Once she gets back up to her room she nearly screams as she sees Hayden sitting on her couch examing something. It catches the light and instantly she knows what he's holding.
"Hayden, what are you still doing here?" Alyson asks her throat tightening.
"The guys and I heard you yelp, so I came back and told the guys I'd catch up with them. But as I came back inside, the light caught this on your bathroom sink. So naturally I went to examine it and I found a razor blade covered in dried blood." Hayden says his eyes holding so much that Alyson couldn't place it all. She saw anger, sadness, and most of all hurt.
She gasped as she remembered that before she fell out of the tree she was debating whether or not to press blade to skin and let it leave its mark.
"Hayden, I haven't done that since I've met you, I swear," She says but she wasn't 100 per cent honest, a few days after they left her she did cut a thin barely there scratch, but it didn't bleed and went away within a few hours.
"Prove it," Hayden spits his tone aggressive yet his voice soft almost like he was about to cry. Alyson's heart sank, this is the exact reason she couldn't cut to draw blood. She could imagine Hayden's face of heartbreak when he found out, now she didn't have to imagine it because that nightmare was staring at her expectantly. She shrugged off her hoodie and unwrapped the bandages.
Her scars on full display though there weren't many they were thick deep wounds. Hayden gently grabbed her arm and his face said what he was thinking without needing to say a word, Why?
"Hayden, I..." Alyson started but didn't know exactly what to say.
"Why?" He says finally putting his words out there.
"Hayden, You have to understand that before I met you. I was always just somebody's sister. No one remembered me, I didn't have...I didn't have anyone...My family forget I even existed half the time, for christ sake! The only kind of interaction I had was when I was in the forest! I didn't have anyone to turn to, I only did it when everything became too overwhelming. I swear it was never because I wanted to die, I just wanted something I could have control over and to make sure I was even alive." Alyson explained as tears streamed down her face. Hayden held her hands tightly as he rubbed small circles into her skin.
"I'm so sorry, Alyson. If I knew what you were going through, I wouldn't have left you for so long," Hayden said his own eyes becoming watery.
"You're not supposed to cry," Alyson says her voice held a hint of playfulness, yet her heart hurt at the sight of Hayden crying.
Hayden gives a soft chuckle at Alyson's attempt to lighten the mood.
"I swear I haven't made myself bleed since I met you. Every time I tried your face would come into my mind and I wouldn't be able to do it. I swear," Alyson says as she gently cups his cheek. He pulls her into an embrace.
Hayden's familiar smell of mint, pine trees and just a hint of wet dog, not enough to were it was overpowering but just enough to know it's there.
Hayden broke the hug first and pulled away, Alyson felt suddenly very cold. They locked eyes and an image of their kiss passed through Alyson's mind and made her feel dizzy. Her earlier headaches disappeared.
Both leaned in as if a magnet were between them and when they met in the middle their lips pressed softly. A dizzying feel hit Alyson as she deepened to kiss. As if waiting for her cue Hayden's kiss became more intense, this kiss much more intense then the first one. Both seemed to try and pull the other as close as possible until no even a single particle could get between them. They remained like this for what, to Alyson, felt like forever until Hayden suddenly pulled away.
"What's wrong?" Alyson asked moving away from him suddenly embarrassed.
"Mason is calling me, he says they've got a Skinwalker problem. They need my help," Hayden says standing up quickly. Alyson felt disappointed.
Hayden seemed to notice her disappointment and leaned down to give her another quick kiss.
"You coming?" He asked as he pulled away. Alyson smiles at his offer.
"Why, of course! God knows what would happen if one of you all were to get hurt," Alyson teases, last time one of them got hurt, Dylan almost died.
"Perfect, grab your bag and let's go," He says. Alyson grabs her bag that she takes to the forest. Alyson looked down at Kai how would she get him down? As if answering her question Hayden grabbed Kai and started to climb down the tree.
