So…where do I start? It was the worst moment of my life. Truly the scariest thing I had ever experienced. And that's coming from someone who regularly has vampires trying to rip my head off because some vampire royal said so.

Everything I'm about to say is in hindsight because…ugh, if you could see me at that moment, you would definitely be concerned that I was either a corpse or a vegetable. It's embarrassing to admit that I didn't see this coming at all. I wasn't expecting to find a closet full of stalker photos in Matthew's closet that day. I wasn't expecting to be so distracted and distraught by that discovery that I couldn't even be aware enough to know that he had come home and caught me. I couldn't defend myself when he knocked me in the temple so hard that I fell unconscious instantly.

It made me question my own instinct for years after. I couldn't believe that I so grossly overlooked what was happening right under my nose. After years of being so sure of myself, this incident was the one that made me start to second guess everything I knew about myself. And it was completely out of my control. I hate when that happens. Everything changed that day. There were days when I felt like it was my fault and days when I was just so pissed off at the world that I would lash out at anyone who looked at me funny.

You can't see me but let me tell you what I see. Hair matted with blood, dirt on every single inch of my body, so lifeless, so limp, you would think someone took me out of a morgue and threw my body onto the ground. One shoe on, one shoe missing. Everything around my temple still completely bruised. A mess. Defenseless. Weakened.

…weak.

Oh my god, I remember thinking, did I just get murdered?

Waking up was the most excruciating feeling I'd ever experienced. I gained feeling in my feet first. Ok, girl, give it a shot. It took so much energy to find the strength to see if I could move my toes. The tingling moved up to my ankles, which I felt twitch, the dirt scratching my skin. Then up to my knees…my hips…all the way up to my shoulders…down my arms and to my fingertips.

Thank god, I'm not dead, I sighed inwardly.

It wasn't the type of quiet around me that was comforting. It was eerie how still it was, save for a dripping pipe. And the smell…it smelled like animal and alcohol.

The first time I tried to open my eyes, it was so painful. It felt like my skull was splitting open from the searing pain. I gasped as if I had been holding my breath for years. Alright, try it again. My eyelids fluttered as I willed them to slowly open. It was a million degrees in there, even I was starting to sweat. Groaning, my head lobbed back and forth for a second.

Holy shit. It didn't help that the real life, high pitched ringing in my ears refused to stop and the room was spinning like I was on a Tilt-a-Whirl. I reached my hand up to caress my head and my heart sank as I listened to the heavy grade metal clink and drag against each link. "What…?" I whispered. I looked down to see my wrists and ankles shackled to the thick wall of rock behind me. "No," I panicked. Grabbing onto the chain, I yanked it as hard as I could muster. "No, no, no, no, no."

I was still too dizzy to really understand where I was or what was going on, but something wasn't right. It felt like I was lagging in real time. Every second I moved my eyes, it felt like it took that much longer for my brain to actually register what I was looking at. There were bars in front of me. Like a jail cell. It took me a while to realize there were two identical cells on either side of me.

I tried to stand as slowly as possible and scared myself as I stumbled. I fell into the wall, almost feeling drunk with how much my head was pounding. My eyes trained on the hole where the chains were held. I kicked my foot up to anchor myself to the wall and pulled as hard as I could. No budge. My other foot connected to the wall until I was fully mounted and yanking the chains with everything I had left in me. Sweat pooled in my hands causing me to slip and fall directly onto my back. "Ok, ouch," I groaned.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I mustered the strength to project out. Hello? Can anyone hear me?

I waited, but there was no response. What the hell? It honestly hurt to try. My temple was still throbbing horribly and now my fucking back hurts from falling on it.

And I just remember drifting off again from the pure exhaustion of it all. Just dreamless, mindless, numbing sleep. It didn't even feel like I was sleeping. It was almost like I passed out again.

When I woke back up, I was just as shocked as before that I was shackled to a stone wall as if I had dreamt the whole thing. My head still throbbing, my eyes still bleary, and my heart still beating out of my chest. I was about to start panicking when I heard a quiet sigh beside me. My head snapped over to the cell next to me and I saw a head full of dark hair attached to a small framed body. "Reese," I breathed. I crawled over to her and called her name a little louder, "Reese!"

She didn't move. I reached out to slide my hand through the bars and touch her when I was restricted by the chains. I resisted the urge to curse as the metal dug into my wrist. Reese was barely out of my reach so I settled my hands on the metal bars instead. I shook the bars as much as I could until they were rattling. Her head moved a little before she sighed again, going completely still. "Reese?" I called.

Clang!

The heavy metal banging against itself was deafening. Clang!

"Reese," I whispered frantically, patting the ground next her head, "Reese, wake up, please."

Clang! The bunker door swung open and light flooded in and dissipated so fast. I heard shoes come down the ladder and some delighted humming. Matthew came out of the shadows with a paper bag in one hand, a gallon of water in the other, and a light in his eyes. "Oh good, you're awake," he said, setting the belongings on the ground next to a metal chair I hadn't noticed before. "I got worried I hit you a little too hard."

I just stared at him as he settled into the metal folding chair.

"Don't mind Reese; she's just detoxing. Again." He waved a dismissing hand toward Reese's sleeping body. "I brought you something to eat. You must be starved, little miss." He was speaking too casually. It didn't make sense to me. "What sounds good? A burger and fries? Chicken tenders? Or I have a club sandwich."

"Where am I?" I spoke.

"I brought you water too. Can't have you dehydrated," he continued, taking the food out of the paper bag.

"Where am I?" I repeated firmly.

Matthew busied himself with his takeout order that he almost didn't answer me. Then he looked up at me with those dark eyes and said, "I brought you to the Underground to cool off."

"Cool off?" I spat, disgusted.

"Well you seemed a little upset after you found my…research. Yeah, let's call it research," he drawled.

"You mean the dozens of creepy photographs of me and my friends and countless bullshit lore about me?"

Matthew shrugged, "I wanted to know what we were getting ourselves into."

I clenched my jaw as I tried to hold it together. "You're a fucking sociopath," I gritted.

His brows furrowed as he frowned, "I resent that. Would a sociopath bring you food?" He gestured down to the styrofoam to go boxes. "Did you decide on the burger or the tenders, by the way? I'm sure you're hungry, Miss Hadley."

