Chapter 5:Jared

Jared sat in a sofa in Thomas's house. He had been surprised to hear everyone call him Monster. He was sure nobody knew what Thomas and he himself really was. What an irony, calling a werewolf a Monster without not knowing he was indeed one, thought Jared.

The front door shut, Thomas came striding in. Jared asked, "Thomas, can I ask you a question. Do you know what the students call you? You must have heard." "Of course",Thomas said heartily, " It's kind of hard to miss right. Whenever I walk I hear the girls calling me Monster. It's the perk of our enhanced hearing. I hear things not supposed to be heard.... By the way you have quite made an impression on the college. You have risen to stardom in less than a day. How come all the girls are back of you... " "Because they have good taste?" ,Jared offered. Thomas rolled his eyes at him. "I have another question. What happened if someone finds out what we are?" , asked Jared. Thomas looked at him closely, "Are you afraid something like that is likely to happen?...what ever the case do not get exposed not now, not ever. It is good for both you and the other person." , he said. Jared yawned.

"Go to bed. Or else, tomorrow's topic among girls will be how to get dark circles, because a certain somebody has them." , said Thomas sending him to his room.

In his room, he laid back on his bed and thought about his day. It was true since he had arrived there was an uproar in the school. He thought about all the girls, he saw. Yes, many were pretty. But no one caught his eye. Of course, he thought. He could not fall for anyone else, he had someone he loved is deeply that it hurted him. At the age of nine he had experienced true love. That girl was hidden somewhere in this world. I have to find her, he thought. He lost his sleepiness and decided to walk about the town. He took his coat and tiptoed his way to the front door.

"Going somewhere" he heard. Startled, Jared turned back. Thomas was calmly sitting with a book open. "I thought you were asleep ", Jared said. "Don't come home very late, you have school tomorrow." said Thomas and smiled at him. Jared smiled back and went out.

The night was cold. It did not bother Jared, werewolves understood heat and cold but did not experience it as much as humans. But he put his coat on, not wanting the stares the people would give him.

When he was alone, he felt empty inside. For the first time after he left his family and pack, he felt lonely. He knew that he had no one beside him now, only Thomas. He considered running back to his family. I have come this far, I can not give up now, he thought.

.....

It was late. Jared decided to go back home and prevent causing any trouble. He checked the time, it was nearly 11. While he was walking, he felt a sudden tug in his gut. Perplexed, he doubled over clutching his stomach. Was he sick? Impossible, he thought, werewolves did not get sick. They got sick only during the new moon and that too was prevented by drinking the wolfsbane tonic.

The pain became terrible. Eyes watering, he increased his pace and walked quickly. The pain was residing. He had reached an unknown area. It was an an almost dark street with only one streetlight.

Unsure of the way, he looked around to ask somebody and saw a silhouette walking on the street. He went to the person and said, "Excuse me." The person turned let out a shriek and stumbled back. The person was about to fall, when Jared with an incredible speed held him up. On looking at the person up close, he let go quickly. It was a girl.

The girl also looked at him, then a flash of recognition passed through her eyes. "Jared", she said. This stopped his breath. He remembered someone, his precious someone calling him the same way.

" Jared!! Jared, turn into a wolf once more. Please with a cherry on top. Please. I want to ride on you.", the nine year old girl, with her hair in two braids pleaded. Jared a shook his head. The girl seeing him, pouted at him so beautifully that a nine year old Jared could not refuse. He relented and turned into a wolf...

"Jared, promise me that you will be with me always. When we grow big, please marry me, okay." , she said. Jared had replied, "I will only marry pretty girls. I will marry you only if you are pretty when you grow up." "Of course I shall. Then Jared promise me." "Okay, Alice, I promise you."

The sudden rush of memories made Jared 's eyes fill with emotion. "Jared, are you okay?" , the girl hesitantly asked once more, as if she was afraid of him.

His eyes cleared that instant. He looked at her properly and saw that she looked familiar. Then he remembered that she was one of the girls in his class. Seeing her up this close, he saw that she looked beautiful. His heart suddenly beat loudly. Surprised by his body's reaction he looked at her again. By any chance was she...any chance, was she the girl. He had to check... He had to be sure...

"What is your name?",he asked seeming almost afraid to hear the answer. He looked at her, waiting for her answer. Seeing her dilated pupils and flushed face, he saw that she was afraid of him. Wise girl, he thought. But then seeing her rapid breathing, he saw that it was actually excitement mixed with fear.

"Mina",she said falteringly. Then a bit more loudly she repeated," Mina." Jared let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged both in relief and disappointment. He wanted her to be his soulmate Alice and also did not want her to be. He looked at her again with these mixed feelings in his eyes and saw that her fear was slowly being overcome by excitement. He stepped back, his mental wall back in place. He had exposed a lot of feelings to this girl. He then, coldly asked her the way to his street. Surprised by his sudden coldness, she shuddered. Jared did not miss it. As long as she kept away from me, it's alright, he thought. She told him the way, turned around and ran towards her house, locking the front door behind her.

Jared watched her going home. He ,then, walked towards the road she had pointed to him. He knew Thomas would have a lot of questions to ask him when he came home this late.

.....

Unseen to both of them, a pale figure stood in shadows under a tree, watching them. He had found his perfect prey days ago. He liked his preys to be beautiful. He had thought that today was his lucky day. His prey had almost been served to him in a platter. But somebody had come to interrupt his feeding. And he hated that. He lost his beautiful chance. Sickly bastard, he cursed and he left the street in intense anger and disappointment, deciding to never lose this particular prey again.