Chapter Forty-Seven: The Little Pearl and the White Wolf

Evelyn:

Pearl watched me cook dinner, her head rested on her hands. Her waves cascaded over the counter, a pair of pink glasses rested on her nose. A pearl bracelet dangled from her wrists, her lips curling into a quiet smile. Her gentle demeanor matched her Victorian style clothing.

"Thank you." She whispered softly, my fingers drumming on the table. "I promise to behave for you." Sliding her a plate of fruit, my eager eyes watched her. Curiosity burned in my mind, the fact that this little girl had a reaper's gem infuriated me. Her whole life was ahead of her, Puck plopping down next to her. Stealing a piece of her fruit, her lips formed a pout. How could a child look so serious but adorable at the same time?

"I want you to be a kid. Enjoy your life." I urged oddly, not knowing what to say. "I apologize for any mistakes ahead of time. I am new to this kid thing. How come I found you in the bakery? Can I find your parents for you? " Setting her grape down, she turned to leave. The question pushed her away, my fangs chewing on my lips. Adjusting her frilly dress, her dress shoes clacked on the floor. Refusing to look at me, her arms folded across her chest. Her sharp eyes sent chills up my spine, her quivering frown put me in my place.

"They abandoned me in the bakery." She barked hotly, clenching her fists. "Watching them drive away was the hardest thing in my life. Then you showed up with Death. I am surprised you even want me. I was born with a pearl in my eyes. My parents didn't even register my birth. Please leave m-" Surprise rounded her eyes, Puck's warm embrace stunned her into silence. Holding her shoulders, his face was inches from hers. The scene caused a pleasant smile to curl on my lips.

"You are in a safe home here. We all care about you." He assured her in a fatherly tone, Daryll wandering in. "I know somebody who can draw up adoption paperwork. I just need you to pick a parent." Tapping her chin, her eyes flitted between him and me. A tired grin brightened her face, her finger pointing to him. Scarlet colored his cheeks, a crooked grin dancing across my lips. The choice had always been hers, her wicked grin stealing away my worries.

"I want you to be my father." She admitted adorably, digging at the floor with her shoe. "Then he can be my big brother. I have always wanted to be a little sister. No offense, Evie gives off an aunt vibe." Shrugging my shoulders, my only goal was for her to be happy. Puck would be a worthy father, my heart fluttering at the sight of Hudson wandering in. Daryll rubbed the back of his neck, uncertain on how to react to her words. Wrapping his arms around my shoulder, his chin rested on my head. Kissing the top of his hands, his scent relaxed my frayed nerves. Hudson's affection seemed to know no bounds lately, his inner wolf wanting to have his way with me all the time.

"I promise to be the greatest big brother." He proclaimed with a bright smile, her grin growing wider. "Do you need help with dinner? I am feeling kind of bored. I did all of my homework with Raven's help of course. Athena scares me." His gentle nature reminded me of my younger self, always ready to help. Hudson ran his hands up my thigh, a sly grin met mine.

"I would cook the food at home. My mother was always too drunk to care of me anyways." He continued calmly, ruffling the top of Pearl's head as he crouched down to her level. "You are a very pretty girl who is going to break so many hearts. Do you want to hang out with my friends and me tomorrow? It's finally the weekend after all." Pulling her fists close to her chest, a squeal squeaked its way out. Ah! To be young.

"You really think so?" She queried shyly, twisting her foot again. "I promise to be the greatest little sister I can be." Giving each other high fives, the moment touched my aching heart. Rising to his feet, Daryll shot her a thumbs. Puck smoothed out his black t-shirt, her fingers pointing to the backyard. Running out, Hudson spun me around. Kissing me hungrily, my body arched towards him. My thighs rubbed together, my heart was seconds from beating out of my chest. A soft gasp left my lips, his other hand running up my thigh. Something caught my eyes, his shirt was light blue. His emerald eyes glistened with excitement, the eagerness on his face melting my heart. The color of his eyes were emphasized by the green undertone, his pale skin glowing brighter.

