I can't stop writing this story.  I just want to get to the big parts and I can't until I write these soooo you people who are actually reading (but I don't know if any are except for because NO ONE IS REVIEWING- no hard feelings) get a lot of updates.

Chapter Quote:
"All I am is less than I was. And I can't ever be more."
~Bloodrose
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Chapter 11

Josilyn 

When Arya and Ren announced a pack meeting, I was even more worried about what was going on than when Hunter had told me what he had in the garden.  I wanted to panic when I was told that the meeting was mandatory for everyone.  I didn't attend pack meetings.  Most of it had to do with hunting, and I was not that type of Guardian.  I couldn't kill an animal, I just couldn't.  Everyone else could though; it was times like those that made me feel weak, that made me feel below them.  Oh I'd tried.  I'd tried to do what they did but I couldn't kill an animal, and my heart failed me in endurance.  I could barely go on one short patrol without getting winded in the first fifteen minutes.

I sat next to Elsa on the couch along with Ember and Noah.  Riley and Thea shared the love seat.  Dmitri sat in the plush chair with Gracie and Akira sitting on the arms, flanking him.  Sebastian, Barry, Laurel, Diana, Jake, and Oliver sat on the floor.  The adults stood behind us all.  Hunter leaned against the fireplace, arms crossed.  Shadows danced across his face which resulted from the light of the fire.  I could see how worried he was earlier, but the shadows amplified that for some reason.

"There's no way to sugarcoat what I'm about to tell you so I'm going to come out and say it: we're being hunted.  Again.  We don't know where the Hunters are, who they are, when they're going to strike, but we know they're back.  Earlier, Loren and Shiloh discovered the scent of a new wolf pack.  A little while later, a girl from that pack called telling us what I'm telling you.  She said they'd killed some of her pack and that the remainder of her pack had tracked them here.  The Hunters are biding their time and waiting for a time to strike against us.  They never do the same thing twice.  They switch it up so we never know what to expect.  Therefore we don't need to worry about our houses exploding or them breaking into our house.  On the other hand, starting today, no one leaves this compound without a partner.  If you go somewhere, you tell an adult where you're going and you take someone with you," Ren ordered.

"Dad, what about dance?  I'm not going to force Thea and Riley to wait for three hours at dance for me to be done with my lessons," Elsa argued. "The Hunters like to make a statement but they're not stupid.  They don't want to be caught by police which is why they won't attack any of us when we're in public."

"We don't know that so unless someone else joins you in your later dance class, they're going to stay with you," my father growled.

"Or maybe I can have my dance partner drive me back up here.  I trust him."

"I don't, so no more arguments." My friend's nostrils flared but she stayed quiet.  I knew that she wasn't going to listen.  She had that look in her eyes.

"Furthermore, we'll be going on more hunts.  All of us, including you Josilyn," Ren continued.

"W-what?" I stammered.

"We have patrols scheduled for each and every one of you.  There's no way out of these either.  Each patrol will have someone as the alpha of that pack.  Whatever they say, you listen to them.  There's no arguments with these.  Arya and I put them like this for a reason.  Any questions?"

"When are we going to go after them?" Elsa queried.

"After who?"

"The Hunters."

"When we get a lead on them.  We've already contacted the Searcher's.  They're working on it.  And when we do find out, the adults are going to go after them," my father answered.  His and Elsa's matching blue eyes glinted with the same hidden anger.

"Why can't we go?"

"Because I don't want any of you getting hurt, or worse, killed."

"I want to fight if you guys do," Ember chimed in.

"I do if she does," Noah said.  The oldest Laroche daughter gave him a surprised look.  I guess she hadn't expected him to say that.  I knew for Ember, the friends with benefits thing was just that and nothing more.  But my brother felt differently and she had no idea.

"We're warriors.  We should embrace what we are," Dmitri said.

"I'm not going to sit around and wait to see my family killed or be killed myself.  I want to fight," Gracie added.  By then, all the kids were saying how they wanted to join the hunt for the Hunters.  I could see Elsa was pleased with herself because now her dad was in a tight spot.  My boyfriend hadn't said a word.  He remained in his place.  He appeared pretty torn.  He wanted to do what his dad wanted him to, but he wanted to do what his future pack wanted him to do as well.  It was a tough decision.

It was Arya who calmed everyone down. "We'll consider it.  Depending on how the investigation goes, if we feel like we can't handle it between us and the Searchers, then we will allow you to fight, but you would be following our strict rules.  That's the end of that discussion.  Now come up and find out your patrol assignments."

The kids rushed up.  I stayed seated on the couch until the crowd died down.  I ended up with Elsa, Dmitri, and Thea.  I knew they'd put me with either Hunter, Elsa, or Noah.  I was closest with those three.  They at least wanted me to have someone I was close with which I appreciated despite the fact that I really did not want go on patrols.

