One simple letter from my love and I felt suddenly invincible, from her simple heartwarming letter I was reassured, my worries and fears that she was going to race off and find some other man that would claim her heart ripping it from my feeble fingers vanished before my eyes. It started with one letter of course and soon Abelard was delivering at least a letter a week, he had to act inconspicuous and we didn't receive letters daily. Mainly however I worried every day I didn't get a letter of my sweet fretting that her father had caught her out, that even Abelard had let slip and the consequences were terrifying to think of. I could mainly imagine Roberto forcing my sweet Lucille into a marriage and the thought alone was heart breaking. My worries and fears, the days I didn't receive letters every hour, every minute I worried that maybe we’d have to stop these letters and save ourselves from the risk of losing her entirely. Yet every time I held a freshly new letter handed over subtly by Abelard and I saw her elegant script and her heart warming words that were like a warm blanket on a freezing winter night. Every new letter was like seeing the light all over again and a constant reminder of what I was fighting for, who I was fighting for – my Lucille. – Jacob Iris
I could feel the both of our breaths catching, lodging in our throats as we tensed stunned into disbelief and nerves. I could feel Lucas’s arms flex around me protectively and still stiffly and I still found reassurance in that, even in this moment. I looked at Keith, searching and finding no answers in his gaze and yet just pure curiosity, I was beginning to believe Stacey when she said Keith wasn’t all that bad, and yet again I was back to questioning him again.
How did he know about my visions?
My tongue felt tied and my mouth was dry as I tried to find words, but it didn’t matter because Luc was already coming to my aid “Let’s just get some things straight,” Luc began, clearing his throat his voice even sounding stern “we don’t trust you, either of you.” He added giving Stacey a brief glance.
Keith nodded, his face not seeming put off or even angry at Luc’s honest and yet firm words, I for the briefest moment saw Stacey’s wounded expression as she glanced down toying with her fingers in front of her. I felt the briefest pang at that hurt upon her face but I honestly couldn’t deny Luc’s words, I didn’t trust them and I don’t think I could ‘till I got the answers I needed.
Keith nodded “We understand and respect that.” he murmured reassuringly “I’ve experienced such before, and maybe we clear some of the things up that make you so resistance?” he asked and surprising and relaxing the both of us even if it was the faintest, my hesitance was already simmering, he was offering to answer all our questions, a guilty or bad person wouldn’t, would they?
“Where are the adults?” I blurted out.
All eyes turned to me startled, Lucas even chuckled the faintest under his breath at my blunt questioning. I blushed sheepishly, Keith had barely even finished speaking and I was throwing a question randomly back at them.
Keith shook his head, as if shaking himself out of our thoughts “Uh,” he frowned scratching the back of his head still seeming startled by my question “do you mean my parents?” he asked confused.
I nodded earnestly “Yes, I mean there are no adults here, what gives?”
Keith chuckled “My parents have been away for the week,” I couldn’t help but gape at him “they’re visiting my sister and her partner in the city.” He shrugged.
I couldn’t help but feel stupid, sheepish even “So- so they live here, right?”
Keith nodded “God yes, knowing my mum she’d be locking me in this house way past the age of thirty.” He chuckled under his breath, shooting Stacey a smile over his shoulder.
“Okay well than what about all the guys that were here? Who were they?” I pressed, was it possible that I was overreacting?
Keith smiled faintly “Friends, family friends” he shrugged easily “they were willing to help.”
I shook my head “I haven’t seen half of them in town before.”
Keith nodded “I know, but we live out of town if you haven’t noticed. We are actually just as close to our hometown Greenfly as we are to Marwick, which is the town over.” He explained speaking of another town not to far by “So the ones you don’t know are from there.”
I shook my head stunned, there was something different about Keith, I knew that and yet his answers were perfectly normal. It was aggravating me beyond means! “Okay than; what’s a pack doctor? And an Alpha? Why were all you guys walking around shirtless and most importantly why on earth were you all growling?” I cried, rattling off all these questions that had me wanting to pull my hair out.
Keith sighed heavily, raking his hands through his hair “That’s the where things get difficult.” He murmured under his breath, reluctantly almost.
I couldn’t deny my hopes rose, was I going to quench my questions?
Stacey cleared her throat “I think we all really need to sit down for this.” She said, gesturing to the couches before us all.
I didn’t even move “You aren’t normal, are you?” I asked, looking straight at Keith.
