38

~Aurelia Williams~

I slowly opened my eyes. My head hurt and the monotonous engine noise didn't make it any better.

"Morning," said Steven, sitting next to me behind the wheel of his jeep.

I looked around a little. We were still on the road and Steven must have been driving through the night.

"Where are we?" I asked sleepily. I would like to go back to sleep, but it's too bright for me now.

"No idea. I've been driving here for hours and there aren't any houses or entrance signs in sight."

Then my memories from last night came flooding back and I looked at Steven in shock. What was I doing there? It wasn't me.

"I'm so sorry Steven, I totally misbehaved. Thank you for not taking advantage of the situation and sleeping with me." It just goes to show what a good friend he is. He would never take advantage of me. I'm sure of it.

"No problem, if I sleep with you, I want you to be completely yourself too."

Then I looked away, embarrassed. Did I even want to sleep with him?

"Did I drink that much?" I asked, embarrassed. Thinking about how Steven saw me yesterday, I can never look him in the eye again.

"Only 4 glasses of champagne as far as I know, but you can't seem to take much." He started to grin and must have been making fun of me.

"I will never drink alcohol again. My skull is pounding like nothing." I snuggled back into the car seat and closed my eyes.

"Wake me up if you see anything to eat!" I said, then tried to go back to sleep. Maybe it would work...

-----

"Aurelia. There's something to eat!" Steven's excited voice suddenly woke me up and I jumped up and looked out of the car windows.

Finally, I'm starving.

„Wo?"

"Well there! Don't you see that little girl with the hot dog?" He nodded his head at a little girl. The girl just happily bit off a piece of her hot dog. How jealous I was just now...

Then I just gave Steven a 'are you serious' look. I was finally really hungry. You shouldn't joke with me about that. Otherwise it won't end well.

"You said to wake you up when I see something to eat. That's exactly what I did." He acted innocently as I crossed my arms stubbornly over my chest.

He barely lasted 3 seconds before he started laughing and I joined in.

"But honestly, Steven, I'm really hungry."

"I think I just saw a sign for a diner. Then we'll take a break and eat something there first," he said and a little later drove into the parking lot of the small diner.

When the waiter came he took our order right away. I ordered waffles with chocolate sauce and Steven himself pancakes with maple syrup. A little later we were served our food.

"What are we going to do now? From one motel to the next, always across the street?" I asked, because that wasn't how I imagined my future life to be. I was thinking more about going to college, but for that I need a high school diploma and I've been at school since Not for weeks. Have they already reported me missing?

"Well I think we'll keep going until we find a nice place to settle down. At the latest when I run out of money." He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Sounds like a plan," I smack my mouth full. Maybe I can get an apprenticeship without a degree. Maybe a teacher. I've always wanted to take care of children.

When we finished eating, the waiter brought us the bill. Steven paid. Then the blonde gave me a piece of paper with a phone number.

"Call me if you need anything," he said, licking his lips in a way that looked more disturbing than seductive.

Next to me Steven started to growl. I then slapped him on the shoulder and scowled at him. He shouldn't be like that. It flattered me, nothing more.

"What was that about?" I asked as we exited the diner and headed toward Steven's car.

"What? He wanted to hit on you in front of my eyes."

"Yes and? Are you my boyfriend lately or what?" He doesn't need to get so upset because we're not dating.

"Ouch," he said simply.

"I'm sorry, but I'd like to take it slow. I'm still embarrassed about what happened last night." I looked down at the floor, embarrassed.

"Oh no problem. I won't do anything to you without your consent."

"You're way too nice for this world," I said, sighing casually. "What's so special about me that a werewolf would break the rules to be my friend?"

During one of our walks, Steven had explained to me exactly what the rules were for wolves. That way I could better put myself in Steven's shoes and why I was never allowed to stay at his house for long.

"You're just unique." Steven gave me as an answer. "And beautiful." He whispered to the back.

I didn't know how to answer that, so I just kept quiet.

Then we got in the car and Steven went back to driving the car around the streets.

Somewhere the Alpha couldn't find us. Even if my heart somehow longed for him.

~Aurelia Williams~

Steven and I checked into a seedy motel for the night. We couldn't afford more at the moment, because Steven only had a certain amount of money with us, which we have to divide up.

Now we lay sideways on a double bed and just stared at each other, neither of us speaking.

Eventually I had to start grinning and Steven did the same. He moved a little closer to me and stroked my cheek with his left hand. His touch was soft and tender, maybe it was because his hands were so soft. Then he leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. After he pulled away again shortly afterwards, he smiled at me. But I smiled too, blushing.

"You said you wanted to take it slow." He grinned at me.

"I know." I gave him an apologetic smile. "Can I confide in you?"

Somehow the kiss just made me realize something. No matter how nice it felt and even though my head says Steven and I would be a perfect match, my heart just tells me it's wrong. The further away I am from him, the clearer it becomes to me. It clearly craves the alpha, arsenic.

"Sure, what?"

"I fell in love," I said, then rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. If I tell him that now, it's going to break his heart. He didn't deserve it. But I had to do it I owed it to him to be honest with him.

"Me too," Steven retorted, laughing. Oh no, please don't make it any worse. I'm having such a hard time already.

"The thing is, he loves someone else."

"I don't think so." Steven leaned back to look at me and began stroking my cheek again. "I've fallen in love with you Aurelia."

Why is he telling me this? Wait... does he think I mean him? Shit, how am I supposed to tell him how I really feel now?

But I have to say it. Because that's what my heart tells me. It wants arsenic and no other, even though I'll never have it.

Why did I fall in love with such an unattainable person? He would never be able to love me. All I was was an insignificant human being. What could I offer him when Savanna can offer him everything and even gives him a son.

I started sobbing. Why is my life so damn hard?

"Hey, what's up, Auri?" Steven asked concerned.

"You...you misunderstand." I paused and sobbed again. "I...I fell in love with a-another person."

Steven now looked as if the wind had been taken out of his sails.

"Wow. That hurts." He tried to say it casually, but I heard the aching undertone that made my own heart clench. "Who is it? I'm still your best friend, so talk to me!"

I started crying louder. A little bit of joy this time. I would have expected Steven to want nothing more to do with me and to stop being my best friend. But he is and he will always be. I love him so much. He's the only family I have.