Written by: gooberlanes13

Edited by: KariGorsuch

"...so, ghosts, werewolves, witches, vampires..." Bri trailed off, counting with a knife hand across the coffee table as Sam passed her a Long Island Iced Tea from the bag he and Dean had brought up with them.

We had made our way to the nearest hotel we could find, which happens to be blocks from the Grande, the Wildwood Casino and Hotel. I dropped onto the made Queen bed, still feeling the adrenaline shooting through my veins as Dean dropped onto the other Queen bed. He leaned forward, pressing his elbows on his knees as he took a swig of the beer, looking between Bri and myself.

"...even – what about Leprechauns?" Bri questioned, grabbing Sam's collar and hoisting herself up onto the loveseat next to him. I stared at her hyperventilating and in an absolute panic, and quite frankly, I found myself speechless. "You...you – you were – right?!" She was pointing at me now, her hand shaking with the adrenaline left over.

I licked my lips, attempting to wet them to speak, but I couldn't find my voice. I placed my palms on my jeans and began raking them up and down my thighs to stimulate myself back to this realm.

"Eve." Dean's voice boomed from my left, pulling back to reality, only leaving me blinking rapidly as I glanced at him, then the – finally – silenced Bri.

"Uh, yes." My voice decided to chirp. "I've told you Bri, I've seen some shit – but..." I got a little choked up as I attempted to get and keep my voice.

"...not like this?" Dean cut in, his voice low and almost daring, as I shook my head, beaming down at the freshly vacuumed carpet of the hotel room. I found myself dazing out until I felt something ice cold poking at my left arm. I looked up to see Dean was passing me a Bud Light. "It's not a twist top, it's – "

Before he could finish, I popped the cap off on the edge of the nightstand, sending it flying across the room. Dean gave a low whistle as I took a long swig. "Damn. Remind me never to underestimate you," he said, his grin crooked and impressed.

"Bri, breathe." I sighed, leaning forward, almost mirroring Dean's posture. "Your world just got a little bigger is all."

"Little?" Bri almost shouted, glaring up at me. "Did you see that thing?"

"Yes, I did." I nodded, grinning at how big she was gesturing with her arms. "Tell you what," I rose to my feet, setting the chilled Bud Light on the coffee table and gesturing to Dean. "we're going to get dinner, could you -?" I gestured to Bri, eyeing Sam who smiled with a small nod.

"You're leaving me with him?" Bri almost squealed, attempting to back pedal from her judgmental tone.

"They saved our ass' Bri; I believe they've earned a little of our trust." I shot her a wink as Dean moved out of the room first, before I pulled the door shut and slid the room key in my back pocket. I turned from the door, "Thanks again, by the way."

"Yeah." He nodded at my thanks, but I could tell he was miles away in his head.

I sighed heavily as the two of us started down the corridor. The dimly lit corridor that was lined with a blood red carpet, some fake lanterns lit our way as we made our way through the musky lobby that stood in front of the elevators. One had just closed once we stepped into the clearing.

I leaned over and pressed the down arrow and stood awkwardly next to Dean, who remained quiet as a thick cloud of tension seemed to hover over us as we waited for the next elevator. I gave another, obvious, sigh before I spoke to break the torturous tinnitus screaming in my ears.

"So you've been doing this as a family?" I questioned, beaming at the blurred reflection of his figure in the elevator door, praying for it to hurry up so that the silence would flutter elsewhere.

"Yeah." He repeated, as if he was on autopilot, still miles away. I frowned at this, he wasn't with me in the conversation, but who am I to question him?

"That must be difficult, never having a normal life..." I sighed, almost to myself, but this seemed to chip away at his distant state of mind. "...no real chance for school, college, girlfriend, wife, kids..."

I looked over, realizing he had raised his head from glaring at the poorly installed carpet meeting the wall and the elevator doors. His eyes tinted with trauma and loneliness. An ache formed in my chest as I watched his eyes glisten over at the memories of a false past.

"...I've never thought about it before." He mumbled, his mouth slightly ajar.

"Maybe because you were never given the opportunity to think for yourself." I shrugged, realizing how long this elevator was taking, mentally cursing how old this place was.

Dean shifted his weight from one leg to the other, speechless.

