Fallen Love
Chapter 15

Esra.

That’s it, I’ve just taken my first exam and it went well, at least for me, but after that I’ll have to see what the mark is. I’ve got a two-hour break before my next exam, which is at midday, so I’m going to the library to go over my files one last time, which takes time because I’ve got a lot of them. Half an hour before my exam starts I go and buy myself a sandwich to eat, otherwise my stomach will be rumbling in the room, which will cause me a lot of embarrassment that I don’t want to have in the middle of my exam. I sit down quietly outside, take out my bottle of water and eat, leaning against a tree.

– So how did it go? asks my snake.

– It went fine.

– You’ve always done well in exams, so it’ll be the same.

– I hope so, Em, and what about you?

I asked Em to take a look around Martin and Chris’s territory, using Lisa’s bracelet to keep an eye out for the slightest hint of danger. I may be in the non-supernatural period, but I prefer to be one step ahead. One of Melinda’s mottos is “Think like your enemy and anticipate”. Having never been spotted by the opposing camp, I think I can follow her advice carefully and without fear, given her success. Especially now that the witches know I’m not dead, I’m not going to be safe for long. And if it’s witches of a higher level coming, I’m not giving up.

– It’s very strange, these frequent attacks,” I said.

– At first I thought they’d found you thanks to Lisa. That’s why there were werewolves too. But since Noah, I’ve changed my mind.

– Explain this to me.

– Do you remember that witches want the bones of cubs?

Even though she can’t see me, I nod reflexively and when I realise I’m doing it I roll my eyes and laugh at myself.

– And what if it’s partly an excuse to decimate the packs that don’t join the opposing camp?

– So they’re sorting out werewolves too?

– It’s possible,” says Em.

– How did you get this idea?

– When they turned up at Noah’s birthday party.

It’s true that children are rare among werewolves, so picking out a few bones while cleaning would be an added bonus. At least from their point of view. Unfortunately, I can’t put up a magical barrier to any pack that refuses the offer. I’d lose my life making so many protective barriers and once I’m dead I won’t be helping anyone. But who would have enough power to control this whole organisation? Apart from my parents, I don’t know any witches who could do such a thing. I don’t know the people who kidnapped me and nothing has ever helped me find out their identities during my three years in prison.

The only people who could help me are dead and I’ve never dared call them, I’ve wanted to countless times but I chickened out when it came to the formula. The trip to Melinda’s won’t just be about soul mates, otherwise I don’t know where to look, I’m very limited in terms of help and I don’t think there’s a supernatural library in town. I know the ritual but there’s something blocking me. I’m afraid of seeing my parents and being blocked in front of them. …All this in the middle of exam period? They couldn’t have done this at Christmas when I was having a heart-to-heart with Em, the whole thing would have warmed me up for sure. When I see on my watch that it’s time to go, I throw my wrapping paper in the bin and head for my room. When I enter, I try to clear my mind but unfortunately this time I can’t think of anything else. Not only are the witches in danger, but so are the werewolves, and I’ve got to warn Lisa. As I’ve got two hours to finish, I force my brain back into psychology mode, hoping to succeed. At the end of the day, I stand outside the college, remembering that Lisa also had an exam at that time. Maybe we’re wrong, but warning them of a possible threat means anticipating. Even if we’re wrong, they’ll be prepared for the next time rather than being caught off guard. It’s better to be too careful than too careless.

– Esra!

I turn round and see Emmett coming towards me. I’d never have thought he’d come and talk to me on his own initiative, but I’m pretty sure he wants to talk to me about Lisa. What else could he be talking about? And this way I can get some information out of him about her behaviour, or at least his head will tell me. He comes up to me and doesn’t seem to know where to start. Which is kind of funny.

– Have you come for her?

– Yes, one of us will take her and come and get her, considering what’s going on.

– You’re doing well.

Lisa seems to be taking her time as usual, so I spill my guts to Emmett, who listens attentively and seriously. He’s also thinking for himself, and I’m delighted to see that he agrees with my reasoning, or rather Em’s. It’s interesting, I think.

– It’s interesting, I’ll talk to Chris about it.

– OK, well, I’m going to go.

I go down the stairs to get on the road before Emmett gets in front of me.

– Wait, I wanted to talk to you too.

– I’m all ears.

– You’ve known all along that Lisa and I are …, he waves his hands. Well, you know. You’ve never said anything. Why didn’t you?

– Because Lisa didn’t want anyone to know, but I’d like to know why you won’t give her a chance?

He sighs, running his hand over his forehead and alternately looking at me and the floor. I try to get inside his head and see a lot of confusion. He seems lost in his feelings, it’s a big mess to be honest. I see flashes of the past, which confirms that this is from before he joined Chris’s pack. There are a few images from the present too, but mostly focused on Nick. And then something strikes me: his loyalty to his brother. Well, at last I’ve got a lead. I wanted to put my hand on his shoulder to soothe him, but I stopped myself and took a step back. I mustn’t forget that I’m a witch, not their friend, and that’s never going to change.

