"Liberty for wolves is death to the lambs."
Isaiah Berlin

The house was much bigger than I had expected, not that I even knew what to expect. I didn't know what to expect out of anything anymore with this new life I'd been given, if you could even call it a life. For the first time in months, I was dressed in something other than the dregs of an old voodoo priestess, Miss Yaruba. Not that I wasn't thankful for those dregs...because it was better than the alternative. Naked, afraid, and alone, unable to control what form I stayed in. It took weeks with the Yaruba before we understood that it was connected to my emotions. I do imagine the wilderness here in upstate New York is more bearable than that of the bayous in Zachary, Louisiana but hopefully I'll never have to go back to that life. I wanted so desperately to just get back to my reality, to make a normal life if I was able to ever get back home but it just wasn't possible. No one would understand where I had been and I certainly couldn't explain it to them. My only option was this place, Stonehaven, Miss Yaruba called it. I find myself missing her. I think about her every day and the kindness she showed me. If I can ever find some semblance of normalcy, I'd like to go back and thank her, but now I need to push her to the back of mind. I know allowing my thoughts to drift right now is just a way of avoiding what I need to do...and that's knock on the door.

"It's a wolf, I can smell it." Elena said rushing down the stairs. "But it's not a scent I recognize."

"Do you think it's another mutt coming here to challenge Jeremy?" Nick asked being interrupted by a set of knocks.

Clay brought his finger up to his mouth and motioned for Elena and Nick to get behind the door before he opened it. He didn't know what to expect on the other side of that door. He assumed it would be another mutt coming to stake a claim for Jeremy's territory but he never expected to see this – to see her. Another female werewolf.

"Hi," the unfamiliar face said with a tremble in her voice. "I'm Astrid. I was told this may be a safe haven for werewolves."

"Who told you that?" Clay asked, already jumping to conclusions that this was somehow a trap. It had to be. There were no other female werewolves besides Elena – at least not that they were aware of.

"I don't even know her name," Astrid said her voice still shaky. She didn't want to lie to these people who could supposedly help her but she wasn't going to take a chance and put Miss Yaruba in danger.

"I was taken in by a woman, a voodoo priestess, in New Orleans."

Clay stood there in disbelief. Another female wolf. From Louisiana. From his home. Something about this wasn't right and the whole situation made him uneasy.

"Clay, let her in." Elena said snapping him back to reality.

He begrudgingly moved to the side and let her pass. She was truly a wolf. He could smell it on her and he knew there was no way to fake wolf scent.

"Nick, I think you should go get Jeremy. He needs to see this," Elena said.

"I'm so sorry to just show up here," Astrid interrupted. "I thought about going home, back to my old life but I knew there would be too many questions I couldn't answer. If I had anywhere else to go, I would have."

"You made the right decision," Jeremy said as he entered the room.

He could smell the new wolf before he ever entered the room but he was taken aback to find another female wolf in their midst. He still couldn't understand what about Elena allowed her to successfully change and now there were two. He stood there looking her up and down in disbelief. Nothing about her stood out that would make any sense as to why she was able to change when so many others had tried and failed.

"Forgive me," Jeremy said as he extended his hand out for hers. "I'm being terribly rude. I'm Jeremy Danvers. Alpha of the North American pack."

"I see you've met my son, Clay and his fiance Elena. This is Nick Sorrentino, a close family friend,"

Astrid reluctantly shook his hand. She was still wary of every one she met. She didn't trust anyone anymore but she really didn't trust werewolves.

Jeremy noticed the shift in her body language when he reached for her hand and took note that she wasn't comfortable near them nor was she a threat, which was a weight off his shoulders. He didn't want to have to hurt, let alone kill the only other living female werewolf.

"I can see you need rest, Elena take her to your old room and make her comfortable," Jeremy said. "Please, rest. You are safe here. We can talk more in the morning after you've had a good nights sleep."

Elena led Astrid up to her old room and showed her where everything was. Even if she couldn't smell the fear it was written all over Astrid's face even when it was just the two of them alone. Elena couldn't imagine what she'd been through before she found them but she knew it wasn't good.

"Listen, I know right now you have no reason to believe me but I promise you're safe here,"

Astrid took a second to find the right words before responding.

"I do believe you and I'm sorry if I am coming across differently. I've had a very rough few months and I just haven't quite been able to calm down and unbox what has happened to me," She wanted Elena to know she was grateful for them allowing her into their home but she's still reeling from what has happened.

"You've been out there for months on your own? Not knowing what was happening? It's a miracle that you survived even that,"

"I was alone for almost a month before the woman I mentioned earlier found me,"

"How did she find you, if you don't mind me asking"

"It's a bit of a long story, would it be okay if we talked more after I've had some sleep?" Astrid hoped she would understand and hoped it would buy her some time to come up with something that will protect Miss Yaruba.

"Of course. Sorry for prying. Get some rest tonight and come down and join us whenever you're ready in the morning."