Chapter 58 Girl Gossip
2208 Words
Chapter 58
Girl Gossip
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Jada
I stood at the bedroom doorway and watched as a group of terrified adults hurried past me. The pack doctor, Doctor Anderson, followed closely behind them, holding a medical bag. They made their way into the bathroom and filed inside. Only moments earlier, Tyrone had rushed Louise into the shower. She was pale and burning up.
“Sounds like she’s got a high fever,” the twins echoed as their matching faces joined mine.
“I overheard Mama and Tyrone talking about how sick Louise is,” Lauren said, tapping her fingers against the doorframe. “It’s sad. She was so nice to us when we were little. She stood up for us when Tye was a brat.”
“She was,” Renee agreed. “But when Tye wasn’t annoying, he hogged her… At least now we know why.”
“It’s because he loves her,” Lauren teased, making a puking face. “Yuck…”
“Why is that yuck?” I asked, looking at them. “I can’t wait to find my mate.”
“It’s yuck because he’s our brother, der!” Standing back, they laughed in unison. “And brothers are gross.”
“That’s fair enough…” Anna chuckled from the bed she was sitting on.
“What’s wrong with her, Levine?” May cried from down the hallway.
I turned to see Tyrone carrying a soaked Louise out of the bathroom. May was covering them with towels, and the doctor was beside them.
“It came on so quickly,” Tyrone added. He held her with such affection that it made my heart sigh.
“She has an infection…” The doctor explained as the procession moved into Louise’s bedroom. “I’ll prescribe her some antibiotics. That should return her to her old self in a few days.”
“Will she be okay for their ceremony?” Madeline asked solemnly from the doorway.
“She will be,” he replied. “And even if she’s not before the ceremony, she will be afterwards.”
I needed to know more, and I wanted to help in any way I could. I stepped out of the room to feel myself pulled back.
“What are you doing?” Anna exclaimed, staring at me wide-eyed. “We can’t poke our heads in on their business!”
“I’m going to check on Louise,” I explained, gesturing down the hallway.
“There’s nothing we can do, Jada. We should stay out of the way.”
“There’s nothing anyone can do,” Lauren said as she leapt onto the bed and crossed her legs. “Louise has cancer.”
Renee joined her sister. The two matched in looks and style, except Renee wore a black wristband on her left wrist. “Mama said to Papa that Louise might not live very long… that’s why they want the bonding ceremony to happen so badly.”
“She should return to normal after the ceremony,” Anna added. “That’s one thing I know about early mate bonding ceremonies. Even if they’re rare, they wake the dormant wolf. And that should heal her, right?”
“I don’t know.” The twins said in unison with a shrug.
“But with all the stories I hear about our wolves,” Anna said, pering before them. “They’re like magical healers.”
“Yeah, but it might be different for chosen mates. The bond isn’t as strong or something.” Lauren sighed. “Sad, really…”
“Where did you hear that?” I asked as a tear escaped my eyes. I knew Louise was sick, but I didn’t think she was nearing death.
“At school…” Renee explained as she flicked her band against her wrist. “In books and from our parents.”
“Yeah,” Lauren nodded. “Mama believes that Louise is Tyrone’s destined mate… that would be a whole game changer.”
“We’ll find out after the ceremony.” Renee shrugged.
I heard the rustle of footsteps leaving her room and turned back towards the door. The horde hurried past us and down to the lounge room.
Once it was clear, I stepped into the hallway. “I’m going to check on her…”
“Why?” Anna asked, tilting her head curiously.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I have to.”
The three of them continued to discuss hair and clothes as I left the room. I stepped silently down the hallway and stopped outside Louise’s half-opened door. I heard voices and pressed myself against the wall.
“You saved me again…” Louise sniffled.
“I will do it again,” Tyrone replied. “Just don’t scare me like that, okay.”
Louise coughed. “Tye, are you sure you want me? I can never give you what you need… I can never give you children.”
What? I swallowed and backed away from the door. This conversation was not meant for my ears.
“That doesn’t bother me. As long as I have you.”
Pressing my hand to my mouth, I continued backing away. The curse had not only ruined her health, but it took away her future. Had Edwin Hugh planned that? I doubted it. He planned to bring his true daughter home and bond her to Desmond. I shivered at the thought of her with the despicable likes of him—And that they were cousins. If Louise couldn’t have kids, the Hugh family would die. No! Edwin would never have planned that. Legacy and the future of his pack were everything. Did Agatha know what her mother had done? I peered down at my stomach. Did she curse me?
“Jada, are you okay?” Anna asked as I returned to the room. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Pull yourself together. I demanded inwardly. I shook my head and removed the thoughts. This was Louise’s secret, and now it was mine.
“No, I just walked in at the wrong time.” I chuckled.
The twins cringed. “Eww…”
“We were discussing outfits for Thursday.” Anna patted the bed. “Join us.”
“And boys,” Renee giggled. “I think Duane is handsome.” She flushed as she said it.
Talking about boys was a good distraction. I joined them on the bed, cuddling beside Anna.
“He feels his mate is here somewhere,” Anna admitted. Renee flushed harder. “He thinks she’s not of age yet, and that’s why he can’t find her.”
