Chapter 244 Chapter 244
Jesse leaned against the tree and watched Blair and Cale set up targets. Jake and Noah were setting up a few tables. He really wasn’t needed for this part, but this was keeping him out of Evanna’s face. He’d been surprised and very happy to see her this morning. He wanted her to read the journal from Leah, get time to get caught up, but he was also worried about her now after some of the things she said. He wanted to give her answers when she asked questions.
“I’ll just be a few more moments, Jesse.” Doctor Collins said softly into the phone.
“No problem, take your time.” The line went quiet as she put him on hold again. He probably should have set up a time to talk to her and not called her out of the blue, but his brain and cat wouldn’t shut up and he needed answers.
He looked back in the direction of the trailer, for what was probably the hundredth time since he’d walked out the door. He didn’t see Franki or Evanna now. Hopefully, that was going okay. Why he couldn’t explain to her how to reach Minn, he wasn’t sure. He’d done it many times with young shifters but now when it mattered, he couldn’t find the way to explain the path to the animal inside.
“Sorry about that, Jesse. There are so many little ones here, I’m trying to spend equal time with all of them.”
“I understand. Is it going well?”
“If you mean have I found any that set off red flags, then no, I haven’t so far.”
He felt relief flood through him. “That’s great.”
“Yes. I haven’t gotten to the older children yet, but so far so good.” She paused for a moment, “I’ve been expecting you to call. Shaelan told me that you were mated to Leah and Evanna...”
“And Minn, her cat.” He added, wanting to be clear.
“Of course, her animal as well, which makes sense. Her animal isn’t another alter, it’s just her animal side like you and I and our kind.”
He blew out a breath.
“The reason her cat is thought of as an alter is because of her shifting so young, she’s never had time to bond. Most, as you know do it before or shortly after their first shift, they didn’t have the chance.”
“Yeah, Minn is, ah, a hand full.”
“I’m sure she is. Leah is afraid of her. I’m not sure about Evanna because we haven’t met yet...”
“Evanna is fronting today, so you will get to.”
“Ah, perfect, it’s easier to see the whole picture once I’ve spoken to all the alters. Have you noticed any oddities in either of their behavior that would suggest there are more alters?”
Jesse shook his head, “No. It’s fairly easy to tell who is fronting, and as far as I know, they know it’s just the two of them.” He was relieved to have confirmation that Minn was her animal side and not another alter. He thought of his own cat, and shrugged, he most definitely had his own personality, he couldn’t imagine if they were out of synch and not able to convey thought to each other.
“Sorry, just making notes so I remember the pertinent facts later.”
“No problem. Listen, I’m really out of my depth here, I don’t know what I should or shouldn’t do. I want to help and have no idea how to.”
“What you’re feeling isn’t uncommon. There’s no definite answer to that. Each system is different.”
“System?”
“Yes, that’s what they are, a system or different alters sharing the one body.”
“Okay.” He was mated to a system. That didn’t sound right to him.
“As far as what you should or shouldn’t do, those answers you will have to get from Leah and Evanna.”
“Okay, what—how do I ask them that?”
“Starting with asking about their triggers is the best route.”
“Triggers, what makes the other one come out?”
“Yes, causing a switch can be very jarring and disorienting at the same time.”
“I’ve noticed. I know of a few things, but won’t asking them set them off or cause a,” what has she said, “switch?”
“It could, but I’m sure the fact that you’re interested in order to help them and making sure they feel safe will mean a lot to both of them.”
“All right, I can do that.” He cleared his throat. “Both have said they’re interested in joining a team,” he made sure not to give away too much, “part of it may involve weapons use and situations that could be dangerous.” What was he trying to ask her again? “Should—is it smart to let them be exposed to that?”
“That is another question you need to ask them. They need to feel that they have control in their world, or it could cause more serious issues.”
He nodded and decided he didn’t want to ask about what more serious issues could be. “This is all,” he glanced around, “hard. I don’t know how it works as a mate in this situation.”
“Again there is no one solution for that, each mated to a system has to work it out with them.”
She made it sound cold, and clinical and it was starting to grate on his nerves. “So, talk to them?” He nodded before she could answer.
“The most important thing right now is they feel safe, are getting enough rest and proper diet is even more important to them than it is with other shifters.”
“Yeah, I’ve been working on that. So how long...”
“Jesse, if you’re about to ask me how long they will need therapy and other help, there is no answer. It could be forever.”
“Right.” He scowled at the ground, “and the best possible outcome is?”
“In this situation, I feel there is a more positive solution than in others. With two alters and,” she made a soft chuffing noise, “an adolescent cat, the best outcome may actually happen.”
He went over her words trying to figure out if she’d said what that was. “And that is?”
“Their alters would integrate into one personality.”
He jolted as if she’d hit him. “One of them is gone?” His cat didn’t like that idea any more than he did.
“No, more like both of them are still there in one personality.”
“That’s possible?”
“It’s rare, but I always hope for the best.”
He heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I do too, whatever works for them is what I want.”
“I’m glad they have you. A supportive partner makes it one hundred percent easier for them to heal eventually.”
“Eventually.” That was a huge word in his mind. It could also mean never. “Thanks, Doctor Collins, I will probably call again later on with more questions, but right now it’s all mixed in with everything going on.”
“If you ever just need to talk, I’m here.”
He cringed, “thanks. I’ll let you go.”
“All right. Tell Evanna I will be speaking to her in roughly an hour.”
“I’ll make sure she’s set up for it.”
“Thank you, Jesse.”
He waited until he knew she hung up, before holding the phone out and glaring at it. None of that was very helpful at all. The only thing he got from all of it was it was better to talk to Leah and Evanna than it was to talk to someone about them