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Ashton
I watched my sister scurry off with Rick; I kept up the mask of indifference as I turned to face Belle. That stupid European wolf really had to ask all of the tricky questions, some of which I didn’t know the answers to myself.
I sighed and allowed a huge grin to flood my face, drawing out a smile of her own. “Well, seems like I got where I wanted you after all.”
She giggled and rolled her eyes. “You know, I came only because I wanted to see your parents.” She said with a bat of her eyelashes.
I faked being hurt and chuckled when she elbowed me. I took the chance to rustle her hair and jump away when she tried to get me for it, laughing. “You know, I really did miss you, you little weasel.” I said with a grin.
She blushes and giggled, looking away. “I missed you too, but don’t get all smug over it.” She winked and rushed to the house.
I laughed and followed after her. “How do you like the place?”
“Well, it can pass.” She stuck her tongue out, reminding me of the twelve year old version of her.
“Yeah big enough to house two families.” I sighed, thinking about the ceremony again.
She looked away, and for a second I could see a flash of sadness as it flared across her features, making me wonder what I said.
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Her tone lost the playfulness, and her steps lost some of their sharpness.
I sighed and cursed myself for saying whatever upset, and it was right after her spirits finally seems to rise. “Come on, don’t you want to see you room?”
“Ummm?” She looked at me, but her eyes seemed to have a distant look.
“Your room, wanna see it?” I repeated, giving her one of my best apologetic smiles.
“Yeah, sure.” She offered me a smile, but I could see it wasn’t sincere. She learned how to fake those over the years, but I could always tell.
“Come on.” I grabbed her hand and forced her to increase her pace, almost running into the house. I kept shooting glances to Belle, her mood seemed to have improved a little. “Here.” I said as I opened the second doors to the left on the second floor, her room was right next to mine, and ushered her in. “We had this prepared especially prepared for you.” I said with a grin.
Her eyes flared as soon as we entered the room. The walls were white, but had a reddish tone to them. The covers and everything else in the room were also adjusted to the red colour. There was a huge bed in the centre, a wardrobe to the left and a huge window opposite of us. In one of the corners there was a wooden desk with laptop on it, the working surface was littered with pictures from our childhood. She squealed and jumped on the bed when she noticed the stuffed animal lying on it. I leaned against the door frame and watched her, amused.
“I missed this guy so much!” She cooed as she embraced the toy.
“Then why didn’t you bring it with you?”
Her face fell the same instant, and I regretted asking. “He belongs here, after all, you gave it to me.” She smiled up at me and I returned the smile. That was the toy I gave her when we were kids, right after we became friends.
“I missed you guys so much back in France.” She whispered, and I walked over to her with a sigh.
I slowly embraced her, and she nuzzled her head into my shoulder like she did so many times when we were kids. “You’re here now. And you’re not going anywhere in a while. We’ll have more than enough time to catch up.”
She smiled and moved so that our eyes were in the same level. She seemed to hesitate for a second, biting her lip before she slowly drew closer to me and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Thanks, for everything, I might not show it, but I really appreciate what you did for me. Back on... that day, and again today.”
I blushed, not really knowing how to respond. I was embarrassed by the way I responded to her lips on my skin, by the way my pulse spiked up, it was definitely not supposed to be there. I quickly crushed those unnerving feelings and smiled at her.
“You’re more than welcome. It’s my job to look out for you.” I kissed her hair, and she blushed, looking down.
“Is that the only reason you’re protecting me?” She asked in a hushed voice.
I looked at her with my eyes widened. I was confused to say the least. Why did I protect her? What was it with everyone? Asking all those questions all of a sudden. “I...” I always wanted to protect her, there was simply some kind of air around her that compelled you to her side. After she was there for me, the need to be there grew even stronger.
For a second she seemed as if she was hurt, but then offered me a weak smile and moved away from me. “And what happens when you have someone else to protect?”
“Belle...”
“Let’s go.” She said, abruptly standing up. “Your mom is waiting for us, and I can already smell the brownies.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I merely watched her leave with that quizzical look on my face. She was right though, what would I do when I have a mate? Will I still be able to spend time with her the way we did? And what happens when I am to protect someone else’s back, not hers?
I slowly made my way to the kitchen. I could feel the scent of the sweets spreading through the halls, but I felt strangely detached. I growled and shook my head, forcing the feeling away. She was like a sister to me, of course I’d always protect her! With that finally in place I was ready to face her again.
