I whispered words of encouragement to Derek as he worked through it, ignoring that my body ached. I didn't know if it was from the way I was sitting or the same reason as earlier when I got really cold.

I blinked and suddenly my mindset as Chloe was gone. I was now a wolf. A wolf in a human's body, which felt unnatural. My eyes flickered and Derek watched as I stood and took off running. I felt contorted, yet my physical form had not changed I made it to the edge of the small clearing before a huge mass landed on top of me, taking me down into the brush.I tried to shove the person off me and punched and scratched, creating deep gashes in the attacker. The figure was having a difficult time pinning me down though, because of my irrational fighting back and because their physical contortion.

I realized who it was before I could get control over my body. I could not control my movements or my thoughts. The wolf was Chloe now. Chloe was gone and the 'attacker' knew this. He knew that the wolf was trying to control me.

There was a moment of hesitation from the figure on me. A distorted whisper, "I'm sorry," and then a sharp pain on the side of my head. Something connected with my skull and everything went black.

After blackness swallowed me, I could sense my new instincts. It cared lot about Derek and wanted to stay with him. But also wanted to be away from Derek. It sensed the danger that I sensed. It knew the consequences of us staying with my group of friends. All the problems that could come and the danger that I would be in and that I would put others in. It was dangerous to stay around them, the Edison Group would leave them alone eventually I hoped. It seemed to be me that they were mainly after now.

Something cold gently touched my forehead and I began to come back to consciousness. I blinked and opened my eyes. I thought that I opened my eyes but I still saw black. It was dark outside still. I heard a voice somewhere around me and looked around as everything finally came into looked to my side and Derek came to view in the dark forest He had the worried look on his face when he saw me wake up, he seemed to have relaxed a little.

"Chloe? How do you feel? What the hell was that about?" Derek said to me, the pain of is change still scratching his voice

"What happened?" I asked Derek

"I honestly don't know. You...you...I don't know what happened to you... It was getting out of control though, so I had to knock you out. I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to. I'm sorry Chloe."

"It's okay Derek," of course I knew exactly what happened, I had needed to see if Derek did. I was glad that he didn't know. "How long was I out? Shouldn't we be back to the hotel by now?"

Derek swore, "We should've been back a long time ago. Are you feeling up to moving? We have to get cleaned up before we go back."

I was about to ask Derek what he meant when I looked down at my arms and hands, caked in mud and blood. My hands were cutup pretty good and Derek had several decent cuts on his arms, one on his cheek.

"Derek? Are you okay?" I asked, suddenly more concerned if he was alright than myself.

Derek nodded, "I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. Chloe what happened? Why'd you go nuts like that?"

I looked away from Derek and took the cold cloth from my forehead. Derek went to argue with me about not answering when I shot him a glare that shut him up. It was unlike me to do that. This werewolf stuff really has changed me and I knew I had to leave soon before I hurt Derek again. This was not easy to control.

Derek took the cloth from me, which turned out to be a shred of his shirt, and cleaned off the dirt and blood. He refused to let me walk back when we were going to return, I didn't have the strength to argue so I let him carry me.

I looked up at him as we made the way back "How are you feeling Derek? You didn't complete your change did you?"

"I'm fine," Derek grunted, much like his old self again. He didn't talk after that, he was intent on figuring out what happened to me. Derek was extremely concerned and I understood that but it also irritated me because now it would be harder to leave. Derek was in a much more protective state now.

We got back to the hotel and I forced Derek to let me walk, I felt silly having him carry me. We walked up the stairs in silence, Derek in front of me. I walked up, feeling fine, feeling human, when it hit me again. The pain and soreness spread throughout me, I almost fell backwards down the stairs. I would've if I hadn't been holding onto the railing. Derek must still be numbed from his Change because he didn't notice, normally he would have.

We made it back to the hotel rooms, me keeping a little distance from Derek. My distance was noticed by him though and there was a mix of hurt and anger from him. Kit was waiting for us outside the rooms. He stood looking at us arms folded and angry.

