A/N: Wahoo, two updates in two days! I felt like I needed to write this chapter. I have a dog, and she means the world to me, and so (morbidly - I will admit that!) I tried to picture how I'd feel if it was her. :/ Which, totally depressed me. But yeah. At least I know they are genuine feelings here.

I won't update now until I get 5 more reviews! Please, let me know what you think!

xYruniwyliox

Chapter Fourteen. KPOV

I woke groggily, being carried, if the movements around me were anything to go by. I could hear a few men murmuring, but I was warm and comfortable, so I kept my eyes shut willing myself back to sleep, when I remembered what happened.

The Woman!

The Wolves!

Oh my God! HUNTER!

My eyes snapped open, and I was face to face with a worried Embry. His cinnamon eyes radiated concern, and for a moment, my heart skipped a beat. I was glad to see him. He was oddly comforting at that moment. He was shirtless, and effortlessly carrying me, as if I weighed no more than a raggedy Ann doll. I made to speak, but I heard the saddest noise of my life. Kyri was whining. He was mourning his brother. I turned my head around, and found him wandering along beside us. My breathing began to get uneven and I began to panic. I struggled in Embry's grasp, until he put me down and I sank to the floor, clutching Kyri to me. "Hunter… he's gone…" I sobbed. I felt warm arms around the both of us. "I'm so sorry, Kat. I know what they mean to you." He said. I shrugged. I couldn't bring my baby back. I was distraught.

"Will you take us home?" I asked, looking at the others around us, nervously. He looked at Sam, who nodded once, and began leading the others back. I noticed it wasn't just Embry though. Seth stood a little behind us, carrying a wrapped something. With wide eyes, I realised he was cradling Hunters' body. "Oh God…" I choked. Embry turned to look at Seth. He nodded and Seth began to walk ahead of us. "We found you in the clearing. You were passed out on top of him. What happened, Kat?" he asked.

I shook my head. "You'll think I am crazy." I breathed, taking fistfuls of Kyri's fur. Almost as if I was reminding myself that he was still here with me. I stood and began stumbling through the woods as we were before. Embry walked beside me. He was silent. The whole forest was quiet. I hated it.

"Please. Talk to me about something. I can't take the silence." I whispered. He wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders. "We heard there's a pack of wolves in the woods somewhere." He said softly. I snapped my head around to look at him sharply. "Oh?"

"Yeah," he started. "Some of the police in Forks want to try to hunt them." He said sadly. "They're saying the wolves have been attacking people – hikers and the like," he explained. I shook my head.

"Even if they did, which I don't believe, they have no right killing creatures." I stated, wiping my eyes. My face felt odd. Like my skin didn't fit anymore. "The woods are the domain of the animals, and the kings of the forest are the wolves." I said. Embry gave me a squeeze.

"Look, Kat…" he started, his arm sliding from my shoulders to take my hand in his, entwining our fingers softly, he gently stopped us and I turned my silvery gaze to his.

"I know this has been a terrible loss for you, devastating, but you're strong. You will be able to get over this." At this point, he took my hand between both of his. "You're the strongest person I know, and all you have to do, is never forget him, which will be easy for you. He was a wonderful creature, just like this one here." He said, barely bending to pet Kyri, who seemed to relish the affection shown him.

I nodded once, and stopped myself from freezing when I felt his lips press gently against my forehead. He walked me the rest of the way home, where Da was stood frozen on the porch, Seth in the yard, holding Hunter to him, and then Da's eyes flickered to me, and widened.

"Katherine?" he asked me, his voice gruff, like gravel. "Da…I'm so sorry, I couldn't save him…" I said, tears fogging my vision. I left Embry and threw myself into my fathers arms, completely breaking down, and sobbing.

"Calm down pet." He murmured, gently brushing my hair from my face. "He isn't suffering. He will live forever with us here." He said gesturing our hearts. I nodded.

"Perhaps you should have a shower, while I thank these young men for returning you three to me." He said. I furrowed my brow, but nodded, turning into the house. I froze as I passed a mirror, and horrified, turned to look at my reflection.

The reason my skin didn't feel like it fit my face, was because half of my face was covered in Hunters' dried blood. My breathing came out in panic-filled gasps as I hurled myself up the stairs into the bathroom in my room. I tripped over the carpet and kicked off my shoes, wrenching the dial so that scorching water began falling from the showerhead, and fully clothed, I pulled myself in, the shower scalding the blood from my face. I watched it disappear down the drain, as I scratched at every inch of my skin to get myself clean.

The door suddenly banged open, and there he was. He always knew when I needed him. He came to me and turned the temperature down, and to my total astonishment, clambered into the cubicle with me. In his cut-off shorts. He gently pried my hands away from my face, and grabbed the washcloth, and pulling me into a side-hug, washed the last of the blood off my face.

"Kat," he breathed, turning me to face him, as he now washed the blood from my hands, "if you're sad, if you're angry, or happy or anything. I want to know. I want to know, whatever time it is. You have to tell me. I don't care if you need me at four in the morning, give me a few minutes and I'll be here. Don't shut down." He pleaded in a soft murmur, as he kissed my cheek. I threw my arms around his middle and cried. I cried against his bare chest.

This was wrong. It was so wrong. He shouldn't be here. I shouldn't depend on him so much. I whimpered as he turned the shower off, and pulled a towel from the shelf, gently he tilted my head. "Do you trust me?" he asked. I nodded silently, tears still falling down my cheeks, stinging the newly made scratches on my face.

He peeled my soaking socks from my feet, then tugged at my jeans. I stood stock still with my hands on his shoulders as he took my trousers from my person. Next he began pulling at my shirt. My face heated up, but I allowed him to finish. He wrapped me up in the soft fluffy towel, and patted my skin dry, before pulling me by the hand back into my room. He'd picked up my shoes and put them away, and pulled out an overly large high school gym t-shirt of Benji's for me. I pulled it on, and he tucked me in. "I'll come by and see you tomorrow, m'kay? Em says to take as much time as you need." he said softly. I nodded once. I felt numb. He turned to go, when I caught his wrist. He looked back at me. I brought his hand to my lips and pressed a gentle kiss there. "Thank you." I whispered. He gave me a sad smile, before he left, shutting the door quietly with a gentle tap. I closed my eyes and begged sleep to come. I felt sick, but numb. Empty, but full of grief. One of my best friends was gone. I knew he was only a dog. But to me, he wasn't just a dog. He was a confidant, a friend, a protector. And now he was gone.