Noelle had sat watching Clifton Towers all afternoon and ‘till the sun had set. Tiredness had left her body and she'd juiced herself to the max on coffee. In truth, she wasn’t sure if the palpitations she was having were from caffeine, or nerves from approaching the entrance of the Towers. Noelle thought she'd spotted what was different about the place. The building was the same, yet the number of people that were going in and out was much less. Before, it used to be a hive of activity, especially at this time of night on a Friday. The nightlife might be limited in Cripple Creek, yet it was enough to draw anyone out at the weekend, and then, the pack also had to hunt, too.

Noelle knew they had to be careful with the hunters that were around, yet she hadn’t seen anyone even looking as if they were going hunting. The ground floor seemed dark as well, and there was no light from most of the downstairs windows. Are those apartments empty?

Noelle was scared to approach. She stood and headed back to the coffee shop. Noelle walked through the door and leaned on the counter. “Noelle, is that you? Damn it's been so long.” Noelle turned and didn’t recognize the face, at first. “Clare from school, how many years has it been?” Clare asked.

Noelle smiled, because that’s what you do when you bump into old school chums. “It has been a while, more years than I can remember,” she said.

“We heard you’d left town, rumor has it, you landed a job in a big city, and you were sick of the Creek.”

Geez Edmund, was that the best excuse you could come up with?

“Yeah! Sort of, but now I’m back,” Noelle said, sliding her money to the barista who served her. “I’m not sure how long I’m gonna be around, though.”

“We should catch up if you’re gonna leave in a flash again,” Clare said in an excited tone. “Hey, I bumped into your parents the other day. I asked how you were and they gave me a blank stare. Did you leave under a dark cloud?” Her tone changed to not-so-excited by the time she'd finished her sentence. Somewhat like a record that’s played full speed, and then slowed.

“They blanked you? That’s not like them,” Noelle said, pulling her brow down into a deep frown.

It was strange for her parents to be that way, they might be pissed she'd left suddenly, yet to blank an old school friend when she was speaking to them, that was not normal.

“Did you ask them about me?” Noelle asked in a curious tone.

Clare nodded as she pointed to the coffee menu and ordered a latte with extra cream. “That's when they looked blank. The conversation didn’t last much longer after that, to be honest. They locked arms with each other and walked off, muttering while looking over their shoulders at me.”

“I’ll ask them when I see them,” Noelle replied.

“Noelle! You’ve come back to town, and you haven’t seen your parents yet. No wonder they blanked me when I mentioned your name,” Clare said giggling.

“I was going to, but there’s someone I’ve got to see in Clifton Towers first,” Noelle replied.

“Ah, you’ve come back for Declan, haven't you? You can’t keep your horny little hands off him,” Clare laughed in her excited tone.

“Sort of, but there’s more to it than that.”

“You can tell me about that when we catch up, for now though, I’ve gotta dash.”

“You can find me in Clifton Towers,” Noelle said as Clare hugged her and made her way out the coffee shop.

It’s now or never. Get your ass over to the Towers…

Noelle stood outside the coffee shop and walked the short distance to the Towers. She breathed deeply a few times and then she crossed the street. She hesitated as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She felt like a kid starting a new school; one who’d just been dumped at the gate by their parents. Noelle exhaled and walked up the stone steps and pushed against the swing door.

She stepped into the stone lobby and saw a couple of guys sitting at the desk. “Can we help you, Ma’am?” one asked.

“I’m Noelle, I’ve come to see D…” Noelle started to say before halting her sentence. “Maria, I’ve come to see Maria.”

“Can we check your bag please, Ma’am?” the guard asked as he waved a metal detector wand over her bag. “All clear. Hang on a moment, and I’ll call her apartment.” The guard picked up the phone and pushed a couple of buttons. “Good evening, Ma’am, there’s a young lady in the lobby who wishes to see you,” the guard said into the phone. “Noelle, she said her name was. Okay, Ma’am. Thank you, Ma’am.”

“She said to go right up. Third floor, apartment three-two-one.”

“Much appreciated,” Noelle replied as she walked to the large stone staircase and made her way up the floors.

The hallways were silent apart from a couple who were making out on the second floor. It was more than making out, Noelle noticed. The girl was on her knees with her head buried in the guy’s lap. He turned toward Noelle with a grin on his face, giving her a sultry wink.

Noelle shook her head and walked the final flight of stairs to the third floor. Maria’s apartment was right at the end of the hallway. Noelle noticed the peeling paint and paper. It’d gone to rack and ruin since Gabriel had become the alpha. Noelle stood in front of the apartment door and knocked. She heard shuffling from the other side of the door. She stood up straight and straightened the backpack on her shoulder.

Noelle heard the bolt open. She grabbed hold of her sling and started to smile. The door opened, and Noelle’s face dropped. “Well, look who has come to see you, Maria.”

* * *

“I was told you were dead,” Declan said to Dustin as he sat on the edge of his old bed.

Dustin sucked in a deep breath as he turned. “I was damn-close to it, and I’m not out of the woods yet, so to speak. I think it’s gonna take me a while to get better.” Dustin’s chest rose and fell as he struggled to take in a decent amount of breath.

“What happened?” Declan asked.

“You know, same old thing. Hunters came from nowhere while we were in the process of moving, and they had us in a crossfire. We had nowhere to run and sure as hell had nowhere to hide,” Dustin explained.

Declan put his hand on Dustin’s chest and could feel him wheezing. “Did you get hit by silver?”

