Rylan sends me out of the closet without uttering another word. I compose myself to seem as if nothing of real significance occurred back in the closet. I make my way back to the table where Athan is sitting there, waiting for me. A smile lights up on his face when he sees me. 

I almost melt because of that. How am I supposed to annihilate him? He's innocent. I can't recall a moment in time where he has actually posed an actual threat to society. He's a hybrid. So what? On the other hand, he humiliated me in front of the entire school, he's related or is one of the people who kidnapped me, he almost turned my brother into a hybrid, and last but not least, the ice breaker of them all, he turned me into a hybrid. So, exactly why am I having a hard time deciding? 

"Who was that?" Athan asks me, once I sit down. When he's filling out the check, I wipe away the sweat pouring down my forehead. I don't know why I'm already full of guilt - this is justice. There's no real fault in justice. Is there? 

"Just an actual waiter," I lie. He can't know that Rylan's here. He'll know something's up. I feel for the dagger tucked inside my combat boots. I sigh in relief when I feel it's pointy top. It's still there. "He just wanted to give me a long lecture on how cheesy garlic bread is better than plain garlic bread."

"He isn't wrong," Athan laughs, standing up from his seat. I mirror his movements and stand up as well, careful not to let the dagger stab into my lower calf. I follow him out the door into the dark of night. The night sky evokes pure violet and tiny little stars that make the full moon pop out even more than usual. "Cheese does make everything better." 

"Go cheese," I say weakly, pumping my free fist into the air, while my other hand jams into my boot and adjusts the position of the dagger. At least this walk back to the facility can give me enough pause to ponder over my decision.  

What will I even get out of killing Athan? Sure, I'll get to spend the rest of my life with Rylan, but what is the point of that if it means losing everyone else whom I deeply care about. If I do this, Keanna and Kyran will hate me. Although on the plus side, I will win the admiration of Llwyd. I will get the closure I've always yearned for. 

On the other hand, what good comes out of sparing Athan? I'll lose Rylan, I will be deemed a rogue by Llwyd. Everyone in Howl Falls, will abhor me for all eternity. My family will become like the White family - they find a way to punish us for generations to come. On the plus side, I will not lose anyone I care about, and I can spend my life with Athan. 

I can spend the rest of my life with Athan. Not until now has it even come close to crossing my mind. What would it feel like? It seems like a box that I'm unable to open, yet the image of it is almost clear enough to see. Being with him forever, will feel like eternity, I decide. Maybe that's not even a bad thing. I mean, who doesn't crave immortality? 

About four blocks later, we arrive in the parking lot of the Association of Paranormal Activity. I can feel the ring tucked snuggly in the back of my heel for protection. I can feel the dagger taped to my calf, just crying out for me to let it have its moment. I wait for Athan to head inside to rip the dagger off my leg. I hide it behind it behind my back as I follow him inside. 

Once I'm inside, I push him against the nearest wall. I keep a tight grip on his chest with my free hand. "Beatrice, what is going on?" 

I draw the dagger and place it in the middle of his throat. "Killing you, that's what."

"What?" he remarks trying to struggle out of my grip, but my grasp is too firm. "Why?" 

"Because," I reply. My eyes narrow while I spit out my words. The look of anguish on his faces gives me the energy to move onto to the next phase. Soliloquizing. "If I don't do this, I can never be with someone I have always loved." 

He doesn't utter even such as one syllable. It's just complete silence between the two of us. Meanwhile, the dagger shakes in my hand, my hand barely able to keep a grip on it's fine, mahogany handle. For one moment there, I actually see Athan's eyes in more depth - the black specks in his irises dancing around, almost hypnotizing me as he continues to stare at me with impatience. 

I let the dagger slide out of my grip. I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to kill Athan. It'll be too much to bear if I do. I release my grip on Athan and crouch down to collect the dagger and store it carefully in the back of my boot, but Athan beats me to it. 

He bends down and grabs ahold of the dagger in the tight clutch of his fists. My eyes go wide and I try to find the nearest escape. My mind keeps on retreating back to Keanna. She swore to make him sorry if he hurt me, so where is she right now? Before I can scramble to my feet and run, he delivers a swift kick to my side, sending me sliding back into the wall. 

