A/N: Any wolves you recognize from The Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyer.

Basically everything else, including past and present wolf pack members, imprints, wolf families, and additional characters in this story belong to the universe created by the amazing, brilliant, and wonderfully talented yay4shanghai!

Thanks for all the reviews, I love getting feedback and hearing what people think. Also, I really appreciated all of the birthday wishes, so thanks!

As always I recommend you read the other spin-offs by liljenrocks, ari11990, AsagariMelody, Guzhong, twihardcaligurl, and intiMACYx33. They are fantastic and worth taking the time to read.

Special thanks to CreepsofWrath for helping me out with all the Port Angeles information.

Thanks, yay4shanghai, you are the greatest! I really appreciated the help fixing the signed dialogue.

Choices

1 September 2041

Six days. They let me spend six days locked away from the rest of the world before my father of all people brought an end to my self-imposed isolation.

I was at an all time low. I wouldn't have believed it possible before. Back then, when Dev died, I was sure there was nothing lower than the despair, the hell, I'd been a prisoner to for countless days, months, years, but I knew differently now. Ignorance had allowed me to believe nothing worse existed, but now I'd plummeted through the floor to reach an all new kind of hell, discovering one of the lower levels that Dante had warned of in his writings.

All I could do was think. Think about her, about what was happening. I tried not to, but the thoughts assaulted me, pelting my brain like BBs from an air gun. I had too much time to think, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything else. It was too painful to use her name in my thoughts, like a thousand knives stabbing me everywhere at once and I managed not to. I hadn't signed it or thought it since that conversation with Melody almost a week ago.

It might have been better to give up, considering there didn't seem much point in living without her, but knowing she was still alive kept me from thinking like that the majority of the time. The only definite conclusion I'd come to was to figure things out as I go and right now that meant doing nothing and going nowhere. For now I was like a photo, frozen in time and place.

The people in my life left me alone during this time, knowing it would be a fruitless endeavor to attempt any form of communication with me because I had retreated too far into my mind for them to reach me now. Someone prepared food for me, three meals each day, which I'd mechanically eaten because I knew I should, but I didn't taste any of it. Whoever brought it, saved me the trouble of getting it myself, making the only reason I had to leave my bedroom for the occasional shower or to maintain my personal hygiene.

Melody and Taylor stayed out of my room, but I could smell them nearby the entire time, never straying too far away, making sure to remain available to return at a moments notice if I needed them. This was the most time they'd spent in this house since Tay and Jared finished the repairs on Tay's new house. I wanted to feel moved by the gesture, but there was nothing left of me to be moved.

Mom and dad also didn't try to talk to me, although I could smell them at the house, and I got lucky because my uncles were too busy with their newly adopted daughter, Hazel, to try either.

The only person that did visit was Freddie. He would stop by everyday and sit silently for an hour or two in the chair beside my bed. His sympathetic presence was only tolerable because he never made any attempt to speak with me. Sometimes it was even comforting to have him there for a few minutes and that was better than nothing. The only sign of acknowledgement he ever partook of was a single nod in greeting when he arrived and one in farewell when he departed each day. Freddie was my closest male friend besides Tay and he understood I couldn't handle anymore than that.

Then dad came in this morning and forced me to make a choice, signing, 'you can't hide forever, Levi. You can talk to me about this or get up and go to school, either way this has to end.'

I'd stared at him for a few minutes, internally debating how serious he was about this, considering he was the last person I expected to challenge my decision. He met my assessing gaze straight on, his own unwavering and unbelievably expressive. The sight sent an electric shock through my system like a pulse from a defibrillator. His grief, concern, determination and love were all shining clearly back at me, it was more than I ever expected to see again from him, but what got me the most, was the fear. I could detect that it was the dominant emotion, although I couldn't be sure what exactly he was scared of. I had a feeling most of it stemmed from the possibility that I might take him up on his offer to discuss the shambles of my life.

Acknowledging that, my decision to shower and return to school was equal parts based on my personal desire to avoid any mention of her and to spare him any additional unnecessary pain. I loved him too much to willingly add a few more heaping shovels onto the already immense pile of worries he was buried under and I knew sharing my recent thoughts would only serve as additional fuel for his raging guilt. That was how an hour later found me miserably sitting, squashed into one of the tiny desks at Lincoln High School in Port Angeles.

