The red wolf had followed Ema home that night. More because Apollo needed somewhere warm and dry to lay low for a little while than simply 'choosing' to go. Ema cleansed all his wounds and gently re-bandaged them before settling in front of the television with her sister for a girly movie and some popcorn. Lucky for the girls Jake had taken Tia to her cousins for the night and was going on a fishing trip with his younger sister.

Apollo settled by the girl's feet for the duration of the movie. Ugh…I hate girly films… he wondered. It's always the same…girl meets guy, they fall in love, something happens, they get separated or break up…then they get back together…get married and live happily ever after. Apollo felt a soft ruffle of the fur on the top of his neck.

"Come up here sweetie." Ema cooed. Apollo stood and leapt into the tiny gap between the sisters, only getting comfy once he stretched himself so he was laying on Ema. His head rested on her leg and he struggled to keep his eyes open. As soon as the movie had ended and Apollo had eaten more than his share of the popcorn Ema insisted he lay at the bottom of her bed.

She grabbed a nightgown from the bed and left to get changed. He tried to make himself comfortable until he saw the pictures on her computer desk. He leapt down from the bed and on to the chair. Taped to the very edge of the screen was a small row of pictures taken from a picture booth of him (human Apollo) and Ema. They were messing around in the picture and he remembered the day clearly.

---

"Polly! Polly! I'm gonna go on the beach!" Trucy called as she ran excitedly on to the beach, her dad and Klavier soon following.

"Are you coming on the beach Ema?" He smiled warmly at the day dreaming detective.

"No thanks…"
"C'mon it'll be fun." He insisted.

"I don't like the sand and the sea…"

"Well…wanna go to the arcade then?" he offered.

"Sure!" She smiled a dazzling smile to him which rivalled even Klavier's.

Ten bucks in the arcade later as they ended their game (they'd been playing on several).

"Haha you suck Apollo!" Ema giggled.

"Yeah, yeah you're one to talk." He nudged her playfully.

"Hey!" She elbowed him a little harder.

Soon the fighting escalated until they were playfully banging in to each other and knocking each other from one end of the sidewalk to the other.
"OH MY GOD!!" Ema squealed. "The amusement park!"

"Wow Ema I've never seen you so excited!"

"Come on! On the rollercoaster! ROLLERCOASTER!!" This was so out of character for Ema it terrified Apollo.
"Ema no!!" He cried. "Please! I'm terrified of heights!"

"Coward!"

"No, I'm not kidding." He pulled her to one side.
"Hm…" She was looking for something, Apollo wasn't sure she knew what she was looking for. "…Ok!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the photo booth. He made sure never to tell anyone else – they'd never believe him.

-x-x-

She came back in and noticed him staring at the pictures. She gently pushed his head away, as if she was ashamed of the fact he had seen the pictures.

That night as Apollo lay in a semiconscious state he felt a rustling further up in the bed. There was a chocked sob then a murmur. All that night Apollo listened intently to Ema's murmurs – he'd never known a girl who shuffled so much in the bed.

-x-x-

On the other side of the town, the female Dracowolf was in front of the elder male she was with when they attacked Klavier. The older of the two males – the one with her now was her father. The younger – her partner Calvin.

Calvin was nowhere to be seen, making the female nervous. She was in trouble. Someone had found out or guessed what she had been doing during the missions and what she had done to the young attorney called Apollo. Her father was much older and he shot a death glare at her.

"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" He snarled, he didn't care about speaking human tongue, nobody else could hear him. Nice to see my father is keeping himself in line… she mentally growled.

"Helping you and the alpha!"

"No!!!" He roared and she was taken aback. "Now he knows we're on to him! You've ruined the ambush operation!"

"How?! The guys so battered up you could rip him to shreds without him scathing you!"

"Listen you arrogant little bitch!" He made her feel like a disobedient teenager and yet she was thirty two. "You're so much like you mother! Acting alone and disrespecting authority!"

