***Charlotte's Point Of View***
I was starting to worry about Raelle. She would normally call every other day to check in. This was going on the third day! That was the agreement when she had decided that she had to go to college in a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KINGDOM! It wasn't like her not to check it. But I knew that she was dealing with exams and was probably studying in her spare time.
My eyes wander over to The Viewing Glass next to the stove. Hoping that Raelle's face would just appear on it already so that I could stop worrying, her not checking in was unsettling and frankly was pushing my emotions to the edge.
Nala my wolf stirs to the surface. She was no help in trying to calm me down. She was just as worried about our pup as I was. Nala begins pacing back and forth in my mind. She was restless and it didn't help my own anxiety. It only amplified it.
I let out a c lipped sigh. I knew that if I called Raelle, she would just accuse me of smothering her and then it would cause an argument. I didn't want to argue with her so close to her coming home. I let out another sigh.
The Viewing Glass shimmers and my heart jumps. I scramble over to it at Raelle's face appears. In instant my heart broke, and a pit formed in my stomach. Raelle looked unusually pale and I didn't miss the swollen and cracked bottom lip. Or the bruise that was forming on the right side of her face. Raelle wasn't smiling and it looked like she was shivering. Nala lets out a deep throaty growl.
'Something's Wrong!' I lean closer to The Viewing Glass to get a better look of Raelle. She had extremely dark circles under her eyes, and they were red and blood shot like she had been crying. My jaw sets and I roll my shoulders trying to stay in control of Nala. Something was wrong. Raelle wasn't a Cryer. Not even when she was little.
Her vibrant scarlet and white curls were matted down against her scalp and clothes. A sudden sharp pain erupts in my chest. But it was Nala's Pain... the pain from seeing her pup in this shape. She wanted out...she wanted vengeance! She thought that someone had attacked Raelle.
I inhale a deep breath trying to remain calm.
"Raelle, honey what's wrong?" Raelle blinks and stares at me. She forces a smile and shakes her head slowly almost as if it hurt her to move.
"Nothing! I just wanted to let you know that I was done with exams and that I'll be home sooner than I thought." Her smile falters and she winces in pain. My stomach was in knots and all I wanted to do was open a portal and go to her.
"Rae, sweethear-" Raelle shakes her head again. Concern swells in my chest.
"I'm fine. I'll see you soon." Raelle's face disappears from The Viewing Glass. I let out a frustrated growl and smash The Viewing Glass under my fist.
My fighting instincts were taking over and everything inside of me wanted to turn. Something was wrong with my baby, and I KNEW it!
"ISAAC!" The only thing that I could think of doing was yell for my husband. I could have just mind-linked him but there was so much running through my mind. I couldn't let it crash down into his mind too.
I could hear his heavy footsteps barreling through the house. Isaac lets out a low warning growl as he enters the kitchen. Nostrils flaring and his eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.
I arch an eyebrow at him curiously. I understood that most Alphas were possessive and overprotective but by The Goddess I swear that my husband was the worst of them all.
Isaac was Native American, and his beautiful brown-bronze skin tone gave him away. His hair is thick, down to the bottom of his shoulders and a beautiful midnight-blue color. Most days he wore his hair back in a braid. He was a large man. Most Alphas were. He is very broad shouldered and muscular.
Nala purrs as I stare at my husband, and I shake my head at her. Nala was all hormones when it came to him. I couldn't help but chuckle a little as his large frame relaxes as he turns his amber colored eyes toward me and frowns. I watch half amused as his eyes shift to a deep brown letting me know that Ace was present and was clearly annoyed with me as well.
Isaac straightens standing his towering six-four. He growls in frustration and curses in Native American.
"Honestly Char! Don't yell out like that if there isn't any danger!" I cross my arms and arch an eyebrow at him. He was giving me attitude and he didn't even know what was going on yet.
"Raelle just called me. It looked like she had either been in a fight, or someone may have attacked her." Nala lets out a helpless whimper. But I couldn't comfort her right now. Isaac growls again. But this time he was angry.
