"The children are finally asleep." Katie stood in the doorway of Walter's study. Inside, the adults of the house were assembled.

"The police just left." Bill told her. "Marcus Jones is confirming Naomi Reynolds' death was self-defense."

Walter motioned for her to join them. He poured her a drink and glanced up at the ceiling toward the bedrooms upstairs. "How are they?"

She made a helpless gesture and took the drink from him. "Well, they're traumatized."

"We're all traumatized." Walter agreed. "We'll have to help each other work through it."

"They need professional help, Mr. Barrington." She sighed.

"And you're a professional." Walter tossed back his own drink.

"I'm not trained to deal with psychological trauma." She took a sip of her own glass. "I'm not sure I'm up to it."

"You're gonna have to be." Bill sided with Walter. "They can't go to psychologist and talk about their ghost mom or the vampire who kidnapped them. Or the werewolf serial killer stalking their family. Or their father's vampire assistant who was scheming to take over his company."

"You're the only one who will understand." Walter nodded. "And you love them. I need your help."

Katie shrugged. "So are we just supposed to keep all of this to ourselves?"

"What else can we do?" Walter shrugged. "The truth is so..."

"Yeah." Bill nodded and poured himself another drink. He stared into the amber liquid for a moment, lost in thought. Then he seemed to make up his mind. "I think I should leave."

"What?" Katie turned to him. "No! Why?"

"How can I stay here? After..." He struggled with the words. "Everyone saw... when I became a... I mean, how can the kids... how can anyone look at me...?"

"Bill, no!" Katie put her hand on his shoulder. "Nobody thinks that."

"How can they not think it?" Bill frowned. "How can anybody be okay with me being here, after seeing me become a monster?"

"You're not a monster!" Katie looked to Walter for support.

Walter nodded. "I think Bill was as much a victim of Naomi Reynolds as anyone else."

"Besides, you aren't infected anymore." Katie insisted. "Naomi is dead, so the curse is lifted. You're not a werewolf anymore."

"And I will need you, Bill." Walter said. "We've got to put this family back together again."

"Well, let's hope the books are right about breaking the curse." Bill gulped down his drink and poured another. "Because tomorrow night is the full moon."

"They're right." Katie insisted, but the fear was still there. "The books have to be right."

"Maybe I should lock myself in the mausoleum anyway." Bill suggested. "Just in case the books are wrong."

"They're right." Walter poured himself another drink. He did not look sure. "But... maybe just in case."

**

Katie sat on her bed, playing with Grandma Fluffbottom. At the foot of the bed, Grandma looked on and smiled. Mom didn't believe that Grandma was still here, but Katie knew. Grandma was always with her.

Suddenly, Grandma's smile dropped and she straightened, as if she were listening to something. She turned to Katie and opened her mouth. No sound issued.

"What is it?" Katie put the bunny down and watched as Grandma struggled to communicate.

Katie. Katie. Grandma was mouthing the words. Then suddenly, she found her voice. "Wake up!"

Katie sat up in bed, heart pounding. She fumbled for her phone on the nightstand. It read 3 am. The full moon lit up the room and the half inch gap in the window allowed just a hint of fresh, cool air in. Everything was just as it should be, she told herself as she tried to calm down.

And then she heard it, from the direction of the family cemetery and mausoleum—a long, low wolf howl.