A Wolf's Purpose

•Chapter 29• In Sickness And In Health

The phone vibrated silently in his pocket. Everyone looked at him. He reached into his pocket and grabbed the device. 'Unknown caller' was all it said. He hesitated a moment. "Are you gonna get that or -" Jayden said. Casper held the phone up to his ear. "Hello?" He answered. "Cas?" Jade's voice sounded on the other side of the line. His eyes widened a little. He turned away from the group. "Where are you?" He asks her. "In the hospital." She answered. She sounded different. Her lip was trembling as if she was about to break down and cry. "What are you doing in the hospital? Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, right?" He rambled. Everyone's eyes were focused on the boy speaking into the phone. "Uh, no, I'm not okay. Casper, c-can you please come?" She replied, clearly trying to hold her tears. Casper looks up at the group. Before they could open their mouths, Casper was already snatching the keys from Louis' pocket. "What room are you in?" He asks her. "I don't know. But a cop will be waiting for you at the front desk." She tells him. "Alright, I'll be there soon. Don't do anything stupid." He responds. Jade hangs up the phone.

"Was that her?" Andrew questioned. "She's in the hospital. She's not okay." Casper tells the group. He was already starting to rush out of the house. "What? What did they do to her?" Jayden said in a threatening tone. Everyone started talking, arguing, and rambling to one another. Casper opened the door to the driver's seat of Louis' car. He leaned against it as he listened to them. All of them were complaining and wondering what to do. It was a little much all at once. Even Ian and Louis had started arguing. "Shut up!" He suddenly yelled at them. Everyone shut up. " I need to go." Casper started. He looked at the triplets, pointing his finger at them. "You need to get into hiding. Now." He ordered. "But Jade -" The three boys protested. "I'm going to get her." He said. Andrew stepped forward. "I'm coming with you," he said heroically. "You bet you are. Get in." He ordered. Andrew grabbed his jacket and hurried over to the car. Casper looked at the two men. "No discussions. Keep me posted. But get them out of here. I got her." He tells them. "No funny business," Louis tells him. Casper got in without saying another word. The group watched as they drove away. "You heard the man. Get moving," Megan spoke up. 

The duo was greeted by a police officer, just like Jade said they would. Casper and Andrew followed him through several hallways and into an elevator. "What do you think happened?" Andrew questioned. "She didn't sound like herself. She was scared. On the edge of breaking down." Casper tells him, "So, I don't think it's a broken toe." He added. The two exchanged a glance as the doors of the elevator opened. They passed a darkened room with Jade sitting inside on her bed. There was way too much security here. Two police officers stood by the door. It was as if they were guarding it with their lives. "These are her visitors." The two were being eyed up and down. The door was opened for them. Casper stepped inside first. Her eyes lit up when her eyes met his. He briefly looks at the other police officer sitting in the room with her. "Care to give us some privacy?" He questioned.  Behind him, Andrew stepped in as well. He hurried over to her. Her eyes watered when she looked at him. He hurried over to her and embraced her. Casper had to escort the police officer out of the room. When he turned around, he looked at Jade crying into Andrew's shoulder. Their gaze met when she lifted her chin. Casper's stomach twisted. Andrew pulled away carefully allowing Casper to hold her as well. He sat next to her on the bed. His arm wrapped around her tightly. "What happened?" He asks her.  "I have it." She mumbled. The two boys looked down at her in shock. She makes direct eye contact with Andrew. "I'm going to die." She squeaked out. She sounded as if she could break down again any second. 

"H-how is that possible?" Andrew asked her. "I never officially got tested. We never knew." She replies. Andrew put his hands into his hair. He didn't know how to respond. It was a bomb dropping in. And she felt the tension rise in the room. They were both mad and worried. Maybe even scared. She felt the grip on her waist tighten but not in a hurtful way. When she glanced up she could see Casper biting down on the inside of his cheek. He was hurting too. Maybe as much as she was. She could see it in his eyes. "Cas," She started. His jaw clenched only tighter and his grip tightens again. "Casper," She tried again. "Just shut up. All right?" He snapped. He stood up and turned away from her, rubbing his forehead. "Dude -" Andrew cut in too. Casper spun around. "No, you can't talk." He says. He looks at Jade sitting on the bed. She had pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly. "You wouldn't be saying this if you were going to cure yourself. This is your life we're talking about." Casper reminds her. She puts her hands into her hair. "You think I don't know that." She sobbed. Tears were forming in her eyes again. "Wow, what do you mean, you're not going to cure yourself?" Andrew cut in. Jade looks at him with hurting eyes. "I'm not going to ask Megan to do that. We don't know how. She might die." She tells him quietly. "So you're just going to let it go?" Casper asks her. Jade looks at him sadly. She hides her eyes again when the tears started to pour out again. 

He kneeled beside her bed. He placed his hand on her leg and let out a sigh. "Look at me." He tells her. One of her watery eyes peeked out from behind her leg. Looking straight at him. "I didn't go through all of that with you just to lose you in the end. I'm not going to let that happen." He says sternly, "I made a huge mistake by not telling you about your dad. I realize that. But I will never forgive myself if you die on my watch. I'm not gonna let that happen, alright?" He added. "I'm not asking Megan for the cure, Casper." Jade cried, a little too loud. The crack in her voice was heartbreaking. For once, she didn't know what to do. "I didn't call you to bash me or call me out on this." She continued. "Yeah, and I didn't bust my ass for you time and time again. I put my ass on the line for you since the day I met you. I backed you up when Ian or Louis yelled at you. Remember the letter to the lover boy over here? I did that for you. Because you asked me. For once, I am asking you something." He snapped at her. Andrew looked at her. The tears were pouring out of her eyes. But he decided to keep his mouth shut. Casper's tone softened. He didn't want to make her feel worse. "I cannot lose you too." He whispered. Jade locked eyes with him. He had reached out to hold her hand. His thumb brushed over her skin gently. "It's so selfish." He mumbled, "But I can't lose another person. I can't." He continued. His eyes had become watery as well. For once, he saw the true Jade. And it made him so emotional. He truly cared for her. She nodded slowly. He got up and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. He buried his face into the crook of her neck. "I'll figure it out," Jade assures him while sobbing.

"You've got to be kidding, right?" Jayden said. He looked at his youngest brother. Jerry sighed and held his backpack in his hand. He looked at the large abandoned factory in front of them. "They won't come here. It's the last place they'll look for us." He replied. "So we're back here? For how long?" Jack questioned. "As long as necessary," Jerry answered. Megan stepped forward to stand beside the brothers. She turned her head to them. "Brings back some great memories." Jack started. "Yeah about you three trying to kill me," Megan replied, slightly joking. "That's the one." He laughed in response. Megan smiled at him briefly. "Come on," She said. The three boys followed her toward the entrance. "Home sweet home, I guess." Jayden sighed. The four of them got inside. It was all just the same. Of course it was, it is abandoned. "Is anyone else getting a Deja Vu?" Jack questioned. "Yeah," Megan answered. "Good, so it's not just me." He replied.