Sorry for not updating in ages! I feel so bad but I've been so busy I haven't had time. So here's a long-ish chapter to make up for it, enjoy!
Ace
It's him. The boy that Maddy talks nonstop about. The one person that stands between me and Maddy. He's come for her.
Doesn't he understand how much pain he has caused her? Maddy says it's not his fault and I shouldn't blame him but how can I not blame him for this? How can I not blame him for the fact that Maddy is sitting on the forest floor in front of me crying and screaming his name? She says she loves him, with all her heart, that there is no one else for her. And she believes that he loves her too. But if he truly loved her, he would never have let this happen. I've tried to help her, to help her forget, but she doesn't want to. And it pains me to see her like this, a crying wreck. To see her heartbroken over a boy who never really loved her. Because she deserves better, way, way better than him. And, as I've told her many times before, I will always be there for her, for as long as I live. Because I love her. And this boy, Rhydian, doesn't. It's killing her. Literally. She hardly eats, she doesn't sleep and mentally she's completely unstable. The fact she's having a breakdown in on the floor proves that. But Rhydian came back. To inflict more pain on her, to finish what he started.
I crouch down and wrap my arms around Maddy, trying to protect her. She sobs against me and I can feel her shaking and it's not from the cold.
"Maddy, it's me, Rhydian." I hear his voice and a shiver of hatred runs through me. I feel Maddy react to the sound of it; she still loves him, unfortunately. Rhydian steps closer and I tighten my arms around Maddy; I won't let him touch her.
Maddy's head shoots upwards and she looks at him for the first time in eleven months. I'm expecting her to run up to him but what I hear fills me with joy. Instead of standing up she just looks at him and says, "No. No it's not." She pauses, as if to set her thoughts straight, "You're not real!" She practically screams it at him. She's about to say more but her whole body is overcome with a violent shiver. She's breathing fast and the tears are falling down her face even more frequently. I look up at the boy who has caused this. Rhydian's face is a mixture of confusion and hurt. I can tell that he's trying to stop his own tears from falling.
"Maddy? I'm real, I am. Look, touch my arm, I'm solid, I promise." He gingerly holds out his arm towards Maddy but she refuses. Maybe Maddy could be mine after all.
Maddy
My hallucinations are becoming more powerful. At first I would just see Rhydian's face when I closed my eyes, then I started seeing him everywhere, but I always knew that weren't real. They always had this transparent quality. Until now. The hallucinations are so life like. It's like Rhydian is really standing right in front of me. I could smell him, hear his voice. I must have an amazing memory; his eyes are perfect, just as they always were. I stare deep into them, imagining all those times that those eyes would light up when he saw me. When those same eyes were filled with tears when I had to leave. It was those beautiful eyes that I looked into after he told me that he loved me. But these ones I see now aren't real.
The memories become too much. A strange, strangled, sobbing sound escapes my mouth and I start shivering so violently I can't speak. I hear his voice again, "Maddy? I'm real, I am. Look, touch my arm, I'm solid, I promise." In my mind I hold onto the sound of his voice and hide it away, in a safe box at the back of my mind where it will stay forever, that way I will never lose it. I open my eyes and see his arm. I am so tempted to touch it, just to make sure. But if I do, and my hand passes right through it, I don't think I would be able to bare it. So I snuff out the hope of him being real and turn away, burying my face into Ace's chest. I feel his warmth, hear his steady heartbeat. I try and time my breathing with his, making sure I don't start hyperventilating.
"Do you not care at all? If you really loved her, like she says you do, you would have come to find her long ago. Instead you abandoned her. I've watched her deteriorate. Watched her go from lively to a sobbing wreck! I was here for her when you weren't!" I hear Ace's voice, filled with anger and hurt. At first I think nothing of it until I hear Rhydian reply. And his voice isn't in my head, it's above me.
"I know, I should have come with her in the first place but I couldn't! It would mean she would be constantly on the run, no time to settle in anywhere. I couldn't do that to her. So I stayed in Stonybridge. But I couldn't bare it any longer; I needed to know that she loved me still, that she didn't resent me for not coming with her. I understand that she's been in pain. I have been too. Because I love her and I DO care, I care with every ounce of my being." Rhydian and Ace can hear each other. So, how can Rhydian just be a fragment of my imagination? Maybe he's not, maybe he really is here! But I've learnt not to hope, it will lead to my heart being broken all over again. I tell myself he's not there, that I'm just making doubly sure. I reach my hand out, to touch his arm that is still extended towards me. I stretch my fingers and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping though I told myself I wouldn't. I'm about to give up, give up on everything when I feel fingers entwine with my own. I open my eyes, slowly, to see Rhydian looking at me, my own hope reflected in his eyes. I look at our hands, grasping each others.
