Read the AN at the end, please!

Not edited.

               The sunlight is blinding. Really blinding.

The moment I open my eyes and look directly up at the sky, my retinas feel as if they're on fire. Of course, that causes me to flip onto my stomach and instinctively reach for something like, I don't know, a pillow? Yeah, that's it. But instead I end up with a face full of dead lives crawling with small bugs and dirt.

Just the way to start my morning.

And I don't even care if I sound bitchy or whiny. Wouldn't you be grumpy if you woke up on the forest floor with leaves stuck to your face and dirt down your shirt? 

Then again, I should be somewhat grateful, right? Even after such a crazy night - if crazy is really the suitable word - I am still alive. Still alive after having a gun pointed at me and being chased by a local pack who thinks Liam and I are murderers and Jeremy and Stella are probably accomplices.

So, yeah, I think my reasons for being in a bad mood are dignified. 

Right now, I would kill for a shower and a proper bed to sleep in. And we probably would have stopped at a motel or something if it wasn't for the fact our van was broken down and they were crazy werewolves after us.

Lucky for us - once we took out that last wolf that was chasing us - no other pack mates came looking for us, much to Stella's disappoint.

We all separated from there. Stella, unfortunately, was the one who seized the van for herself and locked the rest of us out. 

If I really wanted - or well,  had enough energy to - I would have smashed that fucking window in and crawled into the backseat and slept. Even in the sweltering heat, I would have.

But I had no energy, along with Jeremy and Liam who collapsed next to the van and dozed off, while I stumbled around for a bit before passing out on the forest floor.

I wondered if this is what it felt like to be hungover. Throbbing headache, not really remembering why or how you ended up sleeping on the ground, and again, feeling like your head is gonna explode. Possibly.

Why do people drink if it just leaves you feeling like crap, anyways? You can feel like crap on a daily basis without the alcohol. Just spend half of your night running from crazy werewolves who want to kill you and there you go!

That made no sense at all, now that I think about it. I think I'm going insane. Again.

With a sigh, I flip onto my back once I realize I won't be able to go back to sleep. How can I go to sleep when I've got leaves stuck in my bra and something crawling on my leg?

Crawling on my leg?

 I shoot up into a sitting position and come face to face with a pretty decent sized spider resting right on my calf. He's a fat one too. With long, fuzzy black legs and two beady little eyes staring right at me. I swear I can see my own horrified expression in the reflection of his black orbs. 

Normally, I'm not scared of bugs. Well, at least if there not on me and invading my personal space, I'm cool with them. Maybe I'll throw a shoe at them or simply swat it away with my foot. But this sucker is. I should probably just gently remove him or something, you know? So I don't get bit or anything.

But my limbs react much faster and the next thing you know I'm failing all over the place while screaming. 

I hit the thing off of my leg and I cringe - cringe - when my fingers brush the black fur, fuzz, hair, whatever the hell you really want to call it. 

I'm screaming like crazy as I push myself up from the ground and watch as the spider lands only a few feet from me.

Of course, I take off in the other direction when I see it coming back at me. That spider probably wants revenge for me whacking it off my leg that it was idly resting on.

If I wasn't acting like such a wuss, I probably would of stomped on it. Then again, that thing was huge. Maybe it wouldn't even fit under my shoe if I attempted to stomp on it.

Now you're just exaggerating.

Perhaps I was. But I didn't care. Currently, that thing looked to be the size of Godzilla and I was keen on running from it.

"Ronnie! Ronnie!"

I hear a panicked, and familiar, voice call and then I hear the pounding of feet and leaves crunching coming right at me. I only process the fact that I'm possibly going to crash into this person when I actually do run into them.

By this time, I'm panting and my blood is pounding in my veins as I clutch onto this person's biceps - quite muscle-y biceps, too - and prevent myself from tumbling onto the ground.

They clutch me back, gladly, it seems as they wrap their arms around my waist and press themselves into me and me into them.

I guess I shouldn't just be calling them a 'person' cause I know who it is. I immediately know who it is once I embrace them. Liam.

I nestle my face into the crook of his neck, inhaling the strong scent of musk and leaves. Not the most pleasant smell, but his presence and warmth are comforting nonetheless. No matter if he does have dirt and sweat covering him.

Heck, I probably don't smell that great either. Then again, who would after rolling around in dirt and leaves? Personally, I think I should be awarded some type of freaking award for spending a night in the forest. Girls usually aren't able to do that.

Most girls are usually basking themselves in Bath & Body works bubble baths and stuff. That does sound kind of appealing as of right now, though..

"Ronnie, are you okay? Is someone out there? Why were you screaming? Are you hurt?" Liam spews out in one breath as he scoops out the area behind me. He pulls back enough - despite my slight purpose - and forces me to meet his eyes as his eyes roam my body for any wounds. 

