Alright, guys. The chapter you've been waiting for is here! No, not the engagement. And no pregnancies. That other thing we're all worrying about. Anywho, I expect one maybe two chapters more. Don't forget to go vote! I NEED to know what you think about Cole. It is of dire importance. Anyway, I adore this chapter. Some of you won't agree with Dox and Jules, but I do. Don't worry, you'll understand.
Please Enjoy!
JulesPOV
Something was waking me up other than the crick in my neck.
Wincing, I moved around.
"Hello?"
I blinked myself awake. Ryell and I were passed out on the couch of the big Cullen house. I was lying back, my neck resting on the arm. Ryell's face was buried in my stomach, her arms wrapped around my thigh.
"Hello? Anyone home?"
Frowning, I recognized that voice. "Mom?"
Waking up even more, I managed to untangle myself from Ryell gently enough that she stayed asleep. I had to be careful of the boys as I rolled and landed on the floor. Bray was flat on his back, head on a pillow. Dox was on his stomach, a throw blanket wrapped around his arms and pillowed up. Both of them were snoring lightly.
Shaking my head, I picked my way around them until I was at the hallway/foyer. Mom was standing just inside the door looking lost.
"Mom? What are you doing here?"
Blowing out a relieved breath, she came forward. "It's really late and Jacob never came home. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."
I frowned. "He was supposed to call or text you. If I'd have known he hadn't, I would have. He's been here. Mara came back and needed his help with Uncle Walker." I looked over at the clock on the wall. It was really late. "I don't know if they're done or not."
She shook her head. "It's alright. I just didn't know where he was. I was worried."
Her words spoke of worry but her tone was that of someone talking to a complete stranger. Soft and strangely formal.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"When you were…the woman I knew…well, before I came along, you loved Dad. I mean, as his imprint you were the one who could choose whether or not to be with him. And you stayed with him because you loved him. I can understand why you'd feel the need to hang around here. But you really don't have to. It's like you've been reset in adulthood. You could just take off and start a new life. So, why stay? All of this has to be confusing for you."
After thinking about the question, she took a deep breath and crossed her arms. Then she walked into the dining room and sat down. "Before he came down here, your father told me that I'm the same woman in my heart and soul. Just not in my mind. Now, if that's true, that would mean that I was never the type of woman to abandon my children. And thinking about it now? If I had a child that I could remember giving birth to and raising, I could never, ever walk away from that child."
When I sat down next to her, she reached out to take my hand on the table.
"Jules, you and your brothers are my children. Every time I look at you, I feel this…maternal warmth, like I need to take care of you. Like I'm needed here. I can't just ignore that. There might be a very good chance that I'll never recover my memories, but I am more than willing to stay here to create new ones with you. And with Jacob."
I swallowed back my emotion. "Do you love him?"
She shook her head as if she were shrugging. "Logically, it's not possible to fall for someone in just a couple days. Or it shouldn't be. However, this might sound silly and overdramatic, but my heart knows him. Something very deep inside me knows him and loves him. He's been so good to me over these past few days that it's easy for me to see why I fell in love with him in the first place."
"It's not silly," I whispered. "Not at all. It's soulmates. I firmly believe that. With everything that I am, I believe you and Dad are meant to be together no matter what. The universe and Fate pulled some hefty strings to get you two together. I don't think either of those things would let something like memory loss separate you."
Smiling, she laughed a little. "Oh, you remind me of him. You might look like me, but you act and talk like him."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should. He's an amazing man."
I nodded in agreement.
"Ness?"
Mom turned to look at Dad in the doorway. "Hi."
He frowned. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. You just never came back up to the cabin. I got worried. It's late."
I gave him a look. "You were supposed to call her so she wouldn't worry."
His frown intensified as he scrubbed his face and looked at the clock in this room. "Damn. I didn't think it would take as long as it did." He looked back at Mom. "Ness, I'm so sorry. Jules is right. I should have called to let you know."
She shook her head. "Really, Jacob. Don't worry about it. Jules told me you were helping with Walker."
"Still, I should have called."
When Mom sighed, I patted her hand. "Just give up. Trust me. He's an imprinted wolf."
Giving my hand one last squeeze, she stood up and went to him. And took his hand hesitantly. "It's really okay. But you look exhausted. Why don't…why don't we go back up? You need some rest."
He looked down at her sadly. "If it's all the same, I'll just sleep on a couch here. They have extra rooms upstairs that you can stay in."
Now Mom got angry, that flash of fire that I was so used to. And it showed a familiarity with Dad. "I am not going to let you sleep on another couch."
"Ness-,"
She shook her head, her copper curls flying. "No, Jacob. Just…no. Come home. Let's get some sleep."
"Go," I urged softly.
Dad gave me a look that said I was being a traitor.
Oops.
He looked down at Mom. And shook his head in exasperation. "Okay. Alright. Let's go home."
My grin widened as I heard the door close behind them.
Mom was totally falling for Dad all over again. And this time, I got to see it happen.
JacobPOV
I sighed as we made it back to the house. Ness was right; I was bone deep tired.
Mara had had to go into some sort of trance to get into Walker's subconscious to try to find him inside his own head. My task had been to monitor them both and wake her up if I had a bad feeling. I'd been watching them so closely that I hadn't realized that hours had passed before Mara woke up on her own. She'd come back with the bad news that she hadn't found him. Apparently, the poison created layers upon layers of dreamscapes and hallucinations. She'd said that after a good sleep, she'd try again tomorrow. Or was it today now?
Rubbing my eyes, I shuffled toward the couch with the full intention of collapsing and falling into my own unconsciousness.
