Chapter 9

A/N: Just checked the review count and I'm up to 50+ for only 8 chapters, which is more than any other story I've put on here. Thanks to everyone that's taken the time to read and review—love reading what you guys leave for me.

So, any ideas about where this is going you guys? I'd love to hear any thoughts y'all have. Bet no one will be able to guess what's going to happen soon…

Soul sat at her bedside, silent and thoughtful as he watched over Maka's still body. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, her body changing with each passing moment. The fur that had been centered around her tattoo had spread, covering some of her shoulders and part way up her neck. Her nails were sharper than usual, resembling claws. Every so often she would open her mouth and Soul could spy the sharpened teeth that usually only appeared during a change.

There was no way…Maka couldn't be changing. He'd known her practically since she'd moved into the city and there hadn't been any change since that first night. Her smell had been the same and there wasn't any wound to show that she'd been bitten. That was the only way possible to change, and even then it had to be someone from the alpha's direct bloodline. It would've had to have been either his father or, however unlikely, his brother who had disappeared years ago.

But if what Marie had told him was true, it meant that it was possible…but it shouldn't have. No one could randomly be born like him or any of his pack. They had to either be born from one of them or changed with a bite; there was no other way.

Idly, Soul recalled the speech Marie had given him while Stein had been tending to Maka. She'd told him everything he'd 'needed' to know and had told him nothing else. No explanation about what was happening to Maka or what they knew about the pack. All they'd told him to do was sit with her and that it would help her quickly get better.

As they'd said, she'd started to improve only moments after he'd sat down. So he'd decided to sit there for a while and was calmed by the sound of her rhythmic heartbeat, steady and strong.

"Soul?" Slowly Soul opened his lidded eyes and scowled as he saw that it was Marie—who still wouldn't tell him anything about what he thought he needed to know. "It's almost nightfall and we don't want to be keeping you too long. She'll be fine, Soul. And we'll be sure to check on her throughout the night."

"And why should I trust people who won't tell me anything?" Soul growled in reply, picking himself up from the chair as he roughly pulled on his jacket. "I'll be back as soon as I can sneak away. I don't know when I can but keep the a spare key outside for me." And with that he marched out, at least careful not to push the pregnant woman as he left.

When she heard the door close with a definite 'click', Marie sighed and looked back into the hallway to find Stein watching her with exhaustion etched in his features. "When I remember how we met I find myself feeling bad for such a young man. He's a few years younger than you when we first met and I remember how…stressful it was. I just hope that they get some kind of happy ending."

Stein walked closer before looking into the room, checking on the snoozing girl. "I'm sad to say that anyone like us will have a long road before they'll have time for their own. And sadly, it's only just started for the two of them."

*SOUL EATER*

Maka woke up to an unfamiliar room, what little light shining through the room revealing it to be very early in the morning. Slowly she sat up, rubbing at her eyes as she looked around. It was the room Marie had showed her the first night they'd invited her to dinner and Maka was puzzled as to why she had stayed the night.

Then the memories of the night before came rushing back to her and she became a little lightheaded as she remembered what had happened. She had gotten woozy and had blacked out right after Soul had walked into the store. She couldn't remember anything else and guessed that Soul had helped get her upstairs so Marie could get Stein to check on her.

Maka took her time getting up, careful that she didn't have another episode. She tried to be quiet as she left the room and tiptoed down the hallway—only to find, not only Marie, but also Stein sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. The smell was divine, making her stomach growl as she approached.

As soon as her stomach sounded Stein looked up and nodded, as if confirming to himself that she was there. "I was just about to go in and check on you before work. Are you feeling any better? No side effects, light headedness, nausea, equilibrium problems?" He asked, watching as she shook her head. "It'd be a good idea if you eat since you slept through dinner. It'll help get rid of any weakness or tired feeling."

"Actually," Maka started, grimacing as her stomach growled again. "I was wondering if I could head home before I go to work. I'd like to get changed and freshen up before I came back."

"Maka, you don't need to come in today. I know you're probably not feeling too good and I can call in one of the other girls if you want some rest," Marie replied, watching her with worry. "Go home, shower, get some rest and relax for the day. It'll be well deserved. I don't want you collapsing again."

