Chapter 2

• Dylan turns to me with a frown... Josh can't turn as he's driving, so he looks at me from the rearview mirror.
• "Are you sure you're ok?" Dylan asked.
• "You can tell us anything" Josh said.
• There's a moment of silence, they both waiting for my reply.
• "I think I saw something in the woods!"
• They both shared a look, Dylan turns back to me.
• "There's nothing in the woods, Stacey...your mind must be playing tricks on you" he said.
• "Really?"
• "Yeah.. maybe you're still thinking about the nightmare"
• Hmm...that makes sense. It must be I'm just paranoid...I need to get that stupid picture off my head.
• I reach for my phone and earbuds in my backpack...and begin to go through my playlists.
• "How about we resume your therapy sessions when we're settled in New Orleans?" Will suggest.
• "No!" I replied.
• "Why?"
• "It won't make any difference"
• "Stacey...."
• I ignore him and put on my earbuds and decide to play *stuck with you* by justin bieber and ariana grande.
• I'm not gonna attend any therapy...I have tried it before it didn't work.
• I just hope moving to New Orleans will help stop my nightmares.
• Stacey's POV
• After a long torturing drive... Josh finally stops in front of a building.
• Josh and Dylan quickly alighted, I also didn't waste any time to follow suit. Dylan throws his arm around my shoulders and inhaled deeply.
• "Stacey, can you feel the peace and quiet this place will bring you?" He asked.
• I raised an eyebrow at him.
• "We just got here... Who knows if we're gonna move tomorrow!"
• He groans and rolls his eyeballs.
• "You're such a killjoy!"
• I chuckled at his failed attempt to cheer me up and make me love this place.
• *Be careful, guys.. don't break anything!* I heard Josh talking to the movers as they move in our stuffs.
• I took the time to study the building... It looks like a portable mansion.
• I nod.
• My legs find their way to the backyard, to confirm if what Josh and Dylan said are true.
• A small smile finds its way to my lips as I saw a small garden of roses and lilies instead.. and a single guava tree with a few guava fruit on it.
• *This is perfect!* I thought mentally.
• Maybe they're right, I might not get any nightmares since there's no woods behind.
• Someone taps my shoulder and I turn... Dylan and Josh stands behind me... Josh's hands tugged in his pocket and Dylan smiling brightly.
• "So.. what do you think?" Dylan asked.
• They both looking at me anxiously.. waiting for my reply.
• I scoffed mentally, they're asking for my opinion now... As if it has ever mattered.
• "Do you like it?" Dylan asked again.
• I nod.
• "Yeah... since there's no woods!"
• Dylan claps his hands together and from my peripheral view, I saw Josh sigh in relief... a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips.
• "Excellent!" Dylan said.
• "The movers are done, let's go in and check the rooms!" Josh said.
• Dylan takes my hand and pulls me along... I hope the inside won't disappoint me!
• *
• *
• "Wow!"
• I couldn't help it but awe at the beauty I'm seeing... Honestly, this house is ten times more beautiful than our previous house.
• It's got high ceilings and high french windows... Let's just say I can't describe the interior in full, cause I'm pretty bad at descriptions!
• Wait... I need to get the room with its window facing the garden.
• I turned to Josh with a smile... He studies my expression and sighed.
• "Fine... It's that one over there!" He points to a room.
• He already knows what I wanna ask... He doesn't need me to tell him.
• I rushed there but not before yelling.. "Dylan! Bring in my luggage!"
• He groans but I hear him pulling my luggage along.
• I enter the room and rushed towards the window... I opened it and smile as I breathe in.
• The garden is right outside my window... I saw two butterflies, flying around a flower.
• "Well, it seems you really like this place now!" Dylan said from behind.
• I rolled my eyes.
• "Dylan I only like the garden!"
• "Oh!"
• "Yeah!"
• Josh clears his throat and calls our attention.
• "Well, Stacey, Dylan and I have something to discuss... we'll leave you to unpack and settle in!"
• I nod.. wanting them to leave. But my stomach growls loudly and I remember we haven't had any food since morning.
• Dylan looks at his wrist watch.
• "Josh, it's already lunchtime... Stacey and I will go for groceries shopping first"
• I slaps his shoulder.
• "Grocery shopping?!"
• He nods.
• "I'm already so hungry and you're talking about grocery shopping?!"
• He nods again.
• "Can you say something other than nodding?"
• He chuckles lightly.
• "We'll go buy groceries and Josh is gonna cook for us!" He said.
• I rolled my eyes for the hundredth time.. what a bunch of caring brothers I have.
• I throw my backpack on my new bed and keep my storybook inside... Seeing my storybook, I suddenly remember something.
• I stands up abruptly.
• "What about school?"
• They both frown.
• "School?" They asked at once.
