AUTHOR'S NOTE*
Date: 3-4-17

Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't been publishing anything on my story. I had to get a new phone and it took awhile.

In case anyone read my earlier comment about the choir contest I went to today, it went great!

I got a 1 on my solos and group songs! In case you don't know, a 1 is the highest ranking you can get in choir.

Now on to Chapter 39! Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow me!

Thanks my lovely readers 😉
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Chapter 39: Fearless! Or Maybe Not...

"I want you to leave and stop bothering us." Adrian says with a snarl to vine girl. Monique stands back to avoid vine girl in case she decides to attack.

"Fine! Ruin my fun!" She spits out, scrambling up and away from Adrian, showing fear once again. Adrian didn't think vine girl could feel fear because she hadn't shown any before he threatened to kill her.

Adrian takes a menacing step forward and vine girl runs off, quickly disappearing into the woods. "Well that was easy." Adrian says with a triumphant smile.

"Easy?" Monique exclaims. "None of that was easy!" Monique shouts frustrated at Adrian.

"We got an answer, didn't we? Ivie can reverse the damage." Adrian says with a shrug, as if it's that simple.

"I talked with Ivie, Adrian." Monique says with her arms crossed. "She likes the new her. Someone has to convince her otherwise."

"Oh. Well I'll talk to her." Adrian suggests.

"How would that help? I can talk to her. We're supposed to hang out tomorrow." Monique argues.

Just then Adrian hears running footsteps coming closer. "Shhh!" Adrian hisses quietly and pulls Monique behind a tree. They crouch so it's less obvious where they're hiding.

The footsteps stop while Adrian holds his breath. "I know you're here Adrian." A voice calls out.

Adrian makes a gesture that means Monique needs to stay, then he steps away from their hiding place.

"Lucas. What a big surprise." Adrian says sarcastically. "Where's the rest of your gang?"

"Obviously not here." Lucas replies, looking around as if he's searching for them.

"Right." Adrian rolls his eyes and fakes a yawn, hinting that Lucas should get on with it.

"You're here early." Lucas comments suspiciously. Adrian notices that they're not too far from the spot that they were supposed to meet at.

"So are you." Adrian says with a bite in his one. He's getting annoyed quickly and doesn't want to talk to Lucas anymore.

"Why'd you bring Monique out here? To help you hunt?" Lucas asks, narrowing his eyes at Adrian.

Adrian's eyelids flutter in barely controlled frustration. Why did Lucas have to know how to control his werewolf abilities?

Monique steps out from behind the tree, knowing she's been revealed and hating that Adrian thought she needed to hide. Monique brushes off the leaf that had fallen on her worn, but still in good shape, black leather jacket.

"Hey Lucas." Monique greets him cheerfully. Lucas spares a glance at Monique. In that instance, Adrian's muscles tighten, ready to pounce on Lucas. Adrian considers grabbing Lucas and demanding answers, but he realizes he doesn't have to use violence to get what he wants. So back to faking emotions it is.

"Hey Monique. What are you two doing out here?" Lucas wisely turns to Monique for answers instead of yelling at Adrian. But Monique is not about to rat out her brother.

Monique stares over at Adrian, who immediately relaxes his fighting stance. "We were hunting." Adrian answers for Monique.

Lucas turns back to Adrian to ask another question, but Adrian speaks up first. "We caught her, got our answer, then she ran off."

"You let her escape?" Lucas asks incredulously.

"No, I let her go. There's a difference." Adrian says with a big smile to keep away the annoyance that is flying around his head like a bug.

"Okay, so what did you find out?" Lucas asks in a deadpan tone.

"Ivie can reverse this vine girl possession thing, but she doesn't want to." Adrian says, metaphorically ripping away a bandaid instead of saying it sensitively.

"Why wouldn't she want to reverse this?" Lucas demands, even though Adrian isn't Ivie so he can't answer that.

"She's powerful now. She wants to stay that way. Ivie is confident now." Adrian points out.

"But someone she loves can convince her!" Monique says, full of hopefulness. "Lena needs to talk to her. And I can say something, even though she doesn't know me that well."

Lucas nods. "Thank you Monique. I'm sure we can get through to Ivie." Lucas comments with a pointed look to Adrian.

"Are you going to help, Adrian?" Lucas asks suddenly.

"Yeah. I don't need a psycho running around the woods while I'm dealing with everything else on my plate." Adrian rubs his temple as he speaks, trying to rid his head of noise. The headache that he feels coming on needs to go away so he can get back to work.

Lucas isn't surprised that Adrian is helping. It's reasonable that he has his own motives, which makes Lucas wonder...

"Adrian, only Alphas can turn a werewolf. Right?" Lucas questions with a blank expression so Adrian doesn't become suspicious.

"Yes." Adrian replies hesitantly. What is Lucas hinting at?

"And a werewolf bite is dominant over all blood types, so whoever's bit turns. Right?" Lucas goes on.

"Yeah, or they die." Adrian narrows his eyes at Lucas, but really he's confused.

"So wouldn't our problem be solved if Ivie was turned into a werewolf?" Lucas rushes on before Adrian can answer. "She wouldn't be the crazy vine girl anymore!"

No, that's not how it works. She could die, or she'll turn and it'll all be worse." Adrian shakes his head sternly at Lucas. "I'm not turning Ivie into a werewolf."

"But what if it works to fix her?" Lucas argues back.

"Look Lucas, there's got to be another way." Monique steps in because she can see Adrian has tensed up. He seems about to explode.

"Forget it. We can figure it out another day." Lucas says to relieve the tension that's set in. Everyone stands silently for a moment.

"So... I'm gonna go home now." Lucas breaks the silence hesitantly.

Adrian nods briskly before turning and walking away. Adrian has had enough for tonight and doesn't want to start anything. He needs Lucas for the plan tomorrow. Adrian needs to find out more about Johnathon.

Monique shrugs at Lucas. As if to say, "what can you do?" Then she turns and hurries after her brother.

Lucas jogs home, the need to drift off into dreamless sleep pushing him to go faster. Lucas is sprinting down the path within a second.

~*~

Mason walks up to the spot where Lucas, Adrian, and Monique has been standing just a few minutes ago.

"Guys?" Mason calls out softly, afraid to attract something besides his friends.

"I swear I smelled them here..." Mason muses to himself.

Mason's head jerks to the right when he hears a crackling near him. It sounds as if someone is walking closer.

Mason stands up taller, holding his head high, balls up his fists. He's preparing for a fight and working to be fearless.

Mason can do this. He can stand up to vine girl on his own. Mason silently reminds himself that he's a strong werewolf now. No need to be scared. In fact, others should be frightened of him.

Mason's heightened vision suddenly catches a glimpse of bright green neon hair and takes off running towards his house with pure terror racing through his veins.