A/N: REALLLLLY Not Edited.

Chapter 19 – Walter POV

I had a whole life before coming on this island, and for a reason my parents could barely explain; it was all taken from me. I had friends, my mate, family with me as well. Andrew – my cousin – and I had only been in London for three weeks before I found my mate, the most amazing person I’d ever met. I stared at the ceiling, listening to my family and the Hellmanns downstairs; tuning them out I replayed the first few weeks after meeting her.

(Three years ago)

It was a short ride to Westminster campus, barely five minutes but it felt further as we drove away from my mate on Ferdinand Street, the only good side was her scent was inside the cab, lightly.



I gazed blankly outside the window, trying absentmindedly to find my mates brown hair in others, but I couldn’t. it was all the wrong shade of brown, not enough highlights, or too dark, too light, not enough shine or too much… that’s because she’s special, Zed chimed in pleasantly calm, despite wanting to me to go back, but we had to stay away. Approach her carefully since she was human; still I wasn’t sure, was she my mate? Was it possible to have one that was human?



She is ours, Zed answered not even thinking for one minute that he didn’t want her, because we want her, it won’t be easy but isn’t she lovely? I rolled my eyes, lovely? We don’t know who she is on the inside, for all we know she’s shallow, a criminal… she – she could be a kleptomaniac, did you see the three violins? Why does she need three?



In case one breaks? I didn’t even bother thinking of other reasons, not when my wolf was convinced and in a way so was I.



But there was something there, in her eyes, she appeared sad and tired, but I had to say that she hid it well, deep behind the shyness. And that’s how it went until I entered the lecture hall, sitting in the back where Andrew and I always sat. Thinking of my mate, wondering what her name is? Does she come from a big family? Was she an only child? She was beautiful, breathtakingly so, but was there substance there? Was she intelligent? She had the instrument cases but did that mean she played or were they filled with random objects? I saw the world in colors… how did she?



I felt a nudge to my side and turned, Andrew was sitting next to me, I blinked a few times, looking around the room, and then back to him, his eyes went to my leg that was bouncing rapidly, like I was tense and filled with anxiety, “What’s wrong with you?” Andrew asked in a hushed whisper, so low no human would be able to hear it, “Did you already let it slip?” he asked joking, it was the one thing our parents crammed into our heads, keep the secret, don’t tell anyone we were wolves. I shook my head, I found my mate. I told him over the link, we had separated from the family and could only link between ourselves.



Eyes wide, where is she? He started scoping, inhaling deeply – behind his hand but still not inconspicuously enough – sniffing out the room, I don’t smell another shifter, he commented, then sniffed me like the weirdo he is. Elbowing him to make him stop cut that out! I snapped, noting that a few people were staring at us.



Well give me details then, I shook my head, she looks young, I showed him, and he could see the question I had, when I sent him the picture of her with the violins, maybe she’s a teacher, hmm. I hadn’t thought of that at all, but it didn’t matter, she’s human, I told him.



Are you sure? I nodded, she doesn’t have any trace of shifter,I replied, even if she was just young, and hadn’t shifted, there would be a hint of something, there was none, don’t tell my parents, or anyone in your family, I ordered, I just want some time to get to know her. For all I know maybe she lives with a shifter and was wearing that ones clothes…



Andrew turned to face me, his face blank… right, that’s a pretty far stretch… after that he said nothing else and the subject was dropped, but that day nothing, absolutely nothing that was said in class was heard by me. My entire focus was on my mate and thinking of a way to even start a conversation with her, everything I came up with was seemed stalkerish, and I wanted to talk to her, not frighten her.



Another nudge, “Class is over,” Andrew said chuckling, “so it begins,” he joked but I wasn’t laughing when I couldn’t think of how to get closer to her.



Walking back to our little flat I was abnormally quiet, “Spit it out?”



I just stopped walking all together looking around us, “She isn’t like us, she doesn’t feel what I’m feeling,” I shrugged.



