Enjoy :)

Chapter Quote:

"We're just a bunch of wild animals."

~Dax, Nightshade

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Chapter 4

Dom

Days passed without any improvement on Elsa.  Anna came in and out of the compound sporadically, mainly hanging out with me or Spencer, but when she did spend time with the latter, it was always on patrol where they were away from the others.  She told me mostly everything that was said between them.  I say mostly because I know there are some things that she left out.  It was just an instinct and from knowing her long enough to know when she was withholding information from me.

It was on the sixth day when the first sign of Elsa waking up showed itself.  Anna had been eating breakfast with me when her fork clattered to the plate.  I asked if she was okay but all she said was that she had to get back to the Academy and that was the last I saw of her for two days.

On the eighth day, she stepped back through the portal woven by Adne.  I could tell by the look on her face that something was terribly wrong.  Something had severely shaken her up.  Upon seeing me, she walked up and threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in my chest.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly.

"Elsa's alive, but there's something wrong.  I need to talk to Spencer first before I tell the pack.  It's better he know beforehand.  You're welcome to come with me though.  In fact it might be better."

"He's on patrol with Riley.  I'll text him and tell him to meet us in our house," I offered.

"No, he needs to get here now.  I don't want to cause panic, but this is important."

"Go inside and practice what you're going to say if you need to.  I'll howl to get him over here."

"Thank you." Anna kissed me on the cheek, then disappeared into the house.  I shifted into a wolf and howled as loud as I could, trying to get the message across to Spencer that he needed to get back here ASAP.  His response was immediate and within five minutes, my pack mate was sliding to a stop in front of me.  We both shifted and he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Anna needs to talk to you.  It's about Elsa.  And before you ask, she's alive.  But that's all I know," I explained.

"I don't like the sound of this," he muttered, walking into my house with me right on heels.  We found Anna pacing up and down our living room, nibbling on her nail.  She glanced up when he and I stepped foot in the room, halting her movement.

"How's Elsa?" Spencer asked.

"Alive, but not in good shape," Anna admitted.  With a sigh, she rubbed the back of her head. "I don't know how else to say this but you might want to sit down."

Spencer surprisingly listened to her.  He took a place on the couch in front of her, staring expectedly at my girlfriend for the bad news.

"Anna?" I prodded when she wasn't saying anything.

I saw tears forming in her eyes before she said, "Elsa woke up around three hours ago.  The Healers wouldn't let us in to see her until about an hour ago because they had to do all these checks.  When we did, she... she didn't know who we were.  She has no memory of us.  She could barely remember her name."

I felt myself plop into the chair behind me.  Spencer slumped back against the couch.  He tried to stammer out multiple questions but words wouldn't form.  Finally, he was able to say, "So Elsa has no memory of you or your parents or your brothers and sister?  Of me?"

"None.  Mom and dad have been talking to her the past hour to try and update her on everything and she'll be coming home around five is the plan.  I haven't told the rest of the pack.  I wanted you to be the first to know so you could have more time to process it.  I'm so sorry Spencer..."

"Don't be.  It's not like I'm the only one she's forgotten.  I just... I need some time to process this.  I'll be in my house if you need me." Spencer stood up, kissed Anna on the head to convey that he wasn't upset with her because it was easy to see on her face at the moment that that was exactly what she thought, then left our abode.  The moment the door shut, Anna broke down crying.  I rushed to her side, shaken to see her lose control like this.  Usually she kept her emotions bottled up inside of her, which seemed to be a Laroche trait.  Even during the aftermath of the battle with the Hunters, she hadn't shed a tear.  But now everything was pouring out.

"She doesn't remember me or anyone from our pack and I've only gotten to have three years with my sister.  I don't want to lose her to something like memory loss.  I just got her back.  I just got my family back," she sobbed. "She doesn't deserve this."

"No, she doesn't.  But we'll figure out a way to help her.  We always figure out what to do, don't we?" I pointed out.  She nodded into my chest. "Then we'll figure this out too."

Anna sniffled, pulling away and wiping the tears off her face. "I shouldn't be crying.  I have a job to do.  And crying isn't going to help anything."

"But you're not as stressed now are you?"

"No..." she admitted.

"Then it looks like it helped you."

"I hate when you make good points," she muttered, a small smile on her face. "Come on, let's get the packs together."

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Josilyn

I was outside working on my garden when I heard the phone ring.  I ignored it, recognizing the call as one that anyone in the pack could answer.  One of the Searchers had programmed the phones at our compounds that if you hit a certain number before dialing our number, it could call the entire compound rather than just one house.  It was a handy thing to have.

Out of the corner of my eye, in my beta's house, I saw Ember move past the window to answer the phone.  Unfortunately, our walls were soundproof so I couldn't hear what was going on or what it was about, but they'd tell me soon.  For now I'd focus on my flowers.  It was the one thing that kept me calm in this crazy time.  I would panic every time I thought about Elsa which Hunter kept telling me wasn't good for my heart.  To relieve his worries over me so he could focus on worrying about his sister, I took to my garden.  It changed every year, but there was one constant flower in it, and that was a rose.  The symbol of love and the one thing that could win everything in this world.  I was an oddity in the Laroche Pack in this sense.  I was more of a lover than a fighter.  In fact I preferred it.  Maybe it was because unlike the others, I couldn't fight well.  Hardly at all.  I tired out too much, too fast, and no amount of training had ever changed that.  But that didn't mean I wouldn't fight for what I loved.

