Thaddeus had lead me through the woods, on a number of paths until we reached the woods behind my house. “Thank-” I started to thank him, but when I turned he was gone again. “Does he not know how to wait?” I said outloud.
“Julie? Is that you?” My mom was coming around the corner of the house. “Julie! Where have you been!?” She pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. “We've been looking everywhere for you. The police were going to start an investigation. We thought you had been killed by those wolves!” She was stilled hugging me when Dylan, Sophie, and sadly Ryan came around the corner. “You found her.” Dylan walked up behind my mom and placed his hand on her shoulder. She let me go and got pulled into a hug by Dylan. Next was Sophie, she practically tackled me! “Julie! What happened? One minute you're safe and sound, the next poof! You're gone.”
“Sophie, I-” Before I could tell her anything, Ryan was hugging me.
“Julie babe. You never returned any of my calls. I though the Earth had like, swallowed you or something.” I wiggled my way out of his grip and stepped back. Not knowing what to say, I was relieved when Dylan spoke up, “How about we all go inside and catch up with something to drink.” We all nodded our agreement before trooping inside. Dylan and my mom sat on the loveseat against the wall, leaving Sophie, Ryan and myself to share the couch. “So, how much do you guys know?”
“Well, let's see. You drove me home after Brett disappeared, then you went home. After that, I never heard from you until your mom phoned asking if you were with me. We've been looking for you ever since.” Sophie hadn't taken one breath during all that. “What did happen to you?” I didn't know how much I could tell them. Could I tell them that there had been a dying shape shifter in my house, he refused to go to a hospital but I forced him to go. Then, on my way to the car in the parking lot, I was attacked by a savage beast which turned out to be another shape shifter. I don't think so, instead I made up a story. “I was in town when I heard that the library in downtown East Wood was looking for some volunteers to help move some books, so I figured why not. I was going to call you,” I gestured to my mom, “But my phone was dead and I was already on the road.” They didn't look satisfied so I added, “It was late by the time we were done, so I found a place to stay for the night and came home earlier today. Nobody was home so I took a hike through the forest.” They were all staring at me, I didn't know what else to say so I stretched and yawned. “If you don't mind, it's been a long day, so I think I'm going to go take a nap.” Sophie didn't look convinced, but everyone else was, for now at least. I got up and crossed the room to the stairs before they could start asking questions.
I closed the door to my room slowly, leaning against it on the other side. I had my head on my knees, so I didn't see the other person sitting on my bed. He coughed. “Brett! What are you doing here? What if my mom finds out.” I was whispering at him in an angry tone. Crossing the room in two bounds, I sat beside him. “Aren't you suppose to be in the hospital, you know healing?”
“I'm done healing.” He said it like it was obvious. I looked down at his legs, he was wearing shorts so I could see that he was telling the truth. There wasn't a single mark on his leg, or his arm. It was like he was never attacked. “Ok, you shape shifters are seriously strange.” He chuckled.
“Wait. You know I'm a shape shifter. Who told you? How did you figure it out?” He had a panicked look in his eyes. “I didn't tell you, did I? The alphas are going to kill me for this.”
“Brett calm down.” I walked over to my door and opened it a crack. Everyone was still down in the living room, I could hear ice clinking against glass so I assumed someone had brought out drinks. I closed the door and locked it. “Brett, you didn't tell me. The pack, or at least the few I've met told me. Although, they seemed like they couldn't tell me everything.” He calmed down a bit, but he still looked jumpy.
“So they told you what I am?”
“Ya.”
“Who did you meet?” He had settled down quite a bit, so I returned to my seat beside him. “Well, when I first woke up-”
“Where did you wake up?” He looked interested in what I had to say.
“I woke up in a small clearing with a huge oak tree. Why?”
“No reason, just curious. Go to the beginning. What happened after you left the hospital.” I thought for a moment before replying.
“I wasn't even halfway across the parking lot when I say this wolf standing there glaring at me. I didn't know what to do, so I did the first thing that came to mind, I ran. I almost made it back to the hospital, but the wolf was bigger and faster. It pinned me down, and I hit the ground. Later I woke up in the clearing.”
“Altar and his crew.”
“What?”
“It was probably Altar, or one of the other hunters.”
“Altar was one of the wolves. I didn't meet him, but I did see him walk by. He was talking to Thaddeus.”
