Tori was instantly jealous when Tess and I brought in all my new bags of stuff.

"Well you don't need all new things if you are leaving so soon," Tess told her.

Tori begrudgingly nodded, "Yeah you're right."

Tess left us to check on the progress of dinner. I set to work taking the tags off everything and putting them away in my half of the room.

I didn't see Derek or Kit during dinner. Simon's theory was that Derek confronted him on what I said. The two apparently had been in the wind most of the day. We ate then retired to our rooms, home cooked meals were just knocking us off our feet after living off fast food and microwaveable meals.

I washed up and put my wet hair back in a braid. Put on my new pajamas, a black top and soft zebra patterned pants. Then crawled into bed. I watched the stars out the window as my eyelids grew heavier. Then I felt the depression of someone sitting on the edge of my bed.

"What Tori?" I mumbled.

The person didn't move at first, hesitant. Then they laid down beside me. I rolled over, eyes still half closed with sleepiness. Breathing in that familiar scent.

"What're you doing here?" I asked annoyed. I hadn't forgiven him yet.

Derek's arm scooped me up and onto his chest where he could put both arms around me. His chest rumbled as he spoke quietly.

"I may be furious with you, but that doesn't mean I don't still love you."

I was asleep before I could answer.

I woke up curled up next to a sleeping Derek in the morning. I felt a small pain begin in my stomach, not a hunger pain. Which scared me. Derek's first signs of changing were always feeling sick. I told myself that I was fine as long as I didn't show signs of a fever. I laid there awake for probably another twenty minutes before Derek woke up.

"Morning," I said with a hint of anger.

"You don't need to walk on eggshells around me," Derek muttered. "I think I have the right to be mad."

"You do," I nod. "And I have the right too after what you said."

"I've been meaning to ask how you've been," Derek changed the subject.

"So no secrets right?" I asked.

"Yeah?" Derek replied confused.

"Then you should know my stomach hurts," I said.

Derek propped himself up on his elbow, "Do you want breakfast?"

I shook my head, "Not that kind of hurt. Like sick hurt."

Derek's famous worried look came back.

"I'm fine for now," I said like it was no big deal.

Derek tugged on the blanket a little. I now noticed that he wasn't wearing a t-shirt like he had been the other nights. Was Derek getting feverish? The last thing we needed was us both changing.

Derek sighed, "So my real dad huh?"

I nodded looking down at the blanket, "Yeah."

"He wants to knock me out of the running for Alpha," Derek said. "Something isn't right upstairs for a person to rationalize taking someone out of the picture, when they aren't even in it. I have no idea who he is, where he is from, anything. How would I come take over?"

I shrugged, "Kit said he'd ask my aunt to try to salvage any records she could."

Derek dropped his elbow and fell back onto the pillow, letting out a long deep sigh.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Can I tell you something you need to keep a secret?"

Derek nodded.

"Tess knows about me," I said. "She was helping me out yesterday."

Derek growled, "I don't like her."

"I know," I said. "But she's really helping me."

"I don't trust her," Derek growled.

Again I said, "I know. I'm just trying to not keep secrets. Step one to trust rebuilding." I paused. "If you want to give Simon crap, tell him Tess used to sleep with you dad."

Derek chuckled, "He won't be so into her after he hears that."

I knew we didn't forgive each other yet but talking was a step in the right direction.

Derek, Simon, and I left Tori to her studies. We approached the stairs when we heard Kit and Tess arguing in the living room.

"I'm not going to tell you again that it needs to stop," Kit told her.

"You can't reprogram werewolves," Tess replied. "Even though that Edison Group of yours tried."

"Of mine?" Kit said shocked.

We walked down the stairs as quietly as we could. Tess winked at me as we quickly cut through the room. I smiled back, we grabbed our shoes and stepped outside before putting them on. Matt and two others were sitting on the deck where we were headed. We slipped our shoes on and headed down to the yard.

"What was that between Tess and Dad?" Simon asked.

Derek shrugged, "Not our business."

We walked out, not quite to the edge of the acre, but far enough to give us privacy. I wore a light pink T-shirt to try to hide how pale I was. No one but Derek knew I wasn't feeling good and I wanted to keep it that way as long as possible.

