DARK FATE (Scarlett of the wolves #1)

Chapter five

Kaley,

This is the first time that this has happened to me: I’m in Wick and that the days pass at lightning speed. I know what you’re thinking... okay, it's thanks to Jacob, I can't deny it, but don't you go jumping to conclusions. He's just a friend. Really.

We've seen each other almost every day for the past two weeks and my parents like him. Note, it's not very difficult: a wink, a devastating smile and that’s it. Jacob makes everyone happy. In any case, my mother is so happy that I’m not brooding in my corner!

I'm having a blast here, but I'm worried. For May. I find that since last summer her condition has worsened. Not so much her health, but her moods in general. She’s doing less and less well on her own. She’s constantly irritated when you want to help her, it’s difficult and the atmosphere is very heavy. One evening, I heard my parents arguing. My father said that it might be wise to send my grandmother to a retirement home. No, but can you imagine? What next? My mother put a stop to that, for her too, it’s inconceivable. In any case, if there’s an official discussion, I’ll give my opinion: it's no. I even think I'll be willing to stay here, with her, if I have to. After all, she deserves to live at home, in peace, right? I’m thinking about it.

And that’s it... not great.

But tonight I'm going out with Jacob Brown, he’s introducing me to some of his childhood friends. We’re going to Finighan, a trendy pub. And to think that I never do this in Paris! The world’s turned upside down.

Besides, I have to go, he’ll be here anytime now. If you want to reply to me, you have exactly... five minutes!

Scarlett.

The response was almost immediate. Short but clear.

What? What? Have you gone crazy? You want to stay in Wick? Nah, but you're not well, you know?

For God’s sake! I remind you that you have to study and above all that you’ll be eighteen years old, that's all! And it’s up to your parents to handle the situation, not you. Let them do it.

You better have changed your mind by your next email, otherwise, I'm coming to kick your butt! Fool, I nearly fainted!

Kaley.

Obviously... saying it like that. We’ll see that later.

I didn't have much time left before he will arrive. I zipped in the shower and ran to the closet to pull out a pair of Jeans, a blue top, and my favourite sweater—green. I quickly dried my hair and tied it into a messy bun. I was brushing my teeth when I heard the doorbell ring. I put on my pair of Converse and went down the stairs, jumping the last four steps.

“Scarlett! No later than midnight,” I heard before closing the door.          

“I promise, Dad, see you later!”

“Whose car is this?” I asked, seeing a black, gleaming Audi convertible.          

“My mother’s, I have it for the evening. Come on, climb in!”  

I settled comfortably in the leather seat and fastened my belt. I loved this car!

Jacob parked the Audi near the pub. It was packed with people. About ten people were waiting in front of the door to finish their cigarettes. Inside, the noise was deafening. People were talking loudly and the flat screens were screaming a Queen song.

“Hey, Jacob!” cried a huge, beefy guy, waving to us. “We took a table over there. It’s a crazy world out here tonight.”          

They gave each other a hug that would have knocked me down if I had been in their place.

Five people were seated. Jacob made the introductions.

“This is Scarlett. Scarlett, this is Mike, Malcom, Douglas, John, Ian and Suzy.”           

An avalanche of "hi!"

I nodded anxiously, trying to be as pleasant as possible. (I was shy, so it wasn't my strong suit.) The bigger one, Mike, the one who had greeted Jacob, grabbed two chairs.

“Sit down! What do you want to drink, Scarlett? Yeah! Jacob, I know, I know, for you, Wee Heavy as usual.”           

“Uh, for me a diet Coke please,” I squeaked.  

I tried to get some money in my bag, but Jacob held my hand and shook his head.

“Ha! I hope you’re not serious!” Mike laughed. “I'd rather bring you a good craft lager. It empties what you have in your head and it scrubs your throat!”          

“Uh... no, I...”  

But he was already gone before I could protest.

"It's going to be okay, Scarlett," Jacob assured me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, giving me a knowing wink. “Just be cool, you're almost eighteen after all.”           