But Maka shook her head, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "If I stay at home I'll be restless and I'll feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to. So I'd feel better if I come back so I could do something," Maka replied, watching as Marie and Stein shared a look, a silent conversation conspiring between them. Marie looked worried, more than Maka had seen before, and Stein looked almost as bad.

Finally, Marie looked back at her with a smile that, to Maka, looked fake. "Well, if you're sure, I guess that you could come back and work, if you're really sure. But how about you let Stein drive you, just to make sure you don't black out when you're driving? And if you're okay by the end of the day, Stein will decide if you can drive home or not. I don't want you getting hurt if it's because we let you," Marie reluctantly replied, looking extremely wary. It reminded Maka of her mom back when she'd been more worried about her family than their image back home.

Realizing what they were doing, Maka smiled and nodded gratefully. "Thanks mo—Marie. I promise I'll try to be fast. You're okay with driving me doctor?" Maka playfully asked, grinning as he laughed. "I just hope I don't make you late for work."

"I don't really have to be into the hospital until ten but I like to go early so I can help out. My wife just wanted me to get up so I could check on you. So, how about we finish breakfast and then we'll start driving," Stein suggested, watching with a grin as Marie hurriedly began making breakfast for the petite girl. "And I don't suggest fighting Marie when she's trying to feed you. It's easier if you just go along with what she says."

Within minutes the three of them were all sitting down and talking while Maka began eating what Marie put in front of her. She ate up every bite and was even able to drink some coffee. The smell didn't send her stomach roiling and it wasn't too bitter like it had been for the past week. So she happily gulped down a mug and snacked on some toast and syrup.

"Okay so if you're ready, how about we start heading that way. I'm guessing you want to be back before the store opens?" Stein suggested, wiping his mouth as they both stood up. Maka nodded and gave Marie a small wave as she followed Stein towards the door that led to the store. "We'll be back in about an hour; I'll make sure to bring her back in one piece."

*SOUL EATER*

As soon as he'd gotten home Soul had headed straight for his room. He'd only taken time to shower before he fell into bed. He'd been asleep before his head had even hit the pillow and had slept soundly.

But then he'd woken up with a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't help but worry. His thoughts kept straying to Maka but he didn't think it was her that was keeping him on edge. It was something that he couldn't place and it was messing with his head.

Slowly, Soul got up from bed and pulled on a pair of Under Armor shorts and a muscle shirt before slipping on a pair of tennis shoes. As he was walking to the bedroom door he suddenly backtracked, picking up his phone and slipping it into his pocket just in case. He wasn't used to the weight in his pocket since he usually left his phone home so he could run; as a wolf, he had no use for one.

So with the phone in his pocket he slipped out of his room and downstairs, finding the place empty and quiet. It wasn't often that the house was empty but Soul didn't think twice, passing through until he got to the front door.

He was only moments from changing when he saw Blackstar running up to his door, looking frantic as he waved his arms at him. "Blackstar? What the hell are you doing?" He practically growled, trying to cover up the worry he felt at the sight of his friend, breathless, looking up at him with panic.

"No questions, just follow me. It's Medusa," He said. That was all Soul needed before he was running behind Blackstar at a hurried pace.

When they finally arrived, Soul realized that Medusa had gathered not only his family's pack, but also that of Mistress Arachne—while Mistress Shaula's was noticeably absent. The makeshift dirt stage, built for occasions such as these, held the alphas from both packs, along with the two witches themselves. Arachne looked proud, watching her wolves with pride. Medusa looked arrogant, smug as she looked over her pack with an evil little grin. But she wasn't what had Soul frowning in confusion.

"What's that Demongra chick doing up there?" Soul asked, watching the dark haired ginger as she kept her hands wrapped around something, her eyes downcast as she avoided meeting anyone else's. Her hair covered most of her face, hiding her expression from the crowd. She stood off to the side of Medusa, as if waiting for an order.

"No idea. She was there when I got here and hasn't moved since. But that's not the point. How often do the witches get the packs together like this? And why?" Blackstar questioned, bringing Soul down a road he really didn't want to visit. "Any time the two packs meet, there's always tension and they don't like us fighting with each other. Which means it's big."

