-MILA-I was back in Lobo's car. Sitting silently while he drove, my eyes staring blankly out the window, watching the trees whirl past."You haven't said much. Are you okay?" He asked."I don't know," I replied honestly. I wasn't sure if I was okay or not at this point. I wasn't even sure I understood any of what was going on. "So, are you going to say anything?""Right now? Nope, I'm not saying anything." "Why not? I feel like this constitutes saying something."I shrugged, "Probably. But not right now. Right now I'm processing.""You haven't even looked at me."I turned to look at him, "There, I'm looking.""You're terrified of me, aren't you? You think I'm a monster.""Baby, I was terrified of you before I knew any of this.""Are you trying to be funny?""No, I'm being honest. I was scared of you before, I don't think this makes me more scared of you."He nodded, "But it hasn't helped anything either?""I don't know. I'm finding it hard to wrap my head around this. I've known ab
-MILA- We walked into the warehouse. I turned my nose up at the thick layer of dust and sand covering the ground."Really? He couldn't keep the place clean?""I don't think housework is on the top of his list right now, Mila."I looked around the bare area, "Do you smell anything?"He turned to me with a frown, "Do you?"I shook my head, "No. I don't think my sense of smell has heightened at all. Maybe it only works when I'm in wolf form?""No, it should work in human form too. It will probably get better with time."I leaned back against the wall, "Okay. So I'll stand over here, while you go sniffing around."Sighing, I leaned my head back against the wall and gasped. Another glimpse. I saw Lowell walking around the room, he looked like he was nervous about something. On edge. He was on the phone, talking animatedly. And then it was gone."I just got another one of those glimpses. I saw Lowell walking around on the phone."Lobo frowned, "You're getting glimpses without touching an
-MILA-I walked into the Pack grounds after my lunch with Lowell, in one hand I held the cardboard coffee cup, and in the other the box containing the piece of cake I brought back for Lobo."Where were you?" Betty asked as she fell into step beside me."Out.""Yes, but where? You're supposed to be with your Pack right now, not off on your own accord."I barely looked at her, "Betty, I'm doing this for the Pack, okay? Don't worry about it.""Don't worry about it? Are you kidding me? How can I not worry about it?""Where is Lobo?""Off sulking probably."I smirked at that, "I'll talk to you later, Betty. I need to see Lobo now." I walked away from her. After spending so much time pretending to be nice to Lowell, I didn't have it in me to be civil to Betty too.I spotted Lobo sitting by the stream."Hey, have you been sitting here all day?"He looked up with a smile, "Yes. How did it go? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He got to his feet."Do I look like he hurt me? I'm fine. And I don't
-MILA- The hospital was cold and I hated the smell of it. I always hated hospitals, and my last few frequent visits made it all worse.I held my arms close to myself as I stepped into the elevator. Lobo was outside in the parking bay waiting for me to get back. It helped to know he was here, but I was still nervous.I stepped out of the elevator and walked along the corridor until I cot to the room Candace was in."Hi," I walked in, noticing that Lowell was nowhere to be seen."Mila, how are you?" Candace smiled as I walked over to her."I should be asking you that question. How are you feeling?""I'm much better. I'm getting released tomorrow.""I'm so sorry I did this to you.""I know, honey, you don't have to worry about that. Lowell explained everything to me, I know you had no control over yourself.""I nodded, "Yeah. But I still feel terrible that I put you in here," I glanced around, "Where is Lowell?"Candace shrugged, "I have no idea. He called me a little while ago to let m
-MILA-"What is going on?" I asked as we walked into the Pack grounds.The wolves were a blur as they battled with other wolves."Get to safety," Lobo instructed as he morphed into his wolf form before running into the mix of things."Okay," I looked up at the sky, "I know there isn't a full moon, but some help would be great right about now." Of course, nothing happened.I had no idea how to change at will, so I stood there for a few moments trying to concentrate on it, but nothing happened.A wolf knocked into me and I landed on the ground, pain shooting through my body.And I realized that anger seemed to be a trigger for the change because I felt the pain rise up moments before my bones began to pop and fuse into that of the wolf creature.Once again, I was overtaken by anger, a mere figment of my human self. But this time it was directed at the strangers. In this form, I knew who my wolves were, and I knew who I was fighting to protect.I ran at a wolf who was on all fours, he wa
-MILA-Lobo was meeting with Lowell to discuss the attack on the Pack the previous night while I stayed at the Pack grounds.There wasn't much to do, but I sat with Betty and Shauna going over ideas to get back into the good graces of the humans.None of us wanted to live being shunned from the lives we were once used to, and the news was traveling fast not to trust us. Soon, there would be nowhere left for us to go.We would have no choice but to hide in the shadows."I don't think they will ever trust us again after everything.""Yes they will,' I insisted, "We just have to gain their trust again. We can't expect it to happen overnight.""And how do we do that?" Shauna asked.I shrugged, "I have no idea. We could start by doing acts of good. It will show them we want to help."Betty scoffed, "How? They don't want us anywhere near them, Mila.""I know that. But we have to do something to gain their trust," I thought back to Lowell's claims, "And I might have just the idea to do it."
-MILA-The jounalist looked at me with a stunned expression.Betty cleared her throat, "It's true. We were at his home before we came here and he had a bunch of his clothes hidden in the basement. They were covered in the blood of one of the victims who was killed the night Mila was almost killed."He looked away, looking over at another crew member before turning back to us, "Do you realize that you have just implicated yourself in a murder on live television?"I nodded, "Yes. But it was self-defense, I did nothing wrong. And it is more important that everyone knows what Lowell is doing behind closed doors. He is entrusted with keeping you all safe, but instead, he has been preying on you."One of the crew memners came over to speak to him and he shut the camera off."What are you doing?""You've come in here admitting to murder, and accusing a cop of murder. We need to contact the law and-""What? You want to contact the very person ho has been killing people?"Betty stood, "Mila, l
-MILA-I woke up with my body stiff and in pain. The fire was dead.I stretched in an attempt to dull the pain of my aching bones. "Yeah, do the right thing, Mila. Don't listen to anyone. Now look where it's gotten you." I scoffed at myself.Getting to my feet I retrieved the phone and switched it on. Calling Lobo."Mila?""Yes. I wanted to let you know I'm okay. Well, I've been better, but I'm alive.""Mila, where are you? Let me come and get you.""No. Lowell will only have you followed and then we'll be in a worse predicament.""Then I'll kill him.""Lobo, if he ends up dead, who's the first person they're going to look at? Don't do anything stupid," I sighed, attempting to change the subject, "Did Betty get back alright?""She's not with you?""What? No, she's not with me. The last time I saw her was at the television station when I was running off.""Well, she hasn't been back to the Pack grounds, and she hasn't made contact with any of us. We assumed she was with you.""Shit. D
-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,