It was getting colder quickly now. Logan felt it deep in his core one moment, but then feverish warmth would hit the next. He wondered if he sat out on the porch long enough if he would simply succumb to the cold. He doubted it would be any worse than the havoc already running its course through his body. Either way he didn't feel like going inside yet, and he honestly wasn't sure if he had the strength to. 

The view was just so damn beautiful. A light snow was floating through the breeze, decorating the rich blue of the evening.  A golden moon was peaking out of the clouds that swelled over the forest, its delicate light bouncing off the water.  He would have liked Bethany to be sitting beside him. He could almost feel her arms around him.

It was dark now, but the moon was so bright and full as it rose in the sky, illuminating the whole lake. So serene. Not a bad place to die, Logan thought.

Cara slammed open the door of her bedroom, smearing blood on the door as she went. She tucked into the bathroom first, flipping on the light and then quickly putting her wounded hand into the sink. She turned on the facet and cried out as cold water ran over her hand. The sting shot through her whole body, but she barred her teeth against it. With her good hand she tore open the cupboard, tossing things aside until she found the tensor bandage stored inside. Hastily she wrapped it tight around the mangled shreds of her hand. If she didn't get medical attention she was worried the hand might remain useless to her.

But that would have to wait. She ducked back into her bedroom, rushing over to the nightstand. In the drawer she took out her other pistol, checking the clip to ensure it was loaded (it always was, but the habit was engrained in her), and naturally with silver bullets. She popped the clip back in and turned to leave.

That's when she saw him there. It was Logan, standing straight, one arm still swollen from the edema, but looking sturdier than he had been. Until the outside light caught him a bit more directly and she noticed the bullet hole leading from one temple and out the other, blood slowly dripping down.

"Cara?" he said confused. "I think I'm dead."

The wolf had been patient. Very patient. It had waited months in captivity, lying dormant, waiting for the ideal time to strike, to make its escape. There could be no more waiting though. Death was coming if they stayed in these bars any longer, and that was a certainty.

The wolf reached out for the bar of the cell with its humanoid hands, the bar that had been its focus for months. Each night, each day that the wolf had its reign, each time the prying eyes of the girl were not upon him, the wolf was at work, weakening the cell, testing for the breaking points. And it had discovered them.

It had focused its razor sharp claws on the concrete at the very top of the cell where the bars slid into it. The concrete was strong but the wolf was strong too, and patient. Over time the bar had begun to wiggle slightly, and then more, and eventually to the point where it seemed ready to rip right out of the ceiling. The bars were narrow though so the wolf had been working to free a second bar beside it as well, to ensure he could fit through.

Time was up though. The wolf ripped the bar back, crashing it down to the floor of the cell. The opening left was small, but a lot larger than what it had been before. The wolf barrelled into it until his chest got stuck, but there could be no turning back. The wolf roared as it fought further through. Ribs snapped in its chest, but the pain only propelled it more.

And then it was free. Finally free.

Thewolf howled, long and loud, and then tore into the plaster wall across from thecell, disappearing into the dark room beyond.  

Cara covered her mouth as more tears formed in her eyes. It was surreal. He was here, in front of her, but gone. Logan was gone.

"Logan, what..." she moved closer, bewildered, staring at the bullet hole in his head. "What happened to you?" Logan glanced around confused, but then tentatively tapped the wound in his head. Clarity washed over him.

"Someone's coming," he said firmly. As if to confirm this she heard the front door opening downstairs, followed shortly after by the backdoor. Further in the distance, in the basement, she heard the werewolf let out a long howl.

Cara rushed to the window, but ducked down to peer out of it carefully. She saw movement around the front of the house, men taking up position in the trees. Mercenaries like the last bunch sent after Daniel? No, these were military Cara decided. Far down the road she could see military grade armoured vehicles rolling steadily closer.

There would be no beating them, only escaping them. But she couldn't let them take Daniel alive. She had to make it down to him.

