A week has gone by since that incident, and my back was still healing and still tender. I obviously wanted it to go a lot faster, but, you know, being human and all.

All Hamish wanted me to do was rest and take things easy. And by that? He means absolutely nothing.

I guess it wasn't all bad, though. I was stationed at the Den instead of the apartment, so it was easier for all of them to keep an eye on me, and it was less of a walk to the Humanities building for Hamish.

We were all in the living room when Hamish had said something about me getting rest. I rolled my eyes, but obliged. What else was I gonna do? Cartwheels and backflips? I don't think so. He led me to his room and helped me into bed like the gentlemen he was, and I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until my head hit the pillow.

I woke up hours later. Hamish was beside me, his back to me as he laid on the bed. I had my arm around him, cuddling up against his warm body. I gave a smile just as I felt Hamish stir. He rolled over, facing me.

"Hey," He said, his voice sounding sleepy.

"Hey," I said. Hamish gave me a quick kiss, not minding that we both haven't brushed our teeth yet. "What time is it?" I asked, looking out the window.

"It's... six twenty-three pm," He answered, looking at his watch.

"How long was I out?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. Hamish gave a smile and said, "A day," I looked at him, shocked. He started to laugh, and that gave me a hint that I wasn't asleep for that long.

"I'm kidding," Hamish said. "You were out for a few hours at least," He said as I smacked his arm lightly. "You had me worried!" I exclaimed, laughing. As I laughed, it made my back hurt, and then that reminded me of what had happened.

Hamish got up and gave a stretch. When he did, his shirt rode up and I saw the small of his back briefly. I couldn't help but look. When he relaxed and turned, I quickly looked away and playing it off Like I was stretching my neck.

I sat there for a minute, trying to get my bearings before I actually stood up. Hamish helped me up and downstairs where Lilith and Randall were speaking.

"You're such an idiot," Lilith was saying.

"You always say that," Randall complained.

"Because it's true," She said. "We can't just rush in and take what's ours back,"

"Sure, we can," Randall said. "We'd have to be very careful though," Randall pointed out.

Lilith was about to say something, but stopped when she noticed me and Hamish walking down the stairs and in the room. "Hey," Lilith said, giving a small smile. "How are you feeling?" She quickly asked. I briefly wondered what they were arguing about, then tossed away the thought. They were always arguing, so it was like asking a murderer which time they murdered someone.

Randall walked over and enveloped me in a brief, brotherly hug, making sure to barely touch my back. "Like I fell on glass shards," I said, replying to Lilith as I grimaced at the hug. Not at Randall, but just the pressure on my shoulders that seemed to radiate down to my wound.

I heard Hamish give a chuckle as he helped me over to the couch. I gave Hamish a grateful smile as I sat down. Randall gave me an empathetic look.

"All right," Hamish said. "We need to come up with a plan," Hamish looked between us. "I think we should try and lure Trevor out,"

"How would we do that?" Lilith asked, her tone bored.

"Well," Hamish said, looking at Randall as he spoke. "We create a scene." Hamish explained. "One of us would lure Trevor out by pretending we want to trade in our hide, then the remaining two will capture him-" A knock sounded at the Den's door, causing Hamish to stop mid-sentence.

I got up gingerly, already walking stiffly to the door. "I got it," I said just as Lilith followed behind me. I opened it to see a hulking figure standing there.

"Jay?" I asked, shocked to see him standing there. He gave me a wave, then Lilith a sheepish smile. He gestured to the door, asking silently if he could come in. I exchanged a brief look with Lilith—her face caught between surprise and skepticism.

I let him in anyways.

"Who's at the door?" Randall called out just as I was walking back in the living room.

"Uh, it's Jay," I said, leading Jay into the living room. Hamish was instantly to his feet. "What's he doing here?" Hamish asked defensively, his eyes a blue-fire.

I gave a shrug, looking between Hamish and Jay.

Jay seemed to be uncomfortable in a room full of tense and pissed off wolves. He opened his mouth, rethought, then said, "I have information." He struggled with saying just those words alone.

