Ok, guys. Chapter 7. This one was difficult. Walker shocked the hell out of me and I had to come to terms with it, and figure out where to cut his POV off. THE END OF THIS CHAPTER IS DARK. Well according to my imagination. This story is going to be dark. Not in every chapter, but there will be a few of them. Oh, and don't worry. Lemons will come (no pun intended heehee). Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging.

*Disclaimer*

Please Enjoy!

ChristaPOV

As we walked back toward the rez, after dropping off Tricia and Embry at the Cullen house, I stayed close to Walker. His mother glomping onto him really hadn't done him any favors. With every other step he winced. I'd tried to get him to see to Carlisle, but Edward had said that he was busy at the moment. We did stop just long enough for Alice to give him a haircut. Now, he looked the same as when I'd first seen him.

The rez was bustling today. Kids were just getting out of school. The park was crawling with screaming children. Shops and diners were busy advertising and taking down Halloween decorations in favor of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christmas music mixed in with normal, everyday stuff from open doors.

"I will never understand why they ruin the holidays. Can't they wait for Christmas until after Thanksgiving comes?" Walker shook his head as we made our way down the main road.

I laughed and hoisted one of his bags further up my shoulder. "Eh, I don't mind. It makes me dream of a white Christmas. All we really get here is slush, ya know? I'd love some good packing snow."

He nodded and bumped me with his arm. "Well, if we make it through this, we can go someplace that gets the good snow in winter. Sound good?"

I grinned at him. "Sounds great."

"You know, you really impressed me. How you dealt with my dad. Not many people can stand up to him like that."

I shrugged as best I could as flush crept up my face. "I guess years of wanting to do the same to my dad built up some aggression. I just didn't like the way he was talking to you."

"Well, thanks. Nobody's ever stuck up for me before. But what did he do to piss off you and Embry? I saw the look."

"I'm surprised Tricia didn't tell you. You hadn't taken off yet."

He shrugged with a sheepish expression. "I was too busy being an ass to both of you. What did he do?"

Finally, we made it to my small but cozy house. Putting down his bags, I dug my keys out of my pocket, and paused.

"It didn't happen to me, but I'm protective of my pack. Your dad insinuated that Embry would take advantage of Tricia. Granted, he is twenty-six where Tricia is only seventeen. But right now, Embry is just playing the romantic interest. Nothing big has gone down except for a few stolen kisses. Also, while you were still out of it, your parents had tried to get a hold of her at the Cullen house. She'd hung up on them when your dad told her to stay away from 'the Indian'. And then, he called Charlie when she did that, demanding that he bring her home and away from Embry."

Walker frowned. "He imprinted, right?" I nodded. "So, the way I understand it is that he can't hurt her."

I shook my head. "I could never hurt you...no matter how badly I want you." The flush bloomed full up my neck and cheeks at the admission. "Embry would rather die than hurt her, and that means he'd never force her into anything that she didn't want to do with him."

His frown to turned into a smug grin.

"Oh, shut up."

"Well, I suppose I don't mind them together. Still, she is my little sister."

"Then I guess telling you he sneaks into her room, at her request, to fall asleep with her wouldn't be a good thing?"

He gave me a look. "He what?"

I laughed. "Nothing is going on. I promise. Remember the wolf telepathy? He's always thinking about her. And really, he was against it but he can't really deny her anything."

Sighing, he looked as if he were mulling it all around before another look crossed his face. He was about to ask me something that didn't have anything to do with Tricia or Embry.

"Could you deny me?"

Blushing, I quickly turned away to busy myself with unlocking the door. Once I finally fumbled it open, I grabbed his stuff and took it inside. He followed with an amused smile.

"Well," I said dropping his bags behind the couch. "This is home now. It's small so I'm assuming you can find your-,"

Before I knew it, he'd gripped my arm to spin me around. And suddenly, his lips were on mine. At first, I was taken completely by surprise, stiff in his arms. But when he didn't pull back, only wrapped his arms around me, I sank into the feeling. Closing my eyes, I wrapped my fingers in his hair, pulling him down to me. His fingers gripped my hips, pressing the bones with his thumbs.

A low growl rumbled in his chest when he finally did what he'd wanted to do last time. His tongue snaked out to lick my lips. After a moment, I opened my mouth to him. Tentatively, his tongue slipped inside. Once it was there, though, there was nothing tentative about him. He dove into my mouth, licking and biting, pulling my body towards his.