"No, sorry, I'm not in the business of taking offerings from people who kidnap me," I said snarky.

Matthew sighed and shook his head, "You use a lot of harsh words."

"What would you call it then?"

He shifted in the chair and leaned forward until his elbows were resting on his knees. "I just want to talk about some things."

"Ever heard of a phone call?" I snapped.

"Would you have listened to what I have to tell you?" he shot back.

"I am chained to a fucking wall, Matthew!" I shouted, feeling my energy channel into my anger. "And I'm probably concussed or else I would have had your head on a stick a long time ago."

His eyes darkened at my words. Matthew stood up to leave. "Maybe you need more time to relax."

"If you leave me in here, I will find a way out and I will kill you," I threatened.

He slipped one of the Styrofoam boxes and the gallon of water just barely in the cell. Just barely within reach. "Here, eat something. I'll check back in."

"If I don't do it myself, my parents will have no problem tearing you to shreds."

Matthew chuckled darkly as he backed up toward the ladder. "Your lips to God's ears, darlin'."

"No, wait," I started to beg. "No, please don't go! You can't do this!"

He climbed quickly, unlatching the bunker door and slipping out as I begged loudly.

"No, please, you can't leave me in here!" I cried as loud as I could, pulling against the chains again as hard as I could. He disappeared without a second look. I pulled at my hair frustrated before cursing loudly, "Goddamn it!"

I paced the cell as my temples throbbed. Hello? I tried again. Nothing. I was just talking to myself.

Ok, what do I do? I'm too weak to get ahold of anyone and I'm physically restrained. I was trying to think of every single survival tip Uncle Paul has taught us over the years. Shockingly, none of them included what to do when you're chained up. Roped? Yes. Zip-tied? For sure. But chained? No dice.

Dropping to my hands and knees, I reached for the gallon of water, barely able to grab it. My fingers graced it once before I got my balance enough to pull it toward me. I smelled it to make sure I wasn't being drugged. Then I looked over at Reese's slumbering body. There's no way she would be in on something like this…right?

I dipped my fingers into the water and flicked it, hoping some of it would land on her face. She flinched a little before she settled. "Reese," I called out. I flicked more water at her. Her hand snapped up to swipe at her cheek, but she didn't open her eyes. "Don't make me do this. Just wake up," I whispered.

Trying a couple more times to gently wake Reese up, I grew more and more frustrated. I sighed before glancing down at the bottle in my hands. I didn't want to. She'd be so pissed. But did I have a choice? I picked up the gallon and launched it forward, bracing myself for the blood curdling scream as Reese was drenched in ice cold water. She jumped up in a haste, flinging and wiping water off of her. "What the actual hell is wrong with you?! Matt, I swear to God, I will kill you if you ever—" she yelled as she whirled around. She stopped dead when she laid eyes on me. "Hadley? What are you doing here?"

"I woke up here," I told her, holding up my restrained hands. "I need your help."

"You woke up here? What? How?" Reese asked, pushing her wet hair from her face. "You can't be here."

"I know, but—"

"It's not safe for you," she said, backing up. "Who brought you down here?"

"Matthew," I told her.

"Matthew?" she repeated, dabbing her wet jeans with the sleeves on her shirt. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, "That dirty son of a bitch. Of course, he did. Are you ok?"

I sat down on my butt and sighed, "My head is a little banged up, but other than that, I feel fine."

"Did he hurt you?"

I was surprised by the hint of protection in her voice. I nodded slowly, looking down at my hands. "Is he going to kill me?" I asked barely audible.

She scoffed, "God no. He knows better than to kill someone as powerful as you," Reese studied me for a second. "Ok, don't freak out. It would be really stupid for us to hole up here and not have a way to get out. One of those rocks is fake. Matt keeps his key in a fake stone in the wall."

I stood up quickly, trying to dismiss the dizziness. My hands hastily scanned the wall for anything that felt fake. "Is this where you disappear to when no one can find you?" I asked while I looked. "Travis has been worried."

"Travis is the only person who knows how to find me no matter what," she corrected. "I took a few days to blow some steam and then crashed here to air out. He doesn't like when I come home after partying so much."

"I found it!" I said, feeling the fake plastic rock fall into my palm. I flipped it over to open it and…it was empty. "Wait…no. No, no, no. There's no key in here."

"Are you sure?"

"I may be concussed, but I'm not blind. It's empty." I held it up to show her.

I saw her jaw clench a little before she turned away from me. She kicked at the wall with her heel until her own fake stone popped out. She opened it and cursed under her breath. Reese squatted down and searched in the dirt for a few minutes. "You've got to be kidding me," she mumbled.

Reese didn't let the panic show on her face, but I could tell she was shaken up a little bit. I waited, leaning on the wall to rest.

"You need to sit down before you pass out, hun," Reese said, glancing up at me as she still searched her cell. It was strange to hear her act so…sincere toward me. It had been 10 whole minutes and she hadn't called me princess or insulted me. "I mean it. Sit and stay. You're about dead on your feet."

"You're being nice to me," I stated cautiously as I lowered myself to the ground.

"You're delirious," she deflected.

"I don't think so," I lightly teased. "You called me 'hun.'"

"I call a lot of people a lot of things. Don't get excited." Reese dug her phone out of her pocket and pressed the lock button a couple of times. "Fuck, it's dead. Do you have yours?"

I patted myself down and found out pretty fast that I didn't have my cell phone either. "My phone is missing."

"Don't y'all have that telepathic shit? Y'all can talk to each other in your heads?" she huffed.

"I've already tried that. I can't get anything through," I shook my head. "Wait, how do you know about that?"

"I know a looot about you, princess," Reese commented as she looked around. The wheels were turning in her head. "Probably way more than I need to."

I hesitated before speaking again. I could see clear as day Matthew's stalker closet and it still scared the shit out of me. "How?" I asked.

"How what?" Reese was distracted. She jumped up until she was hanging onto the top of the cell bars. She kicked the lock body as hard as she could with her combat boots. The metal was loud against her force, but it didn't budge enough to open.

"How do you know about me?" I questioned carefully. "What exactly is there to know?"

She snorted, "You want me to tell you about you?"

"Maybe if you did, we could understand each other a little bit better," I said earnestly. Reese dropped down from the bars and looked at me with her usual sarcastic amusement. And then I saw her soften. For the first time in my life, I felt really small and I'm sure I looked it too. Shackled, dizzy, all messed up. "I really want to believe that you didn't know about your foster dad hoarding dozens of photos of me in his closet."