But there was a grip on my arm. "Oh, no you don't."
My tiny wife proceeded to tug me toward the bedroom.
"Ness-,"
"Don't 'Ness' me," she said. "For all the good you've been trying to do over the past few days, you deserve to sleep in your own bed."
I stopped walking, pulling her to a stop. She kept tugging but I wasn't moving.
"Not if it makes you uncomfortable," I said. "And I damn sure am not going to make you sleep on the couch. Or the kids' beds."
"Of course not. Which is why I'm over my nervousness."
"Since when?" I asked.
Clearly frustrated, she let out an angry breath and stopped pulling on my arm to face me. "Since I talked to our daughter."
I frowned. "You talked to Jules? About us?"
"When I answered her question, I guess I inadvertently answered my own. Which I didn't know I had."
"And what question is that?"
She gave me a look that involved a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. "That's for me to know."
Frowning, I followed her as she started walking. I was curious. "Well, what did she ask you?"
"Again, that's between me and Jules."
Reaching out, I took her hand and turned her to me. "Hey, we made a promise."
Her turn to frown. "What promise?"
"That we wouldn't keep secrets from each other."
Now she gave me her most patient gaze. "Jacob, I promise that I will tell you anything of dire importance." Then she frowned. "Even though right now I'm not real sure what that might be. But I can tell you that this was nothing more than girl talk."
"Girl talk?"
She nodded. "About feelings," she said dramatically.
I raised an eyebrow. "Feelings?"
She nodded again. "Yup." She gripped my hand and sobered up. "But seriously, I don't want you on the couch. I'm okay. You're exhausted and you need to sleep. Come downstairs with me."
Letting out a breath, I nodded. "Fine. But if you get nervous again at all, tell me and I'll come right back up here."
Turning around, she pulled me toward the stairs and shook her head. "Not gonna happen."
Her confidence confused me to the point that I let her drag me to our room. While she gathered her things and went into the bathroom, I sat down in the edge of the bed and took off my boots and shirt. I had no expectations for tonight to be any different than the night before. Planning to sleep on the couch again was a good bet.
Behind me, the bed dipped down as Ness climbed up onto the mattress.
I was so surprised to feel her hands on my shoulders that my torso spasmed.
"Ness-,"
"Shh." She sidled up behind me, her fingers kneading my muscles. "You know, I was nervous last night because I didn't want to look at how I feel too closely. I didn't…It's just hard to logically come to terms with having feelings for someone I don't know. But we're not human, which is even weirder to say. Anyway, we aren't, and I need to trust my body. I can't let go of this feeling and it's gnawing at me."
Even though her hands were magick, I turned and took them into mine. "Ness, I don't expect anything from you. Physically or emotionally."
Her eyes studied my face as she slipped a hand out of my grasp. She rubbed her fingers together before reaching out to touch my face. They traced my cheek, temple, and down to my jaw before coming up to trace my lips.
"I know," she said softly. "But I feel it anyway."
The kiss was feather-light, barely there. Just a brush, but my entire body sizzled.
Pulling back, Ness licked her lips and smiled. "Come on. Let's lie down. You can tell me what happened with Walker and Mara."
So we did. I laid down on my back. She went down beside me on her side and cradled her head in her hand. Shakily, she reached out to trace her fingers up and down my arm.
"So, tell me. What happened? Will she be able to help him?"
Lifting my other hand to my face to avoid cutting off contact with her, I scrubbed my face. "She thinks so but tonight was a bust. There are a lot of the levels to the subconscious apparently. She'll have to dig more after she gets some sleep. Waking him up will be the hard part. She said after she gets him awake, the poison will die down to something akin to a common illness, and she'll be able to heal him. His body will be able to fight. Maybe. He looks so weak, like he's dead already." The emotion at seeing Walker like that choked through.
Nessie's small fingers twined with mine comfortingly and I felt her forehead lean against my arm. "It'll all be okay."
Pushing the feelings back, I managed to say, "I lost Paul in that fight. I can't lose another brother."
Ness moved over more to rest her cheek on my shoulder. "Everything is happening the way it's supposed to. I firmly believe that."
Despite the sorrow, I smiled a little. "That's always been you. You've always seen the world that way."
She squeezed my fingers. "Good. Look, I don't want you to worry about me right now. I'm alive and well. Memory-less, but otherwise healthy. Go where you're needed. Right now, that's helping Mara with Walker."
I nodded. "Then we can ask her to look at you, see if she can help with your memory."
I practically felt the frown before I looked over and saw it. She was biting her lip and looking down at our clasped hands.
My heart skipped. "You don't want her to, do you?"
She lifted those eyes to mine. "I…I mean, I don't know. Don't you think it might be too much? I've already experienced so much and learned so much. It might be overwhelming. Maybe I'd be better off just doing what you said – creating more memories. Different memories." She went back up onto her elbow to stare down at me. "You're probably scared that I'm going to leave you and the kids. But I told Jules tonight that I'm not the kind of mother to abandon my children. I would never do that. As for you?" Lifting my hand, she pressed her cheek to the back of it and closed her eyes. "I won't leave you, either," she whispered. "You need me just as much as they do." Then she kissed my hand and put both of ours back onto the bed. "But, I will agree to have her at least take a look at me. She might know if it will be dangerous or not. If it is, I'll stay like this and we'll work through it. If she thinks she can help without damaging me further, then I'll let her try."
Without a conscious thought, I reached up to pull her down to me. The kiss wasn't demanding, just a quick thank-you.
Luckily for me, she returned it after a little gasp of surprise. Then she pulled back, smiling. "You're welcome." A moment later, she was cuddling back down, wrapping herself around my arm, her head on my shoulder. "Let's get some sleep. You need to be in working order yourself if you're going to help Walker."
