Half Bitten

My head turned back to Alec. “How did you catch me?”
He blinked, “I didn’t—don’t you remember? You fell onto me.”
I shook my head in confusion, “No, you just put me down. How did you catch me?”
Alec let his arms extend out, landing his cold hands on my shoulders. “You really should stop mumbling Jackie. I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”
Lowlii’s body tensed as he stepped forward. I didn’t even notice that he had already climbed down the side of the house until his warmth contrasted with Alec’s touched on my body. “Get away from her, Alec.”
Alec raised his body turning to Lowlii. “You don’t always have to protect her, you know? She’s strong enough to protect herself.”
I extended my arm up, “Why are you here, Alec? Why are you in my backyard?”
“I—I was just around.” His mouth twitched with little effort.
I shook my head as I stumbled up to my feet. “How did you know I was going to fall out of that window?”
Before I managed to squeeze out an answer from him, warm arms picked me up. Within a second, I was halfway across the yard with Lowlii’s body in front of mine. Facing Alec in edgy manner, he tried to contain his anger.
“Just leave, Alec. I could take it from here.”
All of a sudden I was an ‘it’?
Alec retorted once more. “You know, you could be a pain in the ass sometimes. I save her life and you’re asking me to walk away?”
I maneuvered my body around Lowlii, stopping him from stepping forward. “How did you know I was going to fall out of my window?” I asked once more.
Meeting my eyes, Alec softened his violent glare. With the pulse slowly starting to invade my body, I let my eyes stare.
“Doesn’t matter anyway.” Alec hissed. “Besides you two are the ones to blame. The attacks have gotten worse and both of you could care less.”
My mouth dropped so words could spill out but Lowlii seemed to interrupt. “You know, if you weren’t there, I could’ve easily caught her!”
Alec let a snarky smile crease his pale face, “and what if you didn’t catch her? Her blood would be all over the backyard.”
Lowlii scrunched his face as Alec brought the subject of my death into the air.
The lucid wind around us started to freeze, allowing you to hear nothing but the mental threats being thrown.
“You should go.” Lowlii advised.
I bit my lip, “how did you know I was going to fall out of that window?”
The snarky smirk resumed its place back onto Alec’s face. “He hasn’t told you yet?”
“Tell me what?” my eyes opened wider.
Lowlii picked me up once again and placed me at a spot behind him. “Don’t listen to a word he’s saying, Jackie.”
Alec’s voice rose cynically, “come on, Jackie. You’re a smart girl, you should know this.”
Lowlii stepped forward angrily, his body starting to shake, as the hint of vanilla grew strong. “Go, now.”
Alec let out a mocking chuckle. “You wont always be there to protect her.”
His acidic words made me cringe.
“I’m telling you to leave, Alec.” Lowlii threatened, “the next time I ask, I wont be so nice.”
Resuming his tart tone, Alec rolled his eyes. “Relax, Loverboy. Besides, I just came here to warn you—everyone said that the attacks are getting closer, and indeed, they are.”
I shook my head in confusion. “They’ve been all around the area. What makes you think that they just wont skip this place?”
Alec let his golden brown eyes fall back to mine. “Someone hasn’t been keeping up with her homework.”
Lowlii’s jaw clenched, “I’m not going to ask you again.”
Alec smirked once more. Slowly stepping back he gestured his arms up to signal a truce. “I’m just the messenger, I did my job, now its time to do yours.”
Before I could ask my question—one that was still left unanswered Lowlii dragged me up the stairs.
“Lowlii, please. Tell me what’s going on.” I pleaded, stumbling over myself.
“I—I—I’m sorry,” he whispered slowly, “I should have caught you.”
I shook my head, trying not to take the last step off to the staircase that led to the hall. “I don’t care about that right now, Lowlii. Why was Alec in my backyard? He’s not allowed in this part of town, anyway.”
“Even so,” Lowlii intruded. As we finally reached my messy bedroom he insisted on tucking me in. “You need to sleep. We have a full day of school tomorrow and you’re tired.”
I pulled my hand away from his. “Would you stop telling me how I feel, already? I’m not tired! With all that we’ve been through, I thought you trusted me enough, Lowlii.”
“I do trust you!” he belted out, “I do trust you and I hope that later on I can continue on trusting you. It’s just that…” Lowlii let his silver eyes, which seemed to be smoldering down to his normal warm blue, gaze with kindness. His mouth remained shut.
Fighting the urge to let regretful words slip through, I bit my lip.
