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         "What if he never wakes up?"

"Don't say that. Ron will hear you."

I can hear you, I think as I peer at Jeremy's unconscious form. I gnaw at my lip and glance away from him, unable to look any longer at his pale and still form. Maybe Stella is right. Or maybe I'm just overreacting.

We don't even know what the liquid in the syringe can do. We don't know what's the right amount to inject somebody with or if it's even safe to be injected into anybody at all. Jeremy had acted irrationally and stuck the whole thing in his arm and now he could never wake up. It was a possibility. A hard possibility to come to terms with.

Liam and Stella were trying to keep their whispering from me and pretend everything would be fine, but what if it wouldn't be? What if we ended up burying Jeremy a week from now? He could have overdosed due to his own stupidity.

I swear, if Jeremy dies because of his own stupidity, I will find a way to bring that boy back and then beat the shit out of him. We couldn't afford to lose somebody right now.

We needed Jeremy. No matter how annoying and idiotic he could be, we needed him and I didn't understand how Stella or Liam could act so calmly. They thought I was oblivious to what they were whispering about and perhaps I was leading them to believe I was, since I never turned their way nor voiced my thoughts on what they were saying.

Instead, I remained sitting on Jeremy's bed, gazing towards the window and the eeriely looming moon that looked to be just outside our window.

For some time, I contemplate convincing Stella and Liam to get Jeremy some help or something. Though I don't know where we'd turn for help, exactly. Everybody in the werewolf world hated us and we certainly couldn't go to a hosipital. They would ask too many questions and one rule was evident in the werewolf world. Never reveal what you are to a human.

Come to think of it, I think that was the only evident rule in the werewolf world. And to not eat a human. Then again, only the real sick wolves got a joy out of attacking humans. Like the Purgatory.

They had been immensely known for attacking humans and well, taking some. Mostly the females. They would use them for whatever they wanted or desired and then discard of them. Sometimes they would take some wolf girls too. That's why I was so surprised when I discovered Stella was previously apart of the Purgatory. She wasn't a sex toy to them and that was obvious by the way she acted.

She must have earned some ounce of respect from them in order to get in to the pack as an actual member. It would be lovely to know how or why, but with Liam lurking, I would never know.

He doesn't want me knowing about his past and a part of me respected that. A small portion, at least. He wasn't ready to talk about it. That, or he just doesn't trust me. 

Don't be silly, I tell myself quickly, there has to be a reason behind the fact he won't explain everything to you. Wait.

Waiting sucks. I don't want to wait. I just want to know. But pushing him wouldn't be smart, either. I sigh, though I realize I've done it out loud when Liam says, "Ronnie? Are you okay?"

I glance over my shoulder at him momentarily. "I'm just peachy." I murmur and then I stand. The room suddenly feels too stuffy and small and I'm determined to escape it and perhaps get some fresh air.

Though before I can get to the door, Liam once again stops me. "Where are you going?"

"Outside." I reply. I glance towards him again, seeing him eyeing me warily. "I'm just gonna go by the door, Liam."

"Okay," He says slowly. "Just make sure you don't get far."

I just said I was gonna wait outside the door. Did you not hear me? I think sarcastically and roll my eyes. I wave him off and open the door.

Just like I said, I rest against the wall beside the door and suck in a sharp breath as I cross my arms over my chest and stare out into the empty parking lot that contains only two cars. Our van and the car Stella and Liam jacked from the Purgatory.

They could be onto us right now. Just waiting to come at us once again. Yeah, we had messed them up pretty bad but they were werewolves. Us wolves healed particularly fast. 

Then again, we did ram Nameless with a car. Or well, Jeremy did. A hit like that could take a while to heal.

Most likely, he had broken something. Most likely a rib and not to mention the bruises and cuts he was probably bearing as of right now.

This thought makes me sadistically smirk. Now he's gotten a taste of his own medicine. 

I wonder how long he spent rolling around on the ground in pain. I wonder if he could even stand up afterwards.

 As I've said before, he got a taste of his own medicine. He got to experience what I went through after they brutally attacked me.

Or maybe I'm just daydreaming and Nameless had popped up from that hit. Not possible. That, or somebody had finally came around to help him.

I wonder how people in his pack could stand him. Him and his evil ways. Then again, you must have to pretty dark yourself to be in a pack like that. 

