The Wolf, The Bird and The Siren

ONE

21st century. Present

Ava

I really need to get the hell out of here before anyone sees me, especially Noah. It is way past midnight and I know he will be pissed if he realizes I am leaving. Thankfully my bedroom is the only room in the whole building allowed to keep a window open at night, I guess a clinical case of claustrophobia has its perks at times. I open the door of the small closet and reach down for my single pair of good running shoes when I hear the door slam open.

“Ava!?” 

Shit. I freeze in place and clench my eyes tight as if that would somehow stop him from seeing me. I open my eyes gradually and stand up, shoes on hand. He looks at me furiously and the stench coming from him is disgusting. 

“Oh my God Noah what’s that smell?” I cover my nose and try to get around him, but he blocks me right away, swaying slightly.

“I c-can ask you the sssame thing Ava”. He slurs his words in between clenched teeth and the smell of alcohol hits my nostrils instantly. Worse than the liquor is the anger directed at me for the first time since I have known him. I take a step back, my body trapped between my best friend and a closet door. I look down at my feet instead of him.

“What do you mean?” it comes out like a whisper. I know exactly what he meant. 

He punches the closet door, missing my face by inches and making me wince. He wasn’t trying to hit me, I know he would never hurt me, yet suddenly I am afraid of someone I never thought would make me feel that way.  

“I could no--not trace y-you-you Ava! You are sss-soaked in his fishy scent!” He is standing so close to me that his body heat warms my skin, but it's not how I imagined it. Can he not see he is making me tremble? 

My shaky voice matches my body “I-I think maybe we should talk about this tomorrow when you are not drunk.” 

He scrunches his eyes suspiciously and for the first time looks at my bag, which had been laying by my feet. His eyes trail back to my one hand, which holds my shoes so tightly that my knuckles throb in protest.

“W-why? So you could be-be g-gone with him?!” He growls and I try to get away again, but this time he lifts his other hand, caging me against the door. I am practically inside the closet and I can’t stop shaking as my heart starts to pound.

“Noah, please move...you are doing it again. I can’t breathe” I finally look at him, pleading with my eyes. He softens and the haze of anger in his eyes begins to lessen. He lowers both hands and takes a step back, I take a deep breath and reach for my bag. 

“Ch-chickadee…it’s my b-birthday. I waited for, waited for you guys a-all night. Everyone was there, but my own sister wasn’t there or Emi…especially you! You! Were you really with him all-all day? I waited f-for you.” 

I don’t have to look at him to know he is hurt. I can hear it, hell I can almost touch it. I am the worst friend, but how can I explain that I think I am in love with Cleis. 

“Ava…A-AVA! Are you going to even l-look at me?!” His tone turns dark again and I meet his gaze. 

“I am sorry Noah. I will make it up to you I promise. But now I have to go.” I try to move past him, but he is faster and definitely stronger.

“GO? Where? You c-can’t leave Ava.” He grabs me from the shoulders and I am not sure if he is trying to give me an order or plead.

“Noah let me go!” I push him with all my strength and he stumbles backward, tripping on a pair of slippers and falling butt down. I hesitate when I see his shocked face, but I look away and continue forward, making my body leave him and head to the door.

“Ava! You-you are m-mine! MINE!”

I immediately stop. What did he just say? I stand at the doorway of my room and turn around one inch at a time, afraid to face the truth of something that I always wanted. “What did you say?” I ask, my eyes wide and my breath caught in my throat.

Already on his feet, his body attempts to stays still, a predator's stance. Only his mouth moves when he growls “MINE.” Eyes go from human to wolf and back. 

I suck my breath. No no no!! This was my dream. Me and Noah. Now it’s a stupid nightmare.  

“No! Noah I am not your mate!” I begin to back away but he grabs me again and pulls me back into the room, slamming the door shut. He leaves us in darkness as the hallway does not lend its light any longer. 

“Yes! yes y-you are. I--I have been trying to tell, to t-tell you for three months Ava.” His hand lets go of my arm and slides upward, gliding through my shoulder toward my neck and then to my face, cupping my cheek carefully but swaying forward. 

