WILLIAM
I got Kara situated in the backseat of my car, and placed some extra sweatpants under her head for a pillow before I strapped her in.
Jeremy got in the front seat and downed the rest of my coke and donuts with a moaning exclamation. I wasn't going to complain. It was probably the first real food he's had in years.
I sat in the driver's and started the car back to the pack.
The drive was oddly quiet for the first few minutes back to the main road so I gave a hesitant glance to him. "Jer? What happened? How'd you get down there?"
His features solidified as he stared to the road in front of us.
When he was quiet too long, I figured he was too traumatized to answer right now and let it go.
But after the silence continued for another minute, he spoke. "We didn't fall in." His eyes stared at every tree passing the window. "Things are so green," he said momentarily stunned. "Colors are all so vivid."
"How long were you down there?" I asked delicately. Was it the full eight years?
"Not sure. I had at least twenty-nine full moon shifts that I can remember."
"Twenty-nine," I repeated in a whisper feeling his pain. Then I flipped the blinker to start the drive up the great hill to the lake. "You've been missing for eight years."
He looked over with wide eyes and then gave a harsh exhale. "I was afraid it was quite some time."
"What happened in all those years?"
His eyes closed. "Can we not talk about this right now? I haven't seen the world in so long. I just want to get back to mom. Maybe visit Faith's grave."
I nodded to the sudden change. "We've taken flowers to Faith every May since you've been gone."
His eyes opened and he looked to me, a slight glossiness to them. "You kept giving her birthday flowers?"
I stared back to the road, not willing to get choked up about his girl. My eyes drifted to the rear view and checked over Kara. How would I feel if I only had her a few months and she died in something as normal as rogue attacks? "Yeah. I couldn't bear to see her grave empty knowing you would have bunches all over."
He smiled. "I thought about her every day. It's what kept me sane, I think. Even though she's gone, I still love her." He twisted in his seat and examined Kara. "Keep her close, okay? I think she's going to be in real danger here soon."
"What do you know Jer?"
He ignored the question. "She's a treasure and you can't let her go."
"I won't," I promised.
"You're lucky to have her. She really loves you. She didn't say much, but I could tell with how she said your name to me down in the cavern."
I smiled sentimentally. "It's been good."
"She has..." he gaped, turning back my way quickly. "Wait! The absolute submission? She has the second mark!"
"Huh?" I turned momentarily and back to the road.
He marveled. "You two did the absolute submission? You have children? I have nieces? Nephews?"
"No," my eyes widened to the road. "No kids. We... we actually just met."
His face tilted in question, though no words came. I knew what he was getting at though. Most always families are quite built, and years had passed before a couple might even start to consider that ceremony.
"We haven't even hit a week."
"Then how...?"
I started telling him the long story, and later when we hit the guards at the gate station, he guffawed. "Willyboy? What did I tell you? She's trouble."
I chuckled with him. "My life has been a little more interesting this week."
"Interesting? She got you shot, you smacktard!"
"Smacktard? Man. I missed you."
He leaned back in his chair, eyes still roving the aspens. A large grin clouding his face.
"Was she really that bad growing up?"
He twisted to give her a quick look. "Nah. Kid's stuff. She tied my shoelaces while I was on dish duty and I fell over breaking like a whole armful of plates. She apologized with oreos full of toothpaste. She filled Jared's pillow with shaving cream. She caught about a dozen grasshoppers and hid them in my backpack. That kind of stuff. But dang, their dad wouldn't get mad at her for anything. She was his little princess. Ticked me and Jared off so bad." He got thoughtful and morose. "Eric was just as bad until they were all gone. He changed. Heck, I changed after Jared was gone. I guess in this life you just have to get used to losing people." He sighed. "Eric and I became better friends after that. I think the loss of our best friends brought us together. But I guess that could be because we were now the beta family and it was expected that we got along with the alphas."
We were silent a few more minutes before we came upon the packhouse. I parked my car and Jeremy stared up at the building in awe.
His words were small. "I can't believe I'm back. I thought I'd die down there."
"Are you sure you won't say what happened?" I asked cautiously. The mystery was consuming me.
He popped the door handle and got out. "Let's go see mom."
I was nearly growling in frustration.
I nodded and got Kara out of the car, carrying her in. Hightop medics were already in the lobby waiting for our return. Eric must have given them a heads up. They wanted Jeremy in a wheelchair but him still as stubborn as ever, refused. I guess I couldn't say anything because I wasn't putting Kara down in the chair either.
They led us to an open room and showed Jeremy the shower and gave him a change of clothes. He looked like he'd won the lottery and went to the small side restroom.
I placed Kara down on the second bed and the nurses moved the curtains around to give her some privacy. They discretely changed her clothes and washed the cavern floor muck from her, then placed in an IV with fluids.
I had expected them to shoo me away while they worked, but I was allowed to stay near. It made me fear for the women at the packhouse being changed and watched by random men, when I realized that I wasn't a random man. Oh. They were allowing my stay because they could sense the matebond. Living without a mate for so long, I still forgot once in a while. It made me grin and take Kara's hand.
My mate.
I had a mate.
