I couldn't help but smile a little more each day. Mainly to myself. I could sense myself becoming stronger. My wounds were healing faster and my once broken arm was now completely recovered after a week. It won't be long until my wolf comes back, hopefully.

I smiled down at the small human lying between Greyson and I. They both looked so much alike. I ran my hand through his short, dark brown hair as he stirred slightly. I prayed that Riley wouldn't wake up because I liked how close we all were. Made me feel kinda safe.

His hand slowly crept its way to my hand and held it tightly.

"Mumma," he mumbled in his sleep. I chuckled and shook my head. Greyson rolled over to face me and wrapped his large arm around Riley's tiny body. He pulled Riley closer to him as he hushed Riley back to sleep.

I knew I should go back to bed, but watching them both just brought some sort of happiness to me.

Riley wanted to stay the last night Greyson and I were here with us, so we rented a movie and dozed off in Greyson's room.

It was around five in the morning and I couldn't help but think that if Greyson hadn't pulled me out of school and made me go cyber then I'd be getting up right now. A frown graced my features but quickly faded away as Riley tugged on my hand so id be closer to the both of them.

I scootched closer to Riley. To my suprise, Greyson's buff arm wrapped itself around me and squished Riley and I together.

I sighed knowing there was no way I was getting out of here and decided to just go to sleep.

I woke up hearing the loud clattering of pans and yelling. My body jolted up as I ran out of the room and to the kitchen, ignoring my crappy sweatpants and sweatshirt I had slept in as I did.

Ignoring the elevator, I immediatley ran for the steps taking two at a time. I was praying to god that I wasn't going to walk in on someone being beaten with a frying pan.

As I got closer to the kitchen, the muffled screams became clearer.

"Shut the hell up, Ashton!" I heard a voice I knew all too well scream.

"Kare, just listen!" My brother yelled back in a more begging tone. Loud clanging of pans started to occur as Karissa started screaming.

"I don't want to know!" Her voice screamed louder as the pans clanged together louder. I ran into the kitchen to see her holding a pan and a spoon above her head, and Ashton holding a game piece from monopoly in his hand.

"It's just a game." He tried to reason. "Here take the damn ten back." He said holding out the monopoly money to her.

"It doesn't work like that! Why'd you buy that spot?" She yelled as she pointed the wooden spoon and him.

"I didn't think it'd matter, to be quite honest." He answered back. She let out a loud groan and angrily threw the spoon at Ashton. He caught it, but then Karissa quickly ran over to the game and swiped everything off of the table.

Before I could say anything, Ashton stood up and ran a hand through his brown hair.

"Fine, I'll leave." He said angrily and left. Karissa plopped down in a chair as the pan fell from her hands. She huffed and laid her head in her arms. I quietly walked over to her and stroked her back.

"Ashton, I swear to god-" she said as she whipped her head around, but stopped once she saw me. "Oh shit. Hey." She said as she turned back around.

"Got an issue?" I asked as I sat in the chair next to her. She sighed and dragged the palms of her hands down her face.

"Yeah. I haven't been sleeping well, lately." She said monotonously. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why?"

"I can't stop thinking about them, Alex. I miss them. I really like Ashton, I do, but I miss Gabby, and Austin, and...Dylan." Sadness seeped from her voice as she rubbed her left arm with her right hand.

"Then go see them." She shook her head.

"Ashton won't let me. He's so...like...possesive lately. He's not even letting me go to school." She said slowly trying to think of the right words. I instantly took back what I said about visiting Gabby and the rest of them.

"Maybe, he just wants more time with you." I tried to reason. She slammed her hands on the table.

"I never get any time away from him!" She argued. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Relax, Karissa. He's your mate. You're the only one that is keeping him sane right now." I said trying to comfort her. She looked at me with a sad expression.

"Don't you see? He may be sane and happy, but I'm not. Mentally, I'm drained. Emotionally, I'm done. Spiritually, I feel dead. But physically, I smile. I smile not because I want to, but because I have to. Crying is not an option."

Her voice didn't waver once. I felt my chest tighten and I knew what she was saying.

"I'm terrified of him and I'm terrified of what kind of person he's making me into. I feel like..like.." She stuttered, but couldn't speak the rest.

"Like what?"

"Like I'm turning into...you." I nodded slowly as my assuptions were proved to be true. Did everyone really think of me that way? Even my closest friend? They all thought of me the way I thought of myself. I thought that's what I wanted, but the way she described it makes me want to throw up.

"Where's Greyson?" I asked quickly as I stood up. The look of sadness that covered her face was almost contagious.

"Alex, wait." She said as she tried ot grab my hand. I leaned back so she couldn't.

"Where's Greyson?" I asked once again.

"His parent's house. He took Riley home just before you woke up." She said quietly. I nodded and exited the room before walking out of the pack house toward the directioin of Mr. and Mrs. Hayes's home.

~<>~

"Are you positive you got everything?" I asked once again as Greyson groaned.

"Yes, and if I didn't then we'd be screwed because we are already two hours away." Was his smartass reply. I smacked his arm and he didn't even move. I huffed and looked out the window once again.

"Hey. Wanna hear a joke?" I said as I watched trees blur by.

"Sure." He dragged out.

"Why are peppers such bad friends?" I asked and turned to face him. His eyebrows were furrowed as he stared out the windshield. He repeated the question as he thought about it.

"Because they're hotter than you?"

"Nope. Because they get jalapeño business!" I practically yelled in the car and started laughing maniacally. He looked at me for a moment and then rolled his eyes.

"That's dumb." He muttered. I slapped his arm, again.

"No! It's a great joke!" I argued.

"You're dumb, so anything that comes out of your mouth is dumb." My jaw dropped when he said that. I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Well then fuck you, too. Bitch." I grumbled. He laughed loudly and poked my side causing me to squirm.

"I'm not a bitch, kitten." He teased. I licked my finger and then poked his cheek.

"I'm not a kitten, bitch." I fired back as I ran my slobbery finger down his cheek. He swatted my hand away and I giggled as he wiped my spit away with his hand.

"Why can't you be normal?" He joked. I laughed and then turned ot face the window. Our chuckles died down before there was silence.

"I wonder that all the time. Now more than ever."

_____

Sooo that was kinda different eh?

Alex was actually nice and laughed for once and Karissa was the once with a slightly more bitchy attitude. Yep. These next chapters we are getting down ot the nitty gritty.

I am going to start going waaaay back and editing the chapters. They need ot be severly edited. Like now. So that will be occupying a lot of my time, but here is another update.

Please do not make fun of my retarded humor. I love that joke. like legit love.

ps. Are you from Japan bc I wanna get into ja-panties

stay awesome gotham.

def not edited