Troy I popped the boot open and removed two toiletry bags – one for each of us – and two bottles of water. She took the offered items from me and gave me a questioning look. “We don’t have running water in the cabin,” I explained. “Ah,” she said as understanding dawned. “Make sure you drink some of that water,” I reminded her. She just nodded and walked off into the woods to clean her teeth and pee where I couldn’t see her. I had no such qualms or any shame anymore. After a while, things that bother humans, stopped bothering wolves. I found the nearest tree to take care of business and brushed my teeth before polishing off the bottle of water I brought with me. When I was done, I returned to the car, threw the toiletry bag in the boot, and opened the cooler box filled with meat and a variety of drinks. I mused about the good old days, when we had cure and dry our meat if we couldn’t eat all of it within a few days. This particular cooler box was attached to a battery, with a fan

Quinn Troy packed everything away while I watched. I offered to help him, but he refused. I could tell that he was in his element here, that this place gave him life and joy. He hummed quietly to himself while he washed the dishes in a pot of water he heated over the fire, and carried everything back inside. I wore only his t-shirt, which almost looked like a dress on me, but the thought of driving all the way home in only a shirt made me uncomfortable. I didn’t have to worry about it. As always, he came prepared. After he put the last of the things away, he produced a dress from the back of the car, hidden away under the spare wheel like that day he came for me when I tried to get to my brothers. I undressed where I stood, pulling the simple blue slip over my head. It was the perfect day. I didn’t want to go back to the mansion and real life. We still didn’t know why Elize and Caroline worked with the Northern wolves, and I was afraid that my grandfather would come for me again. I

Sebastian I sat on my bed, licking my wounds, trying to wrap my mind around the knowledge that I’d never see Mario again. He shouldn’t have died, wouldn’t have died if he hadn’t grabbed Tony. Fat lot of good that did him. They both died anyway. I went back to look for them after I made sure that Quinn was safe. I found Mario and Tony not far from where the shockwave tore us off our feet. A piece of concrete crushed my mate’s skull. I couldn’t bring myself to remove the concrete block. There was no need. I could tell he was dead. He was already cold by the time I made it back, his magnificent scent mixing in with the stench of death. I didn’t want to see his beautiful face all bloody and ruined. I wanted to remember him how he was. I hoped his death came fast. It was an awful way to die. Tony lay next to Mario. By the looks of things, he bled out from numerous wounds caused by flying shrapnel. It wasn’t until I saw the carnage caused by the bombs that I realised how lucky Quinn an

Troy “I look like a wet cow,” Quinn lamented and pulled her soggy hair out of her neck. I laughed and straightened the dress that clung to her wet body. Unlike me, Missus Lowry remembered to pack underwear for her, but the bottles of potions lay untouched in the bottom of the pack. “No you don’t,” I said. To me, she was more beautiful than ever. “But I can braid your hair if it annoys you that much.” She gave me a sceptical look. “You can braid hair?” “I'm three-hundred-and-fifty years old…I need to pass the time somehow.” “So you learned to braid hair?” I grinned and pulled her closer. “Lycan warriors used to wear their hair long, and before we went into battle we'd braid it.” “Like the Vikings?” “Similar, yeah.” She handed me the brush that we found in the pack, and I quickly set to work, folding her hair around my fingers before I start to weave the strands in the intricate warrior braids I used to wear. It was like riding a bike – once I started, I easily found my rhythm a

Quinn“You drive,” Troy said when we reached the SUV. “I cannot do one more thing today.”He looked exhausted, and he was still pale. I was tired too, but I didn’t lose all my blood and almost died. “Are we…are we going to your father or what’s the deal?”Troy yawned and shook his head. “Not today. We'll go home, get a good night's sleep, and leave first thing in the morning.”“You told that detective-”“Well, Quinn,” he interrupted, “a lot have happened since then and now, didn’t it? I just want to go home. Or is that too much to ask?”His voice was calm and cold as always. He never yelled. He snapped and snarled, he growled and threatened, but I’ve never heard him scream. Not at me.I hated it."No," I said softly and unlocked the car.I got in behind the wheel and adjusted my seat while Troy made himself comfortable on the back seat. I glanced at him in the rear view mirror. He glared at me, his jaw working furiously. “Are you…going to punish me?” I asked softly.“No. I never beat,