Margaret Allie Brandon (Jasper's Mate Story)

Chapter 70

Margaret's POV: (March 10th)

I was laying on the blanket that had been placed by the rushing stream, watching the water rush by as the world around us was slowing waking up with the approaching spring. I head Carly and Sandra laughing a few feet off as they started racing against one another. Annie had stayed home today, not feeling well. Though as she was in her first trimester of her newly announced pregnancy, with twins, it came as no surprise that morning sickness was hitting her hard.

Liza was sitting beside me, carving something small between her hands. The shavings landing in the rushing water and being swept past me every few seconds. I had a feeling it would be a flute based on the shape, but I had been wrong plenty of times when it came to something she was making. My mind wandered to Jasper, as it always seemed to do, and I wondered if it was time to go home. And yet every time I had such a thought the shame of what I did kept me from fulfilling that desire.

I hadn't realized I was crying until a stray tear landed on my arm beneath my head. I quickly wiped my eyes, hoping that Liza hadn't seen. Though out of the three she was the most discreet about things like that. Annie was quiet but would make a show of passing tissues or patting me on the back while looking at Carly with a pointed look that was about as hidden as an elephant in the room. Sandra would rush to tell me it would be alright. Liza wouldn't usually say anything, just nod in an almost solemn sense of understanding.

"You miss him." (Liza)

"What?" (Mags)

I was pulled from my tears and thoughts of Jasper and what he could be doing right now by the statement from Liza. I wasn't 100% sure who she was talking about for a moment before I realized that she knew I had been thinking of Jasper. I looked away from her questioning eyes and back to the rushing creek before me.

"You mean Jasper?" (Mags)

"Yes, your mate right? The one you draw so often." (Liza)

"He had said I was his mate, but.....how do I know he is mine? What does it feel like? I hadn't felt love since my mom before I fell in love with him. Does it feel like regular love?" (Mags)

"I know it's only been a few weeks, well months rather now, but do you miss him? Are you anxious to be back in his arms, by his side?" (Liza)

"Y-yes. Is that all it takes to know your mate?" (Mags)

"Sometimes, but sometimes it takes more." (Liza)

"But....I used to feel that way before all this when we were just dating and I didn't know what he was. So is this just regular love?" (Mags)

" Ah, does it matter if it feels like regular love? I promise you it's stronger you just don't have a comparison for it like most people do. I take it you didn't date much before Jasper." (Liza)

"No, he's.....he's been the only one. The only one I ever let get close enough to me until recently." (Mags)

"Well there is your answer then, you knew him as your mate even if subconsciously." (Liza)

"Liza isn't right about these things often, but in this case he is Margaret. Especially if he was the reason for the true happiness I could often see in your eyes when I first knew you, then I would say that he is most certainly your mate." (Carly)

"And it's time you went home to him." (Liza)

"As much as we all love having you here, and even though Luna Allie has proposed a permanent position here in the pack for you. She's right, it's time you went home to your mate Margaret." (Sandra)

"Is it truly alright after everything I did? I hurt him. I almost killed him. And then I left him for so long and when I did call I didn't even call him but his brother." (Mags)

"Oh Margaret honey, if you think that's all it takes to upset a mate and make them no longer want you in their arms 24/7 you've got a bit more to learn. And the best place to do it, is in your mates arms." (Carly)

"I......you're right. Could......well how do I get back to him? I never really asked where I was in relation to my old home." (Mags)

"You're only about a 4 hour drive away. Luna Allie wants to speak with you this afternoon, but if you're ready we can leave in the morning. Liza and I will drive you. If that's ok." (Car)

I sat up at her words, wondering how long they sensed I had been approaching this moment but nodded at her suggestion. I was wary of what Luna Allie could have to discuss with me, as I had already told her of her own death, her son's and I was hoping beyond hope that it wouldn't be anything to do with death. I hadn't had a vision since my first week here, everyone that interacted with me was kind enough to wear gloves. It was an action I was immensely grateful for.