"Spot me. Don't need another hospital visit," Alyson says as she carefully climbs out of the tree. Her shoulder gives a groan of pain but everything seemed fine as she got to the ground.
"Let's go!" Alyson said running into the forest. Out of her peripheral, she saw Hayden disappear, and reappear in his wolf form. Alyson was more excited than she cared to admit to fighting some Skinwalkers.
"Alyson! Thank god you're here!" Dylan cries inside Alyson's mind once she was in the clearing they always met up at.
"Why what's going on? I thought there was a skinwalker emergency," Alyson asks confused.
"It is... Someone was scratched by a skinwalker," Nate says.
"What?" Alyson asks confused, "who got scratched?"
"That's the thing we don't know who he is," Collin says pacing.
"Okay well lead me to him, hopfully I'll know who they are," Alyson says walking up to them. They lead Alyson to a large tree where a boy with ginger hair is thrashing against a rope.
"You tied him up?" Alyson asks confused.
"We didn't know what would happen we've never known a Skinwalker to actually attack a human with no were blood in them. We usually hunt them down and get them before they can get humans," Collins explains. Alyson crouches down in front of the ginger boy. Upon getting closer she instantly recognizes him as Andrew's friend, Kaden.
"Oh, no this is not good this is Kaden White, he's on the baseball team with my brother!" Alyson says. His charming smile now a frightened scowl.
"Kaden, hey, listen can you hear me?" Alyson asks coming closer to the copper-haired boy. His eye snaps to hers at the mention of his name.
"Alyson?" He asks confused. Alyson was surprised he remembered her name.
"Yes, it's me. What happened?" Alyson asked carefully.
"I...I was walking to my car when I saw a bunch of guys come from out of your room. I followed them because I figured they were your friends and they could tell me how you were. But when I followed them I was attacked by these beasts. It stood on its hind legs like a human but looked like a wolf. It was lanky and gross looking. I...I tried to run but it caught me and scratched my left side. Then I was saved by these wolves around here, and a guy tied me to this tree. Now I feel kind of funny like my head is spinning and I feel weak." Kaden explains, Alyson looks over at Hayden.
"What do I do?" Alyson asks.
"I dunno," Hayden said sadly.
"Kaden, I'm going to untie you, but if you do anything you see the wolves around me they will kill you without hesitation. Please don't move okay? I've got to look at your wound, okay?" Alyson asks. Kaden nods eagerly. Alyson looks around at the guys they each nod their ready and Alyson unties Kaden.
"Now, lay on your side for me okay?" Alyson asks helping the poor kid lay sideways. She lifted his shirt and gasped at the wound. It looked dark purple on the edges but weirdest of all it wasn't bleeding, though it cut him deep there no sign of blood.
"Kaden does your side hurt at all?" Alyson asks.
"It hurt at first like hot fire, but now it's completely numb everything feels numb," Kaden says. Alyson checks his pulse, it was dropping.
"Dylan when you were scratched, what did it feel like?" Alyson shot at Dylan.
"It felt like my blood was on fire the whole time and that I was going to die," Dylan says as if he could still feel the burn.
"What we know is that if you die from a scratch you'll change, but when you're a Were you heal fast enough where you'll live as long as your treated quick enough. However, He's human he won't heal in time, he'll die first," Alyson says out loud so everyone can hear. Damn it! Alyson says mentally. She sighs and grabs some supplies from her bag. A pre-packaged needle and thread wound cleaner, and something to bite on so he does bite off his tongue.
"Open your mouth," Alyson orders. Kaden does so and Alyson stuffs a scarf she found in his mouth.
"This will hurt," Alyson says as she touches the wound, but something unexpected happened, she was taken to the before land again.
"Iina? Is that you?" Alyson calls out. No response but she's standing over a boy, Alyson for some reason knows he's human and was scratched by a skinwalker much like Kaden was. Alyson watched in amazement and horror as a Were bite the boy's forearm.
Then in an instant, she was back in her body again.
