“What the hell was that?!” Regina shouted and I turned my eyes on her. She was staring wildly at me and I guessed that she too had seen the wolf.

Great.

“Eehh...a...wolf?” I said stupidly and I could see her panic visibly rise as she stared at me in disbelief.

“Don’t you think I noticed that Ash?! Holy shit, are you guys even okay? You could have been eaten!” Her shock had been replaced with anger and fear and I held my hands up soothingly.

“Schhh calm down will you! ‘Don’t shoot the messenger’, ever heard of that?” I yelled back at her, I too a little shaken from the chase.

“Guys...that...was...so...AWESOME!!” Matt suddenly exploded and both Regina and Kate stared at him in disbelief. What was wrong with this guy?

“I mean did you see my driving?! I was like a young and better-looking version of James Bond! Holy shit I’m awesome!!” Matt kept going and I joined in on the staring.

It was officially clarified. My best friend was a self-loving idiot...

“Matt you drove like a lunatic and you’ll never even get near the same league as James Bond!” Regina barked and I could hear Matt huffing at her.

“You’re just jealous of all this.” Matt said, pointing at his own face and Regina visibly paled as the car swirled on the road.

“Keep your bloody hands on the wheel you retard!” Regina yelled as she covered her eyes. Matt put his hand back at the wheel as slowly as he could and I rolled my eyes at them.

This was usually the case when it came to them. They just couldn’t stop bickering. They were like an old married couple and I thought they’d tear each other’s throats out long ago. I have no idea how they were even able to meet each other without me or Kate there to clear the air.

“Earth to Ash! Did you hear what I just said? I asked you to explain yourself! Why the hell did we have to pick you up all the way out here and why the hell were you even here in the first place?” Matt’s voice cut through my thoughts and I turned my head in his direction.

Regina had proceeded to ignore him and Matt could never cope with silence more than for a few seconds. Now he was simply going to bother me apparently.

“I was kidnapped and you’re my friends and friends are supposed to help each other out you know.” I said in a dry voice and I could see Matt rolling his eyes at me in the rearview mirror. Yeah we were quite similar him and me, except for the fact that I actually did have a filter.

There was this one time when we were at the cinema because we had decided to see a movie and a very tall girl (and I seriously mean like unusually tall) sat down in the seat in front of Matt and he had immediately blurted: “Joy, seems like the only giraffe in here decided to sit in the only seat I did not want it to sit. I mean how the hell am I supposed to see anything with your big head blocking the entire view huh?”

Yeah, I know... needless to say that the girl was seriously pissed after that. I actually think she straightened up even more just in spite.

It’s actually a wonder Matt hasn’t been killed yet because he seriously pissed of everybody. I guess he just liked to annoy people but sometimes I think he would benefit from not saying everything that goes through that head of his. At least it wouldn’t get him into so much trouble all the time.

“Yeah, yeah I know but you weren’t the one who had to sneak out bright and early to drive...say for five hours to pick up your so called ‘friend’ from the middle of nowhere.” Matt said and now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

“Are you going to whine about it all the way back?” I asked.

Matt shot me a wicked grin from the front seat and I could feel the corners of my mouth twitch. I really liked Matt. He was one of those guys who could be seriously annoying and downright mean to people he didn’t like but when it came to friends and family he were like the sun on rainy days.

“I will if you don’t start explaining shit soon.” He finally answered. I let my hair fall into my eyes as I leaned forward and whispered:

“What’s in it for me mate.”

I grinned at the amused yet irritated look on Matt’s face but when he removed one hand from the wheel to give me the finger I stopped smiling and the car swirled yet again. He seriously was the worst driver I had ever met.

“Matt!” Regina all but growled and Matt sighed and pouted.

He could be such a child but I liked that side of him. I don’t know why but I guess my friends bring out the worst in each other but at the same time I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Ash, talk. Now.” Matt suddenly went serious as he looked at me in the rearview mirror. It was a rare thing that Matt was serious but when he was it usually had to do with something important.

I guess he had been worried about us after all. It kind of made me happy.

“Well...where to start...?” I said hesitantly.

I mean how was I going to tell them that I had been kidnapped by some werewolves and brought to their place to become their ‘mate’? That didn’t even make sense to me and I had been there when it happened...

“Ash got kidnapped by three brothers and I went with him! We played hide-and-seek and then we watched Transformers together!” Kate suddenly said and we turned our eyes on her.

She was bouncing on the seat beside me and she looked like she was talking about the best day of her entire life. Maybe it had been...? I mean, I was the only one who had been sexually harassed... Kate had just been there for all the fun...