“Look.” He sighed sharply. “I have to go talk to my father” Lowlii swiftly sauntered a few steps to my bed, clearing away the blanket for a vacant spot. My eyes followed his every move, as my mind agreed with my heart that he knew more then he was leading on to believe.
Alec had no reason to be around my house. In fact, I was sure that he knew Lowlii would be around. If the Rolands and Whites can’t hold a descent conversation without threatening to rip each other limb by limb, why would Alec dare to show his face?
He wouldn’t have come unless he was forced; as if he knew I was going to fall out of the window.
“Go to sleep. I’ll try and see you tomorrow before school.”
I wiggled my toes, signaling that I was going to stay put. “I’m not moving until you tell me the whole story. Including why your family hates the Rolands so much.”
Lowlii rolled his eyes, “As if I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Hmph!” I grumbled.
Within a second, he wrapped his arms around me. It caused my heart to stop suddenly. Setting me down onto the bed, he lowered his voice to a soothing whisper.
“Try and get some sleep. I’ll be in school tomorrow.”
I closed my eyes, trying to fight the urge to cave in. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll find out on my own. I’ll even talk to Alec at school.”
When my words reached his ears, his face grew cold. Lowlii’s eyes changed from the warm blue to the striking silver that seemed to melt my body.
“Jackie, can’t you trust me for once?”
“How can I trust you when I know you’re lying?”
His eyebrows arched down with concern. “It’s called being idiotically naïve. Haven’t you heard of that?”
“I’ve also heard of crap.” I mumbled sheepishly.
He chuckled to himself, “Looks like I’m going to have to be a bit persuasive.”
Before the thought of protesting my case any further bubbled to the surface of my mind, Lowlii let his hand land on the small of my back.
I tried not to hint the fact that this was what I’ve been wanting since the day we met. With his free hand he grazed it over my limp arm, the warmth sent chills down my spine. Slowly, Lowlii’s hot breath found its way to my lips.
I clenched my hands into fists, my lungs started to cave in. I knew my heart had stopped because my body felt numb. Numb but still pulsating. Setting his hand on the back of my neck, he pulled effortlessly. My body fell forward without a sudden warning.
Slowly, his lips puckered, setting onto the skin of my forehead.
To the disappointment, my body slowly regained consciousness.
“Please, Jackie.” Lowlii’s mouth outlined. His voice as breathless as my body was. “I know you more then you know yourself. Please, as much as you can’t, try and let this go. Don’t talk to Alec.”
I swallowed hard, hoping that the lump in my throat would decide to dissolve. As stubborn as I was, my mind finally let the subject twirl lifelessly in the air.
“Jackie?” Lowlii broke the silence in a concerned tone, “You’re going to have to answer. I swear, you’re turning blue on me.”
Gasping, I tried to remind myself that I needed air to breath.
“Try and get some sleep.” With a charming smile, his voice took control of my body.
“You guys are all the same,” I scoffed, watching Lowlii make his way to the very window my body fell out of. “ Once it gets good, you leave a girl heartbroken.”
Lowlii permitted once glance as he swung his legs over the ledge. His charming smile turned into a childish smirk, allowing his warm blue eyes to catch a spark of fire.
“Oh no, Jackie. No one can handle me when it gets good.”

In the morning I tried to stall. Take up as much time as I could without having to leave the house until it was mandatory. Every Tuesday Kindle agreed to start the car pool, reluctantly pulling up to my house, I would be the last one picked up. Usually, she was on time. But today, I wishfully hoped that she would be late.
It would give me time to think. Think about everything that happened last night without any outside criticism.
Stepping into the shower, I let the hot water run onto my body. The melodic patter of the drops urged my eyes to shut.
Are you serious? You’re taking a shower while a sexy werewolf can be in your bedroom right now? The intriguing voice mocked bitterly. What are you trying to do now? Push everyone away; push Lowlii away, like the other two times?
Even as my eyes were shut, I glowered.
Last night, Alec had said one sentence that stayed echoing in my mind. “I did my job, now its time to do yours.”
What job? And most of all, why was he trying to warn me, or even Lowlii. Had the Whites and Rolands made a treaty having to do with the attacks?
The Whites needed to be thoroughly involved; werewolves were protectors of the animal kingdom, workers with the human kind. More then anything, the men of the Whites family needed to be involved with this, although, I never really asked about the other people in the tribe. Sometimes, I thought that Lowlii was the only werewolf. But why was Alec involved?
Looking back to how much the Whites hated the Rolands, had they grown to be the bad guys? Were they behind the attacks? Alec knew more information about the attacks then I could ever gather. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of his family knew all about the attacks as well.