I sat by the water for another hour, before it was only me and Liza out there. I looked towards Liza before seeing that the object she had been carving was a flute of sorts with flowers designed into the handle. I smiled at her talent, knowing that while I could draw I could never carve something that beautiful no matter how hard I tried.

"It's for you, you know. To remember us." (Liza)

"What? That's....that's for me?" (Mags)

"Yep. Hybrids live basically for forever after all. So even if it takes your centuries I expect you to one day be able to play it. And then each time you do, you'll remember us. Even if the first hundred years or so your playing sounds like a dying bird." (Liza)

I felt the first real laugh since arriving leave my mouth at her words, as I felt certain that is what it would sound like the first hundred years or so no matter how much I practiced. She joined in laughing with me before our laughter finally died out, our smiles remaining. A few minutes more and I knew I couldn't put off meeting with Luna Allie any longer.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, and if it's done I'll even grant you a first time listen to the dying duck song." (Mags)

"Alright, til tomorrow." (Liza)

I stood and stretched, leaving her alone now by the water to finish the work she had left on the flute. The smile on my face remained despite the meeting I was walking into. And I knew it was from both the gift Liza had made me and the fact that I was going home tomorrow. I knocked on Luna Allie's door pausing only a moment before I heard a gentle 'come in' from the other side.

I walked into the soft grey office, meeting her smile with my own before taking a seat in the chair across from her. She gathered some papers together before placing them in an envelope and sealing it, working a few moments more in silence before placing everything together with a rubber band wrapped around it all.

"Well Margaret, I understand you are leaving us tomorrow. But before you leave I wanted to make sure you had all the information on your kind that we have in our possession, or at least a copy of it I should say." (Luna)

"Thank you Luna Allie, that will hopefully be helpful in the years to come." (Mags)

"I hope it is. I have also included my personal contact information should you be in need of it in the near future. And even if you are never in need, I hope you remain in contact with us. The 4 artists especially will feel your absence, they have grown to care about you very much. Though I must agree it is time you return to your mate. After all, the last hybrid our history speaks of lived over 700 years ago and would have remained living had their mate not died and they followed out of heartbreak." (Luna)

"Thank you Luna, I will keep in touch as much as I am able." (Mags)
"It is I that must thank you Margaret. Your gift gave us the ability to glimpse the future, even if it did include our deaths in the process. Thank you for the use of your knowledge while you were here." (Luna)

I felt my smile dim a bit but nodded to her thanks all the same before standing and slowly making my way out of the office and the house altogether. I wanted to go to the workroom this afternoon and tidy up all my personal drawings so I would be ready in the morning. I heard the scuffle of feet and 'hurry up' behind the door of the room only a second or two before walking in. What I saw made me freeze in place for a moment as Annie, Sandra, Carly, and even Liza were all standing in the middle of the room with a small cake between them and several boxes to be opened.

"Dammit. You're early." (Carly)

"What Carly means to say is surprise!" (Annie)

"No....what Carly said basically sums it up but sure Surprise!" (Sandra)

"What is this?" (Mags)

"Well when Liza said she was going to make you something a few weeks ago we knew that she couldn't be the only one. So we made you some things as well and we got you a small cake to celebrate your last night before going back to your mate. Do you....do you like it?" (Annie)

I could see the worry in Annie's eyes, though I knew her hormones were already messed up, I didn't want to risk upsetting her any. I quickly nodded and was relieved to find it wasn't even a lit to myself. I was excited that I had actually made friends here, and I was excited to see what they had created for me.

"Mine first! Please, please, please!" (Sandra)

I had a large flat box thrust into my arms before I could utter a sound of protest, but I quickly opened it before I felt my mouth open in shock. Inside was possible two of the prettiest dresses I think I had ever seen before in my life. One was silver and sparkled as if covered in millions of stars, a hint of blue seeming to be on the dress but not distinctly in any one place. The other was the red cocktail dress with sparkle just under the bust. The very dress she had thought would look good on me. Sandra had gone and designed it.

