She's Mine

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Hope POV-

I wake up still in my wolf form. I stand up and stretch before changing back. I grab some clothes I have stashed here and put them on. I walk back into the school to see Caroline and Alaric talking at one of the tables in the cafeteria. "Hey, any news?" Caroline looks up at me. "Actually, I have a lead, would you like to come with me?"

I head upstairs to pack a small overnight bag. Caroline wants to leave as soon as possible. There is a witch in Maryland that she thinks might be able to help. As I am getting ready to head out the door, I turn back to grab Josie's hoodie that is laying on my desk chair.

Caroline and I start driving towards Maryland. It is about four in the afternoon. "So, I didn't see you come home last night, did you run all night?" Caroline keeps her eyes on the road not pressuring me to answer. I hesitate before answering. "Yeah, then I fell asleep at the Old Mill until I ran into you guys." Caroline nods her head before asking, "Want to talk about it?"

I have been holding all of this in for too long. "I just don't know why she is staying away from me Caroline; I have only tried to be supportive. I didn't run at the idea of the merge. I want to be with her for the rest of our lives whether that is a couple of years or eternity. I mean I proposed to her! I am trying to let her have her space but this seems like too much." I stop to take a breath of air. I don't know why I opened up so quickly to Caroline. I guess Dad liked and trusted her. Maybe that is why.

Caroline POV-

Hope stopped talking to take a breath of air. I saw how attached Hope and Josie were to each other. Then Josie learned about the merge and distanced herself. Something doesn't add up. "There has to be something else going on, Hope. Have you guys talked at all since that night? Nothing happened between you two?" Hope's head drops to look down at her hands. "No. Nothing happened. I just don't understand." We sit in silence for a couple of minutes.

"When we get back, maybe you should go talk to her. I know she loves you, Hope. I see the way she looks at you, you are her world." I am trying to be supportive of Hope but I am also concerned about Josie. Ric and I both were expecting more of a reaction from her. This is not what we expected to happen.

Hope and I pull into the driveway of a little house at around 8pm. The witch greets us at the door and quickly ushers us inside. "How can I help you both? Can I get you anything?" The witch starts to walk to the kitchen. "We were wondering if you knew anything about the merge that Gemini Twins have to do when they turn 22." Hope is standing back behind me as support.

We left after about an hour. The witch said that she knew of someone who could give us all the answers we wanted. The witch told us everything she knew which wasn't much more than what I already did. She wrote down a name with an address and told us to contact them for answers. Hope and I checked into a hotel afterwards since we would arrive really late at the school if we left now.

Josie POV-

I slip the ring off my finger and place it in the empty space between Lizzie and myself. We both sit there looking at it for a couple of seconds. Lizzie's mouth is hanging slightly ajar. "Jo, this is a big deal. You can't just-" I stand up and move the ring to the top of my dresser.

"Lizzie, I refuse to put her through that pain again. I can't. I don't want her to become a widow at 23." Lizzie stands up and walks over to me grabbing both of my hands. "If you are sure about this, I support you." She pulls me in for a hug. Tears start to form again soaking Lizzie's shoulder. Eventually, I pull back. "Come on, let's go to the kitchen and get some food."

Lizzie and I grab some snacks and bring them back to our room to watch movies. We still have a little over a month before school starts back up. I don't know how I am going to be able to focus on school knowing that I will be running into Hope a lot.

We finish watching another movie when I look over to see Lizzie fast asleep in my bed. It was nighttime now. I felt Hope change back a couple of hours ago. I look over to my dresser to see the ring still sitting there. I need to go talk to Hope. I crawl out of bed trying not to wake Lizzie and grab the ring.

I end up standing in front of her door for what feels like hours. I eventually gather up the courage to knock but don't hear any movement. I try the handle and find it unlocked. I open the door to see her suitcase from our trip in the corner. Her bed is still made telling me she hasn't slept in it since we got back. Everything looks normal. I look over to her side table to see her phone charge is not there and her backpack is gone.

I walk over to her side of the bed and sit on the edge. I start to fiddle with the ring as I sit in her room. This will probably be the last time I am in here. A tear escapes my eye and rolls down my face falling onto my shirt. I stand back up, a huge sigh escaping my lips. I place the ring on her bedside table and stare at what I just did for a second before turning around and walking out.