"Damn it, Mom," I said, walking into my room and slamming my door shut, still highly angry and hurt. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you!"

There was some whining and pawing at my door, making me stop and stare at it in shock. I had forgotten I had found the dog, my Guide. My heart was pounding, because I didn't know what it could be. I didn't know if I would be alive, if that... thing got into my room.

You know that you found a dog, remember? Voice asked. He's important to you.

I sighed in relief when Voice had said that. I had forgotten about the dog, but I was glad that it was something that wouldn't hurt me. My whole body relaxed, while went to my door and opened it, looking at the face of a dog, who was looking slightly hurt that I had closed the door on him. "Don't look at me like that," I said, moving away from the door, so that he could go into my room.

He wagged his tail as he went in. He started to inspect my room, making sure that nothing was out of place. His ears were pricked, while he checked every inch and corner of it.

"You are crazy," I said, watching him for a minute. I shook my head and sighed while he wagged his tail at me. After that, I sat down on my window seat and looked out into the night, wondering what was out there.

Ember eyes stared up at me, from a bush. Only the eyes were seen, but I could see the outline of ears and a wolf's face.

I jumped up, startled that my friend and teacher was this close to the house. I pressed my face close to the window, looking out at the other face, wondering why he was here. "Lupus?" I whispered in shock and disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Who's Lupus?" Mom asked, coming into my room.

"Mom!" I said startled, as I fell off of my window seat and landing on my back, the air knocked out of my lungs. I took a couple of deep breaths, calming my pounding heart. She had surprised me, because I didn't know why she was here.

"Again, who's Lupus?" she asked again, while I struggled to stand. She folded her arms across her chest and stared at me, not helping me up.

"Who?" I asked, playing the dumb card. I frowned and cocked my head.

"You said Lupus and looked out the window."

"I did?"

"Joes," she warned.

"Mom, I don't know what you are talking about. Did you have anything to eat today?"

Liar.

You are so active, today. Why is that? I retorted, annoyed with Voice.

I have no idea what you mean.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she asked getting angry. I could tell that she was getting angry by the way her nose flared. Her whole body was tense, and she had a fist by her side.

I shook my head and sighed, knowing that I couldn't do that, even if I wanted to. "I can't. You wouldn't believe me." And I'm in danger, I added silently. I don't want you to be in danger, like I am.

"Try me."

I shook my head, again. I was being truthful, I couldn't tell her anything about this. If I did and she gets hurt, then it'd be my fault. "I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you this."

"Joesylin Laura Lone, you best tell me right now."

"MOM! I can't! All right? I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything that has happened and is going to happen."

"Then, you're grounded!"

"Mom!"

"Don't "Mom" me, Joesylin Laura."

"But-"

"No but's. No and's. No or's. Do you understand me?"

I bowed my head in defeat, knowing that she wasn't going to change her mind. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Two weeks." And with that, she left.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, throwing myself onto the bed, crying. I felt so worn, angry, and hurt. She didn't understand, and I didn't think she would even understand. I didn't want to put her in danger, since I was all ready in danger with whatever I was.

Something cold and wet touched the base of my neck. The dog whined, trying to get me to look up.

"Get off," I mumbled, pushing at the dog. "I'm not in the mood."

He just whined and pushed harder in the base of my neck.

"He's trying to tell you that I'm here," someone said, at my window.

I swore and jumped up, looking at my window to see that it was only Lasi. My whole body relaxed, because it was just the cat. "Next time, don't scare me like that. And please, say hello."

She jumped lightly onto my bed and sat down, watching me. "And why should I?" she purred, teasingly. "Besides, I'm sorry that I scared you." There was a chuckle in her voice, while I looked down and not at her.

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it, when I heard footsteps outside my door. I cocked my head and grew tense. I knew that my mother was going to come back into my room, even though I had other stuff to do.

"What is it?" Lasi asked, tensing slightly, while I stared at the door. She frowned and stared at the door, also.

"Get under my bed," I whispered.

"What?"

"Get under my bed."

I felt her jump off my bed and go under it, before my mother walked through my door again. My body relaxed and leaned against my bed, watching her. I didn't know what she wanted this time.

"You hungry?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I said, pushing the dog off the bed.

He whined as he hit the floor and looked at me, hurt. He huffed and sat down at the foot of my bed, watching me and then looking at my mother.

She walked all the way in and went to the window, looking out into the night. "Such a beautiful place."

"For a leaky, old house," I muttered, not looking at her but at my worn quilt.

"Why do you hate this place so much?" she asked, looking at me.

I got out of my bed and sat on the floor, petting the dog. I had to smile because he had leaned into my touch, while I scratched him behind his ear. "Because, it's so dreary, and I can't explain how it makes... me feel."

"Is it because of the dog?"

