Thursday afternoon Cory made his way to the café to meet Nikali. He gave his parents a brief explanation about meeting a friend. His mother asked if it was Neve and Cory told her no. She'd mentioned that Molly was coming over Saturday afternoon to visit and stay for dinner. Cory suspected she had asked her to come because of her concerns for him.

If this would be the last time Cory saw his family it was best they were together at home. He would put on the show of his life that day so his family suspected nothing was wrong. But these thoughts fuelled his growing depression and anxiety.

With his eyes constantly darting, looking at every person, he was always vigilant at looking for an orange glow around bodies. It was a matter of days before the full moon and the seekers would be on the move. He wondered if Neve would return but suspected he would not be seeing Neve again.

Cory entered the café and saw Nikali at the same table as before. Nikali watched Cory approach and once the dejected young man sat, he asked, “You want something?”

“No, I’m good. How'd you go?” The desperation in Cory's voice was hard to hide.

“I’ve been able to book our flights. Here are the details.” Nikali slid several papers across the table along with his passport to Cory who briefly looked over the details. His flight was at ten am on Monday, flying to Italy via Singapore. There was a six-hour stopover and Cory hoped it would not be an issue.

While he looked over the details Nikali said, “I’ve booked you on Qantas and I’ve booked myself on Singapore Airlines. Once we're both in Singapore I’ve booked the same flight over to Italy but our seats are not together.”

“Is your first flight the same time as mine?”

“I board an hour before you. Once I arrive there I’ll contact my family and with luck we may be able to get protection from there on in. I’ll wait for your arrival. If you don’t get off the plane in Singapore I’ll go on. I can’t do anymore that that. I’m sorry.”

Cory let out a deep breath and rubbed his face. This was happening. He was fleeing the country so he had a chance to live. However, what he was giving up was torturing him.

Nikali reached out, squeezing Cory’s shoulder. “You’ve made the right choice to leave, Cory. If staying could result in your death, well... we have to get you out.”

“If you hadn't come along this decision wouldn't be an option.”

“Neve must have realised this.”

Cory shook his head. Neve, what would become of him? It wasn’t like he could leave.

“You realise once you leave you won’t be able to return either,” Cory told Nikali.

“That won't be a problem. You don't realise how much my family and I will question you.”

Cory gave a small huff and smiled. “I don’t know as much as you want, Nikali. I only turned in January. All I’ve learned is what Neve's told me and what I’ve been able to learn myself.”

“Then we'll learn from each other perhaps. We own the most extensive documentation in the world.”

“You’re very proud of that?”

“Of course.” Nikali smiled and Cory considered what Nikali told him about the other organisation.

“Nikali, if our condition is cured, what would become of your family?”

Nikali gave Cory a sad smile. “It would be the end but then we've done little in the last two hundred years so I guess it would be no different than it is now. It would be sad to see such a unique species vanish but sometimes I consider it best if they didn't exist. They control many aspects of the world to suit their needs. They're powerful and influence many decisions. We cannot kill them all – but if we found a way to cure them, then... ” Nikali shrugged. “Then I believe many would look at it as blessing. Unless born into a pack, many werewolves come about much like you did. And, like you, they have to abandon everything to survive. Many are forced into arranged mating, and the conflict within packs causes an internal struggle that can only be controlled by force." Nikali paused, before asking, “If I came to you and offered a cure, would you take it?”

As much as Cory hated the idea of being experimented on to find a cure, if there was one he would certainly consider it.

“Yes, I would rather give this up than be forced to give up everything I love.”

Nikali nodded, “You're not alone in that thought, Cory.”

“That was why you told me of the other organisation?” Cory asked.

“Yes. You're in a perfect situation. Given the information you know, you're far more educated than any other in your position.”

Cory leaned one of his elbows on the table and rubbed his face again. “I don’t know what to do... ”

“You don’t have to do anything right now but get out of the country. Once you're with my family you can decide what you want to do.”

Cory closed his eyes; he was at melting point. He looked at Nikali before standing. He folded his flight details and tucked them in his back pocket with his passport.

