Author's Note: I know you all hate me for not updating in for so long… and believe me, I hate me too. I think the dumbest idea I ever had was to get a job (seriously, don't do it if you don't absolutely have to). And then I got hit by the train – otherwise known as exams – and didn't look up from my textbooks for two weeks. But that's still not an excuse for such a prolonged absence, so I'm sending out a big cyber hug (and maybe some restraining orders…) to those amazing people who sent me all those lovely messages telling me not to give up. Thank you all so much – this one's for you!

Also, I know this may be asking a lot, but I need everyone reading this chapter to do their best to review. I know it's a bother, but I really need to know how many people are still reading this story. It's been a long time, and I know I myself have given up on stories that don't update for a few months. So please, please, PLEASE leave a review (it doesn't have to be long guys, it could be a smiley face or a sad face depending on if you liked it or not or something) and I will love you forever and answer every single one. Please?

That's enough grovelling for now because this chapter is a monster and I have to get on with it. Enjoy, guys (however many of you there are left)!

Disclaimer: Christina and Steph are feeling nostalgic and watching some Disney movies to pass the time.

Steph: Would you look at that hair? I swear, Disney is single-handedly responsible for my unrealistic expectations in men and in hair.

Christina: True dat.

Steph: And I mean seriously, how come it dries perfectly straight and has volume and everything? I can't get that look with mousse and a professional hair dryer!

Christina: *Shrugs*

Steph: *Annoyed because she doesn't think Christina is listening*
And also, I decided to give up writing that story that isn't mine. You know the one where I don't own anything but my awesome ideas? Yea, that one. I'm done with it. Like, forever.

Christina: *Distracted*
Mhmmm.

Steph: No reaction? Seriously?
*Waves hand in front of Christina's face*

Christina: YOUR MOM HAS NO REACTION!
*Looks away from screen*
NOW SHUT UP SO I CAN WATCH MY MOVIE!

Loss

"And in all my life, I have known no greater loss than this: the loss of you."

- Anonymous

I squinted against the sunlight flooding in through the cracks in the curtain, straining to block out the feel of the light hitting my face. I rolled over so my back was to the window, but that didn't help; I reached for my blanket, but it wasn't anywhere within reach. I probably kicked it off during the night… I patted the area of the bed around me, giving it one last half-hearted attempt….

It was about then - feeling the unfamiliar texture of something under my hand – that I realized I wasn't in my bed.

I bolted awake, my heart racing as I tried to remember where I was. Taking in the trees and other assorted shrubbery, I brought my hands up to my face and rubbed my eyes. How the hell did I end up outside?

Incomplete fragments of memory – snatches of light and sound – flitted through my brain until the instant when it all came rushing back. "Oh…" I whispered under my breath, unable to come up with much else. That wolf… could it be possible-?

No. Not this again. I couldn't let myself hope for the impossible. You watched him die. They shot him, and he died, and he's not coming back. That wolf from last night was probably just someone who works for the rebels or owes them a favour or something. Don't delude yourself into thinking it has anything to do with Derek.

But I also couldn't ignore the coincidences, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself they didn't mean anything. What are the chances that-?

"CHLOE? ARE YOU OUT HERE?" Simon's voice carried through the clearing even though I couldn't see him. I stood and brushed myself off, hoping I didn't look like I'd spent the night on the forest floor while I tried to come up with a plausible excuse. I had no doubt that the demon had been serious before: if something happened to tip off Simon about what I was doing, she'd take it as me not holding up my end of the bargain and let Tori perish.

"CHLO? ARE YOU OUT HERE? ANSWER ME, PLEASE!" Simon's increasingly frantic tone pulled me out of my thoughts. I tried to picture how he'd react if he knew that I'd literally made a deal with the devil, but when all my mental scenarios ended with 'not well', I shook my head to dispel the thought. I can't tell him yet anyway. He can't know until this is all over and done for good.

"Over here, Simon!" I called, following the sound of his voice. I hurriedly stashed my backpack behind a tree before making my way towards the front of the house.

I spotted him less than a minute later; even from a distance I could see the look of relief on his face. He looked happy, and for a second I was reminded of the old Simon – the one who always had a huge smile on his face no matter what.

Wait a second. The 'old' Simon? He's still Simon! When did I start comparing us to who we used to be? Those people are gone now, and they're not coming back either.

When we'd closed the distance between us, he wordlessly pulled me into a hug. "Thank God," he muttered near my ear. I pulled away, shooting him a questioning look.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "You sounded like a mom who lost her kid in Wal-Mart or something!"

"What were you doing out here?" he demanded, dodging my question. "You look like you were rolling around on the ground," he added, taking in my haggard appearance.

Luckily, my walk had given me time to prepare a response. "I wanted to scope out the property, so I went for a walk. I tripped over some roots and fell a couple of minutes ago." As far as I was concerned it was a believable lie, and I had kept my voice as even as possible … but the look on his face told me he didn't quite buy it. "Why?" I added, hoping to cut off his thought process before he could analyze the lie. I studied his face, taking in the worry clouding his eyes. Something was definitely wrong. "What's wrong, Simon? What's going on?" I repeated, my tone urgent.

