Bit cheesy, sorry...

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolfblood

Chapter 3 - Family ties

"Jimi confessed, just like that?" Shannon questioned in disbelief.

"Must be my charming personality," I replied cheekily.

"Do you think he'll get expelled?" Maddy asked

"Not my call"

"He deserves it," Shannon pointed out, "trying to get you done for it."

"Jimi's got problems of his own," I hadn't told them everything but they didn't need to know. I was sure Jimi didn't want them knowing.

"Like what, his family's loaded," Shannon replied, rather insensitively.

"All families have problems. It's nothing to do with money," Maddy was right. Just then, Jimi's car drove past with the window open. I heard Jimi's father shouting at him. Jimi caught my eye momentarily and then looked away, a mix of anger, embarrassment, and disappointment in his eyes. We all watched as the car drove into the distance.

"Yeah, maybe I'm the lucky one, being on my own," I said, truth in my words.

"You're not on your own," Maddy gestured towards Shannon with her head and they both smiled at me. As what they said sunk in, I felt a warm feeling in my tummy. I looked at Maddy and she stared right back at me with a cute little smile on her face.

"I've got to go," I stared pointedly at Maddy and she nodded. As I walked off I heard her saying to Shannon, "I'm going too, sorry, my parents are expecting me back home" Then she walked off in the opposite direction to me. Five minutes later I heard footsteps behind me and caught the now familiar scent of her human form. I couldn't wait to see her in wolf form. It would be the most amazing night. I would be able to teach her and help her learn as I had no one to do for me. I would see her at one with herself and her surroundings and happier than she had ever been before. In the middle of my thought I felt someone jump on my back and wrap her legs around my waist from behind. She put her chin on my shoulder and asked,

"What did you want?"

"To say thank you," I replied.

She jumped off my back and walked next to me.

"You should know that you don't need to be alone anymore. You have a pack now, Rhydian, a family."

"Are you family?"

"Me, well, I am. But..." She trailed off

"But what?"

"But I'm not sure I want to be."

"I don't want to be your family either Maddy. That would be disappointing."

"Disappointing how?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to do this," I leant forwards, covering the short distance between us. Her eyes widened and then she smiled. I touched our foreheads together and breathed in her scent.

"I feel like I know you, Maddy, your scent is so familiar"

She gasped and pulled away from me. Then she turned and ran. I watched after her. What had I done? What had I said? Maybe she really didn't like me, but she had said... I was only going to kiss her. She could have said if she l didn't want me to. I stood up and followed her deeper into the woods. I just followed her scent and soon found her sitting underneath an old oak tree which looked like it had suffered many cold winters and stormy nights. She looked up at me and gasped.

"You followed me," she stated. I just nodded.

"Why did you run away?" She didn't say anything

"If you don't like me Maddy, just say"

"There's an ancient Wolfblood rumour that..."

"That what? If this is something important, then you should tell me Maddy. We can sort it out. Even if many things go wrong along the way. They usually do anyway."

"My parents always told me that if I found someone who's scent was familiar, and I had never met them before, I should run away and never go near that person again. I recognised your scent that first day but I thought it was because you are a Wolfblood and I had never met another Wolfblood before you except my parents. I thought you smelt like my parents, not like I had met you before. I realised too late to run away, Rhydian. But now I think I know why. I know my parents have always been overprotective but this is over the top. With the person who you find familiar, you will form an inseparable bond. This bond will be so strong that the two Wolfbloods usually become mates. My parents didn't want me meeting my mate too young. With Wolfbloods things can become...serious very quickly. My parents don't want that. They want their little cub to stay with them forever." She finished speaking with scorn.

"Do you care? Maddy, if you care...I will leave and not come back."

She sat for a moment and thought then sighed and said,

"I think that would be best. I can't lie to my parents Rhydian," she looked at me with sorrow in her eyes, "and if you stay I won't be able to talk to you or see you and that will just mean so much more pain."

"Okay. Well... Goodbye Maddy Smith," I smiled a little sad smile at her and walked away.

He left and I felt more terrible than I had ever felt. I sat underneath the oak tree in silence for hours. I just let my mind wander and think about everything. I didn't leave until dark and when I got home my parents were really cross.

"Madeleine Smith, how dare you stay out this late. Where on earth have you been?" Dad shouted at me.

"Were you with Rhydian? You're not allowed near that boy again, do you hear me?" It was Mam's turn.

"I told him to leave. There. Are you happy now Mam? I will never have anything to do with him again. You have your little cub back just how you like it. We will never see him again!" I screamed, tears running down my face. I stalked into my bedroom and slammed the door behind me. Then I sat on my bed and lay back against the cushions. Man opened the door.

"Maddy, you okay?"

"Leave us alone"

"Why did you tell Rhydian to leave? I thought you were happy with him here?"

"I was happy, Mam, but I was doing what you said. Rhydian said that he found my scent familiar, like he had known me before now. And I didn't realise it at the time but it was the same for me when I first met him."

"Ah, I see, well, In that case, sending him away was for the best, pet. He'll be okay."

When I got back to the Vaughan's house, there was no one home so I just grabbed a rucksack and out a few changes of clothes and a toothbrush in there. I jumped out of the window and ran into the woods until I found Maddy's oak tree. It was dark by then but she was still there. I watched her until she left, then I sat where her scent was strongest and slept until morning.

If Mam was telling me that I was doing the right thing, was I doing the right thing? I know she means well but she always does the thing that will help us keep our heads down and out of trouble. Even if that means sacrificing what we love. I had made up my mind. I would find him. I crept downstairs and left the house. Once I had got out of the garden at walking pace, so my parents would think that I was going for a walk if they looked out of the window, I started running as fast as I could towards the oak tree where I was earlier. I could spend the night there. I had done it plenty of times before, why not now? As I got nearer I thought I could smell Rhydian around but I thought that it must have been left over from earlier. I walked up to the tree and jumped when I realised that there was someone there. I started growling and I heard a deeper voice growl back. I was at a real disadvantage here, I couldn't transform, only make my eyes yellow and what use would that be in a fight? Suddenly the figure sat up and revealed his face.

"Rhydian?!" I sighed in relief, there would be no fight for me today.

"Maddy?" Rhydian replied, confused with sleep. I sat down next to him.

"You don't have to leave, you can stay if you want Rhydian," I half asked him.

"Of course I want to stay, but what about your parents?"

"What about my parents?"

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