CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The party began to wind down after Michael opened his presents. Most people began to leave around seven, which was usually Michael's bath and bedtime.
Tyler and Cassie were still here, talking to Jake and Dakota. Alpha Fisher and Mrs. Fisher were talking with Jake's parents, and Sarah had gone inside, complaining of a stomach ache.
After Michael realized that I was adopting him and was his new mommy, he wouldn't let me set him down. Little June had fallen asleep in Cassie's arms and Michael wasn't far off.
I smiled down at him, sitting down in one of the wicker chairs on the porch.
I brushed his hair off his forehead, his eyes flitting closed.
"Olivia?"
I looked up as Tyler and Cassie approached me.
"We're heading out. We just wanted to stop by and say congratulations."
I smiled at them.
"Thank you," I whispered.
They both smiled at me and I looked at June before looking at Tyler.
"She's a beautiful little girl Tyler. You should think about maybe making it more permanent, hm?"
He looked at Cassie before looking down at June. He brushed her gold locks away from her face.
"Yeah...you might be right."
Cassie turned to me, a smile blooming on her face and I smiled, winking at her. Tyler put his hand on her back, turning away.
"Good night Olivia."
"Night."
I watched as they walked away, feeling happy for them. Jake and Dakota approached me then, watching me.
"What was that about?" Jake asked, looking after them.
I smiled.
"Cassie and I had talked earlier about June...they've been looking after her but Tyler's been on the fence about officially adopting her. I told him he should really consider it, that's all."
Neither one of them said anything and I smiled, looking back down at my sweet boy sleeping in my arms.
"Do you want me to take him?" Dakota asked.
I shook my head no.
"No. I'll go change him and tuck him into bed."
Dakota nodded and I got up, leaving them in the backyard. I headed upstairs and walked into Mikie's room. I took his dress clothes off before putting him in his nighttime pull-up and his pajamas. I pulled the covers up and he sighed.
"Night mommy..."
I smiled, kissing his forehead. I turned on his nightlight before closing the door. I paused in the hallway, seeing a light coming from Sarah's room. My smile fell and I walked over to her door. I could hear her sniffing and I frowned.
"Sarah?"
She stopped sniffing.
"Who is it?"
"It's Olivia. Can I...can I come in?"
She was silent for a long moment, probably trying to decide her options. She sighed.
"Yeah."
I opened the door, taking a step inside before closing it again. I'm sure whatever was going on she didn't want the boys to know about.
I found her sitting on her bed, her face red. She had a tissue box in front of her and used tissues around her. She had been crying.
I sat down on her little reading chair.
"What's going on Sarah? Clearly not a stomach ache."
She sighed, looking down at her blanket.
"Olivia...you won't understand," she whispered.
I bit my lip.
"I don't know. I might understand. We won't know unless you talk about it."
She frowned, picking at her comforter.
"I can try and guess. Hm...is it a boy?"
Her eyes flashed to me before she looked away again. A boy, of course.
"What happened Sarah? Did he...hurt you?"
She started crying again.
"No. But...yes."
I frowned and she looked up at me, tears falling down her face.
"It's Jake. I...I love him, Olivia but he doesn't even see me. And now he might have a mate and I...it hurts," she whispered.
My heart broke in my chest and I got up, sitting on the edge of her bed. She sniffed, grabbing another tissue.
"I won't lie to you Sarah, you were right. I don't really understand. I've...never really loved someone who didn't feel the same way. I've never known love until I met your family."
She glanced at me and I nodded.
"My parents don't love me. They wish me dead. My sister...I have no idea if she loves me. If she did then...how could she abandon me with them? I didn't know what love was until I met Dakota, and even then I didn't know what it was."
She sniffed, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I don't really understand how the whole mating thing works. I get that...every werewolf is born attached to someone to be their mate. I understand that you don't get to choose. And I understand...that this all must really hurt inside. I can't...imagine how much it would hurt my heart if I had to watch Dakota chase after another girl. That would...be excruciating."
She nodded and I reached towards her.
"But...you have to think about you and Jake both. Jake...really wants to find his mate. All of his friends have found their mates and he's struggling with being the only one mateless. But that's not fair to you, I know. Why should you have to sit back and watch while the guy you love gets to be happy with someone else?"