The hot water turned nippy on my skin. I crawled out of the tub and hastily dried myself up. Slipping on my skinny jeans, and a matching shirt I made myself face the mirror.
My face was nothing like Lowlii’s. Somehow, I was glad. He was the guy, and I was the girl. We were supposed to look different. After blinking a few times, my eyes seemed to catch the lack of color in my skin. I doubted I would look half as healthy without Lowlii holding my hand, or my nose catching a whiff of his scent.
One by one, I trudged down the stairs lazily. Maybe I was twisting everything out of proportion. Maybe Alec was trying to be a good person. Shocking as it may seem, maybe he was just trying to protect us. He was one of the firm believers that I was the girl from the legend. There was one flaw in his theory; I had only found my werewolf. Without a vampire, even though I was sure without a doubt that Alec did not know about Lowlii’s werewolf side, the legend couldn’t possibly take place and avenge itself.
Or, vampires are walking around right under your nose and you’re just too clueless to see them. The intriguing voice mentioned with a slight chuckle.
I glowered once again. “Or, you’re just a figment of my imagination that doesn’t want to go away.”
My head popped up urgently, listening for Lowlii’s footsteps. Every time I thought I was alone he would pop up and my heart would melt. After about a minute of silence, I bitterly admitted defeat. Despite his promise, it was obvious that he wasn’t going to meet me before school started.
“Hey, Shotgun!” I could hear Nathan’s voice call out to me from the backyard. “Come on!”
Aimlessly, I hitched my bag over my shoulder then stalked out of the kitchen door. After seeing the absence of a blue pickup, I threw my head around, letting my eyes probe the area.
“Over here, Shotgun,” Nathan chuckled, signaling me with his voice. I squinted, spotting a silver Mercedes parked firmly across the street.
“Where’s Kindle’s pick up?” I yelled back.
He shrugged childishly, “are you going to come, or am I going to have to drive off without you?”
If I weren’t so mesmerized by the shine of the car, I would’ve easily tested his patients.
As I shifted into the front passenger seat of the Mercedes, he watched me with observant eyes.
“Why didn’t Kindle pick me up?”
Nathan shrugged, looking away towards the windshield. “She went to school early and Steph got a ride from Amber. Which left you.”
I glowered inwardly. I would never be able to fit into this crowd. I was just an extra puzzle piece that didn’t belong.
“So,” he raised his eyebrows up in a teasing manner, “what do you think of the new wheels?”
I took a quick glance around the car. “Pretty cool, I guess.”
“I guess?” his mouth picked out the words suspiciously. “What do you mean, you guess?”
I bit my lip, “it’s glittery and all, but it’s too bland.”
After hearing my words, Nathan chuckled. “Is this because Lowlii isn’t here? You guys are inseparable.”
“No,” I defended, “Not at all. Besides, red’s my favorite color, not silver.”
His eyebrows rose again, this time with understanding. “Red, huh? I guess it’s a cool color.”
Letting a moment of silence slip through, I nodded along.
In response, Nathan sighed sharply as if something heavy was on his mind. I waited a few more seconds for him to elaborate but all that he continued to do was sigh. This drove me crazy. Quiet was never good. Quiet let the secrets of the dark out into the light. No one wanted that. My hand reached the knobs of the stereo. Flipping through the channels awkwardly I glanced to Nathan. He seemed to keep his eyes on the road, fighting a smirk. After hearing a catchy tune I sat back into my seat lazily.
“Do you like this song?” Nathan asked abruptly.
I blinked twice then allowed my hand to reach the knob once again. Maybe he didn’t like the song.
“No, don’t.” Nathan demanded.
I froze in place, “ I thought you wanted me to.”
He shook his head, “no—I just didn’t take you for a girl that likes soft alternative rock.”
I shrugged, “guess I do. Why?”
He shrugged back, “no reason.”
Trying to keep my mind from wandering off, I sulked into my chair further.
“So, how have you been? I mean—I really don’t know considering the fact that Lowlii’s got you all to himself for the past month.”
I tried not to smile gleefully, “I’ve been great, actually.”
He nodded in agreement, “yeah, you seem happier.”
“Does he?” I tried to make the small talk last longer. We still had 5 miles to go.
Nathan nodded, “ of course. Knowing Lowlii, he never stops talking about girls. I’m sure you’ll see him later on, though.”
I regretted hearing the first part of his sentence. “What girls?”
He shrugged once more, “girls you know. Amber, Steph, Jessica.”
My heart dropped. “Jessica? I don’t know her”
“Just a cousin of the family.”
“So Lowlii would be related to her?” I asked wishfully. That would mean that they couldn’t date.
