Till We Met Again

Chapter Nine

                      Juniper

As we all finish eating, I let my shadows take the platter into the kitchen and use my water element to wash it. Silence falls into the group, no one really knowing where to start. There is a lot to discuss. But the question is where to start.

Malcolm decided to start up, "Let's get this started, now that most of us are on the same page. Juniper, Why don't you start with what happened the day you got hurt." Taking charge, Malcolm gives the conversation a starting point.

I nod, knowing that I will be the one doing most of the talking here I get started. "As you are all aware I presume." I start glancing at Ezra, "Jessica used to be my best friend. Over the last couple of years, she has gone missing for days if not weeks at a time. Each time becoming more broken than the last." Everyone nods in confirmation that they are aware.

"To give you some back story, Jessica and I have been best friends for years, we met when we were ten. She, if you haven't gathered, is a witch. For a while we would practice magic together, but slowly she started drifting into the darker side of magic. I was already aware that being a Mythica meant I had a choose, to do good things that were best for everyone, like the gods and goddess intended. Or I could go down the same path as Jess. I don't know what made her change, and trust me, I did everything in my power to get her to stop. But nothing worked. Slowly but surely the darkness took over her and that is when she started to disappear." I pause for a moment, knowing that this part still hurts when I talk about it.

I take a deep breath. "A couple of months ago, Jess started to be around more frequently, well kind of. Her body was around, but it wasn't the same girl we all remembered. As some of you might not know, as a Mythica we can sometimes get glimpses of peoples past when touching them. We can control it so it doesn't happen often, really only when we are caught of guard. Anyway, when Jess would be around I would find her bumping into me often. So on occasions I would see some of what she had gone through the last couple of years. It was almost like she was touching me on purpose, so I would know that it was not her fault." Tears gather in my eyes as I think about the terrors she had gone through.

I shake my head, "I wont go into much detail because it is not my story to tell, but when I tell you it is the worst I have ever seen, believe me. For years she was taken and different parts of her were abused and ruined. These people, that never showed their faces to her mind you, needed to be able to control her completely. And in order to do that, My goddess, think of the worst thing possible, and then imagine it being worse. That is what she went through alone. So as time came and went, she was finally under their control. That is when they knew it was time to strike." I look at them trying to read their reactions. Most faces were blank or looking at me in horror.

"I don't know how these people figured out what I am, but they did. Their mission, and why they needed Jessica in particular, was to kill me. Jessica was my best friend, they knew in order to get close to me, it had to be her. Somehow, in all of their preparation, they forgot that I am made of three species. I don't know how but I am grateful non the less. The bullets that they gave Jessica to kill me with, don't actually kill me. As you have guessed getting shot in the head would knock anyone out. But it would have never fully killed me." I give a grateful look to Ash.

"That doesn't mean the work you put into saving me has gone to waste. It would have taken weeks for my shadows to fully get the bullet and then the wound fix on its own. And buy then who knows what could have happened. But thanks to you Ash, you speed up the process, and you also kept me safe and protected while I couldn't protect myself. So thank you from the bottom of my heart." He nods at me and gives me a proud smile.

Colton decides to speak up for a moment. "If they gave Jessica bullets they believed would kill you, do they believe you are dead now then? And why did they want you dead so bad, I mean what is their end plan." I give Colton a sad smile.

I look at him and nod, "From my understanding, Yes they believe I am dead, They have Jessica memory of me being shot and bleeding, from what Ash said not even a minute after I was shot, Jess disappeared. So I assume they think I am dead. As for what their end game is, I don't know. We can assume that I needed to be out of the picture. I am one of the biggest threats to those who want to take over and change the way things are currently set. Why they want to do that and how they plan on doing that, I again have no idea." Malcolm clears his voice.

We all look of at him, "That is where we come in, We need to keep the fact that she is alive under wraps the best we can. The less people who know the better. That being said we also need to prepare for a war, I will be getting into contact with the rest of the Elders, they need to be aware of everything that has happened. Has for Juniper, you need to find your guardians and hopefully your mate. If we are correct and war is upon us, having your guardians with be beneficial. You can not fight this on your own, and they are going to be your greatest allies moving forward." He looks at me in the eyes saying the last part.

Ash cuts in this time. "I will speak as a whole for our pack and say that we are on your side, ready to help however we can." Colton and Ezra nods, "I agree, We can start the pack on a more strict schedule for training. But I believe you should get into contact with the Blood Moon pack." We all give him a look of confusion.

So he continues, " I have been getting different allies within the past couple of months and have been successful in a lot, which I am sure once we talk to them they would be willing to help, but anyway. The Blood moon pack is the strongest pack around, not only in size and power but in basically everything else, If you can get them on our side, I think it would be a great help. That and if you haven't been down that way, you might be able to find some of your guardians down there." I nod in understanding.

Plans start forming in my head on ways to move forward. "Okay listen up, Malcolm, I need you to contact the Elders, they will listen to you. Colton focus on training your pack, I might be able to get into contact with my aunt and uncle who can come down and help train." Everyone nods in agreement. "Getting ahold of of them would be smart, they have trained with some of the strongest out there." Malcolm agrees with getting my uncle here.

Ash studies me for a moment. "You plan on leaving don't you Honey" Tears gather in my eyes, "I have to, Malcolm is right, finding my guardians and my mate should be my top priority. I've been alone before, I can find them on my own." I give him a sad smile.

Conversation dies of for a moment, everyone taking in what I just said. "What if I come with you?" Ash says seemingly out of nowhere. "You can't, your needed here. Ash I can't ask you to come with me, I don't know how long I will be gone. Your son needs you here. "I shake my head at him.

Colton cuts in, "Actually, If your aunt and uncle are coming here, we don't need him. I think we would all feel better if you weren't alone trying to find everyone. And I think it will be good for my dad to get out for a bit. We will be okay here, and if something happens I know how to contact you both." Ash gives me a smile at Colton's words, "Its settled then, We shall leave in the morning, I will get everything set up. Besides, how were you going to talk to the alphas without disclosing who you were Honey." I shake my head, fine.

"We have a lot of preparation to do in a short time before we head out. Let's get started." I tell everyone.