Jacob's point of view
She was here. I could sense it. I could feel it. I searched up and down the beach, my eyes landing on a lone figure who was stood watching the waves rolling in up the sand. I recognised the red tartan backpack that I knew held her oxygen. She was standing still, just staring out over the endless ocean and the waves it created, rolling up the sand towards her but never actually touching her.
Sam saw where I was looking and looked at me. "That her?"
I nodded while pulling out my phone. That you down the beach, or am I imagining things? I sent, the response coming back quickly. Must be totally imagining things as I can't see you anywhere on this beach. I grinned at that. She began looking around and the man who I'd given up being alpha to nudged me. "She's busy looking for you -go."
And go I did.
She smiled widely as I approached her. Dark circles under her eyes told me she hadn't been sleeping well though, something I wasn't feeling good about. "Hey," she greeted softly, her voice cracking a little like it always did. I'd talked to Sue. She'd told me that if Eleanora was in the condition that I'd described to her, then every word was likely a struggle just like every breath. I wanted desperately to fix that once and for all.
"Hey back. I thought you couldn't come to the beach." I replied and she smiled widely, cheerfully, the brightest smile I'd seen on her so far. At least it wasn't a scowl, or the kind of watery eyed look she got when she was close to tears, like at the cinema in Port Angeles. I never, ever wished to see that look ever again. Never. I would rather become a leech than see that look again anytime soon.
"Well, considering its like a mega hot day with little wind, and Grams is here keeping an eye on me," she explained, gesturing behind her to where a woman who was on the phone to someone sat a little further up the beach. She gave a short wave before going back to her phone conversation. I made a noise showing that I understood. "Got ya. We still on for Saturday?" I asked.
She nodded with wide eyes. "Uh yeah. Did you really think I'd pass up the opportunity to mess with some car?" She exclaimed and I laughed, smiling as I did so. "No, I didn't think you would. So, how'd the check-up go then? You said you were a bit iffy, the word I think you used, about it."
I walked back a little and sat down, patting the sand beside me. She sat down, and then sighed a little. "Not good, I guess. I have just over a month before the cancer becomes irreversible, and I'm now in need of a kidney transplant, amongst other things. Dad is stressed out, Grams wouldn't stop crying as now its starting to hit home, I think. Treatment is way too expensive and I've refused it anyways." She whispered.
That caught my attention and I felt my wolf shuddering inside, something I pushed down. I was too close. If I phased, I'd hurt her, maybe even kill her. I could feel the guys up the beach keeping an eye on me, and Sam told them that I was alright, so they must have thought I was going to explode there at that. I almost did... "Refused it?"
Eleanora nodded. "Yeah. What is actually the point? At the way my heart, kidney and lungs are deteriorating, I'll be long gone before the cancer ever did it."
I shuddered again at that, but again, quashed it before I could cause damage and reveal the pack secret. "But what if by some miracle you could be healed? You know, have the transplants and the only thing standing in your way to full health was the cancer? Would you take it then?" I was desperate, and I knew I sounded like it.
The gears in her head were turning -it was as though I could see them. She was silent for a few moments before she spoke, softly, quietly. "You know, five months ago, I would have said no, but now? Uh, I don't now. They've looked everywhere for a kidney and haven't found one that meets my requirements. They don't just grow on trees you know. They say my heart will start to fail in about seven months, and after that, game over."
I swallowed the fear that was rising. ""So if the chance came, you'd take it?"
Her light coloured eyes looked at me, and she nodded after a moment. ""Yeah, I think I would. Why do you ask?"
I gave her an easy smile, relishing in the fact that it was probably me that'd changed her mind, no one else. "Just curious, that's all." I reached over and laid my warmer hand over her cold ones. I could see the ink that covered her skin, and they were quite awesome, to be honest. The ones covering her wrists were amazing. It looked like leaves, and they were really detailed. Must have taken forever. I could see three butterflies on the shoulder closest to me as well as a rose design that disappeared beneath her top. I could also see the tattoo I'd seen in the truck on Saturday, plus the one behind her ear. That made five -she said she had six. So one was hidden. I grinned, running my fingers over her throbbing pulse just to reassure myself that it was there. It was. "See, knew you had ink on your shoulders." I teased.
She gave a teasing smile back. "I have it in many places." She replied with a sweet laugh, and I grinned at that. "Whereabouts exactly is this ink that I can't see then?"
"You don't get to know that, yet." There was that implied word again that told me I was slowly but surely breaking down her walls and the barriers I knew she'd put up over the years to protect her feelings and innermost thoughts. Oh, how I wished I could know what went on in that head of hers.