He's real. My life can begin again. He's come to find me and this time, no matter what, neither of us is leaving the other behind. I jump up, disentangling Ace's arms from around me. I'm about to wrap my arms around Rhydian, to press my lips to his and pretend that we've never been apart when I feel a tugging on my arm and I'm turned around, another set of lips against my own.
At first I'm confused and, with my mind full of thoughts of Rhydian, I respond by kissing Ace back. My arms go around his neck and it's like I'm kissing Rhydian. It's not until I hear his whimper from behind me that I realise what has really happened. I struggle and push at Ace's chest but his rough hands hold me there, his lips moving against mine. My mind feels as though it's about to explode. It feels so wrong kissing him, surely Rhydian is the only one for me, but in some horrible way it feels right. A dark little corner of my mind loves Ace too, though I have never acknowledged this before because my love for Rhydian was so absolute. So all those times Ace comforted me and made me smile must have had an effect.
Behind me I hear Rhydian fall to the ground. From his perspective it must look like I am still kissing Ace back. But I don't want to be with Ace, he's my friend, I don't want anything more than that. So I push away with all my strength and at last, Ace's grip weakens and I fall to the ground. I crawl over to where Rhydian sits, scrunched up in a ball. I lay my hand on his arm and whisper, "You're real."
Rhydian
She doesn't believe me; she thinks I'm some kind of hallucination. Maybe this is what I deserve, I should have come for her sooner then she wouldn't even be in this state. I watch her carefully but still, I almost miss it. I can tell she's listening to what Ace and I are saying to each other and it's almost as if I can see her brain click. How would Ace be able to hear me if I weren't real? My arm is still held out to her and, slowly, she reaches out to touch my arm. I could tell she's not completely sure by the way she was screwing her eyes tightly shut. Her fingers come into contact with mine and I hold on, not wanting her to let go. Her eyes fly open and she stares at me.
For the first time in a while I feel hope, and I can see it in her eyes too that's she's thinking that maybe things can get better from now on. She pushes away Ace's arms and starts towards me, her intentions clear. I'm ready for the feel of her lips against mine, for the steady feel she brings to everything in my life but when I look up she has her arms around Ace. I know that Ace must have pulled Maddy towards him but she's kissing him back, not resisting at all.
I knew it. I was too late. She may now believe that I'm real but Ace was the one that has been there for her for the past eleven months, not me. It's clear that he loves and cares for her, and I should be happy she has someone, but I was so close. So close to getting her back. I can practically feel my heart rip into two pieces as I watch them kiss. My knees buckle and I collapse to the floor. I bring my knees up burry my face in them, hiding my tears. I feel someone beside me but I'm not sure who it is until she lightly touches my arms and whispers,
"You're real." I lift my head to meet her gaze.
"Unfortunately."
She smiles, her gorgeous, stunning smile. "How's Shan? And Tom?"
"They're fine. They miss you like crazy though. Tom's got a girlfriend." I laugh when I see her raise her eyebrows, "And Shannon's still with Harry. They talk about you every day, about how much their lives have changed without you."
"How's school? Jefferies?" It feels so strange to be talking about school with Maddy again.
"Jefferies' still, well, Jefferies. And school is pretty boring without...without you."I stumbled towards the end of the sentence, unsure how she would react.
"I've missed yo-" Before she had finished speaking she was picked up from behind and Ace's hand went around her mouth. I was so fixated on Maddy that I hadn't noticed Ace get up. Maddy thrashed her legs and clawed at his hands, trying to break free.
"If I can't have Maddy, then you can't either. You don't deserve her! You left her! She deserves so much better than you."I think he was about to say more but then he stopped talking and removed his hand from Maddy's mouth is disgust. "Did you...did you just lick me?"
With her mouth free to speak she bursts out, "Put me down you idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea how selfish and cub-like you sound?" Ace tries to cover her mouth again but she just bites down on his fingers and he quickly removes them. "If I can't have Maddy, then you can't either. Me me me me me!" She mimics his voice and I can see the veins rising up her neck and across her face. "Will you just get over yourself and let me be happy? I know you helped me, and I'm grateful but this is just out of order. What do you plan on doing? Kidnapping me? I'd like to see you try!" Maddy digs her fingernails into his arms until he drops her and she takes a defensive position. "Come on!"
