Not What You Expect

Chapter Seven

Raines pov

lying next to Valentina I notice her breathing evens out and I know shes asleep, letting out a sigh. I close my eyes and try to fall asleep, but after a few minutes her scent fills my nose 'lavender.' and I frown. I take another breath in and out and open my eyes, 'why does she smell so good?' Looking at the wall I let out a frustrated sigh 'I miss Tobi, I wish I had my wolf so I could link with him.' grabbing my pillow I clench it to my chest and take in a whiff of his scent 'dirt and pine trees' it lingers on my pillow from last night I smile, but its not as good as Valentina's. After a few more minutes I turn around to face her and look at her without shying away. 'thank goddess shes asleep or she would think i'm weird or checking her out, at least I don't think I am'.

looking over her I notice her hair. Its different, its like mine in a way, except hers is whitish silver and mines blackish silver. My eyes snap to her pink parted lips, a small smiles on her face. 'she must be having a decent dream.' I smile a little and put my hand under my head. looking over her face I notice writing on her smooth collar bone 'with pain comes strength.' I furrow my brow a little confused about why she got that. I roll back and watch my fan go around and around and around. Closing my eyes I try to fall asleep again, but its like something in me is restless, I sit up in the bed and slowly scoot out of the bed without waking Val up.

Standing at the edge of the bed I look at her to make sure she hasn't been disturbed. I turn to my closet grabbing a thicker jacket to keep me warmer, just in case the wind wants to pick up on me, I slip out of my room without a word. Tiptoeing through the house I reach the front door and slowly opening it the best I could without waking the whole house. Before I could slip out the door I heard someone walking towards the kitchen, I peak to see who it is before I slip out the door, noticing it was tobi I sigh only loud enough for my ears and leave. 'He won't mind me leaving to take a walk' I assure myself.

I'm outside now and the wind is gentle as I step off the porch, I feel the wind pick up and along with it my hair dances in the wind. Smiling I look down the silent street and head to the woods when I see that nobody's up and about. Once into the woods I take off my jacket, welcoming the cold wind I start jogging down a wore out dirt road, a road I run down every night when I can't sleep.

Halfway down the road I feel like someone's following as if someone's presence is close, but I let it alone and keep going. The feeling is gone as I keep jogging down the path, little rabbits scurry past me and deer's stand off the path a bit further into the brush. Their scent strong, but I see there well hidden.

Jogging into an open field, I watch as the moon fills it with bright moonlight, highlighting two stones. Starting to walk now I slowly approach them, I take in a breath of cold air and it cools my lungs that feel as if on fire, tears threaten to fall. Looking to the bigger stone that reads ' Here lies A loving Son, Brother, Husband, and Father.... Here lies a man... Of strength and courage... Who knew pain... But now at rest... Lawrence Wynter Rider'

Kneeling in front of his grave I whisper "hey daddy, I I... I miss you papa.." Starting to shake with a sad anger "why did you have to leave? Why did you have to go?!" Looking at the smaller stone that reads 'Here lies A loving Daughter, Wife, and Mother... Here lies a woman... A woman of love and kindness.. Who eased a mans pain... Now at rest... Deanna Rider' my lip trembles and I croak out "hey mamma, I met a new uhh... Friend, I guess, I'm still shy as ever though..." I laugh at that "momma she smells good.... Like lavender. Its weird, she smells better than Tobi...." I laugh at that too I use to tell her when I was little that Tobi smelt wild "you might have known her father, she's a princess." Frowning a little "I'm afraid mamma, what if she doesn't like me? Because I'm shy.. I lost you and daddy. If she becomes my friend.... And she leaves me... Will that mean she hates me?" I wrap my arms around my waist and hot tears slide down my cheeks they are sad but angry tears and now mostly with myself "y'all shouldn't have died, it should have been me, I was supposed to die, not y'all. Its my fault...." I whimper "it was supposed to be me." I clench my hurting chest and sit between their graves and slowly curl into a ball " I love y'all both, I love y'all so much." Sleep washes over me suddenly like a wave and my eyes close. The cold barely noticeable now that my body feels numb from crying, the tears on my cheeks grow cold as I fall into a deep sleep next to my mamma and daddy's grave stones.