Memory-

Two days later and I still hadn't heard from Finnegan, I was starting to worry that he'd been playing me for a fool. That he truly wanted Amber and not me, I mean she was perfect. Her slim figure, blonde hair that reached her waist, perfect completion. She grew up being taught exactly how to act. And I wasn't.

Sure, I was slim, and I had clear skin. But I was beyond pale, and my hair was unnaturally curly and red. An awful color most people thought, I loved my hair. But everyone else thought it horrible and ugly.

I sighed, finally finished packing up the last of the food we would bring into the caves. I didn't like to hide, but it was necessary to protect ourselves from the wolf people. They were ruthless and liked to kill anything that moved, granted they caught it.

I pulled the sack up from the floor and onto my back with ease, I never had a problem with working hard, it came easy to me. I was used to it. When I turned around I saw Father, my sisters, Mikael and Ester. "What?" I begin to ask, confused by this weird bunch.

"You are not coming into the caves tonight gypsy." Mikael says to me, his gaze cold and unfeeling.

"What? But that's where we go for protection from the wolves. We're all supposed to go down there."

"Not you, not anymore. You see, I've made a deal with Mikael, and that deal does not include you. So we need you to stay out here, out of the picture while we begin to set up the marriage between Finnegan and Amber."

Amber actually smirks at me, proud of herself for taking the one thing I wanted. "But-" I begin and they she is the one to cut me off, "Gypsies are disgusting, especially you. I don't want that around my family, around my future."

And with that, the food pack I had prepared was yanked away from me and I was left standing there alone as they walked away, seemingly happy with themselves.

Soon enough night had fallen and I still hadn't found a suitable place to refuge for the night.

"ARROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I heard a wolf howl and suddenly I wasn't afraid anymore, who were they that they thought they could ruin and take whatever they wanted from us? I wouldn't stand for it anymore, I would fight if I had to. With that in mind I felt fine, like nothing could hurt me. Not father, Mikael, Amber or any of the other retched girls in the village.

"Sage! Sage!" I hear my name, "Finnegan?" I call back, shocked that he was out when the moon was at it's highest peak.

"Finnegan!" I shout again and I run toward where I head his voice come from, soon we are calling to each other back and forth. But just as suddenly he stops calling and I feel a cold pit settle in my stomach, I know something has happened.

I stop at the edge of a clearing when I see Finnegan, in front of his family, and mine. Amber had tried to get him to forget about me and stay in the cave while both families followed and tried to get him back inside.

But they were backed up near a large rock wall, with wolves closing in on them slowly. "Finnegan!" I cry out, before pulling my knife from my hidden spot where it's holder was tied securely to my leg. Quickly I slash my wrist, knowing for some odd reason the wolf people were drawn to gypsy blood more.

"Sage! Love get out of here!" He yells at me and everyone gasped when I cut my arm, on purpose.

"I'm not leaving you here!" I yell and whistle loudly, "Hey mutts! Come and get me!" They all turned to me growling and began to surround me instead.

"Thank goodness we will be rid of her!" Amber said with the other girls agreeing, and trying to get everyone to leave me here. Finnegan glared at them with hatred and I felt glad that I could at least see that before I was sure to die.

But I wouldn't give up and did my best to disarm all advances the mutts made towards me. Soon any wolf that wasn't bleeding on the ground, fled and I moved limping towards Finnegan and his brother Henrik, both of which were bleeding. The latter more so. I was in pain, but I couldn't allow myself to think about that, they needed help and I collapsed on my knees next to Henrik.

"There's nothing that can be done girl, get away from my son! This is all because of you!" Mikael yelled angrily at me and I simply glared before following my instinct and holding my hands above his wounds.

"What are you doing?" Ester asked, "You're no healer."
"I don't know." I whisper, "I'm following my instincts." I am eerily calm and this does not escape anybodies notice, but they are shocked that a green glow appears beneath my hands and slowly all of his wounds begin to heal. After I helped him sit up I turned to Finnegan, who pulled his wounded arm back, not wanting to seem weak. "Let me see." I insisted. And reached out, the same green glow appeared and he was slowly healed as well. I felt exhausted after doing so, and luckily he noticed and was able to catch me when I collapsed right into his arms.