Her New Moon

22

The past week was hell for Driana. It pained her to be unable to see Ms. Berold. Sam, who met Ms. Berold occasionally when he and Leah were still together, broke the news to her that Driana's body was missing and presumed dead. The girl didn't need Sam to explain how her mother reacted. Discovering her power, an ability to see a person's point of view in real-time, helped her track their whereabouts.

Despite not seeing Ms. Berold, she used her power to check on her mother, who cried for days. Driana would shift visions through the people who knew her. Bella was bedridden with guilt, blaming herself that the person who stayed with her died for her. Leah and Seth moped around, barely leaving the house or talking to anyone. Alex, the poor boy, skipped school, causing his grades to drop.

"The skies are gloomier, don't you think?" Driana asked Embry.

Embry sighed, nodding in agreement. "Heavy rain. I can feel it."

"Maybe the skies are crying for me," Driana said thoughtfully.

"Your funeral is soon," Embry muttered, reminding her. "It's weird. I'm attending an empty casket while the body is with me."

Driana laughed. "That is funny." The girl stared at her clothes. "Perhaps the casket won't be empty."

"What do you mean?"

"For my funeral, I want most of my belongings in there." She turned to Embry, who stared at her, confused. "I can't wear the same thing every day. After the casket's buried, I can dig for my stuff."

Embry snorted. "You don't have a house for that, you know?"

"Oh, right," Driana mumbled. She pursed her lips. "Paul doesn't want to see me yet?"

Embry pitied the older girl. "You've probably seen it through his eyes, but he barely eats. We tried encouraging him to see you, but he feels responsible for your death. Every time we shift, protecting the people and land, a glimpse of your lifeless body replays in his mind."

Driana continued walking with Embry in the woods. The boy taught her about the treaty and where she couldn't trespass. The girl learned that the Cullens and the pack had their territories, even agreeing on neutral land. There'd be peace between the two worlds if they kept mutual secrecy and stayed off the other's lands.

"Embry, look!" Driana pointed at an old cabin shed.

"Wait," Embry told her. "I'll check it out first." He cautiously neared the wooden shed, which looked unused for years. The boy peeked through the single back window, circling the house before motioning her over. "Come here."

"How long has this been here?" Driana asked, carefully observing the shed.

"I don't know. It must've been here before any of us were born. The inside looks abandoned." Embry stepped onto the small porch and touched the door. "Shall we go inside?"

Driana gave an unsure look. "Wouldn't that be trespassing?"

Embry scoffed. "We're in the middle of nowhere. The only thing near is the creek." He pushed the door open, gesturing for her to follow.

It was small, barely enough to fit the whole pack inside. Dust and cobwebs littered the room. The exterior and interior of the cabin faded over time. A storage cabinet was open and empty. A lamp rested on a table with one chair. It was opposite the wall from a single-sized bed. There was a hole in the roof, bringing light inside the shed.

"Em? Remember how you said I'd have no place for my stuff? I think I found my new home."

Embry smiled, supporting her decision. "Good news is that it's on neutral land." An idea popped into his head. "What if I help you renovate the place?"

"Embry-"

"Oh, come on! My skills with construction aren't that bad."

"Building a birdhouse doesn't count." She raised a finger, cutting Embry off before he could speak again. "Helping an uncle by holding the plywood doesn't count either."

Embry placed his palms together. "Please? It'll be fun!"

Driana sighed, looking around the cabin shed. "Okay, fine."

Embry punched the air in happiness. "Yes!"

Footsteps approached the cabin, and Embry and Driana waited by the porch. Sam and Jared emerged from the trees, glancing at the place before stopping in front of the pair. The alpha crossed his arms, raising a brow at the girl.

"Please, Sam, can I keep it? I'm tired of having to roam at night." The girl looked around, whispering. "I may be an invincible predator, but I'm still scared of being alone."

A smirk crept onto Sam's usual stoic face. "We won't let you and Embry renovate alone. Why don't we start soon?"

The pack got to work, removing broken pieces of wood. They tore down what was no longer in use. None of them had enough money to buy lumber, which resulted in cutting down trees, shaping them into what was needed. Driana didn't want the area to look plain. The dirt surrounding the cabin shed made the place dull. Jared offered to help beautify the ground by collecting moss beds. Driana picked flowers, gasping in surprise as a large hand handed her a vase. Paul softly smiled, potting the flowers.

"You came," Driana whispered.

"I couldn't leave you alone with them." Paul gazed behind her, snorting at the pack, bickering over the placement of the wood. "You know very well I'm the true Bob the Builder."

"Showing off, are we?"

Paul shrugged, pulling a confident look. "We'll get this done in no time."

"With my superior speed, I'm sure we will."

Paul frowned. "I'm sorry."

"It's no one's fault," Driana assured. "I was caught in the crossfire. I became something different, no longer human with a thirst for blood. But I'm still me."

"Yeah, you are you," Paul spoke softly. "What's your secret?"

"What?"

He raised a hand, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Every day, you're becoming more beautiful."

"Paul!" Sam called, gesturing with a hammer. "Come and help out!"

"Quit flirting, ya flirt!" Jared warned, waving a handsaw in his direction.