Chapter 14 - The Big Surprise, Part 2 of 2

Maddy looked around, saw the creek rushing by below, the waters swirling and leaping over shiny, rounded rocks.

"Do you know where we are?"

"Of course I do!" Maddy said. This is where Rhydian and I walked together the first day we met, when I explained to him that he wasn't a 'werewolf'. This is where I taught Rhydian that being a wolfblood was not a curse, but a gift.

"I thought we could walk from here," Rhydian said, offering his hand. Maddy took it, squeezing it as she felt her heart pound a little faster.

With the gushing flow of the creek to guide them, the two wolfbloods walked deeper into the woods, until the sounds of Stoneybridge were lost in the ancient wildness of the trees sheltering them from the rest of an oblivious world. Rhydian took Maddy to a tall, truly ancient-looking tree that rose up higher than the rest. A low overhanging branch offered the perfect route to climb up.

Rhydian leapt up, turned back and offered his hand. "Come on. Follow me."

Maddy threw him a quizzical look. "Where are you taking me?"

But the wolfblood boy just grinned. "You trusted me this far. Are you going to chicken out on me now?"

Just for that, Maddy leapt up onto Rhydian's back, pretend-biting him in the neck. Rhydian grunted with the effort of holding their combined weight, then swung around so that she could get down. The two of them kept climbing, higher and higher until they could see above the rest of the treetops, at the purplish-magenta sky wreathing the setting sun.

"It's beautiful Rhydian." Maddy rested her head on his shoulder, thinking this was why he had brought her all the way up here. But Rhydian's grin told her she was all wrong.

"What?"

"That's not the view I took you up here for, Mads."

"Huh?"

"Try looking down."

Maddy gasped. In the clearing below someone had arranged gigantic letters out of hundreds of stones taken from the moors. And the huge letters spelled out these words: RHYDIAN LOVES MADDY. FOREVER.

Maddy's heart did a little pirouette as she filled with a happiness that couldn't be contained. She turned to Rhydian, ready to kiss the life out of him—but she stopped.

"Rhydian, why are you crying?" Tears were actually streaming down his face. This wasn't the Rhydian she knew…not at all. She tugged on his hand. "Rhydian? What's wrong?"

Rhydian blinked away future tears, stubbornly keeping them at bay. "Mads…I was just thinking how…how I've failed you."

Maddy's hand gently stroked his arm. "What on earth are you talking about?"

The wolfblood boy made a helpless sound. "I've failed to protect you. First, you had to go running off to Canada after some of our schoolmates nearly discovered you were a wolfblood. Then I wasn't here for you when you came back to Stoneybridge with nowhere else to go. And on top of it all, then you had to single-handedly confront Steph and Kyle and put yourself in danger." Rhydian took a shaky breath. He closed his eyes with a shudder. "I've failed you time and again Mads, and I just feel awful about it." He opened his eyes, and they glistened with fresh tears. "I mean, I love you Mads. If you can't protect the one you love…what can you do? I haven't been there for you when I should have, I haven't—"

Now it was Maddy's turn to shut him up with a kiss. She threaded her fingers through his hair, softly pressing her lips to his as their scents wove together. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, forgetting for a moment that they were 50 meters high in a tree. She just let Rhydian feel how wrong he was. She let her lips show him what words couldn't.

When she finally pulled away, her eyes filled with love, she saw his breathing steady. His shuddering stopped.

"Rhydian Morris…" she grinned with a tear of her own. "What am I going to do with you?" She took his hand and brought it up to her face, relishing the feel of their skin to skin contact. "You have not failed me, Rhydian. Just the opposite." She turned and kissed the palm of his hand. Judging from his reaction, it was as if all of her love had just flowed straight through his hand and arm, striking him right in the heart.

"You have been an amazing boyfriend. You have been there for me. Just because you can't control everything that happens, just because you can't put me in a bubble and keep me from all the dangers out there, that doesn't mean you're a failure!" Rhydian looked down, and she tugged on his shirt until he would meet her eyes again. "You were there for me when it mattered. You helped me get over losing my parents. Before I had to flee to Canada, how many times did you save me from trouble or help get me out of trouble? No one has ever done for me as much as you have." Besides Mum and Dad she thought…but she had to let the thought go or she would start to cry.

The slender girl reached up, cupping Rhydian's face and shaking his head gently. "Never. Ever. Think. That. Again. You have not failed me. You have been the one true constant in my life besides my parents, besides Tom and Shan. Because Rhydian, I still need you…my heart still hurts, and I can't have you filling yourself with doubts and all this other rubbish. I need you to be strong…for me…for us. Okay?" Maddy blinked back a stupid tear. God, get it together Mads!

Rhydian nodded, grinning even as his eyes were still uncharacteristically wet. The boy abruptly wiped them away. The calmness came back over his face, the old Rhydian back and here to stay.

"Thanks, Mads," he said, putting an arm around her. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, admiring the slanting sunlight from the magenta haze on the horizon. "I needed to hear that. You even gave me a great idea."

Maddy's eyebrows quirked up. "Oh, and what's that?"

