Falling Rain

13

    I launch myself forward, nearly falling out of my chair as I hug Mason with everything I have. Mason chuckles as he catches me and hugs me back. 

“I love you” I whisper into his shoulder

“I love you so much Rain..” He kisses me on the cheek. I am slightly disappointed, I feel myself wanting more whenever he touches me lately. He pulls back too soon, his hand comes up to my face and wipes away my stray tears. I grab his hand and squeeze it tightly. 

“Now, I promised Helen I’d escort you to her outside..” He gets up, but I don’t let go of his hand until I absolutely have to. 

He rolls me outside and I can see Helen waiting for me by the gardens. 

“Took you long enough… now go away I wanna hang out with my new sister” Helen pushes Mason away jokingly. 

Mason raises his hands in defeat and slowly backs off giving me a wink before disappearing around the corner.  

“So. Tell. Me. Everything” Helen pounces on the bench beside me. 

“What do you want to know?” I ask hesitantly. The only people who know my story are Mason and Annie, only partly. 

“Everything, how did Mason find you?” 

“Um… how old are you Helen?” I ask, she can’t be more than twelve.. Her twin brothers are around that age.. So maybe a year or so younger. She doesn’t look older than them. 

“I’ll be eleven next month” She says proudly. I definitely have to be careful what I say to her, and I have to keep it very PG. 

“Mason found me when I was lost” I tell her simply, hoping she won’t ask too many questions. 

“My mom said that too.. She said when I’m older she would explain it to me, and that I wouldn't understand it until then. I was hoping maybe you’d tell me.. But that’s okay. Do you love him?” 

“Yes, very much” I smile, admitting it to someone else for the first time makes me feel giddy inside. 

“I’m glad. He needs someone who really loves him....He’s been alone for so long” Her tone changes drastically. 

“You’re very wise for a little girl Helen..” I tell her 

“Yeah well.. When you don’t have a wolf and your stuck in a weak body you learn things pretty fast” 

“Ha, I know the feeling” I gesture to my chair 

“Oh I’m sorry.  I didn’t even think”  She flushes and puts her hands up in apology. 

“It’s alright, I understand what I mean.. I’ve never shifted either. My wolf was too weak and now I don’t know if I ever will be able to shift, not with my legs the way they are” 

“Can you feel them at all?” 

“Yes, mostly they just ache.. I can take a few steps now.. It took some time but I am able to do it on my own. Before I couldn’t feel anything but pain” 

“Did Mason Marking you help with it?” 

“Yes, it was such a huge difference after he Marked me.. I am very thankful to him. He’s done so much for me” 

“I can tell he really loves you Rain. I want someone to love me like that one day”

“You will find the perfect Mate. They will be everything you ever wanted and then some” 

“So Mason is everything you ever wanted?” Such deep questions from an eleven year old. 

“Yes, everything and so much more” 

“Good. I’m glad.. I really like you. If he wasn’t treating you well I’d go beat him up” She giggles, making me laugh in return. 

“I’m sure you could take him,” I wink at her. 

“Let’s go to the tree lines. I want to show you my old treehouse” She stands and pushes my wheelchair towards the forest, it’s getting hot out. I feel parched but don’t want to say anything, I’m having such a good time with Helen. Telling her I am feeling overheated would just put a downer on the day, having to go back inside. 

“So Mason told me a little bit about you, you have a heart condition and have been in and out of treatment centers for most of your life. Is that correct?” 

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal though. My mom had the same illness and she turned out fine. Once dad Marked her she ended up connecting with her wolf. I’m hoping the same thing will happen to me when I find mine” 

    Optimistic of her, but it could not turn out the way she wants which makes me sad for her. She seems like a sweet little girl. 

“When are you and Mason going to have pups?” She asks as we stop at the tree line. 

“Oh.. umm we are taking things slowly.. Maybe in a few years?” 

“A few years?? Why so long?” She seems shocked. 

“Well we're still getting to know each other and don’t want to rush anything” 

“What do you want to know about him? His favorite color is green, like the forest. His favorite food is shrimp pasta. His favorite movie is Forrest Gump… His birthday is December 23rd. He likes walking in the forest and swimming in the lake. He is the strongest wolf in the pack aside from daddy. What else do you need to know?” 

“Well, there’s many things we are learning about each other as each day passes. It’s not like playing twenty questions… it’s an emotional pull towards one another. Feeling comfortable in each other's presence. I enjoy being around him very much, when he goes away I find myself waiting for the moment my eyes find him again. It may be hard to understand but once you find your own Mate many years from now you will understand too” 

“Now you sound just like mom” She rolls her green eyes and laughs, “This is it. My old treehouse” She points up, an old overgrown fort lay before us. The wood looks like it will give way if any weight is put on it.

“Wow, it looks like it was really fun at one point” I say nodding. 

“At one point? No, it's still just as fun. Here let me show you!” She begins to climb up the tree, I can hear the wood creaking under her small frame. 

“Helen, be careful! Come down, it's not safe!” I call out to her, unable to stop her physically. 