I wasn't sure that drinking alcohol meant that I would become any cooler than now. And to be sure, turning eighteen soon didn't change that much.

The girl, Suzy, stood up and leaned voluptuously against Jacob. She took him by the waist, forcing him to let go of my shoulders. He was at least two heads taller than her, and she was so thin, that I wondered if Jacob's body wasn't almost twice as broad as hers.

“So you’re sitting next to me?” she cooed. “We have a lot to talk about, right?”          

She looked at him with gluttonous eyes. Then she turned to the one called Ian.

“Move around a bit! Can I borrow your seat? Jacob and I need to talk to each other for a bit. Go! Move!”          

Ian growled and grabbed his glass of beer before sitting down in the seat opposite.

Suzy pulled Jacob next to her on the bench and immediately hugged him and whispered something in his ear. Confused, I took a seat next to Ian.

Mike came up with the beers and set one down in front of me. I stared at the brownish colour covered in froth and, taking a deep breath, I took the first sip.

Yuck! I almost choked.

My face made the whole table laugh.

“In France, you’re a little sissy that's why!” Suzy said, raising her glass to her lips. (She drank without stopping, until halfway.)   

I pretended I hadn't heard anything, but stared at her sideways. She rubbed herself against Jacob who had almost completely emptied his first beer. The glasses weren’t finished when Douglas brought back more. Then it was Ian's turn, and then Malcom's... I watched this incessant ballet of empty and full mugs, annoyed. After what seemed endless to me, everyone was laughing heartily, telling lurid jokes and starting to have rather vulgar vocabulary.

I didn't recognize Jacob. He was no longer the same, both physically and in the way he behaved. His hair was messy, his eyes were red, and beer had run down his shirt. Suzy, still glued to him like a leech, laughed foolishly at each of his words.

Ian brought three more glasses. In front of me, he lost his balance dangerously. I had no time to move my chair back as I was flooded with a brown, malty, sticky liquid. I stood up like a spring, soaked. They all burst out laughing.

“Hey, Frenchy! You look like a wet rat!”   

I glared at Ian. I was suddenly nauseous, my head was spinning. The incessant noise, the coarse laughter, this unbearable smell of alcohol... I immediately ran to lock myself in the bathroom, not paying attention to Jacob who had stood up to follow me.

I leaned over the sink, running the water to splash my face. I tried to roughly clean my clothes, without success. I was furious. Granted, the situation wasn’t that bad, but they were all completely drunk and I hated it.

“Scarlett?” Jacob said.   

I pretended I hadn't heard him.

“Scarlett, come on, get out of here. You made us laugh.”   

I heard Suzy's annoying chuckle. It made me even angrier.

“Come on, Jacob, leave her alone. She’s no fun. She’ll get over it. Come and have fun with us.”             

“I'm coming.”  

“Please ...,” she pleaded.   

“Yeah, I'm coming, I told you!”   

“Scarlett, are you coming out or do I have to kick the door down?”   

I came out of the bathroom angry.

“Yes, go ahead you're right, that way you'll look even more ridiculous than you already are! Or would it amuse everyone here? It wouldn't even surprise me! (I pointed to the group of people who were there.) You are all just as drunk as each other!”           

“Scarlett, you're not much fun. We just came here to have a good time,” he said.          

“Oh, yeah? Well, you know what? You have fun with your friends and I'll leave.”          

“You can't leave like that, you have at least an hour's walk and it's pitch black.”          

“I don't care!”  

I walked back to the table to pick up my bag—soaked in beer—grabbed a twenty-pound note and put it brutally in front of me. (I was proud, I didn't want it to be said that I drank for free, even though I had barely touched my glass.)

“This is my round!” I shouted. “Enjoy yourself!”   

“Hey, Frenchy! You leaving?” Mike asked in a grumpy voice. “The evening has only just begun. Here, (he handed me a mug) have a beer, you'll feel better!”           

