Jewel stood wide-eyed after opening the front door. "Dex?" she blurted.

Dex had not set foot inside of Northern Greyscott Falls, let alone his brother's house, in nearly a decade. "Plea...please come in," she stammered. Jewel awkwardly stepped aside, and Dex walked into the family room. The shock on her face turned into a frown when she thought better of his sudden visit. "Is everything all right with Jan and the children?" she asked, putting a hand to her chest.

"Jan and the kids are fine. I just need to speak to River. I saw his truck. So, I assumed..."

"Oh, yes, he's here. I'll get him." Jewel hurried off—taking the back stairs up to their bedroom.

Dex stood with his hands in his pockets and shifted from one foot to the other. He looked around, surprised how little the place had changed since his last visit. A few sticks of new furniture here and there, but basically time hadn't erased the warmth he had always felt when he entered his brother's home. On the wall of pictures, Dex almost smiled when he noticed a very colorful portrait of the two-brother family on the far end of the wall. They were so happy then. But years of feuding seemed to overshadow any love he felt for his older brother.

"Dex?" River looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Dex turned.

River's face lit up as he walked towards his brother. But there was no warm greeting from Dex.

"Is there some place we can talk more privately?" Dex asked, coldly.

River's smile faded; he made a gesture toward the den. He followed Dex into the room and closed the door.

"Sit. Please."

Dex took a seat on the sofa, and River sat in the big chair across from him.

"Would you like a drink?"

Dex shook his head no and then spoke. "I'm going to make this quick. I prefer you hear this from me." River focused attentively. "That Winters girl wasn't killed by any animal. She was killed by Raymond Carter; that's Debra Carter's boy."

"I know who Raymond is. But why would he do such a thing? Did the girl do something?"

"Well, according to Matt, the girl and Raymond were sweet on each other. He was stupid enough to trust the girl with our secret; and she was stupid enough to believe he wouldn't hurt her after his transformation. Matt feels just awful about..."

"Whoa! What do you mean after his transformation? Raymond killed her after turning?" River shot up from the chair and stared at Dex. "You mean he was running loose?"

"River, hold on."

"Holy shit!" He paced back and forth in front of Dex.

"River, don't freak out on me. I need you to sit down and hear me out."

River stopped pacing and blew his breath out hard; he took a few steps towards the chair and flopped down.

"Like I said, Matt feels bad about this."

"Why should he feel bad? Did he help kill the girl?"

"No! Matt didn't kill anybody. He's upset because he didn't warn us that an outsider knew our secret, and that Raymond was unchained that night."

"Great Scott!" River said, looking down at the floor. "I hope he killed her before she told anyone."

"I don't know."

"What else did Matt say?"

"Nothing, except Raymond feels terrible."

"As well he should. He's going to feel a whole lot worse with a silver dagger sticking out of his fucking heart."

"Now let's not go there. He's just a boy."

River chuckled nervously. "You think the Northern pack is going to care he's just a boy? What did the little son of a bitch have to say for himself? Have you talked to him?"

"Matt's got him hidden some place. He won't say where."

"Now look, Matt's my nephew and I love him. But he's heading for real trouble if he's helping that boy."

"I know, but they've been friends since they were tots. He was the first one Raymond called the day after it happened. Matt said he sounded out of his head and begged him to meet him at this little shack located off the edge of the forest. He said he found Raymond naked and bloody. He was cradling the girl's dead parts and crying his eyes out. Matt had to fight the boy to take her severed head away from him. Matt planted the body parts deep in the forest and covered them with leaves. Then he got Raymond the hell out of there."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Pete, Bret, Jim, now you. But they don't know where he is either."

River peered across at Dex. "Why come to me with this?"

"Because this kind of thing can't stay hidden forever. The Northern pack listens to you."

"...And you're hoping when it gets out, and things get ugly, I'll be able to stop it..."

"Exactly."

River scooted around in the chair and wet his lips.