“No, no. She’s cousin by wedlock. She just arrived last night with a couple of her brothers. They got a whole month off from college. Semester thing, probably.”
Great! A college girl! As if that would make my life any easier.
The car slowed shortly, “Anyway! We’re here!” He exclaimed happily. “You could go run to Lowlii, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”
“Yea, yea.” lugging myself out of the car, I muttered.
I knew that Nathan meant well, but I couldn’t help but let my mind wander. What if Jessica kissed Lowlii? What if he kissed her before I got the chance to kiss him? That would throw me completely out of the picture.
The school day was a total blur. First period was still, and will always remain, unentertaining. Second period was just as slow as first, but slightly intriguing. The teacher took a sick day and the substitute that was hired to monitor the class just sat at the desk and rocked herself to sleep. As dance class came around I paced myself anxiously, hoping Amber would show. I knew she was a person that could answer all my questions quickly and with no hesitation. I think it is because she likes to hear her own voice more then anyone else’s. I was more then sure that she would spill her guts about everything. I could find out just who this Jessica was. I Impatiently rushed in without taking my shoes off.
“Jackie Auburne!” Mrs. Rolands yelled sternly. “Your shoes need to be off!”
I tried not to look into her eyes. “Y-yes, M’am.”
I could hear a pair of voices laughing in the corner. I glanced sideways and saw Alec staring back with a wide smile. After a couple of seconds, Sadie smacked him on the arm.
“No eye contact with the class dancers, remember? Mom said so. You’re the only male in group of 30 girls.”
“Just my luck.” Alec retorted happily. “If you were a guy, I think you’d be wishing you were me.”
After the final bell rang, I raced back out of the dance room. Amber seemed absent today and I figured that the right step to take next was to ask him myself. It was the only way I could learn the truth.

For the first time of the year, I dreaded tech class.
The empty seat near Nathan seemed to mock me with every movement of the clock’s hands. Nathan stayed in his seat but would shoot me a quick glance to monitor my health. It was like I couldn’t function without him around. The keys of the computer seemed to be in a different language. I stared blankly at the computer screen.
Was he gone because of Jessica? He ran off rather quickly last night without an explanation.
Students began to make their way to the door as the bell finished ringing. Without realizing, I was the last one out; Nathan even seemed to be caught in the middle of a heavy conversation between Kindle and Steph. I lowered my head down, and listened patiently.
“So, how are you?” Kindle’s voice seemed to find my Steph’s ear.
“Good, I guess.” Steph seemed to sigh, “I’m so glad Christmas break is coming soon. School’s been super crazy.”
Laughter erupted from the voices of various male teens. I glanced to the group of guys making their way down the hall. One of them made brief eye contact and smiled charmingly.
I scoffed in disgust.
“Boy do they look like they’re having fun.” Kindle muttered, returning her attention back to the conversation.
“Be nice,” Nathan advised, kindly stroking the side of her cheek.
“Yeah, doesn’t take much when you’re a teenage boy living in Port Angeles.” Steph answered back.
I had to agree. Port Angeles was a tedious place. It was the people that made it worth living in.
“How’s Amber been?” Steph turned her attention directly to Kindle as if she was the only one there.
Kindle shrugged then made a sour face. “A little upset, ever since it happened.”
I blinked, what happened?
Steph and Kindle seemed to take a moment of silence simultaneously.
“Too bad he’s planning to imprint on another girl. Amber had her heart set on the fact that she was the one.” Kindle finally blurted.
“Yeah,” Nathan agreed. “The worst part is, once you imprint on someone, they can no longer love anyone else the way they love you. It’s a curse, really.”
Kindle grumbled, “So, all of a sudden it’s a curse?”
Steph laughed, “He didn’t mean it that way. But think of how Amber must feel? I warned her, Lowlii was just that type. He never settles.”
Nathan smirked, “yeah—well, maybe this girl will save him from that. You know? Keep the leash short.”
I must’ve groaned because they abruptly stopped their conversation and turned their heads towards me.
“Hey, Shotgun!” Nathan raised the hand that was set on Kindle’s shoulder and waved awkwardly.
“Ow!” Kindle screamed. “You hit me in the eye!”

Standing on line in the cafeteria, I could barely keep my hands from shaking. Imprinting? Stupid Imprinting! Imprinting meant that he was in love with another girl. Imprinting meant that he wasn’t in love with me.
“Jessica.” I grumbled angrily.
One kiss, and she would forever be his. One kiss and he would forever be hers.
Lost in thought I subconsciously walked myself towards the table we would all sit at during lunch.
