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Authors: Christine M. Butler
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woke me. “Hey,” I called out to him remembering our shared dream. “I wasn’t imagining things last night was I?”
“I’m still reeling from that trippy episode. Do they shift like that all the time when you’re there?” He was smiling at me.
“Yes, they do. It was annoying at first, but I got used to it. I’m so glad I was able to pull you in. I feel like, now, at least one other person in the world won’t think I’m a nutter.”
“No one thinks you’re a nutter, Jess.”
“Well, I felt like one. It’s weird having creatures basically live inside your head that only you get to talk to. Come on, admit it, it’s crazy talk!”
“Okay, fine. But I thought you looked cute when you spoke of your imaginary friends.”
“Jerk!” I smacked his ass on my way through to the bathroom to grab my shower. “Make the coffee extra strong, please! I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Mikael took off for the kitchen while I hopped in the shower and got dressed for the day. I was just putting on my shoes when my phone started buzzing again.
“Hello?” I answered as I held the phone between my shoulder and ear while I tied my shoe.
“Jessica?” It was Avery Daniels, and he sounded a bit frantic.
“Avery? Shit!” I remembered the two men we were supposed to drop off with Avery’s pack before Mikael and I took our impromptu honeymoon period. “We’ll be bringing those two wolves to you soon. Mikael and I just needed a break away.”
“What wolves, Jess?”
“The two I sent Andy to tell you about.” I told him.
“Andy? I haven’t seen Andy since your bonding ceremony.”
“I sent him days ago, Avery.”
“How many days, Jess? I was calling to tell you that my daughter, Annalise, has been missing for a few days. We found traces of blood near a hunter’s trap, but haven’t been able to locate her.”
“Shit! It was four days ago that I sent Andy.” I could hear Avery’s stuttered breathing on the other end of the line. “We’ll figure it out. Let me get back to the pack lands and see what I can find out on our side. I’ll have my dad send a few of his men to check between our lands too. Avery, I sent Andy through the pass. Maybe you can start there. If she was injured, maybe, I don’t know…” I was grasping for straws. “Maybe he found her and they’re hiding? Or…” I didn’t want to say what else I was thinking, that maybe they fell victim to the same hunters.
“Jess, just give me a call when you get there and let me know what you’ve found. We’re going to go search the cave pass now.” He hung up without further ado.
“Jess?” Mikael called out when he saw my face. “I brought coffee.” I took the mug and knocked it back like it was a shot. “What’s the matter, baby?”
“Our vacation was bad timing. That was Avery. No one ever bothered to see Andy made it there. He didn’t.” Concern flashed across Mikael’s brow. “That’s not all. Annalise is missing too.”
“Avery’s younger daughter?”
“Yeah, we need to get back to the pack, now.”
~*~
“Okay, Dad, fill me in on everything I’ve missed.” My father wasn’t looking at me. He was looking over my shoulder at Mikael, who was oblivious to my father’s death stare. “Earth to Jameson!” I shouted in his ear. He turned an incredulous eye on me then.
“I don’t know why you thought it was a good idea to take time off right now anyway. You’ve just launched new programs involving multiple packs, not to mention the man hunt for Malachai, Zach, and Sophia…”
“Jameson St. Marks!” My mother chimed in sharply. “You will not give Jessica any of your shit. This is an adjustment for everyone, and she deserved a few stolen moments with her new mate. I do recall you refusing to be pack leader once upon a time so you could be with me. Jessica doesn’t get the luxury of refusal, so you will cut her some slack while she adjusts.”
“Eileen,” my father
“I’m still reeling from that trippy episode. Do they shift like that all the time when you’re there?” He was smiling at me.
“Yes, they do. It was annoying at first, but I got used to it. I’m so glad I was able to pull you in. I feel like, now, at least one other person in the world won’t think I’m a nutter.”
“No one thinks you’re a nutter, Jess.”
“Well, I felt like one. It’s weird having creatures basically live inside your head that only you get to talk to. Come on, admit it, it’s crazy talk!”
“Okay, fine. But I thought you looked cute when you spoke of your imaginary friends.”
“Jerk!” I smacked his ass on my way through to the bathroom to grab my shower. “Make the coffee extra strong, please! I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Mikael took off for the kitchen while I hopped in the shower and got dressed for the day. I was just putting on my shoes when my phone started buzzing again.
“Hello?” I answered as I held the phone between my shoulder and ear while I tied my shoe.
“Jessica?” It was Avery Daniels, and he sounded a bit frantic.
“Avery? Shit!” I remembered the two men we were supposed to drop off with Avery’s pack before Mikael and I took our impromptu honeymoon period. “We’ll be bringing those two wolves to you soon. Mikael and I just needed a break away.”
“What wolves, Jess?”
“The two I sent Andy to tell you about.” I told him.
“Andy? I haven’t seen Andy since your bonding ceremony.”
“I sent him days ago, Avery.”
“How many days, Jess? I was calling to tell you that my daughter, Annalise, has been missing for a few days. We found traces of blood near a hunter’s trap, but haven’t been able to locate her.”
“Shit! It was four days ago that I sent Andy.” I could hear Avery’s stuttered breathing on the other end of the line. “We’ll figure it out. Let me get back to the pack lands and see what I can find out on our side. I’ll have my dad send a few of his men to check between our lands too. Avery, I sent Andy through the pass. Maybe you can start there. If she was injured, maybe, I don’t know…” I was grasping for straws. “Maybe he found her and they’re hiding? Or…” I didn’t want to say what else I was thinking, that maybe they fell victim to the same hunters.
“Jess, just give me a call when you get there and let me know what you’ve found. We’re going to go search the cave pass now.” He hung up without further ado.
“Jess?” Mikael called out when he saw my face. “I brought coffee.” I took the mug and knocked it back like it was a shot. “What’s the matter, baby?”
“Our vacation was bad timing. That was Avery. No one ever bothered to see Andy made it there. He didn’t.” Concern flashed across Mikael’s brow. “That’s not all. Annalise is missing too.”
“Avery’s younger daughter?”
“Yeah, we need to get back to the pack, now.”
~*~
“Okay, Dad, fill me in on everything I’ve missed.” My father wasn’t looking at me. He was looking over my shoulder at Mikael, who was oblivious to my father’s death stare. “Earth to Jameson!” I shouted in his ear. He turned an incredulous eye on me then.
“I don’t know why you thought it was a good idea to take time off right now anyway. You’ve just launched new programs involving multiple packs, not to mention the man hunt for Malachai, Zach, and Sophia…”
“Jameson St. Marks!” My mother chimed in sharply. “You will not give Jessica any of your shit. This is an adjustment for everyone, and she deserved a few stolen moments with her new mate. I do recall you refusing to be pack leader once upon a time so you could be with me. Jessica doesn’t get the luxury of refusal, so you will cut her some slack while she adjusts.”
“Eileen,” my father
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