Please read the AN at the end. Thank you! 

Not Edited.

                 "My feet hurt," whines Jeremy. "My stomach hurts," He whines more. "I'm so hungry. Why did the van have to break down? Does God hate us?"

I have never been more tempted then to whip around and bash Jeremy's face in. I have never been more tempted to scream at the top my lungs and pull my hair out in frustrating.

I think I am going insane.

And it's all because Jeremy's non-stop whining that has been happening for the past hour as we trudge slowly, keeping our eyes peeled for perhaps a town or a gas station or just anything. A person, a place, whatever.

Maybe when we finally stumbled into a town I could stop a shop and buy Jeremy a muzzle. He could consider it an early Christmas gift. 

I'm sure Liam and Stella would be thankful. They, too, appear to be aggravated with him. Though they do nothing to voice their evident annoyance.

Stella walks behind Jeremy and I slowly, at the back of the group, her eyes trained on the back of Jeremy's head as he throws his hands up in expiration and rants on. Her thin pink lips are quirked to the side and her arms are folded tightly over her chest and if it weren't for the soft clicking of her boots, I wouldn't even know she was still present.

Liam, unlike Stella, walks ahead of us all, his shoulders tensely bunched and his eyes flickering between the forest, Jeremy and I. Though he glances at Jeremy more, throwing exasperated looks at him.

I can only guess it's because of Jeremy leaping on me earlier. He's acting completely moronic.  By not talking to me and acting like a jealous idiot.

I mean, what was there to be jealous of anyway? It's Jeremy  were talking about here. Jeremy. The whiny, red haired, blue eyed, jokester. There was no possibility of me ever liking him or of him ever liking me. Sure, Jeremy sometimes throws a perverted comment my way once or twice, but I knew he only meant it in a playful manner. Besides, I don't think he would ever be as stupid as to put the moves on me or whatever.

Then again, the first time Jeremy and I met, he did offer his body to me, because Jeremy foolishly assumed that I wanted something in return to give him and loco Stella information. At the time, I hadn't taken him seriously and I still don't. 

Besides, I'm sure Liam would skin him alive if Jeremy ever had the intention of putting the moves on me. 

The act of Liam snarling at Jeremy yesterday proved that. The mating was lurking closer and I couldn't push the thought of it out of my mind. It's not that I didn't trust Liam and I didn't want to give myself to him fully. I did. I do.  It's the outcome I'm afraid of. 

I shouldn't even be thinking of mating and marking at this point. The reason Liam and I have been able to stay apart without losing our minds is because I'm not marked yet. But once I am, we won't be able to bare being apart. That thought scares. But for a different reason now. Before, I would say it was because I was scared of being independent on Liam or whatever, but that isn't case. 

It's because it makes us vulnerable. What happens if Liam and I were to get separated in the middle of this all? I wouldn't be able to go a week without being in his presence before I slowly lost my mind and before he probably lost his. We'd wither away without each other. We needed each other. 

And that where the mating and marking faltered. It would be a rash decision to mate and mark at this point, but sometimes you just can't avoid the inevitable. I learned that the hard way when the fight took place back with Beckett.

We had planned to run away and escape and we ultimately got dragged into it. We should have known that from the start. 

I should have known my father would have been dragged into as well. I should have known, but I was naive believing he could get away and create a better life for him and Tara and perhaps any future child they would have. If they wanted children, that is. 

It's in the past, Ronnie, my mind whispers, you can't change the past. Move on. 

I know that my conscience or whatever is right, yet I still choose to dwell on the subject of it all. I'm sure it's evident that I've never been too good at getting over stuff. 

I shake my head, as if to rid myself of the thought and continue to drag my feet on the pavement, nearly stumbling over a few rocks here and there. My head begins to pound as we continue walking for another twenty minutes and my legs burn and I'm starting to think that I should have taken P.E. instead of art to whip myself into shape or something.

Then again, I've always had the upper hand when it comes to speed and such. Where I fail at having strength, I prevail with having speed. I guess I'm just tired because I haven't eaten in a while. And for some reason, I am craving nothing more then a burger and perhaps a tall glass of coke but at this point, I'd take about anything. Even my nasty old school lunch is starting to sound good. 

Stale pizza. Yum. 

Despite my aching stomach and searing headache, I keep my eyes peeled for any sign of life. Any sign of human civilization. Anything other then trees and stupid bugs.

