Chapter Seven

I may have thought my sleep was dreamless, but I just didn't remember them.

My foster parents watched me closely, curiously, as my four-year old self deftly juggled the 3 ten pound boxes. They didn't say anything though; they knew I wasn't normal. Their minds thought up excuses and logical explanations for my strangeness. After all, they were only human.

XxXxXxXxX

The doctor came into the check-up room, scrawling on her clipboard. "Healthy as usual."

Today was my yearly physical, I was seven.

"Are you sure you don't want her blood teste-?" The doctor began to ask in her thick Indian accent.

Mom cut in, "You know how she is around needles. Besides, I doubt she'll have some life-threatening illness; she doesn't even get colds." My mom recalled how every year the same conversation took place.

XxXxXxXxX

I'm nine as my mom hands me my small duffel bag. "The dressing room is right over there," She pointed to a dark hallway leading to a gold painted door, "Everything's in your bag, get ready and Ms. Lee will introduce you to the other girls." I only glared.

I heard her sigh as I trudged down the hallway, horrified at the thought of spending the two hours leaping around in a frilly pink leotard.

About an hour later I sat in the passenger seat of the car, smirking to no one in particular. My mother on the other hand, was fuming, "I can't believe you acted that way! Your first lesson and you get kicked out!"

I was actually quite proud of those statistics.

My sweet, sweet mother was refering to the way I had perhaps twirled my stuck-up partner a bit too hard, or the way I'd done my three laps a tad too fast- I was trying to escape the little kiss-ups who were bragging about their new Gucci bags to the teacher. Maybe my mother was even refering to the way I'd snarled at Ms. Lee for saying my turns weren't tight enough. I didn't even want to be there, I certainly didn't give a thought about my turns!

And I couldn't help that I unnerve people who don't try to know me. I'm always a little too fast, a little too strong, a little too odd.

At least it got me out of the dance lessons.

XxXxXxXxX

Fourteen years-old and I have a second degree black belt in Karate and a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do.

I like martial arts; being too fast and strong is envied, not shunned. I can knock people on their butts and get praise, not riducule. I'm in my glory as I stand in my white uniform, staring people in the eye as the crowd cheers us on. We duck and hit, kick and dodge.

Amazingly, I've even made a few friends: Emery and Nolan. They both train with me. Nolan's girlfriend, Valerie is really nice too. She's just starting out in the martial arts, but she's good. I'm sure we'll all be friends.

My master's say I've gained the gait of a tiger,- they always talk like that, I mean, they really are from Asia- dangerous and graceful. Unlike the housecat I'd be if I'd stuck to frills and leotards.

XxXxXxXxX

I spend my seventeenth birthday at home with my three closest- and only- friends; Valerie, Nolan and Emery. We're clearing up the third round of popcorn and pop glasses when Nolan speaks.

"I think being a werewolf would be awesome," We had just finished watching my favorite movie Blood and Chocolate.

"Why?" I ask him.

Nolan hesitates by my question, "You get all those abilities."

"But is it worth it? I mean, Vivian has to keep everything a secret from Aiden and any other human. She's given no choice on how to live her life."

Valerie steps in, "But she has her Pack. Sure, there's a few of them that only want to hurt or use her, but she really cares for Astrid. And there's a happy ending."

Valerie loves happy endings.

"Only because she killed everyone who tried to stop her," I really did hate to burst her bubble, "Besides, real life never has happy endings, just short content breaks." I murmer.

That night I told the three that I was moving.

XxXxXxXxX

I took a deep breath, ignoring the werewolf scents, and dialed the number on the post-it pad. I heard the dial tone and about freaked out and hung up when a deep voice answered, "Zdravstvuite?"

It was Russian- I should have anticipated that. How the hell was I supposed to talk in Russian, maybe this wasn't Roman? I decided to take a stab at getting an english speaking werewolf.

"Hello, may I speak to Roman...,"I glanced at the pad, "Novikov? Please?"

I recieved a grunt in response, then some shuffling in the background. After three minutes of listening to an exchange in Russian I was beginning to think they had forgot about me, then a more pleasent, lighter voice said, "Hello." Thank god for english speaking Russian werewolves!

