CHAPER SIX

Dad appeared at lunch time and we all ate soup and sandwiches. When I had finished mine I took some up to Rhydian. He was asleep on the bed when I crept into the room.

He looked younger when he was asleep, calmer and more tranquil. He was curled onto his side, still holding his arm and shoulder in an awkward position but he didn't look to be in pain.

I was still angry with him for holding out on the details of the prediction, it was clear why he hadn't told me about the baby thing. He had told me himself; wild wolfblood males didn't hang around. I hadn't mentioned this fear to Mam, she would be livid if I had confirmed what she was worrying about. It didn't matter if it was now or in ten years time, the likely hood was that I would be a single parent at some point according to Rhydian.

He woke up as I put the tray of food down.

"Lunch" I stated.

"Thank you" he yawned and stretched.

"I'm going to have a shower and get dressed" I stamped out of the room before he could talk to me.

I felt better now I was dressed and clean again but I was tired after our early start and I was still upset with Rhydian. I pulled my books out and tried to concentrate on revising for my exams tomorrow. I felt so tired with all the emotional stress of the last few days I could have put my head on my pillow and nodded off. To keep myself awake I opened the window and began walking round the room with my folder in my hand reading my notes and repeating the important facts out loud.

"Unusual revision technique" Rhydian appeared at the door startling me. Making me jump didn't endear him to me.

"I'm busy" I snapped at him.

His face fell. "Are you made at me Maddy?" He queried, looking hurt.

"You could have told me the rest of the prediction Rhydian." I sighed with frustration. "It's all right for you isn't it? You just get all the glory and none of the responsibility... The all conquering hero who produces the heir that unites all the wolfblood's and then returns to his wild side. I'm amazed Dad didn't rip you limb from limb. Actually, I'm amazed that Mam didn't just go straight for your throat, wolf or human..." I added sarcastically.

"Oh, I see" said Rhydian quietly, "That's what you think is going to happen... That I'm going to leave you again..."

"Well aren't you? You have before".

Rhydian took a deep breath. "No Maddy. I'm not going to leave you. Your Mam was right when she spoke to you earlier, I could hear her when I was lying in bed. Nothing needs to happen about the prediction right now. We can both live our lives and worry about the future when it happens. But when it does happen Maddy, when whatever happens, happens, I promise I'm not going to leave."

I looked at him doubtfully.

"Maddy," he continued "I grew up in the care system. The longest time I spent in any one place was just over a year and then I got shipped out to another set of foster parents, or another children's home, always changing, never settling down, never making friends, never having family. Not knowing who I was, where I came from or where I belonged. Do you think I want that for a child of mine?" He paused and bit his lip.

"Maddy, I want what you've had, what you've got. A Mam and Dad that love each other and that love you to bits. I want any child to grow up with two parents and a family that loves them, secure and happy. Maddy, I can promise you this, that when the time comes for me to have children, with you or with anyone else I will stick around, I will be the best father a wolf cub can have."

He had spoken with such passion that his eyes had begun to change to wolf yellow. I crossed the room to him and slipped my arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry" I whispered, looking up into his face. "I'm sorry doubted you."

We kissed until we were both breathless.

"This weekend wasn't exactly as you planned was it?" Rhydian smiled as he glanced over at the books and note strewn over my bed and desk.

"Ohhhhh" I groaned. "Exams. Tomorrow."

"What subject?"

"History and then Maths in the afternoon. I don't stand a chance in Maths anyway so I was concentrating on history. "

"So, what have I missed? Much in here about an epic battle between ancient leaders that lead to a century's long war between two opposing factions?" Rhydian took my hand and lead me towards to bed.

"Yer, loads" I grinned, "Sadly not about Marrok and Fillin though."

"Catch me up then." Rhydian moved a couple of books and made a space for us to sit on the bed. "The best way to learn is to teach" He shrugged.

"20th century history" I began "we are starting with the assignation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the former Yugoslavia in June 1914..."

"Bring it on" he gestured, sitting back and making himself comfortable ready for the lecture.

I steadily talked my way through dates, places, people, battles, treaties and the unlikely success of the Home Guard defending our shores should Britain have been invaded by Nazi troops. Rhydian interjected with queries about details and helped me keep the history linier when I jumped between facts.

