Page 8 of A Luna's Revenge (Stone Mountain Shifters)
Charlie
"Where am I?" I rise from my prone position on the grass. Turning in circles, my eyes taking in everything. I appear to be in a meadow. The sky is clear blue and the sun shines brightly, warming my skin. "Am I dead?"
"I, Charlie Ann Black, reject you, Jenson Black, Alpha of the Little Silver Creek Pack, as my mate." echoes loudly through the meadow. I drop back down to my knees as the flashback is so vivid.
"Jenson!" I wail as the memory washes over me. I stand.
"Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!" I hear Jenson yell, panicked! "Charlie!"
Visions of a better time circle on a loop through my head.
Toddlers, Jenson pushing me on a swing. I fall and scrape my knees. As I begin to cry, Jenson pats my face gently and kisses my cheek. There are unshed tears in his eyes as he comforts me.
Us, at ten, werebarefoot and wading in the creek, catching frogs. Jenson grabs one up and chases me with it. I scream until he finally stops. We fall to the ground laughing.
Twelve years old at a carnival, riding the Ferris wheel. Jenson stuffing his face with hotdogs while I demolish a pink cotton candy. Smiles plastered to our faces.
Thirteen, Jenson and I standing in our meadow. He is carving 'Jenson loves Charlie' inside a heart. After he finishes, he caresses my shyly downturned face and pulls my chin up. Leaning over, we share our very first kiss.
Sixteen, our first 'real' date. We are dropped off at the movies. Jenson's teal eyes shine and promise forever that night in the dark theater with the movie flickering, neither of us watching it.
We discovered we were fated mates when I turned eighteen, just as we had hoped and dreamed.
The day Jenson got down on his knee in our meadow and proposed. I cried! He cried when I said "yes." I promised not to tell anyone that the big bad Alpha had cried.
Our wedding day. The white roses and baby's breath. Strands of white fairy lights. Stolen kisses. Promises of forever. I was his, and he was mine. He had always been mine. Mine. Mine.
The memories fade. I touch my face and discover I am weeping. I hear a sharp, keening cryandrealize it’s me. I collapse as everything shifts to the comforting release of oblivion.
Beep, beep, beep.
I hear muted voices.
Beep, beep, beep.
I try to open my eyes, but the light is too bright.
Beep, beep, beep.
I feel someone touch my arm. "I think she's waking up."
I blink, my eyes open slightly.
Go get the doctor; she is waking up." A female in scrubs approaches. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes." I croak. She puts a straw up to my mouth, and I take a massive gulp of water to soothe my dry throat.
"Easy." She cautions. "Don't drink too much at once. It might make you sick."
After taking another smaller sip, I look at the people surrounding my hospital bed. "How are you feeling?" Asks a petite older she-wolf with brown hair in a white doctor's coat.
"A little disoriented."
"Do you remember what happened?" She asks.
"Yeah, I think so."
"Can you tell us what happened?" She continues. "You were found at the back of some retail shops, covered in blood, with a knife in your hand. Can you tell us your name?"
"How long have I been out?"
"About a week." She states. "What's your name?"
"Where are we?"
"Sparksburg." She glances at the other people in the room. "Leave us for a moment." After the others file out, she leans in and repeats. "What's your name, honey?"
"I need to have a private meeting with your Alpha," I whisper.