Apprentices: Waning Crescent

Breaking a Heart

Katie and I head towards the library, because we both know we won’t study at all if we stay in her room. But in the library we have no other choice than keep quiet and stare into those damn books until we lose it.

I know I’m not supposed to bring Bubba with me, so I take her out to do her business first, then come back inside, deciding to sneak her in anyway. Luckily it’s so crowded around the entrance, that the librarian doesn’t notice me bringing a cat in.

I’m actually holding her under my top, only her head peeking out at the collar. Katie could barely hold it together when she saw us walking in from outside. Yeah, I know. We probably look hilarious.

We sit down in the last free corner that we find, wanting to keep away from other students. Literally anyone could go report me to the librarian and I’d get kicked out for bringing a pet inside. I was already getting a few looks on the way here. At least from those, who noticed Bubba peeking out from under my top.

But as we start studying, I let my cat outside, and she rests on my legs calmly, soon falling asleep, curled up into a ball. The more time passes, the less I’m afraid of getting kicked out. It looks like nobody cared enough about me bringing a cat here.

I force myself to push away all my questions and tone down my emotions. I already f****d up one exam week because of my fear. I’m not going to do the same with this one. Sheila is still up against me for the spot in the warrior witches program. I’m planning on snatching it from her. This is still my top priority. Well, right behind the need to see my mother behind bars. Or even better, dead.

Katie and I take a break after a couple of hours, not finding the strength to keep staring into those damn books. Especially with that beautiful weather outside. It’s May already and the sun is persistently peeking out from the clouds, making the day seem brighter and brighter.

“How about we get some fresh air and get back to studying later? I think Bubba needs it too,” I suggest and we soon get going. I hide her under my top again, but it’s not like it matters now that we’re leaving.

We take a walk towards the forest, and it feels amazing to be able to walk around without jackets again. I’ve missed the warm weather. Winter always lasts way too long, in my opinion.

I keep Beelzebub on a leash and she entertains us both as she plays with leaves that the wind brought from the woods. She mistakenly grabs Katie’s leg in one moment, making her squeal in surprise, while I can’t help but laugh. She joins me soon, while my cat continues playing around the grass.

It’s one of those little moments that I missed in my life. I never get to enjoy them anymore. Not really, with everything going on. Suddenly, my phone starts ringing, bursting the little bubble of joy that’s accompanying us.

I share a look with my best friend, before pulling the damn thing out of my pocket. I freeze as I see who’s calling me. “Is it Cyrus?” she wonders, probably thinking that because of my expression. But I shake my head in response.

“Even worse. It’s Marcus. What the hell does he want now?” I murmur, making her let out a long sigh. This time she’s the one shaking her head, while I stand there, realizing that I won’t die if I answer him. Maybe he’s in trouble. I don’t want to be responsible for anything happening to him, just because I didn’t pick up the phone. “Yes?” I answer him.

“Where are you?” he asks, sounding a little distressed. I frown, glancing towards the school. We’re literally standing in front of it. Well, we’re still a two minutes’ walk away.

Finally I decide to answer him, feeling curious about what he wants. “I’m on the southern side of the school, I took Beelzebub on a walk. Why-”

“Stay there,” he orders me, interrupting me like I wasn’t just about to ask him a question. Then, he hangs up on me before I’m able to say anything in response. I stare at the phone in surprise, like it’s its fault that Marcus just acted this way.

I look at my best friend, who’s watching me with a curious gaze. “What did he want?” she asks, glancing at Bubba, tangling herself up into her leash, because she’s so bored that we’ve stopped.

“He just told me to stay put like I’m a damn dog,” I explain, feeling anger stir inside me. Men. They’re so damn full of themselves. I really have enough of this crap. “Well, I’m no dog. Let’s get going,” I then add, making Katie’s lips curl into a smile. I untangle my cat from the mess she made, letting out a frustrated breath.

