Shadow

PROLOGUE

-Denice's pov-

Dear Kayleigh,

It's been 60 days which means 60 letters straight and their is still no sign of you. Any of you. I don't know where you can be or if you're still alive and if you are you're pretty good at hiding it. You're email still works so you must be alive, although you're cell number is disconnected even the others. I remember first dialling you're number on day 4 and it went straight to voicemail and the following days after that same thing over and over until day 23 it was disconnected. I guess you really did take my words seriously when I told you that night to go and never come back but I'm thankful you did. I'm not sure if you're even getting any of these emails as they go through or even reading them and if you are please contact back. At least let me know you're well. All of you. I'm sorry we let that night happen but we all felt so sure it was going to be okay and turn out the way it's suppose too. I'm sorry again for the pressure we caused because you lost something very close to you all because of me and him. So today will be the last day I'll type an email out to you, today will be the day I let you all go, and today will be the day I set you all free. I love you all and I hope you're okay. If not, I'm desperately sorry.

Always, Denice.

I sent the email leaning back in my chair and shut my computer off. I had no emotions in this moment but I do feel the weight lift off my shoulders. I look out the window and see the clear blue sky, the morning sun brightly shining through the curtains and full forest with green leaves that fill them entirely, it was pure bliss. A knock took me out of my thoughts as I welcomed in whoever was on the other side when Rosette walked in. "Sorry to disturb you Ms. Hastings but breakfast is served in the dining room." She smiled. I thank her and exit the study to go downstairs when I see Carter already eating. "You couldn't wait for me?" I asked taking a seat beside him as he ate his omelette while multitasking on his phone. He didn't say anything to me so I ate in silence looking anywhere but at him. My relationship with Carter did change ever since that night 2 months ago that's probably because I snapped his neck but he was only unconscious for a while. I did it to save our friends which he doesn't see he just thinks I did it to try and kill him. When I was done eating I gather our plates because he wasn't touching it and went walking towards the kitchen when he finally spoke up. "I wasn't done eating," he shouts out behind me. I turn back to look at him and see him lift up his hands shaking his head at me when I walked back and slid the dish across the table which he quickly grabbed before it fell over. "What's you're problem?" He fires. This is where another argument will start up again. "My problem Carter? What about yours, I did nothing wrong towards you and you're acting so childish and so distantly," I argue back. I put the plate down that I was holding on the table and put my hands on my hips and stared back at the cold hearted man I supposedly love. "I'm not the one who tried to kill the person I love. You did it out of hate because you were jealous that I became the hybrid and it wasn't you," he yells as he stood up and threw the plate full force out of anger making it fly across the room towards the wall as it shattered. I flinched at his outburst but stood my ground. This is just another out burst of his that I managed to handle over the months. But fighting with him didn't help the situation it just made things worst for each other. I don't even sleep in the same bed as him, we just walk past each other in the hallways of our own home.

Me and Carter ended up getting our own place outside the town of River Valley shortly after the accident, Carter needed his own space away from the community because he was on the hunt to kill anything with a heartbeat. His hunger was out of control as he had to balance a wolf and vampire diet. He had a bunch of dislikes though and had episodes of blacking out and waking up not knowing what he did. His senses were better than mine or any other supernatural being out in this world, he was the first hybrid ever to exist in humanity. "Are you serious? It was never going to work for me. I would never try to kill you out of hate. If anything, I'm only trying to help you here. I'm the only one here," I scream. I rub my hands through my hair and felt the anger built within me. He was so damn annoying and stupid I couldn't believe what his mind thinks and yet here I am willing to help him get better. "I never asked you too Denice. If you don't want to be here you know where the door is." Than he walks away leaving me in hurt. That afternoon I called Shay and told her about our fight and cried so hard because I was starting to think I'll never get Carter back. The one I fell for and did almost anything to make sure he was happy. As much as I wanted to hear what his thoughts were he closed me off I just couldn't tear that wall down and I was done trying too. Rosette walked into the room I was staying in and put my bags on the bed as I went to gather my belongings out of the dresser. "Honey, don't let this argument end things between you, I know how hard he can be but I'm here to help you. You're not alone, I'm here with you." She whispers quietly as she stood by the door with her hands in front of her. I smiled at her and thanked her for her kindness she was such an amazing lady and I'm glad Carter found her to help us out. She's been in our lives for over a month and I've gotten so close to her she reminds me of my mom. "Rosette, I'm so lucky to have you here with me this summer. Thank you but this is between me and Carter, maybe what we did was a mistake and we can't take it back," I admit fighting the urge of crying. I tried my best to do what I can to help Carter in every way, having his father go search for his brother and never returning his calls must be devastating so I'm guessing that's why Carter takes his frustration and anger on me. He probably blames me for all this because his father disowned him all because of me. Rosette left me in my room after she helped me packed the rest of my things and took my bags downstairs to the door it was about time I go back to my own family if Carter doesn't want me here anymore. I didn't see him since this morning so I'm guessing he's gone for a run. I dismissed Rosette and told her to head home as we shared our farewell. Tears were spilled of coarse but I had to be strong. I was going home. Closing the trunk I look back at our home and take one last glimpse of our first home together and remember the years of pure happiness with Carter.

