Chapter 1
2 pm August 8th
Rachelle Blake jogged through the familiar woods without a care in the world. Birds chirped in the trees over head as they sat on the swaying branches singing their gentle melodies for Rachelle to hear. The air was heavy and muggy like any normal August day but the air got slowly cooler the higher she climbed away from the mountain’s base. As she ran around a bend in the trail she reached into her back pack and pulled out a water bottle. She missed her lip slightly and little droplets of water fell onto her worn out t shirt.
It had been some time since she had been to the camp sight, about three months. That spring camping trip was one she would never forget. You could say it hadn’t ended well. And that would be putting it very, very lightly.
Hadn’t ended well didn’t even begin to describe how badly it had went. She shuddered at the thought: the glaring eyes, muddy coat, razor sharp claws, the gnashing teeth and last but not least the blood- there was so much blood.
"I can do this. I can do this. I don’t know if that thing is still out here. It might be gone. It doesn’t matter even if it is out here. It doesn’t matter. I am stronger now." slowly the sound of a babbling brook comes into earshot. Rachelle sits down next to the water shrugging off her backpack and pulls out a water bottle. After drinking her fill and catching her breath she turns to pluck a flat stone from the ground to skip across the creek when she notices an imprint. "So you are still here." she murmurs groping in her back pack till she finds it. The handle of her father’s handgun. The print is that of the thing that attacked her. It’s huge the size of a large horses hoof or a small plate.
"I will be ready for you this time." she murmurs swinging the bag back onto her shoulders but hanging on to the gun. I swear I will be ready this time." As she starts up the trail again the scars running up and down her arms begin to tingle.


He looked on from a distance carefully hidden behind some bushes not too far from where Rachelle sat next to the creek looking at the tracks. "Even after what happened, what I did to her, she is still here. what could possibly be here for her?" even though she was obviously right there in front of him it was difficult to wrap his mind around it. He was sorry for what he had done. It really wasn’t his fault he told himself it was the first change, no one can ever control their emotions actions anything the first time you change, the ...rush is just too much to handle. It had been three months, he had learned how to control, and the rush the need to move, to be powerful. What he didn’t have in control that May night. Now he was himself, without any influence, just normal, well as normal as he could be anymore.
He could see she was determined, every movement was sure precise planned in a way.
But all together graceful, beautiful. And she was beautiful even underneath the marks that covered her body. "I did that, I made those horrific marks." he thought bitterly.
Her dirty blonde hair was pulled into a loose ponytail high on her head. Some of the strands had fallen away from the rest and hung in her face, framing her eyes, but she didn’t seem to notice them there. Her almond shaped eyes seemed to glint with a knowledge that the rest of the world was not privy to, behind the grey green eyes was a world of pain she shouldn’t know but does. Her suntanned skin was glistening with a thin layer of sweat that just seemed to enhance her beauty. But most striking of all was the scars. They appeared to be white skin pulled tight raggedly cut ruining the flow of her perfect skin. The longer he looked the more he felt guilty and the weight crushed down on him. She was just - what had he done?


After jogging up the trail for another half an hour and covering about 3 miles, Rachelle made it to the campsite that she called her own. Why she longed to go back here, the spot where her life was forever changed. Even though she could have had any number of campsites she was drawn back to this one, by what she couldn’t say, but it was like an invisible rope was tugging her back. Like something was waiting for her to come back.
Before that night everyone had wanted to camp here. The sites were almost always booked even when it wasn’t tourist season. Now it was closed and it probably was a good thing based on those tracks. Everyone was afraid they would be the next victim. Before the people hadn’t cared that a bear might walk through, or a coyote. It hadn’t mattered, it was worth it to be able to feel the cool mountain air, see the dazzling view to catch that glimpse of the wild life taking a nice long hike just to get away from it all. But now they had shut down that camping portion of the Sweet Meadow State Park, for safety reasons because of "it" because of the mysterious beast.
Rachelle walked cautiously around the site after signing the tattered hiking log, beneath her own name, the last person to sign in. She surveyed the plants that had grown since the last time she had been up here, and again she shuddered at the memories. Even though the rainy spring weather and time had washed away any physical signs or the event. The memories were all too fresh in her min and any reflective surface was a constant reminder.
May 22nd
It was cool by the normal standards but perfect in her opinion. She was up here by herself. It was her first time really being on her own. She had camped at this site before and she worked here at Sweet Meadows. So why would camping alone be any different? That’s what she told her parents. The night was beautiful, cold but still filled with soft warm breezes. She took the sleeping bag out of her little tent and set it out under the star filled sky just gazing at their beauty as she drifted off to sleep. "Leo, Orion, the big dipper, the little dipper" she murmured as she began drifting off into a blissful dreamless sleep.
That peaceful slumber was shattered when Rachelle awoke later to an eerie howling sound swelling and falling filling the air all around her. At first it sounded like it was just a lonely wolf looking for its pack and considered moving back into the tent for safety. But then the sound came again louder than before and with a lower pitch like it was coming from something larger than a normal Timber Wolf.
Then along with the howl came the sound of something rushing through the wood, crashing into bush and branch taking no heed of what it ran into. She just barely had time to unzip and roll from the sleeping bag when the thing ran over top of her. A massive paw came down on her back as she rolled, smashing her face into the dirt, pressing every bit of air from her lungs. She coughed trying to breathe and inhaled dirt.
Rachelle rolled so she was looking at the sky and lay wheezing trying to catch her breath as her feeble fingers dug in vain in her pocket for her pocket knife. But before she could pull it free the creature pounced. It landed on her its razor like claws holding down her arms and thighs thoroughly pinning her down. Blood welled and ran down her skin as it starred into her soul with pitch black eyes. Its putrid breath filled her lungs making her gag. She struggled to twist and turn to get away but the claws were just dug in deeper by her movements. Ragged cuts open spilling blood everywhere.
Rachelle thought that this was it. She was going to die here in the woods alone as some creature’s dinner. Then she heard another eerie howl, different than the one this one had created, almost more powerful. And like that the beast was gone.

Chapter 2
August 9th
Rachelle awoke the next day in her own time at about noon. How she had slept through the morning heat and all the racket that the birds were making was beyond her but it didn’t really matter she was up now. She wandered around the campsite waking up the muscles in her body, kicking a loose stone as she went after a few minutes she wandered over to the trickle of a tributary that had broken away from the rest of the creek and cut its way to the camp site.

Rachelle paused before filling her water bottle and examined the water as it flowed by her. It was clear as ever, no pollution had reached this high yet. Rachelle couldn’t have gone and used the pump a few feet from her sight if she wanted. The park had shut off the water to this area. It made sense they didn’t want to waste the water or the money and power it would take to pump it up here but it was just another reminder. Of how things had changed since she had last been here.
She filled the bottle letting the water flow into the container of its own accord, before cupping the cool water in her hands and sluicing it over her face trying to wash the last reminders of sleep away. After that she wandered underneath the trees to where her back pack hang about 5 feet off the ground away from most animals. Carefully she brought it down and rummaged around until her hand grasped her target, an apple. It was a most perfect apple, bright ruby red, plump and crisp. She rubbed it on her sleeve dulling the shine slightly and was about to sink her teeth into it when she heard something coming her way.
She dropped the apple back into the pack and rushed to her sleeping bag. Beside it lay the gun she had taken from her father’s desk drawer unnoticed. She raised the gun sweeping it around trying to pinpoint the exact location the sound was coming from. Her palms grew damp as the sound came closer. Quickly she wiped them off and readjusted her grip "stay steady." she told herself. What she saw took her off guard then instant she saw him and she lowered the gun. It was a young man. The black t shirt he was wearing turned to rags hanging off him. His skin bright red raw and bloody.

"Oh my god!" Rachelle screamed rushing toward him it was the last thing she could ever have expected to see. For a moment she didn't know what to do she just stared in shock and he looked at her with pleading eyes. His eyes were what snapped her out of it and she hurried to his side, she got there just as his knees out she almost collapsed from his sudden weight and quickly leaned heavily against a tree for support and gently as she could she lowered him to the hard ground.
"What happened to you?" she asked herself but he confirmed it with a murmur she barely heard
"I was attacked" the words hit home even though she had known answer that was to come "okay just hold on I know it will be hard but I will help" she said more calmly then she felt she rushed to her backpack and her hands shook as she fumbled around inside to find her really too small first aid kit and phone with a trembling finger she entered the code
"damn it!" she screamed she had no signal and the screen flashed low battery before going black she must have forgotten to turn off Wi-Fi or something stupid like that which at the moment was one of those things you can think about but in a moment of emergency seems to be the most thing ever, even if she found somewhere on the mountain there probably wouldn’t be enough juice left to make a phone call.
"Okay let's try to get this thing off." She said a little less calmly than before she had to help this guy. If she didn't he surely would die and there was no way she could carry him 10 miles all the way down the mountain and state he was in the state she was in. she could slowly feel the icy fingers of panic working its way to her chest. With fumbling fingers she opened her pocket knife and slowly carefully began cutting the fabric of the shirt away bit by bit it anyway in moment he looked even worse than the moment before.
"Please please stay with me please stay strong please I need you to stay strong" she begged but it was no use his head lolled to the side unconsciousness taking over. In her shaking hands she took the ragged shirt to Little Creek she just drank from and plunged into the frigid water she slowly released letting the shreds separate and curl in an out letting it soak up all the cleaning clear water into every fiber until it couldn’t hold another drop. Now she lifted the heavy soaking shirt begin to twist the fabric and bit by bit the water squeezed out. It ran dark down her arms and onto the bank. It started at a deep crimson red running down rivers into the water before getting whisked away
She did this again and again and again until her hands went numb and the shirt and gone from the red to magenta in pink it'll all that was left was water and not the man's life blood. Then and only then did she use the shirt with a little she had her first kit clean and bind his wounds.
At times while she was slowly wrapping his chest he would come to before sinking back into the blackness. But every time he did she got a new hope- hope that what she was doing was the right thing. she wrapped the strips of shirt around his chest arms and shoulders when she finally finish he came to again and whispered in a very soft voice just as quiet as the first time he had spoken and said "thank you" and before she could say anything to him in reply he was gone again.
Rachelle stood up all her thoughts of the hunger for breakfast gone all that remained was emptiness. her mind was emptied of all thoughts she was just in shock in awe she filled a water bottle with water and sat by side and with one of the left over rags she gently washed away all the blood from his face his hands and where it had dripped down his legs.
Now that she was sitting down and he was clean and she wasn't trying to save his life she could who he really was and get a better look at him. He had chocolate brown hair that was chopped short into almost cut but it was a little bit longer he had muscular look to him. His face had a strong jaw and angular prominent cheek bones.
she sat down beside him her gun resting on her leg and she stared into the trees watching for she didn't know what “I’m not alone anymore I'm not the only one she glances his on moving body you're so much like me please get better so I'm not alone.”

Chapter 3
Avan slowly came to again after falling in and out of consciousness and this time he was hit full force for the pain it was so intense it was like no other pain he has ever felt it took all of his will and strength not to scream and scream he felt so weak he hasn't felt this weak since his master had made him change to change and join the pack
He had been dragged out of the cleaning but the Azazel his masters second in command and Josh the other pack numbers to another clearing a lot farther away from the master but it was not far enough that the master would not hear him scream. Weasel just watched over the proceedings as Josh and gage another pack member they meant along the way bound him to a tree.
When they were sure that the knots were securely tied, they did whatever they and Azazel saw as fit, in order to wreak havoc over his body. It wasn’t until the first signs of dawns light filled the sky that they untied him. Now that he was away from his tormentors he finally felt free but it was still raging fiercely within him. He felt that his presence here hurt and useless as he was putting her in danger. He didn’t want to be here and yet something had drawn him here, back to her.
He lay down, but where was he? he was in what he assumed was a sleeping bag, the slippery fabric fell cool against his slightly fevered skin, and his body felt slightly warmer on one side than the other he pondered this for a moment trying to understand till he heard the soft crackle and popping sound of a fire. Finally after what seemed like hours but had honestly been but a few short minutes he let out a low pained moan. within seconds he felt a cool soft hand on his forehead "oh no your burning up!" the girl said anxiously he heard her shuffling around a splash in the stream then her foot falls as she returned and pressed a cool clothe to his forehead some of the cool water from which rolled down his temple into his hair and down the back of his neck. It felt wonderful.
"Can you tell me your name?" The girl with the rag asked, shifting it so it didn’t drip the water into his eyes.
"My n- name?" he voice cracked from lack of water his tongue was so dry it felt like a heavy block of wood and his throat a scratchy piece of sand paper. "My name is Avan." he tried again his voice deep and raspy.
"My name is Rachelle, here have a drink" she said offering him her water bottle. He took eagerly and slowly sat up before slurping down a good portion of it. He paused to catch his breath while he did so he said "That’s a very pretty name.” Rachelle helped him so he was sitting up against a tree away from the fire. "Thank," he shifted his weight slightly and gave a little gasp and the spike of pain.
"It gets better you know. I was attacked too you see, but I was worse off that you were. It only got you there," she said indicating his chest and shoulders. "It got my arms and my legs." she continued on, prattling on about how the hospitals get to be okay and you will be ok. He was only half listening focusing on the pain and pushing it away when he felt a tug on his mind.
He paused for a moment letting a small part of his guard down to identify the person calling to him over the psychic link everyone in the pack shared. It was Vince a 16 year old boy, a newbie one who really shouldn’t have gotten mixed up with the pack. "What do you want?" Avan asked sharping over the connection. "Now is not the best time."
"I know! What do you think you are doing?" Vince Hissed.
"I’m dealing with my own business now bug off Vince!" Avan replied stonily and shut down the connection forcing Vince out of his mind.
"Avan? Avan are you ok? you went all like stiff there for a second and you looking like you were concentrating really hard on something." she glance into the woods in the direction he must have been staring.
"Yea I’m good just hurting that’s all." He said trying and failing not to sound to guilty. she looked at him quizzically and he could tell she didn’t believe him for a second. "Look don’t worry too much about me. I’ll will be fine." he said brushing off everything like it was nothing."
It’s kind of hard not to Avan," she thought bitterly "you came out of nowhere a walking piece of minced meat. To me one who had already been that way herself.'


