Blinding Darkness

Chapter 4

    "I'm not going, Alice," I snapped in anger. "My brother is still in the hospital and I'm not about to leave his side just to go to a stupid party."

"But Ell, it's your sixteenth birthday," Alice whines on the other end of the phone. I roll my eyes and shake my head. She can be such a pain sometimes.

Alice and I have been on the phone arguing for hours on end about me and my stubbornness of not wanting to go. It did feel good to talk to her, though. For the past three days I've stayed by Paul's side, always silently watching him sleep and heal. Derrick comes every now and then, but what has me anxious is the fact that Alex hasn't showed up to check on our brother which he harmed.

"I'm still not going."

"Fine." At the other end of the line Alice gave a very sad and very lonely sigh. "And happy birthday."

"Thanks, and tell Sam I said bye, please."

"He's pissed that you bailed on us, I hope you know that." I groan. Guilt was already eating away at me.

"I have to go Alice, Paul will probably wake up soon," I grumbled with a hint of sadness.

"Ok, bye, love you."

"Love you," I muttered before hanging up. I took a deep breath as I stood outside of Paul's room, waiting to hear the news.

"Ms. Swan?" a gentle voice murmurs. I looked up to see Doctor Munroe standing in front of me. "I'm happy to tell you that your brother is well healed, so this afternoon he will be able to go home." I sigh in relief. I've been stressing about his health every waking moment. "Alpha Walter had informed me to keep an eye on you these past couple of days, but you have nothing to worry about, you didn't do anything wrong."

I stood still as a statue and gulped down my fear. My breath was hitched with panic, my heart felt like it was going to explode from the meaning behind his words; my father didn't trust me.

No surprise there.

It was a warning.

He seemed deep in thought as he closely studied me. "I don't know why people say bad things about you when you are clearly misunderstood."

I shrugged my shoulders while my bottom lip began to tremble. I had nothing to say to that. Rumors are that I'm the weakling of the pack. An ugly, fat loser. In school, I am the thickest girl, even I know that. But the biggest rumor was that I'm a curse. It's said that I was a cursed child and that's why Helen died. It was because of me.

"Go on. Get your brother and go home," Dr. Munroe said dismissively. He motioned for me to leave, so I cast my eyes down to the floor and entered Paul's room.

Paul sat near the window, looking out towards the trees with a blank face.

"Let's go for a run," I offer to distract him. He instantly shot up with excitement flaring in his eyes. His muscles twitched with anticipation. Not shifting does that to a werewolf.

My three brothers' didn't look anything alike, yet were so similar. Alex was more taller, big – muscled like a serious weight lifter – with dark, curly hair. His eyes were a stunning grey. While Derrick had dark blue eyes, he was leaner, but still muscular, and sandy blond. And finally, Paul, he was more boyish with piercing yellow eyes. Even though he's the youngest of the three he's still tall with ripped muscles.

Once outside, Paul didn't wait for me to shift. He took off into the woods and kept to the shadows where no human would be able to see.

I smiled with delight. Shifting into our wolves eases our minds, our bodies. I waited until the forest swallowed me and for the appropriate time to change.