Rejected but Regretted

11 years earlier......... "Rouge, I found you shift and put your hands behind your head!" I scream crouched down, and upper lip curled. "Make me mut," Sébastien yells back I shreak and go for the attack. But Séb is too quick diving left while I go right. I end up knocking into the coffee table in the center of the living room while Séb crashes into the couch. The picture frame with our family's latest family portrait sitting on the coffee table shakes from the impact of my body hitting it. Before either one of us can save it, the frame crashes to the floor with a horrific crack. Mom comes running in from the kitchen. " You rascals, I told you not to pay rough inside. Be careful of the glass and just scoot your hineys outside. I will call you in for lunch when it is ready." Mom says with a mock look of anger, but I can tell she is hiding her smile. "Okay, sorry, mom." Séb says as he gets off the couch and careful moves around the glass. Mom gives him a huge smooch to his cheek as he tries to squeeze away. I start to giggle from the look of ick on his face. I get up from the ground, careful of the glass. and walk towards mom. I give her a huge hug. "I am really sorry about the picture." I say she hugs me tight and kisses my head. "I know, sweetie." She says. She sends me off with my brother through the kitchen and outside to the backyard. But before we leave the house, she says, "Don't past the lake and no swimming unsupervised." "Yes Ma'am" we holler back in unison and take off running to the woods. "Race you to the fort," Séb yells as he takes off at full speed. " It's a Fairy House, and you know it," I yell at him as I pump my arms and legs as fast as I can, trying to catch up. The fariy house is a sideways tree still growing near the lake. It's branches and leaves drape perfectly to give shelter and keep out of sight. The tree is just 100 feet from the lake. At night, fireflies light up parts of the tree and lake, making it truly magical. Sébastien gets there first, and when I reach our spot, panting, he has climbed up its trunk and is lying sprawled out across the tree, smiling. "You are too slow, Winn," he says. I stick my tongue at him and then go into my fairy house to play. Sébastien moans " I don't want to play fairies let's be warriors." "Nope, I am playing fairies. You can play warriors though. Or you can play fairies with me." I say Sébastien finally agrees to play fairies with me. But he says "I am not being a dumb fairy." I giggle .Okay, I am a healing fairy making potions, and you can be my ogre who collects my ingredients." "Ugh" he moans "I need a special mushroom for my love potion." I say So Séb goes to get some. The best spots to find them are growing in an old tree close to the fairy house. Séb starts to climb the tree, but right when he is almost to the top, the branch holding his left foot breaks. Séb comes crashing down. I jump up hearing him scream, I run out of the fort to him, screaming. Séb is on the ground, blood coming from a big gash on his head. He is covered in scratches and bruises. And his ankle is at a weird angle. I am freaking out yelling at Seb to open his eyes, but he is just sleeping. I can hear his heart. I know that is good. But I am so scared. Mom can't hear me, and Seb won't wake up. As I cry, I lay my head on Sebs's chest, listening to him breathe. "Winnie, ugh. I don't want to play that game anymore." Séb says in a rough voice. As he tries to sit up. "Séb, you're okay," I say, still crying with snot stuffing my nose. As I take a good look I him I notice that all his scratches, bruises, and cuts are gone. And his ankle looks normal again. All that is left is a tiny scar on his head where that gash was. Now, shifter healing is quick but not that fast. and seb does not have a wolf yet, so how is he okay? I open my mouth to ask when mom comes into the clearing. " Kids, what are you doing? I have been hollering to you for 5 mins now, lunch is ready, let's go." We both get up and brush ourselves off and follow mom into the house. During lunch, I tell Mom and Séb about him healing so quickly. Mom just smiles and says I must have seen those injuries just because I was so scared. And that without a wolf Sébastien would not be able to heal himself. She also tells us to be more careful. By the end of the day, I was so tired I forgot about the magic that healed Séb due to all the days' excitement.