And just like Tommy mentioned, our parents had shown up...Vance (because of his medication) had fallen to sleep and I laid there pretending for a while as they walked in.
"We were so worried that with their wolves gone they wouldn't...feel as strongly for one another anymore." My dad said. "We were hesitant to let her come because Rebecca and I didn't want that to be true."
"We know what you mean." Vance's Mom replied now, "He's been asking for her every since he first woke up...Of course we know he loves her but we weren't sure if it was his love for her or their mates bond still there?"
"Well I'm just glad they're both alright and can still say they have each other." Mom said, "They've lost enough, I'd hate to know they've lost one another as well." She said before she started rubbing my back.
I let my eyes open up and acted like I didn't know they were there. "Mom?"
"Hey honey...we were worried about you." She said sweetly, my dad shook his head but smiled behind her.
I ignored her comment and got up...careful not to wake Vance up.
His parents were happy to find me there, they embraced me tightly and told me how relieved they were that I was fine and that I had come to visit their son.
And while they were both glad to see me, they were just as concerned for my well being as my own parents.
"Are you alright?"
"Do you need to rest?"
"Does anything hurt?"
"Stop babying her." Vance suddenly said, slowly scooting himself up on his pillows, "She's tougher than she looks... always has been." He said with a smirk and a wink just for me.
"Seriously you guys...I'm fine" I sighed. "The doctor cleared me...and he wouldn't have done so if he didn't think everything was as good as it's going to get."
Just then Vance's Dad came over and pulled me into a hug, this was nothing new...Vance once said, "You know my dad...as big and intimidating as he is, is only soft with you and Mom."
And it was true... I'd go over to their house, and I would always find him on the sofa watching whatever game was one and I'd give him a soft kiss on the cheek, He would absolutely blush... of course I'd go and find Mrs Cage and do the same with her as well, but what can I say...I love my Mate's family like my own, and they loved me.
"You may be cleared, but you still shouldn't have snuck off like you did Darlin'...after everything that's happened with you and Vance turning up missing...your parents had every right to worry." He said with genuine concern as he moved to look down at me now
I sighed and nodded as I stepped out of his hug, "I know...and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make anyone worry...and if it helps any I got a ride to the hospital so it's not like I walked the whole way...and please don't ask who gave me a ride because we all know I won't say."
Then I walked over to Vance and took his hand into mine, "But I needed to come...I, I just wanted to come and see Vance, I had to know he was alright."
"Ellie sweetie we told you he was doing well." My mother put in.
I shrugged, "I know...but I needed to see for myself, he's still my mate."
And as I said the words I accepted them as well. Wolf or no wolf, Vance had been and always will be my mate and I'd wager that nothing could ever change that.
"And you all have mates so you know that gut feeling you get, that instinct that you are away from your mate or that something is wrong...but for Vance and I that is gone, the urge, the gut instinct...We can't rely on our Mates Bond or our Mates Pull...So we have to go on our love for one another and honest communication...so even though I was told he was alright, I had to see it for myself to believe it."
"We know, but it's time that both you and Vance rest up, the more rest and proper care, the sooner the both of you will be back out there together." Dad said softly, but with finality this time.
I understood where he was coming from, and as decent as I felt I knew my body was still on the mend too, and what's more, I knew Vance still had a while before he'd be better, and I'm gonna need him to do everything the doctors tell him to in order to get him out of here.
"We'll give you two a minute to wrap things up for now." My mom offered.
We waited until the door was full closed and Vance immediately grabbed me by the butt and pulled me down on top of him.
I gasped, I wanted to enjoy the flirty and playful moment, but I was genuinely more concerned for his still healing body."Be careful Vanny...your leg."
He simply rolled his eyes and took the moment to kiss me, it was a deep kiss...one he clearly wanted to grow into something much more, but we both knew we couldn't be bad right now.
He sighed, "If you can't come and see me, maybe we can facetime...or at least call me please." He sounded cutely.
I nodded. "I'm gonna need another phone, but once I get one I'll call you so much you'll start getting the nurses to lie to me by telling me you're asleep."
He chuckled, "I would never do that."
