Secrets of Sanctuary Hospital Andrew and Mia's Encounter

  Chapter Three - New Hospital New Powers

  Entering the hospital, we immediately go to mom’s office. “Jeff is still in surgery with Laurel, but he should be finished soon. He is trying to release pressure which built up around her brain.”

  “I thought Jeff was a heart surgeon.”

  “He specialized in heart surgery, but he is also a skilled general surgeon and thought it may be important for him to be in there with the team.” Placing her hand upon my shoulder, she looks directly into my eyes. “I’m sure that she will be just fine.”

  “Could you go in and check on her and see how much longer they will be?”

  She hugs me. “You’re really worried about your friend aren’t you?”

  “Mom please, she has to be alright.”

  She leaves without another word. “Jacob, I know that you’re concerned about what happened to her, but there seems to be something more.” Dad stares at me with such intensity, I feel as if he is trying to pull the thoughts directly from my mind.

  Taking in a deep breath, how do I explain to him what I saw and felt? “Dad there is so much more, I can’t even really describe it, but when I hit her, all of a sudden, the darkness surrounding her and making her unconscious, was with me.” I shudder as images of what has been running through my mind all day once again consumes me, dragging me into her abyss. I grab his hand hoping to pull myself back to the present, but as I focus on him, he freezes and his eyes momentarily turn unfocused before staring into mine. In the silence of the moment, I don’t know how it is happening again, but I realize that he is seeing everything that is running through my mind, everything that has haunted me today and haunted Laurel throughout her life.

  Mom re-entering the office, breaks whatever strange connection we share and the images dissipate. “How is she?”

  “They are just closing now. Jeff should be out soon and he’ll let us know.” I catch the questioning look passing between her and my father.

  “Jake, I can see why you are so concerned. Once she wakes up, she is going to need some help coping with what has been going on.” He turns to my mother. “Jacob’s talent seems to expand beyond just in his sleep. When he hit Laurel, he saw some very disturbing occurrences that have been sending her cascading into self-doubt, self-loathing and self-isolation.” He raises his eyebrow and they seem to share something that I am missing.

  She nods. “I think that we can help her with that.” She smiles at me. “You were right about her mother being a wolf too. I spoke with her in the waiting room.”

  “Then why couldn’t I tell. I could tell with Brian and his mom right away?”

  “Brian may not be a natural wolf or may be pretending to be younger than he is if he is a natural wolf. If Laurel hasn’t reached twenty-one she hasn’t undergone her first conversion and you wouldn’t be able to tell. Are you hungry, we could go down to the cafeteria?”

  Although I’m not really hungry, the walls in mom’s office feel as if they are closing in on me and I could use a distraction. “I could use something to drink.”

  As we head down the hall, I see mom’s concerned look before she peers up at my father, who has now put his hand on her back. As he does, I see her eyes widen and know that he is somehow passing along the information which he saw from my visions. As we pass the waiting room, I see Brian and his mother with Laurel’s mother and instead head there. As I do, Laurel’s mom rises and addresses mom. “Is there any news?”

  “They are just closing up and should have her in recovery shortly. I will bring you once they have settled her in and you can stay with her there for a while. In the meantime, can I get you something from the cafeteria?”

  “No thank you. Dr. Angelis, I know that you checked in with the operating room, is there any indication at all as to how Laurel is doing or if there are any unexplainable complications with the procedure?” As she asks this, the looks that pass among us all, tell me that she is aware of what is surrounding her as well and her question is directly related to Laurel’s surreal status.

  Mom opens her mouth to respond, closes it, but as Laurel’s mother becomes more anxious, I hear a small sigh escape her lips. “Ms. Day…”

  “You can call me Renee. Please just tell me whatever you know.”

  “Renee, the physician who is working on Laurel is very skilled and familiar with our… this type of situation. He shouldn’t be much longer and when I went in there, things seemed to be progressing as they should.” Although mom couches her answer, I can tell that Ms. Day gets the message loud and clear. Just then, Jeff comes out.

  “How did it go?” Laurel’s mom moves anxiously to him. Just as she does, another anxious family enters the waiting room.

  A look passes between Jeff and my dad, who shakes his head minutely, appearing to answer some unspoken question. Jeff turns back to Ms. Day. “Overall, the surgery appears to have went well, we relieved the pressure at the base of her brain caused by today’s incident, but are you aware of any fall or accident that Laurel may have had over the past few weeks because it appears that there was also pressure building around another contusion we found that is at least several weeks old?”

  She shakes her head, but from the way her eyes drop from Jeff’s, I know that she is not telling the truth. “May I see her?”

  My mom touches Jeff’s shoulder. “I can take her to recovery if you want to fill out the reports.”

  He nods. “I’ll use your office, if that’s alright.” He looks to my dad and I know he wants him to follow. We quickly move down the hall and head into mom’s office. Jeff looks at me then to dad.

  “Jeff, it’s fine, you can say whatever you found in front of Jacob.”

  “She’s alright now, but Andrew, I found scarring about an inch behind her ear near where I found the other contusion and build up. It definitely appears to be an old wolf bite. In addition, I found some serious suppressant drugs running through her system. I think that someone is trying to stop her conversion.” I can’t help it but I gasp and their eyes turn quickly to me.

  “Can you tell how old the scars are?” Dad inquires as he puts an arm around my shoulder.

  “From their appearance, they have to be several weeks old at least. I’m more concerned about the drugs in her system and who has been administering them. They are damaging some of the growth to her organs. They need to be flushed out, but considering where she is and the full moon just two days away, I didn’t dare, not without more information about what is going on with her and a safe place to move her.”

  “From the look she gave us, she suspects what we are. When she leaves recovery, maybe we can take her here and see what we can find out.”

  “Dad, before we do that, maybe I could touch her. If she is the one doing it to Laurel, she may not tell us the truth, she already lied about whether Laurel had any other type of accident.”

  Both he and Jeff turn to me, their eyes searing with curiosity. “How did you know she lied?” They both say and Jeff continues. “How would your touching her help?”

  I look to dad, knowing he probably wouldn’t mind my telling Jeff, but needing confirmation. He nods. “Laurel’s in a pretty bad place, when I slammed into her, I saw some things that have been happening to her and…” I gasp as I wonder if the darkness and screams I heard but that showed no images may have to do with her being hurt earlier.

  “Jake what is it?” My father shakes me gently, pulling me from my introspection.

  “When the images were first coming to me, I heard screams in the darkness, but didn’t see anything. I have been concentrating so much on what I saw, but what if the screams were from her and her mom? What if they are related to her getting hurt earlier?”

