It appeared later on that I fainted — totally blacked out — and fell right into Theo's arms, who managed to catch me before I hit the hard, wooden floorboards. That surprised me; I wouldn't have been too shocked if he let me crash to the ground. After all, he did hate my guts.
For a week after I fainted, I was in some sort of weird state of trance. I still went to school and did all my classes, I even managed not to get another detention. But I became distant and detached from reality as if nothing mattered.
Abi kept me going, making sure that I ate, even if she had to feed me herself, and making sure that I washed, even if she had to wash me herself. And keeping me sane, she would talk to me when no one else would, even if I didn't respond. For that week, I slept in Abi's room — probably because no one else could deal with a borderline catatonic teenage girl.
I was still conscious, though it felt like I was in a constant state of daydreaming.
Though I would've much preferred to stay in a daydream world considering the way that I got dragged out of it. I know that he never meant to hurt me, only shock me out of it, but when Theo came at me with his claws, it terrified me.
There I was, sitting convalescing on the deck in the afternoon sunshine, wrapped up in a blanket because I still couldn't get warm, and then Theo just showed up from nowhere.
Admittedly, he did try to talk to me before coming at me, though he didn't talk for very long. I think he asked how I was feeling and if I needed anything, in that soft, cautious voice that people use when they're either talking to a gravestone or someone they think deserves to be in a mental asylum.
Of course, I didn't respond, because I kind of couldn't. Abi wasn't around to protect me either; she was getting a few hours of rest by herself before continuing to look after me. She barely slept through the night when she was taking care of me. My night terrors had returned, and worse than they'd ever been before.
The only time that I spoke with full coherency was when I was screaming my head off whilst asleep.
How I got through school that week, I don't know.
"Hey, Ember." Theo sat down. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"
I kept on staring into the distance, numbness freezing up my veins.
"Ember," Theo addressed me again, "I'm gonna try something to get you out of this..." His hand gestured to my body. "This state. Are you okay with that?"
Why does this feel like non-voluntary euthanasia? Oh yeah, because it basically is.
He shuffled closer to me and flicked his claws out. "I don't want to hurt you Ember, so if you're still in there: please move, or do something."
Wow, maybe I should be comatose more often — that way he actually cares about me. Shit, what am I even thinking? I'm not thinking and that's the problem. Pain is not him caring about me.
Wake up, Ember. Wake the hell up, right now.
Theo peeled the blanket off me and he was so close to me that if I hadn't been the way I was, I probably would've kissed him.
"Theo! What the hell are you doing to her?!" Abi's voice shrilled through the house, and she came running.
Abi, please get here quickly before he hurts me...
"I'm sorry," Theo whispered in my ear, placing his hand on my right knee before sinking his claws deep into my left forearm.
The pain took a few seconds to hit me, and when it did hit me it hit me hard.
My face contorted in pain and I tried to pull away, but Theo kept his claws in my skin. I pleaded with him with my eyes, begging him to let go. But either he didn't understand or he wasn't going to stop until I fully snapped out of my senseless state.
I looked down at the blood trickling down my arm. I had to do something, I had to snap out of it, even if it meant losing my tranquillity. A tear dripped out of my eye.
I pressed my lips together, not knowing how long I could stand the pain.
"Step away from her, Theo!" Abi finally appeared to save me, but too late.
"Abi, for once in your life, just back the hell off," Theo replied, still staring intently at me.
What's that? I thought I felt a flicker of heat in my body, a flicker of fire.
My right hand twitched, and a burning sensation ran through it.
Is my fire...? I struggled to believe it; is my fire returning to me? It was. I could feel it pulsing through my veins again — a second heartbeat, a second life, a second chance.
"C'mon, Ember." Theo's eyes searched my blank face. "Do something already."
I turned my head to him and with my right hand, grabbed the clawed hand of his that was in my left forearm. I grasped it tightly, staring at him as I pulled his claws out of my skin.
