Hi everyone! Welcome back, I'm so excited to be writing and I hope you enjoy! ~SL
Chapter 6
Addison kept walking, she would occasionally do a back handspring, or even a cartwheel, anything that demanded attention to her body. That way she could take it off her mind.
Addison walked past the crushed chain link fence into the Forbidden forest, sure Willa might be here, but maybe she could get some answers. Addison found a path and just started to follow it, her white sneakers kicking the soft ferns that grew on the forbidden forest ground. It didn't take long for Addison to hear another pair of feet following hers, then two. Then more. Addison kept up her walk even though a smile graced her face. The anger she felt slowly left, knowing the pack was there. She still wore her moonstone, she still felt connected to the wolves that choose not to integrate into Seabrook. And honestly given the opportunity Wyatt just presented her with, she might have to un-integrate from Seabrook too.
Addison stopped walking in front of a large moss covered tree, and the pairs of feet matching her steps stopped with her. She put her hand in the trunk, refusing to turn around. Willa slipped her hand thru Addisons arm, pulling her close.
"You are the worlds worst wolf." Willa smiled, her fangs out and the pack sneaking from the shadows around her in laughter.
"I knew you were there the whole time, I tracked you." Addison turned and looked at her friends. "How are you all?" Addison offered a hug to Willa and Wynter.
Wynter returned with an extra squeeze and Willa accepted without movement. "Likely better than you. Come back to the den, it's not safe out here." Willa had the pack surround Addison, keeping a tight circle.
"Right in your own forest, it's not safe." Addison smiled with pride. "Don't believe that. I don't have time today though for a howling. I have to get ready to bring varsity to regionals, I have chemistry homework, and-"
"And my idiot brother tripping over his own tail and words?" Willa offered.
"Kind of?" Addison admitted in a huff.
"Come on, we won't do anything but talk." Willa snapped her fingers and started walking, Addison in tow, Wynter staying next to her.
"Are you guys suddenly afraid?" Addison asked Wynter on the short walk back.
"No, never. Concerned? Trepidatious?" Wynter offered. "But we are not afraid of anything."
"Rogue zombies, cheerleader." Willa kept her pace firm and immediate. "Zombies who refuse to join Seabrook and take off their zband either get put down or they come out here. This sadly isn't just my forest and I try to share it with the other monsters nicely. But a delicious clawless snack in the middle of the woods? Not today."
"Rogue zombies? I've never heard of them, does my dad know about them? Are they in trouble?" Addison immediately wanted to help the zombies of the forest.
"Addison, sometimes I worry about you." Willa tried to accept her naivety, but sometimes it was hard to overlook. "These zombies don't want help, they want your brains."
"I refuse to believe that." Addison said with a little too much fire.
"Believe it or not, they don't care. But that's not what lit a fire under your cheer skirt, is it?" Willa walked into the wolf den, the moon phase designs always calling to Addison.
"Come on up, sit with us, let us know what my brother did." The back surrounded Addison, Wynter resting her head in Addisons lap.
"He said you think I still might be a wolf." Addison blurted out.
Willa looked bored, "Is this somehow surprising to you? You're one of ours. But I don't think that's what's bothering you."
"Wyatt said you think maybe because I never touched the moonstone, my wolf may be dormant, and that could wake it up." Addison let her voice hang, with worry, concern, excitement, fear all battling for dominance.
"When you're ready we have the moonstone, one touch and if you light up, problem solved. But?" Willa began for her.
"Do you want to be a wolf Addison?" Wynter asked.
"I don't know." Addison admitted. "I know you're all very important to me, but I'm not sure what it would change."
"Nothing." Willa felt slightly annoyed that someone could deny the opportunity to become one with their inner wolf. "Wyatt wants you either way."
"See that is so confusing, it came out of nowhere." Addison inhaled, finally letting the dam burst open. "And now Zed and I our fighting and I don't know how I'm going to challenge both of them because I'm just human but I don't want to become a wolf just to defeat them, that's for all the wrong reasons." Willa nodded at her logic.
"Keep going." Wynter encouraged.
"And if I was, Zed would think that means I'm choosing Wyatt over him, but I never was choosing because Wyatt was never an option, but now the idea I can have Wyatt AND Zed is really destroying my head, because I don't know what I want!" Addison stood up, stomping her feet and crossing her arms.
"Does wittle Addy Waddy need a nappy poo?" Willa pouted.
"This is serious Willa. I could loose them both!" Addison countered.
"Addison we mate for life. One and done. And if your mate doesn't accept you, that's it." Wynter said softly before covering her hand over her mouth. "Wait I didn't mean that."
