Parker comes over and sits by me on the couch. “Phire, what happened? You have no idea who did this to you? I need to fix this, if you can remember anything about the person, I’ll take care of them.”
“What happened between us?”
“Come with me to my room, we can talk with more privacy.”
I take his hand and follow him to his room. Why are my insides jumping up and down in joy? Is that my wolf? She cried out for him because she knew who he is, but I don’t. My brain and heart are freaking out.
~~~~~~
PARKER
Sapphire sits in the large oversized lounge chair and I sit in the identical one across from her. I manage to keep myself from picking her up and tossing her in my bed. The memory of being next to her, feeling her body curve with mine is almost too much for my wolf to handle. Time doesn’t matter to my wolf, he remembers her as though it were yesterday. It’s hard to imagine her more beautiful than she was, but she looks amazing. Time never erased my feelings for her, and now time will be my enemy as I try to bring justice to her assailant.
“I’m Parker, and yes, I know you. Well, I did. I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
“Did we date?” She absently sweeps her hair over her shoulder.
“Hmmm, no, we didn’t date.” My head is racing with thoughts of our time together and how to explain it to her without making her hate me.
“But we had a kid together. Were we fuck-buddies or something?” She’s agitated and I can tell I’m going to need a life vest soon.
“I don’t know anything about a baby, we’ll figure that part out after I tell you the story of us. Hear me out, before you make any rash judgments about me. A few years ago I met you, and your sister, Ruby, at a high-school soccer game. It was a Friday night, and after the game I met you at a casino and we partied. The next night we had our first date, we went to dinner and out to a club featuring a cabaret troop. Later, we went back to your place where you live with your sister Ruby and your brother, Stone. They went out of town and took your mother with them; she lives in the opposite side of your duplex. They were gone a few days, and you and I had fun together.”
“Okay, that doesn’t explain anything other than how we met and how I’m a slut.”
“You’re not a slut. Please, let me explain. My inner wolf was so happy we found you, and I made a meeting with our then alpha to tell him I found my true-mate. He told me that if I want to be with you, I have to turn you into a werewolf. I refused to bring you into our life. He told me I couldn’t see you again if I didn’t have you turn into one of us. One day, I betrayed my alpha and called you, but you had your number changed. It wasn’t fair to bring you into this lifestyle. You must have gotten pregnant that weekend we were together. Sapphire, you have to believe me when I say, there has never been anyone like you before or after I met you. Our time apart, well sweetheart, it didn’t extinguish my feelings for you. My real, honest feelings. Please don’t walk out that door and forget what I’ve said to you.”
“I’m not sure of your story. You’re telling me I sexed you up over a few days and your inner wolf wanted me as your true-mate. What the hell is a true-mate? I might not know who I am, or remember my life, but I’m sure I wouldn’t fall for someone over a few days.” She sits back in the chair and crosses her arms. She didn’t say anything for the next couple of minutes. I wanted her to have the chance to absorb everything.
“Would you like me to explain a true-mate?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Werewolves are pack animals. The male and female wolves have a pheromone that only your true-mate will pick up on and claim you. The feeling is mutual, neither wolf will want to be without the other. You weren’t a wolf when I met you, but you are Native American which carries werewolf lore as shifters. My wolf zeroed in on you and didn’t want to be without you. Since the day I left, my wolf has been pissed off. He’s been restless and lonely. Since Sam came into my life, my wolf settled down. He knew it was you, but I’ve been so hung up on the
Sapphire I knew, it didn’t occur to me it could be you. We were made for each other. You’re my other half, you complete my soul.”
“I don’t understand how you can sit there and say something like that to me. You left and never came back. I’m not a fool, obviously Sapphire isn’t either if she…I didn’t tell you about a love-child. Tell me, if you have such a great sense of smell, why didn’t you know it was me?”
