Chapter 18 - If Only Time Could Turn Back The Clock

By the time Matt got home he didn’t want to do much else. The incident with Kristen and Gareth had him thinking. Laura was making it way too obvious for Kristen not to realise it. She must know there was something going on between him and her best friend.

Any normal person would have caught on.

Kristen wasn’t normal though, he guessed. She was different. He didn’t know why but she was. Her smell was fruity instead of like a flower, she came back no matter how much he pushed her away, and she gave him a look as if she was looking into his soul and ripping him to shreds…

Just like what he would do if he ever got his hands on her. He sighed and dumped himself onto the sofa in front of the TV. He wanted to just close his eyes and pretend that nothing had ever happened since the night before the death of his family. Ha, like that would come true. If only time could turn back the clock.

He stretched out as much as he could and curled his feet up so his legs bent on the sofa. His fingers curled around the notebook he’d picked up before he’d sat down. He dropped it onto his lap and pulled out the pencil on the side, pressing the end to his lips. Soon he began to draw again.

Slow movements sketched out a puddle which took up most of the page. It was shimmering as if something had been dropped under the skin of the surface, disrupting the water particles, creating a soft pattern of rings that rippled to the edges towards gravel floor. A shadow shadowed the place where the object had been dropped. It was a large dark shape that soon formed into a black silhouette of a sitting wolf, the iris’s of the eyes illuminating in the middle, only a very faint shape of the back legs and tail that stuck up, pointing at the stars above. The face was leaning forward towards the puddle as if looking for something. There, in the middle of the ring of puddles, lay a larger stone, obviously worn down by the beating of the other stones, shaped into a perfect heart.

He stopped and looked at his artwork, then frowned and closed the notebook. He was being stupid and pathetic and needed to get over himself. He would try to draw something other than a wolf but it would still end up including something to do with one. He threw the notebook at the wall and it slapped against the brick with a clap before dropping to the floor with a bang.

He had to find Kristen. He couldn’t just leave her with Gareth. It wasn’t right. If he didn’t tell her and she found out that he knew all about it she would kill him.

Not literally.

That would probably be a good thing either way but for some reason he didn’t like the idea of upsetting her that way. He could help her. Upsetting her would help her eventually. At least Gareth would be removed from the picture.

He stood up and glanced out of the window. It was darkening outside but he knew he still had a few hours before he changed. He’d be safe, he’d just have to be careful about how he handled everything.

It wasn’t hard to find her. He exited the house and took in a deep breath before moving quickly to where he’d last seen her. Her smell was still strong. His nose was so sensitive to her now it was ridiculous on how much he could recognise her smell in a crowd, no matter how many different smells there were coating it. He started to follow the smell and moved around several corners, watching out for passers by, which he swiftly dodged.

Soon he was able to smell Gareth’s smell and his nose turned up. They were close. His smell was fresh. He stopped and listened carefully. It was more difficult to do so in a human form but the later the day became the stronger his senses became. He moved quickly but made less noise as he did so, padding on the balls of his feet.

One after another, he turned the corners until he heard voices. He went slower and moved more carefully around the next corner. They were in an alleyway, and they were alone. Not once had Matt smelt Laura with them. If she had been with them she was long since gone. Now it was only Kristen and Gareth together, and it didn’t sound too good.

Matt stood just behind the corner, peaking around the edge of a brick wall, part of a run down old shop which hadn’t been looked at for about three years. He remembered when he’d used to come around here just before it had turned terrible. The colours had now faded and the windows were filled with old cobwebs.

Gareth was facing Kristen with a funny look on his face. She was turning her face away, hiding her from Matt’s view. They were close together but not so close as if they were doing anything dodgy. Mostly they were talking, and Matt could hear every word.

“I don’t want to.” Kristen was saying, her face hidden by her black hair. She leaned back away from Gareth as if she was intimidated. Even her stance got Matt on edge.

