Huzzah for updates. It feels good to be productive! Hope it was somewhat worth the wait- be it short. I have lots of handwritten bits I'm trying to type up before I go to work. Everyone who cares- keep your fingers crossed that I get a shift change so I have more creative time!

Denial. And Confusion. I walked slowly and without destination pushing past anger that I didn't recognize in my thoughts. Just what had he expected?

Of course I wouldn't just accept such a story- a thing. A myth…

Then again werewolves were supposed to be a myth too.

"Claire!" I was taken by surprise to feel a child's arms wrapping snug around my waist.

"Stu, don't just jump up on people," Elli chided, walking up to us and giving me a large smile, her brown eyes shimmering. "You look like you're a thousand miles away," she commented, which I only nodded dumbly at. "Come in for some tea, Claire. I think we should talk-

Stu! Go play at May's," she instructed gently as she grabbed my wrist and lead me into the house. I felt apprehensive, and that feeling intensified the moment I got in the house and saw Ellen, and heard her gently chuckling.

"So he tried to explain it to you, didn't he my child?" she asked as she continued knitting, her old fingers working with purpose.

"Ma'am?" I questioned as she began to rock in her chair.

"Saibara's pup- he has you confused and scared- like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." I felt a chill run down my spine. That was right- there were others. And if Gray was one…then hi grandpa had to be. And…

"You? And you?" I pointed between the old woman and the flushing girl my age.

"And Barley and little May-" Ellen waved her hand lazily before returning to her knitting.

"Goddess- the whole town?" Elen chuckled more, shaking her head.

"No. Lillia's family isn't, nor the mayor's or Basils. Manna or Duke either- though seeing one of us change is what drove the man to the drink," I sat on the foot of the nearby bed, taking it all in. Three separate families, all werewolves. It was like a SciFi movie, hell a dream even.

"Carter knows about is. Doug and Ann too. We've protected them for generations."

I nodded after a few moments of silence, looking down at the old patchwork quilt beneath me and gripping it tightly. Just what had I ended up getting myself into by moving to this place?

"Grandmama and I thought it would be best if we explained it to you- the bond." Elli stated quietly, her eyes shutting. "It's a wonderful gift bestowed upon us for protection. We can feel each other-emotions and even transfer images in extreme situations. As a pack we can communicate mentally, something we believed gained by our ancestors. Telepathy is the best way to describe it." She stopped there and remained silent until I nodded my head in understanding.

"We all have a mate- changling, wolf or human. It's more common to find them among ourselves, but there are instances were another is found…"

"How do you know?" I interrupted, biting my lip. "I mean to just say that someone is your mate…how can you be sure."

"Scent." One word- one simple word escaped the old woman as she finally rested her hands in her lap, her glasses sliding down her face as she looked at me. "As a changling, we are gifted with many evolved sense and other unusual aspects, but scent it one of them. And when we scent our mate…it's an instant pull. Like an invisible rope linking you to them.

It perks your curiosity, teases you as you follow the trail. The stronger it gets, the closer to it you become the more enamored you become. It seduces the rest of your senses, leave you yearning for it. Bewitches you so that you know that you would die for whom it belonged to."

I gaped at the description- such words with such deep meaning. The older woman tilted her head back, her eyes shutting comfortably as she sighed.

"There is no other that we will ever meet with such a scent. Your grandfather smelled of honeysuckles," she murmured towards Elli, her old wrinkled hand coming up to brush against the side of her eye. Elli nodded and cleared her throat.

"Scent is a unique thing to every person and thing. No matter how similar they are never the same…It's a combination of them and something else- usually the environment. Something that reminds you of them…with Tim its almost a peppermint smell," she smiled sadly and pushed some of her short brunette hair behind her ear.

"The bond grows stronger with time. You'll pick up on emotions, thoughts. Though after the initial claiming it will become more natural for you…"

"Elli," Ellen interrupted, her eyes glaring at the young woman. "I believe that is more than enough to process today." I was about to protest when the old woman's eyes landed on me. "We cant have the man knowing we were explaining things to you. Pride is a great vice to those two. But…if the man doesn't explain it to you soon, come back with any questions."

Elli agreed, clasping her hands together in excitement. "It's amazing that our Alpha is finally claiming a mate- though I do hope he's patient with you…" she trailed off as she lead me through the door, and I dumbly followed. "Goddess knows you can't possibly be as difficult as Tim. It took almost a year for him to accept it all…" I dug my heels into the ground, my eyes widening at her words.

"S-so Tim- he wasn't like you?" She shook her head sadly at my question.

"No. He was human. So I understand it…from both point of views. So if Gray doesn't seem like the most understanding…you can come to me."

