I am awoken to a phone ringing. I am slightly confused and begin to look around. I immediately know it isn’t mine because no one calls me or even bothers to text me. ‘What is the point in me having a phone again?’ I think to myself as the ringing continues. I wiggle my way out of the tangle of limbs that is Xavier and Zayn. I make my way over to our clothes, which no one noticed I dragged in here before we started our fun. I see a phone lighting up in the pants Zayn was wearing. I take it out and bring it over to him.

 “Zayn….Zayn….Zaaaaayn!” I say trying to get the omega up. “Mmmm…..Azazel? What is it?” Zayn says, sitting up and sleepily rubbing his eyes. “Your phone is ringing,” I hand him his phone and he grabs it just as it stops ringing. “Shit,” I hear him say under his breath as he looks at the screen. “Is everything okay?” I ask, slightly leaning towards the omega in concern. He shows me his screen:

-42 missed calls: mom

-15 missed calls: dad

-9 missed calls: sissy

-129 unread messages: mom, dad, sissy

 “Holy shit,” I mumble and he nods his head. We both jump when his phone starts to ring again. Xavier starts to stir. “Can you please shut that up love?” He mumbles as he curls more into Zayn. Zayn quickly answers the phone. 

 “Hey mom”

 -Oh my goddess! Sweetheart you finally answered! What’s wrong?! Where are you?! Why haven’t you come home yet?! It’s 8 o’clock at night! You should have been home from school hours ago! Are you hurt?! Did you know the alpha’s son, your friend Xavier, is missing as well?! Are you safe?! Why aren’t you home?!

 “Mom….mom…..MOM! Calm down. I am okay. I am safe and uninjured. I am with Xavier and another friend from school, Azazel. We are at a lake a little ways away. We wanted to go swimming and have fun before graduation on Monday. We got so comfortable that we fell asleep. I will be home soon. I am sorry to worry you.”

 -I am so glad you are safe as well as Xavier! And wait….did you say Azazel…. As in Azazel Morvant?

 “Um….” Zayn looks at me in confusion, I guess not knowing my last name or my family, but I nod to show him she is correct, “Yes mom, that Azazel.”

 There is silence on the other end. You cannot even hear anyone breathing right now.

 -Come home at once. You have worried us sick and we need you home now. 

 His mother hung up before Zayn could say anything and he stares at the phone even more confused. At this point, Xavier stirs awake and sits up, rubbing his eyes. “What’s going on guys?” He asks as he looks at us. “My mom wants us home now. It’s 8 at night and they thought both you and I were missing. I guess we better get going,” Zayn says as he stands and stretches. He heads for his clothes and starts throwing them on. “Well, come on you two,” He says as he looks at us and smiles a bright smile. I look at my lap. Xavier gets up and goes to get dressed as well. They start to make their way to the cave entrance, almost out of the cave before Zayn realizes I am not following. “Come on Azazel! We can give you a ride back to your bike or you can come spend the night at one of our houses if you don’t want to go home,” Zayn says, while Xavier looks at me observing me closely. I look away and shake my head no, “That’s okay guys. You both better get home before you worry them more and they track you down,” I face them giving them the best fake smile I can. I then get up to walk to the entrance. “You see this path here? It takes you back to the front of the lake so you don’t have to swim since you both just got dressed,” I guide them to a path on the side of the entrance. “Azazel, are you sure you don’t want a ride? How will you get your bike?” Xavier asks with concern in his eyes. I give them my fake smile again, “I’ll just run for a bit to get to it. A good run never hurt a wolf.” A halfhearted chuckle passes my lips. They both look at me worried, but say okay and begin to walk to Xavier’s car. I watch until they make it to the car. They get in, start it, turn on the lights, then they’re gone. 

 I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding as I watch the headlights go down the road. I go back into the cave and curl up in the furs. I start to pull them around me tightly. They still smell of Zayn and Xavier, which brings me comfort from the forest rain and mixed berries/vanilla scent they have. I hold them closer and let my mind wonder as my thoughts start to consume me:

 ‘How could they not know who you are?’

 ‘How do they not know your story like everyone else in town?’

 ‘Is that why they were so nice to you?’

 ‘Is that why they didn’t run away and instead tried to be your friend?’

 ‘It ended too soon. I like them both so much and I will never be able to show my face to them again.’

 ‘They won’t want me around. They will be disgusted by me. They will turn me away like everyone else.’

 ‘I don’t deserve to be loved. I don’t deserve to have friends. I don’t deserve to be in this world at all.’

I curl into the furs tighter and before I know it I am sobbing my heart out, alone, in this cave hidden behind a waterfall….. 

This cave…. 

That I call home.