Wow- sorry it's been a week. I've been really busy with school and stuffs, so I'm only just now getting a chance to write. Oh how I love the weekend! Hope you like this next chapter! (Sorry if it's confusing at first…just keep reading).
We had reached the conclusion that while we were already in a relatively safe spot, we would stay there for the night. The guys wanted to make a food run and retry to contact May, but first they wanted to help me change the bandages. I could not let this happen.
"That's ok. You guys go ahead. Tori will help me."
"Tori will what?" Tori raised her eyebrows at me. I shot her a pleading look behind their backs. "Oh, right." she got the message. "Sure, I'll help you."
"Thanks. Now you guys can go." Derek kept his eyes trained on my face, studying my expression.
"Ok. Aliena, did you want to come too?" Simon offered.
She stood up and stretched with a yawn. "Sure. Some fresh air wouldn't hurt." A moment later and the three of them were gone, leaving me alone with Tori.
She waited until they were out of earshot before turning to me with her arms crossed. "Ok. What's up? You don't really want me to help you change the icky bloody bandages, do you? 'Cause advanced warning: I won't."
"No, you don't have to," I sighed, already picking up the hem of my shirt.
"Why did you want to get rid of the guys?"
"This is why," I peeled back the layers of bandage to reveal what had literally been a thorn in my side for the past few hours.
Tori let out a long, low whistle, eyes trained on my stomach. The already disgusting injury had become…putrid. Absolutely gross. It had turned an abnormal yellowish color and was obviously infected.
"Wow. It didn't always look like that, right?"
I shook my head. "Definitely not. But don't tell the guys, ok?"
"Chloe…that looks serious."
"I know, but I'll be fine. Swear." I gave her a week smile.
"You are so stupid sometimes." She rolled her eyes. I gazed at her imploringly. Finally, she sighed. "All right, I won't say anything to them. Scout's honor. But if you die- I didn't know about this, ok? It's not my fault if your stupid pride kills you."
"Of course." I agreed quickly, replacing my own bandages. With another disgusted shake of her head she turned away.
The other three returned, faces downcast. "No luck?" I piped up from where I was lounging against a cardboard box.
Simon shook his head. "Nope. She didn't pick up."
"Again, it's probably just bad timing." I stood up, ignoring the pain at the small motion, and went to Derek's side, intertwining my fingers with his. His hands were warm and covered with a light sweat, the muscles twitching against my palm. I glanced up at him, asking the question with my eyes, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Or she's not there," Tori grumbled from her corner where she was picking at her cuticles with a slight frown on her face.
"Bad timing," I repeated firmly.
"Anyway, we got bagels!" Simon brought out a greasy paper bag from behind his back, waving it in the air triumphantly. It did little to lighten the mood.
We ate in silence, me gnawing on my poppy bagel with cream cheese as I struggled to come up with a solution to my problem. I now had two secrets to keep from the others: Kit and my injury. I knew I had to tell them but it never seemed like the right time.
No one was even making eye contact until Aliena gave a little squeal. I glanced up sharply to see her staring at her twitching arm in horror. Simon and Tori looked alarmed but Derek and I exchanged a knowing look.
"Does this happen often?" Tori choked.
"No!" her blue eyes were wide with fright. "I don't know what's going on!"
"You're ready to change," Derek sighed.
"Change?" she squeaked, looking up at him swiftly.
"Well, I'm assuming that's it. You are part werewolf."
"So what?" she had turned back to study her arm, bordering on hysterics. "I'm going to turn into a wolf now?"
"Not necessarily-" Derek started. I elbowed him.
"Theoretically yes."
"Theoretically?"
"Well, it took me a few times before I could change fully…"
"Oh god," her chest was heaving with great gasping breaths. "Oh god, oh god, oh god…"
"Chill. It's not like you're about to give birth or anything like that. No need to hyperventilate." Tori snapped, clearly growing bored with the conversation.
"No. I'm just going to turn into a wolf," Aliena shuddered, still breathing heavily.
I stood up and grabbed Derek by the arm. He allowed me to tug him over to the corner.
"Yes?"
"Why don't you help her?" I suggested. "Give her tips or…or something."
"What do you want me to say?" he hissed.
