Hi everyone. Thanks for your reviews. I realize the last chapter was sad and maybe strange. Hang in there. This chapter will really line the plot up the way I want it to. I hope you enjoy it!

The Flipside

Dr. Porter was simply amazed. The injured wolf that was brought in had healed at an astounding rate and was now sitting in its cage looking at him through the bars. It was only two days ago that the wolf had suffered a serious head injury and now it appeared right as rain.

The doctor bent down and looked at her through the bars. "You are one amazing animal," he said. The wolf whimpered at him as if trying to answer him back. He was surprised that she did not appear nervous or anxious at being in captivity. She seemed as tame as a pet. Her brown eyes looked into his with intelligence.

"Well, beautiful one," the doctor said, "I think we'll give you a few tests later on to see if you can still take care of yourself. If it checks out, we'll take you back to your territory. Your pack must be worried about you."

The wolf whimpered again in response.

Dr. Porter's eyes went down to her food and water bowl. The water was almost gone, but she hadn't touched the food yet.

"I hope you try to eat something," the doctor said. "I suppose it's not your usual fare. Maybe I'll send Louise to the supermarket and get you some raw meat. Would you like that?"

The wolf wagged her tail and whimpered again.

The doctor knew that animals had far more intelligence than people gave them credit for, but this one seemed even more so.

The doctor left the room and Sophia circled around the cage a bit before finally lying down, her head resting on her paws. When she had awoken yesterday, her head had hurt badly and she panicked when finding herself locked in a cage. It took a few moments to remember the accident. A series of images flashed through her mind: running, birds singing, a truck and then nothing.

At first she had thought that she was captured by the ones looking to expose skinwalkers. When the veterinarian and his assistant came into the room and began speaking about her, she quickly surmised that they had no idea she was part human. They thought of her as an average wolf. She looked into their minds and saw the man that had brought her here and the events that followed and she learned that these were good people that sincerely wanted to help her.

She wanted to flip so badly, but doing so would definitely give her away. She was in a cage, at their mercy. When the doctor had mentioned bringing her back to her territory, her heart soared with excitement. She had to get back and quick. She had been pacing in her cage all night worried about Lucas, longing for him, thinking about what he and her father must be going through when they couldn't find her. It was obvious that she was too far away for any type of mental link, even though she tried.

She was determined to pass those tests with flying colors, whatever they may be. She had to get back as quick as possible.

Sophia closed her eyes to rest, thoughts of Lucas ever present in her mind.

OOOOOOOOO

Sean walked cautiously through the school, drawing the stares of all skinwalkers. With Lucas in seclusion and not accepting visitors, everyone was on edge about the future of the pack. They all wondered just how bad things were, and Sean, as beta wolf, now became the focus of their attentions.

Sean was very strong, but that didn't mean there would be no challenges. It was a dangerous time for him. If Lucas didn't recover, Sean would be next in line, but not without proving himself worthy of it. Any male that thought he could possibly take Sean down, would try. Even adults would try- ambitious ones like Tyler Creed. Creed worried Sean more than the others. Just yesterday, Tyler had slowed his truck when driving by Sean and gave him an appraising look, smirking in his trademark way.

He longed to have Sarah by his side, but she had not come back to school yet. She was worried sick about Sophia and she felt great sorrow for Lucas, feeling his grief and sadness echo through the territory. If Sean wasn't beta, he'd be by her side, comforting her. But he also knew that if he didn't show up even more chaos would ensue. Fights for dominance would reach an epidemic as the others tried to improve their position in the pack. Sean's presence gave a semblance that the old order was still alive.

But he wondered how long that would last. The longer Lucas stayed away, the greater the tension that would build. It was only a matter of time before a period of extreme violence would erupt unless Lucas got his act together quickly.

Randy and Presley joined Sean and helped him stare down any potential challenges as they made their way down the hall. Cormac Evans, a largely built skinwalker in the eleventh grade, had a group of others gathered around him. They looked at the beta wolf and his friends as they approached and the air began to crackle with tension.