"I am assuming that you heard everything I said." I admitted with a nervous grin, feeling the soft cotton. "You look great in this color. Although I like you better without clothes." Daryll gagged behind me, his fingers dropping fruit into his mouth. Picking up a knife, he began to chop the onion. Slipping out of Hudson's arms, he crashed into a stool across from us. Pulling out his tablet, he began to sketch something. Probably working on a new game or app, my attention turned to Daryll.

"When do wolves turn for the first time?" He blurted out awkwardly, cutting his finger. "I have heard that it is amazing." Taking his hand, his bright eyes never left mine as I washed out his cut. Pressing a towel to his finger, he held it above his heart without me telling him. Chuckling lightly to myself, his eagerness charming me.

"We can try tonight if you wish. You are a white wolf after all." I offered serenely, knowing that he was related to me. "Only we can change whenever we want to. Imagine running through the woods. Just don't do it now. I am going to get you a band aid and gloves. Do you still wish to cook with me?" Nodding coyly, his eyes followed me as I pulled out the first aid kit. Pulling out a band aid, depression dimmed his eyes. Removing the towel from his hand, he held his breath while I placed it on his cuts. What was he so scared of? Nothing compared to running through the woods.

"Are you ashamed of my previous behavior?" He inquired through a wall of tears, his eyes refusing to leave the ground. "I shot my own mother. I am a monst-" Grabbing his shoulders, shock swept him away from his spiral. His wet eyes met mine, a long sigh escaping me.

"I am going to stop you before an anxiety attack starts. We are going to ditch dinner. I will get Grappy to finish up." I promised with a bright smile, whistling sharply. "Grappy, you have dinner!" Grappy popped up in front of me, an apron dangled off of his arm. Getting right to cooking, Bloodsworth skidded in behind us. Kissing the top of Hudson's head, he mouthed I love you. Taking Daryll's hand, his lips pressed into a thin line. Opening the main gate, the twilight rays blinded him. Guiding him to the edge of the forest, confusion dawned on his face.

"I don't know how to shift." He pointed out numbly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Did I take you away from any responsibility?" Placing him behind the rock, I motioned for him to stay. Leaning on the rock, his brows rose in response to my sly grin. Clearing my throat, I tugged at the sleeves of my cream sweater in an attempt to quell my fraying nerves.

"You are literally my family, so don't worry about it." I chirped cheerfully, turning my back. "Now get undressed and think about the full moon. Call out to her and soon you will be a wolf." Apprehension showed in his strained huh, his clothes fluttering to my feet. Bones cracked, his muscles groaned. Howls of pain echoed in the still air, hot breath bathed my legs. Spinning on my heels, my breath hitched. Ocean blue eyes gazed out to me in a sea of white fur with blond stripes. Hiding behind another rock, an exhale flooded from my lips. Peeling off my clothes, they landed in a neat pile. The crack of my bones shattered the peacefulness, a flock of birds burst into the sky. My wolf vision scanned the area, my dagger swung around my neck. Stepping out, Daryll laid on the ground. His ears perked up, his voice ringing in my head.

"This is awesome." He spoke through our mental connection, his tail wagging with pure joy. "Run, I just want to run." Sitting next to him, my tail wagged at his speed. A goofy grin rested on his snout, my ears pinning back. Seeing him relaxed pleased me, my inner wolf thanking me.

"Let's run!" I barked through our connection, hopping to my feet. Pounding into the trees, he followed like a shadow. Freedom shimmered in his eyes, the pure wonder changing his aura to a pleasant gold. Skidding to a stop, branches snapping caused alarm to haunt my mind. A flash of black caught my eye, my body smashing into his. Several arrows landed in my legs, the shattering of my bones widened my eyes. The scent of a teenager frightened me, electrical jolts of pain shocked every muscle in my legs. A hooded teenager sauntered out of the shadows, the bow creaked in their hands.