"It means they're hunting," Soul muttered, crossing his arms as he waited for the witches to start talking. He could already feel the tense atmosphere around him, a blanket of aggression, pent up anger, and dominance—a nasty mix. "I wish I knew—"

"Well, well, it's lovely to see how many of our wolves decided to join us," Medusa spoke into the microphone, sultry and deceiving wrapped into a little evil package. "It's always nice to have my sister's pack with us for such an occasion as this and I can't wait for the time when you will be working together. For the first time in years, you shall be hunting with your sister pack, all for one goal: a girl who is planning to destroy us!" She nearly yelled, getting a loud, angry roar from the crowd.

"I wonder who she's talking about," Blackstar murmured, eyes glued to the stage as they watched Toni, shifting restlessly to and fro. "What girl would plan to take down the packs? The humans already know…" Blackstar trailed off as Medusa turned to Toni, nodding.

And then Toni looked up with a crazy grin and lifted up a tiny, sequined red tank top—the exact tank top that he'd seen the night he'd met Maka. The strap was torn, something he remembered with clarity even through the buzzed stupor. They'd both giggled about it as he'd pulled it off but it hadn't kept their attention for long. He'd seen the top shortly after and had smiled at the memory.

But now, his face dropped and he watched as Toni's eyes lit up, meeting his with a manic smile. "Her scent, for you to hunt her by, and her mark will help to identify her after her capture—or death, should it be too difficult to bring her back alive," Medusa drawled lazily. She raised her hand and what looked like a screen appeared, showing an inky black symbol Soul knew all too well. "Her symbol is a heart with wings, surrounded by rays of sun. It marks her shoulder blades and is as dark as ink. It's unusually dark for a tattoo," She remarked, waving her hand to make the image disappear.

"Any pack member that brings her back alive," Arachne took over, pushing her sister aside with ease. "Shall be greatly rewarded. Dead, there will be little different. Bring her back, dead or alive. That is all we ask. Medusa?"

The snake witch bowed her head and looked across the large gathering, filled nearly to the brim with wolves. "Let the hunt begin!"

Immediately, people began to shift and run right out of the clearing, one after the other, as they began to pick up the scent. Soul stood frozen in place, barely comprehending whatever Blackstar was telling him. "Soul, snap the hell out of it. We need to go somewhere so we can talk," Blackstar hissed, pushing Soul roughly enough that he finally snapped out of it, moving with determined strides away from the clearing.

Within minutes they were out of range of any other wolves and Soul was reaching for his phone that he had, thankfully, grabbed on his way out. "Call Tsubaki, check on her. Maka's been in her apartment before so they might try looking there. Dammit I don't know Stein's number. I'll have to call Maka but—"

"Doctor Stein? I have his number, call Maka while I get him on the line, tell him to watch her," Blackstar replied, surprising Soul enough that if he weren't worrying about his ex-girlfriend's life he'd have jumped and widened his eyes in surprise. But instead he just nodded, frantically looking through his contacts until he found the right one.

*SOUL EATER*

Maka was moments from getting in the shower when her phone rang.

Maka had walked through the door and shown Stein around what little of the house he could see before she had gone to her room to get clothes. She'd even turned on the water and pulled up her hair, removing her shoes as her phone rang on the countertop.

The ringer was loud and shrill in the tiny room, bouncing off the walls and amplifying it enough that Maka cringed. And it was also one of her favorite songs, which meant that it could only be one person calling her. "Soul? Why are you calling?" Maka asked with a frown, dimly remembering that he'd been at the shop when she'd collapsed yesterday. "I'm trying to get ready for work and—"

"Maka, I know this might sound crazy but there are wolves running around the city and I need you to stay away from them at all costs," Soul cut in abruptly, sounding breathless and worried, concern lacing his words. Maka could even detect some panic. "Go to Stein and Marie's, stay with them until I get there. And don't answer the door if it's the last thing you do," He warned.

