insides. It's when he's most composed that my dad exerts his authority and power the best. Anger, I could have fought against. Even disappointment might have been easier, but not this business-like approach he's taking.

Maybe I was wrong yelling at him the way I did. Should I apologize? Perhaps I should have heard them out and explained to them calmly what I'm going through. He's a fairly reasonable person and he would have listened. It's not like he has ever been unfair toward me and my brothers. Also, he treats my mom very well.

Mom. All my thoughts are focused on Dad and how I should apologize to him alone. This must be his alpha side affecting me indirectly. Otherwise I would be thinking of apologizing to both of them.

_Focus_ , I tell myself. _Don't lose your head._

A moment after sitting down, Dad clears his throat. "Son, I think we've all had more than enough time to calm down and think logically about this."

I don't know how, but hearing him calling me _son_ is like having a bucket of ice thrown down my back. Strange. Usually this happens when I'm referred to by my girl name. My mind is suddenly clearer than it has ever been. I may have been harsh in the way I talked to them, but I spoke the truth, and I'm not going to apologize for that part or change my mind. So I wait for one of them to talk.

"We understand your frustration, darling," Mom tells me gently. "As much as it hurts to admit, you had every right to think that way. We understand what you're feeling."

I almost snort. They can't possibly comprehend what I'm going through. They just treated me like another one of their boys. Keeping the secret was my burden alone. They didn't carry it with me, not really. No one ever did.

"It's true," she insists when she sees my skepticism. "It's not easy for a mother to raise her daughter in a way that goes against everything she wants to pass on to her. There were so many important moments in your life when I wished to have the relationship I want to have with you. But I care about you more than I care about myself, and I would do anything to keep you safe. Even if that means I have to sacrifice what I want."

Suddenly, I see my mom in a completely different light. From what I've seen and heard, mothers are responsible for the 'where do babies come from' speech for their daughters. Girls talk to them about boys, complain about school, confide secrets in them, and a whole bunch of other things I don't even know. My mother and I never had that kind of relationship. I love her, of course, but we don't really have a mother-daughter kind of relationship. We barely have a mother-son relationship.

I've thought about this before, and I can't say I have never wished things to be different between us. But I've always seen it from my perspective, like I'm the victim. I'm the girl whose mother treats her like a boy and doesn't bring her chocolate ice cream when she's having a bad day, or teaches her about periods and how to be a good friend or a girlfriend.

It never occurred to me before now that maybe my mom wishes for the same things. That maybe she's having just as hard a time as I am not being able to talk to her about whatever I want and confide in her or let her in my private life. Other than her life with Dad and the fact that she doesn't have any siblings, I don't know much about her. How sad is that? It's almost as if we're strangers.

"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, honey," she assures me when my face twists into a frown. "I only want to remind you that, although you feel like it, you aren't alone."

"I know you won't believe me when I say this," Dad says, "but we've been having as much of a hard time as you have keeping your secret. It hasn't been easy for us either, especially denying you the life you want."

A flicker of hope shines somewhere deep inside of me. Maybe they can understand. "Then why did you?" I finally speak up. "I understand having to pretend to be a boy, but you're keeping me on a very tight leash, Dad, and it's suffocating me."

"I know that, I really do," he assures me. "But you know it's necessary. You can't go to college. We've discussed that endlessly before... it's for your own good."

Whatever shred of hope I felt dies the second he says those words. I tried anger and I tried reason, and they didn't listen to either. I was deluding myself thinking they will ever get it.

"No, Dad, it's not for my own good," I say, deadpan and hopeless. "Because in that scenario, my life may be intact, but I'm not living in any way."

I can't handle staying around here any longer, and I don't listen to them calling after me when I leave the house. I expected them to be mad about Sadie and Cade knowing my secret, but I guess I should have known better than to hope they would be okay with the college idea.

For a moment, I stand silently outside the front door. I wait to see if they'll come after me, but nothing happens. I take off in the direction of the forest. I may not be able to shift, but I need the solitude right now. When I get to the edge of the clearing, I keep walking until I reach a boulder under which I can hide.

While I'm sitting there not knowing what to do, something spurs inside of me very suddenly, something that makes my heart beat faster and my eyes go wider. At first, I think maybe I'm going to cry, but it turns into a rush of elation instead of the sadness that should be there.

I've never felt anything like this before, but I need to understand it. It's like there's a magnetic field surrounding me and pulling me towards wherever the center of it is. I can't describe it better than that, but I do know that there's a deep seeded need to follow it. So I let my feet carry me while the pull increases more and more with each step I take. My mind becomes numb to anything other than the pull, to the point where I don't even know where I'm going or how I'm walking anymore.

I wake into awareness for a moment when I go deeper into the forest than I've ever been. Then I reach someplace unfamiliar, even though I was always so sure I've seen every part of this forest. I can hear running water somewhere close by. The smell of the wet earth overpowers almost every other scent within its vicinity.

The trees here are so high, and their tips so close to one another that there are rays of sunshine filtering through the spaces between them... making visible patterns that are so beautiful to look at. Craning my neck up, I can also see patches of the sky through the holes between the tree branches. It's amazing that none of my brothers, nor I, have ever found this place.

I'm so caught up in the beauty around me that I don't realize that the pull has unexpectedly magnified by a thousand, and that there's a big rock right where I just put my foot. I slip on and fall right on my face. Luckily, nothing gets seriously injured, although I do feel a bruise forming on my forehead. But I don't have time to dwell on that, because the pull suddenly feels heavy. Almost like I'm being controlled by it, my head lifts up.

Between the trees and bushes, I can see the stream I heard a while ago. I know where the sound came from when I notice a heavy waterfall at one side of it.

Then I see him by the edge of the water, drinking from it. In the midst of all the brightness from the sun and the clearness of the water, he stands in all his dark glory. A black wolf.

And then, it's like the puzzle pieces of my life have suddenly met their missing match, and the overall picture now makes perfect sense.

Despite the blackness of his color, he is the brightest light in this entire scenery; brighter even than the sun. I, alone, am darkness and emptiness. He is the center. He pulses with youth and vivacity, while I become old and lifeless. He is sublime. He is everything. I am nothing, and I need him.

Being this far from him slowly and painfully kills whatever pulse there might be in me. I have to be near him, so he will take away the darkness that I am, breathe life back into me and make me whole again. No, not 'again'. I am never whole so long as we are separated, and I won't be until I am with him.

But I don't stand. I can't even move. I want to. I need to be near him. But the magic of seeing him holds me captive. He is breathtaking. And for once in my life, I can't think of anything. He dominates my thoughts and refuses to leave them. All I want is to look at him more. No, I want to join him. But I still can't move.

Why can't I move?

And then, I know why. Because it's at that moment that I realize he's no longer a wolf, but has transformed into a man. A man I know very well.

Logan stands proudly in all his naked glory, and it's impossible to look away from his face. Even if I wanted to, if was curious enough to look at his body, I wouldn't be able to. I'm captivated. My eyes follow him as he moves to a bush and fishes out something from behind it; a pair of jeans that he wastes no time putting on. That's all. Then he starts walking away from the stream and from my eyesight, until I can no longer see him.

The spell snaps.

"No," I whisper, horrified.

He's too far to see, smell or hear me. Even if he wasn't, the waterfall, earth scent and my position between the trees and bushes would be enough to conceal me from him.

_This can't be_ , I tell myself when my voice doesn't work again. I am in complete and utter shock. _How is this possible?_

True mates exist only in fairytales. This cannot be real. And yet, the evidence is in my still beating heart and the pull that's gradually diminishing the further he gets from me. I am in too much shock to do anything but keep staring at the spot where I last saw him, hoping and dreading that he will come back.

I don't know how long I stay there, but it's dark by the time I find myself on my feet and running again. I'm not sure where I'm going, but when I see the compound, I stop dead in my tracks and come to the realization that not only am I still following the pull to him, I also have tears staining my cheeks and leaving hot tracks behind them.

