The Legacy of Kilkenny (45 page)

“You eat in your dreams?
 
That’s killing me!
 
How funny.”
 
I reached over and try to snag a nugget from him, but he playfully batted my hand away.
 
“Oh no you don’t mister, give me one of those.”
 
I diverted his eyes with one hand and snatched with the other.
 
“Too slow, Joe!”

“Is this a real dream or are you in my dream?”
 
He asked between slurps of his coke.

“You sure don’t have any manners in your dreams, you’re like an animal over there shoving food in your pie hole.
 
As a matter of fact, you are dreaming, and yes, I’m in it via walk.
 
All joking aside, I really need you to remember the feeling okay?
 
You should be feeling just a little bit different, like you can sense my true self or what we call our essence.
 
We as wolves have the ability to mentally memorize that in our memory filing cabinet.”
 
I leaned forward and whispered, “I don’t know if I’ve said this before or not, but for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”
 
I leaned in a little further and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re kind of quiet, are you okay?”

“I am, but I don’t think we’re alone.”
 
He was looking around the cafeteria like he could hear someone.

“I
gotta
go.
 
Wake up!
 
Now!”
 
I tried snapping him out of it to no avail.
 
I sat up and ran into the other room to see he was still asleep.
 
I shook him until he finally woke up.
 
Damn, I hope it wasn’t Arien.

“Pru?
 
Something’s wrong.”
 
Abel said with a stricken look on his face.

“What do you mean?
 
What’s wrong Abe?”
 
I knew the answer before he said it.

“We have to get to the farm, right now!
 
Get your mom, Bryon, and Shaynie and take them to the farm.
 
I’ll be there soon, I have to stop and get something.
 
Hurry, you have to leave now!” He was worried but his words were composed.

I felt the strain.
 
My heart was pounding and I could feel my internal temperature rising, the tell that my body wanted to shift.
 
I had the control to keep it from randomly happening, but I knew that we were in danger.
 
I’d never felt such enormous amounts of pressure in my chest before.
 
Without saying a word, we all met outside, Bryon taking my car and Shaynie while I rode with my mom.
 
I could feel the chaos, my temperature was so high, I was sweating, I was so hot.
 
“Mom, I don’t know if I can make it.
 
I think I need to shift.”

“Pru, hold on, you can’t do that honey.
 
You have to stay focused.
 
Just find that quiet place, the one in your mind, just count like we’ve practiced.
 
Keep it together just a little longer.”
 
Tears were streaming down my mother’s face.
 

I’d never seen my mother cry before.
 
“Mama, don’t cry, please don’t cry.”
 
I felt like a little girl again, it was breaking my heart to see her in pain.

“Don’t worry Prudence, you don’t have to worry about me baby.
 
Just breath, steady breaths.
 
One two three four.
 
Just like we’ve done.
 
Imagine the sanctity of our circles, just focus.
 
Please focus.”
 

I wasn’t sure if her orders were for me or if she was reminding herself.
 
She didn’t usually speed but not today, she was peddle to the metal.
 
“It’s dad, he’s hurt isn’t he?
 
I can feel it, that is why we didn’t even have to tell Bryon, because he could feel it too.
 
How far did they go?
 
Are they even in Oklahoma?”
 
My mind was racing, was Oakley hurt?
 
I tried feeling him but I couldn’t.
 
I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad.
 
“You don’t think he’s dead do you?”
 
I felt the tears stinging my eyes.

“Yes, no I mean
yes
it’s your dad but I don’t think he’s dead.
 
He is weak, very weak.
 
I think they were just over the Arkansas state line, that’s where he was the last text I received from him.
 
Check my phone, see if I have any messages.”
 
She pulled her purse out of the back seat and dropped it on my lap.

ABEL

Everything is happening so fast, at first I didn’t know if I was still asleep but then I felt it.
 
I felt General’s pain, it ripped through me as if I had been injured too.
 
On my way to pick up Chrissy I pull up my shirt to see if I have a wound, there are two red whelps, one on my chest and one my stomach.
 
I touch the spot with my finger and feel the heat of wound.
 
Oh this can’t be good.
 
I think to myself.

Chrissy is sitting on her porch waiting for me.
 
I have her check my phone for any messages, there is one.

“Be prepared.”

“Who is it from?”
 
I say slightly louder than I meant too.

“Oakley.
 
It’s from Oakley.
 
Do you want me to reply?”
 

“Ask him how far away are they.
 
I know they’re on their way to the farm but I need to know how much time.
 
What doctor do we call?
 
Oh never mind that, I’m sure Dolly has that information.
 
Crap, I don’t know, just find out how far away.
 
I’m so hot, is it hot in here.
 
I’ve
gotta
crank the air, I’m sorry.
 
It’s so hot though, I can hardly breath.”
 
As I said it, I knew.
 
Double
crapola
.
 
Oh no, he is dying, I am being forced into shifting.
 
I didn’t want Chrissy to know so I quit complaining about how hot I am.
 