Vince sat shaking his head in frustration, was Avan really that stupid? When their master found out where he was Avan was going to have major problems. When he found out what he obviously not supposed to be doing he would be dead. Or very close to dead. "I have to get him to listen to me! To sense." he thought determinedly.
He was thinking about how to get his friend to listen to him when Azazel and his mate Saraphina found him. “Ah Vincent Just the pup I wanted to see." Azazel said with a slightly sarcastic tinge to his voice. "If you see Avan you need to tell him that his master orders him to come home, his little oh what shall we call it my love?" he asks turning to Saraphina
"Vacation?" she supplied
"Yes Vacation it works I like it. When you see him tell Mr. Turner his vacation is near an end. Much longer and we will need to find him, we wouldn’t want one of our family to get lost. But I’m sure it won’t come to that will it?" Azazel asked icily.
"No sir it shall not come to that. He will be home soon." Vince said bowing as the two threatening leaders retreated. The next two days passed fairly quickly, they consisted of Rachelle making slow arcs branching farther and farther out away from camp while Avan slept. She had to make sure she was back before he woke up though. For some reason Avan didn’t want to search the woods. "He probably just wants to make sure you don’t get attacked again, ' she thought as she made her way back one day, but that wasn’t it. Avan was afraid she would wander through the middle of the packs camp one of these times. If she did, her body would be long gone before the police thought to look for her. It was really quite ironic he couldn’t help thinking. The one she was searching for was right in front of her. The one she wanted to hurt she was healing.
That night Rachelle got out what would be the last of her food until she went and got more food. She had brought enough food for herself to have light meals for about 5 days. But with another mouth to food and one who needed the extra nourishment the food had gone in two days. Avan still was in no shape to make the hike back down and Rachelle wasn’t quite sure what would happen if she tried to bring the authorities in on this, she didn’t know what to do.
"What brings you up here anyway?" Avan asks breaking the silence as they ate me mean what does a... 18?" he guessing sizing her up, she nods he assent and he continued "what is an 18 year old girl doing camping out on a mountain that she technically shouldn’t be especially when she is part of the reason why you’re not supposed to."
Rachelle took a bite of food and chewed slowly plotting out her answer "Um... well I guess I’m am up her to prove to myself and to everyone else who will listen that I am not weak. That I can still function like a human being. Unlike what my mother and some others think. I am a still the same girl I was before, I was scarred not lobotomized. I just have scars I want to prove I am still me. And I guess the only way to do that is to... well" she gestures at the gun lying near the tent "you get the idea."
Avan slowly released his breath forcing his face to stay blank "what have I gotten myself into?" he thought. The next morning the two split the last apple, after swallowing the later morsel Rochelle told Avan what she had to do. "This is the last of the food. I know where I can get some food, from when there was camp store for this area of the park. I know the people who work there so I should be able to get some food. So I am going to try to get some of it. Do you think you will be ok if I let you be for the day? I won’t have any way to contact you if something goes wrong."
“I will be fine, all I dot is sleep the day away anyway. so it’s not like I will fall and I in the creek, go we will need the food and I won’t make it down the hill yet even if I were to try and go down with you." Rachelle didn’t know this but that statement wasn’t completely true. His body was just sore now. Only partially reassured by this statement but still not wanting to leave him here alone Rachelle gathered what she thought she might need: Flashlight for if it got dark, her wallet, and a water bottle. she shoved these items into the little draw string pouch the first aid had come in and with a little wave, she began to make her way down the mountain, to an eventful time at the camp store.

Chapter 4
After Rachelle left Avan wandered around aimlessly through the camp for a few minutes, alternating between sittings next to the water’s edge and laying down watching the clouds roll on by. After about 15 minutes had past and he was sure Rachelle wasn’t going to come back making some excuse about how it wasn’t safe for her to leave him here alone or something, after he was sure she wasn’t going to come back he surveyed the surrounding woods making sure they were empty. When he was certain that the coast was clear he emptied the bullets out of the gun. He held in his hand the weapons that could possibly bring the death and destruction of his family and friends, even if some of them were less then friendly.
"Ok so, now what are you going to do with them Avan?" he asked himself. Glancing around he noticed a mud puddle. It was actually more of a mush puddle when more thoroughly examined, the mud had begun to solidify but not to the point one couldn’t move it without it breaking into chunks. He grabbed a nearby rock and using it like a shovel dug a shallow hole to drop the bullets into, after covering up the hole he used a smooth edge on the rock to level the mud out again. To make the mud look a bit more natural he grabbed three sticks and threw them somewhat haphazardly on top looking like they fell there on their own.
"Avan! You really need to pay attention to me now." Vince said forcing his way into Avan’s mind once again.
"What now?"
"Look I’m just trying to help you." he stated urgently "Azazel said that if you don’t come home soon that they are going to have to organize a search party, you know what that means!" That caught Avan's attention big time. If a search party was sent out from the pack it meant that they assumed you were trying to get out, and you were in for life.
"Ok when did he tell you this" Avan asked.
There was a pause, one Avan really didn’t like "Yesterday." It took him a moment to process the bit of information "don’t. Don’t say anything. I was told after I talked to you, then you shut me out I couldn’t get through to you all day, it hasn’t worked until now."
"Okay" Avan said trying not to freak but knowing Vince was not the one to blame for this situation "okay that’s my fault I don’t blame you. But I- Damn what am I going to do? I just can leave, I’m...I’m" a sudden thought struck him and he began to unwrap the bandages. What he say caused him to slowly release his breath, it brought both piece and new problems. Under the bandages where there had been ragged cuts were very pale hardly visible scars. "Oh God Vince what am I going to do?"



"Ok I just met him right? I know that he's all that bad. Yet again I don’t know anything about him really. What is he doing up here? I told him when he asked but I didn’t think to ask him" Rachelle said speaking the thoughts crashing through her head aloud. "And yet he seems like a pretty good guy." The vision of Avan lying there peacefully asleep not feeling the pain had implanted itself into her mind. "Crap! I don’t even know him. NO, no, no, not again I- I can’t deal with this right now.” She knew the feeling creeping up inside her. She knew it all too well. The way of thinking, the looks shared the waiting the questions. Before all the pain and suffering she had known what she thought it was like to be liked maybe even loved by someone. She had Brian to thank for that, but that was until she needed him the most. Then he was gone. It had been wonderful they went to little concerts, and sat on a blanket in the grass or went to dinner and the movies and went on walks in the woods just marveling at how peaceful it was. It was ironic really that the woods that had brought them peace many a night would be the setting of what drove them apart.
It was after the attack that things started to go wrong. She was in the hospital, and it seemed like Brian talked to her less and less, even though she tried and it upset her he didn’t. Rachelle didn’t bring it up and she couldn’t really even if she had wanted to. It seemed to Rachelle at least, that the tests that the doctors needed were constant. The hospital workers thought that they were helping her but the tests were both physically and mentally draining. The constant poking of the needles, the drawing of the blood and the scans. But there were some test where they needed to put her under anesthesia so she wouldn’t scream.

It was after one of these tests that Brian and Max, Rachelle’s best friends since 1st grade sat by her side waiting for her to wake up. The seconds were ticked away by the constant rhythmic blips of the equipment "Beep...Beep, Beep." Five minutes past then ten “I am going to get some coffee from the cafeteria you want anything?" Brian asked stretching trying to get some so the stiffness that had settle over his muscles would go away.
"Nah I’m good." Max replied "Thanks though." Brian left slowly carefully closing the door so it didn’t creak and he was followed by the muffled sound of his retreating footsteps as he made his way down to the cafeteria.
Max glanced down at his phone and another minute ticked by. Then the beeping grew more insistent another machine joined it till there was a cacophony of beeps and blips. The night mares were starting. Rachelle gave an almost imperceptible whimper under all the sound then started to flinch away then twist and thrash fighting so invisible beast. Immediately Max jumped up, he ran to the door and glanced down the hall there was no sign of brain. "You and your stupid coffee." he thought bitterly. Max didn’t need to look at the machines to know that this was a really bad dream. Her eyes were rolling beneath the lids and all blood had drained from her face. "Rachelle Listen to me, its Max you’re okay, wake up please your safe it’s over. Rachelle nothing is attacking you." He said desperately but in vain.
"Rachel Come on snap out of it! You’re ok." But no matter what he said max couldn’t get her to wake up. Thinking back to all the other times that this had happened he knew something that could work but Brain... he glanced down the hall way still no sign of him.
Knowing he had to do this now before the other boy came and well he bent and Kissed Rachelle like brain had done when she had a bad nightmare previously. It was a soft kiss but as much as he wanted to deep inside he put no feeling into it. Even so the action calmed her a signal for freedom and love. A pull back to reality. Her heart beat slowed to the regular speed as she woke up "Thanks Babe." she murmured still half asleep before she opened her eyes. And saw it wasn’t her boyfriend who was kissing her.
"Well how about I just leave you too alone for a little while." a voice behind Max said. "Brian stood in the door way a coffee in one hand and Rochelle’s favorite blueberry muffin in the other. Slowly he compressed his fingers and the soft flesh of the muffin oozed between his fingers and fell to the floor. He flicked his hand and little bits of blueberry were flung everywhere. His eyes were angry but hurt at the same time. It killed Max to see the pain there but as he rose to speak Brian spun around and ran out slamming the door behind him.
“Wait Brian!" Max ran to the door and wrenched it open. "I can explain it’s not what it looks like but the other boy didn’t stop. Not even when Rachelle began to call for him her shouts weak and hollow sounding.
Max came back into the room when Brian was really gone. Rachelle was silently crying tears slowly falling from the corners of her eyes. "Rachelle, I - oh man, It seemed like it was a really bad one and he wasn’t here and I just- I tried waking you up by like talking to you but it wasn’t working so I..." He threw himself into a chair trying to just think about a way to justify it unjustifiable. "Rachelle I am so sorry."
She looked at him but he could tell she wasn’t looking at him more like through him. "It is ok." was all she could bring herself to say.

Chapter 5
Slowly Rachelle left the trail head, she wanted to make sure no one saw her, the fewer the better there would be less questions that she didn’t have answers for that way. The sun was starting to hang low in the sky, she had taken way to long coming down, the way back up would have to be much faster.
As she walked to her destination, parents turned and hurried away and she heard the not to hushed questions to friends. To them she was different, a scary sight. But she had grown used to it. It was a part of her now so why should it bother her?
"Hey Rachelle!" A cheery voice called from behind her.
Silently she cursed her luck "Just what I need at the moment someone bugging me, ok just make this snappy." She turn a small smile playing across her lips as she glanced around as if looking for who was calling her.
"Rachelle over here." the guy was waving like a fool at her from over 20 feet back. She quickly walked over to him hoping he would stop that ridiculous waving. "Yeah hey Garret how are you?"
"Pretty good you never come into the store anymore."
"Yea I guess it has been a while." she said a little sarcasm falling into her voice 'shut up dude'
'how come you don’t-" his face got bright red "oh um right you two um sorry I uh forgot." she just nodded and started to walk away. "Hey do you want to swing by the store with me?" Rachelle wanted nothing to do with this kid who had always seemed to like her. Even more now she had the scars, but so did everyone they didn’t want the girl they wanted the publicity. "No I mean brain isn’t at the store and then you can fill up your water bottle and catch up and stuff. “The boy said trying to dig himself out of a rather deep hole.
she rolled her eyes "Ok I guess." she was rather thirsty and this might just give her the access to the food without sneaking into the back of the shop, why not just walk right in. when they walked into the store they were instantly hit with an icy blast of conditioned air, condensation dripped slowly into a little bucket accompanied by the whirring of the machine so there was a constant mmmmm bink mmmmm bink mmmm bink mmmm bink. She breathed it the familiar scent that was in the store and felt a little better but still a little awkward by the place of many reminders. When offered it Garret took the empty water bottle and filled it in the back room as he did so asking "so what are you do here?"
Rachelle paused trying to think of the most natural sounding way to go about this. "I’m just going hiking. Hey do you know if there is still some of that food in the back the nonperishable stuff."
"Really I didn’t think that you could hike anymore." Garret said a little confused "but yeah the food is still here. What do you need it for?" then it hit him "you’re doing the river path again aren’t you! You aren’t allowed up there anymore it’s illegal!"
Rachelle took a sip of water I know but the last time I never got to see the last 10 miles of the trial I want to see it." she replied coolly
"Look I can’t I won’t give you the food I won’t tell anybody though if you, if you leave now ok I could lose my job and I really need this job badly." he gushed like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, the calm in Rachelle's voice in her demeanor. She was talking about breaking the law like she didn’t seem to care at all!

