-Alex-
Cold sweat poured down my face as I stared into the shadows, my heartbeat practically deafening me in the silence of the night. My body was stiff and shivering as it ignored the heated air of my room, trying to relax. I was confused at first, grasping at the sheets that tangled my legs in a desperate effort to get free until I had fully awoken.
Another one. I hadn't had that nightmare in months. Possibly years.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, sitting up. The darkness in my room began to fade as the moon poked out from the clouds, it's low light filtering in through the blinds. It was eerie, considering how it reminded me of the heart-pounding dream that I had just come from. The clock read some godly hour in the morning, and I figured I still had at least four more hours until I needed to get up. I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes for a moment, a quiet and frustrated sight leaving me, then stood and walked into the bathroom. Turning on the blinding light, I flipped on the faucet and took a moment to try to get my breathing under control. I kept telling myself it was nothing more than a dream. A bad one, one that seemed as real as could be, but a dream nonetheless.
When I was little, these dreams varied from losing my parents to never being able to find someone I was looking for -- only to be killed at the end. They were dark, especially for a seven-year-old. I would only be awakened from them by my mom shaking me awake, trying to calm me down. At one point they started to become so frequent, my parents dragged me into some psychiatrist's office in hopes of finding out what was up. He said the same thing the pediatrician and the brain doctor said: "There's nothing wrong, I have no idea what the issue would be."
Eventually, they became rare, making everyone assume I just grew out of them. I had figured the same. They were nothing more than small issues I had as I was growing up. Nothing that really made me grow up weird or have any problems.
Even if they did somehow find their way back to haunt me every other blue moon. This one felt a bit different though. More real. More like a memory than a bad dream. Unlike other dreams I'd had in the past, everything was clear.
I splashed cold water on my face, gritting my teeth against the bitter shock, forcing myself to give it a rest. "It was only another bad dream," I told myself.
I towel dried my face and turned out the light, returning to my bedroom. I had just stepped out when I ran into my dad who didn't appear to have been asleep.
"You okay?" He asked, his voice a bit gruff sounding.
"Yeah. Sorry, did I wake you?"
"No, I've been tossing and turning for the past few hours," he replied with a sigh. "Care to join me?"
I couldn't help but smile. Normally he'd sit outside on the patio when he had trouble sleeping. I never bothered asking what kept him up, as I was sure there was always something in his head. I knew he didn't want to wake my mom either, as I'm sure it would only make her worry.
I nodded and let him lead the way downstairs.
The night wasn't hot, but it wasn't cold either. The summer crickets were still chirping as if to tell that the warmer weather was going to stick around for a while. A few stars could be seen, but the light pollution from the city was still drowning out a good amount. The waxing moon was only but a sliver in the sky, providing little other light except from the night lights we had outside. The neighborhood we'd moved into never bothered getting street lights in all the years we'd lived on the street.
I looked over at my dad as he gave a tired sigh, letting himself fall into the wicker chair we kept on the front porch. Still feeling a tad restless from my abrupt awakening, I opted to lean against the wooden door frame.
"Has school been going well for you?" He inquired after a few moments of silence.
I hummed briefly, "More or less. We got a new student who's in a few of my classes. She's... different. But in a really cool way."
"Different?"
A soft chuckle came to me. "She's blunt but charming. And I guess I'm kind of a sucker for her smile?"
"Sounds like you found a mate," he muttered.
I blanked, giving him a double take, "what?"
He chuckled, "Nevermind, guess I'm more asleep than I thought."
Brushing it off as lack of sleep, I made my way over to the chair next to him and sat down.
"Thought about a college yet?"
I internally groaned. I was in my Senior year of high school so my parents and my counselors were both starting breathe down my neck, wanting me to hurry up and find out what I wanted to do.
"Local university for business?" It came out more of a question than a statement.
He just shook his head. "I'm not asking you to figure out something tonight, but at least put some thought into what you're going to do, alright?"
I nodded a little. "I will."
"And what are you two doing up at this hour?"
We looked over to see my mom standing in the door-way.
"Oops," my dad started with a chuckle. "Looks like we're busted."
"Yes, you two are," she replied playfully.
I stood up and gave her a quick hug. "I'd better get back to bed. 'night."
"Goodnight, Alex," my parents replied.
Had I been any less tired I probably would have seen the glowing eyes of the creature that lurked outside my house, looking right at us.
~*~
Amber and I were sitting in history, going over the project.
"What's your favorite animal?" She asked.
"My spirit animal."
"Which is...?"
"A wolf. It's something my grandpa said to me a long time ago. It fits my personality."
She tensed a little. "How so?"
"I tend to be a little overprotective, but I strive to defend those that I care, I'm about as loyal as you can get... and no, I'm not saying this just 'cause I may or may not like you."
I smirked as a blush crept over her face, but she just nodded and went back to work.
"Why'd you ask?"
She shrugged. "Curious."
"Is that all?"
She laughed a little, causing my heartbeat to speed up rapidly. "Do you like to talk about yourself?"
"Sometimes," I said simply. "I just think it's nice to know you care."
"Of course I care! Why wouldn't I?"
I shrugged again, not having a response
<*>
-Amber-
How ironic was it that his spirit was a wolf...that had to have meant something, right?
Then he brought up how his wolf spirit was loyal, protective, and strong.
When he said something about a something being harmed, that confused me even more. Something about harm coming to those who he treasured the most?
Before I knew it, the bell had rung and it signaled lunchtime.
I quickly gathered my stuff and rushed out of the room.
I ran to my locker and put all of my stuff in it.
"Why did you want to get out of that class so quickly?" Alex laughed.
I yelped in surprise and put a hand over my rapidly beating heart. "Don't scare me like that."
I said hitting his chest. He laughed and grabbed my hand so I would stop hitting him. "Oh calm down." He joked.
I glared at him and closed my locker.
"Meany," I mumbled.
"So are we going to your house or mine for this project?" He asked as we walked down the hall.
"Um, we can go to yours," I said. I really didn't want to bring him home to my family and everyone else in the pack. He needed to be more in tune with his wolf first.
"Okay. Sounds good."
"Sweet." I smiled up at him.
"Did you uh want to meet after school in the parking lot and you can just follow me?" He inquired, scratching the back of his head nervously?
Aww. He's nervous.
I giggled at that. "Ya. We can do that. That sounds perfect."
"Okay cool." He sent me his dazzling smile.
I felt a blush creep up to my cheeks and quickly looked away. I didn't want him to see me blush.
I grabbed my lunch and sat down at the table and started eating my sandwich.
"Ah." I jumped when I heard a tray get set down next to me.
I looked up and met Alex. Uh?
"What's up?" He asked casually.
"Nothing?"
'Isn't he cute?' My wolf gushed.
I mentally rolled my eyes at her.
"Same." He said shrugging sitting down.
"Bitch." I heard Sadie 'cough' as she passed by us.
"Right back at ya," I called out, only low enough for her to hear.
"Don't listen to her," Alex said glaring at her.
How did he hear that?
'His wolf must be coming around more frequently.' Jackie said.
"I won't," I said smiling to him. "Thanks."
"No problem." He smiled putting his arm around my shoulder.
I tensed. I don't think he is realizing it because he just picked up his sandwich with host other hand and ate it.
I smiled and picked up my sandwich.
I was actually excited to work on the project with him.