It took Matt and I a minute to get our bearings and stop laughing.

"I'm scarred for life," Simon said slowly.

"I'd say they got past their argument," I smiled.

"Chloe," Derek said quietly.

I turned, Derek tapped his lips with his finger and handed me a napkin. I took it quickly and dabbed the blood from my lips. Nodding a thanks for him being discrete. Derek took my free hand in his and ran his thumb over the back of my hand.

The door opened and Aunt Lauren stepped out. Smoothing her shirt as she spotted me.

"Chloe, there you are. Grab your things."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Grab your things," she repeated.

"Chloe isn't going anywhere," Derek growled. His hand tightened around mine.

"I don't have time for animals," Aunt Lauren spat at Derek. "I'll come get your things another day then. Let's get going."

Simon set his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said.

Aunt Lauren huffed impatiently, "Did Kit not tell you that you were leaving? You need to get away from these boys. They are toxic."

Matt stood from his chair, "Excuse me but doesn't she have a say in where she goes?"

"No, as her legal guardian, she does not."

Matt smiled and rolled his eyes, "Maybe you are new but legality doesn't mean boo here."

"I'm not leaving my friends," I stood my ground.

"Yes you are," Aunt Lauren took a step forward.

Derek started growling and pushing me behind him and Simon.

"Really mutt? You're going to try to fight me on this?"

"Till I die," Derek growled.

Aunt Lauren turned and walked back to the door, she opened it and shouted in.

"Kit, get out here and control your children."

Kit and Tess appeared a moment later, fully dressed.

"What's the problem?" Kit asked Simon and Derek.

"She's trying to take Chloe," Derek growled.

"I know, that's why she's here," Kit nodded. "Chloe is causing too many problems with you. Its time you two spend some time apart."

"No," Simon argued.

Kit sighed, "Please don't make this harder."

"You can't do this," Derek snarled.

"You don't get a say," Aunt Lauren spat.

"That's his mate, of course he gets a say," Matt interrupted.

"The hell she is," Aunt Lauren took a step forward again.

Derek pushed me flat against the railing. A growl erupted from him again. I put both hands on the railing ready to jump and run. There was a sudden bang and a white light from the door, at first I thought it was a gunshot. But nobody else reacted to it. I blinked, wait. Nobody was doing anything.

Tori's voice came from the doorway, "I can't hold them long Chloe. Run!"

I pushed myself up onto the railing and launched myself backwards. Landing not very gracefully on my knees. It would sting later but adrenaline pushed me right now. I took one last glance at the porch of statues before bolting. I rounded the house and started running for the bunker. My lungs burned but I wouldn't let my feet stop moving until I saw the orange flag. Getting in Aunt Lauren's SUV and driving away would have been a better idea but it didn't cross my mind until I was already out in the field.

I saw a glimpse of another white light and I knew time was running out. I crouched low and tore through the grass looking for the flag. Finally I spotted it a few feet to my right. I grabbed the handle and got inside. The door gave much easier this time. Locking the door behind me.

I collapsed onto the ground wheezing. My head spinning. How could Kit and Aunt Lauren do this to me? How could they send me away? I don't know how long I laid there crying.

Derek's POV

I growled at Lauren again. How dare she try to say Chloe wasn't with me. She had no idea what we had been through together. I pushed Chloe further behind Simon and myself, determined to protect.

Tori stepped into the doorway behind Tess and a blinding white light cracked through the air.

"What the hell Tori?" I snapped. My rage being taken off Lauren for the moment.

"She's gone," Lauren yelled. She turned to Tori furious. "What have you done?!"

My hand went backwards and touched only the railing. I turned to find an empty space behind us. Simon looked at me just as confused as I was. My heart dropped. She was just...gone. Vanished into thin air.

"Long gone and safe by now," Tori said smugly.

She raised her hand and snapped her fingers, creating another white light. When it faded she had vanished.

"Tori!" I roared. The next time I saw her, I was going to kill her.

"This is the kind of magic you are allowing?" Lauren yelled at Dad. "I should have taken these girls away from you a long time ago."

Lauren stormed back inside the house, followed by Dad. I felt sick to my stomach, she was gone. There was nothing I could do about it.

"We'll find her," Simon tried to reassure me.

I grabbed the railing trying to direct my anger to an inanimate object. The wood started splintering beneath my fingers.

"Calm down," Simon said.

"Where the hell is she?!" I roared at Simon. "What did Tori do to her?!"

"I don't know but she was trying to help."

The wood cracked in my hands.

"Well she didn't help. Chloe's gone."

Tess finally spoke up, quietly, "She's not far."

I whipped around, getting in her face.

"You were in on this?!"

Tess kept her composure unlike most people when I did that.

"She's free to come back here as soon as she feels safe. Right now she's in a place even safer than a safe house."

I was so angry I didn't know what to do. I wanted to beat the living daylights out of something.

Simon grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back from Tess. He pushed me towards the stairs.

"Take a walk."

I walked down, Simon followed. My skin felt like it was crawling. Where was she?