"Come on Garret, come on be a pal I was here every day. You know me, you know I can take care of myself. Sure I got attacked but I’m still here right? I’m not dead. I can do this. What’s the chance it happens again?" She whined trying a different angle but sliding into it gently to keep him from catching on.
"Rich I already said no that I won’t help you. If you want to get arrested fine but don’t bring me into It." he tried to look away from her and start working on the computer but she could see he was forcing himself not to look.
"Garret come on! It’s not like the food is being used, it’s just going to go to waste. I just need few cans. And I would be helping you by giving you more room. Please come on dude." she leaned across the counter at him trying to get him to look at her again.
"Look I said no and I will not ..." he didn’t finish as the door creaked open "a ha-ha hi brain I thought you weren’t coming in until later." Garret said giving a slightly nervous laugh.
Slowly Rachelle turned there was no point in hiding he would know who she was in a glance. "Hey Brian." she said nonchalantly all thoughts of the food gone in an instant 'of cores the day don’t want to see him I do it’s been three months it was bound to happen sooner or later." Brian simply gave a curt nod and didn’t say anything just leaned against the counter with his arms crossed.
The tension and awkwardness in the room got thicker and thicker by the second as Rachelle waited she was not going to make the first move, garret finally broke the silence. "I’m going to go see how the uh the" he stammered bouncing to his feet “I’m just going to go outside." and he dashed for the door.
Rachelle stood quietly toying with a loose sting on her bag at this point unsure what to do, having lost control of the situation. "Um can I like uh can I talk to you?" Brian asked slowly pointing to head into the store room.
"Um yeah sure." she said little too quickly, her heart was pounding a million beats a second.
Upon entering Rachelle noticed the boxes of canned food and remembered her mission. 'Maybe still can,' she thought
Britain stood for a minute staring hard at the floor seeming to gather his thoughts and some courage to go along with it. When he had scrapped something together he seemed to burst "look Rachelle I am really sorry I can’t say how sorry I am. I really am I’m sorry that I didn’t listen to you or to max. I guess I was just mad that I wasn’t there when you really needed me. How can I ever make it up to you?"
Rachelle stood there dumbfounded for a moment before anger started to seep through her veins. How could he have thought that, that was the only time that she needed him? How about the end of school? Graduation? How about all the crap she had gone through right after? If he was truly sorry why hadn’t he come to her before to be there before now?
She tried to keep her voice as even as possible but even still a tiny edge of anger crept in "you left me when I needed you the most, if you had ever truly loved me you never would have left." Brian opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off "I’m not finished" she snapped "I am going to finish hiking that trail. I’m not asking you to hike with me, I don’t want you too. However need some food. So if you want to help me, hour will give me the food." brain swallowed hard trying to compute what she was saying” and don’t worry if I find that thing I am going to kill that thing that ruined my life."
Brian scanned the shelves "Rachelle I am going to guess that you know that if I help you I will lose my job."
"That was the wrong answer." she hissed her temper getting the better of her. "Thanks for all of your help." she said her voice dripping with sarcasm.
She spun on her heel and reached for the door handle of the room when brain grabbed her wrist “wait" she tried to pull away but he kept a firm grip on her. Forcefully but gently he pulled her around so she faced him, he simply stared into her eyes for a minute looking deep into them before saying I have missed you." then he kissed her.
She froze 'oh crap' she thought then the thought flew away followed by peace and familiarity kissing the boy she loved, or the one she had loved but no more. It took a few moments to relieve what was happening but when she did she took action. She slowly and tenderly moved her hands up to his chest and pushed him away with a sharp shove. "You must not have missed me that much" she said shoving the contents into a bag.
"What are you talking about of course I have." he said surprised
" let’s see.' she said straitening after pulling the bag closed "If you really missed me you could at the least answer a text or a phone call or at lasted tried to reach me. But you didn’t." he didn’t say anything, because she was right and he couldn’t say anything. "Brian. WE. Are. Done." she said and pushed past him and out the door.

Chapter 6
Rachelle ran as soon as she was out of sight of the back door, the can of supplies slamming heavily into her back but she took no heed. She thought she heard Brian call out to her telling her to please come back but she didn’t even turn.
When she reached the woods she felt a single tear begin sliding down her cheek and she quickly whisked it away. "I don't need him, he is just a big jerk he never was any good for me." she said trying to convince herself that what she was doing was right, but the words sounded hollow and without any truth. The sadness seemed to slower her down as the sun hung lower and lower in the sky.



Avan too was trying to convince himself that he was keeping her safe being there but it was a lie. He lifted the hem of his shirt to again glance at the lack of wounds there. If his master found out where he was at this moment he would get a beating worse than the one when he found out about Rachelle's coming. It would be worse there was no doubt but he couldn’t leave. He knew she would keep looking for him, and either she would get lost or they would take her when they came for him. Either option didn’t seem like the right one.
He sat down and began toying with a frayed section of the fabric. Rachelle had given him the shirt "It’s one of my dad’s old shirts, I wanted something old to change into that would let me move around in it, but obviously you need it more than I do."
"What can I tell Master I am doing 'I came to change her or kill her.'?" He thought "I- I can’t kill her but I will not change her. I can’t force her into this life just that could kill her."
Of course Avan had heard stories about members of the pack who had gotten too attached to people not a part of the pack, they both ended up dead. He looked north where the pack resided, a wall of black thunderheads seemed to be rolling in straight at him. He could have been just paranoid but that seemed like a really bad sign like one of the impending doom that would settle on them. Like a reminder of the little time that Avan had to make a decision on what to do. Did it spark any brilliant plans? No, it just scared him more.
Avan sat still mulling over the plan he didn’t have, as the sun sank lower and lower sucking away the light and as he fell deeper and deeper into confusion any hope as the clouds came closer. But like a saving grace the sweet smell of rain came on swift wind. Avan inhaled deeply and felt the longing bubble up. The longing to morph into the wolf and run in the rain, feel it soaking through his fur, the mud squishing between his claws. And maybe he would find the answer he needed!
But no, he couldn’t risk it. If he transformed the pack would automatically know where he was if they didn’t already.
His thoughts turned back to Rachelle was she ok? She still wasn’t back yet. 'she’s fine." he said aloud the storm still hadn’t hit but he could feel the tension in the air. He shifted so he was more comfortable and settled down to wait out either the time till Rachelle’s arrival or the storm.
It was around midnight that he woke up from a doze to someone’s voice filling the still air. The voice he relieved was Rachelle shouting something. "Hey!" He said feigning pain as he careful lifted himself up "Your back."
"Yeah I’m back." she replied a little too sharply.
"Are you ok?" Avan asked carefully wondering what the need for such a snappish response was.
"I- I am fine!" she said again a little too quickly, and she must have realized this because she kept going.” I just I hate him! He is so stupid and I was stupid for just- just everything!” she spit it out so quickly Avan almost didn’t catch it. He was confused for a second who was 'He?" but before he could ask she seemed to snap.
A ragged cry seemed to be ripped from her lips. She grabbed a stick and snapped it over and over again till all that was left was a pile of little twigs. All the anger and rage that she had kept at bay for so long was bursting forth. She grabbed several sticks and snapped them, for a few minutes. Avan tried to talk to her but it was like a wall have been put up between them.

Then with a vicious crack lighting split the sky and the rain came down. The icy cold sheets seemed to freeze Rachelle and she just looked toward the heavens, in an instant the two were soaked to the bone. With a little resistance Avan grabbed her hand and pulled her under the cover of some trees.
Sitting under the cover of the leaves Avan gave the hand he still had a small squeeze. "Are you ok?" he asked gently. She looked up at him and with the next burst of lightning he saw it wasn’t just rain that coursed down her cheeks. "Why the tears?" he asked hesitantly, gently wiping one away. She looked down at her hand still in his. "Rachelle if you want you can tell me. I’m just a nobody." he said hoping it would work.
And it did, the tiny hint of a smile flitted across her lips. "You’re ... you are not a - a nobody. “She stammered, before taking a large gulp of air and released it slowly and snakingly.
"Ok so I’m not a nobody, which makes me feel awesome." he said giving her little nudge. Again she gave a small smile but it quickly faded "I’m sorry you saw, that I just I don’t know I- I guess I lost control."
"It’s okay." Avan brushed his them across the back of his hand "take as much time as you need."
She took a few more unsteady breaths and seemed to decide she was calmed down enough. I think I am good now." she said like she was asking herself permission, she tied to smile but it came out like a grimace. "Yes I am ready."
I guess it all started with my 17th birthday last year. Max, he's been my best friend for ... I know even know how long any more, forever. He knows me better than anyone else and he found out that Billy Joel was coming to a city like 1 hour away. I have listened to his music all growing up and have wanted to see him for years. But whenever I had the money needed to pay for the tickets they were all sold out. Max surprised me with them saying that one of the kids on the soccer team with him had two extra tickets, whoever he had been going to take had backed out for some reason. I thought it was the best present ever, even better than the old truck I had gotten for my sweet sixteen. I was over the moon.
"We had a great time the seats were great I will never forget it. We were 30 feet from the staged right dead center. And Brian was really cool he even played for the gas and stuff saying 'it’s your birthday why not?' about a week later Brian asked me to dinner then a couple times after that. So when we made it official that we were dating no one was surprised. We did everything thing together. We even both got jobs here at Sweet Meadow, I’m a life guard in the summer months while Brian works at the camp store. "
"I love it here, even now with the memories," she said indicating the scars on her arm “I love it when it's hot out and you can see the animals flock to the ponds or its cold and the trails they leave in the snow. I love the smell of the woods after it rains, the freshness of it all. The colors that you can only find in nature in the fall. I just, I love it here. I was always the first one here and the last to leave. Love to hike and just get away from it all to hear nature’s own version of silence.
"It was on this trail "the river path that I was attacked. I somehow convinced my parents I was ready. By this time I was almost 18 and had gone on most of the other trails available to hike on. This trail is one of the longest trails, not something that I could do in my break time or after work. I needed a full day and part of the next to complete it. I would need to camp out. I explain how there were log books every couple of miles so as u went, if you got lost it would be easier to find you because the range to look for u would be narrowed by how far u had gone.
So we checked the weather and chose a weekend in May were the weather would be warm all we end, not a cloud was scheduled to pass within 400 miles of here. Another group of campers was camped out here when I arrived, they camped at that site over there" I point through the trees to one of the camp sights about one hundred feet down the path. "When I got here, to this site it was about 5' o’clock so I let them know I was here and I was by myself. They said ok if I needed anything not to be afraid to come and ask for it. They were a nice group of people.
"Well something did happen, I was attacked by some- some creature a monster is all I can call it. When it happened I screamed because obviously it was the most painful thing I had ever experienced. I tried to get up to move and get to those guys, but I couldn’t. There was just too much for my body. I was losing too much blood. One guy immediately took off down the trail calling 911 and running down to meet the medics. I later found out he was a cross country runner, and he said it’s the fastest he has ever run, but I’m not sure if I should feel honored by that. But anyway while he ran the other two wrapped me in t-shirts to try to stop blood and made a make shift sling. It was... excruciating, I wasn’t conscious when I was taken by the mercy flight copter but I was told they made it about a half mile down. And I had lost about 2 1/2 to 3 pints of blood. I was very much in the critical zones.
"After the attack I was in the hospital for 3 weeks, my parents were there when they could but they had to work double shifts at work to pay the medical bills I was racking up. So it was up to Brian and Max to keep me company for those long hours making me laugh or comforting me, or just be a distraction from the white washed walls. And then they also helped with the nightmares.
"Max explained to me after I had left the hospital that they could tell when I was going to have a nightmare there were certain signs. First my pulse would begin to race and go faster and faster causing the heart monitor to go berserk. Then my face would go super pale as all the blood drained away from my face. Like I was seeing a ghost. and if it was really bad, it happened about 3 times I would start shaking and thrashing about like I was trying to get away and couldn’t.
Brian would try to talk to me to sooth me by voice and smoothing my hair if they didn’t work he would squeeze my hands trying to pull me away. And if nothing else would work him would kiss mean it would without fail bring me slowly out of the nightmare and into a more peaceful sleep.
Even there brain was with me just as much as max he began to grow distant from me. And there wasn’t much I could do. He hated seeing the gashes and would make up excuses to leave the room whenever anyone would come to change the bandages. I could tell it bothered him, though he never came right out and said it. He probably still thinks that they are hideous and disgusting. Don’t me wrong they are terrible but they represent me, what I had to go through who I am now. He never could get that, never quite understand it.
Max has felt something more for me than as a friend for years but has kept it under wraps. I know he does and somehow brain found out. So when he went to the cafeteria to get some food Max tried everything short of kissing me when the night mare hit. But it was terrible the worst one yet. So max kissed me. And brain came back he wouldn’t listen. He just put the thought in his head and didn’t let go, I had to be cheating on him. Every night up till when I checked out I had a nightmare. Each night till I left he wasn’t there to help me.
"Graduation came and went and I managed to avoid him, till tonight at least. It took being away from him for 3 months for me to realize how big of a jerk he was. He seemed so nice in the beginning. “she paused as she came to the next point in her tale " and I guess I just broke down and let out all the anger I have felt toward him for using me and at myself for letting myself be used like that. Rachelle looked down and rubbed some mud away from her fingers.
"I’m sorry" Avan said again.
"Why? U didn’t do anything wrong you’re not the reason he is a jerk." she said curtly.
"But I am." Avan thought "indirectly but I am the reason." he shrugged “I guess I don’t know what else to say and I feel sorry for you."
She glanced up sharply "Don’t please don’t. I don’t like people feeling sorry for me, it accomplishes nothing. Everybody thinks I need some sort of special treatment. I don’t. I can take care of myself that’s why I’m up here now to prove that I can do just that, to prove I am strong enough. My parents say they care about me and wish this never happened but the sooner I leave the better."
"Right now all they seem to care about is the publicity. They are eating it up. 'Teen girl attacked by mysterious beast' 'beast of attack at State Park still not found.' 'Victim of attack at state park released from hospital' it's stupid I don’t want everyone to know my life. It is just stupid." she fumed.
"Well she sure is back to normal. “Avan thought "whatever wall fell down has been rebuilt."
"Well then I guess it is a good thing that I am not brain or your parents. So why beat yourself up about it, I think you are fully capable of taking care of yourself." he said
"Really?" she said hopefully but still searched his eyes for a lie.
"Really," he gave her hand a squeeze "you took care of me didn’t you, so you had to be able to take care of yourself."
"Thanks Avan, it means a lot."
A chilly wind blew across their camp site sending rain drenched leaves skittering toward the pair, they stuck to their skin cold and damp. Rachel shivered a little and rubbed her arms brushing the leaves away.
"Here you will be warmer," Avan suggested indicating a spot closer to his side. Rachelle hesitated for a moment or two then scooted over to him. Nonchalantly he put his arm around her.
Rachelle felt a little awkward at first but he was right it was warmer next to him. He acted as a wind block and the leaves and rain weren’t hitting her as much. Suddenly the wind changed direction, and without thinking Rachelle snuggled closer to the source of warmth beneath his arm.
They stayed that way for a few minutes, not speaking huddled together watching the rain. Slowly the rain let up coming in light and lighter droves till it was all gone but for a light misting. The moon shown down as the clouds parted the tiny sliver giving them a little light to see by. "It’s almost a new moon," Rachelle murmured.
"My master has less control over the pack right now" Avan thought. The master had a better handle on the pack when the moon was full giving him full power, but that power slowly waned with the moon. Then as the moon grew again so did the power. It was an ever changing schedule but all knew it. "Maybe we are safe at least for the moment “he thought doubtfully. "It’s a waning crescent." he said
"It’s beautiful." she whispered slowly getting up and walking into the center of the camp. The shadows were deep and full but the little light that radiated from the sliver in the sky pieced the land reflecting off of every drop of liquid giving the camp and eerie luminesces.
Avan rose coming up behind Rochelle "Just like you."
"What?" she asked turning to him unsure if she had heard him right.
"It’s beautiful just like you." he said louder more confidently. She ducted her head in response cheeks flushing a bright scarlet. Her hair damp from the rain shimmered as he raised her chin gently to look up at him. "You are beautiful, all of you. Anyone who says otherwise is lying."
Slowly hesitantly he bent his head to hers and kissed her, she tense at first then something in her released, relaxed and she was kissing him back soft and accepting. And with that kiss all thoughts of worry, of capture and the rest of the pack disappeared.