"Iina? What does that mean?" Alyson asks. No response came. Alyson thought it over as she expertly stitched Kaden's wound after cleaning it. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. The only way to save Kaden was to turn him so he would heal faster. It was a risk, Alyson didn't know how long Kaden would have.
"Guys, we've got to call a meeting with the elders! I think I know how to save Kaden. Nate, Dustin change back and carry Kaden back to your house be mindful of his stitches. Mason tell your dad to get a hold of the elders and have them ready and filled in before we get there," Alyson says already feeling woozy.
"You had a vision didn't you?" Hayden asks worriedly.
"Yes, but we don't have time to worry about it know! last time I had a good few hours before my body started rejecting the blood so I don't want to waste time," Alyson says.
"Fine but if you start to feel sick you're going home," Hayden says leaving no room for further discussion.
The group made it home with incredible time. Daniel was already waiting for them when they got there.
"Are the elders ready and filled in on Kaden's situation?" Alyson asks Daniel as they go into the living room.
"Yes," Daniel says. Alyson nods and goes inside where the elders are digitally waiting.
"Sorry to call upon you in such short notice, Grandmother Willow and Dark rider, but as you know we have a major situation. You see when I was going to stitch up Kaden, the boy who was scratched, I had another vision. I was standing over a young boy who had been scratched by a skinwalker and he was dying. Then I was both amazed and horrified to watch a Were bite the young boy," Alyson paused to take a breath and let the elders respond.
"And what do you think it means?" Dark rider asks as though he already knew the answer but wanted confirmation.
"I believe what my vision was trying to tell me is that to save Kaden we need to make him a Were," Alyson says looking away.
"So you're suggesting to save a human who has been infected by a skinwalker they must become a Were?" Grandmother Willow asks.
"Yes, Grandmother I am."
"What makes you think this is right?" she asked.
"Well, I've been told that a person only turns when they die of the infection, but if the wound heals then they don't turn. Dylan was scratched but when I sowed him up and made the chances of healing increase then Dylan didn't turn. But since Kaden is human he won't be able to heal fast enough to save him. So by turning him into a Were, he'll gain the ability to heal faster and fight off the infection. The downsides are I dunno if it's okay to just change him and that there might not be enough time to save him since I don't know how long a change will take vs. how quick the infection will overcome him," Alyson explains.
"You are wise, Alyson. But a forced change may end up killing the boy, and if he does change he will need someone to take him in and show him how to be a Were." Grandmother Willow states.
"So we're allowed to change him?" Alyson asks.
"The law states that if changing a person is the only way to save them and another agreed to take them in the forced change is allowed only if the elders agree it is of dire emergency," Grandmother Willow says her voice filled with so much wisdom that Alyson felt much too young to speak with her.
"Do you?" Hayden asks.
"Of course! We've found a way to save our people from turning!" Grandmother Willow says happily. Alyson felt dumbfounded they hadn't known what she spoke of already? Alyson felt herself blush.
"If the boy needs someone to look after him, I'll take him in. Since I already have so many other Were around here what's one more, eh? Besides these boys will help me out if he makes it," Daniel volunteers.
"Then let it be done," Dark rider says impatiently.
"Daniel since you have claimed to boy please transform and bite him please," Grandmother Willow spoke almost prayer-like.
Daniel nodded and left the room to transform and came back in. Alyson had never seen Daniel's wolf form before. It was dark like Dustin's but looked like it made white sprinkled through and the tips of his fur were chestnut in colour, and the size of collin's wolf, he looked like a mixture of all his son's forms. Alyson couldn't help but stare at Daniel's wolf form as he walked toward Kaden and bit the droopy Kaden's forearm just like the wolf in Alyson's vision did.
Alyson felt lightheaded as she watched Daniel release Kaden's arm and let out a softly toned howl.
"So, it has been done. Thank you, Alyson, for contacting us and for finding the cause and cure for the Skinwalker infections," Grandmother Willow says.
