warm.

   "It's fine, you take it. You're shaking like a leaf." She nodded, and wrapped the cloak around her. As she looked out the window, she noticed that this was almost similar to the carriage ride that she and Steele had had during their first (and rather unsuccessful) date. Upon thinking of the malamute, she wondered as to what was going on with him.

   I hope he's OK…I wish he'd try to understand…but I can't let him find out about Balto…but… She realized that it hadn't occurred to her as to what kind of feelings that went through her whenever she was with the hybrid. When she was with Steele, she felt like they were somehow apart, almost like they've never even met. But in this short time with this masked wolf-dog, she felt like she was spending a life time with him. Did she have feeling for him?

   Well, he certainly is nicer than Steele. Strange, but nice. I don't think he would hurt a fly…She then remembered earlier that day after the terrible death of Buquet, and when Jean-Claude had asked her about her knowing something about the Opera Ghost. Ironically, she did, she was sitting right next to him…but was the Inspector right? Was she really associated with a criminal, and maybe even worse, a murderer?

   She looked over at the hybrid, who had his glowing yellow eyes fixed on his paws. Had her feeling somehow blinded her? Was this masked wolf-dog that acted like such a gentleman to her, really the monster that everyone in the Canine had thought he was? She couldn't help but shiver at the thought of him actually being a killer. It was dangerous enough that she was seeing him.

   But, there was something that seemed different, something off about him. At first, she was afraid of him, but suddenly, he would offer his paw to her so graciously, and would always praise her in the letters to the Managers, and even during practice he would be overjoyed whenever she was around him. This was completely different from how everyone thought of him. He seemed like some kind of gentle creature, one that would never bring harm to her. She was almost touched by how kind he was, how soft his voice was to her, as he never yelled at her when she made a mistake, almost like he treasured her like she was his prize possession.

   Did he have feelings for her? Did she have feelings for him? This was all so strange, but Jenna seemed to get used to the idea that Balto was the Opera Ghost, as the coach headed down the road somewhat slowly.

   She broke the silence between them, "Balto, can I ask you something?"

   The hybrid turned, his eyes fixed on hers, "Yes, what is it?"

   She fixed the cloak around her, "Why me? Why did you choose me to be your student? Why not anyone else?"

   The hybrid blinked, "Because, I think you deserve it, Jenna. I think you deserve all the praise in the world."

   "But why? Why me?" The hybrid then drew closer to the husky, as were a few inches away from each other.

   "Because I love you." He answered in such a tone of voice that it nearly made Jenna's heart flutter. It sounded like it was the first time he had ever said that to someone, let alone hers.

   "Y-you…you what?" She asked, completely aghast.

   "I love you, Jenna," He repeated, "I always have. I know I haven't been honest with you, but the thing is, that's the reason why I brought you down into my lair. I've watched you from behind the walls of the Canine, and as soon as I did, I felt something that I've never felt before. It seemed like…you were the one for me…" He smiled. Jenna couldn't believe what she was hearing. That was the first time anyone had ever confessed their love to her. She didn't know how to respond, her cream-colored cheeks nearly turning as red as her fur.

   "Balto, I…" She replied, almost trembling, "I don't know what to say," She then gasped lightly when the hybrid took her paw in his.

   "Don't say anything," He said, as their eyes gazed into each other's, "I just want you to know that I love you, and that you mean to me, so much more than my music, or my voice, or the Canine, or all of Paris…" He then paused, his yellow eyes averting to the side, "…and I was wondering if you felt the same."

   Jenna couldn't think straight, as all of this was happening so fast. She began to question herself almost immediately. Being told that you're loved by someone was something that she had never experienced before. True, her and Steele had a friendship since they were kids, it didn't seem like love. Of course, she didn't know how Steele really felt, so she merely thought he didn't exactly care.

   But this masked wolf-dog, this dog that had given her voice back, her courage back to sing again, the happiness that she once felt with her father had returned to her, she never thought that this, all of this, was for her.

   Love, it was all out of love.

   She almost teared up at the idea that Balto had feelings for her, feelings that seemed so much greater than her and Steele's childhood friendship. She didn't know what to feel at that point, nor could she think of anything to say.

   "Balto, I..." She began, but stopped herself. She still wasn't sure why, but there was still something off about Balto. Was it because he was a criminal, or a murderer? True, she didn't think he was a bag dog, probably misunderstood, but still…

   "Why did you kill Buquet?" She asked, as she remembered that Jean-Claude's suspicion of him killed the stage-hand was still fresh in her mind.

   The hybrid chuckled, "Um, that's not the answer I was looking for."

   "No, I mean it. Why did you kill him?"

   "I killed him…because of what La Carlotta had done." Jenna then saw something change in the hybrid's eyes, almost like they became darker in hue, "I also did away with that annoying critic Monsieur Harris…" He chuckled, "I hope they find his body soon…"

   Jenna was now shocked, as Balto had actually murdered two males…because of her.

   She remembered what Jean-Claude had told her, that the Opera Ghost (Balto) might have had some feelings for the her, but it had never crossed her mind that he had killed for her. The Inspector's assumptions were pretty much true. This proved to her that he really was a criminal.

   A criminal that had just confessed his love for her.

   But, she had somewhat expected that he was going to obsess over her, like a crazed madman would. It did seem like obsession. But the way he spoke to her, how he acted around her, it seemed like he was just an ordinary gentle-dog that wouldn't harm a soul.

   So why did he kill Buquet and Monsieur Harris? Why did he steal from the Canine? Why did he have to hide within the Opera House? There were so many questions that she wanted to ask, but she didn't know what to say at that moment. Balto saw this, and slowly moved away from her.

   He sighed, "Listen, I know you might be upset, but I couldn't stand what that poodle had done, nor what kind of garbage that Monsieur Harris had written about you."

   "But what about Buquet?" She asked, almost disturbed that he would do such a thing, "He didn't do anything."

   "I don't see why he didn't have to die. He speaks badly of me, and of you. That alone brings death." As he said the word death, it seemed to be in a deep, dark sort of tone. Jenna wasn't sure whether to scold him for committing murder, or to be scared that she was alone with him inside this carriage.

   "You're…afraid…aren't you?" Balto said, his demeanor changing into a rather gloomy one, "I understand. Perhaps I shouldn't have told you…I just couldn't stand what that poodle did to you, nor can I ever stand seeing you so…unhappy, Jenna. I can't help myself. I'm sorry."

   Jenna found the strength to place a paw on the hybrid's, despite how cold it was. Balto looked up, somewhat shaken that she was touching him.

   "Balto, I understand what you were trying to do. But, you shouldn't have done something like that. Don't you think that they didn't deserve it? I know what Monsieur Harris did to me, but I didn't believe it for a second. And what La Carlotta did was somewhat pathetic. But I don't think that Harris or Buquet needed to die. You shouldn't have done that Balto, even if it was for me."

   Jenna could see that Balto seemed almost sorry for what he had done. "Jenna," He began, "I understand what you mean. I guess I was…angry. I'm sorry that you feel this way. I promise to never harm anyone ever again. Would that still make you trust me?"

   What? Trust him? Jenna thought, somewhat confused that despite what he had done, he still loved her, almost like that's all that mattered to him. She wasn't sure why, but this was exactly like what had happened before. Despite her doubts about the hybrid, she still seemed touched by his feelings for her, even though he literally told her that he had committed

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