I almost want to tell him to stop just so he won't analyze my messy hair and dirt covered shirt. Even at this moment of time, Liam doesn't look that bad.

Sure, his hair is a little disheveled and he might have a few smudges of oil on his forearms from trying to repair the van yesterday, but other then that, he looks relatively normal. Normally perfect.

God, shouldn't it be me who looks effortlessly perfect in this relationship? I'm the chick. 

I should be waking up like those girls do in the commercials. With nicely fixed hair and glossy lips and perfectly curled lashes. But dang it, I wake up looking like a caveman and Liam wakes up looking all hot and rugged. Curse him.

Maybe he's like that Edward dude from Twilight. Always looking well put together and then I'm just.. Oh god, I am not that Bella chick. I'm not that stupid and clingy. Am I?

I'm not sure, but maybe I should find something else new to make fun of. Seriously, comparing myself to that Twilight chick is getting old. I need new jokes.

I should read more teen books just to make fun of them. You know, when I actually have a break from being on the run and fighting other packs like the badass I am. Psh. 

"Ronnie? Do you hear me? Are you hurt?" Liam echos, bringing me back from my crazy thoughts. I'm about to answer him and possibly smooth out the crease he's made on his forehead from furrowing his eyebrows, but another voice interrupts me from.

"Maybe she's just delusional? Seriously, that spaced off look is starting to creep me out."

I glance around Liam to see Stella standing there with her arms crossed over chest, a plastic bag limply hanging from her fingers as she gives me a pointed look.

Behind Stella, Jeremy shrugs and ruffles a hand through his wild red locks. "Maybe she's in shock?"

I shake my head slowly as Liam stares down at me, raising his eyebrows in silent questioning. "I'm not in shock. Or delusional. Just.. a little shaken, I guess."

"About?" Stella presses.

I almost don't want to say why I was running and screaming like a mad man. They'll probably laugh, but the look of expectation pressures me to just spit out the truth and so I stupidly say, "There was a spider on me."

Stella's face twist into disbelief, while Jeremy laughs. Liam pulls away immediately, giving me the same look Stella is. I knew I should have made up some stupid lie. 

Like, I don't know, leather face was chasing me or something? 

"You were screaming and running like that cause of a spider?"  Liam deadpans. I shrug weakly and gnaw on my lip while Stella shakes her head and Jeremy snorts.

"And here I thought I was gonna promote you to badass number one for that head shot on the wolf last night. Tittle provoked!" Jeremy declares.

"Laugh all you want, but it was a damn big spider. You guys wouldn't know. You didn't sleep knee-deep in dirt and bugs, so shut up." I snap. Jeremy raises his eyebrows in surprise of my tone but presses his lips together tightly, sliding one finger over his lips and pretending to zip them shut. If only the motion was real.

Wow, I really am in a bad mood. And I think Liam notices and Stella realize that too since they take a minimal step back. I don't object to Stella moving away, but I do for Liam. I think that was one of the biggest physical contacts we've had in a while.

Note to self: Pretend more often that I'm getting murdered just for Liam to embrace me.

Gosh, I think I am as clingy as that Bella Swan chick.

"It's clear a bug crawled it's way up your ass. Someone's grumpy." Stella remarks and I huff in annoyance. I bite down the curses that spring up into my throat immediately. I don't want my headache to get worse with arguing. "Maybe this will help, though."

Stella reaches into the bag, pulling out a travelling size tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush still in it's plastic packaging, tossing them both my way. I catch them and at that moment, I know that a God exists.

"Yeah, and we come bearing breakfast too!" Jeremy pulls a bag from behind his back, reaching in and pulling out four Nutri-grain bars and show casing the four water bottles in the bag too. I stare in amazement. I don't even care if it's just a energy bar we have for breakfast. It's enough for me. I don't even questions how or where they got it from. 

I simply run towards Jeremy, swiping my breakfast and watter bottle from his grip. I eagerly tear off the wrapper and sigh in pleasure as I shove half of the bar into my mouth. 

I don't even dwell on how it taste or that I hate energy bars, I merely chew. I imagine it as a bacon instead. And it's quite pleasant imagining it is.

"Happy?" Jeremy teases with a smile. I nod.

"How'd you guys get that stuff? And when did you leave to get it?" Ah, there you go, Liam. The million dollar question I didn't care to ask.

"Went back to that bar." Stella replies casually, retrieving her own energy bar. This, of course, slows my fierce chewing as I stop to stare at her.

"What?" I say, though it comes out in more of a muffle.

I've heard her clearly. I have. I just can't believe it. She went back to the place where lunatic wolves attempted to kill us? Stella really does have a death wish. That or she's just one of those weird people who get a sick joy out of danger and sadistic situations. Wait. She does.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but Stella's still insane for going back. Everybody's insane.

"Did I stutter?" Stella drawls in a mocking tone, "I went back."

Liam's jaw clenches, "Were they there?" 

