𝑷𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑹 𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 • 𝐫𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧. 𝐦 (wolfblood)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

Confusion washed over her as her cobalt blue eyes fluttered open. She couldn't quite identify what had happened, but the musty smell of damp wood revealed that she was inside the den, where she had turned wolf the previous night. Her fingers twitched as she slowly sat up, rubbing the side of her head, running a hand through her auburn locks with tired eyes as she pieced together the memories that were flashing in her mind. 

All tiredness escaped her when she remembered.

Her head dashed around the den. She spotted her adoptive parents sleeping peacefully in one corner, their daughter nearby. Turning her head to look at the parallel corner, she spotted her two human friends who looked as if they were about to wake up too as they stirred in their sleep. Their presence confirmed her vague recollection.

Blue locked on blue.

The girl slowly stood up, having to blink repeatedly to make sure that this wasn't a dream and that he was truly standing a mere few meters away from her. Her lips parted. Long, dishevelled locks of blonde fell to brush his shoulders and his clothes were covered in mud and dirt. His hand moved to scratch the back of his neck, his eyes itching to move to the ground, but he found that he wasn't physically able to take his eyes off of her, the girl he left some months ago.

"Rhydian?" She asked, unable to believe that he was truly there.

That's when his eyes shifted to the ground, thinking the worst when she spoke his name. She said it almost breathlessly because of how astonished she was, but his anxiety that was slowly welling up inside him twisted her tone inside his brain to make him think that she was angry or upset. He wouldn't blame her if she was. But he was soon proved wrong.

Two arms wrapped desperately around his neck and a head of auburn rested on his shoulder, soon nuzzled in the crook of his neck. The hesitation in his movements was clear as he stood still for a moment, his limbs frozen with surprise. He had expected a completely different reaction, but he soon wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pressing her to him, suddenly revelling in his relief for her to be in his arms once again.

"I thought I'd never see you again." She whispered, her breath tickling his neck as she spoke.

His heart broke at that, unable to respond as he pulled her evermore closer to him, both embracing the fact that they were reunited. Three months. Three whole months apart and the two had never felt more isolated. Now they were back together. A feeling of etherealness washed over them, bewildered by the fact that they were together again.

Eventually, the two pulled apart when they heard movement from across the den. Turning their heads, their eyes met with Lia's family, who stood wordless as they looked at the boy. Silently, Dan grabbed the key from above the door and unlocked the metal grate and red wooden door behind it that prevented them from escaping on full moons.

He held the door open, nodding towards it. Soundlessly, they all walked out of the den and up the stairs. They all needed to talk - they all knew that, but right now, they needed to figure out who and where the three wolfbloods who were scratching at the coal hatch's door were and where they went.

Lia, Maddy and Emma followed Dan out of the front door once he had certified their safety. Three faint scents stuck to the surroundings like glue, but they were wearing away due to the harsh autumn-going-on-winter wind. Emma suddenly spoke up, "I know that Tom and Shannon didn't have a choice, but it's embarrassing! The den's private."

The redhead wanted to snap back at her, telling her that they had a more pressing matter at hand, but she held her tongue. Questions were racing through her brain and never seemed to stop for a rest.

Dan changed the topic, "There's not much scent. These wild wolfbloods didn't stay long." He told them, turning to look at the door. Lia's eyebrows twitched inwards towards her nose as she followed his eye line, only to see Rhydian looking cautiously around the area.