She’d have to be dumb not to see the sweat dripping off of me.

“Abel?
 
Are you okay?
 
You look really flushed.”
 
Chrissy touched me, her head went back and she had a lost look on her face.
 
“Abel, this isn’t going to go well.”
 
She dropped her head a little.
 
“I’m glad I can give you moral support.
 
I’m so sorry.”
 
She says, struggling to keep her face composed.

“He isn’t dead yet.
 
Has Oakley said how far?
 
Oh, come on, please don’t die.
 
Pru, oh man, call her and find out if they’ve made it out there yet.”
 
I ask, shaking with frustration, wishing we could just get there already.

Oakley sent us a text about an hour later saying they were two hours away.
 
The satellite on the RV wasn’t picking up a signal per his text message so I’m not sure if they were really just an hour out or if he sent a brand new message just now.
 
Either way it is time to get a doctor to the house.
 
We called out to the farm and find out Dolly put the farm on lockdown; no one is allowed to leave for any reason.
 
The perimeter is completely guarded and alert just in case any supernaturals are lurking around.
 
I check with Shaynie to see if she can sense anything from her Alpha, she says she can’t.
 
I know Pru isn’t crazy about her but she has always been nice to me.
 
Sure she is slightly moody at times, and apparently has baggage which I’m starting to wonder who doesn’t.

Dolly is on the porch when we arrive, I take aside to tell her about Chrissy but she already knew from picking up the General from poker night.
 
She tells everyone that she is my girlfriend and as their future boss my friends are to be welcome and respected.
 
I can tell it is a little awkward for the guys since they are worried about exposing the secret, I decide we should just hang out in Pru’s room.
 

I put my arms around Chrissy and ask. “So, what do you think is going to happen?”
 

She wraps her arms around my waist, resting her head against my chest she whispers.
 
“Pray for the best but expect the worst.
 
I’m sorry to say.”

I kiss the top of her head, her hair smells like shampoo.
 
“Yeah, my gut is telling me this is going to get ugly.
 
If
 
you’ll be okay in here, I’m going to go out there for a few minutes and find out if they’ve heard anything new.
 
You okay?”

“Of course.
 
Go.”
 
She pulls away goes to sit on the bed.

“Oakley just called, they are about ten minutes away.
 
Everyone, listen to me and listen to me good.
 
You have to give us room to work.
 
We’re going to take him into the family room, we have privacy in there from ears, if you know what I mean.”
 
Dolly gave her best stink eye to everyone.
 
“We have enough hands with Abel, Pru, and myself so all of you stay back.
 
The doctor is setting everything up so stay out; he is trying to make it as sterile as it can be.
 
We do not know the extent of his injury, only that it is life threatening.”
 
Dolly slightly choked on the words. “I want Bryon to be outside of the door to be our runner if needed.
 
I want everyone else to stay calm.
 
If you can’t handle it, go outside for some air.
 
Absolutely no running.
 
Do I make myself clear?”

“Clear.”
 
Everyone said together.

The RV pulled in the drive, Pru and I grab the yellow back board and run out to the RV.
 
Parker and Oakley help us carry him in.
 
I can hear everyone whispering about Parker being on the RV, I never even thought about him being around, I’d forgot no one knew he is helping.
 
It is obvious what the injury is… we put him on his left side as two arrows are protruding through him, one in his chest the other his abdomen.
 
The sticky metallic blood is everywhere, I feel my stomach lurch a little, don’t throw up is all I can think.

Setting him down gently or as gently as possible on the make-shift operating table (the pool table with a plastic tarp).
 
Barely conscience General Phelan reaches out to me, I bend over to hear him better, his words coming in short gasps.
 
“Bless you Abel Casey.
 
Be strong, live well.”
 

“Hold on, just hold on.
 
You can’t leave us, Dolly needs you, Pru needs you. We all do.”
 
I frantically said to him, beads of sweat dripping off of me.
 
“It’s okay, the doctor is here, he will help, just hold on.”
 
I look up to see the grim look on the doctor’s face.
 
I can barely see through the tears that are welling up in my eyes.
 
I turn my head so no one sees.

Dolly and Pru moved in closer and I step back to give them room.
 
They are doing their best to keep it together for him and for each other.
 
Dolly is frantically telling him how much she loves him and how she is so thankful for all the time they have had together.
 
She tells him he is a great leader and roll model and no one can be more proud than her that he spent his life with her.
 
I close my eyes, listening to her, my heart feels tight my throat feels like it is closing off.
 
I put my hand to my face, pinching the bridge of my nose. Pru’s voice, I hear her pleading with father not to die, not to leave her not to go.
 
She tells him he is the best father and leader, and how proud she is to have had him in her life.
 
She promises to take care of her mom and to watch over the Pack.
 
She promises that one day I’ll be the Great Wolf and it is all because he believed in her and her gift.
 
Her words are almost inaudible through her sobs.
 
I turn my head as my own sob is stuck in my throat.