Act II
Chapter 19 ━━ Pain & Sorrow

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Time passes. Every tick that goes by… aches… Like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It's morning and Shelley is currently sitting on the dining table and looking at her coffee mug, thinking. Bella is texting and Charlie is reading his newspapers.

Bella tried to talk to the blonde before about what happened yesterday. Mostly the mysterious guy who rejected her. But she decided to keep herself shut.

What Shelley is feeling right now is pain. All pain. It's like a huge hole has been punched through her chest. She hates him. She hates him for what he did to her. 

She sighs as a tear comes out of her eyes. Wiping it and gulping into her coffee. Then, she walks to the sink like a zombie and washes her empty mug before placing it back in the cabinet.

She turns to head to her room, when Charlie slams his hands on the table, making the blonde jump. 

"That's it."

"That's what?"

"You're going to Jacksonville to live with your mother." He announces.

"What? Why?" She inquires with confusion.

"I just-don't know what to do anymore. You don't act like someone left you, more like someone died." He tells, concerned.

Shelley looks away. Deep down she knows that it's how it feels to her. "I'm not leaving Forks."

"It's not normal, this behaviour. And frankly, it's scaring the hell outta me, Bella, and your mother." His voice sounds more gentle. "Go to Jacksonville, Baby. It'll give you a fresh mind."

"Just give me some time, dad. I'll be fine, I swear." Shelley states.

He sighs, nodding. "Fine. If you need to talk to someone, Bella is here. I am here. Or you can call your mother as well."

"I am fine, dad." 

He nods once again. "And who is this bastard you were talking about yesterday?" 

"It's no one, dad. I'm over it."

"Is it that Cullen boy? Or your secret ex-boyfriend from Phoenix, Riley Bieber?"

Bella shudders at the mention of Cullen but soon relaxes at the latter with a chuckle.

"His name is Riley Biers. Not Bieber." Shelley shakes her head. "And no. It's not him either."

"It is all the same." Charlie says.

"No, it is not." She tells, raising an eyebrow. "How do you even know him? Riley?"

"I am a sheriff. I have my secret agents to give me information." He shrugs and walks away, leaving the newspaper on the table.

The blonde looks at Bella, who is now reading the newspapers. Mostly staring at it trying to look very interesting but fails. It looks like Shelley just found Charlie's secret agent.

"So… you told dad?"

Bella shakes her head rapidly and lies. "No." 

"No?" The blonde raises an eyebrow, giving her a knowing look.

Bella sighs. "Fine. I did. After you got missing last night, Charlie was worried. So as I. Charlie wanted to know who you talked to last and stuff and I remembered you texting with Riley. So…"

"You told him about Riley?" 

"Sorry, Shells."

Shelley sighs for the millionth time. "It's fine."

"You're not mad, right?"

"No." 

"Thank god." Bella releases a breath in relief when the doorbell rings once and twice along with a knocking on the front door, impatiently. 

The twins share the same confused look before Charlie yells. "I got it!" 

Then the sound of the front door opens. 

"Oh, the friendly boyfriend." Shelley hears Charlie saying before she hears loud footsteps walking with a hurry along with Charlie's yelling attempting to stop whoever just entered the house. With that, an anxious Esdras walks into the kitchen to stop as he notices the blonde. 

Shelley's eyes lit up at his presence and she quickly ran to him, engulfing him. "Ezra, you came." 

"Who the hell are you thinking you are-" Charlie's voice echoes behind but pauses as he sees his daughter smiling. 

"I'm sorry for bargaining in, Sir. Shelley called me yesterday and requested my presence." Esdras apologises to Charlie as they pull away from the hug.

"Yeah, that's-that's okay." Charlie nods. 

"Is he here as well?" Bella asks hopefully.

Esdras shakes his head. "No. It's just me. Ed's not with us. He's taking his pace to figure out things. He isn't even talking to me and I haven't seen him for days. I'm sorry, Bella."

"No, it's okay." 

"I guess you're not the guy from yesterday."  Charlie questions Esdras.

"Dad!" Shelley complains.

"It is not me, Sir." Esdras replies politically.

"Okay. Let's go on a walk." The blonde tells, dragging Esdras out of the house before Charlie questions him more.

"So he rejected you?" He asks as they make themselves outside.

"Yes, I guess." 

"He doesn't deserve you." His voice is full of fury. "He's a scumbag and let him rot in hell."

"Did you just curse?" She gasps, jokingly and laughs.

"I did." He nods, laughing heartily. 

She shakes her head smiling as well. "Thank you for coming back."

"For you, I can do anything. That's what best friends are for."

"I know. Are you staying?" 

"Nope. At least not yet. Ed is going through a rough patch. We're trying to trace him. He's so broken and it scares me that he'll do something stupid." He explains with a sad tone. Then he flashes an assuring smile at her. "But I'll visit you again. And you can call me anytime for anything. I'll be back for you." 

They spend the rest of the day joking to each other and him saying stuff to keep her smile wide.

Shelley runs through the cold, gloomy woods to finally see a clearing ahead and hurry towards it. As she steps into the clearing to be welcomed by the sweet tulip fragrance. She notices the familiar russet brown creature waiting there for someone. For her. 

The wolf is nothing like the monsters of fairy tales. Its russet fur is short over its body and longer at the neck, and is smooth and shiny. The size is equal to a small horse. Stance is confident and body muscular. It is sitting like a sphinx. The tail is hanging down, relaxed.