I've never really heard him speak, and the one time I did was when I was captured. I gave him a curious stare, calculating him. "Go on," I said gently, trying not to scare him. Jay gave a nod, trying to find the words. He gave up and pulled out his phone. He tapped it a few times, then was typing fast for a moment, and handed it to me.

He had written a full-blown essay.

Or rather, it looked like it to me when really it was just a paragraph.

You all are in danger. Trevor is gathering a group of assassins to hunt you down. He will not stop until he gets the hides that you all bear. He plans on using them for personal gain; selling them to get money so he can do whatever he is gonna do with it. He already has me, but you should be warned that he will not stop and will kill you all after harvesting the hides like he has done with Mazikeen.

I passed the phone to Hamish, then from Hamish went to Randall and Lilith. We all were speechless. I glanced at Hamish who was looking at Jay with a look caught between uneasiness and distrust.

"How do we know we can trust you?" He asked, his voice guarded.

Jay shook his head, taking his phone back and typing in it. He handed it to Hamish for him to read. I peered over his shoulder, looking at the text.

Because I am one of you.

I looked at Jay after reading that. I knew I wasn't imagining it when I saw his eyes flash. Hamish, Lilith and Randall looked unbelieving.

"Bull shit," Lilith said, her voice clipped like how it was when I first met her. Jay looked down at Lilith, then at the rest of us in turn. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

I waited, just like everyone else. I wanted to see this; Jay seemed like a good person caught in the cross-fire. If he was actually telling the truth about what Trevor is planning, then we need to act fast and soon before he assembles these... assassins. And if he already has, we need a plan to take them down and Trevor.

Jay opened up his eyes and they were golden-silver. They were there for a good thirty seconds before they faded back to their normal brown.

Hamish was nodding slightly, crossing his arms, looking between me, Randall and Lilith. "Well, if that isn't proof enough," He said, giving a sigh.

"Do you know anything else?" Hamish asked, looking at Jay, who was shaking his head.

Randall was oddly quiet. I looked at him to see him studying Jay. I pulled Randall to the side away from the group, looking at him with confused worry. "What is it?"

Randall shook his head. "Nothing," He said, giving me a strained smile. I know Randall, and there is definitely something there bothering him.

I gave Randall a pointed look. "There's something going through your thick skull, what is it?" Randall opened and closed his mouth for a heartbeat before spilling what he was thinking.

"I just don't trust him fully. He seems off to me," Randall said, glancing between me and the group. I gave a nod, understanding where he's coming from. "For now, let's see if he is telling us the truth," I said, reassuring Randall that I believe him.

Walking back to the group, I heard Hamish finishing up a sentence.

"-ld try and lure him out," Hamish said to Jay. Jay seemed to be nodding and typing in his phone and handing it to Hamish. He nodded at that, but gave a sigh like he didn't think whatever was typed wouldn't suffice.

"We couldn't ask you to do that, Jay." Hamish said.

"Couldn't ask what?" I asked, standing beside Hamish and looking up at him. Hamish was about to relay until Jay handed me the phone for me to look at myself.

What about I lure him out?

I looked at Jay, shock clear in my face. "Absolutely not," I said. "If anyone would do that it would be me. He has to finish what he has started," I said, ignoring Hamish's protests.

"What?" Randall exclaimed. "No, you've already escaped Trevor once, I won't let you go out and endanger yourself, Maze," He said, looking at me with shocked earnest.

Hamish pinched the bridge of his nose. We all were silent for a moment. Until Randall began to walk towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hamish asked, looking at Randall who had the door open already.

Randall looked over at us, and I knew what he was gonna do.

He was gonna lure out Trevor.

I was already walking over before Hamish or Lilith knew what was going on. "Randall, you can't do this!" I exclaimed. "I don't want you hurt," I said quieter. Randall looked at me and I knew I couldn't talk him out of it. Just behind his eyes that were Randall was something prowling—something dangerous and fearless.

Something like Greybeard.

Before I could say anything else, he was out the door, ripped clothes in his wake as he unleashed Greybeard and bounded into the forest. I looked back at the others, who were all staring.