He moved his hands down over my ass to grip my thighs. In a powerful movement, he lifted me up and started walking for the kitchen. I was jarred when he sat me on the counter, but the kiss still didn't break. We fed at each other, our tongues taking turns in the dance.

Those big hands moved up my body, over my ribcage, thumbs landing just under my breasts. My nails dug into the nape of his neck and moved around to his chest. Another rumble vibrated through him.

But then he pulled back, mouth leaving mine. A feeling of loss filled me. He'd tasted of pine and the way firewood smelled when it burned. Reminded me of Christmas, my favorite time of year.

He rested his forehead against mine, chest heaving. "I'm sorry," he panted.

"For what?" I asked, equally winded.

"I didn't mean for it to get that...intense."

That made me laugh, my arms wrapping around his neck. My legs were spread to accommodate his body. One of his hands rested on my neck, over my pulse, while the other laid on my knee, gripping my thigh.

I stroked a hand down his nicely sculpted chest. "Don't worry about that. Every woman likes when her man takes what he wants from her, especially if she's willing."

"And you're willing?"

"Always."

"Your man, huh?"

I nodded against his forehead. "That's what you'll always be even if you decide on someone else."

He chuckled. "I can promise you that that's never going to happen. After Caden explained it to me, I understood what was there the whole time. That you're my true mate. It just felt right. I'm not leaving you. Everything panned out. Tricia is happy with Embry, and I am working on being better for you."

Leaning up, I pressed a kiss to his soft lips. "Don't work on being better. Just be you, ok? I don't need anything else. I know the circumstances." I shook my head. "I don't know what you went through, but I'm here and so are you. Tricia said that I was worried. Well, I was, but more than that, I was...sad. Having you home was more important to me than your attitude toward me. I'd fight with you til the day I die, as long as you were in my life. But having you away from me? That was the hardest thing of all."

Closing his eyes, he wrapped me in his arms. "I'm so sorry, Christa. Caden says I got lucky that I found my true mate after just getting infected. Even if I hadn't been infected, though, we still would have been together, because you imprinted on me. Just now, I can protect you."

And that's when I started thinking about my parents. "What if my dad comes back?" It was totally possible. Jake couldn't be everywhere at once. My dad could totally sneak back onto the rez and do some damage before getting caught. Somehow, I knew if he came back, I'd be paralyzed with fear no matter how tough I acted.

Walker leaned back so he could meet my eyes. His voice lowered into a dangerous growl "If he comes back, I will rip him apart myself long before Jake can get to him. He will never touch you again. He even looks at you, I'll rip his eyes out."

A shiver ran down my spine. Either that was incredibly hot or incredibly scary. Walker was insanely serious in those threats. The scent of truth ran off of him in waves. But no matter if it was hot or scary, warmth pulsed through me to know that he cared that much.

"What?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I still just can't believe that we're...like this, you know? I expected us to be the way we were before you took off."

He brushed some hair out of my face. "Did they tell you what happened the night I took off?"

I nodded. "You'd caught Embry in her room and had had an argument with him. You asked Tricia if she really didn't love you. When she said she didn't, you ran off."

He nodded, thumb stroking over my knee. "That was the first time she'd ever point-blank told me that. And I knew. I knew there was a reason you had come into my life. And now, when I retrace things, I see that it all happened because of Tristan. I got pulled into your world, and then Embry met Tricia. And I got stuck with you on those patrols because Jacob has a cruel sense of humor, or that's how I saw it at the time." He chuckled. "And that damn kiss. It had all worked out perfectly, us needing a cover in the grocery store. I wanted nothing more than to lay you down right there." There was the chuckle again. "I've never been with a girl before, never really had those types of thoughts either. Not even with Trish. But you? That day made my blood boil and I tried so hard to tamp it down into nothing."

"You're a virgin?" I asked incredulously.

He chuckled again at my expression. "Yeah. I guess I'm like my dad. He was the jock-type, too. Always had girls drooling over him, but he never wanted any of them. He only wanted my mom, who hated his guts." Then he gave me a look. "Are you?"

I knew the blush spread like wildfire when I nodded. "I figured I'd end up with someone experienced. Actually, I always thought I'd never end up with anybody."