"Where the heck have you two been?" He asked angrily

I went to answer when Derek cut me off, "We ran into a little trouble with hikers. Almost got caught while I was changing. Chloe had to find us a new hiding spot as they goofed around. I don't think they saw us but came close to it. We got pushed deeper into the woods to stay away from them."

I stood there stunned, Derek wanted to know what had happened to me so why had he just lied? Kit probably had an answer for him. Kit continued on scolding Derek and I slipped into the hotel room. The room was dark and there was no movement. The girls must still be over in the boy's room. I laid down in my bed and felt a soft breeze over me.

"I didn't know if you were coming back," Kyle whispered, "Have you decided yet?"

I shook my head whispering, "I've made the mistake of trusting ghosts before and it was a disaster. I can't trust you."

"I mean no harm to anyone, I only wish to be freed. You know that I can help you."

"Leave me alone right now," I replied and tried to fall asleep. I still felt Kyle's presence with me but he stayed quiet like I had requested. It took me a long time but I finally fell into a light sleep after I couldn't hear Kit yelling at Derek anymore.

We had come back sometime late that night and I stayed in bed until late afternoon. My stomach was what finally pulled me out of bed, I felt like I was being starved to death. I climbed out of bed and stumbled over to the kitchen. Aunt Lauren was out getting food and who knew where Tori was. I fixed myself some cereal for breakfast.

I sat down at the counter and ate the entire box. My mind wandering. It would be ideal to leave the group today. I knew the Edison Group was after me. The sooner I got out of here the better. That's when an idea dawned on me. I knew I shouldn't, that I already learned my lesson but it was my only true ally. I could do it with a twist though. The demon destroyed the building when I freed it, I could free Kyle and attach him to something else. Then he couldn't destroy anything. I summoned him to my room. Kyle appeared and sat on the counter.

"Have you decided?" He asked eagerly, I was his only hope for freedom and he didn't want to blow it.

"Yes, I have decided," I nodded.

"Great! So?" He asked.

"Yes. On one condition though," I replied, not revealing my plan.

"Anything for you," Kyle was unbelievably happy.

"You have to help me get out of here," I told him.

"You know where the door is," Kyle responded, not understanding.

"No, I need to get away. From here. From these people. I need you to help me get away today," I told him.

Kyle nodded," Absolutely. No questions asked. You have to free me first though. How do I know you won't just leave me once you are out the front door?"

"Like this," I said and released his spirit from the hotel. Before Kyle had the chance to react, I attached his spirit to a t-shirt. It was the first thing I could think of.

"What the heck was that?! I'm not freed!" Kyle yelled

"I've freed you from the hotel but I still need your help so you are staying with me whether you like it or not. No deals. No trust."

"You clever girl, not many necromancers are capable of that," Kyle laughed, "No worries, I am going to help you escape your friends. What's your plan?"

"Stand guard outside the door while I get changed out of my pajamas," I instructed

Kyle did so and I got to work. I changed into my clothes, putting on my shirt for Kyle, jeans, Liz's sweatshirt and my tennis shoes. My backpack was pretty much packed but with what I had in mind we weren't going to need it. I left it on my bed.

I summoned Kyle back into my room, "Coast clear?"

"Yes, the people of your group are not in the hall. Two men are in the room next to you, and another guy is in the main lobby."

"Tori must be with Aunt Lauren shopping. Good. We can take the back exit and loop around to the road. That way we will avoid the lobby," I wondered if Simon or Derek was in the lobby. I am going to operate as if he is in both though.

Kyle kept watch outside Kit's hotel door while I snuck off to the staircase, walking behind a group of people to hide my scent and sound. If it was Derek in the hotel room with Kit then he would know it was me if I left solitarily. Derek could identify my scent easily and he hears all footsteps.

I walked close behind the group and signaled Kyle to follow me. I wanted him to stay in my sight but still far enough back that we could survey more area. We got down to the main floor no problem. Here was where the real trouble began.

