Daphne pursed her lips. She'd expected as much.

"Daph?" Val scooted her chair closer, leaning in—

"Your mother was born here," she started and waited for a reaction. When she received none, she kept going. "She left with her parents when she was four to live with some family in New Orleans — our family — but she returned right after she shifted. Her parents chose to stay back but — she couldn't. She told me there was something pulling her here, that her wolf was driving her crazy." A sad smile crept on her lips, Val gave one back as an answer.

Her wolf...

Her mother was a werewolf. Was her father one, too? Were they mates? Something warm settled in her stomach, she was going to meet her wolf when she shifted.

A frown covered her face. "Their names aren't really Mark and Serene, are they? And those people that died in the car accident... weren't my parents. What really happened?" When she first asked about them, Daphne had been taken aback. As a kid, she didn't think twice about it, but as she grew older, she began to question the sudden way she'd blurted out the names. And after everything...she felt like there was something wrong with the picture stuck in her head. There was more to it, she knew it!

Something flashed in Daphne's eyes. They glazed over for a moment before she blinked twice and shook her head. "You have the right to know. I understand that more than anyone, trust me. But I can't tell you — not yet."

"You can't tell me?" Val bristled, hands clutching at the sides of the table tightly. "They're my parents!"

Daphne cautiously flickered her eyes from Vals' clawed hands to her now golden eyes but leveled her stare. "I know this is confusing, but I need you to trust me. Please. I promise you'll find out soon enough."

"All I've been doing is trust you! You lied to me about what I am, who my parents are, and I never doubted you; not once! Don't you think it's time you put some trust in me instead?" Her words came out with a low growl and she had the faint sense of the table cracking under her hold. "I need to know, Daphne!"

Daphne's body reacted with a small jerk but her face didn't show it. She seemed calm and collected on the outside, but her eyes...

She'd been lying for so long and yet—

She shook her head. She refused to feel bad for her. Whatever happened in the past was causing her pain, but not knowing was just as painful. Val knew nothing about who she was, and yet here she stood, denying her the right to know about her heritage. Again.

Daphne didn't budge. She just stood there, watching. With a glare, and more than one splinter digging in her fingers, she waited, giving her just a little more time to change her mind.

"I need for you to—"

"Trust you. Yeah, heard you the first time," Val said bitterly and let go of the table, hands shaking by her sides.

Throwing Daphne a last look, she gritted her teeth, retracted her claws, and headed for a bath.

*****

The doorbell had Val grumbling and mumbling curses under her breath as she lazily swung her feet over the bed and made her way downstairs.

Too early.

"What do you want from me?" she groaned while rubbing at her eyes.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already." Alex smirked. "It's Saturday, and we've got two hours to fix—" she moved her hands from the top of Val's head to her bare toes, "—this."

"It's too early, come back in two to three business days." She pulled her lips into a sleepy smile and went to close the door. Alex — surprise, surprise — stopped it.

"It's evening, and the sun will set soon. Seriously, how hard has Zack been working you?"

"Go ask him that," she grumbled. Her eyes turned pleading. "Please let me sleep?"

Sam patted her shoulder with fake sympathy as she stepped in, Alex on her tow. "No can do Donovan."

*****

"No."

"Why not? It's a nice dress." Sam carefully folded the dress with a pout and put it in the bag she'd brought in with her. It was well known that that bag was going to be a problem from the beginning.

"Pink is not exactly her favorite color, but somehow, I feel like the tulle was enough of a reason," Alex chuckled. Val cringed along with her. "I have to say though, that's too much, even for you."

Sam stuck her tongue out, mumbling something about not being able to get rid of the damn dress, and went back to digging into Val's closet — where the normal clothes were.

"How about this?" Alex asked and Val sighed. There was no escaping a dress. She nodded at the present Daphne had gotten her a few months back with a small smile. At least it was pretty.

*****

Sam wore a thigh-length, dark, green dress, with a closed-up neck and an open back that complemented both her silhouette and her beautiful facial features. She chose to keep her hair in its natural, curly state while her green eyes looked brighter than ever. A big — maybe too big — black purse was in her hands while the shiny, black heels that decorated her feet made clicking sounds in her wake.

