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sean

II de The Guardian Angels Pack

Virginie T

Connor has finally sheltered Sevana, in the the pack territory . But a doubt assails him. What if her best friend, Ashley, guessed her fatel origins? The sparkling nurse could then be in big danger. It’s Sean who’s sent to investigate and none of the Guardian Angels could have guessed how far the lion will be taken.

Sean

The Guardian Angels Pack

Volume 2

Virginie T

Translated by Feriel Benhamiche

© 2020. T. Virginie

Legal deposit: June 2020

Prologue

I have to get active. I welcome a new nurse today and have been designated to teach her everything. I guess there will have some work to make her fully operational. I have been warned that she is just twenty, so she is an inexperienced novice. She is the age I was when I started this job almost 10 years ago, and I remember very well the obstacles I had to overcome to survive. The days are not always easy to live in this profession.

Damn, I'm a little late, Peter wanted to talk to me before I leave for work. He's the alpha of the Treat pack and my dad. Well, not really, but it's just like. I owe him a lot so when he summons me, whatever the reason, I obey without arguing, like everyone else. He wanted to tell me about the new recruit at the hospital. Like most packs, we have our own geek and Peter do researches about any new people who may come near me. It is painful, but I understand the reasons. He does it for me and Sam. He protects us and I can never thank him enough for his kindness towards us. Fortunately, our conversation was quick, as she is a simple human and therefore poses no danger to us.

So I arrive with only 10 minutes of delay to the service and the new is already there, waiting quietly in the rest room for me to come and get her.

– Hello. You are Sevana, right?

– It's me. You must be the person I was told to wait here.

– Absolutely. My name is Ashley. I will be your most regular colleague on this floor and I am in charge of training you on hospital habits. I prefer to warn you right away, I can be very direct. I say everything I think without a filter, good or bad. I hope you are not susceptible.

– No problem. I prefer honesty to hypocrisy.

– Perfect. So let's go. i'm going to brief you right away, that's how we learn best. Let's start with the first bedroom. I warn you, he's a child with broken bones and lots of bruises. A bad fall on the stairs. He's in a coma, but we're expecting that he will wake up soon. You must not be too sensitive in this job or you will not last long.

– Okay. Don't worry about me. I am sure I can make myself useful.

I like her. She is a volunteer even if she seems shy. I’m sure we’ll get along well over time. I let her read the child's constants while I take the temperature. I am surprised when I raise my head. Why is she holding the boy's hand? Compassion is good, pity no. If she lets herself be overcome by her emotions, she is screwed up.

– You have to be strong, remember? I warned you.

She immediately releases his hand with a start and swings from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. I may be too abrupt. It’s only her first day after all. I have been there too and I felt this sadness in front of some patients. We have to stay professional, but we are not insensitive either!

– Do you want to get some fresh air?

–No that's not it.

I am not patient at all. Does she appreciate honesty?  Well, I like direct people.

– Stop procrastinating. Spit it out.

She hesitates for a few more seconds before nodding her head.

– The father must be denied access to this room. He must not approach the boy.

I frown at her incongruous request. I did not expect that. Why would we do that anyway? Parents obviously have access to their child's room without restriction.

–For which reason?

She seems more and more embarrassed. She flees my gaze, hesitant. It doesn't matter, I don't need to hear it to find out what's going on in her head. I open my mind in that moment when she decides to explain it to me.

– I'm not sure he fell by himself. I suspect abuse.

–Why ?

She shrugs without adding anything.

–It's just an impression.

Hmm. Given what is going on in her head, I believe her. The picture of this poor child in a wheelchair, plastered and crying, suddenly pushed in the middle of traffic by his father are violent, and the man is quite recognizable. It looks like he wanted a car to overturn his son. Sevana arrived at the hospital just an hour earlier. It is impossible that she have seen him before. It looks like it's not just me who has secrets. Sevana, if she is clever, she will certainly not confide in me, a total stranger. But I doubt that she has the same protection as me. Peter told me that she lived with a couple of humans. The risks that I will be uncovered are minimal and would undoubtedly be a betrayal. The brunette in front of me probably thinks herself out of danger by posing as a normal human and working in a human hospital, but sometimes we have to treat metamorphs, Without forgetting the untimely visits of my adopted family. which overprotects me and invades my living space all the time. I can probably help her stay in the shadows and I am sure that she will indeed be able to be useful in this place. She has an incredible talent that I have not seen for far too long. She choosed the perfect profession for her. However, I prefer not to talk to Peter about it. My father can be very suspicious of what he does not understand and Sevana is undoubtedly a real riddle which he would like to question until she cracks. A fatel who appears in the hospital where I work as if by magic will unnecessarily panic the alpha. I would have felt it if she had bad intentions. However, she just wants to help her neighbor. For my part, I mostly found a friend with whom I probably have more in common than I would have dared imagine.

