Alix opened her eyes and saw everything in a new light.

She was in a new place now. Everything seemed normal.

Then she saw the wolf.

It was beautiful, powerful. Pure white, as clean as snow. As it ran, Alix ran with it.

Then she was it.

She was the wolf that was running...away? Towards? Nowhere? Where are you going, wolf?

Are you lost?

Yes. She was lost in her thoughts, dreams, musings...running away, towards, and nowhere. She wanted to run away from this destiny, this fate, that was so intent on catching up to her. It would swallow her whole. Now she felt its tongue licked at her heels. She whined, a sharp high noise, and pushed herself to double the effort.

She growled at herself. Werewolf. Ugh. That bloody name sent cold chills and hot flashes up and down her spine, simultaneously.

And then she saw her place of refuge where she never had to hide. No curious eyes to hide from. Only warm hugs and soft beds to sink into and take hold while the promise, or threat, of another day comes, looming in the darkness. Waiting to turn into day.

Alix saw herself slow down as she neared the house. Her tail was wagging back and forth like an excited puppy. She had never felt so happy before.

And then, as she nudged her way gently through the door into the house, she was pelted with weakness. Tired...so tired...when did she become so? There was no way that she could have worn herself out so easily, not without knowing. But she did and now all she wanted was sleep. Beautiful, fulfilling sleep that so evilly eluded her senses, dancing away from her grasp. She longed to sink into her fluffy covers, to lay her head on that pillow, offer up a mumbled prayer of thanks, and let go. Let go to dream, to live, to sleep...

It seemed to be too good to be true when she blacked out on the open threshold.

Alix opened her eyes.

She sighed, seeing her parents' stricken faces.

"You guys, I think I was close to death back there. There were...voices, spirits I guess. They wanted to take me but when I said no they were angry. I was scared. They said I'd die one day and they would have me again. They said that their angel must come back. I didn't think about that. I just said okay, that was fair. Then, I woke up."

Carlisle's eyes tightened. "It certainly sounds like you were treading death. Doesn't it Bella?"

Bella averted her eyes away from his steady gaze. "Yes, it does." She whispered faintly.

Alix frowned. What were they talking about? Had her mother been close to death also?

"Only, I only heard one voice..."

Jacob took in a sharp breath and exited the room. Bella looked after him sadly.

"He still has trouble dealing with it." Bella said softly as the back door slammed.

Carlisle nodded curtly. "Understandable. But Bella, could this be...hereditary? I mean, the voices..."

Bella shook her head. "No, it couldn't be. That was just my personal moment of weakness. I was scared of abandonment. Alix has a different situation."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Alix demanded.

Bell sighed. "I had a rough time around high school. I had become attached to your...Uncle Edward. He left me and I snapped. Your father helped fix me up. But I had a moment of...weakness, of relapse. I jumped off a cliff. I had learned that if I put myself in a dangerous situation, I could hear Edward's voice. I promise you I wasn't trying to kill myself." Bella rushed on, seeing the shocked looks on Jake's and Alix's faces. "It was simply for recreational purposes and a nice little high of adrenaline. Jacob rescued me and well, I've been with him ever since." Bella looked down at her hands clenched into a double fist. She tried to loosen them and relieve herself of the tension. But she was very tense, like she was expecting something to happen. She shook her head.

"But that's not the same thing you have here, Carlisle. Alix simply was tired and overexerted herself. Plus, she's trying to deal with high school and being a werewolf. It's a hard life." Bella argued.

Carlisle shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe you're right. But it's surprising that you felt the need to keep this a secret from your children."

Bella opened her mouth to argue but Carlisle held up a hand.

"No, I don't want to hear your reasons for it. No doubt I'll disagree with them." Then he turned to Alix. "Alix, please try to get some rest and plenty of liquids into your system. You'll be whole again in a relatively short time. Just no more late night runs, got it?"

Alix nodded. "Got it."