"Dex, I got to tell you...the best thing all around is for this not to get out. This is exactly what the Northern pack was afraid of...the very thing they said might happen... that a younger generation couldn't handle this curse...that one night one of your immature sons or nephews would kill someone...and it would bring the Dominions, maybe the whole region, even outsiders down on us."

Dex stood up, and River followed. "If you think this incident is going to make me sorry I didn't murder my sons, you're sadly mistaken."

"I don't give a rat's ass if you're sorry or not. You made your choice, and I made mine." River shook his head. "This could mean war between the packs—with the Dominions waiting around to wipe out the victors."

"The question is which side would you be on, Brother?" Dex said the word brother like he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"I'd protect my family, same as you," River said in defiance.

Dex brushed past River, opened the door and walked out. River followed him all the way to the front door.

"Dex, wait!"

Dex froze but kept his back to River.

"I'll do what I can, but I can't promise anything. Just know whatever happens, I'll do everything in my power to keep Jan and the kids safe."

"I don't need you to keep my family safe." Dex grabbed the door knob.

Jewel, oblivious to the new tension between the brothers, shouted a cheerful goodbye, but Dex gave a quick wave as he bolted from the house. River watched him drive off. He wanted to kick himself in the ass for not taking advantage of his brother's visit. This was a rare moment for him and Dex to reconcile, and River felt he had just blown it all to shit.

***

Veronica Tilbert's phone buzzed among the books that were spread out over the school library table. She tossed her reddish brown hair to one side and put the phone to her ear.

"Kayla Morrison, where are you?" she demanded. Christa stopped writing and looked up at Veronica.

"I'm not coming," Kayla said, throwing her backpack and purse on the front seat of her car.

"What do you mean, you're not coming?"

Christa spoke up after hearing the one way conversation. "What does she mean she's not coming? This is an open-book test."

"I'll be back home in time to finish it." Kayla backed out of the driveway.

"But we were supposed to do it together." Veronica got a shush from Mrs. Randolph, the school librarian. "You need to be here," she said, lowering her voice.

"I'll call you and compare notes when I get back," she said, pulling onto Kingston Drive.

"What could be more important than you acing this test?" Veronica asked.

"I'll be fine. I've done most of it, and I'll finish the rest when I get back."

"Back from where, Kayla?"

"Stop being so nosy. I'm not ready to share that right now." Kayla made a left on Pledgemere Road that connected to Key Highway.

Veronica walked out into the hall with Christa following. "Okay, who is he? Is he cute? Have you done it yet? And was it good?"

"Good Heavens!" Kayla laughed.

"Don't answer, Kayla; she has you on loud speaker."

"What the hell, Ronnie?"

"Chill! I was going to turn it off as soon as you got to the juicy parts."

"Like hell you were," Christa said loudly.

"Just do me a favor, both of you. If my mom calls..."

"...You were with us at the library. Got it!" Veronica said.

"Thanks, bffs," Kayla said playfully and clicked off.

The twenty minute drive brought Kayla to the big road sign of Greyscott Falls, and her face melted into a smile. She had come here before by accident when she'd gotten lost. He frightened her at first—coming out of the woods that way. But the delight in his eyes when he saw her in tight jeans and sweatshirt, her honey blonde hair flowing over her breasts, made her know she could trust him. She couldn't get the dashing young man out of her mind. He was tall, dark and so hot. She hadn't spoken of him to anyone. Kayla wanted this sweet memory all to herself.

Turning south, she pulled onto Moonhawk Road and got out of the car. She walked a few paces and just stood there, looking off. This was the place where the crackling leaves under his feet had startled her. Where his tall handsome frame had glided towards her so smoothly and controlled; where his dark hair blew in the soft breeze...where he gazed at her with those sparkling blue eyes; and where his luscious tan lips parted to give her directions back to the main road.

Kayla kept coming back to this spot where she first met him. She didn't know his name, where he lived, or what he was doing that day alone in the woods. But she kept returning, hoping he'd drift by again.

