Austin

Okay, I'll admit it. I may or may not have been the one who got scared the most when the wolves jumped out. Most people only jumped back a little when they appeared, but I was a screaming mess. As you can tell, I'm just a tiny bit paranoid from the whole ordeal before.

My fright only ceased when the wolves suddenly morphed into people. They were werewolves. The both of them were laughing hysterically, one of them so much that he was doubled over. Glad to know our fright amused them. Chris ran back over when he heard us - or me - scream but stopped when he saw the two werewolves.

"Seriously guys?" he yelled at them as they only continued to laugh without a response.

"You know them?" Izzy asked, obviously not amused with the little stunt they just pulled. I couldn't blame her.

"Sadly, yes," Chris sighed, looking just unamused as Izzy.

"Aww, is that how you treat your best friends?" the werewolf who was doubled over joked as he punched Chris lightly on his shoulder.

I knew that werewolf looked odd when I first saw him, but now I knew why. Instead of having the dark hair that most werewolves possess, his hair was blond like mine. Never once have I seen a werewolf with a different hair color before. With his blond hair and black eyes, he almost looked like an angel of death. I would've been frightened of him if it wasn't for the bright grin he bore on his face.

"That wasn't funny, Dakota," Chris warned, but it was obvious that he was struggling to hide his smile.

"Did you see the humans' faces? They were terrified. It was awesome!" Dakota exclaimed.

"The humans have names for your information," Izzy told him dryly.

The three werewolves all turned to look at her. I know she was still upset after everything that happened that day, I was just as upset if not more, but I knew how to keep a cool head. Well, not at first, but by this point, I was calming down. Izzy only seemed to get worse. She knew she shouldn't anger the werewolves after they were about to keep us safe, yet here she was.

"Apologize to us," she demanded as she crossed her arms.

Chris covered his face with his hands and muttered a few things that were incoherent. Even he knew this was a bad idea.

"Oh, really?" the other werewolf said. It was the first time I heard him speak. "What happens if we don't?"

"Stop it, Drew," Chris warned.

"Apologize," Izzy repeated, unfazed by how menacing Drew looked.

Dakota's wide grin disappeared when he noticed how serious things were getting. Izzy and Drew were having a staredown. He looked as if he expected her to back down any second now, but she never did. She's braver than most people give her credit for. It didn't do anything for my nerves, though. He literally looked as if he was about to kill her and I definitely wouldn't be able to handle that. Just before I could step in, Dakota beat me to it.

"I'm sorry for scaring you and your friends," he said, a smile appearing on his face once again.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Drew asked angrily as he turned to his friend.

"She's brave," he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "How many humans do you know would stand up to us like that?"

"None because no human has been here in years," he said before suddenly turning his dark glare to Chris. "Speaking of which, why are they here? Weren't you supposed to be hunting for food?"

I was starting to get a sneaking suspicion that we wouldn't be welcomed into town when we reached The Grove. We never even heard of there being a werewolf town from any of the other werewolves we saved, Chris was the first to mention it to us. Now that I think about it, there was probably a good reason for that. The poor guy risked getting in trouble in order to save our asses.

"It's kind of a long story," he said as he scratched his head sheepishly.

Sitting down on a fallen tree, Dakota spread his arms out wide as he crossed his legs. "We have time."

So Chris recounted the whole story from when we ran into him and when we escaped the Hunters knowing that Izzy and I wanted nothing less than to say it ourselves. Finally, when he was done telling them everything, Dakota looked confused while Drew looked doubtful. Obviously, they couldn't believe it just like Chris hadn't.

"You're kidding me, right?" Drew asked, his gaze only focussed on Chris. He only ever looked at the other Rescuers and me when it was to shoot us glares.

"I wish I was," Chris replied grimly.

"So humans have been hunting us and that's why so many people who go hunting for food never come back?"

"Yes. But these humans have been trying to help us," he added quickly when Drew turned his murderous glare on us.

"But the werewolves that have been helped by them; why haven't they ever said anything?" Dakota asked curiously.

