Bran Cornick Chapter 34-Bran And Anna's POV, a mercy thompson series fanfic

Anna's Pov

The sun was coming up soon and my heart was filled with dread walking next to Charles on our way to Bran's. From the look on Charles' face he felt it too, if we felt it there was no doubt that Bran was certain. We had noticed Alex had been acting unlike herself the last couple days and had been watching her closely. She had been different since she had gotten the letters, something had scared her, really scared her. Bran had let us know that she had not been sleep through the night, dark bags were producing under her eyes. The smallest noises made her heart beat race and startle easy, more so at night when there were more dark corners to hide in. That was something I still caught myself doing time and again, something a person who had been through.

Then there was the over cleaning that Alex did when the nerves were getting to the best of her. That was quite a bit, but to the house as much as she did twice in one week was another indication that there was something wrong. It was my intention to focus on Alex now with the full moon over, but it felt as if it were too late now. Something in the air told us that there was a disruption in our lives and it was far from a welcome one. Bran was taking it rather well, tense as the man always seem to be though he did well to hide it. The closer we got to the house the more the certainty begin to set in, we all stopped in the driveway on alert. There was no heart beat in the house, that meant there was no one in the house, no Alex anywhere near us.

Charles went into the house to search it as Bran stood perfectly still his silently rage growing. My own concerns for Alex made it hard to be calm for myself let alone be able to share it with Bran. We heard Charles finish his search though he didn't say a word, didn't meet us back outside. Bran left me to chase after him when he strode into the house with a purpose only to find his son in the kitchen looking at a note on the table. My father in law froze in the doorway now to looking at the note as if it were going to do something, give us all the answers. Not able to wait any longer from watching over their shoulder went over the house on my own. Alex's scent was a few hours old, she had planned it well, the woman needed a little more credit, when she came home.

She would come home, Alex had not done so much work to win everyone over, learn her place in the pack just to leave. If anyone had seen her work any harder it was me, that was not something given up lightly. There was still a sinking feeling in my stomach that something was not right despite what I knew. Both men were seated at the table now neither touching the note and there was still too much nervous air for me to join them yet. Nothing happen while I busied myself making and serving hot chocolate for the three of us, then finally joined then at the table. Bran was fighting the beast inside him now, it was in the air, it was in the pack bond, it was in his body. Charles met my eyes aware what this could mean, if his father wasn't able to control the monster again.

Alex did much more than just about everyone gave her credit for, the woman could tame the most dangerous man this side of the world. She did it with much more ease than we thought she did, even Bran may have taken her for granted a bit. Time passed and Bran finally reached out taking the note reading it slowly and carefully. The words only infuriated the man more, his fists pounding the table making it creak under that pressured. With a growl that was barely human he allowed the note to fall to the table and then for Charles to read it then turn it to me. The note upset my husband as well as his father making that feeling in my stomach all the more intense. Words blended together on the first attempt to read it, part of me afraid of what it would say.

"Well we know where she is, that is a start."

There was as much confidence in my voice as could mustered not really believing it myself, the snarl that came from my father in law didn't sound like it had worked.

"I have the address in my records and can be there in a matter of hours." Charles offered.

It took Bran a few moments to look up, the struggle clear on his face.

"Okay thank you. Be careful son. Alex left for a reason, more than she says here." As he motioned to the note. "She wouldn't run unless she thought it was for the best, unless there was something to run from. Something that scares her."

There were a lot of emotions stirred up inside me about this situation, it was hard to sort them out. It was beyond stupid for Alex to go home by herself if she knew there was even a possibility that she was in danger. The part of me that identified with the past she wanted hidden and was proud of her for facing those who had hurt her. There was a part of me that wishes to have been able to do the same, but I was in a better place to. Alex is human, the rest of us are wolves and should have been the ones to deal with her problems, but she hadn't felt able to come to us. Then there was anger she had gone off on her own too, worry she wouldn't come back since she wasn't sure she would either. Heart break for not just Bran but for me, it had been great having a sister type family member close by to lose her would be unbearable.

Then worry for Charles, he was going into a situation blind and there was no telling if he was even going to the right place. He wouldn't leave a family member defenseless on their own not when he was alive and breathing. There was little planning before he left, just a few short words and details written down. That left me to care for Bran who was seriously fighting the beast hard for the control, my calm doing very little unfortunately. For hours Bran paced the kitchen floor, breathing heavily, looking increasingly more like a mad man as the minutes ticked on. The man was not pleased to be watched so closely by me, but the last thing any of us needed now is Bran having a lapse in judgement when we were working on the laws.

