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Chapter 3: Buried

ZoeyPOV

Never in my life have I been rejected, at least not by boys. It was just so easy to make them do what I want, of course I should be ashamed of that….right? For some reason though, I couldn't find myself to believe that. In the back of my head, I truly believe that everything that Seth had said, was wrong, that I was just fine. Why should I care about what he says? His view of me, or anything I do, doesn't mean a damn thing to me. Or at least that's what I tried to make myself believe. But my chest was still tight, and felt as though someone had clenched my heart and squeezed it. Corny? Poetic? Or just plain pathetic? I couldn't decide.

My sister and I have always been best friends, from day one. I knew what she was thinking, and she knew what I was thinking. I always cherished that bond we had, and never believed that anything would come between us. Sure, we've had our fights, but they never lasted more then an hour. Mia and I would always have each others backs, would be on the same team, no matter the situation. I could tell her anything…but then why did the thought of telling M about Seth, make me feel as though I was betraying myself. That telling someone that Seth had actually hurt me, was finally confessing that I wasn't made of stone.

I was a Walker, Walker's don't show weakness, that's one of the first things my dad had taught me when I was little. No matter what happens, you never let them see that you're hurt. Show them that your stone, you can't be moved. But at this moment, all I wanted to do was break down and scream. Which in this household, would be the greatest sin to commit.

Family, Paul said that was what everything came down to. Family came first, they were most important. There were days though, when I just don't care about any of them. Why should I care about parents who are drunk and angry half the time? What have they ever done for me? It hurts to think about my parents that way though. I remember a time when Mia and I were maybe four years old, and Paul six. My dad had me in one arm, and Mia in the other. He was turning in circles, singing to us, laughing, his eyes wrinkling at the corners. My mom sat on the porch with Paul, hugging him tightly as she laughed at something he was saying. That was my only favorite memory of my parents, everything went downhill after that. Mom and dad started arguing, the arguing turned into drinking, and the drinking turned into fighting. It wasn't enough that they had to hurt each other, but they hurt Paul and Mia, the two people I loved the most in the world. Dad was mean when he drank, hell, he was mean even when he was sober. Mom? Well when she was here, and not sleeping with someone, I tried to pretend like she wasn't. And when you put my parents together nowadays, you had better be ready for a battle.

So when I say that I could care less about my parents, I'm telling the absolute truth. Mia and Paul were my family, we took care of each other. Endless love, all those sappy sayings.

"You ready to go?" Mia came jogging into my room, a soccer ball bouncing up and down on her knees. She was dressed in navy soccer shorts, a matching jersey with a tank top underneath, and navy socks. Her hair pulled back into a ponytail, bangs flying around as she artfully juggled the ball.

"Yeah," no. All I wanted was to curl up in my bed, pull the covers over my head, and never resurface again. Mia passed me the ball and I caught it with my chest, doing my own share of juggling. We were dressed alike, with soccer we tended to dress the same. Plus, from the back, we look identical, no one can tell us apart from there, we were a force together on that field. One person.

"I'll leave you!" Paul's voice sang from the front door.

"Kay!" We called, pulling cleats on.

"I'm not kidding, you hear that?" Paul shook his keys and opened the door loudly for emphasis, "I'm leaving!"

"Take a chill pill sis," Mia snapped at him as she ran out the door, smirking at Paul.

"Jackets!" I ignored Paul's ranting as I climbed into his jeep. He took off in a hurry, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel when we came to a stop sign.

"Why the rush?" I asked, pulling my red pullover on.

"No hurry," Paul said tightly. He pounded on the horn, "Move already!"

Mia giggled from the front seat, "Could've fooled me."

Paul shot her a look, "Jacket."

"Yes dad," Mia drawled, pulling her own red pullover on.

"I have to meet the guys, and then we're going to hang out, so I'll come get you with them," Paul took a sharp turn, pulling into a space. The field where we practiced was slick with last nights rain. Mud, yay. There were two goals already set up, and a few girls already warming up. I looked out the fogged up window, pulling my sleeve over my hand, I rubbed a circle into the glass, the sky was a dark angry grey, it would start raining any minute now. This should be a fun practice.

