Chapter 30 Chapter 30
“That’s not possible,” Suki exhaled, moving backwards and bumping into Reynard.
Sensing her unease, he held her close. ‘Breathe, Ki.’
Everett narrowed his eyes towards her. “You didn’t know you had that power?”
Shaking her head, she spoke faintly, “No. I thought the stories behind the Moonstone pack and the powers within the crystals were exactly that – stories.” She gripped onto the crystal, which had finally cooled down enough for her to hold. “I didn’t know it was real, and I definitely didn’t know I was able to harness that power.”
Amelia pushed herself to her feet, stumbling slightly, feeling weak. Everett flashed beside her and held her up. “I’m okay,” she sighed. “The trip took a toll on me, but I’m okay.” Leaning into Everett, allowing him to support her, she looked at Suki. “Thank you.”
“Hm?” Suki squeaked.
“Even though you had no idea what you were doing, you saved me from another week of bedrest.” She groaned, “I think I’m not going to be able to enter the spirit world for a while.”
Reynard stepped forward. “Did you manage to contact the Moon Goddess, Amelia?”
Disappointed, she shook her head, “I couldn’t connect with her. Whatever is going on between the packs, I think the spirit world is retaliating. They seemed more protective than ever, like they didn’t want anyone, who wasn’t a soul, entering the realm.”
“What happened?” asked Suki.
Amelia rubbed her head. “I saw fragments of things, almost like visions. It felt like a dream, and I can feel them fading away like one, too.”
“Better tell us quickly then, darling,” Everett said, patting her face to keep her awake. “What did you see?”
She groaned, struggling to keep her eyes open, “I saw… darkness – shadows – surrounding a large amount of forest, like a barrier. Then I saw nothing, but heard someone shouting ‘traitor’ into the void…” Her knees buckled, and Everett lifted her to keep her upright. “Then it flashed to a group–three men with a knife, a gun and a metal bat–barging into a home. Before it disappeared, I heard a child cry out for his parents.”
“Anything else?”
“I…” Amelia’s eyes became weighted, “I’m sorry, even with the healing Suki did, I still feel like I’m blacking out. That’s all I can remember. I’m so sorry.”
Everett sighed, “I’ll take you to bed.” He moved to leave the room.
“Wait,” Reynard said abruptly.
Stopping by the door, Everett turned around and huffed, “She needs to rest.”
“Just one more question, please,” he pleaded.
Amelia wheezed, “It’s okay, what is it?”
A wave of anxiety took over his body, and his heart thumped hard in his chest. Suki hadn’t seen him like that in years. Rey inhaled sharply and exhaled deeply, “What was wrapped around the bat?”
Everett frowned and snarled lightly, “What kind of question is that?”
Pressing her palm on his chest to soothe him, Amelia tried to stand tall and narrowed her eyes towards Reynard. “Barbed wire, and the handle was wrapped with–”
“Blue and black electrical tape?” he questioned, finishing her sentence for her.
Everyone looked at him, bewildered, and then over to Amelia.
Amelia blinked, her eyes widening as she stuttered, “H-How did you know that?”
He sighed, “Because I think that vision was of the past… when my parents were murdered.”
✧ ✧ ✧
The silence between Suki and Reynard was so intense that they could likely hear a pin drop from miles away. They made their way back to the guesthouse to give Amelia space to rest.
“I’ll make us some tea,” Suki broke the silence, needing to do something to break the shock she was feeling. She rushed right to the kitchen, filled the kettle, and set it down to boil.
She rummaged through the cupboards, trying to find everything she needed to make the pair a hot beverage, as well as some snacks to go with it – biscuits should do.
“Ki,” Rey sighed, “you’re doing that thing again.”
“What thing?” she questioned, acting naive. “I’m not doing a thing. I’m just making us tea after a long, long day. Don’t you want me to make us tea? I don’t have to make us tea. I can make us coffee, or just get some water, or I can make us some kind of snack…” she rambled, waving a mug around in the air.
“You’re trying to kill the awkward vibe, but there isn’t one, I promise you.”
Yet Suki continued searching through the cupboards frantically, trying to gather all that she needed.
Reynard took the mug from her and set it down. “Suki,” he held her shoulders, “breathe, please.”
Her shoulders slumped as she tried to settle herself. “I know you don’t like talking about it, and I’ve respected that boundary you set since we were kids. But it was still a huge shock to hear that Amelia had a vision about your parents’ death.”
“It was a shock for me too. Suddenly, I felt like I was reliving it all over again,” his voice cracked. He looked away, not wanting Suki to see his pain.
Suki placed the cups down and hugged him tightly, “Don’t hide your pain. Of all the people to hide your pain from, I am not one of the people you hide it from, okay?”
“Okay.” He wrapped his arms around her.
Keeping her head rested on his chest, Suki sighed, “I don’t understand how a vision of your parents’ murder has anything to do with us being mates, or why I have two mates.”
He shrugged, “Maybe she was being overwhelmed with incorrect information because the spirits didn’t want her there. They attacked her pretty badly by the looks of it.”
“I guess…” Suki stepped aside and grabbed the boiled kettle, pouring the water into the cups to steep the tea. “Do you,” she sighed, “do you want to talk about it?”
Silence struck again in the room.
She shook her head, “I’m sorry, we don’t have to–”
“Yes,” he interrupted her.
Suki blinked again and again as her eyes widened, “Seriously?”
A nod. “We’re not children anymore. I can’t hide from it.” He slid closer to her and held her face in his hands, “You’re my best friend and my mate, Ki. If I were to trust anyone to hear this story, it’s you, because I love you.”
Her eyes flickered with tears, “W-What?”
He smiled, “You heard me. Neither of us has said it to each other since we bonded, which makes no sense since we said it all the time as friends, but then I guess that’s exactly why we haven’t said it – we don’t mean it as friends anymore.”
A tear slipped down Suki’s cheek, “Rey…”
“Don’t say it back,” he shook his head. “I want you to say it when you’ve made your decision, but I just needed you to know… that I do. I love you, Ki.”
Suki leant forward and kissed him softly. “Every fibre of my being is screaming to say it back to you,” she whispered against his lips.
“I know, but there is that little inkling of hesitation in your heart because of your bond with Brendan, so I won’t be rushing you, as much as my heart yearns to hear those words off your lips.” He kissed her with multiple sweet pecks.
Leaning against the counter, Suki blushed.
Reynard smiled. “Plus,” he hummed, “if this story of my past actually does have some kind of significance to whatever the hell is going on with your two bonds or even with what is going on with the packs, it’s worth us being able to put our heads together to get to the bottom of it.”
“I agree,” she took his hand, “and I’m thankful you trust me to listen to this story. I know it’s a sensitive topic.”
Suki grabbed the cups and took them to the coffee table in the living room, setting them down on coasters. Perching herself on the sofa, she watched Reynard follow behind her and take a seat beside her.
He sighed.
“You can change your mind whenever you w–”
“No,” he placed his hand on her lap and smiled. “I’m ready.”