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  Clarissa was so broken. Sleep had helped her for a while, but now she remembered all the horrible things that had happened today and I saw how hard it was for her to hold back her tears. Her lips quivered as she rolled again onto Marie's lap and finally, with Marie grabbing her tightly, she let her tears fall silently. Marie touched her soft honey blond hair and looked at me helplessly.

  “There’s a lot to solve before this is over and I don't think Brianna is telling the whole truth,” I said and thought about how I was going to handle Adam. He would cry before I was done with him. “Try to rest some more, sweetie. I can see how exhausted you are. I'll ask Ciall to bring some warm sandwiches for you and Marie.”

  I glanced at Marie, who nodded at me in secret. Then I left the room, but just outside the room I allowed myself to lean heavily against the door for a moment.

  I felt the room spin around me and my legs seemed to crash. Just when I was sinking to the floor, I felt strong arms grabbing me and I sensed Gavin's familiar odor. He held me in his arms, but said nothing. I sucked in his strength and knew I had to deal with this mess soon. I didn't want anyone to know that Adam already knew Brianna had called Clarissa, and that he was furious.

  After his attack, I had decided to connect my mind with Adam continuously and he had humbly allowed it. I had sensed that Brianna would do something like this. She wanted Adam so badly that she would've done anything. Lie, cheat, steal, anything to keep him, and I wanted Adam to know that as well. He knew what she had told Clarissa and how she had hurt her, and if Brianna had known what a deep, murderous rage Adam was feeling towards her, she would've escaped as far from him as she could. But she didn't, and somehow I felt sorry for her.

  CHAPTER 8

  Clarissa

  Clarissa dreamed about Brianna, who was running on an almost dark road, in the middle of the woods. Only a few run-down street lamps lit the small part of the road with their sallow lights. The road was slippery from the frosty leaves that were glued tightly to its surface and her shoes slid occasionally, almost chopping her down. Brianna glanced behind her, horrified, but the road behind her was empty. Her muscles were aching and sweat was running down her face, but she was too afraid to slow down. An invisible beast was hunting her and she knew she had no chance to get away from it. Even though she knew she couldn't escape from the beast, her survival instinct wouldn't let her stop and surrender, instead making her do everything she could to get away from the predator. Nothing moved in the woods. It was so quiet. Too quiet, actually. The only sound she could hear was her own shoes when they fell on the frosty road. The world around her was just holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen.

  The only thing that occasionally broke the silence was the sound of the hunting animal when it moved in the darkness. Brianna breathed with effort and her lungs seemed to burn. She had no idea what was hunting her, but she sure was not going to stop and find out. She glanced behind once more, and then she turned onto a tiny path that was a short cut to her home. When she turned her head, she saw Adam standing in front of her. She sighed, relieved, and reached out her hand to Adam. Thank God he was here! He would protect her. She felt so relieved that she laughed a little. How stupid she had been, being afraid of the dark woods when there was nothing to be afraid of.

  She smiled at Adam, but he didn't smile back. He just stood there like a statue and didn't move. Brianna took a few scrambling steps to get near him, but the ice-cold look in his eyes stopped her and made her scream. In a few long strides he was next to her. He roughly grabbed her throat. He lifted her against the nearest tree and pressed her harshly, close to its trunk. Brianna tried to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth. Adam's eyes burned her, and his mouth was warped into a furious grin that revealed his sharp, dangerous teeth. Brianna's teeth rattled and her legs shook violently. She was sure that Adam would kill her right here in this place. He looked like he was ready to tear her throat open. She prayed in her mind. She prayed for the God that she knew from her childhood, she prayed for the Devil and she prayed for Adam to give her mercy, and just when she thought she would pass out, he released her. She slumped onto the icy ground, pressing her burning throat with her shaking hands.

  “Did you think you would get away this easily?” Adam grunted and punched the tree behind Brianna.

  He hit at exactly the same spot where Brianna's head was a moment ago. There was madness gleaming in his eyes.