“The funny thing is, I did recognize the smell, but when you were bitten, your DNA changed. I’m so sorry this happened to you Phire. I never wanted this for you. You have to believe me, I never wanted to leave you, but you can’t go against a direct order from the alpha.”
She leaned forward putting her elbows on her knees. I want nothing more than to pull her to me and console her. To mend the wrong I’ve done…to make mad crazy love to her.
“Did you love me?” She asks barely audible.
I clear my throat from being constricted. “Phire, we had a connection beyond words. The chemistry between two souls made for each other will ignite the fire to love. I am certain you are meant for me, and yes I do think I fell in love with you.”
“I assume we had great sex.”
“We don’t need to get into that part of it.”
She blushes and starts twirling her hair with her finger. “I want to get to that part, did we have great sex?”
“In one word, yes.”
“Good. So far I’ve learned we had great sex, I got pregnant, had a baby, you never called me again because that man told you not to and I now have amnesia and I’m a damn werewolf. So what is this? You’re wanting me to act as if nothing happened? Well dear, it didn’t happen, because…. I. DON’T. REMEMBER.” She jumps up abruptly and paces in the room. I was sure she was going to walk through the door and I’d never see her again. Wolf or not.
“Sapphire, listen to me.”
“Right now, my name is Sam. Don’t call me Phire or Sapphire, I don’t know you well enough.” She walks over to me and I stand up, and she pokes me in the chest. “I was beginning to crush on you while I was a wolf. I thought you were sweet and considerate and now I have no idea what to think. Someone was calling my family, I’m going to go wait for them in the other room. I’m glad we talked.”
“Sapp… Sam, don’t leave like this. We can fix everything. I want to meet our son.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, I don’t even remember him, I can’t just throw in a here’s daddy statement. The kid has had to go how long without knowing where his mother is? I’m not saying forever, but right now, I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She tugs at the hem of her shirt and crosses over to the door. “I’ll talk to you later Beta.”
The heaviness of her sorrow drapes over my heart, causing it to ache from depths I’ve never known existed. I pick up my glass of water and throw it at the wall. “FUUUUUUUUUCK!” I scream. My wolf is overpowering my human, he’s mad and determined to find out who did this to her. Who stole her memories?
I guess I’ll go out to the living area and pretend not to notice everyone whispering.
Chapter 18. Remember
SAPPHIRE
1 hour post Parker confession
I’d hoped to meet Pru but everyone said she and Oakley went for a run to get rid of frustrations from the flight back. Dolly, the alpha female of the pack, is a fun energetic happy soul. Her aura is bright and her laugh is infectious; I can tell why everyone loves her so much.
Abel’s mom, Natalie, tells me about my pregnancy and how I stood out to her as a strong independent woman. She tells me about my clothing store and how peaceful I was when I gave birth to Storm. Poor little boy, his own mother doesn’t remember him. How does that happen?
A name pops into my head, it’s strange; how do I get a random thought like this? Hmmm, this is interesting, I don’t know what it means though. I turn to Parker and he looks up at me. “I have a message for you, it just popped into my head. He sai
d to tell you Pedro sends his love.” Parker’s face goes ashen and everyone in the room turns his direction.
“What did you just say?” He asks. His entire demeanor went beta-wolf. The dynamics in the room shift.
“I don’t know, it’s like the thought popped in my head. Do you know Pedro?” I ask everyone in the room.
Parker comes over and puts his hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. “Did he touch you?”
I shrugged my shoulders, because I don’t know. “Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t remember anything. Who is he? Is he a wolf too?”
“I didn’t think so, but someone has turned him, and in turn he turned you.” Parker looks around the room and says they’ll be having a pack meeting soon. “We’re going to find him, and we’re going to destroy him.”
The doorbell rings and Abel opens the door. A girl and a guy are standing there and I hear them ask if I’m here. The girl looks up and sees me and then notices Parker. She went from smiling and happy to pissed off banshee. She runs over to us and all hell begins to break loose.