“Ah, Thaddeus. Not many mess with him.”
“After that I met your mate, Dalla.” The mention of his mate had him sitting up straight. “Dalla, how is she?”
“She seems fine to me, a little scary at first with all the growling and sniffing, but after she smelled you she calmed down. Until Piper came along that is.”
“Piper.” Brett was nearly growling.
“Ya, she came and got under Dalla's skin. So, I asked her to show me around. We were at the pond when Thaddeus said the alphas wanted to see her, and he brought me home.” Brett was sitting there lost in thought, when a long howl broke the silence. He was on his feet at once and over by the window. “I have to go. Don't let Sophie know you saw me. And please, what ever you do, do not tell anyone about us. Promise?”
“Promise.” With that, he jumped out the window, landing on his feet before running, full speed, into the woods.
That night, my mom didn't let me out of her sight. Everyone else had gone home except Dylan, but he was mostly here to support my mom. While she was in the living room, finding something for the three of us to do, Dylan cornered me. “You seemed kind of fidgety earlier. Everything alright?”
“Everything is fine. Why?”
“You really scared your mother, what with you disappearing.” I didn't think he had cornered me to make small talk. “Dylan, is there something you want?” He looked at me then at the doorway leading to the living room where my mom could be heard. “Not here. Meet me tomorrow after school at my studio. We can talk there.” He handed me a slip of paper with the address on it. “Ok then.” I was about to ask why we needed to talk, when my mom came in carrying an armful of board games.
“Julie? Is that you?” My mom was coming around the corner of the house. “Julie! Where have you been!?” She pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. “We've been looking everywhere for you. The police were going to start an investigation. We thought you had been killed by those wolves!” She was stilled hugging me when Dylan, Sophie, and sadly Ryan came around the corner. “You found her.” Dylan walked up behind my mom and placed his hand on her shoulder. She let me go and got pulled into a hug by Dylan. Next was Sophie, she practically tackled me! “Julie! What happened? One minute you're safe and sound, the next poof! You're gone.”
“Sophie, I-” Before I could tell her anything, Ryan was hugging me.
“Julie babe. You never returned any of my calls. I though the Earth had like, swallowed you or something.” I wiggled my way out of his grip and stepped back. Not knowing what to say, I was relieved when Dylan spoke up, “How about we all go inside and catch up with something to drink.” We all nodded our agreement before trooping inside. Dylan and my mom sat on the loveseat against the wall, leaving Sophie, Ryan and myself to share the couch. “So, how much do you guys know?”
“Well, let's see. You drove me home after Brett disappeared, then you went home. After that, I never heard from you until your mom phoned asking if you were with me. We've been looking for you ever since.” Sophie hadn't taken one breath during all that. “What did happen to you?” I didn't know how much I could tell them. Could I tell them that there had been a dying shape shifter in my house, he refused to go to a hospital but I forced him to go. Then, on my way to the car in the parking lot, I was attacked by a savage beast which turned out to be another shape shifter. I don't think so, instead I made up a story. “I was in town when I heard that the library in downtown East Wood was looking for some volunteers to help move some books, so I figured why not. I was going to call you,” I gestured to my mom, “But my phone was dead and I was already on the road.” They didn't look satisfied so I added, “It was late by the time we were done, so I found a place to stay for the night and came home earlier today. Nobody was home so I took a hike through the forest.” They were all staring at me, I didn't know what else to say so I stretched and yawned. “If you don't mind, it's been a long day, so I think I'm going to go take a nap.” Sophie didn't look convinced, but everyone else was, for now at least. I got up and crossed the room to the stairs before they could start asking questions.
I closed the door to my room slowly, leaning against it on the other side. I had my head on my knees, so I didn't see the other person sitting on my bed. He coughed. “Brett! What are you doing here? What if my mom finds out.” I was whispering at him in an angry tone. Crossing the room in two bounds, I sat beside him. “Aren't you suppose to be in the hospital, you know healing?”
“I'm done healing.” He said it like it was obvious. I looked down at his legs, he was wearing shorts so I could see that he was telling the truth. There wasn't a single mark on his leg, or his arm. It was like he was never attacked. “Ok, you shape shifters are seriously strange.” He chuckled.
“Wait. You know I'm a shape shifter. Who told you? How did you figure it out?” He had a panicked look in his eyes. “I didn't tell you, did I? The alphas are going to kill me for this.”
