by Karen Ruth
As I was walking through the hallway my head was pointed towards the floor not paying any attention to what was in front of me. A hand landed upon my shoulder. I looked up to see who it was. The Queen stood directly in front of me, worry evident on her slim face.
“Nina dear, are you ok?” She asked me.
“Oh hello madam,” I bowed in respect to her.
She had her crown on her head.
“I’m alright,” I said to her giving her a small smile and wiping the remainder of the tears from my eyes.
“You’re not alright. I can see the pain coming out through your eyes. What is wrong?” She asked me in a motherly tone that made me wish I could have a mother like her. One that was able to help me when I needed her.
“I can only tell you a little bit madam. No disrespect, but I don’t want to make things worse. My sister is having a hard time with living here. She now thinks that she wants to be a werewolf. We got into a fight about it and we never fight.”
“I’m sorry Nina, it must be hard not having your family be like you.”
“Thank you, madam,” I responded to her.
“Tell me what else is bothering you?” She asked me.
“Umm, I don’t know how to tell you or if you would like to even know.”
“I think I know what it is,” she said looking straight at me with a sad frown on her face.
“You do?” I asked her.
“It’s about Lucas isn’t it?” She asked me.
My face began to blush as I didn’t say anything.
“I see the way you two look at each other,” she said to me. “What you two have is extremely rare. Don’t give up ok? I have faith in the two of you.”
She wiped a tear away that was running down my cheek and gave me a sad small smile.
“You are strong Nina, don’t forget that.” And with that, she turned away from me and began to walk away. My eyes followed her as she made her descent down the red carpet hallway.
Chapter 12
Early the next morning I got out of bed not able to sleep any longer. The sun was not out yet. It was a little chilly outside, so I decided to put on a thin sweatshirt and sweatpants and go for a jog in the woods to get my mind off of things. I quietly exited the door to our “house” making sure not to wake my sister or mother up. Catherine was still upset with me and I wasn't up for seeing her right now either. Once I made it outside, I realized that it was much colder than I originally thought. I put my hood up on my head and tucked my hair into it. Snuggling into my sweatshirt, I began to go on my jog.
I ventured out into the woods in areas I haven’t been before. Jumping over all of the fallen trees instead of going around them to get the most of my exercise. With everything that has been going on, I have been lacking in my physical fitness. Every morning I would go out for a run, not in my wolf, but in my human to stay fit. Since I’ve been here I have neither ran at all nor just ran in my wolf form. To me, this wasn’t acceptable and I would have to try to run harder and faster to make up for it.
After what I assumed was an hour the sun started to rise up in the sky warming the land below. As the rays descended from the sun it felt good on my soft skin. Warming my body causing me to take off the sweatshirt and sweatpants exposing my t-shirt and shorts underneath. I decided to quit jogging and to walk instead. I walked for at least five miles before I came across something that sparked my interest. There was a small pond-like structure that had a waterfall attached to it. I couldn’t tell if it was man-made or natural but my instincts told me that it was probably man-made. It didn’t matter to me though as I sat down on a rock by the waterfall to enjoy the view. It was peaceful, the sounds the waterfall made as it trickled down into the pond below. The only other noise that my ears could pick up was the sounds of birds chirping happily on the trees that surrounded me.
A twig snapped from behind, causing me to jump to my feet in one quick action. The shadow emerged from behind the trees with his hands in the air.
“Calm Nina, you really do need to learn to relax. You’re going to end up giving yourself a heart attack one of these days.”
I sat back down on my rock and rolled my eyes at him.
“What do you want Lucas?” I asked him a little sharply as he gave me a questioning look.
“Is something wrong?” He asked me as he came to sit beside me causing me to scoot away from him. “If I didn’t know any better I would say that you are mad at me.”
Hurt sounding from his voice.
“No, I’m not. Everything is fine.” I told him.
He clearly didn’t believe me as he exhaled loudly next to me. “I take it they told you about Adelina.”
He said staring directly into the pond not looking at me. His eyes masking whatever he was feeling. I just looked at him and said nothing as the pain once again struck me in the heart. I was careful not to let it show on my face.
“I’m sorry Nina.” He said to me. “I should have told you sooner.”
I threw a small pebble that was beside me into the pond below still not looking at Lucas.
“Yeah, you probably should have,” I said.
“I never knew that this would happen between us. I always thought that it was something of legends. My mother used to tell me about it all the time, how two could be destined for each other, but I thought that was something of a fairy tale. Until I met you, Nina. From the moment I met you, I knew that you were special. That I felt something special whenever you were near me. You make my heart race like no other can. You make me want to get out of bed in the morning. Even when I’m stressed you still manage to put a smile on my face. I know that this is hard for you to take in, heck it’s even hard for me, but I honestly do believe that we are meant to be together.”
It was then that I looked at him and he looked at me. My heart fluttered once more for him. My body full of the burning spark sensation, failing me on wanting to remain mad at him but I knew I couldn’t.
“I have never felt like this for anyone Nina, and I don’t imagine I could ever feel like this for anyone else. I believe that you are my one and only.” He said looking me directly in the eyes.