She turned and Logan's spirit was directly behind her, making her jump.

"Two are coming upstairs. You can make it into the other bedroom if you hurry." Cara understood the plan Logan was forming. Staying light on her feet, which wasn't difficult (she wasn't wearing shoes), Cara darted out of her room, grabbing her hunting knife off the dresser, leaving the bathroom light on and the facet running, and carefully snuck into the farther bedroom.

Then she heard the steps coming up the stairs, slow and careful. She kept the door open a crack but stayed well hidden in the darkness, and listened to Logan's voice on the other side of the door.

"They're reaching the top of the stairs now," he narrated for her. "Kevlar vests, assault rifles at the ready." Cara took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "The first one is moving into your bedroom. They see the blood stain on the door, the light from the bathroom." Cara held the pistol in her good left hand, and took out the hunting knife with her right. Her grip was clumsy and it hurt like a bitch to hold it tight, but she forced herself to. She was ready. "The second one is stepping into the room. Move now!"

Cara slide out of the room and moved swiftly across the hall as the second man was slowly disappearing into her bedroom. She got behind him just as the other one glanced around her bathroom and said, "Clear."

She buried the knife hilt deep into the first soldier's neck. As he dropped to his knees, the other one swivelled to fire on Cara, but she already had him in her sights. Two shots. Bang, bang. The first through his throat, and the second through the right eyeglass of the goggles strapped to his face.

She knew what Logan would tell her to do next, even before she spotted his figure in the corner of the room. She tucked the body of the first man deeper into the room and then began to take off his outfit, moving quick as she could.

Loud roars and screams started rising from the basement, some from the werewolf, some human. Oh no, they found him, Cara thought anxiously. She had to intercept them before they could leave with him. The commotion downstairs did buy her a minute though to finish putting on the soldier's uniform. It was baggy on her, but it would do the trick, and with the night vision goggles and helmet over her face, no one would realize it was her until she had put a bullet into the werewolf. Into Daniel.

Then she heard crackling over the radio strapped to the vest she was now wearing, "Subject has broken free of the house! Secure outer perimeters! Converge on the front of the house!" The words burned in Cara's mind. He's escaped. Part of her wanted to root for him. Yes, stay out of their grasp. But the further he goes, the harder it would be for her to stop them from taking him. Cara picked up the assault rifle as well, and then threw open the bedroom door and dashed down the stairs.

"There's still two in the house looking for you," Logan's voice said behind her. "One is in the dining room, he's checking under the table, strike now." Cara rounding the corner on the staircase and saw as Logan had described, one soldier dropped to his knee, fanning his rifle under the dining room table. He turned quick at the noise on the stairs, but Cara was ready faster. She open fired with the assault rifle, which ripped through the soldier. He fell dead in a bloody heap on the floor.

"The other one is hiding in my bedroom," Logan said, now standing in the hallway below her. "He's waiting to ambush you when you walk past." Cara walked slowly to the bottom of the staircase, and moved closer to the door of Logan's bedroom. Logan stepped forward and pointed to a spot in the wall. "Fire here."

Cara did as instructed. She let off a few rounds into the wall, which was followed by a thump on the ground. Logan was gone from sight, but the backdoor was straight ahead of her at the end of the hall. She made a run for it and went outside.

It was dark out now, but the moon and stars reflecting off the snow helped to light things up. Cara stumbled though as she looked to the bench and saw Logan's body slumped over, blood from the bullet hole solidifying on the side of his face. She gapped at the sight, stumbling backwards off the porch until she felt a presence over her shoulder.

Cara looked back to see Logan's spirit standing there, staring at his own dead body. And then he looked at her with a sad smile.

"I think I have to say goodbye now," he whispered. Cara wanted to shake her head, beg him to stay, but all she could manage was to throw her arms around him. He felt almost solid under her touch, almost still there. "Be safe, my child."

Her arms wrapped around herself, and she realized he was truly gone.