"I'll make sure she keeps to that promise." Jake piped up from his place next to his sister on the couch.

Alix glared at him. Jake stuck his tongue out at her.

Carlisle smiled, showing his perfect, shiny white teeth. "As long as she doesn't maul you in the process, Jake."

Alix and Bella laughed while Jake frowned.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it." Alix giggled.

Jake rolled his eyes and went upstairs calling out, "Well, since you're so much better I think I'll go SLEEP! Wake me up at two in the morning..." Jake muttered darkly.

Bella inched closer to Alix. She put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "But why Alix? Why did you stay out all day?"

Alix paused.

Then she shrugged. "I guess I was just being a wolf."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, ok. Just get to bed. Tomorrow, or rather today, you have school to go to."

Alix's eyes lit up. It'd been a week and then some since she'd been away from school. She wanted to finally experience high school life.

But what about Wes?

Would she truly be able to stay calm and in control around him?

Riiiiiiing!

Alix woke up from her badly needed sleep and jumped out of bed. She ran to her bathroom and scrubbed her face with vigor. Today was the day she'd been waiting for. Today was the day she'd go back to high school, or start it. She had finally mastered the art of controlling her temper and Jacob believed she was ready to go back, or to arrive.

Now she was going to put her skills to the test.

She dressed in record speed and dashed down the stairs with her new strength. She absently ran her fingers through her long black tresses as she entered the kitchen. Her parents were already there.

Alix wrinkled her nose in disgust.

And they were kissing. Looks like Jacob had gotten over this morning. Still...

Gross.

When her parents kissed they really got into it. You could practically feel the heat rolling off of them,

"HELLO?" Alix interrupted rudely.

Her parents jumped apart. looking like to naughty children.

Alix snorted and opened the fridge.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking and let me warn you, I don't do babies." Alix muttered darkly.

Bella didn't hear her but Jacob did.

He turned dark red as he muttered back. "Shut up Alix."

Alix emerged from the fridge with orange juice and a smirk. Shutting the door with a snap!, Alix turned to face her parents.

"Shut don't go up but my foot will up yours, pup." Alix retorted.

Jacob narrowed his eyes, reliving the memory the last time somebody called him pup.

"You seem to forget who the parent is around here Alixandra." Jacob growled through his teeth.

Alix rolled her eyes behind his back. She knew her father would never punish her. She was daddy's little girl. She just felt especially bitchy today. She was nervous.

"Oh. My bad." Alix responded flatly.

Bella smirked and edged silently towards the stove where a pan of bacon slowly simmered.

"Oh, cut it out you two. Like children you are." Bella scowled as grease popped out of the pan.

Jacob sighed. "Sorry Bells,"

Alix laughed to herself. Her dad was such a softy.

Then Jake tumbled down the stairs.

"Wha fo' breakdast?" Jake mumbled tiredly.

"Bacon, toast, eggs, and juice." Bella answered from the stove.

"Yum," Jake said simply before plopping his butt into a chair and slumping instantly.

Alix swallowed her juice slowly. She really didn't want to get into an altercation right now...

"Thanks Al. Thanks a boatload. I don't think I can move another step." Jake yawned, jaw cracking tremendously.

Alix averted her gaze. "Sorry. You didn't have to stay up though." She said softly.

"Bull. I was worried." Jake said simply.

"That's sweet." Billy's voice rumbled from the hallway.

They all turned to see their grandfather roll himself into the kitchen and settle next to Alix.

"Hey gramps, I was wondering. Can you turn into a werewolf too?" Alix asked.

Billy laughed. "Why would I want to do that for? I couldn't use my legs. And it'd be sure 'nough hard to get around in my old age."

Alix's eyes sparkled as she laughed. "Yeah, I guess that was a stupid questions."

Billy abruptly stopped laughing. His eyes turned very serious.

"The only stupid questions are the ones that are never asked. Never forget that Alix." Billy said sternly.

