Skylar Mercer
Everything stopped.
I didn't care that Riley and Zak were trying to get my attention or that Libby and Harry were glaring at each other from the corner of my eye. I ignored the student body as they rushed around trying to get to first period alive. I didn't care about any of them or the fact that I was standing in the hallway staring. Staring at Cole Daniels.
It's not one of those moments when your heart skips a beat and you want to flutter your eyelashes and fall into a guys arms, then have him kiss you into oblivion. No, it wasn't like that at all.
I felt nothing but relief. I don't know what we are or how we are but none of that matters if he's not okay. He's been gone for so long. Some days he's here and others he's not. I just want him to stay, even if it's not with me, I don't want him to walk out of my life for good.
He stared back at me. The emotion in his glistening green eyes was hard to read. I couldn't make him out and I don't think I ever could.
We didn't smile or leap into each other's arms. We just stood there, holding each other in our gazes. Drinking each other in.
Then time became conscious again.
Libby tugged on my sleeve and followed my gaze to Cole. I forced my eyes shut for a moment and turned to face her, losing the connection I had with him.
She narrowed her eyes at him scrutinisingly, "don't go there."
I know she was just trying to help. Of course I'd never physically go over to Cole and talk to him again unless I had to. It was just kind of...I don't know. There something there. Like a pull between us, an invisible connection linking us both together. Or maybe that's just my imagination.
"I won't," I murmured. Then I glanced at her, grinning. "You know," I began, "I think Harry likes you."
She rolled her eyes and scoffed. Turning back to her locker, she pulled out the novel we're studying in English.
I shrugged and leaned closer, "he may act like he doesn't like you but if he didn't, why would he bother so much?"
I glanced across the hallway at him. He looked so innocent and untouched from the cruel reality of this world as he laughed at a joke Jayden made. Little did anyone know, appearances can be deceptive and Harry's world has been turned upside down for so long and he's just accepted it for what it is.
He sensed me staring at him and glanced at me, sending me a small smile. I smiled back reassuringly.
"Maybe because he's a little douche?" She asked rhetorically, turning back to face The Four after shutting her locker.
"I don't know," I began, "you can't know someone from afar." I raised a brow, "did you ever expect me to be anything other than Nerd-lar?"
She laughed and shook her head, "maybe you're right."
I furrowed my brows, "what happened to that nickname by the way? No one calls me it anymore," I said slowly, trying to understand why anyone would stop. I'm still a nerd - at least I thought I was. "Did you say something?"
She raised her hands and shook her head, "that's all Cole Daniels." Right I thought. Only one guy could hold that much power in our school seeing as he reclaimed the nickname I'm pretty sure he gave me himself.
"Whatever," I said, "let's go." Libby walked ahead of me and before I caught up, I whispered 'thank you' to myself because I didn't have it in me to say it to Cole.
The day went by fast. Being the end of year meant most lessons were just revision lessons for the upcoming exams. Since I was used to studying in the library seeing as though I didn't have much space in my apartment, I decided to stay a couple of hours in the school library.
Typing away a practice essay, I hardly heard my phone beep. I glanced down, furrowing my brows. I grabbed my phone and stared at the imessage wide-eyed.
Lane A, find 'The Catcher In The Rye'
A strange and unusual request. I rolled my eyes, there's only one person this could be from. Looks like my stalker's caught up with technology after all.
I move the sheets of paper off my lap and onto the desk so I could get up. It takes a lot of effort to be stalked, I thought. All this movement is a pain, at least buy me food.
I made my way to Lane A. Great, hundreds of books, I don't even know where to start. After looking for around five minutes I finally found the book. I pulled it out and stared at the cover.
"Okay," I said to myself before open the book to it's first page. "Ugh," I said, there's nothing here. There was no point of getting up. I shook the book and was surprised to see something slip out. "That's not weird at all."
I glanced in front of me. Where's it gone?
"What is this?" I heard him ask curiously.
