Miranda looked at Bianca, wondering when they all got so old. Sure they were only in the early forties, but all the stress and bad memories that the last few years of a happy, easy life managed to suppress seemed quick to return. They hadn't had normal things happen to them - for humans or shifters and now those good times felt like they were part of another life of a different person. All of this seemed like a bad movie, and Miranda just wanted it to end.

"Connor has no luck tracing any further leads. Most of what he found was just, data. Medical stuff. They were researching us, testing all sorts of things." Bianca sipped the glass of wine Cody put in front of her wondering, like Miranda, if she drank enough would all of this still seem so bad?

"We'll work it out." Braydon assured her.

"I just hope before it's not too late." She sighed.

The four of them sat on the back deck, tired from the meeting where they had no choice other than trying to stay optimistic for everyone else. It was like preparing a football team before a big game they had no chance of winning. Miranda checked the time on her phone, something she'd been doing since she arrived and Bianca finally asked her about it.

"You seem very distracted tonight Andy, what's going on?"

"It's May." She said it like a confession, making Braydon shift uncomfortably in the chair beside her. "This new boy she's seeing, I just, there is just something I don't like about him."

"I thought you liked him?"

"So did I. The party was a bad idea, we shouldn't have let her go."

"The others are there, and Caleb is on his way now to keep an eye on things. As soon as Jon mentioned it tonight, I got a little paranoid. Out of towners going somewhere our pups are, without being told to expect them or to behave could prove a bad mix. It never ends does it?"

"I'm still not sure what's going on between Caleb and May. They seemed so normal together last weekend, then what happened on the driveway, before them acting like strangers again this week."

"They will work it out. That's one thing I do know." Bianca smirked as she took another sip of wine.

"Hopefully soon. I swear, if he and Nate weren't identical, I wouldn't think he was ours sometimes." Cody looked even more exhausted than Bianca. "I don't remember being that moody at his age."

He glanced at Braydon who only shrugged. "I was living wild at his age. I got nothing."

"We've tried everything. He won't go to a therapist, he definitely won't talk to us about it. Even Nate and the others struggle with him lately. He has so much potential as a dominant wolf to take over one day, but if he doesn't work through whatever issues he has now, I don't know what will happen. Twice he's challenged us, lost complete control and shifted trying to fight." Bianca told them in disbelief.

Neither Braydon or Miranda realised the Caleb situation was so bad. They hadn't seen too much of what was being said, since clearly he had been on his best behaviour around them. Now Braydon felt nervous about being so okay with him being around May. If he was this like that with his own family, what could he do to her and was that why things had been so tense between them lately?

The beeping of an incoming call sounded then and looking around, Cody realised they left everything inside. As he got up, Braydon finished his beer and moved after him to go get another and as Bianca watched them go, she leaned in closer to Miranda.

"The worst part is, it terrifies me that he's going to end up like-" Bianca paused, biting her lower lip in uncertainty. "Him."

"Him?" Miranda asked, confused. Yet suddenly Bianca didn't look so old or tough or wise. Wide eyed, and scared, it took barely seconds for Miranda to work out who she was walking about. "No! He was a sick, disturbed man. Caleb is just, strong willed. It's a stage! I can't believe you'd even compare them!"

"I watch him sometimes, and he get the same blank look in his eyes and his moods. I just, I don't know. Everything I've done, everything we do now, I just don't want to fail them. I want them to have what I didn't, but what if that's not enough?"

Miranda knew Bianca was just overreacting; her fear the kind all parents have for their children. To compare Caleb to her actual mate, Damon - a psychopath that killed Bianca's entire family and nearly her too was absolutely ridiculous. Miranda had seen the kid grow up, all of them, and despite Bianca's past she had left it there. Sure she had her quirks and Miranda wasn't naive enough to think her harmless, but as far as shifters were involved, there was always a part of them that was untamed. It was who they were and it wasn't a bad thing. May had a stage, and this was Calebs. Miranda certainly put her parents through hell and back too so wasn't worried like Bianca.

