The Runner {Editing}

Chapter 16

There was panic and fear all around me.

News had gotten out to the pack that there was a threat message to the pack and everyone began to panic. I don't blame them, I wish I was as oblivious as them.

Xaiver sent me another message and the way he made sure only I saw it I don't know or care about right now.

It was a riddle type thing I couldn't make sense of.

The message said:

Twists and turns
Stones can't break bones
Let's play a game,
Where mother came.
It's only a bit of fun.

Back to the place where men died
A compass to guide,
Let's have some fun
Where it all begun.
~X

It made no sense to me, i've been sitting here for hours with a bunch of scribbled out interpretations.

Did he want me to go meet him somewhere? Was he just fucking with me?

I threw the pen down and rubbed my hands over my face when a glint caught my attention.

It was a compass, hidden under some papers.

I slowly picked it up and flicked and shook it a little, but it seemed broken. Great.

I looked back at the riddle, and then to the compass.

I was relieved but I also wasn't at finding this news out.

I found this paper in a pocket in my bag, the one I ran with earlier when I was cleaning it out.

I sighed and got up, taking my stuff with me before I left the office and back to my room.

I was going to hide all this stuff so I could figure it out later.

When I opened my bag I froze, looking at the shoebox and slowly pulling it out.

When I opened it it was a new pair of running shoes with another note inside.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock.
The time has come, says the clock
For you to do the thing you do best
But first get brother dearest,
Then start the quest.
~X

I couldn't help but be flabbergasted at the riddle. He wanted the fight brought to him, but why?

I signed and looked back at my backpack, seeing all my weapons and supplies placed inside neatly.

Why is this my life? I knew I shouldn't have gotten attached because lord forbid I'm happy.

I shoved the shoes and clothes in the biggest pocket, and then placed the riddles in a front pocket with the compass.

Well, time to go get my brother and just get this the hell over with.

I'm not going to put up with his mind games anymore.

I knocked on Max's door, the room he's staying in anyway.

He answered and looked surprised as I pushed inside.

"Juliet? Everything OK?" He asked worriedly.

"Pack a bag with essentials. Like clothes and whatever."

"Why? What's happening? Are you alright?" He kept asking and I gave him a glare that got him to do what I asked.

As I waited, I wrote a letter to Stefan. I figured I'd leave it for him so that I don't have to see his sad face, or hear him say he's coming to.

"I'm ready." Max said, standing up and slinging the bag over his back.

I folded the letter and snuck out quietly, placing the letter on the bed before making my way downstairs.

Stefan was trying to calm the pack down right now and wouldn't realize I'm gone until its late.

I took the notes and compass out, putting the notes in the pocket on my running pants, zipping it so they wouldn't fall.

I looked at the compass and shoved it back in my pocket when nothing happened, and I began to walk the direction of my old pack.

"You wanna tell me what this is about?" Max asked looking at me.

"I will when we get off pack lands." I said, continuing to head east.

It was about 45 minutes before we crossed the border and walked in neutral territory.

I turned and gave him the riddles to look at and explain the reason behind the crazy.

"When'd you get these?" He asked looking up at me as I slipped the running shoes on.

"They were given to me, well planted in places I'd find them." I explained taking them back and putting them in my pocket again.

"Why are we going alone?"

"He wants to see us both."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"I hope so."

"That's encouraging"

"Shut up and keep walking"

He huffed but stopped talking and I was thankful.

I sighed as my mind sort of thought back to Stefan. I thought that it would hurt more than it actually does to leave him behind.

When people talk about losing a mate they make it sound like you'd pretty much die on the inside and lose the will to survive.

I was only a little sad, and guilty.

I sighed and reached up to where my mate mark was, frowning when I didn't feel the bite mark.

I stopped and knelt beside my bag, digging around until I found a reflective surface where I held it up and looked at my neck.

There was only a small, hardly noticeable pink circle on my neck.

The blade fell from my hands and started hyperventilating as I felt my chest closing in on itself.

What was happening to me? Why wasn't the mark there? What did this mean for me now?

Now this is the pain I heard people talk about.

I was vaugly aware of Max grabbing my face and making me look at him, and I slowly got out of my little episodes.

"Juliet what's wrong? What happened?" Max asked, looking around for something that could've scared me.

"My Mate mark is fading." I said slowly, taking deep breaths and trying to calm down.

"Marks don't fade, Juliet." Max said looking to my neck and getting a confused yet thoughtful face.

"Max I'm not a fucking idiot. I know marks don't fade. Something's wrong, but I don't know what." I said, my voice breaking a little.

I took another deep breath and shook my head, trying to get a grip on myself.

"Maybe we should go ba-"

"Let's keep moving. We're losing daylight."

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A/N: sorry I haven't updated guys. I've been going through weird things recently and been distracted easily. I'll try to get back to daily updates as soon as possible. Also It was hard for me to make the riddles so don't judge if their bad. Please.

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