“Why not? We’re together aren’t we? It’s the next step.” He said back to her in a low gravely voice, stepping forwards and putting a hand to her cheek, pushing back her sheet of darkness to reveal pale white skin and piercing black eyes that stared back at him with apprehension. “You know you want to. You cant keep me waiting, baby.”

She shook her head and stepped back again, against the wall, causing Gareth to drop his hand to the side. She obviously wasn't too happy with the situation. Matt quickly tried to figure out the conversation. It wasn't hard to understand. “I don’t. It’s too soon.”

Gareth put his hand on her waist and pushed her back more, her bum bouncing against the brick. “Don’t be stupid, babe. You’re such a tease.” He took a breath and then shoved his lips onto hers, surprising her.

She was frozen at first and then she pushed against his chest and he moved back. “Gareth, stop it. I don’t want to. Leave it.”

“Oh come on, Kristen.” He moaned and shoved her against the wall again, nuzzling her neck with his nose. “Give me something. Anything.” He pulled her arms around his neck and buried his head into her own neck, kissing her shoulder sloppily. His hands ran up her legs to her hips and he adjusted her so that he could lift her leg to fit around his own hips.

She turned her head away and shook it. “Stop it. Gareth stop, please.” She removed her arms from him and tried to push him away again. This time he stayed put, however, and in fact squeezed tighter to her, making her unable to move, pressing her against the wall like a cage. Her legs were stuck in place and Gareth had perfect access.

“You’ll enjoy it.” Gareth murmured and hooked his hands under her top.

She began to squirm and panic this time. Her breathing quickened and Matt growled under his breath. He wouldn’t be able to stand it much longer. He was going to intervene if it was going to carry on. He wouldn’t bear watching her take advantage of. “Stop it Gareth!” She said, louder this time, pushing and shoving on his solid chest.

He ignored her completely and began pulling up her top, exposing a sheet white flat stomach. If it had been any other situation, Matt would have paid more attention to this. She was perfectly shaped, even when in the funny position which she was stuck in, like a sandwich in between the wall and Gareth.

Matt saw Gareth lick his lips. “Come on, Kristen, relax. It doesn’t last long.”

“Leave me alone!” She shouted and tried to yank her top down, pushing at him and kicking her leg that was hanging near his waist.

“Stay still, for god’s sake.” Gareth grunted and grabbed Kristen’s arms, pinning them to her sides. “It’ll hurt otherwise.”

Kristen wriggled as much as she could and strained against his grip. “Gareth! Please! No! Let me go!”

“Shut up!” He snarled and slapped her cheek. Her head flung to one side in a gasp.

Matt couldn’t contain himself. He couldn’t let it go any longer. Kristen could not be hit. He wouldn’t allow it. He growled under his breath and his eyes darted into slits. He stepped around the corner into the alley way with such speed that he reached Gareth in seconds, grabbing his shirt and dragging him off Kristen. Gareth was flung to the floor before he even knew what was happening.

Matt snarled from his throat and ascended on him, stepping forward so that he could look down on him. Gareth looked up with a dazed expression before shuffling back and getting to his feet. “Oi!” He shouted at Matt. “What you think you’re doing?!”

“She said, let her go.” Matt growled and stepped in front of Kristen with his back to her. He hadn't had time to see her expression and, at the moment, he was too busy concentrating on Gareth.

“What’s it got to do with you? Mind your own business.” Gareth glared at Matt and stepped forward.

“Stay away.” Matt hissed and spread his arms out to protect Kristen as if he was protecting his sister, like he should have done instead of attack her himself, he felt with a pang.

“Or what, eh?” Gareth boomed and lunged forward to grab hold of Matt’s neck. Matt staggered to the side and grabbed hold of Gareth’s fingers, peeling them off from their grip. He pushed Gareth away but Gareth was already jumping back onto him, grabbing his neck and wrapping his legs from behind like a piggy back. “Come on then! You wont be so tough after what I’ll do to you.”

Matt backed up against the wall and bashed his back roughly into the brick, thowing his head back into Gareth's chin. Gareth gasped in pain and let go, dropping to his knees and coughing, wincing in pain, clutching his mouth. He quickly recovered, though, and lunged again at Matt, blood dripping from his lip, something tightly held in his hand.

