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It didn't take long for Damon to catch me, it never did.

He tackled me to the ground, but I fought him off, trailed him for a minute, then decided to make the Change.

After all, that's what I was really craving.

Finding a nice hidden place, I fell to my knees.

The Change wasn't necessarily something that we had to hide from each other, but something about being so exposed, so vulnerable...it was wrong not to be allowed privacy.

Alaric and Damon we're the only two that had even seen me make the Change, and that had only been in specific situations, such as when lives were at stake.

This time was nothing like that.

I got on all fours, and waited, pushing the wolf out of me as I did so, falling into the Change, instead of fighting it.

It was never any less painful, but going along with the ache made the transition more bearable.

A tingling sensation started in my hands, and I knew the Change was upon me.

Fading into it, I gave my body up.

Moments passed.

I was breathing hard, laid out on the ground.

I nodded my head to clear it, and pulled myself onto my feet.

All four of them.

As soon as I was steady, my mind relaxed, my wolf instincts taking over.

I shook my fur out, then stretched, feeling the dirt beneath my paws.

I took a moment to soak in the woods around me.

The smells, the sights, every little sound.

As a wolf, I was apart of it all.

I heard the thunder of paws hitting the ground from the west, and turned my head, just in time to see Damon fly over me, landing perfectly on his hackles, then whirl around.

His black fur made him nearly impossible to see, even with my supernatural 20/20.

He glided through the trees quickly, taunting me to the challenge.

Unable to ignore the rush I felt, I took off after him.

Damon was a large wolf, with powerful strides, but I was faster.

I gained on him easily enough, and lunged at one of his hind legs.

A snarl ripped through him as he realized I'd caught him, and he spun around, pinning me.

We rolled on the forest floor for a bit, nipping, chewing, and gaining control of each other, then we were off again, on different paths this time, sprinting through the woods.

Running as a wolf was not a thing humans had an equal comparison for.

There was nothing else like it in the world.

I pushed myself harder, faster, more.

I lost all sense of who I was, where I was.

It didn't matter.

Only the dirt beneath my paws did, as I weaved in and out of the trees, no real destination in mind.

A little voice in my head tried to tell me this was wrong.

This isn't your life anymore.

You left, remember?

It was the humanity, angry at being shut out.

However, as I pushed, I didn't care about the angry voice.

Only the run.

I noticed that there did seem to be one thing missing, though.

One last thing that differentiated these woods from the lonely outskirts of New York.

As I thought about exactly what it was, a howl pierced the night.

It was not musical night singing, but the echoing cry of a lone wolf.

Of blood calling to blood.

I closed my eyes and felt the sound vibrate through me.

Then, I threw back my head and responded.

There was that voice in my head, screaming out to me now, the anger taken over by something closer to dread.

No, it told me.

Not that.

You can claim the forest.

Claim the air and the paths and the trees and the animals.

All the other wonders, but don't claim that.

Don't claim him.

My wolf side fought the emotion down to a hum.

Until I forgot why it was even warning me in the first place.

But then, it didn't matter.

Halfway to where Damon was waiting for me, a ringing bang stopped me cold.

A gunshot.

I halted, my ears perking so I could confirm my suspicions.

Another shot rang out.

Voices, male voices.

Curious, I slinked through the shadows, making my way toward the boundary line, where county land became the Pack's private property.

Strange, that the humans would come so close to the fence.

They certainly never had before.

Mystic Falls was a small enough place that people talked.

The Old Salvatore Boarding house was occupied, they knew that much.

They knew the occupants liked to keep to themselves, and stuck to their land.

There had been no issue, aside from gossip.

So what were-

I was interrupted as Damon appeared out of nowhere, blocking my path.

His ears were back, his teeth exposed.

A warning.

Didn't he know I could smell the humans from here?

We should see what was going on.

I nudged him that way, but he hardly budged, releasing a low growl.

He nipped at my feet, forcing me back.

I wasn't really sure what his deal was.

I just wanted a closer look.

My chocolate fur was dark enough that I wouldn't be spotted in the night.

Another gunshot rang out, and I whined.

I wanted to know why they were so close!

Damon snarled now, as he used his height to his advantage, standing over me.

In a move I thought was smart, I tried to sidestep him, but he caught me in the last second, his teeth sinking into the extra skin on the back of my neck.

He pinned my head to the ground, then shook it a few times.

Like a pup that had misbehaved.

Then he was biting at my feet again, using his body to nudge me along.

This time, I grudgingly obeyed.

He ran ahead of me, going toward a clearing near the edge of the house.

I could follow his scent.

