Chapter 221 Chapter 221
Stepping back, Jesse looked in the van. He’d managed to keep most of it to the sides, so there was room for Thera to lounge. He hoped she was going to lounge and not try to pace. Turning he looked to where she lay listening to Leah as she sat beside her talking.
Going around he opened both back doors and hoped Leah had some plan on how to get her in the van. She’d spread out a blanket on the floor, so maybe it had some sort of special meaning to the animal.
His phone buzzed and startled him. Pulling it out of his pocket, he grinned when he saw who it was.
“Foster.”
“Hey, Jesse.” He sighed loudly into the phone, “I’m fading here, so I’m going through my contact list calling everyone to keep my eyes open.”
Jesse knew that feeling, “glad I rank such an important call. Where are you?”
“I have no idea anymore, it’s a blur.”
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen him. Their clans were close together on the map, right along the border of Ontario and Manitoba, so they’d grown up together. “I hear that. How did you do with your list?”
“Struck out, all six I went looking for.” He could hear the radio playing quietly in the background, “it’s really fucking depressing, man.”
“I know what you mean.”
“How did you make out?”
Jesse turned back to look at Leah. “Found a few elders and one woman from two of mine.”
“Same clan?”
Shaking his head, he walked around to the other side of the van and closed the door. “No, not even in the same state.”
“Wow, one woman is all that’s left of a clan?”
Jesse leaned on the hood and watched Thera roll onto her back so Leah could rub her belly. “Yeah, but there was information here that’s led us to a few houses that Tomas is holding people. Noah even knows of them.”
“That’s some good news. How is Noah doing? That day we got him, and the others still haunt me.”
“He seems to be settling well, adapting to life.” Jesse couldn’t help smiling as Leah lay down beside Thera and rubbed her face against her. “Gage and the clan have been good for him.”
“I told Devin we need to start getting the survivors hooked up with like clans, it does seem to make a difference.”
That made Jesse think of Evanna saying she was sticking with him. “Have you heard from any of the others?”
“I just talked to Amari, she found three clans, or what’s left of them, so she’s up to her ass in relocations right now.”
“Three? That’s great. The summary numbers Zain gave really hurt.”
“Yeah, but the good news is there’s still enough of us left to make a strong come back.”
Jesse always loved Foster’s optimism, even when it was hopeless, he thought of the good side.
“I talked to Webb earlier too, he was growling about something.”
“He’s a bear, I think that’s just his nature.” Jesse grinned.
“He’s a happy asshole in any form.” Foster laughed.
Leah got up and brushed off her dress, she looked over at Jesse and smiled.
“Listen, I know you need someone to talk so you stay awake, but I have to head out shortly.”
“You are going home?”
“Not yet. Just spent two days hauling things down a mountain and now we’re heading to Blair’s—Ed’s clan area.”
“You’re taking one of the survivors there?”
“Something like that.”
“At least you have someone to talk to.” Jesse could hear the window opening. “I heard about Blair’s brother. Give me a shout when you guys are heading that way, I could use a good brawl.”
Jesse snorted, “I don’t think he’ll need help, there’s a lot of anger brewing in there.”
“Anger is a good motivator,” he paused, “shit, I gotta go, our king is calling.”
“Drive safe.”
“Talk to you later.” The line when quiet.
He walked around to the other side of the van.
“Was that one of your friends?”
“Yeah, not one from the video call. I grew up with Foster.”
“Oh, is he like us?” She clasped her hands in front of her, giving him her complete attention.
“He’s a shifter, not leopard though, a coyote.”
She looked excited, “really? Will I get to meet other shifter kinds?”
Jesse shrugged, “I’m sure you will. Blair’s clan are tigers, and Cal and Shaelan are there and they’re jaguars.”
Leah glanced at Thera, “I wonder how she’ll be around them.”
Jesse watched Thera get up, “Hopefully friendly.”
“I think she’ll be fine just as long as she doesn’t feel I’m threatened.”
Jesse went over to the cat and rubbed his hand over the back of her neck. “I won’t let anyone scare or make her feel threatened, girl, you have my word.” Thera bumped her head up against him. “Okay,” he glanced back to Leah, “I have one facetime call to make to my folks, then we’re on the road.”
“Facetime call?”
He loved when her eyes went wider when she was interested in something. “Exactly what it sounds like, I’ll be able to hear them and see them on my phone and them me.”
“Is everything all right? The reason you’re calling, I mean.”
“Everything is fine. Because I’m on the road so much I call them every Sunday, just to check-in.” She gave him one of those looks that made his cat purr, at least that’s what he liked to think his cat was doing.
“That’s sweet. I think family is important.” She glanced up the mountain.
Jesse didn’t want her to focus too much on leaving, so he sat down and motioned for her to come to sit. “You can meet them.”
“Oh, all right.” She came over and sat down gracefully.
“There’s my mom, Joanie. My dad Jasper and my little sisters Jaide and Joslin, they’re twins and,” he closed his eyes for a second trying to remember, “thirteen, I think, almost fourteen.”
“All of your names start with J.” She grinned. “Do your parents work for the Alliance?”
He shook his head, “No my family is the second family in the clan.”
“I never did understand what that is.” She pulled up her knees and hugged them.
“Well, my dad helps our Alpha, Deshon, with clan things and basically if something were to happen to the entire Alpha family, my father would become Alpha.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “That’s a very important job then.”
Jesse nodded. “It is. Fortunately for us, our Alpha has two sons, and a daughter, so I think we’ll be just second family.” He grinned, “and I’m very happy about that.”
“I read through the clan records, but I didn’t understand most of it.” She looked at her hands as she spoke, “I guess I don’t really have a clan now.”
Jesse’s cat went nuts inside him, prompting him immediately to fix how sad she was. “Hey, we may find some of your clan at those addresses, so let’s not worry about that now.”
Leah sucked in a shaky breath. “Okay.”
He stood up, “you have Thera and now you have me, that’s a good start if you ask me.”
A smile slowly appeared on her face, “yes, I think so too.”
With his hands on his hips, he looked at the cat, who was watching the both of them. “Now, think we can get her into the van?” he shrugged, “Then I’ll call my folks while she’s settling.”
“We can try.” Leah climbed into the van and sat on the blanket. “I was thinking maybe she’d be happier with me back here to start?”
He nodded, “anything that keeps her in the van while it’s moving works for me.” He glanced back to the animal, “come on, you know what we want you to do.” She rolled onto her back.
“Thera, let’s go,” Leah said in a firm, but quiet voice.
Thera sat up and looked at the van, then Jesse. He wasn’t sure what the look meant, but he was thinking she was blaming him entirely.