"No, don't thank me thank Iina, She's the one who showed me the vision of a were bite. I only put the pieces together," Alyson says shaking her head lightly.
"How kind and humble of you, I'm excited to meet you in person someday. Oh and keep us updated on that young boy's process." Grandmother Willow says smiling softly.
"Thank you grandmother, we will, I also would love to meet you in person one day," Alyson says as the call is disconnected.
Alyson sat down heavily on the couch that didn't have Kaden's turning body. She hoped the Were changed happened fast enough to keep him from dying from the Skinwalker's infection.
"How you feelin'?" Hayden asked.
"If you're talking about the blood vomiting thing. I don't feel it just yet, but you'll know when it hits," Alyson says.
"Are you gonna be staying here or are you gonna head home?" Dustin asks coolly.
"I'd like to stay here to make sure Kaden makes it through, but I know I need to go back home since I'm supposed to be resting. I'll come by tomorrow with that information about my biological father and for that torment, we're supposed to be having soon" Alyson confirms.
"That's if you aren't bedridden by your blood situation," Luca says.
"I doubt it'll be as bad a the first time, this time was only a single vision, last time it was a vision and I was transported back in time and spoke with a much wiser woman about a very serious subject."
"Yeah, last time it put you out of commission for two whole weeks, let's not do that again Archerson," Mason says.
"Yeah whatever, Maikoh," Alyson says bumping Mason's shoulder lightly as she went through the door.
"Hang on wait Alyson! I'll walk you home!" Hayden calls from behind her. Alyson laughed lightly at him as he stumbled through the door nearly tripping over Kai.
"You know I've lived here way before you were here, and I've walked the trail from your house home more times than a single human could count," Alyson teased.
"Yeah, but what if something attacks you?" Hayden asks.
"Well, I think I have the same chance of danger with you here, Mr. tough guy," Alyson said lightly pushing Hayden's shoulder. Hayden moulded his face into one of shock and hurt.
"Ooch, Alyson that one burned!" Hayden says laughing lightly.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Alyson said rolling her eyes. There was a comfortable silence between the two, nither needing to say a word both were at peace just having the other with them. But something as fragile as silence cannot last long and must at some point be broken, on this instance Hayden broke it when he noticed Alyson's sudden discomfort.
"What's wrong?" Hayden says huffing lightly.
"Ugh, nothing," Alyson says watching Kai excitedly chase a squirrel around.
"It's clearly something, Alyson," Hayden says surprisingly soft.
"Well, I was ugh... Just thinking about... Um, our...Ugh kiss earlier," Alyson stumbled out her nerves getting the better of her.
"Yeah, what about it?" Hayden said causally almost off-handed but on the inside, his heart started to beat wildly.
"I dunno it was just something that popped into my mind," Alyson said awkwardly as she stretched out her arms in front of her.
"Why you want another?" He asks cheekily.
"No! I mean, not at the moment," Alyson says a burning hot feeling fled to her face. Hayden laughed and removed some of the distance between the two of them. Alyson backed away and blushed even more.
"H..Hayden, what are...what're you doing?" Alyson asks as her heart skips a beat for a moment. Her back makes contact with a tree as Hayden looms over her. He puts his arms on either side of her head, trapping her.
"I'm testing a theory," Hayden says leaning down and whispering in her ears softly making her hair stand up on its ends.
"What...What theory exactly?" Alyson huffed out suddenly feeling very hot. Hayden says nothing as he leans down so their lips are so close that if she even breaths too heavily they would touch. She gulps some of her nerves down. Her usual wit lacking thanks Hayden's sudden closeness.
"My theory of how you've never been with a man before," Hayden says. Alyson felt herself get suddenly angry. This was to see if she had been with other men.
"Even if I hadn't been even with you I wouldn't be with a man, you are nothing but a boy," Alyson's anger igniting her wit again. Hayden gives a sly smile at that.