She looked up at me, waiting for my answer.
"You shouldn't. It's not fair. And I'm sorry. And I know talking about your mate won't change how you feel right now. The way I see it...you have two options, Sarah."
She watched me.
"Option number one is to tell him how you feel. The truth. All of it. You need to tell him so he knows that he has options. This could end really well or...not. The second option is for you to keep it to yourself. Neither option will be easy."
Tears welled in her eyes again.
"I...I want him to be happy. His happiness is more important than anything and that means..."
I didn't speak and she looked up at me, a sob escaping her lips.
"That means he can never know," she whispered.
I wrapped my arms around Sarah as she started crying, feeling terrible. Her heart was breaking and there wasn't much I could do.
I just sat there and held her as she cried, hugging her as close as I could.
After a while, her crying subsided and she was just hugging me.
"Thanks, Olivia," she whispered after a while.
I pulled back, grabbing a tissue to wipe her face off. Her face had relaxed a bit, relieved.
"I'm sorry I cried all over you."
I chuckled.
"Don't apologize. It's just a silly dress. It'll wash out."
She hugged me again, sighing.
"Your hugs really are the best," she whispered.
I raised a brow and she giggled.
"Dakota and Jake were arguing about who gave the best hugs and they both agreed that you gave the best hugs out of anyone. Maybe it's a witch thing."
I smiled, brushing her hair away from her face.
"Maybe. Now, how about you go wash your face off and get in your most comfortable pajamas?"
She was quiet for a moment before shaking her head.
"I heard that you were going to go look for Sam tonight. I want to come."
I frowned.
"Sarah I don't think..."
"I know. But I want to meet her, especially if she's Jake's mate. I need to meet her."
I chewed on my lip, sighing.
"How do you know about this? I haven't even talked to Dakota about it yet."
She raised a brow at me.
"Did you tell Jake?"
I shook my head no and we both looked at each other.
"Mom," we said at the same time.
We both laughed and I shook my head.
"I have to go change and talk to Dakota about it. Then I need to...focus and try to find her. It may be a bit so why don't you change and wash your face to relax?"
She nodded and I smiled.
"I'll come to get you if I find anything."
She nodded again and I left the room, heading for my room. Dakota was already in the room, spread eagle on the bed. His sleeves were rolled up and his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his bare chest.
I looked him over, a moan echoing inside of me.
I leaned against the closed door, tempted to run over there and sit on his bare chest.
He looked up, a smile on his face.
"There you are. Where have you been?"
I chewed on my lip.
"I tucked Mikie in and then had some girl time with Sarah."
He raised his brow at me and I grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater from my dresser, changing in the bathroom.
"Girl time?"
After I was done, I left the bathroom, nodding at him. I walked over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah. She's having...guy trouble. We just talked it out."
He frowned.
"Guy trouble? Sarah?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
His frown deepened and I giggled.
"Dakota she's sixteen, almost seventeen. She's not a little girl anymore. She's going to have guy trouble. All teenage girls do."
His jaw was clenched.
"You didn't have guy trouble."
I raised a brow at him and his face paled.
"I mean I - "
"I think you seriously underestimate the guys at our school. I definitely had guy trouble."
He raised a brow at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Besides guys bullying me? Uh yeah. Some dudes thought it was hot that I was a witch and it became like this weird fetish thing. It was gross."
Dakota's face reddened in anger and I laughed.
"Dakota, it was a while ago. I'm okay, I'm yours, remember?"
Dakota turned to me, wrapping his arms around me.
"That's right, and don't you forget it."
I laughed and he smiled, pulling me as close as he could.
"So...is this guy her mate or...?"
I was quiet for a moment.
"No. She...likes someone but he has a mate."
Dakota was silent before sighing.
"Will she be okay?"
"I think she'll be okay. It might take her some time. And space."
He nodded before kissing my shoulder. I turned around to face him, brushing his hair off his forehead.
"Tonight...I was gonna try and focus on finding Sam."
He watched me and I bit my lip. Before I could say anything else, he got off the bed, walking over to his desk. Sitting there was the box full of Sam's old things. He grabbed the box, bringing it over to me. I began sifting through the box, looking at all of the things inside.
There were a bunch of clothes that wouldn't fit either of us now, a pair of old sneakers, a baseball cap, and some papers.