He shook his head. "It's … nothing, really." He scratched his ear – his nervous tick – obviously embarrassed. "I just had this stupid dream: you were running through the forest like something was chasing you, and then when I went to wake you up for breakfast you weren't in your room, and I-"

"Panicked?"

"Yeah. I don't know. It's probably nothing. I guess I just have a bad feeling about all of this…" he trailed off, but I heard what he wasn't saying: he didn't feel safe here either, and he was still stuck on high-alert as well.

And his dream… I smiled up at him, ignoring the sinking feeling in my stomach. "Well, seeing as I'm here and nothing's chasing me, I think we can cross 'amazing prophetic dreams' off your list of super-cool heroic abilities," I suggested, attempting to lighten the mood a little. Simon simply shrugged, then turned and gestured for me to follow him back to the house. I smiled, hoping my eyes didn't betray what I was thinking. What the hell is going on here? I wondered. First the wolves, and now Simon's dream…

"Yesssssss, things are finally beginning to get interesting, aren't they, little necro?" I jumped, hearing the demi-demon's voice in my head.

Simon stopped a few feet in front of me, his long legs having granted him the lead. "You okay Chlo?"

"F-fine, just thought I saw a snake," I lied, forcing my mouth into a wide smile. "It was nothing though – just a branch." He chuckled, holding the door open for me. I stepped through, turning to watch as Simon scanned the front yard one last time before closing the door behind himself.

An hour later, after I'd showered and changed, I met Simon in the kitchen for a late breakfast. The kitchen was deserted and nothing had been left out for us, so we took it upon ourselves to open up the cupboards and find something edible. Twenty minutes later – halfway through our generic,tasteless, no-name toaster waffles - Andrew appeared in the doorway, a huge grin plastered on his face. "There you are, kiddo! I've been looking for you two for ages!"

I swallowed the dry, syrup-less piece of waffle I'd been chewing before I spoke. "What's up, Andrew? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's great," he replied cheerily. "I just wanted to let you and Simon know that your friend Tori is awake and stable. She's been-"

We rushed out of the room before he could finish his sentence.

We flew up the staircase to the infirmary, not even stopping to apologize when we nearly collided with a grumpy old lady on one of the landings. I could've sworn I heard her mutter something about 'kids today', but there was no time to stop and remind her which generation had raised them. We made it up to the infirmary in less than a minute, sprinting to the door as if it was the portal to platform 9 ¾. Simon, having longer legs, beat me to it, and by the time I'd entered the room, he was already halfway to Tori's bed.

"—and I swear to God, if you don't stop being cheap with the morphine, I'm going to cut off your little friend and feed him to the dog downstairs!" Tori's voice echoed through the room, bouncing off the high ceilings. The shaman who'd been adjusting her blood pressure monitor just shrugged and turned to leave, as if already he'd received that same threat too many times to take it seriously.

"Tori!" Simon sounded both horrified at her comment and relieved that she was back to her old self again.

At the sound of his voice, Tori looked up. I caught her rearranging her smile into an intimidating grimace before: "You bastards! You call yourselves friends? I've been awake for a whole twenty minutes! Why wasn't one of you waiting at my bedside when I woke up? You should both look like you've slept in a chair for a week at the very least! Why-?"

Simon threw his arms around her, cutting off the rest of her rant.

For a second I felt a pang of jealousy, but I brushed it off and went over to get my hug. I squeezed her as tightly as my lack of upper-body strength would allow before letting go. "You dumbass! Why the hell would you do something so damn stupid?" I scolded her, furious that she'd sacrificed herself like that for us.

She made a face. "I'm fine, Chloe. Good as new. Stop worrying!"

"Then why did you just threaten to do unspeakable things to that shaman's genitals if he didn't up your morphine?" Simon demanded, his tone suspicious. "By the way… you do know there isn't actually a dog downstairs, right?"

Tori smiled mischeviously. "Might as well enjoy it while I can, right?" she asked, winking at me. Simon chuckled nervously; I rolled my eyes at her. "So… how long have I been out, exactly?" she asked, changing the subject abruptly.

"Two months," Simon said gravely.

"Holy shit! Really?"

"Give or take a few days…"

She turned to me for confirmation. "Chloe?"

"Less than a day, Tori. Relax."

She sighed, relieved, before promptly punching Simon in the arm.

"Hey!"

"Asshole."

We laughed together then, and it felt good – forgetting all the things weighing on us for a few seconds and joking around like normal kids our age.

We stayed in the infirmary with Tori for the rest of the day, refusing to leave for more than a few minutes at a time. We brought our dinners up with us and ate while we discussed what our next course of action would be, agreeing that we weren't going anywhere until Tori was fully healed. We were all wary of the supposed 'safehouse' and its residents, and no matter how much we wished we could trust the people inside, experience had taught us that it would be foolish to let our guards down for even a second. We discussed escape plans and powers and even – briefly – the betrayal of Tori's mother, before finally deciding to take a break and just talk.

"So, what took you guys so long this morning?" Tori asked during a long stretch of silence. "Andrew said he was going to send you up right away, but you didn't show up until an hour later."