Now I knew why all the men were always so happy to become paired. It was a better feeling than I could have imagined two weeks ago.
She was what was always missing from me.
I grinned down at her as the medics placed checkmarks down a clipboard. A blonde with superfluous round glasses smiled to me, the first to even acknowledge my presence. "She'll be fine, Beta William. Her vitals are stable. We're giving her fluids, but she'll come out of this in no time."
I nodded, sitting tall and professional. "Thank you, ma'am."
One handed me a clean set of clothes and then they all scampered away. I looked down to the mud covering me as well. A chuckle left me as I changed and rinsed what I could in the small sink with a washcloth and Jer's shower finally turned off.
I strolled to the other side of the room, replacing the curtain behind me. When Jeremy finally emerged from the bathroom shirtless, I smirked up to him. "Did you need to stay in the shower for all eight years you missed?"
He chuckled. "You try being covered with that much crap for that many years and see how long of a shower you take."
He finally began to look like the Jer I knew. Nearly ten years older, and too thin, but after a shave the same smile billowed out. The lily tattoo he had gotten for Faith, still a bright blossom wide over his left peck. He hadn't cut the long hair, I was used to him with a buzz cut, but the tangle-free wisps touching over his shoulders seemed to suit him.
The blonde medic came back in rolling a cart. "Mr. Merris? Up on the bed please. We need to take your vitals."
He tried to wave her off. "Eh, I'm alright."
"Mr. Merris, up on the bed now."
"Pushy," he said with a smirk and then hopped up, arms threading behind his head. "If you wanted to take me to bed, we probably should excuse my brother."
She sighed and started prepping a nutrient injection. She gave an innocent shake to her head, but we all knew she was unmated and flattered.
"Do your worst Doc." He laughed to the air.
His eyes were closed, so he hadn't noticed the long needle in her hand. I held a grin back and nodded my permission to her asking eyes.
She slammed the needle down into his right thigh, plungering the entire contents.
He let a swear word fly to the heavens, and I burst out in a guffaw of laughter until I realized Kara was sleeping and only had a sheet blocking out our voices. I checked the medic's name badge. "Nurse Dee, is there another room close we could move to, as to not disturb Kara?"
She placed the needle in a waste bin. "Of course. Right across the hall is empty. Would that do?"
I turned to Jeremy, who was rubbing his leg in pain. "Let's go next door. Give Kara some quiet."
He scowled her way, spying her between the curtains. "Maybe it's her payback for all the times she was a jerk to me."
"Aw," I hassled him. "Little Kara stole your cupcake? Going to punish her by waking her from a nap? Grow up you turd."
He laughed heartily and then stood off the bed. "I guess she redeemed herself though? She did heal my cancer."
"Cancer?!" I nearly screeched. "What do you mean cancer?"
"Nevermind," he glanced at Nurse Dee.
"Jer?"
"Not now." He stated firmly and started limping out toward the next room, medic and cart in tow.
My teeth clenched in frustration. The ambiguity was eating me up inside.
He had cancer? Was the werewolf disease a cancer? My mind raced through the possibilities. How had his healing not fixed it right away?
I groaned the mystery away and slipped between Kara's curtains, kissing her sleeping forehead. She was already warming up and would hopefully be awake soon. "I'll be in the room right next door." Then I followed after them.
Nurse Dee had him already up on the bed and was shining lights into his eyes.
After a few minutes working on his minor cuts, she set him up with a drip and connected him to a bunch of machines. She wished to keep him overnight and following a few sexually inappropriate comments to her, Jer finally consented, and she was on her way.
He turned to me with a grin. "Do you want to do the honors? But don't tell Ma it's me yet."
My face mimicked his grin. Hell yeah I did. I closed my eyes to link. Mom?
Yes Will? She answered in her sugar-coated inner voice.
Hey, me and Kara just got back to the pack. She just healed a few werecreatures so she's passed out in the hospital, but she's bound to wake up here in just a bit. Would you and Dad care to join us for an in-suite dinner? We can tell you all about our Seattle adventure.
Oh, that sounds lovely dear. We'll be down in a few minutes.
We're in 3C. See you then. I turned to Jeremy. "They'll be down in a minute."
He stared up to the ceiling and I could already see the waves of happiness tumbling off of him. They were bound to be rolling off me as well. My brother. My brother was alive. Malnourished and thin, but nothing a few weeks care back in the pack couldn't cure.
My last years without my brother and my mate, I just felt like the sun moved across the sky and I was at a standstill. Now my heart was soaring like an eagle above a tranquil lake. My life was filled with joy and meaning.
I leaned a head out of the room and checked over Kara with my heightened senses. All was well with her, but I did hear mom's sashaying footsteps around the corner. "Mom," I called out and she started over to us.
Her and Dad's faces were nervous, and mom's hands were twisted in her flowered silk blouse as they came down the hall. Mom fretted, "Is Kara alright?"
I nodded with a reassuring smile. "Kara's great. Just resting. Come on in."
When Mom peered at the bed, her whole body tightened with paralyzed shock.
Dad grabbed her waist and pushed her a step over so he could get in the door. His eyes widened and he bellowed, "Jeremy!"