"You're actually leaving me?" His voice cracks behinds me suddenly making me jump as I turned around to face him and see he was only in jeans. Which means he just shifted because there was sweat dripping from his forehead. His stubble on his face was noticeable, his hair shaggy you can easily tell he let himself go but his body was ripped with pure muscle. His eyes lighter than before and height taller as well. Being a hybrid did change him in ways I never expected. "Carter you told me too," I whisper. Next thing I know he was face to face with me as he used his vamp speed to stand close to me. His hands were cuffing my face and for the first time in 2 months he was being affectionate towards me and standing so close I can smell his scent. I missed this. I closed my eyes and moaned at his touch it felt like sparks all over my body and I wondered if he felt them too. "I would never want you to leave me in this situation or any other. I'm sorry for being a coward. For being so distant, I was just scared I'd hurt you." He says as I look into his eyes and see his pupils dilate. My eyes watered of how much I missed this, it was too long I felt hopeless and right now I'm being emotional as ever. "Carter-" I was trying to say something but he cut off me by putting his finger over my lips. "It's going to be okay my love, I have you and that's all I ever need in this moment." Than he crashed his lips onto mine. He pulled me close into his bare chest as my hands held onto his biceps and heard his heartbeat beating loudly like mine. He picked me up in one motion and next thing I know he laid me flatly on the bed in the spare room. I giggled at the suddenness. "I'll never get over the speed of vampirism." He laughs against my skin. He teared open my shirt and I let him take control of leading us into an intense moment we both missed.

That night we were still laying in bed tangled in the sheets as he ran his finger tips against my bare back with my arms holding him in my brace. I didn't have to say anything and neither did he it was a moment of perfect silence and it wasn't awkward. I missed this. I missed him, I missed us. "I love you." He says breaking the silence. "I know that night you did what you did to save my brother and our friends and if you didn't do what you did I could've killed them," he admits kissing my head. I look up at him and kiss his lips and say "we don't have to talk about it," but he shook his head. "I want too, I need to discuss it because I've held it in too long and I did stuff to hurt you. To hurt us. Everyone." He explains. He took a deep breath beneath me and continued to draw imaginary lines along my back and shoulder. "I didn't think what we wanted the most in life would cause pain among our friends and let them lose things that are important to them. Kayleigh losing her magic because she didn't balance with nature and it was dark magic she did, my brother losing his immortal status and being human, and my father disowning me. I can't go back to Wolf Springs, I'll just end up hurting people and what if I have a black out moment again and I hurt someone close to us? My father doesn't want me around," he added. I can hear it in his voice how hurt he is and how regretful it sounds at this moment I didn't know what to say. He was building this all up and now that he let me in I can feel the regret within him. "We will figure this out together, we will live it day by day until our hearts stop beating okay?" I asked when he nodded his head and kissed me for a moment. Out of nowhere we hear a distant ringing when Carter sits up and so do I. It was on going but we heard it. "Is that you're phone?" I asked Carter. It was weird for his phone to ring because nobody ever called him and sadly to say each time he called out to people they blocked his number. Well his dad did so Carter only has me as of right now. I wrap the bed sheet around me tightly when Carter got off the bed in his vampirism speed and ran out the door with me behind him and next thing you know we were standing in the living room of our house with his phone still ringing in his hand. I didn't care that Carter was naked in front of me but I nodded my head for him to answer it which the call was blocked. He took a deep breath and put the call on speaker as we listened to whoever was on the other end. "Hello," said Carter.

In that moment no one knew who was going to be on the other end, we least expected for it happen but it gave us hope and all our worries went away.

"Carter, it's Wren. I'm okay."