Notes | Inner Wolf | Alpha Order | 'Talking in Mind Link' | Snapshickles! 163 SUBBIES
Chapter Twenty-Eight | Like Mate, Like Home
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"She is so tiny."
"I know!"
"How can this little twerp cause such an uproar with the Volturi?"
The blonde breathed in slowly. "I find this ridiculous." She shook here head, "complete and utter waist of time." She heaved another impatient sigh and flicked the long blonde hair away form her eyes. "This stupid sea water air is going to ruin my hair!"
"Ruin? I highly doubt that Annette."
Annette growled. "Bite me Alexia."
"Sure," Alexia's lips curled back to reveal two straight rows of pearly white teeth. She snapped at the air.
"Both of you!" Aeries snapped.
Alexia and Annette flinched, cowering slightly.
Aeries heaved a small sigh and studied the girl lying on the cold sand. She sniffed the air. "Exactly like Jane said. Charred wood and fresh rain mixed with the heady scent of earth." Her nose wrinkled.
"Then what is that awful stench!" Annette hissed while stepping back. "Charred oak does not smell like that!"
"Wet dog." Alexia sniffed the air. "More like it. Some pooch is probably getting laid." She smirked eyes shimmering. "See, even a dog gets laid more than you."
"I'm serious. Bite me."Annette smirked.
Aeries smirked. "Wolves." Her eyes sparkled. "That is what our dear Jane chose to omit." It's been a while since I've had a wolf at my command.
"Wolves?"
Alexia frowned while staring at her baby sister. "What do you mean wolves?"
Childish! Aeries chose to stay quiet. Letting her sisters' imaginations get away from them. There were things they didn't know. Things they didn't need to know. Aeries frowned. Where her sisters really that . . . stupid? For a lack of a better word.
"Yeah!" Annette added. "Like wolf - Red Riding Hood? Or wolf - Teen Wolf?" Her eyes sparkled.
Alexia oohed. "I wouldn't mind some teen wolves." She licked her ruby colored lips.
"Stop being so childish!" Aeries hissed.
The elder two flinched once more.
"We are just having fun." Alexia murmured softly.
Aeries shook her head. "Did either of you ever listen to mother?" She walked closer to the brunette on the ground. She dropped to her haunches and carded her fingers through a few strands of corkscrew curls. "The stories about the wolfmen." Her voice was buttery soft as it whispered through the wind.
"You mean the legends of the men who turn into wolves?" Annette questions, brows furrowed in confusion. She was trying to concentrate - if only for the reason that she didn't want her sister's furry unleashed on her.
Aeries nodded. Her eyelids were lowered - a look of pure relaxation on her smooth features - as she studied the girl. "She seems to be surrounded by it." Her nose crinkled, "the stench."
"So this is what Jane was hinting at without saying anything." Alexia huffed. "How rude!" She shook her head, her thick blonde main swished back and forth. "Why didn't she give us this vital piece of information?"
Aeries smirked. "I do believe Aro's dear Jane is jealous." Her petal pink lips curled upward. Our very own little Pheorian without a hint in the world as to what she is truly capable of. My, my, my. Aeries hummed softly. They sure have let you stray far, haven't they. Aeries dark eyes glittered with something neither elder sister could fathom. Let's see exactly how far you have strayed. A big bad wolf is not the only creature that hunts for little red riding hood.
"Of what?" Annette's brows furrowed in confusion. Her voice was soft. Something was different. Both could feel the shift that had taken over their little sister.
Aeries shook her head. "Must you be so daft?" Her voice hardened.
"Yah!" The middle sister shrieked. She bit her lips moment later at the fear of cold eyes glaring at her. She should have known better, there was no need to rile her sister.
Aeries waved her off. "She's upset because Aro chose us and not his dear little Jane." Her eyes cocked to the side as she studied the girl more. A zing traveled through her body as she touched the smooth tanned skin. "My, my, my." An eerie chuckle rose from within. "She hasn't changed yet."
"Changed?" Alexia chose to venture out of her protective silence to question.
Aeries huffed softly. I should have done this myself. "She hasn't become full Pheorian yet."
"Are you sure?" Alexia pursed her lips as she stared down at the girl on the sand. "How do you know that?"
Aeries glared. "Are you questioning me?" Her shoulders squared.