We sat down in a circle in the grass, Derek was to my right, Simon to my left. I sighed and laid back into the grass.

"So Dad knows about you knowing?" Simon asked.

Derek nodded.

"He's not going to let you run off and find the guy right?" Simon asked.

Derek shook his head, "I'm sure I'm under constant watch."

"We don't need anyone running off right now," I said. "We have everyone together, far away from the Alpha."

"For now," Simon said. "Tori will be gone as soon as she has her diploma."

I shrugged, "Good for her. She's been managing very well from what I have seen. I don't see why she shouldn't try for a normal life."

"Because it won't last," Derek grunted.

I shot him a look.

Simon noticed, "There's still some tension between you two, isn't there?"

Derek mumbled something I didn't hear.

"Come on," Simon groaned. "You two need to work it out."

I sighed, "How do you propose he takes back what he said about me?"

Simon shrugged, "I don't know but you two need to work it out or get over it before it eats you two alive. You're both miserable."

I sat up and had to pause, vision blurry. Whatever I was going to say, I forgot.

"You ok?" Derek asked.

"Just lightheaded," I nodded. "I'm fine."

"Is something else going on?" Simon asked. "Are you getting worse Chloe?"

I rested my face in my hands, "Yeah."

"We need to tell Dad," Simon demanded.

Derek glared at him, "What's he going to do about it? Where's the manual for this situation?"

Simon stared at him with his mouth open, "I cannot believe you're just letting this happen."

"I'm not-"

Derek was cut off by the roar of an engine. We all turned towards the road. A black SUV was winding up the driveway. Derek swore and yanked us lower into the tall grass. Assuming it was one of the Edison Group's SUV's.

"Ow," I complained as he held Simon and I low.

"Shh," Derek shushed me quietly.

The SUV came to a stop and shut off. For a minute there was no movement. I was starting to get nervous. Then a woman stepped out, dressed in nice clothes and dark sunglasses. She smoothed her ponytail and removed her sunglasses. Aunt Lauren was back.

"No no no no," I flattened against the ground.

"Is that your aunt?" Simon asked.

"Yes it is," Derek answered for me.

I kept muttering no. The boys sat back up.

"Chloe?"

"Why is she here?" I whined.

"Dad probably," Derek said.

I watched Aunt Lauren walk around her car headed for the front of the house.

"Sit up," Derek said.

I glared at him, "Just cause I'm stupid, doesn't make me your pet to command."

"Chloe," Simon snapped.

I moved so I was lying on my back and closed my eyes.

"What are you doing?" Derek asked annoyed.

"Do you want me puking?" I answered.

"Enough," Simon snapped. "This petty crap ends."

I opened my eyes surprised.

"Derek, apologize for what you said," Simon said. He was serious that he was not going to budge.

"Sorry," Derek mumbled.

"Chloe, apologize for not telling him sooner," Simon looked at me.

"Sorry," I replied.

"Good, now are you two done?"

We both nodded. Simon smiled. I looked over at Derek. He was trying to mask worry but it wasn't working.

"I'm fine," I told him. "I'm far from dying."

Derek sighed.

"She'll be able to handle it," Simon tried to reassure him too.

"I'm just worried," Derek admits. "Something could go wrong."

"We all are," Simon says.

Shouting coming from the house distracts us from our conversation. The boys shoot to their feet, I take a moment longer. We start jogging to the house to see what's going on.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Tess is shouting. "You cannot just walk in here."

I look at Matt as we approach the porch, he is trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.

"Who said you could fraternize with your clients?" I hear Aunt Lauren shoot back.

'Fraternize?' I mouth to the boys. The both shrug.

"Ladies calm down," Kit said.

We get up the steps and step inside. I freeze as I see what Matt was laughing about. Aunt Lauren stood outside Tess' bedroom doorway. Tess stood just out of view but I could hear the ruffle of a sheet probably wrapped around her.

I quickly stepped outside, followed by the boys. Matt and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. I turned to the boys and saw the looks of horror on their faces which made me laugh even harder.

"How do you feel," I laughed.

I grabbed onto the rail to steady myself as I laughed. Matt laughed even harder.