I searched his eyes for any hint of lying but I couldn’t find any. The only thing that I saw was honesty and seriousness.
“But what about Adelina?” I asked him.
Lucas focused his gaze back on the water.
“After seeing you out on that bench last night, I knew I had to do something about it. Just seeing you sitting there made my heart go wild. I can’t have those feelings for someone else. It isn’t fair to either you or Adelina. Long story short, I told Adelina that I couldn’t go through with the marriage anymore.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Happiness began to rise inside of me, the pain dissipating.
“What about your father? I thought that he wanted you to marry her to help strengthen the pack?” I asked him. “
They really did tell you everything, didn’t they?” He asked as he too threw a pebble into the water below trying to skip it as he did so.
I simply just shrugged and said “maybe.”
He exhaled as he replied, shame showing on his handsome face. “I talked to him about it after I broke up with her. He was disappointed but I’m sure he will get over it fast. My mother was happy about it though for some odd reason. I don’t think she wanted me to be with her.”
“I don’t blame her,” I replied my jealousy showing through.
“Nina, you don’t even know Adelina.”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” I replied truly ashamed for what I just said.
“It’s fine. I understand your feelings. Seeing you with the others drove me insane as well. I can only imagine how bad it would feel if I had to deal with what you did with Adelina and myself.”
“You can’t even imagine,” I said to him in all honesty.
“I’m sorry Nina.” I looked into his face and he looked into mine.
My eyes locking gaze
s with him. “I won’t do that to you ever again dear sweet Nina, I promise.”
We sat just like that staring into each other’s eyes. The world disappearing around us. Not a sound could be heard, not even the birds were audible. I could feel my heart beginning to race and pound in my chest. Lucas ever so slowly leaned in towards me. My breathing increased as he came near. He was so close I could smell him. He smelled of sweet heaven. It made my mouth water as I leaned in closer to him. His chest pounded against mine as his lips were inches from my own. His lips brushed ever so slowly against mine as I closed my eyes.
Unexpectedly, a noise came from behind me making me lose my balance and almost fall into the water. Lucas grabbed my arm as he steadied my balance scanning the woods for danger.
Reed popped out of the trees and exclaimed “Sorry, I was just coming to check on Nina. I wanted to make sure she was ok but evidently, you two made up and she is way more than ok.”
He walked straight up to Lucas, holding his hands up, as we both stood up. Reed gave Lucas a light punch on the shoulder as my face lit up bright red.
“No need to be embarrassed Nina, it’s just me. I knew it was only a matter of time. I can read Lucas’s thoughts quite easily even if he was doing his best to block us. I mean he has been my best friend since we were children. I don’t need to read his thoughts to know what he thinks and wants, and you Nina are definitely what he wants.”
“Wait,” I replied. “We can block out each other’s thoughts?” I asked them.
“Yes, but it takes some practice. Don’t be disappointed if it takes you a little while to figure it out.” Lucas replied to my question.
“The only one who is a little disappointed right now is me, I mean you chose Lucas over me. Look at him I mean what does he have that I don’t. Well besides the black coat that is.” He said jokingly bringing out the Reed we knew so well.
Lucas rolled his eyes as I laughed. “Maybe one day, I’ll choose you,” I said to him.
“Dude, don’t joke like that. You will keep me waiting for you for forever.” Reed replied.
We all laughed as Lucas grabbed my hand and we made our voyage back to the castle.
Walking hand in hand with Lucas, all three of us finally made it back to the castle. It was a long walk, I didn’t realize I went so far away. I must have really been out of it when I was running. They all followed me to the door of my house before they stopped and Lucas let go of my hand as I opened the door.
“You guys can come in if you want. They won’t bite you.”
Reed replied, “Eh I won’t be so sure about that. I tend to bring the worst out in people.” Flashing me a smile and winking.
Lucas answered, “Remind me again how we became friends Reed.” As he looked over towards Reed.
“Because I’m irresistible.” He answered back to Lucas. “Isn’t that right Nina?” I just rolled my eyes at him as Lucas did the same thing.
“Are you two coming in?” I asked them.
Truthfully, I wanted almost needed them to come in to distract me from Catherine. After the fight, I didn’t know if I wanted to confront her yet. She seemed furious at me and I wasn’t prepared to make it worse. Besides, she seems to really like Lucas. Maybe he could calm her down.
They looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders and saying “sure.”
Lucas grabbed the door from my hands allowing me to walk in first followed by Reed.
I muttered “thank you,” to him as I passed on through.
Reed on the other hand gently punched Lucas in the stomach who made a grunting sound. In return, Lucas rubbed the top of Reed’s hair who tried desperately to fix it back in place.
“Oh my, I brought children into the house,” I said to them rolling my eyes once more at their childish act.
For the first time, I noticed Lucas’s face turn a shade darker.
I started laughing as I told him, “Don’t worry everyone acts like a kid at some point. I was only kidding with you. No need to get embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed,” he told me as he avoided eye contact by looking towards the wall.”
