Don't touch them.

Chapter 5

   I wake to Aspen whining and pawing at my face. I try to tell him good morning but fail miserably. It hurts just to breathe. My throat hurts like a mutherfucker. I go to sit up but fall back in the bed. My side and ribs are killing me. It hurts to move. I take a deep breath, quickly regretting it, and roll over, pushing myself up, only releasing my breath when I'm on my feet.
   Aspen pulls out a pair of black skinny jeans and a clean white t-shirt and places them in my hand. Then he grabs my boots by the laces, and my bag by the strap, and drags them behind me as I limp to the bathroom. He likes to help. It's in his nature. He's a familiar after all.
   I use cold water. My body burns but if I used water any warmer I may fall asleep standing. I grab my clothes from the sink and have to sit on the toilet lid to dress. Trying to put my shirt on is a pain, but I manage.
   Aspen pushes open the door and limps into the bathroom, setting my bag and shoes at my feet. It takes a minute, but I get my boots laced. I run a hand through my hair, and cover my eye, and I'm ready to go. I grab my bag, carefully putting it on my back. I scratch Aspens head and kiss him goodbye before leaving the bathroom. He reluctantly limps to our room, shutting the door. I noticed his back leg, which is covered in the same scars as my face, is bleeding in a spot.
   Mom is no where in sight as I leave. The walk to work takes longer than usual. My boss doesn't even notice as I limp in. I grab the carts and start to stock shelves. This also takes longer than usual. It hurts to raise my arms to the higher shelves, and bend to the low ones. By the time I'm done, school's started. But I couldn't leave early. This is my only source of income now...
   By the time I get to school, it's half way through second period Bio Med. When I walk in, Plum barely glances up, let alone stops me for a tardy note. I don't stop by my locker, but go straight to class. Everyone tries to hide their stares. The large bruises around my throat are hard not to notice. Only Sam and Anna stare openly though. The teacher doesn't ask where I was as I sit by the twins. I just put my head down on my desk. He smells AMAZING. I'm 18 today. Could we be mates? That would explain a lot actually. All shifters and vampires have mates that we find when we turn 18. But you already know that if your reading this, you werewolf AU lover.
   "What happened?" I flinch when someone touches my shoulder, but glancing up, it's just Samuel. I put my head back down. "Dain?" I just shake my head. I can feel my eyes well up with tears though. I just... I actually want him to know. To hold me. But he doesn't need my problems. That's one thing I don't know how to handle. And I don't need his help.
   Soon the bell rings. I wince as I sit up, and grab my bag to leave. By the time I'm up everyone else has rushed out of the room. Except the twins. Sam starts towards me, scowling. I take a step back but he keeps coming. I keep backing up until he has me cornered. I haven't seen him this upset before, and I don't like it.
   "Who did this?" He growls.
   "I-"
   "Don't tell me you're handling things, damnit! You wince when you talk and there are bruises around your throat!" I slouch on instinct, wrapping my arms around myself.
   "Sam..." Anna whispers. "Dain, come on. We'll go back to our place." She gently grabs my wrist, pulling me away from the angry man. He glances at me but doesn't say anything as he takes my bag and leads us from the classroom. And no one says anything as we leave school.
   It takes a full twenty minutes to reach the house. During which time Anna rambles mindlessly about dogs and animals and hunting and her Mama's reteraunt. Sam doesn't say anything and I don't try to explain. They've probably pieced enough together by now, and my throat hurts like Hell. He does, however, shift so he's holding my hand, our fingers laced together as I limp down the sidewalk, Anna walking ahead of us.
   When we reach the house, there's a few people outside. A red headed man, a red headed woman, and a man with piercings, leather, and dyed green hair. The ginger man starts towards us, probably wondering why we aren't in school. He looks from me to Sam, who still has both our bags, and back to me. I pull my hand from Sams and step to the other side of them, away from the group. I'm not a people person. A glare from Sam stops them from approaching and they just watch as we start up the stairs.
   I fall behind quickly, leaning on the rail as I climb. I have to pause a moment to wipe another tear. The last time I hurt this bad was summer, and I was mostly able to lie in bed to heal for a few days.
   The door opens just as they reach it and Heather comes out shouting. I'm only halfway up the stairs, panting, still being watched by the guys outside the building, and hidden from her sight due to the twins.
   "What are doing here?! Why aren't you in school?!" She throws her hands up in exasperation and I step back, ready to leave. I can just go home and wait it out for the weekend. It's Friday. Maybe I'll be able to move better next week.
   "Dain! Honey what happened?!" She shoves past the twins, to me. She takes my arm and helps me up, ignoring the stares and whispering I know she can hear below us. Two steps up, I stumble. The next thing I know, I'm in her arms bridal style.
   "What-" I stop abrubtly at the sudden pain from talking.
    "We're werewolves love, you weigh nothing." She says nonchalantly, then she stops. "Litteraly nothing. We need to shove a hamburger down your throat. Or maybe up your ass, your throat doesn't seem to be in great shape." She growls. I look to the twins for help but they just shrug. I can hear snorts and muffled laughter below us.