Chapter 1

Sean

I  wonder why Connor called everyone so early in the morning. I thought he would like to enjoy Sevana for at least a whole month before resuming our dawn training habits. It has only been a fortnight since he brought his partner back to his house. Note, we didn't see them much during these two weeks, apart from the official pack presentation. Would his desire for the pretty fatel have dried up? No, impossible. The last time I came across them, I had to run away so as not to see them jump on each other in the middle of the forest. Maybe he wants me to take the reins of the Gardian Angels for a while to take full advantage of his wife without having to manage the clan or the governor's missions. We haven't had a call since the Sevana affair, it won't be long before we are contacted for a new assignment. I would understand very well if Connor wanted to free up some time. He is the alpha and has dedicated his whole life to others since he was elected chief, but priorities change when you meet your soul mate and there is no reason why things should be different for him. Especially since Sevana is an exceptional person. She is the last fatel on Earth and has an immense power, out of the ordinary even, a magical power that I had never seen. Always this throbbing pain when thinking of the fatels and their cruel and useless end. I still miss my family so much despite the passage of time, even if the discovery of Sevana has eased my pain. These people did not completely disappear in the end. It gave me hope that others may have survived despite the plots of the dissident packs.

– Is everything right Sean? I feel you agitated.

Hmm, our alpha female, in addition of being very beautiful, and also very perceptive, it is the least one can say. Telepathy is not her main power, however. She can only communicate by thought and not read minds. But she is very observant and has a big heart.

–Yes everything is fine. What is the reason of a convocation by the Great Manitou so early? He is afraid of you and requests the protection of his lieutenants against his own wife?

Sevana has a very communicative crystalline laugh that makes me smile, but also a very possessive guardian angel. Connor places himself behind her back and hugs her, staring at me in an unmistakable gesture for me. My alpha still marks his territory. Their bond is however sealed, no risk that a person could interfere between them, and their love is deep, but that does not prevent him from being jealous of all males who approach her.

– What did you say to make my wife so happy? It’s my role to make her smile.

Sevana turns slightly to rub her nose against his cheek. She quickly learned to tame the cheetah with little attentions. Touch is essential between two soul mates.

– Calm down my teddy bear, he just made a joke.

I explode with laughter when hearing this nickname, followed by Owen, Liam and Nate, who arrived at that moment. Connor groans softly.

– My angel, stop calling me that in front of everyone or no member of the pack will respect me.

– Don't be silly. You are a ferocious plush and everyone knows it.

My hilarity and that of my companions redoubled while Connor bit her earlobe to punish her. Sevana then turns around to kiss him and it is better that I intervene or I will once again be forced to run like a thief so as not to witness their lovemaking, and we will never know why our friend asked us to become. So I clear my throat to let them know we are there.

– Sorry. Thanks for coming guys. I'm going to be direct. I have no time to waste, I want to put my partner back in my bed as soon as possible.

The burning glance that they exchange confirms it to us. It is better that our meeting be short.

– Sevana's friend may be in danger. We need your opinion.

– OK. Let’s sit outside and tell us all about it.

The chalet of our alpha is surrounded by table and chairs to be able to gather the whole pack here. So we take a seat around one of them, Sevana on Connor's lap, as usual. These two can't stand not touching each other. I hope to fell this communion of souls one day, like many metamorphs. Our leader then begins his story.

– Something has been bothering me since we got home and I just find it. Nate, you can give me your impression since you met her. It is Ashley, Sevana’s nursing colleague

The bear nods.

– I remember her. A little blonde with green eyes. She had been attacked at the same time as Sevana, but nothing bad.

