We waited another day before we went to Anna's apartment. Dwayne raced ahead of me, wanting to be at her door now. I let him; I was angry enough with this stupid girl who had walked into our lives and toyed with us, acting like she was Pack, then not, then Pack again. Not to mention she was screwing with Dwayne's emotions. He really liked her, maybe even loved her.

I led Paul and Marko around the building once in a circle, letting our bikes roar, letting Anna know we'd come for her. We called her name, whispering and screaming it, teasingly. Dwayne had gone directly to park outside her apartment door and was dismounting when we caught up.

All four of us strode to her door, calling her. We gave her a chance, a moment, before we started ordering her to open the door. Nothing. I knew she was in there, we all did. We could hear her heart, smell her fear. It affected Dwayne the worst.

"Enough." I snarled and kicked the door in with my boot. Storming in, I let the rage I'd been holding back fill me. No one hurt my boys, especially not little mortal girls who thought they could undermine my power. Especially not a little girl who played with emotions and made Dwayne's heart bleed for her. To hell with her!

I had almost made it to where Anna cowered when Dwayne sped past and reached the bed. Anna was huddled in the center of her bed, both hands clutching her pillow, body curling in on its self protectively. She managed to look up at Dwayne and the pain the boy felt hit me as well.

Anna's face was tear-streaked and her eyes dark. She was angry; she was in fear. There was more but I couldn't quite get a reading on it.

"Go away," she whispered harshly. Dwayne shook his head and sat on the bed, reaching for her. Instinctively, Anna jerked away. Dwayne kept reaching into the air, before admitting defeat.

"What's wrong?" Marko asked from where he leaned against the wall. Anna remained silent. Paul was staring at the blonde girl as well, not sure what to think or say.

"You don't have a choice here, Anna," I let the anger coat my words. "You tell us, or you tell us." She glared angrily at me, fanning the flames of my anger. I felt my fangs trying to descend. Ripping her throat out was another option I could give her, but that wouldn't help matters.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" she snarled at me.

"I am Pack Leader," I snarled back.

"I am not Pack." The words jarred all four of us. Anna had waffled, sure, but two nights past she'd acted like she was Pack. Now it was blatantly obvious we'd assumed too much. Time to get to the bottom of this crap she was pulling.

"You were fine with us until the other night. What happened Anna?" I demanded. "Explain yourself."

"You have no right to order me around," she yelled, but I could hear the weakness in her voice.

"The hell I don't!" I growled, storming directly toward her. Anna moved then, off the bed and right up in my face.

"You don't," her voice was firm but her body shook from effort. "I'm not one of your damned vampires."

I blinked, took an unconscious step backwards. "You know?" I was still royally angry but this was far overrode the anger. How the hell did she know?

"No thanks to you. When were you going to tell me?" Anna demanded. "When you turned me? When I was growing old and you were still young and beautiful?" Her eyes flicked to Dwayne involuntarily. "Never? Were you just going to disappear one day? Why didn't you tell me?"

Anna collapsed, out of strength of will and her own body fighting back against her emotions.

Her face turned up to look at Dwayne's. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked again, voice cracking. She was asking Dwayne personally. Dwayne turned away, unable to face the betrayal in Anna's eyes.

"I don't..." Dwayne's voice trailed off. "You would have hated us. You do hate us."

"You lied to me," Anna managed to spit the words out. "No wonder I hate you." Dwayne kept himself turned away, the anger washing over him, into the rest of the Pack. Enough!

"Anna," I let her hear the anger of the Pack in my voice, let her feel that she was on dangerous ground. "If we would have told you, we would either have to turn you or kill you. Would you have preferred that? Preferred your death?"

"You wouldn't have killed me," she answered me softly.

"And why not?" Paul asked. "You're special, but it's a rule."

"I would have had a choice. You wouldn't have killed me," Anna's voice was weak, but her words firm. I looked down at her, realizing what she was saying.

"You're saying you would have become a vampire?"

Anna didn't look at me; she looked at Dwayne. He was watching carefully. He too had realized what she was telling us. Before Anna could answer, she fainted. I kicked the bed frame, rattling it.

"Damn it!"

"David." Dwayne's voice was low. He was picking Anna up, putting her into the bed. In a huff, I stalked into the kitchen. There wasn't much there.

"Marko!" I called. "Go get some fruit at the corner market." Marko nodded and disappeared out the doorway. Paul stayed where he was, leaning against the wall. Dwayne had tucked Anna in and moved to the bathroom. I could hear water running. I grabbed a glass from inside the cupboard and filled it half-full. Dwayne had returned and was arranging the wet washcloth on Anna's forehead.

Marko returned shortly, carrying a plastic bag of fruit. I handed him the water glass and turned to hunt up a bowl.

This felt odd to me. I'd kicked in Anna's door and now I was helping take care of her.

Dwayne scribbled a note and placed it against the water glass Marko had brought him. I returned from the kitchen, a bowl of fresh fruit in my gloved hands. Dwayne arranged everything.

"She just needs to rest." He murmured. None of us said anything. Paul and Marko rearranged the door, not quite back to its original state but okay enough. They preceded me out, Dwayne following behind me.

"Wait! I'll be right back." He called to me, running back into Anna's apartment. Marko, Paul, and I mounted our bikes. Dwayne was back quick enough. He said nothing but there was a grin at the corners of his mouth.

We rode off into the night.