Disclaimer: Same as always!

Again, I apologize for the wait. Longer chapter, though.

Hope you like. :)

Rivera raised her hand, knocking gently on her master's door. "Mitchie?" she called, sighing as she received no response. Placing her hand on the handle, she cautiously pushed it open, stepping inside. Looking around, she found Mitchie sitting in a chair on the balcony, back towards the doorway.

Closing the door behind her, she walked towards the royal girl slowly. Hearing the door close, Mitchie just barely moved her head to the side. Rivera breathed a quiet sigh of relief, 'Well, at least she's alive…' she thought.

"Is there something you wanted…?" Mitchie asked, her voice so soft that Rivera just barely heard her.

Rivera fidgeted, now very uncomfortable with the orders she was given. "Well…" she started, reaching a hand up to place on Mitchie's arm, "I was told to—oh my god, Mitchie!"

The servant's hand immediately drew back, surprised at the ice-cold temperature. "Mitchie, you're freezing!" Rivera exclaimed, "Where is your robe?"

"I threw it out."

"What? Why would you throw it out?"

"It smelled like him."

"Smelled like who—oh. Oh…"

There was an awkward silence between the two friends. "Mitchie…" Rivera said softly, piecing her master's behavior together, "Did you…love that lycan? Oh, er, um…I mean, Shane?"

Mitchie stiffened at the name of the absent man. Rivera's eyes widened, "Mitchie!" she gasped, astounded, "You've only known him for, what, two weeks! You can't be that hooked on someone can you? Man or lycan!"

"I don't know if I love him yet," Mitchie whispered, shivering, "All I know is that I want him around me, to talk to me, to…to hold me…"

Rivera's eyes softened and just as she was about to speak, the king's daughter interrupted, "What did you come here for, Rivera?"

"O-oh, um…" Rivera started, feeling nervous again, "…Your father wants to see you."

For two minutes straight, there was silence between the two. A cool wind passed by, gently blowing Mitchie's flat, frizzy hair. Rivera, feeling increasingly uneasy by the silence, spoke, "Mitchie, I—"

Mitchie suddenly stood from her chair, quieting her servant. Just as silent as before, she walked away from the balcony, slipped on her slippers, and walked out of the room without a word.

Rivera stared after her, worry filling her heart. For days now, she had watched her master and best friend sink down into this state. Mitchie's eyes were dull brown, rather than the vibrant ruby-chocolate they used to be. Her dark hair was unruly and tangled, due to her lack of brushing it or taking care of it at all. She hadn't eaten in days, and was slowly becoming thinner and thinner.

If things continued the way it was, Mitchie wouldn't survive the next month.

Rivera shivered as another wind blew by. Her friend was dying, and she really didn't know what to do.

-xXx-

"I told you, Michelle, I told you!" Dante exclaimed, anger ringing through his voice, "Those beasts…storming through our lands like it's their own…they're nothing but monsters!"

Mitchie stood quietly before him, her attention out the window. She was barely listening to her fathers rant at all. She knew he was lying, so what was the point?

"—All these years, we've let them run like the animals they are. It's time for some authority to be placed into this reckless world."

Her father continued, and before she even knew what she was doing, she was walking out of her father's room. Dante paused, watching her, before speaking again, "Excuse me, Michelle, where are you going?"

Mitchie didn't answer, and ignored her father's yells even further as she continued to walk out of the castle.

She wasn't really sure where she was going, but her feet kept walking. Passing all the villagers, ignoring their greetings, she walked into the forest.

For the longest time, Mitchie's eyes stayed, almost unaware of where she was going. After a few minutes, she stopped, and finally looked up to see where she had gone.

A small gap, approximately a foot wide, separated the lush forest. She knew this place; she knew it by heart.

It was the boundary line.

Mitchie stared at the small gap. It was such a small space, and yet, if crossed, there was a huge consequence. At least, there was for Lycans who crossed. No human had been punished severely for crossing the line, so far as she'd known. All she had heard was that they were given a warning, but of course some villagers would lie and state that they were attacked or threatened.

It was disgraceful.

Sighing, Mitchie turned on her heel and walked to her left, down a path only she knew.

Within minutes, she found herself in a clearing near the edge of a cliff. The view was wondrous, but the fall to the ground was definitely fatal. Yet, Mitchie never worried about the height. This was her safe zone. It was a free territory since her father had yet to find this place. Because of that fact, she came here as often as she could to take her mind off of things.