Standing up, I pulled Theo up with me. And by now, my hand that was holding his was burning.
Burning with bright, brilliant flames of fire. The sight of that alone improved how I was feeling; I felt whole again. There wasn't a part of me missing anymore.
"Ember." Abi's voice cut through my thoughts. "Ember, you need to let go."
I hadn't realised how hard I'd been holding Theo, but he was struggling to get out of my grip as the flames from my hand licked his skin, dancing oh-so beautifully. Reluctantly, I released his hand and he dropped to the ground, cradling his burnt wrist.
"It'll heal," I stated and began to cradle my own wound, "Though I'm not sure how quickly this will..."
"I had to do it," Theo claimed. "I couldn't go on seeing you sitting there like a shell of the person you used to be."
"So, you had to stick your freaking claws in her arm?" Abi turned on him, exclaiming, "Seriously, Theo? Couldn't you have thought of a better way?"
"Well, if that didn't work, there was always Plan B." He shrugged, getting to his feet.
"And what was Plan B?" I set my hand on my hip, suddenly feeling powerful, despite the blood leaking out of my arm.
"Plan B was this," he said and without warning, stepped closer to me and pressed his lips desperately against mine.
Somewhat unwillingly, I backed away from him after his lips were on mine for about two seconds.
"Yeah, I think I prefer Plan A," I said severely, turning away from him when all I really wanted to do was to jump into his arms and kiss him again.
I clutched my hands to my chest and walked to the far end of the deck.
"I think you've done enough, Theo," I heard Abi say as Theo tried to walk over to me. "You should just give her some space."
He agreed grudgingly and then walked off.
Abi walked over to me and rubbed my shoulder kindly, "Hey. How's my number one comatose patient doing?"
I laughed bitterly. "Well, I was your only patient, and I'm not comatose anymore."
She shrugged. "You know what I mean."
"I guess I'm okay," I said, leaning against railings.
"How's your arm?" Abi hovered anxiously beside me.
"It's okay." I glanced down at the claw marks that Theo had left behind, "Abi... Why does Theo hate me so much now?"
She sighed and leaned next to me. "I think he's just struggling. When you're trying to protect everyone, it's hard to look after yourself as well. I think he's still trying to protect all of us, including you."
"Well, he could be a bit nicer about it." I huffed, running my fingers over the drying blood.
"Maybe you should go talk to him...?" Abi suggested.
"What? After he did this to me?" I held my arm — proof not to talk to him.
"I think he needs you right now."
Pressing my lips together, I nodded and went inside, beginning mentally preparing myself for talking to him.
I can do this. I can totally do this...
I totally can't do this.
"Theo?" I knocked on his bedroom door, correctly presuming he was in there.
The door pushed open of its own accord when I knocked on it. Theo was sitting hunched over on the end of the bed, head in his hands.
"Hey...." I said gently and sat down next to him, though not too close. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know what I was thinking." He shook his head and sniffed a little — has he been crying? "I shouldn't have done that to you. There had to have been a better way to get you back."
I hesitated because he was right; he shouldn't have done that to me. "Look, Theo," I began, "I'm... I'm glad you got me out of it."
"Liar," he accused softly; he'd obviously been listening to my heartbeat.
"Okay, well." I cleared my throat as I searched my mind and my heart for the right words, "I'm glad that if someone had to get me out of it like that... I'm glad that it was you."
Does that make sense?
"Yeah right." He huffed, still not looking at me.
"Yeah, better than Jade — who probably would've kept digging her claws into me." I raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever." He brushed me off.
"I'm trying to forgive you here, Theo." I tentatively placed a hand on his arm.
His eyes snapped up to mine and stared at me intently. I licked my lips anxiously; I think I wanted him to kiss me. Suddenly, we felt closer together than we had been when I sat next to him. His hands were now resting at his sides, and it was almost unhealthy how much I wanted him to put those hands all over my body and how much I wanted to put my hands all over his body.