He laughed again. "Well, we'll figure it out together. I'm sure we can get the basics down. And you have me now. I'm serious, Christa. I will make sure you get your fairytale like you deserve if it's the last thing I do."

That made me laugh, too. "So...you plan on me, huh?"

His hand came up to brush my cheek. "I plan on us."

Later that night.

ChristaPOV

As soon as I'd laid down, I'd tossed and turned. A couple hours later, I gave up and stared at the ceiling. Walker was in the bedroom across the house. I wondered if he was sleeping. Probably. Despite his words, I still had doubts. I didn't want us to end up the way we had before he'd left. I couldn't handle that.

A moment later, my door opened and a shadow fell across my bed. Closing my eyes, I pretended to be asleep. For some reason, I didn't want him to know that I was just laying here, staring at the ceiling. I rolled over the way I thought I would if I were asleep.

The door closed, cutting the light off. I thought he'd just come to check on me and then leave. My mistake. My bed moved as if someone had just sat on it. And then the sheets rustled, the bed jiggled. At my back, I felt a line of heat.

"I couldn't sleep," he whispered.

My breath caught. I had a choice to still pretend to be asleep or tell him I couldn't sleep either.

I went with the latter. "Me either," I whispered back.

I could almost hear his smile as he moved closer. The shock of my life happened when one of his arms snaked between me and the mattress while the other snaked over my waist. The arm under me came up to cross my chest and grip my shoulder, like a seatbelt in a car. That warm arm rested between my breasts. Luckily, I was wearing a cami and some shorts. I could tell that he was wearing boxers.

Nuzzling my hair out of the way, his warm lips pressed to the nape of my neck. "I just couldn't stand that we were in the same house and not in the same room. If you want me to leave, I will."

"No," I said quickly. "Stay."

"Always."

After that, we were both quiet, just listening to each other breathe. I stroked my fingers up and down his arm while his fingers stroked the skin of my shoulder and hip.

"God, you're tiny," he finally said.

I chuckled. "That's what a lot of people tell me."

"It's hard to believe that such a big animal comes out of you." He nuzzled my neck, on the skin just behind my ear.

Slowly, sleep started to suck me under.

"'And though she be but little, she is fierce.'"

"Where is that from?"

"Shakespeare."

He squeezed me. "I like it," he whispered into my ear.

Goosebumps erupted all over my skin, but my eyes were losing the battle that sleep waged. Eventually, his fingers stilled, breathing deepened, and body relaxed. He'd fallen asleep with his lips on my skin. Finally, I grinned, and let myself go.

I let myself hope as I drifted off in the arms of my imprint.

JPOV

Walking through the door of my house, I was exhausted. I'd run and run until Embry forced me home with the support of the others. I'd stopped to get my wedding band from Esme and then came up here. Sighing, I threw my shirt on the couch. The fire was going, a lamp on next to the couch. The light over the stove was on but other than that, there wasn't much going on. And Nessie was nowhere to be seen.

"Ness?" I called. "Baby, where are you?"

A moment later, I heard soft thumps coming from the stairs that led to the upper floor.

"Shhhh," she hissed as her socked feet skidded on the hardwood floor.

"What?" I said in alarm. I held my arm out to catch her.

She gently pulled away from me. "I took Leila and Henry tonight. Leila just went down, but Henry is, kind of, still awake. He wants you to say goodnight to him." Reaching out, she squeezed my fingers. "I'm gonna go get ready for bed while you do that."

As she turned to go for the bedroom, I gently grabbed her arm and spun her around to pull her to me. Before she could say anything, I planted my mouth on hers in a deep, probing kiss. She opened to me, and I deepened it further. We stood like that for a good two minutes, my hands digging into her hair, before I let her go.

"I love you, Nessie. You know that right?"

While she got her breath back, she nodded. "Yeah. I know that. I love you, too." Reaching on her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to my lips. "I'll see you downstairs."

And then she took off. I watched until she completely disappeared before heading up the other set of stairs. As predicted Henry was already passed out. But I tucked up the covers, kissed his forehead, and turned out the nightlight. I made sure the baby monitor was on before leaving the door open a crack. Next I went to check on Leila. She was fast asleep, a shirt of Nessie's hanging on the rail of the bed. I didn't kiss or touch her because she was sensitive to things like that, and I didn't want to wake her up. Checking her monitor as well, I left the door open a crack like Henry's.

