Disclaimer: So, I know it's been a while since I wrote, but I've been freaking out about exams and other drama. I'm probably not going to be able to update after the 19, until the New Year, on the 4/6, but when I update then, I'll make sure it's nice and long. The reason for this hiatus is that my family is taking a vacation for Christmas; I hope I get a chance to update again before we leave, but no promises. If I don't end up updating before then, than have a happy holiday season, and I hope everyone enjoys the break from school and stuff without further ado, the chapter:

Dpov

There was no way I could pretend that I hadn't heard Chloe and her aunt talking. Her aunt was angry, trying to convince Chloe once again of what a monster I was. Not that I wasn't used to this. Not many people saw what Chloe did in me. Only Dad, Simon, and Chloe seemed to see something good in me. Everyone else just saw a big guy who looked like he could pound them into the pavement. Even normal humans were afraid of me, or repulsed by me. I was used to it, and yet there were times it still hurt. Like now. I loved Chloe, with all of my being, wolf, and human half. I would never do anything to hurt her, but it hurt that her aunt just seemed to believe I would, that one day I would snap and do something awful. It wouldn't happen. Then again, I did deserve some form of ridicule. I'd once left a kid paralyzed. I was a monster, and I deserved to be treated like one.

Feeling like I would rather be outside, I got up and left the table, leaving by way of the back door. I didn't want to listen to Chloe and her aunt fight, knowing I was the cause. I didn't want to cause any discontent between them. Right now, her aunt was all the family Chloe had, and I would do anything to have her aunt like me, so she would stop arguing with Chloe. I knew Chloe didn't like it.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I could already smell Chloe.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, coming around to face me.

"I'm fine", I lied.

"Don't lie to me Derek Souza", She wagged her finger up at me, and I couldn't help but smile, just a little. The scene was just too comical. The little blonde girl scolding the brooding hulk. She wrapped her arms around one of mine and leaned into my shoulder. The moment was so perfect I never wanted it to end. "I love you Derek, you know that, don't you?" She whispered.

"Yeah, and you know I love you too." I whispered back. We walked forward, back into the house, ready to face anything together. I had a feeling suddenly that she'd be by my side for the rest of my life, and I hoped it was true.

Cpov

Derek and I walked back into the house together, and I felt almost as if we'd been together for our whole lives, I couldn't remember how I'd lived without him. Fang was sitting alone in the kitchen now; it looked like someone had thrown a cup of tea on him. He looked pained, which I assumed was from the hot tea.

"What happened?" I asked, rushing forward for a small kitchen towel. I handed it off to him, and he began to clean himself up, not saying anything. I had a feeling that this was Steph's doing, and that she'd been moderately upset when she'd thrown it.

"Don't worry, she never stays mad for long", I assured him. I had a feeling that by this afternoon she'd be talking to him again. "There's a shower upstairs", I told him, and directed him up to it as Derek cleaned the mess on the floor.

"Should we do something about this?" Derek asked, meaning the situation between the two.

"No, they're both adults, they'll figure it out." I sighed. "Let's go find your brother, I'm sure he's bored, and if we let him stay that way for long, he'll be bickering with Tori again." I suggested.

"Alright" Derek agreed, knowing I was right about Simon and Tori. They really did fight like siblings.

Spov

"Stupid men," I muttered, as I squeezed more of the auburn-red hair dye into my hair. It was cold and I wasn't sure I was getting it everywhere I was supposed to, but I wasn't really trying either, I was too busy fuming over the fact that Fang had flat out "forbidden" me to dye my hair, as though he had any right to say what I could and couldn't do. I was a grown woman. If I wanted to do something, I did it; I didn't have to ask permission. Especially from a werewolf I'd met just last night. He was acting like he had some sort of hold on me, and he really didn't. I sighed, and set my cell phone alarm for 25 minutes, then went to my computer, and booted up my e-mail. As long as I was making drastic changes, I'd start with the most obvious. I looked across my room to the box of my ex-boyfriend's things, and steeled my resolve. I needed courage right now. I took a deep breath and started typing.

25 minutes later, I had almost half a paragraph written, and was washing the dye out. I wrapped my head in a towel, and went back to the computer. I reread everything, and then deleted all but the first two lines. Why make it any more complicated than it needed to be? I wondered. Then, doing the bravest thing I had in almost half a year, I clicked the send button.

It looked pretty good, this new hair. Really good. It made me feel like I was a new person, a stronger, braver kind of person. I looked out my window, and saw Derek and Fang talking, and internally cringed. I'd forgotten I'd thrown tea all over him. I wanted to go out and apologize, but I knew he'd be mad at me .I hated having people angry at me. All they did was yell and shout and it didn't help anything, it usually just made me feel worse than I already did, so I stayed up in my room, working on cleaning everything up and putting it into its proper place. I was almost done when I heard a car pull up into the driveway. I looked out. I didn't know this car at all, but there was an older woman getting out. She could be lost, I thought, so I went down to the door to see if I could help her.

Fpov

I was sitting on the back porch thinking. Steph was right about everything. I had no right to try to make her decisions for her, or to impose rules on her. Just the thought of her changing some little thing about herself made me cringe. I liked her just the way she was. I didn't want her to feel like she had to change for me or for anyone else in the world. She was perfect. I heard the door open, and I knew it was Derek.

"Are you alright?" He asked, sitting beside me.

"I think I've had better days." I told him. '

"Don't fuss too much, she'll come around." He advised.

"I know, but until she does, I'm going to be hovering over her."

"Don't kid yourself, you'll be doing that forever," Derek said, watching his mate and brother attempt to build a snowman.

"That's' what I'm worried about." I replied. A car pulled up into the drive than, around the front of the house. I wasn't worried about it, but Derek tensed up, his mate noticed, and came running over, with his brother in tow.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Margret." Was all he said, and they all turned white as a sheet.

"Who's that?" I asked, quickly catching on that there might be danger. I smelled something on her that was not quite right.

"Later. Right now, we have to hide, and then we have to leave." Derek replied in a hurried manor. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but I had a bad feeling about it.

So, there it is, and I hope you liked it. If you have not read the note at the top, please do. Other than that, thank you for reading and pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease review.