Alex wore a dark red dress, slightly shorter than Sams', with an oval-shaped front that connected to a choker-like collar. Her light brown hair was straightened out and fell beautifully over her back while her stunning green eyes checked on her red matching heels for the hundredth time.

Val chose to wear a nude black dress with two small cuts on each of her waist sides — Daphne's gift — matching it with a pair of nude, black heels Sam had thrown her way. Her freshly curled hair flowed like waves over her shoulders and her face — just like her friends — barely had any makeup on. They had somehow agreed it was too much of a pain to clean up later.

"Aren't you getting your purse?" Sam asked.

Alex gave her an incredulous look. "I think yours is big enough for all three of us, Sam."

"Not with that attitude, it isn't," she tutted.

The bell finally rang, catching their attention. Val slowly made her way to the door, careful not to trip over her own feet, and pulled on the doorknob, revealing the boys they all knew and loved. Note the irony.

Erik faked a gasp and the three girls rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, you're alright yourselves." Alex shook her hand dismissively with a small smile.

"Just look at them all matchy-matchy," Sam squealed in mock excitement, hands squeezing at her cheekbones tightly. "They're almost adorable."

Erik and Damian shook their heads with a scoff; Ian did so with a small smile that didn't go unnoticed. Well, maybe by Sam it did. They were both as clueless as they come.

"Why can't I just wear that?" Val asked. "Why do they get to be comfortable while we suffer?" She groaned.

"Oh, don't sell yourself short," Damian pouted mockingly. "Going out with you will be plenty sufferable."

"Looking forward to exceeding your expectations." Smiled Val.

They sported simple black jeans, with T-shirts on top. Erik and Damian both wore black ones while Ian went for a dark bluish one. Their hair was a shuffled mess, but the idiots that they were, they pulled it off.

"You have to let some of that womanliness show from time to time." Sam bumped her shoulder, completely ignoring the comments, and Damian fake-gagged. She glared at him.

"Can we go now?" he pleaded.

"Since you're asking so nicely."

Val left a note on the fridge for Daphne and followed the others to the club, all the while exchanging conspiratorial looks with Alex at the sight of their two stubborn friends ahead.

Ian and Sam would 'discreetly' steal a few glances at each other and immediately snap their heads away the moment the latter made a move to turn. Idiots, that's what they were. A tad bit adorable as well.

Upon entering the club, the smell of sweat and vomit flooded their senses. Val scrunched up her nose and tried to breathe from her mouth. That's one time her sharp senses had failed her.

Alex led them to the middle of the dance floor where they danced and drank their lungs out all night long. One of the perks of being part of the supernatural was that they couldn't easily get drunk, but since they hadn't completely shifted, they grew a little dizzy.

She spent a good amount of time trying to discern the supernatural people from the humans, and was surprised by how much fun that was. It was interesting to watch for all those small tells that werewolves or vampires or witches did. Though she noticed the last was scarce.

Val danced with Sam as the others went to the bar for more drinks.

Out of nowhere, a familiar scent hit her nose, but she couldn't place the direction. Her nose was full of sweat and alcohol, mercifully hiding most of the other foul scents.

"Hello, Sam," said a boy almost a head taller than Sam. He snaked his hand around her waist. "Been a while since I last saw you."

Sam froze, the color drained from her face.

"Ryan, come on, man!" Another voice shouted from the back. Sam's lips pulled back in a snarl as he smirked.

"Coming!" he shouted back and eyed Val curiously, nostrils flaring. "Well, ladies, it was nice meeting you." He winked at Sam and disappeared into the crowd, his scent faintly lingering in the air before sweat covered it again.

"Was that...?" Erik frowned after the boy as they handed them their drinks. Sam gulped down hers and thrust the empty glass to Damian's chest. He looked at her with something akin to concern and didn't fight her when she reached for his drink, too. She downed it even faster.

"I just remembered I have a curfew. See you on Monday, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer as she grabbed her things from their table and began to swiftly pass through the sweaty bodies.