Any skinwalker in the vicinity could feel the beginnings of a challenge as Cormac stepped into Sean's path and sent a mental challenge to him.

Randy and Presley growled silently at Cormac, warning him to back off or else, but Sean raised his arms and stopped them from moving forward. Cormac smirked and began taunting Sean mentally.

Need your friends to help you, beta?

No. I'll fight you, Cormac. In fact, I insist on it now.

Cormac growled and stepped closer to Sean before a hand clenched around his bicep and he was pulled away.

"Now, now, children," Sherman Blackstone said. "There is a time and place for everything. Right now it's time for you to all get to your fourth period classes."

Cormac and Sean glared at each other a few moments more.

I'll see you later, beta.

Count on it.

Sherman sighed as he watched the students all break apart and begin to go to their classes. "Lucas, my boy, I hope you get well soon," Sherman muttered.

OOOOOOOOO

Matt sat in his office at the Wolf Lake police station, unable to concentrate on anything else but Sophia. He had made all the calls he possibly could and was waiting for the phone to ring, hoping that one of his inquiries would come back to him with something he could go on.

He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a photo of Sophia's mother, Marie, looking at it in sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Marie. I lost her, I lost our girl," Matt whispered, a tear rolling down his cheek.

A commotion in the front office caught his attention and he put the picture away, sensing that Vivian had just burst in frantically. She slammed open his door and said, "Matt! I can't find him. Lucas is gone again. He's closed his mind off. I can't track him."

Matt stood and wrapped her in his arms, trying to calm her. "We'll find him, don't worry," he said, hoping that Lucas would not go on another killing rampage before they could get to him. There was only so much the rest of the pack would take and an unstable leader wasn't one of them. He knew Vivian feared the others would decide to turn against Lucas, if he became too crazy.

OOOOOOOO

Sean and Sarah wanted to be anywhere else but The Den that night, knowing that violence was likely to be the main activity. Everyone was expecting the fight between Cormac and Sean and the nightclub was packed with teens.

Tyler Creed stood on the catwalk above, looking down. No one was dancing tonight. Clumps of teens in various places of the room were only looking about nervously or staring down other teens. At least the alcohol was flowing freely, he thought.

Tyler thought it was very interesting to watch them all posturing for positions. It was almost laughable. Didn't they know that none of them could possible beat him in a fight? No matter who called themselves beta, Tyler knew that he was really next in line if Lucas was out of the picture. He chuckled, deciding to let the pups duke it out for entertainment. When all was said and done, he'd slaughter the one who came out on top.

"Lucas is not dead," a voice said next to him. He turned to see Ruby glaring at him, arms crossed.

"Good evening, my dear," he smiled.

"Don't look so smug, Tyler," she said. "Just because my brother is grieving, doesn't mean he's giving up."

"Did I say he was?" Tyler replied. "Yet, it seems that there are many others who are having doubts." He swept his arm towards the teens down below.

"I won't allow this," Ruby said. "I'm going down there and telling them to all go home."

"They'll just take it outside, Ruby," Tyler said. "Wouldn't my healer of a wife like to be present for any… injuries that may occur?"

Suddenly Ruby's hand clenched the handrail, "Oh God!"

"Ruby," Tyler said in concern. "What's the matter?"

But Ruby didn't have to answer, for at the moment the 'matter' became apparent as the air began crackling with power and energy filled with danger. The teens down below could now feel it and were looking about for the source, none of their mental probes able to connect with it.

The yells of the guards outside the door were quickly silenced and then the door blew opened, violently smacking against the wall. Wind howled and rushed inside drawing everyone's attention to the front of the club. The scent of Lucas filled their nostrils and they waited for his appearance. Tyler growled with irritation. The smell of blood was also prevalent and Tyler knew that Lucas had just killed his guards. Damn him! Good help was hard to find.

Ruby had run off, making her way down the stairs, so Tyler followed behind her.

The teens backed away as Lucas stepped through, naked and bloody from his recent kill. He was breathing hard and his fists were clenched as he came into the middle of the room and stood looking at everyone angrily.

"You dare question my leadership?" he growled at them.

