Chapter 238 Chapter 238
Jesse checked the house and then went back to the trailer. He was almost to it when Blair came across the yard.
“Other side of the house.” He smirked at him.
Jesse gave him a blank look and then changed directions to walk beside him.
“She’s with Nichelle and Kobie, they’re working with her to communicate and control her cat.”
Heaving a sigh, Jesse shook his head, “I’m not normally so distracted.” He waved the papers he had in his hand, “I’m supposed to be calling Devin, with this info, but…”
“Your cat is telling you to find her, check on her and see her?”
He glanced at the man beside him. “Yeah.”
Blair nodded, “I know all about it. Almost lost my mind doing that.”
“Great, something to look forward to.”
“Kobie is pretty impressed with your mate,” he shrugged “Calum shared that tidbit, so we were all aware.”
Jesse nodded. It was a good idea, one less thing to worry about.
“Anyway, Kobie thinks she’s pretty amazing for keeping it together the way she does with everything going on.”
“I don’t know how she does it.”
“I don’t know how you’re doing it.” Blair rubbed his hand over his hair, “it was bad enough with Kobie, you have a hell of a lot more to deal with.”
Jesse stopped and watched the three women; he didn’t want to interrupt if they were helping her. “I just don’t know what to do half the time.”
Blair chuckled, “I think that’s normal with mates, regardless of the situation.”
“You think so?” Leah was smiling and he felt his mouth move to form a grin just seeing her like that.
“Pretty sure.” Blair clapped him on the back, “I’m going to kiss my mate, then get over to work. Ask Devin when that weapons guy is coming.”
Jesse nodded, but didn’t say anything, he had to find out when the doctor was going to be here too. Thera got up and came over to him. She nudged his hand. He rubbed his hand down over her head. “You’re adjusting well to everyone.” He continued to move his hand, but his mind was on Leah. The sun was shining this morning and her hair looked like it was glowing in the light. He frowned, could dark hair even do that? Shaking his head, he decided he was interrupting, after all, anything was better than standing here thinking weird shit.
Leah turned when he was almost to them. Her face lit up with a big smile, her cheeks flushed, and then she hurried to him. “Nichelle has only been shifting for a few weeks now, so she’s in the same position I am.” She sounded excited and relieved at the same time.
Jesse couldn’t think for a second, the look of delight in her eyes had him momentarily stunned. She was so beautiful. Reaching, he brushed the hair back from her cheek and then cupped the back of her neck, his palm resting against her face. “That’s great news.” He feigned a frown, “I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to think back to my first few so I could help you.”
“Kobie has told me so many stories about others having problems with their animals.” She smiled again, “it makes me feel so much better, knowing it’s not just me.” She rested her palms against his chest and looked up at him, “I communicated with Minn, and felt her respond.” She bit her lip for a second, “I usually only feel when she’s about to come out.”
He could have stood here all day and listened to her, no matter what she said, just hearing her talk without hesitation and doubt. “That’s great, babe.” He leaned forward and kissed her mouth gently, because he just had to, felt like he was going to suffocate if he didn’t. Each time he did kiss her, she would touch her lips, making him want to do it again and again.
“Did you need me? I wanted to stay and practice some more with Nichelle.”
Did he need her? That was a question he didn’t dare answer. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” He lifted the hand full of pages, “I have some calls to make and later there will be a conference call with the king and a few others.”
“About rescuing others?” A line appeared between her brows.
He fought the urge to rub that crease away. “Mostly updates, we’re still waiting on reports from the teams watching the locations.”
She nodded, a serious expression, “do you think we’ll be able to go?” Her jaw clenched for a second, “I want to be there, in case my mother or sister,” she shrugged one shoulder, “any of my clan are still there.” A look of resolve filled her eyes, “I owe it to my clan to help. I left them all there.”
Jesse’s heart pained, “you were sixteen, Leah, and you couldn’t have done anything to help them at that point.”
“I know that, mostly, but I just feel like I failed them.”
Tightening his hold on the back of her neck, he leaned down so their foreheads touched, “you failed no one.” He held her dark eyes with his own, “you had to get out of there to survive. Sometimes you have to put your own survival above others.”
