HOWL: UNCHAINED (rewritten)

4 - Love's The Death Of Peace Of Mind

A/N After a very well needed break and hiatus I am back! Thanks for your patience!

--No-one's Pov--

As Billie stepped out of her car, she caught a glimpse of Emilia on her front porch. She looked as if she just got home from work. She snarled, lips upturning as she turned back to her front door. It didn't take long for her to get inside, immediately greeted by her mom, brother and soon to be sister-in-law.

"Billie, thank God." Maggie says as she tries to encase Billie in a hug but fails as her daughter walks past her and up the stairs.

"Billie?" Finneas calls out.

"Leave me alone," is all Billie can muster out as she walks into her room and shuts the door. She stands there for a good minute, looking around and noticing it was exactly how she left it. She drops her bags, walking over to her bed to sit, eyes falling to the mirror next to her bed and on the few hanging polaroids of her and Emilia.

A growl escapes as she stands, walking over to the mirror to rip them off, practically slamming them face down onto her dresser. She grips the sides as she looks into the mirror, eyes uncontrollably shifting between blue and gold as she looks at the fading green roots of her hair.

It's time for a change, she thinks.

A knock sounds on her door followed by Maggie's voice, "can I come in?" She didn't seem to wait for an answer as the door opened and her mom walked in. She watched her in the mirror, unclenching her fists, her expression near stoic.

"Sweetie, you have no clue how worried I was about you."

She scoffs in reply, looking back at herself in the mirror, "I'd be worried about me too."

"Where did you go? Why did you go? I haven't gotten the full story, everything is just in pieces."

"I don't wanna talk about it," she harshly whispers through clenched teeth, "please just leave me alone."

Maggie sighs as she turns and leaves Billie room, closing the door behind her only to jump slightly when she hears a loud thump against, what she guessed, was the wall. All she could do was heed her daughter's wishes of being alone, walking down the stairs to meet Claudia and Finneas - sitting on the couch with the same worried expressions as her - in the living room.

Finneas really wanted to put Emilia at fault for this after seeing the current Billie was in but how could he? She reacted just how a human would. Or witch, should he say? He knew she felt bad and wanted to make things right but right now, with Billie looking and feeling the way she does? Going around her would not be the best thing for her to do.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak he was cut short by the doorbell. Claudia stands and walks to the door, thinking it was maybe one of the alphas stopping by but an all too familiar scent caught her nose. She opens the door to see Emilia standing on the porch, an awkward expression on her face.

"What are you doing here?" She asks.

"I wanted to see Billie . . . talk to her at least."

Claudia smiles sweetly but shakes her head, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please?" Emilia begs, "I just want to explain and apologize."

Finneas steps up to the door, a sigh escaping past his lips as he says to Claudia, "let her go. I can stand outside the door in case she starts to lose it."

Claudia slowly steps back, letting Emilia step past and toward the stairs, watching as Finneas follows.

--Emilia's Pov--