Chapter 10

Jenifer and Beth rushed to Cameron's fallen form, and fell to the ground beside him. He lay unmoving on the forest floor; face buried in the leaves and grass. Together, they rolled him over onto his back, and he immediately gagged spitting a gout of blood into the air. The blood splattered onto Jenifer and Beth.

"Oh God, he's hurt bad," Beth cried, "Jen, what do we do?" Her voice echoed with panic and desperation.

"He's bleeding inside and choking on his own blood. We've got to turn him over so he can spit it out."

"We gotta get him home, Jen," Beth said as they rolled him back over.

He spat out another glob of blood onto the ground and pulled his knees up under him, so that he was resting on his hands and knees. He sucked in as much air as he could into his one good lung. He struggled for air as he fought the pain and the sensation of drowning that threatened to send him into a panic.

"Tell Sarah," he said, gurgling and struggling to get the words out, "I'm Sorry. Was wrong." He gave up trying to speak and vomited more blood.

"Cam baby, you can tell her yourself," Jenifer said through the tears that sprang unbidden from her eyes. "Try not to talk now baby, just try to breath. We are taking you home."

The two terrified girls exchanged a tear filled glance as Cameron nodded his head in understanding. They each took one of his arms and Cameron groaned as they helped him stagger to his feet. They draped his arms around their shoulders and bearing his weight they staggered towards Cameron's house.

Agony burned through Cameron with every step. His werewolf body was striving mightily to push the shards of his rib bones out of his punctured lung, but the jarring from trying to walk was warring against his body's attempts to heal itself.

"Gotta stop," he said, grunting in pain, "Need to lie down for a minute."

"Cam, you can't stop," Jenifer said, the plea evident in her voice. "We are almost half way there."

"Can't go on," Cameron gasped, and tried to disengage himself from the girls so he could lie down.

"Cameron," Beth suddenly barked at him. "You don't quit. Cameron Reed never quits. Now stop being a pussy and walk, God damn it!" The tears that spilled down her cheeks betrayed her harsh words.

Cameron stopped trying to lie down and looked at her. He showed his blood stained teeth in the rictus of a smile. "Tough girl," he said, and then tried to chuckle, but doubled up in pain instead. The spasm of agony passed, he spat out more blood, and they resumed their trek, one agonizing step at a time.

Sharon helped Trish get the distraught girl into the house. After sitting Sarah on the couch, she turned to Trish.

"Trish, what is going on?"

"Well," she said, glancing at Sarah, "Apparently, Sarah gave her virginity to Cameron and then saw Cameron with us a few days later. She didn't understand, and thought he didn't love her, she thought he had only been lying to her to get in her pants. I think she was hurt and felt betrayed, so she had some beers and had sex with the guy who lives next door to her. When Cameron found out he didn't take it so well."

"Oh dear," Sharon said, sat down next to the crying girl, and gathered her into her arms. "Shhhh, it's going to be all right Sarah."

"No it won't," she said through her tears, "He hates me now."

"No he doesn't Sarah," Sharon said soothingly. "He loves you. He's just a boy, and he's hurt right now. Once he calms down and has some time to think he will realize that you made a mistake."

"How can he ever forgive me?" she asked desperately.

"You forgave him, didn't you?" Sharon asked.

Sarah nodded yes.

"He will realize that when his anger fades. You do love him don't you honey?"

"With all my heart," she said and lifted her chin defiantly as if daring anyone to say different.

"And what of this guy you had sex with?"

Her look of defiance turned to distaste. "He means nothing to me. He doesn't compare to Cameron in any way."

"Will you be making the mistake of sleeping with any more guys?"

"Never!" she said forcefully.

"Good. You know Cameron has a big heart, so I think there is a good chance he will be coming through that door any minute now to tell you he's sorry."

"You think so?" Sarah asked, brightening.

"I do."

"Thank you, Sharon," she said and then a look of concern and embarrassment covered her face. "Oh Sharon, you must think I'm a total slut."

