The Luna's Nerd

~Chapter 5~

I didn't do it.

I didn't kiss her. It's not because I did something stupid like cough in her face, or fart in the middle of a perfect moment. Instead, we were interrupted. Interrupted by a loud scream.

Nicki and I both jump back just as shocked as the other. She begins to panic and throws my jacket at me and runs away. I don't chase after her mostly because I'm still in a state of shock as to what's going on. My heart is pounding in my chest like a drum and I look over my balcony. I see brown wolves circling one another, and a wolf with pitch black fur accompanies them, growling at the others. Was someone attacked? Cars drive off, and soon the music has turned down and people run around the lawn half naked attempting to reach their cars, but the wolves aren't focused on them.

They growl back and forth slowly and I watch a smaller wolf emerge from the doors of my own home. Did some of them get inside? It stands beside the black wolf that nearly blends in with the night sky and the brown wolves attack them.

The black wolf seems to have no problems fending himself, but at the same time he's trying to protect the smaller wolf that took his side. He blocks off an attack from a brown wolf trying to pounce on the little one and the black wolf earns a wound that is in the shape of a triangle and blood gushes from it. The smaller wolf loses focus on the one it's attacking to check on midnight, but it earns a bite to the side in it's moment of distraction. The 2 are nearly outnumbered, and I see the small wolf is now weak and wanders off into the woods.

I need to get Tituts. I turn around and begin to search the house. He's not in the living room, nor is he in his bedroom. I shout his name but I receive no reply.

He can be out there! Titus can be outside with the wolves!

Without a second thought, I rush out of the front door. The wolves are too into combat to focus on me. Titus' car is still in the driveway. Maybe the smaller wolf ran after him. I run at full speed toward the trees. I'm following the blood path that's very faint in the dark but I can make it out easily, and the smell is also strong. I can't let anything happen to Titus. He can't leave me like mom and dad.

I pause in the clearing and see a naked girl lying on the ground, but she's covering herself with the remains of clothing. I recognize her even with the blood matted all over her face and body. "Rose!" I run over and she groans and rolls over. 

"Ty..." She whispers and I bend to her level. "Wh-What happened?"

I shake my head, "Y-You were..." My voice fades out as I stare at the wound on her side. A bite mark. It looked as if it matched the one the small brown wolf had. The same brown wolf that ran into the woods where Rose is now.

I shake my head. That's not important. It's hard to see from my balcony, even at night. Just a coincidence. "Attacked." I finish dryly and she sits up. I lend her my jacket and she wears it so that it covers her body. "Do you know where Titus is?" I ask.

"I-I-I don't know. He was out fighting the wolves and then..." She rambles on deliriously. Titus fighting wolves? What's gotten into him? Maybe Rose is too out of her element to speak properly.

"Right here." A deep voice grumbles. I look up at Titus who's leaning against a tree with only shorts and  holding his side.

"What's going on? You were attacked, too?" I question as he pulls his hand away for me to examine it. His flesh was exposed and it's in the shape as a triangle. The same one the midnight wolf had. This isn't the time, Ty! Stay focused!

"Yeah." He whispers looking over at Rose. "She'll be fine. She just needs to rest." Rest? It's a deep bite! I don't say anything because I'm baffled by the situation. Titus watches me freeze up and pats my shoulder with his bloody hand. "It's okay. We're safe now. Go back home and clean up. I'll take care of her and myself." I'm too dazed to fight back against Titus. I want to make sure Rose is going to be okay, but Titus once again assures me she will. This has to be coincidental.

There's no way...

I shake my head and allow Titus to tend to Rose who latches onto him like a bee to honey. They're perfect for each other. I walk away from the 2 of them and continue back home. My hands are covered in both Titus' and Rose's blood, but I don't really mind. Nicole should be okay. She left in time, or so I hope.

When I emerge from the woods, I see a purple car in the driveway and I immediately recognize it.

No. No no no no. It can't be. It's Nicole's car. The door is open, and keys in the ignition. She has to be safe.

It just... can't be...

~•••~

I ring the door impatiently. My hands are now clean. I made sure to clean myself off well before checking to see if Nicole made it home safely. I can't lose her now.

"What's up?" Cole and Nick both answer and I can see they're both calm and collected, but somewhat irritated and guilty. She must be fine. There's no way her brothers would allow her to be out of their sight for 2 seconds without alerting the cops.

"I-Is Nicole okay? Her car is in my driveway and-and I, um, just want to make sure she made it home safely." Cole raised his eyebrow as if saying 'And...?' Nick follows his lead and I want to slap myself in the face. This isn't the time to be nervous, Tyler! I slowly sigh and restart, "Is Nicole safe? Her car is in my driveway and I saw all of those wolves outside my house..."

Cole gives me a little grin and Nick pats my shoulder and says, "Bro, she's fine. We drove her home ourselves once we saw those suckers." He laughs. "She got a little upset about it, but Rose should have her keys." He explains casually.

Cole adds, "No worries."

"I hope Titus taught those wolves a lesson. Never to mess with his mate." Nick laughs. Mate? Cole's eyes grow big and he jabs Nick in the side with a look that tells me he said something he wasn't supposed to.

So Titus did fight those wolves?

Mate! Something about that word tells me it means more than just a friend. The way my mom talked about it in those home videos made me realize that. "I have to go. It was nice speaking to you both. Good night." I wave and run off because I know exactly where I'll find my answers. There's more. There has to be more to this. It's at the tip of my tongue but all of this so familiar. Nicole is even familiar and I know it has something to do with the accident. Something happened that night and there's more to it than I thought.