My Best Friend, My Alpha

The Snow Girl?

The woods didn't appear as arcane as usual. Ashley had stupidly taken a wrong turn, or was it just instinct? that left her staring at the meadow. Slap bang in the centre, where it always was, hers and Danny's tree. She placed her hand onto the trunk. Feeling her memories wash around inside her like a tidal wave of emotion.

How many times had her and Danny argued and bickered here? How many times had they laughed? How many times had he wiped away her tears? And how many times had they kissed?

Not enough.

Cumulative tears ran down the snow girls already stiff face. So many memories, yet no more to come.

She gritted her teeth and punched the tree hard. The bark splintered and the branches shuddered, some loose twigs fell onto her. They fell away when they hit her icy shield.

I don't want to die a coward. Die... "I don't want to die," she trembled and fell to her knees.

"I've been good," her voice was hoarse as she convinced herself. "I've never hurt anybody- not without being forced- I trusted Mia with my life when she came here. I helped Kieran when he decided to wear that bow tie to his first official date. I only told him that he looked like an idiot but still it was help," she chuckled weakly at the memory, but the pain of remembering that Kieran was no longer here, took over.

"Yes you did," the voice made her jump. Her legs were tired, bruised, hurt, but Ashley still made it up to look at the intruder.

Surprisingly it Summer, not Mia. Beautiful, blonde, cheery, Summer with cuts on her lips, dirt in her finger nails and blood on her shirt.

They both looked each other up and down, both were surprised by the others appearance.

Ashley hadn't realised that Summer was fighting, and Summer had expected the exact same of Ashley: battle scars and blood, not flowers and white cotton.

For a moment, Ashley braced herself for Summer to be mad again. But it didn't come, instead she felt arms wrap around her shoulders. Ashley breathed in relief, it felt like hugging another part of her, a sister.

"Stop crying," she cooed, and stroked Ashley's hair decorated in daisy chains. The snow girl couldn't, she couldn't stop thinking about Danny, Andrea, Mike... Kieran, Brandon. All of those that she'd be leaving behind, or had already left.

"Ashley," Summer said and pulled away. "Come on, get a grip." Ashley nodded and sniffed, dragging a hand beneath her nose. Catching all of the salty tears there before they had chance to infest her mouth.

The snow girl stood up straight, "what's happening back at the clearing?" she asked. Feeling the guilty responsibility on her shoulders since Summer was there. "Your Dad retreated, but then came back as if someone else was calling the shots and he was ordered to come back," she took a breath as she finished filling the Luna in, "I think that they can hold them off for a while. The pack house was attacked but I'll give the women some credit; the rogue's didn't lay a claw on any of the children! I came away to find you and Danny, what's the plan?"

Ashley gulped, there was a bad taste pasted to the back of her throat.

"What about my Mum and Dad?" she trembled weakly, her eyes were lost in the woods. All of a sudden she felt very vulnerable stood in the centre of the open meadow.

Summer shook her, "Ashley, they're fine! Now what to we do?" there was a hint of panic in Summers eyes as she finally came to the conclusion that there was no plan. Ashley stood with an expression matching her curse: frozen.

With a sorry look, Summer pulled back and then slapped Ashley's cheek; she hadn't dragged herself through her woods to stand around catching up on the gossip.