Chapter 58 OLD FRIENDS
SIANNA'S POV
The club was buzzing, and we kept bumping into people everywhere. When we couldn't find the birthday girl, we went up to the VIP area on the balcony while keeping our eyes peeled for her.
Everyone here was a werewolf, and when they noticed us, they all bowed and let us pass. I kept grinning and nodding in pleasantries till my jaw felt tired. We saw our friends and went over to talk to them. My cheeks were truly sore.
Nicole's face lit up as she noticed us and motioned with her hands for us to come over, meeting us halfway. Her arms encircled mine and Hailey's as she positioned herself between us. She led us over to the u-shaped booth sofa seating where we took our seats among the others.
"It's the old crew hanging out again." Carmen's grin spread wide across her face.
"It is so great to have us all here for my birthday." Nicole cheered.
"Happy birthday," we both greeted her almost at the same time.
I was grateful that they were so welcoming to have me hanging out with them again. I hadn't spent a lot of time with them since I went off to college and came back. And then assuming the Luna title and responsibilities, I was worried that things would be awkward. I'm grateful for the contrary.
Vance wanted to string along and I'm glad that I argued with him to get this freedom. Now having him here would definitely have been awkward. My friends would probably have been stiff and mindful of their words. The fun would be suffocated with fear and caution.
From prejudging the night, I thought that they would treat me differently as it came with the role. I didn't want anyone to feel like they had to be on their p's and q's around me. This group saw me through high school, for lunch, cheerleading, clubs, fund- raising, proms, shopping, and everything else that teens did together.
Drinks came to the table, but we had to reorder non-alcoholic drinks for ourselves.
"I can't believe that you both got pregnant at almost the same time. You two just love doing everything together, don't you?" Brenda's comment only made Hailey and I laugh.
"Best friends for life and our kids will be best friends too," Hailey told them.
"That's right," I supported her statement. "But tonight it's all about the fabulous Nicole Porter!"
I held up my drinks and they all clinked theirs to mine in a cheer.
"Where's your boo?" Hailey asked her and I wanted to know too.
"He's on his way here. Always late for everything." We busted out laughing at Nicole's remark.
"Yeah, even for classes in high school," I reminded them.
"My boo was the king of late slips." Nicole sipped happily on her champagne.
"We heard about Curtis and our Alpha." Noisy Brenda had to raise a sour topic.
"Guys don't do this right now." Hailey backed them off the subject. "We're supposed to have fun tonight."
"Then let's get some guys and hit the dance floor." Carmen piped up and looked at the guy in the next seating area. She's been doing that all night. "I should get laid tonight."
When she got up, so did the guy with the dark blonde wavy hair. He took her hand and guided her to dance with him. No one was going to dance with me, not that they did not want to, but they were wary of my mate and his Beta. So Hailey and I teamed up on the dance floor.
With our arms raised over our heads and our hips swinging, we danced to the music. I laughed as Hailey started twerking her adorable rump on me. As we often did to scare off guys, we were posing as a lesbian pair.
Male onlookers watched us jiggle our bodies and swayed to the rhythm. Many were disappointed about being unable to be our dance partners. Interested candidates threw us sly looks and enticing gestures, but we just grinned and ignored them.
Mario finally graced us with his presence and found his mate, the birthday girl. They had been mates before graduation when Nicole turned eighteen. She's three months older than me and was the first to get hitched.
I got tired and headed to our booth to get off my feet. Hailey stayed on the dance floor with a guy who held her on the waistline and swiveled with her. They were grinding on each other and gyrating.
Raj had better fix his relationship soon. I'm still tempted to punch him in the face for making my best friend cry. I blamed him for getting drugged. Why was he so damn reckless when he knew his ex was adamant about winning him back? Jealousy was a poison, cruel and toxic. If Hailey gave him a second chance, he had better watch his back because I would take his lights out if he messed up again.
Anyway, the males avoided me like I was wearing a repellent, but I had the impression that someone was keeping an eye on me. I figured Vance would have Elites here somewhere to guard me. He's undoubtedly irate and impatiently waiting for me to arrive home. I imagine him in his study watching the clock on the wall, counting down the hours.
I ordered a virgin piña colada. Hailey came by herself and sat beside me wanting my drink. I told her to order another. Seeing that I had to use the restroom, I told her to have mine and I would take the one that came after. She stayed and sipped through the straw, bobbing her head to the music.
