Ch. 106: Something is Happening

CHAPTER 106
Jake~
I could break at any second. After a few minutes of fighting with myself, Evan rushes back out to talk to me.
“She’s okay. She’s going to be okay,” he assured me as he opened the driver’s side door and sat. “Mitchell’s mom was able to find out she came into the emergency room with some sort of bad headache and I guess she fainted. But her vitals are all good. They are running some other tests. She’s going to call me back.”
I unclenched my fists, and the last bits of fire were reabsorbed into my skin. Rachel’s pain and panic had dwindled down some time ago, making it slightly easier to rein everything in. I could feel her now, sleeping. Or unconscious I guess.
I breathed out a big steady breath then looked at Evan.
“You’re not going to take off?” I gritted out my teeth.
Evan shook his head and said, “No, man. We’re staying here until we know she’s safe.”
I’ve never appreciated Evan more.
‘Something is happening,’ Aamon says in my head.
I can feel what he is saying is true. But I can’t name it. I close my eyes and try to focus on it, on her, but I’m not sure what it is. I can feel the mate bond. Like before. But it’s different. Not weaker, but not stronger either. Like it’s the same but now made of some different material.
‘What does this mean?’ I ask Aamon.
But he just whines for a moment and growls. Like he’s fighting something. Holding something back? Someone? Fighting for information? I’m not sure.

Nick~
We were nearly back at the packhouse when I linked Evan and he redirected us to the hospital. They were parked in a car on the second-highest floor of the hospital parking lot. Close enough to get to the door, but also away from the crowds.
“Any updates?” I ask Evan as we approach.
He gets out of the car and meets us halfway between the staircase and the car. His lowered head implying he’s trying to keep things quiet for Jake.
Evan glances quickly between Kyle, Ally and I before saying, “No news yet. She’s still unconscious. They’re waiting to see when she’ll wake up.”
Ally grimaces. “Should I try to get in there?”
I weigh the idea before saying, “I’m not sure… How would you explain how you knew where she was?”
Her shoulders slump.
“Do you have her sister’s number? Her mom’s?” Kyle asks her.
“Yeah, my mom has her mom’s number,” Ally perked up, her eyes moving with ideas. “I can ask her to call her and say I was just worried or something.”
I nod and Ally pulls her phone out to call her mom.
“Are you going to make me ask you about where you were?” Evan asks with exhaustion.
I noticed at that moment the new scarring on his knuckles.
“How bad was it this time?” I ask him.
“The worst,” Evan sums up simply. “Now where were you guys? I seriously needed your help.” He rubs his temples with one hand, “I - it was a really, really close call.”
“I’m sorry man, really. I can’t even really explain it. We followed the Fae to some secret invisible bubble and I really don't think the cell service there… existed,” I explain, with a bored looking Kyle next to me. Evan looks at me confused and I go on to explain the layout of the place and how Kyle was kept there.
“For real?” he asks, looking to Kyle to confirm.
Kyle has his eyes closed, looking exhausted. He nods his head.
“We - Ally and I think - it’s got to be Sean. I mean we were too far away to make the guy out… but it makes sense. He’s done something odd to Rachel’s memory and he’s something we don’t seem to understand. Maybe that includes creating pockets in the universe, or whatever that was…”
Kyle seems to think this over. We haven’t shared this with him yet.
“Well I would love another reason to hate the dude,” Kyle says after a moment. “But really, I remember-”
I look up at him but he doesn’t continue. I don’t want to push.
“Remember what?” Evan looms above him, like this one response from Kyle will save our Alpha, our future Luna, and our pack. The weight of it is very intimidating, even to me.
“Kyle you don’t have to-”
“A woman. There was an older woman there. I remember her shoes,” Kyle interrupts my help. “Even if it is him, he’s not working alone.”

Rachel~
I’m in a field. I can feel the long blades of grass as they tickle my bare arms and feet. I sit up to find myself in a short sleeved shirt, jeans, and totally barefoot.
I noticed the pressure, the pain I had just recently felt was gone. I remember - something. The house. My sister calling out for our mom. The bright lights and cold air of a hospital.
“Rachel, my dear,” I hear a gentle voice call.
I look up and at once remember her. Auburn hair and violet eyes - the angel, or Archangel I guess, Aurora.
“I’ll give you a moment,” she adds as she scans my face.
My mind is spinning. I somehow know everything, but in two conflicting realities? I know about magic, about beings, I know about my abilities, about Vance, about mates - about my…
“Oh my god, Jake,” I say aloud as everything hits. “What happened to me?” My mind spins again. Honing in on one thing, one disgusting thing. “Sean.”
My eyes shoot up to her, full of rage.
“He’s done this to me! How dare he! Who does he think he is?” I start to rant.
“Rachel, I’m sorry,” she says. I almost forgot she was there.
“And you! How could you just let this happen?” I turn my anger to the angel in front of me.
She just looks sad, with a grim face. She nods slightly.
“I know, it’s not right. I’m sorry. I know it won’t make anything better, but it had to unfold like this… Do you remember me telling you how we tried something like this before and it failed?” she asks gently.
I just narrow my eyes.
“It got some good people killed. I protected our champions too much, and they weren’t strong enough when the time came. I couldn’t let this happen again. Not to you, not to anyone,” she said in a whisper.
I didn’t know what to say at first. I took a second to evaluate everything.
“Will I remember this time?” I ask her. “When you send me back, will I remember?”
She bit her lip. There was my answer I guess.
“Why bring me here then?” I ask in irritation.
“So that when you do remember everything, you’ll remember how to defeat the enemies too. You’ll need to both do some risky things. But I know you can do it once you’re together. It’s almost time. Everything will come to a head on your birthday next week. You’ll remember everything and you’ll need to remember these instructions if the world stands a chance. If you fail, Sean, and other dark forces will unite and be nearly unstoppable. You’ll need to fulfill the bond, mark each other, or you won’t be able to defeat them,” she explains in a no-nonsense tone, her arms braced on her lap.
The seriousness in her tone has my attention even though I’m still angry as h*ll. I still have so many questions, but I know from our last visit, we don’t have endless time to chat and work it all out.
“Okay, tell me what we’ll need to do,” I say at last.