Escaping from the wolf

After leaving high school, Carolina, Kenzie, and I were going to her house in my car. They said Kayler and Connor were going to Kay's dad's house for a supposed meeting. It seemed like they were going back to the way things were before, but this time it was because two vampires had arrived in Brown territory. Apparently, this city was wolf territory, and they were willing to do anything to drive them out.

Kenzie was the only one unaware of all this; she didn't know about the werewolves or vampires, she was just dating a handsome guy and that was it. She had no family, and Carolina told me earlier that they plan to live together. Kenzie hasn't responded yet. Will, it seems, was just keeping to Ale; they were inseparable, but Ale was also afraid that Will would find out what she was and reject her.

"I still don't know what to say," Kenzie commented again. "I mean, living with him? It makes me super nervous, I'm so clumsy, and I don't know if one day I'll set the house on fire." She complained. Carolina and I laughed.

"Don't worry, just tell him what you think. It's easier if you speak the truth," she advised.

1 gave her a quick glance.

"Yes, take Carolina's advice. She's speaking from experience," I joked. She just shot me a reproachful look, and Kenzie laughed softly.

Why hadn't Connor told Kenzie the truth?

I was driving to Carolina's house; we were almost there. It was getting dark, and we passed the turnoff to the Browns' house. In a few more minutes, we were at Carolina's house. We got out.

"Mom shouldn't be home," she said.

My gaze fell on the lake, and I was speechless. It was freezing over. I know it happened every year, but this year seemed colder because it was freezing over so quickly. I felt Carolina and Kenzie stand beside me. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Kenzie inquired. "I've never been in a place like this, with a beautiful lake that freezes. It's... magical."

"Nor have I," Carolina agreed.

Well, I had. I had never been to this house, but I had come once or twice to watch others skate. Whenever the lake froze enough, the town's mayor would transform this lake into an ice skating rink, and everyone in town would come. Soon, they'll invade Carolina's space.

"When the lake is completely frozen, everyone in town will be here skating," I told them. They looked at me.

"Why?" they both questioned in unison.

I turned to them.

"Every year, the mayor transforms this lake into an ice skating rink. It's a lot of fun... Well, I've never skated, but maybe this year I'll take the risk."

They raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't it dangerous?" Carolina asked.

"Doesn't it break? Someone could fall into the water and drown."

I noticed Carolina tense up at the word "drown."

"It's never happened," I said as we started walking to the house.

"I'm warning you now, I'm not stepping foot on the ice," Carolina murmured, opening the door.

We went inside.

"Why?" Kenzie wanted to know, heading to the couch, grabbing the remote, and turning on the TV.

Carolina gave me a quick look.

"Because I'm afraid of... ice," she lied slowly, which amused me. Kenzie frowned at first but then nodded, not entirely convinced.

At that moment, we saw Will coming down the stairs, shirtless and with messy hair; it looked like he had just woken up.

"What's up, girls," he greeted.

I smiled at him.

"Another one who didn't go to class," Carolina murmured, climbing the stairs. "Come on, Anne."

I followed her.

Will stayed with Kenzie watching TV.

Carolina's house was quite large; it had several rooms. And this is where Scott had lived. Poor guy. We went into her room, and she turned on the light. It was already dark outside. "And what happened with Apollo?" she asked, catching me by surprise. I hadn't told her anything because I hadn't had the chance.

Anyway, Apollo had just broken up with me today.

"Today, Apollo... broke up with me," I confessed softly.

Her eyes widened in astonishment.

"What? But why?" she questioned.

I shrugged.

"I don't know."

She frowned.

"He broke up with you, and you don't even know why?"

I nodded.

Then we heard a howl. Carolina and I instantly looked at each other and headed to the window.

"Who is it?" I asked.

She wrinkled her nose and thought for a moment.

"I don't know... I haven't heard it before around here. It's like a new scent," she replied.

A new scent? Like a new werewolf? The only werewolf who had arrived recently was... Thomas. But why would he be howling near here? Could he be following me? "Thomas," I whispered more to myself.

She looked at me instantly.

"What's he doing in this part of the forest?" she wondered. "But he sounded like he was in trouble."

I felt something in my chest at hearing that. In trouble? What kind of trouble could he be in?

"We have to go," I murmured.

"Why? I've never talked to him, so I have no reason to get involved." She looked at me, crossing her arms. "And you, Anne? What do you have to do with Thomas?"

The question caught me off guard. What do I have to do with Thomas? Obviously nothing, I just thought that maybe if he needed help, we could help him.

"N-nothing... I just thought we could help him," I scratched my neck, a bit nervous. She examined me for a few moments and then nodded.

"Okay, we'll help him," she agreed. "He did sound very hurt."

Hurt?

"Then let's go," I almost ran to the exit door.

Downstairs, the two were still focused on watching TV. Carolina and I walked quickly, opening the door and closing it behind us. We almost ran into the forest; she was ahead of me, and I just followed her. I didn't even know where he was, but I imagined she did.

"Where is he?" I murmured softly. We had entered the forest; there was fog, and everything was tinged white.

"Close, I can feel it," she responded.

We walked slowly, looking around to see if we could spot Thomas, but there was nothing. No sound, and it was torturous.

However, I started to get a bad feeling, as if something bad was going to happen.

"Do you think Clark is around here?" she inquired. "I can feel his scent too."

I shivered.

Clark? What could Clark be doing here with Thomas? That made me even more doubtful.

"I don't..." I left the sentence unfinished as I felt something with an inexplicable speed grab me by the waist and take me to another place. Far from Carolina.

In a moment, I realized I wasn't in the same place. We were in another part of the forest, a part I didn't know. I looked up, trembling, to see who had kidnapped me.

Clark.