“So I won’t see you again until Monday morning?”

“That’s right. It’s better if we don’t contact each because we don't know if I’m being watched.”

Cory stared at Nikali. What if Nikali was going to be the one to lead them to Cory? He wouldn’t consider it. He had to believe he could get out safely.

With a nod, Cory turned and left the café.

On the walk home Cory's thoughts continued to torment him. He had been so happy when he discovered his new ability – but now he only saw it as a curse. His thoughts swayed towards the possibility of a cure. Was it possible? Could his DNA be altered to stop the changes? If so, it would give so many of his kind the opportunity to choose their own paths; to not be forced into packs and mating to save their lives.

It was too much to deal with. As Cory slowly walked, an overwhelming sensation of despair swept over him and he stumbled. Crouched on the sidewalk, the dizziness gave him the unpleasant sense of wanting to vomit. Once Cory cleared his thoughts he realised Neve had to be nearby. The penetrating emotions Cory experienced were heart-breaking. Cory might have called out or even used his own sense to contact Neve but the pain that still lingered around Cory’s heart stopped him from doing so.

The sorrow and suffering Neve endured took Cory by surprise. It had to be hard on Neve, but he didn't realise it was destroying him emotionally. Cory fought to keep his feelings hidden; he would not share his fear and pain with Neve. He would not be responsible for destroying his life.

After a minute Cory regained his strength and stood to look around the deserted road. Neve was gone. Cory slowly walked home, arms hanging limply at his sides and feet dragging slightly, as tears fell down his face, his emotional state completely destroyed.

Cory avoided his mother when he got home and went straight to his room. Exhaustion consumed him and he collapsed on his bed, pulling the covers around him and letting sleep take him away. At some point Cory woke to his parents talking in his room. He made out the concern in their voices and he wanted nothing more than to tell them what was wrong but couldn’t. He fell back into a nightmare-filled dream and woke again sometime the next morning before the sun rose. Cory rolled over and noticed his father sitting in a kitchen chair beside his bed. His legs were stretched out in front of him, arms crossed over his chest, and his head had dropped towards his chest as he slept.

The sight brought tears to Cory’s eyes. Afraid to wake his father, Cory rolled back over and cried into his pillow. It didn’t matter what decision he made, he would lose his family, everything. All he could hope was to save his life. But where did that leave him? Stuck in a pack he might not like, mating with someone who he might like even less. He didn’t want to be forced in to making those kinds of changes. He was eighteen; it was too much to deal with at his age. Cory lay crying into his pillow until falling back into an exhausted sleep.

When Cory woke next he desperately needed the bathroom and forgetting the events of the evening he turned over and attempted to get out. However, his head spun and as hands grabbed him, his father said, “Slowly now, Cory. You’re not well.”

Cory stared up at his father through burning eyes.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” he told his father. He was sorry it had to be that way.

“Come on, let me help you.”

Cory let his father pull him up and help him to the bathroom. It surprised Cory how weak he'd become. His father stayed with him in the bathroom and then helped him back to bed. Back under the covers, Cory lay looking at his father.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

“Cory, please. Whatever the problem is, we can help you.”

Tears formed in Cory’s eyes and he let them fall. “I know Dad,” he whispered, “But you can’t help me.”

“Do you want us to make an appointment to see a doctor or a counsellor?”

“I’m sorry, Dad. It’s too late.”

“Cory, please. Tell me what's wrong?”

Cory watched his father’s concerned features. He didn’t want him suffering any more than necessary but he also couldn’t tell him what was going on.

Cory turning away from his father became the most heart-wrenching thing he had ever done in his life, but he couldn’t bear to face him anymore. There was nothing his family could do to save him. It was up to Cory to get away and change his path. Maybe one day he would tell his family what happened – but at that moment Cory realised the less they understood the safer they would be. His father left the bedroom and Cory stared at the wall as the muffled voices of his parents talked in the kitchen, all too clear for Cory to ignore.