"Elizabeth, really; I'm okay! See? No blood!" I turned my face to her while she pushed me further down the hallway. Taking a glance at my swollen skin, she pursed her lips in irritation.

"I still can't believe he did that," she muttered to myself quietly. "I mean, he's never hit a female in the pack before! Now he's just going to pout for a few days. If he's just going to do that, then he shouldn't be allowed any food or water as long as he's in there, I say!"

As we passed different rooms, there were several women in each who cast me sympathetic glances tinged with a slight bit of worry. Probably afraid of getting slapped too.

Rolling my eyes at my new overdramatic friend, I continued to allow her to usher me down the hallway towards Sarah in the infirmary.

"Elizabethhh," I whined, dragging out the end. "I'm fine! Please, can I just go to my room now? I don't really feel like flashing people the mark anymore than I already have.."

Stopping infront of the Infirmary's door, Elizabeth let go of my upper arm and sighed, looking down at the polished wooden planks beneath her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered quietly, almost so that I couldn't hear her.

"It's not your faul-" I began comforting her when she cut me off with the shake of her head.

"No, I'm sorry. I knew he was about to do something to you, but I just- I just couldn't do anything! My old pack- in my old pack the beta and Alpha would always hit their pack members. Everyone, including kids and women; even the elders. I-if you tried to fight back they'd lock you in the storm shelter for a few days without food or water to 'put you in your place', as they said. That's why I left," she decreased to a whisper again as she finished.

Standing in shock with my jaw hung open slightly, I slowly processes what she had said. The Beta and Alpha hitting all of their pack members? Isolating you in a hole for days? And that's why she left..

Suddenly it became clear as to why she flinched when Blade hit me, and why she couldn't do anything but stand by watching.

"Elizabeth," I cooed as if I was talking to an injured dove. "It's alright, baby.. It's alright."

Pulling her in for a supportive hug, she sniffled twice before pulling away a minute later and looking at me square in the face-at my mark. Tenderly she brushed her fingertips over where the print from his palm was lain, her chocolate eyes turning cloudy before back to their usual polished shine.

"After you, Luna," she smiled and opened the door for me.

"I cannot BELIEVE him!" Sarah screamed, the antibacterial cream long forgotten as it dripped onto the floor between her clenched fingers. "First he takes you as his 'Mate', then he has the audacity to hit you!"

Sarah had been seething ever since she had seen the mark on my face. Without even having to hear the story, she knew exactly who it had been-plus news travels fast in this mansion.

After finally calming her down enough to fix me up-even though there wasn't anything there but a tiny break in the skin- I convinced both of the girls to let me go up to my room to get a little rest.

Hurrying up to my room on the third floor without managing to be seen, I opened my door and scanned the hallway one last time before closing my door to begin stage 2.

'That's too much..no, the other wa- PERFECT!' Nikita exclaimed happily inside my head. 'Now just cap the end.'

Doing as she said even though I already knew to cap the end of a sleeping bomb, I tucked all 4 safely inside the checkered backpack laid on my bed along with the other devices I made.

For almost the past 3 hours Nikita and I had made 4 gas-filled sleeping bombs, 5 smoke grenades, and 3 "Wolf Screechers", as it was most commonly known as. Werewolves were known for their exemplary senses of hearing, smelling, stamina, and stubbornness, so let's see how long they'd last against being challenged against chemical reactions.

Using the things found around my room plus the various different chemicals I managed to smuggle from the infirmary while Sarah was irate, I had used what little knowledge of chemistry I had- but mostly Nikita- and concocted a foolproof plan to cause mass hysteria(Or a good distraction at least.)

Looking at the wall clock above the Vanity, I saw it was 4:33, exactly 28 minutes from the usual meal time for the pack members who live here. Grabbing the backpack and pulling the two straps around my shoulders comfortably, I took a deep breath. No backing out now.

Locking the door behind me as I shut it without a sound, I padded down the hallway and stairs, passing no one but the lifeless faces in the paintings.

Once I got to the bottom of the stairs, I tuned into my acute Werewolf hearing to find no one around the area. Hurriedly I swung the bag off of my shoulder and pulled out a Wolf Screecher and smoke grenade. Nestling them both behind different thick legs of a table holding delicate glass figurines, I hid two more smoke grenades and a sleeping bomb underneath the thick striped sweater I was wearing as footsteps echoed down the hallway. Hastily zipping up the backpack and pulling it over my right shoulder, I calmed my breathing and strolled out into the hallway.