"Nope," Jeremy answers before Stella can. She shoots him an annoyed look for that. "Though the place was really a wreck. They were all gone. Even the bodies."

So that means Charlotte's still alive and out for my blood. Our blood. Great. Another person who wants to kill me. I should start making a list to keep up. 

I bet she's real angry too. I mean, I did shoot her. But she asked for it, technically. She'd be good at tracking me, though. Nothing like a scorned women who's dead set on revenge.

In this case, a scorned crazy half-werewolf chick. 

The energy bar suddenly taste like dirt. Like it usually would if I was in the right state of mind and not starving.

I spit it out immediately, earning a look of distance from the other three rogues standing before me. I'm sure it made me look real lady like.

"I spent good money on that, I'll have you know." Stella says.

"Probably stolen money." I mutter and I know I'm right when a smirk tugs at the corner of her lips. 

"Maybe," She shrugs innocently. "But I mean, it would be useless if it just sat in that register."

 "It's true," Jeremy agrees.

"So you guys just so happened to stumble upon an actual town and that's where you got that stuff?"  Liam asks. 

"Yeah, it was only a mile or two from that bar. Though, honestly, everybody just stared at us as we walked through. Didn't get good vibes from that town." Stella retorts.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the wolves came hunting for us right now," Jeremy adds. "Seems like a fishy town."

"Trouble just seems to follow us," I remark under my breath, though of course, Jeremy, Stella, and Jeremy hear. And they agree with curt nods.

"We should get the van fixed. So, Liam, time to get to work." Stella gestures towards the van that sits a few feet away from us, the hood already popped up. Liam grunts. 

"Where the hell are we gonna go after it gets fixed, anyway?" I question. A twinkle resides in Stella's dark eyes as she meets my gaze.

I can tell she's up to something immediately. And for some reason, I'm not surprised. I just hope for whatever she has in mind, it doesn't lead us into more danger. But safety. For at least a while. It would be nice to go to sleep at night without worrying about someone stabbing me in the back or something. 

"We'll talk about that later," Stella declares cryptically while turning on her heel. "Now let's get to work!"

           I didn't really do that much work. Nobody really did besides Liam. 

Stella lounged in a van seat that she pulled from the back seat and Jeremy took a seat next to her, watching Liam work under the hood of the car. Well, Jeremy supervised while Stella placed a pair of Ray Bans over her eyes and slept.

I was the only one who trailed away. I collected some logs of wood that I could find and formed some type of semi-circle seating arrangement so I didn't have to seat on the ground.

I managed to brush my teeth and rinse out my mouth. I spared the rest of my water for a bath. Or well, more like a ghetto shower of sort.

It was quite awkward. Yanking my bag from the van and then traveling away from the group to strip down into my boy shorts and rolling my tank top to under my bust.

Jeremy had luckily stashed some soap from a cheap motel one night in one of the bags and I had snatched it. Because I honestly needed it the most.

I wasn't even nude and I was freaking out the whole time I drizzled water down my arms or whatever. Then again, standing in my underwear and my rolled up tank top in the middle of the forest felt weird. I knew no one was around, yet I felt someone was watching.

I scrubbed my skin raw with the generic smelling soap and then changed out of my underwear, bra, and tank top at lighting speed. Seriously. 

Wringing the leaves out of my bra was also quite the conquest as I figured it would be. But it felt nice once I replaced my old clothes with some new ones that consisted of jean shorts and my only clean muscle tank. 

I bunched up my dirty clothes into my bag just as the sun began to set and made my way back to the camp with my two empty water bottles in hand.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention I jacked Stella's water bottle as well? Well, I did. And I didn't even regret it. Could she really expect me to bathe with one water bottle? One water bottle would simply never do. And besides, she looked to be squeaky clean. I wondered suspiciously how she did too, but didn't question it. 

Once I emerge from the dense forest, I'm greeted with stares and raised eyebrows. I'm sure the smell of my soap was pungent enough for them to detect it immediately.

"Have a nice shower?" Stella taunts. 

"Yeah," I reply as I approach slowly. "Thanks for letting me use your water bottle." I toss her the empty bottle as I say this. Her face twists into a sour expression.

"I should have figured you'd take it," She sneers. I merely send her a grin. Jeremy sports a goofy smile. A smile I hadn't seen in a while and I'm suddenly glad to see.

Without replying, I walk towards the back of the van and toss in my bag, all while retrieving Stella's and fishing through it before I find her brush. 

I brush through the knots in my hair slowly, wincing when the brush gets stuck in certain areas. My hair really was a birds nest for a while.

Luckily, Stella isn't even surprised when she finds I have her brush in my hand. She simply makes a face at me before looking towards the forest. It's not like she should object, anyway. During the trip she's stolen plenty of my shirts. You could say Stella have the same taste in fashion. Or well, lack of taste in fashion.