Despite my intense yearning to go to him, I turn my back on the house and run home, all the while rhythmically chanting in my head, 'No, no, no, no, no.' When I see my house from a distance, a figure is walking away from it and in my direction.

I freeze. _No_ , I beg again. _Not him_.

But the size is not right; he's too short. Squinting through the tears, I make out a female figure coming toward me, and I involuntarily sigh in relief.

"Dylan?" Sadie cries when she sees me. "Dylan!"

She runs at me and throws her arms around my shoulders. Moisture touches the base of my neck, and I'm pretty sure that's not mine.

"Oh my God, Dylan, where have you been?" she sobs. "It's been hours! Your family has been worried sick! I was so afraid something happened to you. Where the hell did you go, and how could you not tell anybody?"

When the reality of the situation crashes onto me -my parents, college, Logan- I finally lose it. The first sob that escapes my lips is broken and foreign; first time I've cried like that in years. The others follow louder and more desperate.

"Wha-? Dylan, are you crying?!" Sadie asks through her own whimpers.

She tries to pull away, but I latch my arms around her waist and bury my head in her shoulder and hair, in the hopes that it will silence my sobs and stop my tears.

It doesn't. I can't stop. I can't even comprehend why this is happening. But I do know that I need comfort from somebody right now. Anybody.

Sadie seems to get that, so she holds me close without saying a word, even after she stops crying and I keep on going. She even starts to stroke the back of my head in a soothing manner.

Slowly, I am able to come back to the present because I focus on that gesture of hers, and then I stop crying. But it doesn't take the emptiness away; an emptiness I realize comes from not having gone to him when I had the chance.

Sadie doesn't pull away immediately, but when she does, she stares at me expectantly, worry coloring her every feature.

"Well?" she asks softly. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Numbly, I shake my head. "I can't," I barely manage to breathe out.

She frowns. "Dylan," she starts saying.

I interrupt her. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." Then I start shuffling toward my house, picturing my bed, and wanting to lay there not thinking of anything.

Sadie catches my wrist. "No, wait, Dylan, you should talk about it, whatever it is," she tells me.

I look at her desperately. "I can't," I repeat in a broken sob that I force down. "Please."

Her eyes glimmer when she hears the tone of my voice, but thankfully, she lets me go, albeit reluctantly. I don't even feel my feet as they transport me back to my house.

The sight that greets me when I enter the front door would have surprised me if I wasn't so empty inside. My entire family sits around the living room, some of them have tears streaming down their faces and others are trying to hold it in. They all spring up when I come in and start asking me questions.

Where have I been? Why didn't I answer my phone? What was I thinking?

Basically everything Sadie just asked, but in a much more colorful language and repeated six times.

"I'm going to my room," I numbly tell them as I walk up the stairs. "I need to be alone."

If my rigidity is not enough to make them back off, my tone of voice definitely convinces them to leave me be. It's completely devoid of life.

My bed is almost a reassurance when I climb into it, and I break down once again. This is the first time I cry myself to sleep since I was a child, and I don't even understand why I'm crying.

CHAPTER 28

Daniel

I want to be angry at my parents, but I don't know how that could help Mickey. After they lectured her when Dad received the call from Berklee, she needs us to stand by her, but I'm not sure how ganging up on our parents is going to do anything but get all five of us grounded.

Truth be told, I'm afraid to stand up to them, especially considering the secret I'm keeping from all of them. I know, I'm the worst brother in the world. I really want to fix this, but I was about to tell them I slipped up, when Dad got the call. When I worked up the nerve again, Mickey almost had her first attack. Then it was completely out of the question once Connor announced he'd asked Andrea to be his mate. There were only so many shocking revelations they could handle at once.

About a week later, when we come home from school, we find Mom and Dad sitting on the sofa together with stern faces. The five of us immediately realize what's about to happen. We make an excuse to leave the house so they could have the privacy they were silently asking for.

"What do we do now?" Nathan asks once we're all in the car. For once, we didn't fight over the passenger seat, and Mason and I conceded to let him have it.

"We could always do what we said we'd do and go for a run with Jared and the others," Mason suggests.

"I think I'm going to call Andrea," Connor says. "You guys do whatever you want."

"Come on man," Nathan complains. "She hasn't been your mate for more than a week. You can't show her your needy side until it's been at least a year."

I snicker. "Of course, everyone should get relationship advice from you, Nate. You're the best at those."

Nathan plays along and winks at me, and then brightens at a certain thought. "I should open my own hotline! Hottie hotline."

"How is that related to dating?" Mason questions.

Nate wags his eyebrows. "Who said anything about dating?"

Mase rolls his eyes, suppressing a smile. "Go see your mate Connor. We can go for a run with the pack."

"Actually," I start to object.

This is an opportunity for me to see Zoey. We haven't gone out all week. However, I have to be careful how I phrase it in front of my brothers.

"I don't feel like running tonight," I settle with. "I think I'm going to hang around the pack house until you guys return."

Mason frowns at me. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, since when do you pass up an opportunity to embarrass Nate in wolf form?" Connor seconds.

"Hey!" Nathan objects.

I grin. "You just wait to see what I have in mind for you on the next War Day," I threaten. "Anyway, I don't know, I just want to have a quiet night. But I don't want to spoil your fun, so you guys go ahead."

Thankfully, they buy it. A few minutes later, Connor drops us off in front of the pack house and races off to his _corazón_. Seriously, that's how she's calling him now. Mason is _amour_ and Connor is _corazón_. I'm so glad Zoey is not into nicknames. God knows what she would have called me if she was.

After Mason and Nathan leave with Jared and Sam to meet with the other guys, I sneak back to the Creeds' house and stand under Zoey's bedroom. Cade and Sadie are probably at the pack house. Her parents are downstairs watching TV with her brother. I think it's safe to discreetly get her attention.

I pick a few pebbles off the ground and throw them gently at her window. A few seconds later, she appears.

"Daniel?" she whispers sharply, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

I shrug with a smile on my face. "I missed you."

I will explain it when I'm up there with her. She's only on the second floor, so it shouldn't be hard to get up there.

"Move back," I tell her.

She doesn't realize what I'm about to do and doesn't move. "What? Why do you-?"

I cut her off when I spring up straight to her window. She jumps back a little bit when I land right in front of her. I can't keep the smile off my face.

"Hi," I say lightly, and then I kiss her.

She responds immediately and grabs onto my shirt, the way she always does. I wrap my arms around her waist and gently push her back so that I can get in and stand properly.

Suddenly, she pulls away. "Hold on."

She gets out of my grasp and twists so that she can close the window, and then lock her bedroom door. Then she puts her arms around my neck and kisses me more fiercely than she ever has before. Somehow, we end up on her bed, wrapped up in each other while still fully clothed.

"You didn't answer my question," she mumbles around the kiss.

"Aren't you happy to see me?"

She smiles against my lips. "What do you think?"

We make out for a while longer, but when my hand starts inching its way up her stomach, she completely pulls away.

"Daniel," she says sternly, bringing me out of my haze.

I sigh and remove both my hands. "Sorry, I got carried away."

We've been dating for over a month now. We haven't talked about it yet, but we both know it's too soon for us to sleep together... she's not ready for it. I am not going to pressure her, and it's not like I expected anything to happen so early when we started going out. Zoey is different from all the girls I've been with. She's worth the wait.

"Tell me why you're here," she requests again.

She straightens up and rests her back on her headboard as I tell her what happened. She holds my hand and entangles our fingers together. When I'm done, she tries to reassure me the only way she knows.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she says.

"I could have stood up for her," I counter.

"She has to learn to do that for herself, or else she'll still rely on you guys, just in a different way," she points out.

I sigh and stare at our joined hands. "I know. I just..."

"You don't like feeling useless," she finishes for me. "But you're not. You've done a lot of good for _me_." She pauses. "Without you... I wouldn't have found the courage to contact my brother."