“So you’re already giving in? If you had to do this the old fashioned way, you know by actually putting forth effort, you wouldn’t do that? You just happen to have an advantage, you know she’s your one, but that doesn’t mean she’s just going to be yours without you trying,” he laughed pulling me along.



“I mean lets say she was… like us…” he whispered the words, “She’d want you to work for it… she isn’t just going to invite you up to her flat and bone,” he laughed when I growled. Don’t think of my mate boning… Zed and I thought.



“Well what was around her flat? The shops?” I paused, trying to think, “Oh this is good… you didn’t even pay attention to what was around you did you?” Andrew said in a teasing tone. Shut up, when this happens to you I’d like to see if you remember anything but your mate!



“Whatever – what street does she live on?” he brushed me off. I smiled, proud, “Ferdinand Street, six minutes away by cabbie-”



“Then lets go there, check out the area, you know we both need to find some work, maybe apply in a few shops…” he offered and in that moment, I’m happy that he had decided to come to Westminster as well. I’d eventually find my place here, but not having to do it alone was a relief I didn’t realize I’d feel from the get go.



I didn’t see her again for a week, but in that time, like the stalker I had become, I was working in the shop just across the street Mondays to Thursdays for five hours, Friday, Saturday and Sundays I worked in another, closer to my own place. On my third day, she entered the store while I was stocking the shelves; her scent startled me, vanilla, mint and lilac. Stronger than any of the soaps I was putting up, she is here! She’s here! Zed signaled as though my nose were broken, that I couldn’t feel my whole self-come alive as she stepped over the threshold.



But that was just it, around this girl, I wasn’t myself, I wasn’t aware, not really, turning abruptly I crashed right into her.



Her face flushed and surprised, “Oh my, I’m so sorry, that was – I,” I shook my head probably looking like a spaz. Ask for her name! Ask for her name! Zed howled.



“It’s fine, it’s my fault,” I kneeled down picking up the fallen soaps and she helped, I swallowed, dazed, “Uhm… thank you, but – you don’t have to help,” I said.



“No, I was…” she didn’t finish and when I looked up she was gazing at me, as though I was some kind of puzzle. After the last soap was placed in the box, she went about her way, and I was angry with myself, greatly disappointed, I still hadn’t figured out her name. You could just ask her?



When she finished, I went to ring up her purchases, she began repeatedly looking over her shoulder which instantly sent me on guard, “Sorry for holding you up,” I blurted out, “Y-you didn’t,” she replied with wide hazel eyes, “Oh is – is someone bothering you?” I asked and hoped she wouldn’t think I was invading her privacy, even though you are… No,” she whispered, but I listened to her heart, it raced, her voice even changed. She was lying, but I continued bagging, “So… what’s your name?” I heard myself ask as I rang her up. She didn’t answer right away; instead she eyed me suspiciously, never meeting my eyes, while I watched hers. She started at my fingers, then up my wrist, arms then down the other one, until she lifted her head, giving me her money, “My name is Nora Caven,” my mate said, taking her bags and change, rushing out from the shop crossing the street and heading into her building.



“Nora,” I murmured throughout my whole shift, thinking and seeing her behavior, analyzing it, each time getting worried, and telling myself I was being paranoid.

X _ o _ PRESENT _ o _ X

When the house appeared to be empty I went down to the kitchen to get some food, my wolf weak, we didn’t hear it, the heartbeat.

Lynn.

Listening hard, or as best as I could with a weak wolf, I tried to see if Claudia was here and hopefully that was the reason why Lynn was in the house. No such luck. Walking to the hotplate I reached for the dish my mom laid away for me, then a fork. Ignoring that Lynn was even seated at a stool, hoping for both our sakes she would just let me be, but I didn’t have that luck.

“Why?” she asked sounding like a wounded animal, the pain evident, but more proof that we weren’t mates, I couldn’t feel that pain she had, not even an ounce of it, “Theo accepted Jenny, what does it matter if you were brought here against your will, you found your mate… you found me,” she stressed, “Why won’t you let us be happy Walter? What is it about me that you don’t like?”