“Uh-huh,” Reed said. “The big oaf over here would never admit he’s embarrassed.”
He gave a scowl directed towards Reed who just shrugged his shoulders and replied “What it’s true isn’t it?”
I left them alone why they had their little argument, their voices becoming muffled as I distanced myself from them. I went to go find where my sister and mother were located. As I passed my mother’s bedroom, I noticed she was asleep on her bed without her blankets on. It was quite cool in the house so I went over to her and grabbed a blanket to drape over her slender body. It was a little strange usually Cath was very careful in making sure my mother was in the best of conditions. Not that it bothered me taking care of my mother, but it was just not in Cath’s normal behavior. Maybe she was a little more upset than I originally thought. It made a butterfly feeling of uneasiness inside me as I came to that thought. I was never good at apologizing to people when I did something wrong that upset them.
I quietly left the room making sure not to make any noise that would wake my mother. I gently shut the door behind me. Walking towards my sister’s room I noticed the door was closed. Realizing that I would have to face my fears and acknowledge my sister, I gently knocked on the door calling out “Cath, are you in there?”
There was no response only dead silence.
I waited a few minutes before calling “Cath?” As I began to slowly open the door.
Again, there was no response and I peeped through the slit in the partially opened door.
Not seeing her, I opened the door very slowly making sure she wasn’t sleeping on her bed. My gaze went straight to her bed in which she wasn’t there. I scouted the entire room as I realized that she wasn’t there. I knocked on her bathroom door, no response. I opened it, no sight of her. I ran out of her room and went straight to the kitchen. She wasn’t there as well. Panic began to strike me.
“Cath!”
No response.
Reed and Lucas appeared in the kitchen and Lucas asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t find Catherine.”
Everything sunk in my body. Tears began to fill my eyes.
“Oh no, Oh no no no,” I said out loud. “Please tell me she didn’t.”
The palms of my hands going to my face.
Lucas grabbed my arms and looked me directly in the face lowering my hands. He was bent down so he could look at me at eye level.
“Nina, what is wrong?"
I looked at him before I tried to pull away and run to the door. He was still holding my arm restricting me from movement.
“Please Nina, let me help. What is wrong?”
“Let me get outside and I will tell you there.”
I tugged my arm from his grasp and ran out the door into the hallway and then outside. They ran after me as I stopped in the grass needing all the fresh air I could get to fill my collapsing lungs. I heard Reed’s voice from behind me causing me to turn around and look at him.
“Nina, you’re scaring us.” He said with worry in his voice. “What is wrong?”
“It’s Catherine. I must hurry. We got in a fight yesterday. I told her that she couldn’t go home, not until its safe. Then she told me she wanted to be a werewolf and it made me upset. I think she went home alone.”
I scrambled as I turned around prepared to run back into the woods by myself.
“Nina, wait.” Lucas’s voice spoke. “Let me go with you. You can’t go alone. It’s way too dangerous. I have no idea what Seth will do to you if he finds you.”
“Alright,” I said bowing my head down. “Thank you, Lucas.”
“No need to thank me, Nina.” He replied to me.
As we began to run into the woods Reed’s voice rang out “Wait up guys, you don’t expect me not to come and help do you?” He said as he chased after us.
We stopped and let him catch up.<
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“Thank you, Reed, you don’t have to do this. I don’t know what will happen.” I told him truthfully.
“I know I don’t have to, I want to.” He responded.
We all took off with great speed trying to get to my house as fast as we could. We had no idea what kind of danger Catherine could be in. For all, I knew Seth could have gotten ahold of her and she could be dead by the time we reach her. Tears began to fill my eyes once more as this thought popped into my head.
Lucas’s voice erupted into my head “Shh dear sweet Nina, don’t think that my love.”
I looked over at him saying no words. I was grateful for what he said as his words calmed me down some. I was overreacting. For all I knew Catherine could be in perfectly fine condition just feeding the livestock, enjoying what the sun has to offer.
As we crossed the border from our land into my old packs, their stench struck my nose. It made me nervous smelling it once more. The smell brought back old memories that haunted my dreams at night. Then I thought of the one person in the pack on which I thought I could trust, Rafiq. I was still a little sad that he betrayed me but more than the sadness I felt anger. Anger that he could betray me in such a way. One that almost ultimately led to my family’s death. I really hoped I didn’t see him again for fact that if I did, he would not be in a very good condition afterwards.
Finally, we came to my house as our footsteps slowed. I walked over to the barn hoping that was where she would be. I saw no sign of her but my heart sank, for what, I did not know. My body was trying to tell me something.
Reed’s voice spoke out, “Do you smell that?” He asked us.
Lucas said with worry in his voice “Seth.”
My eyes grew large as I smelt the air as well. It was indeed Seth’s scent.
“Cath!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“Shh Nina! We can’t draw Seth’s attention. We have no idea whether she is ok or not. We must be quiet.”
“It’s my sister!” I yelled back at him terrified.
“I know Nina, but if the entire pack is here we are outnumbered. If something were to happen to us, your sister would be in even more trouble.”