"No!" Alexia cried out. "Just merely inquiring how you have so much knowledge about the Pheorians." Alexia swallowed. "We were not asked to kill the race the first time. So I was wanting to understand how you knew. That is all." Alexia hunched over, lowering her head. In many cultures, including the vampires, it was seen as a sign of respect to those of higher stature, or more power, over you.
Aeries breathed in while nodding. She didn't apologize. She never apologized. There was no need to when you weren't in the wrong. "I have killed them." Her eyes sparkled. "Jane was not always Aro's favorite." She glanced at her sisters. "Both of you seem to forget that." Her head tilted to the side as she continued to play with the girl's hair. "There was a group of them traveling through the temples of Bagan, Myanmar."
"Burma." Annette added.
Aeries nodded. "Yes." She smiled wistfully. "I remember that day." A tinkling laugh fell from her supple lips. "Their taste has always been interesting to me."
"Taste?" Alexia questioned softly. If her little sister was interesting something. Something that had kept her attention for this long, it wasn't good.
The youngest nodded. "Yes, its rich and sweet. It tastes nothing like the vermin that walk in the sun." Her head tilted, eyes dazed. "They dislike the venom that flows through us. It was the most peculiar thing to watch them as the venom took hold." She laughed softly. "You can actually hear the venom as it travels through their blood - it crackled, like embers in a dying fire." Aeries voice was petal soft. "Their skin turned ashen before beginning to peel off. Flaying really - burning alive." She smiled widely. "As if their own power had turned against them in its fight to save them."
Annette glanced at her sister, eyes wide and fearful. The blood lust their younger sister carried was terrifying. It was what had given them their name, their title, their power. But that much power, it always came with fear.
"What do we do?" Alexia asked, her eyes flitting around them in the waning sun. It was a public place - open and free. And if the girl was indeed surrounded by wolves, they would be looking for her.
Aeries' lips curled in disgust as she stood from the girl on the sandy ground. "We wait and watch." She glanced at her sisters before looking back at the girl. "I want to see how she fits into this pack of animals." She moved backwards - flitting for the briefest moment. "I want to know why she poses such a threat to our dear Aro."
The other two nodded.
"What about Jane?"
Aeries shrugged. "I will deal with her." Her eyes hardened for the briefest moment. "Let's go." Aeries waved her hand over the girl before the three disappeared.
. . .
"What do you mean she went for a walk?" Sam questioned. His brows furrowed.
Emily glared at the three idiots. "They were picking on her." Her hand tightened around the ladle. "Go find her."
"Go," Sam hissed. "Something is wrong."
"She was going for a walk on the beach." Emily supplied before watching as the three ran out of the house. She turned back to Sam. "Go with them - they are idiots."
Sam smirked softly. He pulled her in for a quick kiss before following the boys.
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Embry sniffed the air. "She seems close." His brows furrowed in confusion. "But her scent is muddled."
"Yeah!" Quil piped in. His nose scrunched as he breathed in deeply. "Its horrible . . . almost-" He stopped dead.
Leach.
The boys broke out in a run - Sam on their heels.
"Fuck!" Jacob hissed while refusing to breath through his nose. "She's covered in it!"
Sam dropped to his knees in front of her. "Loveless?" He whispered. He hunched forward. Sam shook his head. "Nicole?" He called out louder. A tremor coursed through his body as he reached out to touch the girl lying in the sand. Sam's brows furrowed. "She's so cold." His deep voice was thick with emotion. Sam's shoulders bunched around his neck as he pulled her to him.
"Is she breathing?" Embry whispered.
Sam frowned. "Barely. Her heart is beating too slow." His jaw tightened, eyes hardened over. Sam lifted her off of the ground, holding her closer as he moved towards the house. He needed to get her inside. "Go get Sue." His deep voice carried over the wind.
Embry and Jacob broke into a run without further need.
Quil frowned as he walked beside Sam. "She's going to be okay." He tried to comfort the older pack mate. "Your sister will be fine."
Sam nodded slowly and held her closer. I just got her. Paul just found her. We can't loose her.
. . .
Paul shook. Not her scent. Not her scent. Another tremor shook his body. Not her scent. Not her scent. Paul's jaw tightened as he fought off the phase. Now was not the time.
Jared whispered softly. "You need to fight it."
