Claws.

15

CHAPTER 15

Her face was pallid yet peaceful as she lay limp on the bed in the doctor's office. As I watched Grace breathe gently, her chest rising and falling to a steady rhythm- I remembered my day dream. Cold and foreboding, a shiver ran down my spine as I remembered Lillian's solid white-grey eyes peering at me through a mask of blood-

"Your brother is such a tease!" Nickoli's voice made me jump.

"Gods sake!" I gasped, calming myself.

Nickoli giggled. "Oopsie."

"What's Will done now?" I asked, exiting the Grace's room.

"Nothing!" He growled. "Absolutely nothing! But he's just so- so-"He groaned in frustration. "His stupid new haircut is too sexy."

I wrinkled my nose. "Stop calling my elder brother sexy."

Nickoli laughed. "Take it as a compliment- same parents, same genes, same looks, right?"

"I don't think it works that way." I grinned.

"Well I have to go on Patrol- see ya later alligator." He ran off, shifting as he went, into his large russet wolf.

Walking into the pack house, still mulling over my dream, I wondered again what it meant... It had seemed so real...

Raffi was sat on the sofa, lying on her back, reading Harry Potter when I entered the room. Chase was watching tv, a small Christine of his lap. Together they were watching Ben 10, causing a smile to light up my features. He was so good with kids, it's so cute!

Not knowing what to do with myself I leaned over Raffi and began poking her cheek.

"What?!" She yelled, annoyed.

Grinning, I Climbed over the arm of the sofa, squishing her.

"You're so heavy!!" She whined, placing her book down.

"Oh! Rude!" I gasped. "I'm boooooorreeed! Entertain me!"

"You're such a child!" My friend grumbled.

"You love me really!"

Sighing, Raffi sat up, pushing me off gently. "So what do you want to do?"

After thinking for a moment, I said, "Let's go out somewhere..."

"Shopping?" Raffi suggested.

"Yeah!"

-----

At the shopping centre, we walked around aimlessly, giggling at the stupid boys who were all trying to be macho and trying on silly things, like sunglasses and hats and feather boas. For the first time in ages, I felt like a proper young adult- not travelling across endless forests or searching for some unknown weapon.

"Whaddya think?" Raffi asked, twirling around in a feather boa and a top hat.

"Fabulous!" I laughed.

We searched round a joke shop, until I heard Raffi gasp. "I found a present for Nickoli!"

I looked at what she held in her hand and dissolved into giggles; it was a stress ball shaped like a certain piece of male anatomy...

"We need to get it for him!" I took it off of her and pulled out my purse. "Aiden is paying." I grinned slyly.

"You sneaky bitch." Raffi laughed.

I admit, it was pretty embarrassing going up to the counter and purchasing the item, but I think it was more embarrassing for the shy, teenage boy that stood behind the counter, blushing bright red.

-----

When we were home, we gave Nick his gift- much to the embarrassment to Will, especially seeing as Nickoli immediately dubbed it Willy's willy- and suddenly realised how tired we were.

My feet ached as I flumped down on the bed after dinner. Aiden laughed at me as I groaned and refused to move- not even to take my shoes off.

"Y'know next time you spend hours and hours in the shopping centre, you could at least ask to borrow my credit card." He knelt down at the end of the bed and began unlacing my sneakers.

Blushing sheepishly, I replied, "Sorry..."

Leaning over me on the bed, he kissed my cheek. "It's ok- I'm glad you had fun."

His soft lips met mine gently, enveloping me in his soft, familiar scent. Wrapping my hands in his dark hair, I pulled him closer, feeling his hard chest against my own. Maybe I'm not too tired...