Evangeline A True Warrior

Atlas’s Doubt

As we all piled into our respected cars, I was already excited to see Evangeline again. I didn’t have to wait long, she climbed into the passenger seat of my pick up truck and gave me a beautiful smile. She truly was perfect, everything about her appealed to me and I’d known her for thirty minutes. How would I feel after a lifetime of being with her? I breathed deep trying to keep her with me, in me, all around me for as long as possible. It scared me some, how strongly I felt for her. I just had to hope she felt it to.

“My second, KC, decided to ride with your Sam, I hope you don’t mind. I thought we could be with each other.” I knew then that she was feeling the same way I was, unsure of her feelings, unsure of mine. The uncertainty in her eyes dug a hole in my heart. I wanted her to know, that I would always feel the way she felt about me. Always. 

“I don’t mind at all, this way I don’t have to speed getting to Sam’s, just to see you again.” I had said the right thing, her eyes lit up while she laughed, easing my soul.

“I’ll always want you Evangeline, I know that. I won’t ever want to be without you. You never have to worry about the depth of my feelings for you. I hardly know you but I know we were meant to be together.”

“I see you Atlas, I see the man you are in the flow of your soul. I’m a little scared of how fast my feelings for you have grown. I want it though, I want you as my mate.” I didn’t know what she meant by seeing my soul but suddenly I felt like that’s what I was missing when I looked into her eyes. I could almost see her soul but not quite. 

“What do you see? In my soul?” I didn’t actually want to know the answer, what if she looked to hard and found the bad in me? My beast was a brutal one. 

“I see joy and kindness in the pack as a main priority of yours. I see love for family and friends. I see chaos from your animal. It’s a beautiful blue, similar to your eye color, I want to bask in it. Keep it in me forever. You are a good man Atlas, even if you doubt yourself sometimes.” Could one really see all that? From a color alone? I didn’t want the answer but I was happy with it all the same. We didn’t have time to finish our conversation because Sam’s home was coming into view. A little three bedroom cottage style home with white paint and green trim. A picket fence in the front yard. When I looked at Eve, she was staring at one side of the home. 

“Can you feel her in there? Her name is Carol she turned six last month. She’s been sick for about two weeks now. She can’t remain awake for very long so I hope you won’t need to talk to her to much.” She didn’t turn to look at me, just continued to stare at the house. Something was different about her, she was doing something from all the way out here. She opened her door then, as the rest of the packs parked and got out of the cars. Stepping out she went to Sam and his mate Haley who had remained quiet most of the night. Liam, one of my enforcers, stepped up next to them as Evangeline approached. I growled low at him not understanding the distrust I felt in one of my pack. 

“Haley.” Evangeline addressed Sam’s mate for the first time. I had to wonder how she knew her name.. “ I’ll need to be around your little girl, I think I know what Carol needs, I know it’s hard to trust a stranger with your baby. I won’t hurt her. I need the trust from you and Sam, to do what’s best for her.” She was sure and confident, it was a huge change from the uncertainty from our earlier discussion. I looked to Haley and Sam but they were waiting for me to reassure them. 

“I believe that she can help. We should trust her.” A little part of me still worried, still had doubt. I could feel Evangeline watching me. I didn’t look at her, I was worried she would see into me, see my struggle with trusting her blindly.

“I want my baby to feel better, I’m so worried that she won’t wake up or that I won’t know it’s the last time I hold her in my arms.” Haley couldn’t control her tears. Sam whispered in her ear and she calmed down some. As we all headed inside I took my time watching her five pack members. They all seemed at ease with her choice to help my pack. They also seemed very trained, like the ease was to confuse any opponent, they would be underestimated. Strong group of women she had around her. Were these her enforcers? Walking into the house we entered the living room first, a young girl from our pack was perched on the couch with a book in her hand. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of all the new people with us. She hurried to get her book bag, said her goodbyes and was gone. Carol was asleep downstairs in a much bigger space then her bedroom so we headed down that way. She was wrapped up in a sheet like she couldn’t stay still in her sleep, her hair was matted to the side of her head and as we watched her she made an uncomfortable sound and tossed around some more. 

“I’ll touch her once to establish a connection. Then I’ll have her get up to see how weak she is. At no point can you interfere. Don’t talk to her or touch her. We can’t stop the process or I’ll have to clear her memory of it and start again, do you understand?” Evangeline was firm and in control of the situation. Not allowing the parents a say was a little much though.. I almost spoke up. But Sam beat me to it. 