Many realize at that moment that they had. They had all been behaving as if Lucas was already gone and they bowed their heads in shame.

Lucas' gaze swung to Cormac, who was standing back with his group of friends. "You wish to be Alpha, Cormac? Then I accept your challenge. Come and fight me," Lucas said.

Cormac approached on wobbly knees before finally falling to the ground, head bowed. "Forgive me, Lucas. I would never think to challenge you," Cormac said, shakily.

"And you never will again," Lucas replied, lifting his arm, claws growing rapidly as he was ready to strike Cormac down.

"LUCAS!" Ruby shouted, coming quickly to his side.

Lucas paused a moment and glanced at his sister. "Stay back, Ruby," he said.

But Ruby put herself between him and Cormac, looking her brother in the eye. "Killing everyone won't bring her back, Lucas. It won't," Ruby stated.

Lucas and Ruby locked eyes for a while as she silently tried to sooth his mind with her words. Lucas' arm slowly lowered to his side and he finally looked away from his sister, scanning over the sea of fearful faces in the room. His eyes caught the concerned looks of his friends as they stood huddled together. He saw the emotion streaming off of Sarah as she wept for him.

When Sarah noticed that Lucas was watching her she connected with him on his mental pathway.

We miss her too, Lucas. We miss her too.

Lucas looked back at Ruby who now said, "Sophia wouldn't want you to do this, Lucas. She'd want you to go on and be the leader you were meant to be. She'd want the best for you, my brother."

Lucas stepped away, looking confused for a moment. Then he announced, "I need some air." He flipped into his wolf and took off towards the back of the club where there was a rear exit with a doggy door.

Suddenly the front door opened again and Vivian Cates, followed by Mathew Donner came rushing in. They looked at Ruby in question.

He was here. But he just left. Ruby projected.

Vivian sighed heavily looking around the club for any evidence of violence. Only the guards in the front seemed to have been disposed of. When her curiosity was satisfied, she turned about and looked around at the teens who were all bowing their heads to the Alpha of Wolf Lake.

"Listen carefully," Vivian said, seriously. "There will be no challenges for position. Lucas Cates will be the next Alpha of Wolf Lake. If you question that, then you question me." The room was dead silent and no one dared to look Vivian in the eye. "Go home. All of you need to calm down and get your lives back to normal."

The teens immediately began filing out the door as Vivian and Matt watched.

Vivian turned to Ruby. "He's shutting me out," she said. "I can't gauge his emotions right now. How did he seem to you?"

"I think he's stable, for now," Ruby said. "I was able to get through to him a little. His emotions are battling with his reason."

Vivian sighed and nodded her head. "I hope that reason wins," she replied.

OOOOOOOO

Dr. Porter opened the back doors of his van and looked at the caged wolf inside. "Well, here we are, girl. That sign on the side of the road says Wolf Lake. I hope you find your pack here." He went into the van and stood behind the cage, leaning over it to unlatch the gate and set the wolf free. "Remember now, stay away from roads. You don't want anymore trucks hitting you."

Sophia leapt out of the van, tail wagging in excitement. She was home! She stood for a moment and looked back at the nice doctor watching her from the van. She let out a howl of thanks before running into the trees at the side of the road.

Lucas! Lucas! I'm here! She projected on her private mental path with her mate. She continued running in the direction of the town.

Sophia?

Yes! Yes!

Oh, God, baby. Where have you been?

She could sense his fatigue and rising hope. She could feel him springing up and heading in her direction. Her heart soared with relief and happiness.

I was hit in the road when I went running. But someone helped me. I'll tell you more later – I just need to be with you now. She projected while she continued running.

Baby, I'm coming to you, I'm coming. Sophia, I need you so badly. I thought… I thought you were…

Shhh… don't say it. I'm all right. You'll see.

Then Sophia thought of her father and said, Dad, I'm here.

Sophia? Matt answered in disbelief.

Yes, it's me. I'm here, I'm home.

Oh, God, Sophia! I feel you, honey. I'm coming.

Sophia longed to be in her skin again, it seemed like ages since she had been her human self. She slowed down and flipped.

