The Wolf

Ch. 34: Coming Together

~Nico~

My head is still swimming as Alex, Luca, and I pile into Alex's car. I'm not sure what that energy was or where it came from. But I'm pretty sure I know why. I couldn't stand to let Alex and Luca fight. I love Alex and I have mixed feelings about Luca. Thinking about them tearing each other apart is unbearable.

"Nico, are you sure you're OK?" Luca asks for the millionth time. He's sitting beside me in the backseat of the car while Alex drives.

"Mm, I'm sure I'm fine." I lean my head against Luca's shoulder. It feels like the world is spinning and I just need to lay my head down.

Alex glares at the two of us from the front seat. I'd like to think that it's out of jealousy, but then I'd be getting ahead of myself. I think he hates Luca because he's a Druid, and who knows how many reasons he has to hate me.

"So, Nico, how did you find the Druids? Don't tell me you were spying for them this whole time, were you?" Alex asks bitterly.

"No! No..." I say, "I found them yesterday. I decided to go home. I found Eleanor, my sister there. She told me she was a Druid and she formed her own coven that she brought here because of me." I close my eyes to try and think.

"Your sister? You had a sister?" Alex seems suspicious of this whole ordeal and I can't blame him. Everything is so wrong.

"I didn't know I had one either until I saw her in a dream of mine that Nyx put me into. Because of the spell that our mothers put us under..." My voice trails off. I'm so tired. I don't want to sleep though. What will I meet in my dreams?

Alex mutters to himself in the front seat and Luca looks down at me in worry. What kind of situation is this? Why couldn't I just be a normal guy with normal problems? Like worrying about which one of these guys I should date. Simple stuff like that.

"Nico," Luca whispers, "you should sleep. You look exhausted."

"I'm fine," I say.

"You're not." He states.

"I'll be OK without a few minutes of sleep."

"I doubt it. I bet you can barely even think after using that much magic."

"I'm fine." I insist.

"No. Just rest." He demands.

Alex is glancing at us from the mirror. His brow is raised. I wonder what he thinks of this whole debacle. I look away.

"I don't wanna sleep," I whimper.

The car goes completely silent. I remove my head from Luca's shoulder and lean against the window. Tears pool in my eyes, but I refuse to shed them. I don't want to cry in front of these two people, definitely not. Luca's warm hand squeezes mine and I squeeze back.

Nico, Noct says, you need to sleep eventually. Luca's right.

You've seen what my brain can conjure up. I can't sleep right now. I'll sleep later. I promise. I say.

That's fine then. You can't stay awake forever.

I can try.

The rest of the drive we all sit in awkward silence, the only sound is the hum of the car. Even though I said I didn't want to sleep, my eyes are heavy and I could really use a few minutes. But what if I see something again? I can't risk it before the meeting, I'll be too shaken up.

~*~*~*~

Camp looks the same as always. Cars fill the parking lot and snow is piled up in high banks around the edges. No kids are playing outside right now though, making the place seem desolate. A couple of wolves walk between the houses, patrolling.