Charles woke up shivering on the ice cold cement of the garage floor. He could hear voices coming toward the garage and stood up.

"If you two keep making me late for work I'm going to make sure you both get detention for two weeks! I am so tired of this crap every morning." Charles recognized his daughter Jordan's voice.

"It's not my fault that she can't ever find anything to wear." This sounded like a teenage boy but the voice was unfamiliar.

"Oh yeah and I guess it's my fault that you and uncle Lane sit and play video games instead of getting ready to go?" This sounded like a teenage girl but her voice too was unfamiliar.

Charles heard car doors open and close and then an engine started outside and the car drove away. He heard three more vehicles start and drive away and then there was silence. He looked around the garage then. It had changed since he'd last been in it twenty six years ago.

He had used it as a training room for he and his son to keep themselves fit and ready for hunting. Now it was just like millions of other garages he'd seen mortals have. There was an old beat up Chevy truck that he didn't recognize and Lane's '69 Camaro that he had blown a small fortune on. Greasy toolboxes and calendars of half naked woman were on the walls.

He walked over to one corner where he saw tiny handprints in paint on the concrete floor. He read the names written under the sets of hands. Kaylee, Kayleb and Laney. Charles didn't recognize the names and wondered if those could be his grandchildren's handprints. He was surprised by the emotion in his heart at that thought.

He growled and pushed the feelings away. He had turned his heart off a long time ago. It had been nearly 260 years since he had allowed himself to feel anything other then hate, rage and anger and that's the way he liked it. It made him stronger and more deadly when he came upon the immortals he hunted. They didn't feel things like love or tenderness and he couldn't let them have an advantage over him.

He stepped away from the handprints and walked out the broken door to the sunshine outside. It was cold but not nearly as cold as it had been in the night and he pulled the quilt off of him and threw it in the snow. He sniffed the air to figure out who was around.

He recognized his oldest daughter Bethany's scent. She had been the first disappointment his mate Rebecca had given him. Instead of another strong son to help him with hunting she'd birthed the first of three useless female pups.

Then there had been Lane. Charles chuckled at the thought of Lane and was shocked at the sound.. It had been a long time since he'd done something as useless as chuckling. Lane had always been capable of making Charles laugh and that was one of the reasons he had pushed his youngest son away. Laughter was another thing Charles couldn't waste his time with.

Lane was here now, Charles could smell him and he could also smell that red haired slayer mate of his. Another mortal born mate just like Jake's bitch. He couldn't believe that Jake had allowed these people into the family. As the oldest male in the house it was up to Jake to keep the family in line.

Never when Charles had been in charge would he have permitted mortal women to come into their family.

Then her scent came to him. That familiar comforting alluring scent of rose petals. He wondered what she would say if he walked in the house. He decided that since Jake wasn't here it was worth it. If nothing else he could at least get a decent meal and a change of clothes before leaving again.

He walked silent as a ghost into the house through the kitchen door. The kitchen was empty but he could hear the television playing down the hall in the living room. He was going to make himself a sandwich and then sneak up to find clothes when the sound of crying reached his ears.

The wolf in him responded instantly. His mate was crying and he would kill whoever had caused her those tears. He was on his way down the hall when he heard his middle daughter Raquel's voice and stopped.

"Mom, you can't let him do this to you. He's not worth it." she said gently.

Who was he and what had he done to his Rebecca to make her cry? Charles had always been so proud of Rebecca's strength even though he had not been able to allow himself to truly love her he could not stand to hear her so upset.

"You don't understand, Raquel." Rebecca replied in a tear filled voice.

"I understand that he's your mate mom but he's no good for you. All he cares about is hunting and killing. He doesn't love any of us."

Charles's eyes widened. They were talking about him. He was the reason that Rebecca was sobbing. He felt guilt then and then wished he could reach into his own heart and remove these stupid emotions! Being back here was making him feel things that he didn't need to feel.

"He wasn't always like this Raquel. A long time ago he was a good man. Seeing Jake everyday reminds me of the man your father used to be. He was strong, but kind. And he loved me. He loved me with the same intensity and passion that Jake shows for Angela."

"What changed?" Raquel asked knowing that her mother needed to talk about this. She had never opened up about it before.

"He always hunted rogue immortals. But he did it then because he loved mortals and wanted to protect them from evil immortals. Then one night when Jake was only a newborn your father failed at his job. It wasn't the first time that he had been unable to save the mortals he had gone to protect but it was different for him somehow that time.

