Wild at Heart
Chapter 25

I woke to Nick rolling out of bed with various groans of discomfort. I rubbed my eyes awake and sat up.

“You look like shit.” I said.

“I feel like shit.” Nick was rubbing the bridge of his nose like he was nursing a headache.

“How much did you have?” I questioned.

“I don’t even know.” He groaned. “I’m sorry, Emma.” He turned to me. “I should have stopped Reginald. I shouldn’t have let him get me off guard.”

“It’s fine, Nick. Nothing happened.” I thought about it. Did something happen? “Was he getting you drunk for a reason other than just to have a good time?” I questioned.

“It didn’t feel suspicious.” Nick said. “He wasn’t even questioning me, just bragging about his pack.”

“That’s good though, Nick.” If Reggie just wanted a drinking buddy to brag to, that meant he had no altering motives.

“I’m gonna get a shower. Clear my head.” I watched him make his way to the bathroom as I sat on the bed and thought about what the night was going to bring me. I could glue myself to Nick and simply tell Octavia I couldn’t get away, or I could go take her magic herbs and see what the hell would happen.

Nick’s shower didn’t take long, and he looked a thousand times better after too. His towel hung on his hips tightly as he walked around the room.

“So, I wanted to tell you about where I was last night.”

“Okay.” He turned and looked at my skeptically.

“I went to see Octavia.”

“I’m actually quite surprised by that.” I knew he would be. Octavia and I didn’t get off on the greatest foot.

“Yeah, well I have an even bigger surprise for you.” He raised his brow at me. “She wants me to take some herbs so I can visit some land of the dead.”

“Are you going to?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” I have to say, I was a little surprised by his lack of questioning. “It seems kind of strange to me.”

“I think everything about this pack is strange, so them thinking they can talk to their dead with some herbs doesn’t seem all that off.”

“So, you think I should do it?” I asked. He answered with a long sigh.

“I’m not going to tell you to do it, little wolf. I would never be one hundred percent okay with letting you do something that’s unknown to me. I could never let your safety be questionable, but I can’t tell you not to do it either.” He sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. “Maybe you’ll replace something you didn’t know you were looking for.” I leaned my head on his chest and had a debate with myself. Nick could handle himself against Reginald, and if Octavia opened my mind to something wild and crazy, how badly could it turn? “Reginald is desperate for this alliance to work, there’s no way he would let anyone in his pack put either one of our safety in jeopardy. Especially not his daughter.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “I know we’ll be safe here physically, but I don’t know what Octavia will try to open your mind to.”

“I don’t trust any of the wolves here.” I admitted. “But I don’t feel like I’m in danger around her, and I don’t know why.”

“Then trust yourself and only go as far as you’re comfortable with.” I nodded and finally decided that tonight, I would be taking magic herbs to give me hallucinations so I can see my dead friend. Can’t wait.

I waited impatiently for Nick and Reggie to finish goofing off with each other and dismiss me. They were laughing about whatever kind of shenanigans they got into last night.

“Come, Nicklaus,” Reginald slapped his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Kendrick has a nice collection he’s been dying to share.” Nick turned to me.

“Don’t worry about me, I can replace something to keep myself occupied.” And nick knew it. He planted a kiss on my forehead, and I watched them walk away before I turned and almost ran to Octavia’s room.

We sat on the floor in between the two beds. Our legs were crossed, and Octavia was right in front of me. I watched her every move as she cut into a pan of brownies. I felt like a college kid trying their first marijuana brownie. She put a slice on a plate and handed it to me.

“Okay, so, I eat this and then what? I see Derek?”

“It’s not a guarantee that you’ll see Derek’s soul.” She said. “You determine who you see based on your own feelings. Most people see someone they have unresolved business with. So, if that’s Derek for you, then you’ll see Derek.” Does ripping someone’s beating heart out could as unresolved feelings?

“Have you tried this before?”

“Many times.” She said with a nod. “Ophelia and I traveled to the other side to see our mother together after her passing. She died in battle rather suddenly. We’ve visited members of our pack after their death as well.”

“And Derek?”

“I tried.” Her face hardened. “He never appeared.”

“So, there’s a chance I’ll take this, and nothing will happen?”

“If you don’t have anything unresolved with a wolf who recently passed on, then yes, there’s a chance.” I stared at the brownies in front of me, somewhat terrified to eat one. I don’t know if I was more worried something would happen, or something wouldn’t. “Do you trust me?” She asked. Did I? This wolf came in hot and heavy with a dislike for me all because the wolf she was banging had more feelings for me than for her, and now I’m sitting across from her about to eat a brownie she could very well have poisoned just for revenge. And yet, I somehow knew this wasn’t a trick. I would be lying if I said I trusted her, but I would be lying to myself if I didn’t eat this brownie. So, instead of answering her, I reached for the brownie in front of me and popped it in my mouth before I could second guess myself again. I chewed the brownie as she stared at me, waiting for something to happen. It was dry and tasted like straight up cocoa powder, which made it hard to swallow, but I got it down.

“So, how long does it take to work?” I asked her. She continued to stare at me like I didn’t say anything at all. “Octavia?” I waved my hand in front of her face, but still she sat there motionless. “If you’re playing some kind of game, it’s not funny.” I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest, expecting her to bust out in laughter at her own joke, but the joke was on me because she never did. “What the hell, Octavia?” I stood up, but when I looked down at her, she was gone. I looked around the bedroom, but it was no longer a bedroom. It was like I was in the middle of a white room with nothing in it. “Octavia?” I turned around in circles, but nothing was around. I slowly came into realization that whatever herbs she gave me were starting to take effect. Which only meant that Octavia wasn’t the wolf I should be looking for. My breathing started to quicken at the thought. Suddenly, I felt another presence with me, and I caught my breath. “Derek?”

“Not quite.” I quickly turned to face the voice behind me. My chest tightened and I couldn’t breathe.

“Emmett…”