THE MORNING HAD FINALLY COME, and it sucked. Her only wish was to sleep for the rest of her existence, but life never worked in her favour. It hated her as much she hated it. Alison's sleep had depleted a while ago, waking up was no longer the pleasure it used to be. There was a fleeting moment when she would feel whole again but it evaporated faster than summer rain off the burnt earth. Her eyes drooping and leaden with sleep snap open as violently as if she'd woken by raid sirens wailing. By the time here eyes were opened, her brain had become overwhelmed all over again as if it were all new, fresh, raw. Oh, how she wished she could linger in that blissful ignorance of waking or else never sleep.
"Ali. You up honey?" Her mother's gentle voice boomed through the door as it always did every morning.
"Yeah" Too tired to not sound it, she felt tired. Was it, there was never a in-between.
She readied herself for school, repeating what she always did everyday. Somethings never changed, then again she never expected it to ever change. The steps made the stairs creak, she went straight to the kitchen, and deciding to fix herself a bowl of cereal. Sitting right down at the dining room table, watching the colourful wheels of coral float around in her bowl full of milk.
"How was your sleep?" the silence broke, her mother's voice boomed trying her best to cut off the silence that surrounded the both of them. But Alison's mood was like sour candy, she preferring solitude over anything else, always had and now even more than ever.
Alison's ghost of a smile eased the tension that seemed to keep on lingering since the night before, "It was fine, you?" She asked.
That horrible feeling she felt for her mother came back, she couldn't comprehend what it would feel like if she'd ever lost her mate, even though she hadn't met him yet. Most of the people her age had found there other half a long time ago, she was the only one left. Her dad had comforted her in her time of doubt, always cheering her up by saying things like, "you never know Ali, he could be a very important person." If only that was true, the sadness she felt before came back, it rushed through her like a rocket about to take off. She couldn't figure it out, why was she the last one, she knew she was socially awkward but...still. She was trying, Trying to stay positive but even though she thought about it she didn't quit want to meet them either. The fear of letting them down was strong, even if they were designed for you, she just didn't understand that. There was no free will, What if she didn't like them? would she be force to be with them?
"It was okay" she said with a sigh as she smiled back. The only time she saw her mom was only in the mornings, she was at work most of the time and she was at school.
"Things will get better, I promise Ali" she reassured her, she didn't really want to reply to her so she kept quiet, looking at her cereal, avoiding eye contact.
"Okay, ready?" She got up from her seat swiftly, took her bowl as she'd nodded her head 'yes'. Sighing, this was going to be a long day.
THE HALLS WERE CROWDED WITH PEOPLE, and the chaos was so perfect, like a movie. There was the couple that was always making out on the left side of the hall, and about ten feet farther down, the cliquey girls. Opposite them, the cliquey jocks, and between them , the parade of band geeks with their huge interment cases. There were the aerospace tech kids who never did anything but make paper airplanes and the fashion kids that wheeled mannequins and clothing racks down the halls. And then there was her, not that she fitted into any of those groups.
The school bell went off, making her flinch, more than ever. Today she felt extra sensitive. The students that once were lazying about rushed to get to their classes. Another day of pretending she was okay and another of letting others know she was "Fine." A defiant lie but what else was she going to say to them, she hated people talking to her, the only friend she had was too preoccupied with her new found mate to care, but she couldn't blame her, she would do the same, as any other mated wolves would do.
She slumped at the vinyl desk-for-one, flicking at the tape that peeled from the side to reveal the MDF board underneath. There plastic chairs were alright a few grades ago but now all the lights were wrong and it made her back ache. The teacher went on and on about something, she wasn't quite sure what the topic was, probably some war and bout our King Gabriel, this was history it revolved around him and his greatnesses, just as everything else did also.
She'd met him once, a few years back. Her aunt Emily worked for him and so did her dad, he was nice for a King but defiantly intimidating. But the amount she had to hear about him during history was too much, anything else could be better than listen to her teacher repeat over and over again about how great he was. How he had saved them all from the legendary Vampire Marcel.
Although some say he wasn't really dead, but still lived on, living in the shadows. Some even say he was one of them before he turned all murdery and all, but was curse for his sins? Maybe, what was all said was true, could explain the amount of killings had been going down lately. Her dad's dead too- Stop! She thought, stopping herself from continued. This was why she hated history just as much as she hated school itself, the subject was a waste of time, what has gone and pasted should stay in the past. How will this subject help her in anyway in the near future? How will this help her get a job or with her daily living? It'd made no sense at all-
"I see some of you are not paying enough attention to what I am saying, Miss Richardson?-" Her teacher said. Busted like a deer in headlights.