"Anything. Just so she at least knows what she's going through is natural-"
"But it's not natural. If I was worried that the scientists had made it impossible for me to fully change, there is next to no chance of her being able to. I told you, she's only part werewolf."
"So she may never change?" I asked with despair, thinking of the cycle of endless agony she had ahead of her. I wouldn't wish that fate upon Margaret, much less an innocent, naïve girl.
He shrugged. "I don't know. Doubt it."
"Crap." I sighed. "All right, well can you tell her something so she feels better?"
"You do realize I'm about to change too, right? Won't be able to talk much then…"
"Now. Just talk to her." I urged.
He still sounded doubtful but he agreed. "Fine. I'll try."
We rejoined the group who was trying to calm the panicking Aliena down. "What's going to happen now?" she was fretting.
"Let's go find somewhere private." Derek spoke with calm reassurance.
"I doubt we'll find anywhere more private than here." I observed.
"True," he conceded. "All right, let's just stay here."
"Um…" Simon was fidgeting, not meeting anyone else's gaze. "It ok if I, you know, try calling May again?"
"You don't have to stay and watch." Derek said, more harshly than he probably intended.
Simon paled, looking up at him. "No, I mean that's not-"
"It's fine," he softened his tone. "I don't blame you for not wanting to stay."
Simon waited one more minute, studying Derek's gaze to confirm that he wasn't mad, before nodding. "Ok."
Tori sighed. "Since I'm not even going to try and be nice about this, know I'd rather gouge my eyes out than watch Mr. Werewolf in action." I shot her an exasperated look, which she returned with a shrug. "Sorry. I have no interest in seeing your boyfriend naked."
Heat flooded my cheeks as I looked away, mumbling "he's not totally naked" under my breath so softly I doubt anyone else heard me.
"So we should be leaving now…" Simon hinted but Derek shook his head.
"You don't have to go yet." he told his brother. "We've both still got a while until it's time to actually change."
We all settled into an uncomfortable heavy silence for a few minutes until I just had to break it with useless ranting. "So, I wonder why Aliena starts to change as soon as Derek does? Kinda coincidental, right?" I mused.
"Hmm…" Tori looked thoughtful. "I don't know. I mean, the hormones and stuff…"
"What?" Aliena, distracted from staring at her still writhing arm, glanced at her curiously.
"Well, you know how when two girls live in the same house together for a while they start to get their periods at the same time?"
Simon paled. "No and I really did not need to know that."
Tori shrugged, unfazed. "Suck it up. Knowing your feminine enemies is good for you."
"There is such a thing as too much information," he reminded her, shuddering.
"Ok," Derek interrupted Tori's retort. "Since this conversation is starting to weird me out a bit, I think it's time for you two to leave. I'm almost ready to change, and it looks like Aliena is, too."
"Chloe, you coming too?" Simon stood up and headed towards the door.
"Of course she's not." Tori tugged him out of the warehouse.
"Be careful!" Derek called after them, as if as an after thought.
"Will do." Simon called back before they were gone, leaving me alone with two werewolves.
"What now?" Aliena asked as soon as they had gone.
"You get ready to change." Derek shrugged out of his shirt and jeans so he was kneeling in just his shorts. Aliena pointedly looked away.
"I don't have to undress too, do I?"
"Doubt it." Derek said offhandedly. "You're a bit…scrawnier than I am."
"Scrawny. Great." she muttered, looking down at herself self-consciously for a moment before turning her gaze to Derek where he crouched in his sprint position. After a moment she imitated him, taking deep cleansing breaths. Even from my position next to Derek on the other side of the room I could see the glow of the propped up flashlight glinting off the sheen of sweat on her brow.
I placed my hand on top of Derek's in my usual position of comfort. "You ready?"
He nodded tightly, eyes closed in concentration. I glanced over at Aliena who was also tensed. It occurred to me that she might need my comfort more than Derek, as she had never gone through this before, but I couldn't just abandon him. I wished Simon or Tori had been able to stay, though I couldn't begrudge their choice of leaving.
Without warning Derek's back arched and he gave a low growl of pain. Though I had seen this all before, it still sent a wave of pain vibrating in my chest to see him like this. I whispered words of endearment in his ear as he shuddered in agony, wishing there was more I could do. A sharp cry from the far side of the room told me Aliena had started to change. I felt a pang of sympathy for the girl but couldn't bring myself to leave Derek's side.
