Mirror
It has been almost two days. Catherine was in a state of deep, prolonged unconsciousness. Xander was hell-bent on unfolding this predicament. The rest of the pack was dismissed, and Xander confided only in Jackson.
Jackson came in and locked the door behind him.
Xander leaned on the closet in his room where Catherine was laid indisposed, “Is there something I am missing here?” Xander asked rubbing his chin with a stern look on his face.
Jackson now had to wear a mask because the human world wouldn’t perceive him as did the pack. It would be scornful looks and pitiful gestures, both he despised. He wouldn’t put his face on display anymore when he was around the humans.
He made breathing noises when he spoke with the mask on, “This is beyond us,” Jackson said.
“Any luck with the shaman?” Xander asked.
Jackson itched his mask, “It was a means to an end… the human is her distant relative. I got no word out of him,” he scoffed. “Unfortunately he died of shock when I turned in front of him.”
Xander would send Jackson to not only trail Faye’s shadiness but to look into Catherine’s past-way back into her past. Jackson would dig into it and uncover nothing versatile. The shaman was her second cousin, even Catherine knew no ties to him.
“We will go back together,” Xander ordered. “That Jack… he might know something.”
“Her ex skipped town,” Jackson breathed out.
Xander folded his arms, “And why is that?”
“I forced him to take me to the shaman actually,” Jackson said. “He kinda saw me wolf out…”
Xander shook his head, “You got sloppy and let a human see your wolf form.”
Jackson rubbed his palms, “I can still track him but…”
Xander raised a finger to stop him, “Don’t bother.”
Jackson persisted with the heavy breaths under the mask.
Xander couldn’t stand the mask, “Do you really have to wear that?” Xander asked. “People don’t care.”
“Tell that to the humans,” Jackson grinned.
“Just put on a hoodie and take that mask off your face,” Xander said.
Jackson pulled down the mask and let out a sigh, “I don’t have any hoodies,” he said.
Xander opened his closet all annoyed, pulled out a black hoodie, and threw it at Jackson, “Let’s go.”
Jackson walked out and put on the hoodie. Xander was about to step out the door, but he held the knob and turned back glazed at Catherine’s resting eyes on the bed, “I will find answers,” Xander said.
***
They got out of the car and Xander stopped to notice the mirror at the entrance. Manny and Jamal were strolling the courtyard. Xander got pissed for the disregard of the mirror he told them to restore in the attic two days ago.
“What is this still doing here?” he asked the young wolves by the fountain.
“Uh-uh… sorry we forgot to move it Alpha,” Jamal said hesitantly.
Xander closed the car door and walked up to Manny’s face.
“Two days. It has been two days,” Xander said. “Take it to the attic right now and stay with it. Don’t leave the attic till I get back.”
“y-yes Alpha,” Manny stuttered.
They hurriedly went to carry the mirror. The mirror was to be hoarded gently so as to not break or fall into pieces. They held it at both ends and marched for the attic.
“We won’t be back till tomorrow,” Jackson chuckled. “They might as well sleep in the attic.”
Xander got in the car and Jackson started the engine.
***
Faye came out of the restroom and saw the attic door open. She steadily approached the lowly voices coming from within.
“Watch your steps, bro,” Manny cautioned. “Stop shaking and shit.”
They carefully tilted the mirror down the stairway.
“I swear I felt a rat crawl over my boots,” Jamal defended.
Faye was at the door. Jamal looked behind Manny and saw the curious red-head.This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
“Been a while since we last saw you,” Jamal said.
She folded her arms and leaned on the side of the door, “Is it just me, or I don’t know what’s going on in this house?”
Manny couldn’t turn to look back, “Faye?” he grimaced.
Manny and Jamal got to the last step and slowly placed the mirror against the wall.
“You tell us… you have been shady all week,” Manny said.
Jamal jerked him by the side, “Don’t disrespect her man,” he muttered.
Jamal didn’t want to start a fight. Faye and her clique have messed with him once and he wasn’t about to let Manny start a scuffle.
She slowly walked down the stairs.
“You have quite the mouth on you boy,” She snarled. “I’ll ask again, what’s been going on?”
“The Luna fell under hypnosis and…” Jamal blurted out.
Manny remained silent with a strong face.
“Wait hold up,” Faye said making a stop on the stairs. “Luna?”
“Yes, Catherine,” Jamal said.
“You call that human our Luna,” She laughed. “Go on…”
“She our Luna,” Manny hissed.
Jamal gave him an impression of falling back. He put his arms on Manny’s chest and said to Faye, “Catherine has been unconscious for days now. The mirror was what drew the hypnosis. It really got her misplaced.”
“That’s news,” Faye smirked. She went back up the stairs to the hall, she had an evil grin, “I guess someone else has it out for her too,” she said falling her hair to the back.
——————————–
LATER THAT NIGHT
Catherine opened her eyes and her head was ringing with distorting memories. The images of the mirror flashed in her eyes. The warmth in the room was ceasing. Her breaths were cold and her mind was heated. She rolled off the bed. She slowly rose from the ground and meandered about the room.
The wind burst through the curtains. She went out of the room to the silent dark halls. The sounds of wolves snoring next door. She felt drawn to a presence.
Sandra was asleep on the couch in the living room. Catherine dragged her feet and approached the attic. The door creaked open by itself. The lights of the room twitched continuously.
Her steps were fatuous down the stairs. She almost stumbled into Manny and Jamal heavily asleep on the old sheets in the attic. The mirror was in the dark corner of the room.
Her eyes would involuntarily close when she stepped closer to the mirror. Her eyes shut when she pulled over the veil on the mirror.
She stood there mindless and captivated by an endless void in the mirror. She collapsed and fell unconscious.