Walking out of her apartment door, feeling the sun warming the earth and everything around, she walked to the old tree. Seeing Tsume leaning against it with a leg propped up against the base, she walked forward and greeted him warmly. He pushed himself off the tree and walked towards her. "Hey" he said casually.

"What's up?" She looked around and enjoyed the birds chirping and squawking at one another.

"The usual." He said casually, his eyes hidden behind his shades.

"Say, wanna go get some shakes? I know this awesome shop whose owner makes the best all natural shakes." She said excitedly.

"What else do they have?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, they got sandwiches, cakes and lots of other stuff." They walked on to the next square and entered the shop. Sitting down at one of the tables outside the shop and waited for the waitress to bring their order they got to know each other. She told him her father had died before she was born and her mother moved in with her grandfather on his farm. She lived there until two years ago before moving into town to be closer to work. "So what about you? How long have you been here?" She said, thanking the waitress when she brought the food.

"Eh, a couple of years, not too long." he said before sipping his water.

"Have you always been in a gang?"

"No, I lived with my pa… uh, family before coming here." Damn it, just make her think you're a freak why don't you? Wondering if she was about to question him about his slip up, she gave him a curious look then started asking more questions. He answered them as honestly as he could without giving away his true nature. Then before he knew it, they had already eaten their food and had just received the receipts. Just before she pulled out her money to pay he stopped her.

"Hey, meal's on me." he said, pulling out a couple of bills and placing them under the ketchup bottle.

Uh, thanks, that's really nice of you." she said unsure of how gentlemanly he was behaving. Not something you would think a gangster would act like. But then again she still was getting to know him, so who knew.

"Hey, umm, can we hang out again tomorrow? Your pick of course." she said hesitantly.

He stood there just staring at her for what seemed like a hour. Unable to read his expression for his shades, she was sure she was about to get turned down.

Then he gave her a half smile and told her to meet at the tree same time tomorrow. He turned after exchanging good byes and walked toward the alley beside the store. Happy that they had a second chance to spend together, she walked back home grateful how everything felt positive today, unlike the odd feeling from last night.

Waking up to the sounds of her neighbors arguing on the sidewalk, she groaned and stared at the clock. "6 AM! What do these people do? Wake up just to fight?!" Wishing they would just take it inside for once, she got a quick shower, made a couple of egg sandwiches and coffee to enjoy out on her front porch. Sitting outside enjoying her breakfast and trying to ignore her neighbors. After fifteen minutes, they were still fighting about how she doesn't want him hanging out with his friends all the time and that he's cheating (even the man works two jobs to support them) and how she stays home and doesn't work (and is doing the thing she accuses him of… with his best friend). Finally he gets mad and jumps in his car and takes off for the millionth time. Maybe he'll stay gone this time.

Taking her dishes to the sink, she thought how nice it would be to go back to the family farm again. No more fighting neighbors, waking up to birds singing instead of traffic, and all the space you need. Maybe Silver would like to come! As if thought into existence, she heard a low woof at her door. Opening it to find Silver waiting to come inside.

"Hey, how about me and you take a little road trip?" She said shutting and locking the door behind her. She couldn't help but laugh at him as he cocked his head to the side as if trying to figure what on earth she meant. "Come on, lets go." She said holding open the passenger door for him. He jumped in and not long after they were heading to the outskirts of the city.

Pretty soon, the dull gray city was replaced by tall redwoods and pines and tall, soft grass moving with the wind. She rolled down the front windows so they could breath in the country air. Silver stuck his head out of the window clearly enjoying sights and scents. After 15 minutes, they turned onto a long driveway leading up to a beautiful two story wood cabin. Shutting down the car she got out and let Silver out. He stood alert, taking in the unfamiliar scents.

Lifting his nose in the air, he could smell the stables just north of the cabin, the garden to his right, and the smell of food cooking on a stove from inside. He could even smell just a hint of trees, grass, and the wildlife that called the woods home. All of it brought back memories, even ones he really didn't want to remember. He let out a low, mournful howl to the pack and home that he lost.

Hearing his howl, and knowing that he must miss how old home, made her heart break and a tear roll down her cheek. Collecting herself and wiping her cheek, she reached down and stroked his head gently. "Come on lets go see who is home." Following her into the house she saw her mom and two of her uncles in the kitchen making egg sandwiches and sausage. They were laughing about something that happened when they were kids.

"Hey, everybody!" she said, setting her keys on the counter.

"Rienne!" they said in unison and stopped what they were doing to give her a group hug.

Over her shoulder, she felt them pause. "Rienne, who is your friend?"

"Oh, that's Silver. He occasionally stays with me."

"Oh. Ok." Was all that her mother could say. They released her but kept looking at Silver. Not in a 'I'm waiting for you to eat me whole' kind of way but with curiosity. After a few more acquired moments they looked at her grinning ear to ear.

"So, what brings my youngest niece back to town? Got bored of that stuffy city life?" Uncle Geno asked as he ran his hand over his brown beard that had just a tinge of gray in it. "I figured that you would get bored you always like the country. All our kids did." Said Uncle Ren with his shoulder length red hair and strong Norse features. My family is a mixed bag of Irish (where the red hair comes from), Norse, and Gypsy (where Uncle Geno gets his good looks from).

"Eh, neighbors fighting again, needed some fresh air. Now here we are!" Rienne said motioning the room and letting her arms fall back down.

"Well, we are definitely glad to see you back here. Maybe you'll stay this time?" Asked her mother, who people would tell her could be her genetic duplicate.

