The Hidden Luna

Chapter Thirteen

Scarlett awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. Her eyes weren't quite open yet but she could tell it was bright outside as the sun hit her eyelids. Scarlett stirred around a bit, bringing her hand to her eyes, rubbing them before she opened them. Once she was done, Scarlett smacked her hand down beside herself, hitting something hard. Scarlett's eyes snapped open and she sat up, taking in her surroundings.

She was outside. In the middle of a forest. Scarlett looked down to see she wasn't wearing any clothes and she let out a yelp.

What happened last night?

Scarlett ran her hand through her hair, pulling out leaves and twigs as she did so.

"Scarlett?" a voice shouted from a distance.

Crap. I am alone, naked, and in the middle of the woods, Scarlett thought to herself.

A twig snapped and Scarlett searched desperately for a place where she could hide. But it was too late, Ash appeared, holding the hoodie she stole from him years ago and a new pair of shorts. When he saw her curled up in a ball, he rushed forward. "I've been looking for you for an hour."

Scarlett took the clothes from him and quickly put them on while staying on the ground, scared to stand up as her whole body felt weak and shaky. "I just woke up."

Asher plucked a couple of twigs out of her hair that she had missed the first time she combed through it. "It's okay. We usually tire ourselves out on a full moon and just crash as soon as the sun comes up."

Scarlett looked him up and down and she grunted. "How did you get sweatpants? Did you walk back to the house buck ass naked?"

Asher chuckled as he tucked her hair behind her right ear. "Nope, I hid our clothes behind a rock near where you shifted."

"Smart," Scarlett replied weakly. She attempted to stand up but she lost her footing, causing Asher to jump up and take her in his arms to keep her from falling. "I feel so dizzy and gross."

Before Scarlett could warn him that she really was going to get sick, she leaned forward and vomited on the forest floor. Asher held her hair out of her face and rubbed circles on her back soothingly. "It's okay, Scar. Let it out."

Feeling another wave of nausea, Scarlett vomited once more, feeling her stomach become completely empty.

***

Once they got back to the house, Asher took her to their room. Scarlett laid in bed for a bit until she felt more settled and less weak. Eventually, she convinced him shr could handle some food. He came back with a plate of toast smeared with peanut butter and a glass of orange juice. Before he handed it to her, he gave her a pointed stare. "Are you sure you can handle food right now?"

"I'm fine, Ash," Scarlett said with a sigh, taking the plate and drink from him after she sat up straight on the bed. Scarlett took a bite of the toast and swallowed it carefully. "See? I'm all good."

Ash didn't look amused at her attempt to reassure him. "I want to talk about what you said last night."

She stopped chewing and placed the half-eaten toast back on the plate. "Look, I said a lot of stuff last night that was uncalled for. I'm sorry."

"Not our fight, Scarlett," he sighed, sitting down beside her. "I meant when you began to shift. You asked me to-" he stopped for a moment, his voice cracking. "-to kill you."

"Ash," Scarlett began, putting the plate and glass on the nightstand. "I-"

He held up his hand and shook his head. "No, Scar. I need to get this out. I'm so sorry that this all has happened to you. This whole fucking mess is my fault."