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THE HUM OF the radio filled the kitchen, hardly a crackle interrupting the songs once Ainslie had jammed a fork into the aerial and balanced it against the fridge. The latest hits played on a loop, interspersed with joyous Christmas tunes, each song far too banal and upbeat for the gravity of the situation. The perky commentary that broke up the music grated on Adele's nerves but she didn't want to turn it off: it had become something of a comfort, the most meagre distraction from the horrors that flung themselves against her brain.

The song changed, morphing from the dulcet tones of Nat King Cole to a peppy cover of Jingle Bell Rock that startled Adele. Reed winced, his shoulders tensing when she poked her needle a little too deep into the gash across his chest. She gasped and pulled away from him.

"Sorry," she said with an apologetic grimace, placing her hand over his now warm chest to pinch together the edges of a jagged cut. Most of his injuries were minor, scrapes and grazes that would scab over, but there were a few that would need stitches and Adele knelt over him with her supplies laid out beside her like a back-alley surgeon.

"S'ok," he said, though the word was as tight as the grimace on his face. He bunched the blankets in one fist, the other gripping Ainslie's hand. She sat beside him, both of her hands clasped around his, and she couldn't shake the smile that had blossomed on her lips from the moment Reed had spoken.

His words hadn't lasted long: he was exhausted, his body in shock and his mind even more so, and for a few hours after the successful rescue, the rest of his pack had taken it in turn to check on him as he rested. Now, long after the sun had set, he was awake and well enough to handle a little minor surgery. He wasn't yet well enough to handle the mountain of words that had yet to be spoken: there was too much to be said, far too much to dump on him so soon after saving his life.

"You're going to be just fine," Adele said, bending over to work carefully to pierce the curved needle through his skin. The laceration wasn't too deep but it was long, a nine-inch diagonal slash across his ribs, and Adele focused on breathing steadily as she tied a knot in the twenty-sixth interrupted suture. He would need at least forty, but she could work as swiftly as she could cautiously.

"You're in good hands," Caleb said. "Adele has magic hands."

"Stabby hands," Reed said, sucking in air through his teeth and gripping Ainslie harder when Adele started a new stitch with another apology. She hated to see him hurting but he couldn't go much longer with the wound exposed. She only wished she could anaesthetise him: it had killed her to hear the agony in his cry when she had washed out the cut with warm water and plucked out the dirt and debris.

"She's making you better," Caleb said. "You're hurt. She heals."

He had the best seat in the house, lounging in the armchair as he fed Fiona. She hungrily suckled on the bottle for the fourth time since Adele had brought her home, operating like clockwork: every two hours, almost to the minute, she cried out in hunger.

The first time, Ainslie had mixed the formula and she had read out the instructions to Caleb. Every time since, he had insisted on doing it himself, curling up in the chair to feed the little baby. From the moment he had first held her, he had taken on the role of her protector and despite being the one with the least experience of babies, he seemed to know what he was doing.

Reed fell quiet. He hardly had any energy in him. He couldn't stand yet, even with help, and each word was an effort when he was still regaining his voice. He hadn't used it for the six weeks that he had been missing, fighting to survive in the quarry, and Ainslie had to stop herself from bombarding him with questions.

It had taken a while for their tears to subside, even longer for Reed to comprehend that Ainslie was really there, that she had never given up in the two and a half years that he had been missing. Long after his own parents had accepted his death and his brother had lost hope, Ainslie had held fast that he was out there somewhere and her optimism had been rewarded.

"Adele knows what she's doing," she murmured, holding Reed's gaze to distract him from the needle. "She's going to fix you up and you'll be fine before you know it. She's lived out here her whole life – she's an expert at surviving off the land."

"I remember," he said, screwing his eyes up tight when Adele tugged his skin to knot the stitch.

"You remember me?" she asked as she continued to work, starting the thirtieth stitch. "I didn't think we ever met."

"No," he said. "But I remember you. And your sister."

"Mmm," she hummed, snipping the thread. "I guess we're pretty memorable."

"She shot me."

"I know. I'm sorry." She started on the last couple of inches of the wound, shifting her position when her knees began to ache.

"Jade's done some bad things," Ainslie said, jumping into the conversation, "but she's not a bad person. She's just at the mercy of a very bad person."

