The blood drained from my face as soon as I saw those dark blue ocean eyes. I stopped right in my tracks as he narrowed his eyes at me and gave a low growl.
"Where is my friend?", I said to him in a demanding and frightful tone.
"He is still resting. I hope you don't mind, I wanted to look at you through my own eyes" His voice was deeper and rougher than Mathew's but he sounded sincere and I couldn't help but want to hear it again.
"I mind. I mind quite a lot so bring him back to me right now!" I had to focus and try to get Mathew to take back control from that monster.
He just chuckled and picked up the silver chains in the cell and started rolling them up neatly.
I was so shocked by this. Silver and wolfsbane didn't hurt this creature at all. All our research said those things were supposed to kill it, and yet here it stands unscathed.
I decided I'd take this opportunity to get some answers from him.
"Who are you and what do you want with my friend?"
"I am the other half of your friend's soul. He cannot exist without me and I cannot exist without him." He had now put the neatly rolled up chains down and was standing by the cell door.
"You're lying", I said to him with disdain clear in my voice.
He growled when he heard me say that.
"I will never lie; not to you" He was clearly angry and I started feeling a bit of last night's anger rolling off of him again.
I took a few steps back and I could have sworn I saw him almost reach for me.
"What is your name?", I finally said, breaking the silence.
"I don't know" He seemed really sad when he said this.
"How do you not know your own name?"
"Someone or something has taken my memories, along with Mathew's. I do not know who I am, but I know that I belong with Mathew and with you".
Hearing him say that he belongs with me brought a smile to my face. I tried to stop it, but he had already seen it.
He chuckled when he saw me trying to hide my smile. "You know this cell cannot hold me, right? I stay here during every shift because you are here."
This time I didn't bother to hide the smile on my face. I wanted to keep hearing him say these wonderful things to me.
He tore off the chains that had locked the cell with one swift move and started walking towards me. When he got to me, he titled my chin upwards and smiled.
"You're even more beautiful up close." His lips were inches away from mine and I could feel his hot breath against my lips.
I gently pushed him away and just stared at him. He smiled at me and looked at me with so much adoration in his eyes.
"I'm sorry about last night, it just angers me that Mathew only lets me out on the night of a full moon. I want you to know that I would never hurt you. You know that, right?"
It didn't make any sense, but I knew he was telling the truth. I nodded my head without even realising it.
"I'll go back in the cell now."
Before I could say anything, he had closed the cell door. When he turned to look at me again his eyes had turned to a warm green.
I rushed to the cell.
"Mathew! Mathew is that you?"
"Yea, of course it's me. What's wrong?"
"Uhm, nothing", I said. "I think I was hallucinating...probably because I went to bed without eating any dinner".
He gave a deep sigh and said "Again? This has to stop Elizabeth."
I smiled and chuckled. "That's one thing you're right about", I said as I opened the cell door. He gave me a big hug and before I knew it, I almost I tried to inhale his scent while hugging him.
"Something smells great" He abruptly ended the hug and started running towards the kitchen. I stayed behind and packed up the remaining chains. I couldn't help but think about the conversation I had with Mathew's creature, or "wolf" as he put it. I decided I wouldn't tell Mathew about it. Turning into a monster every full moon is hard enough. He didn't need the extra stress.
When I got back to the kitchen, Mathew had eaten almost all the food.
"Oh my gosh, did you leave me anything?"
"Of course I did", he said with a wide smile. "I fixed you a plate and put it in the oven to keep it warm".
I fetched my plate from the oven and started eating while I sat across from him on the table.
"So Megan really broke up with you?" I knew I shouldn't have asked, but I figured the sooner I got them back together, the sooner Megan would stop harassing me at work.
He slammed his fist against the table. "She cheated on me, Elizabeth. I know it was two years ago, but it still counts!"
There was dead silence in the room for a few seconds.
"Do you still love her?" I wasn't sure what I wanted to hear. I may have feelings for Mathew, but I want him to be happy. I need to keep helping him and Megan so that I can prove to myself that I am still a good friend...even if I sometimes have inappropriste daydreams about him.
He put his hand against his forehead. "Kind of. Look, I probably would have forgiven her if she had come clean after she did it. But she kept this to herself for two years and she was never planning on telling me."
I stood up from my chair and went to put my dishes in the sink. I hated to admit this to myself, but hearing Mathew say that he still loved Megan broke my heart. But I couldn't feel that way. I'm not allowed to feel this way. Only two-faced people would feel this way.
"Maybe you should just give her some time" I was avoiding looking at him. "If you still love her even after finding out she cheated on you, then she really must be the one. Give her a day and then go and talk to her. I'll book you guys a table at her favourite restaurant and you can go buy her some flowers. She'll definitely take you back!"
Mathew gave an awkward chuckle. "I can't believe you're standing up for her after everything she has put you through. I think it may be time for me to accept that Megan and I just aren't meant to be."