I sit up instantly, a bright smile on my face. "You called him? That's great, Zo!"

"I didn't call him," she denies. "I got his number. He's at this college in Boston, some music institution called Berk-Berkee?"

My eyes widen slightly. "Berklee?"

She frowns. "Yeah. How did you know?"

"That's where Mickey wants to go," I tell her. "What did you talk about?"

Zoey nervously pulls her hair back behind her ears. "Uh, I didn't actually call him. I sent him a message... on Skype."

"What did you say?" I rephrase my question.

"I told him I'm the girl from the cemetery who ran away from him," she replies. "And... I explained why I ran."

I grimace. "In a Skype chat room? Zo-"

She groans and covers her face. "I know. I chickened out," she admits. "But he agreed to set up a video call tomorrow morning, before his classes. After that, who knows? Maybe we'll even meet in person."

I relax again and smile. "That's great news, Zo!"

She bites her lip. "Can you be there with me? For the video chat?"

"Of course," I agree without needing to think about it.

Relieved, she sighs and throws her arms around my neck. "Thank you so much," she whispers, her voice heavy with emotion. "I couldn't have done any of this without you." She sighs. "I love you."

A shock goes through my system at hearing those words. This is the first time I hear them from someone who isn't related to me. Zoey seems to notice it a second after I do, and she stiffens. She pulls away frantically and stares at my face.

"Daniel, I didn't-"

I cut her off by grabbing her face and planting my lips on hers. She's hesitant at first, but she quickly tilts her head and melts into the kiss with me. After a moment, I pull away slowly.

"I love you too."

Her smile is wide and we close the distance once again. We're interrupted within seconds when my phone rings in my pocket. I ignore it. But then it rings again, too quickly after the first time, and I know it must be urgent. Annoyed, I groan and reluctantly let go of Zoey. It's Dad.

_Definitely urgent_ , I think.

I pick it up. "Hello?"

"Michael left two hours ago and hasn't returned," he says instead of greeting me.

My heart drops. "We're on our way."

"What is it?" Zoey asks worriedly.

"I'm sorry baby. I have to go... Michael is missing."

My mind goes into red alert mode as I jump out of Zoey's window and start running for the forest, already dialing Connor's number. He picks up at the third ring.

"I'm already on my way," he says before hanging up.

Half an hour later, my brothers and I are all back in our house. Mom is already in tears, and Mason looks like he's on the verge of following her lead. Dad is the most distraught of us all, however. His voice is shaking as he starts giving us instructions of where we should start searching. No one is saying it out loud, but we're all thinking it; if someone kidnapped her, how in hell do we know where to start looking?

However, we don't get very far in our planning, because the front door is flung open. We all turn expectantly, but it's just Sadie.

"I drove here as soon as I could," she cries. "What happened? Where is she?"

_Zoey must have told her_ , I conclude.

At first, my parents don't know how to react. They're not used to having anyone from the outside know about Michael. After much arguing, they convince her to go home, and that they will call her as soon as we find something. She's a very stubborn girl, even more than her sister, so it takes a while to finally get her out the door.

Then we go back to planning, but we're interrupted once more when the door opens again. This time, it's really Michael. She doesn't look so good though. Her head has a large bump on it, her hair is disheveled and tears are streaming down her face. All of our attempts to get her to talk to us are in vain. She's answering us too robotically, and it silences us. Something very bad must have happened.

"We'll... we'll talk to her tomorrow... find out what happened," Dad finally decides. "Let's go to bed for now. It's late."

The shock has dissipated and has been replaced with worry for Michael's well-being. But like Dad said, we can't do anything until she's ready to let us in. So we all go to bed. I text Zoey before I fall asleep, telling her that Michael is okay and that I will explain everything tomorrow. I finish it with a reaffirmation that I love her.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You look horrible," Zoey tells me when I walk through her window, the next day.

"Mickey is back, but she's not doing so well," I inform her. "You should have seen her at breakfast, it was the strangest thing."

"What happened at breakfast?"

"She _cooked_ ," I explain, still trying to believe it myself.

Zoey's eyes widen. "What?"

"And _cleaned_ ," I add.

"Whoa."

I nod.

"Must be serious."

I nod again.

"But she's okay, right?"

I sigh. "I don't know... she's not talking to us. Dad says there's nothing we can do until she's ready to let us in."

Her lips twist up in a sympathetic manner. "I'm sorry. Do you want to go back home?"

I shake my head vehemently. "No, I promised I would be with you for this."

She smiles and gives me a quick peck. She has already set up her laptop, and was just waiting for me. We sit together on her bed with her laptop between us.

"Here we go," she whispers and clicks the call button.

I hold her hand encouragingly as the familiar ring beeps a couple of times before he answers. Seconds later, a guy's face appears on the screen. At first glance, I notice that he has the same eye color as Sadie, although his hair is much darker, almost black.

"Hello," Zoey awkwardly begins.

"Hi," he says back with a tentative smile.

"Daniel, this is John Brock," she introduces us. "My, uh, brother... John, I'd like you to meet Daniel Connolly, my boyfr-" I am pleasantly surprised by what she's introducing me as, but I don't get the chance to hear all of it.

"Wait, your last name is Connolly?" he cuts her off, suddenly looking at us with bewilderment.

I frown, not knowing what his deal is. "Uh... yeah?"

Then he says the last thing I ever expected him to say. "You're a werewolf, aren't you?"
CHAPTER 29

Michael

I try to stay occupied so I don't get lost in my frantic thoughts. I don't want to allow myself to remember what happened, because I'm afraid I will start crying again. I've cried more than enough last night.

It's barely six in the morning when I get out of bed, but I just can't sleep anymore. A shower is out of the question, although I need one, because there's nothing stopping my thoughts when I stand under the water. I need to keep myself busy.

So I go to the kitchen first and clean everything in sight; from the dishes, to the oven, the floor and every surface imaginable. I even empty the fridge so I can shine it from the inside and rearrange the food in an obsessively organized way.

By the time I'm done, it's only eight in the morning. My family is still sleeping, so I move to the downstairs bathroom. It's the only one in the house that doesn't have a shower, so it doesn't take me long to finish with it. Plus, it's not as if I have any experience cleaning bathrooms or anything.

Since today's a Saturday, I don't think anyone might wake up before nine, which means I have just enough time to make them breakfast. If I'm a bad house cleaner, that's nothing compared to how terrible I am at cooking.

I burn the pathetic excuse for a coffee and basically spill it all over the counter I just cleaned. The pancake mix is too muddy. I throw it out without even trying to fix it. I put too much pressure on the oranges and end up breaking the squeezer. When I decide to make eggs, the shell falls onto the frying pan, and I have to pick out the broken pieces while it's hot. The yolk spills all over the egg white, and it ends up looking like an omelet. Thankfully, this one doesn't get burned. The toast is easy to make, and I get the jam jar to place it on the table next to it. Milk and various kinds of cheese also follow.

Just as I'm serving the omelet on plates I've arranged at the table, my family walks in. They must have woken each other up when they didn't find me in bed and come down looking for me. They care, I know they do, but they don't understand.

_Nope, don't go there_ , I warn myself.

If I think about the talk with my parents, I might start thinking about other things that happened yesterday.

I try to smile as brightly as possible. "Morning!"

They stare at me like I'm a ticking time bomb, and they're afraid to set me off, if they so much as look at me the wrong way. That's a reaction I didn't expect.

"Hi," Mason is the first to tentatively reply.

"Um, honey," my mom says, "did you clean up?"

I hop on toward her. "I sure did!" I reply quite smugly. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, I'm really happy you decided to do some chores, it's just..." she hesitates, looking like she's worried whatever she has to say will hurt my feelings. "People don't... generally use this kind of bleach for dishes, and dish washing liquid is not really made to clean floors."