~x~*~x~

6 November 2041

I lasted just over a month before the consuming need to ensure her safety became too overwhelming to ignore any longer and I had to check on her, make sure nothing had happened in my absence. So much for having any willpower.

It might have been impossible to resist the pull, but my actions were cautious, ever mindful of minimizing the danger I put her in with my very presence. Every evening, as soon as the sun went down I ran in circles, all night long. Creating a perimeter that kept me close enough to pick up her scent and know she was okay or move to protect her if it became necessary, but far enough that no connection was apparent between us.

School became an even worse torture once my new routine started. School was nothing but a pointless waste of time that my body was present for while my mind was as far away as possible. I'd lasted almost two weeks before the exhaustion of spending my nights running instead of sleeping caught up with me and I began falling asleep in class. My teachers were furious, constantly threatening to call my parents if I didn't start paying attention in class. Not that I had been before, but apparently it was more obvious with my eyes closed. I'd also discovered that teachers tend to frown on sitting with my face buried in my arms on my desk, said something about how that makes it harder for them to sign some useless information at me.

Then today happened. It wasn't just my typical distraction after lunch, it was more like I was completely oblivious as I turned in a writing assignment at the start of my history class then found my seat planning to spend the next hour sleeping or starting off into space. We were supposed to be independently working on the final research projects we started earlier this week while Ms. Westin graded our papers.

Maybe ten minutes into class, Ms. Westin broke me out of my trance with several sharp jabs to my shoulder that I barely felt, but were enough to bring her stern face swimming into view as she hovered over my desk. When she asked to see me in the hall, signing with one hand, I noticed the other was gripping a sheet of paper so tightly it had actually balled into a fist. I quickly moved to follow her out, not wanting to test her limited patience by making her wait on me.

Ms. Westin was a strict elderly woman with absolutely no tolerance for anything she deemed as frivolous or immature foolishness. She was perpetually serious and saw everything in black and white, stressing facts and rules. Almost every inch of skin was covered by the clothes she wore and her hair was always kept slicked back and tightly secured in a bun at the nape of her neck. She was a no nonsense kind of person in desperate need of a sense of humor.

As soon as the classroom door shut behind me, she waved the paper she was clutching in front of my face as she shoved it at me, narrowing her already disproportionally small eyes as she did. I took the wrinkled sheet, but didn't immediately look at it, scared that I already knew exactly what I would see written on it.

'What is the meaning of that?' Her hands jerked sharply as she angrily signed the question. Her lips formed a thin, straight line that slashed across her face and her beady little eyes bore into me disturbingly.

Inspecting the paper, I immediately recognized that it was what I'd feared, a note. It was of the hundreds of letters I had recently taken to writing whenever I managed to stay awake in class, all telling her everything. Starting with what I am then why I'd disappeared so suddenly, explaining what happened to Dev and her role in all this, and finally ending it by begging her to forgive me for putting her in danger because I'm not strong enough to stay away entirely.

Looking back up showed that Ms. Westin was staring at me, obviously waiting for an answer. I had no clue how to even begin trying to get out of this situation. I'm not very good at thinking on my feet or lying and this required both.

'Can you explain yourself? Was this some sort of joke? You'll notice I am not amused.' She signed when I just stared blankly at her. I refrained from pointing out that she never was or the unlikelihood of her even knowing how to recognize a joke, figuring that wouldn't help me much just then.

No inspiration sprung to mind during the few seconds following her inquiry before my attention was diverted when a whiff of an unexpected aroma reached me. Normally it was hard to distinguish anything unique, let alone appealing at school when there were so many sweaty teenage bodies packed in one place, but in the deserted hallway it was easier and this tantalizing scent I would know anywhere. It was a blend of mountain air and wildflowers with a dash of coconut to add an exotic element, but it didn't make any sense to smell it now, here. Not unless she was nearby instead of safe at school.

Completely ensnared, I turned towards the double, glass-paned doors at the end of the hall. Without so much as another glance at Ms. Westin, I stuffed the paper in my pocket and walked out. Her melodic scent enchanted me and like a snake, I followed the music to the charmer playing it. The fragrance was coming from the building across the street, the Clallum County Historical Society, and judging by the bright yellow school bus parked out front, she was here on a class trip.

