-MILA-My eyes felt heavy as I opened them. I blinked a couple of times to try and make sense of what was going on.My body was aching in all spots and I couldn't quite pinpoint one specific place where the pain was coming from.My head felt strange, heavy, and like there was pressure in my head.And then I realized that I was hanging upside down. In a car.Then I remembered what happened.I turned to Lobo, he was still hanging from the seat, and his head was bent at a strange angle against the roof of the car.Feeling for the seatbelt I pressed the release but for some reason, I couldn't get my hands to do what I wanted and it took a few tries before the click.The seatbelt released and I dropped painfully on my head, my neck immediately aching.It took a few tries but I managed to crawl out of the window of the car.My hands and knees crunched against the leaves and dirt as I crawled over a little from the car.My head hurt and when I reached for my forehead I could feel the crust o
-MILA-I screamed in terror when I looked up and saw a wolf standing on four legs.It was standing on the rocks staring at us,Lobo stared at it, "It's a normal wolf, nothing to worry about.""A normal, wild, and rabid wolf is nothing to worry about?""They sense what I am, they won't come near us."He walked over and helped me to my feet again."So, the fact that our things have been stolen shows that we were attacked. On purpose.""I figured." I held on to him as we walked, he held an arm around me as we walked through the forest."This is insanity. Can we not catch a break for even a second?""It would probably help if we didn't have a deranged serial killer after us. And a jealous younger brother.""We could seriously use a break. They could at least calm the hell down and wait until after I'm sure that I'm not going to die.""You aren't going to die, Mila.""Sorry, you must be so sick and tired of hearing me say that over and over again.""It's okay, I understand why you're worri
-MILA-I was walking out of the hospital room when Shauna approached me from out of nowhere.The doctors signed my release forms after keeping me under observation for twenty-four hours."Shauna? What are you doing here?""I'm here to see you. Lobo told me what happened, are you okay now?""That depends on what your definition of okay is. I'm in pain, lots of it," I glanced around the hospital, "Where is Lobo?""Oh, he mentioned that he was bringing the car around to the entrance. He said you were going to be staying at Lowell's for two nights?"I nodded, only slightly annoyed that Lobo told Shauna about it."Good luck with that, I can't imagine how awkward it will be.""Yeah. Did Lobo speak to you about the herbs?"She nodded, "Yes, everything I used is safe, the herbs can't be the reason you were in pain. Look." She pulled out a bag of herbs and stuffed some into her mouth.I glanced around, slightly worried that someone would see this and have questions, "Put that away, we're stand
I slowly opened my eyes, my head throbbing with a dull ache, I couldn't tell if it was due to stress or if it was part of the transformation. Confusion washed over me briefly as I realized I was in an unfamiliar bedroom. Memories of the night before began to trickle back into my mind, and I remembered hearing the heated argument between Lowell and Lobo. The intensity of their voices had left me restless, unable to sleep at first.I now remembered where I was; a guest bedroom in Lowell's house.With a deep breath, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and pushed myself to my feet. I glanced around the room, searching for any clue to indicate whether Lobo had been to the room or not. Curiosity gnawed at me, urging me to find answers. The previous night's argument filtered back to me, and I recalled Lobo and Lowell talking about me giving Lobo an heir.Heart pounding, I made my way downstairs, the floor creaking under my weight. As I entered the kitchen, I found Lobo sitting at the t
-MILA-We were thirty minutes into the dinner and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the tension between Lobo and Lowell.Candace, however, seemed oblivious to it. She was smiling and chatting away as if everything was fine and normal."So, Mila, Lowell tells me that you're getting ready for your first shift?"I nodded, "That's correct.""I was born into this, but my first shift still terrified the living crap out of me, so I can imagine how scary it must be for you.""Fear of the unknown, I guess. Part of me wishes it didn't need to happen, while the other part wishes it would hurry up so I can get it over and done with.""Well," she took a sip of her wine, "If you need a friend to chat with or any advice, I'm a call away. You're one of us now, and we all need to stick together. Especially in these times.""Thanks, Candace, I'll keep that in mind." It felt strange to sit here and talk with the woman Lowell had cheated with. A part of me wondered if she was only being nice due
-MILA-I opened my eyes slowly and the first thing I felt was the pain soaring through my body."Why am I not dead?" I complained, feeling that even death would be better than dealing with the pain that I was feeling."Mila?"I looked over as Lobo rushed to my side.I wasn't in the tub anymore, I was on something hard. It took me a moment to realize that I was in the alcove that held the altar."What's going on?""Shauna gave you herbs. You're okay, but you've been knocked out for a while.""It still hurts."He caressed my head, "I know. But it's almost over. Tonight is the full moon.""What? Already?""Yes, that's why you're here. You're going to be fine, we just have to get you through the pain, and you will be okay.""I don't believe you. It hurts so much, Lobo, I don't think I can do this.""You have to have a little faith in yourself, baby. It's all going to be okay."A stray tear escaped my eye, "Lobo, if I couldn't even handle the pain a few days ago, how am I supposed to handl
