Prologue

(4 years earlier)

It was a stormy night; Mick and his oldest daughter Lishy Selkirk were driving home after Lishy’s gymnastics competition. “Papa? How long till we get home? I promised Zach I would call him before 8.” Lishy had said. Zach was Lishy’s boyfriend of a year and she loved him with everything she was. Mick replied “We’re almost there.” A few minutes later they were about to pull into the driveway of their home when another car ran into theirs causing it to roll and hitting a tree. Mick had died on impact as the oncoming car had hit his side. Lishy on the other hand remained conscious right up till she heard her younger sister and twin Isabelle running towards the smashed car screaming her name. Their tight family of four had just become two in a one night.

Chapter 1

My name is Isabelle Selkirk. I moved to St. Petersburg, Russia after the death of my father and twin sister. But now; four years later I’m about to go back to Sitia; the town I had left.

“Mum, why do we have to go? Please can we stay?” I begged my mother for the billionth time in the two weeks I had found out I was going back.

“Isabelle you know the answer to that. We are going back and that is final. It’s not like you don’t have any friends back in Sitia.” My mother said sounding frustrated that she had to repeat herself yet again.

“MA! I was 13 when we left. I’m a senior now! You can’t take me back to Sitia on my most important year of schooling!” I whined

“I can and I am if you complain one more time I will send to off to a boarding school where you will know no one, are we clear?!” opps I had pushed her too far this time.

“Yes whatever” I muttered as I headed back to my room for my last sleep here.

When we finally arrived back in Sitia there was the long drive to the house. As we drew near all I could think of was one of the last times I had been on this road.

‘It was a rainy night and mum and I were watching a movie as it was almost done there was this huge bang. I remember just knowing that something had happened to dad and Lishy. I threw open the door and froze as I saw the car there. It was a crumpled mess on its side. Fear had clawed at my belly as I screamed for Lishy and started running as fast as I could towards where my sister and father lay. Little had I known but there was no chance of either of them surviving.

’

“Issy….Issy?” I snapped out of the flashback and looked at mum’s worried face.

“Sorry, what did you say?” I asked

“I said that we’re here.” Mum said sounding mildly annoyed thatr she had to repeat herself.

I glanced out the window and saw the house that was so familiar yet daunting. As we got out of the car and walked up to the door of our old two story home neither mum or I said anything and I couldn’t help but think of the times me and my beloved twin Lishy had played out the front of this very house. I glanced over to where the car had landed and where both my dad and sister died. It looked just like it used too. The tree was no longer there but now a streetlight.

Once we were inside I was shocked that nothing had really changed. It needed a good mind you but otherwise it was still the same old house. I had my suitcase with clothes in my hand and I just walked up to my old room without saying anything to mum. My room still had the bright yellow walls. Yellow used to be my favourite colour; I used to like all bright colours. Now all I ever seem to choose is black, grey and white. I would have to paint my room soon. I dumped the bag near the closest and fell on top of my bed. We had had all the furniture delivered a few days before we had arrived. I instantly fell asleep.

Chapter 2

Over the weekend that followed our arrival home I unpacked my few boxes and had painted my walls an off white colour. We had had a few guests over welcoming us back to the neighbourhood. I had stayed in my room with my music blasting. On the Saturday night mum had told me I would be going back to school on Monday. I hadn’t payed much attention hoping that she was joking but unfortunately she wasn’t. On Monday morning mum came into my room and shook me awake.

“Come one Isabelle, you have to get ready for your first day back at school.”

I got up went for a shower and dressed into jeans, a white t-shirt and a grey hoodie. As I headed down stared I saw a photo. It was a picture taken a month or two before the accident. Mum and dad looked so happy and Lishy and I really did look like the twins we were. I walked down the stairs to the kitchen and pulled out some cereal. Mum wondered down a few minutes later in a pair of jeans and a dark blue blouse.

“You ready for school?” she asked me trying to make conversation.

“Yeah I’m ready; I’m about to leave now actually” I said picking up my backpack and heading to the door “I’ll see you later” I said as I walked out the door.

