Natalia’s P. O. V

“I won the bet. You know what to do.” Kaesha reminded me.

We’d left the breakfast bar and were walking in the general direction of my house. It was still pretty far from where we were but we enjoyed each other’s company enough to walk and talk for a while.

“I already told you. I left my old pack. If they found me, they’d force me to go back but I don’t think they’re looking anymore.”

“Why’s that?”

“I left a ‘death scene’,” Air quotes, “for them to find as they were following my scent. Someone from the pack managed to find me thanks to their gift but she wants the same thing I do. She’s staying with them to gather information on our targets and the pack. When she’s done, she’ll leave them and we’ll create a pack of our own and use the information against them.”

“Whoa. That’s some grudge if you’re willing to do all this.”

I looked at the sidewalk, “They…” I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t even know if I wanted to start.

She put a comforting hand on my shoulder, “You don’t need to say anything. If you want, I’ll help you.”

“Help me how?” I asked, looking back up at her.

“I’ll be your pack witch.”

“Pack witch?” I’d never heard of anything like it, bonding werewolves to a member of another Supernatural specie as a pack. It was unusual… but it didn’t seem impossible.

I smiled, “I like it.”

‘You’re letting her in too easily. What if she has an ulterior motive?’ Candy warned.

‘I know, I know. She just… feels like an older sibling. Besides, what did I say about paranoia?’

“I don’t think your wolf likes me very much.” Kaesha stated

“Why do you say that?”

“Your werewolf colour flares up whenever you say things I think your wolf doesn’t agree with, like when you told me about your old pack and just now when you agreed to let me be your pack witch.”

“She’s just looking out for me. It’s not that she doesn’t like you specifically, she just doesn’t trust anyone.”

She looked up at the light grey sky, “That’s sad but I guess I’m no different. To tell the truth, I wouldn’t have mentioned my old coven either but my aura vision helps me see if a person is trustworthy or not. Even when I see a person’s trustworthiness, I still don’t mention it. I guess it’s our kindred survival spirits, having gone through betrayal and rejection at a young age. Hey, how old are you anyway? You seem too short for college, no offence, and you look so young.”

No use in lying about my age since I’ve already mentioned my past to her, “Fifteen. You?”

“A smart girl, huh? I admire that. I’m turning eighteen in a few months.” She paused, thinking, “Now that I think about it, I don’t know your name either.”

“Avarielle. You look older than seventeen.” Natalia seemed like the name reserved for Candy and the Syrens I’d met while Avarielle and Arielle were reserved for everyone else, like I was leading two separate lives. I guess I was.

She shrugged, hopping over cracks in the sidewalk, “I guess looking over your shoulder and being paranoid for almost two years is bound to add a few years to your appearance. A word of advice, from one runaway to another; part of you will be paranoid, that’s a given, but sometimes, instead of looking over your shoulder, look ahead and around you. Appreciate the life you’ve built for yourself. In the one year plus that I’ve been here, I never made real friends because in my mind, everyone is out to get me. Don’t make the same mistake.”

Following her sudden seriousness was silence. We walked like that, her hopping over cracks and me deep in thought. Vehicles whizzed by and pedestrian filled the street.

She checked her phone and sighed, “It’s almost time for my shift, I’d better get going. Gimmie your phone.” She said and handed me her phone.

I unlocked mine and handed it to her the entered my number in hers and she did the same. She handed my phone back once she was done and I did the same.

“There. I’ll text you when my shift is over so we can talk more. Do you live with anyone?”

I shook my head.

“Then I think it’ll be better to meet at your place since my roommate will be around. Are you free today? I’ve got to teach art classes for the rest of the week.”

“Yeah but don’t you go home during the summer?” Talking probably wouldn’t take long so I could step away from Hailey for a while.

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“I’m trying to save up enough to buy a house once I’m done with college since I’m on a part scholarship. I don’t know why my roommate doesn’t go home either but everyone has their reasons so I don’t pry as long as she doesn’t. Initially, I suspected she was sent by my coven to lure me back but I didn’t find any connection so I dropped it.”

She whistled for a cab and, soon enough, one stopped in front of her. She waved, opening the door, “See you later, Ava. Bye!”

“Bye! Thanks for your help!” I waved back.

She got in, told the driver her destination and was on her way. I continued walking for a while, thinking about the new turn of events. It seemed too good to be true.

‘I wonder who that guy was…’

‘What guy?’ Candy asked, sounding slightly miffed.

‘The one in the corner of the breakfast bar.’

‘Oh, him. He smelled strange.’

I stopped walking, ‘Strange how?’

‘Wrong somehow.’

