We should never try to deny the beast – the animal within us. – Dr. George Waggner, The Howling

Caroline was in autopilot in the past few weeks, going through the daily notions of school, cheerleading practice, and participating in the numerous committees she was on. It was the perfect way to keep herself busy and just not think, because every time she did and she ended up doing we're have this sickeningly romantic daydreams about her and Tyler usually involving steamy love scenes taken straight from a romance novel.

She was sure neither Bonnie nor Aiden would ever let her live it down If they found out about her fantasies of Tyler running about the place in a white ruffled shirt that showed a large amount of his tanned chest and telling her sweet nothings in Spanish all the while having a sword fight to the death for her honor with either Damon or Matt was just too much for her to bear.

Yeah, those images we're too much for me to bear either.

Shut up.

Meanwhile Caroline had successfully mastered the art of putting a muzzle on her unhelpful and annoying conscience. Life had gotten less aggravating after she learned this useful trick.

She was interrupted from her musing when Amber stopped her in the parking lot as she headed for her car. It was already the end of classes for today and Caroline had looked forward to just spending the day soaking in sweet-smelling bubble bath and just forgetting about anything to do with the supernatural.

Unfortunately, they liked to follow her around as if she held the answers to all their questions. They should really start paying her for all her troubles.

"Hey Caroline, could I talk to you for a minute?" The other blonde asked hazel eyes filled with unspoken worry about something. "It's really important."

Oh what the heck, the bubble bath could wait. With a smile, she gestured for Amber to follow her and they made their way to the football field.

They found a nice corner in the bleachers to sit that kept the sun from getting in their eyes and also gave them a good view of the football players while they practiced. Tyler had been giving the other players hell these past few weeks, making them run vicious plays and undergoing brutal training just because he was experiencing werewolf PMS.

That was a wolf thing, when the full moon was near, they got moody and God help those poor souls that decide to piss them off.

"So, what is it?" She asked Amber gently, willing the girl to open up to her.

"I just have no one to talk to about these things," Amber told her, looking both anxious and exhausted. "And since you're a mate too, I thought you might understand."

Ah yes, the Society of Werewolf Mates, SWM. It was an unspoken bond between all mates, they shared this camaraderie, knowing what the other was going through and giving full support when the other needed it. And at the moment, Amber needed it.

She remained quiet prompting for Amber to continue and with a heavy sigh, the other girl finally let it all out. "It's Jeffrey, he's been…miserable these past few months. I think it's more than just the shifting and the mood swings that are causing it." Tears welled up in her large hazel eyes. "He's just tortured, Caroline. He hates himself for what he is, he hates losing himself to what he calls that 'monster' inside of him." She let out a stuttering breathe, her jaw shaking as the tears started to fall. "And I don't know what to do, Caroline. What can I do? He can't cope with what he is and he's started hurting himself now. There are these long deep scratch marks all over his body." Pure fear and worry were visible in his eyes. "He might kill himself if this continues on."

Caroline was shocked in silence. She had heard from Mrs. Lockwood about such incidents happening with werewolves. The constant strain on them physically and mentally sometimes forced the weaker werewolves to break, often resulting in mental disorders and sometimes full on insanity. It had something to do with their genetic make-up rejecting the werewolf gene and causing the subject's mind to turn on his body.

It was a very tragic case and was often not salvageable.

But Caroline couldn't tell Amber that, not when the girl looked so distraught at the idea of the death of the boy she was obviously in love with. Caroline herself wouldn't be able to take it if Tyler was in a similar problem.

With a quick glance at her mate, running around the football field, laughing as he tackled Aiden to the ground, she thanked whatever deities were up there for not giving him the same fate.

"What do I do, Caroline?" The other blonde asked, calling her attention again. Her tears hadn't dried yet and she made no move of wiping them way. "What do I do?"

Caroline wanted to tell her to run, to run as far away from wolves and packs and the death of boys who meant more to them than they could bear. She wanted Amber to be happy without the burden of Jeffrey's certain death as he finally destroyed himself. Amber deserved to have life away from all that. Amber didn't deserve to go through all this.

But Caroline knew that even if she did tell the blonde girl that, that it wouldn't make a difference. Amber would stay with Jeffrey until the day he finally ends it all, not taking the torture he was going through in himself. Caroline knew, she would do the exact same thing if it was her.

"Just be there for him." She finally replied.

That's all that could be done, and Amber knew it judging from the pure pain in her hazel eyes.

"Just be there for him." Amber echoed the finality of it all sinking in like a lead weight in her stomach.

Until the very end, all she could do was be there for him and what could be more tragic?

"I-I'm pregnant." The blonde sobbed out, bursting into ugly, pained cries.

Those two words cut like a knife in the air, the tension rising in an almost unbearable pressure. But of course, the fates couldn't be more kind? They were going to destroy this girl.

Amber used to be called 'The Sunshine Girl' back in junior high, back to simpler times. She had this amazing ability to bring happiness into any room she walked in. She was The Sunshine Girl, sweet, bright and full of life. And now, she may lose all reason to smile again.

Swallowing her own tears Caroline enveloped the girl in a hug, praying to God, it would be all right.


This chapter is dedicated to an uncle of mine that died of cancer a few years ago and my aunt who stuck with him to the very end. I always wondered how she handled all those months of what must've been torture for them both and I realized, because she loved him.

Uncle Rudy, I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to know as everyone else did, as the kindest and greatest man they ever knew.

The romance novel scene with Tyler was inspired as Michael Trevino (Tyler) can speak fluent Spanish.

Spencer Locke, the actress who portrayed Amber Bradley, is known on and off-screen to have the uncanny ability to light up a room and has come to be known as "the Sunshine Girl".