I frowned, looking over the papers. They weren't much of anything. Just some of Sam's writings from when we were younger.
Dakota pulled the clothes out, setting them on the bed and I began touching each of them, hoping I would feel or see something.
Nothing happened.
I looked up at Dakota and he frowned.
"I don't understand...why would she block me out like this?" I whispered.
Dakota didn't say anything and I reached for the baseball cap in the box.
Suddenly I was no longer in our bedroom. I was...standing in front of a tall metal fence that was lined with barbed wire. I looked up and saw a sign that read 'JUNKYARD' in various neon fonts.
I blinked, surprised. I was back at Joe's. It still looked the same even though it's been years. I approached the fence, trying to look in. It didn't look like anyone was...
Wait.
I could feel it. Another presence. Another...
I gasped, my eyes opening. The baseball cap was still in my hand and my eyes were glowing blue.
"Oh shit, Olivia. What did you see?"
I took a few deep breaths.
She's here. She's been here this entire time.
I stood up, dropping the cap on the floor.
"Dakota...Koda, I have to go. I have to go get her," I whispered.
He stood.
"Whoa, whoa. Where? Now? I'm coming with you."
I turned to him.
"No you can't...she'll run."
He frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...she'll know that you're an Alpha and she'll run. Sam is..."
Dakota stared at me and I sighed.
"She's a witch but she's also a wolf Dakota. She's what your pack calls a rogue."
Dakota fell silent for a long moment and I leaned against the door.
"If I go...if I go and explain everything to her, she might come back with me. But the minute she senses an Alpha she's going to run."
Dakota frowned, sitting on his bed.
"I...understand. Well...you can't go alone."
I chewed on my lip.
"Sarah wants to come with me."
He shook his head, approaching me.
"No, you need someone else too."
Just then there was a knock at the door. I opened it and Jake stood there, surprised.
"Okay. Jake will go with me too."
Jake frowned.
"Wait, what?"
Dakota turned to Jake with a raised brow and I shoved my elbow in Jake's ribs. He glared at me before turning back to Koda.
"That's right. I'm going with Olivia."
Dakota stared at us both before rolling his eyes.
"Jake...just protect them both please. Stay safe."
I walked over to Dakota, giving him a kiss.
"I love you. We'll be fine."
He nodded and I walked out, Jake following behind me.
~~~
"Can I drive?" I asked as we got to the garage.
Sarah was standing to my right, her arms wrapped around her body and Jake was standing on my left, his brows furrowed.
"Well, I guess so. Are you going to tell me what that was about back there or what?" Jake asked.
I held my hand out for the keys and he handed them to me. We all piled into the Camaro and I felt a bit excited getting to drive my dream car. I drove us carefully out of the garage and once we were on the road, I floored it.
"Whoa, Olivia! Slow down, you drive worse than Dakota!"
I giggled but slowed down as Jake yelled at me.
The car ride was completely silent, not even the radio was on. Sarah was sitting in the back seat, not a word coming from her. I glanced back at her every once and a while and found she was staring out the window, her body tense.
She glanced upfront every once in a while, her eyes glossed with unshed tears.
"Olivia, where are we going?" Jake asked.
I focused on the road. I drove past my old neighborhood, the spot where my old house was nothing more than an empty field I hope.
"Well...do you want to know or do you want it to be a surprise?"
His eyes narrowed at me and I smiled.
"Olivia I don't like keeping secrets from Dakota and if you're dragging me into something that's going to get me into -"
"You won't get in trouble, Dakota knows what we're doing. He just doesn't know where we're going. He...can't come with us because he'll scare her. He's an Alpha and she's considered a rogue so...she'd run if he came."
"Wait, she's a wolf?" Sarah asked.
I nodded.
"Yeah. That's right Sarah you weren't there to witness the fight with my parents. My father is a wolf and my mother is a witch. I guess that would make her a hybrid? I don't know."
"Can one of you please tell me who we're talking about? What is going on?!"
Sarah fell silent at Jake's yelling and I bit my lip.
"Sam."
Jake stared at me, speechless.
"Wait. We're going to see her? Right now?"
I nodded and he sucked in a large amount of air.
"Oookay, nope. No. Stop the car. Stop the car!"
