Welcome back!

I won't bore you guys with an authors note today!

Anything you know isn't mine!

-K

xx

Alyssa thought her options over; her pulse was pounding, her palms were clammy, and she didn't have long to think. She could try calling out for her dad or Chase but if this shadow was here for her she didn't want to endanger the ones she loved. She couldn't start her car and reverse quick enough to dodge him, and she couldn't risk him going after her family if she left. She knew the forest behind her house like the back of her hand - her best shot was to try and get him lost out there. She decided on a plan and put it into action, flying over the middle console and opening the passenger door. She took off like lightening, her heart thundering in her chest.

She heard footsteps behind her which only caused her to move her legs faster. She was thankful for playing soccer, she was in decent shape and it sounded like he was having a hard time keeping up. She rushed past her house and kept running. She noted that from now on she would wear combat boots with all of her outfits, they were much easier to run in.

She reached the forest and quickly made her way off the path, maneuvering around trees and using the hills to build momentum. She hid when she was able to, letting the shadow pass her and then running in the opposite direction.

When she was sure the cost was clear she decided to run a big circle back to the road before making her way back to the house. She rested by a willow tree in a small clearing, the branches hanging low enough to hide her from sight, and cutting off all moonlight. Her skirt had hiked up to her mid thighs and she knew her flats were ruined from all of the mud she'd stormed through. She sighed quietly, mourning the loss of her shoes.

Her breathing was laboured, and she was completely exhausted. She couldn't run anymore, she hoped she'd lost the bastard.

That hope was crushed when a branch snapping sounded right beside her. Before she could sprint again the shadow was on her; arms caging around her and pushing her into the tree.

"You know, I was just coming out to meet you at your car. I didn't expect a game of Hide and Seek." Chase smirked, breathing heavily. His arms still on either side of her body keeping her back pinned tightly against the tree.

Alyssa stood flabbergasted for a moment before letting out a small squeak.

"Have I rendered you speechless?" Chase asked, proud of himself. It was a feat not many had accomplished, Alyssa barely stopped talking. That thought turned his smirk into a grin.

"You scared me..half..to death.." Alyssa panted out, still winded.

"You scare too easily." He said nonchalantly, tilting his head to the left.

Alyssa considered punching him in the stomach and leaving him to fend off the wolves but decided against it. Shooting him a scathing glare instead which he had a hard time seeing with the lack of light.

"Don't be angry, it was sort of fun wasn't it?" Chase asked as he leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "You never need to check your reflection before we hang out Aly, you know you're always beautiful to me."

Alyssa blushed and considered leaning into his body, his arms would wrap around her and she could tell him how he was beautiful to her too. She shook her head, and the daydream flitted away as quickly as it came.

"That was a mean trick, Chase." Alyssa chided, "but it's nice to have you home."

Chase laughed and dropped his arms slightly, only to bring her small frame closer as he hugged her. She lost her anger all at once and quickly responded by wrapping her arms around his solid torso. She didn't know how long they stood like this but she knew it was longer than was necessary. They always held onto their embraces for as long as they could, like at any moment one of them could be ripped from the others life.

"You're quicker than I remembered. You've got legs like a horse, Aly." Chase said as he played with a strand of hair that had come loose from her braid. Lightly enough, he hoped, that she wouldn't feel him doing so.

"Soccer." Was her simple response as nestled her head onto his strong shoulders. His height made her stand on tip toes to even be able to reach.

She felt Chase vibrating; his chuckles rolling through his entire being. She rolled her eyes and reluctantly broke the hug.

"You're a jackass." She grumped

Chase held up his hands and feigned innocence "I'm so sorry, I'll try not to scare you again. Son's honour… woops, I mean Scouts honour."

"I'll believe that when I see it. You look great Chase, exactly the same as you did two weeks ago. Still not using your Powers?" Alyssa asked as they began to walk back to the Larose house.

"No, I haven't used for anything in two months, and even that was accidental."

Alyssa nodded, proud of her friend. Chase had done so well, he was still too hard on himself but he was getting better.

"It's hard though, I still feel it calling to me. It's weird and sort of hard to explain. It's like a constant thrumming throughout my whole body. Life without magic is hard, it feels like I'm not even a witch. It's frustrating to have the Power and not being able to use it." Chase explained to her the best he could. He always tried to elaborate for Alyssa. She would need to document everything one day and he wanted her to have all the facts, wanted her to be completely prepared.

Alyssa nodded in agreement with Chase, she didn't know personally but she could imagine how hard that would be to give up. "I read somewhere in the books 'Once a witch, always a witch'. Even if you can't use your powers like you used to, doesn't make you any less of a witch. No one expects you to be perfect Chase, it's in your blood and it's who you are. I'm proud of you for all you've done so far."

