Chapter 7

Sara tapped her heels against the foot of the bed and tried to do the one thing she'd never been good at; being patient.  Her teeth bit into her bottom lip, and she crossed her arms over her stomach, hoping that someone would knock on her door soon.  She hated this, hated the feeling of not belonging somewhere, and the longer she lay on this bed in a room that wasn't hers, the more she remembered just how much she didn't fit in with Ally's happy little band of shifters.

With a sigh that was so loud, she was sure the entire cabin heard, she flipped over onto her stomach and stared at the door, trying her best to conjure up someone, but luckily for them and unluckily for her, that power belonged to someone else she knew.

"What are you pouting about?"

Her reflexes kicked in, and before her mind recognized the voice, her hand had already yanked the alarm clock off the nightstand beside her.  As it went sailing in the air, she winced, hoping that she'd miss her mark.

Namir caught it easily in his grip with a slight smile on his face.  "I forget that you shifters aren't quite used to being surprised."

"Us shifters?" she grumbled under her breath while sitting up on the bed. "What does that make you?"

"Ally's guardian." He answered quickly, and before she could open her mouth again, he shook his head. "Sorry, but anything more than that will have to wait."  He sighed, looking towards the door with an expression she recognized, mainly because it was on her face too.

"Waiting on someone?"

He began to shake his head, but froze before nodding.  "Yes.  I'm waiting on Ally's anger to subside so she'll let me back in the room with her."

Laughter fell from her lips before she could hold it back, and by the slightly narrowing of Namir's eyes, the man didn't quite appreciate her amusement.  "Why don't you just poof in on her?"

"She gave me a direct order to leave the room, and until she gives me permission to enter again, I have to stay out."  He took a step back, leaning against the wall next to the door.  "I think I'd be better off waiting until she left the room."

Another laugh slipped out, but this time, Namir smiled along.  "She does have a slight stubborn streak in her.  What'd you do and who'd you do it to?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.  "How do you know it wasn't her I offended?"

She waved off his question.  "Oh, I know you offended her, but if you would have said something bad about her, she wouldn't be pissed.  You must have messed with one of her people."

"I taunted one of them."  He stared at her, studying her a little too closely for Sara's liking.  "It was Barron."

She stiffened as a small growl vibrated her throat. "Leave him alone, Namir, or you'll regret it."

"Are you going to do something, Sara?"

A knock on the door saved her from having to answer, but by the expression on Namir's face before he popped out of the room, she knew he already had an answer.  "Coming!" she called out as she jumped to her feet.  The closer she got, the more nervous she became. She already knew that Ally was up to her matchmaking ways, but she prayed that the person on the other side wasn't Barron, not when she her emotions were so close to the surface.

She eased the door opened, and let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding when she met blue eyes that weren't the one's that flashed in her dreams.  "Hey, Ned."

"I'm your tour guide for the day," he said with a small chuckle.  Something behind him growled.  "I meant, we are your tour guides."  The growling continued.

"What the hell?" Sara mumbled as Ned turned his back to her.  In a baby carrier, Noah continued his growling.  "Aren't you supposed to wear that the other way?" she asked.

Ned turned back to face her again, and the grin on his face widened.  "I would flip it around if he'd stop trying to kick me in the you know what." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Sara couldn't help but laugh.

"Wouldn't want him to damage the goods."

He nodded along with her words, but by the serious glint in his eyes, she knew his next words weren't all joke.  "If Ally has me next on her list of happily ever afters, I have to make sure everything stays in working order."

She shook her head with smile on her face.  "What, you can't find a girl on your own?"

"With this face?" he asked, and something suspiciously like a snort came from the carrier on his back.  Ned growled, and when an answering growl echoed through the hall, Ned chuckled.  "God, I love this kid."

"Is that why you keep kidnapping him?" An amused Ally said as she walked down the hall toward them.

Ned took a step back, and Sara followed, quietly shutting the door behind her as she stepped into the hall.  "I'd be worried if I were you," she joked.  "I've never seen Ned so attached to anyone besides his mom."

"Ah," Ally mumbled in understanding as she got closer.  "That explains their unique connection."

The glare on Ned's face didn't fool anyone as he turned his back and allowed Ally to pull Noah out of the carrier.  "Or maybe," Ned started, "I'm the only one who'll deal with the brat."

