Forbidden Hearts

Chapter 7

It seemed like forever trying to get back home. We darted past several people and avoided a collision course with several cars. The ice on the sidewalks and streets did not help at all as I kept losing my balance and fell a few times. My hands, clenched in tight fists, trembled in the cold. Please mom, don't be hurt or worse..dead. Tears formed and slipped down my cheeks. I wiped them away. Making it to my house, my hands trembled violently as I grabbed the house key and tried to unlock the door. After a few attempts, James grabbes the key and unlocks it himself.

We slowly walk inside. I stand behind him and find the light switch. The bright kitchen light blinded us for a few seconds until we could see again. The livingroom looked normal. We walked into the kitchen. That is when we found her.

"Mom!" I scream, running to her and falling to my knees by her side. I put my ear to her chest and hear a faint heartbeat. Mom slowly opens her eyes. "Axel.." She whispers, looking at me with tear soaked eyes. "Axel..he knows...he knows.." Her hand falls limp and her breathing stops.

"Mom! No!! Please!!" I yell and scream. Tears pouring out like waterfalls. I cradle her head in my lap. I notice something around her neck. A gold chain, with an oval shaped locket. Inside, it has a picture of her and dad on one side and me on the other side. I was three in this picture. I put the locket on. James sits next to me and wraps his arms around me. I lean my head against his shoulder.

After moments of silence, and me no longer crying, we call the ambulance and they take her away. The house seemed dark and lonely despite us being there. I go to my room and James follows me up there. He sits on my chair and I recline back on my bed.

"Before, you said you knew my secret. Did you really mean that?" I asked, after a couple of minutes.

"No. I just wanted to take you out on a date and tell you a bit about myself. I figured you'd tell me about yourself when you were ready to." He looks up at me and gives a small smile. I curl up in a ball and he comes over and lays in front of me. He takes his hand and brushes away the loose strands of hair out of my face. I take a deep breath and let it out.

"If I tell you something, would you promise to keep it a secret?"

"Yes."

"A few years ago, I had a best friend named Emmie. One day, we went for a walk in the timber. It was nice out and we knew the path very well. Then something terrible happens." I tilt my head up and look into his eyes. He takes ahold of my hand. I take another deep breath.

"There was a bear, and it was chasing us. Emmie had fallen and I went back to try and help her. I used magic to try and get rid of the bear but it didn't work. I was still in training. I killed Emmie. My spells had bounced off the bear." James pulled me close as I started crying and rubbed my back. He held me like that for a few moments.

"There wasn't anything you could have done. But, you tried at least." He said, wiping away my tears. "Now that I think of it, is Emmie's last name Adams?"

I think for a second. "You're right. Mr. Adams is most likely her father. But, what's with the red eyes?"

"He's a different kind of werewolf. A demon wolf. He most likely killed your mother."

I thought about it for a few seconds. Makes sense though, when he threatened me the way he did. I get up out of bed. "I'm going to start packing. I don't know where I'll go, but, I just can't stay here." Minx jumps up onto the table. I pet her on her head.

"You can stay with me then. My parents wouldn't mind. Especially if we tell them what's going on."

"Wouldn't that be intruding? They don't know me."

"They know you. Who do you think sent me to protect and help you?? We'll pack tomorrow. Right now, just get ready for bed. We have a busy day tomorrow." I smile and get ready to hop in the shower.

After the shower, I put on some fuzzy pajamas and slip under the covers. James lays on top of them. "Why don't you just lay underneath? You'll get cold."

"I can turn into a wolf. I'm pretty much a walking heater." We laugh at that.  I get comfortable and he lays next to me. I instantly fall asleep.

The next morning, I wake up to the smell of pancakes. I trudge downstairs still tired from last night. I find James making pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Minx, fed and given a warm thing of milk, stalks up on me and pounces on my lap. James gives me a plate full of food and I dig in. After I eat, I pour myself some orange juice. "So, what have you decided on doing today?" He asks, casually. I swallow my orange juice.

"Pack, go through stuff, and call my dad."

"Yeah, he'll probably wanna know what's going on." James fixes himself another plate. I rinse mine off and pick up the house phone. Dialing my dad's number, he picks up.

"Hello?" He asks, sleepily.

"Hey dad. It's Axel."

"Oh, hey Axel!! What's up?" I tell dad everything that's going on. Mom's death, what school has been like, and about James. Just, leaving out the werewolf part. After I finish, there's a long silence over the phone.

"Axel, i'm soo sorry to hear about your mom. Do you want me to come get you? You could finish school here. Live with me."

"Dad, I love you, but I wanna finish school here." I did not mention my plans on revenge. Or the fact that I was still in danger. He would flip out and fly out to get me himself.

"Ok. Well, if you need help with anything, just give me a call."

"I will. Love you dad." I hung up the phone. Sitting back down on the kitchen chair, I contemplate about today. Lost in my train of thought, James starts putting things away. Minx meows up at me and I scratch behind her ears. After awhile, I go back up stairs into my room. I grab my backpack and shove my diary, empty notebooks, pens and pencils in there. I walk into my mom's room and go to where she hides the Christmas gifts. She had bought me a brand new cell phone, a thick book to put spells and what not in, and a photo album that had all of our pictures in it. Taking them back to my room, I stuffed them into my backpack as well. I stuffed my duffel bag with clothes, shoes, and my hygiene stuff. I pulled my box down that had my money in it and put all of my cash into my purse. Picking them up, I carried them downstairs and put them on the couch.

Going back upstairs, I went into mom's room and dug around her drawers, and closet. I found almost two hundred dollars, and a ring that my grandmother had left me. It was a silver ring with pink and white stones. I threw moms clothes into bags and tossed them downstairs. Getting them ready for donating.  A few hours later, after everything was packed and dropped of at the donation center, we went back to the house. Now empty, I grabbed Minx and headed back to the car. Putting her in the backseat, I got in and buckled up. Shivering until I got warm. I took one last look at the house as we drove off.  Crying as it slowly disappeared from view.