"Come on, I'll go with you," she whispered in her ear.

Marianna looked at her and a small smile appeared. "Okay." She nodded and they both backed slowly and quietly towards the door. Not one person glanced their way. All eyes were riveted on the fallen Alpha and his mate.

Marianna and Jen hurried through the mansion.

"We're going to need a flashlight for you," Marianna told her and made a quick detour.

"Where are we going to find flashlights?"

"There's a shed just out the far west doors. I'm crossing my fingers that there's one in there."

"Good call."

Marianna kept glancing at Jen from the corner of her eye, sure that she'd be able to pick up on her guilt. They made it out the door and headed straight for the shed, which had light glowing on the front of it, illuminating the entrance. They both hurried in and began rummaging through shelves.

"Gotchya." Jen grinned, holding up a large industrial flashlight. She flicked it on and shined it around the room.

"Perfect," Marianna agreed. "Okay, let's go before Decebel realizes you're gone."

They left the shed and headed to the front of the estate, hurrying to make it out of the gates and onto the dark mountainside. Both girls shivered as the cold hit them – neither had thought to grab a coat in their haste. Marianna knew that Thad made sure to have all the Wolfsbane close to the mansion destroyed, so they would have to walk a good ways out to find it.

"HEY! Wait up."

Jen's and Marianna's heads turned to find Sally running after them, her own flashlight in hand. Of course Sally would think to get a flash light – she was always prepared.

"Sally, what are you doing?" Jen asked in a rush.

"I saw you sneak out. I can help. I know what to do once we find the herb. It has to be ground up in a certain way."

Marianna squinted at her. "What do you mean?"

"The small leaves have to be separated and soaked in warm salt water to draw the healing properties out. If you just crush the plant and mix it in water it won't be worth anything."

"Fine, but be careful," Jen growled.

"Oh, you're one to talk about being careful," Sally snapped back.

Marianna started walking more quickly and Jen and Sally had to lengthen their strides to keep up.

"We're probably going to have to walk quite a ways. I'm thinking if we split up then we'll probably find it more quickly."

"Divide and conquer, sounds like a plan."

"Sally, you go far left," Marianna told her and pointed in the direction she meant. "Jen, you go far right, and I will go straight. You're looking for a plant with dusky green leaves and a purple bloom."

"Dusky and purple. Okay,let's do this." Jen headed in the direction Marianna had instructed.

She shined her flashlight across the ground, side to side, sweeping across the shrubbery. All the while muttering, "purple, purple, dusky, dusky," under her breath.

Jen had been walking for a half hour when she felt a shiver go down her spine. She stopped mid-stride and slowly turned in a circle. Looking into the trees, she shined the light into the foliage. Someone was following her. No, someone was stalking her.

"Who's there?" Jen continued to shine the light and she strained her eyes, trying to pierce the darkness.

Suddenly a dark form lunged at her. She dropped the flashlight to put her hands up and protect her face. She was hit roughly, knocking the breath from her lungs. Her head snapped back and she heard a crack as her skull struck something hard. The last thing she saw before blackness consumed her was sharp teeth and glowing eyes.

The wolf that was Marianna grabbed Jen's pant leg and began pulling her deeper into the mountains. She dragged her steadily for several miles to the deep cavern she had found. The wolf set Jen's supine form right at the edge of the cavern. Marianna then phased back to her human form.

Marianna shivered at the loss of her fur, but quickly shook it off and grabbed the buckets of wolf urine that Thad insisted she take, the ones she'd hidden the day before. She made it back to Jen's side just as Jen was beginning to moan and come to.

"Bloody hell," Jen groaned.

"I'm sorry, Jen. I'm sorry, but I have to do this." Marianna pushed Jen's legs over the edge of the cavern.

Jen gasped and her arms came flailing out as she reached to grab something, anything. Marianna gave another shove and Jen slid over the edge. Her stomach scraped against the stone as her shirt slid up; her nails tore as she scrambled to grab anything to keep her from falling.

Jen slid further and further, her feet pushing into any rock that might give her a foothold. Eventually she felt a protruding root and grabbed it, holding desperately onto the lifeline. She looked up and could just barely see Marianna in the darkness, leaning over the edge, a bucket of something in hand.

"Why are you doing this?" Jen asked, her voice tight with fear and the strain of holding on.

"You wouldn't understand." Marianna had tears streaming down her cheeks. "You have your mate. How could you possibly understand?"

"Try me," Jen snarled.

Marianna wiped her tears away. "I was in love. He was human."

Jen's mouth dropped open. "But what about your mate?"

"What about him," Marianna spat. "I don't see him. Do you, Jen? Who knows how long until I find him. It could take centuries, yet Vasile expects me to live alone, empty."