A/N: First off, thank you all for the congrats on the baby. Just so you know, even when the Arra and Damon series is over, Arra's rein will continue because my daughter's name, if I have a girl, will be Arra. Mwuhaha. My little wolf spawn. :D And Rakasha, I believe it was you who said my stories confuse you well they are supposed to, my friend. Wait until the end of this series. You will not guess but I will give you a hint and if you message me personally, not in a review, about what you think happens, I will tell you if you are close. Please, do not review me your conclusion because I want everyone's ideas to be secretive so just in case you are right, no one will know but us. I am mysterious till the end and my friends, the end is not here yet.

The Hint: All the stories tie together to change the life of all forever.

I don't think you'll get it honestly but even before I reveal all in the last book, you can still take your guesses. But think very hard about the cryptic message.

Happy Hunting

!Shadow!

The day was warm and sunny save for the wind that cast a slight chill through the land. Though I was not complaining because how could I? It was a good day indeed. I may have lost my greatest friend but my son was OK. I would eventually cope with Edward's death and let it strengthen me one day. In his will, he had left me the business, making me the new boss of our little assassin company. Wonderful. I could not even run my own life barely. But Edward always knew what he was doing so even in his death, I trusted him. The Pack had frantically agreed with Damon's first act of business. I was now his second in command. There were usually fights for these things but Sean had stepped down with nothing more than a smile. I believe it was because I earned much respect and love from my Pack. Sean is now the third in command and we made an exception for Omar. He was a much respected and needed asset and loyal friend to this Pack that we created a fourth commander. Grateful for the offer, Omar had gladly accepted. No one argued and if anyone had a problem, they took it up with Damon. So far, so good. But it has only been a couple days so who knew? Hopefully, we will have a little bit of piece before the next clown decided to jump out of the bushes. I'm used to it by now though. We will just have to wait and see. Personally, I would love to wait forever.

After the match, Ren, Omar and Sean had taken Jimmy's body deep into the woods to burn it then bury the bones. Ren finally told me what she meant when she told Jimmy, in 'L'Oscurita, about not regretting his next move. She was very observant, Ren was because he was going to leap at me and try to take me out right then and there. She was very correct though when she told him he had no idea who he was fucking with. The Big Bad Wolf, that was me. There is nothing bigger or badder than a pissed of mother with an agenda to maim and kill. I sighed happily and stirred more of the chicken noodle soup so it would not stick. I waited another five minutes until it was nice and hot then turned off the burner, pouring the soup in a bowl. I grabbed a spoon and took the food out to the living room where Damon lay on the couch, flipping through channels. I gave him the soup. He was a little bruised still but mostly healed. Some of the cuts would take awhile like the one around his neck. I still thought he should have lived some of his life first but he had insisted and it cost him pain and injury. Oh, well. Like I said, my son was a rebel.

"Thanks," he said then smiled. "But you don't have to baby me, Mom."

"Sure do," I said, lightly ruffling his hair. "You're hurt and it's what moms do so get used to it."

"Ah, whatever," he said and stuck his tongue out at me.

"You're supposed to be an Alpha, not a baby," I told him and walked to get my leather jacket. It was time for a nice, long walk to contemplate everything.

"Well, you're taking care of me so it's my right!" he shouted.

"You have no rights!" I yelled back, throwing on my coat over my jeans and black t-shirt. "Except the right to remain silent." Boy did I speak to soon for that one. A knock on the door had my attention and I went to answer it. Damon threw a pillow at me but I caught it and whipped it at his head. He blocked it and growled playfully. "Oh, I'm scared." He snorted, rolled his eyes then returned to the TV where Detective Lenny Brisco was arresting a woman for murder on Law and Order. I opened the door and saw a face I wanted to tear a part with my teeth and claws. Or just chop his freakin' head off. Narrowing my eyes, I glared with venom at Detective Eric Johnson. If you do not recall allow me to refresh your memory. The Alpha of a lion pride, Clay, had come to me for help but had gotten murdered by Ren and Tim and I had gotten blamed for it. Well, this is the asshole who interrogated me and hated my guts. What the hell was he doing here?

"Can I help you?" I snarled and tried hard not to strangle the jerk though I would have to jump really high because he was well muscled and 6'8". Two officers in navy blue uniforms flanked him. Great.