"Dammit Randall," Hamish muttered as Lilith said, "Idiot!"

Lilith went upstairs, grabbed joggers and a sweatshirt, tying them into a bundle so she can hold them easier, and looked at us. "Well let's go. He can't go there by himself," She snapped, going out the door and after Randall.

Despite my back throbbing with each step, I was determined to go and save Randall. I realized that I was just slowing down everyone. Jay, Lilith and Hamish stopped when I did.

"No, we need to keep going," Lilith said, not meaning to sound snappy. I gave a nod, wincing at each breath I took.

"Go," I gasped between painful breaths. "I'll get there when I can," I said, bracing myself against my knees.

Lilith didn't have to be told twice, and she went on ahead along with Jay. Hamish stayed with me, looking at me with an unreadable look.

"I should have never let you come. You need to rest, Z," He said, looking at me with worry clear in his expression now.

I shook my head. "You know that wouldn't have done any good, I still would have come," I said stubbornly, finally catching my breath. I stood straight up and began to walk fast again, Hamish easily eating up the distance with his long legs.

"Then let me help you," He said, stopping in front of me. "How?" I asked, genuinely curious on how he'll help. Hamish gave it some thought. Then his face lit up with an idea.

"Get on my back," He said. I gave him a look of 'are you crazy?'. "Hurry, we don't have much more time to waste," He said, crouching low on the ground so I could climb on his back.

I gave a skeptical look, but did as he said. I was soon on his back and he was running. Not fast, but we were gaining distance much faster than if I was walking. Each step he took revibrated up and made my back hurt. We soon reached Lilith and Jay, who were walking fast in the direction Randall had took.

We heard yelling. Or more accurately, roaring and yelling.

Lilith, Jay and Hamish started to run again, Hamish a little slower with me on his back, but he didn't complain. It was his idea anyway, I thought to myself, still feeling bad for doing this to Hamish.

We entered a clearing where we saw Greybeard first. He had just tumbled on the ground with a tranquilizer darts sticking out of his fur like colorful porcupine quails. He was barely moving, his eyes open and he breathing hard.

Greybeard was paralyzed. The dark grey werewolf was struggling to move, which I could see it was costing him strength. I slid off of Hamish's back and ran painfully over, each footfall was causing my back to throb.

"Oh my God, Randall," I said, worry in my voice. I fell to my knees before the big heap of fur and claws. Greybeard's eyes widened when he saw me. He started to snarl. At first, I thought he was snarling at me, but Greybeard wasn't looking at me, but past me.

I barely had time enough to turn around and see something fast coming at me. I was shot in the arm with the colorful dart, causing my arm to first go numb.

I staggered up, only to fall again. I vaguely heard my name being called, it echoing through my skull.

I heard more pops from the gun before I blacked out.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

When I came to, I half expected to be in another room bound to a chair again. But to my relief I was still in the clearing. I sat up groggily, looking around. I saw Jay, Lilith and Hamish. I looked behind me to see that Greybeard—Randall—was gone.

I saw drag marks, indicating that obviously they couldn't pick up a werewolf without struggles, leading to where tire tracks were, which ended a few feet where they started.

They were expecting something like this.

Shakily getting up, my surroundings were a lot darker than they were when I was shot with the dart gun. It was almost nighttime, the sun setting, casting an orange-gold glow. I stumbled over to where the others lay.

I first shook Hamish awake, who snapped his eyes open. He sat up quickly, that caused him to give a groan, rubbing his head. "What happened?" He asked, pulling two of four darts out of his chest. I was in the process of shaking Lilith awake when I answered.

"They took Randall, Hamish. They took him while he was shifted as Greybeard," I said just as Lilith batted away my hands, mumbling something that sounded like "Five more minutes".

Hamish was shaking his head, eyes wide. "Oh, this is bad. This is really bad," Hamish started to get up, only to fall back on his ass ungracefully.

I helped Hamish get up, looking over at the other two werewolves. Once I knew Hamish was all right with steadying himself, I went over to Jay and tried to wake him up. I barely touched him and he lashed out defensively, hitting me across the face.