Jeremy doesn't help my headache when he begins to whine once again. "Guys, what if we never find a town? What if we're stuck out here?" He asks breathily, glancing at Stella and I and choosing to ignore Liam's annoyed gaze. 

Stella breaks her silence at his stupid question, rolling her eyes and commenting with a huff, "If we're out here, we're just gonna have to decide who'll we eat first. In this case, I vote you." 

Stella's harsh tone and expression doesn't falter, not even when Jeremy shrieks and I flinch. 

"Stella! That's not funny!"

"Really? I think it was," Liam muses and throws a smirk over his shoulder. "I don't know how ginger would taste, but at this point, I'm willing to find out."

If any other case, I would be shocked Liam said more then a sentence. But I'm not. Of course he'd take the chance to insult Jeremy. Still acting like a jealous jerk, I see. 

"Me too," Stella chimes, a sly smile slipping onto her lips. "Although I think Ronnie is the one who is going to drop dead first. Is she naturally that pale all the time?"

At Stella's words, Liam abruptly stops and turns, examining my face with a frown. Jeremy, being the idiot he is, continues walking and bumps into Liam. This results in Liam snarling at him and shoving him roughly. Jeremy stumbles, but manages to catch himself just before he falls. "Would you watch where you're going?" Liam hisses. Jeremy merely huffs.

"Sorry, I got distracted. I was thinking that if Ronnie died first, we would still starve. I mean, she barely has any meat on her, well, that is if you don't count her boo-"

Liam cuts him off with an angry scowl and steps closer to him, towering over Jeremy's frame. "Complete that sentence and I'll skewer you."

Though Liam's jealous side is somewhat annoying, I don't object to his sentence. I'd probably help him skewer Jeremy if it finally got him to shut up. 

Maybe if I wasn't was starving and tired, I would have felt an ounce of glee at the fact Liam was talking. Even if what he was saying was threat related things, it was still progress and my hopes would have sparked. Though, right now, I could care less if he was serenading me. All I wanted was food and sleep and perhaps some Advil to ease the pounding in my head.

Seriously, it feels like someone is banging on my head with a hammer. 

I glance out of the corner of my eye, seeing that Stella has resorted to sitting on the group. I choose to mimic her an settle onto the pavement. I rest my head onto my knees as Jeremy throws a remark  back at Liam. Stating that he was only telling the truth.

After three more minutes of arguing, Stella finally shoots up from the ground with a shout of aggravation, "Would you two shut the up already! I'm tired and hungry and so not in the mood to hear you're fucking bickering. God," Stella hisses the last part under her breath and Liam cocks an eyebrow at her.

"I always put up with you and Jeremy fighting and now you think you can tell me to stop?" Liam counters with a glare, "That's hypocritical, Stella."

"I don't give a fuck if I'm being hypocritical," Stella snaps right back. I applaud her silently. "I don't know if you've noticed, but your girlfriend is about to pass out if you don't get her food or water or something!" 

My hooded eyes lazily slide to Liam's as his land on me. Immediately, the glare that was once educed on his handsome features is replaced with one of concern. The corner of his lips quirk down into a familiar frown.

"Shit," He mutters under his breath. I take that opportunity to close my eyes and I tell myself silently that I'm only going to take a nap for five minute. I mean, what better time than right now? I'm sure their fighting will start up again soon enough. "Ron?"

Again, I repeat, if it wasn't for the fact I feel like I crap, I would be cheering at the fact he actually addressed me by my name. I can't find it in me to care as of now, frankly.

I do nothing more then whisper a guttural, "What?" and then wrap my arms around my legs, my eyelids growing heavier by the second. Though my stomach is still in knots, I am willing to surrender to sleep if it'll at least get my mind off food.

"Come on, Ron, you have to get up." Liam says and I can hear him approach, grabbing my arm - even in my dull state, I still feel sparks at the mere contact of skin - and attempting to pull me up. "We're going to get to a town soon, I promise."

At his words, I open my eyes and steadily meet his. The world is spinning. "Promise?" I mutter. He nods. And it's really the only encouragement I need. 

My limbs protest as I push myself up. The whole time I do, Liam keeps a hand on my arm, reassuring me that I'm not going to fall.

The thought that makes me propel my legs forward is the thought of food. And perhaps Liam's promise, though I know it's foolish to believe him at this point. Drama queen Jeremy has a point. We could be out in the middle of nowhere and not found a town for a while.

The road has to lead to somewhere, my mind whispers as I avert my eyes to the black cement under my feet. It wasn't placed here for nothing, right?

