Leah
My breath fogged the glass slightly as I leaned against it, staring down from the building, at Nicole and Zach.
They were so close now, I thought to myself, shaking my head slightly. Their heads were tilted together as he taught her how to ride the bike. What an interesting sight it was.
Nicole Jr and Jacky had both returned to the house. I wondered what it was in particular that would make them suddenly leave Zach and Nicole, when the reason he repaired the bike was for them.
Those girls were smarter than their age, I decided. I couldn't help but wonder if they were up to something.
I could hear Nicole laugh. Her voice was so childlike and enchanting filled the air, light and carefree to my ears. If I were more ignorant than I was, I would have smiled at her, but instead, I felt my stomach twist with guilt.
She didn't know. She didn't know what she was getting herself into. And it would be a fault of mine if anything were to happen to her.
Jack was just by me, leaning against a wall. "She's happy," I murmured, more to myself than to him.
Jack's sigh was long and heavy, carrying the weight of his frustration. My ears perked up at its volume, and as he prepared to speak. "For now," he began, his voice low and cautious. "But happiness like that? It's fragile, Leah. And in our world, it never lasts long."
I turned to face him, my brows furrowed. His expression was hard, but there was something else beneath it. Worry. Regret. Maybe even fear. Jack wasn't usually the type to let his emotions show, but I could see how much this was bothering him.
"Do you really think Zach doesn't care about her?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest, eyes placed according on his face.
Jack looked at me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "That's not the point. Of course he cares. And that there is the problem."
I shook my head, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "So what? He's not allowed to care about someone? He's not allowed to be happy? What if this is what the moon goddess wants?"
"You know it's not that simple," Jack shot back, his tone sharper now. "Nicole is human. She has no idea who we are, or even what we are. Do you honestly think this can end well? I've never heard of a human and werewolf relationship."
I wanted to argue with him, to tell him he was wrong, but I couldn't. Deep down, I knew he was right. I would have done just about anything to prove him wrong.
I relaxed myself and took a deep breath and said "If you are so worried about this, why don't you just go talk to him about it?"
"I've talked to him, Leah. I've tried to make him see reason, but he's so blinded by his feelings for her that he doesn't care about the consequences." He gestured towards the window, looking outside, his eyes narrowed. "Look at them. Do you think she has any idea what she's walking into? What kind of danger this could bring her?"
My gaze returned to the window as well, touching the pane with my fingers, and I watched as Nicole reached out to touch Zach's arm, her smile still as soft and warm as it had ever been. She didn't know. She didn't know about the rules, the risks, or the dark, dangerous parts of our lives that we worked so hard to keep hidden.
But then, I turned back to face Jack. "Maybe you're being too harsh on him," I said after a moment.
Jack gave a bitter laugh, shaking his head. He got away from the wall and stood straight. His face that has been stretched in laughter, morphed back to normal "Harsh? Leah, are you kidding me right now? You are calling this harsh? This isn't about being harsh. It's about keeping everyone safe. Zach needs to put the pack first. He needs to think about what's best for all of us, not just what he wants."
I felt a pang of sympathy for Zach, even though I knew Jack wasn't wrong. "You're asking him to walk away from someone he cares about?" I asked through clenched teeth, and my fingers curled up in a fist. "That's not easy."
"It's not supposed to be easy," Jack replied firmly. "But it's necessary. And if he doesn't do it soon…" His voice trailed off, his jaw tightening. His eyes stared hard at me.
"If he doesn't do it soon, what?" I pressed, my voice rising slightly, standing toe to toe with him.
Jack turned to me, his expression serious. "Then I'll have to make him."
"You'd really do that?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"If it means protecting the pack? Yes," Jack said without hesitation. "There is no other way. Someone needs to put things in order, and if it's not going to be any other person, then I must step up."
I looked away, my throat dry. I didn't want to think about what that might mean for Zach or for Nicole. I did not even know what Jack meant in itself.
There was silence. A long one. I could hear the beat of my heart, and feel sweat standing on my forehead, some already trailing down my temple and face.
I spoke, breaking the silence, my head hung low. "I feel like I've already failed her."
I heared Jack hiss. I looked upwards and met his eyes fixed on me. "What are you talking about?" he asked.
I could feel tensions build up in my stomach.
"Nicole," I said, finally, my voice breaking slightly. "I wasn't there for her when she needed me. I left without a word. I didn't call, didn't write, didn't even try to explain. And now…" I gestured vaguely towards the window. "Now I'm keeping this huge secret from her. I feel like I am terrible friend."
Jack placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but comforting. "You left to protect her, Leah. You know that."
"Did I?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Or did I just make things worse? She deserves to know the truth, Jack. She deserves to know why I left, why I stayed away. She deserves to know about… us."
"And then what?" Jack clamored. "What happens after you tell her? Do you think she'll just accept it? That she'll be okay with knowing what we are? Leah, you're putting her in danger just by bringing her here. Do you really want to pull her deeper into this?"
I looked at him, my eyes stung with unshed tears. "I don't know, Jack. I just… I can't keep lying to her. She's my best friend. I owe her the truth."
Jack sighed, dropping his hand from my shoulder. "Maybe. But not now. Not like this. This is too early."
I turned back to the window, watching as Nicole and Zach stood up, their laughter faded as they headed back towards the house.
"She's going to find out eventually," I said quietly.
Jack nodded, his expression grim. "Maybe. But until then, we do what we have to do."
I didn't respond. Instead, I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, closing my eyes as a wave of uncertainty washed over me.
Could we really protect her by keeping her in the dark? Or were we just delaying the inevitable?