Cody's POV

     I feel my dick throbbing in my pants but I ignore it as James takes the folder from my hand. I know I should just let it go and continue with my sexy time with my lover, but there's this nagging feeling over my shoulder that's telling me I need to open it.

      'This is getting out of hand.' Jessie grumbles and I raise my brow at him.

      'We haven't even opened it yet.' I tell him, my heart still racing but for a completely different reason. I'm terrified of what could be in that folder, knowing that each time I don't listen to this Anonymous person, the threats get worse and worse and I don't know how much more worse I can handle.

      'Breathe. We'll be okay.' Jessie tried to assure me, but my heart and mind are racing too fast to listen. I know I could ask him to come forward and take care of this, but I don't want to always be dependent on someone else taking care of the hard things for me. If I'm going to be Luna, a better one than Grace, then I need to be strong and confident, not whimpy and scared.

     I watch with my breath stalling as James opens the folder with an upset expression, likely not happy with the interruption. He looks down at the contents and his whole body freezes. I look at him curiously, my head tilting as I feel the bed begin to shake and I watch with wide eyes as James' eyes snap back from green to black and back again, his lip curling in a vicious snarl that has me flinching away.

      'He's about to shift. You have to calm him down Cody!' Jess tells me and sure enough, I watch as his teeth get longer and his body struggles with holding his human form together while his anger and mix of emotions pushes for his wolf to come out and take control.

     My throat closes in mild fear as I begin to whine, getting on my knees to crawl over to kneel in front of my Mate. His eyes are locked on to space, looking right through me as growls poor from his throat.

     I shake him and call his name, getting in his face and all but the only thing he does is shake and growl, his body slowly turning to a wolf, a dangerous concept in a house full of fragile things.  I don't know what to do, until I remember the old wives tale that my mom used to always tell me. 'True loves kiss can calm any raging heart, and tortured soul, any broken bond.' Hoping my mom was as right now as she always is, with fearful tears beginning to leak down my face, I take a deep breath before I grasp my livers face and lean in in a kiss.

      My lips connect with James' and I shiver in delight and apprehension when I feel his teeth graze against my lips. As first his mouth his still but as I begin to peck and kiss his lips, they slowly thaw out until they begin to move against mine, hesitantly at first, until I'm once again caught between his body and the bed. The kiss rages on for hours it seems before it begins to slow down and James pulls back with a confused and dazed look on his eyes.

"Fuck Cody." He says as his eyes clear and what I see there makes me want so whine and hide away from whatever is in that folder. "We have to call a meeting. This has gone too far." He says and he gets up, pacing on the floor as I see his eyes glaze over and refocus as he begins mind linking to the pack, calling them in for a pack meeting. Letting my morbid curiosity get the best of me, I allow myself to grab the now closed folder and pull it towards me.

'I don't think that's the best idea, Cody.' Jessie tells me, no doubt thinking I'm too sensitive or something and that I can't handle what it is, but I'm tired of being that person.

'I need to know.' I tell him and he keeps silent as I pull it into my lap and take the left flap before I pull it open. And what I see stops my heart.

The first picture at the top is a picture of me. Not me posing for a picture, but a random one of me from afar, obviously zoomed in to capture my face. The one on top is me at the café most likely with Enza and Taylor, my curls hiding my forehead and glasses, but my small smile on display as I hold my cup of hot chocolate. I pass the one and move on to the one under it, and this one is of me walking to school, my hand in James as I look up at him with clear adoration.

     Though the pictures were taken when I didn't know, they don't seem that bad.... until I keep going and they get so much worse.

     Me in the library, giving James a hickey.

     In school, at my locker.

     Jessie racing in the woods with James.

      Me in the kitchen cooking.

       Me laying in my lover's arms...sleeping.

        My hands are shaking as the pictures get worse and more personal, tears coming to my eyes, blurring my vision in front of me at the truth. This isn't going away. This isn't going to get better. They're going to keep coming after me until I can no longer breath from the anxiety or until they win.

     I feel myself begin to panic, my breath coming in short gasps, my hands fluttering not sure whether to press against my racing heart or my throat to try and allow more air in.

'It's okay Cody. Listen to my voice. Take a deep breath and count to three. On one think about James and the way he nuzzles you when you sleep. On two think about the date you and Sloan went on. On three think about how the two of them will never let anything happen to you. Breath. Repeat. Breath.' Jessie walks me through a process that's able to calm me down enough to stop the hyperventilating, but the tears and shaking don't stop.

I blindly turn towards the sound of James' voice and climb off the bed, walking towards him, my glasses on the bed, the only thing they're doing is getting in the way.

I tap James on his shoulder, making his pacing stop and though he turns to me with a stern expression but as soon as he sees what state I'm in, his face immediately softens as I'm wrapped up into his arms. This time when I wrap my legs around his waist, there's no sexual tension only comfort as I wrap my arms around his neck.

"It's okay, bean. I got you. I won't let anything happen to you." He promises me and I let my nose fall to his neck, breathing in his calming scent as I try so hard not to fall apart under the crushing weight of fear, anxiety and the constant looking over my shoulder.

He holds me for what seems like forever and not long enough before he slowly sets me down and his hands come up to wipe my tears. His palms are large and warm as he cups my face, making me lean more into the touch, seeking the comfort and security he always seems to be able to give me.

"I love you." He tells me and my voice is thick as I answer him.

"I love you."

"We'll get through this. All of us will." Be promises and places a well tied kiss on my forehead, making me feel a bit better just as there's a knock on the door making me jump and whine in fear, my paranoia seeming to come back in a wave after those pictures.

James sits me down in the bed before he turns back to the door and opens it, his body in between the opening so that I'm hidden behind him. I relax when I hear Alex's voice drift towards me from the door.

"Everyone is gathering downstairs. People from their houses and jobs are still coming but everyone should be here soon." He says and James thanks him before closing the door and turning back towards me. He walks over to me and lowers on to his knees in front of my form on the bed and places his hands in mine.

"Cody, I know you don't want to have all those people watching you, but I need you downstairs. I need you in my sight right now. If they can get to you when I'm right there I don't want to make them lucky by leaving you alone. You don't have to stand with me up front, you can sit with Zee or another omega, I just need you to be down there." He explains to me and I feel guilty suddenly when I remember his own anxiety. How he has to deal with his own and mine and be strong for his whole pack.

The best I can do is make that task easier for him so I nod my head. He breathes a sigh of relief, probably expecting the meltdown that I'm holding back by a thread.

We sit there for a few minutes until there's another knock in the door that tells us that they're ready downstairs for the meeting to start. My lips tremble a bit as I take James' hand and let him pull me up, following him to the door and out the room, on our way to tell people, that my life is in danger and someone they know is responsible.

~~~~~~~~
Who do you guys think it is? I don't think any of you will guess it, but I'm curious. I promise they'll get a little break soon for a little while before things pick back up. My babies deserve it.

Thoughts?

Comments?

QOTD: Have you eaten yet today?