– Absolutely. And do you remember what she told us when we met her?

Our friend is thinking. We could almost see smoke coming out of his ears. He is more brilliant for action than for reflection, but he is a faithful friend and a formidable fighter. Better not to be in his path when his beast sets off, a real bulldozer. Ah, it looks like his brain has just started, his whole face lights up.

– She was the one who made us suspect the fatel side of Sevana first . She told us about your partner’s extraordinary intuition.

– Exact. But before that, she took her precautions. Before revealing it to me, she asked me if I was ready to protect Sevana, no matter who she was. She insisted on this point.

Nate is more perceptive than I thought.

– Do you think she knew Sevana's origins ?

Okay. I can see what my alpha talks about and it is not good if he’s right.

– You think that this Ashley knows about the talent. You think she knows that Sevana is a fatel and that she wanted to make sure you wouldn't hurt her before giving you clues.

– That's what I think, indeed. Sevana and her never talked about it openly, but I think she knew all about her powers, yes.

This could actually become a concern. There is no question that rumors spread among the rebels that at least one fatel escaped the massacre. The fact that the Blacks are aware of this is already sufficiently annoying, even if they will never try anything against us, especially after the heavy losses that we have inflicted on them. However, it could become a problem if several rebel packs hear about it and join forces to destroy us. We have the support of the governor, but in the face of rabid packs, humans can do nothing.

– Sevana, how is your relationship with your colleague?

– She is more than a colleague. She’s been my best friend for six years. We’re talking about everything, but I’ll stop you before you ask me, no, I never made it clear to her that I have intuition, as Connor told you. Anyway, I didn't know my fatel origins. Now she has been my partner for many years, she has seen me work and save lives by alerting symptoms in advance regularly. It is possible that she did guess. But in this case, she never told me about it. In any case, she supported me from the beggining with every alert I gave despite the absence of any obvious sign of deterioration in the patient's condition. She has been my biggest supporter at the hospital since the first day.

I think Connor is right. Her friend must have had doubts about Sevana, but perhaps, like many, she knows very little about fatels. Their disappearance dates back several years now. Many have forgotten their existence and the new generation has never even known . That’s easy to know.

– How old is your friend?

– 35 years ago.

Okay. They disappeared 25 years ago so she was able to meet fatels as a child and recognize the signs of Sevana's power. I am the same age as her and I remember this people perfectly. At the same time, my childhood surely does not look like hers. In all cases, a legitimate doubt exists. We need to learn more about her before we worry too much. I take my laptop out on the table. I'm not going anywhere without my tool. I’m a geek at heart and the computer scientist of the pack. An ace in my field when it comes to knowing everything about someone.

– Her last name please?

– Ashley Peterson.

OK, let's go. Let the magic of the internet work. I tap for a few minutes on the keyboard and all the information available about Miss Peterson appears on the screen. The record is strangely empty and devoid of photos. A data instantly catches my attention. She’s an orphan, like me. No close relatives are mentioned. Certainly, many of us here have lost our parents, but unlike the others, it happened to me twice, although I don't remember the first one. It is better that I focus on my screen before the rage takes me, as always. Ashley was taken in at the age of ten, but unlike Sevana, not by humans. Ashley grew up in a pack. It’s very unusual. Clans that adopt humans are extremely rare. Unless she's less human than supposed?

– No. Impossible. I’ve already seen her hurt and her wounds weren't healing at high speed like you.

Owen unequivocally confirms this to me.

– And I would have felt it.

No doubt. It would be crazy to put his intuition in question.

– However, she grew up in the Treat pack. The alpha is named Peter Browling.

Liam frowns.

– That name sounds familiar. I heard it somewhere before.

I'm looking at the alpha record.

– It's probably because he's a doctor.

–Probably. It must have been during my nursing lessons.

Probably. Which does not answer our questions. The mystery is taken more volume, even. I agree with Connor. We cannot remain in the dark. I say out loud what everyone thinks low.

–We have to go and question the nurse.

– I agree. And my goddess could use her talents to see the future of her friend.

The pretty brunette nods, tickling when passing with her long hair, with blue reflections, the chest of her companion. We are silent and remain motionless, our alpha female needs calm to control her power. She has only been using distance premonitions for a short time and it requires a lot of concentration. After a quarter of an hour, she opens her eyes, visibly tired and frustrated.