"So I'm here with Grams, but who exactly are you here with?" She asked, bringing me back to the present. I grinned widely, glancing up the beach towards the rest of the pack who were playing ball again. I wished I could introduce her to them, to the pack itself, but I couldn't, not yet. It wasn't safe, especially with everything that was going on right now. How could I even tell her without giving her a panic attack, landing her in hospital with that Cullen leech for who knows how long?
"Remember the pack of buddies I told you had the same tattoo as me? I'm with them, and some of their other half's." I explained, wishing she could be part of the group officially. She was an imprint. She belonged up there with every other imprint, and it sucked that she didn't know, yet.
She nodded, looking out to the waves and the endless ocean. "I've only ever had Carrie." She revealed, and I listened. "Met her when we were four. I was screaming. Nurses were trying to get an IV into me and I wouldn't let them. Dad, he always refused to hold me down. Didn't want me to become afraid of him, become angry or distant with him. I was begging for them to leave me alone, and then this little kid came from nowhere, giving me a hug and telling me everything would be alright," she whispered softly.
I was instantly respectful of the short haired girl who was like a spitfire and guarded Eleanora's every single move, making sure she didn't take a step without there being no danger whatsoever. "That was Carrie?"
She nodded. "Yeah. She was in the hospital, and had been since she was barely two. Rare form of leukaemia. She received treatment and has been in remission since she was just under six. She's never abandoned me and when I'm undergoing yet another procedure, she's always the first one there apart from Grams, and Dad if he's in town."
Carrie had leukaemia? No wonder they got on so well. They had an infinite amount to relate to each other with, and I knew from watching them talk that they were like sisters, just like the pack were like brothers to each other.
I was silent for a little while before I spoke, ideas about how to help already churning around in my head. "So Saturday then? For definite?" I clarified.
She nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to it." She replied and I gave a grin of my own. "Good, I am too."
(W*W)
Eleanora left not long afterwards, and I was running back to the guys in an instant, an idea already on the tip of my tongue, but how could I say it? I couldn't exactly come out with it.
Embry sat with Anna, the dark haired girl tucked into his arms. "You look as though you just won the lottery or something." He joked and I grinned. "I have. I got her to say yes to treatment if it somehow became available to her." I announced, and he held his hand out which I slapped. Anna smiled too. She was the newest member, and hopefully Eleanora would follow her. "What treatment does she need to live?" She asked softly.
I swallowed. Here it goes. "Kidney transplant, heart transplant, cancer treatment which has to start in less than a month or it won't work."
She inhaled sharply. "Oh," she whispered, the other guys listening in. Valerie, Calvin's imprint, who had as big a mouth as he did, sat up to attention immediately. "Which needs to come first?"
"Probably kidney then cancer." I replied and she nodded before sighing. "I have an idea. What if we organised like a fundraiser, and all of us imprints went to see if we were matches?" She suggested and Calvin looked at her with wide eyes. For someone who'd been a player beforehand, he sure did panic whenever she put herself in danger these days.
I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "I was going to ask that, but I didn't know how the guys would react. You know, it isn't exactly something small. Its major. You'd be giving up a part of yourself." I answered.
Sam nodded solemnly. "Yes, they would be. You know how it feels to see your imprint in pain and sick more than anyone of us, Jacob." He stated before looking at the two girls plus Emily. "I'm not pleased, but if this is something they want to do, who are we to stop them?"
Anna sat up beside me. "I'll do it," she whispered, holding a hand up before Embry could speak. She shook her head. "I remember seeing Jade go through it before she died," she added quietly, talking about the sister she rarely spoke about. Everyone was quiet for a moment before she nodded. "I want to do it."
I looked at Valerie and she nodded in agreement, and so did Em. "We'll both do it." The latter agreed, and then Calvin sighed. "We have some money tucked back, a good size. You tell us when this fundraiser is that you're gonna plan, and we'll both donate." He added and I looked at him with wide eyes. For being Sam's younger half brother by nine months, along with Michael who was on patrol, they couldn't have been more different in personalities.
"I can't ask you to donate all that though," I replied and he grinned. "I'm not going to college, Jake." He explained, rubbing a hand up and down Valerie's arm. "Allison saved and put it in an account for both Mike and I. It was for college, we both aren't going, so I'll use my half to keep your girl alive." He explained.
I nodded with a fierce nod of thanks and he sent one back. Sam nodded too. "I guess we'd better get to work then, hadn't we?"
