MINE

~16~

I freeze with one foot halfway in the air. I put it down slowly. Her name is Cooper. My mates name is Cooper Burns? It suits her. I need to see her. Touch her, be near her.
"Does she know about us?"
"What?" ask Celia.
"I mean, werewolves. Does she know?"
"No. And I plan to keep it that way."
"Celia.... I think that is to late for that...." Philippa squeeze her hand. "I think we found her. She is in the pack hospital...."
Celia's knees give out and she slides to the floor.
"NO! What have you done?! No, no, no...." she sobs. "What happened?" she croaked.

Jeremiah kneels in front of her. "There was a rouge attack just outside the border. She somehow managed to stumble into pack land. She has been bitten by a rouge werewolf that has the maker gene. She lost a lot of blood. We..."

And Celia fainted.
Liam caught her before she hit the ground. He placed her on the couch. Philippa rushed to the kitchen and came back with a glass of sugar water with ice. Heather has joined her on the couch and is waving a magazine in front of her face.
"What? I have seen this on the tv. It can not hurt to try?" She looks worrying at her family.
Celia's eyes begin to flikker. She moans and suddenly she sits up straight, eyes wide, face hitting the magazine. The shock of her sitting up so fast had Heather tumble off the couch.
"Ouch!" was all she said, rubbing her backside and getting off the floor. She gives Celia a grin and sits on the chair across from her. "See. I said it will help."
"Yes, thank you, baby." Philippa jumps in before anyone can say something.

"I need to see her." Celia stated.
"We will take you to her. Here, have some water. You just passed out. You need to calm down before we take you. Your stress will not help her heal. You know that, you went to the pre - shifting class just like all pack children do."
"Yes,well.... I am human. I did not need to go to that stupid class. Or have you forgotten that?"
"No. I have not forgotten that. You are part werewolf, even if you cannot shift or have a wolf."
"Agh... Not that again? When will you get it in that brain of yours? I don't have the werewolf gene. There is nothing in me that wants to even be near the lot of you people. It is just my rotten luck that I settled in a town that is smack in the middle of a werewolf territory. If I have known that, I would not have bought the store in the first place." She takes a sip of the water and pulled a face.
"What on earth is in this water? It tastes like.... Agh, no. Sugar? I don't do sweet."
Philippa goes red in the face.
"I am so sorry! Wait! I will get you another glass of water."
"No, don't worry about it. I am fine now."
"Are you sure? I don't mind, I can get you another glass?"
"No, Philippa. Don't stress about it. I am fine now. Can I please go and see Cooper now?"
"Yes, we can do that now. The car will be ready for us by the time we get outside." Jeremiah says, holding his hand out to his mate.

A big dark green SUV pulls up in front of the pathway. Celia's car was parked at the side of the house, under a large oak tree, shielding it from the sun. The patrol was kind enough to place the keys on the patio table. Jeremiah takes them and hands them to Celia. She takes it and shove them into her pocket. Celia looks grimly at the SUV, her mind racing with all the things that have happened so far, with her and the Burns family. Liam opens the door for her and she slides into the back seat, sitting next to Philippa and her mate. The car pulls away and in no time it stops in front of the hospital doors. The ride was less than ten minutes, but for Celia it felt like it took hours. With shaking knees she gets out and walks straight to the doors, which is keeping her away from the only person she considers her only family.