Rose (Book IV) | Rosalie Hale

3 | Windows and Wendigos

3 | Windows and Wendigos 

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Rosalie ran her fingers through Willow's damp hair and untangled the wind's assault on her beautiful locks.

She sat on the bed she added to her room for Willow, her mate staring off out the window with bloodshot eyes from crying in the shower moments ago. She left her until she heard the shivers of the water running cold, then she waited for Willow to change to carry her back to her bedroom.

Alice had made quick work cleaning up Maverick's letterman while Willow was in the shower. Thankfully she's a whizz with this sort of thing because, for once, Rosalie was grateful Maverick left something behind for Willow. Even if it would be painful for her to face, it could be something Monday needed to remember his father once he was old enough to truly understand he wasn't coming home.

Maverick's baseball letterman was multiple sizes too big on Willow. She laid on her stomach with her head in Rosalie's lap, eyes unfocused out the window. Her heart was slow, much slower than normal for her mate.

"Have you eaten today, Sweetheart?" Rosalie asked, pulling the blankets up over Willow to keep her warm. It's not like they ever bothered to turn the heat on until Lavender moved in. "I can make you something. I think Lavender still has leftovers from last night. She made baked mac n' cheese for her and Leah."

"No." Willow's eyes swelled with salty tears.

"No, you don't want any, or no you haven't eaten?" Rosalie asked, running her fingers through the girl's hair once more. "You've lost some weight, Will."

"Sorry." A tear dropped onto Rosalie's thigh. "I didn't mean it."

"That's okay." Rosalie gently reassured her, massaging her slightly pointed ears. "How about we go out to Alaska this weekend? Take a few days for us."

"Bella gets married this weekend." Willow swallowed. "Don't you need to be here for when she . . ."

"They have their honeymoon." Rosalie chuckled. "Think of it as your pre-senior trip. We don't even have to go to Alaska."

"I don't know." Willow shrugged. "Monday . . ."

"You know everyone would love to watch him."

"I know, but—"

"Will, baby." Rosalie moved Willow gently out of her lap and laid beside her over the blanket. She blocked her view of the window and rested her cheek on her knuckles, caressing her mate's face. "Let's go away. Just you and I. You obviously need to get out of here. Away from all these reminders."

Willow anxiously chewed on Maverick's knit sleeve, hugging his letterman to her body as she turned on her side to face Rosalie. She took careful breaths, trying her best not to cry.

"Ar-Are we going to the cabin in Alaska?" She asked. "The one in those pictures in the hall? Maybe we can go right after the wedding so . . . so I don't have to think about Bella's empty room."

Understanding a little more of her girlfriend's anxiety, Rosalie smiled and tucked Willow's hair behind her ear. She rubbed her thumb over her cheek and leaned in to peck her forehead.

"Absolutely." She confirmed. "We'll leave after the wedding and spend the weekend. You and your pretty little spots can go explore the snow."

This made Willow smile weakly. She did like her new found ability to handle the cold weather when in her Snow Leopard body. It was freeing and made her feel much more secure. Besides, there were a few times Rosalie snuggled with her in the snow and it felt so nice to wrap her tail around her and feel like her girlfriend's personal stuffed animal rather than her pretty little kitten.

Her mind sank into all the moments where she'd been a kitten, traveling back to the time Maverick cuddled with her before knowing Willow was a kitten. His gentle manners and the way he spent time with their son. The picture of him and Willow on the side table with Monday at an old baseball game before everything went to deeper shit than it already was.

She had bruises hidden under this exact jacket in that picture. It was once a small step before Willow got a wooden bat straight to the face. Little bruises. Little comments. Little things that made her wonder if he ever did love her—he did. He always had. Willow triggered him and faced the consequences. Was it her fault he's dead?

Was it her fault he hit her? Was it her fault he got mad at her? That he had a bad day and ended the night with slamming her into the side of his car to yell at her about one of the baseball freshmen liking her? Was it her fault he died?

Was it her fault Sloane is the only member of her immediate family left? Was it her fault Monday would grow up without a father?

She killed him. It's all her fault because she killed him.

"Willow?" Rosalie slid closer in concern when Willow suddenly broke down into a violent sob.

Holding Willow tight, Rosalie's eyes slid toward the doorway where Edward appeared. She frowned at his concerned eyes, protectively cradling the back of Willow's head as she sobbed into her neck.

"What?" Rosalie spoke too low for Willow to hear, especially over her crying. "Close the door. She needs privacy."

"Keep an eye on her." Edward mumbled quietly under his breath. "She's not in a good place, Rosalie. Not at all."

Rosalie held Willow tighter and took the chance to really feel under her jacket. She had lost weight. She looked exhausted. A haircut and some changes in clothing styles didn't fix the fact she was miserable inside. And if Edward was concerned enough to meddle with Willow's thoughts, even after Bella told him to stop months ago, then it had to be serious.

"I-I'm sorry." Willow choked out.

"Don't be. It's okay to let me know you're hurting." Rosalie explained, kissing her mate's cheek. "It's okay, honey. I promise. Whatever it is, everything will be alright."

"But—"

"Don't ever apologize for baring your soul to me." Rosalie rubbed her back and pulled Willow on top of her. She kissed her cheek delicately, nuzzling her mate's weak spots. "No matter how much pain you hold, I'm here to love you till the end. I will always accept you for whomever you are, Willow. For however you feel."

"I . . ." Willow pushed up and let her hair fall into Rosalie's face. She leaned into her mate's hands as her fingers tucked loose hair behind her ears. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Why would you hurt me?" Rosalie asked. She tilted her head when Willow shamefully avoided her eyes. "Because you miss him?"

Willow closed her eyes and laid her cheek on Rosalie's chest.

"You fell in love, Will." Rosalie ran her fingers through her hair. "For the first time in your life, without knowing what would happen, you, your heart chose him. And that's okay. It's okay to feel something for someone you once loved."

The teenager's eyes squeezed shut tight, the knit of the jacket finding its way between her teeth. She bit down hard, muffling a whimper.

"Let's skip Alaska." Rosalie insisted. "Let's go somewhere else. Take your mind off things."

"Okay." Willow weakly agreed.

"I promise. We'll have fun." Rosalie pressed her lips into Willow's hair and hoped her words to be true.

"Okay." Willow repeated in that same weak, and unconvinced, tone as before.

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