Tap. Tap. Tap. I knocked softly, telling myself that if no one answered I'd just leave and never come back.

I heard footsteps. Damn, no such luck. The door opened and Sue Clearwater stood at the door. She looked up and I saw recognition in her face.

"Anelia," she said, sounding more panicked than pleased to see me.

After what I'd done to her son, I didn't really blame her. She hid it well by ushering me inside, talking about how good it was to see me and it'd been too long since I'd come to visit. It was all fake though, I could read people pretty well and the waves of distain flowing from Sue, weren't all that subtle. I let her ramble on.

"You can take your jacket off honey," Sue said. "The kids won't be back for a while."

"Oh no," I replied smoothly. "That won't be necessary Mrs. Clearwater, I wasn't really looking for them. I was hoping someone would know were Jacob is."

Sue nearly choked on the tea she was drinking. "Jacob?"

"Yes ma'ma, he wasn't at his house and neither was Billy. I was hoping you knew where they were?"

"Y-yeah," she stuttered. "They're at Emily's house."

"Well then I'll be going," I said opening the door. "It was nice to see you again."

I closed the door behind me, she was already on the phone.

I took my time walking to the house, thinking of what I would say. When I got there Jacob, Sam, Emily, Leah, and a few more were waiting for me. I could tell most of them were seething, but I had expected this and stepped confidently through the door. My resolve failed when Emily came to hug me.

I flinched back, pain shot through my body at her tight embrace, the emotional pain was far worse than the physical though. She was so kind, even after what I had done to her family she still welcomed me whole heartedly into her home. I didn't deserve it.

Emily didn't seem to notice my reluctance to return her embrace. Just like Sue she spouting the same crap as Sue had. But I was running out of time and ignored her turning to Jacob- the meaner I was to them the easier it would be for them to let me go this time.

"Would you mind giving me a moment of your time?"

Sam was fuming at the way I had treated Emily and interrupted before Jacob could answer. "Anything you can have to say to Jacob you can say to the rest of us."

I clenched my small fists, trying to determine whether or not to just leave. Knowing that I didn't really have a choice, I still loved them and was here for their safety.

"He's right you know," said a deep voice coming from behind me. "As soon as he phases everyone will know."

I froze and then started to shake at the sound of his voice, turning around slowly I faced him. I cringed at the sight in front of me, it was worse than I had thought. He was so thin and his beautiful russet skin was drained of color. Dark purple bags rested under his eyes and made him look as if he hadn't slept since I'd left, he probably hadn't. His beautiful silky black hair was matted with knots and dirt and hung in his glazy eyes. He looked pitiful, sick, and it was immediately apparent that he'd been living in his wolf form to attempt escaping the pain I'd left him in. But then again, I probably didn't look much better.

My heart beat fast in my chest and I could feel my resolve failing. I wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and for him to hold me. I was breaking, I could feel it. The thick walls I had been so careful to build were crumbling fast. I needed him to hold me and tell me everything would be okay.

"I need to leave," I managed to say. My voice sounded choked.

I moved to go to the door, but Seth stood in my way. I was less than a foot away from him now and I could feel the heat radiating of his body, healing me. He looked like a lost puppy, half mad with the agony of the pain I had caused him.

"No," he said panicked. "You can't leave. I won't let you."

I made another step towards him it felt so good to be close to him. I was breaking, if I didn't leave now I would break. "Seth please," I begged. "Please I need to leave."

"No," Seth said more confidently now.

Thoroughly determined to avoid this situation I tried to side-step him. Usually I would have easily been able to avoid him, but considering I was covered head to toe in bruises and cut, my agility was a little under the wagon. Seth's hand flew out and latched onto my arm, but instantly released it when I let out an agonized scream. Unable to stand any longer I fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, clutching my injured arm.

"Anelia," Seth cried out, surprised by my reaction and tried to pick me up.

"Don't touch me," I screeched at him when his hand made contact with the lacerations on her back.

Seth was kneeling beside me, hands hovering over my broken body. "Just tell me what to do," Seth begged.

I took a shaky breath, fighting to stay conscious. "Jacket off," I said, fumbling with the zipper.

Once I had finally managed to unzip the damn thing, Seth helped me pull the sleeve off the sleeves which were beginning to stick to my arm due to the amount of blood flowing from the newly opened cut.

There were audible gasps around the room and I could feel Seth begin to shake beside me. I bet I looked like crap. Four broken ribs, a fractured collar bone, whip marks and burns scared her tender flesh, not to mention her pale skin was decorated crudely head-to-toe with bruises and cuts of various shapes and sizes. Several of the cuts had been stitched together in a failed attempt to hold in the blood that refused to stay in her body.

I looked up at Seth with a weak smile, "Told ya there was a good reason I left."