– I know you owe a lot to Nick for integrating you into the pack, but don’t think you’d be betraying him by being in love with his sister, on the contrary. He wants her to be happy with a man he can trust. And if she stays close to him, it would be an ideal situation for both of them.

– How do you know all this?

– I study psychology, have you forgotten?

And then, miraculously, he laughs and smiles. When he realises her expression, he shuts up a bit. Well, I counted three and a half seconds. That’s better than nothing.

– I know you’re going to refuse, but I could help you sort out what’s going on in your head, so that you can let go of this anger that’s weighing you down inside. You’re not letting yourself be happy because of your past and whatever the reasons, there’s no justification for that.

– Is that the shrink talking or the witch?

– The witch, I have the ability to sense people’s emotions when I want to, you’ve got a lot of anger inside you Emmett.

Like I said, I can help you with yourself and with your connection to Lisa. She’s a good girl who deserves to be happy.

He doesn’t answer, just looks at me. I think I’ve said too much. I curse myself inwardly and walk around him, leaving him to his thoughts. As for me, I go home seeing only one thing. MY LIVING ROOM WITHOUT A TELEVISION. I’ve got to buy one before the holidays. But it’s such a mess at the moment and I’ve got so many things on my mind at the same time. My exams, the witches, this soul mate thing with Chris, Emmett’s problem, getting a job and getting the hell out of here. Shit, give me a break. Disappointed, I open my window and collapse on my sofa. Honestly, if they’d destroyed my sofa, I’d have turned them into frogs. I massage my temples and close my eyes, then feel a weight on my knees and stomach. Em looks at me intently, reading my thoughts and everything that’s bothering me.

– First finish your midterm week, then we’ll deal with the other cases one by one.

– Yes, but it’s still going to nag at me until I sort them out.

– You’re not alone, Esra, don’t forget that.

– I know, Em, thank you.

Then we talk about a complicated subject, Emmett. The guy’s an enigma in his own right. He’s holding back from Lisa and I’d like to help him and find out why. But I can’t go into his memory without his permission. Well, I can, but that would be black magic, so no. Never. Seeing that it’s nearly time to eat, I make myself a big batch of pasta carbonara, so I’ll have enough to eat this week without having to worry about having to make anything, it’ll just have to be reheated. When I finish eating, it’s still sunny outside and the temperatures are still pleasant, so I decide to put on my sports clothes and go for a walk. Black headband, black shorts, trainers, I tie my hair up as I go down the stairs and leave the building. I bump into someone. I take a step back when I hear a growl and swallow when I see Chris in front of me. What the f**k is he doing here?

– Did you get lost? I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

– No, I came to see you, Emmett told me about your exchange earlier.

– Ah …. I was going for a walk, but if you want we can talk about it at my place.

– No, outside’s fine, as long as we don’t run into anyone who’ll listen.

I nodded and started walking beside him, although there was still a small distance between us, which wasn’t very practical if you didn’t want anyone to hear you. Exasperated, I created a little bubble to protect us from any prying ears. Seriously, and what’s more, he doesn’t talk. Why did he come if he wasn’t going to say anything? It’s really getting on my nerves, I’ve got a grudge against him at the moment, this is not the day to come and bother me.

– Well then,” I urged him.

– Do you think a lot of packs are allied with the witches?

– Em’s trying to find out, but it’s not easy.

I hope there aren’t many of them, honestly I’m not going to throw any oblivion powder at I don’t know how many packs. Werewolves are their business, not mine. To each his own. It’s not that I don’t want to help, but it’s easier to get rid of a werewolf than a witch. And to be honest, since I’ve been with them, they don’t do anything at all, I do all the work, so they can manage the wolf part.

– Would you like me to come and create a protective barrier?

He’s never asked me but he’s already thought about it, even when Martin asked me he didn’t say anything, I wonder why, he’s quite an asset after all. I’m sure he doesn’t want to owe me anything, but considering the atmosphere in the magical world, put your ego aside for five minutes. You’re an Alpha if you’ve forgotten.

– I’d appreciate it, yes,” I heard him say.

Ah well, at last he trusts me a little. It’s a pleasure and at the same time it’s in his interest, after everything I’ve done he might as well. So I can confirm that.

– How do you think this witch story is going to end?

– I’d like to give you an answer but I’ve no idea, I don’t know who’s in charge.

– But last time the witch mentioned a master.

– Yes, but I don’t know who it could be. My life stopped when I was thirteen, when my parents died. I was out of the game at that point.

I think I’ve spoilt the conversation, but it’s true, apart from my parents I didn’t know any of the leaders of magic, I don’t know the people who took me away and Melinda didn’t know either as she had cut herself off from everything. None of us could know who was pulling the strings.

– We should set a trap for them,” suggested Chris.

