Compromising For Annie

Compromising For Annie
Annie

I jerked awake when I sensed discourse flowing through my link with Logan. I groaned as I rolled over in my bed. I had spent the night crying over the loss of my chosen brother, Ezekiel, and I was not in the mood to listen to my mate and his best friend bicker again. I let the link open completely and snuck into Logan’s head to listen to their little argument. While it wasn’t heated, I wanted them to stop with the unnecessary fighting, at least for now. I was grieving for my brother, but per Osprey, I couldn’t tell anyone who or why. I really just needed everyone else in my life to get along, at least for a little while. When their little spat was over, I reached out to Giselda, not wanting to break down if Logan spoke to me. Everything in me, mainly Marsha, wanted nothing more than to lean on him, but it would just make the distance between us harder.

‘Hey, Annie! How are you doing today?’ Giselda inquired before I could greet her.

‘Are you and Logan fighting again?’ I asked warily, trying to keep my sorrow from creeping through our link.

‘No, Annie. Did he tell you we were?’ she replied too sweetly, making me roll my eyes.

‘No. Milton told me,’ I replied, shifting in bed to get a tissue so I could blow my nose.

‘Milton? So, Logan hasn’t told you about our play fighting?’

‘No…to be honest, neither has Milton. Osprey taught me how to sneak into links, and I listen in on you guys a lot,’ I admitted, making her groan.

‘Practice makes perfect,’ she told me, surprising me.

I thought she would lecture me about eavesdropping on them, but she didn’t do anything of the sort. The softness in her voice made me wonder if she could feel my pain, and I really needed a friend right now. I swallowed hard.

‘Are you going to tell them that I’ve been listening in?’ I whispered.

‘No, Annie, but you need to understand that you shouldn’t listen in on your alpha team. You have to trust us. If you’re going to be present in our minds, then you should tell us. None of us would tell you no,’ she murmured.

‘Okay, Giselda. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,’ I promised sadly, hating the way some of my heartache slipped through.

‘It’s okay. How are you doing?’ she asked softly, and my dam instantly broke.

‘Yeah, I guess I’m just missing Mother Annaria. I can’t wait until she gets home,’ I answered, allowing my distress to show a little more.

‘Wait! What? Where did she go? Is there a vinekeeper there with you?’ she inquired, obviously shocked.

‘No. They all went to the funeral.’

‘Funeral? Who died?’ she asked worriedly.

‘I’m not allowed to say. Osprey has forbidden it, but–’ I started before she interrupted me, worried that I was going to say something that I shouldn’t.

‘It’s okay, Annie. You should listen to Osprey. It’s only a few more years, and then you’re the boss. Were you close to who died?’ she pressed gently.

I remained quiet for a long time before sighing. ‘You could say that. We were getting closer every day. I’m going to miss him.’

‘Oh, Annie, sweetheart, I’m so sorry for your loss. If you need anything, I’m here for you.’

‘I know, Giselda. I can’t wait to come home,’ I sniffled.

‘Neither can we,’ she replied.

Before I could reply, Mom started calling for me to come downstairs to eat. I sighed as I tossed my blankets back to get up.

‘I have to go. Mom is yelling for me to come downstairs. I’ll link you after school. Love you, Gilda,” I told her.

‘Love you too, Annie.’

When she didn’t close the link, I knew she wanted to say more, but I couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up at her determination to keep a presence in my head. I hoped her desire to be connected to me never changed. It always made me feel less alone, which was exactly what I needed at the moment. I quickly got dressed for the day before heading downstairs to the kitchen, where my mother was waiting for me with Osprey and Father Falcon by her side. I slowed to a stop as I eyed them, my heart sinking below the floor.

“What’s going on?” I asked quietly.

“Sit down, Annaria. We need to talk,” Osprey told me.

I hesitated before crossing the room to sit at the table in front of them. “Am I in trouble?”

“No, but we need to make you aware of a few things,” Osprey answered. “Things that will change your life, and with everything going on, you need to be aware of them.”

I sighed but nodded. “Alright.”

“Let me start by saying I am so sorry for your loss, sweetheart,” my mother said as she leaned across the table to take my hands, but I moved them to my lap to avoid her touch. 

I knew my family loved me, but if it wasn’t Logan’s touch, I didn’t want it, and it was their fault that I was stuck here instead of being able to grieve with my mate, who would help me through my grief more than they ever could.

“Thank you, Mother.”

She sighed as she pulled her hands back. “We wanted to talk to you about Ezekiel. You know that he was chosen in the same way you were, and before him there was another, and before them, another, all the way back to the start of time. With every new chosen one that came of age, the chosen one’s power was passed down. The majority of it is passed through training, while the rest of it is passed through vines when the new chosen one comes of age. That’s why you’ve gotten stronger. That’s why you’ve been having a hard time controlling Marsha. She’s trying to figure out how to use her powers safely. She is struggling to find her way now, and it’s only going to get worse until you come of age. I know at times you’re going to be confused, and you’re going to need support that we can’t offer to you, no matter how much we want to.”

Marsha pushed forward to narrow my eyes on her. “But yet that doesn’t matter, now does it? You’re still going to hold us hostage here!”

She sighed as she shook her head. “Listen to me, sweetheart, if you get to the point where you need to go to Havana to get the support that you need, then we will let you go. Things have changed, Annie. You are our priority, and what you need means more to us than any agreement that was made.”

Marsha turned to look at Osprey. “What do you have to say about this?”

He shifted nervously in his seat. “I agree with Mom. Believe it or not, I’ve seen how badly you’re struggling, and it was my decision to tell you all of this. It was my decision to change the terms of our agreement. My need to protect you long enough for you to make your own decision about whether or not Logan is the one for you doesn’t come close to the need to make sure you’re okay now. While I don’t necessarily like that you already feel the bond so strongly, I understand it, because I went through it with Scarlett. I understand how hard it is to be away from him. I just want you to have the support that you need.”

Marsha tilted my head, studying him closely for a moment before standing up. “Is that all? I need to get Annie to school!”

My family sighed, nodding. “Yes. That’s all.”

She spun around and strolled from the kitchen as she gave me control back, nuzzling into my side in an effort to comfort me.

‘I’m sorry, Annie. They don’t understand what you’re going through. You’re going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it,’ she told me.

‘Thanks, Marsha. I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ I told her.

‘You’d still be a badass,’ she replied.

I sighed as I started to head toward the town’s high school. Ever since Scarlett had been kidnapped from the high school in the city, my parents had arranged for a teacher to come to the town for the kids who didn’t want to go to the other one. When I was halfway there, intense pain took me to my knees, making my fingers curl into the dirt as my vision swam. Vines instantly started coming up from the ground to wrap around me and try to lessen the pain, but it only got worse. When it disappeared as quickly as it came, I tossed my head back, roaring into the sky as Marsha took over to shift, tearing through my clothes. Within seconds, she was racing toward Havana, not even bothering to inform anyone in my hurry to get home. I just hoped I made it in time to save Giselda.