"You okay?" Hunter asked softly, coming up to me.

"Not really.  I'm scared I'll hold everyone up on our patrols.  I'm scared that something is going to happen to one of us at any moment," I admitted.

"I'm trying to talk to my parents.  I'm trying to get you out of it.  My mom should understand.  She's always there with you at your doctor appointments so she knows your heart can't handle it."

"I wish it could.  I wish I wasn't this weak," I said, on the verge of tears.

"Hey, if you can put up with me, then you are far from weak," he said with a grin. "Don't fret over this.  We'll get it worked out.  For now, why don't we eat some ice cream and watch a movie?  You choose tonight."

"That sounds nice."

"All right.  I'll get the ice cream.  I'll meet you up in my room." Hunter kissed me on the head and entered the kitchen.  The other pack members had dispersed.  I saw Elsa having a heated discussion with her father.  Both their faces were red.  I didn't want to eavesdrop but sometimes being a Guardian, your advanced hearing doesn't give you much of a choice.  I waited on the stairs for Hunter as I listened in.

"Don't you ever challenge my authority in front of the pack again," Ren warned.

"You're mad that I made a point that the others agreed with," Elsa fired back.

"Why are you so adamant in wanting to fight these murderers?  You may be a black belt but you are still untrained in the art of war."

"Because they killed Anna!  And I want my sister's killers to come to justice, whether that's by apprehending them or by killing them."

"You are not a killer.  Killing a person changes you.  You are not the same afterwards.  Ask me, ask your mother, ask Shiloh or Loren.  Hell, ask any of the adults."

"I'm not eight years old!  I'm seventeen going on eighteen and I know that I'm not old enough to understand a lot of things but I do understand the fact that we're being hunted by the people who killed half our pack, who killed Anna which in turn tormented Caleb so much that he ran off.  They have caused so much pain for our family and I want to return the favor to them."

"What has gotten into you?" Ren hissed.

"I've lost my sister and my big brother.  That's what's happened."

"So have Ember and Hunter, but you don't see them suggesting ways to get themselves killed!"

"I'm not Ember and Hunter.  They were always closer to each other than they were to Anna and Caleb.  I lost my twin sister.  I lost my other half and the only one I could ever gain any comfort from after that was from Caleb and now he's gone too.  So you ask me why I've changed."

"Elsa, go up to your room.  We'll talk later," Arya said gently.  I was about to be in a really awkward situation if my friend realized I'd been eavesdropping.  Thankfully Hunter got to me before her.  She brushed past us, completely ignoring us.

"I thought I told you to go upstairs?" Hunter asked, looking confused.

"I, uh..."

"Were you listening in?"

"Maybe..."

"I'm teaching you bad habits," he said with a grin. "What happened?"

"I think Anna's death and Caleb leaving have troubled her more than we thought.  Maybe you should talk to her later?" I said.

His expression fell. "I'll give her time to cool down.  She won't be willing to talk now if she's just been arguing with dad."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah.  Now come on, let's go watch the movie." Hunter led me upstairs and we cuddled in his bed.
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Elsa 

I waited until I heard my parents shut their bedroom door before leaving my room.  I hurriedly and noiselessly slipped out of the house.  Once in the woods, I bolted.  I knew exactly where I was going.  I'd been going there since Caleb left because it was the place with the only person I could talk to without feeling totally weak and powerless, someone I knew would listen to me no matter what.

I came to a sliding stop in front of her headstone.  It was black granite with white flakes that sparkled in the right light.  Her name was engraved in cursive along with her birth and death date and her age.  I placed my hand on the top of the headstone, taking a deep breath.