With a sigh, I slide down the wall and wrap my arms around my knees. I don't know how long I sit there, but it isn't long that Stella joins me and sits beside me. We don't speak. Merely stare out into the nearly vacant parking lot and then at the descending moon hours later.

"Did he send you out here to keep an eye on me?" I ask after a while. I can feel her gaze on the side of my face, but I don't meet her eyes. 

"No," She replies shortly. "But it is getting late. We should get some sleep."

"What about Liam?"

"He's gonna stay in his room and keep an eye on Jeremy." She pushes herself up from the ground. "So are you coming?"

Slowly, I nod and I follow her back to our room in silence. While Stella takes a shower, I slip into a spare pair of shorts and an over sized T-shirt and than slip into bed, pulling the comforters up under my chin.

Stella slips into bed minutes later and there's only silence as I glance over to her bed to see her staring at me. "You're being dramatic," She declares.

I roll my eyes at her and flip onto my other side, just so I won't have to look at her and also to force down the words I want to say. Something that goes along the lines of-- I know you try not to show emotion and shit most of the time, but that's our friend in there. And showing concern makes me human, not dramatic. 

I couldn't even come to grasp the fact Stella could act so nonchalant about it all. How she could just ignore the fact that our friend could be in some type of freaking coma and we don't it. That he could never wake up.

She just couldn't understand that I didn't want to lose somebody. That I was so fed up of watching people die. 

She tries to talk to me again, to convince me I'm overexaggerating or something, but I ignore and then tell her I'm going to sleep just so she can shut up and realize that I don't want her to voice her opinion or whatever. She listened, thankfully.

At least, for a while she did.

I got up pretty early, around ten. I had only about four or maybe three hours of sleep but that was all I could manage. There was too much on my mind and I kinda hated my brain and thoughts for not letting me get enough sleep. I finally got some ounce of sleep when I swatted the pestering thoughts away and forced myself to sleep.

I showered and then shrugged on a pair of dark jeans along with a gray muscle tank and my leather jacket. I kept my hair undone and was putting my shoes on when Stella woke up.

Just like the night before, she merely watches me as I lace up my boots and then got up, straightening out my clothes and hair before she decided to speak up. "Going to check up on Liam and Jeremy?"

"Yeah," I say. 

"Maybe you shouldn't." She drawls slowly. I raise a brow at her.

"Why not?"

"You'll stress yourself at. Maybe you should just stay in the room and relax for a bit."

"Why would I want to do that?" I question. Stella sighs and gets up, grabbing her brush from the nightstand and dragging it through her hair. She shrugs.

"Because I know if you stress, Liam will too. We've got enough on our plate with Jeremy. Which I don't get why you're freaking out about it, he's going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine." 

My eyebrows furrow in confusion and anger at her statement. She doesn't care,  a part of me screams, she doesn't care that Jeremy could be lying on his death. Literally, he could be lying on his death bed. 

And before I know it, my blood is boiling and I don't even know particularly why. If I was in the right state of mind, perhaps I would have simply told Stella to piss off or just waved her off, but something inside of me just snaps. "You don't care, do you?" I begin, "You don't care that our friend could be dying! We don't know what stuff can do, Stella. What if he does wake up and somethings wrong? Or different? What if it changes him? I have a damn right to my own emotions, so don't tell me to relax or to just sit around and wait for everything to play out. Because I for sure as hell am not going to do that."

Stella's face turns the color of a tomato. And in the anger, too. I know it immediately when she sucks in her bottom lip and clenches her fist. She doesn't say anything at first. Not until I turn and start to head towards the door and reach for the knob, that's when she decides to spit out, "It's true what Liam says, all you do is walk away. You can't even stay and talk it out with me."

I whip around and find that she's edged closer, her eyes now taking on a darker shade than her usual color. "I don't need to stay and talk anything out with you. Why when It's only going to go through one ear and then out the other? You don't care, Stella, you don't." I don't even know what I'm talking about at this point.

"Don't care? You don't know anything about me so don't come spewing bullshit that I don't care. Of course I do! Of course I care about the fact that Jeremy could be dying. I may act like I hate him, but he's the closest thing I've got to family. I get it, Ronnie, you think you've gone through so much just cause your mommy and daddy-"

I cut her off, stepping closer and growling in her face. "Don't you dare talk about my family. Ever."

