"Lay still, Zac." I whispered as I gently placed a cold wet cloth on his forehead. After he recovered from his first shift, the pain and sickness came back and hit him like a freight train. "Are you sure that he shouldn't go to the doctor, Shane?" I asked as I tucked Zac in.

"I don't know!" Shane said as he ran one hand through his hair and used the other to give Zac a bowl of soup. "This has never happened to me because my first time going through the blood moon, I was almost thirteen!"

"Where are the others?"

"Jess and Aiden are doing research on what's happening to Zac so we can help him and Greg's at the store buying meds and a lot of soup."

"Shubby," Zac whispered.

"Yes Zac?" Shane asked as he hurried to the bedside then got on his knees.

"I-I'm cold." He said in a weak voice, before licking his cracked lips.

I felt my chest tighten as Shane quickly pulled Zac into a hug and rocked him, holding him tightly as if he were about to disappear. "It's all my fault," Shane whispered as he continued rocking Zac. "I should've sent you back to mom and dad and waited until this was over. I should've protected you, but I didn't and I'm so sorry." He whispered in a broken voice. Zac's face showed no emotion as Shane held and spoke to him. It just held a blank expression as he looked into space.

It was almost like he was....I started tearing up myself at the thought of losing him. He didn't deserve this. No one did.

Moon Goddess please. I silently prayed. Please help Zac, h-he's too good and kind hearted to go. Especially at this age and this way. Please. I'll do anything in order to keep this kid alive. I'll....I'll even give my own life instead, just please keep my boy alive.

By the end, there were water falls cascading down my face. I ran over to Zac and Shane and hugged both of them tight, scared that they'd both break and disappear at any moment.

I cradled Zac's cold little frame in my arms and kissed his forehead. "Hang in there bud. You'll get better soon. I promise." I whispered.

His eyes were closed now, but his chest was still up and down and he had a steady heartbeat. All of a sudden, blood started trickling from his mouth. His eyes snapped wide open and his body tensed as if he were shocked.

I saw tears form in his eyes, but they weren't normal. They were red. It was blood.

"Shane we have to get him to the hospital!" I screamed, but he just stood there in shock, watching blood spill from his little brother's face. "SHANE!" I screamed as I slapped him. His head snapped back toward me and his eyes turned black, causing my heart to drop to my feet, afraid of what he'd do next.

He growled, but instead of yelling at me, he quickly turned to Zac and gently cradled him in his arms.

"Call t-the d-doctor." Shane said with difficulty as his wolf was quickly raising.

I did as I was told as I followed him throughout to house. By the time we got downstairs, the doctors were already there. When one of them tried to touch Zac, Shane growled a low, dangerous growl that even causing the floor boards underneath my feet to shake. It was the growl of an Alpha.

"Shane," I gently said, but he continued growling lowly. "He's trying to help Zac, and you're putting his life in danger by not letting the only people that can help him do their jobs."

He quickly stopped and looked at me and that's when I saw them. There were tears in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. Morgan always told me that a real man never cries. He said it showed weakness, but he was wrong. Crying showed just how strong he was.

He took a deep breath before he nodded before he kissed the crown of Zac's head and carefully put Zac's body into the doctor's arms.

"I don't want him to go," Shane whispered as I pulled him in for a hug.

"He won't," I whispered as I held him tighter. "I promise."

*****

The smell of disinfectants burned my nostrils, the bleakness of the room hurt my eyes, and the sight of a broken boy hurt my heart.

This was the same room Greg was in. Who knew I'd be in the same room two times within a month.

Greg was sitting next to me with his face in his hands, silently crying. Shane had to be "contained" in a dark room, and bound with silver handcuffs because every time anyone would get close to Zac he'd try to kill him. All of his pain, sadness, anger, and fear, I could feel it through the mate bond in waves.

Jess and Aiden sat in the corner of the room, Jess had fallen asleep after about an hour and a half of crying and Aiden was rocking her sleeping figure back and forth. I could see the dried tear trails going down her face.

I looked at Zac. He had needles and tubes sticking out of his pale skin going every which way. The doctor had a tube giving him some kind of mixture that's supposed to heal his wolf and body, but I don't know if it's working.