As I walked to school I remembered all the times me and Lishy had walked the exact route to school. God I miss her. When I finally reached the gate of Sitia High School or SHS as we called it I froze. I had forgotten what it was like here. The old gothic looking three story building hadn’t changed a bit in four years.

Taking a deep breath I walked in though the car park and headed to the office. I could feel every set of eyes on me. Some were wondering who I was and others were wondering why I was back. Walking into the office I headed up to the desk there was a lady there her name tag read ‘Janette Smith’

“Hello my name is Isabelle Selkirk, I’m the new student.” I said

“Oh yes Miss Selkirk. Here’s your timetable. I’ll show you around” Janette said getting out of her chair.

“Oh its okay, I used to go here before I moved.” I said which made her give a sigh of relief

“Okay then. Give this to each teacher. It explains that you’re new” she said sitting back in the office chair and handing me a slip of paper.

“Thanks” I muttered walking away. By the time I had looked over my subjects for the day and finding my locker I was already 5 minutes late for my first class; English.
I headed to room 206 when I heard someone say

“Lishy?” Crap. It was Zach, Lishy’s old boyfriend. Slowly I turned around to face him and my heart broke as I watched his face fall.

“Oh it’s you Belle” it was his old nickname for me.

“Hi Zach, How are you?” I whispered. I couldn’t look face him. Lishy’s death had killed him as much as it did me.

“What are you doing back here?!?!” he asked almost sounding angry.

“To be honest I don’t entirely know.” I said getting pissed “I have to go to class”
turning around I started walking away when he called out

“You shouldn’t have come back. You don’t belong here anymore”

I slowed turning to face him as I continued to walk backwards “I know! And I don’t want to be here. But I am so your just gonna have to get over it.” Turing back around, I walked into room 206.

Chapter 3

I walked up to my teacher whose name was Mrs Arton. I handed her the slip Janette had given to me. I stood there awkwardly as she read the paper

“Okay guys we have a new student, make her welcome” she said then faced me. “Why don’t you tell us something about yourself Isabelle?”

Sighing I walked to the front of the class and said “Hi. Some of you may know me as I used to go here. My name is Isabelle Selkirk. I moved back here from Russia last week.” I said in a clear voice.

Mrs Arton pointed me to a spare chair. Halfway through class a girl on the table next to mine leaned over and asked “You’re Lishy’s twin, aren’t you?”

I stiffened “Yes” was all I said.

“We used to do gymnastics together” the girl said

“I really don’t want to talk about her. Please?” I said just as Mrs Arton looked over at us. “Girls? is there something you’d like to share?”

“No Mrs.” we muttered. The rest of the class went by very slowly.


As the bell rang; signalling break. I got up from my desk and walked out the door. Of course everyone stared at me. I walked through the school and found a tree that was near no one and sat down underneath it, rammed my headphone and turned my iPod on full blast a few minutes later much to my dismay, someone approached me and tapped me on the shoulder, I looked up.

“Yes?” I asked

“Hi, I’m Kade. Mind if I sit with you?” he asked shyly,

“DON’T LET HIM SIT WITH YOU! HE’S A FREAK” someone yelled out. I looked to who had said it. It was one of Zach’s friends. Lucas.

“Sure, you can sit here. I’m Isabelle.” I said pushing my brown hair out of my face. He sat down next to me looking sad.

“What’s wrong? If it’s what Lucas said ignore him he’s a complete prick, trust me, I know, I dated him for a while” I said with a laugh.

Kade laughed with me. “So, you’re the girl whose sister died a few years back?”

‘Why must he bring that up?’ I thought “Yeah, I’m that girl.” I said quietly.

We sat in an awkward silence for a while. “Sorry I understand if you don’t want to talk about it” he said awkwardly

‘No it’s okay” I replied.

Looking up I surveyed the courtyard/oval that was the schools outside area. In my search I noticed someone was staring at me.

He was sexy as all hell. He had dark brown hair that fell almost to his chin and from where I sat it looked like he had dark brown almost black eyes. Those eyes stared at me and I stared back. When I finally realised that I was staring I quickly looked away and leant over to Kade.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“Who’s who?” Kade said glancing around.

