14: Like a Madman
Scarlet's POV
"We need to talk," was what Nathan said.
Those four words made one of the scariest sentences ever made. It was a sentence used for when you are in trouble, when someone breaks up with you, and when a kind person is trying to help you. But those four words were never used in situations like these.
There is a rumor within all of the werewolf stories I've read. And that rumor is that one must kill the alpha to become the alpha. I have to say, that is true. But what if the alpha doesn't want to be an alpha anymore?
Do you know what it feels like to lose your mate? No, my parents weren't soul-bonded. But losing your mate makes you weaker, I know that--I've felt it. It feels like there's a voice missing in your head, and you would find yourself talking to... well, yourself. You feel empty, and hollow inside, because a part of you is just... gone.
Ever since my family has died my father made no attempt to create another one, with the exception of Nathan of course. He couldn't fill in the hole inside his heart. In the same day as the fire, he was no longer an alpha. I was a survivor in that fire, and I could see it in his eyes, that he could no longer do it. Mom wasn't there to speak with him, to comfort him, to support him. It was pointless.
I never really had a family again, and that's probably why I'm bubbling with excitement.
Now we're sitting in the living room, Nathan staring intently at my dad, and as I look at him, he seemed to be crumbling on the inside.
"I'd like to say something to you, Mr. Perez," Nathan said. "Thank you."
My dad blinked, surprised. "Pardon?"
"Thank you, sir. I'm finally free. I'm finally who I'm meant to be."
"But all the pain I've caused you..." My father whispered, still confused. Suddenly he looks up onto the wall where Nathan's little old glove was hung, and I knew memories were attacking him again.
"All the pain... compared to this feeling... there is no comparison." I was touched by Nathan's words, even if it had nothing to do with me. "But, I have one thing to ask you."
Without any hesitation, my father replied, "Anything, Nathan."
"Would you... would you please by my beta?" he asked, unsure of his terms.
My father's eyebrows furrowed. "Beta..." he whispered, but I'm sure he knows the term by heart. "You mean... you'll become an alpha?"
"I'm starting over my life... with your daughter of course," Nathan said, putting his arm around my shoulders and I couldn't help but shiver. His touch over so warm.
Dad's eyes widened. "No, you can't. You can't start a pack. It's too early for you; you're too young. And... you two have known each other for a month! It's unacceptable! You've changed once, Nathan. Once isn't enough to fight others. It isn't enough to start a family. You're seventeen."
"I'm aware of my age!" Nathan yelled, making my dad and I jump in our seats. "Do you know why I want to start a family? I want to start a family because of your daughter! She doesn't have a family, a home. I know it wasn't your fault the fire happened, but get over it! You're her parent! Parents are there to comfort their children--teach their children. But you, you just keep reminding yourself about that day. She feels it too. She's been reminded too much. I can feel her pain. What's the point of that?" He rushed all of those statements together so quickly I thought I couldn't follow, but I didn't need to. I felt his anger, and my heart swelled.
"Don't you think I know that?" my dad said with his cracked voice. "Don't you think I want my family back?"
"Then do something about it!"
"I can't!" My dad started to yell now. "My soul is broken, you bloody idiot! My wife is dead! My family is gone! Nothing will ever compare to them! Nothing!"
The room became quiet; no one had anything to say. I haven't said a thing since I set foot in the house, not even a hello to my father. I feel undoubtedly useless right now in the conversation.
"I'm sorry, sir," Nathan apologized, but then said one of the most painful sentences. "But it's time to move on." With those simple words he got up and left the house, leaving my father and I in awkward yet sad silence.
Nathan's POV
As I walk out the door, the cold wind hit my face, but I wasn't affected by it. I was too warm now. The night was calm, unlike me right now, just boiling on the inside. I know I was pretty cruel in there... but I couldn't control myself. I've been having that problem lately, and it's driving me pretty insane.
All I wanted to do was start over and no longer live in fear. I didn't want to live in my old world, simply because my old world was full of nightmares. When a grey-eyed person look at me, I would shrink in fear because I would be remembered of the wolf attack. But I'm not afraid now. I can't be, because I want to spend the rest of my life with Scarlet. I want to give her everything I've got.
What am I supposed to do now? How was I going to start a family?
You know... The perverted voice inside my head said.
You idiot, I mean a pack. I have to bite people and shit, I'm not going to do the dirty with Scarlet. Yet... I try to swallow down my last word, though it was really hard not to smile. I gotta admit, she was a bitch when I met her (no pun intended), but in just a month, we're here now. We're not enemies, we're...
What are we?
This much thinking, in my opinion, was not healthy at all. I don't know what question to answer first. And as if my mind wasn't full enough, another question popped into my head.
How am I going to tell dad? Mom? Should I tell them at all? They would probably be like: "Stop reading those werewolf stories, Nathan. Do something and be a man for once." Euk, I don't like the sound of them in my head. Annoying I'm telling ya.
Soon I reached home--well, not really home anymore in my eyes, but I got nothing else to call it. The door seemed to haunt me now, since my dad was right behind it. How was I going to explain this to him? I bet he's just going to be amazed that I'm alive after having a fever for a whole week. I'm surprised I'm alive too.
I was going to open the door, but my father opened the door for me. "Nathan," my father whispered. Jeez, is everyone going to react like that? Are they really that surprised that I'm alive?
"Dad," I greeted. "What's up?" I really want to slap myself right now.