Before she could tell her that, something made her stomach ache as a heavy blanket of dread washed over her. In seconds Bianca was standing up and with a look at Miranda the women rushed inside in time to see Braydon slamming his fist down on the kitchen counter in rage. Cody wasn't much better, yet managed to keep his voice sounding semi-calm.

"Come straight here." With a shaking hand he put down the phone, and seeing the duo closed his eyes as he spoke. "There's been another attack."

Miranda looked at Braydon, unable to move and as he looked at her, she instantly hugged herself, not sure she wanted to hear anything more. Ever since dinner she had a bad feeling, and being able to give him a big, 'I told you so' wasn't going to make this better. "May?"

"She's safe. Caleb has her." His tone was rough, the rumble in his chest unmissable and he got to Miranda as she first sob of relief left her. "They were ambushed at the party."

Bianca gasped. "Leanna? She was there too!"

"Safe. Caleb has them all, and Tiffany." Cody told her as she snatched up the phone. Instantly she called Nate, ordering him to come home with Harry immediately before she drifted into the front room and told everyone lockdown had started once more.

The meeting that happened a few hours earlier was already redundant. Messages and emails were sent out to any in the area about what had happened. The sick feeling of guilt for letting down their guard, even just a little bit weighed heavily on Bianca's shoulders, her fear as a mother more dominant than anything else. She had her babies coming home, but who in the pack didn't?

"What are we going to do about Tiffany?" Miranda asked, forcing herself to calm down.

"It might be time to welcome her into the family too?" Cody suggested. "She's grown up with them as much any of the other pups."

"You two know her best, can we trust her? Even now?" Bianca asked flatly.

"Yes." Miranda told her, completely believing it as a car stopped in the driveway.

"Then I guess her night is about to get even more crazy."

In seconds the four of them were at the door, yet only Bianca ran out as it was Nate and Harry. The pair were dazed as their mother mauled them with kisses and hugs, before letting them inside.

"What's happened?" Nate asked, looking around he started to get worried. "Where are the others?"

"On their way home. There was an attack, at the party. The hunters came." Bianca hugged him again as Harry forgot about being brave or acting like his older siblings and took Nate's place as soon as he could. "You're okay my sweetheart."

No one knew what to do. The urge to go and chase the hunters down while there was still a chance at a lead was strong, yet until they had seen their kids they weren't moving an inch. Braydon was glued to the front window, keenly listening for the sounds of the car - the wolf clawing at him inside as it sought out it's pup. He had a taste of revenge once; the threat those people placed on Chad and Miranda made the wolf want blood and he had got it. Now May, his beautiful baby girl that he had spent hours rocking asleep as an infant, that he taught to talk and walk - the very person he and Miranda had created together, had been put at risk.

The wolf wanted to kill them all. Braydon agreed.

__________________

The car slowly turned the corner before it was gently accelerated onwards. At the next intersection, it was carefully steered through the roundabout. Caleb dared to pick up speed on the long, straight road before getting onto the highway, where he really put his foot down. Leanna got off the phone, and leaned against the backseat, while Tiffany simple stared out the window watching the lights go by. No one spoke.

'Careful!' The order from his wolf was loud and demanding; without even looking at May, who Caleb had made sure to sit up front with him, he knew the last turn off the highway had been too rough.

Despite having assured everyone her wrist was fine, Caleb knew it wasn't. His wolf sensed it first, urging him to take care of her. She kept it cradled in her lap, and every time he took a corner too fast or swerved when she wasn't expecting, May had winced. Tears wet her cheeks, yet she didn't make a sound or complain that his driving was out of control like he was used to doing. She'd always criticised his driving, right back when it was decided Miranda should give the twins lessons as she was the only one patient enough to do it and May had to be with them to learn how to be the worst backseat driver ever.

