Lily stood in the middle of the woods, green trees and grass blowing in the gentle breeze.
She loved being in forests… but… she didn’t know why she was here.
Maybe it was her mind giving her a break... Or... maybe she no longer had nightmares...
It was quite odd... She should’ve had one after finding out her teacher was a murderer...
She stopped for a moment, stomach coiling with uneasiness…
Wait... hold on...
She listened as the forest grew quiet… bitterly silent…
The bird’s tweets gone along with the bugs chips.
She stood alone in the group of trees, questioning what the hell was going on.
But then a low growl rattled her ears, and she spun around, glancing left and right for a bear.
But it wasn’t a bear...
She took a step back, the that blood coursed through her veins sending shockwaves of frost through her.
A giant, grey wolf stood above her, its fur blowing in the gentle breeze... but it wasn’t gentle anymore...
It rushed across the forest like a hurricane, and the light that shone through the trees faded the forest to a dark grey when the clouds covered the sun.
But Lily kept her eyes on the wolf, watching his stance as he stood upon rock, staring down at her with his orange eyes and slit pupils.
It was like staring into death itself.
A cold pain squeezed her lungs, and her breaths grew shallow as the wolf bared its teeth.
Why wasn’t she running?
“Follow me, Lily,” she heard someone say. “I’ll show you where you belong. I’ll give you what you’ve been dreaming of. Just let me inside.”
She was silent for a moment, looking around with a light of hope glowing inside her… despite the nightmare that was forming.
Why was she suddenly hopeful? Shouldn’t she be scared?
“You... can give me my family back?” She glanced around to see where the voice was coming from.
“Everything you wanted, Lily,” it said. “Just follow me.”
She looked back to the wolf, seeing it sit on a rock, staring down at her softly now.
“It’s... you...” she realized softly.
“You’ll be loved again,” it said, bowing to her.
But it wasn’t bowing... it curled over and morphed into something she had never seen before.
Its paws turned into feet and hands... legs turning into arms... and its ears turned into a head.
And before her stood a man... black hair... white skin... and orange eyes...
“You’re...” she whispered, “a werewolf....”
“Follow me,” the man said, jumping off the rock so he stood in front of her and offered a hand. “And you can love again. Just let me inside.”
She didn’t know what he meant by “inside.”
Shouldn’t she think about this first?
But she started stepping toward him, reaching out to grasp his palm...
A force slammed against her suddenly, throwing her back.
She almost screamed, but she smashed against the ground, gasping for air…
When she looked up, before her stood a girl, holding an arm out as if shielding Lily from the man.
“Stay away from her,” she ordered, blond hair blowing with the storm. “Don’t try that again.”
And the man snarled as if angry, stepping back into the shadows.
“You’re safe now,” the mysterious girl whispered, though didn’t turn to look at her. “Don’t let him in your head, Lily. He’s not a good person.”
Who was “he”?
But she was thrown into a void, falling into the darkness.
*****
Lily shot up, gasping as if she hadn’t been breathing for hours.
Somehow, she ended up on the floor, her blankets tangled around her like she were a mummy.
Cold chills passed through her skin, but her hair clung to her forehead from sweat.
She couldn’t fall asleep again if she tried...
That dream felt... so real.
She could smell the pines, taste the air, and feel the breeze like she was actually there.
You’re safe now. Don’t let him in your head, Lily. He’s not a good person.
Don’t try that again.
Follow me, Lily. And you can love again. Just let me inside.
What was going on with her?
Her dreams never included something like this...
Perhaps she just needed to relax for once.
Lily stood up and examined the alarm clock.
2:00 am.
I wonder if Jason’s awake, she thought.
Before she could stop herself, she stepped out of her room and started down the short hall to Jason’s room.
When she arrived at his door, she stood there, staring at the wood.
Why was she doing this again?
She raised her hand and was about to knock when it opened.
“Hey, there.” Jason smiled, though not happily. There still was a little playfulness...
And maybe menace...
“Couldn’t sleep?” He leaned a shoulder on the wood of his frame, smiling down at Lily while she examined his outfit.
He wore his average T-shirt. The ones that showed how big his ego was.
Which could classify as a planet itself.
Or a solar system.
She noticed that instead of jeans, he wore sporty shorts, so she assumed he slept in that outfit.
“You just going to stand there or are you going to come in?” He raised a brow.
