Beauty and the Sexy Beast

[16] Wide Awake

I was back in my room now. I was both drop dead tired and wired.

"Chloe, you need to sit down," Julian whispered as if afraid to spook me.

I couldn't stay still. It was taking everything I had to just pace the length of my room rather than head down to the room Cole was staying in and give him a piece of my mind.

"I can't. I can't let him just take her back to that life," I stopped walking suddenly and jumped on the bed sitting in front of him on my knees. "Julian, you can't make her leave here with him. He'll most likely kill her or the very least; her pups."

"Chloe," his voice was soothing and laced with concern. "they're mates."

"Mates? Mates?!" I couldn't help but shriek. "He has three other 'mates' waiting for him to beat and mistreat. Unless wolves have multiple mates I don't thi nk there's any emotional link other then hatred envolved here!"

I was damn near hysterics and I had no idea why.

"Chloe, you're just upset at me for keeping you here. She can take care of herself."

My jaw went slack. Of course that was it. Well, partially it.

"Julian, you seen her face. She does not want to go any where with him. She wants him as far away from her babies as possible. Preferably six feet under."

I could see a smile playing at his lips but his eyes were sad. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

He stood up and began to undress my bed with me still sitting on my knees at the foot, "We'll talk about it in the morning. You need to sleep."

Reluctantly I crawled over to the head of the bed and got under the covers he had just over turned. He started to walk over to the chair in the corner of the room when I protested.

"Julian, no, stay with me tonight. Please?" my voice was whiny due to my sleep deprived state.

He didn't say anything as he removed his t-shirt and jeans leaving him in just his boxers.

Cuddling down in the pillows I tried to not look so obvious as I looked at his beastly sexiness.

I wasn't doing a very good job as a smirk played on his mouth as he slid in under the covers beside me. Choosing to ignore it I snuggled into his chest and fell asleep to the rythem of his breathing and the rapid beating of his heart.

Dreaming isn't usually obvious while asleep but when your mind floods with memories that fly by so fast that before you can really focus on them, the next takes over.

I felt like Sherlock Holmes as all the days events played back to me like clues. Small things sticking out while the larger picture went unnoticed.

I watched their faces, their movements. The words played on repeat until their significants became clear. It was like a puzzle that was slowly being pieced together. With each relivence of each memory, each clue.

It became clearer and clearer as it went on. Until I felt the answer on the tip of my tongue and the big picture at the edge of my brain.

Finally it raced through my mind only stopping as it clicked into place forcing me to sit straight up in bed.

The realization sprung on me so fast I barely had time to think about it before I hit the floor running. I heard voices as I made my way to the stairs. Standing in the foyer was Silver with her pups in hand and Cole standing a few feet away trying to keep his anger in check but even from here I could see it.

James was standing beside Silver with a pained expression on his face, while Julian stood facing them all. He looked like he had all the answers but I knew him well enough that he was far from sure of what he was doing.

I soon became aware of how little time I had to set things right. To make the truth come out and save Silver and her babies.

Damn, where is Samantha? I thought as I searched the foyer but she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Where's Samantha?" I asked ready to make my move to find her.

Everyone's eyes darted up to my face as I leaned over the banister.

"Last door on the right. Why?" Julian asked.

"No time for explainations. Everyone just stay here," I darted off down the hallway.

I got to the door and found that she was sitting on the bed beside George. I had completely forgotten he was here.

"I think she's good for him."

"But is he good for her? I mean, his temper is well known, and her humanity is his weakness."

Once again I had walked in on a conversation focused on me. Like before I brought my knuckles to the door and knocked, and like before they faced me shocked they hadn't noticed me before.

"Samantha, I need your help," deja vu anyone?

"Of course," she said as she stood.

We walked out into the hallway, "You told me once that you could wipe my memories. Is there a way you could return memories that have been lost?"

She nodded and I went explained to her how Silver had lost her memory after Cole had beat her severly after she ran away.  

She agreed to try as we headed down to the foyer to find a very antsy Cole, Silver who seemed to be getting both more scared and pissed at the same time. James on the other hand was blank with emotion while his fists were clenched under his crossed arms.

"Do you mind if I try something?" Samantha asked Silver politely.

Cole was the one to speak up, "There's no way I'm allowing a witch to come near my wife. She's screwed up enough!"

"We aren't married!" Silver snapped and in a much kinder voice she said, "Go ahead."

Samantha merely placed her forefinger on Silvers forehead. The silver of her eyes began to dance as if she was watching something in motion.

Finally her breath quickened until it just stopped. Her eyes glazed over and she bent over at the waist. Just as fast as it had happened she was upright again dragging in a deep rugged breath, her eyes wide.

"I get it now," I said speaking up. "Silver has a mate. But its not Cole here. At first I didn't really notice the difference. But it was so obvious that it became oblivious over us all."

I knew I was dragging on but it was so rediculous that part of me was afraid I was wrong and just making a scene.

"James," his eyes locked with mine. "You have been out of sorts since her arrival. I think I know why."

I started moving around so I could address the entire room.

"James and Silver are mates. They nine or so months ago after finding out they were mates they... mated. After she lost her memory he no longer felt anything. Even up to five minutes ago he hadn't felt anything. But I'm guessing thats all changed since she remembered..."

I trailed off as the two locked eyes.

"This is nonsense," barked Cole.

"She's right," Silver whispered sounding calmer and happier all of a sudden.

"Like hell she is," Cole remarked as he made a move to grab her.

Big mistake.

James was transformered right before my eyes for the first time. He was larger, broader then Trace. He bounded forward on Cole not even giving him a chance to transform himself. His teeth were around his throat in seconds. The life in Cole's eyes was gone in minutes.