The Not So Perfect School For Perfect Children (#Wattys2016)

Truth From Lies

Jack's POV

I am so freaking cold. I feel like I should be shivering, chattering my teeth, anything really but it's like my body isn't feeling anything at all, nothing is responding, my cells are completely stationary.

The feeling of being still is a complete change, I have been so stressed lately, it has reshaped my personality and it is terrifying. I'm nothing like who I was just a few months ago, I'm fitting into this scared rabbit in the spotlight, running as fast as she can but only to find that she gets shot. I'm no rebel anymore, just falling into the policies set by a force out of my control and it causes shivers down my spine. 

Actually, the shivers are from an ice cold touch and a whisper of promises. Like the wind they pass over my body, but there is wild passion in the words, a caged animal only wishing to break free and I break the lock. 

My body shakes into function with a deep breath and a raspy response from my throat. My eyes shoot open and flinch at the light from the room, I don't recognise the room, the features are minimal and impersonal. Looking around there is nothing to distinguish the room, it's like no one has ever been in it. 

Steps come closer to the room, I try to call out to whoever it is but all that escapes is a whisper and the man who walks in is shirtless. I can't see his face, he just came out of the shower, his muscles defined and I just sit there staring at him. That's when he turns around, and it's Luke. I instantly look away but I know he saw, my cheeks are so red right now. 

"Oh shit, you're awake. Oh my god I'm so sorry Jack, I'm sure you didn't want to see that." Luke talks quickly as he puts a shirt on, but my cheeks are still red so I don't look at him directly and those muscles were astonishingly great to look at. "Okay, you can look now and seen as you're awake do you want to tell me why I had to save from drowning?" He sounds so concerned. 

"You rescued me?" I whisper, my throat hurts like crazy. As if he reads my mind, Luke gets me a drink of water as I drink it, it feels like I can feel every molecule going down, it was oddly soothing. "Thank you. For the water and for pulling me out." My voice sounds a little better but it's still a raspy whisper. 

"You sound so surprised?" His voice is so soothing, a deep concern for my wellbeing or at least that's what it feels like. "You're welcome but you haven't answered my question, what happened?" 

I lower my eyes in shame. I was running, like a coward. "I can't remember." I lie. 

His eyes haven't changed as I lift my heavy eyes back up to meet his. "Well I guess that's for the best."

Just as he goes to say more there is thudding at the door.

"LUKE WE KNOW SHE'S IN THERE! LET US IN RIGHT NOW!" It's Dillon. Where's Mallaurie? 

Suddenly the crash of the door falling off it's hinges causes Luke to get up, he moves so fast I barely see it as a blur. 

"YOU WILL NOT KEEP HER HOSTAGE HERE VAMP!" 

"She's not a hostage and you didn't have to break my...." Luke's voice falls away.

"Did you HAVE to break the door? I mean she might not be here." 

Mallaurie walks into the room and smiles. "Thank god you're okay Jack! What the hell happened?!" She gives me a tight hug that warms my bones. "I was so worried about you." 

Mallaurie is launched away as Luke forces her against the wall, full of aggression. "WHAT SICK JOKE IS THIS?!" Luke yells. "HOW DO YOU LOOK LIKE HER?! SHE'S DEAD!" His eyes burn red with horrific bloodlust and Dylan half transforms to protect her, throwing both of them across the room but ripping apart most of the wall in the process. 

"DON'T TOUCH MATE!" Dillon growls, but it doesn't sound like him at all. 

Luke's POV

This is wrong.

How is this possible? 

It looks exactly like her.

Fury fills every corner of my being. I launch for Dillon first, he'll be hardest to knock out. I land a few punches, but he's so fast and my eyes blur with the tears of pain. There's someone screaming but I can't tell who or why, but I'm pulled out of the hell with the sweet scent of vanilla and a tinge of sea water. 

Someone is kissing me.

It's Jack.

It's wonderful and I wish the bliss doesn't end. 

She pulls away and I remember why I'm angry, but she doesn't waver she slaps me right on the cheek and its not gentle either. My eyes clear but all I can see is her in front of me, there's no one in the room, they are all gone and it's eerily silent. "She isn't a trick Luke. I wanted to tell you but I couldn't find you anywhere and then there was this whole thing with the fact that I'm going to die and I freaked out and I know it was selfish and I'm sorry and I know I should have told you straight away but she's real, she's here and she is your sister." She spoke so quickly, I'm surprised I even heard anything but I did. 

"That girl is Mallie?" I can't believe the words escape my lips but my tongue betrays me. "My Mallie?" My voice breaks as I realise, with tears again beginning to form, what I had just done. 

Dillon called her his mate.

His mate.

No.

"Is she a werewolf? Did they turn her into a WEREWOLF!?" I cannot contain my anger, my bones freeze rigid so I can't move and my breathing gets deep as the realisation sets in once more. 

Terrifying worry fills Jack's eyes as she looks at me, for some reason, just one look at her calms me slightly. "Dillon's father said that she must have had werewolf ancestry, and being in the Fae Realm sort of kicked it in, especially since she went through a traumatic event too which can cause it anyway and it was all very confusing but she's a natural one not a made one on the basis of things, which is good right?" Her eyes sparkle with hope that I might find this reassuring and her voice is so soft, I suppose she's waiting for a bomb to explode. 

"She was in the Fae Realm?" I ask, my voice is now quiet,  I'm mentally drained.

"Yeah..." She trails off, looking away.

"What?" I push. 

"Nicola trapped her there for a potion for other people and well it's all gone to shit and those people are coming for us cause we stopped it, and Nicolas dead or in prison or something, it didn't sound good." Her eyes still won't meet mine so I put my fingers gently on her chin and lift her face up. 

"It's not your fault Jack." Then I pause. My brain tracing the actions of before, I instantly feel guilty, but I can't help the little smirk appearing on my lips. "You kissed me."