17 Chapter Seventeen

~Carolina's POV~

We started to look more thoroughly like under the bed or in the closet.

"Where could she be?!" Maple said exasperated. I flopped onto the bed next to her sighing as I thought about what could've happened.

"Do you think she left because we left her?" I ask worriedly. I didn't think she'd do that but like my mom keeps telling me. "She is Just a wild wolf Honey, you can't expect her to be your pet" I had grumbled at that and even rolled my eyes. Now I wished I'd actually cared enough to make sure she wouldn't want to leave.

"Look Car, it's fine she's disappeared before, I bet she has a mate or better yet a family!" excitement traced through her words as I look up at her. I remember when we first found her. I had yelled at mommy to help her. I had stayed by her side as she healed. I was worried that she might not make it. When she had first come down into the kitchen I was overjoyed no matter what my mommy said. Maple looked just like that. I didn't think she was a momma, she seemed younger, although who am I to know how old she is and when they start mating. Shaking my head I smile, I liked that she found the bright side in stuff. After what happened to daddy they've all been on edge. I have tried keeping the "careless daughter" front on but I don't want to. I want to be a real "careless daughter" not pretending.

"Carolina? Whats wrong?" something touches my shoulder and I jump. Someone jumps next to me and for a second I thought it might be Mocha.

"Carolina? I didn't mean to scare you, I was just wondering what you were thinking about" she smiled sheepishly trying to get rid of the tension and I feel my shoulders relax. I run my hand through my golden colored hair running it behind my ear.

"Sorry... have you heard the story about what happened on thursday?" I slowly ask her. I had to make something up and this seemed like a believable excuse. She looks at me funny, green eyes blink at me in confusion before realization dawns on her.

"Oh umm, yeah I've heard the rumors going around... is there something you wanted to tell me?" she stared at me expectantly and I remember she's in the same boat as me.

"Yah I guess I can tell you what happened if it's not too much of a bother." It was an invitation for her to back out or continue either way it was her choice.

"Well no one else will give me anything so sure why not." sha answers back truthfully, pale shoulders moving up and down in accordance to her words.

------------------------------------After explaining----------------------------------------

Maple was silent. She looked up at me with her round green eyes staring into my almost see through fae ones. My eyes changed color because I'm part fae part werewolf.

"Ok it's getting dark so we should tell the girls" was Maples decision, not that I was really asking. I follow her running my hands through my hair nervously. I felt like my hair was dull now, all my thoughts weighing on me. I had to gain courage and tell Maple my thoughts about somethings. I get up and give Maple my hand to help her up. I shiver as a cool breeze comes in. It may be March but it still got chilly at night. Another shiver ran down my spine filling me with cold as I think about Mocha out there alone, scared, cold, lost,...I bump into something bringing me out of my reserve. I instinctively rub my hand on my head and look up.

"OW" I yelp touching the tender spot. I hear an echo of a reply and see another girl. She looks to be my age with nice hazel eyes. Someone taps me on my left shoulder and I jump forgetting that Maple was right behind me.

"You O.K. you seemed to run into something." I look at her dubiously my face heating and me being so stupid.

"Umm yeah I wasn't watching where I was going and bumped into her" I reply pointing to the girl who I had just bumped into.

"Umm who?" she points in the same direction and I turn to look. No one was there.

"huh. I guess she left." I say shrugging as I turn back to her. Her face takes on the red tinge and I was about to ask but she quickly ushered me to Tsunami's door. She knocks on the door avoiding my gaze. I am now baffled at her...I'm too young to know the word. Tsunami opens the door and looks down at us.

"hey girls what's up?"

"umm" I look to Maple and she answers for me.

"We think Mocha's missing or something else"

"Oh well, she might come back later you know how she is"

"But she comes back before this all the time!" I exclaim tears brimming my eyes. She looks startled at me and seems to talk to someone behind the door. Karma comes out and answers.

"Ok, Tsunami and I will help you girls look. Carolina, you need to calm down ok" she adds getting down to my level. A distressed fae even half could bring some chaos. I nod to her and try to reign in my emotions. Right as I finish I feel a tingling against my mind. I was small yet noticeable. Mocha! It's her I know it. I say to myself as I race down the hall, Maple hot on my heels. we leave the girls behind in their confusion but no doubt they would catch up. Maple grabs my wrist so I won't lose her. We continue outside when we see Mocha. she was just coming out of the forest and couldn't see us next. We start squealing in excitement and start to run over there with renewed energy. We reach Mocha and I pause beside her to catch my breath. I had no clue that Karma and Tsunami were behind us but it figures that they'd follow the running and than squealing girls. I pick Mocha up and start carrying her back to the house. I brandished her because I felt like even if she couldn't understand me I wanted her to know that what she did wasn't ok and more to reassure myself that she was actually in my arms. Maple put in her input now and again when she felt it was needed. We make it to the house and I notice that the other girls stayed a bit farther back. I nudge Maple and indicate towards them, she nods keeps her eye on them. Making it back to my room I flop her on the bed kneel down so we were at eye level. She opens her eyes and looks at me with those beautiful hazel eyes of hers.

