Page 37 of Sold Bullied Mate

“Okay.”

Hearing the rasp in Kira’s voice, I turn to the cabinet, take out a glass, and fill it with water before holding it out to her. She tries to take it, but her hand is shaking too much, so I hold it up to her lips, something warming inside me as I watch her drink greedily.

For the next half an hour, Beth stands in front of Kira, coaching her through the process, murmuring encouragement, and instructing her to stay conscious, hold on to the words.

I watch in amazement.

Maybe the reason Kira’s premonitions were always fragmented, in pieces and without context, is because she never learned to receive them this way. Whole.

Finally, still with her eyes closed, she says, “There’s a little boy. And water—I can hear it. The sound of him laughing, playing, maybe scooping up dirt? Then his little feet on the ground, walking, and getting faster. Running.”

“Good,” Beth says, voice low, “follow it through. Keep listening.”

“Splashing,” Kira reaches out, her hand tightening on my arm, her nails digging in as her face twists up in pain. “He’s crying for help, but I can’t hear anyone else. Oh, Gods, I think he’s all alone—I think he’s going to drown—”

“Now, focus, Kira,” Beth says, “feelthe sounds. Tell me, are these sounds from spirits?”

Kira pauses, then shakes her head. “No. This is hazy, unclear. Like a future yet to happen, I think.”

“Sir,” Beth says, her eyes meeting mine in a panic. “If you know of any families living here, near the lake, with a young boy—”

Of course I do. I know every family in this pack, and I can instantly imagine the Tinnings, in their little cabin by the lake. And the mom—what was her name?—I’m pretty sure she had twins about a year ago. Twins that would, just now, be old enough to walk, get away from the cabin, and toward the water.

“Can you hear anything else?” Beth asks, turning back to Kira as I reach for my phone, pulling it from my pocket, dialing Emin.

“No,” Kira chokes, tears running down her face as she shakes her head. “It’s quiet now—just the sound of the water, lapping gently.”

“Really feel the bounds of the premonition, darling,” Beth says, taking both of Kira’s hands in hers. “Can you tell mewhen—in seconds, minutes, hours—”

“No,” Kira sounds really distressed now, and something inside me wants to snap at Beth to get away from her, even though I know she’s only helping, teaching her to get through this process. “No, I’m sorry—I can’t—”

“Emin?”

As much as I don’t want to, I step away from Kira as she starts to cry so I can hear Emin on the other end of the line.

“Is that Kira?” he asks, alert and on edge. “What the fuck is going on?”

“I need you to go out to the Tinnings. Check on their little boy—go straight to the lake. Call me when you get there and have sights on the kid.”

“Dorian, is Kira crying—?”

“She’s having a premonition. Beth is here to talk her through it. Emin, I need you to focus your ass and get over there,now.”

“Got it.”

The line goes dead, and I can tell he’s hungry for more information about Kira, but he’s just going to have to wait to get it. When I walk back into the kitchen, Kira is slumped into Beth, crying.

“We need to calm her down,” Beth says, turning to me. “Her nervous system is overloaded with the experience. Do you have a bath?”

“Upstairs.”

“Get her into it, keep the cool compress on her head, her neck. Just keep with her until she calms down.”

Beth moves to the side as I scoop Kira into my arms, holding her to my chest.

“Thank you,” I say, pausing. “I’ll call you if we need anything else.”

“Happy to help,” Beth says, grabbing her jacket from the back of the door. Kira has her face buried in my chest, but Beth leans over anyway, speaking to her softly. “You did a wonderful job, Kira. You’re a very fast learner.”

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