"How reassuring," he muttered with a cough. "That's her baby?"

"Mmm. Her name's Fiona. I want to keep her."

He smiled for the first time. "You and babies."

Adele worked her nimble fingers quickly until she was finished with the stitches, taping gauze over the wound, and she stretched out when she stood. "You're all done," she said, brushing down her knees, "and I'm absolutely pooped." She glanced around the room at the four other faces. "We might have a problem."

"Reed can have my bed," Ainslie said without hesitation. "I can sleep in the chair."

"No," Reed said. "I'm fine here."

"On the floor?"

"Where d'you think I've slept the past two years?"

Ainslie's face fell. "Oh. Sorry. If you're sure?"

He nodded. "It's fine. Probably best to stay still."

"That's true," Adele said. She covered his chest with the blanket once more and adjusted the pillow beneath his head, and he phone rang. Everyone froze. Even Fiona stopped feeding for a moment when she heard the chime of the ring tone, distracted from the bottle for a second or two.

"Who is it?" Ainslie asked, her eyes ablaze with fear.

"Just Archie." Adele showed her the screen. "You can put your hackles down." She answered the call with a press of a button. "Hi, Archie."

"Hey, Del," he said, his voice a comfort to her ears. She could picture his boyish smile, a youthful charm in his grin even if he was a few years older than her. "I just wanted to check in with you. I'm with Jade right now."

"You are? Did you only just get there?"

"I've been here a couple of hours," he said. "She seems to be in a bad place right now but I made her something to eat and got her to bed. She's out cold now. I just wanted to check that the baby's ok – she said you've got her and I'm praying that wasn't just a dream?"

"I've got her," Adele said with a smile. "She's fine. She's just had her last bottle for the night and we're going to go to bed. Thank you so much for popping in on Jade, Archie. I really owe you one."

"It's all part of the job," he said. She could hear the smile in his voice. "Anyway, I'm going to stay the night here, if you think that's ok? I'm just a bit concerned about Jade being all alone in this huge place, especially when she's so low."

"You got her on suicide watch or something?" she asked, half-joking, but Archie's pause sent a shudder through her.

"I just want to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," he said after a moment. "And anyway, I've got a few days off now and no plans. I'm happy to keep an eye on her. You know, keep her company and all that."

"You really are a life saver," Adele said with a heavy sigh, her whole body slumping. "Thank you so much. Really."

"My pleasure, Del. See you soon."

"See you," she said, hanging up the call. Closing her eyes she tipped back her head and took a deep breath, raking her hands through her hair and gathering it before she let it fall. "Jade's ok," she said to the room, sensing the question on the tip of Ainslie's tongue. "Archie's with her. Now we need to sleep. God, I'm fucking exhausted."

Caleb set down the empty bottle and held Fiona against his chest, rubbing her back. She was tired too, her head lolling against him and her eyes drooping, and he smiled down at her dozy face before he lifted the smile to Adele. "Time for bed."

*

The night was far from smooth. Although Caleb took care of Fiona each time she woke and wailed in her makeshift crib, a drawer that had been emptied out on the floor, her cries still woke Adele and she blearily watched as Caleb comforted her, murmuring lullabies that she didn't understand as he fed the baby and rocked her to sleep in his arms. The sight did something to her, a warm squirm in the pit of her belly that fluttered as she watched him when he had no idea he was being watched.

When Fiona's wail sounded out as the clock hit nine, Adele slipped out of her attempt at a lie-in to soothe her before Caleb could drag himself from the bed. She scooped up the baby, nuzzling her nose in Fiona's hair as she carried her through to the kitchen. Caleb followed, the two of them carefully navigating the room when Reed took up most of the floorspace. He was fast asleep, one hand splayed over his stomach as it rose and fell with each breath.

"I can do it," Caleb said as Adele sterilised a bottle in hot water and measured out formula, but she refused his help.

"You did every single night feed," she said. "Sit down. Relax. I'll make you a drink." She flipped on the kettle with her elbow and screwed the lid back on Fiona's bottle, cooing at her as she fed her.