"What did she do?" My dad said, touching my hair, examining my face. "You were practically limp in Scarlet's arms last time I saw you, boy, what did she do? You're practically healthy now!" Scarlet carried me? What the fu--
"You've got one hell of a girlfriend, Nathan," dad said, still touching my face to see if I'm really alive. But I smiled at his words... girlfriend.
Hell yeah, I'm the best girlfriend you got, idiot. Better believe it now. Her voice popped into my mind.
The telepathy thing is creepy as fuck. You can hear anything in my mind, right? I feel so exposed. I joked.
It's best that I know what you're thinking. Who knows? You might become an ass and cheat on me. This is the safest way to have a relationship with you. Nobody knows what you're going to do... well... except me, of course. She said, and I felt her smiling to herself.
Oh, the things I'd do to you. I joked.
Nathan! She yelled, and her voice practically echoed in my head. I chuckled at her reaction.
"Nathan, why are you laughing to yourself? Did Scarlet drug you or something? Is that why you're like this? Please tell me you're not hanging out with drug buddies," my dad interrupted our conversation.
Drug you? What the fuck? What happened to one hell of a girlfriend? I saw her pouting with that voice in my mind, and I couldn't help but chuckle again.
"It's nothing, dad. She didn't drug me and I don't have drug buddies. My thoughts are just going crazy right now." It wasn't a total lie.
"You should probably get some rest," dad said after eyeing me. "You missed school and you need to catch up tomorrow."
Oh yeah, school. Wait, what? Aw, man, not school! Dammit.
"Okay," I said, keeping all of my whiny thoughts to myself. "Night."
"Night, Nathan," he said, and then went into his little home office, probably finishing up some paperwork.
I went up to my room and got ready for bed, like he said. But I couldn't sleep. Scarlet was talking to me, and we were having a conversation on practically everything. I guess I didn't really mind having her in my head, it was... kind of sweet... My heart warmed at the thought. I wouldn't mind this at all. I wouldn't mind having her by my side for the rest of my life. She's just like the wolf part of me... she was the part that was missing for so long.
And soon, I went to sleep, having no more fears but with the sound of Scarlet's voice, singing like an angel.
Scarlet's POV
School was no longer scary, well, not as scary as yesterday. I felt finally relieved. Nathan was no longer sick. And that is the best feeling ever. To be carefree, that is the best thing ever.
I was getting ready for first and second period, unloading all the unneccessary shit out of my backpack. That is, until I felt a warm pair of hands on my waist. I knew instantly who it was, simply because he didn't cut down the Axe like I told him too.
"Mornin'," he said, his deep voice making the butterflies in my stomach flutter.
"Mornin'," I copied him. He kisses me on the cheek and finally lets go, but it felt like his hands were... oddly... meant to be there, meant to be on my waist.
Soon I was done with preparing for class, but I didn't bother waiting for Nathan. I simply said, "See ya in class."
And his reply was, "See ya." I swear I saw him smirk.
Classes went by smoothly and soon enough it was lunch time. I could already tell I made a good decision on bringing my lunch today, because the lunch ladies were making their meatloaf. And trust me, you don't want to try their meatloaf.
I got my lunch out of my locker and shut it. Though when I turned around I was face to face with Nathan, who was looking so calm it was kind of scary.
"You should share your lunch with me," he said, his nose wrinkling. "That smell is horrible."
"Welcome to my world," I said, smiling. Before I knew what was happening I was pressed up against my own locker, frozen. "Nathan..." I warned. I felt all the eyes in the hallway on us, but it didn't seem like Nathan cared.
"I love your world," he said, and he kissed me. It was a soft kiss, a slow... seductive one. I was kind of dying on the inside of how natural this felt. But then, he stopped.
Nathan's POV
There was a pain inside my head, and it was starting to grow. I thought it was a headache at first, but boy I was wrong. It was a pain I had experienced yesterday, the pain of changing.
The pain was starting to threaten me, and I broke the kiss. Scarlet's eyes grew worried, and I was too. "Scarlet," I whispered so only she could hear. "I need to change... now." I was panting, and each second the wolf inside of me would give me another shot of pain.
Her grey eyes widened, and she nodded, understanding. "Run," she whispered. "They can't see you turn, run, Nathan."
I could no longer stand the pain inside of me and I indeed ran down the halls, shoving the bodies I see away. And when I was outside of the school, I ran into the darkness place I found, finally letting myself go.
Thank god it wasn't as painful as the first time.
Scarlet's POV
Nathan has been missing for two days. Everywhere I look, every channel I flip to would have Nathan running out of the school.
"This is the second day Nathan Adams has been missing. He was last seen in Jackson High, running out like a madman. No one else saw where he went, and the police are still searching for him now. If you have any information on Nathan Adams, please call now," the news guy said.
Nathan, where are you? I tried asking for the hundredth time, but there was no reply. Please, Nathan...
Home. A voice answered, but he disappeared quickly. He wasn't home though, his dad had told me. Home. Where was... oh, home.
Now I'm standing in front of Nathan's dad. His eyes were full of worry, yet there was anger too. "What are you doing here, Scarlet? Do you know where my son is?" he asked.
And with a intake of air, I answer. "Yes, I do."
A/N: RANK NUMBER SEVEN GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I had over 300 votes, which is the most I've gotten on a chapter. Keep doing what you're doing!
I've decided that I'm doing an epilogue, but I also have a surprise for you all. I've started a Tumblr and Twitter for my Wattpad account. Follow me for sneak peeks and updates! Anyone that guesses correctly about the surprise will get a dedication :3
Oh yeah, so question... Where is Nathan now?
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