Chapter 14

Aria's POV

I sat in the passenger seat and waited for Forest to appear, so we could go. As I sat there I thought about me and us and life, was I was doing the right thing to trust Forest, I meant moving into his room seemed like a big leap in the trust department, and I don't trust many people.

He was a werewolf after all and something about Ash seemed off, something dark. Ash was his best friend so if Ash is bad surly Forest is too. Why do I trust his again?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the arrival of Forest. He climbed into the driver's side and we were on our way.

I tried asking where we were going but every time I asked Forest just said, "It's a surprise." I don't like surprises I huffed silently.

Before long though we reached our destination. The woods. Again. Seriously just because they're wolves doesn't mean they have to hide out in the woods. This seem like one of those scenarios where the main character wonders aimlessly into the wood, trusting people she shouldn't and then dies a horrible, but predictable, death.

Forest looked over at me, "The woods is full of secrets." He said, seeing my sceptical expression. He started walking into the woods and I had no choice but to follow him, or else get lost to the woods.

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We walked for a few minutes until we came to a clearing, a big stretch of grass and another lake. The grass was full of flowers of every shape, size and colour and the lake was crystal blue with lilies dotted about and colourful pebbles lining the bottom. It was magical. Skye and Ash were already sat on a picnic blanket in the middle of the flowers. They waved us over when they saw us.

"What is with this wood and lakes?" I wrote down on my note pad. "The woods belong to all supernatural creatures and we all happen to love open spaces of water." Forest answers, confusing me more.

"Hey Aria," Ash yelled, "I hear you found out about our deep dark secret." I nod my head and go to sit on the blanket next to Skye.

"How are you?" Skye asks, looking concerned. "I know it's a lot to take in." I think for a minute before writing down my answer. I want to tell her that I don't trust Ash, but Ash is her mate, so she may hate me for it.

"I'm fine." I write down, hesitant to say more. Skye looks at me like she really doesn't believe me.

"How are you really?" She asks again, and I knew I had to tell her. She knew something was up. "Well, it's a lot to take in and I'm not sure if I can trust Forest. I meant he's a freaking werewolf!"

She laughs at this and looks over to where the boys are, splashing in the lake, catching fish for lunch. Well that sounds like a nursery rhyme.

"You can trust him. If I can trust Ash after his past you can trust Forest." She says, her voice full of finality.

I want to ask her what she meant about his past but just then the boys come back, both dripping wet but both holding two big fish in their hands with big smiles on their faces.

Skye had already collected wood before we arrived, so she just grabbed a match and we started cooking the fish, a highly enjoyable experience in my opinion.

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After we ate Skye told me more about Forest when he was younger while Ash and Forest collected more wood to keep the fire burning.

"Lots of girls fancied him but he always said he was just for his mate and no matter how they tried to get his attention he wasn't interested." I felt pride swell inside of me that my mate never was with anyone else, it made me feel happy that he was mine and mine alone.

I was snapped out of thought by the boys coming back with fire wood, laughing about something we didn't hear.

"You are good for him you know." Skye says, looking over at the boys. I looked at her, confused. Sensing my confusion, she explains. "He used to be really reserved, the expectation of being the Alpha's son rested heavily on his shoulders and he never smiled, but after a small time with you he's opened up. He's always smiling. You make him happy in a way no one else can."

Just then Forest came and sat next to me, wrapping his arm round my waist, I rested my head on his shoulder, soaking up his warmth.

"Come on it's getting late we need to head home," Forest said, I stood up, waved goodbye to Skye and Ash and walking back to the car.

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The drive home was quiet but comfortable. As we reached home I didn't hesitate to head upstairs while Forest talked to his parents about something. I got changed into my pyjamas and slipped into Forest's bed, waiting for him to come up so I can fall asleep.

I heard Forest come up to his room and going into the bathroom before slipping in bed beside me, pulling me tight against him, kissing my neck. "Goodnight Aria." He whispered into my hair as I drifted off to sleep. "I love you."

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I woke up in the middle of the night. A mysterious tapping sound was coming from the window. Just the wind. I promised myself. But then it came again, this time louder.

Wherever I watch horror movies I always think, I'd survive that, I wouldn't go over and check out the mysterious noise. Yet here I am, going over to the window to see where the noise is coming from.

I reached the window and pulled the curtain back, expecting to see someone there, waiting to strike. But I see no one. I turned away from the window and went back to bed, I must have been just imagining it.

As I was about to fall asleep I thought I heard the click of a camera and saw the flash of a picture being taken through my closed eyes, but before I could figure it out though I was fast asleep.

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I woke up early the next morning and just lay there, lost in thought. Forest was still asleep next to me, his arm had wrapped around my waist as I slept, keeping me next to him, keeping me safe.