  Jeff’s eyes widen and I know he is shocked at what I am saying, but dad is the first to speak. “Jacob we don’t know what their situation is and we shouldn’t speculate. We need to observe and see what we can find out. As far as you touching her, that may not be a good idea, you became semi-comatose when you
touched Laurel, if that were to happen when you touch her mom and she is not on the good side of things, it may reveal something about you that we don’t want anyone to know now.”

  Jeff interjects. “Regardless of how we find out, we need to do it soon. I can’t give her any more suppressants, with her recent injury and the damage already to her organs, they could kill her and in two days’ time enough suppressants may be out of her system that she will change. We need to find out if she is a natural born wolf and has converted before, or if the marks indicate that she was bitten and someone is trying to stop the change. Andrew, look, I know that we are trying to stay within the shadows, but her mother is obviously someone from our world and those drugs are causing Laurel some serious harm, they will eventually kill her.”

  Mom steps in and her features appear grave. Grabbing her hands, I am going to ask her what happened to Laurel, but instead, I see exactly what concerns her and as the images flash before me, I feel dads hand on my shoulder. As disturbing as entering her abyss was earlier these new images are terrifying and I can’t help but pull away from mom, falling back into the seat behind me.

  “Jacob, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that was going to happen.” Her voice turns concerned, but I can’t seem to find mine. She hugs me. As she finally withdraws, my mind cuts through the scattered thoughts on some level to register Jeff’s inquiry and my father’s response as to how we are now able to share what we see and get from others. I can’t hold on to their conversation as the overwhelming images rock me to my core. An attack on Laurel so disturbing coupled with the violent defense by her mother and brother ripping at him until he releases her and takes his last breath, that I barely recognize my own strange voice. “How could her dad turn on her like that? Why would he do that?”

  My mom’s soft voice pierces through the growls and screams until finally, all is silent as the devastating images of Laurel lying on the ground as two wolves turn back into humans before a now broken man lying at her feet imprint on the back of my now closed lids. The sheer terror on their faces overwhelms me as my mother fights to dissipate the images. “Jacob, think of your coaster and step away from what is before you.” Her authoritative voice is commanding and I throw my arms around her. As the images finally fade, I open my eyes able to focus once more on where I am. I feel her wiping my tears and as reason returns, I grab her arms realizing what else she saw as my eyes shoot between her, Jeff and my dad. “Laurel’s mom is the one giving her those drugs. What if she is doing that now while she’s with her? We have to stop her! She doesn’t know that she’s killing her daughter!” Dad clamps my shoulders, anchoring me to the floor as I bolt towards the door. Jeff disappears immediately.

  “Jake, you can’t go into recovery, it will cause suspicion and we don’t want that. Jeff will protect her.” Taking a deep breath, I know he’s right, but I can’t just stay here.

  Sensing how closed in I’m feeling mom takes my hand. “Come with me and we can get some air.” Thinking that we are going out to the front, I hesitate, knowing how noisy it is and how my already overloaded senses will only become more agitated by the rustling of so many people. She turns, looking straight at me. “Trust me.”

  Moving with her, she enters the stairwell and travels up. Opening the roof door, we stand outside. The cool air and quiet at least clear my head enough that I can breathe. The remnants of the violent images finally fade enough so that I can concentrate on what my father is telling me.

  “Jacob, her mother isn’t trying to hurt her, something terrible obviously happened, but I’m sure that once Jeff explains what the drugs are doing to her, she won’t use them.”

  I grab his hands, “Dad do you think that she used them on Laurel’s brother. He’s not here. Wouldn’t he be here, knowing she is hurt, especially since he fought his own father to protect his sister? What if he’s dead? What if Ms. Day killed him?”

  Mom interjects. “Jake, he’s fine. He is on his way from Washington. He was helping a friend move.”

  Releasing breath I didn’t even realize I was holding, I have to ask. “Mom, did you see anything else to explain why Laurel’s dad attacked her?”

  “No, I only touched her briefly. The only other thing that I saw was that he was a police officer.” Her pager goes off and I know Jeff was too late.

  My father turns into himself before my eyes. “Mia, take Jake to the car. I am going to see what we can do. Call Francis and tell him to contact Taylor. Tell him we need an ambulance here to transfer Laurel right away. He’ll take care of the rest. My father’s gone and my mother is on the phone as we travel down the stairwell.

  Within thirty minutes, an ambulance is at the emergency exit, a man hops out with Uncle Francis and they head into the hospital. Fifteen minutes later, Jeff, Dad, Uncle Francis and the man are lifting the stretcher into the ambulance and dad assists an ashen Ms. Day into the back with him while uncle Francis and Taylor get into the front. They are off without a word, probably because a new shift is entering the hospital and mom’s friend, Janet, is talking to her. As soon as it leaves, mom brings Janet closer to me and introduces me as Jonathan’s nephew and lets her know we are on our way home.

  Entering the car, Jeff is waiting for us. “How’s Laurel?”

  “She is going to be fine. Your dad got to her in time. I started the flushing process and by the time she reaches Sanctuary, most of the drugs should be out of her system and they can deal with her conversion and give her time to heal. Some of my men are medically trained and can help her with the other aspect as well. I’ll call them and let them know what to expect as soon as we get back to the house.”

  “Will she be alright?”

  He shifts to face me. “Jake she is going to be fine. I know that you feel guilty over falling into her and that Tim was trying to hurt you two, but his bad move actually saved her life. If she wasn’t in the hospital with us, the suppression drugs and pressure that was already building from her dad’s attack would have killed her.”

  “Is dad going back with her too?”

  “No he just needed to make it look like he was. My men are more than capable of helping her with this. Your father should be home before we are and your uncle will be back in a few days.”

  Mom interjects. “Do we know why she was giving her the drugs?”

  He shakes his head. “Francis is going to try to talk to her. By the time I got down, she had already injected Laurel, so I didn’t really have time to ask.”

  Entering the others must be asleep because of the late hour and I can hear dad talking on the phone to aunt Eva in the living room. The door is closed and mom veers me into the kitchen. “Let me get you a snack before I check on the others. “ She puts milk and an apple before me, but I just can’t eat.

  Sipping the milk, I listen intently and can hear that dad asked to speak with uncle Gabriel. “You need to monitor the mother and keep someone on her whenever she is with Laurel until we know exactly what is going on. Something traumatic occurred to have the father attack his own daughter and then to have the mother use such heavy drugs to suppress Laurel’s conversion considering she herself is a wolf. Have Eva fill you in on the psychiatric concerns we have regarding Laurel. She is too young to be in such despair. Keep me updated…Hopefully you’re right and Francis can get some information from her on the ride up. She was pretty skittish, but that is normal considering she doesn’t know us and has no reason to trust us. We only got her to agree to move Laurel because Jeff finally convinced her that if she didn’t allow the conversion which she is so afraid of to take place, the suppression drugs will shut down her organs…Yes have them take her to the outer cabin before the full moon. If the mother was trying to stop the conversion fearing something, we don’t want her around patients…Keep me updated, yes they just came in…I’ll talk to you soon.”