“That you aren’t my Nora, Lynn. That’s what I don’t like about you. That you aren’t my mate,” I replied, grabbing my food, and heading back to my room, disgruntled.

.

.

Oakley POV

I’m on the ground, flat on my butt, shocked but all I see is the sneer on the face of a large man that’s gunning for Chelsea and suddenly I’m lost, my perception changes, the images blur and mix.



When you’re little, a young child, when things are happening, you’re learning what each thing means, what causes things, what happens after. You explore the environment around you. I didn’t know. My perception of what happened had evolved, but that moment was unchangeable, or was it?



Because right now, warm – humid morning heat is replaced by cool evening night and walls painted in scenic pined forests turn into lush layers of thick trunked palm trees that canopy over the forest.



‘Be real quiet Bumblebee… I – I love you… don’t come out… not until you hear daddies voice.’ The loud crack, deafening. Thunderous. Hidden away, nearly four years old, I thought the gunshot was thunder, because that was what I knew made that sound. The type of sound that shook the house, that frightened me, and made my hold myself tight. On normal nights during a storm, when I heard that sound, I’d leave my room, run straight into momma and daddy’s room, because they’d protect me.



‘Be real quiet Bumblebee… I – I love you… don’t come out… not until you hear daddies voice.’ A booming crack, my body shakes and I don’t know but all I know is momma said I should be quiet. Be real quiet. I hear the pop, I hear thunder, and on instinct I lean forward ready to leave my hiding space, and go to momma because it’s thunder, but in that same moment when I lean forward I hear her, don’t come out. So I tense afraid of thunder, hold myself, curl into a small ball because, that loud pop means lightening. From my crawl space, I can’t see it, so that makes it better. Four year old me doesn’t hear thunder again that night.



‘Be real quiet Bumblebee… I – I love you… don’t come out… not until you hear daddies voice.’ I go rigid. The earsplitting pop goes through me as I listen to the tape again when I’m seven years old, but this time, I’m older, I know better. I know that it’s not thunder. It’s an explosion of sorts, because from memory the noise went on for minutes, ringing in my ears.



‘Be real quiet Bumblebee… I – I love you… don’t come out… not until you hear daddies voice.’ I listen again when I’m ten, the loud frightening boom, is different, it means nothingness to me, it represents death, not thunder, not anymore. It doesn’t make me flinch; I no longer want to seek out comfort.



‘Be real quiet Bumblebee… I – I love you… don’t come out… not until you hear daddies voice.’ It’s a gunshot, but listening at 13 years old, I wonder how I could just stay hidden like that? Why didn’t I go out and see what was happening? It’s no longer just hearing her execution and mistaking it for thunder. I don’t flinch because all I wonder is why did I hide? Would they have killed me too? Would they not kill momma because I was there? Could me coming out have been the thing to save her life?



Now, in my head I don’t stay hidden, and sitting on the forest floor I don’t let Chelsea get hurt by this man, that Jack, Casey and Jamie are afraid to stop from hurting her. I’m burning inside, and it happened fast, in my head and on the floor, I lift my hands to stop both events from happening, but I can only stop one, I can only protect Chelsea. I don’t know what happens, but I can’t help it, my hands are doing – acting on their own – because I don’t mean it to happen, but it does. White light, energy a force of some sort that I can’t explain, shoots from my hand, starting from my upper arm, traveling along, tingling and the sensation of being pricked rushes down to my wrist, leaving my finger tips with a force that pushes me back as I shout.



The large man, flies back against a tree, the force pushing him, takes down the tree behind him.



The light – it’s fast, so quick to start and stop, but it changes, and my perception stands still, I’m not in the house in Middleburg. I’m not a little girl. I’m older, on the floor, burning, my skin surely red, frightened, lived my vision becomes glassy, and I see everyone watching me with opened mouths and wide eyes, and I look up at Chelsea, and I see her, I don’t see momma.