"Leave my mother out of this! She paid the price for disobedience! You pushed her into the sea! You left her to die!"
"I might just do the same to you." He lunged forward and his claws dug deep into her tail and back as she turned to run. She shrieked and yelped in pain. "But!" He ripped his claws deeper into her flesh, breaking it. "I have orders from the alpha! You are hereby exiled."
"Exiled! You can't do that!" She couldn't react when he tore the tips of her sensitive wolf ears.
"You are not my daughter anymore! I never want to see you again!" He pulled his claw from the skin on her back, ripping the small hook like claws free. He then sliced her side, grabbed her neck and threw her out the door.

"Papa!" She slammed her human fists into the door. "…Papa…" She sobbed. She was ignoring the physical pain, the blood trailing down the side of her face.

She reached into her pocket, producing the gold bracelet with the eyes engraved on it. I always knew I was different…I have a heart and I have tainted it with evil… She forced herself up onto her human feet, gripping the wall.

"I need to…to go to hospital…" She clenched her fists on the gold bracelet. "I can…wash that taint…I need that kid to help…"

-x-x-

Apollo found himself following Ema through the streets to the precinct.

"Your job is to keep Klavier away from me. Ok puppy?" She patted his head gently. Puppy!? Apollo nodded to show he understood.

He lay beside her desk, listening intently to Klavier and Ema's conversation.

"Fraulien all I'm saying is that you really did look like you wanted me to."
"Klavier shut up! I didn't want you to kiss me! Now if you don't leave I'm going to set my dog on you!" Apollo growled on cue. Yet something was distracting him. He sensed a black Dracowolf approaching.

Ema and Klavier stood to join the small crowd forming by the door.

"State your business." An officer ordered.

"Not yours." The male replied. He sensed Ema and Klavier. Then he sensed what he had hoped for. The kid.

He stepped back then ran forward and lunged over the crowd as the proud black Dracowolf. He went straight for Ema. Apollo knew this would happen. As the black wolf got closer he leapt from behind Ema and brought them both down. Recovering the fastest Apollo encouraged the larger black animal after him.

The female had sensed Calvin, he was going to kill the kid she needed. Why was he to do it? Did he somehow get approval off the alpha? If that was the case, he would be told to kill her on sight as well. With no soul he was more than capable of that. She burst through the door after the large male, human her navigating through the crowd at the door and managing to pull the red wolf out into the open.
"Let go of me!" Apollo ordered.

"You have to let me help you." She whispered in his ear. "Here." She clipped his missing bracelet over the correct paw.

"Well, well." The black Dracowolf male appeared from behind a desk, just by the stunned Ema's feet. "Molly the good girl and of course the half breed king of the Dracowolves." Both Apollo and Molly snarled.

"If she didn't have orders to kill me…nor do you!" Apollo bit back in human.

"How did you know that?" She still clung tight to Apollo.

"Psychic ability."

"Maybe…I should just kill her." He signalled with his poor to Ema who whimpered.

"Leave her alone!" Apollo snarled.

"Or what?" He cackled bracing himself to attack Molly and Apollo first. "Although it would be more fun to kill you two first."

Apollo broke free, ripping at Calvin's paws. He knew black Dracowolves hated it, it hindered their movement, forced them to stop brutal attacks. He yelped and stood in human form. Throwing Apollo off of him and forcing the attorney to catch his bracelet with his claw. He swiftly slapped Molly with enough force to knock her into the nearby desk.

Apollo forced himself to open his eyes again. Tumbling on to all fours before standing as a human, the bandage on his neck tore open and the injury on his hand bleeding through more fresh cuts.

"…Apollo!..." Ema cried out weakly but he was ashamed.

He turned and ran, past all the crowds. Ema recovered almost instantly and followed him, by the time she had gotten to the door he had gone.

"…Apollo…" Molly appeared behind her as she began to cry.

"Our race do not take easily to defeat, he will soon come round." She assured, although Ema was confused as to what she meant. "I have to make sure the precinct is not a target until his return." She ran out into the street in her wolf form and all that was heard was the screeching of tires and beeping of horns.

King? Dracowolf? Apollo is a wolf? I…

She wished he hadn't fled, she had so many questions. She wanted to hug him, to kiss him and tell him what he means to her. She broke down by the door and although she didn't realise it. From the rooftop opposite. The red wolf could hear her.