"Paul, you seriously need to get yourself a girlfriend," Mia pointed out as she opened her door, me taking out our two back packs, which were filled with sweats, converse, and water bottles.

"She has a point," I nodded as Paul gave us an irritated growl, "I mean, it's ok to hang out with your buddies every so often, but you guys are, like, always together-"

"It's like you all are dating," Mia finished for me, causing both of us to break into a fit of laughter as Paul cursed at us.

"Go to practice!" Paul screamed as we ran from the jeep, hearing his tires squeal on the slick ash fault.

The moment I stepped onto that green field, my chest eased, I took in a deep breathe. This was someplace that I didn't have to worry about anything else. It was just me and my team. All I had to concentrate on, was getting that ball and running. Out here on the field, I didn't have to think, which seemed like the greatest gift I could be granted right now.

"Alright girls, let's start with some laps!" Coach Kale yelled out, his breathe coming out in a giant fog. Kale was a college student who was coaching us for some extra credit thing. He was pretty cool, had the usual rez looks.

I couldn't help but smile as I fell in next to my sister, my mind going blank.

CollinPOV

Which of these would be the strangest thing, you could imagine someone telling you; "I'm a giant dog, belong to a pack, and hunt vampires!" or "I'm sixteen and belong in a gang of mythical creatures?" Alright, so they're basically both the same thing, but if someone had told me that two months ago, I probably would have laughed in their face and walked away. Now though? Well now I know the truth, and would laugh at those who made fun of the legends and the protectors.

We weren't a gang like everyone thought, well sort of. We were a pack, bound together to defend and protect our land. Our homes. Lucky for me though, I didn't have to explain that to anyone, all I had to concentrate on was turning into a giant wolf and remembering when I had patrols. The whole shifting thing was hard at first, it physically hurt to change, but my body was used to it by now. Not only did I shift, but my body had changed also. Hard muscle formed in places body builders worked all their lives for, I grew until I almost had to duck to get into some doors. Everything about the shift was great, except for the uncontrollable anger and emotions that came with it, but more on that later.

When I first started getting noticeable muscle, the others had made fun of me, of course they all boasted about their own physiques. All taking pride in their wash board abs (mind had suddenly appeared over night) and hard muscle in their arms. Standing together, we looked like a group of fighters, which we were, just not in the same sense as the fighters everyone thinks about.

"Everyone clear on their schedules?" Sam Uley was our Alpha, the leader of all of us. For the past hour he had been lecturing us over the fine art of reading a calendar. He thought that putting our patrols on a piece of paper every month, would help us remember when it was our turn.

"Yes Sam, we've been clear about it for the last forty minutes!" Jared snapped, banging his head on the table.

Sam slit his eyes at him, "I wouldn't have to drill this into you guys, if you all actually remembered when you were supposed to patrol!"

"Yeah well these are useless," Paul balled his up, shooting the paper ball into the trash can like a basketball player.

Shaking his head, Sam sighed, "Just remember guys, please."

"Sure thing boss!" Jacob saluted, causing Sam to roll his eyes and the rest of us to throw our papers at him. Diving behind the couch, Jacob held up his hands, "I give!"

"Wimp," Leah Clearwater muttered, rolling her eyes, her arms tightly crossed around her chest. Leah and Seth were total opposites. Seth was fun and never seemed to be sad. Leah was bitchy and scared the hell out of me when she got mad.

"And remember there's a bonfire tonight, some other non-pack," Sam eyed us all, pausing on that last word, "are coming, so no funny business."

"Wouldn't think about it!" Paul clapped him on the back, "Gotta go though."

"And where exactly are you going?" Sam questioned, sitting down at the table, his arm around Emily.

"To pick up twins that I would rather drown," Paul waved a hand in the air.

"I think everyone should go with you," Sam gave us an evil smile, "Do some running boys, get some exercise in!"

"What?" Brady snapped, "But we're starting patrol tomorrow."

Sam smiled, "That's the point Smith."