He was right; talking through it, teaching the details to him helped me. I realised how much I did know and we both looked up the bits and pieces I didn't either in my text books or online.

At some point he scooted across the bed and I sat down next to him while we poured over a text book together.

It felt so good to be next to him. It was hard to concentrate. I could feel the warmth of his body, smell the clean outdoor scent of his skin and the sunlight of his hair. I was tucked under his arm, curled sitting with my legs over his, my head under his chin again. I felt so safe here; I fitted so naturally into this space. His fingers played absently with the end of my hair.

"It's grown" he murmured in the middle of my monologue about the D-day landings.

"What?" I queried.

"Your hair. It's grown. It's longer."

"Yes," I smiled, looking up at him. "So has yours!"

"Humm" He mused. "I suppose so. We've changed so much Maddy. It's been over a year since I've seen you. We should barely know each other. We only had those few months when we were friends. I hardly know you really. Your world is so different from mine has been. All this" He said gesturing to my books and notes "it's all so human. So normal."

My moth was suddenly dry. What was he saying? He didn't know me? He didn't want to be here?

"The pull to come back here..." He continued, "It was over whelming. All I could think about was you and being here, you were in my dreams, every time I used Eolas my mind would flick here first."

"You were spying on me?" I questioned.

"Not intentionally Mads, I couldn't help it. There you were, inside my head. You drove me crazy! It's no wonder Bryn went for you, he is jealous as hell. He still doubts who I am, that I am the rightful leader of the wild wolfblood's, I'm not sure I'm convinced myself, what kind of crazy messed up leader would I make? I know so little about the wild wolfblood's; how can I lead them? Protect them? Every time I used Eolas to communicate with the pack they would see you first, feel the feelings that I had for you first." Rhydian squirmed uncomfortable next to me. Talking about his feelings like this was so hard for him.

"I don't understand it" He muttered. "I had to get back here. They had harangued me for months, Mum and the other wild wolfblood's, wearing me down, telling me that Tame wolfblood's would destroy our way of life, crush the wolf, eventually stop the transformations and suppress the urge to be free. I love being out there, running wild, but there are still responsibilities, still a role in the pack. Hunting, providing shelter, keeping the pack safe from the humans. I still don't know where I fit."

"Tell me about the others in the pack?" I requested, suddenly interested in my wild cousins.

"Some come and go, some stay around for longer. Toby and Rocky, both bonkers, came and went a bit, Rocky is teenager in the body of an old man! Bouncing on his feet all the time, most of his teeth are missing which makes him look odd when he transforms. Toby, his brother I think, I kept my distance from, he was strange, he has wall eyes."

"Wall eyes?" I queried.

"Where one eye is brown and the other blue. It makes him look crazy even when he isn't a wolf. They both had really issued with me, Mum had to work hard to ensure they didn't forget their place in the pack.

There is a girl called Otter who comes and goes too. She is the best hunter, you can't hear her coming, she can out run even me as a wolf. Bert has been a part of the pack for a long time, since just after Bryn arrived I think, he and his daughter, Grace, stayed with Bryn when Mum came looking for me. Grace is about our age, she took it upon herself to ensure that I had every wild wolfblood experience. She is so quiet when she hunts, more like a cat than a wolf, she can get into the smallest of spaces to seek out prey and up in the trees she is amazing, you can't even see her when you are up close to her."

I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck and along my arms rise and prickle. They way he spoke about her, with such admiration and affection.

Rhydian continued "Others came and went, girl called Lela with a little boy, Benjamin, they didn't stay with us for long. Some stayed for a few days or weeks, others just a few hours as they were passing through. Some like Janet and Morris came back only at full moon."

"Janet and Morris?! They don't sound like wild wolfblood's!"

"Yer, I know, you're thinking they had matching home knit jerseys and a caravan? But they were actually really cool. They had lived most of their lives wild, they turned when their parents tried to stop them marrying when they were younger, dead romantic." Said Rhydian.

I yawned deeply. "Stop it," said Rhydian, "Your making me yawn too" he suppressed a big stretch.

"Tired?" He questioned.

"It's been a long weekend" I smiled.

We both sat quietly and I felt my eye lids grow heavy.

