[A/N: This is the last chapter of Part 1. The next part will be in some one else's POV. Whose, you ask? You'll find out soon.]

I turned to Derrick fast, 'I'm sorry. We just went out for a walk in the woods. I didn't figure it would rain. Now my dress is all ruined!' Not to mention I forgot my shoes by the tree line.

He looked amused, "Oh, don't worry. You look just as thrilling... did I ever tell you how much I enjoy that dress?" He planted a few kisses along my neckline and I froze still. "Besides, what's the point of going back inside? The music's loud enough to be heard out here, and there's so many people..." His arms snaked around my back and finally rested on my lower shoulder blades. In turn, I cradled his face in my hands, instantly forgetting about Gene. And Quil. And work. And life.

The rest of the dance flew by. Derrick and I remained outside and the rain eventually quit for the time being. We danced to all the slow songs and talked through all the upbeat ones. Before I could blink my eyes twice people were flooding out in the parking lot. The limo showed up and we were the first ones to climb in. This time it was even more crowded, since everyone wanted a lift to Connor's and I had to guess that some of them weren't able to drive with the state they were in. When Kenzie entered she spotted me and came to squeeze between me and some random guy.

Kenzie pulled out her old Samsung phone from her bra. She gleamed as she tapped away. After a few seconds she handed the phone to me. How has your night been? Mine's been amazing!

Mine too. I saw Gene tonight, by the way, and he's doing okay.

She closed her eyes in frustration and grabbed the phone from my grasp when they reopened. I've been trying so hard to forget about him.

Seeing that she really wasn't in the mood to talk about him, I changed the subject. Do you have a ride home?

She captured my phone, read my question, and took a minute or two to answer. I think I'm just going to stay the night.

I gave her an interrogating look. She clutched the phone back in her palms and just whispered in my ear. "Obviously, I need some help Claire. And I think Connor could do me wonders. Didn't you ever hear that sex relieves stress?"

I bit my tongue and closed my eyes. I really hoped Gene would never find out about this. I knew he was playing that 'I'll be happy for her no matter what' but I couldn't see him acting that way once he figured out she had lost her maidenhood.

After that the limo dropped me and Derrick off at his house. At first this puzzled me, but he swore it was only so he was able to drive me home afterwords. We jumped in his coal black truck and headed straight to Connor's house. He kissed me on the forehead once we entered and said he would be back soon after he hung with the boys for a little while.

The music blasted and there were signs of alcohol everywhere. The empty glass bottles; the bright red plastic cups set up for a round of beer pong; and people falling over their own feet. I was immediately glad that I had never taken a liking for alcohol. I already looked stupid without the affect of the drink.

I stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before spotting out my cousin Kimi Uley. She sat alone at what looked like the dinner table. She looked like she was pretending to be immensely interested in the can of Diet Coke she had in her hand. I walked over to her and she offered me a chair.

'I didn't see you at the dance tonight', I signed to her. Kimi and I had been real close when we were younger though I was four years older than her. She asked me to teach her sign language when she was eight and she caught on really quick.

"We didn't go. He went last year and claimed it won't really be fun until we're upperclassmen. He wanted to come here so him and Tona could play drinking games and win money," she laughed and gestured over to the other side of the large room. I saw a card table surrounded by mostly boys who were taking turns throwing small, plastic balls into red cups. Tona's landed in one and Skah high fived them. Kimi sighed then played with the tab on her can. "I'm just glad they're getting along. Tona was super pissed when he found out that Skah had taken me on his motorcycle."

My eyebrows raised. 'He's only thirteen. Isn't that a little dangerous?'

She scoffed and finally ripped off the aluminum tab. "Skah would never let anything happen to me. I'm his... well, soon to be his imprint."

I tried not to roll my eyes at her naivety. 'Is Tona going to be okay to drive you home later?'

"Oh yeah," she flipped her hand, "The alcohol burns out of him so easily. How are you getting home?"

'Derrick's driving me.'

She wiggled her eyebrows. "Ooh, are you going over to his house?"

My mouth gaped open as I stared at her in shock. 'Absolutely not!

' "Oh don't act so innocent Claire. You're seventeen, you can't tell me you haven't ever got your cherry popped," Kimi smiled slyly.

'No I have not. And I don't plan on it happening anytime soon.' I folded my arms.

We talked for another half an hour about losing the v-card. She promised me she'd keep hers until Skah had imprinted on her. If Skah imprinted on her, I thought. I couldn't believe how sure she was about all of this. Eventually Skah and Tona came around so we cut the chat and started playing a silly 'would-you-rather' game.

Tona smiled as he thought of something that was sure to be "clever". "Would you rather lick someone else's armpit or have someone else lick your armpit?"

