Chapter 12


    Iy sleeplessly in bed, staring at the ceiling while not being able to take my mind off of my sister. I


    wonder if she is still awake, or if she has found the ability to live without me. It has only been a few


    days, which makes me sound dramatic, but I cannot help but hope she misses me still. What if earlier


    she only got upset for a bit and now she is perfectly fine, perfectly asleep in her purple and blue bed. I


    cannot sleep not knowing how she is feeling; we used to tell each other everything.


    My eyes roll over to the clock. It is one o''clock in the morning.


    Silently groaning, in an attempt to not wake up Eric, I turn away from the pillow wall and sigh. I have to


    see her.


    Hesitantly, I slip out from underneath the bedding, and my toes brush against the cool, wood floor.


    Sitting up, I carefully lift my body forward while ncing at him, making sure he is not waking up from


    my moments. I gently step onto the floor and push myself upright, and soon enough I am standing in


    the middle of the room not knowing what to do.


    I cannot just leave without telling anyone. Of course, I am not leaving forever, just a day or two, but a


    notice is still proper. Searching the room, I remember seeing a notepad by the phone, probably there to


    take messages. I can write a quick note and leave it on the kitchen counter.


    I take a deep breath before tiptoeing out of the bedroom and down the hall, heading towards the room


    where my things are being kept, the room I attempted to sleep in before. When I get inside, I slowly


    shut the door and gather my things, picking out only a few that I might need: an extra pair of clothes,


    food from the kitchen, a few bandaids, and medical rted items, and water. With one of my smaller


    bags in hand, full of my things, I find the notepad a write the letter. I mumble my writing out loud as I go;


    "Eric. I am sorry to worry you, but I have to go on a quick trip for a day or two. I will be back unharmed


    so do not worry about that either. I have everything I will need, and I will be back before you know it.


    Please, please, please do not make this a big deal, I will be back, I promise."


    I sign my name neatly at the bottom and even add a little heart just for fun. Hopefully, he will find it less


    worrying.


    I grab a jacket and head for the door, and as soon as I am outside, I turn South. The forest engulfs me


    rather quickly, so I take my bag and drop it to the floor. I can move faster if I shift.


    Taking off my clothes, I shove them into the bag. I shift in a hurry, not bothering to take the process


    step by step, then I snatch up the strap of the bag in my mouth. Gliding through the trees at a much


    quicker speed, my feet briskly touch the forest floor and push off, propelling myself in a constant


    forward run. I do not bother to look around at the almost blurred trees, but I keep my gaze steadily in


    front of me. It will probably take a few hours to get there if I continue to run, but I know I will tire myself


    out beforehand. I have not been in a continuous sprint for a while.


    It must be almost three in the morning by now, so Eric is hopefully still asleep.


    Stopping for a break, I set down my bag andy on the ground, letting my fur rub against a near bush. I


    rest my head on my paws while taking in a few well-needed gasps of air. Should I have told Eric where


    I am going in the note? I did not want him chasing after me, but what kind of ideas might he conjure


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    up? Surely he is smart enough to guess that I am visiting home, even though he said I cannot right


    now.


    Will he hate me for leaving after he told me not to? I hope he will understand how I feel when I get back


    and exin myself, though I do not think he is a very forgiving person at first. Obviously, he has issues


    with his father, and I did not notice any suggestions of fixing them.


    A sudden movement from behind me causes my heart to jolt, and I immediately shoot up and turn to


    the creator. My eyes narrow on two others staring back at me.


    A stranger.


    Swallowing, I take a step back. I have never run into a stranger before on my own, most likely


    because I have never been on my own in the forest away from packnds, mine or Eric''s.


    On edge, I nce to my bag, preparing to make a run for it. The other wolf, dark brown and rather


    and swiftly scoop my bag up with my teeth before sprinting in the opposite direction without a second to


    spare. My mother always told me to stay away from strangers, though she calls them rogues along with


    everyone else. I prefer to call them strangers; thebel "rogue" makes them seem dangerous. Usually,


    I like to think that "I do not know them, so I am not sure if they are bad news," but I cannot take


    chances right now.


    If this stranger is "bad news" then taking this trip has be a very terrible idea, and I also promised


    Eric that I woulde back unharmed. I do not know if this stranger will hurt me or not if given a


    chance, so then my promise would be broken.


    With my thoughts running wild, I jump over a fallen tree, yet I almost trip over andnd in the dirt.


    Feeling disoriented, I look back but see no other wolf behind me.


    I stop in my tracks. Where did they go?


    Before I can turn around, something from behind pounces on top of me. In a panic, I try my hardest to


    escape from its trap, but what I am guessing is the other wolf, is too heavy for me to push off.


    Struggling beneath it, my teeth reach its leg, and I take the chance to bite down. The other wolf


    whimpers and backs away, so I slip out from underneath it and distance myself.


    Seeing that the animal is making no move to attack me again, I grab my bag and shift behind a near


    tree. From the scent of the wolf, I can tell it is a female, so maybe she is willing to talk this out.


    Coming back out dressed and human, I thankfully find the wolf still here. "Shift," I tell them, and they


    make no sign of agreeing. "I-I have clothes, and you''re injured, so I am willing to talk this out."


    The wolf finally nods, and I toss them the pair of extra clothing I brought with me. The wolf takes the


    clothes, and I look away.


    "Okay," I hear them mutter, and I notice the voice to be familiar. Intrigued, I quickly turn back around.


    My eyes grow wide. "O-Olivia?" I say in disbelief. "W-What, why, what are you doing out here? You


    attacked me!"


    Her gaze stays on the forest floor. "I don''t know," she mumbles weakly as my eyes fall upon her


    bleeding leg. "I-I don''t know what I''m doing anymore."


    Confused, I simply stare at her as she falls to her knees.


    "God, I would do anything for him wouldn''t I?" She shouts as if she is talking to herself.


    "Olivia, why did you attack me?"


    She shakes her head and tears stream down her red cheeks. "I-I just..."


    Sighing, I run my hand through my hair. "I thought you were a stranger, a rogue."


    "Isabe, I''m sorry, I don''t know why I followed you out here. I just saw you leaving the pack house


    earlier and decided to see where you were going..."


    "And you attacked me because?" I ask, somewhat annoyed by my aching back.


    She looks back to the dirt. "I don''t know."


    Crossing my arms, I begin to pace. "Olivia, I know about you and Eric, and your history together. I don''t


    want to think that you were trying to hurt me on purpose, so can you tell me what is going on between


    us?"


    Her hands shield away her guilty face, and she does not say another word.


    "You were trying to hurt me, weren''t you?"