-MILA-The scream escaping my mouth sounded foreign, even to my own ears. I rolled in pain as it tore through my body.I could no longer focus on anything other than the pain.Lobo was speaking but I couldn't focus on what he was saying, the pain consuming me as my body fought against the change about to overtake me.And then I heard it, the first pop as something within me change.I had no control over it, my body was becoming larger by the second and I couldn't stop it. With each pop and snap of bones elongating I let out a pained scream that sounded more like a howl.I got to my feet, only to drop down to all fours as I roared in pain. Had I not been so focussed on the pain ripping through me, I would have been scared by the sounds coming from my mouth.In a futile attempt, I reached my hand out toward the altar, only to see an arm that wasn't mine. Long and covered in fur.Suddenly I stood on my hind legs and turned, there was another large and muscular wolf-man with me, and it t
-MILA- Lobo and Lowell were pacing back and forth while whispering to each other, it seemed they forgot that I could hear everything they were saying.They were speaking about my odd behavior when I shifted, as well as trying to figure out why I could shift while wearing silver.From what I was able to understand, that shouldn't have been possible.I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, still naked underneath, "Can one of you get me some clothes."Lowell turned, "No, you might shift again, so what's the point?"I huffed, "Fine, then can you at least stop speaking about me as if I'm not right here? I can hear everything you're saying and it's annoying.""Sorry," Lobo sighed, "We're just trying to figure this all out.""Why don't you just punch me again? Maybe that will solve it all." My voice was dripping with sarcasm."You were attacking me. I didn't have much of a choice."I raised a brow at him.Lowell took a step forward, "You know what? I have an idea. Why don't you stay with
-MILA-Lobo.I paused mid step, Theo was forgotten.I fell to my knees as I shifted back into my human form and Lobo immediately came over and placed his jacket around me."Are you okay?"I shook my head. The fever was worse, my limbs were weak and shaky, my body flushing between chills of ice and boiling heat.Betty came over to help me to my feet, "The fever is worse."Lobo looked between the two of us, "Fever? She's sick?"Betty nodded, "Yes.""Why the hell are you running around on this stupid scavenger hunt then?!"Despite the growing pain in the joints of my body, I straightened, "Now is not the time for arguments, Lobo. I need to get to the cure.""The cure?" He looked at me in disbelief, "You're burning up hotter than a furnace and you're worried about the cure?"Betty cleared her throat beside me, "Mila, I'm with him on this one.""We must go on, we are so close." Theo piped up.Lobo glared at him, "Who the hell are you?""A friend of Elena's. I know how to get to the cure."
-MILA-My eyes widened as I looked at the hilt in Elena's pocket. Betty was walking slightly ahead which gave me no chance to warn her about what I was seeing and my heart rate sped up in panic.Was Elena the one who would kill Betty?My mindwas racing, I had to find a way to stop the vision from happening, but I didn't have the slightest clue how to do that.An idea struck me,but I wasn't sure if it would work or not.I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on Lobo."I don't know if you can hear me-""I hear you, baby, what's wrong?""I need your help. We're on our way through -" My thoughts were interupted as Betty yelped, a figure running at such a speed it was blurred came rushing passed us."What was that?" I asked, pausing to look around."Mila?"Theo seemed calm, "It was a vampire.""Excuse me?" I spun to him with wide eyes, "You said there weren't any vampires here!"He chuckled, "I guess I was slightly mistaken." He spoke with a comical tone to his voice. He spoke as if
-MILA-The test was all but burning a hole through my pocket. But I couldn't go anywhere near it with Theo right beside me.Betty's eyes were glued to the road ahead as we drove toward the spring with the cure.Theo was barking directions and Elena was dead quiet.I turned to look out the window, and said a silent prayer that the test would be negative.If it was positive I wouldn't be able to take the cure. And if I couldn't take the cure, all of this would have been for nothing."What test, Mila?"Shit! I jumped with fright, I hadn't realized that Lobo could hear me. I wasn't even trying to communicate with him at all."Mila?"I didn't look at Elena when I responded, "I'm fine. This fever is killng me." It wasn't a lie, the fever did seem to be getting worse.Theo turned to me, "Perhaps I can distract you a little?"I turned with a frown, "And how do you plan to do that?""I would like to know more of your mate."It seemed strange to me that he would ask about Lobo so suddenly."Why