A little dejected, I look around at what I thought was an accomplishment for me. How did my mother know what products I used? Even I can't tell, and I have a better sense of smell than she does.

"Oh," I reply sadly. "Sorry."

"Breakfast looks great, though," Danny comments to try and cheer me up.

I pout. "That's because I cleaned out all the eggshells."

No one says anything for a moment. They don't know what to make of my behavior, and I can't force myself to say something anymore. Wordlessly, I take my usual seat at the table and wait for them to follow my lead. Surprising me yet again, Daniel is the first to join me on the chair to my right. Mason then takes my left and the rest follow.

Needless to say, breakfast is incredibly awkward. All I hear for an entire ten minutes is the intensified sound of chewing and the clinking of the utensils on plates. I've never paid attention before to how loudly my brothers chew their food.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Nate finally speaks up, "but I can't ignore the elephant in the room much longer. Mickey, are you going to tell us what happened yesterday or what?"

"Nathan!" Mom scolds.

I almost expect someone else to shut him up too, but my mom is the only one to object. I guess they're all as curious as he is, just not as nosy. Especially Dad... he is staring at me silently, waiting for answers.

_Don't think, don't think_ , I remind myself.

"I just needed some air," I say. "I didn't expect to be out so long or I would have taken my phone with me. I'm sorry if I scared you."

"Damn right we were worried," Dad replies, somehow beginning to get angry. "You were gone so long that by the time we thought to go after you, there wasn't even a trail to follow. You could have warned us before leaving so we wouldn't be scared shit-less that something's happened to you. We thought you were kidnapped for God's sake!"

_Wow_ , I think to myself in disappointment. _Nothing's changed, huh?_

Even when I could have been dead for all they knew, it's still somehow my fault.

"Sweetie, why were you crying?" Mom asks softly when I don't say more.

"And what happened to your head?" Nate adds. "You look like you landed on a rock."

I glare at him. "That's exactly what happened, so don't joke about it," I retort.

The wound itself is healed, but it must have been deeper than I thought because the scar is not gone yet. Plus, I don't think I cleaned the blood off yet.

"Dylan," Mom forcibly calls my attention back to her. "Why were you crying?"

Gulping, I say the first thing that comes to mind. "It was just a little too much for me to handle. I need some time, that's all."

The tone of my voice is certainly enough to back me up; I sound as tired as I feel, although not for the reason I'm making it out to be. Right now is not the time to feel guilty about lying to my family, though. Besides, I really do need space, and it really is too much for me.

However, I have to face it at some point, and right now, I've given them enough reason to leave me be and allow me to think in peace.

_I'm going to have to face this sooner or later, so might as well go do it now while I can get some privacy_ , I decide, resigned.

"I need to take a shower," I announce and begin to stand up.

My father stops me. "Wait," he says. "Before you go, your mother and I would just like you to know that, although we don't like it, we're going to trust your judgment concerning Sadie and Cade. I still think it's dangerous, but if you trust them, I will learn to live with that."

Speechless, I stare at him for a bit, then nod and hurriedly leave the table. Five minutes later, I'm standing under the scalding water, trying to gather my thoughts. When I allow myself to think, a surge of emotions and ideas rush through me and make it impossible for me to really focus. I want to cry again, but I still don't know why, and I can't process the jumble of things going through my mind to be able to make sense of anything.

So I let myself go again; I let myself cry. My tears find a way to mingle with the water. But I hold my sobs this time, because I don't want my family to hear. They heard enough last night when I didn't care about keeping quiet.

All the while, I scrub myself clean the way I scrubbed the floors and toilet earlier. Then I wash my hair in a quick couple of minutes, since it's so short. My skin begins to turn red, so I finally stop and let the water wash everything off, including the saltiness in my eyes.

When I'm all cried out, I turn the knob off and sit in the warm tub. I'm a bit calmer, but still very confused. I decide to make a mental list of everything I do know.

1. Logan is apparently my mate.

2. My parents are still denying me my freedom.

3. Sadie and Cade know that I'm a girl.

4. Mom and Dad apparently don't like that, although they are trying to live with it.

5. Knowing that Logan is my mate makes me want to be near him and talk to him again, even though it's only been a few days since we last saw each other.

6. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get my period tomorrow and that I'm currently hormonal. Maybe that's why I cried so much since yesterday.

7. That can't be the only reason I cried so much yesterday.

_This is getting me nowhere_ , I lament, trying again. _Alright, what do I know about true mates?_

1. They exist only in fairytales (at least I believed that up until yesterday).

2. They have a powerful connection (I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I guess psychic communication must be included somewhere in there).

3. When they find each other, they are devoted to one another and are almost inseparable.

4. To find each other, they have to see themselves in wolf form.

_Which didn't happen for me_ , I suddenly realize.

Logan didn't see me in that stream... which means he still doesn't know. No one has ever said anything about what would happen when only one of the two knows. Maybe our wolf side can also feel the sting of unrequited love.

_Whoa there,_ love _?! I don't_ love _Logan!_

My eyes widen, and I gasp as the realization hits me. No, I'm not quite in love with Logan yet, but I definitely have feelings for him. I have since the moment I saw him in the diner and was intimidated by his presence. Opening up to him only deepened that attraction.

On some level, I felt a connection between us that I couldn't make sense of, and I wrote it off as intimidation. Well, I _was_ intimidated, but there was still something more. Our conversations always had a sense of... something right. Like this is what we were supposed to be doing all along.

I need to tell him. Maybe not about the mate thing, because I'm pretty sure he wouldn't believe that unless he saw it with his own eyes. Plus, that would be the most awkward conversation in the entire world.

But he has to know about my secret at least. If I tell him I'm a girl, maybe he will slowly figure it out himself. It might be a sign of my own weakness that I'm wishing he will figure it out on his own.

With growing resolve, I get out of the shower, dry myself and get dressed in a matter of minutes. Whatever died inside of me after Logan walked away yesterday, has suddenly been replaced with a longing to see him and tell him everything. I'm glad my family is too distracted by the time I'm ready to leave. That way all I have to do is shout that I'm going to the pack house before I'm out the door.

I'm so used to walking to the compound by now that I don't even think about where I'm going; my legs carry me without conscious effort on my part. During the walk there, I think about what I will say, and I even construct a speech.

As usual, I'm let in immediately, and before I know it, I'm ringing the doorbell. My nervousness is starting to show, and I bring my hand up without realizing it to bite my nails. The seconds tick by. I ring again.

Finally, I hear footsteps approaching. My heartbeat accelerates so much that I'm sure whoever it is can hear it. Then the door opens, and I'm met with the last person I expected to see.

"Michael!" Reena cheers with a smile. "What brings you by?"

My whole body grows cold, like I've suddenly been dumped into a frozen river. My entire face falls. I was wrong; it was not just about him not knowing.

"Did you say Michael?" a voice behind her asks happily, jolting me out of my thoughts. I immediately recognize him and his smiling face. "Hey! Where've you been? We've missed you around here. What are you doing standing out there? Come on in!"

I'm frozen in place. The only thing that forces me to move is Reena grabbing my hand and pulling me in. It's not just the shock of seeing them that's incapacitating my motor skills. That connection I was talking about in the shower, I can feel it, like an invisible bubble surrounding just me and him, with Reena an intruding presence.

In here, I see him for all his perfect imperfections; his kindness, his fair way of exerting his authority, his desire to connect with his lost parents, even his unwillingness to share his emotions and thoughts to anyone other than those few he trusts. Everything I know about him becomes like a glowing light of perfection that calls me to him.

I see his outer beauty in his smile and the softness of his eyes... eyes which also hold so much maturity and wisdom that add to his gentle nature, instead of hardening him as one would expect. I see it in the caring way he holds Reena close to him, even though I wish I was in her place right now. I even see it in his manner of walking, because it reflects his confident and determined personality.

Everything inside that bubble is begging me to close the distance and touch him, even if it's just his hand. I'm overwhelmed by the intensity of that need for physical contact, and I almost move to satiate it.