"Ow-!" I cried sharply, my hand instantly at my face where the pain was. Hamish was at my side in an instant, looking at my face where Jay had struck me. "Was that necessary?" He snarled at Jay. Jay looked guilty, his eyes flashing an apology.

I shook my head at both of them, muttering, "I'm fine, it was an accident."

Hamish still looked displeased by what had happened and frowned at my face. He cupped my injured cheek lightly, grazing his thumb gently against the throbbing area. Pain radiated through my jaw and cheek and I winced away from Hamish's touch. Hamish looked at me with tenderness and apology. "Sorry," He said quietly. "But it's already bruising," He said.

I waved him off, getting up with his help. "It'll be okay," I said, shrugging it off. I walked over to Lilith, toeing her awake just in case she lashes out like Jay had done.

She waved her hands around as she got up, getting her bearings as she looked around wide-eyed. "What happened? Where am I?" she asked, rubbing her head and giving a slight groan in pain. She looked at Hamish, Jay and I, stopping at me with a surprised look. "Keke, what happened to your face?" She asked.

I gave a shrug. "Just an accident," I said, not looking at Jay to indicate it was him. "Look, we need to figure out where Trevor is taking Randall," I said to all three of them. Lilith was up in an instant, her eyes glowing golden-amber.

"Lilith, no," Hamish said, looking sternly at her. "I don't feel like dealing with you wolfing out," Lilith gave an impatient sigh, crossing her arms. "Why don't we just follow the tire tracks?" She suggested hotly, noticing them and gesturing towards them to make her point clear.

I shook my head at that. "Wouldn't work. The tracks end a little way up," I said, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the wretched marks.

I was deep in thought and almost missed what had been said. "Let's head back and figure out a plan," Hamish said, already walking away. Me and Lilith exchanged looks and followed, with Jay following behind us.

Upon arriving at the Den, we all had gathered in the living room.

"We can always lure him back out again," Lilith said, leaning back in her chair.

"And how do we suppose we do that, Lilith?" Hamish asked. "Have one of us wolf out? Have him capture one of us?" He pressed, trying to process that one of his friends is captured. I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which he just shrugged away. I was hurt, but I understood, so I just moved away from him, pacing around the room.

Jay was typing into his phone, then handed it to me as I passed. I stopped and read what it was saying.

What if I get him? He probably doesn't know I am with you guys.

I passed the phone to Hamish, who then passed it to Lilith after reading it. We all looked at one another with the same thought; "Not a bad plan," I said.

Hamish and Lilith seemed to be on board, but Hamish said, "What if you just tell him what we are gonna do?"

Before Jay had the chance to type anything, Lilith gave him a stare that could throw daggers. "I'll kill this asshole then," She said, referring to Jay.

Jay looked offended, but shrugged it off. He looked like he was gonna type something when his phone began to ring.

Jay looked up, then back down at the phone; Trevor was calling. Jay clicked the green button and held it up to his ear.

"Hello?" He said, his voice quiet.

There was a faint shouting on the other line like Trevor was yelling at him. Jay had his eyes closed and took the yelling. When it went silent, Jay responded. "Yes, sir," He said, hanging up. He looked at us and typed something, showing it to Hamish.

He told me to get some supplies and meet him at the chess board on campus.

Hamish gave a nod, passing it to me to read, then I passed it to Lilith. "Okay, so we follow Jay to the chess board, and see where they go from there?" Lilith asked.

I gave a shrug, not knowing where this place was, but gathering that they all knew. Hamish was giving a nod. "Yes, we'll do that," He said, looking between all of us.

After our plan was established, Jay headed out first, going to gather the supplies he needed. We followed him from the Den and to the campus store, waiting outside for him to reemerge and walk to the chess board.

We waited for about ten minutes until we saw Jay walk out with a bag of small supplies, and some a roll duct tape. We all exchanged uneasy looks before following silently behind Jay. As he was approaching the chess board—which now I know it is literally a big chess board on campus—we hid behind a large tree, looking around like we had nothing to do except talk about our classes. The way we were angled was that Lilith had a clear view, I was leaning against the tree, and Hamish stood there with his arms crossed off to one side where if he looked to his right casually, he could also see what's going on.

