Being human again was hard. I had to shower daily, dress and be civil. Meal times were hardest because I had to remember manners. I had only been feeding in wolf form, hence the neglected state of my body so having to chew - not rip and swallow as well as use cutlery, cook – apply condiments and salad dressings, was hard.

Two weeks after my return, I still couldn’t stand being around Taylor or Adam. Adam’s fear radiated off him like death on a corpse and while she was not a strong enough shifter to do so, I could feel Taylor’s resentment and desire to fight.

Jay was constantly trying to make peace, trying to find topics Taylor and I could share an interest in, like shopping and pink sparkly items – those kind of things that had become so irrelevant to my life. I admired him for trying, but until we had at each other nothing was going to ease the tension.

Connor was my biggest ally, I forgave him for his computer searches and rather than wait for Cody to tell him my story, I did it myself. In return, on those late night and early mornings we spent together, I taught him things like he had been doing for me, only rather than catching up on politics and the economy, latest computer software and advances in mobile phones; I taught him to fight.

Oddly he didn’t like being in his wolf form, beneath the skin the animal was more controlling than the human and it scared him. Considering how quickly he had been to submit when we had met in the wild, it confused me. I guess the wolf saw his weakness and used it to his own advantages.

Determined to help him, I was always making him shift and be in wolf form. I had him practicing using his senses by setting scent trails for him to follow and practicing how to listen so when I snuck up on him, he might stand a chance at hearing me. The sooner he and his wolf learnt to work together, the better for them both.

When I wasn’t with Connor, I was with Cody.

Our workouts weren’t easy on either of us. We’d both walk away on shaking limbs and bleeding with bruises, although I think he liked it. None of the others here could go into combat with him; the guards he hired did occasionally, but they were happy to keep to themselves and patrol alone.

My pack had yet to move on to higher grounds, so most nights I still left the house and called out to them. I’d still get their replies, checking on their missing friend – just hearing their howls was like getting a hug and helped settle my nerves from being at the house. Even if I wanted to, my wolf never let me run away again.

It was going into the third week when I had another nightmare about my shifting night. My mates words about making the predator the prey haunting me as I woke, covered in sweat and screaming. It wasn't the first time it had happened since being in the house, but because they were all out and doing their own thing they never knew. This time Cody happened to be coming in early and heard it all so came to check on me.

I shifted instantly as someone appeared in my room, still pumped up from the dream it took me a few moments to realize whom it was and seeing Cody, I was glad no one else witnessed it. I refused to shift back and so, he shifted too; laying beside me in wolf form as he waited for me to calm down.

He didn’t mention it that night when we had dinner.

As usual I sat back from the table, staying out of conversation and guarding my plate. I refused to eat in front of them, struggling to stop myself from simply shoving food into my mouth like it was my last meal. Connor tried to encourage me to eat with them, so did Jay.

Taylor and Adam still ignored me.

My nightmare played on my mind, and as everyone went their separate ways to sleep I waited for my alone time with Connor. Cody continuously hovered and I’m not sure if it was because my episode this afternoon had him worried about me or his family should I flip out again.

“Connor, the pack that took over my old one after my parents death – do you know much about them?”

He shrugged and I followed him up to his room, well aware Cody was taking his time in the bathroom so he’d be closer should he be needed.

“I know a little, but I could probably find out more. Why?”

I paused, listening as Cody finally went to his own bedroom down the hall.

“I need to know if it’s him leading them. Can you get a photo?”

Connor nodded, smirking slightly.

“This is so Mission Impossible, of course I can. I can get more than that!”

Now he had my interest.

“Don’t tell anyone, but as much information that you can get would be great.”

I left him alone, not sure if he was going to go sleep now he had his ‘mission’ and went downstairs. The amount of remotes they had was confusing and I managed to get the television turned on and silenced. I started watching news programs; curious to see what was going on and by dawn I resorted to watching infomercials.

“So buy one get one free deals are what keep you sleeping during the day?” For the first time ever, Cody was the first up – not Connor.

“I can’t resist, good thing I don’t have my credit card handy.”

“Remind me to hide mine then.”

My first instinct was to poke my tongue out like a child, so I did and he grinned in return. Day by day things I used to do, tiny bits of who I used to be started to come out and that was one them. It was mature I know and my mind drifted to all the times Leanna and I would beg our parents to go shopping or like now, order random impulse buys from the TV. The screen started flashing and  we both got distracted, watching the free offer on the pan set if we rung up and ordered now.

“Why are you up so early?”  I turned back to Cody; this wasn’t part of my routine.

“I’m always awake first Bianca, who do you think turns on the coffee?”

He had a point.