"You call this parking? You do realise just like when you're colouring, you're meant to go between the lines right?" She teased him in the carpark at the shops. It only been his second attempt and he had been proud of it. When he'd gone to tell her she couldn't have done it any better, May had grinned up at him and Caleb had forgotten what he was going to say.

Distracted with the memory, the next corner was taken a little too sharply and this time the pressure in his mind from his wolf, forced him to mumble a sorry to her.

"What for?" She answered, sounding completely unaffected despite the fact he had seen her face scrunch up in agony a second before.

Caleb didn't answer, putting all his focus in getting them home instead. By the time they pulled up outside Caleb's house, Tiffany was asleep - or passed out, May wasn't entirely sure how much she had drunk. Leanna slipped out of the car first, leaving her door open as not to wake up Tiffany. It was easier for her to be asleep than to hear something she shouldn't. Bianca was waiting with open arms, and Leanna fell against her in tears - something they both thought was happening much too often lately.

May had her door opened and Caleb was there to help her out, not that she needed it. He kept her close to his side and as her parents ran over, he moved to shield her from Braydon. Of course it was something that wasn't appreciated, and when he growled, Caleb looked as though he was about to take all his rage out on her father right then. Yet somehow he managed to drop her gaze, ending the challenge, but he didn't move.

"Caleb?" Miranda asked, confused about what she was seeing. It was almost as though he was protecting May from her Dad, which made no sense.

"She's hurt. Be careful." He snapped, finally moving.

"I'm not hurt!" May protested.

"What?" Braydon gave a sniff, yet there was something familiar about what he did smell and it wasn't nice. "You smell terrible."

"Thanks Dad. Not you too." She sighed, moving around both males to her mother. "It was horrible Mum! I saw them taking them, and we couldn't do anything!"

May did flinch as she didn't move her hand quick enough and it was squished between the two of them. Instantly Caleb was there, gently pushing Miranda back.

"May, stop lying. Nate, can you get some ice?" He asked, rather than demanded.

"Sure thing." His twin ran inside as everyone moved after him, just a little bit slower.

"What about Tiff?" May asked, looking back into the car.

Without a word, Caleb went and carefully got her friend out and carried in. She was put on the lounge in the games room, and closing the door, Caleb managed not to wake her at all. Miranda got May to sit at the table and Nate gave her the ice-pack. Carefully Miranda moved Mays wrist, and the first signs of a bruise began to appear.

"It's just sprained. Definitely not broken." The cold pack was put around the sore area and leaning back, Miranda frowned. "What did you do?"

Caleb went to talk, yet May gave him one look that stopped him. "I fell, in the rush to get out."

Leanna avoided Miranda when she looked her way and if anyone else noticed the awkward shift in the air, they didn't mention it.

"I'm just glad you're okay." Braydon kissed her forehead, getting another whiff of that rotten stench. "What is on you?"

Miranda leaned closer and breathed in, unable to smell anything. "Nothing is on her?"

"That's what I said!" Leanna added.

"Nate?" Caleb asked.

"Well we all know June smells!" He joked, trying to lighten the mood. "So why- oh god. What is that?"

"It has be something to do with us being human. You can all smell it?" Miranda asked and was given a round of nods in reply.

"The girl, I mean, the punch." May grabbed her shirt and looked at in horror.

"I thought we agreed you weren't drinking tonight?" Braydon folded his arms, looking more than annoyed.

"I didn't Leanna spilt her drink on me!"

"You were told not to drink!" Bianca snapped at her daughter.

"I didn't know the punch was alcoholic!" She lied, deciding not to dob May in too. "Or poisoned!"

"Poisoned?" The adults all repeated in unison.

"It's what makes the most sense. The punch. I saw some other shifters there drinking it, most of them just shot it down like it was disgusting. I thought maybe it was just had something really strong in it, but I saw one girl sniff it and-" May paused. "Selene."