That is, before she met Shane.

Shivering at his name, Mitchie dropped down onto her knees, ignoring the pain as the gravel scratched her skin. Her stomach growled loudly, and she whimpered in response. She was starving, but refused to eat anything that was made in that castle. She refused to eat anything that cruel monster she had once called her father ate.

'Why? Why did everything have to turn out this way?' Mitchie thought miserably to herself, feeling tears run down her already numb cheeks, 'Why did I have to meet Shane? Why did my father have to capture him? Why did my mother have to die like that?'

Mitchie sobbed, her throat aching terribly from the constant crying she had done the past few days.

"I just want it to end…" she whimpered to herself.

-xXx-

Shane grumbled to himself as he trudged through the forest. His strength, his awareness, his speed…all of it was getting weaker all because of that girl. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid,' he constantly repeated in his head, gritting his teeth in frustration, 'Get out of my fucking head, goddamn it.'

Groaning, Shane rubbed his eyes. This was getting tiring. But, as much as wanted to, he couldn't make himself hate her for what she was doing to him. No, he didn't want to hate her either. He just wanted her here.

He just wanted her here.

'Damn it.' Shane thought, letting out a frustrated sigh. As he neared the boundary for his daily lookout job, he paused, smelling a human nearby. It smelled familiar; it wasn't any guard or random villager, he knew that for sure. What was it?

Cautiously, Shane followed the scent, determined to find out whom it was he smelled and why they smelled so familiar. Following his nose, he was led into a clearing. Shane blinked, 'Since when was there a clearing here?' he wondered. Looking around, his eyes widened as they set down on the one girl that had been running through his mind since the day he left.

Her shoulders were trembling. He couldn't tell if it was because of the chilly weather or if she was crying. He figured both, and cursed himself. Was she still crying about him? It pained his heart to hear her gasps and cries. Nothing good ever came out from his actions; he knew that now.

Suddenly, Mitchie stood. Shane watched her from behind, wondering what she was doing. She took a few steps forward, her head turned down. Shane's eyes widened again. 'She isn't gonna…' Shane thought quietly to himself, 'No…she wouldn't…'

A few seconds ticked by, and just when Shane was convinced she wasn't going to do it, she leaned forward and fell.

"Goddamn it, Mitchie!" Shane exclaimed, rushing forward and jumping after her.

-xXx-

The world seemed to slow down as Mitchie's feet left the ground. Her eyes closed as stray tears made their way down her face. She didn't want it to end this way. She didn't want to leave the friends and villagers she cared for. She didn't want to leave Shane here.

But, it's what he had done to her. What else could she do now?

She suddenly felt pressure on her waist, like something was grasping her tightly. Mitchie clenched her eyes tighter.

"No…" she murmured quietly, "…let me die."

"The hell I will!"

Mitchie's eyes snapped open at the voice, just as she suddenly stopped in midair.

Above her, Shane groaned. In one arm, he held her firmly to his side, while his other arm was occupied grasping a rock formation with his elongated claws. Blood dripped down from his nails as he struggled to hang on.

Mitchie looked up, her eyes wide in shock. She blinked as his blood dripped a little on her forehead. "Sh-Shane…?" she whispered.

Shane glanced down at her, meeting her bloodshot eyes. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the cliff. He growled lowly and clenched his teeth as he slowly climbed back up the large cliff, leaving a trail of blood from his hands.

Once he had made it back up, he lifted Mitchie up and set her on the ground safely in a lying down position before he himself jumped back onto solid land.

Mitchie watched as he grasped his bloodied hand, groaning in slight pain as his claws retracted. Like she had all these days, tears began to fill her eyes.

"Stop," Shane said curtly, "I'm fine. I'll heal. Stop crying."

Mitchie managed to hold back her tears, but her breaths remained shallow, as if she was crying without tears. Shane sighed, and glanced at her, "Are you insane?" he asked lowly, "What in the world were you thinking?"

Mitchie didn't say a word. She just continued staring at him, the one face she had yearned to see for all this time. Hearing no response from her, Shane crawled towards her, "Hey, did you hear me?" he asked, his voice a little louder. He was hovering over her now, staring down at her.

Just then, he noticed it. He noticed how pale she was, how thin she had become…if she hadn't been staring up at him and breathing like she was, he could easily mistake her for dead.

He blinked, his tone softening, "Mitchie…" he whispered, "What happened to you…?"