Looking into her moms pleading eyes, she sighed. "Mom I love it here, but I don't know. I just started working at the bar again. That drive is kind of rough, considering how tired I get after busy days."

"You can live in the cabin! I would love to have my only pup living close by again!"

Already having a weakness for her mom, it didn't help when she through her childhood nickname in.

With a heavy sigh she caved right in. "Ok, ok. But I need help moving all my furniture." She said looking at her uncles. Both stood immediately and with grins from ear to ear they ran out to start their trucks.

"Wait, not yet!" She yelled after them, but realizing it was too late. "Does everybody want me back here?" she asked her mom.

"Well, I know us adults do, and we've overheard some of your cousins saying they miss having you around."

Realizing that it she was going to get nowhere she looked at the clock and saw that it was now 11, she remembered her date with Tsume. "Oh gosh mom I got to go. I got a date!" she dashed outside to her vehicle and jumped in. "Mom, can you watch after Silver until I get back?" she said from her window still rolled down from earlier.

"A Date?! With who?" but the sound fell on deaf ears, as she was already on the road heading back to town. She looked down and Silver was sitting by her side when all of a sudden, his head perked up in alarm and he too took off through the pasture, heading for town. "Well, that's that I guess."

Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Have to beat her there. Just have to! His thoughts racing and not stopping till he finally made it to the tree. In his human form he was panting heavily. Leaning up against the old tree he finally caught his breath. He went to his house and washed the sweat away. Well, I can't be in two places at one time, so I am going to have to tell her. Hope she doesn't freak out like the rest of these stupid humans would. I care to much for her. No. No, you barely know her. But, why do I feel like we have a connection? I hope she takes this ok.

Making it to her apartment in time, she saw that her uncles were already there and waiting for her to let them in. Rolling her eyes at their goofy grins, she unlocked the door and rushed up to her room. Picking out a crimson long sleeved shirt and her favorite black jeans that had tiny black beads sewn into a swirl pattern on the left thigh and right calf and her dark brown riding boots. She put on some make up and a quick spray of perfume and saw that she had fifteen minutes to go. Sprinting out of her room she bumped right into Uncle Ren.

"Hey, where are you going all dolled up?" He asked getting a good look at her.

"I have a date. And I need to go before I'm late!" she said, sprinting out the door.

Hearing her uncle warn her about sickos, she jumped off the stoop and took off down the street, finally making it to the tree. And there was Tsume, casually leaning up against it like he had all the time in the world.

"Hey, ready to go?" she said a little breathlessly

He took in her outfit and thought: Damn she looks good! Rather have her than food! But not wanting to creep her out, he nodded his head and led her to the same restaurant as yesterday.

"Thought you would want something different?" She said with a smirk.

"They got damn good food here, but none of it compares to how you look." He watched her face go beet red at his compliment and it made a laugh escape from his throat. "You should blush more often, it suits you." Thinking her face could not get anymore red, he held open the door for her and was soon seated near in a corner of the place near the window.

After getting over the raging blush from his compliment, she stared at her menu and decided she would try their grilled chicken salad with apples and cranberries. "So, what are you ordering?" she asked looking up from her menu. "The steak. Only thing that sounds good to me." He said setting down his menu. After a quiet moment and the waitress ordering their food was the silence broken.

"Hey, Rienne, can I ask you something?" he said staring at her intently

"Well, yeah, what is it?"

He looked around the room, after realizing everyone was in their own conversation and far enough away. He lowered his voice to barely a whisper. "I have something to show you. But first I want to ask you something."

"Ok, what?" she said, the way he was acting was making her a bit nervous. She tried making herself more comfortable but couldn't. She was anxious to hear what he wanted to say.

"What do you know about wolves?" he said staring at her trying to gauge her reaction.

She looked at him for a second, then looked around and answered in an equally low voice. "Well, I know that they supposedly went extinct two hundred years ago, but I don't believe it." She said right before the waitress brought out the food, laid it out in front of them and making sure they were still ok, she turned and went to another table.

Making sure she was out of earshot, they continued their conversation. Tsume was glad to here Rienne take the question well. He led on with a question that he desperately wanted to ask. "Do you think wolves are hiding in the city? Living as if they are human?"

"If they are, they're doing an excellent job at it. And if there are some left they would have to hide themselves somehow. Not everyone in this town is open minded." She said moving some of her salad around before taking a bite.

Glad of her reaction he dug into his steak. When their meal was over he paid the ticket and left some money for a tip. Walking out, he glanced up at the sky, trying to gather his courage for what could be the worst experience of his life. He looked down into her hazel eyes. He could see that she was just as anxious as he felt but wasn't hiding it like him. "Come on, lets go to my house"

They walked in silence until the old building came into view. Leading her up to his room he took a gulp of air before facing her.

"I don't want you to freak out or anything, but this is what I have to show you."

She waited to see what he was talking about, but he was just standing still. Then she saw his form flicker for just a split second. And then right before her eyes, the huge gray wolf that she had taken in was standing right in front of her.

Tsume is Silver.

Her knees gave out from under her and she fell to the floor looking in awe at him. Realizing that the wolf and the man she had been with were one and the same.

"Oh, dear gods." Was the only thing she could get out of her mouth.

Yay! Finally got it finished! Life has been really busy since the last time I put up the last chapter. I hope you all haven't thought I dropped off the face of the earth! Lol! And now that I'm back I promise to be better at putting up new chapters! But here it is! What will Rienne do now that Tsume let her know his big secret? Will she flee in terror? Will there be pitchforks? Stay tuned everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful day!