??A Howl In The Night ??
?She’s Mine?
?Chapter 23?
?Come And Catch Me, If You Can…?
I look at them all, wondering what is going on.
“You guys converted someone?” Peering over their shoulders, I squint at the words. Maybe I missed something.
But instead it just clarifies the obvious.
“Uh, nothing!” Wes quickly moves to block the screen, “they are talking about another pack!”
“I’m not stupid,” I glare at him, pushing him aside. I glance at the screen intently, looking at the words on the screen. Understanding dawns upon me, enlightening my thoughts, my questions. “Then why is it emailed to [email protected]?”
They all look sheepishly at the floor.
“Xavier,” I put my hands on my hips, “tell me NOW.” He looks up at me with his spectacular green eyes, not even the hint of a grin at the corner of his mouth.
“It seems as if the Council has tracked you as a recent convert, when you are actually not fully converted,” he says quietly, leading me to the worst possible conclusion.
“So…” I look at the screen again and again, “they want to kill me.” That can’t be true. I never hurt anybody. I didn’t even want to be a werewolf. And now this?
“You’ll be okay,” Xavier wraps an arm around my shoulder, “we won’t let them do anything to you. I promise.”
I try to drown in his comforting presence, but this time, it does no good. It only makes the pain worse. My heart pounds, thumping furiously in my chest.
“You shouldn’t have told her,” Ray says loudly. He narrows his eyes at Xavier.
“| would rather have her know the truth,” Xavier hisses at his identical counterpart, “and there is no helping it now. We can’t just wipe her memories.”
Silence erupts in the room as I quickly walk away, hoping that I will reach my room before a single tear falls.
“Well, Xavier, that doesn’t exactly give you any brownie points,” I hear as my footsteps reach the hallway.
Who cares about brownie points at a time like this?!
I start to run, my feet flying, even blurring as I pound to my bed. Once I am there, I bury myself below the covers, trying to quell the thumping of my heart. Before, I never would have cared about dying, but now I don’t want it. It used to be so close that I could kiss its dry, crackled lips, but now I fear it.
The werewolves have frozen time for me. They have thrown away my old body. They have filled me with promises that I would live forever.
And now they want to kill me.
Something about that doesn’t seem quite right.
A presence enters the room; a beautiful, glossy-haired man that always takes my breath away. He comes to sit by my side, staring into my eyes.
“You don’t believe me when I say that I’ll protect you?” his thick, velvety voice murmurs, a graceful hand stroking my hair.
“I just don’t know, Xavier,” I whisper, shutting my eyes tightly. Do I believe? Do I really?
A fierce, determined look enters his eyes, flame alight. His fingers snap away from my hair, clenched in a fist. “Well, what do I have to do then?” he almost yells, scrunching up his eyebrows in fury. “I’ve saved you from practically everything. I have been at your side constantly. What more do you need to finally trust me?” I can feel his frustration, his lack of comprehension at my behavior. I don’t quite understand either.
Anger begins to boil within me as well, irrelevant anger that doesn’t make much sense in my head. “Well, where were you ten years ago? When my parents were murdered?” I say softly, menacingly. Each word is meant to be a sharp stab, a burning pain within him.
He just stares at me, a wondering look on his face. Then he gets up, his elegant form brushing against the stool he was leaning against, and nearly stumbles out of the door.
Tears brim at the corners of my eyes, and I let them fall down my face in rivers.
I remember when I was younger, when life made sense. When I had two parents, a house, and a pet. At times like these, Scotty would scramble into my arms, barking cr@zily until he was safely perched in my embrace. Then I would hug him, and his warm fur would absorb my sadness until it was sucked away.
Why did I say those things to Xavier? He couldn’t have known about my parents’ death, let alone save all three of us. I am being so unreasonable, so stubborn and like a spoiled brat. I AM a spoiled brat, not thankful for what I have.
Not many can say they are mates with a hot, stalker-like werewolf.
I guess it is my greediness biting inside me, making me wonder why even though I now have many things, it is like I have nothing. So much has changed… my heart has even been stitched back in place by a man I am unwilling to love. But I still feel empty, broken, like my heart has just unraveled and spilled onto the floor.
A conflict is raging inside my head. Xavier is a creep. He’s obsessive. He’s sweet. He’s supernatural. He’s forever.
He’s the handsomest thing I have even seen.
