"She's what?" Ruby asked as she turned around to face Sherman, not even
caring about the water on the floor nor the glass pieces that she stepped
on knowing that those deep cuts would heal within seconds.
"She's alive." Sherman said wondering if Ruby had heard him or not so he raised his voice a little but not so John could hear even with his wolven abilities.
"I heard you the first time, but how?" Ruby said hearing Sherman loud and clear just amazed by how wrong she had been about the strength she knew Sophia really had. She should have know better especially in this town with secrets and mysteries behind every door.
"Be quiet, I don't want John to know just yet." Sherman said hearing the man's footsteps begin to venture towards the kitchen after hearing the glass fall to the floor.
"Hey, what's going on in here?" John asked from the doorway of the kitchen and then seeing the glass on the floor with Ruby's feet embeded in the pieces with her blood also on the floor. "Ruby? Your feet." John said stepping closer concerned about her health yet not realizing that was nothing compared to previous experiences she hadn't shared with him yet.
"John, honey, wolves have remarkable healing powers. Don't worry about it. The cuts have already healed." She said feeling like a kindergarten teacher explaining what she thought was simple yet confusing to him. "I just dropped the glass that's all. It slipped." Ruby said lying to him and John quickly dismissed it not caring what she was hiding because he knew that she would eventually tell him.
"Oh, okay." he said as he bent to pick up the aspirin and then grabbed something to drink quickly exiting the kitchen letting Sherman and Ruby continue their conversation of probably something about the Pack. Something which he had heard enough of for awhile.
Once John was a safe distance away, Ruby quicky turned to Sherman eager to learn what she could about the situation.
"Does Matt know?" Ruby asked wondering how Sophia and Sherman could keep that kind of secret from Matt.
"Of course Matt knows. He came to me with Sophia and the three of us planned the whole thing." Sherman said to Ruby as if he would leave Matt out of it. "The only thing we didn't plan on was Luke."
"What do you mean?" Ruby said still not following.
"When the three of us planned it a couple weeks ago, Luke wanted nothing to do with Sophia, but as her Change got closer, we had no idea how he was going to react. He showed up that night and we thought that Sophia would flip right in front of him, but luckily we had planned on the maternal instinct of Vivian." Sherman said clearing up some of the fog around the story.
"Hang on a second and rewind. Sophia flipped. How did you hide it?" Ruby asked never hearing of anything like that.
"I concocted a special kind of drug that once you flipped the scent wouldn't be on you and it also made it seem as if the person was dead. In fact, Sophia was barely breathing which is why Matt was so upset. He really thought his daughter had died there for a while. When I went over to check on her after she had supposively died, I nodded my head to signal to Vivian that she was dead and to signal to Matt that she wasn't."
"That's why Vivian said he had been so emotional when you nodded your head. She thought that Sophia had died. Wait a second, Vivian doesn't know?" Ruby asked surprised.
"Like Vivian would allow such a thing to happen within her Pack." Sherman said displaying the truth about the pride of the Alpha.
"One question. Everyone said that the four of you heard the crack of her neck that night. How could she have survived?"
"They heard a crack, not Sophia's. Matt broke his own arm to save the life of his daughter. That also allowed him to feel more pain for days afterwards. Because he really was in pain." Sherman said as the pieces began to flow together into a puzzle that revealed the bigger picture.
"So how did Sophia get out of Wolf Lake?" Ruby asked curious as ever in this twisted web of secrecy among so few people.
"That's not the important thing now." Sherman said dismissing Ruby's current thought and now his speculation of something else held her attention.
"And what is?"
************
Luke couldn't believe what was happening to himself. How could he have let himself become this attached over a half-breed? There was no explanantion for what he was feeling. (Except love.) He kept digging himself in a deeper hole because of his hopes being constantly let down by more and more evidence behind Sophia's death becoming a reality to him. Sleep would haunt him. Caffiene only made him hyper. And running in the woods only made his heart ache for her more. Finally realizing nothing was going to help him unless he wouldn't be able to feel anything or think clearly he headed home in search of some hard liquor to help heal his soul or at least what was left of it after part of it died with Sophia.
***********
Just as Sheriff Donner had return to his first day of work since the death of his daughter, the phone on his desk began to ring. Scrambling to get to the phone, Matt ended up dropping papers on the floor in the process of picking up the phone off the cradle.
"Hello, Wolf Lake Police Department, Sheriff Donner speaking. How may I help you?" Matt asked while he bended over and started to pick up the dropped and scattered papers on the floor of the police station.
"There's been a what?" Matt asked curious if he heard the person on the phone speaking correctly.
"Allright I'll be right there." Matt said as he hung up the phone and raaced out of the police station from which he had just entered leaving behind the scattered papers.
Withing ten minutes Matt had driven to the far side of town to a secluded and abandoned warehouse next to the lake. Already meeting him there was a deputy with the paramedics. Matt quickly got out of the car and walked over towards the female officer to find out about the situation at hand.
"So much for a peaceful first day back. What do we have?" Matt asked as the female officer began to lead him towards the back side of the warehouse.
"Unidentified Jane Doe was found five o'clock this morning and she has no means of identification on her nor near by considering the corpse is not clothed. She was found by a man by the name Jasper Johnson. He was investigating the warehouse for real estate purposes and found the body here when he was taking pictures of the property. He was the one that called the 9-1-1 operator." The deputy said as she lead Matt around the back so he could see the crime scene.