Reese's face settled into shock before she sat criss cross on the ground in front of me. "What?" she breathed.

I gave her a sad smile. "Is that why you guys didn't want me to come to your house? Did you know?"

"No, Hadley…I had no idea," she told me. "Swear on my mama's grave. I knew that if you started coming around, he would try to give you the same bullshit rhetoric he gave me right before he turned me. I don't want that for you."

I let out a little laugh. "That almost sounds like you care about me, Reese. You're slipping up."

She smirked as she leaned back on her hands. "Yeah, well, stranger things have happened. As it turns out, my brother is a pretty good judge of character," she said. "He text me what happened at y'all's Council meeting. I know that wasn't easy for you. Thank you for doing that for us."

"Someone told me I needed to start being real," I reminded her. "Real to me is protecting people, no matter my consequence. I wanted to make sure you guys could stay."

"Yeah? How's that working out for ya?" Reese joked, looking around us.

I laughed before letting my head hang for a second. "Not one of my best ideas, I can admit that, but I'd do it again if it meant you guys are safe with us."

"As long as you can laugh at yourself, that's what matters. You always take yourself so serious. It's a downer."

Looking up at her, I wasn't sure what to say to that. I knew exactly why I was hard on myself. My confidence surges way higher than I can really account for. And then when I get shot down, it's like an airplane crash. It's not just a small road bump; it's a goddamn kaboom. And this was the biggest kaboom I'd ever found myself in.

"How's your head?" Reese asked.

"It hurts like hell," I told her.

"Drink some of that water there," her accent drawled as she gestured to the half empty gallon next to me. I looked at it and shook my head. "You're delaying your own healing if you don't hydrate."

I hesitantly and reluctantly took a sip and my whole body sang a chorus of Hallelujah. I was so thirsty and didn't even realize it. The coolness of the liquid was a shock to my system, a direct contrast from how hot it was down there. As I set the gallon down, I tempered my words, "So…you knew about our tribe before you guys got here. But, when we talked at the diner, you said something like everyone knows the legend of the Alpha kid. What exactly…?" I didn't really know what I was asking.

Reese chuckled a little. "What exactly is the legend of the Quileute Descendant?" she finished for me. I nodded. "The first thing I ever heard about you was that you completely obliterated a vampire by yourself at age 6. They say you have this unmatched strength that no one's ever seen before. It's almost like you're supposed to be this giant buff monster who can destroy everything. Imagine the shock of seeing how normal you are."

"That's not exactly how I remember that day. And I think that's the first time someone's described me as normal," I noted. "What else did you hear about me?"

Reese started picking at her nails. "I don't know if I should say…"

"Please?"

She stood up and started searching the cell again for a key. Her energy was starting to feel a little more harsh. "How bout this," she started, "I'll tell you when we get out of here."

I scrambled to my feet and got as close to her as I could, holding the bars. "It can't be that bad. Just tell me."

"Drop it, Hadley."

"I can't do that."

"You definitely can."

"I won't," I stood firm.

Reese rolled her eyes before facing me. I watched as her jaw clenched the way it always did when she was conflicted. And considering we were both stuck, fight or flight wasn't an answer.

"I can take it," I told her.

I had never been around anyone who had heard about me before they'd ever met me. It was strange to think that there were loads of people out in the world who have this perception of me and have no idea that I'm just a person with a favorite color and favorite cereal and a guilty pleasure. Purple, Captain Crunch Berries, and old Real World episodes, by the way. Reese let out a breath before telling me to sit again. I only complied when she started talking again. "When we were in Tennessee, I used to go to this dive bar in Memphis to get away. It was, uh, shapeshifter safe, if you know what I mean. And these guys were talking about the vampire flare up that was coming our way; they were making an exit plan. They mentioned something about wishing they could start the revolution already. There's something big coming against the vampires and there's this…prophecy or divination or whatever you want to call it that the Quileute Descendant will band together all shapeshifters to fight against the Volturi and their army."

"Well, that doesn't seem too bad," I commented.

She nodded, keeping her lips tight. I could tell that wasn't everything she wanted to say. Instead, she said, "You know, that same weekend, Travis came to me and Matthew in a complete tizzy, talking about this dream he had. This dream about meeting this girl with superhero energy. Those are his words," she rolled her eyes. "He didn't want to call it a vision, but that's what it was. He was so detailed about everything from that freckle on your face to the way you walk. And he told us with absolute certainty that you were going to fix this goddamn vampire problem. Like someone whispered in his ear that you would."

"Someone? Like who?"

"Who knows?" She threw her arms up. "I told him I wasn't fixin' to drive across the country because he had a dream."

"What happened then?"

Reese looked off into the distance. Her skin paled a little as she remembered. "You can always smell them before they come. I'd seen one or two in town, but figured they were just passing through. But we were just sleepin' that night. Minding our own business." She paused. "There were 12 of them. There was no way the three of us could take on all of them. They were busting the windows and forcing themselves in at every entry point. Trav grabbed me before I barricaded myself in my room. Matt was in the car already and we left. We were somewhere in Arkansas when Travis suggested we find y'all's tribe. He was telling us how strong y'all were and he was just so hopeful that y'all would take us in."

"So what's the plan then?" I asked, holding up the chains. "If I really am supposed to lead this revolution, I can't do it from down here."

"I'm guessing Matt wants to know if there's any way you could have double the power as an Alpha's descendant and a Child of the Moon. It's psychotic, but I can see how he got there. He's obsessed with getting ahead of the war with the vampires. Sometimes it's all he can talk about and all he can think about."

"But…if I'm a Child of the Moon, I'd be changed forever. I don't know if I want that." My heart started to race again.

"Look, Travis and I don't want that for you either," she told me. "The least that's going to happen is that he'll ask you a few questions about how you work and he'll let you go before he goes off the grid. He wouldn't do anything like this if he didn't have an exit plan."

"Is he really willing to risk it all for some answers I may not even have for him?"

She shrugged. "Well that's the only thing I—," she stopped hard, closed her eyes, and cursed under her breath. "What day is it?" Reese asked a bit harshly.

"Huh?"

"What day is it?" she repeated. "Quickly."