"It's.......they're beautiful. Won't you let me pay you for them though?" (Mags)

"Absolutely not! You did like three drawings for me, so if anything I still owe you a dress. I only ask that you send a photo of you wearing one with your mate beside you." (Sandra)

I nodded was I ran my hands over the silky red fabric of the red dress and the textured sparkled fabric of the silver before carefully putting the lid back on. Carly's box had four wolves surrounding what I knew had to be me transformed, standing together as if they were friends. I smiled as I knew it was meant to be all of us on the last full moon, and the detail was incredible. Liza had finished the flute and I even attempted a song, that she endearingly named, the dying cat. Annie gave me two sketchbooks, one was empty for my own drawings, but the other was full of sketches that she had done over the last two months since meeting me.

Tears filled my eyes at their gifts and I soon found myself in Carly's arms for a hug, the others joining for a group hug. I lost track of the number of times I thanked them for everything, before I finally heard Liza let out a harsh breath.

"Ok, ok that's enough. I have to go home and shower, mate is coming over to watch Ninja Warrior in just a bit and this is getting a bit too mushy for my liking. I'll see you tomorrow, and will take down these two boxes and put them in the car. Carly your car?" (Liza)

"Well better mine than your topless, doorless jeep." (Car)

Annie, Carly, and I packed up the rest of my own sketches, though I left most of the nature ones for Annie and Carly to divide up between everyone else before we left with Sandra staying behind to finish a commission on a prom dress for one of the younger pack members.

"Prom season has always been one of her busiest times of the year. At least this year she has a system and is organized. Last year she wasn't, and she broke down crying over sequins. It was ugly." (Annie)

I felt another laugh leave my mouth as we walked down to the garage and placed the rest of the stuff into Carly's trunk of her car. My smile feeling permanently etched on my face as I made my way up to my room to finish packing before laying down to go to bed without tears falling from my eyes for the first time in weeks. I was going home.

Jasper's POV:

Another month gone. She had been gone from my side for over two months. We had searched everywhere but after the river her scent disappeared. We had agreed as a family to stay here in case she came back, as she didn't know any of our other addresses, and wouldn't know where else to look. Alice had been watching for any sign of her, and had been somewhat successful. She had seen three partial visions of her.

The first was her laughing at something someone had said, so we at least knew she was alive and wasn't being harmed wherever she was. The second was her transforming again, something that we suspect happened last week at the full moon or perhaps it was showing next month's transformation. The final vision she had only moments ago and was of her walking through our front door. It was that vision that had me basically glued to the stairs, staring at the front door. I was basically willing it to open and have her walk through it, and had been willing it since Alice had the vision two days ago.

I needed to hunt, but I would be damned if I missed her coming home after Alice had seen it in a vision. I heard steady steps come down the stairs before someone landed beside me.

"You need to hunt Jazz, Allie Cat already said it happens when you aren't home. How can she ever come home if you're always here." (El)

"I'm going to prove Alice's vision wrong. I'm going to be here." (J)

"Uhuh. And if it's a month from now. What, you going to wait until a human bleedin a mile away makes you go insane from starvation? Either you get your arse out of the house and hunt, or I will drag you away with Emmett's help I will." (El)

I could sense just how serious he was, and though it irritated me to no end. I knew he was right. I needed to hunt to make sure I protected the family's secret in not trying to kill and drain every human in a ten-mile radius. I finally stood and was met at the door by Alice and Edward.

"I'll keep an eye out for her while we hunt." (Al)

I nodded in thanks and turned to see Elliot rolling his eyes already knowing I was expecting him to call me if she came home while I was out. He said he would before practically shoving me out the front door. I stared at the closed door and then the empty silent driveway one more time before running after Edward and Alice in the direction they went. I knew it was noon now, but I wanted to be home before dark just in case she came back to me today. I needed to be home for my mate.