"On another note, you have no idea how relieved I am that these things exist," I sighed, heavily, beginning to tangle and fidget with my fingers. "On one hand, absolutely ludacris...on the other, completely absorbing."

"It doesn't scare you?" Dean managed to find his voice.

"Well, you're not human if it doesn't scare you a little..." I trailed off, catching his eye. "...I mean, yes."

"Why did you do that?" He questioned, turning to face me fully, eyeing the elevator door impatiently.

"Do what?" I shot back, not meeting his face.

"Double back, correct yourself..." Dean waited for an answer, raising both of his eyebrows, earning another ache in my chest at his deep question.

I got the impression that he was attempting to squeeze an answer out of me and was beyond relieved when the elevator finally dinged, announcing its arrival.

"Oh Fuck, thank God!" I gasped, louder than anticipated and slid into the empty shaft. "Are you coming?" I asked, reaching out to keep the door from closing automatically.

Dean stepped in, quietly, watching his boots move with his feet and sighed heavily as the doors shut. Another cloud of silence hung over us before I decided to not only dodge his question, but change the subject.

"Out of your suspects, who has an unnatural amount of hair?" I thought out loud, turning to face him while leaning against the railing that lined the inside of the prism.

"It's Colorado," Dean seemed to giggle at the question, as if he was amused at my attempt to even discuss his profession. "Most of everyone has an unnatural amount of hair...beards, mustaches, goatees –"

Annoyed at the condescending tone he was using, I interjected, "- someone with a bad temper maybe, a lot of aggression...sharp jawline even – maybe even heightened senses, you know...more than the average human?"

Dean opened his mouth to speak, but I pushed through his hesitation. "Maybe if you didn't have your own head so far up your ass, maybe you'd learn something new."

"New?" He echoed, seemingly amused at my anger that was surfacing.

"Yeah," I smirked, glaring at his figure now. "New, as in fresh information, new perspectives..."

The elevator lunged a little, struggling to continue to work in its old age, as it continued to slowly lower us through the building, silence rested over us again as a growing tension began to build.

"How did you -?" He started, with a small grin at my demeanor, but once again – at the risk of him using the condescending tone again – I interjected.

"- Like I said, I've seen some shit." I stared without blinking, as he held my eyes and forced the moment to linger as the elevator dinged again announcing its arrival on another floor. I led the way out of the door, only to stop short at the cleaned out lodge area, where their 'dinner services' were finished for the evening. Although 'dinner services' were rare, they offered it here. However, there was no food left. "Son of a -"

"I saw an Italian place on the way in," Dean pointed over his shoulder. I did a double take between Dean and the empty trays, shrugged with a slight eye roll as we stepped out onto the street of the city and into the crisp cold night Cripple Creek was famous for. Immediately causing me to cross my arms in an attempt to keep warm. "Did you forget your jacket?" Dean scoffed, but before I could answer him, he was pulling his Leather jacket off his arms and draping it over my shoulders.

"Oh, you really didn't have to do that." I smiled, inhaling the beautiful smell of Leather, gunpowder and whatever his BO was, and I allowed it to engulf me. I felt the wind attempt to creep around the jacket as I started pulling the jacket tighter around my quivering shoulders. "Now you'll be cold."

"Don't sweat it, sweetheart. I'm like a walking space heater," Dean quipped, rolling his shoulders like it was no big deal. "Global warming? Yeah, that's probably on me." He smirked with a playful wink, although he seemed to keep himself composed, casual, all while seemingly not taking himself too seriously.

I fought the urge to interact with this display, but I couldn't resist smiling at his confidence.

"How do you manage that?" I muttered, glaring at the jacket collar as it kept smacking me in the face.

"Do what?" He asked, his grin teasing. Without waiting for an answer, he adjusted the collar with practiced ease. "There. Now you're officially wind-proof."

With a slight nod, I continued the question, "Carry yourself so confidently?" I tilted my head, assessing him as we came to a stop at a crosswalk. "To be so sure of yourself."

