KARA/CAROLINE

"What?!" I twisted to William in horror. "You turned Rick?"

He nodded, staring straight at the bent man. "It was me. Wasn't it? In that parking garage after you shot us. I did bite you. It was a death bite, not a turning bite." He turned to me, brow shading his eyes. "You healed him. I watched the scratches heal, but I didn't check over his bite wound. I didn't think of it. But when you heal wounds and scars, the markings always stay." He turned back across the table. "So that bite must not have healed completely, and it caused you to turn at the full moon."

Rick's head bobbed and then a frail hand lifted to his dirty shirt collar and pulled it away to reveal his shoulder, like he'd done it many times before and that's why the button was missing. There were scars there that had to have come from a large wolf's powerful bite.

Rick finally spoke, his voice unruly and stammering. "I...I thought I imagined all that fight down there." He swallowed. "But there was this scar on my shoulder. I was angry, and trying to figure out what to do to..." he bent even lower, "sorry, but I was still consumed with getting Caroline back. Even then." He was still lowered, but finally just the sides of his eyes looked on me for a dash of a second. "One day I was more irritable than I had been for a long while. My assistants at the clinic were getting annoyed as the animals were picking up on my anger. They made me go home, but at home I was still jittery and raging. I hit into walls and pushed over furniture to cure my tension, but nothing was helping. Then suddenly I'm in this dreadful pain and falling to the ground in agony. My body is changing, fevering, and breaking, these horrible noises consumed me."

He stopped speaking staring at scratches in the table and then his human fingers followed over them, chasing the pattern with his nails. "And then I was alright. I stood up and felt tall and powerful. I saw myself in the tv reflection. I passed out and when I came to, I was still the creature. I ransacked my apartment trying to pull myself together. Then at sunrise I was suddenly a man again. I put on my suit and raced to your father's. I don't know what I expected. Maybe he knew what was going on. But yes, I was shouting rather inappropriate things for a father to hear of their daughter. I deserved to be put in my place."

My father continued his story. "We fought until his wolf submitted. Then I brought him inside, got him a new change of clothes and a coffee. Had to give him the talk, if you know what I mean. The supernatural is real talk. He told me of you twos fight and I figured that's where he got bitten. Well, I guessed that meant he was a new Hightop pack member and that it was time for me to move after all. I figured once we got here, Rick was Hightop's problem. If he did somethin' in Seattle, DOSS might come sniffing and find themselves two wolves for the price of one. I spent the next two weeks teaching meathead here about what it was to be a proper wolf and took the time to get my affairs in order."

"What affairs?" I asked.

"I sold the house. Really, I just handed the deed over to a buddy of mine from the underground. The truck and dogs are parked outside. So? Will 'ya take us?"

I looked at Rick, a strange mixture of disgust and pity on my face. "You want to move here? Why? You can't imagine that it would be a friendly environment to see the two people you shot every day."

The corner of his eyes met mine for just a second again. "I have nowhere else to go. I lost my fiancée. I lost my prize worker. I can't hold a veterinary practice when the animals sense me like this. My home is a mess. I'm out of control in my own skin." He finally tilted his head just enough to see William and I. "I need to start over anew. Your father assures that being a wolf and part of a pack can help me do that. And," he reached into his pocket and pushed a long folded paper across the table to me, "I would like to make recompense for my awful actions to you over the last two years."

I unfolded the paper, and it was a check made out to William and me in the form of just under a million dollars. My eyes widened. "Rick!"

He bowed back to the table. "I have already paid your father back, plus interest, for all the months he paid for me to stay quiet. This is for you."

I looked up at him, eyes squinting in disbelief. "Why?"

"I know it's not much, but on such short notice it's all I could get for the clinic."

"You sold the clinic?"

He nodded. "It was worth more, but this buyer paid in cash and wanted the quickest transfer." He sighed as if sad. "He will not get the full benefit anyway. I told him the reason my clinic was so superb was the staff and the star had been offered a secret job across state lines. She was not to be contacted for future hires. And I was following her."

My brow lowered and I looked over the check, then held it out to him. "I don't need this."

He wouldn't take it back. "No. I was wrong to treat you like I did. This is recompense." He then looked at my dad, who nodded. He took a gulping breath. "And so is this." He reached behind him to some messenger bag and pulled out a small fur. I quickly put the check in my pocket unsure what else to do with it.

Rick walked around the table and William and I twisted in our chairs to watch him. He then bent submissive to his knees and held out the fur like a gift. "I, Rick Wayne Farce, apologize for the pain and suffering I have caused Beta William Merris and his mate." He then dropped the lump into my hands.

When I looked the fur over, my head immediately reeled with complete disgust. It was a revolting muck of mutilated squirrel. All bones and blood, fleshy strips of meat gurgled in my hands and the smell of broken intestines had lunch on its way up. "What the fu...!" I started to throw the repulsive thing to Kingdom Come, when my body was stopped with the freeze of the absolute submission.

Stop. He has initiated a forgiveness ceremony.

I growled mutinously through the link. William. Stinkin'. Merris. I don't care what the eff this is, you get this bloody roadkill out of my hands this instant or I'm moving to China without you!

He sent a small grin my way. I love you. He then picked the squirrel mess up and delicately set it on the table. This is a werewolf's way of begging for forgiveness for a wrongdoing. Of course, we usually give elk, or even moose, but maybe we'll cut the city slicker some slack.

Who the freak gives a moose to say sorry!?

He gave an under-breath chuckle and I was given movement back. I turned my hands over and though there was nothing left from the mess of a squirrel, I still shivered and gave a small gag.

Oh gosh, morning sickness was real.

William must have realized where this was headed because he twisted the chair quickly so we were face to face, his golden eyes glowed bright bringing my healer to calm over my stomach.

