Regrets are for the Weak

Chapter 8

Griffin ElliotQuincy:

Isaid, "You drive a stick very nicely." We were walking up hersteps to her apartment.

Shesmirked after kicking off her shoes, "You'd know." I caught thedirty joke and laughed. I kicked off my own shoes as both the dogsstarted barking at us maniacally. She bent down petting them intosilence.

Shewent into the kitchen and to the cabinet, feeding and watering them.I watched as she moved about doing different things. She hung herbook bag in the closet next to me after putting piles of books on thecounter. I had a question in my mind since last night when I foundout about her being abused and I was working up the courage to askit.

Shecocked her head to the side, "Are you okay?"

"I'mfin-." I stopped myself short from giving her the automatic answer.This was the chance I had wanted, wasn't it?

Isaid, "I..err...well..." I sighed. I cleared my throat, "Youdon't have to answer or anything, but...um..." I looked up ather. She was looking at me with a blank expression, waiting for me tohurry up and ask. I huffed, "Will you tell me something about you.All that I know is that I have major feelings for you despite onlyknowing you a week, you can transform into a wolf and that your fullname is Amber Celeste Ross." I didn't want to look up at herface. My gaze stayed on the floor.

Aftera long moment of silence I bit my lip. Why wasn't she answering? Ineeded an answer, even if it was no! Finally I looked up and saw herstaring back at me.

Iasked softly, my voice cracking, "P-please answer me." She cameover and I was expecting her to smack me. Instead she took both myhands in her own.

Shesaid gently, "The reason you have feelings for me and have since wefirst met is because you are my soul-mate. It is a werewolf thing."She told me something but it only made me want to know more. She musthave realized this as she smiled slightly. She said, "It is becauseof this that I will answer any questions you want to know, Griffin."I looked at her face seeing that she didn't have fear in her eyeslike she did when we were with her family.

Imumbled, "Are you sure? I have a lot of questions."

Shechuckled, "That's alright. I'll make popcorn." She let go ofmy hands, going into the kitchen. I sat at the island while she movedabout. She said, "Ask away." Her back was to me. I decided tostart with a simple one.

Iasked, "Why are you so confident?"

Sheshrugged slightly, "My pack taught me. I knew they'd never letanyone hurt me. I had nothing to worry about." I accepted theanswer but she seemed to be holding something back.

"Whyare you so good at school?"

Shesmiled when she glanced at me, "I loved to learn. My childhoodwasn't very stable and I was a loner so I studied in spare time. Itfascinated me to see the different points of view everybody had."

Iasked, "Is that why you're so formal?"

Sheshook her head, "I'm formal because I don't know many people. Iusually turn formal when I don't know someone or am confused." Mynext question jumped into my head.

Iasked, "Have you always been a wolf?"

Sheshook her head, "No, I was human like you. On my twelfth birthdayAlpha changed me." She shuddered slightly, "Most painful thingI've ever endured but totally worth it."

Iasked, "Why are you relaxed now, but you were so scared a fewminutes ago with your pack?" She glanced at me. She looked back tothe popcorn and started turning the crank.

Shesaid, "Everyone was tense. And after seeing what your dad did toLuke I was reminded of a few not so nice memories of mine." Ifrowned.

Iasked softly, "What did my dad do to you?" She stopped crankingas another shudder washed through her body. I instantly regrettedasking. Her body was tense and I could tell she didn't want toanswer but it made me that much more curious. She began crankingagain and I figured that I should stop asking questions. She put thepopcorn in a bowl and then pushed it in front of me. I ate a fewpieces but my stomach churned with all the possibilities runningthrough my mind at what could have happened in the short period Iwasn't there. I pushed it away finally. I was too lost in thoughtto realize she was staring at me.

AmberRoss:

Icould see him scavenging his brain for everything that could havehappened to me. I could see his eyes glazed over from him thinkingtoo hard to focus on anything sight wise. I could see his angergrowing even though his dad was no longer here. I could see everyemotion passing his features.

FinallyI had enough, "Griffin." His head snapped up. I continued, "Hedidn't do anything that won't be healed by tomorrow. He justjogged my memory of a few things that I wish he hadn't." I didn'ttell him the part about his dad saying no one could love him eventhough that was a huge part of it. He seemed to buy my answer as helet out a breath of relief.

Itwasn't until we were both in my bed that I shuddered recalling allthe things I had worked so hard to push away threatening to return.He had his arms wrapped around me. My head was lying on his chest. Iwas pretty sure he was already asleep.

Forthe first time since I was twelve I felt tears brim my eyes and Ibegan crying. I hadn't cried since I had shifted for the firsttime. That was physical pain. I had only cried once before frommental pain and that was when I was eight. It didn't seem as badthen though. I was quiet when I cried thankfully. I didn't want towake up Griffin. Today had been long and he needed rest fromeverything he had been told. I got off of him only to put my face ina pillow and cry harder.

 GriffinQuincy:

Iopened my eyes and watched her fall next to me on the pillow. Was shea sleep mover? The bed shook making me look at her. She was shaking.Why was she shaking? I heard her sniffle and had my answer. She wascrying. I felt the immediate need to comfort her take over. I wasn'tever good at these things so I was surprised when I did something.

Iwrapped one arm around her, pulling her tightly against me. She hadjumped when I touched her indicating she must have thought I wasasleep like I had thought she was. I rubbed her back soothingly whilehushing her slightly.

Ikissed her temple when she had calmed down. I didn't ask why shewas crying.

Shewhispered, "Sorry for waking you." My frown deepened.

Isaid, "I wasn't asleep. You have nothing to be sorry forsweetheart." She still hadn't looked at me but she did move tothe position she was in earlier on my chest. I didn't want to haveto ask why she was crying. But I was curious. I needed to know if itwas because of my father. I ended up not having to ask though.

Shewhispered, "Quit worrying. It wasn't your dad."

Iasked softly, "Then what was it?" She didn't answer right awayand I wondered if she was going to lie to me.

Butthen she whimpered, "My parents." Her parents?

Iasked, "Evelyn and Cedric? I thought they were nice...?"

Sheshook her head, "My real parents: Ruth and Adam Ross." I stayedsilent. I knew her parents were abusive but I wondered what theycould have ever possibly done to her that was worse than my dad.

Shesaid, "They were far worse than your dad." Did I say my previousthought out loud? She began explaining everything she rememberedabout her parents. I didn't know whether to comfort her or let herhave her space. She was crying again by the end of it. Her voice wasso soft it was hardly audible.

Shesat on her bed, bawling her eyes out. I pulled her to me and cuddledher close to me, "Sh, Amber. Everything is going to be alright. I'mhere and I'm not going anywhere. My dad is dead. We will be fine,sweetheart." She cried for a few more minutes but eventually calmeddown. I didn't talk at first. I waited a few minutes. When Ifinally did talk it was a question, "Are you okay?"

Noreply.

"Amber?Are you okay?"

Noreply. I tilted her face so I could see it. She was asleep. I pulledthe covers over us. I kissed her forehead gently, "I love you,Amber." She hummed softly in her sleep and cuddled closer to memaking a smile light up my face. I buried my head in her hair and letsleep overtake me.