I scrunch my eyebrows, my head running one hundred miles an hour. He knew for months?! But he still spent his days with everyone but me in ways I fight to forget. I swallow hard,  it doesn't matter that he knew, he chose to have every girl in the neighborhood take a trip to his pants and leave me clueless. I search his eyes for an answer, “What? But you just turned 18 today?” I ask, hoping for an explanation even though I shouldn't care. 

“I felt it… I was nine mmm ninety-nine p-percent su-sure. And I was right.” He slides his hand along my cheek and then down to my chin. He begins to trace my lips with the tip of his finger and for a second I forget the stink and all the girls he might have done this to. Instead, I try to remember what that dream was all about. 

“Wait...but…” It's pointless. Images of him making out with half of the girls at school and at the group home flash through my head like a cheap movie, and that is only what I could see. I swat his hand away from my face and glare at him. 

“You were almost sure?! But just two days ago I found you with one of the witches in the girls shower!” I raise my voice, uncaring of the obvious jealous-anger that invades my face. For the first time in this whole charade, he seems actually apologetic. But it only lasts for half a second before returning to pure exasperation, his chin tightening and his eyes blazing with dark fire.

“I thhh-thought you were too b-busy with your new boy-boyfriend to notice any of-fff that” he tries to raise his eyebrow smugly and defiantly as he sways once more. I scoff loudly and raise my chin before speaking.

“I am leaving with Cleis. I can’t stand to stay here any longer” I take a step back, trying to reach the door to make my exit. His face changes from smug back to anger right at the mention of Cleis' name. I am already regretting saying it. I wish Jada was here to help me with this.  

He growls, his chest rumbling and his eyes going to full wolf. “No-nnnoo!! y-you are not l-leaving with him! I-I t-told you I don’t trrrr-trust him and--”

“So!?? I have never trusted or liked half of the girls you strut around with! Leave me alone Noah, you won’t stop me from dating someone this time” I cover my face with both of my hands, trying to hold in the tears from drowning both of us. I can't believe I am saying this. I can't believe I just told him to leave me alone. 

“NO! Y-you b-belong to me! Y-you are MINE!!” he barks the words and grabs my arms, pulling them off my face and making me look at him. His face begins to contort, reshaping and reforming from human to wolf in a slow pained expression.

“Noah stop it! You are going to get into so much trouble with Ms. Davidson please just go to bed” I pull my hands away from his grasp and wait for a response, or even an acknowledgement. But my words only half-register because he seems to be fighting internally with his wolf. The alcohol and the fact that he has probably only shifted once is not helping at all.

“Noah... stop it. I believe you okay...I just don’t see you that way...anymore” My stupid voice breaks and it betrays my made-up strong front and my lie. Is it a lie or is it true? I don't know for sure.

“Any-anymore? Since www-when? Ohh-n--noo since he sh-showed up!!?” his predatory expression crawls over my skin, making my heart beat at a frantic rhythm and my palms sweat with the undeniable need to flee him. I jerk away from him, but before I can run he clasps my shoulders once more and lifts me up effortlessly. 

“Noah stop it let me go!” I squirm and kick, but it's pointless. I fight his hold on me as he moves, stumbling from the entryway of the room back towards the far end. I try to move, to push him over again, but his hands hold down my arms, immobilizing them at my sides. I look over my shoulder as we approach the closet. Wait!! Why is he taking me to the closet? 

“Noah!! NO NO! Noah I can’t take it in there Noah!” I scream to the top of my lungs, my voice a screech. I kick and fight but his strength beats me. He ignores my pleading and practically throws me into the tiny closet, slamming the door shut with me inside.

“NOAH!! Let me out!” I scream and pound the door. My head touches the back of the wall and the closet door is inches from my face. I desperately fight with the doorknob but he is blocking the door. 

“NOAH!! I can’t breathe in here Noah!!!” my heart races again and I can feel that choking sensation about to take over. I am losing control. I am losing control.

“No! You--you are staying h-here!!” I hear his muffled voice through the door, a growl holding a promise.

