Chapter 14 Lego House
Eric’s POV
We stepped out of the car and looked around the crowded Funtasia Cirque.
I shook my head seeing the tweak they made for the name.
We walked in front of the car and stared at the entrance.
“So, what exactly do we say why we’re here?” Aaron asked. “Hi, we’re shifters and we found out that one of your werewolves had gone missing?”
“You sound like a police.” I chuckled.
“Shifter police is on the case!” Aaron says.
“I swear, I’m sure your mom dropped you when you were a baby.” Jake says.
“Hey…” Aaron whined, acting hurt, “that’s mean. Cam…”
“That was mean, Jake,” Cam says walking up toward us.
Jake rolled his eyes and shrugged, “I’m just saying.”
“Meanie!” Aaron says still acting like a little boy, that was how he get away with his pranks, even with Anna.
“Remind me again why you get to tag along.” Siam says standing beside Anna.
She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, Siam puts an arm around her shoulder.
“Cause I want to see the Circus and…” she sniffed, “I want cotton candy!”
Siam chuckled and kissed her on top of her head, “As long as you girls stay near us, you’ll get every cotton candy you want.”
“What are we waiting for then?” Jean grabs Aaron’s arm, “Let’s go baby boy.”
“Hey, I’m not a baby boy.” He whined as they run toward the entrance making us laugh.
“Yes you are…” Jean pinched him on the cheek, “you’re my baby boy.”
“I’ll show you how much I’m not a baby boy.” Aaron grumbled.
Jean raised a brow and put her hands on her hips, “Oh really? I’m betting that’s the baby boy right there.” gesturing at his crotch.
“Is not!” Aaron says, turning red making us laugh some more.
“Ok, ok… enough of that.” Jake cuts into them, reaching for Cam’s hand and pulling her inside the circus as he bought the tickets for everyone.
“Can you smell them?” Siam asked, sniffing around as well.
“No.” Aaron whines, “There’s too much scent.”
“Might as well ask for help,” I said.
We walked around and bought the girls’ cotton candy, as Anna demanded, and are now on our way to the Circus master’s trailer.
Jake knocked at the door and a grumble came from the other side. A burly man with the signature white mustache and top hat opened the door.
“What is it?” he snapped.
“We’re looking for your shifters.” Jake says.
“Shifters?” he asked.
“Your werewolves.” Aaron says.
“What are you saying?” he looks at us, as if on outraged. But we can see through him.
“I don’t want to ask again.” Jake says.
“I said I don’t know what you are saying.” The old man snaps again.
“Let me through.” I hear Jean say as he walks pass Jake tugging her shirt lower, exposing her cleavage.
We watch her as she walked up to the man seductively and gave him a smile that would make any human shiver.
“I think you don’t understand, daddy.” She hissed, her voice oozing with seduction, “We will tear this place apart if you don’t tell us what we need to know.”
“I… I s- said I- I…” he pushed down the lump on his throat as his gaze lowered to Jean’s now half exposed chest.
“Like what you see old man?” she whispered again.
The old man stutters gibberish.
“I’ll let you touch if you tell little old me what I need to know.” She says with a pout.
“Wa-what do you wa-want to know?” he stuttered.
Jean closed the gap between them and whispered directly in his ears, “Where are your werewolves?”
I caught the man stiffen, “At the back, black tent.”
Jean then giggled and step away from him, “Thanks daddy, toodles.” She blew him a flying kiss and walked back to us with a frown, fixing up her top, pulling it back up. “Got it?”
Jake smirked, “Yeah.” He says, “So is that you in action?”
Jean rolled her eyes and grabbed her cotton candy from a mouth opened Aaron, “I swear men grow worst as they grow older.”
I chuckled, I looked around making sure no one suspicious was following us.
When we reached the tent we heard a beautiful sonata of colorful words from an obviously angry shifter.
