"What is going on?" I ask, shocked. Bryce's demeanor seems relaxed as he walks over to me.

"Ariana has something to tell you." He says.

Unfortunately, I can't think of anything but fear as I glance at Gloria with worried eyes. How can they be calm when she is in here?

"Don't worry. She is tied up and we taped her mouth. She can't hurt anyone."

I sigh in relief, well that's good to hear. I look up at Ariana and she smiles shyly. I smile back and approach her.

"Hi Evelyn." She says.

"Hi." I answer.

"Well I really wanted to thank you for helping my brother and me..." I laugh.

"Oh that was no problem, you don't have to thank me at all!" I say happily. She looks at me sadly.

"But I do. I was locked in there since I was about thirteen. Words can't describe how thankful I am."

"You don't have to be-" I start to say but she cuts me off.

"So... Since words weren't enough to share how extremely grateful I am, I thanked you the best I could with my actions." She adds. I give her a curious look. Actions? What is she trying to say here?

"What do you mean?" I ask.

She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a little glass bottle with pink bubbling liquid on the inside. She hands it to me.

"I've never seen soda that bubbles like this, but thanks..." I say. I observe it for a moment.

She laughs. "It's not soda. It's your wolf." I look at the bottle again, but closer this time.

"My wolf is in here?" I say. Wait Gloria has my wolf I thought. I turn to Gloria.

She looks a lot more pale now. And even a little more wrinkly. Did they really get my wolf from her?

"Yes, as soon as you drink it, you will have your wolf back." Ariana says, snapping me out of my daze. I blink a few times and look at the item in my hands.

This small container holds everything I have wanted for the past seventeen years of my life. But ever since last night, it isn't what I want anymore. What I want is to be with Gavin. What if I drink this and he was wrong. What if I'm not his mate? What would happen then? Would he leave me?

"Wow." I say. "How... How did you get it back?" I ask shakily.

She smiles and grabs Seth's hand in her own. "Well I couldn't have done it alone. Seth did most of the work. He caught Gloria and well, I was told that you would get your wolf back if she was dead." I look at Gloria who is clearly still alive and breathing. Huh. "So I gave her a choice. Death or give it back willingly. Luckily she chose the latter and no blood was shed. But I brought her back just incase anything were to go wrong." She adds happily.

"Wow. I don't know what to say."

"How about a thank you to the nice girl that brought you back your wolf." I hear a new voice say from behind me. I turn and see Kari.

"Oh yeah." I smile at Ariana the best I can. "Thank you so much!" I say.

She returns the smile, "No thank you."

"So drink it." Kari says. I feel worry fill my body. I don't know if I want to take it. "Go on Evie."

She's right. I have wanted this for so long, I have to do it. It would be wrong of me not to drink it. Right?

Slowly, I pop out the cork wedge sealing the glass. I bring the brim of the glass up to my lips. The liquid slowly trickles down my throat as I lift the bottle. A sickly sweet taste fills my mouth. It doesn't taste disgusting but it doesn't taste good either.

After I drink every drop I put the bottle down. I glance down at my body. Nothing is happening.

"How do you feel?" Kari asks.

"The same..." I say honestly.

"Well that's odd." She says. She walks up to Gloria. "You didn't fake giving us her wolf back did you?" She spits angrily.

Gloria violently shakes her head back and forth with wide eyes. Honestly, I believe her. Something about that terrified look tells me she isn't lying. Maybe I have been human too long that I can't get my wolf back.

"You better not be lying." Kari says and grabs Gloria's shirt maliciously.

"Kari stop." I demand.

"Evelyn, we want to help you get your wolf back." She answers angrilly.

"She did all she could. I have just been a human for so long, I probably can't even get my wolf back." I say. I place the glass bottle onto the table. I smile happily at Ariana. "Thank you for what you did. It means a lot that you would go through all this trouble for me."

She pouts a bit. "It didn't even work... You shouldn't be thanking me at all. Plus you are the one that I should be thanking." She adds.

I shake my head. "No, you went through a lot of trouble, you deserve my biggest thanks." I pause for a moment. "If you guys don't mind I think I'm going to go for a walk."

I see most of them flash me a sympathetic look. All except Kari. She knows me too well. She knows that I'm feeling both happy and sad that I won't be able to have my wolf. She just doesn't know why, and I'm not sticking around long enough for her to find out.

I leave the silent room and don't turn back. I quickly get through the halls and out the door. After I cross the tree line into the woods I breathe a sigh of relief. The comfort of being surrounded by the forest is the exact feeling I need right now. I walk into the woods and an immediate flood of relief fills my system. I need the serenity and peacefulness that comes with being in the wilderness.

I come across the familiar clear river that I used to play around during my childhood. The rock stepping stones are especially visible right now because the water is slightly lower than normal. The peaceful sound of rushing water pleases my senses as the wind gentle blows against my skin.

I hop across the river safely and land on the other side with a graceful thud. I want to go to a place where I can be alone and just think. What better place than my own tree house sanctuary? I stroll down the familiar path and come up to a huge tree. My tree house lies at the top and stares down at me welcomingly.

I quickly brush away a group of vines that have grown over the rope. When I manage to dig it out I give it a gentle tug. Then just like that, a ladder falls. It thumps against the tree for a moment but I steady it with my hand. It's old and a little raggedy but it is still reliable.

Carefully I climb up the wiggling ladder. I breathe in and inhale the scents around me. The calming aroma of wood, leaves, and grass fills my senses. I sigh in content as I reach the deck of the tree house. I walk into the small wooded room and sit on the dusty rotting floor.

It's old, a light breeze trickles into the room. It tickles my face and gently blows my hair. I close my eyes, satisfied.

It's hard. I guess somewhere deep down I wanted to have my wolf. It's always been difficult being the only different one. Always knowing I wouldn't be able to change. I had a little bit of hope when I looked at the bottle. Sure I was hesitant to drink it, but I really do want to know what it is like to run on four paws. Well, a dream is just a dream I suppose.

I lie onto my side and rest my head on my arm. I feel exhaustion pass over me. Soon I'm sucked into the darkness.

*******

I yawn and open my eyes. Where am I? I glance around and see wooden walls. A small opening in one wall with sunlight shining through it. I blink a few times and allow my eyes to adjust.

My surroundings become clear, I'm in my tree house. Oh, I must have fallen asleep. Suddenly an odd feeling flashes over me. I feel tingly. I look down at my hands. They feel so free and light. It's so unusual.

An unusual sting of pain surges at the side of my head, ruining the feeling of lightness in my palms. I grab it and feel heat pouring from my skin. Wait, this is where my white strand is. I reach for the white strip and hold it in my hands.

The pain of the heat flows again and I wince a little. Then the most magical thing happens, the color starts to return. The brown flows from the top and works it's way down to the tip of the strand and soon there is no more white.

This can only mean one thing, I just got my ability back.

I'm about to rejoice but a pain in my gut stops me. It's so painful I have to squeeze my legs to my chest. I let out a heavy breath. I need to get out of here.

I hold my stomach and get to the ladder. I crawl down. When I get close to the bottom another flash of pain surges through me and I fall to the ground with a heavy thud. What the hell is wrong with me?

I let out a scream as I wither on the ground in pain. A snapping sound rings through my ears. It takes a moment for me to register that it was in fact my own bones that were cracking. This isn't normal! What the heck is going on, I need help.

I try to crawl but the pain is too great. I black out.