After getting dressed hurriedly into fitted jeans and a v-neck she rushes down the stairs screaming "Lee!"

"I'm in here!" Malina's voice comes from the living area.

"I'm sorry." She says as soon as she sees her sister sitting on the sofa. The only thing she could think about was that she was losing her only family. She could vaguely remember a dream she had last night. All she could recall was feeling alone, sad, and with no place. She hasn't felt like that since before coming home with her father. It didn't matter if she had a whole pack surrounding her if Lee wasn't in that crowd it was as if she was standing by herself.

"Shh... I overreacted. I should have known there was more to it than what I was seeing."

Instant relief. She pulls Malina into a hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too."

Although relieved, guilt was dwelling within her. After Vince's revelation, how could she not be guilty? She was deliberately keeping a secret. Eww... Why did alpha Vince have to admit those things to her? "What have you been doing? Where are you staying?" They both sit on the sofa together.

"Nothing special, living amongst the humans staying with a friend. You don't know her."

"Why did you dodge so many of my calls?"

"I just needed time. If I picked up I would have wanted to come back, and I think that's exactly what Vince wanted. I couldn't let him win."

"Do you still love him?" The question just flew out of her mouth probably because she was suddenly so desperate to know.

"Of course..."

No... She wished she would have said that she had miraculously gotten over him.

"I thought being far away from him would somehow help... but it's been tougher than I thought."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not like it's your fault. He changed."

From what she just learned it was her fault. She could feel a little worm eating away at her soul. Now would be the time to tell her sister everything. Right now at this very second, she could just say it. Get it out in the open and douse this guilt like a fire without air but the thought of pushing her sister further away made her a coward.

Vince clearing his throat interrupts them. "The two of you know I can hear you right?"

"I heard you listening." Malina smiles. "Anyway Is it time yet?"

He nods. "Nya, in my office now please."

"Come on." Malina stands while holding out her palm. "You're gonna wanna know this."

Her curiosity peaked. She grabs onto her hand and they follow Vince onto the study.

"Sit." He orders her to his desk on the reclining chair.

She was reluctant but lowers herself on the seat and settles her fingers in a bunch on her lap. Vince opens the laptop and clicked a few times on the mouse. "We retested your blood."

"Okay..." What was it this time? Was she poisonous now?

"We didn't find any human DNA."

Her face scrunches up at him. "Huh?"

"Look at this." He points to the screen.

"Caladrius..." Her eyes engulf the words on the screen; taking it in a step at a time. "Are you saying that I'm this bird?"

"Partly... you are also part wolf."

"13%?"

"Correct..."

"And if I'm not human that means I'm 87% bird?"

He nods. "Yes..."

"How?" And who are her parents? Was she abandoned? If so, why did they leave her? Were they dead? This is why she has been glitched her whole life. This is why she never fit in anywhere. Two different creatures creating one was bound to be an abomination. Things were making sense but now she has more questions. She scans around to her sister who was standing right near Vince and then to him, but neither had the answer she was looking for.

"Aww Nya, don't look so upset this isn't a bad thing. You were able to save Vince's life."

"I was the reason he was sick in the first place." Her lips trembled.

"Hey..." Vince warmly says while stopping down beside her. "Don't cry... Do you not understand how strong you are? How many lives you can save? Sometimes things have to happen so we can grow. They were going to find a way to kill me. They are going to kill any wolf who doesn't fall in line. You are nature creating balance. You're a blessing.

Malina looks on amazed. The softness in his eyes and voice. She had never seen it before. She didn't know that was even in him. She wished it was aimed at her. "He's right."

Nya wipes her fallen tears. That was the nicest thing anyone has ever said to her. A blessing? But she was glitched. She was a burden.

"You are too." Malina touches Vince's upper back causing him to stiffen. "If you hadn't found a way to save her..." She smiles up at him and for a second the two lock eyes sending a pain so sharp to Nya's heart that she nearly put her palm over it. She was not used to this.

She snaps her head back to the screen. She wasn't going to look. This was a good thing if they were reconnecting. She hoped for the sake of

her sister's heart that they would.

"You will address me appropriately." He stands.

A teasing sort of glare appears on her face. "You're mad at me... I get it."

