Under the moonlight with a shifter

Twenty

Uriah had been sitting with his brother as they waited for a tracker to give them what his brother needed and that was a boon. While they waited witches came and went through the shop, eyeballing them as they sat uncomfortably. There was one who had entered that held an air of authority and Uriah had done a double take when the long legged woman took off her sunglasses and her braided cords of hair moved with the motion in her thick ponytail. She looked at him briefly before turning to the woman at the desk and he wasn't one to eavesdrop but they both had nothing else to do. She asked the woman as they greeted her, "Has the teleporter gained consciousness yet?"

The woman who was like a receptionist but sold herbs replied, "Not yet. I think she's in an induced coma, poor thing was basically tortured." She said and the women continued on with their conversation. He wondered in the covens of witches how many had the same powers and how many of them could teleport. He wondered is his mate was able to move across the planes or if someone else had teleported in and out of her home. Since the incident where they had last seen her, he still wasn't able to pick up her trail or scent.

That was until the other night he had a brief feeling of her existence through their shared bond but she disappeared again. He was starting to wonder if she was in danger but hoped that she wasn't. As much as they did not care for each other, he wouldn't wish his mate dead. It would kill a part of him through the bond that they had and he'd seen the shells of mates after the death of their mates.

The conversation grew quiet and he moved out of his own thoughts as he realized that the woman was watching him. "You're her mate." She said and he didn't know if it was a question yet sounded like a statement to him. He didn't say anything as they had just stared at each other.

"Don't give me that look. I could see it. Your connection is the same. Just so you know, and I'm sure you know but she's back in town." She said as she leaned her right arm on the desk watching the men. Uriah felt relieved to know that she was safe and wanted to ask more but risked showing too much. "She's not looking so hot. She had escaped an attack by the Dark Warlock." She told him.

Uriah knew the name was familiar and then his eyes grew wide as he realized who she was talking about. There were rumors that a Rogue Warlock was moving about within the Source subspecies killing and stealing their essences through forbidden magic. It was a brief commotion about a year ago but last he heard, the Rogue was stopped and the Elders hushed the fear that gathered. He wondered if the Rogue had gotten free somehow. If he was free and had attacked Petunia then, "Is she hurt?" He found himself asking as he stood up from his seat.

"Well she's in an induced coma. Not sure if you consider that hurt or not but I saw her a few days ago and I have to say, she's seen better days." She said with a blank expression as if she was shielding her emotions or she was that emotionless.

Uriah moved and was already leaving the shop when he heard his brother's footfalls right behind him. He had almost told him to stay behind to meet the tracker when his brother put an arm out to him. "She's your mate and whether you like it or not, my sister-in-law by proxy." He said and he knew that what his brother had said was true. They moved quickly towards the Alamay's home as a nasty feeling went over him and sat at the pit of his stomach.

It made sense as to why he felt her presence briefly before disappearing due to her family's barrier spell. It was almost too good at masking and shielding from prying and unneeded eyes. Ir didn't take long for them to make it to their family home and he knocked on the door, or rather banged on it with his fist, before the door opened and he saw a weary Adam.

He looked worse for wear and it made Uriah wonder how bad of a shape Petunia was in for older man to look that way. "I know she is here." He said sternly with no room for budging in his voice and Adam took a breath as he nodded. He opened the door for both of the men and Ybarra introduced himself. Usually his brother was on guard around witches but spending the past few days with them and trying to find them made him not as up tight as he usually would have been. 

Adam offered his brother a drink and he took it as Judie, not her usual pretty self with puffy and baggy swollen eyes led Uriah to their daughter's bedroom. He knew it was really odd that they didn't say much but were leading him to their daughter with out so much of a fight or words  exchanged. It made him feel worse and he almost wanted to vomit.

They had made it to the top of the stairs to where her bedroom was and Judie left as she sniffed once more. He watched the top of her head disappear when he finally braced himself and opened the door. Uriah didn't see her in the bed until he noticed the small bundle under the sheets. The room had been filled with healing ailments and he walked slowly and closer to the bundle before he took a seat on the chair that was next to her bed.

He saw her then, her face looked like it was in a peaceful slumber and he was afraid that she would wake at any moment. But for the busted lip that she had and a cloth around her neck, and the IV bag connected to her hand, he wondered what else of hers would be bandaged. Uriah felt a raw anger and pit in his stomach as fury overcame him. "I'm sorry." He told her as guilt wanted to eat at him. He moved away from her sleeping form to join the others downstairs. 

"How long has she been asleep?" He asked knowing she wasn't exactly asleep from her own free will. Judie sadly watched him before Adam decided to answer, "Two days." 

"Was it the Rogue?" He asked, his anger rising and he felt his inner Jaguar pacing, wanting out and killing the Warlock that dare hurt his mate. Adam nodded his head and drank from a mug. "She's healing faster but not at the rate that we wanted due to her conditions." He told them.

"I'm sorry." Uriah told the couple and Judie started sniffing harder as she said, "She left to go find you because you didn't come back." He knew that but he didn't expect her to leave to find him nor run into any trouble because of it. He stayed silent as Judie accused him of abandoning her daughter and she was angry with him. He knew it because that was exactly what he did and he couldn't fault her parents for hurting when their daughter was lying in the bed comatose. 

"Sorry won't bring my daughter back or undo the hurt that was done to her." She said and he stayed quiet because he knew he was in the wrong. "I can take her to my clan and they can protect her." He told the couple and Judie shook her head. "We can take care of them just fine, Shifter. When she wakes up, she will decide whether or not she wants to go with you or stay with us."