Golden Glade Get Lonely

i love reek so much <3
so sad to be dropping laurel, but hopefully she will be back some day ^^
edit: since i'll be dropping laurel, this is my last post -- feel free to tack on an ending and pp laurel as needed. <3

The relief was immeasurable when she heard the words from his mouth — that he would not hate her for her choices. She wasn't sure yet if she would make them, because she was afraid to be alone in the world and she was afraid to die. Maybe after the winter had truly ended it would be different, as she felt she would have more time then, a whole summer.

"Thanks," she murmured, feeling guilty and terrible for wanting to leave someone who claimed to love her so much. But however much love his words seemed to carry, it all felt very empty, very fake — Laurel didn't really know if she knew what love was at all, let alone if anyone truly did love her. What did it mean to be 'someone's world'? Did it mean they just let you go without struggle? Or that they forced you to stay close? Or was it just the kind of thing that you couldn't express in words? Thinking about it made her feel nothing, and that made her feel sad because she felt like she was barely a wolf, to feel so empty and numb about things that were so important to others.

Her thoughts were disturbed by Reek's next words. She looked shocked, as she had never thought he'd bring up such a subject, and maybe because she didn't like being confronted with the past like that. Both her parents had abandoned her, and now things were different — but that past loomed over her and her personality like a dark blanket that she didn't wish to be confronted with.

The reaction wasn't just mental, but physical, too; every muscle in her body was stiffened as she answered: "It doesn't matter why you weren't there. It matters that you're here now." She looked about ready to flee away, and it was very evident that she didn't want to talk about this subject, but for the moment found herself rooted in place.