Young Writers Society

He smiled then stopped. "We can't do this. If we just do a little bit, I'll be way tempted to go further. We can't, Arden." He said. "Please don't let me do this." He looked at her pleadingly. "I don't want to do anything."

Arden smiled lightly at him, completely intoxicated by the feeling of just being near him. "It's fine Thomas. I trust you and I want you to be my first," she smiled lightly, head rested against his chest. "If you don't want to I understand, but I'm ready when you are," she kissed his neck again, hands tracing imaginary lines on his chest once she pulled away, eyes still locked on his.

Thomas couldn't help himself. Those pleading eyes...but he just couldn't. He couldn't take this form her. "Arden..there's...there's something I have to tell you." He hated himself for doing this..but he just couldn't put it off.

"What?" she asked, still smiling.

"Uh...remeber the day I first ask you out?"

She continued to smile. "Yes."

"I....it wasn't my idea." He said, feeling sick.

"What?" She sat up.

"I...my friends...they bet me 500 dollars that I wouldn't be able to get you to date me...and that I couldn't get you to sleep with me,..but I fell in love with you. Like I always have been. I've always been in love with you, but I didn't realize it until I gave you a chance." He rana hand through his hair. "I know...I know you probably hate me...BUt I love you Den. I do. I know you probably don't believe me, but I didn't even want to sleep with you. I could never hurt you like that. I love you Den...even if you don't believe me. I do. I'll understand if you don't want me...if..." He shut his eyes, tears threatening to spill out. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid. He didn't know what he'd do without her. "You...you can leave...I'll leave you alone...I'll do whatever you'd like..."

Arden couldn't do anything but stare at him. She stared, and stared, and stared, not realizing the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. Once again, her heart had been broken. She suddenly threw her head back and let out a series of laughs, which slowly turned to sobs. She hated the feeling of feeling crushed. "Den," she noticed Thomas attempt to comfort her but she twisted away, flailing both hands out.

"Get the fuck away from me!" She'd never used horrible language unless she was angry. In her attempt to get away she felt her nails graze across skin and when she opened her eyes Thomas had a bleeding cut on the side of his face. She let out a choked sob and ran for the balcony door, swinging it open and jumping over the side, unharmed. Instead of going into her house she ran off, her sobs filling the silence around her. More than likely she'd be back in the morning. She'd sneak the present she got for Thomas into his room, and hide up north for a while, at least until Thomas maybe forgets.

:~:~:

The next morning Arden did return. She took the wrapped up scrapbook she'd made from recent and old, very old pictures of her and Thomas, and the smaller box which was just dogtags with Den and Thom forever written on one and I love you Thom, Christmas '08 written on the other. She slipped into his room, laying both on the edge of his bed, and stared at him for a long time. She ran her cool fingers around the area where she'd sliced him with her nails, which was covered up my gauze. Considering it was the last week of school and she wouldn't miss anything Arden was going to head up North early. She'd already told her father. The alarm clock suddenly went off and with it Arden slipped back out the door and headed to Canada.

**Yeah... my post prolly makes no sense**

**Awh...He's not going to let her get away that easily. :p**

Thomas saw something in his room. He felt terrible. He missed Arden and hurt without her here. He went over to the wrapped things. He just about cried. He couldn't stay here. He was a senior. It wouldn't matter. He didn't even care if he graduated, and he knew his friends wouldn't either. He hung the dog tag around his neck and burried it under his shirt. He picked his cell and told everyone that he would be leaving for the camping/hunting trip early. He packed up his stuff, and zoomed across the state tp Canada.

Once there, he set up his tent. His friends would join him as soon as possible. He fingered the dog tag. He missed her. he wanted her so bad. She was his other half. She was his girl. And now she hated him. he heard a mournful cry in the forest and sat up. What was it? He gripped his rifle. Suddenly a huge wolf came into view.

"Whoa." He jumped.

The dog just looked at him. He saw saddness in it's eyes. It's paw was damaged. he needed to help it. he had to.

"Hey little fella, or girl, or whatever. Come here. I can help you. Please don't bite me." He said, standing back, cautiously.

Arden stared at Thomas, suddenly filled with joy, which was overcome with sadness soon after. She couldn't go near him, not after what he'd done to her. With only one thing left to do Arden curled her lips back and let a snarl rip through her throat, watching sadly as Thomas jumped back in surprise.

Taking a step back she instantly regret it as pain shot up her front, left leg and blood pulsed heavily out of the gashes in her paw. She hated traps with a burning passion. "I'm not going to hurt you, girl. C'mere," Thomas held his hand out and Arden just stared at it with melted honey colored eyes. He was lying. He hurt her already and she didn't want to be hurt even more. He'd already torn her apart. You've got two choices. One, you let him take care of you or two, you die of blood loss. Your choice. It was her inner wolf, her inner monster. She sighed deeply, dropping to her stomach and extremely slowly inching towards Thomas. She felt his hand caress her head gently and pressed against it, closing her eyes.

