Thank you so much CrazyCookieChick for being there for me as I brooded endlessly over this chapter. I ended up making myself feel like a terrible writer and you walked through everything with me, patiently urging me onward even after I had given up hope on Ghosty.

I also want to thank my reviewers. You guys and CCC are the only reason this chapter is here. Enjoy.

~ΨΩΨ~

Chapter 9: Dusk

Will finally figured out the amount of shit he was in weeks after the picnic.

His leg was healed up nicely, if a bit tender still, and he could walk freely without crutches to support himself. With his newly claimed freedom he returned to work, burying himself in paperwork that he had missed as he had been recovering.

Though he was glad to be back and he was enjoying himself again, he had been discussing with Kayla and the manager ways he could cut back his schedule so he could go home earlier. He wanted to become a good father for Clara, after all.

Kayla had grinned slyly at Will's remark, like she knew more than what Will was telling her. "Just Clara, huh?"

Will couldn't answer her. He had been trying too hard to hide his blush.

He couldn't find it in himself to deny that a tiny, tiny part of why he was cutting back his schedule was because of Nico di Angelo. After all, the man had popped back into his life a couple times after he had returned to work, and Kayla—even though she had heard the truth about what happened—was convinced that they were a couple still.

Not that Nico had ever shaken her beliefs, either.

When he would come by, Nico would talk with Will during working hours until he inevitably got caught by someone other than Kayla. He would sneak into the shadows, wait things out, then he would pop out of nowhere to scare the living daylights out of Will and offer him coffee as compensation. His treat, the Italian told him. Perhaps even a late dinner, if any restaurants were still open.

Those days sent Will's heart into flutters whenever he thought about Nico. The man was undeniably handsome in a dark and mysterious sort of way, and he had an attractive personality to couple with it. Though he was shy under his confident persona, he had a healthy sense of humor and was patient when it came to explaining foreign concepts to Will. And those seemed to happen a lot.

It didn't help that Nico acted like he returned Will's feelings.

In times like that, Will's heart would seize into panic. What about Clara? Shouldn't she have a mother and a father, not two fathers? What would Katherine think? Shit—if things kept going and they actually became a couple, then wouldn't Nico have to go to Clara's birthday party? With Katherine there?

Will would toss and turn in bed, unable to sleep, whenever those thoughts arose. But he was thinking too far into things, wasn't he? They weren't even a couple. They were hardly friends.

And then there was Katherine.

His ex-wife probably had good intentions, but he didn't appreciate her calling him weekly to ask about Clara and her birthday and him and if he was having any luck finding someone. He was going through enough stress about the whole idea as it was—he didn't need someone else making it worse.

As the weeks ran on, Will's only source of comfort was Ghosty.

He had given up on the thought of never seeing the wolf again after the picnic. He always came back, no matter the stretch of time that he was gone, and he was always there with Will or Clara when he returned, curled up and snoring.

Will wasn't disappointed by that fact. He might have been months ago, granted, but he had grown affection for the beast that Clara had forced him to take in. He always seemed to know when Will or Clara was upset, and he would sit with them in turn and let them ramble to him about random things or just sit in silence with them as a calming, regal figure. If Will was talking to him in bed in the dark, he would sometime fantasize another human being laying there with him, letting him fume about his troubles while they let him talk, understanding leaking into their silence.

That more than anything helped calm him down faster. Which was why he was curled up in the middle of the living room floor, a weak fire crackling from the fireplace, and a sleepy wolf blinking down at him.

"She keeps demanding to know what to get Clara for her birthday!" Will growled, trying to keep his voice soft so his daughter wouldn't accidentally hear. "Fuck her; I don't know what to get her for her birthday! The only thing she's ever asked me for is you!"

Ghosty yawned and settled down, probably expecting the rant to last for a couple hours as it usually did. Will was generally pissed whenever Katherine called him now—it was becoming excessive and he was sick of it. The wolf was probably annoyed under his indifferent expression. He'd heard the same rant every single week for almost a month.

"I mean, I get that she's trying to be nice—Clara is her daughter, after all—but this is too much! If I knew what she wanted I'd call Katherine myself! I'm starting to get the feeling she doesn't trust me to call her. Is that it? Fuck her."

