Fears To Face

∞ Chapter 74 ∞

Kayley

Today was the day.

We had no idea what would happen and I wasn't sure whether I had looked forward to today or was frightened for it to arrive. After tonight, we would know if the treatment indeed stopped the wolf in me for good or not. Yes, my higher senses were pretty much gone and so was my strength and speed, but a turn could trigger something. Rayne had gone crazy all week with all the possible scenarios in his head and as much as I had tried to stay calm, I was right there on edge beside him today.

Rayne opened the door of his house and let me in. Since he'd liked to have me around him the day of the turn last month, he decided we only had to be apart for the evening and night. Next to that, I knew he wanted to keep an eye on me and he hated the fact that he couldn't be there for me tonight, during the hour of truth. He had been irritated by that all week, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. To help me as much as he could, he had agreed to my suggestion to come to his house again after eleven, when he and mom would be gone, so I would be closer to the woods if I needed it. He didn't appreciate the fact that I was still considering that as an option, but we both knew there was a chance. Neither of us truly knew what was going to happen tonight.

He pulled me down on the couch and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "How are things between you and Mallory?"

I sighed. Bad. I hadn't heard anything from her since Friday so she probably was pissed as well. Not that I cared, I meant what I'd said. "The same. But I don't want to talk about her. You still feeling okay?"

"Yeah, well, my muscles ache, but it's fine. It's still early."

As I looked up at him, his eyes narrowed slightly, looking sad while a flash of despair filled them for a second. "What's wrong?"

He looked away before settling his gaze back on me. "Your eyes... they're the slightest bit orange again. I had really hoped I wouldn't see anything different about them. This makes me even more reluctant to leave you alone tonight."

"I'll be fine, Rayne. I can handle whatever happens. I promise," I tried to reassure him.

He nodded, but I knew he didn't believe me. "So, you don't feel any different than any other day or something?" he asked after a while.

"No, everything's fine."

Like last month, I took over some of the chores. I made him lunch at twelve, prepared something easy for tonight and washed the dishes afterwards. When he slept for an hour, I sneaked up the stairs to get his jeans. I hadn't seen it anywhere and he would be too stubborn to let me go upstairs when he woke up. Rayne woke up just after I put his jeans on the kitchen table and walked into the living room.

"Hey, you wanna lie with me for a while? It won't be possible if you wait much longer."

I smiled and nodded, then carefully crawled on top of him. "Tell me when to go."

He wrapped his arm around my back, kissed my hair and smiled as he closed eyes. "Sure."

One and a half hour later, Rayne's inhalations shortened and his brow furrowed, so I left him alone on the couch and made homework in the kitchen. He grew miserable quite fast and got off the couch only once, heading for the stairs while murmuring irritated under his breath. Just before he disappeared his gaze settled on the table and he frowned and came over, resting his hands on the table. "You grabbed my jeans?"

"Yeah, I figured you'd forgotten about it when I didn't see it anywhere."

He smiled. "Thanks." When he stepped back and swayed, he grabbed the table again and mumbled, "I should lay down again."