Chapter Five

After my small nervous breakdown, I walked to the park to collect myself. The air outside was crisp and clean, clear of pollution; the sky was clear and blue, the sun shining down, warming me. I sighed; everything seemed so perfect, in that one little moment. But all good things have to end, and life goes on. Which totally sucks ass.

I sat down on a bench and looked around myself; the grass, plants and trees were beautiful shades of green, the flowers bursting with life and colour, people around me were laughing and some had picnics, some were throwing a stick or a ball for their pet dog. I looked up into the branches of the trees and saw small, twittering birds, singing their little harmonies together. I envied them so much; they didn't have to worry about friends, boys, the drama of life. They didn't have other people following them wherever they went. If they wanted to go somewhere, they just had to fly, not having to worry about anyone else.

I sighed, longing for such a lifestyle. But I knew I'd never get it. I was what I was, and I couldn't change that.

"Emmelie?"

A shriek of surprise left my lips and I spun around, my palm colliding with a cheek. I barely even felt the sting of it as surprise ran through me as I watched Blake fall to the ground, holding his already reddening cheek. I gasped then went to him and helped him to his feet, then sat beside him on the bench. I touched his cheek anxiously and he winced.

"Oh, God, Blake, I'm so sorry!" I cried, astonished at myself. I hadn't realized my nerves were so frazzled.

He gave me a small smile, tenderly touching his sore cheek. "You're strong."

I blushed. "I know… I'm so sorry, I had no idea it was you… I'm just a little… frazzled, today."

"Frazzled?" Blake smiled.

I nodded. "Yeah. Like haywire…"

"Why are you 'frazzled'?"

"My friend betrayed me via letting the guy that wants me to be his mate into my house." I scowled.

"Mate?"

I blinked at him. "Don't you know about mating for Shifters?"

"Uh… no…" Blake admitted, turning dark red so his right cheek matched his left one.

"Well… Mates are like a married couple. But we mate for life, and there is no way to reverse it…"

"What if a girl already has a mate and another guy wants her?"

I blinked. "Oh, yeah. I guess there is at least one way to reverse it. Well, in that situation, the two would fight over the female and whoever surrendered lost… but if neither of them surrenders, it's a fight to the death… but then there's the risk that the female doesn't accept him as her mate. Which would suck. But that is why I don't want a mate, at least not yet anyway. I'm my own person." I nodded, for emphasis

Blake pondered this. "Well… what if a human guy wanted a female Shifter."

"Well… I don't know… I don't think that's ever been done…" I blinked when I realized something. "Wait, why do you want to know that?" I stared at him.

"N-Nothing…" Blake said too quickly, ducking his head.

I was silent for a moment, and then I started giggling. "Oh, my God!"

"Shut up!" he blushed so red I thought he was going to explode.

"Do you have a crush on me, Blakey?" I grinned.

Blake didn't answer, just stared down at his lap as he played with his fingers.

I laughed out loud. "Awwwww…" I grinned wider. "That is so cute!"

He looked up at me, looking shocked. "I-… It is?"

My head nodded erratically. "It's adorable… I thought guys only wanted me for all the fame and glory…" I kissed his unslapped cheek.

I heard a loud, rumbling growl and looked up, and then I saw a huge, horse-sized lion prowling across the grass towards us. It was a male, because it had a thick, dark brown mane. I saw that his eyes were green as the grass he was walking on, glinting with animalistic fury.

"Alec?" I whispered as the lion crouched, then I screamed as he leapt at a frozen Blake.

I leaned forward and pushed, shoving Blake off the bench just in time before the lion landed, hitting me. The force of the blow sent me flying back and I heard a crack as my head slammed backwards against the cement bench. I heard a cry that sounded like Blake, a whine from the lion and a scream, which I knew wasn't my own before my eyes rolled back into my head and the world went black.