I forced my eyes shut and drew a sharp breath, internally groaning. I turned around to face Cole, the last person I was expecting to see. He raised the item and I noticed it was a polaroid. From here, it looked like an old, faded family photo.
I shrugged and replied coolly, "it's none of your business." Thinking I had one over his towering height, I tried to reach up and grab the photo from him but he raised his arms too high. I groaned and grunted as I struggled to get it.
Why do the worst, unpredictable things happen to me?
I reached up one last time and before I knew it, Cole had snaked an arm around my waist. He pulled my body to his forcefully. I flinched, ouch, my boobs.
His warmth flooded into me causing goosebumps on my skin. We were the only ones here now. My head was against his chest, my cheeks getting redder and hotter by the second. I took this second to fully appreciate the moment that would probably never happen again because I wouldn't let it.
His heart was racing like my own. No matter how calm and collected he appeared, he was just as affected by me as I was him.
He tightened his grip around my waist. It would've been romantic had he not been pulling on my fat rolls. I ignored the thought, think of the heat of the moment.
He moved his head downwards, his hot breath tickled my throat and all the hairs on my throat pricked up. I licked my lips since my mouth kept running dry. I wanted to rip myself away from him but who was I kidding. I couldn't. He made me weak, every fibre of me. I just felt this need to succumb to him. Even though every part of me was screaming no.
I felt my arms raising and wrapping around his torso. I'll blame my hormones for this later. He was so close. I'd never felt him so close before.
"I missed you," he murmured hoarsely. I pulled him tighter and tighter against me. There wasn't enough of him. I wanted more.
Don't be that girl, Sky. Don't let him in. It's the best for both of you.
I wanted to ignore my conscience but I couldn't because she was right. I can't let him in. I can't be affected by him like this. He's someone else's and I'm not about to break a relationship just because I get all hot and bothered around him.
I breathed in his scent one last time before untangling myself from his arms and pulling away a few inches. I looked up at him, teary-eyed. I'm not going to lie, it does hurt. Unimaginably. But I've been through worse and Cole's just a guy at the end of the day, right?
His smouldering stare made me feel like crashing my lips to his like a crazy cat lady ninja. I couldn't. I can't let myself become that.
I did grab his hand though and pulled it close to me. "I know that something keeps drawing us close to each other. Let's face it, we've got undeniable chemistry but this can't work. It will pass, nothing lasts forever," I began, "it's not love or anything serious at all so just forget about me, Cole, for both of our sakes."
He didn't even contemplate anything I said. "Why can't you just let things happen if they're supposed to happen? I don't love you but I want to be with you right now because what if tomorrow never comes?" He moved closer and closer, inch by inch until there was no room left between us.
"The baby isn't mine," he whispered against my lips, "I'm not in love with anyone and nor have I ever been."
"Then...why?" I breathed, my heart pounding against my chest as I struggled to stand on my own two feet.
He raised his hand and traced it across my cheek, setting my skin on fire at first contact. "I have to do this. I can't be selfish with you, this is more than you and I."
And suddenly the baby and his fiancé flew straight out of my mind and in my heart, despite knowing it was wrong, I couldn't help but purposefully raise my lips to his.
"Be selfish with me," I whispered before crashing my lips to his.
Our heated make out session lasted for so long we didn't even realise the librarian come around to look for us so she could lock up.
"My goodness! Out! The both of you," she shouted, holding her hand to her mouth. Sorry old lady.
Cole helped me pack my things up and shove them into my bag. I swung it over my shoulder and he grabbed my hand and pulled me away.
"So are you going to explain everything that's happening with you?" I asked quietly. I almost didn't want him to hear me because a part of me felt that it would ruin what we'd started.
His thumb massaged the back of my hand. "Only if you tell me what's been going on with you ever since you got here."
I nodded. We both got into his car, none of us saying anything further. He drove us far out, somewhere I'd never been before. It was getting dark outside now and more chilly than before. I shivered at the feel of the cool breeze on my skin.
Cole grabbed my hand after getting out the car and pulled me along and I stumbled after him. In a matter of seconds we were both stood outside what looked like a huge abandoned house.