I breathed out a sigh of relief into her hair as I turned my head. Just the mint and honey scent of her relaxed my muscles and soon, I was drifting off.
I had the weirdest dreams about myself and the kids. And I woke up just enough to realize that they weren't mine before my eyes closed with sleep again.
BrayPOV
The next morning, I woke up on the floor of the Cullen house to the sound of a baby gurgling happily.
Sitting up, I winced and tilted my head to the side until my neck popped and my spine cracked.
Across the coffee table, I saw Uncle Caden step into the doorway of the dining room with his granddaughter in his arms. Cordy had gotten bigger over the last couple weeks and was able to hold her head up and look around. Hunter had insisted her ears be pierced. That had gone over well with Will as his baby girl had screamed. Now that she was growing and Hunter was healthily alive, my best friend was all about his little girl. That paternal instinct was something we could all smell on both him and Cordy. If anybody messed with her, we all knew who they'd be answering to. Same with Hunter, even though Will's scent on her was different. I briefly wondered if I left a scent on Jules now that we'd…mated.
Right now, my goddaughter was gumming Caden's shirt as she looked around. When she saw me, she grinned and let out a happy little shriek.
"You sound like a ninety year old human," Caden said in his thick accent.
I stretched again in a different direction and something else popped. "I feel like one after sleeping on the floor."
Grinning, he shook his head. He'd gotten his sandy blond hair cut recently. It was much shorter than any of us were used to. It no longer flopped into his eyes or over his forehead. Strangely, it made him look younger. "Well, get up. I want to help Jacob with Walker and right now, I'm on baby duty."
Frowning, I managed to get my ass off the floor with help from the couch and coffee table and walked over to them. Cordy reached out for me and I took her. Man, that was the best feeling when a kid decided they wanted to be in your arms. It was knowing that they trusted you enough to take care of them even when they couldn't tell you that with words. Her little hands gripped my shirt, nails scraping my skin. It was about time for a nail trim.
"Where's everyone else?"
He shrugged. "Leah took Hunter shopping. Will is at the shop. And Gage is helping Tate with Leila."
"How is she?" I asked as I dodged a slobbery hand in my mouth.
Caden's eyes turned sad. "In mourning, of course. She and Henry were trying for a baby. And Rebecca and Tom don't want to see anyone but Colton or Leila right now. Not even Jacob. Or Rachel, who is also in mourning. It's just a bad situation all the way around. But at least all involved have support from the rest of us."
I nodded. "Definitely. If you hear anything, let me know. I want to help. Jules is busy with her mom and helping Piper deal with the mixed pack, so she's already spread a little thin."
My uncle smiled. "Of course." He put his hands in his pockets. "So I can tell you're adjusting to life as the mate of an alpha."
I shrugged. "I don't really know why I made a big deal out of it. It's no different than what I was doing before Jules and I got together. I guess I just made it more because now I can tell everyone I'm in love with her. Not that they didn't know that before. I didn't hide it well."
Still smiling, he reached to play with Cordy. "You're her male, Brayden. As dominant males, we walk a very fine line. You even more so than the rest of us. You want to show the world that she's your female and you can protect her. But there are times when she has to be the one to stand up to take the blow. It's not easy. But I think you're getting the hang of it." His eyes went distant. "Almost losing someone can put a lot of things in their proper perspective. I would know."
Feeling brave, I asked, "What happened?"
Surprisingly, he answered. "I almost lost Leah because I was too afraid to deal with my issues about Hunter's mother and brother. You were just a toddler but every time you stayed with us, you seemed to always want me. It bothered me because it reminded me of Damien. He and I were very close. Leah begged me to talk to someone, to try to help myself. I was wholly against it of course. But she'd had enough. She wanted a family, and I wasn't in the right mindset to give her one. So, she threatened to separate." He shook his head. "There was no way I'd survive losing her, even if we were only a few minutes' drive apart." This time, he shrugged. "I did what I had to. I talked to Carlisle. And then Mara helped when she wasn't with your father."
I frowned. "Mara?"
"She found that my wolf had altered my human memories of what had happened the night that they'd died. Let's just say that what actually happened is the reason I killed Caius of the Volturi."
Bouncing Cordy a little, I said, "I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "Don't be. Wherever she is, Alora is happy for me, that I moved on and found my true mate. She's happy that Hunter and I found each other. Without everything that happened, we wouldn't have this precious one," he said, nodding toward Cordy. "She wouldn't be growing up in a loving family with an adoring father."
I bounced her again and she grinned. I smiled. "Yeah. They did make one cute kid."
Uncle Caden laughed. "Yeah, they did. But hopefully another won't be on the way for a while. I'm still getting used to the idea of being a grandfather."
"Amen to that," Uncle Jake's voice said behind us.
We both turned to see him come down the stairs with Aunt Ness behind him. They were holding hands.
Once on the ground floor, he came at me for Cordy. He held his hands out. "Hey, there, cutie."
She gurgled, still grinning. Thankfully she was a happy kid.
I handed her over to her other grandfather. It was so weird to think of these two men, both of whom still looked to be in their twenties, as grandpas.
Uncle Jake rubbed his nose against hers before lifting her up and blowing a raspberry on her tummy.
Giggling, she patted her little hands on his head.
Smiling, I shook my head and went over to my aunt. "Hey, Aunt Ness. How's it going?"
Her smile was happy. "Hey, Bray. Mara says she's getting close to Walker. She said she can sense him. Edwa-…Dad's in there with her now to give Jacob a break."
"Still adjusting, huh?"
