It's your fault. All of this is your fault. It's always gonna be your fault. So why even try? Why are you trying to delay it?

I clamped down onto my teeth as I ran. Following Brew as we ran towards the house. The surrounding environment turning into blurry objects. The muscles in my legs pushing off the ground to keep up the speed. The thing helping my legs carry the impact. Lifting them at the right moment so it could hit the ground at the right angle. Giving me an extra boost.

My hands burned, the feeling of blood dampened my hands. The sound of the man's voice was still ringing in my ears. My eyes could still see that acid, poisonous smile. Eroding the counter table as he stared at me. The gun still gently pointed at me, ready to fire at command.

It's my fault. Isn't it?

After about a minute we made it to the house. My lungs were burning as the two of us slowed to a stop. Adrenaline thundered through my veins. Waking up the rest of my body. The shot of adrenaline made the monster jolt up. It wanted more. It only had to wait a little longer. Then it can come out. It can help. It didn't have to think about any of the consequences. All it has to do is change and bite.

Let me out.

The sky was already dying out. The burning orange that lit up the sky was washed out by a blanket of dark violet. Little patches of stars were starting to poke out. At best there were about thirty minutes until the moon comes out.

Let me out. I can handle them. Just let me out.

I pressed my left thumb onto my right palm and pushed into it. A little harder than last time. Trying to freeze out the burning adrenaline before it engulfed my body. Not here. Not now.

Let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out!

Brew's elbow came into sight and nudged my arm. "Hey."

I looked up at him. His eyes still calm and relaxed. Not a shred of anxiety or judgment insight. When will I be able to look like that?

"Take a moment and breathe. We need everyone focused right now."

I nodded back. My lips twitched to form my smile but they couldn't. The stitches were back at the diner under the blood-soaked boots of hunters.

I took in a breath and let it out slowly. The remaining shards of adrenaline dripped off the air I pushed it out. The muscles in my legs calmed down. My heart was settling again. The monster taking note and shrinking back next to my heart. Into its cage sitting patiently as the door remained open.

Show me that you'll protect them.

Brew nodded as he checked over my face. His half-smile showing back up for support. He thumbed over at the porch where Adam was sitting. His face buried into his hands as he slumped over his knees. He was back where we started this morning.

I walked over to him while Brew followed two steps behind. Keeping his distance. This wasn't his pack. This was mine.

"Hey," I said softly, once I was standing over him.

"Hey." Adam croaked back. It was hoarse and splintered like cracked wood.

Gwen's shouts could be heard from inside the house as the hunter screamed. The sound of furniture getting broken covered the air. Brew's face was slowly dropping as he could already picture the damage. It's not the first time the place has been wrecked. But it's been a while. About two years since the last wreckage. And it was back at day one.

"Well if they didn't hear that I think we'll be safe," Brew mumbled, listening on to the hunter's threats.

I sighed as Will and Gwen shouted at each other. The sound of glass shattering scrapped my eardrums. It was as if someone was sharpening a knife on my spine. I hated that sound. It wakes up the ghosts. And that means dead memories.

"Should we take her to the greenhouse?" I asked.

"Probably be a good idea." Brew nodded, before calling out to Will and Gwen. "Hey, guys. You wanna bring her out here for a sec?"

"Yeah just give me a second!" Gwen yelled back, a thud cutting her off.

The door busted open and Gwen came rolling out. Her arms and face covered in bruises and fresh-cut. Will came out slowly holding on to the hunter with both of her arms pinned to her back. His lip was split open with a dark bruise forming around his jaw. The hunter was squirming with furry to get out. Jolting and contorting her body to get her out of Will's grip. She thrashed her head back to hit his nose but was met with Will's own headbutt.

"Fuck!" She shouted, cringing her head into her chest.

"Gwen, you okay?" Will asked, unfazed by the impact.

"I'm good." Gwen coughed, as she lumbered up. "So where are we taking her?"

Brew pointed to the greenhouse that was built over a couple of feet away from the house. His eyes were more focused on the busted door than the hunter. He looked genuinely sad seeing that another door fell victim.

"It's always the door," Brew grumbled, as he led Will away from the porch. "Why can't it be the roof or the windows."

Will lifted the hunter off the ground a little so he could walk over. The hunter spat on Adam when she spotted him curled up on the porch step. The ball of saliva hitting the back of his head. Adam remained while Will struggled to keep her away from eyesight. Her glare burned against my skin as she scanned all of us being carried off.

"How does it feel protecting someone that ruined someone's life."

Adam's neck twitched from the stabbing words. Burying his head deeper into his hands. My hands spasmed. It wanted to rip her throat out. Tired of seeing Adam beaten down like this. Tired of people attacking my pack like this. All I want now is just a moment of peace in this shit storm we were caught in.

"Funny coming from a monster who ruins other innocent people's lives." Brew fired back. His calm tone was still there but showing some edge.

The hunter snapped her head to Brew, her glare intensifying as she started to shout at him. Will somehow kept his grip around her as he followed after Brew. The spasms from my hands stopped. I looked back over to Adam where Gwen was standing next to him. Forcing her face to be a smile over the scratches and bruises.