I bent down and gave him one last kiss before departing with my parents.
_________
As the days went by I found myself growing restless.
It had been going on four days since I had last seen Vance and I was growing antsy being stuck inside the house...my parents had thought it best to just stay home from school as the Thanksgiving break was the next week anyways. And the Doctor backed them thinking it would be beneficial for my body to rest up as much as I could.
"Why don't you go sit outside in the backyard." My mom suggested. "Better yet, I'll join you."
My dad had gone back to work and he was always busy helping Brax with the pack, and so it was just mom and I stuck inside all day.
I played with my new phone and text Harper, but she was busy catching up with the school she'd missed and trying to juggle her own life between her sister and Braxton so even though I'd text I had always felt like I was being bothersome.
"Nevermind." I sighed, "I don't really feel up to it anymore."
I knew I was acting bratty, but try as I might I just couldn't shake this attitude.
I couldn't remember all of the numbers I originally had on my phone so my contact list was extremely short. But the one person who I really wanted to talk to was Mariah, but I just couldn't remember her number for the life of me. When I asked Harper for her number she said she had deleted it after everything had happened at the mall.
It seemed like forever ago since we had our falling out with Mariah now.
But when I saw her with Patrick that night I knew everything would unofficially and silently be swept under the rug, we didn't hate her and she didn't hate us...I mean when it's something as big as being taken and not knowing if you'd ever see anyone again...everything else just seems miniscule in comparison.
The only way I could contact her was through social media, but so far she hadn't responded to anything.
I knew it was all water under the bridge now so I know she wasn't purposely ignoring me, instead something else was going on that had her unanswerable.
Patrick's words played over and over in my head, We both knew she was in California, but what I didn't know, was why?
Why would she suddenly leave?
This is home for her, I knew she loved to visit her brother so she could lay out on the beaches for the summer but damnit that wouldn't garner her to just run away out of the blue...especially after meeting Patrick, human or not she would have felt something for him...and I know she had to feel something because even though I was in and out of it and all of the chaos and uncertainty going on that night...one thing was very clear, I could see the genuine care and concern Patrick and Mariah had for each other.
I needed to know if something happened...I hated to think it, but did Patrick to do something to her to make her leave?
I shook my head, He wouldn't...He may be an asshole to me, but he'd never purposely do anything to push his own mate away.
I hated that I had no way to reach her, and while I'm on lock down I couldn't just go over and ask her mom.
Nothing was adding up and I spoke out in frustration now. "Something's wrong."
"What's that sweetie?" My mom asked.
I shook my head, "something doesn't feel right mom."
She came right over to my side and began trying to examine me, "What's wrong, are you hurting...-"
I looked at her utterly confused.
"What...No, no mom...Something isn't adding up with Mariah."
"Mariah?" She asked.
I nodded, "Mom, when's the last time you've seen Mariah?"
She seemed to genuinely think about it. "Well I suppose it would've been the night they found you and Vance."
I nodded sadly.
"B-but to be perfectly honest Elise, I was so worried about your well being and dealing with my own emotional stresses that I hardly paid attention to anyone other than your father, and that's only because he is my mate."
Once more I nodded, "it's okay Mom."
"Well, is everything alright with her?"
I shrugged this time, but the truth was I just didn't know if she was alright or not and it worried me, "I'm not so sure mom."
She seemed to understand.
"I'll get my keys, you put on some shoes and we'll head over to her house okay?"
I cheered up a little, Mostly because I knew I'd get some sort of answers and then I could selfishly go back to worrying about Vance.
At the very least I just really wanted her number, and I knew her mom would at least give me that much.
I put on my slippers and didn't care that I was in the same pajamas that I had worn two days in a row, my hair was a mess but none of that mattered right now. I got into the car with my
Mom and she carefully drove us to Mariah's house.
I was excited when I saw her Mom's car in the driveway, but as we approached the house I could tell something was off.
"I don't think they're here." I said as I took in the dark house.
"I don't think anyone's been here for at least a week." My mother said standing next to their mailbox, she had more than a handful of unopened letters and junk mail.
That's when I noticed a few news papers littering the front yard.
Something was definitely wrong.