I ducked off, toward the end, to Change, and by the time I reached the clearing, Damon was there, also human, waiting with his arms crossed.

He was naked, of course, his clothing still in a pile beside mine, in the house.

Naked, Damon was even more perfect than when he was dressed.

Not that I would admit it out loud to him.

But still, seeing him, a slow flush of heat ran through me, bringing to mind memories of other runs and the activities that had inevitably followed.

I cursed my body's betrayal and strode toward him.

"What is your deal?" I demanded, reminding myself that I was angry at him before.

"My deal?" He rose to the challenge, "What's yours?! Running straight at a loaded gun! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

I rolled my eyes, huffing, "I wouldn't have actually crossed the property line, and you know it."

He shook his head, "Elena, they are on the property."

"Oh, that's a load of-" I stopped and studied his face. "Wait...you're serious, aren't you?"

But...he couldn't be.

Hunters? Human hunters, at that.

On Alaric's land?

"Are you getting soft in your old age?" I shot, just to be a bitch.

After all, it was Damon's job to protect the Alpha.
The barb struck deeper than I had hoped.

Damon's mouth tightened.

His eyes went hard, and rage simmered there, mere degrees from explosion.

Thankfully, anger wasn't directed at me.

It was toward those who had dared invade his sanctuary.

Every fiber in Damon would rebel at the thought of allowing armed men on the property, his inner wolf clawing at the urge to defend it's territory.

Only one thing would keep him from hunting them down...an Alpha's command.

So Alaric must have forbidden him to take care of these trespassers, forbidden him not only to kill them, but to even use his infamous scare tactics, which was Damon's usual method of dealing with human trespassers.

Still, it seemed strange that Alaric would just allow humans on Pack territory.

It must tie into whatever it was that had signaled the need for a Meeting.

Whatever Alaric needed us for.

I remembered the taxi driver talking about the wild dogs that had supposedly killed a woman or something.

Was it a Mutt, misbehaving this close to the Pack?

That didn't seem right either.

Mutts didn't trespass into Pack lands, and for good reason.

Damon's methods for dealing with them were so renowned that one hadn't come within a hundred miles of Mystic Falls in over fifteen years.

The rumor was that Damon had dismembered the last trespassing werewolf, finger by finger.

Limb by limb.

Keeping him alive until the last possible moment, when he'd ripped off his head.

Damon had been young at the time, seventeen, to be exact, and he done plenty to earn his reputation since.

So surely, one wouldn't be stupid enough to kill in our town.

But then again, Mutts weren't known for their brains, or outstanding common sense.

I shook my head, by body and mind already feeling drained.

"Let's go get dressed," I suggested.

Damon nodded, "Alaric would have heard us. I'm sure he's back by now."

Alaric was back.

I could smell him the second we walked through the back door, and despite my earlier frustration with the male, a grin broke across my face.

"Ric," I crossed into the study, where Damon and my clothes laid, perfectly folded now, on the nearby couch.

Alaric was standing by the fireplace, drink in hand, low slung jeans on his hips, an unbuttoned flannel hanging from his shoulders.

He smiled when he saw me.

I rushed over, throwing my arms around his middle, squeezing.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, hugging me back.

Again, I found myself glad that the nakedness was so natural between us all.

"I'm glad you came," Alaric told me, before pulling away so I could grab my clothes.

"It did sound urgent," I pointed out, slipping on my underwear and bra.

Then my shirt, as a leaf fell from my hair.

I would need a shower soon.

"It is," he assured me, "And we will discuss it tomorrow. The others should be here in time for breakfast. I would much rather we all discuss it together."

I finished pulling my shirt over my tights, then straightened.

"Why can't you just tell me now?" I asked.

The point of coming here was to figure out the issue, deem if I was even necessary, then take off, back to my life in New York.

Alaric's extended secret keeping wouldn't change that.

"The Pack should all be together, first," he insisted, as Damon moved to make us drinks.

"That's bullshit, Ric. Just tell me."

"I will," he promised calmly, "In the morning, with the rest of the pack."

I growled.

I didn't come here to play Alaric's mind games, or to put up with being treated like a child as he attempted manipulate me into staying an unnecessary night in my old room.

Then tomorrow, with the entire Pack.

I had to fight the urge to bolt out the door now.

"If you can't tell me now, then clearly it isn't that important," I appealed, "Which couldn't be true, because then I'd be allowed to leave. Tonight."

"You are allowed to leave," Alaric offered.

Damon's head shot up, his expression clearly contradicting Alaric's words.

"I wish you wouldn't, but should you do decide to, I will have Damon take you to the airport. No need to pay a cab, and the added protection couldn't hurt."