“Stay here.” Siam tells Anna who shook her head, holding into his hand tighter. “Anna…”
“You are not going in there without me Siam.” She snapped and pulled him.
He glanced at me, I grinned, “Well, she can protect you better than we can.”
He rolled his eyes and pulled Anna back a little so she was positioned beside him. Aaron and I walked ahead and opened the tent flap, we step inside as if we owned the place and the people inside turned toward us.
“Who are you?” one man snapped at me. “You aren’t allowed here!”
I smiled down at him, “I think you can make an exception for us.”
He frowned and glanced at us.
“Who are you?” he asks again, this time a bit more careful.
“I am Siam.” Siam stepped forward, between me and Aaron, “King of the shifters.”
They stiffened and stared at us.
“This is my wife and your queen-“
“We know no King or Queen.” The same man who snapped at me stepped forward, near Siam.
I made a quick move and grabbed him on the neck, slamming him down the ground. His circus mates moved away. It was so obvious that they are shifters with their movements, but they weren’t fighters. Far from it, in fact.
“I don’t care if you accept them or not,” I sneered, “you will show respect to them when you are graced with their presence. Do you understand me rogue?”
He sputtered the words yes and I let him go, moving back beside Siam, who had a smirk on his face.
“Forgive my brother.” He says, “He had been cooped up far too long for his liking. My sister, his mate, had been kidnapped and we have a feeling that your missing friend knows where she is.”
“Cole?” a girl asks, “You know about him?”
“No we don’t.” Jake says, “But we do know that he is one of the new victims of the hunters.”
“The hunters?” a boy about our age asks. “They’re the very reason why we aren’t part of a pack, we don’t want to mess with them or other shifters-“
“The bad news is they don’t care.” I said, “They are killing whoever shifter they come across to.”
“Cole is dead?” the girl asks again, her eyes now filled with tears.
“No.” Anna says instantly, Siam holds her back, and she stays where she is, fighting the urge to console the girl. “No he isn’t, we have not found a corpse, but his scent was found along with my sister’s and the hunters… he could have been taken alive.”
“And you know where they are?” the old man asks.
“We were actually hoping that you can tell us.” Cam says, “You may be rogues, but I’m sure your links are-“
“We never bothered with mind links.” The old man says, still massaging his neck.
Siam glanced at me who nodded, “Is your friend mated?”
The old man gave a sarcastic laugh, “That boy is the last one to even mate.” He says, I raised a brow at him and he frowned, “Don’t get me wrong. Cole is a good kid, but he wouldn’t be one to be caught with all these mating crap.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“His parents, though shifters, beat the crap out of him saying how such a mistake he was, that he was the unwanted baby between two shifters.” He sighed, “He ran away when he was sixteen and joined us. Hardly speaks of his past though, and is more of a prankster than a pack wolf.”
“Is there anyone here who he was attached to?” I asked. “Maybe someone who can be a reason for him to come back.”
“No-“
“Tasha.” The boy cuts in, the old man snarled at him, Jake silenced him with a growl. “She’s his best friend. And she’s the circus’ tarot reader.”
“Can we see her?” Aaron asked.
He nods, “I’ll show you her tent.”
We walked out of there, giving the old man one last glare, “If you touch and hurt any of the shifters here who intended to help us, I will make sure you never leave my land alive.” I warned and followed the others.
When we reached the tarot reader’s tent, the boy named Ken raised his hand.
“Tasha?” he called out.
“I’ll see the blond girl and the one who is looking for his mate.” We hear a girl say inside.
Jean and I exchanged looks and stepped inside the tent.
Inside we saw a girl sitting across the table.
“Sit down.” She says gesturing on the chairs across her. We did as told, “You are looking for Cole?”
“Yes, i-“
“About time you came.” She turned to Jean
“Huh?” Jean asked.
“It’ll be hard what you are seeking for, he isn’t so trusting but he is a good listener.” She says.
“Are we talking about Cole?” I asked.