  “I know what you've been doing behind my back! I know every lie you have told Clarissa. Don't even try to deny it,” he kicked Brianna's leg.

  Brianna opened her mouth and tried to defend herself, but the look in Adam's eyes stopped her.

  “You mean nothing to me,” he snapped with disgust.

  Silent tears were falling down her face. She looked at the man she used to love and whom she thought loved her. The pure look of hate on his face told her that he would never again be hers and she cried even more when she realized this.

  “You will not contact Clarissa again, ever. Don't speak to her, don't call her and don't even look at her if you want to stay alive! I'm so sick of your childish lies and your stupid plays! In my eyes, you're just a pathetic bitch that I should've gotten rid of a long time ago,” raged Adam and kicked the ground in frustration.

  “I thought you loved me,” she whispered uncertainly and brushed her aching neck with her fingers. “I thought that you and I were together.”

  “Loved you?” Adam stared at her contemptuously.

  “How could I ever love you? You're nothing. You're just a stupid human child. Nothing more to me than some creepy-crawly,” Adam pushed her lightly and she fell to her side.

  “What do you mean just human? Of course I'm human and Clarissa is human as well, isn't she?” she asked and tried to retain at least a bit of her dignity.

  She looked beseechingly at Adam with her big, weepy eyes, but when she saw his face she backed down to a curly position and tried to cover herself. She was sure he was going to strike her. However, he just laughed at her so mockingly that she was ashamed of herself.

  “Don't you ever mention her name again! She is way over your league. You can't possibly understand it,” he said and brought his face so close to hers that she could feel his hot breath on her face.

  Even though he had beaten and yelled at her, she still wished he would lean a little bit closer and kiss her. When she realized that would never happen, she lowered her eyes, defeated, and tried to wiggle further away from him.

  “I let you into my home and in my bed. Is that nothing to you?” she whined.

  “Your home means nothing to me. It was you who invited me there. I never asked for that. Do you really think it was easy for me to lie beside you and let you scrabble over my body with your inexperienced hands? It sure was not! Every second, I wished that bed was Clarissa's and that those hands were hers. Every damn time you tried to kiss me, I would've given anything if those lips had been hers,” snorted Adam and pushed her further.

  “You enjoyed it,” Brianna accused him quietly.

  “You could never bring me any pleasure,” laughed Adam sarcastically. “I admit I have felt pleasure with others besides Clarissa, but at that time I didn't know anything so incredible as her could exist,” he leaned against the tree, looking quite relaxed and not even seeming to notice Brianna, who was crawling at his feet, shaking.

  “You mostly amused me, until you got mixed up with your own stupidity and called Clarissa,” he thundered, and his face darkened with anger again as he glanced at her.

  “How can you know about that?” Brianna gulped, terrified.

  “I know everything about you. You're a whining, ordinary, overweight girl who has some issues with her self-esteem. I bet no one has ever asked you out, right? Not seriously. The only thing they ever wanted from you, they got without dating.”

  Brianna stayed quiet and stared at Adam. The terror had left her eyes and instead replaced by hatred.

  “I thought so,” Adam mumbl
ed. “No one's interested in the kind of slut they can't get rid of after.”

  “I don't want to hear that! I won't listen to you! You're a liar!” Brianna yelled and stood up. She stared at him challengingly. She was still scared, but she dared to jab her fist at his chest.

  Adam grabbed her hand and held it in his iron grip.

  “I am beautiful and even if I'm not as thin as your precious Clarissa, I have an awesome curvy body that boys can't take their eyes off!”

  Adam broke down and laughed, pushing her away effortlessly.

  “You can bet the whole school will hear what kind of a jerk you really are,” she spat out toxically.

  Faster than lightning, Adam grabbed and shook her.

  “One word about me or Clarissa, and you can be sure you won't see the next dawn,” he said dangerously.

  “Okay,” declared Brianna with eyes wide open with fear.

