I don't own Shiver!

What should I do?

Zoe's POV

I watched him while I ate, he was so dark and silent in a way. He was watching me as well, I had decided I would avoid drawing attention to myself but he was making my goal harder and harder to achieve. All the humor was gone from our earlier conversation. He looked like he was confused at the moment, I took this chance to stand up and put my bowl in the sink to wash it. It didn't really surprise me that there were dishes that looked like they had been here for weeks. I grabbed the sponge that looked un-used and poured soap over it and began to scrub at the mess of dishes.

I didn't enjoy doing the dishes but at least it was something to do. I vaguely heard Jace walk up behind me, but I didn't really care until he leaned over my shoulder and looked at the mess.

"What are you doing?" he asked me, I looked at him and realized how close he was, my face was less than two inches away from his,

"What does it look like?" I asked, he gave the slightest hint of a smile but it soon vanished. I pulled away and began to cough, he pulled my wrist until he could take the sponge out of my hand and set it on the counter, when he finished he led me towards the couch.

"Rest." He ordered, I slowly laid down, he smiled as I did so.

"There ya go." he stated, I gave a weak smile and nodded, he looked even sadder if that was possible.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, I looked at him and grabbed his hand and used it to point towards my legs.

"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be able to walk." I stated, he gave a small smile before sitting beside me on the couch and put my legs on his lap, I heard him humming as I drifted off to sleep…

When I woke up I was alone. Jace was gone and there was something that left with him. The house was quiet as I continued to lay on the couch. The silence wasn't calming though, if anything it was terrifying. I tried to sit up but there was a searing pain in my head. This was twenty times worse than a migraine. I groaned out loud, who cares, there was no one here to hear me. I heard movement somewhere in the house and next thing I knew Lizzie was in the room.

"Hay, how's it goin?" she asked in a happy tone, I groaned and she frowned. "That bad huh?" she asked, I gave a stiff nod and she walked out of the room. I relaxed slightly. There were sounds coming from outside, it sounded like paws crunching leaves. While I was in my fantasy land I vaguely heard someone enter the room. When I looked up I saw Jace looking at me with a devastated expression.

"Are you feeling ok?" he asked, I looked around. I didn't want to worry him so I pulled a fake smile and nodded. He wasn't buying it though, his eyes were dead serious. I looked down and let my cheesy smile falter. He looked me over for a moment before coming to sit beside me, I gently sat up. But every time I moved my head hurt like hell. When I was up I couldn't help myself I cradled my head in my hands, all of a sudden my head was on his shoulder. I relaxed slightly, it felt nice to be close to someone. I looked at Jace,

"What was your family like?" I asked, he looked at me, his eyes piercing mine.

"I only had a mother. She was drunk half her life and high the other half." He stated, I wrapped my arms around his arm, he stiffened under my touch but relaxed slightly after a moment. My head felt better when I was near him…

"What's your family like?" he asked me, I sighed and began to think back,

"My mother left me when I was ten and I was sent to live with my uncle. He never really took care of me. He has…gambling problems." I admitted, he was stiff again, "I bet he won't even notice I'm gone. He might not even be home until next week." I admitted, I was never important to anyone before I came here. No one ever even paid the slightest attention to me. He was quiet for a long time,

"Does your head hurt?" he asked after ten minutes, in all honesty I forgot about the headache. I shook my head and he stood up, gently helping me up as well. We walked towards the kitchen and he pulled out a bag of cheats. I gave a small laugh as he devoured the entire 'family size' bag. He looked me over again for a moment before he looked for more food.

I looked around the house again, it felt like home. But there was pain as well. I saw a hallway, there were so many doors… I looked over to see Jace occupied looking for food, I slowly walked towards the hallway and felt along the walls. I stopped at the end of the hallway to see a plain brown door, it was slightly cracked. I slowly opened it and walked in. It was a simple room, a small bed and a bedside table with books stacked in a neat pile. I slowly walked over and traced the spine of a book with delicate strokes. All of a sudden someone pinned my hands to my sides. I tried to turn but they made it impossible,

"What are you doing in here?" a girl's voice asked, I was about to answer when I was interrupted,

"Isabelle, let her go." Jace stated from behind me, but the girl's hold didn't loosen, "I sent her here to get one of my books." He stated, her hold stayed strong though.

"If I ever see you with him again, there will be nowhere you can hide." She whispered in my ear, so low I could barely hear her. She released my arms and stood back. I put my back up against the wall and took a deep breath. They were both standing there looking at me. I tried to walk out of the room but the look Isabelle gave me told me that I needed to stay at least ten feet away from him, I looked around. The only other exit was through a window, I looked at her again, she was the picture of perfection. She had long blonde hair with crystal blue eyes that looked dangerous as if she wanted nothing more than to tear my throat out.

I slowly walked towards the window, it was open. I looked down and saw that the window was at least ten feet off the ground. The house was built on a hill and this was the room that extended over the side. I looked back, Jace must have realized what she wanted because he ran past her and seized my wrist. He tried to pull me from the room but Isabelle was in the way.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you." She warned, it wasn't the best time but it was out of my hands. I went into a coughing fit and fell to the floor. My health was deteriorating by the second, Jace was looking at me, his face was strained. I stood up slowly and cradled my head, it started to hurt again and there was no one willing to comfort me.