Simon and I exchanged a look. "I had to find Chloe," he said finally. "She was outside in the foresty-section of the yard, so it took a while."

"The forest? What were you doing out there?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

For a second, I was tempted to tell them about the wolves and the demon's deal and the events of the night before. I could figure out a way to tell them indirectly – let them guess. Then I won't really be telling them, will I?

Apparently the demon thought otherwise. "One word," she said, the voice in my head threatened, " and this will be your friend's fate." The room around me dissolved as she spoke, and the image of the safe, healthy Tori on the bed in front of me was replaced by a cold, lifeless body. A ghostly shaman – part of the vision, I guessed – was disconnecting the heart rate monitor and the IV while another faceless shaman pulled a white sheet over Tori's motionless frame. "Is this what you want?" the demon demanded. "For yet another friend to die because of your selfishness?"

And then she showed me Derek, and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from screaming.

"Chloe?" The scene dissolved again, returning me to the real world.

I attempted to steady myself enough to respond to Tori's call. "Like I told Simon, I was just checking out the property, Tori," I snapped.

Simon and Tori exchanged a glance but didn't question me any further. "I'm gonna go to bed," I muttered, standing. "Night, guys." I left without another word, waiting until I was safely back in my room before I let myself fall apart.

I waited until the house was completely silent before slipping out of my room. I only had a few minutes to prepare before I had to retrieve my backpack from its hiding spot and complete my task, so I took the stairs four at a time. Like the night before, I stopped at the kitchen to grab a weapon; I knew what was in store for me tonight, and I wasn't going to allow myself to bed caught off guard again. I crossed the length of the kitchen in three strides, pulling open the knife drawer slowly so as not to make noise. Inside, I found a few regular dinner knives – nothing too dangerous. I would need something a bit more lethal for my purposes. I tried the next drawer with my fingers crossed, praying for something better.

And I got it.

Jackpot! Inside were three long knives – two steak knives and one gleaming butcher's knife. The kind every psycho killer carries in the movies. How appropriate.

Satisfied with my find, I turned to leave… and stopped, glancing at the medicine cabinet opposite the door. I tried to tell myself that I was only looking out for myself when I took a step towards it, but it was no use. Whoever he is, he got hurt trying to protect me last night. The least I can do is treat his wounds properly if he shows up again.

I shook my head to halt that train of thought. He probably won't even be there today – who would repeatedly throw themselves in the line of fire like that for someone they don't know?

Unless… That little voice returned, whispering things in my ear that sparked a treacherous little flame of hope inside me…

Enough.

I shook my head again and checked my watch, realizing with a start that I had less than five minutes to get to the barrier's edge.

"Hurry child. You wouldn't want to be late now, would you?"

Against my better judgement, I threw open the cabinet and pulled out a roll of bandages, some rubbing alcohol, and a flashlight. I hastily stuffed it all into a shopping bag with the knives before racing out the door.

I didn't turn my flashlight on until I'd retrieved my backpack and reached the edge of the property. I could see the swirling light of the barrier from the house, and it was all I needed to guide me.

"Glad to see you made it," the demon greeted me indifferently, her voice loud and outside my head for the first time all day.

"Let's get this over with," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking as I thought of what I was in store for me.

"As you wish. I trust you remember what you have to do?" I nodded, stepping up to the very edge of the barrier.

I took a deep breath, clenched my fists, and stepped through.

I knew they'd be waiting, but I still jumped at the sight of the two wolves stepping out of the forest. They both looked a little worse for wear after the pummeling they'd received the night before. I could see the places where their accelerated werewolf hearing had kicked in, but the intense damage that'd been done to the Hunter's body could still be seen: the fur still hadn't grown back, and the skin was angry, puckered, and shiny. I blanched at the sight, forcing the bile that rose in my throat back down again. Ignore it. The point isn't to stare at them, it's to keep them from eating you for lunch.

They began coming towards me, both growling so fiercely that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that they were out for revenge. And they'll get it, I realized, desperately scanning the forest around me for my saviour from the night before. The truth hit me like a speeding train: I'm all alone.

I'm not going to make it out of this alive.

But I wasn't completely helpless, was I? I still had my powers, and if they were going to be the only thing standing between myself and a slow, torturous death, it was time to stop acting squeamish and actually use them to my advantage.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to feel the pulse of energy radiating from the forest. I permitted some power to flow out of me, searching for the lingering spirits of any larger animals. I could feel them – feel their presence around me – so I sent out a surge of power along with a silent command: Protect me.

I did my best not to picture that day in the forest – what felt like a whole lifetime ago now – when I'd first raised a body. I tried to block out the disgust and the guilt I still felt haunting me, ignoring it like you would a hurtful comment from a friend. And despite my attempts to remain focused, I couldn't stop myself from registering the presence of the wolves moving closer, inching forward as I stood there with my guard down. I wasn't worried though – they wouldn't be happy until they'd gotten the satisfaction of a hunt, and for that their prey would actually have to be moving.

When I opened my eyes they were there, less than ten feet away, watching me hungrily. The excitement of the pending hunt energized them, and I could feel their bloodlust coming off them in waves.