But I can't answer this call. I'm so afraid that touching him would lead to an even bigger need. That's why I make sure that we stand a good distance away from each other when we enter the living room. I gather enough of my senses to be able to act normal, but my heart breaking makes it so hard.

It becomes worse when Reena plops down on his lap, and he puts his arms around her waist. They both smile at each other, and she giggles when he kisses her neck. This is more than just difficult to watch; this is torture.

"I see you guys made up," I choke up, and clear my throat in hopes that they don't suspect anything.

I'm back in my element, where I hide my true feelings from everyone around me and suffer in silence. It's just so much harder right now, and I can't even control my emotions or my reactions.

He's looking at her with so much love in his eyes. How can they be so happy when I'm so miserable over here? How does he not feel anything I'm feeling?

"Yeah, well, he totally made up for it," Reena replies with a grin.

"I haven't even started yet," is what he says, and I literally feel like something stabs me in the heart.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay again," I mumble.

They once again smile at each other and sigh before looking at me. Logan then seems to realize what they're doing and gives me an apologetic smile.

"We're being rude, Ree," he says sweetly. "I'm sorry Michael."

I try to smile but I think it comes out a grimace. They're too happy to notice though. "It's okay," I lie. "I can leave..."

He frowns and protests. "But you just got here."

"Logy, I think this is a guy thing," Reena comments. "I'm going to give you two some privacy."

He kisses her before she leaves, and they both smile through it. I have to look away or else I might start crying again.

"I'll see you soon," he whispers, his voice full of promise.

I'm amazed that I'm able to stay there without breaking down in tears.

Logan throws his head back against the back of the armchair and sighs happily, closing his eyes. "Michael, there is really nothing like finding your mate. It's absolutely incredible."

Is this the universe's idea of a joke? Because it's not funny.

"I disagree with you on that," I reply icily.

Good, that's good; anger clouds my sadness.

"I don't ever want to find my mate. I'm starting to think it's nothing but misery."

Shockingly, he chuckles at my statement. "You just say that because you haven't found one."

Unable to hold my reaction this time, I bite my lip to keep from screaming and look away. For once, he notices. He stares at me quizzically.

"Why the long face?" he wonders. "Don't tell me you've found someone?"

My lack of reply and the look I give him says it all.

_Yes. It's you_ , I beg him to understand, to maybe hear my thoughts and come heal my heart. _You're the one. You're my mate_.

Sadly, he only seems to hear the first word, and his eyes widen with excitement. "You have?" he repeats. "That's great Michael!"

I shake my head miserably. "No it's not," I deny.

Confused, he frowns. "Why not?"

I pause before answering him. "Because... she's already with someone," I say, dying inside.

It was not just about Logan not knowing we're mates, although the part about unrequited love was not far behind. It was because I can't ever have him. I completely forgot about Reena when I saw him in wolf form. One thing they rarely tell us in fairytales about mates is how much it hurts when you realize your mate has already chosen someone else. It's almost as bad as rejection, though not quite the same because this is more of an indirect rejection.

_I can't believe that just when I find my mate, something I never thought would happen, I'm rejected_ , I gloomily think to myself.

"Oh," he utters, his demeanor instantly changing to forlorn.

Even when we're on completely opposite sides of the mood chart, he still finds it in him to sympathize with me. His compassion just adds to the glow of the bubble, and with it, my misery.

"Well, do you know her pretty well?" he asks.

I nod in confirmation. "Sh-she's one of my best friends."

"And the guy?"

_Reena?_ I think. _What do I think of Reena?_

"I don't think he's a bad person, but he just gets on my nerves a lot sometimes, and I can't find it in me to like him," I admit, sounding desperate, although for what, I don't know. Maybe for him to understand, that I'm not trying to insult his girlfriend because I don't want to upset him. I realize there's no way for him to know that I'm talking about her, but it's still instinctual, the urge to please him -or in this case, the urge to not displease him.

"Are they happy together?" he wants to know.

I think about it for a second; they sure seemed happy moments ago when they were snuggling on the couch. I nod again.

"I hate to say this, Michael, but I think it would be best if you back off," he says.

Shock and horror surge through me and form a lump in my throat. "W-what?"

No.

He gives me a sympathetic but resigned look. "If they're as happy as you say they are, and if you really care about this girl enough to think of her happiness before your own, then it's best to leave them be," he repeats.

That's when I can't contain it anymore; my head drops and tears start brimming in my eyes. That was most definitely the last thing I was expecting him to tell me.

"Hey," he says in a soothing voice when I start openly crying. "It's okay."

I feel him putting his hand on my shoulder to try and reassure me, but all it does is confirm my suspicion about physical contact building bigger needs. Now, what I want is to put my hand on his cheek and stroke his face.

That's when I feel his fingers lightly grab my chin and lift my face up. He stares at me with worry and confusion in his eyes, as I fight a raging battle to touch him and kiss him anywhere I can get.

"What happened to your head?" is what he asks.

"I fell on a rock," I lousily cry.

Seeing me this way and hearing my voice crack on such a stupid sentence must be funny to him, since his mouth stretches up into a smile that he tries to hold. And I find myself staring at his lips, imagining what it would be like to put mine against them. There is no greater agony than this. I cry again.

He visibly softens. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he tries to comfort me, putting his arm around me. "You'll find someone else, I'm sure of it. Someone much better."

_He doesn't even know_ , I mourn. _And he never will_.

No way am I going to be the one to turn his world upside down and threaten his happiness, just because I want to be with him. I'd rather never see him again than hurt him that way.

"There's no one better," I almost say, but I stop myself.

I need to get away from him for my torture to end, but if I say what I want to say, he will keep talking to me and never let me leave. Every second that I'm here, this close to him, is making it harder and harder for me to leave. But I really need to. So I swallow my words and get it over with.

"I have to go," I quickly say and leap out of his grasp.

He jumps when I snatch my hand back too quickly. Thankfully though, he doesn't make a move to stop me or even speak. He must sense that I want to be alone and decides to give me the space I need.

My parents were right; I can't ever be myself. What is the point of being a girl if I can't be with him, if the agony of not being with him is this impossible to handle? I'm not stupid enough to think I might move on and find someone else; that doesn't happen with my kind. There's never going to be anyone else.

_I have to leave_ , I decide.

It's impossible to sit idly while he's happy with someone else. I may have been self-deprecating my whole life, but I'm not a masochist. I will not let myself live in this sort of pain every day, knowing there's not much I can do about it.

My graduation is in four weeks. I'll be eighteen in five. I can hang on until then. I'll avoid him for as long as I can. It shouldn't be too hard. I've spent my whole life shutting people out. I can do it to him too. Of course, that means I'll have to shut out the entire pack, including the only true friends I've ever had, but that's better than the alternative.

After that, there isn't anything that my parents can say to make me stay. I'll be a legal adult; free to do whatever I want. I can pursue college in Berklee and find a purpose. If that doesn't work, I'll move somewhere far enough, that I won't feel this pull toward him anymore.

I don't care where I'll be or what I'll do. I could be in freaking Mexico begging on the streets, and it would be better than this. That's the depth of how much I have given up; on him, on my parents, on life in general. I'm sick of all of it, and I want out.

It's with a heavy heart that I walk home, my tears mingling with the warm April air.
CHAPTER 30

Logan

My vacation is cut short when I receive an urgent call. The Carsons have something they need to tell me, and it can't wait until morning. Cade has already left to check on the closer families, so I have to make the overnight drive alone.

The Carsons are a middle aged couple who just had their fourth baby three weeks ago. It's still dark when I get to their house, but the light is on at the front porch. Mr. Carson is sitting alone out there, waiting for me. Next to him, in his crib, his newborn baby is wrapped tightly in a thick blanket. Mr. Carson holds a bottle of milk at level with his son's hungry mouth.