"Soul, Stein's here to drive me to work. Marie wouldn't let me. And what are you talking about, wolves? Why would there be wolves in the city?" She questioned, turning off her water before the hot water ran out. "And why should you care anymore? I broke up with you," She reminded him, eyes narrowed even though she remembered that he wouldn't be able to see her.

"Maka, do you really think I care about whether or not I'm dating you right now? Just stay with Stein and don't let anyone in," Soul repeated, only to be interrupted by the sound of a knock on the front door. Maka didn't pay Soul's warnings any heed, pulling the phone away from her ear as she left the bathroom and began getting closer to the door.

"Soul, I'm going to be hanging up n—" Maka said, only to be knocked aside by Stein who motioned for her to be quiet. "Stein, what are you—?"

Stein snatched her phone out of her hand and put it to his ear as he listened to whatever Soul had to say. "They're already outside so I'm going to try—" from what Maka could hear, Soul cut him off with curses and profanities. "If I don't let them in, they're going to knock down the door and I can't make sure that it's better than answer and surprising." Pause. "Yes, I'd make her hide. I'm not a complete idiot, pup. We'll stay at her apartment until you get here—can't move until we get some kind of cover." Without another word Stein hung up on Soul, shushing her before pointing at the hallway. "Quickly, try to hide somewhere they can't see you. I'll try to be quick."

Silent, Maka nodded and silently walked towards her hallway, behind the turn so whoever was at the door wouldn't be able to see her. She heard the door open and Stein saying something to whoever was there. All Maka could hear was a growl in response before there was, from what Maka could tell, fighting. She could practically hear body hit body, the thud as skin met.

With a little curiosity, Maka looked around the corner to see what was going on. She almost expected to see Stein losing—he didn't seem like the fighting type in her opinion. But instead, she didn't see men fighting. She didn't see men. In their place were dogs.

They were huge, bigger than any dogs she'd ever seen. Two were varying shades of brown and they seemed to be attacking the bigger grey one, failing as they tried to land any kind of hit they could. The grey was vicious, returning every failed bite or scratch with a successful one of his own. He pushed both of them closer to the corner of the room, pushing them roughly against the wall, effectively knocking them out.

Maka, wide eyed, watched as the grey wolf inspected first the darker wolf and then the light one, sniffing before nodding and turning around. But as soon as he spotted her, he froze. Familiar blue grey eyes stared into her before the wolf sighed—or what Maka could only describe as a sigh—and he began to change.

It was the stuff of science fiction and fantasy as Maka watched the transformation from beast to man. Four legs became two arms and two legs, muzzle shortening until the face was practically flat. Fur disappeared, replaced with clothes. The body got longer and less bulky, but still muscular. The ears shifted until they were almost flat against the side of his head.

Maka watched, transfixed, as the wolf became Dr. Stein.

*SOUL EATER*

Soul and Blackstar hadn't wasted anytime, already running, only stopping long enough to change into wolves as soon as he'd finished talking with Stein on the phone. They were headed for the city, ready to interfere with the huge force that was ready to tear down the place looking for their target.

But as they were mid jump across a tiny clearing, Soul felt like he was hit by a wrecking ball as he was knocked aside but something that had been moving fast. He had been tossed, barely managing to roll instead of landing roughly on his side. He came out on his feet, growling at whatever had hit him—only to find himself face to face with sinister, proud eyes of Toni.

They circled each other until Blackstar came crashing into the clearing, ready to defend his alpha. Then the dark, ginger-colored wolf back off, instead giving off a barking laugh that shifted as she did, slowly changing as she did, until her human form was before them. But still she laughed, sounding maniacal as she glared at the two wolves. "My mistresses told me that you would react this way," She cackled, running a hand roughly through her hair before returning it to her arm, which had long, trailing scratches that looked like claw marks, Soul noticed. "You aren't going to hunt, are you Soully? No, you're going to look for her. You're going to help her, to make sure she's safe. But let me tell you: there's no place safe in Death City now, not with your pack on her trail!"

Soul growled, ready to pounce but stopped by Blackstar roughly pushing his shoulder against him. Then he saw his eyes, looking pointedly towards the shadows behind Toni. In them, he saw flickers, quickly moving in the darkness, a brief flash as they stopped to look at him. Blue, green, grey, all kinds of colors surrounded them, but there was one thing about them that caught Soul's eyes.