"Daryll." An icy female voice called out, his tail tucking in between his legs. "I knew you were a werewolf. Who is this?" Unable to move, her fingers curled around my dagger. Ripping it off, she tossed into the trees. My chest tightened, blood poured from my eyes. Each breath grew shorter, Daryll squirmed out from underneath me. Soft whines flooded from my lips, jolts of electrical pain shocked my muscles once again. Thump! Thump! My heart rate sped up, tears now mixing with the blood pouring from my eyes. Leaping towards her, Hudson smashed him to the loose dirt. Several arrows shattered his leg, a steady stream of curse words rang around us.

"Go get the dagger." He ordered through gritted teeth, Daryll hesitating. "I said go get it! She will die if you don't get it." My vision blurred, his growing pool of blood meeting with mine. The white of his tail disappeared into the trees, the dirt crunching underneath my paws. Hudson crawled over to me, his eyes wet with tears. Panic gripped his face, each crawl growing harder for him. The hunter turned to run after him, her ankle centimeters from my fangs. Opening my jaw, her tender flesh ripped away the moment my jaw clamped down. Struggling in my bite, the heel of her boot slammed into my skull. Refusing to let go, the cracking of my skull increased the strength of my bite. No one was going to hurt my family, not on my watch. Hudson pleaded for her to stop, wicked laughter exploding from her twisted grin. Ruby painted my fur, Hudson's hand reaching for his gun. An arrow shattered the metal, dread bubbling in my stomach. A flash of white ran in the corner of my eye, a white paw knocked her head off of her body. Hazel eyes fell on me, Daryll bounced in with my dagger in his teeth. Horror widened our eyes, the head rolling directly across from my snout. Terror paralyzed me, the cloudy eyes sickening me to the core. Puck stomped on the head until brains sprinkled with bone remained. Her body collapsed forward, a cloud of loose dirt caused us all to cough. Dropping the dagger in front of me, each breath slowed down. Each passing minute allowed my heart rate to decrease, a busted Hudson clipping it back on. Daryll crashed into the woods, every muscle protesting as I got back on my feet. Limping after him, all of this was my fault. Puck remained by my side, Hudson choosing to drag himself to the nearest tree. A couple of the arrows snagged on the trees, Puck helping me out. Pale moonlight flickered through the trees, Grappy landing behind me with a change of clothes for Daryll. Resting for a moment, whimpers burst from my lips with every yank of an arrow. Hovering his hand over my leg, the wounds sealed shut. Cracking my hip, Hudson limped up to us with a splintered leg. Scooping him up, his protests fell on deaf ears. Branches scratched his face, our paws bounding towards his orange scent. Skidding to stop, a defeated Daryll laid in an empty circle. The pale moonlight bathed his bruised skin, Grappy tossing him his fresh clothes.

"Go away!" He shouted harshly, hoping that we would leave. "One of you just killed my girlfriend! Not that she was that great to begin with. I only want to talk to Evie. She is the only one that gets me. The rest of you can go away now!" Hudson jumped off, the crack of my bones echoed in the silent evening as I shifted back to normal. Hooking on my bra, my trembling hands pulled on my cream sweater. Accepting my leather skirt, it barely zipped up. Sliding on my boots, my eyes fell on a dressed Daryll. The white t-shirt clung to his slender but muscular build, the black sweatpants floated away from his legs. Dirt covered his feet, his hands trembled.

"I can stay but Grappy has to stay behind to protect us. Is that okay?" I asked cautiously, smoothing out my sweater. "That is the only way Hudson will go away. I have loads of enemies ready to kill me. He will be way up in the trees, not really listening." Rolling his eyes, he folded his arms across his chest. Sighing irritably, his eyebrow twitched. Grumbling under his breath, Puck scooped up Hudson. Bounding off into the distance, Grappy flying up into the trees. Glancing at my reflection, I recoiled in horror. Blood soaked my leg, thinner ribbons stained my cheeks. Plopping down next to him, his head leaned on my shoulder. Tears streamed down his cheeks, his hand reaching for mine. Cupping it, violent sobs wracked his body.

