Unchained

Chapter 2

The first night for Scarlett was tough beyond belief. Terrible nightmares of her past came flashing before her eyes. She slept little, hardly able to bring herself to close her eyes. Jax came running every time she woke up screaming. At first, he thought she was being attacked—then he realized, it was her mind attacking her. He did his best to comfort her but he struggled with comforting anyone. He just sat there, in silence, on the other side of the bed as Scarlett wept until she fell asleep or asked him to leave her.

Soon days turned into weeks. Scarlett was slowly healing, rebuilding her strength back in her injured leg. As time went on, she grew more comfortable around Jax. Not only did he have one sister, but two. He was the middle child in the family, different from Scarlett being the only child. Scarlett had no family outside of her mother, and when she died, it left her with no one.

Jax's parents hadn't come back since the other week, leaving the pair alone. Scarlett had the split removed two days ago. They misjudged the injury, seeing it was only sprained in multiple places rather than a break. Jax had also finished healing the week before.

❧

Jax set the plate down in front of Scarlett. He had made breakfast for the both of them, seeing as Scarlett had no knowledge of cooking. "T-Thank you.." Her stutter hadn't dropped off as he thought it would, still it didn't bother him. She smiled at him softly, waiting. Jax looked up from his plate, frowning. "You can eat," he pointed his fork at her eggs. Scarlett fiddled with her hands in her lap, staring at her plate.

He sighed. "Are you okay?" For a brief few seconds, she didn't say anything. "I-I'm sorry. It's.. not you. I'm s-still trying.. to forget rules I was given." Scarlett apologized, biting her lip out of nerves. "Do you want to talk about them?" He asked her, stabbing his fork into a piece of egg. "I promise, I'll listen." She shifted her gaze from the plate of food to Jax's face. With a simple nod, she was interrupted by a greeting.

"Did you make breakfast?" Jax's older sister, Maya, set her jacket on the chair next to Jax. "I did. Help yourself." Maya nodded to Scarlett in a greeting as well. Although Maya wasn't necessarily approving of the idea of freeing Scarlett at first, she's growing to accept it day by day. However, it didn't mean Scarlett and her were on speaking terms. In fact, Scarlett was lucky enough to even get a nod.

Scarlett gave Maya a gentle smile, refusing to speak around her. Closing her mouth, she simply let her food grow cold on her plate. "You need to eat," Jax spoke, pulling out the chair beside him for Maya to sit in. Scarlett only shook her head, pushing the plate forward, away from herself. Jax set his fork down. "Is it because of Maya?" Again, she shook her head.
"Scarlett."
"Let her go, Jax. It's okay if we.. don't feel comfortable around each other  yet."
"You don't feel comfortable around her? She won't eat or speak around you." Jax turned his eyes to Maya, staring at her. Maya frowned, lowering her head. "I don't want her to not.." "Well, she is. I don't think you get that. Look at her," he gestured to Scarlett across the table. Her body was crunched inward, shoulders especially, and hands sitting in her lap still. Her eyes were cast downwards towards her feet, unable to look at either of them.

Maya gave an apologetic look, pushing her bangs from her eyes. "Scarlett, it's okay. You can eat, speak—who am I to tell you that you can't?" Scarlett slowly lifted her head, eyes wavering. "Y-You... have every r-right too. You're a pureblood and.. I-I'm not." Silence filled the room. Finally, Jax spoke. "Maya. I think... think you should go. Stop by later, alright? It's—" But, Jax was cut off by his sister. "No, I understand. I'll come back at another time. Take care of her." With those words, she left through the kitchen's back exit, leaving her jacket on the chair.
"She forgot.."
"It's alright, I'll give it to her later. Do you want your food heated up?"
"Y-yes, please."
"Now do you want to talk about the rules?"
Scarlett nodded. Her eyes followed Jax's movements as he heated up her food, the reached into the refrigerator to grab a blood bag. "Y-You don't.. want it fresh?" "I already said I'm not drinking from you." "B-but.. when.. when was the last time you h-had blood?" Jax set the now re-heated plate of food in front of her again. "About two months or so ago." He responded casually. It was unusual for any vampire to go longer than a than two weeks without blood. It was even rarer for over a month—practically unheard of if past that.