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Seb Pov
"SEB! SEB! WAKE UP!" a frantic female voice shrilled. Seb bolted awake panting heavily. His hands instantly flew to his neck searching for the gaping hole the wolf surely tore from his throat. But he was only met with a smooth sweaty surface; no hole…no blood.
"Are you okay?" Seb snapped his eyes up and met the concerned face of Lily as she crouched over him. Confusion spread through his mind faster than a paper towel soaking up water. The moment in the forest with the wolf felt real, too real.
"What happened?" he asked more to himself than anything. Still rubbing his neck, seeking the wound he thought he had.
"I don"t know dude! You ran out the house like you were on fire! So your sister, Simon and I came looking for you. We split up and I found you here, on the side of the road shaking and growling" Lily had a look in her eye that was more than just concern but also fear. What was she not saying?
Seb tried to shake off the wave of dizziness as he painfully stood but his whole body ached. He could still feel the pressure of the wolf"s body pressing on his chest. Could still even feel its hot breath that fanned against his face seconds before it tried to rip his throat out.
"Were you having a seizure or something?" Lily asked still staring at him a bit wide eyed. He honestly didn"t know what happened to him. One minute he was going for a run and the next he was in the forest with a wolf trying to kill him. But it was more than that. The words the animal spoke to him was chilling. I want out. It had said. What does that mean?
"I-I uh just pa.s.sed out I guess… bad dream" Seb offered as an explanation. There wasn"t much else to say. He would have to figure out what the strange dream meant on his own.
"Bad dream?" Lily questioned skeptically "What was it about? I took a college psychology course last summer so I might be able to help" She said. Seb studied her for moment. Debating if he should tell her. After all who else would he tell? Lily does have an active imagination so she could be helpful. At least she wouldn"t look at him like he"s crazy. Maybe. Maybe not. After a few more moments of silence he decided to inform her. What could it hurt?
"I uh was in a forest. And then this huge black…. Bear…" He lied easily. Somehow telling her the full truth would make the whole situation stranger because she"d only just accused him of the very thing he believed tried to kill him.
"…Approached me. It was strange and felt so real. And then it spoke. The bear said it wanted out right before it attacked me" He explained summarizing the dream or rather nightmare. The more he replayed the scene, the more he realized there was something so familiar about the wolf. Its presence was frightening but also so known.
"Hmm" Lily said thoughtfully tapping her left temple and squinting her eyes as she mulled over his words. He started to already regret telling her. The girl barely takes anything seriously.
Seb started to walk back to the house to help loosen his stiff limbs.
"How did you feel in the dream?" Lily continued falling into step alongside him. The pace they walked was slow but it was beginning to help his sore muscles already.
"I don"t know" He started but stopped to think about it again "I guess when I first saw it I was afraid, but there was also something familiar about it. Like I already knew that wol-bear" Seb corrected but ended it there, already feeling a bit crazy himself for saying that out loud. Maybe he just had the dream because he was feeling anxious. Ana was missing and Jace was who knows where searching. Standing around always made him feel useless because he was a man of action. The more he thought it over the easier it became to convince himself it was all just some weird version of a panic attack.
"Well" Lily chimed knocking him from his thoughts. "I think maybe the bear was like your subconscious and it was trying to force you to accept something. You know like force its way out. I learned that if you repress something it can play out in your dreams in crazy ways" She ended rolling her eyes and head in a circle to imitate a crazy person.
Seb stared as she bounced down the street. Lily was a bit eccentric and completely over the top but, could she also be right? Stranger things have happened. He stayed silent while he considered what she said. Was he repressing something? The wolf said it wanted out but was that figuratively or literally. Of course it couldn"t be literally! What is he thinking! There isn"t a giant wolf inside him itching to break free. But even as the thought crossed his mind a cold chill swept his spine and a knot set in his stomach. Something definitely wasn"t right…
"Sebby!" a high pitched feminine voice that he would recognize anywhere shouted. Not a second later a small body hurtled into his. Marie wrapped her tiny arms around his midsection and squeezed with all her might. Seb smiled and gently hugged her back. Marie surprised him by pushing herself out of the embrace and punching him the stomach
"What the h.e.l.l is your problem?!" She yelled clearly furious at him when only a moment ago she was thrilled to see him. Seb held his stomach not because the hit hurt but because he was so shocked she did it.
