18 Michelle, Part 2

"Michelle," I calmly replied, taking her arm. "You can't go anywhere just yet. We have to talk."

"About what?" Michelle said as tears filled her eyes again, clearly in denial.

"I'll talk to Micah," Dakota interrupted. "He can come and get us in his truck." I nodded as Dakota ran toward the woods to change into his wolf to talk to Micah in the Pack Mind. He was right. How else could we get Michelle back home? A moment later, Dakota was back. "He's coming."

"Michelle, you can't tell anyone what you saw," I gently told Michelle.

"Then why did you tell me about it?" Michelle asked through her tears. "I mean, I can't believe you told me! Why? I don't want to know this!"

I took her hand and led her to a soft patch of grass on the ground. "There's a reason why I told you, Michelle."

She nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I know this is a lot for you to understand," I said, taking her hand and looking into her eyes. "But there's more, and you have to know."

"Why?" Michelle whined as fresh tears spilling from her eyes. "I liked it better when I didn't know that freaky guys bit girls... and before I knew that my best friend turned into a wolf."

I nodded, understanding, even though it stung a bit. I had also gotten a crash course into the supernatural myself within just a few short days. "That's what I need to talk to you about, Michelle. Cane bit you, right?"

"Yes," Michelle said, nodding, bracing herself for what was to come, fearing the worst.

"Michelle, Cane wasn't human... exactly."

"What do you mean 'exactly'?"

"He was human," I began, knowing how difficult this would be for her to hear, as Dakota sat across from me, listening. "At least, he started off as a human."

"What do you mean he 'started off as a human'?" Michelle asked, biting her lip. "Look, Jess, whatever it is, just spit it out! I can't take this anymore! Is it something I really have to know?"

"Yes, it is," I softly replied, taking Michelle's hand into my own.

Michelle immediately pulled her hand away. "Then just spit it out, Jess!"

"Michelle, Cane was a wolf-man."

"A what?" Michelle's eyes grew blank.

"A werewolf."

Michelle thought for a moment, then replied. "Isn't that what you are?"

"No, Michelle," I said thoughtfully. "I'm a shapeshifter, but the only thing I can change into is a wolf. I'm talking about a real, honest to goodness werewolf."

"So, what does that mean?" Michelle asked, trying to make sense of it all. Then, understanding dawned within her eyes as she put two and two together. "He bit me, Jess!"

"Yes, I know," I replied, giving Michelle a moment to understand.

Tears welled up within her eyes again and slid down her ravaged face. "Does that mean that I'm going to be one of those things?"

"I'm so sorry, Michelle," I replied, pulling her into my arms, letting her cry on my shoulder.

Michelle quickly jerked away. "But there's a cure, right?"

I really hated to have to be the one to tell her. This was Michelle, after all. We had already been through so much together. "Michelle, we're going to get through this together," I replied, unable to answer her question.

"Jess, please tell me that there's a cure!" Michelle begged, crying openly.

Tears welled up within my own eyes, as well. "Michelle, we'll figure something out."

"So, there's no cure." It was more of a statement than a question as understanding dawned within her dead eyes and she suddenly grew calm. "Kill me, Jess."

"What?" I asked, clearly taken aback, holding her at arm's length to look in her eyes. "Michelle, what are you asking?"

"I'm not asking," Michelle said calmly, although her eyes were still red from tears. "I'm telling you to kill me, Jess."

"What?" I asked, then a crease formed between Dakota's eyes.

"Look," Michelle began. "That's why Dakota was going to kill me, wasn't it?" She waited for me to nod. "Then, do it! I don't want to turn into something like that. Kill me before I can kill anyone."

"Michelle, no...." Tears rimmed my eyes as I listened to what she was saying.

"Will I be able to control it like you do?" Michelle asked with unbelievable calm, considering that we were discussing her death.

"No."

"Will I be able to help people?"

"No."

"Will I want to kill people?" Michelle asked, her eyes searching mine.

"Yes," I answered, unable to keep the truth from spilling out.

"Then kill me," Michelle said calmly. "I don't want to live like that. Do it now."

"Look, Michelle," I took her hand into mine, trying to be the voice of reason. "We'll get through this together. We have a whole month to figure this thing out."

"Jessica," Michelle replied calmly. "If I won't be able to control it, then kill me." She bit her lower lip and then released it. "Jess, I'll be a monster, and I don't want that. I don't want to kill my family, my little sister, or my parents. So, kill me and be done with it!" Then she added, "Or I will."

