Jade gasped for air as her eyes snapped open, she sat up slowly observing her surrounding. This wasn't the room she had remembered herself in. Instead she was in the middle of what seemed to be a forest...

Boundless trees stretched as far as her vision let her see.

Quickly stumbling to her feet, she shuffled clumsily as if her legs were too weak. Her gaze took notice of her clothing, strangely she wore a long white sleeveless dress that brushed against the forest floor "What the hell" She muttered to herself as a single strand of hair caught her eyesight.

Blonde

Her hair was blonde "I swear I dyed it brown"

The breeze soared past her — slightly pushing her forwards. Jade looked at her surroundings one more time trying to see if anything was familiar but came up with no such luck. Her bare feet softly padded against the dirt, noticing that there weren't any twigs or leaves.

It was spine-chillingly quiet, there were no animals or even the rustle of trees that surrounded her. The only thing she could hear was the eerie sound of a gentle wind that seemed to direct her path.

The only sense of comfort Jade could rely on was the moon that peeked between the leaves of towering trees — the beauty made her feel small enough to be safe. After 10 minutes her surroundings began to change, the trees were becoming less and less until she finally found herself in a field of green pastures, daisies and all kinds of beautiful flowers.

She saw a small pond shining crystal clear as the moonlight danced on top. It was simply mesmerising, the perfection of her surroundings were so peaceful and harmonic that it was hard to believe that there was a place on earth like this that existed.

Slowly but surely she made her way to the centre of the field — Jade had no idea why she decided to walk there and only trusted the intuition that drummed against her heart. When she reached the centre Jade peered around.

Maybe she was expecting something to happen...how foolish of a thought to expect something to happen just because she took mere steps. 

It wasn't until then did she realise how alone she was.

Her heart began to race, fear crept its way to the back of her mind. She didn't know how or why she was here, she's never seen this place before. At one point she'd decided that the best thing to do right now was to remember the last thing that happened.

Jade thought to herself, creasing her eyebrows in concentration, an angry sigh escaped her lips as she tried to reach deeper into her mind.

It was like a wall had built itself in her head, keeping her from tapping into her memory. She groaned frustratingly. Her surroundings were foreign, her clothes were a mystery and the only thing she had at her advantage was her memory.

A memory that worked against her.

A smile graced her lips as progress was made, she remembered receiving a letter from Caroline and Klaus — and just like that the wall in her mind built itself higher — making it almost impossible for her to reach further.

Jade shouted in frustration — slowly she started to breath deeply, trying to contain her anger. Jade slowly closed her eyes and entered her mind once again.

Caroline gave her a letter.

The letter was from Tanner...

Her arms and legs stopped working...

Her mind froze...

She...blacked out.

Jade's eyes snapped open as soon as she finally remembered what had happened. The tight feeling in her chest returned for a moment and the air around her thickened like before.

Her knees buckled beneath her. Everything made sense now.

She looked around, once again to see the beautiful meadow she had come across 'No place on earth could look this perfect'  The words echoed in her head 'No. not on earth' tears brimmed her eyes as her heart ached at the epiphany.

"I hoped to never see you here" She heard a deep voice behind her. The voice was as warm as honey but as hard as stone, it was familiar and Jade felt like she had heard it countless times before.

Slowly she turned her body around to come in full view of the very person she thought she'd never see again.

He was her hero, trainer and most trusted friend in one.

He was the person that made her smile even when she was angry at him.

As small as a whisper and as delicate as glass, her voice thickened with sadness and joy. She replied to him with one word and one word only.

"Dad." 

*          *        *

Slate was a mess after what happened to his mate.

He was now sitting in his Pack office going through endless amounts of paperwork. His Pack was in ruins because he barely saw any of them — he refused to talk to anyone "...are you okay?"

"Guess." 

Blake shifted nervously from one foot to the other "I was just..."

"Worried." Slate finished his sentence "I don't need your worry. You can leave"

Cora entered the room, since she was mates with Blake — she chose to come back and live with him "Why don't you just-"

"I don't know why you're still here," he growled "I said out."

Slate projected his Alpha voice meaning that even if they didn't want to, the both of them had to comply and leave the office without a word. As soon as they shut the door behind them he groaned with frustration, ever since that fateful night he hated talking to other people, especially other people who had their mates.

He roughly stood up from his desk only to walk over to a nearby window that overlooked the backyard.

Slate could picture it in a heartbeat.

Her smile while she ran around the yard blissfully. Her harmonic laughter that echoed in his ears and the feel of her hand as she held his, coercing him to join her.

His jaw clenched as the memory rang through his mind like an unreachable dream. The only progress they've had with Jade since what happened at Klaus and Caroline's house was that her heart started to beat.

But only very faintly

Even though her heart beat was faint and almost un-noticeable, it was the only thing that kept Slate from falling off the edge completely. His wolf doesn't talk to him anymore, he figured it was because Soren was sick with grief.