I walked away from the group of people who were heading to the lobby now and turned down the hallway leading to the back of the hotel. Only employees were supposed to use the hallway so my pace quickened. Kyle and I sped-walk out the back and rushed over to the small parking lot. I got in between two vehicles and had to catch my breath.

"This is going well," Kyle observed.

"Yeah, we got out of there easy. It would've been harder if Derek caught us. Simon I can get away from, Derek I can't. Come on, we have to keep moving. My scent is here now and that's not good. The bus stop is just down the road. Let's go."

We walk out of the parking lot and onto the sidewalk, acting as normal as possible because there are lots of people walking on the sidewalk. I walk in the direction of the bus stop when Kyle gets a sudden look of panic in his eye.

"Um Chloe, one of your friends just left the lobby," Kyle tells me, looking behind us.

I swear under my breath and quickly glance over my shoulder as we keep walking. Sure enough, Kyle was right. Simon was standing on the sidewalk. It looked like he was just getting a quick breath of fresh air. He hadn't seen me yet.

I whisper under my breath to Kyle, "Just keep moving. Keep an eye on him for me."

Kyle nods and walks backwards so he can watch Simon as I keep moving. Lucky for him, he doesn't have to worry about bumping into people. I move into the thick crowd and try to hide myself. The people walking around aren't very loud but I try to block out their voices and focus on Kyle's.

"Your friend is moving now. I don't know if he sees you but he is walking this way. Leisurely though, like he's just strolling around."

I keep walking, I'm almost at the bus stop. Kyle urges me to move faster, Simon is only thirty or forty feet away from me. My pace picks up and I'm practically running up to the bus. I ram straight into a woman and knock her over. I don't realize it and step onto the first step of the bus. I turn around to the woman and apologize. Right as I do so I hear, "Chloe?" I look up to see Simon maybe fifteen or twenty feet away, looking directly at me. Horror fills my expression and I jump onto the bus as it's taking off. I land in a seat and I hear Simon on the sidewalk yelling at me.

"Chloe?! What the heck are you doing?! Chloe get off this bus now?!"

The bus driver calls me up front to pay for my ticket but says nothing about the Simon incident as the bus drives away. I pay and return to my seat. Cursing myself for getting caught by Simon.

"It's okay, you got away like you wanted," Kyle says to me

Right now I'm not caring if the other people on the bus think I am talking to myself or not. Not that there is very many people on this bus transfer. "I know, I got on the bus like I wanted. But did you see the look on his face? Did you see the sadness and look of betrayal? He's going to tell the others and they are going to hate me and track me down before we get where we are going."

"We? I got where I wanted to go. Away from the hotel," Kyle replied

"By we; I meant me and my curse," I tell Kyle

"Oh, well where are you going exactly?" Kyle asked curiously

"I can't tell you here. I'll tell you later when we get closer. Unless you want to leave. I can free you if you don't want to be around anymore."

"Free me if you want. I'm still sticking around. I'm your friend remember. Whatever it is you have planned, I'm going to be there by your side. Help you if I can."

I smiled, "You're a great friend."

"Get some rest now Chloe. Your transfer isn't for a while. I'll wake you," Kyle said

I nodded and drifted off to sleep. Sometime later Kyle woke me up with a cold chill.

"Get up Chloe, it's your bus transfer," Kyle told me as I woke.

I woke up and got up from my seat on the bus. Kyle and I got off the bus and went into the bus station, waiting for the transfer bus to allow passengers on. I took what money I had and bought a few waters and granola bars, knowing this would get me to where I needed to go. I didn't need to eat anything great, just enough to keep me going for a day or two.

Not ten minutes after I purchased my food, the bus opened up and the other passengers and I boarded. Kyle and I found a seat towards the back of the bus so that I could be away from the other passengers. Most of the people on this transfer were sitting near the front to get off quickly, this transfer was shorter than the other one. I sat down in my seat, keeping my voice low as Kyle and I talked.