I start moving away from the school on purpose, just to show him that he can’t boss me around like I’m his puppet. I’ve had it with him. He’s still the same selfish, cocky bastard that started to get on my nerves in the first place! He was good in bed too. But that doesn’t erase everything else that he does wrong!

Suddenly, I hear my name being called. I can hear it very clearly. However, I decide to be a b***h because I’m just having that kind of day, and I don’t even turn my head. I don’t acknowledge his presence. It’s like he doesn’t exist. I notice Katie glancing over her shoulder, blowing my act.

Damn it, girl. I glance at her, noticing the guilty look she sends me. I sigh, understanding why she can’t pretend to ignore him. She’s the future luna of his pack after all. I then turn my head too, noticing him running towards us like the world is crumbling behind him.

I let out a short, angry breath, stopping in my tracks again. I stare at him for as long as it takes him to reach us, and the closer he gets, the more I realize that something’s not right. His usually chill face looks deeply frustrated and it makes me wonder what got into him.

“Got up on the wrong side of bed today?” I tease him, trying to lighten up the mood a little. But he’s clearly not up for it. He literally drops on his knees before me and grabs my hand, staring up at me with that frown still covering his face.

I try to pull away, but he doesn’t let me. He presses his face against my hand, looking desperate. “Evelyn, please. Take me back,” he pleads, making me stiffen. Oh, come on, I thought we were through with this already!

I stare down at him with my jaw clenched and my eyes narrowed. “Seriously, give it up already, I told you why I can’t be with you anymore!” I snap at him in the next moment, glancing at Katie, who looks like her eyes are going to jump out any minute.

As I look back at him, I notice his despair turn into anger. I pull my hand away and he gets up, straight up glaring at me. “Oh, so that’s it? Did you break up with me, so you could be with him instead?” he grits through his teeth.

His blue eyes are glistening like lightning bolts, while I raise my eyebrows. “What the hell are you talking about?” I ask, hoping that he’s just guessing. Because if he’s not … That’s when realization hits me. Jake overheard me this morning. He knows that I kissed Cyrus.

I quickly put two and two together, narrowing my eyes at Marcus. Of course, he knows. Jake told him. How wouldn’t he? They’re clearly back to being best buddies. “I should’ve punched him when he brought those flowers,” he barks at me and I feel myself flinch. I can’t believe I thought Marcus wasn’t a jealous, possessive prick. I guess he just had to get the right competition.

“You know what? At least he brought me flowers,” I retort, taking him aback so much, that he just blinks furiously for a few moments. He probably thought I’d try to deny that I feel something for my mentor. With the way he’s acting now, I can tell him everything and I won’t regret it.

He lets out a shaky breath, tilting his head to the side. “So, you admit it? You admit that you ended us, so you could f**k him with a clear conscience?!” he bursts out, and I can’t hold back anymore. My hand shoots out all by itself, colliding with his cheek in the accompany of a deafening bang.

His head gets thrown to the side with the impact and I hear Katie gasping beside me in surprise. Bubba meows warningly between my feet. “I left you because you were too big of a coward to sit by my bed, when no one knew if I’m going to live or die. And just so you know, he was there during those moments. When you weren’t,” I let him know so calmly that I surprise myself.

He stares at me in complete shock, clearly knowing that he’s lost this argument. Just like many more before. But as I turn around to leave, he gets to it again. “I was afraid to lose you! And this is me, still afraid that I’m going to lose you! He’s older than you, why can’t you see that he’s trying to groom you?!”

This time, I’m the one gasping, unable to believe my ears. I turn around with wide eyes, ready to punch him straight in that pretty face right now. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Marcus. Quit, while you’re at it, or it’s not going to end well for you,” I warn him, hoping that he realizes he’s reaching the limit.

“Marcus, maybe you should really-” Katie begins, but he ignores her and interrupts her shamelessly, only digging himself a deeper hole.

