Blindsided: Book 2 of the Bound Trilogy

~Jack’s POV~

Everyone in the room froze except for Emily and Leah. Emily was trying to burrow her way into my side, as if she were looking to hide from everyone in the room. Leah was staring at us with a small smile on her face waiting to see what happened next. Devin, Emily’s father, mother, and brothers were motionless. No one expected this to happen.

Clearing my throat, I asked, “Um, Emily, honey, what does the voice sound like?” I had a guess that it was Leah, but how she was talking to Emily when her wolf had not surfaced was a mystery to me.

I felt Emily’s hesitation before she answered me in a small voice, “It says her name is Leah and that she is happy to meet me. What’s going on?”

With a swift look at Leah, I rubbed my hands up and down my mate’s back. She was starting to panic as the silence grew, but I did not know how to explain this to her. Luckily I didn’t have to.

“Emily, my name is Devin. I’m Jack’s Alpha. I know this is a little strange for you, but please hear me out.” Casting a glance in Devin’s direction, he looked slightly nervous, as if he expected Emily to run screaming from the room.

She gave an almost imperceptible nod for him to continue and my muscles relaxed with her gesture. I was happy she was going to listen and not shut everyone out like she did when we first met.

“Well,” Devin began. “I’m sure Jack has told you somethings about my mate. Am I correct in that assumption?”

Emily gave a small “Yes” to his question.

“Good, well, I’m not sure how much he has told you as we have not had a chance to talk privately yet, but I will start from the beginning.”

“Okay,” was her hesitant reply. I knew she was uncomfortable sitting here in a room with strangers but I was so proud of her for sticking it out. I had a feeling that it was due somewhat to my presence and I was more than okay with that scenario.

“Almost seven weeks ago, my mate, Leah escaped her captor. I was driving to cover Jack’s shift at the police station when I accidentally hit her with my car. Because of the damage she sustained from the accident and from her previous captivity, she was in a coma for three weeks.

I knew right away she was my mate and I needed to be by her side. I called Jack back to take care of things while I watched over her. While the doctors were working to stabilize her, they found out that her vocal cords had been cut out with a silver knife.

She is permanently mute.

When she was finally awake, she could not remember anything that had happened to her. We tried using pen and paper, but she could not write. We tried asking yes and no questions, but we weren’t getting anything specific--other than she could not remember anything.

She can, however, talk through a mind link. She is only able to do so with people who are werewolves. Even if their wolf has not surfaced yet, she can still speak to them.

I was shocked when she was able to talk to me through a link she had created all on her own.

The day after she was released from the hospital, Jack came to tell us that he needed to leave to come find you. Leah spoke to him through the link and about scared the pants off us.

Later that day she spoke to my niece who had not turned yet.

It was amazing, to see her communicate this way.

Unfortunately, the person she escaped from was looking for her.

His mercenary came and stole her away that night.

While she was missing we found out a few things about her past.”

He paused in his recitation, waiting to see if Emily had any questions. When she remained quiet in my arms he pulled Leah close to his side and continued.

“Nineteen years ago, a pack of White Wolves was attacked by Hunters. Most of the pack was destroyed, but those who were able went hunting for their missing Luna and her children--who disappeared during the confusion.

They were only able to find one child though. The brother. The daughters and their mother were still missing. The Alpha finally found his mate, but she was being held by the Hunters. What he didn’t know was that they also had one of his daughters.

The Alpha left them their fearing for his mate’s safety, and needing to get his son back home.

The Luna escaped at one point and took her daughter with her. She tried to hide her daughter in a tree but the Hunter’s found her. The Luna was killed and the daughter taken captive.

She was held in captivity for those nineteen years until she escaped. Now she is sitting before you.”

Silence enveloped the room. You could hear a pin drop after his monologue.

Emily was the first to break the silence, “What happened to the other daughter?”

Devin cleared his throat and looked towards Leah. She closed her eyes and a look of concentration moved across her features. I noticed Emily’s family looking around in confusion, as I assume, Leah broke through their mental walls so she could talk to the group as a whole.

Her gentle energy flowed through my mind as she sent her message to everyone, ‘She’s sitting in this room.’