It's hard to believe they're human… or that they ever were.

The Alpha, tired of waiting, barked an order to its subordinate. The Hunter took another step towards me…

The black wolf – my wolf – burst from the trees, slamming into the wolf closest to me.

There was no time to watch the fight like I had the last time – the Alpha was approaching quickly, and I was halfway between him and the barrier. I reached down and gripped the knife poking out of my belt. Tightening my grip around it, I took off, serpentining through the trees west of the barrier.

I could hardly make out the trees in front of me, but I was afraid stopping to pull the flashlight out of my pocket would slow me down. I ran blindly, dodging the trees that sprang up in front of me. I could hear the Alpha behind me – the sound of his breathing telling me just how far away he really was – and I knew I wouldn't be able to outrun him for very much longer. He was teasing me, letting me think I had a chance. In a few minutes – once he was tired of chasing me – he'd close the distance between us effortlessly and end it. Running wasn't going to be enough; I'd have to start implicating offensive measures soon, and the lack of results when I'd tried to raised something before told me my powers weren't going to be of much use to me tonight. Like the night before, I could feel my stores of energy being depleted - with every step, I was becoming weaker.

I did my best to double back, leading the wolf towards the barrier. As I ran, I watched the progress of the black wolf against the Hunter, trying to make out who'd landed the most blows to his opponent. If my wolf can get rid of the Hunter, he can help me take out the Alpha. We might actually have a chance of getting out of this alive.

Once I realized that, my course of action was clear. Without even realizing it, my feet had begun to steer me towards the black wolf. Confused by my sudden change in direction, the Alpha fell behind, giving me the extra time I needed to formulate my plan. The black wolf was still occupied with the task of trying to get rid of the Hunter. I knew he would need time, so I added another branch to my plan.

Spotting a tree up ahead with low-hanging branches, I lunged, relying on the years of gymnastics training I'd gotten while my parents were alive to keep me from falling. Knowing I only had a few seconds to get out of harm's way, I forced my muscles into action, propelling myself up the trunk of the tree as fast as I possibly could. Once I was able to grab a tributary branch and pull myself up, I peered out through the leaves, searching the ground around the tree for any sign of the Alpha. The whole time I'd been climbing I'd imagined him at my feet, snapping at my heels, desperately trying to drag me back down before I was out of reach… but when I scanned the ground around my tree he was nowhere in sight.

Where could he have possibly gone? He was right behind me before—

The sound of a wolf's howl kept me from completing that thought. It wasn't difficult to figure out what had happened: the Alpha had given up on me and gone to join the Hunter in his fight against the black wolf.

Another howl of pain pierced the silence of the forest, and I knew that it was my wolf that was in trouble. He was losing – what else could he do when he was fighting both enemies at once while wounded – while I sat there safe in my perch listening to it all happen.

By the time I heard the third howl I was already out of the tree, making my way over to the spot where I'd last seen the wolves fighting. I paused long enough to withdraw my flashlight, holding it while my other hand gripped the knife at my waist. I ran towards the source of the noise, hoping I wasn't already too late.

Within three minutes, I found myself less than ten feet from the action. Crouching behind a tree, I tried to gauge what the most effective plan of attack would be; judging by the speed at which the wolves were throwing themselves into battle, I knew jumping right into the scuffle wouldn't be the best choice…

They're not after him – they're after ME. And since I'm the weaker one, the most logical thing for me to do would be—

I swore under my breath. The bait. Why is the heroine always has to be the one to lure the baddies away?

I gathered my courage and stepped out from behind the tree, not wanting to wait for my brain to supply me with an answer.

The effect was immediate: both the Alpha and his subordinate looked up, locking eyes with me from their positions. The black wolf, realizing what was going on, barked in my direction as if to say "what are you doing? Get out of here!" Ignoring his protests, I took another shaky step forward, decreasing the distance between the wolves and myself. In response, the Alpha stepped forward as well, his gaze holding my own as he licked his chops in anticipation. It was like a standoff in a classic western – nobody moved a muscle as we stared each other down and waited for our adversaries to make the first move. Teeth and fists clenched anxiously, I forced out an invitation: "Come and get me, you bastards."

A few seconds passed before anyone reacted. And I swear there was nothing even remotely human about the evil grin plastered on the Alpha's face. He stepped forward, his eyes shining eagerly.

The Hunter growled a warning to the Alpha, but he was too close to victory to stop now. Instead, he barked an order, cocking his head towards the black wolf as if to say, "be a dear and take care of that, won't you?"

The Hunter didn't move, but the Alpha began shifting his weight, preparing to strike. I locked eyes with the black wolf and nodded once, hoping he understood.

We exploded into action.

Instead of turning around and running in the direction of the house, I ran forward and slightly to the left. The Alpha, having charged straight ahead, had ended up running in the opposite direction and increasing the distance between us. This gave me more time to run away while he was forced to turn around before resuming the chase. Admittedly, it wasn't the best plan, but it gave me a few extra seconds to get as far away from the Alpha as I possibly could. The Hunter, like its master, had run forward. Like me, the black wolf had anticipated this and looped around the same way I had, confusing his opponent. The black wolf was then able to attack his opponent from behind, giving him a huge advantage. Within moments they were locked in combat, each trying to best the other. I wasn't able to watch what happened next, but when I glimpsed back a few moments later, the black wolf had pinned the Hunter beneath him.