"Thank you for coming," he says as a welcome. "Sorry for the late hour, but I wanted my wife to get some rest. She was in labor for ten hours, and she needs a night off. She still hasn't recovered from that."

"It's not a problem," I assure him.

I couldn't have cared less that he called me at two in the morning, or that it took me three hours to drive here. The mere fact that he said he's ready to talk is enough to make me wide awake and anxious to get here.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" I ask. "Last time I was here, I was under the impression that you can't talk to me because it would endanger your family."

"I know," he says, sighing with exhaustion. His face shows signs of many sleepless nights, which makes me wonder what his wife must look like. "I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think it's best for us to move. The kids are not happy here, and my wife and I are tired of it. We might be better off somewhere else."

This takes me by surprise. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know yet."

I pause. "When are you leaving?"

"I don't know that either."

Now I'm confused. "So why am I here?"

The baby whimpers. Mr. Carson takes the bottle away, puts it aside and reaches for his son. Gently, he lays the baby against his shoulder, a towel under his head, and begins lightly patting and stroking his back.

"I figured since we won't be here anymore, it's safe to tell you part of what I know," he finally says. "I promised your dad never to reveal what my family and I did for him, not even to _his_ family. But you've offered us your protection, something I truly appreciate. Since I can't accept, this is the next best thing I can do to repay you."

It takes a few seconds for it to really sink in. This is really happening. I'm about to get insight into what the list means, what my father was doing. My nervousness mingles with anticipation, as I wait for him to go on.

"Your father was a great man, there's no denying," he begins, indicating a rebuttal. "But not everyone agreed with that. You don't become the man he was without making a few enemies along the way."

The direction of the conversation is not one I expected. I can't tell where he's going with this, and I stay quiet, listening apprehensively.

"A lot of them coveted what he had," Mr. Carson continues. "But he was a very resourceful man and he knew how to protect what he valued. Unfortunately for him, one enemy set his sights on what your father valued the most."

My blood starts pumping faster, as I begin to understand where this is headed. "Who did?" I finally speak.

Mr. Carson shakes his head. "I don't know," he admits. "That's one thing he never told me."

"Well what did they want to take from him?" I amend.

"That's what I can't tell you," he apologetically says. "It's what he asked us to keep secret. But what I _can_ tell you is that he asked us -and I'm guessing the others on the list as well- to hide it. He never kept it in one place for too long, but I know that he started this about fifteen years ago. He came to my family ten years ago and asked us to keep it safe for him. Seven months later, he moved it. We didn't hear from him again until two years ago."

My eyes widen. "He came to see you before he died?"

Mr. Carson nods. "He wanted to warn us not to speak of what we did for him again. At the time, he hadn't told us that he was hiding it from someone... he'd only said he wanted us to guard it for a while. But I pressed him for answers, told him I won't help him unless he explains why he wants us to lie for him. He was so panicked, and I thought maybe he did something wrong that put my family in danger. I didn't trust him when he came that second time. Until he explained."

It angers me a little bit that this man thought my dad would do something to intentionally put someone else in harm. He wasn't like that, and I want to defend him so badly.

However, it occurs to me that he _did_ put them in danger, maybe. My dad must have known this enemy would come for whatever possession he wanted to hide. Maybe he just didn't think they would go to such measures to find it.

It's a bit of a relief to finally have a piece of the puzzle, but all it does is bring on more questions. At the same time, I'm not sure how much I believe this man's story. My dad didn't have any attachments to material possessions. What could he possibly have been hiding?

_What was my dad up to?_ I ask myself for the hundredth time.

"When you told us he died," he goes on, "I knew this enemy must have caught up with him. I had to honor his wishes and keep the secret he asked us to keep."

"Did he tell any of the others on the list?" I demand.

"I don't know," Mr. Carson replies. "I don't think we were the only ones who knew that we were guarding something for him for a while. But we might have been the only ones he told about a dangerous enemy coming after it -and him- right before he died. I'm not sure if any of the others wanted an explanation the way I did. They all just took his word for it and blindly did what he asked."

Again, I have to suppress my irritation. He has no right to question my dad's judgment; he didn't even know him.

_But did_ I _know him?_ I suddenly ask myself.

I have no idea what he was up to, or why he would want to hide something from someone. What if I'm the one who is wrong about him and Mr. Carson was right to be suspicious?

Before I get the chance to ask more questions, my phone suddenly rings. I pull it out of my pocket, about to send whoever it is to voicemail. But then I see the number, and take it.

"Nash?" I pick up. "What happened?"

"You need to come down and see this," he says.

Instantly, I'm on high alert. "Where are you?"

"Mariners' house," he lets me know, right before hanging up.

Hastily, I say goodbye to Mr. Carson and climb into my car. The sun is fully up by the time I pull up in front of the Mariners' house. Cade is pacing by the front door. I have no idea what to expect.

Dread settles in the pit of my stomach as I walk to meet him. I'm about to understand, but I'm not so sure anymore if I want to know at all. Despite the long drive, I haven't had enough time to make sense of what Mr. Carson divulged, and now I'm about to get even more questions.

There's no need for formalities between us, so I just go straight to the point.

"Where are they?" I demand, unknowingly unleashing my alpha side.

"Inside," he tells me with a mask of composure. It becomes clear just then that something serious has happened. "Brace yourself."

My sense of duty flares up. If the Mariners haven't left their house, there must have been something that kept them here. I had already given them the option of joining us or moving somewhere more remote, so that whoever kidnapped their son the first time would lose them. They had chosen to leave. Last time I contacted them was a couple days ago; they were packing their things and had already found a place.

_Why would they change their minds now?_ I ask myself.

It's only when I step through the front door and see the horrendous sight, that reality dawns on me. They never left. They didn't have the chance to.

"Oh my God," I whisper, horrified.

The smell hits me first; blood and werewolf scent... _several_ werewolf scents, all of which are unfamiliar to me. The house and all of its furniture suddenly start to blur until only the bodies remain in my focus. It's a bloody massacre. Mr. and Mrs. Mariner are sprawled in twisted positions on the floor, in a pool of their own blood. Their faces are pressed against the ground, which is almost a relief because I don't see their expressions, but not quite.

A less gory but still horrendous sight is their older son Jake, sitting on the couch with his eyes closed and hands open palms down on his sides. If it weren't for the strangulation marks on his neck and his paleness, I would have thought he's asleep.

_They're missing one_ , I suddenly realize.

Frantically, I search the room for him. I'm not sure whether I'm hoping or dreading finding him there.

"Where is Jace?" I frantically look behind and under the couches. "Where the hell is he?" my voice booms louder than it has ever been before.

Cade grabs my arm when I turn to Jace's bedroom door. "He's not there," he tells me morosely. "I checked everywhere. He's gone."

It takes me a moment to process this, but when I do, the unfairness of it all makes my blood boil. My hands begin to shake, and my vision becomes blurry. I can feel the fury rising and threatening to overtake me if I don't externalize it in some way soon. I want to smash the walls in, but Cade holds me back.

He was just twenty months old. Just a few days ago, I was playing with his toy cars with him, and he was laughing like nothing could ever touch the life that flows through him.

"Logan," Cade forcefully says to make me focus and calm down.

Looking away from the mess in the living room, I take deep slow breaths and think of something that would calm the storm raging within me. I try to picture Reena first, but it reminds me of the fight we had last night because I had to interrupt our date so I could come here. I'm glad I didn't bring her with me to face this terrifying sight... so much for taking Michael's advice.

_Michael_ , I remember and focus on that. _He always knows what to say._

If he were here now, he would know how to help me out of this attack. I try to imagine him with me, and what he would say to snap me out of it.

_It's not your fault_ , he would say. _You did your part, and it was working. You were checking up on them every once in a while, and that's more than enough. How could you have known there was some murderous psycho-killer on the loose?_

I can even picture what he would look and sound like; he would try to be serious, but the words coming out of his mouth would just make such a contrast with the seriousness of the conversation that it would have been funny.

