Well now, this took a lot longer than anticipated. .

School has been intense, what with me being a senior now and everything.

But fear not! I now have my own computer, so I will be able to upload things with much greater ease!

Lupine's recovery seemed to take forever to the other wolves. While the others could heal a deep scratch in a matter of moments, Lupine had to put up with a more human rate of healing. She had the cast on for a full month and by the time it came off it had turned a dirty brown.

She walked tenderly on it first, testing the joints that had been constricted for so long. Before long she was galloping around. The deep cuts in her side had long since turned into puckered pink lines. For the first time in four weeks she turned back to her human form and walked into Sam and Emily's house stark naked. Several of the pack turned around or covered their eyes quickly, embarrassed by her shamelessness.

That evening she went on her second patrol, running through the night with Seth. They passed the time with very little conversation, each wolf content to run in silence.

Being in the silent, chilly night air awakened Lupine's senses and she began to relish the time she as allowed to spend in the forest hunting for invaders. She volunteered more frequently than the other wolves, even as the weather became sour as a result of falling temperatures.

As the months slipped past Lupine became more muscular and lean. She ate infrequently with the pack at Emily's house, preferring to hunt. Some times, the rank stench of meat on her breath was too much for the other wolves. When questioned about her behaviour she put it down to the colder weather.

When the new year rolled around and spring began to reclaim the land Lupine seemed to calm down. She began attending the feasts prepared by Emily more frequently and her rash and feral mannerisms all but disappeared. It was possible to have normal and civilized conversation with her again.

Leah began to hang out with Lupine more often. They would patrol together, and talk of all the frivolous things they had never been able to talk about with anyone else.

Leah and Lupine had been on patrol all night. Their conversation had bounced over dozens of topics, each fanciful. They had told each other of their dream houses, children, husbands they would hope to have one day but knew they never would. For the first time, Leah asked a question about the past.

"Did you love your mate?"

"No. It would be foolish to mate for a mutual attraction. Instead, we mate for genetics and bloodlines. I do suppose I could have grown to love him though. I know of lust and sex. Trevor could make by body sing with pleasure, but I did not love him. And you? Have you ever felt love?"

"Oh, once. It was a long time ago. It doesn't matter now. Besides, now that I am what I am, love does not matter."

"Why?"

"In the same way your mate was chose for you, fate choses our mates for us. We call it 'imprinting'. It's like... Like you see that person and they become your whole world. You can't think of anything but them and suddenly you can't imagine our life without them."

"You have imprinted, then?"

"Oh, no. I have seen it in the other guys' minds."

For a while they ran in silence, each digesting what he other had said.

"What does love feel like, Leah?"

"It is the most fantastic feeling you can imagine. You could be in the worst mood, but when you see the person you love, the entire world isn't as bad as it was a second ago. You can;t help but feel happy around them. You may argue at times but in the end, there isn't a single person who you would be happier to spend your life with."

"Does love ever stop existing between two who have felt it?"

There was a moment of heavy silence between the two women. When Leah replied, he voice was thick with sorrow. "No."