The Final Star (Book Four: The Star Series)

Chapter 3

It's been about two months since Charlie first walked me home. And every day since then he has walked me to my street. I have developed a fondness for Charlie. He makes me feel like maybe I could be happy here. And I have started wishing that we wouldn't move from here. I've developed a crush on Charlie and I can't help but hope he will stay my friend even with me being as weird as I am. When he is near I feel happy and complete. I've never experienced a feeling quite like it.

We reach the end of my street and he smiles at me. "Well, thank you for letting me walk you home." He says staring me in the eyes. And I can't hold it anymore. I have to tell him how much this means to mean. I look around and don't see anybody. "Thank you for always walking me home. It really means alot to me." I say and his eyes widen in shock that I spoke to him. He smiles and grabs my hands. He holds them between us. "It means alot to me Jade. I would walk with you anywhere." He says and as I look down at our hands connected a tear comes to my eye. He notices and takes a hand off of mine and puts in under my chin and makes me look into his eyes.

"Please Jade tell me what's wrong. Why don't you speak? Why don't you let me walk you all the way home? Is it your uncles? You can tell me. I can protect you." He says. "I can't. I'm sorry." I say shaking my head. "Please Jade. I don't want to see the tears in your eyes. I want to make you happy. Please let me help you." He pleads. "You just spending time with me helps me more than you know. I have never felt so cared for and loved for than when I'm with you." I say and at that moment Charlie leans down and kisses my lips softly.

My body erupts in tingles. I have never felt anything like it before. Then suddenly a sharp pain shoots through my arm and I'm pulled backwards. I look back and see Jared. He has grabbed me tightly by the arm and is dragging me back towards the house. "Hey." Charlie hollers at Jared. Jared turns around. "Go home kid." He growls at Charlie. I look at Charlie and nod to show him it's ok. I start to walk with Jared back towards the house and my heart is beating a hundred miles an hour. I glance back over my shoulder and I can see Charlie pacing. Please just go home. If you do or say anything else it will be so much worse for me. I think to myself. And as if I willed it Charlie turns and races into the woods.

We reach the front door and Jared flings it open and throws me down into the house. I fall to the ground and the wind escapes my lips as a foot kicks me in the side. "You stupid, little b***h. What did we tell you about talking to others. Especially a wolf. Did I not warn you?" He growls and leans down and grabs be by my hair. He yanks my head up and screams in my face. "And you are going to kiss him. You want to act like a little whore." He scream in my face and I'm struck by a fist square in my jaw. My head falls to the side and I can taste the blood in my mouth.

He still has me by the hair and starts to drag me into the living room. He throws me onto the couch. He leans down and punches me again. Then he climbs on top of me. "You want to act like a little w***e? I'll show you what happens to little whores." He says and he goes to lift up my shirt. And this had gone way to far. I lift up my head quickly and head butt him square in the face. He falls back and I jump up off of the couch. I try to reach the front door but he is quick. He is behind me in an instant. He grabs me by the hair again and throws be backwards. I land on the stairs and hit the back of my head hard.

He comes closer and I take my leg and kick it out into his knee making him fall. I turn and try to get up quickly and start to run up the stairs but he grabs my ankle and I face plant. I knock my face smack into the edge of one of the stairs. I kick my legs trying to get him to loosen his grip but he is slowly dragging my back down the stairs. And I do the one thing I said I would never do. I scream for help. I scream my heart out. "Josh! Jason! Charlie! Somebody please help me." I scream with all the air I have left in my lungs.

Then I hear loud footsteps coming down the stairs. Its Jason and Josh. They are rushing down the stairs. "What the hell is going on?" Josh yells. He sees me laying on the stairs battered and he looks up at Jared. "Stop. What are you doing?" He yells. "This little w***e thinks she can hit me. I'll teach her." He yells. The next thing I know Jason jumps over me and pulls Jared off of me. "Jared stop this. Look at here. She looks like she 's going to pass out." He says as he is pulling Jared backwards. Josh leans down and helps me to my feet. He walks me down the stairs and past Jared. We head towards the basement. I stumble unable to hold myself up much longer. Josh notices and picks me up. He carries me downstairs and sets me on my mat. "Stay down here. I'm going to lock the door from the inside. I don't know what you did but you really pissed him off this time." He says and heads back up the stairs. My head is bleeding. My eye is swelling shut and I feel like I'm about to pass out.

Before I slip off into darkness I vow to myself that no matter what, this was the last time he touches me. No matter what, I am getting out of here.