Making my way across the ground floor, I turned out lights and blew out candles. The fire was slowly dying so I didn't bother with it. Grabbing my shirt, I went for the stairs to our bedroom. Ness was already in bed. Surprisingly, it looked as if she weren't wearing anything other than the sheets. Stripping down and tossing my clothes in the hamper, I crawled into bed beside her. My tired body groaned as I went down.

Instantly, Ness scooted into the crook of my body. I wrapped my arms around her.

Kissing her temple, I said, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I know that, Jake."

"Ok, I'm just letting you know. I'm always here for when you're ready to talk about something."

She pulled back a little to study me with those chocolate brown eyes. Taking a deep breath, she cuddled back into me but said, "I asked Carlisle to check me out."

Though I wanted to freak out, I fought it and stayed calm. "Ok. For what?"

"I was worried I may not be able to conceive, so I asked him to run tests." Pulling away from me, she flopped over onto her back, holding the sheet to her chest. It didn't look like she was going to finish.

"And? Did he have any results?"

She nodded, eyes shiny. "There's nothing wrong with me," she whispered.

I grinned. "That's great." When she didn't share my enthusiasm, I cuddled up to her again. "What's wrong?"

"Why haven't we conceived yet, then?"

I stroked her stomach and waist. "Ness, sometimes it just happens. Maybe we haven't hit at the right moment. Sam and Emily have been trying for years, long before you came around, and they just now had Leila. Did Carlisle say anything?"

A small smile played over her mouth. It was a relief to see it. "He said that the body and mind know. That my subconscious probably realizes how much stress I'm in and know it wouldn't be good to get pregnant right now. Still, it's hard to believe that."

"Not really. It makes sense. I remember when my sisters and I all lived together, and we were in school. Rachel would get so frustrated with projects and was so stressed out. She'd get sick from the stress. Every time exams came around, she was sick. Your body knows, Ness. Carlisle's right. It's just not a good time for us to get pregnant, but it will happen. Remember Cricket?"

She rolled away from me, eyes almost overflowing with tears. "She could be wrong, Jake. Just because she's never been wrong before doesn't mean there's not a first time for everything."

There was no way I'd let her go through this alone, so I scooted in behind her, again wrapping her up. "Nessie, I believe her. There's just a part of me that believes she's telling the truth. Baby, please, don't beat yourself up over this. We are perfectly healthy. I truly think that your body knows that it couldn't handle a baby right now. The stress and potential danger? Most of me would die if you got pregnant and something happened to both of you. I mean, just the thought of you getting hurt again kills me. Don't think I still don't blame myself for every time you've ended up facing Tristan."

That got her attention. She rolled over to glare at me. "Don't you dare-,"

"Shut up and listen to me, Ness." Surprised flared across her face but the glare remained. "It's my fault. Period. You're not going to get me to believe otherwise so don't try. If I hadn't been injured this last time, I could have had him. But he hit me in the weak spot and I failed you. I will be ready for the next time he shows up, and I will kill him."

Her features softened. "Jacob-,"

I shook my head. "I wish it didn't have to come down to that, but he's hurt too many people. He's nearly taken you away from me, almost killed me. I'm done, Ness. He's done."

Eyes still shining, she stroked my cheek. "Ok, Jacob. Ok. Maybe you're right. Weirder things have happened, right?"

She was trying to convince herself more than me, but it was something at least. Plastering myself to her back, I kissed the spot behind her ear.

"It's ok, Nessie. Right now, we just need to worry about surviving this mess. Then, we can worry about babies. We have kids right now to worry about, two of them snoozing upstairs, alright? Let's worry about what we have at the moment."

Sighing, the tension leaving her, she wrapped my arms tighter around her. "You're right. I'm being selfish."

"I didn't say that."

"No, but it's still true. I am, and I can't be. We have a pack to take care of. And I know you think I don't think it's true, but really maybe my body does know that I couldn't handle it right now. I mean, what if Nyla catches me somehow? I can't be glued to your side. Something is bound to happen. So, you're right. And I'm sorry for being hysterical."

I chuckled. "Baby, you're allowed to be. It's a logical fear for a woman, and I suppose for a man if he wants kids." I shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe I'll get Carlisle to check me out, even though that would be awkward. But still, if it makes you feel better, I'll, um, get his input."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Of course. Anything to make you realize that it's just not the right time. Also, you don't have to tell me everything so don't feel guilty."