"I know that!" Paul snarled. The tremor that shook his body, vibrated through the flooring.
Jared flinched. "Just let Sue look her over."
Paul seethed quietly. "She doesn't smell right." Another tremor took over his body. "I can't." His teeth snapped together violently. Not her scent.
"It's fine." Jared soothed quietly. "Just listen to her."
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"Stop touching me!" Loveless hissed while swatting at Sue's hands. "I am perfectly fine."
Leah snorted. "Is that why the guys found you face down in the sand?"
"I was taking a nap!" Loveless growled out. "Just leave me the hell alone!" She didn't want them. She didn't want to be touched - not by them. Her body had betrayed her. What was happening? Who had been talking to her? Why were they trying to warn her? Warn her of what? Loveless' brows furrowed. "Leave me alone!" She snapped.
Sue huffed softly. "From what I have been able to tell, she is perfectly fine." She shook her head. "If you notice anything or you start to feel funny tell Paul immediately."
Loveless rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever." She huffed and shuffled down under her covers. Tell Paul! She rolled her eyes. Loveless was cold. She'd been cold since they'd found her on the beach. She couldn't get warm. Loveless nuzzled down under the blankets and wrapped her arms around her stomach. She'd always been cold. But this was different. This was a bo numbing cold, a cold that filled her with fear. Loveless didn't like.
"I'm going to send Paul in, okay?" Emily whispered against Loveless's forehead.
She nodded. Loveless refused to acknowledge the fact that she was choosing Paul over James and Vic. Over everyone. She was refusing to acknowledge that she wanted . . . no, needed . . . no, craved his touch and the safety he offered. Loveless swallowed hard. She was refusing.
.
Paul stood. "Well?"
"Really Paul?" Leah rolled her eyes. "You have wolf hearing. Did you not here what momma was saying?"
Sue frowned. "Leah-Ann Clearwater go wait in the car!"
"Momma!" Leah exclaimed.
Sue pointed towards the door. "Go." She shook her head and heaved a small sigh before turning back to Paul. "Nicole is perfectly fine. From what I could tell nothing is physically wrong." Sue smiled warmly. "She was most likely just exhausted, it has been a rough week for her."
Paul nodded. "Can I?"
Emily giggled softly. "I already told her you were going to be coming up."
"Thank you." Paul nodded and raced up the stairs. He paused at the edge of the bed. A whine lodged in the back of his throat as he looked down at her. She smelled wrong. She didn't smell like Loveless. She smelled wrong. Paul's face screwed up in contemplation. He wasn't sure what to do.
Loveless blinked innocently. "What do you want?"
"I -" Paul frowned, another whimper lodged in the back of his throat. "I can't." His eyes dazed over. His imprint smelled wrong. "You smell. . ." He breathed in roughly through his flared nose. He wasn't making sense. Paul knew that, but the smell overwhelmed his brain. The wolf was confused and fighting against every logical thought. She needed to smell like Mate. Like home.
She frowned softly as she stared up at the male towering over her bed. Something was wrong. She could feel the anxiety rising, and it wasn't her own. What's wrong with the way I smell?
"Forgive me." Paul murmured, just loud enough for her to hear.
Loveless froze as Paul pulled the blankets back and slid in behind her.
Paul groaned and yanked her against his chest. He buried his face against her neck and snuffled quietly. He pulled a leg over the lower half of her body - caging her in. Paul ran his fingers up and down her arm. He snuffled once more. She needed to smell like mate. Like home.
She laid perfectly still, caged in his arms. "What's wrong with my smell?" How the hell does he know what I smell like? That makes no . . . Her brows furrowed as her body relaxed. Warm. He was so warm.
"It's off." Paul mumbled against her neck. He nuzzled closer. He breathed in through his nose slowly. Paul purred in the back of his throat, she was beginning to smell better. "Can I just stay . . ." Paul trailed off while nuzzling against her neck.
Loveless bit her lower lip and nodded. She couldn't bring herslef to say it out loud. She scooted closer to the heat radiating from the hulking male behind her. A deep sigh fell from her lips. She was beginning to warm. "Why are you so hot?"
"Sleep baby." Paul whispered while pulling her closer. The tremors stopped as his wolf settled. She smelled like mate. Like home.
Okay?