Pathways

Thomas

The two week's following Emily's attack consisted of meeting with the Alpha and Beta and council members to discuss how we were going to move forward with Emily's attackers, as well as capturing Jake. I had the full support of the pack's hierarchy. Something this serious cannot be left alone. Our pack's safety and welfare of all our pack members is a priority, and we cannot be lenient based on status because what would that tell future victims?

During the second week, I was receiving reports on Jake; we have seen him near Emily's studio apartment and in and around the hospital. I placed extra guards around Emily and patrols around her apartment. Until I catch him, she was still in danger.

Now it was just up to her to wake up. Brodey suggested I dream walk to connect with her and see if I can guide her back out. Another Lycan perk, one that I do not really use. I really do not want to do that. It makes me uncomfortable. It is an invasion of privacy and shit seriously can get weird in there, but it was my best option. The problem with that plan was getting my Lycan to cooperate. He hates dream walking more than I do. The last dream invasion left him pierced trapped in some bsm type crap. It was only a dream, but he still woke me up in the middle of the night to complain about it.

I am in the chair next to Emily, continuing to pick at my jeans while I work on convincing Sam to help us out. I ran my hands through my braids and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. I am getting frustrated, but I can feel him caving in and then I had a brilliant idea. I sat forward with my elbows on my knees and ran my fingers through my beard, giving it a good scratch. I promised Sam, I'd take him to that amusement park he has been bugging me to take him to, that one with castle where you can buy wands. When everything settles down, we can go, but not until then. I can feel Sam's giddiness. I swear he is a damn kid and I refuse to admit that a small part of me wants to go, too.

I lean far forward until my mouth is near Emily's ears and I whisper in a singsong voice "Little wolf, little wolf...let me in..." I breathe in her scent and control my breathing to match hers, once I get my heart rate to match here, I lean back and allow my head to fall forward. My eyes swirl between my eye color and the gold of my Lycans before I close my eyes and imagine myself on a pathway in the woods. On the pathway is a blue weathered door that I walk through. It is the door to the dream world. Inside that door is a hall where doors of different shapes and colors line the walls on either side. I walk down the hall, feeling for Emily's door. Each door belongs to someone. Some are people I know, and others are people that may be in my vicinity. I just have to find the right door and knock.

It does not take me long to find her door. I know it is her door because I can feel her essence, the vibration of her soul. It is a beautiful door. It is solid and strong, intricate scroll work in a gothic design mixed in with black flowers that cover the outside and in the center is a simple knocker. I run my finger along the ridges of her door. I have never actually touched a person's door other than to use the knocker. Her door is strangely warm, as if the sun has been hitting it during the early afternoon. Everyone's door reflects their souls. Some are twisted, some are simple and sweet. I love her door. I am getting a good feeling from it.

I raise my hand to use the knocker to knock three times. I cannot go in unless the door is opened for me and for a few moments, I think the door is going to stay closed. Just when I am about to back up in disappointment, the door opens.