I peeled my eyes away from the scene. I had to keep running; letting myself get distracted wasn't going to help in the slightest. Just keep running, that's all you have to do. Just keep running. Ignore the burning in your lungs, your throat. Just keep—

My pep talk was cut short by another tortured howl. I kept running, praying the cry hadn't come from the black wolf. Knowing there was no way I could outrun the Alpha forever, I looked around for another tree to climb. I planned on repeating my earlier strategy – climb a tree and hide until the coast was clear – but there seemed to be none nearby with the low-hanging branches I required to pull it off.

I had to find one soon. The muscles in my legs were screaming at me, demanding I stop, and my lungs felt more torn-up with every jagged breath I drew in and forced them to hold.

I stumbled and lost my footing, throwing my hands out to keep my face from making contact with the cold, hard ground. Knowing I was finished then – the Alpha would be upon me in seconds – I made one last feeble attempt:

Somebody, please. Help us.

And then I closed my eyes, knowing I'd failed myself and Tori and Simon and Derek and my parents, bracing myself for the moment when everything would go dark.

It never came. I opened my eyes and got to my feet quickly, not bothering to brush the dirt off my clothes. The Alpha was nowhere to be found, but I could hear the distinct sounds of a scuffle happening close by. Realizing what that meant, I let out the breath I'd been holding. He's okay. Thank goodness. Somehow I'd lost the Alpha, and the sounds meant that the black wolf was still fighting the Hunter somewhere…

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you had a thing for near-death experiences, Chloe."

My head whipped around at the voice, not daring to believe it. "L-Liz? Is that you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper in case the Alpha was still looking for me.

"Who else would it be?" she replied, materializing a few feet in front of me. She hadn't changed since our last encounter – which made sense, of course – and except for the anxious set of her features, it could have been the day she pulled me out of my grief-induced stupor back at the Edison Group's headquarters.

I doubled over, feeling the effects of the chase hit me all at once. "Wolves… chase … help … black…" I struggled to get the words out between wheezes, hoping she'd understand what I was trying to convey.

"Are you talking about the wolves? Because I held up that bastard that was chasing you. You're okay for a while," she assured me.

I shook my head and tried again. "Help... we gotta help… the black wolf…" I finally spit out as I attempted to stand up straight.

I'd expected an argument – or at the very least for her to tell me I was insane – but, God bless her, Liz just nodded once and pointed in the direction of the fight. "The wolf that was chasing you rejoined the other one after I dropped a few dozen branches on his head," she said. "He's a little dazed but he's still pretty dangerous. The other one can hardly stand but he won't stop fighting – it's awful." She glanced around as we neared the source, gaze lingering on a tree a few dozen feet to the right. "Climb that," she said, jabbing a thumb towards the tree, "and wait for me to come get you. Okay?"

I nodded without having the slightest intention of following her instructions. Satisfied, she disappeared from view.

I abandoned the tree and ran in the direction of the battle the second she disappeared. Careful not to get too close, I fished out the other two knives and stuck them into my belt, pulling the butcher knife out so it was handy. I snuck closer, spotting a glimpse of the black wolf's fur through the dense layer of foliage.

"Liz!" I hissed, watching as she threw a few rocks at the Alpha's face. They rebounded off him like crumbs, returning to the ground with a few muted thuds. I whispered her name again, thinking that if she took one of my knives, she'd be able to…

The Alpha's ears perked up and he turned to look in my direction.

Oh, screw it. I pressed my lips together to keep from making any more sounds.

I watched as the black wolf tackled the Hunter, sending him toppling to the ground. He lowered his muzzled and bit down hard into the Hunter's flank, tearing a sizeable chunk of flesh from his already wounded side. The Hunter whimpered once, and then was still.

Now there was nothing between the Alpha and the black wolf.

The Alpha dug his paws into the ground and growled, taunting him, daring the black wolf to come forward. It was easy to see who had the upper hand here: the black wolf had been injured in battle, while the Alpha had done nothing but chase me and watch the Hunter fight for him. The black wolf was exhausted, and it showed.

But that didn't stop him from flying at the Alpha, fangs bared and eyes shining.

They fought without holding anything back. The Alpha – though he had let his crony fight his earlier battles for him – was obviously very powerful. The two flew at each other with unrestrained force, putting everything they had into the fight. The black wolf got a few solid hits in, but his condition was deteriorating quickly, and with every blow the Alpha delivered, he grew less and less co-ordinated. Liz tried to help as best she could – yanking the Alpha's tail, poking him with branches, and even attempting to choke him – but nothing she did seemed to have any lasting effect. I wanted to help as well, but they were moving so fast that doing anything to attempt to help the black wolf might very well injure him. I gripped the knife handle as hard as I could, willing an idea to pop into my head.