"I know this bus ride is shorter but go back to sleep if you want to," Kyle told me

"No thanks, I'm not really tired anymore. I'm still worried to death that Simon followed us. I mean, it's obvious when he gets a bus schedule where that bus was heading and he and the others may be after me. Especially Derek. I'm really worried about him. I'm doing this to keep him safe. This werewolf stuff is too dangerous. If Derek finds me, he will never let me go again and I will hurt Derek. What do I do Kyle? What do I do if they are after me?"

"You don't worry about it right now, okay? Focus on getting where we need to go first. If they catch us, we will find a way away from them, I promise you Chloe. I will get you wherever it is you need to go," Kyle told me

I nodded, "I guess you're right. I just don't know how to control it very well. I lost control in the woods that night." I paused for a second and then felt like I was hit by a lead weight and was hyperventilating as I spoke, "Oh no…Derek's change…he didn't make it…he'll go through it again tonight…"

"Chloe, calm down. Derek will be fine," Kyle tried to calm me down.

I took a deep breath, "You're right. I have to calm down." I close my eyes and stayed still for a moment, then spoke in that position, feeling able to tell Kyle my plan now, "New York."

"What?" Kyle asked

"That's where we are heading, New York," I tell him

"Oh I see, millions of people there in the big cities so it will be easy for you to be hidden from your Edison Group and your friends," Kyle nodded

I open my eyes and shake my head, looking over at him, "That's not exactly why I'm going there."

Kyle gives me a confused look. As he was just human when he was alive, he knew nothing of the supernatural world. I give a short explanation, afraid to say too much on a bus of strangers.

"In New York there is the Pack. The Pack controls the whole state. They will take care of my problem."

"So you're going to get help from these werewolves, why not bring the others?"

"It's not exactly help that I am getting from them," I hint to Kyle what they do to wolves by tracing my finger across my neck sideways.

"Chloe no!" Kyle shouts, I am glad I am the only one who can hear the ghost, "You cannot go on this suicide mission!"

I shrugged, "I'm not thinking of it as that. I think of it in a way that matters to me most. I think of it as the only best way to keep Derek safe from the monster inside."

Kyle shakes his head, "Chloe don't do this. There are other ways."

"You don't think I haven't thought of other ways," I have been playing the big strong girl who can take care of herself. I cracked there in front of Kyle, he saw the real fear in my eyes, "You think I want to go through with this? You don't think I'm scared? Kyle, I'm terrified. I have never been more scared in my life. I don't want to do this. I just know it's the only way to permanently keep Derek and the monster apart." I draw my knees up and hug them, trying to hold back the tears, "I'm terrified Kyle. I want to go back. I don't want to go face reality."

Kyle moves closer to me and tries to put his arm over my shoulder to comfort me but since he is a ghost, his arm passed right through me and gave me a cold chill. Kyle sighs and tries to find words to comfort me but is lost. He hesitates, what if he says the wrong thing and makes me mad…I have power over him.

"I'm sorry Chloe," He says, "You don't have to do it. We have a few more transfers before you get there. You have time to change your mind."

I nod, "I do have time. Do you think they could spare me? Just get rid of the wolf gene, not me."

Kyle shrugs, "I know nothing about this Pack."

"They are vicious inhuman killers who hate everything in existence," I reply

"Then probably not. It sounds like they'll kill you as soon as you step foot on their territory."

"Maybe I can negotiate a truce or something to spare me. Maybe I could join them or work for them or something."

"Chloe don't be stupid."

There was silence between us throughout the rest of that bus ride. I debated all the aspects of what I wanted to do. Was this the right or wrong thing to do? Back at the hotel when I attacked Derek, I finally learned what he went through when he lost control. This seemed like the right thing to do, it was the only way to prevent that from happening again. The closer I got to New York, the more I thing I made the wrong decision. I still felt like Derek or Simon might be following me. I hope they weren't.

The next few transfers were uneventful just like any other. I constantly debated with myself as we traveled and was always looked back over my shoulder, expecting to see a familiar face after me. Whether it be Simon or Derek or Kit or an Edison Group member. Kyle and I boarded the wrong bus at one point and had to re-route our adventure. I had estimated our journey to take only a day maybe, with our mishap, it now would take us maybe two days.