His ever changing blue-green eyes twinkled with malice and he smirked. His red hair was slightly shorter than I remember. "Oh, I am sure you can," he said and grabbed my arm. I remembered right before I was about to lash out that he was in law enforcement and that if I hit him, it would get me serious jail time. He spun me around and slapped a pair of cold metal ringlets around my wrists. I rolled my eyes. Damn, I hated handcuffs. He put them tighter than they needed to be and I winced as the metal cut into my skin just the slightest. "Arra Griffith, you are under arrest for the murder..." Oh, jeez who did I kill this time? I almost laughed. Who did I not kill was a better question. "Of Edward Santell."

My eyes bugged out of my skull and my jaw dropped. I was completely aghast. How could he say such a preposterous thing? "WHAT?!" I shouted, turning my head to look him dead in the eye. "Are you nuts?"

Damon was suddenly there. "Mom, what is it?"

"Your mother is a murderer, kid," Detective Dick Face told my son. "Always has been but this time, we have concrete proof. Hard evidence that will put your ass in jail for twenty-five to life."

"Mom," Damon said in more question than anything.

"Call your father," I ordered. "And call Ren." If anyone was a quick thinker like Edward who could make a decisive statement, it would be Ren. I trusted her and we established that we were basically best friends so I knew she would pull through with something. Damon nodded but did not move. "Go, now." Finally, he left.

"Your son looks like he was in a fight," Detective Ass Wipe concluded. Instantly, I stiffened and growled, not holding back the wolfs seriousness about her pup.

"A little fight with an asshole," I said in a low, dangerous tone. "Leave him alone. He did nothing wrong and neither did I."

"We'll see about that in court, now won't we?" He turned me and none too gently led me to one of the squad cars by his undercover cop car. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you."

Murdered Edward? Me? Of all people, they though I killed Edward? Damn, why did I think I would be hearing my rights a lot and for awhile? I looked up to the sky as he opened the back door to a police car with its lights on, flashing blue and red in my eyes. God, I ask for peace and You give me war. Is this a test? If so, I pray that I pass it. For if I fail, I will never see my family nor ever see the outside world again. I will be dead by next full moon, which meant I had about twenty-nine days to figure a way out of this. If they convicted me then found out I was a werewolf, my race, my Pack, but most of all, my son, would be hunted down and extinct. Detective Johnson shoved me into the car and slammed the door before I got my leg completely inside and almost hit it.

"Police brutality!" I squawked and smacked my head off the back of the seat. What the hell was I going to do? Well, I sure as hell hope whoever my attorney was would be smart and know what to do because I would kill them if they did not find me innocent by the full moon.

If it came down to it, I would escape and flee the country. Yeah, great plan, Arra. Why don't you scale the walls of the prison after carving a shank out of your toothbrush? Damn, I hated my inner critic.

Do not worry, Arra, we will find the person who set you up and destroy them after we elude this matter, My wolf said. Yeah, that was comforting. The cops got in and drove off with Detective Pain In The Ass leading us. I stared into the woods, visioning myself free, running as a wolf and wishing I could teleport and make that a reality. But this was reality. My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of something moving behind the trees. I could not make anything out except for a shadowy figure that walked slowly. Now, what the fuck was going on? Well, I need not worry because they were walking away from the house so Damon was safe for now. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the seat. Well, I have had days that were bad and days that were not so bad. This definitely ranked up as one of those shitty mother fucking days.

Well, I was off to see the wizard. Or should I say the Grim Reaper because this surely could be the death of me if nothing else had succeeded so far. But what could I say? I was a wanted wolf. Why me? I ask. Why does it always have to be me? I think I was being sent a message. Well, I'm not exactly getting it here!

"You have the right to remain silent," Detective Johnson had said. Yeah, too bad I lacked the ability.

End

(End Song; Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi)

A/N: So, did you expect that? Mwuhaha. So will Arra get out of this? What was the shadowy figure? Ally or enemy? You will find out in the next book Conviction of Death. Thanks for reading and I'm actually hoping to start this one soon, maybe in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for the support and reviews and remember to send me your guesses about the last book in Private Messages, through myspace or my e-mail which is shadow_. I would give you information on the next book but I think I'll leave you hanging and let you wait for the summary when I get to it. :D

Happy Hunting

!Shadow!