Really not wanting to see another lifeless body this week Matt had to do his job and find justice for those that couldn't and this victim would surely not be able to see her justice in her lifetime. She was lying on her stomach and her blonde hair covered most of her face and neck. She was definitely young probably only thrity at the most. She was lying there naked and her pale skin showed signs of a struggle with her attacker with various cuts and bruises that form all over her body. Pulling out his gloves and slowly putting them on as he continued to obserb the body, he thought how reamrkably similiar the body was to Vivian's.
"How long has the M.E. said she's been dead?" Matt asked the deputy.
"Preliminary results she said about twenty-four to thirty-six hours but she would have to conduct an autopsy." the woman said as Matt kneeled down next to the corpse and quickly turned her over to see who she was. "The M.E. thinks the cause of death is strangulation as well."
"Alright, let's see who we're dealing with." Matt said as he turned to the body over onto its back revealing a familiar face. "Oh Jesus." Matt said having to stand up and walk away a few feet.
"Matt, who is it?" the deputy asked seeing that Matt had identified who the victim was.
"It's Margaret Sulivan." Matt said knowing her as a kind person and also as a Skinwalker.
"She still lives in Wolf Lake?" the deputy asked knowing the name yet not able to put it to a face.
"Yeah, right on the outskirts of town. She hardly ever came into town and she mainly kept to herself after her little brother died six years ago when he was seventeen." Matt said remembering that the young pup hadn't made it through the Change and the fact that his sister, his only living relative, had been so distraught over the loss. So distraught that she had never since then used her wolven abilities from that date hating what the Pack had done to her brother. Matt had felt her pain and kept close contact with the girl, calling her from time to time to show his support. "Why would anyone want to kill her though? She had no ties to anyone and she kept to herself. Most of the people in town don't even realize that she's a citizen of Wolf Lake. Who would want her dead?" Matt said wondering why her of all people would be victim to murder.
What was happening in this town? Had the people of Wolf Lake sunk that low to killing people that very virtually invisible in the eyes of the town? Who would have been an enemy of Margaret was a better question. The girl was practically a ghost. Something or someone was desperately trying to get some attention around the town and they were going to start out small and make it count with something big. Who was next, Matt had no idea considering he was clueless to who would even want to kill Margaret anyway. All he knew was that there was a murderer on his hands and that person wasn't going to stop unless Matt found them first.
***********
"Sherman, what is important?" Ruby asked Sherman seeing that he had gone off in a daze with an open mouth and stare ripping through thin air.
"Sophia's pelt color." Sherman said spilling the beans.
"She's white." Ruby said finally piecing together the clues. "But what does that mean?" Ruby asked Sherman who now began pacing. "What will Vivian say?" Ruby said as she too began to pace in the kitchen stepping on the glass shards once again.
"I don't know. I didn't even find out her color until she told me the other day. I've never heard of a second white wolf with the same generation let alone the same century. And as it goes for Vivian she can't find out." Sherman said as he stopped only to talk and then resumed his pacing.
"If she's a white wolf, then she's supposed to stay in Wolf Lake for the rest of her life just like me. What do you think Vivian's gonna do when she finds out. Do you think she's gonna say, "Oh it's okay we've already got one." Sherman you know they will hunt her down." Ruby said stating the truth from her own experience. "We have to warn her to stay away from Wolf Lake or she will become like me. Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know what?" Ruby asked not understanding the man again.
"I don't know where she is." Sherman said raising his voice a little.
"How in the hell do you not know where she is?" Ruby asked. "You're the one that helped her get out of this forsaken town."
"I sent her with a friend and he was supposed to hide her somewhere but I have no way of contacting her. She only contacts me, but I warned her that one day she might have to return." Sherman said the stress beginning to amount to a headache of his own. "God she wanted out so bad just like you and now she'll have to come back."
"I wanted out but once I was brought back in the only thing I wanted was John and now I have him. I'm content to live here as long as I have him with me. Sophia will realize that when she discovers the real world and just how many people actually love and care for her here." Ruby said placing her hand on Sherman's shoulder.
"I hope that comes before her secrets gets out and she becomes the hunted." Sherman said wondering if he had just made the biggest mistake of his life by allowing the second white wolf to leave when it was best for her to stay in Wolf Lake in case of any threats made on the Pack.
************
"Matt, final results from the coroner." a deputy said as she placed the folder on Matt's desk. He immediately stopped writing his report and picked up the folder. He began flipping through the pages dismissing the pictures and only content on reading the final report.
Subject's cause of death is caused from strangulation and immediate broken neck. Bruises on hands, feet, arms, and heels show signs of struggle with victim and attacker. Found on the corpse were hairs. Tests concluded the hairs are Canis lupus.(gray wolf) Included in report is a portion of the retrieved evidence located on the corpse...
Matt located the evidence bag with the hair inside and knew at once that the wolf that the hair belonged to was in fact a member of the Pack. The scent was distinct even through the plasti bag, yet with so many gray wolves, himself one of them, it was hard to locate exactly who it was. The more important question was what kind of Skinwalker would kill another innocent Skinwalker? Matt knew of a few that felt that they were superior to humans, enjoying the sight of their rival species trying to make it through the hardships of life without wolven abilities. Those Skinwalkers who loved to toy with human's minds on their weaknesses and inability to be as powerful as they were especially in full wolf mode. Yeah, Matt knew some, but only those few would actually kill for pleasure. One in paticular, Matt knew from previous experiences and feelings that this certain Skinwalker was capable of killing people. In fact, it wouldn't surprise him if he actually did kill for the fun of another person's pain. Yes, he would have to pay Tyler a visit knowing how much the young man hated him.
