{ Fragile Things

Chapter Two ||

The Simplest Path…

{ Comments } Alright, quick chapter because of the cliff hanger XD Hope you enjoy it and sorry for me speeding this, I still hope its okay. xxx

By morning it was nothing but a terrible nightmare. A large dog had gotten into the house somehow and Red knocked over the chair to get rid of it and frighten it away. The fact she had used the knife was just a cause of defence; it wasn't because her life was in danger. She had been stressed the night before, worrying about her Grandmother and the simple fact of sitting in a home at night in the middle of the woods took a toll on her sanity to put it bluntly. It was nothing to think about. It was the reason she had woken up terrified and shaking with a cold sweat, not because a wolf had tried to murder her, or so she believed during the night. Just a small dog that got into the house.

Pulling herself out of bed was a difficult task with her bones as stiff as ever, clicking and whining at their movement. Her muscles ached under the cushions of her thin flesh and warm blood. The curtains of the window were open, allowing her eyes to gaze out at the winter wonderland that had magically appeared during the night. The trees were caked in white snow, a thick blanket of the wonderful stuff was on the ground of the forest floor and it took Red's mind off things. She gazed around her simple bedroom; her pale feet set on the floor, and finally stood up; stretching her arms above her head. She had left a few strands of red locks on her white cushion from the fact the "dog" had tugged some of them out the previous night. She managed to walk to the shower and cleaned her body quickly, knowing there was no sign of her Grandmother home yet.

Still at Valeria's. Just at Valeria's.

Those thoughts she had of her being eaten by that thing were long out of her head. There was no thing. There was a dog.

Once Red had finished, she dried off her locks, letting them become how they were naturally; thick angelic curls. She put her black headband on her head that had a withered black rose on the side of it, and dressed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a white, turtle neck jumper with a white shirt on underneath that to protect her from the cold. She even decided to wrap a black scarf around her frail neck to keep extra warm and once she had socks and trainers on, she headed down the stairs of the house. Humming slightly, she casually picked up the chair in the kitchen and any other things that the dog had knocked over. The knife was put back in the holder and she leaned her back on the counter as she waited for her toast to pop.

Curled around her fingers was a small red can of coke that almost dripped with condensation. She sipped it gently, staring down at the floor, deep in thought. Thought of where her Grandmother was, when she wanted to go home (she figured a few days with her would be fine) and how her mother was. She didn't like leaving the fragile woman alone but she couldn't help it this time.

So deep in thought, Red was unable to notice the opening of the front door and the small laughter of a few people entering the kitchen. Before she could snap into reality, warm arms were wrapped around her that belonged to an excited woman, happy to see her only granddaughter. A small jump flew through Red from the sudden hug but it took her just a split second to register her Grandmother was home and soon she was smiling, taking one hand off her coke to put on her beaming Grandmother's back.

"Ah Red it's so good to see you!! My, you've grown as well," she admired, pulling away from her with a smile. Red smiled happily in return, looking to see who else had accompanied her grandmother. In the back of her ear she heard her Grandmother trailing around, making coffee and food for everyone, dumping bags here and there as Red sipped and looked at her friends.

There were two other women, one her age, laughing with each other as they moved to the table. One was Valeria and her daughter Shannon, who Red supposed she got on well with. And then, someone else came into the kitchen, carrying a few grocery bags in his large, olive coloured hands. She looked up the body of the captivating man who wore the most beautiful silk suit that framed his body heavenly. The lean man was just a head taller then she, unbelievably handsome in his face. His raven black hair was slightly messy, his gems a bright emerald shade that shot straight to her.

The second his eyes shot to hers, she flinched sharply, almost dropping her can of coke then and there. Her heart began to pump faster then usual, her fingers shaking around the can and the background noise drifted from her ears; the kitchen drifted from her sights and all that mattered in the world was her and the man she was staring at. Panic; that was what it was called. Pure, raw panic that gave her an urge to grab that knife she had just recently put away. The toast popped in the background and slowly, the man's eyes widened in turn as if he recognized a terrible deed to do with the girl in front of him. There was no dog in the house. There was a wolf with identical coloured fur as his hair, with the exact same eyes that would make anyone melt. The emerald was the same as the wolves. Even as the man stood there she could sense the dominance he possessed just like the wolf.

Fairy Tales were no longer fairy tales.

Or she was going plain mad!! But his eyes! They were shocked. He knew her. He knew her. He knew, knew, knew, her!

"Ah, Gaignun introduce yourself to darling Rose, it's rude to stare," the laughter of Valeria broke her from her thoughts but neither of them broke eye contact. Slowly, he parted his dry lips and nodded politely, his eyes slowly returning from their shocked state.