“I’m not of age yet…” Renee squealed excitedly.
“But neither am I…” Lauren added, crossing her arms.
“But you find Kingston hot.” Renee teased, elbowing her twin.
“But Kingston has a mate,” I added. “He’s on a date with her tonight.”
“It’s an odd match,” Anna snorted. “A witch and a werewolf.”
“Naw,” Renee sighed, dropping her shoulders. “I don’t find anyone else as good-looking.”
“That might change when the Resistance joins the pack.” I patted her back. “There are many good-looking men in that group.”
“Enough talking about men…” Lauren swung her legs over the side of the bed and leaned back against her propped arms. “I have to decide on what I’m wearing. It’s custom that the family wears light colours, predominantly white. That way, the couple stand out in matching colours.”
“I don’t have anything suitable for this big event,” I admitted, turning to Anna. “Do you?”
She shook her head. “Not here, and anything else I left behind has probably been burned by Edwin or Desmond... or stolen by Dahlia.”
“We have heaps…” Lauren beamed. “Tomorrow, you should come over and see if anything jumps out at you.”
“Besides,” Renee interrupted. “We need to pack. We have to move into the packhouse.”
“Yeah, I hear the packhouse is growing...”
We all turned to see a rosy-cheeked Agatha standing in the doorway. She held her boots in her hands and seemed to be floating rather than walking into the room.
“Do I dare ask why you have that glow?” Anna teased with a chuckle. She studied Agatha’s neck and then sighed in disappointment. “He hasn’t claimed you yet.”
“Pft!” Agatha waved off such a comment. “No one will ever claim me…”
I giggled as she swayed into the room, dropped her boots at the end of the bed and flopped beside me. Her face had a pretty tint of pink to it. That, mixed with her smile, made her almost angelic.
“Are you drunk?” Renee and Lauren asked curiously, masking snickers.
“Love drunk…” Anna grinned. “Did you two—you know?”
Agatha mock frowned. “I’m shocked. Do you think I’m that easy?”
“Um… err…” Anna stammered.
Agatha laughed and sat up. “I’m easy for the right person…” She turned to me. “Or, in this case, the right werewolf…”
“You can feel the mate bond?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “What does it feel like?”
She winked at me as she threw her arm over my shoulder. The musky scent of Kingston was all over her. They weren’t far from doing it if she hadn’t consummated their bond this time. “I can’t even explain it… he kissed me, and the next thing I know, we’re all hot and heavy down by the river…”
“You gave in to his charms?” Renee giggled. She stopped when she noticed the hurt in her sister’s eyes.
I had noticed it but tried not to bring Agatha’s attention to it. Crushing on someone at our age was a gamble. Our mates were fated to us by the Moon Goddess, and not many of us had the chance Tyrone did with Louise.
Agatha fanned her flustered face. “Not completely…”
“You will have to move into the packhouse with us,” Renee said with a tiny smile. “If you’re mated to a Beta, you have to…”
“I don’t have to do anything...” Agatha stood. She reached over and grabbed her towel off of the bedside table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
Once Agatha left the room, Anna turned to me. “I can’t picture her in white.”
I laughed. “Why would she be in white?”
“For the ceremony …” Shaking her head, Anna patted my shoulder. “She’ll be here with us, remember?”
“Or she will be with Kingston at Alpha Joseph’s bonding ceremony,” Renee said as she studied her pale pink nail polish. She looked up at us. “Well, she is the mate to the future Beta… it’s to be expected.”
“That also depends on how the meeting goes that morning.” I reminded Anna. “Our future still rides on the Celestial Resistance, reaching an agreement with the Mist clan.”
Anna’s shoulders drooped. “Thanks for reminding me, Jada…”
“I’m sorry,” I sighed, leaning my head against her shoulder. It’s been on my mind.”
“I don’t think you have to worry,” Lauren stood and straightened her skirt. “Louise won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Yeah,” Renee agreed. “We overheard Papa and Alpha George talking about it. Even though she’s not Alpha blood to the Mist clan, they will do anything to keep her calm and happy… That’s why they’re fully onboard with the ceremony.”
“Are they scared of her?” I asked curiously.
“She is the biological daughter of Edwin—one of the most vile Alpha’s out there,” Anna yawned, rubbing the back of her neck.
“The Alpha scared of a tiny girl?” Lauren snorted. “No way! He’s cautious–”
“—But not scared,” Renee finished for her. “Besides, Papa and Mama adore Louise… and Louise’s dad Kelvin was good friends with hi–”
“Adopted dad,” Lauren corrected, elbowing her sister. “But you have a point.”
“Girl’s…” Madeline appeared in the bedroom doorway. A radiance of beauty flowed from her.
“Hi, Mama,” the twins sang, turning to her.
Madeline winked at us. “Sorry to break up this party, but we need to go. Louise needs her rest, and I have to decide which song to sing on Thursday.”
“Okay…” The twins echoed.
We said our goodbyes, and the twins left the room.
“Nice girls,” Anna said as she dropped back against the bed.
“They are.” I nodded. “And they’re full of information…”
Anna rolled to face me. “This is Second-hand information… take everything with a pinch of salt and an air of caution.”
- Writer
