I wake up alone, and I find that the terrible pain in my head and torso is subsided enough get out of bed.

I make my way to my bathroom, and see that the scratches and bruises on my skin have healed, and when I pull my shirt off, the results are the same with my broken rib.

I press on it lightly to test it, and I wince as I push harder. Not completely better, but I will be by tomorrow.

The bite on my neck is healing much more slowly then the others, but should be gone with my rib.

After changing into white shorts and a grey cami, I quickly putting on mascara, I make my way downstairs.

Jace, my dad and my brother's scents are recent, but growing stale. They've been gone for a few hours. Everyone else is still asleep, which is understandable considering it's so early.

I notice Lucian's still here, and Zael's spicy scent is still active in the house, mainly upstairs. He must be in the spare room at the end of the hallway.

My head turns to look behind me as Zael comes down the steps, his scent following him, giving him away despite his silence.

"They left to go looking. I heard them talking down here about it." Zael's says from behind me, but I don't look at him.

I walk towards the sliding glass door and open it, wincing a bit at the strain on my muscles.

"What are you doing?" He's right behind me again. " You aren't well enough to shift yet."

I turn to look at him this time, sending him a glare. "I'm well enough to do what I want." A low, warning growl rises in my throat and I don't care to stop it.

"They're capable enough of handling themselves." he crosses his arms and growls back, somewhere in his chest.

I give him a cross look before slipping out the door anyway, and he follows me, shutting the door behind him.

"I'm not saying they aren't, but they shouldn't fight something they know nothing about. Hell, I don't even know what it was about!" I hoist myself up to sit on the railing with a sharp intake of breath, but manage to make it.

Zael watches, but doesn't touch me or offer any help, keeping his distance a few feet away before leaning his elbows on the railing, looking out at the large space of yard and the endless woods behind it.

"We were trying to figure it out after you were asleep." He says, silver eyes scanning the trees.

I furrow my brow and look out over the trees at the rising sun. The cool morning air bites at my skin, but I don't mind. It makes me feel more alive.

"Why? It has nothing to do with you. And if I remember correctly, you were pretty beat up yourself." I make sure my tone doesn't sound like I care, because I don't want him to get the wrong idea.

He shrugs, a gesture that seems worn on him, like he does it a lot. "Because I can, and I feel like I should. I am staying here after all, I can do something to help. It wont kill me. "

We're quiet for a few beats, just watching the sun rise. The silence is heavy with the weight of his words.

We both know it could have killed him, and probably still can. He doesn't seem too concerned about it.

"Thanks for yesterday..." I let my words trail off, feeling that he understands.

"Of course." his voice is actually
modest, and I feel myself softening up to him.

"It was scary." I say after a moment. "The way he looked at me. I still can't figure out why."

"Why what?"

"Why he wanted me, what I'd done to provoke him, if I'd ever seen him before."

He looks at me then, but I keep my face turned away, keeping my gaze trained on the woods.

"It's not something you did."

I swallow. "Why are you so sure of that?"

He looks away. "We were talking about it a lot last night. We think he may be an alpha of a rough pack that was passing through, but were still stuck on who he is. It wasn't normal, the amount of power he has."

I catch a whiff of my father's scent and I lower myself off of the porch on the opposite side, my bare feet hitting the cool ground.

Zael jumps over the railing as well, landing quietly next to me, and he watches the trees with me, waiting for them to get back.

To my surprise, when they step out of the woods, they are all on foot. They must have changed before coming in the open, probably smelling us out side.

My brother and Jase are shirtless, my father in the process of pulling on a black shirt.

Jase sees me and give a boyish grin, and my brother smiles and punches him playfully. They've always been close friends.

Zael looks a bit uncomfortable, and scratches the back of his head.

I glance over at him and smile. Maybe we can end up getting along after all.

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Thanks guys, almost a hundred reads! Means a lot

~ Alpha Flame