I charge, undeterred, into the chaos. Wolves of all sizes fight against each other and the floor is slick with trails of blood.

I scan the crowd, looking for who's friend and who's foe. Wolves fall all around me and scattered humans are fighting to the best of their abilities.

I turn to see a dark wolf lock eyes with me and approach slowly, all while he growls and snarls. I jump back and run, looking through the crowds.

Another wolf approaches me from the side and I stand still, waiting for him to strike first. Instead of fighting, though, he just continues to approach slowly.

Why isn't he attacking me?

I launch myself at his neck and clamp down hard, all while he's trying to shake me off. Finally, he falls down, presumably passed out from blood loss or dead.

Looking around at Baylor's pack and their fighting, I realize that the pack isn't fighting to their full potential. All their strikes and lunges are mostly in defense, only attacking if absolutely necessary.

Why aren't they fighting back?

Another wolf sees me and approaches, mind-linking the wolves around him who stop what they're doing to turn towards me.

They only want me.

*RUN EDEN!*

Isaiah's voice rings through my head and I immediately dart away, seeing Isaiah in his wolf form by an open door. With my small wolf, I maneuver easily through the fighting, leaving all the large wolves far behind me.

*Get inside!*

Isaiah shifts and I run inside, immediately followed by the slam and lock of the door.

"Are you okay? What were you thinking?!" Isaiah turns around after throwing on a pair of shorts and handing me an old shawl.

"Who's room is this?" I ask, wrapping the shawl around me.

"Why did you think it was okay to go charging into battle like a hero? This is war, Eden!" Isaiah shakes his head, "you're lucky James mind-linked me and I was able to find you so fast. You were this close..."

"Isaiah," I stop him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I'm okay."

Isaiah nods and takes a deep breath before continuing. "You're like a daughter to me, Eden. I can't lose you."

"It was me who brought this on. It's me they want," I run my hands through my hair and take a breath, "have you noticed Baylor's pack? They're not fighting unless they have to."

"I've realized," Isaiah says.

"Then you know they're just here for me. They'll stop if I go with them..."

"No, Eden."

I am about to respond but the sound of splintering wood alerts me as suddenly the door comes crashing down.

"Get back, Eden!" Isaiah reaches over and pulls out a knife from the desk drawer. A sole gray wolf enters the room and slowly approaches us while growling.

"Eden, get out of here," Isaiah says, clenching his teeth and going to meet the wolf. While the gray wolf continues to stare me down, it lunges for Isaiah. In one quick stab, the wolf falls to the ground.

"Is he dead?"

"Yes and he probably alerted the pack, they'll be here soon." Isaiah reaches over to the desk, and pulls out a locked box, typing in a long code.

"What is that?"

Isaiah doesn't respond but instead pulls out a black circle, about the size of a quarter.

"Put this in your locket," Isaiah says, placing the foreign object into my hand.

"But why?"

Isaiah sighs, "this unlocks the thistle box. Clarissa appeared to me in a vision before me we met you and told me to hold on to it until you arrived." He opens my locket and places it inside, making it a perfect match to the circular size.

"What does the thistle box do?" I ask.

"When the time is right, push the button. That's all you're supposed to know."

"I have so many questions"

"And I'm sorry I can't answer them. But right now, we need to go."

Isaiah moves towards the door, still clutching the knife in his hand.

"You coming?" Isaiah asks. I nod and shift, running out the door and back into the chaos of people.

Where are all my friends? Are they even alive?

The stench of exhaustion and death hangs in the air, and I can tell people are getting tired. Wolves run all around me and I just stare in shock, seeing all the dead wolves and people just laying on the ground.

This is not right.

I fall to the ground in pain, my head suddenly burning with an intense migraine. Flashes of the black war come back to me and I am reminded of everything sad, ugly, and violent with the earth.

I have to end this.

My headache goes away and I stand up slowly, knowing Clarissa showed me these images for a reason. There is to be no more fighting.

Taking a deep breathe and slow steps I stand in the midst of the chaos.

Time to calm the storm.

I lean back and let a powerful howl emerge from my chest, sending waves of force through the fighting. People are knocked down by the force of my howl and I watch as slowly people turn and look at me.

At the end of the hall is a single wolf that I could recognize anywhere.

Baylor

I take a step forward and begin to send a mind-link:

*My name is Eden Brown and I am a female werewolf. What you are doing here, this violence, is unnecessary.*

I stop and look around at everyone who is listening to my mind-link. I take a deep breath before continuing:

*If you want me, fine. But I beg you, stop killing these innocent people.*

I look directly at Baylor as I say this and shift back into my human form. Immediately, some of Baylor's pack also shifts and goes quickly to grab me. Strong hands wrap around my arms and I am pulled forward, surrounded by werewolves and men.

"EDEN!" I whip my head around to see Isaiah running towards me, still clutching the knife in his hand.

"Isaiah, what are you doing!" He runs towards me with a determined look on his face and I know there's no stopping him now. Baylor's pack who are still in wolf form launch themselves at him and I watch in horror as a single werewolf clamps deeply onto his neck.

"NO!" I pull against the strong arms holding me and twist away from their grip. Within seconds I am by Isaiah's side as he lays on the ground.

With the damage already being done, the wolves back away to their Alpha.

"Isaiah! Isaiah!" Blood pools around his neck and his eyes stay unfocused on the ceiling. He turns slightly and grabs my hand.

"Eden, you must get out of here." Isaiah whispers as he shakes slowly, "you must--go."

"Isaiah, no! You can't leave me!" A blank look comes over his face and I watch his body go limp, no longer breathing.

"NO!" I shout, feeling arms pull me away from Isaiah. I struggle and kick, tears flowing freely from my eyes.

I look up, only then realizing that everyone at Rogue is still there, still watching. I see people rushing to Isaiah's body. Others beginning to fight again with Baylor's pack.

Still struggling against the arms pulling me, I lock eyes with Baylor. "You killed him! I said I would go with you! You---You're a MONSTER!"

The last thing I remember is the sound of a sickening blow against my head and the darkness that soon follows.

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