Standing outside the hotel, May tried calling Eli. No one was around thanks to it being well past midnight except for one tired looking doorman and a receptionist who was constantly walking past the door to stare at them. Braydon and Bianca talked quietly beside her, yet she struggled to hear what they were saying and she was too tired now to really care. The twenty minute car ride had sent her to sleep, and May was struggling to wake back up. Of course that changed when Eli answered.

"Are you here?"

"Yeah." She yawned, failing to stop or hide it. "What floor are you?"

"I'll come down. Wait."

May rolled her eyes, and didn't bother repeating what he said as they had heard anyway. Cold, she inched closer to her Dad. Without a word, he put an arm over her shoulders, giving her a tiny squeeze of a hug too. Resting her head on his chest, her eyes once again fought to close and winning, May found herself jumping awake as she heard someone running. Her father's hands stayed on her shoulders, steadying her.

"May, she's getting worse." Eli sobbed, slightly breathless. Gone was the cool, calm and collected guy from earlier. His dark hair was a mess, and if May thought she was tired, he looked like he was ready to collapse. "Help, please!"

"Eli, I'm Bianca Miller, Alpha of this region. Can you take us to her?" She asked gently, as if sensing how fragile he was and not wanting to break him.

"Just you three are here?" He asked nervously.

"Just us. This is my Dad, Braydon." May introduced.

"Come on." He led through the lobby to the elevator and using the keycard, took them up to the third floor.

Bianca followed Eli, while Braydon held May back as he checked the corridor before keeping her in front of him. It was Bianca who went into the room first too, and the soft cries from inside had May moving in yet her father stopped her until Bianca called them in. The room was small, yet the tiny living room still managed to fit in a tv and computer desk. May froze as she saw Selena on the sofa. In the orange lamp light her skin still managed to look pale and Eli dropped down to her side to gently dab her forehead with a small cloth.

"She was in pain before, holding her stomach. Just before you got here she went quiet, and now is hardly moving. I don't know what to do." He looked up at them begging.

"We can't do anything for her Eli, but I know a doctor we can go to." Bianca told him, and explained what was going to happen now.

Again the crying caught Mays attention and nudging her Dad, he followed her towards one of the closed doors. Braydon kept her back, before swinging it open and two small faces stared up at them from the bed completely terrified. The girl looked slightly older than the boy, both wouldn't be teenagers yet and May moved around Braydon to sit with them.

"I'm May, we're here to help your sister." She smiled. "What's your names?"

"I'm Amy. This is Brock." The little girl introduced.

"This is my Dad, Braydon." May told them as they looked at him unsure.

Eli came in then, grabbing a bag and dropping it in front of the pair. "Get dressed. We're going."

Instantly they scrambled into action and May followed her Dad back out to where Bianca was on the phone, calling the hospital. She quickly finished and put her hand to her forehead, taking a few deep breaths.

"We'll get Selena to the hospital, then we can work out the rest."

So that's what they did. Eli sat in the back with his sister, while Braydon drove and Bianca just stared blankly in front of them, lost in thought. May had the hardest job though, choosing to sit with the younger siblings. She asked them questions about school, the movies they liked and their favourite ice cream. There wasn't time to think too much about what was going on in the seats behind them - she even earned a laugh out Amy.

"We're just going to wait here for a minute okay. Your sister just needs to see the doctor, and then she'll get better." May prayed she wasn't going to end up looking like a liar to them.

Bianca was out before Braydon stopped the car, and as soon as Eli got Selena from the back, the pair ran inside. With less urgency, the four walked in and following the scent of shifters, found Bianca outside a cubicle in the emergency room. A nurse rushed past, the curtains flying around her and Braydon held the pups back.

"How about we wait out here?" He asked, smiling.

Sad nods were all he got in response and sitting in the waiting area, May found some old, torn books for them to look through to help pass the time. Eventually they curled up beside May, sleep winning out and while May's head continually dropped before snapping back up awake, she managed to stay semi-alert to what was happening. It felt like hours later when Eli and Bianca appeared, and she didn't dare move and wake the sleeping children.

"They pumped her stomach, and are treating it like a drug overdose. And, they, and." Eli stared at his feet, unable to speak.

"They're doing a toxicology report, so hopefully we can get some answers from that. She's going to be okay." Bianca gently rubbed Eli's back, giving him the time he needed to pull himself together. "Are you sure you won't come back with us?"

"I can't leave her. If she wakes up, she'll just freak out." He sighed.

Right on time, Jay and Adam arrived. Bianca didn't even bother introducing everyone as even she couldn't stop a yawn now.

"Call us if anything happens." She told them, hugging Eli now. "Try and rest. You have the pack with you now, Amy and Brock are safe."

Something changed in May then. She wasn't sure what it was, or what it meant, but watching the guys turn up to offer some protection and support for Eli - a stranger, comforted her too. Bianca had accepted them, like that. She didn't know or seem to care about his parents; May had them he was like Chad. The pack would be hurting after this attack, May already felt the loss spreading between them like an invisible fog taking over the city. They would all mourn together - her too. Last night she had been willing to go back and help those that she didn't even like because it's what they do. Even Brad, in his own way had been looking out for when Eli first approached.