"Hey, don't listen to her," Gwen said gently over the shouts.

"It's hard not to when it's true," Adam muttered. "You guys should of left me to rot."

Gwen shot me a look. Her smile crumbling from the words. The corner of her lips struggling to keep up the foundation of what was a smile. It was starting to resort to stitch up the remains to hold the look. Her eyes had a gleam of pain while trying to hold it.

That's what you look like. That's what you taught your pack. Congrats.

I lowered down to Adam's level and wrapped my arms around him. Gently hugging him. Adam's body tightened for a second, expecting something else. Probably a punch or a slap. Some reflex that was burned into his nerves. It took a moment but I felt Adam's shoulders relax as I kept the hug.

"You're not the first werewolf to bite someone on accident," I said. "And you won't be the last. But I promise you that we will help you through this. And we'll help her too."

"What if she keeps trying to kill us?" Adam muttered with little life.

"Then we give her back to her brother and we run." I could feel Adam's body twitch. Already rejecting the thought. Just hang on. "Sometimes you can't change a person. But I will do my best changing your thoughts on yourself. Cause I am not giving you up. I rather die than give up on one of my pack members to them. Okay?"

Adam's body loosen some more. He leaned his head into my shoulder. Letting more of his weight push against me. I could hear him taking out a low sigh as his body trembled. Trying to shake something loose as he buried more of his face away. I just patted his back as he let out a silent release.

"Okay." Adam nodded, his voice becoming clearer.

He raised his head again showing that some of the weight from the diner was gone. His blue eyes looking like marbles as they had a watery finish over them. Adam's lips were trying to form a smile. Weaving whatever strands of muscle to hold it. I pressed my hands in his cheeks gently to stop it. Holding my stitch-free smile. Adam nodded dropping the smile slightly. He patted my arm and I let go. The two of us standing up, Adam a little taller.

"So should I follow them?" Adam coughed settling down his voice.

Brew was patiently waiting for us standing only a couple of steps away from earshot. Pretending that he couldn't hear us over the hunter's screaming. Holding up his calm face as he played with his beard. Will was holding his grip around her as she kept barking and snaps. Showing off longer fangs and claws

"It be a good idea." I smiled. "Don't worry about her. We'll be right behind you."

Adam nodded letting out one more cough before getting up. His head was up but his eyes were still on the ground. Progress. Even it's little. He slowly shuffled his way over to the greenhouse beating Will and Brew to the door.

It won't be in the end. Its gonna scar the group and they won't be able to pick themselves up after this.

The monster growled. Shut up.

It was finally getting annoyed. It flashed some of its claws before it ran away.

I stood up looking over at Gwen. Her stitched up smile was bloody. Trying to remain positive through it was getting to her. Cracks were showing off behind her eyes. I did that to her. To my pack.

You did that to her. To your pack.

The monster let out a bark snapping its jaw at the ghost.

"Hey," I said.

"Yeah?" Gwen asked. Her smile looked painful to hold. She must be tried. Holding it up in front of Adam to help him out.

Can't even help-

Shu-

Shut up the fuck up.

The monster froze as the ghost squirmed away. Back to the graveyard of my thoughts and past. Waiting to build up enough courage to speak again. Either behind its tombstone or in my ear but I don't need that right now. The monster let out a laugh as it stepped back in its cage.

"Take it easy on yourself," I said gently. Showing a smile. One that wasn't stitched up. "Some things are just out of our control. Even as a pack. If you crack from pressure you won't be able to help them when they need it. That includes you, alright?"

Gwen's face contorted fighting back some impulse as her smile dropped. She shut her eyes tightly for a couple of seconds before opening them back up. They weren't cracked anymore. Just dents. With some water trying to get out.

"Kay." She nodded, pulling out blood-soaked stitches out of her lips. "Are you sure about bringing her?"

The hunter was juggling her insults at both Brew and Adam. But her sharp jabs and turns were losing their energy. Will had a relieved look on his face as his chest took the brunt of flailing limbs attacks.

No ghost interjected. It was dead for now. "Yeah."

"I don't think she's ever gonna like us."

"I didn't like anyone when I first became one."

Gwen looked over at me taken slightly. "What changed?"

I looked back at her. My eyes and smile clear. "I had good people to support me."

Gwen paused looking over at the hunter and Adam. Then sighed with a small smile of her own. "Alright. But if she tries to kill Adam I'm gonna kick her ass."

A stiff laugh came out of my throat watching Gwen walking by the held hunter. She showed off her middle finger, directing the shoutings towards her now. Making sure to stand along in front of Adam. Blocking any eyesight.

Brew's eyes glanced over at me as I walked over to him. Through his beard, I could see a large smile on his face. Don't know how he can do that now. Wonder if he can teach me that.

"That was pretty good advice." Brew said proudly.

"Yeah," I said, holding onto my smile. "It is."

"Telling yourself that as well?"

"Working on it."

"Good," Brew noted patting my head. "Make sure to keep it up now. Cause we got some work to do."