– Yes, but what? I have no way of knowing who’s involved.

– If they contact us, we’ll accept their proposals and then we’ll know for sure.

– No, but you’re sick, you’ve got children in your pack, they’ll kill them first.

– Not if you put up a barrier.

No, but he’s an idiot, frankly, he doesn’t think things through. You can’t leave anything to chance and he only suggests shit, without being mean. Like I said, everyone has to look after their own species. Otherwise it’ll be a massacre.

– Without being mean, don’t you think the witches will find it strange that your territory is protected even though you’re not partners?

He’s cogitating, looking for something to contradict me, but he’s tiring himself out for nothing. We’ll do it my way, which is wiser.

– The best thing is to call me as soon as he contacts you, I’ll track them down and go undercover.

– How do you do that?

– Secretly,” I smiled.

Now that that’s cleared up, I’m going to take advantage of the Alpha’s presence to deal with another problem.

– Emmett didn’t tell you anything else?

– No, why should he?

– It’s not easy to say…

– About what? That Emmett and Lisa are soul mates? If it’s easy.

I stop dead in my tracks when he says it so calmly. Has the powder worn off? Shit, I thought he wouldn’t remember so soon. When I don’t answer and I’m still standing still, he turns to me with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

– How long have you known?

– Since Noah’s birthday.

– Did you tell them?

– No, I don’t know what to tell them, I knew something was up with you. When Lisa came home she didn’t say a word and locked herself in her room. But I didn’t know why, as you’ve made us forget.

Chris looks at me reproachfully, but I raise my hands in defence. It was Lisa who wanted it, not me, mind you. In a way, he’s not wrong – it’s not easy, given that Emmett still doesn’t remember the evening and Lisa’s too fragile for Chris to bring it up. Especially since he’s the Alpha, Emmett is his Beta and Lisa is the sister of his first lieutenant. It’s a big mess. I wonder if the Moon Goddess was right to create soul mates. Just look at us. It’s just as messy.

– You know, earlier I asked Emmett why he didn’t want to give Lisa a chance.

– What did he say?

– Nothing, Chris raises his eyebrows. So I got inside his head to find out.

– Can you do that? Isn’t it forbidden?

– Only if it’s for evil, but I really wanted an answer. It’s one of my powers, to sense emotions and I swear to you Chris his head is a mess, he’s so confused. Something important happened before he joined your pack, but I couldn’t figure it out, everything’s so mixed up. All I’ve seen is that he’s loyal to Nick.

– I know it’s thanks to him that Emmett joined us.

– But he thinks he’s betraying Nick by having feelings for his sister. I offered him help because the anger is eating away at him and he doesn’t know how to deal with it, he lives with it and it’s not good for him.

– I knew he was withdrawn but not that he was suffering,” he murmurs.

He sits down on a bench and I stand facing him, staring at the floor while he takes in everything I’ve just said. If Emmett won’t accept my help, I hope he’ll accept Chris’. As long as he gets better that’s the main thing, then he’ll be able to see his relationship with Lisa more clearly.

– Say, I’ve been thinking about something. You explained to us at home that you’d made a connection with Lisa, and Emmett reacted badly when he found out.

– Yeah, so?

– If he didn’t care about her, he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did, so we just need to go back and make him realise how he feels.

It’s a good idea, but first Emmett has to sort out his problems with his past. Another detail reminds me of someone we’ve forgotten.

– What do we do about Nick? I ask with a grimace.

– I’ll take care of him,” the wolf assures me.

I nod and announce that I’m going to go home. Chris gets up from the bench as I walk past him.

– Esra!

– Yes,” I say, turning round.

– Are you OK for the fence tomorrow?

– I’ll come by after my exams, I confirm.

I nod and set off again, but he calls me a second time.

– Don’t blame Lisa and Nick for not telling you about us, they had no choice but to obey orders.

– I’m very grateful.

Relieved, I went home and showered calmly before going to bed. Finally I’m not as stressed as I was earlier and it feels good not to have so much weight on my shoulders. I’m surprised we spoke so freely with Chris. OK, we didn’t talk about ourselves, but it was without pressure, without mistrust, and that felt good. I got the impression that he now accepted me as a witch, and that alone puts a smile on my face.

After Em had settled down under the duvet, I turned out the light and went to sleep, looking forward to tomorrow, not forgetting of course my three exams which were waiting for me at university. I can’t wait for this to be over.

– When it’s all over, promise me you’ll go on holiday and get some sun,” sighs Em.

– I will.

I laugh when she tells me she’s fed up with searching and finding nothing, that she’d like to go hunting like she does before eating, but as we’re on alert, she doesn’t indulge in this little pleasure that makes her frown. She also tells me about tomorrow, and that if Chris’s girlfriend makes any snide remarks to me, she’ll get in her face.

Anyway, as long as she’s been wanting to get into someone, it’s bound to happen at some point and I’m not against it happening to this unkempt she-wolf.