Her gaze locked on his, “yeah.” She nodded, “Minn will attack if she thinks I’m threatened. I sense that now.” Her smile was gone.
He felt like a heel, for crushing her good mood like that, but he couldn’t accept her blaming herself for shit that Tomas and his goons were and had done. “Now,” he smiled, “I’m going to take another taste of you with me so I can get through these calls.” He kissed her mouth, then kissed it lightly again. “Go make peace with Minn so we’re not chasing her all over the country.” He straightened up and stepped back.
With her hand over her mouth, she nodded, the expression in her eyes made his heart lighter again. Smiling, she turned back and went over to Kobie and Nichelle.
Blowing out a breath, Jesse spun on his heel and went toward the trailer. Might as well sit and be comfortable while he made these calls. He was almost there when Shaelan came out of the house.
“Jesse.”
He stopped.
“The doctor had an emergency at the campground, so she wants to set up a video call with Leah later today.”
Jesse nodded, almost relieved that it wouldn’t be in person. “Let me know when.”
She went back in the door.
Changing directions, he went in the direction of the van. He needed to make sure the batteries were charged so he could set her up with this call. Emergency at the campground? The only one he knew of was Devin’s and if it was there, then it was related to one of those rescued. Hopefully, it wasn’t too serious.
Jesse heard doors close and footsteps.
“Jesse.” Devin sounded winded.
“Did I call at a bad time?”
“No. I just left my phone in the house. Rayne had to track me down.”
“Is everything good there? I heard the doctor was called there.” He leaned back in the chair and looked around the yard.
“Yeah, we think so.” It sounded like he was walking. “Rayne was concerned about some of the children here, so the doctor is coming to check them out.”
He leaned forward again, “concerned how?”
“After she learned more about Leah, the doctor told her it happened in cases of repeated trauma when the child was,” he paused, “four to seven I think she said.”
Jesse nodded, “is that something they can look for early?”
“I have no idea, I just had a mate pacing and worrying, so…”
“Ah, okay.” He completely understood that. Frowning he realized a few weeks ago he wouldn’t have quite got it, but now he did. “The doctor is going to be doing a video call with Leah later today.”
“I’ll make sure there’s somewhere quiet for her,” the call paused, “to do that.” He sighed into the phone. “Sorry, let me take this call for a sec or she’ll just keep calling.”
Jesse didn’t get a chance to ask who before the line went silent. He picked up the papers in his lap and looked at the top one, still not sure why Blair had handed them off to him. A month ago he would have taken them and just gone through it, but he had a little more on his mind right now than square footage of as yet unbuilt structures. The Alliance was paying for some of the new buildings Blair wanted for his clan.
“Sorry about that, it was my agent.”
“Do you have an exhibit coming up?”
Devin snorted, “when have I had time to paint lately?”
Jesse grinned, “during the lull moments.”
Devin laughed, “lull. The only time there’s a lull and silence is when Rayne and I are asleep, and even then it’s rare.”
The sound of two of the girls arguing hit him, he turned to see them on the other side of the yard in each other faces. He had sisters, so he knew to just stay out of it. “I understand that.”
“How is Leah doing?”
Jesse couldn’t see her from here, and now wished he’d sat where he could. “Managing despite everything.”
“If you need to tap out of the retrieval team, I get it.”
Jesse shook his head, “it’s too soon to say.” He looked down at the paper but didn’t see it. “Leah and Evanna have both said they want to go with us when we go where she was.”
“Is that a good idea?”
“Probably not. I want to talk to the doctor about it and a few things once she has some time.” He shrugged, “she wants in on the weapons training.”
“That couldn’t hurt, even if she never has to use it. They’ll be there tomorrow, wait, no day after,” Devin sighed, “I’m losing track of days.”
Jesse grinned, “I get that.” He lifted the papers, “Blair gave me these damn calculations and outlines for the buildings they’re going to be putting up...”
“Why do you have them?”
“Damned if I know.” He watched the man they were talking about drive in. “Maybe to keep me busy.”
“You keeping busy isn’t usually an issue.”
“Not normally.”