Noah hissed at Ned before snuggling in Ally's arms.  The boy's little hands gripped her tightly as he rubbed his face against her shoulder.  Ally rolled her eyes, but the love on her face was clear.  "Now, if I could keep Zeke from popping in and trying to take Jesse away, then keep Tony from trying to convince everyone in town that he's Zoë's very single father, we'll be good."

"They're lucky," Sara whispered.

Ally stared down at Noah with a gentle smile.  Running the tip of her finger down her son's nose, she nodded.  "Not everyone can be, but I'll do anything to make sure that they're always one of the lucky ones."

"And that's why they're lucky," Ned said with a smile on his face.

Ally smiled back before turning her attention onto Sara.  Her smile turned slightly wicked, and Sara had to force herself not to take a step back.  "Namir said you wanted to train with me?" Ally asked.  When Sara said nothing, she nodded.  "After I put Noah down for a nap with his sisters, I'll meet you in the training room."  Looking back towards Ned, she motioned down the hall with her head.  "Show her around until then. I'll call when I'm ready."

They both knew that Ally didn't mean she'd be using a phone, and as the Leopard Queen disappeared down the hall, a small laugh left Sara.

Ned bumped shoulders with her.  "What's so funny?  Thinking about how quickly she's going to kick your ass later?"

She shook her head.  "I'm imagining her trying to work a cell phone."

A large grin pulled up the corner of Ned's mouth.  "Did you know she's the one who did a lot of the work for Adam's house?"  Sara glanced over at him sharply, raising her eyebrows in silent question.  "It makes you wonder what kind of hell they put her through as a kid," he continued before shaking his head.  Reaching up, he eased the straps of the baby carrier off his back before his easy grin slipped back over his face.  "Come on, I'll introduce you to a couple people you don't know.'

"I noticed you all are building another wing," she started as she followed him down the hall, not knowing where they were going, but not caring as long as it wasn't back into her borrowed room.  "You can't really have that many people here."

Ned glanced at her over his shoulder.  "You haven't seen our latest additions.  Not only do we have all the blonde headed shifters who rebelled against Marcus not too long ago, but now we have a couple of wolves hanging around, not to mention some hybrids."

Nodding in understanding, she kept following him.  Noises met her ears, becoming louder the further they walked, but her thoughts kept her from honing in on the source.  Hybrids.  Ally had hybrids walking around her compound and no one thought anything of it?  She had wolves staying under her roof with leopards and still nobody thought anything of it?  She shook her head with a small smile pulling up one side of her mouth. She could just imagine what her father would think if he heard the news.

"He'd flip the shit."

"Peyton," Ned growled under his breath as the newcomer practically bounced in excitement in front of them.  "What did I tell you about that?"

Sara kept her face blank as she stared at the teenager in front of her.  Dark blue eyes stared back at her beneath hair that was so blonde she'd consider it yellow. 

"You curse all the time," Peyton grumbled as he stepped out of their way.

It was only then that Sara realized that their tour had begun.  In front of her, more than a dozen shifters lounged about.  A couple were sitting in front of a small TV, growling at one another as they shot people on the screen.  More were sitting in front of computer screens, staring longingly at those who were elsewhere.  They all had one thing in common though, they were just kids.  Kids who would be brought up in this mess no matter how much everyone tried to keep them out of it.

"Yeah," Ned agreed, interrupting her thoughts, "but I'm not a kid.  In a couple of years, say whatever you want, until then, go finish your classwork."

With a loud grown and a very mean looking glare towards Ned, the boy stalked towards a computer.  "He's one of the one's Ally took in after Marcus?" Sara asked, looking at all the kids piled in the room.

"Yeah.  They all are.  Remember, he's the one who tried pretending like he led them all when it was really Owen."

"Owen?"

Ned chuckled.  "He's not here.  He's already got his diploma and hasn't decided what he'll do other than that.  All the one's you see here are part of my homeschooling project."  Before she could comment, he walked back towards the door.  "Come on.  The devil child is finally asleep."

"Ally called?"

He continued down the hall, going to a room that Sara had actually been to before, the training room.  "Nah," Ned replied casually.  "He was showing me the story Ally was making up for him."  He chuckled.  "Maybe a little too gruesome for children, but Noah likes them."