"Do me a favor and have the coroner do a DNA test on the hair retreived from the victim for me, okay? I'll be back in a hour, I have to make a visit to a dear friend of mine." Matt said dropping the file on the deputy's desk and exiting the police station.
************
"Sherman what are we going to do?" Ruby asked wondering why Sherman had pulled her into this thickening plot with him. "What does all of this have to do with me other than the fact that Sophia and I are both white females?"
"I guess we'll have to wait for Sophia to contact me again and as for what it has to do with you. It has a whole hell of a lot to do with you Ruby. Only you and Sophia can save this Pack from the unknown danger that will eventually effect this Pack."
"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't Vivian know all this as well? Although I never liked the woman, she is the Alpha." Ruby said feeling as if she was getting in over her head.
"The reason why I told you is because you have been in this situation before. You know how it is to be out there on your own all alone with humans constantly around you. You know what Sophia is feeling right now." Sherman said knowing that Ruby would be a great addition to the secret with previous experiences to add to discussions and proposals in this plan of Sherman's.
"So what me and Sophia now have a special bond?" Ruby asked Sherman sarcastically scared and a little frightened by the intesity of Sherman's stress level with Sophia and her being a white wolf.
Ruby saw Sherman's eyes suddenly light up and the wheels in his mind starting to work once again after seeing a light bulb go off above his head. The sudden change in his mood perplexed Ruby even more with the strange workings of the keeper's mind.
"What? What did I say?" Ruby asked worried about what Sherman was thinking knowing it would be out of this world.
"I wonder, I truly wonder." Sherman said as he began to pace around the kitchen once again, his mind working full blast now.
"What are you thinking Sherman?" Ruby asked as she purposely walked in front of him to stop his pacing.
"Since both Sophia and you are white wolves and you hold a certain connection there, I'm just wondering if it's possible for you two to gain your own private mental path. Like the one you and John have now, because of the connection between you and Sophia and your extra wolven abilities, it might be able to hold the connection even though Sophia is so far away." Sherman said revealing his theory wondering if it was at all possible or just a lost cause.
"Are you serious?" Ruby asked not sure if she had to power within her to complete Sherman's task.
"When you were brought back to Wolf Lake and John was still in Seattle, could you feel him even though he wasn't a wolf?" Sherman asked although he already knew the answer to the question.
"Of course I could, only because of my love for John was I able to keep a hold on his whereabouts and whether or not he was alive." Ruby said beginning to think that Sherman's plan might just work if she knew just how far away Sophia really was.
"Even though John wasn't a wolf, you kept a connection with him. But with Sophia, you have more in common because of the fact that the two of you are white, you have that special bond with each other." Sherman said giving more hope in his plan.
"Yeah, but John wasn't that far away and we have no idea where Sophia is. She could be on another continent for all we know, Sherman." Ruby said and Sherman realized the harsh truth behind Ruby's speculation.
"You're right. It's a lost cause. There's no way of communicating with her even if she was still in the states. Plus her powers have just emerged. It would take years with lots of practice to acheive such a task even for a white wolf." Sherman said as he quickly dropped the hopes of his attempts to communicate with Sophia.
"So as I asked before, what do we do now?"
***********
Matt pulled into the long narrow driveway that he had visited frequently only on business and not pleasure. Although the day would come where he would find pleasure in driving up this driveway so that he could give justice to all those that Tyler Creed had tortured during his lifetime. The most famous and unspoken one had to be Ruby. The poor girl, Matt thought knowing the abuse she had to go through. Living and kept hidden from the one true person you loved. Forced to marry your mortal enemy. Hating him yet having to share his bed. Matt knew the consequences that Ruby had by becoming the white wolf. Thank God she had gotten out for the amount of time that she did. Thank God that his daughter also got out, free from the invisible shackles the Pack held on its members. Now that Ruby was once again free from Tyler for the moment, Matt just hoped that she wouldn't have to live with Tyler anymore. That she would somehow escape his hold on her life and the blackmail she received only to keep John alive and safe from the hands of Tyler.
Matt parked the car and got out, quickly making his way up the walkway towards the front door. Seeing none of Tyler's goons around, Matt decided to act fast and knocked on the door hoping to talk to Tyler without any interuptions by his loyal followers. Inside the house, Matt could hear the footsteps of a person inside quickly walking towards the door. With the scent hanging in the air, Matt could tell that it was Tyler and surprisingly the man was alone in the house. That struck him odd seeing that the man never went anywhere without the watchful eyes off those who were obidient to him. Tyler slowing opened the door, surprised, yet already knowing by his wolven capabilities, that Matt was standing at his door. He knew the man must only be there for one thing. The latest accusation of the latest crime to happen in Wolf Lake. Although it was right to accuse Tyler, seeing that he was guilty for most of his crimes that he denied, Matt still had no proof that Tyler was the killer other than the fact that he loved the fact to prey on others weaker than him.
"May I help you Sheriff?" Tyler said beckoning Matt inside his house which he gladly entered preparing to ask Tyler some questions although he knew the man would deny all charges. After Matt entered the house, Tyler immediately closed the door with a smile on his face, loving the fact that Matt was there trying to pursuade him in confessing to another crime he committed.
***********
"What do we do now, we shut our mouths and keep this a secret." Sherman said as if stating the obvious.
