Chapter Two

Emily winx gasped from her hiding place beneath the bushy shrub she had wandered into, earlier. The man with the knife paused mid air, raised his head and looked pointedly in her direction. She covered her mouth with her hands, realizing her mistake. Her whole body trembled terribly. The man then raised his arms higher again. Emily's eyes widened as she tightened her grasp on her mouth and holding branch for support, realizing that the man with the knife was really going to slaughter his own brother.

No! She screamed in her head. I don't want this to happen. 

In a flash an invisible force pushed the man with the knife to the ground and held him down.

"Get up," she found herself whispering to the other man who she'd just saved from death, "be filled with strength." 

The man stood up automatically, looking perplexed. Emily's hand fell off her mouth, leaving her jaw hanging wide. The weight of the crime she had just committed hit her like a bulldozer. Her mother's words resounded in her head.

"Emily, never interfere with anyone's fate. For every good or bad deed you accomplish with your gift, there's always a price to pay. Trust me, when the spirits come for their own pound of flesh, you will never be ready for what they want."

A small whimper escaped from her lips and she darted away.

******

Andrew groaned as an invisible force pushed him up. His foggy vision and airways cleared up. He staggered into Cole's lifeless looking body almost toppling over. 

He placed his hand on his chest, listening to it thudding with gratitude. He would have died if not for… He scanned the environment, sniffing for the power he'd felt, but sensed no one. He bent swifty, to retrieve the dagger his brother had tried to use on him. He'd need it as evidence.

Caleb growled, his eyes snapping open as he tried to grab his legs. They had turned yellow with black slits. Andrew forgot the dagger and ran for his dear life. He dashed out of the forest covering and into a small pathway that led into town. Stopping for a while to catch his breath, dusting the creases and and straightening his clothes.

Caleb growled within the trees, his anger vibrating through the air like a hum of electricity. Andrew took off again, thinking of the best place to hide.

Oohf! He collided into something soft.

"Ouch," said the petite figure who he'd collided with, staggering backwards. 

Andrew grasped her by the waist before she fell completely.

"Fuck," he blurted out, stunned by her sudden appearance. He looked into the the forest behind her, wondering where she'd come from. As he held her, the distinct smell of blended herbs and flowers wafted into his nostrils. He gripped her arms, trying to steady wobbling legs. She shivered involuntarily, fear oozing out from her pores like running water. 

"Are you blind or something?" She shouted, punching his shoulder.

His ears picked up his brother rushing towards them, without a word, Andrew dragged her into the buzzing crowd of people walking on the streets. 

He scanned the buildings and people around him a little disoriented, he'd never been to that part of town before. His eyes darted around for any sign of commotion that signified his brother's arrival and for a good place to hide.

"Hey!" She said struggling in his grip. "What the hell is wrong with you? Hello? Mr!"

 He spun his neck towards her, as if seeing her for the first time.

"We need to hide." He croaked, hastening down the street.

"Hide from what?" She asked, tugging at him.

He stopped abruptly turning to face her. Tremors ran through his body as he thought of a perfect explanation. How would he explain that his own brother was after his life. Where would he start from? How would he even explain that she must hide with him too, because Caleb must have caught her scent and would find her if he didn't find him.

"Fine!" She huffed after staring at him for some seconds. "Follow me." 

She dragged him into the first bar they encountered, taking him straight to their storeroom. She shoved him inside and was about to shut the door when she grabbed her arm.

"What?" She asked irritatedly.

"You can't go," he pleaded.

She smirked.

"Let me guess, I need to hide, because whatever's chasing you will find me right?" 

Andrew nodded.

"I'll be back." She said, rolling her eyes and shutting him in. 

The moment Emily closed the door, she fell to her knees, panting heavily.

"Emily, what the hell are you doing?" She murmured holding her chest. In less than an hour she'd broken all the codes, she and her mother had sworn to live by, well not all, at least five remained.

"There's a crazy man walking around town in search of something." She heard someone whisper as he entered the store. "He was causing so much commotion in the Mushy's bar that I had to leave immediately."

Emily laughed mirthlessly. Fate it seemed, was punishing her for interfering in the forest. It seemed to taunt her saying "You started something right? Why don't you finish it?"

"Here goes nothing,” she murmured, rubbing her fingers together and closing her eyes. 

Energy thrummed within her skull, voices echoed in her head, as the spirits begged to do her bidding through a spell.

"Forget, become confused." She whispered in an uncommon tongue, not interpretable to other ears, picturing the face of the man with the knife. Power gusted out of her, rushing to find the man and make him forget and become confused, until she and the man inside the storeroom were safe. 

After a few minutes she stood up and dusted her clothes, she had to look presentable when explaining to Ben the owner of the bar why she barged into his place of business with a man. She sighed wishing she could use a spell on him. Ben was a difficult man to talk to.

Andrew paced around the musty room crammed with crates of drinks lined against the wall. He stopped at random crates peering at its contents, trying to distract himself. It had been almost an hour and the lady who had saved him hadn't returned. He inhaled and exhaled, staring at the door, contemplating if he should go in search of her. 