She shrugged. "A little."
"I think," Uncle Jake said as he came over with Cordy, "that it's time to re-meet your grandmother."
Aunt Ness rolled her eyes. "I can't believe that word can be associated with me."
Uncle Jake grinned. "Just hold her and you won't care."
As soon as she took Cordy, it was clear that he was right. She didn't give a damn.
"Hi, sweetheart," she said rocked back and forth.
Cordy wrapped her hands in Aunt Ness's long hair. And then rested her head on her shoulder.
"She is due for a nap," Uncle Caden said. "Will said she's been up since five this morning. And I fed her just before I came up here. I came so I could help but if Edward's in there-,"
Uncle Jake shook his head. "We have stuff to talk about anyway."
Uncle Caden looked at me. "Her bag's on the dining table."
We all nodded, said our take-cares, and then they were leaving.
"Is that my beautiful niece I hear grumbling?" Dox asked as he got off the floor where he'd been sleeping close to me.
He came over to us and Aunt Ness handed her over to her uncle.
"I need a nap, too," he pouted as he curled against his chest.
Aunt Ness frowned at him. "You literally just woke up."
He grinned before wincing. "I need a softer nap. In human form, the ground is not comfortable."
Shaking her head, he rolled her eyes. "Oh, go on. I think the girls are in Rosalie's room."
Dox went to get Cordy's diaper bag before heading upstairs.
Jules passed him. "Ryell is still asleep."
"Good. We're going down for a nap."
Jules frowned at him but then shook her head. "I'm not gonna ask."
"Wise of you," I said as she joined us.
"Hey, Mom."
"Morning, sweetie."
"How's everything going?"
She went through the shpiel about Uncle Walker and Mara.
Jules nodded. "That's good. I hope he wakes up soon. Ryell…she hides it well, but she's really not doing all that great."
Reaching out, I brought her into my arms. She came to rest her head on my chest.
"Is there anything we can do?" Aunt Ness asked.
Jules shook her head. "I think Dox is the only one who can really do anything for her right now."
I held her tighter. "Well at least she'll let someone be there for her."
We were all nodding when the front door opened. Ash and Cole came through with armfuls of paper bags with groceries in them. Jules and Aunt Ness rushed forward the help them out before they dropped something. Like all men, they didn't want to make multiple trips and had vowed to get everything inside in one go. I followed everyone into the kitchen.
"What is all this?" Jules asked.
"We're making breakfast," Cole answered. "We've got everything for waffles, biscuits and gravy, English muffins, bagels, bacon, sausage, cinnamon rolls, fruit."
Aunt Ness laughed as she helped unload everything. "Did you buy the whole store?"
Ash shrugged as he took two cartons of eggs out. "We're wolves, Mom. We eat a lot."
"I'm not," Cole said, "but I can still put away a good bit."
"And he can make some fantastic cinnamon rolls," Ash piped in.
She laughed again. "Okay, well, do you want any help?"
Ash shook his head. "Nope. It's always the women who cook in this house. Well, not today. It's gonna be us."
Holding her hands up in surrender, Aunt Ness backed away. "Alright, alright. It's your party. I'll trust you."
Jules snickered and looked over at me. "That's a first."
I laughed, too. Then sighed. I was one of the guys. "Okay, what can I do? You're making me feel useless."
"Hmmm," Cole said, looking over all the ingredients all over the kitchen. He narrowed his eyes at me. "You know how to make biscuits?"
"Actually, yes," I said going for one of the aprons. "Jules taught me." I winked at her over my shoulder.
"Thank God," Cole said. "Mine always turn out weird."
As Ash went into the ways that Cole could improve his biscuit-making, I made myself my own work station on the island. Then I grabbed all the ingredients and went to work.
I caught the loving look from Jules before she followed her mom out.
JulesPOV
Leaving the boys to do their thing, Mom and I went back into the living room.
"I'm sorry that I woke you up last night," Mom said as we sat down.
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you did. I took Ryell upstairs to sleep in a bed. But was everything okay with you and Dad?"
"Oh, yeah," she said, waving it away. "We're fine. I thought a lot about what you and I talked about before we left last night. My mind doesn't know him, but the rest of me does. I can't ignore that. I care for him. Already. He's done so much for me since I woke up. And I've watched him care for others. He's a really good man, your father. Just between us girls, I told him last night that more than I won't leave you and your brothers, I won't leave him either. He needs me just as much as you kids do. I know you're my kids. Without a doubt. I've seen the family photos. I know Jacob is my husband, and that we love each other very much."
"You love him," I said as a statement.
She nodded. "I do. You know, the night before last he slept on the couch. I was nervous to have these feelings that I knew I shouldn't be feeling after only a couple days of knowing him, and then having him in the bed with me. I didn't allow myself to accept it. But last night, after our talk, I did. By answering your question, I answered my own."
I wanted to ask what her question was, but she was already moving on to ask me something.
"You and I are pretty close, right? I mean, we have to be what with all the boys running around."
I nodded. "Yeah. We've always had that mother/daughter bond."
"Well, I'd like to talk to you about something that I think you would understand. Especially after last night."
"Okay," I said. I turned on the couch to face her. "What is it?"
She turned to face me but looked over her shoulder toward the kitchen. When she brought her gaze back to me, she lowered her voice. "Jacob didn't ask Mara to come back just for Walker. He wanted her to try to fix me."
"And you don't?" I asked as understanding as I could.
Sighing, she reached out to twirl one of my curls around her finger. "I do, and I don't. I'm scared. I've already woken up not knowing who I am. What if she goes into my head just to make an assessment and something goes wrong? What if I lose more than just my memories? What if I lose me, my tie to Jacob? That tie is what's kept me sane. From the first moment I woke up, he was there and protected me. And I don't want to lose my feelings for you and your brothers."
