Becoming the Luna

"Um, L-Leon?" I call tentatively to him, confused.

I had expected that he would just walk me back when he offered to take me home, I didn't see this coming.

"Yeah?" He answers absently.

"I can walk?" I point out to him, he had swept me off my feet and started out of the forest.

It had taken me a really long while to wrap my head around his actions.

"I know." He says shortly, not making a move to put me down if anything he sped up.

I wring my hands, unsure of where to keep them, there was no way I was putting my hands on Leon - yet again I hadn't seen this coming, it would seem that he wanted me to ask a direct question to get the answer I wanted and that is exactly what I'm about to do.

"Why are you carrying me then?" I finally blurt out, looking everywhere but his dark blue eyes which glance down at me.

"Because your feet are loud, the wolf couldn't have gone far." He finally explains and I blink, listening to his footsteps for the first time, there are dried leaves on the ground but his footsteps are almost soundless.

"Oh." I murmur, going silent and praying for the walk to end, it didn't feel this long when I was walking all by myself.

The spaces in between the trees get wider to indicate that we were about to leave the woods and Leon just marches right out and up the street.

Just when I'm about to tell him to put me down I hear my mom's voice.

"Hayden?" 

I glance to the side to see her standing on the lawn, Virgil and Dale are there too.

Leon doesn't even look bothered by the crowd, carrying me right in.

"Is he hurt?" My mom asks desperately, hurrying over.

Virgil just walks up to his older brother and collects me.

"I told you to stay away from him." He near growls at Leon who just gives him a lazy smile.

"He came to me this time and keep him away from me." He replies smoothly, walking away and going in the direction of the woods.

I come down from Virgil's hands in a hurry and he let me.

"No, no! There's a wolf…" But Leon had already disappeared into the woods, his gold hair the last to disappear.

Dale stands a little distance away, his arms crossed in front of him, expression dark and I frown.

"What's going on?" I ask darkly, slowly getting upset.

"Nothing." My mom says but the guilt in her eyes is all too clear to see.

"Wait, you knew about the wolves?" I accuse my mom, stepping away when Virgil tries to come closer. "Don't tell me nothing like I'm a child, if Leon hadn't been in the woods I could be dead by now."

My mom makes a strangled sound and Dale staggers a bit.

"Hayden…" Virgil tries to reach for me but I step back.

"I can't believe you all knew and no one thought to tell me, I really don't see the big deal there…" I trail off, my eyes widening in realization… "I can't fucking believe it!" I exclaim, storming inside the house.

It was all Virgil's doing!

That's why my mom couldn't tell me that there were wild animals in the woods.

"Oh my God, that self-centered bastard." I mutter under my breath, the entire picture getting clearer now.

It was exactly just like Virgil to keep something like that from me, Dale was obviously not in on it but he also kept quiet about it so he wasn't in the clear yet.

I shake my head and let out a bitter laugh as I storm up the stairs, it's almost ridiculous how much power Virgil wields over every fucking person.

He says don't talk and the lot of them keep their mouths shut, I was livid, I knew this, and I wanted to keep away from everyone else before I said something that I would regret much later.

I storm into my room and lock the door, I didn't care that Virgil could still get in if he wanted to, the thought behind locking it was enough for me.

Grinding my teeth, I bend down to yank my boots off and strip, I needed to cool down.

It didn't make any sense, not telling me that the woods were unsafe was a simple thing to do but he simply didn't, at this point, his overprotectiveness was bordering on psycho.

I put on a fresh shirt and shorts and flop on the bed, exhausted, the cool shower had washed away my anger.

I didn't have it in me to remain mad at them for long, I knew Virgil had my best interest at heart and it was probably killing him right now that because of him I had nearly gotten hurt.

Sighing deeply, I roll off my bed and get on my feet.

It was unlike them not to come to check on me, I must have been too harsh on them.

I've never lost my temper like that and I had to admit I didn't like it, it wasn't my mom's fault really, Virgil was like a force of nature, same thing with Dale who acquiesced even though it must have killed him to, Shana was definitely in on it as well but I didn't even have the energy to work up even a little bit of anger.

I pack up my wet hair, I would have to change the sheets now, in my anger I had just flopped on the bed with my wet hair and now the bed had wet patches here and there.

I groan, rubbing my face and feeling weird, I really didn't like to get angry.

I sigh deeply again, staring at my door, I couldn't stay hidden in here, I would have to confront them sooner or later but the worry eating at me that I could have hurt them propels me towards the door, I couldn't bear to think that.

That only meant one thing, I had to go out to see what was going on, with my mind made up, I start towards the door, unlocking it with shaky hands.

I slowly inch it open and take a step out, the sight I see makes tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

Virgil is sitting on the ground outside my room, his head propped up on his arms which rests on his bent knees.