Getting out of the shower, I wrap a towel around my dripping body. My hair sticks to my back as I grab the clothes I set to the side to change into. A hot shower after a long day is always refreshing. At first, it was weird using a different shower, but I quickly let it go and decided to keep an open mind.
I dry off and slip on my clean clothes before taking the towel and drying my hair to the best of my abilities. It still lays damp on my shoulders but I know that is as dry as it will get. Surprisingly I found my clothes unpacked already as if some invisible fairy did it all magically while I was gone.
When I finish up in the bathroom I open the door but immediately close it when I notice Eric in the bedroom. Thankfully he doesn't notice as I peek through the thin crack of space left. Suddenly he takes off his shirt and I look away, closing the door completely. My lips run dry and I sit on the edge of the bathtub. Looking down at my arms I see at the shallow cuts and scrapes, needing to wrap them up again. I didn't want him to see them.
"Isabella?" I hear him call and I quickly open the door, revealing his now clothed chest.
"Sorry, I'm done," I slip past him with my arms crossed but he manages to stop me. Carefully he lifts up my wounded arm and looks at it. "It doesn't hurt too bad anymore, I just have to..."
"Jesus Isabella, how did you manage to do this?" He peers down at me.
"Well, my arms were wrapped around the trunk because the branch I was on cracked, so I just kept slipping down," I explain.
He sighs and runs his hand through his dark hair. "Please, no more tree climbing."
"If it will help you sleep at night then okay, no more tree climbing."
After telling him that I'm going downstairs to get food, I head into the kitchen alone. Turning on the light, I see it's already dark outside.
I stare at the fridge, the cabinets, and drawers with hesitation, not knowing what to do. Should I just open whatever up and see if there's food inside? Obviously there will be in the fridge, so I peek in there first. Overall I see a lot of food, which is good. I swallow and look at the kitchen entrance to make sure Eric is not watching me look like a fool, though I'm sure he is in the shower.
First I grab the orange juice then shut the fridge to find a glass. One by one, I peek into the cabinet until I find one full of glassware. I grab a cup and carefully place it on the counter. Using other peoples things brings me a lot of stress. What if I drop it? What if I spill it? What if it shatters on the floor?
After pouring the glass I put the orange juice back into the fridge and take a sip. Remembering where Caroline found the first aid kit, I go to the bathroom and look under the counter. Thankfully it is there so I take it back to the kitchen.
I simply take the tube of Neosporin and gently place a bit on the larger cuts before grabbing the wrapping. Slowly I wrap it around my arm after holding the end in place with my chin. I do the same on the other arm and hand before closing up the kit and bringing it back to the bathroom. Hopefully by morning most of the little ones will be gone.
Looking up into the mirror, my face falls. I look very tired, but I guess that's what happens when you are tired.
Back in the kitchen, I grab an apple and lean against the counter, looking for time to think. I wonder how Kendra is doing— I wonder if she can sleep. The sounds of her sobs still invade my mind.
The moonlight casts an eerie glow in the kitchen, as I shut off the lights to stare up at the moon. Sometimes when I'm upset I stare up at the moon and think about what space is like, the vast nothingness. The thoughts distract me from my tiny problems. I gaze up at the moon now, yet I am not upset, I am lonely. I shouldn't be, Eric is right upstairs. Maybe I am missing the feeling of being surrounded by people I know? I like to think that we are no longer complete strangers, yet I feel alone.
Biting into the apple again, I look down.
"Sitting in the dark?"
I glance behind me to see him standing there. "Something like that," I say.
He comes closer. "Is there a reason why?"
"The moonlight," I motion up at the full, bright moon hanging in the sky, "it makes everything beautiful."
He looks at me. "It does."
I shy away and turn from the windows, facing the other way. "Where should I sleep? I feel like I haven't slept in forever and it's beginning to drive me a bit insane."
"Wherever you want," he turns also.
"So if I want to sleep outside like a dog I can?"
"Wherever you want, in moderation."
I smile and look away. "Your father, does he live with your mom?"
"Yes."
"How long have they been together?" I ask, curious. In the picture, they look so happy, so in love.
He sighs. "Maybe twenty-five years. Why are you so interested in them?"
"Not so much them, as I am you. I just want to know about your family."
"Okay, tell me about your family. I met your sister and mother, what about your father?" He asks and my shoulders fall.
"He died a while ago, I was younger and I've accepted it now. But I want to meet your father."
He nods slowly. "Tomorrow, we can go over." I smile as he watches me closely. "I wish I could see life through your eyes. You only seem to see the good in things."
I gaze up at the sky— the vast expanse of darkness that engulfs and swallows up the forest. A canopy of stars clutter the space, some shining brightly while others stay dull. The forest always looks different at night, as if the trees are replaced with ominous versions of themselves to scare children away. "If I don't, then I know I'll begin to hate life. I can't let myself become depressed and miserable. As long as I see the good in life, I'll feel good in life." I explain. "People have to stop wasting time trying to change everything, and just accept the world for how it is."
My gaze stays fixed on the moon as Eric looks up at it too. "Every word that leaves your lips... Nothing has made more sense to me."
Looking at him, our eyes connect and my heart slowly begins to beat harder and harder. His hand falls gently against my cheek and my lungs rise, filling to the brim with crisp air. The warmth from his touch seeps into my skin and the entire sensation relaxes my being. Gently, he brushes the stray, damp hairs from my face. We both gaze deeper into each other's eyes; not a word spoken by either of us. I am losing myself in the hypnotic trance of his stare, then he leans down, his lips press softly against my forehead. Before he lets go completely he whispers against my skin, "it's getting late, you should get some sleep."