Every single pair belonged to a member of his pack.

Trying to keep her attention, Soul shifted, towering over the smaller woman. "So you're Medusa's spy. I should've seen that coming," Soul said, more to himself than her. "But what I don't understand is why you? Why would she give me the crazy chick meant for my brother? What was so important that she needed to keep an eye on not only me, but my girlfriend?"

Successfully distracted, the red head laughed. "Your brother was a traitor to our kind and you were not far behind. And your 'girlfriend'," She mentioned, using air quotes with jerky motions that reminded Soul of someone with Huntington's disease. "She's not normal. If she's not stopped—if no one kills her—the packs will fall to disaster. Mistress says that if she's gone, I can be the alpha and rule by her side!" She nearly yelled, a huge grin on her lips as she began giggling.

And then, just as she was about to say something else, the pack attacked.

Wolf after wolf, brown, grey, blonde, and all kinds of pelts mixed together as they rushed the half-crazed red head. In her human form, she stood no chance for the strong, sharp toothed wolves as they ripped into her. It didn't take long before the scent of blood perfumed the air, tangy, smelling sharply of copper. When the wolves finally pulled away, several minutes later, Soul could barely tell that the thing in front of him had ever been human. It was torn and barely recognizable.

But for having tried to kill him only moments before, Soul couldn't feel guilt for what had happened to her. Any guilt he'd started to feel for her had promptly been squashed when he remembered her threats about Maka.

Which reminded him, as a dark blonde wolf slowly walked up to him, her muzzle covered with blood, that he had other things to worry about. The wolf's pelt was spattered with it, almost completely red in some places and only a few specks in others. But Soul knew just who she was and that she had led the charge. "Liz," Soul breathed, relieved as she shifted back to her human form.

She was tall and had a body most girls would die for, and she knew it. She was curvy in a good way, something that most of the women in their pack didn't share, since they burned off so much in a day. Somehow she was able to maintain it. "No one messes with our alpha," She said as she pushed her dark blonde hair out of her face, eyes a hard blue as she accessed the situation. "We need to get rid of the body before one of Medusa's loyalists catch wind of the scent. Harvar, Kim, go with Patty. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes to help. I need to speak with Soul and Blackstar."

An alpha in her own right, none of the others questioned her as they nodded and instantly shifted into humans. Harvar hoisted up the body while the two girls followed. They were gone in moments, disposing of the body while Liz turned back to Soul. "You know we'll always follow our alpha; your pack is behind you, no matter what Medusa might threaten."

Thankful, Soul gratefully pulled her into a hug. "I'm getting a new phone and ditching this one, so answer even if the number looks unfamiliar. You'll know it's me so if someone else answers, hang up. The same will go for Blackstar. We'll be going into the city to protect the girl Medusa is trying to kill," Soul explained as he released her, moving to walk around her when, suddenly, she spoke up.

"Is it worth it?" She whispered, her voice barely loud enough to hear; Soul doubted he would have if he'd been human. "Is it worth being an outcast?"

Without asking, he knew immediately what she was talking about. "It's…complicated. When I'm with her, I'm not an outcast. I'm never alone with her," He murmured, turning away when he heard the faint sound of a shift before she ran off. Then, to Blackstar, "I'm taking off for Maka's apartment. Stein is there and he got a couple of the wolves at the door. You should go to Tsubaki's, make sure no one decided to check her place, just in case."

And without another word Soul, the human, was gone. And in his place was a pure white wolf, a flash of light in the otherwise dark interior of the forest.

A/N: I'M BAAAAAACK!

It's so nice to be writing again. And, to be frank, I've missed you guys! It's been a hard three (or was it four?) weeks without feedback from you guys :( But to make up for it all, I'm giving you guys a free preview of the next chapter—as long as you review of course! So start typing, and I'll try to get the previews out as soon as I can.

And really you guys, it was all my fault since I got grounded because of my big mouth. I'm going to try and get the next chapter out really fast, just to make up for it. :D