  A moment later, he is in the archway. “You should really eat the apple now that the crunching won’t interfere with your listening to my conversation.” He smirks and sits
by me. Despite knowing he isn’t mad at me, I can’t stop my mouth from falling open.

  “How did you know?”

  He laughs. “Jake you have my hearing, I didn’t shut the door so you couldn’t hear, I shut it because when I came home Nicole wasn’t quite asleep and I didn’t want her worrying about us sending a problem up to Sanctuary.”

  Smiling at him I take a bite of my apple and he laughs harder as it makes a deafening crunch, it is very fresh. “Dad is she going to be alright?”

  “I think that sending her to Sanctuary gives her the best opportunity to heal and deal with whatever is going on in her family.” I shake my head wishing that he wouldn’t hedge with me. I may be physically young, but emotionally, I feel as if the recent experiences have aged me a lifetime. As if answering my unspoken thoughts, “Jake, I’m not hedging with you because I don’t think you can handle it, I’m being cautious because we don’t know enough about what happened in her family that led to such extremes. I can tell you this though if she is not a danger to herself or anyone else, you know how accepting the children are at home and how good aunt Eva is at helping people, they will be able to help pull her from the abyss she has fallen into and it will be much better for her. “

  “Dad can you read my mind now too?”

  He grins. “No, but you and your mom share some pretty tell-tale expressions and I have gotten very good at reading those over the years.”

  I chuckle. “Dad couldn’t mom help her here so she could stay close to the people she knows. I know how good home is, but to her it is a strange place and…”

  Placing his hand on mine, “Jake, the best thing for her may be to get to a place that has no history and is fresh from the incident we saw and the people who make her feel so despondent and cut off from her own life. Besides, until Amanda gets back, Laurel will change with each full moon and considering the extremes her mother has gone to, it is safer for her and those around her to be with our kind. I’m sure that uncle Francis has told her mom to let her brother know where she is and he can go up there to be with her. From what we saw, the way he fought for her, they must be very close and may even be on their own. If they are and they follow our way of life, they will soon come to learn that they are among friends. If they are on the wrong side, at least we can contain the damage they can cause.”

  Mom comes in, carrying Alexander and moves to grab a bottle. “Are you ready for bed, handsome, it has been quite a day?”

  As late as it is, I am too wound up to even think about sleeping. “Mom, would you mind if I went for a run with dad first?” I look toward him hopeful and he nods, but his eyes have not left mom’s. I rise and we are out the door before she even begins feeding Alex. We break into a sprint as soon as we clear the pool. By the time we hit the edge of the property, the crisp air and smell of an approaching storm clear my mind of all things today and over the last week. Stopping, I don’t want to run back, not just yet, there is something else that has been nagging at me since Julianne’s incident and I need some advice. “Dad, can I ask you something off topic?” He smiles in a way that makes me wonder if he knows what I am going to ask, but just nods and stops walking, waiting for me. “We can walk; I know you don’t want me going to bed too late, I just thought we could talk on the way.”

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “When you first saw mom, did you always feel a desire to protect her, a need to keep her safe?”

  He chuckles. “When I first met your mother, she is the one who protected me?”

  “I don’t understand, mom said that she didn’t know she was a witch until after coming up here.”

  “That’s rights, but when I first met your mom, I was fighting with myself and was badly injured. I could have died…” He stops as I halt in my tracks and can feel my eyes widening? “Jake when I first met your mother, she was a young girl and I was an injured eagle.”

  “But you said you were fighting with yourself. Dad I love you but you’re not making sense.”

  He moves us over to a downed log. “Jake remember how you thought you saw me dying and we explained to you about the split, when I first met your mother, my Nicholas side had turned into a fox and swiped at me. I was badly injured, but your mother threw dishes at the fox and nursed me back to health.” I can’t help but laugh at the picture now running through my mind. “But as to your question, after that, I did go and check on her and I did want to keep her safe from harm and in truth safe from me, but as you know, some things are just beyond our control and thankfully, I couldn’t keep her from me. Did you ask because that is how you feel about Julianne?”

  The strange feeling that I had when I was curing her returns and I don’t know why I can’t simply answer him. Rising, I begin walking back slowly, hoping that it will be easier to talk to him if I don’t have to look him in the eye. I can hear him coming up beside me. “I want to protect her…but I am also feeling something I can’t explain…something that came over me when I was curing her and Grant walked in…”

  He smiles at me. “Jake it’s alright. You don’t have to get frustrated. I know what you mean. You were embarrassed because you are young, and these feelings are new to you, but you did nothing wrong, you helped her. Jacob I know what you saw and how you think that you and she will end up together, and I am not saying that you won’t, but you are still young and everything is still so new to you. Give yourself time to grow up and see where things lead.”

  “Dad, I don’t feel so young anymore though, it’s strange, but ever since what happened in England, I feel strange, different as if I’m growing faster than my body and that I’m changing. Dad please don’t be mad, but I feel as if my mind is always processing things, things I don’t even remember seeing and gaining knowledge of things which I know I haven’t come across.”

  He stops dead in his tracks and turns to me. “Jake what else have you felt, and did you ever feel this before we went to England?”

  “No, not really…I didn’t even feel it as much until recently, until we left Sanctuary. At first it was only little things I noticed, things I seemed to know, but couldn’t explain how. Then after the incident with Julianne, my mind seems to be racing all the time, and I feel different? I thought it was just because I was feeling angry more over things that happened, but now I realize too that it is because I can’t explain things that I seem to know…” I feel the frustration welling within me, knowing that I am not really explaining what I mean, when suddenly something hits me. “Dad, when you were split did you feel as if you knew or saw things that weren’t your memories or your knowledge, but instead belonged to someone else?” I don’t mean to, but as what I’m asking truly sinks in, I panic and grab his wrists.

  “Jake, it’s alright. I don’t think that has happened to you, we haven’t had that kind of an encounter. Jake that only happened because Satan himself did that, I don’t think even his strongest demons can do that. There has to be another explanation? Jacob, can you explain more of what you feel or the knowledge you have come across?”

  It’s so mixed up in my head; I can’t even begin to explain to him what I have been dreaming of. I can’t even explain it to myself and up until now, maybe I wasn’t even willing to admit it to myself. I know some of it I tried to convince myself was because of my dreams about mom, but there seems to be someone else or something else that is in there too, but I can’t put a face to it or really explain it. “Dad, I don’t know how to really explain what is going on, it’s strange. At first I thought it was just feeling what others feel and maybe it is that. Is it possible that I am connecting with someone else and am not aware of it and that is why I feel these things?”

