the amount of love I have for you guys is unreal. 

I'm going to announce the cast across the next couple of chapters because I've made some big decisions and I'm so happy!! Still need to decide on the older characters but we'll get there! EXCITING!! 

Today we're announcing... ELLE! Played by Scarlett Leithold!!! I think she's utterly perfect for her !! 

I've announced all my cast already on my instagram so if you're impatient you can head there and see! 

By next upload we're going to have hit 600K reads and I'm gobsmacked. My heart is full. I love you all.

HERE WE GOOOOOO

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CHAPTER 57

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 Much to my relief, the next couple of hours at the beach went off without a hitch. 

Once certain people - or I should say wolves - got over themselves and let go of their prejudices, it felt like everyone had been friends for life. 

"There is no way that you can live in that house and not be attracted to anyone," Kristie says in a matter of fact tone as we watch the boys play a match, "Like, I know that Lee is your brother and Trent your cousin, but come on."

Scarlette shrugs and stretches her toes, soft amusement on her lips at the disbelief in the other girls' voice.

"Honestly, I see them all as family," she explains, "it would be weird for me."

The thought of Scarlette having a crush on anyone in the house was weird for me; even trying to imagine her being mushy and romantic with a single one of the people that she complains about on a daily basis and insults frequently was hard.

"Okay, but you've never even thought about it? Even just for a night?"

Her silence catches my attention and I watch her expression as she shakes her head, the smile on her lips now almost disappearing. Her eyes dropping to the ground as her arms wrap around her legs.

I'd never asked Scarlette about her love life. In all our conversations and deep chats, it had never even crossed my mind to ask her about her mate. She'd always aimed the questions at me and my life, I'd been so caught up in my own head and trying to get to grips with this new world that I'd been thrust into that I hadn't thought about the other people in it. 

I was not earning friend points.

"Not really," she answers lightly, "A fleeting, schoolgirl crush maybe but I'm not interested in dating for fun. When I fall in love they'll be perfect for me."

Maybe that's why she was so invested in Trent and I - the idea of real mates gave her something to look forward to and believe in.

Kristie snorts and motions between us while brushing her hair out of her face.

"Where were you a couple of years ago when we picked the worst people in the world?" she jokes causing us all to laugh, "It's not so easy to spot it, I wish it was."

If they're a werewolf then Kristie I hate to tell you but it really is.

"I feel like Scarlette will know," I chime in, throwing the redhead a wink as I do, "She's got a pretty good intuition about things."

The grateful smile that she gives me is heartwarming; I suppose trying to explain to a human that you were waiting for your soulmate sounded a little cheesy and unrealistic without them knowing the truth behind the word. 

Did people have soulmates? Was that 'spark' that romance novels gush about really true, the falling in love at first sight trope actually reality?

 Would Kristie know the minute she met her soulmate just like Scarlette did?

Just like Trent did?

"So Elle," Kristie muses, turning her attention to me, "Lee was telling me something very interesting earlier."

Oh dear.

"Was that when he was trying to impress you in front of his friends?" I tease, remembering his awestruck expression as Kristie slid off her dress and ran into the water, "Or while he was trying to not look at your boobs and fall over his words?"

Her bag hits me square in the chest, and then her hands, her whines of complaint only causing me to laugh more as we tease her for the teenage crush that the boy has. He'd almost gotten smacked in the face by a volleyball because he was so distracted and that was saying something considering wolves were meant to have superior reflexes.

"Okay, okay! I yield!"I yell, gasping for breath between the fits of giggles.

Kristie sits back in triumph and lets me uncurl from my position of defence, my legs covered in sand as I pick myself up off the ground.

"What did he tell you that was so interesting?" I finally ask her, brushing my skin with a sigh, ready to answer a question that I most likely will want to avoid. If she'd picked up on something that we were hiding from her then at least I had Scarlette here to back up any cover-ups that I fabricated.

"Not much," she sings, barely able to contain her smile, "Just that Trent seemed to not be sleeping in his bed recently."