I took her hand. "It's okay. We'll talk to Mara. She's very understanding and patient. I understand how scared you are. I would be, too. We'll figure it out. And if you decide not to go through with anything, that's alright, too. If the boys don't understand, they'll deal with me. You're my momma, and we girls have to stick together. But I don't think you'll have to worry about them. You're their momma, too. All they've ever done is protect us. They're such momma's boys."
Mom squeezed my hand. "I'm so lucky to have you."
"You raised me to be sympathetic, Mom. All of us. Dad taught us strength, but you taught us how to be gentle. How to connect. I love you. You took care of me all these years. The least I can do is take care of you when you need me most."
Suddenly, she pulled me toward her so she could hug me.
"Oh." After a moment, I hugged her back. "Mom."
We stayed like that for a good few minutes until there was a throat clearing somewhere. Pulling apart, we saw that Grampa Edward was standing behind the couch.
"Grampa, what is it?"
He looked between us before saying, "Mara's found Walker."
"But?" I encouraged, sensing it.
"But he believes she's a hallucination. He won't listen to her. I think it's because he doesn't have an emotional attachment to her."
I swiped my face. "You mean Ryell."
He nodded.
"How will she help?"
"Whether he knows it or not, Walker is coming back to consciousness. He's more aware than he thinks. If Ryell starts talking to him and he hears her voice, it could help Mara get through to him."
Pulling myself together, I got up and went for the stairs. "Let me go get her. Mom? You wanna go get Dad? He'll want to know."
She nodded and went to go find him. I headed up the stairs to the room I left Ryell in. She was curled up against my brother's side while Cordy napped on his chest. I made a pouty face. They were so cute and it was easy to see the two of them older with a baby of their own. I could actually see them with a small pack of kids.
Even though I really wanted to let her sleep, I went around the bed to gently shake Ryell's shoulder. "Sweetie," I whispered. "I need you to get up."
She mumbled and rolled over, blinking sleepily. "Hmm?"
I said the only thing that could get her up fast. "Your dad needs you."
As I'd hoped, she woke up even more and stumbled out of bed. "What?"
"Mara's found your dad inside his head, but she's having a hard time convincing him to wake up. Grampa thinks you might be able to help."
She hurriedly pulled a shirt over her head. "Of course. Whatever I can do."
We rushed down to the second floor but quietly went into the room. Dad and Uncle Caden were already there. They separated enough to let Ryell get close to Mara. She swallowed hard when she looked down at her dad. Instead of the strong, proud man he'd been, he was shrunken and skeletal. Small in the bed. Aunt Christa's bed was nearby, her head close to his.
"What do I do?" Ryell whispered.
Automatically, Mara's arm moved until her hand was held out to Ryell. But I could tell Mara hadn't come out of her trance. She'd just heard Ryell's voice and reacted.
When Rye looked back at me, I nodded in encouragement.
Hesitantly, she took that hand. Mara gripped it so suddenly that Rye jumped.
"O-okay," she muttered even though nobody had said anything. Mara was talking to her.
We all went quiet as Ryell took her dad's hand and started to talk to him. Her voice choked and the tears started as she talked about Dox and how much she loved him. That he'd like how Dox was taking care of her. She talked about Mom and her memory loss. The fight. Her own mother. Haleigh. The loss of Henry and Uncle Paul.
She talked for what seemed like forever. Eventually, Dad pulled up a chair for her to sit.
"Dad," she whispered. "Daddy, please. It's really me. I'm not an illusion. You're stronger than this. Please, come back to me. I need you. Wren needs you. He's so scared, Dad. Please."
My own dad turned to me and spoke with a low voice. "Call Wren."
I hesitated. "But…Dad, he's so young. He shouldn't see this."
Sympathetically, he cupped my cheek. "It might be the only way. Wren is Walker's youngest child and only son. That could make all the difference."
I understood his reasoning, but I still didn't like it. I pulled out my phone anyway and called the house number. Bianca, Uncle Walker's second in command, answered.
I spoke to her, quickly telling her what was going on and asked if she'd bring Wren. I also told her to warn him about his father's appearance. No doubt it had gotten worse since the last time Wren had seen him.
Hanging up, I slipped my phone back into my pocket. "She said they'll be here in a few minutes."
The whole time we waited, Ryell talked to her dad until she was just whispering.
She needed to be in the know that her brother was coming. There was every chance that she wouldn't be okay with that. So far, she'd let him stay at a distance.
Pushing through the guys, I stepped up to her but didn't touch her. "Ryell, sweetie, we called Bianca. She's bringing Wren."
Ryell blinked up at me. "What?"
"My dad thought it would be a good idea for Wren to try, and I don't disagree. Wren is his only son and youngest kid. It could make a difference to hear the voice of his son. Are you okay with that? You're head of the household right now. You can say no."
"Jules," Dad hissed.
I shook my head. They wanted her to be a leader. This was her family, her decision.
She looked back to my dad before me. "He's my little brother."
Reaching out, I stroked her hair. "I know. It's a tough choice."
She looked back at the bed before squeezing her eyes closed. "He'd want to help. If they're on their way, he already knows what's happening. Bianca will have explained it to him. Let him come."
I nodded. "Okay. I'll go wait for them."
Before leaving, I kissed her cheek.
Dad followed me out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him. "What was that?" he demanded.