Sharon laughed. "Sarah honey, do you think you're the first girl to ever do something stupid when she was hurt?" She asked. "No, I don't think you're a slut. You just made a mistake, that's all."

"I hesitate to mention it, but we might have another problem." Trish said, drawing the attention of the two women on the couch.

"What now?" Sharon asked.

"Cameron almost killed the guy before Jenifer talked him down," Trish said. "What if he calls the police?"

"I don't think he'll do that," Sarah said.

"Why not?" Sharon asked, worry on her face.

"Well, Cameron roughed him up a bit, but I don't think he was seriously hurt," Sarah said. "He's in college and his pride was hurt more than anything. My guess is he won't want anyone to know he was beat up by a kid in high school."

Sharon sighed, "You're probably right. The way men are with their egos, he won't want the embarrassment, but if he does call the police we will deal with it then. It doesn't help anything for us to worry about it now."

The three women talked for a while then settled into silence as they watched the clock. One hour stretched into two, and then three as they waited for Cameron, Jenifer, and Beth to return.

They jerked in surprise when the front door burst open and Jenifer and Beth crashed through supporting Cameron between them. All three were naked and covered in blood. Jenifer and Beth were panting heavily from the effort of carrying Cameron.

The women on the couch sat motionless, stunned for a split second, and then rushed to help get Cameron to the couch.

"What happened?" Sharon asked Jenifer and Beth, as Sarah stood horrified.

"When we caught up to him he was fighting a vampire," Jenifer said.

"A vampire?" Sharon asked. "Was it one of the vampires Tyler's mother warned Cameron about?"

"Were not sure. Cameron was already fighting it when we got there," Jenifer said.

"He killed it," Beth said, pride in her Alpha tinged her voice.

"Yeah," Jenifer said, "But it hurt him bad. He's bleeding inside and we can't take him to the hospital. They might find out what he is."

"Who cares?" Sarah cried. "If it saves his life."

"Think about it, Sarah," Beth said. "If they find out he is a werewolf, he will be caged up and studied, and they would never let him go. What kind of life would that be for a wolf?"

"Sarah," Cameron croaked.

"I'm here baby," she said, falling to his side, and taking his hand in hers.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me. Love you," he forced the words out of his mouth along with more blood.

"I love you too, baby," she said. She kissed his hand and pressed it against her cheek, not caring that she was getting his blood on her face.

"All right," Sharon said, taking charge, "This is what we are going to do. Jenifer, Beth, your clothes are over there. Grab them and jump in the shower. There is one upstairs and one in my bathroom. Sarah, wash your face, and then bring me a warm washcloth and a towel. We will clean Cameron up. Trish you go get Tyler's mother, and bring her here. I hope that she will know how to help Cameron since she has been a werewolf all her life. Go!" She barked and everyone jumped to follow her instructions.

Karen had been about to open a bottle of wine and take a relaxing bath when security called. They said a girl named Trish was outside and wanted to speak to her. Karen forgot all about her bath when Trish told her of the nights events. She hastily told security she was going out and climbed in the car with the girl.

Karen and Trish opened the front door of Cameron's house without knocking and hurried inside. They entered the living room to the sound of despair. Jenifer and Beth were holding each other and crying uncontrollably. Sarah was kneeling beside Cameron and sobbing onto his chest while Sharon sat in the chair with a look of disbelief on her face.

"What happened?" Trish demanded.

Sharon slowly turned her head to Trish, "My son is dead."

"What?" Karen demanded as she pushed past the stunned Trish and moved to Cameron's side. "Move girl, and stop that blubbering," she said trying to pull Sarah away from Cameron. Sarah shook off Karen's arm and collapsed back onto Cameron. "Fool girl," she said grabbing Sarah firmly and propelling her into Trish's arms. "Hold her."

Karen turned her attention back to Cameron's body, and examined him closely. They had washed all the blood off him and covered his private area with a towel. His side where he had hit the tree, and by the vampire was bruised purple, black, and a sickly greenish yellow. His face was peaceful as if he had released all his cares.