-MILA-I sat with a blanket around my shoulders curled up on Theo's sofa after having emptied the contents of my stomach. The nausea was strong and I was extremely fevered.Elena and Theo stood together talking in hushed tones while Betty sat on the arm of my chair."I don't trust him." She whispered."Neither do I. Something is up.""Are we going to go with them to the spring?"I nodded, "Of course we are. I need that cure. For all we know I'm getting sick because the Goddess is pissed at me."Betty frowned, "Or you're getting sick because the prophecy is already underway."My head spun in her direction, "What?" A shiver ran down my spine, that was a possibility I hadn't thought of."You have the symptoms."I shook my head, "No." I was in denial. I didn't even want to think that it could be true.Not now when I was so close to the cure."How about you take a test before we leave?" Betty suggested.I glanced over at Elena and Theo, "I don't want them knowing anything about this.""Don
-MILA-We arrived after sundown in the small homely town. The cottage styled houses lined the roads with picturesque front yards and trees set behind them.The moonlight cast blue hues along the bark of the trees."It looks like something out of a fairytale." I commented, slightly in awe of the beauty of it as we drove along."It's a pretty old town. They try to keep it as close to the original as possible." Elena spoke with pride in her voice.I wanted to ask why she left such a beautiful place, but I didn't want to pry."Why did you leave?" Of course, tact was not one of Betty's strong suites.Elena shrugged a shoulder, "I fell in love with a man who shattered my heart and in an attempt to heal, I ran away."The silence that fell between us was dense with sadness. When Elena spoke, she spoke with such emotion that I could feel the heartbreak rolling off of her."Is he the one who thinks wolves are monsters?"I wanted to reach over and smack Betty.She really didn't know when to stop
-MILA-"Can you turn that racket down?" I asked while holding my pounding head.We were drivng toward Elena's hometown and the music on the radio wasn't helping my already pounding head."You're suffering because you refuse to eat." Elena stated matter-of-factly.I rolled my eyes and laid on the back seat. My head felt as if there were tiny construction workers in it, hammering away."When will we get there?" I wanted this all over and done with, the sooner it was over the sooner I could attempt to move forward."It takes a few hours." Betty responded.A few hours? Although it was only now reaching sundown I was already growing impatient."Mila. You better get your ass back here."My eyes darted open but I didn't dare tell Betty and Elena what I had heard.With the way the pair had panicked earlier, I didn't want to risk spooking them any further."When we get to my friend, let me do the talking. He's a little panicky." Something in Elena's voice told me she was hiding something.I sa
-MILA-I stood with my arms crossed over my chest while leaning against the hood of the car while staring at the little motel. Elena was inside the motel arranging rooms for us."I thought Lobo would be mad and want nothing to do with me after this." I spoke suddenly.Betty scoffed, "Like I said before, you clearly didn't think this through.""Obviously not. And now I've put the two of you in danger.""Elena has her own reasons for this, that's not on you. And as for me, I haven't belonged in that Pack for a very long time. I just needed a shove to leave."Her words surprised me, I always assumed that Betty wanted to be apart of the Pack forever.Before I could question her, Elena stepped out and came toward us giving a thumbs up."We've got rooms. We need to check out tomorrow at eleven. But we'll probably be gone before then, right?"Betty nodded, "Yeah, we need to get to your hometown as soon as possible," she looked around the parking lot, "Is there anywhere I can stash my car? If
-MILA-The trees blurred as we drove past. Betty and Elena were talking up a storm in the front while I sulked in the back seat. Although it was by my own doing, I still couldn't get over the pain I was feeling over my choice."Mila?" Betty glanced into the rearview mirror before turning her attention back to the road."Yeah?" I asked, the single word seemed to take more effort than usual, feeling as if it sucked a boat load of energy from me."Are you-""Don't ask if I'm okay, because I'm not, and I don't know when I will be."Elena turned in her seat to face me, "I think you did the right thing. You made a selfless choice based on love. Not many of us would be able to do that.""Well, it doesn't feel like I've done anything good.""Why is it so important to become human again?" Betty asked."When I was with Lowell, I knew the day would come where I would be marked. But he made it sound easier. Since I've been marked it's been hell. I hate this. And now with the prophecy... I can't d
-MILA-I woke up feeling a heavy dread in my stomach and a sense of anxiety beginning to set in, complete with nausea.I looked over at Lobo who was asleep beside me, it was one of the first times he was actually sleeping in for a change, it was also one of the few times where he looked completely peaceful.It calmed me slightly to look at him and a smile crept onto my face, a feeling of warmth spreading through me.I sighed, snuggling closer to him while admiring his beauty.It came to mind that he was misunderstood in many ways. It was easy to see why, he had a way of oozing power.His very presence demanded respect.But that was only his outward appearance. Deep within, he was a soft and caring man.I would even go as far as saying he was emotional and fragile.Suddenly a frown came to my face at the thought. He was willing to give up his whole life for me. Was it fair of me to expect him to do that?The answer was no, it wasn't.I was being incredibly selfish. With a heavy heart,