"Awww, is the baby wolfy tired?" I coo to her smiling. Karma and Tsunami laugh and I feel like I can forgive them. She soon gives me a sleepy look and I feel my heart explode. Maple giggled and I tried hard not to laugh. I think we are infectiousness because her tail twitches and then it wags. She looks at her tail confused and I smile she was soooo adorable I wanted to film her every move. Maple and I continue to pet Maple when someone enters the room. I look over and notice Titan looking at Mocha and than whispering to the girls. He seemed confused. I can hear bits and pieces of what there saying. Some of them were like "she's here?" or "She was missing" and even " How did you find her?" I didn't want to stare at them so I kept my eyes down and on Mocha. Soon the mood changes behind me and I look over at them confused. Well Titan seems to be well pleased with himself because he's looking smugly at..... I think that's Mocha! Why in the world is he looking at Mocha?!" I look to Maple but she's still looking at Titan. I guess she was confused on how her brother was acting. Mocha chooses then to jump of the bed. Maple and I squeal as we follow her. It seemed to play in the part that we were brushing the look Titan's look. Aww they stop talking as soon as we near and I'm confused, what in the world are they talking about that they don't want us to hear. Maybe it's me.. or maybe they're talking about Maple? Mocha walks over to the open window and I smile ever one for the nature. But I can use this too overhear what they are talking about better. I sit on one side of Mocha while Maple sits on the other. We continue petting her but soon enough we start whispering.

"What do you think their talking about?" Maple whispers.

"I think it's something they don't want us to know about." I answer back.

"Yah well Titan doesn't like Mocha I can tell that much. I feel like he's trying to convince the others." I gap at her, she's literally plotting against her brother and even sister. I feel another prickling thing and freeze. My mind felt weird. What in the world was going on? Am I getting my wolf early?! But then wouldn't this feel different? Just like that I feel it again and this time I feel two different minds. I noticed that Maple was petting Mocha still so I continued. She was looking at me so I had a feeling she was feeling some sort of combination of what I was feeling.

"Look you guys don't know me but I do know you. Anyway I have made it so both can talk to each other, as you aren't pack yet you weren't able to do it before. Now I need you to act like everything is normal and not like there's a random person in your mind." I didn't know what to do, isn't this like what happened to daddy? I want to look at Maple but I didn't. She wasn't me I couldn't use her for decision making, right? I make my decision.

"You can count on me" I say at the same time Maple does. I smile knowing that we both shared a secret. Soon Maples mind comes into focus and It looks like I'm in a regular bedroom. Maybe this was what her room looked like before they were attacked? I wonder quietly to myself as giddiness blossoms inside of me. I walked over to Maple who had a projection of Mocha on the floor with pillows around them. I noticed that we could not see the mystery speaker. I hear an intake of breath before the "M.S."(Mystery speaker) starts speaking.

"Guys you need to promise to keep this a secret, ok I can't have this secret get out." M.S. seems wary and I don't want to let it down. Wait, I can't just call M.S. and IT! That's inhuman of me!.

"Ok so I am a shifter-" Maple squeaks at this.

"Now, Maple you know this because you are one too." I stare at Maple who wouldn't meet my eyes again. I was going to say something but M.S. beat me.

"YOU can NOT tell a single soul about this" It wasn't a question, a statement, or a beg. It was a demand. I stayed quiet, my mind going crazy. If Maple was a "shifter" whatever that is, than is her twin siblings shifters too? Or is it not run by genetics? I don't know how shifter blood works. This person is also a shifter so what's with that and why have we never heard of shifters before? My dad knows about Werewolves and fae the only other supernatural beings besides humans. I steel my resolve hoping against hope that I'm wrong, if there is only two in the world than yayy life is good, if not than... I should just ask the question.

"Maple, your sister and brother are shifters aren't they? I new my answer before anyone told me. Her ashamed and worried face says it all. I smile indicating that I wouldn't mind her answer.

"Yah, we are, and I don't think Mocha liked that we were suddenly humans." Maple smiles sadly down at Mocha and I get what she meant. I think on this and realise,

"What's a shifter?" it was a very important question. As it seems there's more shifters around me than I knew so it was the smart thing to understand them. They both look at me and Maple answers.

"Well a shifter is basically like a werewolf, just umm way more powerful.... Umm I don't know how much I'm allowed to give away." She looks down and I feel a big depleting drop in my gut. She wouldn't tell me about herself. I fake a sympathetic look. I couldn't put up a real one right now. The thought stucks me as I realize the the M.S. is also a shifter and older as they knew how to link our minds like this.

"Umm, Mystery person, you seem to be older so you must know more about the limits and stuff, right?" Hope had filled my core and I felt I would hug the M.S.

"Look Carolina, I'm not even supposed to tell you what we are, we keep ourselves secret. Now Maple is right with what she said, I won't tell you what it means but I think you get the gist." My hope plummets to the bottom of my stomach. I realize they gave me my whole imagination to imagine how powerful they are.

"Yah I remember how you took both our minds and connected them. Can all shifters do that or is it just you? I hoped to get more information to base something I can understand of them.

"I have no clue, I have been locked up for 8 years with no human interaction. I think it was eight years anyway." this was said with no emotion... I fear we have a problem. Wait a second

"How is that possible we moved here eight years ago and I don't remember anyone getting locked up!?"

"Ok, question time is over for now, I know you both want to know what they are talking about and I do to. I don't trust them fully. That's why I made connection in the first place." I looked over at the others. Titan seemed to be keeping his eye on us. I yawn, all this detective work was making me tired.