“Why the hell are you here? Did you do this to her? She doesn’t have amnesia, you probably drugged her or something.” The girl is jamming her finger in Parker’s chest. “What did you do to my sister?”
Parker looks at me and says, “Sapphire, this is your sister Ruby.”
“She knows who I am!” Ruby growled.
I look at Ruby and instinctively move between her and Parker. “No, I don’t know who you are, but I will tell you this man has nothing to do with what’s happened to me. Get off his case and step away. I’m not playing, sister or not.”
“You’re fucking kidding me! You’re going to take his side? This is the guy that left you and you were balled up in the fetal position night after night as you cried yourself to sleep. This is the guy that told you how you weren’t a one night stand to him but what does he do? He never comes around again. I’m taking you home.”
The guy with her comes over and he looks as pissed off as Ruby. “Who are you?”
“Hi, I’m Parker.”
“Parker, explain to me the reason I shouldn’t kill you in front of your friends. You kidnap my sister and you have the balls to stand there between two sisters?”
“Stone, I’m guessing. First, these people are my family and they aren’t the kind to allow someone in their home to threaten one of their family members. I’d love to sit down and talk man to man, but I’m not allowing you to bring more stress to my family.”
“ Sis, we need to go. Your son is waiting to see his mom,” Stone says.
“Stop, everyone stop. Parker is his father, and you are never to disrespect him again. He didn’t do anything to me. Someone left me in the woods with nothing but a couple of cans of ravioli and a tent. Parker and their family are the ones that found me. Actually, it was Oakley and Abel who found me. I didn’t see Parker until today. I’ll leave with you, but I’m coming back and will bring my son with me. He deserves to know who his dad is.”
Ruby throws her hands up in the air, “Gah! Of course you’ll accept Parker with open arms. Don’t you even think about dating my sister again, she’s not that stupid.”
I put my hand on her shoulder and push her back. Not realizing my own strength, she goes flying backwards into the wall. Dolly is there to break her from hitting the wall. She winked at me as she knew I had no idea how strong I am.
“Parker and I have agreed to start dating, so keep your opinions to yourself. If I don’t have your word on it, you won’t be seeing me again for a long time.” I look over at Parker and his face lights up with my confession. “We’ve disturbed their night enough, let’s go.”
Parker comes over and hands me his phone. “Take this, I’ll call you later. Everyone’s phone number is in the phone, including the number to the house. I’ll check up on you.” He puts his arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. “Thank you for giving us a chance,” He whispers in my ear.
Something about our closeness is making me want to curl up in a ball with him and shut out the world. I wonder if that is my so-called wolf being happy.
“Let’s go Phire, Storm is waiting to say good-night to you.”
I stand on my toes and give Parker a quick kiss. He didn’t have a chance to react before Stone and Ruby were pulling me to leave with them.
“Bye everyone, I’ll be back.”
“Who are you? The Terminator?” Stone asks.
“I don’t know what that means, but I’m guessing the answer is no.”
~~~~~~~~~
“Sis, are you okay?” Stone asks.
“Yeah, I’m fine…minus the part where I don’t remember anyone.” They would probably be offended if I tell them that this is like riding with Abel and Oakley, two complete strangers. Just because they say I’m their sister, it doesn’t make it easier. If I were being honest with myself, I’d say I’m more comfortable with the Phelans.
“I’m so glad to have you back, Phire. We need to go to the police department and you’ll make a statement about what happened. Mom is having the medicine woman come over and work you over tomorrow,” Ruby says and snickers to herself.
“Should I be concerned? A medicine woman, isn’t that a little cliché? What brand of Indian are we?” Neither one of them say anything for at least a full minute.
“Interesting way to ask about your genealogy. Your brand is Cheyenne and Arapaho, we’re Arapaho. You’re telling me, you don’t remember anything? Bullshit.” Ruby shakes her head back and forth getting cockier as she talks. “I’m serious, this is bullshit. How can you not remember your family?”