"Hi Anna.  I'm sorry I haven't been to talk to you in a while.  I've been busy with dance and school is starting.  My senior year.  I can't believe it's actually here.  I can't believe I've been without you for almost a decade now... I wish you were here to enjoy it with me.  I know I say this every time I come but it's not the same without you here.  I miss you so badly.  I miss having a partner in crime.  The closest one I have now is Ember and Josilyn but the first is too busy with Noah because they have a friends with benefits thing going on.  Did I tell you about that?  I can't remember.  I probably have.  I tell you everything.  I think she's starting to like him as more but I don't dare ask.  It's not my business, and the arrangement makes her happy.  I don't want her to think Noah likes her in a way that is more than a friends with benefits way if he doesn't because that could make things so awkward for them.  I mean it's not true that I know of, but still.  And then Josilyn is Josilyn.  She's such a great listener but as someone for a partner in crime with, it just doesn't work.  Hunter is too caught up in being alpha and with Caleb gone... you're the only one left that I feel I can talk to.  I feel like I don't fit in with the family any more.  I'm not planning on leaving or doing anything so stupid that I'll get myself killed but it hurts Anna.  Dad and I are arguing almost every day.  He's become so overprotective of me and I get it.  He fears that he'll lose another kid which is understandable.  But if he wanted to keep me safe, then he should've kept me ignorant.  He shouldn't have told me that the Hunters are after us.  Those people... they're the reason you're dead and I promise you they'll pay.  I miss you so much Anna.  I know you're watching over us, all of us, and I know we've talked in dreams, but it's been a while.  It'd be nice to talk like that again.  I love you." My voice cracked at the end.  I bit my lip to hold back my tears but it didn't work.  One by one, I felt the tears fall down on my face and before I knew it, I was straight up bawling my eyes out.  I brought my knees up to my chest and buried my head.  Even though I was totally and completely alone out here, I didn't want anything to see me cry.

"Hey," someone whispered.  I jumped in fright but calmed down when I realized it was just Hunter.  I quickly looked away.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, sniffing and rubbing my face.  Just one moment's peace is all I wanted...

"Josilyn might've overheard your argument with dad.  She told me I should talk to you.  I wanted to let you calm down before I did so," he said, sitting down next to me.  He stared at Anna's grave in silence for a few moments before he spoke. "You two were always so full of life.  You brought this light to the pack, even after the Hunters killed half our pack.  You two, somehow, understood the severity of the situation but rather than sulk like the rest of us, you tried to make everyone laugh.  Even though you were younger, Anna always followed your lead.  But the both of you always managed to get everyone to listen to you.  I remember making jokes with Caleb, more than once, that maybe you two were the real alphas and not me and him.  Then, when Anna passed, it was like that light left you Elsa.  You changed and it hurt me to see it because I felt like I couldn't help you.  I knew I couldn't.  Somehow Caleb did.  I wish I could talk to him now so I could him how he did it so I could help you now.  I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not here to tell you everything's going to be okay because I don't know that.  I don't know what all you said to Anna just now, and I know you won't tell me.  I'm here because you simply need someone.  I'm not Caleb.  You and I are not near as close as you and him were.  But if you ever need anything, I am always here for you Elsa.  No matter what."

"I miss her so much," I sobbed, leaning into him.  My brother wrapped his arms around me and for the first time since Caleb left, I let a family member see me cry.  I let them know just how much pain I was in over everything.  I wasn't going to tell Hunter everything.  He had enough problems becoming alpha, learning how to run a pack.  Ember wouldn't know how to handle the information.  Mom and dad... I just felt like they had more serious problems, i.e. worrying about making sure no one else in our pack was killed by the Hunters.  But at the same time, I knew Hunter needed no explanation.  He got that I was upset over Anna and Caleb.  He got that maybe some things did not want to be said and I appreciated that more than I can explain.

"You've always been so strong for everyone else, Elsa.  That's what I love so much about you.  You always try and put everyone else's safety before you own.  Dad knows that too.  It's why he's so protective of you, because mom was the same way and that almost got her killed multiple times.  He doesn't want you to be killed doing that.  I went and talked to him about your dance lessons, about letting you stay there by yourself.  After lots of convincing, I managed to get him to let you drive to and from dance by yourself but without any detours along the way.  None at all.  Can you do that?"

I pulled back and looked at him in disbelief. "You did that for me?"

"Hey, I agree with you that dad is way overprotective of you.  And while I whole-heartedly understand his reasoning, I also know that you need some freedom.  Dance is your one escape from the craziness of our family.  It's hard to find a place to be away from it all.  You've found a way.  I'm not going to let him take that away from you," Hunter said, giving me a comforting smile.

"I love you," I said, hugging him.

"I love you too.  What do you say we say good night to Anna and go back home?  I've already eaten a tub of ice cream but I could always eat another with you.  We can watch stupid YouTube videos," my brother proposed.

I laughed. "Thanks, but I'm okay.  You need to get back to Josilyn.  But another time.  Definitely."

"All right.  But let's head home, okay?" he helped me up.  We brushed the dirt off ourselves and started walking back home.

"Hey Hunter?" I queried.

"Hmm?"

"Is there any chance you can stop your plan of having Thea and Riley scare Spencer into submission or whatever it is you're having them do?"

"He's a freak for not being terrified of us," he said.

"That doesn't answer my question."

It was Hunter who laughed this time. "One thing of freedom at a time little sister."

"So that's a no?" I groaned.

He ruffled my hair. "That's a no."
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So that was kind of a depressing chapter that I did not intend to write.  Oops.  Oh well, hope you enjoyed :)