Once again I bury my head completely under the covers, ashamed at myself. Xavier doesn’t deserve to be hurt like this. I am the one at fault. I destroyed one of the things that matters to him the most.
His gigantic, incredibly treasured pride.
* * *
He does not look at me when I enter the room.
I have never felt this before. His cold, icy treatment has never been released upon me. In the two and a half weeks I have been staying here, his aura has always been warm, comforting. But now I feel unwelcome.
Everyone else can sense this sudden shift in behavior. Xavier’s face is like stone, impossibly beautiful, yet unchangeable. Yi is just sitting at the kitchen table, playing with his spoon. Wes doesn’t flirt with me, shooting me a brief, encouraging smile.
Jake hands me a small milk carton and a bowl of yogurt. “Eat up,” he says brightly. I grab a spoon off the table, shoving it into the sweet, yummy goodness and letting it linger right in front of my lips before closing my mouth over it.
“Please sit down,” he directs me to a chair; “we have to talk to you about some things.” Being careful not to make eye contact with the blue-haired beast, I plop down, staring into Jake’s green eyes.
“What is it?” I say as if I am being forced to sit through a funeral for someone I don’t even know, shifting my facial features to suggest that I would rather be anywhere but here. I know I should apologize to Xavier, but my own arrogance does not allow it. All that fills me is bitterness. Heart-wrenching bitterness.
I sneak a quick glance at Xavier, only to find that he is staring at the wall, the window, anything but me. Anger is on the edge of his lips, and his face is resolute. He suddenly turns, catching my gaze, and I finally get to see his eyes. They are burning hot, like fire, scorching me completely. Quickly I look away.
“Mona,” Jake starts slowly, “we are going to do everything we can to protect you.”
I suddenly get the feeling he is bringing bad news.
“So until Wednesday, you will have personal bodyguards. One will be Xavier, obviously, but Ray also volunteered himself. They will follow you everywhere, Ray in the shadows, Xavier right by your side. Is that clear?” he asks sharply.
“Yes.” It is not like I have a choice, anyways. And why would Ray want to guard me?
“And on Wednesday, they will both transport you to a safe haven, where the Council will not be able to find you. We will stay here and fight.”
Alarm rises within me. “What good will that do? I don’t want you guys to risk your lives for me! I refuse.” The guilt would eat me alive if one of them died.
“Mona, we are okay with it. Chill out,” Yi says between mouthfuls of Cheerios.
“At least let me fight along with you!” I beg.
“Let’s face it,” Ray smirks, “you wouldn’t exactly be much help to us if you stayed, would you? You can’t even conjure a spirit spear, and although you are stronger than the average human, you are also the weakest out of the werewolf population. Plus, you can get rather clouded judgment, and that doesn’t exactly help you when fighting.”
This is when Xavier would usually punch him in the face, but this time, he doesn’t budge.
“Ray got a point there,” Yi swallows the rest of his milk, smiling with a white mustache. I narrow my eyes at him, almost snarling. However, I feel almost helpless under their light attack, suddenly realizing how much I have grown to depend on Xavier over the last two and a half weeks.
“Just three days,” I say softly, closing my eyes, trying to imagine the probable scenario. Ray stalking me, Xavier walking by my side like a robot. Fun…
“Oh, and you will have to miss school,” Jake adds, almost like an afterthought. My eyes grow as wide as saucers.
“WHAT?!” I roar, almost causing the table to shake.
“I knew she wouldn’t take it well,” Ray muttered to an immobile Xavier, nearly causing my rage to explode.
“The council might be tracking you through the school,” Jake tries to explain, “and then it will be easy for them to ambush you on the way home or something. When they realize we aren’t traveling to Headquarters on Wednesday, they will immediately send their spies after you.”
“Fine,” I throw my hands in the air, leaving my half eaten yogurt on the table. “Now, if you will excuse me, I’ll just go outside and celebrate my lost privacy.”
I stomp away, very much aware of the fact that I resemble a toddler rather than an eighteen year old girl. I’ve pretty much gotten used to these theatrical entrances and exits… I’m more of a drama queen than I thought.
