Amber Silverblood: Silverpack

Chapter One

The forest whispered to me, and I howled in reply.

Leaning my head back, my voice echoed through the moonlit forest. It was a long, mournful note that belied the energy that was coursing through my veins. A cold wind struck me, spraying a flurry of snow into my face, and I shook it off. I felt so alive. I wanted to hunt!

Glancing back at the smaller wolf behind me, I jerked my head forward and took off into the night. My four paws practically flew through the woods. I threw snow into the air with every step, hardly worth being called an obstacle. I couldn't even feel the cold through the fire burning inside me. Tonight, I was letting go. I let myself be an animal, with nothing to distract myself from the pure, uninhibited passion my instincts brought me.

The smaller wolf had trouble keeping up with me, so I slowed my pace. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I made myself do it anyway. The brown wolf, hardly more than a pup, wasn't able to plow through the snow like I did. She had to raise her paws almost up to her chin, and that slowed her down. Part of me, that nagging, annoying part I had been determined to ignore, told me to help her, to try to clear a path for her. I didn't listen to it. The pup would never grow strong if I did everything for her. She had to learn how to fend for herself.

SHE'S FIVE YEARS OLD!

I stopped and shook the snow off my fur, hoping the annoying voice would go flying out of my ear. No such luck. That voice didn't know anything about being a wolf. It was weak, and soft, and probably didn't have much meat on it. It was prey, and as a predator I didn't like having prey inside my head.

Still, I paused for a minute and lifted my nose to the air. The scents of the forest were fresh and pure, like the snow was washing everything clean. There weren't many signs of life this time of year, but...

There! My head snapped around just as a white tailed deer turned and went bounding off into the darkness. I bared my teeth and growled, desperately wanting to give chase. I might not have been able to catch the prey inside my head, but I could definitely catch that. I held myself back, though. As badly as I wanted to hunt, we weren't here for me tonight.

I looked down at the pup, who stood beside me, panting. Catching her eye, I put my nose into the air again. When she didn't move, I reached out with my front paw and pushed her nose into the air. She snapped at my paw, and I growled at her. Her tail went between her legs, and she finally raised her nose. I wagged my tail in approval.

She sniffed the air for a few seconds, and turned to look where the deer had been. I moved to stand in between her and the bigger animal, shaking my head. Deer was good eating, but she wasn't ready to take down something that big. She needed something smaller. Reluctantly looking away from the bigger prey, she started to sniff the air again.

Come on, I thought impatiently. It's right there!

Eventually, she put her nose down to the ground and began following the other scent I had noticed. I trailed behind her, watching but trying to keep a safe distance away. She needed to learn how to do this herself. She was still so new, barely a wolf at all.

She looked up and froze. Twenty feet away, a rabbit stared right back at her. Its fur was white, the perfect color to blend into the snow, but our keen wolf eyes still spotted it easily. It stood there, petrified, while we eyed it hungrily. The little wolf still wasn't moving, so I gave a sharp bark and she took off. The rabbit bolted, and she chased it, barking like a common dog. I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

Stop that, I chastised myself. You're a wolf. Wolves don't roll their eyes.

I watched as the rabbit spun around and ran back the way it had come. The smaller wolf snapped at it as it went past, and then went skidding into the side of a tree when her paws lost traction on the slippery ground. She took a second to shake the snow off, and then gave chase again.

Her reflexes aren't fast enough, I thought as the two of them ran frantic circles around me. The instincts of a huntress guided my every movement, but I could tell just by looking at her that she didn't have them. Not yet.

Finally, she managed to lead the rabbit into a trap. Or, rather, the panicked animal trapped itself by accident. She pounced on it, pinning it under her front paws, and I leaned in closer, eager to see her first kill...

She started licking the rabbit.

The little rodent squirmed in her grasp, unable to process that she wasn't trying to kill it. She jumped to her paws, putting her butt in the air and wagging her tail— and the rabbit zipped away. After staring after it for a few seconds, she gave chase again. With a growl, I went after them, passing the smaller wolf in a brown blur. I caught up to the rabbit a second later and stepped on it, stopping it in an instant. The other wolf slid to a stop, almost running into me, and I glared down at it. She let out a whine and gave me her most pathetic puppy dog eyes.