"It was a family. A mother, father and young infant son. A vampire attacked them and your father tried to get there in time but when he rounded the corner of the small village the vamp had already killed the father and was draining the baby dry while the mother cried and tried desperately to yank her son away.

"Your father killed the vamp and saved the mother but it changed him. It started slowly at first but day after day it was like he was shutting down. It was like he just stopped feeling things. He quit smiling. He quit laughing. We no longer kissed, touched or made love.... He focused all his attention on hunting and killing. It was so hard to watch him sink down like that and know there was nothing I could do. No matter how much I loved him I couldn't save him."

Charles didn't wait around to hear what Raquel said back. He was feeling too much all at once. His heart was hard and brittle and if it kept filling up with emotions like this it was going to completely shatter apart. He had to get away from here. Away from his family. They didn't want him here anyway and he had no idea why his mind had brought him here last night.

He was caught up in thoughts and didn't see Jake until he bumped into him and Charles would have fallen if Jake hadn't grabbed his arm and held him up.

Angela saw the pain on Charles face and knew her mate was probably gripping his arm harder than was required. She nudged him with her elbow.

(Are you trying to break his arm?) she asked so only Jake could hear. Jake let go of his fathers arm and wrapped his arm protectively around his mate.

(It crossed my mind.) he replied.

"Jake, I was just leaving." Charles said though he couldn't get through the door because Jake and his bitch were still standing in the way.

"Hey there pops." Lane said walking into the kitchen. Charles didn't look at him.

"He was just leaving." Jake said matter-of-factly.

"I don't know what he came here for in the first place." Lane replied.

"Stop being rude. He's our father and he has every right to be here." Raquel said walking in and slapping Lane on the back of the head. Lane mumbled under his breath and rubbed his head. Joey walked in then and her eyes widened when she saw Charles.

"He's still here?" she whispered to Lane. He wrapped an arm around her waist and nodded.

"Guess he wants Jake to kick his ass." he said. Charles was about to argue that no one in this family could kick his ass when he heard Rebecca's voice.

"No one is kicking anyone's ass boys. I'm sure your father would like to have a shower and a meal. Follow me Charles and I'll find you some clothes." she said. He didn't look at her but kept his eyes to the floor as he followed her out of the room and up the stairs to the bedroom that they had shared together in this house.

"You need a shave." Rebecca said as they walked in the room and he shut the door behind them. Charles didn't reply. He just kept thinking about the conversation he had overheard between her and Raquel downstairs.

He had tried to convince himself over the last couple centuries that he had never loved Rebecca but he knew he was lying. He had once loved her with every single fiber of his being but he was no longer that same young man. He didn't think he was capable of feeling those same feelings anymore...

"Here's your clothes." Rebecca said. Charles looked over at the wardrobe and saw that every thing he had owned before being captured twenty-six years ago was still here. Rebecca had not gotten rid of anything even after he had walked out on them all five years ago.

"You kept everything." he said. She looked out the window and waved her hand at him dismissively.

"Don't read too much into it. I'm a pack rat." Rebecca walked for the door, she had to get out of this room and away from this man. Charles didn't want her to leave. He grabbed her arm and their eyes locked. She saw the familiar spark in his golden eyes and he saw her blue eyes darken with passion.

He pulled her to him and lowered his mouth toward hers. Just as their lips brushed she pulled herself away from him and ran from the room.

Charles stood there feeling frustrated, angry, sad and most of all confused. Why now after all these years did his heart seem to be coming back to life? Why now after all these years of mistreating Rebecca did he suddenly wish that he could see her eyes full of love as they looked at him like they had been all those years ago.

888

Rebecca had not changed into her wolf form in ages but right now all she wanted was to feel the wind in her fur and the freedom that only being a wolf could give her. She walked into the woods and took her clothes off folding them neatly and laying them on a rock.

The cold wind burned against her skin and caused goose bumps to cover her. She thought about the wolf and felt the change happen quickly. She shook out her auburn coat and let out a howl before taking off at a run through the forest.

Charles was just stepping out of the shower when he heard Rebecca howl. The wolf in him took over and he lost all control over his body. He ran naked down the stairs, through the living room and out into the cold winter air. The fire in his veins however kept him from feeling the cold. He changed even as he ran.

In wolf form he looked almost identical to his oldest son except that his coat was streaked with silver and he wasn't quite as big. He ran through the woods his nose quickly picking up Rebecca's scent.

