Yuri headed into the woods, shifting and starting to run. She felt free out there.

After a long while, she stopped at a pond and took a drink. She heard a loud shot before pain raced through her. She looked around quickly before starting to run for her life.

Eventually, she collapsed under a tree, looking at herself and noticing a gunshot wound in her hip.

She whimpered and tried to shift back to call Kimito. She couldn't manage it so she just laid there for a while. Soon, a few wolves approached her slowly.

She growled slightly but one of them lifted her and carried her to a nearby cave. There were about six wolves and a few young puppies. They curled up around her and tried to help keep her warm.

She tried to move but soon lost consciousness.

When she woke, she found she was back in human form. The wolves were still curled around her and she pet them gently.

The biggest one looked up and sniffed her then licked her face.

She chuckled slightly before trying to stand. The big one helped her, pulling her onto his back before taking off toward the shop.

"How do you know where you're going?" Yuri asked quietly.

The wolf sniffed the air and she nodded in understanding.

A couple of the other wolves followed behind guardingly.

When they finally got to the shop, she stood and pet the wolf again, "Thanks."

She limped to the door and noticed them still staring at her.

Ryon chuckled from where he was lounging. "New friends?"

She nodded, "They helped me when I got hurt." She headed inside and bandaged her partially healed wound up.

She kept glancing out the window, noticing the wolves sitting there as if waiting for something.

"They aren't going to leave." Yamae spoke from behind her.

"Why?"

"They've bonded to your spirit." The wizard idly leafed through the receipts as he did paperwork.

"So they're just going to hang out? Should I feed them?"

"I doubt that will be necessary. They are not pets, Yuri. Think of them as packmates, if you will. They will be here if you need them and will die to protect you."

"So I've basically found a second pack?"

He beamed at her. "Exactly. At least I doubt you'll have to deal with incessant snoring."

She chuckled softly.

"Did we get a visit from wolf Santa?" Kimito's face was confused as he entered.

She laughed, "I made friends."

Yamae snickered "Wolf Santa?"

Kimito growled. "Shut up. How and why?"

"I was in the forest and ended up getting hurt.. they helped me."

"Hurt?! Who?" Kimito eyed her with worry.

She shook her head, "I don't know who. Probably a random hunter."

Kimito didn't look convinced, but dropped the questioning.

Loud growling sounded from outside, followed by a muffled cry.

Yuri quickly went outside to see what was happening.

Ryon lay stunned on the ground, a covered person looming above him. The wolves were growling, but keeping a distance.

"What the hell?!" Kimito asked angrily.

Yamae's eyes went wide, then he was pushing them both back. "Don't interfere."

"Both of you are to return. Now." The person spoke roughly as they glared at the twins.

"Yes sir." Ryon slowly stood as Yamae gave Yuri a fleeting smile.

"If you don't want to go with him, don't go."

"He is our Master. We can not disobey." Both bowed to them. "Thank you for everything."

The figure whirled, then snapped his fingers.

The twins rose and followed quickly without looking back.

Yuri growled angrily.

Kimito kicked the ground as the three disappeared.

"They don't belong there.."

"We can't fight a Master wizard."

"Why?"

"He'll kill you and make what happened with Tegran look like play fighting."

She sighed, "They don't belong there. I told them I'd help them no matter what. What if they don't really want to be there? I have to do something."

"Believe me, they don't want to be there." Yuto snarled as he slunk out of the shadows. "Ryon is so terrified, he hasn't slept in three days. But he's more afraid of us being hurt or killed."

Yuri nodded, "I'm going to try to free them, even if it kills me. Any idea where they are?"

The wolf nodded. "Castle a few miles away."

Kimito nodded. "Call the pack. We're taking them back."

Yuto started dialing.

Two hours later, the pack stood waiting for Yuri to speak.

She looked at them for a moment then spoke, "Ryon and Yamae have been taken back by their master. However, they don't want to be there. Whoever comes with me, we are going to rescue them. They might not be real wolves but they're basically part of us anyway. They belong here with us, so we're going to fight to get them back."

"They're pack. We don't leave pack in trouble." Saka said firmly.

Kai nodded. "I'm not a wolf either. But I haven't forgotten their help. We're all coming."

Yuri nodded, "Alright, let's head out then." She shifted and started in the direction of the castle. Her other pack began following her too.

They could hear screaming as they approached.

A collective howl came from the shifters and their eyes blazed.

Yuri rushed in first, quickly assessing the situation.

The twins were chained in the center of a large room. White light was swirling and mingling with a soft purple as the Master stood chanting loudly. They were convulsing violently, bodies bruised and bloodied.

Kimito and Yuto lunged, knocking the Master to the ground as the rest of the pack swarmed in. Davie and Ro headed for the twins, but never reached them. They screamed as the Master muttered a spell and fell bleeding to the floor.

Yuri began pulling energy from the Master and pushing it into Davie and Ro along with her own healing energy.

The Master cried out, then sent a burst of black light straight at her.

Yuto howled and jumped in front of it, flying into the far wall and laying still.

"Don't…" Ryon whispered, his voice raw.

Both the white and purple light blinked out as the Master's attention switched to defense. Kai exhaled flame, his eyes startled when the Master brushed it away. He reverted as the wizard impaled him with a curved dagger, sinking to the floor.

Kimito and Saka howled, charging forward. They fell without a sound, blood splashing onto the floor.

"Please..stop!" Yamae yanked on the chains, his face streaked with tears. "We're not worth dying for!"

Yuri closed her eyes, focusing on the Master. She pulled the energy from him rapidly, gathering it up inside her. After a few moments, she pushed a large shot of green light throughout the room, pouring into all of the pack members.

The Master swayed, then focused on her. "Impressive. But you aren't strong enough to kill me."

"No, but we are." The twins took deep breaths, then closed their eyes and released their power in unison.

The Master screamed as the mixed light touched him, his skin bursting into flames. He turned to ash as Ryon and Yamae cried out and slumped against the chains.

Yuri went and released them from the chains, then poured her energy into them. With the help of her other pack, she got everybody back to the shop and settled onto couches and cots. She made sure everyone was healed before sitting beside one of the wolves who she decided to call Luna.

"Did..we do it?" Yamae asked haltingly. He was extremely pale, his voice almost inaudible.

"Yeah , just relax."

He shook his head. "You should not..have gotten involved. There will be more trouble.."

"We decided we weren't going to just leave you there. We'll deal with trouble as it comes up. But you're part of our pack, you're important to us."

There were tears in his eyes. "We can't allow it. You should have left us."

"Too bad, just deal with it. We care about you."

He struggled to calm himself. "You are too kind."

"Just being a friend."

"Look up kind in the dictionary and it's her picture." Kimito remarked as he opened his eyes.

Yuri blushed slightly but chuckled in response.

Yuto coughed and rolled off the couch, his eyes only half open. "Yuri? You didn't get hit by that, did you?"

She shook her head, "You shouldn't have taken a hit for me."

"That's what friends do." He winced and held his head. "Fuck, that hurt though."

She sighed and poured a bit of energy into him to help the pain.

"Are you alright?" Kimito slowly went to her side, glancing at the twins with worry.

"I'll be fine."

He kissed her gently.

She smiled at him as they parted.

"Sleep with me?"

She nodded and took his hand.

He gave a shy smile and led her to the storeroom.