The next thing he knew, Matt was bleeding again. A knife. Gareth had a knife. He’d cut Matt’s arm, a deep wound from elbow to wrist. Matt whipped around and whacked the knife from Gareth’s grasp, sending it flying into the dark shadow of the brick wall. Then he grasped Gareth’s neck and squeezed, shoving him against the wall with such force, Gareth’s head cracked against the brick and his eyes went funny.

He gasped for air and Matt lifted him off the floor, completely ignoring his dripping arm. He had no idea what Kristen was doing right now and he actually didn't care. He just wanted to kill this pathetic worthless human being.

“Don’t you ever touch her again.” Matt snarled and banged Gareth’s head against the wall again until he knocked him out. Then he loosened his grip and dropped Gareth like a rag doll to the ground. He knew that Gareth wouldn't move for the time being, especially if he knew what was good for him.

Matt breathed deeply and closed his eyes, forcing his heart rate down, his head almost touching the brick. His hands were shaking. Hot liquid was running down his arm and creating a puddle onto the floor. He leaned against the wall and breathed deeply. His arm would heel quick enough but it didn’t mean he couldn’t feel the pain.

For the first time in the past five minutes, Kristen made herself known. He could feel her presence close by like he knew he would. He didn’t open his eyes when he felt her cool fingers on his cut arm. He even didn’t open his eyes when he felt her squeeze the cut shut. However, he did open his eyes when he felt material on his skin. She’d wrapped her scarf around the bleeding cut and was now tying it tightly in a knot.

She saw him watching and looked up at him, searching his eyes before wiping Matt’s blood from her fingers onto her top. Her fingers lingered on his arms and she lifted the wounded one up, studying it. “Thank you.” She whispered quietly.

Matt was silent. His heart jumped in his throat and he swallowed as he went warmer than usual. Her presence did something rotten to his temperature. She was so close to him but he didn't bother to move away this time, too busy watching as Kristen's face took in all that had just happened.

“How did you know where I was?” She murmured and looked into his eyes, making his insides feel like liquid.

He swallowed quietly and lowered his gaze. “I was looking for you.”

“Why?” She watched him and her fingers twitched close by.

“It doesn’t matter now. It's a good thing I found you when I did.” He used his right hand to run his fingers through his hair, leaving Kristen to stay hold of his bad arm.

“Your arm needs stitches.” She murmured and stroked a finger up and down his arm before touching his side and quickly looking up to see if it was okay. He ignored it and she slowly moved closer, touching his side more. Eventually she was able to curl into his chest gently and touch the front of him like half a hug. She sighed and closed her eyes against his shirt.

Matt breathed in deeply and looked down at her shining dark hair that fell across his shirt. “I heal quick.” He said quietly and swallowed, moving his good arm to Kristen’s shoulder. “Im just glad I got here on time.”

“Thank you so much. I was so scared.” Her face crumpled but she didn’t give a tear. Instead, she buried her head into Matt’s chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, sighing against him.

“I know.” He answered and awkwardly rubbed her back, stroking the bottom of her hair.

He ignored the fact that fire was spreading around his torso and down his back where Kristen held him. He also ignored the speeding of his heart as it focussed on what was actually happening. Though he loved the contact, probably more than he should have, he didn't want her to get the wrong idea and he needed space within the next few moments to control himself.

Right now, he thought it was better to comfort her. “I wont let anyone hurt you.”

She sniffed and moved back, touching his hand and smiling slightly. “Thank you. You may get infected, by the way, if you don't get that looked at.” She indicated his arm, the scarf now a crimson colour, full with his blood. “You should go to hospital.”

He was already shaking his head before she finished the sentence. “No way.”

“Well…We need to clean it.” She glanced down at the knocked out Gareth. “Also, I don’t think we should be here when he wakes up.”