"Uh, it's Thursday."

"The date, princess," she emphasized. "What's the date?"

"The 24th," I answered. "What is your problem?"

"The full moon is tonight," Reese yelled. "Shit, we need to get you out of here."

It didn't register at first. What was she freaking out for? She's locked up, I'm locked up. It's not like either of us could suddenly break out of these bars. We were stuck. But then my stomach dropped a little as I remembered how terrifying it was to be chased by a Child of the Moon. So vicious and feral and wild. There was no humanity behind those eyes that day. And while we were able to escape that day, was I ready to see this girl that I'd gotten to know pretty well turn into something…inhuman?

Reese started to pace. "Ok…ok…Trav will be down here soon. He'll get you out of here. But…fuck," she palmed her forehead. "I don't know if it's enough."

"If what's enough?" I pressed.

"Your scent is all over this place," she told me. "It's suffocating, like someone dowsed me in your perfume. It'll take weeks before the smell of you won't make me want to jump out of my skin. If I turn with you here…" she looked spooked. As if this had happened to her before, "let's just say, it won't be good for either of us."

"Ok, we'll figure this out," I told her, trying to sound confident. I stood up and yanked on the chains again. I could feel my strength coming back just a little bit, but not enough to matter.

"Your lips to God's ears…" Reese mumbled.

"I just wish we knew how long before…" I stopped as her words sparked an idea in my head. "What did you just say?"

Reese shot me a funny look before repeating, "Your lips to God's ears. You ain't never heard that before?"

"Just once," I told her, a smile forming on my face. When Matthew said it earlier, I was too afraid and too dizzy to think straight. But I can't believe I hadn't thought of it before. "I have an idea to get my family's attention. I need you to figure out how much time we have."

"It's not long. Give or take a few hours. Just hurry." Reese stressed.

I placed myself in the furthest corner of the cell as I could and sat criss cross. When my dad was kidnapped all those years ago, the only way they could keep contact with him was in a spiritual common. If I could get someone to somehow get to one with me, I can tell them where I am.

It didn't take long for me to relax enough to slip into unconsciousness.

When I opened my eyes, I felt the instant relief of the astronomical headache I'd been dealing with. I jumped to my feet and relished in the peace and serenity. Anytime I come to the spirit world, there's always this underlying inviting feeling that I could just stay. There's nothing like having your inner self experience pure contentment. It's almost addicting.

But the problem was that I was alone. Of course, I wasn't expecting anyone here with me, but my mind was reaching for what to do next. I took a deep breath before calling out, "Kaya? Are you there?"

If there was anyone who could get my mom or Wyatt or anyone really, it would be Kaya. I looked around at the trees and the clear blue sky and listened for anything to happen. "Kaya, can you come down? It's an emergency!" I called again.

I wasn't even sure if it worked this way. This was all just in theory that I could be in a spiritual common by myself and summon someone here with me. But it was worth a shot. "Kaya!" I put forth all of the power in my voice.

"I'm right here, little one," her voice came from above at first. Then with every word, I felt her get closer. "Don't freak out, alright? We'll get everything under control."

She appeared in a brilliant light from the trees. Her face was the most serious I had ever seen it, but there was no trace of worry. She clasped her hands in front of her as she approached. Then as soon as she got close enough, she threw her arms around me. I let out the breath I was holding and melted into the hug. "Kaya, I'm scared," I said. I wanted to cry.

"I know you are, little wolf. But I promise we would never let anything happen to you," she assured me.

"You have to help me. He's trying to make me one of them," I told her.

She sighed before holding me at arm's length. "I know."

"You know?!"

She nodded as she pushed the hair out of my face. "Of course, I know, little one. Who else would be that little voice in your head? Think about it."

I'd always had a quiet voice in the back of my head. It lead me when I couldn't figure it out for myself. "So…you know everything then. The legends, the rumors…his plan for me. You know it all? How?"

"Before you get upset, I have an explanation for everything. But yes, I know what's been said about you over the years. I know what Matthew's planning now, but I had no idea that he would think to do that when I brought them here."

Things were starting to piece together. "Travis's vision…" I started.

"That was us."

"Why?"

"For a greater purpose that I will explain soon, I promise," Kaya said, holding my gaze. "Hadley, I need you to understand something. Reese is telling the truth; everything that she told you is true."

I nodded, "I know that there's a revolution coming. The Volturi have been threatening it for years."

"That's not what I'm talking about," she huffed. "What else did Reese say, Hadley? Think."

What was she talking about? "Are you talking about what she said about that vampire when I was a kid? That's not what happened. I remember that day; it was Mom and Dad who killed that nomad."

"Was it?" she questioned.

I remember that day so vividly. Or at least I thought I did. "What are you saying?" I whispered.

"Just that we still have things to discuss. Even more than before," she smiled. "Right now, we need to get you home."

"Can you bring my mom here?" I asked, still reeling a little.

"I have something better in mind, little wolf. You trust me?" she said, reaching for my right hand. She carefully traced the scar in the middle and then smiled at me. "Consider this your emergency resource."

I didn't understand what she meant at first. But the more I thought about it, the more it sank in. "Wyatt…?"

She nodded. "You can channel his energy here. You won't be able to talk to him, but he'll know what to do. He can meet you here."

I knew it wasn't the time to ask questions. Minutes we're wasting away already and, if I was going to help Reese help me help her, I had already resolved in myself that I would ask everything I needed to know later. I closed my eyes, focusing everything on Wyatt. There was a tingling that started in my fingertips and, almost like magic, an image materialized. It was blurry at first, but the more I focused on Wyatt, the clearer it became.

He was sitting around the fire with the rest of the pack, but he looked deep in thought. He was on a log by himself, jaw clenched, and tearing a slice of bread into pieces. Nate crouched down next to him, "You good, bro?" he asked.

Wyatt sighed, "I'm worried about Ace," he said, picking up a can of soda. "Something's off. She wouldn't just not show up without saying something."

Nate shrugged, "Lee's been…distracted lately. You can just talk to her when we get back."

I pressed my thumb into the palm of my hand, feeling the curve of the scar. All of the static tingle centered right there and I squeezed my eyes shut to keep center.

Wyatt hissed as the drink dropped out of his hand like he'd been stung. "What the hell…" he whispered, lifting his hand up to examine it. Help, I kept thinking over and over again, hoping I was doing it right. I saw his face contort from confusion into concern.

