Part two of 'The tale of two wolves'

The notebook

Rhydian was leaning heavily on the doorframe of the Smith's house, waiting for his girlfriend to open the door. His eyes were dropping and he had to put some effort to open them after every time he blinked. They snapped open as the heavy history textbook he was carrying slipped from his hands and fell right on his foot. He winced in pain before crouching down to retrieve it. No moon days really sucked.

''Hey, come in.'' the door opened and a tired looking Maddy smiled at him, stepping away to let the young wolfblood enter. ''Sorry for the wait, it seems that I've fallen asleep on my Math homework.'' She stretched her hands above her head while they were walking towards the living room.

''I can see that.'' He laughed and when she turned to give him a questioning look, he pointed at his left cheek and then at her.

She stood there, confusion written on her face. Along with a part of a Math equation on her right cheek. She went to look at herself in the bathroom mirror while her laughing boyfriend plopped on the sofa in the living room.

''Oh ha-ha. Hilarious.'' She exclaimed sarcastically while cleaning her skin. ''You're just so funny.'' She continued with her grumbling while going to sit next to him.

''I didn't do anything Mads.'' He responded still smiling brightly as he leaned to kiss the top of her head. She snuggled deeper in him as he hugged her and he could see the corners of her mouth lifting up too.

''We should start revising for the History exam tomorrow.'' She said after a while.

Rhydian sighed, scrunching his eyebrows.

''Yeah, I know. It's just a little difficult to stay awake today. Good thing it's Sunday.'' He mused with closed eyes

''Like it's any help. I slept almost all morning and still the closer it gets to night, the more tired I feel.'' She grumbled. ''You know what; I'm going to make some coffee. And then we'll start revising.'' She concluded before getting up and striding towards the kitchen.

Rhydian only hummed in response not wanting to move a muscle. After a few seconds though he decided that he should sober up or at least try to.

He rubbed his eyes and started looking around, trying to find something that would keep him awake until Maddy returned with the blessed coffee. His eyes fell on the coffee table where her things were spread: the open Math notebook and textbook, a ruler, a stack of pencils and pens, a whole tower of books and a strange-looking notebook with hard covers that was poking from under her English essay.

The boy's curiosity got the best of him and he quickly glanced towards the kitchen before carefully pulling out the notebook. It definitely didn't belong there, it wasn't school-related. On the beige front cover that imitated old paper was written with Maddy's curvy letters:

Never say goodbye,

because saying goodbye

means going away

and going away means

forgetting.

Confused, he opened the first page. His face scrunched, trying to believe in what he was seeing. He started reading.

Rhydian,

It's been three weeks since we joined Jana's pack, since we left home. I snuck into the nearest town the other day just to take a break for a while but found this notebook and decided to buy it. My mum told me that sharing my thoughts and problems will help me get over the pain but I don't want to talk to anybody about this. They already see me as a weakling and mum and dad have too many troubles adjusting to the wild life. They don't need my problems too. I didn't want to start a diary either because I feel like I'm talking to myself and that is just plain creepy. So here I am, writing to you instead. Which should be almost the same since you are never going to read this but at least it's a reminder that you'll come someday. You promised, remember? I hope so.

The wild itself isn't so bad. I understand what you like about living like this. I think I can do it. It's actually pretty easy to get used to running all the time without caring that someone might see you. It brings me the feeling that nothing is wrong, that I don't have a care in the world. But it's not the same when I don't have someone to chase you know. It's lonely.

I don't belong here though. I feel left out. Is this the only life I can hope for? Running all the time, not able to settle, to have a real home anymore? The only place I want to go is forbidden territory now and it physically hurts. And the worst part? No one gets me, they don't know what it's like though Jana is a great help sometimes. Even my parents don't feel like me because they are together. And I'm alone.

It's a full moon tomorrow. The first that I'm not going to spend with you. Am I the only one that doesn't want tomorrow to come? It won't be the same without you. I wish I had told you earlier that I love you Rhydian. I'm sorry.

Maddy Smith

16th November

Rhydian stood there just staring at the letter for a few more seconds, rereading some parts even. He could feel the pain she was in when she had written it. Simply because he was feeling the same when she was gone. Lonely, lost and generally angry at the world for causing all this to happen to them. Why them?

He never knew that she was so good with words.

He hastily flipped the pages to examine the notebook. There was a letter for every day of the time they were apart. For every single one, she hadn't missed a day though sometimes, she had written only one sentence saying that the weather was cold, that they had been running all day, that nothing interesting had happened or that she was tired of sleeping or at least trying to sleep on the cold hard ground. She didn't miss to say I love you or I miss you at the end of every single letter.

His throat had clenched and he swallowed hard.

His fingers stopped at a letter, written almost three months after the first one.

Rhydian,

We left the wild pack earlier today. One of the eldest wilds argued with my dad and they almost started fighting before I and Jana interfered. I suggested we leave. It's clear that they couldn't adjust to living like this so we just ran away. My mum says that we can try to settle somewhere. But it has to be far from here. So we're heading north in search for something suitable where we won't attract unwanted attention. Dad tried to cheer me up, saying that we will be able to have a home again, living like before. But the only thing I can think about is that leaving the pack means moving on.

In just a few days our trail will be lost, untraceable. How are you going to find us? Will you ever do? Will you even try to when you learn that we've left? I can't loose the hope of seeing you again. Not now. Not ever. But I don't know how long I …

''What are you doing?'' Maddy's voice broke the trance he was in and he literally jumped in the air.

''Nothing much, I just found this and…'' his voice trailed uncertainly as he lifted the now closed notebook for her to see.

Maddy's dark eyes grew wide and a blush covered her cheeks. However, she made no attempt to near him or snatch the book from his hands. Actually, she wasn't moving at all.

''You weren't supposed to read that.'' She finally babbled out, finding the steaming cups in her hands much more interesting than his face.

''I never knew you were good at writing.'' He commented and after a few seconds of no response from her stood up and went to her.

''It's not a big deal.'' She shrugged finally, her brows knitted a little.

Rhydian's feet entered her vision on the floor and she looked up, meeting his dazzling blue eyes. He didn't speak, just took one of the cups from her and then laced the fingers of their free hands together before pulling her to sit on the sofa with him. They snuggled together, her small frame pressed comfortably against his chest. Her head fell on his shoulder and he shifted so they could see each other's faces.

''I'm sorry, I shouldn't have read it.'' He started apologizing but she shook her head, a small smile curling her lips.

She took the notebook from the coffee table where he had left it and gave it back to him. When he continued looking at her dubiously her smile broadened.

''It's addressed towards you, isn't it? You have the right to read it if you want. Just don't laugh, okay?''

Despite that, Rhydian chuckled. Maddy scowled and used the notebook to hit his shoulder.

''No, sorry, just…I wasn't going to laugh but then you made that face and I just…''

She nudged him with her elbow while rolling her eyes. The smile on her face reassured him that despite that, she wasn't really mad at him. He couldn't resist the urge to lean forward and press his lips against hers lovingly.

''Maybe you just redeemed yourself a little.'' She mumbled still close to him.

''Just a little?'' he pouted childishly and she chuckled.

''For now.''

They separated a little more and he sipped from his cup before leaving it on the table and taking the notebook from her.

''Are you sure about this?'' he asked again. He would never let her do something that she wasn't comfortable with. For his surprise, she nodded in agreement almost immediately.

''I trust you Rhydian. I love you.'' Was her only reply to his questioning look.

His smile mirrored hers. He could live with that.

A\N: I hope you guys liked it. Review and let me know! Thanks!