Alix blinked, confused by her grandfather's sudden attitude change. He left her two steps behind often.

"Um, OK gramps." Alix tried to recover.

Billy smiled and looked up at Bella. "So, what's for..."

Bella sighed and placed the food on the table. "There! The next person who asks me...just eat. Hope it's enough because we're running dangerously low."

The werewolves plus Billy dug in.

"Savages." Bella muttered as she ate her own plate by the stove, avoiding the havoc and chaos they were unleashing.

Alix shot up from the table and danced with her plate on her way to the dishwasher though the tiny kitchen.

"Weee..."Alix sang tonelessly. (A little high...)

"Someone's happy." Jake said with heavily implied tones.

Alix considered giving him the finger but decided she was having a great day today. Well, this morning was already down the toilet and flushed into oblivion. She couldn't do anything about that. But she was going to try to keep her slate clean for the rest of the day.

Only problem was she was still freaked out about her abnormal 'dream' and how cold she felt. She'd never felt that cold before. Not even when she was human...

Alix shuddered at the thought. Then she jumped up to clean off her plate. She wouldn't think about it.

Jake narrowed his eyes at his sister. Then he shrugged it off. Alix was always weird. He wouldn't think about it. He was just glad that she was...alive. Was it just yesterday when he was thinking about her funeral? She was so freakin close...

He jumped up and copied his sister and put his plate in the sink. His mind was numb. He picked up his backpack and was about to go out the door.

"Bye Jake." Jacob said.

Bella shook her head furiously. "No! Wait Jake. You're going to take Alix with you. I'm not taking any chances."

Jacob, Alix, and Jake rolled their eyes simultaneously.

Billy just laughed to himself.

"Oh, c'mon Bells." Jacob complained.

"Aw Mom!" Jake and Alix wailed.

Bella frowned at all of them. "Oh, so you want to take the chance that Alix has another heart attack or whatever and dies on the sidewalk?! Or maybe, you just want her to combust into a werewolf again in plain sight?! Do you want to be responsible for the next funeral when you knew you could have prevented it?"

They all winced at the word 'funeral'. It wasn't in their vocabulary. It hurt.

Bella knew that.

Jake sighed and dropped his bag on the floor. "Ok, mom. I'll wait. I can't let my lil sis combust now, can I?" He smiled wryly.

Jacob and Billy just shook their heads and dug into their food again.

Bella let out a shaky breath, tears in the corners of her eyes. She was relieved. Last night, Alix had affected her deeply. She wouldn't let that happen again.

Alix rolled her eyes at her mother's rant. It was nice that she cared, but this was silly. She wasn't going to 'combust' in plain public! As for her 'attack', well, she didn't know what that was about but she would try to stop it from happening again.

Alix went up the stairs to get her bag and came back down to see Jake holding the door open for her.

She raised an eyebrow but otherwise, ignored it as she walked out of the door.

She heard the door close shut and Jake lock it with his house keys. She smiled brightly and started to run towards the bus stop. She heard Jake quietly running behind her. They were both pretty strong and running was like second nature to them. They didn't break a sweat. It felt like walking.

They both stopped a few steps away from the bus stop. Alix, because she didn't want to make a scene. Jake, because he wanted to see if Alix could handle being around...others.

Jake put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Alix swallowed, her bag feeling too heavy and tight on her shoulders. She bit her lip before she answered him.

"I...feel okay. I think I'll be able to handle...this."

Jake squeezed her shoulder before he stepped over to his friends.

Alix took in a deep breath and squared her shoulders before following her brother.

Quil was standing by himself, a little ways away from Jake and his friends. Alix glanced at him. He looked up and grinned at her.

Alix walked over and put up a 'I come in peace' sign.

"Is it safe?" Alix stage whispered to him, her eyes mocking.

Quil shook his head before he ruffled Alix's hair. She swatted his hand away, trying to ignore the spark she felt tingling down her back.