No line was at the restroom, thank heavens! After finishing my business, a few ladies were at the sink, patching up their faces with lipstick and make-up. They bowed and smiled, giving me space to wash my hands. The perks of being Luna.
With the music blasting and the crowd getting wilder, two guys were on the dance floor breaking it down. They were amazing and the crowd cheered them on. I observed them for two minutes, but I did not want to leave Hailey alone for too long.
I made it back to the booth to see Hailey's face on the table. Was she crying? I nudged her shoulder and she looked up. Oh my goddess, she was looking pale. I felt her forehead and she was burning up.
'Vance, Hailey is sick.' I mind-linked the emergency while throwing her hand over my shoulder so that I could lift her to her feet. I strained with her out of the club. Everyone was too busy enjoying the party to understand what was happening. They would think that she had drunk too much.
'Is it serious? Should I come by?' His voice was very concerned.
'Meet us at the hospital?' I got to our car in the parking lot. 'Get mom.'
'Okay. I'll alert Duke,' He replied.
By now Hailey's feet had gone numb. Her body weight was heavy like a lead. I positioned her in the passenger's seat. This was not a regular sickness. She seemed to be in a great deal of pain, I could almost feel it. I wanted to try to heal her but what if it didn't work and she got worse because of the wasted time?
I drove insanely fast, cutting through cars like the fast and the furious. Its power slide and drifted along the road as I hurried. I learned how to do this courtesy of my uncle. 'Vance, she's bleeding through her nose.'
Tears formed in my eyes. "Hailey, hang on." I tapped the steering wheel praying silently. Her head leaned to one side of the seat with her eyes close, and blood dripped from her nose along with small white foams gathered at one corner of her mouth. Was she poisoned?
'We are waiting at the hospital. How far away are you?' Vance answered.
'About five minutes. I'm at the end of Kensley Road.'
'Sweetheart, Hailey will be taken care of. Get here safely.' He sounded like he was in his Alpha zone.
Finally reaching the destination, I parked in front of the hospital doors where the ambulance would normally drop off its patients.
Vance and Duke rushed over to get Hailey out of the car. It was then I realized the blood trailing down her legs. "Oh my goddess!
'Blayne, get your ass to the Hound-Jam club and do an immediate lockdown.' I heard Vance speak through the mind-link. He was taking precautions in the event that an investigation was warranted.
'On my way, but what's going on?' Blayne inquired.
'Get all the surveillance records from the club over a 48-hour period. We'll talk later. Do it now.' Vance silenced him. Mom and her team took Hailey on the hospital stretcher, monitoring her vital signs, and looked into her eyes with a bright flashlight to check for brain activity. I let them take her but we followed the doctors all the way.
As they closed the doors, restricting us from going any further, I leaned into Vance crying.
"I went to the restroom and came back, and I found her face down on the table." I sobbed, "I don't know what happened. No one was at the booth with her."
He lifted me and sat down on the chair in the waiting hall so that I was on his lap. My arms wrapped around his neck and my face buried on his shoulders as we waited.
Duke was a mess, and soon Keisha joined us. They embraced each other, hoping for the best.
After half an hour of waiting, mom came through the door in her protective gear. She removed the gloves from her hands but I knew that look on her face too well.
I leaped to my feet and met her eyes squarely. I mumbled, shaking my head, "No." Her eyes were saturated with grief. "No, Mom." I refused to acknowledge the dread behind her expression.
Vance, Duke, and Keisha gave us perplexed looks. Mom's eyes shifted from me to Duke.
"How are things, Doc?" He asked shakily.
"We made every effort possible." Her words were soft and quaking as she delivered the bad news.
Duke brought his palm to his mouth as he struggled with his emotions. "What is wrong with my sister?"
"I'm sorry," This was the first time that I ever saw my mom almost stumbling over her words. "But we lost her and the baby." "Noooo!" I screamed in despair and crumbled to the ground as Vance held me up. The impact of my outburst shattered a few glasses on that floor. The staff panicked. Vance tranquilized the pack through the mind-link knowing that they would feel their Luna's anguish.
Keisha sobbed and tried to comfort Duke as he brushed away her hands and pounded his fist against the wall.