Kidnapped By An Alpha Jerk

Chapter 58

Aiden's POV

Her funeral was held only a week ago now. We gave her the best send off possible; I understand now why she said what she had said to me and April before she left. I understand why it was vital for her to see us as a family, not bickering for once but content and happy. And surprisingly, I'd always thought feeling anger was natural with grief. But this time, I didn't feel anger. Only a contentment. Like my abuela was in peace now.

A hand was placed on my shoulder. "Aiden? We're going out to the woods." Diego's voice sounded.

I tore my eyes from the window. I tore them from the small cherry tree wavering in the wind slightly, its branches bare but promising to bloom under the summer sun. That was the tree we planted for my grandmother. But I knew where she really was now – up in the sky. In the daylight, not visible, but at night, a star, blazing fiercely at us all.

She belonged in the sky, not the ground.

"You know, she would have wanted a party. With alcohol flowing and all."

"Hell, she would have probably wanted people wearing party hats and all." I couldn't help but snort and we fell silent, the joke dying down between us. After the Noah confrontation, we fell back into normality - I didn't need to verbally apologize. We just punched each other in the gut and man-hugged, and that was that. Best friends again.

I looked over to him; he'd been teased in 6th grade because of his green eyes - everyone said he was an alien from another planet who came to Earth to eat them all. I punched the main bully and as payback, he shoved me and Diego in a locker. We became best friends after that. "Shall we leave?"

"Yeah."

Outside, I felt the cool air hit me and I breathed it in. The urge to change was overwhelming and power surged through my veins and sang out to me. Diego appeared by my side and we turned out heads sideward, grinning. Then, I began to run toward the forest, my muscles already beginning to constrict, turn, twist and contort into my wolf's. As soon as I entered the thicket of the first trees, I could feel my body already changed.

My world changed.

The colours were brightened as they swam outwardly in a kaleidoscope of pulsing lights – a dim haze settled around my outer vision, making it seem as though the entire world was a dream. The wind rippled through my muscles and pushed me on. I could feel myself grinning, my wolf racing through the trees that I knew so well.

My thoughts merged into one and I felt one again as I went back to my roots. I could see a blur of jet black fur as Diego raced alongside me and I could say this, if anything:

Shifting into my wolf was almost as good as drinking.

April's POV

"Bloody hell, I have a stitch." I wheezed, clutching the side of my stomach.

"Get up, come on April. We're giving humans a bad name!" Nina hissed, her arm propping me up. I glared at her sideward and huffed.

"I need to get fit." I breathed, looking up at the foliage of trees around us. "How long till we reach?" I asked, glancing at her, but she was staring at her phone, dumbfounded. "Nina?"

"I don't know. I'm guessing it's through those trees." She tiptoed and pointed.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't know! I'm guessing here. My phone –" she shook her phone roughly, "isn't getting any stupid service."

"Diego gave you the directions. Until we reach the tree with the face!"