Ch. 51: Nick's First Shift, Day 2

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE:
Jake ~
I went up to my room after a quick shower and changed before heading to the bonfire. It was nearly 4am but these werewolf teens were bright eyed and bushy tailed. The party looked like it wasn’t ending any time soon. A few young couples were getting very high on the PDA scale and other un-mated people were getting just as friendly with each other. I would never do that to my mate. But other people were other people. Nick could be a flirt when he wanted but he would never cross that line either, no matter how much girls like Savannah, a friend of Sophie’s, would follow him around. Evan, no matter his massive amounts of flirting and toeing the line, hadn’t gone that way either out of respect for his mate somewhere out there. Speaking of mates…
“Hey Nicky boy,” I greeted him, clapping him on the back.
He turned and grinned at me, “Future Alpha! Our future Alpha has graced us with his presence everyone!”
There were some jeers from the crowd but I just laughed and playfully shoved him. Evan laughed from where he was standing over by Sophie and some of her little followers. She was eyeing me and I made a point to glare right at her and refocus on Nick.
“So how does it feel?” I asked him. “I’m assuming no mate of yours to be found yet?”
He looked down, “No, not yet,” he turned away a blush in his cheeks.
I raise a brow at that. “Yet?” I asked again and put my arm around his shoulders to guide him further from the crowd. “Is that - a blush - I see?” I laughed.
It felt good to focus on someone else.
Nick chuckled and looked at me seriously before looking around and lowering his voice, “My wolf - his name is Asher by the way - he did tell me she’s close! Her birthday is coming.”
I hugged him fiercely, “Congratulations! This is fantastic news!”
He was beaming with excitement, and it was so good to see Nick this way. He had been carrying so much lately, taking on all this worry on my behalf and doing all this relentless researching and theorizing. I could push my stuff aside for him, especially tonight. I could feel the chill in my bones signaling me that I wouldn’t be sleeping tonight anyway. Knowing this though did make me certain I had to see Rachel tomorrow - or I guess later this morning. I needed to be with her. If I could recreate that Saturday from weeks ago, somehow maybe I could recharge her soul a bit. I know it would recharge mine.
I sat around the firepit for a bit, making about a dozen s’mores and gobbling them up to give me something to focus on. I just needed the sun to rise before either getting a ride to Melbourne or hiking and taking the bus. Goddess, being my age really sucked sometimes. All I had was a learner’s permit. I really needed to schedule my driving test.
The sun started to rise over the trees and I knew it was time. I went into the packhouse kitchen for some actual breakfast and to snoop around and see who was up. I saw Nick’s parents. They still used their rooms here sometimes even though they had their own home in Melbourne. They liked having a place to themselves.
“Morning young Alpha,” Nick’s mom greeted me.
She had been calling me that since I could remember. An intelligent doctor with a huge heart, I sometimes wished she was my mom growing up. My parents were pretty much cold and distant as a default. Every once in a while I could get a little more, but not much. It was Nick’s mom, Sarah, that I ran to as a pup when I hurt myself or got into a fight.
“Morning,” I greeted the two of them. “Hey, if you guys are headed to Melbourne could I catch a ride?”
Sarah looked right at me, “Sure thing - we’re just finishing up. Why don’t you grab something to eat and we’ll meet at the car in… thirty minutes?”
“Great thanks!” I replied.
I headed into the pantry to grab some cereal and bread. I fried a few eggs and ate them quickly with toast. I was slamming my cereal when almost thirty minutes had gone by. Time to hustle.
“Hey man, where are you off to?” Evan asked from the doorway.
I walked over, “I’ve got to see Rachel. Look I don’t need-”
“I’m coming with you. Let me grab Nick,” Evan declared.
“Ev, it’s fine, really. Let Nick enjoy the rest of the day,” I tried to tell him but he was already linking someone, likely Nick.
“He’s going to meet us out front. You’re not doing this alone,” Evan decided.

We met everyone at Nick’s dad’s car and got in. Evan gave his keys to Mitchell to drive over later. The drive went by slowly. My body was tense, waiting for this for too long. I decided it was late enough in the morning to text Rachel. Not that she would respond. She hadn’t since Friday morning.
<< From Jake to Rachel >>: Morning Rach, I’m heading into Melbourne with the guys. Can you please come meet us, even for a minute?
“So are you guys sticking around for the tree lighting festival tonight?” Nick’s dad Mario asked.
I had totally forgotten that was happening. The first Saturday night of December Melbourne had this little festival with the scout troops selling hot cocoa, and the middle school band coming out to play something. The mayor would turn on the lights on the big pine tree at the main park, and everyone would spend the next half hour singing carols and other holiday songs. They would have a Santa there and give out candy canes. I hadn’t gone to it in a few years.
“Maybe,” I said for all of us. They looked at me and shrugged.

We got dropped off and I still hadn't heard from Rachel. I decided to call her as we walked to her place. No answer. We made it to the top of the hill and headed down the stairs. Still nothing. I pulled my phone out to call again when we hit the level with the laundry facility. Evan held out a hand.
“She’s definitely in there. Her mom - she’s saying something about going to get groceries to her but she’s not responding. Her sister is giving her a hard time. Da*n. Sounds like she has been ‘like a vegetable’ for days. They sound frustrated with her but she’s not saying anything…” Evan described to me as he listened.
Nick motioned for me to follow him and we stepped behind some bushes. He held up his hand, indicating we should all stay silent, and we watched Rachel’s mom and her sister Meg walk down to their car. Once they took off Nick moved forward and I followed them. We walked up the stairs to her landing. I couldn’t hear or see any sign of her.
“I can hear breathing in her bedroom,” Evan informed me.
“We’re so f**ked. Asher is screaming at me. He keeps demanding I protect her and destroy whatever is making her so sad,” Nick marveled next to me.
I called her again on her phone and it rang and rang. Fine, Rach. I was here and I was going to help her.
I rang the doorbell. When she didn’t move after a few seconds, I rang it and rang it again. Nick tried to stop me but I was determined. She needed to get up, I needed her to fight. My girl was a fighter.
“She’s coming,” Evan breathed.
The door swung open and the shell of the girl I loved stood there in her robe, hair disheveled, hollowed face. My heart broke looking at her. I didn’t speak, I didn’t ask for permission. I just opened the screen door between us, stepped in and hugged her. She stiffened at first then after a few seconds she relaxed. We stood like that. I just listened to her breathing and felt her hands trying to reach each other behind my neck, so I bent a little lower than I had before so she could better her grip. Instead she closed her fists around the collar of my shirt and squeezed. I felt her shaking a little, but she was holding on for dear life. And my body led me through the motions of picking her up and bringing her closer to my chest. We walked over to the couch and I sat her on my lap as she started to cry.