“Brett calm down.” I walked over to my door and opened it a crack. Everyone was still down in the living room, I could hear ice clinking against glass so I assumed someone had brought out drinks. I closed the door and locked it. “Brett, you didn't tell me. The pack, or at least the few I've met told me. Although, they seemed like they couldn't tell me everything.” He calmed down a bit, but he still looked jumpy.
“So they told you what I am?”
“Ya.”
“Who did you meet?” He had settled down quite a bit, so I returned to my seat beside him. “Well, when I first woke up-”
“Where did you wake up?” He looked interested in what I had to say.
“I woke up in a small clearing with a huge oak tree. Why?”
“No reason, just curious. Go to the beginning. What happened after you left the hospital.” I thought for a moment before replying.
“I wasn't even halfway across the parking lot when I say this wolf standing there glaring at me. I didn't know what to do, so I did the first thing that came to mind, I ran. I almost made it back to the hospital, but the wolf was bigger and faster. It pinned me down, and I hit the ground. Later I woke up in the clearing.”
“Altar and his crew.”
“What?”
“It was probably Altar, or one of the other hunters.”
“Altar was one of the wolves. I didn't meet him, but I did see him walk by. He was talking to Thaddeus.”
“Ah, Thaddeus. Not many mess with him.”
“After that I met your mate, Dalla.” The mention of his mate had him sitting up straight. “Dalla, how is she?”
“She seems fine to me, a little scary at first with all the growling and sniffing, but after she smelled you she calmed down. Until Piper came along that is.”
“Piper.” Brett was nearly growling.
“Ya, she came and got under Dalla's skin. So, I asked her to show me around. We were at the pond when Thaddeus said the alphas wanted to see her, and he brought me home.” Brett was sitting there lost in thought, when a long howl broke the silence. He was on his feet at once and over by the window. “I have to go. Don't let Sophie know you saw me. And please, what ever you do, do not tell anyone about us. Promise?”
“Promise.” With that, he jumped out the window, landing on his feet before running, full speed, into the woods.
That night, my mom didn't let me out of her sight. Everyone else had gone home except Dylan, but he was mostly here to support my mom. While she was in the living room, finding something for the three of us to do, Dylan cornered me. “You seemed kind of fidgety earlier. Everything alright?”
“Everything is fine. Why?”
“You really scared your mother, what with you disappearing.” I didn't think he had cornered me to make small talk. “Dylan, is there something you want?” He looked at me then at the doorway leading to the living room where my mom could be heard. “Not here. Meet me tomorrow after school at my studio. We can talk there.” He handed me a slip of paper with the address on it. “Ok then.” I was about to ask why we needed to talk, when my mom came in carrying an armful of board games.
I stood by you,
Ever so proudly,
In the darkness of war,
Never betraying you,
Always by your side.
I protected you,
Never let you down when
Things got rough,
I stood by you
Through day and night,
Summer and winter.
Stand by me now,
Be my loyal friend,
Never falter when the Fuhrer
Shoots his nasty gaze down at you.
Be strong,
My faithful friend.
Be strong,
And protect me from the evils
Of the world.
Be strong,
Never falter,
And always have courage.
Go now, my faithful friend.
Run free.
Ever so proudly,
In the darkness of war,
Never betraying you,
Always by your side.
I protected you,
Never let you down when
Things got rough,
I stood by you
Through day and night,
Summer and winter.
Stand by me now,
Be my loyal friend,
Never falter when the Fuhrer
Shoots his nasty gaze down at you.
Be strong,
My faithful friend.
Be strong,
And protect me from the evils
Of the world.
Be strong,
Never falter,
And always have courage.
Go now, my faithful friend.
Run free.
Like you don't have another care
Fight till the end.
Fight till the end,
Cuz you got all ya power.
Fight like a trooper.
You've got hope
You've got strength
You've got love on ya side,
So fight now.
Just fight now.
Fight till the end,
You've got all these people
Rootin for ya,
Rootin for ya.
You'll win the fight,
You'll freakin survive,
And you'll be proud
Cuz you fought till the end,
And won it,
And won it.
Fight till the end,
You'll win.
Everything inside ya
Is powerful.
So fight till the end.
Just fight till the end.
AND FIGHT IT!!!