Hey, so here's an update, thank you to everyone who commented, read and favorited the first chapter. Just wanted to make a note to you guys to go back and read Wicked Games We thought we'd never play, it'll help you understand a lot of things in this fic.
Inosolan: Thanks so much for commenting and I'm glad you're excited for the fic :)
nakala: Thanks so much!
brankel1: thank you :)
Flossie: Zulimar is...well you'll see. ;)
Fainting Maid: wohoo, go mysteries!
Jacobleah: I'm excited to see that you're excited for this fic and yay for having you stumped, it means you'll enjoy the revelations more :)
Tara Maria: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
This update is a bit short but includes a certain someone that was not present in Wicked Games and no worries, the next few will be much longer :)
Pt 2
"Did you enjoy your meal?" Zulimar asks her as they walk away from the dinner, Leah's steps slow and unsure. The food had arrived in the middle of their introduction and they've been in silence ever since.
"It was good. How'd you know I like cherry pie?" She asks, the calm in her voice surprising both of them. Zulimar shrugs his shoulders, "Lucky guess."
"How long have I been away from home?"
"Uh, three weeks. "
Leah stops in her tracks, stares at him in disbelief. He stops in front of her, crosses his arms across his broad chest.
"Leah-
"Three weeks?,"she exclaims loudly, shaking her head, the calm she had previously completely gone. "How is that even possible. I had no idea...I figured maybe a day or two had passed but three whole fucking weeks! That's unbelievable. I can't-
"You don't remember the past three weeks?" Zulimar's eyes widen significantly.
"N-no." "Nothing at all?"
"The last thing I remember is leaving Jacob." Leah tells him, her shoulders slumping at the memory of pressing her lips to the face of a sleeping Jacob and asking him for forgiveness as she grabbed her bags and snuck off into the woods. She imagines what his reaction must have been the following morning, the desperation, hurt and anger mixing into one expression that makes her chin quiver. A drawn out sigh from Zulimar pulls her out of her thoughts and she stares up at him.
"If you've begun to have lapses in memory than its worse than I thought. It's good that you left when you did Leah." Leah closes her eyes, hands reaching up to tug at her hair. "Come on."
"No." she spits out. "We have to go." "Why am I here, with you? Why?"
Zulimar uncrosses his arms, takes a step closer to her. "I'll explain later but right now I need you to come with me."
"No!"
"Leah-
"No!, 'she exclaims again, moving forwards and pushing him with open palms. He goes a few steps backwards and she continues pushing him, 'for months you have haunted me. For months I've been absolutely terrified of what you mean. You do not get to worm your way into my life, make me leave him and expect me to just follow you around everywhere without a proper fucking explinaition!" Zulimar nods at her words, not at all surprised or insulted by her outburst.
"I understand you're upset-
"Upset?" At her angry shriek, Zulimar's calm begins to disappear. His stance, once showing vulnirability and the need for trust hardens, his hands curling into fists at his sides. His nostrils flare out, his jaw ticks.
"I am trying to be as kind as possible here Leah Clearwater but you are pushing my buttons. There is much I have to explain but this is not the right place or time. Everything will be easier to do once we go deep into the woods."
"Deep into the woods? So no one can here me screaming?" "Leah-"
"What?" She yells out and slaps his chest once more.
They stand in the middle of an empty road, a small distance away from the beginnings of the woods, facing one another with murderous glares and shaking fists. Zulimar's already bright blue eyes seem to brighten even more as his chest begins heaving, each pant he releases, sounding animalistic. Leah's dark eyes begin dulling into an unnatural yellowish hue. Her shoulders hunch, her back trembles. She realizes that they are both turning into wolves and with a loud growl, starts running towards the woods where they can settle this away from any possible bystanders. Zulimar turns, runs after her with a pleased grin. She is going right where he wanted her to.
