We awake to birds chirping and the smell of bacon wafting toward us. My eyes pop open as my mouth begins watering. I always loved bacon. I drool on Ahna and step on her hand to reach Hamish first. "OW! You oaf!" She screeches shaking her hand.

"Bacon!" I yell by way of an apology and answer as prance over to where Hamish stands holding a platter and several bags.

"Someone likes bacon I take it?!" Hamish laughs and lowers a large platter to the floor. I sit drooling, waiting for him to put it down before diving in. Ahna stumbles out of the cage and over to us. "I have brought you your own," Hamish says and hands her a plastic bag. Inside are plastic containers. One with pancakes and eggs. The other is completely full of bacon. They head to the kitchen to sit and eat like people do while I scarf down the bacon. It tastes so good! I try to contain myself and eat it slowly, but my wolfy instincts kick in and I devour the whole platter quickly. After I finish, I go to my water bowl and drink deeply. Then I wander into the kitchen, following my nose to the source of maple syrup. I sit next to Ahna and give her begging eyes. Hamish answers. Pulling over a bag he pulls out another container. "I also brought you pancakes, in case you wanted dessert." He pops the top, pours some syrup on it and places it on the floor for me, as well as another bowl of water. I don't even thank him just dig right into that too. Are wolves always this hungry?

We all sit in silence enjoying breakfast. Once everyone is finished, I regain my senses and thank Hamish. "How are things coming along for the ceremony?" I ask. "Do you think we will be able to do it today?"

"Well, about that" He starts, "Turns out the ceremony must be performed at dawn so today is out. We are hunting the last few items down anyway. They will be here by evening. We are all going to stay the night here so we will be ready for tomorrow. That tin box you found, there is a talisman inside it that will amplify our power. Hopefully making it possible to discover both your magical lineage and change you back. It may not be possible though, remember that. Which is more important to you? I wouldn't dare to presume what you want." Hamish finish.

I had been thinking about that very question myself throughout the night. "Dean." I blurt out. "I… I want to be human again," I say.

"You speak of this Dean often. Even in your sleep. He is your boyfriend?" Hamish asks.

"Soulmate. I answer. "He is my soulmate," I say with my eyes closed. The image of his face as he drove away embedded in my brain. If a wolf could cry, I would have.

"Ah," Hamish responds. "This I understand. Not very many people find their soulmates. If you have, we must bring you back to him. I hate to ask. Why is he not here?"

"I… I…" My voice chokes and I almost lose it. "He has been hurt recently. His family is taking care of him until he recovers. But the bigger reason is he is a hunter. I wasn't ready and asked to stay behind and finish college while he continues his work. I thought I'd be protecting him, by not being in the way while he does his job. Now I'm not so sure. And he doesn't know. About this. What's happened to me. I'd like to shelter… is that the right word? I'd like for him not to know about this if it's possible." I look into Hamish's velvet eyes. One blue as the sky, the other like a black hole, I never noticed before.

"I'll see what I can do about that." He smiles warmly, the blue eye full of swirling fluffy clouds, the black one stirring like cooling lava. I shake my head. Did I just see that? I look again and they look like normal human eyes are supposed to. He turns to Ahna. "What about you? How are you feeling today?"

As Hamish and Ahna talk, I leave the kitchen and wander around the space again. I try to open the door where the ingredients are kept. The slight buzzing of the amulet is bothering me now that I'm awake, but I can't open the door. I slip outside into the crisp morning air to get away from the sound. The wind ruffles my fur. The sun is low in the sky but bright enough to catch the blades of new grass and prairie smoke. Tiny tufts of chickweed, yellow bells, glacier lily, and little larkspur are beginning to sprout. As are Indian paintbrush, forget-me-nots, shooting stars, and pussytoes. Although small, I can see strawberries and I wander out to pick them off the leaves. They are slightly bitter, but the sweet taste is still there at the end and I relish their taste. I hear my name on the wind. I listen trying to pinpoint the sound and see Beta off in the distance. He howls at me again and I take off running. Coming near him I see he has brought the twins. They are also in wolf form and have grown quite a bit since I saw them last. Which wasn't that long ago. They lick my face in greeting. I'm so happy to see they are doing well. Beta yips at them and they take off running, stumbling with their giant paws that are too large for them. I smile. Beta gives me a little nip and prances after them. Without words, I understand exactly what he's saying. "Come run with us." I look back toward the warehouse wondering if I should tell them where I am going. Beta shakes his head and without a second thought I take off after him toward the crest of the hill and the tree line.