Don't do it, the prey inside me begged. It'll just make her sad!

I ignored it.

This thing is your food, I wanted to snap at the smaller wolf. You're not its friend. You're the predator, and it exists so you can do this!

I bit into the rabbit, raising it off the ground and shaking it back and forth. It screamed at first, a sound that the prey inside me would have thought sounded like a baby crying, but then fell silent. Panting with excitement, the taste of blood on my tongue, I dropped it on the ground for her to see. She whimpered again and backed away, looking at the rabbit in horror. I snorted, but it didn't matter one way or the other. She would change her mind just as soon as the scent reached her nose.

Sure enough, she sniffed a couple of times, and suddenly her eyes were glued to the rabbit. She licked her chops, and my sensitive ears caught the growl of her stomach. I hadn't let her eat before coming out tonight for that very reason. She looked up with hungry eyes, waiting for me to open the carcass and drag the succulent, warm meat out for her. I shook my head. She had to do this herself. It was time for her to start being a wolf.

Taking a tentative step forward, she gave the rabbit another sniff. Then her instincts finally became too much to ignore and she sank her teeth into it. She worked clumsily, not knowing which meat was worth eating and which wasn't, but I still felt proud when I saw the dark brown fur of her snout turn black with blood. A few minutes later she backed away and sat down, having effectively gutted the rabbit. I came to sit beside her and licked her snout, cleaning the blood off of it.

Well done. You're learning fast.

She wasn't proud of herself, though. I could tell just by looking at her, the way she refused to look at the dead rabbit. She was resisting everything. It wasn't surprising, really. I had done the same thing at first. More than anything, I was trying to convince her that things would be so much better if she'd just let it happen. Eventually the wolf would win out.

Getting to my paws with a sigh, I motioned for her to follow me and dashed off into the forest again. My blood was still on fire, and I wouldn't be going back to the den until I was good and tired. Tonight I was going to be a wolf, even if I had to stay up all night to do it.

In fact, that's exactly how I wanted it.

We ran for hours, weaving in between the trees with the nimble grace of a dominant predator, letting the moonlight sink through my fur and into my skin. I tracked down and killed that deer we'd seen earlier while the other wolf watched. This was the only way to eat. Fresh meat, not the old, slimy, burned kind the prey inside my head lived on. That stuff was good to avoid starving, but it took raw, bloody meat to keep the spirit alive. I didn't know how the inner prey had survived so long without me to take care of it. This was what we lived for, whether she wanted it to be or not.

All too soon, though, the full moon began to sink towards the ground again. I looked up at it, growling as if I could chase it back up into the sky. The alpha's words echoed in my head.

Be back at sunrise. I have something I need to talk to you two about.

They were human words and they meant nothing to me, but my alpha's command still turned me back toward the den and forced my paws to move. I didn't want to go back, I didn't want to become the prey again, but I couldn't ignore my alpha. The most I could do was relish these last few minutes of being myself before they came to an end.

I stopped at the bottom of the hill, the den lighting up the woods like the sun had already risen inside it. It was always like that. The prey liked being in the light. I couldn't blame them, I guess. If I was prey, I'd probably want to make it harder for predators to sneak up on me too.

The pup padded up beside me, panting, just as the moon sank below the trees. My body immediately began to shrink and twist, my fur retreating into my skin except for that on top of my head, and my paws grew fingers, thumbs, and toes. My snout grew shorter, pushing itself into my face, and likewise I could feel myself being pushed into the back of my mind until...

You all right, Kimberly? I asked, looking back to see the smaller wolf morph into the little girl I knew.

She was having a harder time of it. Her fur shrank slowly, like she was having to force it down. The rest of her body followed suit, but it still took her almost five minutes for the whole transformation to take place. Finally, gasping for breath, she got up on her knees, the snow burying her almost to her waist.

We were both naked.

Hold on, I said, turning around and grabbing the ghillie blanket on the ground. A quick tug uncovered a plastic chest that had been buried in the dirt so that only its lid was visible. A frozen December night was not the ideal place to find yourself nude, so it was with numb fingers that I undid the clasps and opened the chest. Inside were two sets of clothing, one for each of us. We had put them in there earlier.

