Eternally Hers

Part Twenty Four

Arabelle Warren

The next morning, I woke up much earlier than usual. I watched the sun rise from between our closed curtains, a shred of light peeking into our room. Lola had trotted over to the sunlit area on the foot of the bed and curled up, enjoying the warmth.

​I, on the other hand, remained in my position, my back to Saoirse, waiting for Dot and Jamie to enter the house so Jamie and I could put our plan in action.

​At nine, two hours I had woken up, I heard the front door open. Saoirse stirred from beside me – she normally woke up around eight, but the girls had stayed over late last night and she didn't end up sleeping until well after midnight.

​I pretended to wake up and groaned falsely, alerting Saoirse that I was awake. She let out a muffled moan in response. I sat up, stretching, and I saw she was looking at me with a sleepy smile on her face.

​"Good morning," she smiled.

​Show time.

​"Hi, Saoirse," I sighed, slipping out of bed and into the closet, shutting the door behind me. I could hear her shuffling around while I changed into comfortable clothing. If I was going to kill Valentina today, I surely wasn't going to wear jeans.

​When I stepped back out after doing my morning routine, Saoirse was sitting up in bed, an amused smile stretched across her face. "Did I cheat on you again in your dream last night?"

​I opened our bedroom door, replying with a sharp, "No."

​Tessa, Dot, and Jamie were seated in their usual spots around the island. Jamie was watching me, her peculiar eyes taking in my movements. She was waiting for a sign.

​I waited for Saoirse to enter the room before I grabbed my bag off the dining room table, saying, "I'm going out."

​Both Tess and Saoirse looked at me, their expressions displeased. "What do you mean you're going out?" My mate said with a frown. "Let me grab my bag and I'll come."

​"You know what, I think I'll just go for a run," I replied back, placing my bag back on the table. I looked at Jamie briefly, and she was seated on the island beside Dot, still waiting.

​"A run?" Saoirse's frown deepened. "That's dangerous, Arabelle. It's one thing to go into town but it's another to go into the forest."

​"I need some space." I made my tone sharper than it had to be, and my chest squeezed with guilt when a look of hurt fluttered across my mate's face.

​"It's not safe, Ari," she said softly after recollecting herself.

​"I don't care!" I shot back, pushing down my guilt. "You're on my ass constantly, Saoirse. If it's not you, it's Theresa, or Dot watching me however the hell she does it. I can't breathe!"

​"And I can't let you go out alone." She folded her arms over her chest. "I'm not going to have you die just because you need some space. Go relax in our bedroom. Sit on the back porch. You don't have to go into the forest."

​"I'm going whether or not you want me to," I growled at her, ignoring Tessa's scolding expression. "I need to run it off."

​"Arabelle-"

​"I'll go with her," Jamie offered, and Saoirse didn't even bother glancing at my friend, her eyes trained on me, frown deeply set into her features.

​"Saoirse, relax," Jamie mediated, pushing herself off the island. "She won't be alone. I could use a run too."

​"The forest is not safe," the Vampire sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose now.