The first few minutes were not pretty, my limbs were stiff and heavy and I swore I step on every trig on the ground. The pounding of my blood echoed in my ears so loud I couldn't tell if someone was following me or not. Finally my muscles started to loosen and my steps were not as clumsy or heavy. My breathing was less of a struggle. I was still scared they would catch me and drag me back to face the people I cared about. I couldn't sit there and see their hate in their eyes. The hate and pain that I caused them. But one thing I have always had and the one thing I loved to do was run. I used what I loved the most to get away from the people I loved the most.

After about 10 minutes I knew it was only a matter of time before they realized I was no longer in the bathroom and I still had no clue what I was going to do or where I was going to go. I was actually surprised they gave me this much time. Maybe they too realized that having me around was just going to hurt more people. I wasn't sure if that thought made me feel better or made it hurt that much more. I had to stop thinking about that. What I had to think about was getting away and where to go. I should had thought this through. It was too late now.

Back near the cabins I heard a long mournful howl. They knew I was gone. My legs started to burn, I had not run this full this many times in one week that my body screamed to slow down. Was it three times this week I found myself running away from people? If you counted my nightmares I guess it would have been 5, think. I had to move faster, not slow down as my body demanded me too. Still no thoughts on where I was going but if I didn't figure it out soon they would be on top of me.

The lake! I knew it was just a head. I hated to slow down but if I broke through the trees in a dead run it would surely raise some eyes. Maybe a 100 feet was the tree line and from here I could have sworn it was too quiet. No splashing, giggling, screaming, no nothing just the subtle lap of the waves that hit the shore. I had to risk it and although I slowed down a bit I was still running.

Breaking through the tree line I was beyond surprised and greatly relieved to find the beach empty of campers and counsellors. This was the break I needed. Using the last bit of strength I could afford to lose I pushed my legs to move faster and harder towards the docks. In the distance I started to hear my name being called. They were closer than I would have liked them to be. Just by the little comments they have made I knew their keen sense of smell would had them following me this way, especially Jarek and his dad, Nikko.

Grabbing the first canoe and paddle I pushed them into the lake. I wished I had time to hide the other paddles but I couldn't risk it. Reaching on the dock for the life jacket that someone carelessly left but I wasn't going to complain since it helped me out right then. Throwing the life jacket in the canoe then climbing in myself I headed towards the boulders that separate the beach. Hoping that little bit of cover would help me reach the other side and out of their sights. It wasn't that far really but when your body ached, exhaustion weighed you down even through my adrenaline rush it seemed like it was kilometers away.

The shouting grew closer but I had a 10 minute start on them and I know I was fast but being in this canoe was slowing me down and every shout had my hair stand up at the back of my neck. The boulder formation was so close, all I needed was one more minute then at least I would have cover I needed. Sweat dripped into my eyes and down my spine. The little breeze blowing at my back did little to help. My breathing was almost a pant and I knew I had to slow it down before I started to hyperventilate. My heart was beating so loud and hard I thought it was going to pound its way right out of my chest. But I was past the boulders now. One step closer to...to what? To freedom? Yeah right. To safety? Wrong again, if anything I was running right into it. To what? Loneliness.? Yes. To give the people I love freedom to love and not get hurt? Yes! To live their lives without having to worry about other wolves ambushing them? Absolutely!

Yes, I was doing the right thing for my family and friends. The family I just found. My best friend that was now my boyfriend. My other best friend that I finally got to see after all these years. No, if I stayed it would be purely selfish of me. My parents died to keep me safe. My aunt died for the same reason. Was there anyone else? Will I ever find out just how many lives I had ruined? The lives that had ended too early and left loved ones to mourn their loss while I still lived. It was only right that I left to accept my fate to keep anyone else from dying. To keep everyone else alive.