"Who?" Miranda frowned.

"She had some before they left!" Panicked, May pulled her phone from her pocket and called Eli. He didn't answer and she tried to remember what he had been drinking. "They're like me, not full shifter. They were coming through looking for Dean, as someone had told them he could help. The lost their Dad to the hunters. He said they were staying in a hotel and after I saw you guys, he was going to call in the morning and see if you could help get them to Amber. They could be really sick by now!"

"Why did they leave?" Bianca asked cautiously.

"Brad tried to pick a fight because he wasn't pack, so he thought it would be easier to leave rather than cause trouble."

"How about you two tell us what happened tonight, starting from the beginning." Cody decided.

Leanna went first, before May added her story to it. No one said anything for a few minutes, until Bianca stood up.

"May is right. We need to find them before anyone else does. It won't be long until the ones who were taken are reported as missing too. Braydon, get Chad here. I'm going to get Kyle and a few others to go to that house and see what's been left to help us. Hopefully some of that punch. May, keep trying Eli. I'm going to see if Connor can do any of that tracking stuff with the number." Bianca moved off to make her calls, while Braydon did the same.

Cody and Leanna went to put Harry to bed, while Miranda and Caleb sat with May.

"You need to get that smell off you. It's giving me a headache." Caleb groaned.

"Okay. Keep trying to call him, please?" She asked her Mum and headed upstairs to see what she could borrow of Leanna's, and maybe take a quick shower.

As soon as it was just Miranda and Caleb, Miranda put the phone on redial and got Caleb's attention.

"What really happened to her wrist. That bruise is not from falling over, it's got a handprint!" She whispered angrily at him.

"That Josh guy did it." He admitted willingly.

"What?"

Caleb told her what he had seen when he got there and so, she then confided in him her own suspicions. Not only that, but also about the curry fiasco which seemed to have slipped by everyone else so far. With all that against Josh, Caleb was furious.

"I am going to-"

"No, you're not." Miranda stopped him, hitting redial again. "I need to think about this for a second. Anything we do now will put May on his side since she already covered up how he left that party. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet, but I will and hopefully she will be honest with me."

"If she is around him, she's in danger! I can't believe you would allow that." He snarled.

"The shifters who drank that punch tonight got sick. I'm not stupid enough to think the girls really didn't drink. May ate that curry at their house first, the leftovers were for Braydon. She has passed their tests, and he wanted her to go because he knew what was about to happen."

"She's safer with him." Caleb hated how that had worked out.

"May said she felt bad for throwing out the food and told Josh that Braydon loved it anyway." Miranda thought, wondering if she to had been tested. "Oh god, the water! We've all been tested."

"I don't know what you're on about. We need to tell Mum this."

"We do. We're all in danger if they've been this close the whole time." She sighed. "I need to talk to May, this is going to crush her."

"Want me to do it?" Braydon offered, having heard every word.

"No, I will." Miranda decided.

"May? Are you okay?" Eli's voice suddenly interrupted their conversation and Miranda grabbed the phone.

"May's fine. This is her mother Miranda. Are you okay? She was worried about Selene."

"How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"Um, she told us about your Dad, and that you're looking for Alpha Dean. It was your cousin's party. May's taking a shower right now, please, trust me, where are you? We want to help." Eli went quiet, clearly thinking it over as Leanna walked back in. "Leanna is here, you met her too."

"Eli, this is May's Mum. The Alpha is here, I can get her for you if you like?" Leanna offered.

"I believe you." He finally answered. "We're at the Hilton. I don't know what to do!"

"We're coming!" Miranda assured him, looking at Braydon who gave a slight nod.

"Bring May. I won't believe you otherwise." Eli demanded as someone in the background cried out in pain, and the call was disconnected.

"We know where he is." Braydon told Bianca as she came back in.

"Good. As soon as Chad is here, we'll go."

