In This Life or Another

Chapter Six: University and Complications

Sarah’s POV

One year later

University of Alabama

[Text Messages]

Striker: Good morning beautiful… I can't wait to see you again.

Sarah: Morning… Friday cannot get here fast enough. What do you have planned for today?

Striker: Henry and I have to go to the trial this morning. Considering we were the ones who found the rogue who killed that innocent family. After that, I'm free if you want to video chat.

Sarah: I have class until four, then Simon is going to tutor me in chemistry. Maybe around 9.

Striker: Butterfly, I told you that I don't like that guy. He is so clingy and the way he hovers over you is not normal. Please find better friends.

Sarah: Oh you mean like Simone?

Striker: Hey that's not fair… she is with Henry. I can't stand her. I have to go. I'll talk to you tonight.

Sarah: I know Striker, I just don't have to like the fact she’s in yall's life.

Striker: It's only you for me Butterfly. Make good choices I opened my eyes and found myself in the greenest field I have ever seen. Roses everywhere, of colors that were impossible. My clothes were different. I was in a long white satin dress, and I was barefooted. I walked on the path that led to the most beautiful white house. It almost looked like Striker's house, but it couldn’t be. I see two little children running around the yard chasing the butterflies. They didn’t see me. How odd, then I heard a voice.

“Constance… Phillip… stop chasing the butterflies, they are a sign that the Moon Goddess is watching. Do you want to upset her by scaring one of her creatures?”

“No mama”, Phillip says as he stops.

“Mama, when will papa return? I miss him so much '' Constance asks as she climbs onto the large blanket spread over the ground. She began eating the cookie from her parents' hand.

“Soon, my darling, wars don’t end overnight. But when he returns, we will be waiting here for him, and we will have a huge ball to celebrate his safe and victorious win over the evil “wroks”.

Phillip jumped up and grabbed a long stick, swinging it around like a sword. “When I am as big as Papa I’m going to kill hundred’s of wrorks, just like Papa. I will keep you safe mama. I promise.” Phillip ran around hitting trees and stones.

“Miss Carah,” the servant spoke from the door of the house. “There is a man at the door askin' for ya''

“I'll be right there spacey.” Carah stood up and put Constance on the blanket. “Mama will be right back OK, stay here for me and when I get back we can go to the lake OK.”

“Yes mama,” little Constance said as she played with her parents' tea cup, having an imaginary conversation.

Carah enters the house and Spacey says that the man is in the front room. Carah walks in, and the man turns to face her. She is taken aback by his appearance, as he looked so much like her true love, Riker.

“Hello, I am Mrs. Carah, how can I help you?”

“Pardon my unannounced visit, ma’am, my name is William and I have been sent to inform you that around 6 pm yesterday your mother and father were savagely murdered in their home.”

Carah slowly sat down and placed her head in her hands as the tears flowed from her eyes. The man handed her a handkerchief, and he placed his hand on her shoulder.

Carah wiped her face and stood up. “Thank you, Mr. William to inform me.” she reaches to shake his hand.

“I need to make arrangements to go home, please excuse me. Spacey will show you out.” Carah turns and goes into the house leaving William in the room.

“This way sir,” Spacey says from the door. William follows her out.

“I am staying at the town inn for the next few days. Please inform Mrs. Carah if she needs an escort back to her parents' home, I would gladly offer my services.” William tilts his hat and walks to his awaiting carriage.

Sarah walks back out to the backyard and the children are not there, instead there is a young woman on the blanket drinking from a fancy tea cup.

“Hello, Sarah” she spoke in the most calming voice.

Sarah jumped, looked behind her and then back to the woman. She pointed to herself

“Me?”

“Yes, you silly butterfly… Come sit and chat for a moment. There isn’t much time left.” The woman pats the blanket.

Sarah walks over and sits down while she is trying to look around for the children. “Who are you?”

“Well, some people call me mother, some call me Selene, I think people of your time call me…”

“No effin way, you're the Moon Goddess aren’t you…” Sarah puts her hand up over her mouth in shock that the Moon Goddess is sitting right in front of her.

“Oh I am so sorry ma’am I mean no disrespect.”

“It's OK child, I find the youth of today quite refreshing with their outbursts. I am sure you have questions for me.” Selene reaches out to Sarah’s hand and examines her bracelet.

“My my, your father has done himself with this. I see you found the seeing stone I left that night at the lake.”

“Seeing stone?” I repeated.

“Yes, my child, the green stone you found in the lake during the twins' 16th birthday party. The owner of such a stone holds special powers to walk in many realms. Did your father produce the rings for the twins like I asked?”

“Yes mum, they each have a ring, but I don't understand… Are they both my mate? Henry is a horrible Alpha and is so mean to Striker. How could he be my fated mate? And Striker, I feel something for him, but I am frightened of what Henry will do to him if I am Striker's mate…”

Selene raised her hand to stop Sarah from speaking. “My darling, have you even given Henry a chance to show you his true self? I am sure your mother has given you the prophecy, correct. “

Sarah nods.

