Chapter 22 - Death By…

Madeline felt like she'd faint any moment now.

Not this… please, not this.

'Death by… a mysterious stranger in a cave. How pathetic,' she thought to herself, knowing she'd finally met her demise. There was no escaping this one.

And to make things worse, she felt her body solidify. Like she was no longer in her soul form and this had turned into a reality.

'Crap, I'm dead for sure!'

"Turn around, let me see you," he ordered sternly, giving her no other option but to turn around to see him, and to finally be able to get a good glimpse of his face.

But, when she was finally able to look at him, she was left appalled.

The man's face was full of huge gashes and scars, and Madeline could've sworn he looked somewhat familiar. She dared say she felt he was a familiar figure too.

'Who is this?!' Madeline wondered.

'Why isn't he doing anything?'

She stared at him, taking a step back.

He was gaping at her, acting like a little kid who'd just gotten a present and was caught off guard. His eyes were round, and all he could do was look her up and down.

The look on his face was priceless, and Madeline wondered if he was reconsidering killing her and hunting her down.

'All because of my face…?'

Had he never seen a girl with coral pink hair?

Was he shocked by her beauty?

A million possibilities, and yet none of them came close to what he was actually thinking at that moment.

His look of shock turned into a look of rage, but for some reason, Madeline didn't think it was her he was infuriated at.

Before she could ask what this was about, and why he'd suddenly froze in place, her surroundings dissolved.

Madeline woke up, drenched in sweat and feeling like she wanted to throw up.

What the hell just happened?

How had she made it out of there in one piece?

'Just be grateful you made it out of there alive and quit wondering about all the irrelevant details,' a voice spoke in her mind.

Another voice spoke, 'Agreed.'

Madeline sighed. They had a point. It wouldn't do her any good to keep on pondering about how he didn't do or say anything.

At the end of the day… she had survived.

Looking out her window, Madeline witnessed the sun rise.

Dawn had arrived, and Madeline couldn't help but wonder how her friends were doing back at Eudora.

Days quickly passed by, and Briar still hadn't called.

"Is she alright?" Madeline wondered.

Would Briar make do on her promise and actually call her?

Madeline felt a tad bit worried, before… the phone rang.

'Should I pick up the phone?'

'I probably should,' Madeline bit her lip nervously before picking up the phone and placing it beside her ear.

"Hello, this is Madeline," she spoke, waiting to hear something from the other side of the phone, only to hear nothing.

"Err, hello?" Madeline repeated, hoping to hear Briar's voice. She'd checked the number that was calling her. It was Briar, alright.

And yet, nothing. All she heard before the call abruptly ended was heavy breathing.

"What do I do?" Madeline asked herself aloud.

She knew she couldn't just call Briar again - her previous call had said enough.

What had happened?

Was Xavier and Briar alright?

'Adrian too of course,' a voice in her head added.

Madeline sat down on her bean bag, knowing she wasn't actually considering...

'You know, it wouldn't hurt. She did say three days.'

'It was an estimate, it's not for certain!'

Biting her lip roughly, she didn't think she could actually entertain such a crazy idea. Surely... she wouldn't actually risk her life to go there would she?

...would she?

__

'I can't believe you're entertaining this idea,' a voice in her head spoke.

'It's too late to go back now,' another voice spoke, telling the truth.

Madeline - insane woman she was - was currently on her way to Eudora. She'd remembered every single turn and path she had to take to get there, as though the directions to the place were imprinted in her mind.

"What if Xavier's preventing her from calling me?"

"But he doesn't know about her promise, does he?"

"What's keeping them from calling me?"

"Surely it's ended, it's been five whole days without any news."

Perhaps… It was because of the pit of curiosity that gnawed in her stomach or the fact she was done waiting and wanted actual answers that she did this, but only time would tell what she'd come to see when she arrived.

Only then could she confirm her suspicions.

'My suspicions…'

What did she suspect?

Being an overthinker, she'd already considered many kinds of possibilities, regardless of how nonsensical they were.

Never did she think werewolves existed, but here she was now, soulmates with one. Who knew what else in the world she'd been so wrong about?

Then again… she'd never actually seen him in his wolf form… who knew?

Madeline blinked. Was she actually doubting Xavier?

The man had saved her. And this was what he got in return from her?

'You're being unfair,' a voice spoke.

'Well no shit sherlock,' another voice scoffed.

'Quick, it's not too late, you can always head back and wait a couple more days, who knows? Maybe then Briar will call you,' the voice reasoned, ignoring what the other voice had to say.

'Surely there has to be a misunderstanding in this or something,' the voice continued, knowing Madeline was better off waiting then... risking her life to see things for herself.

Unfortunately, Madeline wasn't open to heading back. She was dead set on seeing things for herself. She'd always been extremely stubborn.

Once she made up her mind, it was extremely difficult to get her to change her mind.

'Yay, you're here!' The other voice exclaimed, cheering her on.

Madeline exited her car, locking it before she stared at the woods.

'Here I go,' she thought, before she walked towards where she'd originally found Eudora.

Oh, would she come to regret this…