"Yes, do excuse my manners, Miss Rose," he spoke quietly, his voice as polite as soft as honey. "My name is Gaignun Kukai."

"Pleasure to meet you, Gaignun Kukai," she returned just as politely, staring at him cautiously. Tilting her head to the side slightly, letting her hair fall down onto her shoulders, she gave a slight grin to show her teeth. "Why, I swear I've seen you somewhere before…"

A flinch. She defiantly saw a flinch and his eyes hovered around her body for a few seconds before he placed the bags on the counter. "Perhaps but I don't know you. We've only met this morning, Miss Rose."

"Red," she corrected, her voice a little deeper then usual. A wolf in human form was nothing to worry about. A wolf in wolf form … well that was something to worry about. She moved over to Gaignun, who she noticed smelled of fresh pine; the forest. She put her hands in the grocery bags, helping him to empty them. "Well, perhaps we have not met with you like this but I have met with you looking different…"

A glare now that was dying to tear into a snarl shot at her and she grinned at him cunningly, ignoring the fear that made her shake. He said nothing more as Shannon began to tell her how he was a long cousin of hers that had another home in the woods, away from the path. She spent the rest of the morning to the afternoon sat at the table, spending long conversations with everyone in the room, describing what she wanted to do with her life, laughing at jokes everyone had and learning about all sorts of things. It was an enjoyable family day, if she could call it that, though no more words were passed between her and the wolf sitting opposite her. His arms had remained on the table in perfect posture, his emerald eyes always placed upon her, watching her carefully. If she didn't need to stay in conversation, she would gaze back, frowning ever so slightly though fear was always in her heart, pumping through her body faster and faster.

Finally, when it came to evening and the forest was dark, the visitors stood from the table and declared their departure. Gaignun hung back for a little bit with Red in the kitchen and she found herself shaking. Was he going to kill her? Eat her for knowing his secret? She hadn't been confirmed about it but she was sure. She knew those eyes; she knew that shade of hair. She knew he was the wolf though there was no other proof. When everyone was in the hall, he turned to her and she stared, her fingers on the cool counter. He took a few steps foreword to get close to her, each one slower then the last as time seemed to have frozen. She had frozen in her position, biting her lip slightly; unable to say or do anything but quiver and shake as her heart pounded so quickly she was sure his magical ears could hear it.

A hand that had once been a paw went straight into her long curls at the back of her head. She breathed in sharply, feeling his fingers pushing gently into the back of her skull unlike the night before when his paw had been rough, tearing out her hair. His head reached down, his nose tucked deep into her hair and she could feel him inhale her scent. Slowly, he shut his eyes, brows furrowed and whispered to her in a husky, alluring voice.

"The simplest path is the easiest one to ignore," his fingers brushed into her hair further, relishing the movement as she squirmed slightly. "If you continue on the path you will be killed. Drift from it. Drift from this house."

"What are you talking about?" she breathed heavily, looking up at his lips as they moved.

"I've put you in danger," he told her, pulling his head back so that she could see his face, yet his hand did not move from her hair and a hand slid to her stomach, his finger caressing her through her jumper. "I need you to stray away from the path."

"Can I not just go back to Miltia?" she asked, staring at him with frightened, confused eyes. What in the world was going on? His simple visit in the wolf form had put her in danger? But she had done nothing more then visit her Grandmother! He was the one that had been waiting in her room! He was the one carrying all the answers. He put her in danger and he wasn't even going to explain it properly to her. And straying off the path into the thick forest? That would make things worse! Hell, she'd get lost or eaten by another werewolf or even by him.

"No," he replied sternly. "There are distractions in the woods, things that stop our noses from working properly. Please, flee to the woods tonight, Rose. I will find you."

"I don't even know you," she whispered, staring at him. "Werewolves are meant to be cunning creatures. Little Red Riding Hood died from leaving the path and going into the woods! The wolf killed her."

"Have I killed you?" he asked her. "What did I do to you last night?"

"Apart from push me to the ground and prevent me from any escape?" she hissed, glaring now. "And threaten me with your incisors?"

"Go to the woods, Red Rose," he told her gently, before pushing his lips softly against hers. She stared wide eyed, unable to do anything as he kissed her lightly. As he pulled from the kiss, his hand ran down her head and a blush appeared on her face as she gulped. "Please, Red Rose. Please." The desperation in his eyes and in his tone was something she couldn't ignore, nor was the soft kiss. The stared for what felt like hours like they had been doing all afternoon.

"Gaignun!" the loud voice of Shannon broke their thoughts, and he replied to her without breaking his eye contact with Red. After their small conversation, he wished her a good night and left without any other word. As the door shut, Red's fingers ran down her slightly damp lips, staring foreword.

That night Red went to bed early.