"Keep it a secret, what do you think is going to happen when Sophia just some day shows up in Wolf Lake becuase she has to come back and fight whatever danger there is to the Pack. I don't know about you but a lot of people are going to want answers. Are willing to give those answers?" Ruby asked Sherman also stating the obvious. "I feel for Sophia. I hated being here as much as she did. She probably even had it worse, but at least the people back here knew that I was safe and alive. Just think about what her return will do to the Pack." Ruby said knowing how much Sophia's reappearance in Wolf Lake would cause utter chaos.
"Think about what might happen if she doesn't come back with danger present." Sherman said knowing that fact as well.
"Alright since we've both decided that no matter what we do we're doomed, so why don't we just play it by ear?" Ruby said finally giving in seeing that both of them didn't want to fight about the issue anymore. "Whatever happens, we accept it and keep on going with the plan to keep Sophia out of Wolf Lake but if, and I mean a strong if, she is desperately needed, then we will make her come back even against our better judgment. Okay?" Ruby asked and Sherman gave a silent nod agreeing with her for the first time today. Just as soon as Ruby was about to leave the kitchen and check on John, Sherman said one last final remark.
"Ruby, you can't tell John. For his safety and the safety of Sophia, we can't let him in on it. Only the four of us know and that's it. John will need time to adjust to the Pack before learning about Sophia." Sherman said before he left the kitchen and Ruby followed his actions by going in the opposite direction towards the living room and to John. For the time being she put the thoughts of Sophia in the back of her mind and only concentrated on the other more important, that her life, person lying down in the living room. Now after so long, she was finally free to be with him and love him.
**********
"Where were you two nights ago Tyler?" Matt asked once him and Tyler had made themselves comfortable in the livingroom.
"I was here, of course. Why?" Tyler asked curious of Matt's visit.
"How about for the time being, I ask the questions." Matt said tired of Tyler trying to play innocent.
"Sure."
"Is there anyone who would be witness to how long you were here two nights ago?" Matt asked although he already knew the answer, yet he had to ask it anyways.
"My guards. Listen, I know where you're going with this and I was here all night from seven o'clock on till the next morning around noon." Tyler said trying to act oblivious and as innocent as possible, but Matt knew better.
"You didn't perhaps leave the confines of your house during that time?" Matt asked wishing to just hear the confessing come out of Tyler's mouth, but Tyler would fight to the death to protect his reputation.
"Only to get the newspaper in the morning." Tyler said trying to hid the smile that spread across his face. "Maybe if you tell me what you're trying to accuse me of, I might try to help you."
"There was a person found on the edge of town who was strangled to death." Matt said finally giving in to Tyler's demand.
"And you're accusing me of what?" Tyler asked playing the game with Matt by trying to be confused with the situation acting like he had no idea about it.
"Nothing. Just wanted to ask you some questions, that's all." Matt said seeing that his conversation was beginning to end.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'd appreciate it if we could possibly end this questioning, I have work to do." Tyler said as he began to escort Matt to the door.
"I won't stop you from your business." Matt said playing Tyler as much as he was playing Matt.
"Good bye Sheriff." Tyler said after Matt had exited through the door. "I hope you find the person who committed such a heinous act to a woman."
"Who said the victim was a woman?" Matt asked knowing he had snared Tyler in a tight web of confusion.
**********
After such an exhausting night and an even more surprising morning, Ruby decided to lay down in the guest bedroom in Sherman's house. John's mind was trying to piece the secrets and mysteries together and he was so content on that job that he failed to relax from the flip he encountered the night before. So intent on understanding Ruby's world, he didn't notice the small tremers that were coursing through Ruby's sleeping body. She was being propelled into a world beyond her control, sucked into its hold, not letting her go free.
She felt like she was flying in an airplane, yet she felt the wind fly through her hair, the scent of nature filling her with its endless scents. She looked below to see her flying, at a very fast pace, over lakes, rivers, and land to an unknown destination. Wherever it was, it gradually began to get colder as did the climate as Ruby saw snow-capped mountains now below her. As fast as those few seconds had lasted, she was once again pulled into another place, almost as if into another dimension. She found herself seeing black with a white light ahead like she was in a tunnel. The brightness of that light almost made her turn her head, but something within her made her walk towards that light, almost willing her towards the light.
The light drew closer and closer towards her until it consumed her. Not able to withstand the light anymore, Ruby had to close her eyes. Trying to block the light with her every might, Ruby actually felt tears brimming her eyes from the force she exerted on closing them. Also as the light took over her, there came a loud roar ripping through the air making Ruby cover her hears and hunker towards the ground in a fetal position because of the power of the noise. What seemed like forever, the light and noise finally ended bringing with it the promise of relief. That relief also brought the sweeping of an unfamiliar and new mind against hers. Terrified of what she had just seen, experienced, and witnessed even in a dream, Ruby forced herself to wake up from this nightmare.
Gasping for air and trying to fill her lungs, Ruby eyes grew wide with the true realization that what had happened to her had been in fact, true. She had done the impossible even for a white female. What surprised her even more was the fact that she had no part-take in this extroadinary, amazing mind link. Spellbound by what had just happened within only a matter of minutes, Ruby sat on the bed, speechless by what had just happened to her. In fact only one litte word escaped her mouth. Not a word, yet a name. A name that had come to mean so much more these past couple of days than her whole life.
"Sophia!"
