Matt;
'Matt, what the hell is going on here?' Piper called, taking the steps two at a time a little behind me. I pressed my lips into a thin line, not wanting to think about what the hell could be happening behind the closed doors. I knew that the moment that Pretty Girl appeared in front of us, rearing back onto her hind legs and nearly kicking each of us in the face that something was wrong. I leapt up the last three steps and was finally on the landing that was Arlo and Amelia's. I hadn't had chance to tell Piper about what had happened with Arlo, I was about to when Lori appeared and then Pretty Girl… and…
'Oh, my Goddess. Do you smell it?' I asked, glancing over my shoulder and taking in the horrified look on Pipers face. She barged past me and threw open Amelia's bedroom door. The smell of blood was so strong now that it almost took my breath away. The last time I had smelt it this strong was that day in the woods with Amelia when we found… 'Piper get back!' I shouted, hurrying over to her and grabbing her arm.
'What are you doing? Our best friend is in there!' She snapped, spinning around to face me. A mutt had never spoken to an Elite in this way; especially as it was forbidden. But in that moment, I knew that Piper was a fighter at heart. I sighed softly and nodded.
'I totally agree. But we just need to be cautious! We don't even know if there is anyone else in here. Just… let me go first, ok?' I whispered, pushing the door open wider and looking around at the destruction site before me. 'What the…'
'D-Do you think that someone broke in here?' Piper asked, taking a step closer to me and holding on to my arm with trembling fingers. The longer that we stood in the room the stronger the scent of blood became. Her blood. I shook my head and closed the bedroom door behind us. If anyone was still in this room, then there was no way that I was going to let them get away!
We hurried into her bathroom and was locked in place from the sight of the blood. There was so much of it. Surely no one could have survived losing this much. My eyes travelled over to the sink and locked onto the one thing that stood out in the darkness of the blood all around. A hand so pale that it almost looked blue. I ran into the room, no longer caring if I was disrupting a crime scene, and dropped down onto the ground cradling Amelia's head in my lap. I looked her over and noticed two faint pink gashes across either of her wrists. And that was when it hit me.
'Matt, what is it? What's wrong?' Piper whispered, reaching out with a trembling and brushing a blood-soaked clump of Amelia's hair out of her face.
'I think that she… that she did this to herself.' I whispered in reply. I refused to take my eyes from the horrifying sight before me, but I already knew that Piper was shaking her head in disbelief. I understood why. It was only a matter of hours ago that we were laughing and joking while she kicked my arse. Other than Piper and Arlo, I didn't think that anyone could read her as good as I could. How did I not see this? I heard Piper snivelling as she wiped her blood covered hands on her jeans, staining them red.
'B-But, why? Why would she do this? I thought that things were staring to look up? I mean… look at her today. I haven't seen her look that relaxed since… well… since she arrived here.'
'It'd because she was too far gone. T-That is how it starts. I have seen this before.' I whispered in reply, still refusing to look away from my bloodied friend. Before Piper had a chance to ask anything more, I turned my face back towards her and sighed heavily. I cleared my throat and looked around the room.
'Ok, here is what we need to do. Go and shut her door. We need to get this place fixed up and try and get rid of as much of this blood as possible. We can't let Arlo know that this has happened!' I said, my tone coming out strong and confident; basically, every emotion that was opposite to what I was feeling in this moment.
'What? Matt that is… ridiculous. We have to get her to the medical ward!' She snapped whirling around to face me.
'Look, Pipes… her wrists are already healed. Yes, she has lost a lot of blood but how the fuck are we going to be able to explain this to anyone?'
'And Arlo? He has a right to know! They are practically boyfriend and girlfriend.' I remained silent and dropped my face to the ground. 'Oh, right.' Piper whispered, fleeing from the room and closing Amelia's door as quietly as possible. We didn't have long before dinner was going to be ready, and when I didn't show up; and neither did Amelia and Piper, then people were going to know that something was wrong. If we can at least get this room looking at least semi normal and get rid of this blood, then we can just say that she wasn't feeling too good after the training session that me and her had. Shit! What about Lori?
