#Chapter 44 (Erick) – Young Sophie

When Erick got the call from Jonathan asking if he could go and stay in Sabrebite for a few days, Erick had to admit he was skeptical. He hadn’t spoken or seen Ronnie in the last few days since the group meeting when Jess verbally attacked her. He doesn’t know Jess that well, but even he knew it was out of character. Ronnie looked utterly horrified and so broken; he felt helpless. He wanted to stand up for her and tell Jess off, but he wasn’t sure if that was something Ronnie would have wanted him to do. He didn’t want to overstep if it was something she wanted to deal with on her own. They hadn’t established how they were going to go about their relationship. Ronnie was only 16 years old and it’s clear she wasn’t exactly ready for a mate yet, but Erick couldn’t help the way he felt about her. His urge to protect her was strong, despite him staying quiet. He knew that he should have gone after her that night, but by the time he walked outside, she was long gone. He could smell