Watchtower

Chp 11

I sat there for what felt like hours, my thoughts repeating themselves so much I worried I'd be on a loop forever. A soft knock on my door called for my attention and my eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. Tristan knew better than to talk to me a few hours after an argument, plus he'd just walk in, and the others always did a patterned knock so I knew exactly who it was.
I shoved the book under my mattress and slowly made my way over to the door, inching it open slowly.
"Ashlyn?" My startled, questioning voice brought her attention from the tray she was holding that held a teapot, a cup of sugar, a spoon and an empty cup and she gave me a tight smile.

"Um, hi! I uh.... Tristan mentioned you had nightmares and I remembered this tea my mother used to make for my brother so I decided to make some and bring it to you in case you'd like to try it because it helped my brother and it might help you and uh.... yeah...." she rambled, offering me the tray.
"Tristan told you....?"
"He didn't really tell me much, just that you guys when through something and it gave you nightmares sometimes."

Sometimes Is a complete understatement....

"Thanks. I'll be sure to try it."
"If you want, Tristan told me you guys also have a tradition of eating meals together frequently, I could tell the others you decided to take a nap instead."
"No, no thank you. I'll just eat lunch first and then take a nap."
"Oh. Ok." She gave me another shy smile and excused herself, scampering back down the hallway.

I stared after he for a second before going back into my room and setting the tray on my desk. My eyes closed on their own accord and my mind traveled once again to the brand on my skin.
I'd come to the conclusion that I'd need to tell someone, the bigger question was who. Hesterin would go ape crazy, probably try to track him down and get injured in the process while Callie would hole up in the library searching high and low for anything that could help, although I found the dream connection book the watchtower is supposed to have everything we could possibly dream of.

~~~~

With a heavy sigh i trudged to the dining room, barely glancing at my family as I piled the Mac n cheese and hotdogs on my plate.
"Everything ok there Lia?" Hes asked, quirking an eyebrow in my direction.
"Peachy." I muttered in response, too exhausted after braining too long.

Gosh the word is thinking Lia, get it together. Act natural.

"Alright. What's up buttercup?" She inquired, the daggers in her eyes warning me away from lying.
"Nothing much fruit punch." I answered cheekily, shoving a forkful of the cheesy goodness into my mouth.
"Alexia."
"Yes Hes?"
"What's going on?"
"The economy is fading before my very eyes, the dragons are going extinct and I-"
"I meant with you."
"Oh. Then nothing."

"Liar." Tristan whispered being a tad too loud.
"Do you know what's going on Tan?" She inquired, turning her fiery gaze to my twin.
"I-I uhhhhh..." he froze up, as he often does when he's trying to hide something and come up with a response, and I facepalmed, knowing I was doomed.
"Tristan I want the truth."

Yep. Doomed. Dead. Roadkill if you will

"Lia woke us--" he paused to gesture at himself, Ashton and Ashlyn.
"--Up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. It seemed pretty bad, but she refuses to tell what it was about. It was really bad."
"You told me it wasn't that bad!" Callie cried, pointing an accusatory finger at me.
"Tristan, jij peilstok." I hissed, glaring sharply at him before turning my gaze back to Callie's.

"Sorry niet sorry." He muttered, using the only sentence I'm pretty sure everyone understood.
"That was a complete waste of the twin code." I informed him, still trying to give Cal an innocent look.
"I just wanted everyone to know I don't feel bad for ratting you out this time!"
"This time?"
"Uhhhhhh forget it."

I huffed and rolled my eyes, trying to distract myself from the anxiety clawing at my throat with my food.
"Lia, why don't we talk about this? What happened?"
"We're not going to talk about it, because I simply don't want to!" I snapped, frustrated with all of their nagging.
"I get it, you guys care and want to be there and all that other stuff but I really just want to be left alone." I got to my feet and stormed back to my room, my appetite having run away a long time ago.

I slammed my bedroom door shut and flopped down on my bed, letting out a horrendous groan of exhaustion. I had to come up with a plan. I couldn't just run off, nor could I stay here. I was suffocating.
I understood they cared for me, but half the time it felt like I was drowning by their overprotectiveness. It took a while of planning and braining -er thinking- before I finally fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

~~~~

The moment I woke up I began stuffing things in my bag; clothes, the book, notebooks and other necessities to last a week. By then I'll be able to have found somewhere to stay to be able to restock and gather my energy. I pulled a few more things from my closet as my door creaked open -probably from when I slammed in.
"I don't want to talk Tan!" I called, grabbing an extra pair of shoes.

"What if it wasn't Tristan?" I spun around, my jaw hanging open in surprise.
"Sorry Ashton." I mumbled, trying not to seem so angry in front of the new 'recruit'.
"Don't worry about it. You going somewhere?" He gave me a questioning look as I waddled over to my bag and dropped everything inside.
"Nowhere that concerns you or anyone else here. I'll be back before you know it."

"Alexia, I know I haven't known you very long, but you can't just go out on your own for days or weeks at a time. If you're going I am too." I barked out a laugh and shook my head.
"You're staying here. You have a sister and I'm definitely not bringing two extra people. I need to cool off, and having to watch the backs of two extra people as well as trying to make sure everyone's fed."
"My sister has everyone else here, she likes spending time with Tristan and Callie. I won't let you go alone and if you try leaving without me I'll offer myself to track you down and bring you back."

I shot him a glare, tightening the strings of my bag.
"You wouldn't."
"I'm a werewolf, my wolf considers you as part of our new pack and pack sticks together. If you leave without me my wolf will go crazy wondering if you're safe or not; so I go or you don't go."
He gave me a level look, staring me dead in the eye as a challenge.

"Stubborn dog." I growled, setting my bag on the floor.
"What was that?" He questioned, raising an amused eyebrow.
"I said fine! What time is it? Eight? Be ready by ten. Pack, shower whatever. I'll meet you outside."
"Good choice. See you in a couple hours~"

He trotted off, leaving me alone on my bed as he went to prepare for the journey. I laid back on my bed and stared at my ceiling, for once questioning my temper. I knew what the others would do when they found out I'd left; they'd freak. But I wasn't about to let that stop me.
I took a deep breath and pushed myself to get up, knowing I needed to shower and have a chance to eat something before i left.

Here I come tranquility...