My realization, acceptance, and determination had my arms work even harder than I thought even possible. I had made it to the edge of the reef. It was only then did I allow myself to look back. I was far enough that you could barely make out shapes and I was in an area that even with their eyesight they would know it was me for sure if at all. They may notice something in the water or just think it was a shadow or maybe even a wave. Just as I looked I saw a single person ran onto the dock. Before they could look my way I was gone out of sight as they were out of mine. My triumphant was short lived. The ache in my heart was too great. I knew deep down that what I did was for the best but it still hurt.

My adrenaline rush was not just fading it was falling like a deck of cards. I made it about another 2 kilometers before I had to stop. Reaching the shore I had a dilemma, what to do with the canoe? If I left it and they found it they would have a place to start looking. If I pushed it back into the water they would have a general idea where to look. I looked all around and there was nowhere I could hide it. I was too tired to lift and carry it far enough to hide it so that left only one thing. I hated to destroy camp property but I couldn't think of no other option. Walking the canoe back into waist deep water I struggled with it trying to tip it over so the water would do the rest. Long agonizing minutes later, too many minutes that could had jeopardized my get away, the boat finally took enough water to slowly sink under the pressure.

Dragging myself out of the water I picked up the paddle and life jacket than headed back to the woods for cover. See watching too much T.V. can be helpful, if it wasn't for all the crime shows I watched I would have left the canoe, paddle, and life jacket in the open. The only thing that would have been worse if I had a flashing arrow that said, "She went this way".

My luck was on my side today, 20 feet in there was a fallen tree and one side was hallow enough to shove the life jacket in and use some debris and twigs to cover up the hole to cover it. I decided to keep the paddle with me. Now the question was where do I go? Yeah I really didn't think this one through. All I had was the clothes on my back and a canoe paddle. What I did know was that I was in the woods away from camp, no food, no money, no plans past the next 2 minutes, and I was so exhausted I couldn't keep my feet up from tripping over the smallest twig.

Rest, I needed to rest for a few minutes and hopefully after that my head would be clear enough that I could think of what to do next. I hated to lose the last bit of daylight but if I kept going there was a better than great chance of me falling on my face. I slept most of the day away and it had to be after dinner. My stomach was hollow but the thought of food made me sick. So I would rest for a bit then figure out what to do next.

The trees become dense the further in I walked. Finding a flat surface was looking unlikely but I didn't want to go back to the small rock filled beach and expose myself. A few more feet and if I didn't sit I would just fall where I stood. Right there to my left the sunshine through the trees highlighting a circular patch of grass. I would have missed it if it wasn't so conveniently pointed out. Give a whoop whoop for the falling sun! Using the trees to keep me upright I made it the extra few feet and clasped down to my knees. It was just hard ground covered in sparse grass but it felt like heaven to me at that moment. Curled up in a tight ball I laid down to rest my body and mind. Within seconds my eyes drifted shut and I was out cold.

A peaceful sleep was far and few between these days so I don't know why I thought this time would be different. What was different was I dreamt, planned, and thought the whole time but I didn't have any of my usual nightmares. I thought about my loved ones, I thought about what my next step would be, I had a half plan, just the conclusion of a plan actually and I dreamt of my beautiful aunt. It took a few minutes to remember where I was when I opened my eyes. It was so dark that I thought my eyes might had been still shut.

The days were warm but being so close to the lake the nights cooled off and I was cold laying in the woods on the hard ground in my damp camp shorts and T-shirt. The almost full moon was high above so I still had half the night to go before the sun would make its appearance. I figured I could wander around in the dark or wait it out. Wandering around was probably the worst idea since I could barely see 5 feet in front of me when the clouds drifted in front of the moon, giving me the only light I had. Twisting my ankle or worse would not be helpful at all right now.

What I did know was if the other pack, the one that was killing people closest to me was the answer to my problems. I had to find them. If they had what they wanted (me) then they had no reason to hurt anyone else. Oh don't get me wrong I wasn't going down without a fight and if I was lucky I might be able to take a few down with me. My plan was not to go in there and fight my way to the top. My plan was simple, take who I can with me but at the end be back with my parents. I was far from brave, I was scared shitless but this had to be done. Now I just needed to figure out where to go and how to get there.