In the warehouse, Hamish tells Ahna that he may be able to fix her as well. "If we can return the essence from Alyx and transfer it back to you. You are after all the rightful owner of this magic. It should return willingly. The talisman is very powerful. We had thought it lost. I can't believe that Alyx found it. It was a great service to us that she did."

"I have a request," Ahna says. "I know things have been this way for a long time, but I think that we need to update ourselves. To be in tune with the times of today."

"Ahna. You know we have only survived by honoring the old ways. If we accept the new ones, we are turning our backs on our ancestors. They might not like that and punish us. We cannot take that risk." Hamish scolds her.

"You say that Hamish, but I have a feeling. I've had a feeling since I became human again. This is what we should do. I am the Alpha she-wolf. You are supposed to listen to me in lieu of Alpha. Beta backs me up. We've discussed it. When he and Alyx return you can ask him about it yourself. I have started to hear him again. As I did when I was a wolf. We cannot choose what we are. I know that. Heritage and inheritance dictate so. But we should have the option to decide what we want. To be a wolf or not. We're not like werewolves, a slave to the moon, why can't we decide ourselves, instead of being forced into it?"

"If we gave you wolves a choice then you would die out. You would choose not to and where would our people be then? Hamish points out irritated.

"I think you may be surprised by us, Hamish. You really would. We honor the old ways. We still want to honor the old ways, just with one foot in this century. Can't you understand that? You went to college after all. I know you must understand this on some level." Ahna commented. Their conversation was halted with the arrival of some elders, bringing prairie turnips, elderberries, sprigs of lodgepole pines and fresh tobacco leaves. A few bits of silver sage, nuggets of gold, agate and sapphire were brought in, as well as two dozen crows. Their incessant caw-ing was going to drive me nuts, I knew it.

"I promise I'll speak with Beta when I can," Hamish promises. "I will bring it up to the elders too. Go see if you can find Alyx. We have some questions for her." He followed the other elders into the conference room to take stock of their supplies.

Ahna went outside and called for me. I could hear her over the miles but running with Beta and the twins was wonderful. I didn't want to return. A streak of red against a gold and green tapestry. Pops of sunflower, amaranthine, carrot, white, and beryl flashed by me. Occasionally, a streak of grey or black as the twins, Beta and I got further and further away. I stopped to catch my breath. I gazed down the hill and saw the hint of blush, peach, saffron, lavender, and periwinkle fading into the curvature of the land. I closed my eyes. The smells of flora, fauna, and creature infused into my nostrils. It was like nothing I have ever experienced. Now I understood the appeal of being a wolf. The hyper-senses were enough to entice anyone. Not to mention the advanced healing and the feeling of being one with nature. Humans found that so hard to do nowadays. "Humans?! I am human." That thought scared me. Was I already accepting this fate? Did I not think this ceremony was going to work? No! Chuck himself said that Dean and I were meant to be. How can that be if I am not a human? It will work! It must work!

I sat down and watched the twins rolling down the hill, Beta chasing after them, ever watchful. "He will make a great father someday." The thought flits across my mind as I watch him. An image of Dean appears in Beta's stead and the twins morph into human children. "Dean will make a marvelous father too." I suddenly realize I want that chance with him. I shake my head, and everyone is back to wolfy form. I yap at Beta. He turns to watch me on the hill, knowing I have come to a decision. I think he was hoping I would stay and be with him. He did say how much he wanted someone nearer his own age. Ahna was twenty years his senior so eight years isn't that much of a stretch. I promised myself that if I could find him someone I would. Something else to put on my plate, but I owed him. He deserved someone too.

I stood and smiled a toothy grin before rolling down the hill to meet them all. "We should get back." I noticed the sun had already traveled more than halfway across the sky. It was afternoon. The morning spent with Beta and the twins had been magical but it was time to return to reality. To face this obstacle and get back to my real destiny, Dean. I needed to be rested for the ceremony at dawn. I wanted to make sure I was at full strength as I knew the process was going to be painful. I knew it would work, but it would not be easy. I nipped Beta, a friendly gesture and sent him chasing after me. The twins watched us before joining in on the fun. After we have all thoroughly exhausted ourselves, we lay in a heap watching the clouds roll by.