“Just send me pictures of them and I’ll forward them.” He sounded annoyed, “I’m not cut out for this office work.”
“Well, once you’re king, you have teams that do all that work for you.” Jesse knew this because he was one of the teams for the current King.
“That’s not a great selling point.”
“When is your dad planning to step aside?”
“Don’t even think things like that, better not be for another twenty fucking years or more.” Devin’s tone was rough, “I am not ready for all that, fuck, I don’t even know if I will ever be ready.”
Jesse chuckled, “I’m pretty sure Rayne will help.”
“I’d be lost now without her.” He cleared his throat, “I have to run, get in touch with Dad when you get a few minutes, he’s been asking about you and Leah.”
Jesse nodded, “I will later.”
“Take care, Jesse, call if you need anything.”
The line went quiet. He did not envy the weight on Devin’s shoulders. Setting the pages on his lap, he snapped a picture of them one after the other and then opened his email and sent them to Devin. Getting up, he tucked his phone back into his pocket, only to take it back out again. Going to the end of the trailer, he spotted Leah still with Kobie and one of the other women, Franki he thought her name was. Leah seemed to be quite involved in the talk. Now that he was assured, again, she was well, he brought up his call list and tapped his dad’s name.
“Hey, son.”
What was it about a parent’s voice that could either calm you inside or piss you right off, depending on the life situation? “Hi.” Although comforting, he doubted anything was going to calm Jesse for a while to come. There was too much unknown.
“How are things?”
That was his father’s opening line all the time. “I’m back at Blair’s,” he couldn’t remember if he’d told him where that was, “by Ed’s.”
“Done on the road for now?”
“Yeah, for at least a few weeks I’m told.”
“You should try to carve some time out and come home for a day or so. It’s been a while since you were.”
Jesse couldn’t even remember when the last time was he had been home for more than a day. “That’s part of why I was calling.”
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if you and the girls could pop over to my place and do a few things for me.”
“Like water your plants?” His father chuckled.
“Someday I might have those, once there’s a house to put them in.” Jesse crossed his arm over his chest and rested his other elbow on top of it, “no I need to get some estimates done and,” he wished he could see his father’s face for this next part, “some spots marked out for gardens.”
“Gardens? Son, you know winter is almost here.”
“I didn’t say I was planting them, but the girls are great with that and will know the best locations to mark out for light and drainage and all that other stuff they go on about.”
There was a long silence and then he heard his mother’s voice.
“It’s Jesse, he wants gardens marked out at his place. What estimates are you getting done?”
“I need to fence the whole lot in.” Jesse waited for the questions he knew were coming.
“Is this about that girl that was with you, Jesse?” It was his mother; he was on speaker now.
“Yeah, it is. I need the fence for Thera, her leopard.” He smirked.
“The girl, I’m sorry I forget her name, is she coming with her leopard?” His mother was fishing now.
“Yes, she will be.” He cleared his throat, “she’s my mate, but there are a few complications before you start planning any celebrations.”
“What sort of complications?” His father’s humorous tone was gone.
“She was taken by Tomas when she was four,” he blew out a breath, “she got away when she was sixteen, but what she went through caused a mental disorder. Dissociated Identity disorder—it hasn’t been diagnosed, as yet, but even the doctor is saying that’s what it is…”
“Is that where they have more than one personality, honey?” His mother’s tone was soft and understanding.
“Yes.”
“I’m sure you will be able to help her with this, son.”
His father’s confidence in him made him feel a little more at ease. “She was the last of her clan, living on top of a mountain alone…”
“She sounds incredibly strong.”
He nodded to his mother’s comment. “She is. She doesn’t think so, but she is.” He cleared his throat, “her cat came out when she got away and they ran for a month to find home—she has trouble controlling her cat—” his cat stirred inside him, feeling the emotions Jesse was having.
“We’ll get that done for you out at your place.” His father said, “do you want the fence started? Are you thinking chain link or something solid?”
“Chain-link.”
“Okay, I’ll get on that and message you the details, Jesse.” His father’s take-charge tone had kicked in.
“You call us if you need anything.” His mother commanded.