The only difference between us is that I wear combat boots while Stella wears brown ankle-boots with a two or three inch thick heel. Probably to give her some added height. Still, even though the heel isn't that tall, I wonder how she can run in those.

She's still short in those boots. And that says a lot since I'm not that tall compared - 

Wait.

Where the heck is Liam?

I come to the hood of the van, surprised to see him not working furiously beneath. Jeremy takes one look at my face before answering my unspoken question, "I think he went to take a wiz."

Okay, I think, I didn't need that information, but okay. 

"Yeah, he's been gone for a while, though." Stella chimes in.

Immediately, I frown. "Do you think he's okay?"

Maybe he went to do.. whatever he was going to do.. and then ran into trouble. Maybe the local pack had finally come back for vengeance and Liam had gotten the blunt end of their anger. Maybe he was hurt. 

Then again, Liam wouldn't get hurt that easily. And if such a thing happened, we would probably hear. I would have probably heard it, I mean I was out there for a pretty lengthy amount of time. Even if he did roam off into another direction, I was far enough into the woods to hear.

Then why -

Oh. My. God.

What if he had seen? Seen me? Out there in the forest, half naked, - fully naked at one point - what if he had just watched?

I make a sound of distress without even knowing and then Jeremy and Stella are laugh their asses off. So much that Jeremy tumbles off the seat and onto the pavement. 

Maybe they've finally realized what I'm thinking about. I'm sure my expression probably gave it away.

For some reason, just the thought of Liam makes me go blank. I mean, sure he'd seen me in my underwear and tank top before, but never beyond that. And even when he did see me in my lack of clothing, I had immediately freaked out because of it.

No one had ever seen me naked before. At least nobody had seen me naked since birth. I had never even worn a bathing suit in front of anybody in my lifetime. At least, not after I hit puberty and stuff and oh my gosh, someone put me out of misery.

"I bet Liam enjoyed the show real well!" Stella chokes between laughter. Jeremy nods, his face red from laughing so much.

"Obviously since he's not back yet!" Jeremy adds, "Do you think he's mastu-"

"What's so funny?"

I jump at the sound of the voice and come fact to face with Liam. Liam with an armful of wood that he dumps into the middle of the semi-circle seating arrangement I've created. 

"I bet he brought more wood back with him than that," Jeremy whispers rasply to Stella, who breaks out into my laughter. My face goes beat red.

"What?" Liam says, obviously having heard Jeremy.

Jeremy and Stella meet his eyes, about to spew more idiotic remarks but I cut in quickly. 

"Nothing," I reply sharply. "You brought to make a fire?"

"Yeah," He says and eyes us three warily. "Should I start it? Night's coming pretty quick and I don't want to be left in pitch blackness again."

I nod and Liam strides to the van, probably to grab a lighter or something.

Nonetheless, I look towards Jeremy and Stella and send them a deadly glare. Stella smirks. Jeremy smiles.

I suddenly wish we weren't talking anymore.

             Liam finally succeeds with making a fire. And soon enough, the embarrassment from before vanishes as Stella whips out a can of Uh-Oh Spaghetti-o's and then demands we somehow heat it up and we do. 

Though, of course, I don't condone stealing money, I'm grateful. Or else we'd be starving as of right now. Uh-Oh Spaghetti-o's isn't the ideal meal nor is it gourmet, yet as I begin to scarf it down, I think it's the best meal I've ever heard.

It even takes my mind off the fact that Liam possibly saw me naked.

He didn't, my mind argues, he was looking for wood. 

Perhaps he was. Or perhaps he wasn't. 

I guess it shouldn't really matter if he was or wasn't, anyway. Okay, so let's say he did see me half-naked or fully or whatever. Him.. seeing me.. would have just happened sooner or later. In this case, it happened sooner.

We were going to mate someday, well, that is if Liam ever stopped distancing himself from me because of his stupid anger issues.

It was bound to happen. At least I hadn't known till after. If I would have caught him in the act of watching me, I probably would have died of embarrassment and then began to dig my hole to live in and ever come out because I'm just that dumb.

Sure, I've slept in a tank top and underwear before, but that was when I was alone. Without nobody seeing. And most of the time I hurried to get under the sheets of my bed just in case an old doll sitting on one of my dressers saw. 

I'm ridiculous. And I know it.

It's not that big of a deal, and I know it. I know that. I just tend to make these more awkward and weird they usually are.

He didn't even act suspicious. He walked up to us so casually and stuff. And he looked genuinely confused to what Stella and Jeremy were talking about. 

He didn't see me, I conclude after a while. And if he did, it doesn't matter. It doesn't. 

We had bigger problems on our platter. Like what we were gonna do and where we were gonna go. Adams last words rang in my head at this thought. 

Ida Welsh; Wisconsin.

I wondered what the hell that meant anyway. I'd never heard that last name. Nor was I similar with the name Ida. 