I mumbled a thank you to the woman, my mind filled with so much information, and yet as I mulled it over it still seemed like I knew absolutely nothing about the situation I found myself in.

I should talk to him- if what he claimed was true, then he should understand me. He should realize that I needed time to take it all in.

And an explanation from him- a real one.

"He still hasn't come back," I mused sadly, staring out the frosted window and not bothering to look towards my old friend- and whom I presumed was my designated protector.

Kai grunted, head lazily tilting the side. Last night had been a full moon- and he'd been gone most of the night too. He had a hard time controlling his…'gift' and it drained him a lot.

"You tried to find him?"

"I don't know how," I muttered, seeing his scoff and wave his hand in the air.

"Just focus on him. If you do it hard enough…you'll be able to see him- or at least through him."

"He's been here. Outside fair reeks of him. He's just not letting us see him," he muttered darkly, moving on the couch and curling up under the blanket and resting his head on his pillow. Poor Kai- having to sleep on my couch.

"Why?" I whispered, feeling pain and rejection swelling up inside of me. And for the first time over the last few days I couldn't decide if it belonged to Gray or to me.

"Pride…and hormones probably. You're…scent changed?" He offered tiredly, almost hesitantly. I blinked, standing up and walking towards him. He was gritting his teeth, though if it was because of his words or because of my proximity I wasn't sure.

"What do you mean?"

"You're fertile," he said quietly, his brown eyes opening half lidded and staring at me. "And my guess is between the two- he knows he can't be around you right now. He can smell the change in your body- knows when you're…well I guess the term is…in heat."

I gawked at Kai, not sure how to take his crude term- as if I was no better than a dog. But I suppose it was an explanation for the man's absence. One I had been very painfully aware of.

"Claire…just go to bed. He'll be back soon enough- you know. He just is trying to protect you."

I nodded dumbly, muttering a soft goodnight before hurrying to my bed, turning off my light and crawling up into the large…empty bed.

Gray…

My thoughts drifted to the man- the wolf, and I found my body was chilled, yearning for his own body heat. I reached out to his empty side of the bed, stroking the pillow before pulling it to me, burying my face in it.

I could smell a wood like scent clinging to the fabric, and I inhaled it deeply, feeling my eyes prick with burning hot tears. Was this part of the bond? They way I felt….abandoned- was it because he wasn't here?

I didn't have answers to the many questions that plagued my mind- but Goddess help me I did understand the fact that…I missed that person.

I focused on him, thoughts focusing on every interaction, in both forms- and the sound of his voice, the feel of his skin. And as I thought about him, I could feel a growing sense of security- as if invisible arms were beginning to wrap hesitantly around me. I clung to that feeling, which only resulted in it growing- more confidently even.

It's alright.

I closed my eyes contently, hearing him in my head. He said nothing else, simply…remained with me- however he did it. And soon enough I fell asleep.

At some point he let go- the connection lost, and with it the feeling it gave me. But as I dreamed, it was if…I was seeing life through someone else's eyes- something's eyes.

The forest… deep in the forest. I could see familiar parts as I walked deeper in, cautiously. I was…hunting? Searching. I was searching for something. I wasn't sure what I could feel cold beneath my hands and feet- snow. Had it snowed after I went to bed?

I was looking for something…someone- someone I had to stop. I had to fight them. To keep them away.

A piercing howl filled the air, and I shivered- which resulted in Gray becoming aware that I was here. I could sense his surprise, and then feel him put up those walls- blocking me from seeing what he was- from sensing him.

I jerked upright in bed, clinging to the images- recalling the woods up by the lake. It was the only place I knew that would resemble what I had seen in the dream. I quietly stood, dressing half heartedly and wrapping my thick jacket around my body before sneaking out of the house- though through Kai's loud snoring I knew he was to deep asleep to even hear me slam the door.

I felt the light flakes of snow from the first snow fall of the year hitting my face as I ran into the woods, my mind reeling. The cold winter air burned my lungs as I inhaled and twisted my head this way and that. Where was he?

I closed my eyes, trying to focus like Kai had told me- and the first thing I saw was trees. So he had to be here, in the woods.

I heard a crunch behind me, and I turned slowly, eyes focusing on something emerging from the brush- something dark.

A wolf…

"Gray?" I whispered, though I knew right away it wasn't him. This wolf wasn't reddish in color- didn't have those ice blue eyes. This one was ebony colored- with piercing green eyes.

He was examining me- somewhat in awe as he approached me. A feeling I didn't like at all. And as the large wolf approached me…I couldn't help but to think that perhaps leaving the house hadn't been the best of ideas.

One that might even cost me my life…or my freedom.

Gray…