19 Chapter 3
It was a rainy night in 1881 France.
Young Michael had run away from home. He wanted at all costs to participate in the ball that was held in the tavern in the center of the village square.
When he walked in, soaked from head to toe, he clearly caught the attention of everyone there.
He was just a nineteen years old boy and had seen nothing but a forest all his life.
He was a stranger to the villagers and certainly couldn't go unnoticed.
When Maryanne saw him, she immediately understood that something was wrong.
She walked up to him quickly, heedless of all those glances. «What are you doing here?»
«I had to meet you... before I left for good.» he whispered. He realized he couldn't endanger the people around him for his selfishness. He understood that leaving was the best choice.
«What? Why? I thought you would stay… »
«My mother is right. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that it's best to stay away from this place.»
Tomas walked over to his daughter. «Who are you?» he asked the stranger who appeared out of nowhere.
«He lives in the neighboring village, he helped me when I got lost in the woods.» Maryanne hastened to reply. She was looking at Michael with her eyes saying "Please, I don't want you to leave…".
An elderly man, who was at the party, walked slowly through the crowd. «Those eyes… those black eyes… »
Tomas looked at the boy. The man looked pretty worried, as if he knew what it was about to happen to his daughter's friend. «Leave now.» he whispered.
Michael ran away and, before Tomas could do anything, his daughter ran after him.
«Michael wait!»
«I can't!», he stopped in the rain, just a few steps from the woods. «I can't stay. We have to leave, I put my family in danger. I was wrong to help you in the woods then and I was wrong to come here today! Now they know! They will hunt us down!»
«Please stay… »
«I'm not the only one in danger! You will be too, you will endanger your life if you continue to meddle in mine! I am a threat!»
«It's not true! You haven't hurt me before and I know you won't do it in future!»
«You're wrong.»
Michael went into the woods and Maryanne was unable to keep up with him, because the ground became muddy due to the rain.
Tomas found her on her knees crying. She hadn't gotten very far. He hugged her.
«He's gone… He will never come back.» she said crying.
«Everything is alright. I'm here with you.»
Michael, hiding behind a tree, stared at the scene with a broken heart.
That night, when he had seen her for the first time, kept coming back to him.
When the moonlight had illuminated her in that clearing.
When she had made wonderful that moon that Michael hated so much, because it made him the monster he was.
He ran to his house, looking for his mother's arms.
«What's happening?»
«We need to leave.»
«What happened Michael?» Stephanie asked.
«I just want to leave this place.»
«You wanted to stay so bad and now you want to leave?»
«As long as I stay, we're not safe. She won't be safe.»
Stephanie understood the situation perfectly. She knew what her son meant. «You just have to learn how to handle anger like your father did.»
«Actually there's more... I went to the village and– »
«Oh Michael… »
«I know, I'm sorry! I just wanted to say goodbye before leaving. But a man saw my eyes and– »
«Pack your bags let's get out of here. Now they know, and they won't rest until they get rid of you.»
«Alright... »
Ash helped his son get his belongings. «It's the best choice for everyone.»
«I know, father.»
They heard voices in the distance.
Stephanie joined her son and husband. «They are already here?»
«Forget it, we have to leave now.» Ash said.
«Alright.»
They came out of a secret door they had built for emergencies like that one.
But they found themselves in front of Tomas. «I knew you were alive.»
«Tomas please let us go. We won't hurt anyone.» Stephanie begged him.
«Actually your son hurt my daughter.»
Stephanie looked at Michael who shook his head. «I haven't done anything.»
«I brought her home in tears, Isn't that also hurting?»
«What do you want?» Ash asked.
«Don't go away. Wait for me to talk to Cécile too, we'll leave with you.»
«Tomas, they're just two young guys. Your daughter will soon forget this and everything will be as it was before.»
But she knew very well that wolves mate for life. Maybe Maryanne would forget quickly but her son would never stop thinking about that girl.
«It's not just that. You know that village, you know how suffocating it is to live there. And Maryanne is like me, she dreams of being free. I don't want that village to cut off her wings like it did to us.»
«How long do you think it will take you to convince your wife?»
«Ash!», Stephanie couldn't believe her husband really wanted to let them go with them.
«Hide away from this house, at least for tonight. I'll try to keep the inhabitants at bay until tomorrow morning. We will reach you as soon as possible. You can hear us coming right?»
«Yes.» Michael replied.
«Then we have a deal.»
«Am I the only one who believes that all this is madness?!» Stephanie said as soon as Tomas was far enough away.
«Mother, please… »
«Have you changed your mind again? You don't think you would endanger her anymore?»
«I know I'm a threat. She's only a human. But you are human too, mother and I want to be like my father.», he looked at Ash. « If she will let me, I want to keep seeing her. If she won't push me away, then I want to give a try. You can help me to hold back the wolf inside me, you can teach me father, right?»
It was strange, but after seeing her running in the forest that night, he was having a hard time not thinking about her and staying away from her.
Ash nodded to his son. Michael had never been a disobedient child, he had never fought so hard for anything. This time he really cared.
«Then pray only the three of them show up tomorrow, and that there are no surprises.»
Michael knew he could trust them.
Tomas had helped him escape the night before. When he had sent him away it was to protect him from the men at the party, not because he wanted him away from his daughter.
Michael couldn't bear to see her crying like that night again. He had to do his best to be able to live alongside her and not put her in danger. His father had succeeded, he could have done the same.
The young boy stayed awake all night. He couldn't sleep knowing that she could arrive at any time.
At the first light of dawn he heard his name being pronounced.
Someone was surely calling him.
«Michael!»
«Are you sure they will find us?», this voice was familiar too. The same one who had scolded Maryanne for running away into the woods the night he met her for the first time.
Michael hurried to join them. He didn't even wake his parents.
He was just so happy to be able to see her again.
He absolutely had to apologize for leaving her in the rain looking for him.
But when he saw Maryanne, he suddenly failed to speak. The presence of her parents made everything even more difficult and embarrassing. «I… »
«I told you he would find us.», Maryanne smiled.
«What are you waiting for boy, let's go.»
Cécile was paralyzed at the sight of Stephanie, but then she began to cry. For years she had believed she was dead, her beloved childhood friend.
Stephanie ran to hug her. She had missed her too. «I'm sorry, so sorry.»
Cécile dried her tears. «I know why you did it, so I forgive you. I'm just so glad you're alive.»
«And I want to keep living, so let's hurry up. We hid a small boat not far from here.»
«I have an old family property in Essex, England, that's where we'll go.» Ash said.