'This is pack' She told herself and suddenly it didn't seem so bad.

"Thank you. For everything." Eli let her go and looked at May. "Thank you too."

"Guess we are the pack type after all." She smiled, before gently waking up the pair beside her.

Once they had said goodbye to their brother, they silently followed their new Alpha to the car. May was surprised to see dawn on the horizon and this time she let herself sleep as they made their way back to Bianca's. Their welcoming committee was lacking, since Miranda and Cody had sent everyone to bed hours ago. Entering mothering mode, Miranda had the new arrivals settled within minutes and with only her daughter left to take care of, walked with her to one of the guest rooms on the second floor.

"Leanna left you something to sleep in. Try not to worry about anything, and get some rest okay?" Miranda hugged her tightly as Braydon came in.

"Get some sleep princess."

"You too Dad." May ordered, and as soon as the door closed she started to change.

"She was amazing. I've never been so proud of the way she was with those kids. Kept them calm, made them feel safe, and after the night she had too." She heard her Dad say as they walked towards the stairs.

May smiled, climbing into the bed that had to be the comfiest thing she'd ever laid in. For all the bad the night had contained, something good had happened too. In a few hours, she'd wake up and work out how to deal with everything else, but just for a moment it was okay to smile.

Positive she was asleep, May refused to open her eyes as she heard the tapping of nails on the wooden floors. The door mustn't have been closed properly hence why she heard it squeak a little bit as it opened then closed. Her good mood took hold of her mind, a feeling of being totally at peace washing over her yet the tapping was a little annoying and so was the way the bed now wobbled. Her eyes snapped open and the familiar wolf that now laid beside her took on a dreamlike appearance as a soft, golden light filtered through the curtains. A wet nose pressed against her forehead, making her smile as she reached out to run her fingers through the soft fur of his neck.

"I've missed you." She whispered, not caring what he thought about that at all as she finally fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

So did Caleb and he was thinking the exact same thing.

_____________ 

* For those who read this when it was first posted, rest of the chapter is below. Sorry! *

The buzzing sound vibrated through May's head as if a swarm of bees were about engulf her. Just thinking of the stinging insects woke her up in a blurry panic and blinking through the sudden and unwanted shock of waking she worked out the noise was actually her phone ringing. With a grunt of effort, she leant over the edge of the bed to reach for her jeans as it stopped. Grabbing the device, she flopped backwards while unlocking it only the phone was dropped as she jumped back up with a gasp, turning to look at what, or more like who she landed on.

"Why are you in my bed?" May demanded, quickly standing to put some distance between her and Caleb.

He lazily opened one eye, glanced up at her and closed it again. "Why are you in mine?"

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, May actually contemplated whether she should just lay back down or hit him over the head with the pillow. Instead she tried to think of how long he'd been there for. She crawled straight into bed the second she changed, and then the faintest memory of cuddling the warm, soft body of a wolf filtered through her confused mind which explained Calebs appearance now.

"Not your room." She pointed out.

Caleb groaned, burying his head into the pillow as he fought his body's attempt to wake up. He felt like he'd been asleep for days - well rested and completely satisfied. It was like being thirsty, and finally quenching a thirst or eating a really big meal that left you in need a nap. Maybe he was still asleep, the peace he currently had something that had become foreign to him in hte real world. Breathing in, the subtle freshness of fabric cleaner mixed with May's scent and his which seemed a little strange since his pillows rarely smelt so clean and unused. He liked this much better and smiling, which to May looked more like a smirk, he turned to look up at her again only this time he saw the room too.

"You make a good point." Yawning, Caleb rolled onto his back as content as a king in his castle, planning on going back to sleep. "Still my house."

"It's your parents house."

"Don't get technical."

With the decision made, May reached for a pillow to hit him with yet forgetting about how tender her wrist was ended up letting out a gasp of pain and dropped it onto the floor. It may not have been what she intended to do to wake him up, but it worked none the less and Caleb was there, dazed yet solely focused on her as he took her hand carefully in his. Of course it was then May realised he was naked - a hazard of going to bed in wolf form.

"Oh come on. Pants Caleb!"

He glanced down and grinned. "Nothing you haven't seen before. We're shifters, being naked is as acceptable as wearing clothes."

"Not right now it's not."

Rolling his eyes, he went over to the wardrobe and grabbed a robe - putting it on. "Better?"

"Much. Now can you go, I want to grab a shower and-"

"May, I think we should talk." Caleb hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly before going back to sit on the edge of the bed. "About. Us."

"Us?" She asked doubtfully.

"I was young and stupid and a total asshole when I said. Things. Those things."

"Young? It was last year Caleb and I'm not going through this with you again!" May went to leave the room, yet he moved faster and blocked the door. "Move."