I’d often fallen asleep out here and woke because of the aroma of the coffee machine taking over the house and it was the first thing I noticed when I left my room. I couldn’t drink it yet; it was disgusting to me now and yet the year I turned sixteen, Leanna and I had just starting drinking it like it was going out of fashion.  The four sugars and carton of milk added to it may have helped us like it, but now I’d rather drink blood.

Leaving me I turned and watched him go to the kitchen, curiously following as he played away with the one appliance I hadn’t worked out how to use yet. Leaving it on he made himself a cup, winking at me as he passed and went up to his room.

So much for always being alert.

-

“Bianca!” Connor called in a shouting whisper from Cody’s office at the side of the living room. He was engrossed on the computer when I appeared and glancing towards the printer he saw me and jumped again. “Stop sneaking up!”

“In the wild, you’d be dead.”

“I’m not in the wild.” He snapped back, getting up he headed over to the printer and grabbed the stack of papers.

“What’s this?”

He flicked through the pages and pulled one out from the middle to pass over to me. I dropped it, unable to even hold something with his face on.

“Damon Lyall, Alpha of your old pack. Well after it was merged as one with his. He is a mean mofo too. Did you know he killed his own Father AND his Uncle?” Connor spoke like he was idolizing him and put all the printing in a folder and passed it over.

Was I ready to read this?

“I know, ah, thank you for getting this for me.”

“No worries. What are you going to do with it?”

I shrugged; gripping the folder like it had been glued to my hands.

“Curious.”

I could hear the others coming in for lunch and quickly ran upstairs while he flicked on the TV. Sitting on the bed, I held my breath and took out the printing, scared at what I would find.

I didn’t get far as for at least the next hour I stared at his picture, already knowing every inch of it from my memories.

Coward.

My wolf hissed, and I agreed. The longer we stared the angrier we both got and putting it away, I started to think.

He said a Gypsy told him his future, so who the hell was she?

One of the things Connor had printed out was a Facebook log. I wasn’t entirely sure what Facebook was, but it had quotes from Damon as well his relationship status, some pictures and he’d mention places he had been to. Scanning over, nothing really interested me a great deal until I saw a picture he had been tagged in, what ever that meant.

I’d have to ask Connor more about this program and finding the photo on the next page he looked to be at a street festival and the woman was dressed, as you’d expect a gypsy to be. Her maxi skirt was a red velvet and gold bells hung from around her hips and ankle while the white peasant style blouse left little the imagination of what was underneath it. A sign in the background read Esmeralda’s Imagination and I wondered if there was something on internet to search for it.

I hadn’t been a big computer user in my old life, what I remembered was limited so far everything Connor told me was like another language. Maybe Goggle or what ever he said could help?

In the end I had to wait two days so I could go on the computer without them knowing and it took me all morning to work out how to look for things on it. Not only did I find the stores address, but also a webpage listing her services.

Fortune telling was one of them.

I made a few notes and put it all away, not expecting to walk into Taylor when I left my room.

“Watch where you’re going!” She snapped. My growl didn’t seem to deter her and without thinking we stepped wide around each other, testing the other.

Just like I had with Cody I moved forward, invading her space and where as he would step back, she flinched – but didn’t move.

“What is your problem with me Taylor?”

“Everything. You attack my family, and then just expect us to bend over backwards doing what ever you want. You need to be in a mental hospital or a zoo and leave us the alone!”

I shrugged; maybe I was ready to be committed.

“Feel better?”

She growled, not impressed with my sarcasm and lunging forward I braced myself for her attack. As I fell onto my back flipped her over me and she was quick to shift.

Taylor stalked towards me and I stood, watching her movements closely. The commotion had the guys running in and standing at the base of the stairs, Cody was beyond mad.

“Taylor. Shift back now!”

She ignored him and I held up my hand to silence him, “She’s been wanting this fight Cody, let her have it.”

“Taylor!” Adam yelled, knowing full well his sister was in trouble if she didn’t back down. She lunged at me again and I jumped to the side, the wolf quick to follow I didn’t have time to save my clothes and shifted ready to meet her.

Her teeth dug into my shoulder and furious I turned my head to snap at her. She had me on a good angle; if I had been weaker I would submit to her now.

Unlucky for her, I wasn’t that kind of wolf.

I put all my energy into standing, throwing her off balance and deciding not to risk making a bloody mess in the house leapt down the stairs and trotted outside. She had no chance in beating me and my lack of taking her seriously stirred her into frenzy.

Taunting her further, I sat on the law in front of the house and as she barged past her family who all begged her to stop, she did – skidding to a stop.

I didn’t move, just sat there waiting for her and that didn’t help her mood any. She came at me again and I darted out her way. As much as I wanted to rip into her, my wolf was more interesting in playing with her. Had she been more of an opponent, I wouldn’t have taken it so lightly and we despite everything – we didn’t really want to harm her. Not permanently anyway.