“Dark hair, dark eyes about 10 o’clock” of course Kade wasn’t being at all discreet in his search, he looked back to me with a smug smile

“That my friend is Nicholas, leader of Zach and Lucas’s group.”

“You’re kidding me! Why would someone who looks like that want to hang around with dickheads like them?” I asked in shock, I looked back up to see that Nicholas was still looking at me with a surprised look in his eyes, like he was trying to figure something out.

“HEADS” someone yelled as a ball flew towards us.

Chapter 4

I watched in horror as a soccer ball was heading towards Kade’s head. Without thinking I shoved Kade out of the way making him fall. I spun around to glare at Lucas who was laughing with Zach and some of their other friends.

“What the fuck Lucas?” I yelled in anger as I started marching up to him. He looked at me in surprise; obviously no one had spoken to him like that in a while.

“Excuse me?” he said, he was pissed. “Don’t I even get a ‘hi’ from you anymore?”

“No you lost that right years ago.” I spat.

“When I dumped you?” he said with a laugh

“No if I remember correctly I dumped you because you tried to force yourself onto my sister” I said with a smug grin. That had shut him up.
Zach glared at him “What is she talking about?”

“Dude she’s lying!” Lucas said trying to calm Zach down.

“I doubt that she could come up with something like that.” Zach said shaking with rage
“Thanks, but I’m not stupid” I said jokingly

“Shut up Bitch!” Lucas yelled. He started raising his hand to hit me but I said casually
“If you touch me or Kade ever again I will go to your house and slit that pretty little throat of yours while you sleep. Are we clear?” And with that I walked away leaving them all stunned.


I reached Kade who was staring at me with a mix of admiration and shock
“I-I-I can’t believe you just did that” Kade gasped

“Someone needed to put him into place.” I said with a shrug “And anyway; Zach will probably beat him senseless by the end of the day. Let’s go, too many people are staring”.

We had almost reached the door leading into the building when a deep seductive voice spoke behind me

“That was a brave but incredibly stupid thing to do”

I turned around to face the person who spoke. It was Nicholas.

From up close his eyes were almost as black as I thought and his hair was close to the same colour, he was taller than my 5 foot 6 inch frame so I guess him to be around 6 foot 3 inch and he looked like he had a decent amount of muscle. He was gorgeous. When I realised I was staring I quickly looked at the ground then looked back into his eyes I replied

“It may have been but it had to be done, I’m sick of Lucas and all his shit, I thought he might have changed but obviously not” he laughed; it was a rumble that came from deep in his chest.

“You’re Zach’s last girlfriend’s sister Belle or something?”

“It’s Isabelle; just Isabelle. And yeah she was my sister. I-I got to go” I said turning around and walking up to Kade who was gaping at us

“He never speaks to any whose not pack” he rushed

“Pack?” I said confused

“You know, the group of kids sitting around them? What did he say?” he questioned me
“He just said that it was a stupid thing to confront Lucas like I did. That’s all”

“Oh so nothing interesting?” he asked I just laughed at him.

Chapter 5

It turned out that Kade and I had a few classes together. PE was one of them. As we sat waiting for the teacher to finish explaining how to play a game when I noticed Kade staring at one of the other guys in our class, I had found out that the guys name was Connor and he was part of ‘The Pack’ as Kade put it. It took me a minute to figure it out but when I did I leaned over to Kade and whispered

“Why don’t you tell him you like him?”

that got his attention pretty quick he looked at me shocked as though I had figured out his deepest secret

“H-How do you know…” he trailed off

“I can see it in your eyes. It’s okay, I really couldn’t care if your gay. He’s cute, good choice”

he sent me a look that could have killed if I couldn’t see the relief in his eyes
“Calm down” I said with a laugh “He’s all yours, and I won’t tell anyone; your secret’s safe with me”

“I just wished he would notice me” Kade said with a sad smile

“How do you know he doesn’t? Why don’t you talk to him?” I asked

“I can’t. I don’t know what I’d say”

“Mr. Donaldson and Miss Selkirk why don’t you share you conversation to the class?” our PE teacher Mr Keeton said

“We were just discussing how you don’t need to explain how to play Capture The Flag seeing we all know how to play it” Kade replied politely

“If you don’t stop being a smart-ass Kade, you will be in detention for the next week” Mr Keeton said

“Hey, he just meant it as a joke there’s no need to give him a detention” said a new voice.