– Sorry, I can see it, but nothing more. Impossible to see her future. All I can say is for the moment she is fine.

Our alpha female needed physical contact to use her talent until recently. The bond of union amplified her, in addition to giving her access to other powers, but it still requires a lot of efforts and the significant distance between the two people is obviously a obstacle for her perception. It's no wonder she can't do it. That requires practice. Young fatels trained every day from an early age to master their talent to perfection. And as I guess, looking like Connor is upset that he don't want  to to seperrate from his wife to go on a mission, I volunteer. As a beta, it’s my job to take over when alpha is unavailable. In addition, I have an advantage over others.

– Okay. In this case, I will go there. She doesn't know me, she shouldn't be wary of me.

Connor supports me, as usual, and he is so happy to stay with Sevana given the smile he has when he looks at her, but he makes one condition.

– OK. It is true that the only time she saw us, we metamorphosed in the corridors of the hospital, we left two dead wolves after our passage, we took Sevana and she hasn't seen her since . It does not build confidence. But you take Owen with you. You may need reinforcement and he knows how to be diplomatic, unlike you.

I nod and we separate on these last words, our alpha already carrying his hilarious companion inside the house. I set off as soon as my mission comrade is ready.

Chapter 2

Ashley

I can not believe it. My current rascal boyfriend turned off the alarm last night, because mister wanted to wake up late in the morning. No kidding? This lazy idiot who doesn't even work reproaches me for waking him with the shrill ringing of my alarm to go to work. It looks like our pseudo honeymoon period we know at the beginning of a relationship is over. Just like our relationship . He will not see me again. Never mind, I will find myself another lover. One who  works and does not blame me for not devoting my days to him. In the meantime, I'm late and angry. I run like crazy on the street, jostling a few people strolling their noses up in the air and apologizing lip service without slowing down my race. Concerning politeness, next time, but there, I really don't have time.

I finally get to the hospital, but I'm still 30 minutes late. My department head will blame me again. Especially since we have been understaffed since the attack on Sevana, some nurses having been afraid and given their resignation letter. The bloody scuffle between several metamorphs on the hospital grounds the following week did not help convince them to return to their jobs. On the contrary, it comforted them in their decision to never set foot in this hospital again, unable to protect their staff. That means I'm going to have to use my charms on this one if I don't want to hear about it for days or take a blame. As expected, I don’t take three steps upstairs without being fired up by a overwrought boss.

– Miss Peterson, you're late. It is unacceptable ! You have no professional conscience? You know, however, that we are understaffed and allow yourself to take your time in the morning.

I take a minute to open my mind and take a deep breath before turning around with my most seductive smile.

– I'm sorry, Mr. Raze. A concern with the alarm clock. It will not happen again.

I spread my soothing waves and my thoughts of kindness to his boiling brain. A priori, I am the third to arrive late today and he intends to make me an example to stop this haemorrhage of latecomers. I'm going to have to force the dose to get out of there. What bad luck ! I will be tired for the rest of the day. However, I don't really have a choice. It is out of the question that I lose my job. I would be forced to return to live in the territory of the pack and I do not wish to see Nathan again for a long time. Not until he finds his partner and stops insisting.

– I'm so sorry, Mr. Raze.

His forehead wrinkles gradually disappear as my power slides inside him. It works well. Humans are so easy to handle. A real child's game that I have practiced from a very young age. Unfortunately it requires so much energy. My boss ends up stammering me, somewhat disoriented:

– It's OK  for this time. But don't let it happen again. And let me know about Sevana as soon as you will know something. We miss her very much in the service. She always knew when patients needed emergency care. A true gift from heaven.

I nod my head while going to get change without asking for my rest. I dodged well.