"I'm rock solid." Dean hummed against the traffic noise while smiling this playbook playboy smile that felt well rehearsed. I stared at him, studying him as the traffic ripped by us. It didn't take long for him to feel my stare; while still holding that rehearsed calling-card of a smile, he turned to me and I watched as his eyes softened a little, then that playboy smile melted away slowly to, what seemed to be, a genuine one. "Unwavering."

I felt a shift in my chest at his serious tone. Immediately causing my cheeks to begin to burn, and found myself thankful he had adjusted the collar so he could see the blush that had forcefully taken over my face.

"Watch your step." Dean muttered, tugging on his Leather sleeve, that I hadn't bothered to slide my arm through, and tugged me gently across the road.

"So, what brought you to Greeley?" I asked, once we stepped up on the other side of the street. "You have to admit, it's weird...our run-in? Sam meeting Bri, you and me..."

"Ah," Dean raised both eyebrows at my suspicious question, knowing the judgement undertone was present. "We found that there was a local guy missing - and once we started looking around...we found he was from Greeley..." He began elaborating, counting on his rough hard hands. "...that he had been missing for three weeks, last seen in Cripple Creek, and then we saw the history of the Grande, all those disappearances or deaths - whatever the state feels like deeming it..."

I nodded, following his logic. "Okay, but you have to admit it's strange that you and Sam would come across Bri and I, and we happen to be going to the same place, at the same time..."

Dean stopped short, glaring at me.

"...what are you trying to say here, Eve?" Dean inquired, almost defensively.

"I'm just pointing out that it was a weird coincidence that things lined up the way they did." I shrugged, continuing forward and when I realized he was still standing a few feet behind me, I called over my shoulder, "Hey, you know where this place is - I don't!"

Dean approached me and we continued on.

"Okay, on the other side of things...I could see where that would be creepy...." He admitted, but then pointed at me, very suddenly. "...but you have to admit that it was also creepy that you guys chased us the other night..."

"Oh sweetie," I snorted, patting his arm mockingly. "Don't get too big a head. We were admiring the wrapping paper, not what's inside."

His jaw dropped in a mockingly hurt fashion, earning a chuckle from me as he held his arm out in front of me, gesturing for me to stop, as he pointed at the restaurant that stood next to me. I nodded as he pulled the door open for me, almost bowing, and stepping in the door after me.

"Okay, I ordered a buffet...that way everyone gets something." Dean hummed against my ear as he walked up behind me in the back of the waiting area. "What are you looking at?"

"City lights." I answered, looking away briefly to address him. "It's strange how we mimic the stars, but everyone is so preoccupied with their lives, no one ever looks up."

Dean's face softened as he followed my gaze from the city lights up to the light polluted sky, where we could just make out a few twinkling dots.

"What would you look for to narrow down the suspect list?" Dean whispered over his shoulder, breaking the silence that - this time - wasn't uncomfortable or full of tension - it was almost peaceful. Even with the different conversations chattering around us.

"For the wolf?" I clarified, catching his slight nod out of the corner of my eye. I pondered his question for a minute, running through the knowledge I've known and the knowledge I had just obtained from this evening. Flashes of the beast coming through my mind, how it recoiled from the liquified silver, how the silver bullets only seemed to slow it down.

"I'm no expert on the matter, but figuring out who they are is step one, right?"

Dean nodded at my words, sliding his hands into his jeans pockets as he continued to beam at the city lights. I watched as his eyes flickered between the city lights and the few twinkles we could make out in the sky. A smile formed its way onto my lips as I admired his eyes even more in detail this time - without the heat of his gaze it was easier.

They glistened - no sparkled - no...shimmered as they traced the city's brush strokes of light and flickered between the mimicry and the real thing that peaked through the light pollution. My curiosity outweighed my need to save face in sexual politics as a question involuntarily fell out of my mouth.

"Do you get your eyes from your Mom or your Dad?" I heard it come out of my mouth before I could stop it. I frowned at the question as Dean turned from the window to face me. "Don't answer that, I shouldn't have asked..."

"...other than finding out who the wolf is," He interjected, circling back. "What would be your first step to finding that out?" He tilted his head again, as he watched me think.

"Again, I'm not an expert, but...I would investigate a series of deaths." I nodded, thinking out loud at this point. "Which explains your strategy of coming to Greeley, but the next step I would take is to figure out what kind of place they could call a 'nest,' if you will."