"Is there something more important than listening to what I have to say?" Yes, she thought. But never dared say it out loud.
"No, Sir."
"Then I guess you should start paying more attention then." With that he turned around to face his whiteboard. Asshole.
The class felt like hours, even though it was an hour but the moment the bell had rung, she got out of there so quickly. Dreading the next class more than the one before, was it ever going to end.
A HAND GRASPED HER SHOULD GENTLY, as she walked out. She didn't fear the person, she knew who it was. "Thank the lord above that class ended!" Haley spoke as they made their way to the cafeteria, it wasn't a long away though.
"What is it with that teacher and making that subject boring!" She complained.
"Is it too much to ask for to make it slightly interesting?" She ranted on and on about how history could be made fun and enjoyable. And she agreed, if only the subject would change, she thought. They both walked through rays of student bodies, as they pasted by. Nearing the cafeteria doors, pushing through them revealing more students scattering around the hall, eating drinking and gossiping with each other, about god knows what.
Her and Haley would never really sit in the cafeteria, they always went behind the school where the forest was, and just sat there instead. Something about the forest, it hums of life all around her. Birds that sang sweetly and the sun breaking through the cracks, lighting up the dirt path ahead of her, decorated with outgrown roots, wildflowers and fallen leaves that crunch beneath her boots.
She trudge on, taking in the fragrance of minty grass and the dampened earth. Each breathe is like water, fresh and cleansing, flowing freely into her lungs. Feeling at peace. A blissful silence, she couldn't deny but take in.
Haley walked beside her, her beauty radiating more than ever. The envy Alison was too high, some might even call it jealousy; thick, blonde hair, with a hint of waves. She would kill to look like her, maybe then she would be good enough for her future mate. Or maybe God never created one for her, maybe he didn't even bother, she could barely talk to any of the boys her age. She would have a massive panic attack. Panic was a four letter word. Yes it was. Her nerves always frayed to the quick. In her building anxiety she constructed elaborated rationalisations for why everything would turn out alright, but still the nagging voice in the back of her mind spoke of nothing but doom ahead. How she wished she was just a normal function girl, where she didn't get so caught up in her nerves that always seem to rise when speaking to the opposite sex, to flirt with a guy for once but then again what was the point. They all had assigned mates they were destined to be with, so dating was never an option for werewolves, for ever participating it would be committing betrayal, cheating. But some didn't really care.
They sat under the same tree they always sat at, and ate their lunches in a peaceful silence. The tree stood mute in the spring air, as the damp weather had left a few hours ago. The humidity encases the both of them and the boughs above her don't move. Looking around, no longer are the leaves above the delicate shade of new asparagus, they are as deep as winter kale, deeper still where they overlap. Each one is so tiny, and from down here even more so; yet together they almost obscure the sun rays that brought the unbearable heat. Even the birds are going silent now, she imagined they were high in the rough limbs, statue like, breathing with open beaks. There was a fragrance here, a distinctive aroma of leaf and soil. Underneath her the ground was lumpy with roots that projected through the soil and she lost cotton clothes.
As she chewed on her homemade sandwich, Haley released a cough, "So... did you hear about that guy that... you know?" She knew where her friend was going with that sentence, she was talking about her dad's murder, that had been captured.
"Yeah.." Her reply too soft to be heard by Human ears, but she knew Haley heard her, giving her a look of pity. Silently asking if she was okay, was she okay? She kept saying she was, but she didn't feel it. She felt far from okay, but people didn't wanna hear her complain about what she had lost, so she nodded instead, ending the conversation. She chewed on her food and gulping on a bit of water to wash it down. This new reality she was made to face felt overwhelming but what was she to do, she couldn't stop life from going on? Could she?
"I heard he died yesterday..." She continued. He died? Her father's murderer had died? The news should have brought a sense of satisfaction but it didn't. A couple of days ago she wondered who he was? What his face looked like? Maybe if he had died she would feel better? But she didn't. In fact she felt saddened by it. Why? He murdered her father, she shouldn't feel sorry for a murderer. For a killer. Shame consumed her, how could she feel sorry for a murderer, for the person who had killed her father just a couple of days ago?
"Died? As in he no longer is alive?" Alison etched on, wanting her to confirm it once more.
"Yeah, apparently your aunt had something to do with it."
"My aunt? No way, she wouldn't murder anyone even if they did kill her brother-" Haley had to be lying her aunt would never be the cause to end someone's life, it went against what she believed and she practically preached it almost every time she and her hung out. Although rarely she ever saw her these past few months.