Sevana. She’s been my best friend since we met six years ago. I like to chat with her, laugh and cry. She is always there for me, even if I tease her with her nonexistent sentimental life. I never told her about any part of my life, just like she never told me her secret, but she is still my faithful friend. I worry about her. Already two weeks since she literally disappeared. No more traces of her on the surface of the planet. I hope I made no mistake when talking about her talent to this metamorph, Connor. I’ve been protecting her for so many years. Even my family didn't know about her, which was hard to hide. I speak very often of my human friend and Peter works closely with the health services. It was therefore necessary to excel in ingenuity to avoid meeting them on each of his impromptu visits to the hospital. He would never have hurt her, but some members of the pack are not very open—minded, not to say homebody, they do not support new faces, and above all, I know the recommendations of Sevana's parents. She told me about it one day when we had to take care of an animorph, and I didn't want to put her in troubles by making her meet metamorphs when her family forbade her to associate with them. Maybe I should have, but I thought I was up to the task I set for myself by looking after it. Unfortunately, against the Black pack, I was helpless. I couldn't help her on the day of the attack. I lost consciousness before I even guessed their intentions and tried to intervene. When I regained consciousness, she was already so damaged. These two wolves had literally cut her to pieces. She had suffered so much that hints of fear and pain still floated in her mind, even through her coma. In all objectivity, I could never have put down two animorphs in stride. One, yes, but not two. Peter asked me not to get involved in this story when he  heard about the incident. He was very worried about me and I had to convince him that I was in no danger that he would let me keep my job. When the governor's men came to the hospital, my first reaction was to be afraid for her. I immediately guessed that they were metamorphs. Their bodies, their muscles and the gleam in their eyes. No doubt possible. I grew up in a pack. I know how to recognize them. But when I got back into the room, they were just looking at her with pity, without animosity. They did not feel what she is, the fault of the drugs injected into her blood. I know the effects of pharmaceutical molecules on the blood of fatel people. Besides, it was better. They could have been scared, angry, or whatever. The disappearance of the fatels is no secret to anyone, unlike the fact that some have survived. And the way the tall brown, Connor, was staring at her when I got back into the room. He was not aware of it, but it looked like there was a connection between them. I have already seen this in animorphs, between two soul mates, but never between an animorph and a fatel. My talent is of little use to me with metamorphs. Their spirit, inhabited by their animal, is difficult to read, and requires an insane amount of energy to be effective, but I was ready to bet on my life that I could trust him about Sevana. Who would watch over her for me? Now I doubt it. What if I misinterpreted what I perceived? Gene therapy should have already cured her and the Black pack has not re-emerged in the area since she was no longer there. So why didn't she come back? Is she still in danger, pursued by rabid and unscrupulous beasts? Did the Blacks catch and exterminate her the way they wanted, which would explain why the pack was made to be forgotten? Or worse yet, have I given her to monsters wanting to use her? I am well placed to know that certain dissident packs have no limits in killing the fatels. No, some were even more cruel. They captured and sequestered them, using the peaceful members of this people until their death, in endless suffering of course.

When I told Peter about animorphs working for the governor, he was not surprised. He assured me that I didn't have to worry, that the Guardian Angels pack would protect her from all odds. I had never heard of this pack, but my alpha persuaded me that Sevana was safe with them. He is of course not aware of the particularity of my friend, but Peter never lied to me and he was sure of himself. Objectively, a pack that respects human life and fights against rebel animorphs would probably do no harm to a fatel. Besides, I have every confidence in Peter's judgment. He is a benevolent and altruistic chef, even if you don't have to trust appearances. He is the quiet force that possesses the power of a buffalo and the cunning of a hyena. It is better not to be his enemy. Fortunately for me, he is always on my side. Normal, he considers me as  his daughter, just like Sam.

The thing that bothers me the most is that I don't know how to contact Sevana and that Guardian Angels territory is hundreds of miles from here. Too bad, if I don't hear from her by the end of the week, I'll go there and no one will stop me from seeing her. I did some research. It seems that one can enter their territory only by invitation, but I will deploy all my power if necessary to persuade them to let me in and see my best friend, even if I pass out at their door. Once unconscious, they will be forced to bring me in to look after me. And say that I regularly harassed her so that she would go out, meet and open up to the world. She certainly has other priorities today, and her distrust of others has yet to grow. I'm not ready to be able to introduce my family to her. Such a waste!

In the meantime, I take my service by closing my mind to everything around me. It is better. Between the pain of the patients, the anxiety of the visitors and the dirty thoughts of the doctors who imagine us naked under our hospital gowns, I would go crazy if not! It is not always good to know what people think.