"You're clear to do just about anything. Just please don't just go sprint without getting your lungs ready. Gradually start getting your breathing up. Don't just mess with them." The doctor sighed since she knows how stubborn I am.

"Okie dokie!" I smiled.

"Go on." She shooed me out of the office.

"Time for Christmas vacation!" I jumped out of the office with Demi leading the way.

"We're going to my parents house for dinner tonight, so you have to prepare yourself to behave like a person would." Demi gave me a look as she opened the car door for me.

"It's not my fault she threw the ball!" I put my hands up.

"Madison threw the ball for the dog; not for Harlow." Demi rolled her eyes.

"Well, I didn't know that." I mumbled and looked down at my lap.

"People don't throw balls for other people to go retrieve and bring back to them." She sighed as she slipped behind the wheel.

I didn't respond to that, knowing she's right.

"Casual dress code. Just don't walk up in there with one of your tank tops that show your bra, no matter how hot I think you look in them especially when you aren't wearing a bra," Demi got sidetracked at the thought which made me slightly smirk. "And a pair of athletic shorts. That's too casual. Wear jeans and a normal shirt like a normal person would and all will be good. I get that you don't like to wear shirts or pants, but do it for me."

"Okay," I sighed.

I have a bad feeling about tonight for some reason though. Something has been off all week, and Tate can sense it too.

"Tate can't come, so it'll just be us." I added randomly.

Demi just nodded, knowing Tate is weird with his running and hunting schedule, but he can't come today because he will be watching the outside of Demi's parent's house till we leave, and probably a little after that.

"How are you feeling, Harlow?" Demi's mother asked me with a smile as we ate dinner together. The feeling is progressively getting worse by the minute.

"Much better. Thank you." I answered quickly. It either was interpreted that I am in pain or that I am mad at everyone, because the expression that Demi's mom gave Demi was quite the look.

"What's wrong?" Demi whispered in my ear.

"Something is up." I looked away from the table enough for only Demi to see my eyes before letting the blue ring around my irises show.

Demi slowly nodded and her chewing slowed as well.

I took a deep breath as I did my best to read my surroundings. Neighbor next door. Tate in the woods. The occasional rabbit, fox, and rat. Then the foreign smell that I can't figure out what the fuck it is. "I need to get a breath of fresh air for my lungs." I gave everyone a convincing smile before slipping a knowing look to Demi as I got up.

"Let me know if you need anything!" Demi's mom yelled to me and I heard her dad mutter something under his breath. He hates me for some reason, but he really isn't going to like me if shit goes down, because I will do everything and anything to protect my match and I don't have muh control over what I do.

Once I got outside I searched for Tate's golden eyes in the bushes that surrounded the property perfectly, and once I saw them at the back of the property line I nodded once in appreciation.

I stuck my nose up in the air and took in the foreign scent once again, but this time I followed it.

My nose led me to the edge of the house where the trashcans were.

"Raccoons." I scolded myself as I kicked the trash can, making them scurry away for cover.

"You never were the smart twin, were you Harlow?" A voice crept up behind me. "I used the raccoons to mask my scent, but obviously you could smell me enough to know it wasn't a normal raccoon."

"Who are you?" I asked hesitantly as I turned around.

"You mean, who are we?" A deeper voice asked from the front part of the property.

I looked back and forth, looking for the source of the voices.

"Tate, help." I whispered only loud enough for him to hear.

"I've already killed two men, Harlow. They're everywhere. You need to get everyone out of there, or switch and lets get shit done." Tate whispered back as he crept up on the people near me.

"Babe, are you alright?" I heard Demi call out to me, so I quickly retreated to her.

"You and your family need to get out of here. There are a lot of bad people surrounding the property and Tate cannot take them on his own." I held Demi's shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"How about a bon fire everyone?" Demi's dad asked as he walked out with logs of wood. No, how about no.