Maybe I should pursue the lead though. Maybe there was something there for us that Adam just didn't elaborate on. Maybe those were my father's dying words to Adam and he had simply called them out to me. 

My father. 

My throat squeezes uncomfortably at the mere mention of him. At the mere thought of his death. If his death did occur, that is. He could still be alive and I just didn't know it. Perhaps Beckett kept him alive because he knew I cared. I wouldn't be surprised.

Wondering about Beckett made me think of Adam and where he was right now. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Maybe Beckett lashed out at him once we got away and something happened. Maybe Adam was just another corpse that was soon to be added to my list of dead family and friends. 

I think I'm a death magnet. That must be it, because bodies are starting to pile up. 

Even if the thought of my dead friends and family sickens me, I still manage to finish my meal. I need to eat anyway. It won't make anything better if I don't.

"So what are we gonna do, Stella? You still haven't elaborated." I declare. Mostly because I can't stand the silence and the dazed off looks that my three fellow rogues are sporting. And because I don't want to over think. I'm determined to shake myself of that habit. Somehow and someway.

My questions seems to snap everybody out of their own personal la la land. Stella especially since she shoots up from her seat.

I'm about to call after her and ask why she isn't answering my question or why she's walking away, but she returns fairly quickly after fishing in the van for something else. I don't get to see what it is until the fire illuminates it. 

It's a bottle. A bottle of vodka.

I immediately grown uncomfortable at the sight of her sitting down and popping it open, though she isn't the first one to take a swig, it's Jeremy. I shouldn't be surprised that they somehow acquired. And I bet it wasn't fairly new either.

Stella must have something very serious to say if she's whipping out alcohol. Either way, she sports a sour expression as the bottle is passed back and she tips her head back, taking a generous sip. Then it's passed on to Liam, who grips it loosely in his hands and eyes Stella with raised brows. 

"I figured I'd bring it out for this talk," Stella says, echoing my thoughts. I thought so. "You guys need to loosen up anyway."

"It must be pretty serious if you're wanting us to get drunk," I say with a frown as I watch Liam play with the label. He doesn't take a sip. Merely passes it back to Stella who shoots him an annoyed look.

"You were always the party pooper of the bunch, Liam." Stella says as she takes another sip, though this time, it isn't nearly as long as a gulp as last time.

Liam shifts closer to me on the log as Stella hands it to Jeremy. Jeremy agrees as he tilts it towards his lips. "Liam's was always too good for drinking."

"I don't like to drown my problems in alcohol." Liam grunts and watches stiffly as Jeremy lowers it from his lips and then extends it out towards me.

I suck in a sharp breath as I met Jeremy's gaze, then Liam's as he stares at me with somewhat of a warning glance that screams, ' take that bottle and I'll rip it from your grasp.''

It's not like I'd ever take the bottle, anyway. I had only tasted alcohol once and it was merely beer. Anna had managed to convince me to one night while sleeping over. I ended up spitting it out in the sink and washing my mouth out with coca cola. 

It tasted like ass. And no, I don't know what ass taste like. It's a metaphor of sorts.

Anyway, I figured if I didn't like beer, I wouldn't like any other alcohol beverage. I had no interest in finding out either way. I wasn't about to become a person - like Liam said - as someone who drowns their problems in drinking. 

Instead, I over think my problems because I'm stupid.

Though, I must admit, the rebellious part of me wants to take the bottle and somehow prove to Liam that he doesn't have any say over me. At least he doesn't have a say over me if he wants to act childish and ignore me like he has been doing for weeks. 

I've always liked to test the waters around him. 

With a subtle smirk, I reach out to accept the bottle from Jeremy.

I don't even get close to brushing the label on the bottle before my hand is seized by Liam and angrily yanked to rest next to my side.

I look to Liam, who seethes at me silently for even thinking about taking the vodka. The expression is pretty funny, I must admit.

I fight to keep the smirk off my face and instead focus my eyes back on the fire. I hear Stella faintly scoff.

"If she wants to drink, she can Liam." Stella protests. She doesn't need to, though. I don't want to drink. But I guess this is the closest I'll ever get to Stella sticking up for me or whatever. Funny how she's sticking up for something I don't want.

"She's not drinking. She won't be influenced by you idiots." Liam declares gruffly. I make a show of rolling my eyes, though I truly don't mind.

Stella is about to object, but I figure we should just get to the point before Stella starts an argument I don't care for. "Just get on with whatever you were going to tell us, Stella."

She stares at me silently for a minute before clamping her mouth shut tightly and releasing a sharp exhale through her nose. She fidgets with the bottle for a minute as Jeremy passes it back to her. She gazes down into the liquid of the bottle, as if the questions on her mind lie there. "I know a place we could go," She murmurs softly. Softly that I just barely catch it. "I spoke with them today. I managed to find a payphone and they said we were welcome. They could help us out with our situation."