“I am speaking about her mate.” She said, then she turned to me. “It isn’t any easier for you either, alpha.” I frowned, “The hunters aren’t out of the picture, and trust me when I say that it may just get worst.”
“How worst?”
“Wouldn’t you want to know about what the good thing about it all is?”
“Is there a good thing?” I asked.
She smiled, “There always is, trouble will not end with her being back to your side, that’s all I can say for now. But trust me, everything is as it should be.”
“Aren’t you-“
“I need not need my cards if the future is as clear as what is past the end of my nose.” She said, “I’ll see you soon.”
With that she dismissed us just like any customer she has.
“What does she have to say?” Anna asked.
“Riddles, that’s what.” Jean snapped, “Probably thinks she’s Mary Poppins’ kid… as clear as what is past the end of her nose my ass.”
“She is never wrong though.” Ken says, “So she might as well be Mary Poppins’ kid.”
With that said we walked back to the car and left for home.
Not getting any more than what we have when we arrived.
Except for Tasha’s riddles.
I stepped into Serenity’s room and jumped on the bed, grinning like crazy thinking of the song mixed with her intoxicating scent. I hid my face on one of the pillows, taking in more of the cherry blossom scent that has been keeping me sane these past months.
I probably look crazy right now.
I chuckled and sat up and leaned on head board, embracing the pillow over my chest, just enough for me to still smell Serenity’s scent.
It was already about past twelve, and I center my attention to where that tug comes from when I begin to connect with Serenity. For days she has nothing been but calm, at the beginning I was worried that she might have been unconscious, but then again, I choose to think positively and think that she might just be in peace right now, like how she is after every kill.
I frowned remembering that Uncle George was still out there following that stupid track. It’s been days and he hasn’t sent a word, I guess he didn’t want to give me any more false hope than I have already endured in the past months.
I also refuse to believe that they were killed by the hunters, seeing their wolves and how formidable fighters they are, I’m pretty sure they can take care of themselves and would probably take two dozen or more of hunters to take them down.
Then again, I can be wrong.
I sighed, so much for positive thinking Eric.
I took off my shirt and slipped under the covers, deciding to get sleep rather than think of other crap and worrying myself.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the moment I have let Serenity’s scent take over me it was soon followed by sleep.
I look around and saw that I stood in a huge field. Different flowers surrounded me, a warm breeze surrounded me.
Then I heard laughter from behind me and saw the others running around, even Liam was there, but there was no Serenity. Liam then gestured for me to follow them and I did.
We ran up a small hill and stopped at the top, I looked at the land beyond it and lit up. a few meters away Serenity sat collecting flowers. She looked up at us and smiled.
But when her eyes fell on me she frowned.
Thunder suddenly rolled in and we all looked up as tiny drops of rain began to fall. The small shower soon became a down pour, causing the girls to squeal around and they ran off as lightning crossed the sky and thunder roared.
I look back at Serenity who had her arms crossed over her body, holding her arms, looking lost.
I ran to her and reached out my hand to her.
She looked down at my hand and so did I.
That’s when I realized that this was the dream she spoke of.
Her dream of us in the field, running away from the rain, toward the darkness, toward nothing.
I smiled and stretched out my hand to her again.
She steps back, looking confused.
I frowned, I try to ask why but nothing came out.
She shook her head as she began to cry.
I step nearer and reached for her arms, but she moved away as I feel her shiver.
I stared at her, she was crying harder and shaking.
“Eric, help me…” she sobbed, “Please, don’t leave me…”
I stared at her not knowing what she meant as I continue to stare at her, then I saw the thin scar the outlined her neck.
Suddenly more bruise appeared on her arms, a hand on her neck.
Her clothes torn and she dropped on her knees crying covering herself with her arms.
I reached for her still not understanding what was happening, the moment I made contact a strong electric shock ran through my arm making me pull back.
