We had arrived at a hotel and checked into one room. Kit didn't want to take any chances, he wanted his eyes on all of us at all times. Tori and I shared a bed, Simon and Derek shared one, and Kit took the chair in the corner of the room.

"I want to keep moving," Kit had told us. "But you guys are in no shape to be on the move right now."

I was sitting on the balcony as the sun set, curled up in a soft blanket with a tea. Kit examined me and didn't think I had any tell tale signs of internal bleeding. Whatever that meant. Though I probably would take that over trying to Change again. Derek sat in the chair next to me. I was still occasionally having severe pain so Kit didn't want me to be left alone until he could pinpoint what was wrong. Not that Derek would leave my side anyway. Because he was the only one who knew what the pain was from.

"What happened?" I asked him finally. "I was in so much pain that I blacked out."

Derek sighed and talked slowly, "I let instinct take control. I couldn't reason. I just launched at him. He sent you into the change. You were writhing around on the ground screaming your head off. Your body was contorted into weird angles..."

I waited for him to continue.

"...He beat me until I couldn't fight back anymore and then ran. He tried to take you with him but you weren't having it. He whispered something in your ear but I don't know what. By the time Dad and Simon were back, he was long gone."

"It's not your fault," I said.

Derek slammed a fist down on the arm of the chair. Attracting attention from inside.

"That's bull. I should've been better. I shouldn't have let him do that to you."

The door opened and Simon stepped out. He shut it behind him.

"Everything okay out here?" Simon asked.

Derek growled, "It's fine."

He leaned against the rail, facing us. Looking at me for an answer. I couldn't lie to Simon, I was trying to rebuild trust.

"I told him it wasn't his fault that it happened."

"Do you mind if I talk to him alone for a second?" Simon asked.

I stood up with my blanket, placed a quick kiss on Derek's cheek, and stepped back inside. I moved slowly from the injuries but when the pain meds kicked in I felt pretty good. Simon took my seat and started talking, but the hum of the air conditioner blocked whatever he was saying. I sat down on the bed next to Liz.

"You know," She said. "Being a ghost sucks because, no offense to you, but I can't talk to anyone. I only have one person to talk to."

She looked over at Tori and I remembered how back at the Lyle house they were friends. Tori was watching the television, ignoring me. I think she blamed me for the bruise she had across her nose. It wasn't broken but it would take awhile to heal. In the car I had wanted to bring up again, why didn't she just use her powers to heal it. But I didn't.

"So the wolf boy isn't taking it so well huh?" She asked. "Blaming himself and all that jazz?"

I nodded.

She rolled her eyes, "He is soo dramatic. He didn't have a choice. Besides, look at you. You are fine."

I shrugged and tapped my ear. Trying not to have everyone else in on the conversation.

She watched me tap it.

"You don't know what he did after you blacked out. If he gave you instructions for the future or something."

I nodded.

She sighed, "But still, that's not Derek's fault."

I nodded again, I knew that. But Derek was going to keep beating himself down until the next problem.

Simon stepped back inside and gestured for me to come out. As I stepped back out, Derek was swallowing more pain pills.

"Are you sure you don't have any broken bones?" I asked.

Derek didn't answer. I stood in front of him.

"You will not shut me out right now." I said firmly.

Both boys seemed surprised by my tone.

I took a step closer to Derek and growled, "You're going to stop blaming yourself or so help me god, I will dump this tea and every tea for the rest of my life, on you."

Derek and Simon exchanged looks. Simon tipped an invisible hat and stepped back inside. I stood my ground waiting for Derek to say something.

"Sorry," He grumbled out finally.

I sat down on his lap and Derek's arms instinctively snaked out and around me. Holding me close. I rested my head against his chest and listened to his breathing and the beating of his heart.

Derek didn't say anything after that. He just held me close and watched the sun go down. I don't know how long we were out there before Kit poked his head out.

"Come in and go to bed, we leave first thing in the morning."

We went inside and everyone fell asleep fast. No one was eager to spend another day driving but no one cared about that yet. All that mattered right now was that we were safe for the night. Liz decided not to stick around and watch everyone sleep. She told me that she would come find me later.

When we got up the next morning, Kit told us that we needed to move quickly. The rest of them threw together breakfast and Kit pulled me aside. We went out to the balcony to talk.

"Chloe," he began. "Derek won't say much about what happened."

I nodded, "Okay and? Isn't it not my business to tell others his business?"