Mitchie's bottom lip trembled. She opened her mouth, "You left me." She said shakily, her voice barely above a whisper, "You left me here…"

Shane's heart ached as he watched this girl he had quickly come to care for fall to pieces like she was, all because of him.

For what seemed like eternity, Shane contemplated what words he would say to her. He would say that he had no choice in the matter, but no. He had a choice, and he chose to leave her there in that hellhole. He could say that he didn't care to take her with him, that her damned father would start a revolt for 'kidnapping' his daughter. But, in all honesty, Shane wouldn't have cared. As long as Mitchie was with him, he would be fine.

So why didn't he take her with him?

"…I'm sorry." Shane mumbled, wanting to bang his head into a tree for his lame excuse for an apology. That's it? That's all he could come up with for all of the obvious pain he had put her through?

Shane suddenly flinched when he felt something wet drop on the back of his neck. He looked up and cursed as rain started to fall from the dark sky above.

Looking down at Mitchie, he spoke, "You…I-I…I need to get you back…"

Mitchie's eyes widened, "N-no! No!" she shouted, shaking her head.

Shane sighed in frustration, "Mitchie…"

"I said no!" she yelled, reaching up and clutching his dark tunic tightly, pulling him down onto her.

Rain fell onto Shane's back as she held him close to her, crying quietly. "P-please…" she whispered quietly, "…don't leave me again."

Shane breathed through his nose harshly, irritated by her behavior. With his good hand, he touched her face gently, tilting her chin up to meet his eyes. "Mitchie, you have to listen to me," he stated strongly, "I can't take you right now."

Mitchie whimpered, "But Shane, I—"

"Let me finish." Shane growled, sighing as he quieted himself, "I can't take you right now. But I promise you, when the time comes…when you need me the most…I will be there. I will be there, and I will take you with me."

Mitchie bit her lip, holding back her cries at his words. Softly, Shane lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, and grasped her legs to wrap them around his waist. He stood up, his arm holding her close against him as she shivered from the rain, his good hand embedded in her damp hair, and began to run to her village in the dark, hoping not to be seen.

"But, Shane…" He heard her whimper quietly in his ear, "…I do need you…I need you now…"

Shane sighed, still running, "I know," he replied, ignoring the sharp drops of rain as they whipped at his face, "Just live a little longer for me, Mitchie. I promise, I'll be back."

-xXx-

By the time Shane had reached her balcony window, Mitchie was fast asleep. Walking to her bed, he gently laid her down, putting the covers over her. He stared at her sleeping face, her eyes red and puffy from crying and the moonlight making it appear as if she were glowing, just like it had when he had first met her. A broken angel, that's what she looked like.

He sighed, caressing her cheek gently. Hesitating, only for a second, Shane leaned down, and softly brushed his lips against her chapped ones. Pulling away after only a few seconds, he froze as he heard the door to her room open.

Slowly, he looked up and noticed a young, blonde woman staring at him at the doorway. She wasn't wearing anything too nice looking, so he figured that for her to have access to the castle, she must be a slave.

Shane continued to stare, unsure of what to do. He had never killed a human before, nor did he really want to. She didn't look threatening at all, but she could start screaming at any moment, and he didn't feel like getting captured again.

Just then, to his surprise, she walked into the room. Heading to a cupboard, she pulled out a long cloth, and walked to Mitchie's side, draping it over her to dry her. The servant never looked up, but spoke in a quiet voice, "She cares a lot about you, you know."

Shane stared at the young woman before him as she dried Mitchie. Leaving once again, the servant pulled out another cloth, and handed it to Shane. "I know you'll probably leave soon," the servant continued, "But, just know…that you're hurting her by doing so."

"She may be my master, but she is also my friend. So…so if something happens to her…" The servant swallowed, "You will pay, somehow or another."

Shane stared at the servant's cloth, before taking it. He hung it over his head, and glanced at Mitchie again. "Believe me," he said, staring at Mitchie's beautiful face, "This…will be the last time I ever abandon her. I will return for her."

The servant looked up at Shane, her eyes full of hope, "Make that time soon," she said, "She needs it, she needs you."

"I know she does," Shane responded, turning towards the balcony, "And it will be soon. Nothing can stop me now."

And with that, he jumped out the balcony.

Rivera ran to the balcony, watching as he ran through the sleeping village and into the forest. She breathed quietly, looking back at Mitchie's sleeping form.

'Please be back soon.' She thought, walking back inside the room and closing the balcony doors.

R & R !