I try to call for Keanna, but my words imprison themselves in the depths of my throat and refuse to move. I'm left just mouthing words while Athan strokes the dagger, claiming it his possession. I resort to my last method of escape possible - something Sabia told Kyran and I would come in handy if we ever were in the middle of a bear encounter. 

I find myself down on my knees, sobs keeping themselves inside of my body when they're absolutely necessary at a moment such as this. A twinge groans around my ribcage followed by a pang of humiliation. He wants me to feel as low as a rogue - he has succeeded. My body curls up into a ball  - my arms meet with thighs, and my hands meet at my lips. In silence, I think up a Hail Mary. 

"Dumb move, Beatrice," Athan says. He has to cackle his words for some reason at the moment. I can't help but think up references of Macbeth in my head. He sounds like the three witches in that dumb play. "Now let's make this a fair game." With that he spits out one last syllable. "B." 

The blood in my bones boils and next thing I know, I'm in my wolf form. My eyes narrow upon Athan who now also exhibits his wolf form. No one has ever seen him as wolf, but it's surprises me how enticing it is. Muscles build up under his muddy grey fur. His long neck makes up for the small capacity below him, while his arched legs prove more dominance than any other part of him. The one thing that hasn't changed - his eyes. His eyes are still as red as the blood he probably drinks. 

I jump up onto all fours as he comes barrelling at me. I block his tackle and he loses his balance. I let my claws dig into his fur as he lies there flat on his stomach. Sadly, he pounces on me once I attempt to grab the upper hand of this quarrell. His claws are now digging deep into my ribcage and I let out a yowl that's softer than a cat's purr. 

"Oh don't you even consider hurting my sister," I hear my brother's voice. His voice is strong, confident, determined to pounce on Athan. It's so soothing, I barely even realise I've come back to my human form once again, the collar of my dress clinging to my chest. 

I Kyran's large silhouette of his silver wolf leap out from the shadows and the two are in the middle of their own form of a tango. It's almost too amusing to watch. It's like they're dancing in their wolf form, but in reality, they're trying to annihilate one another. If this actually were a battle to the death, I'd actually feel compelled to stay and watch. My thoughts are interrupted not before long. 

 I then notice another shadow hiding, and Keanna makes a run towards me. Her hand meets my shoulder blade as she ushers me away from the seen. As I follow Keanna back to her cubicle, I can still hear the echoes of their screeches. The loudest one belongs to Athan. A smile creeps up my face just knowing that. Kyran has the upper hand. 

Once we reach the cubicle, that's when reality catches up to me. Sharp pangs grow in my lungs after the attack, and my right hand searches for the doorway as I find something to lean up against. The cold glass makes my back shiver. Keanna turns back to me. "B, what's wrong?" 

"I - " I inhale and begin again. "I - " I give up trying to explain verbally about what happened, so I just point at my lungs and cringe, which she seems to understand given what she says next. 

"Oh," she mutters to herself. She comes to my aid and leads me over to her bed, I climb and huddle up into a ball. Her voice becomes louder enough for me to hear. "I'll be right back." My brain seems to go to mush once she leaves. 

He tried to kill me. Why didn't I kill him? Such arrogance warrants justice. Right? I roll over onto my side and continue my thoughts. I gave him mercy by not killing him. Why didn't he see that? I should've killed him. Well if I didn't, maybe Kyran has.

I don't even realize how hard I'm hugging Keanna's pillow when I hear footsteps approach the doorway. Groans emit from two voices. I don't even need to take a glimpse to know it's Kyran and Athan.  It sounds as if the two are whispering back and forth between each other, but I can't make out what they're saying. Although, I do catch Athan's last words before he steps forward to speak to me, or so it seems. "... Okay, fine." 

Blood boils inside of my ears, but lets me hear his words, as sounds leave his mouth. "Beatrice -" He barely starts his sentence before my brother interrupts him. 

"It's beh-tris," Kyran corrects in stolid tone. "Get it right or get out." I have never seen my brother this aminostic. He must really be ticked off with Athan be at this point. 

"Oh," Athan shoots back. His voice is high and mocking. It occurs to me, these two will never come close to even becoming friends with each other. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you're in charge of what other people call others." 

"Just." I hear Kyran stutter through his fustration. "Just shut up."

Athan's soft voice casts over me. The accent mixes in with it all. Somehow, in any other situation, his voice could be enough to make me forget the travesty I just endured. "Betrys, did I hurt you?" 

