Sorry, AGAIN for being so late.

Sorry this is a short one, I just wanted to get it up to you guys.

I know it may be a lot to ask, but I just like to know that people are still reading, so please review.

Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine. Much to my dismay.

~Izzie

Chapter 7- Freed

Mae's POV

My vision was fuzzy, and my ears were ringing. I took gasping breaths as I tried to focus my vision on anything. I could see something green over my head. It was weird because the last thing I was seen was the sky, and the cover of trees. I turned to the side and saw a lump of brown. It looked like a wolf. My heart dropped. The wolf next to me is Seth. I gasped louder as my vision started to clear. Seth's eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

I tried to call for help, but my voice was raspy, and my throat was closed up. It came out sounding like a muffled groan. I head footsteps nearby, but my eyes still weren't functioning properly. I kept trying to make noise, but it wasn't working. I blinked furiously, trying to get my eyes to focus.

When they did, I saw someone walking into the tent. The tiny figure and spiky black hair gave her away immediately. Alice. She smiled at me. He lips moved, but all I heard was muffled sounds. Everything felt so numb and distant. I could feel myself crying. Alice walked over to me and started fidgeting with a tube I was hooked up to. She was still talking. Slowly, her words started making sense.

"…going to be okay." She smiles.

I looked from her to Seth with pleading, questioning eyes.

"Like I just said, he's going to be fine." She gave me a re-assuring smile.

I sighed and laid my head back down on the pillow underneath me. I looked down to see that my shirt was bloody, and my leg was in a brace

"Alice…" I tried to croak as she walked away.

She turned around.

"What…?" I tried to say. "My stomach…my leg."

She gave me a sympathetic look.

"Mae, you're hurt pretty bad." She walked over and sat next to me.

"How…"

"You hit a tree." She started to explain. "A tough piece of bark went into your stomach and knocked you off Seth, which is how you broke you leg." She stopped, but I knew there was more. She just didn't want to say it.

With my voice resurfacing, I told her, "Don't spare anything, I want to know."

She hesitated with wary eyes before she continued. "Your heart stopped. Carlisle and Edward revived you and stitched up the gash in your stomach." She looked down at me again, and kept talking. "Seth has a few injuries too, and it could be a while before he can phase again."

He words seeped in slowly. I nodded my head, trying to process it.

"Mae," she started.

I looked up at her.

"What do you remember from before?" she asked.

I strained my memory. It was then I realized that I don't remember anything. I remember sneaking into the garden to spy on Michael, and falling asleep with Seth on the forest floor. I told Alice this and she looked at me skeptically.

"What do you remember of Claudia and Nick, your family?" she asked.

"They're back at the castle."

She nodded. "But, Mae, do you remember anyone telling you something about them while you were in the woods?" she probed.

I shook my head.

"They're being held hostage Mae. By Michael. Michael and his pack are looking for you, hunting you down."

I was speechless, but I had to be strong. I knew there was something else she wasn't telling me. "And?"

"Well…" she paused. "Nick is with them."

"I know that. You just said they were being held hostage."

She looked at me sadly. "No, Mae. I mean with them, one of them."

I got a strange feeling that I had been told this before. "Yeah, I think I remember." I said quietly.

Again, Alice looked at me with pity. She kissed my forehead, told me she was sorry and left the room. I looked at Seth. His eyes were tired and he looked troubled even in his dreams. I told myself he would be okay as my own eyes started to feel heavy again.

Claudia POV

Those freaks.

The put me in this cliché dungeon underneath the castle.

And, as if that wasn't scary enough, I'm trapped in here with a hysterical Claire who kept whining for "Quilly".

"Shut up." I moaned for the hundredth time.

"Where's Qu-il!"she shrieked.

I'd had enough. "I don't know where the frick Quil is, but he's NOT in this dungeon and you should be happy for that!"

She looked at me with her big brown eyes and I could tell she was about to cry. "I guess you're right." She moaned. "I'm glad he's not in this horrible place, but I just want him with me." She sniffled.

As gushy and gross as that sounded, I realized that I felt the same way about Nick. I wondered where he was, and if he was safe. But, I still wanted him here with me. "I know the feeling." I told her.

We both jumped when the silence in the dungeon was disrupted with a bang followed by heavy footsteps heading toward our cell.

Nick POV

"We are so glad you have reconsidered."