Jeremy grinned broadly and held his hands out, tubes and wires still connecting him to devices around the bed. "Surprise!"
Mom dropped to her knees, immediately wailing and sobbing. Dad didn't make a move to catch her, too caught up gawking at his eldest son.
"Oh Ma, don't cry," Jeremy softened.
I bent to her and helped her off the floor. She then threw herself at Jer, wrapping her small body around him.
As her wailing continued into his shoulder he smirked, patting her back. "Ma, it's okay. I'm here."
She twisted just enough to Dad. "Jerry. It's him, it's really him." Then buried herself back in his embrace.
Dad then broke his stupor and stumbled over, his arms going around his son as well. His breathing was labored as if he couldn't keep himself together.
"Love you Ma. Love you Dad," Jeremy whispered as he wrapped his thin arms around them. His eyes were glassy, trying to hold back tears.
I tried to stay strong, but the heat of tears prickled behind my eyes as well.
"Come on Willyboy," he opened his arm around Dad, and I stepped into the family circle.
Mom wept, arms moving around us both. "My boys! My boys!"
I patted her back and pulled a rein on my own tears. "It's alright Mom. We're all together again."
"I can't believe it," she sniffled and Dad reached to the bedside and grabbed a handful of tissues from a box and gave them to her. I noticed him discretely keeping one and dabbing his own eyes.
A feeling of love and family then suddenly overwhelmed me. It was like I'd never felt such an intense rush before. Like I'd never had a family so full of love, and I had forgotten what it was like to be this close to people that shared my bloodline. Jeremy being back with us has made our family whole again and it filled that part in me that was empty. It was all encompassing love and devotion.
But just as quickly as the sensation came on, it drifted away and I was left in the moment, in my family's embrace.
I lifted myself away and let Mom and Dad squeeze into Jeremy.
Mom spoke indecipherable words of happiness to Jer that trilled on for minutes. He just kept murmuring back, "I know Ma. I know."
She finally leaned back and sat at his side on the bed, so she could blow her nose.
Dad followed, sitting back on a swivel stool the doctor's use. "What happened to you son?"
Jer's mood flattened almost immediately. He glared harsh at the opposite wall. "I'd rather not talk about it right now, Dad. Isn't it good enough to just say that I'm safe and home now?"
Dad nodded slowly. "Sure Jer."
Mom gave a big smile, overcome with hiccups of tears. "Yes, it's wonderful you're home."
I gave a piece of information that I knew. "He was down in a deep cavern on Fremont territory. As one of the creatures. Kara saved him."
Mom's held back tears broke through again, spilling down her cheeks and she lifted from the bed to instead embrace me. She didn't even know what to say, her mind all a jumble. When she finally pulled from my chest, she stroked over my cheek. "That precious girl. You keep her around, you hear me?"
I gave a small breathy chuckle. "I will Mom. She's staying."
Mom glanced to the other bed in the suite. "Where is she? Is she doing alright? You said she loses her energy fast healing the poor creatures."
I nodded. "She's fine mom. She's over..." and when my senses zoomed in on the other room, I realized that she was not there after all.
Oh no.
"Honey?" Mom asked when my sentence stalled.
"She's gone," I whispered more to myself.
"She's what?" Mom's demeanor got anxious.
I bent my head, searching through the matebond and felt her under a trance. "She's okay. She's under the healer's spell though. I better go find her."
Jeremy then went crazy.
He became a completely different person.
Fully deranged, he lifted off the bed, eyes opened wide and frightened. "William! Don't let her go back there! He'll get her! She's who he's after! And ... he saw her, William. He saw her and now he knows what she can do. Don't let her go back there! Please! She can't heal the other mutateds yet!"
My mind panicked with its own terror to see his mood shift so suddenly. She didn't get back to Fremont already did she? "What are you saying Jeremy?"
"She can't go back to the cavern. He will kill her, trying to save himself."
"Who will?"
"Lawrence."
The name made no connection for me. "I don't know who..."
"Don't just stand here!" He interrupted, arms and wires flailing in desperation. "Go get her! Don't let him get her! We can't lose her!"
Jeremy was still spitting warnings when I raced out of his room and connected Kara and I's bond. Using the absolute submission, I halted her movements before she made it to Fremont. Kara stop what you're doing!
Her body stiffened to stone under my command and I ran the hospital hallway, ready to pound my way to Fremont on paws when I felt my left arm burn with a raging fire as her pain slammed into me like a truck.
I stopped cold holding my arm and shrieked out a curse.
Had she been shot again? I clenched tight through the pain.
William, Mate? Her soft-spoken healers voice came through the link, from somewhere still in the packhouse. Could you uncommand me, please?
Howling erupted from another wing of the hospital. My arm scorched again more ferociously, enough to kick me to my knees in the middle of the tile floor hallway.
She continued in the same gentle inner voice. I do need my arms to defend against this werewolf attack.
When our mind connected and I could see what she saw, she was staring deep into the eyes of a raging wolf face. Its jaws clamped solid and bloody around her forearm, readying itself for the next strike.