I felt like my feet had been swept out from under me as I collapsed onto Tess, who held me up and spoke, “Kate? Are you ok?”

I pointed, touching Emily’s lifeless arm as I felt as if I might faint, “I… I knew her…”

Dean’s eyes darted to me and then to Tess as he directed, “Get her out of here.”

Tess helped me out of the morgue and into a secluded waiting room as I cradled my head in my hands. Emily… she was dead… because of a werewolf. I sobbed into my hands, wondering how I could’ve been so stupid, I knew her life was at danger because of me and I still let her be seen with me on purpose.

Tess rubbed my back, “Kate? Kate please talk to me…”

I gripped the handle of the chair so tightly the wood crumbled and cracked in my hand, I felt like I was going to hurt someone if I stayed there. 

I stood, finding the nearest exit and running as fast as I could into the woods, I could feel myself shift, but I felt the fangs and felt my clothes tighten around my body. I was running abnormally fast, and as the anger overtook my body I felt my spine shift in that moment. 

It  hurt a little, and I fell, feeling my body convulse in anger, and I felt myself changing into something foreign. I looked down at my hands, which were now… paws? My clothes ripped off of me, and I felt so angry I had no idea what was going on.

Emily was dead because of me, she was innocent… she didn’t deserve that. 

I howled loudly, feeling as if I needed to get away from here, like I needed to leave. 

So I did. 

I ran for miles nonstop, trying to escape the pain that was settling in my chest. I couldn’t bare it, and even though I was now a giant wolf I still felt small and helpless. 

I whimpered silently as I ran, seeing Emily’s face coming into view, feeling the pain run through my body like electricity. I stopped eventually, knowing I was over a hundred miles away from town, I sat, feeling my eyes cry as I closed them slightly, trying to get rid of Emily’s face. 

But I couldn’t. 

I stayed in my wolf form, wondering how in the hell I had accomplished this, but I knew I would have to stay like this. I would be naked if I didn’t. 

I stayed out until it was dark, wondering what I could’ve done to save her… I could only see her face, smiling up at me like she had been when we first met. The feelings I had been having for her lately came into play and I felt the tears spill again. 

I rose from the forest floor, walking slowly back to where I had came, wondering what was next. What was I going to tell Emma?

Finally I was back in town, on the edge of the forest as I watched the lit up cabin come into view. I was still in my wolf form, and I was kind of worried because I didn’t know if I could get back to my human form. Then I saw Tess come into view after I smelt her, she was holding clothes and she spoke, “Hey.”

I growled, realizing I couldn’t speak as I slowly let myself change back into my human form. I felt the cool air wrap around me as I walked over to Tess and took the clothes from her, realizing her eyes never left mine. 

I slipped on the T shirt and sweats as she took my hand, “Come, we’ll go to sleep.”

She held my hand as she pulled me upstairs and into her bedroom, I laid in her bed, feeling the sting of pain travel through my heart. She laid next to me, I felt her presence close to mine as I tried to drift off to sleep, realizing I probably wouldn’t be sleeping tonight, there was no way. 

Every time I would close my eyes her face was there, those eyes haunting me, telling me it was my fault. It was my fault, if I hadn’t been so irresponsible and selfish… she would still be alive. 

Collin had warned me. 

Why would a werewolf, someone like me kill Emily? Was it just a coincidence or was it something else? Were the people that killed my family… here?

Watching me?

I remembered Saturday night how I had felt like someone was watching me, I was right, that had to be the reason. They saw me with Emily, they knew who I was…

And now everyone I associated with was in danger. 

I thought back to Miss Riley, she knew we existed, that could be a major threat to her. I slapped myself mentally, realizing I had told her I was one of them.

God I fucked up. 

I couldn’t let anymore people die because of me, I had to be careful. 

This was no longer a game.

~ ~ ~ ~

The morning came quickly but Dean was allowing me to stay home from school with him and Michelle, the rest of them had to go. 

I was still lying in Tess’s bed, I had gotten maybe two hours of sleep last night, other than that, nothing. I was tired, don’t get me wrong, but I couldn’t rest, I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering restlessly. 

Then I heard a knock on the door, and in walked Dean. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at me, “You ok?”

I nodded, “Yea, I guess.”

He sighed, I knew he wanted to talk about it, and even though it was going to hurt me I knew I had to. Dean needed answers, he needed to know what was going on. He spoke, “I know you’re probably not ready to-”

“I’ll talk.”

