Dinner went by uneventful. I was allowed to stay in the kitchen and eat with the others. I kept quietly mostly. I was afraid I would slip up if I talked too much. Simon acted friendly but I could still see that cloud of distrust between us, Tori made her usual jabs at me whenever she could, and Derek was as protective over me as usual. I wondered if anyone else saw the change coming like I did. Derek obviously was not going to tell them but he could not hide it from me anymore.

As soon as dinner was finished Kit shooed me back up to my room, claiming I needed my rest. I knew he just didn't want me snooping around though. They are all suspicious of me leaving again. I laid in my bedroom alone, except for Liam.

"Liam, can you go see where everyone is at?" I ask him

He grumbles something like 'I'm not your servant' and leaves the room. He returned and told me almost everyone has gone to bed.

"Who else is still awake?" I ask, keeping my voice low

"Your guard is back for the night shift," he informs me, "Everyone else is in their rooms."

"My guard?"

Liam gives me a grin like he hadn't told me before now on purpose, "Your mutt. He spends almost all night in the hall near your door. Protecting you and guarding you like a prisoner. If you are wondering why I haven't told you yet, it's because I was hoping you would get caught."

"Why did you tell me now then?"

"Now there is finally going to be some action around here. Some entertainment," Liam smiles eerily

I sigh and get out of bed. Why am I even doing this? I move across the room and towards the door as slow and quiet as I can. I know that Derek has super hearing but I also know he's sick from the change. I have to be extremely cautious to get past him.

"Where are you even going to go girl? You aren't going to leave the mutt like this, I know you won't."

"I'm going to the basement. I'm going to find out who this man is before they take him away," I whisper

Liam smiled, "The little girl interrogating her attacker. This is something I cannot miss. I have to watch this play out."

I slowly jiggle the door handle to see if it is locked. It isn't but it clanks loudly and I freeze in fear. What if someone heard the noise? I would never be able to find out who this man is. Derek would not let me out of his sight for days if he finds me sneaking around like this. I listen closely and don't hear any unusual sounds, I think that I am in the clear. I turn the door handle and open the door a slit. I hold the handle firmly so that it does not make noise. Ever so slowly I release my grip on the handle. Peering through I see the dimly lit hallway but no sign of Derek. I create my alibi in my head, if he catches me in the hall, I'm just out of bed to use the bathroom. If he catches me on the stairs, I'm just going to the kitchen for a drink. If he catches me at any point past that, well, I'm screwed.

I open the door a few more inches, enough for me to barely slide through. One foot out, shift my weight and slide out. No Derek the way I'm facing. Looking back over my shoulder I see him, sitting leaning up against the wall and sleeping. His skin twitching and glistening with sweat. I knew the change was very soon. I hate seeing Derek go through this but I am grateful this once. He doesn't hear well during this, he hears like a human. The cold metal of the door knob is released from my fingers. I don't shut the door.

As quiet as I can, I take a deep breath and listen. I don't hear any unusual noise so I think that everyone has gone to sleep. For a moment I wonder if any of the others know that Derek does this every night. I see movement and freeze, I think my heart stopped too. I let out a sigh though when I realize it was Liam trying to give me a scare.

"A little jumpy runt?" He smiles

I hold back a growl towards him, showing my anger in my expression instead. Liam laughs. Silently I slip down the hallway, moving with extreme caution as I go by Derek. I get to the top of the stairs and am dripping with sweat, nerves shot. Place my foot onto the first step and it creaks loudly. I hear Derek shift and mumble but thankfully he doesn't wake up. Place my foot onto the next step down and it creaks again. I don't pause to listen for Derek this time. I know that if I pause each time I will never get to the basement on time. I crouch low to the step and fling myself forward, flying through the air and landing on the ground with a loud thud. I hear Derek stir again and I fear that I may have woken him up. But at least I cleared the stairs, I quickly get up and get moving again. I keep my feet low, shuffling across the carpet to reduce my noise. I head straight for the basement door.

I swallow and take a deep breath as my hand touches the cool metal of the door knob. Liam watching me by my side. Slowly twisting, I am relieved that it is not as noisy as my bedroom. The door gently swings in a few inches, enough for me to slip through. I lower my foot down onto the first step into the darkness. Even with my werewolf eyesight, I cannot see a thing. I can only see where my feet are, I don't know how long the staircase is. I take one step at a time, careful about the noise. I feel like the staircase is never ending. I cannot even see Liam next to me.

My bare foot slips on cold cement and I know I am in the basement now. I stepped out into the dark basement, it reminded me of the Pack's headquarters with the way that there was only one bulb hanging in the empty room. It was dimly lit but my eyes adjusted quickly. A shiver runs through me at the thought of the Pack.

In the middle of the dim basement is the man bound to a wooden chair. His back to me and his head hanging low. He gave the appearance of being unconscious or dead. I take a step forward and it turns into a stumble. A laugh echoes around the empty basement.

"I guess I heard right," he laughs, although unmoving, "You do have difficulty moving around."

Liam smiles as well and walks over to the man, "Well this is a show I shall enjoy."

"He can't hear you Liam," I say as I walk over too, slowly.

"Stupid child. You brought a ghost to protect you," He raises his head. I walk around, keeping a distance, to face him.

"Who are you?" I ask as stern as possible. He doesn't buy it.

He laughs again, "You really are a stupid kid."

"Tell me who you are," I repeat.

