Waking up, I roll over and Chetan is already up. Looking around, I see him getting his bags ready. The pain hits me, and it was almost unbearable to think about what these next few days will be like without him.
"Don't worry, I saved you a few of my flannel shirts to wear." He laughs, revealing his perfectly white teeth. Even now, I often wonder how he could be mine. I think everything about him is perfect.
"I wish you weren't going." I feel the water coming to my eyes, but I quickly hold back tears.
"Then come with me baby."
"We have already been over this, I can't."
He frowns. "I don't know what to say."
I pull the blankets over my face. "I think we proved many times that being apart isn't good for us," I say under my breath, but loud enough for him to catch it.
"I can't give up everything for you Zare."
The blankets quickly come flying down from my face. I honestly can't believe he said that.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" I yell with more anger than I participated.
I instantly see the looks from Chetan. That serious look he gives me when he just stares a hole through me, and his eyebrows crossed together.
Getting up, I still stretch, even though I want to get out of here as quickly as possible. I have nothing else to say. I already explained why I can't go back, and it's his job to accept the reason.
I move towards the exit. I feel a strong but gentle grip on my arm.
"Where are you going?"
"Just away from you." He gently moves the hair behind my ear.
"I'm sorry." I see the love in his eyes, as he looks into mine.
I nod. He brings his lips to my forehead, and I instantly melt in his arms, nestling my head into his chest like I always do.
"I'm just frustrated, because I don't want to be away from you either."
"I love you Chetan." I smile as he kisses all over my face, and then he rubs his nose against mine.
"You're very close to your mom, huh."
"Yeah, a little spoiled I guess," he laughs.
"I get it."
"Just gotta make sure she's all right. It's been a long time since I left the forest."
"I know me too."
"Zare, I want you to use your head while I'm gone. I know everything has been relaxed, but you know that doesn't last forever. You know, you've been able to go out by yourself, and Ajay dropped all the rules, but you have to be smart, you know, don't do anything stupid."
I laugh. "I'll try."
Chetan grabs his bags, and my heart drops. "Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah, I mean I can race as a wolf up until Sandy Shores limits, but then I have to walk the rest of the way. It's going to be a long walk."
"Yeah, be safe."
We both walk out of the sleeping den hand in hand. Smoke and Forest left moments ago apparently. I frown, choking down the gulp of sadness.
Dev, and Riya approach us. I know everybody's thinking I'm crazy for just letting him leave alone. Maybe I am.
"You take care of my girl."
Dev nods. "She'll only be a werewolf when you come back." We all laugh at the joke. It's no secret that I've been a vampire, a ghost, and had a patch of zombie skin on my chest. What else can go wrong?
I wrap Chetan in a hug. He rubs my face gently as I lay my head on his chest. I look up at him and I see my reflection in his eyes. My heart belongs solely to him, and he is the only one that will ever hold it.
He brings his lips to mine and kisses me longer than normal. I know he was struggling, because his arms were shaking slightly.
"I got you something." He hands me a long jewelry gift box. It was red and decorated with a very soft fabric.
My hands open the box, and my heart melts looking at the beautiful bracelet inside of it. There were multiple werewolf charms that I noticed to represent every member of the pack, and I adore the vampire one he included for Ash, likewise a special bear charm for Forest.
"Chetan, I love it." He places the bracelet on my wrist.
"Hang on a second, I didn't know we were going to give presents now."
I moved back to the den as quickly as I can. My hands opened the wooden box, I kept my clothes in, and at the bottom was where I buried Chetan's present.
Once I return back to Chetan, I hand him a glass bottle.
"Gingerbread whiskey." He says with a laugh, after he analyzed the title.
"We all know how you like your whiskey."
"It will numb the nights I'm away from you."
He kisses me one more time before I watch him disappear deep in the forest.