"You could smell it on me earlier, couldn't you?"

I nodded again. "It was dull but yeah. It was a lie but not a lie. You were fine, but worried." I kissed her cheek. "A lie, but not a lie. I love you, and if you need to have some alone time, I can understand that. When I'm not on my patrols, we're together. Maybe we need to plan for some time to spend with family. I could handle a guys night."

She nodded. "Yeah. So, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Caden, Lucy, Ethan, Beau, and I were going to make plans to go back up to the Makah rez. Have a little chat."

She frowned. "Didn't you threaten to kill him the next time you had to go up there?"

"Yeah."

Her frown deepened but she didn't say anything.

"What?"

"I just...if you're just going back up there to see if Tristan is there, the threat of death seems a little weak, doesn't it? I mean, you told him that if you had to go up there again that you'd rip him apart, right?"

I sighed. She was right.

"Do you really think he's up there?"

"It's a possibility. Like I told you, there'd been evidence of the camp the last time. If that was their refuge before, it would make sense that they'd go back with Tristan hurt."

She frowned again.

"What?"

"I don't want to keep pointing things out…"

"Ness, I value your opinion. If you see something I don't, which is possible since you're a woman and notice everything, please tell me."

She rolled over onto her back again and chewed at her bottom lip. "It just doesn't make sense to me actually. Of course, it would have made sense for him to go back up there if he'd had his entire pack, but he doesn't. We do. And also, he camped outside the reservation. Wouldn't he have been safer inside the rez from you guys?" She shook her head. "Something isn't adding up."

When she put it like that, it really didn't add up. But I was too tired to think it through. This whole mess was exhausting me down to my bones.

"Ok, well, let's get some sleep. The kiddos will be up early. We can talk about it with the others tomorrow."

She nodded and yawned. Rolling over into me, she snuggled up to my chest, warm breath brushing over me.

I kissed the top of her head. "We'll get through this. I promise."

WalkerPOV

The next morning, I woke up staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. The sheet was down around my waist, as was an arm. Looking to my left, I found Christa on her stomach, her face pressed into my shoulder. Her long, curly hair fell down her back, some of it on my chest.

Smiling, I thought that I could totally get used to waking up with her every morning. This was totally worth the whole infection thing. Watching her sleep, I stroked her arm all the way to her shoulder, then played my fingers through her hair.

That was the moment that I realized I would do anything to keep her safe. Even do what had happened to me. Her vulnerability in this moment brought my protective instinct roaring to the forefront of my mind. And for the first time, I felt my wolf inside me purr in agreement. Normally, the wolf was quiet inside me. Ever since I'd shifted for the first time, we'd come to an agreement that I was in charge. Period. But when it came to Christa, he had to bring in his opinion. Luckily, when it came to her, we were always in agreement.

Beside me, she grumbled. She rolled, her body sliding up against mine. My body responded. It was kind of shocking because I'd never woken up hard, which sounded odd but was true. There were only a couple times in my life that I could remember getting hard for a woman. Though I'd never admit it out loud so Seth could hear it, Shelby had been one of those couple times. I couldn't remember the other. But then Christa had come into my life, and I'd been perpetually aroused. Not that I'd let her know that.

Snuggling into my side, she sighed contentedly. I brought my other hand up to stroke her hair. Slowly, her eyes opened. Surprise flared for a moment before her expression smoothed into a smile.

"Morning," she mumbled.

"Morning, beautiful. How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have in a while."

I kissed her forehead. "Tell me that wasn't because I left."

She shrugged noncommittally.

"I'm sorry, Christa."

Her hand brushed up my stomach to stroke my chest. "Stop apologizing. Please. It happened, and it's in the past. Let's just...move on. I'm just worried about you, about what you went through. I don't like it."

I squeezed her to me. "I'm ok, Christa. Like I said, you helped me get through that even though you weren't there. To be honest, I didn't sleep all those nights I made my way back here. And last night was the first night I slept since I woke up in that hospital room."

"So you didn't sleep that night I was in the bed with you?"