"I want to hold her," he said, making himself comfortable in the chair. Adele struggled to resist his puppy-dog eyes, tutting herself as she gave in and passed him the baby. He smiled down at her as he held the bottle to her lips, and she stared up at him as though he was the most fascinating person on earth. He was to Adele.

Reed stirred when Ainslie dragged herself into the kitchen with a yawn, tripping over his foot with a grunt and a gasp when she realised what she had done.

"Sorry!" she cried out, swooping down to his side. "Are you ok?"

"Fine," he said with a wince. "You're still clumsy, huh?"

"A bit," she said, sitting down so she couldn't cause any more havoc. Reed struggled to sit up, grimacing with each movement and letting out a huff when he leant against the wall. Adele mixed three hot chocolates, handing Ainslie the mug she had brought with her and passing Caleb and Reed the two chipped ones. There wasn't one for herself. She didn't mind.

"Enjoy this time," she said to Caleb, "because I promised I'd take Fiona back today. Jade's probably missing her."

"I don't think you'll be going anywhere," Ainslie said, snapping her head up like an inquisitive dog. "Did I just hear a car?"

"I fucking hope note." Adele raced to the hallway, ducking into her bedroom and peering through the window. Ainslie's ears were supersonic, picking up the soft crunch of tyres over snow, and Adele's eyes fell on Archie's car. She dashed back to the kitchen, heading straight for Reed.

"Who is it?" Ainslie asked, her eyebrows pulling together above wide eyes.

"Archie," Adele said. "You're fine, Caleb. He knows about you. But Reed needs to hide." She crouched down next to him. "Can you stand?"

"I don't think so," he said, screwing up his face with the effort it took to try to stand. Adele carefully hoisted his arm around her shoulders, helping him to his feet and virtually carrying him to the spare room. His legs didn't want to cooperate just yet. "Who's Archie?"

"He's a cop," Adele said. "He's friendly, don't worry, but everything will be an awful lot better if no-one knows you're here. The more people who think you're dead, the better. As shit as that is."

"It's fine," he said, letting out a sigh when Adele helped him lift his legs onto the bed. "Better they think I'm dead."

She hated that that was the truth. She hated every truth that had been thrown in her face recently, but there was no avoiding them. With each that came, a whole new can of worms seemed to spill over her life and she couldn't afford to drown. In the game of sink or swim that her life had become, her only choice was to fight against the current.

Archie knocked on the door as she opened it, greeting her with his cheeky smile.

"Hey," he said. "Sorry to just drop in on you like this but my phone died last night."

"It's ok," she said, her arms crossed, "but why're you here? I told Jade I'd bring Fiona back today. You didn't need to come out here."

"I know," he said, "but I thought it was probably best to get her out of the house. Get a bit of fresh air and all that. That house is pretty depressing."

"Jade's here?" Adele swallowed hard, peering over Archie's shoulder to see Jade getting out of the car. She didn't look like herself. There was no confidence in her walk, no expression on her face.

"Yeah." He gave her a smile. "Mind if I use your loo? I'm about to wet myself."

She nodded, knocked for a six, and he sidestepped her as she tried to keep up with the avalanche of thoughts. The same handful were spinning round and round on a merry-go-round whirling out of control. Jade was right in front of her. Caleb was right behind her, in the kitchen, feeding Fiona. She opened her mouth to call for Ainslie, to say anything, but her words failed her.

Jade's lips pulled into a faint smile when she reached the front door. Her eyes were shining. "Hi," she said, the word quiet.

"Hi," Adele said. It was too late. She was trapped. She couldn't leave her sister out in the snow but there was nowhere other than the kitchen to take her. The only thing she could do was dive headfirst into the truth, with the help of a little omission.

"I'm sorry," Jade said before she could add anything more. "I'm so sorry, Adele." She took her hands out of her pockets, opening herself up for a hug. That took Adele by surprise, wrapping her arms around her sister. She couldn't remember the last time they had hugged. If they ever had.

"What're you sorry for?" Pulling Jade into the hall, she shut out the cold.

"For being a bad sister," Jade said. "I'm a terrible sister. You've been so good to me."

"No I haven't. We've both been a bit crap."

Jade shook her head, dropping her eyes to the floor with a heavy sigh. "Not you," she said. "You helped me. You gave me a break. I needed a break. What kind of mother needs a break from her baby?"