"What was that?" Nate asked.

"I…" Wyatt shook his head as he stood up. "I'm gonna take a walk. I think my nerves are just shot to shit."

Wyatt walked away before Nate could really respond. He kept rubbing his palms together as he followed the trail until he was far enough away to be out of earshot. He mumbled, "Ace, I feel like this is you, but what is it?"

Help me, I repeated. He huffed as he wandered deeper into the woods, further from our family. He leaned against a tree and strained to figure out what he was supposed to do. Then I watched as his eyes fluttered closed and I could feel as he started to channel me right back.

The image went black almost instantly and I let go of my hand, letting it drop by my side. I knew it as soon as he slipped into the common; I turned around as he looked around confused. "Lee," he sighed in relief when we made eye contact. He reached me in a few steps and swept me into a tight hug. "I knew you wouldn't just ghost everyone like that. I was just telling Nate—," he stopped when he spotted Kaya, who just waved. "What's going on?"

"Don't freak out," I warned. He groaned and cursed in the anticipation. "I need your help, Wyatt."

"This is time sensitive, little ones. We need to move quickly," Kaya added.

"…Ok…?" Wyatt said, taking a step away from me.

I took a deep breath and launched into what happened. Seeing Matthew at the supermarket, going to see Travis after I left Wyatt and the boys, the research, the photos, everything. "Long story short…he found me and now I'm trapped in their bunker with Reese who will turn any moment now."

Wyatt's eyes widened. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I don't think it would be that funny…" I said sheepishly.

He glanced at Kaya in question before saying to me, "He hurt you."

I blinked in surprise. "Wha—no."

"Don't lie to me, Hadley," his face set in stone. "He hurt you, didn't he? You would have fought this, if you could have."

My fingertips floated to my temple unconsciously, where I had been willing it to stop throbbing less than 10 minutes ago. "I'm not hurt anymore," I told him instead.

"So here's what we need you to do, little Wyatt," Kaya cut in. "We need you to gather the pack as quickly as possible. Listen very closely to these directions." Wyatt nodded. "We need three to five wolves running the border. Half the pack at the Holt house and half at the bunker. Got it?"

"I need you to get home before the full moon hits its peak. If I'm still down there when Reese turns, I will either get torn to shreds or I'll get turned. She thinks Matthew locked us down in their bunker to turn me into a Child of the Moon and to force a stronger alliance. He wants to get ahead of the vampire revolution." I said, rubbing his arms in comfort. I didn't want him to panic, but I needed him to understand that it was urgent.

Wyatt's demeanor changed so quickly. The wheels were turning in his head, his spine straightened, and his look of pure determination set in. He looked like a leader. An Alpha. "Fight to kill or fight for control?" he asked. I was a little thrown off; I wasn't expecting for that kind of response.

"We need answers first," I told him.

"Lee, I can't go to Jacob and Leah, round up the pack, and ambush this guy for a 'conversation.' We need to take action. They kidnapped you!"

"What? No! Not 'they,' just Matthew. Reese is helping me."

"And the other one?" Wyatt asked, crossing his arms. "Where is he?"

"I…I don't know…"

He blew out a breath and then nodded, "Alright, one problem at a time. Nate and I will lead them to the bunker. Keep yourself as safe as possible, please."

"I will," I assured him.

He studied my face for a bit before he sighed, "I don't want to leave you." Wyatt ran a hand through my hair. "You're not safe."

"I'm safer now that you're coming," I said, smiling. "And hopefully I've healed enough to project. It'll be fine."

"What if it's not?" he challenged.

"That's not an option."

Kaya stepped up, "If I could cut in here for a sec," she said, "I think I have a way to ease Wyatt's concern."

We both looked as she grinned. Practically giddy. What can I say? Kaya lived for a good teaching moment. She told us that she had taught my parents this trick years ago. It's where you can look through someone else's eyes. She said something cryptic about it being easier for us to master, but didn't explain what that meant.

All I know is that our hands started glowing and, when we touched them, it was like my chest caved in and I was knocked right out of the spirit world and into my body. It took a second for me to recognize that I was back in the physical world, all I heard was yelling. "Reese, I'm asking you one question! Is she dead?!" I recognize that voice. It's Travis.

"You really think I would kill her and then lock myself up?! She said she had an idea and then she was unconscious. How the hell am I supposed to fix that from here?"

"Jesus, Reese," Travis groaned.

"Don't 'Jesus, Reese' me, alright? This is Matt's doing, not mine. He's fucking psychotic! And it's about time that you acknowledge that."

Travis sighed loudly, "Shit." Then I heard banging on the metal bars. "Hadley," he called. "Hadley, sweetie, if you can hear me, please wake up."

It took a few minutes for me to come to. And when I did, I shot up in a gasp, reeling at the change. I patted myself down out of concern that something would be different. My body felt different. I rubbed my eyes as they struggled to focus. "Holy shit…" I groaned.

"Oh thank god. Are you good?" Reese asked. She was sitting on the furthest corner from me, pressing her back against the sheet of rock.

"I'm alright. Are you?" I checked. She shrugged as she flipped her lighter between her fingers.

"We're going to get you out of here, Hadley. I promise. I'm so sorry," Travis pleaded.

Ace, can you hear me? I heard. You'll never believe this.

"I never thought I'd be happy to hear voices in my head again," I sighed, standing up.

I can see everything you're seeing right now, Wyatt told me.

"What?" I said out loud.

"What?" Travis asked me.

It's like I'm right there with you. I'm looking through your eyes.

Whoa. I squeezed my eyes tight before opening them and blinking. It did feel a little bit crowded in my head. "Whoa…alright, that's new," I mumbled out loud.

"Who are you talking to?" Reese snapped.

"I have people in my skull," I explained, shaking my head. "Wyatt's going to get the pack to come home. Don't worry, we're going to fix this."

"You better have a plan," she grumbled.

I ignored her as I felt myself rejuvenating. All of the energy I had been missing for the past hour or so was back in full force plus some. Looking down, the metal of the cuffs were tight on my wrists, but they seemed less daunting now. I didn't feel afraid. It was probably because I knew my family was coming. Or maybe just hearing Wyatt's voice always soothed me. He was coming for me. So was Mom and Dad. And Nate and my uncles.