I shook my head, and swallowed hard. "I couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes, I was back in that cave where they had me tied...but instead of me getting tortured, it was you. And then Tricia. And then my mom. Over and over. That's why I came in here last night. I couldn't sleep because I kept seeing you…" I shook my head, unable to even process the thought. "I needed you in my arms. The kiss on the counter helped. You help. Otherwise, I'd probably not be so calm. You ground me, keep me sane. You and Tricia. The two of you give me a reason to stay in control."

Frowning, she cuddled as close to me as she could, throwing her leg over my thigh. "Then I guess you're stuck with me because I want you safe and happy."

Chuckling, I kissed her hair. "I do believe that's the best threat I've ever received."

Her grin was bright white and gorgeous. "Well, I'll just be sure to keep it from being an empty threat."

Though I knew that we needed to keep it slow, I leaned down to press a chaste kiss to those soft lips. She returned it with a sigh.

Somewhere a phone rang.

Rolling away from me, Christa grabbed her phone off the bedside table.

"Yeah?...Yeah, he's here with me...Nah, you didn't wake us up. You need us at the house?...Sure. We'll be up in a few...Ok, bye." She rolled onto her back and looked at me. "I hope you weren't looking for anymore sleep. Jake wants us up at the Cullen house. Apparently there's a big pack to-do."

Bringing her fingers to my lips, I kissed her knuckles. I just couldn't keep my hands, or my mouth, off of her. I had to show her that I wanted her, wanted us. And women liked this kind of stuff, right? They liked their men to show affection. Well, dammit, I wasn't a pansy. I'd show her I wanted her, but not for sex. Ok, well not just for sex. Sure I wanted to go there eventually, but first I wanted her to trust that I'd be here for her.

"Nah, I think I'm good on sleep. Let's go see what boss-man wants."

Twenty minutes later, we were making our way up the porch steps of the big, white Cullen house. Members of the pack milled around watching tv or talking. The Cullens as well as Jacob, Nessie, Caden, and some others were packed into the dining room. A map was spread out over the table on one end. On the other was piles of food.

"What's up, guys?" I asked, going to stand over with Jacob, Caden, Beau, and Ethan.

Jacob and I bumped fists. The others nodded.

"We're planning a trip," Jacob said.

"Where?" I said as I looked at the map.

"North, to the Makah rez."

I frowned. "Didn't you threaten death the next time you had to go up there?"

Jacob looked at Ness who gave him a shrug. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so?"

"Uh, so it wouldn't be a great idea to weaken that threat. Why are we going up there anyway?"

Ethan stepped forward. "Tristan might be up there while he heals."

"I disagree," Ness said.

I nodded. "Me too."

Ethan looked between us. "And why is that? I spent months with the man."

I looked up to Nessie. With a flourish, I told her to go ahead with the why.

"I talked to Jake about this last night. You and the pack camped outside the rez when it would have been safer for the pack to be dispersed throughout the people. Why? Why would Tristan do that? Also, I don't think he'd go back to a place where he'd be outnumbered."

Ethan and Beau shared a look.

"What?" Jacob demanded.

Beau cleared his throat. "Your female is right. Tristan kept us camped outside the rez because they denied us entry."

It was Jacob's turn to share a look with Caden.

"I'm sorry. What?" Jacob asked. "That doesn't make sense. The chief lied to us, telling me he wasn't harboring you. We searched anyway and found the camp. He hates us."

"He lied to you because Tristan threatened his women and young girls with the males of the pack." Ethan looked vaguely uncomfortable admitting that.

I turned to him. "Excuse me?" My blood boiled with that.

"Walker," Caden said softly in warning.

I sent a glare over to him. "I'm fine." Actually, I wasn't. The girl that I'd been tortured with had been raped multiple times in front of me. Sometimes men, sometimes women. Always more than one at any one time. And not necessarily with body parts. I looked back over at Ethan. "Did he follow through on that threat?"

Ethan shook his head and then looked at Caden, nodding toward me. "He's the one Tristan tried to 'recruit', isn't he?"

Caden nodded. "He's very controlled for being newly infected, and freaking strong."

"I can hear you, you know. Answer the question. Did he follow through?"

Ethan shook his head. "No, he didn't, but he wanted to. He likes when women tell him no and actually mean it."

Gritting my teeth, I turned to Jacob. "Look, I admire that you want to find Tristan, but we don't know for sure that he's up there. And granted I think the threat against the chief's tribe by Tristan deserves a little leniency from you, I still think we need to know where Tristan is before storming up there."

