CHAPTER 3 OF BOOK 2

"Alesha! Can you bring the drinks please?" Tiberius called out into the house after he held the door open for me and passed it off, warm, chocolaty air hitting my face and sending my senses into overdrive. Everyone funneled into the living room as I sat Kara down and promised to see her later before she ran away to her parents. "Are your clothes wet?" Tiberius asked, looking down at my pant-legs and lifting my arms. Nodding my head, I looked into his eyes as he straightened up. The corner of his lip started to quirk up as his eyebrow lifted.

'What is it?' he mindlinked me. Shaking my head and smiling back, I looked away.

'I'll tell you later.'

"Elenore!" a woman yelled as another started squealing joyfully. Before I knew what hit me, a warm, soft body wrapped itself around my torso and squeezed tight enough for me to struggle to inhale.

"Ah-Ahlee-" was all I could get out when another pair of arms wrapped around my body from the back, successfully sandwiching me in.

"Guys, guys! She can't breathe!" Haley observed, thankfully making Alesha and Brenda pull back. Taking a warm breath as my lungs finally expanded, I laughed at the girls.

"Oh Goddess,we're so glad you're back Elenore! I, I thought something horrible happened to you, that I'd never get to see you again," Alesha started to tear up and her chin quivered. She looked the same, with her short wavy brown hair and heavy set figure bounded in a working clothes. Brenda agreed immediately and I noticed her usual long blonde hair was cut to her shoulders appealingly, but her green eyes still shone with a passionate light. I smiled sympathetically at the two and brought them into a hug, taking comfort in Tiberius' hand that rested on my lower back protectively.

"Hot chocolate!!" Kara screamed out above the crowd.

After our little reunion, Haley, Tiberius, Gail and I retreated to the couch under a thick blanket along with everyone else on the furniture around the room. Snow boots, jackets, and gloves were strung infront of the blazing fireplace and casted a glow upon the glazed walls. Brenda and Alesha disappeared into the kitchen while the rest of us chatted idly about what happened, them asking questions and I answering truthfully-minus a few choice details, like how I honestly thought out how I would murder Tiberius if I ever saw him again before I knew he didn't murder Haley. Nobody needed to know that, I thought with a secretive smile.

'You look psychotic right now. Stop it,' Nikita chuckled at me and I stopped. I knew she'd do the same, though..

As I had just gotten to the note on the back of my front door saying my family was kidnapped, Brenda, Alesha and a few others brought out mugs of steaming hot chocolate, the marshmallows already half dissolved by the time they reached our hands.

The only problem, though, was that I couldn't drink it. Not while my mother and Isaac were somewhere with Blade, possibly being starved, beaten, or tortured for the sport of it. The very thought made bile rise to the back of my throat in disgust at myself. Haley gave me a questioning look, but I tightened my lips sickly in response. She nodded understandingly, said a few quick words to Gail, and rose from the couch with her hand around mine.

"Where are you going?" Tiberius started to get up with us.

"Just to change really quick. We'll be back in just a minute," Haley responded and guided me out of the room.

'I'll be back in a minute, Ti. I don't feel too good. Everything's fine, though, you don't need to come. Keep everything sane in there," I mindlinked him. After a moment of hesitation, he responded.

'Okay, but if you're not back down in fifteen minutes, I'm going up there.'

'Okay, deal.'

Once Haley walked me up the stairs and to Tiberius' and I'd bedroom in silence, she immediately sat me on the bed and closed the door.

"Okay, what's wrong babe?" she asked in a gentle no-nonsense tone. Pulling a pillow to my chest, I bit my cheek in passive anger.

"Isaac and mom are gone because of Blade, and I'm just sitting here in a warm house with hot chocolate and blankets while they could be getting Wolfsbane injections. I- I don't know what to do, Haley! I just can't," I sobbed, "I just can't do anything alone anymore." By now in just that short sentence, I had completely emotionally broken down, practically drowning in my own tears, and gripping Haley like she was my lifeline.

"Hey, hey," she cooed. "You want me to give it to you nicely, or straight?" I knew I'd had enough of the niceties and glittering generalities, so I hiccuped for straight.

"I know Blade is an awful, awful person and that you wish he was never born after what he did to you, but this is more than just about revenge now. Your family's lives are at stake, even more than that, actually! This pack, this territory, needs you to lead them. To protect them alongside Tiberius. They're depending on you. I honestly cannot even imagine what you've gone through, but I know you can take much, much more. So honestly, sweetheart, stop throwing yourself a pity-party and wallowing in a hole and take your anger and do something with it! Change that into determination! I don't know how this will all turn out, but I do know that your pack is your family, and I can't even count that high as to how many Wolves would die for you. Would you do the same for them?"

"Of course," I whispered honestly. I would.

"Then let's get out there and kick some ass and take some names!" she hollered and stood up proudly, raising her fist to the air like a General leading his army into battle.

"Let's get my family back!"

After Haley and I changed clothes, we walked back down the stairs together and saw several members and guests filing down one of the hallways sleepily. Saying goodnight to them all, including Kara, we returned to the living room to find both Tiberius and Gail nearly asleep, Gail with his head bend over the arm of the couch and Ti with his head propped up on his hand. Laughing quietly to ourselves, she gently helped Gail up and guided him out of the room and up the stairs, shooting me a smile when he mumbled something about marshmallows.

Sighing, I looked down at Tiberius. His face was relaxed and lips scrunched up with his palm, his eyelashes curling naturally the way I was always jealous of in boys. I really don't want to move him, though. He looks so peaceful..

Picking up his legs and setting them back down the length of the couch so that he was lying down, I rolled him to the back and laid down infront of him, pulling the blanket over the both of us and resting my head on his upper arm so my face was next to his chest. Snuggling closer, he groaned and brought his right arm over my waist and pulled me to his body, inhaling deeply. Looking up at his face, I saw a small smile darken his features as the fire behind me flared and died, casting shapes and powerful shadows onto my mate. Breathing in his scent, I closed my eyes.

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So Ellie is back with her pack and mate, and we know she feels super guilty about her family! What do you think will happen next?

Comment what you think below and I'll read them all. Thank you guys so much for reading and this story-you guys are really, truly amazing ❤

Enjoy reading!

~Lonely_haunter14