I propped myself up with my arm and stared down at him. His hair was tousled and stuck up at odd angles from sleep, but he still looked stunning. His eyelids masked his eyes, making his expression unreadable.

He held me closer and I lay back down in his arms, savouring his warmth but knowing I needed to get up soon.

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A few minutes later I got up for breakfast and walked down into the kitchen, Forest close on my heels. We entered the kitchen and I grabbed plates while Forest made some pancakes.

I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention and showed him my note pad, "What are we doing today?"

He placed the pancakes in front of me before answering. "The children in the school want to see you again, especially Fern, she seemed eager to talk to you again. So, if you don't mind, I thought we could visit the school again."

I nodded my head in agreement, I wanted to see the children again as well.

Just then Isla and Atlas appeared at the kitchen door. "Morning," Isla said from the doorway, "Do you have any plans for today?" I nodded and smiled at Atlas as he came into the kitchen and put the kettle on for a cup of tea, saying morning as he passed me.

"We're going to see the children at the school," Forest said, going to the sink to do the washing up.

"Ok, drive safe." Atlas said as we walked out the kitchen.

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Just as we reached our room I remembered what I was going to ask Forest yesterday. I thought for a minute about how to word it, in the end I just wrote it straight, before tapping him on the shoulder and showing him my note pad, "What did Ash do to make him untrustworthy."

Forest looked startled by my question and it took him a few minutes before he answered. "He used to be a rogue." He said, "But after he met Skye he changed, how did you know he was ever untrustworthy?" He looked at me, confusion evident in his face.

I decided to just answer his straight. "I was asking Skye if I could trust you and she said if she could learn to trust Ash I could learn to trust you." He looked slightly put out I thought I couldn't trust him, but his expression softened at Skye's answer.

"Well she's right, I am very trustworthy, and if you don't believe me I will just have to prove it to you." He said, smiling at me before grabbing some clothes out of his wardrobe and heading to the shower. I laughed before doing the same and heading to the shower in the spare room.

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I got to the car before Forest, so I opened the door and turned the radio, thinking about school while waiting for Forest to arrive, it was the holidays but now they are nearly over. In less then a weeks time I must go back to school. Back to all the taunting and teasing, back to Tasha and lessons. Safe to say I was not looking forward to it.

Forest soon arrived, and we set off for the school, Forest driving and me in the passenger seat, like always. We pulled into the pack school and Forest turned the engine off, turning in his seat to look at me.

"The children will be out for break time soon, then the teachers have asked we help the students with some reading, if that's ok with you?"

I nodded my head, I loved reading, so I would be happy to help others with my passion. "I would be happy to help," I wrote on my pad, opening the car door and going to sit on the bench where I met Fern, waiting for the children to come out.

Forest sat down next to me and started doodling on my note pad, I shoved him away, laughing at his little drawing but he just came back and continued his picture. Soon I joined in and we were both drawing a picture, forest drew a wolf howling at the moon so of course I stuck an alien on the moon, and our little game continued like that, one of us would draw something and the other would add a strange detail to the drawing, it was great fun and passed the time until the children came out the school.

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Suddenly a bell rung, and I was swamped by the kids coming over to hug and ask to play with me. I say ask, they're 7, it was more like demanded.

I was happy to see Fern joining the games this time, she ran over to me, her eyes shining, "Thank you," She yelled, crushing me with a big hug, "You were right, I kept hope and my mum is getting better, It's still a long road, but it has got a lot shorter since I last saw you!"

I smiled down at her, silently yelling with joy. I knew how it felt when you thought your world was crashing and burning at your feet, I was glad the fire had gone out.

We spent the rest of break playing and then I went into the school and listened to the children read, when we left we promised them we would come back soon.

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The car ride home was full of joy, I had forgotten my jumper at the school but we were already half way home so the plan was to go back tomorrow to collect it. "Are you sure you don't want to go back for it?" I shook my head, I'll go back tomorrow and collect it. "Are you sure?" I nodded.

The children weren't complaining about us coming back tomorrow anyway. "Well safe to say, the children love you." Forest said, a smile on his face, "I thought I was going to have to pull you out of their clutches." I laughed along with him, I felt so happy, in that moment I was content. I was laughing with my mate, the one person who would love me for eternity, the one person who would always keep me safe.

But then in a blink of an eye it all changed.

One moment I was laughing along with my mate, the road ahead clear and the sun shining, the next a cloud had gone over the sun, cutting off the light that had been lighting the road ahead of us and the road was no longer clear.

In a space of a few seconds my world was spun around, literally. A huge bang, a crash, a massive impact. A searing pain shot through me. All I could feel was pain, I felt the car buckle as we rolled, I was screaming, screaming for my life. "Forest, Help" I screamed, before the darkness engulfed me.

Maybe we should have gone back for my jumper. Maybe then the car would have crashed into some one else. We could have turned around. Could have, Would have, Should have? Didn't.