It didn't take long for my beta to come out with the news.  Ember came striding out of the house, a worried expression etched on her face.  I noticed as she approached me that her mind was racing, causing me to wonder what exactly that phone call had been.  If it'd been about Elsa, surely she'd either be elated or in despair.  Those were the only two reactions we could have... right?

"Hey Em, who called?" I asked.

Ember knelt down next to me, staring at my flowers. "Anna just asked that the entire pack come to Caleb's house.  She said it was about Elsa but wouldn't go into detail."

I frowned. "Why wouldn't she go into detail?"

"She wouldn't elaborate no matter how much I asked."

"Okay, would you get those in patrol back here?  I'll call Hunter and have him and the others meet us there." Ember nodded and got up.  Right as she left, I heard voices coming up behind me.  It was Dmitri and Gracie, back from patrol.  They smiled when they saw.

"Hey alpha.  We are happy to report that nothing out of the ordinary was found on our patrol," Dmitri announced. "Maybe Spencer was wrong.  Maybe this was just a freak accident for Elsa."

"Speaking of, Anna just called and requested we all go over to their compound.  She has news about Elsa.  We leave once everyone is ready," I said, standing up and brushing the dirt off my hands.  My pack mates paled slightly.

"Is she okay?" Gracie questioned quietly.

"She's alive, but that's all Anna would say.  So something is up but I'm not sure what.  Be ready to go in five.  I'm going to call Hunter."

The two of them dashed off while I went inside the house to call my husband.  It still felt weird to call him that, but in a good way.  I just never thought I'd be the lucky girl to capture his heart, let alone to catch his eye.

"Hey baby, what's up?" Hunter queried.

"Hey, what are you guys doing right now?"

"I'm looking over some finances, Noah is giving a tour to a potential client, and Diana is handling some troublesome guests.  They should still be alive by the end of this unless she kills them out of annoyance.  Maybe I should've handled that... anyway.  Why, what's up?  Everything okay?  Are you okay?"

"I'm fine.  Can you three meet us at the South Compound?  Anna just called and she has news on Elsa."

"It can't be good if she didn't say what it was over the phone.  We'll be there as soon as possible.  I'll see you soon.  Love you."

"Love you, too." I hung up, then grabbed my purse to get ready to go.  On a whim, I ran outside, cut some peonies for a small bouquet, and ran out to the car Ember had waiting for me with Jake and Akira.  Dmitri, Gracie, and Sebastian were waiting in the car behind us.

I remembered Arya telling me the different meanings of flowers one day when we were working in my garden.  She had mentioned which flowers had been good for sickness and which ones meant get well.  Peonies had meant the latter and I had a feeling Elsa was going to need them.

The drive to the South Compound was done in silence.  We were all wrapped up in our own thoughts, wondering what the news was that Anna couldn't say over the phone.  Ember's knuckles were white as she held the steering wheel, alerting me to just how upset she truly was.  Like all the Laroches, she didn't show much emotion.  It was the minor little things they did that betrayed their emotions, like Ember's death grip on the steering wheel; like how Hunter would twist his wedding ring around and around his finger; like how Anna would run her hands through her hair repeatedly; like how Elsa would braid and unbraid a small strand of hair over and over again; like how the usually fidgeting Caleb would become stock still.  It was the little things I'd picked up on living with them and being around them so often.

When we arrived at the compound, Hunter and Diana's cars were already there.  Hunter was waiting for us on the porch of Caleb's house.  He greeted me with a kiss but said nothing, which instantly put me on edge.  He'd never done that before.... Upon entering the house, I found our pack and Caleb's waiting impatiently in the living room.  Anna stood in the front of all of them, Dom standing protectively behind her.

"Everyone here?" Anna called out.

"We're all accounted for," Caleb confirmed. But that was a lie.  Spencer wasn't there which was suspicious.  Surely he would want to be here to hear what was going on with his girlfriend... "So what's the news?"

"Okay." Anna took a deep breath before continuing. "Earlier this morning, Elsa woke up from her coma.  However, when mom, dad, and I went in to see how she was doing, she didn't recognize us.  Elsa has no memory of us or her pack.  She has complete and total amnesia."

It was deadly quiet in the room as the news settled in.  The first person to speak turned out not to be a direct member of our pack, but instead an adopted one.

"Is it because of a head injury or something more sinister?" Kit asked softly.

"I'm not sure, but the Healers are working on a way to help her get her memories back.  My dad lost his memory in the fight against the Keepers many years ago but this is a different type of amnesia that requires a different solution.  For now Elsa will be staying at the compound with us and we're to help her understand who and what she is."

"Does Spencer know?" I questioned.  At the mention of his name, everyone looked around to find him, only to realize he wasn't there.

"Anna broke the news to him earlier today.  He's handling it but needed some time to process it," Dom explained.