"Oh so you want to get together," Hayden says. Alyson opens her mouth to say something but falters ending up looking like a fish instead.
"Plus if you've forgotten, I'm a whole year older than you missy," Hayden says his breath fanning Alyson's face making her shiver.
"Oh, honestly I thought you and Dylan were the same age, you both act the same age," Alyson says through shivers.
"Oh, really? Then do you also have a thing for Dylan?" Hayden asks his words playful. Alyson knows her answer instantly is a no, but she pretends to think about it. A sudden crack in Hayden's armour happens as she pauses to think. She knew exactly what to say next.
"I dunno, he is my favourite out of the lot of you. He is quite cute and funny, and-" before Alyson could continue Hayden felt a wave of jealousy and in a moment of dominance claimed Alyson's lips with his own.
Alyson laughed against his lips as her own test worked. Hayden pulled away with his brows pulled together.
"Why were you laughing?" He asks a bit shyly.
"I was just imagining what would happen if Dylan heard me say that! His face would've shrunk up in disgust," Alyson says partly lying.
"You were really thinking of him when you kissed me?" Hayden asks his face becoming a bit gloomy. Alyson reached up and pulled his face to her own.
"I was just joking around, I was laughing at how easy you are to make jealous," Alyson says a smile planted on her face. Hayden's face turns back into the cocky smile.
"Well, of course, I would be, now that I got the best girl there is, of course, I would be jealous of anyone after her heart," Hayden says. Alyson felt her whole body warm at his statement but decided to play with him a bit.
"Oh, so you want to get together?" Alyson asks throwing his words back at him. His lightly tanned skin pulls a blush though.
"Hey! No fair! Come up with your own lines!" Alyson laughs heavily at Hayden's outburst. After her giggles cease she pulls Hayden in for a kiss. He freezes but eventually melts into her. Just as the kiss starts to get a bit steamy Alyson pulls away.
"By the way, Dylan isn't my favourite," Alyson says.
"Really then who is it?" he asks suddenly sure of himself.
"It's obviously Collin," Alyson says teasing Hayden.
"Uh huh, so you say are you sure he's you're favourite?"
"Hmm... I dunno Mason is pretty cool but he's a bit much. Maybe Nate? He seems pretty cool, too," Alyson says teasing him further. But once she looks at Hayden his gaze was serious.
"You should really stay away from Nate, he's toxic," Hayden says all playfulness gone from his voice.
"Hey calm down I was just playing around. You're my favourite, you have been since I saw you in the clearing the night we met," Alyson says putting her hand his cheek once again. He cupped her hand, a small smile on his face, but his eyes still serious.
"Promise me you'll avoid being alone with him," Hayden says his eyes piercing her own.
"I promise," Alyson says without hesitation. Her brows come together in a frown. As soon as the words pass her lips Hayden's body once again relaxes and he releases her from there cosy entanglement.
Alyson wounders why Hayden is so upset about her spending time with Nate, but considering his mood drop when she mentioned before she let the thought slip away.
The two walk back to Alyson's house in a comfortable silence.
"This is where I leave you," Hayden says.
"You sure you don't want to stay for a while?' Alyson asks.
"Yeah, the guys will be wondering where I am." A small part of Alyson disappointed.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Alyson says as she picks Kai up and starts climbing up the tree. Before she can even get to the tree Hayden spins her around and plants a kiss on her lips and breaks it up just as quickly.
"You didn't think I'd honestly let you go without a goodbye kiss, did you?" he says smugly.
"I was hoping not," Alyson says. He actually turns to leave this time and Alyson climbs up the tree easily.
Once she feeds Kai, she lays in her bed. Ever since Hayden and she had their first kiss Hayden has been acting really different and Alyson doesn't know if she's for it completely or not. Though it excites her, she also wishes back for the shy and sensitive boy she first met. Now he's grown a bit cocky, but Alyson didn't really mind that. She touches her lips she could feel the ghost of his lips still haunting her own lips.