JoAnn had made it safely back to Ashley and the others but Jake had hit the property shortly after. Ashley took the bait and chased after him with some others and hadn't made it back yet.

"There's nothing we can do. That whole place is going to be surrounded. What the hell was she thinking going back there? You're going back to Lakeside and-"

Nancy's face was red with anger and I was sure that the Big Bad Wolf looked just like she does now when he blew the house down. Only thing is, I needed my trailer.

"I'm not leaving without JoAnn!" I said adamantly trying to sound braver than I was.

"HAVE YOU FAILED TO NOTICE THE CONDITION OF MY TRUCK?" She screamed enraged. I tripped as I backed away in cowardice. Fuck acting brave! Nancy was by far the most scariest when angered. Even compared to Jake who could be downright terrifying, and was far bigger than her, there was just no comparison.

She took several long strides and motioned to it with her arms as if she was Vanna White showing some lucky contestant a fabulous new car they could win on Wheel of Fortune.

It's completely ruined and It very easily could've been you. Now isn't the time for you to grow some balls and try-"

I must've blacked out for just a second as a loud slap seemed to bring me back in the middle of yelling at Nancy.

"How dare you say that to me! Nobody-

The stinging in my hand and the red welt on the left side of her face, proved that I'd just done the dumbest thing in my life and most likely it was going to be my last.

Instead of lashing out however, Nancy seemed in a daze. She had caught my wrists but only just stood there Even her thoughts and emotions came up with nothing as if offline.

Dobby was barking up a storm running up to us then away as if he couldn't make up his mind what to do.

More than angry, I was hurt. Up to this point I didn't think it mattered to Nancy. It was one of the things I really liked about her. Clearly it does. I was an idiot for thinking otherwise.

She was crushing my wrists in her grip. I tried to pull away but it was useless.

"Let go of me!"

"I didn't mean -" she said softly. The apology only fueled me more as I wasn't buying it.

"BULLSHIT!" I spat at her still trying to get away. I could hear the trailer door open, no doubt attracting attention. "You wouldn't of said it otherwise. Now let me go and get the fuck out of here!"

"I didn't and I am leaving but you're coming with."

She pushed me towards her Expedition causing me to slam into the door. Fortunately, I didn't hit my bad side tho it still hurt.

I turned leaning my back against it trying hard to make sure she couldn't read my thoughts. I hadn't really figured it out yet however, I know what it's like inside her head when she has a million things running through it.

"I need Dobby's leash!"

Dobby laid down pouting letting me know he didn't want anything to do with this. Sorry, boy. Her eyes bore into me and I knew her Wolf was trying to read me. I matched her gaze now too pissed off to care what they did next.

"I'll go get it." She said in a calm voice while dropping her eyes. I'd of normally felt like a rockstar at getting her to break away first. I was far too hurt and upset to celebrate my first real victory over her.

"I'll grab Greg so he can pick up your car to help with the others. This isn't going to hold everyone."

Good thing my car keys were still inside... and hers was still on me. I quickly loaded Dobby inside along with the rifle and the moment she disappeared in the trailer I hopped into the driver's seat. No sooner had I started up the Ford she was running towards me as I desperately tried getting out of there as fast as possible.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOURE DOING? STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY OR BY THE MOON GODDESS ILL..."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I screamed out loud trying to drown her out of my head like some crazy person. Maybe they weren't really crazy. They probably had mates too screaming inside their heads.

Nancy chased after me for about thirty yards before giving up. She was totally going to kill me when she catches me.

I took a deep breath that I didn't know I was holding in. Dobby was laying on the back seat giving me that look like he didn't even know me anymore.

"Oh shut up! It's not like she gave me much of a choice." Letting out a small whine he laid his head down.

As I headed down towards Langhurst several wolf howls sounded making me instantly regret leaving Nancy. If that wasn't enough my phone was blowing up with phone calls and messages.

Dobby was now bumping into me as he kept coming up front then returning to the back searching for the noises outside. Maybe bringing him was a bad idea but I didn't want him left alone.