"Did you love her?" I asked serenely, his head nodding. "Good girlfriends don't tend to hunt down their boyfriends. I get it though. She used to worship the ground you walked on, didn't she?" Swallowing the lump in his throat, teardrops crashed to the top of my hand.

"I see it both ways but we had so many fun memories together." He sighed brokenly, his grip tightening. "That doesn't mean that I am not mentally devastated by her actions. I am touched that Hudson and you took the arrows for me. No one has ever stood up for me the way you guys have. Time will heal that loss. Tell me a story from your childhood to distract me." Flicking through the stories, a fun one came to mind.

"I've known Hudson my whole life. I'm not kidding. He was my only friend. I am going to tell you about the time we skipped the senior prom to break into an abandoned asylum. His girlfriend at the time told him that it was her or me an hour before prom. He chose me. I wore a deep v-neck mermaid gown while he wore the matching tuxedo. It was a two for one deal. I believe the color we wore was a rich emerald. We drove over with a bottle of wine that we stole." I laughed jovially, basking in the warmth of the memory. "Breaking in was easy. My dress did tear though. None of that mattered. Weird things happened and I pretended to be scared to get a chance to hold his hand. We polished off the bottle. The hilarious thing is that he hates horror movies, so the poor guy jumped at every sound. It got later into the evening and he had been drunker than me. We kissed that night and he doesn't remember it. My damn heart nearly beat out of my chest and time stopped. The moment he kissed me back it was more magical than I had imagined. Did she make you feel that way?" His goofy grin told me that he felt better, a million questions rested on the tip of his tongue.

"I have so many questions." He joked with a snort. "The first question is was it haunted? The second one is what kind of a drunk is he? To answer your question, I never felt that way. I was simply dating her to kill my time. She didn't deserve to die." Ruffling the top of his head, tears welled up in my eyes. The level of his compassion met mine, he lashed out to mask his pain.

"No, she didn't. No one deserves to die that way." I agreed sadly, looking straight ahead. "Come along with me. I will answer your questions on the way." Jumping to my feet, my hand hovered in front of my face. Accepting it cautiously, one good yank had him on his feet. Hiking next to me, the ground crunched underneath our feet.

"Yes, it was haunted. There were loads of voices around us. He is a happy drunk, his smile growing bigger by the second." I answered him honestly, checking my phone. "I have something I want to show you." The trees thinned out to a dark gray cliff, a short gasp of wonder echoed in my ear. Pressing my palm to the rock, a ribbon of rainbow colors shot into the sky. Wolves played among the stars, his eyes never leaving the show.

"Those are the original werewolves of this land. Every white wolf has a magical type of power. All of us can see the games of the past." I explained serenely, pressing his palm to the rock. "Let's see what you can show me." Another ribbon of rainbow colors shot into the sky, the image of the waves crashing over the beach stole my breath away. Our hair floated up, the wolves ran over to the beach. Beautiful howls echoed in the night, tears flowed from our eyes. Such a beautiful image stunned us into silence.

"How pretty!" Pearl's voice called out, her body slamming into Daryll's. "Puck said you were upset so I found you." Her waves danced in the breeze, a softness coming over his face. Lifting our palms, he spun her around. Placing her on his shoulders, his real smile brightened on his face.

"How's my precious little Pearl!" He sang adorably, cupping her hands. "Your big brother is doing just fine! How about we go home and play a game of go fish or something?" Her Cheshire Cat grin spread cheek to cheek, the two of them hiking away. His smooth voice rang out in a made up song, the tree protesting as Grappy climbed down every branch. Landing behind me gracefully, he dusted off his black dress shirt and dark jeans.