“Nah, I was the lucky one. I came from the camp last, with Maria, and to check that everything had been moved. All the silver had been spent by then, so regular ammo for us two,” he explained. “What are you doing here anyway, I thought you were witch hunting?”

“I was, and we found her,” Declan said smiling.

“You’re now an alpha again?” Dustin asked, placing his hand on Declan’s shoulder. Declan’s smile dropped a little.

“Not quite yet, I need your help with that, the witch gave me a poultice that I have to put on your wolf teeth and then you have to turn me again,” Declan explained. Dustin listened to what Declan was telling him.

“Declan, I’m not sure I have the strength to turn on my own,” Dustin said.

Declan sighed. That was the last thing he expected to hear, yet saying that, he wasn’t expecting Dustin to be halfway to knocking on heaven’s door.

“We can do as you taught me. I’ll slap you a few times and make you angry, that should do it,” Declan said, unzipping his backpack and reaching inside for the poultice.

“You want to do it now?” Dustin asked, coughing.

“Dustin, I had seventy-two hours to find you from seeing the witch, and I have driven like a bat out of hell to get here. Hours wise, I don’t have a clue how many left, I just know I have to show my face at the Towers before the ritual tomorrow.

Dustin leaned in close to Declan. “You mean Gabriel is choosing his mate tomorrow? Fuck, if you don’t get there, there’s no way you’re gonna get your pack back. And if Maria’s there, her life could be in danger.”

Declan let out a nervous laugh. “There’s more to it, as well. Noelle’s on her way back to the Towers. Apparently, Edmund hung her out to dry, yet she’s survived, somehow. She’ll be in danger as well, if I get there after her arrival.”

“I never expected you to make everything so damned complicated Declan,” Dustin said, as Declan nodded in agreement. He knew exactly what Dustin meant. “You better start slapping me.”

Declan unwrapped the poultice and laid it ready on the bed. He stood and swung at Dustin’s cheek. His hand cracked squarely against Dustin’s face. “Harder dammit,” Dustin yelled.

Declan could feel that lump rising in his throat as he swung a second time. A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of Dustin’s mouth. Declan felt the tears welling up. Dustin had been a father figure, even if it was only for a short period of time. He'd been more of a father than his real father had been.

“Declan, will you fucking hit me like you mean it!”

Declan used all his pent-up energy and swung his fist this time. He sent it crashing against Dustin’s chin. Blood splashed against the lantern that sat on the bedside table. Dustin collapsed onto the bed. Declan leaned forward to check if he was okay.

Dustin lifted his head. His eyes were glowing a reddish hue. His head raised, and he stood on his hind legs. “Declan!” he roared, before letting out a howl that cut through the silence of the forest.

Declan grabbed the poultice and dug his fingers into the sticky mess. He reached into Dustin’s widened jaw and smeared it onto his teeth. Dustin’s leg buckled, and he rested his hand on the bed.

“Quick Declan, I’m gonna change back.”

Declan pulled off his jacket and t-shirt, and then he bared his neck. “Dustin, do it now while you have a chance,” Declan yelled helping Dustin to his feet.

Dustin towered over Declan, his jaw opened wide as he lunged and sank his teeth into Declan’s bare neck. Declan gurgled and choked as blood filled his throat. Dustin bit, and bit again. His head tugged from side to side as he tore at Declan’s ruptured jugular.

Declan’s body fell lifeless to the floor as Dustin collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. His body changed back into the sick man he was, just like he had been, a few minutes ago. He panted and clutched at his chest. He felt weak from his ordeal, yet he couldn’t let go, not yet. He fell into an exhausted slumber.

Dustin woke as the sunlight started to peep in through the bedroom window. He thought he'd dreamed the whole thing until he saw the backpack on the bed and the splattered blood up the walls. He leaned his head over the edge of the bed and saw Declan’s motionless body.

He reached with his hand to touch Declan’s shoulder. He pushed, yet there was no sign of life. Dustin wiped the tears from his eyes from the realization he'd just killed Declan. He swung his legs from the bed and buried his hands into the sockets of his eyes.

He rubbed hard and mumbled, “Declan, I’m sorry, you should never have gone this way.” Dustin heard a shuffle and a sharp intake of breath from by his feet. He uncovered his eyes. “Declan! You’re okay?” he asked, now wiping the final tears from his eyes.

“Shit, I forgot how much it hurt,” Declan said, rising to his feet.

The large hole that was in his neck had now healed, and the only sign was from the streaks of blood and the paw prints on his chest. “How do you feel?” Dustin asked.

Declan flexed his shoulders and nodded his head, “I feel good, and I can see that I've put that weight back on that I’d lost. The witch also said I’d be bigger, faster and way stronger, this time.”

“Try it. Try and change now,” Dustin demanded.

“It’s been a while, and I might have forgotten how to control my inner wolf.” Dustin frowned, yet he had a grin on his face. If there was ever a natural werewolf, you’re it, Declan.

Declan shook his arms and closed his eyes for a moment. He snapped them open, and they glared a silver brightness. Within a second or two the biggest werewolf Dustin had ever seen was huddled inside Declan’s old bedroom.

“Declan, you look better than ever,” Dustin said, as Declan snapped back to his human form in an instant.

“We have to get you well, but first I have to go to the Towers and take back what’s mine.”

“How are you gonna do that?” Dustin asked, curiously.

“I’m gonna do it my way.”

“Knock, knock.” “Who’s there?” “The maddest mother you’ve ever seen.”