Episode.3
1261 Words
^CHARLOTTE^
I woke up to chaos.
Not the normal, everyday kind of chaos—full-blown, ‘why am I even awake right now’ kind of chaos.
First, I was jolted out of sleep by the blaring sound of Sarah's hairdryer, which she was using at six in the morning. Who the hell wakes up this early?
Second, I realized I’d only gotten three hours of sleep. I had spent most of the night running through the woods, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled in my chest ever since Dad dropped the bombshell about me leaving.
Spoiler alert: the run didn’t help.
And third?
As I was rubbing the sleep from my eyes, still tangled in my blankets, my bedroom door slammed open.
“Wake up, princess,” Kade’s voice echoed through the room, way too smug for this ungodly hour.
I shot up instantly.
“What the hell are you doing in my room?” I snapped, grabbing the nearest pillow and hurling it at his face.
He dodged it effortlessly, annoyingly entertained by my rage.
“Asher sent me to wake you up. We leave in a few hours.”
I groaned, flopping back onto my pillow. This wasn’t happening.
I refused.
I was not getting on that plane.
^^A few moments later^^
The words were barely out of my mouth before my dad sighed so heavily, you’d think I’d just told him I was running away to join a circus.
“Charlotte.” His voice was firm. Warning.
I didn’t care.
“No,” I repeated, sitting up and rubbing my temples. “I’m not getting on that plane.”
Dad set down his coffee mug with a thud, already losing patience. “Must you always be so difficult?”
“We both know where I get it from,” I shot back. “And it’s sure as hell not Mom.”
Mom—Krina—chose that exact moment to walk in.
“That’s true,” she added, smirking.
Dad glared at her. “Must you always gang up on me?”
“Only when you’re being unreasonable, Edward.”
I smiled triumphantly. Mom had my back, as always.
The real problem?
I wasn’t getting on that damn plane.
There were two very important reasons for this. One, Planes scared the absolute hell out of me. I had been on a plane three times in my life, and every time, I spent the whole flight convinced we were going to drop from the sky in a fiery explosion. It wasn’t even the crashing that scared me—it was the fact that if something happened, there was nowhere to run. You couldn’t shift in the middle of the clouds. In a car? You could stop, get out, and run. In a plane? You were trapped.
And secondly? I needed an escape route. I wasn’t about to be stranded at Castle Draven for two months with no way to leave. If things got bad, I needed to be able to get in a car and drive away. No waiting for permission. No needing a ride. Just me, the open road, and my freedom.
As if going through my mind, Mom turned to Dad, her expression firm.
“She’s willing to go even though she doesn’t want to. All she’s asking is to drive instead of fly.”
Dad sighed deeply.
Mind-linking.
His eyes glazed over, and I knew he and Mom were having a silent conversation in their heads.
After a minute, his expression changed from frustration to surprise.
Then—disgusting, lustful amusement.
Oh, hell no.
I immediately shut down my mind-link so I wouldn’t accidentally overhear whatever gross thing my parents were saying to each other.
Finally, Dad let out a long breath. “Fine. You’ll take Asher’s Tahoe. Your car’s too small for all your luggage.”
I beamed, victorious.
“Thank you, Daddy!” I ran up and hugged him tight.
His annoyance melted, and he kissed the top of my head. “You’re impossible.”
Mom sniffled. Oh no.
Tears.
I couldn’t handle tears.
“I’m going to miss you so much, baby,” she choked out, pulling me into a hug.
Dad, my hero, intervened immediately.
“Go,” he mouthed at me over Mom’s shoulder.
I bolted up the stairs. How then would it be like when these folks are marrying me off. I rolled my eyes back into my head at the thought of it.
I knocked on Asher and Lily’s door.
Lily was doing her eyeliner in the mirror, perfect as always. She saw me and smiled.
Asher was sprawled out on their bed, arms crossed behind his head.
“You convinced Dad to let us drive?” he asked. More like in disbelief.
I flopped onto the bed beside him. “Actually, that was Mom. And I don’t want to know how.”
Asher made a disgusted face.
Lily laughed.
“We’re leaving as soon as Kade gets here,” Asher added.
I groaned. “Why does he even need to come?”
“He knows pack politics,” Asher said. “He’s helping me with that side of things.”
“I have an idea,” I smirked. “He flies. We drive.”
“Nice try.”
I groaned louder.
Lily grinned. “Don’t worry. I’m in charge of the radio.”
Asher groaned this time.
I smirked. “At least the music will be good.”
I was dragging my bags downstairs when I heard Kade’s voice. Again.
“I’m here! You can all stop crying tears of joy.”
God, why.
Sarah sprinted down the stairs, way too excited to see him.
I, however, took my time, dropping my luggage near the front door.
Kade smirked when he saw me. “Ready, Char?”
I snarled.
“Are you, jackass? You’re riding with the luggage.”
He threw his head back and laughed.
“You’re adorable when you’re mad.”
“You’re annoying when you breathe.”
Asher walked in. “We’re leaving now.”
I turned to my family.
I was really leaving.
My chest tightened.
Williams pulled me into a hug first. “I’ll miss you, kid.”
Dad hugged me next, squeezing me tight. “I love you, baby girl. Thank you for doing this.”
Then… Mom.
She threw herself at me, sobbing.
I awkwardly patted her back. Mumbling sweet nothings to her. I didn’t hace it in me not to cry when being hugged, so I shut my eyes tight hoping mom doesn’t crush my ribs.
Dad stepped in—again—to rescue me.
“Call me every day,” she sniffled.
“I will.” My voice came out more hoarse than I intended. s**t.
And just like that…
I was out the door.
^^^THE DRIVE^^^
Asher drove. Lily was in the passenger seat. Like the princess-witch- she was.
I opened the back door to find Kade already seated there, smirking.
“No,” I hissed, taking in a deep breath trying not to explode. “Kade, No!”.
“Yes,” he replied with a shrug.
I turned to Asher. “He sits up front. I sit with Lily.”
“Nope,” Lily argued back. “I’m in charge of the radio. Remember?”
I turned back to Kade, glaring. “Cross the middle seat, and I’ll make sure you never reproduce.”
He grinned. “You’re so feisty. I love it.”
I rolled my eyes.
Of course he does.
- Writer