Neither of us ate anything our stomachs too unsettled to keep anything down, even if Bran could stop pacing. It was noon when Bran changed, he froze solid like a statue for over ten minutes the only change was his anger. The anger grew so strong it felt as if it were choking the air for the room, making it difficult to breath. Then he let out the most intimidating growl he ever used in my presence, his eyes no longer human and strode to his office. The door slammed in my face and unable to do anything else to help just sat in the hallway and hummed every song I could think of. It had worked before so it just might work again, Bran started a fire and settled down after the first few songs then made no noise.

It was dark again when Charles walked through the door and I don't think I could have been happier to see him.

"She's here, will be back after."

"After what?" I asked confused taking Charles jacket and closed the door.

"Alex had to take care of the loose ends. Where is he?"

I didn't understand anymore this time either. "In his office. At the fire place."

Charles opened the office door paused a moment, then his father motioned the two of us into his office when he heard the knock softly on the door, he had already heard everything. His back was to us as he still sat on the floor in front of the fire with crossed legs. There was no indication that he was going to turn away from it so his son sat down, myself not far away from him. It was a relief see that the majority of the power struggle was over and the human half was in control. Unable to stop myself took my husbands hand nudged his shoulder a little and looked up at him waiting to know what had happened. There was no way either were going to react well to the information so it was best to get it over with and calm down now before Alex got back.

"Alex was at her apartment, she was putting the last of her things in her car. I did a run through of the neighborhood and no one had noticed her appearance other than the woman she rent the apartment from. I don't believe the woman will say anything if approached, she was demanding of an explanation of who I was and was very protective."

"What are you not saying?"

My father in law was a smart man he knew his son was putting the other information first.

"We didn't talk. I can only say what I was able to pick up on my own. There was a strong smell of terror and anxiety, someone had vomited. In the apartment and in the trunk of the car were strong smell of blood and dead. The smell increased in the trunk as the trip back drew on, I left Alex to finish her work, to clean up, it should take about an hour."

The room fell silent all of them in their own thoughts for a considerable amount of time. We heard the car come into the driveway and it took some time for the car door close, but Alex didn't come in the house. When more time went by Bran stood up and walked out of the room past us without a glance or a word. We heard the front door open and were met again by silence, exchanging confused looks we both went to investigate. Halfway in the hallway we froze curious as to the strange interaction in front of us, the man stood at the front door and Alex on the other side just looking at each other. Neither moved, neither spoke, but there was a human involved and she had been through enough as she was. Not minding what they were doing I stepped forwards and acted, pulling Alex into the house, wrapping a blanket around her, and warmed her up with a hot chocolate. When Alex was warmed up Bran told us to leave with the promise to get answers tomorrow, again we both were uncertain but knew better than to argue.

Bran's POV

Alex was a mystery wrapped up in a temperament and an independent attitude that made her both breath of fresh air and a frustrating pain in the side. It was a pleasant blend but there were times the woman just drove me mad being too difficult when there was no need. There was something off about her lately, a lot had happened in her past that affected her but this was something different, something new. No one had any new complaints, neither Sage or Anna had told me anything else had happened with anyone in town. Yet there was something very upsetting to Alex she was no longer sleeping, always tossing, turning, and wandering the house. Dark circle under her eyes were making it obvious to not just me but to others now, and they were taking notice. The biggest indicator was how unsettled she has become over the matter of only days, any and every noise make her jump frightened and her heart race and at night it grows worse.

Charles and Anna had also picked up on things that were unlike Alex and were voicing their concerns. To my knowledge there was nothing wrong, Alex had consistently assured not just me but Anna as well there was no problem. As wolves we were able to tell that the woman was lying to us and that set in the frustration. Without even an indication of what was wrong there was no way for me to fix the situation, of all times the woman chooses to stay silent. This was a great concern of mine and grew as Alex's behavior continued to get increasingly intense. The pack was also my duty as well and tonight was the full moon which called for my attention for the time being. Before I left for the night Alex walked me to the door as usual and kissed me good-bye, there was an unease on her part but I assumed it to be being home alone.

