Brave One (Completed)

Chapter 25

"What is a West Wal-len-lar-" I started, staring at the rather old and dusty book with a confused look. I was taught this weird old language in a crash course by Saiph but it's still all Greek to me. 

"West Wallfengar Witch, one of the mutual witches who can travel between realms." Caleb filled in the rest, flipping through the pages. 

"Well I was close." I huff, sitting more comfortably in the chair beside Caleb. He pulled the darn old book from his bag, and like a stereotypical symbol of age it gave off a tremendous amount of dust when Caleb blew on it. 

"Almost." Caleb smiled, probably holding back most of his amusement. "You've gotten better." He leaned a little closer to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and tugging me just a little closer and pressing a firm kiss on the side of my head. 

Flushing red I quickly grab a folder sitting on the desk in my room. I opened it to meet the face of the white wolf who slit my throat. I recognized her face immediately. 

"What's this?" Flipping through some of the papers, most of them were in the old language, but from what I can understand is some sort of organization she is part of. 

"Information." Caleb slowly pulled the folder and the paper out of my hands, "Nothing you need to worry about." He tossed it back on the desk, and continued to skim through the book, going into the depths of demons or ghosts. I can't tell. 

But Caleb is  definitely hiding something from me. 

"I'm gonna get a drink." Standing up, I stretched out, hearing a satisfying crack in my back. "Want anything?" 

"No." Caleb pulled his eyes away from the book just long enough to shoot me a comforting gaze paired with a breathtaking smile. 

Just enough to make guilt grow in my stomach. 

"Okay." Giving him my best smile I hurried off, sprinting down the hallway with silent steps. I probably have 3 minutes before Caleb get suspicious, so I'll have to act fast. 

So, jumping out the window and landing on Brennon, we tumbled to the ground, ending up with me sitting right on his chest and his orange stained white shoe landing in my hands. 

It still smells like sweet potatoes.

"You know," he groaned, "I thought I was the one dropping by." He laid there for another second even after I got up as quickly as I could. 

"Oh my god," I helped him up, brushing off the grass from his hair and clothes, "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah," he smiled up at me, getting up and brushing off the rest of his clothes. "I actually wanted to talk to you." 

"Oh?" I gulped, my throat going dry in an instant. This will not end well, will it? "R-right now?" 

"Yeah, unless right now is not a good time?" He raised a brow, definitely suspecting something about me. "Which should bring to the question of where were you going in such a rush?" 

"Uhhhh," My brain isn't good at thinking on the spot, "I was going out?" 

"The window?" 

"Yes," I clicked my tongue, "Out the window." 

"I'm lucky your room is near the basement," he chuckled, "If you lived on the third floor I'd probably be dead." 

I laughed, a little bit uncomfortably but it was mostly genuine. Brennon seemed to be acting just like he was before any of this, any of my decisions really hurt him. 

"But I really have to go," I pointed away from us, trying to walk away from him, "We'll talk l-" 

"Go where exactly?" A deeper voice coming just next to my ear, right from the window that I hopped out of. "Mable, I don't think there are any beverages out here." 

"Caleb!" I cheerily turned around, finding Caleb's face leaning out of the window just a centimeter from mine, "Hey!" 

"Hey," his face was not holding any amusement, "Your room, now." 

"Okay." Looking back at Brennon he was giving me a comforting smile. He probably knows Caleb won't do anything to hurt me. I just mouthed to him before hopping back after Caleb through the window, "I'll talk to you later." 

The quick walk of shame back to my room was utterly silent. 

But when the door closed, that's when all hell broke loose. And of course it started with the calm before the storm. 

"Where were you going that you had to lie to me?" He turned around, pinning me to the door with his gaze. With my silence came his brooding fury, "Answer me Mable, you know how I want you to respond when I ask for something." 

"I wanted to go to the prisons and talk to the white wolf." I mumbled this, but I know he heard me loud and clear. 

"You wanted to go to the exact place where your killer was." He scoffed, walking a little bit closer to me, eyeing the scar that was definitely still there. "You know I don't trust the guards down there to protect you." 

"I know." I trailed off, avoiding eye contact like the coward I am, "But I needed to know for myself." Suddenly I felt a surge of strength, taking a deep breath and whipping my eyes to his, staring deep into that mismatched gaze. "I needed to Caleb. I need to do something by myself and since you weren't going to tell me anything I acted on my own. I know you Caleb, don't try and argue elsewise, and I know you want to protect me and shelter me from the world but I don't want that. For you or for me. I love you, and I hate that you love me when your love is well deserved somewhere else." 

A tear rolled down my cheek.

Here comes the storm. 

"An-and I am sorry okay?!" I sob out, "I just can't take this anymore! I have always been ordered around, and even when I was alone and living on my own I was still being controlled by s-someone! Whether it be a stupid alpha, some god-damn bullies, or the stupid, stupid, council. For once in my entire, when I finally get to make a life-changing decision, it all goes down hill. 

Like that is so surprising. 

I basically lost the people who called me their sister because I didn't want to play happy mate and Luna and in the end no one wins! You are here, dragging your feet around to appease me and make sure I don't have any regrets choosing you and don't act surprised that I caught on because I sure as all heck did. 

And god knows I love you for it! But in the end what will that do for you? For my whole life I've brought nothing but despair, death, and damnation and I'm terrified you will not be an exception. Rachel, Clint, Axel, Brennon, Boras, my own damn parents! Don't you see?! It's a curse! Not one by a witch or a wizard but by me."

I take one long deep breath, closing my eyes just briefly, but long enough for Caleb to wrap his arms around me, and for me to wrap my arms around him.

And we stand there. 

Just in each others arms.

(one chapter today - sorry! I have exams to study for and didn't get to finish the second one.)