'Matt, I understand that you want to get this covered up, but what if she has done damage that we can't see? What if it is more than what she is able to heal from?' Piper whispered, appearing in the doorway tears running down her cheeks freely. I pulled Amelia up into my arms and placed her in the bathtub. Not conventional; especially as she was still fully clothed in her pyjama's, but I figured that at least her being here I could keep an eye on her. I turned back to Piper and pulled her into my arms, sighing softly.
'Look… there are many questions that both of us have. And right now, the best thing that we could do is get this room and bathroom cleared up. And how about, as we get it all sorted, I will fill you in on everything I know?' I asked, gesturing her out into the bedroom as we both began scooping up all the broken furniture that littered the room.
Piper;
Two hours later we had tidied the entire bedroom, repaired what we could, mopped the blood from the bathroom; including washing it thoroughly over with bleach, the only substance that I could think of that was strong enough to mask the smell from even the most trained werewolf. I had washed Amelia, getting all the blood off of her and carefully removing the dried clumps from her hair as gently as I could. I just couldn't wrap my head around everything. Matt had explained everything that had happened after his training session with Lia, and what Arlo had told him. But I still can't believe that she would do something like this. I knew that she had always hated life, and that she hated life just as much in here, but I thought that she wanted to live? I thought that she wanted to run away and start a fresh, somewhere that no one knew her. It broke my heart to realise that things had gotten this bad. Bad enough to try and end her own life.
'What are you thinking?' Matt's voice called out from across the room. I flinched and turned to face him trying my hardest to put together the broken pieces of my mind.
'S-She can't stay here! I mean, how do we know that she is going to be safe here. Perhaps she should come and stay with me and my mum for a while?' I paused for a moment and sighed. 'I hate to say this but, thank the goddess that Lori smelt this.'
'I have been thinking about that. Something just doesn't add up to me. I mean, Lori of all people would know the different between blood and menstrual blood. So, why did she taker her time coming down to us? I mean, if she was that worried her then… why did she take so long coming down to us?' He paused and shook his head before continuing. 'But, if she really wanted her dead, then why did she come down at get us at all?' His eyes clouded over as he seemed to drift off deep into thought. There was so much left unanswered here, and I knew in that moment that I was not going to rest until I had gathered all the answers. For Amelia. And for us!
Amelia;
I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Whatever I was laying on was seriously uncomfortable! And there was a strong smell burnt my nose. Kind of reminding me of the time that I ate too much horseradish in one go. That burn in my nose scarred me for life! I raised my hand to my hair and realised that it was slightly damp. Had I passed out in the bathroom? I sat up and looked around at everything. What had happened? I glanced down at my skin that was so pale that I was almost transparent as the memories flooded into my mind. I had done this. I tried to end it all. And I failed. Fuck! I couldn't even do this right! I sighed and glanced down at my pain-free wrists and noticed that there wasn't a mark on them. What the fuck was going on? Had I dreamt all of this? I climbed from the tub; weakly, and held myself steady for a moment, trying to maintain my balance. And that was when I noticed the hushed voices coming from my bedroom.
I slowly walked forward, keeping one hand on the wall to steady me at all times and gasped at the sight. Matt and Piper were stood in the centre of my room; now fully restored back to the way that it had been; before my tantrum. And were now stood close to one another whispering.
'W-What are you guys doing here?' I asked. My voice so weak that it was alien to my own ears. Piper gasped and whirled around on the spot so that we were face to face. She crossed the room so quickly that I almost didn't register her moving until her arms were around me, squeezing me tightly. I could feel the warmth of her tears soaking into my clean pyjama top as she buried her face in the crook of my neck. I glanced over to Matt weakly who rolled his eyes and shook his head. Typical Matt, even in the direst of situations, he still made me smile.
