The sound of crickets chirping surrounded me. I felt like I was lying on top of the hardest bed imaginable. It had no back support at all, and I don’t even think I was using a pillow. Yet, on top of me, I had the warmest, most comfortable blanket ever. It kept me feeling relaxed and for reason, I felt at ease, which was big deal considering I’ve been stressed for the past few days.

I blinked my eyes, trying to get them accustomed to the fading sunlight. It was dark out, but not so dark as to where a majority of the stars were coming out. I saw the full moon. It was brightly glowing in thee far side of the sky, keeping everything lit up in pale light.

Then I saw Vincent.

This fool was lying on top of me, his face towards mine. He had on the goofiest smile as he stared at me, his eyes still yellow. What a weirdo.

“Mate,” he cooed. Well I guess he’s through with calling me Nora. Maybe he only did that to pull with my heart-strings during his emotion-riddled speech about how much he loved me. Whatever.

“Up Vincent,” I said, wanting him to get off me. “Let’s go back to the house.” It was late, and there was no way I intended on sleeping outside in the open. With all the bugs…and wolves. Humans were told to stay inside because unmated werewolves on a full moon were known to attack, sometimes accidentally killing.

Vincent shook his head and tightened his arms around me. “No.”

I scoffed. “Why not?” I demanded. I had just fallen asleep in a field. A frickin’ field! I felt like I needed a shower and badly.

Vincent lowered his head towards mine. “Nora afraid of Jason,” he said. “Vincent protect Nora.”

Oh. That thing.

“It’s fine Vincent,” I said, attempting to push him off me. However, he was way too strong for me, and kept his arms fastened around my body. I kept trying to wiggle to at least get loose, but it was no use.

“What in Florida?” Vincent asked, making me freeze.

Did he honestly just ask what I thought he did? “What did you say?” I quivered.

Vincent smiled, his canines gleaming in the moonlight. He got off me and stood up, towering over me. He reached out a hand to help me up.

“Why did you just ask me that?” I asked again, not taking his hand. My heart beat began to speed up and I could myself start to shake even though it was rather hot outside.

Vincent huffed and grabbed my hand, yanking me to my feet. He pulled me close to him and began to walk back into the forest. “Nora talk in her sleep,” he said.

Oh shit.

Vincent was now leading us onto a path that I didn’t notice when we reached the field. At least I know he’s taking me somewhere where other people are…maybe.

“What did you hear me say in my sleep?” I asked, afraid to hear it, though I knew deep down I needed to. If I revealed my plans to run away to Florida while I was asleep, then I’ll be screwed.

Vincent moved to walk side by side, even swinging our arms a little bit like we were some kind of idiotic teenage couple. Eww.

“Nora say ‘Florida’ and ‘go’,” he said, trying not to growl. Yeah, he suspected that Florida was my destination of choice to run away to.

Luckily for me, I have a backup plan for this.

“My grandma’s in Florida,” I said, squeezing Vincent’s hand to assure him. This wasn’t a lie though. My Grandma lives in Miami, Florida and always has since I can remember. “When the werewolves and vampires revealed themselves and humans were confined to their territories, I couldn’t see her anymore.”

“Nora miss grandma?” Vincent whimpered, his ears flattening a bit.

I nodded. The best part about this backup excuse was that it’s all true. I haven’t seen my Grandma in years, nor have I had any contact with her. It’s all because of the stupid territory rule that she’s disappeared from my life. I had planned on running away to Florida, and once I was there, I’d look her up. “I guess if we get Jason’s permission, you could take me to Florida so I could see her,” I suggested. I sincerely hoped Vincent would turn down this offer. There’s no way in Hell I’d want him to accompany me to Florida. Plus, it’s a human territory, so I don’t even know if he’s allowed in there.

Vincent whimpered again. “No,” he said softly.

Sweet! “Yeah,” I said, fighting to keep the cheeriness out of my voice. “I guess you’re right. Jason would never let us leave the territory, especially together.”

Vincent pulled me in closer to him, nuzzling me. “Vincent no need Jason to take Nora to Florida,” he said.

“Then what’s up?” I asked, a little curious as to why he didn’t want to go to Florida with me. Maybe werewolves weren’t allowed in there.

Vincent kept quiet for a little bit, staring ahead at the path that we were walking along. It seemed to stretch on for a while in the forest. I wonder where we’re going.

“Nora run away,” Vincent said. Great, is he going to start crying again? “And Vincent find Nora’s file.”

My what? “What do you mean my file?” I asked. Is it like the fabled permanent record?

“Jason keep file on pack members,” Vincent said. “Vincent read Nora’s. It talk about her family.”

“Okay?” I wasn’t sure where he was going with this.

Vincent stopped walked and turned to me, looking down in my eyes. I had a little trouble seeing his face because the trees in the forest were blocking out a majority of the moonlight. However, over time my eyes adjusted and I could kind of see him. He looked worried and pitiful.

“Sandra Song,” he said.

I cocked my eyebrow. “That’s my grandma’s name,” I said, unsure how he knew this. Oh wait, it was probably listed in my file. That’s weird.

“File say, Sandra Song pass away four years ago,” Vincent said.

My breathing stopped and I felt my heart drop from my chest. For the past four years, while I was fantasizing about seeing her again, my grandma had been dead. Wow, that’s a lot to take in. My eyes started to sting like when you know you’re about to cry, plus a lump started to grow in my throat.

I sniffed, trying to stop my nose from running. “Why are you telling me this?” I asked. Seriously, how did this help Vincent at all?

Vincent’s shoulders fell. “Vincent want Nora to know,” he whispered.

Call me untrusting, but I’m fairly sure that there were alternative motives for Vincent releasing this information to me. He’s telling me that my grandma: one of my main reasons for going to Florida, is gone. And go figure, he only tells me this after hearing me mention running away to, go figure, Florida. Putting two and two together in my head, I came up with a revelation: Vincent only told me my grandma’s dead to get me to stop fantasizing about running away to Florida!

She’s probably not even dead! That stupid mutt.

This was too much for me. I felt my fists clenching and I began to grind my teeth. As I looked at Vincent’s concerned face in front of me, hatred consumed my core and I felt the urge to get as far away from him as I could. There was no way I could outrun him. He’s super fast and I had already tried that before, and it failed miserably.

Then it hit me: if Jason knows my grandma’s name, then he knows where she lives. Then I could use him to go to Florida, and then “disappear” while we’re there, and I’m free of the werewolves. All I need to do is figure out how to ditch Vincent.

Vincent reached up with his arm to touch me. This bitch, this dog who has the balls to lie to me about my own grandmother’s life in an attempt to get me to stay with him, is actually trying to touch me…well he kind of is holding me to his body already, but still!

“No!” I screamed, actually hurting my throat a little bit because I was too loud. I shoved Vincent away from me.

Vincent stumbled a little bit and his heel caught on a tree root, causing him to fall on his back. Cool. I totally pushed a full-grown werewolf to the ground.

Vincent propped himself up on his elbows, looking at me with a torn expression. I even heard a slight whimper escape from him.

“What? You’re going to cry again?” I yelled, throwing my hands up in the air.

“Nora?” Vincent whimpered, his eyes getting large and vulnerable-looking. “Mate?”

I shook my head. “Don’t call me that,” I hissed. “I choose Jason!”

Immediately I heard a low snarl coming from the previously injured puppy Vincent. He moved his stance so that he appeared to be ready to attack, his teeth bared in my direction.

The next words he spoke out very slowly, like he was almost having trouble forming them in his mouth. “I…won’t…let…you…go!” he growled. Then he pounced and I blacked out.