August's POV-
It didn't take me long to track down what house my aunt lived in. I followed Emerald's smoke scent easily and when I saw her eye sore of a bike parked outside one of the many houses, I knew I was at the right place. There was another smell though when I walked up to the front door. Older male and I could tell it was an Alpha and assumed Alpha Paul was inside too.
I stood outside and sat my duffel bag down at my feet. I was fixing to knock, but the door swung open and a tall man about my height was standing on the other side. He looked me up and down and then smiled at me before opening the door some more. He had bright blonde hair and shiny blue eyes and even though he was older then I was. He didn't have a single gray hair in sight. His years as an Alpha were obviously good to him.
"You must be Alpha August. Your Beta called me this morning and said you were headed this way. I hope my call didn't alarm you." He said and I could feel his hospitality and good nature flow from his stance.
I tried to match his friendly face and shook my head no.
"No it's my fault really. I haven't spoken to my aunt in some time now and wasn't even aware that she had been sick."
Alpha Paul gave me an understanding nod and then a flash of sadness went to his blue eyes.
"Yes, I'm afraid she's getting worse. It won't be long now." He said bitterly before opening the door all the way and stepping to the side.
I grabbed my bag off the ground and took a step in. A wave of Emerald's scent consumed me and I closed my eyes and selfishly took it in deeply. I decided to keep holding my bag and Alpha Paul closed the door behind me and started to walk into the main living area, so I followed.
When we came into the living room I immediately spotted her helmet on one of the large sofas and I cleared my throat after a minute to get his attention. He turned to look back at me and I scratched the back of my head slightly.
"Is Emerald here? I.. accidentally ran into her where she works and she didn't seem happy to see me. I should've called before just showing up like this."
He chuckled and shook his head.
"She's not here. Keith picked her up earlier, so there's no telling when she'll be back. I talked to her before she left and told her that you were just here to pay your respects and say goodbye. She understood." He said and turned to walk down a hallway that was next to some stairs that led to the second floor.
I furrowed my brows up at the name Keith and pushed the overprotective feelings I had deep down. He was most likely her mate. Of course she had already found her mate. She was gorgeous and I knew the moon goddess wouldn't make someone as beautiful as her to be alone. Zeb had been fully awake and paying attention and when Alpha Paul mentioned Keith he let out a growl of disapproval. I tried to find comfort in the fact that if she did have a mate then at least she would have someone here to take care of her afterwards.
I followed the Alpha down the hall and when we came to a room I could smell the sweet sickly scent and knew it was from my aunt's body. He opened the door and I stepped through. It was a large room and in the middle sat a large king sized bed with maroon comforters and pillows. Next to the bed sat a large leather recliner and IV poles and lines hung around the wooden bed frame that were connected to my aunt.
I moved closer to the bed and sat down in the recliner next to her and dropped my bag to the floor. Her skin was pale and almost grey looking and her hair was combed into two long braids like always. I reached up and held her hand for a minute and I could feel how low her pulse was. I wondered how many days and nights Emerald had sat here and watched her adoptive mother slowly get worse. I felt guilty for not calling as much lately and not coming to visit sooner.
"I'll give you two some privacy. You're more then welcome to stay here for as long as you want August. Emerald is a big girl and will get over it." He said the last part in an annoyed tone and it made me shoot him a look.
He nodded to me and then left after shutting the door closed behind him. I stayed looking down at my sick aunt and squeezed her hand to try and let her know someone was here with her. She stayed still and her chest went up and down at an even rhythm. After an hour of sitting with her I had to use the bathroom, so I stepped out of the room and tried to find my way around the house.
I went into the living room, but Alpha Paul must've left because I was alone.
I went up the stairs and when I did her ash scent got stronger and I knew that her bedroom was probably up here. I didn't mean to snoop, but when I opened one of the doors that I thought led to a bathroom I came into what smelled like her bedroom.
The walls were light grey and besides a bed and a dresser there was nothing else in the room. I looked around a minute and felt confused that she had so little things. Maybe this wasn't her room?
There weren't even pictures of her or any friends. I went to her bed and looked at some of the books that sat on the night stand. I wasn't trying to go through her things, but I did want to know more about her.
The books ranged from body shop stuff for bikes to a book with poems by Robert Frost to one I couldn't even read because it was in a different language. I sat the books back down and when I noticed some black fabric sticking out from under her pillow I tried to not get curious, but Zeb was edging me on to look.
I lifted the pillow up quickly and when I seen the familiar shirt I couldn't hold back the smile.
She had kept it and not only did she still have it, but she had it close to her at night. I put the pillow back and made sure to make it look just like it was before and took one last look around the almost empty room before leaving it. I went back down the stairs and into the kitchen and thankfully their was another side door that had a toilet and sink inside.
