The sight of my beautiful sister's bright smile with shining eyes as she's spun around by her equally as dashing mate, Miles, fills me with such warmth and happiness that I can't stop the smile that spreads across my own face. You'd think that I'd feel a bit like a third wheel in their presence, but not at all. Seeing Kelly smile like this, knowing that she can be this happy after losing our parents and growing up in a group home fills me with such hope and I can't help but to feel proud of her. I love my sister so much, she's always there for me when I need her and never fails to make me smile.

Miles will never know how grateful I am to have him in our lives. He's just like the brother I've never had. He's only been in my life for about a year now and he has no idea how much brighter it is.

We're currently outside of Miles' pack-house, he's the Beta of the Wilted Cherry Pack, having a picnic to celebrate Kelly's 18th birthday. It's a big deal for her because she finally can leave the group home and move in with Miles, he proposed to her shortly after telling her about what he really is. It's a big deal for me because now that my sister is a legal adult she can become my legal guardian, allowing me to move in with her and Miles. I've never been so happy in my life.

Ever since our parents were killed in a car accident when Kelly was 6 and I was only 2, we have been living in a group home with no one but each other to protect us. Kelly has been my rock my whole life and now that she has Miles I'm just so happy that she can finally breathe again. She won't admit it, but I know these last 12 years have been suffocating for her. She's always looked out for me and stood up for me when the other kids in the group home got too rough or mean for me to handle. Miles is that breath of fresh air that she needs, that she deserves. I don't know where I would be if it weren't for my sister and I can't imagine my life without her.

So, here we are, celebrating this major win for my tiny little family. I'll finally be able to leave this crummy place with the horrible kids that bully me and the nasty caretakers that pester me. Kelly and I can finally move on to the next chapter of our lives and just be happy.

"Kai! Come here." Kelly calls for me. During the picnic, Miles brought out a stereo and started playing Kelly's favorite music and asked her to dance while I sat and watched on the picnic blanket.

"I think I'm good here, Kells." I say with a chuckle and a fond shake of my head.

"No, no, no. Get your butt over here Kai! This day is for you, too! Once today is over and we get everything sorted out you'll finally be free!" She sings, her voice light and refreshing as she twirls all around Miles, her beautiful Sage green dress dancing right along with her.

Before I can continue to argue with my sister, Miles picks her up and twirls her around again, eliciting a giddy shriek from my beautiful sister.

"Hey! Put me down you big oaf!" Kelly shrieks, wriggling in Miles' hold.

"No way, you're too cute to let go of." He coos at her, making her blush a bright cherry red that reaches the tips of her ears.

I giggle at the sight of them, laying back on the picnic blanket to watch the clouds go by. I could stay like this forever, watching the clouds as the soft music from the stereo plays in the background, the sounds of my sister and her mate's laughter filling my ears. I close my eyes to take it all in.

The sound of an animalistic growl brings me out of my day dreaming. I shoot up from my spot on the picnic blanket to see where the sound came from.

What I see has my blood running cold and me jumping up from my spot to run closer to Kelly and Miles.

I can tell Miles is on high alert as he watches the gigantic wolf approach them, but Kelly is still not aware of the giant wolf's presence. Before either of us can even blink, the wolf turns its bright yellow eyes on Kelly. Miles and I follow the wolf's gaze to see an oblivious Kelly picking a daisy just a few feet away.

The wolf charges at her without any hesitation. His huge paws thumping as he runs.

Thump...

Thump...

Thump...

I open my mouth to scream for Kelly to move out of the way, but before I can get my vocal chords to catch up to my brain, Miles jumps in between the wolf and Kelly.

Kelly finally tears her gaze away from the beautiful daisy at the sound of Miles' heart wrenching scream of pain before there's complete silence. Kelly's favorite flowers have always been daisies. She would always say, "Daisies are simple, but elegant. You know, they remind me a lot of our mother. Oh Kai, she was stunning. Just like this daisy."

I can see the moment Kelly's whole entire world comes crashing down right before her eyes as she watches the giant wolf rip Miles' throat out. Blood oozes from the wound as Kelly tumbles to her knees, screaming for her precious mate, the love of her life.

"MILES! Miles! No..." She runs to him, kneeling before him and holding his lifeless body in her arms, a whole body of water oozing from her precious green orbs, once bright with life, love, and happiness, only to be left completely dull and empty.

"Kelly! We have to go! Please, Kelly! The wolf! He's still here!" I scream to her, begging for her to hear me, but in the midst of all the chaos, she doesn't hear a single word.

I begin running to her, ready to push her out of the way, but it's too late. The wolf charges for its next victim, running at Kelly much faster than I could ever hope to run.

Kelly doesn't even look up at the snarl that escapes that wretched animal's mouth, too preoccupied mourning her fiancé.

I'm forced to watch my beautiful, lively sister, get brutally murdered before my eyes. The wolf makes it to her faster than I can even blink, before I can even get halfway to where she sits, and the screams that escape Kelly's lips that once formed a smile so bright, her presence alone could light up a room, a whole house... my whole life, fill my now ringing ears as the wolf rips her head right off her shoulders.