  He takes in a deep breath and begins walking, but at a very slow pace and his features appear as it they are truly considering the possibilities. “You do seem to have that ability. Just look at the information that you obtained from Laurel. Did this ever happen besides with your mother when you were at Sanctuary?”

  “I don’t think so, b
ut maybe it was happening and I really didn’t even realize it or was ignoring it.” This is so frustrating, I feel as if my mind is racing trying to pull things, time, places, events from fleeting visions and trying to decipher whether I saw them at home or just here. Inadvertently, my fisted hands move to my temples. “Why is this so confusing?”

  Dad stops, gently removing my hands from my face. “Jake it’s alright. You may not have realized it was happening at home or maybe this is something new, something that is only recently developing because you have been using your powers. Maybe it is even something like uncle Gabriel, maybe you are connecting with people’s thoughts on some sort of sub-conscious level and their knowledge is somehow coming out when you sleep or let yourself think of such things. I know that this is very frustrating but it’s alright son. You need to give yourself time to adjust to your surroundings and your talents. If you feel that it is too much for you or that you will feel better home, we can always discuss going home with your mother.”

  I shake my head. I know how important this project is to mom and she is right, it is what brought her back to us. It needs to get done. Besides, knowledge can’t hurt me, it is something I just need to sort out and calm down about. “No dad, it’s fine. You’re right, everything is just new and I need to give it time to sort itself out, but while I do, do you mind if I talk to you about it or we go on more of these runs because they do help. I know I seem frustrated and that they don’t, but they do.”

  “We can do whatever you want Jacob. I am always here for you.”

  I start walking again. “Dad, can I ask you something else that might seem a little strange?”

  “You can ask me anything.”

  “Because the devil” I’m surprised how much my tone drops, “came for grandma and tried to claim you, and then seemed to send those who are with him after mom, more than once, do you think that he will come after us or anyone that we get close to, is that why you said you tried to protect mom from you?” Even looking at his profile as we walk back towards the house, I can see his features fill with understanding.

  “Jacob, I tried to keep your mother away from me because at the time she came into my life, I couldn’t see past what he had made us and the curse that was hanging over our head. I didn’t want to cost your mother her soul.”

  Before he can continue, I stop and grab his hand. “I don’t understand.” Placing his arm around my shoulders, he tells me the story of what happened all those centuries ago and how mom saved them. Somehow as we move forward, images appear to be popping before my eyes, brief, but very vivid images of what he is saying and I gasp as I see the image of him on the ground lying beside his dead self. Just then, a loud angry voice rings in my ears. “You shouldn’t have stopped the drugs. She’ll attack just like my father did… It will be dangerous for everyone involved. My mother said that she was traveling to Maine, where exactly are you sending them? How did you come across them? Are you associated with Peter’s group? Does he know what you are?” I hear mom’s voice. “Jeff are you alright, who is this?” An image flashes before me and I quickly shrug my shoulders out from under dad’s arms and grab his wrist, hoping that he can see what I am seeing as I bolt toward the house.

  As mom goes near Jeff, the man who must have been shouting turns, grabs her by the shoulders, and falls to his knees, taking her with him. “You can’t be real, can you? I don’t understand how can you be here? I saw you fall into the gorge that opened when … Oh no! Oh no, not again!”

  Bursting through the doors, I wedge myself between mom and the man, quickly grabbing his thumbs and removing his hands from her. A flash of her falling darts across my vision but Jeff grabs me, I see someone go over and as he breaks contact, the image dissipates.

  “Jacob, it’s alright, he’s just confused. He’s Laurel’s brother.” Dad is now before us both, inching him back. With lightning speed his hands move up as if to grab dad, but as he lifts his head, his eyes lock with dad’s, widen and he appears to go into shock. Jeff moves over to them and is calling his name, but he does not respond. Moving him over to a chair, he still makes no movement on his own.

  Leaving the room, Jeff returns with his bag. As he shines the light in his eyes, he quickly snaps out of his daze, jumps out from his seat, knocking Jeff over and throws himself across the room. His eyes dart wildly between us. “Who the hell are you and what type of game are you playing he roars.”

  Hearing fast moving footsteps upstairs and fearing anyone approaching him will get hurt, I bolt past him, too quick for him to even realize what I am doing and am out into the hallway. Grant, Julianne and the others have already reached the stairs. “Don’t. Stay upstairs. It was only a misunderstanding.”

  Mom joins me and places her hand on my back. “He’s right, everything is fine. Come on.” She moves me along and whispers so low that only I can hear. “We don’t want anyone down here or worrying so go upstairs with them.” She tucks everyone back in and whispers once more to me. “Jake everything is fine. Try to get some rest. I’m sure he just got confused with everything that happened with his family. Everything will be fine.” Despite her comforting words, I can tell that she’s worried.

  Closing my eyes, I have no intention of sleeping, but know she is anxious to get downstairs. Reaching the hallway, I hear her ask Julianne to stay with Alexander in case things get out of hand before she descends down the stairs with another set of footsteps at her side. Grant must have waited for her. Thankfully now that it is quieted down I can easily hear the conversation they are having.

  “I told you we don’t know any Peter. I came down to help Dr. Angelis at Mercy and after operating on your sister, I stopped the drugs because they would have killed her.”

  “I know what you are and you may think you’re helping, but you’re not. You didn’t see Charles change instantly when he attacked us. He was more vicious than you can imagine and whatever caused that is probably coursing through her veins now. She’ll kill herself or Renee. Tell your man to turn around. We’ll handle this ourselves!”

  “We can help if you let us. Have you spoken to your mother since she left for Sanctuary?”

  “The last time I spoke with Renee she didn’t sound right. She said she was traveling up to a special hospital with some of our kind, then the line went dead and now seeing what is with you, you must have done something to her.”

  I hear shifting and then his voice turns livid. “Whatever sick game you are playing, it won’t work. If you harm my family I will end your existence. I fought you once and I will do it again without hesitation no matter whose form you take. I won’t be fooled. You won’t get a link with me again. I may have been fooled when you pretended to by my twin, but I won’t be fooled again. I know your tricks. Now turn that ambulance around!”

  Jeff’s response is measured. “I never fought you or pretended to be anyone and we haven’t done anything to your family. I only want to help them. Anthony, you need to understand, the drugs were closing down your sister’s system.”

  “I wasn’t talking about you!” He roars back. “I was talking to them.”

  My dad responds quietly as if talking to a wounded animal. “Your mom must have lost service. Our hospital is out of the way and there are places along the route where there is no service. We are not trying to harm your sister in any way. We are trying to save her. Maybe if you told us what happened that night with your father, we could help her better.”

