The air was warm and I slowly opened my eyes. "Good you are awake." A voice said as I looked up. I sat up and nearly fell off the table. "Easy." The woman with clear eyes said. "What is your name?" I asked her as she stirred a stew over the fire. "My name is Avery McDoyal, and you are Holly McLoughlin." She laughed at my shocked expression. "We used to play together, my Father was your Father's Beta."
Blocked memories surfaced and I took her in again. "I figured you didn't remember, but then you trusted me and the girls back at New Ross so I thought maybe." I shook my head. "Where are we now?" She looked up and I followed her gaze to see ten women's faces. "We are in my old house." My head snapped towards her. "We are near Swords?" She nodded and my heartbeat harder. I never wanted to be back here. I felt myself start to sway. "How long was I out?"
Avery helped me back down on the table. "About a week." I shot up. "A week? I have to get back to the castle." Avery pulled a blanket over me. "You need to eat and rest. Pat says you need to recover, and then we will talk about our next move. She handed me a bowel and I reached out to Molly.
"Hey kid, sorry I was out a few days." A jolt shot through me. "Holly I swear to everything I am going to kill you!" She yelled in my head. "I thought your dumbadd was dead. Paisley went back to Ireland to find it a mess." She huffed. "Who is with you?" I could feel her panic. "I was with her Mom and Dad. Gemma and Oliver, but she moved me to stay with the Alpha's here. His name is Jacob and his mates name is Valor. They are very nice. Paisley left a few days ago, she thinks you are dead... I thought you where dead." I laughed and Avery looked at me and I shook my head. "Mol I thought I was dead too."
We talked a bit more and she said she had a call from Gavin. "I told her to take it." She huffed. "Are you still dead? Or can I tell him you are alive." I thought about it. "Tell him I am alive and just was injured." She didn't reply, so I looked over at the girls who came down one at a time to grab a bowel of soup. Avery handed me one too. "Are you going to take your place here?" Shenasked and I shrugged. "I'm not sure what will happen, but tomorrow I have to go back to the castle. I have a friend who needs help and then I need to go get my sister." Her eyes widened. "Molly?" I nodded and she pushed the bowel over. "Eat."
I nodded and looked to the girls. "I think you should take over the hall. I will do my best to send supplies and money for you girls, maybe Molly will want the title. I'm not aire whete her head is at." She nodded she nudged the bowel again. I ate it and she handed me an oil. "You ended, but your hormones are very strong." She smiled as she tucked her bowel down. "Thank you Avery."
The next morning I grabbed my pack and left what money I had on the table. Avery would need it to feed the girls and I wasn't about to let her kindness go. "Leaving without a goodbye." Avery said as she rounded the house. I looked down, and then back to her. "Kinda, I left some money on the table, but I am not very good with goodbyes." She nodded and I walked tomgive her a hug. The movement made my skin tight. "Take care of yourself and remember you are going to be sore for a while." She whispered as we pulled away from each other.
"Thank you Avery." I turned and started my long run back to Kilkenny. The castle was dark when I got there and I saw no guards on patrol. I snuck back in the same way Shadow did the day he came from the garden. I slowly walled the halls and added the oil to my skin. I walked and followed the chalk on the walls. I made my way up a stairwell and peaked through a wooden piece. It moved quickly and Sheamus stained down at me. "So you are not dead?" I shook my head.
"Not yet anyway, but it was definitely a close call." He handed me food and water. "The King went crazy he hasn't been himself. Hand me a piece of your clothing." I took out the cloak from my bag and handed it to him. He shook his head. "Bathe and shower in Paisleys room, put that in a bag and I'll deliver it, but if I touch it he will smell me." I nodded and followed his instructions as I ate and then desended back down to Paisley's room, but froze at his voice.
"Mom I fucking hate how we left things. I don't know what happened, but Molly keeps telling me she is fine. I felt it. I felt her get hurt, and I wasn't there. She probably hates me for calling her a traitor... Ugh and on top of that people keep dissappearing." I smiled knowing Sheamus was working down the list. "Honey if you apologize she might forgive you." He roared at Paisley. "I would if she would talk to me!" He huffed and slammed the door announcing his retreat.
I pushed open the door slightly and Paisley rant to the door. Her eyes widened and she shoved me in the bathroom. "He will be back he always comes back quickly shower and I'll grab you clothes. I stripped and tossed them into a garbage bin before slipping under the hot water. Oh did she want to soak, but there wasn't enough time. so she got the grime off, oiled myself and dressed in jeans and a Tanktop with a tiedye hoodie and sneakers.
I snuck back into the tunnel. "Holly." I turned and Paisley handed me a ticket to Oregon and a note. "Go get Molly. It's open ended, but he is going to continue to get worse unless you make a choice."
I nodded and she smiled. "You already know what you are going to do?" I shrugged even though I did know what I was going to do. "See you Paisley. Thank you for everything you're Majesty." She slapped my arm and we both smiled u til there was a knock on the door. "Go." She whispered as she shut the door I ran down the hallway and to the garage. I grabbed a motorcycle key and prayed I could start it. Or even drive it.
I walked it down the driveway and throigh the side gates before cranking it up. The engine purred to life and I shot down the road towards the airport. I caught the next flight to Oregon and mindlinked Molly I was on my way.
When I landed she was standing next to a very broad male. "Holly! she yelled as the man looked my way and I ran to Molly. "Welcome to Oregon a rainy forest area. I wish we had met in California, but here we are. Better safe that sorry. My name is Alpha Jacob. My mate is in the car waiting." I nodded and followed him to their car. "Thank you for taking care of Molly, we are leaving tomorrow and I just." He flashed his Alpha eyes and I flashed mine feeling on edge.
"I think you should stay here. Talk with Gavin over the phone. He's been loosing it more and more." He shook his head as we drove from Oregon to California. The trip was long and I was groggy from the ride. "Can we stay a few more days?" I looked at Alpha Jacob who nodded. "Okay since it's okay with them. I um well I need you to call Gavin and this time if he asks to talk I will." She nodded and took out the phone. "No not now. When we get to the beach." I said and she slipped the phone into her pocket and curled up next to me.