Chapter 15:

As I parked in front of Gina's house, I could not help but smile. Even though the day began weird and scary, I loved how it ended. I felt closer to Dmitry in some way.

Walking into the house, I smelled a home-cooked meal, making my stomach rumble.

"You finally back home?" Gina asked as she walked out of the kitchen while cleaning her hands.

"Yes, sorry I took so long. I... I ran into Dmitry and we started to talk." I explained and dropped the keys down into a bowl where I founded it. "Where is Frigg?"

"She and Sammy are walking outside in the backyard. He will be eating with us tonight, so I made some roasted chicken and veggies, with chocolate pudding for dessert."

"Yummy, need any help?" I offered to her and walked into the kitchen.

"Sure if you don't mind."

"What can I help with?"

"Can you start stirring the eggs for the pudding please; I need to check the chicken." She gave me a glass bowl and a pack of eggs.

"How many eggs?"

"I think three, just look in the book. It is next to you." She spoke and opened the oven. The smell that came from it, made me realize my starving state, and soon the whole house smelled like roast chicken and I thought rosemary.

"So have you decided what to do?"

"What?" I asked her confused.

"About your future." She clarified as I looked stunned at her. I did not really know what to say to her, I was still confused. My mind has been running all over the place, especially to a certain mysterious man. I haven't really thought about it, I kept delaying my thoughts.

"I wasn't born yesterday. I can see your head spinning and your uncertainty." She smiled at me, "I too was like you. Did not know what to do, my family wanted me to go off and marry a good Spanish boy. They did not like me having an American dream and falling for one too. I met Beckett and well, he was where my heart lied. So I followed my heart and till today I don't have one regret. I have a beautiful daughter, amazing grandchildren and best friends. I took a chef course here in Fortbridge and never doubted it. I will never give up the life that I have chosen, even with all the hard times." She came closer to me and hugged me. "There is no shame in taking time off to find yourself, Hope. It is the most important decision you will ever make. You don't want to do something that you will never love or be unhappy in. Listen to what your heart is saying it will always take you to the right path."

"Thank you," I said with tears in my eyes.

"If my age is good for one thing it is just this. I have experience, do what you love, Hope. Then you will always be happy." I hugged her again harder but also left a nasty cough out too. "You have a nasty cough there, don't you? I might have some herbal tea for you. It will make it better. If not we should probably take you to the doctor."

"I am fine," I said as she took out some herbs and boiled some water. We waited for a few moments before the water was ready to make the tea.

"Drink up." I took a big gulp and almost spat it out. It had a nasty taste to it, very bitter.

"That is just nasty, what is it?"

"You don't want to know..." she laughed, "Come let's finish the food." I placed the then empty cup in the sink and crunched my nose up in distaste. That was revolting. Going back I threw some flour into the beaten eggs and then the sugar and cacao when I remembered the pictures again.

"Gina, do you know how long Michael has known Dmitry?"

"All I know is that they are family friends. Known each other for a long time know."

"Old family friends"

"Um, yes. Old family friends, why?"

"I came across a picture or two from..." I did not know how to explain those pictures, "long ago. Anyway, in the picture was a man that looked a lot like Michael also a sheriff, with a man that looked exactly like Dmitry."

"Oh," Gina went rigged and stilled, "Well yeah, Volcov has a long history in this town. Where did you find this picture?" she turned around with a frown and slowly took the chocolate mix from me.

"You mean the Volcov family?"

"Yes sorry, what did I say? I swear sometimes my head leaves me." She nervously laughed.

"I found it in a book at Moontide," I told her the half-truth. I did find it in Moontide, but Lily showed me where. I don't think I would have kept going if it was not for her.

We placed the chocolate mix in the oven in uncomfortable silence. Not one of us knew what to say next.

"Hope! I have not seen you in a while? Where have you been disappearing too?" Frigg walked into the kitchen with Sammy.

"Oh you know, just around town." I laughed, thanking her for rescuing the mood.

"You all ready to eat?" Gina asked and we all nodded. Grabbing all the food, we placed it on the dining table and took our places. We said grace and started to eat, Frigg and Gina took over the conversations, Sammy only saying a few words here and there.

"So just two more days. Where to next?" Gina asked as she placed the pudding on the table.

"We thought of going to New Jersey?" I replied and started to plate me some pudding.

"It is going to be awesome!" Frigg sang and I laughed.

"How I wish I was young again," Gina told us some story from when she was young that left us all crying on the floor.

I left out a hard cough again and felt a migraine shooting its way through my head. "I think I am going to retreat to bed with some painkillers."

"Ya' alright?" Gina asked.

"Yes, just a migraine. Night everyone and you two behave." I laughed and pointed to Frigg and Sammy.