"May. He wants you to take her too." Miranda looked at Braydon and already knew his answer. "She knows him, if they need help, let's not make it any harder."

"Are you insane?" Caleb snapped.

"I'm with him." Braydon agreed.

"Well, too bad. I'm going!" May decided having caught the end of the conversation as she came downstairs.

"You're not." Caleb decided.

"Everyone stop!" Bianca yelled, not hiding the authority in her tone. "Andy is right. They're probably scared, and if they want a familiar face so be it."

"No!" Caleb protested, yet realising he was fighting a losing argument he did the next best thing. "I'm coming too."

"No, you're not. You will stay here and do whatever it is your father needs you to do. Keep watch with Chad, help Connor with that tech stuff. Sulk in your room I don't care, but you will stay here." Bianca ordered. "You all came so close to being taken tonight. Once was enough!"

"You do not leave my side." Braydon told May, who simply nodded in agreement, yet she wasn't looking at anyone other than Caleb who had entered a stare down with his mother.

"Caleb, just do it." Nate groaned, as everyone seemed to hold their breath to see what would happen next.

A shiver went through Caleb as every part of him knew them going was a bad idea. They didn't know this Eli person. Who knew if his sister was even sick? If anything happened to May... May. He looked at her now, proud yet infuriated by the look of determination on her face. It was his responsibility to keep her safe. It always had been.

'You said she wasn't yours. You didn't want to be the one anymore.' The mocking tone of his wolf had him seeing red, and as the creature within him wanted control - wanted to try and make it right again, another shudder had Caleb trembling. If he shifted now, he wasn't sure what would happen.

Everyone thought the same thing and Miranda stood, looking at Bianca who already appeared defeated. Braydon moved towards May, since Cody was already near Miranda. The tension was thick enough to touch in the suddenly much to small kitchen as it was obvious to Braydon that Bianca and Cody were right to worry about their son. He wasn't just moody; like this, he was dangerous.

"Caleb, you need to calm down." She spoke so softly that he strained to hear her. "It's going to be okay. Dad will be with me, so will your Mum. Too many of us going will get unwanted attention and you can't go anywhere like this."

'She's right. This is all your fault. Look what happens when you don't listen to me!' The wolf scolded.

"May-" Bianca warned as she went to stand in front of Caleb, but May ignored her.

"We couldn't help the people at the party and the Hunters took them. You need to stay here and protect our families, while we go and help Eli and his." She looked up into Calebs eyes and he knew he'd do whatever she wanted, even if he didn't like it. "If you're not going to listen to your parents, please just listen to me."

The situation lasted barely seconds, yet for each adult it felt like an eternity. Braydon was the first to sigh in relief, while Bianca simply closed her eyes and prayed Caleb wasn't about to do something that would spark a fight, argument or anything else. Really, she didn't want to go. She wanted to stay and do whatever she could for him, but what that was - Bianca had no idea. Well, actually, she had one idea and it didn't have anything to do with her.

"Why would I listen to you?" He snapped and pushing past her, his footsteps soon echoed on the stairs before the bedroom door slammed shut.

Miranda went to May instantly, and the hurt look on her daughter's face broke her heart - especially as she quickly wiped her face in an attempt to hide the tears she couldn't hold back.

"I just thought-" May stopped, hating herself for constantly trying with him when it still clearly meant nothing. Tonight it was like he cared, so why did he have to always act like he didn't. What was so horrible about her that kept pushing him away?

"I know. Come on sweetheart, Chad will be here soon. Let's strap your wrist okay?"

Everyone left the pair of them alone in the kitchen and Miranda tried to remember what she had been taught in the first aid class she had organised at work. Luckily the first aid kit Nate had got from the bathroom had everything they needed and once they were finished Chad arrived. He wasn't thrilled with May going either, but went inside without an argument and the three of them left to find Eli and his family.

_____

Yeah... so... boys are stupid huh?