Under The Sea

Chapter Six

It was time to escape. I was still dressed in the same clothes but it didn't matter to me, I knew I would be back home soon. A small thread of guilt laced through my body, but I ignored it. I had no reason to be here, and Aran had no right to keep me here. He had no idea who I was and I had no idea who he was. Even so, when I was around him, I felt as if I knew him, like I was supposed to be around him. Like I belonged with him. I frowned at the thought and shook my head. I ignored my previous almost-convincing thoughts and focused on the anticipation of an escape.

My plan was simple (maybe too simple): run to the ocean and dive in. It was the dead of night so I did not worry about anyone stopping me . . . except myself. Again pushing those thoughts away I clutched me books to my chest and quietly opened the same window from which I escaped the first time. Once I stood outside I closed the window, glanced around me. And then squinting into the darkness I bolted.

The forest seemed different at night. Instead of the warm sun casting ethereal shadows across my path the moonlight casted dark creeping shadows. Shadows that could eat you alive if they wished to. Shadows I found myself running from. Instead of the wonderful feel of running on soft earthy ground, feeling the wind whip my hair behind me, I felt a rush of fear. Fear of being caught by the never-ending shadows that were seemingly everywhere. I only ran faster.
A swift ocean breeze passed under my nose, reminding me that I was almost home. As I ran I thought about last night.

Dinner had been subtle. I didn't speak to Aran if I didn't have to, of course I had many questions, but I knew he wouldn't answer them. He, on the other hand, told me more about him and his family. I learned that when he turned eighteen he moved into the house that he lives in now, but never lost contact with his family, who only lived a few miles away. His sister, Thea, is fifth-teen years old. His parents had been together since......forever, as he described it. But there was something missing from what he told me. He was telling me about his life but it was not really his life. What I wanted to know was how he was doing, how he was feeling about whatever situation he was currently in.

When he asked me to tell him about myself, I only shrugged and explained to him that I had nothing to say. He had looked seriously at me and told me that I was a mystery, a mystery he would crack. I'm the one who thought he was the mystery. The worst part was that I wanted to tell him all about myself, and my life underwater. I wanted to pour my heart out to him, and tell him all my fears and secret loves because I felt he would understand me. Profound sadness coated my heart as I remembered what I was doing at the moment. Running away from him.

Suddenly, an arm shot out blocking my path. I ran straight into it and the force of it knocked me to the ground, my books sprawling around me. My eyes trailed up the body of a boy. He had blonde hair that stopped at the nape of his neck, and warm caramel eyes, they held confusion as they stared down at me. Reaching out his arm he roughly grasped my forearm and forced me to stand up.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing running through the woods, in the middle of the night, carrying a pile of books?" His tone held amusement and true confusion.

"I-I need to go," I said squirming in his hard grip.

"You're not going anywhere until we talk to the Alpha." He stated, his voice calm. Alpha? As in a wolf? This person had a similar scent as Aran, and an aura of power surrounding him, but not as much as Aran had. He started to walk back towards the house. Panicking I scanned my surroundings and noticed how the moonlight illuminated drops of mildew on almost all of the leaves and grass around me. Using my free hand I concentrated on bringing the water to my hand. Slowly, small drops of water drifted through the air to form a very small ball of water. Luckily, the boy hadn't noticed. With a simple flick of my wrist, the water went flying into the boy's face. Caught off guard he stumbled exclaiming,