Just his attention on her as she spoke to him made Nya's stomach churn. "I need to use the bathroom." She gets up and as she was walking out she could feel Vince's glare on her like a laser beam. She ignores it and shuts the door leaving them alone together. The thought was stinging at her heart but she had bigger things on her mind. She was a freakin bird.

She goes to her bathroom, shuts the door, and sits on the closed toilet. Was it her mother the bird or was her father the bird? Just then she sees the image of Alpha Vince and Lee kissing. It stung big time. Shit.. she didn't like the icky feeling the image made her feel. That sight should make her feel joy. The best thing that could happen was if things go back to the way they were.

, Vince stood with his arms folded. He rolls his eyes as Malina takes a seat on his chair and crosses her legs seductively. She was wearing high-cut-up shorts and a fit-to-skin tube top. She bites her lips and twirls her hair. "What is it going to take for you to forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive."

"I left..."

"For a reason."

"So you understand?"

He hesitates. "Yes."

"So I can..."

"You should go check on your sister." He cuts her off.

"She's fine... I know her, she left deliberately so we can have some time alone."

He greets his teeth. He should have known.

"You seem so tense." Malina stands and approaches him slowly. "Let me help loosen you up. I know it's been a while." She gives him a look of need and places her palm on his biceps. He doesn't uncurl his arms; just kept glaring at her for moments too long. She glides her delicate touch up to circle his neck when he suddenly steps back. "The truth is Malina, I've lost interest."

She stills. "You're just saying that to hurt me. I know you. You don't like that I left the pack. It's disloyal and you hate disloyalty. You're not about getting bored. You're about logic and strength, the future, and what's best for it, and you know that I'm what's best for you, and the future of the Dark's. So stop lying. Can we please just let all of this go? I was so scared when I heard you were dying. All I wanna do is hug you."

He breathes deeply. "You shouldn't change your mind because I was on my deathbed. I did nothing to deserve you back nor did I say I would."

She crosses her arms. He could see that insecurity growing in her. "So then why are you keeping my sister? Why do you care so much about her? Let's be real here."

"Speaking of Nya, maybe you should be with her right now. I think she needs you." He doesn't give her a chance to protest stalking

to the door and widened it for her to leave.

Nya was just coming out of the bathroom when Malina enters her room and scans around. "Wow... a bigger room right across from him, you must be special."

Her air-flow stopped. "Wha... no."

"In essence, Vince just told me he doesn't want to be with me anymore." She looks around a bit and plots her bottom on the front of the bed.

"Did he say why?"

"He supposedly lost interest."

Nya shakes her head. She wasn't hearing this. "Are you okay?"

"Why are you living here?" She suddenly turns suspicious eyes on her.

"What do you mean?" The question blurted from her mouth. "Alpha Vince is... "

"Yeah, but why?"

She bites her lips. "He said, I was a hazard to the wolf kind." That is what he told her. She may be leaving some recent events out but it was for the best or maybe she was afraid. A feeling she didn't know how to operate with.

She nods. "Yeah but is that the only reason?"

"What else could it be?" She puts on the fakest look of sincerity that she had and joins her on the bed. She half believed Vince anyway. It was too far fetch

"Yeah... Anyway, how are you feeling? I know that was a whole lot to take in."

"I don't feel any different. I mean, I'm still weak, I'm still glitched. What does this even mean? I'm so confused. Instead of feeling like I've found my identity, I feel more lost than ever."

"Nya, all of that aside, you saved Vince's life. You saved an alpha's life. The biggest baddest one at that. Don't forget that."

"Yeah but..."

"No buts." Malina grabs a pillow and swipes it over Nya's head. The motion spoofed up her hair into a weird shape making her burst out in laughter. Nya takes the pillow and hits her back turning the moment into a mini pillow fight.

After some much-needed fun, they drop onto the bed side by side catching their breaths.

"Do you think I overreacted with Vince?"

"Maybe a little. Maybe a little more patience and understanding would have been nice."

"I really miss him. You've been with him, do you think he is missing me too?"

"I do." And that was the truth. You don't just spend five years with someone and the feelings just disappear.

"I'm going to get him back."

~~~~~~~~~~

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