"No, Michelle!" I was openly crying now. "Don't do that! We'll get through this! I'll figure something out! Let Dakota and me think about it first! We have a whole month!"

"Michelle, Jessica's right," Dakota intervened. "Let's just wait. Give us a chance to come up with something. There's no need to rush into anything." Dakota looked her in the eye. "Please? For Jessica? Give us just one month."

Michelle's eyes searched Dakota's, then shifted to mine and back to Dakota again. "Okay," Michelle answered as I let out a sigh in relief. "But I want you both to promise me something."

I looked at Dakota and our eyes held, then I faced Michelle. "Anything."

She took a deep breath. "If we can't come up with a solution and if you can't stop me, then promise me that you'll kill me first before I take a life." Then tears spilled onto her cheeks. "Promise me you'll kill me before I kill my little sister." I took Michelle into my arms, letting her cry onto my shoulder as I gently stroked her matted strawberry blonde curls. "I don't want to kill anyone! Jessica, promise me that you won't let me and that you'll stop me first."

My eyes locked with Dakota's. He reached over and patted Michelle on the back, careful not to touch her bite, as I held her.

"It'll be okay, Michelle," I replied, stroking her hair. "Ssshhh... we'll get through this together."

Michelle pulled back and looked directly into my eyes. "I don't want to kill you, Jess. Promise me that you'll kill me if you have to."

My eyes pleaded with Dakota's. How could I promise her something like that? Then Dakota nodded, but Michelle couldn't see. "Okay, Michelle. I'll do it."

"Don't mess with me, Jess!" Michelle said as determination welled up within her eyes. "Promise me that you'll be the one to do it. I don't want to be taken down by a stranger. I love you, Jess. You're my best friend."

"I will," I said, my voice merely a whisper, unable to look her in the eyes.

Michelle suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders, forcing me to look at her. "Promise me, Jess!"

I sighed as fresh tears spilled onto my cheeks. "Okay, Michelle," I relented. "I promise you that if we don't find a cure, I'll kill you."

"And you'll be the one to do it," Michelle added, looking directly into my eyes, not letting up.

"Yes." I nodded. "I'll be the one to do it. I promise." Then, I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly to my chest as tears trailed slowly down my cheeks.

Michelle pulled back abruptly, a thought occurring to her. "What about Cane? What are we going to do about him? I can't face him at school every day! And we can't let him kill anyone else!"

"Michelle," I calmly replied. "You don't have to worry about him anymore. He's gone."

Then a fresh wave of tears sprang to her eyes. Just then, Micah pulled up and gunned the engine.

"Michelle," I said quickly, my voice low, pulling her shirt over her back to cover the bite the best I could. "You can't tell the pack that you were bitten. You can't tell anyone. And you can't tell anyone about us, either. Okay?"

Michelle nodded. "Don't worry, Jess. As long as you don't kill any innocent people, I won't tell."

"Michelle, we don't kill the innocent," I replied, helping her to her feet. "We protect them."

"Agreed?" Michelle asked, not taking no for an answer.

"Agreed," I replied, then I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as we walked to Micah's truck.

Micah threw the truck into park and ran to her side just as Dakota pulled the shirt over Michelle's bite mark again. "What happened, Michelle?" Micah asked, concerned, and shocked.

"I got lost in the woods," Michelle replied, then locked eyes with me. I nodded, giving her a weak smile.

"Hey, Micah," Dakota interrupted. "You have an extra shirt?"

"No, but I have a jacket in the truck," Micah replied, concerned.

"Can you get it for Michelle?" Dakota asked. Micah took one look at Michelle looking haggard in her torn clothes.

Micah nodded, then quickly ran to his truck to get the jacket and threw it to Dakota. He wrapped it around her shoulders as Michelle slipped her arms quickly through, giving Dakota a thankful look. Micah was by her side in an instant, helping her into the truck.

"Will you be okay?" I asked Michelle, looking into her eyes.

She nodded once, then inclined her head slightly toward Micah, indicating that we now had ears. "We'll talk later."

I nodded and gave her hand one last squeeze before jumping into the bed of the truck along with Dakota. On the way home, my mind wandered to the promises I'd made Michelle, wondering if I could really do as I had promised. Could I really kill my best friend if I had to? But as I cuddled next to Dakota, safe in his arms, I realized that I already knew the answer.

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