Rose

Chapter 6. The Pups go home

Once all of the planning has been fine tuned the vampire’s rooms have been prepared. Pops invites them to be inspected and offers the vampires safe stay for the night and extends the offer to join tonight’s group meal, should the wish to. Some, like Rebekka and Edward accept while some decline and say they need to rest after they had been weakened for so long. I look down at Rose, she smiles up at me “I’ll stay here with you if that is ok?” its more than ok. I’m so excited to have her beside me. I don’t want her to ever leave. My chest aches at the thought of even having her out of my sight. I’m starting to wonder is this the bond? Is this what is holding me to her like this? This physical ache I feel if I think about her leaving with the others once this is over?

She reaches out and squeezes my hand. I guess she is thinking the same thing.

Outside we hear the whomph whomph of the Shore pack helicopter as the pup’s families arrive. The machine circles the training field but the May Moon fire is already there waiting for tomorrow so they set down in front of the den house.

The pack begins to gather as the rota blades slow. Before they have even fully stopped the doors are being ripped open and 2 women are almost falling out to get to their pups. Ma steps forwards, her hands shielding her eyes from the swirling dust. The women stagger and run towards her.

“This way, they are in the hospital, they are asleep at the moment” ma hurries off towards the hospital. James and Letty cannot have failed to hear the arrival.

Rebekka looks at Tol

“I’ll deal with this” she says, and glides off after Ma, again giving the air of a faithful servant rather than a thousands of years old regal queen. I guess she’s a queen I think Tol was a king once and she’s his luna.

Rose smiles happy to see the women hurrying to be reunited with their pups. I turn back to the helicopter, 3 men are getting out, more slowly than the women did, 2 fathers and Carl. No one else.

Carl walks towards us and holds out his hand, he shakes Pop’s and my hands before Pop introduces, Tol, Edward and Rose by name only, as the ones who helped save the pups. The fathers look conflicted, do they go and see their young or observe manners to thank the ones who saved them? I offer to point the way to the hospital but Carl says to let the mothers see them first.

Pop’s shepherds everyone into his office, we all settle back down roughly where we were earlier on today when planning for the attack. Only less vampires and now Carl and the Shore fathers have taken the more priority status seats. Once again Rose settles down at my feet. Cross legged she is quiet and still. But I can feel her energy. Almost humming beside me. Edward is not far across the room. He picks up the whisky and pours a small glass. Seeming content to just breath in the aroma. He glances from the windows occasionally, out towards the training grounds. I decide I don’t want to know what the Englishman is thinking. Tol is sitting in a chair not far from the door, one leg outstretched the other tucked back a bit, he’s both somehow very upright and giving of the air or relaxation at the same time.

A couple of the other Vampires along with Wayland’s men have also joined us. I can see Carl looking suspiciously at the vampires. Although the no longer smell of the acid starvation they still seem very other to the wolves. Much smaller and daintier than everyone else in the room.

“Jacob,” Carl says “Care to explain why Vampires” he spits the words “Are sitting in the den? Why you say they are to be thanked? What happened to the pups?” Pops opens his mouth. And closes it again.

“Carl….” Pops stops. He sighs. Takes a deep breath, opens his mouth again. And again, closes it. He shakes his head. Looking at the floor. He won’t look Carl in the eye. Pops lifts his hand and rubs his mouth. He’s shaking a little bit. Carl and the fathers are looking more and more concerned.

“What the hell happened??” Carl is yelling now. The vampires flinch backwards. I’m guessing after their earlier blood they could probably rip us all to shreds without Edward even spilling a drop of the whisky he keeps swirling round the glass. And yet they do nothing, even cower away slightly. Rose glances up at me. I open my mouth. I want to show her I can do this. I am the next pack leader after all.

Tol beats me to it. In that peculiar unfolding way, he rises from the chair and stands beside Carl.

“May I explain?” he bows. Carl looks shocked the vampire is so close to him. Tol holds out his hand as if to shake. Pops nods to Carl who cautiously grips Tol’s hand. Carl’s eyes glaze over. His breathing stills then speeds up. After a few seconds of stillness Tol lets go of Carl’s hand. Carl lurches away then stagers to the door. When Rose did this to Pop he was sick in the sink. I can hear Carl make is as far as the veranda and then throw up into my mother’s roses. Rose seems to suddenly have a glass of water in her hand. When Carl re enters she offers it to him. But instead he reaches for the whisky glass Edward is holding and knocks the contents back in one. Edward quietly re fills 2 glasses, handing one back to Carl and one to Pop.

“Hell!” he exclaims the he looks at Pop and me. “Hellova thing to find out, very brave of you as well.” he gulps the second glass down. Pops sets he glass on the desk. He looks at the fathers. “I’m sorry. When you find out. I’m sorry!” The fathers look confused looking at Carl with deep concern and confusion. Carl turns. “Let go!” then he turns back, takes a huge deep breath and faces Tol. “Didn’t think I’d ever say this…. But thank you to you and your…” he pauses “friends for your help, if you need to cross the Shore pack land, tell e I offer safe passage to you.” He hesitantly offers his hand to Tol. Last time the shook hands he ended up sick. This time Tol just shakes. Carl turns to Edward and again offers his hand. Edward looks at it then slowly shakes hands with Carl. The fathers look unsure, should they shake, they don’t know what for. Everyone walks outside. The 2 pups are on trollies being wheeled towards the helicopter. When we all arrive Rebekka steps forwards, “May I kiss them goodby?” Carl nods, Rebekka lowers her face and lips to each forhead in turn. As she does the pups open their eyes. “Such brave babies, to be lost in the woods for so long, such an adventure! How scared at night! So glad we found you and brought you here! Promise you won’t go on another adventure?” the pups non slowly. Rebekka smiles down at them and a single drop of blood falls onto each child in turn, it is quickly absorbed into their skin. Carl starts forward but Letty and Rose both gently glide towards him. Smiling happily.

“A drop to heal everything” Letty says. “Just 1 drop.”

Rose smiles as well “And we don’t need every memory for the rest of our lives do we?” she says happily.

The pups now suddenly awake and seeing their mothers start happily telling them about an adventure lost in the woods. They were very hazy as to how they go to the woods, but the nice lady found them and they were very sorry and wouldn’t try to have any more adventures. The mothers, presumably having had James tell them everything and hearing Letty and Rose scooped their babies up, crying over them. The fathers rush over as though released from an invisible hold, scolding the children for upsetting their mother’s while hugging them as well.

“Did you really heal them?” Carl says? Rebekka nods and smiles. I remember how passionately she spoke when she first arrived. How much the pups had seemed to mean to her. She drifts over to beside Tol and smiles up at him. He takes her hand and smiles back. “well done” he whispers. Rebekka flushes.

“I cannot thank you enough” Carl says, turning to Pop’s “If you need help tomorrow, call we can be there in a couple of hours.” Pops nods. “Thank you but I hope we have it covered.” I hope so too. But the Shore pack will now always be tied and at our call. A useful thing for the future.