11: Bloody Secrets...
Scarlet's POV
"What?" Dad screamed at me as I sat helplessly on our sofa. "He's changing?" I cringed at the word.
"I don't know, dad," I whispered. "I think he finally is."
"Why?" he said quietly, almost like he was talking to himself. "Why now?" Dad paced around the living room, once in a while glaring at Nathan's little old glove. His eyes were full of fright and worry.
"I kissed him," I squeaked, and my dad stopped. This time, his eyes were full of anger. "And... his lip... it was bleeding," I elaborated, and my father's chest began to rise up and down. "I... I didn't know."
Dad looked at me. He had said nothing for several minutes, and I didn't know whether I liked it or that I would prefer him yelling at me, anything. What happens now? We didn't know if Nathan was changing or not, and it was driving me crazy. He might become one of us. I didn't know if I would be happy or scared if that were to happen.
"Does he know?" Dad asked after he sat down on the sofa next to me, his hands rubbing his nervous face. "Does Nathan know?" he said again.
Tears were so close to falling down. "No," I croaked. "He doesn't."
"Go tell him," he said, nearly crying himself.
I shoot my head towards him. "What? Why?"
"He needs to know what he is, Scarlet. Even if he's not changing, there's a part of him that wants to be, that needs to be. If he doesn't know, his father might be in danger... or he might be in danger." And with those words, my father got up and went to his bedroom.
I drove over to Nathan's house. I bet I could even walk to his house if I was blind; I've been there so many times. But this time, I think this might be my last time here. He might never want to see me again.
Nathan's father let me in easily. He approves of me, I think. I slowly went up to Nathan's bedroom, my mind already regretting every squeak I make from the stairs. Soon enough, I was at the door. My heart wanted to jump out of my chest, and my head was starting to throb. Before it was too late, I turn the door knob and looked at Nathan's red face.
He winced at the sound of the door; it needed some oil. But when he saw that it was me, he forced a warm smile. "Hi," he whispered.
"Hi," I said, my voice cracking. Walking into his room, all I smelled when his smelly Axe. I grabbed the nearest chair, with was a wooden one, and sat next to him. I held onto one of his hands, and my other hand was wiping traitor tears that were already falling.
"Why are you crying?" he asked, worried but smiling. "It's only a fever, Scarlet. You don't have to worry. I'll be back soon enough."
"No," I cried. "No, you won't."
Nathan frowned, wincing as he did it. "What do you mean? What do you mean I won't?"
I kissed his hand and he gave me a reassuring squeeze. My tears fell on his hand, which began to hold my cheek, his thumb wiping the wetness against it. "You won't be back," I said. "Not in the same way. Remember when you ask me what I was?" Nathan nodded. "I'm a werewolf, Nathan."
His eyes didn't widen, and he kept his face clear of emotions. He wasn't surprised or anything. After a moment, he said, "I know."
"What?" I said, whipping my head away from his hand. "How?"
"You know," he said. "The incident in the woods... the arm wrestle... and your skin burns the life out of me sometimes," Nathan laughs lightly. "I just wanted to be sure I was right. I wanted you to tell me."
I took another breath. "There's more, Nathan. You're a werewolf."
Now his eyes widen, and he begins to sit up on the bed. Nathan gripped my hand tightly as he painfully sat up. "How? How do you know?" he asks.
"When we lived back in Canada, there was a wild fire. My father and I escaped, but that was because I followed him. The rest of the family; my mom, brother, everyone--they weren't fast enough. They died." Tears began to caress my cheeks again. "After that, my dad and I had to start over. He was crazy. And then one day he ran back to our home--the woods. It had snowed, and I followed him. You looked so lost, Nathan, alone. Something snapped inside my father's head, and he wanted to start over another family... starting with you. But he couldn't do it. You were just an innocent child."
Slowly, Nathan's hot shaking hand removed itself from mine. All I felt was a sharp pain in my heart.
"You're the little red wolf," he said, though it wasn't a question at all. He was talking to himself, still not believing. Nathan looked at me frantically, his eyes frightened. No... no... this wasn't how it was supposed to go.
"There's a wolf inside of you, Nathan. But you won't let it out--didn't let it out," I added, and he cringed.