He halted, his back turned towards me as he had turned to sit down “What is normal Holly?” he asked turning around to face me “You know as well as I do Holly that there is no normal in this world.” He said looking at me, giving me a knowing smile.
I exhaled shakily “W-what are you?”
Keith ran his hands through his hair “This is hard news to bare, not to mention news to tell.” He murmured softly, more so to himself “Please, just take a seat?” he asked, gesturing towards the couch, his tone almost pleading. It seemed that he was just as anxious and worried as Luc and I were.
I felt numb and stiff still with fear and nerves, my palms were sweating and still shaking. Luc realizing I wasn’t moving and I wasn’t even really here in the moment since I couldn’t even put together a cohesive thought, practically carried me over to the couch, wrapping me up tight in his warm arms that seemed to thaw me as if I was ice and he was a fire.
I shook my head, sitting closely to Luc’s side on the couch as I watched Keith expectantly; I could barely even register in my impatience that Stacey was soothing Keith, rubbing his back soothingly from the back of the lounge where he sat. “Look,” he began nervously “this starts-“
“Just tell me!” I cried my patience entirely lost.
“Oh for Christ sake, Keith’s a werewolf!” Stacey cried, throwing her hands up in the air.
I spluttered and choked on laughter “A werewolf…” I trailed off gasping, my eyes growing as wide as saucers as I felt Luc’s arms curl tighter around my waist “A werewolf!” I breathed in alarm as I felt myself push further back into the back of the couch and into Lucas, out of sheer fear as everything began to make sense.
I watched in detachment, my mind spiraling out of control as I dazedly watched Keith’s eyes grow wider than saucers to the point it was comical. His head snapped back behind him to Stacey, gaping at her “Stacey!” he hissed in annoyance and alarm, as if he’d been slapped in the face.
It was exactly how I felt, followed than by being punched in the guts, my legs kicked out from underneath me, hit by a bus, trampled by elephants and then squashed by a planet or comet or such. My hands reached out beside me and clutched Luc tight, he clutched me back just as tight and close to the point I was basically sitting in his lap torn between fear and disbelief. I felt like I was in one of those clichéd books or movies you saw, but how did you honestly react to being told this? Maybe I should walk right into a mental institution…
Yet suddenly in that moment certain things simply made sense, I didn’t need to halt a second longer and question it. Maybe it was because I myself was living in world that wasn’t what others defined as normal; I mean I was having visions of things that came true; I was practically a psychic! Keith was right; I didn’t know what was normal these days and honestly I don’t think anybody else did. Either way it didn’t matter because I knew deep down I wasn’t insane, I truly believed it.
Keith was a werewolf.
“The growling,” I breathed feeling breathless, widened almost “the Alpha…” I trailed off as I thought back to all those corny clichéd Werewolf stories you could read about now. You didn’t even have to be into those kinds of stories to know what it meant.
Keith nodded, watching us warily as if any second I was going to fall into dust, as if I was well and truly that fragile and yet I honestly did feel that fragile. “Yes,” he conceded with a nod, almost a tilt “Alpha, it means leader, boss, head honcho you know…” he trailed off, sounding unsure as he listed other names, examples. I already knew what an Alpha was and now all of Eric’s words and how he was always leading and dictating things began to make sense.
“And the p-pack doctor?” I stammered, struggling to look him in the eyes and yet also struggling to not look him in the eyes, I was so out of it.
“Packs are just like it is with wolves, an extended and larger family – a clan.” He described “All those guys you saw, they’re some of the members from our pack here.”
“B-but you have a doctor?” I spluttered, who and how did someone get their own doctor? Would this doctor even be paid?
Keith smiled faintly, bemused despite the obvious uneasiness seen his eyes, maybe he was expecting a more expected reaction? Was it waiting for some kicking and screaming? “It’d be a bit peculiar don’t you think if a human worked on us and before their eyes we heal.”
My eyes only seemed to grow more and my stomach churned, who knew you could feel sick and nauseated simply from an overload of heart striking shock and information? “So you really d-do heal instantly?” I asked amazed and I could admit it; in awe. What about all those other stories and movies you hear of; did they change on a full moon? Did they have Soul Mates? Was silver their kryptonite?
Keith nodded saying nothing and I respected him for that, I was grateful for that. He wasn’t cramming information down my throat and he certainly was being gentle and cautious, this was a huge deal, despite how little I was reacting to the news. Maybe deep down I already knew or had my suspicions?