My hand wrapped around the chain and I just tested how heavy it was. I gave it a little yank and felt some resistance…but not much. I yanked a little harder; the stone wall audibly shifted. My heart leapt in joy. That was only me at 20%. Guess what happens at 100.

"How did you do that?" Travis asked, impressed.

"I see you're feeling better," Reese commented, smirking.

"I guess you were right after all," I laughed. I pulled again and felt the foundation crack. I could reach a little farther.

Good job, Ace. Now try to figure out how much time we have, Wyatt told me.

I nodded, before sitting as close as I could to the bars, my gaze focusing on both Travis and Reese. "I need you guys to tell me how this works. Do you just phase quick like us or is this time different?"

She kept flicking the wheel on her lighter as she thought about it. I watched Reese look at her brother before I heard her say 'fuck it' before pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. She took a deep drag, her eyes rolling in the back of her head, before she blew out and instantly putting out the cigarette on the bottom of her shoe. She apologized to me before saying, "This is the most stressful night of the month…and the most excruciating. Have you ever felt one of your bones break?"

I nodded.

"It's like that, but every single one in your body. It starts at the peak of the full moon and the fastest I've ever phased is 15 minutes. The longest, 4 hours. I can feel it pulling toward the surface. There's time, but not much."

"I'd say about an hour," Travis said. "So, if they're coming, they better come quick."

We're on our way, Ace. Hold tight.

"Help is on the way," I told them. We sat quietly for a minute, letting the stress linger. I could tell by Reese's face that she was trying to figure out how this was all going to go down. She was worried. "We're going to get out of this. All of us. You know that."

"Yeah…I know," she said solemnly. She shook her head and took out another cigarette. She didn't light it but just held it between her teeth. Reese stood up and paced her cell.

"What's your plan?" Travis asked.

"The next time Matthew comes down here, I want answers. By the time we get the information we need out of him, my family will be here to get us all to safety."

"All," she chuckled darkly. "That's cute."

I rested my hands on the bars; it was the closest I could get to her. "Reese, my family can help you guys. We can figure out how to get you and Travis away from Matthew. Maybe we can even find a way to make phasing less painful for you."

"You don't get it, Hadley. We can't stay here after this is over. He's fucked it up for all of us," she gritted. She held the cigarette between her index and middle finger as she chewed on her thumbnail. Reese turned fully to me, sadness in her eyes. "Can you just…can you tell Cass I'm sorry? And that I tried…I really tried."

The loud clanking of the bunker door sounded again. He was back. I didn't take my eyes off Reese for a second. "Have you told her you love her yet?" I asked.

Reese pursed her lips and cast her gaze to the ground, "No, I haven't…"

The final clang sounded. "Then you can tell her when we get out of here. Until then, follow my lead."

Matthew came down, humming. Not a care in the world. He shook out water from his hair and let out a loud sigh. "Lord, I don't think I'll ever get used to that rain."

Alright, Lee, get your game face on, Wyatt said to me. I'll be watching the whole time.

"Oh good, all y'all are here," Matthew said with an empty smile. "How's our guest doing?"

"That's enough, Matt. Come on, let her go," Travis told him.

"Why would I do that?" Matthew asked. He sounded almost confused by Travis's words. "She's perfect. She's strong, she's confident. This is what we need to beat the Volturi."

"This isn't right, though. You're better than this," Travis tried to reason.

All Travis was going to do was irritate him. And with the full moon approaching, I didn't want to take that chance. You need to take over the conversation, Ace, Wyatt projected. My thoughts exactly. "It's alright, Travis. I think Matthew's right," I interrupted.

"What?" Reese and Travis exclaimed. I shot Travis a look quickly. What part of 'follow my lead' did he not understand?

"Is that so?" Matthew asked, his eyes lighting up so hopeful. "I'd love to know what changed your mind."

Wyatt coached me through everything I should say to Matthew. Make it thoughtful, get him off defense. But don't reveal too much. I swallowed as I walked toward the front of the cell, "I've been told my entire life that I'm going to die because the vampires keep coming for me. And, while you were away, I had to decide what I was more afraid of: being changed or dying. I don't want to die…and I think you can stop that from happening."

We're close, Wyatt told me. Keep it going.

"Well I had a whole speech prepared," Matthew teased lightly, "but now I may not need it."

I shrugged, "I mean, I'd love to hear your vision. Just so we're all on the same page."

Try keeping a neutral face while the man holding you captive goes on a crazed diatribe about how if we let the vampires win, they will take over the whole world. It would have been convincing if it wasn't entirely based in conspiracy, instead of actual fact.

Matthew had this whole theory that the Volturi was planning on planting vampires everywhere around the world to enslave all other supernaturals and destroy all mortals. His eyes danced as he dove into the details of how they can mass produce something resembling blood so they can ween themselves off of real blood. But only after they captured every single human and drained them until they were nothing. It was like something out of a movie.

And completely illogical.

This guy is nuts, Wyatt commented. Look, he's got the crazy eyes.

So Matthew had this idea. If he could turn one of every other kind of shifter, he could singlehandedly double the manpower it would take to overthrow the Volturi before they even think to attack. "That's how I got Travis," he managed to slip in there before he continued to word vomit everything else he'd been keeping in his brain for who knows how long. Travis' face paled immediately as his eyes widened. He'd just learned something new about himself. I didn't dare look at Reese; I could feel her anger radiating from the other cell. "But just think, Miss Hadley, how powerful you could be with us. You'd be helping your entire family. Your friends. The world. Don't you want to save the world?"

"Hadley, please for the love of God, tell him no," Reese sneered.

"No I've already decided," I falsely declared. "Everything you're saying makes sense. And I know that you only felt that Wyatt and Nathaniel were maybes, but they are the strongest people I know. The greatest allies I've ever had. You should reconsider them."

"What the fuck is happening?" I heard Reese mumble under her breath.

Matthew ignored her, his dark eyes focused on me. They were dancing in a sick way. He was excited. He was ready. "The more, the merrier, darlin'. Anyone else?"

I shook my head, "Wherever I go, I want my boys with me."

I'm so flattered, Wyatt joked.

"Is it going to hurt?" I asked, leaning into it. "I think it would make sense to do it soon. My family will be back tomorrow; I don't want them to talk me out of it."