He looked taken back and then he complied, “Ok, well… you knew this Emily girl, how did you know her?”

I didn’t want to tell him the part about us having sex, I shrugged, “We’ve been friends for awhile, but this weekend we went out, I knew I should’ve followed my instinct when I felt eyes on me.”

“You think someone was watching you?”

I nodded, “I know someone was watching me, they saw me go home with Emily and… she was killed the next night.”

He clenched his jaw, looking down at him hands, “They’re back, the people that killed our family.”

I nodded, “And they know who I am.”

Dean was silent for awhile, he was nervous, knowing that they were capable of killing any human. The thing I was curious about was… why? Why did they kill my parents, and why were they after me to?

I questioned, “Why are they after our family?”

He flinched at that, and I knew he knew why, he was just thinking of a way to put it. He sighed heavily, “We used to have an alliance with another pack, we’re all supposed to work together to keep the cities and towns safe… but we were extra friendly with this one. Then me and your father started noticing they were growing their numbers exceptionally big, turning teenagers left and right, taking them away from their families, and David didn’t like it. He went to talk to the Alpha’s to make them stop, that it wasn’t right, and they didn’t need those numbers, there was no reason… and the Male Alpha attacked him. They fought and your father killed him, the Female Alpha was devastated because he had killed her mate, and it’s been revenge ever since.”

Revenge, they were trying to eliminate the entire Early family? 

“Are we the only Early decedents left?”

He nodded, “Yes, we are,” he paused for a bit but I knew he had something else to say, his eyes said it. He sighed, “But we won’t be for long.”

“What do you mean?”

He shrugged, there was a lot running through his mind, “Michelle’s pregnant.”

My jaw nearly dropped onto the floor when he said that, this was bad, really bad. She couldn’t go out and be in danger, she was carrying a damn child! 

I spoke, “Well… that’s not good is it?”

He shook his head, “Not at this time, no.”

“Have you told the others?”

He shook his head, “No, and I don’t want to have to keep changing teenagers… the twins and Collin were enough…”

I spoke, “You gotta do what you gotta do Dean, to protect Michelle and the baby.”

He nodded, running his hand through his semi-long hair, “I know.” He was staring at the ground, but I saw something else in his eyes as they looked at me, it was worry. “Are you sure you’re ok? Like emotionally?”

I clenched my jaw in pain as it shot through me, nodding, “Yes… I’m ok. It just kind of stings because it was my fault.”

“It wasn’t your fault, you didn’t know.”

But I did know, Collin had warned me, and I didn’t even listen. I ignored it, and it left me with a dead friend… 

I received a text from Emma right then and I read it to myself, “I just got the news about Emily, I’m so sorry Kate…. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

I responded a quick reply and put my phone away as Dean invited me downstairs, “Michelle is cooking lunch, if you want to join us downstairs. The other’s should be getting home soon.”

I glanced at the clock as Dena left the room, he’s right, I had slept late and it was about time for school to let them out. I stood, walking down the stairs and instantly smelling burgers and suddenly my appetite resurfaced, my stomach even growled. 

I sat at the table, looking at Michelle who even had worry in her eyes. I will never forget the time she practically seduced me to bite me, but in a way I’m glad she did. 

But now people were dying because of me. 

I ate in silence and then the others barged through the doors, instantly running for the table to eat. Tess sat next to me and spoke, “How was today?”

I shrugged, “Ok, I guess.”

We ate around the big table and I could feel Dean’s uneasiness, he knew he needed to tell the others about Michelle. I eyed him from the other side of the table, wondering if he was going to tell them now. 

I was hoping he would. 

He sipped his water and spoke in a serious tone, “I need to let everyone know something really important.” Everyone looked up from their plates at him and he sighed heavily, looking a bit overwrought, “Michelle is pregnant.”

Tess gasped slightly on the side of me, the guys were just sitting there side eyed. They all knew it was horrible timing, but no one wanted to offend. 

He nodded, “I know, not the best timing with the current events going on but… I’m going to need all of you to step up on your game. Fighting, school, and while we do our perimeter run, it’s insanely important… and I might need to recruit one more person.”

I nodded in agreement, even though I knew he wasn’t happy with it. He wanted to grow his numbers for protection, not for power, and I respected him for that.

That baby was very important. 

And I realized I was to, my work ethic, because when I was bitten I had gone from Alpha of my social life to Omega of this pack. 

And this pack needed me back at Alpha standards, and I was going to make sure no one died because of me again.