Chapter 19 ~ Hypnosis
It’s barely five o’clock and I have whined Kendrick’s ear off for the better part of the day. On the one hand, I am excited to see my parents and siblings. On the other hand, I am dreading this meeting. I have wishy-washied my way into convincing myself that I need to hear what they have to tell us face-to-face…only to talk myself into video chat instead. My sweet mate has been nothing but supportive.. agreeing with me each time I changed my mind.
Finally settling on being there in person… physically hugging my little brother and sisters having been the deciding factor.. we are nearly at Sterling Moon’s pack house. Kendrick was holding my hand.. smoothing small circles on my skin with his thumb. He whispers “I am here.. I will always be here. And if you fall apart, I will collect all your pieces and put you back together! I love you, Bella! More than I ever thought possible.. and I fall harder every day!” I snuggled close and held him tightly “Thank you! For being you! For being here! For always loving me through it! I love you so much! Leaning on you, makes today easier!”
Before I can get out, Gabriella and Daniella tackled me… knocking all of us to the ground. They both begin chattering.. like Ella and Anna.. about their magic coming in.. and they have different gifts. Together, they will make powerful witches! They are like Ella and Anna, inasmuch as, their mates will either be twins..brothers.. or close like Alex and Baron.
My Momma and Daddy are standing on the steps, with Aiden and Alexander.. Seeing tears in my mother’s eyes did me in.. I ran to them both and felt their arms wrap around me. At the end of the day, they are my parents! My family! They love me and I know that I love them… this is just a bump in the road!
We all walk inside to have dinner together. I hug Ella and Anna.. punched Baron and hugged Alex. Aiden is nearly as tall as Daddy, now! Uselessly tall! I hug him and he lifts me in his arms like I weigh nothing! My Little Brother! Little! Lifts me and spins me around..like it’s nothing, and I’m sad all over again! I have missed him, so much!!
I notice Granddaddy and Grandmom are already here, too. I am past ready to get this meeting over with. We eat dinner, feeling a false sense of camaraderie.. knowing our discussion is of such a serious nature is weighing on our light conversation. My body is vibrating with anxiety and Kendrick just lifts me from my seat, putting me in his lap…”Nothing is ever as bad as our minds imagine it to be.. we build it up in our heads and it overwhelms us. Quiet your mind.. slow your breathing.. realize you know more than you think, already.. your parents are going to fill in the blanks. That is all!”
He’s right! I am blowing it up in my mind.. and letting my emotions get the better of me. If I approach this with an analytical mind.. instead of an emotional one, I will handle it better! I meditate a few minutes to separate my emotions and allow my brain to break it down.
Everyone is seated in the conference room, waiting on my parents to arrive. When they do, Daddy has a file box in his hands with a serious look on his face. He sets it on the table and says “This is every detail we have.. from the moment Bella’s abduction happened to the last information we had on the Rogue Alpha. We still do not know his name. But, his description is in there.. the sightings there have been of him, over the years. Everything we know.”
I reach for the box, and it is full of files. I lift them out and at the bottom of the box, is a baby’s nightgown and a little blanket.. Angelica flashes a memory and a sharp pain rushes through me. I nearly faint from the pain. Kendrick catches me “Baby? Babe! Are you okay?” He gives me a glass of water.. after sipping a bit, I whisper “These are mine! I was wearing this when I was taken..and when I was found”
My mother’s eyes shifted to Grandmom’s, and Helena says “It seems you have some latent memories… that is amazing!” I snap “It isn’t my memory! It is Angel’s and it hurt her when it flashed! So, now tell me.. what the fuck was that!? Taking My memories caused my wolf pain?”
Momma tells us “As young as you both were, we didn’t realize your wolf was already present. Your memory of the event was removed.. But if Angelica just flashed on a memory, then she was already with you and lived what you lived.. and has suppressed the memory of it. We can probably coax it out of her.. then we would have a detailed description of what went on!”
Am I hearing this right? Is she out of her mind?? “Did you not hear me? I Said it hurt her! Caused her physical pain! Why would I force her to relive something that hurts her?” Kendrick tries calming me down.. when Grandmom speaks “Bella, you know wolves shift at the age of fourteen. We had no reason to suspect Angelica was already with you.. which now poses an entirely different set of problems.” Granddaddy took up the rest of her thought “If Angelica was already with you..and she felt your pain..the danger surrounding you..she may have shifted to protect you! If she did.. then that man knows you are the next generation White Wolf!”
Alexander snarls “So.. this prick has been trying to get Bella back in his clutches all this time.. and we know virtually nothing about him? She has always been in danger..all along..and the two of you left on your world tour..still believing our ignorance was our bliss? I can’t help but wonder, Mom and Dad.. what if the call to bring you home hadn’t been for information.. but to rescue my twin? How would you assuage your guilt, in that scenario?”
Daddy speaks sternly “Boy! You were just told we didn’t know Bella had her wolf! If we had known that, it may have changed the way we handled things! I understand your frustration.. You may be Alpha.. but I am still your father and you will mind your tone!”
I whispered “Just stop! The damage is done and in the past. We now have to decide how we move forward from here. Angel wants to know how we can access her memories.”
Aunt Helena says “Hypnosis”