Phoenix opened her eyes and gasped. She was at the stream where Yvonne and she met all those years ago. And it was a beautiful day. She smiled.
Tightening her hands into fists, she tucked her elbows to her sides and jerked her wrists towards each other. Feeling the tug of the ribbons she couldn't see, she looked towards her left. Eevi's presence glowed brightly.
Now to the right. She tightened that hand again and followed the tug. Soft footed and against the breeze. The safest way to travel in the real or dream world.
"Let this be easy." she prayed under her breath. "Please."
As she walked images began to play in front of her. She stopped, startled. And watched her first meeting with Yvonne. From Yvonne's perspective. Feeling the frustration at not being able to find the right word. Focusing on that to stop the fear of an Alpha she hated claiming her. Phoenix eyes grew wide as she suddenly saw herself. So tiny and young. She watched that whole first encounter, frozen. Then it was over and another of Yvonne's memories began to play. Phoenix shook her head and started to walk forward, only to come to another stop and stare and a younger André pale and hurt and determined.
"Stop it, Phoenix," she muttered. Memories that played like movies haven't been a recorded phenomenon from any who've walked this path before. And the one time she'd done so, they hadn't been there. And yet Phoenix knew they were as much of a trap as anything. Because she wanted to stop and watch them. She wanted to badly.
She tightened her hand and followed the tug. And the memory came with her, staying in front of her. She smile grimly.
***
Yvonne cried and closed her eyes as the men took Lorenzo away. Leaving her bleeding on the floor. She used the last of her strength to call to André and this time she felt him hear her.
Shaking, Yvonne stepped back from that memory and pulled up the one where she found out she was going to be an aunt.
Yvonne hurried to André's office, worried. He had been holed up in there for hours. She pushed the door open without knocking. He sat with his head in his hands.
"André? What's wrong?"
"She's pregnant."
"Oh."
"She swears my true mate will understand. But what if she doesn't? That is, if she's even out there still."
"Remember what I told you about your soulmate? How she'd be spunky, smart, funny, strong? Able to take on the world with a smile, and win? She'll also be understanding and confident. And she'll love this baby as much as we will. She's still out there. I believe that. And now I also believe that she'll make a wonderful mother."
André finally looked up. "Thank you."
"You're going to be a dad!"
A slow smile started on his mouth. "I am."
Yvonne gasped. "I'm going to be an aunt!"
"Yes. That really did go without saying." He grinned at her.
Yvonne smiled as the memory faded. But feeling the one where she couldn't save Lorenzo building up again, she quickly reached for the one where Phoenix came to save her from the second Alpha and she and her brothers changed the law. As it ended she quickly started one where Lorenzo was born. The first time she held him. Then she was back fighting men she knew and didn't know, trying to keep them away from him. And failing.
Gasping she covered her face and the memory let her go.
She started her kidnapped memory next, watching all the way to when the men fell asleep and Phoenix entered saying...
"Hello, Yvonne. I've missed you as well, but this is a little bit too extreme, don't 'cha think?"
Yvonne shook her head. No that wasn't how it went. The words were wrong, different.
"Yvonne. Look away from the memory." Phoenix's voice sounded behind her.
She spun and was pulled into a hug.
"I'm so glad I found you." Those were words Phoenix never said to her. She looked down at a Phoenix she'd never seen. Dressed in a huge black sweater, leggings, a scarf, braids, a knitted wraparound headband, and socks.
Phoenix smiled. "I'm not a memory. I've come to take you back."
"What?"
"You're trapped in your mind. The silver and wolfsbane they used on you? It's locked you in here. I've come to lead you out."
Another memory started playing. Yvonne didn't pay it any attention, but it captured Phoenix's. "Is that Lorenzo's mother? Oh, she was beautiful. And so sad."
"Lorenzo." Yvonne felt tears fill her eyes. "Oh, Phoenix." She began to cry.
"I wonder if I can share my memories..." Phoenix mused. "Do you know how you're doing this? No. I don't suppose you do. Maybe if I just... No. How about? Arg! No. Ouch. Well maybe? Ahh! Yes! Yvonne stop crying and look."