I shifted closer to him — the silence driving me to do something. He looked down at my lips.
I ran my hand up his arm and placed it against his jaw, trying to fight the impatience brewing in me. He shifted a little closer to me.
C'mon Theo. Kiss me.
One of his hands slid up my leg and around to my waist.
Why were we being so hesitant with each other? We were acting entirely a different way to how we were in Lake Oldoy. Maybe it was because so many things had changed and we weren't sure of how we felt about each other anymore.
The kiss that he'd given me on the deck a few minutes ago felt like a lifetime ago, and it still lingered on my lips... my mind... my heart...
C'mon Theo. It's now or never.
He moved his lips closer to mine, and my heart was pounding so loud, and his lips brushed mine ever so slightly. Urgently, I pushed my lips against his before—
"Hey!" Ryder yelled from the doorway, "You're not comatose anymore!"
Theo instantly moved away from me, like I'd become infectious or something. His eyes flashed a little at me before looking away.
"I, erm... I interrupted something, didn't I?" Ryder asked, becoming embarrassed.
Hurt by the way Theo reacted, I wavered with hesitation.
"I did, didn't I?" Ryder repeated, looking between the two of us.
Is Theo gonna say it, or am I? Was it nothing... Or was it something?
"It's nothing." I decided, dismissing it before Theo could speak. "But yeah, I'm not borderline comatose anymore."
Jade walked past, rolling her eyes and muttering sarcastically, "Oh joy! The catatonic mute has found her voice again."
"Ignore her," Ryder and Theo said at the same time.
Woah, did both of them just stand up for me?
"Okay, boys." I held my hands up. "I'm outta here."
I walked out of the room, hoping that Theo and Ryder wouldn't tear each other apart in my absence.
Storm stepped out of her room, and walked next to me, "Hey there. Welcome back to reality." She smiled kindly.
"Thanks." I smiled back. "Though I'm not sure how happy I am about being back; everything's easier when you're living in a fantasy world."
"Tell me about it." She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Reality can be a bitch."
We were in the lounge now and Jason added wisely, "Reality is also where you have the best experiences."
"Yeah, but still a bitch." Storm laughed again.
"Someone might want to go check that those two aren't killing each other in there." I thumbed behind me towards Theo's room.
"I'll go." Jason shook his head, chuckling to himself.
"So, this one, or this one?" Jade walked into the lounge and held up two different outfits for me, Storm and Abi to judge. Well, probably not me, but I was there anyway.
"Where are you going?" Abi frowned, getting comfortable on the sofa.
"Hello? It's Friday night!" She exclaimed, "We're teenagers, and teenagers go to parties on Friday nights, they don't hang around watching crap on TV!"
Yeah, not me — I don't go to parties. Not if I can help it anyway...
Storm surveyed the outfits. "The one on the left — let's see that one again. Yeah," she mused, "Yeah, wear that one."
"Storm!" Abi shrilled, "We shouldn't be going out to a party at all!"
"Why not, Abs?" Jade pulled a fake sulky face. "It's time we get back on the social scene and even the dating scene. Now, would that be such a crime?"
"Maybe..." Abi muttered and looked away.
"What's a crime?" Ryder sauntered into the room and plopped down onto the sofa.
"Going out and having fun, apparently," Jade said very pointedly at Abi.
"Well, why don't we vote on it?" Jason suggested, walking into the room and providing a peaceful remedy instantly — something he did quite a lot of the time when things were going wrong.
"Okay, those who vote 'no', raise your hand now." Jade set her hand on her hip.
I watched as Abi and Theo raised their hands.
"Okay, those who vote 'yes', raise your hand now."
Jason, Ryder, Storm and, obviously, Jade raised their hands in the air.
"No opinion, Ember?" Jason frowned at me.
"I... I didn't think that I would've been counted as a vote," I stammered, and Jade threw me a look that screamed: yeah, you were right, you don't count.