By the end, she was exhausted, and the guys sat on the top panel of the fence watching. Now they knew I wasn’t going to hurt her, they calmed down and when she looked like she might drop, I finished it. Taking hold of her neck, I squeezed as I pulled her down – not to kill but enough for her to know how close she came to having me end her life.

I shifted, my hands around her neck and gripping onto her fur she went to move, hopeful that she might stand a chance because I was human again. Problem was she still couldn’t move as my strength didn’t vary in the hold around her neck..

“Try this again, none of your family will be able to save you.”

The wolf only whined and I stood up, hoping she really had learnt her lesson. The fact I could then walk inside proved to me she had, not another growl was heard from her. The others all went to help her up and shifting Taylor was bruised and covered in tiny cuts from where I had nipped at her continuously.

She deserved it.

My wolf was quiet on the whole matter, more interested in what information I might be able to find amongst the print outs of Damon. Later that night when we worked out with Cody she wasn’t enjoying it like normal, completely distracted. The downside to that was I had to work over time without her help and after messing with Taylor in the afternoon; I was getting tired.

“Thanks for today, I really thought…”

“You thought what Cody? That I had no control?” Now she was interested, my chest rumbling with a growl.

“Yeah. Sorry, honestly you handled it better than what I would have if the situation was reversed.”

We stayed quiet for the rest of our training and I said nothing going back upstairs.

I hesitated outside my room, sensing I wouldn’t be alone and opening the door Taylor was sitting on the end of my bed. She had a black eye and moved stiffly, while the worst of her wounds had begun to heal. Most were artificial and would have disappeared with a shower. I had made my point.

“I’m sorry.” I walked in and left the door open, not willing to make her feel more uncomfortable.

“Ok.”

“Could we start over?” I only stared, not sure what she meant by that exactly. “You know, us girls gotta stick together.”

“No I don’t know.” I answered coldly and her face fell in disappointment. “I guess if we’re starting over, you can show me what you mean?”

“Really? I’ll do anything to make it up to you!”

I liked the sound of that.

“Good, you can start by teaching me how to drive.”

Going cross-country may not be easy in wolf form, especially in areas where wolves aren’t typically seen. The world doesn’t know about our kind and to change that would be disastrous.

“Drive?”

“In a car, I never got to learn.”

“I can do that!” She nodded enthusiastically and I hesitated as she came towards me. ”Um, tomorrow then?”

I nodded and closed the door behind her, glad to tick something off my ever growing to do list.

-

True to her word, Sunday was spent teaching me to drive.

Everyone was cautious of my budding new friendship with Taylor, considering not even twenty-four hours ago she’d wanted to kill me and I hadn’t been waving the flag for her survival.

The automatic car didn’t take long to master and a few hours later we headed back home. We both had slightly sore necks from my constant braking, yet I could ease the car into the garage well enough. Getting out, we left passed the smaller shed at the side of the garage and I eyed up the dirt bikes kept in there.

“The guys will have to help you with those, I don’t ride bikes.” Taylor got out of the car and I was impressed with her patience. Now she let her walls down, she wasn’t that bad to be around. We had a long way to go and the bonding time in the car helped. Her annoying level was similar to Jay, but it was getting more tolerable.

“How did you go?” I knew Jay was only making conversation. The four guys had been watching us since I turned on the ignition and we headed down the road that went around the property.

“Well, as long as we avoid intersections and traffic, she’s got the hang of the driving side.” Taylor and Jay started towards the house, only after being stuck in the car for seven of the eight hours of the day I was itching for a run.

I missed my wolf. I missed the pack.

She assured me this was how it was supposed to be with the human in control and had things never happened, I’d be like them. Our bond was stronger than most shifters of my age; it was hard for it not to be after what we went through together. Her happiness was felt in my core, and I guess she had been right to convince me to stay here.

“I’m going for a run.” I called out and the pair stopped, turning back to look at me. “Ah, did you want to come?”

“No I’m starving and could do with a nice relaxing bath after today!” Taylor kept walking and Jay hesitated before nodding.

“Sure!”

We shifted and started down towards the back of the property. I could tell he was struggling to keep my pace, and I didn’t want to slow down for him, I had my own fitness to maintain.

 I let my wolf hunt a rabbit, ignoring the disgust from Jay and since we had left his family’s property I felt free. It would be so easy to keep running though, find the pack and slip into that routine again. It was like Jay could read my mind, subtly trying to herd me back around towards home.

 Instead I shifted.

 Night had just taken over the land, turning into a new and completely different world to the one you see in sunlight.