  “You don’t want to help us. You wouldn’t be pretending to be someone else unless you are trying to get me again! You have to be up to no good. Although why you would turn into a natural enemy I don’t understand. You had to know I am a…” He stops and inhales deeply.

  Listening, I wonder who he is seeing. I know that dad didn’t change into Jonathan when we were running back, so what could he be talking about. Does dad project to the outside world all the time that he is Jonathan, or is it only when we see him as Jonathan.

  Dad responds even lower still. “I?
??m not pretending to be anyone. I have been this way for over five hundred years and I don’t ever remember coming across you.”

  Rising, I wonder if my other assumption is right. Sneaking down stairs, I am just outside the door. Grant catches site of me and slips out of the room. “Jacob, I thought that your mother put you to bed?”

  “She did, but I can’t sleep with him down here. Grant who is my dad appearing to you as?” His features appear confused by my question and his eyes shift between me and the other room.

  “Jacob he is himself? Why?

  “I thought maybe Anthony was seeing Jonathan or maybe dad through the Jonathan façade and that is why he is saying what he did? Do we know if we see him sometimes as him, but everyone else sees him as Jonathan all the time?”

  “I don’t think that is possible, I think when we see him as Jonathan that he looks that way to everyone else, but now he is himself.”

  Anthony’s aggravated voice rings out. “Are you going to make the same lying claim? Why are you doing this, we can be of no consequence to you or is this because of Peter and his group? Am I mistaken, is he somehow related to our world too?” He takes in a deep breath. His tone drops and he begins arguing with himself. “How could I have been so wrong in thinking that Peter is human? If he’s involved with you people there is no way that he is. That must be what Charles discovered before… He must be disguising himself in some way, that’s how he got to him…” Suddenly a back is in the archway and Grant pushes me against the wall just as Anthony blows past us out the door.

  Jeff quickly follows but dad grabs his arm. “Don’t, he needs time to sort out whatever is going on with him. I’ll call up to Francis and see if I can reach him or call Eva and let her know that as soon as they arrive, Renee has to call Anthony. If we pursue him now, we’ll only make things worse. He sees us as a threat for some reason and we don’t want to exacerbate and already tenuous situation because if they turn that ambulance around we will lose Laurel and if he is correct in whatever caused the father to attack could cause problems for her, we want to contain her for as long as possible.”

  Dad, do you think that he was seeing you as your Jonathan façade and that’s why he was accusing you of being someone you’re not?”

  “I don’t think so. Mia, you didn’t see me as Jonathan at all while he was here did you? I know that I have been slipping in and out of him and now don’t even have to really concentrate when I am him, but I don’t think that I unconsciously change?”

  “I didn’t see you as him, but I never do, she says moving closer to him and they both look to Jeff.”

  “I didn’t see you change to him, but I was concentrating on Anthony afraid that he would bolt.” I see them shake their heads and know they are wondering if there was some sort of quick conversion too, but before I can dwell on it, mom comes over to me.

  “Come on Jacob; let’s get you back to bed.” As we ascend the stairs, Grant follows, but dad and Jeff move to the office, probably to call the others.

  As she tucks me into bed and rises, I grab her hand. “Mom can you stay a few minutes?”

  “Sure, handsome, what’s on your mind?”

  “You don’t think that they will actually turn the ambulance around do you?”

  “No, I don’t. They are probably almost up there and I’m sure that your uncle used the drive up there to convince Renee that Sanctuary is the best place for Laurel to be and that we can be trusted. Their family has obviously gone through something terrible and I think that Anthony is just confused and lashing out because we are strangers, he’s worried about his sister and there is obviously something still very wrong and frightening going on with them. I’m sure though that they will get in touch with him and get him to go up to Sanctuary and they can work it all out there. Don’t worry. I’m sure that everything will work itself out in time.” She glances at her watch and then strokes my cheek gently. “Jacob, try to get some sleep, there are only a few hours until school. If you are not up to it in the morning, I can call in and you can stay home.”

  I shake my head as the events of the day begin to take their toll. I have to be in school with the others, with everything that has gone down and the questions still unanswered, I don’t want my siblings there without me. I am the strongest and want to be there if anything were to happen. “I want to go. I’ll be fine. Love you mom.”

  She kisses me on the forehead. “I love you handsome. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Closing my eyes, I try to clear my mind, but as I drift, visions of Laurel trying to fight her father, flash vividly through my mind and mix with Anthony grabbing and hurting mom. As the vision replays for the third time, all of a sudden everything appears to be shaking around mom and the scenery has changed from the living room to outside, but not this outside. She is surrounded by a bright clear day, trees are in the distance, but not ones that I have seen at home and all of a sudden, Anthony is grabbing her, while holding on to a strange wide column, one like I have never seen, except for maybe in history books. Snow seems to be falling all around them, but as the vision becomes more consuming and clearer, I realize it is not snow, but instead looks gray and strange. The world around him seems to shake and as his hand grasps mom’s wrist, the ground below her seems to fall away. Her face is pained, his is strained, and I can see his hand slipping from the column. Her free hand grasps the hand holding hers and she wrenches his fingers from around her wrist and calls out as her body plummets downward into the nothingness that once was a plush earth beneath her feet. I love you, get to safety. I can feel the fall and my body is being battered as if I am hitting the rocks. My mind suddenly goes blank. The next thing I know, someone is calling to me.

  “Jake are you coming?” Charlie is calling from the hallway. “Breakfast is ready and we have to leave for school.”

  Rising, I’m glad that despite feeling battered in my dream, my body does not feel beaten. Julian, Grant and Paul have already left and I grab my eggs and stick them between bread so I can eat on the run.

  Over the next two days, rumors are spreading like wildfire about Laurel being permanently paralyzed because of me to slipping into a coma and having to be moved to a special hospital. One of Greg’s group even said he heard that they transferred her to a distant hospital where she died. As if that is not bad enough, every time a classmate gets remotely close to me in gym, one of Greg’s friends moves close to me and makes them jump.

  I don’t know if it is my restless nights, which I cannot explain to my siblings or even mom and dad because how do I tell them about what now has become my recurring nightmare of mom wrenching herself free from Anthony and falling into an abyss and the strange visions of dad diving in saving her but is then separated from mom in a dense, all, consuming fog, or if I am inadvertently showing signs of being bothered by what is surrounding me, but Charlie, Nicholas, Nicole and Kayla are staying too close and are watching me as if they’re waiting for a second head to grow from my neck. Even Brian appears to start to ask me something but then immediately withdraws.

  During our free period, we head to the library to so that Kayla and Nicole can finish their research paper, but between their stares and the more timid students shying away from me, I feel as if the walls are just too confining. I need some space, some quiet time. Knowing that Greg and the rest would never be caught dead in the library, I head to dad’s office and although Nicholas rises, when I gesture for him to stay with Charlie and the others, thankfully he retreats.