Chapter 7
The next morning they sat under those same trees eating breakfast a can of peaches each. They say silently both with their own thoughts as they enjoyed the sweet syrup covered fruit. For a moment a flicker of a smile lit up their faces as they caught each other’s eyes but they said nothing. The rain was back soaking the wood so they were unable to start a fire, "hey how are you feeling today?" Rachelle asked lowering a fork laden with peaches as the thought struck her.
“I feel pretty good, just a little sore." Avan replied noncholantly.
"Good then let’s take a look, we probably should change the wrappings." she said.
For a moment Avan hesitated not wanting her to know it would change things and he wasn’t ready to explain. But if he didn’t she would question him, he had no choice. As the bandages fell away so did her smile, replaced by utter confusion. Avan tried to stay calm but he couldn’t meet her gaze.
"What? How- how is this NO this isn’t this can’t be possible." she didn’t understand couldn’t understand what she was seeing. In her mind was the vision of him coming to her bloody and ragged and her own attack and the three weeks of pain spent in the hospital while she healed? “I- I don’t understand" she looked up at Avan’s face hoping for an answer.
“I heal fast." he said it was the first thing that came to him, but even to his own ears it sounded fake.
"Fast?" she said shrilly "Fasts its impossible! Inhuman..." then the though struck her "In... inhuman." again she glanced from where the cuts should have been to his face but this time the fear on her face was clear. She had figured it out on her own, "you. You" slowly she backed away "you y you." it was all she could muster.
"Rachelle please listen to me, let me explain." he reached for her hand but she ripped it away the fear clear as day in her eyes.
Suddenly Vince was there screaming in Avan’s head "AVAN, AVAN!" in shock and pain Avan clapped his hands to his ears. "Avan they are coming! Run!" Vince screamed in panic.
"Vince what’s going on? Explain but don't shout." he said through clenched teeth.
"You have got to run now! Azazel and Saraphina are coming right now they just left! You need to get out of there." panic gripped his chest but not for himself it was for Rachelle.
"Shit, Rachelle you need to get out of here now!" he said turning toward her and found himself looking down the sights of her gun.
"Why should I trust you?" she snapped not moving the gun.
"Look I -I know I screwed up and that you don’t trust me and you think that you shouldn’t listen to me bit there are people coming right now and if they find you here with me they would kill you without a thought. So please for your own safety run!"
Her anger wavered for a moment "what why me? I did nothing!?"
"Look I can’t explain right now they are coming now and will be here very shortly I need you to just trust me and to run." Avan could feel his link to the pack growing stronger as they drew near and knew they could too and it would draw them in. "Rachelle please just run!" Rachelle took one step then another slowly backing way into the forest. She was just about to turn and run when a high pitched howl pierced the morning air. Fear froze her where she stood feet planted in the dirt.
"Rachelle I know you’re scared but you have to run!" Avan said again authority creeping in ”Run Rachelle staying here will be the worst thing you can do just go!" again Rachelle started to back up but this time she kept going. Another howl filled the air and this time it sparked her into even faster movement as she began to run. Rachelle glanced back at Avan once to see if he was following her. She glanced back just in time to see him morph into the wolf. The beast before he was swallowed up by the trees.
Fueled but fear and pain at the thought that she had been used all over again Rachelle took off. Easily she settled into the stride and form her track coach had drilled into her practice after practice, sprint after sprint. head up look at where you are going, make it your goal hands and shoulders loose push yourself you are strong you are a runner. She took quick short strides dodging between the trees. Even fueled by the adrenaline from pain she got another dose when she heard a crashing sound behind her off to her left. She ran as hard and as fast as she could over the treacherous land full of roots. Her breath came in great heaving gasps before it was whipped away by the wind.
But even so it wasn’t enough. A shrill laugh shot at her as a woman came into her sigh and started running next to her easily keeping pace. “My dear you didn’t think you could escape didn’t you?“ Saraphina asked. “I have to hand it to you, you did get farther than we thought you would a little less than a mile." and then Rachelle was flying forward the ground rising to meet her. Her ankle had buckle as she slipped on a root, and as she landed she knew she would fine at least where the ankle was concerned.
"Oh you poor dear." Saraphina said hovering above her like a hawk "why don’t you come and join me and Mr. Thayer and all of our other friends and get that all fixed up for you?"
Rachelle slowly got up struggling for a moment as she attempted to not put weight on her ankle at the moment. "Look who’s a strong one" said a male voice in her ear, Rachelle spun around scared and unsure of what might be waiting for her. As she did she lost her balance and fell into the man’s chest as he caught her.
“I quite agree, Gage" Saraphina said pulling a small square clothe from the pocket of her jeans. As the woman stepped closer Rachelle could smell something sweet clinging to the fabric. "Don’t worry now this will help you to sleep until we can get someone to look at that ankle of yours" as she spoke the man, gage, grabbed Rachelle’s arms and held her still. Saraphina took a step forward and lifted it to Rachelle's face. The girl tried in vain to escape twisting and turning but it didn’t work because of the close proximity to her nose she still inhaled the drug. Slowly her movements became more and more leaded till she slumped uncurious in Gages arms.

Back at the camp site things were not going well. Avan in wolf form crouched, growling at the incomers. He feared that they would morph as well, but at the sight of his master he quickly morphed back bowed and became very, very nervous his master never came on reconnaissance missions.
"What the hell is wrong with you Avan? Did you seriously think that you could get away? I am your leader what I say goes! That is final! Why are you the only one who cannot understand this? You just finished healing from a punishment, did you want another that badly? You know that it is against our code to see humans. Even worse is the fact that you went to see the one you almost killed." He roared at Avan his eyes blazing as he paced back and forth in front of Avan. "Hmmm? What do you have to say for yourself? About little miss Rachelle?" the master asked getting right up in Avan’s face.
"I wasn’t running away." Avan said stiffly.
"Really? Fill me in what would you call it then?"
"I didn’t leave the mountain. I was... going to try to fix my mistake. But I I couldn’t do it I couldn’t make her go through that kind of pain again." Avan said defeated.
His master turned away, shaking his head in disgust "well guess what? Her fate here is worse then what you ever could have done to her." he nodded to someone standing behind Avan and Azazel Brought Rachelle forward. Whatever drug they were using was doing its job, she not a sound escaped her lips when she was thrown to the ground at Avan's feet her skin was pale and dotted with a slick of cold sweat.
Avan's pained attention was pulled back to his master, away from Rachelle's unmoving body at the change in tone of the master's voice. Previously it had been a roar that ripped through the woods for all to hear. Now it was a softer more evil one. It was far more intimidating.
"You are an Idiot if you think that I didn’t know for one second what was going on," his voice was like the quiet scrape of a blade be released before the killing blow was delivered to his victim.
Avan felt Vince's mind very softly probing his mind, gently getting his attention but not startling him and causing suspicion. "You could challenge him."
"What are you talking about?" Avan asked doing his best to keep his face a mask of defeat.
"Every moon when there is no moon, a member of the pack can challenge the leader, if the challenge wins he will gain control of the pack and..."
Suddenly Vince’s voice was gone drowned out and replaced with the maniacal laughter of the Master "So that is your big idea? Tell Vince next time you see him that he really needs to work on his mind blocks, he is an open book. Challenge me? Ha! I would like to see you try I could have been "dethroned almost 26 times and guess what I have been challenged once. Guess what I am still here. So make your choice: do what you are told and change her, or you can challenge me and do what you want." the master laughed again but this time any humor he had known was gone, it was all a knowing laugh either way he won. The wild gleam was back in his eyes as he spoke. "But I will warn you now. If you lose, I will make you watch her slow painful death and yours will be 1000 times worse.

Chapter 8
It took Rachelle a long time to come out of her drug induced sleep. Her skin felt cold and clammy, and her tongue felt like she had tried to swallow sand. She paused trying to asses her situation and noticed something stabbing her in the back uncomfortably. She tried to shift her weight and found that she couldn’t move. Not only were here hands bound behind her back but they we very tight. The rope cut into her skin leaving raw marks. She wondered what she was doing tied up, how long she had been there, why she was there? Then the thoughts came back in a tidal wave of memories: Avan’s missing wounds, the feeling of betrayal, Avan begging her to please run, and the woman and man taking her hostage practically without a fight. It was there that the trail of memories stopped.
Rachelle tried to pull on the ropes again to no avail “Ok lets think Rachelle, where could you be right now?” obviously she was still in the woods the trees gave her that much but how far was she from her camp? She strained her ears trying to hear the babble of the creek but all she heard was the chirp of the peeping frogs and the crickets. The realization came to her hard and fast, she couldn’t tell. She couldn’t hear the creek and she had no way of knowing how long she had been out. Minutes? Hours? … Days?
Rachelle didn’t know what drug that woman had given her. That women! The speed she must have been able to reach in order to catch up, and she had run next to Rachelle without even breaking a sweat or being in the least bit tired, when Rachelle had been going as fast as she could. She could have been a 100 miles away from her campsite carried in the arms of the man. She had no way to tell.
“Hey, psst. Psst!” a voice called from behind a tree “are you okay?” they asked.
“Whose there!?” she snapped “what do you want?” she snapped.
Glancing around warily the boy motioned for her to be quiet “shhh you don’t want them to hear that you are awake. Please don’t worry I am not going to do anything I just want to talk to you.”
The rising sun was her first clue, she had been out for at least one day. Rachelle watched him carefully; he was one of them the monsters. His red brown hair was curly and fell just short of his chocolate brown eyes a splash of freckles across his nose and cheeks. “My name is Vince. I am Avan’s friend, you can trust me. I warned him when the others were coming after the two of you.”

“But how?” she asked her confusion and eagerness for answers getting the better of her. There had been no one else in the camp just the two of them. Then she remembered; Avan standing in the middle of the clearing, hands over his ears like he was trying to block out a loud noise, him whispering something through clenched teeth then the fear in his eyes when he turned to her but no because of the gun in her hands. “You weren’t there…” she waited for him to prove her theory right.

He didn’t say anything but after a few moments of staring at her, Rachelle felt a almost feather like weight on her mind, like a warning a gentle test of the waters before the weight grew heavier pooling around her shoulders. Then Vince’s voice filled her mind saying “Like this, I told Avan that the others were coming and that you had to run… or else.”

The weight faded away and he looked at her again “oh.” She said still shocked at what was happening to her “so you knew that I was with Avan the whole time? And you didn’t tell those people who I tried to run from? Instead you tried to help?”

He nodded “Avan is my best friend here, my only real friend here, well besides Layla but you have to be careful what you say around her sometimes so I didn’t tell her. I didn’t want to risk losing the one person that I can trust here. And for all I know I still might. “

“What do you mean? Where is he?” she asked quickly scared to hear the answer.

“Avan is with my master right now, I- you were drugged I, I said something I probably shouldn’t have, and I might have made things worse. I can’t tell though because his mind is blocked so I can’t reach him.”

“Your master?” she asked incredulously “what is this some kind of like cult for mutants?”

Vince gave her a look but didn’t comment on the insult instead he said “more of gang once you are in you can’t get out,” she stared at him still not getting it “Rachelle we can’t go back, we aren’t the same. We are a pack of werewolves.”

Part 2
Chapter 9

“What? You have got to be joking,” Rachelle cried, Vince’s face was blank “I- a come on!” Rachelle could see Vince was super serious by the shadow that seemed to fall over his face but she was still dubious.

“Look Rachelle,” Vince said curtly “you’re not stupid, you watched how quickly Avan’s wounds healed you knew something wasn’t right. On top of that the part that you can’t deny you saw him morph.” Rachelle knew deep down that he was right and all the little pieces added together but it didn’t make it any easier to accept “My master doesn’t care one ounce about you. You are collateral damage, he would kill you in a heartbeat given the chance or the reason. Don’t give it to him.”

“What do you mean? What can I do I am kind of stuck.”

“You know what I mean, you show him that you are useful show him that you have some kind of knowledge that can somehow benefit him. He keeps those around him that are helpful.” Vince said in a hushed voice,

“But Vince, what can I do?” Rachelle said exasperated straining against the ropes.

“I know I am working on getting you out of these bit for now I need you to hang in there, you need to wait till they can trust you. I have to go now but either Avan or I will be back soon, maybe we will bring Layla so you can have another person to talk to.” She nodded and he gave her a small smile before disappearing. Again Rachelle was left alone with the wind and the trees, but this time she knew she wasn’t alone.



Avan sat alone on a boulder as the icy mountain wind cut into him, but he paid it no mind. His thoughts were elsewhere when everything seemed right even when it wasn’t.

He was five again watching the TV, the little cartoon characters danced around the screen in their bright clothes sing about how “everyone can be your friend” a large thud cuts in over the sound of the music as the front door is slammed open. “I am home, if you couldn’t tell. I am hungry what’s for dinner?” his father demanded upon entry.