Her reply bothered me and, for some reason, I didn’t mention how my reaction to his scent had been the opposite.

**********

I’d given up on walking after hearing Candy’s answer and ran home. I checked my watch as I unlocked my door.

Twelve minutes to eight.

‘Remember, you’ve got company today.’

I stepped out of my shoes, ‘Yeah, I know. I should probably make something to eat for when she gets here.’ I made my way to the kitchen, pausing briefly to send my address to Kaesha.

‘Like what?’

‘Like…’ I trailed off, opening cupboards and looking at the ingredients at my disposal, ‘spaghetti and meatballs.’

I donned an apron and got to work, chopping and blending. Not long after, I was done and had cleaned the place up.

‘The weather’s cleared up. I wanna go swimming.’ Candy said.

I wiped my hands with a towel, glancing out the window, ‘So it has. Alright then.’

I changed into the bikini Hailey had talked me into buying, grabbed a large towel and went to the back yard. The sun had warmed the pool water a little. A light breeze played with the flowers, trees and my hair in its ponytail.

I leapt off the diving board and into the water, parting it with wide, confident strokes. I wasn’t that fond of swimming as it was Candy’s preferred hobby but I did it since she couldn’t take control of our human body because we hadn’t shifted yet. Other than a few days ago, when I’d been mad at Keily in my kitchen, I’d always felt closer to her when in the water.

That was how I passed the time, gliding through the water in silent contentment with Candy, till I heard a car approach my driveway.

I left the pool and wrapped the towel around myself. I didn’t feel like leaving a wet trail from the kitchen to the front door so I walked on the stone path around my house to the front. On my way, I checked my watch; a few minutes to noon.

“Hey. You look like you’ve been having fun.” Hailey greeted as she approached with two medium to large sized duffel bag over her shoulder. One clanked and jingled as she moved.

“I was bored. Let’s go round the back.” I led her around the path I’d used.

“Do you take care of them yourself?” She asked, gazing at my flowers.

I nodded, “From time to time.”

“They’re beautiful. I really love those gold ones in the pink soil.”

“So do I.” When I’d worked on the garden, I’d noticed the gold flowers with black in the centre that seemed to shimmer on their own, rooted in hot pink soil. I’d wondered what breed they were but couldn’t think of any. Mom had probably cherished them so I’d taken extra care of them.

“Come on, I’ll show you the guest rooms. Choose the one you want while I go shower and change.” I led her to the doors to the guest rooms and left her with a look of contemplation on her face.

I took a quick shower and changed into shorts and a tank top since I didn’t intend to leave my house again that day. Wrapping a towel around my head, I approached the open guest door and leaned on its frame. The room was the third biggest in the house. The walls were an off white colour and the large bed was closer to the window. Three quarters of one wall was occupied by the closet and the door on the opposite wall led to the bathroom with a simple shower, tub, sink and toilet.

“Thanks for letting me stay over even though we haven’t known each other for very long.” She said without turning to me as she unpacked her clothes from one of her bags.

“Well, you needed a place to stay. I think anyone would need a break from Keily, especially if they live with her. I admire your patience.”

She laughed, “It’s really more of avoiding confrontation than patience.”

“Either way, you seem to have held up well.”

‘Now that I’m alone with her, I think she smells a little familiar. I didn’t really notice it before cause the guys have really strong scents but I think they both smell familiar.’ I told Candy.

‘You’re right.’ She agreed.

“Anyway, let’s talk.” She said, flopping onto the bed after she put the last item away. A mischievous grin crept onto her face, “So, tell me, who will you pick? Trev or Greg?”

I shook my head and sat next to her, “You’re the third person that’s brought this up. Is it that obvious to everyone except me?”

“Yes. Keily’s confrontation was stupid but she wasn’t wrong about the attraction being there. Apart from Keily, who else?”

“Their Grams.”

“Really? Tell me everything.”

And so I sat there, cross legged, and recounted the conversation from that day. Time flew by as one topic led to another. I heard a car drive away and footsteps approach my house before the sound of the doorbell stopped our conversation.

“Who could that be?” Hailey asked, curious.

“Just a friend. We won’t take long. I made some food before you got here so you can go to the kitchen and help yourself.”

I leapt off the bed and went to the door, Hailey trailing behind me.

I opened the door, “Hey, Kaesha.”

“Hey, Ava. Is this the werewolf you said was helping you with your plan?”

I blinked, “What?”

“Sorry. There are so few werewolves in the city at any given time so I thought she was the one you talked about this morning.”

I looked back at Hailey with wide eyes, “You’re a werewolf?”

She stared back with similar bewilderment, “You too?”