"Probably not too gruesome for those children," she joked.

Ned shook his head at her, and the expression on his face told her that he didn't know whether he should be slightly amused at her comment or try to deny it.  "I'm forewarning you now before we go in there," he said, changing the subject as they reached the training room door.  "A lot of people will probably be in there, waiting to either see you get your ass kicked, or because they want to make sure you won't do anything stupid."

"Stupid?" she asked as he opened the door for her.  She took a step in and blinked at the dozen or so eyes staring back at her.

"Stupid," Tony echoed with a grin that was more teeth than joy.  "Like bringing silver into it."

"Back off," Barron growled, before she could open her mouth.  "We all know Sara wouldn't do something that would kill Ally. Did you forget she's the one who came up with the plan when Marcus attacked?"

Drew looked towards her, quirking an eyebrow.  From working with him before, she knew what he was trying to say without opening his mouth and turning her into a puddle at his feet.  "I'm not even sure that we're physically sparring today, and if even if we were, I wouldn't do something like that."

"I asked her to begin with mental exercises," Namir said as he lounged against the far wall.

Drew nodded, and when his twin opened his mouth again, Drew punched Tony in the shoulder hard enough to make him take a step to the left.  "Fine.  I'm shutting up."  He looked around her.  "Where is Ally anyway?  Zo fell asleep like ten minutes ago."

"If you're bored, I can show you something new."  Sara stared at the young man who spoke in an even tone with not even the slightest of smiles on his face.  When he noticed her staring, he turned towards her, flashing eyes that didn't quite match.  "Owen."

"Sara," she mimicked before snapping her mouth closed to keep from asking what kind of hybrid he was. 

This time, a slight smile pulled up one of the corners of his mouth as he graced her with an amused look.  "Wolf and leopard.  For some reason, they both like it here better than in the village with the wolves."

"Which I'm extremely grateful for."  Everyone glanced at Ally as she walked into the room with a grin on her face.  "If it wasn't for you, the wolves and I never would have gotten along."

Red lined Owen's cheeks as he bowed his head slightly.  "We both know you would have found a way."

"Maybe," Sebastian said as he closed the door behind them, "but we would have wasted a lot of valuable time." He glanced away from Owen and looked at Ned.  "You don't mind watching over them?"

"Hell no," Ned said with a chuckle.  "Although I'm going to hate missing out on all the fun."

Sebastian shook his head at Ned with a small smile on his face before turning towards Sara.  "I'm sure they already briefed you.  Nothing stupid.  I'm going to sit in the corner with Barron."  He said gesturing with his head.  "I have a feeling we're going to need the moral support."

A couple of them chuckled when Barron growled deep in his throat, but as Sebastian had said, the two of them made their way to the corner furthest from where Ally and her were standing.  Ally watched her mate, her eyes glowing slightly.  "Are you going to be okay?"

"Of course," Sebastian replied with a deep chuckle. "Although, maybe Ned should stand guard in here instead of the kid's room."

Ally's grin widened at her mate before she turned towards Sara.  Bouncing on her toes slightly, her grin turned a little evil.  "It's been a while since I've had a good fight.  None of them will spar with me anymore now that I'm queen. Something about being killed if they hurt me."  She waved off Sara's wide eyed look.  "No one is going to kill you, I promise.  Now, let's set the rules."

"Mind first," Sara said, waiting for Ally to nod before she continued.  "Whoever drops to their knees first loses, and no commands."

"That's fair."  Ally rolled her shoulders.  "Ready?"

Sara took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  In her mind, she built a brick wall, behind that, she formed one of steel, and for her third wall, the one that Zeke had trouble penetrating the last time, she coated it with a thick layer of diamond, visualizing how strong it would be, how hard it would be to break down.  "Ready."

She pushed at Ally's mind and was shocked when she slipped right in.  Ally pushed back, easily breaking her first wall, but stopped after that.  Sara frowned in confusion, wondering what the other woman was up to.  In her mind, images flashed quickly, thoughts that were at the top of Ally's mind, but soon, they all cleared, leaving nothing but the image of the woman herself.

Ally smiled at her in Sara's mind. "Good strategy," she whispered, "but a wall can be turned into a room."