  Dad’s office is empty and although I would like to stay and just take a few moments of quite time, I know that if anyone were to come down, I would be in trouble. Heading back, I see Greg talking with Tim just before they slip into the athletic room.

  Scanning the hallway, I don’t see signs of anyone else around so I quickly move towards the door and try to listen in, but all I hear is the click of the door to the field. Listening for another moment to make sure there is no sound from the room, I gingerly open the door and slip i
nside. Thankfully, no one is there. Moving to the outside door, I listen and after a few moments of hearing nothing, I open the door and can see that they are moving quickly toward the football field. Taking a piece of paper from my pocket, I scrunch it in such a way as to wedge it between the door so it will not fully close, but also making it appear as if they dropped it in case they return before I do or someone comes to the door before I get back.

  With lightning speed, I move to the trees surrounding the school for cover and begin to double back near the field. Climbing a tree near the far post, I see Coach McDonough near the benches speaking with a tall man in a black leather jacket. Greg and Tim are almost on top of them when I hear the voice I have been searching for.

  “A new shipment is coming in three days, is everything prepared at the lab?” As his voice rings in my ears, I can hear his threat to Julianne and Laurel. Because his back is turned to me, I can’t see his face. Taking in a deep breath, he is too far away and the smells around are too much for me to really get a good scent, but the voice, is unmistakable.

  “At least we won’t have trouble from that stupid cop since we took care of his sister.” Tim snorts.

  “Don’t underestimate him again. We thought that the father would take our warning and look at how far he pursued us.” Coach McDonough grumbles.

  “Yes, but he has been neutralized. We even got his own family to take him out so it’s not traceable to us.” Greg’s tone is filled with satisfaction. “I also confirmed that Laurel was moved from the local hospital and hopefully Anthony is wherever she is.”

  “This shipment needs to go off without any interference.” The voice retorts.

  “We met with our man in the precinct. He buried the investigation. They continued it on their own. No one else in that station is looking at us.” Coach McDonough’s says reassuringly.

  “If he comes around, I expect you to take care of him the way you did his father. Do you need more of the drug I provided to you?”

  “No.” McDonough states. “I have some. What’s in that anyway, my guys couldn’t break it down.”

  “That’s not your job!” He shouts angrily. “Do what I pay you to do.”

  We will stay in the background to ensure that nothing goes wrong. Just make sure that your end of the deal is taken care of.”

  The man turns and pushes the coach in the chest, but still I cannot see his face. “Your incompetence during the last shipment cost me a half a million. Any more mistakes and I might just use what I supplied you with on you.” He growls angrily and then moves away from the others and appears to be heading to the parking lot.

  Moving quickly down the tree, I want to follow him, but considering what they were saying and how clever they appear, the door being ajar may tip them off. Darting quickly through the forest, thankfully, they are just turning on the field. I know that I can dash the last fifty feet to the door quick enough that they won’t see me. Even if they run back, I can be out of the locker room before they reach the door. Sliding inside, hot hands grab my shoulder making me jump and I quickly put my hand over my mouth not to alert those who are heading this way. As my eyes dart up, I’m relieved that it is Paul, but quickly grab his wrist and move us past the inside door without a sound. The hallway is now filled with students moving to their other classes. Although we can blend even if Greg, Tim, and the coach move to the hallway, I won’t be able to catch up with the man in the leather jacket.

  Paul takes a few more steps and then moves me aside in an alcove. “What were you doing outside?” He sounds both worried and angry.

  “I’ll explain later, can you get out to the parking lot, the man in the black leather jacket is the one who hurt Julianne.” Without another word, he moves quickly past the other students, constrained by human speed.

  Nicholas, Kayla, Charlie and Nicole catch sight of me and we head to our next class. Thankfully, it is with Ms. Wolf. Quickly I go to her. “Can I speak with you a second before class.”

  She positions herself so that the other students have to go straight to their seats. “I need to be excused to see my uncle.” I say hoping that she will allow me to go and I can slip out so I can keep an eye on Paul, if he catches up with the man, he can’t be alone.

  “Your uncle had a meeting he said he had to take care of and won’t be back for an hour. Are you feeling sick? I can send you to the nurse.”

  Knowing she will call down to alert the nurse first and that we are wasting time, I try a new tact. “Ms. Wolf, please, I just need to leave for a few minutes without anyone knowing.”

  Her apprising stare tells me she knows what I am asking. “Do you need help?”

  I shake my head knowing that I don’t want my siblings out with me and if she were to leave with me it would cause suspicion.

  She slips her hand into her pocket and then grasps mine and I can feel a cool metal between our palms. “You’ll need this to get back inside, but be careful and don’t let anyone see you or that key. It’s traceable back to me.”

  I nod then slip out of the classroom. Staying up against the lockers, I quickly slip past the remaining students to an exit. There is no sign of Paul or the man. Moving to the far end of the lot closest to the field, I catch sight of a gray wolf returning and as he catches sight of me, he phases, moving quickly toward me. “He was gone by the time I got out here. I tried to search for a scent, but it disappeared. He must have had a car waiting nearby. Did you get a good look at him?” He moves us close to the edge of school and around the back so we can sneak in the cafeteria delivery entrance.

  I shake my head in frustration. “He never turned my way. Paul, coach McDonough is involved and from the way they were talking, I’m pretty sure that the man is some sort of drug dealer. They also drugged Laurel’s father and that’s why he went crazy and attacked.”

  Paul grabs my wrist and pulls me into the supply closet just as I catch the scent of Principal Walker. Standing stock still, I hear him talking with someone and the turning of a knob. Thankfully, they retreat within moments.

  Paul whispers. “Get back to class. Mrs. Riley is waiting for me. I was supposed to deliver some papers she requested when I caught your scent. I’ll let Grant and Julianne know what’s going on and your father should be back soon. He just went to the college to find out about Scott.”

  “We need to do something.”

  “Jacob, we don’t know who the man is, but he is obviously connected to Greg, his group and the coach. If we raise suspicion it sounds like we could bring a whole lot of trouble that we cannot afford upon us. Besides, the best way to get a handle on this is to stay here where those who we know are players remain.” Knowing he is right, I move quickly back to Ms. Wolf’s class, thankful that no one is in the hallways. Slipping into my seat, she is lecturing walking up and down the aisles. As she passes me, I slip her back the key. From the way my siblings and Charlie are looking at me, I know they are raging with curiosity and worried. Hopefully it is just because they know me and nothing is showing on my face. As the bell rings, I rise and am leaving, but Ms. Wolf calls me and tells the others to go on their way.

  “Jacob is everything alright or should I be expecting trouble?” The way her eyes are boring into mine, I swear she can see down to my soul. I open my mouth but as I think about lying to her, I close it again. She did hand me her key, no questions and I know what I saw around her.

