Marcus and I shared a confused look before turning back to my elders. Surely I heard wrong. "Marcus?"
"Yes." Mama said.
"How?" He asked.
I couldn't even think about that right now all I could think about was the lies. So many lies from everyone I loved. Even worse, I'd been a party to the lies. I felt betrayal so deeply that my heart hurt. I fought back the tears that were threatening to spill down my cheeks. My throat tightened as I forced my lungs to take a deep breath. I tried to build a reserve in my head to keep myself from lashing out but thoughts continued to assault me. They knew! What else have they kept from me?
"I thought if we didn't tell you, that it would change." Mama spoke softly.
I snapped. "You tried to change my future!"
"Sit down, Antonia." Grandmother scolded.
"And you," I turned on her. "I can't believe you would keep this from me."
"Antonia," Marcus' voice was gentle. "What choice did they have?"
"Did you know?" I asked him.
"Of Course not."
Fool. Of course he didn't know. "They could have told me." I said between clenched teeth.
He cupped my chin. "This doesn't change anything. The pack still won't allow it."
"How can they disapprove?" I whispered. "The fates have given us permission."
He shook his head and rubbed his face.
"Don't you see now?" Mama pleaded. "If you would just come to the village with me-"
"How dare you!" I shouted. "You've been a ghost for two years! Two years! And, and now you just..." I sputtered. "How could you do this?" I'd had enough. My head was swimming with thoughts; I turned knocking the chair to the floor then ran out the door.
Not caring were I ended up I ran blindly only changing direction when my heart told me to. Limbs grabbed at my body, slowing me down. I pushed on harder, ignoring the pain as a thorn clad vine cut into my arm. I couldn't hear Marcus following but that didn't guarantee my isolation. I ran faster until I thought my legs might collapse under me. The rain that had been pounding the canopy above ceased shortly after I stopped. Supporting my weight against a sapling I slid down slowly, the cold of the earth seeping into my skin.
I closed my eyes allowing my ragged breath to slow until it was steady once more. Still refusing to give in I held back the waiting tears. Running had taken most of my anger all I had left was confusion and hurt.
***
Long before I could hear him I felt his presence. It was in the earth, a soft flutter against my skin. With my eyes closed I probed further. His footfalls were even, each leaving a small indention from his weight on the moist ground. I held my breath and willed my heart to slow to an almost nonexistent beat. Two more steps. I inhaled. He was moving with the breeze his scent carried to me. Slowly I opened my eyes, surprised to find how dark it had become. I must have been sitting much longer than I'd thought.
His steps remained steady although now I could hear them; he'd be in view soon. "Antonia." He said as he saw me. "Can we talk?"
I grimaced, I wasn't ready for talking just yet.
"Alright, can I sit?" He was almost to me.
I nodded.
We sat in silence for some time; watching night fall over the forest. "You should be getting back."
"What about you?" He turned his body toward mine.
I gave my answer careful consideration before speaking. "I'll walk you home then return to the cottage."
Lithely he was on his feet, offering me his hand. "Are you really going to leave me with no peace?"
I remained silent unsure whether I wanted to discuss our situation or not.
He looked off into the distance. "I feel as though I'm partly to blame."
"Just the same as I." I began the long walk back; now aware of the strain I'd put my body through.
"What do you think I'd done if you'd told me of the foretelling?"
I chewed on my lip, "I'd intended to tell you. Yet the idea of worrying over a vision, wasting what could be the last of my time...I just wanted to spend that time with you."
"Antonia." He grabbed my hand forcing me to stop. "We can go. Right now, and not look back."
I smiled weakly. "Leaving won't change anything." I was beginning to feel as though I wouldn't be able to stay in this forest even as I spoke of idling. I thought of the rabbit who when out of the burrow remains unmoving even as the hunter draws near. Is that me now? Am I as foolish as the rabbit? "What if you're not strong enough to live without the pack? What if they track us down?"
"I am strong enough. I know I am."
"What if they track us down?" I repeated. "Should we run forever?" Run little rabbit, run.
Silently we continued on. I wished I could turn back time and stop it before my life began to change; to live in an endless loop of childhood freedom. Droplets slid off leaves as I brushed past them, the cold sent a shiver up my spine.
"What if we found Luna? She could take my wolf."
I laughed but quieted when I realized he was serious. "That's just a story."
"She's real."
"Then where is she?"
"I don't know." He said sullenly.
I felt the pang of regret deep within me. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so cold..." I glanced at him. His head was down, his hair a dark blanket that swept forward. "I can't believe Mama kept so much from me."
Marcus huffed. "I can."
"What?"
"You're a witch. I'm a werewolf. We're not meant to mix blood."
I shook my head. "You don't understand. When a witch comes of age their mate is foretold. It's sacred among my people."
"You never told me this."
I shrugged. "That's because I didn't want to."
"Why not?"
"I was trying to convince myself it wasn't important and I guess I was jealous of you."
"Jealous." He chuckled. "Are you going to make me ask why?"
I rolled my eyes. "You chose from the pack. You know them, grew up with them. I didn't have that."
"Have you met the she-wolves?" He joked.
"Eliza wasn't so bad, as I remember."
"Eliza." He drew out her name. "Little miss never break a rule. Yeah, we'd be perfect together. Don't you remember she gave us up for stealing the fish from the elders?"
I laughed; glad most of the tension was leaving me. "I suppose not then." We hesitated at the river, neither of us ready to part yet. "I can go a bit further." His smile warmed my heart.
"I can't ask you to do that. You've got to be tired."
I looked up into the night sky, clouds still hung about, reminding all of the past storm. When my gaze came down once again, Marcus was staring at me; his head tilted with the hint of a smile upon his lips. His skin seemed paler in the moonlight, his hark darker. As if no longer in control of myself I closed the distance between us. My hands moved over the muscles of his chest, irritated at the leather that was a barrier to his skin. His hand cupped the back of my head then slid down to my waist. His lips grazed the skin of my neck moving across my jaw and to my lips. The kiss seared me to my core branding me as his and him as mine.
His eyes glinted in the ethereal light. "Let me go, so I can dream about you." His hands remained on my waist.
"Is that why I can't visit your dreams?"
"Yes." His voice was low and rough. I took a step back, turning, when he grabbed my hand. "Antonia." He said my name with reverence.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
I'd heard him say it before; a statement, a clarification, a fact. Never before did that simple formulation of words have so much weight to them. "And I love you." I watched in a mix of bliss and sadness as Marcus moved up stream toward the bend where the river narrowed. Taking a deep breath I turned toward home with a renewed sense of energy. I still felt the tiredness in my muscles but my mind was now wide open.
Having focused solely on Marcus before I'd shut out the sounds of the forest, no longer was I distracted. The song of the river growing quieter with each step I took giving way to the crickets, toads and other creeping things; calling into the dark for their intended ones. As those who lived in the light slept a new forest was born; welcoming them into the folds of darkness. I felt honored to be able to walk among them but not forgetful of the dangers one could find in the serenity of shadows.
A flutter of wings sounded above my head; the forest quieted. Bumps arose across my flesh, a chill traveled down my spine. The unease of being hunted washed over me. I focused on the air around me. Nothing stirred. Under a thick canopy of trees barely a wisp of light filtered through. Straining to hear I continued on. With my magic I tried to reach out to the trees. Too weak I never reached them. I knew I was being watched and not a casual observation one receives by most every forest dweller. The breeze shifted; carrying on its wave the scent of a werewolf.