From the Ashes

Broken Picture Frames

The boat crashing against the dock awoke teaghan from a deep sleep. The kind of sleep she had never had before. Not since her mom was killed. Not since Elijah took over the pack. The pack! Her eyes that were still drowsy flung open and she struggled to focus. She took a look around the small boat. "Is this what they mean by feels like home"  Teaghan walked around the small interior looking at all the plants. The place smelled of cedar and lavender. A calm and beautiful fragrance. She walked onto the deck in hopes mitch was there. but he wasn't. She sat on the edge of the boat trying to wrap her head around everything. Her banishment. Her whole world just gone. But she couldnt help but smile. She knew was in danger but she was free. She felt powerful. She no longer had Elijah to answer to. Her train of thought was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin. 

"Woah! its me." Mitch said as he took a couple steps back. He had two coffees in his hand. "you kinda talked really loud and yelled a lot in your sleep so i wasnt sure if you were gonna need coffee." He stretched his hand out.

Teaghan took it eagerly. "sorry twilight. What can i say i have childhood ptsd." She looked at him and noticed him staring at her neck. When he realized he was staring he quickly looked away. "Yeah its pretty isnt it." She said as she tried to hide her neck into her shoulders.

"How?" He asked quietly.

No one had ever asked her. No one had ever cared enough to ask. What was with this guy? Intrusive much. She ignored it completely and and took a sip of her coffee. The faintest hint of hazlenut. It was her favorite.

"You ever gonna call me by my name." He asked with her back still to him

"Doubtful." She semi laughed

"well at least your honest. That's def rare."

She looked around. Part of her wanted to just dive into the water and let the water wash away all of the pain. 

"how deep is the water here." She asked looking over the boat edge.

"Not deep enough." Mitch grinned and pulled the sails and undocked. It wasnt long until the boat was in the middle of the ocean.

Teaghan closed her eyes and felt a tear escape.

"woah hey." 

When she opened her eyes mitch was infront of her his hand on her chin. "How could anyone be ok making you feel so bad. So broken." He looked into her eyes and she could feel him searching her soul. His eyes had semi flecks of almost gold in them and she felt herself get lost in them. She quickly broke the trance.

"cause life isnt easy twilight. Not everyone is you. You had every girl damn near tripping over themselves back at school. why dont you go back and life that prom king life you are destined for."

He let go of her chin and looked at her. "Cause maybe that's not the life i want. I dont believe in destiny."

Teaghan laughed. oh to not have to follow rules set out by ancient people. How adorably naïve he was.

"Look can we just go back." She asked as she looked to where the sky met the sea.

"Yeah cause clearly thats what you want." He said getting up to mend the sails to head back to dock.

"you dont know what i want." She said angrily

"Do you even know what you want? The second you seem happy you punish yourself. There's no one around here to be mad at you. So just be happy." He said pretty annoyed with her.

"Look i don't need some knight coming in and saving me i can handle myself." She said as she stormed to the captains quarters.

she was so mad she felt the growl inside screaming to come out. No no no no. Calm down. focus.  focus. on something. anything.  her eyes searched for something. She noticed broken glass on the floor. she looked under the bed and saw a broken picture frame. she pulled it up and screamed. 

Mitch came running down. He saw teaghan gripping the wooden frame. 

"wait teaghan let me explain."

She looked up at him from the frame. Her eyes were the shape of a wolf and bright green with yellow. She was changing. "WHAT IT THIS??? SOME JOKE!?!?!?"  Her breathing turned into low kept growls.

Mitch walked towards her. She backed up and threw the picture at him. It fell to the ground face up. The picture so innocent. So simple. It was mitch. And Beth. In the psych ward together embraced in a hug.

Mitch took another step towards her. "Come closer and i promise you i will rip your throat out. but wait you already know i can do that." 

Mitch took another step towards her. "I know you wont do that. Let me explain."

She laughed a menacing laugh. "you have no idea what I'm capable of" 

Mitch Took one step closer till he was within arms reach of her. "No i dont. But i do know who you are. And yes i knew of you. I wasn't searching for you. Beth , she was my best friend. And she told me abut her best friend. And yes at first i wanted to ruin your life like beths was ruined. But on the day i was sent home she told me to leave you alone you didn't deserve any more pain. So when i found you i was torn. But you looked at me. And i felt something. And i know you did."

Teaghan tilted her head. "The f**k you talking about."

Mitch reached his arm out and placed it on her arm. She took a deep breath when he hand touched her skin. The air in the room intensified. The cup of water beside them started to glow. the water danced out of the cup and started surrounding them like a ribbon.

Teaghan couldn't speak. She was calming down. Her breath slowed. the growl shifted away. her eyes went from rage to just pure questioning.

mitch gulped. "My people calls this bonding. I think you're people call it imprinted. And humans call it meant to be."

Teaghans eyes went wide. "the f**k?"