Here, I said, tossing Kimberly her shirt and pants. Get dressed, quick.

It was one of the more clever ideas Stark had shared after taking us into the Silverpack. Werewolves couldn't very well transform with their clothes on. If they didn't get torn apart during your growth spurt, they'd be so restricting on your four legged body that they'd slow you down, maybe even cut off blood circulation. Instead, Stark had buried chests like these all over the woods behind his cabin so we could stow our clothes in them before changing. It kept them dry and safe from prying eyes, so long as we made sure to cover the chest up again after we were done.

I pulled my shirt down over my head and looked back at Kimberly. How are you doing? I asked. Feel all right?

Kimberly scowled at the snowy ground and refused to look at me. A twinge of anger pinched my face, and I had to push back the wolfish urge to bite her.

Kimberly, I snapped, answer me!

I'm fine, she grumbled, and set off up the hill towards Stark's cabin without waiting for me. I pushed down the irritation again. I wasn't the alpha here. Just because Stark had ordered her to do as I said didn't mean she had to defer to me on every little thing. Still, having a five year old defy you in every way she could without being able to do anything about it was enough to make me grind my teeth. I set off after her.

I couldn't blame her for acting that way, and I never would. It was my fault she was in this situation in the first place. About two months ago, I had lost control during the full moon and mauled her. I don't remember doing it, I could rarely remember anything back then, but she had been found in a ditch the next morning, presumably dead. Only she wasn't dead, even though sometimes I think she would have been better off that way. No, I had passed on my lycanthropy to her, and everything that came with it. The poor kid's parents still thought her corpse had been stolen from the funeral home, and we weren't allowed to let them know otherwise. For all intents and purposes, she was an orphan.

So, no, I didn't blame her for hating me one little bit.

A minute later, we at Stark's back door. His cabin was huge, like a lodge people would spend a fortune to live in for a week. We stepped inside onto the polished wood floors and were greeted with the fresh smell of cedar, and I couldn't help but roll my shoulders when his heaters blew a luscious wave of hot air over me. Even if we were werewolves, even if we were fully clothed, a snowy night in December is anything but comfortable.

There was another smell in the air, even stronger than the scented wood, and I turned to see my mom standing behind Stark's griddle. It was as long as the kitchen counter itself, giving her room to cook pancakes, eggs, and bacon all at the same time.

Morning, girls! she chirped, ladling a few spots of batter onto the sizzling black surface. Breakfast is almost ready.

Kimberly made as if to run back to her bedroom, but froze when she heard this.

Go ahead and take a seat, Mom said. Kimberly did, sliding out a chair at Stark's table. A minute later, Mom scooped up a generous helping of all three courses and brought them to her. Not wanting her to do all the work, I fetched a gallon of orange juice from the fridge and poured her a glass.

Thank you, Mrs. Pace, Kimberly said, ignoring me, and then dug in.

I sighed but let it slide. Mom went back to working the griddle, and I slid a chair over to sit across the counter from her.

So, I whispered, how long have you been up?

She looked up at me. What's that, honey?

I blinked. Right. The words had been perfectly clear to me, but I always forget that my mom can't hear as well as I can, being a human and all...

I said, what are you doing up this early? I asked again, speaking a little louder this time.

She gave me an affronted look. I just wanted to make breakfast for my girls.

I bit my lip. Ever since she had moved in with us at the pack house, she had taken it upon herself to be Kimberly's new mom. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but Kimberly hadn't protested. Maybe that was exactly what she needed, but the idea still made me uncomfortable. Kimberly was part of the pack, but not the family. Her parents were still out there, thinking their only daughter was dead...

I shook my head, getting rid of those thoughts.

I thought you two would be hungry when you got back, Mom went on. She nodded towards Kimberly, who had already scarfed down half the plate. Looks like I was right.

I put my hand on her shoulder. Mom, you know what I mean. Are you still having...

She stiffened, her hands stopping mid-flip, and the half cooked pancake ended up splattering on the floor. With a sigh, I retrieved a paper towel and knelt down to clean it up.