~Leah’s POV~

I was surprised by everyone’s reactions in the room. When I had broken down their barriers to speak to them, I immediately knew everything about their lives. It was disconcerting at times, but I believe I will get used to it in time.

I clutched Devin’s hand in mine, waiting for someone to talk.

I was nervous on the way here. I had no idea how this was going to go.

Devin did his best to distract me with my first plane ride, letting me sit near the window and pointing things out as we flew over them.

I loved him so much.

The joy have being back with him was inexplainable. I never wanted to leave his side again, and judging from his actions, he didn’t mind in the least.

When it became obvious that no one was going to break the tension in the room, I took it upon myself.

‘Would everyone mind if I had a word with Emily in private please?’ I sent throughout the room. I could see her parents and brothers jolt at my intrusion, but there is no other way for me to talk to them.

The few days we had spent in our home--before coming here--Devin tried to teach me to read and write.

Let us just say that it did not go well.

“Sure,” came the soft voice of my sister from Jack’s side.

The poor thing was so nervous and scared she had practically made a hole in him to hide from everyone.

I know how she feels as I sometimes get that way when I have flashbacks of my time with ‘father.’

We still never found out his real name. With a mental shrug, I brought my attention back to the room as everyone was getting up to leave.

Devin gave my hand a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of my head before heading out with Emily’s family.

Jack hesitated by Emily’s side before finally giving a huff and kissing her forehead and following in the wake of everyone else.

When we were finally alone the atmosphere turned tense.

I watched as Emily hunched in on herself, trying to become as small as possible.

‘Emily, there is nothing to be afraid of. I will not hurt you,’ I sent, trying to reassure her I only had good intensions.

She relaxed slightly, but then a pained look came across her face. I was immediately by her side.

‘What is it? What is wrong?’ I asked in a rush.

Her features became stony and I could feel her pulling away, both physically and emotionally. What did I say?

“It’s nothing,” she said in a hollow voice.

I didn’t like this one bit. I was going to reach into her mind and find out what was going on, but decided to call Jack instead.

I know that I may have all of her memories in my mind, but it felt rude to go through them to find out what was going on.

‘Jack,’ I sent to him, ‘can you come back in here please? I need you to calm Emily down so we can talk.’

I had barely finished my thought before he was in the room scooping my sister into his arms.

A smile flirted with my lips looking at them. I was happy for them, but I was still worried about what happened a moment ago.

“What happened? Is everything okay? Emily, do I need to call the doctor?” Jack started to ramble while running his hands over his mate, as if to assure himself she was unhurt.

Emily grabbed his hands, to stop their wandering, and tentatively took one of hers and placed it on his face. There was something odd about the way she did it though...

“I’m fine,” she tried to reassure him.

“But Leah said that I needed to come in here. What happened?” He asked confused, looking between Emily and myself.

‘I was trying to reassure her that I only wanted to talk when she looked pained. I tried to ask what was wrong but she would not answer me. So I called you.’ I explained.

His body seemed to sag with relief. He reached one hand out and placed it on her stomach. It was only then that I noticed that it seemed to protrude out farther than the rest of her body. I had never seen anything like it before.

‘Is there something wrong with her stomach?’ I asked both of them.

There was a pause before Jack burst out laughing and Emily covered her mouth to hide a smile and giggles.

I did not see anything funny with my question. I was genuinely concerned about my sister.

Jack finally gained control of himself. Wiping tears from his eyes, he looked at me with a smile.

“I’ve missed you Luna,” he said to me. “And for your information, there is nothing wrong with Emily’s stomach. She only grimaced because the pup kicked her too hard.” There was a twinkle in his eye that I assumed was pride.

Wait...did he say pup?

‘Pup?’

“Yep,” a huge grin spread across his face. “In a few months there will be a new addition joining our little family.”

I looked at the happiness on Jack’s face and the uncertainty on Emily’s. There was something else going on here, but I will find out what it is later. Right now, I was curious as to how it felt to have a pup inside a belly.

Looking at Emily once more I asked, ‘May I touch your stomach?’

She seemed stunned by my question, but nodded her head anyway.

I placed my hand upon her extremely large belly, and was rewarded with the pup kicking my hand from inside its mother.

A grin spread across my face wondering what it would be like to carry a pup of my own.