The cold tip of the wolf's nose kissed Will's cheek. Ghosty seemed to be laughing in that odd way he had: lips curled back slightly, ears pricked, and tail beating against the floor. He nudged Will in the forearm with a paw and snorted.

"Don't make fun of me," Will muttered. "I won't have it, I say! Katherine's being way too overbearing all of a sudden. Doesn't that concern you in the least bit? Doesn't it?"

Ghosty grunted and reached over again, scraping his claws gently over Will's arm.

Will frowned. "I have no idea what you're trying to say, you know. Fuck it, I'm talking to a wolf. Of course I can't understand…" His voice trailed off.

Ghosty sighed.

The wolf looked like he was about to stand when Fenwick knocked on the door and cut them off. Will rolled over immediately, and he sat up at the man's bloodless face. "Fenwick? What's the matter?"

Fenwick cleared his throat. His hands were shaking too much for him to hold his handkerchief. "A lady is asking for you at the door, Mister Solace."

"Who?" If it was Katherine, dear god that woman had so much coming to her. Especially with Will so furious.

The man shook his head. "She would not say. Should I phone the police?"

Will's anger died and was replaced with confusion. Who would come to the door and refuse to give Fenwick their name, if they were looking for Will? It made no sense, but that didn't mean that Will wasn't the least bit curious.

"I'll go, Fenwick. If things get bad, I'll tell you, alright?"

Fenwick nodded, looking relieved. He waited by the door for Will to get up and follow him to the front door, his hands steady enough to grab his handkerchief and struggle to compose himself.

Will stooped down to give Ghosty one last scratch behind the ears. The poor boy seemed about ready to fall asleep at any moment. "I'll be back in a little bit, Ghosty. Don't wait for me."

The wolf grunted, laying his head down.

Will chuckled and, even though he was alarmed by the spectacle Fenwick had produced, walked down the hall behind the man with his head held high, confident. He was in control. Even if the woman had a weapon, he still had all of the power.

At least, that's what he told himself.

Fenwick stopped him by the front door and pointed to the edge of the hallway. Will nodded, understanding. The man was going to hide nearby while they spoke.

Fenwick dabbed his nose with his handkerchief. Code?

Will nodded again. He tapped his leg three times. I'll call for Clara.

The other man tipped his head in acknowledgement and made himself scarce.

Bracing himself, Will turned to the door and opened it.

And froze.

Will's voice was just as still as everything else. Quiet. Unbelieving.

"You."

The woman tipped up her chin, her buff arms crossing over her chest. "I see you remember me," she said in a thick accent. What was it? He couldn't recognize it. "Not that it matters much. You won't be remembering me much longer."

Will was struggling to breathe. It was her. The woman from the cave-men group. She wasn't wearing her fur cloak like before, but Will had no doubt anymore. He found himself looking around behind her, searching for the rest of her group.

She noticed his glancing. "I'm alone," she told him. Her voice was like a whip—harsh and cold. "But I carry the same mission as before. I'm looking for him. I know he's here, and you cannot lie this time."

Will's eyebrow twitched. "Why do you want him so badly?"

"Because he's from our pack, dumbass," she snarled with a straight face, which made her seem all the more intimidating. "And just because he's taken a liking to you does not mean he gets to shirk off his duties as Alpha so he can go prancing in the moonlight with you."

"…Huh?" was his best reply.

The woman rolled her eyes. "What? You expected something less of him? Did he not tell you about all of the things he's been skipping out on so he could "heal"?"

Will blinked, his jaw slack. "Huh?"

She seemed to be growing impatient with him. "Are you just gonna stand there, wuss? Or are you waiting for the poor bastard to waltz in himself and save your hide from what I'll do to you for hiding him for so long? Stupid lovesick bastard. What more could you expect from some half-grown werewolf like him. Hasn't even seen five hundred moons yet. Bah."

The man couldn't even function enough to think beyond what the fuck is she talking about?

She was definitely aggravated now. "Quit blinking like a moon-eyed doe and give him to me already, you idiot!"

"Enough, Clarisse."