I'm fine, she whispered a minute later, but the whiteness of her face told me the truth.

My face turned red, and I glared as hard as I could at the pancake mess so she wouldn't see it. I wasn't mad at her, I was mad at Hendricks. It had been a month since I'd rescued her from the demon crime boss, but she was still having trouble sleeping at night. I didn't blame her. I'd spent half a day with Hendricks and his goons, and thinking about it still sent shivers down my spine. Mom had been there a month. I wouldn't be surprised if my poor, defenseless, human mother never got over it.

I stood up, throwing the paper towel in the trash, and gave her a hug.

It's all right, I said, rocking her back and forth as comfortingly as I could. You're here, I'm here, and they're never going to touch you again.

I... I know, honey, she said, and pulled back. Her face was still pale, but she managed to give me a brave smile. I'm fine, I promise. So, do you want some breakfast?

I smiled at her as my stomach growled, and nodded. She dished out another helping of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, but before she could hand them to me the front door burst open at the other side of the cabin. Heavy boots clomped across the hardwood floors, and a tall, gray haired man joined us in the kitchen.

Oh good, he grunted when he saw us, you're all already here.

Morning, Stark, I said.

Morning, he replied, shedding off his coat to reveal the ratty Dr. Pepper t-shirt he always wore. He owned the cabin, but you probably wouldn't have known it by looking at him. Who would have thought the shaggy old man wearing dirty clothes would be rich enough to own a place like this?

He took a deep breath as he shucked his boots off in the hall closet. Jennifer, that smells absolutely amazing.

Mom blushed, and suddenly the plate of food she was holding out for me was gone.

Would you like some, Mr. Stark? she asked, bustling over to set it in his customary place at the table.

Don't mind if I do, he said, sitting down. And how many times do I have to tell you to call just me Stark?

Mom came back to the griddle and found me standing there, still empty handed.

Thanks, Mom, I said, wryly.

Oh, hush, she shot back, and immediately handed me another plate. He's the alpha, so he gets to eat first. Isn't that how it works?

I took the plate and frowned. Yeah, I guess that was how it worked.

I don't uphold those kinds of rules in my pack, Stark said, swallowing a mouthful of food. We're not animals here, we can still act like civilized people.

I sat down across from him and started buttering my pancakes.

But, it's good that you're all here, he went on, setting down his silverware. There's something we need to talk about.

What's up? I asked.

He folded his hands in front of himself and looked at me and then Kimberly. I know the last couple months have been hard for all of you, but I'm impressed with how well you're recovering.

He looked at my mom too when he said this, and her face turned red again.

I think it's safe to say you're ready to go back to a somewhat normal life.

I snorted, and he turned to look at me again.

Sorry, I said. "It's just, I think normal went out the window a long time ago."

He smirked at that. Maybe so, but that doesn't mean you have to stay out here in the middle of nowhere for the rest of your lives.

I'm all right, Mom piped up. I don't mind it here.

Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you like, Jennifer, Stark agreed. You're as much a part of the Silverpack as your daughter.

An honorary member, but still a member.

As for you two, he said, turning back to me and Kimberly, you've missed a lot since this is all started. That's why...

He spread his hands out in front of him.

You're both starting school again in January.

Chapter Two

If I fall asleep right now, I'll get five hours and twenty three minutes of sleep before I have to go to get up for school.

I pulled the covers up to my chin and fluffed my pillow a little, but my brain was still too wired to let me relax. I stared up at the ceiling, trying to coax myself into falling asleep, but my eyes kept being drawn to the digital clock on my dresser. Half past midnight.

At first, Stark's decision to send Kimberly and me back to school had been a welcome one. As much as I liked being in the Silverpack, especially compared to my last pack, that didn't mean I wanted to spend the rest of my life cooped up in his cabin. Admittedly, he didn't force us to stay here, and he gave us free range of the woods his property contained. Still, without school or any kind of job, cabin fever had begun to sink its teeth in. As weird as it sounded, I was actually looking forward to going back to school. The mind numbing routine would provide a sense of normalcy in my life, even if it was just an illusion.

I tossed and turned for another hour before finally getting out of bed.

