Ember's Pov

Ashley was asleep when I got back home, so I decided to wait till morning before I told her about William and the native, as well as the moonstone.


However, when morning came, she was more interested in my late night with William, than she was with my cure.

"I didn't know you and William still spoke to each other after all of this time," she said with bright eyes, and I shook my head, knowing fully well what was going on in that head of hers,

"truth is, we haven't been in contact these past few years, this whole friendship has only bloomed since I came back home," I said and sat in my bed.


"so, it's safe to say that Paris has been holding you back from having good ties and connections." I tilted my head to the side, and shook my head.

"no. My marriage with Paris might not have ended well, but I would rather not blame him for the friendships and connections I didn't keep. I was in love, and for the longest time, it was all I let myself think about. That's all me."


She didn't say anything, but after a moment, she sat beside me and wrapped her arms around me,

"I'm just glad that you got out of that still shining and graceful."

"me too," I said and laid my head on her shoulder.

"so, now tell me," she began, the excitement back in her voice, "this moonstone, will help you change at will?"

I nodded, and held out the moonstone I had made into a pendant and wore around my neck,

"That's what the man said. I suppose I had let my wolf nature lay to rest for so long, and that did something or perhaps undid something in me." I wrapped my fingers around the stone and sighed, "This will serve to help me turn at will until I can handle it on my own."

"all thanks to William, eh?" she asked, wiggling her brows and I just chuckled,

"You can say that."

"But really though, a man going all the way out for you in the middle of the night like this, it's curious, isn't it?" she asked, her eyes narrowed and I thought I understood what she meant.

I got up so that I wouldn't have to deal with it and her, but there was no eluding her,

"Come on, ember, think about it."

I shrugged, "there isn't so much to think about really. I don't think it's curious, but It does say a lot about our friendship. William is someone I can trust and rely on, that means a lot to me." I said softly and meant every word.

"Do you think he has feelings for you?"

I stared at her blankly, because that question had caught me off guard.

"feelings for me." I parroted and slowly shook my head. It was something I hadn’t let myself give much thought to, because I wasn't sure just how possible it was or if I wanted it to be possible,

"Why do you think he isn't?"

I shrugged, "because he is more like a brother to me."

"a brother? Really? Because you have a brother, and do you think they both give off the same vibe?"

The clear answer was no. but William did make me safe, unlike my brother, he also made me wonder what life would have been like now if it was him all those years and not Paris.

"Yes, it is." I lied, "he does all these wonderful things because he cares about me, but I don't think it is anything more than that, because we're just good friends. Please try not to bring any of this up when he is around."

She smiled but closed an invisible zip over her mouth.

"Thank you."

"How's the divorce with Paris going?" she asked and I shook my head in tired frustration,

"I tried to put it all together, but he never showed. But it turns out William is a lawyer, a quite famous one might I add. So he's going to help me in this matter."

"good!" Ashley said, sounding really glad. It was almost as though she longed for the end of my marriage more than I did. Perhaps she did., "I really hope he can do that soon, so you can finally be free, and maybe then your eyes won't get so sad often."

"my eyes get sad?" I asked softly,

"not as much as before though. When you first came home, it grew sad so often, I'm not even sure you were aware."

"and now?"

"not as much. But I long for the day all that sorrow is finally gone."

~~~~

Ashley had to go over to attend to business, and since it was the weekend, I was home alone, until William called me up and invited me out to enjoy the rest of the day with him and Lily,

"might be the good end to whatever day you've been having," he said over the phone and I just smiled. It had been a peaceful day, to be honest, but time with William and Lily was only going to add to it.

"sure. Where are we going?" I asked

"Lily's been dying to try out this new skating rink, what do you say?"

Skating wasn't my favorite sport. But it gave me a chance to spend time with the both of them,

"Definitely."

I got ready in twenty minutes, and he picked me up in thirty, with Lily in the back seat, all excited for a fun day out,

"I know you're going to love this new place, Em. I did some research and there's a really nice food court where we can all rest and eat and catch up!" Lily said and I turned to look at William and caught him smiling,

"I think I'd really enjoy that."

And I did.

I didn't skate for long. I wasn't bad at it, but after a fall, and having Lily and William laugh I decided I was going to visit that food court that Lily went on about. Good enough, the court gave me a good view of the both of them while they skated. After some time, I watched William say something to Lily, to which she waved him off happily, and then he was out of the ring, making his way toward me.

"Are you done for the day?" I asked and handed him my bottle of water. I hadn't wanted to order a meal without them eating with me.

"skating isn't exactly my thing." He said, sounding as though he had just come from being harassed.

Me neither, I wanted to say, but chose to simply watch him drink his water,

"So why did you come?" I found myself blurting out, as he set the bottle on the table and sat across from me,

"because…” he began, and paused as though thinking it through, “ it was easier to say yes to Lily, than turn to her down," he said, and leaned backward so that he was watching me, and I, him,

"I suppose that says volumes about the kind of brother you are. " I said with a smile, and couldn’t help but enjoy how easy it was to talk to him. He was the only man aside from the men in my family to be honest.

"There's also the fact that she went on and on about inviting you and I didn't want to be left out on that."

I couldn't help myself. My smile somehow became a blush and I looked away, and when I looked back at him, his eyes were still on me.

They weren't forceful, expecting me to give in to what I felt he was trying to say, but instead, they were kind, searching, and completely trustworthy.

“But you’re the one who invited me?”

“I beat her to it.” He said with a wink and I laughed,

"So I guess I factor into why you said yes?" I asked, when I was able to trust my voice to not hitch and he slowly nodded,

"you did. Problem?" he asked with the most charming smile, and I had a feeling he knew what that move would do to me. It had me reaching for my water.

"None at all," I said and drank.

"Now, I'm stuck, without the right words to say," I said under his watchful gaze and he chuckled, lightening the mood that had been momentarily intense,

"you don't have to say anything. I'm not here to ruin a good thing."

"and by a good thing, you mean our friendship? "I asked quietly, and he nodded,

“Yes, I do. Our friendship always meant a lot to me. Even after all this time.” He looked like he had more to say, but said no more

I sighed and nodded, "That helps."

or did it? What was it I wanted from him anyway?

"so, where do we go from here?" I asked, and had a feeling I was about to wander into ruining a good thing.