She looked up at me, as if realizing what just happened. If it was possible she grew more depressed, “I’m sorry… I didn’t want this… believe me… Eric…”
I strong wind then blew from behind her and a new scent hit me, her scent mixing with a scent- a stench that was unbearable to me.
That’s when I realized it what was going on.
She had been taken physically.
Someone had physically marked her.
Then her words run through my mind, she didn’t want this. She was sorry.
I reached for her again, slowly, I cupped her face, I bit back the pain that the shield that was keeping me away.
She stared at me, her eyes filled with pain and regret.
“I’m sorry Eric…” she says again.
I forced a smile and nodded, understanding.
It hurt like hell, but knowing that she didn’t like it much more than I do made things better.
But of course, the fact that she was raped and I couldn’t do anything about it made me feel worse.
“Everything will be better soon, love.” I finally got to say, “I won’t give up on you, never.”
She then gave a smile, her eyes now reflected of love. She stared at me as if I have already saved her. Like I was some hero as I pulled her into my arms.
I sat up and looked around. I was back in her room, I ran my hands through my hair, pushing it back. Then I hid my face on my hands, as tears spilled out non stop, the pain was blinding. But the anger was greater.
She was broken beyond repair right now, and I couldn’t do anything until I get out of here.
But that would be going against Siam, that would cause me my pack and my position.
But do I really care about that right now?
To be frank, no.
But what about Serenity? She wouldn’t like to be away from her family if we were exiled. It will break her all over again.
I groaned and dropped back to bed, still confused.
I needed to talk with someone.
What he would say would be one sided, but then again, I would have gone to my dad, but his gone now.
I stood up and got dressed.
He’s the nearest to what a dad is right now.
“Are you sure about this?” Uncle Luke asked.
“Yes.” I said, “I know it’s just a dream, but it felt more than that Uncle Luke. I can feel the protection around her. She was pulling away and-“
He sighed and raised his hand.
“You are just hurting yourself more by putting this into words.”
I pushed down the lump on my throat, “If it would make you understand that it’s true, I don’t care.”
“I believe you Eric, but you do know that we can’t just tell Siam about this.” He says, “He’ll tear down the whole country if he finds about this.”
“This is about Serenity, I can’t keep it from him.” I said, “Especially not if it would make us act faster on finding her.”
“Eric, I understand where you are coming from, but now is not the right time.” He says. “We have already started to make a move, to mix up this-“
“I am not asking for us to change plans, I just want Siam to know about this.”
“And why would you want that?” Uncle Luke asks. “You’ve kept things like this in the past, what’s so different about this one?”
“She was raped-“
“Then why haven’t you gone and run off to find her like you would have done months ago?” he snapped.
I stopped and stared at him.
“Why are you coming to me and didn’t go directly to Siam to tell him yourself, why do you need to ask for my opinion?”
I still had no answer to that, cause quite frankly I had none.
“I know you want to run off,” Uncle Luke was calmer now, “and the reason you are telling me is be cause you want me to stop you. You want someone who has no control over you to try and stop you to make a mistake, that’s why.”
I sat at the sofa across him and stared at- I don’t know, everything was beginning to blur.
A hot tear trickled down my cheek hearing how desperate I seem to the man who I disturbed.
“Eric…” he knelt in front of me and reached for my shoulder, “I know you are feeling the hurt and anger and the need to save her must be greater now. But listen to your better judgment, going against Siam’s plans will have repercussions, whether you are or not the princess’ mate. You wouldn’t want to put Serenity on the spot where she has to decide if she will stay with you or us.” I frowned.
“We’ll tell Siam tomorrow, but please, do control these emotions you are radiating.” He continues, “It won’t help in calming the boys…” he frowned, “it isn’t helping me right now.”
Only then did I realize that his sudden outburst earlier was probably caused by my own anger.
“I know this will be asking for too much, but go sleep.” He said, “I’m pretty sure tomorrow will be a long day.”
I nodded and went back to Serenity’s room.