Oh, Lia. Why didn't you speak to me? To Matt? Why did you think that this was your only option?' She continued breathlessly. I didn't know what to say, I couldn't tell them that I meant to do it, even though we all knew that I did. I had to lie.
'It, was an accident.' I croaked, trying my best not to look at Matt, I knew neither of them believed me, they aren't stupid, but I wasn't ready to talk about it… not yet anyway. 'Just one thing, please do not tell Arlo about this.' Matt and Piper looked at each other and then at me.
Okay.' Matt nodded. 'We won't say a word.'
The next day to take my mind off things, me, Piper and Matt went Christmas shopping. It would be Christmas in two days and I still hadn't bought anyone anything, I felt like such a bad person, a bad friend. Matt drove us into town, and it was packed with people who too had left everything last minute. Piper had done my hair, it was put into a high ponytail and I had finally put some make up on, anything to make myself look less like a zombie and more like me; Amelia-May. I wore a pair of light blue skinny jeans and brown ankle boots as well as a baggy pink jumper, it was still so cold outside and since losing a lot of blood, I felt the cold more than I ever had done before. It would take some time for my body to replace what I lost.
'Where do you want to go first?' Matt asked as we stepped foot in the large indoor shopping mall. I looked around and took in everything, it was beautifully decorated and had a large glittery Christmas tree standing in the middle of the floor, white and silver decorations and baubles glistened and shimmered as the large lights reflected off them.
'I want to look in the jewellery shop.' I smiled; I already knew what I wanted to buy everyone except for; Arlo… With him I didn't have a clue. Do I buy him something? We had practically broken up, but I still loved him so much. I feared rejection, what if I bought him something and he didn't want it? My mind was so messed up still, why did my suicide attempt have to fail? Everything was so fucked up, for everyone and I was to blame.
Finally, after hours of shopping Matt agreed to us going for some food, mine and Piper's stomachs had started rumbling after the first shop we had been in and all we talked about since then was food! Matt could shop for England; I had never known anyone to love shopping so much, this was my second time of going; in my life and I had already decided I hated it, it was too busy for me and so overwhelming.
'Okay, okay, you hangry ladies, what do you want to eat?' Matt laughed as we stood in thee food court. Me and Piper both looked around at all the restaurants and squealed excitedly.
'A hotdog' we both replied in unison.
'The American Diner it is then.' Matt laughed.
We sat in a red booth at the back of the Restaurant and looked through the menu. I had never been so hungry in my life, my weak body craved energy and carbs! I ordered a hot dog with a side of chips, as well as a chicken burger and a large peanut butter flavoured milkshake and I devoured the lot. Matt and Piper looked so happy to see me eat, smiles spread across their faces and they looked at each other. These crazy pair loved and cared for me so much, I was lucky but and they meant the world to me, but after everything, I didn't know if it would be enough.
'So, have we got everything?' Matt asked as we walked to his car.
'I think so.' I concluded staring at all the bags that he was carrying. He insisted that me and Piper were not to carry anything, especially me. I felt like they were treating me as though I was a little china doll, that I was Fragile. I never wanted anyone to feel like they had to walk on eggshells around me and that they had to be careful with what they would say. No one brought up Arlo and no one had brought up the suicide attempt, but I wanted to talk about him, he was mine once and he still had my heart, but we acted like he didn't even exist.
'Lia; how do you feel about staying with me for a while?' Piper asked as we pulled up to the pack mansion. I looked through the windshield in front of me, staring at the large grey building in sadness. A feeling of dread panged in my tummy and I bit back tears, all that it represented to me now, was darkness. Memories flooded my head, talking to him for the first time, laughing with him, being held by him, the ball and making love to him. It all ran through my mind like a tape, I just wanted to be in his arms, snuggling into his chest, but he wasn't my man, he was another woman's and the thought of anyone else being intimate with him made my skin crawl.
