62

Scarlett breathed deeply, filling her lungs as she watched her friend skip across the grass. Once ready, she sprinted all the way to Riley without stopping for a break. She didn't care that the people passing by stared in amazement at her speed. It hardly mattered anymore.

Nothing mattered.

What was the point in keeping to the rules, fitting in, doing everything to remain a part of this world if everything could be stripped away for no good reason? She was losing everything, and for what? So Damien could get what he wanted?

It wasn't fair.

When she saw his face, despite all her pent-up angst and despair, her face stretched into a grin.

His smile matched hers as he ran into her arms.

She flung herself into his arms, melting into him, becoming one. If they could remain like this forever, she would happily do so.

Sadly, the moment had to come to an end. As Riley pulled away his warm brown eyes were tinted with sadness.

"It's okay. I know this is our last meeting," he said. "I can just feel it... you know?"

"I don't want it to be," Scarlett blurted. Tears sprang to her eyes before she could stop them. She had sworn to herself that she would not ruin their last moments together by blubbering, yet here she was, crying her heart out. "I... it's not fair. I can't. I just—"

"It's okay," Riley assured her with a smile. He placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "I'm not going to let you ruin your life to save mine. I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I won't let that evil monster kill you."

"He can bring it on." Riley shrugged and took a step back. He was playing the tough guy, but she could see the ripples of fear beneath the surface.

"No." Scarlett shook her head. "No. No way. You aren't going to die for my sake. I can't go on if you're not here—"

When Riley pulled a gun from his pocket she froze. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth as her mind raced.

"W—what are you... what the heck are you doing?"

"I'm not going to let that thing eat me and I'd rather take myself out of the equation than let him control you," he declared, raising the gun to point it at his temple. He glanced at the weapon and snickered. "It's silver. A silver bullet."

"No!" Scarlett screamed. "No! Point that thing away from yourself."

"It's the only solution and you know it," he said. "Deep down, you know I'm right."

"No. No way," Scarlett insisted.

He closed his eyes and sucked in his chest, bracing himself for the impact.

"No!" Scarlett cried. "Please, please, please, pleeeease don't. Please don't."

Riley paused. He closed his eyes, face cracking with emotion. "Don't make it harder. I have to do this... for you..."

"He'll win in the end." Scarlett shrugged and let out a small, defeatist laugh. "He'll win and I won't even have the knowledge that you're out there safe somewhere. I need you to stay alive. I need to have that... to keep me going."

Riley looked as if he was listening. She was convincing him.

"If you do it, you best make sure there's another bullet for me in that thing," she said with a grimace.

"This isn't Romeo and Juliet." Riley sighed.

Scarlett chuckled. "It isn't?"

"Hmm. I'm way better looking than DiCaprio." Riley grinned to show he was kidding.

He let his arm go limp, dropping the weapon to his side. After a moment, he placed it back inside his pocket.

"So what now?" he asked. "We have one last night together and never see each other again?"

She had no answer. The pair stood in silence until a scent drifted over. A wolf—thankfully—but not one she immediately recognised.

A young man appeared from the bushes.

He looked at Riley then Scarlett.

"Come with me if you want to live," he said in a bad Austrian accent. When they both stared in confusion he tutted. "Oh, come on, you've seen the Terminator, surely to God?"

"Y—you're the other Alpha," Scarlett stuttered.

He was tall for a preteen, with white-blonde hair and amber coloured eyes.

"I hope one of you can drive," he said without acknowledging her. "Because, while I'm a decent driver, I don't exactly have my licence, ya know?"

"I can drive," Riley said. "But... where to?"

"As far away from here as we can get. It's a code nine, didn't you hear?" the Alpha explained. "Code nine means we spilt and scatter."

"The entire pack is leaving town?" Scarlett asked.

"Hmm. We've known this was coming for quite some time," the young Alpha explained. "We need to move. Now. Adrian is going to slow him down and try to bait him, but we all know he's going to be coming after you."

Scarlett's eyes widened in shock. "Adrian is—"

"Move!" the Alpha demanded. "We don't have all day to stand about discussing it."

The group made their way to Riley's car in silence. The air felt thick with nervous energy as they got inside and strapped themselves in.

The young Alpha took the front seat beside Riley leaving Scarlett to take the back seat. In a normal situation, this might be annoying, but at the moment, this kid was their best chance of both surviving and being together. She was too grateful to him to find him a nuisance.

A horrible thought occurred to her, hitting her like a lightning bolt.

"What about my mum and Ron?" she asked. "Can we go and get them? Please?"

"We go in groups of two or three," the young man told her. "Sorry. If it's any consolation, I had to leave my parents to be with you pair of divs."

Scarlett raised her eyes at the use of the word 'divs,' but felt bad that he'd been forced to escort them.

"Apparently, I'm the best hope of defeating that thing," he said with a nonchalant shrug.

"I thought there was zero chance of defeating him," Scarlett said. "Even with an entire pack... he would destroy us."

"That's correct. Even an entire pack of strong werewolves is no match for a dragon." The boy turned back and flashed her a grin. "Lucky for you... I'm not just a werewolf."

“Oh and I have a name, by the way… I’m Jake.”