"You mean if I don't pick Wyatt, he'll die?" Addison looked at Willa.
"Nothing that extreme. Worthless bone bag of heartbreak and numbness sure, but not dead." Will smiled her fake smile at Wynter, who mouthed an "I'm sorry."
"I've never even been on date with Wyatt, who know if we are even compatible." Addison brought her hands up to the ceiling when a wolf in the pack coughed pointedly at her.
"Addison, what happens when you tutor Wyatt?" Willa asked.
"Well he meets me in the library where he's reserved a table. He always brings snacks as a thank you, it's always one of my favorites which is so sweet. Then we go over the subject of the day and he tries really hard to stay focus but sometimes we have to take a break because I'm boring him. Then we come back and he's super intense and we finish the work quickly. Then he walks me home or to Zed and we meet up again the next day." Addison filed her head.
"Here's what I hear, he provides for you, takes care of you, respects your boundaries even though his wolf is begging him to claim you, breathes thru it by some miracle, makes sure of your safety even though it's likely physically painful to separate from you, and he repeats it again and again, and again." Willa stood in front of Addison. "This didn't come out of nowhere, your devotion to Zed just never let you see it. My brother is devoted to you, he loves you. So you need to decide if you can love him." Willa exhaled slowly.
"If I don't he'll die, I don't want him to die." Addisons eyes started to get glossy.
"And saying you love him when your heart isn't there will kill him much faster." Willa countered. "We wolves are all or nothing Addison. No half, no take back. So it's on you."
"But how does a couple become a group of three?" Addison asked shyly.
Wynter looked at Willa, smirking. She knew it, Addison was going to choose Wyatt.
"It's really easy, you tell them you love them and as alpha they accept. And you find your balance." Willa said.
"But Zed isn't an werewolf, and if anything, he'd be an alpha." Addisons voice got softer, a blush creeping up her face.
"Sounds like you have your pack dynamics." Wynter said. "Packs have organization. It sounds like you see Zed as your alpha and Wyatt as your second. Which means you're already halfway there to accepting them." She shrugged.
"What if Zed likes Wyatt?" Addison started to panic. "I mean, what if he decides to loose me for Wyatt and by doing this I'm losing both of them." Willa drove an elbow gently into her side.
"Don't be foolish. My brother is devoted to you. Zed is devoted to you- anything they do with each other will be thru your love. I've seen this a few times in the pack, if you can't trust your own inner wolf, trust Wyatt's."
Addison rubbed her ribs, letting the small lingering soreness break up her thoughts. "I'm going to say yes." Addison smiled, the wolf pack yipped and howled with celebration.
"No your not." Willa called out, the howls stopping immediately.
Addison spun on Willa and saw Wynter was also confused.
"Make them work for you." Willa winked. "Dates, moonlight dances, those men are capable of double the romantic gestures now, make them earn you now that you've decided. It also will help your heart feel secure as you fight all of Seabrooks intolerance." Willa crossed her arms. "Worthless town."
"They are just really obsessed with perfection, but it's broken. I'm fixing it." Addisons chin stood proud. "I'm going back to see them, I'm telling them I want to go on a date after regionals tomorrow and then, depending on how they do, I'm coming back for my moonstone."
The pack broke into a roar, the sound excited and infectious joy wrapping itself around Addison where she begun to howl. The pack dissolved into laughter.
"What did I say now?" Addison blushed.
"You're definitely more of a swearwolf than a werewolf." Wynter had her eyes covered, making Addison laugh.
"I'll get better, I'm sorry. I'm going back to them now." Addison walked to the cave entrance, noticing how dusk had covered the forest.
"We will walk you out." Willa pointed and a group of six wolves flanked Addison.
"No, I've got this. I can feel Wyatt and Zed right now somehow, I know how to get out of the forest. And it's not dark quite yet, should be safe from any 'feral' zombies." Addison mocked.
"It's not a joke Addison, the ferals are dangerous even if their numbers are few." Willa wouldn't take no for an answer, and Addison and her stared at one another.
"Fine and thank you, but I honestly would be fine." Addison accepted.
"I know you will because my best wolves will be protecting you." Willa walked up to Addison, not wanting to give her a hug, but the feeling growing. "Give 'em hell." Willa smiled. Addison grabbed her hand and they pulled each other towards them. With another howl Addison left, three wolves on either side
Wynter came up behind Willa, some money in her claws, handing it over. Willa put up a hand to stop her.
"Hold it, we have to see how they survive their date." Willas eyes glowed yellow with excitement, sending off a howl of goodbye and good luck out of the den and chasing Addison.