But, when I finally reached the kitchen, it was almost as if I barged into someone’s funeral. My sister glared at me, one of her hands was around Belle’s shoulders, who about as down as she could get. My mother looked at me, almost as confused as I was, searching for the answer to what had happened in my eyes. I slightly shook my head and she looked away.
“What did you do to her?” My sister hissed, glaring at me dangerously. I could feel her wolf steer, and I didn’t like it when she got angry.
“Nothing! I did nothing!” I protested, angry that they immediately blamed me for it.
“Then what happened you ass?!”
“I don’t know, okay?!” I promptly ignored her glares and tried to approach Belle. She had a brownie in hand, but she only took a single bite that looked more like a mouse did it. She always loved sweets, so something must have been really wrong. “What’s wrong?” I asked, as gently as I could.
“N... Nothing. It’s just... I’m back home after all this time and...” A single tear fell down her cheek, and my mom quickly rushed to her side.
“Oh honey, don’t worry, it will be okay. We’re all here you for you.” She cupped her face with both of her hands and slowly brushed the tears away before hugging her.
I only saw Belle cry a couple of times. But as I watched tears began to spill down her face, and loud sobs quickly began to shake her body. “I’m... I’m sorry. I just need some air.” She whispered, pushing my mother away and rushing out of the kitchen.
“Go!” My mother half shouted.
I hesitated for just a second before dashing after her. I followed after her to the woods behind my house. She was fast, I’ll give her that. I finally saw her through the trees ahead of me. She was sitting on the ground, hugging her knees. I was about to pass between the last couple of trees when a sudden sound jerked my instincts into action.
I saw Blake break through the trees and step into the small clearing. “What busted your bubble?” He asked, kneeling in front of her.
“I... it’s nothing.” She sobbed.
“Don’t give me that.” He whispered and drew her forward, enveloping her in a hug. “Just let it all out.” She broke into a full out crying again, and I watched, petrified, as Blake comforted her. “Hush, it’s okay, it’s okay.”
I was torn. I knew I couldn’t do anything to make her feel better. It was after our chat that she broke down. It was my fault I couldn’t answer her. And now she was crying. In the same time I wanted to go there and pry his hands off of her, only so that I could hold her and tell her everything would be okay. But I couldn’t. I had to watch my friend do it.
From some weird reason I wanted to rip him into pieces. It felt as if my wolf was trying to claw his way out of my brain, but it wasn’t him, he was as confused as I was. It was something else, a part of me I had no clue about, and a part of me I didn’t know what to do with.
“It’s all right.” He whispered again, forcing her to look him in the eye.
They gazed into each other’s eyes for what seemed like eternity. She finally stopped crying, and only an occasional sob would shake her body. My insides turned into ice, only to catch on fire when I saw Blake slowly lean forward. Her eyes widened in surprise, and whatever was clawing at me finally broke free, I sprang forward, shifting as my claws dug into his skin.
Isabelle
I knew it was stupid the minute I started to break down. I always knew it was going to happen, I always knew he would end up being taken from me. From me, as if I ever had him in the first place. Ash was never mine no matter how much I used to wish it otherwise and he never would be.
I crumpled to the forest floor my body racked with sobs. I couldn’t control myself. My wolf was restless, she was unhappy and loading all of her emotions onto me, doubling mine up so it was unbearable. I couldn’t stand it. Why was it hurting me so much?
There was a noise as someone broke through the trees and my head shot up in the hopes that it was Ash but it was just Blake. He wandered over to me.
"What busted your bubble?” He asked, kneeling in front of me.
“I... it’s nothing.” I sobbed not wanting to tell him the truth. That I was crying over I guy I never had. How pathetic was that?
“Don’t give me that.” He whispered, his strong hands tugging me close to him enveloping me in a hug. “Just let it all out.” I didn’t want him to be nice to me; it was only making this worse. I sobbed again and broke into a full out crying again. “Hush, it’s okay, it’s okay.”
I didn’t bother to fight his embrace but relaxed into him. My arms snaked around his shoulders as I buried my head into his neck. Blake tightened his grasp on me and rested his head against mine. I slowly became aware of him the longer I stayed pressed against him. He smelled like the forest after a spring rain and a wolf plus something minty. I inhaled deeply.