Everyone was silent for a minute. And I don't get it. This is the news? The news she was so scared to say? What's the big deal about this? It's a great opportunity. A place where we could possibly be safe and welcomed. And hopefully they had food and warm beds and air-conditioning would also be lovely.

"So?" I voice finally, "Why was that so hard to say? That's sound good. As long as they're not evil and not the Purgatory or Beckett, I'm fine with it."

"Us three," She gestures to Jeremy, Liam, and herself. "Have a past with them. Not a very good one, I guess you could say."

Liam tensed at this immediately. My hand was still in his grip. And it seemed to tighten impossibly more at the mere mention of the past. And them three being in it.

I was really getting sick of being on the outskirts of their little secrets or whatever. Then again, that was hypercritical, wasn't it? I was keeping secrets. Like the fact Purgatory blood was running through my veins.

The people they hated were apart of me. But it wasn't like I was technically related to the pack that exists today. The twisted pack who were hunting us down. They didn't know who I was because a new leader had been acquired and everyone who was once apart of the pack dispersed. I was apart of the old pack, I guess you could say.

My mother was the Alpha's daughter of the Purgatory. If only my mom and my grandparents were alive, we wouldn't have this problem. These problems. 

But they weren't and I had no proof other then the blood pumping in my veins. 

Liam, nor Stella or Jeremy, had no reason to hate me. My mother's true pack hadn't done whatever happened to make them hate the Purgatory so much. The new Purgatory pack had. 

I'm just a wimp who simply can't spit these things out for my own good. I hadn't even talked to them about Anna. Any of them. Perhaps only silently had Liam comforted me.

But I wanted to confess and get it off my chest. About my father and Anna and anything else I could think of. The secrets needed to go and I knew that, yet I didn't have the courage to say so.

"I wish Liam would tell you everything already, Ronnie." Stella confesses suddenly. It catches my attention. "I'm so sick of you being left in the dark because having secrets could kill us all. I'm not afraid to state my past and I'm not as scarred as Liam to say that our families and friends and pack mates are-"

Liam cuts her abruptly off, "Shut up Stella!" He hisses on reflex. For some reason, the thought of him not wanting me to know about his past hurts. 

"No, Liam, I'm not gonna shut up. You need to tell your girlfriend everything and move on like Jeremy and I have. You need to let go!" Stella hisses back, her eyes blazing. And I agree with her silently.

"I will when I'm ready," He snaps. "It's not like Ronnie isn't hiding her own secrets."

That causes me to snatch my hand away from him immediately. It was a bad idea, though. Since my fingers feel like they've been pulled from their sockets right after. Dang, Liam has a strong grip. 

"I've shared a fair amount of my past, Liam," I spit, anger suddenly blossoming. "And I've kept secrets to either prevent you from getting hurt or because I wasn't ready to talk about it. But eventually, I told you about my mom. About my dad and his girlfriend. And about Adam."

"Adam," Liam spits the name out angrily. "You haven't told me shit about him. I have the same reasons as you. Maybe I just don't want to share my past yet. Maybe it's still..." He trails, pressing his lips tightly into a thin line before he mutters, "I'm so sick of having this fight."

"You don't think I am?" I say, "I'm sick of a lot of things. Like you stupidly ignoring."

This seems to strike a nerve in Liam since he shoots to his feet and glares down at me. "I was giving you your space to deal with your father!" 

I shoot up from my seat as well, managing a quick glance at Stella and Jeremy who watch us in silence with mouth agape. This isn't the first time they've seen us fight, anyway. I don't care if they see us fight. It's about time I let out all my frustrations I've bottled for the past few weeks. "No you didn't so don't throw that at me! You ignored me because I went running after my father. I don't know what the hell you expected. To stay by your side and let my father die without even trying to save him? I couldn't do that, Liam!"

"Then you should of gone by it more smartly!" Liam shouts, "And before that even started I caught you with Adam, that just added to it all!"

"What is about Adam that you're still stuck up on him? I've told you, idiot, that I don't feel the same about Adam as I do about you! You didn't even hear me out when I tried to explain. You let your stupid anger get to you like you always do!" 

"You were hugging him. Hugging him!"

"He was hugging me because he just wanted to comfort me and be.. a good friend!" I fire back.

"Friends?" Liam scoffs at the word, "Friends don't force friends to do something they don't want to. Friends stick up for each other. Friends don't let your other friend die. His father killed Anna. And he knew about it. The basterd knew and he did nothing! Friends don't do that, do they?"

The tears surge to my eyes at the mere mention of her. Of my dead best friend that stopped talking ot me because of the fact I didn't tell her my secrets. Because I lied to her too. It seems lying and keeping secrets is another nasty habit I need to get rid of. Maybe things would be better if I didn't stupidly lie and try to fix things myself. I'm an idiot, I tell you.

He's right. He is. And I know it. Even if Adam was scared of his father, he should have said something. Then again, he's like me. Thinking that swallowing down the truth and sticking it out is best. It's not. Just idiotic and dumb and idiotic and don't those things mean the same thing?

