"The trees are so green," Jillian exclaimed, resting her aching body atop the soft pillowy grass.
She couldn't take her eyes off the vivid leaves hanging high above her head. It looked as if emeralds were hanging from every branch dancing below the sky that resembled a field of beautiful bluebells.
All around her was beauty that couldn't have possibly been hidden under her nose in Washington.
It all felt so alive, almost as if it were breathing the sweet clean air with her.
"Jillian, I'm so glad you made it here safely."
Her head snapped up at her name, "Who are you? And where are we?" She looked the woman over.
It was an older woman wearing all white and she seemed to shine like stars in the night sky. Her short hair was a sleek silver and her face held laugh lines from years of happiness.
"You've come home darling, and I've been waiting for you." the sweet woman replied smiling
Jillian rolled to her feet and held her large belly, "You still haven't answered my question. Who are you? And where am I?"
The woman approached her and held out a hand, "I'm your grandmother, and you're in our 'other' world."
"My grandmother?" Jillian held herself back, still unsure.
Her grandmother let her hand fall away, "Yes, your mother Anna is… was my daughter. I was very sad when she passed. I was hoping I would have met her here."
"I didn't know I had a grandmother…"
Her grandmother laughed, "Of course you do. There's only one way to bring life into the world," she eyed Jillian's growing belly, "As you well know."
"Alright, you've got me there. Still, what is this place? How did I end up here?"
"This is another world. A place its residents like to call the in-between. It is a place of waiting and growth."
feeling curious now Jillian stepped closer, "What are you waiting for?"
"To be reborn. This is where we go, to wait for loved ones, to contemplate our previous lives and to grow into someone better."
"Then I'm dead?" Her heart was beating frantically, her mind filled with images of her wolves and her unborn children.
Her grandmother rushed forward and took her hands, "Darling no. You're alive and well," She placed Jillian's hands on the quell of her children, "Feel them. They are alright. You saved them by pulling yourself here."
"Thank god. I thought the vampire had killed me… them."
"You used your gift tonight. You pulled yourself to this other world and out of danger."
"Pulled? Gift? What do you mean?"
"Our family is a line of powerful witches. Dating back to the day of creation, every woman in our family has borne strong witches."
The information intake flooded Jillian's mind, "I'm lost. Why didn't I know this until now?"
Her grandmother took her hand and began to lead her toward the tree line, "That's a long story. Let's have a seat under the trees and relax while I explain."
They sat under a beautiful tree along the forest edge and gazed out into the quiet field as a calm wind nuzzled their exposed skin.
"When your mother was twenty-three she met a man. A man that wasn't good enough for her, a man that went against everything we believe in. That man is your father."
Jillian listened intently. Her grandmother's voice drew her in.
"Your father knew all the right things to say. He was a regular casanova, but anyone could tell just by looking at him that he didn't love your mother. He just loved her beauty and her willingness to do anything for him. He corrupted your mother, closed her off from the family and friends. Then one night she ran away with him and I never heard from her again."
"She just left? Why?"
Her heavy sigh floated between them uncontested, "The night before she left I sat her down to try and talk, to convince her that he wasn't the one. I tried to explain to her that she would meet her soulmates when it was time. That she didn't need to settle for the first man to shower her with gifts and pretty words."
Jillian held up a hand, "Wait. You said 'she would meet her soulmates.'"
"Hmm. Yes, the witches in our family have almost always found multiple men to protect, love, and help them draw power from the world."
"That's normal for witches?"
She nodded, "Yes, I've come across four other families of witches and they all practiced polyamory. Those of them that didn't have found powerful soulmates that provided for them in every way multiple did for the rest. I don't know how it works but everyone was happy so no one questioned it."
"Wow. I thought that my wolves were an anomaly. They were all so surprised to all be mated to me."
"Wolves?"
"Yes, my mates are wolves."
"That's odd. Normally when a witch has taken another supernatural that's it. It's just the two of them."
"So wait, I am different? This isn't normal?"
Her grandmother turned and smiled, patting the tops of Jillian's hands, "No, we don't know that. Nothing is set in stone."
"So there are no rules?"
"No, never any rules, except the ones we create ourselves."
They stayed silent for a long while, so long the sun began to set.
Her grandmother stood and held out her hands, "It's getting late. You've got to leave now."
"Why? Why do I have to leave?" Jillian asked as she was heaved to her feet
"This is not a place for someone so alive, and growing life."
"Please tell me why my mother never told me about this. Why didn't she tell me I was a witch?"
"Your mother vowed never to practise magic again. She said your father was all she would ever need."
