Out of The Woods (COMPLETED)

Chapter 19

It didn't take long to figure out that Isaac didn't have much talent in cooking. I had to hand it to him, he had determination and optimism.

"It's fine, it's chargrilled."

"That's burnt." Finn countered as Lily pulled him away from the pan, to the table and away from Isaac's glare that cut through him. Finn through his hands up in surrender.

"Chicken is still chicken, I'll eat it anyway."

"I just wanted this to be perfect, it's your first meal home." Isaac let out a frustrated laugh before taking the chicken off the pan and at the same time the noodles boiled over.

"I can manage an entire pack along with all the sub packs under my command and I can't cook dinner, typical." He groaned and I let out a laugh, stepping around him and turning the heat down on the hob, grabbing the noodles away from the hot ring.

"I appreciate that you tried your best, but I  think it might be possible that cooking is not your strong suit." I said as softly as I could. "And it's just the outside of the chicken that you burnt, here I'll just cut it off."

I grabbed a knife and a chopping board and cut off the burnt pieces before adding the sauce. "See, magic?"

He relaxed, wrapping his arms around my waist. "See, I was lost before you."

"What did you eat then?" I laughed and he shrugged.

"I mean, most meals are cooked by a chef but I wanted to cook you a meal because it would be more special but then..." he grumbled and I laughed softly.

"It shows me you care, that's all I'll ever need." I said and turned to him, offering him a cheeky smile.

"Now do you mind if I finish it off?"

"By all means. It would be a lot better if it were edible."

I smiled softly and he left me to finish up the dinner. I could still hear Finn arguing with Esmeralda in the background as Lily laughed along with them and I felt something very strongly, something that took me by surprise.

Happiness.

-//

Esmeralda and Lily had decided to have a girls night that night and we had raided the kitchen for all the snacks we could find before retreating to Lily's room, the only one with a laptop. I was beginning to get a handle on technology. I knew it existed, but I had never come into contact with it. It was so fascinating and I found the extent of its ability unbelievable.

"You two are all loved up and I'm here all lonely and stuff." Esmerelda groaned and I let out a light laugh, reaching over to poke her nose.

"You'll find someone,"

"You shouldn't rush love," Lily said, taking us by surprise at the slightly breathless look on her face. "It'll happen naturally."

"Like you and Finn? Ew. How can you handle him ranting about chicken all the time."

Lily laughed. "He is my mate. I love everything about him, his faults and his strengths. Even his obsession with chicken."

"Life here is so different from Arden though." She said softly, "I still have family there, parents and a little sister."

I remembered Esmerelda's little sister Addie, she was twelve and they were close. She was also close with her parents.

"I just left with no warning, what if they think.." she trailed off, laying her head back down.

"Would you... return to Arden?" Lily asked gingerly and there was a silence before Esmeralda sighed deeply.

"I don't know, I don't want to spend my entire life there. And you and Finn are here, I don't want to be in there without the two people that I've known my whole life. But I want to explain to my parents why I left."

"Can you do that thing you did before?" Lily asked. "Can you ask a bird to deliver the message?"

I thought about it before shaking my head. "No, birds can't access the city of Arden, only nymphs."

A silence fell over the three of us and I turned and I saw it, the pain behind my best friend's eyes. She had been holding it in this entire time. But she never had a chance to say goodbye to her family, they didn't know why she left or if she was ever coming back. After loosing my father, I could understand her pain.

"We can go back into Arden?"

Her eyes flickered to mine, suspiciously. "Like a secret convoy mission. We'll go at night, sneak into the village, wake up your parents, tell them everything and then sneak out."

Lily looked between us. "What would happen if you were caught?"

I shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure."

Esmeralda sat up. "Are you sure Aurora? It's still a risk. Will Isaac even let you?"

I looked away. "I'll try to explain it to him."

I knew he'd be uneasy about letting we go, but hopefully we'd figure it out. After everything that had happened, I couldn't just disappear on him again. I couldn't do that to him, I wouldn't do that to him.

-/-

"Absolutely not." He said sternly as I explained my plan. I fell back on his bed, groaning in frustration. He approached me carefully, dropping down beside me onto his grey silk sheets.

"I just got you back and now you're asking me to consensually give you up again?"

I rolled my eyes, but turned to face him. "You're not giving me up Isaac, I'm just going home for a few hours. It'll be during the night and we'll get in and out without any trouble."

His hand reached up to trace my face, ever to slightly. His brown curls fell over his eyes and I frowned, wanting to see the grey stormy pools I had grown to love. "You can't promise me that. At least with the vampires I could come find you. If you get stuck there-" his voice cracked and I began to understand how afraid he was that I'd disappear again. I brushed the wild curls from his forehead, my eyes zeroing in on a little scar that ran through his left eyebrow and stopped just before it reached his temple.

"Please, Isaac. You said you wouldn't keep me trapped." I hated to play this game, but I needed to be there for my friend. It hurt to choose between two of the most important people in my life right now, but I couldn't let Esmerelda face it by herself.

"Can Finn not go with her?" Isaac growled out, sitting up as he put his head in his hands.

"She's my best friend Isaac, I don't want her to think I'd abandon her."

He growled lowly again before getting up and storming out of the room, letting the door slam loudly behind him. I sighed, getting up to chase him down the hall.

"Isaac," I called and he shook his head. "You can't ask this of me Aurora."

One of the doors swung open and Lily peeked her head out, looking between us before she looked back at Finn who gave her a warning look.

"Well...."

Isaac turned, his grey eyes harsh and cold as he flowered at her. "Well What?"

"I've been inside Arden before."

Finn held a hand to his temple, groaning. "You've really done it now Lily."

She turned to him, scowling. "My alpha and best friend are in pain and I know something that can help them."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, out  of breath and Lily looked at me, almost sheepishly.

"It happened completely by accident. Finn was going through the, I'm not sure what to call it, portal? I grabbed his arm and then next thing I know, he'd pulled me into Arden."

"You can bring people through if they're touching a nympyh?" Isaac reiterated, his voice filled with a new hope and Finn slowly nodded.

"It's the one big secret of Arden. If you're found out Aurora, they'll kill you and Isaac."

I looked down, as Isaac walked across the hallway towards me, taking my hands in his.

"Aurora..." he trailed off but I looked up, my eyes determined.

"We're doing it anyway."

His eyes widened at my determination but I gave him a lazy smile. "Ready to see where I was born?"