"Please listen to me. I have no right to ask you too, but please." May rolled her eyes and already hitting herself internally, she gave a little nod. "I'm sorry. Not just sorry, but really sorry."

"You have such a way with words."

"I know. But, if I could go back, I wouldn't leave you like I did. I used to beat up anyone who said even a single word of the shit I said to you. I was angry you didn't shift like we were expecting. I was disappointed in myself for even letting that matter. I got so caught up in the idea of what was supposed to happen, I didn't know what was next."

"Do you think I did?" She snapped. "You promised. No matter what, nothing would change for us. I came to you when I needed you the most and-"

"I know. I know what I did May and it's been fucking killing me ever since!"

Caleb spoke with complete honesty and May didn't doubt he regretted what happened, but also questioned his reasons for it. She thought of when they saw each other a couple of months ago, that stupid kiss she'd  been trying to forget and his reaction. She thought of that night, when she'd found him in town with some of his friends and instead of welcoming her like they always did, they turned away instead. Now she knew she should've just walked away, but being gullible enough to think nothing had changed, she waited for him to tell her she was being an idiot - to give it time and that it could still happen. Instead, he told her to leave him alone; that he was sick of having to be nice to her and now the truth had come out and she wasn't one of them, just a runt that should never have been allowed to exist. His friends had laughed, someone had spat in her direction and she'd made the biggest mistake of all and cried. Worse than that, she begged. The ache in her chest flared up and now he was the one begging.  How ironic.

"Did it feel good for you though. You got to put the runt in her place Caleb. Bet you laughed it about with everyone too until your conscious kicked in. You probably only even give a shit right now because when we had to see each other I wasn't still broken and now I'm actually able to be happy again." For a second May wondered if she was being unfair. It was obvious he was trying, that he meant his apology whole heartedly, but she couldn't stop herself as the sense of betrayal returned to open old wounds. Then she realised the most obvious part in all of this. "Or maybe it just pisses you off, that I found someone who actually likes me as I am."

"No! Gods no! That has nothing to do with this. May, I hated myself as I was doing it, but I was angry and hurt and-"

"Hurt? You were hurt?" May almost laughed until she realised she was staring into wolf eyes and decided she better not, yet what came next was still heavy with sarcasm. "Well, sorry. Okay. I'm sorry for making you angry, for the fucking disappointment and for hurting you. I'm sorry I ruined your plans for the future and that I didn't shift."

"Don't." He growled, internally grasping to hold onto the light he had woken up covered in, but failing terribly. It wasn't helped by the growing headache as the wolf urged him to tell her the truth. "You don't get it!"

Calebs voice broke as he yelled at her, his body trembling as he looked her in the eye. May couldn't bring herself to look away, the awkwardness gave way to a feeling of complete desperation, of fear and rejection. She knew the feeling well, but even when looking at her own reflection in the mirror May had never seen it as clearly as she was now on Caleb.

"What don't I get?" She practically whispered - scared of what he might say now.

Her heart was racing and intensity of the moment, mixed with every other stupid thing going on was becoming too much. For a second, May thought she could possibly even faint yet she wasn't going to do that, she wasn't going to fall apart because Caleb was and he needed her to hold it together for both of them.

"Everything."

It confused May, yet deep down she understood it completely. Like starting at a math equation in an exam and panicking that you hadn't studied enough, that you couldn't remember how to do the sum. Yet then instinct would kick in, and you knew exactly what you had to do so you did it only to repeat the same process on the next question. Right now, May couldn't see the answer and Caleb clearly wasn't going to help her work it out.

"Tell me." She begged and reaching for him, he stepped back as his head dropped in defeat.

The world suddenly caught up to the pair of them. Braydon calling her name, while Nate went past the door and on into Caleb's room as he looked for his twin. The yelling wasn't limited to the bedroom and all the people downstairs had heard his outburst.

"I can't."

He left, and May let him. It was then her phone began to ring again and yet she made no move to answer it. Whatever it was could wait and she'd barely taken a breath before her Dad was standing before her. As Miranda came in behind him, she pushed past and pulled May close.

"We heard the yelling. What's going on?"

"Nothing." She answered instantly.

"May-"

"It's nothing. Just, nothing. How are Amy and Brock now, any news on Selena?"

Braydon sighed, knowing they said or did would get her to talk when she didn't want to. To go and rip Caleb apart would probably do no good for anyone, or so he reasoned. One word from May though, and it wouldn't matter whose son he was. The pups' luck had run out as far as Braydon was concerned. 

"They're all good. She's well on her way to a full recovery." Miranda assured her.

"That's great. I'm going to take a shower." May told them. "Is that okay?"

Miranda nodded. "Of course. I grabbed some things earlier when we went home for you. I'll bring them up."

"Great. Thanks." May left her parents and disappeared across the hall, into the bathroom. For some strange reason, seeing the fresh towels left on the basin only made her feel better. Stronger. They were something so normal in all the chaos of her life that she clung to it like a lifeline. "Everything is going to be okay."

So why did she that so hard to believe?