I'm not quite sure, but all I can do is hope it leads somewhere. Anywhere is better then here. 

I fall back into a numb state, my legs moving but my mind blank. The only thing that I really feel is Liam's hand on my arm. The same hand he hasn't moved.

For some reason, this tiny action gives me hope that we can resolve the stubborn silence between us. And perhaps, in due time, the fighting between the four of us could also resolve. It would be nice to have a normal conversation without wanting to rip each other's heads off once and a while. Just once and a while.

          It's about another hour and half into walking that Jeremy suddenly shouts, "Lights! I see lights!"

At first, I take Jeremy's statement as exaggeration or whatever, but then I hear Stella's sharp intake of breath and excitement swells in my chest as my eyes fall onto a small and perhaps run down bar in the distance.

Beyond the bar, there is a convenient store and a gas station and the lights in these places are actually on. Which means people are still awake. Which means there's actually hope for us.

No warning alarms go off, not even as we near the bar and the music reaches my ear and the guys in the front look to be smoking a suspicious looking cigarette. 

It's not until my eyes roam over the collection of Harvey Davidson's that I realize this is a biker bar. A biker bar? 

It seems so cliche if you ask me. A biker bar. Out in the middle of nowhere. My god, if this doesn't scream trouble, I don't know what does. 

I didn't even know biker's existed until now. Bikers were a thing of the past, weren't they? Apparently not.

For some reason, as we walked into the bar, I expected to see men clad in leather jackets and bandannas and perhaps some beards and tattoos, but all I find is some middle-aged men in flannel. Perhaps they didn't get the memo that in order to be a badass biker, you have to fit the stereotype.

Though they don't look threatening, I still keep my guard up. And so does Liam as he guides me to a rickety table, seeing as none of us are old enough to sit at the bar. Though they don't know that. 

The group of men sitting at the bar glance at us, though they dismiss us shortly after. Still, I can't shake the shiver that is crawling up my back. 

"I don't like the vibe from this place," Stella voices just as she takes a seat, casting glance over her shoulder at the older men sitting behind us who are being obnoxiously loud and rude. 

Liam nods in agreement while I meet Stella's dark. The dark pools are swimming with anxiety and I can only wonder why.

Jeremy, of course, is oblivious to our distress and instead eyes a plate that a waitress passes by with. A weird sound comes from the back of his throat, in result, Stella nudges him with an aggravated look. 

He jolts in his seat and eyes Stella warily, "What?" He says. Stella rolls her eyes.

"Don't you get the creeps from this place?" She questions.

He shrugs, "Well, yeah," He drawls. "But they have food. I like food."

Liam shakes his head at him. "Thank God stupidity isn't contagious."

Jeremy doesn't acknowledge Liam's comment - probably because he's so use to insults - and instead raises his arm in the air, shouting, "Waitress! I would like some service, please!" 

I duck my head in embarrassment as the waitress glances over at us and gives us all the stink eye. Guess she isn't have that great of a night.

Nonetheless, she saunters over us and brushes her natural platinum blonde hair over her shoulder, her gray eyes narrowing on Jeremy. "Can I take your order, sir?"

"Yes you can.." He trails off and peers closer at her name tag, "Charlotte? What a lovely name." Jeremy comments smoothly. Charlotte, though, doesn't seem impressed.

"Are you gonna order or are you going to try to put some stupid moves on me?" She retorts dryly. 

Jeremy nods. "Sure," And then he picks up the menu and begins to deliver his order to her. She writes it all down with a bored expression and then turns to Stella. She orders the same thing and I turn to her, finally meeting her eyes and deliberately freezing when she eyes me quite warily and suspiciously.

"Um," I begin, "I'll have what they're having." 

She nods, slowly and gives Liam the same look she gave me. He orders quickly and half-hearted and without another word she walks off, glancing more frequently over her shoulder. 

"She's human," Jeremy says, as if he can read our thoughts as we stare after the girl. "So don't start freaking out."

If any of us have any sort of disagreement, we don't voice it. We merely remain silent and occasionally throw looks over at the waitress who is talking fervently on the phone. Another shiver ripples up my spine.

"Guys," I whisper lowly, "I really don't have a good feeling about this place."

"Where the hell are we anyway?" Liam questions. Stella shrugs and twists her body in her chair, catching the old men's attention she clears her throat.

An old guy cocks one grey eyebrow up at her. "Can I help you, little lady?"

"Do you know where we are, currently?"

The old guy squints his eyes at her. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"What gave it away?" Stella hisses rudely. The old mans features twist into a sour expression. 