"Are you sure?" I let out a clipped sigh and drop my arms.
"I don't know. She looked like she had been crying. When I tried to ask her about it..She shut me down and hung up. But her lip was busted, and I saw a bruise."
Isaac tenses as Ace pushes forward letting out a low snarl. Even he knew that Raelle didn't cry...
******Raelle's Point Of View******
Stepping through the other side of my portal, I let out a relieved sigh. The house was completely dark. I stood there in the living room listening carefully. There weren't any sounds coming from anywhere. Which meant that no one was home. I press down on the blue pearl on my portal bracelet. Closing the portal. I drop the duffel bag onto the floor.
My whole body was screaming at me. I was barely getting around; I hadn't stopped moving since I got away from him. But I knew that I wasn't safe where I was, and I knew that he wouldn't be able to track me so easily if I was here at home. I had to get as far away from him as possible!
With no one being home, it meant that Mom and Dad were doing the pack run. It was a good thing. I couldn't face my family right now. They would be asking to many questions. Questions that I wouldn't be able to answer.
I inhale a shaky breath as pain surges through my body again. I wince with every step that I took toward the stairs. I grind my teeth together. With each step the weight on my legs became heavier. My body felt like it was going to give out at any moment.
The growing urge to puking was becoming over whelming. I brace myelf on the wall using it for support as I make my way to the bathroom. I had to wash away the blood and dirt before my injuries caused infections. I wrap my arm around the bottom of my ribs applying pressure so that it eased the pain a little. I knew that some of them were broken.
I cry out in pain as I fall against the bathroom door. With a trembling hand I reach out and turn the doorknob slowly. The door opens and I stumble in. Nearly collapsing onto the floor. I gag and force the puke down. I couldn't afford to get weaker. I had to get this done.
I stumble over to the tub and my knees hit the floor. I manage to plug the bathtub and pour in the herbs that I left there before leaving home. I groan and turn on the hot water. The bleeding from my wounds had stopped so the hot water shouldn't affect them and make them bleed again.
Struggling out of my clothes biting the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out again. I choke out a sob as I climb into the tub. Once submerged in the to hot water I felt my body begin to relax. The warmth seeping into my bones.
It and the herbs helped to dull the pain. I could barely lift my head up. My body was fighting to keep moving and adrenaline still coursed through me. Flashes of the last three days fill my mind causing bile to rise up in my throat. My eyes began to burn as new tears threatened to drown me.
I force my head up to examine the damage that was done to me, and I gasp. There wasn't a part of my body that was still the ivory color. My body was almost completely black and blue, and the claw marks weren't that deep but the cuts where the black diamond blade had pierced my skin were pretty deep.
I lightly touch my throat..I knew that his handprints were bruised there. There was a tightening my chest and it was becoming harder to catch my breath. My heart was beating so hard that I could hear it in my ears. A large lump forms in my throat as I choke out another sob. But this time there was no stopping the tears as I sobbed so hard that my whole body shook.
I let out a strangled scream as white-hot pain blossoms on my collarbone and travels down through my chest. My hand shoots up covering The Mate Mark that was forced onto me. He was trying to find me!
I force myself to stand up and climb out of the tub. I gingerly wrap a towel around my body. I had to get rid of this thing. I couldn't let him find me and finish what he started. Even if it killed me. I wouldn't let him have me!
My legs had gone completely numb as I step back out into the hallway using the wall to once again brace myself with so that I wouldn't collapse. I made my way down the hallway toward My father's office. There was only one way to get rid of this mark.
And I knew that EVERY Alpha had one..A blessed Silver Blade. And I just happened to know where Dad kept his. Once at the door I shove it open with everything that I have. Which wasn't much. My strength was disappearing fast.
The smell of Dad's colane hits me and instantly my heart slows down. I felt like I was home. Dad was always there for me, and he was my favorite person in the whole world. I slowly make my way to the bookshelf and crash into it sending a wave of pain through my body. I gasp and reach my hand up feeling for the blade.