(A/N- Sorry for the cliff-hanger. I'm kind of known for that. Hope you like my version of the conclusion if not, oh well. I won't cry over it. Let me know what you think though.)
"She's alive." Sherman said wondering if Ruby had heard him or not so he raised his voice a little but not so John could hear even with his wolven abilities.
"I heard you the first time, but how?" Ruby said hearing Sherman loud and clear just amazed by how wrong she had been about the strength she knew Sophia really had. She should have know better especially in this town with secrets and mysteries behind every door.
"Be quiet, I don't want John to know just yet." Sherman said hearing the man's footsteps begin to venture towards the kitchen after hearing the glass fall to the floor.
"Hey, what's going on in here?" John asked from the doorway of the kitchen and then seeing the glass on the floor with Ruby's feet embeded in the pieces with her blood also on the floor. "Ruby? Your feet." John said stepping closer concerned about her health yet not realizing that was nothing compared to previous experiences she hadn't shared with him yet.
"John, honey, wolves have remarkable healing powers. Don't worry about it. The cuts have already healed." She said feeling like a kindergarten teacher explaining what she thought was simple yet confusing to him. "I just dropped the glass that's all. It slipped." Ruby said lying to him and John quickly dismissed it not caring what she was hiding because he knew that she would eventually tell him.
"Oh, okay." he said as he bent to pick up the aspirin and then grabbed something to drink quickly exiting the kitchen letting Sherman and Ruby continue their conversation of probably something about the Pack. Something which he had heard enough of for awhile.
Once John was a safe distance away, Ruby quicky turned to Sherman eager to learn what she could about the situation.
"Does Matt know?" Ruby asked wondering how Sophia and Sherman could keep that kind of secret from Matt.
"Of course Matt knows. He came to me with Sophia and the three of us planned the whole thing." Sherman said to Ruby as if he would leave Matt out of it. "The only thing we didn't plan on was Luke."
"What do you mean?" Ruby said still not following.
"When the three of us planned it a couple weeks ago, Luke wanted nothing to do with Sophia, but as her Change got closer, we had no idea how he was going to react. He showed up that night and we thought that Sophia would flip right in front of him, but luckily we had planned on the maternal instinct of Vivian." Sherman said clearing up some of the fog around the story.
"Hang on a second and rewind. Sophia flipped. How did you hide it?" Ruby asked never hearing of anything like that.
"I concocted a special kind of drug that once you flipped the scent wouldn't be on you and it also made it seem as if the person was dead. In fact, Sophia was barely breathing which is why Matt was so upset. He really thought his daughter had died there for a while. When I went over to check on her after she had supposively died, I nodded my head to signal to Vivian that she was dead and to signal to Matt that she wasn't."
"That's why Vivian said he had been so emotional when you nodded your head. She thought that Sophia had died. Wait a second, Vivian doesn't know?" Ruby asked surprised.
"Like Vivian would allow such a thing to happen within her Pack." Sherman said displaying the truth about the pride of the Alpha.
"One question. Everyone said that the four of you heard the crack of her neck that night. How could she have survived?"
"They heard a crack, not Sophia's. Matt broke his own arm to save the life of his daughter. That also allowed him to feel more pain for days afterwards. Because he really was in pain." Sherman said as the pieces began to flow together into a puzzle that revealed the bigger picture.
"So how did Sophia get out of Wolf Lake?" Ruby asked curious as ever in this twisted web of secrecy among so few people.
"That's not the important thing now." Sherman said dismissing Ruby's current thought and now his speculation of something else held her attention.
"And what is?"
************
Luke couldn't believe what was happening to himself. How could he have let himself become this attached over a half-breed? There was no explanantion for what he was feeling. (Except love.) He kept digging himself in a deeper hole because of his hopes being constantly let down by more and more evidence behind Sophia's death becoming a reality to him. Sleep would haunt him. Caffiene only made him hyper. And running in the woods only made his heart ache for her more. Finally realizing nothing was going to help him unless he wouldn't be able to feel anything or think clearly he headed home in search of some hard liquor to help heal his soul or at least what was left of it after part of it died with Sophia.
***********
Just as Sheriff Donner had return to his first day of work since the death of his daughter, the phone on his desk began to ring. Scrambling to get to the phone, Matt ended up dropping papers on the floor in the process of picking up the phone off the cradle.
"Hello, Wolf Lake Police Department, Sheriff Donner speaking. How may I help you?" Matt asked while he bended over and started to pick up the dropped and scattered papers on the floor of the police station.
"There's been a what?" Matt asked curious if he heard the person on the phone speaking correctly.
"Allright I'll be right there." Matt said as he hung up the phone and raaced out of the police station from which he had just entered leaving behind the scattered papers.
Withing ten minutes Matt had driven to the far side of town to a secluded and abandoned warehouse next to the lake. Already meeting him there was a deputy with the paramedics. Matt quickly got out of the car and walked over towards the female officer to find out about the situation at hand.
"So much for a peaceful first day back. What do we have?" Matt asked as the female officer began to lead him towards the back side of the warehouse.
"Unidentified Jane Doe was found five o'clock this morning and she has no means of identification on her nor near by considering the corpse is not clothed. She was found by a man by the name Jasper Johnson. He was investigating the warehouse for real estate purposes and found the body here when he was taking pictures of the property. He was the one that called the 9-1-1 operator." The deputy said as she lead Matt around the back so he could see the crime scene.
