The Normal Life
By Didi

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters that are recognizable and I certainly don't own the show. Don't sue me cause all you're going to get is lent, and not much of that either.

Summary: It's a dangerous world out there.

Rating: R for restricted under 17.
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-Sophia's POV-

I tried to ignore the fact that my heart felt like it was currently located somewhere in my throat and beating faster than a hummingbird's wings. I tried to ignore the fact that my hands felt cold and numb and I probably shouldn't be handling a gun at the moment. And I tried to ignore the fact that I knew exactly what Luke was about to do and fought against every instinctive urge to stop him.

If nothing else, the town playboy was not stupid. My heading out into the night, on new legs no less, could potentially be the biggest mistake of my life. I could easily be defeated and used against my father and Luke and all the rest of the clan. That my running about in the night, with no idea what I'm doing could put what little future left in my life at jeopardy. And that Luke would be very unhappy with me if I were to do something as stupid as to believe otherwise. But it didn't make me want to go out there with him any less.

To say that I'm scare stiff would be putting it mildly. God, I just want to crawl into bed and wake up tomorrow morning to discover that this was all just a bad dream. But that's not going to happen. My sweating palm and the tingling fear down my spine pretty much tells me that any point of this being a nightmare was just a pipedream.

I walked into my father's room; the one I knew was possibility the safest room in the house. No balconies or trees for people to climb in from. Double latched windows that were reinforced with alloy window coverings. My father literally made the room impenetrable from the outside. It was the perfect place for me to be.

So why do I want to run down the stairs and throw open the front door?

Easy, cause everyone I care about was out there. In the night. In the darkness. In danger.

"Oh hell," I muttered as I shut the light in the room and went to stand by the window. Like Luke, like Kanin, I knew how to keep watch.

The night was heavy with fog that swirled around the house. It was like a scene from an old Hitchcock film. I was eerily silent except for the sounds of nature penetrating the gloom of the darkness. Nature at its most deadly. Even from up here, I can hear the sounds of the battle below. My eyes strained to see the fog hidden bodies of the wolves locked in life or death fights.

I shouldn't have been able to tell... but I did. I shouldn't have been able to see... but I do. He leapt into the shadows from the porch, fierce and deadly. Every inch the male dominate. He could easily be mistake as the Alpha with his natural state of command if not for his age. Those powerful jaws open in attack as he disappeared from sight.

For a heart-stopping moment, I had the most unfound fear that it would be the last time I see him. Swallowing the cold taste of panic, I took a deep breath and glanced down at the cocked and readied gun in my hand. Somehow, it suddenly felt wrong.

It was wrong.

This was all wrong.

Even knowing the anger and fear it was going to install, I didn't pause. Putting the safety on the small handgun, I placed it slowly and silently on my father's pillow. It was the only place for it tonight.

"This is pack business," I whispered firmly to myself as I pulled the tee shirt from my back. "It has to be handled the clan-way."

Kicking off my shoes, I paused to wonder if I should be doing this in my room instead. Just when I thought about picking up my discarded clothes and head toward my own bedroom, the howl of angst ripped through the night.

Panic came on winged feet. And everything was thrown to the winds.

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-Luke's POV-

The night was the enemy now where once it was a friend. Even with my hyped up senses, the darkness and fog obscured much of my surroundings. I relied on other sense other than sight to guide me. It didn't take long for me to find the fighting... how could I miss it when I heard the unnatural sounds of flesh tearing? It sent a chill through me.

Father taught me well. He knew that I would need the skills to distance sanity and rational from my emotions when this time comes. Pushing back the fear, I leapt onto the enemies' backs, jaws clamping viciously on fur and muscles, silently praying that I do not feel the sting of the attack. I would definitely not enjoy being on the receiving end of what I'm dishing out now.

*Luke, behind you!* David's warning came almost too late for me to turn in time to catch the charge before it knocked me off my feet. Fortunately, my head was a lot harder than most people suspect it to be. Deflecting the blow, I felt the low rising anger from the pit of my stomach.

The clan had agreed, every member had agreed that there would be no blood shed tonight. They would obey by the decision of the whole. Yet here I am, life and death hanging in the air. Hoping to whatever god you want to believe in that Sophia was safe and that this night would not end with deaths.

*Where's Sophia?* Jamie asked, her furry head turning to watch her mate take on another. The gleam of fury was clear in her eyes. She wanted to help her husband and lover but duty called her first. And if there was anything taught from the cradle, it was the survival of the pack came first.

*She's safe,* I replied, jerking my muzzle toward the raging battle as teeth flashed in the pale moonlight. *Go, he needs you.*

There was only a moment of hesitation before Jamie was off, her teeth bared and eyes throwing daggers. She was female outrage incarnated. There truly was nothing more beautiful.