Lowlii had miraculously shown up. Sitting in the furthest chair he smiled happily after noticing me.
“Hey, Jackie!” he greeted me.
I squinted my eyes angrily. “Don’t ‘hey Jackie’ me.”
He chuckled back, “what’s wrong with you? I leave you alone for one night and you declare war on me?”
I grumbled, forcing myself to walk to the other side of the cafeteria. After finding an empty table that seemed a safe distance away from Lowlii, I plopped onto the chair.
Even his cute face, a face that would calm me down in any type of emergency, seemed to mock me. Sting my soul. All the love I had for him changed into something else. Changed into something bitter and angry. All the nights he spent holding me, all the times I let him run off without a warning, all the times I didn’t ask why—they were gone. All the arguments I had endured with my dad defending Lowlii’s innocence were gone. Erased from my past.
My love for him changed into pure hate.
“Great,” a sarcastic voice seemed to reach my ears. “She takes my boyfriend, and now my table.”
I turned to see Amber standing dreadfully by my side. I had to fight from gasping. Amber had turned into another person. The Amber I knew would never dress in gray sweatshirts and baggy black sweatpants. She was the type of girl that always cared about her looks. Even her hair, which was always acceptingly neat and fresh, seemed to dangle lifelessly over her shoulders.
“Amber?” I tried to keep my voice calm. “What happened to you?”
She scoffed, pulling an empty chair beside. “ As if you care.”
My eyes widened, “of course I care. Please, tell me what happened to you? Can—can I help in any way?”
“No,” she had to fight from tearing. “It’s too late now. Lowlii’s going to spend the rest of his life with some other girl and never even look at me ever again.”
My eyes saddened. I knew exactly how she felt. Her emotions swept over me, making my heart ache.
My hate for him, which evolved from my love, had twisted up once again. Turning into regret. Regret of having missed a chance. Regret of having missed true love with the one person that seemed not to care.
“Oh, look at me!” she said mournfully. Raising her hands up to her eyes, she tried to rub the tears back. “I’m a mess. All because of a guy.”
Embracing her with a hug, I reached my hands out. “ I know exactly what you mean.”
She found a mock to my answer. “What do you mean? Lowlii’s completely in love with you! There’s no way he could ever feel the same about me.”
This time, my eyes started to tear. “That’s what I thought was happening.”
Amber sniffled, “what do you mean?”
I pulled away from her, facing the table. “ I mean I’m not the one he wants to imprint on. He doesn’t love me.”
She titled her head to the side, unable to make sense of my words. “No, impossible. He was completely heartbroken when everyone said to stay away from you. The first time he talked to me after his dad warned him, he wasn’t there.”
I scrunched my face up in confusion, “wasn’t there? Hate to break it to ya, but it probably wasn’t Lowlii you were talking to.”
She shook her head in protest. “No. I mean it. Lowlii—he physically was there. Mentally, he was somewhere else. His heart was somewhere else.”
“I doubt that his feelings were that strong for me.” I took a quick glance back to Lowlii.
Trying to make sense of what was going on, he stared intently.
After quickly wiping a tear off my cheek, I sighed.
Amber groaned, “where does that leave me now? The only reason I hadn’t been meeting with you guys was because of the fact that I couldn’t bear to be around Lowlii and you. The happiness that you bring him, was—is something I will never be able to give to him.”
Striking my hand out, I stopped her blabbing. “No more talk about Lowlii. If he wants to be with Jessica, he has every right.”
Amber scoffed at the name, “Jessica? I always knew she was trouble. Especially because of the fact that ever since she was born, guys drooled over her.”
I closed my eyes, “but where does that leave us?”
She shrugged, “you’re the girl from the legend.” Her voice turned demanding. “You’re supposed to be magical—figure out a way!”
I shook my head, “I am not the girl from the legend. Not if I remain imprint free.”
Amber lulled over my words and then nodded, “good point. Or it just means Lowlii’s not your werewolf.”
My body stiffened.
Amber had noticed and scooted back, “I’m sorry. You didn’t know?”
I shook my head, “I knew. He—he just told me not to tell anyone. He was scared that if anyone figured out that I knew, the legend would actually come true.”
She nodded, “oh, I understand.”
I played with my fingers slightly, “does that mean that you’re…”
“Yeah.” She nodded, “so is Steph.”
I was shocked. If werewolves were everywhere, vampires would probably be around as well.
“What about Nathan and Kindle? Haven’t they imprinted on each other?”
Amber nodded, “yeah, but that’s a different story.” She sighed and allowed her eyes to gaze away, “so now what?”
I bit my lip, “ we start over.”