I wouldn't have laughed, of course, but it would have calmed me down on the inside. That's exactly what happens now after just that imaginary conversation with him. I'm amazed by how he manages to come through even when we're too far. It's what makes him such a good friend.

I haven't spoken to Michael since he came over last weekend, and I briefly wonder what he's up to, to distract myself from having an attack. Last I saw him was a shock to me; to see one of my closest friends, who is normally so strong-willed and witty, break down like that... something serious must have happened.

I had my suspicions already that there was something more between him and Sadie. They're together almost all the time. Someone's feelings are bound to stir. But I didn't know he would be so beat up over it. I almost regretted telling him to back off, but he's always honest with me. I owed him at least that much.

That's why I have to tell them everything about my father's project.

But then another missing piece in the puzzle finally makes sense. There is more to the pattern; Jace is the youngest in his family, so were all the other kids who were kidnapped and returned. Michael is the youngest in his family. I may not understand yet why these boys had to be taken by my dad's enemy, and the Connollies may not be on his list of lone family, but I have a terrible feeling that Michael's safety is in jeopardy.

He's a tough guy, I know that, but I still feel compelled to protect him. What if the kidnappings are not entirely about what my dad was doing? The Mariners said there wasn't a werewolf scent when Jace was kidnapped the first time -the others too. There might be others out there. If someone is singling out the youngest son in lone families, Michael could be next.

My anger boils even hotter, until I start to feel like I might lose it if I stay here. What Mr. Carson revealed gave me a lot to consider. What happened to the Mariners makes me want to go out and beat whoever did this to a pulp. But for some reason, thinking that Michael might be in a similar situation, hits way closer to home. This is much more personal than the other families, because he's also my best friend.

_I need to get back_.

"We have to go," I tell Cade in my authoritarian voice.

"Yeah, the cops might get here any minute," he seconds. I don't correct him about the reason why we need to leave, since that's also true.

Without me asking, Nash takes my keys and hops in the driver's side, for which I'm grateful. I don't think I'll be able to drive properly with this worry on my mind. We'll come back for his car later.

I fish out my phone from my pocket and dial Steven's number.

He picks up on the third ring. "Alpha?"

His voice sounds peculiar, like he's frowning. We exchanged numbers as a formality. I don't think he ever expected me to actually call him. It's the first time I do.

"Yeah, it's me," I confirm. "I'm on my way back. I need you and your family to meet me in my office in five hours. It's urgent. There's something you all should know."

There's a pause on his end as he mulls my request over. I didn't use any authoritarian voice with him or anything, but I will if I have to. I've waited too long to inform them of what has been happening....

"Five hours," he finally agrees.

I hang up.

"You're going to talk to them?" Nash asks with no trace of an objection in his voice.

"It's about time I did," I confirm.

"What exactly are you going to tell them?"

I look out the window, watching the house in the distance. I try not to close my eyes too long. If I do, then I might see them again, slashed open and left in a pool of their own blood.

Jace's face suddenly flashes before my eyes, even though he wasn't there.

_I will find you_ , I promise.

"Everything," I tell Cade.
**ABOUT THE AUTHOR**

Lebanese writer Yara Gharios has been making up stories since she could remember. Now 22, a double-major student, she has two bachelor degrees in Translation (2014) and English Literature and Linguistics (2015) and a masters in Writing for Performance and Publication (2016) from the University of Leeds. She started writing at the age of 11. Under the pen name Sahar Ghayar, she wrote several novels in her free time, but didn't actively pursue publishing them herself.

After a small publishing house came across one of her stories, written in French intermittently when she was 13 to 15, they signed her for a one-book-deal. She released her first novel at 17 in her home country through traditional publishing. It was only when "Masked SheWolf" garnered some attention on online reading websites that she considered self-publishing.
OTHER TITLES BY YARA GHARIOS

_Histoires de Filles_ (2010)

_Beauty of Blue Hills_ (2014)

The Guardian Children series:

_The Guardian Children_ (2014)

Masked SheWolf trilogy:

_Masked SheWolf_ (2014)

_Unmasked_ (2015)

_Exposed_ (2019)
**Sneak Peek**
UNMASKED

Book 2
PREFACE

Dylan

I'm not such an idiot to think I can take him. I know he's ten times stronger than I am. He'd probably have me on the ground, begging for my life, and stomp on me, before I can even get the chance to lift a finger.

But I'm not planning on taking him down. This monster thinks he can break me before anyone can find me. But he didn't count on me having an advantage. He also didn't count on the fact that I have an entire pack who would literally wipe the floor with him, just because he threatened to hurt me.

If only I could speak, I would tell him to be afraid. Because the ones I love are coming for him.
PROLOGUE

Daniel

One of my proudest moments as a child was when I was ten and I learned to spin a basketball on only one of my fingers for fourteen whole seconds. It was childish, I know, but that was when I knew I wanted to have a career in sports. Before I knew it, I was looking up everything I could find on basketball and practicing with my dad and my brothers to be able to make it on the team.

There's no such thing as 'going easy on someone' in my family, which is a good thing, because it toughened up my game to the point where I could hold my own against any of them by the time I was fourteen.

I've been on the team since then, and we've been going on an undefeated streak this whole time. I'm not going to lie, the popularity is a perk I've enjoyed during all those years. But I love the thrill of the game a whole lot more than what it brings me socially. Playing releases any tension I might be feeling, and replaces it with a glow of freshness, albeit a sweaty one. It helps me clear my head when I have too much thoughts jumping around in there, and it's almost an escape for me now, when life at home or at school becomes too hectic and I need a breather.

Michael spent all afternoon with me the day I learned to spin the ball, and cheered me on to keep me going. I don't think I would have been able to do that by myself without the encouragement. I've always taken it for granted that I have a twin brother who is different, but I never paid attention to the importance of Mickey's existence before.

It's hard to say when I started seeing my twin for who she really is; my sister. My entire life, she was just another one of my brothers, even though, theoretically, I always knew she was anything but. She's the only female werewolf to be born in centuries. This puts her in a vulnerable position, because if someone found out she exists, they would try to use her to create stronger children. That's why it's been so important for her to pass off as a boy her entire life.

Mickey has never said a word of complaint about that until about a couple weeks ago, when she almost had an emotional attack. It's what happens when we're overwhelmed, and we just burst into wolf form. It was a little before that that I was starting to see her differently. I can't say precisely when that change started, but I am aware of why.

My instincts towards her are still the same, only a bit amplified. Beneath our mocking and pranking each other, I've always felt a bit protective of her, although I made a good effort to hide it. I think we all did, in a way that's different from Mom and Dad's protectiveness. Her true gender was becoming more and more evident to me, and it's been changing my perception of her, although not in a bad way. But I know it's not just because of her; I've changed too.

My sister's depression is not the only thing keeping me up so late. A few days ago, something happened that I still can't wrap my head around. For the past few weeks, I've been secretly dating Zoey. She's part of the pack who just moved into town a while back. In fact, though she's human, she's a very important member, because the pack's second in command –or beta– is her future brother-in-law.

Keeping our relationship secret worries me, but it's not really the reason I can't get any sleep. I'm not ashamed of her; I love her. She's the one insisting we find the right time to tell our parents, and with everything that's going on with Mickey that we still can't figure out, it's not a good time.

The reason I'm still up is something else altogether. Zoey and I bonded over a delicate issue she was going through. Her biological father had been unfaithful to her mother, and had a son a few months older than Zoey's older sister Sadie, with another woman. His name is John. Helping Zoey accept his existence was what got us together.

But we never expected him to say that he knows about werewolves, and that I am one. It was actually the first thing he said during the one time we spoke to him through video chat. Next thing I knew, Zoey slammed the laptop screen shut, and we couldn't decide how to proceed from there. She's been texting with him since then, giving him excuses as to why she can't video chat again for a while, and blaming the interrupted first try on a Wi-Fi problem.