I shook my head, no. "Remember our old house?"

"We were living with my parents."

"Still... it was home." I shook my head and chuckled. I could remember everything about it. I remembered everything, because I had loved that old house, even if we were living with my grandparents. "I remember the smells of food, cooking. I remember how the sun made the walls of my room golden. I miss that. What I miss the most... is the sound of laughter, and that is sad."

"I don't care if you miss that stuff. That is in the past, and now is the present."

I looked up at her, angrily. She didn't understand. She wouldn't, even if she tried. "This is how we are living, Mom. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is no space to move around. There is no backyard or frontyard. We don't even own the property of the woods."

"Oh, yes there is space to move around, Joes. The other house was older than this."

"And it is still home. How long have we seen your brothers and sisters? Never. Not since Li died."

"We do too see them."

"Ok, when was the last time we saw them?"

"Don't make me ground you another two weeks."

"Oh, and let me be grounded on my birthday? Gee, thanks Mom. That is the most special gift you could've ever given me."

"GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

"I AM IN MY ROOM!"

"Then... Ugh!" With that, she left the room, slamming the door behind her.

I stayed silent, shock, angry, and upset with her. However, I was mostly hurt. Mostly hurt that she would do this to me. I bit my lip, while I heard her door slam, also. I felt defeated. I felt defeated, because I knew that she didn't love me anymore. She wouldn't or she couldn't. She had placed up a wall in between us, and I couldn't break through it.

"Nice parent," Lasi said as she came from under my bed.

"No 'good nights' and no 'I love yous'. I guess she will never say them again to me."

"You still love her."

I looked away from her and blushed slightly. "Even after moving, I still do."

Lasi and the dog looked at each other before turning to look at me. "Do you know why the dog wanted to follow you home?"

"I think so," I replied looking at her, then at the dog.

"Are you going to say it or not?" she asked.

I bit my lip and chewed on it. "Is he my Guide?" I asked.

She nodded her head and looked at me and then at the dog. "Now, it is time for you to hear him," she said, coming over to me. She moved her tail close to my ears.

"Cody at your service," the dog said in my head.

I shook my head in surprise and looked at him. "Whoa." That was so cool. Lasi just moved her tail around my ears, and now I can hear them.

He jumped up and wagged his tail, grinning. "Now that you can understand me, can you get me something to eat? I'm hungry." He whined and pouted, still looking at me.

I put my finger to my lip and glanced at the door, making sure that my mother was not outside listening to me. "I cant. Not tonight."

He pouted as he cocked his head, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. "Why not?" he whined.

"Gee, don't sound like a baby," I said, standing up and stretching.

"How do you know Lupus?" Lasi asked, glaring at Cody. She told him to drop it, and he did with a whine.

"Why does it matter if I know him or not?" I asked, plopping down onto my window seat.

"Because," she said, jumping onto the window seat and sat on my legs. "Lupus is your father's Guide. I knew that he hasn't told you anything about him."

I bit my lip and looked at her, wondering if I should tell her. I've been keeping this secret for so long, that I didn't know if I would be able to. "Promise me that you won't tell Michael? I'll tell him when I'm ready to do so."

She nodded her head. "I don't know why you won't tell him, but I won't."

I sighed and looked away from her. "He was the one that found me and taught me everything I knew."

She shook her head and chuckled. "I should've known that it might've happened like that."

I raised an eyebrow, while I looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, wolves are pure bloods."

"Meaning...?"

"They... came first and then people domesticated them into what they are now. Dogs are half-breeds. They might have "some" wolf in them."

"I don't get what it has to do with me."

"You are also a half breed, Joes."

"That means..?"

"You got non magical as well as magical blood in you."

"Mom is non magical."

"Correct."

"And, Dad is magical."

"Yes."

"Does that mean Li was magical, also?"

"Li?"

"Elizabeth. I couldn't say it when I was younger, so I called her Li... and it just stuck."

She studied me, not answering my question. She sighed and shook her head. "You might want to get to bed early, tonight.You will have a long day tomorrow."

I looked away and nodded, sad that she wasn't going to answer my question. I felt her turn towards the window, when I thought of something. "Lasi?" I asked, quickly. I looked up and saw that she had one paw on the window pane.

She paused and looked at me. There was a frown on her face, as if she was waiting for me to say whatever that I had came to my mind. "Yes?"

I blushed slightly. "Umm... do you... do you know where my... father is?"

She looked at me and sighed in regret. "No, I do not." With that, she jumped out the window, not meeting my gaze, nor saying goodbye. And that, confirmed my suspicions.

"Joes?" Cody asked as I got off of my window seat and into bed.

"She's lying. I know that she is," I whispered, turning away from him as I laid down. I looked up at the white ceiling and sighed. "She knows where my father is and what had happened to him."