But nothing came. I watched as the Alpha delivered another hit, knocking the black wolf onto his back. I waited for my wolf to right himself, but he stayed down. I watched in horror as Liz tried to pull him to his feet and the Alpha moved closer. It was obvious that he meant to deliver the final hit as he made his way to where the black wolf was lying practically motionless.

I couldn`t watch anymore.

Without knowing how I got there, I was a few feet behind the Alpha, knife raised above my head. Time had slowed down, and my own movements felt impossibly fast to me. The Alpha`s ears perked and he turned slightly – as I knew he would – spotting me.

I brought my hand down, and though he had moved away, I managed to embed the first few inches of the blade into his lower back.

Howls of agony. I yanked the knife out and brought it down again in the same area before he could escape my reach. Again, I pulled the blade out, raising my arm in preparation for another strike.

He darted away, putting a few dozen feet between us within a few seconds. Adrenaline surging through me, I glanced up at Liz. She looked somewhere between relieved and angry – probably because I had disobeyed her – but when she met my eyes she held my gaze. I nodded and lowered my knife. "I have to take him back through the barrier with me. Take this knife and watch my back in case he comes back, okay?" She nodded and took it from my hand, holding it away from herself like it was a diseased animal.

I turned to the black wolf. I tried shaking him awake, but it was clear that he was unconscious. Not knowing what else to do, I stood up and tried to lift him. Bad idea. I began to sway and almost dropped the wolf. Liz, watching this, shook her head and scrambled to help me lift him. Unfortunately it wasn't enough – our strengths combined couldn't carry the wolf. With nothing left to do we half dragged, half carried the wolf until we were only a few dozen feet from the barrier. After such a long trek, the sight of the soft, swirling lights almost brought me to tears.

"Well, it seems you survived after all," the demon noted. "I believe congratulations are in order."

I ignored her, doing my best to concentrate on getting the wolf inside the barrier. It was less than a dozen feet now, and I couldn't wait to collapse on the grass and let sleep take over. Only a few more feet…

The demon began to laugh.

I knew something was wrong, but my brain was not in the best of shape after the night I'd had. As I dragged the wolf the last few feet into the barrier, I heard a twig snap.

I barely had time to react before the Alpha had slammed into me, knocking me to the ground.

I don't remember screaming, but I remember thrashing against the beast on top of me, desperately trying to wriggle out from under him. Grabbing one of the knives from my belt, I thrust it upwards, grazing the wolf's stomach. It felt like I spent an eternity pinned beneath him before I heard another howl of pain and seized the opportunity; I slipped out from under him, pulling the third knife from my belt.

"Liz!" I shouted, searching for any sign of her. She'd disappeared again, but I had a feeling that this time, it hadn't been because she'd wanted to. Terrified, I tried to get to my feet quickly. I managed to stand after a few seconds, running to where I'd left the black wolf. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled with everything I had, desperate to get him and myself to safety. As we cleared the last four feet, I allowed myself a moment of celebration. We made it through the night! Tori's going to be okay! We got rid of those monsters and we made it through—

He slammed into me again, knocking me to the ground.

I tried to stand, tried to run, but the weight of the wolf was pulling me back to the ground – he'd grabbed onto my shirt.

I twisted madly, trying everything to get the wolf off. I tried stabbing him again, but the knife wouldn't find purchase in his fur and kept rebounding off when I tried. I screamed Liz's name, sending a surge of power out to try and pull her back to me.

Nothing.

I twisted, aiming somewhere around the wolf's mid-flank.

The knife went in just as a force hit us from the left.

My wolf.

We flew back from the point of impact, rolling as we went. The Alpha's hold on my shirt never faltered, but my wolf was on him now, biting and clawing and aiming for his throat. I tried to find my knife and spotted it some ten or twelve feet away – too far. Way too far to be of any use to me.

The black wolf landed another blow, sending the Alpha in the opposite direction.

This time, he didn't attempt to retaliate.

The Alpha stood, locking eyes with the black wolf. He turned to meet my gaze, and – if wolves could do such a thing – he grinned before promptly turning around and disappearing into the forest again.

I watched as he ran, turning to look at the black wolf when I was sure the Alpha was far enough away. He had collapsed, the effort of driving the other wolf away draining his last remaining stores of energy. I crouched down, stroking the fur around his ears. "It's alright," I whispered. "We're safe now. Everything's going to be f-"

It was only then that I realized where we were and what had happened.

The Alpha had entered the barrier with us.

It was like my body was on auto-pilot. The shock of what had just happened had frozen my mind, but my hands somehow knew that I needed to get my backpack off and start treating our wounds. Without stopping to think, I peeled off my t-shirt carefully and shrugged off my tank top, replacing my t-shirt when I was done. I pulled out the rubbing alcohol and poured some onto my tank, using it to wipe off the blood and dirt caked on my arms. I was thorough – remembering what Derek had told me about getting werewolf blood in your system – but quick, only tending to my own wounds so I could take my time fixing up the wolf. Thankfully, the Alpha's teeth hadn't made it through my clothing – I'd escaped without an encounter with his fangs.