Really not wanting to see another lifeless body this week Matt had to do his job and find justice for those that couldn't and this victim would surely not be able to see her justice in her lifetime. She was lying on her stomach and her blonde hair covered most of her face and neck. She was definitely young probably only thrity at the most. She was lying there naked and her pale skin showed signs of a struggle with her attacker with various cuts and bruises that form all over her body. Pulling out his gloves and slowly putting them on as he continued to obserb the body, he thought how reamrkably similiar the body was to Vivian's.
"How long has the M.E. said she's been dead?" Matt asked the deputy.
"Preliminary results she said about twenty-four to thirty-six hours but she would have to conduct an autopsy." the woman said as Matt kneeled down next to the corpse and quickly turned her over to see who she was. "The M.E. thinks the cause of death is strangulation as well."
"Alright, let's see who we're dealing with." Matt said as he turned to the body over onto its back revealing a familiar face. "Oh Jesus." Matt said having to stand up and walk away a few feet.
"Matt, who is it?" the deputy asked seeing that Matt had identified who the victim was.
"It's Margaret Sulivan." Matt said knowing her as a kind person and also as a Skinwalker.
"She still lives in Wolf Lake?" the deputy asked knowing the name yet not able to put it to a face.
"Yeah, right on the outskirts of town. She hardly ever came into town and she mainly kept to herself after her little brother died six years ago when he was seventeen." Matt said remembering that the young pup hadn't made it through the Change and the fact that his sister, his only living relative, had been so distraught over the loss. So distraught that she had never since then used her wolven abilities from that date hating what the Pack had done to her brother. Matt had felt her pain and kept close contact with the girl, calling her from time to time to show his support. "Why would anyone want to kill her though? She had no ties to anyone and she kept to herself. Most of the people in town don't even realize that she's a citizen of Wolf Lake. Who would want her dead?" Matt said wondering why her of all people would be victim to murder.
What was happening in this town? Had the people of Wolf Lake sunk that low to killing people that very virtually invisible in the eyes of the town? Who would have been an enemy of Margaret was a better question. The girl was practically a ghost. Something or someone was desperately trying to get some attention around the town and they were going to start out small and make it count with something big. Who was next, Matt had no idea considering he was clueless to who would even want to kill Margaret anyway. All he knew was that there was a murderer on his hands and that person wasn't going to stop unless Matt found them first.
***********
"Sherman, what is important?" Ruby asked Sherman seeing that he had gone off in a daze with an open mouth and stare ripping through thin air.
"Sophia's pelt color." Sherman said spilling the beans.
"She's white." Ruby said finally piecing together the clues. "But what does that mean?" Ruby asked Sherman who now began pacing. "What will Vivian say?" Ruby said as she too began to pace in the kitchen stepping on the glass shards once again.
"I don't know. I didn't even find out her color until she told me the other day. I've never heard of a second white wolf with the same generation let alone the same century. And as it goes for Vivian she can't find out." Sherman said as he stopped only to talk and then resumed his pacing.
"If she's a white wolf, then she's supposed to stay in Wolf Lake for the rest of her life just like me. What do you think Vivian's gonna do when she finds out. Do you think she's gonna say, "Oh it's okay we've already got one." Sherman you know they will hunt her down." Ruby said stating the truth from her own experience. "We have to warn her to stay away from Wolf Lake or she will become like me. Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know what?" Ruby asked not understanding the man again.
"I don't know where she is." Sherman said raising his voice a little.
"How in the hell do you not know where she is?" Ruby asked. "You're the one that helped her get out of this forsaken town."
"I sent her with a friend and he was supposed to hide her somewhere but I have no way of contacting her. She only contacts me, but I warned her that one day she might have to return." Sherman said the stress beginning to amount to a headache of his own. "God she wanted out so bad just like you and now she'll have to come back."
"I wanted out but once I was brought back in the only thing I wanted was John and now I have him. I'm content to live here as long as I have him with me. Sophia will realize that when she discovers the real world and just how many people actually love and care for her here." Ruby said placing her hand on Sherman's shoulder.
"I hope that comes before her secrets gets out and she becomes the hunted." Sherman said wondering if he had just made the biggest mistake of his life by allowing the second white wolf to leave when it was best for her to stay in Wolf Lake in case of any threats made on the Pack.
************
"Matt, final results from the coroner." a deputy said as she placed the folder on Matt's desk. He immediately stopped writing his report and picked up the folder. He began flipping through the pages dismissing the pictures and only content on reading the final report.
Subject's cause of death is caused from strangulation and immediate broken neck. Bruises on hands, feet, arms, and heels show signs of struggle with victim and attacker. Found on the corpse were hairs. Tests concluded the hairs are Canis lupus.(gray wolf) Included in report is a portion of the retrieved evidence located on the corpse...
Matt located the evidence bag with the hair inside and knew at once that the wolf that the hair belonged to was in fact a member of the Pack. The scent was distinct even through the plasti bag, yet with so many gray wolves, himself one of them, it was hard to locate exactly who it was. The more important question was what kind of Skinwalker would kill another innocent Skinwalker? Matt knew of a few that felt that they were superior to humans, enjoying the sight of their rival species trying to make it through the hardships of life without wolven abilities. Those Skinwalkers who loved to toy with human's minds on their weaknesses and inability to be as powerful as they were especially in full wolf mode. Yeah, Matt knew some, but only those few would actually kill for pleasure. One in paticular, Matt knew from previous experiences and feelings that this certain Skinwalker was capable of killing people. In fact, it wouldn't surprise him if he actually did kill for the fun of another person's pain. Yes, he would have to pay Tyler a visit knowing how much the young man hated him.