"Where they would, theoretically, stay?" Dean clarified as I nodded.

"So the Grande Casino and Hotel would be a potential safe haven for the big Beasty." I lowered my gaze, still thinking. "You said that they hunt by instinct...but this one has intent."

"Instinct versus Intent?" his voice gruffed next to me, pulling from my rant. "I know you're new to this, but did you know there's two types of wolves?"

"Two?" I almost gasped, too loud.

"Regular Werewolves, the ones you know about -"

"- A person gets bit, turns into a werewolf on a full moon, eats people etc. -"

He nodded as he continued. "- Then there's pureblood werewolves."

"Pureblood werewolves?" I echoed, feeling my brows raising and my eyes widening. "What would that consist of...a bloodline?"

"Yes," He pointed at me with a small nod.

"Wait," I held up a hand before he could continue talking. "Theoretically, if this was a pureblood werewolf, wouldn't the normal steps be disregarded? If there's a bloodline, then these guys have been around a while - and they're more classy, more calculated."

Dean's eyes went wide at my words.

"Wait- Did I nail it?" I asked, feeling a type of panic come over me. "Did I crack the case?"

Dean smirked, shaking his head. "Look at you, hotshot. Guess you've been doing your homework. Don't get cocky, though. I'll grab the grub." I turned back to the window, a small, proud smile tugging at my lips as I admired the glow of the city lights. The moment was short-lived. My chest tightened as a wave of cold washed over me.

There, standing across the street amid the blur of traffic was a wolf. Its eyes locked with mine- yellow, burning, unrelenting.

I blinked, trying to shake the image. Just nerves, I told myself. But it didn't vanish. The creature stood firm, its gaze like a knife.

Then came the sound. A high- pitched ringing, sharp and all-consuming, ripped through my ears, filling my head with unbearable pressure. It wasn't just noise; it was everywhere- bouncing off the walls, rattling the window, reverberating through the cars. My knees buckled, and I gripped the edge of the table for support.

Dean was at the counter, oblivious, collecting our food. Around me, the crowd buzzed with life, laughing, eating, moving- completely unfazed.

It was just me.

The fear clawed its way up, cold and unforgiving, and I couldn't stop the surge of adrenaline, sharp as it had been back at the Grande.

"Ready?" Dean's voice cut through the ringing like a blade, the noise fading as quickly as it had come. I turned, startled, and looked back at him.

"What?" He tilted his head, following my gaze to the window.

My stomach twisted. The sidewalk was empty.

"N-Nothing..." I frowned, glancing back at the street.

Dean's eyes lingered on me for a second, skeptical, before he shrugged. "Alright, let's roll." He tugged on his jacket sleeve, turning to head towards the door.

My legs felt like lead, but I forced myself to follow. The cold air outside bit harder than before. I stayed quiet on the walk back, throwing cautious glances over my shoulder, but the wolf- or whatever it was- never reappeared.

As we came to the sidewalk stretch that led to the Wildwood, I finally slipped my arms through Dean's leather jacket. The familiar smell and weight were comforting, grounding. I stuffed my hands into the pockets, seeking warmth, but my fingers brushed something crumpled.

A napkin.

I pulled it out, frowning at the scribbled edge. Recognition hit like a slap.

"This is from Morrie's," I spoke quietly, stopping in my tracks. "This is the napkin you used when we were talking about the bar...why do you still have it?"

Dean froze just ahead of me, his shoulders stiff. Slowly, he turned, his expression unreadable.

"Eve..." Dean started, raising his hand like he was handling live dynamite.

"...why did you keep it, Dean?" I asked, a little louder. I blinked a few times before asking myself, out loud, "Why do you- why am I angry about this?"

Dean took a cautious step toward me. "Eve, just-"

"No. I yanked the jacket off, shoving it into his chest. "Why are you still holding onto this? Why are you being so nice? Why- what are you hiding, Dean?"

"- Eve." His voice dropped, low and rough, stopping me dead.

I blinked, heat rising to my cheek, but the frustration still burned. Without another word, I pushed past him, the food bag crumpling in my grip. He was close behind as we climbed the stairs back to the room, the tension between us thick enough to choke.