She meets my steely gaze and then her upper lip is rising in a sneer as she spits out, "Or else what, Ron? You gonna hit me if I do? Go ahead, I'd like to see you try." She laughs dryly and backs away, her hair hanging in front of her face ominously. "You act like you're the only one with problems. That you're the only one who's lost somebody. Think again, princess. I've lost plenty and I don't sit here crying like a fucking brat."

"Not everyone can be an heartless jerk like you, Stella." I hiss. Stella looks ready to hit me as she raises her fist in the air and then lowers it.

"You're lucky Farley is the next room over. You're lucky he cares about you so much  You're lucky that he's my best friend and I respect his dramatic mate and her loud mouth. If I didn't, you'd be lying on the ground right now in a pool of your own blood."

"Do it, Stella," I dare her, stepping forward. "Hit me. You talk so much game, then do it. I doubt you would be able to, anyway. You couldn't even land a hit on me last time."

Stella squeezes her fist tightly and I see her shut her eyes, canine's extending from her mouth and when she opens her mouth again, her eyes are pitch black. She breathes raggedly and I can see it. Realize it at that moment that Stella, Stella Prescott, is trying to hold herself back from hurting me. Hurting somebody who's disrespected her.

"No." She grits out, though there's an animalistic edge in her voice. Her eyes close again and I see her canine's slowly slide back into place, to what looks like a normal tooth and when she opens her eyes again, they've returned back to normal. Though still naturally dark and swirling with emotion. "No. I'm not gonna hit you. Because members of a pack don't hurt each other."

I still at her words, my breath halting in my throat and then the anger suddenly diminishes from me and I'm no longer curling my fist and I can no longer with hold the glare. Not when Stella has just said that. Not when I see and hear the meaning behind her words.

Air. I need air. Space would be nice too. 

I release a ragged breath and then I dart around her, snatching up the keys off the dresser and making my way out to the stolen car. In the corner of my eye, I see Stella standing outside the door and then Liam emerges as I open the car door and climb in. He looks to Stella and me and calls out, "Ron?"

But I'm in no mood to talk. So I close the door and jam the keys into the ignition and the engine roars to life. Through the tinted windows, I see Liam sprinting to the cars but before he can reach me and perhaps coax me out of the car, I slam down on the accelerator and I'm speeding out of the parking lot of this cheap and sleazy motel, for some reason, tears prick my ears and I have to blink repeatedly just to get them out of my eyes and to focus on the road ahead of me.

I don't quite know where I'm going, but I keep driving until I can't take it and I pull over. I slam my hands against the steering wheel and then slump against it, the tears leaking from my eyes and onto the black leather of the wheel. I clutch onto it tightly, as if to anchor myself into reality. 

You shouldnt't have said those things to her. I hate myself. It was wrong of you. You shouldn't have accused her of not caring. Cause whether you think it or not, she cares. She thinks of us as a pack.

Stella Prescott thought of Jeremy, Liam, and I as a pack. A pack entitles sticking together and caring for each other and never turning their back on one another. A pack entitles family.

And I guess my previous pack, Beckett's pack, wasn't a true one. I thought after that experience that I would never want to be apart of another pack. That I would just classify myself as a rogue for the rest of my days. 

Stella wasn't a heartless jerk. I was just a douche bag who tended to over emotional. And that just proved, that we were, indeed our own little pack of renegades. Because they're practically the only one's that put up with me. I wonder how they could possibly deal with me and my mood swings, but I was grateful. I am grateful.

I didn't know how I could go back and face Stella after everything that was said. Now I wish she would have hit me. Maybe I wouldn't feel so guilty. I would have gotten what I deserved. But she held back and said that we were a pack.

Stella's right. I'm a brat. And a jerk. 

And I totally need to start working on thinking about my words before I say them. Seriously. I was starting to annoy even myself. 

Maybe then I would stop screwing up the good things in my life.

                           I drive for a little while longer, mainly cause I don't want to think anymore and then stop in the middle of the deserted, never ending road and hop out when the stench of the Purgatory starts to reek inside the car. I probably just hadn't realized it before because my hysteria was overpowering it.

I stuff the keys into the pocket of my jacket and then splay myself across the hood of the car. I stare up at the clear blue sky all the while chanting in my head, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot. 