Fuck.

I almost choke on my own breath at her words, my face engulfing in flames as I scramble to my feet. The two girls beside me try to grab and keep me in place, so that they can question me no doubt, but I shake them off, raising my head towards the boys who are completely oblivious to our conversation. 

"Oh? It's our turn to play volleyball now? Perfect timing!"

"Elle!"

I run away from the questions and laughter, tumbling across the sand, with my sights set on Lee and his big mouth. When I reach him he turns to look at me in shock as I snatch the ball from his hands, only holding my own up when he begins to complain. 

"Hey, that's not-"

"You can have an opinion when you learn to not spy on people and share the information with their nosy friends," I state, narrowing my eyes and placing a hand on my hip, "Deal?"

Lee's mouth drops open in horror as he realises what I'm talking about, regret spilling from his eyes as he avoids mine. Back curving, he retreats, hitting his friends gently on the way to drag them along and away from my threatening glare.

"Yeah, that's fair," he agrees with a light and shaky chuckle, "We were going to go in the water anyway."

I know that he's communicating with the other two boys, their eyes shooting between each other but lips unmoving due to the nature of the conversation and who is around us. It doesn't take much for them to follow his orders, their fearful expressions matching perfectly as they basically turn and run away. 

I was going to kill him.

"What was that about?" Tom asks, looking at their retreating figures in confusion, "They were winning the match and everything."

"My brother has a big mouth," Scarlette explains, taking her place beside me, "He sometimes forgets that people might not want things shared."

"Yes, however," Kristie chimes in, nudging Tom, "I am here for the juicy gossip that someone is clearly not telling me!"

Tom gasps and spins to face me, his eager grin waiting for the details and I groan and throw the ball at Kristie, killing her with my eyes for mentioning it. 

"Can we please just play volleyball?" I beg, heading around the net to stand beside Cam who wraps an arm around me, his eyes shining with humour at my discomfort.

"My arms are tired so I'll be referee," Tom states, "But I would very much like to know the gossip too."

The other three chat for a moment while they sort out the net and move into position, in the meantime, Cam turns to me, his voice a low hush and eyes shielded from the sun.

"Did Lee mention something he shouldn't have to Kristie?" 

"Yes," I whine and his expression turns grave.

"About wolves?"

Oh.

"Well..." I trail off with an awkward laugh, "Not really."

"Hey!" Kristie's shout grabs our attention, "If you're telling him and not me I'm going to be pissed!" 

The ball comes over the net and heads for Cam, who knocks it back across with ease, barely looking as the bounce echoes around us and it soars to the other side of the court, Tom's voice announcing a point won.

"Telling me what?" he asks and I flail for a second, trying to come up with a response.

About my sleeping arrangements. 

"It's nothing really," I wave off, focusing on the returning shot, "Just Kristie being Kristie."

Scarlette smacks the ball confidently towards me, her hair swishing around her like a cartoon drawing as she elegantly runs, clearly finding my discomfort enjoyable to watch.

Cam and I perfectly set up the shot between us, like we've done plenty of times in our childhood, and watch it head for Kristie. Instead of knocking it back carefully, like she should, she hits it off to one side and we shout complaints while she rolls her eyes and throws her hands up.

Cam huffs and jogs over to it, shouting insults at our friend along the way.

"Why won't you speak about Trent's sleeping situation?" she interrogates and I scoff, knowing fine well that she knocked the shot on purpose to give herself time to speak.

"There's no situation," I argue, relieved to see Cam already heading back to the game, "Nothing's going on."

Tom snorts from his place at the base of the net, his smirk gleaming in the sunlight.

"You're telling me you haven't slept with that hunk of a man yet?"

Cam seems to freeze in place, the smile on his face dropping upon hearing Tom's words and my stomach twists at the wry expression it morphs into. 

"I- uh- I don't think I want to talk about this," he mutters, making me breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Cam," I say with forced elation, "Someone with a brain."

