The Phantom Wolf

Chapter 102 (Panic Attack)

*3rd Person POV*

Bree caught Pearl just before her mate collapsed to the floor. The hybrid wasn't answering her, nothing she said seemed to bring Pearl out of it.

Holding her mate, Bree felt totally helpless as her condition continued to deteriorate. Pearl was barely breathing, and it wasn't a situation where she was holding her breath. No. Pearl couldn't breath. The pure and utter terror in Pearl's golden eyes told Bree everything she needed to know.

It didn't matter that Charlie was downstairs and trying to get answers from the coven. All that mattered right now, was that her mate needed help.

So Bree screamed out in fear and desperation, for the one person she knew would be able to help Pearl. "DAD!"

The panic in his daughter's voice, sent Carlisle reeling up the stairs instantaneously. Leaving the conversation with the chief mid-sentence to answer his daughter's cry.

As soon as he entered the bedroom, Carlisle saw Pearl's crumpled form on Bree's lap. The hybrid was shaking violently, and her skin was incredibly pale.

The patriarch immediately took Pearl into his arms and began to assess her, while Bree stared at her mate with insurmountable worry.

As Carlisle was taking in Pearl's symptoms, Esme, Jasper and Emmet sped into the room. Alice, Rosalie, Bella and Edward were doing their best to deal with Charlie, and excuse their sudden absence.

As soon as he stepped into the room, Jasper stumbled back in shock, and recoiled from Pearl's body. Emmet held his arm to steady him, and Esme moved to Bree's side to support the young vampire. The moment Jasper recovered from his shock, he quickly informed Carlisle, "She's terrified. The amount of fear she's feeling right now, it's overwhelming."

Carlisle nodded and muttered quietly, "I thought so." Speaking louder to address the room, he said, "She's having a panic attack. Jasper, can you try and ease it?" Carlisle turned his head to the Texan to ask.

Jasper nodded seriously and started to use his gift in order to try and calm Pearl down. His interference didn't seem to do much for Pearl's physical state, but her eyes looked a little more alert once his gift took affect.

With her body still violently trembling and her heart racing, Carlisle gently and carefully positioned the hybrid in his lap. Laying her head directly on his chest, with her ear pressed to where his heart was located. Holding her steady, Carlisle began taking exaggerated deep breaths in at a slow steady pace. Making sure to move Pearl's body with his chest movements, so that she could properly feel his breathing.

He continued to do his exaggerated breathing until he felt Pearl's body begin to respond. When someone has a panic attack, listening to something soothing and rhythmic can help them ground themselves. It's why listening to another person's heartbeat, or holding their hand up to someone's chest is so effective. Since vampires didn't have heartbeats, Carlisle had to improvise. By breathing in an exaggerated manner and following a consistent pattern, his actions should help Pearl latch onto the rhythm and ground herself.

Thankfully, it seemed to be working, as Carlisle slowly, began to feel his daughter's chest rise and fall as he held her in his arms. Her breaths were quick, and it was clear that she was now hyperventilating, rather than not breathing at all. It wasn't great, but it was a step in the right direction.

Continuing to breath deeply, Pearl tried to imitate Carlisle's actions it to the best of her abilities. As Jasper's gift started to take more of an affect, Pearl's breaths began to get longer and her trembling started to subside.

As Pearl's condition improved, Carlisle began speaking softly to her in a reassuring and comforting tone. "You're doing great Pearl... Keep going... Focus on what you can hear, and what you can feel... That's good... You're doing a wonderful job..."

Pearl's breathing continued to get better and colour started to return to her face. Carlisle proceeded to whisper comforting and reassuring things to his child as she came out of her panicked state.

Before her breathing was able to fully return to normal, tears started running down her face, and the hybrid broke out into quiet sobs.

Carlisle sent a quick look towards Jasper, signalling him to stop using his gift and let her cry it out.

Jasper obliged without complaint or resistance. Only staring at his sister with concern in his eyes.

Pearl's hands clutched onto Carlisle's shirt tightly, as she buried her face into his chest to avoid all of the eyes. Everything was hitting her all at once, and all she wanted to do was hide and escape it all.

Carlisle held Pearl against his body, and started rubbing circles on the hybrid's back, at the same time rocking his body back and forth, as if he was soothing a crying toddler or a distraught young child.

Bree watched helplessly from the floor, across from the two. This was different from the time Pearl broke down in tears in front of her. This seemed so much more desperate. Her mate was clinging onto Carlisle like her life depended on it. Like she thought she would be abandoned again...

From downstairs, the other vampires listened to their hybrid sister break down and cry in their father's arms. While they also simultaneously tried to convince Charlie that everything was okay, and that the other's would be back momentarily.

Carlisle proceeded to sooth Pearl for the next 20 minutes. Never scolding her for her behaviour, or telling her to toughen up. He responded to her cries with compassion and empathy. Giving her all the time she needed, to gain her composure, and he never once, lost his patience.

Jasper, Emmet and Esme left the room to return downstairs at some point. In order to assist the others with the now, fairly agitated human. Although Emmet wanted to remain upstairs, he knew that currently, Pearl needed her father. And then, once she was settled, she would need her mate. His presence would come later, so Emmet returned downstairs to help the rest of his family.

Bree remained by Pearl's side, unsure of how to contribute, she hoped that by remaining in the room with her mate, her presence was offering some sort of comfort to Pearl.