"Every mother," Adele said before Jade could cry, though it was too late for that. "Every single parent needs a break sometimes, Jade. That's nothing to be ashamed of, and I'm really sorry you're struggling."

"Where is she?" Jade asked. "Where's Fiona?"

Adele took a deep breath, praying that Jade wouldn't dwell too much on what she was about to say. Before, it would have caused a fight but now she wasn't sure it would even get a reaction. "She's in the kitchen," she said. "She's with my boyfriend."

Jade's eyebrows dipped momentarily. "You have a boyfriend?"

"Mmhmm."

"I didn't know."

"There's been a lot going on," Adele said, digging her nails into her palm with a silent prayer that Jade wouldn't quiz her too much.

"There has," she said. "How long?"

"Not long." Adele nodded at the kitchen, her heart ready to leap out of her chest. Ainslie stood stricken in the corner, her face as white as a sheet.

"Jade?" she whispered, and jerked her head at Caleb. Adele just held up her hand and mouthed for Ainslie to go along with it, and she rested her other hand on Caleb's shoulder. When Jade stepped through the door, Caleb took a sharp breath and froze as though he had been shot. Again.

"This is my boyfriend, Caleb," she said. Jade smiled.

"Hi," she said. "I didn't know Adele was seeing anyone."

Caleb didn't know what to say. He had been cornered, his eyes wide. All he could think was that the woman talking to him had tried to kill him six weeks ago, and now she was clueless as he held her baby.

"Hi," he said, the only word he could think to speak. Fiona was still cradled against his chest. He reluctantly turned her around to pass her to her mother. "Your baby is very sweet."

"She's perfect," Jade said with a smile. She took Fiona and closed her eyes, pressing her lips to her daughter's head and swaying her. "Hi, Ainslie."

"Um, hi," Ainslie said, fighting to shake the fear on her face. She was lost for words, staring straight at Adele: she had thrust them into the one scenario they had been trying to avoid for weeks.

Jade felt her daughter's nappy. "Can I change her in your room?"

Adele nodded and when Jade disappeared, she sank against the fridge. Ainslie flew across the kitchen to her.

"Oh my goodness! What on earth are you doing, Adele?" she whispered, but any response was interrupted when Archie stepped into the kitchen. He saluted Caleb, the second time meeting him, and waved at Ainslie.

"Del? D'you have a minute?" he asked, nodding at the back door. She followed him outside, pulling on a coat as she left, and shut the door behind her. Her stomach filled with dread, her heartbeat far from regular.

"What's up?"

"I think I'm going to keep an eye on Jade for a few days," he said. "I'm just a bit concerned about her. Some of the things she said ... I think I need to keep an eye on her."

Adele shivered. "What'd she say?"

Archie frowned. He inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, his breath fogging in the cold air. "Is there something I should know?" he asked quietly. "Is she in danger? Her fiancé ... is he dangerous?"

It was now or never. Adele swallowed hard, and she nodded. "She's not safe," she said. "I've tried to tell her but she won't listen to me. He's a bad man, Archie. He's awful and she's not safe with him." She looked over her shoulder, into the kitchen, and back to him. "There's a lot I can't explain right now but I need you to trust me – she needs to get out of that house."

"Ok." He nodded, his face severe.

"I can't help her anymore," Adele said. Her filter gave up, her words flowing even when she knew she should keep a cap on them. "I have to go. I have to get out of here. He wants me dead and I'm scared he's going to hurt Jade or the baby. You have to help her, Archie, because I can't."

"You're leaving?"

She nodded, blinking hard. The more she thought about it, the closer it came to being a reality, the more it hurt.

"Because of your boyfriend?"

She jerked back. "What?"

Archie shrugged. "He's a werewolf, right?"

Adele started to shake. She gripped the railing to stop herself from slipping down the stairs, and she swallowed hard to stop herself from throwing up. "What?"

Archie held up his hands. "It's cool, don't worry. You know me. I don't judge. And I don't fuck with those hunter cunts. I just ... I figured. And it makes sense."

"Oh, God." She really thought she was going to be sick, sucking in deep breaths. "Oh, God. Who knows?"