Unable to resist taking this opportunity to see her for the first time in months, I snuck inside and easily found her. She was even more beautiful than I remembered and I drank in the site of her vibrant skin and the golden waves of her long hair. Memorizing her image, I assessed every detail I could and noted that she was paler with only a faint tinting stubbornly clinging to her skin. Although, that was probably to be expected since it was nearly winter, but I also thought she looked a little thinner and couldn't help the rising worry that gave me. She had already been too skinny for me not to fear hurting her.

Now that she was here, in front of me again, I couldn't bring myself to leave. I wanted as many stolen moments as I could get, so I followed her around for the next couple hours, making sure to stay hidden from her. A few times I feared she knew I was there because she kept looking around like she was searching for someone, but she never showed any kind of reaction, so I'm fairly sure she didn't see me.

It wasn't until after she'd boarded her bus and driven away that I remembered having walked out in the middle of class, more specifically in the middle of being interrogated by the biggest stick in the mud teacher I had. I debated not going back, just heading home early instead, but seeing my dad's car parked in front of the building in one of the visitor's spots when I went to get mine stopped me.

I headed straight for the principal's office when I got inside, knowing that's where my dad would be. His large body was squished into one of the chairs provided in the waiting area with my book bag at his feet when I walked up. He stood up when I reached him and handed me the bag with a huge grin that I was at a loss to explain.

'I can't wait to tell Jordan about this,' he signed cheerfully when he noticed my confusion. That made sense, and as much as I'd rather he kept this to himself, if telling my uncle made him smile like that, it was worth the humiliation. Besides, my uncle's reaction would be interesting to see.

'So does this mean I'm not in trouble?' I signed stupidly and watched his smile fade into nothing, all indications of amusement erased from his face. I just had ask, didn't I?

'We need to have a serious talk about all this when we get home. You can't go on like this, Levi.' He signed determinedly just before the principal walked up to show us into his office.

I didn't pay any attention to what was said between my dad and the principal while we were in his office or offer up any excuses for anything I did today, not caring enough to bother and thinking it was best to let dad deal with it anyways. It wasn't long before they finished; I assumed that meant they had covered most of what they needed to before I got back.

Dad didn't try to talk to me as we left the office, just tugged on my arm to get me to walk with him since I didn't immediately move to follow, unsure what I was supposed to do now. He stopped me in the parking lot when I moved to head over to my car since we had to drive separately and I was parked a few rows away from his car.

'You were suspended, one too many problems this year. Come straight home, okay.' He signed with a little shake of his head. I nodded, not really surprised by the outcome then walked to my car while he got in his.

I used the ride home to steel myself for whatever it was my dad planned to say, but I still wasn't ready when it began and I doubt I ever would.

'You can't push her away anymore.' Dad started in immediately, flatly staring at me from across the kitchen table where our conversation was taking place.

'It's my choice.' I insisted slumping down in my seat as I signed it.

'Not when it's destroying you. I let it go before since you were willing to go back to school. I hoped things would get better on their own, but they didn't,' he signed wearily, looking much older than usual as he rubbed his eyes.

'What do you want from me,' I finally signed with a sigh after sitting there for a few minutes watching him.

'You can't keep up this zombie thing.' That was a bit hypocritical coming from him. Then he added, 'if for no other reason than you start paying attention in school… turning in that note, come on, Levi.' I winced knowing how idiotic that had been, for more than just myself too.

'What did you tell them?'

'You turned in the wrong assignment and that was part of an extra credit project you were doing to bring up your English grade.' That was such a simple explanation and one that sounded completely reasonable, so why hadn't I thought of it?

'Thanks.'

'Why are you refusing to let Krista be in your life?' The abrupt subject change threw me. I'd let my guard down talking about my mistake at school and was unprepared for him to ask that.

'I'm scared she'll get killed,' I signed simply, it was the easiest thing to say and it summed up a lot.

'There are a million ways she could be killed—' dad started, but I cut him off.

'But none of those would be my fault! If she gets killed because of what I am, it would be the same as if I killed her myself,' I signed wildly then slammed my fist against the table wishing he would go back to leaving me alone.

'If you're convinced you wouldn't survive her death now, when you aren't together… then why not be with her and spend what time you have being happy and actually living,' dad signed, swallowing hard several times and blinking repeatedly as he asked.

'I don't know if I can,' I signed shaking my head dejectedly. This was all stuff I'd heard from Solace recently, but it was harder to pay any attention to it when he said it.