Adam and I aren't friends. I don't know what we are. We're friends from the pass. The word friend had sprung to my mind because it was the only thing I could think of at that moment. What else was I supposed to call him, anyway?

I don't reply to Liam. I don't know how or what to reply to him. So I do the only thing I know how to do and turn away and begin to walk off. Crossing an arm under my bust while wiping away the stray tears that had managed to slip out from my eyes.

I hate how my anger turn to tears.

I walk off in the direction of the woods. I don't know what else to do and I've always been good at walking away from an argument. Liam isn't, though.

"Walking off again, Ronnie. Is that the only thing you know how to do!" He calls after me. And I don't reply, once again, but I do answer silently. Yes.

Liam will never let me walk off in peace, though. Instead, he follows, calling my name and demanding I answer him.

And then suddenly, he appears in front of me, grabbing my wrist and forcing me to stop and stare up at him. Or well, what I can make out of his features since it's so dark. 

"When I finally decide to talk, you want to walk off."

"You're right, Liam. About everything. Is that what you want to hear? You're right. I'm an idiot and you're right and god, you're an asshole!"

The last part comes out on accident. I guess you can call it an accident, anyway.

"And you're stubborn." He declares with a sigh and then releases my wrist, taking a step back while running a hand through his hair. "God, Ron, I was angry at you because I care. Because you could have gotten yourself killed that night."

"I couldn't sit back and just hear him scream," I argue back. Though quite weakly this time. "At the end of the day, I didn't care about all the shit we went through. I just wanted to help him and I admit, I doubted you that day and I shouldn't have but I just do. Cause how can you care for someone as idiotic as me? Cause that's what I am. An idiot."

He meets my eyes and I can make out his green orbs and the sharp line of his jaw now that my eyes have adjusted. And then he says, "But you're my idiot."

And I crack on a sob mixed with a laugh as I remember the same line I told him once. The tears run down my face more profusely as I stare at him and I nod. "Yeah. I guess I am."

He leans closer to me, his hands resting on my cheeks as he swipes away at the tears on my face and places his forehead to rest against mine, his breath fanning over my face. "People usually care about the people they love, Ron." Liam pauses, taking in my reaction before continuing, "I was so stupidly angry, as you put it, because I imagined what it would be like if you died, Ron. As dramatic as it sounds, I don't know how I would have managed to go on. So I distanced myself. Not to mention the fact the mating bond has been kind of irking me. That doesn't help."

I laugh softly at that, "Yeah, I could tell with the whole Jeremy thing. You know I could never like him, right?"

"Deep down I know that," He rumbles with a chuckle. "I just can't stand the sight or thought of you with someone else. Because you belong with me and solely me."

"That sounds like a Taylor Swift song," I manage to murmur as he edges closer. 

"Don't ruin the moment." He whispers rasply and then before I know, we're kissing.

(Things get a little intense.. if you don't like that, skip it!)

The moment his lips touch mine, I respond immediately. Warmth curls in the pit of my stomach as I reach up and fist my hands into hair. And then I'm being pushed into the bark of the tree, not caring when I feel the wood dig into my back or the fact that Liam really has a fetish for pushing me against things.

I focus on one thing and one thing only. Liam.

The warmth of his body, the flexing of his muscles under my fingertips as my hands trail from his hair to his arms, and the feel of him against me. Fit so smugly against my figure. Caging me in and making me feel protected and cared for and loved.

At this thought, I push my lips to his more fervently, releasing a small sound of pleasure in the back of my throat as my mouth opens and his tongue swipes in to claim mine. 

He tastes of cinnamon and maple leaves and something else that is sickly sweet and highly addictive and mine. 

I clutch to him tighter and Liam hitches me up with a shallow and shaky breath, he pulls away momentarily, long enough to wrap my legs around his lean waist and then he hesitantly brushes his lips back to mine. It's so gentle and soft and the moment our eyes meet in the intensity of the moment, I know it. I know I'm crazy about him. I know that I more then like him. I love him. I love him, I love him, I love him.

And with this thought in mind, I press my lips back to his, taking his and my breath away in that, one simple kiss that escalates quickly. I ran my hands along the ridges of muscle of his chest and up to his face, where I splay my hand on his neck and then Liam pulls away, trailing feverish kisses down my neck and to behind my ear. His tongue darts out, tasting and teasing the spot there. The air I so desperately need is stolen from me as he takes the lobe of my ear into his mouth and tugs sharply, earning a sharp gasp from me.

His mouth continues it's journey down to the base of my neck, laying more kisses there. He takes generous time at the spot where my neck meets my neck, sucking the skin into his mouth and that's when I feel his fingers at the hem of my shirt. The hem of my shirt and I know he's dying to touch underneath. And I'm dying for him to do it too. 