I'd like to think that I would have seen the attack coming if I hadn't been distracted at the exact moment by the blood-curling cry of agony that filled the skies. Every member of the pack within the ten miles radius must have heard it.

*What the hell...* the explosion of pain across my back obliterated any other thought from my mind. Skin and muscles tore at an alarming rate even as I became aware of it. It was like having acid poured on you, only a hundred times more painful.

*Remember me, Pretty Boy?* Jason growled as I flung him off, more fur and skin ripping in the process.

I could feel the warmth of my own blood across my back, down one shoulder. It was going to be hell putting all that back together again... if I live long enough for my body to start regenerating. Rule #1: Never show weakness. Rule #2: Distract your enemy whenever possible. * I had wonder where you'd and your kind skulked off to. What's the matter? The rats in the sewers didn't want you either?*

*Keep talking, Pretty Boy. By the end of this night, you're going to be history.* He circled me, knowing that I was growing weaker by the minute. I needed time, time for my body to heal.

*So says the fool that follows a guy that hides in the dark and can't accept defeat. Don't you know that everyone hates sore losers?* I need him to keep circling, give the others a chance to finish off his friend and come back to help. I was still bleeding, not as profusely as before but definitely still loosing blood. Jason may not be the brightest bulb in Creed's gang but he was strong, and fast. *You think the others will follow a loser like Creed? I don't think so.*

*To the winner goes the throne, kid. Rule of the pack,* they threw back at me, his jaws showing teeth again. He was getting ready for another round. The wound was almost closed over, not quite but almost.

*Rest of the pack also decided to obey by tonight's vote. Don't see that happening now, do I?* I put a little more distance between us, not much but enough to fend him off if I needed to. *Now who do you think we have to thank for that?*

The errant boy wasn't up to doing the thinking. He obeyed orders and asked no questions. Creed always did know how to pick them. The charge was fast, almost too fast for me to block. Or it would have been had it not been for the litter interference none of us was expecting.

Jason's big gray body sailed through the air with enough speed and force that he wasn't able to catch himself before slamming rather awkwardly against a tree. The crunch of bones breaking announced that the fight was over. At least for Jason.

The ghostly pale figure blended just a little too well with the tendrils of fog that curled around everything. *Luke, are you all right?*

I wanted to groan in frustration. *What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to go upstairs?*

*Hello to you too Sophia. Nice night we're having here,* came the sarcastic reply. *Oh by the way, thanks for saving my life.* Her big golden eyes rolled in her fierce face.

Her sense of humor comes at the oddest times, I swear. *No time for that,* I replied, eyes already scanning for danger in the shadows. *You're exposing yourself to...*

*Don't,* she warned, baring teeth. *I'm not some helpless little girl that needs you to protect her. I know what you said, I heard it. I just cannot accept it. My dad needs me. I'm going to go to him now. No one tries to hurt my family and gets away with it.* Her head cocked to one side, listening for the approaching feet. *Friend or foe?*

*If I non-friendly, you'd be dead,* Jamie answered, her eyes flashing with satisfaction. *Threaten my man, will they?*

*Now they know better, dearest,* Fredrick Leamine replied, his muzzle cover in blood. A long gapping wound was raw and ugly on his flank. *You all right, Luke?*

*A little embarrassed at having been caught off guard, but otherwise wise fine,* I wanted to lay down somewhere and take a quick nap. You generally heal faster in R.E.M. sleep. Hum... I was paying attention in physiology after all.

The cry of anguish that rippled through everyone's awareness had us all looking toward the skies and whining in sympathy.

*That didn't sound like an ordinary cry from flipping,* David observed as he came from the fog, licking blood from his nose. *Who was that?*

Sophia turned to me, her eyes asking me whether it was wise to share with the rest of the pack the little surprise we got tonight. Heck, some of them might not even know about Ruby's choice of mate yet. You just know there is going to be uproar over that little decision. Now was not the time, too many unknown factors to deal with tonight. The last thing we need is to worry about history in the making.

*Area is secured,* Derek announced as he came forward, eyes narrowing at the sight of Sophia. *What are you doing out of the house?*

*Pack business, I had to help,* she answered simply.

If I still had lips, I'd kiss her smack in the mouth. It was beautifully and simplistically done. *So you want to return to the house? Or you want to go after your dad and kick some bad-guy ass?*

Her eyes were twinkling when she turned them toward me. *Is that even a question I need to answer?*

Jamie let out a howl of delight. *Oh, I'm going to like having your around, Sophia. Welcome to the pack!*
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Okay, we're going to leave these two alone for a while. Hope you all enjoy that. Now back to the plot line.