This chest was now raising and falling at a steady pace and his heartbeat is stronger than it was this morning. So why is this happening? Why isn't he waking up?

I felt all my anger boil up. I blamed Greg because of his stupidity and how badly he'd treated Zac. I blamed Shane for not telling me about the curse because instead of running around with him, I could've been trying to figure out a way to protect Zac. But most of all, I blamed myself. If I just would've let myself burn in that fire, those people I killed would still be alive, I wouldn't have had to deal with the abuse, Stephanie would still be alive, I wouldn't have been here to calm Shane down when Greg disrespected him so he could've just sent them back to their old pack and we wouldn't be here. I would just be a smudge on the surface of the world.

Shane wouldn't be hurt because he wouldn't know that I even existed and I would be with Chris and my parents. I felt tears run down my face in a waterfall and I let it all out and cried. I cried for myself. I cried for Zac. I cried for everything.

Don't worry. A honey sweet voice gently said. I won't let him go. But I must warn you, he may not be the same person you knew before.

W-Who are you? I asked.

That's not important. All you need to know is that he'll be okay. But I also come with a warning.

Hardships are coming your way and I cannot help you. All I can tell you is that you need to stay strong and you need to trust Shane.

O-Okay. I said.

Oh and Ariel, she said. Just know that everything that's going to happen will help you become stronger not to break you down.

Then the connection died.

Okay then....

I stood up and walked over to Zac and gently kisses his forehead before heading toward the door. "Where are you going?" Greg croaked, his eyes still red from crying.

"I-I need to take a walk. Figure somethings out." I said as the voice kept replaying itself in my head.

"Okay," he nodded. "Be careful."

"I will." I said with a small smile before I slipped out of the hospital.

It was kinda late but beautiful colors washed across the sky like water color. A cool breeze brushed across my face, bringing fresh, not sterile air into my lungs.

I took a deep breath before I started jogging. I was about twenty yards away from the pack boarders. Shane always warned me to never be within one hundred yards, but I doubt anything will happen and the further away from the hospital the better.

I continued to run and try to decode what the voice was trying to tell me, but I was interrupted when I heard a loud snap, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. My heartbeat sped up as a scent rushed into my nose. I didn't know who or what it was, but it smelled vaguely familiar.

My wolf senses kicked in and told me to run as fast as I could, and that's exactly what I did. I turned around and ran as fast as I could in the direction of the hospital. Shane, I think there's a rogue following  me.

Where are you?! He growled through the link, anger apparent in his voice.

Near the south boarder. I'm running back to the hospital. Please hurry Sh-

All of a sudden, I was tackled and I screamed as the rogue, a male, pinned me down.

"Shh!" He whispered as he pressed a finger against my lips. "Please don't, he'll kill me." He said with pleading green eyes.

"W-Who are you?" I asked even though I had a pretty good idea.

A small smile played on his lips and he helped me up. "Wow, Ariel I'm very offended that you don't recognize me."

Then it clicked. "I-Is it really you?" I asked as I started tearing up.

He nodded.

Oh my Goddess...

*****
Wow, cliffhanger. Sorry this chapter was so bad and all over the place and short.

The next chapter will be better I promise.

If you liked it, don't be a silent reader and tell me what you think by voting and commenting! In the comments tell me who you think the rogue is. (I won't update until some on does it, and even you think someone's already done it, check and comment again! 😈)

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THANK YOU FOR 10K reads!!!! You guys are freaking amazing!!!!! I was so happy when I got 2K now look at us. All the way at 10K!

You guys are the best and I love you little marshmallows so much! 😊

Keep being awesome and don't forget to comment and vote and all that jazz. I know I already said this but still comment and tell me who you think the rogue is and the first right answer might get a shoutout. 😏

Okay now I'll let you get back to your lives.

You should also preorder Troye Sivan's new album Blue Neighbourhood album. The deluxe has 16 songs and the regular has...less than that.... So yeah.

Love y'all- Jordan 😘

P.S I'ma be that jerk that doesn't update until someone guesses. Sorry 😈

EDITED JULY 15, 2016