He doesn't realize I'm unable to speak at the moment, so I point at my lunges and mimic a cringe. Just like Keanna, Athan easily understands what I'm trying to say and goes on. "I'm really sorry for the pain I caused." His voice seems stilted, forced even. From the points I'm given, I'm assuming that Kyran had Athan rehearsing this on their way here. 

Another set of footsteps approach. Keanna's voice breaks through the fog in my brain. All of sudden, my brain is merely just one big throb of pain. The voice cluttering my brain is too much for me to bear. 

"You can heal her, right?" 

"Of course." I remember the silvery voice belonging to Aurelia. Like her brother, she has that accent that I've forgotten about up until now. "My mother bestowed upon me the gift of healing before she was executed." 

Her footsteps echo as she makes her way over to the bedside. I feel her hand place itself on my cheek. She sings a soft song in a language I cannot quite understand - our Human Studies course didn't really touch on more than the Northwestern Hemisphere side of life. The closest we got to Europe was our Spanish course, and also our Religion class. 

The aches come to a fading halt and I take in a deep breath. My stomach caves in while in the midst of an inhale, and inflates upon the exhale. Aurelia saved me. I'm forever in her debt. 

I don't even care that we barely know each other. I pull that woman into a hug of deep gratitude. I may never be able to pay up for what she did for me, but a hug is one thing I can do to thank her. What she did was the noblest of noble deeds. 

Then my mind remembers Athan. The sweet and simple guy that has seemed to take over my entire mind. My mouth opens all of sudden as I pull away from the hug. "Can you guys give us a moment?" 

Keanna, Kyran and Aurelia step outside, closing the sliding the door shut behind them. It's just Athan and I alone. His eyes have gone soft, but not his usual type of soft. His eyes are kitten-fur soft and gentle as a purr when they're usually blanket soft - soft enough to make a person smile dimly, but rough around the edges to give potential predators a fair warning. 

"Beatrice." Even his voice has gone kitten soft. It's too much to bare with the guilt I've sacked onto my shoulders. My breath balls up in into tight knot at the bottom of my throat when his cold hands touch my shoulders. "Why did you want to kill me?"

"I didn't think I had a choice," I say. My voice is shaking, but after a few calm breaths, I'm composed and steady. "I wanted something I knew from the start could never be mine. In the words of Keanna, I only loved him because I could never really have him." 

"Then why didn't you kill me?" Athan presses. His voice is rising the more his brow slants, and the more narrow his eyes become until they're the sharp blade of knife. My arms slowly cross over to my shoulders in an X as he speaks. He hates me. I look down lowly, crushing my eyes shut to avoid the pain of seeing his visible anger. "Why didn't you just follow through so you could be with whoever he is?" 

"Because." My voice is thriving with energy as I throw my arms out into the air and look at him with every emotion possible for a creature to experience. "I just saw your innocence or whatever you call it and it just hit me - I don't want you out of my life. I can't really explain it. One moment, I hate you. Another moment, I love you. It's a reality I just can't ever walk away from." 

"Slow down," Athan cuts in before I can continue. My lunges expanded upon me heaving a heavy sigh of relief and cry for a moment of air. "Can you say that again?" 

I look down at the linoleum at my combat boots and exhale in soft blows of air. "I don't want you out of my life. I can't really explain it. One moment - " 

"No," he cuts me off. "Go to the part where you said you love me." My heart skips a beat. I completely forgot I said that. In front of us his face, and to my mind for the first time ever. 

There are those small moments in life that turn the definition of one's relationship upside down. It can either be the confession that you're falling hard for, or you can tarnish the entire friendship by saying you hate that specific person. All of it comes down that millisecond in between the pause. 

"I love you," I say again, my cheeks burning. My heart races out of my chest. 

With each step, he gets closer to me until our noses touch, and nothing is visible except his eyes. His hand caresses my cheek, and his lips press to my ear with the soft breath of his words. "I love you too." 

It's not too long after he pulls away from my ear that my arms are trapping him at his shoulderblades and I pull my lips onto his. He doesn't waste time getting his hands on my sensationalized cheek. 

~

SQUEE! Fifteen chapters in, but, YES! Betrys and Athan - together at last. 

Garlic bread. Better plain or with cheese? 

If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote and comment. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks. 

Okay, the awesome level of the next chapter's gifs are so high, I have so show you what I have in store: 

X Shay X