"I can't promise it won't hurt, Miss Hadley. But once you're on the other side of it, you'll feel invincible."

"Hadley…" Travis warned.

I met his eye. "Will you help me?" I asked him. I hoped desperately that he knew what I meant. Lifting up my hands, I sighed and said, "These chains are really uncomfortable."

Travis ran a hand over his face before turning to Matthew. "Gimme the keys," he held out his hand.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I went over every single sparring session I had with my uncle Paul. There was only one chance to get this right. If I messed this up, I was going to get torn apart. Travis unlocked the cell and came up to me, concern all over his face. Matthew followed behind. When Travis grabbed my hand, I realized he was trembling just slightly. His jaw was clenched as he didn't want to say anything.

Relief washed over me as two things happened at the same time. The tight metal cuff loosening the numbing grip on one of my wrists. And Wyatt and my parents breaking through the treaty line onto the reservation.

Matthew started to gush, "This is going so much easier than I thought. It wasn't in the plan to do it this way but you'll…"

He kept talking as I held Travis's eye. The lock clicked as he unchained my other wrist. Ace, I heard in my head. We're here. "Keep up," I said quietly to Travis as I spun around and landed the strongest kick I could muster to the middle of Matthew's chest. I watched with wide eyes as his body flew through the air. His back collided with the opposite wall with a dramatic thud. When he fell to the ground on his side, he groaned.

"What? No!" Matthew exclaimed as he scrambled up.

"There's no way you thought that actually worked," I rolled my eyes.

"You were supposed to be different," he growled as he crouched down in defense.

I waved my hands and smirked, "Surprise, bitch."

Travis tried to intercept Matthew's advances, but the man was quick. I was ready though. As my uncle Paul always says: watch your opponents eyes for their next move. And Matthew was coming straight for my throat.

I dodged his rabid efforts with ease, ducking and weaving. I managed to get a few hits in with some guidance from Wyatt. See, even before he phased, he would watch me train with my uncles and he would call out their weak spots. Always look for access points. Matthew had three. He opened himself way too wide, he led with his whole weight, and he spent way too much time trying to find where to attack next.

There was this moment where I was panicking with his advances. Taha Aki, if you get me out of this, I promise I'll be good. I'll follow the rules, I'll babysit Mel for the rest of my life, I'll pay attention in school. Just help me get out of this.

Travis jumped in to grab Matthew, who swiftly evaded his maneuver. Then something really cool happened. Travis and I were moving almost in sync. Every hit, punch, kick landed and it felt like we were making headway.

Reese let out an excruciating groan as she dropped to her knees. "We're running out of time," she gasped. "Do something!"

Say the word, Lee. We'll bust down there—watch your right! Wyatt said to me.

No, I just needed more time. A second longer to think. What to do. What do I do? I looked around for something—anything—to end this.

Matthew huffed, "I didn't want to have to do it this way." He whirled around, shoving Travis away from him and toward me. I frantically looked around before I spotted the chain on the ground. I picked it up and gave it a good yank, careful not to break it. My brain was running a mile a minute. The wall buckled a little.

"Hadley! What are you doing? Don't waste your time!" Travis yelled as he lunged at Matthew again.

"I got it!" I snapped. I grounded myself before gathering my full strength and pulled the chain until it was completely free from the rock wall. I breathed a laugh in triumph before turning around. Right as Matthew was reaching for the cell door to lock all three of us in, I searched for his access points.

What did Uncle Paul say? Strike where it's least expected. I swung the chain above my head like a lasso and calculated my move. Don't hit him in the head. Don't go for the torso. Go for his neck.

"Travis, catch!" I called as I released the chain from my right hand. It did exactly what I hoped it would. The chain wrapped around Matthew's throat, the end landing in the crook of Travis's arm. He looked down at it before looking up at me. And he knew. The two of us jerked Matthew backward as hard as we could, a loud grunt coming from both of us. Matthew fell flat on his back as he clutched his throat in pain.

"Run!" Reese yelled. "Go!"

I dropped the chain and jumped over Matthew's writhing body to run like hell. There was a small tunnel that led to the ladder to go above ground. I was so close. I rushed up the ladder and reached for the locks. There were three slide bolts. Clang, clang, cl—. My heart was pounding as I struggled with the last one. It was stuck. I balanced myself before using both hands to jam it open. I could hear the calls of my family. They were here for me.

Then, as the door was swinging open, I heard a ferocious growl behind me and a strong hand clamped down on my ankle. I screamed as I saw Matthew, glowing eyes and a rabid, feral look on his face. "Help!" I cried. Two pairs of strong hands grabbed my arms as I kicked Matthew in the face. He roared in pain as he let go of my ankle to hold his face.

My dad and Uncle Jared lifted me out of the bunker. Jared immediately passed me off to my father who hugged me tight to his chest. "Are you alright?" he asked panicked.

"He's crazy, Dad. He was going to turn me into one of them," I tried to speak while catching my breath. "It's the full moon. They're about to phase."

"He can't phase if he's unconscious," Uncle Paul cracked as he, Uncle Embry, and Uncle Jared jumped right down into the bunker. I heard his voice echo, "You touched my fucking niece, huh?! Big mistake, asshole."

My dad rubbed my back before saying, "Go to your mom. We'll take care of this."

As he moved around me, I grabbed his arm. "Dad," I said. He looked at me with guarded eyes. "Be careful, please. Travis and Reese are down there; they helped me. And they don't have a lot of time."

He looked over me at my mom before nodding. Then he hopped down into the hole. Mom came up behind me and hugged me, pressing her face into my hair. "Jesus, little girl, you'll be the death of me," she mumbled. I leaned into her body, breathing in her familiar lavender scent. "Are you hurt?"

My ankle was throbbing, but I shook my head no anyway. It was like I was too stunned to speak now.

Mama pushed the hair out of my face and studied me closely. I was dangerously close to tears. Only of relief though. While I was underground, I suppressed every single thought I had that I wouldn't see my mom again. That I wouldn't be able to hug her again or see her smile. I was dreading this idea of not smelling the car grease on the leather seats of my dad's car when he would pick me up. Or having his arm around the bucket seat as we drove; he always played old hip hop music and looked like a total dork trying to rap with Cardi B.

There are some other versions of my life where tonight went completely different. And any of them included never seeing my brother and sister again. No more ice cream dates or movie nights. Melody would grow up without me; everything would change for Will.