This is your fault, I grumbled to myself as I put on my slippers and headed downstairs. I wasn't sure if my wolf side was able to hear me, but even if it could I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have cared. It was above petty human insults.

We have a weird relationship, me and my wolf. Technically we're the same person, but our personalities are so wildly different that we may as well be two people living in the same body. When I shifted, I became the wolf, both in mind and body. It was still me, but the way I thought and acted changed. I was more impulsive and confident, two of the traits that would help a real wolf survive in the wild. I also had a much shorter temper. Judging by the new nickname it had given me, I didn't think it liked me all that much either.

As I rifled through Stark's fridge looking for a midnight snack, I tapped into my wolfish side to figure out what would calm it down.

Ham sandwich. And grilled chicken. And hamburger. And...

I grabbed a leftover hamburger patty and shut the door. My stomach growled, but my wolf would have happily cleaned out the whole fridge if I'd let it. I ate the hamburger cold while heading back upstairs to my room, licking the barbecue sauce off my fingers. I stepped as softly as a predator, trying to keep from waking anybody up, but I froze when I heard my mom's voice coming out of her bedroom.

Amber...

I rolled my eyes and suppressed a groan. Mom never liked it when I got midnight snacks. She said they would make me fat, even though I was growing more and more convinced that werewolves weren't capable of getting fat.

Just a little hungry, Mom, I whispered. I already finished it.

No, you... don't go with them.

I'm going back to... Wait, what?

I peeked into my mom's bedroom and saw her lying in bed. She was muttering to herself.

Don't touch me... where's my daughter?

Her hand suddenly shot up, like she was trying to hit something, and she moaned.

Aw, crap, I said, and ran to her bedside. Mom, wake up. Wake—

I put my hand on her shoulder, and she lashed out again, this time slapping me right on the cheek. I flinched, and her eyes shot open.

Wha- what? she asked, groggily, and sat up.

I rubbed my cheek. You were having another nightmare, Mom.

Oh, I... I'm fine, she said, even though the way her hands were trembling told me she was lying. I didn't hit you, did I?

It's fine, you didn't hurt me. It wasn't even a lie. Her slap had barely stung to begin with, and I couldn't even feel it anymore. One of the benefits of being a werewolf.

You were dreaming about him again, weren't you? I asked, sitting down on her bedside.

I'm fine.

I frowned. Mom...

"He had those arms, she finally said, shivering. They came out of nowhere, and they were cold, and..."

I know, I whispered, putting my hand on her knee. I've seen them. He can't get you here, Mom.

I know. I just can't stop seeing him whenever I go to sleep.

She had stopped shaking, but I could see the rings under her eyes. I think she was having nightmares about the Octopus every time she closed her eyes, because she was hardly sleeping at all anymore. If anyone was capable of keeping someone awake all night, it was Hendricks' giggling little crony. She made up excuses, like wanting to cook us breakfast, but the truth was that whatever they had done to her in the month she'd been a captive had left a mark on her. The kind of mark you couldn't see on the outside.

I still think we need to get you some kind of medicine, I said. You can't keep staying up all night like this.

Mom stubbornly shook her head. No, Amber, I'm not going to take sleeping pills.

But—

Your father didn't like them.

My argument died in my mouth, just like that.

He thought they gave you cancer, she said.

I nodded slowly. Yeah, I... I forgot about that.

I sat there on her bed, not saying anything. What was I supposed to say after that bombshell? The worst part was, I really had forgotten about that. Ever since I'd become a werewolf, my life had been one out of control ride after another. I'd been so focused on staying alive that other things had been pushed to the back of my mind. Important things. Now that Mom had brought it up, I realized that my dad had been one of those things.

And I was ashamed.

I miss him too, I finally whispered, looking down at her bedsheets.

Mom leaned forward, and I felt her hand wrap around mine.

He's proud of you, she said.

I stiffened. What Mom had meant to be comforting felt like a knife in my chest.

How can you say that? I asked, my voice suddenly hoarse. Even if he was watching us from Heaven or something like that, how could he possibly be proud of me after everything I've done?

Her hand tightened around mine.

"What happened to Kimberly was not your fault, Amber."

I pulled my hand away from hers. Yes, it was. I'm the one who did it.