"Someone's dress in casual attire today. Did I steal you away from Bloodsworth?" I questioned with a groggy yawn, his head resting on my shoulder. "I am so so-" Rolling his eyes, he hooked his elbow into the crook of mine. His crooked grin melted my heart, his wedding band glinting in the moonlight. His crooked grin turned into his coy smile, a proud glint took his eyes as he put his hand up in the air.

"I never thanked you for pairing me with my husband." He uttered nervously, fluffing his hair. "I want to plan a date. As a former bad guy, I didn't have time for that. Sorry." Not knowing whether or not to laugh or put on my polite smile, he nudged my shoulder. A low growl rumbled in his throat, his frustration making him look adorable.

"I am serious!" He barked hotly, a sly grin danced across my lips. Shaking my head, he ripped his arm from mine. Stomping away, he kicked a cloud of dirt into the air. Whistling sharply, he spun on his heels. Folding my arms across my chest, many ideas bounced around my head.

"I picked up art supplies for me but I will let you use them for a painting date." I offered sincerely, flashing him a bright smile. "I am positive that he has been alive long enough to see many painters. Also, I have some swing and jazz music for you to play while you do it. Give me a gallon of your blood. I have some recipes I can make. Theros was kind enough to lend them to me. That smell is something that I am not looking forward to." Dancing around, his hands grabbed mine. Spinning me around, his smile never left his face.

"I knew you would pull through." He laughed lightly, ruffling the top of my head. "You are one of the best things to happen in my life. Can you have it ready by tomorrow?" Simply nodding my head, he placed me on his back. Leaping into the air, my finger touched a cloud. Seeing the forest this high up showed me a whole new perspective, the wild winds blowing my hair back. Freedom twinkled in my eyes, his feet landed gracefully in front of our home. Bursting through the door, my boots pounded up the stairs. Hudson slumbered away on the bed, a large cast catching my eyes. Laying down next to him, his eyes fluttered open. Still high on whatever he was given, his lips brushed against the top of my head.

"Evie, is everything okay?" He slurred cutely, pulling me onto his chest. "You look a little rundown." Tears welled up in my eyes, my hand crossing. Part of me wanted to be sad, the other half ready to take on the world. Shrugging my shoulders, the words were hard to find.

"I am sad but happy at the same time. For the first time in my life, I actually feel okay." I assured him with a weak smile, his head shaking. Refusing to let me go, a numb expression haunted his face. Black bags hollowed out his eyes, the nightmares beginning to take their toll on him. Concern darkened my eyes, my lips pressing into a thin line.

"I doubt that. I wish the nightmares would stop." He admitted with a haze in his voice, my heart shattering. "I really wish you hadn't woken them up. I don't like feeling this broken on the inside. You are kind of to blame." Snarls rumbled in my throat, my hand slapping his arm away. Unable to hold in my temper, my fists curled into a tight ball.

"Screw you. I am not the one who choked it down until it came back with a vengeance." I retorted furiously, hopping off the bed. "I have been sad my whole life but I would never say that to you. Have a nice evening alone, Hudson." Marching out the door, the walls rattled with my door slam. Crashing down the stairs, my eyes narrowing at the sight of the occupied couch. Seconds from exploding, Grappy waved from the couch. A tube rested in his arm, his onyx blood flowing into a gallon container. Barely smiling at him, my eyes refusing to meet him. Grabbing my unfinished picture of my friends, my charcoal pastel glided across the canvas. The details came to life, their faces flawlessly showing every detail. Tears stained the canvas, gray painting my face with every wipe of my teardrops. How could he be so cruel? Seconds from breaking my picture, his tablet flickered to life. Anime style pictures of me helping Daryll out shattered my heart, my hair shining just right. Hell,he even got the glasses right. Swiping to the next one, guilt gnawed at me. The image of me climbing into the asylum captured the spirit of the moment. My long hair cascaded down my back, his brilliance even catching the right amount of shimmer on my mermaid gown. The caption really did me in, the words a kiss from an angel causing a whine to escape my lips. What had I done?