The next day, Alex tried to avoid Mia as much as he could.
He woke up really early and left the castle before she woke up.
He knew she was still sleeping because her heart rate was all he could hear all through the night.
Sleep had been coming easily to him and the nightmares had stopped. He had a good guess it he had something to do with Mia.
He went to his favourite spot just by the small river bank, which was at the outskirts of the woods. It had been his spot for years since he turned seven. He was sure no one would find him here as people didn't usually reach the outskirts except they asked permission.
He needed sometime to himself and what better place is there to get just that if not his favourite place in the world?
He closed his eyes for a while and didn't know when he slept off. He woke to the morning sun shining in his face. He peeled his eyes open and shielded his sight with his hand.
The sun had set and he felt even more compelled to stay a while longer.
He let his mind wonder to when he was still a kid before he turned ten. He was just seven when he had first found this place but his mother had been so worried that she made him promise he wouldn't return there. He did, but that was clearly a lie because two days after that, he returned and played with the water a bit.
His mother was always busy with the pack affairs so she hardly ever noticed his absence. His dad, never did. He vowed never to have kids in his life because of the way his parents made him feel as child and he planned to keep that promise. He even doubted he would live long enough with them if he had any by miracle.
Alex loved his parents like every child would-should, but that was before he turned ten.
Al, she had called him and he liked it a tad too much. Alex thought of Mia and let his mind slowly drift to their childhood together.
His memories weren't clear anymore, but he still remembered bits. Those were happy times indeed. He had been with not just Mia but Onyx, Ember and Tony. They were best of friends and he had thought he'd marry Onyx when he grew up. They had promised each other that night in his garage. They hardly even knew what marriage meant, yet, they'd tied the nut in their childish minds
This caused Alex to chuckle but without a smile on his face.
Mia was playful and troublesome, she had told Onyx that, that was impossible because she had already married him long ago in the past. Onyx was pissed and the two girls had their first official girl fight.
Mia was considered weird by the group and although they all loved her, she was sometimes creepy. She'd talk about her past life with so much confidence, it frightened them.
Alex always knew she was bluffing because she enjoyed scaring them. When she suddenly stopped at the age of seven, they all found it weird.
And even when they jokingly brought it up, she wouldn't even remember... at least, she claimed she didn't. Maybe she was just too embarrassed to admit it.
Alex memories were sharp unlike that of humans. Wolves had all their senses heightened and memories came natural to them. So why Mia didn't remember him was quite surprising. Even if she did, what was the point?
"Are you avoiding me?"
Alex's heart jumped to his throat as he jerked upright and stared frighteningly at the owner of the voice-it was Mia.
"Fuck! Mia, don't sneak up on me." He placed his palm on his chest trying to stop his heart from jumping out of its imprisonment in his chest.
"Sorry," Mia apologized sheepishly.
"Are you avoiding me?" She repeated the question.
"How did you find me?"
Alex asked, throwing a puzzled look at her.
He was sure no one knew this hideout except the crew but none of them were around anymore. Well, except Mia, obviously.
"I asked you a question first,"
She said impatiently as tears welled up in her eyes and Alex was more confused. Why was she tearing up all of a sudden?
He considered lying to her at first, but decided against it.
"Yes," He simply stated and quickly averted his gaze. He just realised that he hated to see her cry too.
"I forgive you," Mia sniffled, wiping off a stray tear and smiling down at him sadly.
He took the opportunity to take in her appearance. She was a mess. Put simply.
She sat besides him and Alex felt the need to pull her to his side but did the opposite, shifting a tad away from her.
Mia noticed and shifted towards him. Closing the space between them till their shoulders touched.
Alex jumped from the touch. It sent shocks of pleasure through his vein. This was not good.
"Answer my question. How did you find me?" He asked, standing to his feet and looking her dead in the eyes.
She just shrugged, and relaxed in the sand.
"This feels so nice." She pointed out, smiling with her eyes closed towards the sun.
Alex peered at her before laying back in the sand, facing up towards the sun like Mia was doing.
"So why did you avoid me?"
Mia asked, sitting up to look at him.
He kept his eyes shut when he felt her gaze on him.
"You are yet to answer my question." He simply stated.
"Fine, I don't know but I just did,"
She replied.
"Now, your turn," Mia fluttered her lashes, waiting for his reply with undivided attention.
Alex ignored her as he usually did and Mia was hurt.
"Alexander Milton Heartman!"
She yelled in anger and Alex got mad.
So she remembered. How else did she remember his hide out and now his full name. No one did except his parents and his childhood clique which comprised of Mia and some others.
"So you remember!" Alex snapped his eyes open, feeling a pang of pain in his heart. She had been pretending all along as she was now, looking at him in surprise.
"Remember what?" Mia puckered her forehead.
"Don't play dumb with me, Mia!"
His jaw ticked and he could feel his anger begin to slip.
"I don't-"
"Don't you fucking lie to me!"
He warned. "How then did you find me?"
She wasn't sure and all she knew were her legs had carried her there. But she couldn't say that. It sounded absurd to her ears.
"Don't you fucking lie to me!"
Alex just didn't understand why she was lying. What was she to gain from it?
"What are you even talking about?"Mia wrinkled her face in confusion.
"Run, Mia," Alex commanded Mia.
He could feel his control seeping out of him quickly and he knew the demon would take over any moment.
"Why?" Mia asked sitting up with a thumping heart as she watched the red in his eyes slowly consume his pupils.
There was no time to think, he needed to act quickly or she'd be dead.
He groaned, staggering up while Mia stood and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
He gripped his head and swayed on his feet as his muscles enlarged till his clothes were too small for his body and they ripped apart, giving birth to a hairy black beast.
Mia's heart skipped a beat and when he turned to look her in the eyes, she took a step back but fell on her buttocks. She widened her eyes at the dangerous clouds that loomed over him.
He spun and ran into the river preferring to drown than kill his mate.