Avan heard his mother’s soft voice from the kitchen then the shadow of his father loomed over him. His father grabbed for the remote but missed and Avan lost it “why’d you drop the remote?” he sneered before scooping it from the ground before throwing himself and beginning to channel surf.

Avan gasped as his little cartoon friends disappeared “Dad! I was watch that I was a new episode.” He said with all the anger a little a five year old can muster.

His father’s eyes never shifted from the screen. “And I care why? It’s my TV now, so scram you little twit.”

Fast forward 11 years and Avan is 16, stretched out on the couch deep in a book. He listens as the work boots hit the linoleum floor, the thud as his father stumbles to the fridge. He has already started today. Avan closes the book as he hears the can his open.

He listens carefully wary of danger, the can opened moments before hits the floor as soon as it is empty. “Mary get me another!” he slurs. His mother hands him another beer and he guzzles it down without pause. Then Avan rises with his father’s voice. He begins to roar shouting for no reason as his mother tries to soothe him. “Mary Shut up I want it cleaned, there is a stain!” he slurs almost unintelligibly, shaking as he points a dark knot of wood in the table.

“Mark honey, I’m sorry I’ll get the stain out. Please go ill clean up.” She grabbed a sponge and began to scrub at the spot hoping to appease her husband with the show. She grabbed Mark’s untouched plate and clears it away. “Please go lay down honey I am sure you are tired.” Slowly the drunk man slid out of his chair knocking it over as he stumbled backward. “Please be careful honey.” Mary said putting out a hand to steady her husband.

“I don’t need your help!” Mark shouted shoving his little wife away from him. Mary gave a cry of pain as she caught the edge of the corner. Avan moved toward his father fists clenched and stared him in the eye, a grim look on his face. “Get out of my way,” his father swayed before hurling all over the floor.
Avan’s nose was assaulted by the vile smell of sour bile and sickly sweet alcohol. He quickly stepped away from the nauseating smell toward his mother. “Avan honey I –I am ok, can you get your father to bed while I clean up the floor please?” she asked as she tried to stay strong all the while cradling her arm where it had been crushed between her body and the counters, a deep purple bruise already forming.
Avan half dragged half carried his father to the bedroom he and his mother shared and lay him down on the futon. The man flopped over limp as a doll full of spirits. Looking down at him Avan couldn’t help but feel disgusted at the thought of considering him his father.
That night was the first that resulted in violence. Every night his father would come home and drink. Avan stood in his path whenever he could, he wanted to spare his mother all the pain he could. He wore the bruise with pride knowing he had protected his loving mother. But even as he tried to protect her she took blows as well when he wasn’t there to stop them. When he was 17 his mother finally filed for divorce. After he moved out Avan never saw him again.
That was until he came home to his father, passed out on the kitchen floor soaked in a red liquid. And at the table, her back to the door. His mother was slumped sideways, hanging off the chair. A knife protruding from her back slick with blood.
Avan had done everything he could do to protect his mother. Yet it had all been in vain, she was gone from him, such a short time after they had gained there freedom. Now he faced a similar problem. He wanted to protect Rachelle, needed to. But whatever he did somehow she would be hurt.
“You okay?” Vince asked sitting beside his friend. Avan shrugged. The sun was rising high reducing the bright colors to pale streaks that shifted to blue. “Whatever you choose to do, you should know that I’m here for you man, this is too big of a thing to face on your own.” Avan said nothing he just stared into the distance. The minutes trailed by as they sat in the chill wind, “you should go see her.”
“I know.”

Chapter 10

Crickets chirped softly by the time that Avan walked across the clearing. All day he had been thinking. He could see her now and he couldn’t help but smile. Her head was slumped forward in sleep and her hair fell in strands around her face a shoulders, fallen from the pony tail behind her head. The little puff her breath made mixed with his as he leaned close. “Rachelle, wake up.” He murmured, she shifted and slowly raised her head. “Rachelle.” She blinked several times as the sleep the weighed down her eyes slowly left. “Hey.” He whispered. She opened her mouth to speak and he quickly covered it. “Shhh.” He pulled out a pocket knife “please stay quiet, I’m going to cut you free.” Slowly cautiously he pulled away his hand. When he was sure she would remain quiet he began to saw away her bindings. “Are you ok?” she nodded rubbing feeling back into her wrists. “I am so sorry Rachelle. I swear I didn’t want any of this to ever happen, to you least of all. I should have warned you, but it probably was too late,” he apologized.
Rachelle looked at him her eyes full of distrust. “You used me Avan Thayer. All I wanted to do was to kill the thing that ruined my life…. You did this to me! You knew that and, and you made me like you. Made me trust you!” she blurted in a hushed voice, all the anger and betrayal she had been feeling was clearly on display. She stood and walked away from him before advancing on him “you ruined my life. All I have ever wanted was to be a normal teenager, with normal dreams. You lied to me. You knew what had happened what you had done, and you acted like it was the worst thing in the world that could ever happen. And you did this to me.” She spat “so now I want the truth, the real truth, all of it now. What has happened? Why it its happening. What is going to happen to me why just why!” she fumed.
“I will alright? Just calm down or someone will hear you and you won’t get any answers.” Avan agreed reluctantly “when I was almost 18 my mother was murdered by my father. I found them him, passed out on the floor full of alcohol and my mother cold with a knife in her back. He went to jail and I was on my own. A distant relative took me in till I came of age, I had been living in Illinois before I moved out here. In the midst of my wanderings here someone pointed me to the park. They said I might light the breaks it offered.
“I took them up on the offer but something was off about it. I couldn’t have told you what at the time it just didn’t feel right. Not like you loving it here no matter what.” He glanced at Rachelle hoping to see a different emotion from the anger that had burned into him. When she sat face still set as stone in a mask of anger he sighed and continued. “I decided to go on one last hike before I left after my 18th birthday. I had already told the family I was staying with my plans. So I did the hike. I tried to do the river path, just like you, but unlike you I wasn’t smart. I thought that I could do the trail in one day. So when it was getting dark and I didn’t know how much farther I had to go I just kept going. In the dark I had no way of seeing no way to tell if I was still on the path. I wasn’t. An open field opened up in front of me, and full moon was giving everything a pale glow.
“What was in the field stopped me dead. There were a dozen over sized wolves to large to be a normal wolf. They were all focused on something lying on the ground in front of them. I tried to back out of there quietly but one heard me leave. Then two guys were dragging me toward the dogs. I yelled at them to just let me go I was sorry I had intruded but they were relentless. I did all that I could to get way but they just laughed at me. I twisted and turned and tried franticly to get away but they just laughed at me. And as quickly as they had grabbed me they threw me into the dirt. After I recovered from the dirt induced coughing fit I had I looked up to see the dog that had first looked at me inches from my face.
As I stared into his black eyes a little voice crept into my head “who are you” it says “why have you come here? This is our land.” Now I’m starting to panic slightly with this random voice in my head when the voice speaks again “I am right here you idiot now who are you!” It was then that it hit me that the voice was that of the dogs.
“Um I my name is Avan was just going on a hike but I uh I got lost in the dark I must have wandered off the trail.” the dog did what I assumed was supposed to pass for nodding and turned away to what was lying on the ground. It was a man
He looked terrible he was all sweaty and pale like he had been sick for week. “Don’t worry my son it will be over soon. It won’t be much longer now. I know now that the person I was seeing change for the first time was Gage, he is the thug that brought you here a Rachelle. ‘Take him and tie him up we will deal with this issue later. The dog man said about me. So I was lifted like nothing like I was as light as a feather and dragged back into the woods where they tied me up. But not before I head a gut wrenching scream of agony as Gage morphed for the first time.
“They made me go through the same process next when they were ready to. They said they couldn’t let me go what if I spoke. So I went through the same thing as gage, I won’t go into every detail. But I will tell you that it hurts like the worst… well it is worse than anything that I ever did to you, it feels like every inch of your skin is being ripped away by red hot tweezers.” He gave a small shudder at the memory of the pain that he had gone through. After that it gets easier ever time but that initial time is horrific. After you transform they let you go. No one watches you and you have no control, no one helps you as this primal instinct takes over. They just let you go and run. Not many people take the River Path so normally it is ok. But you were there.
"The next part you know, I- hurt you and I won’t ever ask you to forgive me because there is no way that you could, and I understand that. What you don’t know is what happened to me. Or I guess it’s what didn’t happen. Nobody knew, nobody found out what I had done until the night before I met you. I was punished for what I had done. Because I broke the packs code. I endangered us, we could have been discovered. So I was attacked as I told you. I came to you to be healed, I knew you were there. I had seen you earlier when I had been on a patrol. I was discovered when he found out I had seen you on the patrol. And so I had to tell him what happened to you. Somehow I knew you would help me and that if I didn’t get help I would most likely die. No one would help me even Vince. If he did he would be in the same state as I.” The next words were spoken slowly gravely “you are here Rachelle because, because of me. I went to you for help and again threatened the secrecy of the pack, I have revealed the pack. And now you are my punishment. My master Hadrian has left you to me to “deal with.” I have two choices or three I guess but it’s out of the question, and well, no I have one choice. Either I, I kill you, I or I change you, both I refuse to do to you I couldn’t I can’t! Or I fight Hadrian for the right to be leader of the pack. If I win we will be all set. If I lose. We both die.”
Rachelle stared at him for a moment digesting the information. Sorting through it grasping at the situation. She got up and walked away from him as stared up at the trees. “I’m sorry.” She said
“For what.” He said coming to stand behind her.
“For what I said, I didn’t understand, how was I to? I didn’t know what was happening how you were trying to protect me.”
“I know and I’m sorry to for hiding it from you, I shouldn’t have gotten you into this.” He said and she leaned back into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.
“Avan?”
“Yea?”
“What are we going to do?”


“Well we are going to survive.”

Chapter 11

“Look you have a lot to learn if you don’t want to die pretty quick.”
Rachelle spit out the blood that filled her l mouth and wiped her nose “was that really necessary?” she asked thickly as she staggered to her feet.
“Do you want to live? You need to fight.” Layla said she bounced on her toes while she waited for Rachelle to recover.
“Whose idea was this again?” Rachelle asked swinging at Layla’s face.
The other girl easily dodged the swing and gave another quick jab, that Rachelle just deflected “better, and I believe it was your boyfriend.”
“Who said he was my boyfriend.” Rachelle asked ducking under Layla’s kick and attempting to land a punch to the stomach of her opponent.
“Come on, if you have to die wouldn’t you rather it be because you were forbidden lovers?”
“Fair enough.” Rachelle said faking a left hook and jabbing once twice right.
“Oi good job.” The girl said as the blows left her breathless. “Let’s take a break you’re doing really well.”The two sit their breath slowly relaxing back to normal. “Ok so let’s review. Pack?”
“Hadrian is the leader and has been for almost 3 years. Azazel is his second in command, been here about 5 years. His mate is Saraphina. There have been several other members added over time. One in particular is Gage, the one who brought me here. He has become one of the main thugs in the pack. He is one who doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. You joined 2 months before him, then Avan a month after. Well yes I know he and Vince was forced in. There are others but I won’t really have to do much with them, they won’t want to deal with me.”
“Good,” Layla said stretching out. “How do we measure time?”
“You measure time by the waxing and waning of the moon. One full cycle from new to full which is about a month is one moon. Also 2 weeks is a fortnight”
“Correct.”
“I have a week?”
The girl nodded “you have one week to prove you are useful to Hadrian somehow. If not its Avan’s decision, If he makes the choice many think he will make you better hope he is good at doing this,”
“What? OW!” Rachelle fell backward as Layla jumped her initiating another round of practice. The blow was and also was not unexpected. The wiry girl was strong, and she moved with a deadly grace that spoke of her speed and agility. That why Avan asked her. She would be able to help Rachelle. And the girls got along well, trusted each other, Rachelle knew the other girl wouldn’t hurt her severely just enough that she would learn. It was like Simba and Rifiki in The Lion king. Rachelle was on the receiving end. Learning with each bruise and each bloody nose to move faster strike harder, to where to strike correctly; And most of all Rachelle liked the girl. She felt if she got through all this the two would be friends. The girls seemed to click, both thrown into an environment of constant fear, were a slip up could mean pain. Even so the girls looked past it as far as they could and talked about life. As it was how it, use to be, how they wished it could be if life weren’t so cruel.
That night Layla met with Avan in secret to talk about Rachelle. “She learns fast. When we started she was a failure but by the end she could hold her own pretty well. If it came down to a fight with a weak foe she would do pretty well.”
“Layla we both know if it comes down to it, it won’t be easy,”
“In that case she, would fight hard she has a lot of heart, but I don’t think it would go as well.”
“Layla,” he looked defeated, the pressure slowly crushing him.
“Look I know you like her, I know you want to protect her but she won’t be able to equal us. For a normal girl yes she would be awesome, but we aren’t just normal kids anymore are we? We are faster, stronger have a wilder side she can’t stand up to that.”
The boy sighed. “But she is improving?”
“She is, she will be able to hold her own, but not for long.”
“That’s all I ask.” The boy said soberly “Thank you.”
Layla nodded and left. She kept thinking about Avan and Rachelle, what the two of them meant, what changes they could bring.

She wandered through the woods deep in thought when a cold hand wrapped around her neck. She froze trying to assess the situation.

“Don’t move.” A voice growled in her ear.

Her mouth was dry and she tried to swallow around the crushing hold. “Yes master.” She wheezed, “What can I assist you with tonight.”
“I want to know what is happening between the two of them. Their every move.”
“Get rid of them.” She murmured
“Azazel gage leave us.” Layla heard the others leave though she never saw them. “I am sorry my dear but you know.”
She rubbed her neck “sure,”
He master took a step closer “what’s the price?”
She grinned “your learning,” she breathed “you know what I want.”
He chuckled “soon my love, very soon. Let’s get them out of the way first.” He took her hand and lifted it to his lips “then you shall have all you want and more”
“Then why not start tomorrow? We don’t want to lose this.”
Again he chuckled “We have to be patient let them think they can win then we strike and there will be no doubt. The pack will know the true leader and his mate.”
She grinned at him like a princess whose favorite has won the joust and she felt no guilt about what she was going to do.