Stopping, I turned around. "You can't berate me for disobeying. I called when you told me to. You're mad because I made sure the final decision was hers. Dad, you can't keep telling her that she's a leader, expecting to make certain decisions, and then take away others from her. This is her family. You wouldn't let Uncle Walker make a decision for our family when either I or my brothers are around. And don't even lie and say you would. I know better."
We stared each other down for a good minute before he turned away with a shake of the head and clenched jaw. "Go wait for them," he said before going back into the room.
Taking a deep breath, I did as he said. Bray and Dox were on the floor playing with Cordy. They both looked up as I came into view heading for the foyer.
"Everything okay?" Bray asked.
I hesitated.
Dox frowned. "Ryell?"
"Physically? She's fine. But after today, she's really going to need you, Dox. Bianca's on the way over with Wren."
In the flash of a moment, Dox was up off the floor. "What? He's too young, Jules."
I held up my hand. "I know. That's why I left it up to Rye instead of Dad. She said that if he agreed to come, then he probably knows why. Bianca will have explained it, and I told her to warn him of Walker's appearance. We've done what we can."
Dox growled as he shoved his hand through his hair. "Dammit," he said in a low voice. "Alright, but I'll take him up."
"You sure?"
He nodded. "That kid is my family now, too."
Despite everything, I smiled. "Such a family man."
"Shut up," he grumbled as he flushed.
"Hey, Jules?"
I turned around. Cole was sticking his head through the kitchen door.
"Food's ready for the most part."
I nodded. "Okay. I'll send Dad and Uncle Caden down. That room's getting a little crowded. Wren and Dox should be in there with Ryell anyway. And Dox can help watch over Mara."
My brother nodded. "You got it."
Cole shrugged. "Whatever you say, boss lady."
Dox and I shared a smile as there was a knock on the door.
DoxPOV
I really hated this idea. Wren was too young to get involved in this shit. But of course, he wanted to help his dad. I couldn't really blame him. I would be doing the same thing.
I went to the door and opened it.
Wren was on the small side of twelve years old. Only three years younger than Rye. He had Uncle Walker's messy hair but it was the color of Aunt Christa's, a dark blonde. But those eyes were just like Ryell's, a sherry-hazel color. And right now, those eyes were scared but determined.
"Hey, man," I said, holding out my fist.
He knocked his little knuckles against mine. "Hey, Dox. Bianca said Jules called asking if I would be willing to help."
I nodded. "Yeah, my dad thought it would be a good idea. But are you sure? Your dad doesn't look too good."
Wren looked away and chewed his lip.
Bianca put her hands on his shoulders. "Wren, honey, you don't have to. Your father would understand."
After a moment, Wren shrugged out from under her hands. "He's still my dad. No matter what he looks like. I have to try to help him."
Knowing that look, I held my arm out, waiting for him to pass me. I gave Bianca a sympathetic look. I knew what determined boys were like. I was one of them.
When he passed me, I put my hand on his shoulder and walked with him. Under my hand, I felt him straighten his shoulders and lift his chin.
Jules hid a smile by pressing her lips tight together.
We eventually made it to the room. Wren stood in front of the closed door and took a deep breath. Then he turned to look up at me. "Will you stay with us?"
"Absolutely. Don't even have to ask."
His lips twitched in a small smile. "I'm glad my sister has you."
Turning him around, I crouched in front of him. "Wren, I'm four years older than you. It might not seem like much, but I've seen a lot, done a lot. You and Rye will be shifting soon and you're the kids of the pack leader, which is also something I know a little about. Ryell isn't the only one who has me. You do, too. If you ever need a brotherly figure to talk to, not that I think you see me that way, but if you do, you can come to me. Sometimes, sisters just don't understand. And if they don't, you definitely know the 'rents won't. If you ever need anything, anything at all, you have me, Wren. Whatever you need."
He didn't know what to do with that, or with the emotion. At first, he just looked everywhere but at me as his throat worked. But finally, he let his eyes tear up just before he flung himself at me, wrapping his arms around my neck. He buried his face in my shoulder.
Closing my eyes, I hugged him back. "You're a brave kid, Wren. And this won't be easy. It's okay to be scared. It's okay to cry when you see your dad. Nobody will judge you. And if they do, then they'll deal with me. Men have emotions, and it's okay to express them. I'll stay with you the whole time."
"Promise?" he sniffled.
"I promise."
He gave my neck one last squeeze before pulling back and scrubbing his face.
But I pulled his hands down. "It's okay. You don't have to hide."
He nodded, took a deep breath, and turned toward the door. I stood up behind him, my hand back on his shoulder.
"Ready?" I asked.
He nodded and reached out to open the door.
When we walked in, all the talking stopped. Dad and Uncle Caden turned to look at me before looking down to Wren.
Dad was about to say something, but I cut him off. "Jules told me to send you, Uncle Caden, and Grampa Edward downstairs. Breakfast is ready."
The three of them just blinked at me like they couldn't believe that either I or my sister had given them an order.
"I don't eat," Grampa Edward said. He and Grama Bella had been the only ones to come back from hunting.
I leveled a stare at him. "My sister thinks it's best that Ryell, Wren, and I are the only three in here. I agree with her. I can help Mara if she needs it."
The three of them now shared a look.
"I wasn't asking," I growled.
Was I angry? Yes, I was. It was Dad who'd told Jules to call Wren. And the two others had let him do it. Just because Wren was willing to help didn't mean that he needed to know him helping was an option to begin with.
Dad looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Are you giving me an order?"
I heard Wren swallow hard as he stepped back against me.
I wanted to do my own hard swallowing. Instead, I looked my dad straight in the eye. "Yes. I am. I want you out. All three of you. Now that I've imprinted on Ryell, her family is mine."
