Addie's POV:

I walked quickly up to my apartment, ignoring the strange looks I got as I went. Once I was in the random truck driver's cab, I found out it was past midnight. Getting out of that forest took longer than I thought it would, I had no idea where I was going and my legs were still sore from being thrown around so much. Still, I made it and now I was walking up to my apartment wearing ridiculous clothes that were way too big for me and made me look like I escaped a mental institution. 

After all this maybe I did need to be in a mental institution.

I was halfway up the stairs before I remembered what Anna said. They might know where I live. They may have even made a copy of my key, for all I knew. I approached my door slowly but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I set my backpack down and dug out my keys, unlocking the door and carefully pushing it open.

Nothing looked out of the ordinary. I stepped in quietly, carrying my backpack in just enough to set it inside. I shut the door and leaned back against it, listening. I heard nothing. I reached for the bat I kept by the door and went through the apartment, checking all the rooms and closets but it was empty. I sighed in relief and went back to the front door, locking it and putting a chair in front of it. It probably wouldn't do any good against the supernatural but it made me feel better.

I walked over to my bedroom and shut and locked that door, moving another chair in front of it before backing up to my bed and sitting down, staring at the door. Staying here wasn't a viable option, not when they knew where I lived. But it was the middle of the night. I would have to wait a few more hours. I laid back on my bed and pulled my weighted blanket over me, curling up and letting out all the emotions I kept in check over the last who knows how many hours.

I must've cried myself to sleep because I woke up a few hours later. I glanced at the clock and saw it was just after 9. The office would be open. I sat up and quickly took a shower, changing out of those awful clothes and into leggings and a sweatshirt because dammit, I didn't care how I looked today. Except the giant bruise on my face, I wasn't going to walk around with that so I covered it up with a lot of make up.

I went out to my backpack and got my phone out, plugging it in before I headed out the door. I hurried down the stairs and walked over to the office, fiddling with the ends of my sleeves as nervousness suddenly overtook me. I paused in the doorway and my landlord didn't notice, he was going over papers on his desk. I lightly knocked on the door, getting his attention.

"Addie," Greg said in surprise, surveying me with a frown. "You look like shit. Are you sick?"

"Thanks," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Yeah I'm not feeling so great. Look, I need a huge favor."

"Again?" He grumbled.

"I'm sorry," I said sheepishly.

"Damn, Addie. You need one of those key finders."

"It's actually not the keys... I... I ran into a bit of trouble and," I paused, choking on the words.

"Someone hurt you?" He asked, rising from the desk.

"No, I mean... Kind of. Look, I just need a different place to stay and I know you own other apartments and I just wondered if maybe we could transfer my lease and I coul-"

"Say no more, Addie," he said, holding up his hand. "You want to get moved out today?"

"Yes," I breathed out, holding back the tears. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do for you, honey. After the way you took care of my girl?" he said, shaking his head.

He referred to his daughter who died of cancer last year. It was a horrible time but he pulled through it, at least enough to keep going.

"Maybe you should go to the police," he said, looking over at me with concern.

"No. No police. Please, I just... I just want to get settled up somewhere else," I said, tugging on the ends of my sleeves.

He crossed his arms and frowned but nodded. "All right. I'll get the maintenance guys to help us get your stuff moved to a different place. I own the building a couple blocks down, Evergreen Estates, that okay?" He asked, pulling out his phone.

"Yes, that's perfect. Thank you so much," I said, stepping forward and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Okay, Addie. Don't worry, all right?" He said, patting me on the back before speaking into his phone.

I went back up to my apartment with boxes Greg had in the basement and he came up shortly after. We haphazardly moved my stuff into boxes. Thankfully, I was the opposite of a packrat and there wasn't much to pack up. The maintenance guys helped us with their trucks and by mid-afternoon, I was standing in a new apartment.

I sat at the kitchen table with my fourth bowl of cereal because apparently I was handling the insanity by eating. My mother was kind of insane but I could at least thank her for my ability to adapt so easily. If it weren't for her paranoid training, I might not have been able to get Kaden and I out of those cells. I might not have been able to talk myself out of what happened. I shuddered at the thought and felt a twinge of guilt about Kaden.

I couldn't stay there. It was too much. And the way Xander looked at me... It was wrong in more than one way. He looked at me like I was his entire future and I didn't even know him. What's worse was I liked the way he looked at me. I liked how it felt to be held by him, to have his hands in mine. I liked the sound of his voice and for some insane reason I was missing that warmth right now. Even when I was running away there was a part of me screaming to go back to him. 

That's why I had to leave. I had to get my head on right and I couldn't do it around him.

I shook my head because I was tired of my thinking being so messed up. I needed to think about something else. Cringing, I pulled my phone out of my pocket. It was fully charged but I hadn't turned it on for fear of the possible awaiting messages. I chewed on my lip and turned it on, setting it on the table and watching for the onslaught.