The next several days were hard for Rachelle. She was kept isolated from everyone except when they came to her. She knew they did even if she couldn't see them, she could feel their eyes looking at her like she was some monster. It was so ironic to her, the looked at her like she was some sort of impressive creature, when she was the "normal" one surrounded by the strange.
Layla came often drilling her for hours, she was beaten and sore. Every muscle she knew ached and new ones screamed. But she was improving. She landed more hits and evaded those that came at her. "You’re doing very well. But to be honest it's not enough." Layla said when they pause for a break after a 15 minute streak of fighting before Rachelle had fallen. "You are good for a human fighting against a human. But the wolf?"
Rachelle's breath caught as Layla’s skin melted away and golden fur grew in. Hands turned to paws and thudded to the forest floor. The fur seemed to shimmer and ripple like molten gold as the wolf paced around the frozen girl.
"You know the weak points of man; you may even beat man, but wolf?" Layla's voice sang in her head “against the wolf you are helpless." like a cat she rubbed against Rachelle's legs. She came up to the girl’s hip. Rachelle shuddered as the girl glided past her.
"I I am I'm fine"
"Oh are you?" the wolf says and stared into her soul with the black eyes of the wolf "Really are you? Because you look like a hot mess."
"Layla!" Avan barked interrupting the session "what the hell are you doing!"
"I am doing what you asked. I am preparing her." She said smugly.
"You know that's not what I meant. I came here so I can speak to you." he was irritated angry that she would do this to her.
"Good-bye Rachelle."
Avan met Layla half way. "what the hell are u doing?” he asked “can't you see you are terrifying her?"
"Maybe that's the point." she said smoothly "if she wants to live she needs to be more than her fear. She lets it control it. I am trying to teach her to control it."
"Is there some other way you can do it?"
"How long have you known her?"
"You know how long." he snapped
"and how much has she grown in that time?" she asked walking away “Let her grow a little bit more. It won't hurt her."
"Layla sometimes you make me wonder whose side you are on."
She didn't look back at Avan but as soon as she was out of earshot she whispered “You will find out soon enough.”

Late that night a hand covered Layla’s mouth stifling the cry that threatened to escape. “It’s me,” the hand’s owner said.
“Master,” she said when the hand lowered trusting she would be quiet. “What can I do for you at this time of the night?”
He glanced at the sky clear and black a dark shadow in the sky showing where the moon should have been. “How did it go today?”
“You were right as always. She can’t do it yet, I simply changed and moved past her and she was frozen with fear. She cannot deal with it. Simply change and she will be paralyzed with fear, she will forget all that I have taught her.”
“Well done my love well done. You shall be my queen yet this day.”

“Avan I just- I don’t know.” Rachelle murmured against his chest.
“Do you trust me, now I mean?” he asked
“Well now that I understand yes, I trust you and I trust Vince. But… I don’t know there is something off about Layla. I didn’t notice it at first but as the lessons got more and more intense…”
“Is there anything that I can do?”
“I don’t think so, I mean what can we do? I am scared of your kind there is no getting past it. I guess that’s what proved that I didn’t trust her. You have come to me changed and I have been fine lately but her? Can’t do it.”
He nodded and rested his chin on the top of her head. “You can do it if you have to. If it will make it easier.”
“No, Rachelle I can’t do that to you.”
“Think about your self can you really beat him? Just think about it I don’t want to lose you knowing that I could have stopped you.”
He nodded and she laid down her head in his lap as he stroked her hair. Glad that he may consider it and exhausted from the day she quickly fell asleep.


Around 2 in the morning the pack was all gathered in the clearing where Avan had first told his master about who the girl that was coming up the mountain, the pack was in a semi-circle on one side of the clearing while Rachelle stood sentinel on the other side. No light shown without the moon, leaving the area filled with a sinister chill “Avan, come forward my son.” The pack parted and Avan slowly came out from the pack and stood in front of his master “The time has come I see no profit in keeping this girl in the pack so the time has come for you to choose, you will either choose the pack and that girl,” he pointed and long finger at Rachelle, “that has complicated your life and she will join us. That is if she can undertake the pain from that comes from the change and survive. You must administer the change. Or… or you can fight me.”
The silence that filled the area was tangible. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of Rachelle’s neck. She still didn’t know what Avan had chosen to do. She had assumed he would tell her when she woke up but there hadn’t been time. Whatever it was that he had chosen, she would be there for him, with him ready to face the danger. Her hands shook with the anticipation, so she pressed her trembling hands against her thighs hoping to hide their movements.
“This is your last chance to back out of this whole thing. You can give up this girl who has complicated your life. Who has given you pain and punishment and will continue to do so” Azazel moved behind Rachelle. Her body went rigid when she felt his hot, nauseating breathe on the back of her neck.
“No!” Avan Exclaimed, Azazel took a step back away from her “No. I’m not giving up on her.” He glanced at his master, whose eyes were blazing in triumph. ‘Whatever I do, he knows it will hurt me and through me her, either way he has won.’ Avan thought defeated.
“Make you choice. Step toward what you choose. Your pack, your family your life …or that girl.” the master said, Avan glanced between Rachelle and the pack. Vince caught his eye but didn’t try to communicate, he just nodded.
With slow deliberate steps glancing neither right and left as he did it, but his steps not faltering until his fingers intertwined with Rachelle’s “I choose her, the girl that complicated my life, the girl that wanted to kill me. The girl who even still now trusts me I choose that girl.”
The master’s eyes blazed in a kind of demoniac fury, they were angry and yet he looked like he couldn’t wait to have the chance to go after Avan and that look, frightened Rachelle. Avan sensing her fear gave Rachelle’s hand a squeeze of reassurance. “Alright then, you have chosen your poison I hope you are prepared to take it.”

Chapter 12
Instantly the pack divided and shouts went up as the pack reacted to Avan’s choice. Azazeal ripped their hands apart and dragged Rachelle away struggling into the woods. Avan whipped around set to follow him when Vince caught him. “Stop they aren’t going to let you see her, you know that.” Avan nodded catching her eyes pleading him to come to her as she disappeared. The look was like knife in his heart, the pack slowly left, until they were the only two left. “Are you okay?” Vince asked
“Yeah, I am ok, it’s just I don’t know did I make the wrong decision I couldn’t have killed her.” Avan asked doubting himself.
“NO, no I think you made the right choice. If you had chosen to change her, Hadrian would never have left you alone, he would have made your life hell. Now at least you can be together. Plus you have something to fight for. You can fight for your love and random other movie mushy gushy stuff. Hadrian is just a power hungry maniac who wants to rip your throat out” Vince said trying to comfort Avan and failing miserably.
“Uh yeah nice try bud but I think that I just need some time alone so I am just going to go to my spot.” Avan said slowly walking away.
“The rock?”
He smiled slightly “yeah the rock.” Avan replied quietly as he turned and headed into the trees.
Vince was left alone and for a moment he didn’t know what to do. His best friend was seriously doubting himself, and he didn’t know what he could do to help that. ‘What am I going to do if he does lose?’ He thought dreading the idea, he decided he would do whatever it took to help and make sure that Avan was ready to fight and to win against Hadrian. Suddenly the thought struck him that he should go talk to Layla. He wasn’t sure how she could help him but maybe it would somehow, it couldn’t hurt to go talk to someone.
He rushed through the woods to a secluded spot where he had met with her before. As he got closer he slowed catching his breath. Layla was an odd character, she was one you wanted to impress even if you were just friends. Vince had often caught her giving him a once over when he spoke with her covered in mud and grim after a particularly rainy day. She was one who would judge you one moment, then listen to all your problems the next. Avan had warned him that she was acting weird again but at this point Vince had no other choice,
As he approached the spot he paused for a moment he thought he heard voices but then he didn’t. So he walked over “hey Layla I am worried about Avan, do you have a moment?”
She didn’t hear him she was too busy listening to Hadrian say “when the time is near take her up the mountain away from the fight.”
“Ok I think I see it now but go on.” She was grinning from ear to ear
“Who are they talking about?” Vince wondered ducking behind a tree and out of sight before he was caught.
“Because if she is not there then it will be the last straw. Avan is doing this for her; If she isn’t there he will think she has given up on him already. Like she had no faith in him, he won’t want to fight anymore. That is when we strike when he is at his weakest.”
“And what will we do with Rachelle while you, deal with lover boy?” she asked coyly poking his chest.
“Do what you want with her, change her for all I care,” he laughed deviously “yes actually do those change her, I forget what he was fighting for? oh right and I don’t play nice. And make sure that the bite mark is good and deep, really bloody I want him to see it all over again.”
Vince was dumbfounded what was Layla doing! All of Vince’s suspicions were correct. She was aligned with their master, against them. He couldn’t believe it. “I can’t I can’t let this happen I have to I have to...”
“You have to do what pup? What’s wrong?” Azazel said in his ear. “What is wrong? Cat got your tongue?” next thing he knew Vince was being pushed viciously into the clearing falling at the feet of the two conspirers
“What do we have here?” Hadrian said surprised.
“He was listening in on you conversation master I believe I heard him say ‘I can’t let this happen I have to’ sounds like we have an insubordinate here.”
Hadrian look at the boy for a moment trying to gauge what to do to him “So you were listening in on our conversation? And what do you think of our little plan hmm? I think it will work pretty well don’t you Layla?” he put an arm around her waist
Layla laughed “I think it will work marvelously. What’s wrong Vincent surprised to see us talking? Well as you can see we are a bit more than friends. But I don’t know if we want people knowing yet... And were certainly can’t have you running of to Avan,”
“That is quite true, hmm Gage, Azazel I will let you two have fun with our little eavesdropper. Layla you and I will go and take care of our other little friend.”


The wind felt Icy as always but its edge felt even stronger with his fate set, there was no way he could go back now. The blood bath was soon. As the sun rose his eyes felt heavy. He had not slept a wink all night. The bloody deed would be done at noon and the sun that was rising though was the same sun that greeted him most days with a renewed sense of hope that he might be able to go on seemed to mock him and sap that away. It was like no one would keep what he feared away there was no stopping it.

For the thousandth time that morning he rubbed his face feeling the course stubble scrap his fingers distracting his mind from instant from the constant slideshow of carnage playing in his mind. His waking nightmare, he was living a nightmare.

He felt the shout build up inside and tried to suppress it for as long as he could but he couldn’t do it “What am I going to do?” he cried out finally letting all of his pent up emotions explode out breaking the dam in his mind collapsing in an angry river of thoughts. Grabbing a rock he hurled it over the cliff with every ounce of strength he had. His throat burned and his eyes stung from the raw emotion he was feeling seeking away to escape. His vision clouded as tears streamed down his face and he let out the scream; the scream was full of pain and anguish silencing even the birds, the wind fell silent for a moment as he collapsed to his knees sobbing. “Why? Why- why oh why? My life is so painful I can’t do this anymore. She was my hope and I am going to fail and lose her. She made me happy! Why must you take even her away from me?”

He pressed his forehead to the gritty ground trying desperately to find something to grasp, some sort of scrap of inner peace. But there was nothing. He was nothing. He had nothing to give. He was a walking shell; empty of hope, of peace. Empty of everything but fear and dread.
“Oh God, Rachelle I am sorry I am so sorry.”

Chapter 13
“Oh you will with that you were dead when I am dead! You will be so ashamed you one want anyone to see you like this let alone Avan. You will beg to me, cry out to me. You will want me to kill you quickly. News flash, I won’t” there was a swishing sound followed by the angry crack as the switch smacked against human flesh. The switch came down across Rachelle’s back a second time. Crack! But Rachelle clenched her jaw willing herself not to make a sound, not to give the daemon and his little pet the satisfaction of knowing her pain.

“I wonder how long it will take to break her.” Layla cooed she crouched close to Rachelle’s face grinning at the pain she saw flash for a moment on Rachelle’s face with the fall of the stick. “Hmm what is worse?” Layla asked trailing a finger over the raised welts crossing Rachelle’s back as Hadrian paused to fetch a new switch “What is worse knowing when the blow will fall or when it will not?” as soon as Layla removed her fingers the stinging blow fell.

“You are trying my patience get up!” she glance up surprised Hadrian had said she wasn’t going to rise from the ground where she had been knocked flat until he was done teaching her a lesson “I said get up!” He snapped kicking her sharply in the ribs. This blow unexpected and knocked the wind out of her. As she struggled to rise he kick her again and she cried out in pain. “Good! Good!” the twisted man seemed to purr.

What she was finally standing as tall as she could he just stood and stared at her for what seemed like an eternity “what? Can’t believe your handiwork?” she snapped not thinking the switch came down again this time on her cheek. She stumbled away arm raised to catch any further blows.

“That is not how you speak to me! Would you like another to go for another round?” he growled

“I will wear this with pride as a reminder that I stood up to you!”

“I still can’t figure it out. What could anyone see I you?” Layla asked “what about you is desirable? All I see in you is an arrogant little girl who makes trouble.”

“Well all I see in you two are a boy who never go what he wanted so has resorted to beating others into submission and a power hungry girl ruthless and both will try anything for revenge.”

“Shut up! You are useless! You know nothing you hear me! Nothing!” six times the switch came down on her shoulders and back. She collapsed to her knees under the blows and she was forced to give him what he wanted. She showed the pain he caused her as she cringed and the tears fell from her cheeks.

“How can you love him?” he asked crouching beside her his voice low and quiet “how? You see what he did to you. How can he love you knowing the pain he put you through what he will continue to inflict on you.”

With quivering lips she said “I love him for making him who I am now inside and out. I forgive him for all the pain for it makes me strong enough to stand against monsters like you. He loves me for the real me on the inside because I can forgive him. I forgive him for all that has been and all that will be because he didn’t do it. You did it. He didn’t bring me the pain by choice. No you did you are the one who caused my pain, you are the one with a weapon in your hands not him. Avan is willing to fight for me that is why I love him.”