My breath becomes ragged and I feel the panic attack rising to its peak. No..no..I am not my anxiety. What did the therapist say? I need an anchor. I look around. Are the walls closing up? Why is it so dark? No! no... Stop. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. What’s my anchor?? I can’t think of it.

“Noah…” the strangled word is soundless. In desperation I search for the song my mother had taught me before she died. The words are barely a whisper.  

Why, my soul, are you helpless? Why so confused within me? Put your hope in the heavens, find rest in the selfless beauty of the night’s wind. May there be peace within the walls of the once restless mournful heart…

I feel my pulse steady at the calming sensation my mother's song brings, but I am still afraid to open my eyes. 

“Mr. Hayes! What is all this noise and why are you in the girls segment?” I hear the familiar voice through the door and the growl that follows in answer.

“Ms. Da-davidson A-ava wants to-to leave--” Noah's slurred words give him away on the spot, his anger shadowed by intoxication. 

“Mr. Hayes are you drunk??” Ms. Davidson's words raise to a high pitch that can be heard probably a mile away.

“That’s n--not the p--point---"

“No Mr. Hayes, underage drinking is exactly the point. Where is Ms. Volkov?” When she mentions me, my brain unparalizes the remainder of my frozen muscles, reminding me I am stuck in here.  I open my eyes and frantically pound on the closet door. “Ms. Davidson?? Let me out! Please!”

I hear a sharp reprimand and the door opens instantly. I see Ms. Davidson’s surprised face but I push past and dash out of the closet desperately to the open window. I take deep breaths as the starry night provides me with a comforting breeze that strokes my face. 

“Mr. Hayes! You have a lot of explaining to do. I am sure you are well aware of Ms. Volkov’s needs and you have broken many rules tonight. Let’s go.” Her sharp voice turns from a high pitch to a low warning, her rank showing immediately. 

“Needs?? Oh wait... No! I forgot, Ava! I didn’t mean it that way! Chickadee look at me” With his growl gone, his words reveal the desperation of his actions, making it harder to be angry with him. But I cannot let him get to me, not again. I turn around and give Noah my most clear ‘I am not forgiving you for this' look. He gets it. He knows all my looks.

“Are you alright Ms. Volkov?” I follow Ms. Davidson's apologetic voice and her face looks stern, she holds Noah upright with a strong arm. I avoid looking at Noah again as I feel his eyes pierce through me. I nod at her and she smiles faintly. 

“If that’s the case I will speak with you tomorrow about this. And no more singing out loud please. I can feel it through the air. You know the rules.” She waves her free finger and purses her lips in disapproval. 

“Sorry I won’t” I mutter the words, hurt to be prohibited from using my only super-lame gift or super-girly power as Jada calls it, even when something like this happens. 

“Good night Ms. Volkov. Mr. Hayes let's go.” She turns to the door and drags Noah out of my room. I refuse to look at him again, half of my heart begging to do it.

“No-no- she is t-trying to-to--”

“ENOUGH!” Her command is sharp and Noah can do nothing but comply. Ms. Davidson is not only the director of the group home but also an Alpha wolf. She drags him out and as soon as she closes the door I look frantically for my phone. When I find it inside the stupid closet I pick it up and stare at the screen.

Crap five missed calls. 

I call the number back and listen to the ringing as I gather my stuff. 

“Ava?” A smooth voice answers and I feel better immediately.

“Cleis. I am so late! I’m sorry! I had an issue with umm--” I really don't want to say it. 

“Was it Noah again?” His voice is still calm, always steady and composed, but the edge of menace is obvious. 

“Oh I’m fine. Nothing major” I lie. I really don’t want Noah getting hurt. 

“I hope so.” His words help me exhale and I let go of a lump of breath I wasn't aware I was holding. 

“Yes. Don’t worry. I am on my way now” I try to sound sure of myself, because part of me dreads leaving Noah behind. But I have to. 

“See you soon my Little Star. I miss you.” His voice drowns my worries and I smile like an i***t. 

“I miss you too.” I murmur before hanging up.