He steps back to his side of the court silently and starts the rally, the ball bouncing back and forth between us while the questions continue to be asked despite my efforts to stop them.

"I'm just saying," Kristie shouts as she runs to pick up the ball after a missed shot, "I don't know why you're not admitting it, it's not like he's not the gorgeous man ever and there's something to be embarrassed about."

"Ew," Scarlette replies, disgust dripping as she shakes away the image, "Can we not describe my family members like that?"

Kristie winces and apologises while Tom just shouts the score along with a comment about Trent's looks and how his and Scarlette's genes must just be blessed. 

He had a point.

"I'm not embarrassed," I defend after a moment and immediately regret it when eyes light with excitement and there are gasps of delight.

"So you are sleeping with him? What's it li-"

Kristie's voice is cut off as the ball flies towards her face, almost smacking her before Scarlette manages to knock it out the way and reroute it so that it heads for Tom, gently, instead. 

"Cam!" 

I look at the boy to the left of me who's just almost knocked out our friend and take in his dark expression. Even his apology that he shouts is low and unemotional- his mind seems to be far away or caught up in something. 

This is more evident as the ball races back towards him but he doesn't move. I quickly run across and throw myself down, catching the ball just before it hits the sand and propelling it over to our friends in a spectacular fashion - if I don't say so myself.

"That was meant to be your shot," I inform him, causing him to scold himself and help me to my feet while I adjust my bikini, his hand enclosed around mine.

"Sorry I just-"

"They're not sleeping together," Scarlette finally interjects nonchalantly, cutting of the next of Kristie's questions, while I turn to look at her in surprise, "Lee just makes conclusions out of half information."

"You're not?" Kristie looks at me for confirmation, almost disappointed by the truth as I shake my head, her tanned shoulders slumping, "But then why-"

"We both have nightmares," I admit with a shrug, tucking my hair behind my ears, "It's nicer to not suffer through them alone. Can we play volleyball now that's sorted?"

There's a silence for a moment and I'm worried that I've shared too much; that I've made it awkward or uncomfortable with the honesty of my words. But instead, it breaks with gushing and words of 'adorable' from my two friends, Kristie's excited grin even bigger than before as she aims the ball.

Thank god that was over.

It heads towards me perfectly and I ready myself to knock it back, arm withdrawn and patiently waiting. Before I can, a shadow passes over me and a body steps in front, hitting the ball with such a force that it flies over the net and continues on for quite a distance, soaring past the hand-drawn lines in the sand. 

Kristie and Scarlette shout words of complaint at my partner as we watch it travel a fair distance, their reluctance in going to retrieve it visible as they argue over who gets it and finally Kristie and Tom take off, racing each other.

Suddenly, my wrists are grabbed and I'm yanked around to face Cam, my brows furrowing at his grip and the force in which he's holding me, his usual soft features hardened.

"What are you doing?" 

I try to pull my hands out of his with a short laugh but when they stay locked, an uneasy feeling drips over me.

"Cam, what-"

"Why haven't you slept with him yet?" he blurts out, eyes searching mine for answers while I struggle to comprehend what he's saying.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm serious Elle," he huffs, pulling me even closer to him despite my resistance and my baffled expression, "What's wrong? Why haven't you?"

"What?" I laugh incredulously, "Are you kidding me right now?" 

His impatience is clear as he lets out a strain of mutters under his breath.

Had the ball hit his head? Did he have a concussion? Surely, that could be the only excuse for the words coming out of his mouth right now.

"Just tell me-"

"Because somehow you're entitled to know that," I cut in sardonically, my anger rising at his refusal to leave my private life alone, "Let go of me, Cam."

"Elle," he insists, digging his nails into my skin and I lose the sarcastic bravery that had started to rise as I wince at the feeling, panic flitting thorugh me "It's important, just tell me."

"She doesn't want to tell you Cam," Scarlette warns as she steps towards us, the mood shifting, "I think you better let it go."