Jay was just standing there for the time-being and nothing was happening. Jay was looking around, then down at his phone like someone messaged him. He then looked up in a direction away from us and saw someone walking towards him that meant business.

It obviously wasn't Trevor.

I then couldn't see anymore because of the tree I was leaning against.

"They're just talking," Lilith said, looking like she was looking at me, but was looking past me and at Jay and the mystery dude. "It looks like Jay wasn't expecting it to be this dude," She commented.

"Well, he did say Trevor was supposed to be there," Hamish said, lazily looking over like he was tired from a night of studying. He slung his arm around my shoulders so casually like he's done it the whole time and it was a normal gesture—which this was the first time really that he has done that out in public.

I gave him a smile as I looked up. I reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, which Lilith promptly ignored, rolling her eyes and looking away.

"Jay looks pretty angry," Lilith remarked, looking back at us when I pulled away from Hamish. I tossed my hair over my shoulder and casually looked around as if I was looking for someone, or no one at all. I spotted them as they started to walk away. "They're on the move," I said, nudging Hamish on the side, making him squirm.

Okay, I thought, grinning at him. Note to self: Hamish is ticklish on his sides.

We began to walk after them discreetly; making sure that we weren't right behind them, especially when it became more woods than sidewalks. My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I pulled it out. Thank God it's on silent! I thought, as I opened the messaging and stopped dead.

Someone sent me a picture of the Reliquary.

Where the hide lockers are.

I pulled Hamish to a stop just as another message came in. 'You really need to guard these better,' was what it said.

I dialed Trevor's number, putting it on speaker, and he picked up.

"Yellow?" He said in an oddly bright voice. "You fucking bastard!" I said. "Why are you there?"

Lilith and Hamish looked between me and the phone.

"Oh, I thought I'd stop by to see if you were here—which you guys obviously weren't because you were too busy following Jay," He said. I could hear that he was opening some of the lockers. "You know, I wonder why these are empty," He said sarcastically, obviously knowing why they are empty.

"Don't fucking touch them-" I snarled into the phone. Hamish took it out of my hands and began to speak. "I swear when I find you-"

"-You'll what? Kill me? That's so original," Trevor sneered. "I'm simply looking around to see how much this place has to offer. Oh-! I wonder what's in-" There was a sudden banging, like something was wanting to get out of where ever it was. "-what the hell?" We heard Trevor say.

"What do you guys keep in this-?" His voice cut off with a less-than-manly scream, causing all of us to look at each other. We all knew exactly what it was, and it wasn't good.

The phone sounded like it clattered onto the floor and was smashed, causing the line to go dead. I roughly took my phone back, putting it into my pocket and spinning around in the direction of where the Den was. "We need to go there now," I said, determinedly.

Lilith was right beside me, her eyes alight with hate. Hamish was soon in front of us, stepping in our path. "You know as well as I do you are in no condition to go do anything rash; and we know what had just occurred. As much as I hate Trevor, we can find him later." Hamish said, looking between us. "First, we need to find Randall,"

I stared defiantly at him for a minute; then sighed in defeat. He was right whether I liked it or not. Lilith was agreeing, shaking her head as if to clear it. "Whatever, I'll rip him a new asshole later," She said, venom dripping from her words. "So, what do we do now?" She asked, looking at Hamish.

"Well, we find Jay," He said, beginning to walk in the direction where Jay and that man was headed. We all stayed silent as we caught up with Jay and the strange man. When we saw them, we started to walk slower so we don't alert them on accident or too early. We watched as they entered a building.

"Couldn't they be more unpredictable and use a different building," Lilith said. Hamish gave a nod in agreement, but stayed silent as he looked at the building, his jaw clenching and unclenching. Whatever he was thinking, it was making him angrier and angrier.

"We know where the place is at now," I started. "We have to come up with a better plan than just barging in there guns blazing,"

"Then what do we do?" Lilith said, looking at me.

"Same thing we always do," Hamish said, making both me and Lilith look at him. "We come up with a plan to get Randall back,"