It was so good to be curled up next to him, warm and safe. No matter what happened, what our future was I was sure that we would be together.

The alarm woke me early next morning. I felt better for a decent night's sleep in my own bed (Poor Gran had kindly offered to take my place on the sofa, insisting that I needed my bed the night before exams).

I had dozed in Rhydian's arms for an hour yesterday afternoon and then we had been woken by Dad shouting upstairs that dinner was ready. Mam and Gran had cooked a huge joint of beef with all the trimmings. Shannon and Tom joined us for a birthday supper. It had been relaxed and fun after I had caught them up with the chats I had had with Mam and Gran, and then with Rhydian. We had all enjoyed the meal and listening to Gran's tails of her travels. Dad was on very good form, all things considered (the appearance of another wolfblood, who was suddenly his only daughters boyfriend and with a prediction that they may or may not in the future have a child could have understandably made him a bit twitchy). Mam was still quiet though but I wasn't surprised by that. It had been a big weekend for all of us.

So, now I was on my way to school with Shannon and Tom. About to sit more exams, history this morning and then dreaded Maths this afternoon. Rhydian had offered to 'help' as he put it, he said that if I got stuck then I could always zone out and use Eolas to contact him and look up whatever I was stuck on, but I had shaken my head in disapproval. No. I wouldn't cheat.

We sat through registration quietly then made our way down to the gym that had been set up as an exam hall. Shannon was reciting names and dates under her breath until Tom snapped at her to stop. I admit it wasn't helping the rest of us.

The 'K's were looking nervous, I tried to stop myself from judging but they really weren't the most academic amongst us, well, except Kara who had flirted with becoming a nerd when she showed an aptitude for Chemistry but as she had nearly burned the science block down with Shannon, it hadn't lasted long.

Jimi was looking cocky as usual, his future was secure no matter what grades he got, he would follow his Dad into the very successful family business but I knew that his Dad put him under a lot of pressure to get good grades.

I felt nervous; my stomach was churning and tied in knots. I hated exams. I felt confined and claustrophobic trapped for an hour and a half.

I stood quietly with Shannon and Tom out of the way.

The doors opened and in we all shuffled.

"Leave your bags and coats at the side of the room please. All you will need are pens and pencils and a ruler in a clear bag. You may have a clear bottle of water with you but the label must be removed. Please ensure that all mobile phones and other electronic devices are secure in your bags AND TURNED OFF." Barked Mr Jeffers at us. Standard exam conditions.

"Find your numbered tables as quickly as you can please." He continued.

I felt light headed. My heart was pounding in my chest. I wanted to open the door and run. The room was stuffy and the windows right at the top of wood clad walls didn't offer much by the way of fresh air. Despite the lack of chatter, it was still noisy and echoed to the sound of us all putting our bags out of the way and the scrape of chairs and tables.

"Good luck" Shannon whispered to Tom and me. I nodded mutely back to her, I felt so sick I was afraid to open my mouth.

"Come on, come on, find your places please" commanded Miss Fitzgerald.

I found my table and sat down, carefully arranging my pens and pencils on the table next to a bottle of water and my ruler and pencil sharpener.

Mr Jeffers began to talk us through the usual exam procedure, no cheating, hand up if you needed to go out, how long the exam would last and what time it would start and end.

"The teachers are passing out the exam papers and answer booklets now. You MAY NOT turn them over until I say."

My heart was really pounding now. Maybe I should have take Rhydian up on his offer of support.

Rhydian. I'd hoped to do more revision this weekend until he had come back and disrupted it all. I expected a flash of anger but it didn't come.

In fact the more I thought about Rhydian, the better I felt. The more I thought about what had happened this weekend I began to feel calmer.

What did it matter what grade I got in a silly little history exam? Or any exam for that matter? My future was set. I could get up and walk out of here now and it wouldn't matter one jot. My future was as a wolfblood. My future was with Rhydian.

I felt a calm warmth flood through me. My limbs relaxed and the knots eased out of my tummy.

It didn't make any difference what I wrote on the exam paper so I may as well go for it. I'd worked hard throughout the year. I'd done as much revision as I could over the weekend given the circumstances. All I could do was my best.

I looked up at Mr Jerffers at the front of the gym. "You have an hour and a half. Please turn over your papers. You may begin."