Satisfied with my work, I turned to the unconscious form next to me. Now that he was still, I could see just how badly he'd faired – there were deep bite-marks in places where the fur had been ripped out, blood was dried in his coat and the paw I'd fixed up the day before looked worse than ever. I paused with the roll of bandages in my hand, trying to figure out where I could possibly start.

Bones first. Everything else can wait, I decided, remembering Lauren's instructions for how to treat a severely injured patient.

I set to work, doing my best to set the bones properly. In all honesty, I had no idea if what I was doing would do anything but hurt the wolf… but I had to try. I wrapped the bandages around the broken paw from the night before and his left hind leg, which appeared to be broken as well. Using the alcohol, I tended to the bites from the Alpha and the other wolf, trying to be as gentle as possible. I tried summoning Liz again while I worked, but she didn't reappear and I gave up after my first few attempts proved to be fruitless. I suspected her absence had something to do with the barrier – maybe someone had cast a spell to keep out ghosts and spirits – and tried not to linger too long on the fact that Liz had disappeared at the same time the demon had.

There was nothing much left for me to do after disinfecting the bites. I tried using some of the water in my bag to wash out the blood from the wolf's fur, but it wasn't enough and I didn't want to risk giving him hypothermia or something.

I spotted a bite mark on his ear that I'd missed earlier and rooted through my bag looking for the rubbing alcohol. Pouring some onto the fabric in my hand, I pressed it to the wound gently, letting it brush the cut so as not to hurt the wolf. As I worked, I noticed his eyes opening as he registered the feeling of something on his ear. I pulled my hand back slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements. I could feel his gaze on me and tried not to react, letting my hand hang in the air between us.

He met my gaze and held it before closing his eyes and leaning his head down. He touched his forehead to my palm gently before laying his head back on the ground, and I took it to mean 'thank you'. Touched – and angry that he'd been hurt trying to protect me – I vowed to end the Alpha's life even if it was the last thing I ever did. And those eyes… I shook my head swiftly, stopping any ideas from forming.

"You'll be okay, I promise. You'll be back to your old self in a few days," I whispered, placing my hand above his shoulder in – what I hoped was – a comforting gesture. He seemed to relax at my touch, so I scooted closer and sat down, keeping my hand in place. Part of my brain seemed to realize that he hadn't run away like before, and that he was probably the only thing standing between me and the other wolves. "Thank you," I whispered, hoping I sounded sincere. He couldn't respond, of course, but he seemed to bob his head and I took that to mean he understood.

The rational part of my brain was having a field day. Why am I still out here talking to this stranger? Who is this person, and why do they keep putting themselves at risk for me?

I don't know how long we sat there in silence, the only sounds punctuating the air between us a product of our breathing. I began to doze off, finally relaxing after the torturous events of the night. It's so pretty out here at night, I noted. The stars seem so close. I stared up at them, willing my heavy eyelids to stay open a little while longer. I can't stay out here all night. The Alpha's still out there – he could be back at any time. I gotta get inside…

I was asleep before I could even finish the thought.

Wolves.

They starred in my dreams, appearing swiftly and disappearing almost as quickly. They were as insubstantial as smoke, flitting in and out of my otherwise normal dream. But what they touched they turned to nightmares, and I was soon trapped in the midst of one I knew all too well.

The screams of the brakes. The screams of my parents.

But this time, there were wolves outside the car, surveying the wreckage with eyes too intelligent to belong to anything but human beings. The sight of them made me shiver – made me pull my coat up over myself and let the dreams take me far, far away…

I bolted awake, shivering for real as I tried to piece together what I'd just seen. The wolves… could they have been there the night my parents died? I pushed my hair back with one hand, trying to catch my breath as I considered what it could mean.

It took me a few seconds to realize where I was. Shit. I must've fallen asleep outside after I took care of our injuries…

The wolf!

I scanned the yard for any sign of him, but he'd disappeared again. "Dammit," I muttered, reaching down to retrieve my backpack. I gathered all the supplies I'd used, stuffing them unceremoniously into the bag before yanking hard on the zipper. I hope he'll be okay. That paw was in really bad shape. He won't be able to do much tomorrow if—

The sound of a low-pitched whimper stopped my train of thought and put me on high-alert. I stood up as quietly as possible and followed the noise, avoiding any stray branches or twigs in my path.

It took less than a minute to find him, curled up against a tree just outside the barrier. He was obviously in agony – writhing around helplessly and whimpering – but I had no idea why.

Then the hair on his flank shortened considerably – as if it'd been pulled back into his skin – and I knew. He's Changing again.

I snapped to action, kneeling down next to him while I tried to figure out what to do. This can't be normal for a werewolf. Derek said the Change only took a few minutes at the most – and he never said anything about Changing back taking this long.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked, voice hoarse, remembering how bad it had been the night before. When he didn't answer, I tried placing my hand on his shoulder again. He'd grown larger in the minutes since I'd arrived, and his form was beginning to take on vaguely human qualities: the front legs were beginning to thicken as well as the back legs, and the toes of each front paw were elongating into fingers. He might make it through this time, I thought, watching as the snout shortened and began shrinking. I had no idea what to do, so I just kept my hand on his shoulder and watched as he underwent the transformation.