The world swirls around me as I open the doors to the garden, breathing in deeply as I am enveloped in beautiful sights and aromas. The flowers are even prettier than yesterday, growing more in maturity and loveliness. The colors are bright, as if they are sucked out of the rainbow itself. Trees, full of fresh, decadent fruit, sit pleasantly around the area. I walk over to a peach, and daintily pick it from the leaves. A clear fountain is in the middle of it all, perfectly clean and filtered, and I run the water over the delicacy. With finality, I chomp a bite out of the side, almost sighing as the sweetness almost rolls off my chin. This is pure luxury, one of the finest things I have tasted.
Why is everything so perfect here? Everything is always so clean in the mansion, but I never see them pick up a broom. The food grown here are so delicious, yet I never see anyone tending to them. My clothes always return in my closet immaculately laundered and groomed, but I’m not sure even Xavier knows where the laundry room is.
There must be more going on around here. I am sure of it.
I go to sit by the fountain, balancing edgily on the side, at peace with the world around me. When I finish my peach, I hold it up with my good arm and throw it almost a hundred yards away into the vast forest. Let it decompose over there.
Life has been so easy… without the domestic chores Ms. Penn used to stack upon me, all I have left to do is homework and socializing with the werewolves around me. However, living in a haven with hot guys has its bad points. I always feel like I have to look pretty and attractive around them, like I can’t wear sweatpants or oversized t-shirts. Whenever I wear something revealing, though, I am immediately scavenged by their eyes. It can be rather uncomfortable.
I can’t even remember the time when I didn’t care about clothes and looks, even though that time was only a while ago. I have no idea if that is bad or not, but it is certainly a sign of my definite change.
“Ray, you can come out now,” I say nonchalantly, staring pointedly at a slightly ruffling bush about five yards away. There is silence, and I look at it dubiously. “Seriously, Ray, come out,” I demand. “I know you are there.”
“Have I gotten worse?” Ray moaned as he trooped from behind the bush, “Now even a measly crossbreed can detect my presence.”
“Shut up,” I snap, “I’m not a crossbreed. I’m a Spier.”
“Oh yeah?” His eyebrow cocked, he surveys me jestingly. “Prove it.”
I glare at him, saying nothing. It is not my fault that I can’t conjure a spirit spear. It’s just taking some… time. And he certainly does not have to make fun of me about it.
“I thought so,” he chuckles, “for now, you are a crossbreed. Do you want to see if you can shift into a dog or wolf?”
I scrunch up my eyes in anger, staring at him with murder in my eyes. Ray knows that I have already tried to do that, and ended up failing miserably.
“I’m just kidding!” Ray smiles quickly, plopping down beside me on the fountain’s edge. “You can’t take me so seriously.”
“Actually, I can,” I snort, “especially when I know for sure that you are serious.”
He laughs, and for that one moment, he looks exactly like Xavier; his brown, glossy hair flipping in the wind and his eyes twinkling. “You’re right,” he smiles briefly, “I was serious.” There is a brief pause, and then he speaks again, “I honestly don’t think you are a full-fledged Spier. Maybe you will never manage to grasp the ability to form a spirit spear.”
His absolutely true words hit me like a hammer, making me consider things I have never thought of before. Will I ever be able to do what a regular Spier can do easily? What might I accomplish instead?
I laughingly consider the irony of my situation. The one thing I wanted the most when deciding to become a Spier, even disobeying Xavier for the chance to get it, was the ability to avenge my parents by killing the creatures I detest. And now, even after I have gone through everything, the special Talent seems even further away than before.
“Ray, do you really and truly believe that?” I sigh, leaning up against him, marveling at the way my skin sizzles as we make contact. It is close to the way I feel with Xavier… sparks racing through my veins, exploding like fireworks. But no matter how alike they are, it still feels different, a little more dangerous and forbidding with Ray.
I watch his silent, composed face as he looks at the crystal blue water in the fountain. His green eyes are absolutely hypnotizing, an incredibly deep and slightly dark color. The scar that stretches across his cheek also attracts my attention, rough and jagged. Butterflies flitter in my stomach, awareness in my features. Is this strange reaction occurring because his face is Xavier’s?
I shake my head, dismissing my thoughts. I cannot think of Xavier right now, much less his identical counterpart.
The silence spans longer, until the tension is stretched tight between us. I almost forget my own question, while fingering the fabric of my shirt, distracted by the scenery around me. Ray is almost frozen, his expression unmoving. “I hope you don’t,” he finally whispers softly, “for it will be even worse for you then.”
“What?” I c0ck my head, “why worse?”.
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