I nodded, but inside I felt unsure.

He smiled. "Now, let's go over the plan."

He paced back and forth, running his hands along the spine of his books which were lined up on a wall-sized bookshelf.

"We already have you, now all we need is Mae." He said. "This is turning out excellently."

"Excuse me, but what do you need Mae for, exactly?" I asked politely.

"That is not of concern at the moment." He snapped. "And, once we have her, we can dispose of the rest."

I was taken aback. "Dispose?"

"Why, yes. What'd you expect we would do with them? We can't exactly let them free." He said as if it should be obvious.

"What…" I swallowed hard. 'What about my parents, and…and Claudia?"

He shook his head. "You are one of us now. You are where you belong. The time has come to leave those mutts and their human friends behind."

"But…Claudia…" I said. "I can't."

He growled at me. "You can, and you will." His eyes burned into mine as he switched into alpha mode. Against my will, my knees bent and I folded forward so that I was flat on the ground, bowing to him. "You live to serve me, to do what I wish." His voice commanded.

"Claudia." I said through my teeth. "I can't."

He released me, and picked something up from his desk. He turned around and saw it was a knife. "This will only hurt for a while." He told me. I tried to back away, but he grabbed my arm and ran the knife down it, pressing hard. I scream. I scream louder than I ever have. My vision blurred, and the last thing I could see was the blood gushing out of my arm like a waterfall.

…"BOYS! Dinner!"

Those were the magic words. We all hopped off the couch and ran into the kitchen, sitting down at the table, waiting like good little boys. Emily smiled at us and put a large pan of lasagna and some bread rolls on the table. My mouth watered. Embry and Quil fought over the bread rolls while everyone else passed around the lasagna.

By the end of dinner, I was full, and the sun was coming through the window faintly. It was twilight and the autumn leaves were filtering in the rays so they came through the window in splotches. I was at peace…

…Sam had us running perimeters all night. I was stuck on duty with Seth, whose thoughts were filled with Mae as mine where filled with Claud.

Another voice was added to my head, and I heard Sam's alpha voice.

"Go get some sleep kids, I'll send Paul and Jared."

Seth left immediately and I assumed he was in running distance to the reservation.

"Nick" Sam's voice said "You have been doing great, this being your first week and all. And, I don't mean just wolf stuff. I mean how you are taking the whole transition, the Volturi threat, and all the girl drama." He said, with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm proud of you." He said, and phased back, leaving me alone in my head, just thinking….

When I came to, I was on an uncomfortable bed. I blinked a few times and looked around. Brandon, one of Michael's goons, was sitting in the corner, dozing off.

I looked down at me arm. The scar was pink now, and it didn't hurt. I still felt groggy, and my vision was fuzzy.

The door opened, and Brandon jerked up straight. Michael walked in and slapped him in the back of the head. "You were supposed to be watching him" he growled.

"Sorry, sir." Brandon mumbled.

With this I noticed the stark difference between Sam and Michael.

Michael turned to me. "You will obey me from now on, understood." He said. He was using his Alpha voice. His eyes were commanding but, for once, I did not feel the need to do what he said.

I could not let him know.

"Yes, sir." I said.

"Good, then are we clear?" his voice wasn't as commanding anymore.

"Crystal." I said. "But, may I ask a favor?" I surprised myself at how fast I had come up with this plan.

"You may." He said, suspiciously.

"Can I say goodbye to my imprint?"

He looked at me with pity. "I suppose."

I rejoiced inside. My plan would work.

"Brandon, go with him." Michael commanded, and Brandon started to get up.

"I'd rather go alone, sir." I insisted. "I would not want to show emotional weakness in front of my fellow pack members."

"Alright then." He nodded at me.

I thanked him and left the room. I would go to Claudia, and get her out. We would free the rest and meet up with the rest of the pack in the woods. We would hop on the next flight to Washington, and all would be as it should be.

I re-assured myself over and over again, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it wouldn't be that easy.

PLEASE READ:

I really would like to see some reviews, but I don't blame you if you don't.

ALSO,

Everything Happens For a Reason, is really coming out to be a great story in my mind. Unlike Change, I have the plotline all planned out in my head, and there wont be any meaningless filler chapters. SO, if you liked Truth in its early stages than you will really like EHFR.

So please, you read AND review Everything Happens For a Reason.

Thanks ~Izzie