"Of course you count, Ember," Theo spoke, looking at me reassuringly.
"Thanks." I smiled weakly. "But it doesn't matter anyway, because I would've voted 'no', and 'no' is outvoted..."
"Yes! So, we're going!" Jade beamed excitedly and ran out of the room to get changed.
"Is there any chance those who don't want to go can just stay home?" Abi looked up at Jason pleadingly.
"Well." He joked. "If you want to be stuck in a house with Ember and Theo all night, then sure! And besides, it'll be good for us."
Ryder went to get changed, and then so did Jason.
"What did he mean about not wanting to be stuck in a house with me and Theo?" I frowned at Abi.
Storm snickered with laughter, "Maybe because someone could cut the sexual tension between the two of you with a knife!"
I blushed angrily and looked away. Changing the conversation swiftly, I exclaimed, "Abi! I don't know what to wear, will you come and help me?"
"Yeah sure, honey." She also seemed pleased to leave the room.
Despite my protestations, Abi had dressed me in some of her clothes, considering that most of my clothes just didn't work for 'party attire' — whatever that is. She made me wear a daisy-print summer dress that made me feel uncomfortable as soon as I put it on. It was the least amount of clothes I'd worn in ages. I was already missing my ¾-length leggings.
"I don't like the way it hangs on my body," I complained as she dug out some jewellery for me. She provided a couple of bracelets and a ring for me to wear, rolling her eyes when I declined a necklace. I longed for the pendant Theo gave me.
"Ember, if we're doing this, we're doing it properly," she told me, taking hold of my hands, "And you look super sexy. Doesn't she, Ryder?" Ryder happened to walk past Abi's room.
"Uhhhmmm..." He looked me up and down, "Yeah, she looks... she looks super sexy."
"See!" Abi flourished.
"Yeah, but Ryder would still think I looked 'super sexy' if I was dressed in the slobbiest clothes on the planet." I rolled my eyes and looked at myself in the mirror.
"I'd also think you'd look super sexy if you weren't wearing anything." Ryder's voice drifted through the door before he rushed off.
Damn, I hadn't realised that he was still there.
Abi giggled. "C'mon, sexy. Let's get out of here before Ryder pounces on you again."
The party was at some older friend of Jade's, meaning insane amounts of drugs and alcohol. And honestly, if I thought that the Halloween party back in Lake Oldoy was crazy, I was wrong; this party was completely and totally deranged.
I tried to stick with Abi for as long as possible, but it wasn't long before she found the cider — apparently her weakness — and not one, but two guys to dance and flirt with.
Where the rest of the pack disappeared off to, I had no idea; the house was huge.
Before we left the ranch, I'd grabbed a woollen cardigan because I was still cold, and I self-consciously pulled it tighter around myself. So, there I was stumbling around looking for someone that I could talk to and keeping an eye on my glass of water so that no one would spike it, and who did I happen to bump into?
The one and only Chris Woodman.
"Oh, hey!" My eyes widened at the sight of him.
"Hey, there." He smiled kindly in recognition.
Then Theo's words sunk in... stay away from him.
"Erm, I'm sorry, but I have to go now." I started backing away from him.
He's a fricking hunter... And you need to stay away from him if you want all of us to stay alive...
"Ember, wait up!" He called to me through the crowds of people as I kept on backing away.
"No, I'm sorry." I tried, "I have to go."
I turned and fled away from him in the only direction I could, leading me upstairs.
See the thing is, none of the pack had explained to me how and how not to act at one of these American parties, so it wasn't my fault what happened after I fled from Chris.
I found an empty room that looked like it was being used to store coats and bags and sat on the bed with my head in my hands. Sighing heavily, I desperately wished that Abi hadn't ditched me for cider shots and a couple of fit guys.
Someone stumbled into the room, causing me to spring up to my feet.
>> ᴍᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ <<
"Hey, there," his voice slurred as he walked toward me.
"Erm, I don't think I'm the person you're looking for...?" I tried, but the guy was clearly wasted.
Though not wasted enough to fall over; he stayed on his feet and kept coming toward me. Fear froze my veins; I'd seen way too many teen movies to know that it could only end one way.
"Ain't ya jest a pretty little thang, sweetheart?" He eyed me up in the dark and the way he looked at me with those lustful eyes made me feel sick.
"I have to go meet someone," I tried, but he just ignored me and kept coming at me.
All my self-defence skills had suddenly been chucked out the window; I was still standing there, unmoving. All those flight or fight reactions had disintegrated and fallen apart at my feet just when I needed them.
"C'mon sweetheart, we both know what ya wantin' 'ere." He breathed sickly alcohol breath right in my face as he pinned me against the wall.
"I want to leave," I whimpered slightly, as he began running his hands over my clothed body. "Please leave me alone."
He tutted, slipping my cardigan off my shoulders, "Not yet, sweetheart, not yet."
"I'll scream," I threatened, but he didn't stop touching me, instead, he just clamped a hot, sticky hand over my mouth.
If any of you ever cared about me, please help me now... I thought, thinking of the pack. Even if Chris saved me, I would've been eternally grateful.
The guy's body was against mine, and I felt nauseous at the way he was touching me, touching me like it was consensual — which it wasn't in any way — touching me as if he owned me. He undid the zip at the back of my dress and pulled it off my shoulders slightly.
A single tear slid out of my eye as he started moving his groin against me; I didn't want this, I never asked for this.
Please leave me alone.
"I'm gonna take my hand off ya mouth now, so I can do more to ya with it." He took his hand away. "Now, ya better not scream, or I'll be making thangs worse for ya."
I can make things worse for you as well.
"Theo!" I screamed as loud as I could before the drunk guy smashed his hand back over my mouth.
"You little bitch!" He seethed at me, "I should've—"
But I never heard what he thought he should've done because Theo burst into the room. Quickly assessing the entirely non-consensual situation, he threw a powerful right hook at the guy, knocking him out and sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Are you okay?" Theo came over to me, frowning at my half-undressed state.
"Not really." I sobbed as I struggled to do my dress up again.
"Here," Theo offered, and I turned around so that he could zip it up.
Tears leaked from my eyes and I tried to smooth back my hair to calm myself. I picked up my cardigan and eased it back over my shoulders.
"C'mon, I'll take you home," Theo said, gently placing his hand on my shoulder, a gesture to which I involuntarily flinched. "Sorry." He dropped his hand.
I said nothing and let him lead me out of the party. After checking with Jason, Theo got the keys for the pickup and drove us home.
When we got home, I was so exhausted that Theo had to carry me inside because I'd fallen half-asleep in the car. He started walking towards Abi's room, but I wearily shook my head and rested my hand against his chest.
"Your room," I told him sleepily.
There was a high chance that Abi wouldn't make it home that night anyway. None of them would, what with Theo and I taking the pickup.
"You sure?" Theo stopped and looked down at me, concerned.
God, he looks so heavenly like that.
"I'm sure." I nodded, barely keeping awake.
After setting me down gently on his bed, he left me for a couple of minutes so that I could change out of the dress and it my PJs. He returned with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
"Rescuing a girl and then providing her with hot chocolate?" I teased, the chocolatey aroma making me feel more awake. "You sure know the way to a woman's heart."
He smiled and passed me my mug, before moving to sit next to me in bed. "Don't worry," He reassured, "I can sleep in the chair or another room if you want."
"No." I sipped the divine, hot drink. "I want you to sleep next to me."
"You sure?" He checked.
"Yep. I'm sure," I replied, smiling as the hot chocolate warmed my body.
And we sat there, drinking hot chocolate, watching the stars outside the window, almost like we were normal, and like our problems were normal.
Almost.