Matt nodded. He didn’t want to handle Gareth at the moment. He stepped out of Kristen’s reach and began to walk down the alleyway, knowing she’d follow. He wanted to go to his house but it probably wouldn’t be a good idea as she’d know where he lived and, though he was being a bit stupid letting her come so close, he didn’t want her to come round to his house randomly.

Who knew what she’d see.

They moved around the corner a few roads away and after around five minutes of walking, Matt stopped and faced Kristen, touching his fingers against the soaked scarf. He needed to take it off to check if he really was healing properly. He didn’t want to bleed to death just because he was dependant on his powers of healing. The only problem was that if he did take her scarf off and she saw that he was in fact healed already, she would become suspicious about him. She needed her scarf back, though. He didn’t know how to continue.

Kristen paused his line of thought. “Let me check you.” She touched her scarf before he could tell her no. His blood stained her fingertips as she pulled the scarf off of his arm. He closed his eyes as he saw traces of the cut. It was healing. How was she going to react?

His skin was bright pink with dried blood stains where the deep cut had been. It was still open and bleeding slightly but it looked as if he’d had the cut for hours, not a few minutes.

God, he was done for.

“Wow. You really do heal quick.” She said and he opened his eyes as he felt pressure on his cut. She was looking up into his eyes, a confused expression on her face, obviously baffled by how his body reacted to open wounds.

“Yeah.” He agreed quietly and looked away from her, unable to meet her eye. He didn’t know what to say to her. What was there to say? Either she was stupid and blind or she’d figure out what he must be. She had enough clues as it was. He couldn’t exactly hide everything.

“Maybe you don’t need to go to hospital after all. Is that even normal?” She was frowning when he looked back at her, pondering something, deep in thought as she looked at his chest in a daze. She must have been talking to herself.

“Im not normal, Kristen. You should know that.” Matt murmured and stepped back away from her, hiding his arm from view. He didn't want her looking at it too much.

Kristen held the soaked scarf in her hands and she looked down at it with wide eyes, almost hungrily. Her fingers slid through the bloody material, her fingertips turning a dark crimson red. “How strange…”

Matt frowned and watched her. She was still talking to herself. She looked in her own world. It was strange. She was strange. She was reacting as if it was the weirdest thing she’d ever seen.

“What is?” He asked after a moment in silence.

Kristen blinked and looked up at him, her face suddenly stricken. “Nothing! Nothing at all. There’s nothing strange, no.” She folded up the scarf up and held it in one hand. “This needs washing.”

Matt nodded. “Sorry I wrecked your scarf.”

“Its fine.” She plastered on a forced smile. “I’ll wash it when I get home.”

Matt froze. That just reminded him. How hadn’t he noticed that the sky was dark? No wonder he was shaking. He hadn’t realised how late it had become for him and now he was risking her life. How long did he have left until he changed? Not long, he knew. He had to get away. This wasn’t good. Not good in the slightest.

How could he have become so clumsy?!

“I need to go.” He said and straightened up, glancing at the sky that was becoming darker by the second. “Are you alright to get home?”

Kristen nodded, surprised by Matt’s sudden pull to get away. “Of course. Im not completely defenceless.” She smiled.

He bowed his head once and then turned his back on her, moving swiftly to the end of the alleyway.

“Matt!” Kristen called.

He turned back and looked at her.

“Thank you.” She murmured. “You’re a good friend.”

He gave a small smile and then turned his back to her again, his face suddenly tensing in pain.

Just in time.

He shuffled away as far as he could, staggering into some trees to shed off his clothes before he destroyed them. Then he groaned in agony and fell to the floor, ripping out of his skin as if it burnt him, large black masses of fur covering his body, his bones crunching into place.

He slunk into the night, searching for the monster he was after, part of his mind still on Kristen and if she returned safely, while his eyes shone in the moonlight, a silver sea of swirls.

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I hope you like it! Kristen is finally rid of Gareth and Matt is finally letting her get close.

Any ideas on what's going to happen?

What about Kristen's strange behaviour?

I hope you like it and please keep reading! :D