"Why didn't you tell me this?!" he roared, scaring me. His face reddened even more, sweat climbing down his forehead. "There's a creature inside of me! And you knew, didn't you? You knew I was that boy--that boy that your dad nearly killed--you knew!" I looked into his eyes, and what I saw was anger... and revenge. "I had to go through years of therapy, did you know that? My life was black and white. I couldn't stand the presence of a dog until I was nine. And it was all because of you and your father."
"I didn't know, Nathan. I didn't know what my father was thinking. Please," I begged.
"Does it hurt? Does the change hurt?" he asks out of the blue, interrupting me.
I frowned. "At first, yes," I answered in a whisper.
"Great, that was all I needed," he growled to himself.
My hand reached out for his again, but when my skin brushed his, he cringed away from me. He no longer looked angry, scared, or anything. His forest green eyes were dark, but... sad. And then he said two words that broke my heart.
"Get out," Nathan said, wiping a tear from his eyes as he said it. "Please."
The hand that had wanted his dropped. "What? No, Nathan, please. Don't push me away. I care for you. I can help you through this, if you're changing that is. Just don't push me away."
"I don't want you here, Scarlet. You're the daughter of a man--no, a werewolf--that nearly took my life away. I can't do this." And then he said another two words, and the shattered pieces of my heart broke again. "I'm sorry."
You can easily say... I kissed him with all my life.
His lips were boiling, even against mine. It took him seconds for his lips to respond, and you had no idea how much I needed this, how much a wanted this. Nathan's hand caressed my cheeks, which were warm from crying so much.
Soon I broke away, kissing his cheek and forehead. "Don't do this to me, Nathan. Don't push me away."
"I have to, Scarlet," he said, almost instantly. "If you love me, like me, hate me even, please, let me have some peace for a few days. I'm begging you, Scar. Just a few days."
With another kiss on the lips, I found the courage to let him go. I closed the door, and I remember his sad eyes just on the other side of it. I left the house, running to my truck while Mr. Adams asked if Nathan had done anything wrong to me. I nearly laughed at him.
My hand was wet from trying to stop the tears, but I couldn't help myself. Those few days, the few days that he said he needed, I have him those. But you see, they felt like hell. Not only did he break my heart, he took some pieces of it.
Nathan's POV
What am I?
If there is a wolf inside of me, just dying to get out, why doesn't it already? I wanted to laugh, but I felt to weak to. Listen to me, I'm in the process of turning into something I've been afraid of. Is it possible to be afraid of yourself? Will I ever look at myself the same?
I was becoming a monster.
Now I lay weakly on my bed, which wasn't helping at all. Every time I turn to a different side, it would already be warm. I wanted to cool down, physically and mentally, not to mention emotionally. Why... why did it have to be Scarlet and her father? Of all the werewolves in the world, of all the places my dad wanted to move in, we would clash together, ten years later. This wasn't a fairytale at all; this was a nightmare.
Scarlet's POV
I gave him three days alone.
After those three days, I came to visit, but I couldn't say hello. Though he was over-the-top boiling, he was in his bed, pale as ever. I could barely hear his heartbeat, which was slowly beating by the second.
Stop fighting, Nathan. Stop fighting your wolf self. I tried to speak to him through my thoughts. C'mon, you can't die. Don't die on me. Being a wolf is cool, even if one tried to turn you. You can fight my dad back if you want, Nathan, just don't die.
Ahh... I heard a faint groan.
Nathan?
On the bed, he cringed, but even doing that, he was weak. I came and kneeled next to the bed, clutching onto his hand, and he squeezed back weakly.
Scarlet, he called. It sounded like a whisper in my head. It hurts.
Don't fight it then. I scold.
I wish I could see you. I can't open my eyes. After a moment, he added. I miss you.
I kissed his hand. I miss you too.
And then, his hand could no longer hold onto mine.
A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU LOVABLE READERS!!! The reads and votes for this story blew up out of the blue!!! This story has the ranks in the hundreds! The highest EVER!!! I love you I love you I love you.. you guys are awesome.
But.. sadly... I have ... uh.. disappointing news... Since it's summer, I have to go on vacation. I decided to upload this chapter and tell you this. (I'm leaving tomorrow.) I'm going to be gone for two weeks, so I won't be able to update.. Sorry :( ..
DO NOT STOP VOTING OR READING. Please keep this story on a rank when I get back. PLEASE.
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[Btw, what do you think happened to Nathan now? (A lovely comment may or may not get a dedication...)]