Chase's heart swelled at her pride, Alyssa and Victor believed in him unconditionally. It was a little intimidating at times, but he hadn't felt that type of love since his adoptive parents had died. He basked in it more often than he let it terrify him.

When they arrived at the house Victor had emerged from the basement to meet them in the kitchen. His nose was still firmly planted in the Putnam Grimoire. He looked like he hadn't taken a break that day, he still had his work clothes on though they were dishevelled now.

"It makes sense why the Creation spell is your go to, your family line was the first to use it. They almost created it, there were few mentions of it before John learned how to perfect it. Each family is known for their strengths with certain spells; certain elements. I think you may be a decedent from a clan who dealt mostly with earth elements. Fascinating." Though Victor was speaking to Chase, he hadn't looked up from the book.

"Hey dad." Alyssa said as she opened the fridge and pulled out a water bottle.

"Hey Aly Cat, how was Nicky's?"

"Good, Sarah's cousins were there. Jake and Bobby Nordskov." Alyssa explained

"Nordskov, the same boys that were accepted into the internship at the paper?" Victor looked up at that

"One and the same." She said as she took a drink, she sat down beside her father.

"Did they seem like good kids? I haven't heard anything about them other than they're graduates from Brown University with top grades. They're exceptional writers, they have great portfolios." Victor said with considerable admiration in his voice.

"I'm not sure, they seem fine. I don't know if I trust them though, just something about them." Alyssa said, she couldn't quite place why she didn't hit it off with the boys. Maybe Jake's flirtatious attitude had freaked her out. She felt bad for not loving Sarah's cousins like Caleb seemed to.

"Trust your gut, always." Victor said with a yawn and a stretch before saying goodnight and going to bed.

Alyssa and Chase went to the basement, and she curled up on her section of the couch while Chase placed the DVD in the player.

"Is there a reason you don't like the guys?" Chase inquired, Alyssa was a great judge of character most of the time. Not always though, she was easily manipulated by him and the thought that he had made her cautious around new people ate away at his conscious.

"I don't know, it just seems strange that these guys who graduated at the top of their class from Brown University have decided to write for a small county paper. Jake was kind of a flirt too, I don't know how to respond when people give me compliments." Alyssa looked at him from her peripheral to gauge his reaction to that but he didn't seem to mind.

Though Chase outwardly made none of his emotions known, he inwardly cringed at the thought of this guy coming onto Alyssa. He gripped the remote in his hand way too tightly, he had to force himself to relax before he broke it.

"Just keep an eye on them, maybe I'll get to meet him at Caleb's tomorrow."

Alyssa stood to take her coat off that she'd forgot she had on, "Did Danvers call a Sons meeting?"

Chase had quietly risen with Alyssa to help her with her coat; he reached around from his spot behind her and took hold of the jacket from under the shoulders, brushing her skin that the tank top exposed as he slowly helped her take the garment off. He heard her breath hitch and smiled to himself.

When she turned to face him, her brown eyes searching his, he answered her. "Yeah, the Sons are meeting at Caleb's tomorrow for eleven a.m. he wants to talk about Tyler's ascension in August. We're all swearing into the Order the following week, including you. Speaking of yours and Tyler's birthday. What would you like? Eighteen is a special birthday."

Alyssa tried not to remember how hard Chase's eighteenth birthday had been on him. He held no hint of sadness in his tone, but she couldn't help but feel for him.

"Oh, I don't know. I don't really like getting gifts, I always feel terrible about taking things from people." Alyssa laughed.

Chase took a step forward and for a moment she just stood there, surprised by the sudden invasion of her personal space.

"A birthday gift is the least I could give you," Chase said with a low voice, he hadn't meant there to be an innuendo in his statement but he allowed it for a moment. Watching her eyes drift to his lips then back up before all but gaping like a fish. He decided to save her from her moment of silence and smirked "I mean you've done so much for me. You deserve it."

Alyssa felt her blood rush to her face and dropped her eyes to look at her hands which were now fiddling with the locket around her neck. Chase's way of finding her. Everything in her life seemed to remind her of Chase; she was having a hard time remembering why she wasn't going to tell Chase how deeply she cared for him.

"Ready for some Blare Witch Project?" Chase asked as he moved to sit back down on the couch.

Alyssa inwardly sighed and nodded. 'It's not the right time, he's still learning to be a part of the Covenant. He doesn't really want me, he's just adjusting.'

No matter how many times she repeated this to herself she always forgot when he was right in front of her. Chase hit play, and she tried to focus on the movie and not how good he looked in his well-worn Iron Maiden shirt and light wash jeans.