I’d always thought boys would freeze at the sight of a crying girl, but he hadn’t. No Blake had known exactly how to proceed. I snuggled closer in his embrace beginning to calm down.
“It’s alright,” he whispered drawing me to ease back and peeked up into his eyes.
I gazed into his eyes, almost fully calm except for the odd sob. My tears had stained his shirt but he didn’t seem to care. His sky blue eyes stared at me with wonder and I blinked at him. My hands slid from around his neck to rest on his shoulders.
The longer we stared at each other the more I realised that I shouldn’t waste my time crying over something that I’d never get. Ash would never see me as more than a sister. So why was I waiting for him to do otherwise?
Blake began to slowly lean in and my eyes shot open in shock. Was he going to kiss me? Seriously? He gave me time to ease away but I didn’t budge. Was I going to let him?
Something big and furry slammed into him causing Blake to fly away from me. I wince and cried out as sharp claws raked my arm and fell back. Scurrying away I looked over to see a wolf, bigger than natural wolves yet smaller than a pony crouched and snarling at Blake. He was pure black with a bluish tint to his fur while his underbelly was white. He was a beautiful wolf but I didn’t know who he was.
I cringed, cradling my bleeding arm to my chest and scrambling back away from him. Was from a rival pack? Was he here to assonate Blake and Ash?
Blake stood and growled back at the wolf. I watched his eyes swim with amber as his own wolf began to make his appearance. Mine was whimpering at me. Demanding that I stop freaking and help him! I couldn’t just stand by and watch a future alpha be killed. Then again, he should be able to handle himself.
I stood slowly as my blood dripped to the floor. The cut was long, going from my elbow to wrist and it was deep causing pain to shot up my arm anytime I moved it.
My unwounded hand warped and cracked as my fingers formed into sharp claws. My wolf moved restlessly within me. She wanted out. She wanted to attack the male for hurting us. She wanted to teach him that we were not submissive.
After three years with the wild wolves, they’d knocked any thought of bowing down to another wolf out of my mind and subconscious. Now, they would have to prove to me there were dominate enough to make me submit. Something I thank my aunt for over and over again. I wasn’t the weakling I used to be.
Blake’s hands formed claws and he barred his teeth at the wolf revealing his sharpened canines. The wolf snarled back his fur bristling. I edged around him without drawing their attention. Of course, I wasn’t as much as a threat they assumed.
Blake’s nose twitched and his eyes shot to me, or rather my bleeding arm. He stiffened. His instinct to protect a female taking over his need to assert his dominance over this wolf as he eased back and keeping a wary on other the stranger hurried over to me.
“What happened?” he questioned lifting my arm gently.
“His claw caught me when he lunged at you,” I mumbled back watching the wolf as it faced us. “Shouldn’t you pay attention to the wolf rather than me? I’ll be fine.”
“Not if this gets infected, you won’t,” Blake replied shrugging out of his ripped shirt and winding it around my arm. He had been cut too but the claw marks on his skin were just superficial nothing life threatening.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured as the wolf shifted position drawing nearer to us. I backed up a step without thinking and he halted. The wolf tilted his head slightly at me.
“Hush,” Blake soothed brushing a strand of my hair from my face earning a low threatening growl from the wolf. “You’re safe with me.”
Blake faced the wolf putting me securely behind him but the wolf didn’t seem to like that one bit. He lung and snapped at the air and I flinched back. My unwounded hand changed back to normal and I wound my fingers through the back of Blake’s pants belt loops in fright.
“Enough,” Blake snarled at the wolf and I felt his alpha nature surge up but another flow of dominance met it and I stumbled and gagged at the combined power that was flowing in the air with the two of them. This wolf was an alpha?
“You are scaring her, stop it,” Blake snapped when the wolf took a step towards us. I peeked over his shoulder and meet the cold hard eyes of the wolf.
“Who is it?” I whispered to Blake causing the wolf in front of us to gaze at me.
“Ash.”
Air rushed out of my lungs and I stumbled back catching myself on a tree. Ash. That was Ash. He’d attacked Blake, why? What had gotten into him? Why would he hurt us?
My breaths started to get shorter and faster as I gasped for air. I needed to get away. I couldn’t be around him like this. I couldn’t stand this sight of the hatred and rage in his eyes. I had to leave.
I ran.