We all groaned, falling into a run behind Jared and Paul, who took off at a sprint. I won't say it was easy keeping up with the two oldest of this little group, they had speed. Adding to the agony of running with them, was the rain, it was pouring down in sheets, pelting my back as we ran. Jacob laughed loudly as we passed some people, they gawked at us. We were the sight alright, wearing nothing but our cutoff jeans and sneakers in the freezing, Washington rain, I smirked and dug my feet in as Paul and Jared started slowing down.

"Hey Kale," Paul nodded at the man wearing a white wind breaker, the hood pulled up all the way.

Kale said nothing as he crouched down, watching as the girls on the field fought for the ball.

"There's Zoey," Paul pointed into the crowd.

"Ball hog as usual," Jared shook his head, a smile playing his features.

Zoey was dribbling the ball down the field to the goal nearest us. Her soaked ponytail flying behind her. Puddles of water splashed into the air as she tore down the field, mud splaying as the others tried catching up to her.

"Mia no!" Kale yelled standing up.

My eyes locked onto Mia as she met her sister head on. She ran to Zoey hard, at the last second she fell to her side, sliding, her foot knocking the ball out of bounds, flying into Paul's readied feet. Zoey somersaulted over her sister, landing on her back. Kale cursed under his breath. It took a moment before anyone realized that Zoey was laughing.

"Oh my god that hurt!" She laughed.

Mia kneeled in the wet grass, hair escaping from her ponytail, she was laughing too, "Most awesome steal ever!"

Crawling over to Zoey, Mia pulled her sister up, both still laughing. Kale shook his head, smiling as the team was called in. They were dismissed finally, Mia and Zo still joking around.

"You went down hard!" Paul laughed, giving Zoey a one armed hug.

"But it was amazing!" The twins chorused, both raising their arms into the air.

"I thought I was going to make it, but Mia came out of nowhere and then I-" Zoey smiled brightly.

"Like flipped over me, it was perfect!" Mia finished, high fiving her sister.

"Just try not to do that on the game next Saturday," Kale scolded, waving a finger at them.

"You're just jealous that you couldn't manage a steal like that," Mia rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't hate the player," Zoey patted him on the back, "Hate the game."

"Don't you think that sayings a little old?" Kale laughed as he started walking away.

"Don't be a hater Kale!" Zoey and Mia chorused waving to him.

"You guys are going to be sick tomorrow," Paul ran a hand through his hair.

"Please brother, when do we get sick?" Mia challenged, Paul shrugging it off.

"So, is there a reason you're with a group of half naked guys?" Zoey asked as we started walking in the direction on Paul's house.

When Paul didn't answer, Zoey nudged him in the ribs, Mia going to his other side, "Paul, it's ok, you can come out when you want to."

"We're here for you!" Mia and Zoey clung to their brothers arms, pretending to sob into them.

"Knock it off!" Paul pulled away from them, but he was smiling down at them as they laughed.

It was amazing to watch Mia and Zoey together, they never stopped laughing with one another, even when they were the only ones. Sentences would burst from them at the same time, Zoey would finish Mia's thoughts, and vice versa. They even walked in step with each other. By the time we got to Paul's the rain had lessened.

"Oh thank the lord!" Zoey cried, bursting into the house, "Warmth!" She spun in a circle, throwing her cleats under the kitchen table.

Paul disappeared into the kitchen with the others, but I strayed behind as Mia threw her jacket and soccer jersey into the dryer, adding Zoey's as well. She tucked her cleats neatly onto a small shelf, and threw the muddy socks into the basket. As she pulled her cleats off, mechanically it almost seemed, Mia bit her lip. I couldn't help but stare at her, as she shook her wet hair out. The white tank top clung to her in all the right places, and when she flipped her hair up, it was in the perfect mess.

Mia caught me staring and smirked as she walked over to me, "Hi."

I smiled, "Hi."

We stood there in silence again, Mia looking down, and me wishing she would look back up.

"You're really good," I blurted out, not knowing what else to say. At her confused look I continued, "At soccer, I mean."