Feeling very safe in the presence of the wolf, she moves to it. "Hey, cute puppy." She reaches out a hand to pet the soft-looking fur, trying her best not to make the wolf angry.

To her surprise, it lowers its head to show it has no intention to hurt her. So, she gently petted its soft fur. 

"You're such a cutie." She giggles and it lets out a noise that looks like chuckling. 

She moves her hand to its face and the wolf decides to lick her hand. "Eww… now that's gross." Wiping the saliva into her dress, she lets out a groan and the wolf beams, letting out a noise she can assume as a smile. She crosses her arms above her chest. "Oh, stop laughing, doggy."

It lets out a low growl and nudges her as payback for calling it doggy and she falls back but sits back and does not forget to send it a glare. "Don't push me again! I hate when people push me away like I'm nothing to them!"

It looks up at her with its eyes filled with sadness and she feels her heart sink at the look it is giving her from its puppy eyes. They look so similar to Jacob's chocolate brown eyes. 

"Hey. I'm sorry for shouting at you like that. Come here." Shelley opens her arms out for a hug which it moves over and snuggles its head into her neck. She just hugs the enormous wolf close to her, running her hands through its soft fur which it doesn't seem to mind at all. "You remind me of someone I used to know, Alpha." 

The wolf pretended to look confused at the name. 

"What? You need a name." She places herself comfortably within its soft and warm fur, closing her eyes and the wolf lets out a huff but stays still, not daring to move away.

The peaceful atmosphere is cut down when they hear a rustling noise. Eyes on towards the woods, the defensive wolf lays its ears back flat against its head. Now on its feet, a low disturbing growl in its throat, sharp teeth gleaming. 

The blonde turns toward it, peer into the woods. Another rustling noise comes from another part of the woods. She spins toward it to see nothing. She stands behind Alpha sensing danger just as it. Then she turns and jumps when she finds a vampire standing just ten yards away. Pale, chiselled face. Even from far, she can clearly see his dark blood-red eyes.

"I must admit, I didn't expect to find a human here."

"Who are you?" She asks.

The vampire begins to stroll in a slow arc around us, his eyes assessing both Alpha and me as he smirks. "My name is Tyler. And you're?"

"Shelley." She simply answers and points at the wolf. "This is Alpha."

"Is that your pet?" 

"Um… something like that."

"Cute."

"What do you want, Tyler?"

"Blood." He wickedly smirks this time. "And I'm not letting go of this chance."

Alpha's hackle is up, lips curling, body crouched, ready to spring. Even though it is her sign to leave, Shelley decides to stay. She wants to make sure that Alpha's safety, even if she cannot help it right now.

The vampire charges at them with his vampire speed. Mostly the human. But before he lays a finger on her, Alpha tackles him down with its large paws. Shelley is frozen with fear as they fight each other. Alpha lunges at the vampire which he kicks and it sails into a tree, splintering it. The wolf recovers lurch back to the vampire. It's impossible to know who will prevail.

The fight goes another few minutes straight until Tyler jumps into Alpha, snapping the wolf's neck, killing it.

Shelley sinks to her knees, tears threatening. "No!!!"

"You're alright, Shells. You're okay." Charlie's voice echoes through the air.

Shelley opens her eyes, tears streaming down my cheeks. The lights are now on and Bella is looking at her sister worriedly. 

Charlie hands his younger daughter a glass of water from her bedside table. The blonde sits up, sips when Bella speaks. 

"You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

"Did I wake you up too?"

"No, I was studying and I heard you screaming." Bella states.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you." The blonde apologises to her sister and another few tears fall down her cheek which she wipes out quickly. 

"It's just a nightmare." Bella comforts her.

"I know."

"I've got this." Charlie tells Bella with an assuring look and Bella nods at him and leaves, before giving the blonde a final look. Charlie pulls the dreamcatcher from her bedpost. "This thing's not working very well."

"It's… not as bad as it was." 

"Yeah right. I know what it's like, you know. When your mom left me. I had a hell of a time. Imagine doing all kinds of crazy things, just to stop the pain."

Shelley looks at her hands, avoiding his look. "This is different, dad." 

"I know. But it's all about love, right?" He replies and pauses for a moment. "Hanging out with Esdras seems to help get your mind off… things."

"He's been keeping me afloat." She shrugs.

"I don't like the Cullen boy much. But if he can keep you away from this mess, I don't mind at all."

She nods, taking his words.

"Jacob is the boy. Isn't he?" He questions, resulting in her cringe at the mention of his name. "Do you want me to talk to him?" 

"No, dad. It's fine. I'm fine." She states but then a question plops in her mind, making her raise an eyebrow. "Ezra told you?"

"Actually, I threatened him with my Sheriff powers and he spilled the beans." He grins, proudly. Only if he knows.

She chuckles. "Yeah. Yeah. Whatever you say, dad."

"What? You think I can't scare off that kid?" He glares at her playfully.

"You're the sheriff. So maybe, Oldman." 

"You think I'm old?" He gasps.

"Aren't you like eighty now?"

"You are grounded for calling me an old, young lady." He threatens humorously, making her laugh.

As the laughter dies down, Charlie strokes her hair. "Go to sleep now, Shells."

She nods, sliding back under her covers and closing her eyes, waiting for sleep to consume her back.