Merry Christmas! Scored The Script tickets, Last Sacrifice, Speak Now and Glee 4 CD and S1 - it was a good day :)

Alex

"Did he freak out?" Max asked as he clipped his seatbelt in.

I nodded. "A little. Mostly he's still a little confused. Mom and Dad are with him."

"I can't believe Emily was cheating on him with Dean."

I neglected to tell Max my part in the whole drama, preferring not to get into that right now. I just wanted to forget it all, forget the image of Justin repeatedly pounding his fist into Dean's face -

"You ever going to tell me why we just jumped on a plane to Transylvania?"

I squeezed his arm. "Later."

He screwed his face up before shrugging and settling back into his seat, slipping earphones on. I closed my eyes but my brain was running at top speed still, making the sleep I quickly fell into restless.

It was a sight I was sure I would never forget. My brother, the pacifist, the one who thought it was rude to swear, was brutally attacking the guy who had stolen his wife and degraded his sister. I should have done something. Normally I would but something stopped me. Almost like I wanted Dean to get what he deserved. I was revolted at these feelings inside me because no matter how much I despised Dean, they weren't mine; it was the influence of older Alex and I had inherited her feelings strangely, and not her thoughts and memories.

Max came bounding in, pushing through the people that had crowded. I grabbed the front of his shirt and begged, "Max, do something, help him."

He immediately went over to Justin and lifted him off the unconscious Dean. He held him tight as he dragged him as far away as possible in the tiny bedroom.

"Dean?" Emily went over to Dean as did lots of people. I just stood there, unable to look away from the purple bruises around his eyes, the blood… it was all too much.

Then suddenly I was shoving the crowd out of the way, squeezing in and out of the gaps until I was in the kitchen, alone. I heard Max call out after me and seconds later, he was by my side.

"Alex, what's wrong?"

I bent over the sink and soon released the contents of breakfast this morning into it, choking on my own breaths as I struggled to get enough oxygen into my bone dry mouth. He held my hair back like a dutiful brother.

"This is my fault."

"Not everything's your fault Alex."

"It sure seems like it," I sputtered, uncomfortable with the taste in my mouth. "I never should have said it; I didn't want Dean to get hurt or Justin, Justin-"

"Justin's fine."

"No he isn't," I protested. "He won't be and it's all because of me, because of who I am."

Max stopped my blubbering by pulling me into his chest. I wanted Mason, needed him to be my voice of reason, needed him to provide answers only he seemed to have. Harper told me I knew where to find him. So it was time to start trying instinct.

I wiped my eyes with my hand. "Max, if I asked you to do something completely crazy right now, would you do it?"

He smiled gently. "You're talking to the mayor of crazy town Alex. What are we doing?"

"We're going to Transylvania."

"Alex, wake up."

I jolted forward and Max shoved his arm across my chest to keep me from completely sliding forward. "Relax, you're alright."

"Are we there already?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Nearly. You ready to talk yet?"

"Not sure," I admitted, stretching my arms upwards.

"Look I know we're searching for Mason. I'm not an idiot," he said with a grin.

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth and I gazed out the window at the snow white clouds. They looked so soft and I traced the outline of them with my fingers on the glass pane, wondering what it would be like to touch one. "No one thinks you're an idiot Max."

"Yeah they do. I know I'm not the smartest or the most devious," he said, nudging me slightly at the last word.

"But you are the kindest," I pointed out, laying my hand over his. "I know I give you shit sometimes but you're an awesome little brother."

My words brought the biggest grin to his face, showing off his pearly whites. "Thanks Alex, you're not too bad yourself. Even if you did sit on me and bash me with a pillow."

I giggled just as a voice rang out through the aeroplane, instructing us to make sure our seatbelts were on as we were landing shortly.

"You ready for this? For whatever we find."

I had to know the truth. I had to know what happened in the competition. I had to know why Mason was no longer with me. I had to know.

I nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

"Howl again Max."

My brother let out an ear splitting howl but it was different than it used to be when he was just a teenager, a consequence of how his voice had changed.

It echoed in the forest air and seconds later, we heard a return howl. "Down there," I pointed, following the noise. "Let's go."

We trekked through the messy, knee high grass. I swatted the branches in my face away only for them to fly back and hit Max who trailed behind.

"Stop doing that," he grunted, rubbing his face.

I laughed but he silenced me with one withering look. "Sorry."

We continued walking but there seemed nothing for miles. And we were hopelessly lost as well.

"Howl again," I instructed Max.

He did as asked and we listened again but this time no one howled back. "C'mon Max, let's just keep walking."