It was Connor; that had surprised me but probably not as much as Kade.

“That’s it, Connor and Kade you’re both in detention this afternoon and if I hear another word from either of you it will be for a week” Mr Keeton said angrily. I sent a glance that said ‘poor you’ he just shrugged.


Behind the school there was a big hill with a clearing about halfway up which was where we set up the game. Kade and I stayed together for a little while but then I lost him in the trees that were surrounding the clearing.

So instead of looking for him I got into the game, it had been a while since I let go of all my worried and just enjoyed a run. I ran into the other teams’ territory without being detected and started looking for the flag. The area for the game was very large so both teams had decent sized territories

. A noise behind me made me freeze

“That’s right bitch, you better freeze” it was Lucas

‘Shit, how had he found me?’ I thought. Then without thinking I ran.


I had been on the track team before the accident and had joined the one at my school in Russia so I was fast and knew how to run cross-country but Lucas was very was as well and kept close behind me. I scrambled up a rock face, my breathing heavy.
He was gaining on me and I pushed myself forward not wanting him to get me as I had some idea what he’d do if he got me. I had to get back to my side before he got me. I ran as hard and fast as I could when suddenly I fell over a fallen tree and I had tried to jump over but had missed judged how far back to jump.

As soon as my body hit the ground I felt Lucas approach, at that moment I knew I was screwed. Once he had a hold of me I was a goner.

My vision blurred as Lucas landed a solid kick to my ribs making sure that I wouldn’t go anywhere and I was positive that he cracked a few ribs with that one blow. He seemed too strong, yes he was built like a brick wall but it was like getting hit by a wrecking ball.

He continued to taunt me telling me to get up and fight him but every time I tried to sit up he forced me down with either another kick or a punch that would promise bruises.
As I steeled myself for another kick that would most likely render me unconscious. But the blow never came.

Glancing up I saw Nicholas holding Lucas down and continually punching him in the face.
Nicholas looked as though he would kill Lucas. Gathering up the last of my fading strength I managed to croak

“Don’t.”

With that Nicholas looked to me, I must have looked terrible by the look Nicholas gave me, he got off Lucas who I thought was unconscious and made his was over to me.

I was losing my battle with the darkness that wanted to take me. I managed to stay awake long enough to hear others crashing through the trees towards us. As I drifted off I felt Nicholas lift my head into his lap and whisper.

“I will never let anyone hurt you ever again, I will kill him for touching you” that was the last thing I heard before blackness took me.

Chapter 6

As I ran towards the car I saw my dad and Lishy in the up turned car. I wiggled my way into the ruined car to try and free my family. I heard others coming out of their house to help.

‘LISHY!’ I screamed shaking her then going onto my dad to see if he was awake. I felt for a pulse. There was none. I made my way back to Lishy. As I felt for a pulse I felt something warn and wet slide down my arm I didn’t bother to look at it. I felt a pulse but it was so faint that I wasn’t sure if it was actually there.

‘HELP US!’ I screamed to the on lookers. I head sirens in the background but they were far away they wouldn’t make it on time. I felt a hand on my leg trying to pull me out of the car, I kicked blindly at the person holding my leg and I thought I kicked him because I heard a grunt as my leg hit something solid. ‘Lishy, oh god, Lishy’ I kept blubbering as I stroked her beautiful face that was beginning to grow cold, her brown hair that was a few shades lighter than my own were clotted together by her blood. Her eyes that were blue like my fathers were closed and I knew that I would never see either of those eyes again.

As the sirens finally arrived I felt someone’s big meaty arm clamp around my waist and dragged me from the wreck, I kicked and hit will all my strength when I felt something prick my arm, the last thing I saw was a paramedic crawl into the car take one look at my sister and father and shake his head then my world went black.