"Tell me what happened," he said sternly. "You two are pretty messed up. As a father I think I have the right to know the business."

"I know about it but I don't think he does," I sighed and admitted.

"You what?"

"Know who the man was and what he wanted."

I heard Kit's heart stop for a moment.

"Who do you think he is?"

"I don't think, I know. He told me. I've talked to him before. I know what he's capable of making me and Derek do. He's the alpha."

Kit swore under his breath.

"But you haven't told Derek?" He asked.

I shook my head. Kit seemed relieved.

"The alpha mentioned it but I don't think Derek was listening to what he was saying, you know?"

The relief dropped from his face.

"He may have pieced it together, I don't know." I shrugged, "But he seemed surprised at the man's control over his actions."

"You said you knew what he wanted? That you've talked to him?"

I nodded, deciding coming clean was best, "I needed answers. I got them when he threw me around a bit."

Kit tried to hide that he was furious, "And what did he say?"

"He wants me so he can get to Derek. He's trying to get Derek out of the picture. Probably so Derek doesn't threaten this alpha title and take whatever it is the alpha has built. He's got to know that Derek has enhanced abilities and could put up a good fight."

Kit let out an angry exhale, "Chloe, you know that's not normal behavior for them right?"

I nodded.

"So you know that he's lying or delusional?"

I nodded again, "That doesn't change the fact that he came after us though."

"I know. I just want to make sure you understand that this complicates the situation. Werewolves gone off the rails are unpredictable and dangerous."

"I get it," I replied.

"I'll need to get in contact with your aunt. See if there is any way to access the files and get his background information. Find out more about him. Maybe we can get ahead of this." Kit put a frustrated finger in my face, "Don't repeat this conversation to anyone."

"Ok," I whispered. Kit could scare me sometimes.

We stepped back inside. I kept my gaze low. I sat down next to Simon at the small table. Our quick and easy breakfast was cereal and milk. But none of it looked appetizing to me right now. All I could think about was how my body hurt all over. I just wanted it to stop, or for someone to understand. I didn't feel like I could come out and talk about it to Derek because he would just beat himself up more as soon as the conversation was done.

Kit took his cereal over to his chair to eat. He was making phone calls in between spoonfuls. They were all trying to listen in on Kit's conversation. Kit was one step ahead of teenage curiosity and was talking to whoever in some sort of code. None of them could make heads or tails of what he was saying.

Tori groaned after a few minutes.

"How much longer do I have to be in these cruddy motels and on the run with you guys? I'm so done with this."

"If you recall right though, your family doesn't want you back," Derek said under his breath.

I shot him a look but he wasn't looking in my direction to see it.

"Where would you go?" I asked Tori.

She shrugged, "I'd go back to school probably. I hated it, but where are you going to go in life without at least a diploma?"

I was surprised by this, Tori was being realistic and responsible. She really must have been smacked in the head hard.

Kit got off the phone and interrupted us.

"Wrap it up, we've got a house that we can go to."

"When are we going to stop running Dad?" Simon asked. A legitimate question not a complaint.

"I'm working on it. I can get you kids enrolled in some online schooling if you'd like. Give you something productive to do with your time."

Everyone but me nodded. What was the point for me? I'd never lead a normal life again. I heard someone clear their throat behind me and I turned around. Kyle sat at the foot of the bed. I stood from my chair.

"I'm going to talk to Liz really quick."

I dropped my unused paper bowl in the trash and stepped out onto the balcony with Kyle.

"You know my name isn't Liz right?" He laughed.

I nodded, "Yeah but only Simon's heard of you so I'd rather not sit around explaining to everyone else. You should meet Liz though, I think she really wants some company."

I leaned against the railing for support, standing completely unsupported wasn't impossible but it really hurt. My right leg was horrifically bent while I was trying to Change. I vaguely remembered the bottom of my foot getting knotted in my hair while my knee rammed into my neck.

"Have things gotten better?" He asked. "Took my awhile to pinpoint you."

"The man got us, and beat Derek to hell. He forced me to try to change."

"Oh," Kyle was surprised. "Why didn't you summon me or the other ghost girl to help?"

I shrugged, just like why didn't Tori use her powers, I hadn't thought about it. "It all happened so fast."

"But you're okay now right?"

I shrugged again, "Do you know any good werewolf therapists?"

Kyle looked down at an imaginary name tag on his shirt.

"Well right here of course. Doctor MD Kyle PHD in werewolf mental health."

I smiled and rolled my eyes

"You're a goof."