"Elsa will be arriving in a few moments.  I know this is a shock but try not to overwhelm her.  Hunter, Caleb, Ember, and Josie, you'll be waiting with me outside for my parents.  The rest of you will wait in here so we can prepare her to meet the rest of the pack."

"I'm not direct family though," I pointed out. "Shouldn't I stay here with the rest?"

"You were a sister to her after I was taken.  You're family to her, blood or not."

My heart was touched by the sentiment, but I still worried that I should stay here with the pack.  But believing Anna knew what was best for her twin, I listened to her.  She led the way; Hunter, Ember, Caleb, and I followed.  We crowded around the fountain.  I couldn't help but notice Dom shutting the curtains to prevent the pack from ogling Elsa's arrival.

I gripped the bouquet of peonies, anxious for the arrival of Ren, Arya, and Elsa.  Hunter grasped my free hand, squeezing it.  The little gesture was enough to convey how extremely upset he was over the whole situation, much more than he was letting on.

Suddenly a portal shimmered in front of us.

Ren was the first to step through.  He had heavy bags under his eyes and if I wasn't mistaken, his eyes appeared puffy, just ever so slightly, enough for me to suspect that he'd been crying recently.  At least a little.

Less than two seconds later, Arya stepped through, escorting an exhausted looking Elsa.  I felt Hunter stiffen at the sight of his sister, and it was understandable why.  While she had healed from all her injuries sustained from the car wreck, there was something different about her.  The old Elsa would've been trying to convince that everyone she was all right.  The old Elsa would've run up to hug us.  This Elsa wore a slightly bewildered expression with a blank look in her eyes.  Her gaze went to Anna first who sidled up to her.  She took Elsa's hand in her own and said, "We thought we'd start out introducing you to your family first.  Right here is Caleb.  He's the second oldest in the family and our alpha."

"Hey Ice Princess," Caleb greeted kindly.

"Hi," Elsa replied shyly, but not without a smile.

"This is Hunter.  He's the oldest and the alpha at the North Compound," Anna said.

"Hey little sister," my husband managed to say in a level, even tone.  But his grip on my hand told me just how close to breaking down he actually was.  She gave him a wave.

"This is our sister Ember. She's the middle child and beta to Josilyn," Anna stated.

"Hi," Ember squeaked.  It was all she could do or else she would start crying.  I already saw the tears forming in her eyes, the ones she was trying so hard to keep at bay.  Elsa gave her a smile as if she didn't know how else to respond.

"And lastly, this is Josilyn.  She's Hunter's wife.  She's the daughter of Shiloh and Carrie, who you met earlier.  I'll tell you the story of why I disappeared for a long time later, but while I was gone, Josilyn became a sister to you.  That's why she's out here with us."

I handed her the bouquet of flowers and said sweetly, "The flowers are peonies.  They're given to people as a message to get well.  I know you're not sick, but with your memory loss, I thought it would be a nice gesture or something..."

I started getting flustered because I didn't know exactly what to say to a friend who had no memory of me but to my surprise, Elsa pulled me into a hug.  It was brief but still sincere.

"Thank you," she said. "I'm sorry I don't remember any of you, but I'm going to work on it."

"Do we seem familiar to you at all?" My beta queried.

"Ember," Ren warned.

"It's okay, dad," Elsa intervened.  His eyes flitted over to his youngest daughter, a flash of joy in his eyes at the word 'dad'. "I don't remember you, but yes... I feel like I know you.  And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better."

"That's a start.  Do you want to meet the rest of the pack?" Anna inquired.

"I'd like that.  Who... who is that?" Elsa nodded towards her house where a gray wolf stood stock still in the shadows, staring at her.

"That's my beta, Spencer," Caleb explained.  He motioned for his beta to come over.  Spencer walked slowly, cautiously up to us, only shifting into a human when he was right next to his alpha.  I glanced at Elsa to see her reaction, deep down hoping she'd have some memory of him for his sake.  I had a feeling he wasn't going to be handling her amnesia as well as everyone else thought he was... but while there was no recognition of him on her face, I did notice her eyebrows raise up ever so slightly, something she had done whenever she'd seen a cute guy when we were younger.  My eyes met Ember's and I knew she'd seen it too.

"Elsa, this is Spencer Stark," Anna introduced. "You two share the same house because-"

"We're both betas," Spencer interjected. "I can move into someone else's house until your memories are back so you're not living with a stranger."

"No, no, don't move out on my account. I trust you.  My family wouldn't let anyone bad be on compound grounds. And if you're beta to Caleb, you must be a great guy.  You'll have to show me which room is mine though because I don't have any memory of that either," Elsa joked lightly.

The smallest of smiles tugged on Spencer's lips as he said, "I need to get back to the house but I'll have your room ready when you come back from meeting everyone."

Spencer walked off to his house.  Elsa watched him curiously, waiting for the door to shut before saying, "Is he always that serious?"

"No.  He just has a lot on his mind," Anna said.

"Were we close?" 

"Extremely."

An unidentifiable expression flickered briefly over Elsa's face, but instead of saying what was on her mind, she simply said, "Let's go meet the pack."
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I'll try to get another chapter up soon!