Latch (Jared Cameron)

Chapter 26

Aella Theos yawned, stretching as she woke up. Cerberus perked up, inching closer to the princess when he noted that she was awake.

Aella smiled softly, bringing her hand to the top of his middle head and rubbing behind his ears. All three heads barked, Cerberus panting in happiness.

"You are awake." A young woman entered the room, her dark hair in a bun. Her dark eyes shone with mischief as she looked over Aella, a smile forming.

"Cassie. You're still here?"

Cassie approached Aella's side, sitting next to her. "Of course. I am your stylist and best friend, after all."

Cassie was Aella's best friend. She and Aella grew up and trained together, as if they were sisters.

Aella embraced Cassie, tears filling her eyes again as she breathed in the familiar rose perfume. Cassie pulled away, grabbing Aella's hands and staring her seriously.

"Babe, what happened while you were gone? Your dad told me you came back so upset that you fell asleep right away."

Aella looked away, turning instead to Cerberus. "Go eat, boy."

The dog obliged, jumping off the bed and running into the hall, towards the kitchen. Cassie smiled as she looked after him, turning back to Aella when the door shut. "You always spoiled him."

"Yeah, well, he's my baby."

"Are you going to tell me, A?"

Aella sighed, leaning back against her pillows. "I met a guy. The perfect guy for me, someone who loved me unconditionally and made me feel in control for once."

"Jared Cameron. Your mom told me about him." Cassie encouraged Aella to keep going, the redhead rolling her eyes.

"Mom would tell you about him."

"If she didn't, who would? After all, someone didn't bother to visit."

Aella smiled at Cassie, pulling her sad eyes. "I'm sorry, C. It slipped my mind. I was pretty preoccupied."

"Yeah, yeah. Keep going."

"Well, a friend of mine became pregnant by a vampire while still being human. Right after Jared proposed, too. And Jared and his pack consider tha baby a threat, so we broke up I guess. I didn't side with them, they were trying to kill her!"

Cassie glanced down to Aella's left hand, Aella hiding it. "So, you came back?"

"I came back after I saw him with his ex at a cafe days later." Aella corrected, Cassie's eyes widening.

"Oh, A, I'm so sorry."

They embraced again, Aella pulling away first. "I'll be fine. I'm back home and have control over my powers again and soon, I'll be a goddess."

Cassie smirked, jumping up and heading to Aella's closet. "Well, why don't we make you look like the Goddess you are?"

Aella raised an eyebrow as Cassie searched through the dresses, picking a flowing blue one out. "Perfect." She muttered, motioning for Aella to stand.

"Go take a bath. Wash those beautiful strawberry blonde curls. We are going to make him grovel at his knees for you."

Aella rolled her eyes again but listened, heading to her bathroom and running the bath water. She sat next to the bath and shook her head. She was really home.

She took a long, warm bath, using her strawberry scented soap to clean every inch of her body. She scrubbed hard, as if cleaning Jared's touch off of herself.  She looked at the ring and sighed, leaving it on. She couldn't let go just yet.

Aella got out of the bath as her skin began to prune, wrapping a fluffy towel around herself and grabbing a smaller one for her dripping hair. She wrapped it up, moisturizing her body and spraying on perfume before heading out.

Cassie had already set up, Aella's vanity covered in hair and makeup products, Cassie searching through them. She turned to Aella, ushering the girl to the seat. "Okay, let's do this."

Maids came in and out as Cassie worked, bringing the girls breakfast and even more products. Cerberus even came in, laying on the bed and taking a nap.

Cassie dryed and braided Aella's hair to the right, leaving stray hairs out to frame Aella's face. Her makeup was down with blue tones, blue lining her eyes as well. Cassie then applied red lipstick to Aella's lips, making them darker than blood even.

Aella slipped the dress on and then put on gold sandals, standing as Cassie clapped in happiness. "Now we can go to Forks to get your things!" She announced, Aella laughing at her antics.

Both girls were overdressed in long dresses, Cassie's pink and simpler than Aella's.

They appeared before Jared's home, Aella sighing as she stared up at a house that harbored so many memories for her. Cassie picked up the train of her dress, rolling her eyes when Aella threw her a look.

"You're a princess." She reasoned. "I am but a servant to you."

Aella began to argue but stopped short, remembering how stubborn Cassie was. She instead entered the empty house, heading straight for Jared's bedroom.

She and Cassie collected her things, or what was left of her life there. Aella had already been there after the fight, moving many things to the Cullen home. Cassie snapped her fingers, Aella's things disappearing to the Cullen home afterwards. Aella scanned the room.

Her eyes landed on the box sitting open and empty on Jared's desk, the box that once contained Aella's ring. Her hand shook as she slowly slipped the ring off, almost dropping it when it was off. She laid it in the palm of her hand, inspecting it. Cassie watched with pity as Aella placed the ring carefully in its box, shutting it.

She then left the house, stepping out with Cassie hot on her heels.

"El.....are you okay?" Cassie asked, her eyes lingering on Aella's bare left hand. Aella sighed, shrugging.

"I don't know. I just feel numb, you know?"

Cassie stopped them from walking further, pulling Aella into her arms. "I'm sorry, A. You can always come home, you know that?"

Aella sniffled, nodding and pulling away. "Yeah, I know. But for now, I'm only staying the weekend." She wiped under her eyes. "Now, let's go home."

They teleported away, to the underworld  again. Neither one of the girls noticed the lone wolf, watching them sadly from behind a bush.