Visions Unveiled Ch. 02

In a moment though, Shane looked back to the baby as she suddenly moved. Her arms, her legs, they all flailed as her tiny chest rose as she took a tiny rasping breath. Shane was completely overwhelmed as he witnessed the slightest movements, she was so tiny and frail, his mate. His own breath caught in his throat as her eyes suddenly opened for the first time and she looked straight at him with eyes of the clearest silver he had ever seen. They were her mother's eyes. He was hypnotized by them. But then, his wolf was howling yet again in his mind as he realized, she'd yet to release her first breath or take another. She'd gone deathly still once more, and her eyes which were just a moment before, so perfect and clear, went blank as all the life left her.

* * *

In his sleep, Shane tossed violently as the dream continued. As the memories assaulted him anew yet again.

* * *

What happened next was partly blurred in the dream, as it had been when it was occurring. His mate had stopped breathing, he felt certain he could revive her. Kevin could talk him through it. He would allow no one else to touch her. In the back of his mind he felt the agony already of Ilsa's passing, and the death of her daughter would be beyond devastating. He raised his eyes to Kevin only to feel the child ripped from his arms by Gregor, who was now doubled over, sobbing into the blanket surrounding his daughter's body.

Shane's wolf was prepared for battle. How dare anyone take her from him. He reached for her yet again, only to be stopped by Kevin's hand on his arm. Shane's mind finally cleared, as he witnessed the agony of a broken man, sobbing over both his dead wife and child. His heart broke as he watched Gregor lose everything. Still, his own desperation to save his mate was hard to ignore. He put out a hand towards the weeping father, "Gregor, please, there is still hope." He stepped closer to Gregor only to freeze in his tracks at the sound of warning coming his way. Did the human just growl at him? Shane was stunned. His mate's life was at risk and he was as helpless as he'd ever been. Finally his mind cleared, and he realized Gregor was merely sobbing over his lost family. And while Shane was himself torn apart, he knew his own hurt could not compare to Gregor's.

The next hours saw Kevin confirming both mother and daughter had indeed passed. Dawn came, and it was a somber one. Finally the snow stopped and the street was cleared enough for the ambulance from the hospital to arrive. The medical team took Kevin's statement as he described attempting to deliver the premature child of the sick woman. Forms were signed and Ilsa's body was placed on a stretcher and taken to the ambulance. All the while, Gregor refused to release his daughter, not even to let the EMT to confirm her passing.

During this, Shane had to get away. He'd shifted into his wolf to endure the shock and pain of the whole entire ordeal. Yet he couldn't retreat fully. Not yet. So from just inside the tree line, a large brown wolf with black trim watched as the human female he was so fond of was taken from his home under a white sheet and loaded onto the back of the ambulance. Following that, her husband stepped in behind her, his head lowered, cradling his precious daughter in his arms, who he had yet to release his hold of. The wolf watched as the ambulance pulled away from his home, flashing red lights on, but sirens silent. He watched until the ambulance disappeared from his perfect sight, and then he turned and sprinted into the woods. He ran to forget, he ran to hide, he ran from his pack and his home. A home he would not return to for weeks to come.

* * *

Suddenly, in his bed, Shane awoke with a start. His breathing was as labored as the wolf running for his life, and he waited the customary few minutes for his heart rate to return to normal. His sleep was broken as it always was with the dream. Yet for the one day of the year he realized he was dreaming on the exact anniversary of the event itself. A glance at his window showed the light of dawn creeping beneath the drapes. Exactly 33 years ago at this moment he was that wolf, running through he forest, daring to escape the loss of a good friend, and her daughter, who as cruel fate would have it, was also his mate.

With a sigh he fell back to his pillow and covered his eyes with his arm. He took deep calming breaths as he braced himself for the moment his sister would yet again knock on his door.

* * *

For the life of her, Faline just could not sleep, because she still had that screaming headache. The light of day was breaking and she had already been tossing and turning in bed for hours and finally decided to just give up on sleep. She felt like fresh air would help clear her mind and relieve the stifling pain she was in. She got up and changed into jeans and a sweater. Then she packed her canvass bag with a few essential items including her journal. She figured the sun would be full up soon, and once it did, she would feel better.

Thinking to get a head start on the day, she would take a walk to the bakery and bring back fresh croissants. A favorite for both Sophie and herself. It would be a lovely breakfast to share with Sophie, and a nice start to her birthday she figured. She jotted a quick note to Sophie asking her not to worry. Pulling on boots, a scarf and her warmest flannel coat, Faline picked up her bag and headed down the steps and through the stop. Careful not to trip the bell on her way out the door, she silently slipped out, locking the door behind her.

The sky was clear, but the air was bitter cold. Faline rubbed her hands together as she made her way to the bakery, already imagining the large fluffy pastries she knew she would find there. She turned the corner, already feeling slightly better, even if her pounding headache kept on and on. She was still a half a block away from the bakery, and not another soul was on the street that she could see. She smiled to herself as he saw the bakery up ahead and the warm lights from inside glowing brightly. She wasn't feeling her best, which was why she was distracted to a fault. As she passed a small alleyway on her left she was stunned as a hand struck out suddenly, grabbing her by the arm and dragged her deep into the dark recesses of the alley.