CHARITY POV Dead bodies surround me, while the blood of others stick to my skin, along with sweat and dirt. The warm wetness disturbing and… No, I don’t want to think about it more. A wet nose caresses my fingertips before sparking flames race up my arms, and throughout my limbs. “Hello, Fletcher,” I whisper, knowing he’ll be able to hear. It’s like my hands have a mind of their own as I scratch behind his ears. “Thank you,” I say, softly, feeling a little more than guilty about the way I have treated him the past few days. I have been feeling the emotion so much that you’d think it wouldn’t shock me anymore, but it does. “You didn’t have to protect me the whole time you know?” The wolf growls in protest at my statement, but sits obviously enjoying my touch. I know I should act icy to him, but I can’t help but soften towards the beautiful creature before me. “Charity,” Elle calls, forcing me to drop my hand and step back from Fletcher’s wolf who pins her with a glare. “Go shift, F
CHARITY POVI unlock the door to my house, grateful to find it silent, with no parents to welcome me home. Not that I have the energy to talk to them about my last few days, or today. Everything is blurring together, that I don’t realize my feet have carried me upstairs to the shower.I strip naked, tossing the clothes in a pile, deciding in that moment I’d rather burn them. The memories that will resurface when I look at them isn’t what I need. Definitely not.Stepping over the bathtub, I let the scalding water burn my skin clean. I stay underneath the showerhead long after I have scrubbed my body raw. The water turning into an icy shock, but it doesn’t stop me from pouring more soap onto my loofah. I only want to rid myself of the blood stains I see whenever I look at my hands.The repetitive ring of the doorbell makes me turn the water off, not caring if all the soap is gone. Wrapping myself in one of my fuzzy pink towels, I hurry back down the steps. The exhaustion must be messing
FLETCHER POVI walk further into the forest, counting my steps until I am far enough away that I can loop back to Charity’s without Matt noticing. I really want to hate him, but I can’t and it’s the most frustrating thing.If he was any other male, I would have killed him already for daring to touch her, but apparently that’s impossible now. It was so much easier to dislike him when I didn’t know who or what he is.“Even if you didn’t know what he was,” Mars reminds me, like annoying little now. “The consequences would have been the same. We can’t change what he is. Hurting him only hurts our Fireball, and we could never do that. She’ll only burn brighter with both of us at her side.”“I know,” I growl, arguing with the creature who lives within. “But it’d be so much easier without him around and way less complicated for all of us.”“Who cares?” he snaps, the wolf growing tired of my complaints. “Be patient and let them get used to the idea of what our future will hold.”“At least we
CHARITY POV It’s been days since Fletcher left, and the hole in my heart only grows. I am not sure avoiding Matt is helping matters. Having him so close and yet feeling emotionally distant is debilitating. Times were much easier when I never had both guys in the same place, but now that I have, I cannot imagine us any other way. It’s selfish, I know, but it’s impossible to avoid. Both men have burrowed their way into my soul, and I don’t think life will be possible without them in it. My confusion makes me want to bang my head against the wall. They’re going to expect a decision eventually, for me to pick one over the other, and I won’t be able to do it. “You’re going to burn a hole in the carpet,” Matt jokes, startling me. Nearly jumping from my skin, I turn to find him on the other side of the screen door that separates the sun porch from the outside. “Goddess, you scared me,” I breathe, clutching my chest. I stop my repetitive journey to let him inside. “You looked lost in tho
MATT POV I’ve been on a virtual cloud for the last few days. Even being in Silver Run without Charity hasn’t dampened my mood, and knowing she comes back in two days makes it that much sweeter. A knock on my door breaks through the music blaring through the speakers, as Andrew peaks his head in. “Moving truck is here,” he yells, over the lyrics of Dance Gavin Dance. “For Goddess sakes, can you turn it off?” He barges inside, walking to where the stereo sits on the floor, flicking the switch off. “I love that song.” He growls, “but if I have to hear it blasted through the walls for one more second, I will break the stereo and then you.” I smirk at his attitude, knowing it has nothing to do with me but the fact that Theo won’t give him the time of day. “Don’t piss on my parade just because things aren’t working out for you.” “I don’t need to piss on your parade,” he snaps, enjoying the way my face falls. “Fletcher will do it for you. He’s been weirdly absent, but we both know the se
CHARITY POVI throw my bag down, taking in my new room. The walls are bare, and boxes sit in the corner. Each labeled with its contents, the walls are bare, dying for my artistic aesthetic. My white bed covers not having the same effect in this bland space.Not having the time to organize, I kneel, taking things from the backpack, and placing them on the desk. Once the bag is empty, I find the box labels’ shoes. Tearing it open, I reach in, grabbing strappy white heels. I set them aside, looking for the cardboard holding my dresses. Ripping the tape off, I dig through the pile until I find the light pink off shoulder dress.The sleeves having a slight poof with a sweetheart neckline. It hugs the waist until flaring outward. The kind of dress that a woman deserves to twirl in, regardless of her age. Folding it neatly, I place it beside the shoes before digging through the rest for my makeup.Once all my items are placed in my bag, I exit, going down the hall. I’d rather get ready with
FLETCHER POV I watch helplessly as Matt walks out the door with Charity, Mars whining, begging me to join them. I turn to Xander, wanting to know when we’ll be leaving, only to find him staring at Nora. The way he stares, it’s like she is the earth, sun, moon, and stars to him. It’s a facial expression I know well, because it’s the same way I look at Fireball. Knowing I won’t be missed, I cough abruptly, interrupting the conversation happening. “I’m gonna go,” comes out in a rush, knowing the longer I wait, the less likely I am to catch up to the others. I don’t wait for responses, instead heading straight for the exit. The door barely clicks close before my nose is in the air, tracking down their scents and speed walking to get closer. It doesn’t take long for my feet and long strides to catch them, especially with their leisurely stroll. I keep my steps light and airy, so that neither hears me behind them. Thankful that Xander made us wear our scent blocking bracelets, I thought h
CHARITY POV The cool night air glides through my fur, the moonlight shining on my back, as my paws dig into the cool night earth. Summer follows Mars easily, sticking close to his side even as he turns suddenly. The way we run reminds me of two sled dogs tied together. We break through the tree line, into a large field, but Fletcher doesn’t stop, running across to the other side of the forest. The longer we run, the more I wonder if he really had anything to show me, or if he just wanted a reason to distract me. To spend time with me. Goddess, I really don’t see what these men see in me. Why are they so focused on me when there are tons of she-wolves who would adore their attentions. But damnit, so do I and as unfair as it sounds, the thought of other girls looking at them makes me want to claw their eyes out. I have no right to act like a jealous girlfriend, when I am not, to either of them. Mars begins slowing, so I do too, until the pair of us come to a stop. He drops he clothes