"Dox," Uncle Caden said, "we'd never hurt them."
"Why are you angry, son?" Dad asked.
I just dropped my eyes to the top of Wren's head. "When Wren helps to wake Uncle Walker up, the first thing the man should see is his family. Not you. This a personal, family moment. Not for people to gawk at. And Wren's asked me to stay with him and Ryell, which I promised I would."
Across the room, Ryell finally moved. Sniffling, she stood up and broke contact with Mara.
"I don't think you get to make that decision, Dox," Dad said angrily.
"He's right," Rye said as she came over to stand with me and Wren. Wren reached up to take her hand. I rested both of mine on his shoulders. "I just want Wren and Dox in here with me. You should go eat. I'm sure you're hungry after spending hours in here."
She was much more diplomatic than I was, but it worked. Dad gave me an angry look before he let Grampa Edward lead him out the door. Uncle Caden followed with a respectful nod.
I had a feeling I'd be getting a talk later. And I didn't care.
When the door finally closed, I let out a breath and let go of the anger. It didn't belong in this room.
Wren was staring in the direction of the bed. Mara's body blocked out from Walker's chest and up. But it was easy to see the frail body under the blankets. Wren was shaking under my hands.
Ryell crouched down and turned him to her. "Wren," she said, reaching up to brush his hair back. "I would say you don't have to do this, but I know you better than that. I have to warn you, Dad doesn't look like Dad. Okay?"
He nodded shakily. "What-what do I have to do?"
"Hold Mara's hand and just talk to him. You know how when you have your nightmares, sometimes you can't wake up?"
This time, he shuddered as he nodded.
"Well, that's what's happening to Dad. Except, he can't tell the difference between a dream and reality. You have to convince him that you aren't a hallucination. You're really there with him and he needs to come home, to wake up."
"What if I can't?" he whispered.
Ryell cupped her brother's face. "It won't be your fault. Nobody will blame you. Dad is strong, but sometimes, that strength just isn't enough. No matter what anybody does, it might just be too late. But we have to try, right? That's what Dad always says."
Wren nodded again.
Rye stood up and held Wren's hand. "Ready?"
Wren just started walking.
Ryell looked back at me with a sad smile. I nodded and went to get something for Wren to stand on.
As soon as he was close enough, Mara's hand reached out to Wren. She was still in the trance, and I wondered if that was good or bad. Obviously it wasn't that good since Walker still wasn't awake.
Wren held her hand and climbed up onto the stool I'd just set down. He was a strong kid even as he got a good look at his dad. He took a shaky breath before taking Walker's hand. The moment their skin touched, the heart monitor jumped.
Wren startled but kept hold of his dad's hand. "Hey, dad," he said in a small, shaky voice. "Rye said you wouldn't believe it's me. But it is. I know you're having a hard time, but I really need you to listen to Mara, okay? She's not lying. You're stuck in your head and I know what that's like. Remember my nightmares? You can't stop trying to get out, Daddy. You've gotta keep trying. That's what you always tell me when I'm training. You tell me to get up and try again."
I was standing at the perfect angle to see Mara go still and frown. Then I saw her arm flex as she gripped Wren's hand.
His eyes went to Aunt Christa before going back to Walker. "Mom is here. You probably want to hear her voice, too. But she's not awake."
Suddenly, he jumped and looked down at their hands. Frowning, he tried to tug his hand out of Walker's.
Ryell and I shared a look.
I stepped up to him and whispered, "Keep talking about your mom."
"She's okay," Wren went on. "Carlisle says she's healthy, just asleep. She's that way because she misses you. We all do." He paused and swallowed hard. "Dad, if you don't take a chance and trust Mara, you'll die. You're trapped in your head. Out here, you're dying. And if you die, so will Mom. We'll be alone. Haleigh is with Garrett so Ryell and I will be here alone. Momma can't live without you. And neither can we."
The room went silent when he stopped talking. We all held our breaths as we waited.
Mara suddenly jerked, her eyes blinking open. On the bed, Walker's body started shaking and jumping.
"Grampa," I whispered. "Stay outside for the moment."
As soon as I spoke, Uncle Walker started coughing weakly.
"Dad!" Wren shouted.
"Daddy!" Ryell ran around the bed to carefully hold his other hand that was covered in tubes and needles.
Mara hurriedly moved around Walker, her hands hovering over his body.
He was too weak to even talk, but I saw his throat work as he slowly opened his eyes. They were dull and sunken in, but at least they were open.
Ryell was crying as she reached up to brush his hair.
"He's not out of the woods yet," Mara said softly. "His immune system is too weak. A cold could kill him."
"Do you need us to leave?" Rye asked.
Mara shook her head. "No. I need your permission to use your energy to help strengthen him. You're his children, his blood."
Ryell looked at Wren. He nodded.
"Do it." She held her hand out to me and went around to take it. "Is this okay?"
Mara nodded. "It'll help. You're mates." Then she stopped talking and closed her eyes.
I watched the monitors. The oxygen levels were going up. Heart rate was getting stronger. Blood pressure was rising. It even looked like his body was starting to fill out the longer Mara stood over him. His eyes moved back and forth from Ryell to Wren as they held his hands.
Across the way, the door opened and Grampa slipped inside quietly. He came over to read the machines.
Then he went to Aunt Christa. A look of relief crossed his expression.
She was getting better, too.
I kissed Ryell's hand before letting her go to move toward Grampa. "Let's move her closer to Walker. It'll help."
Together, we unlocked the wheels and gathered all the machines she was attached to.
"Hey, Wren," I said, "climb up next to your dad."