“It’s the truth! He’s been trying to get you since the beginning, you were just too blind to see it!” he keeps raging. I stare at him, unable to believe that this is actually happening.

“No, he’s not. Because I’ve tried to kiss him twice now and he keeps pushing me away,” I let him know calmly. He flinches, hurt flickering across his face. I know that I went too far, but I can’t find a single part of me that cares right now. Not after he literally attacked me in public.

Judging by the sounds Bubba’s letting out, he’s not far from getting scratched by her. “You … You kissed him? Willingly?” he breathes out, unable to believe his ears. I let out a long breath. Great. I guess Jake only tipped him off and didn’t tell him the whole story.

I glance at Katie, who’s still standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to say to stop this nonsense. She’ll have to learn to grow a spine. Once she’s luna, she can’t allow the werewolves to talk to her this way.

As I turn my gaze back to Marcus, I feel so tired. “Yeah. I did. But if it makes you feel any better, I’m just as miserable as you are. Neither of us can have the person we really want. Now please, do yourself a favor and forget about me,” I murmur, hoping that he’ll let it go now.

He lets out a shaky breath, suddenly seeming like his eyes are tearing up. “But I thought … I thought you loved me. I thought we’d find our way back together … I can’t lose you,” he tells me softly, but his voice still cracks. I shake my head, knowing that I will have to keep being cruel in order to make him let me go.

“No, Marcus. I liked you. There’s a difference,” I let him know, noticing the way he tries to blink away tears. I swallow nervously, feeling a lump inside my throat. “And you already lost me,” I then add, feeling like I’ve just pushed a knife into his heart. He gasps in hurt, staring at me like I’ve ripped him into half.

“Evelyn …” I hear my best friend try to calm me down. But the thing is, I’m completely calm. I tried to resolve things in a friendly way. More than once. Then, he kept coming at me, trying to win me back, even when my mind was already made up. I have to put an end to this. Despite it being painful.

Well, the least I can do is get him inside now and get the boys to keep him company. But as I place my hand on his upper arm in a friendly way, I realize his whole body is trembling. “Marcus, let’s get you inside, come on. It will be lunch soon,” I tell him, in hopes that he’ll listen to me.

But as his eyes meet mine, I realize he’s not really himself right now. “Oh, no. Evelyn, get back!” Katie warns me just in time. I don’t hesitate to stumble backwards, barely pulling Beelzebub with me without falling over her.

In the next moment, he already transforms with a wild roar, the sharp claws of his paws flying less than an inch from my face. He howls into the sun, and I can’t help but hear how hurt he sounds. He looks at me, those blue eyes still staring at me in an accusative way, even in his wolf form.

Before I’m able to say something, his shining grey fur already disappears, running off into the forest. “Marcus, come back!” I call after him, but he already disappears. I stand there, trembling, while Katie comes to wrap her arm around my shoulders in a protective way. “Why did he lose control so fast? It’s waning crescent. He shouldn’t be … It’s not the full moon … Damn it, did I do this?” I ask her.

She nods slowly, making me close my eyes for a moment and hold the side of my head. I can swear I can feel a migraine coming. “If it makes you feel any better, you really tried to explain it to him in a nice way,” she lets me know, but I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Did I really? “He’ll calm down. Don’t worry, okay?” she then murmurs.

I don’t reply. Yeah. Easier said than done. Whatever part of him I didn’t break … is probably shattered after this encounter. Why do I keep screwing things up for everyone around me?

“Evelyn,” my best friend calls me, making me turn my gaze up, so I look at her. “You’ve got enough on your mind already. I’ll make sure Jake talks to him, okay? He’ll be fine. He’s just hurt,” she tells me. I nod, not finding the strength to answer her anymore.

I can feel Bubba trying to untangle herself from her leash again, making me sigh and bend down. “That’s it, I’m carrying you from now on,” I tell her, then let Katie lead me back inside the school.