"I thought you or Derek would have figured it out by now," he smiles, most of his face is in shadows from the dim light but I can tell his nose is busted and bloodied. A black eye too. Kit must have fought with him, "Kit figured it out pretty easily." He teased.

I freeze, how did he know all of us? I watch as he slowly stands from the chair and the ropes fall onto the ground. My heart pounded. What had I gotten myself into? I step back away from him.

"You didn't really think those ropes could hold me, did you?" he laughs. Then adds, "No no," as I turn to bolt towards the stairs and my feet are suddenly planted in place. I cannot move.

"H-how-" I stumble over my words.

"Wolves have power over the wolves of their pack," he replies, the evil smile sneaking back onto his face.

I've momentarily forgotten my purpose of why I came down here and I know I cannot move.

"I don't have a pack," I growl back.

"Derek created you," His smile grows, he knows something, there was a pause, "And I created Derek."

I go cold, I'm face to face with Derek's father. And he's trying to kill us both. I stare at him in complete shock. Was he telling the truth? Fear filled me as I looked into his cold evil eyes. He smiles at my fear.

"Not quite convinced yet Chloe? I guess I'll have to demonstrate my power," he grinned, "Kneel." He said in commanding tone

I dropped to my knees without trying.

"Rise," he commanded.

I rose from the ground. I tried to protest but found I could not open my lips.

He smiled, "You see now, child, you cannot do anything without my permission. Claws."

I felt shooting pain in my hands and saw that my fingers transformed into wolf claws. I tried to protest and change back.

The evil smile returned, "Harm."

I tried my hardest to struggle against it but was powerless. Tears streamed from my eyes and my sealed lips prayed for help. The claws dug deeply into my arms and then ripped through them. Blood flowed freely and I muffledly yelled in pain. The wolf claws ripped through me, cutting down my back and across my stomach.

He laughs at this as he watches, "Stop. Do you understand now Chloe? Do you know my power over you and Derek? Speak."

"Let me go!" I shriek.

"Bad idea pup," Dad growls and slams me with a punch. I fly across the room and into the cement wall. Things fade black for a moment as I fight for consciousness.

"Derek's…enhanced…you…can't…control him…," I mutter, hoping Derek's immune. I know some ribs are broken, I can barely breathe.

He walks over to my limp body, "Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought. I do not have as much power over him as I do you. But I'll still win. Heal," the pain dissipates from my chest, "Now Chloe, you choose one of two options. I will kill you now and leave. Or, you go back upstairs and become my servant until I have no need of you and kill you. Either way die but you may be able to spare the mutt's life if you stick around for a while."

I can't tell if he is lying about saving Derek but I take my chances. Saving Derek is the most important thing to me, "Do I have to all you master?"

Dad rolls his eyes, "Stupid girl, don't ever call your Pack leader, master."

"Yes sir," I nod and stand up, he giving me partial control over my own actions.

I hear footsteps moving directly overhead of us, "Someone is awake."

He listens closely, tracking where the person is heading. Fear keeps me dead silent. Derek will kill me if finds out what has happened. The footsteps travel cautiously through the living room and kitchen. They stop and we cannot locate where the person went.

He looks over at me, "I will be back tomorrow night. If you dare breathe a word about what happened, I will know. You're on my side."

"Derek will be suspicious though, my scent is down here," I reply.

"I'll take care of the evidence, you get moving first so you get sniped instead of me if someone is upstairs," he orders and I obey without my will.

I walk over to the stairs and walk quietly up them, moving extremely slow to keep the noise level down. I feel a hatred festering inside me for my Pack Leader. I accidentally stomp as I reach the last few top steps. The impact echoes loudly around me. I freeze in panic and hear Derek's dad whisper 'idiot' under his breath from the darkness. My hand reaches out for the cool metal of the door handle. Taking hold of it, I push the door open.

I listen, my ears focusing on one room at a time. I hear no one on this floor at least, I hear someone in the bathroom upstairs though. I silently slip out the basement door and into the pitch black hallway. Quick and quiet I slip through the living room and to the stairs. Crossing my fingers that I don't run into whoever is in the bathroom and that Derek is still asleep. I creep up the stairs as slowly and quietly as I can. I am halfway up the stairs when I hear a noise in the kitchen. I freeze for a moment, thinking it was only my imagination. I look around and don't see Liam either, but I don't care about him at the moment. My finger nervously rubs a scar on my neck from the Pack. I don't hear any more sounds but a cold breeze passes around me and a ghostly whisper 'Kyle.' It whispers Kyle's name, I realize that Kyle is trying to reach out to me. I try to pull him in, picturing his ghostly body and pulling. Another breeze ruffles my hair but Kyle does not appear. Something or someone must be blocking him from me.

The cold breeze disappears and I sigh and walk up the rest of the stairs, momentarily distracted. I get to the top of the stairs and put my mind back into focus. I know Derek is nearby, I peek around the corner and the hallway is pitch black except for the light shining from under the bathroom door. I tilt my nose upward like a wolf and smell the air, trying to identify who is in the bathroom. Without any decent training though, I cannot single out the scent from the bathroom with all the scents from people moving through the hallway throughout the day. I peer down the hallway and don't see Derek anywhere, crossing my fingers that it is Derek in the bathroom and that he cannot hear me. I practically tiptoe down the hallway, trying to avoid making noise. Every inch feels like it takes ten minutes to travel. Who is in the bathroom? Can I get to my room before they come out?