Danny-

"Here," says Brenden as he hands me a cold glass of water."

I set it down, "I don't want it." I just barely calmed down from before. I don't know what came over me.

"Don't care. You need to drink it," he snaps and sits next to me. Then, he just gives me a weird look. Like he's trying to see through me.

I look at him for a second before I snap, "what the fuck are you staring at, man."

"You dipshit," he snares back. "what the fuck happened tonight?"

I shrug, "Theo broke up with me cause I'm not out, and I'm not honest with him."

"No," he says, "I heard that part. What was with your shifting business? I've never seen you act like that before."

"What was he doing?" Asks Jessica coming across the street with Megan in tow.

"Nothing," I say

At the same time, Brenden says, "he was freaking out and shaking."

"Fuck you," I snap. "I wasn't freaking out."

"But you were shifting? In front of Theo?" Asks Megan in a quiet voice. Brenden's parents aren't home, but he lives near several pack members.

I shrug, "it's a blur to me."

"I saw it," supplies Brenden. "He was shaking, and I could feel his energy downstairs. That's when I knew something was up. His eyes were glowing blue. It literally took 30 minutes to calm him down."

"Dude," I say quickly. "Shut up."

He ignores me, "Danny. You were shifting in the trunk as we drove over here, but not normal shifting. this was weird."

"Danny come over here," says Megan taking my hand. "You two pretend to not listen."

Brenden nods, and Jessica shakes her head, but a tap from him gets her to agree. They sit down on the steps, and Megan and I go over and talk.

"What happened tonight?" She asks.

"Theo broke up with me," I say quietly.

"What happened after that?" she asks.

"I. Don't. Know. Didn't you hear Brenden?" I say in a tired voice. I drink the glass of water in one move.

She shakes her head, "don't be dumb, Danny. What did you FEEL?"

I know what I felt. I felt scared and angry. I felt the floor come out from under me, and I felt Theo getting pulled into a dark room, and I couldn't find him.

When I finally tell her all of that, she just smiles. "That's what I thought," she says quietly.

"What did you think?" I ask.

"You turn 18 in a couple of weeks, right?" She asks, and I nod. "Did your Dad ever tell you about imprinting?"

I shrug, "of course. That it's rare. Like one in a million rare, but it only happens when you're 18."

"Almost. My parents imprinted on each other," she says, and I nod. The Bakers were one of those rare couples who were a perfect match.

Imprinting is when a shifter finds their soul mate. Unfortunately, most of us go our whole lives without ever finding that person. "They were drawn to each other at a young age, and no one knew why, because imprinting is so rare....but in the weeks leading up to my Dad's 18th birthday, he started to feel stuff."

"Gross," I say, trying to break the tension. Jessica laughs....proving she was listening.

"Shut up," hisses Megan. "18 is just when the official imprinting happens, but it starts long before that. I bet you've felt this way about Theo from the start, right?" I nod, and she continues, "Before he turned 18, my Dad shifted into his hybrid form. It's rare but can happen."

"No way," says Brenden. "I've never seen him do it."

"That's cause my Mom died. After that, he lost the ability," she says quietly. Shifters can heal ourselves from almost all injuries, but her Mom was hit by a drunk driver and too hurt to recover. "But he could do it. He said it was like an earthquake in his body. He couldn't control the energy he gave off when his emotions were high."

"Are you saying he imprinted on Theo?" Asks Jessica. "But he's human."

"You can imprint on anyone and anytime," says Brenden. "My great Grandpa imprinted on my great-grandma when he was 27, and he was married at the time. You just can't control it."

"Give us some space, please," says Megan in a kind voice. They do, and she leans in closer. "Theo's lucky to have you imprint on him...if that's what's happening. Whatever happened tonight, he'll get over it."

She rubs my arm in a loving motion, just gentle and kind. I hear the leaves rustle, and then I smell him.

"Theo?" I say quietly and turn my head. There he is....my boyfriend. Only he looks angry and sad just staring at us...I realize what he's seeing and push Megan away from me.

"Theo," I shout and hop the railing. I need to talk to him.

He starts to turn, but I shout out again. "Theo! baby. What are you doing here?"

He wipes back, "stop. Don't call me that. I came to say I was sorry, but you're rubbing up against Bryce's girlfriend."

Shitttttt, I really need to fix this cause I can't lose Bryce too. It wasn't anything sexual, but that's not what he saw.

"What?" I say in a shocked voice. Trying to calm him down. "No. It's not ...."

"Save it. I'm sorry for what I said....but I'm not sorry I broke up with you," He spats, interrupting me.

There it is again. Theo getting pulled into a dark room without me. I need to calm down. I need him to stay. "Theo..... stop"

The breeze picks up, and I smell Theo....and I smell something else. Brenden, Jessica, and Megan are all on edge now cause we all smell the beast. It's here. It's close.

I can't lose Theo to this monster, but I'm shaking. I can't speak, and I feel my mind racing.

Thankfully Jessica speaks for me, "Theo. Come over here. We can talk....and I'll drive you home."

When that doesn't work, Brenden speaks quietly and calmly to him. He doesn't want Theo to run, "Theo. Come talk over here. It'll be ok."

He shakes his head, "no. I'm going home. Don't follow me."

With that, he runs. Jessica, Brenden, and Megan all shout for him. I look at my hands and see I'm shifting....but not into my wolf form. It's something else.

