Brooke Everlasting

04 Frenemies

People say that running away from your problems will get you nowhere, but Brooke was pretty sure that this would get her in major trouble.

Aiden was known around the world, and not just because he was the alpha of one of the strongest packs in America.

Brooke knew he was dangerous, and she also knew that he could end her in less than a minute. Her being more vulnerable than other vampires most certainly did not help her out any.

Brooke was knocked out of her train of thought as she heard another menacing growl erupt from behind her.

She glanced backwards quickly to see Aiden's silver wolf advancing towards her.

He wouldn't hurt her, right? She didn't know, and that scared her.

She saw a large oak tree and decided that that would have to do. She was known for her incredible speed and agility, especially when it came to climbing trees. Climbing trees were her best escape tactic when it came to werewolves. They were much too big to climb trees.

She quickly scrambled her way up the tree. A burning sensation began in her leg but she ignored it as she continued to climb upwards. When she was sure she was high enough she propped herself up against the tree trunk and sat oral a thick sturdy branch.

She looked down to see that Aiden was gone. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

Where was he?

As she was about to have an argument with her subconscious her leg began singing again.

She looked down at her dangling legs to see that her right pant leg was shredded below the knee and blood coated her skin.

Her eyes watered up, but not because of the pain, but because he had caused the pain. He had scratched her, and rather deeply.

She heard sticks snap from below and looked down to see Aiden in his human form. He had distress and anger written on his face. His eyes met hers for a brief moment before she snapped her eyes back to her leg.

The wound hurt but it was not severe, therefore it would stay until it healed normally.

She winced as she lifted her leg up onto the branch. She could feel Aiden's gaze on her the entire time.

She shakily moved the shredded pant leg away to reveal three large claw marks marring her smooth skin. Blood continued to flow from the open wounds. She wasn't scares of bleeding out as she was already dead. But she did know that this would a great effect on her physically.

Vampires didn't have the ability to produce blood, seeing as their heart was not pumping, but some vampires, mostly the gifted ones, had the ability to make blood and to feel the sensation of bleeding from wounds.

She heard a sharp intake of breath from below and looked down to see Aiden's enraged facial expression.

Why was he the mad one? She was the one bleeding profusely at the moment.

She met his eyes to see the anger in them slightly shift to sorrow and regret.

Maybe he hadn't meant to wound her.

"Brooke, come down." he calmly said, not straining to raise his voice as he knew she would catch his words.

She debated with herself for a moment before giving in to both their needs. She knew she needed to go with him or she would most likely die from the pain of being away from him.

She went to start climbing down but her injured leg protested greatly.

"I can't." she said shaking her head as tears welled in her eyes.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Just get your ass down here, now! " he demanded.

Brooke's eyes widened in astonishment. How could one be so cruel?

"You mangled my leg you asshole!" she shouted down at him. She saw him flinch, maybe from the vulgar language, but she doubted that seeing as he seemed perfectly fine with vulgarity.

He cocked his head to the side after a moment of silence.

"How long will it take to heal? " he questioned. She sighed as she looked down at her leg. Guess her vulnerability won't stay secret anymore.

"Weeks. " she stated looking forward past the trees toward the setting sun.

"You're a vampire." he said, confusedly.

"A gifted one. I'm more, uh, acute to physical pain, this injury is not threatening my life, so it will heal as if I were human." she said as she tied the shredded pieces of fabric around her scratches.

"Can you come down? " he asked after a moment.

She rolled her eyes at this, her beloved was a bit dim witted.

"I can try. " she said as she tightened the knots on her makeshift bandage.

She swung her legs to one side of the branch. She took an unnecessary deep breath before she wrapped her left leg around the trunk, followed by her right.

She winced in pain as the hard trunk rubbed against her marred flesh.

Brooke had had bad injuries before and had accustomed to the pain, but the fact that it was her beloved that had inflicted the injury made her more acute to the pain this time.

She steadily made her way down the tree trunk until she landed as softly as she could onto the ground.

She slowly turned around to see Aiden standing a few feet away from her. But right now that was far too close.

She retreated to a tree that was further away from him and rested against it. She looked up to meet his eyes. They were sad, and they made her ache to just touch his beautiful face. But she did not.

He started walking towards her but she quickly held up her hand.

"Stay away from me, I need my distance." she said shaking her head.

He stopped walking and stood in place for a moment before speaking.

"We need to head back." he said quietly.

She nodded and pushed herself up off the tree just to fall back onto it. Her injury was starting to get to her.

"Can you make it? " he asked worry lacing his tone.

Worry? He sure didn't seem worried about her when he was cursing the fates and insulting her.

She sighed and nodded before she managed to finally stand up. She knew Aiden was watching and for some reason she liked it.

She managed to actually take a few steps before her leg face out and seemed to crumple beneath her, but before she could collide with the ground a pair of very strong arms caught her.

Tingles erupted around her waist at his touch, and she knew he was what she had wanted for centuries.

"I'll carry you." he said, and before she could respond he had already scooped her up into his strong arms and had started to walk the way his pack members had charged.

She held onto his shirt as he walked. Her eyes felt incredibly heavy and she knew falling asleep in her condition probably wasn't the best idea, but sleep was calling her.

She sighed as she rested her head against his chest and let sleep take over.

~•~