"I'm going to build a really big bubble to put my girlfriend in. Then, problem solved." His goofy grin made her smile as she punched him in the shoulder.

"Not gonna happen, leak boy."

Rhydian kissed her on the forehead. "Want to go down and see the next part of your surprise?"

Maddy's whole face lit up. "There's more?"

"Is there more? Ha. I'm just getting starting. This is our first date, I have to impress you."

Maddy's laughter flew out to join the breeze above the forest.

Once they had climbed down, Rhydian showed her what he meant. Underneath the first letter of each word he had placed presents for her. Under the letter 'R' in Rhydian she found a small box of cherry wood. Opening it, she found shards of sea glass and beautifully colored stones crafted to a polished sheen by the constant pressure of the ocean.

"What's this?"

"I took them from the beach at Lindisfarne when you weren't looking. I never wanted to forget being with you, the first time you changed. That's one of my favorite memories of you."

The wolfblood girl put a hand to her mouth, touched beyond words. She finally peeped out, "Me too" as she gave Rhydian a bone-crushing hug. "I love it. Thank you."

Once he had shown her the rest of his presents, Maddy insisted that they go back to Jeffries' bungalow. She was taking over the plans for the rest of this official date, and when Rhydian tried to argue, she put a finger to his lips. Her expression said it all: Give up now and save yourself the trouble. Caving in to his girlfriend, Rhydian let Maddy take charge. Soon they were back in Stoneybridge, at Jeffries' house. She led him into her room…onto her bed.

She patted the comforter beside her. When he sat next to her, she moved like lightning. Straddling him, Maddy kissed him. Her hands slid down his chest. It would still be some hours before Jeffries returned, and Maddy knew it. One thing led to another…and soon the two of them were shirtless. Maddy reached back to unhook her bra as Rhydian's hands strokes her sides.

There was no doubt where this was all headed—they both knew it.

Suddenly Rhydian's hands were resting on Maddy's bare shoulders. "Mads. Wait."

Maddy froze. "What's the matter?"

Rhydian leaned up, nipping at her lips as his hands slipped around her waist. With their faces barely apart, he gave her a searching look.

"Did you not bring…you know…" she ventured. He knew what she meant.

"That's not it, Mads." He sighed, stroking her hair. "I…"

"What?" Maddy's body felt warm and alive. She didn't want this to stop. Only Rhydian's hands stroking her hair, touching her gently, kept her from groaning with frustration.

"I think we should wait."

Maddy gaped at her boyfriend. She looked aside, suddenly self-conscious as Rhydian pulled her to him and laid back, helping her snuggle against his chest.

"But why? Don't you want to?"

Rhydian grinned, giving her a playful bop on the nose with his fingertip. "Believe me, I want to. More than anything."

"Then why?"

Rhydian propped himself up on one elbow. "Because, Mads, it'll be just as amazing if we wait. Because I want to know that this is really what you want, what you're ready for. Six weeks ago you were living in Canada with your parents. So much has happened…and part of me wonders if plunging ahead like this is something you're doing because of it."

"But Rhydian—"

"I know this is what you think you want, Mads," he rushed on. "But what if you're not quite ready? With everything that's been going on, the last thing you need is to take this huge step before you're completely ready, emotionally, in every way. And let's face it, Mads, you've been through so much lately. You can't tell me that maybe, just maybe, you might be rushing what's between us because after all the things thrown at you, with you and me together now—sometimes it feels like it's us against the world."

Rhydian sighed. "Even if it is, though, that doesn't mean we have to rush this. In fact, I think it's better if we savor it. I love you so much, Mads. All I know is this; if we don't rush this, there's no downside. Let's say we wait a few months, a year even. What's the worst that can happen? You're still my sexy wolfblood girl."

Maddy gave him a rueful smile. "When you say it like that…"

Rhydian fished out the item from his pocket, the item they'd no longer be needing, and put it on the nightstand.

"You're sure?" Maddy said. She bit her lip. "Because if you are, then I expect you to make up for being such an evil tease."

Rhydian grinned. "Your wish is my command." Maddy's grin matched his, mischief for mischief, as she straddled him again, leaning down to kiss him with a passion that wouldn't hold back.

And that was of course when it happened. The door swung open and Jeffries walked in, stunned beyond belief.

Oh no! NO! Oh god! Maddy swung around with a yelp as all the color drained from Rhydian's face.

Jeffries' eyes narrowed with an intensity as strong as the crack of a judge's gavel landing SMACK with a verdict of GUILTY.

Maddy's last thoughts before Jeffries spoke: Oh God. We are totally busted.

A/N - Poor Maddy and Rhydian. The wrath of Jeffries is about to hit… How will Jeffries handle it? He's started trusting Maddy more and more, so will this shake up his trust in her? Damian's pack will come back into play too. Maddy will have to figure out what kind of relationship she might want with Damian's mom, and the rest of his pack. Things are getting complicated in Stoneybridge…but then again, that's what makes Wolfblood so much fun :)

Wolfblood fans, please review or comment. Your encouragement means the world to me because let's face it, you guys are awesome :)