Shadow Bite || WATTYS 2017

Chapter Forty-Five

"Thanks." I breathe, massaging the back of my neck to relieve the ache from the strap.

"No problem." He replies, and we engage in a slightly awkward silence as we approach the car that Emma has started. She sits in the driver's seat and the engine roars to life as Jasper helps me load the bags into the boot. I notice his muscles tense and relax as he strains with an inner battle. The approach of the full moon is taking its toll on every werewolf male around. "Will you be coming back?" He asks casually, and I offer a half-teasing smile.

"Why? Eager to see me are we?"

He shrugs and waves at me awkwardly before running back to the cabin hanging above the lake in the distance. My smile falls and I sigh with annoyance when I hear Emma roaring with laughter at the front, peering at me and the spot where Jasper once stood in the rearview mirror. What's got his panties in a twist?

I slide into the front passenger seat and rest my head on the window, watching the tall pine trees towering over us and packed tightly together as we drive through the forest on a bumpy, gravelly pathway. The sun is beginning to set through the leaves and darkness is slowly creeping in, forcing the comforting light out of its way.

I close my eyes and can't help but think back with quiet embarrassment at the conversation Aiyana and I had the morning after, when she'd come to find me in a tired but agreeable lump on the couch, skimming through my favourite childhood movies.

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Jack is laying on the couch facing mine, also watching the Lion King that I found amongst the piles of DVDs that had been nestled away in a box next to the fireplace where the TV hung above. I tilt my head slightly backwards when Asher comes up from behind me and places a sweet kiss on my lips with a confident smirk. When he leaves through the front door of the spacious cabin Jack wiggles his eyebrows at me and I have to throw a pillow his way to mute the dirty joke that was about to spur from his mouth.

I've got tears in my eyes when we reach the part of Mufasa's death with Jack bawling besides me, and that's the precise time that Aiyana chooses to make her grand entrance. She puts the TV on pause and looks at me expectantly.

"OH WOMAN WHY MUST YOU CURSE US WITH YOUR HELLISH EXISTENCE!" Jack screams at her, and she takes a shocked step back. I laugh sadly through my sobs and stand up to follow Aiyana into a more secluded room. Behind the shut door I can hear Jack beginning to bawl again as he un-pauses the movie.

"What's up?" I ask Aiyana with tear-stained cheeks and blotchy eyes. She looks at me with disbelief.

"That's the sort of reaction you two get with children's movies?" She asks, and I shrug.

"You're never too old for Disney re-runs." I wipe my eyes with my sleeve and look at her dubiously. When I see her beautiful features turn into a stricken and heart-torn expression curiosity fills me. "What's wrong Aiyana?"

"I uh- I wanted to tell you something, about me and Asher, since you seemed to be really pissed off at me yesterday. Just to clear it all out..."

-No, really Aiyana," I begin with relieved laughter, "It's honestly fine! I had no right to lash out at you like that, and you don't have to explain anything-"

"You say that now Camilla, but trust me: you'll want to know in the future." She cuts me off, and my relief floods away into a melting pool of surprise.

-What do you mean?" I ask, unsureness filling me slowly. She gestures towards the couch, and it's only then that I realise that we're in Asher's office. I nod and follow her over there, watching as she fiddles nervously with her sleeve.

"My parents and I, we were always so close." Again, that past tense that seems to freeze me off with fear of what's to come next. "I only have happy memories with them from my childhood, and Asher's family got along really well with mine. My parents helped Asher's dad out a lot with his pack, and even more when his wife died, and during that time Asher pushed out everyone, except Damien, Zander, the twins and I. We were this little invincible group of fearless children." She laughs slightly at the memory. "Everything was great over the next few years, but then Asher's dad began transforming his son slowly into a mini but more terrifying version of himself, and at first it was barely noticeable - until he killed one of his pack members out of pure rage in the second of the moment."

My heart stops and I look at her. I know that Asher kills everyday to protect his pack, but his own pack member? He might have been young, and his dad might have been partially at fault, but I could never see him as someone who would kill someone who was considered a part of a large family out of rage. That side scared me. Without paying attention to me so much anymore, Aiyana continues on her melancholic journey back to her childhood.

"I remember that day so, so clearly. That guy had seen me kissing a girl for the first time, and he was pushing me around and laughing at me. I remember crying and screaming as he kicked me in the stomach. Then, the kicks vanished and blood fell onto my tee shirt. I looked up and Asher pulled me in for a hug and held me there while I sobbed into his shoulder. I'd never felt so condescended by anyone then at that moment that I was beaten for loving someone that wasn't considered 'normal' back then. After that I became stronger, and after some more years Asher and I's friendships grew stronger than all of the others and he named me leader of the female werewolf fighters. I had never felt so proud than at the mention of that title directed at me. Then of course, came the time to tell my parents. They were so proud of me, until I mentioned my sexuality. I was banished from the house and I haven't had contact since then. I've been living permanently in this house since then. Asher's like my older brother Cami," She looks at me now, her mind having returned back to the present, and smiles softly while I'm struggling to hold back tears, "And I love him so much for what he's done for me; but my love is different from yours, and I hope that you don't hate me for that."

"How could I hate you?" I let out lightly, saddened by her words full of emotion. I have no idea how much time passed, but it must have been a lot because at that moment Jack barges in while we're hugging it out and pumps his fist in the air: "Scar be a dead bitch my ladies!"

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The touch of Emma's hand on my arm jolts me from my reverie and I rise up straighter, perceiving the house where everything started towering before me. I step out of the car and take in a deep breath, listening to Mum and Dad's faint but animated voices from the inside.

Mary comes up beside me and takes my hand. I look down at her and squeezes her hand comfortingly as she peers at me curiously before flashing a wide and toothy grin. I hear Emma opening up the boot and am about to turn to help her when Mary lets out a little giggle and gestures for me to bend down. I bend down on one knee and she giggles again, whispering light-heartedly in my ear.

"The snowman said welcome wwhome."

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A/N: I'm currently reading 'Testimony of Youth' after having watched the movie and loving it, and one of the adjectives that I used in this chapter ("milky-blue") is taken from that book. I dunno, I find that word so freaking cute.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed =)

-xoxo, Sophia