I looked around they were watching each other warily, than Lizzie was in the room. She stormed towards me and grabbed my wrist and pulled me away. Once we were out of the room she slowed her pace. She walked me into the living room and tried to make me sit on the couch but I refused.

"No" I stated simply, she glared at me.

"Yes, you need to rest." She stated, I glared back at her,

"Not here." I replied simply as well. She looked me over for a moment before we heard a door close down the hall. She gave me a sympathetic look before walking down the hallway. While she was gone I looked through the window, trying to find an escape. But the second I looked out the window two wolves stepped out of the forest and seemed to smirk at my fear. I slowly returned the curtains to their former state before moving towards the kitchen.

The air of humor was officially gone from the entire house. I looked for something to eat but the cupboards were empty. I was beginning to become frustrated and began to drum my fingers on the counter. Lizzie came from the hallway almost thirty minutes after she left me. Jace and Isabelle followed suit. They looked me over for a moment before sitting in the living room.

"Come here Zoe." Lizzie ordered, but I ignored her. I looked out the window again to see the wolves looking at me with mixed expressions. There was a new one though with blonde colored fur that looked at me sympathetically before glancing back towards the forest and running towards the sound of a howl that had erupted.

I felt someone twist my wrist and looked into the crystal-like eyes of Isabelle,

"You need to learn to listen." She stated simply before pulling me into the living room fairly harshly and pushing me down into a chair. I looked at them all, Isabelle and Jace were sitting on a loveseat together while Lizzie sat on the larger couch alone. The one I was laying on less than an hour ago.

"Why didn't you come?" Lizzie asked, looking upset. I rolled my eyes at her, her face showed her emotions so easily. She was in one word, shocked.

"Am I required to do everything you people ask me to do?" I asked, she looked even more upset before Isabelle interrupted our pleasant conversation.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked me, I gave a bitter laugh.

"What's wrong with me? Ha ha…what's right is a better question!" I spit, "I've been kidnapped, knocked out, told my legs were to be amputated, bitten, poisoned with some kind of…. I don't even know what to call it! Knocked out again, and then I woke up with the realization that my life is over due to selfish mutts!" I yelled in response. They all flinched back at my words. Once they regained their dignity they glared at me.

"Excuse me?" Lizzie and Isabelle asked in unison but I simply ignored them. My anger had gotten the better of me and I was beginning to regret my words. I stood up slowly and walked towards the window. The wolf with the blonde colored fur was watching me again. Her face showed nothing now, and I envied her. The little I've discovered of this life is that in a few years I won't be able to change back into a human, I'll be a wolf for the rest of my life. However long that is.

I felt someone grab my hand calmly but I didn't turn around. I ripped my hand from his grasp and walked towards the door. I opened it and looked outside, I didn't dare leave the house though. There was a reason the wolves were there, to keep me from escaping. There were a few low growls from two of the wolves but the blonde one let out a low whine. She took an involuntary step towards me and I mirrored her. He grabbed my waist but I brushed him off and continued towards the wolf. Soon enough I was close enough to touch her. I pet her head, the fur was soft and delicate,

"Who are you?" I whispered to her, I heard a small whine come from her. I kept petting her head, is this what was going to happen to me? I heard that when you're a wolf you lose all you know, your memories become hazy as your life slowly disappears. I looked into her eyes, they were blue, strange for a wolf.

"Do you ever wish you could just go home?" I asked her, she gave another whine and nodded her large head.

"Are you going to be human again?" I asked, she turned to me and her face was one of worry, she didn't know. "Winter's here, we'll all phase soon enough, does it hurt?" I asked her, she shook her head and I gave her a small smile.

"Maybe this will be easier, I won't have to see my uncle, but I won't ever see my friends ever again." I spoke the words in a whisper, conscious that I was still being watched. I felt the heat from someone's body behind mine, I shifted slightly so I was closer to the wolf and further from him. I focused on the wolf, giving her all my attention. I heard a howl break through the trees, she looked at me sadly. I nodded and removed my hand, she gave me a slight nudge before running into the forest.

"You're going to freeze out here." He spoke from behind me,

"That would be horrible if only I cared." I stated numbly, the comfort I had felt came from the wolf and she took all the sense of calm and ease with her. I turned towards the house and Jace,

"I want to go home." I stated sounding like a little girl stuck shopping in the market with her mother for a long time. He looked at me sadly,

"You know we can't let you do that. You'll phase soon anyway, once the cold affects you enough." I looked from him towards the forest.

"I'd rather die than live this life." I growled at him, his face was one of shock and horror.

"Why?" he asked, it was all he was able to say in his state of shock.

"Do you call this a life?" I asked gesturing towards the forest. He looked me over for a moment before he spoke again,

"This saved us, this is all we'd ever need. This is our life, your life now. This is our escape, we all have had hard lives and this is saving us from that." He yelled, trying to make the idea stick in my mind but I turned away from him and spoke,

"My life wasn't that bad," I began "sure my mother was never there, but I learned to fend for myself and it made me stronger." I stated, "There are things I don't want to leave behind, people I can't bear to leave!" I yelled in return. I didn't see his reaction but I felt him pull me into a hug before guiding me into the house. Lizzie and Isabelle were gone now, I laid down on the couch and Jace sat down next to me putting my legs in his lap like before. By his face though, I knew that nothing I said mattered to him, the ideas that were in his head weren't going to be changed easily, but neither were mine.