I looked him straight in the face, my eyes flashing. They all made me sick. I strode towards the exit and threw open the door.

I heard Jacob say to the others:

“I'll be back in a moment.”  

“Hurry, the night isn’t over!”   

Argh... Suzy and her nasal voice. This girl got on my nerves. I slammed the door behind me and found myself on the sidewalk. The wind froze me. I had forgotten my coat inside, but I certainly wasn’t going back. I pulled up my hood and, despite the cold, I started to walk away. Jacob immediately grabbed me by the arm.

“Let go of me, Jacob!”   

“Wait, Scarlett, where are you going?”  

“I'm going home!”  

“Don’t be silly, I’ll take you back.”   

“Take me back? But look at yourself, you’re completely drunk.”  

“You're exaggerating. I'm just a little drunk.”  

“Yeah! Drunk and... and... you reek of alcohol!”   

“Lovely... (He rubbed his head.) Come on, I'll take you home.”           

I walked past the car without stopping.

“Scarlett, stop playing around! You can't go home on your own.”           

I turned around furious.

“I can, I do what I want and I don't need you. Go away and leave me alone!”          

“Scarlett, I promised your father that I would give you a ride. Get in the car, please.”            

“No!”

Before I could even react, Jacob had pulled me by the arm and was dragging me towards the Audi.

“Let go of me, Jacob, LET OFF ME RIGHT NOW!” I yelled.           

He opened the passenger door and forced me to sit inside. He was so much stronger than me that I couldn't get out.

“Ok!” he cried furiously. “Now sit still, buckle up, and stop acting like a fool!”          

My jaw was tight and all I wanted to do was slap him.

Jacob silently sat behind the wheel and drove off. We had passed the exit sign of the town when he pulled over to the roadside and shut off the engine. I looked outside, it was very dark and the trees lining the road made the night even darker. Jacob turned to me. I didn't want to talk.

“What's wrong with you, Scarlett?”   

I didn't answer.

“I mean... What did you expect? That we drink soda all night and talk about croquet? Honestly, you should grow up a little bit, don’t you think?”           

“Grow up a bit? You should see yourself... and your friends? Filling your stomachs with beer without ever stopping! And your Suzy! It’s no fun to be in the middle of whatever this is with her and you!”   

“Are you jealous?”  

“Jealous? Nah, but don’t you get it? I would never dare to behave like that. She’s rude and slutty!”         

“Suzy isn’t a slut.”  

“Yeah? Her breasts all up in your face was a clever disguise then!”  

“Stop it, Scarlett, I’m bored of this.”  

I mumbled a "creep" which I immediately regretted.

“What did you say?” 

His eyebrows were furrowed.

“I'm tired, Jacob! Take me home now.”

“You said creep was that it? (He was flushed with anger.) I'm the creep who picked you up every day to take you out. The creep who took you on a boat to show you the sunrise. The creep who came to talk to your father so that you had the permission to go out with me! But who do you think you are, Scarlett? Look at you! Do you think you’re so perfect? You and your goody-two-shoes act, you're completely stuck up! I prefer a girl like Suzy a thousand times over a girl like you! At least she knows how to have fun!”

He smelled strongly of alcohol and seemed to lose control. As for me, I was enraged.

“Well, go find your Suzy! And stay away from me, for good!”           

I opened the door and started walking frantically in the dark by the side of the road. I had barely gone two meters before I heard Jacob's door open. I turned around and saw him coming fast. He scared me so much that I cried out and started running straight ahead. But faster than me, he caught up to me in seconds. He turned me violently and pulled me back to his chest and brutally crushed his mouth against mine. I couldn't breathe. He forced me to open my lips. I tried to fight him with my fists, but he was very strong and kept me from moving. His alcoholic breath was horrible and made me nauseous. His tongue was bitter, his arms around me hurt. I felt like I was going to faint. Tears began to roll down my cheeks. Jacob must have noticed because he pulled his face away from mine and stared at me, but without loosening his iron embrace. I looked at him pleadingly, whispering his name to let me go.