He'd been coming over once or twice a week to offer me advice, but each time he came over it took longer and longer for his smile to fade if he'd just seen Maddox. It killed me to see him so happy, but it was even worse knowing he still doubted her and couldn't quite bring himself to hope things would work out when she wasn't around. I was scared things would be like that for me too.

'You can't let what happened control how you live the rest of your life or let fear stop you from living at all.' He had a point and I was really taking his words to heart, it was too hard not to after seeing her again today.

'I'm trying not to, but it's so hard sometimes.'

'Of course it is, but please don't let it stop you from being happy. I want more for you… I can't lose you too and think about how keeping Krista out of your life also hurts Melody.' It hurt seeing my dad's pain so openly like this and being reminded how unfair I'd been to Mel by doing this.

'I'm still scared she'll get hurt because of me,' I admitted, looking away as I formed the words because it was easier. When I looked back dad was crying.

'Don't worry about that. I promise we'll protect her. I won't fail you this time.' His eyes locked with mine as he signed this, his tears coming faster with each word. I walked around the table and hugged him tightly, letting him cry on my shoulder.

When he pulled back, I made sure he was really looking and seeing me before signing, 'you didn't fail then either, dad. There was nothing you could have done. It was his choice and knowing it would kill him wouldn't have stopped him. Mel and I would have done the same.' He hugged again and neither of us let go for a while.

I left the house after dad and I finished speaking still a little uneasy with my decision to at least try with Krista, but committed to see it through. As I ran towards Forks, I was surprised to detect her scent coming from a lot closer than that, somewhere right here in La Push. Following the trail, I was shocked to end up standing across the street from David and Trisha's house and to find her with Jesse and Seth.

Moving out of sight, I watched David and Trisha get home a few minutes later. Krista didn't stay much longer after that. Instead of following her, I waited where I was for Seth, who had escorted her out, to approach me once her car was out of sight.

'What was that?' I signed impatiently, needing to know why she'd been with them and if she was okay. Seth smiled indulgently, in a very understanding way.

'She's confused… she feels the connection, but you disappeared.' He signed getting straight to point, which I appreciated.

'She does? Is she okay,' I questioned excited by the prospect then worried that I'd unintentionally hurt her. 'What'd you tell her,' I signed curious to know what he'd told her if this is what they talked about.

'She's fine and of course she feels it… they always do.' He gave me a pointed look for not realizing this sooner, because it was true. 'Jesse and I told her about Dev and said that sometimes you and Mel have a harder time dealing with the anniversary and this was one of those times.'

'Mel never told her,' I asked in surprise and he shook his head. 'Did you tell her anything else?' I was relieved when he again shook his head.

After my conversation with Seth I ran to Krista's house for the first time in months. That evening I resumed by post as guardian and protector from my former position in my preferred tree behind her home. I stayed up all night, absolutely captivated by the sight of her sleeping figure, unable and unwilling to tear my eyes away from her for even a second.

~x~*~x~

15 November 2041

Tonight I was spending time with Melody, just the two of us, no imprints. Since I was back to spending every free minute I had stalking Krista, I hadn't seen Mel at all. She'd been waiting for me when I got home from school today and convinced me to go out for pizza with her at Little Danny's Pizza, so we could catch up on everything happening in each other's lives.

It hadn't taken much arm twisting to get me to agree, it had been too long since we've done this and we both missed it. I didn't mind at all and as hard as it was to be away from Krista now that I was finally around her again, I felt that I had a lot to make up for recently where Mel was concerned.

We'd ordered two large Irish named pizzas each and I had just taken a bite of the first slice from my second when Mel brought Krista up, asking, 'since you're not resisting Krista anymore, does that mean I'm allowed to hang out with her again too?' I winced watching her grease coated fingers signing the very thing I had been working up the nerve to apologize for.

'Yes… you know, I really am sorry,' I signed contritely, our food forgotten for the moment. It hadn't been fair of me to ask her to give up their friendship when I knew how close they'd become and I felt horrible about doing so.

'Forget it. It was you that had me so upset,' she signed quickly with a sympathetic smile.

'Are you mad at me about that?'

'No, of course not. I was worried about you. I love Krista and I miss her, but you're more important to me.' She signed sincerely before reaching over to squeeze my hand lovingly.