"No!" I didn't mean to, but my voice was much louder than I intended it to be. "You and Megan are soulmates. I'm going to get you guys back together. Please, just promise me you'll go talk to her?"
He furrowed his brows. "If it means that much to you then...okay, I'll go see her tomorrow."
I gave a sigh of relief. If Megan and Mathew are together, it means I'm not a homewrecker. It means I didn't let my feelings get in the way of my friend's happiness.
Mathew was suddenly by my side and stood inches from me while I washed my plate. "Enough about me, have you met anyone special recently?"
I rolled my eyes. "I would have told you if I had met anyone, Mathew"
"Good!" He sounded a bit a bit too happy saying that."I mean, I don't think anyone would be good enough for you. You're special. I don't want some average guy landing a gem like you."
I eyed him suspiciously, but decided not to entertain this conversation anymore. My love life or lack thereof is the least interesting topic in the world.
"I should get ready for work", I said as I headed to the bathroom.
*********************************************
Mathew's POV
"You promise you'll talk to Meg tomorrow?", Elizabeth asked me as we walked to the subway.
I couldn't understand why she was always trying so hard to make sure Megan and I stayed together. I've been engaged to Megan for a year and in that year she has broken up with me more times than I can count. Elizabeth has only known us for 3 months so she hasn't even seen the worst of it.
"I honestly don't know" I was scratching the back of my head while thinking about this situation. "I think I'm with her because I'm used to having her around. Breaking up and making up when you're in college might be fun and exciting, but I'm 25. I can't keep doing this. Oh, and she CHEATED on me. What if she does it again?"
Elizabeth bit her lip, something she always does when she thinks of an excuse for Megan's antics.
"I think she made a mistake. I think she's reacting this way because it's hard for her to accept that she hurt someone she loves."
I rolled my eyes and gestured for her to get inside the subway.
Almost every seat was taken, except for one. Elizabeth and I locked eyes and we both started sprinting towards the seat.
Naturally, I beat her to it and sat comfortably while giving her a smirk. She rolled her eyes and held on to the rail next to me.
I grabbed her waist and planted her on my lap. She tried wiggling her way out, but gave up when she realised I wasn't going to let her go.
"Just let me have the seat!" She was pressing her back against my chest and trying to crush me, but it actually felt amazing having her this close to me.
"This is way more fun!" I whispered in her ear. I heard her gasp and I could tell she was trying to control her breathing.
I snaked my fingers inside her shirt and I realised in that moment just how grateful I was that she wore a backless shirt to work today.
"Mathew", I heard her say lowly. Her breathing was uneven. "Someone will see us."
I just chuckled lightly and looked around. No one had seen us and I knew my creature would notice the moment someone started paying us any attention.
She tried getting up again, but I grabbed her hips and pushed her back into my lap and gently grazed my fingers against her naked back again. My thumbs started gently rubbing her lower back and I saw her gently arch her back. This brought a smile to my face.
"This is your stop" I gently whispered in her ear while brushing my lips against her earlobes. She hadn't even noticed that her stop was being called out. She lingered on my lap for a few seconds before getting up.
"I..uhm...I guess I'll see you later." She was tugging her hair behind her ear and avoiding my gaze.
I gave her a sly smile, knowing that it may have been my first time doing that but it was definitely not the last.
I sat back in my chair and let out a big sigh of relief. I've wanted to make a move on Elizabeth ever since I met her, but it just didn't make any sense. I hardly know her and yet, my every thought is consumed by her.
I am actually relieved that Megan broke things off with me again. Things with her haven't been feeling right for a very long time now, even since before I met Elizabeth. We've been together for two years, and we got engaged because all our friends were getting engaged, but ever since I gave her that ring it's been one disaster after the other. If she didn't break up with me, I probably would have done it myself.
"You must protect her against Jerry", I suddenly heard the creature's voice in my head.
He wasn't wrong, but it was strange that he was this interested in my best friend.
When I saw Elizabeth's bruised cheeck last night and smelled those disgusting odours on her, I struggled to keep the creature inside me calm. It felt like he was going to rip out of me. The only way I could calm him down was by holding Elizabeth as close to me as I possibly could. When my lips touched her forehead, I felt faint tingles erupting all over my lips. I wanted to keep my lips there.
"Yea", I need to find a way to get her out of there, I said in response.
I can usually contain the creature inside me. However, I've come to realise that he is especially strong on the night of a full moon. When the moon is at its peak, he is able to overpower me and rip out of me. It was painful the first time it happened, but it hasn't been too bad ever since. A part of me thinks it's because Elizabeth was with me during the other times.
I got off the subway when it reached my stop. I was walking to work when suddenly a beautiful blonde woman with mesmerising blue eyes grabbed my hand.
"I finally found you", she said with a menacing smile.