Fire and Ice

Eleven: Lucinda

It was all coming together in my mind. Slowly making sense. But then it didn't make sense at all. I racked my brain all night thinking over everything. Corey's bruises. Jasper's bruises. The similarities and differences. I drank a lot of blood to keep me awake that night so I could form a theory. I paced my room and scribbled down my ideas. I wrote in my journal for a quick break before I went back to pacing and drawing the clues together. I made sure that I shut all of my thoughts away from Corey. I couldn't let her know my theories until I knew for sure. The night dragged on forever but it didn't seem like it was long enough.

I also got the chance to research bonds and look further into the bond that Corey and I share. How did we get it? How can Corey hear my thoughts when I should only be able to hear hers? Well, sub-thoughts anyway. I had been experimenting lately and I figured out that I could only hear sub-thoughts instead of the thoughts themselves. Strange, but I found that focusing on Corey's sub-thoughts alone dulled out everyone else's sub-thoughts until it was all silence. It was crazy to believe that a werewolf would be my focus, my escape from the noise. Although, deep down in all of my thoughts was something that startled me the most.

Hayden.

For some bizarre reason I couldn't stop thinking about him and his questions. I could see the passion and love for Corey in his eyes. I thought about the way he sat close to me in the library and the way that he smelt. Hayden had a particular scent like Corey does. That is how I have managed to be close to her for so long. I had found a way past the wolf scent and focused purely on hers. Corey smelt crisp like burning wood. When I was human I loved that smell. I would purposely light matched just so be able to smell burnt wood. Hayden's scent on the other hand was intoxicating. He smelt like fresh rain mixed with lemon zest. Refreshing, energising and peaceful. I felt ashamed that I was thinking too much about the way that Hayden smelt that I completely forgot that he was head over heels in love with Corey. Being around Hayden today I felt a strange feeling, it was bad. I wasn't exactly sure what the bad feeling was as I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Stop thinking about him," I growled at myself. I needed to get my head straight and figure out

what was going on.

Jasper.

Corey.

Corey and Jasper.

Jasper was special - the alpha's son. Corey had mentioned that wolf mates are unlikely. Although on the very rare occasion wolves can find their mate and have a bond. Rare like my bond with Corey. Or rare like a stillborn being brought back to life.

My eyes widened as the most realistic theory came into my mind. All of the pieces finally placed together perfectly in my mind. Now it was just to tell Corey and make her believe. That would be the hardest part.

***

The weekend flew by and for the first time in forever I was a little excited to go to school. I needed to tell Corey my theory. I was already awake by the time my parents unlocked my door so I waited a little while before I went out. That way they wouldn't suspect anything. I didn't drink any more blood just in case my parents saw that I had almost drank my whole fridge dry over the course of two days. I couldn't risk that interrogation. I had been told after my blood change that I needed to be careful about the amount of blood that I could drink. We couldn't afford to draw attention to ourselves. I didn't understand the risk before. Now I did. That's because they came.

"Come on Nicholas!" I called out from the front door. "Move your butt or we will be late." I glanced over at the clock on the far wall and watched the second hand make it's way around passing each number.