  “Ms. Wolf, I need to get to my next class, I was just worried about a friend who might have been getting himself into a situation that he couldn’t handle alone, but they’re alright for now.” She nods and lets me pass, but I can feel her eyes following mine.

  The rest of the day drags by too long. Walking into science, I brush against Paul and know he told Julianne and Grant, but that dad has not returned.

  By the time the day ends, I desperately need to run. I was so close to seeing the one who hurt Julianne. Now, not only do we not know what he looks like, but he could bring a whole world of trouble to a school where many
of the students already seem to be struggling in their own personal hells. I wonder how many will seek whatever drugs he is selling in hopes of escaping the chains of their despair for a brief moment, without realizing how much more trouble they are inviting in. It’s so strange, for all the unworldly troubles that we faced, our school at Sanctuary never faced this kind of trouble. Maybe the world really is filled with a lifetime of different troubles and challenges and when we left, we only traded the surreal kind for the human kind which seem to be just as problematic and maybe even more dangerous, especially since we cannot use our powers to stop it.

  As soon as we are out the door, I’m bombarded with questions, but Jeff comes out of dad’s car and shuffles us inside, probably not wanting anyone to overhear what we have discovered. I slip into the front seat, despite knowing Charlie probably would want to sit with his father. I need some breathing room. The questions start up again as soon as all of the doors close. Knowing how much we have already been through and how skittish Nicole still is with everything, I don’t want to worry her or any of them and wonder how much mom and dad would really want them to know. Since they already know about Julianne, I tell them about seeing Greg with someone but that I couldn’t get a good look at him and tried to see who he was when I left Ms. Wolf’s class. Although I’m not totally honest with them, I know Jeff knows what is going on and from the slight rise in the corner of his lips, I know it is an approving smile and I’m glad that I have said no more as I catch Nicole and Kayla’s worried glances.

  When we arrive, Jeff maneuvers us into the kitchen for a snack and to do our homework and I’m surprised that mom and dad don’t come out to see us because I caught their scent as soon as we entered and know it is not from this morning. Excusing myself to utilize the bathroom, I duck near the study and can hear them talking.

  My mother’s concerned voice is straining to speak low and I wonder if dad heard us come in. “Could it be the same sense of familiarity with him as you had with Daniela?”

  “I’m just not sure. It was just the strangest feeling when I was leaving. Like I told you, the hallway was filled with students, but the second he came out of that classroom, I felt him there, looked up and there was something about him that seemed familiar, but then he was gone. The administrator came up to me so I couldn’t even follow him without involving suspicion.”

  “Maybe we should leave. I shouldn’t have brought us here. You should take the children back to Sanctuary, I’ll join you in a few days, I just need to see if I can give this a fighting chance by attending the meeting day after tomorrow and handing it off to Paul or Julian. You know what happened the last time. If it is similar…”

  Before she finishes, I hear dad comforting her. “Mia, it’s fine. I don’t know for sure why it happened, maybe the real Jonathan was near me or his mother, since she was ripped away from him, she may be close and the wing and the programs that Jonathan Taylor was beginning to set up could accomplish a lot of good.”

  “But Andrew, we were fooled before and what if it is history repeating itself but this time with one of our children. I couldn’t bear that. We can’t put them in danger like that. I have put them through enough already.”

  “Mia our children are becoming very strong and we do not want to limit them. I know that they get afraid, but just think about how much we have limited ourselves and how much my family fighting amongst themselves limited us. I have been around five hundred years and am just learning about creatures and powers that I should have become familiar with centuries ago. Mia, they need to see the world, eternity is a long time and we can’t keep them prisoner in Sanctuary forever hoping to keep them safe. We are teaching them how to utilize their powers and look at how strong they are becoming and how quickly they are growing. They easily fit into high school and already know most of what is being taught. Just look at how much Jacob is changing, not only is he growing more each day, looking more like an adult than a teenager, but he is also embracing his gifts and the control Nicholas and Kayla have shown. I know Nicole is still afraid, but in time she will learn to let go of her fear and flourish…”

  Tentatively, I knock on the door, it opens immediately. Walking in, I know from dad’s features that he is aware I was out there for a few moments so I go over and hug mom. “Mom, you do try to keep us safe, but Dad’s right, I am just beginning to realize how much trouble there is out there and not just from our world.” As I say this, she grabs dad’s hand and places it on my shoulder and I realize that I am thinking about what happened on the field and she grabbed him so that they could see it too. I stop talking and try instead to concentrate on the details that I saw and heard so that they can have a full picture too.”

  Backing out of her embrace, I can see a new cause of worry in her eyes. “Jacob, you shouldn’t have followed Greg outside. What would you have done if they caught you?”

  Opening my mouth, I want to tell her I am strong enough to fight them off, but I quickly close it, knowing that she probably knows that and is concerned that in fighting them I could seriously hurt them or worse, kill them and in either case, I would expose us. “Mom, your right, I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry, but I was very careful.”

  “And clever” Her tone reflects her pride, but I can tell my actions still concern her. “Just next time, make sure you have help?” She turns to my father. “Have you spoken to Francis? Did Anthony arrive there or has Eva gotten any more information about what happened that night with their father?”

  “I talked to Gabriel and his account was similar to what Jacob saw, but he said that Anthony arrived there and since Laurel was awake, he wanted to move her, but Renee convinced him that it was safer for her to go through the conversion at Sanctuary with so many other wolves present. After that, he got a phone call and took off. He said that Renee hasn’t heard from him since and is very worried.”

  “Do they know who called him?” Jeff inquires stepping inside.

  “No, but whatever they told him, he left immediately, he didn’t even stay to talk with Laurel which is surprising because if what Gabriel saw is true it makes no sense.”

  Before he can explain we hear movement in the kitchen. Knowing it is the others, mom interjects. “Maybe we should go see the children and discuss this later.” Mom moves out the door quickly, probably not wanting my siblings to worry.

  I quickly complete my homework. Thankfully I do not need to concentrate because I can’t seem to focus on the here and now. The images of the field, my recurring nightmare and the speculation of what my parents are discussing are jumbled in my consciousness and I desperately need to clear my head. Unfortunately, both mom and dad are on conference calls and Jeff has been called back to the hospital. Stepping outside while the others are finishing up, I close my eyes, leaning against the back wall, hoping that the fresh air will offer some relief.

  “Shall we run? Your mother said it would be fine.”

  I smile and break out into a sprint. Ten minutes later, Julianne phases and I stop. “Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can help?” She moves over to a large rock and sits down. Sitting next to her, I don’t even know where to start. “Jacob, I know that you have been through a lot and I hear you up at night, I just thought that maybe you would like a neutral ear to listen.” How do I tell her that she is not a neutral ear and that part of the reason I am so anxious is because in all of this she could get hurt and I couldn’t stand that.