But—

And I've done even worse things since then. Things I haven't even told you about.

Mom hesitated. What things?

Things like murdering a whole gang of gremlins, robbing people for the Swag Pag, being used in an illegal dog fight, setting up one of my packmates to die, and then killing my old alpha.

I couldn't tell her about those things, though. Even if I wasn't the same girl I had been before I was bitten, she still thought of me as her daughter. She still loved me. I couldn't let her find out how much of a monster her little girl was.

Nothing, I muttered under my breath.

Mom sighed. "Even if what happened to Kimberly is your fault, which it isn't, I looked up at her, but she kept talking before I could argue, you took responsibility for her. You went and got her, and you've been taking care of her ever since. From what Mr. Stark told me, she would have died if you hadn't gotten her out of the funeral home."

That was true, at least. Dex had told me that if she wasn't exposed to moonlight she would never wake up, which meant her parents would have buried her alive. Too bad that had just been a ploy to get Majestic another test subject for their Silverblood project.

I know it hasn't been easy, she went on, especially since she's always so mad at you, but you've never given up. You've stood beside her this whole time, just like...

Like what? I asked.

When she answered, her voice was so soft that I wouldn't have been able to hear it without my enhanced hearing.

Just like a mother.

An unexpected flash of emotion ripped through me, and I stood up.

Don't say that, I hissed. I'm not her mother, and she doesn't want me to be.

Mom was quiet for a minute, but then she asked, "What do you want, though?"

I... just want her to be happy.

Even if—

I just want her to be happy, Mom.

Mom sighed, but nodded. All right, then. Well, if you're determined not to be her mother, then you should let someone else help out now and then.

I finally turned around to look at her. What do you mean?

What you're doing is too much responsibility for someone who's not a parent. You should let somebody else take care of Kimberly now and then.

I can't.

I think you should. I'm not the only one who's been through a lot over the past couple of months. You've got too much on your plate, especially now that you're starting school again.

Mom, I can't. Kimberly's my responsibility.

Mom huffed and crossed her arms. You're so stubborn, young lady. Just like your father. Listen, you've done a wonderful job with Kimberly so far, but you don't have to do everything alone. Let me help.

I backed away toward the door. I didn't know what it was, but the idea of letting someone else take care of Kimberly the way I did made me sick. It wasn't that I didn't trust my mom, she probably could do a lot better than me, but something stopped me from saying yes. Kimberly was my problem, my responsibility. As much as I wanted to accept the help...

I can't, I said, putting one hand on the bedroom door.

Mom looked like she was about to argue, but then thought better of it.

All right, she conceded. But if you change your mind...

I've got school in the morning, I cut her off, standing up. Better get to bed.

I started to shut the door, but then paused. Will you be okay?

I'll be fine, Amber. Good night.

Good night.

I shut her door and made my way back to my room, where I stood in front of my bed for a good five minutes. There was no point in trying to go to sleep now, my brain was lit up with nervous energy.

Well, I guess there's nothing else for it, I thought. Now that the wolf was awake, there wouldn't be any sleep for me tonight anyway. Pulling off my clothes and throwing them into a pile in the corner, I shifted into my wolf form and hopped into bed. I wouldn't be able to sleep like that, either, but at least it would keep my animal side from getting too worked up.

After all, I had school in three hours.

Chapter Three

The snow crunched satisfyingly under my boots as I led Kimberly up the hill toward the bus stop. A chilly breeze caressed my face, making my hair feel hot and itchy inside the beanie I had stuffed it inside.

Your bus will get here first, I said, turning around to look at Kimberly, who was dawdling behind me. You'll probably get back before me too, so Stark or my mom will be here to pick you up, okay?

Silence.

Kimberly, I said, answer me.

Fine.

I frowned, but left her alone. I had thought that going back to school might improve her mood, but it looked like she was determined to prove me wrong. She kept her stony eyes trained on the snow in front of her, pointedly not stepping in my bigger footprints. I tried to think of something to say that would cheer her up, just like I did every time we were together, but nothing came to me. How did you cheer up a little girl who'd lost everything?

