I wake up and look around slowly... Sapphire was outside and Austin was awake next to me. I looked into the old, rustic fireplace and saw a few burning embers. Then I slowly looked up at Austin. His hair seems lighter and his wolf ears and tail were gone. He smiled down at me then stood up. I stood up with him as he walked outside and into the misty morning fog. I looked into the forest and could just make out Sapphire in a tree.
"Sapphire get down from there before you get hurt!" I yell out to her
.
"Not until he leaves!" She shouts back, sending a scournful glare in Austin's direction.
He just laughs and hugs me armorously. "I don't think we should let him go... I think we are better with him... safer..." She rolls her eyes and stays in the tree.
"Alice, you don't know why Sapphire hates me do you?" I look at him and shake my head slowly. "Well first off, I am a wolf, she is a feline... Second... well I'm not exactly supposed to be here..."
"What do you mean?" I whisper gently
"I am a traitor. I used to be part of the felines, but me and Sapphire ran away when a minor war began. I wanted to keep her safe. She was only 11 and couldn't handle the violence. But we got into an argument and in the middle of the night, I abandoned her," he said looking down. All I could think was: Jason... how did he react this morning to my mysterious absence?
"Oh... I see..." I walk away into the cottage and shut the door quietly. I wonder how Jason is doing...
**Jason Prov.**
I wake up and look around and notice... Alice is gone... I see a note on my chest and read it carefully...
No...
"Alice? Alice!?" I shout. Xaivier comes running in.
"I checked everywhere. She's no where to be found," he tells me.
"See? You should have kept your mouth shut! She's gone! She can't defend herself! Some wolf probably got hold of her. She is most likely dead by now."
He glares at me before running outside of the cave. I roll my dark eyes and grab my bag and run off into the woods. I've got to find her... Someone could have found her... Sapphire or some of the other felines... The wolf pack. I just need to find her.
I run through the the deep snow. Any and all tracks from last night were covered in pure white snow. I fall down to my knees and scream. I can't live without this girl. Something bad probably happened to her....
**Alice Prov.**
I sit on the moth-eaten couch in the cottage. Something inside me makes me feel horrible... I am just upset they would say that about me. I hug my knees close to me and frown. I hear the door creak open and see Austin's head poke in. I glance at him then turn back around.
"What's bothering you tiger?" He asks me, sitting down next to me and putting his muscular arm around me. I kind of try to push it away but give up. "Come on... Tell me."
"I abandoned my boyfriend and best friend... Jason..."
"Jason? I don't trust that guy Alice..."
I shake my head slowly. "He made me like this..." I tell him and look into the fireplace.
"See what I mean?" He says taking my chin and turning my pale face to focus on his. I smile and brush a few strands of hair out of my face. He kisses me softly and hugs me. "You deserve better than that douche bag."
I just smile and take his hand in mine. Once he kissed me I forgot about reality. It was like being in a beautiful dream. It was all going so perfectly...
"I love you Alice..."
Then I froze. I like him a lot but... Jason... I stare at him and bite my bottom lip nervously. What am I supposed to say? I don't want to sound like a total idiot. "I-I love you-too..." I say and then laugh nervously. He looks grimly into my eyes.
"No you don't..."
"Austin... Look... I'm confused. I love Jason, but I love you too. I feel like a mother trying to take care of Sapphire. I agree, Jason isn't always... very sane... but...-" I'm cut off by a loud shriek from outside.
My eyes widen and I run outside and fall in the snow. "SAPPHIRE?!?" I scream. I can't see her anywhere. Then I see something shift in the snow beneath Sapphire's tree.
I run over and touch her face. "Sapphire?! Sweetie are you alright?" Damn I even sound like a mother... I see her heaving in and out unevenly. The wind must have been knocked out of her upon impact with the cold ground. I help her out and she chokes out something I can't quite understand. "What is it?"
"J-J-Jason... He-he's co-coming..." Her shudders and coughs make it difficult to understand. When I finally process it my eyes bulge out again and I lift up Sapphire. She wraps her legs around my waist and doesn't let go.
"Austin... Jason is coming..." He stands up and stares at me. Then I open my mouth to say something but I shake my head for I am distracted by my own thoughts...
Wait... Do I miss Jason? I mean Austin is right about him not being so trustworthy... Him running off 6 months ago when I was in need? Sapphire seems pretty familiar with him... Did he turn her? If he did, it sounds like she might have only been 10 when he did... Him not trusting Camille and Ashlynn enough to tell them? He didn't even tell Jakob! He is so quiet... He wouldn't say a thing to ANYONE! And worst of all... Him turning me and running off into the woods with me. Yes I let him turn me but... That's not the Jason I know... He wouldn't cause me this much pain. It hits me... That Bastard! He did this to me!
I tense up and gently place Sapphire down. Austin looks at me in pain.
"We need to stop him. I don't think I can trust him... Help please..." He nods his head and walks outside. I lean down and look into Sapphire's deep violet eyes. "Stay here," She opens her mouth to object but I cut her off "It's safer!" She nods her head and closes her eyes. I kiss her forehead softly and walk outside.
"ALICE GET BACK!" Someone shouts. I can't process who it is before my head hits the ground knocking me out cold...
**Jason Prov.**
I stare at Alice on the ground... What did I do... Just then the wolf throws a punch in my direction. I duck and it narrowly misses me. I kick him in the gut and he falls back and doubles over. I see Alice shuffle on the ground and I run into the rustic stone cottage. There is a figure on the couch. Sapphire...
She screams so loud and I cover her mouth. Her eyes widen and she tries to bite me. Then Alice crashes through the door, and I whip around and take the gun out of my bag. I slowly put it to Sapphire's head.
"Alice..." I say my voice shaking slightly. "What the hell! You could have been killed! That is a WOLF! YOU CAN"T TRUST THEM!" She opens her mouth to yell back and I put my finger on the trigger. She closes her mouth and looks into Sapphire's fearful eyes. "You make any move, she goes."
"Please Jason! You dont know what you are doing!" She pleads. I keep the gun firmly on Sapphire. "Jason! I-I-"
**Alice Prov.**
I wanted to tell him that I couldn't be with him for my lack of trust. But I knew that that would symbolize Sapphire's end... Austin pushes through the door and he drops his gaze on me, then he looks up and sees Jason with the gun to Sapphire.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!" He shouts. I close my eyes and expect the boom to sound. But there is nothing. I look back up and see Jason pinned to the wall. Sapphire is on the ground with a bunch of cuts along her arms. I grab her and pick her up. She looks into my eyes with fear. "ALICE RUN!" Austin shouts.
**Alice Prov.**
I don't hesitate for a second. I burst out the door into the cold air, holding Sapphire close to me. I run into the woods, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Alice..." She says softly then screams in pain. I look at her arms. They are bleeding horribly. I slow to a stop and set her down.
I lean next to her and rub snow over her wounds. She winces in pain, I look into her eyes carefully. "It's gonna be fine Sapphire." She nods her head and a few tears roll down her face
"What happened anyways?" I ask her.
"Austin slapped the gun out of his hands and Jason took out his pocket knife. Austin tried to push him away and Jason's arm thrashed out and hit me a lot." She says shivering slightly. I hug her tight, trying to assure her that everything was fine.
But in my mind, I knew that everything between me and Jason had changed.
Not just for a few weeks.
But...
Forever