It took Will a full fifteen seconds to process the voice that had spoken behind him. Then he turned—

And there stood Ghosty.

Clarisse barked a laugh. "Well, what do you know! Alpha boy has finally come out from licking his wounds! What a pathetic form you have, Neeks. I had such high regards from you until now."

The wolf's tail was tucked between his legs and his ears against his head. He didn't even glance at Will as he opened his jaws and spoke. "Enough of your mockery, Clarisse. It is well-deserved, granted, but do not ridicule me in front of him."

"What, are you afraid I'll hurt the poor human?" The woman snorted. "I can't take you seriously when you're in that Omega form. Change so I can take you seriously, Alpha dog."

Ghosty gritted his teeth. "I'd rather not—"

"In front of him. I get it. Now do it."

The wolf scratched the ground and snarled at her.

"Touchy, much? Go on. Hurry up."

Ghosty sighed, head low. "What can I do to just make you leave, Clarisse?" he muttered as though he didn't expect an answer.

Then he transformed right before Will's eyes.

It was grotesque and fascinating at the same time, seeing the wolf he had grown to care for grow and stretch and thin out, losing hair and gaining fabric with every passing millisecond. It was finished in but a moment, but the time stretched into an eternity as Will's world crumbled down around him.

His world ended because one familiar face morphed into another, and Nico di Angelo was left standing in Ghosty's place.

Clarisse grinned. "There you are, di Angelo. Glad to see you've recovered nicely. I'm sure your boy will be happy to hear about that. He's been pretty skittish the past few months, you know. Worrying about you."

Nico's face melted into something brutally dark. It was nothing like Will had ever seen on the Italian's face. But he couldn't process anything. All he was able to do was listen in silence, scrambling to collect his thoughts and understand what in Hades was going on. "Aaron is already well aware of my wellbeing, Clarisse. I went and visited him moons ago."

"Is that a fact? You didn't seem to give the rest of us that pleasure. We figured that you had died in the aftermath, just like your poor opponent for Alpha."

Nico scowled. "You can stop it with the mockery. I understand my fault. You may take your leave."

Clarisse's eyebrows shot up. "You're not coming back? Don't you think the pack needs its Alpha?"

"I don't doubt that," Nico said, his voice softening with each word. "But I have something to finish here. Once that has been dealt with, I will surely return to you. As Beta, I can trust you and your mate to hold the ground until I return, correct?"

Like the flip of a switch, Clarisse's expression shifted. She seemed concerned. "We've been having issues with the Romani pack, Nico. They've sensed our weakness. The pack needs you back. We need an Alpha to lead us."

"And you'll have one!" Nico snapped. His fire died the moment it was lit, and he looked away from her. "But not tonight. Please, return to the pack and spread the word of my recovery. For now, let me finish things up over here. Do not make me order you, Clarisse."

The woman frowned. "You'll return soon?"

"As soon as I am able. I swear it on my title."

Satisfied, Clarisse nodded. She turned her back to them and loped into the woods with inhuman agility, disappearing into the shadows.

Nico turned to Will, not meeting his eyes. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions," he muttered. "Will you grant me the time to answer them before you kick me out?"

Will couldn't speak. His brain wouldn't work, let alone his mouth.

The man—wolf? werewolf?—took the silence as a negative. "I understand," he whispered. "But I… You deserve to know." He looked up and met Will's gaze. What did he see? Confusion? Anger? Both? "Take me to your room, Will. I will tell you everything there, damn the rules of secrecy. Then you can kick me out. Okay?"

He sounded so feeble that it reminded Will of when they first met, really met: injured, dying, covered in fur and blood under the silver moon…

Will wasn't sure how he felt about everything just yet—it hadn't all settled in—but he was certain that he wasn't happy about it. But he couldn't just say no, not after everything both Ghosty and Nico had done for him. He shuddered at the thought. He was always talking to a huma—not even a human! What was it again? What did she call it? A werewolf? What the fuck is going on! Maybe I'm just dreaming. Hopefully just dreaming.

Despite the chaos going on in his head, he managed a nod for the man—werewolf.

Nico smiled weakly, nodded, and tilted his head into the hallway. A gesture to follow him.

Will complied.