Light exploded in her mind as she gasped aloud.  Pain shot through her body, weakening her legs. She could feel her knees collapse, as everything else around her faded away.  She tried to open her eyes, tried to say something, but her body wasn't hers to control.  Hitting the ground hard, Sara fought the hold Ally had on her body, but no matter how hard she pushed or pulled, she was stuck in her own mind, surrounded by the walls she had built for herself.

Panic ate at her, but before it could overpower her, the walls surrounding her shattered.  She peeled her eyes open and stared at the mat below her.  "Shit that hurt," she groaned as she glanced up at Ally.

The woman wasn't even paying attention to Sara.  Instead, her eyes were bright with anger, her body tense as she stared at the corner of the room.  Sara followed her gaze and eased to her feet when she saw what was causing Ally's anger.

Tony and Drew were holding Sebastian down, each with their hands on his shoulders as he struggled against their hold, but it wasn't Ally he was trying to get to.  The menacing growl that left the man's throat was aimed at Barron, who had his own restraints in the form of Namir and Owen.

Ally walked towards Sebastian.  "It's okay," she whispered.  "He wasn't going to hurt me."  She touched his face, and only then did Sebastian begin to calm.

"Let go of me," he commanded, and instantly Drew and Tony dropped their hands with slightly shocked expressions on their faces that let Sara know the action wasn't of their doing.  Sebastian took a step forward, grabbed Ally and tugged her into his arms.  His face disappeared against the side of her neck, but Sara could still hear his mumbled words.  "I was going to rip his throat out, Alex."

Sara glanced towards Barron, who had stopped struggling.  "I'm sorry," he whispered as he nodded to Namir and Owen.  The two of them took a step back.  "I wouldn't have hurt her. I just needed her to stop."

Sebastian's grip tightened on Ally as he raised his head to stare at Barron. "I understand how it is.  When you love someone, it's hard to see them in pain, but if you would have jumped in with them, Ally could have gotten stuck in her own trap."  Sebastian's voice deepened in anger.  "Do you know what would have happened then?"

Barron tensed and by the sadness that flashed in his eyes before he hid it, Sara knew that he understood.  "I'm going for a run."  He turned his back on them, walking towards the door without a glance in Sara's direction.

"Barron," Ally called out just as he opened the door.  "I don't blame you, you know."  She chuckled, and with that noise, the tension in the room eased slightly.  "And it's not as bad as it sounds, I could have gotten out eventually.  I would never do something like that if I couldn't."

Barron smiled over his shoulder before shaking his head at Ally.  "Thanks."

She waved his words off the best she could with her arms pinned by Sebastian.  "Go for your run, but afterwards, come see me.  There are a couple of things we need to work on before you family gets here."

He nodded once more before disappearing from sight.  Sara turned away from the doorway, staring at the shifters in front of her. "What in the hell just happened?"

"Barron tried to jump in and push Ally from your mind when you were in pain," Namir said.

"Why would he do that?"

Sebastian shook his head at Sara as he finally eased his hold on Ally.  "If you haven't figured that out by now, you're not nearly as smart as we thought you were."

With those words, him and Ally walked out of the room.  Sara stood there, staring at the other four shifters.  "Any insights?"

"Open your eyes?" Tony said with a snort as he followed behind Ally and Sebastian.  Drew raised an eyebrow at her as he followed his brother, telling her that he echoed Tony's words.

Owen just shook his head as he too left the room, leaving her standing there with Namir, who she had a feeling was laughing at her on the inside.  "Well, what do you have to say?"

"There is only one reason why Barron would ever go against Ally, and if you stop being so stubborn, you'll see what that reason is." 

He popped from the room.  Standing there, staring at her reflection in the mirrors against the wall, she admitted to herself that deep down, she knew the answer to her question.  She knew it because she had felt the same way before, but as red eyes flashed through her mind, she knew that she had to keep those feelings buried deep in her mind, deeper than anyone, even Ally, could get to. She couldn't let herself go there again, couldn't let herself become that vulnerable only to have it snatched away.

She shook her head as her spine straightened in determination.  She'd do what she came here to do, fight whatever it was that was after them, nothing more and nothing less, and as soon as she was finished, she'd do what Zeke had accused her of.  She'd run home. She'd run from her problems, and this time, no matter how much she was needed, she wasn't coming back to this cabin, wasn't coming back to the one person who she'd run from so many years before.