Good question, I was thinking the exact same thing. We've been rescuing werewolves for years now yet more and more werewolves set off the alarms every day, each one as clueless as the last. We assumed that by now the majority of them knew how dangerous the Hunters were, but none of them knew a thing. Even Chris hesitated after hearing that question.

"My guess... is that they went to Charlie first and he made them keep it a secret. Last year, Charlie ran into them. Knowing him, he probably knew about them way before he even ran into them."

"So a lot has happened," Dakota summed up.

"Basically, yeah," I said. It was the first time I spoke since running into these two new werewolves.

Drew shot a glare at me after I spoke and I was almost expecting the same treatment from his companion, but Dakota only smiled at me before returning his attention to Chris and Drew.

"That reminds me, what were you two doing here anyway?" Chris asked the two other werewolves.

"Charlie told us that you were going on your first hunt so we wanted to be the first ones to greet you."

"But then all you come back with are these humans. I mean, we could still eat them, but I'm not too sure a lot of people would be in favor of that," Drew added as he shot us a dirty look.

Izzy and I glared at him, Chris merely shook his head and Dakota elbowed him in the ribs. At least it only seemed like Drew was going to be this hostile towards us.

"Charlie is going to be so pissed at you," Dakota said after a moment of silence.

"Oh, no. I only just thought of that," Chris said nervously. "If you can think of a way to hide over a hundred humans, I'm all ears."

Dakota only shrugged.

"Well, I, for one, think that you should be more worried about your father finding out. He'll kill them all," Drew stated.

All the Rescuers became uneasy including me. He was only trying to scare us, right? Chris wouldn't actually be stupid enough to bring us to a werewolf town where we'd all be hated, right? Please, someone tell me I'm right for once.

"My father won't find out," Chris said between gritted teeth. "He's extremely sick, he won't be getting out of bed anytime soon - it'll be a miracle if he even survives. Our only problem is getting Charlie not to tell him. If I can convince Charlie not to, we're in the clear."

That finally made things more clear. We were definitely not welcome in the town. I would've opted to just leave and start heading back home if it wasn't for the fact that the Hunters would kill me on sight. What's worse; werewolves who despise us or the Hunters? I'll take my chances with the werewolves.

"Why did you invite us here if we're obviously not welcomed?" I finally asked.

"You are welcome. Well, by Dakota, Drew and me at least."

"Not by me," Drew muttered.

I didn't know what his problem was and why he hated us so much. Chris told him how we risked our asses to save his kind's lives and yet he still has a reason to hate us. He heard our story and he knew that this day has already been less than pleasant for us. Why can't he just give us a break?

"Not to be rude or anything," Izzy said, "but most of us are already injured so can we hurry up?"

"Patience, princess," Drew snapped.

I expected Izzy to get pissed by what he said, but she merely only stayed calm which let me know that she was about to say something she'd regret.

"Watch it, dickhead," she replied back and smiled when she saw how angry Drew suddenly looked.

I always told Izzy that her attitude would get her into trouble, but I never imagined something like this would happen. I quickly stood in front of her knowing that this wouldn't end well.

"Leave her alone," I told him as I blocked her from his sight.

"Get out of my way now," he demanded in a deadly calm voice.

I'll admit it. I felt slightly threatened. This werewolf was like Jack and David combined - a very frightening and dangerous combination if I may add. The fact that he was probably over six feet tall didn't help. I wouldn't consider myself weak, but I knew there was no way in hell I'd be winning if Drew decided to pick a fight with me instead. Thankfully, we never had to test that. Before he could take a step towards us, both Chris and Dakota grabbed each of his arms and pulled him away from us.

"Calm it, Drew. I didn't make them walk miles here just for you to kill them," Chris said, a tinge of annoyance present in his voice.

Drew muttered a few words I couldn't make out before turning his back to us. It was good to know that at least Chris and Dakota could calm him down when he got angry. I had a feeling this wouldn't be the only time they'd have to do it.

"Izzy's right, though," Chris said again. "We really should be heading to the Grove now."