Arden let out a choked cry while Thomas checked her paw. He sent her an apologetic look and back away ever so slightly. She sat up slowly and painfully, gently pressing her nose to the bandages on his cheek and whining.

He smiled as the wolf nudged his bandages. "Don't be sorry for me girl. I was a jerk. I deserve this." He gently grabbed some more bandages and wrapped up her paw. "Traps are horrible. if someone goes hunting, they should do it the right way." He saw her balk. "Not that I...well...Yeah. sorry. Your different though." He felt tears sting his eyes. he missed Arden. the wolf nudged him and he held onto her tightly. He had always liked dogs. He wrapped his arms around her, burried his head in her fur and started crying. "I'm such an idiot." He laughed after he was done.

He went and started cooking some of the meet he had brought. "You hungry?" He asked.

Arden hung her head shamefully. She didn't deserve anything from him. Especially after what she did. Arden let out a huff and layed down on her side, staring up at him. She had wanted to show him what she really was, but she wasn't sure now. A howl suddenly broke the air around her, causing her to hurry to her feet. It wasn't a howl familiar to her, but she knew it wasn't a normal, everyday wolf either. The trees rustled and the hair on Arden's back raised along with her lips as a snarl rippled out.

Thomas was worried. What in the world was that? The wolf wwas mad. her hair was standing on end. "What is it, girl?" He asked cautiously. He grabbed his gun and prepared for whatever was going to happen. Another wolf came out of the forest, bigger than the slight frame of the female wolf.

He cocked his gun. "Get!" He hissed at the other wolf.

The other wolf seemed to smirk, his eyes studying over Arden, then Thomas. Heh, what're you doing with a human Ar-den? You haven't told him our secret, have you? How could she've been so stupid?! The white fur and red eyes should've made her remember who this wolf was! She should've known better than to come near any human camp while he was around. She realized after seeing the scars across the left side of his body who he was. Her father had banished him from the pack many years ago. He was Shear, or at least that's what her pack called him. He had been beta male before being ran off.

No I haven't. Now get out of here Shear! She snarled angrily, slowly circling him while he did the same.

Aw, now where's the fun in that? His wicked snarl made her cringe. Not so big and bad now that your mommy's not around, huh? He had been banished before her mom's suicide, but he knew everything about it. Paying more attention to the words he'd spoke she hadn't noticed him lunge at her. It only came across her mind what was happening when his fangs dug into the back of her neck, then, the fight was on.

Thomas was frantic. He didn't want this other stupid wolf hurting the one that had been nice to him. he fired the gun in the air, trying to scare the tore up one off. It didn't work. He just stood there helpless as he watched his wolf, his girl, get torn up by this other big scary one. He didn't like it. Maybe...

He grabbed a piece of meat and walked toward them. "Hey boy. Hungery?" he waved the meat in the air, hoping the smell would tempt the wolf away from his wolf.

Her leg was broken. She knew it. She fell to the ground right as Thomas threw the meat into the woods, Shear right behind it, snarling hungrily. Arden whimpered pitifully, eyes apologetic.

*sorry g2g2 church!!*

Thomas walked over to her and picked her up. He carried her into his tent and layed the wolf down. He quickly reset her leg and bandaged it. "I'm sorry girl. It's going to be okay. I'm going to take care of you, okay?" He stroked her head softly. "Everything is going to be alright, I promise."

Arden whimpered again, closing her eyes. Hopefully she wouldn't shift back into her human form. Her leg was throbbing, along with all the gashes along her body that were slowly being bandaged by Thomas. She licked his hand softly when it ran under her muzzle, checking for any injuries. Tears stung the back of her eyes, but it wasn't because the pain. It was the fact that she hurt Thomas so deeply. However, she still felt as if she was backstabbed by him for asking her out for five hundred dollars in the first place.

Thomas sighed. "I'm sorry it hurts. I'm not going to do anything to you, okay?" He wanted to cry. "You'll stick around, won't ya girl?" He felt like sucha jerk. "Your lucky, ya know that? You don't have to deal with things. I really really liked this girl my whole life. I didn't know it though. I was too absorbed in myself. And then...then i was bet to go out with her. I did...and I...I fell in love with her..." tears stung his eyes, "and nwo she hates me. Which she should...I just...I miss her." He held onto the dog tags tightly. "What am i complaining about, right? You are in worse condition than me." He came back with raw meat and set it down in front of her. "There you go girl. Thirsty?" He got water for her too. "It's going to be okay, I promise. I'll take care of you."