As we quickened our pace, the rustling grew louder behind us, sending a fresh wave of adrenaline through my veins. I struggled to keep my breathing steady, but the fear in my chest was hard to shake.
“When will this thing stop chasing us?” I whispered, my voice shaking.
Logan glanced back, his face tense. “Hopefully soon.”
Determined, I took a deep breath, focusing on the energy within me. I extended my hand, visualizing the portal we needed-a way back to safety, to somewhere far from this looming danger. I concentrated, feeling the familiar pull of magic as it responded to my will. A faint shimmer appeared before us, growing into a swirling portal.
“Hurry!” I urged, holding it open as wide as I could.
Liam didn’t hesitate, diving through the portal, followed closely by Logan. With one last look behind us, I stepped through, letting the portal close as we landed back in the safety of my room.
As soon as we stumbled into my room, I let out a shaky breath, feeling the tension finally start to ease. The familiar sight of my bed, posters, and scattered books brought a strange sense of comfort, grounding me after the chaotic escape.
Liam collapsed onto the floor, his back against the wall, trying to catch his breath. “That… was way too close,” he panted, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Why does it keep finding us?”
Logan ran a hand through his hair, pacing slightly. “That thing-it’s not just some random creature. It’s got a purpose. It’s tracking us, maybe even feeding off our energy.
“We always chased one way or the other,” I sighed. “Since I got into this werewolf world its always a problem to the other.”
Logan paused, his gaze softening as he looked over at me. “I know. None of us asked for this-especially not you. You got pulled into this world because of me, and now you’re caught up in all of it.”
I shook my head, trying to push away the exhaustion and frustration. “It’s not your fault, one way or the other I would still have found out about my heritage.”
There was a brief silence between us, each of us lost in thought, the weight of everything we’d been through settling over the room. The chaos of constant danger, running, hiding-it was all starting to feel endless.
After a moment, I let out a small laugh, breaking the silence. “You know, maybe we need a little normalcy for once. Why don’t we… I don’t know… actually go back to school?” I raised an eyebrow at Logan. “When was the last time we actually attended class?”
Logan looked at me, surprised, and then a smile broke through his serious expression. “It’s been way too long, honestly. And I think you’re right. We could use a break from… well, all of this.”
Liam looked up from where he was slouched on the floor, a skeptical look on his face. “School?” he echoed, eyebrows raised. “You actually want to go back to school?”
I grinned. “Yes, Liam, school. You know, classes, teachers, annoying homework… the whole package. What, did you never attend school?”
He shrugged, glancing away a little sheepishly. “Not really. I was mostly homeschooled.
Logan chuckled, nudging him with his foot. “Well, welcome to the club, man. Tomorrow, you get to experience the joys of high school life firsthand.”
“Are they not going to be speculations of us looking alike?” Liam asked.
“Then we would say you my cousin,” Logan said.
Liam gave a hesitant nod, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. “Alright, cousin it is,” he said, sounding unconvinced. “Guess I should prepare myself for all the staring and questions.”
I laughed. “Trust me, Liam, after a day at school, you’ll see there are way stranger things people choose to gossip about than two cousins who look a little alike.”
Logan grinned, crossing his arms. “Plus, you’ll fit right in with us. I mean, the entire school already thinks Audrey and I have some mystery vibe going on. You’ll just add to the mystery.”
Liam rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at his lips. “Great, just what I needed-a whole school full of people watching me like I’m some kind of science experiment.”
Logan patted him on the back, laughing. “Welcome to our world, Liam. We’re one big science experiment here.”
We all shared a laugh, the tension from earlier finally lifting a bit. For the first time in a while, I felt a flicker of excitement. Maybe tomorrow would be a chance for us to finally experience something close to normal.
As evening settled in, Logan showed Liam to the guest room. “Make yourself comfortable,” he said, giving Liam a nod. Liam threw himself onto the bed, looking around at the cozy space as if it were the first real place he could relax in a while.
Once everyone was settled, Logan headed to his own room, leaving me to the quiet of my own space. I sat on the edge of my bed, finally able to let my mind drift. Tomorrow felt like a strange promise-something that felt almost like a real start.
I was just getting comfortable, thinking about everything that had happened, when there was a soft knock on my door. Logan’s voice followed a second later. “Audrey? Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” I replied, feeling a little surprised. The door opened, and Logan stepped inside, his expression unreadable. He closed the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment before he looked at me, a hint of uncertainty in his gaze.
“I was thinking about earlier,” he started, his voice low. “When… you know.” He hesitated, his eyes scanning my face, as if searching for something. “It felt… like you’d done it before. Like that wasn’t your first time.”
I felt my cheeks grow warm, a sudden wave of shyness sweeping over me. It was hard to find the right words, and I fumbled for a moment, glancing down before meeting his eyes. “It was my first time, Logan,” I said, my voice steady but quiet. “I just… I wanted to make it feel special.”
He studied my face, a slow smile forming. “You really surprised me. And… it did feel special.” He took a step closer, his eyes softening. “I guess I just didn’t expect to feel this way with you.”