Did I mention I'm an idiot?

I mean, seriously, I didn't know Stella's past and I had just assumed she didn't know what it felt like to lose someone. Jeremy, Liam, and Stella had all lost somebody. Possibly everyday from their childhood.

I should probably go back. You know, apologize and stop beating myself up. But I'm too much of a coward to face Stella. Or Liam.

I bet he's freaking out right now. Wondering where I am or if I've ran away for good. Maybe he thought I wasn't coming back.

There's no doubt in my mind, if I was the girl I was months ago, I would've ran. I would've just took off and convinced myself it was for the best and that I was a burden. I would have done something stupid like convincing myself it was to keep them safe and it would have just been a repeat of what happened when I didn't tell Liam that Beckett was manipulating.

But Jeremy, Stella, and Liam weren't going to get rid of me that easily. I couldn't dream of leaving. We had to stick together. I owe it to them. And not only because of the reason they've saved my life countless times and protected me, but because I care for them. No matter how much I envision of putting a muzzle on Jeremy or kicking Stella when she sneers at me for wanting to sit in the passenger seat or wanting to hit Liam when he ignores me.

I really wonder how he puts up with me. Either way, I'm glad he does. Cause I need him. 

I'm not even trying to be dramatic when I say I would do anything for that boy. I would do anything to protect him - though I'd probably go the smarter way this time at protecting him - I would sacfrice anything for him. Even if that did stupidly entitle giving up art school  in New York or putting it off or compromising by going to a nearby school, I would do it. I always promised myself I would never become the kind of girl that gives up their dreams cause of a boy, but I mean I wouldn't be giving them up completely. I'd comprose, as I've said before. Besides, Liam wasn't just some boy.

He's my mate. My other half. And so I'd give up everything if it meant I got to stay with him. Cause if I haven't mentioned it before, I love him. I'm in love with him.

And I can't believe, I, Ronnie Mars, am admitting this. And all I want now is Liam. 

I hop off the hood of the car and swing open the car door and then I'm speeding back to wherever the hell this motel is, ignoring the pungent smell of the Purgatory that swims around the car and keeping my photo tightly pressed on the gas pedal.

I drive for about fifteen minutes until I see the motel sign come into view and then turn sharply into the car parking lot, the tires screeching.

Immediately, once I pull into a space, I see Liam by the door.

I yank the car keys from the ignition and swing open the car door and slam it shut as Liam begins to sprint towards me. I sprint towards him as well, meeting him half way as I throw my arms around and embrace him tightly. It's highly dramatic and weird but perfect in the same sense as I bury my head into his chest.

"Where the hell did you go?" Liam pulls back enough so he can look me in the eye. "I was about to come after you because I couldn't take it anymore."

"Did Stella tell you what happened?" I breathe, looking up at him. 

"Yeah. That's why I didn't run after you. I thought you would need some space." I nod and then the stupid tears are back and Liam is so puzzled. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't know," My voice breaks on a sob and god, I'm such a girl sometimes. "I'm just an overemotional douche bag. Seriously. I shouldn't have said any of that to her." Liam's eyebrows furrow as more tears flow from my eyes. "You know what she called us? A pack. She called us a pack even after I called her an heartless jerk. Instead of getting Jeremy a muzzle, you should get me one."

Liam places his hands on either side of my face, brushing away at the tears and leaning his forehead against mine. Our noses brush and our breathes blend as I stare up into his green orbs. "Don't cry," He whispers softly as he edges closer, pressing our bodies smugly together as he backs me up to the trunk of the car. "And you're not a douche bag. You're just overwhelmed. I get that it's a lot too handle, Ron. I do. With your mother gone, your father gone, and Anna too."

More tears stream at the mention of it all. I still think I'm overemotional, but if Liam wants to think otherwise, then that works for me too, I guess. "I just.. what if Jeremy ends up dead too?"

"Then it'll be due to his own stupidity." He retorts. I frown. He warily smiles. "I mean, he won't. Jeremy may be stupid but he's a fighter. He'll be okay. I promise."

"You can't promise that." I reply softly.

"I can. And I am." The small smile remains intact on his face as his thumb caresses my cheek and then he softly whispers. "I promise when all this is over, we'll be together in peace. We can go wherever you want. Create a home wherever you want."