"I agree with Walker," Nessie said.

"I second that." Looking over, I found Seth bouncing his son in his arms. "Jake, you need to keep the footing you have up there. The chief now knows that you're all grown up, and ready for battle against him. But if he was threatened by Tristan, he had no choice but to protect his people. You'd have done the same. But I think finding Tristan is more important than apologies." He turned to look at me. "How do you propose we find out where he is?"

Ever since I'd been told about the prisoners, I'd wondered why we hadn't been using them. On the way up here, Christa had told me that Edward had said they'd started rambling off some weird things to keep from thinking about Tristan's pack business. The others that had been on our side or neutral had either been let go or not had any useful information.

"Are there any prisoners who were close to Tristan?"

Jacob shook his head. "We're getting nothing from them. Not even Edward can get anything."

Ignoring him, I looked to Ethan. "Are there?"

For a moment, his gaze darted between me, Jacob, and Caden before he nodded. "One. Nicolai."

Crossing my arms, I knew my smile was more of a sneer and snarl.

"Then I guess it's time to talk to Nicolai."

A few minutes later, I was standing outside the door to the cement cell. Turning around, I knew I'd find Christa close to me. I stroked her cheek.

"I need you to go inside."

"What? Why?"

I just stared at her, debating on whether or not to tell her anything. Finally I said, "Because I'm going to be the monster."

Panic crossed her expression. "What does that mean?"

"Please. Just go inside."

For a few heartbeats, she just stared at me with a sad expression. She knew that something was going down and that it would be at my hands. Reaching up, she cupped my hand to her cheek and leaned into it with her eyes closed. Eventually, she kissed my palm and threw herself away from me. Without another look back, she disappeared into the house.

Caden clapped me on the back. "Are you sure about this, mate?"

Staring at where Christa disappeared, I nodded. "I learned from what happened to me. And sometimes we have to do things we don't necessarily want to do to keep the people we love safe."

Jacob frowned. "What exactly are you going to do?"

I looked over at him, and I knew it wasn't a happy look. I'd already started folding away my humanity and morality. My thoughts from this morning stuck with me. The image of Christa popped into my head, and I knew that I would survive what I was about to do. It wasn't just her I was protecting. It was the pack, those related to them, and their children. Especially the kids. Henry, Leila, and Brayden needed to be protected at all costs. They were the future of the pack and the rez. I could sacrifice a piece of my humanity for them.

"Walker?" Jacob asked warily. I knew he saw the look in my eyes.

"Don't worry about what I'm going to do."

He stepped forward to give me a steady gaze. "I'd never ask any one of my pack members to do something I'm not willing to do."

I clapped a hand to his arm. "I know that. But let me do this. This bastard was tight with Tristan. If he's as tough as Caden says, then it's going to be tough persuading. All I ask is that you keep Tricia and Christa away from here."

A type of sadness filled Jacob's face.

I shook my head. "Don't feel sorry for me. I was the idiot who took off not knowing what was out there. But at least I learned something out there. Let me use it."

Taking a deep breath, he managed to pull himself together. "Alright. Caden and I will keep the women away."

"Good man."

One last look with Caden, and I turned to walk down the concrete steps. The door was pure silver and must have cost a pretty penny. There was a brass handle so that I wouldn't burn myself on the silver. There was no handle on the inside. As soon as the door shut behind me, someone locked the door and flipped on the dim lights. One rail went around the room. Attached to that rail were handcuffs. Also silver. In a little alcove in the back was a toilet and sink. The fifteen or so wolves inside all glared and growled at me with amber eyes and fangs bared. Ignoring them, I let my wolf fully take over. All my emotions left me, except for our love for Christa. Other than that, it was just a bottomless barrel of rage. The wolf had protected me through the worst of the torture except for when silver was used. Then, I'd been on my own. And I remembered everything.

Flashes of what had happened moved over my reddening vision as I looked for Nicolai. Caden and Ethan had described him. Out of all the wolves in the room, he was the highest in the pack order. Third in line. As I walked, the wolf searched through my memories. The knives, the claws ripping through my, our, body. Slowly, so fucking slowly. Skin ripped like leather being torn. My insides seeing the light of day, something that should never happen, as they landed on the ground. Many times, I'd nearly suffocated from being strung by my wrists and held off the ground, toes barely brushing the dirt.