As he headed back over to the group and began to start walking again, Dakota spoke before we could get far.

"You mind if we tag along?" he asked as he held a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun.

Wow, it was already sunrise? We must've been walking for longer than I originally thought. It seemed like only an hour ago when we held a surprise party for Izzy. When Liam was still alive... What even were my last words to him? I couldn't even remember the last time I ever told him that I loved him...

"Fine, but Drew's staying up ahead with me."

"And I was so looking forward to ripping them apart," he muttered sarcastically before following after Chris.

The two of them walked about fifteen feet ahead while Izzy and I walked behind with the others. If I ignored Chris and Drew, it was almost as if she and I were leading the group like old times. But it would never be the same. Liam could never come back. We'd still be missing one of the most important and most loved person here.

Before I could let my emotions break once again, I felt someone place their hand on my left shoulder. Thinking it was Izzy, I turned to her just to see her giving me the same curious look as I spotted a hand on her shoulder as well. We both jumped when a certain blond-haired werewolf squeezed himself between the two of us, never taking his hands off our shoulders.

"Hey, no need to get scared. It's just me," Dakota said, another bright smile present on his face.

Izzy and I gave him wary glances, our tense bodies never calming. He seemed a lot nicer than Drew, but I was still wary of him. After everything that happened could you really blame me?

"Trust me, I'm not as violent as Drew," he spoke again with a slight chuckle before turning serious. "But seriously guys, I just want to apologize for him. He's not always like that."

"I can tell he must be a really fun guy to be around," I said sarcastically.

I thought he'd get mad about that, but Dakota only laughed again.

"I know it's hard to believe, but yes, he can be a fun guy when he wants to be. He'll get used to you in no time."

"I'm not sure we'll be around long enough to see that day," Izzy said grimly.

She had a point. Between the Hunters wanting to kill us and werewolves like Drew, it'd be a miracle if we could survive the next week. Was it bad that I really didn't care about death anymore?

"Don't say that. It's our turn to protect you guys now. It's the least we can do for all those times you saved us. We won't let anyone die."

A little late for that, buddy. I knew he was being sincere, though, and that's something I really needed at the moment. So maybe Drew wanted to rip us to shreds, but Chris and Dakota didn't. That meant the rest of The Grove would be like them. Right?

"Hey, Dakota," Chris called from up ahead. "You and Drew go on ahead and try warning some of the others that humans will be coming in soon."

"That's my cue. I'll see you guys later," he told us.

Flashing us another smile, he touched his ring and started dashing away towards where Drew waited for him who also was now a wolf. I never noticed it before, but Dakota's fur was oddly a bright blond to match his just as odd hair color.

Once the two werewolves disappeared from sight, Chris walked closer to us probably because he didn't have to keep an eye on a homicidal werewolf anymore. We were finally away from where all the trees were blocking the path but now I understood why they were there. Along with that barrier, they served to keep people away. Now that I think about it, the werewolves are extremely intelligent. This probably wasn't the only entrance to their town.

"We're here," Chris said as he stopped walking.

Stepping to the side, he let us pass to get a view of what laid ahead. I was the first person to walk into the opening which I definitely regretted. I was too busy wondering what I would see ahead and not on the ground. It didn't help that Chris never bothered to tell us that there was a cliff up ahead and because I'm as smart as I am, I nearly walked right off it. Thankfully, Izzy grabbed my good arm and pulled me back just before my foot stepped off.

"I so meant to do that," I said quickly after I regained my footing.

I was waiting for a smartass reply from her but it never came. She wasn't even looking at me. I followed her gaze and was amazed by the view in front of me. The town was absolutely beautiful. The rising sun with its sherbert glow that cast an array of colors over the town, the giant watermill collecting water from the river that seemed to be the boundary line, and not to mention the giant park which reminded me of Eclipse Park back home. I couldn't believe the werewolves live here, it was stunning. I would consider moving here if it wasn't for the fact that probably all the werewolves hate me.

"I see you all like the view," Chris said from behind. "Welcome to the Grove."