'You would have stayed away for good?' She smiled charmingly, her eyes gleaming mischievously when I asked that.

'Yes, if that's what made you happy, but it wouldn't have. You need her. That's part of why I like her so much, I see how perfect you are for each other.' Her words fanned the flaming hope burning within me, helping it grow brighter.

'You think so?' She just rolled her eyes at that. Eager for her advice, I asked, 'is it going to be hard to get her to give me a chance… and how am I supposed to try? She still won't understand me.'

'Stop worrying, you know she will. As for talking to her, you have options, pick one already,' she signed with smirk that let me know she'd pick for me if I didn't.

'Minx,' I accused making her laugh just I smelled Krista and turned to see her standing in the door staring at me intently.

Her hair was in wild disarray, blanketing the shoulders of her belted wool coat which was the color of snow peas, her rosy cheeks glowed, kissed by the cold autumn wind. She tilted her head and smiled sweetly at me as she snagged the edge of her perfect, pink lower lip with a single pearly white tooth, before being pulled over to a table by Sabrina, who was standing beside her and hadn't spared a glance in my direction.

'Did you know she was coming?' I asked Mel when Krista looked away to follow Sabrina, but she denied any prior knowledge and I could tell she was being honest.

She talked to Sabrina and the dark haired guy with them for a second then left them and her coat at the table. She walked over to the line of people waiting to order and looked back towards me when she reached it. I stared at her, thinking how cute she looked with her pink lips slightly parted like that.

Her attention was diverted when two girls joined her and they began conversing. Whatever they were saying made her blush an alarming shade of red and her facial features fall in resigned disappointment, but she didn't really say anything herself. Confused, I looked to Mel in order to find out what was going on.

A frown formed on Mel's face as she watched the two girls talking to Krista, looking more unhappy with each passing second. I snapped my fingers in her face twice to make her look at me.

'What? What's happening?' I signed, too worried and curious not to ask.

'They're being total bitches to her.'

'What'd you mean, what are they saying?' A haze of rage descended after hearing that, infiltrating my entire being and muddling my mind. My steady breathing morphed into short bursts like a bull preparing to charge the matador.

'They're making fun of her for looking at you, saying she'd never have a chance because…' Mel signed while watching them, but trailed off and looked back at me. Her words increased my rage.

'Because?' I prompted, needing to know what else they were saying. It killed me that someone could be mean to Krista. I wanted to hurt them for being so cruel to someone who couldn't possibly deserve it; she was too good and kind to ever be anything other than loving. I needed to defend her, to do something to show them how wrong they were.

'Because she's never even kissed a guy before,' she finished angrily. That wasn't what I expected to hear and I stared at Mel utterly stunned. 'Levi, you have to do something about it! I can't…. me, going over there would just make it worse,' Mel implored, but I was already standing up by the time she finished.

I strode over, quickly sliding into the space between Krista and her antagonizers, maneuvering with the ease of NYC cab driver in rush hour. I saw the surprised recognition on her face a split second before my left arm slipped around her waist while my right hand cupped the back of her head to pull her to me, bending down to reach her sooner.

The touch of her lips against mine ignited a fire that instantly burned the fog from my mind making everything painfully clear. I let myself savor the firm press of her smooth moist lips against mine, the unique flavor of coconut and orange that burst in my mouth as my tongue traced the seam of her lips, the tip dipping between them for a moment. Taking in how soft and silky her hair felt between my fingers and how her back arched to press herself closer against my chest, smashing her breasts between us and allowing me to feel the hammering of her heart, but only for a moment.

This was wrong. Not at all how her, my, our first kiss should have been. There was nothing remotely romantic about this situation. I didn't even know if she wanted me to kiss her, she could hate me for taking advantage of her. Then I realized how tightly I was holding her, hard enough that it had to be hurting her. I pulled back horrified at the possibility and disgusted with myself for the mess I was making of everything yet again.

Her eyes were huge and glazed as she looked up at me and for once I couldn't read them at all. Not knowing what else to do, I turned to race outside, pushing each of the girls with her roughly aside as I went.

I ran, getting all the way home before I stopped. Reason returned as soon as I stepped inside the house. Shit! Why did I run like that? Now she's going to think I'm even crazier than she must have already. I sent Mel a text and sighed when she responded saying Krista was already gone so I shouldn't come back and that she'd see me tomorrow.

~*~ ∞ ~*~