OOOOOOO

Lucas was almost to her, he could sense that she was very near and that she had just flipped to human form. He followed suit and flipped as well so he could wrap his arms about her and never let her go.

Then he saw her standing there in all her glory, beautiful as ever. He slowed his steps, breathing hard and feeling so ecstatic to see her with his own eyes, alive and well.

"Sophia…" he breathed, sending her all his love with that one word. If this was a dream, than he never wanted to wake up again.

Sophia turned and jumped back as if startled, looking at Lucas with wild, guarded eyes.

"Sophia? It's me, Baby. Why are you…?" He approached her in confusion. Why was she acting afraid of him?

She growled at him in warning and Lucas knew she would attack if he stepped any further towards her. He didn't understand. What the hell was going on? He held up his hands in supplication. "It's all right, Baby. What's wrong? Tell me why you're afraid."

Then she sprang at him, claws extended from her hands, tearing at his chest. If he had been a weaker man, she might have managed to sink her teeth into his neck, but he was able to grip her arms and hold her back. "Sophia!" he yelled. "What are you doing?" He struggled with her and they fell on the ground. Finally he was able to subdue her, pinning her face down on the forest floor. "What is wrong with you? Why did you attack me?" he asked, in shock and confusion.

She didn't answer as she lay beneath him, submitting to his dominance.

"Baby?" he whispered, his voice shaking.

Then he felt her bottom start to wiggle beneath him as she arched her hips up into his groin. He could smell her sexual scent. She wanted to have sex with him! What the heck was going on? Why wouldn't she speak?

"Baby, I love you," he said. "I love you. Please… talk to me. Tell me you love me too," he whispered against the back of her neck.

But something was wrong. His mind reached for the mental connection they had shared just moments before, but it was not there. Sophia's body was here, beneath his, but her mind wasn't.

Matt ran up to them in his wolf form and then flipped. "Lucas! What are you doing to her? Let her up!" he snapped.

"Something's wrong," Lucas said, frantically. "Something's not right." Lucas slipped off Sophia but did not let go of her arms. He pulled her around the waist and stood with her facing away from him so he could keep her jaws away.

"Sophia!" Matt said in relief. He stepped towards her to embrace her but she swiped at him with a clawed hand and growled. "Sophia?"

"See," Lucas said, "she doesn't recognize us. I can't connect with her mentally. Can you?"

Matt tried, but there was nothing. "How could this be? She just spoke to me on our pathway a few minutes ago."

Vivian had now joined them, as she had heard their conversations with Sophia in her own mind. She flipped and looked at Sophia carefully. "Let's get her to Sherman," Vivian said. She sent a mental message to the shaman and was relieved that he was already on his way.

They began walking in Sherman's direction, Lucas holding Sophia tightly while she struggled. When the shaman came into view, they stopped and waited.

Sherman looked at Sophia carefully. Then he placed a hand on the top of her head. She twisted and snarled at him and he whispered words in an ancient language. Finally she calmed down and just looked at him, glassy eyed.

"What is it, Sherman?" Matt pressed.

"She's not completely healed," Sherman said, looking into her eyes. "She's had some sort of brain trauma."

"She was talking to me mentally when she was in her wolf form," Lucas said. His words seemed to spark a thought in the old shaman's head.

"Did she?" he pondered. "It seems she only knows who she is when she is in her wolf."

"Can you help her?" Lucas asked.

"I'll need to know more before I can answer that question," Sherman replied. "We can't force her to flip, so we'll just have to wait until she does it on her own. Then we can question her further." He looked at Lucas and Matt and said, "I'd like your permission to tranquilize her, just for now, so we can bring her somewhere safe. I think its best that she remains locked up until she flips. She may try to run otherwise."

Matt nodded reluctantly. This was not the homecoming he had hoped for.

Lucas kissed the side of Sophia's neck and said, "I'm sorry, Baby," before Sherman stuck a needle in her.

OOOOOOOO

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really enjoyed writing it because it was a storyline I've been excited about for a long time.

Please send a review and let me know your thoughts!