"Why have I been seeing things? Things, people, places I've never been?"
A look of awe passed over her grandmother for a split second, "That sounds like astral projection. You're sending your mind, your soul to another location and seeing things that are there."
"This is all so much. When can I come back? When can I see you again?"
Her grandmother smiled, "When it's your turn. Now focus, think of home. Think of your mates. Be vivid in detail and imagine going home. When you see something that calls to you, reach out and grab it."
Jillian did as she was told and closed her eyes to imagine her home tucked away in the forest, surrounded by trees. She pictured herself walking up the gravel drive, hearing the crunch of stones under her feet.
Walking up the wooden steps and onto the porch where the third bored creaked as she reached for the doorknob.
The smells hit her all at once. Blueberries, cinnamon, ocean breeze and the smell of oak wood burning in their fireplace.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the soft chair she after took naps in. It was vivid in her mind as reached her hand for it. All she wanted was to relax to the softness and curl up before a warm fire and let the world fall away.
That's when she felt the tugging throughout her body and then the falling. She was falling through the air, leaving the emerald leaves and bluebell sky far behind.
When she felt the soft chair under her tired and sore body she whispered a quiet, "Thank you."
The warmth of her home set in and so did the exhaustion.
….
"I smell her. He took her into the cave." Jared growled, pushing his body to go faster
The pack ran faster pushing to get to their mate and save her. Trees were blurring by them and their lungs burned.
Just as they came upon the entrance to the cave a roar of anger echoed through the forest.
With their rage and fear running through their wolves they charged through the cave until they came to the raging leach screaming, "Where did that fucking slut go?"
"Kill him. Don't let him get away this time." Sam ordered as he lunged
They did. They attacked from every side as the leach growled, "She's mine."
It attacked sloppily, swinging its arms in a blind rage trying to grasp one of them long enough to shatter their bones and kill them.
The leach grabbed hold of Embry just as he latched onto its left leg. The dirty leach started to squeeze and the cracks of Embry's bones were louder than gunshots within the depths of the cave.
Knowing his brother needed help, Paul dug his teeth into the vampire's ribs and chomped as hard as he could.
Jared searched the cave with his eyes, "Sam, I don't think she's here."
Sam was too far gone. His wolf demanded revenge and all he saw was red. Without pondering the consequences he tore at the Ieach's throat as Paul and Embry tore its other limbs.
Echoing through the cave were screams of pain and rage as the life drained from the damned leach as they continued to tear at its limbs.
When there was nothing left to rip apart they sat on their haunches and breathed.
"She's not here!"
"Where could he have taken her?"
"Jared, Paul, search the woods for Jillian. Embry gathers wood, we need to burn it before it reassembles."
Embry limped from the cave, Paul and Jared ran to start their search.
He gathered the pieces and pushed them to the front of the cave before gathering more wood with Embry. Sam shifted into his skin and took two rocks to start a small fire in the dried leaves.
Embry watched curled up whimpering under a tree as his bones started to heal.
"You need to shift back so your bones will heal properly."
He did as he was told and screamed when his body contorted back to two legs, "Fuck Sam. What are we going to do?"
Sam's resolve hardened, "We'll find her. We won't stop until we do."
"Then let's go. We need to find her before it gets dark."
"No. You need to go home and heal so you can help us find. Like this, you'll just slow us down."
Embry growled, "I can help! I won't just sit here while she's missing!"
"Go home, Embry. Heal and then come help us search."
The alpha order ran through the air with power and caused Embry to whimper, "Fine. I'll check the house then the beach. I should only need an hour."
"Go. I need to join Paul and Jared."
Embry nodded curtly and jogged away slowly as Sam shifted.
The clouds were growing dark and the smell of rain was hanging in the air making all the scents around him stronger. It took him an hour and several breaks before he made it back to the edge of the forest near their home.
The lights were off when he stepped onto the porch but shuffling sounded from inside. Nervously he took his first full breath with his semi healed ribs but he could only scent his mate and the fading smell of his brothers around him.
On edge and ready for whatever threat lay inside he jerked the door open. stepping into the dark he sniffed around but was overpowered by the smell of Jillian.
"Who's there?" he yelled as his body began to shake
A moan and more shuffling came from the front room as he slowly walked through their dark home. Prowling through the kitchen he stopped at the archway into the front room and flicked the switch for the lights.
All the air left his lungs, curled in the chair war their Jillian, sleeping.
He rushed to the chair ignoring the pain in his ribs, "Jillian, baby."
Her eyes opened slowly, "Embry?"