"What, why?"
Jake pulled on his seatbelt.
"Why?! Olivia, what the hell? I'm not ready! I-I-I'm dressed like a bum, I don't even have anything to give her, I haven't brushed my hair, I -"
"You look fine Jake."
He stared at me in disbelief before sighing and I stopped at a red light, turning to him.
"I'm not ready," he whispered.
"And why's that? If I had told you ahead of time you would've flipped out the way you are right now. Why aren't you ready?"
He opened his mouth for a moment before closing it. The light turned green and I focused back on the road, waiting for his answer.
"What if...what if she doesn't accept me? Or...what if I've had my hopes up all this time and she really...she isn't my mate?"
I opened my mouth to say something but Sarah beat me to it.
"Jake...you're an amazing guy. You're handsome and funny and any girl would be extremely lucky to have a guy like you as her mate. She'll accept you."
Jake looked back at Sarah and I glanced at her as she looked down at her hands in her lap.
"Jake, you just have to remember that it'll take some time, okay? Just like it did for me and Dakota. I'm not sure how she's been living all this time if she's...figured things out more than me, if she's safe or happy...I don't know. It's been so long. She isn't going to trust you at first. It's going to take time."
Jake was quiet for a long time and I turned left down a dirt driveway. It was a pretty short driveway and I slowed as we approached Joe's.
I parked the car outside the gate, looking up.
The front of the junkyard didn't look any different than how it did eight, nine years ago. The sign sat there with different fonts of neon, however, the neon was no longer powered. The fence was still as tall as ever, lined with barbed wire.
Both Jake and Sarah looked out the window with their brows raised.
"What is this place?" Sarah whispered.
"This is Joe's Junkyard. Sam and I used to come here to escape from my parents when we were kids. Joe is the guy who taught us both about cars. When I was going through Sam's things I found her baseball cap she had gotten from Joe in her things. When I picked it up...it was like I was brought here, in a vision or something. I think it was a clue or her way of showing me where she is."
"Wait, we're going in there?" Jake asked.
I rolled my eyes, turning the car off. I got out of the car, followed by Sarah, and then Jake. I walked up to the gate, finding it chained and locked.
Jake was standing there, looking around, completely on guard.
"Well...it's locked. Guess we'll have to go home and -"
Before Jake could even finish his sentence, I closed my eyes and focused on my abilities. I willed myself to become weightless, floating my body over the fence. I didn't move my leg quick enough, knicking my ankle on the barbed wire, but other than that I made it over just fine.
I stared at Sarah and Jake through the fence.
"You were saying?"
Jake was staring at me with wide eyes and Sarah was smirking.
"That was cool. Alright Livi, I'm ready. Beam me up!"
I laughed at Sarah and focused on her body, using my telekinesis to lift her over the fence. I set her down next to me, unharmed and we both turned to Jake.
"Guys this is crazy. Get back over here. We need to go back home. We can come back when it's daylight, okay? We don't know who or what is in there."
I sighed, getting fed up with his worrying.
"Jake, you have two options. Option number one is you let me lift you over this fence and you come with us. Option number two is you stay here while Sarah and I go in on our own. The choice is yours but I am going in there to find my sister with or without you."
Sarah looked at me with an eyebrow raised and Jake narrowed his eyes at me, challenging me.
I maintained eye contact with him, not budging. He stared at me for a moment longer before sighing, looking away.
"Damn it."
I raised a brow at him and he sighed again.
"Fine. I told Dakota I'd protect you so...lift me up."
I smiled at Jake before focusing on him, lifting him over the fence. It took a lot of energy to lift the three of us over such a high fence and my nose started bleeding. I wiped it away quickly, but not before they both saw.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Sarah asked.
I nodded, dabbing at my nose.
"Yeah, it's fine. It happens when I overdo it sometimes with my powers but...if I don't overdo it sometimes, how am I ever going to grow, right?"
Neither of them said anything and I cleared my throat.
"See Jake, was that so hard?"
"See Jake, was that so hard?" He mimicked.
I leaned towards him, smacking at him and he dodged, sticking his tongue out at me.
"Hey, guys...we should probably get moving."
Sarah pulled us back to the task at hand and I took a deep breath, looking around the junkyard.
Sam...if you're here...we're coming.