I haven't really seen her since then outside of school, where we try to avoid being seen together, and we're both too afraid to bring up his name on the phone. I know we're going to have to face him sooner or later, and it's smarter if we do it before he has the chance to tell anyone. But we're both reluctant, and neither of us is willing to take that first step.

While all these thoughts go through my head, I sit there in my room staring at the basketball spinning on my finger, arguing with myself over whether or not it would be a good idea to go to the basketball court at this hour and let off some steam. Mom and Dad have a strict curfew for Mickey and I on school nights. Right now, though, I think Mickey has a much bigger restriction to follow. She can't leave the house till Friday, when her... womanly issue, is over.

It's completely unfair. Man, how I wish human medicine works on werewolves. Maybe then, my sister wouldn't be locked up in the house for five days every month, one of which is just a precaution because my parents are paranoid like that. I think the reason why none of us ever said anything to them about that is because Mickey never seemed to mind until her attack. But now, all she does is mope around the house like a zombie all day. I can't help wanting to stick up for her and berate our parents for being so strict.

Something is up with her that none of us are able to make sense of. Like last week for example, she completely missed War Day! It's our tradition to play pranks on each other every Sunday, and retaliate the next week. She was the one who started the tradition in the first place, but now it's like she's lost the will to even think of something to pull. Just this morning, I overheard her talking to Mom and Dad.

"Dylan, will you please talk to us?" Mom begged her.

"About what?" was her robotic response.

"We just want to know what happened," Dad asked.

"Why are you so sad, honey?" Mom tried a softer approach.

Though I was listening from upstairs, and couldn't be sure how she responded with her body language, I could imagine her shrugging. She's been doing a lot of that lately.

"I'm not sad," she replied. "Nothing happened. You were right; I have to accept that I need to keep my secret, and I am. I'm only doing what you wanted me to do in the first place."

There was a pause before Dad said anything. "This isn't what I meant, Dylan."

"Yes it is. I've got no friends who are threatening my secret, I'm not doing anything that might reveal it, and I'm not going to college anymore," she deadpanned. "Even leaving the house can be dangerous, right Dad? So I'm never going out again, and my secret will be safe."

"Dylan, that is not–" he started to say.

But then she cut him off and stood up. "I'm going to my room. I got finals coming up, and I need to study if I want to graduate in three weeks."

That was the last she spoke to anyone all day. We all tried knocking on her door, but she was acting the same way with everybody; moody and mopey. Maybe it's hormones, but I have a feeling there's a lot more to it than just that. So now because _she_ is depressed, and we're all worried about her, there's a general air of gloominess in the house that we've never felt before.

All the negative energy in here is making me restless, and I need to escape it. I grab my phone, send Zoey a text, grab my basketball and get out. I'm not met with any resistance or questioning from my parents about where I'm going or how long I will be out. They're too busy having hushed arguments in the living room, of which I only catch one thing: "She's our _daughter_! This is not the life we wanted for her, Steven!"

The park's basketball court is completely deserted when I get there. Not surprising since it's almost 10pm. While I wait, I start dribbling and throwing the ball from one end of the court straight into the hoop on the other end. During school practice, I have to hold back on my strength, but here, on my own and with no one to hurt or even see, I'm free. About twenty minutes later, I'm starting to work up a sweat, and she's still not here.

_Where is she_?

Just as I think that, I hear her footsteps approaching. Even after so little time, I can recognize her footsteps among a hundred. I turn just as she enters the court fences. She's walking slowly, but I can tell she's tired from the long walk, especially with the way her heart is beating.

"You called?" she asks with a tentative smile, unsure whether she should be worried or happy. The tension that was caused by John is still there between us, too.

I smile back to let her know I'm happy to see her, and meet her halfway to make it easier for her. "What took you so long? I was almost losing against myself."

She giggles. "Isn't that the same as winning?"

I grin just as we make it to five feet from each other. Then I wrap my arms around her waist, pull her closer to me, and bury my face in her neck, inhaling her scent. Immediately, I feel a bit better.

"Didn't feel like winning till you showed up, Zo," I whisper a bit sadly, the tension all but forgotten now that she's actually in my arms. I missed her.

Her hands immediately go to the back of my head, one on my neck and the other tracing patterns on my hair. "What's wrong, Daniel?" she asks with concern.

I sigh against her shoulder. "I don't really know," I say. "Mickey's been depressed since last weekend, and we can't figure out what's wrong with her."

"Didn't you say her time of the month was coming up?" she wonders. "Maybe it's hormones."

I grimace and pull away. "Sometimes, it's really creepy how casually you talk about this sort of stuff," I admit. "I'm glad at least Mickey's not that way."

Zoey full on laughs when I say that, and I forget whatever brief sadness I felt moments earlier. "Your sister's been pretending to be a boy for almost eighteen years," she points out. "Of course she's going to be as uncomfortable talking about it as you are."

I give her a mock glare. "You know, I'm really starting to regret telling you all my family secrets," I tease.

She laughs again. "As if you had a choice," she humors me. "You were drunk off your ass."

"Hey, any party worthy of its name is bound to have a bunch of drunk teenagers," I playfully protest. "But it's still your fault, you know."

Her eyebrows suddenly fly up in mock indignation. "How is it my fault? You're the one who got so wasted that you spilled everything! You're lucky it was me you were talking to and not someone who could have used it against you."

"You blackmailed me into going out with you," I refresh her memory, knowing full well where this is going.

"And how did that work out?" she challenges.

My face breaks out into a wide grin. "Pretty great, in the long run. But it's only been a month."

Zoey locks her arms around my neck once again and brings her forehead against mine. "A _great_ month," she corrects me, her voice suddenly quiet.

Hearing her breathing and heartbeat accelerating, and knowing we're both anticipating this, I close the distance between us and mold my lips gently against hers, careful not to apply too much pressure and hurt her. All of my nerve endings suddenly light up, and I'm aware of every inch of her perfect body touching mine, bringing one particular part of me to life. Like always, she pulls away just as things start heating up.

People who don't know Zoey may think of her as an immature child, but there's more to her than meets the eye. She's deeper and more mature than she appears to be. Or maybe I'm the one who's immature enough to be her equal. Either way, we're good together, and although I'd never pressure her into anything, especially with the age difference, she's strong enough that she doesn't let me get carried away when we're close.

Even before our first date, it stopped being about protecting Mickey's secret for me. I love her for who she is, and I've been dying to tell my family about her. At first, it was her who didn't want to, but then, when she changed her mind, we couldn't find the right time. I have to tell mine first, because I'd also have to tell them she knows Mickey's secret.

I was about to tell them the day Mickey had her attack. But then my eldest brother Connor sort of beat me to it with his news about asking his girlfriend Andrea to be his mate. Zoey and I aren't at _that_ stage yet, and I don't think we will be anytime soon. We're still young, I mean, I'm almost eighteen, and she will be sixteen in September. But we're definitely heading in that direction.

I don't want to hide her anymore. In fact, more than anything, I want to declare to the world that she's the one I want. It's just impossible to find a good time to tell my family because they've got so much else going on.

"Are you worried about John?" Zoey asks when I'm quiet for too long.

My eyes flash up to meet hers. I can't believe she's the braver one and brought him up first.

"No actually, I was wishing I could tell the world about us," I say. "But now that you've mentioned your brother, he's up front and center."

She winces. "Sorry."

"No, you're right," I attempt to smile. "We can't hide from that much longer."

She sighs tiredly, looking decades older for a moment. "We're going to have to talk to him, aren't we?"

I nod in defeat. "We have to know what he knows. He might be dangerous to our secrecy."

"I know," she agrees, again sounding much wiser than she really is. "We'll do it tomorrow."

"Okay."

There's a moment of silence. Knowing that the time to separate has come, I run my hand down her arm and lace my fingers through hers.

"Come on, let me walk you home," I suggest.