She was silent.
Why was she here? She didn’t trust him, right?
Then what was she doing?
“I...” she paused, “no... I’m going to my room....”
She backed away but he caught her arm, reeling her through the entryway.
Before she knew what was going on, she was thrown onto his bed, staring at the ceiling as her legs dangled off the mattress.
Jason half-expected her to get up and yell at him, but she didn’t move. Just stared at the ceiling blankly.
He stood by the entrance of his room, leaning against the frame still. “You haven’t gone running.” He raised his brows. “I’m kind of surprised.”
After shutting the door, he walked to the desk that rested against the cream-colored walls, where a coffee machine settled.
“Want some tea?” He grabbed a white mug from his bookshelf and placed a lavender tea bag into it.
He turned the coffee maker on, setting the cup under the spout, the machine rattling as it heated.
And he turned back to Lily, seeing her in the same position.
He then stepped over to her, leaning over the bed to see her face. “You okay?”
She was silent, but he knew she was awake because her eyes were open, and she stared at him blankly.
“Are you cold?” he said at the goosebumps prickling out of her arms. “I can get you a blanket, too. Want one?”
A nod.
After giving her a suspicious once-over, Jason padded over to his closet and pulled out a feathery blanket.
Silence settled in the room as the coffee maker poured boiling water into the mug, and Jason placed the blanket on the bed as the machine finished running.
He took the cup out from under the spout and looked over to Lily.
Who was still in the same position.
Steam emitted from the mug as he pulled out the teabag, and he stepped over to the bed, sitting on the edge as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.
His nerves prickled through his skin.
“Tired?” he said, watching Lily stare at his hand that stirred Honey into the cup. “Lily?”
After a moment, she nodded.
His brows pinched together at this. And he leaned over to place the spoon and mug on the nightstand and pushed his hands under her, lifting her onto his lap.
He expected her to resist...
But she didn’t.
She actually melted into him, and he grasped the warm mug again, handing it to her.
Lily took it willingly, staring off into the cup.
After, Jason picked up the layered blanket and wrapped it over her shoulders.
“There,” he whispered into her hair, “warm now?”
She nodded, nuzzling her face into his neck.
Okay, she never did this. Something was wrong.
“Are you feeling alright?” He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.
Don’t get him wrong, he wanted her to give in like this.
But he knew something was wrong... and he didn’t like it.
While he pressed his hand to her forehead, heat bled into his skin. “You’re warm,” he noticed. “Do you feel sick?”
Lily shook her head slightly, still cuddled into him.
“Look up at me.” Jason lightly tipped her head up, his green gaze studying hers.
Her pupils swallowed the iris, and his eyes darkened to forest green with concern.
She looked almost lost... dazed...
Like she was uncertain of her surroundings.
“Do you know where you are?” he wondered, continuing to study her. “Where are we, Lily?”
She stared into his eyes. “Are we home?”
“Where’s home?” he wondered softly.
"With....” She trailed off, squinting her eyes. “I... I don’t know... I guess... I just feel safe with you... I guess that’s what I mean....”
“Where are we, Lily?” He leaned down a little so he could study her eyes. “Do you know?”
“I... I don’t....”
“Hmm...” he murmured, studying her cautiously. “Did you fall? Hit your head?”
“I... fell off my bed... I think....”
“Oh... did you have a nightmare?”
Lily nodded.
“What was it about?” Jason asked softly.
“A wolf, I think…” she whispered back.
His breath caught, and he had to close his mouth before he asked her another question. “A wolf...” he said, feigning surprise, “anything else?”
“He said something to me...” she whispered. “That... he could make me love again... But I had to... let him in....”
Jason suddenly took the cup of cold tea out of Lily’s hands, making her stare up at him in surprise.
His eyes hardened a little… as if he was scared. “Did you?” he said a little harshly. “Did you let him in?”
Her lips parted, and she felt her heart pound harder at his angry tone. “Why...? What’s wrong?”
“Answer the question,” Jason ordered.
She shook her head.
And she watched his gaze become soft again, and he pulled her into him, holding her close.
“Jason...?” she whispered at his sudden need to hug her.
"Go to sleep,” he responded gently. “I'll be right here.”
Lily stared up at him, brows drawn together. “What’s happening? I don’t get it....”
"Sleep.”
After sighing, she snuggled up with him. “Alright... Fine....”
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