I thought about the books she had by her bed some more. They were the only thing in the room that gave any idea away about her. They were all random though to me and were just as different as the next. It didn't really tell me anything other then that I have no idea at all about the person she's grown up to be. I don't know why it upset me that I didn't know anything about her. I just felt responsible for her in a way and it's selfish of me, but I just want to try and talk to her.
When I was done I grabbed an apple from the kitchen counter and started eating it. I sniffed the air a minute and my eyebrow went up and I sniffed the apple. I looked around and followed the smell until I came up to another door. I opened it and it revealed a laundry room with a matching silver dryer and washer sitting side by side and a laundry basket that was empty.
I took a step closer and smelled the air again and then I opened the washer machine and could see there were still dirty clothes inside that hadn't been washed yet. I picked up the shirt that was on top and examined it closer. It was a yellow top with dark brown stains all over it and when I went to smell it again I scrunched my nose up and dropped it.
'Blood' Zeb said confirming my suspensions.
I stepped out of the laundry room and closed the door and finished eating my apple in the kitchen. The shirt was obviously Emerald's since I'm sure my aunt hadn't been up and around killing anything lately. My aunt assured me years ago that she had gotten her to stop hunting, but that obviously wasn't the case.
Her face flashed in my mind again and I couldn't help chuckling to myself as I took the last bite of my apple and tossed the core away. I always figured she'd have a wild streak from her past, but seeing her now riding on that death trap and hiding bloody clothes was more then I had anticipated.
She was definitely not a little girl anymore and I ran my hands through my silver hair when her tight little body flashed in my mind again. I scolded myself feeling disgusted. I knew she would look different and be older, but I didn't expect her to be..
She wasn't supposed to be this grown up and different. I've just been picturing this small little girl with tangled frizzy hair and bare feet all this time and now.. I don't think I can see her in that way again now. She wasn't supposed to be attractive or a.. woman.
A young woman. I on the other hand was much older then her and I knew there wouldn't be a mutual attraction between us because of my scar and my hair. I was thankful for that too and a little thankful that she was still mad at me. The visit would be cut shorter then I thought and I felt uncomfortable with myself for feeling so flustered after seeing her.
It was like I was frozen and I couldn't move or speak or even think. All I could do was look into those wild eyes of hers and look like an idiot. She seemed just as shocked as I was when seeing me and it made me feel guilty again for not at least calling to give her a heads up that I was coming. I didn't want her to feel like I was ambushing her because I wasn't.
I was just here to be with my aunt on her last days and make sure Emerald would be okay and then I would head back home. I don't know why I thought I could rekindle our friendship or try and at least get some closure from what happened. Emerald was grown up now and I was pretty much a stranger to her.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and made my way down the hallway and back into my aunt's room. I jumped when I saw her eyes were open and I quickly came to her side and sat in the recliner next to her.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked and took her hand into mine.
She turned her head and blinked her tired brown eyes at me. I watched a weary smile come to her lips and she tried to squeeze my hand back.
"August, you didn't have to come here. You should be home and getting ready for the blue moon." Her voice was low and she had to take in deep breaths to get her words out.
"Of course I had to come here. You're the only family I have left, why didn't you tell me you were sick?" I asked her.
She started to speak again, but then let out several crackly coughs from her chest and I leaned over and tried to help her sit up some, so she could breathe better.
She put her hand up to tell me she was okay and I sat back down in the recliner next to her.
"I didn't want you to worry, besides finding your mate is more important." She said to me and took in a few deep breathes before coughing again.
"Shh stop saying that. I've looked all over that area a hundred times now. Trust me if she was there I would've found her." I said trying to not sound so bitter about it.
She gave me a small smile and took my hand back in hers.
"Have you seen her?" She asked me still having the small smile on her pale lips.
I ran my free hand through my hair and looked back up to her awkwardly and nodded my head. She smiled bigger and let out a sigh.
"She's grown up a lot, but she's still the same wild child you found."
I didn't say anything back and just stayed looking at my sick aunt. She had her eyes closed and I thought for a minute she had fallen back asleep, but she squeezed my hand again to let me know she was still awake.
"She hasn't found her mate." She said as if I had asked.
I scoffed, but kept a smile on my face and she slowly opened her tired eyes to look at me.
"I'm here for you aunt Helen. She doesn't want to see me and she's still just a little girl in my eyes." I said seriously.
'Liar'
I ignored Zeb even though he hadn't spoken to me in a while, now was not the time. I kept my face the same when looking at my aunt. She let out a small chuckle and then closed her eyes again.
"If you say so nephew." Was the last thing she said before falling asleep again.
I stayed next to her still holding her hand and soon enough I leaned back into the leather chair and took in the heavy smoke scent that came off it. I closed my eyes and stayed listening to the sound of my aunts breathes before falling asleep too.