"This is Kaine Arden, I understand you're the Russian Alpha and that I was to call you." I sounded horribly stiff, but what can I say, I hate talking to strangers over the phone.

"Ah, Kaine, So good to talk to you! I knew your father, such good man. I hoped I get to talk to his child someday!" I had to work to understand him, his accent was so thick.

"Until two weeks ago, I didn't know I was his child," I muttered drily, "I was wondering if maybe you could tell me about him?" I was so desperate for information that at this point if he didn't give me any, I wouldn't bat an eye at getting on the next flight to Russia and Kicking his ass.

Thankfully- for the airline would be seriously pissed if I'd payed for a ticket in nickels- he had information to supply, "Of course! Well he was Pack member here for many years; my right-hand man so to speak. Then he met woman. One day he up and left. He called from Moscow pay phone to tell us he okay; explained he running away with woman who was pregnate." I heard him take a sip of a drink, "They planned to go to America and start over. He ask us not to contact them. I not happy with his choice, but respected it.

"Two months went by before we heard from him again. He was...," Roman searched for theword, "Frantic. Brian said Cassandra taken by werewolf ask us for help to get her back. I not want to end relationship badly so I agreed."

I must have been deathly silent because Roman said, "Kaine? You still there?"

I responded with a quiet yes, hoping he would get on with the story.

He did, "We tracked down your mother, it not hard to do, and not many people to fight. Your father devestated to find after rescue that your mother was werewolf. Then shortly after we learned pregnancy was miscarriage. I knew he lied, though for your own good. Brian wanted to keep secret so you be safe." I heard him take another sip of his drink.

"I sent in clean-up team, they found log book. I read it and was horrified with what he did to Cassandra. He turned her to werewolf using his experimentational spit. Then also did it to embryo- to you. It supposed to create super-werewolf. From what Elena said, it worked. I not know why it not make you Change then in the womb, but it make you like born hereditary werewolf. Mutt tortured your mother with aweful experiments on you and her. I'm so sorry Kaine."

What was I supposed to say? Oh, it's not your fault I'm an experimentational super-werewolf. No, really, it's nothing! Instead I cleared my throat and asked, "Is there anything else I should know?"

"We tried to get hold of Brian, he not listen. He always stubborn one," Roman kind of faded off, reminescing on the past. "But Kaine, I need you know we never killed mutt, he slipped away. I not think he reappear after seventeen years, but be careful. No doubt he still wants you back because of abilities you have. If you need us for anything, you only call."

"Okay," My throat was about as dry and scratchy as sandpaper. The mutt who did that to me and my mom was still alive? I had to ask the million dollar question though, "Do you think he killed my parents?"

Roman considered for a momment, "Not without help. Only reason he slipped past us in first place because he had mix of mutts and humans around him. But he not fighter."

Oh great! So now he had murderous friends! "Well thank you for your help, but I have to go ummm... lie down," According to the clock, it was only four in the afternoon.

"My pleasure Kaine, call anytime you want," with that, he hung up.

I walked past the sunroom with the curious faces within and followed my week-old scent upstairs to the room I'd woken up in. The one with blue walls and white trim.

I guess my brain was too overloaded to notice the smell of another werewolf hung thickly in the air, or the fact that the walls were a darker blue than before.

I crawled under the covers, not proccessing my discoveries, and went to sleep.

I woke in a cold sweat, not quiet knowing why.

What I did know was that Logan was looming over me with what I'm most positive was a grin on

his beautiful face.

I rubbed my eyes; yup, still there. "What are you doing?" I demanded, I hate getting woken up! I looked at the clock, and found it was only 10:45, I had only slept six and a half hours of Change free sleep. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until my head hit the pillow.

Hang on, that clock wasn't in the room I had first woken up in. Niether was the maple nightstand it sat on.

Logan only confirmed my fears, "I was planning on going to my bed actually. By myself." He clarified, and his grin got wider until he checked himself and locked down again. "The room you were looking for is the next one on the left.

I jumped out from his bed, glaring and blushing at the same time. Then I ran out of his room into the one I was temporarily assigned.

I shot right under the covers again, tyring to think about anything other than the humiliating momment I had just endured.

Finally, after I was sure my cheeks were the right shade, I drifted off to sleep once again.