“A full moon?” Luc spoke up startling me back to the room.
I looked up at him, I felt as if I was almost simply alone in this room and now I realized that there was this almost stiff tension and silence in the room. There Keith and Stacey sat across from us, holding their breaths as if waiting for the explosion. Then there was Luc and I curled up around each other and I realized in that moment I was holding his hand, or rather squeezing his hand to death. So I could accept the truth and reality of this, still, it didn’t mean I was taking it so easily. In the pit of my stomach I could feel it churning with all the fear, panic, disbelief, and other nasty swarming emotions that I kept squashed down tight.
Luc looked down at me and I could see the conflict in his eyes, he was drowning just like I was in this moment and more than ever did we need each other, to just to be able to hold onto something we already knew, something stable.
He pulled me closer, tugging me onto his lap and wrapping his arms around me body, holding my back tight and close to his front. His chin rested upon my shoulder and just the feel of his warm breath tickling the side of my neck was reassurance enough. Just knowing he was right there and he was also just thrown into freezing cold water was enough for me and I couldn’t help but smile faintly as I took a breath.
“The full moon is simply a myth,” Keith spoke up, my eyes trailing back to him “true we’re stronger and compelled to step out under the moonlight for a run, not to mention we’re more animal than human. But we don’t die if we don’t and we certainly don’t go out of control where you froth at the mouth and are a rabid wild animal.” He explained honestly.
“And the silver?” I asked eager to hear more and barely even waiting for him to finish. It was refreshing and new to be able to ask questions and receive an answer, since my Pop’s death I had received any answers yet ‘til now.
“It’s a weakness,” he agreed “that’s one myth that’s true. I mean if you placed silver on my arm it’d weaken me and hurt like a bitch but I wouldn’t die, it more so dimmers or slowly, kills your wolf if you leave it there.” He explained with a grimace and I couldn’t help but think he was bizarre, why share your kryptonite with someone? “But I mean you stab me in the heart or some other server wound or puncture the chances of healing myself in time can be quite slim, we’re still after all part human.” It was in that moment as he looked me in the eye that I realized why he was telling me – us – this, because he trusted us.
I smiled at the realization, suddenly feeling a little bit more at ease and secure which was saying something when not even the night before I thought it could possibly have been my last night, if it wasn’t Eric or someone else that killed me it would have been losing Luc that killed me. If Keith was willing to trust me with his kryptonite maybe that meant I could trust him, right?
I shook my head, absorbing it all “What about my visions, how do you know about them?” I pressed earnestly, my gaze flickering quickly to Stacey who I had yet looked at since we sat down.
Keith frowned looking away and instantly I had my answer, I shook my head in disbelief as I stood up looking sending her a look of sheer betrayal. How could she? She was my best friend and she told Keith something that was honestly my own kryptonite and weakness, if word got into the wrong hands of my visions I could end up in a mental asylum, shunned or hell, killed like the people that had came for Luc. She was willing to betray me and put me at risk for some guy?
“No.” is all I said shaking my head in disbelief, was it strange that I couldn’t believe Stacey would do this to me and yet I could so easily believe in Werewolves? I guess it showed how thick our friendship was; I was willing to believe in Werewolves over the possibility of my best friend betraying me.
I stood up and made my way around the couch and out of the room, I wanted out and I was going to get it. I couldn’t be in the same room as them, especially with a backstabbing friend and her werewolf boyfriend.
“You’re part of our world.”
I paused; my back turned towards them “What world?” I breathed feeling stiff and a dry disgusting tang in my mouth.
"You don't think Werewolves and people like you are all there is in this world, our world?" he asked his gaze piercing into my back, my breath caught with trembling hands.
I laughed shakily turning to look at him over my shoulder, just about reaching my limits "What like mermaids? V-vampires?"
The look in his eyes said enough.
I shook my head, “No.” I said my words that I wanted more than anything to be strong coming out feeble “No.” I said my piercing dagger wounded eyes meeting Stacey’s gaze “No.” My voice broke.
Not even waiting a second longer I fled out of the room, I couldn’t be in that room anymore. I felt more than claustrophobic in that room, it was so heated with built up tension and yet at the exact same time it was like being plunged into freezing waters of betrayal. Plus the overwhelment of all this information and truth it had me plunging into a world that never stopped spinning and left me feeling breathless, falling apart and on the edge of insanity.
Now was the time to check myself into a mental institution...