I stopped in the middle of the room and looked around. I still had the same pull to her scent, I can still feel the need to see and touch her.
It’s too early for the bond to weaken, Eric. Josephine says.
I know, but it doesn’t mean that it won’t come.
It’s only the physical bond that had been ruptured, she pointed out, she loves you with every thread of her, even the mother goddess herself will have a hard time to change that.
I just stood there not answering. As comforting as her words were, it still didn’t help me not to worry.
I can’t lose her.
I just can’t.
“He’s burning up.” I hear someone say.
I try to open my eyes, but my lids were too heavy for me to even move. I hear myself let out a groan.
“Eric, shh…” I hear Cam whisper, “it’s ok, I’m here.”
“Serenity…” I whispered.
“Eric, rest...” she pleaded.
I closed my eyes and soon fell in deep sleep.
“Are you sure?!” I moved my head hearing someone shouting. I stirred and forced my eyes to open.
“He said so himself last night.” I hear Uncle Luke say.
I hear someone break into tears, the bed start to shake and I turned my head and saw Anna in tears.
“Anna…” I called, my voice sounding raspy.
She turned to me surprise, “Eric!”
“Don’t cry…” I said again, “she wouldn’t like her niece to be a cry baby.”
She chuckled through her sobs, then she hid her face on my chest and continued to cry, “Eric, I’m so sorry…”
“Shh… it will be fine…” I closed my eyes, “Everything will be fine…”
Darkness once again took over me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“No, I will not leave this room!” I groaned as my head began to throb hearing the shouting again.
“Plans will be as it is.” I hear Siam snapped again, “Now leave us be- I said nothing is to be done until Eric is up and about!”
I hear a growl from the other side of the room, but I was too groggy to see who it was, but from the scent I was getting, it seem to be one of the alphas.
“Let me at him Siam…” I groaned.
I feel them turn to me, “When you’re all good, brother, I’ll let you, for now get some rest.”
I shook my head and pushed myself to sit up. I turned and saw the alphas were there staring at me as well.
“Well, this is a surprise.” I groaned as I reached for my head, “Nice of you guys to visit.”
“Are you feeling better now Johansen?” one of them asked.
I gave him a look, “Yeah, I feel great finding out my mate was rape, thanks for asking.” I said sarcastically.
He frowned and looked away. Then my head throbbed again and I reached for my hair and gave it a tug making the pain worse.
“Don’t do that Eric.” Cam says as she walked toward me carrying a glass of water and medicine.
“Thanks.” I said, medicine hardly helps, but it was better than nothing right now.
I looked back to the alphas with a glare, “Now if you are done trying to be better than I am, I’d like a moment with my family.”
They all gave me a look and left. Jake, Aaron and Jean stood up and was to leave as well.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“Well, you said-“
“Idiots.” I said, “Jake you are my sister’s mate and you two? You’re honorary Johansen until I kick you out of the house so get your butts back in here.”
They chuckled and sat back. Jake stood by the foot of the bed and looked at me.
“How you doing?”
I shrugged and moved nearer to the head board, leaning on it.
“Feel like crap.” I said.
“Look like one too.” Aaron and Jean say in unison.
“Thanks a lot.” I rolled my eyes making the others laugh.
“Eric…” Cam starts but I shook my head cutting her off.
“Not now Cam…” I said, staring down at my hands, “I can’t talk about it right now.”
“I understand.” She says in a whisper.
Then I looked up at Siam, “Plans remains the same, you said?”
“Yes.” He says, “We’re already in too deep into this plan to change it.” I nodded, I wouldn’t admit it, but I would have wanted him to move in faster.
“One team had already come across your uncle’s group.” Aaron added, “They’ve been updated of the plan as they still combed to where the track led them.”
I nodded.
“You said so yourself Eric,” Anna says, “everything will be fine.”
I nodded again.
“If not, you can have Jean here, she obviously wouldn’t mind, would you?” Jake teased.