"Even if it meant going back to Portland?"

"Yes," He breathes. "Location doesn't matter. Just as long as you and I are together, that's enough for me." He pauses, then continues, "We could get a house together, on a large piece of land with the forest around us and even a room that could be your own art studio where you could paint for hours. With lots of bay windows and natural lightsand I know I don't have a lot of money, Ron. I'm not some rich little Alpha snob but I swear, I'd work my ass off to provide you with whatever you wanted."

I'm bawling like crazy at the end of his speech. Mainly because I realize how much I desire that too. A house that we could call our own. A home. "That sounds perfect," I whisper shakily. "I don't care about the money, Liam. I don't care about materialistic items. I don't want them. Nor do I need them. All that I desire is you and I and nothing else in between."

He nods slowly and this thumb finds my bottom lip as he smoothes over it. "Nothing in between?" He echoes. I nod.

"Nothing." I whisper and as he removes his thumb, his lips capture mine. It's a slow and drugging kiss and I find myself fisting his shirt in my grip as I push my lips against his. Desperate to convey the one I want to most; love. 

He lips detach from mine momentarily, long enough to glance into his eyes and see the same emotion playing across his face. And there's my confirmation. He doesn't need to say it in order for me to know. But I know it.

I kiss him again, though it isn't for long once I manage to spot Stella over his shoulder, standing by the open door with a blank emotion on her face.

Immediately, I break away from Liam and suck in a shallow breath. Liam notices what I'm looking at and then pushes me in Stella's direction, who is unmoving as she stands with her arms over her chest.

I gnaw on my lip as I stop in front of her. Her dark eyes meet mine and then the next thing I know, I'm blurting, "I'm sorry. I'm a brat."

She blinks but she doesn't leave me in suspense for long as she replies, "You are.. At least for not including me and Jeremy in your little fantasy future with you and Liam. Seriously. Do you guys think you can get rid of us that easy?"

I glance over at Liam, who smiles and shakes his head. "No. That's what I'm scared of."

I give him a flat look. He shrugs and I face Stella once again. Who retorts and evidently ignores Liam's response. "Just don't get all emotional on me like you did with Liam. I get it, Ron. You got angry and said some things you regret. I guess I do too," She admits with a dragged sigh.

"Will that be the closest apology I'll ever get from you?" I ask.

She nods. "Pretty much?"

"Pack mates?" I respond, holding my fist out. She bumps it gently with hers.

"Pack mates." And then manages a small, timid smile before turning on her heel and walking back into the room. 

"That was so weird." Liam voices from behind me. 

"This whole say has been weird. And emotional."

"Maybe we all just really needed to get it all out, anyway." Liam says and he grasps my hand, yanking me into the room. "Now come on. We've got lots to talk about."

"Great," I murmur.

It doesn't take me long to find out what the heck they wanted to talk about. And when I do find out, I'm shocked. Because, for the first time, Liam has comprised. And especially with Stella. 

We're going to where Stella suggested we should go. Somewhere, that she claims, is safe. Mainly because we need to find some help for Jeremy, if there is any help available for him.

He doesn't seem to be breathing raggedly or anything. If I didn't know any better, I would think he was merely sleeping. There was hope. There is hope. 

Maybe I really just overreact. Oh well.

"So it's settled then?" Stella questions. Liam nods. I nod. And I manage Jeremy would too if he was awake.

"Well, then it looks like we're going home, Liam." Stella breathes. 

I have a feeling that these next past few days, weeks, months, whatever you prefer, are going to be intensely interesting.

----------------

Ronnie's right. Thing's will get VERY interesting in the next few chapters!

I felt this chapter was very necessary. I just think everybody needed to.. Idk know the word, explode and just let everything out? Because now that they have, they can move on with their lives and yeah!

And what do you know, Stella has emotions. She views Liam, Jeremy, and Ronnie as her pack mates.

And do you know what this means, guys! We're getting closer to Liam's past. And Stella and Jeremy's.

I'm so excited to write it all out and I will continue with the quick updates.

Though I have a question, where do you think Ronnie and Liam will end up when all this is over, or in a few years due time? Drop the comment below!

Oh and P.S. Feel free to make banners for the story. I don't like my little side thingy where the vote button is being empty. So go ahead and make some, please! :)

Until next time, 

- CeCe.