"Thanks," she smiled, silence overtaking us again.

I ran a hand through my hair, not knowing what to do about the awkwardness.

"Are you going to the bonfire tonight?" Mia asked, her blue eyes locking onto mine.

I nodded, "Yup, you?"

She nodded and continued to stare at me for a second before looking down, "Well maybe I'll see you there."

Oh….I'm stupid. I ran a hand through my hair again, "Or," I paused, waiting until she looked back up again, "you could go with me."

A sudden smile overtook Mia's lips, making me do the same, "I like that idea."

"Good, how about I pick you up at eight? It should be done raining so we can walk," I suggested, hoping she wouldn't mind.

"It's perfect," Mia continued to smile.

I couldn't help but pull her to me, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck as I held her to me, burying my face in her hair. Her scent washed over me like a wave, calming my nerves.

"You're going to get sick!" Paul snapped from the hallway.

"Uh-oh," Mia whispered. She pulled out of my arms, and I felt the urge to pull her back to me.

"Go change before you really do," Paul eyed Mia as she walked around him, completely oblivious to the small smile she sent me before walking down the other hall. Turning to me, I finally got the famous Paul glare I had heard so much, and it did send fear through my veins. Paul crossed his arms, glaring hard at me, "What the hell were you just doing?"

I shook my head, "What do you mean?"

"I'm going to make this simple Collin," Paul growled, "Mia is my sister, whatever you're doing, it ends now."

"It's not that simple," I snapped, cringing as I heard the anger behind my words.

Paul gave an amused laugh, "And give me one reason why that is."

I swallowed hard, trying to force down the words. But with Mia's scent still lingering in the air, they came tumbling out, "Because I imprinted on her."

I had maybe a second to register the dangerous flash in Paul's eyes, before I was tackled.

ZoeyPOV

Do you know what the most amazing habit humans have? That would be showering. After practice in the pouring rain, I was frozen solid, my hands throbbed from the cold, and it was hard to move. The moment that hot water pounded on me, I sighed. A paradise of hot steamy water, a girl had to love that. I didn't have long, because a second later, I heard the squeak of the other shower start, hot water was now an endangered resource. Quickly I lathered my hair with my apple shampoo, trying to simultaneously wash all the mud from my body. Three minutes later, my left eye still burning from the shampoo, I climbed out of the shower, running a comb through my wet hair before sneaking into my room. The boys were yelling about something downstairs, but I ignored it as I shut my door.

I loved my room, it was small, but it had its charm. There was a circular window with a small bench underneath it that I loved to read by. The walls were a light green, my favorite color, with a few posters and pictures tacked onto them. My bed was catty corner to one wall, covered in a forest green comforter, and matching pillows. Curtained gracefully along my headboard were white twinkle lights, they were my obsession. They framed my headboard, the window, and my book shelf. There was no closet, just a wardrobe that I hung things that would easily wrinkle. But I went to the drawers of it instead. Pulling out black sweats, a green tank top, and a light green pullover I got dressed, enjoying the warmth of the fuzzy socks I decided to wear.

"Darling joy," I sang after walking down the hall, tapping on Mia's door.

"Come in!" She called, her voice muffled.

I opened the door, automatically closing it. Mia was towel drying her thick hair, one hand searching her night stand. Mia's room was painted a light blue (I used to tease her that our parents had wanted a boy, that's why her room was blue). Her favorite, there were old posters and signs that we had made tacked onto her walls, a few metals hanging in a clump. Her bed, complete with a navy and light blue comforter and matching pillows, was flush against one wall, right under a square window. Where my room had one window, Mia's had two. Two squares ones, both spaced evenly on one wall. Where my obsession was twinkle lights, Mia's was candles. They were placed in neat ascending rows on her nightstand, on her book shelf, and a few on her window sill. Her wardrobe was flung open, jeans falling out. She was dressed in black sweats, a light blue tank top, and a slight darker blue pullover. Her feet were clad in the blue fuzzy socks I had given her for our birthday.

"What's with the arguing downstairs?" I asked, sitting cross legged on the bed. I pulled a pillow into my lap and played with the fringe.