Seth pushes the front door open, toes off his sneakers and leaves them next to the couch, walking towards the kitchen with a hand resting on his stomach. It grumbles loudly and he chuckles at himself, amused at how quickly he became hungry.
"Hello sweetie, hungry already?" The voice of his mother stops him in his tracks. He looks at her with wide eyes, his hand slipping off of his stomach.
"Mom?"
"Hi." Seth takes one step closer to her and Sue's smile begins to slip at the look of disbelief he sports. How could she have let herself be so absent?How could she have forgotten that no matter how old they were, her children would need her? she wonders. Taking a deep breath, she musters up the words that have been lingering in her mind ever since Charlie told her that her daughter was missing.
"Seth sweetie, I am so sorry."
Seth's expression of disbelief turns into one of confusion." What are you sorry for, ma'?"
"I- I haven't been around at all. I left you and Leah all on your own and now she's gone. My daughter is gone, obviously in some sort of trouble and I wasn't here to help her. I wasn't here to look after you, or help you with getting back to school. I left it all to her and I shouldn't have."
"Mom, you were with Charlie. You know Leah and I were totally cool with it."
"But-
"But nothing ma'. Yeah, we missed you but we knew you were happy. We lost our dad a few years ago but you lost your husband. You found someone who made you smile again and thats great."
"You mean that, sweetheart?"
"Yeah mom, I do." "But you know- he begins sheepishly- 'if you want to stick around for a while, that'd be great too. I really have missed you."
Sue smiles brightly and nods at her son, opening her arms. He chuckles and steps into her embrace, a feeling of contentment washing over him for the first time in the past three weeks. He isn't alone anymore.
"Now, -she starts, ruffling his arm as she steps out of his arms- 'what are you in the mood for? Steak? Fish? Hamburgers?" Seth's stomach grumbles.
"Steak, lots of steak." Sue laughs, opening the refrigarator.
"Fine, but you'll be helping me."
"Okay. Is Charlie gonna join us."
"No sweetie. I really just wanted it to be just us this time, is that alright with you?"
"Yeah, yeah, thats great mom."
Leah and Zulimar face one another in wolf form, growls echoing in the small clearing they found. Leah's grey fur bristtles in apprehension. Zulimar's paws make swift side to side motions, digging into the dirt. He stares at her, piercing her with his blue eyes just as he did in her nightmares. She briefly wonders if, like in her dreams, he is able to talk to her in wolf form but she pushes this question aside when he stops furiously digging into the dirt and takes a step towards her. A menancing growl escapes her when he releases a yip that sounds close to a laugh. He takes another step closer and she stretches her body, starts putting pressure on her hind legs. When Zulimar takes another step, this one longer than the others, she pushes herself off and lunges at him. Zulimar growls, reaches up and scratches her stomach as she is mid-air. She lands on the ground beside him with a whimper but rises up and leans foward to bite at his hind legs. He yelps as her teeth dig in, shaking from side to side in an effort to push her off. He moves a paw, puts pressure on her side and tugs downwards, ripping flesh, making her fur darken with blood. Leah releases his hind leg, sinks her claws on each side of him and throws him several inches away.
A tremor run down her spine but she ignores it and runs to him, scratching his face as she aims for his neck and he nips at her paws. She's reaching downwards, creating slashes across his middle when he head butts her so hard that she lands against the tree opposite him, about a yard away. Zulimar releases his laugh like yips. Leah pushes herself against the tree, going a few inches in the air. Her grey fur turns a redish brown, her form shakes and a howl, louder than any she has ever made escapes her as she lands. A sharp pain in her head stops her from moving forward. She whimpers and whimpers, collaspes in the ground and rolls around in pain. Her fur goes back and forth between grey and redish brown, a howl echoing in the clearing every time its color changes. Leah continues rolling until she shifts back into her human form, presses her hand to her head and passes out. Zulimar phases back into his human form as well, gathering the remains of their clothing and covering her with them.
"I've got my work cut out for me."