"Do me a favor and have the coroner do a DNA test on the hair retreived from the victim for me, okay? I'll be back in a hour, I have to make a visit to a dear friend of mine." Matt said dropping the file on the deputy's desk and exiting the police station.
************
"Sherman what are we going to do?" Ruby asked wondering why Sherman had pulled her into this thickening plot with him. "What does all of this have to do with me other than the fact that Sophia and I are both white females?"
"I guess we'll have to wait for Sophia to contact me again and as for what it has to do with you. It has a whole hell of a lot to do with you Ruby. Only you and Sophia can save this Pack from the unknown danger that will eventually effect this Pack."
"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't Vivian know all this as well? Although I never liked the woman, she is the Alpha." Ruby said feeling as if she was getting in over her head.
"The reason why I told you is because you have been in this situation before. You know how it is to be out there on your own all alone with humans constantly around you. You know what Sophia is feeling right now." Sherman said knowing that Ruby would be a great addition to the secret with previous experiences to add to discussions and proposals in this plan of Sherman's.
"So what me and Sophia now have a special bond?" Ruby asked Sherman sarcastically scared and a little frightened by the intesity of Sherman's stress level with Sophia and her being a white wolf.
Ruby saw Sherman's eyes suddenly light up and the wheels in his mind starting to work once again after seeing a light bulb go off above his head. The sudden change in his mood perplexed Ruby even more with the strange workings of the keeper's mind.
"What? What did I say?" Ruby asked worried about what Sherman was thinking knowing it would be out of this world.
"I wonder, I truly wonder." Sherman said as he began to pace around the kitchen once again, his mind working full blast now.
"What are you thinking Sherman?" Ruby asked as she purposely walked in front of him to stop his pacing.
"Since both Sophia and you are white wolves and you hold a certain connection there, I'm just wondering if it's possible for you two to gain your own private mental path. Like the one you and John have now, because of the connection between you and Sophia and your extra wolven abilities, it might be able to hold the connection even though Sophia is so far away." Sherman said revealing his theory wondering if it was at all possible or just a lost cause.
"Are you serious?" Ruby asked not sure if she had to power within her to complete Sherman's task.
"When you were brought back to Wolf Lake and John was still in Seattle, could you feel him even though he wasn't a wolf?" Sherman asked although he already knew the answer to the question.
"Of course I could, only because of my love for John was I able to keep a hold on his whereabouts and whether or not he was alive." Ruby said beginning to think that Sherman's plan might just work if she knew just how far away Sophia really was.
"Even though John wasn't a wolf, you kept a connection with him. But with Sophia, you have more in common because of the fact that the two of you are white, you have that special bond with each other." Sherman said giving more hope in his plan.
"Yeah, but John wasn't that far away and we have no idea where Sophia is. She could be on another continent for all we know, Sherman." Ruby said and Sherman realized the harsh truth behind Ruby's speculation.
"You're right. It's a lost cause. There's no way of communicating with her even if she was still in the states. Plus her powers have just emerged. It would take years with lots of practice to acheive such a task even for a white wolf." Sherman said as he quickly dropped the hopes of his attempts to communicate with Sophia.
"So as I asked before, what do we do now?"
***********
Matt pulled into the long narrow driveway that he had visited frequently only on business and not pleasure. Although the day would come where he would find pleasure in driving up this driveway so that he could give justice to all those that Tyler Creed had tortured during his lifetime. The most famous and unspoken one had to be Ruby. The poor girl, Matt thought knowing the abuse she had to go through. Living and kept hidden from the one true person you loved. Forced to marry your mortal enemy. Hating him yet having to share his bed. Matt knew the consequences that Ruby had by becoming the white wolf. Thank God she had gotten out for the amount of time that she did. Thank God that his daughter also got out, free from the invisible shackles the Pack held on its members. Now that Ruby was once again free from Tyler for the moment, Matt just hoped that she wouldn't have to live with Tyler anymore. That she would somehow escape his hold on her life and the blackmail she received only to keep John alive and safe from the hands of Tyler.
Matt parked the car and got out, quickly making his way up the walkway towards the front door. Seeing none of Tyler's goons around, Matt decided to act fast and knocked on the door hoping to talk to Tyler without any interuptions by his loyal followers. Inside the house, Matt could hear the footsteps of a person inside quickly walking towards the door. With the scent hanging in the air, Matt could tell that it was Tyler and surprisingly the man was alone in the house. That struck him odd seeing that the man never went anywhere without the watchful eyes off those who were obidient to him. Tyler slowing opened the door, surprised, yet already knowing by his wolven capabilities, that Matt was standing at his door. He knew the man must only be there for one thing. The latest accusation of the latest crime to happen in Wolf Lake. Although it was right to accuse Tyler, seeing that he was guilty for most of his crimes that he denied, Matt still had no proof that Tyler was the killer other than the fact that he loved the fact to prey on others weaker than him.
"May I help you Sheriff?" Tyler said beckoning Matt inside his house which he gladly entered preparing to ask Tyler some questions although he knew the man would deny all charges. After Matt entered the house, Tyler immediately closed the door with a smile on his face, loving the fact that Matt was there trying to pursuade him in confessing to another crime he committed.
***********
"What do we do now, we shut our mouths and keep this a secret." Sherman said as if stating the obvious.