"Yeah, my dad was there to witness it." It sounded nothing like her aunt, she was far too kind to even murder anyone one. She refused to believe it. No way, she thought.
"Apparently she was the reason he was here in the first place-" Shock couldn't explain what she felt in that given moment, her aunt was the reason he had stumbled here, if it wasn't for her...her father would still be alive.
"What?! You're lying!" She couldn't believe it, her aunt. There was no way.
"Ali why would I lie to you?" Haley had a point, she had known her since birth, they practically grew up together, there wouldn't be any reason to lie. But this meant that her aunt was the cause for her father's murder. And that she couldn't accept. She wouldn't. She refused to believe. The same aunt that gave her advice and comforted her, the same aunt she spent her weekends with at the movies, the aunt she loved and cherished.
"This is all too much..." Everything felt like a bad dream, a continuous dream she couldn't get away from. She couldn't wake up from.
"I'm sorry... God I feel so insensitive right now." She cried out. Guilt overtook her features.
"No it's not your fault, it's just that..." She stopped herself from continuing, from trying to burden others with her problems.
"Just what?" Haley asked, worried about her friend. The only friend she had, was suffering inside and her hands were tied. She wanted to help but didn't even know how, How was she to open her up and help her express her emotions? She knew what she's been through, losing her father was hard, she can't even comprehend what she would do if she ever lost one of her parents.
"Never mind..."
"Look Ali I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up, I jut though you needed to know. I thought that you knowing would make you feel better" She expressed.
Did it help her though? It just seemed to make her even sadder than before but why?! She should feel a little bit better, knowing her father's murderer had what was coming to him. To received justice but she didn't, actually it made her feel worse.
"I know Hal but in all honesty, it really doesn't... I just don't feel like talking about it" Alison hoped her friend would just drop it. If she didn't, she knew she would break down at any given moment.
Before her friend had chance to argue, the schools bell struck its demanding sound of attention. Saved by the bell. Haley looked towards the school and sighted,
"We'll talk later?" She defiantly wasn't, that was fact. But she wasn't going to tell Haley that, so she just nodded her head leaving Haley to get up from where was sat, only for her to begin walking towards the school for her next class.
God, she hated this. She hated the fact that everyone looked at her like some fragile girl. A girl in need of saving, maybe she was in need of saving? But she didn't want to be saved by them. All she wanted to be is left alone. Away from everything and everyone. Loneliness was Alison's only dependable friend. Always there morning, noon and night. And she preferred it that way. In all the years of her existence, in the many years she has lived there was one thing that had always been true; people only saw what they wanted to see. And what they saw was a lonely, sad fragile girl in need of help and she hated it. She wasn't fragile, at least she didn't want to be.
Grabbing her things, slowly getting up dusting herself off, readying herself. Dreading the fact that she had to sit through another class of uselessness. As much as she didn't want to go, she had no choice but to start making her way.
But she froze. Feeling petrified, the stench of blood, the very same blood that ran through every pieces veins, a humans life-force. At first she didn't notice it. But as she inhaled once more, it was stronger. Closer, as if who ever was wounded was coming right towards her. Oh my God, Oh my God, she thought. She ran, ran as fast as she could towards it, curiosity getting the better of her. Whatever it was, whoever it was. She had to know, she had to see what had happened. The smell swirled in her mind, making her feel light while curiosity aroused in her mind, her eyes glistening as she followed it. That metallic...And vanilla scent? That sweet vanilla scent, that reminded her of a plain vanilla cake with plain buttercream, all topped with a salted caramel sauce and a few chopped nuts. Her favourite dessert, it was easy and tasted sensational.
Addicted, she followed. Desperate to reach its origin, the more she smelt it the more she craved. Her paced quickening, following, hypnotised and bound. Itching to get closer and closer to it, unable to contain the mumbling of her wolves encouraging prompts to follow it, her every limb in her body screamed for her to run faster. The anticipation and the suspension killed her. The scent was stronger now, too strong. Why did it feel so addicting?
Before she's didn't notice the trail of blood beneath her feet, that soaked the ground with its vibrant colour of crimson red, the reddish brown drops quite invisible to the human eyes as it soon began to disappear into the forest floor. Dead end. Alison stood to one side, franticly searching, looking. For What? For something, anything. A person? A person that smelt more delicious than anything she could compare. Addicting, too addicting.
She waited. Standing in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the many trees. Their branches protruded like vines up towards the sky, an embrace of the earth, embracing the heavens. Sending their green glow into the ether, their calming perfume, their oxygen enriched air. Stillness. There was absolute stillness. No air stirred the grass or leaves. No clouds drifted in the sea of blue above. No water dripped or flowed. Not a sound could be heard either close at hand or in the far off distance. Even her own breath seemed to die as soon as it left her mouth.