I walked into the kitchen, bracing myself onto the edge of the counter ‘till my knuckles were basically turning white. Arms wrapped around me slowly, feeling almost like silk teasingly slither around me making me tremble and shiver. I let go a ragged shaky breath as his arms tightened around me, flexing as he pressed his front up against my back. I tilted my head back as I stared up at the ceiling fighting back the tears that were about ready to spill over, a shaky breathlessly broken sigh caught in my throat as I jiggled my leg like a tantrum prone child.
“Shhh, sweetheart.” He cooed nuzzling into the side of my neck, his breath tickling my bare naked skin ‘till the point I felt like any given time I’d collapse; this was all too much for me.
I shook my head “I-I can't do this.” I practically whimpered as I stared up at the ceiling trying not to blink, if I blinked I knew I’d be a goner.
“I know,” he murmured pressing his lips to the side of my neck “but I’m here princess.”
It wasn’t hearing he was here for me that I took sanctuary in; I knew he was there for me. It was knowing that he felt the exact same way as me, it was knowing that he was struggling just as much as me that I took in comfort in. It was nice and reassuring to know I wasn’t the only one feeling alone, I wasn’t the only ones that didn't have questions, worries or on the verge of a mental breakdown. It was reassuring to know that I had someone to lean on and share the same thoughts with; most importantly it was nice to not feel alone in this claustrophobic room.
I sighed turning around in his arms to look up at him, my eyes wide and pleading "Can we just run away,” I pleaded tugging on his shirt “get away from all of this and just...run." my voice broke.
Luc’s gaze softened as he reached up, cupping my face with his large hand, his thumb stroking along my cheek as he gave me a sympathetic glance, a saddened smile. My head curled into his large secure warm hand “We aren’t running anywhere sweetheart.”
I shook my head “Why?” I cried “Why?” I insisted yanking on his shirt a little harder “Why not?” I cried my voice breaking.
“Shhh.” Luc cooed to me, wrapping his arms around my shoulder and drawing me in, my face falling into his chest as I buried and nuzzled myself away, praying for an escape.
I wish I was anywhere else but here...
“This is too much, too much.” I whispered into his chest, my fingers curling in his shirt tightly praying he could be my anchor just one more time.
“Talk to me princess; tell me what’s too much.” Luc murmured into the crown of my head, pleading to be let in.
“You don't deserve this,” I murmured honestly as I look up at him from hidden in his chest “this isn’t fair.” I insisted with wide eyes “I don't want this for you,” I whispered, my voice feeling as feeble as the rest of me “you can still run away.” I insisted with a gentle tug, every part of me that loved Lucas so much was willing to let him go to protect him, to give him normality.
“Sweetheart,” Luc murmured, his finger curling under my chin and tipping my face up so I could meet his gaze "the people that attacked me....they weren't....normal...human," he corrected himself "I'm part of this world now too."
I shook my head "You're in it because of me, if you decided to walk right out of here right now and you wouldn't have to deal with this fucked up shit I wouldn’t blame you! You could be normal!" I urged insisting, a flash of the vision I had only last night of his attacker – which was me in the vision – leaping forward ready to rip out his throat flashed before my eyes. If I was part of this world did that me I could do that to Lucas or anyone else? I couldn’t introduce him into a world like this, I’d rather he’d be alive than be selfless and put him right into the danger zone – that was true love.
Lucas captured my face in his wide palms, his fingers curling in my hair with a fierce passion that startled and yet also had my heart tumbling “I will take on a pack of Werewolves to keep you in my life.” He breathed with wide blazing breath stealing eyes.
My breath caught in my throat as my eyes pooled with tears and with a great rarity it was out of love, happiness, like being touched from an angel at his sweetness. How was he always so sweet and poetic with his gorgeous words, he was so positive and insightful, always an optimistic. Why couldn’t I be like that, why was I such a pessimist?
"Hey,” Luc cooed, regaining my attention “I'm not walking out right now because I'm never walking out without you." He murmured, bowing down to brush those soft lips of his upon my forehead.
“I just want you to be safe.” I whispered softly, nuzzling my face back into his chest with an exhausted sigh.
“I know princess,” Luc murmured pressing his lips to my forehead “but I’m in this now with you, I have been since the very first day we met.”
A soft sigh of content caught in the back of my throat as I closed my eyes “I love you.” I murmured curling into him and the indestructible sanctuary he provided for me.
