A/N this story is not edited. Editing will not happen until the end of the story.
Cam pov
Three days. Three days since the full moon. Three days since Nellie left him all alone. He couldn't do anything. Three days of no sleep was catching up with him, but how could he sleep knowing she was out there? He did this. It was all his fault. He should have manned up but chose not to. What a joke!
Janella, his beautiful Nellie... gone. No one had a clue where to look. Where would she go? Where is that one special place she wanted to go above all others? If only he hadn't done the things he did; they wouldn't be in this position. Why didn't he stop? What made him think he was better than her? Why did he destroy her the way he did? Because he was a coward. Now he knows what that old saying means... You don't know what you've got until it's gone... and now he was scared he would never get it back again.
He spent four hours talking to the wolf counsel the day after the full moon. Question after question. At one point he wished they'd just shut up, he was wasting valuable time in getting the search underway. He had to be honest with them though. No amount of discussion would have changed his mind until that fated night. The night his childhood friend, his beautiful mate Nellie left their lives possibly forever. This wasn't right! He had to fix this and fix it now. He had to get her back.
He denied Nellie so he didn't become an outcast and that's exactly what he's become. Everyone hates him but that's ok cause he deserves to be hated. He just wished it didn't hurt so much.
Pack from other territories were still in the area although many had already returned to their homes so they could help in the search. Armed with pictures of Nellie they returned home in the hope that someone, anyone, would see her. Not having any clues as to where she would be didn't help at all. Not even Sarah knew. Sarah who'd spent two days in her room not wanting to come out until her mate James carried her out. If anyone had any idea where Nellie would want to go it would be her... not him, never him. Was there ever a time when they were talking that she mentioned somewhere special? His memories filtered back slowly. He remembered everything as if it were yesterday. Times when nothing mattered but friendship and a childs love. Before she grew up and he didn't. She was so amazing. He realised so much about her in the past ten days. She really would have been the best Luna of all standing by his side. Leading the pack with him. She would have been... she IS perfect. She'll make a great alpha. He only hoped he could convince her that he was worthy of standing beside her.
He groaned frustratingly. He was stuck here on his bed while she was out there somewhere. His father had ordered him to his room to sleep. He hadn't slept at all, he just kept making calls all over the world looking for her. Finding Janella. They had to find Janella. Was she ok? Did she remember anything? Was she alone?
Ella's pov
"Hey chickie!"
"Hi lovely. Whatcha doing?"
"Ugh... stocktake... wanna help?"
"Sorry... What was that? Ella... are you still there? Hello?"
Ella laughed at the comical refusal from her friend Stacy.
"Ok I get it... no stocktake for you" she laughed "Still up for the Friday night special?"
"Sure am. Dad won't be dropping me off though cause he has a meeting. You get to meet Sam."
"Seriously? He's home?"
"He got home this morning. He's on leave for two weeks before he's deployed again for a couple of years." Stacy's voice choked.
"He probably wants to catch up with his friends but if he wants to join us he can so you can spend more time with him."
"I think he is, he wants to meet you "
Ella blushed. She'd seen photos of Sam in his uniform "I'd like to meet him too."
'Oh yeh?"
"Don't be silly Stace. He's your brother of course I'd like to meet him."
Stacy laughed at her and the pair chatted for a while before Ella had to get back from lunch.
Taking her time she wandered from the food court as she recalled how she and Stacy had first met. Ella had woken from being asleep for nearly three months. Doctors were baffled. Tests proved there was nothing actually wrong with her but that she was literally asleep. No one knew how or why. She'd been found on the steps of the Sydney Opera House and an ambulance was called. For three months she lay sleeping with no one having a clue who she was. Media had sensationalised her story with pictures of her sleeping face, a tattoo that was on her shoulder and the locket she wore making headlines across the country. No one came forth to claim her. There was no history for this young woman. No answers.
No one had any idea how long she'd sleep and it was a young nurse who came in one day who got the biggest shock of her life when this girl they'd called Jane Doe had woken and was sitting up in the bed.
Media frenzied around the hospital with each hoping to get an exclusive story with the mystery girl. Security had been stepped up around her. She was scared. In the space of a few hours she'd woken in a place she hadn't known, been asked hundreds of questions, been poked and prodded and realised something very vital to her inner peace. She, the one that they all called Jane Doe, had no idea who she was.
She was in tears as a young woman wheeled her way into the room. Her name was Stacy. She'd been in a car accident that had broken parts of her spine leaving her paralysed from the waist down. They talked for ages. Within a short time they'd formed a bond that made everyone sigh with relief. Stacy had been very bitter after losing the ability to walk and had been taking it out on everyone. It was when 'Jane Doe' mentioned the cute physiotherapist she'd met earlier that smirks became smiles.
It was Stacy who convinced her that she needed to find a new name for herself... But what? It was later that day when she was looking in the small hand mirror she'd been given that she realised the tattoo she had on her shoulder was getting darker. What first looked like a large dog standing behind reeds and surrounded by a crescent moon had started to morph into something much larger and stronger. Within a few hours she was looking at a wolf that was standing proud and tall. What did it mean? How could a tattoo change this way? Why did she feel like the wolf was trying to talk to her? Being asleep all this time had definitely done her head in. She felt stupid as she chuckled telling herself she was imagining it. But she wasn't. The tattoo had in fact changed.
Lying back into the pillows she closed her eyes and saw the face of the wolf up close. She wasn't scared or frightened in any way. She felt calm and strangely she felt safe. She felt like she could talk to him if she tried but waited to find out what he wanted from her. She hoped for some clue as to who she was. She felt herself slip from this world to the world dreams where she heard a voice whisper "Ella".
.....
Holly's pov
"Ethan honey please, you have to eat."
Holly looked despairingly at her mate. She knew this was going to happen but it didn't make it any easier to watch. Once he started working he had to be reminded of almost everything. If only she could tell him. Unfortunately though that was something she could never do. The hands of time had to play their game.
For three months she'd watched as her beautiful mate fell slowly into a dark sadness. Yet when it came to her he was always there for her, always made her feel like she was the most important person in this world. It broke her heart to see his sadness about Janella. If only she could tell him the truth, take his pain away.
"Holly my love, I'll just finish and I'll be in." Ethan's eyes twinkled as he looked at her.
"Make sure you are!"
Ethan raised an eyebrow "Oh really?"
Holly laughed as she walked out of the room knowing he was right behind her. While he was hers she was going to enjoy every moment of his love.
.....
Ethan's pov
His wolf was driving him crazy! He kept pushing to run. It was the middle of the night and all Ethan wanted was to sleep but Sander had other ideas. He paced back and forth in Ethans mind until finally Ethan had had enough. He slipped quietly out of the bed careful not to disturb his beautiful Holly as he made his way outside.
Quickly undressing his body changed and Sander emerged standing proud and tall. He took off running. He ran for hours. Finally he settled back at the edge of the river that passed by the back of the house where Ethan and Holly lived. Looking at the reflection of the crescent moon over the water he could almost see the water as it was through the day; crystal blue. Once again he became Ethan. Sadly he watched as the moon faded behind a cloud and once again the water was draped in darkness. He looked at the sky shaking his head as he thought of crystal blue eyes he may never see again. Sander was whimpering as Ethan made his way to the house. He had something he had to say to Ethan and hoped it would be enough to give him hope. Fate was playing with all of their hearts all because of a little boy who wouldn't grow up.
Ethan settled back into bed as Holly cuddled into him. Closing his eyes he waited as the darkness took over him and in his almost dreamlike state he heard Sander speak.... "Ella".