“I will. I really want you to meet her when she’s able to, she has trouble meeting people.” He watched her with Franki as he spoke. One or two seemed to be her limit, which he thought was better than when he met her.
“You take care, honey, we’ll go over to your place tomorrow and do that for you.”
“Thanks. I just don’t want to drag her around too much. She’s meeting with the doctor today and we’ll have to follow her suggestions…”
“It’s fine. You just take care of her, and you know we’ll be here when you get home.”
Leah looked around and then nodded to Franki and started walking in his direction. “Okay, I’ll let you go.”
“Bye.” His parents echoed, then the line was quiet.
He looked at his phone and then tucked it in his pocket, that went better than he’d hoped.
It was still nagging at him, them wanting to go when they went in to get others out. How would that even work? Is Evanna fronting with Minn right there watching? Then there was Leah, where was she while this went on?
Rubbing his hands over his face, he dropped them and exhaled a loud breath. He needed to talk to someone about this. Turning, he decided the four standing in the drive were the ones that he needed to speak to right this second.
When he reached Blair and Calum and their mates, he lifted his hands in the air and then just let them drop. “I need to run something past you guys.” He scowled, “then I have to run it past the doctor too.”
Blair and Calum looked amused. Bastards. The women looked concerned. Concerned he could work with.
“What’s happened?” Shaelan asked, her focus solely on him.
“During various conversations, both Evanna and Leah have expressed their desire to go with us on the ops when we go to those addresses.” He stopped and gauged the different reactions. Calum, he couldn’t read—no surprise there. Blair was looking to Kobie, he had no idea why that was.
“I think in some way it’s a good idea,” Shaelan said slowly as if she was still processing it in her head.
“How do you figure that?” Calum studied his mate, “I sensed the vibes coming off her cat when she lost control…”
Shaelan held up her hand, silencing her large mate. Jesse made a note to ask about that later. “That’s just it, Cal, for most of her life, she hasn’t been in control of much of anything.” She glanced to Kobie who was nodding right along with her, “I think this will be a huge step in helping her feel like she has control over a situation.”
“So you think this would be something that will help her?” Jesse didn’t see how.
Shaelan nodded, “yes.” She made a face, “I don’t mean send her in or anything, but her being present and feeling like she has an important role in what’s happening.” She shrugged, “she can stay back with me.”
Calum raised an eyebrow, “we hadn’t finished that discussion.”
Shaelan smirked, “I am the only trained healer among the collective group, so I decided I’m going.” She gave him an even look.
“I won’t be on the breach team,” Kobie made quote marks in the air, “so I’ll be there with her too.”
Calum and Blair exchanged a quick look. Neither mate was happy with them going.
Jesse took a deep breath; he didn’t have time to help other couples sort their couple stuff. He had enough of his own sorting to do. “I’ll talk to them about it some more and see.” He looked at Shaelan, “I want to ask the doctor about it too.” He rubbed his hand across his forehead, “if she thinks it will cause more harm than anything, she can’t go.”
“That’s still her call, Jesse,” Shaelan said in a soft tone. “She’s been on her own for a long time, you can’t expect to issue orders and have pleasant results.”
He looked from her to Kobie, who was also nodding. Calum just crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the ground to remove him from any possible comment or suggestion.
“Talk to her—them,” Blair shrugged, “and see where it goes.”
He noted the pleased look on Kobie’s face with that comment. “Yeah,” Jesse smirked, “after the gun incident on our trip, she may change her mind completely.” He glanced to the end of the house and wondered if she was still there.
“Or she’ll embrace it,” Kobie said.
Looking back at her, he frowned. “I suppose.”
Calum pulled out his phone and looked at it. “Shep will be ready for the call in half an hour.”
Jesse nodded, “Are we doing that in the house?”
Blair shook his head, “no we’ll use the bunkhouse that was mine.” He exchanged another look with Calum.
Jesse didn’t know what was going on that he wasn’t in the loop with but shrugged. “Okay, I’ll be there. I’m just going to check on Leah. She was pretty excited that she’s been able to communicate with Minn.”
Kobie smiled. “Maybe someday her cat will be a complete part of her.”
He nodded, even though he was frowning. He wasn’t sure what that meant.