Luc hummed softly in acknowledgement, he didn’t need to say anything more him being there and simply holding me said enough as it was. I stood there in his arms, nuzzled deeply into his chest as inhaled his spicy and yet intoxicatingly secure scent that did things to me – for once today the room was spinning and I was enjoying it.
I let my mind wander and drift over all that had happened, my thoughts were so cluttered and a part of me just wanted to grab a notepad and write everything down to clear my mind. I was that kind of person, a notepad and pen was needed to clear and sort my mind out. So that’s what I was doing right now, I was sorting out in my mind all that I was told and I could really feel was a bubbling of questions to ask Keith, I still had so many questions if not more. I wanted to ask more questions about Werewolves, this supposable world we were both a part of and lastly I needed to know what on earth happened last night.
Was I surprised Keith was a Werewolf? No, deep down I don’t think I was, deep down I think I knew. After all, I wasn’t an amateur, I had read enough books, heard enough about all those trashy like ‘Twilight’ books and of course I had seen television. I had deductions skills and more, the more I think about it the more I wondered how on earth I hadn’t picked up on it before; I mean the growling, the use of the word pack and Alpha and not to mention everything else. Maybe I was trying to ignore it so I could live in a world of blissful naivety.
Than lastly and almost disbelievingly there was Stacey, I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around it, she had told Keith about my visions. How much had she told him? When did she tell him? Most importantly why was her betrayal worthy of telling Keith? In this very moment I couldn’t think of reasonable reason, none at all – yet again in this moment I couldn’t think full stop. Nevertheless I felt like she had literally stabbed me in the heart rather than the back, the knife freezing cold, like struck with burning ice.
It was the sound of footsteps that had my body tensing up, as if ready for another attack. Another attack didn’t honestly frighten or shock me, I hadn’t had a moment to breathe since my meant to be date with Lucas last night and the world hadn’t stop spinning since.
My head popped up just as Lucas looked up from where his face had been buried in my hair, I looked over to see Keith walking in, his face hesitant, determined and yet startling streaked with saddened guilt – that last emotion left me confused.
He cleared his throat nervously which I couldn’t help but note it wasn’t very suiting for a supposed Alpha. “Look,” he began sounding unsure of what to say “there is so much we need to tell you two, especially about last night.” He added “I get that now isn't the time but Stacey...she didn't tell me exactly." He murmured and I couldn’t help but to begrudgingly respect him for being so protective of Stacey, taking on his battles – at least a Werewolf had more chance of winning.
I looked at him with a disbelieving face and a sarcastic 'oh really?' expression.
He was quick to come to her aid, I guess it was reassuring to know that my best friend – maybe ex best friend? – was in good hands. "I'm her mate, her soul mate." He added, his lips tipping as I felt myself inhale sharply "That's the tattoo you saw on her, well really it's not a tattoo it's more so a mark.” He added on, practically going off on a rampage “That's beside the point, look she told me once I told her who I really am...” he murmured.
I could barely even hear what he was saying though as he continued talking and arguing for Stacey, for his soul mate. My mind was spiraling from it all, they were soul mates? That Jacob Black stuff you hear about soul mates and the one and all was actually true? The inner dreamer within me couldn’t help but swell in excitement at the possibility of having a soul mate, if I was from the same world I’d have to one too, right? It didn’t take long for my hopes to plummet, what happens if Lucas wasn’t mine, what happens if I wasn’t his? The possibility seemed almost impossible and more frightening than death itself; then again, life without Lucas is death.
Those thoughts were soon tossed aside as I was tossed into the wide open pit of molten lava; wild out of control raging fire took over me. The realization of all of this finally occurred; Stacey knew about this world that I was a part of before me and I didn’t know for how long but she knew what was going on, she had answers for me and she knew people that could give me answers. Yet she just stood there and watched me fall apart, watched me deal with all these fears and unanswered questions and she turned her back on me! What kind of friend did that?
However as I pulled out of Luc’s tight hold startling both of them – Keith’s mouth having stopped spitting out his waffle of distant words – that I realized I already knew the answer; No friend did that.
“Sweetheart?” Luc asked anxiously, already knowing something was up.
I didn’t answer though; I was already walking out of the room leaving them behind gaping with confusement, worry and shock as I stormed out, only one thing on my mind. I got a sense of mild satisfaction as I screamed out words having finally crack I watched the boys startle and jump.
“Stacey!”
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