  “I will know if you even breathe our names and then I will hunt you for real next time,” threatened Adam and looked at her for so long that Brianna was afraid he would change his mind and attack her again.

  Brianna nodded tearfully. “I said okay. Please let me go.”

  Adam pushed her down harshly and spat next to her. Then he stepped into the shadows of the woods and disappeared. Brianna sat there for a long time, listening for any sound from the woods, afraid that he would come back. But she heard nothing.

  Finally she left, half-crawling and half running to her home. Silent sobs crushed her. She felt sorry for herself and for her loss of Adam. The worst thing was that she knew that if Adam came back right now and held her, she would forgive him. There were no words that he could say to her that could hurt her so badly that she wouldn't forgive him. The pain that broke her heart had nothing to do with Adam being so hard on her or with what he had said. It was only the knowledge that Adam would never again be hers that spread the killing pain in her heart. Adam had left her and even though she knew that he was never really hers, she grieved for those short moments that she had with him.

  “Adam,” Brianna moaned quietly, but no one answered her. The silence of the woods wrapped around her like a thin haze and she stopped once more to listen, but the only answer she got was the wind that silently moved the trees, dropping the last leaves, yellowed by the autumn, to cover her.

  Clarissa rolled in her dreams, unsettled, but Marie's gentle hands comforted her in a second and soon her nightmare was hidden and forgotten back in the recess of her mind as it changed to another dream, where she hunted with the other wolves. Soon Clarissa felt a peaceful, nice feeling taking over her.

  CHAPTER 9

  Sofia

  I kept Clarissa home for several days, but when our house was cleaned from top to bottom and the yard was made ready for winter, she made our lives so unbearable with her ongoing tantrums that I gave up. My condition, however, was that Jonas would sign up for her class and that Blake would move to the same class with them as well. I didn't want to risk anything with her again and even though Blake was not the strongest one, he could complete Jonas's strength with his brain. Jonas was one of the strongest wolves I knew and I could only hope that those two men were strong enough together to protect Clarissa from Adam.

  Joshua was furious. He was way stronger than Jonas and Blake combined and yet he had to stand aside. He couldn't understand why I didn't want to let him sign up for Clarissa's school. I couldn't understand that either, but something in my mind warned me not to trust him and I trusted my own instincts completely. Joshua was so young and full of temper that, regardless of my trust, he might do something really stupid, like challenging Adam in secret. Unfortunately, I knew exactly how that would end. I was also convinced that Clarissa's teachers knew him too well by now. He had driven Clarissa to school all autumn, so it might cause unnecessary questions, and I didn't want anyone to turn their gaze on our family. At this moment any outsider would have thought that something wasn't right in our home. Even I thought it was weird to see our home full of young handsome guys and our younger daughter who was barely fifteen, living with one of them. No. I couldn't risk anything now, so I didn't change my mind even when Joshua's eyes begged me to do so. He cursed and stated loud protests that were justified, but I didn't give in an inch. Clarissa needed someone to cover her back and I truly believed no one could do it better than Joshua. So I watched, terrified, while he drove away from our house with Clarissa. Even though Marie and Tiamhaidh promised to watch over her as well, I couldn't make my restless heart settle.

  Clarissa

  Clarissa stepped out of the car timidly, and turned quickly to face Joshua.

  “I can't do this. I can't go to school without you. Can't you come, too?” she asked with a hint of panic in her voice.

  “You heard what your mother said,” grunted Joshua frustrated.

  “Still. I don't think I can do this without you,” Clarissa stood next to the car and didn't move.

  “Of course you can,” Joshua bent over, catching one tress and placing it behind her ear. “Jonas and Blake will be next to you and I'll be there in a second, if you need me.”

  “Joshua,” she whispered, shivering and looking at him with her eyes full of tears.

  Joshua sighed and let his face soften. He pressed her to his arms and held her for a long time.

  “It's going to be alright. Trust me,” he stroked her back with his long, strong fingers.

  “But…” began Clarissa.