"Uh this looks like a family matter. Later!" Lily broke in before dashing off as fast as her short stubby legs would take her. Seeing Marie so angry had Seb wishing for a moment he could run off too. He gazed down into the burning eyes of his little sister. Only she wasn"t so little anymore. She looked strong and fierce and that made him so proud he almost smiled
"Don"t smile! I"m seriously mad at you" she yelled hitting him again. This time his smile was full even though he was getting beat up by a girl half his size "Seb I get that you"re under a lot of stress with the Ana thing I mean we all are. But this whole running out stuff isn"t helping" her voice cracked a bit at the end and his heart sank.
Now he felt like a jerk for storming out and not confiding in his sister. It"s just that they have been through so much together and he knew it was his job to protect her not worry her with his problems.
"Your right and I"m sorry" He admitted. Making Marie upset was never his intention. From now on he vowed to stay involved and focused on his sister and finding Ana. "Please forgive me" he added giving her sad puppy eyes. Marie tried to hold a firm mean face but her lip was quivering, fighting a smile that threatened to take over. Seb turned up the antics by adding small whimpers too. That was all it took to push her over the edge and into a fit of laughter.
A few moments later their combined laughter died out as they strolled back to the house with Seb"s arm playfully wrapped around her shoulder. When they were only a few feet from the porch Marie suddenly spun out of his light grip. She jumped right in front of him, face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Oh my goodness! I almost forgot! I have to tell you about Ana"s mate" Marie said excitedly. Seb"s heart tightened in his chest at the mention of Ana"s mate. It was a subject he wanted to avoid all together if he could.
"Marie please, I don"t want to deal with that right now" He stated flatly while pushing past her to go inside the house. Jace was Ana"s mate and that was a fact. He knew the odds of her being his was a long shot but the amount of love he felt for her grew every day and he was helpless to stop it. But what he couldn"t deal with was hearing about it constantly.
Too bad Marie wasn"t going to let her brother walk away from her so easily again. Her small hand clasped onto his large wrist preventing him from taking another step towards the house. Seb sighed deeply, releasing the air slowly from his parted lips before he turned to her. The pained look on his face should have been enough to keep her from pushing this conversation but she only met him with determination shinning in her eyes.
"Look I know you don"t want to have this conversation, but trust me I"m not about to tell you something you"re expecting to hear." She said holding his gaze steady and firm. Seb was genuinely impressed by his little sister"s persistence. And with a clenched heart he gave the tiniest nod for her to go ahead with the news. Just wishing whatever she said didn"t make matters worse.
"Okay I"ll just say it. Ana has three mates!" she practically squealed, voice a bundle of excitement. Seb however only tilted his head in a slight confused way. Not quite understanding what she was really trying to tell him.
"Listen," Marie said firmly. She held both his forearms to make sure she had all his attention "Jace isn"t Ana"s only mate. For some reason she"s different and has three mates, of the three she gets to choose the one to complete her bond with" Marie ended with a huge smile on her face.
Seb"s once confused expression slowly changed to a bright and beaming one. It was as if someone turned on a light behind his eyes. All the tension in his heart just melted away.
"Ana has three mates…" he said slowly as if testing the words leaving his mouth. Marie nodded eagerly. "That means she isn"t destined just for Jace" He added with more happiness filling his voice. A smile so wide it covered his whole face spread out. Seb was overcome with so much joy words couldn"t describe. He scooped Marie into his arms and spun her around the way he used to when she was little. They both laughed in blissful glee as he continued to helicopter spin.
Before she got dizzy Seb placed her gently on her feet but the smile never left his face and the love spread its way through his heart. For the first time since Ana left he felt something besides guilt and uselessness.
"Do you think I"m one of the three?" he asked smile faltering slightly
"Yes! Of course you are! You and Ana have this connection that is just unbelievable and amazing. You belong together and if she doesn"t choose you… well she"d be a fool if you ask me" Marie"s encouragement made him feel good, but her words also raised new questions in his mind.
Like what if she doesn"t choose him? After all, she has three to choose from. He knew he hasn"t made it easy on Ana to see his true feelings. Every time he wanted to tell her how he really felt something prevented it. Almost as if forces were working against them being together. Yes this three mate thing takes off some pressure but it also adds others. And most importantly if he and Jace were two of the mates then who was the third?
"How do you know this? And who is her third mate?" Seb questioned his sister. Most of his earlier joy had now been replaced with trepidation.