Mia shrugged her shoulders, "Will you braid my hair?" She crawled next to me, handing me a brush and a hair tie.

I said nothing as I brushed out the stray tangles and started French braiding Mia's hair. Again, it was something I could do without thinking.

"So," Mia muttered, "Paul's mad."

"What now?" I asked, tightening a section of hair.

Mia went quiet, waiting until I finished the braiding before turning to me, "He saw Collin hugging me."

My brows scrunched together, "And how is that bad?"

Mia bit her lip, "I don't know. But it was the most amazing hug I've ever had in my life."

I couldn't help but laugh at the dreamy expression Mia wore, "Already onto a new guy? Weren't you just in trouble from the last one?"

But this is different!" the look Mia wore made me stop laughing, that look in her eyes, it was something I've never seen before, "With Collin, it feels so….right."

What the hell was she talking about?

Sensing my confusion Mia continued, "Last night after Paul told me to go home, Collin walked with me. We were talking and all of a sudden we got really quiet, just staring at each other. For a second I felt really uncomfortable, but then it just clicked. I don't know why Collin, I mean, I've known him since freshmen year. But I actually asked him to kiss me," Mia gushed, which was not like my sister. She smiled and fell onto her back, closing her eyes, "It was amazing. I thought I melted."

I didn't know what to tell her. Sure, I was happy for my sister, hopefully she finally found a good guy this time. But at the same time, my stomach was knotting, jealousy making me clench my jaw. So I get turned down, but she doesn't? That didn't seem fair.

"Zo I really like him," Mia sat up, the dreamy expression back, "I mean really, really like him."

"Great," I muttered.

"Downstairs, now," Paul slammed the door open, causing us to jump. His eyes bore into ours, making me swallow.

Mia and I didn't argue as we followed Paul into the living room. Collin was wiping his face with a dish towel, Jared glaring at the back of Paul's head. The others had left. Lucky for them.

"Sit," we did as Paul said, sitting close by each other as our brother began pacing in front of us. Silence fell into the room, a silence that was so sharp, it seemed to slice right through you. Paul finally stopped in front of us, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Zoey you're not in trouble," I sighed in relief, Mia still frozen. Paul turned to my twin, glaring again, "You are."

"For what?" Mia cried, I scooted away from her, not wanting to be in the way of a WWE smack down.

"Because," Paul's fists began shaking, he took a chocked breathe and continued, "you were in trouble last night, but now I find out you're after him?" Paul shot a dirty look at Collin, his face scrunching up as though the very sight of him made Paul sick.

Mia said nothing, Collin staring at her now.

"You can't see him," Paul growled.

"What?" Mia's blue eyes flashed as she stood, looking tiny next to my giant brother, "Why not?"

"Berceuse's he dangerous Mia!" Paul roared, Mia was wise to step back.

But unfortunately, she still spoke, "You're my brother Paul, but you can't tell me what I can and can't do. And 'he's dangerous' isn't a good enough answer! Give me one good reason why Paul! Collin isn't bad! He's you're friend!"

"I can't tell you!" Paul slammed his fist into the Tv stand, causing things to wobble.

Mia swallowed hard, "That's not a reason."

"Mia," Paul sighed, "Please, he's dangerous."

"Paul," Collin stepped forward, "You know I would never hurt Mia, I'll do anything for her. I promise."

I watched in shock as Paul looked at Collin, the rage slowly fading away. He sighed, "I know you won't Col, but it's not that simple."

Collin shook his head, "Yes it is. And you know that, everyone knows it."

Paul said nothing, Mia looking at the ground, "Fine," Mia's head shot up as Paul spoke, "but I swear to god Collin, if you make her cry, hurt her, pressure her in any way, or do anything to harm her, I swear I'll kill you myself."

Collin's face brightened as Mia smiled, "I promise Paul. You have my word."

Mia almost screamed as Collin wrapped her in his arms, swinging her around the room.

I couldn't stand it, I stalked down the hall, closing my door silently. I made a coffin in my sheets, and buried myself.