He did as I asked as we maneuvered Aunt Christa's bed side by side with Uncle Walker's. Wren was the one who put their hands together.
"Dad?" Ryell said in a panic.
Her voice swung our attention.
There were tears falling down Uncle Walker's temples. He was too weak to do anything else.
"Oh, Daddy," Rye said, wiping them away before laying her head carefully on his chest. "We love you so much."
Mara stumbled back. "I've contained the infection and neutralized it. Once his immune system is working again, it will take care of the rest."
Wren hopped down from the beds and ran around to throw his arms around her waist. "Thank you for saving him."
At first, Mara was taken aback. But then she hugged him. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner."
Relief was thick in the room as the monitors sang happily and Uncle Walker was looking better by the second.
Ryell looked up at me over her parents and smiled through her tears. "Thank you," she mouthed.
And that kind of gratitude was the best "I love you" a man could ask for.
JulesPOV
Dad and I angrily ignored each other. Cole was amusing Cordy, dancing with her around the kitchen while Ash finished cooking. I could see my brother give his mate loving looks as he watched them.
Beside me, Bray tapped my thigh. When I looked at him, he nodded toward the doorway.
I got to my feet when I saw Dox walk through. "Dox?"
He smiled tiredly. "It worked. He's awake."
Emotion choking me, I ran over to him and threw my arms around his broad shoulders. "Thank God. Are Ryell and Wren okay?"
He hugged me tightly and nodded into my shoulder. "Wren's a little shaken now that the excitement has died down, but Ryell is with him. She'll take care of him. I figured I'd let them have some family time. Mara is resting in the recovery room. Mom's with her."
Pulling back, I cupped his face. "They wouldn't be as strong without you. They're glad you were there." I kissed his cheek.
He smiled before looking over my shoulder. The smile died and I assume it was because of Dad.
"Still mad at me?"
I turned and glared at him.
But it was Dox who talked. "It was a good idea. Wren being there tipped the scales. He knew what to say. And I know that Uncle Walker would want you to look after his kids. But, Dad, you should have talked to Ryell before having Jules call Bianca. The only reason she's not down here yelling at you herself is because she's upstairs helping her dad heal. Wren is a tough kid. He did what he had to. It was a good call. That isn't a dispute. What is in dispute is the fact that you think you can just make these decisions. Ryell knows her brother better than anyone. What if she would have said no? Would you have made Wren go in anyway? Ryell might be really young, but you are pushing her to start making decisions. This was a family decision. No matter what you may feel toward Uncle Walker and Aunt Christa, you are not immediate family. You don't know Ryell and Wren the way those two know each other. If this hadn't worked, Wren would be broken, thinking he failed in saving his dad. His last memory of his dad would be what he sees in that bed right now. And that would be on you, Dad. Nobody else but you. So I, as Ryell's mate, am telling you the next time you want to make a decision about her family, don't. You'd better make it a suggestion before any action takes place."
The kitchen went silent except for Cordy. Ash was holding a spoon and staring open-mouthed at his twin. Uncle Caden's eyebrows were up as he stared between Dox and Dad. Cole was studiously paying attention to Cordy. Bray pressed his lips together and looked down at his hands. I just stood proudly behind my brother.
Dad stared at him. Then looked at me. "You agree?"
I gave a nod. "I do. You're in charge of our family and our pack. Not theirs. I know that over the years, the lines have blurred. But I really think you overstepped this time. It should have been Ryell to make the decision to call Wren or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it worked. I really am, but it could have gone very differently. Just because it didn't doesn't mean you weren't in the wrong. Rather, it doesn't mean that we don't believe you weren't in the wrong."
Dad mulled it over. Eventually, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded. "Okay. I'll apologize to Ryell."
Ash dropped the spoon and it clattered on the tile. Uncle Caden's brows went up even more in surprise. Cole looked impressed.
I could sense Dox's surprise, but he didn't show it. He just nodded. "Good." He clapped his hands together. "Now, I'm starving. What's to eat around here?"
We all laughed.
As he went to see the buffet that Ash and Cole had made, Dad and I shared a look. After a moment, I smiled and nodded, letting him know that since Dox was cool now, so was I.
He came over to drape an arm around my shoulders and kiss the top of my head. "I'm proud of you," he whispered.
We were all sitting down with plates of food when the front door burst open.
"Jacob! Ryell!"
"In here," Dad called.
A moment later, Aunt Tricia was in the doorway of the kitchen breathing hard. Her eyes were wild. "I got…the text…from Dox," she breathed.
I smiled. "They're upstairs. Wren and Ryell are up there with them."
She was about to run off before turning back. She looked at Dox. "Thank you."
He looked startled. "For what?"
"Taking care of my niece and nephew."
He smiled and shrugged. "You're welcome."
She gave him one last smile before taking off again.
We all laughed a little and went back to eating. A few minutes later, the front door opened again.
Uncle Embry joined us in the kitchen. "I take it she's with them?"
Dad nodded. "Grab a plate."
He did and went to sit next to Cole. Leaning in, he rubbed noses with Cordy. "How ya doin', Cole?"
He shrugged. "Can't complain."
Uncle Embry nodded. "I hear ya." As he dug into his plate, he asked, "So what's been going on?"
Ash snorted. "How much time do you have?"
The fork paused on the way to Uncle Embry's mouth as he blinked. "How much do I need?"
At that, we all shared looks before falling into relieved fits of laughter.
YAY! I know everyone is happy now. And now all of you want to know how Bray is going to propose...well, so would I. I STILL haven't seen that yet. *sigh* Anyway, don't forget to vote and review or review and vote! Either way I need to know all the things! Love y'all! xoxoxo
