Into the woods I P U B L I S H E D

4.

„The world is a big place to see familiar faces,

But I've never thought I will see you so soon again."

- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

„So you lead that so-called supporting group for girls?" I asked Ashley as we walked through the streets of the village. People stared at us, saying to us, and some of them even smiled.

„Yes. I've been in a toxic relationship myself. I know what does girls feel." We carried two big boxes full of sandwiches and different treats.

„It's really nice of you to do something like that," I said.

We stopped in front of a white door. Ashley had placed her box on the floor before she unlocked the door and turned the lights on.

I heard a growl coming from behind, and turning around, I saw a shadow hiding behind the corner.

„There are about eight of us in the support group, but I encourage girls from our University to come too. It's not a shame to come up and speak about what you went through."

Walking in, I placed the box on an empty table and started to take out the things from the box.

Ashley, on the other hand, started placing chair around for them to sit.

Minutes passed and we managed to turn this place presentable just in time when the girls started to come in.

Ashley greeted each one of them while I stood there in the corner, watching every girl that was hurt by a man, and that made me angry.

The girls sat on their chair, leaving one empty.

Ashley turned to me. „You could stay, you know."

I shook my head. "I'll go next time, but I will wait for you at the coffee shop across the street."

Ashley placed a hand on my shoulder. "Sure. I'll be done in an hour."

~ - ~

Ashley and I were already driving for 20 minutes to her house. It turned out that it was placed a little further from the city, near the Nightclaw forest, which is like the University we go, owned by the Nightclaw family.

After she had her support group, we had some coffee, where I found out that the Nightclaw family was one of the original founding families of this small place.

Shadowrose village itself was founded over 200 years ago, before Canada even existed, when the first Nightclaw's came here from Norway, searching for a new and better life.

It also explained the number of portraits in the library. Each portrait represented a different generation of the Nightcalw's, and the biggest one with the Alighieri quote, represented the latest generation of the family until their son's don't have their own children. Then that generation will hang on the walls of the library.

But the most interesting thing was definitely the thing that Tyler is one of them. He is actually a Nightclaw.

After our conversation in the library, it took me a while to come back to my senses.

I hope that I will never have to meet him again, but Ashley told me that he comes to the library almost every day. How much luck I had lately, I could easily run into him.

„Is this your necklace?" Ashley interrupted me in my thoughts. I gave her a quick glance as she was staring at my neck and the necklace that Lena had given me.