Alex held the boys back with a hand as they tried to follow but Val was already after her.

"Sam!" Her shout came out as a mere whisper in the loud music, but it was enough for a werewolf to hear. She stopped.

"What happened back there? Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I'll explain some other time, okay?" Val slowly nodded as she turned and walked out.

Something pounded in her head as she watched her disappear. She rubbed at her temples and walked back to the others.

~~~~~

"Where is she?" The dark figure snarled and sent another blow at the prisoners' jaw. A few drops of blood splattered out of his mouth and onto his chained arm. His head turned from the impact, eyes looking down at the floor. The red that flowed down the drain.

It'd been a week since they managed to capture him and David hadn't spoken a word to them, much to their dismay. They beat, and cut, and repeated, over and over again — but he said nothing. He knew where his loyalty lay; a little pain wouldn't sway him. He'd make sure the past wouldn't repeat itself.

They brought him just enough water to keep him alive, adding a slice of bread every now and then in hopes of eventually cracking him. The treatment wasn't paying off, though, and they knew it. Saw their patience running thin after each blow.

They were in a dark room. No windows; just dull, unrelenting stone. Two silver chains that hang from the ceiling held his body up by his wrists while two more hugged tightly around his ankles, making it impossible for him to move and burning mercilessly at his skin.

A single barred, silver door stood tall on the opposite side of his body, a light bulb their only source of light; even as it swayed by a wire on the ceiling, constantly flicking on and off.

This wasn't a room — it was a cell, a dungeon.

"Where is she?" The light bulb flickered as a whip with a sharp, silver point was placed in the man's extended hand. He slowly walked behind him.

David tried to blink back the drug they'd dosed him with, but his head swam with it, swallowing any sort of resistance. Silver-dust.

His eyesight was blurry, barely able to distinguish the outlines of the people in front of him from the stone walls. His hearing had gone down to a constant ringing in his ears and his nose could barely smell anything other than his blood.

A familiar fire spread to his body, starting from his back and ending at the edge of his toes. His body shook violently and his hands snapped forward, trying to rip at whatever was in front of him. He only ended up scratching at the air.

His eyes still glowed a vibrant mix of blue and yellow, fangs mercifully still in place. The flesh under his nails from where they'd plucked them out still burned furiously as he felt his body try to heal itself.

He roared, hands relentlessly trying to claw at his captors. They only laughed at him as the sound of whip hitting flesh echoed through the room.

David arched his back, head falling with the rest of his body. The silver bit at him as it held him up.

He tried to drown out their laughter; focusing on the ringing instead. He could only imagine how bad he looked right about now. A raging, out-of-control animal, desperately trying to win a battle it had already lost. He was no better than a rogue.

Weakness. He was weak.

"Where is she?" The voice growled as he pulled back, ready to strike again.

A croaked cry left his lips. The whipping stopped.

A clawed hand reached from behind him and slowly closed in on his neck. It tightened its grip, moved higher — to his jaw. The man pulled David's head back, his hot breath fanning his shoulder as he leaned in.

"Tell me."

He couldn't smell him. He was so close and yet—

The man huffed and threw David's head back forward. He trailed the gashes on his back with his claws, pushed in—

David jerked forward, shoulders trembling as he screamed in agony; as the man continued to rip at his wounds. "You've reached the end of the line," he growled into his ear and then gestured with his hand. "He's not going to talk. Deal with him."

The two men, gloved and tight-lipped, reached for his bounds.

He fell, hands keeping his head from splitting on the rock as he coughed up blood.

"Filthy dog," one of them spat and kicked at his stomach.

And what are you? he wanted to scream. Roar, for the whole lot of them to hear. They were a disgrace to their species.

They grabbed an arm each and dragged him out.

"I hope it was worth it," the other said gruffly as they shoved him into another room.

David heard the man yell before they howled him to a wall, "Find me another one!"

He was going to die.

After all this time...he was finally going to die.

A dark, humorless laugh escaped him. And a face — beautiful and so full of life — flashed in his mind.

He could do it — die with her as his last thought. Her face mere inches away from his; smiling, teasing, bickering. Like they'd always done. Serene.

The one that kicked him left the room while the other grabbed a silver knife from its leathery handle and came to stand in front of him, its point aimed at his throat.

A weak, knowing smile spread on his lips.

He wouldn't get his answers from them. None would speak, none would betray her.

None.

