Chapter 10

Lily groaned as she awoke stretching her muscles. She was not in her room or house she concluded as she looked around the room that was filled with Jackson’s forest scent. She inhaled deeply as a sense of calmness washed over her.

She tried to recall how she got here but her memories were in patches and fragments. She moaned softly as she wiggled her toes. She wondered how lng she had been asleep. Lily padded towards the bathroom to wash her face and rinse her mouth so she could wake up more.

She gasped in surprise when she saw Jackson standing directly outside the bathroom. She wasn’t in the room a moment ago.

“What are you doing here?” she finally said after they stared at each other for too long.

“This is my room.” Jackson retorted.

“What am I doing here?” Lily sassily asked.

Jackson looked at her with a small frown marring his features.

“Don’t you remember?”

Panic gripped lily she hoped that she hadn’t done anything to expose her powers to Jackson.

“Remember?” she lamely questioned. She hoped he couldn’t hear her racing heart.

“Do you have anything to tell me?” Jackson asked ignoring her question.

It was then Lily knew that he knew everything about her being a witch. She bit her bottom lip thinking of what to say. Her mind was completely blank.

Jackson raised a brow and held her upper arm because she was trembling, he didn’t want to give her any reason to fear him.

As soon as he touched her the memories flooded back to Lily. She gripped her head in pain as they rushed all at once. Hannah’s crying voice, Cody’s gasp for breathe and Jackson’s confused face.

“No no no no…” she whispered to herself but Jackson could hear her.

“What’s wrong Lily?” Jackson said pulling her closer to him.

“I’m a murderer. I killed him. I-I-I” she stammered, her entire shaking in fear of being a killer.

“Cody isn’t dead. You didn’t kill anyone.” Jackson assured her hugging her tightly against his chest. He could hear how fast her heart was beating. Lily broke into loud sobs as she tried her best to calm herself.

After her sobs died down to little hiccups, Jackson’s front shirt was soaked with her tears. Lily pulled back and stared at her work.

“Sorry for ruining your shirt.” She said in between sniffles and hiccups.

“It’s just a shirt.” Jackson said pulling it over his head to drop in the almost empty laundry basket.

Lily’s mouth went dry as she stared at his rippling muscles flex as he bunched up the shirt in his hands. He didn’t even have to try.

Her eyes trailed his v-line to his pectorals then his face. She blushed deeply when she saw that he was already looking at her with a smirk.

“Like what you see?” he said teasingly.

“Yes.” Lily said before she could stop herself. Her face turned to a deeper shade of red.

Jackson’s eyes widened. He didn’t expect Lily to answer. Her scent brushed his nose, he savoured it. The scent of roses.

Lily stepped closer to him. The rim of her eyes were red due to her crying but her eyes were so full of truth…and secrets.

“I’m a witch Jackson.” She said softly running her hands over his arms.

“I know.” Jackson said.

“Don’t you think I’m weird? A freak show?” Lily blurted out.

Jackson pulled her against his body and dipped his head. His lips claimed hers in a small chaste kiss that left her wanting for more.

“You’re not weird or a freak show.” His deep baritone voice caused her to tremble against him again.

Lily didn’t say anything she pursed her lips for another kiss but didn’t get any causing her to frown in confusion.

“What’s wrong? I thought you said I’m not weird or a freak show.” She said as her voice slightly increase in volume.

“There’s nothing wrong with you. The problem is me.” He said trying to assure her.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” lily screamed.

“You didn’t have all these power accidents when I wasn’t around you. I think my presence is causing your powers to act out.” Jackson said softly. Lily knew he was right but didn’t want to accept that sort of explanation.

“So what are you trying to say?” She choked out.

There was a beat of silence as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“We have to stay apart…until we can confirm that my presence is not a problem.” Jackson finally says avoiding Lily’s teary eyes. He didn’t want to change his decision.

“do I even have a say in this?” Lily asked, her voice breaking.

Jackson didn’t answer which was an answer.

She shoved past him and rushed out of the door. Jackson stared at her as she raced down the stairs. He knew he had to be strong for the both of them or Lily could be in serious trouble. What the witch book told him about made him scared for Lily’s life. The more she used her powers the more she attracted evil people like a moth to light.

Lily changed into her wolf and ran through the forest home. As if the earth could hear her pains rain started to fall. When she arrived at her house she was already muddy. Despite her sadness and distractions she could feel a presence watching her. Her wolf growled and turned sharply in search for the presence but it disappeared immediately.

Lily pushed into her house in her wolf form before transforming back filled with mud and grim. She went up to her room to have a nice hot shower.

“Lily are you home?” her father’s voice called from outside her room.

“Yes dad.”

“Where have you been? You’ve been gone for an entire day.” He called back.

Lily’s brows lifted in surprise. She didn’t know that she had been asleep for an entire day. Maybe her powers exhausted her.

“I was at the pack house.” She answered vaguely.

There was silence at the door for some time indicating her father was satisfied with the answer and had gone to his room.

She could believe that Jackson made such a decision without even involving her. With a sigh she buried her head under the hot shower washing away the dirt, grime and tears.

Lily arrived at school early and sat at the back of the class. She wore a hoddie pulling it over her head and eyes. Hannah didn’t take this class with her so she had nobody to talk to. Cody had been giving her side glances and glaring at her. Each time she looked his direction he looked away.

The teacher walked in causing the class to settle down. The boy walks in after her with a confident stride. He caused the other student to sit up because his scent was off.

“We have a new student, please make him feel welcomed. Introduce yourself.” The teacher said monotonously.

“Hi, I’m Oliver Hunter.” He said his eyes roaming the class till it settled on Lily’s.

She finally figured out what was so off about his scent.

He was human.