Solstice

Chapter Twenty One

A faint sound of rustling caught my attention as I began to wake up. Somebody was in my room. Immediately, I jumped up out of my bed, ready to pepperspray whoever had intruded on my privacy but I quickly jumped back when they shouted SURPRIISSSEEEE!!!!! "Ahhhhh" I scrreamed, falling over the back of my bed and onto the ground. "Ow." I whimpered, standing up with a hand on my throbbing ass."Happy birthday sis." Alex wrapped his arms around me, smothering me in a huge, oxygen depriving bear hug."Can't... breath..." I wheezed, slapping him on the back until he let go. "Happy birthday bro." I smiled.

"Okay okay twin moment over, my turn." My grandma came rushing over to me to give me her hugs and wishes. We had gotten somewhat closer but I still wasn't sure about grandpa and I think he knew that as he always seemed to keep his distance from me, relying his company in Alex instead.

For the next half hour I recieved a lot of birthday wishes and honestly I waas so happy about the morning that I had even hugged Amanda. Aunt Louise, Callie, Casey, Kevin and Uncle Liam were here too. Then grandma announced that she had made pancakes and my room was empty instantly, everyone running downstairs to be the first to feast on them.

I quickly pounded my way down the stairs, neck and neck with Alex. Dang, I should have been beating him. I was always faster than him but lately he's been reacting quicker. I pitied whoever got in our way at that moment as we bounded towards the kitchen. I could see the kitchen door now but I wasn't going to make it. Alex was slowly pulling ahead of me. Not knowing what I was doing I muttered a few words under my breath. "licebit aquam sinas fluere" Just out of the corner of my eye I could see one my stepmothers many flower vases begin to wobble. It rocked from side to side before an invisible force pushed it over sending the contents flying across the hall.....onto Alex. He quickly stopped running and began looking around to see what happened but I didn't hesitate. I took my chance and swiftly sprinted into the kitchen, taking my seat at the table before anybody else could tell me otherwise.

After a few seconds everybody flooded into the room, gasping for breath. Dad was looking at me with a proud smile and Alex was gazing at me oddly but I ignored both of them smiling smugly to myself. "So how about that food then?"

***
Drool rolled down my chin as Grandma set out plates of warm pancakes, the fresh dough smell filling the room. I was literally about to dig into the food when the doorbell rang out. Everybody looked up for a second before Alex spoke out. "It's for you Aims."

Rising from my chair I walked towards the door an odd unsettled sensation dominating my stomach. Who is it? Pulling open the door I saw Blair. Her eyes were tired looking and she had red rings around them. Her clothes looked slightly grubby with creases and rips in areas. Muck and dirt caked her bare arms up to her elbows and was covering her knees.

"W..w..what happened?!" I stuttered in shock at her appearance. "I..it's m..my boyfriend." She suddenly burst out crying. I stepped out of the house fully, shutting the door firmly behind me. "It's okay. It's okay. Calm down. Explain what happened." I was surprised by my collected façade as I was going to panic overload on the inside. Who was this boyfriend of hers I had no idea but I knew if I was patient I would find out.

"He was taken. They took him." She bit out, stressing the 'they' part. Just from the way she said I knew she was furious. Whoever 'they' were, she clearly hated. "Who took who?" She clasped her head in her hands, grabbing her hair in clumps. I had never seen her like this. Something was definitely wrong....

Suddenly a hand grasped my wrist as she began to heave me away from my house. "Blair, wait.." I began. She stopped pulling and instantly dropped to her knees holding her chest. For a few moments she twitched in convulsions, pain evident on her face. I got down beside her, trying to help but I couldn't. "Please..." She begged. "Help me get him back. I want him back. I need him." She struggled to get her words out as pains exploded throughout her body. "Please..." She whispered.

My heart and my brain fought with each other. My brain was demanding for me to bring this insane girl into the house to be helped whilst my heart just wanted to obey anything my friend needed me to do to help. But among those nagging thoughts was an even scarier side to me. It wanted me to take Blair away from here before anybody found us. It wanted me to go with her and help her.

So I did...

Taking her hand I helped her up from the ground. I placed her arm over my shoulder to support her as she directed me swiftly away from the house and into the forest. We didn't talk much as Blair staggered through the shrubbery looking around to see if we were heading in the right direction. Every so often she would stop and have a little seizure. Which made me extremely concerned but she waved me off saying not to be worried.

About an hour passed before Blair finally stopped. I suddenly became alert when I heard voices. They were close. "Is he locked up?" One voice asked. "Chained and locked up Sir. Cell 242 Block C Department Four." It was too men. "Good. That will be all, thanks." Peeking out from behind the bush I seen a man walking away from a small metal building. Another man, perhaps not as old as the other one, stood at the entrance with his back towards me. "Filthy Rouges." He snarled pulling open the large metal door and heading into the strange building.

"Okay, Blair I'm here now and everything but can you please explain why? And where is this place?" Blair looked at me, chewing in her lip nervously before directing her gaze to the ground as she scuffed her shoes in the earth.

"Uhm well, do you know about mates?" I nodded my head anxiously. How could I forget? "Yeah well I may or may not have met mine.." She announced nervously as I started congratulating her. So that's why she didn't really care about Tyler. "That's great-" "No, no it's not," she cut me off angrily "-well it was at first until they came." There was the hatred again.

"Who are 'they'? Anyway why would they take your mate? And what does that have to do with us sitting in the middle of nowhere?"

Blair swallowed nervously before she began speaking.

"They are your brother, my brother and their pack! They took my mate because he is a Rouge and we are here because they are keeping him restrained in there-" she pointed towards the metal construction.

"-and we're going to get him back!"