"Keep it a secret, what do you think is going to happen when Sophia just some day shows up in Wolf Lake becuase she has to come back and fight whatever danger there is to the Pack. I don't know about you but a lot of people are going to want answers. Are willing to give those answers?" Ruby asked Sherman also stating the obvious. "I feel for Sophia. I hated being here as much as she did. She probably even had it worse, but at least the people back here knew that I was safe and alive. Just think about what her return will do to the Pack." Ruby said knowing how much Sophia's reappearance in Wolf Lake would cause utter chaos.
"Think about what might happen if she doesn't come back with danger present." Sherman said knowing that fact as well.
"Alright since we've both decided that no matter what we do we're doomed, so why don't we just play it by ear?" Ruby said finally giving in seeing that both of them didn't want to fight about the issue anymore. "Whatever happens, we accept it and keep on going with the plan to keep Sophia out of Wolf Lake but if, and I mean a strong if, she is desperately needed, then we will make her come back even against our better judgment. Okay?" Ruby asked and Sherman gave a silent nod agreeing with her for the first time today. Just as soon as Ruby was about to leave the kitchen and check on John, Sherman said one last final remark.
"Ruby, you can't tell John. For his safety and the safety of Sophia, we can't let him in on it. Only the four of us know and that's it. John will need time to adjust to the Pack before learning about Sophia." Sherman said before he left the kitchen and Ruby followed his actions by going in the opposite direction towards the living room and to John. For the time being she put the thoughts of Sophia in the back of her mind and only concentrated on the other more important, that her life, person lying down in the living room. Now after so long, she was finally free to be with him and love him.
**********
"Where were you two nights ago Tyler?" Matt asked once him and Tyler had made themselves comfortable in the livingroom.
"I was here, of course. Why?" Tyler asked curious of Matt's visit.
"How about for the time being, I ask the questions." Matt said tired of Tyler trying to play innocent.
"Sure."
"Is there anyone who would be witness to how long you were here two nights ago?" Matt asked although he already knew the answer, yet he had to ask it anyways.
"My guards. Listen, I know where you're going with this and I was here all night from seven o'clock on till the next morning around noon." Tyler said trying to act oblivious and as innocent as possible, but Matt knew better.
"You didn't perhaps leave the confines of your house during that time?" Matt asked wishing to just hear the confessing come out of Tyler's mouth, but Tyler would fight to the death to protect his reputation.
"Only to get the newspaper in the morning." Tyler said trying to hid the smile that spread across his face. "Maybe if you tell me what you're trying to accuse me of, I might try to help you."
"There was a person found on the edge of town who was strangled to death." Matt said finally giving in to Tyler's demand.
"And you're accusing me of what?" Tyler asked playing the game with Matt by trying to be confused with the situation acting like he had no idea about it.
"Nothing. Just wanted to ask you some questions, that's all." Matt said seeing that his conversation was beginning to end.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'd appreciate it if we could possibly end this questioning, I have work to do." Tyler said as he began to escort Matt to the door.
"I won't stop you from your business." Matt said playing Tyler as much as he was playing Matt.
"Good bye Sheriff." Tyler said after Matt had exited through the door. "I hope you find the person who committed such a heinous act to a woman."
"Who said the victim was a woman?" Matt asked knowing he had snared Tyler in a tight web of confusion.
**********
After such an exhausting night and an even more surprising morning, Ruby decided to lay down in the guest bedroom in Sherman's house. John's mind was trying to piece the secrets and mysteries together and he was so content on that job that he failed to relax from the flip he encountered the night before. So intent on understanding Ruby's world, he didn't notice the small tremers that were coursing through Ruby's sleeping body. She was being propelled into a world beyond her control, sucked into its hold, not letting her go free.
She felt like she was flying in an airplane, yet she felt the wind fly through her hair, the scent of nature filling her with its endless scents. She looked below to see her flying, at a very fast pace, over lakes, rivers, and land to an unknown destination. Wherever it was, it gradually began to get colder as did the climate as Ruby saw snow-capped mountains now below her. As fast as those few seconds had lasted, she was once again pulled into another place, almost as if into another dimension. She found herself seeing black with a white light ahead like she was in a tunnel. The brightness of that light almost made her turn her head, but something within her made her walk towards that light, almost willing her towards the light.
The light drew closer and closer towards her until it consumed her. Not able to withstand the light anymore, Ruby had to close her eyes. Trying to block the light with her every might, Ruby actually felt tears brimming her eyes from the force she exerted on closing them. Also as the light took over her, there came a loud roar ripping through the air making Ruby cover her hears and hunker towards the ground in a fetal position because of the power of the noise. What seemed like forever, the light and noise finally ended bringing with it the promise of relief. That relief also brought the sweeping of an unfamiliar and new mind against hers. Terrified of what she had just seen, experienced, and witnessed even in a dream, Ruby forced herself to wake up from this nightmare.
Gasping for air and trying to fill her lungs, Ruby eyes grew wide with the true realization that what had happened to her had been in fact, true. She had done the impossible even for a white female. What surprised her even more was the fact that she had no part-take in this extroadinary, amazing mind link. Spellbound by what had just happened within only a matter of minutes, Ruby sat on the bed, speechless by what had just happened to her. In fact only one litte word escaped her mouth. Not a word, yet a name. A name that had come to mean so much more these past couple of days than her whole life.
"Sophia!"
(A/N- Sorry for the cliff-hanger. I'm kind of known for that. Hope you like my version of the conclusion if not, oh well. I won't cry over it. Let me know what you think though.)