Pull My Heartstrings

Chapter 5

“I don’t think I can,” I sobbed. “What will I do without him?”

“Well… for one, a little birdy may have told me that your mother and Alpha Ramires are still alive,” Kari trailed off.

“What?” I shot up, wiping tears and snot away with a sleeve. “Who told you?”

“Josh,” Kari said simply. “He was here with Finn a few moments ago.”

“Since when were you friends with Josh?” I sniffed, partly because my nose was still stuffed and partly because I thought the guy was a goof.

“I dunno, he just told me. I was a bit surprised, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?” Kari sighed, rolling her eyes. “But anyways, maybe you need a distraction. It’ll be good for you. I know how much you want to see your mom again.”

“Yeah… that’s a good idea. Thanks Kari,” I smiled. “Do you know where they live?”

She looked at me sympathetically. “No,” she said. “But maybe it’s time you finally confront the high alpha.”

I knew as soon as she said no that talking to Evans would be my only avenue. Finn probably wouldn’t tell me – not that I wanted to put myself through an ordeal trying to talk to him anyways – and even if Josh knew more than he had told Kari, I had no way of contacting him.

“Also, you have another customer outside,” Kari walked out with a small smile. “Her name is Juliana or something.”

I sighed and stood, looking in a mirror to make sure I didn’t look like too much of a wreck. My eyes were red and puffy, but hey, two seconds ago I was sobbing my eyes out.

A redheaded woman stood in the living room, every bit the professional secretary. “You want to find your mate?” I asked. She nodded.

“My name is Julie, I’m the high alpha’s secretary,” she sighed. I stiffened. Did she know about what her employer had done in the past? Was she his puppet? No, she looked to innocent. “You’re Finn’s mate, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I choked out. “How did you know?”

“Oh, just through the grapevine,” she dismissed me. “So… how does this work?”

“Well, I’ll just need a moment to concentrate and then I’ll be able to tell you where your mate is,” I said. Might as well get this over with, I figured. So I grabbed the delicate red string coming out of Julie’s chest and was sucked into a vision.

Further downstate, a young man in a mechanic’s workshop named “Danville Mechanic” rolled out from under a car. “Uncle!” he said happily. His tag read Chase Cox. Brushing his oil stained hands off, he briefly hugged an older man. “What’s up? How’s Aunt Rose?”

Rose? That was my mother’s name. At closer inspection, I realized that the older man was Alpha Ramires… I had found them. “She’s fine. She wasn’t doing so well last week, I think she was remembering Rowan again… It was the anniversary after all. But I got her to go back to the animal shelter and now she’s all caught up with a new puppy,” Ramires smiled. I smiled inwardly then, thankful that Ramires had been there for my mother. And now they seemed happy together…

“Your mate works in a mechanic shop in Danville, it’s about two hours south from here. I’m going down there now, so if you want you can tag along and meet your mate. His name is Chase Cox,” I grabbed a coat hurriedly. I had to find my mother.

As I rushed out of the door, shouting where I was going to Kari and Andrei, Julie scrambled to follow. The first hour of the drive was awkward to say the least. Julie was probably wondering why I was rushing downstate. Finally, she broke the silence.