Note// okay I never was much of a potterhead and still im not, I watch them from time to time but can never finish them. That said, I was trying to figure out for the longest how I got it in my head that someone could have such a connection with someone they despised and could easily transfer thoughts between one another and share memories. Then out of the blue, I recalled the whole thing that harry shared with vol- c; so, if youre a potterhead and youre protective of the lovely rowling and think im like stealing her idea or something, that's not the dealio! I without thinking used the idea xD I just want to clear that up because sometimes people get protective of writers (which isnt bad) and think when your story is similar that its automatically tied into that story. Which this is not c; but because I read a lot, my stories may have ties to other books which is what writing is all about. Authors are just thieves who base their work off others because they were unsatisfied or felt like they could make their story better. I ramble ! enjoy xx

eight: the true meaning of bonded

"I'm what?" Just the very idea of being tied down by that thing that was once a human made me want to vomit.

"Bonded." Mason reiterated. "When Lyus bit you, you became tied to him and connected. He probably didn't mean to do it to you, especially considering its more so a - well an intimate thing."

"So what? Am I like some kind of mail ordered bride - what is this? Bitten & Betrothed!"

"No," Mason quickly responded and I could tell he enjoyed in some sick way the fact that I was jumping out of my skin with irritation at the very mentioning of Lyus and being connected to him.

"It just means that you have a loyalty to him. You would do anything for him, you would be at his command. If he asked you kill someone, even if you didn't want to do it - you would because he asked you to."

"But I hate him." The very thought of him and this fate he unleashed upon me made me angry.

"Really?" Mason said in shock. His brows were furrowed, pinching into the middle of his forehead in deep thought.

"Yes really. The only thing I feel . . . is what he feels." It dawned on me now why I could see through Lyus' eyes when he and Mason were fighting. "I ran, like you told me but was overcome with emotions that weren't mine and pain that wasn't mine. I was seeing the fight through Lyus' eyes, I was feeling the pain he felt with each bite and swipe. It's why I passed out." This made things difficult. What if killing Lyus meant I died too?

"You see what he sees" Mason repeated under his breath. "Maybe taking Lyus down won't be as hard when you have someone on the inside to help."

"What?"

"We'll talk about it on the way." Mason said, suddenly becoming serious and businesslike. "We have to get you home or they'll start looking for you."

"Who?" Panic was dominant in the emotions that currently battled inside of my body. I couldn't have the wolves hanging around my home and there was no doubt in my mind that Lyus was now aware of the connection between us.

"The police." Mason said.

Down the street I could already spot the familiar green and white police cruiser. Chandler was driving the black car that he and the others drove to school in. Slowly we crept up the street. If I was seen with them then they would be wrapped up in fit of questions.

And really I couldn't give them any kind of answer that they wouldn't put me in a straight jacket for. Crescent Falls had crime, but the cops usually weren't taking on big cases. The minute someone called in a missing child, there was no doubt that the cops would be there quickly and using every resource necessary to locate such persons. If we stayed any longer, they'd eventually start combing the woods.

"You'll be at school tomorrow, right?" I asked Mason before getting out of the car. The whole plan was set in my head. I wasn't a great actress, but it shouldn't have been had to get the cops convinced.

"Yes, we all will." I didn't know whether it was for my safety as much as it was for the other students. Mason explained that I could shift any time. I was unpredictable with this beast lying inside of me.

I knew I needed an explanation as to why hadn't come home. While I couldn't tell them the truth, I knew that my version of a lie would wok all the same. As we came to a stop in front of the house, the door opened to expose my parents in their work attire still talking to a cop. Upon noticing the unfamiliar vehicle both parties were longer fixated on each other.

Mason got out first with me behind him. I could hear the anguish in my mother's voice which made my feeling of distress easier to convey. I buried my face into Mason's side, clinging to his shirt as he walked toward the house.

"What happened here?" The officer asked as I ran into my mother and father's arms.

"I found her in the woods," Mason said. That was my cue; my cue to lie.

"What happened in the woods?" the officer asked as he looked down at me.

"In the corner of my eye I could see Mason watching me, carefully." His secret, my secret, and the safety of the town depended on the words that waited to be said.

"I got lost on my way home from the library. Earlier my teacher had mentioned something about seeing a wolf in town. I was a bit paranoid and wasn't thinking straight."

"My family and I moved into the old Brown home. We'd just come home from dinner when we found her."

"If you wouldn't mind I'd like to ask some more questions." The officer said and my hands began to sweat.

"There's no need for that Charlie," Dad said. "We're just glad to have Lucy home."

I could tell that there were too many holes in the story, enough to make Charlie want more information. But it was late and I was home, that was enough for now."

"Youre right, the important thing is she's safe. Ill radio in immediately to cancel the alert. Youre a lucky girl Lucy. Lucky people actually bother living that far in the woods."

"Yeah, I am." I mumbled under my breath.

"I better get going. Glad youre home safe," the officer said against before walking away, eyeing the vehicle carefully before getting in his own.

"We really are grateful. Who knows what would've happened if you weren't there," my mother said to Mason.

"Im just glad she's home safe." Safe. I was far from it.

I had to fight my mother to let me go to school. In her mind, turning sixteen had become a curse and for all the reasons I wasn't thinking. To her, being sixteen meant getting bruises, bumps on the head, and lost in the woods. Now that I thought about it, our thoughts were much of the same. I'd always been safe until I turned sixteen, until the dubois moved in and all these wolves stated ruling my life.