 “Can we go back?” If I didn’t know better, I’d say Jay was afraid of the dark.

 “Jay, why did you come after me? You could have just left me out there, instead you followed me.”

He shrugged, smiling slightly.

“Honestly, you had that same broken look about you Cody used to have after the accident. He ran off too, only he went a few towns over to a bar not the forest and he had us to go find him and bring him home. You clearly had no one to find you.”

The familiar ache in my chest flared up thinking about my parents.

“You didn’t know me; I could have been a killer or completely mad or something?”

“No, you were just hurting. You could have killed us that first time we met, but you didn’t.”

I reached over and gave him a hug and he was as stiff as a tree at my touch. A few seconds later he relaxed and hugged me back.

“Thank you for finding me.”

His smile was worth the human contact, while I wasn't completely comfortable with it, it wasn't so bad.

“Any time.”

We kept walking and I could tell he wanted to say something else, the silence making him cave.

"Can we go home now?"

“Ok.” He seemed surprised I gave in so easily, yet that disappeared as I kept walking and didn’t shift. He said nothing besides the odd curse word as he stepped on a sharp rock or tripped on a branch. Years of living in the dark had helped my eyes see better and like Connor, Jay didn’t really use his wolf much to help him in human form.

 I wondered if other shifters were like this.

 So did my wolf.

 In the end we did shift and ran back home. Cody was sitting on the stairs out front and seeing us he stood up instantly.

“Where have you two been?” He demanded, standing he walked out to meet us and Jay quickly shifted. His tone grated against my nerves and instead I sat down, simply staring at him.

“Out for a run?”

Jay was confused; it was like we were in trouble only we hadn’t done anything wrong. From inside Taylor and Adam’s figures could be seen by the window, the light of the living room making them look like shadows on the curtains and Connor walked out to stand at the top of the stairs were Cody had been sitting.

“You went out at four; it’s now close to nine. Did something happen?”

Then I heard it, hidden below his anger it was obvious. He had been worrying about us.

“No, Bianca just had a lot of energy to run off. We didn’t go that far from the farm Cody.” Jay dropped his gaze and his whole figure seemed to shrink. There was no argument in his tone as he made our run sound like a confession.

“I went looking for you and you weren’t close to the property Jay.”

“I didn’t think we went that far.”

Shifting, I had enough.

“What is your problem Cody? I know Adam and Taylor went that far a couple of days ago!”

“Don’t worry about it.” He growled, turning and storming inside there was no guessing where he was going.

“Sorry Jay, I didn’t want to get you in trouble.”

I rested my hand on his shoulder and he nodded.

“It’s fine Bianca, he just gets like that sometimes after what happened. He’s controlling, but it’s because he cares.”

He headed inside and the look on Connors face stopped me from following.

“What?”

“Been giving yourself computer lessons Bianca?”

“No, I haven’t touched it.”

Liar.

Connor laughed, as if he could hear my wolf and shook his head.

“There is a thing called search history and you didn’t clear it when you were done. What’s with the psychic chick?”

I froze, not wanting them to know about that.

“Bianca?”

“It’s nothing. I was curious; my future is pretty unclear right now. Maybe they can offer some guidance?”

“Just one psychic Bianca, you searched for the store and the address and used Maps to work out a way to get there by foot.” He crossed his arms, clearly not buying my lie. I hated the fact he knew so much about computers.

“I used to see her, in my old life.” Still a lie.

“And she didn’t give you a heads up on what was coming?” Connors doubt was still clear and I didn’t like being interrogated like this.

“She did - a big change that I needed to be preparing for. I know what she meant now, if only she could give me some clue as to what’s next.”

I let my tears fall, trying my best to appear innocent and finally his bad cop routine started to break.

“You don’t need a psychic Bianca; most of them are fakes anyway. Does it mean a lot for you to go and see her?” His family was to kind, Cody was the only with half a brain and I had no problem in taking advantage of it.

“Yeah, it really does. I know not everyone believes in them, but I do.”

Liar.

Only now when my wolf spoke to me it wasn’t with an amused disappointment and lying to her friends. She was just as eager as I was to see this woman and now it seemed like a possibility, her excitement matched my own.

“There is an end of summer fair down that way in a couple of weeks. I can probably talk everyone into going and while we’re there, you could go see her?”

“You’d do that?”

He nodded his smile like Jays and a pang of guilt at lying to him made my stomach churn.

“If it’ll help you, yes.”

I quickly hugged him, amazed at how this simple gesture seemed to impress them so much. We headed inside and for the first time since my return, I didn’t go see Cody. I was scared he’d be able to sense my lie and all I wanted to do was keep reading through the information Connor had already got me.

True to his word, two weeks later we all piled in the car and I was going to find the gypsy who ruined my life.