“Then you are aware that your children are to save our kind from the dark forces you seek to end us.”

“Am I dead? I don't know of this place?” Sarah waved her hand around, gesturing to the surrounding area.

“No child, this is a glimpse of your past life. This is the moment I chose your family line to be the chosen ones to save us all. It is almost time for you to wake up.” Selene stands up and pulls Sarah in for a warm hug.

“My child, there are dark forces all around and some people are not who they seem. Not everyone's your friend. I implore you to protect yourself from those you seek to do you harm. I will be close, just look for the butterflies and Henry may need you soon. Sarah, everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. Be safe, my child, Until we meet again.”

Selene walks off to the path leading to the forest and in a blink of an eye she evaporates into a white cloud and disappears.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sarah started to feel a sharp pain in the back of her head and then a bright light in her eyes. She hears a strange voice and a loud beeping. She turns her head away from the bright light and hears Simon say “She's awake…”

That's when someone picks up her hand and caresses it. “Wake up butterfly, come back to us.” she hears her father’s concerned voice.

“Daddy, …” her throat was sore, and her head was pounding. When she went to reach for her head, the tubes and wires prevented her movement. She looked at her hands. “My bracelet” she says as she starts to panic trying to get out of bed. “Where's my bracelet…”

“Right here darling, lay down, you’re in no condition to get up.” The emotional Alpha said. He put the bracelet back on her wrist, and she seemed to calm down.

Sarah looks over to the window and Simon returns her stare. “Simon, are you OK? Did you get hurt?”

“He saved you Butterfly, that car was out of control and Simon knocked you out of the path before it almost hit you. Unfortunately, you both tumbled over some trash cans, and you hit the back of your head pretty badly. It was touch and go the first two days.” her father said, as Simon just stared at her. Now she could see the cuts and bruises on him.

“Days? How long have I been out?” Sarah asked her father. He offered her some water to ease her sore throat.

“Three days now.” Your mother didn’t come at first. She said you already had a mother to comfort you… whatever that means. But she called this morning saying she would be here later tonight.” Alpha Conner then looked at Simons and said, “Simon, would you please go get the doctor and let them know she is awake.”

“Yes sir” he says and leaves the room.

“Butterfly, do you know anyone with a red Monte Carlo? They think it was a female with long black hair, and she was pretty tan.?”

“No father, I only talk to Simon. I don't have time to socialize by taking double classes, so I can graduate in 4 years instead of 8.”

“OK dear, maybe you should rest, so your wolf can heal you.” he said as he backed up and sat back in the bedside chair.

“Good morning, Miss Sarah, I am doctor Ceira Goldstein. How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts, and my throat is sore.” Sarah tries to sit up, and the doctor helps her up on the pillow.

The doctor pushes the back of her head and says “Wow what a recovery. It almost looks healed. Open your mouth please and say ahhh.” She puts the small wooden stick on my tongue. “Well miss Sarah, I would like to keep you another night for observation, but if everything looks good in the morning, I don't see why we can't let you mend at home.”

“Thank you doctor.” Sarah says as she reaches for Simon's hand. “ Thank you for saving my life.” Sarah says with tears threatening to fall.

“Shhh, shhh … don’t cry. You're OK and I'm OK. It was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’re good kid." Simon says as he winks at her, trying to get her to calm down.

Sarah rests for most of the day. When she wakes up in the evening, all the lights are off in her room and it's very quiet. as she rolls over she sees a figure in the chair watching her. Then one of the lights comes on and she is shocked to see her mother sitting there watching her.

“Mother?”

“Yes dear,” Beverly says, reaching for her hand. “I'm here, I didn't want to interfere with your time with her.” she says while rubbing the stones on my bracelet, lost in thought.

“How did you know I would see her?” I asked, knowing she had had a vision.

“Sarah, my child, do you not know me? All these years of me telling you that she speaks to me in my dreams. She told me you would be OK and that you would be with her, so there was no need for me to be there until you woke up.”

“Mother, I always need you. You are the voice of reason in a world of jackals. Do you know where my phone is? I need to talk to Striker. I am supposed to see him when I return home, but I have been here, and I don't know if he knows what happened.”

“Striker and Henry both know what has happened. Even if we didn't tell them, they would feel it. Your father has kept them updated. Striker wanted to come here, but Conner said no, that you didn't need the added stress of Simon and him being so close.”

I mentally made a note to thank my father for his foresight into the male ego. The following morning, my mother and father took me back to my apartment and helped me pack. I was going home for summer break. Simon was going to stay at my condo and feed my fish for me. I had a huge 100 gallon fish tank and they were my babies.

“I'm so excited about going home,” Rynn said in my head. “Maybe we can go to the Sorrento pack soon.”

“Drop it Rynn, I have no desire to see Henry anytime soon. Besides, he has been with Simone for over a year now and if Striker wants to see me he will come to us.”

Rynn whimpered and retreated to the back of my mind. I mentally facepalmed myself. We don't have time for mate drama right now. We have three more years to get our degree, and then we can think about all that. Right now I am home and in my safe space, where I belong.