Suddenly, I felt torn from the grip of his arms. Jacob was pulled back. I tripped over a tree root and found myself on the ground at the foot of an oak tree. I didn't have time to figure out what had happened, but Jacob was moaning, kneeling on the floor, doubled over, and holding his stomach with both arms. The headlights of an SUV lit up his face—I hadn't even noticed a car had parked. He looked up, a trickle of blood streaming from his lips, down his chin and his neck.

"Scarlett..." he whimpered, raising his face to me.   

“Get in your car, Brown, and go sober up somewhere else!” the man in front of him said, helping him to his feet.   

He had his back to me, I couldn't see his face. His voice sounded like a young man’s. He had spoken calmly but with an authority that left no choice.

He was standing in front of Jacob, his legs spread, as if to block him and me.

“Scarlett!” Jacob called out to me.   

“I don't think she wants you to take care of her. You better go home.”         

Jacob looked completely stunned. He gave me a desperate look and wanted to protest.

“But I have to bring her back... Scarlett! I have to bring you back!”           

“Given the state you’re in, Brown, it’s better if I do it. Go!” he thundered. “Come on!”         

Jacob jumped... He looked terrified, it wasn’t like him. He was a big guy, too. He could have easily defended himself.

“Get in the car, I'll take you home.”  

With his back turned, the guy spoke to me. I stood up, leaning on the tree, unable to take my eyes off Jacob. He walked away but turned around to me every time he took three steps. He got behind the wheel of the Audi and started the engine. When he pulled up at my side, he opened his window.

“Scarlett, I… I'm sorry,” he stammered.  

Then he left.

Motionless, I stared at the car's red taillights. I still couldn’t believe it. Jacob... Suzy... the pub... the alcohol... How could it all have happened? I started to shake violently.

“Scarlett, isn’t it?”   

Slowly, I turned my head towards whoever was speaking to me. He was quite athletic and much taller than me, impressive looking. He was at least six feet tall, maybe more. Despite the headlights on, I couldn't make out his face very well. I was certain, I didn’t know him. So why was he familiar to me?

“Is your name Scarlett?”  

“Uh... yes.”  

He walked over and my heart skipped a beat. I must have been dreaming. He was the guy from the airport! But, no... I must have been wrong.

“Scarlett,” he said in a staggeringly relaxed manner, “will you get in the car, please? It's cold outside and it’ll rain soon.” (He was right, I was frozen.)            

His tone, serious and calm, had softened considerably, although still authoritative. In shock, I agreed to get in.

I climbed into the SUV and, after sitting down, immediately tightened my legs and put my arms around myself as tight as possible. I was shaking like a leaf. I heard him open the trunk and dig inside. He climbed up next to me and handed me a woollen blanket.

“Here, take this.”  

“Mmm-thank you,” I shivered.  

Without daring to look at him, or even speak, I grabbed it and wrapped myself in it.

“Where do you live?”  

I tried to take a deep breath and answered in one go so my teeth wouldn't chatter.

“The Jacob manor on the...”   

“Yes, it's okay, I know,” he interrupted.   

He started the engine and turned around to take the right direction. As he steered the wheel, my eyes fell on his hands. They were large and solid. Since he was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, I could see that his forearms were muscular. Unconsciously, my gaze continued to climb to the top of his equally athletic arms, his neck, his face... He had a three-day beard, his profile was perfect: a broad forehead, a straight nose, a harmonious mouth and chin. Her hair was very dark, shoulder-length and slightly curly. He was even more handsome than I remembered.

The overhead light was on and I wanted to check the colour of his eyes. I leaned over on the sly to see them better.

“Did you lose something?” he said without looking at me.  

I blush immediately.

“No.”

I leaned back against the seat with the intention of not moving. I glanced sideways, however, to see his reaction. He smirked. I was so ashamed I could die.

