Hey everybody! I'm so so so sorry that I've been making you guys wait on this one. I'm still waiting for my computer screen to be fixed and it's taking a lot longer than originally planned, especially since my computer is a touch screen and it's difficult to find someone who can fix it. And the place it was taken to first, well let's just say I'm not happy with them. And to add on top of that, my laptop had to be mailed to me, still broken and I'm pretty sure that it caused another crack to appear. I'm pretty sure that there was only one concentrated area where the cracks webbed off of, now there are two!

So, I'm uploading on my house's main computer (which I'm not supposed to do) and I'm doing it at night! I can't promise an update soon, but I can assure you guys that I haven't forgotten about any of my stories.

I'm still working on my summer assignments as well, but only my AP Art History essays, which shouldn't take too long. I'm just really focused on those for right now.

Anyway, thanks love for being my beta, I really miss you and hope to see you soon!

I think I've held you guys in wait for long enough! Please enjoy this next installment of Claws and Nails!

She heard the fire of the gun. The dart sped next to her, narrowly missing the delicate human skin of her exposed arm. She had removed her jacket when she ran from Owen. With a gasping breath, Ame pushed herself through the trees and bushes.

She wanted the death of Henry Wu, but she knew it was not now. She had to get away.

Owen watched, impressed by the lightning quick movements of Ame, as she disappeared. A curse came from the shooter as he realized that he missed his target. Owen felt relief, but he did not understand why.

Owen raced into the forest after her. He needed answers, and he needed to make sure Ame was okay.

Henry Wu watched this and frowned, then smiled. Owen must be trying to get Ame to come back. He waited this long for her to come back… He could wait a bit longer.

Owen's legs were beginning to burn with the effort he was exerting, trying to catch up with Amethyst. There was no way she could have gotten that far, but there was absolutely no way to tell which way she had gone. But Owen was not going to give up until he found her!

With a scowl of determination, Owen continued to push through the dense forest that has gone undeveloped for a while. The perimeter gates did not exactly involve the Velociraptor paddocks yet, since they were still working on it. So this part of the island has gone unsearched for some time.

Owen stopped in a small opening in the trees and looked around for any hint of the girl passing through here. It was hard to see, the night had gotten pitch dark so quickly. And with no light on him, it was sort of impossible to look around clearly. The moon offered very little assistance as well.

Ame watched from the high branches of a thick tree on the edge of a clearing. She finally stopped when she determined she was far enough from Henry Wu to not turn around and kill him. Her chest was heaving as her lungs desperately filled with air. She had not exerted her human body to such extensive exercise, since she mainly used her Velociraptor one to run around.

Looking around, Ame slowly made her way down the branches silently. She did not want Owen Grady to know where she was. And seeing that he was on edge, most likely alert for any sign of her, she would be found if she was not careful. She knew many things, one of them being that Owen was a dangerous man.

However, despite her cautions, she did not notice the many twigs that cracked under her feet. She let out a string of silent curses and stilled.

Owen's back straightened as he heard the snapping of twigs behind him. As cliché as it was, it happened. Slowly, almost at a snail's pace, he turned to where he heard the sound.

Two amber colored eyes stared at him in the dark brush, reflected by the moonlight. Owen felt his hand raise in a calming gesture towards the eyes, pretty sure who it was that was watching him.

"Ame, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured soothingly. He watched as her eyes narrowed into slits and seemed to take on a vicious criteria.

She was taller now. It was an unconscious shift on her part. She had finally surrendered to the Velociraptor part of her brain and let it turn her to the safer body. At least in this one, she had a chance of defending herself.

Ame growled lowly, her lip pulling back to reveal the sharp teeth that could tear a man apart in seconds. She should know, she had done it.

Owen heard the growl and watched as the eyes staring at him raised higher than Ame was tall. She was actually rather shorter than he. But her eyes… They were meeting his dead on.

"Ame, it's me. Owen; I'm not going to hurt you," he promised, taking a small step forward. Another growl echoed in the night air and he stopped. The growl sounded very similar to the ones he was accustomed to by his squad. His eyes narrowed and he raised his hand again, palm facing toward the eyes that glared at him. The pupils were slits, slits that he was very familiar with. "Ame."

The voice was that of authority. It was that of an alpha. The Velociraptor of Ame tried to refuse it, but knew it was futile. He was a natural alpha, and it called to her pack sense. Though it shouldn't. She was always alone, she had no pack.

The snarl was loud this time. It practically shook the ground under his feet, but Owen stood firm. If his instinct was right, this would have to work. "Ame. That's enough," he commanded. His voice did not shake. His voice was steady and was firm.

Ame growled, her eyes narrowed.

"Amethyst. Come out," he ordered, making sure his eyes held hers.

She didn't do it because he ordered her to. She walked forward because she was tired of it. She didn't do it because he wanted it. She walked forward because she had no other options.

Or at least… That's what she tried to tell herself.

Owen watched as the brush around the clearing swayed from a large body going through them. Then it stopped. She stopped. She was at the very edge of the clearing.

"Ame."

A large foot, one equipped with a five inch claw on the middle toe, stepped forward. It was scaly and had claws on each toe. The middle claw twitched and tapped the dirt underneath it. The foot led up a lean-muscled leg. The foot was followed by more of the body. The scales were black, with an iridescent shine of purple.

Owen watched with bated breath.

Amethyst had emerged.

I'm not going to say much, other than my usual things.

Please review and tell me what you all think! You should know by now that I value all reviews (except flames, those can stay as far from me as possible, thank you very much!).

Again, thank you love for being my beta, means the world to me! Hope we can see each other soon!

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This is OneHellOfANekoDemon85 signing off! Until next time!