“KC told us to trust you in the car, she said she had seen you do more miraculous things in her life than most people could hope to see in a thousand lifetimes. Please help our daughter. We’ll remain quiet until you’re finished, we just want to be here with her.” Sam had a death grip on his mates hand or was it Haley’s grip on his? How could these two have more faith in her than me? Her mate? I was so ashamed of my doubt. 

“I don’t think we should trust this bitch.” This being said from my enforcer, Liam. He had showed his distrust before we entered the house, I should have done something then. A wrong I could make right. 

“I dare you to take a swing at her, she’ll show you who the b***h is.” The one from Eve’s pack with dreadlocks said with a laugh. 

“Down  Keegan, you’ve been spoiling for a fight for days now. Get him out and let’s get on with the show Atlas.” KC suggested. 

“Liam, leave. We’ll be talking about this later.” I put some serious menace in my voice. Turning his head to the side but baring his teeth at me he said.

“Look forward to it Alpha.” The ass. I watched as he stomped up the stairs. 

“Go on Evangeline.” 

Evangeline stood looking at the child, I don’t think she had looked away. She closed her green eye leaving the violet one open. Then brought her hands up and said 

“epitrépste mou na sas kathodigíso” 

“It’s Greek” KC whispered beside me. “She said ‘let me guide you’”

Evangeline opened her eye and walked to the bed and reached out to touch one finger to the pad of Carols left foot. Carol opened her eyes then but they weren’t her eye color. They were a swirl of blue and black. Like oil and water together, one color above the other but sometimes more blue then black. Haley let out a distressed sound and turned into Sam’s arms. 

“You’ll need to get up Carol.” Evangeline said from the end of the bed. Carol sat up, set both feet on the ground and glanced around the room, her eyes settling on Eve. They stared at each other for a minute, just watching the other. 

“What are you?” Carol asked Evangeline. “I can almost see it in your soul but I can’t make out what you were first. There are to many of you.” My eyes remained glued to Evangeline. What in the world did Carol mean? To many of her? She also could see her soul, another reminder of my short comings. Why couldn’t I see her like she saw me?

“Do you know what’s happening to you Carol? It was explained to you?” Witnessing this conversation I felt like I was sick, delusional from a cold. What were they going on about? 

“Yes, I’m meant to be strong. I’ve been gifted but it isn’t something easily obtained.” 

“Proteus was always good at knowing who the strong would be. I can see you Carol.”

Carol seemed a little confused then. “Why can you and I see people in a way they can’t see us?” 

“Proteus gives many gifts, being able to see souls is just one of them.” Evangeline bent down to one knee and held out her hand palm up. “Do you wish for my help Carol? Strength comes with asking for help sometimes.” Carol looked around again, her strange eyes landing on her parents. They swirled fast and suddenly they were her normal brown eyes again. It looked like she was in pain as she turned back to Eve. 

“My parents have suffered so much because I wanted to be strong. I’ve heard them cry at night when I can’t seem to come back from inside myself. I want them happy again. Please, alithinós polemistís help me.” Carol reached out for Evangeline’s hand but didn’t touch her their palms stayed a breath away from each other. I looked at KC for a translation on what Carol had just said. When she noticed I was watching her she turned her eyes and lifted an eyebrow at me. I gave her a flourish of my hand in the general direction of Carol and Eve. She rolled her eyes at me with a half smirk on her face and whispered. 

“The young one is impressive indeed. You should be a very proud pack to have her among you. She spoke Greek, she said ‘true warrior’ which is what Proteus calles Eve. A true warrior. Proteus is a god, he created all shifters in his image. But most are only destined one shift, a select few have many shifts and many more ‘talents’ for lack of a better word. The few with these ‘talents’ are expected to fight for Proteus if the need ever arises. Evangeline is one of the most powerful creatures to walk this earth.” KC turned and looked at me, she studied me. Once again I had a fear that my doubt of Eve earlier would be seen. I turned back to see Carol swaying back and forth on her feet while a very small silver cord, stretched to reach her hand from Evangeline’s.

“This next part will be scary Carol. Nod if you understand me.” She wasn’t looking at Carol as she said this. She was looking at us. She wanted Sam and Haley to understand that what ever happened to her next was going to scare them and not to get involved. Which only made me more nervous about what would happen to young Carol.