"Ellie? Oh Ellie, how are you?" a concerned voice called out behind me. Turning around, I saw Lilly jogging over to me in a rush. "Are you okay? I heard about what Blade did to you as soon as you went up to your room." She gently turned my head to look at the fading mark. Tsk'ing her tongue, she shook her head in dismay. "I didn't think he'd actually do that to you.."

Taking her hand on my face with my left, I smiled. "It's okay, really. See? Just a little mark."

"You are so brave, Ellie. I don't know how you do it," she commended. With that the smiled at me sadly before dropping her arm and walking past me towards the dining room. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I felt for the items still tucked under my shirt and proceeded to place everything in strategic locations; the 2 smoke grenades and sleeping bomb under my shirt went to the intersections of major hallways, a Wolf Screecher, smoke grenade, and sleeping bomb went in the doorway of the dining room unnoticed, and the remaining two sleeping bombs were placed in hallways frequently traveled down.

Fingering the last smoke grenade and Wolf Screecher in my pocket because they were so small, I decided to keep them handy for what I'd do with them later. Double checking that all of the doors on the second floor were open wide, I bid everyone in the dining room and kitchen a goodnight, grabbing a cast-iron skillet and sliding it into my backpack as I retreated back to the second floor. Peering into an empty bedroom at a wall clock, I saw it was 4:58. Two minutes.

Slinking down the hallway past my room, I crawled to a stop just past Blade's room where he said he would be. Crouching down against the wall and removing my backpack, I gripped what I would need. Any second now.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Explosions and a shrill, piercing screech from the Wolf Screechers shook the entire house in a succession , the floorboards beneath me rattling with their intensity. Lodging the earplugs I found in the backpack into my ears, the screaming, pure and terrified, could still be heard while being followed soon after with the pattern of heavy thuds. A ghostly white fog began drifting up the stairwell and crawling along the trim of the hallway.

A muffled voice came from inside Blade's room, then purposeful strides towards the door.

Now!

Throwing the final smoke grenade and Screecher before his door just as he stepped out, I stood and swung the heavy iron skillet with purpose and without hesitation.

Metal connected with bone as the handle vibrated in my grasp. A choked whimper escaped his parted lips as he fell to the ground limply. Watching as his eyes slowly closed and a huge bloody knot form on his temple, I huffed in satisfaction.

"That's what you get for slapping me, asshole," I sneered as I dropped the pan and pulled the intentionally thick sweater over my nose as I took a deep breath. Stepping over his unconscious body and dashing down the hallway and stairs, I carefully avoided the comatose bodies of the people I had grown to seeing- bonding with, even. Stopping at Elizabeth's and Sarah's bodies, laying side by side with arms and legs strewn about, I grew guilty and suddenly very tired, but not because of the gas.

Turning away from them and rushing to open the back door, I gasped for air I didn't know I needed that badly until then. Taking just enough time to catch my breath, I sprinted away from the house and towards the stalls in my leather ankle boots with the biting November air at my heels.

Slowing down infront of the barn's wide double-doors, I opened them both and tied each one off to a post to keep them open. Turning back into the stalls to look at the 15 horses occupying it.

"Okay babies, let's go!" I yelled as I opened each of the stall doors and slapped the equines' meaty behind with the palm of my hand to make them run. Turning to the last horse in the barn, I instantly recognized the Paint Horses' body and colors, and how I had felt a strange connection after interacting with it for a few minutes that morning. Smiling at the whinnying stallion, I opened the door slowly as it rested it's nose against my hand.

After successfully saddling my horse and climbing on, we began a slow run as the silent house rose before us. I'm sorry, Elizabeth. Please forgive me, I thought before I clicked my tongue and we shot off with a gallop, horses of all different colors, genders, and sizes running in every direction into the woods.

Dear Elizabeth, Sarah, and Lilly,

I'm sorry that you had to find like this, but it was the only way. I take full responsibility for causing the smoke, Screechers, and sleeping gas as I would do anything to make it so I hadn't have had to do that. As you know by now, I'm gone from this mansion, from Blade, and am heading back to my mate as you read this. Girls, all three of you have had such an amazing impact on my life-even you, Lilly; you're the one who brought me here in the first place. Sarah, thank you for taking such good care of me when I couldn't(and sorry about the missing chemicals). Elizabeth, you have been so amazing and patient with me the entire time you've known me. Thank you for understanding that I had to get away, so please don't be angry at my extra precautions with the bombs and grenades.

Remember that I love you all three, and everyone else in the pack, very much and grew fond of all of you.

Until the next time we meet,

Luna Elenore Burns

P.S. To Blade: I hope your head aches with the memory of your physical abuse on me-and the from the massive skillet I hit you with. Am I still yours, Blade? Because I would love to see you try and get me now.