It was eerie sort of tranquility, so if being soothed her senses became heightened. The smell lingered though, it stayed there. Mocking her, she kept looking around for it but all she could find was more trees and more trees- she felt like prey even though no predator could be detected. It was as if the world were encased in a cocoon, a bubble, and then was no way out. Trapped in that smell.
Minutes went by and she still waited, waited for the source of that amazing smell to show but it didn't. It just kept mocking her with its invisible present. She felt eyes were on her, watching, studying but by who? What?
"Hello?" Calling out into the eeriness of the forest, the suspense was killing her, it kept nagging at her to find that source, as it kept growing faster and stronger. But she should now better than that, every child knows to ignore the voices you heard in the woods. But there was something about that smell that felt so familiar. Something that turned her blood to steaming water.
"Is someone there?" She called out again, she wanted to mentally slap herself at how idiotic she was being. What if they were rogue wolves? They defiantly weren't friendly.
Adrenaline flooded her system, it pumped and heated like it was trying to escape. The sound of a twig breaking had her on high alter, someone was here. She thought her heart would explode and her eyes were wide with fear. Her body either wanted to run fast for safety away from here or to that inviting scent that engulfed her. But she remained where she was, Let's face it, there was really only one thing she could do; Pray no one killed her. She wanted to take one great leap off the pressure plate and run to safety. Her adrenaline surged so fast She almost vomited, tasting the thickness of the saliva in her throat and beads of sweat trickling down her brow. At some point she'll have to move, but before she even managed to move a limp, she felt it. The sparks. The sparks she had so longed waited for. The sparks she thought she'd never feel.
A hand clasped her mouth from behind her, preventing her from screaming. All she managed to release was a muffle of a sound, she barely made a sound. As he pulled her towards his body, closing the distance that seemed to linger between them. It was him. The mate she had waited for, the person she was destined to be with. They were finally connected with one another.
His breath tickled her neck, as he breathed. Heavy and out of breath. The fear travelled in her veins but never made it to her facial muscles or skin. Her complexion remained normal, her eyes as steady as if she were shopping for shoes. She let out an underrated sigh that was muffled by his hand over her mouth that never moved. She tried to turn, but his grip on her tightened. And then she noticed. That same metallic smell, blood. The blood that caught her attention in the first place, that had drew her here into the hands of her mate? The very same mate that held her captive it so seemed. He defiantly wasn't from around here, and he defiantly was running from something. Why was she always the one with bad luck? Her life was one big giant mess and now this was to add to her list of utterly bad luck.
She felt it, the violent red that stained his hands seeping into her mouth, its metallic taste caused a surge of panic within her. Diverting her eyes where his hand laid, the colour burned, its vividness mocked her, burning the image of its very presence upon his hands. A Question left her thinking whether if it was his or did it belong to someone else? Someone he potentially might of killed?! Great! She thought, while most people she knew her age got a loving, less murdery type, however she got the leftovers the universe didn't really want to deal with. Well this was just peachy...
"Move and I'll snap your pretty little neck" His voice deep, he had that rich, silky tone. He speaks as if he controlled the world, his experience seeping through. He would remind you of a stormy day. A nice one.
She felt electricity in her skin, hormones shutting down of her higher brain and the rise of her animal self. Just hearing his voice felt like divine fire for her soul, too intoxicating in all the finest of ways, his voice awoke something in her. He thought she had a pretty neck? What the hell was she doing? She couldn't believe herself, she was smitten with someone who's hands were bloody. Reality sunken in, hearing the chaos around her. They weren't alone like she'd thought, they were completely surrounded. Her aunt calling her name.
"Alison honey... You okay?" What was going on? Why was her aunt here? And what were the guards doing here? She looked at her aunt, worry and stress eating her alive. Dread kept creeping over her aunt like an icy chill, numbing her brain. Not her niece, not her, she thought.
"Grayson please, let her go" Who was she talking to? Was she talking to her mate? Was that his name? Grayson, it suites him, she defiantly liked it. Grayson, Grayson Grayson... It kept echoing in her mind.
"No" He simply said.
"Be quiet" He spoke, too hushed for everyone else to hear but her, she couldn't get enough of hearing him speak. Wait, could he hear her? What she was thinking, or was he speaking to someone else? Haley said there would be a bond created between the two mates but she just met him, she wasn't ready for that sort of commitment.
"Take one more step Emily and I'll have her throat in pieces." As soon those words uttered, left his mouth. He couldn't? He wouldn't kill his own mate, surely. Could he?