• "Yeah.. when am I resuming school? This is my senior year, I can't slack off"
• Dylan laughs.
• "Relax.. Josh didn't forget you're a nerd..."
• "I'm not a nerd!" I cut him off.
• He nods frantically.
• "Right, right....!"
• "I found you your new school and talked with the principal last night... You're resuming tomorrow!" Josh said.
• I nod... At least they're not gonna delay my studies. I turned to Dylan.
• "Dylan, you'll go the grocery shopping alone...I wanna unpack and get my things ready for tomorrow"
• "No!" Dylan and Josh said at once.
• I furrow my brows together.
• "Ok... You're both acting weird!" They both have a scared expression on.
• "Weird? We just don't want to leave you alone in the house" Dylan said.
• "I'm not alone, Josh is gonna be here"
• "Josh... he...."
• "I'm visiting one of my friends" Josh cuts him off.
• "Your friends?"
• He and Dylan nods.
• "You have friends here?"
• They nods again.
• "Since when?"
• They both exchange looks and Dylan nods at Josh... Like they just had a conversation telepathically.
• "Remember I came here sometime ago for business?" Josh asked.
• "Yeah?" I replied.
• "Well, I made a few friends then... Now that I'm here, I must check on them!"
• Hmm... It's confirmed... Their acting strange.
• Could it be my nightmares are taking a toll on them and they've gone.... Loco?!
• "Come on, Stacey... I'm starving, let's get moving!" Dylan said and grabbed my hand.
• He turns to Josh.
• "Extend my greetings to your friends!"
• Josh nods.... While Dylan pulls me out.
• *
• *
• Walking down the streets with Dylan is a crime now! I mean, all the girls are glaring daggers at me... I guess they're thinking I'm his girlfriend.
• I shake my head mentally... If only they knew I'm his younger sister!
• Ok, enough of the girls talk... I noticed something else.
• The people in general... Elderly ones... Men and women.. they all seem to be giving me a disgusting look... like I'm carrying some kind of disease.
• They're murmuring among themselves as we walk past them... I pulled Dylan closer and whisper in his ear.
• "What's going on? Why are they staring at me like that?"
• He look around and throw his arm around my shoulders.
• "They can hear you!"
• "Huh?" They can hear me? How?!
• "Just ignore them... I bet they're just surprised to see new faces in their town"
• Great! Just great! This is one of the reasons I hate moving!
• Dylan stops walking and I raised my head with a frown.
• "Let's check out this supermarket!" He said and pulls me inside.
• *
• *
• Writer's pov
• "Stop there!" A guard stops Joshua as he's about to walk through a gate.
• The guard access him and sniffs the air.
• "You're not a rogue.. who are you?" The guard asked.
• "I'm Joshua Rivera!"
• "That's not what I mean!" The guard retort harshly.
• Joshua smiles... He studies the guard and shakes his head.
• *He must be a new guard!* He thought.
• "Which pack are you from? And what's your rank? And why did you come to the Alpha King's mansion?!"
• Joshua rolled up his sleeve and shows the guard a small faded wolf's head tattoo on his arm.... The guard's eyes grows wide as recognition flash across his eyes.
• "I'm Joshua Rivera... from crescent moonstone pack... from the royal spy's family!"
• The guard bows his head immediately he realizes Joshua's rank is far higher than his.
• "I'm so..sorry, Mr spy.. how may I help you?" He stutters a little.
• "I want to see the alpha King!"
• The guard nods..."I'll inform him!"
• The guard rushes in and came out after a few minutes.
• "Mr spy, this way, please!" Joshua nods and follows him. After a few minutes of walking down a very long corridor, they stopped at a big door...made of oak wood.
• Alpha King's office boldly written above it.
• The guard knocks a few times and hears a faint "come in!"
• He opens the door and they both steps in... Joshua and the guard quickly bows their heads as they saw the people inside the office.
• The alpha King sits on his big chair... with his beta by his left hand side...and a few elders.
• "Alpha King, Joshua Rivera is here!" The guard reports.
• The Alpha King waves the guard off... the guard rushes out as if his pants is on fire.
• Joshua quickly falls on his knees with his head still bowed.
• "Joshua Rivera... Why are you just coming back?!" The Alpha King asked.
• Joshua didn't utter a word.. talking back at the an Alpha is a death wish.
• "After the death of your parents, we were expecting you and your brother to come back to the pack!" The Alpha King paused.
• The silence in the office is very thick.
• "Why didn't you and your brother come back! Speak!"
• "We're sorry, alpha King... We thought we could catch him..."
• "Nonsense!" The Alpha King interrupts him. "I sent word to you, asking you to come back but you disobeyed me just because you thought you could catch him?"
• Joshua opens his mouth to speak but the alpha King shuts him up with a glare.
• "Where's he now?!"
• "He's in hiding, but...."