C50

"Tai, you know what I mean," Raiden said. "You push people away, you always have-"

"Can you blame me?" Tai said and stopped in her tracks. She whirled round to glare at her brother. "You have no idea what it's like to be me! I don't push everyone away for fun! I do it because it's the safest thing to do! I thought you understood that!"

"I do, Tai," Raiden said. "I do, I'm sorry! Tai, you need to stay calm-"

"I know!" Tai growled. "But that's easier said than done!"

"Just take deep breaths," Raiden said soothingly and put his hand on his sisters arm. "Fight it, you know you can."

Tai shook her head and shoved Raiden away from her. "You don't want to be near me, Rai. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm staying. I'm here for you."

Tai squeezed her eyes shut and gasped. "It's happening," she whispered. "Shit, Raiden, get out of here-"

"No."

Tai looked at her brother and her eyes flashed. "Do you want me to kill you?" She hissed and rushed to the front door. "Don't you dare follow me!"

Tai fled the house and ran into the woods, gritting her teeth and yelling out when pain flooded her body. She fell to her knees and cried out, digging her hands into the dirt.

"Please!" She pleaded. She willed for herself to stay human, but she didn't. She shifted.

And then all she saw was red.

*

"Let's go people!" Kal yelled. He was leaning out of his car window and slapping the roof. "We don't attend school much anymore, so when we do let's try and be on time!"

Indianna rolled her eyes and walked out of the house with Ace. "We're coming!" Ace called.

*Indie,* a pack member said through mindlink. *There's a wolf on the north border going absolutely mental.*

*Who is it?* Indianna asked and stopped walking.

*It's not a pack member, but not a rogue either. It looks out of control! It's only Ethan and I and we're struggling to contain it!*

"Ace, north border. You're needed," Indianna said immediately.

Ace didn't question Indianna. He nodded and ran forward, shifting as he did.

*Harry, I need you to help out with a situation at the north border,* Indianna said. Seconds passed and Harry's large grey wolf flew out of the pack house and into the woods.

*Paul,* Indianna said to the pack member, *Ace and Harry should be with you in a minute.*

*Ace has just arrived, thanks, Luna.*

"What's going on?" Kal called. Him and Kimberly had both gotten out of the car.

"I don't know, but apparently there's a random wolf going crazy at the north border," Indianna said. She dropped her school bag to the floor. "Looks like school is going to have to wait."

"It may not seem like it but I would actually like to graduate," Kal grumbled.

"I fine with not going," Kimberly shrugged and the three of them walked into the woods, preparing themselves for what they might find.

*

Ace arrived to Paul and Ethan who were struggling to pin down the wild wolf. It was only petite, Ace was positive that it was a female, but it seemed rabid. Paul howled when the wolf nipped at him and backed up.

Ace cocked his head to the side and sniffed. He narrowed his wolf eyes. *Paul, Ethan, distract her,* Ace ordered as Harry joined the scene.

He sniffed the air and turned to look at Ace with wide wolf eyes. *Ace-*

*I know,* Ace said and he ran at the dark brown wolf while it was distracted. He tackled the wolf to the ground and sparks exploded at contact. The wolf let out a surprised howl and instantly relaxed. Ace stared at the wolf and watched as it shifted back into human.

Tai, who was now naked, was underneath him, unconscious.

"Is that Tai?" Indianna gasped, running through the woods to join Ace. "She was the crazy wolf!"

*Kal, I need your shirt,* Ace said firmly, but even when he was giving orders his tone was gentle.

Kal immediately took his shirt off and gave it to Indianna who slipped it over Tai's naked body. "Kal, can you run back and get some clothes for Ace-" Kal was gone in an instant.

"Ace, do you want us to leave you alone?" Indianna asked.

Ace nodded his big wolf head.

"Let's go. She won't be a danger to him," Indianna said to the group.

"She looked dangerous," Kimberly scoffed. "She was mental!"

*She wasn't in control,* Ace said to Indianna. *As soon as I touched her it was like she snapped out of it.*

Indianna nodded. *Let me know if you need anything,* she said as Kal returned with some clothes for Ace.

Ace nodded his head and soon him and Tai were left alone.

Ace shifted into a human and changed into the clothes Kal had given him. He sat down next to Tai and sighed, waiting for her to wake up.

It wasn't long before she started to stir. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, pushing herself up onto her elbows. "Ace?" She said and looked around. She sighed and swore.

"Hey," Ace said gently. "Are you okay?"

"Are the people I attacked?" Tai groaned.

"They're fine. Are you?" Ace asked.

"I'm fine," she muttered and looked at the shirt she was wearing. "Did you dress me?"

"Indie did."

"Indianna? She's pregnant! I could've hurt her-"

"You didn't hurt anyone," Ace assured Tai. He reached out for her hand. She stiffened when they touched. "You weren't in control, were you?"

Tai closed her eyes and shook her head. "I never am when I shift," she said lowly. "I try and fight the feeling to turn for as long as possible, but then all it takes is for me to get angry and I can't control the change."

"What made you angry?" Ace wondered.

"Rai," Tai grumbled.

"I'm sorry," Ace frowned.

Tai shrugged her shoulders.

"Tai," Ace said cautiously. "Is this part of what you're hiding?"

Tai's eyes narrowed and she stood up. "I have to go."

"Tai-"

"I have to go," she insisted.

"No," Ace said and grabbed her arms, holding Tai still. "You're running away." Ace gently pulled Tai towards him. "Please, stay with me."

"I..." Tai sighed and looked down at Ace's hands that were filling her body with sparks. "Why won't you give up?"

"Why won't you?" Ace wondered, his voice soft.

"I'm stubborn."

"I'm learning that I am also stubborn when it comes to you," Ace said.

Tai couldn't help but laugh.

"How often do you lose control?" Ace asked curiously.

Tai shifted uncomfortably. "It's hard to say. It's closely linked to my emotions."

"Do you get angry often?" Ace asked.

"Can you not tell that I get pissed off easily?" Tai scoffed.

Ace smiled. "Everyone has their flaws," he said.

Tai looked into Ace's eyes and swallowed. "I really have to go."

"Let me take you home," Ace insisted. "I don't want you alone in this town."

Tai waited a few moments before shrugging her shoulders. "Okay, fine, but I am very capable of protecting myself."

"I am very aware of that," Ace smiled. "And that makes me feel a lot better that you can, especially since you live opposite Rogue."

Tai shuddered. "Don't remind me."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Ace said and started walking towards the house. Tai fell into step next to him and he glanced sideways at her. He was going to get her to warm up to him, to open up.

He wasn't going to give up.