Bloody Paw Prints

Ch 49 Deep breaths

I felt like I needed more courage, that I needed someone to be holding my hand, like I was a kid. But I didn’t have the luxury of someone supporting me at that moment; I didn’t have someone telling me what to do. That probably why it was so hard to finally take a deep breath and step out of my room.

The house was oddly quiet; the only sounds were the faint whispers which seemed as if they were pulled from a haunting dream. Ash and Sky were silent, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Either way I quietly make my way to the kitchen, going over my plan in my head, double cheeking it for errors and places were things could go wrong.

I shake my head outside the kitchen’s doorway, forcing myself not to turn around and again retreat to my room from the fear that things wouldn’t go right.

“Can we have some privacy?” I ask as I step into the cold tiled floor.

Carson smiles at me reassuringly before sliding past me and disappearing down the hallway. Christian on the other hand groans dramatically and rolls his eyes. “If I must leave can I at least have a kiss?” he pouts, his eyes daring me to kiss his cheek which he turns towards me.

“No, but you’ll get out before I bite you” I glare, only semi-playful. I was suddenly thankful of Christian’s teasing, it somehow lifted the tension.

“Kinky” Christian grins but slides out the doorway with a chuckle.

Max sit at the table, his hands tangled in his hair as he stares into the steaming cup. He doesn’t looked up at me as I slide into the seat beside him. “Max,” I say softly, drawing invisible lines on the counter with the tip of my finger. I wanted to reach out, to wrap my arms around him, but I knew it would only make it harder.

“You’re going to tell me to go home aren’t you…?” Max shakes his head, making a wounded sound that again arouses the need to hug my brother and tell him everything was alright.

Slowly I nod my head, folding my hands together and placing my elbows on the table. I watch as Max slides of his seat, not meeting my gaze. “But not for the reason you think, Max. Sit down”

“I don’t want to hear it-I don-“

“Sit. Down. Max” I hiss. I knew I had been more sharply then I should have, but I didn’t want to have to deal with his sulking and guilt tripping. Once he’s dragged his butt back into his seat, his face still a mask of feeling for himself. “Stop sulking and let me talk. I want you to go home-“ I pause, glaring at Max as he makes a soft sound of agony. “I want you to tell mum you’re staying with some friends for a few weeks, or that someone invited you on holidays or something. You need to be able to have an excuse why you’re not coming home for at least a month”

“Are you saying you’ll turn me!?” Max turns on me, eyes sparkling with hope.

“Yes-but before you get a head of yourself it’s not strait away” I pin a at my brother, wishing he would get his hopes up, otherwise I’d have to crush them”

“What? Why?” Max moans, looking like I’d just punched him in the gut.

“Because, things are very…unstable at the moment. If you’re changed now you’ll get yourself killed. Promise me Max, that if I do this, you won’t fight against the Alpha” I say, against fearing my brother doing something that resulted Ash into killing him. But strait away I thought of Sky, would he kill Max if he thought he was a threat, or just rough him up like Bray had done to me?

I shake away the thought, not needing to think about it.

“I promise,” Max nods, his eyes practically begging me to believe him.