Just in the middle of his thoughts his office door opened, without turning around he growled "I thought I told the two of you to stay out."

"Turn around you mutt."

Slate internally groaned at the sound of the voice, but nevertheless turned around "What are you doing here? Again"

"I came here to check on her." He replied. "Again" he copied Slates remark. 

Slate had to fight the frustration that ran through his veins. The more he hung around Bash the more he saw the same traits of Tanner. It was the only thing stopping him from killing the human "I'm not in the mood to be bothered today"

"Good" Bash replied "because I don't want a fight."

He growled deeply "Then. Leave"

"I'm not leaving until you tell me if-"

Slate couldn't contain his anger anymore "What do you want me to say, Hajo? That she's okay? That she's going to wake up any minute now? Because it's not true! The only 'progress' we've made is that she has a faint heart beat!" Slate refused to use Bash's name and only referred to him with his last. 

Bash stared at him with an unreadable emotion before speaking up "I was going to say; I wanted you to tell me if she's safe. Here." there was a long pause before anyone said anything "...She's going to make it out, Parker. She'll wake up."

"How are you so sure of yourself? And how many times do I have tot tell you? Its Alpha Parker" he ran a rough hand through his rugged hair "It's been five weeks, Hajo - The first time when she went into this state it only lasted a few days."

Bash took a seat on the nearby chair in front of the desk while Slate took a seat behind it, right in front of him "You remember what Caroline and Klaus said. It's just that, this time she had to take the pain alone."

"I should've been there with her - I should ha-"

"Enough" Bash snapped, not even knowing why he was comforting the very man that would take his Jade away "I'll have to remind you that She's a fighter, she'll wake up."

Slate stared at him "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because a sad dog is an annoying one" Bash drawled

The both of them fell into a silence "...You love her too, don't you?" Slate whispered and for some reason he didn't feel the prickly desire to kill Bash as the words left his mouth.

Bash replied with no hesitation "Why are you asking me something you already know the answer to?''

For once in his life, Slate felt pity for someone "why are you helping me?"

"If Tanner was alive, he'd do the same." Bash looked away

Slate scoffed "I find that hard to believe."

"Here," Bash slid an envelope towards him "Before we left Caroline and Klaus' house they said that there was another letter, meant for you"

Slate picked up the letter in his hands, examining it "why is there a letter for me?"

"Read it." Bash sighed as he stood up from his chair "I'll come back in a few days" Slate rolled his eyes as he heard the door shut before opening the letter to reveal its contents.

*

Alpha Parker.

If you're reading this then, I suspect that you've either gone through my possessions and taken it or I am dead. For your sake I hope it's the second option, but for my sisters sake, I hope it's the first option. I am aware that she has unknowingly pledged her loyalty to me and my death will pay a heavy toll on her; you need to know that she needs you now more than ever.

I know we have had our differences, but it was only because I wasn't ready to let go of my sister. She is — was the only family I had and the thought of letting her go was something I couldn't do. Call me a coward or an idiot, but please understand. Jade was the only thing that kept me grounded and in return I was the only thing that kept her smiling.

But the dread I feel writing this letter, knowing that there is a chance I could leave her behind with no one, is an emotion that I don't want to go into detail with. So please, Slate keep her smile for me, laugh with her, wipe her tears when she cries, hold her close when you think she's drifting away because Goddess knows I can't.

I am a very proud brother, Slate. To even write these words and read them back to myself, aren't a very easy thing to do. 

Don't you dare waste another second with her, Slate Parker.

Tanner Leichhardt.

*

He stared at the letter in his hands.

Slate felt the corner of his lips tug upwards. 

Slate soon wished that he had told her sooner about her brother but as soon as those thoughts made their way into his mind, he casted them away remembering the words that Bash had told him; Stop dwelling in the past! And focus on what your gonna do when she comes back!

He was right.

Sebastian was right.

Slate needed to stop what he was thinking and act like a proper Alpha.

"Blake!" Slate called

Within seconds His beta walked through the door "Yes,"

"When Jade comes back I don't want her to see our Pack like this."

Blake smiled at the fact the old Slate was starting to make an appearance "what are you planning?"

"Training begins tomorrow, everyone is expected to go back to their usual duties and if not they will answer to me. Their Luna would be disappointed to see her Pack house in this state. We all need to get back to work and fix this mess" Slate stated strongly, at the mention of his mate, Soren decided to register himself back into his mind.

Blake smiled even more at the sound of authority that seeped into Slate's voice and the mention of him referring to Jade as their Luna "Good to have you back, Alpha"

"Oh, and one more thing" Slate called out – Blake turned around to face him "About before, I'm sorry that I-"

Blake smiled easily "No need to apologise, Slate. I understand" with those words, he left the room as Slate gave him a small nod of gratitude.

As he stood alone, Slate let his eyes close — just imagining his mate smiling at him proudly, even in his mind, took his breath away "...For you. I'll try. For you"