Maximus

Mind Links

Annie

I woke up feeling refreshed , which I found unusual because I had connected with Serena last night. 

Maybe I’m getting stronger…I still don’t feel like I should bring it up with Max, just in case it is all just a dream. A very vivid dream. I had a very strange feeling deep inside my gut. Like something was itching. I had a nice cool shower to help calm myself, it helped for a bit but as soon as I stepped outside again I could feel the itch return. 

I went to Max’s office, before I could knock someone opened the door. 

“I’m  sorry to interrupt you…” I said as I looked around the room, there were about eight men crammed into the office. 

“Not at all my love. What can I do for you?” Max stood up from his chair and sauntered towards me. He wrapped his arms around me in a protective grip. 

“I was going to ask if you’d like to go for a walk in the gardens with me but I can see you are busy.” I quickly spoke, trying to exit the room so they could get back to whatever it was they were doing. 

I noticed all of the men had their heads slightly bent down and they wouldn’t look at me. 

“I would love nothing more than to go for a walk with my beautiful Queen, but I am very busy unfortunately… I will make it up to you I promise..” He kissed the top of my head and I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before exiting the room. I walk down the hallway slowly, taking my time. I stop by the kitchen and get some fruit, putting it in a bag with a bottle of water, I head outside. I stroll the gardens for a bit before entering the forest. I don’t know why I felt drawn to go there, it was like the itching inside my gut was telling me I’d feel better if I were there. 

I  felt the presence of someone else, I turned to see James a few yards behind me. Of course I’d have a companion with me. I kept walking further into the forest, trying to remember the way to the water. After about a few hours, I was starting to get tired. I felt like I had passed the same tree at least six times now. I sat down on a stump, feeling lost and defeated. I look over to see  James leaning against a tree, watching me with a smirk on his face. 

“What’s so funny?”  I snap, feeling bad immediately. 

“Nothing, Luna” He shrugs 

“If you have something to say, just say it” I gesture with my hands for him to bring it on.

“You’ve been going in circles for the last two hours… Where are you trying to go?” 

“There was a small swimming hole Max brought me to, I was trying to find it..” I sighed.

“I’m sorry Luna, I don’t know it...Why don’t you just mind Link Alpha and ask him where it is?” He suggests

“I can’t.. I don’t know how.” I bury my face in my hands.

“I could show you, he has Marked you so the connection is there. It’s easy. Just imagine you are talking to him, right in front of you. Use your mind to do the talking. Like when you talk to yourself inside your head. Just like that. Give it a try” 

I nod and concentrate hard on the task.

‘Max? Can you hear me? Are you there?’ My head starts to pulse with excruciating pain as soon as I start talking. At first it’s bearable but it gets worse by the second as soon as I’m finished I am on the ground, clutching my head, I feel my body curl into the fetal position on the forest floor. I hear myself cry out a blood curdling screech. 

Maximus 

I sent James to follow Annie, make sure nothing happens. I should be able to feel like she is safe on my lands, but after what happened I don’t feel like she is safe unless she is by my side constantly. Obviously that is not realistic. I don’t want her to feel like she is being kept locked up either. She had enough of that for the rest of her life. I never want her to feel trapped. I tried to focus on my meetings, but I could feel her presence slipping further away. It’s been a few hours now, I’m starting to feel antsy. 

I mindlinked James ‘Where are you guys?’ 

‘North East forest, she’s been going in circles for over an hour… not sure where she wants to go’ 

I chuckle. I know where she is trying to go. The swimming hole. 

‘Tell her to mindlink me, keep it casual.. She hasn’t done it before.’ 

‘Got it Boss’ 

A few minutes go by and I don’t hear anything from her. Our connection is strong. I can feel it, so why is she not connecting to me?

‘Max? Can you hear me? Are you there?’ I can finally hear her in the back of my mind, but something is off about it. My head starts to pound, like a sudden migraine… but I know it’s not me. It’s Annie. 

‘What’s going on?’ I mindlink James

‘I don’t know what happened, she’s screaming, holding her head! You better get here fast!’

I jump up from my chair and run from the room, ignoring the questioning glances I receive from the members in the room. I run out of the house, shifting as soon as my feet touch soil. Storm takes over and runs as fast as he can to her. Less than three minutes later we can smell her. Running deeper into the woods I see her small frame laying on the ground. She is clutching her head, James is knelt beside her, trying to console her. I quickly shift and go to her side, I crouch down beside her, picking her up in my arms. She feels so tiny and fragile. 

“Annie? I’m here… You’re going to be okay” I whisper into her ear. 

“Go ahead, tell the doctor we are coming” I say to James. He shifts and runs back towards the pack house. 

“What happened Annie?” I ask as I start to jog us back towards the house. 

She just grunts and pushes her head deep into my chest. She still has her hands holding her head, pressed into her temples, her eyes squeezed shut, tears streaming down her face. I won’t push her to answer, maybe the doctor will have some answers. I hate seeing her in pain, I had hoped it was all behind us now, that we could finally just start our lives and be happy. The universe seems to have other plans for us though. 

I made it back to the house, carrying her up to our room, Dr Falls said she would meet us there. Annie would be more comfortable in our room as opposed to the hospital. I lay her down on the bed, letting Dr Falls look her over. 

 “What is happening to her?” I asked after a few  minutes. She injected Annie with a sedative, it was taking effect. 

“I do not know. I’ve never seen this before. I work with werewolves, not humans..” She replied, sighing as she took Annie’s blood pressure. “But whatever it is, we need to figure it out quickly, it could be her heart the next time..I don’t know if she could survive that… She’s stronger then she was when you first brought her here, but she is still extremely weak..”

I look down at my unconscious mate, wishing it could just fix this, whatever this was. I want so badly to take away her pain. She looks exhausted, sleeping with a frown on her face.