My face scrunched up in disgust. Skah and Kimi laughed in unison and picked the latter. I shook my head in a way of saying neither. "Oh, come on Claire. You have to pick one!"

Before I could agree with the other two I felt two hands grip on to my waist. Derrick breathed heavily over my shoulder and tried to reach my lips to kiss. I turned to him and he lost his balance. I held him up for a second or two before Tona grabbed him and stood him up straight. "You alright, buddy?"

Derrick's mouth hung open and his eyes flickered around the room before landing on me. "Yeah, buddy," he pushed hard against Tona's chest. "Come on, Claire. We should head home."

Before Derrick could grab my hand Tona stepped between us. "How about I drive you guys home?"

I turned towards Kimi and signed quick. 'Tell Tona I'm going to drive.'

Kimi gripped Tona's shoulder and told him what I had said. He backed off then and I slung Derrick's arm around my shoulders. He stumbled a lot as we walked through and out of the house. We parked down the street a bit so I continued to struggle with his weight. Once or twice he fell over and it took two minutes to actually get him back on his feet.

As we passed other cars, I saw a lot of 'motion' going on. Hopefully Derrick didn't catch the idea. When we got to his truck I opened the door clumsily and begged him to climb inside. He just smiled and laughed and fell down to the ground. I crouched. 'Come on Derrick, you have to get home. I have to get home.' I felt disgusted realizing I was using the same vocabulary that I would with a four year old.

He clutched my shoulders and pulled me down with him. "Don't fucking do that hand shit. I know you can talk, you cunt!"

I slapped him across the face and stood up, my face starting to drown in tears. If this is what kind of guy Derrick really was, I didn't mind just leaving him there to rot. Before I could walk back to the house Derrick locked a firm arm around my neck and another around my waist. I kicked at him but he wouldn't let go. Maybe he wasn't as vulnerable as I thought. I desperately tried to break free against him but he already shoved me in his truck. He laid over me, his breath stale and his eyes burning. Some how he managed, in his drunken stupor, to climb over me, hold onto me, and start the car. I writhed in his arms and sobbed quietly.

Just as he let me go I realized he was doing sixty five down the main road. Where were the cops when you needed them.

Derrick kept talking and calling me names while he swerved all over the road. I couldn't wait to get home and tell Kail. My hot-headed big brother would be really useful in this situation.

We passed the road that would lead to my house. I gave Derrick a look of fear.

"Don't you want to go home and fuck, sweetie?" He asked maniacally.

I gasped and shoved myself the furthest I could away from him. I couldn't underestimate him any longer. I pulled out my phone secretly so I could press two and call the man I always kept on my speed dial.

It was too late, though. Derrick pulled the phone from me and threw it out of the driver's window.

A half an hour passed by. Suddenly, he started pulling over, holding me tighter than ever. "Let's not wait. Come on, take off your dress!" I struggled as he began to pull at all the pieces of fabric that I was wearing.

This must have been where the adrenaline kicked in. I was somehow able to pry his arms off of me, punch him in the face, and exit the truck. I ran blindly through the ditch and into the dense forrest. I sat behind a bush and hid.

"You fuckin' tease!" I heard him yell as he got out and tried to follow after me. I had a stroke of luck, though, and he retreated back to the vehicle after ten minutes of looking. I heard the tires screech as he left.

I sat there and cried for what seemed like forever. We were miles and miles from home. My cell phone was ruined and I was freezing cold as it began to rain again. As I sat there I made myself a promise that I would never interact with that low life again. That I would stand by as my brothers ripped him piece from piece.

There was a rustling in the brush. I sat up, alarmed. Perhaps it was just one of the pack members who was nearby. I didn't realize how wrong I was until the creature pounced on me and started clawing at my chest. I stared face to face with a mountain lion. I felt my chest rip open and I clutched at the ground below me.

This was it. This was how I was going to die. I was never going to watch Holli grow up and fall in love. Or see the rest of my brothers imprint. I would never get a chance to say good-bye to the man who raised me. And I would never see Quil's face again.

I cried harder. Where was Quil? Hadn't he promised he would always protect me?

My mind tried to think of one last prayer but the pain spreading through my body hurt. The huge cat was gnawing on my arm playfully as I tried to crawl away. Every time I got further away, it would just pull me back and chew harder.

Before I allowed myself to faint, the cat was gone. It seemed as though it flew off me in a flash. My vision went blurred but I could still see a fair-haired man looking down at me with sparkling golden eyes. He stared at me and I started to lose consciousness. He started to wrap his arms around my body but I pushed him away. He was hard. Like he was made of stone.

"Don't fight. I'm not going to hurt you. You're going to be okay." Said this creature with a soothing voice that I couldn't help but trust. "Don't close your eyes. You have to stay awake."

[What's to come? :

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…... Gene's POV! ]