"Oh god!" Says Jessica in a terrified voice. My concentration is broken, and I look to see the beast at the corner where Theo was just running.

"Fuck is it bigger than before?" Asks Megan

"Theo!!!!" I shout.

Just as I start to run after him, Brenden grabs me and holds me back, "don't be an idiot. Get inside and call your Dad." 

I know he's right, but I need to make sure Theo's ok. I shove him off of me, " you call my Dad. I need to get Theo."

The beast's gone....or at least out of sight. I can smell him all over the place, but with my shifter speed, I'm fast. I hear Brenden shouting, but I don't care. The beast is gone, and so is Theo. The winds are kicking up, and I've lost track of his scent, but I know where he's going...I hope.

*******
Theo-

"Just keep running. Just keep running," I think to myself. So I don't even look back to see where the bear is now.

I figured I'd be safe running towards downtown, which is only a mile or two from Brenden's house.

Once I get to the carnival area, I know I made the right choice. Animals don't attack big crowds. Plus, Uncle Mason's station is nearby, and I'll be safe there.

I chance a look down the side road, and I'm happy to see no giant bear chasing me.

"Thank god," I say out loud.

"Theo?" Asks a quiet confused voice.

I turn around to see a surprised face looking at me.

*******
Danny-

The run to Theo's took me about 2 minutes. The joys of shifter powers. We can run faster than Olympians. We can lift hundreds of pounds, and we can punch through metal.

I try and listen to the house before I knock. It's quiet. I didn't pass Theo on the run here. I can only hope he ran down a side street.

I knock and wait.

Thankfully Bryce answers the door. "Dude. It's not a good time."

"I know. I'm sorry, but did Theo come back home?" I say quickly. I know he didn't, but I have to ask.

Bryce starts to say something when sheriff Collins comes to the door, "what do you mean?"

I sigh, "Theo came to Brenden's to talk to me, but he ran off again when he saw Megan and me talking."

"He did what?" Shouts the Sheriff, and he storms up the stairs.

"What was happening with you and Megan?" Asks Bryce as his Mom comes out to the door. I can see Jackson and Mandy behind her.

"It's not what you think. And it's not what Theo thought. So don't worry," I say quickly.

I can hear the Sheriff yelling now. So Theo's for sure not home.

Bryce pushes on, "so what was it?"

"Bryce, it's not important," says his Mom.

"I think it is," snaps Bryce. "What were you two doing that would make Theo run?"

I gotta be as honest as I can here, "'Megan and I have A LOT in common. Brenden was there too. Our families go way back."

Bryce scrunches up his face for a second but can't answer as his Dad stomps down the stairs.

"He's gone, and he left his phone," snaps the Sheriff. "Where would he go if he didn't come here?"

He looks at Bryce and me, but I answer. "Let me call my Dad. He might've gone to my house. Once he saw that bear monster thing, he probably tried to get somewhere safe."

He shakes his head, "Danny go home. I'll call your Dad. Tasha, get your keys and go over to the park. Jackson, stay here with your sister Bryce; you're with me."

"Sheriff..." I start, but he interrupts me.

"Danny. No offense, but you're not part of this. Theo went to you and ran again," he snaps. "Let's go." He pulls out his phone and calls Dad.

Mrs. Collins pats my back as she squeezes by me. Bryce is following his Dad.

I can hear the phone conversation as Dad picks up.

"Madison," he says in a gruff voice.

"Owen, it's Mason. I need your help. Did Theo come by?" He asks.

"Nope. Can't find Danny either," he says calmly. "Brenden called Steve and told him they all say the creature down their street."

He's fumbling with his keys as he unlocks the van, "Danny's here. I'm sending...him...home. Mother fucker."

"Excuse me, sheriff," asks Dad in a confused voice; the Sheriff never swears. 

"Hold on. my tires have been slashed," says Sheriff Collins. "Damn it. Tasha, they got you too."

I look at my jeep and see the same thing, "they got me too....and your neighbors." I add. I can tell from here.

"Owen. Can you come get me? I need to find Theo," he says quickly.

"I'm already out the door, sir," he says. "Can I talk to Danny?"

"Yeah," the Sheriff sighs, and he hands me the phone.

"What's up, dad?" I ask calmly. I'm anything but calm, but he can't know that.

"I'm gonna ask you some questions, and you to say mhmm for yes. And cough for no. Got it?"

"Mhmm," I say back.

"Good," he says. "Did you see the creature?"

"Mhmm"

"Did it attack you?"

I cough.

"Good. Good. Look at tires. Was it the shifter?" He asks.

I lean in and look; the Collins are talking on the porch. "Mhmm"

"How many cars can you see with slashed tires?" He asks.

I look down both ends of the street. Some people have already started to notice the issue. "I'd say the whole street. As far as I can see."

"Fuck. Ok. Where'd Theo run?" He asks.

"I lost his scent at Juniper Street," I say quietly.

"Ok, I'm gonna get you and the Sheriff. Don't leave," he says and hangs up.

I hand Mr. Collins back his phone. "Dad's almost here."

He talks to Dad for a minute, but Bryce comes up to me. "You know what it is, right?" He whispers.

I shrug and say, "it's the thing from school. Same thing that's been attacking people."

"Fuck....." he groans out, and then he's quiet for a second. "Why didn't it go for Theo then?"

"I don't know?" I whisper just as Dad's patrol car pulls into view. "I just hope he's ok."

*********