The whimpers grew more and more broken as the transformation progressed. Bones cracked and shifted, and the sounds made me winch. The tail had disappeared, and I could clearly see the shift: he was more human now than wolf. Like the last time, he averted his face, facing the trees while his features Changed.

And because I hadn't been allowing myself to look, to hope even, I stood up and turned his face – gently – towards me.

I started to shake.

Because it couldn't be real. I was dreaming.

I had to be dreaming.

"D-D-" I chocked on his name, unable to get past the first syllable. He jerked his face away as he retched, and I stood there doing nothing, unable to process what I'd just seen. It can't be him. He's dead. It can't be him. The same two sentences were on loop inside my mind, tethering me to sanity.

It had to be another illusion created by the demon – there was no other possible explanation. She'd shown me him once to get me to do her bidding, and now she was doing it again. It had to be.

I crouched down next to him, searching for his hand. A wave of nausea hit me the moment I saw it, recognizing the shape of his fingers. "D-Derek?" I tried again, managing to get the name out this time. He made a sound – what could have been the beginning of a reply – before his spine arched and he cried out in agony again. "Derek!"

As his spine began rearranging itself, he grabbed my hand and held on for dear life. It was his hand – there was no doubt in my mind, feeling the way it fit with mine. But it was impossible. I'd watched him die. I'd summoned his ghost. And if there was one thing that I knew about my life now, it was that the hole that he'd left in my heart when he'd died was permanent – he was never coming back, and nothing was going to change that.

Because I hadn't been able to save him.

I was suddenly reminded of a conversation I'd had with the demon.

"This is the friend you wish to save, isn't it?" the demon had asked while we'd been discussing our deal to save Tori.

"Obviously," I'd retorted, sure she'd been trying to make me angry by asking stupid questions.

I hadn't thought there was anyone else to save.

Right on cue, the demon's laugh reverberated through the entire forest. "Has the stupid little necro finally figured it out?" she asked no one in particular. "Oh, don't look so glum sweetheart! Really, you should be thanking me, Chloe. I did you a huge favour by bringing you out here to meet him, and you didn't even understand what a great gift I'd given you!" She laughed again as Derek let out another howl before collapsing. "I absolutely adore reunions… don't you?"

I let loose all the fury I felt towards her: for not telling me he was alive; for putting me through hell just so I could find out the hard way why he hadn't returned. For using me the way she had, giving no thought to the consequences or the destruction she'd caused. I channeled every particle of my fury into my powers, sending her as far away from me as I possibly could.

Once I was sure she was gone, I returned my attention to Derek. I watched with renewed terror as his spine arched again and the fur reappeared, covering his entire body. No! He's not going to complete the Change!

"Derek," I begged, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Derek, you have to Change back. Please!" I was on autopilot again, unable to bridge the gap between what was happening in front of me and what it meant.

All I knew was that he had to finish the Change.

His arms and legs began shortening, thinning as his fingers became paws once more. "Don't do this, Derek! You have to finish the Change!" I was sobbing now, tears carving trails through the grime on my cheeks while I gripped his paw so tightly that I could feel each individual bone. "Don't leave me again," I begged. "Please Derek, not again!"

Another howl as his front legs snapped into place and his tail extended. I could see his face now – it'd reverted back to wolf form, erasing any image of his true face.

I was losing him.

I released my grip on his paw as the last pieces of the transformation came together, turning him back into the black wolf. I could see that the effort had exhausted him – he was in worse shape than when he'd begun, if that were possible.

"Derek…" I whispered his name as the tears blurred my vision, flowing freely down the sides of my face. I wiped them away, struggling to get to my feet. We can figure this out. I'll just take him back to the safehouse – someone there will know what to do. I can fix this!

I put my arms around him, trying to pull him back towards the barrier with me, but he wouldn't budge. "Common!" I begged, my voice breaking. "We can find a way to turn you back – you just have to come with me, Derek. Please!" I was beyond begging now, shaking while I pleaded with his motionless form. "Derek!"

And - just as I'd known he would - he met my gaze, shaking his head before darting back into the forest.

I scrambled to get to my feet, using my sleeve to dry my tears as I ran after him. "DEREK!" I screamed, following the path he'd taken and repeating his name so many times my throat felt raw. "DEREK!"

But there was no one there to answer me. He'd disappeared into the trees without looking back.

I sank to my knees as the sobs began to overtake my body, making it impossible to run. When I couldn't hold myself up anymore, I fell back onto the grass, hugging my knees to my chest as I let the full force of it take over.

I'd lost him all over again.

A/N: I gotta go ice my hand (and sleep maybe, since it's almost six in the morning and I haven't slept yet) but please leave a review (it can be a single word, I'm not picky) so I can get an idea of how many people still care about this baby. If I don't get at least 40, I'm gonna be changing some things… And I mean seriously guys, this chapter was 20 pages long. Have mercy on this poor old fanfic writer :P

Anyways, leave some love for me and I'll be sure to answer. As usual, constructive criticism is always appreciated. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! :)