  “Jonas, I think you’d better go now,” said Joshua steadily and looked at Jonas. Jonas saw the pain of losing Clarissa flicker in his eyes. He nodded firmly to his friend and Joshua knew he had to let go of her and push her to face her fears.

  Jonas took her hand and placed himself beside her. Blake took the other side. Little by little they managed to take her inside the school. Clarissa glanced at Joshua many times before the doors banged close behind her.

  The hall was empty save for some late students running to make it to their classes before the teacher, so Clarissa had a moment to relax and calm down before she had to face her class. Blake opened the door and everyone in the classroom quieted down. Adam stared at Clarissa with his burning black eyes from the back of the room, but when he saw how pale she was with fear, he lowered his eyes, humiliated. Every girl in the room drooled at the handsome Jonas with his Viking looks and sighed aloud when he looked at them with his deep golden brown eyes. Clarissa couldn't hide her smile. Blake found three chairs that were next to each other and as far as possible from Adam. The moment Clarissa sat down, Stella was there.

  “You hex! You didn't tell me about this,” she whispered excitedly.

  “Stella!”

  “For real! Where have you kept him?” she hung onto Clarissa.

  “It's nice to see you, too,” laughed Clarissa and quickly hugged her best friend. “He is just a friend and besides, I'm totally sure you've seen him before,” she sighed coolly.

  “I sure have not!” hissed Stella. Emilie turned from the front of the class and smiled knowingly.

  “I'm sure I have never seen this one, so don't even try to bluff me,” Stella put one pin on Clarissa's hair and tapped her nose with her black-and-white checkered nail.

  “So, does friend mean a friend or a friend who could possibly be your boyfriend?” she bustled.

  “A friend! Do you think I have some kind of harem in my house?” snorted Clarissa and looked at Stella as if hurt.

  “Well, no, but every time I think I know your moves you pop up with some awesome guy. You could share them with your friends, you know,” she said innocently.

  “Stella! Have you lost your mind?”

  “Yes! So, can I have him, if you don't want him?” Stella looked imploringly at Clarissa, but her eyes were gleaming with laughter.

  “Help yourself,” Clarissa whispered and laughed. Then she turned to face Jonas, whom she knew had heard all of their conversation.

  “Jonas, may I introduce you to my best friend Stella. I have just handed
you over for her own use.”

  Stella sighed, terrified, and held her breath as she looked at the stunning Jonas.

  “School might not be as boring as I had thought, after all,” said Jonas, and smiled at Stella.

  “Jonas! Behave yourself! Best friend means no touching, okay?” Clarissa snapped and slogged him with her booklet.

  Jonas bowed at Stella and she laughed.

  “You two are impossible,” Clarissa mumbled and hid her smile that kept coming to her lips.

  “Feel free to use me anytime you like,” sighed Stella, thrilled, and looked at him temptingly.

  “Stella! Why do I even bother? Just get a room!”

  “Not a bad idea,” said Jonas in his low voice and lightly touched Stella's wrist. “Do you always match the color of your clothes with your nails, or was this just for me?”

  “Always,” drooled Stella. “I even dye my undies.”

  “Off!” Clarissa ordered in her mind and Jonas backed off, grinning wildly at Stella.

  “By the way, where have you been? I haven't seen you the whole week?” asked Stella quietly.

  “Later, I promise.”

  “Not with “a friend”, right?” she asked and dug out a nail polish from her bag. “Adam has been looking for you,” She continued, seemingly blithe.

  “What do you mean?” asked Clarissa.

  “Well, not exactly looking, I mean he hasn't asked or anything like that. He's just been watching the door, like it's the most important thing in this stupid school. And when you didn't show up, he got pissed, and I mean really pissed.”

  As Clarissa said nothing, Stella continued.

  “At the canteen, he barely touches his food and when he's at the school yard, well I'm not sure you want to know. I'm just saying, he radiates almost unbearable danger and even the chicks who follow him have disappeared.”