The door swung open, and she stepped in, giggling. Andrew couldn't have been more mesmerized. Her eyes glinted as her smile highlighted her features. Her bushy brows, lightly freckled nose, and full mouth sat perfectly on her face, pulling him in.

"The coast is clear. You can leave through the back door, but we have to be careful, Ben can't see you." She said, peeping at corridor.

Andrew stared at her drinking in her features, his tongue laden for reasons he couldn't fathom. He found himself immersed in the alluring contrast between her olive skin, brunette hair and almost violet eyes. Her scent tickled his senses…

"Hey you!" She said, snapping her fingers and waving her hands in his face. "Can you hear me? I said you can go."

 Andrew cleared his throat, the tips of ears reddening a little. He found himself unable to utter a word. 

"Hello?" She said again.

"Yeah right, I'll get out of your way." He muttered heading towards the door, not understanding why his brain suddenly felt numb.

He was almost out of the door when she grabbed his hands, making him stop. 

"Do I not get a simple thank you?" She huffed angrily. 

"Thank you?" He shrugged.

"You have no idea what I did to get you… oh shit." 

In a swift motion she pulled him back into the storeroom and shut the door.

"Ben's coming, hide!" she screamed directing him towards the crates lined at a dark corner at the edge of the room. Andrew dashed towards it, creeping into the small space created by the crates. She followed him, both of them standing face to face, breathing heavily.

The door creaked open revealing a stocky man.

"Why are we hiding?" Andrew whispered.

"Shhh." She whispered sternly, covering his mouth with her hand. The man walked in humming as he put a few things in place and dusted some shelves, before leaving. 

Immediately the door closed, Emily heaved, thanking her stars that Ben didn't catch them. She looked up at the man before her, remembering that her hand was still on his mouth.

"Oops" she said, extracting her hand from his mouth.

"So why were we hiding?" Andrew murmured. 

"Are you for real?" She hissed, her nose flaring. "Can you not see that if Ben caught us, we'd be done for?"

Andrew snickered, trying to control his senses that were overwhelmed by being in close proximity to her. He wanted to bury his nose in her hair or neck. 

"Why? Is this a normal occurrence? Are you always sneaking men into Ben's storeroom?" Andrew taunted, to distract himself.

Emily's eyes widened. 

"What? No!" She spluttered, not understanding why his accusation stung or why he had ridiculously attractive cheekbones and full lips. "Why does that matter? It's not your business!"

Andrew smirked "If you say so." He said, raising his hands in surrender.

Emily's eyes unconsciously followed the movement of his toned biceps. The battered, bloody tee he was wearing allowed her to see the abs on his stomach. She stifled the sigh that came out from her throat, clearing her throat instead.

"Uhm let's go." She said, needing to get away from him and clear her head.

None of them moved, instead they stood still, like they were caught in some sought of staring game.

Emily found herself drowning in the translucent green irises that sat in his eyes. She squinted, wondering if she'd imagined the golden rings she saw at its edges.

How could someone be freakishly attractive? She asked herself.

 "What's your name?" Andrew blurted out, after a while.

"Who me?" She stuttered.

He chuckled quietly. 

"Emily." She whispered, her heart thudding. His smile lightened his face, increasing the sensation between her legs.

 Emily cleared her throat. "You should go." 

Andrew didn't listen. He should, but he couldn’t. His senses swooned. Without meaning to, he moved closer and tucked her hair behind her ear. 

Her breath hitched at touch of his skin on hers and Emily gulped slowly.

"Thank you." He whispered, enjoying the velvety feel of her skin as he brushed the back of his finger down her cheek.

"I'm afraid that might not do. You owe me your life." She breathed on borrowed

confidence.

The look in Andrew's eyes blazed darkly with intensity. He leaned closer. "Yes, I agree, and I intend to pay you back." 

"When and how?" She asked, losing a step, trying to control her beating heart at their close proximity.

He followed her, hovering like a predator over his catch. This time, she was the catch and Emily didn't mind.

"Now." He closed the gap between them. "With this." Andrew grabbed her face and crashed his lips down on hers

Andrew! The female voice roared in his head.Where the hell are you?! 

Andrew froze. His brother wasn't the only one chasing him. Other wolves were coming.

"What the hell?" Emily screamed, pushing him away and watching him skeptically. 

"Fuck." Andrew cursed, running his hands through his head.

He couldn't let the pack see her, not before he understood why her mere presence made him tongue tied. An emotion he couldn't comprehend welled beneath Andrew's chest. He hadn't felt the need to please, hold and protect someone so badly before. 

Andrew grabbed her hands and pulled her closer, stealing a quick kiss.

"Emily, we'll finish this when next we meet." He said dashing out. 

Andrew sprinted into the next street, his eyes darting around. The other werewolves were close. So close that he easily picked out their scents. 

 "I'll never understand your obsession with lacking common sense Andrew." A young man said, stepping before him. 

"Well if it isn't Larry," Andrew sneered, "I'm sure Laura must be close …."

Someone snapped his neck, knocking him out.

A woman stood staring at his unconscious body.

"I'm getting too old for this." She grumbled.

"So am I, so am I, Laura." Larry replied, patting her back.

 "Lift him up. It's time to go home."