The burning sensation was still there and there was no way that I was going to let him find me! I inhale a shaky breath as my fingertips graze the hilt of the dagger. I stand on my tip toes and snatch the blade.
I stare down at it. It was beautiful and I could feel the magic that lay inside of it. I bite down on my lower lip as I bring the blade up to my collarbone. He wouldn't have me!
I hold my breath and with all the pressure that I could muster I slide the blade into the mark. A sizzling sound fills my ears and the smell of burning flesh invades my lungs. But I couldn't feel anything anymore.
I felt my myself fall as pain racks my whole body again and my energy was gone. My body trembled and a chill envelops my body. I had finally gone into shock.
****Jacob's Point Of View.*********
For some reason there had been a pit in my stomach all night. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was really wrong. I had decided to go home early. I had told Josh what I was doing. But I didn't tell Mom and Dad because they would have made me stay and I couldn't be around the pack right now.
I sigh as I enter through the backdoor. I freeze mid-step as the smell of blood was overwhelming. My heart drops into my stomach..It wasn't just any blood. It was Raelle's scent mixed in with it...Wildflowers. No one else had that scent but her. She smelled of pure, untainted nature. The blood drained from my face. Cas my wolf surges forward.
'RAELLE!!' The sheer panic in his voice made me snap out of my panic. I take off through the house looking for the source of the smell of blood. The Bathroom! I take the stairs two at a time and peer into the bathroom. My eyes widening at the site of the bath water that is tainted red and the bloody dirty clothes that laid in the floor. But she wasn't here!
Cas let's out a small whimper and I inhale a deep breath. My head snapping down the hallway. Dad's Office door was barely open. I slowly approach the door and push it open gently. A strangled sob escapes me as I take in the scene before me.
My baby sister lay in a pool of her own blood. Her body was pale, and she was almost completely black and blue. I rush over to her sliding on my knees in the blood. I didn't care at this point. With a shaky hand I slowly reach out and touch her shoulder. Her skin was cool. I squeeze my eyes shut and listen carefully.
A Heartbeat! I let out the breath that I didn't know that I had been holding. She was alive and that was all that mattered.
'She's still alive.' Cas sounded so broken. I could feel his sadness. I lean down and carefully pull Raelle into my arms and stand. I scan her carefully. Looking for the source of where all the blood could have come from..That's when I saw it. A long gash was made over what looked like an already burned away Mate Mark...
Cas lets out a low snarl shoving himself forward. He was angry now and so was I. It wasn't a good idea for us both to be this angry.
'Someone FORCIBLY marked her!' I put up the block between Cas and I. I wouldn't be able to think with him in my head and his anger fills me. I couldn't deal with his grief right now.
Right now, Raelle needed help. There was only one person that I could think to take her too. One person that I trusted her to be around completely. And Mom and Dad didn't need to see Raelle like this because then we would have a war on our hands.
My sister was going to kill me for turning to him but I didn't have a choice. I reach up and press the portal pearl on my necklace and step through quickly.
Rayden stood wide eyed on the other side.
"Jacob? What the hell happened?" I growl and glance down at my baby sister. Her skin was cool to the touch. Probably from the blood loss.
"I need you to take her. Get a healer. She's lost a lot of blood. DONT tell anyone that she is here!" Rayden steps forward and inhales a sharp breath realizing who was in my arms. Pain crosses his features. He gently takes Raelle from me holding her close to him. As he stares down at her I watch his features darken and his grip tighten slightly. Then there was sadness and guilt. I shake my head. I didn't have time for this.
"I'll check in with you later." I turn and step back through the portal.
I let out a low growl as I stare at the pool of blood in my father's office floor, at my sister's blood...It was bad enough that she thought that she couldn't come to any of us..Cas pushes forward and lets out a low snarl.
'WE will KILL whoever did this to Rae.' Acid oozed from every word. He was right. When I found out who had done this, I was going to rip their throat out!