I glanced at him curiously and felt my heart wrench at the sight of pain running through his eyes. I lift his hand and kissed it gently. His eyes softened a little as if he just remembered I was there.
"You want to know my story, right? Where's better to start than the beginning," he said, pulling me through the wreckage. I stared wide-eyed at the burnt bits of furniture and wood scattered around the house.
"What happened here?" I whispered softly.
He glanced at me, his eyes tired, "this was my home," began, his eyes wandering over the wreckage, "one night something happened and it became engulfed in flames. My parents didn't make it," he whispered, his voice cracking. I tightened my grip around his hand for support.
His eyes hardened, "I know who did this," he said, "I have to go through with this engagement to get to them."
I pulled him backwards harshly, recognising the sweet revenge flashing through his eyes. "And? What do you expect, Cole? You think you won't get hurt? Cole if someone like this is capable to take a life so easily, don't you think they can take you out as well?"
He pulled his hand from my grip, the force made me stumble backwards. "They murdered my family," he yelled, "do you think I care if I live or die?"
Tears welled up in my eyes and I shook my head, "don't say that." A few moments past, his eyes were still ablaze with fury. "If you know who did it, why haven't you told the police?"
He laughed as he shook his head, "you will never understand my world, Sky."
I inched closer to him, "then make me."
He pulled me along into the house. My eyes welled up with the sight of the damage as I followed him. "My parents were powerful people," he muttered, "someone saw them as a threat and removed them."
"Who did this?"
I stared at the burnt family pictures on the walls of the staircase. He pulled the polaroid my stalker left me from his pocket, "they did," her whispered, "the Carnells."
I gulped glancing between Cole and the polaroid in his hand, unable to link the two together. Why would my stalker leave this in the book for me to find? Did this link the cure to Cole? He's human. There was a part of me that knew he was not. I wanted to ignore it the best I could.
I force my eyes shut. "Cole," I murmured, "I know what you are." I was certain. I didn't want to be what I was. Fear ran through my veins as I stared at him, waiting several moments for his reply.
He grabbed my hand, "I know that and I also know what you are," he said and I felt all the air rush out of me. His hands reached out to my shoulders to balance me but I stepped backwards.
"And the Carnells are too, right?" I asked, but I didn't need to because I knew I was right. The shock was overwhelming. Never had I imagined that the place I was escaping to was full of monsters like myself.
This is fucked up in so many ways.
Cole lead me out into the back garden. He pulled his jacket off and placed it on the grass then pulled me down.
"I'm powerless," he murmured, "I was then and I am now." I didn't interrupt, he was going to tell me the whole truth.
"My parents built a home for us here, a community of werewolves who believed in peace," he began, a pack I thought. "The Carnells wanted our people and our territory. They were a part of us, though and could never really take my mother and father's title. After taking their lives, they rose above their station a long with fearing my people into submission. By law they are powerless under the rule of the Carnells."
The wind picked up its pace, smashing against the trees. "So marrying a pregnant girl is your solution?"
He shook his head, his hand playing the strings on my jacket. "She's Amelia Clarke and pregnant with Leo Carnell's baby. Her father is one of the most powerful men in the state, also one of us. Marrying his daughter means she gains a title as my wife and her father supplies me with the men I need to take down my enemies."
A tear fell down my cheek as I lifted my hand to trace over his face.
"I can't do it on my own," he whispered, "I can't."
"Then don't do this," I pleaded, "you'll die! What's the point of losing your life? It won't change anything."
Cole didn't say anything after that. He and I both knew that this wouldn't resolve anything but a part of him needed to do this so at least he could relieve his conscience. He didn't say it but deep down I know he blames himself for everything that's happened to him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I got caught up in it all and didn't even ask you how you ended up here."
I laughed and wrapped my arms around him, "another story for another day."
A/N: Surprise! Another update and it's pretty long too. Hope you all enjoyed it and pleaaaase leave your thoughts on it, I really would like to hear them!
- NYC678 x