Suddenly I catch a whiff of deer. I turn to Beta. He smells it too. My mouth begins salivating. The bacon and pancakes I ate for breakfast long gone. It's like we are one, even the twins, as we all sneak off after the deer. I take the left flank with little one. Beta and the boy take the right. It's a mother with three babies. One is limping. They don't stand a chance. I send little one ahead to startle the mother. We are going to take that weakened baby of hers. We all slink in quietly as possible. Mother doesn't suspect a thing. It's all over in a matter of minutes. The two smaller babies have been taken. As I stand over our kill, I turn to Beta. He indicates we should bow our heads. We all say a silent prayer of thanks for the sacrifice the fawns have made for us. Then we eat. I've had venison before, but never quite like this. The taste envelopes my mouth like the most delectable food I have ever tasted. When we've had our fill, Beta finds a place to hide the rest so he can come back to collect it later. We make our way to the warehouse languidly, not wanting our time together to end.

We approach and I see Ahna sitting outside talking with Mina. Beta nods and signals to the twins it's time to say goodbye. Little boy rushes towards me. He yaps and nips a little. He had hoped, along with Beta that I would stay with them. He seems to understand that even though I am a wolf now, I don't belong in his world, so he says goodbye. Next up is little girl. She whispers in my ear that she'll watch over me, as long as I live in this area, she'll be my guardian wolf once I'm human again. She has no doubt that this will be so. I give her a thank-you lick. Last is Beta. His ebony fur contrasts beautifully with mine. He leans his head against me. "I am sorry this happened to you but know this. Today has been the best day of my life. Thank you for the memories. They shall keep me warm when the earth has turned to ice and food is scarce. You are an amazing being, Alyx. Whatever you are." He smiles, looking deep into me. Molten gold meeting. Colliding. Shifting. I see a touch of sadness there but also hope. "Come see us when you are human again." He turns and lobs off after the twins who've headed toward the forest.

"You know I will," I call after him and head up the hill to the two women. "Hello, ladies. How are we doing this afternoon?" I ask when I see them.

"Bout time you showed up!" Huffs Ahna. "The elders have been asking after you. They have some questions. Where have you been? With Beta and the twins this whole time?" She spies my bloody muzzle. "And what have you gotten into?"

I nod. "Yeah, I was out doing wolfy stuff this morning. Thought it would be a good way to pass the time..." I try to wipe my muzzle off with my paws with no success. "We found a deer...and."

"Come here, silly." Mina gripes, reaching for me. I slink over my tail between my legs. "I'll clean you up. Crazy girl." She shakes her head, not mad in the least. With a flick of her wrist and a few words, I'm clean as a whistle.

"Thanks, Mina. It's probably not a good idea to seek the elders after a fresh kill. Wouldn't you say?" They both laugh. Mina pulls me into a hug.

"Before you go, let me show you what I found." She spreads some papers out on the ground. "I was able to get a sample from Ben, Jean, Stacey, Vlad, Amanda and six other lacrosse players and their girlfriends. I glamoured myself and went into your lab. I ran all the same tests you did. You were right. Everyone is human. Except for Vlad. I wasn't sure what kind of being he was. His protein markers didn't match yours, mine or Ahna's." She points out the protein markers and gas chromatography that was different. "I called him on it. He was surprisingly forthcoming with answers. Turns out Vlad is a vampire. An actual freaking vampire. I mean come on! Vlad the vampire? How cliché can you get?" She laughs before continuing. "That was why I couldn't hear him. Vampires have no brain waves and..." I swat her gently with my paw. "I'm getting off on a tangent here." She refocuses. "Anyway, I took pictures of all the slides and brought you all the data so you could see it for yourself. I'm pretty sure you are on the right track. This all is beginning to make some sense."

I look over the sheets noting how great everything turned out. But it also makes me more curious about what I am. If only I had more of a data pool to work with. I snort. There you go jumping the gun again, Alyx. Let's deal with one crisis at a time here. I can't do anything if I'm not a human. Even though I badly want to jump into the data I know I can't, so I make Mina clean it up. "I'm so excited about this project, but if I don't change back, I can't go anywhere with it. Take it away so I'm not distracted. Please."

She nods and gathers it all up putting it away. "Let's get in there and find out what those guys want. Shall we?"