All of the wolves had already changed to their wolf forms and had began their hunts when the feeling hit. A deep sadness that came in a force taking your breath away slamming into me enough to make me stumble. Charles stopped at my side waiting for me to join the hunt again, clever my son is, able to tell something was amiss. The sadness didn't leave just huddled in like the cold wind of a winter storm sink in deep to your bones. As a precaution the pack bonds were closed some to keep them unaware of whatever this was if it is at all possible. Charles and Anna knew they would have regardless if I had tried to keep it from them, family bond went deeper than pack bond. The rest of the night went on the pack unaware of the lingering issues and once changed back to human we all went to our homes.

Now in human form the pain was more intense, more than it had been as a wolf and it was allowing the beast to fight for control. He too was aware that something was wrong, he was furious that we had not done something sooner. The beast didn't understand human ways to know it would have done nothing, either way my control was a fragile thing. Anna and Charles walked on either side of me to the house that we soon realized was empty. It was dark which was normal with Alex still asleep, but when we got close enough there was no heartbeat. My son went ahead searching the house already in his ever focused work train of thought while Anna stayed by my side. The young woman was upset enough herself that she was of little help to lend me any of her, which was probably for the best as the beast didn't like her soothing him.

The beast had roared up claiming control for a few short moments when it was clear Alex left us. We had not taken it well with Leah's death and we had little feelings for her, this woman we loved and she had left. When Charles stopped in the kitchen not saying a word, not returning it drove me to find what my son had. There was nothing out of the ordinary of the kitchen, just a note on the table that had gotten his attention. Anna had only been a step behind me left to do her own search of the house but soon return a little more discouraged. It wasn't until Anna put a cup of hot chocolate into my hands that I was no longer in the doorway, but at the kitchen table staring at the note. Both my son and daughter in law watched closely all too aware of the fight for control that was going on internally, it had been the beast who had seated us at the table.

The note sat in front of us for some time not trusting the beast inside when the words would sink in. Either of us were beyond making a rational decision now but that had never stopped the beast before. Too much time had passed for the beast to sit and do nothing, he reached forward and took the paper from the table and read the words from my human eyes. Alex had been vague in her details, but she made it more than clear what the situation was and what her expected outcome to be. Anger from both the beast and myself ruptured furious that our mate still felt she couldn't come to us. That the damn woman was going to just walk into her death with just a 'sorry and wish it didn't have to be this way.' A human woman was trying to protect a bunch of werewolves that wouldn't even blink at whatever ridiculous plan she had made up. The beast was snarling a number of different suggestion on how to deal with the situation and for the first time in a long time I agreed readily with a lot of them.

In an attempt to take control the beast pushed forward a surge of energy demanding to immediately to track our mate down. He didn't care if she didn't want to come back he was going to bring her back and bring her back now. As much as that sounded like the best option for us it couldn't be, the woman had free will and that meant her choice to leave. He roared back at me that she left to face her death so if that meant locking her away then he would do it. We went back and forth like this for a long time, longer than I am proud to admit even after Charles had gone to bring her back. Anna was doing her best to help the way she knew had, which only pushed the beast on more. For a large part of Alex's absence there was neither one of us that had any real kind of control for very long. Just a back and forth of argument on the right course of action to take, the beast certain that he knew best.

We paced the kitchen floor fighting each other each moment chipping away at the determination I had. To let Charles deal with this on his own and to let this people have a fair say in anything thing that happens. We had not survived this long as we had by slaughtering people who angered us, but the idea was becoming more and more appealing. Those were just a few of the ideas my human side was coming up with for punishment, what the beast was planning was too terrible to describe. Time registered very little to me, but it did come to my notice that Anna attempted to eat at one point. It didn't sit well with her and the plate sat in the middle of the table, not able to be any less worried to spare any peace though she tried. The beast hated that and continued to let her know that, she continued to work with him on it.

Fear. Intense fear, stronger than I had ever felt it before. We had felt it before. We had been alive for a long time, seen a lot of terrible things, and witnessed a lot of terrible things. The berserker inside, he lived off fear, took pleasure in it, pleasure in drawing it out as long as possible. This fear was the worse of all those memories. There was no pleasure in this fear it had the opposite affect, this one hit me as if it were my own fear. My body frozen by the force of it needing a moment to adjust to this unusual emotion. Then it hit me again it wasn't my fear it was Alex's and that made my body move back into action. The monster inside of me was roaring to life he was taking over, there was no fighting it now. My last action before he took over was locking myself in my office to keep Anna safe from him, from me.