"Quil!" Alix complained lightly.

"Hey Al. Missed ya. How ya been holding up?" Quil asked her quietly.

Alix narrowed her eyes. "Whaddya mean, Quil?"

Quil's bright black eyes became angry. "I know what happened to you Alix. I don't know how..."

He shook his head and rubbed his neck, a sure sign he was trying to calm himself down.

"I'm just glad you're alive." He pulled her into a warm, bear hug.

Alix wiggled, trying to get away.

"That's none..of your...business! Who told you?! Argh...get off!"

Quil's eyebrows creased as he let her go.

"Who do you think? Jacob told my dad and my dad told me. Nothing a secret anymore." He seemed to say that last part sadly.

Alix bit her lip, a habit she had adopted from her mom. "Sorry. I...forgot."

Quil sneered at her. "Sorry? You forgot who you are?" Then he started to laugh.

Alix stepped back from him quickly only to run into someone from behind.

Alix turned around, apologizing profusely when she saw who she ran into.

Then she let out an indignant yell.

"Argh! Wes! Get away from me!"

Wes had grabbed her arms to steady her and keep her from running away.

"Whoa Alix! Wait a sec!" Wes exclaimed.

Alix bit her lip harder.

"What do you want?" She fired back at him.

Wes flinched as she yelled at him. He let go of her arms to hold her shoulders.

"Hey, c'mon. I'm sorry Alix. I really am. It was wrong of me to do...that. Please don't be mad at me." He gently messaged her shoulders.

Quil growled low in his chest.

Alix was starting to relax. She felt like jello. Wes had amazing hands...

Alix blinked hard. Wait! This was Wes! Her best...well, used-to-be-best friend. She couldn't just drop him because he was acting like a pigheaded boy.

Alix sighed contentedly at her decision.

"Ok, Wes. I forgive you. And thanks for the message. I really missed them..." Alix smiled at him as he smiled back.

Wes rubbed his nose against her neck. Smelling her scent.

"Thank you Ally. You can't really blame me for wanting to be...more than friends, can you?" Wes whispered in her ear.

Alix shuddered. It was a different shudder. She liked it.

"Wes..." She shut her mouth quickly. That sounded like a moan...dammit.

Wes grinned. He heard her.

Quil was clenching his fists that were trembling. His father had warned him of this. If he couldn't control himself...then he couldn't come to school. He didn't want to lose his studies. Plus, his friends were all here...he didn't want to lose that at all.

Wes trailed his fingers down Alix's arms, to her hands and linked them.

Alix felt like her skin was on fire.

She felt...like a werewolf.

Quil growled furiously and reluctantly ran into the woods, leaving his bag in the dust.

Alix's eyes flashed opened as she heard Quil departing.

"Quil!" Alix breathed.

Wes frowned as he turned.

"Wasn't he...?"

Alix ripped her hands out of his as she followed Quil into the woods.

"Alix! What're you doing?" Wes yelled after her.

Alix turned slightly to answer him. "I'm going to try to bring him back!"

Jake stopped laughing with his friends when he heard Alix's voice yelling. He turned around to see Wes staring hard into the woods.

Jake was at Wes' side in a second.

"Where is Alix?" Jake growled at him.

Wes blinked at Jake's tone.

"Dude, I didn't do anything! I swear! Quil just took off running into the woods and Alix ran after him to bring him back. I have no idea what's going on Jake!" Wes held up his hands.

Jake shook his head, trying to keep the flames that were licking across his skin back. He couldn't change yet.

"Thanks Wes. Now they're both in trouble." Jake said flatly as he took off into the forest.

Wes shook his head. The Blacks were a strange family, he thought. Then he smiled to himself as he thought of Alix Black. That one was special. He'd keep a close eye on her. It helped that he also had a crush on her, just like she had on him.

He walked back to his other friends right by the bus stop sign. He'd just wait for her. She would eventually come back to him. He wasn't going to let her go.