Howl.

"So this is it." I peered through my window, and then glanced at the piece of paper in my hands again, just to make sure. The numbers on the paper matched the ones on the house. Embry rubbed my shoulder gently, and I took a deep breath. "I can't go in there."

"Yes you can. You will be fine."

I looked at him, my eyes wide. "What if he -"

"Shut up and get out of the truck. I'm going with you. It's not like you have to do this by yourself." Embry slid out of the cab, and I tried to remember to breathe when he helped me out. "We didn't come all of this way to go home without even seeing him, Lilly." He grabbed my hand and we walked up the sidewalk.

From the front porch, I could hear the television playing in the background, along with the faint sound of a dog's bark. I looked at Embry frantically, my heart about to pump it's way up my throat and out onto my feet. He smiled softly, and I reached up a tentative hand to the doorbell. The familiar ding dong! seemed to echo through my head, and we waited, the adrenaline coursing throughout my whole body. I wanted to hit, yell, kick, scream.. anything to get away. But Embry had a firm hold on my hand and there was no way he was going to let go until I was inside.

"Hi. Can I help you?" An older woman opened the storm door and peered out at us. Embry squeezed my hand.

"I - I'm..." I couldn't speak. Was this really her?

Embry sighed. "We're really sorry to bother you like this, but we're looking for John?"

The woman stared at us for a second, but with a smile, "alright. If you'll wait here for just a moment." She disappeared, leaving the door open. I could see a small child playing in front of the television from where I stood.

"Lilly," Embry whispered. "It's ok." I squeezed his hand tightly, and listened to the footsteps from inside the house. "I'm right here."

It took hours. Or at least, it felt like it. I could only hear the sound of the footsteps from inside and my heartbeat in my ears. When the woman reappeared, she smiled. "Come right in. He's just finishing up something in his office."

She held the screen door open for us, and Embry nudged me to go first. I took a tentative step and held my breath. The entry way smelled good, like woods and flowers. I watched her as she moved. She was pretty, with black hair past her shoulders and emerald green eyes. Dad apparently had a thing for black hair.

"Meredith, who's at the door?"

The whole world stopped when he appeared at the end of the hallway. Dad looked almost exactly the same way he had the last time that I saw him, except his eyes looked older. There were wrinkles on his forehead now, but he was still the same handsome man that I remembered. We stared at each other, and for a moment, I could've sworn he looked angry.

"Get these kids something to drink, Meri. They've driven far to be here." The woman, Meredith, disappeared and I stared at Dad for a moment longer. "Lilliana..."

"Hi." My throat hurt.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" He stepped towards me but I just stared at him, leaning back against Embry.

"I needed to talk to you."

"You should've called."

"It's more important than a phone call." I couldn't bring myself to call him Dad to his face. It didn't seem right. His eyes flicked to Embry.

"Come on, then. We'll talk in my office." He led us down the hallway and we turned around the corner to a large room with bookshelves covering all four walls. There was a couch sitting adjacent to a computer desk, which was covered with manila folders and papers. I took a deep breath, and absorbed the room. It was comfortable. "Have a seat, please." Dad plopped into the swivel chair at the computer, while Embry and I took a seat on the black leather couch.

Meredith's voice came from behind us, "I brought you some sodas. I hope this is alright."

"It's fine," Embry said, smiling at her as she handed us the glasses. She left without another word, and I could only stare at the man that was supposed to be my father.

"Does your mother know you're here?" Dad asked.

"Of course she does," I replied snippily. "We wouldn't be able to drive more than two thousand miles in secret."

"You'd be surprised what people are capable of doing," Dad commented.

"Something happened to me this summer, and I needed to know if you knew anything about it." I played with the rim of my glass, the one that I hadn't drank out of. "When you told me those legends about the werewolves, were you telling real-life stories?" I looked at him.

"You mean, based on real experiences I've had?"

It sounded like a dumb question, but I shrugged it off. "Yes."

"I wouldn't be able to make things like that up, Lilliana, no matter how much of a story teller I am." I shivered, and my skin broke out into goosebumps. "You changed, didn't you?"

"Yes." I had to fight myself to look at him. "Why didn't you tell me there was a gene?"

"There are certain things that you'll find are better if you learn them yourselves."

"Dad, I had no idea what was happening to me. You should've at least let me know that there was a possibility before you left."

"I'm sorry."

"Say something other than that, for God's sake," I whined, pushing my hair back. "How long did you know this was going to happen?"

He sighed, and removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. "Lilly, I have the gene, your grandfather has the gene, your great-grandfather had the gene. You .. are my oldest child. I knew that there was a chance you would have it since before you were born."

Embry rubbed my back. From behind us, the door softly clicked open, and I could hear, "John, dinner is almost ready." I could smell mashed potatoes and chicken. It smelled delicious.

"Alright. Give us another ten minutes," Dad said, staring straight at me. I heard the door close. "Lilly, I'm sorry that you had to figure these things out by yourself. And I'm sorry that I .. left."

"Yeah, I bet," I murmured. I stood up, and pulled my shirt down. "I should let you get back to your life."

"Lilliana, don't be like that, sweetheart." Dad stood up and raised his hand, but I pushed it away. I couldn't bear to touch him. "Stay for dinner, at least. I'd hate to see you two go on empty stomachs."