I know, I know… I am late…very late….hope this makes up for it…please forgive me?

I am bringing in almost all the characters I'll be using in this chapter…except for a few minor ones….Is there any characters that anyone really wants to see? If Patricia Briggs has killed them off I won't bring them back to life but just about everyone else can get in a bit without wrecking my main plot idea.

This is also where I am going to start actually getting into the plot, weaving web upon web until all my readers are as tangled in them as the characters will be.

Jjrobers#- Of course you can ask for another chapter, I love hearing that….I happen to be highly egotistical…

Elouisea- I intend to give Jesse quite a lot of opportunities to have some fun.

MythStar Black Dragon- yes they do don't they? As enthusiastic as I am to get to my favorite part of this plot I have to be reminded not to rush and wreck the story. 'Quality over quantity' or something like that anyway.

Mercy felt odd being in Stefan's house. Not that she hadn't been there before, she had… twice, but that was when she had been looking for him and the wolves. It was strange that he was actually here this time. She smiled at Naomi as the woman gave everyone a drink and disappeared somewhere into the house. At least that hadn't changed any.

She could see the other walker looking nervously around as if she expected trouble at any moment. Why was she so nervous anyway? It could just be that she was in unknown territory, except she'd been here plenty long enough to have gotten use to the area by now. Unless it was the vampires, had she done something to grab their attention? She had been here for a while now and the Mistress was just now asking about her? That sounded either set up, which Mercy wouldn't put past Marsilia, or else something had changed in that time so the Seethe would notice.

Jesse looked between the group of people, curiosity written on her face.

Stefan exchanged a grin with Mercedes, apparently someone was a little eager to see everything well she had the chance. After all, Stefan wasn't about to put the Alpha's daughter in further danger. Adam would rip his head from his shoulders should harm come t either of them. "There's a telephone on the wall there, I'm sure we can wait another five minutes or however long it will take to convince your father that you are safe."

Jesse merely nodded and looked warily at the phone. She was definitely not looking forward to this conversation. It didn't help that she knew Stefan would be able to hear both sides and so would Mercy very likely.

Jesse grabbed the phone and dialed the number by memory. She waited while the phone rang after much too short a time Warren picked up.

"Are you alright?" Warren asked, not at all his cheery self.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? What happened?" She asked, hoping nothing bad had happened. Everyone in the room froze, waiting to hear the reply to that.

"When you didn't come back after a half hour Adam sent a Daryl out to make sure you hadn't found trouble. You did leave with Mercy after all," Warren said getting an indignant 'hey' from Mercy. "Just checking, Mercy, and you know it's true anyway." He said, more carefree that he knew they were fine. "The trail just disappeared, as if you had vanished from off the street, you and Mercedes both. "

Stefan spoke up for the first time, "It was Wulfe. Though I didn't know he could do that."

"Is that you Stefan?" Ben asked, having just walked into the room Warren was occupying. "So where did you all get off to the trail just disappeared. D*** vampires," Ben added.

"Yes Mercy, Jesse, and I are all just fine. There was no harm done and they are all safe now anyway," Stefan said carefully avoiding mention of where they were. He didn't need werewolves knocking on top of everything else.

Warren caught on before Ben could say something rude, "alright then keep in touch and stay alive." He hung up suddenly, leaving Jesse holding a phone and the room listening to dial tone. He hadn't had to say 'or else', he knew it would be understood.

"Well, now we have the pleasure of reporting to Adam that the Mistress is playing games again, Stefan has Mercy & Jesse supposedly safe, and that there is a missing wolf." Ben just gave Warren a look and walked out.

"Well, since I value my skin you can tell him," He shouted.

"Tell me what?" Adam said having just returned home in time to hear Ben's loud comment. He stood rubbing his head as if he had one major headache coming on. "Tell me what?" He repeated when no answer was forthcoming.

Jesse hung the phone back on the wall. "Warren never did answer my question. I wonder what happened." She said tensely

Rayvn looked between the group members. Whatever this man was, he had hearing at least as good as a wolf and that alone made it important she not underestimate him. The whole conversation had felt awkward to her. Awkward but familiar at least; It was as if everyone was dancing around the truth, each holding their own secrets close to them. Half truths and outright lies, though she hadn't heard any of the latter yet though she already knew she would eventually. Yeah, just like home, she thought bitterly though it oddly made her feel safer. Though why shouldn't she, after all this was a game that she had expertise in.

Marsilia stood up from where she had been sitting listening to Lily play the piano again. She had been doing that a lot lately, ever since her Soldier had abandoned her. "What is it Wulfe?" She asked turning to face him.

"A little…present… for you my Mistress from the Alpha of the Columbia Basin Pack," Wulfe said holding the captured werewolf in place smiling. "They will not be able to trace him back here, not by scent and not by the pack ties either. I have made sure of that Mistress; I at least, would never betray the Seethe." Wulfe watched Marsilia move forward greedily, she had a weakness for werewolf though it certainly wasn't her only weakness.

I do apologize for killing the unnamed wolf, but it was necessary for the plot to work.