She reaches the top of the treehouse, my heart is beating so fast in my chest I’m afraid it will explode any second. This little girl being so high up in the tree is giving me anxiety. 

She jumps from side to side to show me the treehouse is sound. I hear the wood giveaway under her and can only watch in shock as she falls thirty feet to the ground. I throw myself from my chair to try and break her fall. Barely managing to make it in time. She falls onto my back and hits her head on a fallen log. I feel her weight on me and cannot move. 

Better me than her. She is so small and frail looking to begin with, I already can barely feel my legs so it’s not so bad, pain wise. 

“Helen?!?!” I stutter her name, she doesn’t respond. 

“Helen, are you alright??” I try again, still nothing. I think she was knocked out when she hit her head. 

“HELP!” I call out, I think we are too far for anyone to hear me shouting. Unless there is a patrol nearby we are all the way to the edge of the forest, no one will be coming this way. 

Mason… Please… I think desperately. My own body is starting to fade into darkness. I guess I’m in more pain than I realized because in a few moments I can see nothing but darkness. 

    I wake up in a hospital bed, I’m on my side. I can hear a machine beeping and I open my eyes. I feel my hand being held, I look to see Mason is the one holding it. 

“Oh Goddess, your awake” He looks so relieved. 

“What happened?” I ask, everything feels so groggy.. I remember Helen falling from the treehouse. “Is Helen alright?” 

“Yes, she is fine, thanks to you. She is awake in the next room. She feels horrible. She said you tried to stop her but she didn’t listen and that you jumped from your chair to save her..” He sighs 

“I’m just glad she’s alright..” I say. 

“Thank you Rain.. you saved her life..” He says with emotion pouring out of his soul. 

A knock on the door pulls us from each other's gaze. 

“Come in” Mason’s voice cracks. 

    Annie and Maximus come into the room, Annie runs to my side and hugs me. Maximus looks like he’s been crying, his eyes are red and slightly puffed. 

“Thank you so much Rain.. without you doing what you did we may have lost her.. I owe you a life debt” Maximus says, bowing his head to me. 

“There is no need for that… I’m just glad she is okay” I tell him with a small smile. 

“She will be okay won’t she?” I ask with concern. 

“Yes, she has a concussion and a few scratches but she will be just fine” Maximus says 

“I’m afraid your heroics have set you back a bit though my dear” Dr. Foster says from the doorway. 

“I don’t mind.. I don’t feel it” 

“That’s what concerns me the most...with your recovery you should be able to feel it by now.. I am afraid your back has worsened because of this incident. I’m sorry Rain” She says 

“I’m so sorry, Rain” Mason whispers. 

“It’s no one's fault. Given the chance to save her I would have done it again.” I tell them. Maximus nods and Annie wipes away her tears. 

“Helen would like to come in if that’s okay with you?” She asks me 

“Of course” I smile and nod. 

I watch as the door opens and Helen slowly walks into the room, looking at the ground. 

“I’m so sorry Rain, I should have listened to you. I’m sorry you got hurt because of me..” She sobs uncontrollably. 

“Come here little one” I say softly. She takes a few steps forward, I hold out my hand and she takes it gingerly. I pull her closer to me and wipe her tears away. 

“I’m so glad you didn't get hurt Helen. Please don’t cry, you’ve done nothing wrong okay?” I smile at her. She looks me in the eyes and then nods hesitantly. 

She throws her arms around me and hugs me, her small little body pressed into mine. I feel a small stab of pain.

“Ahh” I groan, not meaning to be so loud. Helen pulls away from me quickly and looks at Mason. 

“Where does it hurt Love?” He asks 

“My back is sore” I tell him, he nods and runs to get the doctor back. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be just fine” I tell Helen who looks like she’s going to be sick with worry. 

Annie and Maximus take her out of the room once more, I wait for Mason and Dr. Foster to come back. 

That was quite something you did back there… 

Ember? I haven’t heard from her in weeks. I’m surprised to hear her voice now. 

Yes it is me.. I was sleeping when you woke me.. Using so much of your energy stored caused me to stir awake. I was able to use a bit of my power to heal some of your wounds, but not all. 

Thank you, do you think soon I will be able to meet you? 

Maybe… it all depends on what’s yet to come. 

What does that mean Ember?

Ember?

The door opens and Mason comes in with the doctor. She examines me and gives me some pain medication. 

“This is a good sign, I know it probably doesn’t feel like it now but trust me, being able to feel the pain is good” 

“We were supposed to travel to her pack in two days time, will she be able to go?” Mason asks 

“She’s healing at a rapid pace so I don’t see why not” 

We thank the doctor and she leaves, telling me I can go back home with Mason tomorrow, she wants to keep me overnight just in case. 

Mason grabs an extra blanket and gets comfortable beside me in the chair. 

“Why don’t you just sleep in the bed with me?” I ask shyly. We’ve been sharing a bed for weeks now, it only makes sense. He smiles and climbs into the bed, pulling me into his chest. I listen to his heart beating as the morphine takes over and puts me to sleep.