The Halfblood Sister

Chapter 14: Hope Rising

Jensen

When I walked into Caster's Ranch that night I was hurting. I was in so much pain physically from the fights and emotionally from my heart being broken to pieces from losing Mom and Dad. I can't even explain in words what that was like. I know a lot of kids grow up in homes that have both parents, but mine actually got along and loved each other. They still made one another laugh and giggle. I still saw my mother looking at my dad and blushing like a schoolgirl and him flirting with her. I was not going to be the same without them. I was hopeless and felt this gaping hole inside that my mom's hugs would fill, but she wasn't here to hug me and I was angry, oh so angry about it.

It was my dad's boss and his wife who had suggested I come here to the Ranch and try something different. They also happen to be the Alpha and Luna of my pack, The Evergreen Clan. The territory where we reside is about 30 miles from here. Alpha Cavill had heard rumors that the missing Emerald Clan girls may be in this therapeutic foster home and I needed therapy. It just so happened that one of the best counselors in the pack happened to also be a resident counselor at the Ranch as well. They would be killing two birds with one stone with this one if they turned out to really be those girls and I got some help from the therapist at the same time. I remember being driven here in the backseat of Cavill's car. The whole way there the driver was silent. I had been in a meeting that morning with Luna Sophie and Dr. Reynolds, she would be my counselor and was going to be at the Ranch.

The Dr. explained to me that I was suffering from survivor's guilt and that my hormones were raging from not only my age and development but also from my lycan introduction to my psyche as well. "This isn't the stage in a Beta male's progress that you would want to insert a traumatic event, but ta-da. Here we are." She said. With some intense counseling and some anger management courses coupled with wilderness therapy, she really believed I could be ready to take on Dad's role not long after I was 18 if I chose to. It seemed promising and something had to change, so it was this. If it didn't work I was going to end up mad from the grief. Alpha would put me down if I turned rogue. Nobody wanted that

I gathered my things and put them in the seat behind the driver and got in on the opposite side. We drove for almost 40 minutes as nobody was in a hurry and then I went into the main hall where Dr Reynolds was waiting to greet me. I climbed those stairs and with every step, I felt further away from the pain. It was still gnawing at me but something was different. I had been more hopeful for this than I had realized maybe.

I reached the front door and opened it dragging in my few bags and Dr. R said "Here let the gentleman get that for you Jensen. I just need you to come right over here to this desk so we can sign you in and get a few things squared away." I followed her to the desk but I could feel someone behind me who I could faintly hear my lycan saying to turn and find. I don't always hear him well yet and I can't tell if it's him always. I think sometimes it's my own conscience saying things to me.

I signed the papers and got my badge with my name and access information. I have to show this if I'm out walking about into rooms and stuff like that until I get recognized around by the staff and whatnot. I hear it again and I notice that I feel like a heavy burden has been lifted suddenly. I hadn't even really noticed but I didn't hate the world for some reason at that moment.

I finally gave in to the feeling that I should look behind me so I did. I saw nothing that even remotely meant anything or looked familiar to me, so I scanned the room. I'm looking and I'm still just alone. As I begin to face the hallway and follow the Dr I meet eyes with her and I have found my mate. It's her and I'm not alone anymore. I feel her see me too and our lycans recognize each other immediately. Does she feel it too? I wondered how old she was and if she was almost 18 it was very likely she knew. I couldn't wait to be near her. I wanted to go to her then but I was still so angry. I didn't want her to meet me like this. I wanted her to meet me when I was better. I felt a tear run down my cheek at the relief that I wasn't alone anymore. That night I would sleep in a room that shared the same property as she did and that was the best night of sleep I had remembered in months. I had whispered "Goodnight my love" and had fallen right to sleep.