“All of what you said is true. I did it, I caused the pain the confusion, I made you strong. I beat you two apart. And you want to know something else? I am going to do it again. And I am going to enjoy every moment of it.” He said and stood promising as he raised his hand high ready to strike again.

Chapter 13
“Oh you will with that you were dead when I am dead! You will be so ashamed you one want anyone to see you like this let alone Avan. You will beg to me, cry out to me. You will want me to kill you quickly. News flash, I won’t” there was a swishing sound followed by the angry crack as the switch smacked against human flesh. The switch came down across Rachelle’s back a second time. Crack! But Rachelle clenched her jaw willing herself not to make a sound, not to give the daemon and his little pet the satisfaction of knowing her pain.

“I wonder how long it will take to break her.” Layla cooed she crouched close to Rachelle’s face grinning at the pain she saw flash for a moment on Rachelle’s face with the fall of the stick. “Hmm what is worse?” Layla asked trailing a finger over the raised welts crossing Rachelle’s back as Hadrian paused to fetch a new switch “What is worse knowing when the blow will fall or when it will not?” as soon as Layla removed her fingers the stinging blow fell.

“You are trying my patience get up!” she glance up surprised Hadrian had said she wasn’t going to rise from the ground where she had been knocked flat until he was done teaching her a lesson “I said get up!” He snapped kicking her sharply in the ribs. This blow unexpected and knocked the wind out of her. As she struggled to rise he kick her again and she cried out in pain. “Good! Good!” the twisted man seemed to purr.

What she was finally standing as tall as she could he just stood and stared at her for what seemed like an eternity “what? Can’t believe your handiwork?” she snapped not thinking the switch came down again this time on her cheek. She stumbled away arm raised to catch any further blows.

“That is not how you speak to me! Would you like another to go for another round?” he growled

“I will wear this with pride as a reminder that I stood up to you!”

“I still can’t figure it out. What could anyone see I you?” Layla asked “what about you is desirable? All I see in you is an arrogant little girl who makes trouble.”

“Well all I see in you two are a boy who never go what he wanted so has resorted to beating others into submission and a power hungry girl ruthless and both will try anything for revenge.”

“Shut up! You are useless! You know nothing you hear me! Nothing!” six times the switch came down on her shoulders and back. She collapsed to her knees under the blows and she was forced to give him what he wanted. She showed the pain he caused her as she cringed and the tears fell from her cheeks.

“How can you love him?” he asked crouching beside her his voice low and quiet “how? You see what he did to you. How can he love you knowing the pain he put you through what he will continue to inflict on you.”

With quivering lips she said “I love him for making him who I am now inside and out. I forgive him for all the pain for it makes me strong enough to stand against monsters like you. He loves me for the real me on the inside because I can forgive him. I forgive him for all that has been and all that will be because he didn’t do it. You did it. He didn’t bring me the pain by choice. No you did you are the one who caused my pain, you are the one with a weapon in your hands not him. Avan is willing to fight for me that is why I love him.”

“All of what you said is true. I did it, I caused the pain the confusion, I made you strong. I beat you two apart. And you want to know something else? I am going to do it again. And I am going to enjoy every moment of it.” He said and stood promising as he raised his hand high ready to strike again.

Chapter 13
“Oh you will with that you were dead when I am dead! You will be so ashamed you one want anyone to see you like this let alone Avan. You will beg to me, cry out to me. You will want me to kill you quickly. News flash, I won’t” there was a swishing sound followed by the angry crack as the switch smacked against human flesh. The switch came down across Rachelle’s back a second time. Crack! But Rachelle clenched her jaw willing herself not to make a sound, not to give the daemon and his little pet the satisfaction of knowing her pain.

“I wonder how long it will take to break her.” Layla cooed she crouched close to Rachelle’s face grinning at the pain she saw flash for a moment on Rachelle’s face with the fall of the stick. “Hmm what is worse?” Layla asked trailing a finger over the raised welts crossing Rachelle’s back as Hadrian paused to fetch a new switch “What is worse knowing when the blow will fall or when it will not?” as soon as Layla removed her fingers the stinging blow fell.

“You are trying my patience get up!” she glance up surprised Hadrian had said she wasn’t going to rise from the ground where she had been knocked flat until he was done teaching her a lesson “I said get up!” He snapped kicking her sharply in the ribs. This blow unexpected and knocked the wind out of her. As she struggled to rise he kick her again and she cried out in pain. “Good! Good!” the twisted man seemed to purr.

What she was finally standing as tall as she could he just stood and stared at her for what seemed like an eternity “what? Can’t believe your handiwork?” she snapped not thinking the switch came down again this time on her cheek. She stumbled away arm raised to catch any further blows.

“That is not how you speak to me! Would you like another to go for another round?” he growled

“I will wear this with pride as a reminder that I stood up to you!”

“I still can’t figure it out. What could anyone see I you?” Layla asked “what about you is desirable? All I see in you is an arrogant little girl who makes trouble.”

“Well all I see in you two are a boy who never go what he wanted so has resorted to beating others into submission and a power hungry girl ruthless and both will try anything for revenge.”

“Shut up! You are useless! You know nothing you hear me! Nothing!” six times the switch came down on her shoulders and back. She collapsed to her knees under the blows and she was forced to give him what he wanted. She showed the pain he caused her as she cringed and the tears fell from her cheeks.

“How can you love him?” he asked crouching beside her his voice low and quiet “how? You see what he did to you. How can he love you knowing the pain he put you through what he will continue to inflict on you.”

With quivering lips she said “I love him for making him who I am now inside and out. I forgive him for all the pain for it makes me strong enough to stand against monsters like you. He loves me for the real me on the inside because I can forgive him. I forgive him for all that has been and all that will be because he didn’t do it. You did it. He didn’t bring me the pain by choice. No you did you are the one who caused my pain, you are the one with a weapon in your hands not him. Avan is willing to fight for me that is why I love him.”

“All of what you said is true. I did it, I caused the pain the confusion, I made you strong. I beat you two apart. And you want to know something else? I am going to do it again. And I am going to enjoy every moment of it.” He said and stood promising as he raised his hand high ready to strike again.

Chapter 15
From the ground where Rachelle sat she could see everything. She had been left far enough to not be seen but to see the whole thing play out. She saw the opening, exchange, saw the questions on her whereabouts and most painfully she saw the fight begin. And she wasn’t there! She could tell by Avan’s tight stance that he was worried about everything. “He probably thinks you are dying somewhere.” She though, straining against the ropes, holding her still. Layla had tied the ropes so she had her arms pinned tight to her sides. Slowly the bindings where cutting of the circulation in her arms. This was creating a painful throbbing in her arms to add to the pain created by any movement form the lashings across her back. Thin cuts had been made. And she could feel her shirt drying to her back with blood. Slowly painfully she tried to stand up by raising herself from a criss cross sitting position. At the last painful second her legs gave out from beneath her and she fell to her side.
She lay there waiting for the pain to fade away. “Ok let’s stay calm and try to figure out what to do. Think this though.” She mumbled against the clothe wrapped around her mouth. Now that she was on her side she couldn’t see anything but leaves. She could hear the fight going on but could see nothing. “So Avan is still gone but Vince is somewhere… where is Vince... Try Vince.” Slowly she closed her eyes and began to think ‘Vince? I don’t know if this will work but it’s all I have left. Vince can you hear me. Vince? Vince, its Rachelle.”

Vince was running down the mountain stiffly when he heard the faint whisper calling his name. “Rachelle?”
“Vince? Did this really work?”
“Yes! I don’t know how but it did! Where are you?” then he heard the muffled cry. He glanced around and saw her laying on her side turning her head searching for him. A quick glace showed the two fighters still at it. He rushed to Rachelle to free her from the ropes and return her to the battle.


Hadrian launched himself at Avan while he paused searching for her in the area. He flung himself the short distance between them curling his hand into a tight fist. That close he can’t miss his target, Avan’s nose instantly started spewing bright red blood as Hadrian landed gracefully hand still tight ready to strike again. Avan cups his face trying to stop the blood from filling his mouth. Again Hadrian charges like a foot ball player knocking Avan from his feet to land with a thunk on the ground. The pack roars as the fall. “Get up!” Avan yells at himself. Struggling to regain his breath, he staggers to his feet and smears the red gush across his face with the back of his hand. “Thank you for that lovely wake up call I think I am ready to fight now.” He says a bit arrogantly shifting his weight back into a fighting stance.
“Oh are we? I thought I would let you catch your breath you know get a drink. Do take your time.” Avan didn’t move “if you insist.” The two jump and collide mid jump fists land with smacks on skin and ribs get punched. A foot lands squarely on Hadrian’s thigh and the two topple to the ground again where they continue to brawl, punch for punch block for block. ‘
The pack splits as they choose sides, though the side of those brave enough to root for Avan is small they stand tall and are not swayed by the icy looks they receive from Azazel and Saraphina.
The two fighters tousle for a few more minutes but it is clear that the two now “awake” are equally matched. The question ripples through those gathered around. “They are equal now but what if they morph?”
“Stop!” Azazel shouted attempting to draw order. The two step away from each other breathless. Avan’s nose is purple and swelling both have a black eye and Hadrian has a split of lip. Not to mention all the varying bruises covering them from head to toe. “Stop, we can all see that you are equal when it comes to hand to hand combat as humans but as wolves? Now we shall see who of you the true fighter is. Who has embraced the wolf fully? We will see who is not afraid to use tooth and claw!” his voice his drowned out as the pack again roars in approval. Avan glances around suddenly nervous again. This is the part he needed Rachelle for. Seeing his nervousness Hadrian grins wickedly with his beady eyes as his grinning teeth elongate and his face sprouts hair from every pore. Avan quickly morphs and falls to all fours afraid to be caught mid morph.
The monster before him snaps his jaws together his teeth clicking once, twice, three times; The sound of the jaws slamming together making a painful cracking sound. A dollop of drool slips between the lips drawn back tight against the grinning fang. “are you afraid yet pup?” the master asks in his head, voice echoing “do you want to back down?” he advances his sinewy body sliding low to the ground muscles rippling under the glossy black fur sliced by jagged scars. “Well guess what? You can’t! And you want to know what else? I will enjoy making you watch as I rip out you little girl friends throat. I will enjoy the pain you will feel as you are held back unable to go to her lifeless body, as her own heart kills her pumping her precious blood right out of her body. You will watch all of it.”
Anger and hate tightened all of Avan’s muscles till he was like a drawn arrow ready to pierce his enemies’ heart “where is Rachelle, Hadrian?!” Avan shouted back
“She is whimpering begging for you to save her. Begging for us to kill her on the top of the mountain as Layla prepares to sink her willing teeth into her flesh.” Confusion flashes through Avan.
“What!”
“That’s right Avan I lied. Did you ever really think that I was going to actually keep to our promise? Did you ever think that I would let you win and live happily ever after? That you will get to keep the girl? No she will die, all I have to do is send a simple message.” Hadrian gushes in a low voice.
“Please don’t!” Avan begs falling into a position of submission “all I want is for her to be safe. You can kill me, but please just let her go, I never mint for any of this to happen.”
The pack seems to lean in close to hear Hadrian’s response. The cruel man bends down and exhales his hot rancid breath over Avan’s ear before whispering “no.”
Avan leaped into the air anger and frustration at the man’s cruelty fueling his body. He lands on Hadrian’s back and begins to claw at the black fur ripping away chunks with his teeth. The master howled in surprise and fell to the ground under the unexpected weight. As the claws begin to dig into him he tries to roll and throw Avan off his back. But Avan stays above him, causing the master to do nothing but leave his stomach exposed for Avan to dig a long gash down his stomach. But even as the claws pass through fur and flesh teeth close down on Avan’s throat, digging deep into the tender without any sign of mercy.
Blood leaks none stop as Avan goes limp a soft whine of pain leaking between his lips. Hadrian steps back his jaws stained and dripping red. “Shall I finish you here and now or wait for your little pet?”
“Stop!” her voice rings high and clear above the low growls and murmurs of the pack. “Let him be!” a line opened among the pack and let her through. She walks through the pack straight to Hadrian. No fear has a chance to show itself on her beaten and bloody face still swollen from crying.
Her wrists are red and raw from the rope that cut deep into the delicate flesh. Fresh blood drips from her fingertips in fat crimson drops, running from the cuts that it had taken to get the ropes free.
“So,” Hadrian says morphing back into a man. “You got yourself free, now what?” His black eyes bore into her. They are everything and nothing. Emotionless, desire less, absolute blackness. A pair of cesspools filled with darkness. “What shall I do? I am open to any ideas. Anyone?”
“Well for starters” Rachelle remarks stepping toward Avan.
“Ah, ah, ah, you tough a single hair on that boys body and I will kill him this instant. The longer it takes for us to come to some conclusion on what to do with you, the longer he suffers.” Hadrian barks shoving her roughly aside.
“Rachelle don’t you dare!” Vince gasps shoving his way through the crowd. “You can’t do that!”
She looks to Avan his fur turning red from the blood, matting it into sticky clumps. His eyes were a mixture of pain, pride, fear but most of all love. “Vince what other choice do I have?” Avan struggles to rise but his paws didn’t seem capable of holding his weight, “no stay where you are,”
“What is your plan pet?” the master asks crossing his arms.
“It’s my turn. Let me, be the champion for Avan, I started all of this let me finish it.”
“Rachelle please don’t.” Avan begged in a ragged whisper, he had morphed back and the sight of him lying there shirt plastered to his chest settled it.
“If you die I am going to be killed anyway, if I win, at least we will have a chance to save you. I want to take that chance.”
Avan tried to speak again but Hadrian kicked him roughly in the stomach knocking the wind from his lungs. “Oh shut it, she wants to fight I say let her fight let’s see what she is made of. That is if I may choose my own champion.”
“Who”
“Rachelle come on, I failed you don’t have to-“
“That’s just the thing,” Hadrian grins murderously “you did lose, and you did fail. Now she is trying to save your sorry butt. So unless you want me to kill her right now, shut your trap.”
“Now where were we, ah right my champion.” He scans his followers “I know just the she- wolf.” Saraphina steps forward pride at being selected clear on every feature.
But Hadrian just laughs “Oh no my dear, not you. I applaud you on your enthusiasm but no it is not you I was referring to.” Saraphina hung her head mortified, “Will my love please step forward, I believe that you are up for the challenges are you not.”
“Yes I am my lord.” Layla says those around her gasp as she shoves her way through taking the hand of the vile tyrant.
“Ah my love,” he says kissing her hand lightly.
Avan inhales deeply in surprise, causing his body to relieve itself with a violent coughing attack. When it finally subsided and he spit out a mouthful of blood he croaked out “But I trusted you, you trained her to fight.”
“Which makes for an interesting fight don’t you think? They know each other’s strong points and weaknesses.” Hadrian says sweetly.
“You told him everything didn’t you!” Rachelle accused.
“Why of course I did. How could I not. i have to do what is best for the pack. And you human are a weakness to the pack. You are a threat to our safety.”
“Oh, that’s a new one. So I am a threat now?” Rachelle asked sarcastically. “News flash you brought me here, remember? Your buddies chased me through the woods, tied to me to a tree. I didn’t quite ask to be here.”
“That might be true but what about this battle? It is damaging the strength of our pack weakening our esteemed leader.”
Rachelle just laughed “Your Esteemed leader? Wow someone is a suck up. If you don’t remember it was your boyfriend the ‘Esteemed Leader’ that wanted to fight to the death. I don’t know why you think this will be a walk it the park. I might not be as good as you, but if I go down I am going down fighting.”
Layla rolls her eyes and pulls her long blonde hair into a tight top knot out of the way. “I would like to see that.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Rachelle challenged, clenching and unclenching her fists.
The blonde took her time seeming to deeply consider the question. After a few seconds she just shrugged. She followed the nonchalant action by throwing herself full force at Rachelle.
Rachelle not expecting such a forceful first attack was caught unawares and fell back landing hard. She gasped at the pain of the impact on a rock on her shoulder but managed to roll away from the first punch aimed at her chest.
The other girl was on her feet so Rachelle rolled again as a foot came swinging at her, rolling so she was squatting ready to dodge away. Layla grinned and again launched herself bodily at Rachelle. This time the grin fled quickly.
This time Rachelle was more prepared for the jump, she saw Layla prepare to spring and in the same instant as the girl jumped rolled backward. She again fell on her back but she kicked her legs out catching Layla in the stomach. Using Layla’s momentum, Rachelle pushed the girl out and over her head.
Layla’s cry of surprise was cut off by the impact as the air was pushed from her lungs.
Those in the pack that had been supporting Avan were now rallying behind Rachelle. Some of them that were brave were even shouting out encouragement but she blocked out all noise, even Avan so she was completely focused on Layla’s every move.
“That was good I will give you that but how long will you hold on?” Layla was right of course. Rolling in the dirt to get away had cracked open the cuts from the switch. Rachelle’s back was in agony.
“I see it as an unfair advantage for you but it isn’t going to stop me.”
“We will see about that. Maybe I should go easy on you? I mean you are only human.”
‘She is trying to egg you on so you do something stupid. Don’t listen to whatever she says.’ Vince chimes in Rachelle’s subconscious.
Rachelle nodded in acknowledgment but made no attempt to answer. “Let’s put my skills to the test then shall we.” Rachelle says before swinging at Layla’s head with one hand. Layla ducks to the left, expecting this Rachelle swung her left foot up to connect with the girl’s side. It was a solid hit but the timing was a millisecond off. Layla grabbed Rachelle’s leg viciously twisting it off balancing Rachelle.
Layla tugged hard bringing Rachelle tumbling toward her. Letting go of Rachelle’s leg she caught both her hands and held them above their heads “Show me what you got.” She whispered then she released Rachelle’s hands. Faster than Rachelle could blink she was laid out on the ground a red smear in the dirt.
Layla had punched her hard in the gut connecting hard with 3 ribs, as Rachelle doubled over Layla brought up her knee; a hit, then a kick to send Rachelle flying.
Metallic warm blood ran into Rachelle mouth. Her back was a bloody mess, her nose was smashed and at least one rib was broken.
And Layla looked unscathed.