“Haha.” Jean rolled her eyes. I chuckled, I know Jake’s rumor was a bit below the belt, but I learned to roll with it. “But Eric?”
I turned to her.
“It will be fine.” She says, “It may seem such a big deal right now, but what matters is what you feel, the untouchable bond between you.”
I smiled and nodded, “Exactly what Josephine said.”
“Really?” Jean went wide eyed, “Wow, who knew I was a teeny bit wise.”
We all laughed, soon they were updating me of what happened through out the day, how I was burning earlier that I was near burning point even for a wolf.
“As much as I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but that is the first sign of the faltering of the bond.” Mama Ellena says as she hands me more of her herbal medicine gesturing for me to take it.
“But once they are reconnected, it can be put back into whole again, right?” Anna said.
“I’m not really sure.” Mama Ellena says, “I’ve seen this happen to those whose mate died, or was taken.”
I frowned hearing her say the possibility of Serenity dying.
“But remember that this is princess we are talking about,” she continues, “the fact that Josephine is still here is a good sign, her alpha blood also is a big help, of course her being a deity can assure us of the strength of the bond. But…”
“But?” I asked.
She turned to me with a sad smile, “You have been away from each other for almost half a year already, love, and now this happens. Whether she was forced or not, something in her is connected to that person. Especially if…”
“What is it Mama Ellena?” Anna asked.
“Especially if she falls pregnant.” She continues.
“But she can’t get pregnant.” Jean says, “She isn’t mated yet, it isn’t possible-“
“She’s more human right now without Josephine with her.” she reminded us.
I frowned, an addition to the list of worry just dumped on me.
“Will you be ok with that Eric?” she asked me.
“I wouldn’t lie.” I said not looking at any of them, “That child would probably remind us of the worse moment in our lives, but…” a small smile slip in my lips, “he is a part of Serenity, and anything that has any mark of Serenity I would always love.”
Mama Ellena reached for my face and smiled, “Your bond is strong Eric, we all know that, hold unto it. Because it might end that you will have to remind her of this.”
I nodded.
We found her.
I sat up and looked up to Siam who turned to me as well.
“Was it-“
We found her and she’s already out. I hear my uncle say again.
“What is it?” Cam asked.
How is she? I ask.
Looking a little weak and worn out, but she’s looking for you.
Where is she?
She’s with a rogue. He says.
A rogue?! Jake, Aaron, Siam and I said in unison.
“What’s going on?” Jean snapped at Aaron who raised a hand at her to quiet her.
The hunters were following them. We had to give them time to get away.
You left her with a rogue?!
It’s safer for her to be with a rogue wolf, right now, I trust rogues more than any alphas with her state right now. There was doubt in his voice, her scent is mixed with human’s.
If that was true, it wouldn’t be smart to take her to the alphas, I’m pretty sure they’ll claim her in an instant. But what makes this rogue so different?
I want that human found and brought to me. I sneered in my mind, controlling my anger.
Noted. He responded. We’ve dealt with some of the hunters, but it looks like their leader had escaped.
Turn the place upside down, everything that they know about us, I want to know. Siam says.
Got it.
Did we lost anyone? Jake asked.
To our surprise Uncle George chuckled, I think that rogue and the princess made sure that we didn’t.
What do you mean? Aaron asked.
After we dealt with the guards outside, we entered their house and saw more than three dozen of hunters dead, no marks of whatever. Just dead.
I frowned, how is that possible?
Then Siam sighed, I think I have an idea of what happened.
“If no one tell me what is happening in the next thirty seconds I swear I will push this kid out and make it mind link with you boys.” Anna snapped.
We exchanged looks while Jean was holding a laugh back.
We have to go. Siam says.
Mommy’s telling us to hung up. Jake added making me grin.
“One!” Anna shouts.
“They found her,” I said. “They found Serenity and she’s out of the hunter’s hands.”