He found her at the river. Her back was to him and she was drinking from the cold water. He saw her ears perk up as she heard him coming and she turned to look at him. Their eyes locked and she ran away quickly.

The wolf in him laughed. It loved the chase. Charles' knew he could easily catch her but he kept his pace slightly slower so that he was constantly behind her. They ran this way for miles until finally Rebecca found herself facing a sheer cliff that she couldn't climb. She stopped and turned to face him.

She was breathing hard and so was he. She growled threateningly at him and he lowered his head submissively and took several small steps toward her. She continued to growl but he made himself even smaller and continued toward her though now he was nearly crawling along on his belly.

(What do you want from me?) she asked him and he could hear the confusion and the sadness in her voice.

(Nothing. I just want you.) he replied.

(It doesn't work this way Charles. You can't just show up whenever you feel like it, take what you want and leave.)

(What do you want me to do Rebecca? You're my mate. I'm drawn to you no matter how hard I try not to be)

(Is that all? You're drawn to me? There used to be more Charles. There used to be a lot more. Not just between you and I either. I saw the love in your eyes when Jake was born. And though you tried to hide it from me I knew you well enough to see that same love when each of your other children were born...)

(Rebecca I....)

(Shut up I'm not done yet.) she growled. (Why do you keep acting like such an asshole? You didn't use to be a monster, Charles, but over the last 260 years that is exactly what you've been. A monster. You've mistreated me. Only touching me when you felt you had to satisfy your urges. You've mistreated our children. Calling our girls useless and making Lane feel he wasn't worth the trouble. You tried to turn Jake into a monster like you but it didn't work! He is a good man. He is the kind of man you used to be before your soul went black and you shut all of us out of your heart.)

Charles felt hurt rise in him and quickly pushed it back down replacing it with anger.. Anger he knew what to do with.

(I never loved you, Rebecca! Isn't that what you told everyone in the kitchen five years ago. That I never treated you right? You told them I didn't love you enough to fully mate to you and I let them go ahead and believe that because I am used to everyone hating me. Why don't you tell them the truth? Tell them that it was you who refused to mate to me because you didn't want your life tied to mine!) he demanded.

(Don't you dare doubt the love that I had for you Charles! I would have done anything for you but how could I mate myself to you when you were going out every night and risking your life? I begged you to stop and you refused saying that hunting was something that was important to you and I understood and stuck by you anyway!)

(Why would you lie to the children about me?) he asked.

(I shouldn't have done that Charles. I am sorry. But I was so angry and confused by seeing you again. I had made peace with your death and then suddenly there you were.)

(I suppose I didn't help much when I accused you of being unfaithful.)

(No you didn't.) she replied. (And then those horrible things you said to Jake.)

(I should not have said those things to the boy. I know that. Do you know what it was like in that cage for twenty one years? They tortured me daily. They told me they had killed you and that my family was dead. I just assumed that that was why no one came for me. Then suddenly there you all were. I was confused and angry and I have regretted the way I acted in the kitchen that day every day since then.) Rebecca could hear the emotion in his voice and it was the first emotion she had heard from him in centuries.

(It's not too late Charles.) Rebecca said matter of factly as she lowered her head and laid it on top of his where he was still crouched at her feet. (It's not too late to build a relationship with your grandchildren or to repair your relationship with your children... And your relationship with me.)

They lay there in silence for several long minutes before Charles replied.

(I don't know Rebecca. I don't know if my heart works anymore. I haven't used it in so long.) Rebecca stood up.

(I can't help you Charles. Only you can fix things with your children.)

(How Rebecca? How do I go about fixing the last two hundred and sixty years?)

(Why don't you start by having dinner with the family tonight?) Charles stood up shaking his head.

(No.) he said. He still wasn't sure he wanted to fix things with his family. Even if he did want to fix them he had no idea where to start. His heart had been locked for so long and for the life of him he didn't know where to find the key to open it back up.

(Charles, either stay or go but if you go do not come back again. It's not fair to our children but mostly it's not fair to yourself.)

(What about you?) he asked. Rebecca didn't reply just ran away back toward the house. Charles stood there trying to make sense of what she had said...

He didn't understand why he cared. He hadn't cared about things in such a long time...Why now after all these years of letting her down did he suddenly have such a strong urge to be the man that she saw in him. He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts away.

He would stay one night. One night to make sure his family was ok then he would leave for good. He was a hunter and a loner. These emotions of guilt and sympathy he was feeling would only get in his way during a fight.