We arrived at the road where the busses would come, and waited. Stark's cabin was so far away from town that, honestly, I was surprised the buses were willing to drive all this way to pick us up. Not that I was complaining, of course. I could have made the run to school in a fraction of the time that it would take the bus to come get us and drop us off, but that would involve hiding clothes around town to change into once I got there. Plus, the last time I'd wolfed out in the middle of town, it had made the local news. I didn't want to think how people would react to seeing the infamous man-eating dog running through the streets with a bright purple backpack on. Besides, I would've had to leave Kimberly behind.

So, I was thinking, I piped up, my breath steaming in front of my face, after we get home tonight, maybe we could play Barbies again?

For half a second, Kimberly's eyes lit up, and my breath caught in my throat. Then, just like that, the cold expression was back again. I kept watching her, chewing on the inside of my cheek. She had let her guard down, even if it was just for the blink of an eye.

I hate Barbies, she spat. They're stupid.

I sighed, and couldn't hold back the twinge of annoyance. I had been close. So close.

Then the polite thing to say is 'no thank you,' I snapped before I realized what I was saying.

She looked up and glared at me. No thank you, I don't want to play with your stupid dolls.

The bus rolled up before I could say anything back, and Kimberly got on board without another word. I watched her go, fuming silently. I meant what I said about not expecting her to forgive me, but couldn't she see that I was trying to make up for everything? Couldn't she at least make an effort to reciprocate?

She has no family because of you, that annoying, nagging voice in my head told me. Just a pack of kidnappers who won't let her go home.

My bus rolled up a few minutes later, and I climbed inside and sat down in the first empty seat I saw. There were lots of other kids on board, but I didn't feel like talking to any of them. The door closed with a hiss, and I settled in for the long ride, sitting with my back against the window and feet propped up on the seat.

Excuse me. Pardon me. Move your leg, jerk!

My head snapped up, and I saw a mass of black and purple fighting its way toward the front of the bus.

Oh no... I groaned.

It wasn't that I didn't want to see Stacey. She was my best friend, and probably my strongest tie to the normal world. Still, I was kind of in the middle of something.

Hey, she said, nonchalantly pushing my feet off of the seat and plopping down next to me. Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?

I shrugged, inching over to give her a little more room. Sorry, things have been crazy.

And the understatement of the year award goes to...

Well, you could have at least called, she said, taking out a tube of purple lipstick and applying it liberally to her mouth.

Looking at us side by side, you would never have thought that Stacey, the biggest goth in school, would ever be friends with me. She wore only the best Hot Topic had to offer, complete with an assortment of Tim Burton themed pins and jewelry. I wore whatever I could find that didn't smell too bad. In fact, my sense of style probably had more in common with Stark than it did with the bubble gum chewing girl beside me.

So, you gonna tell me what's going on now? she asked, looking at me through her thick rimmed glasses.

I shrugged again. My mom and I are living with my uncle in his cabin. After what happened, we just needed a little time to get back on our feet.

Hmm. Stacey blew a bubble and popped it with a pointy fingernail. Did they ever find out why your house fell down?

I thought wildly for a few seconds. I couldn't very well tell her that a demon tore it down after a trio of idiot wizards tried to keep him from kidnapping me, could I?

Uh, structural damage, I finally answered, praying that it sounded legit, around the baseboards and, uh, rafters. It just... you know, fell down.

Stacey stared at me for a few seconds, and I got the distinct feeling she had seen through the lie. I wasn't too worried, though. Even if she knew I wasn't being truthful with her, would her first reaction be that I was a werewolf fighting demonic crime bosses and getting whisked away for illegal dog fights?

Okay, she finally said, turning around to face forward again. I'm still trying to get Principal Sandusky to let me start the Vegan Empire. You know, if you want to help.

I snorted. The club that would ban the cafeteria from serving meat? They're never going to give the okay on something like that.

Stacey's expression turned hard, and I felt bad for egging her on like that. She was a hardcore vegan, the animals-are-people-and-meat-is-murder kind. I had been too, even if I was never as obsessive about it as her, but my lycanthropy had chased that away as soon as it set in. My wolf had already taken to calling me prey. Eating like a rabbit would definitely have only pissed it off even more.

"If I remember