"I'm thinking about seeing the new Christmas movie that's in the theaters instead." Demi nervously chuckled.

"No, I insist. We can make s'mores!" Her dad cheered which earned a smile from Madison and an eye roll from Dallas.

"No dad. I really think we should at least go back inside." Demi gave him a look.

"Oh we'll be fine. Don't worry about the raccoons. I'm sure Harlow will protect you from them." Demi's dad gave me a smile.

Everyone got set up near the fire pit, and I started to get more and more anxious with the situation.

A branch snapping to my left made my head snap to the location, only to see pitch black forest. Breathe Harlow.

"Do you want one, Harlow?" Dallas asked me with a smile.

I shook my head politely before returning my focus onto my unknown surroundings.

"Hello hello friends." A taller female approached us at the fire pit with a gun in hand.

"Who are you? Are you the new neighbor? How about a s'more?" Demi's mom shot off questions nervously.

I rushed over to her fearlessly.

"If you want to live you need to leave the property immediately." I growled lowly.

"Or what you mutt?" The unknown girl shoved me. Oh hell no.

"Everyone calm down." Demi's dad stood up to go calm the situation down, but Demi stopped him.

"Let Harlow handle it. Trust me." Demi spoke slowly.

We stood at the same height, but the difference between our expressions was the amount of fear emotion from her pores. "Leave." I scowled.

"Not until you show your true self in front of your beloved girlfriend's family." She taunted as she pulled the hammer back on the revolver she clutched tightly in her hand.

"Who the fuck are you?" I asked in pure confusion.

"The scientist's daughter." She growled and pushed me, attempting to get me into the fire.

"Don't pull Demi's family into this, or anyone else for the matter." I spoke cautiously as I planned my next move.

"Too late." She giggled as Tate, who was still in wolf form, was thrown onto the grass beside us.

"Tate!" I yelled in pain at the sight of my twin in that state.

"Someone bit off more than they could chew." She chuckled lowly and I felt a cold barrel of a pistol pressed against the center of my back.

"What is up with me and getting hurt there? I mean really!" I threw my hands up, confusing the girl long enough for me to disarm her and turn the tables. "Surprise bitch!" I cackled.

"Harlow, just switch. Tate needs you to in order for him to live. He needs your strength focused on him." Demi caught my attention.

"Your parents will hate me and call me a monster." I mumbled.

"They will be confused, and possibly scared, but let me handle that." I heard Demi shuffle around behind me. "Harlow is part wolf. You guys probably don't believe me, but I'm telling the truth. She was a scientist's toy from a few months old till she was about fourteen, and her twin, Tate." Demi motioned at Tate as he laid on the grass in pain. He was healing quickly. I know he'll be okay, but Demi doesn't know that. "She is a hybrid. Half human, half wolf. She can switch into a wolf like a werewolf could in the books, but she is real. Please know that she is no monster and she is still the girl you know." Demi spoke slowly, but a few seconds later a few laughs could be heard behind me.

"Okay okay, you got me. I was scared. Good prank." Dallas laughed.

"Harlow, go ahead and do it. You can't take all of these people in human form." Demi sighed as she pushed the girl further away from myself and took the pistol out of my grasp so I could switch.

I slid my shirt over my head and my pants down my legs before quickly shifting into my wolf form. A few shocked gasps and cries of fear meshed together as I stalked towards the girl. "You and your men need to leave before the stronger and quicker twin kills all of you." I growled lowly.

"Harlow, no killing." Demi warned.

"She messed with your family. Threatened their lives. They aren't safe till she is gone." I muttered and then snapped my jaws, making the girl cower back even more.

"Low, stop. She got her wish. If she has any respect for her father she will leave now." Tate spoke behind me as he weakly limped to my side.

"Fine, fine. You ruined you and your match's relationship by doing this anyways." She shrugged before doing a hand signal and all of her men came up behind her and followed her off of the property.

Tate and I gave each other a look.

The 'fuck, what now?' look.