Charlie P.O.V

My heart thumps deep in my chest as my bedroom door opens. For a brief moment, hardly even a second, I almost thought it would be James on the other side, ready to seal my fate, but it's not. It's Michael, and I can already tell he's pissed.

"Michael!" I squeak out. "What are you doing here?" I cringe, realizing the stupid question that just passed my lips.

"What am I doing here?" he scoffs, "I could ask you the same question." Michael crosses his arms.

I toss my book aside, not caring if the pages got bent in the process. Michael comes into my bedroom, grabbing my face between his hands.

"What the hell are you doing home? I put you on a plane this morning!" He insists. "You're supposed to be in fucking--I don't know! Somewhere tropical and away from here!"

I put my hands over his. Even though he's furious, I can't help but enjoy his embrace. God, I really am such a sap for this boy.

"I know--I know!" I look up at Michael. "But I couldn't leave you here alone! I don't want you to do anything stupid!"

"So you lied to me?" He took his hands from my cheeks, moving them down to my shoulders. "What the hell, Charlie? I told you it was dangerous!" He shakes my shoulders, not hard, but enough for me to get the hint.

"I can't lose you!" I finally explode. "I can't let you get yourself killed!" I attempt to hold back the tears forming in my eyes; now is not the time to cry.

Michael's expression softens. It's as if he's realizing for the first time that his "secret" plan of self-sacrifice was a bit obvious.

"I'm not stupid, Michael. You think I was really just gonna fly off and vacation while you fight your brother to the death?" I look up at him, cupping his cheeks. "I don't wanna lose you. Why can't we just run off together?"

It didn't have to be us running away to elope, though, with everything going on, the thought had crossed my mind more than once. I practically need to slap myself to get that thought out of my head.

"I can't leave my family to James, Charlie," Michael frowns, being too nice to say no outright. "He doesn't know how to think about anybody but himself. You know what he's capable of. You really want me to leave entire families to turn to him for help?"

Michael easily proves his point. It wouldn't be right to leave James in charge. That would mean he would be the one to look up to, which would only cause more problems.

"I know," slips from my mouth, barely loud enough to hear.

Michael pulls me into a brief kiss.

"You can't be here-" Before he can finish his sentence, the sound of shattering glass echoes from down the stairs.

Michael turns immediately when the crunching sounds travel throughout the first floor. He ran to the door, shutting and locking it.

"We need to leave, now."

I immediately grab my crutches. The stairs were not an option at this point. Michael opened my window, looking out to make sure there were no other wolves outside, or at least, that's what I presume. It wouldn't be shocking to me if James showed up with a posse.

Michael grabs my hand, pulling me towards the window.

"I'll go down first and help you down, okay?"

There was no time to fight about it. Michael climbs out of my window. He uses his foot to brace himself against the siding of the house, something I probably wouldn't be able to do. The crashing and sliding around downstairs seemed to only get louder. The closer the sound gets, the faster my heart pounds in my chest.

Michael slides down to the ground, hopping the last three or four feet. I never fancied heights, so having to climb out of my window, with an already injured ankle wasn't going to be a pleasant memory.

"Just don't make it your last," I remind myself.

I jump when my bedroom door thuds, almost loud enough that I swear it nearly came off the hinges. The wood already cracked just from one hit.

I shove my crutches out the window, making sure to toss them far enough that they won't hit Michael. Now it's.my turn to get out the window. Now or never.

I straddle the window sill, putting my bad leg out first. The wolf on the other side of the door growls and snarls, throwing his entire body against it again. The door cracks more, threatening to give way at any moment.

Michael stands on the ground with his arms extending out for me. I swing my other leg over the windowsill, turning so I can grab the ledge. Once I let my weight take over, I can only hang from the sill by my fingertips. I attempt to brace my foot against the side, but my sneaker's sole slides off of it. I couldn't get any traction.

"Come on, Charlie! Just trust me!" Michael calls out.

I feel my fingers begin to slip, and before I realize anything, searing pain tears through my hands. A black wolf claws into my hand, propping itself on the window.

The windowsill slips from my fingers, then I'm falling through the air. It's over before I realize, and Michael has his arms wrapped around me. My body collided with his, which I know will leave bruises by morning. Michael, however, doesn't skip a beat. He sets me on my feet, grabbing one crutch before pulling me towards his truck.

Just as he takes out his keys to unlock his truck, Michael's voice booms through the quiet night.

"Mother fucker!" he groans, which catches my attention.

All four tires on his truck had been slashed and were hissing with leaking air. James never planned on letting us get away this time.