Karen laid her head on his chest and listened for his heart. She heard nothing for over a minute, and then finally she heard a single feint thud. She sighed in relief and rocked back on her heels.

"He's not dead," she said. "He's healing."

Five faces suddenly turned to Karen, hope etched onto every one.

"His heart isn't beating, and he's not breathing," Sharon said woodenly.

"When a werewolf is hurt bad enough, and he can find a safe place," Karen said, "His body will go dormant so his body can use all its energy to heal his injuries. His heart is beating, but only once every few minutes. His breathing is so slow you can't see it, but he is definitely alive."

"So he's going to be all right?" Sarah asked.

"He's going to be fine," Karen said.

Relief filled the room, and the women who had been clutching each other in grief, now embraced with joy instead.

"Will he be completely healed before tomorrow night?" Jenifer asked.

"I don't know," Karen said, "His injuries were significant, so we will have to wait and see."

The jubilation at finding out Cameron would be all right turned to concern again. They all knew that Cameron would be fighting for all their lives, and if he wasn't completely healed, all of their fates would be in even more peril than they already were.

"It's probably going to be a long night," Sharon said, "I'll go make some coffee."

"I'll help you," Karen said, and followed Sharon into the kitchen.

Neither woman spoke as they bustled around the kitchen. Sharon put the coffee on to brew, and silently pointed to the cabinet were the cups were kept for Karen. Karen took out two cups and sat them on the counter. An awkward silence descended, the coffee percolating was the only sound.

"Sharon," Karen said when the silence became unbearable for her. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened."

Sharon's head snapped up. "You're sorry?" she said with barely contained fury. "My son is lying in there half dead. Your son kidnapped my daughter and turned her into a werewolf against her will. I don't want to even think about what else he's going to do to her. Not to mention the fact that you're my age, and you had sex with my teenage son, and all you can say to me is you're sorry?"

"I don't know what else to say," Karen said sadly.

"You could at least try to explain yourself," Sharon snapped.

"Sharon, I wish I could explain what went wrong with my son, I really do. I didn't raise him to act like this. He was such a good boy when he was little and I loved him so much. I don't know what happened to my baby." She lowered her head as tears spilled out of her eyes.

Sharon's anger melted away in the face of Karen's grief. She realized that Karen was suffering as much as any of them. She had sided with Cameron against her own son. Sharon wondered how hard it must be for a mother's fate to hinge on the total defeat of her child.

Sharon tentatively reached out and put a hand on the weeping woman's shoulder. "I know it's not your fault Karen," she said, "I am just so upset and worried. I took it out on you."

After a few moments Karen succeeded in regaining her composure. "Thank you," she said.

"There is still the matter of you sleeping with Cameron," Sharon said.

Karen's face turned red with embarrassment. "About that," she said, "Please understand, I didn't have a choice if I wanted to be free."

"At least tell me I won't be catching you in his bed in the middle of the night like I did Beth this morning."

Karen laughed despite her tears. "No, you don't have to worry about that happening." Karen paused for a moment. "Could you imagine the looks on our faces?" she asked, and both women dissolved into fits of laughter.

Friday dawned much like any other day, but for Cameron, Tyler, and those caught up in their struggle it would be a day they would remember for the rest of their lives. They each faced the new day with their own emotions. Some faced it with anticipation of a better life, while others were filled with anxiety for the coming battle, some with terror, and some with determination.

One slept, as if dead, through the dawn, healing as his fate hurdled toward him.

Sarah sat beside him holding his hand. She had slept fitfully, and woke before the others. They had talked late into the night, grilling Karen about werewolves. They wanted to know if there was anything else that Tyler hadn't told them.

Sarah didn't care about any of that. She just wanted to stay with Cameron until he opened his eyes. Except for Sharon who slept in her room, and Karen who had taken a cab home, all the girls had made pallets on the floor so they could sleep in the living room with Cameron.