The only way id been able to convince Mom to let me go was if I promised id be waiting for her to come pick me up directly afterschool. Then she would drive me home where I would be locked up. I could deal with that as long as I went to school and saw Mason. It was more of a comfort thing. Id noticed how he others seemed cautious of me if not way and I didn't mind so much because I knew it was a safety precaution, but it wasn't something I could easily ignore.

I was surprised to find Mason waiting at the stood of the stairs, looking around as if searching for me when Mom pulled up to the school. After a quick kiss goodbye, I jumped out of the car. As if sensing me, his eyes landed on me directly and all my nerves floated away into nothing.

"I've been elected to walk you to class," Mason said, a coy grin playing on his lips.

"Do they think Lyus will come to the school?" I asked. I'd never met the man personally but knew that that just wasn't his style. He was sneakier and would try to get me alone first. Together we walked into the school, through the bustle of yammering students and toward my biology class.

"No, but well it's just a precaution in case you pass out or something."

"Or something?" I asked with annoyance. He was doing that whole mystery thing again where he only said enough to get me interested before shutting up. I'd stopped outside of the class room, arms crossed as best they could with the heavy jacket I wore and glaring daggers at him.

"What?" Sighing, Mason rolled his eyes and acquiesced. "Remember the symptoms - highly emotional? The littlest thing can set you off."

"What about when we aren't in the same class?"

"Taken care of," he said with a shrug.

"What do you mean? Are you going to transfer into all my classes?" The way Mason shifted his weight from left foot to right answered my question. Yes, I was concerned about the safety of my fellow students and was grateful that Mason and the others were putting their lives on the line to protect me and the other students. but it bugged me at how weak they figured me to be.

Id come to accept what lied inside me. But I refused to let the beast inside me win.

I'd fight.

Groaning, I brushed pass Mason and headed into the classroom with him on my tail until he stopped at Mr. Mesimer's desk to discuss his seating arrangement.

"Hey wolf girl," Marcus said as he looked up from his crotch where he been texting.

"Don't call me that." Mason was right I was being moody, more moody than ever.

"Lucy." Mason's voice was low enough for me to catch as he brushed pass me. he eyed hand and only then did I realize I was holding the strap of my bag so tight that my knuckles were turning white. Releasing my strong grip, I watched Mason take a seat in the back corner.

"What's up with you and the new kid? Do I smell pups in the air?"

Snorting I took my seat. "He's just a friend."

"A friend. Is that the only title he gets after saving your life?"

"Huh?" Snapping my eyes on Marcus, I gave him the attention that he obviously wanted.

"My father is on the force," he further explained. I'd forgotten about that but now I could clearly remember second grade when we had Career Day and Marcus' father came to school and everyone kept asking to see his gun. It was the highlight of the day. "He got the call about you being missing and mentioned it to me this morning. Asked me if you were the troubling type." I couldn't help smiling at the thought, it was a bit ludicrous.

"And what did you say?"

"I said she's an odd one, but not any trouble."

"Well thank you for clearing up my name." I didn't like being considered odd by Marcus' standards. "I really didn't think you even knew me, or notice me. We've one to the same school all these years and you've never said a word to me."

"Doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention." Mr. Mesimer had started the lesson, leaving Marcus to bring his voice to a husky whisper. He scooted in closer to me. "You're different, unpredictable really and its funny to watch. I like that."

Conversation after that was minimal between Marcus and I, and mostly dealt with biology, but his words still lingered on my mind. Him paying attention to me made me feel all kinds of emotions, ones I could and couldn't necessarily explain: I was flattered of course, I'd never had someone have a crush on me and the possibility that Marcus had one on me was enough to make my stomach fill to the brim with butterflies. I was also concerned, if Marcus paid this much attention to me as he claimed he did, keeping secrets would be hard.

But mostly I felt guilty, as if in some way this disloyal to Mason. That confused me the most.

With every class I went to, Mason dutifully at my side, I began to notice how people watched us and I wasn't surprised to find people gossiping about us being together by the lunch period. The inside of the cafeteria was always packed around winter seeing how no one wanted to be in the cold; but I was comfortable temperature, able to withstand the cold even without my jacket. Not to mention, I would rather sit outside in the cold with Mason than inside where Marcus no doubt was and the other students were. It offered us privacy to talk.

"When do you think Lyus will attack?"

"Not as soon as you think," Mason said as he bit into his sandwich. He had a whole bag full, which made me believe it when he said that hunger was a main factor of the wolf life. "He has to familiarize him and his pack with the land."

"How many does he have?" I broke off a piece of my sandwich, finding my hunger replaced by nerves.

"We're even, but like I said. They're stronger." I thought back to last night, struggling to see Lyus through my own eyes. He was bigger and thicker. If Mason hadn't had the advantage of surprise, I knew that there was a chance he wouldn't have made it back home.

Home. I wondered what Lyus called home. Where was he hiding? My eyes fell along to my wrist where a peek of my scar, now mark could be seen. I didn't have any control over the following moments.

My surroundings became fuzzy, dimming in and out until I was no longer in school, but town or close to it. I felt out of my own skin and only then realized that I was experiencing a moment though Lyus. I could feel the hunched shoulders, the cold ground beneath our paws as we slowly stepped through the woods coming closer and closer. I could smell a scent, not wolf and instantly recognized it as human. It was when I heard the sound of a man whistling that I realized Lyus was on the hunt and this man was his victim.