Chapter 16

Izabella’s POV

I gasped feeling hot as my arms suddenly began to ache. I looked to the empty seat beside me. Sean? Once mates had completed the mating ritual, they could usually feel each other’s pain and emotions. We had not, but could it be him? I could not shake the thought, so I got up and ran out of the theatre feeling panicked. I heard my friends call for me softly before they all just followed me out. I stumbled to a stop. I did not even like him that much yet, but I had never felt so worried in my life. It did not make sense to me, but it did not matter. I could think about that after I found him.

"Izabella, what's going on?" Tyler asked me.

"I don't know, I just – my body hurts, and I feel hot, and I have a bad feeling about Sean –” I was saying.

"It's the mate bond. He's probably in trouble. We have to find them." Tyler said.

"He said he was going to the bathroom, don't bring Clara with," I said.

"We’ve got her," Hayley said as she and Alexis held onto Clara’s hands while the little girl looked at all of us wide-eyed. I nodded and made my way to where the mate pull was leading me.

I pushed the men's bathroom door open but froze when my eyes fell on the burnt walls.

"Sean?" I called as I walked in.

My breath caught in my throat when I saw him lying face-down on the floor, his clothing ripped and looking somewhat burnt. He had light bruises and burns all over his skin that were currently fading. He was healing, so he was alive. I ran over to him.

"Sean? Man, are you alright?" Corey shoved him lightly as we turned him over. I cringed seeing the fading burns on his face.

Relief flooded over me when Sean let out a groan despite my already knowing he was alive.

"What the hell happened to you?" Sean's eyes opened, and they fell on Corey who had just spoken. His eyes flashed black, but not their normal black; it had streaks of red in them. They were back to normal green in a split second, and I didn’t think anyone else noticed the red in his eyes. Or had I imagined it? It happened so quickly. Maybe I had seen the red because of how his skin looked. He looked around at all of us.

"I... Uh... I don't know." He said lifting his hand to his head. I could tell that he was lying even though he was trying to pretend that he was actually confused, and the guys beside me seemed to believe it.

"Sean," I said. He rolled his eyes as he pushed himself onto his elbows lightly.

"I got into a fight with some witch – warlock, but he's gone now. No big deal. No one died." He said it, and it sounded like the truth.

"Are you alright?" Trent asked.

"Yeah, just hungry... very hungry." He looked at me and smiled, "Mate.” He grinned at me. I frowned at him even though it seemed adorable. The guys chuckled. "You're cute." He added.

“Shut up.” I frowned at him. He raised his brows back at me looking surprised. It was a weird reaction. He would have responded by insulting me or laughing, but he seemed genuinely surprised, “Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.

"We should get him to a doctor," Kaden said. Sean shook his head quickly waving his hand at us.

"Nah, nah, no doctor. I'm good. I actually feel very refreshed. Who's up for a club?" Sean got up swiftly before frowning down at his clothing.

"Looking like that, you aren't, and Clara is here. We can’t just go to a club." Sean's eyes flashed again at Tyler's words, and I frowned. Was his wolf feeling weird? Why did his eyes keep changing? Sean groaned rubbing his face.

"What..." He mumbled as he looked around before his eyes fell on the rest of us, “What just happened? Why…” He drifted as he looked at me, “Izzy, why are you in the men’s bathroom… and on the floor?” He reached for my arms, and I looked at Corey concerned as Sean pulled me to my feet.

"Yeah, let's get him to a doctor," Corey said standing up.

"A doctor? No. Why would I need a doctor? I'm fine." Sean dusted his jean off before he held out his hand for me to take. His hopeful eyes seemed to make my heart melt.

I hesitated before I took it slowly and sparks flew through my arm as he tugged me over to his side. He smiled, and I felt myself blush, so I quickly looked away from him. The stupid mate bond must be working faster now that I did not hate him or something.

"Let's get out of here. I'm beat." Sean sighed.

"So we can see, just a minute." Trent left the bathroom before returning with a bag I assumed he got from Alexis. It was a good thing she had forced Tyler to buy some clothing. Sean let me go to rip what was left of his shirt off.

My eyes fell onto his chest for a second. His pack tattoo was on his chest while everyone else's in our pack was on the back of their shoulders, everyone except my dad's. His was on his chest too; it was an Alpha thing within our pack. Sean smirked seeing me staring and winked at me.

'Stop drooling.' He mind-linked me. I shoved his arm hard, and he stumbled into one of the stall's doors probably because he was still weak. I smirked as he growled lightly at me. I turned away as he began to unbutton his pants and heard him chuckle which made me frown.

"Weird couple." Trent smiled at me as Sean got dressed. "Let's go." He said once Sean had finished, "I'm driving." He added taking the keys from Sean who had just taken them from his pocket before throwing his clothes into the trash.

"No –!" Sean began.