How unfair.

“Yeah I guess that about sums it up...” I said slowly. I was too damn tired to even try to explain it any further. They could make up their own stories for all I cared.

Before anyone could say anything else I closed my eyes and immediately drifted off to sleep.

[Three hours later]

I woke up to the feeling of someone shaking me pretty badly and yelling in my ear:

“Ash come on! Do you want something or what?”

I pried my eyes open and looked up at an irritated Regina. She was standing by the open passenger-door and she was shaking my body with all her might. I shot her an angry glare and groaned as I pushed myself up from the seat I had been lying on.

I was still in the back of the car but everybody else had already exited. I could see Matt and Kate walking towards a petrol filing station and I immediately stumbled out of the car. Obviously we had made a stop to get something to eat and perhaps go to the toilet.

“Hmpf I thought so. You wouldn’t miss the chance of free food even if your life depended on it would you?” Regina huffed but I could see the effort she put into not smiling at my hungry gaze.

“You know me to well. I’ll race you to the store, are you game?” I answered with a small smirk and I could see Regina’s eyes widen at the challenge. She loved to compete almost as much as I did and we always found a way to dare each other.

“I’m winning Ash!” Regina shouted in a sing-song-voice and I cursed as my eyes landed on her retreating form. She hadn’t even answered she had just started running! That little cheater...! I growled and immediately took up the pursuit. I wouldn’t go down that easy...ah ah...dream on.

“Passing on your left!” I shouted as I caught up to Regina and sprinted passed her. I jumped to the side just as her hand swung in my direction and I laughed at her.

“You have to try better than that ReRe!” I chimed as I danced away from yet another swing of her hand. Regina was famous for always cheating if she thought she would lose. The only thing that mattered to her was winning...

I had used our nickname on her to agitate her even more and I would say that I succeeded. Regina let out an unflattering sound as she pushed harder and managed to come up beside me again. She wouldn’t let me win without a fight and that was why I loved her. She was so funny to tease!

“I’m going to get you this time Ash!” She yelled and we kept running towards the store at an insane pace. We probably looked like lunatics. I guess it’s a good thing none of us care about stuff like that...at least not right now.

“Aha, take that you slow little muffin! Who’s the man huh? Huh? That’s right I’m the man! Whoop Whoop!!” I yelled loudly when my hand touched the door to the store. I turned towards Regina who was panting hard beside me and did a fist pump like I’d just won a marathon. She glared at me and I instantly knew what was coming.

“Shut it you pipsqueak! You totally cheated!” She shouted and I couldn’t help myself as I rolled my eyes at her. I should not have done that...

“Oh I’m going to cut you in half you little brat! Come here now!” Regina started running towards me and I yelped and turned on my heels. The woman was insane!!

I ran with Regina at my heels for a while and I could see Matt and Kate watching us from the corner of my eye. They should be helping me!

“Holy cow!” I screamed as I suddenly got tackled from behind. I landed on a bit of grass with my face first and Regina on top of me. I managed to turn on my back and lay where I was, staring up at Regina who was straddling me with a big grin on her face.

“Hahahaha you should see your face Ash! Hahaha it’s priceless! You got dirt all over it!” Regina could barely speak through all the laughter and I did my best to glare up at her. When she just kept laughing I couldn’t keep it in any longer and I started laughing too. We laughed until our sides hurt and we were gasping for air on the ground.

This scenario reminded me of something...

I stopped laughing immediately when a picture of Kevin and I, rolling around on the floor laughing, flashed through my mind. I gently pushed Regina of me and rose from the ground, brushing my clothes of at the same time.

“You guys okay?” Matt said as he and Kate reached us and I nodded at him. He helped Regina up and she flashed me a goofy grin.

“You’re as fun as I remembered Ash!” She said and she made it sound like we hadn’t seen each other in forever. I gave her a small smile back, my good mood completely gone.

It felt like I had a big hole in my chest which was only growing by the second. I could feel the guilt and pain eating at me at the thought of Kevin, Amber and the brothers...hell I even felt pain when I thought about Vincent...

I didn’t know why but it felt like I was under water, trying my very best to stay afloat. It felt like I would never make it. Maybe I wouldn’t?

“Come on I want to buy something to eat.” Matt suddenly said and I nodded at him. We made our way back to the petrol filing station and went inside. I watched the shelves that were stuffed with food and I could feel myself drooling at the sight. Oh my god I was hungry!

“Ash...?” A voice from behind us suddenly said and I froze instantly.

Oh shit. Please let it not be...

I slowly turned around and came face to face with no other than...

Ethan.