In the center of the room, chains and cuffs hung from the ceiling. The wolf liked the idea even though he wanted to whimper at the same time from the memory. In my head he snapped and growled. Pushing him further to the forefront, I could feel the rest of my humanity slip. Pain tingled at my fingertips as the claws began pushing through my skin. I knew my eyes had already changed to pale green. And my canines were elongating.

"You're one of us," one of the females whispered.

Turning, I snapped at her with a low growl.

She gasped as she saw me. "You belong with us, with Tristan."

Snarling, I rushed her, gripped her throat and held her off the ground. "One more word, and I'll rip out your tongue." My voice was just a low bass vibration. The wolf had fully taken over.

When she started to struggle for air, I dropped her and continued my search. After another minute, I found him. He was in the far corner, watching me with interest.

"I wondered when you'd get to me." He gave me a bored look. "Took you long enough. Caden must be slipping."

Baring my fangs, I grabbed his cuffs and unhooked them to drag him to center of the room. They were fed just enough to stay alive, but not enough to keep their strength. Bringing the chains down from the ceiling, I hooked him up, and then strung him up. He gave me that bored look once more while I glared at him.

"Where's Tristan?"

Surprise flared for a moment before a smile played over his lips. "He escaped? And you can't find him? Well, well, well."

Without warning, the wolf in me used my body to slash out across his chest. He hissed and bared his fangs.

I reigned in the wolf enough to talk clearly. "Caden injured him pretty bad, and I know he wouldn't go back up to the reservation. So where would he go?"

Nicolai just stared at me.

I punched him in the face.

His head snapped back, blood spraying from his lip and nose.

"Where, Nicolai?"

He spit at me. "Go to hell."

"Already been there. Where?"

Silence.

Using one claw, I stabbed him in the stomach and kept it there, twisting. He still didn't scream. The scream is what the wolf in me was after. So, with one mind, we pulled that claw to the side, opening the flesh, tearing the skin and meat.

Now, he screamed.

Blood poured from his gut to land at my feet.

Stepping up close to him, I put a claw under his chin to bring his eyes to mine.

"Where. Is. Tristan?"

JPOV

For an hour, Caden and I sat outside the cell. More than once I had to pace, to walk off echoes of the screams coming from inside. Caden had called Walker impressive for making Nicolai scream that loud. Apparently, we shouldn't have been able to hear him. Didn't that just make me feel better.

Now I was just leaning against a tree that was close. There'd been a lull in the screams for about ten minutes. I was ready to storm in there and drag Walker out by his hair if I had to. This shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have allowed it. Edward had come out to check on us. His expression was calm even though he had to hear what was going on both out loud and mentally. He had actually seemed pretty impressed with Walker as well.

Surprising the hell outta me, a loud knock came from inside the cell. Caden and I shared a startled look before he went down the steps to the door.

And wasn't that the moment the girls decided to come out of the house. It was just Christa, Nessie, and Morgan, but that was enough.

"What is going on? It's been an hour," Christa said.

Nessie gave me a look over her shoulder that said she'd tried to stop her, but Morgan looked as determined and worried as her best friend. So Ness had given in. Man, I really needed to talk to her about the alpha female thing. Of course, a part of her was probably curious too. I rolled my eyes. Women.

I met them halfway. "Just go back inside."

Christa gave me puppy dog eyes. "Jacob, please. What is going on?"

"We're trying to get information."

Before Christa could say anything, Nessie gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Glancing over my shoulder, my jaw dropped. Walker was at the top of the steps and covered in blood, as in it looked like he'd bathed in it. His auburn hair was black and plastered to his head. The previously white shirt he'd been wearing was gripped in his hand and soaking, dripping, with blood. It looked like he was wearing a whole other person.

The moment Christa got a good look at him, she stumbled back away from me, breath coming short. Nessie caught her around the shoulders as she tripped backward.

"Christa," Walker called out, reaching a hand toward her.

She shook her head and let Nessie lead her back to the house. Morgan just stared at Walker with an expression of respect before turning to follow her best friend.

I turned to him. "Did you get anything before you painted yourself with his blood?"

He nodded.

"Does Denali mean anything to you?"

So, what do we think about Walker? I still love him. And I do believe that he is not like the other hunks of this story. But please review and let me know what you think. Love all of you! xoxoxoxo