The road into Langhurst was practically dead. Usually there's a few others on the road but I didn't see a single other car on the road till I got back into town.

IGA parking lot was packed with cars and trucks. People were walking around talking with guns on them Further down vehicles lined both sides of the street even blocking driveways.

What the fuck... This wasn't here earlier and Nancy didn't say anything in between trying to tell me to go back to the bar and don't leave until she says so. Where the hell did all this come from?

Several large signs were scattered around with anti-wolf messages that instantly made me regret bringing Dobby. He wasn't a wolf, but by the look on some of these people's faces a dog might be close enough.

He was now laying down in the passenger seat next to me as if he picked up on the danger.

"If they try hurting you the werewolves will be the least of their problems, boy. Don't worry about them." I patted his head and made my way slowly through town trying not to hit anyone.

The area looked more like a military camp than a small Idaho town. Several people crossed the street in front of me without even looking. A young blonde woman had a sign that read "Smoke a pack of wolves" the two guys on each side of her both carried AR-15 rifles and handguns on their waist.

"What the fuck is going on?" I hollowed out the window at them. "Did we declare war with Canada or something?" Maybe I should play dumb.

"No, but they could be next. Some kids saw some people get killed by wolves up by Elizabeth gulch earlier." One of the guys with her said.

"Another four are dead! It's only by the grace of God that those kids weren't killed too. We can't just stand around and wait for Animal Control. We need to do something now!" The Girl in the middle proclaimed as if she was running for public office. The two guys with her started nodding

"We're going to do a hell of a lot of something, babe. Don't you worry." The other guy chimed in making my stomach turn. He looked like he was just looking for an excuse to start shooting. A lot of innocent people are likely to get hurt.

Elizabeth Gulch was just a couple miles away from Ms. Millers. Was it JoAnn and those she was with they saw? If so, where the fuck was The Council? Wasn't it there job to make sure this didn't happen?

My phone went off again and while I didn't want to talk with Nancy, she did need to be careful. Things just got a bit more complicated.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED?"

Nancy's voice screamed as soon as I answered my phone. I knew there was a reason why I didn't want to talk to her but she did need to be warned. Of course she was grateful that I was concerned for her safety and told me not to worry.

"As Long as they don't kill him before I do, I couldn't care less. With everything that's happened with your family it was coming. It's all the more reason you NEED TO GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" She screamed

"I will once I get JoAnn." I snapped before ending the call. I was still livid about her comment earlier and her constantly trying to control me.

I decided to take the old road out to Ashley's instead of I-90 as it got me off Main Street faster and I wasn't even convinced I could get to it. There were so many cars and people the onramp was more than likely blocked. Both me and Dobby jumped as gunshots went off somewhere.

As I approached Ashley's I wondered if this was the smartest thing I could be doing. No doubt Jake and Frank would be all over the place, then there was the fact it was made really clear I wasn't welcomed there.

Dobby's head popped up just before turning into their property. The ease of making the turn and driving up the small hill reminded me I was in Nancy's Expedition and not my crappy Mazda. Yeah, Crystal as if you didn't have enough strikes against you, you had to show up in the enemy's vehicle. Smart, very smart. Genius really, ya stupid idiot! Too late to go get my Mazda anyway plus I think it needs gas anyways.

Dobby started barking announcing our arrival to everything within earshot. I wasn't sure how far werewolves could hear but from what I observed it was fairly far. I didn't dare whisper anything around Nancy.

"Shut up, stupid! Are you trying to get us killed?" I tried grabbing him but it was pointless as he was jumping all over the place barking.

At the top a Large Black wolf with streaks of grey met me with its large canines looking dripping with saliva. It dwarfed the two others that came up behind it growling at me.

My heart Stopped as I wondered what I should do. I reached behind me trying to grab Dobby who was proving to be the world's dumbest dog acting as if he wanted to try fighting.

"Shut up, Damn it!" I snapped at him. This time it worked a little better as he layback down pouting. Returning my sight to the wolves the black and grey one was just at the passenger side and I had no idea where the other two was.

"I'm here for my sister. She messaged me."

