Forever (Book 1 of the FOREVER trilogy)

Chapter 26

Rie's P.O.V

I woke up surrounded by ash and smoke. I rubbed the knot on my head and tried to remember what just happened. Then it hit me. Ever. The word ran through me like a cold wind on an even colder day. I jumped to my feet, causing a sharp pain to shoot through my head. I whirled around to face the pack house. In front of the door, a small hump lie motionless. I ran to it and found who it was.

Ever.

Dakota's P.O.V

I stumbled over to Rie where he crouched next to Ever. He cradled her in his arms and whispered something to he that I couldn't make out. I heard a branch snap behind me and I whirled around to see a large wolf. Damien. He padded up to Ever and snarled at Rie but Rie just ignored him. I walked closer, struggling to get into werewolf earshot. I finally got close enough to hear what he was saying.

"I'm so sorry, please wake up Ever please." he pleaded over and over, his voice barely a whisper. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek, sending a wave of anger down my spine. I had expected Damien to leap at Rie but he sat still, hanging his head. Ever stirred lightly and opened her eyes, blinking the ash from her eyes. Rie smiled weakly and stroked his thumb over her eyebrow. As I was about to look away, I noticed something odd.

The cut along the top of her eyebrow was gone. I sniffed the air for her scent and found that it was stale. The girl in Rie's arms wasn't Ever.

"Put her down! It's not Ever!" I yelled. Rie looked up at me and frowned.

"What do you mean it's not Ever?" He asked, "Just look at her."

"I did! Look, the cut above her eye is gone! We watched Jack cut her remember?" I shouted. Rie blinked slowly and looked back down at Not-Ever. She stood up and brushed herself off, sighing heavily.

"I sure thought that would take longer..." Not-Ever sighed then smiled. "At least we get to skip to the fun part now!" She leaped into the air, spinning vertically. When she landed, she looked completely different. She had long, straight black hair and was almost as tall as Rie. She smiled wickedly. I looked to Damien who stared at the girl in awe. Then I looked to Rie. His jaw was set and he looked like he'd just seen a ghost.

"What Azzy? Shifter got your tongue? Or is it the fact that you never thought you'd see me again?" The girl smiled wickedly.

"Angela.... I thought you were dead..." Rie sighed, sounding disappointed.

Angela frowned, "Is that anyway to talk to a long lost friend, Azzy?"

"It is if that 'friend' tried to kill you and was supposed to be dead, which unfortunately you aren't. And a bonus, you shifted to look like Ever. But it's a good thing that your going to tell us where she is because if you didn't, I would kill you a lot slower than I would if you didn't tell us." Rie spat.

Angela's grin widened as she spoke. "Aw, that's cute! You think you can make me tell you where your little princess is!" She laughed and continued, "You're gonna have to get used to not getting what you want Azzy."

Rie looked as if he was about to leap at the girl and tear her head off. "You're going to tell us where she is or I'll get ahold of Isaac and don't even think I won't!" The girl paled, revealing a star shaped birthmark under the corner of her right eye. Then she croaked venomously, "You wouldn't dare..."

Rie grinned and chuckled. "Oh but I will and you know it." Angela swallowed and hung her head in defeat. Her voice was muffled by her hair hanging in front of her face, "Fine. I'll tell you."

Ever's P.O.V

Large rays of sunlight striped my face as I looked around. I looked down to find that I was lying in a bed. I jolted strait up on the cot, only to fall back into the sheets when a searing pain shot through my head. I gasped as a wave of dizziness washed over me blurring my already spotty vision. Suddenly a strong hand was on my shoulder.

"You hit your head pretty hard. Take it easy..." said the man. I squinted at him and gasped again. "Dad?" My father spoke slowly. "Ever, dear. I've missed you." Another voice came from the corner. Jack. "Joshua don't trick her like that."

My father sighed and shot a disappointed look at Jack. "I was gonna tell her.... after I had my fun anyway."

"What are you talking about? Dad what's going on?" I croaked. Joshua laughed and spoke, "I'm not your father. I'm your father's twin. I didn't really expect him to tell you about me."

I shook my head in disbelief. "No. He would have told me..."

Joshua smiled. "No he wouldn't have. He hates me."

"Why...?" I stammered.

"Well, let's just say I have unwanted genes." he said. Jack snorted and Joshua glared at him.

"But your twins. You have the same genes." I stated.

Joshua put his hand back on my shoulder. "Almost. The difference is, I'm like you."

"Confused?" I offered.

Joshua laughed an took his hand from my shoulder. "No, dear. I'm a werewolf."

I shuddered. "My father hates werewolves?"

Joshua frown. "Of course he does. One of us killed you mother."

I stiffened and clutched the edges of the cot. "I thought she died in a car crash..."

"No, dear. You've been misinformed." Joshua frowned again. Jack shot up from his chair and yanked Joshua from the bedside and threw him against the wall. Joshua snarled dangerously, "I'm done with your lies Joshua. Tell her!"

Joshua glared at Jack. "Shut up."

Jack ignored him. "Tell her what you did!" Joshua looked to me and grinned as Jack tightened the grip on his throat.

"I... killed your mother." he croaked. I stared at him in horror. "Get out." I whispered. Joshua stared at me, a grin still plastered on his face. Jack released him but he didn't move.

"GET OUT!" I screamed, jumping up from the bed, ignoring the discovery of a shackle on my ankle attached to the cot. Joshua laughed and walked to the door, rapping on it three times. The door opened and he walked out, not glancing back.

I dropped back onto the bed, hanging my head in my hands. Out of nowhere, a pair of strong, muscular arms wrapped around me and I buried my face into the man's chest. Jack's hands rubbed soft circles into my back but I barely felt it. I cried into his chest, not caring who he was or what he had done. I just cried.