"Hey, I know I heal fast but May's car doesn't and that woman can be hella evil when she wants to, so no drowsy, messed-up guy is taking the wheel," Tyler said agreeing with Trent’s choice to drive. I laughed as Sean frowned mumbling about Tyler and Trent being annoying.

We left the bathroom, and we followed everyone to the car. I looked at Sean who was currently holding a sleeping Clara. I was really worried about him, but I did not want to show him that. Still…

“Are you sure you're okay?” I asked softly.

He smiled. "Yes. Glad you care so much."

"I don't care," I said to him. It's not me; it's the stupid mate pull.

"Yeah, right." I heard Kaden mutter.

“Stop it!" I snapped at him and he just laughed.

-----

Sean’s POV

I walked through the dark hallway letting out a sigh. I didn't feel normal. I knew something wasn't right. My entire body felt weird. That guy... He did something to me. I didn't know what, but I figured it was something bad. I was not sure, and I did not want to worry Izabella or seem weak or crazy to the pack by overreacting about something that could have been nothing and that no one else saw. I had never even heard of anything like what happened in the bathroom. "Sean?" I turned and smiled seeing Jason. Spending time with all of Izabella’s new friends and family had me around my own quite a bit less.

"Hey man,"

"You alright? I mean, everyone's asleep, and you should be too." He said.

"You aren't," I replied.

"Nightguard duty. Might as well make ourselves useful while we're here, right guys?" I furrowed my eyebrows looking behind me to see Eric, Matt, and Andrew.

"Right." Andrew smiled.

“Good job.” I smiling at them before I sighed.

"What's up?" Eric asked. I shook my head.

"Sean," They had been my best friends all my life as we had grown up together. They knew me better than my parents did.

"You wouldn't believe me," I said.

"Yeah, right." Andrew rolled his eyes. I chuckled.

"I... Come." I said gesturing for them to follow me as I walked down the hall towards Joe's office, and they did. Joe's office was one of the only three places in this house that were soundproof. The others being Wayne's office and the chamber in the basement.

Joe's office wasn't locked. I figured people knew they weren't supposed to go into it, and they obeyed because he was Alpha. I wasn't one to obey, maybe that's because I was going to be Alpha? Or just because I liked to push people and see what happened. I pushed the door open and took a seat across the room. It was a large room, divided into two halves which were separated by a sofa that had its back towards the side with the desk where Joe probably worked. Eric and Andrew sat on the sofa while Jason just sat in the middle of the fluffy grey carpet, and Matt took a seat on a desk chair before he rolled over to us, and they all looked at me.

"At the mall, I heard someone calling my name. I don't think anyone else could hear it. I figured it was my mind playing tricks on me. I went to the bathroom, and some guy came up to me. I have no idea what he did, but now I can't remember half of the things that happened after we spoke in the bathroom. It's like little patches of my memory are gone." I said.

"Witch?" Eric asked.

"No, I would have been able to recognize a witch."

"Sorcerer?" Andrew suggested.

"Maybe. I couldn’t tell what he was. All I know is I feel weird. Like me but... I don't know..."

"Maybe we should ask Alpha?" Matt suggested.

"No, no." I said shaking my head, "I don’t want to bother Ian about nothing. I'm pretty sure it will blow over by tomorrow." I added.

"And if it doesn't? What if this guy did something to your head? Your strength?" Eric asked. He always had questions.

"He couldn't have. I feel fine. My head's fine." I said.

"Except for the memory loss. What if that's just a start?" Eric asked.

"No, that’s probably because I was exhausted the entire time we were at the mall.”

"Oh?" Jason smiled, "Are you tired because Clara's wearing you out while you try to show Izzy that you'll be a good father?" He smirked.

"Shut up," I threw the pillow I found next to me at him. He caught it easily as our friends laughed. "Clara's just a nice kid," I said smiling.

"Yeah, she’s adorable. She could get away with anything. She's like everyone's little sister." Eric said.

"Hey, Clara." Jason smiled at her as she walked in.

"What are you doing up?" Eric asked as he lifted her and sat her between him and Andrew when she came over to us.

"I wanted milk." She leaned her head on him. She reminded me of Izabella, probably one of the reasons I loved her so much.

"Still want milk?" Andrew asked. She nodded. "I'll get you some." He said getting up and leaving.

I looked around before I grabbed the pillows beside me and threw them on the fluffy carpet.

"What are you doing?" Jason asked.

"I'll crash here," I said laying down on the carpet. The room was warm, so I wouldn't need a blanket. I was too tired to walk all the way to the second floor and find my room. The house was big.

"Good idea. Clara?" Matt asked smiling. Clara nodded happily, and they all just threw pillows around and laid down around me. I sighed as I shut my eyes. I really hoped that guy did nothing big. I didn't want anyone worrying. Both packs obviously had a lot to worry about already with the attacks.