The SUV finally entered the access road to the manor and stopped in the courtyard. I quickly pulled the blanket off and turned to him.

“Uh... thank you.”   

With one hand, he leaned on the steering wheel, swivelled towards me and stared straight into my eyes.

“The next time chose a better date. You'll have fewer problems,” he said sternly.      

If I had a doubt, now I had none. It was him. Did he recognize me? I didn't think so.

He hardly looked older than me. Now I could see his eyes perfectly—they were green. A unique emerald green, the very ones that had dazzled me. I could have sworn I saw golden threads all around his pupils. I was captivated and completely under a spell. He grabbed the blanket, curled it into a ball, and threw it on the back seat. Unable to look away from him, I followed his every move.

“You’re not getting down?” he said.  

“Uh, yes, of course.”   

Amused by my obvious discomfort, he smiled again, which had the immediate effect of making me leave his car. I bent down to pick up my bag and thanked him, leaving a pause that invited him to tell me his first name. But instead, he leaned over and reached out to close the door, saying "You're welcome." Then, he joined the road and left. The rain was starting to fall.

I hadn't even told him about the airport... or Sinclair Castle, because obviously, again, that was him. I would have sworn.

When the SUV was gone, I finally turned back to the manor, sighing. The lamps in the living room were still on. I pushed open the front door and put my bag on the floor.

“Here you are!” my father called out from the living room. “You’re even a quarter of an hour early. Did you have a good evening?”     

“Yes, yes, thank you. I’m going to bed. See you tomorrow!”   

“Wait, Scarlett, not so fast! (My mother was standing in the doorway.) What did you do? Come here.” (She motioned for me to enter the living room.)    

Resigned, I stepped forward and threw myself into an armchair. I didn't intend to tell them the truth.

“We went to Finighan's and I met Jacob's friends.”      

But I knew that if I left it at that, my mother would ask me more questions.

“So, are they nice?   

There you go...

“Well, they're not the kind of friends I hang out with, we don't have the same interests, but that's okay, they're nice anyway.” (I was lying, obviously.)           

“What about Jacob? When are you planning to see him again?”   

I almost answered "Never!", But I changed my mind to find something else to say, less... true.

“I don't know. He’ll be very busy on the farm with his father and I won't see him as often I imagine.” (Well let's see ... What a talent!)          

My mother seemed wary.

“Um... (Pause.) You forgot your cell phone at home tonight and Kaley called right after you left. She wanted to give you your exam results.”           

“But why didn't you tell me earlier? (I was pretending to be excited by the news.) So? Did I pass?”          

“Of course, you did! Congratulations, Scarlett Rittel!”           

“Well done, Scarlett!” my father added loudly, kissing me on the forehead. “I’m proud of you.”            

“Thanks, dad. Shall we talk about this again tomorrow? I'm beat.”            

"Good night, sweetheart," my mother whispered, stroking my cheek.             

It didn't take ten seconds to climb the stairs and reach my room. I didn't bother to turn on the light. I took off my shoes and threw myself on my bed.

What was happening to me was just crazy. I picked up my phone and decided to tell Kaley about it. She was going to gloat.

Kaley,

I can't go into the details, which would take way too long to tell. We’ll call each other, it'll be better.

Do you remember the guy I met at the airport, the one I thought I saw around Sinclair Castle? Well, just imagine he kindly took me home tonight!

No, I swear to you, I’m not losing my mind! I almost had a heart attack when I saw him. Although, I’m not sure he recognized me. So, I acted as if nothing had happened. I don't know what's happening to me, he's messing me up. I have a stomach ache...

Kisses,

Scarlett.

She answered immediately.

You're kidding me, right? Nah, but do you realize? It's a sign of fate that, old girl!

Do you want some advice? Next time, you jump on him! No, I know, that's not your style. Too bad, it would go faster, because knowing you, you’ll think so much that you’ll have returned to Paris before having decided what you want to do. Pff...

I put my smartphone away, I was exhausted. Besides, she was right...