"No promises," Sammy shouted behind me while Frigg let out a bellow of a laugh.

I jumped into my PJ's and rested on the bed when Frigg walked in.

"Here are some painkillers." She said and gave me the pills and a glass of water.

"Thanks. Frigg..." I thanked her before stopping her from going to her room, "About the other day in Moontide. What Nina said about your fears?" she turned around and sat on the end of the bed.

"Yes."

"You are my sister, Frigg. Are you alright?"

"I while back..." she paused and looked down at her fidgeting hands. I went to her and hugged her in comfort and support as she lied into my hug, silently letting go of a tear. "I got a big fright, I thought I was p- pregnant." I was shocked, I knew they were active, but she never mentioned this before.

"It is alright."

"I was. It made me think about the future and children, I resented the baby. I wish it went and then the next day." she shrugged into me, "I feel so guilty, I wish for the baby away and then I had the miscarriage. It is like it is my fault; I didn't want... it is my fault."

"Frigg, it wasn't. It was not your fault you had a miscarriage, these things happen. Yes, you were not ready, you were just in shock. I don't even know what I would do if I was pregnant right now. Frigg look at me," I tilted her chin up and looked at her teary eyes, "I can't even imagine what you had gone through. Just remember everything happens for a reason, I know it is not what you want to hear right now. But you know that is the truth and that I love very much." I knew that it was something that she did not want to hear, but it was the painful truth. I really could not give her advice for I did not know what she was going through. I knew she was having a lot of guilt, I saw it her eyes.

"Yeah." She sniffled and hugged me harder.

"Does he know?" Sammy had the right to know.

"No." She started to cry harder.

"You need to tell him, Froggy."

"I know it is just," she started to cry harder, "I don't know, I am afraid. H-he really wants children and this... this might break him. I don't want to lose him, Hope."

"You are not going to. He loves very much and right now you two need each other more. I think he would be the only one to help, Frigg. He will understand and if he doesn't then I swear I'll go all mucho on him." She laughed at my latter comment and swatted away the tears running down her cheek.

"You mucho? I'd like to see that."

"Hey..." I pouted, happy that I cheered her up. We both fell back on the bed and laughed.

"Thank you, Hope."

"What are sisters for." I smiled but left out a loud cough again which made my chest burn.

"Frigg?" Sammy shouted from the hall. I looked at Frigg with a knowing look. She nodded her head and gave me one last hug.

"Here you are. Baby, are you alright?" he came into the room his face fell to a worried one when he saw Frigg's bloodshot eyes.

"We need to talk."

"Are you alright?" he panicked in worry. She took his hand and led him away to probably her room. I was really proud of her for telling him the truth, it must have been really hard. I still did not believe that had happened to her, I think it was one of the worst pains one could go through. I don't even know how I would have reacted.

Walking to the bathroom I brushed out my hair and then cleaned my teeth. Splashing my face with cold water to cool down my suddenly burning face I heard the same voice from my dreams.

"Hope."

"Hope..."

I looked up into the mirror and saw I strange dark figure in the corner of the room. I shook my head thinking it was mind playing tricks again, but it wasn't.

"Hello..." I nervously let out. It was probably just my shadow.

"Hello, Hope..."

"What?" I panicked and turned around towards the shadow, but to my surprise there was nothing.

"I am here." The voice said behind me. I turned back around and there it was, standing where my reflection should have been. I was utterly speechless, my feet stuck like glue to the floor even if my mind told me to run. My voice went just like Ariel's, barely getting anything out. "Don't be frightened, I am not here to harm. I am here to warn. You look so beautiful, just perfect for the King."

"What?" my voice finally spoke. I swore I was going crazy, such things don't exist.

"You need to be careful. The danger is on its way and you are not going to live long if he doesn't find you. I have tried my best to get him too you, to get this plan to work faster. I placed you in danger, yet you are still here. Time is running out, you're already showing symptoms."

"You, the dreams?"

"They are not dreams, it was really. It is a memory."

"No! It is all a dream, just like this. Those wolves in the woods, I don't even have scars from the attack like should have if it was real." Every damn day I'd have that dream. That wolf attacking me and another saving me, being carried in strong arms.

"It was all real, Hope."

"No! That was not really just like you." I shook my head side to side while lightly hitting the back of my head.

"Hope!" It screeched, "Look at me. When you need me, just say my name. Merely call out Whisper."

"Whi-whisper?" That was the name Lily said. The one I needed to say hi too. It didn't answer but disappeared before my eyes. The shadow dissolved into thin air like mist. My own reflection returning back while I observed it, my eyes big and face pale as snow. My scared self looked back at me not knowing what happened.

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