Hadrian sidled over to where Rachelle crouched spitting out blood. “You have made a gallant effort but I am going to have to say you are done.” What he was hoping was for the girl to grovel and beg for forgiveness for her life to be spared. But as he expected that wasn’t what happened the girl made to punch him in the face. “Uh, uh, uh we can’t have this.” He said catching her hand he twisted it till it popped. Rachelle cried out in pain clutching the broken wrist.
“Rachelle, Rachelle are you ok?” Avan asked staggering over to her side. He glanced at Hadrian, fear and anger were plan in the glance.
“Fine you may see her. The rest of you please go to the overlook the rest of us will be there shortly.” Hadrian kicked Avan in the leg, before heading over to Layla. The two walked off a few steps, before Layla looked back and grinned an evil smile.
“Rachelle? Are you ok?” He gently turned her head so she was looking up at him.
“I- uh I no.” now that she was done fighting and the adrenaline rush began to subside the pain heightened. Tears began to leak from her eyes as pain seemed to fill every cell over her body. “No, no I am not ok.”
Avan gingerly pulled her in holding her to his chest. “I know, thank you, you didn’t have to do that but, I think it was good that you did. It showed how you think that this is wrong. I think-“
“Avan” Rachelle interrupted “Just stop talking, please I just- stop talking please.” She put her head on his chest listening to his heart. The pain didn’t go away, it seemed to increase as the cuts settled and the blood dried.
“Ok I can do that.” He says and as gently and tenderly as he could he wiped a smear of blood away, when she flinched away in pain, he pulled his hand away. “I am really sorry love. I don’t know what is going to happen now.”
She looked up at him and through eyes glazed with pain said “I don’t care. Whatever they try I am going to keep trying even if I fail. We have to keep trying. I love you. I will keep fighting.”
“Rachelle, please don’t. I don’t want to lose you to them this way.”
“So you want me to give in to stop fighting. You want me let them win.” She snapped.
“Rachelle I- you are the most driven and passionate girl I have ever met. You fight with everything. But I have to ask you to step back from this one. This is to- I can’t Rachelle please”
She pushed away from him and walked away. Her voice sounded thick and stuffy due to the broken nose “Avan, I don’t I don’t think I can do that. I do-“
Hadrian and Layla came sauntering back over “So how are you doing? I hope that you aren’t too sore.”
“What do you want from us? You have made your point you are the supreme leader etc. etc. you have beaten us bloody. What more do you want.”
The two glanced at each other “I will tell you what we want.” Layla said
Hadrian didn’t smile but his white pupils seemed to glow. “We want to make an example of you.”

Chapter 16
At one time it had been a place of peace and serenity for Avan a place where he could escape from the pack and just be on his own. But now that place was no longer peaceful for him. Where bare rock and stone had been before, stood the pack. The stone Avan sat and looked into the wind was where Hadrian stood towering over everyone ready to end the torments of the day.
“So we have seen the powers of our two champions and how little they can compare to those in power. So what shall we do with them now?” he looks around as if to take a suggestion when everyone knows he already has made up his mind, all any in his presence could do was wait on baited breath for what he would decide. “Traitors must be punished. Some of you might say that what has previously transcribed should be enough. But I say it is not, and that is why I am the leader and not you.” He jumped down from his lofty perch and walked toward Rachelle and Avan “You have been punished for being a traitor I will give you that. But you have not been punished for attempting to usurp the power from your rightful leader. You planned and trained preparing for my death. So I will give you the fate you attempted for me. This is on a different level then being a simple traitor.”
He nodded and the two were pushed roughly forward. “I will be kind in your last minutes however. You may choose the way of your demise. You may either: be hit over the head with a stone, and hope the first blow does its job or you may throw yourself from the cliff.” His white eyes flashed with anticipation as a wicked smile appears.
“You are a bastard!” Rachelle said spitting out a mouthful of blood. “How can you be so brutal how can you expect us to choose our own end.”
“I am the one in charge. I am the one set to protect all and I must. You are a disease that has infected our members, we turn on each other and fight. You have split us apart, the disease must be eradicated.”
“I will not choose how I will die. I will not go out of this world now not today not tomorrow, if I do it will not be a wolf that does it.” Gage came up behind her and punched her hard in the back knocking the wind from her lungs for what felt like the millionth time. “You wonder why they leave you and turn on you so quickly. You are cruel and vile and controlling. You oppress them all. Until now they have had nothing to justify why they should rebel. You are trying to crush every bit of humanity out of them because you think it will make them stronger, you stronger. You want them to embrace the monster as you have but they won’t. Don’t you see, I didn’t do this, you started this long before I was here.”
Hadrian moved faster than any had ever seen and brought her to the edge of the cliff. “Now you listen here,” he growled fingers griping her neck in a steal vice. “You are going to die now and all will go back to normal and I will be in control you hear me I will!”
“You are losing your touch.” Rachelle choked feebly pulling at his hand.
“Good bye Rachelle Blake and good riddance!” Hadrian shouted shoving her out into empty space.

Chapter 17
“NOOOOO!!” was all Avan had time to do before he was grabbed and punched till he lay flat on the ground unable to move.
But even as he was taken down, he heard more than saw Vince shout in rage, launching himself at Hadrian. Avan looked up in time to see the two cascade of the side fighting the fall.
There was a single heartbeat of shocked silence, then everyone moved as one to the cliff edge peering down.
On a boulder far below there was a crimson smear and a crumpled tangle of bodies fighting to get away from each other even in death.
“Avan? What am I going to do?” Rachelle was halfway down, sitting pressed to the cliff face on a 2 foot ledge, her leg twisted beneath her unnaturally and hands bloody from where they had slid and griped at the rough stone on the way down.
“You are going to die you bitch why can’t you just die!” Layla screeched throwing stone after stone down on Rachelle. “You were supposed to die so we could be together! That was the price.” Someone grabbed her hand ripping the next stone from her. “What are you doing!” she turned a wild light in her eyes.
“Layla calm down! Don’t you see it is over he lost, he is gone.”
“No, no, no it’s not over it isn’t over to we all are dead!” she turned hair flying and her foot slipped, she topped for a second seeming to catcher self before dropping over the edge.
She screeched like a banshee the whole way down. Her hands scrabbled for purchase flesh tearing away as gravity did its job. She slammed into Rachelle on the way down and clung to her. But even as her hand began to wrap around her arm her chin slammed into the ledge. Her teeth shattered and fell away as she pulled Rachelle.
The two fell but Rachelle caught the ledge crying out in pain with each swing of their bodies as Layla clung to her broken wrist. “Why must you keep this going? Can’t you see he never loved you? He wasn’t capable of loving you. He used you.” the crazed girl could only make some sort of garbled reply and cry of fear as she slipped farther down Rachelle’s hand.
“Layla I can’t hold us much longer, my hand is slipping please, please stop swinging if you can.” Ignoring her Layla jerked her legs trying swing them farther out into empty space but she brought them hard against the wall jarring Rachelle. In a desperate move to cling more to the rock ledge Rachelle kicked upward, she succeeded in getting a better grip but the movement broke Layla’s hold. She slipped the last inches in slow motion eyes full of terror. Rachelle looked away from the pin wheeling girl closing her eyes. But that didn’t stop here from hearing bones shatter and the girls anguished dying cries.

Epilogue `
November 1st

An icy sweat covered her skin as the dream faded away. A warm hand cupped her cheek. “You ok?” Avan asked groggily.
Rachelle sat up and rubbed her face trying to rub away the dream. “Same one again. I just I can’t get away from the dreams.” The scars were forming as the cuts slowly healed and bones had been set but were still weak. But memories take years to heal.
“I know have them too.” He says kissing the top of her head
She flinched away “No, no you don’t, you weren’t hanging there for your life. You weren’t in excruciating pain, you didn’t hope that a person would fall and die. I did I- I am a monster!” she wasn’t what she was she couldn’t be strong anymore.
“You cannot be a monster, you just can’t you are to beautiful Rachelle.”
“No!” She cried out denying his love his affection “the devil was once called beautiful. I am a monster even if you can’t see it.” She hugged the wrist that had been broken “you didn’t feel the hand that clung to you. You didn’t see the fear in her eyes you- you can’t know.”
He sighed and stopped trying to touch her seeing that it just upset her “You are right I don’t know. What can I do to help you? Show me so I can stop this.” Hesitantly he touched the side of her head “How can I stop the dreams?”
She looked at him with large eye so sad “You, can’t Avan. I think that you might be a trigger for them. They always start where I come in and stop your death and I fight but who I fight changes. But I don’t know how to stop it!” she held her head as it seemed to pound like a drum.
“Rachelle?”
She flinched away again. “I don’t know what to do! I- Avan I don’t think I can stay here. I – I can’t go back though what would I say? I don’t know I just don’t know.”
He seemed a little shocked at the prospect of her leaving but it seemed like the only sensible thing to do. “Rachelle do you want to leave? I will understand if you do. There really isn’t any thing holding you back, if it’s me then I want you to know you can go.”
Her tear stained face was almost too much for him to bare, he could try and protect her physically but this was different he couldn’t help her. “I don’t know what I want to do Avan.”
“When you do decide I am here.” He said tenderly kissing her hair as he stepped away.
He was almost out of site when she called “Avan what is keeping you here?”
There was pause then “Nothing.”


“Are you sure? You don’t want to stay.” She asked as they stepped away from the camp and down the trail.
“You are all I have now. I was never one of them, if you will have me I will go with you.”
“I won’t say it will be easy with the dreams and everything.”
He stopped and lifted her hand to his lips kissing it “for you it will be all worth it.”
She grinned sheepishly “ok, then Mr. Thayer lets go see where this trail takes us in life.” And so they went taking the trail down the mountain away from the pain and misery unto the bumpy road to happiness and peace.