~~~~~

"You need to stop dragging me to these escapades of yours," Val groaned, rubbing at the side of her throbbing head.

"Stop whining. It's a great day to go swimming." Alex pushed her forward.

"The day part is my problem. I could be sleeping right now," she groaned. "Zack's been having his panties in a twist lately, and I'm the one bearing the brunt of it. I'd expect a little more sympathy from my friends." She gave a sideways glance but it went ignored.

They reached the pack's lake and left their stuff on top of their towels, right after they spread them on the ground.

Buckets full of ice and cold drinks were piled up at the closest end of the lake and under a makeshift bar, where a small mass of people had gathered. The lake itself was pretty large, with grass lining the space between it and the forest trees.

Val laid down and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep as she basked in the warm sun. A purr almost rose to her lips.

Then the moment was gone.

"Just the person I was looking for." And it was a familiar voice that woke her up. That had Sam sneering, eyes alight. It was the boy they'd met at the club.

His hair, brown and tousled, fell over his dark eyes as he looked down at Sam, the devilish grin on his face showing no sign of retreating.

He was muscled, and a werewolf.

Val heard a metallic clunk from behind her and turned to its source. Ian was frozen in place; a small soda can smashed into his right palm, and a bag full of chips swinging back and forth from its handle in the other.

Val watched as the liquid trickled down his elbow, then the ground, but he didn't seem to notice — or just didn't care. His gaze was fixated on the boy staring down at Sam and his hands twitched at his sides. "Dog," he hissed, and Damian snapped up.

She might have found the situation hilarious if it weren't for the tension that fell over them.

The boy clicked his tongue. "At least I'm no walking corpse." Ian gritted his teeth and squeezed tighter at the can. Crimson liquid fell in drops, staining the grass underneath him. He took a step forward but Damian stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"So much violence," he drawled, mouth twitching at the edges. "And I haven't even introduced myself yet." He gave a friendly smile but his tone didn't match it. "The name's Ryan." Val didn't shake his extended hand, noting Alex and Erik staring at them from inside the lake. Alex's lips were pinched, but Erik was fuming, eyes glowing a dark shade of yellow. They started to make their way toward them.

"There you are." Another boy, a few inches taller than Ryan, threw his arm around his shoulder. "Got yourself into trouble again, little brother?" Ryan shook his hand off with a breathy laugh.

"I'm Lucas." He smiled, a genuine smile that almost looked sincere. It was only met with hostility and confusion. It wasn't hard to guess which one was Val.

"What are you doing here, Lucas?" Erik bit out, coming to stand next to Val. Alex flanked Sam.

"Your Alpha agreed to let my little brother stay here for a while, maybe even attend school," he said with a coy smile. Ian snarled from the back, catching everyone's attention.

"And why's that?" Damian asked darkly, his tongue darting out to lick at his fangs. His eyes were a storm of red and grey.

"Our packs have been at war with each other for a long time, Damian. A treaty is being formed between Alphas and their packs, and your Alpha is extending an olive branch, a peace offering if you like. I'm only here to enjoy the sights." He smirked down at Val and a low rumble left her lips. "Feisty." His smirk grew.

"Think you've enjoyed yourselves enough, mutt," Damian sneered and pushed a little more at Ian's chest, the blonde grinding his teeth in anger. She didn't know if that was to restrain Ian, or himself. "Crawl back to whatever hole you came out of." A few looked their way, most seemed to find the grass underneath their feet particularly interesting.

Val saw the fight in his eyes, the red that slowly consumed the grey. His hands shook at his sides. If she didn't do something soon, something really, really bad would happen.

A scream had their heads snapping back and forth to the people running away in terror.

"What's happening?" Erik grabbed a boy by his shoulders.

His eyes were wide in shock. They barely heard him as he whispered:

"Rogues."