Stone is driving and he shoves Ruby by her shoulder. I’m glad I’m in the backseat and away from both of them. “I’m praying when I see the little boy I’ll remember. Stop at the police department first; we need to get it over with.”
The police department is between a Donuts Have Holes and the post office. The navy-blue cinderblocks on the police department are contrasted with white lettering and drab looking windows. We’re at precinct 221, whatever that means. I’m walking into a police department with two strangers to talk about being abducted, which I don’t remember.
The receptionist is wearing a raspberry colored suit with big shoulder pads and huge lapels. Her curls are as bouncy as her personality. She tells us she has to go do some shredding but hopes our visit is good. She reminds me of a girl who got her first ‘big girl’ job and borrowed her mom’s clothes.
The three of us sit down as we wait for officer Maupin to take my statement. Parker keeps invading my thoughts as I sit silently on the uncomfortable chair. The next hour of my life I’m asked about everything to do with my abduction. The one thing I wasn’t prepared for was explaining why I didn’t tell the police when I went to the Phelan farm. Good question. I wonder how he’d take it if I told him I am a werewolf and don’t have thumbs when I’m a wolf. Probably not the best thing to say in front of sister psycho and brother Stone.
Everyone agreed that tomorrow we’ll meet at Big Bob’s and go out to check the camp site. It will be a wasted trip, especially when wolves already sniffed it out. If I had to guess, I bet there’s a group being assigned to find Pedro and bring him to the farm.
“If you don’t mind, I want to get home to see my son,” I blurt out. I’m edgy after a day like today. “I have a headache, can we go?” I stand up and start walking to the doors.
The little boy is out in the front yard with a woman that looks a lot like Stone. He’s running towards the car, Stone is inching into the driveway, keenly aware where Storm is walking.
“Mommy! Mommy’s home! Yay! You miss Storm? Mommy, you miss Stormy?”
He’s so adorable, with long eyelashes like daddy his dimples like Aunt Ruby. “I missed you with my whole heart,” I say and sweep him up into my arms. “What have you been doing? Are you being a good boy for grandma?
“I’s a good boy and I say’d my prayers for you to find your way home. I can do a cartwheel, you wanna see?�
� He flops himself around the living room showing off his cartwheels.
“Storm, it’s time to go to bed,” I scoop him up and take him into my room. It was interesting no one showed me where my room is located, yet I found it without any problems. Maybe, my subconscious mind does remember.
Storm’s little toddler bed is set up in the corner. The room is large enough for him to have his own boy-cave.
Ruby stands in the doorway watching the two of us together. “We’re almost finished painting the mural for Storm’s new bedroom. Stone’s old room is a perfect size for all of his stuff. His new big boy bed was delivered a couple of days ago.”
“Right, you’ll have to show me after I say prayers with Storm.”
“Aunt Ruby, tuck me in too.” He holds his arms out waiting for a hug. My heart melts watching him loving us. His eyes are so bright with wonder and his little nose is too cute. My heart hurts from forgetting him and his young life.
Ruby and I come downstairs from Storm’s new room and find our mom and another lady sitting on the couch.
“What’s going on?” Ruby asks.
“This is Hania, she is a spiritual healer…a doctor for the soul. Hania, these are my daughters Sapphire and Ruby.”
The woman is not what I expected when I was told the medicine woman was coming. This woman is no older than twenty. She’s shorter than me and has long dark hair with a gray streak down the front. Her eyes, one brown, one blue, are beautiful.
“Nice to meet you,” Ruby and I say in unison.
The doorbell rings and everyone looks at me. “I’m not expecting anyone.”
I follow Ruby to the door to see who’s here. Parker is standing there and something in me feels calmer. He smiles at me and I can’t help but grin back at him.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you think you should give her time with her family? I mean seriously, this is jacked up,” Ruby complains.
“Come in,” I say and hold my hand out to him. “You know where I live?”
Sapphire, A Werewolf Love Story Page 11