Once it was on, it went off so many times I had to walk away and put some things from my boxes away before coming back to look through it. Missed calls, missed messages. Seven voicemails. I groaned and opened the voicemail, putting the phone on speakerphone so I could listen to them and still eat.

You have seven unheard messages. First message:

"Addie what the fuck?? You're my bridesmaid, you can't go MIA! My wedding is in three days! We're going out tomorrow night, where are you??"

I dropped my spoon in my bowl and snatched my phone, looking at the date. The voicemail was from yesterday. Her party was tonight.

"Fuck," I muttered, quickly finding Tasha's number and dialing it.

In the mess of everything I forgot about her wedding! Talk about world's shittiest bridesmaid. God, I was such a bitch. I had a lot going on but who forgets a wedding? That they're in??

The phone rang three times before Tasha answered. "Okay bitch, what the fuck is going on? I just went to your apartment and it's empty."

"Tash, I'm so so so so so sorry. God, I'm sorry. I-"

"Addie," Tasha interrupted loudly, making me pull the phone away from my ear. "Where the fuck are you?"

"I'm at Evergreen Estates, two blocks south. Apartment twelve," I answered, preemptively wincing for more yelling.

But there was no yelling. Just silence.

"Addie, are you in trouble?" Tasha asked, her voice much more calm.

"No, I..." I hesitated, my voice too shaky.

"I'll be right there," she said before hanging up.

Dammit. I rushed into my bedroom and pulled a robe over the pajamas I changed into earlier. The last thing she needed to see was the bandage around my wrist. It wasn't far from my old apartment so it wasn't long before she was banging on the door.

I went to the door, taking a bracing breath before opening it. "Hi," I greeted with a half-hearted wave and guilty smile.

"Addie, oh my God," Tasha said, tears filling her eyes as she stepped in, grabbing my face.

Shit. I forgot to check on my make-up. I had splashed cold water on my face earlier because I couldn't stop thinking about his green eyes and I needed to give my system a shock, not thinking about the make up coming off.

"Who did this?" She demanded.

"Tasha..."

"Who?"

I didn't even know where to begin so instead of being brave I just started to cry again, because it had been too much. Tasha shut the door behind her and pulled me into a hug.

"What happened to you?" She murmured, rubbing my back.

Oh nothing, I was just kidnapped by vampires who were trying to use me to get to my mate who is a werewolf who I ran away from last night.

There was absolutely no way I was telling that story. She'd think I was crazy. I had to come up with something.

"It wasn't a person," I said.

Well, not entirely a lie...

"I was out taking photos..." also not a lie. "And this animal just... I don't know what it was but it was big and it came up on me and I fell and I got knocked out and when I woke up I was confused and it took me a while to get home and when I got there, Greg said my apartment was infested and I needed to get my stuff out but he didn't have any more rooms in the apartment so he moved me over here," I explained.

Wow, that lie actually came out a lot easier than I thought it would. Thank you again, paranoid mom.

"Addie, what the hell?? What have I said about you going out alone at night? You could've died!"

"Trust me, I won't be doing it again," I said honestly, clinging onto her.

"Jesus, let me look at you. You're lucky it didn't hurt you worse," she said, pulling back and examining my face.

"Well, it did cut me," I admitted, pulling back my sleeve.

"Ouch," she pouted, running her fingers along the bandage. "Shit, did you go to the hospital to get checked?"

I nodded and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"Why didn't you call me? I would've come with you!"

"When I woke up my phone was dead and I didn't have a charger, then I just had to go to the hospital because I was bleeding so much. I didn't have time to get a charger and you know how long hospitals take."

Lying was too easy for me. I wonder if I should be worried about that. Eh, I had too much on my plate to add that to my concerns.

"God, Addie, I've been so worried about you. Promise me you won't go out alone like that. At the very least someone should know when you're out and where you are," she scolded, pulling me into another hug.

"Agreed. Promise it won't happen again," I said.

I was lucky if I was brave enough to go into a forest ever again even with other people.

"Hey, if you're not up for tonight it's okay. Don't worry about it," she said, rubbing my back.

"It's your bachelorette party. Of course I'm going," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I think you need rest," she protested.

"No. I need a distraction. Parties are great distractions and so is the city. Seriously, don't worry about me," I said, giving her my best smile.

Distraction. Yes. Anything to not think about what happened or that I couldn't stop thinking about those damn green eyes.

A/N:

Hiii! Well, I had a long day so I wasn't sure if I would be updating but then I logged on and had a bunch of votes that weren't there before! So, thank you! It got me inspired to edit and update again :D

Hope everyone is well and staying safe <3

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