An eternity later my Derek had disappeared and a black wolf lay panting in his place. "Good job," I praised. He made a little snuff at me, rolling his eyes.
I glanced over at Aliena who was bent double, still twitching. I turned back to Derek who gave a little nod. He was going to be ok for now. I could go help her.
I crossed the room and knelt beside her, putting my hand on top of her hooked fingers just as I did for Derek. "You're doing great," I encouraged. She moaned an incomprehensible response.
Finally she collapsed (still human) on the floor, chest rising and falling with the force of her panting. "Is it over?"
"I think so. You did great."
She detached a strand of hair glued to her sweaty cheek. "I'm just glad it's over. That's not going to happen again, is it?"
I hesitated, not wanting to lie to her. "Maybe." After all, we really couldn't be positive. There was a chance it wouldn't happen again…it just wasn't likely.
"Great," she groaned before lifting her head to look at Derek. He trotted over to us, sniffing her face. She flinched. "He won't eat me, right?"
"Don't be ridiculous," I snapped, angry at the accusation on Derek's behalf. "It's still him, just…furrier."
"So…can he hear me?" Derek answered her question with a dip of his head. "Wow. Um…wanna play fetch?"
I laughed at the disgruntled expression on Derek's face. "You want the ball? You want the ball?" I said in a baby voice, clapping my hands like I was talking to a puppy. These moments of teasing were priceless.
Derek growled and tensed to leap. "Uh-oh," I had time to mutter before he bowled me over, knocking me to the ground so I was tangled in a knot of my own limbs and fur.
"Hey!" I spluttered, giggling all the while.
He gave a mock growl, jumping away from me and tensing to leap again. "You wouldn't-" I saw him tense up again, prepared to leap on top of me. Clearly, he would. A moment later there was a hundred and fifty pound dog on top of me, bathing my face with the force of his slobbery licks. "Gross!" I giggled, shoving him off me. "You're a way better kisser when you're human."
He snapped his jaws at me then darted away. His movements were restricted in this enclosed area, but that didn't stop him from trying to run. He only made it a few strides before crashing into a crate. The stunned expression on his face made me laugh again.
He snarled at me from the other side of the room, and I would have been scared if not for the familiar gleam in his green eyes. He broke into a short sprint before again landing on my chest, heavier than before. One of his paws landed directly on my injury, making me cry out with pain.
When my vision again unblurred I saw Derek standing over me, all traces of play gone from his eyes and replaced with fear. He was nosing my shoulder desperately, willing me to respond.
"It's all right. I'm fine," I lied. It still hurt like hell. I tangled a fist in the thick hair on his back and used it to pull myself up to a sitting position. "Really Derek, I'm fine." I repeated when he didn't look any less anxious.
He whined deep in his throat, pressing his nose against my arm in an apology. "It was an accident. I'm ok now." He curled up against my side, breath whuffing in short pants. I stroked the top of his head tenderly, feeling utterly in love with the boy-wolf- beside me.
"Are you ok?" I had forgotten Aliena was there. I saw she had drawn herself up into the corner and was sitting with her knees tucked against her chest.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Good. That you're not hurt, I mean." She smiled warmly at me, a smile which I returned. Even though I didn't fully trust Aliena yet, I recognized that we could become close friends in the future.
I lay down, using Derek's flank as a pillow. He rumbled beneath me with contentment.
Despite all the issues in my life at the moment, I was smiling as I fell asleep.
What do you think? Sorry- I couldn't resist adding the wolf part! *Sigh* I repeat: I really want my own Derek.
On another note- I am so glad a whole 3 people have taken my poll! The current status is: my story's amazing, too short, everybody likes pancakes, and no one likes Aliena. And no one says I should be thrown in a vat of boiling oatmeal! YAY! Just curious, but why doesn't anyone like Aliena? I mean, I didn't make her to be a despised character. What is it you guys don't like about her? Any suggestions on how I can make her more likeable? (or should I just give up on making her a good character and make her totally evil- Mwahaha!) If you haven't taken my poll, please do! I love hearing what you think about my story- and your opinion on pancakes :)