I own nothing but Erin. I want to give a special thanks to booklover2600 for personally asking me to continue my writing.

Sighing, I rubbed my arms and looking around the living room. Emily had been cooking since the boys left, saying that they will have worked up a good appetite fighting, and would need food when they got back. Claire was about halfway through her nap. Bailey's eyes were glued to the TV screen, displaying Elmo and Big Bird. Kim was at the window, watching and waiting for the boys, or rather, for her boy.

I bit my lip, watching my best girl friend. Something was definitely different about her, but I couldn't tell what. It was in the aura around her and not so much in her actually behavior. But I'd just seen her a couple days ago, what could have changed? I had to find out, right?

Getting up, I went to the window and leaned against the other side of the frame, watching Kim and not the woods behind the glass. My friend glanced at me before looking back out at the yard. Her expression was pensive and worried, a small wrinkle in her forehead.

I crossed my arms over my chest and spoke, "Okay, so what's different? You're off your game, changed somehow. What's going on?"

Kim didn't look at me, just shrugging. I did spot the blush blouching across her face, though. I gave her a look, "Serious, Kimmy? What is it? Why don't you just tell me or I'm just going to bug you till you say."

Kim sighed, turning to me, "Erin, you've become the closest thing I have to a sister and it's not that I don't trust you, because I do, but it's private and I'd like it to say that way for now."

I shrugged, "Fair enough." We were silent for a moment and Kim went back to the window. I took a deep breath and put a hand on Kim's arm to comfort her, "He'll be okay, you know. Don't worry too much."

I started to walk towards the kitchen to help Emily when Kim stopped me, grabbing my arm, softly. I turned to her, eyebrows raised, "Seth'll be okay, too, Erin. He's smart and he knows how to stay safe."

I smiled and nodded, "I know, thanks though."

Kim nodded, letting go of my arm and looking back out of the window. I swallowed and went to the kitchen to help Emily.

It was getting later and later and all I was in the mood to do was lay on Emily's couch, staring at the clock, watching it tick and tock. Depressing? I know, but focusing on the clock made missing Seth easier. Each tick was another second I didn't have to wait for his return.

I allowed my eyes to slip closed, not out of tiredness, but because they ached from looking at the numbers so long. The blackness of my eyelids was strangely comforting, so much less complex than the world around me.

But all good things must come to an end, right?

A painful, loud howl echoed feet away from the house. Emily gasped and I saw Kim jump as my eyes flashed open and I stood up. We all stood still for a minute, looking at each other and waiting for some other sign from the Pack.

Emily spoke first, "That was Brady or Collin, too high pitched for any of the others."

"Why would they howl?" Kim asked, a panicked edge in her voice.

"Something's wrong." Emily said, quietly. Her voice sounded strangely calm but one glance into her eyes, I spotted the frantic concern beneath the surface.

I'd known it and had just been waiting for someone to say it aloud but my stomach still dropped. I swallowed hard, looking at the floor; my heartbeat pounding in my ears. My head shot up and I raced towards the front door. A hand gripped my arm tightly, tugging me back. I spun around to see Emily, holding onto me. "Let me go, Emily."

"The boys said to stay in here and we don't know what's wrong. What if the Cold Ones have crossed the border or something?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

I shook my head, "No, someone's hurt. I know it, I can feel it."

Emily's expression softened but her hand was just as firm on my arm, "You don't know that."

"Yes, I do." On the last word, I pulled hard, twisting out of her grip and opening the door, sprinting out on to the porch. Going to the railing, I called out, "Brady! Collin!"

Nothing happened. I heard the wood creak as Emily stepped outside behind me. I turned to her, "Call them. They'll answer the Alpha's imprint."

Emily sighed and looked at the doorway, where Kim was standing with Bailey on her hip, a worried expression on her face. She turned back to me and nodded. "Brady! Collin! Come here!"

It was silent for a moment before a rustle came from the woods followed by two smaller, yet still huge wolves. Damn it, they still couldn't change back. Seth had mentioned it had taken him personally a whole week, Brady and Collin had barely had two days. Emily went down the steps, getting closer.

She smiled, calmly and convincingly, "Thank you for coming, boys. I know you can't talk, so just nod or shake your heads." Both wolves nodded and Emily smiled again.

"Is someone hurt?"

Nod. I nearly fainted; worry turned my stomach inside out. Seth? Jake? Embry? Quil? Jared? Leah? Paul? Sam even? Who was it?

Emily's voice was shaky as she continued, Kim walking outside and setting Bailey down, taking her hand in hers. "Okay, are they on there way here?"

Nod. Good, they were coming towards help.

"Is anyone dead?" The last word was trembling as it slid past Emily's scarred lips.

Shaking. Oh thank god.

Emily's smile was now force as she nodded, "Okay, thank you. We'll wait for the others to come, are they close?" Another nod.

We retreated to the porch, ignoring the cold and snow; Emily went inside and woke Claire up from her nap, bring her out with us. Brady and Collin took off, heading into the dense trees. Kim sat down and buried her face in her hands while I stared at the trees and Emily entertained her nieces, both of whom seemed to sense the melancholy atmosphere.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the Pack members broke through the trees. They all looked tired and worn out, each sporting slight bruises and various cuts and scrapes, but those would fade within the hour. Paul clapped Jared on the back before letting his friend run up the porch steps. Jared leaned down and slipped his arms around Kim, pulling her into a tight embrace. Quil and Embry waved at me, going over to Emily to talk. Leah exited the woods, glaring at the porch before pushing her way inside.

I almost cried in relief when Seth stepped out of the trees. He looked around, smiling tiredly when his gaze met mine. Without thinking or telling myself to do so, I ran down the stairs, almost tripping into his arms. He laughed in my ear, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around before setting me down and meeting his lips to mine.

I smiled into the kiss, giggling when he smiled back. We broke apart after a minute, both of us breathing a bit unevenly. We grinned at each other, noses nearly brushing, "You are never leaving like that, again."

Seth nodded and tucked some hair behind my ear, "Deal."

I smiled and turned around, going to Embry and Quil and hugged them both. "Ugh, I missed you guys." I smiled, pulling back and stepping back into Seth's chest while his arms wrapped around my middle.

I looked around and froze, noticing one thing. Jared was watching me over Kim's head, an odd expression on his face. Paul had the same looking, standing next to Emily, who was also watching me, worriedly. Embry and Quil looked completely upset, eyes on me. I glanced up to see Seth looking away, toward the trees, troubled.

I turned to my half brother and friend, "What is it? Where's-" His name died on my lips, my stomach dropping again. "No. No! Jake's not- he can't be!" I yelled, pulling away from Seth and stumbling towards Sue's minivan in the driveway, knowing Seth had left the keys in the visor this morning.

"Baby Erin, don't! We'll take you! He's gonna be fine, just hurt." Embry called, next to me in a second. I felt Seth's hand on my shoulder but tore away from him before he could get a good grip, which was useless because he just grabbed me again, turning me around. Stupid werewolf reflexes.

"'Rin! Stop! You can't drive if you're panicking. Let me take you, okay? We'll go right to your house, that's where Jake is." I looked into my best friend's eyes, blurred by the tears in mine, and nodded.

"Okay, fine."