I took a few breaths.

You good?

I nodded. I'm alright now.

Good. He looked to Rick who was still kneeling before us and studied him for a few moments. Now we have to decide if we accept his offering and are willing to forgive him, or we choose to kill him right now and exact our revenge.

"Ki...!" was all I shrieked of 'kill him!?' before William cut off my movements again.

He released me again. Yes. He has given an offering. We must decide what to do next.

I looked over to Rick. It felt so hard to think about forgiving him for all the hurt that he's done to me, but to actually kill him? Right here, right now? I didn't think I could do that either.

When I looked back to William he was giving me a soft smile, knowing the answer before I did. He grabbed my hand and pulled us to a standing position. We don't have to forgive him right away. But we will have to. Can you do that?

I gave a simple nod. I think so.

He kissed my forehead tenderly. It's going to be hard for me too. Then he stepped back. Take my hand.

Okay.

He grabbed my hand, cupping his over my own and we stood over Rick. Rick then opened his neck wide, pointed nose clear to the ceiling and closed his eyes with a heavy swallow.

William's fingertips grew to razor sharp wolf claws over mine and he guided our hands over Rick's extended neck. Then in a slow, deadly motion Will drug our hands over Rick's neck, his nail tips leaving dangerous canals in stripes at Rick's neck. Not deep enough to truly kill him, but plenty deep to leave disturbing scars.

He stepped us back and I stared at the five straight edged red lines, blood trying to seep from the new wounds.

We have to slit his neck to forgive him? I asked incredulously. How barbaric were some of the wolfen ceremonies?

He will have those wounds until we forgive him completely. They are an outward sign to others in the pack that he is untrustworthy but is making an effort to change.

And if he doesn't change?

The marks will deepen on their own until he bleeds to death.

That's gruesome.

That's wolf life.

William took a deep breath and stood tall over Rick. "I, William Lee Merris, and on behalf of my mate, we accept your offering. Understand this. It does not mean that we have forgiven you. But we accept your wish to obtain our forgiveness. You may rise."

Rick's eyes opened and he finally looked William in the eyes. "Thank you Beta."

William gave a single nod and Rick stood, going back to the chair. He was still in a submissive form, but not as cowering as he was before.

"If that is all that is needed, I should get back to my responsibilities," William told the room.

"That's it," Dad answered.

"I will pass on your request to join the pack and will have our receptionist set you both up with appropriate accommodations."

"Thanks Beta," Dad gave a sad smile.

William stepped to the door, and Rick called out, "Beta, wait."

William turned back, uneasy about what Rick may have to say. "Yes?"

Rick looked back at the table. "Take good care of Kara will you?" He paused and looked up for only a second to Will. "I never took very good care of Caroline and lost her. Don't lose Kara. She needs someone to take care of her."

William gave a short nod.

Rick continued blurting, "and always tell her her gifts right away. She hates surprises. I loved watching her squirm, but I shouldn't have. Don't make her do that. Take her to pizza places. She loves funny colored socks, and cds of theatrical music. And she has an unhealthy obsession with marshmallows. Oh, and she loves facial massages. You can do it. With lots of pressure right at her eyebrows." His voice slowed to the table with an exhale. "She's always so conscious of everyone around her, she deserves to have someone be conscious of her." He looked up to Will. "Please do that for her."

Will stared at him for a long minute, the second hand of the clock ticking away while Will considered over Rick's request.

"I will do that."

I was also silently contemplating. Had he really been so in tune with me? Even when we were engaged, looking back it felt like he didn't care about me, only what he could get from me. Maybe he really did choose me as a partner? It wasn't always about the money.

William grabbed my hand and pulled me close. "I don't like what you did to Kara. I'm not talking just shooting her either." His eyes came harsh over Rick. "Never ever cheat on any woman at this pack. Never cheat on any woman ever again or there will be radical consequences."

"Yes sir," Rick agreed.

"But." Taking a long exhale, Will's eyes came over Rick, but this time softer. "I will acknowledge that you never forced yourself onto Kara. You took her wishes into account and didn't coerce her to go further in your relationship than she was ready. I do thank you on that at least, Mr. Farce."

I glanced up to Will. It was the first time I'd heard him use Rick's name.

"Thank you Beta," Rick whispered.

And I understood what William was meaning. Yes, Rick cheated on me, and perhaps even multiple times, but never once did he ever pressure me into going further than I wanted. Now, as I watched over Rick with a new appreciation, the bottommost scratch across his neck started disappearing into his skin, an inch sliding clean from one edge.

"I will let the receptionist know where to find you. Now please excuse us, I'm going to escort Kara back home." Then William started tugging me out of the room and guided us upstairs.

I was so consumed with my thoughts, that I nearly smacked right into Will when he stopped at our door and turned around.

I looked up at him confused.

"Do you really hate surprises?" He asked with lowered brows.

In all that was said with my dad and Rick, that's what he focused on?

I shrugged self-conscious. "Kinda. Well, yes. Rick used to hold stuff over my head like that all the time. He'd be all 'I have your Valentine's gift' over a month early and used to bug me about it on a daily basis. I hated it. Catherine always tells me my birthday presents before she gives them."

He nodded his head, looking around the hallway like he was answering himself, then smiled. "In that case, I got tickets to take you to a little theater in the round next weekend. The actors are a professional company that come down from the big city to do a play in the mountains. Andrea suggested it. She loves it."

My face lit. "Really? There's a playhouse close? And we've got tickets?" I leapt into his arms. "That sounds so wonderful! Thank you!" I hugged into him tight, eyes almost filling with joyful tears.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. "I guess this is as good as surprising you right at the playhouse."

"No way. It's so much better." I leaned up to kiss him.

I wondered if another part of Rick's scars were sliding away.