Only the "Strong" Survive | Paul Lahote |

*chapter thirty-nine*

|PAUL|

That absolute fucking bastard. I read the note over Joni's shoulder and it took every bit of self control I had to not phase right there. He's lucky he's already dead because I would've done it myself.

When I knew she was home safe I had to take off, I phased and started running. Howling to let the anger out, bashing into trees, tearing things apart with my teeth. But it didn't help, I wanted to kill something. I wanted to destroy something big.

"Paul. What's going on?" Sam thought to me, making me look up as he came into my vision.

I showed him my morning, excluding the awful site of Joni's mother's body, but including the letter. He growled as he read it, Sam looked at Joni like a little sister. I knew it would upset him but I knew he needed to see it to understand.

"So he's dead? They're both dead?"

"Yeah."

"How she's taking it?"

"I don't know. She's barely spoken. Looks zombie like - I took off after taking her home. I didn't want to risk hurting her."

"Smart move. Go check on her, I'll warn the others to be cautious for a while about what they say to her."

"Thank you Sam."

He nodded at me and took off to finish his patrol. I kicked the dirt and some trees a few more times before phasing back and walking out to the house.

"What did you do to Joni?" Leah asked as I walked through the door, an angry tone to her voice. Leah didn't talk to any of us, but she did to Joni, every once in a while since the bonfire. It was good to see her care about someone besides herself, even if it was ill pointed this time.

I sighed, looking at the garage door, "They found her parents. Her father killed her mother and then himself, he wrote a horrible note to Joni as a goodbye."

Leah's eyes widden and her body softened, she knew the pain of losing a parent. Harry was a much better father than Joni's but regardless, that kind of loss is not easy to recover from. I walked over to the garage door, only hearing silence on the other side. My heart began to race, kicking myself for leaving her alone. The door was locked, which only intensified the fear. I banged on it over and over.

"Joni. Open the door."

Nothing.

"Joni damn it. Open the door."

Again, nothing.

"I swear to god Joni I will kick this door down."

Nothing. I stepped back planning to kick it, or run at it. But felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Leah. She had a key in her hand and a gentle look in her eyes.

"Mom will kill me if I let you break the door," she said with a small laugh.

I took it instantly, putting it in the door and opening it. All my fears disappeared when I turned on the light and saw her there, a gentle snore coming out of her. Curled up into a ball, looking cold, but asleep. It felt like I could breathe again knowing she was okay. Leah sighed of relief from behind me, I knew both of our heads had gone to the same place of Joni trying to kill herself again.

Joni started to move, stretching out and opening her eyes. She laid on her back and stared up at the ceiling, not even noticing me watching.

"Hey baby," I said as I walked over to the bed, sitting near her legs.

Her eyes looked sad, "Hi...I'm sorry I made you mad earlier."

"Joni, no that wasn't because of you. How are you feeling?"