My eyelids fluttered open to look at a white ceiling but the room was dark. I started to roll-over but stopped when a bolt of white hot pain shot through me causing me to gasp and tears well to my eyes. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and the events from on the hill came rushing back to me. I tensed up under the hand thinking it was Lucas coming to finish me off.

“You’re awake” said a familiar voice. It was Nicholas.

I turned my head to the left to look at him; it was hard to see his face in the darkness of the room but from what I could see

“No shit” I said, my voice sounding hoarse. “Where’s Lucas?” I asked looking into his dark eyes that were full of relief and concern

“He’s in the other side of the hospital with police in the corridor. He can’t get here no matter how hard he tries. He will be punished for what he did to you” he said in a matter fact tone of voice.

I stated to object; to say that I had cause it, but he cut me off “You scared the shit out me the other day, I was running near when I heard you cry out in pain. As soon as I saw you on the ground I lost it. I would have killed him if you hadn’t told me to stop. I promise, neither he nor anyone else will touch you without your permission” he caressed my cheek.

His hand was large and warm. It was gentle yet his large hand was callused. I leaned into his hand with a sigh looking back at what he said something caught my attention I looked up at him.

“The other day? What day is it now?” I asked him confused.

Its Wednesday, you’re either incredibly stupid or clever to be able to get into a fight and hospitalised on your first day of school” he said with a laugh but he sobered pretty quickly. “You should be discharged in the afternoon or tomorrow. Goodbye” he straightened and just left, leaving be confused and hurt.

‘he was just being nice that’s all’ I thought to myself.

Chapter 7

I was discharged from hospital the next day and wasn’t allowed to go to school for the next week. Over that week at home with my mum either fussing over me or her lecturing me over not getting into fights I had plenty of time to think about Nicholas’s weird mood swings. I had had lots of people coming over with the work I had missed for the week. Each time the doorbell rang my heart would skip a few beats hoping that it was Nicholas and my heart fell when I opened the door to find someone else.

It was Friday when the bell rang again. Mum had popped out to the supermarket so slowly I rose from the couch to go answer the door. All my cuts and bruises had healed thanks to a mutation in my family’s genes which allowed us to heal faster than normal on the outside but inside we took the same amount of time to heal. My ribs started to ache but I ignored the pain. Lucas had cracked 4 ribs and they still hurt like hell. As I reached the door I could tell who it was by the constant knocking

“Hello Kade” I said with a smile.

“Issy! How’s my favourite girl going?” he asked unnaturally happy

“What’s happened?” I asked confused “Your never this happy” over the week I had to stay home Kade had come over every day and we had become great friends.
“Connor happened” he swooned.

“WHAT? Tell me what happened! Don’t forget anything!” I told him leading the way into the lounge room. I lowered myself onto the couch and Kade practically fell into the arm chair with a happy sigh

“Spill” I ordered

“Okay so Coach Keeton gave Connor a detention today and I had one from English cause I laughed when Mr Drew split his pants, I mean everyone did but of course, Drew being the Homophobic prick that he is, chose to give me a detention, so we were sitting in detention and Mrs Arton who was on detention duty left the room for something and Connor just got up, came over to my desk and just kissed me!” he rushed.

“He kissed you?” I squealed like a little kid again

“YES! It was only us in detention and Mrs Arton was gone for like 20 mins and we had like a mini make out session”

“Congratulations!” I said joyfully getting up to hug him. As I was hugging him I looked out the back door and saw a large red-orange wolf standing on our back porch staring at me

“Oh My God” I whispered backing away from Kade; Kade turned around and saw the wolf
“Get in the kitchen.NOW” he yelled when I didn’t move. But I couldn’t it was the wolf I had seem multiple times before and after Lishy’s death.

A rumbling sound started coming from Kade’s chest; it was almost like he was growling.

“Kade?” he looked at me.

His eyes had darkened a few shades and now looked as dark as Nicholas’s “I told you to go to the kitchen. GO! And call Nicholas. Use my phone” he sounded pissed. I never thought that the kind, caring Kade I knew could use that tone.

“Kade, it’s the wolf from the accident. It was there when Lishy died” I whispered.

