The car came to a screeching halt near Chestnut lake, dust flying as it did. Jennifer quickly got out of the car and Freya followed.

"Greg's here?" Freya asked, her heart pounding.

"This is what they showed me," Jennifer replied, looking at her surroundings.

"Okay," Freya said, pushing her hair back and trying to think straight.

"Where do we start?"

Jennifer looked around once more and sighed, pulling out a whistle from her pocket. She handed it Freya who looked back at her, questioningly.

"Where did you get that?" she asked.

"Never mind that. We're going to split up so we can cover more ground. If you find Greg, you have to blow that whistle, okay?"

"Okay," Freya drawled.

"I'll go west, okay? Keeping to the right. And you go left."

"Okay but how do I find you?"

"I'll find you. We meet back at the car if there are any problems."

"Okay," she replied, a little unsure.

Freya walked to the bridge, a strong breeze flew past her, blowing dust into her eyes. She rubbed them and winced as her uncombed hair flicked into her eyes, too.

"Greg!" she yelled.

"Greg!"

She continued eastwards, shouting Greg's name, desperately. A part of her was scared of what she would find. It didn't make sense why Greg would be out in the middle of nowhere. She kept walking, her skin starting to feel itchy as time passed and the long overgrown grass scratched against her legs.

Unaware of how long she had been walking for and how many mosquitoes had bitten her, Freya heard something move. She froze, looking at the trees, waiting for something to come out. It didn't.

"Greg?" she called out and waited again.

She crept closer, her eyes wide with fear. She looked behind the tree and was partially relieved when there was nothing there.

Turning around, she bumped into someone and almost screamed.

"Woah, woah, calm down," the person said, holding up his hands in defense.

Freya looked up at him in alarm, holding her hand over her heart.

"I'm sorry I scared you there," Ace said.

"It's fine, I just didn't see you," Freya said, putting some distance between herself and the man.

Ace flashed a charming smile.

"I- I wasn't expecting anyone here..."

"I could say the same thing," Ace replied.

Freya narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he was a werewolf. Or perhaps something else. Red flags were going off in her mind.

"I'm looking for my brother, have you seen him? He's uh, he's about this tall," she said, holding her hand in the air. "He's got dark hair."

"I'm sorry but you're the first person I've seen in weeks."

"Oh," Freya frowned.

Ace held out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Ace and you are?"

Freya didn't move, staring at his outstretched hand. She was paranoid and didn't hide it.

"Freya," she replied, finally.

"Well, Freya. Are you here alone?" he said, awkwardly putting his hand away into his pocket.

"No, why?"

"Oh? It's just that I don't see anyone," Ace straightened up.

"You'll see them, we're looking for my brother. So, uh- thanks but I need to keep looking."

She felt as if if she stayed around any longer, she'd regret it. Strangers meant danger, especially in this world now.

"I hope you find your brother!" he yelled after her.

Ace Freya walk away. He knew that Freya felt something off about him. She looked over her shoulder once before disappearing behind a cluster of trees.

Freya looked over her shoulder once again, afraid that she was being followed. She didn't understand how a person could possibly be walking around like that in the middle of nowhere. He was suspicious, Freya knew that much.

Ace breathed deeply through his nose and disappeared with one snap of his fingers.

He found Greg by a clearing, sitting alone on a stump. He sensed him walk behind him without having to turn around.

"It's true that I'm a... warlock," he said without turning around.

Ace saw the pebbles floating in mid air and Greg's hand slightly raised.

Ace said nothing.

"I can't believe this is happening to me. Like, if only I knew this before."

Ace stared at him, emotionless.

"I could've made things better if I knew this before. Maybe my dad would've still been alive and I wouldn't have been pushed around so much if people knew."

Ace looked behind his shoulder, worried that Freya would find them.

"All the bad people think they can get away with the stuff they do. It makes me so angry."

Ace looked down at Greg.

"You could always put things right, you know?"

"How?"

"Bad people need to be punished, right? There's no law and there's no police to keep that in order anymore. So maybe you have to take it into your own hands now."

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking up at him, confused.

"You could pay your oppressors a visit, show them that they aren't the top of the food chain no more."