I scoffed, crossing my arms, "You must be crazy, Ric. I would probably be safer catching a ride with the local psychopath."

Damon stepped up then, placing a glass in my hand.

"You forget, kitten," he drawled, "I am the local psychopath."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring him in favor of taking a sip of the bourbon he'd poured for me.

It burned as I swallowed.

"I will ask you to consider staying," Alaric carried on, in that steady way of his, "My reasons haven't changed. I would like you to be here. I won't make it an order. But you can understand the difficult situation it places me in, if you side against the Pack."

I heard the threat, despite how passive aggressive his words were.

I knew what he meant.

If I refused to help when the Pack needed me, I would be branded a Mutt.

There was no middle ground allowed.

Not even for me.

My nostrils flared, "You've never pushed the fact before."

Ric looked at me with heavy eyes, "I've never had to. I understood your need to get away for a while. To have us keep our distance while you expand your wings, so to speak, but you are what you are, Elena. And you can't out run that. And in times like these, it's better to have everyone together."

I wanted to argue back.

To exclaim my freedom, to cut my ties...but I knew that it was impossible.

To Alaric, my leaving was just a phase I had to go through before eventually coming home.

Nothing more or less than a simple rebellion that I would get over.

That wasn't right, but he wasn't completely wrong, on the other matter.

I couldn't ignore the fact that I was a werewolf, part of the Pack.

And it seemed like the only way for everyone to be satisfied was if I responded when called.

Could I live in New York, and still be an extension of the Pack?

It wasn't exactly the liberation I'd hoped for, but better than being branded a Mutt.

"Fine," I hissed, annoyed, "I'll stay until the others arrive, but if I don't feel as if you truly need me, I'm gone."

Alaric nodded, "If that is your wish."

I downed the rest of my drink, then stormed out of the room, toward the stairs.

The door to my old room was easy enough to find.

Alaric's scent was strong here,tangled with mine, so he must have brought my bags up.

I paused outside my room.

It had been a while since I'd lived here.

With a breath, I forced through the wave of nostalgia, and walked inside.

A single lamp was on in the corner, casting a yellow glaze across everything.

The window, which overlooked the backyard and forest beyond, was slightly cracked open, letting tendrils of fresh air weave through.

My bags waited for me upon my queen sized canopy bed.

Everything else looked the same.

Same dresser and vanity with its large mirror, same white walls with different paintings hanging from them.

A faded smell of both Alaric and Damon, proving that they'd been inside since my departure.

I tried not to think about that.

I refused to feel guilty over leaving, no matter what the others thought.

Walking to the bed, I grabbed my bag, and pulled it open.

There were a few rooms that had connecting bathrooms, and luckily, mine was one of them.

I would take a shower, text Caroline and Matt, then try to get some sleep.

I would be back in New York before I knew it.

As I pulled out a change of clothes, a light tapping hit the door.

I didn't answer, knowing that if it was who I thought it was, they'd help themselves.

Sure enough, the door opened and Damon strode in.

"Getting comfortable?" He asked, noting the pajamas I'd pulled out.

He seemed amused, probably because he knew that I used to sleep completely absent of restricting clothes.

It was easier.

But since I'd tried living as a human again, I knew I'd have to get back in the habit.

Even Matt would question it if I slept nude every night.

"No need to get comfortable when I doubt I'll be staying long."

That dampened Damon's mood real quick.

"We need you here."

"You really don't," I insisted, "Now, other than just annoying me to death, what did you want?"

He only smiled.

"What the hell do you want?" I repeated.
His smile turned to a grin, white teeth flashing. "You. What else?"

Surprise, surprise.

"Where?" I challenged him, my voice thick with sarcasm, "Right here? On the floor? Or do you mind if I take a second to pull the sheets back on the bed?"

He chucked, "Nah, not that. Not yet, at least. Just the same old thing I always want. You, here for good."
I wished he'd stuck with my interpretation.
"I really am glad you're home, kitten. I missed you."

I closed my eyes and exhaled, "Noted. Now, leave so I can take my shower."

His brow rose, "Rude."

I narrowed my gaze, "Well my apologies, Mr. Salvatore, I wasn't aware your emotions were so fragile."

He chuckled as I moved around him, picking up my clothes, and my cell phone, just in case he decided to help himself, and walked toward my bathroom.

I'd just reached the handle when his next words froze me.

"No apology necessary, Mrs. Salvatore."

Don't know if this counts as a cliffhanger, buuuut there it is :)

The next chapter will contain more background story, and clear up a little ;)

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