“CALL NICK NOW!” he yelled. I ran.


As I reached the couch I fumbled with Kade’s jacket he had took off when he came inside. When I finally found his phone I ran to the kitchen.

I scrolled through his contact surprised that he had Nicholas’s number but I would question that later. The phone rang a few times before Nicholas answered.

‘What Kade? I’m not in the mood.’ ‘Nicholas?’ I heard him sit up‘Isabelle? What’s wrong?’ ‘Something’s wrong. There’s a wolf at my house and Kade’s fucking growling at it. He told me to call you. What’s happening?’ I heard footsteps and keys jingling ‘Isabelle. Where’s Kade now?’ he sounded worried ‘He’s in the lounge room. What is happening?’ I was getting to the point of hysterical. ‘Stay there, I’ll be there in a minutes don’t leave wherever you are now. Do you understand?’ ‘Yeah’ I whispered I could hear him close a door and a car engine start up. ‘I’ll be there soon’ then he hung up.

Chapter 8

I curled into a ball on the kitchen floor when Nicholas hung up. The growling in the lounge room was getting louder.

I slowly stood wand walked over to the cutlery draw and opened it. After rummaging through it for a few seconds I found the biggest knife we owned. Clutching it to my chest I sat back down in the corner. I heard a car pull into the driveway. I prayed that it was Nicholas.

The front door creaked open; for once that squeaky door had its advantages. I peeked out the kitchen to see Nicholas walking into the lounge room then the growling stopped. I slowly walked out of the kitchen and heard whispers;

‘What were you thinking? She could have found out!’

‘I’m sorry but I won’t lose her’

‘You won’t! I won’t let anything happen to her’

‘But you weren’t here. If I wasn’t then she could have been hurt’

Then they quickly stopped as if they could sense me

“Isabelle, are you okay?” Nicholas asked coming around the corner to look at me.

“I’m fine” I said quietly, I had no idea what they were talking about; But I could tell it had something to do with me. “Mind telling me what just happened?” I asked

“Well, there was a big wolf on your back porch” he said in a tone that made me mad.
“I figured that out, but what was with Kade and the fucking growling?” I said my voice laced with anger

“Oh and also the sudden concern over Kade’s and mine’s safety? You’ve never shown any concern over us before so why now?”

“Hey, I’ve shown plenty of concern over you or have you forgotten that I was by your hospital bed when you woke up? I stayed there the whole 2 days you were unconscious!”
“Maybe so but as soon as I was awake you ran!” I yelled.

“Stop! Both of you stop it!” Kade yelled.

“Leave now Kade” Nicholas Growled.

“Hey, this is my house I decide who stays and who goes.” I said angrily to Nicholas

“No, I’ll go. I’ll see you later Isabelle” Kade said walking towards the door.

“Kade stop!” I called after him, but he just kept on walking.

When closed the door I turned on Nicholas "What the hell?! You don't just get to boss my closest friend around like that!" I yelled

Nicholas just took a step closer to me; there was something in his eyes that made me take a step back. He took another step towards me and again I retreated. Each step he took towards me I stepped backwards until my back hit the wall. He kept walking up to me. He was so close that I could feel his breath on my cheek.

I took a deep breath. He smelled like a mixture of pine trees, rain and something else that I couldn’t think of but was sure I had smelled it before. I was surprised that I could even think at all with him so close to me. Nicholas leaned towards me and whispered in my ear “He does what I say because he knows that it’s in his best interest, maybe you should try it”

“I’m fine, I don’t need a controlling fool tell me what I can and can’t do. If I wanted that then I would have stayed with Lucas” I whispered back my voice sounded more breathy than I hoped, whenever he was near he made me feel gooey inside.
What was wrong with me? I had sworn after Lucas that I would never be blinded by what a guy looked like and what he said to try and hook up with me. Yes Nicholas was gorgeous and he had a way with words but there was something else about him and I didn’t know what but I wanted him bad.

As he looked down to me with those intense, almost black eyes; something flashed across his face and he stepped away.

Impressum

Texte: Erin Neylon
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 02.08.2012

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