"I can't."

"If you can't do it for yourself, do it for the other people they've hurt."

Freya, Greg thought.

"I can't kill them."

"You don't have to, just enough to make sure they don't dare to hurt you again."

Greg looked back at the water and suddenly dropped the pebbles. Something was different in him. He was actually considering the thought of killing Tristan.

He remembered how the pack had threatened him and his sister into getting into the Jones' house and how they had mercilessly cornered them in that house. They took away his sister and they left him to die outside, defenseless.

Hurting Tristan didn't sound too bad after all.

Greg looked at Ace and gave him a nod. Without wasting time, Ace snapped his fingers and the pair of them were gone.

•

Billy lit a cigarette, sitting on the car bonnet. He watched as Murwah carried the laundry back inside the house. Minutes later, Jade walked out and met his eyes.

She looked away and started for the road. Jumping off the bonnet, Billy sprinted after her. "Hey! Jade, wait up!"

"What do you want, Billy?" she asked without stopping.

"Where are you going?" he asked, catching up to her.

"I'm going for a walk."

"Hold up," he said, finally at pace with her.

Jade stopped and folded her arms over her chest. "What?" she snapped.

"Are you pissed at me?" he asked, looking at her.

"I'm not pissed at you," she said, avoiding eye contact.

"You've been avoiding me."

Jade shrugged.

"I have?"

Billy gave her a look and then sighed. "Did I do something?"

"No," Jade said, scrunching up her nose as she did. "You're over thinking."

Billy took a few steps to close the distance between them. He slowly pushed a strand of Jade's hair behind her ear.

Jade finally looked at him, indifferent by his gesture.

"What are you thinking about?" Billy asked, letting his hand fall.

"I'm worried about Tristan," she said finally.

Billy looked at the road, "He'll be fine."

"As his best friend, you need to make sure that actually happens."

"Look, I'm trying but he's barely listening to anyone."

"I don't know why he lets things affect him so much," Jade said.

"If that kid dies, he'll think that his blood is on his hands."

Billy looked at Jade, a little annoyed. "I don't know why he's worked up about him anyway. He never gave a crap about their kind before."

"It's probably because he's a child."

"Are you sure it's just that?" Billy asked, starting to walk.

Jade walked with him, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, all I'm saying is that the wolves are gossiping, spreading rumours among themselves. Some of them are hard not to listen to because the Alpha I knew, didn't give a rat's ass about nobody and no place other than his own," Billy said.

Jade stayed silent.

"Are you second guessing him?" she asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"No, all I'm saying is that I'm concerned."

"Well, if there's anyone in this pack who knows how to handle this shit, it's him so I think you should lay off."

"Why are you being so defensive all of a sudden?" Billy said, annoyed.

"Why are you being so damn desperate all of a sudden?" she said, watching as her words struck him.

"What happened on the night of the bonfire... Ended that night. Don't waste your time overthinking it," she said and walked away, arrogantly down the road without looking back.

•

Greg sat on the carpet with his hands out in front of him. "Are you sure this will be safe?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course."

"Why can't I learn how to fly or something?" Greg asked, innocently.

"Because that's not that special. This, is special," Ace said, shooting fire from his hands.

Greg sighed and looked at his open palms. "Nothing's happening."

"That's because you have to concentrate."

"I am!"

"No you're not!" Ace shouted.

"You know what, I don't want to practice anymore. I'm going to go eat something," he said, getting up.

"Greg, you can't go anywhere until you learn this," Ace said, annoyed.

He ignored him and pushed past the door and into the kitchen.

"Get back here, Greg!" he yelled.

"No," Greg said, dramatically. "Not until I eat something, we've been at it for hours."

Ace felt his anger and frustration rise. Not being able to mask it any longer, he slammed open the kitchen door and was about to grab Greg by the shoulder when Greg turned around and growled loudly at him.

Ace was taken aback and watched Greg open a packet of hot cross buns.

"Do you want one?" he asked, innocently.

"No," he sighed. "Knock yourself out, kid."

Greg blissfully took a bite and Ace walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Greg asked with his mouth full.

"Out, I'll be back before dark," he said without turning.

•