Ace takes a step towards her and she growls. I can see the veins in her hands now, too. As Ace get's closer to her I go and take my position next to her and join her by growling. He stops walking and looks at us. "Do you two really think you can just go back to normal? That Maddy can go back home and you can both live happily ever after, after those months of you both being in so much pain? Maddy can never go back; she's explained that much to me."
"Yeah, we think that. Because we stick together and even when it's not possible to be right next to each other, we're together in here." She taps her heart, "Yes, I was not exactly myself after I left Rhydian and yes, I'm never going to forget that because it was like hell but that's over now. We can move on and at least pretend those painful months never happened. And I know it's going to be hard returning to Stonybridge but we'll find a way." She turns and looks at me for reassurance.
"Yeah! What she said..." I see Maddy trying not to laugh at my awkwardness. Ace jumps at Maddy, transforming mid-leap. He lands on her chest, pushing her over and she squeals, scratching at his wolf muzzle.
"Get off me you...you dog!" Maddy shouts at him. Technically we're all dogs but I don't point it out.
I crouch down and let the wolf run through my veins. When I open my eyes I can see the tip of my furry muzzle and I walk slowly over to where Ace is perched on Maddy's chest. I don't know why she doesn't just transform and shake him off. Then I see the blood trickling down from her forehead and over her eyes. Maddy's hurt. A deep guttural growl escapes my lips and I run at Ace, pushing him off of Maddy and straight into the tree next to him. He hits his head hard but gets right back up again. I look over to Maddy and see her eyes slowly closing; at least if she's unconscious she won't feel pain. With my attention averted Ace takes his chance and charges at me, teeth bared. I let out a whimper as he sinks his teeth into my side. I back up, leaving a trail of blood in my wake. I stand in front of Maddy, trying to protect her. Ace walks towards me, intending to finish me off with one final bite on my neck. But this time I'm paying full attention and when he leaps I jump too and we meet in a clash of teeth and claws. When we land Ace runs around me so he's next to Maddy. He grabs hold of her leg with his teeth, not hard enough to draw blood but she might have a few bruises. He starts pulling her through the forest, heading to the clearing where the dens are. I charge at him trying to get him away from Maddy but in the struggle he tightens his teeth around Maddy's leg and he tugs too hard. We both hear the sickening snap.
Maddy's eyes fly open and a horrible scream comes from her mouth. She tries to sit up but unconsciousness consumes her again and she flops back down. Ace and I both look at each other, shock clear on our wolf faces. What have we done? But it's not long until Ace is crashing into me again and we continue biting and scratching at each other.
"Stop!" And so we do. We both turn to look at Maddy but her eyes are still closed, it wasn't her who shouted. "Transform back! I want to talk to you both." Jana. When we don't transform she shouts "Now!"
"Rhydian hurt Maddy!" Ace says, now in human form.
"What? You're the one who cracked her head and snapped her leg!"
"Stop it, both of you! You sound like cubs. What happened to Maddy?" Jana goes over to her and examined her leg.
"Is she ok?" I ask, walking over. How could I of just left her there bleeding? I was too busy fighting Ace to properly care. I'm disgusted by myself.
"It's a bad break, and her skull is cracked." That explains the blood. "We need to get her to the pack healers, quickly." Jana tries to pick Maddy up but a pained groan comes from Maddy's lips and she's put back down.
"Are you kidding? She needs a hospital! An x-ray at least!" I scoop Maddy up into my arms and I start heading out of the forest but stop when I realise I have no idea where I am and how to get to a hospital.
"What's an x-ray?" Ace asks but we just ignore him.
"There are not hospitals for miles. And anyway, how are we supposed to explain the bite marks? And what happens if they take a blood test? Have you thought of that?" Jana's right so I head to the clearing where the dens are. Jana walks beside me, holding Maddy's hand and Ace trails behind, muttering to himself. After a while of walking Maddy's eyes flutter open and she groans in pain.
"It's ok, we're taking you to the healers," I brush the hair out of her eyes, "It's ok,"
"Rhydian..." She whispers and then falls back into the world of unconsciousness.
It overlaps a bit with the different POV's but I hope it still makes sense. Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and follows! Without them I honestly don't think I would still be writing, they keep me motivated :D I hope you like the chapter and that it was worth the long wait (sorry about that...) Ideas and suggestions are always welcome!