"KELLY!" I scream for her, hoping that somehow my screams and pleas will magically make everything better, magically turn this horrifying sight right back to Miles and Kelly happily dancing to the stereo that's somehow still playing Kelly's favorite song as all of this plays out.

I don't even have time to notice the pools of water in my eyes before I realize the wolf has turned it's bloodied jaws and frightfully yellow eyes on me.

All I can do is stand there, hoping that this wolf kills me, too, because how can I ever go on without Kelly? How can I continue in this world without my best friend by my side? She's been there for me through everything, always protecting me and yet, here I am. Unable to do the same for her.

The feeling of complete and utter emptiness crashes into me like a bag of bricks as I watch the wolf slowly stalk towards me. I crash to my knees, my legs no longer able to bear the weight of all the sadness and darkness that consumes me entirely. I pray to whatever deity there is that this wolf just ends it all. That the wolf before me with its blood covered face and yellow eyes laced with murderous intentions just takes every last bit of me, as it has already taken what matters to me most.

Those killer yellow eyes are the last things I see before I wake up...

***

The first thing I do after waking up is rushing to the bathroom to spill the contents of whatever remains in my empty stomach, since I haven't eaten since I snuck that bag of chips up to my room after Trenton and Roni left my house yesterday.

After I finish spewing my guts out into the toilet bowl before me, I sit down and push myself into the farthest corner of my bathroom from the now locked door, bringing my knees up to my chest and hugging them close to me as tightly as I can, gently rocking myself back and forth as my eyes, the storm clouds that they are, release all the rain they've been holding in since the last time I've had that nightmare.

That's not the first time I've been so very blessed to witness that nightmare again, note the sarcasm. I've lost count of how many nights I wake up covered in sweat, and trembling so much that you could sit me next to a race car and I would be vibrating harder than it. I breathe through my nose and out my mouth, trying to calm my panic attack before it gets too bad and I begin having flashbacks.

Breathe, Kai. Breathe. It's okay, that wolf isn't here anymore, just calm down. I repeat to myself like a mantra, finally calming my racing heart to a somewhat normal pace.

Once I've fully calmed down, which takes me about ten minutes to stop hyperventilating and to finally shut off the waterworks, I get up off the bathroom floor and check the clock in my room.

Seeing that the time is 5:00 am, I decide to begin getting ready for school today since there's no way I'll be able to go back to sleep after that nightmare and definitely no way to sneakily stay at the house again like I did yesterday. I grab clean clothes and make my way to the shower, turning the water to cold to hopefully bring me out of my stupor and get me going for the day.

Even though the water is absolutely freezing, I can't help but relax in it as the water soothes my aching muscles and leaves me feeling completely refreshed and awake.

By the time I finish getting ready and throwing on a pair of my favorite ripped black skinny jeans and black hoodie, I check the time again to see that it is now 6:00 am. Knowing that I still have about an hour before I need to sneak out the front door, I grab the book I got from the school's library, "What I Wouldn't Give" written by Elizabeth Kay, to pass the time.

An hour or so later, I make my way downstairs, with my backpack might I add, all thanks to Roni and Trenton, and sneak my way out the front door. I slowly close the door behind me, making sure not to make a peep before turning around to make my way to school. It'll be hard to walk all the way to school with the limp I now have, courtesy of Jake, but it is what it is.

I stop dead in my tracks at the sight of a black shiny Jeep sitting in my driveway. I tilt my head to the side in confusion. I don't recall Roni or Trenton telling me they'd pick me up this morning. I think to myself as I tighten my grip on my bag while I watch the passenger side door open up to reveal a very gorgeous Trenton making his way toward me with the brightest smile on his face. I try to smile back, but I know it doesn't reach my eyes for the memories of last night's nightmare still haunt my thoughts.

"Hey, Kai! Roni and I hope it's okay we decided to come and pick you up. I was worried about you having to walk to school with all those bruises, I'm sure you're in a lot of pain too." Trenton informs me, his husky morning voice sending shivers down my spine, but still doing nothing to ease the tension in my shoulders nor quench the dread bubbling in the pit of my stomach.

"Oh... um, okay." I tell him, my voice quiet and hesitant. I hope he doesn't sense my hesitation as I climb up into the backseat of Roni's Jeep and shrink into myself as I sit by the window behind Roni's seat.

"Hey Kai!" Roni chirps with her honey like voice as she glances at me from the rear view mirror, the smile she wears dimming at the sight of my eye bags and trembling hands. I can tell she notices it, but am thankful to her for not bringing it up.

Trenton hops up into the Jeep and closes the door behind him, turning around to look at me as he says, "We got you a coffee, do you like caramel iced coffees? I feel like you would. I wasn't sure what kind to get you, but the caramel iced coffee just seemed like something you'd like. I mean, I know that I don't know you that well, yet but... here, just try it." He rambles, I can tell he's also nervous as that very cute nervous habit of his slips through his usually cool and neutral mask.

I take the caramel iced coffee from him and take a sip. Whatever expression I make is enough of an answer to Trenton's questions.

"See? I knew he'd like it, Roni. I could just tell." He says to Roni, his voice taking on a more gentle tone, probably sensing my uneasiness of the situation.

"You're such a dork, Renny." Roni chuckles out as she puts her Jeep into drive and begins the ride to school.