She had written in her diary: I come back many times, but can never find my dark handsome stranger. How I dream of him touching my breast, his hands up my thighs, feeling his hot breath on my cheek and his gorgeous mouth on my lips...

Her continued reminiscing of that night became nearly six pages. And after several readings, she stashed the book in its usual place—well out of sight.

As she appeared deep in thought, her eyes widened as if she sensed a presence behind her. She closed her eyes and saw his tall, dark frame. She swallowed hard and hesitated to turn around, but did so slowly. She stopped dead, and a gasp caught in her throat. Kayla couldn't believe what she saw. It was worse than any nightmare she'd ever had—any horror movie she'd ever seen—of any scary story she'd ever read. She stood paralyzed and gazed into its milky white eyes.

Breathing rapidly, beads of sweat lined her forehead, and her head bobbed nervously. It was huge with a head twice the size of an average wolf. It was nearly as tall as a bear, and its paws were the size of dinner plates with daggers sticking out from each paw. She looked over at her car that was several feet away. Her eyes appeared to wonder if she could make it. Her feet felt like lead sinkers, and her mouth was like a dried fig. The silver and black wolf glared at her with eyes as lifeless as road-kill. Its mouth partly open, shone white fangs like daggers that were as thick as the smallest part of a baby elephant's tusk.

"Don't move," a soft male voice whispered behind her.

The wolf stood there looking to its right, then back at her, looking over its shoulder, then back at her again as if it were trying to decide whether to eat her or something more filling over in the brush. A smaller wolf could eat half its own weight a day. Kayla was five foot six and weighed 106 pounds--a satisfying meal only if it ate her clothes too.

Her legs grew weak as she weaved slightly. Finally, as if something had called to it from beyond the trees or perhaps it scented a more delightful meal, the menacing giant swiftly pranced away and disappeared into the thick darkness of the forest. Kayla was so shaken up, she didn't bother to know who had called to her from behind, or why. She dashed for her car and quickly locked herself in. As she fumbled for her keys, she jumped when a knock came on the passenger window. A man, who looked to be in his late forties, was tapping.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded yes and started the car. He kept trying to get her to lower the window, but she continued backing up until she got to the road; she turned and took off at top speed. Her hands were shaking so badly, she couldn't steer. Finally, she pulled over to the side of the road and rested her head on the steering wheel. A truck sped up beside her. She gasped when she saw that same man getting out of the truck. Then another man, on the driver's side, got out and followed him towards her.

Both men stared at her through the driver's window. She heard the older man's muffled voice through the glass.

"Are you all right, miss?"

"Yes," she said after cracking the window just enough for him to hear her clearly.

"My name is Dex Porter," he said," and this is my son Matt. Didn't mean to frighten you. We were just concerned."

Kayla finally calmed down and suddenly seemed eager to show her gratitude. She opened the door and nearly tumbled out of the car. She thanked Dex but kept her eyes glued to Matt.

"So, your name is Matt?" she asked. Matt nodded. "You...you probably don't remember me..."

"I remember," Matt said. "You were lost."

"Yes, aah...stupid me," she said awkwardly.

There he was, standing before her...her dark prince; he was even hotter in the bright sunlight. He wasn't wearing a jacket this time, and his shirt was tight with every bulk of his muscular body begging to break free. Was it his sweet voice she'd heard back there telling her not to move?"

"You look a little peaked," Dex said. "Would you like to come back to our house? It's just a little ways back. My wife could maybe fix you a drink of something."

It was music to her ears. She eased next to Matt and gazed into his blue eyes.

"Yes...yes. I...I think I could use a drink or something." At that moment, she faked being lightheaded and swooned; but the wrong man caught her.

"You better let me drive," Dex said, handling her like a delicate flower. He helped Kayla to the passenger side of her car and fastened her in. He pointed the car further south to his home off of Cooncan road with Matt following behind in the truck.