"Albino, Idaho," He answers grumpily and then turns back around to his friends. 

"Idaho?" Jeremy repeats, "We're only a state over from Oregon and it's been, like, three weeks!" He shrieks.

"Well, we did make a quick stop in California, remember?" Stella says while I place my hand on my throbbing head. Jeremy shrieking really isn't helping my headache.

But Stella does bring up a valid point. We did stop in California, though it wasn't  on purpose. We hadn't known where we going until we saw the sign and decided to stop for some rest and food. It was basically the first stop we ever really took.

"Yeah, and we left because there was way too high of a population of wolves in northern California." Liam chimes in as well. Stella's eyebrows furrow and suddenly, all the color drains from her face. 

"What if one of the packs managed to sniff us out? I mean, we did go for a run in the forest, Liam." Stella points out and I can hear the panic leaking into her voice. Wow, fearless Stella is actually capable of feeling another emotion besides anger. 

I honestly do not care about other packs at this moment, but I resist the urge to tell them to shut up and watch as the blonde waitress brings over our food and places it in front of us. She leaves wordlessly and returns to behind the bar, picking back up the phone. If I wasn't so hungry, perhaps I would have stopped and listened to her conversation or ponder the fact that she might have poisoned our food.

I couldn't find it in me to care. So I scarfed down my food and ignored Stella's disgusted glances in my direction.

Once I've drained down my water and eaten all my food, I feel stuffed to an extent where I feel the need to walk it off, though my legs ache and I'm once again started to become tired.

"I'm going to the bathroom," I inform them. Liam begins to protest that I should take Stella with me, but I'm already up and walking.

I can already feel Liam's annoyance at me defying him, but I make no move to turn back around and instead act like I don't notice.

I pass the bar and meet the eyes of the flannel men who meet my eyes as well. One of them with a prickly looking beard looks me up and down and immediately worry settles into the pit of my stomach. 

I decide I don't like this place one bit.

I quicken my pace and make it to the bathroom, which is luckily empty but smells musky and the hot air swirling around really doesn't help.

I walk to the sink with a sigh and for the first time in a while, I see my reflection. And God, do I look like a mess.

My hair is a crazy mess of waves and there are dark bags under my dull blue eyes and I smell of sweat and dirt and just everything that isn't neccassirly pleasant at the moment.

There are also some dirt smudges on my face and also on my muscle tank. 

I twist the facet on and let the water run till it becomes at least nuke warm. I lean down and splash the water onto my face and onto my arms. I fetch myself a few paper towels and clean the dirt streaks from my shirt and body.

I also manage to tame my hair and with the help of the water some color has returned to my cheeks so at least now I don't look like a morbid doll. Not like I have anyone to impress, I remark snarkily inside of my mind. God, I sound annoying. 

I walk into one of the stalls and latch the door shut when, suddenly, I hear the bathroom door swing open and light foot falls echo in my ear.

I peak under the stall door and find myself staring at plainly white sneakers and bare, feminine legs. I also catch sight of a blue skirt. Skirt? Well, at least I know it's not Stella. But then who is it?

When I inhale deeply, I can tell it's a human. But there is a weird twinge to the scent. A mix of human and something else..

I really don't have much time to decipher what the weird scent is, since a second later, the stall door is flying open and the old latch comes flying off.

I let out a shriek and suddenly, I find myself staring down the barrel of a pistol with an angry looking Charlotte behind the gun. 

"I know who you are, wolf bitch," She sneers. "My boyfriend warned me about the likes of you."

Speechless, I stare at the gun in her hand. 

Just my luck. 

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

Hey guys! Long time no see, eh?

So sorry for suuuuch the long and especially for this crappy chapter. I didn't get to write out all that I wanted and therefor, Liam's dark side will be delayed to the next chapter. :( This month has just been crazy. 

If you guys read my message board, you would know my Grandfather passed away and along with my grandfather passing, there have also been some fincial troubles I've went through. Not to mention, the school year is coming to an end and so I've been having to say goodbye to my friends because of the fact I'm leaving and going to a new school.

Not to mention, studying for finals have been crazy!

Anyway, I promise that I will try to update ASAP the next chapter. I've already started working on it so it should be up soon.

Again, so sorry for the wait and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There will be a lot of action coming up in the next chapter!!

Also on the side, an anwesome banner. Thanks so much for it, gurl! I love it. :) Keep sending thos banners right on in! x

Until next time,

- CeCe.