The black wolf stopped growling momentarily as if taken aback by what I said. His eyes darted around indicating it wasn't sure what to do.

As i shifted into reverse I heard JoAnns voice causing me to brake.

"It's just Crystal, Shawn."

I almost didn't recognize her. Her cast was off and her hair was dyed a dark brown and cut blunt at the shoulders giving her a more aggressive look than normal. She wore a grey Halestorm sweater that looked like it had been cut up with scissors or claws. I wasn't sure if it was intentional or not but I'd never seen her in anything like that so it was definitely Ashley's. She's wearing her clothes, what the fuck?!

"The gate is open, just park in front of the main house. You can let Dobby out of ya want. He'll be fine and the Moon goddess knows we need more patrolling the territory. I'll be up in a minute."

Her tone was sharp and commanding, lacking the warmth that was usual in her voice. She sounded like a totally different person. I only nodded in reply and headed up.

Sure enough the gate that blocked my way before was wide open now. The dirt road went up a bit further before opening up two five houses in a half circle. The largest one looked like a two story house with a large fenced yard. I wasn't sure what the point of it was being in a community like this but at least I'd feel better letting Dobby out. He wouldn't take off but with the wolves who knows?

It was clearly Ashley's place, her motorcycle she was riding the night we met was parked in the driveway, it did seem more like JoAnns type of place than hers.

I parked in front, made my way up to the door and pressed the bell. A few uncomfortable minutes went by making me second guess this whole thing, Kera opened the door.

This was really the first time I'd seen her in decent light but she was normally a very attractive woman. I say normally as the woman who stood before me now looked like someone you'd see in a domestic violence poster.

Her right side of her face was swollen almost completely hiding the eye. Only a hint of the jade of the made it through. She stood just a couple inches shorter than me but her slim frame always made her look taller than me in the distance and by the miles long ponytail. She wore a simple baby blue floral dress that covered her loosely.

"Ah, Crystal! JoAnn said you would be stopping by. I suppose that's one positive thing about my daughter not being back yet."

"She glanced past me apparently to Dobby with a defeated glance. It was clear to me she didn't want us here but was going along with it nevertheless. It made no sense to me. Wasn't it her house?

"If you don't want me here, I'll leave. JoAnn said she needed help."

She pressed her thin lips together and folded her arms as if she was studying me. After a couple seconds she shook her head.

"No. If JoAnn says you can be here, then you can be here. She needs to learn to take command and I need to learn to listen to them even when I don't like or agree with them.

"But Ashley-"

"Ashley isn't here! She wouldn't listen to me, her father or her mate and now she's out there somewhere. Besides me and Shawn, there's only three werewolves here. That's not anywhere near enough to defend against Jake and his brother. If your sisters idea turns out to be a complete disaster...right now, it wouldn't matter.

She got more and more upset as she spoke right up till the end when she abruptly got herself under control. Turning around I saw JoAnn mimicking Kera's "studying" pose.

"I just watched four people I knew get murdered today and Kera was damn near the fifth. I realize now that not all werewolves are the same. After what happened with our parents... they need to die.

She not only looked different but sounded and acted totally different. I'd never heard her talk with so much hate in her.

"...Will you ask Nancy to help us? We both want Jake and his brother dead and they would never expect it, right? We could then go get Ashley and with two Alpha's and what we have left, we might have a chance."

She looked down and petted Dobby "Add Dobby and it's a sure win. You want revenge too, don't ya boy? Yes you do!"

She went from seething hatred to baby talk in a couple pats on the head. Who was she?

"I- I- Nancy is going to kill me when she finds me. I doubt she's going to want to do any favors, especially one as big as this. She-"

"I know. She wants revenge against Ashley. If she challenges her afterwards then, so be it, but she lost fair and square and she knows it. The way I see it we're in the perfect position to end this."

She was right. Plus there was no way I wanted Nancy to be at war with my sisters pack. While I still needed to talk with her about her and Ashley's relationship at a better time it did seem as if she was entertaining the idea.

I pulled out my phone and called her. This outta be good.