There’s a pounding in my ears as my hands fall limp to my thighs, no one was saying anything and when someone pushed aside some bush and stepped into the space, we all turned to it and saw it was Gabriel. The man Chelsea called Lux, groaned, sitting up but he placed a hand behind him to help, shaking his head confused, I tensed when his eyes zeroed in on me, but I couldn’t sense anger, not when he gave me this impressed smile. But I couldn’t return it for him or Chelsea, instead my whole frame shook, “Oakley… are you okay?” Chelsea asked coming to kneel next to me, but I didn’t know how to answer her. “Come on, let’s just go inside and sit down,” but I couldn’t move. When Chelsea came closer, I leaned away, “I – I don’t want to-” I paused not sure what I did could hurt someone, I pushed Lux away but I’m fairly certain that the tree did more damage to him that I did, but how “What did I just do?” I whispered, focused on my hands.



“We heal Oakley, so it’s fine,” Gabriel came forward, but he didn’t seem to be confused by what was happening, scooping me up he carried me inside, but I held my self rigidly, when he placed me on the black sofa, Chelsea sat next to me. I held my head down, my mind going back and forth, nothing, making sense.



“Princess,” a thick voice said, confusing me, forcing me to look up, and when I did Lux came to sit right in front of me. He’s calling me princess? My eyes went straight to Chelsea but she looked puzzled back at Lux as well.



“Jason never told you?” Chelsea shook her head, then corrected, “Jason didn’t tell me much of anything…” Chelsea said with an edge to her voice.



I however was still confused, “You’re not angry with Chelsea?” I asked in a small voice, and Lux just shook his head, “I trained Chelsea when she was still human… I wasn’t angry, just eager to take her on.” I nodded not understanding, “I’m sorry,” I said my eyes welling up again, “I don’t know what happen…” which was partially true.



“It’s okay… you were worried about your sister, you reacted right,” Lux said easily, “Did you ever do something like that before?” he probed.



“No! Never, I just, was so…”



“Angry?” he offered nodding, but not even a day had passed from when Chelsea said the same thing, I had built up rage. You do, you’re just overriding it… Byrdie replied.



“Well princess, you have the ability to manipulate electricity, you are an Elemental shifter... I believe, I’m not sure to the extent what you can or cannot do, but it’s clear to see.”



“Why do you keep calling me princess?” I didn’t want to talk about what I had just done; I didn’t want to think of how I couldn’t save my mom.



“As a sign of respect,” he said easily but that felt like a lie to me, I nodded, and he turned to Chelsea, “I went to your house, but your mate said I’d find you here, training these two,” he said referring to Benny and I, “I wanted to offer my services, you’ll have to be training yourself while you’re here Luna. It’d be my honor to help with your sister and brother.”



Would you be okay with that? Chelsea asked, giving me a choice and for that I was grateful.



Yes, that’s okay… you’ll work with me too right?



Of course.



“Yeah, that’ll be fine,” she told him, and Lux rested back, he finally paid attention to Uncle Grant, eyeing him, “Wonderful girl you got here,” Lux told him, Uncle Grant gave him a tight smile, “You’re right, Oakley is amazing, both kids, but they aren’t my children, they’re my niece and nephew,” Uncle Grant said brightly, proud.



“Hmm” Lux said, turning back to me, “I’m sorry for your lost,” he added. I tilted my head, “Our dad’s not dead,” Ben, answered from behind Lux. He looked over his shoulder, the frown he wore worse, “Why’d you bring them and not the father?”



“It’s better that she brought Uncle Grant and Aunt Julia, even now, if she went back to get dad he’d want Sarah and Amelia to come, especially since Sarah’s pregnant,” I said dryly, but inside my heart quickened, my stomach rolled and I had to take a deep breath, thinking of the test I saw in Dad and Sarah’s bathroom.

________________________________

So.... thoughts?

© 2015 new_season All Rights Reserved