I grab his chin and without another thought, I kiss him again and that's all he needs for his fingers to dart underneath my shirt and touch the tender skin of my stomach. 

His fingers splay across the skin and I shiver as he draws invisible patterns on the skin there. And then his fingers crawling up just under my bust. Right to the underlining of my bra. His fingers brush so gently there that I nearly explode. 

I don't hesitate as I push away from him slightly, this immediately, causes him to take his hand out from underneath my shirt and he looks at me questioningly, probably wondering if he thinks he's overstepped my boundaries. Instead, I reach down as best as I can and wrench the shirt over my head, leaving him to gaze at me in my not-exactly-sexy cotton white bra. 

Though honestly, Liam doesn't seem to care what type of bra I have on. All I know is that he wants it off as he immediately pushes his lips back to mine and his fingers find my skin again. I don't even care if I'm acting like some hormonal teenager right now. All I know is that this feels right. It all feels right. I can't find it in me to be even one bit embarrassed about the fact my chest is clad in only my bra. You don't really care about anything in the heat of the moment except for the person you're with. 

Liam. 

I kiss him softly and he does the same. The kiss is slow and drugging and I find myself fisting his shirt in my grip as his fingers trace my hipbone, then around my bellybutton, to the underlining of my bra. I want to scream at him to do something then mere teasing. And he does.

His fingers come up higher and they rest just at the top of my bust, over the delicate skin there and his mouth follows, taking a journey down my neck and to the top of my cleavage. There's another lick and then sharp bite and I feel his hand moving towards my back, where the clasp resides and just like him, I want it off.

I hear a soft click as my bra comes undone and the straps fall down my shoulder. I pull away, meeting his heated gaze in the darkness. I can see it all perfectly now. The look of frustration and desire as he lowers the strap even lower down my arm. His eyes never leave mine as he does so. "You're perfect," he breathes. And there's another kiss. One that conveys something much deeper than just lust and desire. All of our kisses convey something much deeper then the superficial stuff. I'm sure of it.

I'm about to do it, help him slip it off and then let us lead to whatever else is going to happen. I don't care what happens. As long as we're together, that's all that matters. Cause I love him. And I want him to know that and I want him to have a piece of me that I will never share with anybody else. It's true. He's mine and I'm his. 

My hand wanders under his shirt and I trace the ridges of muscle that flex under my touch. I only take my hand away to help him discard me of the unwanted garment still on me. Our eyes meet again and who the hell knew a bra could take so damn long to get off. Perhaps he just wants to make sure that this is truly what I want and that I'm not just lost in the daze of lust. But I do want it. I want it all. 

I reach up and slide down the other strap, the bra slides, further, enough that he can surely see and then-

"Woah!"  

Jeremy.

I let out a squeal as I hurriedly pull up my bra that had already slid half way down my arms and was about to fall to the ground. I cross my arms over my chest and Liam let's out a loud snarl. It's dark and Liam's large frame is definitely covering me from view, but they can probably see enough to tell I don't exactly have a shirt on. Or a bra.

"I hate to avoid the love fest, but we should get going. Company is on it's way." Stella announces and I bury my face in Liam's neck, exhaling sharply. Definitely a mood killer. 

I hear them turn and then hear Jeremy mutter, "Liam is going to kill me. I just interrupted him going to boob town on Ronnie."

I hear Stella laugh.

I feel like I can die of embarrassment. Probably would have dropped dead if it weren't for Liam holding me up. 

I hate them. And then I think, company?

————————————————

Tada! Hello lovelies. I'm actually alive and just slightly delusional that it is so late.

Sorry it took soooo long for me to upload. The fact that my PC broke and I had to attend summer school - gag - played a major role in it.

Plus, I don't know why, but I let some comments get to me. But then I realized, not everyone is going to like my stories and I need to get over that fact. So I did and I wrote this very long chapter to make it up to you guys!

Though I must say, if you don't like my story, DON'T read it. It's as simple as that. If I do see an offending comment, it will be deleted. I accept critic, but not someone downright dissing my story and my characters. Seriously. They're my babies.

Anywho,

LONNIE IS BACK MOFO'S!

How did you guys like that scene between them towards the end? Too much? I wanted to test the water. If you like it, then sweet! Maybe I'll border onto it again and if you don't, that's okay too! That's why I put the little warning. I, personally, didn't find it too intense but just incase anybody else did, I warned them. Let me know if you want more scene's like that or what.

And haha, Jeremy cock blocked Liam. Poor Liam.

And Ronnie finally realizes she really does Liam. Seriously. For some reason I teared up and I don't know why? I didn't even mean to write that, you know. That she loved him. I was planning that for further down the line but it just... happened. Like Liam going to boob town!

Anyway, I hope you like it and please drop a comment! Don't be a silent reader.

Until next time, which I hope will be soon, seeing as I need my PC fixed, 

- CeCe.

xx