I looked up at my friends they were both staring at me as I was lost in thought. 'I think that, it would be for the best for now.' I admitted sadly, undoing my seatbelt.
I agree.' Matt smiled, looking relieved, he placed his hand on mine and squeezed it reassuringly, although he was smiling, his face told a different story. I knew exactly why they wanted me to stay at Piper's house and that was because they wanted to keep an eye on me, neither of them trusted me to be on my own, and I didn't blame them. I wouldn't trust me either.
It was Christmas Eve, and I was helping Piper make Gingerbread men for the children of the pack, we played Christmas music and did anything possible to distract ourselves from the last two days. I was trying to mentally prepare myself for Christmas day, I should have been excited because Christmas for me as I grew up, was just like a normal day. My grandparents never decorated or put a Tree up and I never got any presents. But this year was supposed to be different, I was meant to spend it with my new family… with Arlo and now it would be as lonely as ever. The sooner it was over with, the better and to make things worse, everyone had to attend Christmas dinner at the mansion. 'It will be okay, you know.' Piper said looking up at me. I took another swig of wine and rolled my eyes.
'I don't want to see anyone.'
My friend weakly smiled and sat on the stool opposite me, she poured herself another glass of Rose' and refilled my now empty glass. 'You mean you don't want to see Arlo?'
The sound of his name made my stomach fill with unwanted butterflies and a lump built in my throat. 'I do want to see him.' I croaked, desperately biting back the tears. 'But I can't, it will hurt too much.'
Tears started to fill Piper's big brown eyes and she rubbed my hand. 'I know and I am so angry. I'm so fucking annoyed that this is happening to you both. Hand on heart; Amelia I believe you and Arlo are meant to be together and even if it's not in this life, it will be in the next.'
I know she was trying to make me feel better and I appreciated it, but being dead, was much more appealing than feeling like this. I felt like a lost soul, nothing in my life made sense and I was not destined happiness. I do not know what Selene had planned for me, but I was sure It wouldn't get any better. She could have my life, I never asked to be born and I didn't want it.
Piper and Tanya had gone to bed at around midnight, I did go to bed as well, but I couldn't sleep. I wrapped a blanket around myself and sat on the front porch gazing up at the stars. My mind wondered to the Elder and Elite that had been killed, their funerals were being held the day after boxing day and everyone was expected to attend; but after the last two I don't think I would be able to do it. I shook my head, stop it Amelia; it's Christmas! Think of something that makes you happy. But the next person that filled my thoughts was; Arlo, what was he doing right now? Was he okay? Did he miss me as much as I missed him? I took the box of cigarette's out of my pyjama bottom pockets and lit myself one. I only ever smoked when I was drinking or when I was upset and Arlo hated me doing it, but it helped me relax a little, even if it was for only a couple of minutes. My stare went from the stars, to the moon and I decided to talk to Selene. I don't know if she was listening to me, but there was a small bit of hope, that she was. 'Why?' I asked, 'Why this life? What is my purpose? Do I even have one? Why does the only person I have ever truly loved to belong to another? He made me so happy, I made him happy and you have destroyed it.'
Arlo;
I stood on the balcony and looked up at the clear night sky. I hadn't been able to sleep in my bed since I told Amelia I was imprinting with someone else. My whole room smelt of her and my bed was now cold. I had been sleeping on my sofa ever since she had left, I just wanted to hold her. I leant over the balcony railings to see if I could see Piper's bungalow, but it was too far away, as I pulled back, I looked down at the balcony underneath me and spotted Matt. He was standing in his training clothes, his knuckles still wrapped, and he was having a cigarette, I wondered what he was thinking. He and Piper were the only two people that Amelia would open up to and I knew that he had taken them shopping. I just wished it was me that went with her. Since the day I watched Matt and Amelia train together and I told him what was going on, he hadn't been the same. It was almost like he was hiding something from me, either that or he just didn't know what to say. I looked back up at the moon and stared at it intently, I knew Selene could hear my thoughts. I turned away and walked back into my room, I wanted to see Amelia so desperately. From the very first moment I saw her in the woods and looked into her eyes, I knew she would be special to me, her beautiful pale face instantly drew me in. My mind wandered back to that the day we first saw each other.