"No-one. God, I would never tell anyone. Especially not around here. You have to protect the ones you love, right?" He gave her a smile. "You have to protect him. And I'll protect you, Del. And I'll help your sister. I promise you. She's going to be safe. No-one's going to lay a hand on her or her baby."

Adele couldn't control the tears that sprang to her eyes and spilt down her cheeks. Archie hugged her tightly. She held on even tighter, choking on the sudden tears that flowed, and he smiled at her when he pulled away.

"You just keep yourself safe, ok?" he said, playfully pushing her shoulder. "I'm going to take Jade and Fiona back. I'll figure out what to do. Don't worry about them. Just worry about you." He hugged her again before he opened the door and ushered her into the kitchen as Jade returned from the bedroom, and he smiled at her. "Ready to go?"

She nodded, cuddling her baby close. Fiona settled against her mother, closing her eyes and gripping her tiny hand in a loose lock of her mother's hair. "In a minute," she said. "I need to talk to my sister."

All Adele wanted to do was crawl back into bed and sleep, or cry. Or both. She wanted a stiff drink and a warm blanket, to be whisked away to safety without the stress of finding it that was putting an awful lot of pressure on her shoulders. And her heart. She couldn't recall the last time she'd had a steady pulse for longer than a minute.

Archie headed out to the porch to give them a little privacy when Jade pulled Adele into the hallway again.

"I really am sorry," Jade said, swaying her baby. "I ... I want to make amends. You and me."

Adele's heart sank. Her face fell. "So do I," she said, "but we can't. I have to go. You know I have to go. You know what Creighton said: he said he would kill me if I came near you or the baby ever again." Her lip wobbled, her chin quivering, and she sniffed hard. "I have to leave, Jade. I have to go."

Jade's eyes welled up. "Where?"

"I don't know. Just ... away from here. I'm not safe here. Neither are you. But Archie's going to help you, and I'm going to help myself. But I can't stay. Creighton will kill me."

Jade dropped her gaze. She swiped at her eyes, closing them for a moment before she looked back at her sister. Her stare dropped, frowning a little.

"What?"

"What happened?" she asked. "Your neck ... what is that?"

If the ground could have opened up right then, putting an end to everything, Adele wasn't sure she would have tried to jump away. She clapped her hand over the mark, but it was too late. Jade had seen it, her frown furrowing deeper.

"You need to go," Adele said. "Archie's waiting for you."

Jade's mouth hung open. A hundred emotions swirled in her eyes. "You're turned," she whispered. She stepped back. "Oh my God. You're turned."

"No, no, no," Adele said, shaking her head. "I'm not. I promise you. I'm not turned, Jade. I promise. But I have to go."

"Oh, God." Jade stared. She clutched her baby tighter. "Your dog ... your boyfriend? Oh, God. What have you done?" Her voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "What have you done, Adele?"

"You have to go," Adele said again, her throat closing up. "We all have to go. And you have to stay away from Creighton. If he hears anything, we're all dead. You have to look out for Fiona. Please."

Jade was lost for words. She stepped backwards, one hand fumbling for the door. Adele caught her, pulling her into a hug that sandwiched the baby between them.

"I'll find you one day," she said. "When all this is over. We can make amends then. But I don't think I can ever come back to Buck Pines. I'm sorry, Jade. I love you. I really do." She let go. Jade said nothing. She began to silently cry, covering Fiona's ears.

"I love you too."

She left. The car pulled away. Adele sank to the floor, crumbling into a sobbing pile with her head buried in her arms. Caleb was by her side in a flashed, holding her to him as she wept.

"Jade knows," he said. She nodded. She couldn't speak.

"Oh, no," Ainslie whimpered. "Jade can't hide anything from Creighton. Even if she wanted to. Oh my goodness." She sank down, her huge eyes glazed over. "Did we just run out of time?"

"We have until he's back," Adele said when she composed herself. "If we're not gone before he's back, we're all dead. We have until then."

They all heard the screech outside. An engine died. A door slammed. Ainslie clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying her fear. Her whole body started to tremble, squirreling back against the wall as though it could absorb her. She shook her head, frozen in place when she wanted to run.

"I don't think we do."

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