"You keep walking, I need to go and pee behind that tree."

I groaned as Max disappeared past the trees. I turned away and stared up at what could be seen of the sky through all the leaves. It looked like light was fading fast, which meant it wouldn't be safe to stay here any longer.

I was ready to tell Max to hurry up so we could get back to the hotel when the loudest cry I'd even heard sounded the air.

"Max! Max, did you hear that?"

"Huh?" He poked his head out from behind the tree and the rest of his body soon followed. He zipped his pants up with a sigh. "Alex, it's late, we can't keep following the howls, we're getting nowhere."

"Come on, if we don't find anything, we'll go home please."

He relented. "Let's go."

We moved quickly as it got darker and darker before we emerged in a clearing when there stood a group of guys who were baby faced but had the bodies of men. They saw us approach and a few of them nudged each other, grinning from ear to ear.

"Um, excuse me?" I called to them.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Max hissed.

I ignored him. In hindsight, he was probably right; talking to strangers wasn't the smartest move but I was deseperate for some kind of information. "We're looking for Mason Greyback, do you know him?"

The tallest one stepped forward, with a crooked smile and spiky black hair. "Mason? Oh yeah, we know him. Nice guy."

My heart leapt through my chest. "Can you bring us to him?"

The guy shook his head. "He's out of town at the moment but you're welcome to stay with us."

Only now did I start to get a creepy vibe from him. The way he stood, the way his teeth seemed too big for his smile, the way looked at me, like I was something to eat...

Oh this is so not good.

"Let's go Max," I said as calmly as possible, even though I was pretty sure I was sweating buckets. "Thanks for your invitation but we're going to have to pass."

"It wasn't an invitation." The guy nodded to his friends. "Dinner boys."

The one who had been talking slipped off his jacket and morphed into a werewolf, his teeth glinting in the light. "First one to catch them gets dibs on the girl."

"Run Max!" I screamed and we took off as fast as we could, tearing through the bushes and branches. Not looking where I was going, a branch whipped me across the face, splitting the skin on my cheek open. I didn't pause to reflect how much it stung, just pumped my legs faster, regretting how little exercise I had done my whole life. It sure would have come in handy when fighting off rabid werewolves.

I heard snarls behind me and I knew they were close. They had ten times the strength and speed and we were human and powerless; the odds were surely not good.

Then I stopped. Max heard the cease of footsteps behind him and stopped too. "What are you doing?"

"This is my mess. I brought you into it. I'll hold them off. You go."

"Are you kidding? I'm not leaving."

"I wasn't asking you, now go!"

He looked torn, fighting off the natural survival instincts inside of him to stay with me. "No, I'm not leaving."

I wanted to hit him but instead, I just huddled into him as they approached slowly, surrounding us. The leader was still in werewolf form but the others were four legged wolves, drool dripping from their mouths as they surrounded us.

"Let my brother go, you can have me," I pleaded.

Max tensed behind me. The werewolf regarded me then stepped forward, so close to me. He took a whiff and I'm pretty sure he was smelling the line of blood across my face. "It would be such a shame to kill you; you're such a pretty thing."

He moved his head and grazed his teeth against my neck, almost sharp enough to break my skin and I shivered; one move and I would be dead. It would all be over, just like that.

"Kill the man; I want to have some more fun with the woman."

I spread my arms out in front of Max as the wolves moved in. "No, no you can't have him!"

"I don't want you to die lady but if you leave me no choice…."

A roar filled the air between us and the wolves looked around anxiously. The leader spun around, looking for the source of the noise when a snow white wolf leapt at him from behind, tearing into the spongy flesh of his side. The werewolf groaned in pain and struck the white wolf who barely missed a beat when he hit the ground, growling menacingly at the other wolves. They seemed smaller than him and greatly intimidated, scampering off leaving only him and the werewolf who had transitioned back into a human. He stood up weakly, holding onto the gashes on his body.

"You don't run this town," he informed the wolf before scampering off into the semi-darkness.

The wolf turned to us, his beady eyes staring at me. I wanted to move but fear had nailed my feet to the ground. He looked away and made to run off.

"Wait, don't go," I begged. "Please."

The wolf turned back, studying us curiously. It cocked his head and sat, resting on two legs. A slight glow entranced us as the wolf's shape changed and became that of a human. The human met our gaze, wearing a white singlet that looked like it needed a good wash and ragged jeans, huge holes near the knees. His short dark hair fell into his eyes but I could still see them, more beautiful than I ever remembered. He looked so different, yet the same.

I held my fingers out towards him, almost begging for him to take my hand. "Mason."