I was just realizing that I really only had that one chance to get it right. "I was so scared, Mama," I choked out. She held me as I tried to gain my composure.

"Ace!" I heard. Wyatt and Nate ran up to me and Mom, millions of questions in their eyes and concern wearing on every inch of their faces. "We came as fast as we could."

"Sounds like we made it in the nick of time," Nate commented. "Thank god you're safe, Lee."

"There was always something about that guy that rubbed me the wrong way. I really hoped I was wrong." Mom admitted. I shook my head in disappointment as I pressed myself closer into my mother. What a mess. The energy around us was so loud; I feel like I was using my mom as my shield from everything. Especially since my father and my uncles were starting to come out of the bunker. I looked away quickly, my stomach lurching. Mama squeezed my shoulders, "Boys, can you get her home please?" she asked Wyatt and Nate.

They both nodded without hesitation. Nate made a point to say, "We'll get that ankle checked out too." Mom thanked both of them as she gently guided me into Wyatt's arms. He wrapped a protective arm around my waist so I could lean my weight on him. My heart fluttered as I could smell burning wood on him from the fire and spice. His energy was as calm as it could be given the circumstance. I could tell he was trying to feel easy for me.

When we got back to the house, Nate made me sit down in the kitchen so he could make sure my ankle didn't set wrong after Matthew grabbed it. Wyatt held my hand as I bit down on a rag to lessen the anguishing scream of Nate popping my ankle back into place to reset it. "Holy fuck," I cried into the small towel, wanting to throw up.

"The worst is over, Ace," Wyatt said, squeezing my hand. They made sure I showered and ate. They waited while I slipped into Melody's room and then Will's to hug them tight and say good night.

I quietly closed my bedroom door and thanked my ancestors for letting me see the end of this night. Wyatt and I slipped into our spiritual common as quickly as possible to disconnect us. Nate watched us closely and was fascinated to hear about Wyatt watching things through my eyes. Wyatt rubbed his temples, "God, it feels good to only be in one skull again."

I threw my arms around his neck and pressed our cheeks together. "Thank you," I whispered in his ear. He sent me waves of pure love as he hugged me back.

I convinced them to stay that night. The three of us piled into my bed like we used to when we were five years old. Except instead of watching scary movies like we used to, I turned on Friends reruns. Wyatt draped his arm around my waist and wasted no time falling asleep, while Nate sprawled out across the foot of the bed, hugging a pillow and watching the muted television. And me? I laid there staring at the ceiling, wide awake. Every time I blinked, I saw Matthew's crazed, wolf eyes looking up at me. They were the same eyes we saw on the cliff that day. I know it.

The tv was just enough light in that dark room for me to feel at least a little relaxed. It was the one where Ross and Joey were throwing that ball back and forth without dropping it and Rachel came in with that naked cat that looked like a raw chicken. "I like this one," I said quietly, smiling a little.

"You like all of them," Nate chuckled from the end of the bed.

"It's a cute show," I felt myself grin. It fell soon after.

Nate turned over and propped himself up on his elbow. "You need to get some rest, Lee."

I shook my head, looking down at Wyatt's heavy, muscular arm. Sitting up, I was careful not to wake him up. There was part of me that was bracing myself for what I was about to say. Instead, I decided to tell him, "You all saved my ass tonight. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"That's what we're here for," he shrugged. "I'll admit though…Wyatt knew something was wrong almost immediately. We could have helped you hours ago, but Cam and I thought he was just being sensitive. He's always had some sixth sense when it comes to you. I'm sorry for not listening to him sooner."

Wyatt sighed dreamily before rolling onto his other side. Nate and I waited until we heard his soft snores again before speaking. "I don't blame you…" I told him. "It probably seemed like just another Hadley stunt. It's getting old…"

"What? No, Lee, it was nothing like that," Nate tried.

"No, it's true though. I got lucky…again. I wrote a check that my ass couldn't cash and if it wasn't for Wyatt," I swallowed, "tonight would have ended a lot differently."

"But it didn't. We got you out, we got you home. The pack is taking care of the problem. Everything's fine," he was attempting to reassure me.

I met his eye as I wrung my hands nervously. "Nathan," I swallowed. "I looked death in the face today. And it didn't feel like it'll be the last time I'll see it that close."

I knew he didn't know what that meant and I almost didn't want him to. I just think I needed to say it out loud. What I knew was that Matthew wasn't going to drag me back to that cell to try to convince me to join them. Me saying 'no' once was enough for him to decide to kill me. And it was weirdly reminiscent of the dreams I'd been having lately. But not quite exact.

"Things are about to change around here," I said. "Wyatt leading the new pack is exactly what we need. And with everything you know about our history, we'll need you too more than ever. The two of you are the leadership they're looking for. You two make us better."

"And you make us the best. Don't count yourself out."

"I'm not; I'm just—."

"No, I know what you're doing. You're trying to distance yourself from the pack in case something happens to you. I won't let that happen. Wyatt won't either. So stop it," he whisper scolded.

I sat quietly. I didn't have anything to say. Because he wasn't wrong. Wyatt proved his readiness and willingness to jump into action and Nate helped treat me after the fact. It has always been the three of us, the dream team. But, after being the damsel in distress, I just felt rattled.

"You know…" Nate spoke again. "For a solid 20 miles, all he was thinking was he had to get to you so he could finally tell you he loves you."

Looking over at Wyatt's resting body, I checked for any sign that he was listening. He remained sound asleep for the rest of the night. "Him being in my head with me was like a boost of confidence to fight for myself tonight. He made me feel safe."

"I've known both of you our entire lives and, if I know anything, it's that there's no Wyatt without Hadley and vice versa. You two exist as halves of one whole. So…try to remember that the next time you think about backing down from being part of this pack."

I ran a hand through my hair. "You're right," I told him. "I'm sorry."

"Have you told him you love him yet?"

I shook my head, "Not yet, but he deserves to know," I said. "You are wrong about one thing, though."

"That's not possible," he smirked.

"So is," I laughed. "We're not halves of a whole."

"What do you mean?"

"We're three thirds of a whole," I told him. "There's no Wyatt or Hadley without Nathaniel. So, if I'm in, we are all in."

"Like The Three Musketeers," he joked.

I grinned. "All for one and one for all."