Chapter 14: Mindless Dreamers

As Cassie looked at the small yellow book in her hands she strongly fought the urge to cry. She slowly opened its rose adorned cover and a laugh escaped her lips. Suddenly a knock on her door pulled her gaze from its pages.

"Can I come in?" Jaden asked; peeking her head into the room.

"Sure." Cassie said as she closed the book and set it to her side.

Jaden stared at it.

"It that what I think it is?" She asked solemnly.

When Cassie didn't respond Jaden picked it up and sat next to her.

"You're lucky. Your mother was always good at putting together scrapbooks." Jaden smiled.

Cassie nodded absently as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Jaden set the book down and took her hands in her own.

"I know it's hard, but we will get through this. I…I wanted to ask something of you Cassie." She began. "If I don't make it through this-"

"Don't talk like that!" Cassie interrupted her.

"Cassie, if I don't make it through this I want you to take over. I want you to be in charge of the pack." Jaden whispered.

Cassie's eyes were wide as saucers.

"What…Jaden…I…"

Jaden shook her head and smiled sadly.

"You are all like sisters to me. I know that I can be cruel and harsh, but I would die for all of you in a heart beat. I need you to promise me that when I die…"

"You won't die Jaden! I won't let you!" Cassie argued.

"Promise me you will guide them. Promise me you will pick them up and move them forward Cassie…please." Jaden said softly in a defeated tone.

Cassie hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear.

"I promise."

"So you'll do it?" Alec asked Harry eagerly.

"Yeah, if this is as drastic as ya'll say it is, I'm in." Harry agreed as he scratched his balding scalp.

"Great." Logan grinned.

"So when are ya'll planning on doin this thing?" Harry asked.

John and Logan looked at each other.

"A week." John said simply.

"A week!" Harry yelled, but stopped when someone walked past them.

"Howdy." He smiled to the man; lowering his voice. "How the hell do you think ya'll are goin to do this in a week?"

"We really don't have a choice Harry. If we don't do this as soon as we can our asses are grass…and those hell hounds are the lawnmowers." Chris took a deep breath and stuck his hands in his pockets.

Everyone was silent.

Harry sighed.

"Well I'll get ya'll the supplies you'll be needin, and do the evacuation, but I ain't gettin any further in this than that."

Logan nodded and patted his shoulder.

"I can't thank you enough Harry."

Jaden sat down on a wooden bench overlooking the public park and grabbed a cigarette from her jacket pocket.

As she lit it she heard someone approaching her.

"I didn't know you smoke." Asher said as he took a seat next to her.

"I didn't know you were watching." Jaden retorted; taking a drag.

Asher laughed and studied her carefully.

"What happened to you?" He asked; his voice serious.

"I grew up." Jaden said as she gazed at the sky. "I realized that life isn't a fairytale, things don't always turn out the way that you hoped they would."

"No one's too old for fairytales…you told me that once yourself." Asher smiled.

Jaden dropped her cigarette onto the ground and grinded it into the dirt. She stood and turned to look at him.

"Maybe once I was that girl; the one who believed that good always conquered evil and that love was unstoppable, but I'm not her anymore. I've changed; I've changed into a person that I might not always like, but even though I may be difficult and disheartening…I'm not naïve." As Jaden began to walk away Asher caught her arm.

"Do you even hear yourself?" He glared at her.

"Look around you Asher…these people that surround us; they go to bed comforted at night because they think the nightmares that haunt them aren't real. We are the horror stories they were told as children. We are the demons they were taught to despise. That's our curse…knowing that deep down we are nothing but monsters. Knowing that the reality we are surrounded by is a lie."

Jaden pulled her arm out of Asher's grasp; leaving him speechless and alone.

"So what do you have in store for me today Logan Reed?" Cassie asked as Logan opened his car door for her.

"Well I thought today would be a spectacular day for a picnic." Logan said before closing the door and getting into the car.

"Well look at you; getting all romantic on me." Cassie teased.

"What can I say I'm a man of many talents."

"Scotch." Jaden said as she pulled off her leather jacket and hug it over the bar stool.

"What the matter sweet heart?" Bev asked as she poured her drink.

"Where would you like me to begin?" Jaden asked sarcastically.

"Join the club. Around here there are only two things that make people smile, and ones this bar."

"What's the other?" Jaden asked with a small smile.

"That would be me." John said as he slumped onto the stool next to her.

"Honey, you just read my mind." Bev grinned as she gave Jaden her drink.

"The usual." John smiled.

"Well look what the cat coughed up." Jaden taunted.

"What are you doing here?"

"Drinking away my sorrows." She said before she took a large gulp from her glass.

"I talked to Harry about…well you know." John sighed.

"And?"

"We're on track." He confirmed with a nod as Bev pushed him his drink.

"It's good to know something going right." Jaden muttered.

"Let me guess…Lassie won't stop barking?" John asked amused.

"Something like that."

"What, is he like an ex or something?"

Jaden look at him smugly.

"Well aren't you all full of questions tonight."

John rolled his eyes and took a drink.

"You two are going to have to skedaddle. Cops are coming to break up a fight out back. Wouldn't want you two to get in trouble for underage drinking now would we?" Bev said urgently.

John downed his drink and threw a ten dollar bill on the bar.

"Bev I got hers too. Keep the change." He called out.

Jaden put on her jacket and looked at him curiously.

"What?" John asked defensively.

"Why'd you do that?" She asked as they left.

"Do what?"

"Buy my drink?" Jaden smirked.

"Did you want to pay for your own? We can go back?" John stopped and started to turn around.

Jaden pulled his arm forwards a sly smile took over his features.

"Tomorrow we're doing a sweep of the woods. You and your friends should come…get used to how we do things." She suggested as she let go of him.

John crossed his arms over his chest.

"Will Lassie be there?"

Jaden laughed.

"Yes Lassie will be there."

"You never answered the question." John pointed out.

"What question?"

"How do you know Lassie?"

"His name's Asher." Jaden couldn't help but smile.

"I like Lassie better."

Jaden sighed.

"He was my partner."

John opened his mouth to say something, but shut it quickly.

"A while ago the Alpha's thought it would be best if two superior blood lines mated; to make the future blood lines stronger. Asher and I were chosen as the "test subjects" you could say. We started off hating each other; but over time we fell in love. After my family was killed I left him to keep my pack safe. He never really forgave me." Jaden explained as she lit a cigarette.

"How long has it been?" John asked carefully.

"Hell, almost three years." She shook her head.

They walked in silence for what seemed like forever.

"So can I count on you being there tomorrow?" Jaden stopped and asked as she crushed her cigarette stub with her boot.

John stuck his hands in his pockets and turned to look at her.

"Yeah…we'll be there."