Cam's eyes snap to the girl so quickly that I'm surprised he doesn't have whiplash; all the previous, friendly nature replaced by a looming fog of threats. My tongue feels heavy in my mouth as I struggle to get a lid on the overpouring emotions that are firing through the net.

"Or what."

The tension between the two of them boils under the others glare and my heart rate picks up as I wait for one of them to make a move but when Scarlette's eyes widen and she spins away from us, I stop struggling to get out of Cam's grip.

"Lee, no!"

Her scream seems to make everyone freeze and when I look over to her brother I see him standing, glaring at Cam with his chest rising and mouth seething.  My stomach drops as I look from him to his sister, watching her turn to me in horror, wide eyes telling me everything that I need to know.

He'd told Trent.

"We need to get Kristie and Tom out of here," she says quickly, her words grim as she glances around frantically, "They can't see whatever is about it happen."

Lee's friends split off from him and head towards the two people who are walking back to us. They're casual, laughing about something between them and completely unaware of the events that are about to unfold, while Lee heads for us.

"Why would you do that," I whisper, "Why would you act like that?"

I finally pull myself free of Cam just as he goes to speak but I turn away from him, my eyes tearing up as I look at Scarlette while she shouts at Lee. 

"Elle asked you not to tell Trent and what did you do?"

"He was grabbing her! Like I wasn't about to tell my Alpha when someone is threatening his Luna."

Cam tries to grab my attention but I feel almost numb, the worry I feel so prominant that theres a cold sweat taking over my skin, my mind racing through the endless possibilities of how this was going to go.

"Elle," Cam tries, reaching for me again, "I wasn't trying to-"

"They're here," Scarlette announces, ducking under the net and running to me while turning to check how far away our unaware friends are, "Cole's trying to calm him down but I don't think it's-"

The deafening sound of a car screeching to a halt shatters any hope that I have, the dark shadow of it contrasting to the still sunny beach that it parks on. Instantly, the doors on both sides swing open and two figures advance, one trying to talk to the other but getting nowhere.

Trent's body is shaking. Like a volcano waiting to erupt his expression seems to burn anything in the vicinity of it, causing Cole to back away and walk beside him in silence.

Scarlette slides past me and runs at Trent, her arms open while trying to explain, Cole continues on towards us, ignoring her.

I can hear my blood rushing in my veins.

The look that Cole shoots me is apologetic as he appears at my side, moving me out of the way as he grabs Cameron who proceeds to shout and resist, causing Lee to step forward and grab the other side of his body.

"Cole, what are you doing?"

"Let go off me!"

The boys ignore our words as they twist his arms behind his back, forcing his back to bend forward and his limbs to twist in an unnatural way. His yell of pain makes anymore words die in my throat.

"Trent," Scarlette tries while walking backwards, her fearful eyes glancing over to me more frequently the closer she gets, "Lee overreacted he-"

"You do not speak," a voice that I don't recognise hisses, the darkness behind it making my bones shakes, "I will deal with you later. Now move."

I don't blame the poor girl for moving out of the way. Even without the added aspect of his position of power and her wolves automatic reaction to obey him, the fear that his words instilled alone would be enough for any sane person to listen to. 

When she moves, I finally see his face.

And it's not Trent. 

It looks like Trent, but his eyes are a dark black colour, his mouth snarled into an image that can only be described as a predator ready to attack, his gaze unmoving from its prey. He doesn't even glance at me, despite the fact that I stand in front of Cam. 

It's like I'm not there.

Scarlette grabs my arm and pulls me out of the way, her expression solemn. 

"W-What's wrong with him?" I whisper, watching as he stalks forward and towards the shaking boy whose whimpering in pain, "What's happening?"

"Elle, I'm sorry," she says, defeated, "His wolves taken over, there's nothing we can do."

I hear the words she doesn't say as his body towers over the shaking figure, a growl like sound echoing out to us. 

He was going to kill him.

Trent was going to kill Cam.

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what do you guys think !!!!

PAIN.

ALL THE PAIN.