I loved being in the woods, the scents, the sound of the leaves blowing in the wind, the scattering of little creatures, and the snapping of twigs. Snapping of twigs? Ok I liked it here when the sun was shining not so much in the dead of night. Snapping twigs caught my attention, my full attention. Oh yeah big plan I had a moment ago. Go and look for the murdering wolves. Now all I wanted to do was run because I heard a freaking twig snap! Glad that I hadn't sat up I stayed unmoving and tried to use these stupid keen senses that they kept telling me about. All I could hear was my breathing picking up and feel my heart pound against my ribs. It was becoming a new natural state for me.

I could do this. I can do this! Closing my eyes since I really couldn't see that far away from me anyways and if I did see something all that meant was that they could probably see me. Concentrating on my breathing, deep breathe in and hold, than exhale slowly, and repeat. Every breath settled my nerves and slowed my racing heart. I could do this. Now let's see if I can really hear anything.

The leaves rustled on the ground and brushed up against the bark of the trees. Something small scurrying away. Was that breathing? Huffing? Sniffing? Ok I suck at this, I am hearing things now. Scaring myself was not helping. But just in case I had to decide whether or not to stay in one place or start to move. If I stayed and if something was out there then they might pass me by. If I moved I might get away or they would hear me. Ugh! I just didn't know!

I decided to stay where I was for a bit to see if I could hear anything else. Keeping my ears open but not strain them. Maybe by not listening so hard I would not think I heard things when I didn't. After about an hour or so everything stayed the same. I decided I would stay where I was. No point wandering around and really getting lost, not that I had a clue where I was anyways. Shifting as quietly as I could I tried to get comfortable and waited for the sun to make its appearance. In a matter of minutes I was back in the land of a dreamless sleep.

Birds chirped, the sun warmed my skin, I stretched out as far as my body would go, everything hurt.

"Morning Sunshine," a voice whispered inches from my head.

I didn't do the embarrassing squeal this time. I screamed. Jumping up so fast my muscles didn't have to time process what I was doing. Crotched right where I was laid was Nikko and 5 feet away was Jarek. Neither of them looked happy to see me. I know it was stupid and to be honest I really didn't have much control over my body, but I tensed to run.

"Don't...even think about it. If you so much as take one single step I swear I will knock you out cold and drag you back," Nikko growled.

That was really not much of an incentive to keep me from running. First, I am a teenager and don't do real well with being told what to do or not to do. The impulse was engraved in most teens. Second, the man still scared the crap out of me and he had no right to tell me what I could and couldn't do.

"I'm not going back." I took a step back. "You can drag me by my hair for all I care but I will just leave again." How did he like them apples? Yep big brave me when the sun was up

"Hunter..." Nikko growled his warning but I cut him off.

"No! They don't want me. They want what I am like every other so called pack. Every year I get shipped off to a new place for someone else to bare the burden of my presence. I am so done with all this crap. I will go where I want to go not to the house that drew the short straw that year." A part of me couldn't believe I just said that. Deep down inside it was truly how I felt. I was on a roll and continued. "Do you really think they want me now? I was the reason my parents died. I was the reason my aun...the reason why Grace died! Do you think they can even stand the sight of me? Do you think anyone is going to risk themselves or their loved ones to be my new foster parents? Well guess what, the answer is no. None of them will and I wouldn't blame them one damn bit." My eyes were blurry and my throat burned. I held back my tears of sorrow and frustrations. The whole time I continued to step away from them. Putting more space between me and them. Giving me that extra couple seconds to get a head start.

"Hunter they won't and don't think like that..." Giving him my best skeptical look he went on. "Ok fine. Live with me. With us and my pack till you are 18."

I didn't even have to think twice about my answer. I just blurted it out. "No freaking way am I going anywhere with you never mind live with you!"

I don't even know Grayson was there. Didn't hear anything until it was too late. "I am sorry, Hunter," he said as a sharp prick entered my arm.

The warmth started instantaneously, going down my arm, then my chest, and finally to my feet. The last thing I remember was Grayson catching me before my legs gave out and being swung into his arms.