Now." His voice was

ed between sobs. The

promise. But right now, we need to run." H

Dad?" My voice cracked-hars

hat are we running from? Y

t, and now he was back-asking me to leave

ng was wrong. This past week has

wondered if I wa

ming for us. I had felt it creeping two weeks ago... on the walk to schoo

," he said

ms like I abandoned you, but I didn't. I would never.

d to Sa

was. Her brows furrowed, her gaz

the whole story. She didn't know about my

d. She had stayed by my side,

can't get rid of me, no

her I hated birthdays. Sandra was the comfort I didn't know

s there, and even though I never said it, I appreciated all

bring myself to tell he

life was

felt like I didn't

noticed I hadn't moved an inch. I wa

ped around my wrist as he pulled me. I tried to find the r

rned one last time-and her confusion faded. A flic

eamed. He di

d, but she staye

take his hands off my wr

eat, and without wasting tim

knew

see her. She was still standin

creamed at the

es fixed ahead. "We don't have t

hat about

y dreams comes after he

ut her?"

lly. What I'm about to sa

tightened. The air i

"Always wondering when would be the right moment. B

reath, because I knew my life would n

said. "The dreams. The wolves. The sensati

rt made my s

out the dreams ..wo

were born special. How quickly your wounds healed and why you don't

you mean the dreams are not ju

to tell me A

back to the road. His

y, "...you already know th

ice cracked. "I don't kno

s crowded us on both sides. Then he looked at me-not as a fat

nth birthday. The day.

t he meant. I couldn't make sen

ed. "Why are you t

me like stray bullets. Nothing could h

warning, he

a werewol

s some kind of joke?" I laughed nervously. "Were

, I know this is a lot to take in."His

because I didn't believe it, but

nt and whenever my aunt said I was cursed, I somehow believed it. And it

itated. "You didn't dream of her d

down. He knew what was

kille

bed when it happened. I didn't kill her. I'm

en you turned, whose

t I was there when it happened. I put you back in bed w

u. I've always been there." Hi

lurred. Tim

t like it wa

blood. On the wal

that wasn

spered my name before

o!

no. You're lyin

his hand on my shoulder, li

ng-not after droppi

w he wasn

ies of what happened resurfaced. The face of the

voic

as m

t was

do such

g. My heart ached. I

ain ag

. I closed my eyes desperately

y. His hand was still on my sho

n't respond. His eyes softened when

ly. My eyes were watering. Te

ursed?"

d to say came crushing down on me, that I was a beast and I'd kill everybod

t I

ew too. I just didn't wa

make sen

but the intense pain in my che

" His hands wiped

ing. Whatever you experienced with you

er. And if it hadn'

she said...

d amidst

ant the truth

ou belong. You don't need to hide. Nobody wil

tly-I'll be there

here i

me.

ng home, b