  “I don’t even know where to start.”

  “How about with what has you pacing in your room at night.” Looking up, I see the concern in her eyes.

  “Ever since we came here, I feel different, strange. I see things, know things and feel things that I cannot explain and some of which don’t even feel as if they are my own. Like today when I followed Greg outside, something was telling me that I should make sure the door remains open and how to do it. The notion just popped into my head, but then again, I felt as if I had done that before. I have never done anything like that at home or
even thought of such a thing and then there’s the…” How do I explain to her that there are the feelings about her and the dreams with Anthony that I can’t seem to escape? Her growing concern is evident and I so wish I could tell her. “Julianne, I…” She takes my hands and her eyes become unfocused.

  She gasps. “You need to tell your parents what you are seeing. Jacob, is that why you have been pacing these last few nights? Did Mia fall into a fault opening during a volcanic eruption? I thought that she wasn’t that old.”

  As she says this, I can’t believe that she could see my dream. “How did you see it?”

  “I’m not sure, but the image flashed once I took your hand.”

  “I have only been able to share like that with mom and dad, no one else.” I can feel the heat coloring my cheeks as I wonder if it is because I like her so much and could see us end up together in the future. “Julianne, my mom isn’t that old. That’s why I haven’t said anything to her. She is already so anxious and blaming herself for everything that happened when she was away that I didn’t want to give her something else to worry about, especially because whatever I’m seeing can’t be right. Mom couldn’t have fallen during some volcanic eruption a long time ago.”

  “Jacob, all the same, you still need to talk to her. Obviously this is upsetting you. Maybe it means something and that is why you keep dreaming about it.”

  “It could, but maybe it is just an awful dream because of the way Anthony grabbed her. I don’t want her to be any more anxious. She’s already talking about returning home because she’s afraid something will happen to us. If I tell her about this on top of not feeling like myself and feeling as if I’m changing, she’ll return right away and this project is important to her and could help a lot of people.”

  “Jake, I know you said you feel as if you have knowledge about things you didn’t before or that is just coming to you, but there seems to be something more. You can trust me. I want to help you.”

  “I know you do. It’s just that everyone looks upon me still as a child, but I don’t feel that way anymore. I feel as if I’m changing faster than my body is allowing, as if everything inside me is fighting itself.”

  “It does appear that you have gone through another growth spurt. She smiles and I catch her eyes going to the hem of my pants which are too short again. Mom just bought these the other day.

  “Then with everything that is going on around us, I just want to make sure that everyone is safe.” I can’t help it, but I take her hand and before I can stop myself, “You need to be careful; I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt.”

  She puts her hand over mine. “Jake, they caught me off guard once. I will not let my guard down again. I am keenly aware of what is around me at all times. How do you think that I detected your pacing at night? Look, I know that we met at a time when we both needed help and got caught off guard, but we have changed quite a bit over the last few months and I know that you are not a child, I never meant to give you that impression, but you are new to the human world. That is why I told you to let the adults handle it. We have been through this before. You and your family are used to battling demons and those from our world, those around us now…” She stops and giggles and despite my anxiety, I can’t help but laugh too considering how many we have encountered from our world. “Yes I agree with you, but, the ones who are with Greg are human and we can’t handle them the same way we would handle our kind, despite your wanting to stop them. But if it makes you feel better, I did hear Jeff before he left for the hospital call up to some of his men, I guess they were police officers or maybe still are before they went up to Sanctuary, I’m sure they will be able to help with the Greg situation.

  She opens her mouth to say something else and closes it again, but pats my hand and I know that she is thinking about what else I said but is unsure as to how to handle it. Her eyes soften and then she fidgets. I don’t want to cause her any anxiety and know it is because of my age that she doesn’t know how to respond so I rise. “Maybe we should get back. Thank you for running with me.”

  “Jake, anytime you want to run or talk, I will be here.” She smiles and I see relief in her features.

  When we arrive back, I’m surprised to see uncle Francis back. “How’s Laurel?”

  Physically she is doing much better and Jeff’s men have her out at the cabin. They said that the first night of the conversion went well. She is still very confused as to how she ended up there and what happened, but I’m sure with time, she will be fine. “

  Dad walks in. “Has Renee heard from Anthony?”

  “No, not since he left. Gabriel confirmed something interesting. Renee is not Laurel’s mother, and Charles is not her father, Anthony is. Laurel is a natural born wolf, but only from Anthony, her mother was human. She died of cancer shortly after Laurel was born. Anthony had been with Renee and Charles for centuries and they thought that it would be better to hold Laurel out to all as being their child because Anthony does a lot of undercover work and didn’t want to put her in danger.”

  Julianne interjects. “Do you know if any of my uncle’s men are coming down to monitor the Greg situation?”

  “They should be here within an hour or so, they were getting ready to leave and are flying down.”

  She turns to me. “Remember what I said.” She smiles. “I’ll go help Mia with dinner.” She turns on her heels and leaves. I catch my father staring at me.

  Knowing I don’t really want to give my mother anything more to be concerned over, I decide maybe I should talk to him and follow him out to the pool.

  After we talk, I am convinced that I must be mixing things that happened with mom falling down a gorge when she was at Sanctuary and events that Anthony may have lived through. When I tell him my body feels as if it is fighting itself to grow, he reminds me that it’s probably a natural growth spurt because I’m at that age. He also calls up to uncle Gabriel regarding checking some data base for instances where our kind have felt that they are connecting with others or gaining knowledge from others. Although he has come across those like himself, uncle Gabriel does not come across any of our kind that may gain knowledge without proximity to others or reading minds. This information gets me to wondering if it is possible that my knowledge is coming from being around students and teachers who are not what they appear to be. Maybe I’m reading minds without even realizing it. As we consider this, my father lets me know that he will alert the others considering that my siblings and Charlie could be exposed to real world situations and deceptive individuals that could put them in danger.

  Rising as mom calls me to dinner, my father places his hand on my shoulder. “Jacob, I’m glad that you came to me with this. Julianne is right, we can’t keep secrets. I know that you are worried about your mom and the guilt that she is carrying around about what happened, but she is strong and will come through this, it is just going to take time, but I know that despite all of it, she would much rather you talk to us and let us know what is going on. If you are concerned about talking to her, you can talk to me. I know that you have matured, but we are much stronger and can deal with much more when we are honest with each other about what is going on. We may not have the answers, but we can forge a path and discover them together and considering that both worlds are still quite new to you, I would rather you face them with us than alone right now.”

  I hug him and know that he is trying to warn me off of doing things on my own again like I did this afternoon.