The fear was still there but now there was pain. We could feel her pain because she hadn't been able to control her side of the bond yet. A small blessing, if it could go both ways and the monster was absolutely certain that it did. He sent a burst of energy through the bond and I feared he may have broken it. Though he had control I was still able to see what was going on and try to get back my control. Anna bless her was humming on the other side of the office door which was slowly chipping away at him. Inside he snarled at me not ready to give back control, insisting quite strongly I was not capable to help Alex. The burst of energy was over but still he kept a steady stream of that energy refusing to hear my warnings.

Anna kept humming and I kept fighting for control when it finally happened. The berserker roared furious with me that he had lost his grip of the control. He was not convinced he had done enough, that Alex still needed his help. Our Help. I corrected him which he loudly disagreed but with each passing moment my grip on control was getting strong, tucking him back down deep where he was meant to be. For just a moment got to my feet and allowed myself to settle back into my body, to feel steady again. Then sit in front of the fire place staring into the growing newly lit flames. Anna still hummed even as time passed, it helped to grasps the last frayed pieces of control.

It was still a matter of hours before Charles and Alex came home giving me a lot of time to think, to search. The burst of energy had not damaged our bond nor had the constant stream that had come after it. Somehow it had not affected it at all and that made me all the more curious. There were so many questions, so many that Alex had to answer for, the snarl from deep down told me it wasn't just me. Unable to do anything else I inspected our bond, every inch of it to be certain the beast had not done something. If he had we would be at great odd, but there was nothing, not even a scratch or burn. Alex was alive but too dazed to realize my nosing around and for the moment that was okay with me. She was in pain, just a hint of scared, very anxious, nervous, and a little sick to her stomach, but oblivious to the bond and what had happened.

Tension filled my body when the front door opened but was slightly disappointed to only catch my son's scent. Regardless I stood unlocked the door and took my place back in front of the fire place. Both the beast and I relaxed just the slightest hearing my son assure Anna he had found Alex. The next moment is was gone at the rest of the short conversation, my son had something so say to me. He had something to say, either he didn't want to say it, I wouldn't want to hear it, or quite possibly both. Charles knock softly on the door before he opened the door and paused a moment. I motioned the two in my back to them, still sat on the floor in front of the fire with crossed legs. With no indication to them that I was going to turn away from it they sat down. Charles briefing me and Anna on the situation that had occurred. The majority of the power struggle was over and my human half was in control but the monster came crawling back up to hear too.

"What are you not saying?"

My son was putting the other information first trying to ease me into it it was appreciated but unnecessary.

The room fell silent all in their own thoughts for a considerable amount of time it truly was a lot to take in. We heard the car come into the driveway and it took some time for the car door to open and close, then Alex didn't come in the house. Time stretched on before I stood up and walked out of the room past us without a glance or a word. She was here, I could hear her heart beat, her blood pumping through her body, she truly was safe. Then anger set in not just from myself but from the Monster, but from the Berserker inside. Anger that she didn't come to us, anger that she didn't trust us enough, anger that she didn't think that we could protect her. The front door was open and both Alex and I just stood there looking at each other. Neither of us moved, neither of us spoke, but our bond was doing all the talk, emotions running intensely through them.

The moment, the haze we were in broke when Anna stepped between us pulling Alex into the house wrapping a blanket around her. I watched Anna fuss over Alex to warm her up, a hot chocolate, and even a second blanket. When Alex was warm enough both Charles and Anna were asked to leave promising they could come in the morning. There was still a thick layer of anger in me but seeing Alex so tired, so weak, so fragile I couldn't bring myself to talk about it tonight. Perhaps it was best for me to wait for question tomorrow to and that thought allowed Alex to slip to sleep.

A/N: Hey guys sorry it has been so long. Life has just gone crazy and then writer's block. AHHHHHH. This chapter is longer than usual hope that make it a little bit better. The next few chapters should come up soon. Had a visit from a muse and been able to write. Thank you to all of you who have stuck by me. Thank you to those who have just joined. Please R&R if you can would love to hear your thoughts.