"Simon told me. It"s the truth Seb, plus Ana knew about it too. I thought she would have told you but maybe she didn"t get the chance. As far as the other guy though, no clue" She answered honestly.
Marie wrapped her small arms around herself when a cool breeze brushed over them. It was nearly dark now and the temperature was steadily dropping. Seb had more questions but thought better of it. The most important thing was getting Ana back safely the rest would be figured out eventually.
"Thanks for being you" Seb said draping an arm over Marie"s shoulder and ushering her to the front door.
"I got your back Sebby, just like you"ve always had mine" She replied looking up and her hulking brother. Seb smiled warmly, this time because he felt lucky to have a sister as kind and supportive as Marie. Even if her tactics to get his attention are getting a little bit more aggressive, he knew she only wanted the best for him like he wanted for her.
~~~
They quietly entered the small old home of Cora and Zara. Lily was sitting in a plastic covered chair playing a game on her phone. Simon was engrossed in the book Helia had provided about the supernatural. When the door closed behind them he glanced up from reading, eyes going directly to Marie.
The two of them locked gazes as if in a world of their own. Seb could see now what Lily meant when she spoke of the attraction between his little sister and Simon. Judging from the slight blush of Marie"s cheeks and the sparkle in Simon"s eye, Lily was right.
Seb eventually had to clear his throat to break up the staring contest. "Any movement from Jace?" He cut in bringing the focus to him. Simon fl.u.s.tered a bit before setting his book on the repaired coffee table and walking towards Jace"s seemingly sleeping body on the far couch. They all stared at the unconscious witch as he took long steady breathes; chest rising and falling at an even rate.
"Nothing yet" Simon replied with a hint of worry in his tone. The witch has been in this astral projection for hours now. The worry for both him and Ana seemed to be taking a toll on everyone. With the room silent and each person stuck in thoughts they didn"t want to share, Seb"s mind drifted...
Images of Ana over the last two years bombarded him. From the first moment she opened those bright blue eyes she trapped him. He almost laughed out loud thinking of the memory that followed when she nearly choked him to death. So much had happened since then, yet it seemed to pa.s.s in a blur. All the time he spent with her training and watching her change into this fierce strong vampire with a sense of humanity, had also changed him.
After what Talon did to his family and the years of abuse he witnessed by vampires, he always thought they were just inhuman violent creatures. But not Ana. She was so human and natural that he forgot most of the time what she truly is. Seb tried to force himself day after day in Marcos"s h.e.l.l house not to get attached to her but it was always a lost cause. She stole his heart and it took him two years to realize it and too long to accept it.
A deep sigh tumbled from his lips. The next time he saw her he had to tell her how he felt. Hopefully it wasn"t too late. Seb didn"t think his heart could take the pain of not having her.
...…Mine...
A deep growl murmured somewhere from the depths of his mind. It startled him a bit but it didn"t feel foreign; instead the voice felt like it belonged. As if it was a part of him but at the same time it wasn"t. He shook it off. The attention needed to be on more sensible things. Such as what will they do if Jace didn"t wake up? He knew he had to form a backup plan because leaving Ana in hands of a merciless king wasn"t going to happen.
Suddenly Jace"s body twitched once, alerting everyone"s attention. They all rushed to his aide waiting for another sign. Jace"s body began to spasm rapidly out of control and sheen of sweat coated his forehead.
"What"s happening?!" Marie asked in a panicked voice. No one responded. None of them knew what was going on or what it meant.
His body continued to shake for a few more seconds before he bolted awake panting heavily. Jace"s fast movements caught them all off guard and everyone jumped back a step with a gasp; with the exception of Seb.
He instead latched onto Jace"s shoulders and tried to coach the witch into calming down and catching his breath. Jace"s pupils were still eerily wide and he was breathing as if there wasn"t any air in the room.
Cora appeared out of nowhere, easing her way through them to Jace. Cora had a plant or root in hand that was lit on fire and she began waving the smoke that it gave off in his face. The brown thick root burned quickly coating the room in an earthy scent. Jace inhaled the cloudy white smoke deeply and gradually began to relax.
"There, there, let your soul settle" Cora cooed gently while still waving the root under his nose. After a few minutes Jace returned to normal.
He stood up looking like a man with plan, glancing briefly at each one of them. A slow grin crept up the corner of his mouth…
"I found her" he announced "But there"s something we must do first…"
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#Tobecontinued....