I was sat in my office and my phone rang, I remember looking up at my clock, it was 7:57 am. I answered it only to hear the panicky voice of Amelia's; grandmother. 'She has gone! Tell Jake she has gone!' she shrieked.
I shot out of my office and found my parents and Jake. 'Amelia has gone.' I said pulling my car keys out of my pocket, I gave them to my parents and headed for the woods. The cottage was about a 90-minute walk from the mansion and I had a gut feeling that she would be there. If I am honest, I don't know why I had the feeling. I have never met Amelia, I knew of her and listened to Charlie spit hatred, but my gut was telling me she was there. Once I got into the woods I started walking and got a familiar scent, it was the brown wolf and then I got another scent, it was sweet and flowery, there was a hint of lavender; Amelia? A familiar pain shot through my spine and into my head, my bones started cracking, I was shifting? But how? We can only shift during a full moon, no one could shift spontaneously! Once I shifted into a wolf, I started running, following the two scent's, Amelia was in danger! My ears twitched as I heard the galloping of a horse and then I heard a heartbeat, it was racing out of fear, I crept forward from behind a tree and saw Amelia on the floor, the brown wolf was walking towards her, but she tried her best to stand, I realised she was hurt and then I pounced.
I heard her cry and I looked straight over to her but as I did I felt the brown wolves teeth bite into my neck, he threw me over his shoulder and I smacked into a tree, I was hurt, but I needed to get to her before he did. Before I could get up the brown wolf pounced, he was going to hurt her and then a flash of white ran over to him, it was a Unicorn!
'Oh my gosh!' Amelia squealed. 'You came back?' She knew this Unicorn. How? Unicorn's are terrified of us werewolves and yet this one was saving Amelia? The Brilliant creature kicked her back legs into the wolf, the sound of cracking bones rang through my ears and the brown wolf was skidded into a large tree.
I watched in amazement as the Unicorn ran away with Amelia on her back, this girl was special, very special. I got up and followed them, they were going very fast and I struggled to keep up with them, my neck and back were still in so much pain but I needed to get to Amelia and get her out of these woods, we were not in our packs territory, we wasn't in anyone's for that matter, so if anyone wanted to attack here, they could.
Amelia turned to look at me and shouted 'shift.' She wanted me to shift back to my human form, but I couldn't something wouldn't let me. I saw the desperation in her eyes, she thought I was going to hurt them. I watched as Amelia leant into the Unicorns neck and listened to what she said, 'Pretty Girl, slow down.' But she wouldn't instead she got faster. Amelia sat back up and as she did a thick branch smacked her in the head forcing her to be sent flying off of the Unicorn. She landed on her back and her hid hit the dry soil, the sound of her skull smacking into the earth made me wince. She screamed in pain and the smell of her blood overpowered my nose, she started to quietly cry. I inched myself closer to her and started smelling her blood, I was trying to find where she was hurt.
'Please no' she whimpered. I looked at her beautiful face and took in the beauty of her Olive-green eyes, I could have got lost in them, but she started to slowly close her eye lids. I nudged her face lightly, trying to stop her fall into a state of unconsciousness, but it was too late.
It was then I was able to shift back into my human form, I was completely naked, my brand-new suit had been ripped to shreds when the shift happened. I picked her up and carried her back to the mansion in my arms, her Unicorn walked beside me the whole time. I wasn't sure why she was not uneasy around me I expected her to kick me the way she did the brown-wolf, but instead she stayed walking by my side occasionally nudging her face into Amelia's neck, it was obvious they had a connection, but the question was, why?