My toes curl and my fingers scrunch up into fists. Why must he do this to me? How does he do this to me?
I lay in bed and stare up at the ceiling, still feeling the trace of his kiss on my skin. After our short moment in the kitchen we headed upstairs and I convinced him to let me sleep in one of the guest rooms, knowing that if I was in a bed smothered in his scent I would not be able to sleep. Though I am cozy under the covers my eyes will not shut. It is simple; I cannot fall asleep. Over the hours I have sifted through different causes: I'm still hungry, I don't feel good, I miss Kendra, I'm worried about my pack, I'm nervous about meeting Eric's Dad, and even that Olivia's acts have me worried.I have tried it all: pacing my breaths, counting sheep, taking deep breaths, progressive muscle relaxation, visualizing a peaceful place, yet no matter what I do one factor stays glued in my mind; the fact that my mate is sleeping in the bedroom beside me and I cannot get to him. Obviously, I ca
Slowly, I lift up my face from the pillow beneath it. I blink, close my eyes, and blink again. Rays of sunlight shine through the windows and blind me. I reluctantly sit up and rub my knuckles onto my eyes. Looking around the bedroom, I find myself alone, so I instantly wonder where Eric is.I slide out of bed and peek into the bathroom, but it too is empty. Raising an eyebrow, I check the guest room I was supposed to sleep in— then all the others. After that my feet carry me downstairs and random noises grab my attention, sounds that are coming from the kitchen. "Eric?" I call out as I make my way towards them, wanting to unmask the creator. "Eric is that you?"Instead of seeing Eric, an older woman turns around and smiles. "Hello, good morning, I'm Marina, the housekeeper. You must be Isabella; it is so wonderful to meet you."
Sitting in the center of the living room, I look around the walls at the family pictures and smile. I especially enjoy the picture of Eric when he was a toddler. There are no pictures of him as a child at the pack house. "They're in here," I hear Evangeline's voice from further in the house.I glance to Eric, who is standing off to the side, seeming rather uncomfortable. His gaze is glued to a random spot on the wall."Sebastian, this is Isabella." Turning to the hallway, I see Evangeline standing beside the man from the pictures. He looks like an older, different version of Eric.Immediately I stand up and reach my hand out. He shakes it. "Hello, it's nice to meet you finally."He smiles in a fatherly way. "Yes, of course, I was wond
I lay sleeplessly in bed, staring at the ceiling while not being able to take my mind off of my sister. I wonder if she is still awake, or if she has found the ability to live without me. It has only been a few days, which makes me sound dramatic, but I cannot help but hope she misses me still. What if earlier she only got upset for a bit and now she is perfectly fine, perfectly asleep in her purple and blue bed. I cannot sleep not knowing how she is feeling; we used to tell each other everything.My eyes roll over to the clock. It is one o'clock in the morning.Silently groaning, in an attempt to not wake up Eric, I turn away from the pillow wall and sigh. I have to see her.Hesitantly, I slip out from underneath the bedding, and my toes brush against the cool, wood floor. Sitting up,
"You were trying to hurt me, weren't you?"Olivia begins to sob. "I'm not this type of person, and I don't do things like this."Leaning back against a near tree, I take a deep breath in an attempt to collect my thoughts. As I am doing so, I notice Olivia struggling to her feet and swiping the hairs from her face. "I'm sorry," she mutters as she limps towards me, "but I need him. Eric was all I had, heisall I have. I've been trying to get him to see that we don't have to be mates to be together, but then you show up, and he forgets I exist. You have what I want, and I'm desperate."Confused, I stand up straight. "What are you talking about?"She wipes the stray tears from her cheeks. "I want to fight for him."
Slipping into the bedroom, I sneak over to my side of the bed once I spot Eric still asleep. The pillow wall has been torn down, as his arm is laying across the ruins. Sighing, I climb on the bed and start to reconstruct the divider, but Eric grabs onto me and surprisingly pulls me over to him, holding me snugly against his body. With my eyes wide open, I make no sudden movements.I lay frozen in his arms, and soon enough I realized that he is thankfully sleeping despite what just happened. My mouth is hanging open, and my limbs do not know what to do. His scent invades my nose, causing me to relax on instinct.My eyes begin to drift closed even though I am mentally fighting to keep them open. Darkness consumes me, and I have never felt more comfortable in my life as if the bed has suddenly transformed into a cloud on a breezy day.
My eyes wave open and closed, as they are still sticky from my nap. Rubbing my knuckles into them, I sit up and tame my hair with my hands. Wondering the time, my eyes turn to the clock, I have been asleep for four hours. I wonder if Caroline is still here.I slowly climb out of bed and wander down the hallway until I hear chattering. My ears perk up, and I zip down the staircase and into the kitchen.Marina and Caroline are both in the room, Caroline eating of course. "Look who's up," she lightly cheers and pulls out the stool beside her for my to sit. Marina smiles and places a plate in front of me."I supposed you told him the truth?" She questions, knowing the answer."Yes, I did. I find I rather difficult to tell fibs to Eric as
"Yeah." Caroline scoots closer to me. "You kinda did." Eric sighs and runs a hand through his hair, then looks to me. "You're alright?" "Alright?She'sthe one that just tackledhimto the ground," Caroline dramatically motions to me, though I am right beside her. "You literally charged at him like a bull." I shrug. "I just got infuriated, really quickly. He deserved it." "Hell yeah he did," she chuckles. "Alright," Eric grabs our attention. "Besides attacking Landon, did you two need anything?""Isabella just asked me to show her