-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-I sat in a parking lot, waiting for Lowell. I knew he was up to something and would no doubt have something up his sleeve. I knew I couldn't trust him. But I needed Betty safe, regardless of our issues with one another, she was in this mess because she chose to help me. I wouldn't let something happen to her because of my doings.I simply wouldn't be able to live with myself.And now that I knew what Lowell was capable of, I couldn't risk her being alone with him.I saw a car pull up and knew it was him before he even stepped out, looking around.I got to my feet and went over to him, "Where is she?" I asked.He smiled at me, "She is safe. Get in.""That wasn't the agreement, Lowell. You were supposed to bring her here and let her go. Only after that will I go with you.""Well, the plan has changed, hasn't it?"I looked at the car, hesitant to get in."Come on, Mila, you know me. There's no reason to be scared of me."I scoffed, "No, Lowell, I knew you."He stared me down, kno
-MILA-I was laying on the cold, cement floor in the basement. Whatever contraption Lowell placed around my neck was working to keep me from shifting. It struck me as strange that he would have a collar ready and waiting, but it seemed he planned to use it on me.The voltage was higher than it should have been and made me feel like I was getting tasered.Once he snapped it around my neck and zapped me a few times I immediately shifted back to human form. He zapped me a few more times before he left me laying on the ground naked.I was still shivering when I forced myself to my hands and knees, my body was fighting against me. I shivered as I grabbed hold of the stair railing to help me to my feet.Looking around I tried to find something to cover myself with, but there was nothing in the basement I could make use of.I looked up, listening for any signs of movement on the floor above. When I heard nothing after a few moments I made my way up the stairs. I leaned against the door, th
-MILA-Clutching the blanket around myself I followed Lowell into the house. His new hide-out spot."I need clothes.""Later. Sit."I sat on the old brown sofa, "Who's house is this?""Don't worry about that," his phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket, "Be quiet. It's Candace."I raised a brow and mimed zipping my lips closed."Hi, baby."I scoffed and he shot me a look before walking away, he stayed nearby but after a moment he turned his back to me.My eyes landed on the lamp beside me.I reached over for it, but the cable wasn't coming out of the wall plug.I glanced over at Lowell, his back was still turned to me. I got to my feet and walked over to unplug it. I hurried back to my seat just as he turned to me.He turned away again and I picked up the lamp. I waited for a moment before getting to my feet and sneaking up behind him. He turned and I slammed the lamp into his face.He grunted and went down, his phone dropped to the floor.His hand was reaching for his pocket an
-MILA-I opened my eyes in the hospital."Why do I feel like I'm always here?""Because you are." Lobo responded from the doorway."What's the verdict?" I asked."They've stitched you up, you're going to be okay. But we need to get those herbs into your system. I don't want you shifting while you're recovering.""Did you find Lowell?"He sighed as he walked over to me, "I haven't bothered looking for him. I've been here the whole time.""I'm sorry, Lobo. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen.""I know. But this is why I asked you not to do this. I'm not trying to control you, I'm trying to keep you safe.""I know, I get it now."He sat down on the edge of the bed, taking my hand in his, "I'm just happy that you're okay.""Me too. How's Betty?""She's alright. She's pretty impressed with what you did for her.""She shouldn't be. I was just being a decent person."He nodded, "The police have been made aware that you're here."I scoffed, "Of course, just my luck.""You di
-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,