Yvonne looked up and blinked. This wasn't her memory. She watched two of the men who took Lorenzo arguing in a forest and leaving a basket. She watched small hands open it. Lorenzo. The calling friends, packing a tiny house, burning it. How was she in the middle of the flames? Driving. Stopping to shop for baby items. A short loud friend. Looking for who the baby belonged to. The Pearls. A Belcourt.
The memories stopped.
Yvonne turned slowly back to sweater-clad Phoenix and smiled. "You saved him, didn't you? And you brought him home?"
Phoenix sent out her memories again. Stopping with Celeste curling her hair.
Yvonne started laughing. "Oh! I adore you. You now have a ring from three of the four Alpha blooded Belcourt's. You now only need to get one from Celeste and you'll have a full set."
"I don't know your pack rules exactly, but the rings are for non-packed members, right?"
And the memory picked up to a knock on the door. Yvonne's eyes widened as she watched her brother offer his hand. She let out a squeal and, too excited to watch further, flung herself at Phoenix in a tight hug.
"I told him his mate would be extraordinary! Phoenix! You're my sister now! You're a Bell Moon! Oh, Goddess! A Luna."
"Yes to all of that. But don't forget, a mother, as well."
Yvonne smiled. "And now you're here with me? How?"
"A spell. But rather then explain, let's catch you up on all you've missed."
Phoenix's memories of the last day and a half started from where Yvonne stopped watching. At the nine sleepers Yvonne closed her eyes in relief. They knew about the betrayers. Better they'd been dealt with. She opened them to find Phoenix watching her with sympathy. "I am glad I was the one who got to kill the wolf who hurt you. I mean if I had to kill someone, at least now I know he deserved it."
Yvonne nodded and tried to smile around her tears. "Celeste does owe you a ring. Or she would have."
"If I hadn't turned out to be her Luna?"
"I'm so excited, what happens next?"
Phoenix started her memories again. Yvonne let out a "aww" as Phoenix fell asleep in André's arms. And began to giggle helplessly at André's face the next morning. The interruption of 'do you believe in magic' had her groaning in sympathy for André before laughing at his pout. The letter from Eevi had her frowning. She held up her hand and the memories paused.
"You didn't do everything the letter told you to do, did you?" she growled.
"Do you mean did I tell him the risks? No, I didn't."
"Phoenix! He's your mate. You don't make those kinds of decisions alone anymore!"
"And yet I did."
"Phoenix!"
"Yvonne. I've been a rogue since I was thirteen. Other than Warren, I've not had to answer to anyone. And even Warren didn't get a say, he just got informed. I was doing this spell. Him being my mate was a huge inconvenience for it. Yet I took his hand. I risked you for him. Now I risk all for you. Telling him would have done no good. It would have just caused a fight. Which wasn't something I needed right before diving into your mind. I've mediated three times today. And it would have made him have to choose. And no matter what he chose, he would have hated himself. This way? I made the choice. The same choice I would have made no matter what he felt or said."
"You're a mate now, you can't do that."
"I will apologize for it. And I hope I never have to do anything like this again. But I don't regret it. You're a loved one. He never would have let me come for you. He wouldn't have been able to risk me. And it would have poisoned us."
"Oh, Phoenix."
"When we get out of this. And we will. We have too much to live for. I'm going to be out for about two days. I believe the exact time is: it's forty hours, Twelve minutes, and twenty nine seconds. Eevi, you'll see her in my memories in a minute. She'll be out for about the same amount of time. You'll be the opposite. You won't be tired. You'll be watching over us. It's why I'm dressed like this. So I stay warm and comfortable. On Eevi's table there are two sets of gloves. Make sure to put them on us. And if you notice either of our noses are cold, cover them with the scarf. And have a hot soup of some sort and, the tea you'll drink when you wake, make sure there is a good sized pot for us when we wake." Phoenix shook her head. "There is a blue fabric wrapped bundle on the table, Eevi will have jotted down step by step until after about two hours after we wake. Now do you want to see the rest?"
Yvonne nodded. And watched to the point of Phoenix drinking the potion. Felt her sorrow at André anguished look.
"Phoenix, I'm sorry."
"No worries. He's your big brother. You're supposed to protect him. Are you ready to go back?"
"Yes."
"Good." Phoenix held out her hand. They interlaced their fingers. Yvonne felt a sharp pull and more like herself.
"What just happened?"
"We're holding hands like this in the real world. Touch is a powerful thing."